Editing Divrei Sofrim (section)

== Examples of Things That Are "Divrei Sofrim" ==
"Divrei Sofrim" are essentially any mitzvah or halachah (or decree, etc.) that is not explicitly written in the Written Torah. There are also things not explicitly written in Scripture but which the Sages derived from verses by way of hint (meaning the Sages taught that in this verse Hashem hinted that the halachah should be such and such, in the manner of the Oral Torah). This is called an "asmachta," and also "Divrei Sofrim."

Examples of things that are "Divrei Sofrim":

* The mitzvah of reading the Megillah on Purim is an innovation that was established in the days of Mordechai and Esther, and is not explicitly written in the Chumash. Nevertheless, we recite the blessing on reading the Megillah "Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us," even though Hashem did not command us anywhere to hear the Megillah. He did command us to listen to the words of the Sages (as mentioned above).
* Distancing and separating between meat and milk. Although there is no explicit commandment in the Torah to wait between eating meat and milk, and certainly not to designate separate sets of dishes, the Sages learned many matters from the repetition of verses (which were written three times) and also innovated additional laws on the subject (which is not the place to elaborate) in order to be careful and guard against the prohibition of eating meat and milk together. These enactments and boundaries are actual obligations, and therefore we are required to listen to their voice.