Truth on both sides

Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard discusses dialogue in the Jewish tradition, from a paper he presented at a Jewish-Christian symposium in Argentina last August

The Jewish wisdom tradition is filled with differences and disputes about important issues. In the Babylonian Talmud — a discussion on the Torah — the on-going dialectical discussions often do not resolve the differences.

The two earliest schools of thought are called Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai (see quotation below). They differ in cultural style, sometimes in their most central values and also in their legal decisions about ritual, as well as civil and family law. These differences sometimes touch on very serious matters indeed — for example, how incest is defined.

How was this dialogue understood? One approach we find in the Talmud is: Elu v’ Elu Divrei elokim chayin — “the words of these and the words of those are the words of the living God,” that is, the words of both Bet Hillel and of Bet Shammai are the words of the living God. There is truth in both views. There is something important to be learned from both schools.

The implication for us is clear: when we speak to each other in true dialogue, we should hear in the words of the other, the words of God. Of course, we have our own truth, and that truth should be heard. But others also have truth — and we need to listen respectfully to them.

What did they do when real-life decisions had to be made? In many cases, the Talmud says, the law followed Bet Hillel. Why? Because the scholars of Bet Hillel were modest and always cited the opposing view offered by Bet Shammai. True modesty requires an acknowledgement of the value of the views of those with whom we disagree. So in the dialogue between us, we need to remember that we must preserve and understand all the views being expressed, not just those that agree with ours.

In the Jewish wisdom tradition, all of this is rooted in a belief that every human being — rich or poor, wise or foolish, clever or confused — is created in the image of God. As we dialogue, we need to listen to each other with the full knowledge that we are all created in the divine image — not just the people we think “got it right” but also the people we think “just don’t get it.” Because we are all made in God’s image, we are all here and now invited into the shared-dialogue circle of “love your neighbour as yourself,” and we are all invited to express that love by hearing in the voice of the other the voice of the living God.

By Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard

Rabbi Blanchard is Director of Organizational Development at the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership in New York

From the Talmud: A story of dialogue

For three years they disagreed ... These said: “The law should be according to us,” while those said: “The Law should be according to us.”

[Then] a Bat kol [heavenly voice] pronounced: “These and those [elu v’elu] are the words of the living G’d [or the living words of G’d], and the law is according to Bet Hillel” ...

But since these and those are the words of the living G’d, why was it granted to Bet Hillel that the law be established according to them? Because they were tolerant and meek, and related both their own words and Bet Shammai’s words. Moreover, they placed Bet Shammai’s before their own.

This teaches you that whoever humbles himself is exalted by the Holy One, while whoever exalts himself is humbled by the Holy One.

Eruvin 13b. Translation found in The Jewish Political Tradition, by M. Walzer, M. Lorberbaum, N. Zohar and Y. Lorberbaum