Can a rishon make a mistake in Science? “Of course not!” some would say. But what about an Amora? Or a Tanna? Or a member of the Sanhedrin? What if it’s a member of the Sanhedrin making a mistake in Torah? What if most of the Sanhedrin makes a mistaken ruling on a chiyuv kareis? Oops, Now we have a pasuk from last week’s parsha:
“If the entire assembly of Israel [the Sanhedrin] shall err, and a matter became obscured from the eyes of the congregation [they permit something that’s really chayiv kareis] ; and they commit one from among all the commandments of Hashem that may not be done, and they become guilty;”
(Vayikra 4:13 Artscroll translation)
Moshe Rabbeinu himself made some ‘mistakes’ in torah. For example, Moshe got angry at Aron HaKohen and made a mistake, when really Aron was right. (vayikra 10:16-20)
Also, in the case of Zimri, Moshe forgot the halacha and only Pinchas remebered (Hashem made Moshe forget, but you still a Sage can forget something.) -see bamidbar 25:7
The Torah is very clear that even the greatest leaders aren’t infallible and can even make mistakes in Torah, something they studied their whole life. Obviously in science, something only developed a few hundred years ago, they may make mistakes.
This is not to say that if a Rishon says something, you can just dismiss it as being mistaken. Obviously, they were the greatest experts and its unlikely they’re mistaken. But if you know elephants can’t jump or something like that you are able to say they were mistaken.
(See also Gil Student’s posts on Hirhurim and Torat Emet. Other blogs like the Jewish Worker also have posts about this issue. Also look at ZooTorah which has many articles about it and has sources.)
6 comments:
Can a Rishon err in science? Certainly. Look at the third perek of the Rambam's Hilchos Yisodei HaTorah. He describes the universe very clearly -- as a geocentric system.
The Wolf
i put some links.
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