Presence

Someone who sits one or two rows in front of me in shul keeps leaving me odd little presents. A few weeks ago, I sat down for mincha on Friday only to discover a photocopy of an article by R. Soloveitchik discussing the meaning of the Holocaust, whether we can justify it or not (if anyone knows what the name of this article is, please let me know), in the row in front of me.

Yesterday, I found a copt of Difficult Freedom, by Emmanuel Levinas. I flipped through to a short essay entitled Loving the Torah more than God, which turned out to be the very same piece included in the back of my copy of Yosl Rakover Talks to God. The essay itself was great; one quote in particular, towards the beginning, that I thoroughly enjoyed. Bemoaning the state of Jewish scholarship, Levinas writes:

"The knowledge that is still produced is not based on an intellectual tradition. It remains self-taught, even when it is not improvised. And to be read only by those less wise than oneself - what a corruption that is for a writer! Deprived of criticism or sanctions, authors mistake this lack of resistance for freedom and in turn take this freedom to be a mark of genius. Need we be surprised, then, if readrs no longer believe this and isntead see Judaism, which is still adhered to by several million sinners, as just a mass of petty, boring quibbles that have nothing to do with spritual matters?"

Anyway, to whoever keeps leaving me these deliteful presents, thank you, and carry on.