Commentary for Kiddushin 42:8
דרבי דריש כללי ופרטי ולקחת כלל מרצע פרט באזנו ובדלת חזר וכלל כלל ופרט וכלל אי אתה דן אלא כעין הפרט מה הפרט מפורש של מתכת אף כל של מתכת
But the Sages maintained: A Hebrew slave, [who is] a priest, cannot be bored, as he is thereby blemished;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And unfit for service in the Temple.');"><sup>10</sup></span> and should you say that the lobe is bored, how is he thereby blemished?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A hole in the lobe is not a blemish.');"><sup>11</sup></span> Hence he was bored through the upper part of his ear.
Daf Shevui to Kiddushin
The Talmud now discusses the midrashic techniques that led to the dispute between Rabbi and Rabbi Yose b. R. Yehudah. Rabbi uses a midrashic technique that focuses on sequences of generalizations and specifications. This leads to the interpretation that the specification limits the generalization—the awl must be of metal.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy