I heard a quote from R' Hershel Shachter on the issue of paskening from archeological finds.<div><br><div>The Gemoro in Bava Basra quotes a story of a Tanna who was shown the ancient meisei midbar in the desert. When he returned, he was rebuked by his colleagues for not ascertaining whether their tzitzis had three or four strings. Seemingly, these Tannaim had no qualms about paskening halocho lema'aseh from historical artifacts.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">2009/3/30 Harvey Benton <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:harveybenton@yahoo.com">harveybenton@yahoo.com</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="font:inherit"><p style="margin-bottom:12pt">When conflicting
medrashic/Talmudic statements describe the same event, (with or without direct
immediate halachic implications – like which fruit Adam ate in Gan Eden, or was
their ever a ir hanidachas/ben sorer u’more) how/why should we believe the
chachamim on other issues?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12pt">It has been mentioned (Joseph
Pearlman/Kolel Iyun Hadaf Yerushalayim in the name of the Chazon Ish) that if
the original <span>sefer Torah</span> that Moshe received was found it would be discarded if
it differed from the versions we currently have today.<span> </span>Assume for the moment that this is true, what
theoretically would be the implications for the <span>Bais</span> Shlish vis a vis the
<span>Menorah</span> and/or the lettering on the Tzitz of the <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Kohen</span> Gadol?<span> </span>In the absence of the originals say we were
to construct a menorah in say Year 1 of the Geulah, <span> </span>with a certain shape (say straight-arms), and
then 40 years later the original Menorah turned up; would we still hold by
straight-armed one that we had constructed, or would we have to admit our (historical)
error and either re-construct a new menorah (with curved arms), or use the
original Menorah that had been found (also with curved arms). </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12pt">Similar scenarious could apply
to Rashi/ Rabeinu Tam/Shmushei Raba and/or Raivad Tefillins etc?<span> </span>Do we Care what either: what Hashem told
Moshe or <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%">Bnei Yisrael</span> to wear? Or do we ignore historical facts, despite the
fact that either Moshe Rabeinu himself could tell us (techiyas Hameisim) or
Eliyahu Hanavi (or someone else) could reveal to us the exact and necessary
order of the parshios.<span> </span>Simila reasoning
could apply to the chilazon fish/techeiles, other scenarios, etc. </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12pt">All the best from galus <span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>L</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br>_______________________________________________<br>
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