[Avodah] Eilu v'eilu

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Mon, Apr 20, 2015 at 11:48:03AM +0300, Saul Mashbaum wrote:
: Very briefly, R. Rosner cites three approaches in the sources
: 
: 1. Illustrating the truth - The Ran in Drashot HaRan drasha 5 - In this
: approach, which severely limits the principle of eilu v'eilu, the Ran
: states that actually only one of the opinions is true. The other opinion is
: 'divrei Elokim chaim' only insofar as it serves to illustrate and elucidate
: the other opinion, which is the real truth, as the dark enables us to
: appreciate a candle...

R/Dr Moshe Halbertal forms his opinion of the Ran's shitah on the haqdamah
to haMafteiach leManulei haTalmud. He translates:
    It is a known fact that the entire Torah, written and oral,
    was transm itted to Moses, as it says in the tract ate Meggilah,
    R. Hiyya bar Abba said in the Name of R. Yohanan: The verse:...and
    on them was written according to all the words.." teaches that the
    Holy One blessed be He showed Moses the details prescribed by the
    Torah and by the Sages, including the innovations they would later
    enact. And what are those? the reading of Meggila. The 'details'
    provided by the rabbis are halakhic disputes and conflicting views
    held by the sa ges of Israel. Moses learned them all by divine
    word with no resolution every controversy in detail. Yet [God]
    also gave him a rule whose truth is manifest, i.e., 'Favor the
    majority opinion'....as the sages of that generation saw fit, for
    the decision had already been delegated to them as it is written:
    'And you shall come to the priest the Levites, and to the judge
    that shall be in those days' and 'You shall not deviate....".

(Quoted from <http://rambam.merkaz.com/Class%204%20-%20Halbertal.pdf>.
I do not know where to find the original, to see what's ellided or
whether my own attempt to translate would agree.)


This quote from the Ran pretty clearly backs the third position in RSR's
survey:
: 3. Multiple truths (Ritva in Eiruvin, Maharal) - Both opinions are true,
: reflecting different perspectives of the subject at hand (IMO, this is
: similar to the previous explanation, without establishing a hierarchy
: between the truths expressed by the different opinions)...

(BTW, I happen to agree with this parenthetic. )

OTOH, in Derashah #7, I think I could defend RSR's #2!

To quote the Ran:
    We have been commanded to obey their decision whether it represents
    the tru th or its opposite ...for the power of decision-making
    has been entrusted to the halakhic authorities for each
    generation. Whatever they decide is what God has commanded.

Compare:
: 2. Levels of truth - R. Moshe in the hakdama to IM, and R. Yaakov to
: Bereishit 26, the Netziv in his Hakadama to Haamek Sh'eila, his commentary
: to the Sheiltot). Using R. Moshe's terminology. there is Emet Shamaymit,
: and Emet L'Horaa. Both are correct, and in this world we are obligated to
: follow the emet l'horaa even if it deviates from the ultimate, heavenly
: truth.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             You are where your thoughts are.
micha at aishdas.org                - Ramban, Igeres haQodesh, Ch. 5
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