[Avodah] the physics of giants

[Lisa Liel]

On 11/9/2011 8:28 AM, Zev Sero wrote:
> On 9/11/2011 9:08 AM, Marty Bluke wrote:
>> R' Zev Sero said:
>> <However I don't see what choice we have but to accept that Moshe 
>> Rabbenu was literally ten amot tall
>>
>> In fact, the Maharal in Chidushei Aggados Bava Metzia 84a 
>> (http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14192&st=&pgnum=37&hilite= 
>> <http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14192&st=&pgnum=37&hilite=>) 
>> understands that Moshe was not really 10 amos tall and that Chazal 
>> are describing his spiritual attributes.
>> The Maharal writes:
>> "ayn zeh shiur gashmi rak ki haya rauy lishlaimus umaalas nafsho 
>> aeser amos"
>>
>> My translation:
>> This [Moshe being 10 amos tall] is not a physical measurement but 
>> rather that Moshe was fit for the perfection and spiritual heights of 
>> 10 amos.
>
> Actually your translation is incorrect.  It should be "...the completion
> and stature of his soul made him fit to be ten amos tall; because of the
> body's deficiency this full measure wasn't there, but he had whatever
> height was possible."

Actually, his translation was correct.  Sheimut is perfection; not 
completion.  Completion is hashlama.  And read above a few lines:

Da ki ha-godel hu lefi madreigot ha-davar u'lefikach timtza ki 
ha-rishonim asher hayah lahem madreiga elokit b'yoter hayu metu'arim 
b'gadlut b'yoter.

And:

Ach al tomar klal v'klal she'ha-shiur asher ne'emar kan she'hu muchash 
l'fanecha, aval davar zeh kemo she'nitba'er harbeh, hu mufshat min 
ha-gashmi, u'kemo she'timtza shiurim asher einam muchashim v'hem 
muskalim bilvad.

The Maharal understands that these measurements aren't physical ones.  
You need to understand that as well.

> However, this does not explain how he managed to put the roof on the
> mishkan without a ladder.  And if he did use a ladder then what on earth
> would impel the gemara to say he was that tall in the first place?  How
> does it know he was, in principle, 10 amot tall and not 7 or 13?  And
> how could it at first assume that his entire tribe was also that tall?
> No, this "explanation" must itself be taken as an "agadeta"; it simply
> does not work as pshat.

<sigh> No.  The Ramban on Bamidbar 4:6 says that "v'samu badav" can mean 
to adjust them to their proper position.  The kind of literalism you're 
engaging in is embarrassing.

Lisa