[Avodah] Intuition - sources

[Arie Folger]

RDE wrote:
> One talmid chocham who was very close to Rav Moshe Feinstein told me
> concerning the disagreement between Rav Moshe and the Tzitz Eliezar on
> abortion. "Rav Moshe knew that abortion is murder.
<SNIP>
> In contrast the Tzitz Eliezar started with the text and by logical
> reasoning tried to determine whether abortion was murder.
<SNIP>
> The Tzitz Eliezar got upset and said 
> that is not an acceptable approach to Torah learning."

And:

> Similarly concerning artificial insemination, Satmar argued that even
> the Catholic bishop knew that it was disgusting and therefore it was
> obviously prohibited. In response Rav Moshe (E.H. 11 page 322): "I thank
> G-d am not from them and not from the masses. All of my hashkofa is only
> from my knowledge of Torah without any contamination from external
> ideas. The Torah's  judgments are true whether they are harsh or
> lenient. The ideas from alien hashkofa or those which spontaneously
> appear in a man's heart are all of no significance - even if they are to
> be conservative and strict. It is simply a false illusion to view these
> alien ideas as being more pure and holy..."

Eh... doesn't it seem, at first sight, like RMF seemingly contradicts himself? 
OT1H he uses his intuition, OTOH text. There must be a more subtle way to 
state this, without making either REW or the Stamarer Rebbe into one who is 
not in the know.

Schonoh tauwoh,
-- 
Arie Folger
http://www.ariefolger.googlepages.com