Q&A: A Quote Attributed to the Rabbi
A Quote Attributed to the Rabbi
Question
I heard people quoting the Rabbi as saying: "According to the simple and commonly accepted understanding of Maimonides, I am indeed a heretic, but I understand Maimonides differently, and so I am not a heretic."
Is that quote accurate?
In addition, I asked the Rabbi about someone bringing a bill of divorce by ship, and the Rabbi did not respond to my last comment. I would appreciate a response.
Answer
It doesn’t interest me. Decide for yourself.
Point me to the question, and if I see fit I’ll respond there.
Discussion on Answer
Search here and you’ll see. I have no idea, and it doesn’t interest me. Why is this even interesting? I’ll add more than that, just to sharpen the point: even if I have no other interpretation of Maimonides, I would not retreat from a clear position of mine. That already makes the whole discussion unnecessary.
Maybe this could connect to what you brought from the Talmud and the Ritva regarding "do not place a stumbling block," according to his view that one must let the other person know?
If someone holds that bananas are not subject to orlah and therefore didn’t check whether his fruit salad contains banana, and he wants to serve it to a guest who is known to hold that bananas are subject to orlah, perhaps the host has to check whether there is banana in the salad and draw the guest’s attention to that fact, and if necessary also tell the guest that the rabbi whose rulings he follows forbids bananas.
So I’m supposed to do a self-status check for him, so that he can calmly lower me into the pit and not, Heaven forbid, fail in rescuing me? 🙂
You wrote: even if I have no other interpretation of Maimonides, I would not retreat from a clear position of mine. Are you speaking only in this context, or in general—you would not retreat from your clear positions even if you were shown otherwise?
In general.
Even if they convince you? Or are you claiming that your positions are so set in stone that they cannot be moved? And when you come to a discussion or debate, do you expect perhaps to be persuaded only regarding your unclear positions? And to present the other person with your clear/unclear positions so he can choose whether to try to persuade you?!
What is the point of these questions? Obviously, if good arguments are raised, I’m supposed to accept them. What I claimed is that I’m not impressed by human authorities. That’s all.
A. I didn’t understand the answer. Is this an accurate quote or a false one?
B. https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%d7%94%d7%9e%d7%91%d7%99%d7%90-%d7%92%d7%98-%d7%91%d7%a1%d7%a4%d7%99%d7%a0%d7%94/