" Both are the Words of the Living God": A Typological Analysis of Halakhic Pluralism

The Talmud's idea that "Both Are the Words of the Living God" raises the question: How can two mutually contradictory opinions be the words of God? In this paper, I analyze in detail one answer to this question, according to which the opposing opinions are equivalent from the point of view of Halakha, that is: in a given situation, more than one right answer is possible. This thesis involves some central questions regarding the philosophy of halakha, such as: (a) What are the religious and theological assumptions that make this plurality of opinions possible? (b) Are there any limits to this open horizon of possibilities? (c) What is the ontological status of the halakhic decisions? These questions are discussed through analyzing rabbinic literature and the discussion leads to a better understanding of the self-understanding of the rabbis.