From: ljmorly@polaris.utu.fi (Laura Johanna Manninen)
Subject: Hillel, Shammai & the Oral Torah (was Re: An Old Question
Organization: University of Turku
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:16:00

In article <1992Nov6.151950.13363@cbfsb.cb.att.com> hillel@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (hillel.e.markowitz) writes:
  I wrote:
> >>  And there were different opinions about it. R. Hillel accepted
> >> a ger without the "Oral Torah", whereas R. Shammai didn't. 

> This seems to be the standard misinterpretation of the story of the
> nonJew who came to be taught the entire torah while standing on one
> foot.  Both realized that he was mocking them and came to make fun
> of the Torah.  Shammai felt that the proper response was to reject
> this mockery and uphold the honor of the Torah.

> Hillel took a different approach.  He quoted the pasuk "veahavta
> leraiacha kamocha" (You shall love your neighbor as yourself).  He
> then said, "This is the basis for all the Torah, the rest is
> commentary.  *NOW GO AND STUDY*".

Actually I took it from another story. 

Shabbat 31,a: "Our Rabbis taught: A certain heathen once came before 
Shammai and asked him, 'How many Toroth have you ?' 'Two', he replied:
'The Written Torah and the Oral Torah.' 'I believe you with respect to
the Written, but not with respect to the Oral Torah; make me a proselyte
on condition that you teach me the Written Torah [only].' [But] he
scolded and repulsed him in anger. When he went before Hillel, HE
ACCEPTED HIM AS A PROSELYTE. On the first day he taught him, Alef,
beth, gimmel, daleth; the following day he reversed [them] to him.
'But yesterday you did not teach them to me thus,' he protested. 'Must
you then not rely upon me ? Then rely upon me with respect to the Oral
[Torah] too.'"

And the story you told: 

Shabbat 31,a: "On another occasion it happened that a certain heathen
came before Shammai and said to him, 'Make me a proselyte, on condition 
that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot.' Thereupon
he repulsed him with the builder's cubit which was in his hand. When he
went before Hillel, he said to him, 'What is hateful to you, do not to 
your neighbour: that is the whole Torah, while the rest is commentary 
thereof; go and learn it.'"
 
> He didn't accept the ger "without the oral Torah" he took a
> different approach to teaching him the entire Torah.  He felt that
> once the person began to study he would understand the meaning and
> the necessity of the entire torah (both oral and written).  THe
> operative words are in the last sentence which most retellings of
> this story leave out.

I think that the last sentence can be understood also just as a final
comment, not as a command to study the whole [sic[ Torah. But I agree
that R. Hillel did consider also the Oral Torah significant. However
we must remember that there really are things added to it afterwards,
like the idea that sacrifices are no longer needed for atonement, but
somehow the Day of Atonement has become the central factor in it, and
repentance is enough. That's R. Yochanan ben Zakkai's invention and
was not the original Jewish view.

> _______________________________________________________________
> | Hillel Markowitz        |    Im ain ani li mi li             |
> | H_Markowitz@att.com     |    Veahavta Leraiecha Kamocha      |
> |_________________________|____________________________________|

Yours, Laura
--
"They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone are righteousness and
strength.' All who have raged against him will come to him and
be put to shame. But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel
will be found righteous and will exult."       Yeshaya 45:24-25

"Achen Ata El mistater Elohei Israel Moshia."  Yeshaya 45:15