1. Septuagint, 1 Esdras, 5.52 (10th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 5.52. and thereafter the continual offerings and sacrifices on sabbaths and at new moons and at all the consecrated feasts. |
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2. Septuagint, Baruch, 1.3 (10th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
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3. Septuagint, Tobit, 13.16-13.18, 14.5 (10th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 13.16. For Jerusalem will be built with sapphires and emeralds,her walls with precious stones,and her towers and battlements with pure gold. 13.17. The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with beryl and ruby and stones of Ophir; 13.18. all her lanes will cry `Hallelujah! and will give praise,saying, `Blessed is God, who has exalted you for ever. 14.5. But God will again have mercy on them, and bring them back into their land; and they will rebuild the house of God, though it will not be like the former one until the times of the age are completed. After this they will return from the places of their captivity, and will rebuild Jerusalem in splendor. And the house of God will be rebuilt there with a glorious building for all generations for ever, just as the prophets said of it. |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 9.29, 24.10 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 9.29. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מֹשֶׁה כְּצֵאתִי אֶת־הָעִיר אֶפְרֹשׂ אֶת־כַּפַּי אֶל־יְהוָה הַקֹּלוֹת יֶחְדָּלוּן וְהַבָּרָד לֹא יִהְיֶה־עוֹד לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי לַיהוָה הָאָרֶץ׃ | 9.29. And Moses said unto him: ‘As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread forth my hands unto the LORD; the thunders shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know that the earth is the LORD’s." 24.10. and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 1.2-1.10, 1.14-1.15, 1.17, 1.20, 41.9 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.2. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם׃ 1.2. וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל־פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם׃ 1.3. וּלְכָל־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וּלְכָל־עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְכֹל רוֹמֵשׂ עַל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֶת־כָּל־יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב לְאָכְלָה וַיְהִי־כֵן׃ 1.3. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי־אוֹר׃ 1.4. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאוֹר כִּי־טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ׃ 1.5. וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד׃ 1.6. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם׃ 1.7. וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָרָקִיעַ וַיַּבְדֵּל בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ וַיְהִי־כֵן׃ 1.8. וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם שֵׁנִי׃ 1.9. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל־מָקוֹם אֶחָד וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה וַיְהִי־כֵן׃ 1.14. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה וְהָיוּ לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים וּלְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים׃ 1.15. וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ וַיְהִי־כֵן׃ 1.17. וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם לְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃ 41.9. וַיְדַבֵּר שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים אֶת־פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר אֶת־חֲטָאַי אֲנִי מַזְכִּיר הַיּוֹם׃ | 1.2. Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters." 1.3. And God said: ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light." 1.4. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness." 1.5. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day." 1.6. And God said: ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’" 1.7. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so." 1.8. And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day." 1.9. And God said: ‘Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so." 1.10. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas; and God saw that it was good." 1.14. And God said: ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;" 1.15. and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so." 1.17. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth," 1.20. And God said: ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.’" 41.9. Then spoke the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying: ‘I make mention of my faults this day:" |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 4.25 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 4.25. וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן מִדַּם הַחַטָּאת בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ וְנָתַן עַל־קַרְנֹת מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־דָּמוֹ יִשְׁפֹּךְ אֶל־יְסוֹד מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה׃ | 4.25. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and the remaining blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering." |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Malachi, 2.13 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.13. וְזֹאת שֵׁנִית תַּעֲשׂוּ כַּסּוֹת דִּמְעָה אֶת־מִזְבַּח יְהוָה בְּכִי וַאֲנָקָה מֵאֵין עוֹד פְּנוֹת אֶל־הַמִּנְחָה וְלָקַחַת רָצוֹן מִיֶּדְכֶם׃ | 2.13. And this further ye do: Ye cover the altar of the LORD with tears, With weeping, and with sighing, Insomuch that He regardeth not the offering any more, Neither receiveth it with good will at your hand." |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Micah, 5.5 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 5.5. וְרָעוּ אֶת־אֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר בַּחֶרֶב וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ נִמְרֹד בִּפְתָחֶיהָ וְהִצִּיל מֵאַשּׁוּר כִּי־יָבוֹא בְאַרְצֵנוּ וְכִי יִדְרֹךְ בִּגְבוּלֵנוּ׃ | 5.5. And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, And the land of Nimrod with the keen-edged sword; And he shall deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, And when he treadeth within our border." |
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9. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 22.17 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 22.17. הַט אָזְנְךָ וּשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים וְלִבְּךָ תָּשִׁית לְדַעְתִּי׃ | 22.17. Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge." |
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10. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 18.2, 137.1-137.4, 141.2 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 18.2. וַיּוֹצִיאֵנִי לַמֶּרְחָב יְחַלְּצֵנִי כִּי חָפֵץ בִּי׃ 18.2. וַיֹּאמַר אֶרְחָמְךָ יְהוָה חִזְקִי׃ 137.1. עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִינוּ בְּזָכְרֵנוּ אֶת־צִיּוֹן׃ 137.2. עַל־עֲרָבִים בְּתוֹכָהּ תָּלִינוּ כִּנֹּרוֹתֵינוּ׃ 137.3. כִּי שָׁם שְׁאֵלוּנוּ שׁוֹבֵינוּ דִּבְרֵי־שִׁיר וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ שִׂמְחָה שִׁירוּ לָנוּ מִשִּׁיר צִיּוֹן׃ 137.4. אֵיךְ נָשִׁיר אֶת־שִׁיר־יְהוָה עַל אַדְמַת נֵכָר׃ 141.2. תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי מִנְחַת־עָרֶב׃ | 18.2. And he said: I love thee, O LORD, my strength." 137.1. By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion." 137.2. Upon the willows in the midst thereof We hanged up our harps." 137.3. For there they that led us captive asked of us words of song, And our tormentors asked of us mirth: ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'" 137.4. How shall we sing the LORD’S song In a foreign land?" 141.2. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before Thee, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." |
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11. Hebrew Bible, 1 Samuel, 1.11 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 1.11. וַתִּדֹּר נֶדֶר וַתֹּאמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אִם־רָאֹה תִרְאֶה בָּעֳנִי אֲמָתֶךָ וּזְכַרְתַּנִי וְלֹא־תִשְׁכַּח אֶת־אֲמָתֶךָ וְנָתַתָּה לַאֲמָתְךָ זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים וּנְתַתִּיו לַיהוָה כָּל־יְמֵי חַיָּיו וּמוֹרָה לֹא־יַעֲלֶה עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ׃ | 1.11. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget Thy handmaid, but wilt give to Thy handmaid a man child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head." |
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12. Hebrew Bible, Amos, 4.4 (8th cent. BCE - 6th cent. BCE)
| 4.4. בֹּאוּ בֵית־אֵל וּפִשְׁעוּ הַגִּלְגָּל הַרְבּוּ לִפְשֹׁעַ וְהָבִיאוּ לַבֹּקֶר זִבְחֵיכֶם לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים מַעְשְׂרֹתֵיכֶם׃ | 4.4. Come to Beth-el, and transgress, To Gilgal, and multiply transgression; And bring your sacrifices in the morning, And your tithes after three days;" |
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13. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 6.1-6.3, 45.3 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 6.1. בִּשְׁנַת־מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת־אֲדֹנָי יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא וְשׁוּלָיו מְלֵאִים אֶת־הַהֵיכָל׃ 6.1. הַשְׁמֵן לֵב־הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאָזְנָיו הַכְבֵּד וְעֵינָיו הָשַׁע פֶּן־יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו וּבְאָזְנָיו יִשְׁמָע וּלְבָבוֹ יָבִין וָשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ׃ 6.2. שְׂרָפִים עֹמְדִים מִמַּעַל לוֹ שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם לְאֶחָד בִּשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה פָנָיו וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה רַגְלָיו וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְעוֹפֵף׃ 6.3. וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל־זֶה וְאָמַר קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת מְלֹא כָל־הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ׃ 45.3. וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אוֹצְרוֹת חֹשֶׁךְ וּמַטְמֻנֵי מִסְתָּרִים לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה הַקּוֹרֵא בְשִׁמְךָ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ | 6.1. In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple." 6.2. Above Him stood the seraphim; each one had six wings: with twain he covered his face and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly." 6.3. And one called unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory." 45.3. And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I am the LORD, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel." |
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14. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 6.16, 14.17, 24.1, 24.4-24.7, 31.14-31.17, 43.6, 43.13 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 6.16. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה עִמְדוּ עַל־דְּרָכִים וּרְאוּ וְשַׁאֲלוּ לִנְתִבוֹת עוֹלָם אֵי־זֶה דֶרֶךְ הַטּוֹב וּלְכוּ־בָהּ וּמִצְאוּ מַרְגּוֹעַ לְנַפְשְׁכֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נֵלֵךְ׃ 14.17. וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תֵּרַדְנָה עֵינַי דִּמְעָה לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם וְאַל־תִּדְמֶינָה כִּי שֶׁבֶר גָּדוֹל נִשְׁבְּרָה בְּתוּלַת בַּת־עַמִּי מַכָּה נַחְלָה מְאֹד׃ 24.1. וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי בָם אֶת־הַחֶרֶב אֶת־הָרָעָב וְאֶת־הַדָּבֶר עַד־תֻּמָּם מֵעַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתִּי לָהֶם וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶם׃ 24.1. הִרְאַנִי יְהוָה וְהִנֵּה שְׁנֵי דּוּדָאֵי תְאֵנִים מוּעָדִים לִפְנֵי הֵיכַל יְהוָה אַחֲרֵי הַגְלוֹת נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל אֶת־יְכָנְיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָקִים מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה וְאֶת־שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה וְאֶת־הֶחָרָשׁ וְאֶת־הַמַּסְגֵּר מִירוּשָׁלִַם וַיְבִאֵם בָּבֶל׃ 24.4. וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃ 24.5. כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּתְּאֵנִים הַטֹּבוֹת הָאֵלֶּה כֵּן־אַכִּיר אֶת־גָּלוּת יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר שִׁלַּחְתִּי מִן־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה אֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים לְטוֹבָה׃ 24.6. וְשַׂמְתִּי עֵינִי עֲלֵיהֶם לְטוֹבָה וַהֲשִׁבֹתִים עַל־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וּבְנִיתִים וְלֹא אֶהֱרֹס וּנְטַעְתִּים וְלֹא אֶתּוֹשׁ׃ 24.7. וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם לֵב לָדַעַת אֹתִי כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה וְהָיוּ־לִי לְעָם וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים כִּי־יָשֻׁבוּ אֵלַי בְּכָל־לִבָּם׃ 31.14. וְרִוֵּיתִי נֶפֶשׁ הַכֹּהֲנִים דָּשֶׁן וְעַמִּי אֶת־טוּבִי יִשְׂבָּעוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ 31.15. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל־בָּנֶיהָ מֵאֲנָה לְהִנָּחֵם עַל־בָּנֶיהָ כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ׃ 31.16. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה מִנְעִי קוֹלֵךְ מִבֶּכִי וְעֵינַיִךְ מִדִּמְעָה כִּי יֵשׁ שָׂכָר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְשָׁבוּ מֵאֶרֶץ אוֹיֵב׃ 31.17. וְיֵשׁ־תִּקְוָה לְאַחֲרִיתֵךְ נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְשָׁבוּ בָנִים לִגְבוּלָם׃ 43.6. אֶת־הַגְּבָרִים וְאֶת־הַנָּשִׁים וְאֶת־הַטַּף וְאֶת־בְּנוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֵת כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר הִנִּיחַ נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב־טַבָּחִים אֶת־גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָם בֶּן־שָׁפָן וְאֵת יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא וְאֶת־בָּרוּךְ בֶּן־נֵרִיָּהוּ׃ 43.13. וְשִׁבַּר אֶת־מַצְּבוֹת בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּי אֱלֹהֵי־מִצְרַיִם יִשְׂרֹף בָּאֵשׁ׃ | 6.16. Thus saith the LORD: Stand ye in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, Where is the good way, and walk therein, And ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said: ‘We will not walk therein.’" 14.17. And thou shalt say this word unto them: Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, And let them not cease; For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, With a very grievous blow." 24.1. The LORD showed me, and behold two baskets of figs set before the temple of the LORD; after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon." 24.4. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:" 24.5. ’Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so will I regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good." 24.6. And I will set Mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up." 24.7. And I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God; for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart." 31.14. And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, Saith the LORD." 31.15. Thus saith the LORD: A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; She refuseth to be comforted for her children, Because they are not." 31.16. Thus saith the LORD: Refrain thy voice from weeping, And thine eyes from tears; For thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; And they shall come back from the land of the enemy." 31.17. And there is hope for thy future, saith the LORD; And thy children shall return to their own border." 43.6. the men, and the women, and the children, and the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah;" 43.13. He shall also break the pillars of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt shall he burn with fire.’" |
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15. Hebrew Bible, Lamentations, 1.13 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 1.13. מִמָּרוֹם שָׁלַח־אֵשׁ בְּעַצְמֹתַי וַיִּרְדֶּנָּה פָּרַשׂ רֶשֶׁת לְרַגְלַי הֱשִׁיבַנִי אָחוֹר נְתָנַנִי שֹׁמֵמָה כָּל־הַיּוֹם דָּוָה׃ | 1.13. From above He has hurled fire into my bones, and it broke them; He has spread a net for my feet, He has turned me back, He has made me desolate [and] faint all day long. " |
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16. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 43.13-43.17 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 43.13. וְאֵלֶּה מִדּוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ בָּאַמּוֹת אַמָּה אַמָּה וָטֹפַח וְחֵיק הָאַמָּה וְאַמָּה־רֹחַב וּגְבוּלָהּ אֶל־שְׂפָתָהּ סָבִיב זֶרֶת הָאֶחָד וְזֶה גַּב הַמִּזְבֵּחַ׃ 43.14. וּמֵחֵיק הָאָרֶץ עַד־הָעֲזָרָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה שְׁתַּיִם אַמּוֹת וְרֹחַב אַמָּה אֶחָת וּמֵהֳעֲזָרָה הַקְּטַנָּה עַד־הָעֲזָרָה הַגְּדוֹלָה אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת וְרֹחַב הָאַמָּה׃ 43.15. וְהַהַרְאֵל אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת וּמֵהָאֲרִאֵיל וּלְמַעְלָה הַקְּרָנוֹת אַרְבַּע׃ 43.16. והאראיל [וְהָאֲרִיאֵל] שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אֹרֶךְ בִּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה רֹחַב רָבוּעַ אֶל אַרְבַּעַת רְבָעָיו׃ 43.17. וְהָעֲזָרָה אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה אֹרֶךְ בְּאַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה רֹחַב אֶל אַרְבַּעַת רְבָעֶיהָ וְהַגְּבוּל סָבִיב אוֹתָהּ חֲצִי הָאַמָּה וְהַחֵיק־לָהּ אַמָּה סָבִיב וּמַעֲלֹתֵהוּ פְּנוֹת קָדִים׃ | 43.13. And these are the measures of the altar by cubits—the cubit is a cubit and a handbreadth: the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about a span; and this shall be the base of the altar." 43.14. And from the bottom upon the ground to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth a cubit." 43.15. And the hearth shall be four cubits; and from the hearth and upward there shall be four horns." 43.16. And the hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve broad, square in the four sides thereof." 43.17. And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen broad in the four sides thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and the steps thereof shall look toward the east.’" |
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17. Hebrew Bible, Ezra, 8.19 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 8.19. וְאֶת־חֲשַׁבְיָה וְאִתּוֹ יְשַׁעְיָה מִבְּנֵי מְרָרִי אֶחָיו וּבְנֵיהֶם עֶשְׂרִים׃ | 8.19. and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;" |
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18. Septuagint, Tobit, 13.16-13.18, 14.5 (4th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 13.16. For Jerusalem will be built with sapphires and emeralds,her walls with precious stones,and her towers and battlements with pure gold. 13.17. The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with beryl and ruby and stones of Ophir; 13.18. all her lanes will cry `Hallelujah! and will give praise,saying, `Blessed is God, who has exalted you for ever. 14.5. But God will again have mercy on them, and bring them back into their land; and they will rebuild the house of God, though it will not be like the former one until the times of the age are completed. After this they will return from the places of their captivity, and will rebuild Jerusalem in splendor. And the house of God will be rebuilt there with a glorious building for all generations for ever, just as the prophets said of it. |
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19. Anon., 1 Enoch, 90.28-90.29, 99.15 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 90.28. And I stood up to see till they folded up that old house; and carried off all the pillars, and all the beams and ornaments of the house were at the same time folded up with it, and they carried 90.29. it off and laid it in a place in the south of the land. And I saw till the Lord of the sheep brought a new house greater and loftier than that first, and set it up in the place of the first which had beer folded up: all its pillars were new, and its ornaments were new and larger than those of the first, the old one which He had taken away, and all the sheep were within it. 99.15. Woe to them who work unrighteousness and help oppression, And slay their neighbours until the day of the great judgement. |
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20. Anon., Jubilees, 1.27, 4.1 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 1.27. O Lord my God, do not forsake Thy people and Thy inheritance, so that they should wander in the error of their hearts, and do not deliver them into the hands of their enemies, the Gentiles, lest they should rule over them and cause them to sin against Thee. 4.1. And in the third week in the second jubilee she gave birth to Cain, and in the fourth she gave birth to Abel, and in the fifth she gave birth to her daughter ’Âwân. |
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21. Septuagint, 1 Maccabees, 4.53 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 4.53. they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering which they had built. |
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22. Septuagint, 2 Maccabees, 1.18, 1.21, 3.35, 10.3 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 1.18. Since on the twenty-fifth day of Chislev we shall celebrate the purification of the temple, we thought it necessary to notify you, in order that you also may celebrate the feast of booths and the feast of the fire given when Nehemiah, who built the temple and the altar, offered sacrifices.' 1.21. And when the materials for the sacrifices were presented, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle the liquid on the wood and what was laid upon it.' 3.35. Then Heliodorus offered sacrifice to the Lord and made very great vows to the Savior of his life, and having bidden Onias farewell, he marched off with his forces to the king.' 10.3. They purified the sanctuary, and made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they burned incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence.' |
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23. Anon., Sibylline Oracles, 5.414-5.433 (1st cent. BCE - 5th cent. CE)
| 5.414. And foolish Cyme with her inspired stream 5.415. 415 Cast down by hands of godless men unjust 5.416. And lawless, shall to heaven not so much 5.417. As a word utter; but she shall remain 5.418. Dead in Cymæan streams. And then shall they 5.419. Together weep, awaiting evil things. 5.420. 420 Cyme's rough populace and shameless tribe 5.421. Having a sign, shall know for what they toiled. 5.422. And then, when they shall have bewailed their land 5.423. Reduced to ashes, by Eridanu 5.424. Shall Lesbos be forever overthrown. 5.425. 425 Alas, Corcyra, city beautiful 5.426. Alas for thee, cease from thy revelry. 5.427. Thou also, Hierapolis, sole land 5.428. With riches mixed, what thou hast longed to have 5.429. Thou shalt have, even a land of many tears 5.430. 430 Since thou wast angry towards a land beside 5.431. Thermodon's streams. Rock-clinging Tripolis 5.432. Beside the waters of Mæander, thee 5.433. Shall by the nightly surges under shore |
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24. Anon., 2 Baruch, 10.18 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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25. Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, 41.2 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 41.2. οὐ πανταχοῦ, ἀδελφοί, προσφέρονται θυσίαι ἐνδελεχισμοῦ ἢ εὐχῶν C reads proseuxw=n. ἢ περὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ πλημμελείας, ἀλλ̓ ἢ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ μόνῃ: κἀκεῖ δὲ οὐκ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ προσφέρεται, ἀλλ̓ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ναοῦ πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον, μωμοσκοπηθὲν τὸ προσφερόμενον διὰ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ τῶν προειρημένων λειτουργῶν. | |
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26. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 1.318, 10.184, 11.76, 11.123 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.318. “But as to the prey, of whose driving away thou accusest me, if any other person were the arbitrator, thou wouldst be found in the wrong; for instead of those thanks I ought to have had from thee, for both keeping thy cattle, and increasing them, how is it that thou art unjustly angry at me because I have taken, and have with me, a small portion of them? But then, as to thy daughters, take notice, that it is not through any evil practices of mine that they follow me in my return home, but from that just affection which wives naturally have to their husbands. They follow therefore not so properly myself as their own children.” 10.184. Now as to Shalmanezer, he removed the Israelites out of their country, and placed therein the nation of the Cutheans, who had formerly belonged to the inner parts of Persia and Media, but were then called Samaritans, by taking the name of the country to which they were removed; but the king of Babylon, who brought out the two tribes, placed no other nation in their country, by which means all Judea and Jerusalem, and the temple, continued to be a desert for seventy years; 11.76. He then built the altar on the same place it had formerly been built, that they might offer the appointed sacrifices upon it to God, according to the laws of Moses. But while they did this, they did not please the neighboring nations, who all of them bare an ill-will to them. 11.123. Accordingly, the king wrote the following epistle to those governors: “Xerxes, king of kings, to Esdras the priest, and reader of the divine law, greeting. I think it agreeable to that love which I bear to mankind, to permit those of the Jewish nation that are so disposed, as well as those of the priests and Levites that are in our kingdom, to go together to Jerusalem. |
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27. Josephus Flavius, Jewish War, 5.225-5.226, 5.229 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 5.225. Before this temple stood the altar, fifteen cubits high, and equal both in length and breadth; each of which dimensions was fifty cubits. The figure it was built in was a square, and it had corners like horns; and the passage up to it was by an insensible acclivity. It was formed without any iron tool, nor did any such iron tool so much as touch it at any time. 5.226. There was also a wall of partition, about a cubit in height, made of fine stones, and so as to be grateful to the sight; this encompassed the holy house and the altar, and kept the people that were on the outside off from the priests. 5.229. but then those priests that were without any blemish upon them went up to the altar clothed in fine linen. They abstained chiefly from wine, out of this fear, lest otherwise they should transgress some rules of their ministration. |
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28. Mishnah, Avot, 1.2 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1.2. Shimon the Righteous was one of the last of the men of the great assembly. He used to say: the world stands upon three things: the Torah, the Temple service, and the practice of acts of piety." |
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29. Mishnah, Middot, 3.1-3.2, 3.4 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 3.1. The altar was thirty-two cubits by thirty-two. It rose a cubit and went in a cubit, and this formed the foundation, leaving thirty cubits by thirty. It then rose five cubits and went in one cubit, and this formed the surround, leaving twenty-eight cubits by twenty-eight. The horns extended a cubit in each direction, thus leaving twenty-six by twenty-six. A cubit on every side was allowed for the priests to go round, thus leaving twenty-four by twenty-four as the place for the wood pile [for the altar fire]. Rabbi Yose said: Originally, the complete area [occupied by the altar] was only twenty-eight cubits by twenty-eight, and it rose with the dimensions mentioned until the space left for the altar pile was only twenty by twenty. When, however, the children of the exile returned, they added four cubits on the north, and four on the west like a gamma, since it is said: “Now the hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve broad, square” (Ezekiel 43:16). Is it possible that it was only twelve cubits by twelve? When it says, “With four equal sides” (ibid), this shows that he was measuring from the middle, twelve cubits in every direction. A line of red paint ran round it in the middle to divide between the upper and the lower blood. The foundation ran the whole length of the north and of the west sides, and it took up one cubit on the south and one on the east." 3.2. At the southwestern corner [of the foundation] there were two openings like two small nostrils through which the blood which was poured on the western side of the foundation and on the southern side flowed down till the two streams became mingled in the channel, through which they made their way out to the Kidron wadi." 3.4. The stones both of the ascent and of the altar were taken from the valley of Bet Kerem. They dug into virgin soil and brought from there whole stones on which no iron had been lifted, since iron disqualifies by mere touch, though a flaw made by anything could disqualify. If one of them received a flaw, it was disqualified, but the rest were not. They were whitewashed twice a year, once at Pesah and once at Hag, and the Sanctuary was whitewashed once a year, at Pesah. Rabbi says: they were whitewashed every Friday with a cloth on account of the blood stains. The plaster was not laid on with an iron trowel, for fear that it might touch and disqualify. Since iron was created to shorten man's days and the altar was created to prolong man's days, and it is not right therefore that that which shortens should be lifted against that which prolongs." |
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30. New Testament, 1 Peter, 2.5 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.5. You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. |
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31. New Testament, 1 Corinthians, 9.13 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 9.13. Don't you know that those who serve around sacred thingseat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar havetheir portion with the altar? |
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32. New Testament, Acts, 17.23 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 17.23. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you. |
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33. New Testament, Apocalypse, 5.4, 5.8 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 5.4. And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look in it. 5.8. Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. |
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34. New Testament, Hebrews, 4.7, 7.13, 7.27, 13.5 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 4.7. he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), "Today if you will hear his voice, Don't harden your hearts. 7.13. For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 7.27. who doesn't need, like those high priests, to daily offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. 13.5. Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, "I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you. |
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35. New Testament, Luke, 11.51 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 11.51. from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.' Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. |
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36. New Testament, Matthew, 2.18, 23.18, 23.20, 23.35 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.18. A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; She wouldn't be comforted, Because they are no more. 23.18. 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is a obligated.' 23.20. He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it. 23.35. that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar. |
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37. Anon., Leviticus Rabba, 19.6 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 19.6. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ, מִי קִיֵּם מִצְוַת זִיבָה יְכָנְיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָקִים, אָמְרוּ כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר לְהַחֲרִיב אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עָלָה וְיָשַׁב לוֹ בְּדַפְנִי שֶׁל אַנְטוֹכְיָא, יָרְדָה סַנְהֶדְּרֵי גְדוֹלָה לִקְרָאתוֹ אָמְרוּ לוֹ הִגִּיעַ זְמַנּוֹ שֶׁל בַּיִת זֶה לִיחָרֵב, אָמַר לָהֶם לָאו, אֶלָּא יְהוֹיָקִים מָרַד בִּי תְּנוּהוּ לִי וְאֵלֵךְ, בָּאוּ אֶצְלוֹ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ לִיהוֹיָקִים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר בָּעֵי לָךְ, אָמַר לָהֶן כָּךְ עוֹשִׂין, דּוֹחִין נֶפֶשׁ מִפְּנֵי נֶפֶשׁ, דּוֹחִין נַפְשִׁי וּמְקַיֵּם נַפְשֵׁיכוֹן, כְּתִיב (דברים כג, טז): לֹא תַסְגִּיר עֶבֶד אֶל אֲדוֹנָיו, אָמְרוּ לוֹ לֹא כָךְ עָשְׂתָה זְקֵנָתְךָ לְשֶׁבַע בֶּן בִּכְרִי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַע לָהֶם עָמְדוּ וּנְטָלוּהוּ וְשִׁלְשְׁלוּהוּ לוֹ. וְכֵיצַד שִׁלְשְׁלוּהוּ, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר חַי שִׁלְשְׁלוּ אוֹתוֹ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יחזקאל יט, ט): וַיִּתְּנֻהוּ בַסּוּגַר בַּחַחִים, בַּחַיִּים כְּתִיב. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר מֵת שִׁלְשְׁלוּ אוֹתוֹ לוֹ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יחזקאל יט, ט): לְמַעַן לֹא יִשָּׁמַע קוֹלוֹ עוֹד. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם דִּבְרֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם, חַי שִׁלְשְׁלוּ אוֹתוֹ אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה מְפֻנָּק וּמֵת בְּיָדָם. מֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר נְטָלוֹ וְהֶחֱזִירוּהוּ בְּכָל עָרֵי יְהוּדָה, וְיָשַׁב עָלָיו בְּפָרָדִימוֹס וַהֲרָגוֹ, וְקָרַע אֶת הַחֲמוֹר וְהִכְנִיסוּהוּ לְתוֹכוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ירמיה כב, יט): קְבוּרַת חֲמוֹר יִקָּבֵר. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר נְטָלוֹ וְהֶחֱזִירוֹ בְּכָל עָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַהֲרָגוֹ וְהָיָה מְחַתֵּךְ מִמֶּנּוּ כְּזֵיתִים וּמַשְׁלִיךְ לַכְּלָבִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: קְבוּרַת חֲמוֹר יִקָּבֵר, הֵיכָן הִיא קְבוּרַת חֲמוֹר לֹא בִּמְעִי הַכֶּלֶב, הוּא שֶׁהַנָּבִיא מְקַנְתֵּר עָלָיו וְאוֹמֵר (מלכים ב כד, ה): וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יְהוֹיָקִים וְכָל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר תְּלָתָא אֳמוֹרָאִין חַד אָמַר שֶׁהָיָה לָבוּשׁ כִּלְאַיִם, וְחַד אָמַר שֶׁמָּשַׁךְ לוֹ עָרְלָה, וְחַד אָמַר שֶׁנִּמְצֵאת כְּתוֹבַת קַעְקַע חֲקוּקָה עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁבָּא עַל אִמּוֹ וְעַל כַּלָּתוֹ וְעַל אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר בַּפֶּתַח שֶׁיָּצָא בּוֹ נִכְנָס. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר עַל שֶׁהוֹשִׁיב בִּירָנִיּוֹת בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, מַהוּ בִּירָנִיּוֹת, בָּיְירָן צָיְירָן, שֶׁהָיָה הוֹרֵג אֶת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן וּמְעַנֶּה אֶת נְשֵׁיהֶם וּמַכְנִיס מָמוֹנָם לַטִּמְיוֹן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יחזקאל יט, ז): וַיֵּדַע אַלְמְנוֹתָיו. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֲרָגוֹ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הִמְלִיךְ אֶת יְכָנְיָה בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו וְיָרַד לוֹ לְבָבֶל, יָצְאוּ כָּל בְּנֵי בָבֶל לְקַלְּסוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ מֶה עָשִׂיתָ, אָמַר לָהֶם יְהוֹיָקִים מָרַד בִּי וַהֲרַגְתִּיו וְהִמְלַכְתִּי יְכָנְיָה בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו, אָמְרוּ לוֹ מַתְלָא אָמַר גּוּר טַב מִכֶּלֶב בִּישׁ לָא תְרַבֵּי, גּוּר בִּישׁ מִכֶּלֶב בִּישׁ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. מִיָּד שָׁמַע לָהֶם וְעָלָה וְיָשַׁב בְּדַפְנִי שֶׁל אַנְטוֹכְיָא, יָרְדוּ סַנְהֶדְרֵי גְדוֹלָה לִקְרָאתוֹ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ הִגִּיעַ זְמַנּוֹ שֶׁל בַּיִת זֶה לִיחָרֵב, אָמַר לָהֶם לֹא, אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהִמְלַכְתִּי תְּנוּהוּ לִי וַאֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לִי. אָזְלִין אָמְרִין לִיכָנְיָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר בָּעֵי לָךְ, מֶה עָשָׂה עָמַד וְכִנֵּס כָּל מַפְתְּחוֹת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְעָלָה לְרֹאשׁ הַגַּג וְאָמַר רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הוֹאִיל וְלֹא זָכִינוּ לִהְיוֹת גִּזְבָּרִין לְפָנֶיךָ, עַד עַכְשָׁיו הָיִינוּ בַּעֲלֵי בָּתִּים נֶאֱמָנִים לְפָנֶיךָ, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ הֲרֵי מַפְתְּחוֹתֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ. תְּרֵין אֳמוֹרָאִין חַד אָמַר כְּמִין יַד שֶׁל אֵשׁ יָרְדָה וּנְטָלָתַן מִמֶּנּוּ, וְחַד אָמַר מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁזְּרָקָן עוֹד לֹא יָרְדוּ. מָה הָיוּ בַּחוּרֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין, הָיוּ עוֹלִין לְרֹאשׁ גַּגּוֹתֵיהֶן וְנוֹפְלִים מֵתִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה כב, א): מַשָּׂא גֵיא חִזָּיוֹן מַה לָּךְ אֵפוֹא כִּי עָלִית כֻּלָּךְ לַגַּגּוֹת. מֶה עָשָׂה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, נְטָלוֹ וַחֲבָשׁוֹ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, וְכָל מִי שֶׁהָיָה נֶחְבַּשׁ בְּיָמָיו לֹא הָיָה יוֹצֵא מִשָּׁם לְעוֹלָם, עַל שׁוּם (ישעיה יד, יז): אֲסִירָיו לֹא פָתַח בָּיְתָה. גָּלָה יְהוֹיָכִין וְגָלְתָה סַנְהֶדְּרֵי גְדוֹלָה עִמּוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ירמיה כב, כח): הַעֶצֶב נִבְזֶה נָפוּץ, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר כָּעֶצֶם הַזֶּה שֶׁל מֹחַ שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאַתָּה מְנַפְּצוֹ אֵינוֹ יָפֶה לִמְאוּמָה כו', עַד שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל שָׁאַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְבֵית דִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה וְהִתִּירוּ לוֹ אֶת נִדְרוֹ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יָשְׁבָה סַנְהֶדְּרֵי גְדוֹלָה עַל דַּעְתָּהּ וְאָמְרוּ בְּיָמֵינוּ מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד פּוֹסֶקֶת, אוֹתוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (תהלים פט, לז): וְכִסְאוֹ כַשֶּׁמֶשׁ נֶגְדִּי, מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה נֵלֵךְ וּנְפַיֵּס לַגַּדֶּלֶת, וְגַדֶּלֶת לַמַּלְכָּה, וּמַלְכָּה לַמֶּלֶךְ. הָלְכוּ וּפִיְּסוּ לַגַּדֶּלֶת, וְגַדֶּלֶת לַמַּלְכָה, וּמַלְכָּה לַמֶּלֶךְ. מָה הָיָה שֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, רַב הוּנָא אָמַר שְׁמִירָם שְׁמָהּ, רַבִּי אָבִין אָמַר שְׁמִירָמוֹת שְׁמָהּ, וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין שְׁמִירַעַם שְׁמָהּ, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה בְּרָעַם. כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר לְהִזָּקֵק לָהּ אָמְרָה לוֹ אַתְּ מֶלֶךְ וִיכָנְיָה אֵינוֹ מֶלֶךְ, אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ תַּפְקִידְךָ וִיכָנְיָה אֵינוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ תַּפְקִידוֹ, מִיָּד גָּזַר וְנָתְנוּ לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ, וְכֵיצַד שִׁלְשְׁלוּהָ לוֹ, רַבִּי שַׁבְּתַי אָמַר דֶּרֶךְ קִנְקָלִין שִׁלְשְׁלוּהָ לוֹ, וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי פָּתְחוּ הַמַּעֲזִיבָה וְשִׁלְשְׁלוּהָ לוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא לְהִזָּקֵק לָהּ אָמְרָה כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה אֲדֻמָּה רָאִיתִי, פֵּרַשׁ מִמֶּנָּהּ, מִיָּד הָלְכָה וְסָפְרָה וְטָהֲרָה וְטָבְלָה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם לֹא קִיַּמְתֶּם מִצְוַת זִיבָה וְעַתָּה אַתֶּם מְקַיְּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה ט, יא): גַּם אַתְּ בְּדַם בְּרִיתֵךְ שִׁלַחְתִּי אֲסִירַיִךְ מִבּוֹר, נִזְכַּרְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ הַדָּם שֶׁבְּסִינַי בִּשְׁבִיל כֵּן שִׁלַּחְתִּי אֲסִירַיִךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי שַׁבְּתַי לֹא זָז מִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁמָּחַל לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו, עַל אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר (שיר השירים ד, ז): כֻּלָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי וּמוּם אֵין בָּךְ, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לָהֶם (ירמיה ג, כב): שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבוֹתֵיכֶם. | |
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38. Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies, 1.17.85.4 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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39. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 59a, 32b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 32b. אמר ר' אלעזר גדולה תפלה יותר ממעשים טובים שאין לך גדול במעשים טובים יותר ממשה רבינו אעפ"כ לא נענה אלא בתפלה שנאמר (דברים ג, כו) אל תוסף דבר אלי וסמיך ליה עלה ראש הפסגה:,וא"ר אלעזר גדולה תענית יותר מן הצדקה מאי טעמא זה בגופו וזה בממונו:,וא"ר אלעזר גדולה תפלה יותר מן הקרבנות שנא' (ישעיהו א, יא) למה לי רוב זבחיכם וכתיב ובפרשכם כפיכם,א"ר יוחנן כל כהן שהרג את הנפש לא ישא את כפיו שנא' (ישעיהו א, טו) ידיכם דמים מלאו:,וא"ר אלעזר מיום שחרב בית המקדש ננעלו שערי תפלה שנאמר (איכה ג, ח) גם כי אזעק ואשוע שתם תפלתי ואע"פ ששערי תפלה ננעלו שערי דמעה לא ננעלו שנאמר (תהלים לט, יג) שמעה תפלתי ה' ושועתי האזינה אל דמעתי אל תחרש,רבא לא גזר תעניתא ביומא דעיבא משום שנא' (איכה ג, מד) סכותה בענן לך מעבור תפלה:,וא"ר אלעזר מיום שחרב בית המקדש נפסקה חומת ברזל בין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים שנא' (יחזקאל ד, ג) ואתה קח לך מחבת ברזל ונתתה אותה קיר ברזל בינך ובין העיר:,א"ר חנין א"ר חנינא כל המאריך בתפלתו אין תפלתו חוזרת ריקם מנא לן ממשה רבינו שנא' (דברים ט, כו) ואתפלל אל ה' וכתיב בתריה וישמע ה' אלי גם בפעם ההיא,איני והא א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן כל המאריך בתפלתו ומעיין בה סוף בא לידי כאב לב שנא' (משלי יג, יב) תוחלת ממושכה מחלה לב מאי תקנתיה יעסוק בתורה שנא' (משלי יג, יב) ועץ חיים תאוה באה ואין עץ חיים אלא תורה שנאמר (משלי ג, יח) עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה לא קשיא הא דמאריך ומעיין בה הא דמאריך ולא מעיין בה,א"ר חמא בר' חנינא אם ראה אדם שהתפלל ולא נענה יחזור ויתפלל שנאמר (תהלים כז, יד) קוה אל ה' חזק ויאמץ לבך וקוה אל ה':,ת"ר ארבעה צריכין חזוק ואלו הן תורה ומעשים טובים תפלה ודרך ארץ,תורה ומעשים טובים מנין שנא' (יהושע א, ז) רק חזק ואמץ מאד לשמור ולעשות ככל התורה חזק בתורה ואמץ במעשים טובים,תפלה מנין שנא' קוה אל ה' חזק ויאמץ לבך וקוה אל ה',דרך ארץ מנין שנא' (שמואל ב י, יב) חזק ונתחזק בעד עמנו וגו':,(ישעיהו מט, יד) ותאמר ציון עזבני ה' וה' שכחני היינו עזובה היינו שכוחה אמר ר"ל אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע אדם נושא אשה על אשתו ראשונה זוכר מעשה הראשונה אתה עזבתני ושכחתני,אמר לה הקב"ה בתי י"ב מזלות בראתי ברקיע ועל כל מזל ומזל בראתי לו שלשים חיל ועל כל חיל וחיל בראתי לו שלשים לגיון ועל כל לגיון ולגיון בראתי לו שלשים רהטון ועל כל רהטון ורהטון בראתי לו שלשים קרטון ועל כל קרטון וקרטון בראתי לו שלשים גסטרא ועל כל גסטרא וגסטרא תליתי בו שלש מאות וששים וחמשה אלפי רבוא כוכבים כנגד ימות החמה וכולן לא בראתי אלא בשבילך ואת אמרת עזבתני ושכחתני,(ישעיהו מט, טו) התשכח אשה עולה אמר הקב"ה כלום אשכח עולות אילים ופטרי רחמים שהקרבת לפני במדבר אמרה לפניו רבש"ע הואיל ואין שכחה לפני כסא כבודך שמא לא תשכח לי מעשה העגל אמר לה (ישעיהו מט, טו) גם אלה תשכחנה,אמרה לפניו רבש"ע הואיל ויש שכחה לפני כסא כבודך שמא תשכח לי מעשה סיני אמר לה (ישעיהו מט, טו) ואנכי לא אשכחך,והיינו דא"ר אלעזר א"ר אושעיא מאי דכתיב גם אלה תשכחנה זה מעשה העגל ואנכי לא אשכחך זה מעשה סיני:,חסידים הראשונים היו שוהין שעה אחת:,מנא הני מילי א"ר יהושע ב"ל אמר קרא (תהלים פד, ה) אשרי יושבי ביתך,ואמר ר' יהושע ב"ל המתפלל צריך לשהות שעה אחת אחר תפלתו שנא' (תהלים קמ, יד) אך צדיקים יודו לשמך ישבו ישרים את פניך,תניא נמי הכי המתפלל צריך שישהא שעה אחת קודם תפלתו ושעה אחת אחר תפלתו קודם תפלתו מנין שנא' אשרי יושבי ביתך לאחר תפלתו מנין דכתיב אך צדיקים יודו לשמך ישבו ישרים את פניך,תנו רבנן חסידים הראשונים היו שוהין שעה אחת ומתפללין שעה אחת וחוזרין ושוהין שעה אחת וכי מאחר ששוהין תשע שעות ביום בתפלה תורתן היאך משתמרת ומלאכתן היאך נעשית,אלא מתוך שחסידים הם תורתם משתמרת ומלאכתן מתברכת:,אפילו המלך שואל בשלומו לא ישיבנו:,אמר רב יוסף לא שנו אלא למלכי ישראל אבל למלכי עכו"ם פוסק,מיתיבי המתפלל וראה אנס בא כנגדו ראה קרון בא כנגדו לא יהא מפסיק אלא מקצר ועולה,לא קשיא הא דאפשר לקצר (יקצר ואם לאו פוסק),ת"ר מעשה בחסיד אחד שהיה מתפלל בדרך בא שר אחד ונתן לו שלום ולא החזיר לו שלום המתין לו עד שסיים תפלתו לאחר שסיים תפלתו א"ל ריקא והלא כתוב בתורתכם (דברים ד, ט) רק השמר לך ושמור נפשך וכתיב (דברים ד, טו) ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם כשנתתי לך שלום למה לא החזרת לי שלום אם הייתי חותך ראשך בסייף מי היה תובע את דמך מידי,א"ל המתן לי עד שאפייסך בדברים א"ל אילו היית עומד לפני מלך בשר ודם ובא חברך ונתן לך שלום היית | 32b. bRabbi Elazar said:This story proves that bprayer is greater than good deedswithout prayer ( iTosafot /i), as bthere was none greater inthe performance of bgood deeds than Moses our teacher; nevertheless, his request was granted,albeit in a limited manner, in his request to enter Eretz Yisrael, bonly through prayer,when God permitted him to climb the mountain and look out over the land. bAs,initially bit is stated: “Speak no more to Me,” juxtaposed to which is: “Go up to the summit of the mountain.” /b,After comparing and contrasting prayer and good deeds, the Gemara explores another comparison. bRabbi Elazar said: A fast is greater than charity. What is the reasonthat fasting is greater? Because a fast bisa mitzva performed bwith one’s bodyas he afflicts himself, bwhilecharity bisperformed only bwith one’s money. /b,In another comparison, bRabbi Elazar said: Prayer is greater than sacrifices, as it is stated: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me,says the Lord. I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not desire the blood of bulls and sheep and goats” (Isaiah 1:11). bAndseveral verses later bit is written: “And when you spread forth your handsI will hide My eyes from you, and even if you increase your prayer, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15). Not only Israel’s sacrifices, but even their prayers, which are on a higher spiritual level, will not be accepted.,Speaking of that verse in Isaiah, the Gemara cites that bRabbi Yoḥa said: Any priest who killed a person may not lift his handsin the Priestly Blessing bas it is stated:“And when you spread forth your hands I will hide My eyes from you… byour hands are full of blood.”Here we see that the Priestly Blessing, performed with hands spread forth, is not accepted when performed by priests whose “hands are full of blood.”,On the subject of prayer, bRabbi Elazar also said: Since the day the Temple was destroyed the gates of prayer were lockedand prayer is not accepted as it once was, bas it is saidin lamentation of the Temple’s destruction: b“Though I plead and call out, He shuts out my prayer”(Lamentations 3:8). Yet, bdespitethe fact bthat the gates of prayer were lockedwith the destruction of the Temple, bthe gates of tears were not locked,and one who cries before God may rest assured that his prayers will be answered, bas it is stated: “Hear my prayer, Lord, and give ear to my pleading, keep not silence at my tears”(Psalms 39:13). Since this prayer is a request that God should pay heed to the tears of one who is praying, he is certain that at least the gates of tears are not locked.,With regard to the locking of the gates of prayer, the Gemara relates that bRava did not decree a fast on a cloudy day because it is stated: “You have covered Yourself in a cloud, through which prayer cannot pass”(Lamentations 3:44). The verse indicates that clouds are a bad omen, indicating that God has averted His face (Rav Hai Gaon)., bAnd Rabbi Elazar said: Since the day the Temple was destroyed an iron wall separates Israel from their Father in heaven, as it is statedto the prophet Ezekiel, instructing him to symbolize that separation: b“And take for yourself an iron griddle, and set it as an iron wall between yourself and the city… /bit will be a sign for the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 4:3).,The Gemara cites other statements in praise of prayer: bRabbi Ḥanin saidthat bRabbi Ḥanina said: Anyone who prolongs his prayer isassured that bhis prayer does not return uswered;it will surely be accepted. bFrom where do wederive this? bFrom Moses our teacher, as it is statedthat Moses said: “So I fell down before the Lord the forty days and forty nights that I fell down; band I prayed to the Lord”(Deuteronomy 9:26–27), band it is written thereafter: “And the Lord heard me that time as well,the Lord would not destroy you” (Deuteronomy 10:10).,The Gemara raises an objection: bIs that so? Didn’t Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saythat bRabbi Yoḥa said: Anyone who prolongs his prayer and expects it to be answered, will ultimately come to heartache,as it will not be answered. bAs it is stated: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”(Proverbs 13:12). bAnd what is the remedyfor one afflicted with that illness? He should bengage in Torahstudy, bas it is stated: “But desire fulfilled is the tree of life”(Proverbs 13:12), band tree of life is nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it,and those who support it are joyous” (Proverbs 3:18). This is bnot difficult. This,Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba’s statement that one will suffer heartache refers to one bwho prolongshis prayer band expects it to be answered; that,Rabbi Ḥanin’s statement that one who prolongs his prayer is praiseworthy refers to bone who prolongs his prayer anddoes bnot expect it to be answered. /b,On a similar note, bRabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: A person who prayed and saw that he was not answered,should bpray again, as it is stated: “Hope in the Lord, strengthen yourself, let your heart take courage, and hope in the Lord”(Psalms 27:14). One should turn to God with hope, and if necessary turn to God again with hope.,Connected to the emphasis on the need to bolster one’s effort in prayer, the Gemara notes that bthe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bFourthings brequire bolstering,constant effort to improve, band they are: Torah, good deeds, prayer, and occupation. /b,For each of these, a biblical proof is cited: bFrom whereis it derived that bTorah and good deedsrequire bolstering? bAs it is statedin the instruction to Joshua: b“Only be strong and be extremely courageous, observe and do all of the Torahthat Moses My servant commanded you; do not deviate to the right or to the left, that you may succeed wherever you go” (Joshua 1:7). In this verse, observe refers to Torah study and do refers to good deeds (Maharsha); the apparently repetitive language is not extraneous. The Gemara derives: bBe strong in Torah and be courageous in good deeds. /b, bFrom whereis it derived that bprayerrequires bolstering? bAs it is said: “Hope in the Lord, strengthen yourself, let your heart take courage, and hope in the Lord.” /b, bFrom whereis it derived that boccupationrequires bolstering? bAs it is stated: “Be strong and we will be strong for the sake of our nationand for the cities of our God” (II Samuel 10:12). All of one’s labor requires bolstering.,The Gemara cites a midrash on the following verse from Isaiah, relating to the sin of the Golden Calf and Moses’ supplication for forgiveness: b“But Zion said: The Lord has forsaken me and the Lord has forgotten me.Can a woman forget her suckling baby, that she would not have compassion for the child of her womb? These may forget, but you I will not forget” (Isaiah 49:14–15). The Gemara seeks to clarify: bForsaken is the same as forgotten.They are synonymous; why repeat the same idea twice? bReish Lakish said: The community of Israel said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe,even when ba man marriesa second bwife after his first wife, hecertainly brecalls the deeds of his firstwife. Yet bYou havenot only bforsaken me,but You have bforgotten meas well., bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said toIsrael: bMy daughter, I created twelve constellations in the firmament, and for each and every constellation I have created thirty armies, and for each and every army I have created thirty legions [ iligyon /i], and for each and every legion I have created thirty infantry division leaders [ irahaton /i], and for each and every infantry division leader I have created thirty military camp leaders [ ikarton /i], and for each and every military camp leader I have created thirty leaders of forts [ igastera /i], and on each and every leader of a fort I have hung three hundred and sixty-five thousand stars corresponding to the days of the solar year. And all of them I have created only for your sake; and you saidthe Lord bhas forsaken me andthe Lord bhas forgotten me? /b,The verse goes on to say: b“Can a woman forget her suckling baby,that she would not have compassion for the child of her womb? These may forget, but you I will not forget.” The meaning of this verse is that bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, saidto the community of Israel: bHave I forgotten the ram offerings and firstborn animals that you offered before Me in the desert?The community of Israel breplied to Him: Master of the Universe, since there is no forgetfulness before the Throne of Your Glory, perhaps you will not forget my sin of the Golden Calf?God bresponded toIsrael: b“These [ ielu /i] too shall be forgotten.” “ /bThese” is a reference to the sin of the Golden Calf, regarding which Israel said: “These [ ielu /i] are your gods.”,The community of Israel bsaid before Him: Master of the Universe, since there is forgetfulness before the Throne of Your Glory, perhaps You willalso bforget the eventsrevolving around the revelation at bSinai?God bsaid toIsrael: bI [ ianokhi /i] will not forget youthe revelation at Sinai, which began with: “I [ ianokhi /i] am the Lord your God.”,The Gemara notes: bThatis what bRabbi Elazar saidthat bRav Oshaya said: What isthe meaning of that which is bwritten: “These too will be forgotten”? That is the sin of the Golden Calf.And what is the meaning of bI will not forget you? Those are the eventsthat transpired at bSinai. /b,We learned in the mishna that bthe earlygenerations of bpiousmen bwould wait one hourin order to achieve the solemn frame of mind appropriate for prayer.,The Gemara asks: bFrom where are these mattersderived? bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said:This is alluded to when bthe verse states: “Happy are those who dwell in Your House”(Psalms 84:5), immediately after which it is said: “They will yet praise You, Selah.”, bAnd Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who prays mustalso bwait one hour after his prayer, as it is stated: “Surely the righteous will give thanks unto Your name, the upright will sit before You”(Psalms 140:14), meaning that after thanking God through prayer, one should stay and sit before Him., bThatopinion bwas also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne who prays must wait one hour before his prayer and one hour after his prayer. From whereis it derived that one must wait one hour bbefore his prayer? As it is stated: “Happy are those who dwell in Your House.” And from whereis it derived that one must stay one hour bafter his prayer? As it is written: “Surely the righteous will give thanks unto Your name, the upright will sit before You.” /b, bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraitawith regard to waiting before and after prayer: bThe earlygenerations of bpiousmen bwould wait one hour, pray one hour, then wait one hour again.This raises the question: bSincethe early pious men bwould spend nine hours per dayengaged either bin prayeror the requisite waiting periods before and after prayer, three hours each for the morning, afternoon, and evening prayers, bhow is their Torah preserved?There was little time remaining to review their studies. bAnd how was their work accomplished? /b,The Gemara answers: bRather, because they were piousthey merited that btheir Torah is preserved and their work is blessed. /b,Additionally, we learned in the mishna: bEvenif bthe king greets himwhile he is praying, bhe should not respond to himas one may not interrupt his prayer.,In limiting application of this principle, bRav Yosef said: They only taughtthis mishna bwith regard to kings of Israel,as a Jewish king would understand that the individual did not fail to respond to his greeting due to disrespect for the king. bHowever, with regard to kings of the nations of the world, he interruptshis prayer and responds to their greeting due to the potential danger.,The Gemara braised an objectionto Rav Yosef’s statement: bOne who is praying and saw a violent person,feared by all, bcoming toward him,or ba carriage coming toward himand he is in the way, bhe should not stophis prayer bbut rather abridge it and moveout of the way.,The Gemara responds: This is bnot difficult.Rather, bthisthat teaches to abridge one’s prayer rather than stopping, refers to a case bwhere it is possible to abridgehis prayer and complete it in time, in which case he bshould abridgeit. bAnd ifit is bnota situation where he can abridge his prayer, bhe interruptshis prayer., bThe Sages taught:There was barelated bincident, involving a particular pious man who was prayingwhile traveling balong his pathwhen ban officer [ ihegmon /i] came and greeted him.The pious man did not pause from his prayer band did not respond with a greeting.The officer bwaited for him until he finished his prayer.br bAfter he finished his prayer,the officer bsaid to him:You bgood for nothing.You endangered yourself; I could have killed you. br bIsn’t it written in your Torah: “Take utmost care and guard yourself diligently”(Deuteronomy 4:9)? br bAnd it isalso bwritten: “Take therefore good heed unto yourselves”(Deuteronomy 4:15)? Why did you ignore the danger to your life? br bWhen I greeted you, why did you not respond with a greeting? br bWere I to sever your head with a sword, who would hold me accountable for yourspilled bblood? /b,The pious man bsaid to him: Wait for me until I will appease you withmy bwords. br bHe said to him: Had you been standing before a flesh and blood king and your friend came and greeted you,would byoubr breturn hisgreeting? |
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40. Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah, 5b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 5b. אינו מהם אמרו ליה רבנן לרבא מר לא בהסתר פנים איתיה ולא בוהיה לאכול איתיה אמר להו מי ידעיתו כמה משדרנא בצנעא בי שבור מלכא אפי' הכי יהבו ביה רבנן עינייהו אדהכי שדור דבי שבור מלכא וגרבוהו אמר היינו דתניא אמר רבן שמעון בן גמליאל כל מקום שנתנו חכמים עיניהם או מיתה או עוני,(דברים לא, יח) ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני ביום ההוא אמר רבא אמר הקב"ה אף על פי שהסתרתי פני מהם בחלום אדבר בו רב יוסף אמר ידו נטויה עלינו שנאמר (ישעיהו נא, טז) ובצל ידי כסיתיך,ר' יהושע בן חנניה הוה קאי בי קיסר אחוי ליה ההוא אפיקורוסא עמא דאהדרינהו מריה לאפיה מיניה אחוי ליה ידו נטויה עלינו אמר ליה קיסר לר' יהושע מאי אחוי לך עמא דאהדרינהו מריה לאפיה מיניה ואנא מחוינא ליה ידו נטויה עלינו,אמרו ליה לההוא מינא מאי אחויית ליה עמא דאהדרינהו מריה מיניה ומאי אחוי לך לא ידענא אמרו גברא דלא ידע מאי מחוו ליה במחוג יחוי קמי מלכא אפקוהו וקטלוהו,כי קא ניחא נפשיה דרבי יהושע בן חנניה אמרו ליה רבנן מאי תיהוי עלן מאפיקורוסין אמר להם (ירמיהו מט, ז) אבדה עצה מבנים נסרחה חכמתם כיון שאבדה עצה מבנים נסרחה חכמתן של אומות העולם,ואי בעית אימא מהכא (בראשית לג, יב) ויאמר נסעה ונלכה ואלכה לנגדך,רבי אילא הוה סליק בדרגא דבי רבה בר שילא שמעיה לינוקא דהוה קא קרי (עמוס ד, יג) כי הנה יוצר הרים ובורא רוח ומגיד לאדם מה שיחו אמר עבד שרבו מגיד לו מה שיחו תקנה יש לו מאי מה שיחו אמר רב אפילו שיחה יתירה שבין איש לאשתו מגידים לו לאדם בשעת מיתה,איני והא רב כהנא הוה גני תותי פורייה דרב ושמעיה דסח וצחק ועשה צרכיו אמר דמי פומיה דרב כמאן דלא טעים ליה תבשילא אמר ליה כהנא פוק לאו אורח ארעא,לא קשיא כאן דצריך לרצויה הא דלא צריך לרצויה,(ירמיהו יג, יז) ואם לא תשמעוה במסתרים תבכה נפשי מפני גוה אמר רב שמואל בר איניא משמיה דרב מקום יש לו להקב"ה ומסתרים שמו מאי מפני גוה אמר רב שמואל בר יצחק מפני גאוותן של ישראל שניטלה מהם ונתנה לעובדי כוכבים ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר מפני גאוותה של מלכות שמים,ומי איכא בכיה קמיה הקב"ה והאמר רב פפא אין עציבות לפני הקב"ה שנאמר (דברי הימים א טז, כז) הוד והדר לפניו עוז וחדוה במקומו לא קשיא הא בבתי גואי הא בבתי בראי,ובבתי בראי לא והא כתיב (ישעיהו כב, יב) ויקרא אדני ה' צבאות ביום ההוא לבכי ולמספד ולקרחה ולחגור שק שאני חרבן בית המקדש דאפילו מלאכי שלום בכו שנאמר (ישעיהו לג, ז) הן אראלם צעקו חוצה מלאכי שלום מר יבכיון:,(ירמיהו יג, יז) ודמע תדמע ותרד עיני דמעה כי נשבה עדר ה' אמר ר' אלעזר שלש דמעות הללו למה אחת על מקדש ראשון ואחת על מקדש שני ואחת על ישראל שגלו ממקומן ואיכא דאמרי אחת על ביטול תורה,בשלמא למאן דאמר על ישראל שגלו היינו דכתיב כי נשבה עדר ה' אלא למאן דאמר על ביטול תורה מאי כי נשבה עדר ה' כיון שגלו ישראל ממקומן אין לך ביטול תורה גדול מזה,תנו רבנן שלשה הקב"ה בוכה עליהן בכל יום על שאפשר לעסוק בתורה ואינו עוסק ועל שאי אפשר לעסוק בתורה ועוסק ועל פרנס המתגאה על הצבור,רבי הוה נקיט ספר קינות וקא קרי בגויה כי מטא להאי פסוקא (איכה ב, א) השליך משמים ארץ נפל מן ידיה אמר מאיגרא רם לבירא עמיקתא,רבי ורבי חייא הוו שקלי ואזלי באורחא כי מטו לההוא מתא אמרי איכא צורבא מרבנן הכא נזיל וניקביל אפיה אמרי איכא צורבא מרבנן הכא ומאור עינים הוא אמר ליה ר' חייא לרבי תיב את לא תזלזל בנשיאותך איזיל אנא ואקביל אפיה,תקפיה ואזל בהדיה כי הוו מיפטרי מיניה אמר להו אתם הקבלתם פנים הנראים ואינן רואין תזכו להקביל פנים הרואים ואינן נראין אמר ליה איכו השתא מנעתן מהאי בירכתא,אמרו ליה ממאן שמיעא לך מפרקיה דרבי יעקב שמיע לי דרבי יעקב איש כפר חיטייא הוה מקביל אפיה דרביה כל יומא כי קש א"ל לא נצטער מר דלא יכיל מר,אמר ליה מי זוטר מאי דכתיב בהו ברבנן (תהלים מט, י) ויחי עוד לנצח לא יראה השחת כי יראה חכמים ימותו ומה הרואה חכמים במיתתן יחיה בחייהן על אחת כמה וכמה,רב אידי אבוה דרבי יעקב בר אידי הוה רגיל דהוה אזיל תלתא ירחי באורחא וחד יומא בבי רב והוו קרו ליה רבנן בר בי רב דחד יומא חלש דעתיה קרי אנפשיה (איוב יב, ד) שחוק לרעהו אהיה וגו' א"ל ר' יוחנן במטותא מינך לא תעניש להו רבנן,נפק ר' יוחנן לבי מדרשא ודרש (ישעיהו נח, ב) ואותי יום יום ידרשון ודעת דרכי יחפצון וכי ביום דורשין אותו ובלילה אין דורשין אותו אלא לומר לך כל העוסק בתורה אפי' יום אחד בשנה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו עסק כל השנה כולה,וכן במדת פורענות דכתיב (במדבר יד, לד) במספר הימים אשר תרתם את הארץ וכי ארבעים שנה חטאו והלא ארבעים יום חטאו אלא לומר לך כל העובר עבירה אפי' יום אחד בשנה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו עבר כל השנה כולה:,אי זהו קטן כל שאינו יכול לרכוב על כתפו של אביו: מתקיף לה רבי זירא | 5b. bis not fromamong bthem. The Sages said to Rava: Master, you are not subject toHis bhidingof the bface,as your prayers are heard, band you are not subject to: “And they shall be devoured,”as the authorities take nothing from you. bHe said to them: Do you know how manygifts bI send in private to the house of King Shapur?Although it might seem that the monarchy does not take anything from me, in actuality I am forced to give many bribes. bEven so, the Sages looked uponRava with suspicion. bIn the meantime,messengers bfrom the house of King Shapur sentfor him band imprisoned himto extort more money from him. Rava bsaid: This is as it is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: Wherever the Sages looked uponsomeone, it resulted in beither death or poverty. /b,With regard to the verse: b“And I will hide my face in that day”(Deuteronomy 31:18), bRava saidthat bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Even though I hid my face from themand My Divine Presence is not revealed, nevertheless: b“I speak with him in a dream”(Numbers 12:6). bRav Yosef said: His hand is outstretched,guarding bover us, as it is stated: “And I have covered you in the shadow of my hand”(Isaiah 51:16).,The Gemara relates: bRabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya was standing inthe bhouse of the Caesar. A certain heretic,who was also present, bgestured to him,indicating that his was bthe nation whose Master,God, bturned His faceaway bfrom it.Rabbi Yehoshua bgestured to himthat bHis hand is outstretched over usin protection. bThe Caesar said to Rabbi Yehoshua: What did he gesture to you,and how did you respond? He replied: He indicated that mine is bthe nation whose Master turned His face from it, and I gestured to himthat bHis hand is outstretched over us. /b,The members of the Caesar’s household bsaid to that heretic: What did you gesture to him?He said to them: I gestured that his is bthe nation whose Master has turnedHis face bfrom it.They asked: bAnd what did he gesture to you?He said to them: bI don’t know;I did not understand. bThey said:How can ba man who does not know whatothers bgesture to himdare to bgesture in the presence of the king? They took him out and killed him. /b,The Gemara relates: bWhen Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya was dying, the Sages said to him: What will become of us, fromthe threat of bthe heretics,when there is no scholar like you who can refute them? bHe said to themthat the verse states: “Is wisdom no more in Teiman? bHas counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished?”(Jeremiah 49:7). He explained: bSince counsel has perished from the prudent,from the Jewish people, the bwisdom of the nations of the world has vanishedas well, and there will be no superior scholars among them., bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that the same idea can be derived bfrom here: “And he said: Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go corresponding to you”(Genesis 33:12). Just as the Jewish people rise and fall, so too, the nations of the world simultaneously rise and fall, and they will never have an advantage.,The Gemara relates that bRabbi Ila was ascending the stairs in the house of Rabba bar Sheila,a children’s teacher. bHe heard a child who was readinga verse out loud: b“For, lo, He Who forms the mountains, and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his speech”(Amos 4:13). Rabbi Ila bsaid:With regard to ba servant whose master declares to him what is hisproper bspeech, is there a remedy for him?The Gemara asks. bWhatis the meaning of the phrase: b“What is his speech”? Rav said: Even frivolous speech that is between a man and his wifebefore engaging in relations bis declared to a person at the time of death,and he will have to account for it.,The Gemara asks: bIs that so?Is it prohibited for a man to speak in this manner with his wife? bWasn’t Rav Kahana lying beneath Rav’s bed, and he heardRav bchatting and laughingwith his wife, band performing his needs,i.e., having relations with her. Rav Kahana bsaidout loud: bThe mouth of Rav is likeone who bhas never eaten a cooked dish,i.e., his behavior is lustful. Rav bsaid to him: Kahana, leave, asthis is bnot proper conduct.This shows that Rav himself engaged in frivolous talk before relations.,The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Here,where this type of speech is permitted, it is referring to a situation bwhere he must appeasehis wife before relations, and therefore this speech is appropriate. However, bthisstatement, that it is prohibited, is referring to a situation bwhere he doesn’t need to appease her.In these circumstances, it is prohibited to engage in excessively lighthearted chatter with one’s wife.,The verse states: b“But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret [ ibemistarim /i] for your pride”(Jeremiah 13:17). bRav Shmuel bar Inya said in the name of Rav: The Holy One, Blessed be He, has a placewhere He cries, band its name is Mistarim. Whatis the meaning of b“for your pride”? Rav Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said:God cries bdue to the pride of the Jewish people, which was taken from them and given tothe gentile bnations. Rav Shmuel bar Naḥmani said:He cries bdue to the pride of the kingdom of Heaven,which was removed from the world.,The Gemara asks: bBut is there crying before the Holy One, Blessed be He? Didn’t Rav Pappa say: There is no sadness before the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and gladness are in His place”(I Chronicles 16:27)? The Gemara responds: This is bnot difficult. Thisstatement, that God cries, is referring to bthe innermost chambers,where He can cry in secret, whereas bthisstatement, that He does not cry, is referring to bthe outer chambers. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd doesn’tGod cry bin the outer chambers? Isn’t it written: “And on that day the Lord, the God of hosts, called to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth”(Isaiah 22:12)? The Gemara responds: bThe destruction of the Temple is different, as even the angels of peace cried, as it is stated: “Behold, their valiant ones cry without; the angels of peace weep bitterly”(Isaiah 33:7).,The verse continues: b“And my eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive”(Jeremiah 13:17). bRabbi Elazar said: Why these threereferences to btearsin the verse? bOneis bfor the First Temple; oneis bfor the Second Temple; and oneis bfor the Jewish people who were exiled from their place. And there arethose bwho say:The last boneis bforthe unavoidable bderelictionof the study of bTorahin the wake of the exile.,The Gemara asks: bGranted, according to the one who saidthat the last tear is bfor the Jewish people who were exiled, this is as it is written: “Because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.” However, according to the one who saidthat this tear is bfor the derelictionof the study of bTorah, whatis the meaning of: b“Because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive”?The Gemara answers: bSince the Jewish people were exiled from their place, there is no greaterinvoluntary bderelictionof the study of bTorah thanthat which was caused by bthis. /b, bThe Sages taughtthat there are bthreetypes of people bfor whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, cries every day: Forone bwho is able to engage in Torahstudy band does not engagein it; band forone bwho is unable to engage in Torahstudy and nevertheless he endeavors and bengagesin it; band for a leader who lords over the community. /b,The Gemara relates: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bwas holdingthe bbook of Lamentations and was reading from it. When he reached the verse: “He has cast down from heaven to earththe beauty of Israel” (Lamentations 2:1), in his distress the book bfell from his hand. He said: From a high roof to a deep pit,i.e., it is terrible to tumble from the sky to the ground.,§ The Gemara relates: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi band Rabbi Ḥiyya were walking along the road. When they arrived at a certain city, they said: Is there a Torah scholar here whom wecan bgo and greet?The people of the city bsaid: There is a Torah scholar here but he is blind. Rabbi Ḥiyya said to RabbiYehuda HaNasi: bYou sithere; bdo not demean yourdignified status as iNasi /ito visit someone beneath your stature. bI will go and greet him. /b,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bgrabbed him and went with himanyway, and together they greeted the blind scholar. bWhen they were leaving him, he said to them: You greetedone who is bseen and does not see; may you be worthy to greetthe One Who bsees and is not seen.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid toRabbi Ḥiyya: bNow, ifI had listened to you and not gone to greet him, byou would have prevented me from receiving this blessing. /b, bThey said tothe blind scholar: bFrom whom did you hearthat we are worthy of this blessing? He said to them: bI heardit bfrom the instruction of Rabbi Ya’akov, as Rabbi Ya’akov of the village of Ḥitiyya would greet his teacher every day. WhenRabbi Ya’akov bgrew elderly,his teacher bsaid to him: Do not despair, my Master, that my Master is unableto make the effort to greet me. It is better that you should not visit me.,Rabbi Ya’akov bsaid to him: Is ita bminormatter, bthat which is written about the Sages: “That he should still live always, that he should not see the pit. For he sees that wise men die”(Psalms 49:10–11)? In this regard an ia fortiorireference applies: bJust as one who sees Sages in their death will live, all the more soone who sees them bin their lifetime.From here the blind scholar learned the importance of greeting Torah scholars, which is why he blessed the Sages who came to greet him.,The Gemara relates: bRav Idi, father of Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi, would regularly travel three months on the roadto reach the study hall bandas he would immediately travel back again to arrive home for the festival of iSukkot /i, he spent only bone day in the school of Rav. And the Sages woulddisparagingly bcall him: A studentof Torah bfor one day. He was offendedand breadthe following verse babout himself: “I am as one that is a laughingstock to his neighbor,a man who calls upon God, and He answers him” (Job 12:4). bRabbi Yoḥa said to him: Please do not punish the Sages,i.e., do not take offense and be harsh with them, as this will cause them to be punished by God., bRabbi Yoḥa leftRav Idi and went bto the study hall and taught: “Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways”(Isaiah 58:2). bBut isit possible that only bduring the day they seek Him and at night they do not seek Him?What is the meaning of daily? bRather,this verse comes bto say to youthat with regard to banyone who engages in Torahstudy beven one day a year, the verse ascribes himcredit bas though he engagedin Torah study bthe entire year. /b, bAnd the sameapplies bto the attribute of punishment, as it is written: “After the number of the days in which you spied out the land,even forty days, for every day a year, shall you bear your iniquities” (Numbers 14:34). bBut did they sinfor bforty years? Didn’t they sinfor only bforty days? Rather,this comes bto say to youthat banyone who transgresses a sin even one day a year, the verse ascribes himliability bas though he transgressed the entire year. /b,§ The mishna taught: bWho is a minorwho is exempt from the mitzva of appearance in the Temple? bAnychild bwho is unable to ride on his father’s shouldersand ascend from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount. bRabbi Zeira strongly objects to this: /b |
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41. Anon., Numbers Rabba, 18.21 (4th cent. CE - 9th cent. CE)
| 18.21. מנצפ"ך הָאוֹתִיּוֹת כְּפוּלוֹת, צוֹפִים אֲמָרוּם, כ"ך נִרְמַז לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית יב, א): לֶךְ לְךָ לְמֵאָה שָׁנָה יוֹלִיד. מ"ם לְיִצְחָק (בראשית כו, טז): כִּי עָצַמְתָּ מִמֶּנּוּ מְאֹד, רְמָזוֹ שֶׁהוּא וְזַרְעוֹ עֲצוּמִים בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת. נ"ן לְיַעֲקֹב (בראשית לב, יב): הַצִּילֵנִי נָא, מַצִּיל בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת. פ"ף לְיִשְרָאֵל לְמשֶׁה (שמות ג, טז): פָּקֹד פָּקַדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם. צ"ץ (זכריה ו, יב): הִנֵּה אִישׁ צֶמַח שְׁמוֹ וגו', זֶה מָשִׁיחַ, וְאוֹמֵר (ירמיה כג, ה): וַהֲקִמֹתִי לְדָוִד צֶמַח צַדִּיק וּמָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ וְהִשְׂכִּיל וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בָּאָרֶץ. (ישעיה ג, ג): שַׂר חֲמִשִׁים, עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה סְפָרִים, הוֹסֵף עֲלֵיהֶם אַחַד עָשָׂר מִן תְּרֵי עֲשַׂר, חוּץ מִן יוֹנָה שֶׁהוּא בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, וְשִׁשָּׁה סְדָרִים, וְתִשְׁעָה פְּרָקִים דְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, הֲרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים. (שיר השירים ו, ח): שִׁשִּׁים הֵמָּה מְלָכוֹת, שִׁשִּׁים מַסֶּכְתּוֹת, (שיר השירים ו, ח): וּשְׁמֹנִים פִּילַגְשִׁים, שְׁמוֹנִים בָּתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, כְּנֶגֶד פְּתָחֶיהָ. (שיר השירים ו, ח): וַעֲלָמוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר, מִשְׁנָה הַחִיצוֹנָה. (שיר השירים ג, ז): הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה שִׁשִּׁים גִּבֹּרִים סָבִיב לָהּ, שִׁשִּׁים אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁבְּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים. (בראשית יד, יד): שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר וּשְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת, הוּא אֱלִיעֶזֶר. (בראשית כו, ה): עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בְּקֹלִי וַיִּשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמַרְתִּי מִצְוֹתַי חֻקּוֹתַי וְתוֹרֹתָי. בֶּן שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים הִכִּירוֹ. הַשָֹּׂטָן בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה, מִנְּיַן יְמוֹת הַחַמָּה שַׁלִּיט לְהַלְשִׁין בְּכֻלָּן חוּץ מִיּוֹם כִּפּוּר. אָמַר רַב אַמֵּי בֵּי רַבִּי אַבָּא אַבְרָהָם עַד שֶׁלֹא נִמּוֹל וְלֹא הוֹלִיד הָיָה חָסֵר ה', נִתּוֹסַף ה' וְנַעֲשָׂה שָׁלֵם וְהוֹלִיד לְמִנְיַן אוֹתִיּוֹתָיו. (משלי יב, ד): אֵשֶׁת חַיִל עֲטֶרֶת בַּעֲלָהּ, זוֹ שָׂרָה, שָׂרַי הָיְתָה שְׁמָהּ. פְּלִיגֵי בָּהּ תְּרֵי אָמוֹרָאֵי, חַד אָמַר נֶחְלַק הַיו"ד לִשְׁנַיִם, ה' לְאַבְרָהָם ה' לְשָׂרָה. וְחַד אָמַר יו"ד שֶׁנִּטַּל מִן שָׂרָה קָרָא תִּגָר, עַד שֶׁבָּא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְהוֹסִיף לוֹ משֶׁה י', יָ"הּ יוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מֵעֲצַת הַמְרַגְּלִים. י' מִיִּצְחָק מוּל עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת. צ', לְתִשְׁעִים שָׁנָה לְשָׂרָה נוֹלַד. ח', לִשְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים נִמּוֹל. ק', מֵאָה שָׁנִים הָיוּ לְאַבְרָהָם. וְיַעֲקֹב עַל שְׁמוֹ נִקְרָא, יו"ד, מוּל הָעֲשִׂירִי, חֲשֹׁב מִבִּנְיָמִין עַד לֵוִי הוּא עֲשִׂירִי. ע', בְּשִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ. ק', כְּנֶגֶד אוֹתִיּוֹת הַבְּרָכָה וְיִתֶּן לְךָ. נִשְׁתַּיְירוּ ב', כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנֵי מַלְאָכִים עוֹלִים. הַלּוּחוֹת הָיוּ בָּהֶן תרי"ג מִצְווֹת כְּנֶגֶד אוֹתִיּוֹת מִן (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי, עַד (שמות כ, יד): אֲשֶׁר לְרֵעֶךָ, לֹא פָּחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, וְכֻלָּן נִתְּנוּ לְמשֶׁה בְּסִינַי, שֶׁבָּהֶם חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים תּוֹרָה וּמִשְׁנָה תַּלְמוּד וְאַגָּדָה. (ישעיה לג, ו): יִרְאַת ה' הִיא אוֹצָרוֹ, אֵין בְּכָל הַמִּדּוֹת גָּדוֹל מִיִּרְאָה וַעֲנָוָה, (דברים י, יב): וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֹׁאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם לְיִרְאָה אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו וּלְאַהֲבָה אֹתוֹ וְלַעֲבֹד אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשֶׁךָ. יִרְאַת, בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא תרי"א, וְתוֹרָה תרי"א, וְיִרְאָה וְתוֹרָה עִמָּם הֲרֵי תרי"ג. צִיצִית, תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן ח' גְּרוּרִין וְה' קְשׁוּרִין, הֲרֵי תרי"ג, שְׁנַיִם לְמַעְלָה וּשְׁלשָׁה לְמַטָּה. יְמֵי אַבְרָהָם מֵאָה שִׁבְעִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה, יִצְחָק מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, יַעֲקֹב מֵאָה אַרְבָּעִים וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנָה, כְּשֶׁאַתָּה כּוֹלְלָן נִמְצָא חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וּשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, וְכֵן מַהֲלַךְ שָׁמַיִם לָאָרֶץ (דברים יא, כא): כִּימֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ. (שמואל ב כג, א): הֻקַם עָל, כְּנֶגֶד מֵאָה בְּרָכוֹת, שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם הָיוּ מֵתִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מֵאָה אֲנָשִׁים בָּא דָּוִד וְתִקֵּן לָהֶם מֵאָה בְּרָכוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁתִּקְנָם נִתְעַצְּרָה הַמַּגֵּפָה. עָל עֻלָּהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, וְעֻלָּהּ שֶׁל קְצָרָה. (הושע יד, ג): כָּל תִּשָֹּׂא עָוֹן וְקַח טוֹב וּנְשַׁלְמָה פָרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ. אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם בִּזְּמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם הָיִינוּ מַקְרִיבִים קָרְבָּן וּמִתְכַּפֵּר, וְעַכְשָׁו אֵין בְּיָדֵנוּ אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה, טוֹ"ב בְּגִימַטְרִיָּה שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה, תְּפִלָּה תְּשַׁע עֶשְׂרֵה בְּרָכוֹת, הוֹצֵא מִשָּׁם בִּרְכַּת הַמִּינִין שֶׁתִּקְנוּהָ בְּיַבְנֶה, וְאֶת צֶמַח דָּוִד שֶׁתִּקְנוּ אַחֲרָיו עַל שׁוּם (תהלים כו, ב): בְּחָנֵנִי ה' וְנַסֵּנִי. וְרַבִּי סִימוֹן אוֹמֵר קַח טוֹב בְּגִימַטְרִיָּה נֶפֶ"שׁ, אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם הָיִינוּ מַקְטִירִים חֲלָבִים וְאֵמוּרִין וּמִתְכַּפְּרִין, וְעַכְשָׁו הֲרֵי חֶלְבֵּנוּ וְדָמֵנוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ, יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁתְּהֵא כַּפָּרָה עָלֵינוּ, וּנְשַׁלְמָה פָרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ. (רות ד, יג): וַיִּתֵּן ה' לָהּ הֵרָיוֹן, בְּגִימַטְרִיָּה מָאתַיִם שִׁבְעִים וְאֶחָד. שִׁעוּר מֵי מִקְוֶה אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה, כָּל מֵי בְאֵר שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה, וְכַמָּה בֵּיצִים בְּמִקְוֶה חֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים, כָּל סְאָה מֵאָה אַרְבָּעִים וְאַרְבַּע בֵּיצִים. חַלָּה אַרְבָּעִים וְשָׁלשׁ בֵּיצִים וְחֹמֶשׁ. וּמִנַיִן לְמִקְוֶה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה, (ישעיה ח, ו): מֵי הַשִּׁלֹחַ הַהֹלְכִים לְאַט, בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא אַרְבָּעִים. וּמַפְרִישׁ חַלָּה צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּפְרִישׁ אַחַת מֵאַרְבָּעִים וְשָׁלשׁ וְחֹמֶשׁ מִן הַתּוֹרָה לְמִנְיַן חַלָּה. אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אַחַת, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לה, א): אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, אֵלֶּה, שְׁלשִׁים וָשֵׁשׁ, דְּבָרִים שְׁתַּיִם, הַדְּבָרִים שָׁלשׁ, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אֶחָת. (דברים כה, ג): אַרְבָּעִים יַכֶּנוּ לֹא יֹסִיף, כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעִים קְלָלוֹת שֶׁנִּתְקַלְּלוּ נָחָשׁ וְחַוָּה וְאָדָם וַאֲדָמָה. וּפִחֲתוּ חֲכָמִים אֶחָת מִשּׁוּם לֹא יֹסִיף, רַבּוּ זְכֻיּוֹת מְלִיצֵי טוֹבוֹת וּפָחֲתוּ עֲוֹנוֹת, מוּטָב שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ שְׁנַיִם וְיִדְחוּ אֶחָד. (ירמיה כה, כו, נא, מא): שֵׁשַׁךְ בְּא"ת ב"שׁ, בָּבֶל. (ישעיה ז, ו): טָבְאַל בְּאלב"ם, רמלא. (ויקרא טז, ג): בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּפַר בֶּן בָּקָר לְחַטָּאת וְאַיִל לְעֹלָה, בְּזֹאת רֶמֶז לְמִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וְעֶשֶׂר שָׁנָה. | 18.21. 21 (Based on Sefaria Community Translation) The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, imantzepakh( imem, nun, tzadi, peh,and ikaf /i, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of ikafthat is found in Genesis 12:1,] \" iLekh lekha(Go for yourself),\" hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of imemthat is found in Genesis 26:16,] \" iki atsamta memenu(as you have become more powerful than us)\" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of inun[that is found in Genesis 32:12,] \" iHatsileini na(Save me)\" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of ipehis for Israel about Moshe [that is found in Exodus 3:16,] \" ipakod pakadati(I will surely remember).” The doubling of itzadi[that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] \" ihinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, ou'metachtav yitsmach(behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)\" is [referring to] the messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), \" ivahikimoti leDaveed tsemach tsadeek […](and I will raise up a true branch of David […]).\" “The leader of fifty\" (Isaiah 3:3): Twenty-four books (of the Bible), and add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold fifty. \"Sixty were the queens\" (Song of Songs 6:8): Sixty tractates. “And eighty concubines\" (Song of Songs 6:8): And eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates. \"And maidens without number\" (Song of Songs 6:8): The study outside. \"Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors\" (Song of Songs 3:7): [This] corresponds to the [number of] letters of [the priestly blessing,) \"May the Lord bless you and keep you, etc.\" (Numbers 6:24-26). --- The Satan ( iHaSatan /i) has the numerical equivalent of three hundred and sixty-four, the count of the days of the solar year, as he rules over all the year to slander, except for Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami bar Abba said, \"Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before he] fathered. The [letter] ihay(with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered, and he was called Avraham [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters.\" --- [Regarding] Sarai, two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, \"The [letter] iyod[with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her] was divided into two, [to give] a ihayto Avaraham and a ihayto Sarah.\" And [the other] said, \"The iyodthat was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehshoua came and had a iyodadded, as it is stated (Numbers 13:16), \"and Moshe called Hoshea [...], Yehoshua.\" And it saved him from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: iYod[with a numerical count of ten] corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] itsadi[with a numerical count of ninety, as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] ichet[with a numerical count of eight, as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter ikof[with a numerical count of one hundred, as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: iYod[corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards, Levi. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, and Levi was the tenth. (And he gave him as a tithe to the Omnipresent to fulfill [what he said] (Genesis 28:22), \"all that You give to me, I will surely tithe it to You.\") [The letter] iayin[with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt], \"with seventy souls\" (Deuteronomy 10:22). iKofcorresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received], \"And may He give you [etc.]\" (Genesis 27:28). (Take away the name [of God] from there, and one hundred [letters] remain.) [The letter] ibet[with a numerical count of two] remains. It corresponds to two angels [that he saw on the ladder in his dream] rising. There were six hundred and thirteen letters on the tablets – corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. \"The fear of the Lord is his treasure\" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:12), \"And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you besides to fear Him […].\" \"The fear of\" ( iYirat /i) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven and Torah has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; along with Torah and fear, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. The rabbis taught: [the numerical value of] fringes ( itsitsit /i) [is six hundred. Add] eight strings and five knots, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. --- As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings, and the plague ended. [\"This is the law of the burnt-offering ( iolah /i), it is the burnt-offering\" (Leviticus 6:2), meaning] the yoke ( iulah /i) of Torah and the yoke of repentance. (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, \"Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer.\" The numerical value of itovis seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen [blessings]. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and \"Let the sprout of David blossom,\" which they ordained for the sake of \"Probe me, Lord, and try me\" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, \"'Take the good ( itov /i).' The numerical value [of itovin iat-bash(matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet) is the same as] soul ( inefesh /i) […]. Israel said, 'Behold the fat from us, [from our souls]. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and \"that we pay with the words of our lips\" (Hosea 14:3).'\" \"And the Lord gave her conception ( iherayon /i)\" (Ruth 4:13). [ iHerayon /i] has a numerical value of two hundred and seventy one (the number of the days of the nine months of birthing). The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty iseah[corresponding to the forty times] well water is written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. And a iseahis a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] ihallah[tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty iseah /i? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), \"Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently ( ile'at /i).\" The numerical value [of ile'at /i] is forty. And one who separates the measure of the ihallah[tithe] must separate one part in forty three and a fifth, from Torah writ, like the numerical value of ihallah /i. There are forty minus one principle categories of work, as it is written (Exodus 35:1), \"These ( ieleh /i) are the things which the Lord commanded.\" [The numerical count of] \" ieleh /i\" is thirty-six; \"things\" (being plural) is two; \"the things\" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one (thirty-nine). \"He shall strike him forty, he shall not add\" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses received by the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground, and the sages lessened one, because of \"he shall not add.\" The merits of those that defended well and lessened iniquities are great; it is best for the two to come and push off one. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value in iat-bash /i. Tavel is Ramlah [according to] its numerical value in ial-bam /i. ---" |
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42. Anon., 4 Ezra, 10.54
| 10.54. for no work of man's building could endure in a place where the city of the Most High was to be revealed. |
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43. Anon., 4 Baruch, 3.8-3.11, 3.14, 4.4-4.5, 4.11, 5.21, 6.8, 6.13, 6.17, 6.22, 7.2, 7.25-7.26, 8.1, 8.5-8.8, 9.2-9.5, 9.16-9.21
| 3.8. And Jeremiah said: Behold, Lord, now we know that you are delivering the city into the hands of its enemies, and they will take the people away to Babylon. What do you want me to do with the holy vessels of the temple service? 3.10. And the Lord said to him: Take them and consign them to the earth, saying: Hear, Earth, the voice of your creator who formed you in the abundance of waters, who sealed you with seven seals for seven epochs, and after this you will receive your ornaments (?) -- 3.11. Guard the vessels of the temple service until the gathering of the beloved. 3.14. And the Lord said to Jeremiah: Send him to the vineyard of Agrippa, and I will hide him in the shadow of the mountain until I cause the people to return to the city. 4.4. But taking the keys of the temple, Jeremiah went outside the city andthrew them away in the presence of the sun, saying: I say to you, Sun, take the keys of the temple of God and guard them until the day in which the Lord asks you for them. 4.5. For we have not been found worthy to keep them, for we have become unfaithful guardians. 4.11. When he had said this, Baruch departed from the city, weeping andsaying: Grieving because of you, Jerusalem, I went out from you. 5.21. Even if the heavenly torrents had descended on them, there has not yet been time for them to go into Babylon! 6.8. Look at this basket of figs -- for behold, they are 66 years old and have not become shrivelled or rotten, but they are dripping milk. 6.13. We beseech and beg of your goodness -- you whose great name no one is able to know -- hear the voice of your servants and let knowledge come into our hearts. 6.13. These, then, are the words which the Lord, the God of Israel, spoke, who led us out of Egypt, out of the great furnace: Because you did not keep my ordices, but your heart was lifted up, and you were haughty before me, in anger and wrath I delivered you to the furnace in Babylon. 6.17. He who is not separated from Babylon will not enter into the city; and I will punish them by keeping them from being received back by the Babylonians, says the Lord. 6.22. And he sent his angel to me, and he told me these words which I send to you. 7.2. And the eagle said to him in a human voice: Hail, Baruch, steward of the faith. 7.25. For you have been found righteous before God, and he did not let you come here, lest you see the affliction which has come upon the people at the hands of the Babylonians. 7.26. For it is like a father with an only son, who is given over for punishment; and those who see his father and console him cover his face, lest he see how his son is being punished, and be even more ravaged by grief. 8.1. And the day came in which the Lord brought the people out of Babylon. 8.5. As he told them the words that the Lord had spoken to him, half ofthose who had taken spouses from them did not wish to listen toJeremiah, but said to him: We will never forsake our wives, but we will bring them back with us into our city. 8.6. So they crossed the Jordan and came to Jerusalem. 8.7. And Jeremiah and Baruch and Abimelech stood up and said: No man joined with Babylonians shall enter this city! 8.8. And they said to one another: Let us arise and return to Babylon to our place --And they departed. 9.2. But on the tenth, Jeremiah alone offered sacrifice. 9.3. And he prayed a prayer, saying: Holy, holy, holy, fragrant aroma of the living trees, true light that enlightens me until I ascend to you; 9.4. For your mercy, I beg you -- for the sweet voice of the two seraphim, I beg -- for another fragrant aroma. 9.5. And may Michael, archangel of righteousness, who opens the gates to the righteous, be my guardian (?) until he causes the righteous to enter. 9.16. And the tree of life planted in the midst of paradise will cause all the unfruitful trees to bear fruit, and will grow and sprout forth. 9.17. And the trees that had sprouted and became haughty and said:"We have supplied our power (?) to the air," he will cause them to wither, with the grandeur of their branches, and he will cause them to be judged -- that firmly rooted tree! 9.18. And what is crimson will become white as wool -- the snow will be blackened -- the sweet waters will become salty, and the salty sweet, in the intense light of the joy of God. 9.19. And he will bless the isles so that they become fruitful by the word of the mouth of his messiah. 9.20. For he shall come, and he will go out and choose for himself twelve apostles to proclaim the news among the nations-- he whom I have seen adorned by his father and coming into the world on the Mount of Olives -- and he shall fill the hungry souls. 9.21. When Jeremiah was saying this concerning the son of God -- that he iscoming into the world -- the people became very angry and said: This is a repetition of the words spoken by Isaiah son of Amos, when he said: I saw God and the son of God. |
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