[Avodah] Talmudic Arguments: The Use of Insults, Reprimands, Rebukes and Curses as Part of the Disputation Proces

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Mar 22, 2023 at 08:16:54AM +0200, Joel Rich wrote:
> Talmudic Arguments: The Use of Insults, Reprimands, Rebukes and Curses as
> Part of the Disputation Process-Hershey H. Friedman, Ph.D
> https://www.academia.edu/36323670

Since the alternative is saying that there was a widespread problem with
ona'as devarim among Chazal, Rishonim and numerous acharonim, I think
the what RJS fears is "apologetics" is the only possible explanation.

I am reminded of the day R Dr David Berger came in to shul all excited.
At the time R Schach was on a campaign against YU, whose "uMada" --
and likely any "Torah and..." -- was an anathema to the value system
RES wanted to promote.

And a few weeks after warning his talmidim away from some of the more
famous RIETS RY, R Schach lashed out against RDDB -- a Jewish History
professor who would eventually become dean of YU's Revel Graduate school,
but hadn't yet. (My guess is, because both had attacked Chabad Messianism,
someone thought or might think they were on the same side.)

The thing is, though, RDDB found it a compliment. For RES to know you
exist and have a message that is serious enough to need addressing...

I have a feeling that attitude is both (1) more common among talmidei
chakhamim (and academics, and people like RDDB who are both) and (2) more
common in most other eras. We are a pretty soft bunch, as history goes.

-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 "'When Adar enters, we increase our joy'
http://www.aishdas.org/asp    'Joy is nothing but Torah.'
Author: Widen Your Tent       'And whoever does more, he is praiseworthy.'"
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                   - Rav Dovid Lifshitz zt"l