1. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 58a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 58a. אמר רבי ירמיה בן אלעזר נתקללה בבל נתקללו שכניה נתקללה שומרון נתברכו שכניה נתקללה בבל נתקללו שכניה דכתיב (ישעיהו יד, כג) ושמתיה למורש קפוד ואגמי מים נתקללה שומרון נתברכו שכניה דכתיב (מיכה א, ו) ושמתי שומרון לעי השדה למטעי כרם וגו',ואמר רב המנונא הרואה אוכלוסי ישראל אומר ברוך חכם הרזים אוכלוסי עובדי כוכבים אומר (ירמיהו נ, יב) בושה אמכם וגו',ת"ר הרואה אוכלוסי ישראל אומר ברוך חכם הרזים שאין דעתם דומה זה לזה ואין פרצופיהן דומים זה לזה בן זומא ראה אוכלוסא על גב מעלה בהר הבית אמר ברוך חכם הרזים וברוך שברא כל אלו לשמשני,הוא היה אומר כמה יגיעות יגע אדם הראשון עד שמצא פת לאכול חרש וזרע וקצר ועמר ודש וזרה וברר וטחן והרקיד ולש ואפה ואח"כ אכל ואני משכים ומוצא כל אלו מתוקנין לפני וכמה יגיעות יגע אדם הראשון עד שמצא בגד ללבוש גזז ולבן ונפץ וטוה וארג ואחר כך מצא בגד ללבוש ואני משכים ומוצא כל אלו מתוקנים לפני כל אומות שוקדות ובאות לפתח ביתי ואני משכים ומוצא כל אלו לפני,הוא היה אומר אורח טוב מהו אומר כמה טרחות טרח בעל הבית בשבילי כמה בשר הביא לפני כמה יין הביא לפני כמה גלוסקאות הביא לפני וכל מה שטרח לא טרח אלא בשבילי אבל אורח רע מהו אומר מה טורח טרח בעל הבית זה פת אחת אכלתי חתיכה אחת אכלתי כוס אחד שתיתי כל טורח שטרח בעל הבית זה לא טרח אלא בשביל אשתו ובניו,על אורח טוב מהו אומר (איוב לו, כד) זכור כי תשגיא פעלו אשר שוררו אנשים על אורח רע כתיב (איוב לז, כד) לכן יראוהו אנשים וגו',(שמואל א יז, יב) והאיש בימי שאול זקן בא באנשים אמר רבא ואיתימא רב זביד ואיתימא רב אושעיא זה ישי אבי דוד שיצא באוכלוסא ונכנס באוכלוסא ודרש באוכלוסא אמר עולא נקיטינן אין אוכלוסא בבבל תנא אין אוכלוסא פחותה מששים רבוא,ת"ר הרואה חכמי ישראל אומר ברוך שחלק מחכמתו ליראיו חכמי עובדי כוכבים אומר ברוך שנתן מחכמתו לבריותיו הרואה מלכי ישראל אומר ברוך שחלק מכבודו ליראיו מלכי עובדי כוכבים אומר ברוך שנתן מכבודו לבריותיו,א"ר יוחנן לעולם ישתדל אדם לרוץ לקראת מלכי ישראל ולא לקראת מלכי ישראל בלבד אלא אפי' לקראת מלכי עובדי כוכבים שאם יזכה יבחין בין מלכי ישראל למלכי עובדי כוכבים,רב ששת סגי נהור הוה הוו קאזלי כולי עלמא לקבולי אפי מלכא וקם אזל בהדייהו רב ששת אשכחיה ההוא צדוקי אמר ליה חצבי לנהרא כגני לייא אמר ליה תא חזי דידענא טפי מינך חלף גונדא קמייתא כי קא אוושא אמר ליה ההוא צדוקי אתא מלכא אמר ליה רב ששת לא קאתי חלף גונדא תניינא כי קא אוושא אמר ליה ההוא צדוקי השתא קא אתי מלכא אמר ליה רב ששת לא קא אתי מלכא חליף תליתאי כי קא שתקא אמר ליה רב ששת ודאי השתא אתי מלכא,אמר ליה ההוא צדוקי מנא לך הא אמר ליה דמלכותא דארעא כעין מלכותא דרקיעא דכתיב (מלכים א יט, יא) צא ועמדת בהר לפני ה' והנה ה' עובר ורוח גדולה וחזק מפרק הרים ומשבר סלעים לפני ה' לא ברוח ה' ואחר הרוח רעש לא ברעש ה' ואחר הרעש אש לא באש ה' ואחר האש קול דממה דקה,כי אתא מלכא פתח רב ששת וקא מברך ליה אמר ליה ההוא צדוקי למאן דלא חזית ליה קא מברכת ומאי הוי עליה דההוא צדוקי איכא דאמרי חברוהי כחלינהו לעיניה ואיכא דאמרי רב ששת נתן עיניו בו ונעשה גל של עצמות,ר' שילא נגדיה לההוא גברא דבעל מצרית אזל אכל ביה קורצי בי מלכא אמר איכא חד גברא ביהודאי דקא דיין דינא בלא הרמנא דמלכא שדר עליה פריסתקא כי אתא אמרי ליה מה טעמא נגדתיה להאי אמר להו דבא על חמרתא אמרי ליה אית לך סהדי אמר להו אין אתא אליהו אדמי ליה כאיניש ואסהיד אמרי ליה אי הכי בר קטלא הוא אמר להו אנן מיומא דגלינן מארעין לית לן רשותא למקטל אתון מאי דבעיתון עבידו ביה,עד דמעייני ביה בדינא פתח ר' שילא ואמר (דברי הימים א כט, יא) לך ה' הגדולה והגבורה וגו' אמרי ליה מאי קאמרת אמר להו הכי קאמינא בריך רחמנא דיהיב מלכותא בארעא כעין מלכותא דרקיעא ויהב לכו שולטנא ורחמי דינא אמרו חביבא עליה יקרא דמלכותא כולי האי יהבי ליה קולפא אמרו ליה דון דינא,כי הוה נפיק אמר ליה ההוא גברא עביד רחמנא ניסא לשקרי הכי אמר ליה רשע לאו חמרי איקרו דכתיב (יחזקאל כג, כ) אשר בשר חמורים בשרם חזייה דקאזיל למימרא להו דקרינהו חמרי אמר האי רודף הוא והתורה אמרה אם בא להרגך השכם להרגו מחייה בקולפא וקטליה,אמר הואיל ואתעביד לי ניסא בהאי קרא דרשינא ליה לך ה' הגדולה זו מעשה בראשית וכן הוא אומר (איוב ט, י) עושה גדולות עד אין חקר והגבורה זו יציאת מצרים שנאמר (שמות יד, לא) וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה וגו' והתפארת זו חמה ולבנה שיעמדו לו ליהושע שנאמר (יהושע י, יג) וידום השמש וירח עמד וגו' והנצח זו מפלתה של רומי וכן הוא אומר (ישעיהו סג, ג) ויז נצחם על בגדי וגו' וההוד זו מלחמת נחלי ארנון שנאמר (במדבר כא, יד) על כן יאמר בספר מלחמות ה' את והב בסופה וגו' כי כל בשמים ובארץ זו מלחמת סיסרא שנאמר (שופטים ה, כ) מן שמים נלחמו הכוכבים ממסלותם וגו' לך ה' הממלכה זו מלחמת עמלק וכן הוא אומר (שמות יז, טז) כי יד על כס יה והמתנשא זו מלחמת גוג ומגוג וכן הוא אומר (יחזקאל לח, ג) הנני אליך גוג נשיא ראש משך ותובל לכל לראש אמר רב חנן בר רבא אמר ר' יוחנן אפילו ריש גרגיתא מן שמיא מנו ליה,במתניתא תנא משמיה דרבי עקיבא לך ה' הגדולה זו קריעת ים סוף והגבורה זו מכת בכורות והתפארת זו מתן תורה והנצח זו ירושלים וההוד זו בית המקדש: | 58a. With regard to Babylonia, the Gemara cites what bRabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said:When bBabylonia was cursed, its neighbors were cursedalong with it. When bSamaria was cursed, its neighbors were blessed.When bBabylonia was cursed its neighbors were cursedalong with it, bas it is written: “I will also make it a possession for the bittern,a wading bird, band pools of water”(Isaiah 14:23); not only will it be destroyed, but the site will become a habitat for destructive, environmentally harmful creatures. When bSamaria was cursed,however, bits neighbors were blessed, as it is written: “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the field, a place for the planting of vineyards”(Micah 1:6); although destroyed, it will serve a beneficial purpose., bAnd Rav Hamnuna said: One who sees multitudes of Israel,six hundred thousand Jews, brecites: Blessed…Who knows all secrets.One who sees bmultitudes of gentiles recites: “Your mother shall be sore ashamed,she that bore you shall be confounded; behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert” (Jeremiah 50:12)., bThe Sages taughtin a iTosefta /i: bOne who sees multitudes of Israel recites: Blessed…Who knows all secrets.Why is this? He sees a whole nation bwhose minds are unlike each other and whose faces are unlike each other,and He Who knows all secrets, God, knows what is in each of their hearts. The Gemara relates: bBen Zoma once saw a multitude [ iokhlosa /i] of Israelwhile standing bon a stair on the Temple Mount.He immediately brecited: Blessed…Who knows all secrets and Blessed…Who created all these to serve me. /b,Explaining his custom, bhe would say: How much effort did Adam the firstman bexert before he found bread to eat:He bplowed, sowed, reaped, sheaved, threshed, winnowedin the wind, bseparatedthe grain from the chaff, bgroundthe grain into flour, bsifted, kneaded, and baked andonly bthereafter he ate. And I,on the other hand, bwake up and find all of these prepared for me.Human society employs a division of labor, and each individual benefits from the service of the entire world. Similarly, bhow much effort did Adam the firstman bexert before he found a garment to wear?He bsheared, laundered, combed, spun and wove, andonly bthereafter he found a garment to wear. And I,on the other hand, bwake up and find all of these prepared for me.Members of ball nations,merchants and craftsmen, bdiligently come to the entrance of my home, and I wake up and find all of these before me. /b,Ben Zoma bwould say: A good guest, what does he say? How much effort did the host expend on my behalf, how much meat didthe host bbring before me. How much wine did he bring before me. How many loaves [ igeluskaot /i] did he bring before me. All theeffort bthat he expended, he expended only for me. However, a bad guest, what does he say? What effort did the host expend? I ateonly bonepiece of bbread, I ateonly bone piece of meatand bI drankonly bone cupof wine. bAll the effort that the home owner expended he only expended on behalf of his wife and children. /b, bWith regard to a good guest, what does he say? “Remember that you magnify his work, whereof men have sung”(Job 36:24); he praises and acknowledges those who helped him. bWith regard to a bad guest it is written: “Men do therefore fear him;he regards not any who are wise of heart” (Job 37:24).,On the topic of multitudes, the Gemara cites another verse: b“And the man in the days of Saul was old, and came among men”(I Samuel 17:12). bRava, and some say Rav Zevid, and some say Rav Oshaya, said: Thisrefers to bYishai, father of David, whoalways bwent out with multitudes, and entered with multitudes, and taught Torah with multitudes. Ulla said: We hold there is no multitude in Babylonia.The Sage btaught: A multitude is no fewer than six hundred thousandpeople., bThe Sages taught: One who sees the Sages of Israel recites: Blessed…Who has shared of His wisdom with those who revere Him.One who sees bSages of the nations of the world recites: Blessed…Who has given of His wisdom to flesh and blood. One who sees kings of Israel recites: Blessed…Who has shared of His glory with those who revere Him.One who sees bkings of theother bnations of the world recites: Blessed…Who has given of His glory to flesh and blood. /b, bRabbi Yoḥa said: One should always strive to run toward kings of Israelto greet them. bAnd not onlyshould he run btoward kings of Israel, but also toward kings of the nations of the world, so that if he will be privilegedto witnesses the glory of the Messiah (Rashi) and the World-to-Come, bhe will distinguish between the kings of Israel and the kings of the nations of the world. /b,The Gemara relates: bRav Sheshet was blind. Everyone was going to greet the king and Rav Sheshet stood up and went along with them. This heretic found himthere and bsaid to him:The intact bjugsgo bto the river, where do the brokenjugs bgo?Why is a blind person going to see the king? Rav Sheshet bsaid to him: Come see that I know more than youdo. bThe first troop passed,and bwhen the noise grew louder, this heretic said to him: The king is coming. Rav Sheshet said to him:The king bis not coming. The second troop passed,and bwhen the noise grew louder, this heretic said to him: Now the king is coming. Rav Sheshet said to him: The king is not coming. The thirdtroop bpassed,and bwhen there was silence, Rav Sheshet said to him: Certainly now the king is coming. /b, bThis heretic said to him: How do you know this?Rav Sheshet bsaid to him: Royalty on earth is like royalty in the heavens, as it is writtenwith regard to God’s revelation to Elijah the Prophet on Mount Horeb: br b“And He said: Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.br bAnd, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord;br bbut the Lord was not in the wind;br band after the wind an earthquake;br bbut the Lord was not in the earthquake;br band after the earthquake a fire;br bbut the Lord was not in the fire;br band after the fire a still small voice.brAnd it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave” (I Kings 19:11–13). God’s revelation was specifically at the moment of silence., bWhen the king came, Rav Sheshet began to bless him. The hereticmockingly bsaid to him: Do you bless someone you do not see?The Gemara asks: bAnd what ultimately happened to this heretic? Some saythat bhis friends gouged out his eyes, and some saythat bRav Sheshet fixed his gaze upon him, andthe heretic bbecame a pile of bones. /b,As for the connection between divine and earthly royalty, the Gemara cites another story: bRabbi Sheilaordered that ba man who had relations with a gentile woman be flogged.That man bwent to inform the king and said: There is one man among the Jews who renders judgment without the king’s authority [ iharmana /i].The king bsent a messenger [ iperistaka /i] forRabbi Sheila to bring him to trial. bWhenRabbi Sheila bcame, they said to him: Why did youorder bflogging for this man? He said to them:Because bhe had relations with a female donkey.According to Persian law this was an extremely heinous crime, so bthey said to him: Do you have witnessesthat he did so? bHe replied: Yes,and bElijah the prophet cameand bappeared as a person and testified. They said toRabbi Sheila: bIf so, he is liable for the death penalty;why did you not sentence him to death? bHe replied: Since the day we were exiled from our land we do not have the authority to execute,but byou, do with him as you wish. /b, bAsthey bconsidered the sentence,Rabbi Sheila praised God for saving him from danger: b“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, power,glory, triumph, and majesty; for all that is in heaven and on earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all” (I Chronicles 29:11). bThey asked him: What did you say? He told them: This is what I said: Blessed is Merciful One who grants kingdom on earththat is a bmicrocosm of the kingdom in heaven, and granted you dominion and love of justice. They said to him:Indeed, the bhonor of royalty is so dear to you. They gave him a staffto symbolize his license to sit in judgment and bsaid to him: Judge. /b, bAs he was leaving, that man said toRabbi Sheila: bDoes God perform such miracles for liars? He replied: Scoundrel! Aren’tgentiles bcalled donkeys? As it is written: “Whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys”(Ezekiel 23:20). Rabbi Sheila bsaw that he was going to tellthe Persian authorities bthat he called them donkeys. He said:This man has the legal status of ba pursuer.He seeks to have me killed. bAnd the Torah said: If one comes to kill you, kill him first. He struck him with the staff and killed him. /b,Rabbi Sheila bsaid: Since a miracle was performed on my behalf with this versethat I cited, bI will interpret it homiletically: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness; that is the act of creation, and so it says: “Who does great things past finding out”(Job 9:10); br bAnd the power; that is the exodus from Egypt, as it is stated: “And Israel saw the great workwhich the Lord did to the bEgyptians”(Exodus 14:31); br bAnd the glory; that is the sun and the moon that stood still for Joshua, as it is stated: “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies” (Joshua 10:13); br bAnd the triumph; that is the downfall of Rome, and so it saysdescribing the downfall of Edom, whom the Sages identified as the forefather of Rome: b“Their lifeblood is dashed against My garmentsand I have stained all My raiment” (Isaiah 63:3); br bAnd the majesty; this is the war of the valleys of Arnon, as it is stated: “Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the Lord: Vahev in Sufa,and the valleys of Arnon” (Numbers 21:14); br bFor all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Yours; this is the war of Sisera, as it is stated: “They fought from heaven, the stars in their coursesfought against Sisera” (Judges 5:20). br bYours is the kingdom, O Lord; this is the war of Amalek, and so it says:“And he said: bThe hand upon the throne of the Lord:the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16), as then God will sit on His throne. br bAnd you are exalted; this is the war of Gog and Magog, and so it says: “I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshekh and Tubal”(Ezekiel 38:3); and: br bAs head above all; Rav Ḥa bar Rava saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:All leadership and authority, beventhe most insignificant, the bone responsible for distributing water, is appointed by heaven. /b, bIt was taught in a ibaraitain the name of Rabbi Akiva: br bYours, O Lord, is the greatness; this is the splitting of the Red Sea;br bthe power; this is the plague of the firstborn;br bthe glory; this is the giving of the Torah;br bthe triumph; this is Jerusalem; brand bthe majesty; this is the Temple. /b |
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2. Babylonian Talmud, Gittin, 67b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 67b. ואיכא דאפיך להו:,אמר לעשרה כתבו גט: ת"ר אמר לעשרה כתבו גט ותנו לאשתי אחד כותב על ידי כולם כולכם כתובו אחד כותב במעמד כולם הוליכו גט לאשתי אחד מוליך ע"י כולם כולכם הוליכו אחד מוליך במעמד כולם,איבעיא להו מנה אותן מהו רב הונא אמר מנה אינו ככולכם ר' יוחנן משום ר' אלעזר דמן רומה אמר מנה הרי הוא ככולכם,אמר רב פפא ולא פליגי הא דמנה כולהו והא דמנה מקצתייהו אמרי לה להאי גיסא ואמרי לה להאי גיסא,אתקין רב יהודה בגיטא דכולכם כתובו או כולכון או כל חד וחד מינכון חתומו או כולכון או כל תרי מינכון אובילו או כולכון או כל חד וחד מינכון,אמר רבא זימנין דגאיז ליה לדיבוריה ואמר כולכון ולא אמר כל חד מינכון ואתי לאיפסולי,אלא אמר רבא כתובו כל חד מינכון חתומו כל תרי מינכון אובילו כל חד מינכון:, br br big strongהדרן עלך האומר: /strong /big br br,מתני׳ big strongמי /strong /big שאחזו קורדייקוס ואמר כתבו גט לאשתי לא אמר כלום אמר כתבו גט לאשתי ואחזו קורדייקוס וחזר ואמר לא תכתבנו אין דבריו האחרונים כלום,נשתתק ואמרו לו נכתוב גט לאשתך והרכין בראשו בודקין אותו שלשה פעמים אם אמר על לאו לאו ועל הן הן הרי אלו יכתבו ויתנו:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big מאי קורדייקוס אמר שמואל דנכתיה חמרא חדתא דמעצרתא וליתני מי שנשכו יין חדש הא קמ"ל דהא רוחא קורדייקוס שמה,למאי נפקא מינה לקמיעא מאי אסותיה בישרא סומקא אגומרי וחמרא מרקא,אמר אביי אמרה לי אם לשימשא בת יומא כוזא דמיא בת תרי יומי סיכורי בת תלתא יומי בשרא סומקא אגומרי וחמרא מרקא לשימשא עתיקתא ליתי תרנגולתא אוכמתי וליקרעה שתי וערב וליגלחיה למציעתא דרישיה ולותביה עילויה וננחיה עילויה עד דמיסרך,ולינחות וליקום במיא עד צואריה עד דחליש עלמא עילויה ולימוד ולסליק וליתיב ואי לא ליכול כרתי ולינחות וליקום במיא עד צואריה עד דחליש עלמא עילויה ולימוד ולסליק וליתיב,לשימשא בישרא סומקא אגומרי וחמרא מרקא לתלגא בישרא שמינא אגומרי וחמרא חייא,רב עמרם חסידא כי הוה מצערין ליה בי ריש גלותא הוו מגנו ליה אתלגא למחר אמרו ליה מאי ניחא ליה למר דלייתו ליה אמר הני כל דאמינא להו מיפך אפכי אמר להו בישרא סומקא אגומרי וחמרא מרקא אייתו ליה אינהו בישרא שמינא אגומרי וחמרא חייא,שמעה ילתא ומעיילה ליה לבי מסותא ומוקמי ליה במיא דבי מסותא עד דמהפכי מיא דבי מסותא והוו דמא וקאי בישריה פשיטי פשיטי,רב יוסף איעסק בריחיא רב ששת איעסק בכשורי אמר גדולה מלאכה שמחממת את בעליה,א"ל ריש גלותא לרב ששת מ"ט לא סעיד מר גבן א"ל דלא מעלו עבדי דחשידי אאבר מן החי א"ל מי יימר אמר ליה השתא מחוינא לך א"ל לשמעיה זיל גנוב אייתי לי חדא כרעא מחיותא,אייתי ליה אמר להו אהדמו לי הדמי דחיותא אייתו תלת כרעי אותיבו קמיה אמר להו הא בעלת שלש רגלים הואי פסוק אייתו חדא מעלמא אותיבו קמיה אמר ליה לשמעיה אותביה נמי להך דידך אותבה אמר להו האי בת חמש רגלים הואי,אמר ליה אי הכי ליעבדו קמיה (שמעיה) דמר וליכול א"ל לחיי קריבו תכא קמייהו ואייתו קמיה בישרא ואותיבו קמיה ריסתנא דחנקא חמתא גששיה ושקלה כרכה בסודריה,לבתר דאכיל אמרי ליה | 67b. bAnd there arethose bwho reversethe attribution of the opinions of Rabba and Rav Yosef with regard to this matter.,The mishna teaches that if a man bsaid to tenpeople: bWriteand give ba bill of divorceto my wife, one of the ten writes the bill of divorce and two sign it. bThe Sages taught:If bone said to tenpeople: bWrite a bill of divorce and giveit bto my wife, one writes on behalf of them all.If he said: bAll of you writethe document, bone writesit bin the presence of them all.If he said: bDeliver a bill of divorce to my wife, oneperson bbringsit bon behalf of them all.If he said: bAll of you delivera bill of divorce, then bone bringsit bin the presence of them all. /b, bA dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: If he said: Write a bill of divorce, and bhe enumerated themby name, bwhat isthe ihalakha /i? Can one of them write the bill of divorce on behalf of them all? Or perhaps it is comparable to a situation where one says: All of you write, when it must be written in the presence of them all. bRav Huna says:If bone enumeratedthem by name, bit is not comparable tosaying: bAll of youwrite. bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Elazar of Rome:If bone enumeratedthem by name, bit is comparable tosaying: bAll of youwrite., bRav Pappa said: And they do not disagree. Thisis referring to a case bwhere he enumerated them all, and thatis referring to a case bwhere he enumerated some of them. Some saythat the distinction between the cases should be explained bin this manner, and some say it in that manner.Some explain that the distinction is that if he enumerated them all, he insists that they all participate, but if he enumerated some of them, he does not insist that they do so. He enumerated the names that he did only to indicate that he wants the people performing the task to be chosen from those people. Others explain that if he enumerated only some of them, he thereby expressed his intent that they alone participate, but if he enumerated them all but did not say: All of you write, that is not the case.,The Gemara recounts: bRav Yehuda instituted inthe case of ba bill of divorcewith regard to which the husband gave instructions in the presence of many people and the concern is that it will be interpreted that he said: bAll of youwrite, and if they do not all sign there will be uncertainty whether or not the woman is divorced, that he should say: bWriteit, beither all of you or each and every one of you; signit, beither all of you or every two of you; deliverit, beither all of you or each and every one of you.In that way, there is no concern that the bill of divorce will be invalid if one of them fails to participate., bRava said:This ordice still leaves room for a pitfall. Since Rav Yehuda instituted a formula that is that long and complex, bsometimesthe husband bmay truncate his statement and say: All of you, but he will not say: Every one of you. Andthe bill of divorce bwill be invalidatedas a result., bRather, Rava saidthat he must say: bEach of youmay bwriteit, bevery two of youmay bsignit, beach one of youmay bdeliverit. However, he should not say: All of you, so that the bill of divorce will not be invalidated if one fails to do so.,, strongMISHNA: /strong In the case of bone who was afflicted withtemporary binsanity [ ikordeyakos /i] and said: Write a bill of divorce for my wife, he said nothing,because he was not lucid at the time. If bhe said: Write a bill of divorce for my wife,when he was lucid, band wasthen bafflicted withtemporary binsanity and he retractedhis previous statement band said: Do not write it, his latter statementis considered to be bnothing,i.e., it is not halakhically valid.,The mishna continues: In a case where the husband bbecame mute, andtwo people bsaid to him:Shall bwe write a bill of divorce for your wife, and he nodded his headindicating his agreement, bthey examine himwith various questions bthree times. If he responded toquestions that have ba negativeanswer: bNo, andresponded btoquestions that have ba positiveanswer: bYes,indicating his competence, bthey shall writethe bill of divorce band giveit to his wife based on the nod of his head., strongGEMARA: /strong The Gemara asks: bWhatis the nature of the temporary binsanitymentioned in the mishna? bShmuel said:The reference is to one bwho was afflicted bydrinking bnew wine thatcame directly bfrom the winepress.The Gemara asks: bAnd letthe itannaof the mishna then bteachexplicitly: With regard to bone who was afflicted bydrinking bnew wine.The Gemara answers: bThis teaches us that the name of the demonthat causes this insanity bis iKordeyakos /i. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat difference is there?The Gemara answers: The difference is with regard btowriting ban amuletto prevent harm caused by the demon. The amulet must include the name of the demon. The Gemara asks: bWhat is the remedyfor that illness? The Gemara responds: The afflicted person should eat bred meatroasted bover coals anddrink bwine diluted [ imarka /i]with a large amount of water., bAbaye said:My bmother told methat the remedy bfor a day-old fever,i.e., one contracted that day, is drinking ba jug [ ikuza /i] of water.The remedy for a fever btwo days oldis bbloodletting [ isikurei /i].The remedy for a fever bthree days oldis eating bred meatroasted bover coals anddrinking bdiluted wine. For an old feverthat lasts for an extended period of time, the remedy is bto bring a black hen, tear it lengthwise and widthwise, shave the middle ofthe sufferer’s bhead, and placethe hen bupon it, and leavethe hen bupon him untilit badheres to hishead due to the blood., bAnd let him descendinto the water band let him stand in the water up to his neck until the worldappears bfaint for him,i.e., he feels faint. bAnd let him submergehimself in the water, band emergefrom the water band sitand rest. bAnd ifhe is bnotable to undergo this process, blet him eat leeks, and descendinto the water, band stand in the water up to his neck until the worldappears bfaint for him. And let him submergehimself in the water, band emergefrom the water band sitand rest.,The remedy bfor a feveris eating bred meatthat was roasted bover coals anddrinking bdiluted wine.A remedy bfor the chillsis eating bfatty meatthat was roasted bover coals anddrinking bundiluted wine. /b,It was related: bWhen themembers bof the Exilarch’s house would afflict Rav Amram the pious they wouldmake bhim lie downto sleep all night bonthe bsnow. The next day they would say to him: What is preferable for the Master,i.e., Rav Amram, bfor us to bring himto eat? Rav Amram bsaidto himself: bAnything I say to them,they will do bthe opposite. He said to them:Bring me bred meatroasted bover coals and diluted wine. They brought him fatty meatroasted bover coals and undiluted wineinstead, which is what Rav Amram had intended, because this is the remedy for one who suffers from the chills., bYalta,Rav Naḥman’s wife, bheardwhat the members of the Exilarch’s house did, and that Rav Amram was suffering from the chills. bAnd she brought him to the bathhouse, and placed him in the water of the bathhouse until the water of the bathhouse turnedred like bblood. And his flesh becamecovered with spots that looked like bcoins [ ipeshitei /i]. /b,It is related: When bRav Yosefsuffered from the cold bhe would work bygrinding with bmillstonesin order to keep warm. When bRav Sheshetsuffered from the cold bhe would work bylifting bbeams. He said: Great is labor, as it warms its master. /b,§ The Gemara relates another incident of the house of the Exilarch: bThe Exilarch said to Rav Sheshet: What is the reasonthat the bMaster,i.e., Rav Sheshet, bdoes not eat with us? He said to him: Because the slavesdo not act baccording to a high standard, asthey are bsuspectedof transgressing the prohibition against eating ba limbsevered bfrom a livinganimal. The Exilarch bsaid to him: Who saysthat this is so? Rav Sheshet bsaid to him: I will now show you.Rav Sheshet bsaid to his servant: Go steal one leg from the animalthat the servants of the Exilarch’s house slaughtered for a meal and bbringit bto me. /b,Rav Sheshet’s servant bbroughtone leg bto himand afterward Rav Sheshet bsaid tothe servants of the Exilarch’s household: bSet out the portions of the animal for me. They brought himonly bthree legs and placed them before him,because the fourth leg had been stolen. Rav Sheshet bsaid to them: Did thisanimal bhaveonly bthree legs?When the servants heard this bthey cut oneleg bfrom anotherliving animal and bthey broughtit and bplacedit bbeforeRav Sheshet. Rav Sheshet bsaid to his servant: Bringout bthisleg bof yours,i.e., that you stole, bas well. He placedthat leg on the table and Rav Sheshet bsaid to them: Did thisanimal bhave five legs? /b,The Exilarch realized that he could not rely on his servants. bHe said toRav Sheshet: bIf so, they should preparethe meat bin the presence ofmy bMaster’s servant andthen you can beatwithout concern. Rav Sheshet bsaid to him: Very well. They brought a table before them, and they broughtthe bmeat before him. Andthe servants bplaced a smallbone in the meat bbefore him so thatit bwould causeRav Sheshet to bchoke.Since Rav Sheshet was blind, they thought that he would be unable to notice the bone. bHe felt it, tookthe entire piece of meat and bwrapped it in his scarf [ isudarei /i]out of concern that he would be hurt by the small bones that he could not see., bAfter he ate,the servants realized what he had done and they wanted to show the Exilarch that Rav Sheshet did not eat the meat that was given to him. Therefore, the servants bsaid tothe Exilarch: |
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3. Babylonian Talmud, Hulin, 105b-106a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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4. Babylonian Talmud, Pesahim, 110a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 110a. מצוה באפי נפשה הוא,לא יעשה צרכיו תרי אמאי נמלך הוא אמר אביי הכי קאמר לא יאכל תרי וישתה תרי ולא יעשה צרכיו אפילו פעם אחת דילמא חליש ומיתרע,ת"ר שותה כפלים דמו בראשו אמר רב יהודה אימתי בזמן שלא ראה פני השוק אבל ראה פני השוק הרשות בידו אמר רב אשי חזינא ליה לרב חנניא בר ביבי דאכל כסא הוה נפיק וחזי אפי שוקא,ולא אמרן אלא לצאת לדרך אבל בביתו לא אמר ר' זירא ולישן כלצאת לדרך דמי אמר רב פפא ולצאת לבית הכסא כלצאת לדרך דמי ובביתו לא והא רבא מני כשורי,ואביי כי שתי חד כסא מנקיט ליה אימיה תרי כסי בתרי ידיה ורב נחמן בר יצחק כי הוה שתי תרי כסי מנקיט ליה שמעיה חד כסא חד כסא מנקיט ליה תרי כסי בתרי ידיה אדם חשוב שאני,אמר עולא עשרה כוסות אין בהם משום זוגות עולא לטעמיה דאמר עולא ואמרי לה במתניתא תנא עשרה כוסות תיקנו חכמים בבית האבל ואי ס"ד עשרה כוסות יש בהן משום זוגות היכי קיימי רבנן ותקנו מילתא דאתי לידי סכנה אבל תמניא יש בהן משום זוגות,רב חסדא ורבה בר רב הונא דאמרי תרוייהו שלום לטובה מצטרף לרעה לא מצטרף אבל שיתא יש בהן משום זוגות,רבה ורב יוסף דאמרי תרוייהו ויחונך לטובה מצטרף לרעה לא מצטרף אבל ארבעה יש בהן משום זוגות,אביי ורבא דאמרי תרוייהו וישמרך לטובה מצטרף לרעה לא מצטרף,ואזדא רבא לטעמיה דרבא אפקינהו לרבנן בארבעה כוסות אע"ג דאיתזק רבא בר ליואי לא חש לה למילתא דאמר ההוא משום דאותבן בפירקא הוה,אמר רב יוסף אמר לי יוסף שידא אשמדאי מלכא דשידי ממונה הוא אכולהו זוגי ומלכא לא איקרי מזיק איכא דאמרי לה להאי גיסא אדרבה מלכא [רתחנא הוא] מאי דבעי עביד שהמלך פורץ גדר לעשות לו דרך ואין מוחין בידו,אמר רב פפא אמר לי יוסף שידא בתרי קטלינן בארבעה לא קטלינן בארבעה מזקינן בתרי בין בשוגג בין במזיד בארבעה במזיד אין בשוגג לא,ואי אישתלי ואיקרי ונפק מאי תקנתיה לינקוט זקפא דידיה דימיניה בידא דשמאליה וזקפא דשמאליה בידא דימיניה ונימא הכי אתון ואנא הא תלתא ואי שמיע ליה דאמר אתון ואנא הא ארבעה נימא ליה אתון ואנא הא חמשה ואי שמיע ליה דאמר אתון ואנא הא שיתא נימא ליה אתון ואנא הא שבעה הוה עובדא עד מאה וחד ופקע שידא,אמר אמימר אמרה לי רישתינהי דנשים כשפניות האי מאן דפגע בהו בנשים כשפניות נימא הכי חרי חמימי בדיקולא בזייא לפומייכו נשי דחרשייא קרח קרחייכי פרח פרחייכי | 110a. bis a distinct mitzvain its own right. In other words, each cup is treated separately and one is not considered to be drinking in pairs.,The ibaraitataught that boneshould bnot attend to hissexual bneeds in pairs.The Gemara asks: bWhyshould one be concerned for this; bhe has changed his mind?One does not plan in advance to engage in marital relations twice, and therefore the two acts should not combine to form a dangerous pair. bAbaye said: This iswhat the itanna bis saying,i.e., the ibaraitashould be understood in the following manner: bOneshould bnot eat in pairs nor drink in pairs, andif he does so bheshould bnot attend to hissexual bneedsright afterward beven once, lest he is weakenedby the act band will be harmedfor having eaten or drunk in pairs., bThe Sages taughtin another ibaraita /i: If one bdrinks in pairs his blood is upon his head,i.e., he bears responsibility for his own demise. bRav Yehuda said: Whenis that the case? bWhen one did notleave the house and bview the marketplacebetween cups. bHowever, if he saw the marketplaceafter the first cup, bhe has permissionto drink another cup without concern. Likewise, bRav Ashi said: I saw Rav Ḥaya bar Beivaifollow this policy: bUpondrinking beach cup, he would leavethe house band view the marketplace. /b, bAnd we saidthat there is concern for the safety of one who drinks in pairs bonlywhen he intends bto set out on the roadafter drinking, bbutif he intends to remain bin his homethere is bnoneed for concern. bRabbi Zeira said: Andone who plans bto sleep is comparable toone who is bsetting out on the road.He should be concerned that he might be harmed. bRav Pappa said: And going to the bathroom is comparable to setting out on the road.The Gemara asks: bAndif one intends to remain bin his home,is there bnocause for concern? bBut Rava would count the beamsof the house to keep track of the number of cups he had drunk so as to ensure that he would not consume an even number., bAndlikewise bAbaye, when he would drink one cup, his mother wouldimmediately bplace two cups in his two handsso that he would not inadvertently drink only one more cup and thereby expose himself to the danger of drinking in pairs. bAndsimilarly, bwhen Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak would drink two cups, his attendant wouldimmediately bplace onemore bcup in his hand,and if he would drink bone cup,the attendant would bplace two cups in his two hands.These reports indicate that one should be concerned for his safety after drinking an even number of cups, even when he remains at home. The Gemara answers: bAn important person is different.The demons focus their attention on him, and he must therefore be more careful than the average person., bUlla said: Ten cups contain no element ofthe danger associated with bpairs. Ullarules here bin accordance with his reasoningstated elsewhere, bas Ulla said, and some say it was taught in a ibaraita /i: The Sages institutedthat one must drink bten cupsof wine bin the house of a mournerduring the meal of comfort. bAnd if it could enter your mindthat bten cups do contain the element ofdanger associated with bpairs, how could the Sages arise and institute something thatmight bbring a person toa state of bdanger? However, eight cups do contain the element ofdanger associated with bpairs. /b, bRav Ḥisda and Rabba bar Rav Huna both saythat eight is also safe from the dangers of pairs, as the number seven, represented by the word ishalom /i, combineswith the previous cups bfor the goodbut bdoes not combine for the bad.The final verse of the priestly benediction reads: “The Lord lift His countece upon you and give you peace [ ishalom /i]” (Numbers 6:26). The word ishalom /i, the seventh Hebrew word in this verse, has a purely positive connotation. Rav Ḥisda and Rabba bar Rav Huna therefore maintain that the seventh cup combines with the previous six only for good purposes. After the seventh cup, i.e., from the eighth cup and on, the cups constitute pairs for the good but not for the bad. bHowever, six cups do contain the element ofdanger associated with bpairs. /b, bRabba and Rav Yosef both saythat even drinking six cups is not dangerous. The reason is that the fifth cup, represented by the word iviḥuneka /iin the second verse of the priestly benediction: “The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you [ iviḥuneka /i]” (Numbers 6:25), bcombineswith the previous cups bfor the goodbut bdoes not combine for the bad. However, four cups do contain the element ofdanger associated with bpairs. /b, bAbaye and Rava both saythat even the number four is not dangerous, as iveyishmerekha /i,the third word in the first verse of the priestly benediction, reads: “The Lord bless you and keep you [ iveyishmerekha /i]” (Numbers 6:24). bIt combines for the goodbut bdoes not combine for the bad. /b, bAnd Rava follows hisstandard line of breasoningin this regard, bas Ravaallowed bthe Sages to leaveafter having drunk bfour cupsand was not concerned for their safety. bAlthough Rava bar Livai was injuredon one such occasion, Rava bwas not concernedthat bthe matterhad been caused by his consumption of an even number of cups, bas he said: Thatinjury occurred bbecauseRava bar Livai bchallenged me during thepublic blecture.It is improper for a student to raise difficulties against his rabbi during a public lecture, lest the rabbi be embarrassed by his inability to answer., bRav Yosef said: Yosef the Demon said to me: Ashmedai, the king of the demons, is appointed over allwho perform actions in bpairs, and a king is not called a harmful spirit.A king would not cause harm. Consequently, there is no reason to fear the harm of demons for having performed an action in pairs. bSome saythis statement bin this manner: On the contrary, he is an angry kingwho bdoes what he wants,as the ihalakhais bthat a kingmay bbreach the fenceof an individual bin order to form a path for himself, and nonemay bprotest hisaction. Similarly, the king of demons has full license to harm people who perform actions in pairs., bRav Pappa said: Yosef the Demon said to me:If one drinks btwocups, bwedemons bkillhim; if he drinks bfour, we do not killhim. But this person who drank bfour, we harmhim. There is another difference between two and four: bWithregard to one who drinks btwo, whetherhe did so bunwittingly or intentionally,we harm him. bWithregard to one who drinks bfour,if he does so bintentionally, yes,he is harmed; if he does so bunwittingly, no,he will not be harmed.,The Gemara asks: bAnd if one forgets and it happens that he goes outsideafter having drunk an even number of cups, bwhat is his solution?The Gemara answers: He should btake his right thumb in his left hand, and his left thumb in his right hand, and say as follows: You,my thumbs, band I are three,which is not a pair. bAnd if he hearsa voice bthat says: You and I are four,which makes a pair, he should bsay to it: You and I are five. And if he hears it say: You and I are six,he should bsay to it: You and I are seven.The Gemara relates that bthere was an incidentin which someone kept counting after the demon buntilhe reached ba hundred and one, and the demon burstin anger., bAmeimar said: The chief of witches said to me: One who encounters witchesshould bsay thisincantation: bHot feces in torn date baskets in your mouth, witches; may your hairs fall outbecause you use them for witchcraft; byour crumbs,which you use for witchcraft, bshould scatterin the wind; |
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5. Babylonian Talmud, Qiddushin, 29b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 29b. כל היכא דליכא אלא חמש סלעים הוא קודם לבנו מאי טעמא מצוה דגופיה עדיפא כי פליגי היכא דאיכא חמש משועבדים וחמש בני חורין,ר' יהודה סבר מלוה דכתיב בתורה ככתובה בשטר דמיא בהני חמש פריק לבריה ואזיל כהן וטריף ליה לחמש משועבדים לדידיה,ורבנן סברי מלוה דכתיב באורייתא לאו ככתובה בשטר דמיא והילכך מצוה דגופיה עדיף,ת"ר לפדות את בנו ולעלות לרגל פודה את בנו ואחר כך עולה לרגל ר' יהודה אומר עולה לרגל ואח"כ פודה את בנו שזו מצוה עוברת וזו מצוה שאינה עוברת,בשלמא לר' יהודה כדקאמר טעמא אלא רבנן מאי טעמייהו דאמר קרא (שמות לד, כ) כל בכור בניך תפדה והדר לא יראו פני ריקם,ת"ר מנין שאם היו לו חמשה בנים מחמש נשים שחייב לפדות כולן ת"ל כל בכור בניך תפדה פשיטא בפטר רחם תלא רחמנא,מהו דתימא נילף בכור בכור מנחלה מה להלן ראשית אונו אף כאן ראשית אונו קמ"ל:,ללמדו תורה: מנלן דכתיב (דברים יא, יט) ולמדתם אותם את בניכם והיכא דלא אגמריה אבוה מיחייב איהו למיגמר נפשיה דכתיב ולמדתם,איהי מנלן דלא מיחייבא דכתיב ולימדתם ולמדתם כל שמצווה ללמוד מצווה ללמד וכל שאינו מצווה ללמוד אינו מצווה ללמד,ואיהי מנלן דלא מיחייבה למילף נפשה דכתיב ולימדתם ולמדתם כל שאחרים מצווין ללמדו מצווה ללמד את עצמו וכל שאין אחרים מצווין ללמדו אין מצווה ללמד את עצמו ומנין שאין אחרים מצווין ללמדה דאמר קרא ולמדתם אותם את בניכם ולא בנותיכם,ת"ר הוא ללמוד ובנו ללמוד הוא קודם לבנו ר' יהודה אומר אם בנו זריז וממולח ותלמודו מתקיים בידו בנו קודמו כי הא דרב יעקב בריה דרב אחא בר יעקב שדריה אבוה לקמיה דאביי כי אתא חזייה דלא הוה מיחדדין שמעתיה א"ל אנא עדיפא מינך תוב את דאיזיל אנא,שמע אביי דקא הוה אתי הוה ההוא מזיק בי רבנן דאביי דכי הוו עיילי בתרין אפי' ביממא הוו מיתזקי אמר להו לא ליתיב ליה אינש אושפיזא אפשר דמתרחיש ניסא,על בת בההוא בי רבנן אידמי ליה כתנינא דשבעה רישוותיה כל כריעה דכרע נתר חד רישיה אמר להו למחר אי לא איתרחיש ניסא סכינתין,ת"ר ללמוד תורה ולישא אשה ילמוד תורה ואח"כ ישא אשה ואם א"א לו בלא אשה ישא אשה ואח"כ ילמוד תורה אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל הלכה נושא אשה ואח"כ ילמוד תורה,ר' יוחנן אמר ריחיים בצוארו ויעסוק בתורה ולא פליגי הא לן והא להו:,משתבח ליה רב חסדא לרב הונא בדרב המנונא דאדם גדול הוא א"ל כשיבא לידך הביאהו לידי כי אתא חזייה דלא פריס סודרא א"ל מאי טעמא לא פריסת סודרא א"ל דלא נסיבנא אהדרינהו לאפיה מיניה א"ל חזי דלא חזית להו לאפי עד דנסבת,רב הונא לטעמיה דאמר בן עשרים שנה ולא נשא אשה כל ימיו בעבירה בעבירה סלקא דעתך אלא אימא כל ימיו בהרהור עבירה,אמר רבא וכן תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל עד כ' שנה יושב הקב"ה ומצפה לאדם מתי ישא אשה כיון שהגיע כ' ולא נשא אומר תיפח עצמותיו,אמר רב חסדא האי דעדיפנא מחבראי דנסיבנא בשיתסר ואי הוה נסיבנא בארביסר | 29b. that banywhere that there are only five isela /iavailable, i.e., enough to redeem only one man, and one is obligated to redeem both himself and his son, bhe,the father, btakes precedence over his son. What is the reason?It is that bhis own mitzva is preferableto one that he performs on behalf of others. bWhen they disagreeis in a case bwhere there island worth bfive iselathat is blienedproperty that has been sold, i.e., he sold this land to other people but it can be reclaimed by his prior creditor, band five iselawhich is entirely bunsoldproperty.,And the reasoning behind the dispute is as follows: bRabbi Yehuda maintainsthat ba loan that is written in the Torah,i.e., any ficial obligation that applies by Torah law, is bconsidered as though it is written in a document,and therefore it can be collected from liened property, like any loan recorded in a document. This means that the liened property worth five iselais available for one’s own redemption, but not for that of his son, as the sale of the property occurred before the birth of his firstborn. Consequently, bwith these five iselaupon which there is no lien bhe redeems his son, andthe bpriest goes and repossessesthe land worth bfive iselathat is blienedproperty bfor hisown redemption. In this manner one can fulfill both mitzvot., bAnd the Rabbis maintain: A loan that is written in the Torah is not considered as though it is written in a document,since buyers will not be aware of this obligation, so that they should be aware that the land may be repossessed. bAnd thereforethere is no advantage for this man to redeem his son with the five iselaupon which there is no lien, and bhis own mitzva is preferable,which means he redeems himself with the free land. With the liened property that is left he cannot redeem his son, as the land was sold before the birth of his firstborn., bThe Sages taught:If one has money bto redeem his son and to ascend toJerusalem on bthe pilgrimage Festival, he redeems his son and then ascendsto Jerusalem bon the pilgrimage Festival. Rabbi Yehuda says: He ascendsto Jerusalem bon the pilgrimage Festival and then redeems his son.His reasoning is bthat thistrip to Jerusalem for the pilgrimage Festival is ba mitzvawhose time soon bpasses, and this,the redemption of the firstborn son, is ba mitzvawhose time does bnotsoon bpass,as it can be fulfilled later.,The Gemara asks: bGranted, according tothe opinion of bRabbi Yehuda,it is bas he statedin bhis reasoning,i.e., Rabbi Yehuda provided the rationale for his opinion. bBut what is the reasoning of the Rabbis,who say that he should first redeem his son? The Gemara answers that the reason is bthat the verse states: “All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem”(Exodus 34:20), bandit bthenstates, in the same verse: b“And none shall appear before me empty,”referring to the pilgrimage Festival in Jerusalem. The order of the verse indicates that one should redeem his firstborn son before traveling to Jerusalem on the pilgrimage Festival., bThe Sages taught: From whereis it derived bthat if one had fivefirstborn bsons, from fivedifferent bwomen, he is obligated to redeem them all? The verse states: “All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem”(Exodus 34:20), and the emphasis of “all” includes any of one’s firstborn sons. The Gemara asks: bIsn’tit bobviousthis is the case? After all, bthe Merciful One madethis mitzva bdependent upon the opening of the womb,as it states: “Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, whoever opens the womb” (Exodus 13:2). Since each of these sons is the firstborn of his mother, it is clear that the father is required to redeem each of them.,The Gemara answers that this ruling is necessary blest you saythat bwe should derivea verbal analogy between b“firstborn”stated here and b“firstborn” fromthe verses dealing with binheritance: Just as there,the verse describes a firstborn who receives a double portion of the inheritance as: b“The first fruit of his strength”(Deuteronomy 21:17), i.e., he is the firstborn son to his father, and not the first child born to his mother; bso too here,with regard to the redemption of the firstborn son, it is referring to the bfirst fruit of his strength,which would mean that the father need redeem only his oldest child. Therefore, this ibaraita bteaches usthat this is not the case. Rather, every firstborn son to his mother must be redeemed.,§ The ibaraitateaches that a father is obligated bto teachhis son bTorah.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this requirement? bAs it is written: “And you shall teach them [ ivelimadtem /i] to your sons”(Deuteronomy 11:19). bAndin a case bwhere his father did not teach him he is obligated to teach himself, as it is written,i.e., the verse can be read with a different vocalization: bAnd you shall study [ iulmadtem /i]. /b, bFrom where do wederive bthata woman bis not obligatedto teach her son Torah? bAs it is written: “And you shall teach [ ivelimadtem /i],”which can be read as: bAnd you shall study [ iulmadtem /i].This indicates that bwhoever is commanded to studyTorah bis commanded to teach, and whoever is not commanded to study is not commanded to teach.Since a woman is not obligated to learn Torah, she is likewise not obligated to teach it.,The Gemara asks: bAnd from where do wederive bthat she is not obligated to teach herself?The Gemara answers: bAs it is written: “And you shall teach [ ivelimadtem /i],”which can be read as: bAnd you shall study [ iulmadtem /i],which indicates that bwhoever others are commanded to teach is commanded to teach himself, and whoever others are not commanded to teach is not commanded to teach himself. And from whereis it derived bthat others are not commanded to teacha woman? bAs the verse states: “And you shall teach them to your sons”(Deuteronomy 11:19), which emphasizes: bYour sons and not your daughters. /b, bThe Sages taught:If bonewishes bto studyTorah himself band his sonalso wants bto study, he takes precedence over his son. Rabbi Yehuda says: If his son is diligent and sharp, and his study will endure, his son takes precedence over him.This is blike thatanecdote bwhichis told about bRav Ya’akov, son of Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov, whose father sent him to Abayeto study Torah. bWhenthe son bcamehome, his father bsaw that his studies were not sharp,as he was insufficiently bright. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov bsaid tohis son: bI am preferable to you,and it is better that I go and study. Therefore, byou sitand handle the affairs of the house bso that I can goand study., bAbaye heardthat Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov bwas coming. There was a certain demon in the study hall of Abaye,which was so powerful bthat when twopeople would benter they would be harmed, even during the day.Abaye bsaid tothe people of the town: bDo not giveRav Aḥa bar Ya’akov blodging [ iushpiza /i]so that he will be forced to spend the night in the study hall. Since Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov is a righteous man, bperhaps a miracle will occuron his behalf and he will kill the demon.,Rav Aḥa found no place to spend the night, and bhe entered and spent the night in that study hallof bthe Sages.The demon bappeared to him like a serpentwith bseven heads.Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov began to pray, and with bevery bowthat bhe bowed oneof the demon’s bheads fell off,until it eventually died. The bnext dayRav Aḥa bsaid tothe townspeople: bIf a miracle had not occurred, you would have placed me in danger. /b, bThe Sages taught:If one has to decide whether bto study Torah or to marry a woman,which should he do first? bHe should study Torah and afterward marry a woman. And if it is impossible for himto be bwithout a wife, he should marry a woman and then study Torah. Rav Yehuda saysthat bShmuel says:The ihalakha /iis that one should bmarry a woman and afterward study Torah. /b, bRabbi Yoḥa says:How can one do this? With ba millstonehanging bfrom his neck,i.e., with the responsibility of providing for his family weighing upon him, can bhe engage in Torahstudy? The Gemara comments: bAndthe iamora’im bdo not disagree; this is for us and that is for them.In other words, one statement applies to the residents of Babylonia, whereas the other is referring to those living in Eretz Yisrael.,§ With regard to marriage, the Gemara relates: bRav Ḥisda would praise Rav Hamnuna to Rav Hunaby saying bthat he is a great man.Rav Huna bsaid to him: When he comes to you, send him to me. WhenRav Hamnuna bcamebefore him, Rav Huna bsaw that he did not coverhis head with ba cloth,as Torah scholars did. Rav Huna bsaid to him: What is the reasonthat byou do not coveryour head bwith a cloth?Rav Hamnuna bsaid to him:The reason is bthat I am not married,and it was not customary for unmarried men to cover their heads with a cloth. Rav Huna bturned his face away from himin rebuke, and bhe said to him: Seeto it bthat you do not see my face until you marry. /b,The Gemara notes: bRav Hunaconforms bto hisstandard line of breasoning, as he says:If one is btwenty years old and has notyet bmarried a woman, all of his dayswill be bina state of bsinconcerning sexual matters. The Gemara asks: Can it benter your mindthat he will be bina state of bsinall of his days? bRather, saythat this means the following: bAll of his dayswill be bina state of bthoughts of sin,i.e., sexual thoughts. One who does not marry in his youth will become accustomed to thoughts of sexual matters, and the habit will remain with him the rest of his life., bRava said, and similarly, the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Untilone reaches the age of btwenty years the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and waits for a man,saying: bWhen will he marry a woman? Once he reachesthe age of btwenty and has not married, He says: Let his bones swell,i.e., he is cursed and God is no longer concerned about him., bRav Ḥisda said:The fact bthat I am superior to my colleaguesis bbecause I marriedat the age of bsixteen, and if I would have married atthe age of bfourteen, /b |
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6. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 156b, 75a, 129a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 129a. צריכה אני בין לא אמרה צריכה אני אין מחללין עליה את השבת,רב אשי מתני הכי מר זוטרא מתני הכי אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל חיה כל זמן שהקבר פתוח בין אמרה צריכה אני ובין אמרה אין צריכה אני מחללין עליה את השבת נסתם הקבר אמרה צריכה אני מחללין עליה את השבת לא אמרה צריכה אני אין מחללין עליה את השבת,א"ל רבינא למרימר מר זוטרא מתני לקולא ורב אשי מתני לחומרא הלכתא כמאן א"ל הלכה כמר זוטרא ספק נפשות להקל,מאימתי פתיחת הקבר אמר אביי משעה שתשב על המשבר רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע אמר משעה שהדם שותת ויורד ואמרי לה משעה שחברותיה נושאות אותה באגפיה,עד מתי פתיחת הקבר אמר אביי שלשה ימים רבא אמר משמיה דרב יהודה שבעה ואמרי לה שלשים,אמרי נהרדעי חיה ג' ז' ול' ג' בין אמרה צריכה אני ובין אמרה לא צריכה אני מחללין עליה את השבת ז' אמרה צריכה אני מחללין עליה את השבת אמרה לא צריכה אני אין מחללין עליה את השבת ל' אפי' אמרה צריכה אני אין מחללין עליה את השבת אבל עושין ע"י ארמאי,כדרב עולא בריה דרב עילאי דאמר כל צרכי חולה נעשין ע"י ארמאי בשבת וכדרב המנונא דאמר רב המנונא דבר שאין בו סכנה אומר לנכרי ועושה,אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל לחיה ל' יום למאי הלכתא אמרי נהרדעי לטבילה,אמר רבא לא אמרן אלא שאין בעלה עמה אבל בעלה עמה בעלה מחממה כי הא דברתיה דרב חסדא טבלה בגו תלתין יומין שלא בפני בעלה ואצטניאת ואמטוי לערסה בתריה דרבא לפומבדיתא,אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל עושין מדורה לחיה בשבת (בימות הגשמים) סבור מינה לחיה אין לחולה לא בימות הגשמים אין בימות החמה לא (ולא היא ל"ש חיה ול"ש חולה ל"ש בימות הגשמים ול"ש בימות החמה מדאתמר) אמר רב חייא בר אבין אמר שמואל הקיז דם ונצטנן עושין לו מדורה אפי' בתקופת תמוז,שמואל צלחו ליה תכתקא דשאגא רב יהודה צלחו ליה פתורא דיונה לרבה צלחו ליה שרשיפא,וא"ל אביי לרבה והא קעבר מר משום (דברים כ, יט) בל תשחית א"ל בל תשחית דגופאי עדיף לי,אמר רב יהודה אמר רב לעולם ימכור אדם קורות ביתו ויקח מנעלים לרגליו הקיז דם ואין לו מה יאכל ימכור מנעלים שברגליו ויספיק מהן צרכי סעודה,מאי צרכי סעודה רב אמר בשר ושמואל אמר יין רב אמר בשר נפשא חלף נפשא ושמואל אמר יין סומקא חלף סומקא:,(סימן שנמסר),שמואל ביומא דעבד מילתא עבדי ליה תבשילא דטחלי ר' יוחנן שתי עד דנפיק תיהיא מאוניה ורב נחמן שתי עד דקפי טחליה רב יוסף שתי עד דנפיק מריבדא דכוסילתא רבא מהדר אחמרא בר תלתא טרפי,אמר להו רב נחמן בר יצחק לרבנן במטותא מינייכו ביומא דהקזה אמרו לביתייכו נחמן אקלע לגבן,וכולהו אערומי אסירי בר מהאי ערמה דשרי מאן דעביד מילתא ולא אפשר ליה לישקול זוזא מכא וליזיל לשב חנותא עד דטעים שיעור רביעתא ואי לא ליכול שב תמרי אוכמתא ולישוף מישחא בצידעיה וניגני בשמשא,אבלט אשכחיה לשמואל דגני בשמשא א"ל חכימא דיהודאי בישא מי הוי טבא א"ל יומא דהקזה הוא,ולא היא אלא איכא יומא דמעלי בה שמשא בכוליה שתא יומא דנפלה ביה תקופת תמוז וסבר לא איגלי ליה:,(היקיל ברוח טעמא שהה סימן) רב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו כל המקיל בסעודת הקזת דם מקילין לו מזונותיו מן השמים ואומרים הוא על חייו לא חס אני אחוס עליו,רב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו האי מאן דעביד מילתא לא ליתיב היכא דכריך זיקא דילמא שפי ליה אומנא ומוקים ליה ארביעתא ואתי זיקא ושאיף מיניה ואתי לידי סכנה,שמואל הוה רגיל ועבד מילתא בביתא דשב לביניא ואריחא יומא חדא עבד וארגיש בנפשיה בדק וחסר חד אריחא,רב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו האי מאן דעביד מילתא ליטעום מידי והדר ליפוק דאי לא טעים מידי אי פגע בשכבא ירקא אפיה אי פגע במאן דקטל נפשא מית אי פגע | 129a. bI needShabbat to be desecrated, or bwhether she did not say: I needShabbat to be desecrated, bone does not desecrate Shabbat for her. /b, bThat ishow bRav Ashi taught it. This ishow bMar Zutra taught it: Rav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said:With regard to ba woman in childbirth, as long as the womb is open, whether she said: I needShabbat to be desecrated, or bwhether she did not say: I needShabbat to be desecrated, bone desecrates Shabbat for her.Once bthe womb closedafter birth, if bshe said: I needShabbat to be desecrated, bone desecrates Shabbat for her.If bshe did not say: I needShabbat to be desecrated, and all the more so if she said: I do not need Shabbat to be desecrated, bone does not desecrate Shabbat for her. /b, bRavina said to Mareimar:Since bMar Zutra teaches leniently, and Rav Ashi teaches stringently, in accordance with whoseopinion bis the ihalakha /i?Mareimar bsaid to him: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bMar Zutra,based on the following principle: In cases of buncertaintyconcerning ba life-threateningsituation, the ihalakha bis lenient. /b,With regard to the matter of the open womb, the Gemara asks: bFrom when isit considered that bthe opening of the wombhas begun? bAbaye says:It begins bfrom whenthe woman bsits on the travailing chair. Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said:It begins bfrom when the blood flows and descends; and others say when her friendsneed to bcarry her by her arms,as she can no longer walk on her own.,The Gemara asks: bUntil whendoes bthe opening of the wombcontinue? bAbaye said:It lasts bthree days. Rava said in the name of Rav Yehuda:It lasts bsevendays. bAnd others say:It lasts bthirtydays.,The Sages of bNeharde’a say:For ba woman in childbirth,there are halakhic distinctions between bthree, seven, and thirtydays after she gives birth. The Gemara elaborates: During the first bthreedays after birth, bwhether she said: I needShabbat to be desecrated, or bwhether she did not say: I needShabbat to be desecrated, bone desecrates Shabbat for her.Between three and bsevendays after birth, if bshe said: I needShabbat to be desecrated, bone desecrates Shabbat for her.If bshe did not say: I needShabbat to be desecrated, bone does not desecrate Shabbat for her.Between seven and bthirtydays after birth, bevenif bshe said: I needShabbat to be desecrated, bone does not desecrate Shabbat for her; however, we performall necessary prohibited labors bby means of a gentile. /b,This ruling is bin accordance withthe statement of bRav Ulla, son of Rav Ilai,who bsaid: All needsof a sick person whose life is not in danger bare performed by means of a gentile on Shabbat. Andthis ruling is bin accordance withthe opinion of bRav Hamnuna, as Rav Hamnuna says:With regard to ba matter in which there is no danger,but only potential illness, bone says to the gentileto perform the act, bandthe gentile bperformsthe act., bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said:For ba woman in childbirth,there is a ihalakhaof bthirty days.The Gemara asks: bWith regard to what ihalakha /iwas this stated? The Sages of bNeharde’a say:It was stated bwith regard tothe ihalakhaof bimmersion.A woman does not purify herself through ritual immersion within thirty days of giving birth because she is in a weakened state and susceptible to catching cold., bRava said: We saythat the ruling that she does not immerse during that period applies bonly when her husband is not with her. However,if bher husband is with her, her husband warms herby engaging in relations with her, and she is not susceptible to catching cold, basis illustrated bin thisincident involving bthe daughter of Rav Ḥisda,Rava’s wife. She bimmersed within thirty daysof giving birth, bnot in the presence of her husband, and caught cold, andafterward bthey brought herfuneral bbier after Rava to Pumbedita. /b, bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said: One builds a fire for a woman in childbirth on Shabbat during the rainy season.The Sages bthoughtto infer bfrom herethe following: bFor a woman in childbirth, yes,one builds a fire; bfor sick people, no, hedoes not build a fire. bIn the rainy season, yes,one builds a fire; bin the summer, no, hedoes not build a fire. bAndthe Gemara concludes: bThat is notthe case. bThere is no differencebetween ba woman in childbirth and a sick person, and there is no difference between the rainy season and the summer.In all of these cases one may build a fire on Shabbat. This conclusion emerges bfrom that which was stated: Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin saidthat bShmuel said:With regard to one who blet blood and caught cold, one makes a fire for him even during the season of Tammuz,i.e., the summer. Failure to do so could result in serious illness.,The Gemara relates that after bShmuelunderwent bloodletting, bthey broke for him awooden barmchairmade bof teak [ ishaga /i]to build a fire. Similarly, for the sake of bRav Yehuda they brokea wooden btablemade bof ebony [ iyavna /i], and for Rabba they broke a bench.They needed to build a fire due to the potential danger to Rabba. Since they could not find firewood, they kindled the fire with the furniture., bAnd Abaye said to Rabba:In breaking the bench, bdidn’t the Master violatethe prohibition, b“Do not destroy”(Deuteronomy 20:19)? It is prohibited to destroy objects of value. Rabba bsaid to him: Do not destroyalso with regard to destruction bof my body.Preventing illness and danger bis preferable to me. /b,With regard to the danger of bloodletting, the Gemara cites that which bRav Yehuda saidthat bRav said: One should always sell the beams of his house and purchase shoes for his feetwith the proceeds, as shoes protect him from stepping on obstacles and from catching cold. bIf he let blood and has nothing to eatafter the bloodletting, bhe shouldeven bsell the shoes on his feet, and fromthe proceeds bprovide the needs of a meal.After bloodletting, a meal is more crucial to one’s well-being than shoes are.,The Gemara asks: bWhat arethese special bneeds of a meal? Rav said:It is referring to bmeat. And Shmuel said:It is referring to bwine.The Gemara explains: bRav says:It is referring to bmeatbecause bthe soul replaces the soul,i.e., the meat replenishes the person’s strength. bAnd Shmuel said:It is referring to bwinebecause bthe red replaces the red,i.e., red wine substitutes for red blood., bA mnemonicfor the names of the Sages cited in the following discussion is the word ishenimsar /i; ishinfor Shmuel, inunfor Rabbi Yoḥa, imemfor Rav Naḥman, isamekhfor Rav Yosef, ireishfor Rava.,The Gemara relates the following about bloodletting and drinking wine. bShmuel, on the dayon which he bwould perform the practiceof bloodletting, btheywould bprepare for hima dish of bcooked spleen. Rabbi Yoḥawould bdrinkwine after bloodletting buntil the odor emerged from his ears. And Rav Naḥmanwould bdrink until his spleen floatedin wine. bRav Yosefwould bdrink untilthe wine bwould emerge from the bloodletting incision. Rava would searchfor bwinethat was sufficiently aged such bthat three leaveshad already grown over three years on the vine from which the grapes were picked (Rashash)., bRav Naḥman bar Yitzhak said to the Sages: I beg of you, on the daythat you undergo bbloodletting, tell your households,your wives: bNaḥmanbar Yitzhak bhappenedto come btovisit bus.Due to the visit of the important guest, the women will prepare a large meal. The husbands will eat well, recover from the lost blood, and avoid endangering themselves., bAndRav Naḥman bar Yitzhak said: bAll types of artificethat come at the expense of others bare prohibited except for this artifice, which is permitted. One who performed the practiceof bloodletting band it is not possible for himto purchase food due to lack of means, blet him take a worn izuz /icoin band go to seven stores.In each store, he tastes the wine as one who seeks to buy wine would. After tasting, he hands the izuzto the storekeeper, who will not accept it because it is worn. He then proceeds to do the same in all the stores buntil he has tasted the measure of a quarterof a ilogof wine. bAnd ifdoing so bis notpossible, blet him eat seven black dates and smear oil on his temple and lie in the sun. /b,The Gemara relates: The gentile scholar, bAblat, found Shmuel lying in the sun.Ablat bsaid toShmuel: bWise man of the Jews,a matter that is bevil, can it become good?Are there any circumstances in which the heat of the sun, which is harmful, can be beneficial? Shmuel bsaid to him: Ithappens on ba day of bloodletting,for which the heat of the sun is beneficial.,The Gemara comments: bAndactually, bthat is notwhat occurred. bRather, there is a day on which the sun is beneficialmore than bthe entire year,and that is bthe day on which the Tammuz solstice,the longest day of the year, occurs. bAnd Shmuel thought: I will not revealthis remedy bto him. /b, bIndifferent, in wind, taste, waitedare a bmnemonicfor the following matters. It was bRav and Shmuel who both said: Anyone who is indifferentand not vigilant with regard to bthe mealeaten after bbloodletting, they are indifferentwith regard to providing bhis food from the Heavens. And they sayin the name of Heaven: bHe took no pity on his life, will I take pity on him? /b,Similarly, it was bRav and Shmuel who both said: One who performs the practiceof bloodletting bshould not sit where the wind is blowing,due to the concern that bperhaps the blood letter lettoo much blood from bhim and establishedthe amount of remaining blood bat a quarterof a ilog /i. bAndthere is concern bthe wind will come and draw outa little more blood bfrom him, and he will be endangered. /b,The Gemara relates: bShmuel would customarily perform the practiceof bloodletting bin a housewhose walls were bseven and a half bricks thick. One day he performedbloodletting band felt himselfweakened. bHe examinedand discovered that bone half-brick was lackingfrom the thickness of the walls. The resultant chill caused his weakness.,It was bRav and Shmuel who both said: One who performs the practice of bloodletting should taste something and then go outside, since if he does not taste anything, if he encounters a corpse, his face will turn green. If he encounters one who killed a person, he will die. If he encounters /b |
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7. Babylonian Talmud, Meilah, 17a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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