Commentary for Kiddushin 7:8
ותנא גופיה מנליה דדריש הכי אמרי כתיב (במדבר כב, יד) מאן בלעם (דברים כה, ז) ומאן יבמי דלא כתיב בהו יו"ד והכא כתיב ביה יו"ד ש"מ לדרשא הוא דאתא
Again, I only know [that] legitimate seed [disqualifies her]: whence do I know it of illegitimate [pasul] seed?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Illegitimate' not in the modern sense, but e.g., a child born of adultery.');"><sup>11</sup></span> From the verse, and have no [eyn] child: examine her [for any issue whatsoever].
Daf Shevui to Kiddushin
The Talmud now shows that sometimes the Torah writes words that have an “ey” sound without the letter you. The word “me’eyn” does not have a yod, but “eyn” does. This, to the tanna, legitimates making exegetical conclusions from what it perceives to be an extraneous letter.
I should note that such derashot are never made in tannaitic literature. Tannaitic exegesis is based on units that have independent meaning, words, phrases, etc. Not on single letters such as this. This type of “hyper-exegesis” is found in the later stages of the Talmud. This is an issue that I will address in a forthcoming third volume of Reconstructing the Talmud.
I should note that such derashot are never made in tannaitic literature. Tannaitic exegesis is based on units that have independent meaning, words, phrases, etc. Not on single letters such as this. This type of “hyper-exegesis” is found in the later stages of the Talmud. This is an issue that I will address in a forthcoming third volume of Reconstructing the Talmud.
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