[Avodah] taamei halacha?

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Mar 09, 2018 at 05:04:00PM +0000, Rich, Joel via Avodah wrote:
: In Sh'ut Ha Rambam (313) he allows only additional hadassim to be used
: (but) no additional lulavim, aravot or etrogim). He allows it because it
: was "katuv biyur chochamim."...

Well, lulav and esrog are written belashon yachid. The question is why
"arvei nachal" is darshened that a 2 word description implies *exactly*
two aravos, whereas "anaf eitz eivos" is darshened -- 3 words imply *at
least* 3 hadasim.

If you look at tetradrachm coins restamped by Bar Kokhva's followers,
you will find the reverse has one esrog, one lulav, one hadas, one
arava. I have mentioned this before -- this is shitas R' Aqiva. And
so finding it on BK coinage captures my fancy.

But if you look at ones stamped during the First Rebellion (the
sunset years of Bayis Sheini), or found in Egypt made during the Kytos
Wars (between the two), we find a lulav surrounded by a whole bunch
of berry-bearing branches. Eg
http://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=28002 or
http://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=29709
Presumably, the numerous hadasim.

But two esrogim? And the beries are still on the hadasim??? Maybe a
sectarian coinage; the Tzeduqim held the political power in those
days, no? In which case, can't be used to prove anything halachic.


: And if tradition had been to allow additional aravot and not hadassim he
: would've come up with a logic, too. Interesting-when do we project a logic
: and when do we say we just don't understand and thus don't extrapolate?

I don't think this is evidence of projecting a logic onto an
existing pesaq in order to derive halakhos for new cases. Which is
what extrapolation means to me. I see standing by existing pesaq,
and giving a post-facto rationalization for something that felt like
it needs one. Like lomdus.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The thought of happiness that comes from outside
micha at aishdas.org        the person, brings him sadness. But realizing
http://www.aishdas.org   the value of one's will and the freedom brought
Fax: (270) 514-1507      by uplifting its, brings great joy. - R' Kook

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The thought of happiness that comes from outside
micha at aishdas.org        the person, brings him sadness. But realizing
http://www.aishdas.org   the value of one's will and the freedom brought
Fax: (270) 514-1507      by uplifting its, brings great joy. - R' Kook