From the Rav’s Desk: In the future we will rule like Rashbi in the Talmud?

1. Question: [Tuesday, 18^th Iyar 5783]

Is it true that when Moshiach comes that we will change the way we rule today and rule according to the opinion of Rashbi in the Talmud?

Answer:              

Indeed, there are sources which state that in the future era we will follow the Halachic rulings of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochaiy as stated in the Talmud, unlike today in which there are many areas in Jewish law where we do not follow his opinion and rather rule like an opposing view on the given subject. However, the Rebbe once stated that in the future era Jewish law will remain exactly the way it is today, and we will not change the opinion whom we rule like, with exception to Beis Shmaiy versus Beis Hillel. This implies, that we will not rule like Rashbi in the future era.

Explanation: The Sefer Vayakhel Moshe, written by a student of the Arizal, explains that in the future we will rule like Rashbi. The explanation is as follows:  Although Rashbi is one of the most quoted opinions in the Talmud, and a central figure of Talmudic thought and opinion, nonetheless, we often do not rule like his opinion. In fact, the majority of cases of dispute between him and his colleagues we rule like the opposing view. However, this is not due to any lack of scholarship on the side of Rashbi, but on the contrary, it is due to his all-encompassing depth of scholarship which could not be fathomed by his colleagues, and in Jewish law we always followed the majority. The majority could not comprehend his rulings and therefore did not rule that way, hence affecting the final ruling in Jewish law being unlike his opinion. However, in the future era the Jewish people will be elevated to new levels of scholarship and will be able to comprehend the opinion of Rashbi, and hence in the future we will rule like Rashbi in all the Talmudic debates that he had with his colleagues. This concept is not known to have been mentioned by the Rebbe in his talks, and on the contrary from his talks it is implied that the only matter of Jewish law that will change in the future is that in the future we will rule like Beis Shmaiy versus Beis Hillel.

Sources: See Vayakhel Moshe p. 54; Toras Menachem 5750 Vol. 2 p. 33