1. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 5.23 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 92| 5.23. "וּמֵאָז בָּאתִי אֶל־פַּרְעֹה לְדַבֵּר בִּשְׁמֶךָ הֵרַע לָעָם הַזֶּה וְהַצֵּל לֹא־הִצַּלְתָּ אֶת־עַמֶּךָ׃", | 5.23. "For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all.’", |
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2. Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings, 15.5 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 86| 15.5. "אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה דָוִד אֶת־הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וְלֹא־סָר מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּהוּ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו רַק בִּדְבַר אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי׃", | 15.5. "because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that He commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.", |
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3. Hebrew Bible, 1 Samuel, 16.18 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 87| 16.18. "וַיַּעַן אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה רָאִיתִי בֵּן לְיִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי יֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן וְגִבּוֹר חַיִל וְאִישׁ מִלְחָמָה וּנְבוֹן דָּבָר וְאִישׁ תֹּאַר וַיהוָה עִמּוֹ׃", | 16.18. "Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Yishay the Bet-hallaĥmite, that knows how to play, and a fine warrior, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.", |
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4. Hebrew Bible, 2 Samuel, 12.9 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 84| 12.9. "מַדּוּעַ בָּזִיתָ אֶת־דְּבַר יְהוָה לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בעינו [בְּעֵינַי] אֵת אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי הִכִּיתָ בַחֶרֶב וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ לָקַחְתָּ לְּךָ לְאִשָּׁה וְאֹתוֹ הָרַגְתָּ בְּחֶרֶב בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן׃", | 12.9. "Why hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriyya the Ĥittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of ῾Ammon.", |
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| 5. Tosefta, Megillah, 3.38 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 90 |
6. Mishnah, Megillah, 4.10 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 90| 4.10. "מַעֲשֵׂה רְאוּבֵן (בראשית לה), נִקְרָא וְלֹא מִתַּרְגֵּם. מַעֲשֵׂה תָמָר (בראשית לח), נִקְרָא וּמִתַּרְגֵּם. מַעֲשֵׂה עֵגֶל הָרִאשׁוֹן (שמות לב), נִקְרָא וּמִתַּרְגֵּם. וְהַשֵּׁנִי (שם), נִקְרָא וְלֹא מִתַּרְגֵּם. בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים (במדבר ו), מַעֲשֵׂה דָּוִד (שמואל ב י״א:כ״ז) וְאַמְנוֹן (שמואל ב יג), לֹא נִקְרָאִין וְלֹא מִתַּרְגְּמִין. אֵין מַפְטִירִין בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה (יחזקאל א), וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַתִּיר. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, אֵין מַפְטִירִין בְּהוֹדַע אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (יחזקאל ט״ז:ב׳):", | 4.10. "The incident of Reuven is read but not translated. The story of Tamar is read and translated. The first part of the incident of the golden calf is both read and translated, but the second is read but not translated. The blessing of the priests, the stories of David and Amnon are not read or translated. They do not conclude with the portion of the chariot as a haftarah. But Rabbi Judah permits this. R. Eliezar says: they do not conclude with “Proclaim Jerusalem’s [abominations]” (Ezekiel as a haftarah.", |
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| 7. Anon., Sifra, None (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 85 |
| 8. Palestinian Talmud, Bava Batra, None (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 89 |
9. Babylonian Talmud, Makkot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 84, 85| 10a. דכתיב (הושע ו, ח) גלעד קרית פועלי און עקובה מדם מאי עקובה מדם א"ר אלעזר שהיו עוקבין להרוג נפשות,ומאי שנא מהאי גיסא ומהאי גיסא דמרחקי ומאי שנא מציעאי דמקרבי,אמר אביי בשכם נמי שכיחי רוצחים דכתיב (הושע ו, ט) וכחכי איש גדודים חבר כהנים דרך ירצחו שכמה וגו' מאי חבר כהנים א"ר אלעזר שהיו מתחברין להרוג נפשות ככהנים הללו שמתחברין לחלוק תרומות בבית הגרנות,ותו ליכא והא כתיב (במדבר לה, ו) ועליהם תתנו ארבעים ושתים עיר אמר אביי הללו קולטות בין לדעת בין שלא לדעת הללו לדעת קולטות שלא לדעת אינן קולטות,וחברון עיר מקלט הוא והכתיב (שופטים א, כ) ויתנו לכלב את חברון כאשר דבר משה אמר אביי פרוודהא דכתיב (יהושע כא, יב) ואת שדה העיר ואת חצריה נתנו לכלב בן יפנה,וקדש עיר מקלט הואי והכתיב (יהושע יט, לה) וערי מבצר הצדים צר וחמת רקת וכנרת [וגו'] וקדש ואדרעי ועין חצור ותניא ערים הללו אין עושין אותן לא טירין קטנים ולא כרכים גדולים אלא עיירות בינוניות אמר רב יוסף תרתי קדש הואי אמר רב אשי כגון סליקום ואקרא דסליקום,גופא ערים הללו אין עושין אותן לא טירין קטנים ולא כרכין גדולים אלא עיירות בינוניות ואין מושיבין אותן אלא במקום מים ואם אין שם מים מביאין להם מים ואין מושיבין אותן אלא במקום שווקים ואין מושיבין אותן אלא במקום אוכלוסין נתמעטו אוכלוסיהן מוסיפין עליהן נתמעטו דיוריהן מביאין להם כהנים לוים וישראלים,ואין מוכרין בהן לא כלי זיין ולא כלי מצודה דברי רבי נחמיה וחכמים מתירין ושוין שאין פורסין בתוכן מצודות ואין מפשילין לתוכן חבלים כדי שלא תהא רגל גואל הדם מצויה שם,א"ר יצחק מאי קרא (דברים ד, מב) ונס אל אחת מן הערים האל וחי עביד ליה מידי דתהוי ליה חיותא,תנא תלמיד שגלה מגלין רבו עמו שנאמר וחי עביד ליה מידי דתהוי ליה חיותא אמר ר' זעירא מכאן שלא ישנה אדם לתלמיד שאינו הגון,א"ר יוחנן הרב שגלה מגלין ישיבתו עמו איני והא א"ר יוחנן מנין לדברי תורה שהן קולטין שנאמר (דברים ד, מג) את בצר במדבר וגו' [וכתיב בתריה] (דברים ד, מד) וזאת התורה,לא קשיא הא בעידנא דעסיק בה הא בעידנא דלא עסיק בה,ואי בעית אימא מאי קולטין ממלאך המות כי הא דרב חסדא הוה יתיב וגריס בבי רב ולא הוה קא יכול שליחא [דמלאכא דמותא] למיקרב לגביה דלא הוה שתיק פומיה מגירסא סליק ויתיב אארזא דבי רב פקע ארזא ושתיק ויכיל ליה,א"ר תנחום בר חנילאי מפני מה זכה ראובן לימנות בהצלה תחלה מפני שהוא פתח בהצלה תחלה שנאמר (בראשית לז, כא) וישמע ראובן ויצילהו מידם,דרש רבי שמלאי מאי דכתיב (דברים ד, מא) אז יבדיל משה שלש ערים בעבר הירדן מזרחה [שמש] אמר לו הקב"ה למשה הזרח שמש לרוצחים איכא דאמרי א"ל הזרחת שמש לרוצחים,דרש רבי סימאי מאי דכתיב (קהלת ה, ט) אוהב כסף לא ישבע כסף ומי אוהב בהמון לא תבואה אוהב כסף לא ישבע כסף זה משה רבינו שהיה יודע שאין שלש ערים שבעבר הירדן קולטות עד שלא נבחרו שלש בארץ כנען ואמר מצוה שבאה לידי אקיימנה,ומי אוהב בהמון לא תבואה למי נאה ללמד בהמון מי שכל תבואה שלו והיינו דא"ר אלעזר מאי דכתיב (תהלים קו, ב) מי ימלל גבורות ה' ישמיע כל תהלתו למי נאה (ללמד) [למלל] גבורות ה' מי שיכול להשמיע כל תהלתו,ורבנן ואיתימא רבה בר מרי אמר מי אוהב בהמון לו תבואה כל האוהב (למלמד) בהמון לו תבואה יהבו ביה רבנן עינייהו ברבא בריה דרבה,(סימן אשי ללמוד רבינא ללמד),רב אשי אמר כל האוהב ללמוד בהמון לו תבואה והיינו דא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא מאי דכתיב (ירמיהו נ, לו) חרב אל הבדים ונואלו חרב על צוארי שונאיהם של ת"ח שיושבין ועוסקין בתורה בד בבד ולא עוד אלא שמטפשין כתיב הכא ונואלו וכתיב התם (במדבר יב, יא) אשר נואלנו ולא עוד אלא שחוטאין שנאמר ואשר חטאנו ואיבעית אימא מהכא (ישעיהו יט, יג) נואלו שרי צוען,רבינא אמר כל האוהב ללמד בהמון לו תבואה והיינו דאמר רבי הרבה תורה למדתי מרבותי ומחבירי יותר מהם ומתלמידי יותר מכולן,א"ר יהושע בן לוי מאי דכתיב (תהלים קכב, ב) עומדות היו רגלינו בשעריך ירושלם מי גרם לרגלינו שיעמדו במלחמה שערי ירושלם שהיו עוסקים בתורה,וא"ר יהושע בן לוי מאי דכתיב (תהלים קכב, א) שיר המעלות לדוד שמחתי באומרים לי בית ה' נלך אמר דוד לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא רבש"ע שמעתי בני אדם שהיו אומרים מתי ימות זקן זה ויבא שלמה בנו ויבנה בית הבחירה ונעלה לרגל ושמחתי אמר לו הקב"ה (תהלים פד, יא) כי טוב יום בחצריך מאלף טוב לי יום אחד שאתה עוסק בתורה לפני מאלף עולות שעתיד שלמה בנך להקריב לפני על גבי המזבח:,ומכוונות להם דרכים וכו': תניא ר' אליעזר בן יעקב אומר | 10a. Therefore, a greater number of cities of refuge per capita were required there, b as it is written: “Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is covered [ i akuba /i ] with blood” /b (Hosea 6:8). b What /b is the meaning of: b Covered [ i akuba /i ] with blood? Rabbi Elazar says: /b It means b that they would set an ambush [ i okevin /i ] to kill people. /b ,The Gemara asks: b And what is different /b about the cities of refuge closest to the border on b this /b southern b side /b of the country b and from /b the border on b that /b northern b side /b of the country, b that are distanced /b one-quarter of the length of Eretz Yisrael from the border, b and what is different /b about the city of refuge in the b middle /b of the country, b which is /b relatively b close /b to any potential murderers? The maximum distance that one would need to travel to reach the middle city is one-half the distance from the northern and southern borders to their respective cities of refuge., b Abaye said: Murderers are also common in Shechem, as it is written: “And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so does the band of priests; they murder in the way toward Shechem, /b yes, they commit enormity” (Hosea 6:9). b What /b is the meaning of b “the band of priests”? Rabbi Elazar says: /b It means b that /b the people b would band together to kill people, like those priests who band together to distribute i teruma /i /b among themselves b in the granaries. /b ,The Gemara asks: b And are there no more /b cities of refuge beyond these six? b But isn’t it written: /b “And the cities that you shall give to the Levites: The six cities of refuge you shall give for the murderer to flee there, b and beyond them you shall give forty-two cities” /b (Numbers 35:6), indicating that the status of all the Levite cities is that of cities of refuge? b Abaye said: /b With regard to b these /b six cities designated specifically for this purpose, unintentional murderers in need of refuge are b admitted /b there b whether /b they entered the cities b deliberately, /b aware that they are cities of refuge, or b whether /b they entered b inadvertently. /b By contrast, with regard to b those /b forty-two Levite cities, unintentional murderers are b admitted /b only if they entered the cities b deliberately, /b but if they entered the cities b inadvertently, /b they are b not admitted /b to the cities.,The Gemara asks: b And is Hebron a city of refuge? But isn’t it written: “And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken” /b (Judges 1:20)? This indicates that Hebron belonged to Caleb from the tribe of Judah, and it was not a Levite city. b Abaye said: Its suburbs [ i parvadaha /i ] /b were given to Caleb; the city itself was a city of priests, b as it is written /b in the context of the distribution of the Levite cities: “And they gave them Kiryat Arba…which is Hebron… b and the field of the city and its courtyards they gave to Caleb, son of Jephunneh” /b (Joshua 21:11–12).,The Gemara further asks: b And is Kadesh a city of refuge? But isn’t it written: “And the fortified cities were Ziddim Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth…and Kedesh and Edrei and En Hazor” /b (Joshua 19:35–37), b and it is taught /b in a i baraita /i : With regard to b these cities /b of refuge, b one does not establish them /b in b small settlements [ i tirin /i ] or /b in b large cities; rather, /b one establishes them in b intermediate /b -sized b towns? /b Apparently, Kadesh was a large, fortified city. b Rav Yosef said: There were two /b cities named b Kedesh, /b and the one listed among the fortified cities in the book of Joshua is not the one that was a city of refuge. b Rav Ashi said: /b The listing of Kadesh among the fortified cities is not difficult, as it is b similar to /b the two adjacent yet separate cities of b Selikum and the fortification [ i ve’akra /i ] of Selikum. /b Likewise, there was the fortified city of Kadesh, mentioned in Joshua, and the city itself, which was an intermediate city that served as city of refuge.,§ The Gemara discusses b the /b matter b itself, /b and it cites the complete i baraita /i : With regard to b these cities /b of refuge, b one does not establish them /b in b small settlements or /b in b large cities; rather, /b one establishes them in b intermediate- /b sized b towns. And one establishes them only in a place /b where b water /b is available, b and if there is no water /b available b there, /b as there is no spring accessible from the city, b one brings them water /b by digging a canal. b And one establishes them only in a place /b where there are b markets, and one establishes them only in a populated place, /b where there are many people who regularly frequent the town. If the b population /b of the surrounding areas b diminishes, one adds to it. /b If the number of b residents /b in the city of refuge itself b diminishes, one brings /b new residents to the city, among them b priests, Levites, and Israelites. /b ,The i baraita /i continues: b And one may not sell weapons or hunting tools /b in the cities of refuge, to prevent the blood redeemer from gaining access to means that he could exploit to kill the unintentional murderer who fled to the city of refuge; this is b the statement of Rabbi Neḥemya. And the Rabbis permit /b selling weapons and hunting tools. b And /b Rabbi Neḥemya and the Rabbis b agree that one may not spread nets in /b the cities of refuge, b nor may they braid [ i mafshilin /i ] ropes in /b those cities, b so that the foot of the blood redeemer will not be found there. /b If the blood redeemer were to enter the city of refuge to purchase nets or ropes, he is apt to encounter the murderer and kill him., b Rabbi Yitzḥak says: What is the verse /b from which these matters are derived? It is written: b “And he shall flee to one of these cities and live” /b (Deuteronomy 4:42), meaning: b Perform some /b actions b for /b the unintentional murderer so b that /b life in the city of refuge b will be /b conducive to b living for him. /b All these steps are taken to facilitate that objective.,The Sages b taught: /b In the case of b a student who was exiled, his teacher is exiled /b to the city of refuge b with him, /b so that the student can continue studying Torah with him there, b as it is stated: /b “And he shall flee to one of these cities b and live,” /b from which it is derived: b Perform some /b actions b for /b the unintentional murderer so b that /b life in the city b will be /b conducive to b living for him. /b Since Torah study is an integral component of his life, arrangements must be made to ensure continuity in that facet of his existence. b Rabbi Zeira says: From here /b one learns b that a person should not teach a student who is not fit, /b as that may result in the teacher following the student into exile., b Rabbi Yoḥa says: /b In the case of b a teacher /b of Torah b who was exiled, his school is exiled with him. /b The Gemara asks: b Is that so /b that a teacher of Torah is exiled? b But doesn’t Rabbi Yoḥa /b himself b say: From where /b is it derived b that matters of Torah provide refuge, /b i.e., that the blood redeemer may not harm one who is engaged in Torah? It is derived from a verse, b as it is stated: “Bezer in the wilderness, /b in the flatlands, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites” (Deuteronomy 4:43), in the list of cities of refuge designated by Moses, b and it is written thereafter: “And this is the Torah” /b (Deuteronomy 4:44). Based on that juxtaposition it is derived that the status of Torah is like that of a city of refuge.,The Gemara answers: This is b not difficult, /b as b this /b statement of Rabbi Yoḥa, that the status of Torah is like that of a city of refuge, is referring to Torah b at the time that one is engaged in its /b study, and b that /b statement of Rabbi Yoḥa, that the teacher of Torah must take his school to the city of refuge, is referring to the teacher of Torah b at the time that he is not engaged in its /b study. His mere presence in a city of refuge provides him with continuous protection., b And if you wish, say: What /b is the meaning of Rabbi Yoḥa’s statement that matters of Torah b provide refuge? /b It means protection, but not for an unintentional murderer from the blood redeemer; rather, it means protection b from the Angel of Death. /b This is b as /b it was in b this /b incident b where Rav Ḥisda was sitting and studying in the study hall of Rav and the agent of the Angel of Death was unable to approach him /b and take his life b because his mouth was not silent from his study /b for even a moment. The agent b ascended and sat on the cedar /b tree b of the study hall of Rav. The cedar /b tree b broke and Rav Ḥisda was /b momentarily b silent, /b startled by the sudden noise, b and /b the agent of the Angel of Death b overcame him. /b Apparently, matters of Torah provide protection from the Angel of Death only when one is actively engaged in their study.,§ b Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai says: For what /b reason b was Reuben privileged to be enumerated first in the rescue, /b as the first city of refuge listed is Bezer (see Deuteronomy 4:43), which is located in the tribal portion of Reuben? It is b due to /b the fact b that he began the rescue /b of Joseph b first, as it is stated: “And Reuben heard and delivered him from their hands” /b (Genesis 37:21)., b Rabbi Simlai taught: What /b is the meaning of that b which is written: “Then Moses separated three cities beyond the Jordan, to the east of the sun [ i mizreḥa shamesh /i ]” /b (Deuteronomy 4:41)? b The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Shine the sun [ i hazraḥ shemesh /i ] for murderers, /b i.e., provide them with the hope of rescue. b Some say /b that God b said to /b Moses: In designating these cities of refuge b you have shined the sun for murderers. /b ,On a related note, b Rabbi Simai taught: What /b is the meaning of that b which is written: “He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance with increase” /b (Ecclesiastes 5:9)? b “He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver”; this /b is a reference to b Moses our teacher, /b whose love of mitzvot was so great b that /b although b he knew that /b an unintentional murderer b would not be admitted to the three cities /b of refuge b that were in /b the east b bank of the Jordan until /b the b three /b cities of refuge b that /b were b in the land of Canaan were selected, and /b that his designation of cities of refuge would have no practical ramifications in his lifetime, b he /b nevertheless b said: /b When there is b a mitzva that has come my way, I will fulfill it. /b ,The next phrase in that verse: b “Nor he who loves abundance with increase,” /b is also interpreted as referring to Torah: b For whom is it fitting to teach an abundance /b of people? b One /b for b whom all /b its b increase belongs to him, /b i.e., one who knows all the content of the Torah is worthy of teaching it in public. b And that is /b identical to that b which Rabbi Elazar says: What /b is the meaning of that b which is written: “Who can express the mighty acts of God, or make all His praise heard” /b (Psalms 106:2)? b For whom is it fitting to express the mighty acts of God? /b It is b one who can make all His praise heard. /b One who knows only part of it is unfit to teach the multitudes., b And the Rabbis /b say, b and some say Rabba bar Mari says, /b that the passage b “nor he who loves abundance with increase” /b means b whoever loves /b a Torah scholar b who teaches in /b the presence of b an abundance /b of people, b to him shall be increase, /b i.e., sons who are Torah scholars. The Gemara relates: When they heard that interpretation, b the Sages cast their eyes upon Rava, son of Rabba, /b who loved Torah scholars who disseminate Torah, and he was blessed with sons who were Torah scholars.,The Gemara provides b a mnemonic /b for the ensuing interpretations of the second part of the verse cited earlier (Ecclesiastes 5:9): b Ashi to study, Ravina to teach. /b , b Rav Ashi says: Anyone who loves to study in abundance, /b i.e., with many colleagues, b to him shall be increase, /b i.e., he will succeed in his studies. b And that is /b parallel to that b which Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: What /b is the meaning of that b which is written: “A sword is upon the i baddim /i , i veno’alu /i ” /b (Jeremiah 50:36)? It is fitting that b a sword /b be placed b on the necks of the enemies of Torah scholars, /b a euphemism for Torah scholars, b who sit and engage in /b the study of b the Torah individually [ i bad bevad /i ]. Moreover, they grow foolish /b through individual study, as b it is written here: i Veno’alu /i , and it is written there: “For we have been foolish [ i no’alnu /i ]” /b (Numbers 12:11). b Moreover, they /b thereby b sin, as it is stated /b immediately thereafter: b “And for we have sinned.” And if you wish, say /b that b from here /b it is derived that i no’alu /i means sinned: b “The ministers of Zoan have sinned [ i no’alu /i ]” /b (Isaiah 19:13)., b Ravina says /b that there is a different interpretation of the verse cited earlier (Ecclesiastes 5:9): b Anyone who loves to teach in abundance, /b before the multitudes, b to him shall be increase, /b as his Torah knowledge is enhanced through those lectures. b And that is /b the parallel to that b which Rabbi /b Yehuda HaNasi b says: Much Torah have I studied from my teachers, and /b I have learned b more from my colleagues /b than b from them, and /b I have learned b more from my students /b than b from all of them. /b ,Apropos the virtue of Torah study, b Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: What /b is the meaning of that b which is written: “Our feet were standing in your gates, Jerusalem” /b (Psalms 122:2)? b What caused our feet to withstand /b the enemies b in war? /b It is b the gates of Jerusalem, where they were engaged in Torah /b study. He interprets the term “in your gates” to mean: Because of your gates, the place of justice and Torah., b And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: What /b is the meaning of that b which is written: “A song of the ascents to David: I rejoiced when they said to me, let us go to the house of God” /b (Psalms 122:1)? b David said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, I heard people who were saying /b in reference to me: b When will this old man die, and Solomon his son will come /b and succeed him b and build the Temple and we will ascend /b there b for the pilgrimage Festival? /b It was common knowledge that the Temple would be constructed by David’s successor. David continued: b And /b despite my pain that I am not privileged to build the Temple, b I rejoiced. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: “For better is one day in your courtyard than one thousand” /b (Psalms 84:11), meaning, b I prefer one day /b during b which you engage in /b the study of b Torah before Me than /b the b one thousand burnt-offerings that your son Solomon is destined to sacrifice before Me upon the altar /b (see I Kings 3:4).,§ The mishna teaches: b And roads were aligned for them /b from this city to that city. b It is taught /b in a i baraita /i that b Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: /b |
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10. Babylonian Talmud, Moed Qatan, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 85| 16b. אף דברי תורה בסתר,יצא רבי חייא ושנה לשני בני אחיו בשוק לרב ולרבה בר בר חנה שמע ר' איקפד אתא ר' חייא לאיתחזויי ליה א"ל עייא מי קורא לך בחוץ ידע דנקט מילתא בדעתיה נהג נזיפותא בנפשיה תלתין יומין,ביום תלתין שלח ליה תא הדר שלח ליה דלא ליתי,מעיקרא מאי סבר ולבסוף מאי סבר מעיקרא סבר מקצת היום ככולו ולבסוף סבר לא אמרינן מקצת היום ככולו,לסוף אתא א"ל אמאי אתית א"ל דשלח לי מר דליתי והא שלחי לך דלא תיתי א"ל זה ראיתי וזה לא ראיתי קרי עליה (משלי טז, ז) ברצות ה' דרכי איש גם אויביו ישלים אתו,מ"ט עבד מר הכי א"ל דכתיב (משלי א, כ) חכמות בחוץ תרונה א"ל אם קרית לא שנית ואם שנית לא שילשת ואם שילשת לא פירשו לך,חכמות בחוץ תרונה כדרבא דאמר רבא כל העוסק בתורה מבפנים תורתו מכרזת עליו מבחוץ,והא כתיב (ישעיהו מח, טז) לא מראש בסתר דברתי ההוא ביומי דכלה,ור' חייא האי חמוקי ירכיך מאי עביד לה מוקי לה בצדקה ובגמילות חסדים,אלמא נזיפה דידהו תלתין יומין נזיפת נשיא שאני,ונזיפה דידן כמה הוי חד יומא כי הא דשמואל ומר עוקבא כי הוו יתבי גרס שמעתא הוה יתיב מר עוקבא קמיה דשמואל ברחוק ד' אמות וכי הוו יתבי בדינא הוה יתיב שמואל קמיה דמר עוקבא ברחוק ד' אמות והוו חייקי ליה דוכתא למר עוקבא בציפתא ויתיב עילויה כי היכי דלישתמען מיליה,כל יומא הוה מלוי ליה מר עוקבא לשמואל עד אושפיזיה יומא חד איטריד בדיניה הוה אזיל שמואל בתריה כי מטא לביתיה א"ל לא נגה לך לישרי לי מר בתיגריה ידע דנקט מילתא בדעתיה נהג נזיפותא בנפשיה חד יומא,ההיא איתתא דהוות יתבה בשבילא הוות פשטה כרעה וקא מניפה חושלאי והוה חליף ואזיל צורבא מרבנן ולא איכנעה מקמיה אמר כמה חציפא ההיא איתתא אתאי לקמיה דר"נ אמר לה מי שמעת שמתא מפומיה אמרה ליה לא אמר לה זילי נהוגי נזיפותא חד יומא בנפשיך,זוטרא בר טוביה הוה קפסיק סידרא קמיה דרב יהודה כי מטא להאי פסוקא (שמואל ב כג, א) ואלה דברי דוד האחרונים א"ל אחרונים מכלל דאיכא ראשונים ראשונים מאי נינהו,שתיק ולא אמר ליה ולא מידי הדר א"ל אחרונים מכלל דאיכא ראשונים ראשונים מאי היא א"ל מאי דעתך דלא ידע פירושא דהאי קרא לאו גברא רבה הוא ידע דנקט מילתא בדעתיה נהג נזיפותא בנפשיה חד יומא,ודאתן עלה מיהא אחרונים מכלל דאיכא ראשונים ראשונים מאי היא (שמואל ב כב, א) וידבר דוד לה' את דברי השירה הזאת ביום הציל ה' אותו מכף כל אויביו ומכף שאול,אמר לו הקב"ה לדוד דוד שירה אתה אומר על מפלתו של שאול אלמלי אתה שאול והוא דוד איבדתי כמה דוד מפניו,היינו דכתיב (תהלים ז, א) שגיון לדוד אשר שר לה' על דברי כוש בן ימיני וכי כוש שמו והלא שאול שמו אלא מה כושי משונה בעורו אף שאול משונה במעשיו,כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (במדבר יב, א) על אודות האשה הכושית אשר לקח וכי כושית שמה והלא ציפורה שמה אלא מה כושית משונה בעורה אף ציפורה משונה במעשיה כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (ירמיהו לח, ז) וישמע עבד מלך הכושי וכי כושי שמו והלא צדקיה שמו אלא מה כושי משונה בעורו אף צדקיה משונה במעשיו,כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (עמוס ט, ז) הלא כבני כושיים אתם לי (בית) ישראל וכי כושיים שמן והלא ישראל שמן אלא מה כושי משונה בעורו אף ישראל משונין במעשיהן מכל האומות,א"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן מאי דכתיב (שמואל ב כג, א) נאם דוד בן ישי ונאם הגבר הוקם על נאם דוד בן ישי שהקים עולה של תשובה,(שמואל ב כג, ג) אמר אלהי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל מושל באדם צדיק מושל יראת אלהים מאי קאמר א"ר אבהו ה"ק אמר אלהי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל אני מושל באדם מי מושל בי צדיק שאני גוזר גזרה ומבטלה,(שמואל ב כג, ח) אלה שמות הגבורים אשר לדוד יושב בשבת וגו' מאי קאמר א"ר אבהו ה"ק ואלה שמות גבורותיו של דוד,יושב בשבת בשעה שהיה יושב בישיבה לא היה יושב על גבי כרים וכסתות אלא על גבי קרקע דכל כמה דהוה רביה עירא היאירי קיים הוה מתני להו לרבנן על גבי כרים וכסתות כי נח נפשיה הוה מתני דוד לרבנן והוה יתיב על גבי קרקע אמרו ליה ליתיב מר אכרים וכסתות לא קביל עליה,תחכמוני אמר רב אמר לו הקב"ה הואיל והשפלת עצמך תהא כמוני שאני גוזר גזרה ואתה מבטלה,ראש השלישים תהא ראש לשלשת אבות הוא עדינו העצני כשהיה יושב ועוסק בתורה היה מעדן עצמו כתולעת ובשעה שיוצא למלחמה היה מקשה עצמו כעץ,על שמונה מאות חלל בפעם אחת שהיה זורק חץ ומפיל שמונה מאות חלל בפעם אחת והיה מתאנח על מאתים דכתיב (דברים לב, ל) איכה ירדף אחד אלף,יצתה בת קול ואמרה (מלכים א טו, ה) רק בדבר אוריה החתי,אמר רבי תנחום בריה דרבי חייא איש כפר עכו אמר רבי יעקב בר אחא אמר ר' שמלאי ואמרי לה אמר ר' תנחום אמר רב הונא ואמרי לה אמר רב הונא לחודיה | 16b. b so too, the words of Torah, /b which are “the work of the hands of an artist,” i.e., God, must remain b hidden /b in the study hall.,Despite Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s decree, b Rabbi Ḥiyya went out and taught his two nephews, Rav and Rabba bar bar Ḥana, in the marketplace. Rabbi /b Yehuda HaNasi b heard /b what he had done and b became angry /b with him. When b Rabbi Ḥiyya came /b at some later date b to visit him, /b Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi mockingly b said to him: Iyya, who is calling you outside? /b By asking this question Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was intimating that Rabbi Ḥiyya should leave his house. Rabbi Ḥiyya b understood that /b Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi b had taken the matter to heart /b and was insulted, and so b he conducted /b himself as if he had been b admonished, /b as a self-imposed punishment, b for thirty days. /b , b On the thirtieth day, /b Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi b sent him /b a message, saying: b Come /b and visit me. However, b he later /b reversed his opinion and b sent him /b another message, telling him b not to come. /b ,The Gemara asks: b At the outset what did he hold, and ultimately what did he hold? Initially, /b Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi b held that /b the legal status of b part of the day is like /b that b of an entire /b day, and since the thirtieth day already begun, Rabbi Ḥiyya’s time of admonition had ended. b But ultimately he held /b that with regard to this issue b we do not say /b that the legal status of b part of the day is like /b that b of an entire /b day., b In the end /b Rabbi Ḥiyya b came /b on that same day. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi b asked him: Why have you come? /b Rabbi Ḥiyya b responded: Because /b you, b Master, sent /b me a message that b I should come. /b He said to him: b But I sent /b you a second message b that you should not come. He responded: This /b messenger that you sent, i.e., the first one, b I saw /b him and I did as he said, b but that /b messenger, i.e., the second one, b I did not see. /b Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi b read /b the verse b about /b Rabbi Ḥiyya: b “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” /b (Proverbs 16:7), as it was clear to him that Rabbi Ḥiyya had merited divine assistance.,§ Concerning the issue with which the entire incident had begun, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi asked Rabbi Ḥiyya: b What is the reason that /b you, b the Master, acted as /b you did, ignoring my instructions not to teach Torah in the marketplace? Rabbi Ḥiyya b said to him: As it is written: “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets” /b (Proverbs 1:20), which implies that Torah should be publicized in the streets. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi b said to him: If you read /b this verse once, b you /b certainly b did not read /b it b a second time /b in greater depth; b and if you read /b it b a second time, you /b certainly b did not read /b it b a third time; /b and b if you read /b it b a third time, /b then b it was not /b adequately b explained to you, /b as it is clear that you do not understand it properly.,The words: b “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets,” /b should be understood b in accordance with /b the opinion b of Rava. As Rava said: /b With regard to b everyone who occupies himself with Torah /b study b inside /b the privacy of his home, b his Torah /b knowledge b will proclaim his /b greatness b outside, /b as it will be revealed to the masses and they will see his greatness.,The Gemara asks: b But isn’t it written: “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret” /b (Isaiah 48:16), implying that the Torah should be taught and proclaimed in public? The Gemara answers: b That /b verse is referring to b the days of the i kalla /i , /b the gathering for Torah study held during Elul and Adar, when many people come to listen to Torah discourses. During this time, it is not only permitted but even recommended to teach Torah to the masses. In this way, the verse can be explained in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi.,The Gemara asks: b And what did Rabbi Ḥiyya do with this /b verse: b “Your rounded thighs are like jewels”? /b How did he understand it? This verse implies that the Torah must be kept hidden in the study hall and not publicized in the marketplace. The Gemara explains: b He interprets it /b not as a reference to Torah, but as referring b to /b acts of b charity and loving-kindness, /b which should certainly be performed in private.,This incident demonstrates b that, apparently, admonition of those /b who live in Eretz Yisrael lasts for b thirty days /b and not for seven days. The Gemara answers that this is not a conclusive proof, since Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was the i Nasi /i . b The admonition of the i Nasi /i /b of the Sanhedrin b is different /b i.e., more severe, than the admonition of anyone else.,The Gemara asks: b And how /b long b is our admonition /b in Babylonia? The Gemara answers: It is only b one day, as in /b the case involving b Shmuel and /b the Exilarch b Mar Ukva. When they would sit and study i halakha /i , Mar Ukva would sit before Shmuel at a distance of four cubits /b as a sign of respect. Mar Ukva would conduct himself as though Shmuel were his teacher because Shmuel was much greater than him in Torah matters. b And when they would sit /b together b in judgment, Shmuel would sit before Mar Ukva at a distance of four cubits /b because Mar Ukva was the Exilarch and the chief judge. b But they would lower a place for Mar Ukva in the matting /b upon which he sat, b and he would sit on it so that he could hear /b Shmuel’s b words /b of Torah even when they were engaged in judgment., b Every day, Mar Ukva would accompany Shmuel to his lodgings, /b in the manner that a student would show honor toward his teacher. b One day, /b Mar Ukva b was /b so heavily b preoccupied with a case /b that had been brought before him for judgment that he did not realize that b Shmuel was walking behind him /b to show him respect due to his position as the Exilarch. b When /b Mar Ukva b reached his home, /b Shmuel b said to him: Is it not enough for you /b that I accompanied you until here? b Release me, Master, from my obligation, /b so that I may return home. Mar Ukva b understood that /b Shmuel b had taken the matter to heart /b and was insulted. Therefore, b he conducted /b himself as if he had been b admonished, for one day /b as a self-imposed punishment.,It was related that b a certain woman was sitting alongside a path /b with b her leg extended /b while b she was sifting barley. A Torah scholar passed /b by her on this path, b but she did not yield to him /b and move her leg to make room for him. b He said: How rude is that woman! /b The woman b came before Rav Naḥman /b to ask if this statement should be deemed as excommunication. b He said to her: Did you hear /b the word b excommunication /b explicitly issue b from his mouth? She said to him: No. He said to her: /b If this is the case, then b go and observe an admonition for one day, /b as it appears that the Torah scholar sought only to admonish you.,§ b Zutra bar Toviyya was /b once b reading the portion /b of the Bible b before Rav Yehuda. When he reached the verse: “Now these are the last words of David” /b (II Samuel 23:1), Zutra bar Toviyya b said to /b Rav Yehuda: If it is written that these are the b last /b of David’s words, b by inference there are first /b words as well. If this is the case, b what are these first /b words of David? Prior to this, it mentions only David’s song, but not his words.,Rav Yehuda b remained silent and said nothing to him. /b Zutra bar Toviyya thought that Rav Yehuda did not hear what he had said, so he b then said to him /b a second time: If it is written that these are the b last /b of David’s words, b by inference there are first /b words as well. If this is the case, b what are these first /b words of David? b He said to him: What do you think? /b Do you think that anyone b who does not know the meaning of this verse is not a great man? /b Why are you stressing the fact that I do not know the answer to your question? Zutra bar Toviyya b understood that /b Rav Yehuda b had taken the matter to heart /b and was insulted. Therefore, b he conducted /b himself as if had been b admonished for one day /b as a self-imposed punishment.,The Gemara asks: b But /b now b that we have come /b to discuss this issue, since the verse mentions David’s b last /b words, b by inference there are /b also b first /b words. b What /b then b are these first /b words of David? The Gemara answers: The first words are: b “And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul” /b (II Samuel 22:1), as that song is also referred to as words.,The Gemara elaborates: b The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to David: David, do you recite a song over the fall of Saul? Had you been Saul and he were David, /b then b I would have destroyed many Davids before him. /b Although I decreed that Saul’s kingdom would not continue, as an individual he was far greater and more important than you.,The response to this admonishment b is /b found in the verse, b as it is written: “Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjaminite” /b (Psalms 7:1). b Is Cush his name? Saul is his name. Rather, /b this is a designation that indicates: b Just as a Cushite, /b a native of the ancient kingdom of Cush in eastern Africa, b is distinguished by his /b dark b skin, so too, Saul was distinguished by his actions, /b as he was absolutely righteous and performed many good deeds. Therefore, David uses the word i shiggaion /i as an allusion to the error [ i shegia /i ] that he had made when he sang a song of praise over Saul’s downfall.,The Gemara notes: b Similarly, you can explain /b the verse: “And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses b due to the Cushite woman whom he had married, /b for he had taken a Cushite woman” (Numbers 12:1). b But is her name Cushite? Zipporah is her name. Rather, just as a Cushite is distinguished by his /b dark b skin, so too, Zipporah was distinguished by her actions. /b The Gemara continues: b Similarly, you can explain /b the verse: b “Now when Ebed-Melech the Cushite heard” /b (Jeremiah 38:7). b Is his name Cushite? Zedekiah is his name. Rather, just as a Cushite is distinguished by his /b dark b skin, so too, Zedekiah was distinguished by his /b righteous b actions. /b , b Similarly, you can explain /b the verse: b “Are you not as much Mine as the children of the Cushites, O children of Israel?” /b (Amos 9:7). b Is their name Cushite? Israel is their name. Rather, just as a Cushite is distinguished by his /b dark b skin, so too, the Jewish people are distinguished by their actions, /b and they are different b from all the /b other b nations. /b ,§ Having mentioned the last words of David, the Gemara continues to explain other expressions in that passage. b Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: What is /b the meaning of that b which is written: “The saying of David, son of Yishai, and the saying of the man who was raised up on high [ i al /i ]” /b (II Samuel 23:1)? It means as follows: b The saying of David, son of Yishai, who raised the yoke of [ i ulla /i ] repentance, /b as through his actions he taught the power of repentance. The word i al /i , on high, and the word i ulla /i are comprised of the same consots in Hebrew.,The passage continues: b “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that rules over men must be righteous, ruling in the fear of God” /b (II Samuel 23:3). The Gemara asks: b What is /b this verse b saying? /b What does it mean? b Rabbi Abbahu said: This is what /b the verse b is saying: The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: /b Although b I rule over man, who rules over Me? /b It is b a righteous person. /b How is it possible to say that a righteous person rules over God, as it were? b As I, /b God, b issue a decree /b and the righteous person b nullifies it. /b ,Similarly, the verse states there: b “These are the names of David’s warriors; Josheb-Basshebeth /b a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite; he raised his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time” (II Samuel 23:8). The Gemara asks: b What is /b this verse b saying? Rabbi Abbahu said: This is what /b the verse b is saying: These are the names of the mighty actions of David. /b These expressions should not be read as names of people but instead as descriptions of David’s good deeds., b Josheb-Basshebeth [ i yoshev bashevet /i ] /b indicates that b when /b David b would sit [ i yoshev /i ] in the study hall, he would not sit upon pillows and cushions, /b as an important person ordinarily would. b Rather, /b he would sit b on the ground /b like one of the students. b For as long as /b David’s b teacher, Ira the Jairite, was alive, /b Ira b would teach the Sages /b while sitting b on pillows and cushions. When /b Ira b passed away, David would teach the Sages, and he /b did this while b sitting on the ground. They said to him: Master, /b you b should sit upon pillows and blankets. He did not accept /b their suggestions, since in his humility he did not wish to appear as the teacher of the Jewish people.,In this verse, David is described as b “a Tahchemonite [ i taḥkemoni /i ].” Rav said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Since you have humbled yourself, be you /b now b like Me [ i tehe kamoni /i ]. /b How so? b As I issue a decree, and you, /b owing to your righteousness, b may nullify it. /b ,David is also described here as b “chief of the captains [ i rosh hashalishim /i ]” /b because God said to him: b You will be the head [ i rosh /i ] of the three [ i sheloshet /i ] Patriarchs. “The same was Adino the Eznite”; /b this alludes to the fact that b when /b David b would sit and occupy himself with Torah, he would make himself soft [ i me’aden /i ] as a worm, and when he would go out to war, he would make himself hard /b and strong b as a tree [ i etz /i ]. /b ,The expression: b “Against eight hundred people, which he slew at one time,” /b means b that he would throw an arrow /b in the air b and /b with it b kill eight hundred people at one time. And /b David b would sigh over the two hundred /b who were missing from fulfillment of the Torah’s promise, b as it is written: “How should one man chase a thousand” /b (Deuteronomy 32:30)., b A Divine Voice issued forth and said /b by way of explanation as to why the promise was not entirely fulfilled: “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, b save only the matter of Uriah the Hittite” /b (I Kings 15:5). Had David not committed this sin, then all of the promises mentioned in the Torah would have been fulfilled in their entirety through him.,The Gemara returns to the i halakhot /i of ostracism and mentions that b Rabbi Tanḥum, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, of the village of Akko, said /b that b Rabbi Ya’akov bar Aḥa said /b that b Rabbi Simlai said, and /b some b say /b that this tradition was transmitted in the following manner: b Rabbi Tanḥum said /b that b Rav Huna said, and /b others b say /b that b Rav Huna himself /b made this statement without the chain of transmission: |
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11. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •nan Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 87| 93b. אלא שש סאין,וכי דרכה של אשה ליטול שש סאין אלא רמז [רמז] לה שעתידין ששה בנים לצאת ממנה שמתברכין בשש [שש] ברכות ואלו הן דוד ומשיח דניאל חנניה מישאל ועזריה דוד דכתיב (שמואל א טז, יח) ויען אחד מהנערים ויאמר הנה ראיתי בן לישי בית הלחמי יודע נגן וגבור חיל ואיש מלחמה ונבון דבר ואיש תואר וה' עמו וגו',ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב כל הפסוק הזה לא אמרו דואג אלא בלשון הרע יודע נגן שיודע לישאל גבור שיודע להשיב איש מלחמה שיודע לישא וליתן במלחמתה של תורה (איש תואר שמראה פנים בהלכה ונבון דבר שמבין דבר מתוך דבר) וה' עמו שהלכה כמותו בכל מקום,בכולהו אמר להו יהונתן בני כמוהו כיון דאמר ליה [וה' עמו] מילתא דבדידיה נמי לא הוה ביה חלש דעתיה ואיקניא ביה דבשאול כתיב (שמואל א יד, מז) ובכל אשר יפנה ירשיע ובדוד כתיב ובכל אשר יפנה יצליח,מנלן דדואג הוה כתיב הכא (שמואל א טז, יח) ויען אחד מהנערים מיוחד שבנערים וכתיב התם (שמואל א כא, ח) ושם איש מעבדי שאול ביום ההוא נעצר לפני ה' ושמו דואג האדומי אביר הרועים אשר לשאול,משיח דכתיב (ישעיהו יא, ב) ונחה עליו רוח ה' רוח חכמה ובינה רוח עצה וגבורה רוח דעת ויראת ה' וגו' וכתיב (ישעיהו יא, ג) והריחו ביראת ה',אמר רבי אלכסנדרי מלמד שהטעינו מצות ויסורין כריחיים רבא אמר דמורח ודאין דכתיב (ישעיהו יא, ג) ולא למראה עיניו ישפוט (ישעיהו יא, ד) ושפט בצדק דלים והוכיח במישור לענוי ארץ,בר כוזיבא מלך תרתין שנין ופלגא אמר להו לרבנן אנא משיח אמרו ליה במשיח כתיב דמורח ודאין נחזי אנן אי מורח ודאין כיון דחזיוהו דלא מורח ודאין קטלוהו,דניאל חנניה מישאל ועזריה דכתיב בהו (דניאל א, ד) אשר אין בהם כל מאום וטובי מראה ומשכילים בכל חכמה ויודעי דעת ומביני מדע ואשר כח בהם לעמוד בהיכל המלך וללמדם ספר ולשון כשדים,מאי אשר אין בהם כל מום אמר רבי חמא (בר חנניא) אפילו כריבדא דכוסילתא לא הוה בהו מאי ואשר כח בהם לעמוד בהיכל המלך אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא מלמד שהיו אונסין את עצמן מן השחוק ומן השיחה ומן השינה ומעמידין על עצמן בשעה שנצרכין לנקביהם מפני אימת מלכות,(דניאל א, ו) ויהיו בהם מבני יהודה דניאל חנניה מישאל ועזריה אמר רבי (אליעזר) כולן מבני יהודה הם ורבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר דניאל מבני יהודה חנניה מישאל ועזריה משאר שבטים,(ישעיהו לט, ז) ומבניך אשר יצאו ממך אשר תוליד יקחו והיו סריסים בהיכל מלך בבל מאי סריסים רב אמר סריסים ממש ורבי חנינא אמר שנסתרסה ע"ז בימיהם,בשלמא למאן דאמר שנסתרסה ע"ז בימיהם היינו דכתיב (דניאל ג, כה) וחבל לא איתי בהון אלא למאן דאמר סריסים ממש מאי וחבל לא איתי בהון חבלא דנורא והכתיב (דניאל ג, כז) וריח נור לא עדת בהן לא חבלא ולא ריחא,בשלמא למאן דאמר שנסתרסה ע"ז בימיהם היינו דכתיב (ישעיהו נו, ד) כה אמר ה' לסריסים אשר ישמרו את שבתותי וגו' אלא למאן דאמר סריסים ממש משתעי קרא בגנותא דצדיקי הא והא הוה בהו,בשלמא למאן דאמר סריסים ממש היינו דכתיב (ישעיהו נו, ה) בביתי ובחומותי יד ושם טוב מבנים ומבנות אלא למאן דאמר שנסתרסה ע"ז בימיהם מאי טוב מבנים ומבנות אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק מבנים שהיו להם כבר ומתו מאי שם עולם אתן לו אשר לא יכרת אמר ר' תנחום דרש בר קפרא בצפורי זה ספר דניאל שנקרא על שמו,מכדי כל מילי דעזרא נחמיה בן חכליה אמרינהו ונחמיה בן חכליה מ"ט לא איקרי סיפרא על שמיה אמר רבי ירמיה בר אבא מפני שהחזיק טובה לעצמו שנאמר (נחמיה ה, יט) זכרה לי אלהי לטובה דוד נמי מימר אמר (תהלים קו, ד) זכרני ה' ברצון עמך פקדני בישועתך דוד רחמי הוא דקבעי,רב יוסף אמר מפני שסיפר בגנותן של ראשונים שנאמר (נחמיה ה, טו) והפחות הראשונים אשר לפני הכבידו על העם ויקחו מהם בלחם ויין אחד כסף שקלים ארבעים וגו' ואף על דניאל שגדול ממנו סיפר,ומנלן דגדול ממנו דכתיב (דניאל י, ז) וראיתי אני דניאל לבדי את המראה והאנשים אשר היו עמי לא ראו את המראה אבל חרדה גדולה נפלה עליהם ויברחו בהחבא והאנשים אשר היו עמי לא ראו את המראה ומאן נינהו אנשים אמר רבי ירמיה ואיתימא ר' חייא בר אבא זה חגי זכריה ומלאכי | 93b. b Rather, /b he gave her b six i se’a /i . /b ,The Gemara asks: b And is /b it b the /b typical b manner of a woman to take /b a heavy burden of b six i se’a /i /b of barley? b Rather, /b Boaz b alluded to /b Ruth b that six descendants are destined to emerge from her who would each be blessed with six blessings, and these are they: David, and /b the b Messiah, Daniel, Haiah, Mishael, and Azariah. /b The Gemara elaborates: b David /b was blessed with six virtues, b as it is written: “And one of the servants answered and said: Behold, I have seen a son of Yishai of the house of Bethlehem who knows to play, and is a fine warrior, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely man, and the Lord is with him” /b (I Samuel 16:18)., b Rav Yehuda says /b that b Rav says: Doeg /b the Edomite, one of Saul’s servants, b stated this entire verse only as malicious speech, /b in an attempt to incite Saul to be jealous of David. b “Who knows how to play” /b means b that he knows /b how b to ask /b complex and germane questions about Torah matters. “A fine b warrior” /b means b that he knows /b how b to answer /b questions raised with regard to matters of Torah. b “A man of war,” /b means b that he knows to negotiate /b his way b in the battle /b to understand the b Torah. “A comely man” /b is one b who displays understanding in /b facets of b i halakha /i /b and explains it well. b “And prudent in speech [ i davar /i ]” /b means b that he infers /b one b matter [ i davar /i ] from /b another b matter. “And the Lord is with him” /b means b that the i halakha /i is /b ruled b in accordance with his /b opinion b in every area /b of i halakha /i .,The Gemara relates: b In /b response to b all of /b these virtues listed in praise of David, Saul b said to /b his servants: b My son Jonathan is his equal. Once /b Doeg b said to /b Saul: b “And the Lord is with him,” /b meaning that the i halakha /i is ruled in accordance with his opinion in every area of i halakha /i , b a matter that did not /b apply b even to /b Saul b himself, he was offended and grew jealous /b of David. b As with regard to Saul it is written: “And wherever he turned he put them to the worse” /b (I Samuel 14:47), b and with regard to David it is written: And wherever he turns he does prosper. /b Although the verse about Saul is referring to his victories and his prominence in Torah, he was not privileged to have all of his conclusions accepted as i halakha /i .,The Gemara asks: b From where do we /b derive b that /b it b was Doeg /b who listed the virtues in this verse? The Gemara answers that b it is written here: “And one [ i eḥad /i ] of the servants answered,” /b meaning b the most notable [ i meyuḥad /i ] of the servants. And it is written there: “And a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord, and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul” /b (I Samuel 21:8).,The b Messiah /b was blessed with six virtues, b as it is written: “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord” /b (Isaiah 11:2); b and it is written: “And his delight [ i vahariḥo /i ] shall be the fear of the Lord, /b and he shall neither judge after the sight of his eyes, nor decide after the hearing of his ears” (Isaiah 11:3)., b Rabbi Alexandri says /b that the term i hariḥo /i b teaches that /b God b burdened /b the Messiah b with mitzvot and afflictions like millstones [ i reiḥayim /i ]. Rava says /b that i hariḥo /i teaches b that /b the Messiah will b smell [ i demoraḥ /i ] and /b then b judge /b on that basis, sensing who is right, b as it is written: “And he shall neither judge after the sight of [ i lemareh /i ] his eyes, /b nor decide after the hearing of his ears; b and with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide equity for the meek of the earth” /b (Isaiah 11:3–4).,The Gemara relates: b Bar Koziva, /b i.e., bar Kokheva, b ruled for two and a half years. He said to the Sages: I am /b the b Messiah. They said to him: With regard to the Messiah it is written that he /b is able to b smell and judge, /b so b let us see ourselves whether he, /b bar Kokheva, is able to b smell and judge. Once they saw that /b he was b not /b able to b smell and judge, /b the gentiles b killed him. /b ,Six virtues were ascribed to b Daniel, Haiah, Mishael, and Azariah, as it is written in their /b regard: “Youths b in whom was found no blemish, and well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and discerning in knowledge, and perceptive in understanding, and who had strength in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans” /b (Daniel 1:4).,The Gemara asks: b What /b is the meaning of the phrase b “in whom was found no blemish”? Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina says: Even /b a scratch b like the wound /b that remains b after bloodletting was not /b found b in them. What /b is the meaning of the phrase b “and who had strength in them to stand in the king’s place”? /b What strength is needed to do so? b Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: /b This b teaches that they would force themselves /b to refrain b from laughter, and from conversation, and from sleep, and would restrain themselves when they /b felt the b urge /b to relieve themselves via b their orifices, due to fear of the monarchy. /b ,§ The Gemara explores more of their attributes. The verse states: b “Now among these were, of the descendants of Judah: Daniel, Haiah, Mishael, and Azariah” /b (Daniel 1:6). b Rabbi Eliezer says: They were all of the descendants of Judah. And Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: Daniel was of the descendants of Judah, and Haiah, Mishael, and Azariah were /b descendants b of other tribes. /b ,Isaiah prophesied to Hezekiah: b “And of your sons that shall issue from you, they shall be taken away; and they shall be officers [ i sarisim /i ] in the palace of the king of Babylonia” /b (Isaiah 39:7). The Gemara asks: b What /b is the meaning of b i sarisim /i ? Rav says: /b It means b literally eunuchs, /b whom the Babylonians castrated to render them suitable for employment in all aspects of the king’s service. b And Rabbi Ḥanina says: /b It means b that idol worship was emasculated during their lifetime, /b as it became clear to all that it lacks substance.,The Gemara asks: b Granted, according to the one who says that idol worship was emasculated during their lifetime, that is as it is written: “And they have no hurt” /b (Daniel 3:25), indicating that the bodies of Haiah, Mishael, and Azariah were intact and they were not castrated. b But according to the one who says /b that they were b literally eunuchs, what is /b the meaning of the phrase b “And they have no hurt”? /b The Gemara answers: It means they had no b hurt from the fire /b of the furnace, not that their bodies were completely intact. The Gemara asks: b But isn’t it /b already b written: “Nor had the odor of fire passed over them” /b (Daniel 3:27)? There was no need to repeat that they were unaffected by the fire. The Gemara answers: This means that there was b neither hurt /b from the fire b nor /b harm from the b odor /b of the fire.,The Gemara asks: b Granted, according to the one who says that idol worship was emasculated during their lifetime, that is as it is written: “For so says the Lord to the i sarisim /i who observe My i Shabbatot /i , /b and choose what pleases Me, and keep My covet” (Isaiah 56:4). This verse calls them i sarisim /i due to their miraculous deliverance from the furnace. b But according to the one who says /b that they were b literally eunuchs, /b would b the verse speak in denigration of the righteous? /b Would the verse identify Haiah, Mishael, and Azariah by their blemish rather than by their names? The Gemara answers: According to the one who says that they were literally eunuchs, both b this, /b the physical imperfection, b and that, /b the fact that idol worship was emasculated during their lifetime, b were /b true b concerning them. /b ,The Gemara asks from another perspective: b Granted, according to the one who says /b that they were b literally eunuchs, that is as it is written /b in the next verse: “And to them I will give b in My house and within My walls a memorial better than sons and daughters: /b I will give him an everlasting name, that shall not be excised” (Isaiah 56:5). b But according to the one who says that idol worship was emasculated during their lifetime, what /b is the meaning of the phrase b “better than sons and daughters”? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: /b It is consolation that b concerning children that they already had and /b who b died, /b that they would also be memorialized. The Gemara asks: b What /b is the meaning of the phrase b “an everlasting name that shall not be excised”? Rabbi Tanḥum says /b that b bar Kappara taught in Tzippori: This /b is referring to b the book of Daniel, which is called by his name. /b ,§ Apropos books of the Bible named for a prominent person, the Gemara asks: b Now /b with regard to b all the matters of /b the book of b Ezra, Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, said them /b and wrote most of them; b and /b with regard to b Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, what is the reason /b that b a book was not called by his name? /b Over the course of many generations, extending many years after the talmudic period, the book that is today named for Nehemiah was not a separate book and was included in the book of Ezra. b Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba says: /b The book was not named for Nehemiah b because he took credit for himself /b and boasted about his good deeds, b as it is stated: “Remember me, God, for good” /b (Nehemiah 13:31). The Gemara asks: Is that a shortcoming? King b David also said: “Remember me, Lord, when You show favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation” /b (Psalms 106:4). The Gemara answers: b David was asking for compassion /b and formulated his words as a prayer. Nehemiah stated them as a fact and a demand., b Rav Yosef says: /b Nehemiah was punished b because he spoke in denigration of /b his b predecessors, as it is stated: “But the former governors who were before me placed burdens upon the people, and took from them for bread and wine beyond forty shekels /b of silver; even their servants ruled over the people; but I did not do so, due to the fear of God” (Nehemiah 5:15). b And he related /b these disparaging statements b even about Daniel, who was greater than he /b was.,The Gemara asks: b From where do we /b derive b that /b Daniel was b greater than he /b was? The Gemara answers: It is derived from a verse, b as it is written: “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, and the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide” /b (Daniel 10:7). The Gemara asks: b “And the men who were with me did not see the vision”; and who were /b these b men? Rabbi Yirmeya, and some say Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, says: That /b is referring to b Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, /b who were with him and did not see. Evidently, Daniel was greater than these prophets, and all the more so was he greater than Nehemiah, who was never privileged to prophesy. |
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12. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •nan Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 86, 87| 56b. עבדך וירגל בעבדך אל אדוני המלך ואדוני המלך כמלאך האלהים ועשה הטוב בעיניך ויאמר לו המלך למה תדבר עוד דבריך אמרתי אתה וציבא תחלקו את השדה ויאמר מפיבשת אל המלך גם את הכל יקח אחרי אשר בא אדוני המלך בשלום אל ביתו אמר לו אני אמרתי מתי תבא בשלום ואתה עושה לי כך לא עליך יש לי תרעומות אלא על מי שהביאך בשלום,היינו דכתיב (דברי הימים א ח, לד) ובן יהונתן מריב בעל וכי מריב בעל שמו והלא מפיבשת שמו אלא מתוך שעשה מריבה עם בעליו יצתה בת קול ואמרה לו נצא בר נצא נצא הא דאמרן בר נצא דכתיב (שמואל א טו, ה) ויבא שאול עד עיר עמלק וירב בנחל אמר רבי מני על עסקי נחל,אמר רב יהודה אמר רב בשעה שאמר דוד למפיבשת אתה וציבא תחלקו את השדה יצתה בת קול ואמרה לו רחבעם וירבעם יחלקו את המלוכה,אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אילמלי לא. קיבל דוד לשון הרע לא נחלקה מלכות בית דוד ולא עבדו ישראל ע"ז ולא גלינו מארצנו:,אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן כל האומר שלמה חטא אינו אלא טועה שנאמר (מלכים א יא, ד) ולא היה לבבו שלם עם ה' אלהיו כלבב דוד אביו כלבב דוד אביו הוא דלא הוה מיחטא נמי לא חטא,אלא מה אני מקיים (מלכים א יא, ד) ויהי לעת זקנת שלמה נשיו הטו את לבבו ההיא כרבי נתן דר' נתן רמי כתיב ויהי לעת זקנת שלמה נשיו הטו את לבבו והכתיב כלבב דוד אביו כלבב דוד אביו הוא דלא הוה מיחטא נמי לא חטא הכי קאמר ויהי לעת זקנת שלמה נשיו הטו את לבבו ללכת אחרי אלהים אחרים ולא הלך,והכתיב (מלכים א יא, ז) אז יבנה שלמה במה לכמוש שקוץ מואב שבקש לבנות ולא בנה,אלא מעתה (יהושע ח, ל) אז יבנה יהושע מזבח לה' שבקש לבנות ולא בנה אלא דבנה הכא נמי דבנה,אלא כדתניא רבי יוסי אומר (מלכים ב כג, יג) ואת הבמות אשר על פני ירושלים אשר מימין להר המשחה אשר בנה שלמה מלך ישראל לעשתרות שקוץ צדונים וגו',אפשר בא אסא ולא ביערם יהושפט ולא ביערם עד שבא יאשיה וביערם והלא כל ע"ז שבארץ ישראל אסא ויהושפט ביערום אלא מקיש ראשונים לאחרונים מה אחרונים לא עשו ותלה בהן לשבח אף ראשונים לא עשו ותלה בהן לגנאי,והכתיב (מלכים א יא, ו) ויעש שלמה הרע בעיני ה' אלא מפני שהיה לו למחות בנשיו ולא מיחה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו חטא,אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל נוח לו לאותו צדיק שיהא שמש לדבר אחר ואל יכתב בו ויעש הרע בעיני ה',אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל בשעה שנשא שלמה את בת פרעה הכניסה לו אלף מיני זמר ואמרה לו כך עושין לעבודה זרה פלונית וכך עושים לע"ז פלונית ולא מיחה בה,אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל בשעה שנשא שלמה את בת פרעה ירד גבריאל ונעץ קנה בים ועלה בו שירטון ועליו נבנה כרך גדול [של רומי],במתניתא תנא אותו היום שהכניס ירבעם שני עגלי זהב אחד בבית אל ואחד בדן נבנה צריף אחד וזהו איטליאה של יון:,א"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן כל האומר יאשיהו חטא אינו אלא טועה שנאמר (מלכים ב כב, ב) ויעש הישר בעיני ה' וילך בכל דרך דוד אביו אלא מה אני מקיים (מלכים ב כג, כה) וכמוהו לא היה לפניו מלך אשר שב וגו',שכל דין שדן מבן שמנה עד שמנה עשרה החזירן להן שמא תאמר נטל מזה ונתן לזה תלמוד לומר בכל מאודו שנתן להם משלו,ופליגא דרב דאמר רב אין לך גדול בבעלי תשובה יותר מיאשיהו בדורו ואחד בדורנו ומנו אבא אבוה דרבי ירמיה בר אבא ואמרי לה אחא אחוה דאבא אבוה דרב ירמיה בר אבא דאמר מר רבי אבא ואחא אחי הוו,אמר רב יוסף ועוד אחד בדורנו ומנו עוקבן בר נחמיה ריש גלותא והיינו. נתן דצוציתא אמר רב יוסף הוה יתיבנא בפירקא והוה קא מנמנם וחזאי בחילמא דקא פשט ידיה וקבליה:, br br big strongהדרן עלך במה בהמה /strong /big br br | |
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13. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE) Tagged with subjects: •nan Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 87, 88| 35a. וילכו ויבאו א"ר יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי מקיש הליכה לביאה מה ביאה בעצה רעה אף הליכה בעצה רעה,(במדבר יג, כז) ויספרו לו ויאמרו באנו וגו' וכתיב אפס כי עז העם אמר רבי יוחנן (סימן אמ"ת לבד"ו לוי"ה) משום ר"מ כל לשון הרע שאין בו דבר אמת בתחילתו אין מתקיים בסופו,(במדבר יג, ל) ויהס כלב את העם אל משה אמר רבה שהסיתן בדברים,פתח יהושע דקא משתעי אמרי ליה דין ראש קטיעה ימלל,אמר אי משתעינא אמרי בי מילתא וחסמין לי אמר להן וכי זו בלבד עשה לנו בן עמרם סברי בגנותיה קא משתעי אישתיקו,אמר להו הוציאנו ממצרים וקרע לנו את הים והאכילנו את המן אם יאמר עשו סולמות ועלו לרקיע לא נשמע לו (במדבר יג, ל) עלה נעלה וירשנו אותה וגו',והאנשים אשר עלו עמו אמרו לא נוכל וגו' אמר רבי חנינא בר פפא דבר גדול דברו מרגלים באותה שעה כי חזק הוא ממנו אל תקרי ממנו אלא ממנו כביכול אפילו בעל הבית אינו יכול להוציא כליו משם,(במדבר יג, לב) ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא דרש רבא אמר הקב"ה אני חשבתיה לטובה והם חשבו לרעה אני חשבתיה לטובה דכל היכא דמטו מת חשיבא דידהו כי היכי דניטרדו ולא לשאלו אבתרייהו ואיכא דאמרי איוב נח נפשיה ואטרידו כולי עלמא בהספידא הם חשבו לרעה ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא,(במדבר יג, לג) ונהי בעינינו כחגבים וכן היינו וגו' אמר רב משרשיא מרגלים שקרי הוו בשלמא ונהי בעינינו כחגבים לחיי אלא וכן היינו בעיניהם מנא הוו ידעי,ולא היא כי הוו מברי אבילי תותי ארזי הוו מברי וכי חזינהו סלקו יתבי באילני שמעי דקאמרי קחזינן אינשי דדמו לקמצי באילני,(במדבר יד, א) ותשא כל העדה ויתנו את קולם ויבכו אמר רבה אמר רבי יוחנן אותו היום [ערב] תשעה באב היה אמר הקב"ה הן בכו בכיה של חנם ואני אקבע להם בכיה לדורות,ויאמרו כל העדה לרגום אותם באבנים וכתיב (במדבר יד, י) וכבוד ה' נראה באהל מועד אמר רבי חייא בר אבא מלמד שנטלו אבנים וזרקום כלפי מעלה,(במדבר יד, לז) וימותו האנשים מוציאי דבת הארץ רעה במגפה אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש שמתו מיתה משונה אמר רבי חנינא בר פפא דרש ר' שילא איש כפר תמרתא מלמד שנשתרבב לשונם ונפל על טיבורם והיו תולעים יוצאות מלשונם ונכנסות בטיבורם ומטיבורם ונכנסות בלשונם ורב נחמן בר יצחק אמר באסכרה מתו,וכיון שעלה האחרון שבישראל מן הירדן חזרו מים למקומן שנאמר (יהושע ד, יח) ויהי בעלות הכהנים נושאי ארון ברית ה' מתוך הירדן נתקו כפות רגלי הכהנים אל החרבה וישובו מי הירדן למקומם וילכו כתמול שלשום על כל גדותיו,נמצא ארון ונושאיו וכהנים מצד אחד וישראל מצד אחד נשא ארון את נושאיו ועבר שנאמר (יהושע ד, יא) ויהי כאשר תם כל העם לעבור ויעבור ארון ה' והכהנים לפני העם,ועל דבר זה נענש עוזא שנאמר (דברי הימים א יג, ט) ויבאו עד גורן כידון וישלח עוזא את ידו לאחוז את הארון אמר לו הקב"ה עוזא נושאיו נשא עצמו לא כל שכן,(שמואל ב ו, ז) ויחר אף ה' בעוזא ויכהו שם על השל וגו' רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר על עסקי שלו וחד אמר שעשה צרכיו בפניו,(שמואל ב ו, ז) וימת שם עם ארון האלהים א"ר יוחנן עוזא בא לעוה"ב שנאמר עם ארון האלהים מה ארון לעולם קיים אף עוזא בא לעוה"ב,(שמואל ב ו, ח) ויחר לדוד על אשר פרץ ה' פרץ בעוזא א"ר אלעזר שנשתנו פניו כחררה,אלא מעתה כל היכא דכתיב ויחר ה"נ התם כתיב אף הכא לא כתיב אף,דרש רבא מפני מה נענש דוד מפני שקרא לדברי תורה זמירות שנאמר (תהלים קיט, נד) זמירות היו לי חוקיך בבית מגורי,אמר לו הקב"ה ד"ת שכתוב בהן (משלי כג, ה) התעיף עיניך בו ואיננו אתה קורא אותן זמירות הריני מכשילך בדבר שאפילו תינוקות של בית רבן יודעין אותו דכתיב (במדבר ז, ט) ולבני קהת לא נתן כי עבודת הקודש וגו' ואיהו אתייה בעגלתא,(שמואל א ו, יט) ויך באנשי בית שמש כי ראו בארון משום דראו ויך (אלהים) רבי אבהו ורבי אלעזר חד אמר קוצרין ומשתחוים היו וחד אמר מילי נמי אמור | 35a. b And they went and they came” /b (Numbers 13:25–26). b Rabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: /b This verse b likens /b their b going to /b their b coming. Just as /b their b coming /b back was b with wicked counsel, so too, /b their b going /b to Eretz Yisrael was b with wicked counsel. /b ,The Torah states: b “And they told him, and said: We came /b to the land to which you sent us, and it also flows with milk and honey” (Numbers 13:27), b and /b then b it is written: “However the people /b that dwell in the land b are fierce” /b (Numbers 13:28). Why did the spies praise the land and then slander it? b Rabbi Yoḥa says /b three statements b in the name of Rabbi Meir, /b represented by the b mnemonic /b device: b Truth, alone, borrowing. /b The first statement answers this question: b Any slander that does not begin with a truthful statement ultimately does not stand, /b i.e., it is not accepted by others.,The verse states: b “And Caleb stilled [ i vayyahas /i ] the people toward Moses” /b (Numbers 13:30). b Rabba says: /b This means b that he persuaded them [ i hesitan /i ] with /b his b words. /b i Vayyahas /i and i hesitan /i share the same root in Hebrew.,How did he do so? b Joshua began /b to address the people, and b as he was speaking they said to him: Should this /b person, who has b a severed head, /b as he has no children, b speak /b to the people about entering Eretz Yisrael?,Caleb b said /b to himself: b If I speak they will /b also b say something about me and stop me /b from speaking. He began to speak and b said to them: And /b is b this /b the b only /b thing that b the son of Amram, /b Moses, b has done to us? They thought /b that he wanted b to relate /b something b to the discredit of /b Moses, and b they were silent. /b , b He /b then b said to them: He took us out of Egypt, and split the sea for us, and fed us the manna. If he says /b to us: b Build ladders and climb to the heavens, should we not listen to him? “We should go up at once,” /b even to the heavens, b “and possess it” /b (Numbers 13:30).,The verses continue: b “But the men that went up with him said: We are not able /b to go up against the people; as they are stronger than us” (Numbers 13:31). b Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says: The spies said a serious statement at that moment. /b When they said: b “They are stronger,” do not read /b the phrase as: Stronger b than us [ i mimmennu /i ], /b but b rather /b read it as: Stronger b than Him [ i mimmennu /i ], /b meaning that b even the Homeowner, /b God, b is unable to remove His belongings from there, as it were. /b The spies were speaking heresy and claiming that the Canaanites were stronger than God Himself.,The spies said: b “It is a land that consumes its inhabitants” /b (Numbers 13:32). b Rava taught: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I intended /b the land to appear to consume its inhabitants b for /b their own b good, but they considered /b this proof that the land was b bad. I intended /b it b for /b their b good /b by causing many people to die there so b that anywhere that /b the spies b arrived, the most important of them died, so that /b the Canaanites b would be preoccupied /b with mourning b and would not inquire about them. And there are /b those b who say /b that God caused b Job /b to b die /b at that time, b and everyone /b in Canaan b was preoccupied with /b his b eulogy, /b and did not pay attention to the spies. However, the spies b considered /b this proof that the land was b bad /b and said: b “It is a land that consumes its inhabitants.” /b ,The spies said: b “And we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so were we /b in their eyes” (Numbers 13:33). b Rav Mesharshiyya says: The spies were liars. Granted, /b to say: b “We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes,” is well, but /b to say: b “And so were we in their eyes,” from where /b could b they /b have b known /b this?,The Gemara responds: b But /b that b is not so, /b as b when /b the Canaanites b were having the mourners’ meal, they had the meal beneath cedar trees, and when /b the spies b saw them they climbed up /b the b trees /b and b sat in /b them. From there b they heard /b the Canaanites b saying: We see people who /b look b like grasshoppers in the trees. /b ,The verse states: b “And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried” /b (Numbers 14:1). b Rabba says /b that b Rabbi Yoḥa says: That day was the eve of the Ninth of Av, /b and b the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: /b On that day b they wept a gratuitous weeping, so I will establish /b that day b for them /b as a day of b weeping for /b the future b generations. /b ,The verse states: b “But all the congregation bade stone them with stones” /b (Numbers 14:10), b and it is written /b immediately afterward: b “When the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tent of Meeting” /b (Numbers 14:10). b Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: /b This b teaches that they took stones and threw them upward /b as if to throw them at God.,The verse states: b “And those men who brought out an evil report of the land, died by the plague before the Lord” /b (Numbers 14:37). b Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: /b This means b that they died an unusual death. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says /b that b Rabbi Sheila Ish Kefar Temarta taught: /b This b teaches that their tongues were stretched out /b from their mouths b and fell upon their navels, and worms were crawling out of their tongues and entering their navels, and /b worms were likewise coming b out of their navels and entering their tongues. /b This is the painful death that they suffered. b And Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: They died of diphtheria, /b which causes one to choke to death.,§ The Gemara returns to discuss the entry of the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael. b And once the last one of the Jewish people ascended out of the Jordan, the water returned to its place, as it is stated: “And it came to pass, as the priests that bore the Ark of the Covet of the Lord came up out of the midst of the Jordan, as soon as the soles of the priests’ feet were drawn up unto the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as it had before” /b (Joshua 4:18). The Gemara understands that the priests who carried the Ark stood in the water until all of the Jewish people passed through the Jordan. Once all the Jewish people had reached the other side of the Jordan, the priests stepped back from the water and the Jordan returned to its natural state., b It follows /b that b the Ark and its bearers and the priests /b were b on one side /b of the Jordan, the east side, b and /b the rest of b the Jewish people /b were b on the other side, /b the west side. Subsequently, b the Ark carried its bearers /b in the air b and crossed /b the Jordan, b as it is stated: “When all the people were completely passed over, the Ark of the Lord passed on, and the priests, before the people” /b (Joshua 4:11)., b And over this matter Uzzah was punished /b for not taking proper care of the Ark, b as it is stated: “And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put forth his hand to hold the Ark; /b for the oxen stumbled” (I Chronicles 13:9). b The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Uzzah, /b the Ark b carried its bearers /b when it crossed the Jordan; b all the more so /b is it b not /b clear that it can carry b itself? /b ,§ The verse states: b “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and /b God b smote him there for his error [ i hashal /i ]” /b (II Samuel 6:7). b Rabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazar /b disagreed over the interpretation of this verse. b One says: /b God smote him b for his forgetfulness [ i shalo /i ], /b because he did not remember that the Ark can carry itself. b And one says: /b God smote him b because he /b lifted the edges [ i shulayyim /i ] of his garment in front of the Ark and b relieved himself in its presence. /b ,The verse states: b “And he died there with the Ark of God” /b (II Samuel 6:7). b Rabbi Yoḥa says: Uzzah entered the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “With the Ark of God.” Just as the Ark exists forever, so too, Uzzah entered the World-to-Come. /b ,The verse states: b “And David was displeased [ i vayyiḥar /i ] because the Lord had broken forth upon Uzzah” /b (II Samuel 6:8). b Rabbi Elazar says: /b i Vayyiḥar /i means b that his face changed /b colors and darkened b like baked bread [ i ḥarara /i ] /b from displeasure.,The Gemara questions this statement: b If that is so, anywhere that /b the word b i vayyiḥar /i is written, /b including when it is referring to God, should it be interpreted this way b as well? /b The Gemara answers: b There, it is written: /b “And b the anger /b of the Lord was kindled [ i vayyiḥar af /i ]” (II Samuel 6:7), whereas b here, the anger [ i af /i ] is not written, /b but only i vayyiḥar /i . Therefore it is interpreted differently., b Rava taught: For what /b reason b was David punished /b with Uzzah’s death? He was punished b because he called matters of Torah: Songs, as it is stated: “Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage” /b (Psalms 119:54)., b The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Matters of Torah /b are so difficult and demanding b that it is written: “Will you set your eyes upon it? It is gone” /b (Proverbs 23:5), i.e., one whose eyes stray from the Torah even for a moment will forget it, and b you call /b them b songs? /b For this reason b I will cause you to stumble in a matter that even schoolchildren know, as it is written /b with regard to the wagons brought to the Tabernacle: b “And to the descendants of Kohath he did not give, because the service of the holy things /b belongs to them; they carry them upon their shoulders” (Numbers 7:9). b And /b although the Ark clearly must be carried on people’s shoulders, David erred and b brought it in a wagon. /b ,§ When the Philistines returned the Ark during the period of Samuel, it is stated: b “And He smote of the men of Beit Shemesh because they had gazed upon the Ark of the Lord” /b (I Samuel 6:19). The Gemara asks: b Because they gazed /b upon it, b God smote /b them? Why did their action warrant this punishment? b Rabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Elazar /b disagreed with regard to the interpretation of the verse. b One says /b that they were punished because b they were reaping /b their crops b and prostrating themselves /b at the same time; they did not stop working in reverence for the Ark. b And one says /b that b they also spoke /b denigrating b words: /b |
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| 14. Anon., Soferim, 9.9, 21.16 Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 85, 90 |
| 15. Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zarah, None Tagged with subjects: •david, king, diverse approaches of babylonian rabbis, palestinian rabbis Found in books: Kalmin (1998), The Sage in Jewish Society of Late Antiquity, 84 |
