[Avodah] Must we agree with the Torah?, Retzoncha and Retzono

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Aug 16, 2013 at 02:58:13PM +1000, Rabbi Meir G. Rabi wrote:
:> We were discussing "asei Retzono kirtoznkha", which doesn't have this
:> limitation. And implies we should not only do His Will because it's His
:> Will, but we should try to adapt our desires to match His.
: 
: I reject Reb Michas explanation:
: It is a remarkable response, remarkable that Chazal should see [if Reb
: Micha is correct] an expansion of Ma Hu into a completely new arena...

"Qedoshim tihyu ki Qadosh Ani" is also imitatio Dei -- "mah Hu" isn't
as limited in arena as you imply. It also includes the Sifra's "qadeish
es atzmekha bemah shemutar lakh". The famous Ramban on "qedoshim tihyu"
lumps together that chiyuv with "ve'asisa hayashar vehatov", which is more
in line with the examples of mah Hu in the gemara. It's all one thing,
whether bein adam lachaveiro or being so committed to the things He is
that we avoid being distracted even by [otherwise] permissable things. (As
RSShkop explains that medrash's call for perishus.)

Which brings me to a difference between imitatio Dei and asei Retzono
kirtzonkha. Imitatio Dei is an obligation to do things that are not
specifically commanded ("birshus haTorah") because in every situation
(which the above Ramban notes are too many to describe) we much follow
the example HQBH sets for us.

Our discussion is about how to approach mitzvos we are specifically
commanded to so. How should we develop our feelings about refraining
from things that are *not* "birshus haTorah".

IOW, "qedoshim tihyu" means to imitate the RBSO and not make life about
the pursuit of glatt kosher gourmet food. But we're talking about how
we should be approaching our duty to avoid treif.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

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Micha Berger             We are great, and our foibles are great,
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