[Avodah] De-Chokifying Arayos (including MZ)

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Sun, Jul 12, 2015 at 02:39:36PM -0400, Meir Shinnar via Avodah wrote:
: One could argue whether the arayot the rambam means refers to all dine
: arayot, or only to a subset (excluding mishkav zachar), although not sure
: on what basis - but clearly the rambam here insists that arayot are NOT
: self evident or even mefursamot

Lo zakhisi lehavin:
It's hard to see how incest within the immediate family or eishes iss
aren't mefursamot.

Whether MZ is well known or not aside, even "kemaaseh Eretz Mitzrayim"
(at least the male half of it) is described in the gemara as pretty well
known -- it's on Ulla's list of 3 dinim of the 30 mitzvos Benei Noach
(which rishonim map to subcategories of the usual 7) that Benei Noach
generally observe -- "she'in kosevin kesuvah lezekharim".




In any case, I will leave the Rambam as a tzarikh iyun that only affects
the lives of those who agree with him that understanding theology and/or
metaphysics is the perfection we strive for in life, above perfection
of virtue. (Moreh, conclusion, worthy of its own thread.)

For that matter, most of us also diagree with the Rambam on whether a
person is judged by the level reached or by the distance covered.

Without agreeing on either of those two points, it's likely one wouldn't
agree with the Rambam's pesaq here. His view of the role of of bringing
one's desire in line with a mitzvah will necessarily come from a
different place.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Time flies...
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