Predicate Registry (base.yaml)¶

Overview¶

The predicate registry (mistaber/dsl/vocabulary/base.yaml) is the canonical specification of all valid predicates in Mistaber. It serves as:

Type System: Defines predicate signatures with sort constraints
Vocabulary Reference: Documents Hebrew terminology and English meanings
CWA/OWA Classification: Specifies closed vs. open world assumption
Enumeration Values: Lists valid constants for classification sorts

File Structure¶

sorts:        # Domain types (29 sorts)
predicates:   # Predicate definitions (69 predicates)
enumerations: # Valid enum values (12 categories)
metadata:     # Version and documentation

Sorts Definition¶

Sorts are domain types that constrain predicate arguments.

Physical Domain Sorts¶

Sort	Description	Example Values
`food`	Food items	`chicken`, `beef`, `milk`
`vessel`	Cooking vessels	`pot1`, `pan2`
`mixture`	Combined substances	`m1`, `stew`
`action`	Physical actions	`cook1`, `eat1`
`agent`	Entities performing actions	`person1`
`time_point`	Temporal instants	`t1`, `t2`
`location`	Physical places	`kitchen`, `table`
`quantity`	Numeric measurements	`60`, `100`

Normative Domain Sorts¶

Sort	Description	Example Values
`issue`	Halachic scenarios	`issue_basar_bechalav`
`ruling`	Determinations (Phase 2)	Reserved
`rule_id`	Rule identifiers	`r_basar_bechalav`
`source_ref`	Citations	`sa("YD:87:1")`
`posek`	Authorities	`mechaber`, `rema`
`world`	Possible worlds	`base`, `ashkenaz`
`policy`	Configurations (Phase 2)	Reserved

Classification Sorts (Enumerated)¶

Sort	Valid Values	Example
`food_category`	`basar`, `chalav`, `parve`, ...	`food_type(X, basar)`
`action_type`	`achiila`, `bishul`, `hanaah`	`action_type(A, achiila)`
`context`	`ctx_normal`, `ctx_hefsed`, `ctx_shaat_hadchak`	Context argument
`madrega_type`	`d_oraita`, `d_rabanan`, `minhag`, `chumra`	`madrega(R, d_oraita)`
`status_type`	`assur`, `mutar`, `chiyuv`, ...	`status(F, assur)`
`temp_status`	`tzonen`, `cham`, `roteiach`	`temp_status(F, cham)`
`kli_status`	`kli_rishon`, `kli_sheni`, `kli_shlishi`	`kli_status(V, kli_rishon)`
`shiur_type`	`k_zayit`, `k_beitza`, `shishim`, ...	`shiur_type(F, k_zayit)`

Predicate Definition Format¶

Each predicate entry contains:

- name: forbidden
  arity: 4
  signature: [world, action_type, food, context]
  hebrew: "אסור"
  english: "Action on food is prohibited"
  cwa: false
  derived: true
  note: "Open world - derived from rules"

Field	Required	Description
`name`	Yes	Predicate name (lowercase)
`arity`	Yes	Number of arguments
`signature`	Yes	List of sort names for each position
`hebrew`	No	Hebrew terminology
`english`	No	English description
`cwa`	Yes	True = Closed World, False = Open World
`derived`	No	True if derived from other predicates
`mandatory`	No	True if must be specified in every program
`note`	No	Additional documentation

Predicate Categories¶

Sort Membership Predicates (CWA)¶

Declare what entities exist:

- name: is_food
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: true

- name: is_vessel
  arity: 1
  signature: [vessel]
  cwa: true

- name: is_mixture
  arity: 1
  signature: [mixture]
  cwa: true

Usage: is_food(chicken)., vessel(pot1).

Food Classification Predicates¶

- name: food_type
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, food_category]
  cwa: true
  note: "Target of surface syntax expansion"

- name: food_cat
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, food_category]
  cwa: true
  note: "Alias for food_type"

Usage: food_type(chicken, of)., food_type(milk, chalav).

Normative Predicates (OWA, Derived)¶

- name: forbidden
  arity: 4
  signature: [world, action_type, food, context]
  cwa: false
  derived: true

- name: permitted
  arity: 4
  signature: [world, action_type, food, context]
  cwa: false
  derived: true

- name: safek
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false

Usage: forbidden(W, achiila, M, ctx_normal) :- ...

Important: These predicates require @makor citation when used in rules.

Source Attribution Predicates¶

- name: makor
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, source_ref]
  cwa: true
  mandatory: true

- name: cites
  arity: 2
  signature: [rule_id, source_ref]
  cwa: true
  mandatory: true

Usage: makor(r_basar_bechalav, sa("YD:87:1")).

Madrega Predicates¶

- name: madrega
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, madrega_type]
  cwa: true
  note: "Every issur must have a madrega"

- name: is_d_oraita
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false

- name: is_d_rabanan
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false

Vessel (Kli) Predicates¶

- name: kli_status
  arity: 2
  signature: [vessel, kli_status]
  cwa: true

- name: in_vessel
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, vessel]
  cwa: true

- name: absorbed_in_vessel
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, vessel]
  cwa: false

Temporal Predicates¶

- name: before
  arity: 2
  signature: [time_point, time_point]
  cwa: false

- name: during
  arity: 2
  signature: [action, time_point]
  cwa: true

- name: at_time
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, time_point]
  cwa: false

Temperature Predicates¶

- name: temp_status
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, temp_status]
  cwa: true

- name: is_tzonen
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false

- name: is_cham
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false

- name: is_roteiach
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false

Shiur (Measurement) Predicates¶

- name: shiur_type
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, shiur_type]
  cwa: true

- name: has_shiur
  arity: 3
  signature: [food, shiur_type, quantity]
  cwa: true

- name: ratio
  arity: 3
  signature: [mixture, food, integer]
  cwa: true

- name: noten_taam
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, food]
  cwa: false

Action Predicates¶

- name: performed
  arity: 3
  signature: [agent, action, food]
  cwa: true

- name: achiila
  arity: 2
  signature: [agent, food]
  cwa: true

- name: bishul
  arity: 3
  signature: [agent, food, food]
  cwa: true

- name: hanaah
  arity: 2
  signature: [agent, food]
  cwa: true

- name: accessible
  arity: 2
  signature: [world, world]
  cwa: false
  note: "For deontic and counterfactual reasoning"

- name: actual_world
  arity: 1
  signature: [world]
  cwa: true
  mandatory: true

- name: holds_in
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, world]
  cwa: false

Safek (Doubt) Handling¶

- name: safek
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false

- name: safek_d_oraita
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false
  note: "Biblical doubt - treat stringently"

- name: safek_d_rabanan
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false
  note: "Rabbinic doubt - treat leniently"

- name: sfek_sfeika
  arity: 1
  signature: [food]
  cwa: false
  note: "Double doubt - compound uncertainty"

Enumerations¶

Complete lists of valid values for classification sorts:

action_type¶

action_type:
  - achiila      # Eating
  - bishul       # Cooking
  - hanaah       # Benefit/use
  - melicha      # Salting
  - kavush       # Pickling
  - netila       # Washing/handling

food_category¶

food_category:
  - maakhal      # Generic food
  - basar        # Meat
  - chalav       # Dairy
  - parve        # Neutral
  - beheima      # Domesticated animal
  - chaya        # Wild animal
  - of           # Poultry
  - dag          # Fish
  - mashkeh      # Liquid
  - tavlin       # Spice
  - yayin        # Wine
  - dagan        # Grain
  - yerek        # Vegetable
  - peri         # Fruit
  - ofeh         # Baked goods

madrega_type¶

madrega_type:
  - d_oraita     # Biblical (Torah law)
  - d_rabanan    # Rabbinic decree
  - minhag       # Custom
  - chumra       # Stringency

context¶

context:
  - ctx_normal         # Normal circumstances
  - ctx_hefsed         # Significant loss
  - ctx_shaat_hadchak  # Emergency
  - ctx_choleh         # Sick person
  - ctx_pikuach_nefesh # Life-threatening

shiur_type¶

shiur_type:
  - k_zayit      # Olive volume (~30ml)
  - k_beitza     # Egg volume (~55ml)
  - shishim      # 60:1 ratio
  - mashehu      # Any amount
  - rov          # Majority
  - noten_taam   # Taste-imparting

CWA vs OWA¶

Closed World Assumption (CWA)¶

Definition: If not stated, it's false
Used for: Facts, classifications, structural data
Examples: is_food, food_type, madrega, contains

% CWA: if not declared, food doesn't exist
is_food(chicken).  % chicken exists
% beef is NOT a food (no declaration)

Open World Assumption (OWA)¶

Definition: Absence doesn't imply falsity
Used for: Derived conclusions, normative determinations
Examples: permitted, forbidden, safek

% OWA: not knowing if something is forbidden
% doesn't mean it's permitted
forbidden(W, achiila, M, C) :- ...

Type Checker Warning: Negating OWA predicates generates a warning because it can lead to unsafe permissiveness.

Using the Registry in Python¶

from mistaber.dsl.vocabulary import PredicateRegistry
from pathlib import Path

# Load registry
registry = PredicateRegistry.load(
    Path("mistaber/dsl/vocabulary/base.yaml")
)

# Check if predicate exists
pred = registry.get_predicate("food_type")
print(pred.arity)        # 2
print(pred.signature)    # ['food', 'food_category']
print(pred.cwa)          # True

# Check if value is valid for sort
valid = "basar" in registry.get_enum_values("food_category")
print(valid)             # True

# Get all OWA predicates
owa_preds = [p for p in registry.predicates if not p.cwa]

Adding New Predicates¶

Add entry to predicates section in base.yaml
Specify all required fields (name, arity, signature, cwa)
Add to appropriate sort if new type needed
Add to enumerations if new enum values needed
Update tests in tests/dsl/test_type_checker.py

Example:

- name: new_predicate
  arity: 2
  signature: [food, new_sort]
  hebrew: "חדש"
  english: "New predicate description"
  cwa: true
  note: "Added for feature X"

Metadata¶

metadata:
  version: "1.0.0"
  phase: 1
  last_updated: "2026-01-15"
  description: "Canonical predicate registry for Mistaber Phase 1"

The metadata section tracks version information and documents the registry's purpose.