Following the Majority Over Heavenly Signs

לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּ֖ים לְרָעֹ֑ת וְלֹא־תַעֲנֶ֣ה עַל־רִ֗ב לִנְטֹ֛ת אַחֲרֵ֥י רַבִּ֖ים לְהַטֹּֽת׃

You shall neither side with the mighty to do wrong—you shall not give perverse testimony in a dispute so as to pervert it in favor of the mighty—

וְעָשִׂ֗יתָ עַל־פִּ֤י הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַגִּ֣ידֽוּ לְךָ֔ מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִבְחַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹרֽוּךָ׃ עַל־פִּ֨י הַתּוֹרָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יוֹר֗וּךָ וְעַל־הַמִּשְׁפָּ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמְר֥וּ לְךָ֖ תַּעֲשֶׂ֑ה לֹ֣א תָס֗וּר מִן־הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־יַגִּ֥ידֽוּ לְךָ֖ יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאל׃

you shall carry out the verdict that is announced to you from that place that GOD chose, observing scrupulously all their instructions to you. You shall act in accordance with the instructions given you and the ruling handed down to you; you must not deviate from the verdict that they announce to you either to the right or to the left.

חָזַר וְאָמַר לָהֶם: אִם הֲלָכָה כְּמוֹתִי – מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹכִיחוּ. יָצָאתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: מָה לָכֶם אֵצֶל רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, שֶׁהֲלָכָה כְּמוֹתוֹ בְּכׇל מָקוֹם. עָמַד רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עַל רַגְלָיו וְאָמַר: ״לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִיא!״ מַאי ״לֹא בַּשָּׁמַיִם הִיא״? אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה: שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה מֵהַר סִינַי, אֵין אָנוּ מַשְׁגִּיחִין בְּבַת קוֹל, שֶׁכְּבָר כָּתַבְתָּ בְּהַר סִינַי בַּתּוֹרָה ״אַחֲרֵי רַבִּים לְהַטֹּת״. אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רַבִּי נָתָן לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי עָבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: קָא חָיֵיךְ וְאָמַר, ״נִצְּחוּנִי בָּנַי! נִצְּחוּנִי בָּנַי!״

Rabbi Eliezer then said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, Heaven will prove it. A Divine Voice emerged from Heaven and said: Why are you differing with Rabbi Eliezer, as the halakha is in accordance with his opinion in every place that he expresses an opinion? Rabbi Yehoshua stood on his feet and said: It is written: “It is not in heaven” (Deuteronomy 30:12). The Gemara asks: What is the relevance of the phrase “It is not in heaven” in this context? Rabbi Yirmeya says: Since the Torah was already given at Mount Sinai, we do not regard a Divine Voice, as You already wrote at Mount Sinai, in the Torah: “After a majority to incline” (Exodus 23:2). Since the majority of Rabbis disagreed with Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion, the halakha is not ruled in accordance with his opinion. The Gemara relates: Years after, Rabbi Natan encountered Elijah the prophet and said to him: What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, do at that time, when Rabbi Yehoshua issued his declaration? Elijah said to him: The Holy One, Blessed be He, smiled and said: My children have triumphed over Me; My children have triumphed over Me.

מִנַּיִין לְהָבִיא עוֹד שְׁלֹשָׁה? סוֹף סוֹף, לְרָעָה עַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם לָא מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לַהּ. אִי אַחַד עָשָׂר מְזַכִּין וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מְחַיְּיבִין – אַכַּתִּי חַד הוּא. אִי עֲשָׂרָה מְזַכִּין וּשְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר מְחַיְּיבִין – תְּלָתָא הָווּ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: אִי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אֶלָּא בְּמוֹסִיפִין, וְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּל, וּבְסַנְהֶדְרִי גְּדוֹלָה, וְאַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה דְּאָמַר שִׁבְעִים.

§ The mishna derives the halakha that there are twenty-three judges on a lesser Sanhedrin from the verses: “And the congregation shall judge,” and: “And the congregation shall save” (Numbers 35:24–25). The mishna understands that the term “congregation” is referring to ten judges, so that the two congregations, one in each verse, total twenty judges. The mishna then asks: From where is it derived to bring three more judges to the court? The mishna answers: The implication of the verse: “You shall not follow a multitude to convict” (Exodus 23:2), is that your inclination after a majority to exonerate is not like your inclination after a majority to convict, and a conviction must be by a majority of two. The Gemara objects: Ultimately, you do not find an occurrence of the inclination for evil according to a majority of two judges. If eleven judges vote to acquit the defendant and twelve vote to convict, this is still only a majority of one, and if ten vote to acquit and thirteen vote to convict, they are a majority of three. With a court of twenty-three judges, there is no possible way to convict with a majority of two. Rabbi Abbahu says: You do not find such a scenario except in a case where they add two additional judges because one of the judges abstained from the deliberation, the other judges are split in their decisions, and the two added judges both vote to convict. And this is a possibility according to all tanna’im, and in a case tried by the Great Sanhedrin according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, who says there are seventy judges on the Great Sanhedrin. With an even number, it is possible to have a majority of two.

וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הִיא, דְּאָמַר: אֵין מַשְׁגִּיחִין בְּבַת קוֹל.

and this Tosefta is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua, who said, with regard to the Divine Voice that emerged and proclaimed that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer in the case of the oven of akhnai (Bava Metzia 59b), that one disregards a Heavenly Voice. Just as he disregarded the Divine Voice in his dispute with Rabbi Eliezer, so too, one disregards the Divine Voice that proclaimed that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel.

אִי מָה מַסְמֵר זֶה חָסֵר וְלֹא יָתֵר — אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה חֲסֵירִין וְלֹא יְתֵירִין, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״נְטוּעִים״, מָה נְטִיעָה זוֹ פָּרָה וְרָבָה — אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה פָּרִין וְרָבִין. ״בַּעֲלֵי אֲסֻפּוֹת״ — אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין אֲסוּפּוֹת אֲסוּפּוֹת וְעוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה. הַלָּלוּ מְטַמְּאִין וְהַלָּלוּ מְטַהֲרִין, הַלָּלוּ אוֹסְרִין וְהַלָּלוּ מַתִּירִין, הַלָּלוּ פּוֹסְלִין וְהַלָּלוּ מַכְשִׁירִין, שֶׁמָּא יֹאמַר אָדָם: הֵיאַךְ אֲנִי לָמֵד תּוֹרָה מֵעַתָּה — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״כּוּלָּם נִתְּנוּ מֵרוֹעֶה אֶחָד״. אֵל אֶחָד נְתָנָן, פַּרְנָס אֶחָד אֲמָרָן, מִפִּי אֲדוֹן כׇּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה״.

The Gemara further asks: If so, one can explain as follows: Just as this nail is diminished in size and does not expand, as it wastes away over time, so too matters of Torah are gradually diminished and do not expand. Therefore, the verse states: “Well fastened [netuim].” Just as this plant [neti’a] flourishes and multiplies, so too matters of Torah flourish and multiply. “Those that are composed in collections [ba’alei asufot]”: These are Torah scholars who sit in many groups [asupot] and engage in Torah study. There are often debates among these groups, as some of these Sages render an object or person ritually impure and these render it pure; these prohibit an action and these permit it; these deem an item invalid and these deem it valid. Lest a person say: Now, how can I study Torah when it contains so many different opinions? The verse states that they are all “given from one shepherd.” One God gave them; one leader, i.e., Moses, said them from the mouth of the Master of all creation, Blessed be He, as it is written: “And God spoke all these words” (Exodus 20:1). The plural form “words” indicates that God transmitted all the interpretations of the Ten Commandments. Since the Sages invariably utilize the Torah itself or the statements of the prophets as the sources for their opinions, there is a certain unity to the study of Torah, despite the numerous explanations and applications.

בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם הֵם עִקַּר תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה. וְהֵם עַמּוּדֵי הַהוֹרָאָה וּמֵהֶם חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט יוֹצֵא לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַעֲלֵיהֶן הִבְטִיחָה תּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז יא) "עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּךָ" זוֹ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה. וְכָל הַמַּאֲמִין בְּמשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ חַיָּב לִסְמֹךְ מַעֲשֵׂה הַדָּת עֲלֵיהֶן וְלִשָּׁעֵן עֲלֵיהֶן: כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה כְּהוֹרָאָתָן עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז יא) "לֹא תָסוּר מִכָּל הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יַגִּידוּ לְךָ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל". וְאֵין לוֹקִין עַל לָאו זֶה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּתָּן לְאַזְהָרַת מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין. שֶׁכָּל חָכָם שֶׁמּוֹרֶה עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם מִיתָתוֹ בְּחֶנֶק שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז יב) "וְהָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה בְזָדוֹן" וְגוֹ'. אֶחָד דְּבָרִים שֶׁלָּמְדוּ אוֹתָן מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה וְהֵם תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה. וְאֶחָד דְּבָרִים שֶׁלְּמַּדוּם מִפִּי דַּעְתָּם בְּאַחַת מִן הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת בָּהֶן וְנִרְאָה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁדָּבָר זֶה כָּךְ הוּא. וְאֶחָד דְּבָרִים שֶׁעֲשָׂאוּם סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה וּלְפִי מַה שֶּׁהַשָּׁעָה צְרִיכָה וְהֵן הַגְּזֵרוֹת וְהַתַּקָּנוֹת וְהַמִּנְהָגוֹת. כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵאֵלּוּ הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לִשְׁמֹעַ לָהֶן. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה. הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים יז יא) "עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּךָ" אֵלּוּ הַתַּקָּנוֹת וְהַגְּזֵרוֹת וְהַמִּנְהָגוֹת שֶׁיּוֹרוּ בָּהֶם לָרַבִּים כְּדֵי לְחַזֵּק הַדָּת וּלְתַקֵּן הָעוֹלָם. וְעַל הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֲשֶׁר יֹאמְרוּ אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁיִּלְמְדוּ אוֹתָן מִן הַדִּין בְּאַחַת מִן הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת בָּהֶן. מִכָּל הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יַגִּידוּ לְךָ זוֹ הַקַּבָּלָה שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ אִישׁ מִפִּי אִישׁ:

The Supreme Sanhedrin in Jerusalem are the essence of the Oral Law. They are the pillars of instruction from whom statutes and judgments issue forth for the entire Jewish people. Concerning them, the Torah promises Deuteronomy 17:11: "You shall do according to the laws which they shall instruct you...." This is a positive commandment. Whoever believes in Moses and in his Torah is obligated to make all of his religious acts dependent on this court and to rely on them. Any person who does not carry out their directives transgresses a negative commandment, as Ibid. continues: "Do not deviate from any of the statements they relate to you, neither right nor left." Lashes are not given for the violation of this prohibition, because it also serves as a warning for a transgression punishable by execution by the court. For when a sage rebels against the words of the court, he should be executed by strangulation, as the following verse states: "A person who will act deliberately...." We are obligated to heed their words whether they: a) learned them from the Oral Tradition, i.e., the Oral Law, b) derived them on the basis of their own knowledge through one of the attributes of Biblical exegesis and it appeared to them that this is the correct interpretation of the matter, c) instituted the matter as a safeguard for the Torah, as was necessary at a specific time. These are the decrees, edicts, and customs instituted by the Sages. It is a positive commandment to heed the court with regard to each of these three matters. A person who transgresses any of these types of directives transgresses a negative commandment. This is derived from the continuation of the above verse in the following manner: "According to the laws which they shall instruct you" - this refers to the edicts, decrees, and customs which they instruct people at large to observe to strengthen the faith and perfect the world. "According to the judgment which they relate" - this refers to the matters which they derive through logical analysis employing one of the methods of Biblical exegesis. "From all things that they will tell you" - This refers to the tradition which they received one person from another.

דָּבָר בָּרוּר וּמְפֹרָשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָה עוֹמֶדֶת לְעוֹלָם וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים אֵין לָהּ לֹא שִׁנּוּי וְלֹא גֵּרָעוֹן וְלֹא תּוֹסֶפֶת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג א) "אֵת כָּל הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם אֹתוֹ תִשְׁמְרוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת לֹא תֹסֵף עָלָיו וְלֹא תִגְרַע מִמֶּנּוּ". וְנֶאֱמַר (דברים כט כח) "וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ עַד עוֹלָם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת". הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁכָּל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה מְצֻוִּין אָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹתָן עַד עוֹלָם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם. וְנֶאֱמַר (דברים ל יב) "לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִיא". הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאֵין נָבִיא רַשַּׁאי לְחַדֵּשׁ דָּבָר מֵעַתָּה. לְפִיכָךְ אִם יַעֲמֹד אִישׁ בֵּין מִן הָאֻמּוֹת בֵּין מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְיַעֲשֶׂה אוֹת וּמוֹפֵת וְיֹאמַר שֶׁה' שְׁלָחוֹ לְהוֹסִיף מִצְוָה אוֹ לִגְרֹעַ מִצְוָה אוֹ לְפָרֵשׁ בְּמִצְוָה מִן הַמִּצְוֹת פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַעְנוּ מִמּשֶׁה. אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁאוֹתָן הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בָּהֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָן לְעוֹלָם וּלְדוֹרֵי דּוֹרוֹת אֶלָּא מִצְוֹת לְפִי זְמַן הָיוּ. הֲרֵי זֶה נְבִיא שֶׁקֶר שֶׁהֲרֵי בָּא לְהַכְחִישׁ נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה. וּמִיתָתוֹ בְּחֶנֶק עַל שֶׁהֵזִיד לְדַבֵּר בְּשֵׁם ה' אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוָּהוּ. שֶׁהוּא בָּרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ צִוָּה לְמשֶׁה שֶׁהַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ עַד עוֹלָם (במדבר כג יט) וְ"לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב": וְכֵן אִם עָקַר דָּבָר מִדְּבָרִים שֶׁלָּמַדְנוּ מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּדִין מִדִּינֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁה' צִוָּה לוֹ שֶׁהַדִּין כָּךְ הוּא וַהֲלָכָה כְּדִבְרֵי פְּלוֹנִי הֲרֵי זֶה נְבִיא הַשֶּׁקֶר וְיֵחָנֵק. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעָשָׂה אוֹת. שֶׁהֲרֵי בָּא לְהַכְחִישׁ הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁאָמְרָה (דברים ל יב) "לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִיא". אֲבָל לְפִי שָׁעָה שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ בַּכּל:

It is clear and explicit in the Torah that it is [God's] commandment, remaining forever without change, addition, or diminishment, as [Deuteronomy 13:1] states: "All these matters which I command to you, you shall be careful to perform. You may not add to it or diminish from it," and [Deuteronomy 29:28] states: "What is revealed is for us and our children forever, to carry out all the words of this Torah." This teaches that we are commanded to fulfill all the Torah's directives forever. It is also said: "It is an everlasting statute for all your generations," and [Deuteronomy 30:12] states: "It is not in the heavens." This teaches that a prophet can no longer add a new precept [to the Torah]. Therefore, if a person will arise, whether Jew or gentile, and perform a sign or wonder and say that God sent him to: a) add a mitzvah, b) withdraw a mitzvah c) explain a mitzvah in a manner which differs from the tradition received from Moses, or d) if he says that the mitzvot commanded to the Jews are not forever, but rather were given for a limited time, he is a false prophet. He comes to deny the prophecy of Moses and should be executed by strangulation, because he dared to make statements in God's name which God never made. God, blessed be His name, commanded Moses that this commandment is for us and our children forever, and, God is not man that He speak falsely. Similarly, if [a "prophet"] nullifies a concept which was transmitted by the oral tradition, or states with regard to one of the Torah's laws that God commanded him to render such and such a judgment, or that such and such is the law regarding a particular instance and the decision follows a certain opinion, he is a false prophet and should be [executed by] strangulation. [This applies] even if he performs a wonder, for he is coming to deny the Torah, which states: "It is not in the heavens." If, however, [he states that] for a limited time [we should follow a particular course of behavior], he should be listened to with regard to all things.

כְּגוֹן הָאוֹמֵר מָה הוֹעִילוּ אֶצְלֵנוּ לוֹמְדֵי הַתּוֹרָה. אִם חָכְמוּ חָכְמוּ לְנַפְשָׁם וְלֹא נַחֲלָה לָנוּ בִּשְׂכָרָם. וְהִנֵּה כִּחֲשׁוּ בַּמֶּה שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (בראשית י"ח:כ"ו) וְנָשָׂאתִי לְכָל הַמָּקוֹם בַּעֲבוּרָם.

And likewise one who leaves one of the words of the Torah and does not concede to it - this is certainly revealing the face of the Torah - for example one who says, “Of what benefit are the Torah scholars for us? If they become wise, they become wise for themselves, and do not bequeath anything to us.” And behold they have contradicted that which is written in the Torah (Genesis 18:26), “and I will raise (spare) the whole place for their sake.”

והאומרים כך טעו, לא הבינו דבריהם, כי חס ושלום שיהיה דבר אחד מדבריהם נאמר להרחבת הלשון ויפוי המליצה, רק כל דבריהם אמת. וכאשר אמרו מנין דבר זה, והביאו ראיה מן המקרא, יש באמת ראיה מן המקרא לדבריהם.

אמנם הד' יסודין עלאין דאינון השרשין קדמאין ואבהן דכולא כנזכר בזוהר וארא כ"ג ע"ב. שהם שרש כל מע"ב ופנימיות כולם. והם ד' אותיות הוי"ה ב"ה. התמזגותם והרכבת' כל עת ורגע בשרש שרשם אינו מושג כלל והוא ית"ש מחדשם כל רגע לפי רצונו. וענין התמזגותם כל רגע הם התתר"ף צרופי השם ב"ה על פי השתנות נקודותיהם תתר"ף רגעי השעה וכן משתנים עוד כל שעה לצרופים אחרים וגם אין מדת יום שוה למדת לילה לא כל יום דומה לחבירו שלפניו ואחריו כלל. ז"ש המחדש כו' מעשה בראשית דיקא: וזהו שנקרא הוא ית"ש האלקים בעל הכחות כולם. שכל כח פרטי הנמצא בכל העולמות. הכל הוא ית"ש הבעל כח שלהם שמשפיע בהם הכח וגבורה כל רגע ותלוים בידו תמיד לשנותם ולסדרם כרצונו ית':

And from when Moshe came and brought it down to Earth, it is no longer in the heavens. And lest a great person whose attainments are vast becomes wise says: “I am one who sees the secret and hidden meaning of the commandments in the powers and upper worlds that are appropriate for me according to the root of my soul-Neshama”, or for anyone else according to his root, to violate (heaven forefend) any commandment or to neglect any of the smallest of details of performance to perform it with an omission of even one detail imposed by the Sofrim, or to change its appropriate time (heaven forefend)—for this reason the Torah concluded with (Devarim 34:10): “no other prophet like Moshe arose”, and as they (OBM) taught [regarding] (Vayikra 27:34): “these are the commandments”. After that era ended, a prophet is not permitted to innovate anything (Shabbat 104a). And as the Torah spoke with authority (Devarim 13:1): “the entire word that I command…, do not add to it nor subtract from it.” For even “if a prophet will arise in your midst…”, that is, to add or subtract (heaven forefend), “do not listen to the words of that prophet. “Follow God-YHV”H your God-Elohi”m.”