[Avodah] Asara B'Tevet

[Zev Sero via Avodah]

On 12/29/2015 09:30 AM, Micha Berger via Avodah wrote:
>
> I don't see it, because the BY doesn't quote "fascinating ideas"; this
> is a work about how to reach halakhah lema'aseh.

If the BY confined himself to opinions that are relevant to halacha
lemaaseh then why would he quote an opinion that is guaranteed *not*
to be lema`aseh, even if he agreed with it completely?   Clearly he
didn't quote it for any practical purpose, so why did he, especially
when, as you say, he often doesn't bother to quote the Abudraham's
psakim that *are* lema`aseh?  I think it's because, like all of us,
he was fascinated by it, and since it was "safe" he felt justified in
introducing it to his readers.   Even strictly halachic works include
the occasional vertel or bit of agadeta, "yeinah shel torah", and this
is practically agadeta, though of a halachic flavour.  In other words,
he repeated it for the same reason that we all do, almost every time
the topic of Asara Betevet comes up; it's a startling idea, and also
gives the fast a bit more importance, perhaps to make up for its
short duration in the northern hemisphere.

-- 
Zev Sero               All around myself I will wave the green willow
zev at sero.name          The myrtle and the palm and the citron for a week
                And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm doing that
                I'll say "It's a Jewish thing; if you have a few minutes
                I'll explain it to you".