Import jQuery

My children have triumped over Me

[This is a pre-recorded message. Judah is gone on vacation this week.]

A memorable story from the Talmud, one which touches on how men's traditions tend to eventually trump God's revelations as time passes from the revelation. So true for both Judaism and Christianity...

One day, a Rabbi named Eliezer was arguing with the other rabbis in a Jewish study hall over a minutia of Torah regarding whether an oven could become unclean.

Rabbi Eliezer stated, "If the law is as I say, may the aqueduct prove it." The water in the aqueduct began to flow backwards. But the other rabbis retorted, "One cannot prove anything from an aqueduct."

Said he to them: "If the law is as I say, then may the walls of the house of study prove it." The walls of the house of study began to cave in. Rabbi Joshua rebuked them, "If Torah scholars are debating a point of Jewish law, what are your qualifications to intervene?" The walls did not fall, in deference to Rabbi Joshua, nor did they straighten up, in deference to Rabbi Eliezer. They still stand there at a slant.

Said he said to them: "If the law is as I say, may it be proven from heaven!" There then issued a heavenly voice which proclaimed: "What do you want of Rabbi Eliezer -- the law is as he says..."

Rabbi Joshua stood on his feet and said: "'The Torah is not in heaven!' ... We take no notice of heavenly voices, since You, G-d, have already, at Sinai, written in the Torah to 'follow the majority.'"

Rabbi Nathan subsequently met Elijah the Prophet and asked him: "What did G-d do at that moment?" Elijah replied: "He smiled and said: 'My children have triumphed over Me, My children have triumphed over Me.'"

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