[Avodah] new rishonim

[Eli Turkel]

<<Who knows what girsaos haven't been found? Maybe there is a good
reason why this copy was the one that ended up in genizah? If we open
up the door to changing halakhah on these grounds, ein ladavar sof!

IIRC, R' Moshe Bleich (in Tradition, not Avodah) quoted the CI that he
/would/ switch the text to Ben Asher's -- if it were found. Which
seems to fit the "who said this girsa is any better idea?" rather than
the "siyata diShmaya one". Here, it's siyata diShmaya that we don't
have the text the Rambam (et al) said was a better idea.>>

Everyone quotes this CI (and SR) but I have my doubts about how
widely it is really used. As an old example  it is reported that the
GRA went through Europe in his youth looking for old manuscripts.
I believe that the recent editions of Rambam, Tur and SA based on
early manuscripts have been generally accepted. I find it hard to
believe that anyone would keep something in these sifrei psak if it
was found that it didnt appear in the original version.

More to the point it is a question of time. There was a time that
the complete R. Chananel on Shas was new (tidbits mentioned in
other rishonim). Today it is considered a standard rishon.
There are stories that RYBS saw chidushei Ramban and Rashba
for the first time in America. He still used them for shiurim.
There was a time that Tosafot HaRosh and Ritva were considered
among the recent manuscripts. However, these are again standard tools in
most yeshivot.

One simple example is public megillah reading for women (by men).
Some prohibited it based on a korban netanel quoting tosafot. However,
other documents showed he misunderstood tosafot. Hence, IMHO
no posek uses that argument anymore against public women readings.

-- 
Eli Turkel