[Avodah] Torah Pre-Sinai

[Lisa Liel]

On 5/25/2012 6:41 AM, kennethgmiller at juno.com wrote:
> It is relatively easy to apply this to some mitzvos, such as kashrus: 
> A sufficiently spiritual person can figure out on his own that 
> predatory species are to be avoided, that the gentler species should 
> be killed in a way to minimize their pain and residual blood, and that 
> the mixing of their milk and meat is offensive.

Offensive?

> But other mitzvos, such as rituals like tefillin and mezuzah are more 
> difficult. And historical commemorations before-the-fact are on yet 
> another level.
> But I don't have a problem with any of it. If we truly believe that certain cycles are built into the briah, causing a climate of teshuva on this day each year, and a climate of geulah on that day each year, I see it as entirely possible that a sufficiently spiritual person might pick up on that even before the events that we associate them with.
>    

I agree with this.  But I don't agree that the Avot *literally* kept all 
the mitzvot.  For one thing, since people weren't born Jews at the time, 
the basic infrastructure of much of Torah law was simply inapplicable.  
I'm aware that this is used as a excuse for Yaakov Avinu marrying two 
sisters, but it doesn't explain him giving the bechora to Yosef.

Midrashim have a purpose.  They are tainted when people insist on taking 
them all literally.

Lisa