The Talmudic Argument
A Study in Talmudic Reasoning and Methodology

Table of Contents

1. The Talmudic argument
2. The literary form of the Babylonian Talmud
3. Berērah: retrospective specification
4. Yeush she-lo mi-da`at: unconscious abandonment of property
5. Rubba: probability
6. Davar she-lo ba le-'olam: conveyance of a thing not yet in existence
7. Kol she-eyno be-zeh ahar zeh afilu be-vat ahat eyno: whatever cannot be established in a consecutive sequence cannot be established even in a simultaneous sequence
8. Yesh horesh telem ehad: a single act of ploughing can result in a number of penalties
9. Simanin de-oraita o de-rabbanan: whether reliance on distinguishing marks for the purpose of identification is Biblical or Rabbinic
10. Devarim she-be-lev e nam devarim: mental reservations in contracts are disregarded
11. Hazakah: presumptive state
12. Gadol kevod ha-beriot: the law and regard for human dignity
13. Hazmanah milts: whether the designation of an object for a particular use is effective
14. Mitzvat laseh she-ha-zeman geramah: positive precepts dependent on time from which women are exempt
15. Heyzek she-eyno nikar: indiscernible damage to property
16. Kinyan hatzer: acquisition by means of a domain
17. Palginan be-dibbura: admission of part of a testimony even though another part of the same testimony is rejected
18. Tadir u-mekuddash: which takes precedence: the more constant or the more sacred?
19. Palga nizka: the nature of the payment of half-damages to which the owner of a goring ox is liable
20. Patur mi-diney adam ve-hayyav be-diney shamayim: cases where there is liability in the eyes of God even though the human courts cannot enforce payment
21. Mahal 'al kevodo kevodo mahul: renunciation of honour by one to whom it is due
22. Conclusions.

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