It doesn’t add up

BARRY NEWMAN Ginot Shomron

Regarding “Chief rabbi pooh-poohs science, math studies” (July 1), I find it ironic that the Chief Sephardi Rav Yitzchak Yosef bragged about not finishing high school or any degrees and disparaged the learning of math and science, noting it to be nothing. Fascinatingly so, since the Chief Rabbi’s Gadol – The Gadol of Sephardic Jewry himself, Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon (The Rambam) – was an expert in math and science.

Perhaps Rav Yitzchak needs to brush up on his study of Rambam to learn about the emphasis that Rambam places on Torah u’maddah, hand in hand, while learning in a Torah world. Hopefully then he can encourage his own followers to emphasize what the Holy Torah does in fact teach, not to fail but to strive for excellence and in doing so can change the sad plight of many of his followers who suffer so from lack of proper education.

PHYLLIS HECHT

Hashmonaim