Q&A: Understanding the Sages
Understanding the Sages
Question
For example, when the Sages say that they have an established tradition that a pit ten handbreadths deep kills, while nine handbreadths does not kill—was that based on the science of their time, or did they simply say it based on their own reasoning? And are there other examples in the Talmud of this kind of thing?
Answer
I assume they needed to draw some kind of line, since it is clear that a pit that kills is not determined precisely by the number of handbreadths. It depends on the area, the type of soil, the heat, and so on.
Discussion on Answer
I think it is very hard to estimate something like that. In any case, that is what the Sages decided. Either way, if you have an assessment for the case in front of you, you can act according to your own understanding.
“It appears to Rabbenu Tam… that this is the way it is with all the measurements established by the Sages.”
Tosafot, on Rabbi Yirmiyah who asked about fifty cubits, writes:
“It appears to Rabbenu Tam… that this is the way it is with all the measurements established by the Sages.”
Explanation: that this is also how it is in reality, and therefore it cannot go beyond the fifty cubits, not even by a single step.
In the case of the pit, why set a fixed line? Why not determine it each time according to the specific case? You could make an assessment.