THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 50 Friday, August 19, 1983 Relevance of Hasidic Ethics to Modern Society Probed Among these phenomena are psychiatric problems, uncompetitiveness, lack of ambition and others. Through a sociological and psychological analysis of the Hasidic doctrine, Prof. Roten- berg 'shows that the kabalistic concept of "contraction" (tzimtzum) is a key optimistic princi- ple which guides the society and enables it to accept diverse phenomena, including deviant manifestations, as an integral element of its makeup. Even though contempor- ary society has undergone a process of secularization, it continues to be influenced JERUSALEM — The new book by Prof. Mordechai Rotenberg of the Hebrew University, "Dialogue With Deviance: The Hasidic Ethic and the Theory of So- cial Contraction" (Institute for the Study of Human Is- sues), is a groundbreaking study of the impact of Hasidic ethics on. contem- porary society. In the wake of a thorough examination of the Hasidic ethic, the author concludes that the optimistic ap- proach toward life which characterizes Hasidism provides its adherents with solutions and means to cope with phenomena which the Protestant world views as social deviations. Music by Sam Barnett by the religious ethic, Prof. Rotenberg notes, hence the • importance of understand- ing religious ethical con- cepts. Moreover, although the impact of Eastern and Western theologies on society have been studied in considerable detail, virtu- ally no systematic attempts have been made to deter- mine the possible relation- ships between Jewish ethics and contemporary society. According to the concept of contraction, God volun- tarily withdraws into him- self, thus evacuating space for the human world. The belief in contraction is indi- cative of the coexistence and dialogue between man and God and between man and man. This principle enables the formation of the "I and Thou" situation between man and God, already noted by Martin Buber in his analysis of Hasidism. . Big or small, we custom the music to your needs. 968-2563 PI/P/11) MACRON L'TORAH — TORAH CENTER OF METRO DETROIT *c aw presents the seminar you have been anxiously awaiting ... iln[0 OM Lan_ IMMIMN A series of lectures uniquely designed in response to the many requests that we have received. SEMINAR II SEMMAR I sundag August 28, 1983 BELIEF: Myths a Realities Sunday - August 21, 1983 DEFIRM8 JUDAISM — A. Judaism: A nationality, a religion, a race, an ethnic group, or none of the above? B. The Jew in History: Footnote or focal point? C. Intermarriage: What is the Jewish view? D. The Authenticity of Torah (Bible). E. Is Jewish Law applicable to modern day living? F. The Chosen People: A stigma, or a badge of honor? A. B. C. I F. G. Can we prove the existence of God? Judgment vs. Mercy: The balance. The High Holidays: Boring sermons and emotional burdens. How to turn things around. Yam Kippur. Painful or Pleasureable? Medical Ethics in Today's Society: A Jewish perspective. The Creation of the Theory of Evolution. Science and Torah: Contradictory or Complimentary? 11•1111•( )1=I ■ ( )11111111110 ( )111111 ■ ( 311111111 ■ ( ) AIMS. ( )1•1110“ ) 4111111. ( ) 4111•111.( ) 4111110 , ( )1111111 ■ () 41.11 ■ ( 411111 ■ ( )111•11 ■ ( )4=11 LECTURERS WILL INCLUDE: BORUCH LEVINE Talmudical Researcher NETHANIAL LAUER Vice President, Beth Jacob Schools Denver, Colorado 1 NORTON SOKOL M.D., Internal Medicine Chicago, Illinois SHMUEL STRICKMAN Principal, Beth Yehuda Southfield, Michigan MICHEL TWERSKI Rabbi Milwaukee, Wisconsin FEIVEL WAGNER Rabbi, Young Israel of Greenfield TIME: 7:00 - 10:00 P.M. JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER 15110 W. 10 Mile Road, Oak Park, Michigan WHO QUALIFIES: Intellectually motivated Jewish adults & students. REGISTRATION: $6.00 per Seminar $10.00 Entire Course FOR MORE INFORMATON AND RESERVATIONS PLEASE CALL: 9684835 308-4405 - DON'T MISS THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY 545-0131 It is this bilateral "I and Thou" concept that ex- plains the talmudic no- tion of chutzpa, by which man can argue with and even influence God. The existence of a mutual re- lationship between be- liever and God is the dynamic and optimistic element of Hasidism — unlike the Protestant ethic which is based on the concept of "I or Thou" between man and God. societies, Protestant based on unilateral "I or Thou" models of behavior, are deterministic in nature; the conflict between man and God necessarily ends in the surrender and abnega- tion of man. Another section of "Dialogue With Deviance" deals with the continuous struggle between, good and evil as viewed through the Hasidic prism. Here, Prof. Rotenberg develops the popular Hasidic notion of "ascent through descent," which denies the existence of evil, into a theory of "functional deviance." That is, while West6rn psychiatry has not enabled rational - man to overcome his fears of the unknown and irrational, Hasidic "as- cent thrugh descent" teaches that joy (ascent) may be preceded by a tem- porary state of deviance or depression (descent). Thus, descent, however long it l‘sts, is always a temporary state whose aim is to prepare man for the desirable, predomin- ant, joy-filled state of as- cent. This means that what the Protestant world conceives of as evil and as unrectifiable, is considered in Hasidism as a positive, highly bene ficial situation. One of Prof. Rotenberg's most striking conclusions is that the 18th Century Hasidic movement "appears to be a most instructive case in the sociological history of revolutionary movements." UN Scores Israel, S. Africa GENEVA (JTA) — Is- rael's policies in the West Bank and South Africa's policy of apartheid came under severe criticism at the United Nations World Conference to Combat Ra- cism. The conference, which ended last weekend, voted 104-0 for measures to com- bat apartheid, ranging from economic sanctions to a complete cutoff of all scien- tific, cultural and sports contacts. The United States and Is- rael boycotted the two-week conference attended by 124 nations because of the 1975 UN General Assembly reso- lutions equating Zionism with racism. A countenance habitually under the influence of ami- able feelings acquires a beauty of the highest order from the frequency with which such feelings stamp their character upon it. If you're i not I wearing t, sell it. You can't enjoy jewelry if it's sitting in your safe deposit box. Sell it for immediate cash. 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