It goes right down to the very specifics of Temple offerings, as we’ll see. to a passage from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy.
The verse in question says, "it shall you observe (tishmor) to do." Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov offers a fascinating take: this phrase, he suggests, serves as a negative commandment applying to everything mentioned in that section. Essentially, it’s a double-down on the importance of meticulous adherence.
Then comes the tricky bit: "you shall not add to it and you shall not detract from it." This idea becomes the basis for a fascinating debate about the Temple service, specifically regarding the application of sacrificial blood on the altar.
Imagine this: you're a kohen, a priest, in the Temple. You're dealing with the blood of different offerings. Some require only one application of blood to the altar, others require four. What happens if they get mixed up?
The Sages ruled: if blood requiring one application gets mixed with other blood requiring one application, you perform just one application. Similarly, if blood requiring four applications mixes with other blood needing four, you perform four. Makes sense. But the real head-scratcher comes when you mix blood requiring one application with blood requiring four. This is where Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua lock horns.
Rabbi Eliezer argues that you should perform four applications. Rabbi Yehoshua counters that you should only perform one.
Rabbi Eliezer challenges Rabbi Yehoshua: "But according to you, wouldn't he transgress the commandment ‘you shall not detract’?" In other words, by performing only one application, aren't you taking away from what the offering that requires four applications deserves?
Rabbi Yehoshua retorts: "But according to you, wouldn't he transgress ‘you shall not add’?" If you do four, you’ve added applications to the offering that only required one!
Here's where it gets really interesting. Rabbi Eliezer clarifies that the prohibition against adding only applies when the blood is alone and not intermixed with the blood of another offering that requires four applications.
Rabbi Yehoshua offers a similar clarification: The prohibition against detracting only applies when the blood is alone and not intermixed with blood that only requires one application.
Rabbi Yehoshua then delivers what seems to be the knockout punch: by applying four, you actively transgress "you shall not add" because you are performing an action of addition. However, by not applying four, you have transgressed "you shall not detract," but you haven't performed an action to do so. The nuance is subtle, dealing with the difference between active and passive transgression.
So, what does all this mean? It highlights the incredible complexity involved in interpreting and applying Jewish law. It's not just about following rules, but about understanding the intent behind them, and grappling with situations where different principles seem to clash. It also reveals the dynamic, often passionate, debates that shaped our tradition. It's a reminder that Judaism is not a static set of rules, but a living, breathing conversation across generations.