 discusses the relationship between the principle of "yeridat ha-dorot" and the seemingly contrary principle of "chate'u Yisrael" (""Israel sinned"," referring to a failure in transmission of the tradition), an idea invoked to explain cases where "derash" (exegetical interpretation) trumps "peshat" (plain reading) in order to restore original intent.Rabbinic tradition divides its historical development into distinct eras.According to traditional interpretation, scholars in one era within Halachic development (legal codification of Jewish observance) do not challenge the rulings of previous-era scholars.