'Of course, in all generations Gedolei Yisroel have made Torah effective in meeting new situations which arose. But they did not change nor reinterpret it.'
Noting could be further from the truth. See Rav Hirsh's comment on Rambam that Rav Kelner himself quotes.
Uh hello? R' Keller ztz"l (not Kelner, he's a MODOX guy) is saying that the Gedolei Yisroel did not change the Torah. You can open up a Mishneh Torah and see how everything that the Rambam brings is sourced directly from the Talmud. What Hirsch was accusing the Rambam of doing was reconciling Hashkafa with the Greek philosophers. Not changing the Torah!
My first comment here! I think Yakov is actually making a good point. Rav Hirsch is accusing the Rambam of changing the Torah hashkafically by trying to reconcile it with the Greeks. I think when Rav Keller says Gedolei Yisrael did not change or reinterpret it, he means in his evaluation, as he says above "Naturally, we are not obliged to accept Hirsch’s evaluation of the Rambam."
His point in bringing Rav Hirsch was to show how even the "modern" Rav Hirsch felt that changing the Torah was unacceptable, and accused the Rambam of doing that. But you can't learn from Rav Hirsch that it is in fact acceptable!
פשוטו של מקרא isn't changing any halacha, he is just quoting various traditional commentators.
Rambam wrote that a person can read the Chumash and the Mishne Torah and know the entire Torah. This is a chiddush similar to the reforms of the Almohads to simplify the Islamic law and make it accessible to everyone.
The first two books of Mishne Torah are not sourced from the Talmud.
I did not post this in response to פשוטו של מקרא. I've written in the past that I support the sefer. I was posting it to address the general attitude amongst many in the MODOX community that it is OK to change the Torah. That is what R' Keller is addressing. Read how he completes the thought. As he says so succinctly "the change has been in the packaging, not in the product."
Happy is right that R' Hirsch is accusing (as did the Vilna Gaon) the Rambam of trying to reconcile the Torah with Greek philosophy and at the same time strongly disavowing such an approach. But neither the Rambam nor R' Hirsch ever dreamt of trying to materially change the Torah, nor question it's basic tenents.
R. K. Spoke in 1966 and 1970. Today there are flourishing religiously .committed Kehillot to Orth.. Perhaps a different style or outlook but nevertheless guided by Rabbanim Gedolim. Rabbi Rackman is far from their mentor. There are different approaches to Torah.The Chassidim were put in cherem. They even changed their Nusach Tefillah.
Yes they are open to some who need to strengthen their commitment. But in the U.S. they are committed and observant. Similarly the Dati Leumi in Israel have dedicated Yeshivot and students to Torah. Again their dress and approach may be different but committed nevertheless. The Chareidi community has much to be proud of in their dedication to Torah.But their are things they must continue to improve. Rabbi K's fears did not for the most part come true. ( There are perhaps
certain philosophical differences which
towering Gedolim in the Dati Leumi camp believe in.) Their will always be differences of opinion. The upshot is that we all believe in the Rambam's Principles and the divinity of the authorship of the Tanach. We all have what to improve in this complex and fast changing world.
'Of course, in all generations Gedolei Yisroel have made Torah effective in meeting new situations which arose. But they did not change nor reinterpret it.'
Noting could be further from the truth. See Rav Hirsh's comment on Rambam that Rav Kelner himself quotes.
G-d help us! אין לנו על מי להישען
Uh hello? R' Keller ztz"l (not Kelner, he's a MODOX guy) is saying that the Gedolei Yisroel did not change the Torah. You can open up a Mishneh Torah and see how everything that the Rambam brings is sourced directly from the Talmud. What Hirsch was accusing the Rambam of doing was reconciling Hashkafa with the Greek philosophers. Not changing the Torah!
My first comment here! I think Yakov is actually making a good point. Rav Hirsch is accusing the Rambam of changing the Torah hashkafically by trying to reconcile it with the Greeks. I think when Rav Keller says Gedolei Yisrael did not change or reinterpret it, he means in his evaluation, as he says above "Naturally, we are not obliged to accept Hirsch’s evaluation of the Rambam."
His point in bringing Rav Hirsch was to show how even the "modern" Rav Hirsch felt that changing the Torah was unacceptable, and accused the Rambam of doing that. But you can't learn from Rav Hirsch that it is in fact acceptable!
פשוטו של מקרא isn't changing any halacha, he is just quoting various traditional commentators.
Rambam wrote that a person can read the Chumash and the Mishne Torah and know the entire Torah. This is a chiddush similar to the reforms of the Almohads to simplify the Islamic law and make it accessible to everyone.
The first two books of Mishne Torah are not sourced from the Talmud.
I did not post this in response to פשוטו של מקרא. I've written in the past that I support the sefer. I was posting it to address the general attitude amongst many in the MODOX community that it is OK to change the Torah. That is what R' Keller is addressing. Read how he completes the thought. As he says so succinctly "the change has been in the packaging, not in the product."
Happy is right that R' Hirsch is accusing (as did the Vilna Gaon) the Rambam of trying to reconcile the Torah with Greek philosophy and at the same time strongly disavowing such an approach. But neither the Rambam nor R' Hirsch ever dreamt of trying to materially change the Torah, nor question it's basic tenents.
R. K. Spoke in 1966 and 1970. Today there are flourishing religiously .committed Kehillot to Orth.. Perhaps a different style or outlook but nevertheless guided by Rabbanim Gedolim. Rabbi Rackman is far from their mentor. There are different approaches to Torah.The Chassidim were put in cherem. They even changed their Nusach Tefillah.
Yes they are open to some who need to strengthen their commitment. But in the U.S. they are committed and observant. Similarly the Dati Leumi in Israel have dedicated Yeshivot and students to Torah. Again their dress and approach may be different but committed nevertheless. The Chareidi community has much to be proud of in their dedication to Torah.But their are things they must continue to improve. Rabbi K's fears did not for the most part come true. ( There are perhaps
certain philosophical differences which
towering Gedolim in the Dati Leumi camp believe in.) Their will always be differences of opinion. The upshot is that we all believe in the Rambam's Principles and the divinity of the authorship of the Tanach. We all have what to improve in this complex and fast changing world.