Halachic Hashkafa

From Halachipedia
This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.

Halacha and Hashkafa are two major areas of Torah and can be used to analyze almost any topic of Torah, whether it be an everyday activity or an obscure scenario that will never occur in the history of the world. The perspective of Halacha and the lens of Hashkafa are complementary and reinforce one another. Both are Torah and important to incorporate into one's observance of mitzvot.

  1. Is there halacha in the area of hashkafa? Is it possible to have a definitive ruling or law when it comes to values, perspectives of the world, and other hashkafic issues? The answer is rather complex with multiple answers and apply differently in different areas.
    1. Rav Soloveitchik (cited by Mepeninei HaRav p. 206) said that a person shouldn't say that Hashfaka isn't halacha. There are halacha's when it comes to Hashkafa, there are permitted and forbidden things to think and value.
    2. Rav Aryeh Kaplan in (The Age of the Universe p. 4) writes how there are no definitive rulings when it comes to hashkafa, that is why the Rambam was able to hold like minority opinions in hashkafa. This is supported by the Radvaz (8:71).
    3. Rabbi Yosef Bechhofer (RJJ Journal v. 67) analyzed this issue. He points out that clearly there are halachic rulings on fundamental beliefs and issues of hashkafa with halachic ramifications. However, pure hashkafa is the subject of this debate.

Hashkafic Issues

Halachic-Hashkafic Issues

Middot Issues

Mussar Issues