[Avodah] Ikkarim Redux

[david guttmann]

I have been following the debate on and off so I apologize if I touch on
something that has already been said. 

> I said they have halachic import, as they are used to assess people 
> for stam yeinam and geirus. Then there is also shechitah. This 
> includes things like RASoloveitchik's lenient ruling WRT meshichtzin, 
> which was written in terms of the 12 ikkar. 

A question: Muslims believe in Ychud hashem therefore are not menassech
Yayin the same way as Ovdei Avodah Zarah. They deny though all the other
Ikkarim. 

We also find that in the matter of Ein Lahem Chelek there is a wider range
(hil Teshuvah) while as far as Aveilut (Evel 1:8-9) Rambam the list is
narrower. For Geirut he lists Ychud and Avodah Zara.

I agree with RMS that Ikkarim are arrived at independently of Halacha. They
are applied to each Hallacaha as they are pertinent to that specific din. We
cannot make a broad statement that someone who denies one of the Ikkarim is
michutz lamachaneh. Denying metziut, ychud and issur Avodah Zarah would put
one outside. (Even here there is room for different understanding - vide
Ra'avad re eino guf). The others would be looked at on a case by case basis.

>This is especially true as most poskim, both today but also historically,
lacked philosphical training - and a posek who lacks  >>>  philosophical
training is as ill equipped to pasken on ikkarim as a posek who lacks
knowledge of physics is to pasken on electricity on shabbat.

This is probably the biggest problem we face nowadays, the lack of
discernment between a gadol in halacha and one in both halacha and
hashkafah. Rambam in his letters comments on this many times.



David Guttmann
 
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