Thank-you, Rebbe Joshua.

Only, I would say that Resh Lakish was contemporary with R. Yochanan, and R. Yochanan studied under Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi. So , then, he would still fit into the time-frame of R. Oshaya, the son of Rebbe (if, indeed, he compiled the Midrash Rabba). I will look into your links. Thanks, again.

David

Rebbe Joshua, Shalom!

This is a private message.

The Rabbi has said consistently that only the section of Midrash Rabba known as Genesis Rabba (Breishis Rabba) was written at the time of or prior to the Talmud, and has equal status with that of the Talmud, etc. However, no source was cited to verify this fact. Moreover, the Rabbi said that the other books of the Midrash Rabba were compiled long after the other, during the Middle Ages, and that they do not enjoy the same status. I do not refute this, but only wish to know whence it is that you base your information. Therefore, I will now ask you for the source, since I am somewhat skeptical to accept it as fact – although not refuting it either. These are my reasons.

In the edition of Bahag (Halachos Gedolos), vol. III published by Ezriel Hildesheimer and his son Naftali Zevi Hildesheimer for "Chevras Mekitzei Nirdamim," 1987, pp. 376-377, under the sub-heading of "Hilchos Mishmaros," we find this interesting statement by the Gaon:

חמשה חומשי תורה: בראשית, ואלה שמות, ותורת כהנים, וחומש הפיקודים ומשנה תורה. שמונה נביאים הם: יהושע, שופטים, שמואל, מלכים, וישעיה ירמיה יחזקאל ותרי עשר. אחד עשר כתובים הם: דברי הימים וספר תילים, משלי ואיוב ודניאל, עזרא, רות ושיר השירים, קינות וקהלת ומגילת אסתר. ששה סדרי משנה: סדר זרעים, סדר מועד, סדר נשים, סדר נזיקין, סדר קדשים, סדר טהרות – סימנהון זמ"ן נק"ט. ששה סדרי תוספות, ותשעה [דבורים] שלתורת כהנים. וארבעה מדרש סופרים חיצונות וקטנות אין מספר: סִיפְרָא וְסִיפְרֵי שהן ארבעה ספרים ואילו הן: 1) בראשית רבה; 2) ומכילתא דואלה שמות; 3) וספר וידבר; 4) ואלה הדברים. וכולהו פירושין בתורת כהנים וחיצונות וקטנות לעֵל הלכות ואגדות ודיקדוקי תורה ודיקדוקי סופרים וקלין וחמורין וגזירות שוות ותקופות וגימטריות ודבר גדול ודבר קטן

R. Hildesheimer wrote as a footnote in that chapter of Bahag:

"רק בראשית רבה נזכר כאן, כי יתר חלקי המדרש רבה לתורה חוברו אחרי הספר הלכות גדולות."
(Translation)
"Only 'Breishis Rabba' is mentioned here, for the other parts of the Midrash Rabba concerning the Torah were compiled after the book Halachos Gedolos."

My question to you is: "Where does he know this?"

For just as the book of Numbers was formerly called "Chomash Pequdim," named after its first section which deals with the numbering of the children of Israel, although there are many other sections in the book dealing with a range of other topics, could it also be that the entire collection of Midrash Rabba was called "Breishis Rabba," or what is called in other texts, "Breishis deRebbe Oshayah," seeing that the Midrash begins with the words of Rebbe Oshayah,רבי הושעיא רבה פתח ואהיה אצלו אמון וכו' , but never meant to exclude the other books?

What lends credence to this theory is that in Seder Hakabbalah le'Ravad it says that Rabbi Oshaya, the son of Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi, along with R. Hiyya and R. Shimon, the son Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi, all wrote the Boraitta collections and Mekhilta.

What lends further credence to this is a statement found in Taanis 21a:
"Ilfa balanced himself at the top of the ship's mast and declared: 'If anyone asks me a question regarding a statement of R. Hiyya and R. Oshayah and I am unable to answer it from our Mishnah, I will throw myself from the mast and drown."

Thus we see that any teaching of R. Hiyya and R. Oshaya can be derived from the Mishnah. It would seem that we're talking about a very large collection of sayings that could only be found if we include the entire Midrash Rabba.

Also, we find in "Iggeres of Rav Sherira Gaon," pg. 43, this statement:
"Unlike the braissa [collection] of R. Chiyya and R. Oshaya, these [other] braissos were not established so as to be studied by everyone. Nor do we refer to them with the [introductory] expression, 'Tannu Rabbanan,' etc."

Again, it would seem that the works left to us by R. Oshaya were of a broader scope, and not just some small book with little reference to halacha. Only if we take into account the other books do we have a relatively large corpus to draw from, such as the teachings in Numbers Rabba 15:13, or ibid. 18:17, ibid. 19:3, and in many other places which speak about halacha.

I am only asking because I do not know the answer to this question.

For your information:

Approximate order of their compilation:
1) Seder Olam (R. Yose b. R. Halpetha)
2) Mekhilta of R. Shimon bar Yochai – now obsolete, while only excerpts of that ancient work have been preserved in the Yemenite "Midrash Hagadol."
3) Mishnah (Rebbe) 189 C.E. / 500 year of Alexander
4) Mekhilta (R. Ishmael b. R. Yose)
5) Tosefta (R. Hiyya the Great)
6) Sifra & Sifrei (Rab – Abba Aricha collected them)
7) Mishnath R. Nathan (Avoth deRebbe Nathan)
8) Midrash Rabba (R. Oshaya, the son of Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi)
9) The Jerusalem Talmud (R. Yohanan)
10) The Babylonian Talmud (In the days of Ravina and Rav Ashi)
(The oldest and most complete manuscript of the Babylonian Talmud is the Munich Ms., copied in 1334 C.E., available only in facsimile edition. Today, almost all benei Yeshivos make use of the Romm edition, first printed in Wilna, Poland).


David

Thankyou, Rav Waxman-- this is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Very helpful.

Rav Waxman said: "2) In terms of hair covering, lehalacha, there are two different levels, as the gemara in Ketubot 72 makes clear. There is the Biblical level and the level of Dat Yehudit. The Mishna is not talking about the hair entirely uncovered, but rather with a basket-hat, a kalta. This is not "erva" in the Biblical sense, but if a woman violates Dat Yehudit, her husband is able to divorce her without paying her ketuba. Meanwhile, going out with her hair entirely uncovered is derived from a derasha from Sotah as an azharah, and thus it is a derasha and so rises to a Biblical level. But an important point is that not every minhag rises to a Biblical level. Specifically, the ones that we have derashot for rise to the Biblical level."

When I was married, my hair was always covered in a snood. When I got divorced, I kept it covered. A friend of mine asked me why my hair was covered. I told her I didn't want everyone trying to fix me up. She said it was wrong, because it was like lying to the community. I haven't worn it covered (in a snood) since. Is there truth to this? If you like, we can start a discussion about this. Kol Tov,
Hadassah

OK. "THE" or not "THE" That is the question! I am painfully amateurish at Hebrew, as my girls were raised in an Orthodox school and I was raised in the sticks as it were, of New Mexico, in the only Orthodox family anywhere around. So I need a little help here. I started reading (again) Bereshis (don't know how anyone ever got past it) and it says, (as best I can tell) "In beginning..." not In "THE" beginning... as there is no "Ha". Does that mean--In the process of beginning, as in "during"... or does it mean in A beginning, as in... there were other worlds, and/or creations (which seem to be supported by dinosaurs, etc.) or does it simply imply the "the" in a way I haven't learned yet?? HELP!

Rabbi Joshua,

Send me an e-mail, and I will continue to respond privately to your remarks - that is, if you're interested.

My e-mail is: Davidbena2@walla.com

I'd still like to clarify some points of yours.

Be well,
David

Thanks for your comments on the Parsha Math. I appreciate the info and especially like the feedback that someone is viewing my posts. I do read parsha.blogspot. Thanks for the write ups. Benyomin Hoffman