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If you are a Christian or have learned about the Bible separately from Judaism or Judaism separately from the teachings of Yeshua, you may not be aware of how profoundly the teachings of Yeshua are interlaced with teachings from the two most prominent teachers of Judaism from his era. One of the first rules of teaching is to connect the new information with the old. This is exactly what Yeshua did by referring to and refining the teachings of Hillel and Shammai for his direct audiences who would have heard their teachings. As for anyone who says that Yeshua rebuked Judaism and the complete oral tradition, remember what he actually said,
“The Torah-teachers and the P’rushim,” he said, “sit in the seat of Moshe. 3 So whatever they tell you, take care to do it. But don’t do what they do, because they talk but don’t act!" Mattityahu 23:2-3 CJB
Yeshua tells you to listen to the teachers of the Torah, but not to fall into the trap of what existed at that time, where the teachers found ways to avoid acting on what they were teaching. He corrected them. It wasn't an outright rejection. Their teachings, discussions and arguments are recorded in the voluminous writings of the Talmud. Unlike scripture, these are not messages from on high, but are people with delegated authority working out the details of how to live the commandments.
The Talmud is a collection of Jewish oral traditions that interpret and apply the Torah. It consists of two parts: the Mishnah, which records the opinions of the early rabbis, and the Gemara, which adds commentary and analysis to the Mishnah. The Talmud was compiled over several centuries, from the 1st to the 6th CE.
One of the most influential figures in the development of the Talmud was Hillel, a Babylonian scholar who came to Judea in the 1st century BCE. Hillel was known for his wisdom, humility, and compassion. He founded a school of thought called Beit Hillel, which advocated for a lenient and tolerant approach to Jewish law and ethics.
Hillel's main rival was Shammai, a native of Judea who was also a leading scholar and teacher. Shammai founded a school of thought called Beit Shammai, which advocated for a strict and conservative approach to Jewish law and ethics. Shammai was known for his piety, zeal, and authority.
The two schools often debated on matters of ritual practice, theology, and social issues. The Talmud records hundreds of disputes between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai on various topics, such as divorce, Sabbath observance, Hanukkah candles, and conversion. In most cases, Beit Hillel's opinion prevailed as the normative Jewish law, but Beit Shammai's opinion was also preserved and respected.
Hillel and Shammai influenced the creation of the Talmud by providing diverse perspectives and interpretations of the Torah. Their debates enriched the Jewish tradition and challenged future generations to seek truth and justice. The Talmud praises both schools as having a positive value: "A disagreement which is for the sake of Heaven will be preserved, and one which is not for the sake of Heaven will not be preserved. What is a disagreement that is for the sake of Heaven? The disagreement of Hillel and Shammai."
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