Eilu v’Eilu

Just over two thousand years ago, there were two great schools of Rabbinic thought. One, the more liberal and lenient, was led by Rabbi Hillel. You may recognize that name since modern-day campus Jewish communities have organized using his name for over 100 years. For the first decade of my professional life, I was a Hillel Rabbi.

The more traditionalist school of interpretation was led by Rabbi Shammai. He was interested in preserving older practices and was often resistant to innovations and changes.

The Talmud lists dozens of debates between these two powerhouses of ancient Judaism. While the Talmud loves debates, it is also interested in outcomes. Judaism is, after all, a religion of action. “What are we supposed to do?” is a guiding concern.

Nearly every time that Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai are mentioned, Rabbi Hillel’s positions and practices are the ones that are endorsed.

It might be easy to conclude that Judaism will always take the more “open” approach, favoring it to competing stricter interpretations.

That is why the Talmud tells a more nuanced story about one debate between Hillel and Shammai. That debate went on for years without any resolution. It lasted so long that a “Heavenly Voice” finally proclaimed that "both these and those are the words of the living God." signifying that even opposing viewpoints can be considered valid interpretations of Jewish tradition.

If you want to look up this section in the Talmud, see Tractate Eruvin, page 13b. Most references to this part of the Talmud also include the Hebrew phrase Eilu v’Eilu, which translates as “both these and those.”

Eilu v’Eilu has become a way in Jewish shorthand to indicate the value of considering diverse viewpoints. This is true even when the issues under discussion are seriously contentious. This is true even when a position will ultimately be endorsed. Our tradition has valued the conversation, and has made it a point from time immemorial to record both prevailing opinions as well as those which are ultimately dismissed.

This coming month will feature celebrations of Purim and our annual Jewish Festival. We have been planning these events for months and I am so grateful to all who have contributed their resources and time to making them a success.

This coming month, Rabbi Hertz and I are also launching a series of conversations on issues facing us and society. We are calling these gatherings Eilu v’Eilu. We are doing this because we feel that it is important for people to hear from one another. Through sharing our lives and our perspectives, maybe there will be agreement. Or, as sometimes happens, we might just “agree to disagree.”

During these, we will discuss Immigration, LGBTQ+ Inclusion, and “What’s Going On In Washington?” For each issue, we want to sit together in community as we share, ponder, and listen to one another.

Similar to the Israel Chats that I convened last summer, these meetings will be open for sign-up with a limited number of spaces. Should we need to have a few groups for each topic, we will. The Eilu v’Eilu story of old parallels what has made Temple Emanuel such a strong presence for more than a century. Our connections to one another, and our ability to speak to and learn from one another, is just one more reflection of how "both these and those are the words of the living God."

Sincerest blessings and best wishes,

Rabbi Andy Koren

Senior Rabbi