"A Fundamental Problem" - Continuing The Conversation

(Picture courtesy of Jewishmag.com)

Chabakuk Elisha commenting on "Pure And Simple Emunah Is Not A Jewish Concept":

There is a fundamental problem, which makes these conversations frustrating (and why I avoid them) - This is the conflict of yeridas hadoros vs halacha kibasroi:

The is a progression in Jewish History, and throughout it we have developed ideas differently. In each period there is a "zeitgeist" of sorts, often representing the thinking of the day - therefore, certain figures dominate the discussions of their era, and they represent the common view at the time.

Now, since Judaism is sort of inverted (the older the idea the higher its status) in it's structure, we often lose sight of the fact that there were different time periods with different ways of thinking, and we unconsciously place those older modes of thought ahead of the later.

So, if - let's say - the standard is "Rishonim," well, were going to get a very rationalist slant (which is very congenial to the modern thinker, as our current society and zeitgeist (post-enlightenment) follows this kind of thinking).

But this is terribly flawed, because although we look to Rishonim as higher up the chain of the transmission of Torah, that does not mean that everything they said covers everything that there is to say... If it was, then G-d would not have continued the progression of humanity.

There's too much to say about this, I'll have to leave it for another time.