5. Rabbi Elazar stood up and spoke: "Now this was the custom in former times in Yisrael concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm..." (Rut 4:7). This scriptural verse must be studied carefully. If the earlier ones have made this consensual agreement, TO BUY EVERYTHING THROUGH A SHOE, according to the law of Torah, and the latter ones came and voided it, WE MUST INQUIRE why it was made void. Is not one who abrogates any matter in the Torah considered as if he destroys the whole world? If it is not a Torah law but merely an agreed consensus, THE QUESTION IS why SPECIFICALLY a shoe was used here, AND NOT ANY OTHER METHOD.
5. קָם ר' אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, וְזֹאת לְפָנִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַגְּאוּלָה וְעַל הַתְּמוּרָה לְקַיֵּים וְגוֹ.' הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, וְאִי אִינּוּן קַדְמָאֵי עַבְדֵּי הַסְכָּמָה דָּא בְּדִינָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאָתוּ בַּתְרָאֵי וּבִטְלוּהָ, אֲמַאי בִּטְלוּהָ. וְהָא מַאן דְּבָטִיל מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. כְּאִילּוּ חָרִיב עָלְמָא שְׁלִים. וְאִי לָאו אִיהוּ בְּדִינָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אֶלָּא הַסְכָּמָה בְּעָלְמָא, אֲמַאי נַעַל הָכָא.