[Avodah] Can Eliyahu Hanavi decide halachic questions?

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Jan 21, 2013 at 02:57:52PM +0200, Marty Bluke wrote:
: How does this Gemara fit in with all of the places where we say that
: Eliyahu Hanavi is going to answer our halachic questions, etc.?

My understanding is that WRT halakhah, Eliyahu's return isn't significant
because he's a navi, but because he has true semichas Moshe. And therefore
we will be better equipped to restore the halachic process to its full
health. And then the answer will be decided, not told or discovered.

As for the meaning of teiqu: I agree with Lisa that peshat is that
the question stands. However, derash, repated by people with a much
firmer grasp of how halakhah is decided than she or I have, is
"Tishbi yetzareitz..." Which implies to me that while one can't say
this idea of Eliyahu answering the question isn't the meaning of
the word, I also wouldn't say the idea itself is untrue.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             I long to accomplish a great and noble task,
micha at aishdas.org        but it is my chief duty to accomplish small
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