Questions tagged [machlokes]
Questions concerning arguments within Judaism and their outcomes.
122 questions
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If a reliable person tells you that an item, bearing an otherwise reliable hechsher, is in fact NOT kosher, are you required to investigate the claim?
Suppose I purchase a package of fresh steak bearing a very reliable and respected Hechsher (Kashrut symbol). Before starting up the BBQ, my friend passing by notices the steak and informs me that his ...
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Can a person die if it’s not Hashem’s will?
I learned about a machloket between Rishonim, regarding free will and its power on other people. The basic argument of the machloket was that either free will is so powerful that one could commit a ...
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How Moshe handled halachic disputes
I heard about a source in the Chumash regarding a situation where two people had a halachic dispute and could not conclude on the Halacha. They then went to Moshe to get the verdict but the wording of ...
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What is the disagreement between Rebbi Shimon and Rebbi Yehudah regarding muktzah on shabbos vs yomtov?
What is the disagreement between Rebbi Shimon and Rebbi Yehudah regarding Muktzah on Shabbos versus Yom Tov? Additionally, where in the Gemara can I find this?
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Machloket On Conversion [closed]
I did a conversion with Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Haim (Mekor Haim Beit Din in Queens). Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Haim, Rabbi Binyamin Golan, and Rabbi Yitzchak Abramov were the witnesses. With that being said, ...
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Where in his works does Maimonides address how to understand אלו ואלו דברי אלקים חיים and the nature of makhloket more broadly (besides intro to PhM)?
Given what Maimonides says in his introduction to his Commentary on the Mishnah (Perush ha-Mishnayot) it seems like he is not a pluralist when it comes to truth in a makhloket (halakhic debate). He ...
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Is there a consensus on what it means for a machlochet (dispute) to "endure"? Or is even this, ironically, a topic of debate? [duplicate]
I only just learned about this wonderful passage from Pirke Avot. And I see that it is, of course, invoked often when discussing the topic of conflicts and arguments. Most seem to agree on the meaning ...
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What is involved behind the decision making process of halacha in the Talmud?
Throughout the Talmud we find occurrences such as these:
The halacha is xyz because the verse in a certain chapter of Tanach says something similar to it; Rabbi Y disagrees and says the halacha is zyx ...
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Why does the Mishnah record minority opinions?
I know it’s a simple question but why did R’ Yehuda feel the need to record dissenting opinions in the Mishnah?
I feel the way the Rambam summarized all the rulings of the Talmud, disregarding ...
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Rabbi Yaron Reuven - Severe torture in gehinnom
I was out to eat the other day and in the restaurant, where one can take more sauces, there was a pile of dvd'd that people can take for free with the Tikkun Habrit movie on it. I ended up watching ...
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Lifnei iver and converts
Is it lifnei iver if you enable someone to violate a strict interpretation? this question asks a related question about Lifnei iver about machlokets. The answer seems to be you can’t have someone ...
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Controversies about eruvin
I was curious why an eruv is often extremely controversial (not in terms of the secular world, I mean within the Frum world), it seems anytime a new Eruv is built there’s always a chorus rabbinic ...
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What are the peculiarities of a school or company of the prophets לַהֲקַ֚ת הַנְּבִיאִים֙ (1 Samuel 19:20)?
What are the peculiarities of a school or company of the prophets לַהֲקַ֚ת הַנְּבִיאִים֙ (I Samuel 19:20)?
What did one learn in a school of the prophets?
How did one become a student in a school of ...
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Did Korach's controversy "endure"?
The Mishnah says:
Every controversy that is leshem shamayim -- for the sake of Heaven -- will endure. But one that is not for the sake of Heaven will not endure. Which is a controversy that is for ...
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A difficult Rema in SH OHC 268:3
I was recently wondering what we should do if we accidentally began אתה חונן on Shabbat, although we have only said אתה, do we have to finish אתה חונן even on Fri night/Mincha (because they also start ...
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How can all explanations of the Torah be True when they contradict each other (eilu v'eilu)?
I've read multiple questions/answers that discuss Eilu V'eilu. However, the seem to always come back to the discussion of how it applies to Halacha. My question is stemming from somewhere else.
If ...
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Why argue over whether people want their wheat wet?
Stuff becomes muchshar l'kabel tum'a, contaminable, if it becomes wet by the owner's will (or at least by human will).
Machshirin, chapter 3, mishna 5, in my own, loose translation:
Suppose someone's ...
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Six fundamental disagreements - The Rogatchover
I heard (in the name of the Rogatchover) that there are six fundamental disagreements upon which all the disagreements in Shas are based. Assuming that this is true, does anybody know what they are?
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How should rabbis answer questions on disputed issues?
You have a halachic question. Unknown to you, there is a dispute on the matter. Some rule as (A) and some rule as (B). You ask your Rav. He will give you one of three answers:
(1) The answer is (A)...
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Where Can I find this Machlokes about the 13 Middot of Drush?
Several years ago, I came across the following machlokes between Rashi and Tosfot in Shas Bavli.
Rashi said that all 13 middos of drush require a mesorah except for Kal Vachomer, and Tosfot said all ...
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Seeking advice from our Sages and Tanach about the dangers of 'national polarity'
Regardless of where you sit on the political divide regarding the situation in the United States it seems as if the country is being devoured by polarity. I am searching for advice from chazal ...
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Eruvin 51a: Using Deception to Assert an Opinion?
The Gemara in Eruvin 51a relates the following:
(Source(s) from Sefaria)
רַבָּה וְרַב יוֹסֵף הֲווֹ קָא אָזְלִי בְּאוֹרְחָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבָּה לְרַב יוֹסֵף: תְּהֵא שְׁבִיתָתֵנוּ תּוּתֵי דִּיקְלָא ...
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Why is there no tayku in the Jerusalem Talmud?
From one count I have seen there are more than 300 times in the Talmud Bavli where a discussion ends with “תיקו” (let it stand, ie the question remains) yet, to my knowledge there is not a single time ...
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How can the Gemara argue here, isn't it all facts?
The Gemara in Gittin 22a brings a machlokes in regard to fruits getting nutrients from a tree that is half in ארץ ישראל and half in חוץ לארץ.
ומאי טעמא דרשב"ג דמפסיק צונמא
מאי טעמא דרבי דהדרי ...
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Why do we try to reconcile machlokes
There seems to be an implied "rule" (or at least strong desire) in Torah (derech halimud) to limit machklokes wherever possible and moreso what seems "at all costs"
My question is simply - Why?
Here'...
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Why do we seem to force different shittos into a single approach [closed]
This seems to take different forms:
Reconciling - One of the beauties (in terms of enjoyment) of learning is trying to reconcile sugyas or shittos that appear to be contradictory.
Patch work - ...
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Are Rabbi Akiva's opinions disproportionately followed? [closed]
I understand that Rabbi Akiva was the foremost rabbinic leader of his time, and after the Bar Kochba revolt his students were the primary Tanaaim, and they also were responsible for organizing the ...
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Rambam's Mussar to Son
Where precisely does the Rambam give mussar to his son about avoiding conflict? This article from Klal Perspectives quotes Kisvei HaRambam, Mussar l’bno Rav Avraham saying
Do not sully yourself ...
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Are there any debates about the presence of entire words in Scripture?
Besides for the odd letter, such as an extra Vov or Yud, what Scriptual verses that we would find in Tanach today, were once or still debated by Halachic Authorities as to what is the correct text. Or ...
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List of instances where Rambam argues on the Rif
It is mentioned (Yad Malachi: Klalei HaTalmud 148, 154, 301, 307, 330, 415, 550) that the Rambam seldom argued on the Rif.
Is there a comprehensive list which enumerates how many times they argue - ...
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Is anyone against the rational teachings of Maimonides?
I am new to Judaism and am intrigued by Maimonides and his teachings but I do not know the opinions of this particular teacher - a man of such vigor and influence - by the many different congregations ...
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Can banning a Sage be made in G-d's honor?
We hold that (Avot 5,17):
כָּל מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם...
אֵיזוֹ הִיא מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי.
Every dispute that ...
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Where in Shas was the psak din of Rabbi Meir vs. Rabbi Yehuda accepted?
I think I remember that, in disputes between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda, we follow Rabbi Yehuda except in two occasions. Is this correct and where are these two instances?
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Loshon Hora: Chafetz Chaim & Dissenting views
The sefer "Chofetz Chaim" is accepted worldwide as the leading authority in the Hilchos Shemiras Haloshon arena. However, as with every area in halacha, there are specific details which are subject to ...
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How do I decide between conflicting opinions?
Let's say there are two opinions about a halachic matter and different rabbis rule differently according to one or the other. Let's also say everybody knows that. What should I do, or must I do, or ...
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How did the initial Mishnaic disagreements arise?
The Wikipedia on Tannaim says this
Until the days of Hillel and Shammai (the last generation of the Zugot), there were few disagreements among Rabbinic scholars. After this period, though, the "...
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Is the passage repeated during the reading of Zachor the only place such a question arises?
When we read Parshas Zachor shortly before Purim, we repeat a passage. According to the Mishneh Berurah 685, there is a dispute concerning the vowels that belong here.
One possibility would seem to ...
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What is the preferred attitude towards the Sources?
PTIJ? I don't know. You tell me. I hope this stays up long enough for me to get an answer or two.
You can approach a text with some levity (which does not preclude seriousness), with neutrality, ...
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How studying Torah without Machlokot is possible?
The idea of Machloket-less study and transmission of the Oral Torah is very basic in Judaism.
I spot two approaches:
That of Sanhedrin 68b - there were Machlokot and different approaches and schools,...
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How does the Temple Institute choose among disagreeing interpretations on Temple construction?
I was looking over R. Aryeh Kaplan's Chumash and I think he lists ... six different possible layouts of which tribe's name went on which stone in the breastplate (choshen).
Similarly -- is the mor in ...
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Koren Siddur on Kal Atzmotai Tomarna
(Note: likely not relevant to those who Daven/read Hebrew with an Ashkenazi pronunciation.)
This Shabbos I was asked to lead Pesukei Dezimrah at a shul I was visiting, and I was given a Koren Siddur ...
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Why the Gemmorah's disputes are left unresolved?
In the Gemmorah we can see three types of the Halachic resolution of a dispute:
the issue is settled and the Halachah is clearly ruled
multiple approaches mentioned but there's no clear resolution
...
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How can we say something is a machlokes Rashi vs Tosfos, if Rashi can't respond or defend himself?
Many Tosfos contain questions about what Rashi says, followed by them giving their own answer.
But how can we honestly say something is a "machlokes Rashi vs Tosfos" when Rashi doesn't get a chance ...
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How a Machlokes in Halacha is resolved?
How does accepted Halacha come to be when there is a dispute?
More specifically - we notice different approaches in terms of practice: when it comes certain mitzvot: to how to put up a mezuzah, we ...
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How could Rav be disproved?
Frequently, when the Gemara tries to disprove Rav from a Mishna, it answers that he's considered a Tanna and can argue on a Mishna.
But there's this case in Berachos 37a, where Rav and Shmuel both ...
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Location of Rambam on machlokes and loshon hora. Only one in three chance of ill intent
I seem to remember that the Rambam speaks about avoiding machlokes (quarrels) and loshon hora (bad speech).
He says something like this: there are three possibilities in any statement about the ...
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Sources on the parameters of Eilu VeEilu
There's a concept in the gemarra known as Eilu VeEilu:
יצאה בת קול ואמרה אלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים הן
Ultimately, a Divine Voice emerged and proclaimed: Both these and those are the words of ...
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What's controversial about Chemdat HaYamim?
This answer from @Oliver mentions
The controversial book Hemdat Ha-yamim...
What is Chemdat HaYamim, and what is controversial about it? I know this is a very simple question but I wasn't ...
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Quiet Birchas Kohanim
According to many mainstream authorities, the widespread practice of Ashkenazic Kohanim outside of Israel of refraining from birchas kohanim is a minhag ta'us and possibly even forbidden biblically as ...
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How come Bais Hillel is usually lenient and Bais Shammai usually stringent?
It seems like the Bais Hillel had a tendency to be lenient in Halachic matters vs the Bais Shammai, it was a sort of a presumption to them in which they were almost always successful to back up with ...
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