Torah im Derech Eretz

Torah im Derech Eretz (Hebrew תורה עם דרך ארץ - Torah with "the way of the land") is a philosophy of Orthodox Judaism articulated by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888), which formalises a relationship between traditionally observant Judaism and the modern world. The resultant mode of Orthodox Judaism is known as Neo-Orthodoxy.

Contemporary influence

Torah im Derech Eretz remains influential as a philosophy in Orthodox Judaism. Although usually associated with Modern Orthodox Judaism, the philosophy is also important in Haredi communities. See also Divine Providence for discussion of derech eretz in contemporary Orthodox Judaism.

Related Topics:
Orthodox Judaism - Modern Orthodox Judaism - ''Haredi'' - Divine Providence

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Modern Orthodoxy

Modern Orthodoxy derives much inspiration from Torah im Derech Eretz, particularly as regards ideals on the synthesis of Judaism and general culture. Organizations on the left of Modern Orthodoxy have embraced the "broad interpretation", although critics claim that their relatively "relaxed stance" in halakha in fact positions them outside the realm of Torah im Derech Eretz.

Related Topics:
Modern Orthodoxy - Halakha

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The "broad interpretation" is, in fact, largely complementary with Torah Umadda - "Torah and (secular) knowledge" - a philosophy of Modern Orthodoxy, closely associated with Yeshiva University. The philosophies are distinct in terms of emphasis - Torah Umadda aims at "synthesizing" Torah learning and secular knowledge, and thus "the study of worldly wisdom is not a concession to economic necessity, it is de jure not de facto." This mode of Modern Orthodoxy has come to be known as "Centrist" Orthodoxy.

Related Topics:
Torah Umadda - Modern Orthodoxy - Yeshiva University

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Neo-Orthodoxy

As above, the "Breur" community continues to closely apply the philosophy. However, since World War II, the community appears to have moved away from the "broad definition". Rabbi Breuer saw the risk of misinterpretation of his grandfather's ideas - he repeatedly stated that compromising on Jewishness and halakha was at variance with Torah im Derech Eretz. Further, Neo-Orthodoxy differs from the approaches above in its understanding of the relationship between Torah and secular: thus, Isaac Breuer, Hirsch's grandson, avers that "Rabbi Hirsch's fight was not for balance and not for reconcilement, nor for synthesis and certainly not for parallel power, but for domination - for the true and absolute domination of the divine precept over the new tendencies"; see further discussion in the article on Hirsch.

Related Topics:
World War II - Halakha - Further discussion

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Haredi Judaism

Today, the Haredi "Yeshiva" communities adhere to the "narrow interpretation" as an educational philosophy. Torah im Derech Eretz is "the basic idea that shapes the curriculum of the Bais Yaakov school system today". In fact, "in her Seminary in Kraków, Sarah Schenirer taught Rav Hirsch's writings in German. The teachers spoke German and the Polish students learned German." Today, similar principles guide the curricula at Boys' High Schools.

Related Topics:
Haredi - Yeshiva - Bais Yaakov - Kraków - Sarah Schenirer - German

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Other Haredi communities, the "Torah only" school, are further distant from Torah im Derech Eretz. Since World War II there has been an ideological tendency, in that camp, to devote all intellectual capabilities to Torah study only - in schools, yeshivot and kollels. Thus, the optimum course to be adopted in all cases is to devote oneself to full-time Torah learning for as long as possible; "to go out into the world is a course to be adopted only when there is no other alternative". Here, the Hirschian model is seen as horaat sha'ah, a "time specific teaching" intended to apply to the special circumstances of Western Europe in the 1800s. (Note that Hirsch himself addressed this contention: "Torah im Derech Eretz? is not part of troubled, time bound notions; it represents the ancient, traditional wisdom of our sages that has stood the test everywhere and at all times." See further under Joseph Breuer.)

Related Topics:
World War II - Yeshivot - Kollel - Western Europe - 1800s - Joseph Breuer

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