On Shavuos someone mentioned to me a story I heard long ago about a certain pre-War gadol of note (I haven't decided if I should name him, since the story seems dubious to me and rather negative).
It is said -- with admiration -- that he skipped his own son's bris on the instruction of his rebbe so that he wouldn't miss his seder.
Obviously learning Torah is one of Judaism's highest values and that is what recounting this story is meant to convey. But if he really ditched his son's bris, isn't that pretty, uhm, misaligned? And if it didn't happen, as one hopes, the fact that it's said approvingly as if it did says something, I'm sure. I haven't figured out just what yet.
It is said -- with admiration -- that he skipped his own son's bris on the instruction of his rebbe so that he wouldn't miss his seder.
Obviously learning Torah is one of Judaism's highest values and that is what recounting this story is meant to convey. But if he really ditched his son's bris, isn't that pretty, uhm, misaligned? And if it didn't happen, as one hopes, the fact that it's said approvingly as if it did says something, I'm sure. I haven't figured out just what yet.
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