Israeli President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin on Monday held a meeting with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea where the two presidents spoke about the growing ties between the two countries and where the cooperation can be expanded, and Moon offered condolences on the death of Rivlin’s wife Nechama.
President Rivlin noted the many similarities between Korea and Israel. Both have a long history, both gained independence in the same year and both turned every challenge into opportunity.
At lunch, Rivlin presented his South Korean counterpart with an ArtScroll Schottenstein Edition maseches Bava Kamma, reflecting the profound interest and study of Gemara in South Korea.
“Both the Jewish and Korean civilizations are based on education and the study of ancient sources of knowledge, including the Talmud which it is my pleasure to give to you, while always seeking to acquire new knowledge and ideas,” he said.
Read more at Arutz Sheva.
{Matzav.com}
Was it Shuttinshtayn? Blue or Red? Perhaps it was the French one; green!
Unlike the Zionists, South Koreans study Gemara themselves, including women and children! The South Korean President should present a Gemara or at least a Chumash to Rivlin and tell him to go learn it himself.
EXCELLENT!! VERY WELL PUT!!
Yes, it is often Non-Jews who are needed to strongly remind us that we need to do what we as Jews are obligated to be doing.
There is a super famous joke said regarding this phenomenon: A Jewish young man who is (obviously) totally not religious marries a non-Jewish woman. A few days after the wedding, it is Saturday morning. At one point, the young man’s father — whom the young man helps run a retail business — calls him on the phone and exclaims:
“HEY MIKE!! WHERE ARE YOU??? IT IS ALREADY ELEVEN O’CLOCK, AND THE CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN WAITING HERE FOR YOU FOR WELL OVER AN HOUR!!”
So the young man, profusely apologizing to his father, replies:
“I AM REALLY VERY, VERY SORRY DAD!! ACTUALLY, I WANTED TO COME DOWN TO THE STORE OVER TWO HOURS AGO!! BUT EVERY TIME I TRIED TO LEAVE THE HOUSE, MY WIFE, ‘MARY’ STOPPED ME AND SCOLDED ME AND SAID THAT TODAY, SATURDAY, IS ‘THE SABBATH,’ AND US JEWS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WORK TODAY!!!!!!!!”
South Korea and China highly regard Talmud study. I competed on a proposal with much larger firms for a lucrative project of a Chinese start-up funded by millions of raised capital – and I won! The exec emailed me to make my case why I was a better candidate than the competition. I replied because of my Talmudic study, which none of them had. True story. Bought a minivan with just part of the payoff from that job – greatest gross margins I ever enjoyed.