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THE DAFYOMI DISCUSSION LIST
brought to you by Kollel Iyun Hadaf of Yerushalayim
Rosh Kollel Rabbi Mordecai Kornfeld
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Re: Halachic authority in the practice of Jewish Law
The Kollel wrote:
>5. When an earlier authority is considered to be wiser and to have a
>more
>reliable Mesorah (tradition from his masters) than another, his
>opinion is
>given more weight. For this reason, no one in the present generation
>is
>able to "override" a Halachic decision passed by the early Talmudic or
>post-Talmudic sources. ("Ein Amora Cholek Al Tana...")
Mordechai Dixler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> comments:
I was wondering what the source for this "ein amora.." rule is; I was
unable to find it on a computer search. From the quote above it seems
like you're quoting a gemara. Off hand I thought it was inferred from
"rav tanna hu upulig..."
Also, while I was searching for this I noticed that most places that came
up in my particular search the word "amora" was used as a spokesman, a
turgamin, a loudspeaker . Is that actually why they're called amoraim? I
had always assumed it was because their statements begin with "amar.." as
opposed to the tannaim who's statements are preceded with "tanya, tnan,
etc.."
Thank you and much hatzlacha,
Mordechai Dixler
---------
The Kollel replies:
You are correct; the wording is mine, but the source is the statement you
quoted (and others) which imply that an Amora cannot argue with Tana'im.
I'm not sure if the Tana'im are called by that name because their words are
introduced with "Tanya...", or vice versa, i.e. Tanaitic statements begin
with "Tana" because they were made by Tana'im. The letters "Tav" and "Shin"
are interchanged in Aramaic, and Tanya means "Shaninu", or "we learned."
Thus, a Tana is a mentor.
I don't think the word "Amora" comes from the word "Amar." It would indeed
seem related to the Amora you mentioned, meaning public speaker, perhaps
because of the practice that seems to have been initiated in Bavel for the
Roshei Yeshiva to teach Halachos in broad public forums (see Berachos 17b
etc.).
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld
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