Nativ
Winiarsky
Rabbi:
Allow me to applaud your article entitled “Astrology – Disregarding the Incomprehensible.” It is tremendously gratifying and reassuring to see an article published in a traditional Jewish publication where the author seeks to (re)ingratiate the Jewish audience to the concepts of reason, proof, and perception. It is rather unfortunate that such thought is recognized for its perceived novelty when you have simply reiterated the lines of thought propounded by our great Sages (particularly the Rambam) for hundreds of years but have been relatively recently whitewashed by more popular (and backward) notions of notions of mysticism, anti-rationalism, and blind devotion to a supposed Sage despite ideas contrary to authentic Torah Judaism. I thank you for seeking to return Judaism to its glorious tradition wherein we are to own up to our responsibility of being a light onto to the nations – a task we are to engage only upon using our reason, perception, proof, and authentic tradition that will entitle us to be declared an am chacham v’ navon (a wise and discerning nation.) Your article should be mandatory reading to every yeshiva high school boy and girl (and their teachers and rabbanim) in order for them to better understand what Judaism is as opposed to the anti-rational and foolish notions so many of our brethren unfortunately hold.
That having been said (with much enthusiasm and sincerity) there was a seemingly innocent and innocuous sentence towards the ends of your article that subsumed my entire Shabbat and led me to do some research that led to some rather astounding and quite revealing ramifications. After concluding this research, I am enclosing the findings I wrote this weekend based upon your concluding thoughts that I believe you and many of your readers will find to be of particular interest. I trust you will find it compelling.
Nativ Winiarsky