Q&A: Cassuto, and Honoring Parents
Cassuto, and Honoring Parents
Question
1. Is it permitted to study the commentary of Umberto Cassuto on the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh)?
2. And what is the ruling when my father forbids me—does he have halakhic authority to forbid me from doing something?
Answer
1. I’m not familiar with it, but there is no prohibition on studying anything from any source.
2. Certainly not.
Discussion on Answer
I could offer various explanations, but that would be unnecessary. Anything reasoned and argued may be studied, and even if there is a prohibition about it, it is not valid. There cannot be a prohibition on studying ideas. I’ve already written about this more than once.
And what is the ruling when my father forbids me—does he have halakhic authority to forbid me from doing something?
Certainly not.
Yes… that does sound logical… A father forbids his son in 5th grade from wandering the streets after 8:00 p.m…. the son can answer him: You have no halakhic authority to forbid me from doing anything!! Simple as that. And the commandment of "reverence for one’s father and mother" can just be thrown in the trash.
Regarding #1: after all, in the Talmud, in the chapter Helek, various things appear that one is forbidden to study. So what then?