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Permit me to respond to Jeffrey Aftel's comments on Avie Walfish's
thoughts.
Jeffery speaks of tolerating Chazal's limited scientific knowledge,
implying that in our era we know all. By contrast, a friend recounted a
speech made at his graduation from Harvard Medical School in which the
dean told the students that half of what we have taught you is incorrect.
The speaker humbly acknowledged human limitations - we do not know all and
most likely we never will know all. Thus, although there undoubtedly has
been great advances in scientific knowledge since the time of Chazal, one
fundamental point has not changed. Our knowledge of science is limited
just as Chazal's scientific knowledge was limited (save for those matters
from which they possessed a tradition from Sinai). This is simply part of
the human condition.
Jeffrey Aftel also spoke of the vital importance of discovering what
Chazal truly meant rather than imposing our interpretations on the texts
of the Gemara. The problem with this approach is that it arrogantly
assumes that we can discern what the author of a text meant. This brings
to mind the story of Professor Gafni of Hebrew University who recounted
that he once anonymously attended a class that was analyzing one of his
works. During a debate about the meaning of a particular message he
offered his "interpretation" and his remarks were dismissed as foolish.
We cannot honestly claim to know what an author meant. Our abilities are
limited to interpreting texts. Rav Aharon Lichtenstein has made this point
regarding Gemara and Rishonim and Dr. Will Lee of Yeshiva University made
this point regarding (l'havdil) great literature.
Humility is a virtue which we must nurture in ourselves and our
Tamidot/Talmidim.
Rabbi Howard Jachter
Torah Academy of Bergen County</HTML>
