<html><body>
<p>In Avodah V27#96 (which I jumped into w/out reading the preceding few dozen digests), RAM wrote:<br>
> In the English phrase, the knowledge is the ikar, and seeing it is merely a means to acquire that knowledge. In RMF's view (AIUI) seeing is the ikar, and knowledge of the event is an acceptable substitute.<br>
> I get the feeling that I've pointed to a difference between Jewish and nonJewish ways of looking at the world. I suppose it has something to do with the importance of eidus and testimony, but I sense that it goes beyond that. Anyone else have any thoughts on this? <<br>
Halachah seems to be based on what we can see (e.g. "spontaneous generation" and our drinking water, to name two sheretz-related issues) or not see (e.g. the "20 amos" criterion). The relationship with "knowledge" (e.g. the odds of there being a worrisome sheretz in that cup of water even though the average individual can't see any problem with his eyes) is worth exploring :). Perhaps the rules governing what we should be machmir on (the level of eidus required in dinei n'fashos; issurei Torah like ingesting a sheretz) come into play. <br>
<br>
All the best from <br>
--Michael Poppers via RIM pager</body></html>