[Avodah] 14th ikkar?

Saul.Z.Newman at kp.org Saul.Z.Newman at kp.org
Wed May 12 11:34:46 PDT 2010


a leitz blogger  makes the folowing  point-----

what is the fundamental principle of faith that defines Orthodoxy?

Clearly, most people would say TMS - Torah Min Hashamayim. Yet that is 
very vague and insufficient. Christians also believe in TMS, and so do 
Kairites. The real fundamental of Orthodoxy is in fact that Torah Shebal 
Peh AS INTERPRETED BY CHAZAL, is ultimately Min Hashamayim (even if not 
from Sinai). 

It's not for nothing that we are called followers of Rabbinic Judaism. And 
it's also not for nothing that in the recent Science and Torah fight, the 
Chareidim and Gedolim were most concerned about the perceived (or perhaps 
real) attacks on Chazal's infallibility and authority.

As has been pointed out numerous times, the Chareidim don't care about 
interpreting the Torah literally. They probably don't even care about an 
ancient earth or evolution. What they really care about is Chazal, because 
they recognize that our entire religion (or at least our version of it) is 
completely and utterly based on Chazal's interpretation of Torah SheBaal 
Peh.

---- the premise  seems to be true.  so here's the takeoff on the question 
he asks:   why does the RMBM  not include unassailing emunas chachamim [ 
ie  total submission to their daas tora]   as one of the ikkarim of the 
faith?
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20100512/2dd4c46f/attachment-0001.htm>


More information about the Avodah mailing list