[Avodah] Rav Keller's JO article on evolution

[Zvi Lampel]

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 from: Zev Sero <zev at sero.name> 

> Zvi Lampel wrote, quoting R Saadia Gaon: 

>> In the conventional/primary sense, Hashem's saying that when 
>> giving maaser "you shall test me through this" (Devarim 6:16) 
>> contradicts the pesukim prohibiting testing Hashem. 
>> "Uvchanuni na bazot" is not Devarim 6:16, it's Malachi 3:10. 
>> Devarim 6:16 is "lo tenasun et Hashem".
 
I stand corrected. The text I was paraphrasing had it right, but I confused it. Y'yashas kochacha! By the way, I'm working on getting the passage,as well as the similar Sefer HaIKarrim passage, on a URL, so that all can see them in the original (or in the original Hebrew translation in the case of the RSG passage.)

> RSG seems to say that the contradiction must be resolved by 
reinterpreting the pasuk in Malachi, so that it doesn't really 
allow testing Hashem. I was taught the exact opposite, that 
this is an exception to the rule, and one is allowed to test 
Hashem in this particular case. <

I had the same problem. Perhaps if we can get our hands on the RSG's commentary on Malachi we can find a solution.

> Both Malachi and his audience were familiar with the pasuk in 
Devarim, as are we, and nevertheless Hashem told him to call 
on his audience to test Him, and this [as well as the Torah's passage-ZL] was written ledorot, so the contradiction is resolved in favour of the latter.<
One may argue that since they were all familiar with the Torah's prohibition, they all knew that Malachi's intent was not "al pi peshuto." <

> ...we find a similar exception in the Torah itself, 
in parshat Behar, where Hashem promises that if we keep shemita 
and yovel, He will make the harvest of the 49th year last for 
3 years instead of one.<

But that is not presented as something we should intentionally use as a test of Hashem, any more than are any of the other promises of results for our deeds (such as in kriass shema, the tochahchos, etc.).

Zvi Lampel