The machlokes between the Sages and the Tzeddukim on when to burn the ketores is a very big deal. They were moser nefesh to do it their way, and we were moser nefesh to stop them - making the cohen gadol swear. I'm wondering, what are they arguing about? Is this just some technical detail, and a disagreement on the drashos?
Several points:
1) The simple reading of the verses is unmistakeably like the Chachamim (unlike my normal perception that people like the Tzeddukim are against תורה שבע"פ):
יב וְלָקַ֣ח מְלֹֽא־הַ֠מַּחְתָּ֠ה גַּֽחֲלֵי־אֵ֞שׁ מֵעַ֤ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י ה' וּמְלֹ֣א חָפְנָ֔יו קְטֹ֥רֶת סַמִּ֖ים דַּקָּ֑ה וְהֵבִ֖יא מִבֵּ֥ית לַפָּרֹֽכֶת: יג וְנָתַ֧ן אֶת־הַקְּטֹ֛רֶת עַל־הָאֵ֖שׁ לִפְנֵ֣י ה' וְכִסָּ֣ה ׀ עֲנַ֣ן הַקְּטֹ֗רֶת אֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָֽעֵד֖וּת וְלֹ֥א יָמֽוּתIs it not obvious that you go in first, then place the ketores on the fire? (Malbim, RSR Hirsch)
2) On the other hand, the position of the Tzeddukim seems perhaps more reasonable מסברא פשוטה. If you doubt my word, here's how they are quoted in the Sifra:
שהרי הצדוקים אומרים יתקן מבחוץ ויכניס מבפנים אם לפני בשר ודם עושים כן ק"ו לפני המקום
It seems to be logical to prepare first, then bring it in, rather than patchki-ing around before the king.
If so, and the Sifra doesn't argue the point, why then does the Torah tell us to do it differently? (Rav Hirsch has a lengthy explanation, and seems to think that the normal practice is irrelevant. But I'm looking for something simpler, if possible, and I'm not as sure as he is that one should just ignore their argument.)
Several points:
1) The simple reading of the verses is unmistakeably like the Chachamim (unlike my normal perception that people like the Tzeddukim are against תורה שבע"פ):
יב וְלָקַ֣ח מְלֹֽא־הַ֠מַּחְתָּ֠ה גַּֽחֲלֵי־אֵ֞שׁ מֵעַ֤ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י ה' וּמְלֹ֣א חָפְנָ֔יו קְטֹ֥רֶת סַמִּ֖ים דַּקָּ֑ה וְהֵבִ֖יא מִבֵּ֥ית לַפָּרֹֽכֶת: יג וְנָתַ֧ן אֶת־הַקְּטֹ֛רֶת עַל־הָאֵ֖שׁ לִפְנֵ֣י ה' וְכִסָּ֣ה ׀ עֲנַ֣ן הַקְּטֹ֗רֶת אֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָֽעֵד֖וּת וְלֹ֥א יָמֽוּת
2) On the other hand, the position of the Tzeddukim seems perhaps more reasonable מסברא פשוטה. If you doubt my word, here's how they are quoted in the Sifra:
שהרי הצדוקים אומרים יתקן מבחוץ ויכניס מבפנים אם לפני בשר ודם עושים כן ק"ו לפני המקום
If so, and the Sifra doesn't argue the point, why then does the Torah tell us to do it differently? (Rav Hirsch has a lengthy explanation, and seems to think that the normal practice is irrelevant. But I'm looking for something simpler, if possible, and I'm not as sure as he is that one should just ignore their argument.)
Last edited by MichoelR on Sun Mar 30, 2014 11:12 pm; edited 1 time in total