These and Those
June 8, 2024
Did you know that for two and a half years, two of the most influential Jewish rabbinic sages, Hillel and Shammai, and their students debated whether it was good that human beings were created? The Talmud says, “It would have been preferable had man not been created than to have been created. And those said: It is preferable for man to have been created than had he not been created. Ultimately, they were counted and concluded: It would have been preferable had man not been created than to have been created. However, now that he has been created, he should examine his actions that he has performed and seek to correct them.”
Why in the world would Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai, arguably two of the most influential schools of thought within early Rabbinic Judaism, spend time arguing over something that just is? Humans do exist, so why would it be valuable to anyone to even consider whether creation was preferable or not, let alone disagree about it for two and a half years?
This is the beauty of Judaism, and this is the complexity and discomfort in being Jewish. Nothing, just is and everything is worth consideration. Thinking and rethinking. Gaining new knowledge and new perspectives. This deeply inspires me never to look at things at face value, but it also makes my brain hurt too.
For those who don’t know about Hillel and Shammai, here’s the high-level context.
Hillel the Elder was a prominent Jewish sage who lived around the turn of the 1st century BCE to the 1st century CE. His approach to interpretations of Torah was considered to be more lenient, inclusive, and compassionate. Hillel emphasized humility, peace, and kindness in his interpretations. Beit Hillel’s rulings are generally considered more flexible and adaptable to various circumstances. They prioritize the spirit of the law and consider the broader context of each situation. Hillel’s teachings have had a lasting influence on Jewish thought, and many of his rulings were adopted as normative in Jewish law.
Shammai, a contemporary of Hillel, was known for a stricter, more rigorous, and sometimes stringent interpretation of Jewish law. Shammai emphasized precision and adherence to the letter of the law. Beit Shammai’s rulings are typically more conservative and less flexible, often focusing on maintaining the purity and exactness of religious observance. Although Beit Shammai’s views were often more stringent, they have been respected and studied throughout Jewish history. However, the majority of legal decisions favored Beit Hillel’s interpretations.
The debates between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai are recorded in the Mishnah and the Talmud, showcasing a vibrant period of intellectual and religious development in early Rabbinic Judaism. While they often disagreed, both schools contributed significantly to the richness and diversity of Jewish legal and ethical discourse. Over time, the rulings of Beit Hillel became the dominant perspective in Jewish law, though Beit Shammai’s opinions are still studied and respected as part of the Talmudic tradition. The interactions between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai highlight the value of debate and diversity of thought within Judaism, illustrating the dynamic nature of interpreting religious texts and laws.
Last week, the JCC hosted a Shabbat dinner at Anchor Church of San Diego. The gathering was festive and meaningful, punctuated by compassion, love, and curiosity. The curiosity of our new Christian friends resulted in perhaps a little more confusion than clarity. They just could not wrap their minds around the idea that Jewish people don’t have to believe all the same things and, in fact, value and enjoy debating their interpretations. And when I shared that the nature of the argument mattered as much as what was decided, this left them a little more dismayed.
The nature of the debate matters and has been highlighted in the study of Talmud for centuries. As you study Jewish law, the commentaries of great sages, rabbis, and teachers are written around the text. These commentaries help to bring the voices of dissenting opinions to life, which would otherwise have been left behind with the history of what emerged as the accepted law at the time. Knowing that the dissenting opinions mattered, how was it decided what would become the law?
The Talmud explains, “Rabbi Abba said that Shmuel said: For three years Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagreed. These said: The halakha is in accordance with our opinion, and these said: The halakha is in accordance with our opinion. Ultimately, a Divine Voice emerged and proclaimed: Both these and those are the words of the living G-d. However, the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel.”
Since both these and those are the words of the living G-d, why was Beit Hillel privileged to have the halakha (Jewish law) established in accordance with their opinion?
Beit Hillel was agreeable and showed restraint and curiosity when affronted. When they taught the halakha, they would teach both their own statements and the statements of Beit Shammai. When they formulated their teachings and cited a dispute, they prioritized the statements of Beit Shammai over their own, in deference to Beit Shammai. Keep in mind, these teachings were not written, which means the students of Hillel and the students of Shammai had to regularly interact with each other to actually learn each other’s perspectives. Their goal was not to agree; their goal was to value each other.
Beit Hillel’s opinions and teachings became Jewish law not because his interpretations were more compassionate or inclusive, but because of the way Hillel and his students gave deference to Beit Shammai by sharing their views even before their own. The Talmud says, “This is to teach you that anyone who humbles himself, the Holy One, Blessed be He, exalts him, and anyone who exalts himself, the Holy One, Blessed be He, humbles him. Anyone who seeks greatness, greatness flees from him, and, conversely, anyone who flees from greatness, greatness seeks him. And anyone who attempts to force the moment and expends great effort to achieve an objective precisely when he desires to do so, the moment forces him to, and he is unsuccessful. And conversely, anyone who is patient and yields to the moment, the moment stands by his side, and he will ultimately be successful.”
This week, we will celebrate Shavuot, the holiday in which the Jewish people received the Torah at Mount Sinai. I ask you to consider the “Torah” you believe and how you share it. We don’t need to agree; that isn’t the goal at all. My prayer for this Shavuot is that we can nurture the teachings of Beit Hillel not only for how they narrate our capacity to live ethical lives but also for the way in which they were taught to value all voices of knowledge.
May this week bring you hope and may all of the hostages come home.
Chag Shavuot Sameach.
Shavua Tov,
Betzy Lynch, CEO
