[Avodah] Subjectivity-from the OU

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Jan 06, 2023 at 03:52:00PM +0200, Joel Rich via Avodah wrote:
>> Q. I am a finicky person. Many things that I find repulsive are innocuous
>> for most people. Is the halacha of bal teshaktzu established by the
>> reaction of most people or is it applied individually for each person
>> according to their sensitivities?
...
>> Thus, from both sources, it is clear that bal teshaktzu is relative to
>> each individual.

> Any overarching insights into when we look at the individual (as here)
> and when we say batla daato (we ignore his individual circumstances) and go
> by your average Yossi?

I wonder how a subjective definition of sheqetz would work.

In a lot and maybe even most cases, people don't do something they
consider all that gross. Rather, they take one step in that direction,
it seems normal after once or twice, and then the next step... And next
thing one knows, the person is doing something that would have made them
cringe when the downward spiral began.

This isn't an issue with a "teshaqtzu" that is defined by communal norm
or by objective Torah-derived kinds of behaviors.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 We are great, and our foibles are great,
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   and therefore our troubles are great --
Author: Widen Your Tent      but our consolations will also be great.
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                      - Rabbi AY Kook