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<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt;">My colleague wrote,
upon seeing my email:</p>
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</p>
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<blockquote type="cite"><font face="Arial" size="2">I think this is a
fair representation of my view of mitzvos but I'd like to have
"salvific" defined as "metaphysical effect upon the neshamah and upon
the spiritual fabric of the cosmos leading to the soul achieving a
better place after death."</font></blockquote>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt;">and</p>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">BTW the notion that the minutae of
kashrus, taharos, korbanos, ketores, safrus etc ad infinitum has
rational overt impact towards our refinement seems to me at least
patently absurd.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Ditto re the study of Tlamud b'iyun.
What difference could it have rationally towards my moral refinement to
discuss a stirah in rishonim in zevochim???? Or offer a lmudische
disscetion of a machlokes.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Either it's all supra rational or
its just silly.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">After reading the Kellner book I am
even more convinced of the inability of the neo Aristotelean world view
to explain Judaism.</font></div>
</blockquote>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt;">To which I say:</p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt;">1. I think it absurd to
regard all that as salvific. Why would the RBSo have us do all these
silly things merely to save our souls. And, a refining impact need not
be rationally or overtly explainable.</p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt;">2. It is only such
refining (to both reason and emotion) that makes Talmud b'Iyun
worthwhile. See above #1.</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt;">3. At least I have the
Rambam and Rov Rishonim on my side. Kellner, Shmellner...</p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt;">YGB<br>
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