On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 12:44 PM, <<a href="mailto:T613K@aol.com">T613K@aol.com</a>> wrote:<br><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;"><font color="#000000" face="Arial" size="2">
<div><br><div><font size="2">To which RRW wrote:</font></div>
<div><font size="2"></font> </div>
<blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid blue; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;">
<div><font style="background-color: transparent;" color="#000000" face="Arial"><font><font size="2">>>So are you
saying a big talmid chochom can never be
wrong?<<</font></font></font></div></blockquote></div></font>
<div></div></div>
<div>>>>>>></div>
<div>This is a very common misconception of what da'as Torah means. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Right wing Orthodox (RWO) -- the people who tend to actually believe that
there is such a thing as "da'as Torah" -- never think that their rabbanim,
poskim and gedolim are infallible. It is only people outside the RWO orbit
who mistakenly imagine that RWO people believe in something like papal
infallibility. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The true meaning of da'as Torah, as understood by the RWO Jews who actually
believe in it, is that the more pious and the greater a talmid chacham is, the
more likely it is that he will give you good advice in your personal life and
that he will give Klal Yisrael good advice on a communal level. Naturally
people in need of good advice and counseling will seek out those who are wiser
than themselves, but no one imagines that a gadol can 'never' be wrong. <br></div><br><div><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" lang="0"><b><br></b><br><b>--Toby
Katz<br>=============</b></font></div></blockquote></div><br>Many years ago on this list I advocated the position re: Psak that a Gadol is not necesarily correct on anygiven issue, he just has a higher "batting average" in general. [Illustration: think of the Taz on temimos requiring davening a late Ma'ariv on Shavuos, etc. I don't argue with him because I am greater, just that sometimes even a Gadol can miss the mark...]<br>
<br>But the notion of Da'as Torah in worldly affairs has to be taken with a grain of salt.<br><br>Illustration: Why should a "gadol" consult a physician re: cases of sakkanah etc.? Isn't his da'as Torah better than that of a mere doctor? therefore - should I consult a financial planner or a rav for economic advice? yada yada yada.<br>
<br>Of course A member of Sanhedrin needs to master 70 languages - this has been explained as to include being conversant in various "chachmos". A real Gadol would consult with experts in various fields before rendering a decisoin, unles that Gadol is already an expert. Certainly Rambam did not need to consult an outside Physician and I'm sure some Rabbonim having a degrees in Math need not consult other mathematicians. But the average Gadol might be conversant in a matter w/o being an expert!<br>
<br>Example: I was taught in junior high that vinegar is Acetic Acid AND that aspirin is made from acetic acid and salicylic acid. On that basis I used to assum that aspirin was a product of hametz! But I was corrected by practical chemists and pharmacists who explained that using grain vinegar was prohibitive in the manufacture of aspirin! So a little learning can be dangerous and misleading.<br>
<br>RMF in IM was concerned that Shabbos Clocks would undermine the spirit of Shabbos if used for anything but lights. This concern was never manifest [afaik] in those communities that use it for A/C etc.<br><br><br><br>Kol Tuv / Best Regards,<br>
RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com<br>see: <a href="http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/">http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/</a>