[Avodah] Torah Metaphors and Science - Kanfei Nesharim

[Micha Berger]

"Kanfei nesharim" is an idiom, not a metaphor.

Let's not conflate this issue with that of asking whether entire
episodes occured (in this plane, in some prophetic-spiritual plane, at
all, etc...).

The argument over "charon af" or yad, zeroa, etzba, etc... is dead and
buried. (And didn't have much of a life to begin with.) And this is
similarly figurative, since yetzi'as Mitzrayim is the original "al
kanfei nesharim" and no raptors were used.

Whether or not it was fulfilled in a closer to literal way, I wouldn't
even call such literalness "peshat" in the pasuq. It is well within
His norm to make it obvious in retrospect that a prophecy meant more
than face value. (Having an aral sefasayim say the expected pass
phrase "paqod paqadti" despite the /p/ requiring his sefasayim is a
favorite of mine.) But understanding idiomatic usage is simply part of
translation.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha