South Korea Falls in Love with the Talmud
In many homes in the country of 49 million people, translated Talmud books can be found. 'We tried to understand the secret of the Jewish people,' says the South Korean Ambassador to Israel in an interview. 'The conclusion was that one of your secrets is the study of the Talmud'.
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- פורסם י"ב חשון התשע"ד
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An opinion published last week on the ynet site revealed the most surprising place in the world where the Talmud is studied: far from Bnei Brak, far from Jewish concentration areas, and even without connection to Chabad houses around the world. It is in South Korea that the Talmud is studied, not only by students in schools but also by their parents. It turns out that in almost every home in the country, where around 49 million people live, most of whom believe in Buddhism and Christianity, translated Talmud books can be found.
The South Korean Ambassador to Israel, Yang Sam Ma, guest-starred on the 'Culture Today' program on Channel 1 and shared: 'We were very curious about the high academic achievements of the Jews. Jews have a high percentage of Nobel Prize winners in all fields: literature, sciences, and economy. It's an amazing achievement. We tried to understand what the secret of the Jewish people is? How is it that they, more than other nations, succeed in reaching such impressive achievements? How is it that Jews are so brilliant? The conclusion we reached is that one of your secrets is the study of the Talmud. Jews study Talmud from a young age, and this helps them, in our opinion, to develop high abilities. This understanding led us to the conclusion that we too need to teach children Talmud. We believe that if we teach our children the Talmud, we too can become geniuses. And that is what stands behind the decision to introduce this book into almost every home in South Korea'.It turns out that it is not a new phenomenon in South Korea, as Yang says that he already learned Talmud in his childhood. 'It is considered a very significant study,' he says. 'The result is that more Koreans hold the Talmud in their homes than Jews in Israel. I, for example, have two Talmud sets: one bought for me by my wife and the other I received as a gift from my mother-in-law.
'In the Jewish tradition, there is importance on family values,' concluded the South Korean ambassador. 'You can see it even today, in your custom of gathering every Friday for a family meal. In my country too, family is very important. The respect for the elder, the honor and admiration in Judaism for the elderly, is parallel to the high esteem seniors receive in my country. Another very significant thing is the approach to education. In Jewish tradition, there is an obligation to teach the children, and a lot of attention is devoted to it. Among Korean parents too, children's education is a top priority. I think this similarity led to today being able to see Korean immigrants in the United States following in the footsteps of Jews and succeeding in the same fields that Jews succeed in'.
The article was first published in the weekly electronic magazine 'Hidabroot Shabbat'.
