[Avodah] Piyyutim of HaKalir Regarding the Creation of the Earth (and eilu v'eilu)

[Zvi Lampel]

Piyyutim of HaKalir Regarding the Creation of the Earth (and eilu v'eilu)



Rebbi Eliezer (RH 10b) states the world was created in Tishrei, whereas
Rebbi Yehoshua states the world was created in Nissan. (Rosh HaShannah
10b.)

Following the principle that sans Hashem creating the universe, there was
no time or seasons, for they themselves were part and parcel of Creation,
we may suggest one of the following interpretations:

1. The machlokes is over whether, when Hashem placed the astronomical
bodies, such as the sun and stars, in their places on the 4th day, He
placed them in relation to the earth in the way they are in the Fall or the
Spring. So that Adam found himself in the Fall or the Spring.

2 These Tannaim are not speaking at all about physical seasons and
climates, but about the middah in which Hashem decided to have the world
run, Tishrei signifying din and strict justice, Nissan signifying rachamim.
(One would have to say that this is true of the other events listed, as
well, or that this part of the statements was meant in a different sense.)
This understanding would then parallel the Chazal that originally Hashem
desired to create the world in din, but actually created the world in
rachamim. To avoid the absurdity of Hashem changing His mind, this in turn
could be interpreted to mean that Hashem had two legitimate choices before
Him and He chose the latter.

Regardless...

Tosafos (RH 27a) poses a contradiction in the piyyutim of R. Elazar
HaKalir. He says that in the Geshem piyyut recited on Shemini Atzeres, R.
Kalir states that the world was created in Tishrei aligning with Rebbi
Eliezer), whereas in his piyyut for Pesach he states that the world was
created in Nissan (aligning with Rebbi Yehoshua).

Tosafos answers that Rabbeinu Tam said ''Eilu VeEilu Divrei Elokim Chaim.''
He then adds: ''And one may say that in Tishrei the thought rose to create,
but it wasn't created until Nissan.'' I think it is more likely that the
second statement is an explanation of the first, rather than an alternate
one.

But it occurred to me that we know that Tosafos (Chagigah 13a) considers R.
Eliezer HaKalir to be the Tanna Eliezer, son of Shimon bar Yochai. What is
Tosafos' meaning, then, by the words ''eilu v'eilu divrei Elokim Chaim? If
R. Eliezer HaKalir is himself a Tanna, Tosafos would consider him quite
entitled to disagree with both Rebbi Eliezer and Rebbi Yehoshua, and
qualified to offer a third, independent opinion on this matter.


It seems that he is saying that R. Eliezer Hakalir held that although Rebbi
Yehoshua was correct as to ''when'' (either literally, or in the sense of
in what seasonal position vis a vis the heavenly bodies, or according to
which middah the world would run) Hashem actually created the earth, Rebbi
Eliezer had a point--hence, his words were divrei Elokim--in that Hashem
had strongly entertained the possibility of--creating the universe /
positioning the earth vis a vis the heavenly bodies / conducting the world
according to the middah of--Tishrei. And the latter is what HaKalir means
in his Shemini Atzeres Geshem piyyut when he says the world was ''created''
in Tishrei.

One problem that remains, however, is that I have not been able to find any
piyyut in our machzorim, Geshem on Shemini Atzeres or otherwise, that says
anything about the world being created in Tishrei!



Zvi Lampel
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