[Avodah] Humanoids and TT

[Meir Rabi]

R Eli,

Please help me locate the Gemara you refer to.

E.T.
> The gemara brings a story about an amora that didnt want to go to a shiur
> since it was about health questions. He was told that in that case it
> is even more important to attend the shiur.

I agree -- it is important to learn about health and hygiene -- but that
does not mean I can make Birchas HaTorah -- it is important but it is not TT.

> RYBS maintains that learning a sugya about matters that are entirely
> derabban is TT -- 

who would disagree with that?

> Does someone who learns various gemarot about magic or medicines or
> health issues fulfil TT?

Probably not, unless it related to the Halacha of what is permitted or
prohibited.

> Rambam writes about healthy foods to eat. Is that more TT than reading
> a contemporary medical journal on the same issue?

Birchas HaTorah are made Levatala if one studies only the RaMBaM's rules
on health just as if one only studies a medical journal.

And in response to Lisa;

I find it difficult to condone some of the things that are used to
attract or retain people to or on, the Derech. I dont want people to go
off the Derech or not be attracted to a Torah life, but I do want them
to be presented with authentic Yiddishkeit. I fear that we have dressed
up our Torah and our principles with a cosmetic veneer that may be close
to but is no longer in fact Yiddishkeit. Certainly we are all different
and HaShem created and wants us to be and to celebrate those differences
but that does not mean there is no point at which interpretations become
mis-directions.

I agree with you -- blind faith as you describe it, is not Torah, but
I dont follow why you mention this in regards to my thoughts.

I can not accept for example, that Torah tolerates the perspective,
"I can not accept that Avraham would ever attempt to slaughter his son"
or "I can not accept that a Loving Gd would ever demand that Avraham
slaughter his son" and therefore tolerate an alternative explanation of
the Akeida. I am V distressed when I hear orthodox rabbanim presenting an
approach that in fact is predicated upon such foundations. I believe that
every straight thinking Jew disqualifies such ramblings as non-authentic
Torah, heresy. I am fairly sure that we similarly can not accept the
purely speculative pursuit of humanoids as authentic Torah. I believe
that the energy for such interests has been fed, if not generated, by
our drifting away from authentic Torah values. I agree with you about
some requiring a Shabbat experience and others exposure to a Rabbi Meir
Kahane AH perspective, but I am sure that humanoids is a quantum leap
from these examples.

And do you really mean that without the ability and legitimacy of
being able to speculate about humanoids as TT, some would abandon their
Yiddishkeit? You either exaggerate or I must wonder if such people are
sincere about their commitments.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova
Best,
Meir G. Rabi