[Avodah] Education - was RAYK and the end of chol

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, May 09, 2008 at 03:39:13PM -0400, Richard Wolpoe wrote:
: What I have noticed with many [not all] women is that they chafe at Talmudic
: style argumentation. for them perhaps the Shulchan Aruch makes more sense

This doesn't distinguish between environmental and innate differences.

I believe, although have no airtight argument, that the gemara does
speak of innate differences when writing "nashim daatan qalos" and
"binah yeseirah nitenah lahem".

The reason for this inclination of mine is that da'as is related to
the ability to pasqen, as per the original meaning of "daas Torah" vs
"daaso" (Chulin 90b). And since women are barred from hora'ah regardless
of societal roles, it would be clean and neat to say that we identified
the innate difference that causes their ineligability.

Also, we see from the gemara in chullin that da'as is a means by which
one reaches conclusions, not only the conclusion. This usage appears to
be different than that in nistar, but so be it.

I am not returning to ground trod in v10, Nov 2002. (And before
that back in v1n1 and v4.) But I think this exact point was made in
<http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol12/v12n048.shtml#10>, although I did
more analysis of the terms for thought since.

So, what is the difference between da'as and binah? Speaking RSRH,
binah is the ability to build (livnot) and to make distinctions (bein)
and thereby use the known to derive (deductively and inductively,
respectfully) new information.

Da'as is a learned means of reaching a conclusion.

Thus, having lighter, more mobile, da'as, is the flipside of having more
binah. Creative thought with fewer a priori rules about how to deduce.

Gemara is about learning a mode of thought. And I think that drives
RRW's observation. It's simply an unnatural (yet far from impossible)
use of a woman's intellectual strenghs.

Perhapos this also explains their gravitation toward parshanus, which
doesn't involve as many blinders in terms of "correct modes of
deduction".

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 23rd day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        3 weeks and 2 days in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Gevurah sheb'Netzach: How does my domination
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            stifle others?