Avodah Zarah, Daf Zayin, Part 2

 

Introduction

Yesterday s sugya referenced a case where the halakhah follows R. Joshua b. Korha. The Talmud now cites several other cases where the halakhah follows him.

 

ת"ר לא יאמר אדם לחבירו הנראה שתעמוד עמי לערב. רבי יהושע בן קרחה אומר אומר אדם לחבירו הנראה שתעמוד עמי לערב.

אמר רבה בר בר חנה א"ר יוחנן הלכתא כרבי יהושע בן קרחה.

 

Our rabbis taught: One should not say to another [on Shabbat]: Do you want to work with me this evening? R. Joshua b. Korha says: One may say to another, Do you want to work with me this evening. Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Yohanan: The halakhah is according to R. Joshua b. Korha.

 

According to the first opinion, one may not ask another person on Shabbat to do some sort of work with him after Shabbat. But R. Joshua b. Korha says that this is allowed.

ת"ר הנשאל לחכם וטימא לא ישאל לחכם ויטהר. לחכם ואסר לא ישאל לחכם ויתיר. היו שנים אחד מטמא ואחד מטהר אחד אוסר ואחד מתיר אם היה אחד מהם גדול מחבירו בחכמה ובמנין הלך אחריו ואם לאו הלך אחר המחמיר. ר’ יהושע בן קרחה אומר בשל תורה הלך אחר המחמיר בשל סופרים הלך אחר המיקל. א"ר יוסף הלכתא כרבי יהושע בן קרחה.

 

Our rabbis taught: If one consulted a sage who declared [a person or article] impure, he should not consult another sage who might declare it as pure. If [he consulted] one sage and he declared it forbidden, one should not consult another sage who might declare it permitted. If there were two sages, and one declares it impure and the other pure, one forbids and the other permits, then if one of them is superior to the other in learning and in number of years, follow his opinion. And if not, follow the one holding the stricter view.

R. Joshua b. Korah says: In laws of the Torah follow the stricter view, in those of the scribes follow the more lenient view.

R. Joseph said: The halakhah is according to R. Joshua b. Korha.

 

Section one of the baraita says that one should not go seeking lenient views. If someone asks a rabbi a question and the rabbi gives a stringent answer, one should not go out and seek a leniency. [We should note, that this does not mean the leniency is wrong in absolute terms. This very source is an interesting statement on the fact that there are often multiple correct answers in halakhah, but that in the end, one must be followed].

Section two says that if one asks two rabbis and one is strict and the other lenient, if one rabbi is greater than the other, then his opinion should be followed. If not, then the stricter opinion should be followed.

R. Joshua b. Korha says that only if the matter is from the Torah must the stricter opinion be followed. If it is from the rabbis, then one may be lenient. The halakhah accords with this opinion.