Hazal

Chazal's authority

Until the end of the Savoraim era, the Chazal had the authority to comment on the Torah according to the standards of Talmudical hermeneutics as defined by the Law given to Moses at Sinai—sometimes even expounding a word or phrase outside its plain and ordinary sense. Nowadays in Orthodox Judaism, the authority of Chazal is not delegated to the current generation's sages; thus, the Torah cannot be commented upon in matters concerning Halakha if it contradicts Chazal's commentary.