The Midrashic Tradition

Abstract The phrase lifnim mi-shurat ha-din originates in tannaitic midrash. While the midrashic tradition does not fully define what it means to act lifnim mi-shurat ha-din, it presents this phrase within a constellation of behaviors attributed to righteous individuals. Intriguingly, several of these behaviors are described in later rabbinic tradition as examples of imitatio dei, setting the stage for the Talmud to apply this phrase to both divine and human actions. Furthermore, the midrash juxtaposes lifnim mi-shurat ha-din with other types of judgment, a juxtaposition that the Talmud adapts and explores through a narrative analysis of specific behaviors. In particular, this juxtaposition introduces the idea that lifnim mi-shurat ha-din, like the related phrase shurat ha-din, signals a problem with applying existing rules or scripts.