Yes, you read that correctly. But let me explain.
In the year 1242 the Franciscan monks burned several cartloads of books in a square in Paris.
In 1933, German university students burned more than twenty five thousand volumes at mass rallies.
At Lag B'Omer bonfires in Ramat Beit Shemesh and Har Meron, copies of Dovbear on the Parsha were cast into the flames.
This act was described here:
http://muqata.blogspot.com/2010/05/lag-baomer-targetting-obama-and-dovbear.html
Referenced in passing here:
http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2010/05/do-i-accept-rambams-8th.html
And discussed here.
http://hamekubal.blogspot.com/2010/05/dovbear-burning.html
PLEASE NOTE: NONE OF THE BLOGS CITED ABOVE APPROVED OF THE ACT IN ANY WAY!
Now, what do the book burning in 1242, the book burning in 1933, and the book burning in Ramat Beit Shemesh and Har Meron in 2010 all have in common?
Stuff written by Jews.
Book burning, clearly, is a Jewish thing. Leastways, it more often than not seems to involve Jewish authors. It's traditional.
"The era of extreme Jewish intellectualism is now at an end."[ɡɜrbəlz]
Frankly, I think that the people who cast books into the flames in 1242, 1933, and 2010 are morons, not deserving of any consideration. Ambulating garbage, and hardly sentient.
I may be judging them harshly.
But, to show that you have taken their sincere opinions about the books they so disliked into account, even that you understand precisely why they objected to those books, please go here:
https://www.lulu.com/commerce/index.php?fBuyProduct=3383612
Buy at least TWO copies - one for yourself, one for a friend.
Maybe even three - your public library also needs a copy.
APPROPRIATE MUSIC
Oh, and you might also want to listen to something upbeat while you reread the posts by Dovbear, Jameel, and Mekubal to which I have linked. Here are two renditions of a tune that is particularly appropriate: Version ONE, and TWO.
I find this composition inspiring, educational even. The best version is probably the one in Last Crusade, but I haven't been able to find that on youtube in several years - it may have been removed because of copyright infringement. It is perhaps the best known visual associated with the tune - very lagbomerish indeed.
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This reminds me that I seriously need to order several more copies to give to friends.
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8 comments:
You are the very best
I can't believe you approve of burning Jewish books like DovBear's Parsha book.
>In the year 1242 the Franciscan monks burned several cartloads of books in a square in Paris.
Don't forget that 8 years prior, Rabbeinu Yonah and some of the other French rabbis got these same monks to burn the Moreh Nevuchim. (BTW, I'm pretty sure they were Dominicans and not Franciscans)
Of course, Rabbeinu Yonah wound up prostrating himself on Rambam's grave begging his forgiveness, as well as publically announcing the error of him ways in Montpellier... Maybe same will happen here :)
My dear Anonymous,
You are mistaken. Please REREAD the text. Nowhere do I even suggest that I approve of such an act, and, please do note this well, the entire post was a REACTION to the burning, comparing the act in intent, if nor in sheer volume, to what the church did for centuries, and what secular Jew-haters did. And, in REACTION thereto, I am strongly suggesting that you should buy several copies of the book. Both in protest, and as a form of "tikkun olam".
Why tikkun olam? Because the burning of a book is a horrendously negative act, especially if there is naught objectionable about the book, and it is worth reading.
Thus buying more copies than were burned is, more than just symbolically, a restoration.
Erratum:
if nor in sheer volume should be: if not in sheer volume.
Perhaps I should also clarify that the tune for which I provided two links is the Königgrätzer Marsch, which was a favourite of the Nazis, and featured prominently in 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' - it being the music that was played at the bookburning rally.
Hence, naturally, when I think of book burning, I think of National Socialism, and that scene from the movie. I suspect that I am not the only person to automatically make that connection.
Again, buy more copies of that book. Give them to friends. Read it. There is more to Torah commentary than is thought by the verkrampte leite in Ramat Beit Shemesh and Har Meron. Where, because of their blinkered and hateful act, I am now averse to ever setting foot.
My memory of mt Meron on Lag B'Omer (from ~15 years ago) is lots of semi-drunk frummers playing klezmer, dancing, and hawking various tracts and amulets, while trying to avoid stepping in the bonfires.
Not exactly a reputable event, but a fun one.
This book burning reminds me a little bit of frat boys trashing another school's mascot.
Sounds like a slogan: "Book Burning...a Pursuit for Frat Boys who can Read".
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