Article: Shmuel HaKatan and the political background to Avot 4:19.

The talmudic sages were all fond of quoting Scripture; but, quite apart from that predilection, the support of a biblical prooftext was clearly the strongest possible corroboration they could muster for any oral tradition they were transmitting, or indeed for any original personal viewpoint they were offering in the sphere of Halakhah or Aggadah. The corroborative biblical verse was always considered therefore as an essential component, not to be omitted in the transmission of their particular teachings. It was invariably subjected, therefore, by later scholars, to a close analysis in order to ascertain that it was truly "available" to underpin that particular teaching, or ...

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