[Avodah] Halachic Texts: More Background

[David Riceman]

Richard Wolpoe wrote:
> But I am persisting on  insisting that he made them optional because 
> the Talmud was STILL new enough to go back to it. After the Rishonim 
> were over, that was no longer the case.
Rav Ashi died around 425.  That leaves almost 800 years before the 
Rambam, and there were fewer than 400 years between the Rambam and the 
Shulhan Aruch.  We know that the Rambam was willing to ignore the 
interpolations of the Rabbanan Savorai (see Rabbi Benedict's book 
"HaRambam l'lo stiyah min haTalmud" pp. 163-167).

I think you're confused because so many of pre-Maimonidean commentaries 
are either lost or available only in fragmentary form.

David Riceman