Q&A: Tradition Regarding a Gezerah Shavah
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Tradition Regarding a Gezerah Shavah
Question
Since a gezerah shavah is transmitted by tradition from Sinai, then wherever there is a gezerah shavah, can one rely on the Sages that this text really came from Sinai and is not a later addition?
Answer
No. See the Talmudic Encyclopedia, entry “Gezerah Shavah.” Nachmanides and his students already noted that there are disputes regarding gezerah shavah, and therefore the tradition is apparently not complete (the tradition transmitted the source but not the law, the law but not the source, some hint of this sort or another, etc.).