Yadayim 4:7-8

Yadayim 4:7

The Sadducees complained against the Pharisees that the latter rule an uninterrupted flow of liquid ritually clean. The Pharisees complained against the Sadducees that they declare a stream of water that flows from a cemetery to be clean. The Sadducees complained against the Pharisees that they say that one is liable for damage caused by his ox or donkey but not for damage caused by one’s male or female servant. If one is liable for the actions of one’s ox or donkey – concerning which one is not obligated in mitzvos – shouldn’t one also be liable for the actions of his male or female servant, regarding whom one is obligated in mitzvos? The Pharisees replied no, if you say that about one’s ox or donkey, which have no understanding, it doesn’t follow that the same applies to one’s male or female servant, who does have understanding. If one were to anger his servant, they could go burn a third party’s stack of grain, rendering their owner liable to pay.

Yadayim 4:8

A Galilean Sadducee complained against the Pharisees, that they write the names of the ruler and of Moshe together on a get. The Pharisees complained back that he writes the name of the ruler together with God’s name on the same page (i.e., in the Torah), and not only that, he writes the name of the ruler above and God’s name below as per Exodus 5:2, “Pharoah said, Who is Hashem that I should listen to His voice to let Israel go?” But when Pharaoh was smitten what did he say? “Hashem is righteous” (Exodus 9:27 – this doesn’t have anything to do with the debate against the Sadducees, it’s just intended to end the tractate on a positive note).