Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 23:23:13 -0500 (EST)
From: Russell Hendel <  rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu>
Subject: Re: Laws of Family Purity

QUESTION: Several people have asked whether Judaism is quantitative.

ANSWER:Allow me to present a beautiful analogy that I
personally heard from the Rav, Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchick whom I had the
privelege of learning from for 7 years.


The Rav was discussing the prohibition of violating the Sabbath a minute
after sunset. He suggested two possible analogies.

Analogy one was a painting. The important thing in the painting is the
overall atmosphere--the focus. The details of the painting are not
important. Using this analogy it would be the spirit of the Sabbath that is
important--violating sabbath a second after sunset would not be so terrible.

Analogy two is a bridge. The Rav asks "Would you go over a bridge that was
missing an important screw?" The important thing in the bridge is not the
overall impression but rather the structural soundness--every detail is
important.

The Rav concluded by suggesting that the Torah and religion are a bridge
from this world to the next world---every detail is important or the bridge
will not support us.

Russell Jay Hendel; Phd ASA; Math; Towson Univ;
Moderator Rashi Is Simple, http://www.shamash.org/rashi/