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Happy's avatar

I must say that I don't feel this apology is warranted. I think it is only due to Rationalist Traditionalist's exceptionally excellent Middos that cause him to go well, well beyond לפנים משורת הדין. But his criticism of Natan's statement was completely on the mark. The idea that ignoring the Bas Kol has something to do with this idea of stability (of never changing the halacha) is flat-out-ridiculous, and the comparison to the lice case is as absurd as can be.

Just the past couple of days we had Natan's supporter/friend/proxy here trying to convince me that his incredibly silly post here (https://www.rationalistjudaism.com/p/lots-of-legs) was reasonable, and that I misrepresented him by saying he thought "Tosafos thought centipedes had asymmetric legs because Aristotle though men have more teeth".

So, no, I don't think an apology is necessary here.

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Norm's avatar

Even according to Chasam Sofer, promoting stability does not equal "national acceptance". If it is ultimately G-d's will, in order to promote stability (or any other reason), then we accept that view because it is G-d's will. National acceptance can lead to the exact opposite - it is saying the will of the people can decide halacha even absent G-d's will! It is taking G-d completely out of the equation. That is why Reconstructionist Judaism pushes it. One can deny Torah min Hashamyim or even be a complete atheist and still make a case for following halacha. At least for a non-believer it makes some kind of demented sense. But to believe in Hashem and Toras Hashem and still go with this ridiculous theory is really nuts. That's saying you believe in G-d but you're going to ignore Him because of National Acceptance. I know killing lice is netilas neshama and G-d doesn't want that on Shabbos, but too bad G-d - I've got to promote stability and all that.

Maybe you can't call it absolute kefirah because it doesn't require that the follower be a non-believer - only that he be a complete idiot.

(I'm giving NS the benefit of the doubt that he still believes in G-d and Torah min Hashamyim.)

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