[Avodah] R Tzadok-TSBP

[Michael Makovi]

Professor Shapiro's article "The Brisker Method Reconsidered the
Analytic Movement: Hayym Soloveitchik and His Circle By, Norman
Solomon" (Tradition 31:3, Spring 1997), from which I previously
quoted, also discusses the fact that often, we pasken by the book
(Yad, Shulhan Arukh), and not the person (ignoring Rambam's own
teshuvot explaining the Yad, ignoring R' Karo's own works when they
contradict the SA, etc.).

In like vein, see the following article by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman of
Chabad.org, regarding moral difficulties in Hazal and Tanya:

1) http://emet.blog-city.com/chabad_theology_conversations_with_rtzvi_freeman_on_tanya_.htm
2) http://emet.blog-city.com/chabad_theology_conversations_with_rtzvi_freeman_on_tanya__1.htm

(Two-parts)

(Quote)

       It strikes me that we Jews tend to think of books as more real than
people. What I mean is that if the Rambam would walk into the room and
start arguing with a typical rosh yeshiva, he would probably ask one
of his talmidim to “bring me the Rambam.” It doesn’t matter that the
Rambam is standing in front of him—the real Rambam is the book. Just
as the real Moshe Rabenu is not the flesh and blood tzadik who lived
3300 years ago, but the Moshe Rabenu who appears every week in the
Torah we read in shul.

       What I mean to bring out from this is that, in concert with the
post-moderns, to us, the word—and therefore the interpretation—is
everything. And this it turns out is a very powerful mechanism to
adaptation. It means that we do not have to concern ourselves with the
original intent of the authors, whether they be rishonim or tannaim.
Our concern is with the meaning of the text. That’s where we believe
Hashem’s Divine Spirit rests, as the Beis Yosef would write, “This is
the mishna speaking in my mouth.” Or as the prophet said, “The spirit
of Hashem speaks within me and His words are on my tongue.”

       I am saying that we are permitted to reinterpret chazal as time
progresses and as the people around us begin to conform to the morals
they have gleaned from our Torah. I don’t think this is heresy—I think
this is what we have been doing all along.

(End quote)

Michael Makovi