Philosophy in Chassidut ?

B"H

Although I like the haredi world and admire certain people, I still always remain reluctant when it comes to a certain subject called "education". Looking at a haredi school's curriculum scares me away.

Despite all criticism, different haredi groups and directions have changed the curriculum to the better. Al least the girls' school curriculum. Example: the Vishnitzer Chassidim.
They, for instance, started teaching their girls English. This is already something, at least in Israel where English among Haredim is not to be taken for granted. If you speak to a Gerer Chassid (male or female) or to someone from Toldot Aharon in English, then you have a language disaster coming up if you don't know Hebrew or Yiddish. Those Chassidim don't know any English unless they are from the States or England.

The Haredi world, or in other words, Litvishe and Vishnitzer Chassidim decided to teach English to the girls and the reason seems obvious. Girls are becoming wives and many wives have to earn the family's income. Especially Israeli high tech companies are looking for haredi women in order to employ them. Working in the high tech field is good money but the applicants have to know English. And here you have the reason.

I am not generalizing haredi education and there are groups offering more and better education than others. Especially the Batei Yaakov in England and the States are much more advanced and efficient than in Israel. But what I do criticize are certain subjects definitely belonging onto a curriculum. Such as higher math, physics and other science and especially history and philosophy.

Chassidim, however, always seemed to have a problem with philosophy; even with Jewish philosophy. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov was probably the most fundamental opponent of philosophy. Until today, Breslover Chassidim don't really study the Rambam's famous book "Moreh Nevuchim – The Guide for the Perplexed". It is strange because Chabad (Lubavitch) does exactly the opposite and Chabadnikim love the Rambam.

There was no real Jewish philosophy until the time of Raabi Saadia Gaon (9th – 10th century). The reason for a missing philosophy was that there was simply no need for it. Many years before, the Jews had lost their Second Temple and leading rabbis had been extremely busy putting together the Talmud and further laws in order to ensure the survival of the Jewish people living in the Diaspora. Only when Islam started to rise and the Karaites proclaimed their strange ideas, Judaism was forced to react and provide answers. And Rabbi Saadia Gaon was then the greates opponent of the Karaite movement. He wrote several books and succeeded in destroying all their claims and arguments. He alone won all the discussions and disputes.

As I mentioned before, the chassidic movement under the Baal Shem Tov wasn't interested in philosophy. Philosophical questions and ideas, rationality, reasoning … all this doesn't fit into a world of Kabbalah and total spirituality. And Rabbi Nachman emphasized the concept of the "Simple Jew" with faith.
One has to see G – d everywhere and, although His reasons and thoughts are not ours, we have to accept His actions.

Jewish philosophy is very diverse. You can find poems, laws, Torah texts or even Aristotelian ideas. Rabbi ibn Da'ud and his successor, the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon) are the first discussing Aristotelian ideas and comparing them to Judaism. Aristotle had a similar picture of G – d; that there can only be one G – d ruling over everything.

Not all thesis are welcomed in the haredi world. Rabbis fear that their communities could be let astray. Someone studying philosophy should have reached a certain age and be strongly observant. I am sure that different Rebbes do deal with philosophy but keep it far away from their Chassidim. The only group teaching lots of philosophy are the Chabad Chassidim, as they consider themselves to be the most intellectual chassidic group. And just have a look at the "Tanya" of the Chabad founder, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. The "Tanya" consists of plenty of philosophical as well as kabbalistic ideas and concepts.

Unfortunately, I don't know too many Haredi dealing with philosophy. I actually do know some Vishnitzer Chassidim doing research on how far Judaism was influenced by non – Jewish philosophical ideas. A very interesting but complicated subject. And, unfortunately, not too many haredi students today know about Rabbi Saadia Gaon, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy or Rabbi Shlomo ibn Gvirol.