The Torah Im Derech Eretz Society: to know

Thursday, May 14, 2026

to know

Two German words.

Both mean "to know." Neither is interchangeable. This mistake appears in nearly every intermediate learner's speech. 𝗪𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗡 - knowing facts. Information. Data. Verifiable truth. 𝘐𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘪ß, 𝘥𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘥𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘵. I know that Berlin is the capital. 𝘞𝘦𝘪ß𝘵 𝘥𝘶, 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘡𝘶𝘨 𝘬𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘵? Do you know when the train comes? 𝗞𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗡 - knowing through experience. People. Places. Things you have encountered. 𝘐𝘤𝘩 𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘵. I know Berlin well. (I've been there. I have experience of it.) 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢? Do you know Maria? (Have you met her?) The test is simple: Can you look it up? Facts, dates, information - 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯. Is it personal experience? People, places, things - 𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘯. 𝘐𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘪ß, 𝘥𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴𝘵. (Fact about him) 𝘐𝘤𝘩 𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘩𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴ö𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘩. (Personal acquaintance) Two words. Two completely different kinds of knowing. German decided they should never be confused. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆

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R' Joseph Breuer, zt'l, 1882-1980

"Anyone who has but a fleeting insight into the life and work of Rav Hirsch will realize that his Torah im Derech Eretz formula was never intended by him as a Horo'as Sho'oh....As for us let us do our best to promote and fulfill the Torah im Derech Eretz ideal in its true spirit and let us protect it from regrettable misuse and interpretation. A personal footnote: on the day before he passed away, my father told me: 'I am firmly convinced that the way shown by Rav Hirsch will be mekarev ha'geulah.' A sacred testament." ("The Relevance of the Torah Im Derech Eretz Ideal")

"The definition of a gadol be'Yisrael is one who is great in Torah and great in piety, one whose personal views and conduct are based exclusively on those twin pillars. Such a person is acknowledged as a peer by the other great men of his era. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch was revered by the Chassidic leaders of Galicia and by the rabbis of Lithuania. That his views did not accord with theirs was immaterial; his philosophy grew out of his G-d-fearing understanding of Torah, and therefore it was legitimate for him. So it was with Rabbi Salomon Breuer and so it was with Rabbi Joseph Breuer. Their greatness transcended community. They belonged to Klal Yisrael, so they were honored by Klal Yisrael, all of it."

R' Shlomo Wolbe

Full article

The brave German Jewish communities

"...in Germany where there was so much assimilation, a number of German Jews decided they are going to fight for the preservation of the Torah. And they built up an Orthodox kehilla that was excellent in every detail. They were machmir in everything. In some respects, they were more frum than the Jews in Russia and Poland were. And they had organized kashrus. Strict hashgacha. Not rabbanim who gave heksherim and were paid for it. No. The kehillias gave hashgacha and were very strict in every detail. And so the minority that withstood the test were a glorious fulfillment of the prophecy that the Am Yisroel will continue forever despite any circumstances."

Rav Avigdor Miller, Recording #855 - "The Kiss of Esav," 11:48

R' Miller on Great Kehillas

"Satmar they are devoted to avodas Hashem. They go all out to serve Hashem. Lubavitch, all out to serve Hashem. No question about that. They are not the only kehillas. I have plenty to say about the German kehillah. I love the German kehillah. As a boy I davened every Shabbos in a German shul. I can sit four hours in the afternoon, Shabbos afternoon, in a German shul. These kehillas we have to appreciate. And all the things that are said against them we have to learn how to refute. Vehitzidku es ha tzadick." R' Avigdor Miller, Loving His People 2, #528 1:06.

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Thursday, May 14, 2026

to know

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