[Avodah] rationalism and mysticism

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Oct 08, 2007 at 02:25:35PM -0400, Richard Wolpoe wrote:
: I was not the greatest Talmid of Brisk, but the Brisker methodology
: re-inforced in me the concept of  getting precise defintions that are often
: contextually based.

I think it's misleading to phrase Brisker derekh in terms of
definitions, as tgat makes it sound like a concern for words that I do
not think characterizes Brisk.

Rather, it's the precise deliniation of categories and laws -- at times
DESPITE potentially misleading or ambiguous termonology.

: For example  2 definitions of kavvanah
: 1) awareness that one is davening [reguried for entire amidah]
: 2) understanding what is being said (peirush hamilim)  [required for just
: 1st bracha]

It's not about defining kavanah. It's about differences of how kavanah
is required in various mitzvos into two categories, despite the common
word "kavanah".

Despite, not via, the text.

(Parallel to the need for precise aggadic jargon deleted, since I do not
believe on can use Brisk to make that point. I do agree we need to know
what we mean by terms -- both for clarity of thought, and for clarity
of discussion.)


BTW, I got to RARakeffet's history shiur on RYYWeinberg, the Seridei
Eish. The SE wrote R' Moshe Soloveitchik that in his opinion,

    R' Chaim's Totah is emes from the perspective of sevara,
    but not from the perspective of history.

RAR thinks it is important to note that the letter must have been
written late in the SE's life, when he was out of Litta for a while
and immersed in Hildesheimer's Chokhmas Yisrael for a while.

So how would the SE deal with a sheverer Rambam? First check the girsaos
of both the Rambam and his sources. Perhaps our girsa of the Rambam is
flawed. Perhaps his girsa of the source was different than ours.

Moreso, RYYW brings ra'ayos from shu"t of the Rambam that this is what
the Rambam himself would have you do!

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Man is a drop of intellect drowning in a sea
micha at aishdas.org        of instincts.
http://www.aishdas.org                         - Rav Yisrael Salanter
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