Eilu V'Eilu: Learning Torah vs. Historical Events

Full Summary

This shiur presents a fundamental approach to Torah (תורה) study, arguing that we learn Torah as divine wisdom rather than historical documentation. The speaker begins with a classic question: How could we derive the halachah that a non-Jew who strikes a Jew is liable for death (nochri shehigiah Yisrael chayav misah) from Moshe killing the Egyptian, when that Egyptian was also guilty of adultery (eishes ish)? Similarly, how can we learn laws of yeharog v'al yaavor from Esther when the Midrash says she used a demon (shed) as her substitute? The answer lies in understanding that Torah study focuses on the Torah's narrative itself, not the historical events behind it. When we study Torah, we're analyzing the divine text and its teachings, not reconstructing what actually happened. The Torah is written with infinite wisdom, allowing multiple legitimate interpretations. Each valid reading must be halachically sound - if the Torah presents a tzaddik doing something, that action must be permissible according to halacha (הלכה). This is the meaning of 'eilu v'eilu divrei Elokim chaim' - both interpretations are true because they emerge from legitimate Torah analysis. The speaker extends this principle to the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s inclusion of natural philosophy (science) within the category of pardes, which is part of Talmud (תלמוד) study. Just as external wisdom becomes Torah when it deepens our understanding of divine truth, so too multiple interpretations of Torah narratives are all simultaneously true when derived through proper methodology. This approach keeps Torah study dynamic and infinite, preventing us from getting locked into seeking 'what really happened' rather than 'what does the Torah want to teach us.' The key is rigorous, exact study of the Torah text itself, guided by proper rabbinic methodology, while remaining open to the infinite depths of divine wisdom.