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Why did Sadducees reject oral law interpretations that seemed to contradict written Torah (תורה)? The shiur reveals that their dispute with Pharisees stemmed from viewing humans as God's employees rather than servants—making it illogical for God to grant interpretive authority that could override the written contract. Pharisees understood that since we belong entirely to God with no separate interests, He can trust us to discover His true will even through seemingly contradictory interpretations.
Rabbi Zweig continues his analysis of Maimonides' eighth principle of faith, addressing the fundamental question of why it's essential to believe that every aspect of Torah (תורה)—both written and oral—comes directly from Moshe and God. He begins by resolving several outstanding questions from the previous shiur, including why one should stand during the Ten Commandments reading and how the Sadducee movement gained credibility despite violating this principle. The core of the shiur focuses on the true nature of the Sadducee-Pharisee dispute. Rabbi Zweig argues that conventional understanding—that Sadducees rejected oral law entirely—is superficial and historically inaccurate. If Sadducees truly rejected oral law, they couldn't have performed basic mitzvos like mezuzah, Shabbos (שבת) observance, or circumcision, since the written Torah provides insufficient detail for practical observance.
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