Tanakh is canoned in AD90's? How about Falasha's

[Dawid]

Shalom, Akhi.

Shlama Akhi Dawid,

Apology accepted.

I propose to help your rage through understanding, reaching out and listening. I can think of no better way to dispel the arrogance charge than by not being arrogant--hope that doesn't sound facetious or simplistic because it is not meant that way. I also intend to try and explain things better so we don't get into this rut again. We should agree to disagree and let the Ruach judge it.

That sounds like a good plan.

I will repent of downplaying your scholarship. That was not worthy of me. I was wrong to do so. You did provide facts that I didn't agree with and I should not have attacked your methodology. The Ruach has been heavy on me to admit this regardless of your response. I am sorry for that.

Thank you. All is forgiven. And I am sorry that my approach has at times been less than respectful.

In return, I need you to understand that it was totally non-helpful to me to even allow for the suggestion (right or wrong, but that's how I took it) that I should feel better that I only plagiarized instead of infringed on copyright, or that such fine semantics really make a difference in what is an extremely painful and difficult arena of accusation. A tiny theoretical middle ground I did NOT need. I understand you NOW brother, but you didn't exactly make it easy for me to understand you THEN.

I'm sorry that it was unclear to you. I also understand that the emotion of the moment made it difficult to understand. My only hope was to restore order and peace to the community of brothers by offering a reasonable middle ground that I had hoped everyone could agree on.

You see, I think Dawid you only looked at what YOU SAID in isolation. I don't think you took into account how what OTHERS said aroused my passion before you chimed in with your distinctions which, by that time, were enough to push me over the edge. That's an explanation, not an excuse. My behavior was wrong, but so was yours.

I understand how it may have appeared that way, but in truth my position was based entirely on what the others were saying. My position I felt, and still feel, was a compromise. I also tried to clarify why there was a lack of communication in that thread. Maybe I was doing what David objects to in Psalm 131. Maybe I was reaching beyond my bounds, but please understand my motive. My goal was to reach a compromise, and to explain why you and Mr. Bauscher were disagreeing over what plagiarism means.
I understand that I was, as David puts it, "Exercising myself in great matters, and in things too high for me." (adapted from KJV of Psalm 131:1)

Perhaps some day, when you do your Siddur and many other great things for the body of Messiah, you will understand how I felt when something that was many years in the making got attacked as if it was nothing. Or when people who told me in writing here and elsewhere that they hated my theology and my lineage seemed to get the benefit of the doubt while every little thing that could be held over my head was strained through a fine sieve.

You may not believe me, but I understand how you feel. I know what it feels like to be put through the meat grinder. My speeches and papers, narrow as their release and impact has been, have been picked to pieces, seemingly groundlessly. And I am very sorry that I contributed to that. Please forgive me for adding to your pain.

In that context, I was in attack mode and I took the worst possible interpreation, especially when you said as you did, "I am not taking/supporting Mr. Roth's side" which to my mind gave creedence to excessively personal attacks that were more about theology and less about the facts on the ground. Once that got in my head the rest didn't matter to me.

And I am sorry for my tactlessness there, and in other cases. I did not, as I should have, think about how it would affect you emotionally. It was very insensitive of me.

As I said, maybe this view seems foreign to you now because you haven't walked in my shoes. I promise you though when you have for like 10 years or so with great works of your own that so many love, even if you don't respond as I did, you will understand my response in context better if this happens to you. For the present though, please accept my apology and let's move on. Life is too short and our brotherhood too small to allow this kind of divisiveness.

I agree completely. Apology accepted. Consider all forgotten.

I respect your scholarship--and I hope you do the same with me. Let us agree to disagree on the remainder Akhi because to vent those differences as we did here is not edifying to the body of Messiah. Let's put name calling and base accusations ON BOTH SIDES into the grave where they belong.

Though I often have trouble seeing your point, I do respect your scholarship. And please understand that when I disagree with you it is because I believe that it is through disagreement that our minds are sharpened and our positions are strengthened. I am vocal about my scholarly disagreements with you because I believe in discussion and scholarly review as the best way to confirm to disprove academic theories.
Yes, let's agree to disagree. And I am sorry that I lost my temper here.

Finally, I still say you should re-think the greeting situation. It may be out of your comfort zone but you are commanded to salute with peace the brethren. There are a dozen references to that command in Scripture, but I will leave that be moving forward, as I hope you will leave your bad feelings aside moving forward as well. We have said our piece. Now let us have peace.

As with everything, there are many ways to understand these passages. I simply understand them differently than you do. I believe I have no more obligation to literally greet you by saying "peace" than I believe I am obligated to greet you with a kiss.

Agreed?

Agreed.