The Meiri and the attitude towards the Gentiles
Hello Rabbi!
Is it possible to rely today on the opinion of the Meiri, which is to the best of my knowledge a single opinion, regarding the attitude towards Gentiles? Can it be argued that it is not, because “after many to incline”?
Thanks in advance!
Following the majority is the source of the law of following the majority. But when I am not in doubt, I do not have to follow the majority. Like the joke about Rabbi Eybshitz and the priest who asked him why the Jews should not follow the Christians who are the majority.
Therefore, if you believe as Meiri does, then you should act like him. And if not, then no. Only if you are in doubt is there room for argument to follow the majority (and even there it is not clear, because the poskim wrote that when the majority did not discuss together, there is no law to deviate from the majority).
So who is the source of authority for each person?
In general, a strange answer. After all, even the one who overturns the Sanhedrin, who ruled according to the majority, can justify himself by going according to the majority only in cases of inconsistency, and in his opinion there is no doubt about this. Moreover, even the judge whose opinion was not decided (because there was a majority against him) can overturn the ruling, since in his opinion there is no doubt.
Yehuda, indeed. Provided he is the most righteous. See my article on autonomy.
Benjamin, your question is the strange one here. The Torah gives authority to the Sanhedrin, and the meaning of authority is that there is an obligation to obey them even if I think they are wrong (without going into the complicated question of who is wrong in the mitzvah of listening to the words of the sages). What does that have to do with our discussion? Following the majority is a rule of conduct in cases of doubt. Obedience to the Sanhedrin is a normal obligation regardless of situations of doubt.
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