<HTML>In response to the recent thread about Rabbi Avraham bno shel Rambam, I would like to inject a question that is somewhat related to the larger issue involved. For the sake of the discussion, I am going to refer to it as the struggle between "hard core" and "feel good" Judaism. The former teaches kids that Chazal were perfect and were divinely inspired in everything that they said and we can never argue on them (this applies not only to Chazal, but also to gedolim up to and including the 20th century). The latter realized that Chazal were humans, although humans on a much higher level than we are (however that is to be defined). Which approach should we be taking with our students? Are we going for "the truth" or do we want to instill yir'at shamayim and emunat chachamim in them before anything else? Are the two mutually exclusive? Should certain aspects be taught at certain age levels?
Aaron Ross
YU Semicha and NYU Rabbinic Literature
212-795-6078</HTML>
