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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>From: Cantor Wolberg <A
href="mailto:cantorwolberg@cox.net">cantorwolberg@cox.net</A><BR><BR>>>I
thought the purpose of the Torah She-b'al peh was to illuminate the
<BR>protocol for many things such as T'fillin and Tzitzis.<BR>Therefore, why
would there have been conflicting sources when the main <BR>source is from
God?<<<BR><BR>>>>>><BR>There may be other more complex
legalistic reasons, but the simplest explanation is that the chain of
transmission became confused over the centuries and people forgot things.
The Torah sheba'al peh was, by definition, transmitted /orally/ for centuries,
and naturally mistakes crept in and details were forgotten, leading to
disagreements. Subsequently some of these details had to be reconstructed
retrospectively, using rules of logic like gezeirah shaveh, kal vechomer and so
on. Eventually it was found necessary to commit the Torah "sheba'al
peh" to writing even though a "written oral law" sounds like an oxymoron.
Otherwise the oral law was in danger of being forgotten. "Eis la'asos
l'Hashem...." We see even in our own lives how easily things can
become confused, as grandchildren argue over whether Zeida did it this way or
that way -- whatever "it" may be. </FONT></DIV><FONT
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<DIV>In addition, some details may not be matters of law but of minhag. Over
time, of course, minhag becomes din, "the way it's always been done" acquiring
the force of law.<BR></DIV></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><BR><B>--Toby
Katz<BR>=============<BR><BR></B><BR></FONT></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? <A title="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1209382257x1200540686/aol?redir=http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001" href="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1209382257x1200540686/aol?redir=http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001" target="_blank">Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators</A>.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>