The Tallest Column: On Monetary Value of Stature in Jewish Law
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Tallest Column.pdf
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Author(s)
Ehrenberg, Isaac Mayer
Siegel, Joshua E
Erb, Dylan Charles
Date Issued
2018
Journal
Hakirah
Publisher
Hakirah, Inc.
Citation
Ehrenberg, Isaac, Joshua Siegel, and Dylan Erb. "The Tallest Column: On Monetary Value of Stature in Jewish Law ." Hakirah, 25, Fall 2018.
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
In contrast to the strict requirements of Eruchin pledges found in Leviticus
27:1–8, Damim (monetary) donations are not closely regulated by the Torah
and can take many forms. One may not, for example, offer an Erech
that corresponds to some fraction of a human being, as Erech donations
can be made only on an integer number of persons. To use language that
could refer to anything but the entirety of a person renders the Erech attempt
failed (Eruchin Chapter 5 Mishna 2). Damim is more flexible as the
giver is free to offer almost any value, flexibly comprised. Beyond specifying
a donation in the local currency, the Talmud quotes two cases where
people offered either their entire value on the slave market, or the more
complicated value of a particular body part such as a hand, which requires
two evaluations to solve the equation ‘Value of one’s Hand’ = ‘Value of
that Person’ – ‘Value of (Person without his Hand).’ A similar situation
arises when one offers to contribute the value of his weight in a material.
A simple measurement is needed when the entire weight is specified, but
if it’s only the weight of a particular limb, the Mishna (Eruchin19a) details
an elaborate procedure that involves measuring the volume of the limb
through a water displacement exercise, and estimating the density of human
flesh using a combination of donkey bone, blood and meat.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Auto-ID Laboratory
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
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