The Oral Law

In order to emphasize the importance of the Oral Law and the teachings of the Rabbis, the following story was told in Masechet Horiyot.

Rav Papa was one of the great Amoraim in Babylonia. In one occasion, Huna, the son of Rabbi Nachman answered a difficult question regarding the Kohein Hagadol.

The question was whether the High Priest could marry a widow after having being stricken with leprosy. Normally, he is forbidden to marry a widow. But in this case, perhaps the situation was different since he would no longer be able to serve as Kohein Hagadol.

When Huna answered this question in a scholarly manner that the prohibition continued even after being disqualified, Rav Papa was ecstatic. When he saw how Huna was so absorbed in finding the truth of Halacha, he immediately offered him his daughter in marriage.

Huna’s love for learning at such great depth, allowed him to get the prize of becoming the son in law of Rav Papa. This shows how much our great scholars cherished the teachings of the Oral Law. We must work at acquiring that same appreciation of the rabbinic teachings. Who knows, perhaps such a commitment will give you a great scholar as your father in law!