216 texts · Page 3 of 5
Another question about the tam — the first-time goring ox. We have established that all forms of killing are equated with goring. But are minors — children killed by a tam — treate...
R. Shimon b. Yochai said: Why was this (gezeirah shavah ) stated? Even without it, it follows a fortiori, viz.: If in a "place"—killing others—where minors are not equated with adu...
This tells me only of eating. Whence do I derive that it is even forbidden to derive benefit from it?—Do you ask? If follows a fortiori, viz.: If it is forbidden to derive benefit ...
The Mekhilta presents a logical reversal. It initially attempted to compare a stoned ox to an eglah arufah — the heifer whose neck is broken in the ceremony for an unsolved murder ...
Rebbi says: If it is forbidden to derive benefit from the burnt bullocks and the burnt he-goats, which do not come to atone for the world (viz. (Leviticus 26:2)7), how much more so...
"and the owner of the ox is absolved": R. Yehudah says: He is absolved by Heaven. For it would follow (otherwise), viz.: Since a mued is stoned and a tam is stoned, then if we have...
Shimon ben Azzai interpreted the phrase "and the owner of the ox is absolved" (Exodus 21:28) as absolution from paying half-kofer — half of the ransom payment owed when an ox kills...
Rabban Gamliel offered a different interpretation of "the owner of the ox is absolved." He argued the tam's owner is absolved from paying the monetary value of a bondservant who is...
"And it killed a man or a woman" — this phrase appears in the mued section, but the Mekhilta says it is "extra." Its legal content is already known from other verses. So why is it ...
"And its owner, too, shall die" — the Torah pronounces a death sentence on the owner of a mued ox that kills a person. But the Mekhilta specifies: this death is "at the hands of He...
Rabbi Akiva specified that when the Torah requires the mued's owner to pay kofer — ransom — the amount is calculated based on the value of the ox owner, not the value of the victim...
"and the ox shall be stoned": Why is this stated? (i.e., it was stated already.) For if it were not stated, I would say (otherwise), viz.: Since he is put to death for killing his ...
"Then they shall sell the living ox" — when one person's ox kills another person's ox, the Torah prescribes a specific remedy. But the Mekhilta specifies: this verse assumes the tw...
"And also the carcass shall they halve" — the Mekhilta derives practical rulings about how damages are calculated when one ox kills another. The rule depends on the relative values...
Variantly: Slaughtering is being likened to selling, and selling, to slaughtering. Just as selling is outside his (the owner's) domain, so, slaughtering (to make him liable for "fo...
Rabbi Yishmael addressed a possible misreading of the burglar law. The Torah seems to distinguish between day and night: (Exodus 22:1) discusses the thief "breaking in" (at night),...
Now what do we learn (about raping) from (murdering)? But it (the instance of murdering) apparently comes to teach (something about that of raping), and ends up "learning" (somethi...
(Exodus, Ibid.) "If he (the thief) has blood, pay shall he pay": R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: If there were before him (the thief) pitchers of wine and pitchers of oil and he broke t...
"And my wrath shall burn" — Rabbi Yishmael connected this phrase to a parallel verse in Deuteronomy through a gezeirah shavah, drawing devastating consequences for the affliction o...
"Do not place your hand with an evildoer": This was the practice of the "clean-minded men of Jerusalem." They would not go to a feast until they knew who was going with them, and t...
(Exodus 23:18) "You shall not slaughter in the presence of chametz the blood of My sacrifice": You shall not slaughter the Pesach (Passover) offering while chametz is still present...
The Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael presents a step in a larger legal argument about why meat cooked in milk is forbidden to eat. The passage uses a technique called refutation — counter...
The Mekhilta continues its analysis of how the prohibition against eating meat cooked in milk is established in Torah law. The argument proceeds by comparing meat and milk to other...
God is bringing forth life in abundance, filling the waters with all kinds of fish, male and female, both clean and unclean. But how do we tell the difference? How do we know what’...
We know the story. Jealousy, anger, the first murder. But the Bible itself is remarkably silent on the details. That's where the rich tapestry of Jewish tradition steps in, filling...
The story of Simeon and Levi, found in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 38, explores just that kind of fiery zeal. It all starts with the violation of their sister, Dinah, by Shechem. The te...
The Torah tells us that Moses, having fled Egypt after, well, that incident, was trying to settle into life in Midian. But trouble seemed to follow him. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a f...
It’s a fascinating process, a kind of sacred detective work. Take, for instance, the seemingly straightforward command, "Mot Yumat" – "He shall surely be put to death." How much is...
Specifically, we're looking at section 788 on the Book of Numbers, where the text grapples with a seemingly simple verse: "Every strike that takes a life requires witnesses" (Numbe...
It's a tough one, dealing with the aftermath of a battle against the Midianites. Specifically, verse 17 states: "And every woman knowing a man for carnal relations, kill." Whoa. He...
The Torah, in the book of Numbers (Bamidbar), actually grapples with this very human dilemma. Specifically, it deals with the complex situation of accidental manslaughter and the c...
We're looking at Bamidbar (Numbers) 35:16, which states, "And if with an iron implement he kill him (intentionally) and he die, he is a murderer." Seems straightforward. But the ra...
But sometimes, buried within those seemingly dry pronouncements, are real gems that shed light on how our ancestors thought about justice, intention, and responsibility. to one suc...
The verse we're looking at is from Bamidbar (Numbers) 35:21: "Or if in hatred he strike him with his hand..." Now, what does that seemingly simple phrase really mean? The text unpa...
It's like the universe whispering secrets, if you know how to listen. one such whisper today, found in Sifrei Devarim. The text focuses on a verse about spilling blood: "On the ear...
Where do we find that phrase? It’s in the Book of Deuteronomy, Sifrei Devarim to be precise. And it sparks a whole chain of reasoning about shechitah – ritual slaughter. The text d...
It's not just about hygiene, my friends. It's a fascinating glimpse into their spiritual world, and it all boils down to avoiding confusion. to Sifrei Devarim 75 to uncover this id...
Our tradition teaches that some things run so deep, they require a complete overhaul of how we see the world. That brings us to a seemingly simple verse in Devarim (Deuteronomy 12:...
What happens when only part of the offering is present? Is it still valid? Our little puzzle comes from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deutero...
Jewish law has some pretty specific things to say about what we can and can't eat, and why. And sometimes, the reasons aren't exactly spelled out. That's where texts like Sifrei De...
Jewish law, Halakha, is famous (or maybe infamous!) for diving deep into the nitty-gritty. And sometimes, it's in those tiny details that we find the bigger picture. Take, for exam...
We're diving into a corner of Jewish law that deals with accidental manslaughter, and the desperate flight to safety. Specifically, a passage from Sifrei Devarim, a legal commentar...
We’re looking at the verses dealing with the arei miklat, the cities of refuge. These were designated places where someone who accidentally killed another person could flee and fin...
Jewish tradition grapples with this tension all the time, and one place where it becomes incredibly stark is in the laws surrounding accidental manslaughter. Imagine this: Someone ...
Sometimes, a few simple words open up a whole world of interpretation. Take the phrase "and you shall cut" from Sifrei Devarim 205. Seems simple. But it's a springboard for a fasci...
It deals with a ritual called eglah arufah (עגלה ערופה), the "broken-necked heifer." Now, before you imagine something gruesome, remember that this isn't about cruelty, but about a...
Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Sifrei Devarim, a legal commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy. It's all about a very specific, and frankly, unsettling scenario:...
Ever stumble upon a mystery so perplexing, so deeply rooted in ancient law, that it makes you scratch your head and wonder, "How did they even figure this out?" Well, pull up a cha...
