@always ask
I do not know your background .
But I do not consider “interpreting gmara and rishonim” as “esoteric”.
“Interpreting gmara and rishonim” just happens to be considered as ‘bread and butter issues’ for any serious [ex] yeshiva student ,
After all , this is what any serious yehiva student occupies most of his waking hours with.
RAMBAM versus Ptolemy, Einstein and Newton , has zero bearing on “interpreting gmara and rishonim” ……