So ask rather than rambling... with sarcasm and provocative statements.
I've already explained several times why I am not asking for further explanation.
I was sarcastic, yes. I did not intend my statements to be provocative, I apologise to everyone that they were taken as such.
So then why post at all?
As I've explained, I wanted to point out a few things which are simply a matter of fact. But you're right, and please God, next time I won't.
I will point out that you seem to regard silence on the part of those you have in mind as opponents as a sign of being unable to refute your argument (and you have criticised me both for responding and for not responding more), but if seeing you declare victory is the price I must pay for avoiding this, then so be it.
in your original statements you explicitly stated that you didn't read them.
4 avoided making nuanced comments
Uh huh.. Right.
5 Facts could be sharper
What's sharper than direct quotes from Rambam himself, from a universally agreed upon authority of high caliber, that Torah was becoming lessened by the social upheaval and circumstances of Galuth?
What, you want the sages to step up and say themselves "Hey we only knew so much because we were kind of being persecuted our entire lives and we couldn't all sit and learn because we had to make a survivable living in a contested plot of real estate". ???
6 Not criticizing
The way you read, it reeks of sarcasm and snoot. Had we been in person, you would've warranted being hit (halachically permitted or not).
7 Impacted the point
Wha?
8 Direct attacks
You were the one that posted on my post, which cited a bunch of explicit authoritative statements by a Rishon who forms a large piece of the halacha that everyone from every country follows...........and you did it sarcastically and with venom.
I've only responded to this with my own venom, because other people who I know won't agree have kept their mouths shut and avoided the potential flame war if they couldn't really overpower my post's argument...provided they even understood it.
9 Context
I listed it in order. I skipped the parts where Rambam names off specific Tannaim and Amoraim and Savoraim and Zugot.....I skipped them for good reason too. His statements about how much learning, the quality thereof, and the systematic changes in society are much more important than knowing that Hillel and Shammai learned from so-and-so, and so on.
10 Source
You provided it with some snark toward Maqorim and the demand for authenticity and accuracy.
11 Don't want to get into a personal fight
So then stop posting rude, snotty commentary making sarcastic and bombastic fun of a serious post with serious attempts to intellectually discuss something that came up in another post.
In short, if you don't want me to be an asshole, don't start it off.