Wisdom from the Gentiles: Interview with Lou Gehrig

Derech Eretz can be found in all kinds of places. I recall hearing once that R' Yisrael Salanter found inspiration for his famous list of middos from a gentile German innkeeper and his wife.

Baseball legend Lou Gehrig was a special kind of personality. Known for his humility and work ethic, he was an intelligent man too and attended Columbia University for two years. Gehrig, a child of German immigrants, grew up in Manhattan and lived in Washington Heights for part of his childhood.

I never heard him speak other than in his famous farewell address. Well, here's an interview that I just found. The people of his day come across so much better than those in our day, in my view. One observes a simplicity, level headedness, gratitude, morality, and desire to be a good citizen. Keep in mind that Gehrig was only 35 years old during this interview. For sports fans and observers of a generation that has much to teach our own, enjoy:

Interview with Lou Gehrig

Linked Post from TREASURES OF ASHKENAZ: Rav Breuer’s Derech Halimud

Linked Post from TREASURES OF ASHKENAZ: Rav Breuer’s Derech Halimud

"Rav Breuer’s Derech Halimud: The Way of Old Ashkenaz – דרך הלימוד של הרב יוסף ברייער ז”ל
The article on Rav Dr. Joseph Breuer, הרב לוי יוסף ברייער זצ”ל, that we have been writing about in recent postings, by Rabbi Yaakov Lorch שליט”א, also discusses his derech haLimud. Here are some excerpts from pages 41-42 to give you an idea of how Rav Breuer learned gemara and other parts of תורה שבעל פה.

“Rav Breuer followed the derech halimud of his father, Rav Shlomo Breuer, who had been a close talmid of the Ksav Sofer….Rav Shlomo Breuer belonged to the school of the Chasam Sofer in his derech halimud…striving primarily to understand thoroughly the text at hand….learned with his talmidim only ‘on the daf’. Never did the Gaon come with prepared solutions to the gemara. He never discussed only those parts of the daf where he had something to be mechadesh….he strove for clarity in the pshat of the Gemara…He would never turn to the other Rishonim until Rashi and Tosafos were clear: in particular, he would get annoyed if one went right away to the Rambam…he eschewed any attempt at pilpul, and stressed the careful understanding of an inyan rather than hasty coverage of subject matter.”"

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The German Orthodox Aesthetic

The German Orthodox strive to beautify their surroundings. Yet, they are thrifty people (see Frankfurt on the Hudson, ebook, Loc. 884) who shun "flashy display." The synthesis of this is an eye towards tasteful and simple elegance. The KAJ building in Washington Heights is a great example of this.

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner is a blog by a German Orthodox woman in Washington Heights. It's a personal blog, ie it gives a window into her private life and interests. The blog serves up some photos of her beautiful table settings. (She loves having guests.) With her permission, I share the photos here.

Wisdom from the Gentiles: A Poem About Arrogance

Haven

I'll build a house of arrogance
A most peculiar inn
With only room for vanquished folk
With proud and titled chin...!

by Donald Jeffrey Hayes
America Negro Poetry, p. 93

A Philosophy of Mitzvos in Two Incredible Sentences

"In the Jewish land, where the Divine law has full scope, nothing was supposed to germinate or blossom or ripen without bringing the Jew obligations as well as enjoyment. A duty is attached to every enjoyment, and it alone gives the enjoyment its true taste by turning what otherwise would be selfish and animal into a human acknowledgment of Divine love." R' Hirsch, Judaism Eternal Volume 1, Chapter V, Shebat, p. 33.

Calling all kiruv people, put those words on your one page summary sheet of Torah fundamentals that will attract Jews from all over.