A modern day editorial founded upon Hirschian thought
The Hirschian snip:
«Several passages in parshas Bereishis always excite me. In one of them, RSRH detects not only meaning in the names in the genealogies of both Kayin and Shais, but treats them as a pattern that governs the pendulum swing of societies.
That pattern invites comparison with our own times. Here is the basic sequence. Forgetting the special relationship between G-d and Man, (אנוש) even while retaining belief in Him, must lead to dissatisfaction with religious life.
This leads in a following generation to an excessive preoccupation with material things simply for the sake of possession (קינן).
Finding this vacuous and devoid of meaning, the next generation tries again to connect with G-d by asserting His existence and honoring Him with pious proclamations (מהללאל). Alas, the service of G-d through praise of the lips without subordinating one's life to His dictates is bound to fail, so the next generation declines (ירד) once more.
Detecting the stumbling, some look to educating a new generation (חנוך), ennobling them with something more meaningful. Such intensive education, however, remains the province of only a minority. The next generation is therefore one of "giving up the masses," מתושלח.
Here I find his words particularly compelling. "They believe they have achieved their goal if they have saved themselves and elevated themselves only. To them the masses were מתים whom they שלח, »
This dialectic seems right out of Hegel!
For the complete article please see
http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2009/10/20/abandoning-the-masses/
KT
RRW
No comments:
Post a Comment