[Avodah] halachic intuition

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, September 6, 2007 1:33 pm, R Eli Turkel wrote:
: On a more fundamental I disagree with the SR that there is such a
: concept as "knowledge of Torah without any contamination from
: external ideas".
: Different poskim take the same gemara and come to opposite conclusions
: based on their own inner feelings or background.

I think we need to distinguish between "contamination" and perspective.

Two people who look at the same object from different angles will see
slightly different things. This isn't a bad mashal (if I may say so
myself) for the Maharal's position on the origin of machloqes -- that
reality can not capture the full richness of Torah, and therefore any
implementation is only one aspect of a fuller truth.

Yes, the two poseqim look at the halakhah from different angles
because of their entire histories, both their encounters with Torah
and their encounters with other things.

However, they both should be looking at unadulterated Torah.

I agree with those who already posted that they think RMF advocates
both approaches, pasqening through logical, articulated sevara, and
pasqening from a gestalt, ineffable, picture of how the din works.

Rather, the machloqes here is whether the SR's gestalt was a Torah
one, or perhaps tainted by western values. (Recall, I am not assessing
the SR, I am trying to explain how I read RMF -- that /he/ assessed
the SR's approach to this particular pesaq and /he/ found it lacking.)
The fact that the SR brings Catholic ethic as an example when trying
to illustrate his point might be indicative that he isn't merely
looking at the inyan from another angle, but the baggage brought with
him is blocking part of the view.

: On more serious issues it is impossible to define what is a Torah
: thought and what is an alien idea. Is a psak of Rambam alien because
: he learned Greek philosophy?

Well, don't two promoters of secular studies recommend avoiding Hil'
Yesodei haTorah for this very reason?

You're right that there is plenty of gray area. But what halachic
issue doesn't have area subject to machloqes?

Tir'u baTov!
-mi

-- 
Micha Berger             Spirituality is like a bird: if you tighten
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