[Avodah] Fwd: [NishmaBlog] Rambam: Neither a a Literalist Nor a Mocker Be

[Richard Wolpoe]

Dear Readers:

"Yediah" quotes the Rambam re: aggedeta. Yet, this same principle may be
applied in all kinds of situations - Namely that at times being naively
literal makes the Torah read as silly and similarly being a mocker/scoffer
and taking the Torah to be also silly albeit by means of rejection also
demonstrates the lack of wisdom.

Only the wise realize that the Aggedita [and other Torah passages] are
neither meant to be overly literal nor downright absurd, but are actually
communicating profound truths that require reading between the lines.

Some Fundamentalists [mostly on the right but not necessarily so] are
K'sillim- fools. Some cynics [mostly on the left but not always] are
heretics [kof'rim] masquerading as morally superior somehow.
While those who are mattunim badin - who patiently judge the requisite
passages through the lens of intelligent analysis w/o naivite and also
without cynicsm will arrive at the underlying truth.

Read More:


Having introduced the literalist groups, the fundamentalists who shame the
Torah with their ignorance and the mockers who jump to conclusions and
accuse the rabbis of being ignoramuses,


http://yediah.blogspot.com/2008/01/rambam-on-aggadeta-correct-approach.html


--
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com

<http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/>


--
Posted By Rabbi Richard Wolpoe to
NishmaBlog<http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/2008/01/rambam-neither-a-literalist-nor-mocker.html>at
1/25/2008 03:09:00 PM



-- 
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com
see: http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/
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