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Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 14:27:41 -0400
From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Subject: Re: Kosher Home

Just a short note to thank Lazer for his excellent remarks on my posting.
Let me summarize what transpired:

*A) The Rambam in his Mishneh Torah devotes several volumes in the Mishneh
Torah to Korbanoth and explicitly mentions their restoration at the time of
the Messiah

*B) In the Guide the Rambam (Seems to ) advocate the theory that the
Korbanoth (Sacrifices)  were given as commandments in order to wean the
Jews of the time from the then current beliefs

I now go into detail why I thank Lazer:

In my posting I assume that B contradicts A (if sacrifices dealt with  a
problem of the time we have no need to renew them). I then point out that
A) has more authority than B (the Mishneh TOrah) and therefore the Rambam
believed in renewal

Lazer however p0oin

Lazer however points out that B does not contradict A. On the contrary,
even a Rabbinical commandment made for a specific situation becomes
binding. Therefore the Rambam believed in renewal.

Thus both Lazer and myself agree that the Guide in no way contradicts the
Mishneh Torah.

I think Lazer's point is also valuable because he emphasizes the "danger"
of reading too much into the "reasons for commandments"

Finally I thank Lazer for agreeing with me that the Guide was most probably
focused on Jews influenced by Hellinism who were leaving Judaism...the
Guide was written to address their beliefs and keep them  in the fold

Russell Jay Hendel;
rhendel @ mcs drexel edu