Question & Answer With Shlomo Katz - Inspiration
A Simple Jew asks:
If a musician finds that he is inspired by another musician he would be wise to determine who that musician's musical influences were and to listen to them as well. This analogy can easily be applied to learning the seforim of great tzaddikim.
Has learning an insightful and inspiring sefer ever led you to seek out and learn another sefer that was previously unknown to you but was quoted therein?
Shlomo Katz responds:
One of the most powerful insights to learning is once you realise and see how everything is all one. All the Tana'aim, Amora'im, Rishinom, Achronim and Ge'onim. All the Rebbes and all the Rebbeim are all part of one long chain.
Whenever hearing Reb Shlomo ztz'l quote a certain tzaddik, I'd find myself in the sefarim store purchasing that specific sefer. However the shopping list never ends. Whenever a 'Beshem Mori Verabi' appears, how could you not want to see it inside for yourself?
This phenomena was most clear, to me personally, in the world of Ishbitz Chassidut. From the Mei Hashiloach to his son the Beis Ya'akov, to his other son the Ne'os Deshe. To the next generation of the Sod Yesharim and then to the Tiferes Yosef, we see the most beautiful pattern and depth of the generations. Dor Ledor Yeshabach Ma'asecha.
When we all realise that we are all part of this same chain, which began at Har Sinai, we will hopefully begin to trust that natural love which we have for every Jew, which whether we like it or not, is embedded deep in our kishkes.
If a musician finds that he is inspired by another musician he would be wise to determine who that musician's musical influences were and to listen to them as well. This analogy can easily be applied to learning the seforim of great tzaddikim.
Has learning an insightful and inspiring sefer ever led you to seek out and learn another sefer that was previously unknown to you but was quoted therein?
Shlomo Katz responds:
One of the most powerful insights to learning is once you realise and see how everything is all one. All the Tana'aim, Amora'im, Rishinom, Achronim and Ge'onim. All the Rebbes and all the Rebbeim are all part of one long chain.
Whenever hearing Reb Shlomo ztz'l quote a certain tzaddik, I'd find myself in the sefarim store purchasing that specific sefer. However the shopping list never ends. Whenever a 'Beshem Mori Verabi' appears, how could you not want to see it inside for yourself?
This phenomena was most clear, to me personally, in the world of Ishbitz Chassidut. From the Mei Hashiloach to his son the Beis Ya'akov, to his other son the Ne'os Deshe. To the next generation of the Sod Yesharim and then to the Tiferes Yosef, we see the most beautiful pattern and depth of the generations. Dor Ledor Yeshabach Ma'asecha.
When we all realise that we are all part of this same chain, which began at Har Sinai, we will hopefully begin to trust that natural love which we have for every Jew, which whether we like it or not, is embedded deep in our kishkes.
4 Comments:
If a musician finds that he is inspired by another musician he would be wise to determine who that musician's musical influences were and to listen to them as well...
Shlomo Katz has been largely influenced by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach's music. Reb Shlomo C's main musical influence was that of Modzitz Chassidus. It behooves Shlomo Katz, Yehuda Green, C Lanzbom, Chaim Dovid Saracik, Aharon Razel, and all of the other "Carlebach genre" musicians to gain a deeper exposure of Modzit music.
For those interested, this Sunday night-Monday is the yahrzeit of the previous Modzitzer Rebbe ZT"L. There will be a Tish in Bnei Brak on Sunday night, and a Seuda in Flatbush, NY on Monday night, where one can begin getting this exposure.
Correction: Seuda in Flatbush is ALSO on SUNDAY night, & not as in my previous comment.
did you say "all part of the same "chein".... :)
re influences. it is a good point to see who influenced/inspired someone;however, often great scholars and artists develop their own independent path. a person may not be inspired by the teachers of those artists. i would think, as an artist, that the best advice is to go deeper and deeper into oneself to gradually and truly bring out one's unique essence.
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