Friday, 22 April 2016

hashkafah philosophy - Must we consider the gemara's conclusions literally true?


I have in mind gemaras such as Yoma 54b, which says, according to the interpretation of one of my rabbis, that the Even haShetiya -- the stone found under what is now the Dome of the Rock -- was the first thing ever created. Must we take this and other gemaras literally, or can we interpret them as metaphor, as is permissible to do with (other) midrash?


Related: How is it that the Talmud can make historical mistakes?


Belief in midrashim


does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?


Non-literal Midrashim



Answer




Ramchal - Mevo L'Sefer Haklalim (my rough translation)



The philosophers and scientists can grasp only the external surface of the world, namely, the physical world, according to what appears to their physical eyes. However, this is merely the outermost garment of the spiritual roots, namely, the sefiros who govern the world and are the innermost spirituality inside the physical... Just like the form of man alludes to the entire system of Divine governance, so too it is alluded from all the parts of nature, and every creation is an expression of one detail of His governance...


And on this are based most of the sayings of the Sages which refer to the Creation and to all matters of the world, whether in heaven or on earth and all of their derivatives, this is also a broad and important subject.


When our Sages instruct us on matters of nature and of this world, they are referring to its inner aspect - not on its external garment. Therefore, sometimes in their words we find things which appear strange, and which appear to be clearly false from what we perceive with our senses. But the truth is that they are speaking according to the true governance which is hidden from human eyes, which they received from the prophets and from the holy Torah.



sounds from here that they are not meant to be taken too literally.


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