I really don’t put any stock in rabbinical commentaries. They aren’t even in agreement with each other, so what do they have to teach us?
i see them like academic texts or treatises....
mostly written by very very very intelligent, smart students of scripture
....I read them and see what portion(s) sound right....discernment... and then I just drop the other parts that don’t make sense to me
If you happen to have a few rooms full of academic books and publications on theoligical topics.... its much the same...
some parts of the professors’ books make terriffic good sense and help understand or interpret passages we otherwise may not have adequately understood
other professors’ writings can be junko.
the similarity is particularly appropriate given that the rabbinic commentaries were the academic theological treatises and debates of their day
at any event, consider it a trip to your local Costco store. buy just the stuff you want to buy. leave the rest.
(but be SURE to pick up one of their spectacularly good hot dogs on your way out, ha!)
happy day,