Shabbat Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld
May 9-10, 2025 • 13 Iyar 5785 • AM-Kedoshim (Lev 16-20).
Now we're talking! An American Pope.
But do we really care?
First of all, you can ask this at your table - Does anyone know what the word "Pope" means?
It means "father" - from Greek pappas - and the full appellation is "Holy Father."
What makes him holy? Among other things, celibacy.
In their religion, the body and the physical world are ultimately unholy and the source of sin, and therefore the holiest people practice celibacy (which regardless of the sociological and historical basis, is the lived reality and projected value of their holiest people), and they teach that the ultimate goal of life is to escape this world of sin and go to Heaven.
Now we're talking! An American Pope. But do we really care?
First of all, you can ask this at your table - Does anyone know what the word "Pope" means?
It means "father" - from Greek pappas - and the full appellation is "Holy Father."
What makes him holy? Among other things, celibacy.
In their religion, the body and the physical world are ultimately unholy and the source of sin, and therefore the holiest people practice celibacy (which regardless of the sociological and historical basis, is the lived reality and projected value of their holiest people), and they teach that the ultimate goal of life is to escape this world of sin and go to Heaven.
Note our diametrical disagreement with them! Judaism teaches that the world is not inherently sinful, that it has the potential to be elevated, and indeed it is our job to elevate the physical to its spiritual potential - we are the bridge between Heaven and Earth.
Now, since we have all this chatter about American-bred spiritual leadership, what's a Jewish example?
While one could find many historically great examples, one of the all-time most famous and influential American-born rabbis was Rav Avigdor Miller (1908-2001) ztzl. His pre-Holocaust European yeshiva studies made him a great Torah expert, and his upbringing enabled him to fully relate to the American Jewish experience, and making him particularly quotable. Here are a couple of my favorites:
Now, since we have all this chatter about American-bred spiritual leadership, what's a Jewish example?
While one could find many historically great examples, one of the all-time most famous and influential American-born rabbis was Rav Avigdor Miller (1908-2001) ztzl. His pre-Holocaust European yeshiva studies made him a great Torah expert, and his upbringing enabled him to fully relate to the American Jewish experience, and making him particularly quotable. Here are a couple of my favorites:
If people would know how to live properly - and by properly I mean happily - they would live with moderation. They would eat what they have to eat, and they would drink what they have to drink, and they would enjoy it so much that their lives would be overflowing with happiness and satisfaction. It would be a life of lo chosarta davar [not lacking]!
~
When you eat breakfast, learn to enjoy it to the hilt! Fully! Live deeply, richly, on your piece of bread and salt and water... When the tzaddik eats, he enjoys it. He really is happy with his food. That glass of water is more delicious to him than the most expensive champagne. Tzaddikim are not only people who look forward to the pleasure of Olam HaBa (the Next World) but have pleasure in this world, too.
~
When you eat breakfast, learn to enjoy it to the hilt! Fully! Live deeply, richly, on your piece of bread and salt and water... When the tzaddik eats, he enjoys it. He really is happy with his food. That glass of water is more delicious to him than the most expensive champagne. Tzaddikim are not only people who look forward to the pleasure of Olam HaBa (the Next World) but have pleasure in this world, too.
These glimpses into the mind of a great Torah leader can lead us back to our main theme — What's great spiritual leadership?
Shabbat Shalom
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Shabbat Shalom
Appreciated this Table Talk? Like it, tweet it, forward it....{VR_SOCIAL_SHARING} This message can be read online on Blogspot or my Times of Israel blog.
