Pisqa’ 2491
1
“Neither an Ammonite nor a Moabite shall enter the Community of HASHEM” (Dt.23:4).
The verse is discussing males, not females.
“An Ammonite” (Dt.23:4)—
but an Ammonite woman is not excluded.
“A Moabite” (Dt.23:4)—
and a Moabite woman is not excluded:
Words of R. Judah.2
But sages say:
“In the matter of their failure to extend hospitality to you, with bread and water” (Dt.23:5)—
Now, who normally extends hospitality?
Isn’t it the men rather than the women?
[Thus, the Ammonite and Moabite women,
who are blameless for the sin of the males,
should not share their punishment]!
2
Well, I could have reasoned otherwise:
Just as a man carrying impaired lineage
is not said to be excluded from the community “forever” (Dt.23:4),
yet, the women among them are treated like the men—
[both subject to the same ten-year period of exclusion,]
shouldn’t it follow that
[in the case of male] Ammonites and Moabites—
who are excluded from the community “forever”—
the women among them are treated like the men—
[both subject to the same permanent period of exclusion?] 3
Or, perhaps, reverse the argument!
Just as Ammonites and Moabites,
who are said to be excluded from the community “forever” (Dt.23:4),
and, the women among them are treated like the men—
both being subject to an endless period of exclusion,
shouldn’t it follow that
[in the case of males] carrying impaired lineage,
yet, who are not said to be excluded from the community “forever,”
the women should not be subject to the same
[ten years of exclusion] as the men?
The Teaching states:
“No one of impaired lineage shall enter the Community of HASHEM” (Dt.23:3)—
whether a man or a woman.
3
Now, when the verse expands the range of the rule (i.e., Dt.23:4),
[by permitting female Ammonites and Moabites
to enter the community immediately,]
it constricts [the range of a second rule (i.e. Dt.23:3),
by excluding impaired females for ten years]!
Look—
you only need reason in accord with
the conclusions of the former argument!4
Just as a man carrying impaired lineage
is not excluded from the community “forever” (Dt.23:4),
and the women among them are subject to the same
[ten-year period of exclusion],
shouldn’t it follow that
[in the case of male] Ammonites and Moabites,
who are said to be excluded from the community “forever,”
the women among them should be subject to
the same [permanent] exclusion?
The Teaching states:
“An Ammonite” (Dt.23:4)—
but not an Ammonite woman:
Words of R. Judah.
4
If the verse states:
“The tenth generation” (Dt.23:4),
why does it add: “Forever?” (Dt.23:4)
Forever is open-ended,
leaving it free for comparative exegesis
on the basis of analogical reasoning.
Here, the tenth generation is mentioned (Dt.23:4),
and elsewhere, the tenth generation is mentioned (Dt.23:3).
Just as the tenth generation, mentioned elsewhere (Dt.23:3) implies forever,
So, too, the “tenth generation” mentioned here implies forever.