elu v'elu divrey elohim chayim

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Definitions

  • n. 'Both are the words of the living God'; an expression to validate differing interpretations of the same teaching of the Torah.

Example Sentences

  • "For three years there was a dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, the former asserting, ‘The Halakhah is in agreement with our views’ and the latter contending, ‘The Halakhah is in agreement with our views.’” A resolution was reached when “a bat kol issued, announcing, ‘elu va-elu divrei Elokim Hayyim.'" (Talmud, Eruvin 13b)

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Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew

Etymology

  • אלו ואלו דברי אלוהים חיים elu v'elu divrei elohim chayim '[both] these and these are the words of God'

      • Who Uses This

      • Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education

      Regions

      • North America

      Dictionaries

      • The Joys of Hebrew, by Lewis Glinert (New York, 1992).

Notes

  • "When one Rabbi follows the mesorah handed down from Moshe to his students etc. and another Rabbi does the same, both can come to very different conclusions which are equally valid because both are “The words of the Living G-d." (source)

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