[Avodah] Chazal are Infallible

[Moshe Yehuda Gluck]

R' Shalom Kohn:
> I was particularly struck by the tosafot, especially on 8a s.v. kama,
> which brilliantly (via an example of filling an area with strings which
> are then cut and re-arranged) proved certain relationships between squares
> and circles.  However, the basic issue of area and spatial relationships
> are known to any high school freshman (if not earlier) based on
> rudimentary equations of pi, x-squared, and the Pythagorean theorem, which
> were obviously unknown to Rashi, Tosafot, and likely many views of the
> gemara as well (see e.g. 8b).
> 
> Should we lose our respect for the gemara, Rashi and tosafot because their
> understanding of geometry was so unsophisticated?

Why does the explanation of Tosfos, which is intended to explain to any
level of reader, indicate the Ba'alei Tosfos' own level of understanding and
comprehension? Indeed, we find that Rishonim and Acharonim were familiar
with advanced geometry and trigonometry, e.g. the Rambam and the Vilna Gaon.
However, when writing for the Hamon Am, they wrote on an easily understood
level. This is akin to the popular science books written these days to make
money, which would not sell were they written in the technical jargon and
intellectual depth common to experts in the field. 

KT,
MYG