[Avodah] ra-ah - da-ah

[Micha Berger]

Bottom line is that if an interpretation of a derashah is a chiddush
of an acharon, it carries the gravitas of the acharon. One needs to be
aware that the position can't be backed by the gemara and in many cases
is not the intent of the gemara. Nu, an acharon bleibt an acharon. But
one needs to be on guard and not confuse use of a Chazal to illustrate
a pointwith Chazal themselves. (And not get distracted by someone using
the word "game".)

BTW, perhaps the correct answer to the da'ah vs ra'ah question inheres
in De'uel vs Re'uel. (Bamidbar 1:15, Gad's nasi is ELyasaf ben De'uel;
2:15, it's ben Re'uel.) What does it mean when lir'os and lada'as blur
to the point of being indistinguishable?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             A sick person never rejects a healing procedure
micha at aishdas.org        as "unbefitting." Why, then, do we care what
http://www.aishdas.org   other people think when dealing with spiritual
Fax: (270) 514-1507      matters?              - Rav Yisrael Salanter