Study Kiddushin folio 15A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
And the other Sage, R' Elazar, would say: That term, “his ear,” comes for a verbal analogy. As it is taught in a baraita that R' Eliezer says: From where is it derived that the piercing of a Hebrew slave’s ear with an awl is performed on the right ear? It is stated: Ear, here, with regard to a Hebr
The Talmud asks: And how does the other Sage, the first tanna, derive that this piercing can be performed only on the right ear? The Talmud answers: He would argue that if it is so that the word “ear” is stated only for the sake of the verbal analogy, let the verse say merely: Ear, and one would le
And the other Sage, R' Elazar, would answer: That formulation is necessary to teach that the mitzva of piercing applies to “his ear” but not her ear. He learns from the pronoun that piercing may be performed only on a male slave, not a female slave. The Talmud asks: And from where does the other Sa
And the other Sage, R' Elazar, who does not derive this ruling in the same manner as the first tanna, requires this verse for a different halakha: A slave may declare that he wishes to be pierced provided that he says this when he is still a slave. After he has been emancipated, he can no longer sa
The Talmud asks: And from where does the other Sage, the first tanna, learn this halakha? The Talmud responds: He derives it from the terms: Slave, and “the slave.” If the verse had stated only: Slave, one would have learned that a slave may say this only while still a slave. Since it is actually