The Kotzker says: “Towards the end of days the quality of
Torah (study) and Avodah (ritual) will diminish (when compared to earlier times),
and be replaced by acts of kindness.”[1]
Click here for more #shortkotzkvorts Click here for more KOTZK BLOG articles
[1] Amud HaEmet p. 17, par 4.
This teaching has its origin in the context of G-d’s
promise to Avraham, ‘BeCha Chotmin (And they will conclude with you’). Of the
three Patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov who are mentioned at the beginning
of the first blessing of the Shmonei Esrei, only Avraham is mentioned in the
concluding brocha (‘Baruch Atah
HaShem Magen Avraham’). This is taken as the fulfillment of G-d’s promise to Avraham
to ‘conclude’ with him.
The Kotzker, however, takes this one step further and
suggests that ‘concluding with
Avraham’ also refers to concluding the era before Mashiach with an emphasis on
a Judaism of kindness (a character trait which corresponds to Avraham) - as
opposed to the historic and traditional emphasis on legality and scholarship.
No comments:
Post a Comment