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  • From: "Ethel Jean (Kowan) Saltz" <macnietspingal AT airmail.net>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] A question about the word "oral" with respect to sources scientifically
  • Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:20:01 -0500

I usually get what I consider "crude" responses from people who claim the "oral" law.

Scientifically speaking, is there such a place for "oral" anything on this forum?

Eg. Midrash is not "oral" law any more in the 21st century. It's written data. So to use the word "oral" seems rather unscientific.

It would be more courteous to the brain if people who think my sources are "crude" would simply strike out the word "oral" and simply quote the document exactly like we do the Bible in the Torah Scrolls in my Trope Trainer DVD and every Bible I own in English, Hebrew, Spanish and the English version of the Koran. The English all in searchable and easily formatted to the clipboard software and very cheap too.

So if it's the Midrash, simply respond as a source the exact Midrash and the exact words. Or an encylopedia's quotation. But if you respond by "the oral law says", it simply means that it's YOU, AT/ah, that are saying it. It's not scientific at all. It doesn't matter if you are quoting your favorite teacher. It's the source of your favorite teacher's quote that is the evidence. I was shocked recently to find out that one of my favorite Rabbi's interpretations of the Bible that was totally modern for me and I took for granted was Reform, turned out I really READ his biography and he's Orthodox. Which shows how we can be blinded by our own bias, even though it's documented. That way personalites might not come between the scientific education presented and politics.

Another example of "oral" law personally and scientifically. All my life I've blamed the depression for my mom being on welfare. This inspite of the fact that my dad was kicked out of the house when I was 6, son of an Orthodox Rabbi, probably cantor-trained, and died in his middle thirties from hospital neglect. The scientific facts: my dad had a great dairy truck route. He fed the slot machines instead of his family. Now, after 3/4 of a century, I realize "orally" that it was the depression that gave me an economic advantage.

I am forever grateful to this site for giving me an opportunity to learn a new subject in linguistics , "matres lectiones". I never knew that my puzzlement about translating Hebrew was actually of normal concern:)



  • [b-hebrew] A question about the word "oral" with respect to sources scientifically, Ethel Jean (Kowan) Saltz, 11/17/2006

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