Rabbinic JudaismSifrei Devarim 249HOLYMAP · SACRED TEXTS
Sifrei on DeuteronomySifrei Devarim 249

Sifrei on Deuteronomy

Sifrei Devarim 249

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English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim 23:4) "An Amoni and a Moavi shall not come into the congregation of the L-rd": Scripture speaks of males and not of females, it being written "Amoni" (masculine), and not "Amonith" (feminine); "Moavi," and not "Moavith."

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English · Shraga Silverstein

For it would follow: If (in the instance of) "mamzer," whereof it is not stated "for all time," women are equated with men, then Amonim and Moavim, whereof it is stated "for all time," how much more so should men be equated with women! Or, conversely: If Amonim and Moavim, whereof it is stated "for all time," women are not equated with men, then mamzer, whereof it is not stated "for all time," how much more so should women not be equated with men! It is, therefore, written "mamzer" — "mum zar," both men and women.

3
English · Shraga Silverstein

Now that Scripture has included and excluded, you must revert to the first line of reasoning, viz.: If "mamzer," whereof it is not stated "for all time," women are equated with men, then Amonim and Moavim, whereof it is stated "for all time," how much more so should men be equated with women! It is, therefore, written "Amoni," and not "Amonith." These are the words of R. Yehudah. R. Shimon says (Ibid. 23:5) "Because they did not greet you with bread and with water." Whose custom is it to greet? Men and not women, (women normally being in the home.)

4
English · Shraga Silverstein

(Ibid. 4) "even the tenth generation shall not come": If it is written "for all time," why need it be written "the tenth generation"? It is mufneh (free for interpretation) for purposes of comparison and identity (gezeirah shavah), viz.: It is written here (in respect to Amoni and Moavi) "the tenth generation," and there (in respect to mamzer) "the tenth generation." Just as here, "for all time," so, there, for all time.

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Sifrei Devarim 249English
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Sifrei Devarim 2490%

Sifrei on Deuteronomy

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Public-domain Hebrew editions, digitized by Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

Mechilta, Sifra and Sifrei, translated by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein. CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

English translation: Sifrei Devarim, translated by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

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