[Avodah] FW: chemotherapy

[Michael Makovi]

>
> If the Gaonim are considered orthodox then they "went against" Mishna and
> Talmud in many places.
>
> They even were mevateil entire realms of the talmud [e.g. medical] as
> non-operative.
>
> Tosafos says the Mishna in Beitza re: Dancing/Slapping/Clapping is not
> operative in our society [see IM cited below for an explanation of this]
>
>[more examples...]
>
> There are dozens if not hundreds of more cases.
>
> --
>
> Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
> RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com


Regarding science and medicine, the question is, did the science
create the halacha (and so if the science changes, so does the
halacha), or did the halacha create a post-facto scientific
justification (so if the science changes, we need a new
justification). R' Gil has a great essay on this that I really need to
study sometime.

Regarding other laws, I think the difference is whether

a) Chazal said, because of such-and-such a situation, we are laying
down a law, period. Even if the situation passes, the law remains.

b) Chazal said, such-and-such a law is being made with the assumption
of a certain situation prevailing. If the situation ceases to prevail,
so does the law.

Obviously, to distinguish these is a task for the posek.

And regarding many of the cases you mentioned, I have never learned
them and don't have time now. So perhaps seeing them would alter what
I say; I don't know.

Mikha'el Makovi