Is the pshat-based approach to Chumash only for "rationalists"? Do imaginative students who love fiction need midrashim? Some educators think so. I disagree. What do you think?
The question about Truman sleeping soundly is interesting. R' Mann brought up a similar question this year, after Avraham's 4 kings/5 kings situations and Hashem telling him do not be afraid. R' Mann said: If Avraham should have been afraid (of losing protection due to lowering his spiritual level), then wasn't the time to make that assessment BEFORE he did the raid?
We got into a really interesting discussion about how sometimes violence is necessary, justified, and the best choice of current options.
But that doesn't mean it doesn't take a toll on a person to do it. And grieving about loss of life *even if it was the correct and best decision* might be very appropriate AFTER the fact and does not mean to imply that the actions should not have been done.
Maybe he just thought it really important not to give any impression of wavering because it was such an important decision. I read that CEOs and world leaders do not a bit of sociopathic tendencies because they literally have to make decisions that hurt people no matter which direction they take. They have to be able to look at the facts and decide which option will cause less pain *overall*
When I taught elementary school, I never deviated from pshat until my students were old enough to read Rashi inside and discover the midrashim themselves and see that they were not in the pesukim. My little students were always pretty enthralled by pshat. (In fact, I was consistently surprised how much first graders liked parshas Mishpatim.)
The question about Truman sleeping soundly is interesting. R' Mann brought up a similar question this year, after Avraham's 4 kings/5 kings situations and Hashem telling him do not be afraid. R' Mann said: If Avraham should have been afraid (of losing protection due to lowering his spiritual level), then wasn't the time to make that assessment BEFORE he did the raid?
We got into a really interesting discussion about how sometimes violence is necessary, justified, and the best choice of current options.
But that doesn't mean it doesn't take a toll on a person to do it. And grieving about loss of life *even if it was the correct and best decision* might be very appropriate AFTER the fact and does not mean to imply that the actions should not have been done.
כי לא יחפוץ במות המת כי אם בשובו מדרכו וחיה
Yeah, I wondered about this myself re: Truman.
Maybe he just thought it really important not to give any impression of wavering because it was such an important decision. I read that CEOs and world leaders do not a bit of sociopathic tendencies because they literally have to make decisions that hurt people no matter which direction they take. They have to be able to look at the facts and decide which option will cause less pain *overall*
Not everyone is cut out to make those decisions
(I think I meant "do need" or "do have" instead of "do not")
When I taught elementary school, I never deviated from pshat until my students were old enough to read Rashi inside and discover the midrashim themselves and see that they were not in the pesukim. My little students were always pretty enthralled by pshat. (In fact, I was consistently surprised how much first graders liked parshas Mishpatim.)