Q&A: Presumptions and "In His Power" in Prohibitions
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Presumptions and "In His Power" in Prohibitions
Question
I read your article on migo, the force of a claim, "the mouth that forbade," "in his power," and the other presumptions, where you explained that this is a legal line of reasoning and not a probabilistic one. How would you explain this regarding prohibitions—for example, doubtful forbidden fat, doubtful permitted fat, and so on—where we also find the force of "in his power" and other presumptions? What is the nature of these principles?
Answer
What is the question? There too, it is a legal / halakhic line of reasoning.
Discussion on Answer
Definitely different. See the discussion in Shay Wosner's book, Legal Thinking in the Lithuanian Yeshivas.
If there is one button that activates a bomb and one button that does not activate a bomb, would you press one of them based on legal considerations? Is a prohibition different from the idea of a bomb?