[Avodah] vashti

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, March 6, 2007 3:09 pm, R Zvi Lampel wrote:
:> Could someone post a maqor that says that the default assumption when dealing
:> with a medrash that is "fantastical" is to assume it IS historical?
:> We have a list of rishonim compiled a year back who say otherwise: the Rambam
:> ..., the Ritva, the Maharsha, the Maharal, the Gra...

: But what shall we do about the Maharsha R. SBA had cited?:
:> (Megila 12b): "Omar R' Yosi bar Chanina melamed sheporcho bo tzoraas.
:> Bemisnita tono: Bo Gavriel ve'oso lo zonov..."
:> The Maharsho quotes the baal ha'Aruch: "Kol dovor shehu yeser,
:> sheinu kemidas chavero...koruy zonov..."
:> And then comments: "Velo yodano mi hichricho lefaresh kach,
:> ve'eime dezonov mamesh oso lo kebeheimeh...")?

Comments like this are not muchrachim one way or the other.

It would make sense that if Chazal use a mashal, that sometimes a mefareish
would write from within that mashal, trying to understand it rather than
jumping straight to the nimshal.

I admit that it is odd that the Maharsha would go through an explanation and
not dedicate some words to the nimshal.

But, as we establish around twice a year, the Maharsha doesn't require taking
midrashim as historical, nor does he believe their historicity is of real
import. So, I see no other way to understand him in this example.

BTW, something similar in the reverse:

Just as the peirush can run with a mashal, and that doesn't imply he
necessarily holds it is historical, when a peirush runs with a nimshal is
doesn't imply he necessarily holds it is NOT historical.

Giving a nimshal for the nachash and cheit of Gan Eden would be of value
whether HQBH first wrote the mashal in His Torah, or first wrote it in His
History.

Being historical and being a mashal are totally distinct concepts. Showing
that a rishon assumes one doesn't mean we've ruled out the other.

Tir'u baTov!
-mi

-- 
Micha Berger             Spirituality is like a bird: if you tighten
micha at aishdas.org        your grip on it, it chokes; slacken your grip,
http://www.aishdas.org   and it flies away.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            - Rav Yisrael Salanter