The mishna in Avos enumerates the order of the chain of tradition: Moshe from Sinai, to Yehoshua, the Elders etc. until the Anshei Knesess Hagdola. Then the mishna continues throughout Avos with statements of Tanaim in the order of the tanaim as they progressed throughout the generations.
The Rambam in his hakdama to the Ya"d Hachazaka continues and enumerates the progression of the tradition until Ravina and Rav Ashi - 40 generations.
The Meiri continues and lists the rabbis of the tradition until his time.
Why then did the Rambam stop where he did?
Rav Moshe Soloveitchik z"l explained that the Rambam is not teaching us history but rather teaching us a halacha. The gemara [Bava Metzia 86a] says that Ravina and Rav Ashi were סוף הוראה - the end of psak. Even though Rebbi Yehuda Hanasi had already arranged the mishna, nevertheless until the time of Ravina and Rav Ashi, the Torah was still taught PUBLICLY, without a text, in order to preserve the בעל פה nature of תורה שבעל פה as the halacha says דברים שבעל פה אי אתה רשאי לאומרן בכתב. Only until Ravina and Rav Ashi were the carriers of tradition called חכמי המסורה. Afterwards, we are just passing down a written text. The is no חלות שם - halachic status, of הוראה - psak, when teaching already clearly transcribed material [see Sanhedrin 33b and Horiyos 4a]. That is what the Rambam is teaching us when he lists the Chachmei Hamesorah.
As we discussed in an earlier post - the Rambam [Teshuva 3/8] lists a special category of מכחיש מגידיה as Apikorsim. These are people who cast aspersions on the character of our Chachmei Hamesorah.
May we merit being faithful to our Mesorah and Chachmei Hamesorah.
| לרפואת אביגדור זאב הכהן בן ביילא | ||
| דוב בער בן שבע | ||
| יהודית בת חיה שרה | ||
| יונינה בעס בת תעמע | ||
| יעקב בן אסתר | ||
| עטרה רחל בת שרה מרים | ||
| רוזה פייגא בת קיילה |
