[Avodah] Ancient Minhagim

[Cantor Wolberg]

R' Toby Katz wrote the following:

> You remind me of Moshe Rabeinu not knowing what Rabbi Akiva was  
> talking
> about, and R' Akiva saying it's halacha leMoshe miSinai!  The story
> implies that whatever Chazal were later to deduce was already implicit
> in the Torah that Moshe received.

Zev Sero responded:
"I think you've got the story confused.  IIRC there's nothing to  
indicate
that MR didn't recognise the halacha that was quoted in his name."

With all due respect, R' Toby did not get the story confused at all.
She is well aware of what you said. The story relating to Moshe  
Rabbeinu not
understanding something R' Akiva was expounding, is a metaphor. Rashi  
says that Moshe's confusion
was because he didn't finish learning yet, and was reassured by Hashem  
that they'll get there.
Moshe Rabbeinu cannot understand the Torah of Rabbi Akiva. The midrash  
teaches us that when God
enabled MR to visit RA's beis midrash, Moshe was confused, for he did  
not recognize the Torah that was being taught. Finally,
he heard RA say that what he was teaching was "from Moshe on Sinai,"  
and Moshe felt better.

The difference between the world of Moshe Rabbeinu and that of Rabbi  
Akiva is not merely clarity of vision,
but the integration of their world with the surrounding environment.

Another similar metaphor is even brought down that Pinchas remembered  
a Halacha that Moshe Rabbeinu himself couldn’t remember.
As I've commented before, there are people for whom life is either  
black or white. There are others who realize there are many shades
in between and that's where midrash, metaphor, allegory, parable and  
eilu v'eilu divrei Elokim chayyim play an important role.

Kol tuv.
ri