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The Ba'al Haturim actually brings down a statement of Rav Yehuda HaChassid to this effect, that the sentence against Tamar was to be branded. When I first heard this, I felt that this actually further vindicated my argument that the gemara did not mean that embarrassing another was ye'herog v'al ya'avor but simply that one should take all possible steps to avoid doing so. Tamar was willing to be branded. The Torah Temina, though, raises the question from the gemara as a challenge to Rav Yehuda HaChassid. How could the gemara make its derivation -- demanding that one sacrifices one's life rather than embarrass another -- if the case is simply talking about branding? He obviously took the gemara literally. See the Torah Temima to see how he answers his question.
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Could sreifa not have meant she was to be branded on her skin with a burning metal instrument, not put to death by fire?
ReplyDeleteThe Ba'al Haturim actually brings down a statement of Rav Yehuda HaChassid to this effect, that the sentence against Tamar was to be branded. When I first heard this, I felt that this actually further vindicated my argument that the gemara did not mean that embarrassing another was ye'herog v'al ya'avor but simply that one should take all possible steps to avoid doing so. Tamar was willing to be branded. The Torah Temina, though, raises the question from the gemara as a challenge to Rav Yehuda HaChassid. How could the gemara make its derivation -- demanding that one sacrifices one's life rather than embarrass another -- if the case is simply talking about branding? He obviously took the gemara literally. See the Torah Temima to see how he answers his question.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Ben Hecht