Halakhic Man Quotes

“Cognitive man prefers thought to speech, logic to statements. He is neither a rhetorician nor a master of the fine phrase. Language for him is not an end in itself, but only a means for the formulation of thought. When cognitive man uses language, he takes particular care not to multiply needlessly words or phrases. Too much is as bad as too little. If anyth ing, his language is overflowing with ideas. Every sentence expresses a thought, every phrase a concept. If an idea can be expressed in three words, he will not use four. Additional words do not serve to clarify or elucidate a particular matter but only to obscure it. Cognitive man takes particular care that there should exist a precise correlation between each word and the kernel of cognitive content contained within it. He does not fling about terms and phrases as a substitute for thought and reflection. The thought matures and ripens, and only then can the words come. The thinking logos precedes the speaking logos.”
― Joseph B Soloveitchik