In Jewish law and interpretation, a rabbinic ordinance, decree, or ruling made by the Sages to prevent the transgression of biblical laws or to protect Jewish practice.
From Hebrew gezerah (גזרה), meaning 'decree' or 'ordinance.' The word appears extensively in the Talmud and Jewish legal texts, referring to protective ordinances or restrictions instituted by ancient Jewish sages.
The concept of gezerah is brilliant rabbinical thinking—rather than waiting for people to break a law, the Sages would create preventive ordinances to keep people from even getting close to breaking it. It's legal engineering!
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