Timeline

Kal Va'chomer

A kal va'chomer ("light and heavy") argument reasons from a lesser case to a greater. It is the first of Hillel's seven middot, the standard rules of rabbinic biblical interpretation, and appears throughout Jesus' teachings, Pauline letters, Hebrews, and Rabbinic literature.

Timeline

Psalm 147:9 / Matthew 6:26
1. 1000–200 BCE
  
  Psalm 147:9
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  6 The Lord lifts up the oppressed, but knocks the wicked to the ground.7 Offer to the Lord a song of thanks. Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp.8 He covers the sky with clouds, provides the earth with rain, and causes grass to grow on the hillsides.9 He gives food to the animals and to the young ravens when they chirp.10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse, nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs.11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers and in those who wait for his loyal love.
2. 70–90 CE
  
  Matthew 6:26
  
  New Testament
  
  25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? 27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?28 “Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!
Exodus 20:12 / Malachi 1:6
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 20:12
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.12 “Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you.13 “You shall not murder.14 “You shall not commit adultery.
2. 500–450 BCE
  
  Malachi 1:6
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  4 Edom says, “Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places.” So the Lord of Heaven’s Armies responds, “They indeed may build, but I will overthrow. They will be known as the land of evil, the people with whom the Lord is permanently displeased. 5 Your eyes will see it, and then you will say, ‘May the Lord be magnified even beyond the border of Israel!’”6 “A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects his master. If I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply, ‘How have we made light of your name?’ 7 You are offering improper sacrifices on my altar, yet you ask, ‘How have we offended you?’ By treating the table of the Lord as if it is of no importance. 8 For when you offer blind animals as a sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and sick, is that not wrong as well? Indeed, try offering them to your governor! Will he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Deuteronomy 17:6 / Hebrews 10:28
1. 640–500 BCE
  
  Deuteronomy 17:6
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  4 When it is reported to you and you hear about it, you must investigate carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done in Israel, 5 you must bring to your city gates that man or woman who has done this wicked thing—that very man or woman—and you must stone that person to death.6 At the testimony of two or three witnesses the person must be executed. They cannot be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 7 The witnesses must be first to begin the execution, and then all the people are to join in afterward. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.8 If a matter is too difficult for you to judge—bloodshed, legal claim, or assault—matters of controversy in your villages—you must leave there and go up to the place the Lord your God chooses.
2. 60–90 CE
  
  Hebrews 10:28
  
  New Testament
  
  26 For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, 27 but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume God’s enemies. 28 Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
Deuteronomy 22:4 / Matthew 12:11
1. 640–500 BCE
  
  Deuteronomy 22:4
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  2 If the owner does not live near you or you do not know who the owner is, then you must corral the animal at your house and let it stay with you until the owner looks for it; then you must return it to him. 3 You shall do the same to his donkey, his clothes, or anything else your neighbor has lost and you have found; you must not refuse to get involved.4 When you see your neighbor’s donkey or ox fallen along the road, do not ignore it; instead, you must be sure to help him get the animal on its feet again. 5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor should a man dress up in women’s clothing, for anyone who does this is offensive to the Lord your God.6 If you happen to notice a bird’s nest along the road, whether in a tree or on the ground, and there are chicks or eggs with the mother bird sitting on them, you must not take away a mother that is with her young.
2. 70–90 CE
  
  Matthew 12:11
  
  New Testament
  
  9 Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. 10 A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” so that they could accuse him.11 He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other.
Psalms of Solomon 5:9 / Matthew 6:26
1. 65–30 BCE
  
  Psalms of Solomon 5:9
  
  Pseudepigrapha, Wisdom and Poetry
  
  6 Do not let Your hand weigh heavily on us, so that hardship does not lead us into sin.7 Even though You do not restore us, we will not stay away, but we will come to You.8 For if I hunger, I will cry to You, God, and You will give to me.9 You feed birds and fish, by giving rain to the steppes so that green grass may grow,10 So to prepare fodder in the steppe for every living thing. And if they are hungry, they lift their faces to You.11 You feed kings and rulers and peoples, God. And who helps the poor and needy, if not You, Lord?
2. 70–90 CE
  
  Matthew 6:26
  
  New Testament
  
  25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? 27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?28 “Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!
Philo, The Special Laws / Sifre Numbers 134:2
1. 20–50 CE
  
  Philo, The Special Laws
  
  Classical
  
  132 How, then, does it do this? It names the father’s brother as the heir of his nephews, no doubt rewarding the uncle for the father’s sake--unless anyone is foolish enough to suppose that one who honors someone for the sake of someone else in doing so chooses to dishonor the latter. Those who pay attention to their friends’ acquaintances do not in this way neglect their friends, do they? Do those who show the most solicitous care for the people they honor not also welcome their friends? In precisely the same way, when the law names the father’s brother to share in the inheritance on account of the father, how much more does it name the father! It does not do this explicitly, for the reasons cited, but it makes clear the will of the lawgiver with surer force than an explicit mention.
2. 200 CE
  
  Sifre Numbers 134:2
  
  Rabbinic
  
  her son and her husband inheriting her (i.e., what she has inherited from her father, who may be of a different tribe.) Whence is it derived that the father (of the deceased) precedes his brothers (i.e., the brothers of the deceased) in the inheritance? R. Yishmael was wont to say: It is written “then you shall pass over his inheritance to his daughter.” Because of a daughter you pass over an inheritance from the father, and not because of the brothers. And whence is it derived that a father inherits (his son)? It follows, a fortiori, viz.: If the father’s brothers who come (to inherit) only by power of the father, inherit him, then the father (himself), whose brothers come (to inherit) only by his power, how much more so should he inherit (his son)? And whence is it derived that the son’s daughter stands in place of the son? It follows a fortiori, viz.: If the daughters of Tzelafchad, who inherited only for a particular time (i.e., an exception was made in their case, for the land was apportioned only to those who had left Egypt and had died), how much more so (is this to obtain) for the succeeding generations!
Matthew 6:26 / Mishnah Kiddushin 4
1. 70–90 CE
  
  Matthew 6:26
  
  New Testament
  
  25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? 27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?28 “Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?
2. 190–230 CE
  
  Mishnah Kiddushin 4
  
  Rabbinic
  
  Rabbi Yehuda says: A bachelor may not herd cattle, nor may two bachelors sleep with one covering, lest they transgress the prohibition against homosexual intercourse, but the Rabbis permit it. Anyone who has professional dealings primarily with women may not be secluded with women. There is more of a concern that such a man might sin due to his familiarity with the women. And a person may not teach his son a trade that necessitates frequent interaction with women, for the same reason. With regard to teaching one’s son a trade, Rabbi Meir says: A person should always teach his son a clean and easy trade and pray for success to the One to Whom wealth and property belong, as ultimately there is no trade that does not include both poverty and wealth, since a person can become rich from any profession. Poverty does not come from a particular trade, nor does wealth come from a particular trade, but rather, all is in accordance with a person’s merit. Therefore, one should choose a clean and easy trade, and pray to God for success. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: Have you ever seen a beast or a bird that has a trade? And yet they earn their livelihood without anguish. But all these were created only to serve me, and I, a human being, was created to serve the One Who formed me. Is it not right that I should earn my livelihood without anguish? But I, i.e., humanity, have committed evil actions and have lost my livelihood. This is why people must work to earn a living.
Matthew 6:26 / Genesis Rabbah 79:6
1. 70–90 CE
  
  Matthew 6:26
  
  New Testament
  
  25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? 27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?28 “Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?
2. 500 CE
  
  Genesis Rabbah 79:6
  
  Rabbinic
  
  That is what they say, that a person must show gratitude to a place from which he benefits. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai and Rabbi Elazar his son were hiding in a cave for thirteen years during the days of persecution. They would eat withered carobs until they broke out in sores. After thirteen years, he [Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai] emerged and sat at the cave entrance. He saw a certain hunter standing and hunting birds. When Rabbi Shimon would hear a Divine Voice from Heaven: ‘Freedom, freedom,’ it would escape. But when he would hear a Divine Voice saying: ‘Killing,’ it would be hunted and trapped. He said: ‘Were it not for Heaven, a bird would not be hunted; the soul of a person, all the more so.’ He went out and found that matters were calm, and that the edict had been abrogated. They came and bathed in that heated bathhouse in Tiberias. His son said to him: ‘Tiberias has afforded us so much benefit, and we are not purifying it from the dead?’ He said: ‘We must perform an act of good just as our ancestors would, as they would establish markets and sell at low prices.’
Matthew 7:11 / Leviticus Rabbah 34:14
1. 70–90 CE
  
  Matthew 7:11
  
  New Testament
  
  9 Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!12 “In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.13 “Enter through the narrow gate because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
2. 500 CE
  
  Leviticus Rabbah 34:14
  
  Rabbinic
  
  I stood to distribute for a mitzva. My divorcee encountered me and said to me: Gain through this woman, who from the day that she left your house, has not seen goodness. When I saw her in tattered clothing and in great distress, I became filled with mercy for her, and I gave her, due to “do not disregard your own flesh.”’ At that moment Rabbi Tanḥuma lifted his face heavenward and said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, if this one, who is flesh and blood and cruel, and was not obligated in her sustenance, he became filled with mercy for her and gave her, we, who are the children of Your children, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and our sustenance is incumbent upon You, all the more so, that You should become filled with mercy for us.’ At that moment, rain fell and the world was relieved.
Luke 16:11 / Didache 4:8
1. 75–95 CE
  
  Luke 16:11
  
  New Testament
  
  9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, so that when it runs out, you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.10 “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
2. 90–120 CE
  
  Didache 4:8
  
  Early Christian
  
  6 If you have earned anything with your hands, give some of it as a ransom for your sins. 7 Don’t hesitate to give, and don’t complain when you do, for you’ll know who rewards you well.8 Don’t turn away those in need, but share everything with your fellow believer, and don’t claim it as your own. If you share in what is eternal, how much more should you share in what is perishable?9 Don’t withhold correction from your son or daughter, but teach them to fear God from a young age. 10 Don’t give angry orders to your slaves, who put their hope in the same God as you, or they may stop fearing the God who oversees you both. God doesn’t show favoritism, but calls those prepared by the Spirit.
John 7:23 / Yoma 85b
1. 90–110 CE
  
  John 7:23
  
  New Testament
  
  21 Jesus replied, “I performed one miracle and you are all amazed.22 “However, because Moses gave you the practice of circumcision—not that it came from Moses, but from the forefathers—you circumcise a male child on the Sabbath. 23 But if a male child is circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to external appearance, but judge with proper judgment.”25 Then some of the residents of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?
2. 450–550 CE
  
  Yoma 85b
  
  Rabbinic
  
  but to preserve a life, e.g., if the priest can testify to the innocence of one who is sentenced to death, one removes him even from on top of My altar, even while he is sacrificing an offering. Just as this priest, about whom there is uncertainty whether there is substance to his words of testimony or whether there is no substance to his words, is taken from the Temple service in order to save a life, and Temple service overrides Shabbat, so too, a fortiori, saving a life overrides Shabbat. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya answered and said: Just as the mitzva of circumcision, which rectifies only one of the 248 limbs of the body, overrides Shabbat, so too, a fortiori, saving one’s whole body, which is entirely involved in mitzvot, overrides Shabbat.