daf bit: Nazir 35

[cellio]

The talmud states thirteen rules of exegesis, drawing meaning out from torah. One rule is that you can generalize from a specific statement, and another is that you can derive specifics from a general statement. The gemara in today's daf discusses another case: What happens when the torah gives a general statement, then specific, then general again, as in "...whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul desires..." (Deut 14:26)? In this case, only things that are similar to the specification may be inferred; in this passage, even though your soul may desire other things, you can infer only livestock and drink. (35b)

(The thirteen rules are included in the morning service in most siddurim; they are part of the standard daily torah study. This congregation doesn't read that normally, but when I saw a chance to come at the list from the daf, I naturally took it. :-) )

Comments

[dvarin.livejournal.com]

How do you know that the categories are "livestock and alcohol" rather than, say, "large hooved mammals and things you put in your mouth"?