[Avodah] Historicity of Aggadta

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Dec 25, 2017 at 06:53:28PM -0500, H Lampel wrote:
:> And yet still won't bother worrying about contradicting any medrash's
:> historical claims.

: I already stated that the Rambam holds the intent of  a medrash is
: not literal if he holds it contradicts realia, logic, fundamentals
: or pesukim...

Yes, but you know I disagree. The Rambam says that the intent of a
medrash is not literal. They might also be literal. A mashal or melitzah
-- as he discusses from Mishlei at length -- can be pulled from history
or stam crafted as a story, but in either case "mimah shenimtza bikhlal
divreihem morim al inyanim amitiyim me'od."

However, if the story does contradict what is known, we know it's a pure
mashal, ahistorical. And therefore don't become like someone of the first
two katim, believing stupidity or ridiculing chazal for their allegedly
teaching stupidity.

But he doesn't ever say that if the story is plausible, that's the point
of the story. Nor that it's sufficient reason to assume it's true on a
literal level.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "Fortunate indeed, is the man who takes
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