| 释义 |
pilpul Rabbinism.|ˈpɪlpəl|
[a. Heb. pilpul (f. pilpēl to debate hotly, referred by some to pilpel pepper).]
Subtle or keen rabbinical investigation or argumentation; an instance of this. Also transf., hair-splitting and unprofitable disputation.
1894tr. Graetz's Hist. Jews IV. xiii. 418 The astonishing facility of ingenious disquisition on the basis of the Talmud (Pilpul), attributed to Polak, which attained its highest perfection in Poland, proceeded from a native of Poland. 1905J. Z. Lauterbach in Jewish Encycl. X. 39/2 (heading) Pilpul. A method of Talmudic study. The word is derived from the verb ‘pilpel’ (lit. ‘to spice’, ‘to season’, and in a metaphorical sense, ‘to dispute violently’..or ‘cleverly’..). Since by such disputation the subject is in a way spiced and seasoned, the word has come to mean penetrating investigation, disputation, and drawing of conclusions, and is used especially to designate a method of studying the Law... The essential characteristic of pilpul is that it leads to a clear comprehension of the subject under discussion by penetrating into its essence and by adopting clear distinctions and a strict differentiation of the concepts. 1920Oesterly & Box Short Survey Lit. of Rabbinical & Mediæval Judaism iv. ii. 228 So far from destroying pilpul—casuistical discussion—the Code or Mishneh Torah itself became the object of pilpulistic comment. 1964H. Kemelman Friday the Rabbi slept Late (1965) xxi. 156 We read a passage..of the Law... We were adding our own arguments..and twists of logic, the so-called pilpul. 1966― Saturday the Rabbi went Hungry i. 10 The cantor's chuckle told him he was won over. The rabbi returned to the table. His wife shook her head with a smile. ‘That was a terrible pilpul.’ 1967C. Potok Chosen ii. v. 107 Pilpul, these discussions are called—empty, nonsensical arguments over minute points of the Talmud. 1968L. Rosten Joys of Yiddish 287 Pilpul,..unproductive hair-splitting that is employed not so much to advance clarity or reveal meaning as to display one's own cleverness. 1976Brit. Jrnl. Sociol. XXVII. 41 A key difficulty in the concept of alienation is that many of the succeeding theoretical discussions of the idea have taken off from the false leads in Marx, and the Talmudic pilpul over dissecting his text has only produced further confusion. |