[Avodah] Emes and Pesaq

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, October 25, 2007 11:25 pm, R Elazar M. Teitz wrote:
:      WADR to Rav [...], what he has written is a polemic, not a
: summary.
...
:      Obviously, if one quotes only mattirim and not osrim, one can
: then claim that not to rely on the hetter is only midas chasidus,...

For the sake of promulgating observance, one may give one's own pesaq
in the name of one's rebbe or attribute it to any adam gadol who you
feel could/would have said it and they are more likely to follow. It
would be interesting to analyze the limits of the use of such "white
lies".

REMT observes that Rav X presumes the opposition's meqoros are
inadmissible and irrelevant. Therefore he doesn't cite them, which
pretty much hides the primary issue behind his pesaq as happening
before the teshuvah even begins. Given the heated nature of the
machloqes on the particular din in question (heter mechirah), it will
be taken by the reader as though he were actively telling them such
sources do not exist. Particularly since he concludes it's a midas
chassidus built entirely on that supposed lack of support. The poseiq
in question here is telling the truth, but not the whole truth, and
making deductions that really would need far more support in the face
of the untold other tzad of the machloqes. Doesn't it get into the
question of the permissibility and parameters of white lies?

OTOH, it's kind of like my recent aside on why some contexts call for
an "IMHO" while in others it is a huge blunder -- even though anything
written is perforce obviously the author's opinion. (With the
complexity of speaking of the Author's "Opinion" in one case...) Is it
the rav in question's fault that he only presents his humble opinion
and people deduce from his silence things about other opinions?

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv