Q&A: One Truth?
One Truth?
Question
Hello, honorable Rabbi,
In the Talmud many differing opinions are brought.
Is there one halakhic truth that everyone is aiming at?
If several medieval authorities (Rishonim) studied the same passage and arrived at opposite conclusions, can we say that at most one is correct and the others are mistaken?
Or is Jewish law itself a multiplicity of opinions, with no single truth that they are aiming at?
Thank you very much.
Answer
I’ve written about this more than once. In principle, in my opinion, yes—although there can be situations in which there is more than one correct answer. But you need to define more clearly what the halakhic truth is that you’re talking about: what the Holy One, blessed be He, originally intended, or what we are supposed to do now. Those are really not the same thing.
See, for example, here (and many others): 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%90%D7%9D-%D7%94%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94-%D7%94%D7%99%D7%90-%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%99%D7%AA/