56 Mark Washofsky
58. See Rashi, B. Yevamot 109b, s.v. toke a atzmo ledevar halakhah, and Hagahot HaBaCh, B. Yevamot 109b, no. 2.
59. The dictum is codified in Yad, Sanhedrin 23:8 and Shulchan Arukh Choshen Mishpat 8:2.
60. Yad, Sanhedrin 20:8. 61. Shulchan Arukh Choshen Mishpat 10:2.
62. HaMe’iri, Beit HaBechirah, Yevamot 109b. For similar sentiments see Beit HaBechirah, Bava Batra 130b, although there he does not explicitly mention
analogy.
63. A reference, perhaps, to M. Avot 2:10. And see Rashi, B. Avodah Zarah 27b, s.v. chiviya derabanan leit leh asuta kelal.
64. Compare Shulchan Arukh Yoreh De ah 242:9: a student is permitted to issue halakhic rulings while his rabbi is alive, provided that those rulings are clearly attested in written works(“in books and in the rulings of the geonim’). He may not, however,“rely upon his own power of argument and analogy.” The source for this is Hagahot Maimoniot, Talmud Torah 5, no. 2, in the name of R. Meir of Rothenburg.
65. See R. David ibn Zimra(16™ century Egypt/Eretz Yisrael), Resp. Radbaz 6:2 (1147) and his commentary to Yad, Sanhedrin 20:8: all the limitations, including the use of analogy, apply only to the student who has not yet achieved the status of “scholar”(she-lo higia lehoraah).
66. Vekhi mipnei she-anu medamin naaseh maaseh?; B. Gitin 19a and 37a. The phrase occurs frequently in the responsa literature to the same effect: our analogies can all too easily lead to uncertain conclusions, and it is best not to rely upon them.