[Avodah] Rosh Hashanah 32b There's Hope For Everyone

[Richard Wolpoe]

On Tue, May 27, 2008 at 6:03 PM, <T613K at aol.com> wrote:

>  RRW wrote:
> >>Of course Talmdiei Chachamim are different, but attributing to them
> infallibility is a sure way to EVENTUALLY cause them much criticism.<<
>
> >>>>
> No one attributes infallibility to talmidei chachamim.  "Papal"
> infallibility is not a Jewish doctrine.  However, there is an assumption
> that talmidei chachamim have a better batting average than unlearned people.
>
> *--Toby Katz
> =============
> *
>

Somewher in the Avodaharchives [about 10 years ago] I sued the same analogy,
that "gedolim" are such because their batting average is higher. And gues
what? My position was attacked!   There IS a movment out there to make or to
evolve a da'as torah model as  tantamount to infallibility.

I questioned the Taz on davening late on Shavuos, and aChredii relative of
mine started the usual frum argumetns of "who are YOU" to question the Taz?"
Besides the fact that Yekkees do not follow this Taz at all t Magen Avraham
disagress on the same point.

I turned around to my chareidi relative and said: "ahve you ever learned
Yoreh dei'ah?'
He said "no".  I then told him that it is conceiveable that the Gap between
HIS learning and mine is greater than between MY learning and the Taz's and
so who was HE to question my position?

Asdie from the merits merits of the points, I have never been "ranked out"
for disagreeing with an Acharon before this latest era.  We were taught in
Yeshiva to not argue on Rishonim [generally], but Acharonim were fair game.
  But this is espeically so when you can marshal rayas to back yourself up.

What is really sad is that my arugin with the taz was seen as disrespecting
the Taz. When we argued with rebbes in yeshiva it was not considered
disrespect, it was not personal.  Reish Lakish pikced uon Rabbi Yochanan a
lot. THIS  has changed. All of a sudden arguing with a Talmid Chacham is
somehow "dangerous."   Maybe at some yeshivos they were ALWAYS like this but
my background at Ner Israel and YU was not like this. We felt free to
question,shlug up nd siagree as long as we were within the bounds of
decency. And we got heated.

I recall [and I've posted this before!] arguin with R. Yosef  Weiss on a
point. He asked a question I gave a teirutz. He said "too balebatish" I
looked at the "boys in the back" [either Pri Megadim or maye Pri Chadhah]
who said the same thing. I raised my hand, quoted it to him and he said
"It's STILL too balebatish!" Good for him that he was consistent and stuck
to his guns.

I don't beleive the fact that I argued doggedly that day was ever held
against me. [my penmanship was a different story! --smile--]  Nowadays.... I
wonder if people still challenge their rebbes? ... .



Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com
see: http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/
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