Tears of the Sages - Parshat Acharei Mot

the master work of the rambam my Mones is the mishna Torah it details every aspect of Jewish life with tremendous precision as a work of Hala of law however a story would seem to be out of place in the section that deals with yam kipur yipa service in the B mikdash the temple however the rambam seems to depart from the Precision of Haka to tell a story before the Coen hagodol the high priest commenced the yam kipo service the Elders of the Sanhedrin would make him swear to do the service exactly as instructed specifically they'd make him swear that he'd burn the incense only inside the holy of holies which is way the oral Torah mandates it to be you see in talmudic times there was a group called The Sadducees and they denied the authority of the oral Torah they claimed that the incense should first be placed on a burning fire pan outside the holy of holies and only then should the Coen godol carry it in side so the elders made the Coen godal swear not to perform the service in the manner of the Sadducees and then both the Coen godal and the elders would turn aside from each other and Weep the Coen godal would weep because they suspected him of being a sadu the elders would weep because there was reason to suspect him why did the rambam choose to enshrine this tragically touching moment in a practical Manual of of law let's understand how this story started one year the Sadducees proposed a compromise they suggested that for the sake of peace and unity the Coen godal should light the incense both outside and inside the holy of holies what could be better everyone would be happy the elders were in a no- win situation to accept this offer would be to add a Mitzvah to the Torah which is expressly forbidden to refuse would make them seem callous and indifferent to Jewish unity in the event the rabbis had no option but to say no but at what great cost and with what Heavy Hearts for they knew that they would seem inflexible and uncaring there are times when those who guard the Torah must make decisions that are a PR man's nightmare but the Guardians of the Torah have no choice they are protected a Priceless treasure with what heavy hearts and at what cost are these decisions made the rambam included the story of the Cohen hag the elders weeping as a Hala a law for all time in every generation the Jewish people will have their Sadducees but in every generation The Defenders of the Torah must weep at having to say no