Derasha 2 on Bereishis 4:7

TT #157 · Parashas Bereishis · Fourth Aliyah · Passuk 7

Complete Passuk

הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשׇׁל־בּֽוֹ׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Kiddushin 61b (verified).

E-Daf image (Kiddushin 61b)

Core Text

Core Textרַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: כָּל תְּנַאי שֶׁאֵינוֹ כִּתְנַאי בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן אֵינוֹ תְּנַאי, וְהַיְנוּ דִּכְתִיב אִם תֵּיטִיב וְאִם לֹא תֵּיטִיב.
English of Core Text: Rabbi Meir says: Any condition that is not like the condition of the children of Gad and the children of Reuven is not a [valid] condition; and that is what is written “If you do well... and if you do not do well.”
On the daf / in context: The double formulation (positive and negative) of the condition in our verse is cited as a model of a complete tenai.
Type of Learning: Custom (form of a valid condition)
What Is Learned: A complete condition must state both the positive and the negative, as in “if you do well / if you do not do well.”