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Orthodoxy struggling with G-d

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
For those following the Rabbi Zev Farber controversy: I believe the article Biblical Criticism, Divinity, the Shofar & the IRF to be worth sharing. It ends:
When you get a group of people together, many of whom are living in the tension between the ideal religious conceptualization of the Divine, and the realities of science, archaeology, history, textual criticism, and other forms of philosophical endeavor, the results will never be be a group that is uniform in its appearance or thinking. It will inevitably be diverse, and it might even seem unkempt to the outsider, but make no mistake about it, it is in that tension where Divinity can be found most.
The Farber article can be found here.
 

CMike

Well-Known Member
I disagree that there is tension between the Torah and jews who are scientists.

I go to a small Chabad synagogue.

Sitting next to me I have two neurologists, two primary doctors, an ER doctor, a wound and infection doctor, and a few shrinks.

I probably am in the safest house of worship in America especially for such a small synagogue.

Also among the women there are anesthologiests, a few shrinks, a cardiologists, and some more specialty doctors.

Some of the best scientific minds come from orthodox jews.
 

Moishe3rd

Yehudi
I have found this is true of most Orthodox shuls that I have attended. It is certainly true of our little shul - one world famous pediatric neurologist; four older retired GP's; one emergency room doctor; one orthopedic surgeon plus a couple of orthopedic ?? not surgeons; 4 dentists (3 specialized); 2 specialized organ surgeons; plus at least 5 other doctors who I am not sure of their specialties; plus the guys who own the pain clinic or other medical service organizations; plus a few nurses; and whatnot... Along with university professors in different fields; plus a passel of computer or IT guys; and a whole bunch of independent businessmen from the little guys to the owners of large national companies....
And, corporate guys; restaurateurs; librarians; and I lose track of all of us...
 

CMike

Well-Known Member
Actually I think your shul beats my shul. I don't recall any surgeons or orthopedists.

I did leave out two ophthamologists.

There is the head of the statistics department of a major university.

There is the head of the mathematics department of a major university.

I'm not even talking about the lawyers, and other business people.

Directly in front of me there is primary doctor. To his left is a cardiologist. To his right is an opthamatologists.

To my right is a psychiatrists, and directly behind me is a neurologist.

Many of the women in this shul are doctors as well, and other professionals.

Also, this shul is rather small.

The congregants are also extremely friendly and we have a good time together. I think they like having a chance to unwind/chill in shul and get a break from their stressful lives.

I would also like to point out that these shuls have the best food after the service.

The points I want to make is that:

1) The Torah and scientists go hand in hand

2) Even orthodox and in this case chabad women are hardly just meek women. Many of them are on the top of their professions. Often they rule the home.

Thank you Moishe for adding the make up of your shul too. It shows that it's a pattern.
 

Moishe3rd

Yehudi
Of course. There are plenty of stupid people out there who are devoted to their religion.
But, the folk who are anti-G-d tend to be of lower intellectual caliber than those that I know who are devoted Orthodox Jews.
Most highly educated Orthodox Jews I know (which are the majority) are religious because they understand the intricacies of their chosen field extremely well and, therefore, understand even better how G-d has His Hand in This World.
Most anti-religious; anti-G-d folk that I hear from, are not in the top of their chosen field or have not spent time rigorously studying the why and wherefores of any religion.
 

CMike

Well-Known Member
Of course. There are plenty of stupid people out there who are devoted to their religion.
But, the folk who are anti-G-d tend to be of lower intellectual caliber than those that I know who are devoted Orthodox Jews.
Most highly educated Orthodox Jews I know (which are the majority) are religious because they understand the intricacies of their chosen field extremely well and, therefore, understand even better how G-d has His Hand in This World.
Most anti-religious; anti-G-d folk that I hear from, are not in the top of their chosen field or have not spent time rigorously studying the why and wherefores of any religion.
Maybe we can trade?

We don't have surgeons to my knowledge.

Will your shul take some shrinks for a surgeon?
 

Moishe3rd

Yehudi
Maybe we can trade?

We don't have surgeons to my knowledge.

Will your shul take some shrinks for a surgeon?
Nooooo... No shrinks. That's voodoo science...
Although we do have a few professional therapists who are licensed psychologists. There is one couple who are several generation Chabad who both got their training and licensing in their 40's - the wife started the Shaarim program for all disabled Jewish kids in Minnesota and the husband has a successful therapy practice.
So, I guess it's not all voodoo but....
Anyway, several surgeons have moved elsewhere as their practices change....
We also used to have the best professional weatherman (meteorologist)in the country. In addition to all the normal weather data, he invented his own models. He has a private practice which he sells to people like commodity brokers and such. Boy, was he useful at Succos!
"Well, it'll be raining by the time we get out of shul but, it should taper off enough for about a 1/2 hour and you will be able make a brocha in the Sukkah, but then it's going to get heavy again...."
I kid you not. He was that accurate...
 

dantech

Well-Known Member
Nooooo... No shrinks. That's voodoo science...
Although we do have a few professional therapists who are licensed psychologists. There is one couple who are several generation Chabad who both got their training and licensing in their 40's - the wife started the Shaarim program for all disabled Jewish kids in Minnesota and the husband has a successful therapy practice.
So, I guess it's not all voodoo but....
Anyway, several surgeons have moved elsewhere as their practices change....
We also used to have the best professional weatherman (meteorologist)in the country. In addition to all the normal weather data, he invented his own models. He has a private practice which he sells to people like commodity brokers and such. Boy, was he useful at Succos!
"Well, it'll be raining by the time we get out of shul but, it should taper off enough for about a 1/2 hour and you will be able make a brocha in the Sukkah, but then it's going to get heavy again...."
I kid you not. He was that accurate...

Wow. Impressive.
 

CMike

Well-Known Member
Nooooo... No shrinks. That's voodoo science...
Although we do have a few professional therapists who are licensed psychologists. There is one couple who are several generation Chabad who both got their training and licensing in their 40's - the wife started the Shaarim program for all disabled Jewish kids in Minnesota and the husband has a successful therapy practice.
So, I guess it's not all voodoo but....
Anyway, several surgeons have moved elsewhere as their practices change....
We also used to have the best professional weatherman (meteorologist)in the country. In addition to all the normal weather data, he invented his own models. He has a private practice which he sells to people like commodity brokers and such. Boy, was he useful at Succos!
"Well, it'll be raining by the time we get out of shul but, it should taper off enough for about a 1/2 hour and you will be able make a brocha in the Sukkah, but then it's going to get heavy again...."
I kid you not. He was that accurate...
Actually. I am mistaken.

We do have a neuosurgeon and also the head of a the economics department for a major university.

So we have several primary doctors, 2 neurologists, a neuro surgeon, an ER doctor, a wound and infections specialist,2 opthamatologists, several shrinks, and some others.

We also have the heads of university deparments for economics, mathematics, and statistics.

We have about 6-10 lawyers. A bunch of business owners.

This is all in a very small synagogue.

Also among the women there are several doctors and shrinks, as well.

We may be missing dentists. You have any to trade?
 
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