Julian Ungar-Sargon

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Daf Ditty

A wide-ranging commentary on the daily page of Talmud.

Sanhedrin 34: וּכְפַטִּישׁ יְפֹצֵץ סָלַע

jyungar January 20, 2025

For the source text click/tap here: Sanhedrin 34

To download, click/tap here: PDF

Just as this hammer breaks a stone into several fragments, so too, one verse is stated by God and from it emerge several explanations.

The Gemara expounds the verse, "uch'Fatish Yefotzetz Sala" (Yirmeyahu 23:29), which describes the words of Hashem. D'Vei Rebbi Yishmael derives from this verse that "just as a hammer divides into many sparks, so, too, one verse teaches many lessons."

The subject and object of the verse are unclear. Do the words "uch'Fatish Yefotzetz Sala" mean that Hashem's words are "like a hammer that shatters a stone into many fragments," with the stone the object, which is shattered by the hammer, or does the verse mean "like a hammer that is shattered to pieces when it strikes the hard stone," with the hammer the object that is shattered by the stone?

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Julian Ungar-Sargon

This is Julian Ungar-Sargon's personal website. It contains poems, essays, and podcasts for the spiritual seeker and interdisciplinary aficionado.​