Proofs Through Contradiction16. R. Duran notes that after King Solomon had the Temple built, he sanctified the interior of the courtyard by personally offering sacrifices [1 Kings 8:64]. How could Solomon offer these sacrifices in the Temple when every indication in the Torah is that only priests may offer sacrifices? From where did Solomon know that a non-priestly king can offer a sacrifice to sanctify the Temple if not from an oral law? It certainly is nowhere in the written law [Rashbatz, ibid.].
According to Orthodox belief, the Written and Oral laws do not contradict each other. Now, does the Written Torah forbid Solomon to do what he did? If yes, then what he did was a sin, since the Oral Torah cannot allow something that is forbidden by the Written Torah; Solomon could not have learned from the Oral Torah that his actions were permitted. If no, then there is no problem, since if something is not forbidden, then it is allowed.
Posted by Ami at February 21, 2004 10:16 PM | TrackBack