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הלכה מסיני

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Rabbi Yoel Lieberman

Av 29, 5777
Question
שלום Is there an extensive list of all of the הלכות למושה מסיני ? I have Rambam’s intro to גמרע, but the list there is very short. Thank you, Sincerely, Orrin Davis
Answer
ב"ה, לע"נ אברהם יוסף בן אלתר משה ז"ל Shalom The Rambam in his introduction to the Mishna,(See Shilat edition, 5752, pg. 39) which you have seen, enumerates 33 laws, which come under his definition of Halacha L'moshe M'sinai. However, there are many found in the Talmud, which the Rambam didn't mention and this is discussed at length in Shut Chavot Yair 192 and he reaches the number of 74. In a book published in 1879, by Rav Chaim Biberfeld , called V'elu Hahalachot, he reached 106 Halachot and also offered other possibilities. Furthermore, the Rambam enumerates additional Halacha L'moshe M'sinai in his Mishne Torah which did not appear in his list in the introduction to the Mishna. There is an article in the "Sinai" journal, vol. 118, (אב-אלול תשנ"ו )pgs. 252- 261 , by professor Dror Fichsler who makes a comparative list of Halacha L'moshe M'sinai in different books of the Rambam and suggestions to explain why they are not all enumerated in his first list, though it should be noted that Rambam in his introduction to the Mishna wrote that is not a final list. Also see the article of Rav Nachum Rabinowitz in his book "Iyunim B'mishnato shel HaRambam " (ירושלים , תש"ע) who extensively deliberates on the Halacha L'moshe M'sinai which were omitted by the Rambam. There are also others books referred to in Talmudic Encyclopedia, (my references are to the Hebrew edition) Vol. 9, in the entry of " Halacha L'moshe M'sinai" , column 387, note 318. All the best
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