Small tidbits and Sparks of wisdom

Some Say This Way, Some Say That Way; Both Are the Word of Hashem

Torah is the word of Hashem. It is His personal journal. As such, we would expect Torah to be a list of clear, unambiguous facts and instructions. So why do we find so much machlokes throughout the Mishnah and Gemara? Why are there so many disputes? How can both sides be right?

Torah, both the Written Torah as well as the Oral Torah passed down from generation to generation and ultimately enshrined in the Talmud, is the unadulterated word of Hakadosh Baruch Hu Himself. The bearers of our Mesorah did not tamper with this legacy and did not insert opinions of their own. They served faithfully in their scribal role, transmitting the Torah exactly as they received it. This, however, sets the stage for a glaring question: If Torah Shebe’al Peh is not a set of personal opinions, but rather a record of pure dvar Hashem, how is it that it is not a monolithic work of information? The Oral Torah features numerous disagreements, many of which involve opposing and seemingly irreconcilable viewpoints. How can two divergent opinions both be considered the word of Hashem?

When we encounter a halachic question, we turn to the Torah and our rabbanim for guidance. At times, the answers may not be clear-cut. Often, we are told that the matter is subject to machlokes: Some rule leniently, others are stringent. On the communal level as well, divergent halachic approaches abound, leading to significant divisions between various factions of frum Jewry. Construction of mikvaos, wearing tefillin on Chol HaMoed, building an eruv in a major urban area—these are but a few topics that are subject to marked dispute. The rift is further magnified by contemporary issues or innovations that require a halachically valid response. Does government supervision render milk kosher? Is human genetic engineering permitted? One rav rules this way, another rav says that way. Some communities follow this opinion, others take a drastically different approach. So much divide, so much disagreement.

And yet—these passionate debates reveal the beautiful facets of Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s diamond. With the guidelines transmitted through the ages, we are all doing our utmost to discern Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s will. There are many angles and many approaches, as unfortunately, we lack the authoritative body of Sanhedrin to issue an unequivocal ruling. Yes, the lack of clarity is distressing, but the full-throated, legitimate, spirited debate it spawns is something of beauty. Because doing the will of Hashem matters to us, we won’t settle for anything less.

If people attempt to justify entrenched dubious practices or to find sources in the Torah to validate in-vogue moral standards, we pay them no regard. The sincere machlokes rooted in yiras Shamayim is a sign of a living Torah, not a fractured one. We argue because we care, we debate because we seek truth, and we accept multiple valid paths because all of them—when honestly rooted in the Mesorah—are part of the dvar Hashem.