Is there a minimum count of 3 for a plural form of a word that has a dual form.
In a WebYeshiva.org shiur, Rav Brovender explained this sugya as 2 for each of the karnot.
Given that there is a word karnayim at Bereishis 14:5 should this be a minimum count of 3 for each?
Note that the context of 14:5 is a name, apparently, and not a pair of horns on an animal -- although karnei r'eim and karnei barzel in that other context is not the dual form.
If the word were yadim, would that indicate a minimum of 3 hands for purposes like this drasha?
Chaim Chesler
We learn two from each plural form because the minimum amount this word could mean is two. If the torah would want to tell us more, we would not know how many more to learn so we assume that the Torah means the minimum amount which is two. This is true even when there are other forms of the plural available.
Dov Freedman