The eighth of Av

The Beraita of Rabbi Yishmael

ברייתא דרבי ישמעאל (ספרא)

The Thirteen Principles of Exegisis

שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּות

(1655=17=8)

(Translated by Rabbi Avraham Sutton)

Rabbi Yishmael said: These are the thirteen [divinely revealed] principles according to which the Torah is expounded

רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אומֵר בִּשְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּות הַתּורָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת

(1) [A rule derived] from a minor case [is all the more applicable] to a major case- מִקַּל וָחמֶר (424=10=1);

(2) [When] identical expressions [appear in two or more passages, the provisions of one may also apply to the other] - מִגְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה (556=17=8).

(3) An overriding rule derived from one or two passages [is applicable to all similar cases] - מִבִּנְיַן אָב מכָתוּב אֶחָד. וּמִבִּנְיַן אָב משְׁנֵי כְתוּבִים (1675+8 words=1683=18).

· An overriding rule derived from one passage- מִבִּנְיַן אָב מכָתוּב אֶחָ (1286=17=8 counting final Nun as 700);

· And an overriding rule derived from two passages-וּמִבִּנְיַן אָב משְׁנֵי כְתוּבִים (1039+4 words=1043=8 or 2249=17=8 counting final Nun and Mem as 700 and 600).

(4) A universal [all-encompassing term] followed by a specific detail [is defined and limited by the detail, according to the rule that a universal all-encompassing term is limited to what is specified in the details that accompany it]- מִכְּלָל וּפְרָט(415=10=1).

(5) A detail followed by a universal [encompasses all related details in the universal] - מִפְּרָט וּכְלָל (415=10=1).

(6) [When] a universal [is followed by] a detail [or a list of details], and [then again by] the same universal, [application of the universal is now] judged [[i.e., defined, modified, extended]] solely in terms of the shared qualities inherent in the detail(s) -כְּלָל וּפְרָט וּכְלָל אֵי אַתָּה דָן אֶלָּא כְּעֵין הַפְּרָט (2708=17=8counting final Nuns as 700).

(7) A universal that requires a detail [only for the sake of clarity is not limited by the detail]; [conversely] a detail that requires a universal [only for the sake of clarity is not included in the universal] - מִכְּלָל שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לִפְרָט וּמִפְּרָט שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לִכְלָל (2148+8 words=2156=14=8):

· A universal that requires a detail [only for the sake of clarity is not limited by the detail] מִכְּלָל שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לִפְרָט (1071=1+8);

· [Conversely] a detail that requires a universal [only for the sake of clarity is not included in the universal] -וּמִפְּרָט שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לִכְלָל (1557=18).

(8) Any detail of a universal singled out to teach something new not only teaches something new about the detail itself but also about the universal- כָל דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָל וְיָצָא מִן הַכְּלָל לְלַמֵּד לא לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמו יָצָא אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַכְּלָל כֻּלּו יָצָא (2714=14=8).

(9) When any detail of a universal is singled out to add something similar to its universal, it is always singled out to lessen the stringency of the universal-כָל דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָל וְיָצָא לִטְעון טָעוּן אַחֵר שֶׁהוּא כְעִנְיָנו יָצָא לְהָקֵל וְלא לְהַחְמִיר (2388+14 words=2402=8).

(10) When any detail of a universal is singled out to add something dissimilar to its universal, it is singled out [in some respects] to lessen the stringency [of the universal], and [in other respects] to add stringency- כָל דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָל וְיָצָא לִטְעון טָעוּן אַחֵר שֶׁלּא כְעִנְיָנו יָצָא לְהָקֵל וּלְהַחְמִיר (2376 =18).

(11) When any detail of a universal is singled out as a new case, the provisions of the universal no longer apply to it unless the Torah explicitly states that this is so- כָל דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָל וְיָצָא לִדּון בְּדָבָר חָדָשׁ אֵי אַתָּה יָכול לְהַחֲזִירו לִכְלָלו עַד שֶׁיַּחֲזִירֶנּוּ הַכָּתוּב לִכְלָלו בְּפֵרוּשׁ(4042=10=1).

(12) The meaning of a passage can be deduced from its context or from its juxtaposition with a subsequent passage- דָבָר הַלָּמֵד מֵעִנְיָנו וְדָבָר הַלָּמֵד מִסּופו (994+6 words=1000=1);

· The meaning of a passage can be deduced from its context- דָבָר הַלָּמֵד מֵעִנְיָנו(511+3 words=10=1);

· Or meaning of a passage can be deduced from its juxtaposition with a subsequent passage-וְדָבָר הַלָּמֵד מִסּופו (483+3 words=18).

(13) When two passages seem to contradict each other, the meaning can be determined by a third passage that reconciles them- וְכַן שְׁנֵי כְתוּבִים הַמַּכְחִישִׁים זֶה אֶת זֶה עַד שֶׁיָּבא הַכָּתוּב הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְיַכְרִיעַ בֵּינֵיהֶם (3680=17=8).