1. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 1.22, 2.1 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.22. וַיְצַו פַּרְעֹה לְכָל־עַמּוֹ לֵאמֹר כָּל־הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ וְכָל־הַבַּת תְּחַיּוּן׃ 2.1. וַיִגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַתְּבִאֵהוּ לְבַת־פַּרְעֹה וַיְהִי־לָהּ לְבֵן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מֹשֶׁה וַתֹּאמֶר כִּי מִן־הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ׃ 2.1. וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֵוִי וַיִּקַּח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִי׃ | 1.22. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying: ‘Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.’" 2.1. And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Job, 22.28 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 22.28. וְתִגְזַר־אוֹמֶר וְיָקָם לָךְ וְעַל־דְּרָכֶיךָ נָגַהּ אוֹר׃ | 22.28. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, And light shall shine upon thy ways." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 20.18 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 20.18. וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּב אֶת־אִשָּׁה דָּוָה וְגִלָּה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָהּ אֶת־מְקֹרָהּ הֶעֱרָה וְהִיא גִּלְּתָה אֶת־מְקוֹר דָּמֶיהָ וְנִכְרְתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּם׃ | 20.18. And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness—he hath made naked her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood—both of them shall be cut off from among their people." |
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4. Philo of Alexandria, On The Life of Moses, 1.7 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 1.7. And his father and mother were among the most excellent persons of their time, and though they were of the same time, still they were induced to unite themselves together more from an uimity of feeling than because they were related in blood; and Moses is the seventh generation in succession from the original settler in the country who was the founder of the whole race of the Jews. |
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5. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 2.210-2.217 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.211. Hereupon he betook himself to prayer to God; and entreated him to have compassion on those men who had nowise transgressed the laws of his worship, and to afford them deliverance from the miseries they at that time endured, and to render abortive their enemies’ hopes of the destruction of their nation. 2.212. Accordingly God had mercy on him, and was moved by his supplication. He stood by him in his sleep, and exhorted him not to despair of his future favors. He said further, that he did not forget their piety towards him, and would always reward them for it, as he had formerly granted his favor to their forefathers, and made them increase from a few to so great a multitude. 2.213. He put him in mind, that when Abraham was come alone out of Mesopotamia into Canaan, he had been made happy, not only in other respects, but that when his wife was at first barren, she was afterwards by him enabled to conceive seed, and bare him sons. That he left to Ismael and to his posterity the country of Arabia; as also to his sons by Ketura, Troglodytis; and to Isaac, Canaan. 2.214. That by my assistance, said he, he did great exploits in war, which, unless you be yourselves impious, you must still remember. As for Jacob, he became well known to strangers also, by the greatness of that prosperity in which he lived, and left to his sons, who came into Egypt with no more than seventy souls, while you are now become above six hundred thousand. 2.215. Know therefore that I shall provide for you all in common what is for your good, and particularly for thyself what shall make thee famous; for that child, out of dread of whose nativity the Egyptians have doomed the Israelite children to destruction, shall be this child of thine, and shall be concealed from those who watch to destroy him: 2.216. and when he is brought up in a surprising way, he shall deliver the Hebrew nation from the distress they are under from the Egyptians. His memory shall be famous while the world lasts; and this not only among the Hebrews, but foreigners also:—all which shall be the effect of my favor to thee, and to thy posterity. He shall also have such a brother, that he shall himself obtain my priesthood, and his posterity shall have it after him to the end of the world. 2.217. 4. When the vision had informed him of these things, Amram awaked and told it to Jochebed who was his wife. And now the fear increased upon them on account of the prediction in Amram’s dream; for they were under concern, not only for the child, but on account of the great happiness that was to come to him also. |
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6. Mishnah, Berachot, 5.5 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 5.5. One who is praying and makes a mistake, it is a bad sign for him. And if he is the messenger of the congregation (the prayer leader) it is a bad sign for those who have sent him, because one’s messenger is equivalent to one’s self. They said about Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa that he used to pray for the sick and say, “This one will die, this one will live.” They said to him: “How do you know?” He replied: “If my prayer comes out fluently, I know that he is accepted, but if not, then I know that he is rejected.”" |
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7. Ps.-Philo, Biblical Antiquities, 9.2-9.9 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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8. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 19.7 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 19.7. וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל ה' אֱלֹהִים מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגָּן לְרוּחַ הַיּוֹם (בראשית ג, ח), אָמַר רַבִּי חַלְּפוֹן שָׁמַעְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ הִלּוּךְ לַקּוֹל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל ה' אֱלֹהִים מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגָּן, וְהִלּוּךְ לָאֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ט, כג): וַתִּהֲלַךְ אֵשׁ אָרְצָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא מְהַלֵּךְ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא מִתְהַלֵּךְ, מְקַפֵּץ וְעוֹלֶה. עִקַּר שְׁכִינָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים הָיְתָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁחָטָא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן נִסְתַּלְּקָה שְׁכִינָה לָרָקִיעַ הָרִאשׁוֹן, חָטָא קַיִן נִסְתַּלְּקָה לָרָקִיעַ הַשֵּׁנִי, דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ לַשְׁלִישִׁי, דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל לָרְבִיעִי, דּוֹר הַפְלָגָה לַחֲמִישִׁי, סְדוֹמִיִּים לַשִּׁשִּׁי, וּמִצְרִיִּים בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם לַשְּׁבִיעִי. וּכְנֶגְדָן עָמְדוּ שִׁבְעָה צַדִּיקִים, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב לֵוִי קְהָת עַמְרָם משֶׁה, עָמַד אַבְרָהָם וְהוֹרִידָהּ לַשִּׁשִּׁי, עָמַד יִצְחָק וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִן שִׁשִּׁי לַחֲמִישִׁי, עָמַד יַעֲקֹב וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִן הַחֲמִישִׁי לָרְבִיעִי, עָמַד לֵוִי וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִן הָרְבִיעִי לַשְּׁלִישִׁי, עָמַד קְהָת וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִן הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לַשֵּׁנִי, עָמַד עַמְרָם וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִן הַשֵּׁנִי לָרִאשׁוֹן, עָמַד משֶׁה וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִלְּמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק כְּתִיב (תהלים לז, כט): צַדִּיקִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וגו', וּרְשָׁעִים מַה יַּעֲשׂוּ פוֹרְחִים בָּאֲוִיר, אֶלָּא הָרְשָׁעִים לֹא הִשְׁכִּינוּ שְׁכִינָה בָּאָרֶץ. | 19.7. ... the root/essence of Shekhinah/God’s presence was in the lower ones / `iqar sh’khinah batachtonim haytah." |
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9. Anon., Leviticus Rabba, 1.2 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 1.2. רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ פָּתַח (הושע יד, ח): יָשֻׁבוּ ישְׁבֵי בְצִלּוֹ, אֵלּוּ הַגֵּרִים שֶׁבָּאִין וְחוֹסִין בְּצִלּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, (הושע יד, ח): יְחַיּוּ דָּגָן, נַעֲשׂוּ עִקָּר כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמָה דְּתֵימַר (זכריה ט, יז): דְּגַן בַּחוּרִים וְתִירשׁ יְנוֹבֵב בְּתוּלוֹת. (הושע יד, ח): וְיִפְרְחוּ כַגָּפֶן, כְּמָה דְתֵימַר (תהלים פ, ט): גֶּפֶן מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּסִּיעַ תְּגָרֵשׁ גּוֹיִם וַתִּטָּעֶהָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר (הושע יד, ח): יְחַיּוּ דָּגָן, בַּתַּלְמוּד. (הושע יד, ח): וְיִפְרְחוּ כַגָּפֶן, בְּאַגָּדָה. (הושע יד, ח): זִכְרוֹ כְּיֵין לְבָנוֹן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָבִיב עָלַי שְׁמוֹתָם שֶׁל גֵּרִים כְּיֵין נֶסֶךְ שֶׁקָּרֵב לְפָנַי עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ לְבָנוֹן, עַל שֵׁם (דברים ג, כה): הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה וְהַלְּבָנֹן. תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי, לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ לְבָנוֹן שֶׁמַּלְבִּין עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּשֶׁלֶג, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה א, יח): אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ וְאִם יַאְדִּימוּ כַתּוֹלָע כַּצֶּמֶר יִהְיוּ, רַבִּי טַבְיוֹמֵי אָמַר עַל שֵׁם שֶׁכָּל לְבָבוֹת שְׂמֵחִים בּוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים מח, ג): יְפֵה נוֹף מְשׂוֹשׂ כָּל הָאָרֶץ וגו'. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי עַל שֵׁם (מלכים א ט, ג): וְהָיוּ עֵינַי וְלִבִּי שָׁם כָּל הַיָּמִים. | 1.2. R’ Abahu opened and said ‘“Those who dwelt in its shade shall return…” (Hoshea 14:8) This refers to the converts who come and take shelter in the shade of the Holy One. “…they shall revive [like] corn…” (ibid.) They will become primary, just as Israel as it says “…Corn [will give strength to] young men, and new wine will cause maids to speak.” (Zechariah 9:17) “…and blossom like the vine…” (Hoshea 14:8) As it says “You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out nations and planted it.” (Tehillim 80:9)’ Another explanation. “…they shall revive [like] corn…” (Hoshea 14:8) in their Talmudic learning, “…and blossom like the vine…” (ibid.) in their aggadic learning. “; it (fragrance) will recall the wine of Lebanon.” (ibid.) The Holy One said ‘the names of converts are beloved to Me like idolatrous wine which was offered before Me on the altar.’ And why is its name Lebanon? Because of the verse “…this good mountain and the Lebanon.” (Devarim 3:25) R’ Shimon bar Yochai taught: why is it called Lebanon, because it bleaches out (malbin) the sins of Israel like snow, as it says “…If your sins prove to be like crimson, they will become white as snow; if they prove to be as red as crimson dye, they shall become as wool.” (Yeshayahu 1:18) R’ Teviyumi said ‘because all hearts (levavot) rejoice in it, as it says “The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth- Mount Zion…” (Tehillim 48:3) The Rabbis say ‘because “…and My eyes and My heart (libi) shall be there at all times.” (Melachim I 9:3)" |
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10. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 14a. משל דאחשורוש והמן למה הדבר דומה לשני בני אדם לאחד היה לו תל בתוך שדהו ולאחד היה לו חריץ בתוך שדהו בעל חריץ אמר מי יתן לי תל זה בדמים בעל התל אמר מי יתן לי חריץ זה בדמים,לימים נזדווגו זה אצל זה אמר לו בעל חריץ לבעל התל מכור לי תילך אמר לו טול אותה בחנם והלואי,ויסר המלך את טבעתו אמר רבי אבא בר כהנא גדולה הסרת טבעת יותר מארבעים ושמונה נביאים ושבע נביאות שנתנבאו להן לישראל שכולן לא החזירום למוטב ואילו הסרת טבעת החזירתן למוטב,ת"ר ארבעים ושמונה נביאים ושבע נביאות נתנבאו להם לישראל ולא פחתו ולא הותירו על מה שכתוב בתורה חוץ ממקרא מגילה,מאי דרוש אמר רבי חייא בר אבין אמר רבי יהושע בן קרחה ומה מעבדות לחירות אמרי' שירה ממיתה לחיים לא כל שכן,אי הכי הלל נמי נימא לפי שאין אומרים הלל על נס שבחוצה לארץ יציאת מצרים דנס שבחוצה לארץ היכי אמרינן שירה,כדתניא עד שלא נכנסו ישראל לארץ הוכשרו כל ארצות לומר שירה משנכנסו ישראל לארץ לא הוכשרו כל הארצות לומר שירה,רב נחמן אמר קרייתא זו הלילא רבא אמר בשלמא התם (תהלים קיג, א) הללו עבדי ה' ולא עבדי פרעה אלא הכא הללו עבדי ה' ולא עבדי אחשורוש אכתי עבדי אחשורוש אנן,בין לרבא בין לר"נ קשיא והא תניא משנכנסו לארץ לא הוכשרו כל הארצות לומר שירה כיון שגלו חזרו להכשירן הראשון,ותו ליכא והכתיב (שמואל א א, א) ויהי איש אחד מן הרמתים צופים אחד ממאתים צופים שנתנבאו להם לישראל,מיהוה טובא הוו כדתניא הרבה נביאים עמדו להם לישראל כפלים כיוצאי מצרים אלא נבואה שהוצרכה לדורות נכתבה ושלא הוצרכה לא נכתבה,רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר אדם הבא משתי רמות שצופות זו את זו רבי חנין אמר אדם הבא מבני אדם שעומדין ברומו של עולם ומאן נינהו בני קרח דכתיב (במדבר כו, יא) ובני קרח לא מתו תנא משום רבינו מקום נתבצר להם בגיהנם ועמדו עליו,שבע נביאות מאן נינהו שרה מרים דבורה חנה אביגיל חולדה ואסתר שרה דכתיב (בראשית יא, כט) אבי מלכה ואבי יסכה ואמר ר' יצחק יסכה זו שרה ולמה נקרא שמה יסכה שסכתה ברוח הקדש שנאמר (בראשית כא, יב) כל אשר תאמר אליך שרה שמע בקולה ד"א יסכה שהכל סוכין ביופיה,מרים דכתיב (שמות טו, כ) ותקח מרים הנביאה אחות אהרן ולא אחות משה אמר ר"נ אמר רב שהיתה מתנבאה כשהיא אחות אהרן ואומרת עתידה אמי שתלד בן שיושיע את ישראל ובשעה שנולד נתמלא כל הבית כולו אורה עמד אביה ונשקה על ראשה אמר לה בתי נתקיימה נבואתיך,וכיון שהשליכוהו ליאור עמד אביה וטפחה על ראשה ואמר לה בתי היכן נבואתיך היינו דכתיב (שמות ב, ד) ותתצב אחותו מרחוק לדעה לדעת מה יהא בסוף נבואתה,דבורה דכתיב (שופטים ד, ד) ודבורה אשה נביאה אשת לפידות מאי אשת לפידות שהיתה עושה פתילות למקדש,(שופטים ד, ה) והיא יושבת תחת תומר מאי שנא תחת תומר אמר ר' שמעון בן אבשלום משום יחוד דבר אחר מה תמר זה אין לו אלא לב אחד אף ישראל שבאותו הדור לא היה להם אלא לב אחד לאביהן שבשמים,חנה דכתיב (שמואל א ב, א) ותתפלל חנה ותאמר עלץ לבי בה' רמה קרני בה' רמה קרני ולא רמה פכי דוד ושלמה שנמשחו בקרן נמשכה מלכותן שאול ויהוא שנמשחו בפך לא נמשכה מלכותן,(שמואל א ב, ב) אין קדוש כה' כי אין בלתך אמר רב יהודה בר מנשיא אל תקרי בלתך אלא לבלותך שלא כמדת הקב"ה מדת בשר ודם מדת בשר ודם מעשה ידיו מבלין אותו אבל הקדוש ברוך הוא מבלה מעשה ידיו,(שמואל א ב, ב) ואין צור כאלהינו אין צייר כאלהינו אדם צר צורה על גבי הכותל ואינו יכול להטיל בה רוח ונשמה קרבים ובני מעים אבל הקב"ה צר צורה בתוך צורה ומטיל בה רוח ונשמה קרבים ובני מעים,אביגיל דכתיב (שמואל א כה, כ) והיה היא רוכבת על החמור ויורדת בסתר ההר בסתר ההר מן ההר מיבעי ליה,אמר רבה בר שמואל על עסקי דם הבא מן הסתרים נטלה דם והראתה לו אמר לה וכי מראין דם בלילה אמרה לו וכי דנין דיני נפשות בלילה אמר לה | 14a. The actions of bAhasuerus and Hamancan be understood with ba parable; to what may they be compared? To two individuals, oneof whom bhad a mound in the middle of his field and the otherof whom bhad a ditch in the middle of his field,each one suffering from his own predicament. bThe owner of the ditch,noticing the other’s mound of dirt, bsaidto himself: bWho will give me this moundof dirt suitable for filling in my ditch; I would even be willing to pay bforit with bmoney,and bthe owner of the mound,noticing the other’s ditch, bsaidto himself: bWho will give me this ditch for money,so that I may use it to remove the mound of earth from my property?,At a later point, bone day, theyhappened to have bmet one another. The owner of the ditch said to the owner of the mound: Sell me your moundso I can fill in my ditch. The mound’s owner, anxious to rid himself of the excess dirt on his property, bsaid to him: Take it for free; if onlyyou had done so sooner. Similarly, Ahasuerus himself wanted to destroy the Jews. As he was delighted that Haman had similar aspirations and was willing to do the job for him, he demanded no money from him.,§ The verse states: b“And the king removed his ringfrom his hand” (Esther 3:10). bRabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The removal ofAhasuerus’s bringfor the sealing of Haman’s decree bwas more effective than the forty-eight prophets and the seven prophetesses who prophesied on behalf of the Jewish people. As, they were all unable to returnthe Jewish people bto the right way, but the removal ofAhasuerus’s bring returned them to the right way,since it brought them to repentance., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bForty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses prophesied on behalf of the Jewish people, and they neither subtracted from nor added onto what is written in the Torah,introducing no changes or additions to the mitzvot bexcept for the reading of the Megilla,which they added as an obligation for all future generations.,The Gemara asks: bWhat expositionled them to determine that this was a proper mode of action? On what basis did they add this mitzva? bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Avin saidthat bRabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa saidthat they reasoned as follows: bIf,when recalling the exodus from Egypt, in which the Jews were delivered bfrom slavery to freedom, we recite songsof praise, the Song of the Sea and the hymns of ihallel /i, then, in order to properly recall the miracle of Purim and commemorate God’s delivering us bfrom death to life,is it bnot all the more sothe case that we must sing God’s praise by reading the story in the Megilla?,The Gemara asks: bIf so,our obligation should be at least as great as when we recall the exodus from Egypt, and blet us also recite ihallel /ion Purim. The Gemara answers: iHallelis not said on Purim, bbecause ihallelis not recited on a miraclethat occurred boutside EretzYisrael. The Gemara asks: If so, with regard to bthe exodus from Egyptas well, bwhich was a miraclethat occurred boutside EretzYisrael, bhow are we able to recite songsof praise?,The Gemara answers: bAs it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bPrior tothe time when bthe Jewish people entered EretzYisrael, ball lands weredeemed bfitfor bsongsof praise bto be recitedfor miracles performed within their borders, as all lands were treated equally. But bafter the Jewish people entered EretzYisrael, that land became endowed with greater sanctity, band all theother blands were no longerdeemed bfitfor bsongsof praise bto be recitedfor miracles performed within them., bRav Naḥman saidan alternative answer as to why ihallelis not recited on Purim: bThe reading ofthe Megilla itself bisan act of reciting ihallel /i. Rava saida third reason why ihallelis not recited on Purim: bGrantedthat ihallelis said bthere,when recalling the exodus from Egypt, as after the salvation there, they could recite the phrase in ihallel /i: b“Give praise, O servants of the Lord”(Psalms 113:1); after their servitude to Pharaoh ended with their salvation, they were truly servants of the Lord band not servants of Pharaoh. Butcan it be said bhere,after the limited salvation commemorated on Purim: b“Give praise, O servants of the Lord,”which would indicate that after the salvation the Jewish people were only servants of the Lord band not servants of Ahasuerus?No, even after the miracle of Purim, bwe were still the servants of Ahasuerus,as the Jews remained in exile under Persian rule, and consequently the salvation, which was incomplete, did not merit an obligation to say ihallel /i.,The Gemara asks: bBoth according tothe opinion of bRava and according tothe opinion of bRav Naḥman,this is bdifficult. Isn’t it taughtin the ibaraitacited earlier: bAfter the Jewish people entered EretzYisrael, that land became endowed with greater sanctity, band all theother blands were no longerdeemed bfitfor bsongsof praise bto be recitedfor miracles performed within them. Therefore, there should be no ihallelobligation on Purim for the miracle performed outside of the land of Israel, and Rav Naḥman’s and Rava’s alternative explanations are incorrect. The Gemara answers: They understood differently, as it can be argued that bwhenthe people bwere exiledfrom Eretz Yisrael, the other lands breturned to their initial suitability,and were once again deemed fit for reciting ihallelon miracles performed within them.,With regard to the statement that forty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses prophesied on behalf of the Jewish people, the Gemara asks: bIs there no one else? Isn’t it writtenwith regard to Samuel’s father, Elkanah: b“And there was a certain [ ieḥad /i] man from Ramathaim-zophim”(I Samuel 1:1), which is expounded as follows to indicate that Elkanah was a prophet: He was bone [ ieḥad /i] of two hundred [ imata’im /i] prophets [ itzofim /i] who prophesied on behalf of the Jewish people.If so, why was it stated here that there were only forty-eight prophets?,The Gemara answers: In fact, bthere were moreprophets, bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bMany prophets arose for the Jewish people,numbering bdouble thenumber of Israelites bwho left Egypt. However,only a portion of the prophecies were recorded, because only bprophecy that was needed forfuture bgenerations was writtendown in the Bible for posterity, bbut that which was not needed,as it was not pertinent to later generations, bwas not written.Therefore, the fifty-five prophets recorded in the Bible, although not the only prophets of the Jewish people, were the only ones recorded, due to their eternal messages., bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saidanother explanation of the verse “And there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim”: bA man who comes from two heights [ iramot /i] that face [ itzofot /i] one another. Rabbi Ḥanin saidan additional interpretation: bA man who descends from people who stood at the height of [ irumo /i] the world.The Gemara asks: bAnd who are thesepeople? The Gemara answers: These are the bsons of Korah, as it is written: “But the sons of Korah did not die”(Numbers 26:11), and with regard to them bit is taught in the name of our teacher,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: A high bplace was set aside for them in Gehenna,as the sons of Korah repented in their hearts, and were consequently not propelled very far down in Gehenna when the earth opened to swallow Korah and his followers; band they stood onthis high place and sung to the Lord. They alone stood at the height of the lower world.,§ The Gemara asks with regard to the prophetesses recorded in the ibaraita /i: bWho were the seven prophetesses?The Gemara answers: bSarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther.The Gemara offers textual support: bSarah, as it is written:“Haran, bthe father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah”(Genesis 11:29). bAnd Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Iscah isin fact bSarah. And why was she called Iscah? For she saw [ isakhta /i] by means of divine inspiration, as it is stated: “In all that Sarah has said to you, hearken to her voice”(Genesis 21:12). bAlternatively,Sarah was also called bIscah, for all gazed [ isokhin /i] upon her beauty. /b, bMiriamwas a prophetess, bas it is writtenexplicitly: b“And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, tooka timbrel in her hand” (Exodus 15:20). The Gemara asks: Was she the sister only of Aaron, band not the sister of Moses?Why does the verse mention only one of her brothers? bRav Naḥman saidthat bRav said: For she prophesied when she was the sister of Aaron,i.e., she prophesied since her youth, even before Moses was born, band she would say: My mother is destined to bear a son who will deliver the Jewish peopleto salvation. bAnd at the time whenMoses bwas born the entire house was filled with light,and bher father stood and kissed her on the head,and bsaid to her: My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled. /b, bBut onceMoses bwas cast into the river, her father arose and rapped her on the head, saying to her: My daughter, where is your prophecynow, as it looked as though the young Moses would soon meet his end. bThis isthe meaning of bthatwhich bis writtenwith regard to Miriam’s watching Moses in the river: b“And his sister stood at a distance to knowwhat would be done to him” b( /bExodus 2:4), i.e., bto know what would be with the end of her prophecy,as she had prophesied that her brother was destined to be the savior of the Jewish people., bDeborahwas a prophetess, bas it is writtenexplicitly: b“And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth”(Judges 4:4). The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe meaning of b“the wife of Lappidoth”?The Gemara answers: bFor she used to make wicks for the Sanctuary,and due to the flames [ ilappidot /i] on these wicks she was called the wife of Lappidoth, literally, a woman of flames.,With regard to Deborah, it says: b“And she sat under a palm tree”(Judges 4:5). The Gemara asks: bWhat is differentand unique with regard to her sitting b“under a palm tree”that there is a need for it to be written? bRabbi Shimon ben Avshalom said:It is bdue tothe prohibition against bbeing alone togetherwith a man. Since men would come before her for judgment, she established for herself a place out in the open and visible to all, in order to avoid a situation in which she would be secluded with a man behind closed doors. bAlternatively,the verse means: bJust as a palm tree has only one heart,as a palm tree does not send out separate branches, but rather has only one main trunk, bso too, the Jewish people in that generation had only one heart,directed bto their Father in Heaven. /b, bHannahwas a prophetess, bas it is written: “And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord”(I Samuel 2:1), and her words were prophecy, in that she said: b“My horn is exalted,” and not: My pitcher is exalted.As, with regard to bDavid and Solomon, who were anointedwith oil bfrom a horn, their kingship continued,whereas with regard to bSaul and Jehu, who were anointedwith oil bfrom a pitcher, their kingship did not continue.This demonstrates that Hannah was a prophetess, as she prophesied that only those anointed with oil from a horn will merit that their kingships continue.,Apropos the song of Hannah, the Gemara further explains her words: b“There is none sacred as the Lord; for there is none beside You [ ibiltekha /i]”(I Samuel 2:2). bRav Yehuda bar Menashya said: Do not readit as ibiltekha /i,“beside You,” bbut ratherread it as ilevalotekha /i,to outlast You. bAs the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is unlike the attribute of flesh and blood.It is an attribute of man that bhis handiwork outlasts himand continues to exist even after he dies, bbut the Holy One, Blessed be He, outlasts His handiwork,as He exists eternally.,Hannah further said: b“Neither is there any rock [ itzur /i] like our God”(I Samuel 2:1). This can be understood as saying that bthere is no artist [ itzayyar /i] like our God.How is He better than all other artists? bMan fashions a form upon a wall, but is unable to endow it with breath and a soul,or fill it with binnards and intestines, whereas the Holy One, Blessed be He, fashions a formof a fetus binside the formof its mother, rather than on a flat surface, band endows it with breath and a souland fills it with binnards and intestines. /b, bAbigailwas a prophetess, bas it is written: “And it was so, as she rode on the donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain”(I Samuel 25:20). The Gemara asks: Why does it say: b“By the covert [ ibeseter /i] of the mountain”? It should have said: From the mountain. /b,The Gemara answers that in fact this must be understood as an allusion to something else. bRabba bar Shmuel said: Abigail,in her attempt to prevent David from killing her husband Nabal, came to David and questioned him bon account ofmenstrual bblood that comes from the hidden parts [ isetarim /i]of a body. How so? bShe tooka blood-stained cloth band showed it to him,asking him to rule on her status, whether or not she was ritually impure as a menstruating woman. bHe said to her: Is blood shown at night?One does not examine blood-stained cloths at night, as it is difficult to distinguish between the different shades by candlelight. bShe said to him:If so, you should also remember another ihalakha /i: bArecases of bcapital law tried at night?Since one does not try capital cases at night, you cannot condemn Nabal to death at night. David bsaid to her: /b |
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11. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 12a. דיקא נמי דכתיב (יהושע יד, ו) הקניזי ש"מ,עזובה זו מרים ולמה נקרא שמה עזובה שהכל עזבוה מתחילתה הוליד והלא מינסב הוה נסיב לה א"ר יוחנן כל הנושא אשה לשם שמים מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו ילדה,יריעות שהיו פניה דומין ליריעות,ואלה בניה אל תקרי בניה אלא בוניה ישר שישר את עצמו שובב ששיבב את יצרו וארדון שרדה את יצרו ואיכא דאמרי על שהיו פניה דומין לורד,(דברי הימים א ד, ה) ולאשחור אבי תקוע היו שתי נשים חלאה ונערה אשחור זה כלב ולמה נקרא שמו אשחור שהושחרו פניו בתעניות אבי שנעשה לה כאב תקוע שתקע את לבו לאביו שבשמים,היו שתי נשים נעשה מרים כשתי נשים חלאה ונערה לא חלאה ונערה הואי אלא בתחילה חלאה ולבסוף נערה,(דברי הימים א ד, ז) ובני חלאה צרת וצהר ואתנן צרת שנעשית צרה לחברותיה צהר שהיו פניה דומין כצהרים אתנן שכל הרואה אותה מוליך אתנן לאשתו,(שמות א, כב) ויצו פרעה לכל עמו א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא אף על עמו גזר ואמר ר"י בר' חנינא שלש גזירות גזר בתחילה אם בן הוא והמתן אותו ולבסוף כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו ולבסוף אף על עמו גזר,(שמות ב, א) וילך איש מבית לוי להיכן הלך אמר רב יהודה בר זבינא שהלך בעצת בתו,תנא עמרם גדול הדור היה כיון (שראה שאמר) פרעה הרשע כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו אמר לשוא אנו עמלין עמד וגירש את אשתו עמדו כולן וגירשו את נשותיהן,אמרה לו בתו אבא קשה גזירתך יותר משל פרעה שפרעה לא גזר אלא על הזכרים ואתה גזרת על הזכרים ועל הנקיבות פרעה לא גזר אלא בעוה"ז ואתה בעוה"ז ולעוה"ב,פרעה הרשע ספק מתקיימת גזירתו ספק אינה מתקיימת אתה צדיק בודאי שגזירתך מתקיימת שנאמר (איוב כב, כח) ותגזר אומר ויקם לך עמד והחזיר את אשתו עמדו כולן והחזירו את נשותיהן,ויקח ויחזור מיבעי ליה א"ר יהודה בר זבינא שעשה לו מעשה ליקוחין הושיבה באפריון ואהרן ומרים מרקדין לפניה ומלאכי השרת אמרו (תהלים קיג, ט) אם הבנים שמחה,את בת לוי אפשר בת מאה ושלשים שנה הויא וקרי לה בת דא"ר חמא בר' חנינא זו יוכבד שהורתה בדרך ולידתה בין החומות שנאמר (במדבר כו, נט) אשר ילדה אותה ללוי במצרים,לידתה במצרים ואין הורתה במצרים א"ר יהודה שנולדו בה סימני נערות,(שמות ב, ב) ותהר האשה ותלד בן והא הות מיעברא ביה תלתא ירחי מעיקרא א"ר יהודה בר זבינא מקיש לידתה להורתה מה הורתה שלא בצער אף לידתה שלא בצער מכאן לנשים צדקניות שלא היו בפיתקה של חוה,(שמות ב, ב) ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא תניא ר"מ אומר טוב שמו ר' יהודה אומר טוביה שמו רבי נחמיה אומר הגון לנביאות אחרים אומרים נולד כשהוא מהול וחכמים אומרים בשעה שנולד משה נתמלא הבית כולו אור כתיב הכא ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא וכתיב התם (בראשית א, ד) וירא אלהים את האור כי טוב,(שמות ב, ב) ותצפנהו שלשה ירחים דלא מנו מצרים אלא משעה דאהדרה והיא הות מיעברא ביה תלתא ירחי מעיקרא,(שמות ב, ג) ולא יכלה עוד הצפינו אמאי תצפניה ותיזיל אלא כל היכא דהוו שמעי מצראי דמתיליד ינוקא ממטו ינוקא התם כי היכי דלישמעינהו ומעוי (בהדיהו) דכתיב (שיר השירים ב, טו) אחזו לנו שועלים שועלים קטנים וגו',(שמות ב, ג) ותקח לו תבת גמא מאי שנא גומא א"ר אלעזר מיכן לצדיקים שממונם חביב עליהן יותר מגופן וכל כך למה לפי שאין פושטין ידיהן בגזל,רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר דבר רך שיכול לעמוד בפני דבר רך ובפני דבר קשה,ותחמרה בחמר ובזפת תנא חמר מבפנים וזפת מבחוץ כדי שלא יריח אותו צדיק ריח רע,ותשם בה את הילד ותשם בסוף רבי אלעזר אומר ים סוף רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר | 12a. The Gemara comments: The language of another verse bis also precisebased on this explanation, bas it is written:“And Caleb the son of Jephunneh bthe Kenizzitesaid unto him” (Joshua 14:6). Although his father was Jephunneh, he is known as “the Kenizzite,” although he was not actually a son of Kenaz. The Gemara accepts this proof and states: bConclude from itthat Rava’s explanation is correct.,The verse states: “And Caleb, the son of Hezron, begot children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth, and these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon” (I Chronicles 2:18). The Gemara analyzes the verse: The verse refers to the wife of Caleb by the name bAzubah.The Sages teach that bthisis bMiriam. And why is she called Azubah? As everyone initially abandoned her [ iazavuha /i]and did not want to marry her because she was sickly and unattractive. The verse additionally states: “And Caleb, the son of Hezron, bbegot children [ iholid /i]of Azubah his wife” (I Chronicles 2:18). The Gemara asks: Why use the term “ iholid /i,” begot children? bButdoesn’t this verse state that bhe married her? Rabbi Yoḥa says:This teaches us that with regard to banyone who marries a woman for the sake of Heaven,as he married her due to her righteousness without concern for her appearance, bthe verse ascribes himcredit bas if he gave birth to her. /b,The same verse refers to Miriam additionally as bJerioth,which the Gemara explains was appropriate, bfor her face was likeextremely pallid bcurtains [ iyeriot /i]. /b,The verse continues: b“And these were her sons [ ivaneha /i].”The Gemara explains: bDo not readit as ivaneha /i, her sons; rather,read it as iboneha /i, her builders.In other words, the rest of the names in the verse are not the names of her children, but rather appellations for her husband, whose marriage to her built her, as it were. The first appellation for Caleb, b“Jesher,”is referring to his actions, bas he set himself straight [ iyisher /i]and did not join in the counsel of the spies. The second appellation, b“Shobab,”is referring to the fact bthat he broke [ isibbev /i] hisevil binclinationby rebelling against the other spies. The third appellation, b“and Ardon [ iveArdon /i],”is referring to the fact bthat he ruled [ irada /i]over bhisevil binclination. And some say: Because the faceof his wife Miriam became beautiful blike a rose [ ivered /i]after they were married, she was also called Vardon, due to her rose-like complexion.,The Gemara interprets an additional verse as referring to Caleb. It is stated: b“And Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah”(I Chronicles 4:5). bAshhur is Caleb. And why was he called Ashhur? Because his face became blackened [ ihusheḥaru /i] fromthe extensive bfaststhat he accepted upon himself so that he would not be entrapped by the counsel of the spies. b“The father of”is also referring to Caleb, bas he became like a father tohis wife. The next word in the verse, b“Tekoa,”is an additional reference to Caleb, bas he attached [ itaka /i] his heart to his Father in Heaven. /b,The phrase in the verse b“had two wives”actually means it is as if bMiriam became like two wives,because she changed over the course of time. And therefore the two names written in the verse: b“Helah and Naarah,” were nottwo separate women, bHelah and Naarah. Rather, initiallyMiriam was bsickly [ iḥela /i]and forlorn, band ultimatelyshe was healthy and beautiful like ba young woman [ ina’ara /i]. /b,The Gemara expounds the following verse as referring to Miriam: b“And the children of Helah were Zereth [ iTzeret /i] and Zohar and Eth”(I Chronicles 4:7). She was now called b“ iTzeret /i,” for she becameso beautiful that she was like ba rival [ itzara /i] to otherwomen, as they were jealous of her beauty. She is called b“Zohar,” as her faceshined blikethe sun does at bnoon [ itzohorayim /i].She is called b“Eth,” as anyman bthat saw herwould be aroused so much that he bwould bring a gift [ iet /i] to his wifeto entice her.,§ The Gemara returns to the discussion of the bondage in Egypt. b“And Pharaoh charged all his people,saying: Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive” (Exodus 1:22). bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:The use of the phrase “every son that is born” indicates that bhe decreed even on his own nationthat all their male babies must be killed. bAnd Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, saysfurther: bHe decreed three decrees. Initially,he commanded the midwives only with regard to Jewish infants: “You shall look upon the stones. bIf it be a son, then you shall kill him;but if it be a daughter, then she shall live” (Exodus 1:16). bAnd afterward,he decreed with regard to the Jewish infants: b“Every son that is born you shall cast into the river”(Exodus 1:22). bAnd ultimately, he decreed even on his own nationthat Egyptian infant boys should be cast into the river as well.,The verse states: b“And there went a man of the house of Levi,and took for a wife a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1). The Gemara asks: bTo where did he go? Rav Yehuda bar Zevina says: He went according to the advice of his daughterMiriam, as the Gemara will proceed to explain.,A Sage bteaches: Amram,the father of Moses, bwas the great man of his generation. Once he saw that the wicked Pharaoh said: “Every son that is born you shall cast into the river,and every daughter you shall save alive” (Exodus 1:22), bhe said: We are laboring for nothingby bringing children into the world to be killed. Therefore, bhe arose and divorced his wife. Allothers who saw this followed his example and barose and divorced their wives. /b, bHis daughter,Miriam, bsaid to him: Father, your decree is more harshfor the Jewish people bthan that of Pharaoh, as Pharaoh decreed only with regard to the males, but you decreedboth bon the males and on the females.And now no children will be born. Additionally, bPharaoh decreedto kill them bonly in this world, but youdecreed bin this world and in the World-to-Come,as those not born will not enter the World-to-Come.,Miriam continued: Additionally, concerning bPharaoh the wicked,it is buncertainwhether bhis decreewill be bfulfilled,and it is buncertainif his decree will bnotbe bfulfilled. You are a righteous person,and as such, byour decreeswill bcertainlybe bfulfilled, as it is statedwith regard to the righteous: b“You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you”(Job 22:28). Amram accepted his daughter’s words and barose and brought back,i.e., remarried, bhis wife,and ballothers who saw this followed his example and barose and brought back their wives. /b,The Gemara asks: If Amram remarried Jochebed, rather than say: b“And tookfor a wife a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1), bit should havestated: b“And returnedfor a wife the daughter of Levi.” bRav Yehuda bar Zevina says: He performed an act of marriagejust as one would do for a first marriage. bHe sat her on a palanquin [ iappiryon /i], and Aaron and Miriam danced before her, and the ministering angels said: “A joyful mother of children”(Psalms 113:9).,The verse is referring to Jochebed as b“a daughter of Levi”(Exodus 2:1). The Gemara asks: Is it bpossiblethat this is Jochebed? Jochebed bwasthen b130 years old andthe verse still bcalls her a daughter?Jochebed’s age is established based on a tradition concerning the number of the descendants of Jacob who came to Egypt, as follows: While the verse states that Leah had thirty-three descendants (Genesis 46:15), only thirty-two were enumerated. This was explained bas Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:The “daughter of Levi” bis Jochebed, whose conception was on the road,as the family of Jacob descended to Egypt, band she was born between the walls,i.e., in Egypt, bas it is stated:“And the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, bwho was born to Levi in Egypt”(Numbers 26:59).,This interpolation concerning her birth is interpreted: bHer birthwas bin Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt.Since the Jewish people were in Egypt for two hundred ten years and Moses was eighty years old at the time of the exodus, Jochebed was one hundred thirty years old when Moses was born. In light of this, the Gemara is asking how the verse can refer to her as a daughter. bRabbi Yehuda says: The signs of a young woman were born in herwhen her husband remarried her, and she became like a young girl again.,§ The verse states concerning Moses: b“And the woman conceived, and bore a son;and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:2). The Gemara asks: bButJochebed bwas pregt withMoses bfor three months at the outset,before Amram remarried her, as will be explained further. bRav Yehuda bar Zevina said:The intention of the verse is to bjuxtapose hergiving bbirth to her becoming pregt. Just as her becoming pregt was without pain, so too, hergiving bbirth was without pain. From hereit is derived bconcerning righteous women that they were not included in the verdict [ ipitkah /i] of Evethat a woman will suffer pain during childbirth (see Genesis 3:16).,The verse states with regard to the birth of Moses: “And the woman conceived, and bore a son; band when she saw him that he was a goodly [ itov /i] child,she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:2). It bis taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Meir says: “Tov” is his,Moses’, real bname,as it was given to him by his parents when he was born. bRabbi Yehuda says: His name was Toviya. Rabbi Neḥemya says:They said he was good because they saw that he was bfit for prophecy. Others say:They said he was good because he was bborn when he wasalready bcircumcised. And the Rabbis say: At the time when Moses was born, the entire house was filled with light,as bit is written here: “And when she saw him that he was a goodly [ itov /i] child,” and it is written there: “And God saw the light, that it was good [ itov /i]”(Genesis 1:4).,The verse continues: b“And she hid him three months”(Exodus 2:2). The Gemara explains that she was able to hide him for three months bbecause the Egyptians countedthe nine months of her pregcy bonly from the timeher husband btook her back, but she was pregt withMoses bfor three months from the outsetof her remarriage.,The next verse states: b“And when she could no longer hide him”(Exodus 2:3). The Gemara asks: bWhycouldn’t she hide him any longer? bLet her continue to hide him. Rather, anywhere that the Egyptians heard that a baby was bornand they wanted to locate the baby, bthey would bringanother bbaby there in order that it could be heardcrying, bandthe two babies bwould cry together, as it is written: “Take us the foxes, the little foxes,that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Songs 2:15). The infants who were used to uncover the hidden babies are referred to as little foxes.,The verse states: “And when she could no longer hide him, bshe took for him an ark of bulrushes,and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the willows by the river’s bank” (Exodus 2:3). The Gemara asks: bWhat is differentabout bbulrushesthat she decided to use them? bRabbi Elazar says: From hereit is derived bconcerning righteous people that their money is more precious to them than their bodies,as she took an inexpensive material to build the ark. bAnd whydo they care bso muchabout their money? bBecause they do not stretch out their hands topartake of bstolen property.Therefore, their own property is very precious to them., bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysan alternative reason for her taking bulrushes for the ark: She took ba soft materiallike bulrush, bwhich is able to withstandan impact both bbefore a soft item and before a hard item.She feared that if she would have made the box from a hard material like wood, if it were to collide with a hard item in the water it might break.,The verse continues: b“And daubed it with bitumen and with pitch”(Exodus 2:3). A Sage bteaches:She daubed bbitumen on the interior and pitch on the exterior, so that righteous person,i.e., Moses, bwould not smell a foul odor,such as that of pitch.,The verse continues: b“And she put the child therein, and laid it in the willows [ ibassuf]”(Exodus 2:3). bRabbi Elazar says:This means she placed him bin the Suf Sea,i.e., the Red Sea. bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: /b |
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12. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 14a. יורדין לידי טומאה במחשבה ואין עולין מטומאתן אלא בשינוי מעשה מעשה מוציא מיד מעשה ומיד מחשבה מחשבה אינה מוציאה לא מיד מעשה ולא מיד מחשבה,וכי תימא הני מילי כלים דחשיבי אבל ידות דלצורך אכילה נינהו במחשבה נעשה ובמחשבה סלקא והתנן כל ידות האוכלין שבססן בגורן טהורות (ור' יוסי מטמא),בשלמא למאן דאמר בססן התיר אגודן שפיר אלא למאן דאמר מאי בססן בססן ממש מאי איכא למימר,הכא נמי שבססן ממש אי הכי מאי טעמייהו דאחרים דאמור כרבי יוסי דתנן רבי יוסי מטמא,האי מאי בשלמא התם טעמא דרבי יוסי חזיא לכדרבי שמעון בן לקיש דאמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש הואיל וראויות להופכן בעתר,אלא הכא למאי חזיא חזיא לכי סתר למנקט להו בגילייהו,גופא כל ידות האוכלין שבססן בגורן טהורות ורבי יוסי מטמא מאי בססן רבי יוחנן אמר בססן ממש ר' (אליעזר) אומר התיר אגדן,בשלמא לרבי (אליעזר) דאמר בססן התיר אגדן היינו דמטמא רבי יוסי אלא לרבי יוחנן דאמר בססן ממש אמאי מטמא רבי יוסי א"ר שמעון בן לקיש הואיל וראויות להופכן בעתר,א"ר (אליעזר) למה נמשלה תפלתן של צדיקים כעתר לומר לך מה עתר זה מהפך את התבואה בגורן ממקום למקום אף תפלתן של צדיקים מהפכת דעתו של הקב"ה ממדת אכזריות למדת רחמנות:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big מסככין בנסרים דברי רבי יהודה ורבי מאיר אוסר נתן עליה נסר שהוא רחב ארבעה טפחים כשרה ובלבד שלא יישן תחתיו:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big אמר רב מחלוקת בנסרין שיש בהן ארבעה דרבי מאיר אית ליה גזרת תקרה ורבי יהודה לית ליה גזרת תקרה אבל בנסרין שאין בהן ארבעה דברי הכל כשרה ושמואל אמר בשאין בהן ארבעה מחלוקת אבל יש בהן ארבעה דברי הכל פסולה,אין בהן ארבעה ואפי' פחות משלשה הא קנים בעלמא נינהו,א"ר פפא הכי קאמר יש בהן ארבעה דברי הכל פסולה פחות משלשה דברי הכל כשרה מ"ט קנים בעלמא נינהו כי פליגי משלשה עד ארבעה מר סבר כיון דליתנהו שיעור מקום לא גזרינן ומר סבר כיון דנפקי להו מתורת לבוד גזרינן,תנן נתן עליה נסר שהוא רחב ארבעה טפחים כשרה ובלבד שלא יישן תחתיו בשלמא לשמואל דאמר בשאין בהן ארבעה מחלוקת אבל יש בהן ארבעה דברי הכל פסולה משום הכי לא יישן תחתיו אלא לרב דאמר בשיש בהן ארבעה מחלוקת אבל אין בהן ארבעה דברי הכל כשרה לר' יהודה אמאי לא יישן תחתיו,מי סברת דברי הכל היא סיפא אתאן לרבי מאיר,תא שמע שני סדינין מצטרפין | 14a. bdescend into theirstate of britual impurity by means of thought?Although an unfinished vessel ordinarily cannot become ritually impure, if the craftsman decided to leave it in its unfinished state, it immediately assumes the legal status of a completed vessel and can become ritually impure. bHowever, they ascend from theirstate of britual impurity only by means of a changeresulting from an baction.Merely deciding to complete the unfinished vessel does not alter its status. It loses its status as a vessel only when he takes action to complete it. bAction negatesstatus created by baction andstatus created by bthought;however, bthought negates neitherstatus created by baction norstatus created by bthought.Therefore, once the straw of the grain harvested for food is considered a handle and is susceptible to ritual impurity, its status cannot be negated by thought alone., bAnd if you say:There is a distinction between the cases, as bthisprinciple bapplies onlyto bvessels, which are significant, butwith regard to bhandles that arenot independently significant but are merely bfor the purpose ofhandling bfood,perhaps bby means of thought they becomehandles band by means of thought they emergefrom that status; bbut didn’t we learnin the mishna to the contrary? bAll handles of food that one ibesasanon the threshing floor are ritually pure,as through one’s actions he indicated that has no use for them and does not consider them significant. bAnd Rabbi Yosei deemsthem capable of becoming britually impure. /b,The Gemara elaborates: bGranted, according to the one who saidthat ibesasan /imeans that bone untied their binding,it works out bwell.Although no action was performed on the sheaves, nevertheless, since their only purpose is to facilitate binding the sheaves, he indicated by unbinding them that the handles no longer suit his needs. bHowever, according to the one who said: What isthe meaning of ibesasan /i?It means bhe actually trampled them, what can be said?According to that opinion, only an action can negate the status of the handles. What, then, is the rationale for the opinion of the Rabbis, who hold that thought alone can negate their status?,The Gemara answers: bHere too,the dispute between the Rabbis and iAḥerimwith regard to using grain for roofing the isukkais in a case bwhere one actually trampled them,and that is the reason that they are no longer susceptible to ritual impurity. The Gemara asks: bIf so,and a change was made to the grain itself, bwhat is the rationalefor the opinion bof iAḥerim /i,who nevertheless prohibit their use as roofing? The Gemara answers: It is bbecause iAḥerim bstatetheir opinion bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei, as we learnedin the previously cited mishna: bRabbi Yosei deemsthem capable of becoming britually impureeven after trampling.,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe basis of bthiscomparison between the cases? bGranted, there,in the dispute concerning the ritual impurity of the grain on the threshing floor, bthe rationalefor the opinion bof Rabbi Yosei,i.e., that the handles remain susceptible to ritual impurity, is that bthey are suitablefor use. This is bin accordance withthe statement of bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said:Even after the grain is trampled the straw suits his needs, bsincethe straw bis suited tofacilitate bturning overthe grain bwith a pitchfork,as the straw prevents the grain from falling between the prongs of the pitchfork., bHowever, here,where one needs the straw only for roofing the isukka /i, for bwhat arethe handles bsuitedafter they have been trampled? They serve no purpose in terms of handling the grain. The Gemara answers: bThey are suited when one dismantlesthe roofing, in order bto holdthe grain bby the straw,so that it will scatter. Therefore, iAḥerimhold that the straw remains capable of contracting ritual impurity.,Apropos the dispute between the Rabbis and Rabbi Yosei, the Gemara discusses bthematter bitself: All handles of food that one ibesasanon the threshing floor are ritually pure, and Rabbi Yosei deemsthem capable of becoming britually impure.The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe meaning of ibesasan /i? Rabbi Yoḥa said:It means that bone actually trampledthem under foot. bRabbi Elazar says:It means bhe untied their binding. /b,The Gemara notes: bGranted, according to Rabbi Elazar, who said that ibesasan /imeans that bhe untied their binding, this isthe reason bthat Rabbi Yosei deemsthe handles bcapable of contracting ritual impurity. However, according to Rabbi Yoḥa, who saidthat ibesasan /imeans that one bactually trampled them, why does Rabbi Yosei deemthe handles bcapable of contracting ritual impurity?Didn’t one thereby render them insignificant? bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish said:Even after the grain is trampled, the straw suits his needs, bsincethe straw bis suited tofacilitate bturning overthe grain bwith a pitchfork. /b,Apropos a pitchfork, the Gemara cites a related aggadic teaching: bRabbi Elazar said: Why are the prayers of the righteous likened to a pitchfork [ ieter /i]?It is written: “And Isaac entreated [ ivayetar /i] the Lord for his wife, because she was barren” (Genesis 25:21), bto say to you: Just as this pitchfork overturns the grain on the threshing floor from place to place, so too, the prayers of the righteous overturn the mind of the Holy One, Blessed be He, from the attribute of cruelty to the attribute of mercy,and He accepts their prayers., strongMISHNA: /strong bOnemay broofthe isukka bwith boardslike those used in the ceiling of a house; this is bthe statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Meir prohibitstheir use. bIf one placed a board that is four handbreadths wide atopthe isukka /i, the isukka bis fit.He fulfills his obligation, bprovided he does not sleep beneaththe board., strongGEMARA: /strong bRav said: The dispute is with regard to boards that have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth, the standard size for boards used in house ceilings, as bRabbi Meir is ofthe opinion that the Sages issued bthe decree of the roof.In that case, the roofing of the isukkawith boards that wide could be confused with a ceiling. If it were permitted to roof the isukkawith a board that size, one might come to sleep beneath the ceiling of his own home during the Festival. bAnd Rabbi Yehuda is not ofthe opinion that the Sages issued bthe decree of the roof. However, with regard to boards that do not have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth, beveryone agrees thatthe isukka bis fit. And Shmuel said: The dispute is with regard to boards that do not have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth; bhowever,if bthey have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth, beveryone agrees that it is unfit. /b,The Gemara asks: According to Shmuel, the dispute is with regard to boards that bdo not have fourhandbreadths in their width, bandapparently the same would hold true bevenif their width were bless than threehandbreadths. In that case, baren’t they merely reeds;why would Rabbi Meir prohibit their use?, bRav Pappa saidthat bthis is whatShmuel bis saying:If bthey have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth, beveryone agrees thatthe isukkais bunfit.If their width is bless than threehandbreadths, beveryone agrees thatthe isukkais bfit. What is the reason?It is because bthey are merely reeds. When they disagreein the mishna, their disagreement pertains to a case where the boards are bfrom three to fourhandbreadths wide. In that case, one bSage,Rabbi Yehuda, bholdsthat bsince they are not the measure ofa significant bplace, we do not issue a decreeprohibiting their use. bAndone bSage,Rabbi Meir, bholdsthat bsince they have departed from thehalakhic bstatus ofbeing bjoined [ ilavud /i],which applies only to gaps of less than three handbreadths, bwe issue a decreeprohibiting their use as roofing.,The Gemara cites proof with regard to the dispute between Rav and Shmuel. bWe learnedin the mishna: bIf one placed a board that is four handbreadths wide atopthe isukka /i, the isukka bis fit.He fulfills his obligation, bprovided he does not sleep beneaththe board. bGranted, according to Shmuel, who saidthat bthe dispute is with regard to boards that do not have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth, bhowever,if bthey have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth, beveryone agrees that it is unfitroofing, it is bdue to thatreason that bone should not sleep beneaththe board. bHowever, according to Rav,who bsaidthat bthe dispute is with regard to boards that have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth, bhowever,if bthey do not have fourhandbreadths bin theirwidth, beveryone agrees that it is fit, according to Rabbi Yehuda, whymay bone not sleep beneath it? /b,The Gemara answers: bDo you holdthat this last ihalakhain the mishna, about not sleeping beneath the board, bisa ruling with which beveryone,including Rabbi Yehuda bagrees?Rather, in bthe latter clauseof the mishna bwe have come tothe opinion of bRabbi Meir.He alone, not Rabbi Yehuda, holds that one may not sleep beneath the board. Therefore, no proof can be cited from the mishna.,The Gemara cites an additional proof. bComeand bhear: Two sheetsplaced over the roofing of the isukka bjoin togetherto constitute four handbreadths, the measure of unfit roofing that renders a isukkaunfit. |
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13. Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 29a. הרהורי עבירה קשו מעבירה וסימניך ריחא דבישרא שילהי דקייטא קשיא מקייטא וסימניך תנורא שגירא,אישתא דסיתוא קשיא מדקייטא וסימניך תנורא קרירא מיגמר בעתיקתא קשיא מחדתא וסימניך טינא בר טינא,א"ר אבהו מ"ט דרבי דכתיב (תהלים כב, א) למנצח על אילת השחר מה אילה זו קרניה מפצילות לכאן ולכאן אף שחר זה מפציע לכאן ולכאן,א"ר זירא למה נמשלה אסתר לאילה לומר לך מה אילה רחמה צר וחביבה על בעלה כל שעה ושעה כשעה ראשונה אף אסתר היתה חביבה על אחשורוש כל שעה ושעה כשעה ראשונה א"ר אסי למה נמשלה אסתר לשחר לומר לך מה שחר סוף כל הלילה אף אסתר סוף כל הנסים,והא איכא חנוכה ניתנה לכתוב קא אמרינן הניחא למאן דאמר אסתר ניתנה לכתוב אלא למאן דאמר אסתר לא ניתנה לכתוב מאי איכא למימר,מוקים לה כר' בנימין בר יפת אמר ר' אלעזר דאמר רבי בנימין בר יפת אמר רבי אלעזר למה נמשלו תפלתן של צדיקים כאילת לומר לך מה אילה זו כל זמן שמגדלת קרניה מפצילות אף צדיקים כל זמן שמרבין בתפלה תפלתן נשמעת,שחטו את התמיד אימת אילימא בשאר ימות השנה לא סגיא דלאו כהן גדול אלא ביום הכפורים מאור הלבנה מי איכא,הכי קאמר וביום הכפורים כי אמר ברק ברקאי הורידו כ"ג לבית הטבילה,תני אבוה דרבי אבין לא זו בלבד אמרו אלא אף מליקת העוף וקמיצת מנחה בלילה תשרף בשלמא עולת העוף מאי דהוה הוה אלא קומץ | 29a. bThoughts of transgression are worse than transgressionitself, band your mnemonic is the odor of meat.The smell of roasting meat is more appetizing than actually eating the meat. The heat of bthe end of summer is more oppressive than theheat of the bsummeritself, band your mnemonic is a heated oven.After an oven has been heated several times in the course of a day, lighting it again, even slightly, will produce powerful heat. So too, at the end of the summer, since everything is hot, the heat is more oppressive., bA fever inthe bwinter is more powerful thana fever binthe bsummer, and your mnemonic is a cold oven.Heating a cold oven requires greater heat than heating a hot oven. A fever that succeeds in raising the body temperature in the winter must be more powerful than a fever that raises the body temperature in the summer. bRelearning oldmaterial that was known and forgotten bis more difficult than learning from newmaterial. bAnd your mnemonic ismixing bmortar from mortar.It is harder to take hardened mortar, crush it, and mix new mortar than it is to simply mix new mortar.,Apropos moonlight and sunlight discussed previously, bRabbi Abbahu said: What is the rationalefor the statement of bRabbiYehuda HaNasi that sunlight diffuses and in that sense is dissimilar to moonlight? It is bas it is written: “For the leader, about the morning hind”(Psalms 22:1); bjust as the antlers of a hind branch out to here and to there, so too,the light of bdawn diffuses to here and to there. /b,In tractate iMegilla /i, the Gemara states that Queen Esther prophetically recited this Psalm in reference to her situation as she was about to come before King Ahasuerus without being summoned. bRabbi Zeira said: Why is Esther likened to a hind?It is bto tell you: Just asin the case of ba hind its womb is narrow and it is desirable to its mate at each and every hour likeit is at bthe first hour, so too, Esther was desirable to Ahasuerus at each and every hour likeshe was at bthe first hour. Rabbi Asi said: Why was Esther likened to the dawn?It is bto tell you: Just as the dawn is the conclusion of the entire night, so too, Esther was the conclusion of all miraclesperformed for the entire Jewish people.,The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t therethe miracle of bHanukkah,which was performed many years later? The Gemara answers: It is true that additional miracles were performed after the miracle of Purim; however, it is with regard to miracles for which permission bwas granted to writethem in the Bible that bwe are sayingthat the miracle of Purim was the last one. The Gemara asks: bThatworks out bwell according to the one who said:Permission bwas granted to writethe Scroll of bEstherin the Bible as a book whose sanctity equals that of the other books of the Bible. bHowever, according to the one who said:Permission bwas not granted to writethe Scroll of bEstherin the Bible, and its sanctity does not reach the level of the other books of the Bible, bwhat can be said? /b,The Gemara answers: Actually, Purim was not the conclusion of all miracles performed for the entire Jewish people, and the one who holds that permission was not granted for the Scroll of Esther to be written bestablishesthe analogy between Esther and the hind bin accordance withthe statement that bRabbi Binyamin bar Yefetsaid bthat Rabbi Elazar said; as Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet saidthat bRabbi Elazar said: Why are the prayers of the righteous likened to a hind?It is bto tell you: Just aswith regard to ba hind, as long as it grows its antlers theycontinue to bbranch out; so too,with regard to bthe righteous, as long as theyengage bmore in prayer their prayer is heard. /b,§ The mishna relates that as a result of the confusion, bthey slaughtered the daily offeringbefore dawn. The Gemara asks: bWhendid this incident occur? bIf we sayit occurred bduring the rest of the days of the year, is there no alternativeto having the service performed by bthe High Priest?The mishna states that after slaughtering the daily offering, they led the High Priest down to the Hall of Immersion. On all the other days of the year, the High Priest need not perform the service and it may be performed by a common priest. bRather,it must be that this incident occurred bon Yom Kippur,when the service is performed exclusively by the High Priest. However, in that case, bis there moonlight?According to the lunar cycle, the moon never rises in the east adjacent to dawn on Yom Kippur.,The Gemara answers that bthis is whatthe mishna bis saying:The incident occurred during the rest of the year, at which point they instituted that the appointed priest announce the arrival of dawn in the Temple. bAnd on Yom Kippur, whenthe appointed priest bsaid: The light flashed, theyimmediately bled the High Priest down to the Hall of Immersion. /b,Apropos this fundamental ihalakha /i, bthe father of Rabbi Avin taughta ibaraita /i: bNot only this,that a daily offering slaughtered before dawn is disqualified and burned, bdid they say; rather, evenin the case of bthe pinching of theneck of ba bird and the taking of the handful of a meal-offeringthat are performed bat night,these items must bbe burned.The Gemara analyzes the ibaraita /i: bGranted, a birdsacrificed as ba burnt-offeringis disqualified if pinched before dawn; bwhat was, was.The situation can no longer be remedied, and the bird must be burned. bHowever,why should bthe handfulof a meal-offering be burned? |
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14. Anon., Pesiqta De Rav Kahana, 1.1
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