[Avodah] 14th ikkar?

[Michael Poppers]

In Avodah V27#117, RSZN posts:
> 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)....>>
> ---- 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? <
I disagree with that premise.  I would say the "real fundamental" 
differentiating "us" from "them" in re to TMS is that when we say "Torah" 
as part of TMS, we mean not just Torah shebiKsav but also Torah sheb'Al 
Peh, and that point RaMBaM encodes in his eighth ikkar (available online 
at http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=11597&st=&pgnum=108 ; a 
translation can be found in RJJB's Webpages at 
http://www.panix.com/~jjbaker/13yesodos.html ).

All the best from
Michael Poppers * Elizabeth, NJ, USA
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