GAW:
The fact is that Modern orthodox scholars have never delved into the meaning of the Agaddos in the Gemara, and they never conveyed to their students the significance and importance of this part of the Torah. Therefore, many of their followers didn’t feel that belief in these words of the sages is necessary for their Judaism. And in the same way they ignored the Tamudic discussions about science and nature (a different issue), they also ignored these spiritual discussions in the Talmud, w/o realizing that this knowledge is actually crucial to practicing real Judaism, and w/o it basically one is just doing mitzvos without its intended purpose.
To mention just a few examples: The Aggadah in the Gemora in numerous places stresses how learning Torah in depth is a primary obligation for a man in order for him to connect with God, and this has no relation to his obligation to acquire the know how to practice halachos properly. Still, Mr. Hall states in his above post [reflecting the opinion in his community]
Another example: The Talmud Aggadah states in numerous places that women who are married and support their husbands learning are considered as actually studying that Torah themselves, and they have equal share in that Torah which was learned; if all people in MO community really believed in the truth of these words of the sages [which is actually learned from pesukim]
[contrary to what was conveyed to us in aggadah and midrashim]?