Reply To: Is zelensky jewish?

Re, guzma – there are times that rishonim say such things. The chazon ish is referring to a cavalier attitude held by many(including one famous mechaber who I will not name because of kovod toraso) influenced by the haskalah to minimize spirituality, look at the world materialistically, and emphasize empirical knowledge over transmission. The rambam and others who occasionally interpreted agadatos that way were not under such influence. They also were not privy to kabalah, and ever since the times of the arizal, the overwhelming majority of baalei machahava, ranging from the maharal, maharsha, ramchal, gra, besh”t, chid”a, ben ish chai, etc…all go with interpreting agadatos metaphysically, not necessarily literally, but not allegorically either.