Monday, May 03, 2010

Do I accept the Rambam's 8th?

Spotted beneath this post

Rambam has 13 articles of emuna. It has been said that these declarations are obligatory of any frum Jew. To disagree with any of these principles would then logically qualify a person as an apikorus.

Principle #8 (according to Wikipedia)

"I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah that is now in our possession is the same that was given to Moses our teacher, peace be upon him."

Does DovBear accept this principle? There seems to be much evidence on his blog to the contrary.

My answer: (after the jump)


I agree with the 8th to every extent that the Rambam did.

Please see Marc Shapiro's book The Limits of Orthodox Theology for background on what the Rambam knew, and why he wrote what he wrote anyway.

It may also interest you to know that the words you quote, aren't the Rambam's.

I also agree with the 8th to the same extent as the Tosfot author who said, "Hashas shelonu cholek in haseforim shelonu (our Gemarah disagrees with our books)", and to the same extent as the Radak who wrote: "It appears that these words are here because during the first Exile, books were misplaced and lost and scholars died; when the Great Assembly restored the Torah they found conflicting information in manuscripts and went according to the majority."

Furthermore, I agree with the 8th to the same extent as the Ibn Ezra did when he gave 5 examples of psukim that weren't from Moshe or Sinai, and as the Ramah who said we don't have a single kosher torah.

And I also agree with the 8th to the same extent as R’ Yosef Tuv Elem, a rishon, who said the prophets and sages had the authority to add to the Torah. See here: http://adderabbi.blogspot.com/2005/11/who-wrote-bible-according-to-ibn-ezra.html.

I hope this answers your question.

Search for more information about [topic] at 4torah.com.

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