Questions tagged [machlokes]
Questions concerning arguments within Judaism and their outcomes.
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Why don't we just follow the shittah of Moshe Rabeinu?
My question can apply to virtually all mitzvos where there is a disagreement in the standard way to fulfill them.
If one reads the hakdama (introduction) to the Rambam's peirush mishnayos (commentary ...
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May I rely on the halachik leniency of others?
If "Reuven" believes the halacha to be one way and "Shimon" believes it to be more lenient may Reuven rely on Shimon to do something for him based on this leniency?
Here is a 100% fictional ...
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Why was a bat kol able to settle the dispute between Battei Hillel and Shammai?
Eiruvin 13b recounts an argument between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai. The argument grew very heated until a bat kol intervened and stated the famous line elu v'elu divrei elohim chayim ("These and ...
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Why do Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel always argue?
Why is it that the Academies of Shammai and Hillel have contradictory opinions in most of the verses? It's almost as if one is waiting for the other to give a contradictory opinion.
Take, for example,...
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What's the deal with horseradish at the seder?
Every Pesach seder I've been to, including ones run by Chabad and Hillel, has used horseradish root as the maror. But this seems to be controversial -- maybe horseradish isn't ok at all, or maybe ...
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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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Why is there a dispute as to which tefillin are the correct ones?
Since the mitzvah of tefillin is observed every day except for Shabbos and festivals, there should have been continuous knowledge as to the correct order of the parshas. So how did it come about that ...
user4523
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What did Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai argue about for three years?
Eiruvin 13b records a dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai that went on for three years, after which a bat kol (voice from heaven) intervened. The point of bringing this story here in the g'...
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picking and choosing halachic rulings
I have heard many times from Rabbinim and in lectures that to pick and choose rulings is forbidden. I would like a halachic source for this. I can understand that one should be consistent, but if one ...
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The Fourth Exile, Persia or Rome?
When Avraham experiences a vision of 'fear, darkness, great, descending upon him', (Gen 15:12), the Midrash says that these four words refer to the 4 exiles. Fear is Babylon, darkness is Medea, great ...
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Does Judaism recognize other religions?
Does Judaism acknowledge that there are some other religions that come from G-d?
If yes, how? Which religions are that? Please give me some examples. And what are the reference for this claim?
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How do we explain the criticism of Rashi by his grandsons?
Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki, better known today as Rashi, was easily the most prolific commentator on the Tanach and Talmud in history in the sense that he commentated on most of the Talmud and, I believe, ...
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Rav Shach and Lubavitsher Rebbe [closed]
From a purely Torah perspective.
What was the disagreement between Rav Shach and the Lubavitcher Rebbe? Like, from a halachic point of view what were their opinions and why?
I know they disagreed ...
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Examples of Rabbis who had strong disagreements and were amicable
I'm looking for examples of Rabbis who had a serious disagreement and were nevertheless very kind and thoughtful towards each other.
The main reason I'm asking for examples is to illustrate what a ...
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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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When can you turn a dispute into a safek?
In this answer, I proposed that since there is a machlokes rishonim on a certain issue, it counts as a safek (doubt), although the Shulchan Aruch rules strictly. DoubleAA commented, saying that he ...
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Disparate Zemanim in the same local community
Someone pointed out on a local email list that the ending time for Tish'ah BeAv is listed differently - significantly so - at various institutions in our local community. He noted the following times ...
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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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Tannaim vs Amoiraim
Can an Amora argue with a Tanna?
From the Talmud it would seem that an Amora cannot argue with a Tanna and that is why it tries to fit in all Amoraic statements into the words of the Tannaim.
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Why are challenges to respected rabbis not treated seriously?
Say someone disagrees with the Chazon Ish or has a problem with the Aruch HaShulchan in a particular halachic area. Sure, they're no gadol, and they might have not even learned an extensive volume of ...
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What's behind the disagreement about the first words of the blessings immediately before Shema?
The Talmud, in Berachot 11b, records a disagreement between Shemuel and the rabbinic majority regarding the beginning of the blessings that we say immediately before Shema in the evening and in the ...
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Why do different halachic authorities arrive at conflicting rulings?
Rabbi A says strawberries are ha'adama; Rabbi B says that strawberries are Ha'etz.
The halachic texts are replete with such differences in "opinion". What's the underlying reason that different ...
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Game theory in the Tanaim
I read an article a while back (maybe over a year ago?) in the Mishpacha English Magazine (I'm pretty sure, although it may have been in the Ami) that discussed a certain machlokes Tanaim about how to ...
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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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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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If two rabbis tell you opposite things which do you listen to?
If you ask two rabbis the same question and they give you opposite answers (one says mutar the other says assur). Which do you listen to?
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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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Why the different wording for the three proofs atop שבת דף מ ע״א?
The Bavli, Shabas 40 amud 1, cites a disagreement between Rav and Sh'muel. It then brings three proofs to Sh'muel's view. Each proof quotes what appears AFAICT to be a b'raysa, and each proof is ...
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Is Chabad halachically monolithic?
Is there such a thing as a machlokes in practical halacha within Chabad? As far as I know (which isn't very far), Chabad has, or at least had until 2 decades ago, one central figure leading the ...
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Following the stringencies of different opinions
There is a tangential discussion in 'Eruvin, Daf 6b-7a about whether or not we can take the stringencies of two conflicting opinions. The Gemara seems adamant that we cannot, though there are examples ...
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Rav Moshe's Psak on Fertility Treatments
I recently read an interview with Rav Dovid Feinstein and he referenced a two year period of Rav Moshe's life that were troubling due to backlash he received following a controversial psak regarding ...
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Starting the Seder after Sheki'ah (sunset)?
In my experience, there is a lot of emphasis on waiting until after Tzeith HaKochavim (the stars come out), which is seen as definitely after nightfall, to start the Seder. The reason is that we want ...
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Why are disputes in pairs?
The final paragraph of this answer:
We do have the tools to derive from the Torah what those Halachos are (Moshe Rabeinu taught them to us), but these rules are very general in nature and therefore ...
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What's wrong with Rashi's explanation of Hechsher Mitzvah?
A Daf Yomi Shi'ur that I listen to went into details about Hechsher Mitzvah when we reached Yevamoth 6a.
Essentially, Rashi says that the Gemara's term, "Hechsher Mitzvah", is referring to a scenario ...
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If the Oral Torah is Divine, why are there arguments? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why don’t we just follow the shittah of Moshe Rabeinu?
If the Oral Torah is Divine, how are there arguments in the Mishnah and Gemara?
(I have heard this question asked ...
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when is the halacha like Bais Shammai and not Bais Hillel?
When is the halacha like Bais Shammai and not Bais Hillel? Are there overarching principles that apply?
What are the cases? Is there a good reference that summarizes them?
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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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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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Is it permissible to exclusively wear tephilin according to Rabenu Tam?
If one looks into the sources - as well as the give and take throughout the recorded history of the mahloqeth - it becomes clear that the majority of the world wore tephilin according to the shitta of ...
user3342
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Differences in Sepharadi Hilkhot Taharat HaMishpahhah
I've been told that HaRav Mordekhai Eliyahu and HaRav 'Ovadiah Yosef ('Aleihem hashalom), have different shitot (approaches/conclusions) when it comes to Hilkhot Taharat HaMishpahhah for the Sepharadi ...
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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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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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