Q&A: What Makes You Think So?
What Makes You Think So?
Question
The Talmud derives the obligation to be killed rather than murder from the reasoning of “what makes you think [your blood is redder than his]?” After that, it makes an analogy to forbidden sexual relations. Assuming that analogical derivation also involves reasoning, and is not just a fixed textual derivation, how can it make that analogy in this case? After all, the reasoning of “what makes you think so?” is not relevant to forbidden sexual relations.
Answer
Unlike a regular analogy, which we understand from the juxtaposition of the verses, here the Torah itself makes the analogy: “for as when a man rises against his fellow, so is this matter.” Therefore there is nothing to refute here on the basis of reasoning. Even regarding a regular analogy, it is doubtful whether it can be refuted. The juxtaposition itself teaches it. Refutations are found only for logical inferences, that is, an a fortiori argument and paradigm-based derivations.