One of the basic limitations of interpreting ancient text, lies, and
comprehending the cultural references. When it comes to the meaning of
physical gestures, biblical interpreters engage in a good deal of
speculation, most of which means unsubstantiated.
This is a footnote in Dr. Yael Ziegler's book on Lamentations (Eichah),
but to me it's a comment that reflects our everyday learning of both
commentaries on Tanach and Halacha throughout the generations. When is it a
tradition and when is it intelligent people looking at texts, and making
their best guess based on their total life study and experience?
KT
Joel Rich
From R’ A Zivotofsky:
Claim: There is a mesorah on turkey. Ask almost anyone from the older
generation and they will confirm that they and their family and their
community ate turkey without hesitation.
Analysis: I think this is the most persuasive argument for the continued
treatment of turkey as kosher. There is indeed a mesorah and no one
questions its existence. It is not our job to ask our grandparents from
whence the mesorah. We in general rely on the previous generations for all
Jewish traditions, and this one should be no exception. The burden of proof
is on those who want to prohibit turkey rather than on those who want to
maintain its status quo as kosher. Thus, the existence of a mesorah
explains the continued treating of turkey as kosher; it does not explain
the big questions of how and when that mesorah originated. Those are indeed
fascinating questions in the realm of “history of halacha”, questions for
which I have no satisfactory answer.
Me-Can you reject this claim but still accept the Kuzari argument for
Judaism’s truth?
Chodesh tov chanukah sameach bsorot tovot
joel rich
>From R' A Zivotofsky:
Claim: There is a mesorah on turkey. Ask almost anyone from the older
generation and they will confirm that they and their family and their
community ate turkey without hesitation.
...
Can you reject this claim but still accept the Kuzari argument for
Judaism's truth?
A big piece of the mis-named Kuzari Argument is that there is no way to
pull over a hoax that big about the history of an entire community.
The turkey isn't a big issue like the origin story. No one would be
surprised that grandpa didn't say anything about his grandpa's grandpa
saying they didn't have such a mesorah.
But more importantly, they did say as much! We know how the mesorah
came about, and we know it's a mistake. The debunking didn't come from
nowhere -- dates back at least to the Tosafos Yom Tov. As soon as we
learned that the turkey and the guineafowl were different birds, there
were people questioning the mesorah.