No More Studying ?

B"H

Just recently someone confronted me with a strange remark:

"You are always together with Haredim (Ultra - Orthodox), you write about them, you are collecting material for a book and you are always somewhere walking through the religious world. However, what about studying ? Aren't you sad that you gave that all up ?"

At first, I didn't understand what this particular person was talking about.

No more studying ?

Collecting information and learning about a specific subject such as Chassidut doesn't necessarily mean that I abandon everything else. And I have to say that I do study.

Most times my subjects depend on moods and on Jewish holidays. Especially when I am preparing the weekly Torah Parasha in German. Besides I have been dealing a lot with the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135 - 1204) as well as with the Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194 -1270). Concerning these subjects I even participate in a course given by a national religious rabbi.

The Talmud is still a subject as well as Jewish philosophy and history. Despite all this, I have to admit that practical actions such as going to Mea Shearim or Bnei Brak sometimes mess up my writing schedule. As a born German but now messy Israeli, I am getting upset about mixing up my schedules and being behind. Just recently, two Germans connected to the German movie industry asked me for advise regarding the haredi world. I met them a few times and was glad to eventually pass them on to a certain Chassid who provided them with further details.

Now a chassidic rabbi wants to meet me because Chabad in Germany is supposed to get some competition.

Studying is tremendously important but sometimes it happens that I miss the times when I was able to concentrate only on one particular subject.