Pay shall he pay, the lighter of the fire" — Why is this written

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Mekhilta Tractate Nezikin 14:14

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 6, 2025

"Pay shall he pay, the lighter of the fire": Why is this written? From (22:4) "a man," I would know only of a man. Whence do I derive (the same for) a woman, a tumtum (one of indeterminate sex), and a hermaphrodite? From "Pay shall he pay, the lighter of the fire"—in any event. This tells me only of beast and fire. Whence do I derive the same for all of the other damagers in the Torah? It follows inductively from both. Beast is not like fire, and fire is not like beast. What is common to both is that it is their nature to damage, that they are your property, that it is your obligation to guard them, and that when they cause damage, you must pay for the damage with the best (produce) of the land.

Themes

Torah Light Fire Animals

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