Q&A: One Seized by Kordiakos
One Seized by Kordiakos
Question
I learned today the first pages of the chapter "One Seized by Kordiakos," where remedies are brought that, to my calf-eyes, seem far from helpful.
Does the Rabbi think that by learning this I fulfilled the commandment of Torah study? Is there any sense in which these pages are considered Torah?
And more generally, it made me wonder: even assuming there were effective remedies there, would that count as "Torah study"? In principle, is it possible to read quotations of remedies in the Talmud in the bathroom? Perhaps changing the wording from what appears in the Talmud could make a difference here?
Thank you very much!
Answer
In my opinion, one does not fulfill Torah study through this, and one also does not fulfill Torah study by studying facts, whether correct or incorrect, and likewise not through aggadic literature in general. As for whether these remedies work, I am not a doctor, but as far as I know they do not.
Discussion on Answer
If these things are not Torah, then those laws are not relevant to them.
Doesn't the Rabbi think there are still laws relevant to treating them disrespectfully? Reading them in the bathroom, for example? Burning the text, and so on?