Machshavah Lab

What Does the Torah Mean by "Toeivah"?

June 02, 2021 Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss
Machshavah Lab
What Does the Torah Mean by "Toeivah"?
Show Notes

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Tonight (6/2/21 at YBT) we took up the question: What does the Torah mean by "toeivah" (abomination)? The impetus for taking up this topic was Mishlei 20:10, which referred to unjust weights and measures as a "toeivah," and which we spent a couple of days working on. I mentioned that I came up with a theory for the Torah's use of "toeivah" years ago, and felt that it was time to revisit it to see if it still held up. We began shiur by reading every instance of the term "toeivah" in the Chumash in context. (We did NOT go so far as to read every instance in Nach or Kesuvim, which would have been too ambitious.) I then presented my theory, supported by the Sefer ha'Chinuch, the Rambam, and a Gemara in Nedarim. Towards the end of shiur I was asked whether this shiur should be publicized. I acknowledged my ambivalence, and then compromised by publicizing the main shiur but without the thoughts I shared afterwards about the implications of the idea. (If you listen to the entire shiur and are curious as to what those thoughts were, you are welcome to ask me in person.)
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מקורות:
בראשית מג:לב; מו:לד
שמות ח:כב
ויקרא יח:כב, כו-ל; כ:יג
דברים ז:כה-כו; יב:לא; יג:טו; יד:ג; יז:א,ד; יח:ט,יב; כ:יח; כב:ה; כג:ח,יט; כד:ד; כה:טז; כז:טו; לב:טז
ספר החינוך – מצוה קפח (לא תקרבו לגלות ערוה)
רמב"ם – מורה הנבוכים ג:מא
נדרים דף נא עמוד א
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Guide to the Torah Content of Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/2021/04/links-to-torah-content-of-rabbi-matt.html

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