Reading the Livestock Deposit Through Particular and General

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 346:14

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"When a man gives to his fellow a donkey or an ox or a sheep" (Exodus 22:9-10) is a specification, "or any animal" is a generalization, "to keep" then specified again — a specification, a generalization, and a specification. You may judge only as the specification indicates: just as the specification is a movable item whose body has monetary value, this excludes slaves and lands and documents. It was taught in another baraita: "when a man gives to his fellow" is a generalization, "a donkey or an ox" is a specification, "and any animal to keep" then generalized. Just as the specification is explicit, etc.

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