Tell me more ×
Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote -2 down vote favorite
1

Are there any examples in the history of Rabbis giving conflicting opinions on the same issue

share|improve this question
1  
As per @DoubleAA's answer, yes - and they're (almost) all correct opinions. – yoel Feb 28 at 17:40
...'correct' here being a semantically vague word. – Double AA♦ Feb 28 at 17:41
@DoubleAA I wasn't sure how else to summarize eilu v'eilu. I welcome your input. – yoel Feb 28 at 17:44
1  
@yoel I have little hope you will find a single English word to use in this context that cannot be misinterpreted. – Double AA♦ Feb 28 at 17:51
1  
I'm not going to downvote, but this is a very basic question. Humans are human. There are going to be disagreements by the very nature of things. Do you mean to seek some examples of famous disputes, or do you actually mean, "hey, do all rabbis have their own brains," as it sounds? – Seth J Feb 28 at 20:26
show 2 more comments

2 Answers

up vote 8 down vote

Yes, there are thousands of such examples. It's hard to go through one chapter of Mishna without seeing examples of this. Here is a pdf of one chapter of Mishna for your perusal to see many such examples.

share|improve this answer
Yes, I know there is exactly one chapter of Mishna without any dissenting opinions. – Double AA♦ Feb 28 at 17:40
1  
It's hard to go through one Mishnah without seeing examples of this. – Seth J Feb 28 at 20:27
1  
@DoubleAA, you've piqued my interest. Which one? – Isaac Moses Feb 28 at 22:05
@SethJ Though significantly easier than going through a whole chapter. – Double AA♦ Feb 28 at 22:09
@IsaacMoses 5th chapter of Zevachim IINM. – Double AA♦ Feb 28 at 22:09
up vote -1 down vote

Yes, there are countless instances of rabbis (from Talmudic times to the present) disagreeing on a wide range of halachic (legal) and hashkafic (theological) issues.

As an example, Rabbi Natan Slifkin has demonstrated that dozens of Rishonim (medieval rabbis) argued that Chazal (the rabbis of the Mishnah and Talmud) erred in scientific matters, because they were relying on the science of their time, rather than a scientific oral tradition from Mount Sinai. Other Rishonim disagreed (some believed that Chazal only appeared to be incorret about some scientific matters, because nature had changed.)

Today, many charedi rabbis dispute Rabbi Slifkin's approach (the book was banned by some prominent rabbis), and maintain that Chazal were definitely right about science and everything else. I don't know whether these rabbis explicitly disagree with those rishonim who believed Chazal erred, as opposed to interpreting them in a different way (or more ambiguously, saying "they can say it; we cannot.") But Modern Orthodox Jews are less likely to have problems with Rabbi Slifkin's approach (and thus with those rishonim who held Chazal erred in science).

share|improve this answer
2  
You make it sound like the machloket is between Rishonim and Charedim, instead of among various Rishonim. – Double AA♦ Feb 28 at 17:51
You make it sound like the Modern Orthodox Jews you mention are evaluating Rabbi Slifkin's hashkafa instead of the hashkafos of the Rishonim. – Double AA♦ Feb 28 at 18:01
As for the first comment, I edited the post in response. As for the second, I meant that Modern Orthodox haskafos tend not to be offended by R' Slifkin's approach. I'll edit that a bit too. – Kordovero Feb 28 at 18:09

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.