[Avodah] New king

[Arie Folger]

RMKeinar wrote:
> It seems that this is a machlokes in Chazal.  I'm not so sure we are
> entitled to personal opinions.

Why not? Please see Tos. Yom Tov I quoted a while back, on the thread "Freedom 
of exegesive interpretation." On the Mishnah Nazir 5:5, the Tosafot Yom Tov 
writes:

        although in the Gemara it wasn't explained thus, since regarding the 
	law (din) there is no difference whatsoever (between the interpretation
	of the Talmud and that suggested by the TYT), permission has been
	granted to interpret [differently, according to one's own POV --af], since
	I do not see any difference between the interpretation of Mishnah and of
	Scripture, for permission is granted to interpret Scripture, as our eyes see
	the compositions of interpretations since the days of the Gemara.
	However, it must be that he shall not decide and interpret any law (din)
	such that it would contradict the opinion of the ba'alei hagemara.

That said, I am unconvinced by the argument that the king must have been a new 
king. Throughout history, loyal Jewish ministers, viziers etc. were often 
betrayed as the political winds shifted, and an old ruler became like a new 
one who knew not Yossef. That, for example, is exactly what happened to the 
son of Rav Shemuel haNagid (Yosef?) in Moslem Spain about a thousand years 
ago. It happened countless times elsewhere.

KT,
-- 
Arie Folger
http://www.ariefolger.googlepages.com