[Avodah] Understanding a shitta through an opponent's criticism of it

[Zvi Lampel]

>> And it is not clear that 
>>the Rambam holds that there is no mitzvah: 

> The Ramban felt that way, as he argued against the Rambam, making it clear 
> what he understood the Rambam's position to be.

I would like to raise a broader issue than the particular one this part of the dialogue was discussing: Should one regard as accurate the way a critic of a shitta represents that shitta? Should one rely on his take to determine the shitta of the one attacked?
 
Often one finds that Tosefos' kushyos on Rashi are answered by others maintaining that a closer examination of Rashi shows Tosefos was misunderstanding him (or at least criticizing the way Rashi expressed his opinion).

Similarly, the Rambam (and his son) sometimes ressonded to criticisms by saying that his shitta was misunderstood or misrepresented by the criticizer.
 
And it seems to me that Abarbanel often scathingly criticizes others for saying things that closer examination shows they didn't say.

And, of course, we often see this complaint voiced on Avodah.
 
Zvi Lampel
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