Keritot 2:5-6
משנה כריתות ב:ה-ו
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Keritot | Chapter: 2
📖 Mishna
Mishna 2:5
משנה ב:ה
Hebrew:
אֵיזוֹ הִיא שִׁפְחָה. כֹּל שֶׁחֶצְיָהּ שִׁפְחָה וְחֶצְיָהּ בַּת חוֹרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט), וְהָפְדֵּה לֹא נִפְדָּתָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, זוֹ הִיא שִׁפְחָה וַדָּאִית. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל הָעֲרָיוֹת מְפֹרָשׁוֹת, וּמַה שִּׁיּוּר, אֵין לָנוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁחֶצְיָהּ שִׁפְחָה וְחֶצְיָהּ בַּת חוֹרִין:
English:
Who is the espoused maidservant in question? It is any woman who is half-maidservant half-free woman, i.e., a maidservant who belonged to two masters, one of whom liberated her, as it is stated: “And she was redeemed and not redeemed” (Leviticus 19:20), which means that she was partially but not completely redeemed. This is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Yishmael says: An espoused maidservant is a full-fledged maidservant whose status is certain, as the language of the verse does not mean redeemed and not redeemed; it is simply a way of stating that she was not redeemed. Rabbi Eliezer ben Azarya says: All those with whom relations are forbidden are enumerated in the Torah, and we have no exception other than one who is half-maidservant half-free woman.
Claude on the Mishna:
This mishna presents a three-way debate about the identity of the “shifcha charufa” - the espoused maidservant whose laws were discussed in the previous mishnayot.
Rabbi Akiva’s view (majority position): The shifcha charufa is a woman who is HALF maidservant and HALF free. How does this happen? A maidservant owned by two partners, where one freed his half but the other did not. She is betrothed to a Hebrew slave (who can only marry a maidservant, but she’s now partially free, creating a unique status).
The verse says “ve’hafdeh lo nifdatah” - “she was redeemed but not redeemed” - which Rabbi Akiva reads as indicating partial redemption.
Rabbi Yishmael’s view: The verse simply means she was NOT redeemed at all. She is a full maidservant whose status is certain (vadai’t). The laws apply to any Canaanite maidservant betrothed to a Hebrew slave.
Rabbi Eliezer ben Azarya’s reasoning: He agrees with Rabbi Akiva but offers different logic: The Torah explicitly lists all forbidden relations. What’s left over that isn’t covered? Only the half-maidservant/half-free woman. The Torah needed a special category to address her unique status.
Key Terms:
- שִׁפְחָה חֲרוּפָה (shifcha charufa) = Espoused/designated maidservant
- חֶצְיָהּ שִׁפְחָה וְחֶצְיָהּ בַּת חוֹרִין = Half maidservant, half free woman
- וְהָפְדֵּה לֹא נִפְדָּתָה = “Redeemed but not redeemed” - the key verse (Lev. 19:20)
- שִׁפְחָה וַדָּאִית (shifcha vada’it) = Definite/certain maidservant
- מַה שִּׁיּוּר (mah shiyur) = “What remains” - what’s left uncovered by other laws
Mishna 2:6
משנה ב:ו
Hebrew:
כָּל הָעֲרָיוֹת, אֶחָד גָּדוֹל וְאֶחָד קָטָן, הַקָּטָן פָּטוּר. אֶחָד עֵר וְאֶחָד יָשֵׁן, הַיָּשֵׁן פָּטוּר. אֶחָד שׁוֹגֵג וְאֶחָד מֵזִיד, הַשּׁוֹגֵג בְּחַטָּאת וְהַמֵּזִיד בְּהִכָּרֵת:
English:
In all cases of intercourse with those with whom relations are forbidden, if one is an adult and one is a minor, the minor is exempt; if one is awake and one is sleeping, the sleeping one is exempt; if one commits the act unwittingly and one does so intentionally, the one who did so unwittingly is liable to bring a sin offering and the one who did so intentionally is liable to be punished with karet. By contrast, in a case of intercourse with an espoused maidservant, the man is liable to bring a guilt offering only if the woman is flogged, and that is the case only if she was an adult, awake, and committed the sin intentionally.
Claude on the Mishna:
This mishna highlights a crucial distinction between forbidden relations (arayot) and the espoused maidservant (shifcha charufa) regarding who is liable.
For regular arayot (forbidden relations):
| Scenario | Adult | Minor/Sleeping/Unintentional |
|---|---|---|
| Adult + Minor | Liable | Exempt |
| Awake + Sleeping | Liable | Exempt |
| Intentional + Unintentional | Karet | Sin offering |
Each party is judged INDEPENDENTLY. The adult’s liability doesn’t depend on the minor’s status.
For shifcha charufa - the man’s liability is LINKED to the woman’s:
The man brings a guilt offering ONLY IF the woman receives lashes. For her to receive lashes, she must be:
- An adult (not a minor)
- Awake (not sleeping)
- Acting intentionally (not by accident)
If ANY of these conditions is not met for her, the man brings NO offering.
Why this linkage? The Torah says “bikoret tihyeh” - “there shall be an investigation” (Lev. 19:20). This implies that both parties must be fully culpable. The investigation determines if the woman is punishable; only then is the man liable for his offering.
Key Terms:
- גָּדוֹל / קָטָן (gadol/katan) = Adult / minor
- עֵר / יָשֵׁן (er/yashen) = Awake / sleeping
- שׁוֹגֵג / מֵזִיד (shogeg/mezid) = Unintentional / intentional
- בְּחַטָּאת (bechatat) = Liable for sin offering
- בְּהִכָּרֵת (behikharet) = Liable for karet (excision)