Sotah 046
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BET MIDRASH VIRTUALI
of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel
RABIN MISHNAH STUDY GROUP
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What are the differences between a man and a woman? A man lets his hair grow and rips his garments, a woman does not do so. A man may declare his son a Nazir, a woman may not do so. A man may end his term using his father's Nazirite savings, a woman may not do so. A man may sell his daughter, a woman may not do so. A man may betroth his daughter, a woman may not do so. A man is stoned naked, this is not so with a woman. A man is hanged, a woman is not. A man is sold for theft, a woman is not.
EXPLANATIONS (continued):
11:
Just in case some of my comments on the halakhah concerning the Eved Ivri [Jewish manservant] may have seemed "way out", I bring here some paragraphs from the Mekhilta. The Mekhilta is collection of some of the amplificatory comments made by the sages of the period which culminated in the editing of the Mishnah (around the end of the 2nd century CE).
He shall serve for six years [Exodus 21:2]: I might understand this to mean any kind of service, but Scripture says [Leviticus 25:39] "do not work him like a slave". Hence the sages said: A Jewish manservant must not wash the feet of his master, nor put his shoes on him, nor carry his things before him when going to the bath-house … nor carry him in a litter or a chair or a sedan chair as slaves do…
He shall serve for six years" [Exodus 21:2]: I might understand this to mean by doing any kind of work whether it is humiliating to him or not. Therefore it says [Leviticus 25:40] "He must be like a hired hand with you". Just as a hired man cannot be forced to do anything other than his trade, so also the Jewish Manservant His wife must leave with him [Exodus 21:3]: … Why then does Scripture say [this]? – To tell us that the master is obliged to provide food for the wife of his manservant. He must also provide food for the manservant's children…
12:
In conditions such as these it becomes apparent that there is no real connection between the institution of slavery in ancient Israel with any other known community. It would seem that the indigent Jewish debtor was bonded in order that he might learn from example how to manage his financial affairs. 13: DISCUSSION:
Steve Spronz writes:
Thank you for answering my question about James' ossuary and the related theological problem. I have a follow up question. I understand now the possible strain on Roman Catholic doctrine. But what about the expected Church response that the mention of Yeshua on the ossuary refers to James' half brother (which would be consistent with two thousand year old Church doctrine) and not to a full-brother. The fact that the Roman Catholic Church has given us nothing but silence on the issue since the discovery supports the position that they recognize that they've got a problem. But what of my suggested pro-Church doctrine response? Is the answer something like: In Jewish tradition, half-siblings are not mentioned on tombstones? I am not trying to be "Le'Hach-eese". I am asking this question out of a genuine wish to know the answer. The reason? The so called Jews for Jesus movement has recently embarked on a huge proselytizing effort aimed at Jews in Southern California. The newest Jews for Judaism response is to stand near the proselytizers, hand out Jews for Judaism literature, and engage in verbal sparring if the Christian missionary starts up. It seems to me that the "James ossuary" matter could be an important piece of information for the Jewish counter-missionary to know. Despite certain differences between the fundamentalist Protestant doctrines from which Jews for Jesus missionaries spring, and the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, all Christians (well, maybe not the Unitarians) accept virgin birth as a matter of faith. Hence the need to be able to respond to it, no matter who the purveyor of the doctrine. I respond: The difference between the Roman Catholics and the other churches is that only Catholic doctrine teaches that Mary was a life-long virgin (i.e. never bore any other children). This is the reason why the Roman Catholic Church, contrary to what Steve writes, has been vociferous in denouncing the ossuary. For the other churches, of course, who do not hold that Mary was "eternally virgin" there is no problem in Jesus having siblings. Look at these quotations from Christian scripture. Do they reasonably suggest half-siblings? Mark 3:31-32 His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him. A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, "Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you." Mark 6:1-3 (I have rendered the personal names Jewishly). He went out from there. He came into his own country, and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things?" and, "What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands? Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Miriam, and brother of Jacob, Joseph, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?" They were offended at him. This topic is now closed. This concludes our study of Chapter Three of this tractate. |
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