Commentary for Bava Batra 260:13

אמר להו רבא לרב פפא ולרב הונא בריה דרב יהושע כי אתי פסקא דדינא דידי לקמייכו וחזיתו ביה פירכא לא תקרעוהו עד דאתיתו לקמאי אי אית לי טעמא אמינא לכו ואי לא הדרנא בי לאחר מיתה לא מיקרע תקרעוהו ומגמר נמי לא תגמרו מיניה לא מיקרע תקרעיניה דאי הואי התם דלמא הוה אמינא לכו טעמא

Our Rabbis taught: The <i>halachah</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., laws for practical guidance. ');">¹²</span> may not be derived either from theoretical [conclusion] or from a practical [decision] unless one has been told [that] the <i>halachah</i> [is to be taken as a rule] for practical decisions. [Once a person has] asked and was informed [that] an <i>halachah</i> [was to be taken as a guide] for practical decisions, he may continue to give practical decisions [accordingly],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He need not ask for a new ruling every time an exactly similar case is brought before him. ');">¹³</span> provided he draws no comparisons.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereby to decide other cases which do not resemble it in all respects. ');">¹⁴</span> What [could be meant by], 'provided he draws no comparisons'? Surely, in the entire [domain of] the Torah comparisons are made! — R. Ashi said: It is this that was meant: Provided one draws no comparisons in [ritual questions relating to] trefoth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] diseased animals which, though ritually slaughtered, are forbidden to be eaten. ');">¹⁵</span> For it was taught: In [the laws of] trefoth it must not be said this [one] is equal to that.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And thus derive one law from another; the law relating, e.g., to a diseased liver from that of a diseased lung. ');">¹⁶</span> And do not be astonished [at this], for [an animal] may be cut on one side<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from here'. ');">¹⁷</span> and die, [yet when] it is cut on another side<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from here'. ');">¹⁷</span> it remains alive.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which shows that the injury to one limb must in no way be compared, for ritual purposes, to the injury of another. ');">¹⁸</span> R. Assi said to R. Johanan: 'May we, when the Master tells us:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the course of our studies and discussions. ');">¹⁹</span> "The <i>halachah</i> is so and so," give a practical decision accordingly?' He said: 'Do not use it as a practical guide<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'do not do'. ');">²⁰</span> unless I declare [it to be] an <i>halachah</i> in [connection with] a practical decision.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which case one is careful with one's statements. In the course of theoretical discussions, however, one may sometimes give an unconsidered decision which may be contrary to the accepted law, ');">²¹</span> Raba said to R. Papa and to R. Huna the son of R. Joshua: 'When a legal decision of mine comes before you [in a written form], and you see any objection to it, do not tear it up before you have seen me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'until you come before me'. ');">²²</span> If I have a [valid] reason [for my decision] I will tell [it to] you; and if not, I will withdraw. After my death, you shall neither tear it up nor infer [any law] from it. "You shall neither tear it up" since, had I been there, it is possible that I might have told you the reason;

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