‘For My thoughts are not like your thoughts and your ways are not like My ways’, says God.  (Isaiah 55:8)

Moshe Ben-Chaim

Reader:  Citing ''Lo bashamayim hee'', the Rabbis are trying to say ''the torah is not in heaven'' (using the passuk to imply that it is not in Gods jurisdiction, rather it is in mans) as an answer to why they don't accept the 'bat kol'.  But anyone who opens that parsha will know it is referring to the fact that Torah is not far from our grasp, etc. This is akin to where the Baal Tanya takes ''chelek elokim mimaal'' from Iyov. If you read the actual verses you know it is taken out of context in order to manipulate the reader through wordplay. If this is how the Rabbis generally came to conclusions it is very disturbing. It is things like this that annoy Rambamists and Karaites alike.

Rabbi: The Tanya quote is crude illiteracy, as you see from my critique on Mesora.org

In contrast, the Rabbis retain the accurate literal read of "Lo bashamayim..." In Chumash, Moshe means, like you said, it's within our grasp. But it also means it is in our domain. One meaning does not contradict the other, and a pasuk may have many true notions…and rightfully so. God's depth of wisdom demand there be tremendous knowledge in all corners, and all Torah verses. Man's statements usually express a single idea. But God's statements must be permeated with His infinite wisdom. It is this truth, that God's wisdom is as endless as the heavens, that enabled the greatest of minds to continually derive new insights, even from a single area of study.