[Avodah] Categorical imperative

[Rich, Joel]

Another case in point is the heter mechira/yevul nochri dispute.  If I alone purchase yevul nochri rather than rely on heter mechira, I have not really contributed to foreign ownership of the Land of Israel, not connived in the issur of lo sechonem, and, on the contrary, have avoided a number of real halachic problems.  However, if a whole community adopts the same course, lo sechonem and contributing to terrorism become real issues.  (Of course, we can argue about the metzius, but that is the argument.)  A narrow halachic approach, if I can call it that, would focus on the classic halachic issues.  A broader halachic approach would admit the broader, communal consequences in the decision-making process.

However, halacha certainly does endorse the notion that some modes of conduct are for the elite (the baalei nefesh, medakdekim, or however else it is sometimes phrased in halachic literature).  Clearly, the intention was never that such conduct be copied by the masses (lo kol harotzeh litol es hashem...).  Wouldn't the categorical imperative, as I have (mis)understood it, dismiss this approach, insisting that if the conduct cannot be generalised, it should be not be followed?

Kol tuv
Dov Kaiser
Rehovot, Israel


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The issues of the tzibbur vs.. the individual (fallacy of composition comes to mind) is one that R'YBS talked about in terms of how we are judged .  The proper weight to give each element is key but when I have sought guidance I felt there was no real algorithm-much more a kfi hamakon vhzman veinei hamoreh.
KT
Joel Rich
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