Human Intelligence
 
Moshe Ben-Chaim
 
 
Ibn Ezra (Lev. 19:31):
"....empty brained (people) state that were it not for the fact that conjurers and magic were actual truths, the Torah would not have prohibited it, but I say just the opposite of their words, for the Torah does not command against truth only what's false, and the proof is the idols."
 
Meaning, if the Torah prohibits only that which has powers, then the Torah also prohibited stone idols which anyone would agree are bereft of power. A solid proof against the "empty brained" (raykay moach) individuals he refers to.
 

 

 

Radak (Samuel I, 28:25 towards the end):
"....although the implications of the words of the Rabbis - blessed their memory - indicate from the Talmud that the (idolatrous) woman resurrected Samuel, we do not accept these words when our intelligence tells us the opposite".
 
Meaning, that a woman idolater resurrecting someone is completely false according to all reason. Therefore, our reason is what we must follow, even when confronted with statements of the Rabbis which seem to imply the opposite.
 
 

 

 

Ibn Ezra (Exod. 20:1):
"if we find any of them (mitzvos) which contradicts common sense, it isn't proper that we should understand it as implied. But we should consult the books of the wise men of blessed memory, to determine if such a command is a metaphor. And if we find nothing written (by them) we would require to search out with all our ability, perhaps we can fix it (determine it). If we can't, then we abandon that mitzvah as it is, and admit we are ignorant of it".


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