Comments on Yachdus: Faith & Philosophy, RYE and Kaballah, EXIF Extract...

I don't know if he felt that mysticism is an appro...

2010-03-01T19:47:03.537+02:00

I don't know if he felt that mysticism is an appropriate way to interpret the Gemara, period. His reason? Anyone can say anything. It isn't as if some kind of authoritative mystical interpretation of the Gemara exists, like a kabbalistic Rashi.

In other words, he was saying that the student did...

2010-03-01T18:33:29.359+02:00

In other words, he was saying that the student didn't know what kind of terutz is justified. But there *might* be a mystical pshat.

Sort of like I can *feel8 when I hear bad pshat, without having the need to empirically prove why its wrong.

It would make a lot more sense this way too. (And I'm still looking for that elusive sefer where I can learn the fundamentals of kabalah, in a *logical* way.)

He didn't write it; he's quoted as saying this whe...

2010-03-01T17:12:46.073+02:00

He didn't write it; he's quoted as saying this when people tried to explain Gemara al pi kabbalah. It has to be seen in the local context. By analogy, Brisker limmud is also something which anyone can learn to do, albeit not everyone can learn to do it well. I could easily see someone trying to answer a simple kashya with elaborate chilukim and so forth getting shot down and asked to deal with it simply.

I don't know if this means that he meant there's no value to it. He was a mekubal, just as the rebbe who shoots down the bachur with the sloppy teyrutz is probably a Brisker himself -- why else would the bachur try to speak to him in such a fashion?