Sifre Zutta
Encyclopedia
Sifre Zutta is a midrash
on the Book of Numbers
. (Zur Gesch. der Jüdischen Tradition, ii. 238). Medieval authors mention it under the titles "Sifre shel Panim Aḥerim" and "Wi-Yeshalleḥu Ẓuta"; and to distinguish from it the Sifre
, Or Zarua (ii. 22) calls the latter "Sifre Rabbati." The Sifre Zuṭa has not been preserved; and, as appears from a remark of Abraham Bakrat, it was no longer extant at the time in which he wrote his commentary on Rashi
(comp. Brüll, Der Kleine Sifre, in Grätz Jubelschrift, p. 184).
. Numerous fragments are found in Yalḳuṭ Shim'oni to Book of Numbers
, which Brüll (l.c.) has collated (corrections and additions by D. Hoffmann, Zur Einleitung in die Halachischen Midraschim, p. 60). Quotations are found also in Num. R. to Naso
, as A. Epstein (Mi-Ḳadmoniyyot ha-Yehudim, p. 71) has pointed out. The "Mekilta to Numbers" frequently quoted by Maimonides
in his Sefer ha-Miẓwot is nothing else than the Sifre Zuṭa; for all his quotations may be identified among the fragments of the Sifre contained in the Yalḳuṭ Shim'oni, with the exception of a passage in Shoresh 11 referring to a Biblical section, for which, as Hoffmann shows (l.c. p. 59) by a comparison with the Aruk, Yalḳuṭ Shim'oni has not quoted the Sifre.
Maimonides frequently drew upon the Sifre Zuṭa in his Yad ha-Ḥazaḳah also; and other medieval authors who occasionally quoted it are mentioned by Brüll (l.c. pp. 180 et seq.). The Midrash ha-Gadol
to Numbers quotes the larger part of the Sifre Zuṭa, and has recently become a source of information concerning the latter. Around 1900, Königsberger began to edit the Sifre Zuṭa on the basis of the extracts in the Midrash ha-Gadol
and Yalḳuṭ Shim'oni. A small fragment of the Sifre has been published by S. Schechter in J. Q. R. vi. 656-663.
, Ẓaw, ii. 1, and the term לאמר as in Sifra, Emor, vii. 8 (i.e. = לא תעשה). There are also other points of similarity with the Sifra (D. Hoffmann, l.c. p. 69); e.g., the terminology in part, as אחר שרבה להגיד מה גרם, והלא דין הוא, הכתוב מעט; although there are some unusual expressions, as ובצד השני for דבר אחר and מכל צד for מכל מקום and אמרת for ת"ל.
Furthermore, some of the views expressed in the Sifre Zuṭa correspond with views known to be R. Akiba's, as in v. 14, with which comp. Soṭah
3a; and in v. 15, with which comp. Sifre
, Num. 8. The midrash may be assigned to R. Simeon rather than to R. Judah, as is done in the case of the Sifra
, although perhaps some of the anonymous halakot, as v. 15 (comp. Ned. 35b) and xv. 4 (comp. Men. 104b), express the views of the latter. R. Simeon's authorship is indicated by the fact that he is mentioned least often in the midrash, and that of the later tannaim
R. Eleazar b. Simeon
is mentioned a few times.
There are still other indications pointing to Simeon's authorship, as, for example, the enumeration of the positive and negative commandments, which is said to be a characteristic of the Sifre
to Deuteronomy
, this midrash also being ascribed to Simeon. Further evidence is presented by the correspondence of various halakot with R. Simeon's views. Aside from the passages quoted by D. Hoffmann (l.c. p. 65), some of which represent Simeon's views more exactly than others—the parallel between v. 7 and Mek., Mishpaṭim
, 15 is doubtful, on account of the different readings in the Mekilta—still others must be taken into account; e.g., Sifre Zuṭa v. 21 compared with Tosef., Sheb. iii. 7; vi. 20, with Nazir
46a (comp. Königsberger, Der Kleine Sifre, p. 14b, note 63, and p. 24, note 128); and, what is especially characteristic, the reason for the law under consideration (טעמא דקרא) is inquired into, as in v. 15 and xix. 16 (comp. Tosef., Sheb. i. 7; Yer. Nazir 56b).
The well-known reference of the Talmud, סתם ספרי ר"ש (Sanh. 86a), may therefore apply to Sifre Zuṭa, in which, furthermore, there are several exegetical notes on passages of Book of Numbers
mentioned in the Talmud
, but which are not found in the larger Sifre
(comp. Hoffmann, l.c. pp. 56 et seq.). The fact that the Sifre Zuṭa to v. 27 contradicts R. Simeon's view in Soṭah
19a shows merely that the editor drew also upon other midrashim, including, perhaps, that of R. Eliezer b. Jacob and that of R. Ishmael (comp. Sifre Zuṭa to Num. xxxv. 21 with Yer. Mak. 31d). Noteworthy are the terms אין במשמע אלא and אמרת for ת"ל, which are known to have been used by Eliezer b. Jacob (Zeb. 91b, according to the correct reading; Sifre, Deut. 195; comp. Hoffmann, l.c. p. 65, note 1; Königsberger, l.c. p. 5, note 7). The fact that Rebbi is not mentioned leads Hoffmann to the conclusion that the Sifre Zuṭa was not edited by a pupil of Rebbi. Some tannaim
are mentioned therein whose names are not found elsewhere; e.g., Simeon ben Neḥunyon and Papyas of Ono.
As of 1900, the Sifre Zuṭa had not yet been thoroughly studied.
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
on the Book of Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
. (Zur Gesch. der Jüdischen Tradition, ii. 238). Medieval authors mention it under the titles "Sifre shel Panim Aḥerim" and "Wi-Yeshalleḥu Ẓuta"; and to distinguish from it the Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
, Or Zarua (ii. 22) calls the latter "Sifre Rabbati." The Sifre Zuṭa has not been preserved; and, as appears from a remark of Abraham Bakrat, it was no longer extant at the time in which he wrote his commentary on Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
(comp. Brüll, Der Kleine Sifre, in Grätz Jubelschrift, p. 184).
Quoted in the "Sefer ha-Miẓwot"
Earlier authors knew of it and occasionally quoted it, e.g., R. Samson of Sens in his commentary on the mishnaic orders Zera'im and ṬohorotTohorot
Tohorot is the sixth order of the Mishnah . This order deals with the clean/unclean distinction and family purity. This is the longest of the orders in the Mishnah. There are 12 tractates:...
. Numerous fragments are found in Yalḳuṭ Shim'oni to Book of Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
, which Brüll (l.c.) has collated (corrections and additions by D. Hoffmann, Zur Einleitung in die Halachischen Midraschim, p. 60). Quotations are found also in Num. R. to Naso
Naso
Naso may refer to:*Naso , the unicorn fishes*Naso , also known as Teribe or Tjer-di, indigenous to Panama*Ovid , also known as Publius Ovidius Naso*Naso, an Italian town in the province of Messina, Sicily...
, as A. Epstein (Mi-Ḳadmoniyyot ha-Yehudim, p. 71) has pointed out. The "Mekilta to Numbers" frequently quoted by Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
in his Sefer ha-Miẓwot is nothing else than the Sifre Zuṭa; for all his quotations may be identified among the fragments of the Sifre contained in the Yalḳuṭ Shim'oni, with the exception of a passage in Shoresh 11 referring to a Biblical section, for which, as Hoffmann shows (l.c. p. 59) by a comparison with the Aruk, Yalḳuṭ Shim'oni has not quoted the Sifre.
Maimonides frequently drew upon the Sifre Zuṭa in his Yad ha-Ḥazaḳah also; and other medieval authors who occasionally quoted it are mentioned by Brüll (l.c. pp. 180 et seq.). The Midrash ha-Gadol
Midrash ha-Gadol
Midrash HaGadol or The Great Midrash is an anonymous late compilation of aggadic midrashim on the Pentateuch taken from the two Talmuds and earlier Midrashim. In addition, it borrows quotations from the Targums and Kabbalistic writings , and in this aspect is unique among the various midrashic...
to Numbers quotes the larger part of the Sifre Zuṭa, and has recently become a source of information concerning the latter. Around 1900, Königsberger began to edit the Sifre Zuṭa on the basis of the extracts in the Midrash ha-Gadol
Midrash ha-Gadol
Midrash HaGadol or The Great Midrash is an anonymous late compilation of aggadic midrashim on the Pentateuch taken from the two Talmuds and earlier Midrashim. In addition, it borrows quotations from the Targums and Kabbalistic writings , and in this aspect is unique among the various midrashic...
and Yalḳuṭ Shim'oni. A small fragment of the Sifre has been published by S. Schechter in J. Q. R. vi. 656-663.
From the School of R. Akiba
The Sifre Zuṭa belongs to R. Akiba's school, as is indicated by the method of exposition; e.g., that of the double expressions in Num. xxxv. 21; of the partitive מן, ib. xv. 19; and of the ו, ib. v. 2; the phrase זאת תורה is explained as in SifraSifra
Sifra is the Halakic midrash to Leviticus. It is frequently quoted in the Talmud, and the study of it followed that of the Mishnah, as appears from Tanḥuma, quoted in Or Zarua, i. 7b. Like Leviticus itself, the midrash is occasionally called "Torat Kohanim" , and in two passages also "Sifra debe...
, Ẓaw, ii. 1, and the term לאמר as in Sifra, Emor, vii. 8 (i.e. = לא תעשה). There are also other points of similarity with the Sifra (D. Hoffmann, l.c. p. 69); e.g., the terminology in part, as אחר שרבה להגיד מה גרם, והלא דין הוא, הכתוב מעט; although there are some unusual expressions, as ובצד השני for דבר אחר and מכל צד for מכל מקום and אמרת for ת"ל.
Furthermore, some of the views expressed in the Sifre Zuṭa correspond with views known to be R. Akiba's, as in v. 14, with which comp. Soṭah
Sotah
Sotah deals with the ritual of the Sotah - the woman suspected of adultery as described and prescribed in the Book of Numbers in...
3a; and in v. 15, with which comp. Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
, Num. 8. The midrash may be assigned to R. Simeon rather than to R. Judah, as is done in the case of the Sifra
Sifra
Sifra is the Halakic midrash to Leviticus. It is frequently quoted in the Talmud, and the study of it followed that of the Mishnah, as appears from Tanḥuma, quoted in Or Zarua, i. 7b. Like Leviticus itself, the midrash is occasionally called "Torat Kohanim" , and in two passages also "Sifra debe...
, although perhaps some of the anonymous halakot, as v. 15 (comp. Ned. 35b) and xv. 4 (comp. Men. 104b), express the views of the latter. R. Simeon's authorship is indicated by the fact that he is mentioned least often in the midrash, and that of the later tannaim
Tannaim
The Tannaim were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 70-200 CE. The period of the Tannaim, also referred to as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 130 years...
R. Eleazar b. Simeon
Eleazar b. Simeon
Eleazar b. Simeon was a Jewish Tanna sage of the fifth generation, contemporary of R. Judah haNasi. He is also the son of R. Shimon bar Yochai...
is mentioned a few times.
There are still other indications pointing to Simeon's authorship, as, for example, the enumeration of the positive and negative commandments, which is said to be a characteristic of the Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
to Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy
The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
, this midrash also being ascribed to Simeon. Further evidence is presented by the correspondence of various halakot with R. Simeon's views. Aside from the passages quoted by D. Hoffmann (l.c. p. 65), some of which represent Simeon's views more exactly than others—the parallel between v. 7 and Mek., Mishpaṭim
Mishpatim
Mishpatim is the eighteenth weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the book of Exodus...
, 15 is doubtful, on account of the different readings in the Mekilta—still others must be taken into account; e.g., Sifre Zuṭa v. 21 compared with Tosef., Sheb. iii. 7; vi. 20, with Nazir
Nazir (Talmud)
Nazir is a treatise of the Mishnah and the Tosefta and in both Talmuds, devoted chiefly to a discussion of the laws of the Nazirite laid down in Numbers 6:1-21. In the Tosefta its title is Nezirut...
46a (comp. Königsberger, Der Kleine Sifre, p. 14b, note 63, and p. 24, note 128); and, what is especially characteristic, the reason for the law under consideration (טעמא דקרא) is inquired into, as in v. 15 and xix. 16 (comp. Tosef., Sheb. i. 7; Yer. Nazir 56b).
The well-known reference of the Talmud, סתם ספרי ר"ש (Sanh. 86a), may therefore apply to Sifre Zuṭa, in which, furthermore, there are several exegetical notes on passages of Book of Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
mentioned in the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, but which are not found in the larger Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
(comp. Hoffmann, l.c. pp. 56 et seq.). The fact that the Sifre Zuṭa to v. 27 contradicts R. Simeon's view in Soṭah
Sotah
Sotah deals with the ritual of the Sotah - the woman suspected of adultery as described and prescribed in the Book of Numbers in...
19a shows merely that the editor drew also upon other midrashim, including, perhaps, that of R. Eliezer b. Jacob and that of R. Ishmael (comp. Sifre Zuṭa to Num. xxxv. 21 with Yer. Mak. 31d). Noteworthy are the terms אין במשמע אלא and אמרת for ת"ל, which are known to have been used by Eliezer b. Jacob (Zeb. 91b, according to the correct reading; Sifre, Deut. 195; comp. Hoffmann, l.c. p. 65, note 1; Königsberger, l.c. p. 5, note 7). The fact that Rebbi is not mentioned leads Hoffmann to the conclusion that the Sifre Zuṭa was not edited by a pupil of Rebbi. Some tannaim
Tannaim
The Tannaim were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 70-200 CE. The period of the Tannaim, also referred to as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 130 years...
are mentioned therein whose names are not found elsewhere; e.g., Simeon ben Neḥunyon and Papyas of Ono.
As of 1900, the Sifre Zuṭa had not yet been thoroughly studied.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
Besides the authorities quoted in the text:- W. Bacher, in J. Q. R. 1896, viii. 329-333;
- A. Epstein, in R. E. J. xxix. 316 et seq.: idem, in Allg. Zeit. des Jud. 1894, No. 34;
- ZunzZunzZunz, Zuntz is a Yiddish surname: , Belgian pharmacologist* Leopold Zunz , German Reform rabbi* Gerhard Jack Zunz , British civil engineer- Zuntz :* Nathan Zuntz , German physiologist...
, G. V. p. 51.
External links
- Jewish Encyclopedia article for Sifre Zutta, by Wilhelm BacherWilhelm BacherWilhelm Bacher was a Jewish Hungarian scholar, rabbi, Orientalist and linguist, born in Liptó-Szent-Miklós, Hungary to the Hebrew writer Simon Bacher. Wilhelm was himself an incredibly prolific writer, authoring or co-authoring approximately 750 works in an unfortunately short life...
and S. Horovitz.