Hillel and Shammai were two rabbis of the 1st century BCE who founded two rival schools of rabbinical thought. They are known as the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai. The debate that took place between the two was critical to the formation of the Talmud and Judaism as we know it today.

In general, the House of Shammai held stricter views than the House of Hillel. Talmudic tradition lists over 350 controversies between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel. The former was generally seen as a more intolerant school than the latter. Bet Hillel seemed to take more into account the needs and sensitivities of the people. (Tosefta Sukah 2:3 and BT Eruvin 13b.)

The rabbis in the Talmud generally sided with Bet Hillel, although the sages held that both views were valid. One famous difference between them was the position each school held regarding widows who could not conclusively prove that their husband had died. Hillel held that they could remarry even if they had only indirect proof of his death. Shammai required witnesses to provide direct proof of the death in order for the widow to be able to remarry.

Another difference was their position on whether or not to accept converts. Hillel favored accepting proselytes. even if they made absurd demands, such as learning Torah while standing on one foot (Al reguel ajat) while Shammai was more strict.

They also held different positions on the lighting of the Chanukah candles. Bet Shammai held that eight candles should be lit on the first day and one candle should be reduced each day, until only one candle was lit on the last day. Hillel said that it should be done exactly the other way around: start with one and end with eight candles. Hillel’s argument was that the sacred should grow and not diminish. (BT Shabbat 21b). The texts also tell us that Hillel said that a bride on her wedding day should be told that she looks beautiful even if this is not true and Shammai said that one should tell her the truth. (Talmud, Ketubot 16b-17a).

There is a beautiful metaphor in the Tosefta that describes the kind of religious sensitivity that the Talmud tries to foster: “Make for yourself a heart with many rooms and bring to it the words of the House of Shammai and the words of the House of Hillel, the words of those who declare it impure and those who declare it pure.” (Sotah 7:12). In other words, become a tolerant person.

Why did our sages leave both positions written in the Talmud, when they could have eliminated the less accepted one? Perhaps it was to teach us that no one has the absolute truth. That is why they included both points of view.

By Marcos Gojman from various sources.