[Avodah] Eilu v'eilu and mistakes

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, February 22, 2007 6:00 pm, Daniel Israel wrote:
: This is _not_ an attempt to re-open any recurring debates....

I will therefore limit my comments to short references to ideas already batted
around.

...
: 1) We see ev"e explicitly applied to Tannaim.  While the term is
: used on this list often enough in the context of contemporary
: issues, do we have a clear source which indicates that it remains
: applicable in the same sense as in the Mishna?...

Well, there is a maqor that limits it to Beis Hillel and Beis Shammai. But the
rishonim, Maharal and R' Tzadoq who give explanations for eilu va'eilu in a
literal "both are right" sense, do not give explanations that are limited to a
single machloqes or era.

: 2) I've occasionally seen achronim suggesting certain other
: achronim were actually wrong.  The examples I can think of involve
: claims that a certain achron was missing a certain source, or
: relying on an incorrect girsa.  But perhaps there are example is
: which one achron argues that another has incorrect s'vara as well....

Well, the first two are differences of fact. The notion of an incorrect sevara
would not contradict eilu va'eilu. It would just mean that from this side's
"eilu", the other "eilu" doesn't work.

: 3) Finally, does anyone want to propose an intermediate position?
: That is, are there some arguements which are not ev"e, but neither
: side is "wrong."  My chavrusa proposed something along the lines of
: "they are doing different things," but it didn't sit well with me.

I am not sure what you're asking for, since if "neither side is wrong" isn't
it definitionally a literal interpretation of eilu va'eilu?

The Maharal suggests that Divrei E-lokim Chaim must perforce be reduced in
order to fit in this world. Thus, each side is giving different mappings from
Hashem's infinite truth to the finite reality. Like different shadows of the
same object being cause by lights shining on it from different angles.

Or if you take a constructionist view of halakhah, that chakhamim have the
power to define which conclusion is correct, than neither is wrong.

Tir'u baTov!
-mi

-- 
Micha Berger             Spirituality is like a bird: if you tighten
micha at aishdas.org        your grip on it, it chokes; slacken your grip,
http://www.aishdas.org   and it flies away.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            - Rav Yisrael Salanter