<<>> Similarly concerning artificial insemination, Satmar argued that even<br>>> the Catholic bishop knew that it was disgusting and therefore it was<br>>> obviously prohibited. In response Rav Moshe (
E.H. 11 page 322): "I thank<br>>> G-d am not from them and not from the masses. All of my hashkofa is only<br>>> from my knowledge of Torah without any contamination from external<br>>> ideas. The Torah's judgments are true whether they are harsh or
<br>>> lenient. The ideas from alien hashkofa or those which spontaneously<br>>> appear in a man's heart are all of no significance - even if they are to<br>>> be conservative and strict. It is simply a false illusion to view these
<br>>> alien ideas as being more pure and holy...">><br clear="all"><br>RAL has an extensive article on the existence of basic morality outside of<br>the Torah. There is a story about RMF that he was joined by a talmid to collect
<br>charity and insisted on paying the talmid's travel expenses. The talmid was not<br>happy but told RMF that this must be based on SA. RMF answered that it is<br>not - it is based on what is the right thing to do.<br>
<br>On a more fundamental I disagree with the SR that there is such a concept<br>as "knowledge of Torah without any contamination from external ideas".<br>Different poskim take the same gemara and come to opposite conclusions
<br>based on their own inner feelings or background.<br><br>One of my favorite examples is the question whether one can take a sefer<br>Torah outside of shul for dancing (this is common in EY for hakafot shniyot<br>on the night after simchat torah).
<br>One posek allowed it because it is kavod haTorah for everyone to dance with<br>the Torah. Another posek prohibited because it was a chillul haTorah for <br>everyone without any control to dance with the sefer Torah.<br>
Thus, both agree that one can take out the sefer Torah if it is for Kavod HaTorah.<br>What is kavod HaTorah is now a subjective decision.<br><br>On more serious issues it is impossible to define what is a Torah thought and what
<br>is an alien idea. Is a psak of Rambam alien because he learned Greek philosophy?<br><br>-- <br>Eli Turkel