Repeated sections – the sages of blessed memory homiletically interpret all words in the second section as if they were repeated in the first section.

Like the section about a burnt offering of a flock⁵⁵⁴; it could have been included in the earlier section about a burnt offering of the herd⁵⁵⁵, and they homiletically interpret that for all that is written with respect to an offering of a flock in the first section, it means to say it as if it were repeated זכר זכר and תמים תמים. And moreover, all repetitions that are in both the section about a burnt offering of a herd and the section about a burnt offering of a flock are interpreted homiletically.

footnotes: ⁵⁵⁴ Leviticus 1:10. ⁵⁵⁵ Leviticus 1:3.

And this is the great root of the Oral Law and is profound. Through this come many laws, no number to them, in the Written Law.

For example, with five types of sins, it explains what is written there four times מכל מצוות ה' אשר לא תעשינה (in any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done)⁵⁵⁶ for four homiletical interpretations.

footnotes: ⁵⁵⁶ Leviticus 4:2, 4:13, 4:22, 4:27.

And when it is written קרנות (horns)⁵⁵⁷ two times with respect to a sin offering in the interior of the tent of meeting.

footnotes: ⁵⁵⁷ Leviticus 4:7, 4:18.

And when it is written יסוד מזבח העולה (base of the altar of burnt offering)⁵⁵⁸ three times with respect to a sin offering in the exterior of the tent of meeting.

footnotes: ⁵⁵⁸ Leviticus 4:7, 4:18, 4:25.

And when it is written in the section about the sin-offering for the anointed priest, the sin-offering for the assembly, and in Leviticus 6:4 three times⁵⁵⁹ מחוץ למחנה, it has three homiletical interpretations.

footnotes: ⁵⁵⁹ Leviticus 4:12, 4:21, 6:4.

And when it is written about a sin offering in the exterior of the tent of meeting three times⁵⁶⁰ and a guilt offering for leprosy one time⁵⁶¹, four times it says to kill it in the place where they kill the burnt-offering to teach four things.

footnotes: ⁵⁶⁰ Leviticus 4:24, 4:29, 4:33. ⁵⁶¹ Leviticus 14:13.

And when it is written three times וכפר עליו הכהן (the priest shall make atonement for him)⁵⁶² and three times וכפר ונסלח (make atonement and be forgiven)⁵⁶³, there are three homiletical interpretations.

footnotes: ⁵⁶² Leviticus 4:26, 4:31, 4:35. ⁵⁶³ Ibid.

And furthermore, I already mentioned many like these in the rules that are mentioned in the preceding chapters. And in the chapter about leprosy of garments, בגד (garment) is written eight times, עור (skin) is written seven times, and שתי וערב (warp and woof) is written seven times. And with all of those that I considered came homiletical interpretations of the Sifra, the number of interpretations equaling the number of repetitions, never more and never less.

And the way of the Sifra is to always explain all of the homiletical interpretations of a word the first time the word appears. For example, the first time when it is written על העצים אשר על האש (upon the wood that is on the fire)⁵⁶⁴, it homiletically interprets it four times. And the first time when it is written ירחץ במים (wash with water)⁵⁶⁵, it homiletically interprets it two times. And the commentaries of Sifra maintain that it derives all of the homiletical interpretations from the same word. For example, when it is written על העצים אשר על האש (upon the wood that is on the fire)⁵⁶⁶ it homiletically interprets it four times. And they were very much pressed to remove these homiletical interpretations, but it was not possible. And they based most of their interpretations on the letters ה and the ו, etc. It seemed as if the foundations of the tradition were built on cobwebs. And the truth is that the Sifra will never make an interpretation anywhere more than once. And when there are many homiletical interpretations of one word, we can be certain that this word is repeated in a topic or a narrative or the Torah such and such times equal to the number of homiletical interpretations. And the Sifra always collects and organizes them the first time the word appears.

footnotes: ⁵⁶⁴ Leviticus 1:8. ⁵⁶⁵ Leviticus 1:9. ⁵⁶⁶ Leviticus 1:8.