Q&A: Avnei Nezer: Women’s Obligation in Killing Amalek
Avnei Nezer: Women’s Obligation in Killing Amalek
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I was speaking with someone about the Avnei Nezer’s responsum on the contradiction in the Sefer HaChinukh regarding women’s obligation in eradicating Amalek and their exemption from the war against the seven Canaanite nations.
I told him that in my opinion these are bizarre claims. But when I needed to explain why, I didn’t really have the words… It’s clear to me that the whole pilpul is just an intellectual game for amusement. But honestly, even to me it isn’t clear exactly where the flaw is. Could you clarify the matter for me (assuming you agree that the Avnei Nezer’s answer is rather strange)?
Answer
Just as pilpul is an artistic matter, so too the distinction between pilpul and what is not pilpul is not sharp; it is a matter of taste and intuition. It’s hard to define it precisely, and the better the pilpul is, the harder the distinction becomes.
He relies on interpreting the reason for the verse, when he says that killing the seven nations is a constructive act not needed for its own sake. There is no hint of this in the Sefer HaChinukh, which usually explains women’s exemption. In his wording there is no hint of this explanation. If the goal is the result, namely getting rid of them, then there is room to say that women are obligated regardless of whether it is time-bound.
Discussion on Answer
A foolish pilpul? What’s the point? A cute pilpul: if a four-cornered garment, which is obligated in tzitzit, is exempt from mezuzah, then a doorpost, which is exempt from tzitzit, all the more so should be exempt from mezuzah.
Thanks. By the way, could you point me to an example of utterly empty pilpul? Something that would serve me as a good example.