ע - מכללת ליפשיץ - Macam

V
Abstracts
Shlomo Toledano
Effecting the Reconciliation of Opposing Opinions in
Halakhic Disputes
An important feature characterizing Talmudic literature lies in the
fact that in spite of the very many disputes regarding matters of
halakhic practice that are recorded as having existed throughout the
ages, we also find contrary records of the attempts to nullify these
disputes or to qualify them by combining or unifying the two
opinions.
Thus in the period of the Mishnah we find tannaim such as
R. Yosi and R. Yehudah who took up a mediating position between
the opposing views and reconciled them by applying one to a
particular context and the other to a different set of circumstances.
In the post-mishnaic period we find amoraim such as R. Papa
who united the two contrary opinions by applying both
simultaneously.
The process of reconciliation continued in the period of the
rishonim (authorities of the 11 th –15 th century) especially in the
writings of the tosafists and the Ramban, and reached its peak
with the publication of the Shulhan Arukh of R. Joseph Karo in the
16 th century.
The processes of unification have not ceased since then, as may
be evidenced in the fact that the classic difference of opinion
between Rabbenu Tam and the Geonim regarding the definition of
bein hashmashot (twilight) has in recent times been reinterpreted so