The authority of earlier generations, Part 2 of 2

Hi,

"In truth, the generation following the mishnah saw a shrinking of the hearts [=minds] compared to those of the authors of mishnah, and they knew with certainty that the truth would always be with those earlier authorities.

"Since they knew that in reality they would never grasp a truth which the tannaim [sages of the mishnah] had not grasped, they were not permitted to dispute. They only listened to all that their predecessors, the tannaim, had said.... This was not a kindness that they did for their predecessors; rather, truth mandated it."

(Rabbi Avraham Yeshayah Karelitz, Chazon Ish, Kovetz Inyanim 194-195)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The authority of earlier generations, Part 1 of 2

Hi,

Note:
For the purpose of this email, a tanna is a sage of the time of the mishnah (roughly 2nd century BCE - 3rd century CE), and an amora is a sage of the time of the gemara (roughly 3rd - 6th century CE).

"I asked this of my honoured mentor and master, Rabbi Chaim haLevi of Brisk, and he replied that in truth, an amora is empowered to disagree with a tanna.

"The fact that the Talmud challenges a statement of an amora because it seems to contradict a statemtent of a tanna is because amoraim simply do not disagree with tannaim, and if the amora had known the statement of the tanna, he would not have disputed it. However, where he disputes [a tanna's statement] explicitly, the law may follow him."

(Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman, Kovetz Shiurim to Bava Batra 633)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The mitzvah of lighting a menorah

Hi,

"What blessing does one recite [when kindling the Menorah]? 'Who sanctified us with his mitzvot and instructed us to light the Chanukah lamp.'

"But where did He give us such an instruction?! [Chanukah, occurring after the Torah was given, has no instructions in the Torah!]

"Rav Avya answered: From 'Do not deviate from the words of the sages.'

"Rav Nechemyah answered: From 'Ask your father and he will tell you,

your elders and they will tell you.'"

(Talmud, Shabbat 23a)

חג אורים שמח,

Mordechai

Historic and Contemporary Authority

Hi,

"Why are the 70 elders [who assisted Moses in judging the Jewish nation in the desert] not identified? Lest people say, 'Is our judge like Moses and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, or Eldad and Meidad?'"

[Rashi's explanation: Now that the 70 are not identified, we have no way to know whether our judges are better or worse than any of them.]

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 25a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai