Q&A: Jewish Law and Aggadic Midrashim
Jewish Law and Aggadic Midrashim
Question
Hello Rabbi!
- In the Rabbi’s view, should the philosophical ideas of the Sages in aggadic midrashim be included in halakhic considerations?
- If not, then why do they appear together in the Talmuds and in the midrashim (Sifra, Mekhilta, etc.)? And why were they included together along with Jewish laws and clarifications of legal rulings?
- If so, what is the proper weight that should be given to them in relation to halakhic considerations?
With great appreciation,
Tzur
Answer
The Sages brought them because they thought they were correct. But even according to their own approach, it is not certain that their intention was for this to enter into halakhic considerations; perhaps it was only to teach ethics and an intellectual lesson.
But since in the realm of ideas and facts there is no authority, in my opinion these considerations should not be given much place within Jewish law, unless they seem correct to you (but not by virtue of the authority of the Sages). I mean considerations that relate to understanding reality. Value-based considerations (such as the importance of the home and of a couple’s relationship, and the like) naturally carry more weight. Although it seems to me that even here, it is not mandatory (absolute) weight.