[Avodah] childbirth as a time of sakana

[Micha Berger]

I tend to think of these things using a metaphor from physics.

We didn't realize that "a body in motion tends to stay in motion unless
acted upon" until Newton. In fact, in Aristotle's physics, a body in
motion used up its impetus and stopped. Because in real world examples
(until space flight), the body always is acted upon -- gravity, friction,
etc... The rule couldn't be seen because exceptions were the norm.

But that doesn't make the rule any less true.

As ben Azzai says WRT the promiscuous wife who survives mei sotah,
shehazekhus tolah. In real world cases of sotah, there would be
extenuating circumstances.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Never must we think that the Jewish element
micha at aishdas.org        in us could exist without the human element
http://www.aishdas.org   or vice versa.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                     - Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch