B"H

Specious Appeals To Authority - A Last Resort

My Favorite Interlocutor from Tzfat wrote:

“Since Doreen Dotan rejects the truth, validity and value of the Oral Law, Mishnah, Gemara, Rosh, Rif, Mishneh Torah, Codes, Zohar, Shulchan Aruch, Kabbalah, Ari, Vital, Maharal, Mesillat Yesharim, Tanya, Chassidus, Mishneh Berurah, Lubavitcher Rebbe's sichos etc etc, and publically despises and reviles our living expositors, rabbis, rebbes, dayanim and poskim, she is left with only the Tenach text (without its Pharisaic Meforshim like the Ibn Ezra, Radak, Rashi, Ramban, Abarbanel and Malbim ), and the fragmentary Dead Sea Scrolls to guide her.”

I responded:

B"H

I do not reject the writings of the Rabbis wholesale. I've written this a number of times. Anyone not blinded by his or her own prejudices would have seen that I have reiterated this point. In fact, I agree with modern psychology, which posits that seeing matters in black-or-white terms is a symptom of a serious personality disorder.

Appeals to authority, high up on the list of specious methods of argument and employed as a last-ditch desperate attempt by interlocutors grasping for straws, will not make me move from my position unless those in authority present works that are cogent, convincing, and above all, result in the happiness and welfare of the Jewish People. The teachings of the Rabbis’ record on this matter are notoriously poor.

Neither the authority of the Ramba"m nor the Bimba"m, The Rosh nor the Brosh, The Rif nor the Raf, The Ba'al HaTanya nor The Ba'al HaLolita intimidate me.

Thanks for this chuckle first thing in the morning, Interlocutor. I like you.

Doreen :0)