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Talking Talmud

Horayot 3: When a Majority Means Jews in the Land of Israel

09.04.2025 | י״א באלול תשפ״ה

Given that if the majority of Jewish people sin in following an erroneous ruling and they need to bring an offering to atone – who counts as that majority? It excludes the Jews who live in the Diaspora – with a source for that in the book of Kings. Also, how does this kind of majority obviate the views of the minority? And – a new mishnah! When the court issues an erroneous ruling and they realized they were in error and they correct themselves, but there are those who follow the initial ruling – do those people need to bring an offering or not? It will depend on their circumstances and whether they were in the position to hear about the revision to the ruling. Plus, what if the court wants to cancel an entire section of the Torah’s law from practice?

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Anne and Yardaena

Anne Gordon is the deputy editor of Ops & Blogs at The Times of Israel. She is a veteran educator, having taught in high school and post-high school institutions in Israel and America for several decades. Yardaena Osband is a pediatrician and teaches in her community and online. They both hail from Boston, proud alumna of Maimonides School, where they first learned Gemara. Talking Talmud is their conversation (via podcast) on the daf yomi. They say: “Learning the daf? We have something for you to think about. Not learning the daf? We have something for you to think about! (Along with a taste of the daf…) Join the conversation with us!”

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