tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post302683261022652405..comments2023-06-19T05:28:45.419-04:00Comments on Rambam, Maharal, the weekly parsha and other topics in Judaism: Maharal Against Philosophers ContinuedE-Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327848648278849664noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-64252811905625191572009-06-27T21:57:05.122-04:002009-06-27T21:57:05.122-04:00No. its ok.No. its ok.E-Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327848648278849664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-45385786963835578942009-06-26T20:58:35.490-04:002009-06-26T20:58:35.490-04:00In any case E-man, if you would like to have a res...In any case E-man, if you would like to have a response to my post on you show up as a guestpost on my blog, then send it to me in an email and i'll put it up unedited.<br /><br />I will make counterpoints though in the comments section.<br /><br />My email is <a href="mailto:sjblogger@post.com" rel="nofollow">sjblogger@post.com</a>SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-28636745745411854002009-06-26T14:33:15.496-04:002009-06-26T14:33:15.496-04:00Garnel, I would disagree with you and say it is po...Garnel, I would disagree with you and say it is possible to explain the Mabul in a rational way, just look at my post on my other blog, the black sea flood. That is a possible explanation, no? However, the creation of the world is clearly a miracle according to even the rational thinkers, Rambam and Ralbag. So, yes I would agree with you there. Anyone who tries to ascribe a real rationale to the creation of the world is extremely hard pressed to still believe in Judaism.E-Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327848648278849664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-18376218949243013222009-06-26T14:30:30.869-04:002009-06-26T14:30:30.869-04:00Thank you for getting the discussion back on track...Thank you for getting the discussion back on track. <br /><br />The reason I put the title as Maharal against philosophers is because he himself says that. He refers to them as philosophers. However, as the post shows, he is referring to the philosophers that believe in the eternality of the world according to Aristotle. <br /><br />The interesting idea here is that you see that you really can ascribe a rational approach to Judaism even according to Maharal. However, it requires a new definition. The Maharal here shows that there is more than just physical nature, there is also spiritual nature. If we incorporate the spiritual nature into the physical nature then everything can be rationally explained. <br /><br />I don't think the Maharal was against using a rational approach, he was just against the philosophers' description of how nature works. He agrees that there is a permanent nature, but that this nature is not the only thing controlling the world. In essence, the Maharal describes a world that is controlled through nature, but also allows for miracles to occur.<br /><br />He does agree that there are some unchangeable rules. Like, I think the Maharal would agree that miracles do not occur for non-Jews, since he says that miracles only occur through the spiritual nature of the world and that can only effect the Jews since they are the connection between the spiritual world and the physical world.<br /><br />In the end of the day a completely rational approach to Judaism that means that nature is the ultimate description of the world is untenable. Even the Rambam or Ralbag believe in miracles, only the miracles are kept as close as possible to the regular nature. A completely rational approach would mean that miracles are impossible, like Aristotle. This, I don't think anyone says, except the Rambam according to Pines or Strauss who i think, along with many others, do not actually understand the Rambam.E-Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327848648278849664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-10886950308721546032009-06-26T13:17:25.038-04:002009-06-26T13:17:25.038-04:00Ahem.
One of the difficulties with the Maharal at...Ahem.<br /><br />One of the difficulties with the Maharal attacking philosophers is that he engages in philosophy himself. Therefore a better description would be those philosophers who rely on rationalism to explain everything wihtout accepting that some things are beyong that kind of explanation.<br /><br />With all apologies to folks like Rav Sliffkin, there are limits to rational explanations of Torah. The Mabul was not a rational, understandble event. The creation of the world cannot be completely understood on a rational basis. The gap between what happened and how much of it we can comprehend is where God lives. I think that perhaps the Maharal was worried that philosophers were trying to close that gap, leaving God nowhere to be.Mighty Garnel Ironhearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09571194550300367249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-42425203618667728942009-06-26T08:54:12.926-04:002009-06-26T08:54:12.926-04:00I actually didn't. I never told anyone to visi...I actually didn't. I never told anyone to visit your site and say anything. Why would I need to respond? I just gave you some advice on how to actually get people to come to your blog.E-Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327848648278849664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-20996240891580380772009-06-26T00:41:51.432-04:002009-06-26T00:41:51.432-04:00Did you really have to get one of your friends to ...Did you really have to get one of your friends to respond to me on my blog instead of responding yourself?SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-77194316649060665462009-06-25T12:23:42.578-04:002009-06-25T12:23:42.578-04:00Seriously? Did you want to go down this path again...Seriously? Did you want to go down this path again? Please, the way to get people to visit your sit is to make comments that actually say something, not just read my blog.E-Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06327848648278849664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355365167736602817.post-20883862795092447242009-06-25T09:45:40.842-04:002009-06-25T09:45:40.842-04:00read my blog XDread my blog XDSJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704885840004960450noreply@blogger.com