Is Scripture The Origin Of The Halakhah?

Is Scripture the origin of the Halakhic system, which defines the norms of Judaism? At stake is not the starting point of discrete bits of legal data, but the origin of the comprehensive structure comprised by the Halakhic category-formations. As scripture serves as the natural starting point for inquiries into the origins of Judaism it is quite natural to treat Scripture as the base line and the Halakhic category-formations as the variable when seeking the origin of the system. But what happens when we treat the system as the base line and Scripture as the variable?

Jacob Neusner is Research Professor of Theology and Senior Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College.

PREFACE

ix

BIBLIOGRAPHY

xv

1. CATEGORY-FORMATIONS AUTONOMOUS OF SCRIPTURE

1

(34)

i. The Halakhah Devises its own Category-Formations

1

(1)

ii. Berakhot

2

(1)

iii. Demai

3

(2)

iv. Ketubot

5

(3)

v. Qiddushin

8

(3)

vi. Taanit

11

(3)

vii. Tamid, Middot, and Qinnim

14

(2)

viii. Tohorot

16

(12)

ix. Uqsin

28

(4)

x. Autonomous of Scripture, but Systemically Integral

32

(3)

2. CATEGORY-FORMATIONS RELATED TO SCRIPTURE BUT INDEPENDENTLY ARTICULATED

35

(130)

i. Category-Formations that Derive Facts from Scripture but that Unfold on their Own

35

(1)

ii. Abodah Zarah

36

(2)

iii. Besah

38

(2)

iv. Baba Qamma-Baba Mesia-Baba Batra

40

(19)

v. Erubin

59

(3)

vi. Gittin

62

(5)

vii. Hagigah

67

(3)

viii. Hallah

70

(4)

ix. Hullin

74

(4)

x. Kelim

78

(4)

xi. Kilayim

82

(2)

xii. Maaserot

84

(2)

xiii. Makhshirin

86

(2)

xiv. Megillah

88

(1)

xv. Meilah

89

(3)

xvi. Menahot

92

(2)

xvii. Miqvaot

94

(2)

xviii. Moed Qatan

96

(2)

xix. Ohalot

98

(5)

xxi Orlah

103

(2)

xxi. Parah

105

(3)

xxii. Sanhedrin and Makkot

108

(5)

xxiii. Shabbat

113

(11)

xxiv. Shebiit

124

(3)

xxv. Tebul Yom

127

(3)

xxvi. Temurah

130

(3)

xxvii. Terumot

133

(3)

xxviii. Yadayim

136

(2)

xxix. Zabim and Niddah

138

(16)

xxx. Zebahim

154

(7)

xxxi. Scripture's Topic, the System's Problematic: The Ambiguous Origins of the Halakhic Message

161

(4)

3. CATEGORY-FORMATIONS DEFINED BY SCRIPTURE

165

(14)

i. The Integrity of the Halakhic System: Identity of Halakhic Category-Formations and Scripture

165

(1)

ii. Horayot

165

(2)

iii. Negaim

167

(2)

iv. Pesahim

169

(3)

v. Shebuot

172

(1)

vi. Sotah

173

(1)

vii. Sukkah

174

(1)

viii. Yoma

175

(2)

ix. Category-Formations Defined by Scripture

177

(2)

4. CATEGORY-FORMATIONS RELATED TO SCRIPTURE AND DERIVATIVELY AMPLIFIED BY SCRIPTURE

179

(22)

i. Category-Formations that Intersect with Scripture and Are Amplified by Scripture

179

(1)

ii. Arakhin

179

(2)

iii. Bekhorot

181

(2)

iv. Bikkurim

183

(2)

v. Keritot

185

(3)

vi. Maaser Sheni

188

(1)

vii. Nedarim-Nazir

189

(3)

viii. Peah

192

(2)

ix. Rosh Hashanah

194

(1)

x. Shegalim

195

(1)

xi. Yebamot

196