Q&A: Torah Exegesis
Torah Exegesis
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I wanted to ask: assuming that the tools for expounding the Torah were developed by the Sages and were not transmitted from Sinai, as I understood to be your view, why is it important to understand well the logic of the Sages in their interpretations, which often seems strange to us? After all, just as when a Sanhedrin is reestablished it will be able to dispute the halakhic rulings of the Sages, so too it could dispute their logic and interpret the Torah in whatever way seems correct according to our understanding. Unless this is based on the fact that we are not a greater religious court that can dispute them?
Thank you in advance
Answer
That is not my view. All the medieval authorities agreed that the hermeneutical principles are a law given to Moses at Sinai, except that they underwent conceptualization and analysis by the sages of the generations up through the Sages. Since we have lost the ability to use them, all we can do is learn from those who did know how to do so. Once we understand their approach well, there is no impediment to disputing them and interpreting those principles differently. But even in order to disagree, one must understand the opinion one is disagreeing with.
By the way, to dispute an interpretation there is no need for a religious court greater in wisdom and number. But there does need to be a Sanhedrin or a full consensus of the sages of Israel (like what granted the Babylonian Talmud its authority). A matter established by a count requires another count to permit it. See Maimonides, beginning of chapter 2 of the Laws of Rebels, halakha 1 (and compare with halakha 2, which deals with enactments and decrees).