I wrote a rather sharp essay about the Mishna "עשה לך רב", "Make for yourself a rav." And I did mean to be sharp because it is misused. Even so the issue is relevant and should be addressed in a more calm fashion. The actual issue is: to whom (if anyone) must one listen? Perhaps anyone that claims to speak in the name of Torah? Perhaps to any group that have decided to claim the title of "Rav" for themselves and their associates?
Or perhaps (as, in fact, the Torah does say) to one's parents? Should perhaps they be given consideration? Perhaps the Torah is just making a suggestion: "It is a good idea to listen to your parents, when you happen to agree with them"?!!
Furthermore then what place does the Oral Law --the actual tradition written down by the Tenaim and Amoraim have?
One of the "Gedolai Lita", the sages of Lithuania, Naphtali Troup addressed this issue. The name might not be familiar to you, but he has a stature close to that of Reb Chaim Soloveitchik. You can find his book in yeshivas called Chidushei HaGarnat. His ideas became widespread in yeshivas even more that Reb Chaim's. But, for some reason, his reputation was eclipsed by Reb Chaim.
The idea is the command of listening to your parents is a Mitzvat Ase, מצוות עשה- positive command.
[What I mean is: It pushes off a negative command, but not a negative command that is also a positive command, nor a command that has "כרת" (being cut off from one's people) attached to it.]
As for the cult of religious teachers --they should be trashed.
As for the Oral Law --it should be learned and kept. And never trust any rabbi about what it says. They always lie.
religious teachers always lie because the very title shows they do not know or care what the Torah says. Ordination from Sinai stopped during the period of the sages of the Talmud, thus anyone with ordination today is a fraud, a cheat, and a liar.
Or perhaps (as, in fact, the Torah does say) to one's parents? Should perhaps they be given consideration? Perhaps the Torah is just making a suggestion: "It is a good idea to listen to your parents, when you happen to agree with them"?!!
Furthermore then what place does the Oral Law --the actual tradition written down by the Tenaim and Amoraim have?
One of the "Gedolai Lita", the sages of Lithuania, Naphtali Troup addressed this issue. The name might not be familiar to you, but he has a stature close to that of Reb Chaim Soloveitchik. You can find his book in yeshivas called Chidushei HaGarnat. His ideas became widespread in yeshivas even more that Reb Chaim's. But, for some reason, his reputation was eclipsed by Reb Chaim.
The idea is the command of listening to your parents is a Mitzvat Ase, מצוות עשה- positive command.
[What I mean is: It pushes off a negative command, but not a negative command that is also a positive command, nor a command that has "כרת" (being cut off from one's people) attached to it.]
As for the cult of religious teachers --they should be trashed.
As for the Oral Law --it should be learned and kept. And never trust any rabbi about what it says. They always lie.
religious teachers always lie because the very title shows they do not know or care what the Torah says. Ordination from Sinai stopped during the period of the sages of the Talmud, thus anyone with ordination today is a fraud, a cheat, and a liar.
