TIP OF THE DAY 64: Commands, mitzvoth, Talmud

MJ. Smith
MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 53,108
edited November 20 in English Forum

link to next post https://community.logos.com/forums/p/227118/1327228.aspx#1327228 

Since the forum change has been delayed, I've started adding these posts to the previous tip list. See L/V 10 Tip of the Day Note that this list has been moved to the wiki (which itself is moved to the new forum software). 

QUESTION: How does Logos analyze this verse: Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. [1]?

ANSWER: From the context menu on “Be perfect:”

  • Speaker: God (Reported Speech) 62Addressee: Israelites (the Exodus) (Reported Speech)
  • Informative: Assertive (Speech Acts) (a) All Informative speech acts involve the exchange of information as the principle purpose of the communicative act (b) An assertive speech act is one where a speaker makes an assertion or a statement, gives a description. The speaker thus provides (asserts) information to the hearer or audience.[2]
  • Obligative: Directive (Speech Acts) (a) All Obligative speech acts impose an obligation on either the hearer or the speaker themself. (b) A directive speech act is one where the speaker attempts to get the hearer to do something.[3]
  • Declarative Sentence (Sentence Type) A declarative sentence is usually seen as an assertion of fact. And it usually uses the indicative mood and the most prototypical word order. The subjunctive mood is also used for declarative sentences. The purpose of declarative sentences is usually to express statements of fact.[4]
  • Imperative Sentence (Sentence Type) An imperative sentence is usually seen as a command. And it usually uses the imperative mood and the most prototypical word order, like the declarative type. However, the subject of the command is usually left unexpressed, and is referenced only through the agreement features of the verbal morphology. The purpose of an imperative sentence is usually to issue some directive to another person or group of people.[5]
  • Command: Type:Command (Commands in the Bible) A speaker gives an authoritative direction or instruction to do something.Devil
  • Command: Verb: Social interaction (Commands in the Bible)
  • Law, Apodictic (Literary typing) Law, Apodictic — (OT) A legal requirement that is usually unconditionally true or always applicable, meaning the law applies the same in virtually all cases.[7]
  • Mitzvoth: Classification: Duties towards family (Commandments of the Law)
  • Mitzvoth: Command: Honoring parents (Commandments of the Law)
  • Mitzvoth: Number: P210 (Commandments of the Law)
  • Mitzvoth: State: Positive (Commandments of the Law)
  • Mitzvoth: Applicable today: True (Commandments of the Law)
  • Verb morphology: verb, Piʿʿēl, imperative, second person, masculine, singular (a) Piel, one of the conjugations of the Hebrew verbal system, serving to render transitive a basic meaning (e.g. Qal, “to be full,” Piel, “to fill”), or in some cases to intensify the basic meaning.Music; (b) imperative — The mood that normally expresses a command, intention, exhortation, or polite request. The imperative mood is therefore not an expression of reality but possibility and volition.[9]
  • Verb sense sense:to respect (honor) (Context Menu/Bible Sense Lexicon)

Outside the context menu:

  • Verb valency and transitivity: The verb “to honor” is typically bivalent although it can be used in monovalent or trivalent sentences. Except in the uncommon monovalent use, it is a transitive verb.
  • Grammar: subject: you; direct objects: mother and father; some analysis list as an indirect object: you (as in the one to whom the land is being given) while others make it an independent sentence (from Talstra, Eep. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia : WIVU Constituency Trees. Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2005.. OR clause search)
  • Semantics: Agent: Israelites, Israelites (the Exodus) The person or thing that instigates an action or causes change in another person or thing; for example, “David (Agent) struck Goliath” or “David (Agent) killed Goliath.”[10]; Patient: Mother, Father The person or thing that is acted upon or caused to change; for example, “David killed Goliath (Patient).”[11]
  • Summary Commentary (from Factbook on passage):

 

QUESTION: What is apodictic law?

ANSWER: From Perplexity:

Apodictic law refers to absolute, universal commands or principles that are considered self-evidently true or necessarily valid. Here are the key aspects of apodictic law:

1. Definition: Apodictic law consists of unconditional, general commands or prohibitions, often expressed as "Thou shalt" or "Thou shalt not".

2. Divine origin: In religious contexts, apodictic laws are typically seen as timeless divine commands.

3. Contrast with casuistic law: Apodictic law differs from casuistic law, which deals with specific cases and situations.

4. Examples: The Ten Commandments are a prime example of apodictic law in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

5. Characteristics:

  • General and absolute in nature
  • Not directly related to specific historical situations
  • Often considered incontrovertible or beyond dispute

6. Application: While apodictic laws provide overarching principles, they can be challenging to apply directly to complex real-life situations.

7. Limitations: In legal contexts, apodictic law has limited direct application in courts due to its general nature.

8. Philosophical usage: In philosophy, particularly in Aristotelian and Kantian logic, "apodictic" refers to propositions that are demonstrably or necessarily true.

It's important to note that while apodictic laws provide clear, absolute principles, their practical application often requires interpretation and consideration of specific circumstances, leading to the development of more detailed casuistic laws or ethical reasoning.[12]

 

QUESTION: What is a mitzvah?

ANSWER: From Perplexity:

Mitzvoth is the plural form of mitzvah in Hebrew. Here are the key points about mitzvoth:

1. Definition: Mitzvoth refers to the commandments or religious obligations in Judaism.

2. Number: According to Jewish tradition, there are 613 mitzvoth derived from the Hebrew Bible.

3. Categories: Mitzvoth are typically divided into two main categories:

  • Positive commandments (mitzvot aseh): Things one is required to do
  • Negative commandments (mitzvot lo ta'aseh): Things one is prohibited from doing

4. Types: Mitzvoth can be further categorized as:

  • Mishpatim: Self-evident laws (e.g., not to murder or steal)
  • Edot: Commandments that commemorate important events in Jewish history
  • Chukim: Commandments with no known rationale

5. Origin: The primary mitzvoth come from the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), known as mitzvot d'oraita. Additional mitzvoth were decreed by rabbis, called mitzvot derabbanan.

6. Purpose: Mitzvoth are seen as ways to connect with God, improve oneself, and contribute to the betterment of the world.

7. Modern interpretation: While traditionally understood as divine commandments, some contemporary interpretations view mitzvoth as ethical guidelines or ways to strengthen Jewish identity and community.

8. Practical application: The system describing how to apply mitzvoth in daily life is called Halakha, which forms the basis of Jewish religious law.

It's important to note that while "mitzvah" is often colloquially used to mean "a good deed," its primary meaning in Judaism is a religious commandment or obligation.[13]

 

QUESTION: Where do I find the traditional rabbinic commentary on the mitzvoh?

SOFTWARE: The Ancient Literature guide section has a Judaic section which may be accessed by Bible reference. This will give you the references in the Mishnah and Talmuds. To access it:

  1. Type Open Ancient Literature into the Command Box (application icon at top/left on application toolbar) and select from the Guide portion of the selection menu. OR Guides > Bible Reference Guides > Ancient Literature.
  2. Enter Bible reference.
  3. Look for results under Judaica.

ANSWER: From Verbum Help:

Ancient Literature Section

The Ancient Literature section appears in the Passage Guide and Exegetical Guide. Given a biblical passage, it returns related texts in the literature that surrounds the Bible: Ancient near-eastern, Hellenistic, and other Jewish Source materials, among others.

Note: Links to cross references in resources the user does not own will open the Power Lookup tool listing which resources contain those references.

Available Literature Groups

The Ancient Literature section provides references to several groups of literature, including:

  • Ancient Near-Eastern Material
  • Apostolic Fathers
  • Church Fathers
  • Dead Sea Scrolls (Sectarian Materials)
  • Judaica (Talmuds, Mishnah, Mekhilta)
  • Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
  • Nag Hammadi Codices
  • New Testament Apocrypha
  • Works of Josephus
  • Works of Philo

Types of References

Ancient literature will often refer to canonical texts or discuss topics also addressed within the canon. Knowing the reasons behind these references is perhaps as important as the reference itself.

Therefore, in addition to gathering references by group, references have also been classified by shared vocabulary. Relationships include:

  • Citation: An explicit reference to scripture with a citation formula (e.g. “It is written,” or “the Lord says,” or “the prophet says,” or something along those lines).
  • Quotation: A direct reference to scripture, largely matching the verbatim wording of the canonical source but without a quotation formula.
  • Allusion: An indirect but intentional reference to scripture, that was likely intended to invoke memory of the scripture.
  • Echo: A verbal parallel evokes or recalls scripture for the reader, but likely without authorial intention to reproduce exact words.
  • Historical: A specific referent is in common with scripture.
  • Topical: A general referent in common with scripture, but not exactly the same word or phrase.
  • Lexical: A word or phrase in common that could be useful for lexical studies, but no intertextual reference intended.

Sorting Options

Results can be sorted by Type or Work. Type groups all results by reference type first and literature group second. Sorting by Work reverses that order to group by literature group first and reference type second.[14]

An example of a Talmud commentary:

Miscellany on the Honor of Mother and Father

               II.2 A.    Our rabbis have taught on Tannaite authority:

               B.           It is said, “Honor your father and your mother” (Ex. 20:12), and it is further said, “Honor the Lord with your wealth” (Prov. 3:9).

               C.           Scripture thereby establishes an analogy between the honor of father and mother and the honor of the Omnipresent.

               D.           It is said, “He who curses his father or his mother will certainly die” (Prov. 20:20), and it is said, “Any person who curses his God will bear his sin” (Lev. 24:15).

               E.           Scripture thereby establishes an analogy between cursing father and mother and cursing the Omnipresent.[15]

 

QUESTION: What is Tannaite authority?

ANSWER: From Perplexity:

Tannaite authority refers to the teachings and rulings of the Tannaim, who were the rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah and other early rabbinic literature from approximately 10-220 CE. Some key points about Tannaite authority:

1. The Tannaim were considered direct transmitters of the Oral Torah tradition, tracing back to Moses. Their teachings carried significant weight in Jewish law and tradition.

2. The period of the Tannaim lasted about 210 years and is also known as the Mishnaic period. It came after the period of the Zugot ("Pairs") and was followed by the period of the Amoraim.

3. The Tannaim's views and rulings were compiled in the Mishnah, as well as other works like the Tosefta and tannaitic midrashim.

4. In the Talmud, statements prefaced with "Our rabbis have taught on Tannaite authority" indicate teachings attributed to the Tannaim.

5. The Amoraim, who came after the Tannaim, generally could not disagree with a Tannaitic ruling unless they could cite another Tanna in support. This shows the high level of authority given to Tannaitic teachings.

6. Major Tannaim included figures like Hillel, Shammai, Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Meir, and Rabbi Judah the Prince (who compiled the Mishnah).

7. Tannaitic teachings not included in the Mishnah were known as baraitot (singular: baraita). These also carried authority, though somewhat less than the Mishnah itself.

So in essence, citing "Tannaite authority" meant appealing to the rulings and traditions of this early, authoritative group of rabbinic sages whose teachings formed the core of rabbinic Judaism. Their words carried great weight in subsequent Jewish legal discourse and biblical interpretation.[16]

 

QUESTION: What is Talmudic interpretative logic and when does Paul use it?

ANSWER: From Perplexity:

The Talmud employs a complex system of interpretative logic and reasoning to analyze and derive meaning from religious texts. Some key aspects of Talmudic interpretative logic include:

1. Presumption (Chazakah): Making default assumptions about situations until proven otherwise.

2. Biblical vs. Rabbinic laws (De'oraita vs. Derabbanan): Distinguishing between laws derived directly from the Torah versus those enacted by rabbis.

3. A fortiori reasoning (Kal vachomer): Deriving conclusions from comparisons between lenient and strict cases.

4. Harmonizing contradictions: Reconciling apparently contradictory laws or traditions through logical analysis.

5. Analyzing edge cases: Examining unlikely scenarios to test the logical consistency of rulings.

6. Close textual analysis: Scrutinizing every word, phrase, and textual detail for potential meaning and implications.

7. Raising hypothetical questions: Probing statements by asking a series of questions to fully understand their implications.

8. Resolving apparent contradictions: Finding subtle distinctions to reconcile seemingly conflicting statements.

9. Linking disparate concepts: Analyzing seemingly unrelated ideas to find common underlying principles.

10. Multi-agent reasoning: Considering and debating multiple perspectives and authorities.

11. Pragmatic focus: Emphasizing practical application and real-world consequences of interpretations.

The Talmudic method aims to derive precise meaning and application from texts through rigorous logical analysis, debate, and consideration of multiple perspectives. This approach has been influential in shaping Jewish legal and ethical thought.[17]

Paul’s use of Talmudic methods:

While Paul did not directly reference the Talmud, as it was compiled after his time, his reasoning and argumentation style often reflects similar rabbinic approaches found in later Talmudic discourse. Here are some examples where Paul's logic and interpretive methods align with Talmudic-style reasoning:

1. Use of a fortiori (kal vachomer) reasoning:

  • Romans 5:15-17 - Paul argues that if death came through one man's sin, how much more will God's grace abound through Christ.

2. Harmonizing apparent contradictions:

  • Romans 3:28-31 - Paul reconciles justification by faith with upholding the law.

3. Close textual analysis:

  • Galatians 3:16 - Paul analyzes the singular "seed" in Genesis to refer to Christ.

4. Raising hypothetical questions:

  • Romans 6:1-2 - "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?"

5. Linking disparate concepts:

  • 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 - Paul connects the Exodus story to Christ.

6. Analyzing edge cases:

  • 1 Corinthians 7 - Paul discusses various marital situations and their implications.

7. Distinguishing between biblical and rabbinic laws:

  • 1 Corinthians 7:10-12 - Paul differentiates between the Lord's command and his own judgment.

8. Multi-agent reasoning:

  • 1 Corinthians 8-10 - Paul considers multiple perspectives on eating food offered to idols.

9. Pragmatic focus:

  • 1 Corinthians 14 - Paul emphasizes practical application in worship practices.

10. Midrashic interpretation:

  • Galatians 4:21-31 - Paul allegorically interprets the story of Sarah and Hagar.

While these examples don't directly cite the Talmud, they demonstrate Paul's use of rabbinic-style reasoning that would later be characteristic of Talmudic discourse.[18]

Non-Pauline epistles

While the non-Pauline epistles do not exhibit the same extensive use of Talmudic-style interpretation as Paul's letters, there are some examples of similar reasoning and interpretive approaches:

1. Use of Old Testament quotations:

  • Hebrews makes extensive use of Old Testament quotations to build theological arguments, similar to rabbinic midrash. For example, Hebrews 1:5-14 strings together several OT passages to argue for Christ's superiority over angels.

2. A fortiori reasoning:

Hebrews 2:2-3 uses a form of a fortiori (kal vachomer) argument: "For if the message spoken through angels was binding...how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?"

3. Typological interpretation:

1 Peter 3:20-21 interprets the flood narrative typologically, seeing baptism as the antitype of Noah's salvation through water.

4. Linking of concepts:

  • James 2:21-25 links the concepts of faith and works through the examples of Abraham and Rahab.

5. Close textual analysis:

  • Jude 9 references an extrabiblical tradition about Michael and Satan arguing over Moses' body, showing attention to interpretive details beyond the biblical text.

6. Harmonizing apparent contradictions:

  • James 2:14-26 attempts to reconcile faith and works, which could be seen as addressing apparent contradictions in teachings about salvation.

7. Midrashic-style elaboration:

  • 2 Peter 2:4-10 expands on biblical examples of judgment and deliverance in a style reminiscent of midrashic elaboration.

While these examples show some similarities to Talmudic methods, the non-Pauline epistles generally employ these techniques less extensively and systematically than Paul's letters. The authors of these epistles were likely influenced by similar interpretive traditions, but did not develop them to the same degree as Paul, who had extensive rabbinic training.[19]


[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ex 20:12.

[2] James Parks, Speech Acts Dataset Documentation (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2016).

[3] James Parks, Speech Acts Dataset Documentation (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2016).

[4] James Parks, Sentence Types Dataset Documentation (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2016).

[5] James Parks, Sentence Types Dataset Documentation (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2016).

Devil Jeremy Thompson, Commands in the Bible Dataset Documentation (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2017).

[7] Douglas Mangum, The Lexham Glossary of Literary Types (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

Music Jr. Campbell Edward F., Ruth: A New Translation with Introduction, Notes, and Commentary, vol. 7, Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008), xx.

[9] Michael S. Heiser and Vincent M. Setterholm, Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database Terminology (Lexham Press, 2013; 2013).

[10] Jeremy Thompson, The Lexham Glossary of Semantic Roles (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

[11] Jeremy Thompson, The Lexham Glossary of Semantic Roles (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apodeictic and https://bible.org/question/can-you-describe-apodictic-law-it-applies-ot-law and https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/the-law-of-love/ and https://www.timesrepublican.com/opinion/columnists/2017/08/apodictic-law-and-casuistic-law/ and https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apodictic and https://www.britannica.com/topic/apodictic-law and https://seekingthingsabove.org/2020/02/03/biblical-authority-8-direct-command/ and https://www.amarel.com/commandment-or-instruction.html

[13] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mitzvah and https://jewishfed.org/news/blog/what-mitzvot-will-you-do-month and https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1438516/jewish/Mitzvah.htm and https://www.exploringjudaism.org/learning/mitzvot/a-contemporary-understanding-of-mitzvot/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitzvah and https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/mitzvot-a-mitzvah-is-a-commandment/ and https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/mitzvot and https://pjlibrary.org/mitzvah

[14] Verbum Help (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2024).

[15] Jacob Neusner, The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary, vol. 12 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2011), 138.

[16] https://www.setapartpeople.com/why-we-do-not-follow-the-jewish-calendar/comment-page-1 and https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tannaim-amp-amoraim/ and https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14240-tannaim-and-amoraim and https://www.jkdoyle.com/the-talmud-on-eclipses/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tannaim and https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2481-baraita and https://bible.org/article/introduction-rabbinic-literature and https://www.bible.ca/synagogues/Ancient-Synagogue-Archeological-Literary-Sources-Bible-Jesus-Israel-Judea-diaspora-first-century-oldest-pre70AD-Babylonian-Talmud-Non-Biblical-Jewish-Law-500ad.htm

[17] https://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/r0ytpq/interpreting_the_talmud/ and https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11787-019-00228-y and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Talmudic_principles and http://collegepublications.co.uk/contents/stl00007.pdf and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talmudical_hermeneutics and https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/talmudic-thinking/ and https://philarchive.org/archive/SIOLIT-2v1 and https://ohr.edu/judaism/articles/talmud.htm

[18] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11787-019-00228-y and https://tabernacleofdavidministries.com/2018/01/12/the-pro-torah-pro-israel-pro-jewish-apostle-paul/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/185zuqe/everything_paul_says_directly_contradicts/ and http://folchurch.co.uk/through-the-bible/acts-2117--2221-following-pauls-example/ and https://www.redeemingfamily.com/originals/paulsoriginoffaith and https://centerforisrael.com/article/the-apostle-pauls-warning-to-christians-about-israel/ and https://www.jkdoyle.com/the-talmud-on-eclipses/ and https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/talmudic-thinking/

[19] https://bible.org/article/non-pauline-epistles and https://www.religion-online.org/book-chapter/chapter-14-the-non-pauline-epistles/ and https://www.academia.edu/16849220/Issues_in_the_Non_Pauline_Letters and https://mymorningmeditations.com/2011/07/11/what-the-talmud-says-gentiles/ and https://directionjournal.org/44/1/inauthentic-letters-of-paul.html and https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11787-019-00228-y and https://stonedcampbelldisciple.com/2016/05/28/romans-is-not-galatians-welcome-to-the-most-jewish-letter-in-the-nt-assumptions-and-surprises/ and https://www.redeemingfamily.com/originals/paulsoriginoffaith

Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

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