A Theological Commentary to the Midrash Sifra

This theological commentary to the Rabbinic Midrash explores a simple proposition, in three parts: I. The reading of Scripture by principal parts of the Rabbinic Midrash is formed by compositions and composites that are animated by a cogent theological system. II. These primary components of the Midrash-compilations, further, are in part aimed at systematic demonstrations of theorems of a theological character. III. While forming a principal part of a large theological structure and system, each document is unique.

Preface

ix

Introduction

xix

Sifra Parashat Vayyiqra Diburah deNedabah

1

(2)

Sifra Parashat Vayyiqra Diburah deHobah

3

(2)

Sifra Parashat Sav

5

(4)

Sifra Parashat Shemini

9

(4)

Sifra Parashat Tazria

13

(2)

Sifra Parashat Negaim

15

(2)

Sifra Parashat Mesora

17

(2)

Sifra Parashat Zabim

19

(2)

Sifra Parashat Ahare Mot

21

(10)

Sifra Parashat Qedoshim

31

(4)

Sifra Parashat Emor

35

(2)

Sifra Parashat Behar

37

(2)

Sifra Parashat Behuqotai

39

(6)

The Rabbinic Theology Not of, but in, Sifra. And What Does Sifra Contribute to the Theology of Rabbinic Judaism?

45

(12)

How Theological Is Sifra? May We Speak of the Rabbinic Theology Not of, but in, Sifra

45

(4)

The Theological Propositions of Sifra: How They Cohere in an Inductive Reading

49

(6)

Propositions Shared among Pesiqta deRab Kahana, Genesis Rabbah, Song of Songs Rabbah, Leviticus Rabbah, Lamentations Rabbati, Ruth Rabbah, Esther Rabbah I, and Sifra

50

(1)

God and Man, God and Israel

51

(1)

God and the Nations, Israel and the Nations

51

(1)

Israel's encounter with God through the Torah

52

(1)

Divine Justice and Mercy

53

(1)

God's Judgment, Israel's Repentance and Atonement; God's Remorse, Israel's Consolation

53

(1)

Restoration; God will Bring the End through the Royal Messiah at a Time of his Own Choosing, and His Hand is Not to be Forced

53

(1)

The End of Days

54

(1)

Creation Contains within Itself Signals of What Would Happen in Future History

54

(1)

The Merit that Accrues in One Generation to the Benefit of Another Generation

54

(1)

The Righteous Receive their Reward, Later On

54

(1)

Commandments are the Marks of Israel's Distinction before God

54

(1)

Why This, Not That: The Hermeneutics that Generates the Exegesis and its Category-Formations

54

(1)

Propositions Particular to Sifra

55

(1)

The Inductive Category-Formations and their Coherence

55

(1)

The Theological Propositions of Sifra: The Principal Parts Viewed Deductively

55

(1)

The Statement of Sifra in the Context of the Theology of Rabbinic Judaism

56

(1)

Does Sifra Form a Theological Statement on its Own?

56

(1)

What Does Sifra Contribute?

56

(1)

The Implicit (Philosophical) Theology of Sifra

57

(34)

Sifra's Rehabilitation of taxonomic Logic

57

(25)

How Sifra Affirms Taxonomic Logic

57

Scripture as the Sole Source of Valid Classification of Species

52

(4)

The Reason for Scripture's Unique Power of Classification: The Possibility of Polythetic Classification

56

(18)

The Rehabilitation of Taxonomic Logic within the Representation of the Torah

74

(4)

Silence and the Articulated Critique of the Mishnah's Logic: When Sifra's Authorship Does and Does Not Demolish the Logic of Comparison and Contrast

78

(4)

The Torah as a Proper Noun and the Rehabilitation of Hierarchical Classification

82

(1)

Torah as Proper Noun and the Structure of the Logic of Creation

82

(9)

Sifra's Theology of Revelation

82

(1)

The Singularity of Sifra

83

(3)

The Parsimonious Proper Noun and the Capacious Common Noun

86

(1)

Why the Bavli Won

87

(4)

Uniting the Dual Torah: The Torah Adumbrating the Mind of God

91

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A Theological Commentary to the Midrash Sifra

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials