Q&A: Thought
Thought
Question
To the honored Rabbi,
Although I see that the Rabbi generally avoids discussing specific individuals and prefers to deal with an argument or something of that sort,
still I would like to hear the Rabbi’s opinion.
From time to time I listen to lectures by Rabbi Moshe Shapira of blessed memory. I am always impressed by the structure, the explanation, and also by the fact that many times you really discover through him all kinds of hidden ideas and insights.
But on the other hand, he treats every word in the aggadic statements of the Sages in an extreme way (and in fact gives explanations that usually seem satisfying, although I don’t have enough of a critical sense).
My question is whether the Rabbi formed an opinion of him or knew him personally, and if so, whether the Rabbi can share with us what he thinks of him.
And more generally, in the field of Jewish thought, does the Rabbi see him as someone unique in this area (I saw, for example, that Benny Levy, who was a student of Sartre, truly admired him), or is his teaching in these matters too, in the Rabbi’s view, like all matters of thought?
Answer
I already wrote about him briefly here. I knew him (and he knew me a little as well). I heard several lectures from him, and we also spoke once. At first I was very impressed by him, but I think that in the end his explanations do not really convince me. As you wrote, he is overly exacting with the wording, and I was not persuaded that this is indeed the right way to proceed.
Clearly he has no different status from any other thinker; that is, his words should be examined on their own merits. My claim is that there is no authority in the realm of thought, but that does not mean that everyone is talking nonsense. Bottom line, it does not really matter what my opinion of him is in general. One can learn from anyone, whatever things are convincing to you.
Discussion on Answer
I don’t know.
Honored Rabbi, you write “I wrote about him here” but you don’t say where “here” is.
Nahum, there’s an option to search the site (search box at the upper left)
Or search on Google with an identifier like mikiab.net. See here for example:
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=site%3A+mikyab.net+%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%94+%D7%A9%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%90
Google also turned up an ancient, worn-out old post from 2004 on the “Stop Here, Think” forum, with some rather extravagant praise there (“an amazing personal phenomenon,” “the written words do not represent even the barest edge of it”).
You have to search here on the site. I also don’t remember where it is. But those were brief remarks.
To P:
There is a site with his lectures:
https://lehavin.org/
Where can his lectures be found?