on the tension between secular powers and the Roman Catholic Church, I think the controversy of investiture was most emblematic of this struggle; investiture being the right or practice of kings ( I don't know about dukes) appointing bishops.
YasherKoach Dr Henry, best regards from Down Under, Melbourne Australia. The Maharam mi Rotenburg TZL ZYA is a very heroic Jewish figure in that despite being kidnapped he tells evryone not to ransom him as it will encourage further kidnappings, what a Tzaddik.
as far as social safety nets and the kehilla, I've read that the prophets in the Tanakh demand that taxes be paid by jews to the community to take care of the poor jews in the community AND any gentiles which aren't being taken care of by their own kith and kin. I've always found this very interesting. I think I read it many years ago in a book by a Catholic titled something like history of the Jews from the time of Abraham to the birth of Christ.
In short, the story is told that the Maharam was very pained not to be able to hear the reading of the Torah each shabbos in the prison cell. One night angel Gavriel appeared to him with one of the 13 Torah scrolls that Moshe Rabeinu wrote. Gavriel left the Torah with the Maharam in his cell. The Maharam copied from that Torah and transcribed his own Torah. One night after he had completed his copy, whilst sleeping Moshe's Torah was taken back. But now, he had an exact copy to the letter of Moishe Rabeinu's Torah. Knowing that he couldn't take his own Torah out of prison he secretly lowered it out of the prison window in a box in the river. Miraculously, no non-jewish fisherman were able to catch it, only one of the jewish fisherman was able to catch it and subsequently the Rav of the city where the Torah was found, opened it. There are references to this Torah of his and this story in different seforim. Example. See sefer hadoros, sefer hama'asiyos second vol. pg 314 and his sources on page 360. Also sichos the firerdiekr rebbe 7691 pg 227 and igros kodesh of the rebbe vol 14 page 168. also hayom yom entry 7th eleul. Lastly, I read this story in a book and these are the sources there, I myself did not look up the sources.
it would have made more sense to turn the Talmuds into palimpsests, considering the value of parchment; but that doesn't make quite the public statement, of course.
on volunteerism being the bedrock of the Jewish community, I've read that 1/3 of Israelis today do volunteer work. how patriotic and nationalistic! (patriotism being fervent devotion to any cause, nationalism being patriotism specifically for ones nation state.)
I visited the grave of the MaHaRaM a few days ago in Worms. Thank for your lesson. It was a great preparation.
on the tension between secular powers and the Roman Catholic Church, I think the controversy of investiture was most emblematic of this struggle; investiture being the right or practice of kings ( I don't know about dukes) appointing bishops.
YasherKoach Dr Henry, best regards from Down Under, Melbourne Australia.
The Maharam mi Rotenburg TZL ZYA is a very heroic Jewish figure in that despite being kidnapped he tells evryone not to ransom him as it will encourage further kidnappings, what a Tzaddik.
as far as social safety nets and the kehilla, I've read that the prophets in the Tanakh demand that taxes be paid by jews to the community to take care of the poor jews in the community AND any gentiles which aren't being taken care of by their own kith and kin. I've always found this very interesting. I think I read it many years ago in a book by a Catholic titled something like history of the Jews from the time of Abraham to the birth of Christ.
Fantastic lecture. Just wondering why no mention is made about the amazing famous story about the sefer Torah that the Maharam wrote in prison?
In short, the story is told that the Maharam was very pained not to be able to hear the reading of the Torah each shabbos in the prison cell. One night angel Gavriel appeared to him with one of the 13 Torah scrolls that Moshe Rabeinu wrote. Gavriel left the Torah with the Maharam in his cell. The Maharam copied from that Torah and transcribed his own Torah. One night after he had completed his copy, whilst sleeping Moshe's Torah was taken back. But now, he had an exact copy to the letter of Moishe Rabeinu's Torah. Knowing that he couldn't take his own Torah out of prison he secretly lowered it out of the prison window in a box in the river. Miraculously, no non-jewish fisherman were able to catch it, only one of the jewish fisherman was able to catch it and subsequently the Rav of the city where the Torah was found, opened it. There are references to this Torah of his and this story in different seforim. Example. See sefer hadoros, sefer hama'asiyos second vol. pg 314 and his sources on page 360. Also sichos the firerdiekr rebbe 7691 pg 227 and igros kodesh of the rebbe vol 14 page 168. also hayom yom entry 7th eleul. Lastly, I read this story in a book and these are the sources there, I myself did not look up the sources.
Absolutly fantastic!C.Malinowski
awesome Todah
it would have made more sense to turn the Talmuds into palimpsests, considering the value of parchment; but that doesn't make quite the public statement, of course.
on volunteerism being the bedrock of the Jewish community, I've read that 1/3 of Israelis today do volunteer work. how patriotic and nationalistic! (patriotism being fervent devotion to any cause, nationalism being patriotism specifically for ones nation state.)