In a recent column in the Forward, Louis Keene wrote about the value Jewish tradition puts on a concept called Ameilut, a rabbinic idea that there is religious value to toiling in Torah — putting effort into Torah study — rather than just the acquisition of Torah knowledge. In the essay, “Knowing vs. Learning: Which Takes Precedence?” discussing the then theoretical question of whether or not it would be good to insert microchips into our brains to acquire Torah knowledge, Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm wrote, “Maimonides answers that the Greek philosophers taught us that the one who was born perfect is preferable, because a person who already has his perfection is the ideal for which we aim…But, he continues, the Jewish sages prefer the one who is constantly involved in the struggle with his own self, with his own darker forces, and overcomes them…the struggle is more precious than the prize.”

In a world where artificial intelligence is making nearly everything increasingly instantaneous and effortless, Keene offers Ameilut as a guiding principle that underscores the value of toiling in any endeavor — in his case, cooking and writing — seeing it as “the very essence of what it means........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)