mentalblog.com comments:
does choosing a rebbe fall under the same guidlines ? which of those guidlines were used in 1940 to decide between RSG and RMS ?
Great guidelines - I think it hits the spot.
If one looks at these criteria and evaluates things honestly it seems clear to me that the Rebbe encompassed all these traits.
OK So the local Rov scored 2 our of 10. Where does that leave me? ;)
I checked the Brody link. Very interesting. He Needs to stop with the "Open-Eyes" look, it doesn't seem real. Nice stories, however.
nice checklist - I scored myself and gave me an 83 - my 14 year old daughter gave me a 67 - she said she wanted me to have room for growth and improvement :)
(ironically both her and I said - independently and apart from each other, that I am probably nicer to the street cleaner than to the g'vir!) so I guess she has my number!
BTW question 10 - excellent indeed on many different levels - shalom bayis, overall perceptivenes of spouse )can often sniff out "lo tov" instinctively, etc.)
hey - give a copy to your rov if needed - if he can't stand a serious tool for cheshbon hanefesh, then maybe other career plans might be in order
No brainer of course the above qualities are essential.
May I add a few more.
1. Tolerance . A good rav should be tolerant of different halachic types of Judaism. I think a rav can not keep on giving drashoth just taking Torah from the rav (rav Joseph Baer of Brisk Boston)or the lubavitcher rebbe . A rav should be willing to expose himself and others to all manners of Halachic Judaism .
2. A good rav in the US must have some sort of secular knowledge (need not be college )
3. A rav can not be a psychologist , but he must know the essentials of counseling in terms of marriage counseling etc.
4. A rav must have training or knowledge of Jewish history ancient medieval and most important modern Jewish history.Even better would be some knowledge of Hebrew Literature, Kabbalah, Midrash, and jewish philosophy (again lav davka on a graduate level)
5. A good rav must be able to talk intellegently about Israel(Zionism), the Holocaust, Jewish attitude towards Sexuality Jewish Medical ethics, and must be aware of non-hlachic trends amongst the Jewish people.
6. A good rav must be aware that rabbanut is not a profession, but an ol being an eved hashem. Thus constant talk of contract renewals, family days, off days, vacation days, sabbaticals, not to speak of major pay hikes etc are in my opinion a bit foreign to this field. of course a normal shul must understand that a rav is also human and has material needs.
Oh well, forget it. I'll never make it as a Rabbi...
Schneur i believe you are mixing up the charecteristics of a spiritual guide and a pulpit rabbi/politician
A spiritual guide need not neccesarily be that polished guy you can imagine seeing on TV rather he must be real and accesible imho...
Schneur, it makes me wonder why you never tried being a Rabbi?!
Guys, Everything I wrote about the qualifications of a rabbi apply to most Modern orthodox communities and believe me most Yeshivishe and Chabad communities would benefit too.
In other words you guys would like a rav who belongs to one narrow chug , has no idea about modern techniques in terms of shalom bayith; is ignorant of Jewish history , can not tell you the difference beween the warsaw Ghetto and the warsaw Ghetto revolt etc etc.
If you want such a rav there are plenty of candidates right in CH.
Was polished one of my qualifications ???
Learned was and knowledge was, but you guys are like the old chnokes of the 19th century where if a Rav had secular education and used a hanky to blow his nose he was immediately labeled by the fanatics - a Maskil like the Tifferes israel, Malbim and mahiritz Chajes !!!
Because i think a rav should know how to run a therapy session bein Ish leishto and know some jewish history I am calling for a Movie star Rabbi.
You know the greatnes of the Lunbavitcher rebbe was that he DID MEET MY QUALIFICATIONS THINK ABOUT IT GUYS !
R' Schneur,
You seem upset - who is "GUYS?"
The only one to even remotely disagreed with you was "Anonymous."
I don't see what got you riled up here.
That last "Anonymous" post (not the earlier one) should have been me. I don't know why it sometimes loses my name...
Guys means Chevra and nothing else.
Its like dudes that is used among the young set today.
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