א"ר אבא אמר שמואל שלש שנים נחלקו ב"ש וב"ה הללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו והללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו
יצאה בת קול ואמרה אלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים הן והלכה כב"ה
Rabbi Abba taught in the name of Shmuel: "For three years the students of Shammai and the students of Hillel disagreed. One group said: the halacha goes according to our way; while the other group said: the halacha goes according to our way.
Finally, a Divine Echo called out and proclaimed: 'Both these and those are the words of the Living God. However, the halacha is in accordance with the opinion of Hillel.'"
A Guide to Source #1
- Halacha--literally means walking. Generally, it refers to matters of Jewish religious practice. Can you identify a religious practice that is significant to your life? How does it feel when someone else contradicts it?
- How do you understand the idea of the Divine Echo?
- Even when multiple options are viable ("the words of the Living God"), sometimes we must decide one way or another. Can you identify a similar dilemma in your life? How did you determine which option to follow?
וכי מאחר:
שאלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים מפני מה זכו ב"ה לקבוע הלכה כמותן?
מפני שנוחין ועלובין היו ושונין דבריהן ודברי ב"ש
ולא עוד אלא שמקדימין דברי ב"ש לדבריהן
A question was raised:
Since a Divine Echo declared: "Both these and those are the words of the Living God," why was the halacha established to follow the opinion of Hillel?
It is because the students of Hillel were kind and gracious. They taught their own ideas as well as the ideas from the students of Shammai.
Not only for this reason, but they went so far as to teach Shammai's opinions first.
A Guide to Source #2
- What criterion is the foundation for the decision to follow Hillel's opinion? Does it seem like a good reason to you? Why or why not?
- When you are selecting one authoritative source over another, what criteria do you base it upon?
- In later Jewish tradition, the debates between the students of Hillel and the students of Shammai epitomize "a debate for the sake of heaven." From what you know in these sources, do you agree? Why or why not?
- Would this source be a good guide for building a pluralistic community? Why or why not?