Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Torah and Halachic Authority (3/12) Previous Document: Question 4.5: How does the Conservative movement deal with Halachic questions? Next Document: Question 4.7: Who is RAMBAM that is mentioned & what are his 13 principles See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge Answer: How could two people have two different, logically developed opinions on any issue? :-) In answering this, there are two important points to keep in mind: * Most decisions are not simply bilateral yes/no decisions * Valid interpretations according to traditional hermeneutics that differ in particulars of a particular place/time can survive concurrently (cf. any modern legal system) The Orthodox rabbis would both say that their halachic rulings are in line with the tradition of Torah learning, all the way from Sinai, and that their difference is in details. The Reform rabbi, however, might derive a ruling from other sources of morality, such as secular ethical notions of equality. Reform Rabbi Walter Jacob writes, in Contemporary American Reform Responsa that "Our path in America is clear and our halakhic stance is akin to the pluralism of the past from the days of Hillel and Shammai in the first century through the entire rabbinic period to our own time." Orthodox rabbis would counter that the schools of Hillel and Shammai differed on the particulars of halacha (with the understanding being that the multiplicity of debate was a byproduct of a disucssion of students, not disciples, resulting in flaws of transmission). Thus, the Orthodox scholars believe there was no disagreement over first principles, while Orthodox and Reform differ significantly on major principles, such as Torah being from G-d, and the authority of individuals to decide halacha for themselves. User Contributions:Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Torah and Halachic Authority (3/12) Previous Document: Question 4.5: How does the Conservative movement deal with Halachic questions? Next Document: Question 4.7: Who is RAMBAM that is mentioned & what are his 13 principles Single Page [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: SCJ FAQ Maintainer <maintainer@scjfaq.org>
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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