Q&A: Only Two Sides in a Conceptual Inquiry
Only Two Sides in a Conceptual Inquiry
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Why do you think that in yeshiva-style conceptual inquiries there are almost always only 2 sides?
(I wrote “almost” so as not to be too absolute, but I don’t know of inquiries with more than 2 sides.)
Does this stem from something essential?
Thank you,
Nathan
Answer
I touched on this in my article:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%97%D7%99%D7%99%D7%91-%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%96%D7%99%D7%A7-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%94%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%9F-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA
There are inquiries with more than two sides. The Rogatchover’s way is in terms of three laws/categories (see Mefa’aneach Tzefunot). And regarding twilight, there are three possibilities (neither day nor night, both day and night, doubtful whether it is day or night). The Rogatchover wrote about this too.