Q&A: The Primary Hermeneutical Principles
The Primary Hermeneutical Principles
Question
These are logical principles, as opposed to the others, which are textual. So when we examine the issue of the relationship between the plain meaning and midrashic interpretation, does “midrashic interpretation” refer only to the textual principles? Because seemingly the logical principles are the pure plain meaning, no?
Answer
Good question. With the logical principles—analogy from a prototype case and an a fortiori inference—we are not dealing with a competing interpretation of what is written in the plain meaning, but with an addition. In short, this is not adding an interpretation but adding a law. So there the question of the relationship between the plain meaning and midrashic interpretation does not really arise. Textual principles add another interpretation to the verse under discussion, and therefore there it does arise.