tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004604839067397239.post4978241725659021766..comments2020-05-13T23:37:57.998-07:00Comments on Shaken Faithless: King David or Aliens: What Do You Believe In More?Rabbi Adam Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073199951748971303noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004604839067397239.post-66060932409088783052015-01-18T11:10:29.083-08:002015-01-18T11:10:29.083-08:00Ramban and Rabenu Bechaya both describe the proces...Ramban and Rabenu Bechaya both describe the process of the inhering of the soul in Bereshit 2:7. It's clear that many authorities held that the various soul levels were added over time and as such would support the idea that there were earlier beings who did not have the higher souls that we associate with modern humans. It's very likely that Rambam knew these sources as well and certainly could have been describing them in the Guide. Besides all of this, the idea is well developed in Kabbalah: http://www.koshertorah.com/essays/humanitybeforeadam.html. Overall, Id say that Dr. Schroeder is on solid footing here.Rabbi Adam Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16073199951748971303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004604839067397239.post-10136442822045756672015-01-15T17:26:02.671-08:002015-01-15T17:26:02.671-08:00Please research it - because I read Rambam careful...Please research it - because I read Rambam carefully and the Midrash Rambam cites. It is a major kvetch and speculation to use it the way Schroeder does. It seems to me Schroeder is taking the Midrash and Rambam out of context. Thank YouDavid Applehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02872534603220776882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004604839067397239.post-81804467764137110302015-01-14T08:20:34.691-08:002015-01-14T08:20:34.691-08:00It's how I understand the sources that Rambam ...It's how I understand the sources that Rambam is bringing. Whether or not that's what he was getting at doesn't seem clear to me in what he wrote and would take some more research on my part.Rabbi Adam Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16073199951748971303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004604839067397239.post-87603276836024370952015-01-12T12:40:39.304-08:002015-01-12T12:40:39.304-08:00Thanks for the advice. I checked for example Schro...Thanks for the advice. I checked for example Schroeder's claim that Rambam supports the concept that Udum Harishone came from earlier hominids, like in Evolution. Schroeder cites the Moreh Navuchim Chapter 7 . Is that how you understand Rambam ? David Applehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02872534603220776882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004604839067397239.post-4619638953156713322015-01-06T19:28:55.341-08:002015-01-06T19:28:55.341-08:00Well, I went to Yeshiva too - so did lots of peopl...Well, I went to Yeshiva too - so did lots of people. I happen to have the added benefit of knowing Dr. Schroeder and of having many opportunities to discuss these matters with him. You only have two choices it seems, a) learn up the sources yourself and decide independently if he misrepresents them or b) pick whichever "expert" you most trust/relate to and follow that person's lead on the matter.Rabbi Adam Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16073199951748971303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004604839067397239.post-77442492591111300432015-01-02T00:21:02.707-08:002015-01-02T00:21:02.707-08:00Dear Rabbi - I checked out Altercockerjewishatheis...Dear Rabbi - I checked out Altercockerjewishatheist blog . Your website recommends Schroeder, but that guy claims that Schroeder misconstrues Ramban, Rambam, Gemorah... even posting full passages proving it. He went to yeshiva and beis medresh and seems to know what he is talking about. Not that he is disproving Ramban/ Rambam/Gemorah, just that Schroeder misrepresents them.David Applehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02872534603220776882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8004604839067397239.post-5392736729036416392014-12-25T20:06:28.608-08:002014-12-25T20:06:28.608-08:00Most Academic Scholars do say the reliability of t...Most Academic Scholars do say the reliability of the Tenach increases as the narrative progresses in time. We know some of the stories in the Tenach are true, almost beyond a shadow of a doubt. Nu ? But it does not mean all the details are accurate nor that all the stories are true. The Tenach sees history thru a theological/political lens greatly coloring what we read.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com