Talmudic hermeneutics, in particular, deals with the
rules of the determination of the exact meaning of the TaNaKh (the Jewish Bible). “By the expression ‘Talmudic hermeneutics,’
we mean the expounding of principles and rules that the masters of the Talmud
established for the interpretation of the Written Law” (Marc-Alain Ouaknin, The Burnt Book, trans. Llewellyn Brown
[Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995], p. 70). The Talmud is the embodiment of the Oral
Torah and is the basic compendium of Jewish law, thought, and Biblical
commentary, comprising the Mishnah and
Gemara. In the Talmud the rules of determining exact meaning are termed middot (measurements or rules). Jewish
tradition holds that the Torah was originally received by Moses in a shorthand
style together with a set of oral rules. Various collections of these rules
existed in tannaitic times (the first to third centuries CE).
The oral traditional provides or the means of
deciphering the shorthand text. Over tine various collections of rules were
developed and formulated. The Seven Rules of R. Hillel were developed by the
greatest sage of the Second Temple period (first century) and founder of the
school known as the House of Hillel (Beth
Hillel). Hillel’s Seven Middot are:
1.
Kal va-Homer: Drawing a conclusion from
either a minor premise (i.e., assumption or inference) or from a major premise
to a minor one.
2.
Gezerah Shavah: Drawing a conclusion from the
similarity of words or phrases occurring in two separate biblical sentences
(inference from analogy of words). Thus, what is expressed in one applies also
to the other.
3.
Binyan Av mi Katuv Echad: Drawing a general principle from a single Biblical
text. Thus, a certain passage serves as a basis for the interpretation of many
others.
4.
Bintyan Av mi-Shene Ketuvim: Drawing a general principle from two biblical
passages.
5.
Kel u-Perat
u Perat u-Kelal: A general statement limited by a particular which follows,
or a particular limited by a following general one.
6.
Ka-Yotze
Bo be-Makom Aher: Drawing a conclusion from a Biblical passage according to
another of similar context.
7.
Davar ha-Lamed me-Inyano: Determining the meaning of
ambiguous, or obscure words of passages and phrases from the context in which
you find them. (Michael J. Alter, Why the Torah Begins with the Letter Beit [Northvale,
N.J.: Jason Aronson Inc., 1998], xxiv-xxv)
