talmudic reasoning

[Scott]

Can anyone point to examples of futile speculation in the Talmud? I think thinking of the lengthy arguments over silly things. Any talmudic reasoning over genealogies would be especially helpful.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

A man once asked his Rabbi to Explain the meaning of "Talmudic
Reasoning."

The Rabbi replied: "Well, it's not too easy to explain, but I
think I can demonstrate it to you and you will get the point.
I will ask you a simple question and you give the answer.
Are you ready?"

The man was ready, so the Rabbi continued: "Imagine that two
men come out of a chimney, one is dirty, the other clean.
Which one takes a bath?" The intrigued listener immediately
replied: "That's easy, Rabbi. The dirty one takes the bath."

"Not so," said the Rabbi. "The Talmud would explain that when
the men came out, the dirty one looked at the clean one and saw
a clean face. Meanwhile the clean one looked at the dirty one
and saw a dirty face."

A knowing look, complete with broad smile, flashed onto the
man's face. The Rabbi continued, "Now tell me which one takes
the bath?" The answer was quick and sure. "Now I get it Rabbi,
the clean one takes the bath!"

The Rabbi looked just a bit unhappy, but he answered patiently,
"No. You see, the Talmud would go on to ask: 'How could two men come out of a chimney and one be clean and the other dirty?"

But seriously, Herman Wouk has written on the Talmudic Method (see here). I believe Philo wrote extensively about genealogies, but I'm not familiar with his writings personally. Just my

 

[Puritanhead]

I wouldn't touch the Talmud with a ten-foot pole... it's full of blasphemy...

 

[Average Joey]

Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot

A man once asked his Rabbi to Explain the meaning of "Talmudic
Reasoning."

The Rabbi replied: "Well, it's not too easy to explain, but I
think I can demonstrate it to you and you will get the point.
I will ask you a simple question and you give the answer.
Are you ready?"

The man was ready, so the Rabbi continued: "Imagine that two
men come out of a chimney, one is dirty, the other clean.
Which one takes a bath?" The intrigued listener immediately
replied: "That's easy, Rabbi. The dirty one takes the bath."

"Not so," said the Rabbi. "The Talmud would explain that when
the men came out, the dirty one looked at the clean one and saw
a clean face. Meanwhile the clean one looked at the dirty one
and saw a dirty face."

A knowing look, complete with broad smile, flashed onto the
man's face. The Rabbi continued, "Now tell me which one takes
the bath?" The answer was quick and sure. "Now I get it Rabbi,
the clean one takes the bath!"

The Rabbi looked just a bit unhappy, but he answered patiently,
"No. You see, the Talmud would go on to ask: 'How could two men come out of a chimney and one be clean and the other dirty?"

But seriously, Herman Wouk has written on the Talmudic Method (see here). I believe Philo wrote extensively about genealogies, but I'm not familiar with his writings personally. Just my

That was one of the funniest things I have ever read.

 

[JohnV]

That was one of the funniest things I have ever read.

But the Talmud would go on to explain that this example of Talmudic reasoning is only the Rabbi's reaction to the teachings; for another Rabbi would look at the first Rabbi and think he himself must have misunderstood; while the first Rabbi, seeing his fellow Rabbi appearing pensive, would think that perhaps he himself had misunderstood. And so you have two Rabbis coming out of the same chimney, so to speak, and neither with an objective view of himself, but just of the other. Together they laugh at the example as funny, and both go home weeping that it was sad.

 

[calgal]

Originally posted by Puritanhead
I wouldn't touch the Talmud with a ten-foot pole... it's full of blasphemy...

Man made laws. It is arguing over nonessentials in my opinion.