INTRODUCTION:

Judaism values open dialogue and debate.
Most of the Talmud (Jewish law) consists of the rabbis explaining their differing opinions on many different topics.
While there may ultimately be one law that is deemed correct, the process of disagreement and mutual understanding is what has been preserved and studied for thousands of years.

A debate for the right reasons is one that is done in God’s name:

כָּל מַ חֲֹלקֶ ת שֶ הִ יא לְ שֵׁ ם שָּ מַ יִם, סֹופָּּה לְ הִ תְ קַ יֵׁם. וְשֶ אֵׁ ינָּּה לְ שֵׁ ם שָּ מַ יִם, אֵׁ ין סֹופָּּה לְ הִ תְ קַ יֵׁם. אֵׁ יזֹו הִ יא
מַ חֲֹלקֶ ת שֶ הִ יא לְ שֵׁ ם שָּ מַ יִם, זֹו מַ חֲֹלקֶ ת הִ לֵׁל וְשַ מַ אי. וְשֶ אֵׁ ינָּּה לְ שֵׁ ם שָּ מַ יִם, זֹו מַ חֲֹלקֶ ת קֹרַ ח וְכָּל עֲ דָּ תֹו:

Every dispute that is for the sake of Heaven, will in the end endure; But one that is not for the sake of Heaven, will not endure. Which is the controversy that is for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Hillel and Shammai. And which is the controversy that is not for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Korah and all his congregation. (Pirkei Avot 5:17)

• What are some examples to which you can equate a debate for the sake of the Heavens?
• Can you think of moments where the speech or dialogue is not done in God’s name?

Rabbis Hillel and Shammai are famous sages that demonstrate the value of tolerance and respecting others with different opinions. While they may not have agreed on many topics, our tradition respects both of their voices.

אָּ מַ ר רַ בִ י אַ בָּ א אָּ מַ ר שְ מּואֵׁ ל: שָּ ֹלש שָּ נִים נֶחְ לְ קּו בֵׁ ית שַ מַ אי ּובֵׁ ית הִ לֵׁל, הַ לָּלּו אֹומְ רִ ים: הֲלָּכָּה כְמֹותֵׁ נּו,
וְהַ לָּלּו אֹומְ רִ ים: הֲלָּכָּה כְמֹותֵׁ נּו. יָּצְ אָּ ה בַ ת קֹול וְאָּ מְ רָּ ה: אֵ ּלּו וָאֵ ּלּו דִּ בְ רֵ י אֱֹלהִּ ים חַ יִּים הֵׁ ן, וַהֲלָּכָּה כְבֵׁ ית
הִ לֵׁל.

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 God. However, the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel. (Talmud Eruvim: 13:10)

• What point do you think The Rabbis were trying to make when they used the expression, both these and those are the words of the living God?

The Halakha generally sides with Hillel. Why?

The Gemara (the conversations about the laws in the Talmud) asks: Since both these and those are the words of the living God, why were Beit Hillel privileged to have the halakha established in accordance with their opinion? The reason is that they were agreeable and forbearing, showing restraint when affronted, and when they taught the halakha, they would teach both their own statements and the statements of Beit Shammai. Moreover, when they formulated their teachings and cited a dispute, they prioritized the statements of Beit Shammai to their own statements, in deference to Beit Shammai. (Talmud Eruvim 13:11)

• What characteristics did The Rabbis seem to appreciate from the House of Hillel?
• Can you make modern day equivalencies to these values?

Ultimately, there was mutual respect and understanding between the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai:

אע”פ שנחלקו ב”ש ]כנגד ב”ה[ בצרות ]ואחיות[ ובספק אשת איש ובגט ישן ]והמקדש את האשה[
בשוה פרוטה ]והמגרש[ את אשתו ולנה עמו בפונדק לא נמנעו ב”ש לישא ]נשים[ מב”ה ולא ב”ה
Tosefta (.מב”ש אלא נהגו האמת והשלום ביניהן שנא’ )זכריה ח׳:י״ט( האמת והשלום אהבו
Yevamot 1:3)

Roughly translated, this text teaches that even though the Houses of Hillel and Shammai debated, this didn’t prevent someone from either house marrying a wife from the other. Rather, they acted with truth and peace between them. As we learn in Zechariah (8:19): “But you must love honesty and integrity.”

• What lessons can we take from the Houses of Hillel and Shammai today?
• Do these apply in our sometimes-fraught political culture?
• Can you think of modern-day examples of Hillel and Shammai?
• What does this history between Hillel and Shammai teach about tolerance today?

לֹֹֽ א־תִ שְ נָּ ָ֥א אֶ ת־אָּ חִ ִ֖ יָך בִ לְ בָּ בֶֶ֑ ָך הֹוכֵֵׁ֤חַ ּתֹוכִִ֙ יחִַ֙ אֶ ת־עֲמִ יתֶֶ֔ ָך וְלֹא־תִ שָָּ֥ א עָּלִָּ֖יו חֵֹֽׁ טְ א׃
לֹֹֽ א־תִ קֵֹ֤ ם וְלֹֹֽ א־תִ טֹרִ֙ אֶ ת־בְ נֵֵׁ֣י עַמֶֶ֔ ָך וְאָֹּֽ הַ בְ ּתָָּ֥ לְ רֵׁ עֲָךִ֖ כָּמֶ֑ ֹוָך אֲנִִ֖י יְהֹוָֹּֽה׃

You shall not hate your fellow Israelite in your heart you shall chasten your fellow Israelite, but you shall not sin against them; Do not seek revenge on your fellow Israelite and you shall love your fellow as yourself for I am God; (Leviticus 19:17-18)