Kiddushin

are identical.1 Abaye said: This is Issi's reason, viz., he learns ‘baldness’, ‘baldness’, from the sons of Aaron:2 just as there, women are exempt, so here too, women are exempt. But if we hold that the phrase [‘the sons of Aaron’] relates to the whole section, let Scripture refrain from it,3 and it [woman's exemption] follows a fortiori. For I may argue, If [of] priests, upon whom the Writ imposes additional precepts, [we say] ‘the sons of Aaron’ but not the daughters of Aaron, how much more so of Israelites! — But for the gezerah shawah I would think the connection is broken.4 Then now too, let us say that the connection is broken; and as for the gezerah shawah, that is required for what was taught: They shall not make a baldness:5 I might think that even if one makes four or five bald patches he is liable for only one [transgression]; therefore it is stated, karhah [a baldness],6 intimating liability for each separate act. What is taught by, ‘upon their head’? Because it is said: ‘Ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead’: I might think that one is liable only for between the eyes. Whence do I know to include the whole head? Therefore it is stated: ‘upon their head,’ to teach liability for the [whole] head as for between the eyes. Now, I know this only of priests,7 upon whom Scripture imposes additional precepts; whence do we know it of Israelites? — Karhah [baldness] is stated here, and karhah is also stated below; just as there, one is liable for every act of making baldness, and for the [whole] head as for between the eyes, so here too, one is liable for every act of baldness and in respect of the whole head as for between the eyes. And just as below, [baldness] for the dead [is meant], so here too it is for the dead!8 If so,9 let Scripture write kerah [baldness]:10 why karhah? That both may be inferred. Raba said: This is Issi's reason, viz., he learns [the applicability of] ‘between your eyes’ from phylacteries:11 just as there, women are exempt, so here too, women are exempt. Now, why does Raba not say as Abaye? — [The distinction between] kerah and karhah is not acceptable to him. And why does Abaye reject Raba's reason? — He can tell you. Phylacteries themselves are learnt from this: just as there, [‘between the eyes’ means] the place where a baldness can be made [viz.,] on the upper part of the head,12 so here too’ the place for wearing [phylacteries] is the upper part of the head.13 Now, according to both Abaye and Raba, how do they interpret this [verse], ‘Ye are sons [etc.’]?14 — That is wanted for what was taught: ‘Ye are sons of the Lord your God’; when you behave as sons15 you are designated sons; if you do not behave as sons, you are not designated sons: this is R. Judah's view. R. Meir said: In both cases you are called sons, for it is said, they are sottish children;16 and it is also said: They are children in whom is no faith;17 and it is also said, a seed of evil-doers, sons that deal corruptly;18 and it is said, and it shall come to pass that, in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.19 Why give these additional quotations?20 For should you reply, only when foolish are they designated sons, but not when they lack faith — then come and hear: And it is said: ‘They are sons in whom is no faith’. And should you say, when they have no faith they are called sons, but when they serve idols they are not called sons — then come and hear: And it is said: ‘a seed of evil-doers, sons that deal corruptly.’ And should you say, they are indeed called sons that act corruptly, but not good sons — then come and hear: And it is said, and it shall come to pass that, in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.21 MISHNAH. THE [RITES OF] LAYING HANDS, WAVING, BRINGING NEAR [THE MEAL-OFFERING], TAKING THE HANDFUL, BURNING [THE FAT], WRINGING [THE NECK OF BIRD SACRIFICES], RECEIVING AND SPRINKLING [THE BLOOD], ARE PERFORMED22 BY MEN BUT NOT BY WOMEN, EXCEPTING THE MEAL-OFFERING OF A SOTAH23 AND A NEZIRAH,24 WHERE THEY [THEMSELVES] DO PERFORM WAVING. GEMARA. THE [RITES OF] LAYING [HANDS], because it is written: Speak unto the sons of Israel. . . and he shall lay [his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering]:25 thus the sons of Israel lay [hands], but not the daughters of Israel. WAVING: Speak unto the sons of Israel . . ‘ [the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast] may be waved [etc.]:26 hence, the sons of Israel wave, but not the daughters of Israel. BRINGING NEAR [THE MEAL-OFFERING]: For it is written: And this is the law of the meal-offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it:27 the sons of Aaron, but not the daughters of Aaron. TAKING THE HANDFUL. For it is written: And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful [of the fine flour thereof].28 the sons of Aaron, but not the daughters of Aaron. BURNING [THE FAT]. Because it is written: And Aaron's sons shall burn it:29 the sons of Aaron, but not the daughters of Aaron. WRINGING [THE NECK OF BIRD SACRIFICES]. Because it is written, and he shall wring [off his head,] and burn it [on the altar]: thus wringing is assimilated to burning. 30 RECEIVING [THE BLOOD]. Because it is written, and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring [the blood]:31 and a Master said, priests. Here too it is assumed that ‘the sons of Aaron’ in v. 1. applies to the whole section, turn is based on the conviction that the Jew will never sin so completely as to render a return to God impossible, and the final verse quoted refers to such a religious regeneration.