Q&A: Second Festival Day
Second Festival Day
Question
Hello Rabbi Michi, is there still any point nowadays in observing the second festival day of the Diaspora, and in the Land of Israel as well the two days of Rosh Hashanah? In my view, the rationale has lapsed, so I don’t see any reason not to abolish the enactment.
Answer
Indeed, there is no reason for it at all. But an enactment whose rationale has lapsed does not automatically lapse, because we do not have a Sanhedrin. A matter established by formal count requires another formal count to permit it.
However, Rabbeinu Ephraim, a student of the Rif, held that one should not observe two days of Rosh Hashanah in the Land of Israel, but this is a lone opinion and its reasoning is unclear.
Discussion on Answer
Indeed, it really is a tragedy. I surveyed various approaches in my article on repealing enactments nowadays and in my book Movements Among the Standing. But it’s hard to do such things, at least in matters that affect the public domain, without some kind of consensus.
Michi,
What are the three biggest changes that should be made if there were a Sanhedrin?
I don’t know
So then we’re just stuck with lots of enactments that are no longer relevant to our generation simply because we’re unable to appoint a Sanhedrin? Is there perhaps no alternative to a Sanhedrin that could repeal these enactments?