I recall being an undergraduate at The College of the University of Chicago, sitting in on a graduate seminar on the philosophy of Duns Scotus in Spring Quarter 1991. The professor, as I recall it, was straying a bit far afield in his comments, away from Duns Scotus's contemporaries into some seriously interdisciplinary territory which would have surprised 13th century Franciscans and their Scholastic contemporaries.
One uppity grad student interjected at a pensive pause to ask the professor, "Excuse me, Professor, but this strikes me as being mental masturbation."
Without skipping a beat, the professor in question shot back, "Have you come yet?"
This topic brings to mind my favorite bit from the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, which suggests how one who has succumbed to this temptation, might attempt to atone. From the Metsudah translation:
7) Means of amendment for a person who has succumbed to this sin, are
recorded in the book, Yesod Yosef, which the author culled and gathered from holy
and ancient books. Here I will cite some of them briefly: He should try to be sandeik
that is, to have babies circumcised on his knees (lap), and in particular to be a
sandeik for poor families. He should increase his charity to the poor, observe
Shabbos properly and honor it delightfully, and light many Shabbos candles. He
should honor and love those who learn Torah. He should pray with fervor and tears.
He should adopt the character of humility, and if he hears people insult him, he
should be quiet and forgiving. When performing a mitzvah, he should do it
energetically and with quickness until it warms him, particularly when preparing
the matzos for Pesach. He should raise his children to study Torah. and train them
to be God-fearing. He should raise an orphan in his home, and should treat him as
he treats his own son. He should engage in the mitzvah of dowering poor brides. He
should be called up to the reading of the Torah at least once a month, and recite the
berachos aloud. He should look in the Torah, and read quietly along with the reader.
He should try to be among the first ten to come to the Synagogue. He should arise
in the middle of the night to recite tikun chatzos with tears. And if it is impossible
for him to get up in the middle of the night, he should recite tikun chatzos later in
the night. He should love peace and should pursue peace.
Thanks for the shout-out, but I can’t confirm from personal knowledge that that class existed—although it is completely believable to me that it did. Maybe the professor was Lauren Berlant? Seems like her kind of thing.
I wonder if he could get away with that nowadays…..
I recall being an undergraduate at The College of the University of Chicago, sitting in on a graduate seminar on the philosophy of Duns Scotus in Spring Quarter 1991. The professor, as I recall it, was straying a bit far afield in his comments, away from Duns Scotus's contemporaries into some seriously interdisciplinary territory which would have surprised 13th century Franciscans and their Scholastic contemporaries.
One uppity grad student interjected at a pensive pause to ask the professor, "Excuse me, Professor, but this strikes me as being mental masturbation."
Without skipping a beat, the professor in question shot back, "Have you come yet?"
I graduated from the Anthropology Department.
This topic brings to mind my favorite bit from the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, which suggests how one who has succumbed to this temptation, might attempt to atone. From the Metsudah translation:
7) Means of amendment for a person who has succumbed to this sin, are
recorded in the book, Yesod Yosef, which the author culled and gathered from holy
and ancient books. Here I will cite some of them briefly: He should try to be sandeik
that is, to have babies circumcised on his knees (lap), and in particular to be a
sandeik for poor families. He should increase his charity to the poor, observe
Shabbos properly and honor it delightfully, and light many Shabbos candles. He
should honor and love those who learn Torah. He should pray with fervor and tears.
He should adopt the character of humility, and if he hears people insult him, he
should be quiet and forgiving. When performing a mitzvah, he should do it
energetically and with quickness until it warms him, particularly when preparing
the matzos for Pesach. He should raise his children to study Torah. and train them
to be God-fearing. He should raise an orphan in his home, and should treat him as
he treats his own son. He should engage in the mitzvah of dowering poor brides. He
should be called up to the reading of the Torah at least once a month, and recite the
berachos aloud. He should look in the Torah, and read quietly along with the reader.
He should try to be among the first ten to come to the Synagogue. He should arise
in the middle of the night to recite tikun chatzos with tears. And if it is impossible
for him to get up in the middle of the night, he should recite tikun chatzos later in
the night. He should love peace and should pursue peace.
It was a guy professor. I don’t think he was around for very long.
Thanks for the shout-out, but I can’t confirm from personal knowledge that that class existed—although it is completely believable to me that it did. Maybe the professor was Lauren Berlant? Seems like her kind of thing.