[Avodah] tannur shel achnai

[Zev Sero]

kennethgmiller at juno.com wrote:
 
> Just as an aside, I once heard an interesting explanation of sfeik sfeika which had nothing to do with probability or statistics. 
> 
> Namely: Everyone knows that "Safek d'Oraisa l'chumra", but it is not the Torah which requires us to do so. According to the Torah (so this person said) we only need to follow the Torah when there is a vadai chiyuv or a vadai issur. If there is a *genuine* safek (whatever that might mean), the Torah allows us to do what we want, and it is "only" d'rabanan that we are told to go l'chumra.
> 
> Therefore, in the case of a genuine sfeik sfeika, what we actually have is a safek on whether or not the "safek d'Oraisa l'chumra" rule is in effect. In other words, it is a safek d'rabanan. And on that, even the rabanan allow us to go l'kula.
> 
> Does that sound familiar to anyone? I once knew of a proof to it, but I've long forgotten it.

See the first of the Shev Shmaatsa (it's been about 25 years since I
learned it, so I don't remember much of it either.

-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                     - Margaret Thatcher