[Avodah] Daas Torah Rerere...redux - Pesachim 112a

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 02:39:47PM -0400, Zev Sero wrote:
> No, I think he simply means that a TC is likely to neglect his public
> responsibilities through a reluctance to take time from learning, and
> necessary public improvements will not get done, or will take longer
> than they should.  He's not talking about dayonim, he's talking about
> the mayor and the public works department....

He's talking about "rasheiha" (to quote R' Aqiva). The mayor and so
on. Not sure about public works, though.

The notion of daas Torah is about applying emunas chakhamim to questions
that revolve around metzi'us, rather than Torah. And I think R' Aqiva
here says it's not a good idea.

I don't see "yitrod" (Zev's answer), nor "TC she'eino tarid" (as per
Lisa's). To me it seems clear that a TC shouldn't be appointed to lead
the city because he invested the time to know Torah, and therefore can't
run a city as well as someone who spent more time knowing society.

But my point about R Aqiva disrecommending relying on DT stands even
if I were able to see his objection as an inability to invest the time
going forward, and would work even better if I thought R' Aqiva was
speaking only of a TC who isn't also a baqi in civil matters. (Rather
than, as it looks to me, assuming no TC could be.)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 33rd day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        4 weeks and 5 days in/toward the omer.
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