<HTML>In reply to the most recent posting on the Maharal thread by Mr. Finkelman
I would like to offer the perspective of a student (albeit at the
University level), which I feel may raise some interesting issues.
Reading Mr. Finkelman's posting I was struck by the fact that he referred
to Maharal as a medieval figure. Though I will admit that I have read
little of the Maharal's writing, I did take a course this semester which
focused a fair deal on his thought. The course, however, was not a course
in Medieval Jewish history but in Early Modern Jewish History (Taught by
Dr. Alan Brill).
Though this may appear to be a mere technicality that does not lie at the
heart of this problem, I believe that it may point to a possible solution.
Especially with as complex and esoteric a thinker as the Maharal, the key
to a pedagogically sound presentation may be to begin with an in-context
presentation. Instead of simply teaching passages from the Maharal, it may
be useful to start by placing his thought within the intellectual and
social currents of his day and by presenting his thought and the
principles and worldview on which it is based as a coherent whole (or at
least a good summary of his basic gisha).
Though the manner in which this can be implemented in high school differs
greatly from the manner in which it was transmitted to me, I believe that
the adjustment can be made without losing the essence of the approach.
With a firm grasp of the Maharal's basic approach each passage will be
both more meaningful and more easily comprehensible to the students.
Though they-and we-may still have problems interpreting specific passages
and terms, they will still be able to come away with a good general
understanding of the message and a desire to pursue further study.
>From the mouth (computer) of a student has gotten just that,
Barry Kislowicz
Yeshiva University</HTML>
