Q&A: Rulings in Matters of Faith
Rulings in Matters of Faith
Question
Has the Rabbi ever written an article or post on this topic? People are used to citing Maimonides on these matters, but Henshke has already shown that Maimonides definitely issued halakhic rulings in matters of faith. To my mind this is very difficult, and I am not persuaded by Maimonides’ ruling in matters of faith. In any case, I’d be happy to see an article or post written on the subject. Until the book finally comes out…
Answer
I haven’t written one. I have written that in my view, even if he did rule on them, it doesn’t matter, because there is no way to apply authority in matters of fact (and issues of thought deal with facts). Henshke showed more than that: that in those same three places in his Commentary on the Mishnah where he writes that one should not issue halakhic rulings on these topics, he himself issued halakhic rulings on them in the Mishneh Torah.
Discussion on Answer
Henshke suggested something in his article, but I don’t remember.
Can someone point me to Henshke’s article?
“On the Boundaries of Halakhic Decision-Making: Toward a History of Maimonides’ Approach and the Development of the Views Behind It” (Da’at 61, Bar-Ilan, pp. 49–72)
Introduction in the book Truth and Faith, Parts 1 and 2, on the Asif website
To Ephraim,
That’s not David Henshke’s article, but thanks very much — it’s fascinating.
So how, then, can Maimonides’ words be explained?