Q&A: Disputes among the medieval authorities in explaining the Talmud
Disputes among the medieval authorities in explaining the Talmud
Question
Hello and blessings to our honorable Rabbi, may he live long and well,
As is well known, regarding a dispute between Tannaim or Amoraim in the Talmud, there is the familiar explanation of “these and those,” but what do we do when there is a dispute between Rashi and Tosafot (for example) in explaining the words of a Tanna, when it is clear that there is no way both interpretations can be correct together? So essentially one of the interpretations is incorrect? When I work hard to understand Rashi, while most of the medieval authorities explain it differently, is it possible that the Tanna’s actual intent really was not like Rashi, and I am learning things that are not correct?
There is an explanation (perhaps from the Hazon Ish) about places where a dispute arose because of different textual versions, that even if only one is correct, we still gained at least the view of the medieval authority himself (who had a corrupted version). But even if that is true, it does not apply in the case I mentioned at the beginning, because Rashi is not coming to state his own view but to explain the view of the Tanna—what he meant.
Answer
First of all, the rule of “these and those” was stated in the Talmud about two cases. Any extension of it is the responsibility of the one extending it. There is no difference at all between disputes in the Talmud and later disputes.
Beyond that, this rule does not mean that everyone is right. I have expanded on this in several places in the past.
This rule means that there is sound reasoning in all of their words, and all of the arguments are valid. In the final ruling, however, the various arguments are weighed, and here there are different opinions of which only one is correct.
Therefore it is important to study the different opinions in order to understand all sides of the issue well. As the Talmud says: 150 reasons to declare impure and 150 to declare pure. And in the Talmud, Hagigah 3b: “Incline your ear to hear the words of those who declare impure and the words of those who declare pure, the words of those who forbid and the words of those who permit…” See there carefully.