[Avodah] Intuition - sources

[Daniel Eidensohn]

R' Arie Folger wrote:
> 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,
>   
I don't see the contradiction. Rav Moshe apparently first reacted on an 
intuitive level which was based on his Torah learning. That intution was 
supported by marshaling texts and sevoras. But the starting point was 
the intution. This apparently was also the approach of the Chasam Sofer. 
On the other hand the Tzitz Eliezar is saying that he doesn't have an 
answer until he has examined the text and based on induction and 
deductions from the text he will discover what the answer is. The psak 
concerning artificial insemination was not text based since there is in 
fact very little text on the subject. He was simply objecting to a 
talmid chochom being concerned or even noting what the goyim say.

In sum. It is a  major bifurcation as to whether you start from the 
Torah trained intuition - some would call it Daas Torah or whether you 
start with the text. Both are legitimate. There is a similar split of 
the relevance of nature law or universal reasoning. As one of Rav 
Moshe's closest talmidim told me. "People say that Rav Moshe paskened 
from the gemora - but that is wrong. Rav Moshe poskened from shamayim."

kesivah v'chasimah tovah

Daniel Eidensohn