Torah im Derech Eretz

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Fragment of the Mishna in Tractate Avoth (2:2): "Beautiful is Torah study with Derech Eretz, as involvement with both makes one forget sin". Although Derech Eretz has a wide wide range of meanings in Rabbinic literature, in this context is means a wordly involvement, i.e. a profession.

"Torah im Derech Eretz" was the motto of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch's vision of Jewish education when he founded a secondary school as a Rabbi in Emden, Northwest Germany. The theme, although not often referred to directly, can often be recognised in Hirsch' writings. Its real meaning was interpreted by intellectual heirs Rabbi Solomon Breuer (his son-in-law and successor as Rabbi of Frankfurt am Main), Rabbi Joseph Breuer (his grandson and founder of the German community in Washington Heights, New York City) and Rabbi Shimon Schwab, second Rabbi of the "Breuer" community in Washington Heights.

Torah im Derech Eretz implies that in order for the fullfilment of theTorah, it needs Derech Eretz, i.e. worldly involvement. This can mean having a gainful occupation (the "narrow definition"), but also the acquisition of knowledge to be able to interpret and understand the Torah better (the "wide definition"). There are ample reasons to state that since the Second World War, the "wide definition" has been abandoned in the interpretation of Hirsch' vision. Hirsch himself praised Schiller at the dais of school meetings and on a regular basis quotes secular scientists in his Torah commentary.

The "narrow definition" of Torah im Derech Eretz has been important in its conflict with the so-called "Torah only" school of orthodox Judaism. Since the Second World War there has been an ideological call for Jews to devote their intellectual capabilities to Torah study only - in schools, yeshiva and kollel setting. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, although for many years a supporter of this ideology, wrote a booklet ('These and those') elaborating that although the "Torah only"-view is important, the "Torah im Derech Eretz" view is no less valid as a way of Jewish life.

It bears noting that Torah im Derech Eretz opposes "adapting" Judaism to the modern world. The closest it gets to "getting along" with the modern world is investigating whether new developments in the world might be applicable as tools in the furtherance of Jewish life.

Sources:

Hirsch SR. The Nineteen Letters. Translated by Karin Paritzky and annotated by Rabbi Joseph Elias. ISBN 0-87306-696-0.
Schwab S. Selected Essays (incorporating "These and Those"). CIS Publishers, 1994. ISBN 1-56062-292-X.