LEGAL MAXIMS, concise statements of the law as it is or, often,
succinct statements embodying a guiding principle established in
law. The word kelal, in one of its varied meanings, is the
Hebrew equivalent of a legal maxim. "The burden of proof is on
the plaintiff " (BK 3:11), for example, is referred to as "a
great maxim of jurisprudence" (kelal gadol ba-din; BK 46a; see
also *Evidence).  Historical Periods  The wealth of Jewish legal
maxims is essentially talmudic. The great corpus of tannaitic
and amoraic literature contains hundreds of maxims, i.e., legal
rules and principles of jurisprudence stated in brief form and
summary fashion.   Even maxims which can be traced back to the
Bible owe their epigrammatic popularity to the Talmud. These
"biblical" maxims are of three types: a literal quotation of a
verse or of a part thereof, "At the mouth of two witnesses…
shall a matter be established" (Deut. 19:15, cited very
frequently in talmudic literature); a condensation of a biblical
verse: "Do not place a wick