[Avodah] ikkarim redux

[Michael Kopinsky]

On 2/28/07, Meir Shinnar <chidekel at gmail.com> wrote:
> ...remember that ma'aseh breshit is physics, and ma'aseh merkava
> is metaphyics - and both are part of talmud tora;
>
> Meir Shinnar
Not according to the Ran.  He says (in Drashos #1) that Maaseh Bereishis
is understanding the connection between the seder hahishtalsh'lus and the
world, and maaseh merkava is the connection between G-d and the seder
hahishtalsh'lus.  Thus, according to him, both are metaphysics, just
varying quantities of "meta".

(According to what you're saying: is it forbidden to teach physics to more
than a certain number of talmidim at a time? (His kashya, not mine.))