Q&A: The Meiri
The Meiri
Question
The Meiri writes at the beginning of each tractate that he explained the order of the chapters, and he notes that this is “according to our method.” I wanted to know whether there are other methods of dividing the chapters of the tractates, and who in general established the current division.
Another question, please: what is the Rabbi’s view of the saying of the Sages, “A person’s entire sustenance is fixed for him from Rosh Hashanah”? What is the relationship between things being determined in advance and a person’s own effort?
The Meiri writes in his commentary on Beitzah 16 that these things were said by way of rhetorical flourish. What is “by way of rhetorical flourish”? I’m trying to understand the Meiri’s approach on this issue.
Answer
I don’t know whether there are other general methods regarding the order. Sometimes there are differences, like the last chapters of Sanhedrin (the last two are reversed in many editions). I assume Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi established the division, and the dispute, insofar as there is one, is over what that division actually was.
I don’t think this is correct. The Sages cannot know such a thing, so I don’t see anything binding in their statement. Besides, there is itself a dispute about this (see Sabbath 12b, and Tosafot there, who wrote that according to that view there is no benefit to requests made in prayer). “By way of rhetorical flourish” usually means that they should not be interpreted literally. It is a verbal expression whose purpose is to convey a message.
Thank you very much