Q&A: When Is It Appropriate?
When Is It Appropriate?
Question
Hello Rabbi, following up on the latest article and the long question that was asked here, I’d be glad to know why, in Jewish law and in the Talmud, we engage in investigations and clarifications—things that belong to the “intellectualist” dimension—while in almost every other area, according to what you say, that’s not the right or proper thing to do. In other words, where do we make these analytical investigations, and where not—and why?
Answer
I’m the last person to reject the use of logic, philosophy, and analytical conceptual inquiry. It is right to do so everywhere and with regard to everything. But one must not become captive to these analytical constructions, and one must not neutralize common sense. Using logic is a tool, and there are people who see it as the whole picture. That question was a wonderful example of what I wrote about in column 655. I’m sure that fellow is one of the most talented in his yeshiva, and you can see that he has sharp thinking. And precisely because of that, you can see how crooked it is. Exactly what I wrote in the column.