[Avodah] how to learn Torah

[Rich, Joel]

While I don't like to disagree with my rebbe I find this hard to accept.
One nice example is the explanation of Prof. Aumann (recent nobel prize
winner) on the gemara in Ketuvot originally based on game theory (though
simplified). The explanations of most rishonim is very forced while his
seems very natural. There are other cases where rishonim explain a
gemara based on incorrect biology or physics while the gemara itself
presents no difficulties. I wouldn't use the phrase that "I know
something that the Rashba didnt know" but modern knowledge can sometimes
explain phrases that were unclear to rishonim or subject to machlokes.
One example is the phrase "stimas hagolel" which has several
explanations in rishonim. Anyone who has been to the caves in sanhedria
can see that it refers to rolling a stone to close the entry to the
burial cave.
other examples include explanations of gemarot that contradict the
geography of Israel which wasn't always known to rishonim in Europe.

--
Eli Turkel
=======================================================================

My general take on this was either

1. R'YBS was saying that only chachmei hamesora can use these tools
lmaaseh because only they have the authority to truly innovate (iirc I
certainly heard the second half in a shiur from him) - e.g. I can
speculate that R' M Shapiro was right about the Rambam being wrong on
something but I can't act on it. Or

2. (I think less likely)  hkb"h gave the chachmei hamesora some "ruach
hakodesh" so even if they were wrong on a fact etc., they (their
outcome) are right (even if later c"M misunderstood them, the later ones
are still right)

KT
Joel Rich
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