Thursday, June 2, 2011

Confessions of a Halachic "Independent Thinker"

For years on the Avodah List I often posted novel ways of looking at Halachah. One fellow was even disappointed once when I could not come up with a hiddush, when he expected me to.

Fellow: RRW you are one of the Independent thinkers in Halachah

RRW: ME?!

Well how did this all come about? Later on - upon reflection - I realized what he was saying

From my "Independent" perspective, Halachah centres about the Tur, Bet Yosef, Darchei Moshe, SA and Rema. I sprinkle in some Levush and Aruch Hashulchan for "spice"

So how is it that I became "independent"? [Radical?] Probably because I usually come across as ignoring the. Mishnah Brurah, Magen Avraham and Taz.

However, the Yekke system that I usually follow is much more Rishon-centric. This is true as well of most of my Yeshiva Training.

And so, I don't think I'm so much "independent" as much as I'm a bit old fashioned and not folllowing the current ZeitGeist. I guess that seems Independent to many.

Shalom,
RRW

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