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<ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="1">
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">I believe we have a duty to accept the
     words rulings and ideas of the Torah as absolute truth.</span></span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">I think the Gemara you refer
     to is saying that people will learn with enthusiasm those topics that
     interest them. I don’t think the Mitzvah of TT is anything less than an obligation
     to know the entire Torah, even those parts that do not interest me very
     much or at all.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white"></span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">RaMBaM advises/instructs us to study
     nature in order to know Gd; surely that would be TT.</span></span></li>
 <ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="a">
  <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white">However, I
      urge that we take note that RaMBaM does not advise/instruct us to learn various
      Pessukim rhapsodising about nature in order to gain this awareness.</span></span></li>
  <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white">Studying such
      matters is probably within the realm of TT</span></span></li>
 </ol>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">I don’t understand however, how the
     speculation about humanoids (and other such matters) in any way
     contributes to a deeper more profound understanding of Gd; I doubt it is
     TT.</span></span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">I am reminded of a discussion with a
     young fellow who insisted he had had a religious spiritual experience – he
     had this remarkable experience at a concert of Guns and Roses. Is there
     any way to evaluate such an experience?</span></span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">There is an enormous difference
     between those things that can be expected to be verified and those matters
     that are entirely in the domain of speculation.</span></span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">As we mature there is no doubt in my
     mind that all our perceptions and thinking must mature.</span></span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">Is every single word in the Gemara TT?</span></span></li>
 <ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="a">
  <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white">The talk
      about use of the bathroom</span></span></li>
  <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white">Healthy
      lifestyles?</span></span></li>
 </ol>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">I have no need to pencil out these
     pieces in the Gemara, nor all the French words in Rashi. I am quite happy
     with the Abravanel, Hirsch and  Malbim.</span></span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">It is important to recognise that
     there is value to other peripheral aspects of Torah that are not TT in
     themselves but are nevertheless within the framework thinking and meaning
     of a Torah life.</span></span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">Thus someone may make an ambition of learning
     knowing and teaching the laws of Sukka, the rebellious son, Tumah and
     Tahara.</span></span></li>
 <ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="a">
  <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white">We may
      quibble if making a study of the size of Kezayis is TT, I suspect it is
      not.</span></span></li>
  <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white"> </span></span></li>
 </ol>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">The discussion of verses and MaAmerie
     Chazal, from my perspective is not necesssarily within the realm of Talmud
     Torah. By way of example, when Chazal have a “game” of suggesting various
     Pessukim to support various commonly held “street wisdoms” I suspect this
     is not TT</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">.</span></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
     font-family:Arial;background:white">Reading the Torah, any verses in the
     Torah is certainly TT. That includes the Passuk Bereshis 6:4 which
     certainly sounds like it is talking about humanoids, or something to that
     effect.</span></span></li>
 <ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="a">
  <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white">But I
      strongly suspect that our speculation about these things and the
      construction of mental and spiritual edifices which support significant religious
      life perspectives; I am shaken and fear possible negative consequences.</span></span></li>
  <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white">I similarly
      am concerned that these edifices are perceived to be an equivalent to
      Talmud study. As a consequence learning Gemara is no longer deemed to be valuable,
      critical and of core significance.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;background:white"></span></li>
 </ol></ol><div><br></div>-- <br><br>Best,<br><br>Meir G. Rabi<br>