Responsa for Makkot 41:11
<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרבא לרב אשי עד דיכתוב אני ה' ממש אמר ליה לא כדתני בר קפרא אינו חייב עד שיכתוב שם עבודת כוכבים שנאמר וכתובת קעקע לא תתנו בכם אני ה' אני ה' ולא אחר:
GEMARA: Rav Acha brei d'Rava said to Rav Ashi, Is [one not liable for a tattoo] until he actually writes "I am Hashem"? [Rav Ashi] responded, no, it's as bar Kafra taught, one is not liable until he writes the name of a false deity, that the Torah says, "a tatto you shall not imprint on yourselvs, I am Hashem.
Shut min haShamayim
Regarding cutting sidelocks. Did the Torah forbid this even with the use of scissors? The Torah only says "Do not round off" (Leviticus 19:27), not 'do not destroy.' Is there any sense in the argument to permit this, based on the source in the Tosefta,1cf. Sifra Kedoshim 6:4, Makkot 21a:6 whereby the laws pertaining to haircutting are juxtaposed to the laws pertaining to beard-shaving, and in both cases, one is not liable unless a razor-blade is used2This argument is rejected by Tosafot on Shevuot 2b:12.
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