In his column last week Yonoson Rosenblum sang the praises of Yaakov Rosenblatt’s insightful writing. Although the same column was perhaps a tad too generous to another writer (and a “smiley” emoticon would come in handy right about now) I’d like to add my voice in appreciation of Yaakov’s prose.
I haven’t read all that much of his writing but one essay in particular stands out for broaching an issue in a way that makes readers more likely to be receptive to its critique. In a piece entitled “The Yeshivish Brand” he writes:
There is a term called “yeshivish.” It is a brand that my generation of 40-something Charedi yeshiva educated Kollel-learned individuals took upon itself. It is a brand that we wear with honor. Yeshivish to me means that we have an appreciation of the breadth and depth of Torah. It means that we understand the central role of Torah scholars in life and community. It means that we know when to ask a halachic question and that we look forward to the answer whether or not it will make our lives easier or more difficult. It means that we accept Torah in toto and follow it as a soldier follows his commander not as a free-stylist follows his spirit.
But that term has come to mean other things as well. I say this not with the angry criticism of our antagonists but in recognition of the real-life challenges we face. This term is used by many of the most yeshivish people I know to describe a company organization or entity that is poorly run. It is used to express weakness of organization professionalism and articulation.
Create a free account to keep reading.
