TheYeshiva.net - Rabbi YY Jacobson

Basics of Emunah #8: How Judaism Developed Over the Ages -- Part Two

The Story of the Oral Tradition

1 hr 41 min

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Basics of Emunah #8

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A
ananymous -5 years ago
Why was the development of Judaism by the ancient Hebrews important?
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Anonymous -5 years ago
People ask why can't the reform change the laws like the rabbis.

Well, I studied constitutional law and practice some immigration law. What would be if NY, NJ and every other state could give American citizenship? While each state makes certain laws, only a centralized body can determine membership in the entity. Otherwise it's chaos.

Similarly the standard is much higher for a foreigner to become an American (they check criminal history, ask questions like what groups you belong to, etc.) whereas a born American is one regardless of his beliefs, conduct, etc. So too the standard for a proper conversion is higher than the no standard at all for a born Jew.

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- PF
  P Fried -3 years ago
  Ok, but the truth is much more fundemental than that. No Rabbi can change anything in the Torah. There are Rabbinic enactions, and at times they can override certain Halachos of the Torah, but only within a specific framework, which the Torah itself set up.
  
  Furthermore, a Rabbinic "takana" must be enacted by "Rabbanan", which by definition means people who have breadth of Torah knowledge, and fear God.
  
  Also, as the first mishna in Avos teaches, the whole idea of Takkonos D'Rabbonon are to be a 'fence' to protect Torah observance, not the opposite, God forbid.
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Anonymous -6 years ago
TO SOL
THERE ARE IN FACT NUMROUS CLEAR REFERENCES TO MITVOS IN TANACH .ALTHOUGH I DONT REMEMBER OFFHAND THE EXAMPLES. IDONT WANT TO BE INACURATE SO I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT I ONCE READ ALOT ABOUT IN THE SEFARIM OF RABBI AVIGDOR MILLER ZTL.IT WAS EITHER IN REJOICE O YOUTH AWAKE MY GLORY OR SING YOU RIGHTEOUS HATZLACHA!!!
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A
AMen -8 years ago
Rabbi Jacobson,
Thank you for another wonderful shiur and series.
I was a bit astounded, however, by a part of your definition of Torah SheB'al Peh. Unless I misunderstood, you seem to include all D'Rabanans ("new legislations") as part of Torah ShB'al Peh.
Is this a generally accepted position? In fact, this position is also my understanding (and perplexity on my part) from Chasidesh writings.
But, on the other hand, I am sure I have heard otherwise from other reliable rabbonim, that Torah SheB'al Peh includes only D'Oraisos, as it parallels Torah SheB'Chsav. Or to put it another way, D'Oraisa includes Torah SheB'Chsav and Torah SheB'al Peh. D'Rabanans have the authority of Lo Tasur, but are not included in Torah SheB'al Peh.
Also, IMHO, the Rambam implies, in that first sentence of the Hakdama, that D'Rabanans are a separate corpus of law, not part of Torah ShB'al Peh.
Also, the Rambam took issue with the BaHag who included DRabanans in his counting of the 613 mitzvahs; which seems to me to be a related issue.
I would be interested in your thoughts on this.
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S
Sol -8 years ago
In the Tenaach there are hundreds of episodes of our forefathers. Why don't we ever Bump into PISUKIM of anyone wearing or writing Tefilin, hanging or writing a Mezuza, counting Sefira, Benching, saying Krias Shema Bizmanoi morning and evening, doing Pidyon Haben or Pidyon Chamor, fasting Yom Kipur, sitting and studying Torah, wearing Tzitzis, buying an esrog, blowing Shofar Rosh Hashana (Yom Hadin)?
How about all the thousands of Halocho Lmoishe Misinai that they had to keep on teaching to their children? No mention.
How about all the hundreds of mitzvahs relating to Ziroim, T'haros and Kodshim that would take up an addt'l 50% of their day?
Why don't we bump into such Pisukim, them even by accident?
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- A
  anon -8 years ago
  pls address this questions
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