‘Only Have a Child if He’ll Be Like R’ Shimon’: Literary Structure in R' Shimon’s Five Derivations of Temple Food Laws from Deuteronomy 12:17 - A Case Study (Makkot 17a)

Each case follows a pattern: R' Shimon dismisses the apparent purpose of the verse using a kal vaḥomer and then specifies a narrower case that the verse is needed to address—often one that contradicts expectations (e.g., eating sanctified food at the right time but in the wrong place).

Rava is so impressed by R’ Shimon’s series of derivations that he states, Makkot.17b.2:

אמר רבא:

דילידא אימיה כרבי שמעון –

תיליד,

ואי לא –

לא תיליד.

“If a woman (literally: “his mother”) is going to give birth [to someone] like R’ Shimon —

She should give birth.

If not —

She should not give birth¹

The Formula

Each unit follows a highly structured rhetorical and argumentative formula.²

The structure is as follows:

1. Verse Phrase Introduced: The baraita cites a phrase from Deuteronomy 12:17.

2. Identification: The phrase is identified with a specific sacrificial or sacred item (e.g., bikkurim, todah).

3. R' Shimon's Challenge: R' Shimon asks: "What does this come to teach?"—framing the verse as apparently redundant.

4. Kal Va-ḥomer Elimination: He dismisses the expected interpretation(s) using one or more ‘kal vaḥomer’ arguments:³ if a more lenient case leads to flogging, surely the stricter case does too. Thus, no verse is needed for the more basic prohibition.

5. Residual Case Introduced: The verse must refer to a subtler or unexpected case—one that escapes the logic of the kal vaḥomer (e.g., pre-recitation, pre-sprinkling, wrong location, or even eating when eating should not happen at all).

Schema:

1. ״[מילה מהפסוק - ״ותרומת ידך״ / ״ונדבתיך״ / ״ובכרת״ ]״ –

2. אלו [סוג הלכתי - "בכורים" / "תודה ושלמים" / "בכור" ].

3. אמר רבי שמעון:

4. מה בא זה ללמדנו?

5. אם ל-[פעולה - "אוכלן חוץ לחומה" / "לפני/אחר זריקה"] –

6. קל וחומר מ-[הלכה אחרת - "מעשר הקל"]

7. הא לא בא הכתוב אלא ל

8. [פעולה אסורה - "אוכל בכורים/בכור" / "תודה ובשלמים"]

9. [תנאי ספציפי בפעולה שעושה אותה אסורה - "עד שלא קרא עליהם"/ "לפני זריקה"]

10. שהוא לוקה.

1. [With regard to the phrase] [term from the verse - e.g. “nor the donation of [terumat] your hand”] --

2. these are [halachic category of food - e.g. “first fruits”]

3. R' Shimon said:

4. What does it [=this phrase] come to teach us? (מה בא זה ללמדנו)

5. If [it is to teach the prohibition] to [prohibition - e.g. “eat the first fruits outside the wall of Jerusalem”],

6. [there is no need for a verse, as it may be derived by means of] an a fortiori (קל וחומר) [inference] from [other law - e.g. “second-tithe produce”]

7. [Rather,] the verse comes to teach only with regard to (הא לא בא הכתוב אלא ל)

8. [other law - e.g. “a priest who partakes of first fruits”]

9. [specific condition - e.g. “before the person who brought the fruits to the Temple recited the accompanying Torah verses over them”]

10. [teaching] that he is flogged (לוקה)

This is how it appears, across 8 sections in the Sefaria / Steinsaltz edition, screenshot (where the literary structure is relatively obscured):

Major technical terms

(See footnote.)⁴

1. לוקה (lokeh): “He is flogged”: legal consequence for violating a prohibition. Central to the sugya’s concern.

2. Agricultural Laws:⁵

   1. בכורים (bikkurim): First fruits. Must be brought to Jerusalem with a recitation (mikra). מִקְרָא בִּכּוּרִים (mikra bikkurim): The Torah verses that must be recited when bringing bikkurim (Deut 26:5–10).⁶

   2. מעשר (ma'aser): refers in the sugya to second tithe (ma’aser sheni), which must be eaten in Jerusalem. Used here as the “lenient” baseline case.

   3. בכור (bekhor): Firstborn animal

3. Animal Sacrifices:⁷

   1. שלמים (shelamim): Peace-offering. Portions eaten by owners, priests, and altar.

   2. תודה (todah): Thanks-offering. Voluntary sacrifice.

   3. חטאת (ḥatat): Sin-offering.

   4. אשם (asham): Guilt-offering.

   5. עולה (olah): Burnt-offering. Entirely burned on the altar; no human consumption.

4. “Sprinkling (zerikah) [of the blood of the animal sacrifice]” (זריקה):⁸

   1. לפני זריקה : “Before sprinkling [of the blood]”: refers to an invalid time to eat sacrificial flesh.

   2. לאחר זריקה : “After sprinkling”: valid time for consumption—but still possibly restricted by location or status.

5. “Outside the wall (חומה) / curtains (קלעים) [of the Temple / Jerusalem]”⁹

   1. חוץ לחומה (ḥutz la-ḥomah): “Outside the wall”: usually refers to outside Jerusalem. Prohibited for many offerings.

   2. חוץ לקלעים (ḥutz la-kela'im): “Outside the curtains”: i.e., outside the Temple courtyard.

The verse - Deuteronomy 12:17-18a

Deuteronomy.12.17-18a (translation JPS 1985, from Sefaria, with stylistic adjustments):

לא־תוכל לאכל בשעריך מעשר

1. דגנך

2. ותירשך

3. ויצהרך

ובכרת

1. בקרך

2. וצאנך

וכל־

1. נדריך אשר תדר

2. ונדבתיך

3. ותרומת ידך

כי אם־לפני יהוה אלהיך תאכלנו

במקום אשר יבחר יהוה אלהיך בו

You may not partake in your settlements¹⁰ of the tithes (מעשר) of your

1. new grain

2. or wine

3. or oil,

or of the firstlings (בכרת) of your

1. herds (בקרך)

2. and flocks (צאנך)

or of any of

1. the votive offerings (נדריך) that you vow,

2. or of your freewill offerings (נדבתיך)

3. or of your contributions (תרומת ידך)

These you must consume before YHWH your God

in the place that YHWH your God will choose

Outline

Intro

1. The Formula

2. Major technical terms

3. The verse - Deuteronomy 12:17-18a

The Passage - R' Shimon’s Five Derivations of Temple Food Laws from Deuteronomy 12:17 (Makkot 17a)

1. ותרומת ידך ("donation of your hand") - First fruits (bikkurim)

   1. Should already know this from second tithe: if one eats second tithe outside the walls and is flogged, all the more so for first fruits

   2. Teaches that a priest who eats bikkurim before the farmer recites the declaration (mikra bikkurim) is flogged

2. ונדבתיך ("your gift offerings") - Thanks-offering (todah) and peace-offering (shelamim)

   1. Should already know this from second tithe

   2. Teaches that eating them before blood sprinkling (zrikat ha-dam) incurs flogging

3. ובכרת ("the firstborn") - Firstborn animal (bekhor)

   1. Should already know this from outside the wall: from second tithe; Before sprinkling: from todah and shelamim

   2. Teaches that a non-priest who eats a bekhor after sprinkling is flogged

4. בקרך וצאנך ("your herd and your flock") - Sin-offering (ḥatat) and guilt-offering (asham)

   1. Should already know this from outside the wall: from second tithe; Before sprinkling: from todah and shelamim; After sprinkling: from bekhor

   2. Teaches that eating them after sprinkling but outside the courtyard incurs flogging

5. נדריך ("your vows") - Burnt-offering (olah)

   1. Should already know this from outside wall: from second tithe; Before sprinkling: from todah and shelamim; After sprinkling: from bekhor; Outside curtains: from ḥatat and asham

   2. Teaches that one who eats the flesh of a burnt-offering after sprinkling—even inside—is flogged

Appendix - Table Summarizing R' Shimon’s Five Derivations for Temple Food Laws in Deuteronomy 12:17 (Makkot 17a)

The Passage

Makkot.17a.11-17b.1

מאי רבי שמעון?

דתניא:

What is the statement of R' Shimon?

It is as it is taught in a baraita with regard to food items that may not be eaten outside the walls of Jerusalem.

It is written: “You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your wine, or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, nor any of your vows that you vow, nor your gift offerings, nor the donation of your hand” (Deuteronomy 12:17).

1. ותרומת ידך ("donation of your hand") - First fruits (bikkurim)

״ותרומת ידך״ –

אלו בכורים

The rabbis explain that with regard to the phrase “nor the donation of [terumat] your hand,”

these are first fruits.

1a. Should already know this from second tithe: if one eats second tithe outside the walls and is flogged, all the more so for first fruits

אמר רבי שמעון:

מה בא זה ללמדנו?

אם ל

אוכלן חוץ לחומה –

קל וחומר ממעשר הקל:

• ומה מעשר הקל --

  • אוכלן חוץ לחומה, לוקה

• בכורים --

  • לא כל שכן?!

R' Shimon said:

What does this phrase come to teach us?

If it is to teach the prohibition to eat the first fruits outside the wall of Jerusalem,

there is no need for a verse, as it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the lenient case of second-tithe produce.

• If with regard to the lenient case of second-tithe produce --

  • one who eats them outside the wall is flogged,

• then with regard to first fruits --

  • is it not all the more so clear that he is flogged?!

1b. Teaches that a priest who eats bikkurim before the farmer recites the declaration (mikra bikkurim) is flogged

הא לא בא הכתוב אלא ל

אוכל מבכורים

עד שלא קרא עליהם,

שהוא לוקה.

Rather, the verse comes to teach only with regard to

a priest who partakes of first fruits

before the person who brought the fruits to the Temple recited the accompanying Torah verses over them,

teaching that he is flogged.

2. ונדבתיך ("your gift offerings") - Thanks-offering (todah) and peace-offering (shelamim)

״ונדבתיך״ –

זו תודה ושלמים

The baraita continues: “Nor your gift offerings” --

this is a thanks-offering and a peace-offering that one donates voluntarily.

2a. Should already know this from second tithe

אמר רבי שמעון:

מה בא זה ללמדנו?

אם ל

אוכלן חוץ לחומה –

קל וחומר ממעשר

R' Shimon says:

What does this phrase come to teach us?

If it is to teach that it is prohibited to eat a thanks-offering and a peace-offering outside the wall of Jerusalem,

there is no need for a verse, as it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of second-tithe produce, for whose consumption outside the wall one is flogged, despite the fact that it is not an offering.

2b. Teaches that eating them before blood sprinkling (zrikat ha-dam) incurs flogging

הא לא בא הכתוב אלא ל

אוכל בתודה ובשלמים

לפני זריקה,

שהוא לוקה.

Rather, the verse comes to teach only with regard to

one who partakes of a thanks-offering or of a peace-offering

before the sprinkling of its blood on the altar, before the consumption of its flesh is permitted,

that he is flogged.

3. ובכרת ("the firstborn") - Firstborn animal (bekhor)

״ובכרת״ –

זה הבכור

The baraita continues: “Or the firstborn” --

this is the firstborn.

3a. Should already know this from outside the wall: from second tithe; Before sprinkling: from todah and shelamim

אמר רבי שמעון:

מה בא זה ללמדנו?

1. אם לאוכלן חוץ לחומה –

   1. קל וחומר ממעשר,

2. אם לפני זריקה –

   1. קל וחומר מתודה ושלמים!

R' Shimon says:

What does this verse come to teach us?

1. If it is to teach that it is prohibited to eat a firstborn animal outside the wall of Jerusalem,

   1. there is no need for a verse, as it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of second-tithe produce.

2. If it is to teach that it is prohibited to eat a firstborn animal before the sprinkling of the blood,

   1. it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of a thanks-offering and a peace-offering, which are offerings of lesser sanctity, as even non-priests may partake of their flesh.

3b. Teaches that a non-priest who eats a bekhor after sprinkling is flogged

הא לא בא הכתוב אלא ל

אוכל מן הבכור

אפילו לאחר זריקה,

שהוא לוקה.

Rather, the verse comes to teach only with regard to

a non-priest who partakes of the flesh of a firstborn

even after the sprinkling of its blood,

that he is flogged.

4. בקרך וצאנך ("your herd and your flock") - Sin-offering (ḥatat) and guilt-offering (asham)

״בקרך וצאנך״ –

זו חטאת ואשם

The baraita continues: “Of your herd or of your flock” --

this is a sin-offering and a guilt-offering, which are offerings of the most sacred order, which may be eaten only within the Temple courtyard.

4a. Should already know this from outside the wall: from second tithe; Before sprinkling: from todah and shelamim; After sprinkling: from bekhor

אמר רבי שמעון:

מה בא זה ללמדנו?

1. אם לאוכלן חוץ לחומה –

   1. קל וחומר ממעשר,

2. אם לפני זריקה –

   1. קל וחומר מתודה ושלמים,

3. אם לאחר זריקה –

   1. קל וחומר מבכור!

R' Shimon says:

What does this verse come to teach us?

1. If it is to teach that it is prohibited to eat a sin-offering and a guilt-offering outside the wall,

   1. there is no need for a verse, as it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of second-tithe produce.

2. If it is to teach that it is prohibited to eat a sin-offering and a guilt-offering before the sprinkling of the blood,

   1. it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of a thanks-offering and a peace-offering, which are offerings of lesser sanctity.

3. If it is to teach that it is prohibited for a non-priest to eat a sin-offering and a guilt-offering after the sprinkling of its blood,

   1. it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of a firstborn animal.

4b. Teaches that eating them after sprinkling but outside the courtyard incurs flogging

הא לא בא הכתוב אלא ל

אוכל מחטאת ואשם

אפילו לאחר זריקה

חוץ לקלעים,

שהוא לוקה.

Rather, the verse comes to teach only with regard to

one who partakes of the flesh of a sin-offering or a guilt-offering

even after the sprinkling of its blood, which is the correct time to partake of it,

but he partakes of it outside the curtains surrounding the Tabernacle courtyard or outside the Temple courtyard,

that he is flogged.

5. נדריך ("your vows") - Burnt-offering (olah)

״נדריך״ –

זו עולה

The baraita continues: “Your vows” --

this is the burnt-offering, which is an offering of the most sacred order and is entirely consumed upon the altar, and is brought as a gift offering, not as an obligation.

5a. Should already know this from outside wall: from second tithe; Before sprinkling: from todah and shelamim; After sprinkling: from bekhor; Outside curtains: from ḥatat and asham

אמר רבי שמעון:

מה בא זה ללמדנו?

1. אם לאוכלן חוץ לחומה –

   1. קל וחומר ממעשר,

2. אם לפני זריקה –

   1. קל וחומר מתודה ושלמים,

3. אם לאחר זריקה –

   1. קל וחומר מבכור,

4. אם חוץ לקלעים –

   1. קל וחומר מחטאת ואשם!

R' Shimon says:

What does this verse come to teach us?

1. If it is to teach that it is prohibited to eat a burnt-offering outside the wall of Jerusalem,

   1. there is no need for a verse, as it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of second-tithe produce.

2. If it is to teach that it is prohibited to eat a burnt-offering before the sprinkling of the blood,

   1. it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of a thanks-offering and a peace-offering, which are offerings of lesser sanctity.

3. If it is to teach that it is prohibited for a non-priest to eat a sin-offering and a guilt-offering after the sprinkling of its blood,

   1. it may be derived by means of an a fortiori inference from the case of a firstborn animal.

4. If it is to teach that it is prohibited to eat a burnt-offering outside the curtains surrounding the Tabernacle courtyard or outside the Temple courtyard

   1. there is an a fortiori inference from a sin-offering and a guilt-offering.

5b. Teaches that one who eats the flesh of a burnt-offering after sprinkling—even inside—is flogged

הא לא בא הכתוב אלא ל

אוכל מן העולה

לאחר זריקה,

אפילו בפנים,

שהוא לוקה.

Rather, the verse comes to teach only with regard to

one who partakes of the flesh of a burnt-offering

after the sprinkling,

even inside the courtyard,

that he is flogged.

Appendix - Table Summarizing R' Shimon’s Five Derivations for Temple Food Laws in Deuteronomy 12:17 (Makkot 17a)

1. Compare also Steinsaltz’s translation and interpretation:

Rava says with regard to R’ Shimon’s statement in the baraita:

With regard to anyone whose mother is bearing a child who is like R’ Shimon --

she should bear that child,

and if not --

it is preferable that she does not bear him at all.

Rava was so impressed by R’ Shimon’s statement that he praised him and characterized him as the model of a wise man.

2. For more on literary structure in a tannaitic writings, see my recent 3-part series, “Pt3 Revealing the Order: Literary Structure and Rhetoric in the Mishnah“, final part here.

And see the general methodological points that I make in my “Beyond the Mystique: Correcting Common Misconceptions About the Talmud, and Pathways to Accessibility“:

Additional aspects that make traditional Talmud study particularly challenging is not inherent to the text itself but relates to:

Presentation format - The traditional printed page (tzurat hadaf) lacks punctuation, paragraph breaks, and visual cues that aid reading comprehension […]

As I mentioned in my piece “Pixel”, research has demonstrated (and it’s intuitively true) that simply providing visual outlines of a passage's structure significantly improves comprehension. Bottom line, a significant factor in the Talmud's perceived difficulty stems from presentation rather than inherent complexity […]

One perspective that's often missing from introductions to the Talmud is its fundamental nature as legal literature. While the Talmud contains much more than what is considered law in modern Western countries, its core structure and methodology are essentially legal in nature.

Imagining the Talmud as similar to a modern legal casebook or compilation of judicial opinions provides a useful framework for understanding its structure and purpose. Like modern legal literature, the Talmud:

1. Presents authoritative statements (equivalent to statutes or precedents)

2. Analyzes these statements through close textual reading

3. Applies them to hypothetical cases to test their limits

4. Reconciles apparent contradictions between authorities

5. Distinguishes between cases that seem similar but warrant different outcomes

[…]

Literary and rhetorical analysis - Examining narrative structures, recurring patterns, and rhetorical devices provides insight into the Talmud's compositional strategies.

3. On ‘kal vaḥomer’ in the Talmud, see my recent study at my Academia page: “ 'Is it not all the more so?!': The Kal Va-ḥomer (A Fortiori Argument) as a Literary and Rhetorical Pattern in the Talmud“.

In our case, the number of ‘a fortiori’ arguments escalates throughout the baraita, as each derivation incorporates and builds on the one(s) before it.

4. See the general methodological point that I make in “Pt2 Revealing the Order: Literary Structure and Rhetoric in the Mishnah“, on section “Case Study: Megillah 1:4a-11 – "A List of 13 Comparative Differences in Jewish Law: Festivals, Vows, Purity, and Sacred Spaces"“:

This is a good moment to make a broader point about the Mishnah’s lists: the items they contain (which I formulize as variables X, Y, and Z in introductory schemas) are often established technical terms.

From a digital humanities standpoint, these are well-suited to named entity recognition.

This is true in our baraita as well: the “variables” (in the schema earlier) are basic technical terms.

5. Compare also my “Introduction to the Talmud“, section “Agricultural Laws“.

6. For more on this ritual recitation, see my note in my recent piece “Sacred Speech: The Languages of Ritual Recitations and the Historical Blessings and Curses at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal in Deuteronomy 27 and Joshua 8 (Mishnah Sotah 7:1-5)“, on section “Ritual Texts That Must Be Recited in Hebrew: A List of Eight“

7. Compare also my “Introduction to the Talmud“, section “The Temple in Jerusalem“, sub-section “Fundamental Categories of Offerings“.

8. Compare my “Introduction” ibid., sub-section “The Sacrificial Process“.

9. Compare my “Case Study: Kelim 1:6-9a – "The 10/11 Levels of Holiness in the Land of Israel and the Temple"“ (here).

Especially Mishnah_Kelim.1.8:

לפנים מן החומה מקדש מהם —

שאוכלים שם

1. קדשים קלים

2. ומעשר שני

The area within the wall [of Jerusalem] is holier —

for it is there that may be eaten

1. lesser holy things

2. and second tithe

10. שעריך - literally: “your gates”.