This semester, we have begun to learn Bereishet. The Juniors and Seniors are also taking a Bereishet class with Rabbi Gersten. What I have realized is that we have a very limited knowledge about the Torah. When we are young we are taught the Torah, and we learn things such as "The world was created in 7 days." We accept this, because we are 6, and move on. But this can be harmful as we grow up. We learn more and more about the world, and hear that there is scientific proof that the Earth is millions of years old. This is a huge problem. Now, we think that the Torah isn't true. It doesn't make sense, it isn't possible. From there the doubt grows and grows, and for some people, it can be the reason that they stop practicing Judaism. Now that I am taking the Bereishet class with my dad, I see that the Torah actually goes along with science. Rashi, a thousand years ago, interpreted the creation given in the Torah, and it actually is what we currently understand to be the way the world was created. Days dont actually mean days- one day could have been a million years, which is why the earth is so old. Basically, there is a lot more to the Torah, and so many proofs that it isn't false, but we don't learn them. And by the time we are 20 and people try to tell us there is proof, we are already disbelieving.
Clearly, we need to start learning the Torah in a sophisticated manner before it is to late. But when do we start? 6th grade? 7th? It should be before 9th...
What do you guys think?
I think big pictures should be taught when kids are young, but I think we should have been explained that there is more to it. I think teaching in a sophisticated matter should be done as soon as possible, so the students will use their brain and strive to learn even difficult things.
ReplyDeleteI hope I understood what you were saying, but from what I took from this...I think that it is definitely difficult to believe in the Torah and recognize that it is true. Many people think that we have no proof that the Torah is true so therefore it is not. But the coolest thing is when what we learn in Judaic classes fits in with what we learn in our English classes, such as history. I get so excited when we are reading along in Sefer Ezra in Navi and we can connect the hebrew names of the Persian kings to the kings we learn about in World History. That itself is proof that the Torah is true. Maybe it is not so clear that we learn proofs like this every day but when we do, it is pretty cool and it sticks with me.
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who were at Rabbi Feigenbaum's mishmar class, he was showing us how Judaism is so intertwined with the world's history, and it was honestly fascinating. Since it is the world's oldest religion that is still around today, it has such a vast history and that is present in many different history books and texts. We can find so many proofs that the Torah is true.
Sade! Your comment=how i feel! I was reading this book about Esther, and they kept calling her husband Xerxes and her son darius, and then I realized we had learned about them and suddenly i had this huge BOOM moment!!
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