1. Cicero, On Duties, 1.151 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 1.151. Quibus autem artibus aut prudentia maior inest aut non mediocris utilitas quaeritur, ut medicina, ut architectura, ut doctrina rerum honestarum, eae sunt iis, quorum ordini conveniunt, honestae. Mercatura autem, si tenuis est. sordida putanda est; sin magna et copiosa, multa undique apportans multisque sine vanitate impertiens, non est admodum vituperanda, atque etiam, si satiata quaestu vel contenta potius, ut saepe ex alto in portum, ex ipso portu se in agros possessionesque contulit, videtur iure optimo posse laudari. Omnium autem rerum, ex quibus aliquid acquiritur, nihil est agri cultura melius, nihil uberius, nihil dulcius, nihil homine libero dignius; de qua quoniam in Catone Maiore satis multa diximus, illim assumes, quae ad hunc locum pertinebunt. | 1.151. But the professions in which either a higher degree of intelligence is required or from which no small benefit to society is derived â medicine and architecture, for example, and teaching â these are proper for those whose social position they become. Trade, if it is on a small scale, is to be considered vulgar; but if wholesale and on a large scale, importing large quantities from all parts of the world and distributing to many without misrepresentation, it is not to be greatly disparaged. Nay, it even seems to deserve the highest respect, if those who are engaged in it, satiated, or rather, I should say, satisfied with the fortunes they have made, make their way from the port to a country estate, as they have often made it from the sea into port. But of all the occupations by which gain is secured, none is better than agriculture, none more profitable, none more delightful, none more becoming to a freeman. But since I have discussed this quite fully in my Cato Major, you will find there the material that applies to this point. |
|
2. Mishnah, Ketuvot, 4.7 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 4.7. If he did not write a kethubah for her, a virgin still collects two hundred zuz and a widow one mane, because it is a condition laid down by court. If he assigned to her in writing a field that was worth one mane instead of the two hundred zuz and did not write for her, “All property that I possess is a lien for your ketubah”, he is liable [for the full amount] because it is a condition laid down by the court." |
|
3. Mishnah, Peah, 3.7 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 3.7. One who is about to die who assigns his property in writing [to another]: If he retains any land [for himself] however small, he renders his gift valid. But if he retains no land whatsoever, his gift is not valid. One who assigns in writing his property to his children, and he assigns to his wife in writing any plot of land, however small, she lost her ketubah. Rabbi Yose says: if she accepted [such an assignment] even though he did not assign it to her in writing she lost her ketubah." |
|
4. Suetonius, Vespasianus, 23.3 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
|
5. Tosefta, Ketuvot, 12.1 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 12.1. Originally, when her ketubah was with her father, it was light in [her husband's] eyes to divorce her. Shimon ben Shatah decreed that her ketubah should be with her husband and that he should write for her \"All of my property will be mortgaged or pledged for your ketubah\". They do not make a wife's ketubah from moveable items [i.e. they don't make moveable items the thing that she can collect from it, but rather real estate] because of tikkun ha-olam. Said Rabbi Yose: What tikkun ha-olam is there in this!? It is because they [the moveable items] have no fixed value." |
|
6. Palestinian Talmud, Ketuvot, 8.11 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
|
7. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah, 16a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 16a. ששמשי מוחק וגבריאל כותב אמר רבי אסי דרש ר' שילא איש כפר תמרתא ומה כתב שלמטה שלזכותן של ישראל אינו נמחק כתב שלמעלה לא כל שכן,(אסתר ו, ג) לא נעשה עמו דבר אמר רבא לא מפני שאוהבין את מרדכי אלא מפני ששונאים את המן,(אסתר ו, ד) הכין לו תנא לו הכין,ועשה כן למרדכי אמר ליה מנו מרדכי אמר ליה (אסתר ו, י) היהודי אמר ליה טובא מרדכי איכא ביהודאי אמר ליה (אסתר ו, י) היושב בשער המלך,אמר ליה סגי ליה בחד דיסקרתא אי נמי בחד נהרא אמר ליה הא נמי הב ליה אל תפל דבר מכל אשר דברת,ויקח המן את הלבוש ואת הסוס אזל אשכחיה דיתבי רבנן קמיה ומחוי להו הלכות קמיצה לרבנן כיון דחזייה מרדכי דאפיק לקבליה וסוסיה מיחד בידיה מירתת אמר להו לרבנן האי רשיעא למיקטל נפשי קא אתי זילו מקמיה די לא תכוו בגחלתו בההיא שעתא נתעטף מרדכי וקם ליה לצלותא אתא המן ויתיב ליה קמייהו ואוריך עד דסליק מרדכי לצלותיה,אמר להו במאי עסקיתו אמרו ליה בזמן שבית המקדש קיים מאן דמנדב מנחה מייתי מלי קומציה דסולתא ומתכפר ליה אמר להו אתא מלי קומצי קמחא דידכו ודחי עשרה אלפי ככרי כספא דידי אמר ליה רשע עבד שקנה נכסים עבד למי ונכסים למי,אמר ליה קום לבוש הני מאני ורכוב האי סוסיא דבעי לך מלכא אמר ליה לא יכילנא עד דעיילנא לבי בני ואשקול למזייא דלאו אורח ארעא לאשתמושי במאני דמלכא הכי,שדרה אסתר ואסרתינהו לכולהו בי בני ולכולהו אומני עייליה איהו לבי בני ואסחיה ואזיל ואייתי זוזא מביתיה וקא שקיל ביה מזייה בהדי דקא שקיל ליה אינגד ואיתנח אמר ליה אמאי קא מיתנחת אמר ליה גברא דהוה חשיב ליה למלכא מכולהו רברבנוהי השתא לישוייה בלאני וספר אמר ליה רשע ולאו ספר של כפר קרצום היית תנא המן ספר של כפר קרצום היה עשרים ושתים שנה,בתר דשקלינהו למזייה לבשינהו למאניה אמר ליה סק ורכב אמר ליה לא יכילנא דכחישא חילאי מימי תעניתא גחין וסליק כי סליק בעט ביה אמר ליה לא כתיב לכו (משלי כד, יז) בנפל אויבך אל תשמח אמר ליה הני מילי בישראל אבל בדידכו כתיב (דברים לג, כט) ואתה על במותימו תדרוך,(אסתר ו, יא) ויקרא לפניו ככה יעשה לאיש אשר המלך חפץ ביקרו כי הוה נקיט ואזיל בשבילא דבי המן חזיתיה ברתיה דקיימא אאיגרא סברה האי דרכיב אבוה והאי דמסגי קמיה מרדכי שקלה עציצא דבית הכסא ושדיתיה ארישא דאבוה דלי עיניה וחזת דאבוה הוא נפלה מאיגרא לארעא ומתה,והיינו דכתיב וישב מרדכי אל שער המלך אמר רב ששת ששב לשקו ולתעניתו והמן נדחף אל ביתו אבל וחפוי ראש אבל על בתו וחפוי ראש על שאירע לו,ויספר המן לזרש אשתו ולכל אוהביו וגו' קרי להו אוהביו וקרי להו חכמיו אמר רבי יוחנן כל האומר דבר חכמה אפילו באומות העולם נקרא חכם,אם מזרע היהודים מרדכי וגו' אמרו ליה אי משאר שבטים קאתי יכלת ליה ואי משבט יהודה ובנימין ואפרים ומנשה לא יכלת ליה יהודה דכתיב (בראשית מט, ח) ידך בערף אויביך אינך דכתיב בהו (תהלים פ, ג) לפני אפרים ובנימין ומנשה עוררה את גבורתך,(אסתר ו, יג) כי נפל תפול לפניו דרש ר' יהודה בר אלעאי שתי נפילות הללו למה אמרו לו אומה זו משולה לעפר ומשולה לכוכבים כשהן יורדין יורדין עד עפר וכשהן עולין עולין עד לכוכבים,(אסתר ו, יד) וסריסי המלך הגיעו ויבהילו מלמד שהביאוהו בבהלה,כי נמכרנו אני ועמי וגו' אין הצר שוה בנזק המלך אמרה לו צר זה אינו שוה בנזק של מלך איקני בה בושתי וקטלה השתא איקני בדידי ומבעי למקטלי,ויאמר המלך אחשורוש ויאמר לאסתר המלכה ויאמר ויאמר למה לי אמר רבי אבהו בתחלה על ידי תורגמן כיון דאמרה ליה מדבית שאול קאתינא מיד ויאמר לאסתר המלכה:,ותאמר אסתר איש צר ואויב המן הרע הזה אמר ר' אלעזר מלמד שהיתה מחווה כלפי אחשורוש ובא מלאך וסטר ידה כלפי המן:,והמלך קם בחמתו וגו' והמלך שב מגנת הביתן מקיש שיבה לקימה מה קימה בחימה אף שיבה בחימה דאזל ואשכח למלאכי השרת דאידמו ליה כגברי וקא עקרי לאילני דבוסתני ואמר להו מאי עובדייכו אמרו ליה דפקדינן המן,אתא לביתיה והמן נופל על המטה נופל נפל מיבעי ליה אמר רבי אלעזר מלמד שבא מלאך והפילו עליה אמר ויי מביתא ויי מברא ויאמר המלך הגם לכבוש את המלכה עמי בבית,ויאמר חרבונה וגו' אמר רבי אלעזר אף חרבונה רשע באותה עצה היה כיון שראה שלא נתקיימה עצתו מיד ברח והיינו דכתיב (איוב כז, כב) וישלך עליו ולא יחמול מידו ברוח יברח,וחמת המלך שככה שתי שכיכות הללו למה אחת של מלכו של עולם ואחת של אחשורוש ואמרי לה אחת של אסתר ואחת של ושתי,(בראשית מה, כב) לכלם נתן לאיש חליפות שמלות ולבנימן נתן חמש חליפות אפשר דבר שנצטער בו אותו צדיק | 16a. bthat Shimshai,the king’s scribe who hated the Jews (see Ezra 4:17), bwas erasingthe description of Mordecai’s saving the king, bandthe angel bGavriel was writingit again. Therefore, it was indeed being written in the present. bRabbi Asi said: Rabbi Sheila, a man of the village of Timarta, taught: If something writtendown bbelowin this world bthat is for the benefit of the Jewish people cannot be erased, is it not all the more sothe case bthat something writtenup babovein Heaven cannot be erased?,The verse states that Ahasuerus was told with regard to Mordecai: b“Nothing has been done for him”(Esther 6:3). bRava said: It is not because they love Mordecaithat the king’s servants said this, bbut rather because they hate Haman. /b,The verse states: “Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had bprepared for him”(Esther 6:4). A Sage btaughtin a ibaraita /i: This should be understood to mean: On the gallows that bhe had prepared for himself. /b,The verse relates that Ahasuerus ordered Haman to fulfill his idea of the proper way to honor one who the king desires to glorify by parading him around on the king’s horse while wearing the royal garments: “And do so to Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate, let nothing fail of all that you have spoken” (Esther 6:10). The Gemara explains that when Ahasuerus said to Haman: b“And do so to Mordecai,”Haman bsaid to himin an attempt to evade the order: bWho is Mordecai?Ahasuerus bsaid to him: “The Jew.”Haman then bsaid to him: There are severalmen named bMordecai among the Jews.Ahasuerus then bsaid to him:I refer to the one b“who sits at the king’s gate.” /b,Haman bsaid to him:Why award him such a great honor? bIt wouldcertainly bbe enough for himto receive bone village [ idisekarta /i]as an estate, bor one riverfor the levy of taxes. Ahasuerus bsaid to him: This too you must give him. “Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken,”i.e., provide him with all that you proposed and spoke about in addition to what I had said.,The Gemara describes what occurred as Haman went to follow the king’s orders, as the verse states: b“Then Haman took the apparel and the horse”(Esther 6:11). When bhe went, he foundMordecai bas the Sages were sitting before him, and he was demonstrating to them the ihalakhotof the handful,i.e., the scooping out of a handful of flour from the meal-offering in order to burn it on the altar. bOnce Mordecai saw him coming toward him with his horse’sreins bheld in his hands, he became frightened,and bhe said to the Sages: This evil man has come to kill me. Go away from him so that you should not get burnt from his coals,i.e., that you should not suffer harm as well. bAt that moment Mordecai wrapped himselfin his prayer shawl band stood up to pray. Haman cameover to where they were band sat down before them and waited until Mordecai finished his prayer. /b,In the interim, as he waited, Haman bsaid tothe other Sages: bWith what were you occupied? They said to him: When the Temple is standing, one who pledges a meal-offering would bring a handful of fine flour and achieve atonement with it. He said to them: Your handful of fine flour has come and cast aside my ten thousand pieces of silver,which I had pledged toward the destruction of the Jewish people. When Mordecai finished praying, bhe said toHaman: bWicked man,when ba slave buys property, to whom belongs the slave and to whom belongs the property?As I once bought you as a slave, what silver can be yours?,Haman bsaid to him: Stand up, put on these garments and ride on this horse, for the king wants youto do so. Mordecai bsaid to him: I cannotdo so buntil I enter the bathhouse[ibei vanei/b] band trim my hair, for it is not proper conduct to use the king’s garments in this statethat I am in now.,In the meantime, bEsther sentmessengers and bclosed all the bathhouses and allthe shops of bthe craftsmen,including the bloodletters and barbers. When Haman saw that there was nobody else to do the work, bhehimself btookMordecai binto the bathhouse and washed him, andthen bhe went and brought scissors [ izuza /i] from his house and trimmed his hair.While bhe was trimminghis hair bhe injured himself and sighed.Mordecai bsaid to him: Why do you sigh?Haman bsaid to him: The man whom the king hadonce bregarded above all hisother bministers is now made a bathhouse attendant[ibalanei/b] band a barber.Mordecai bsaid to him: Wicked man, were you notonce bthe barber of the village of Kartzum?If so, why do you sigh? You have merely returned to the occupation of your youth. It bwas taughtin a ibaraita /i: bHaman was the barber of the village of Kartzum for twenty-two years. /b, bAfterHaman btrimmed his hair,Haman bdressedMordecai in btheroyal bgarments.Haman then bsaid to him: Mountthe horse band ride.Mordecai bsaid to him: I am unable, as my strength has waned from the days of fastingthat I observed. Haman then bstooped downbefore him bandMordecai bascendedon him. bAs he was ascendingthe horse, Mordecai bgaveHaman ba kick.Haman bsaid to him: Is it not written for you: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls”(Proverbs 24:17)? Mordecai bsaid to him: Thisstatement bappliesonly to bJews, but with regard to you it is written: “And you shall tread upon their high places”(Deuteronomy 33:29).,The verse states: b“And he proclaimed before him: Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor”(Esther 6:11). bAsHaman bwas takingMordecai balong the street of Haman’s house,Haman’s bdaughter was standing on the roof and sawthe spectacle. bShe thoughtto herself that bthe one who is ridingon the horse must be bher father, and the one walking before himmust be bMordecai. Shethen btook a chamber potfull of feces band cast itscontents bonto the head of her father,whom she mistakenly took as Mordecai. When Haman braised his eyesin disgust afterward, and looked up at his daughter, bshe saw that he was her father.In her distress, bshe fell from the roof to the ground and died. /b, bAnd this is as it is written: “And Mordecai returned to the king’s gate”(Esther 6:12). bRav Sheshet said:This means bthat he returned to his sackcloth and his fastingover the troubles of the Jewish people. Simultaneously, b“but Haman hastened to his house, mourning, and having his head covered”(Esther 6:12). b“Mourning”; overthe death of bhis daughter. “And having his head covered”; due to what had happened to him,as his head was full of filth.,The following verse states: b“And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and to all his friendseverything that had befallen him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him: If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, be of the seed of the Jews, then you will not prevail over him, but you shall fall before him” (Esther 6:13). The Gemara comments: At the beginning of the verse bit calls them “his friends,” andin the continuation of the verse bit calls them “his wise men.” Rabbi Yoḥa said: Whoever says something wise, even ifhe is bfrom the nations of the world, is calleda bwiseman.,The Gemara explains that their wise remark, which earned them their distinction, is contained in their advice: b“If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews [ iYehudim /i],then you will not prevail over him” (Esther 6:13). The word iYehudimcan also refer to people from the tribe of Judah. Haman’s wise men thereby bsaid to him: If he descends from the other tribes, you canstill bprevail over him, but if hedescends bfrom the tribe ofeither bJudah, Benjamin, Ephraim, or Manasseh, you cannot prevail over him.With regard to bJudah,the proof of this is bas it is written: “Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies”(Genesis 49:8), indicating that Judah will emerge victorious over his enemies. And the proof that Haman cannot prevail over bthe othersthat were mentioned is bas it is written with regard to them: “Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your might”(Psalms 80:3).,The wise men continued: b“But you shall fall [ inafol tippol /i] before him”(Esther 6:13). bRabbi Yehuda bar Ilai interpreteda verse bhomiletically: Why are these two fallings, inafoland itippol /i, mentioned here? The wise men bsaid toHaman: bThisJewish bnation is comparedin the Bible bto the dustof the earth band it isalso bcompared to the starsin heaven. This teaches you that bwhen they descend, they descend to the dust, and when they rise, they rise to the stars.Accordingly, when Mordecai is on the rise, you will be utterly incapable of prevailing over him.,The next verse states: b“The king’s chamberlains came, and they hastened [ ivayavhilu /i]to bring Haman” (Esther 6:14). bThis teaches that they brought him in disarray [ ibehala /i],not even giving him a chance to wash himself from the filth.,During the banquet Esther said to Ahasuerus: b“For we are sold, I and my people,to be destroyed, to be slain, and to be annihilated. But if we had been sold merely for bondmen and bondwomen, I would have held my tongue, bsince the affliction [ itzar /i] would not have been worth [ ieino shoveh /i] the damage to the king”(Esther 7:4). The Gemara explains that bshe said to him: This adversary [ itzar /i] is not concerned [ ieino shoveh /i] about the damagethat he is constantly causing bto the king. First he was jealous of Vashti and killed her,as it has been explained that Memucan, who suggesting killing Vashti, was Haman; bnow he is jealous of me and desires to kill me. /b,The verse states: b“Then said the king Ahasuerus and said to Esther the queen”(Esther 7:5). The Gemara asks: bWhy do Ineed it to say b“said”and again b“said”? Rabbi Abbahu said: At firsthe spoke to her bthrough the translator,who would interpret on his behalf, because he thought that she was a common woman of lowly ancestry. bOnce she told him that she came from the house of Saul, immediatelyit says: b“And said to Esther the queen.”Ahasuerus himself spoke to her, as if she had royal lineage, she was a woman befitting his status.,The next verse states: b“And Esther said: An adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman”(Esther 7:6). bRabbi Elazar said:This bteaches that she wasin fact bpointing toward Ahasuerus,indicating that in fact he was an adversary and enemy, band an angel came and pushed her hand toward Haman. /b,The verse states: b“And the king arosefrom the banquet of wine bin his wrathand went into the palace garden” (Esther 7:7), and the next verse states: b“Then the king returned out of the palace gardento the place of the wine drinking” (Esther 7:8). The Gemara comments: The verses here bcompare his returning to his arising: Just as his arisingwas bin wrath, so too, his returningwas bin wrath.And why did he return in wrath? bForwhen bhe wentout bhe found ministering angels who appeared to him as people and they were uprooting trees from the garden, and he said to them: What are you doing? They said to him: Haman commanded usto do this.,And when bhe entered his househe saw that b“Haman was falling upon the bed”(Esther 7:8). The Gemara asks: Why does it say b“was falling” [ inofel /i]in the present tense, implying that he was currently falling? bIt should have said “fell” [ inafal /i]in the past tense. bRabbi Elazar said: This teaches that an angel came and pushed him down on it,and every time he would try to stand up, the angel would push him down again. Ahasuerus bsaid: Woe untome bin the house and woeunto me boutside,as the verse continues: b“Then the king said: Will he even force the queen before me in the house?”(Esther 7:8)., b“And Harbonah,one of the chamberlains, bsaidbefore the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, stands in the house of Haman” (Esther 7:9). bRabbi Elazar said: Harbonah was also wicked and involved in that plot,as he too wanted Mordecai executed. bOnce he saw that his plot had not succeeded, he immediately fledand joined Mordecai’s side. bAnd this isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “It hurls itself at him, and does not spare; he would fain flee out of its hand”(Job 27:22), indicating that when God sends calamity upon a wicked person, his friends immediately flee from him.,The verse states: b“Then the king’s wrath was assuaged [ ishakhakha /i]”(Esther 7:10). The Gemara asks: bWhy are there two assuagings here?The term ishakhakhais used rather than ishakaand indicates doubled wrath. There was boneassuaging of the wrath bof the King of the universe, and oneof the wrath bof Ahasuerus. And some say:Ahasuerus’s wrath burned within him for two reasons; bone due toHaman’s involvement with bEsther, and one due tohis involvement with bVashti,and now they were both assuaged.,Before continuing its midrashic interpretation of the rest of the book of Esther, the Gemara expounds a verse concerning Joseph that relates to the Megilla: b“To all of them he gave each man changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gavethree hundred pieces of silver, and bfive changesof clothing” (Genesis 45:22). The Gemara asks: bIs it possible that in thevery bthing from which that righteous manJoseph bhad suffered,as his father’s show of favoritism toward him aroused the enmity of his brothers |
|
8. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 33b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 33b. על המעשר ר' אלעזר בר' יוסי אומר על לשון הרע אמר רבא ואיתימא ריב"ל מאי קראה (תהלים סג, יב) והמלך ישמח באלהים יתהלל כל הנשבע בו כי יסכר פי דוברי שקר,איבעיא להו רבי אלעזר ברבי יוסי על לשון הרע קאמר או דילמא אף על לשון הרע נמי קאמר ת"ש כשנכנסו רבותינו לכרם ביבנה היה שם רבי יהודה ור' אלעזר בר' יוסי ור"ש נשאלה שאלה זו בפניהם מכה זו מפני מה מתחלת בבני מעיים וגומרת בפה נענה רבי יהודה ברבי אלעאי ראש המדברים בכל מקום ואמר אע"פ שכליות יועצות ולב מבין ולשון מחתך פה גומר נענה רבי אלעזר ברבי יוסי ואמר מפני שאוכלין בה דברים טמאין דברים טמאים סלקא דעתך אלא שאוכלין בה דברים שאינן מתוקנים נענה ר' שמעון ואמר בעון ביטול תורה,אמרו לו נשים יוכיחו שמבטלות את בעליהן נכרים יוכיחו שמבטלין את ישראל תינוקות יוכיחו שמבטלין את אביהן תינוקות של בית רבן יוכיחו,התם כדרבי גוריון דאמר רבי גוריון ואיתימא רב יוסף ברבי שמעיה בזמן שהצדיקים בדור צדיקים נתפסים על הדור אין צדיקים בדור תינוקות של בית רבן נתפסים על הדור א"ר יצחק בר זעירי ואמרי לה א"ר שמעון בן נזירא מאי קראה (שיר השירים א, ח) אם לא תדעי לך היפה בנשים צאי לך בעקבי הצאן וגו' ואמרינן גדיים הממושכנין על הרועים ש"מ אף על לשון הרע נמי קאמר ש"מ,ואמאי קרו ליה ראש המדברים בכל מקום דיתבי רבי יהודה ורבי יוסי ורבי שמעון ויתיב יהודה בן גרים גבייהו פתח ר' יהודה ואמר כמה נאים מעשיהן של אומה זו תקנו שווקים תקנו גשרים תקנו מרחצאות ר' יוסי שתק נענה רשב"י ואמר כל מה שתקנו לא תקנו אלא לצורך עצמן תקנו שווקין להושיב בהן זונות מרחצאות לעדן בהן עצמן גשרים ליטול מהן מכס הלך יהודה בן גרים וסיפר דבריהם ונשמעו למלכות אמרו יהודה שעילה יתעלה יוסי ששתק יגלה לציפורי שמעון שגינה יהרג,אזל הוא ובריה טשו בי מדרשא כל יומא הוה מייתי להו דביתהו ריפתא וכוזא דמיא וכרכי כי תקיף גזירתא א"ל לבריה נשים דעתן קלה עליהן דילמא מצערי לה ומגליא לן אזלו טשו במערתא איתרחיש ניסא איברי להו חרובא ועינא דמיא והוו משלחי מנייהו והוו יתבי עד צוארייהו בחלא כולי יומא גרסי בעידן צלויי לבשו מיכסו ומצלו והדר משלחי מנייהו כי היכי דלא ליבלו איתבו תריסר שני במערתא אתא אליהו וקם אפיתחא דמערתא אמר מאן לודעיה לבר יוחי דמית קיסר ובטיל גזירתיה,נפקו חזו אינשי דקא כרבי וזרעי אמר מניחין חיי עולם ועוסקין בחיי שעה כל מקום שנותנין עיניהן מיד נשרף יצתה בת קול ואמרה להם להחריב עולמי יצאתם חיזרו למערתכם הדור אזול איתיבו תריסר ירחי שתא אמרי משפט רשעים בגיהנם י"ב חדש יצתה בת קול ואמרה צאו ממערתכם נפקו כל היכא דהוה מחי ר' אלעזר הוה מסי ר"ש אמר לו בני די לעולם אני ואתה,בהדי פניא דמעלי שבתא חזו ההוא סבא דהוה נקיט תרי מדאני אסא ורהיט בין השמשות אמרו ליה הני למה לך אמר להו לכבוד שבת ותיסגי לך בחד חד כנגד (שמות כ, ז) זכור וחד כנגד (דברים ה, יא) שמור א"ל לבריה חזי כמה חביבין מצות על ישראל יתיב דעתייהו,שמע ר' פנחס בן יאיר חתניה ונפק לאפיה עייליה לבי בניה הוה קא אריך ליה לבישריה חזי דהוה ביה פילי בגופיה הוה קא בכי וקא נתרו דמעת עיניה וקמצוחא ליה א"ל אוי לי שראיתיך בכך א"ל אשריך שראיתני בכך שאילמלא לא ראיתני בכך לא מצאת בי כך דמעיקרא כי הוה מקשי ר"ש בן יוחי קושיא הוה מפרק ליה ר' פנחס בן יאיר תריסר פירוקי לסוף כי הוה מקשי ר"פ בן יאיר קושיא הוה מפרק ליה רשב"י עשרין וארבעה פירוקי,אמר הואיל ואיתרחיש ניסא איזיל אתקין מילתא דכתיב (בראשית לג, יח) ויבא יעקב שלם ואמר רב שלם בגופו שלם בממונו שלם בתורתו (בראשית לג, יח) ויחן את פני העיר אמר רב מטבע תיקן להם ושמואל אמר שווקים תיקן להם ור' יוחנן אמר מרחצאות תיקן להם אמר איכא מילתא דבעי לתקוני אמרו ליה איכא דוכתא דאית ביה ספק טומאה | 33b. bforneglecting to separate btithes. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, says: iAskaracomes as punishment for bslander. Rava said, and some saythat it was bRabbi Yehoshua ben Leviwho said it: bWhat is the versethat alludes to this? b“But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that swears by Him shall glory; for the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped”(Psalms 63:12). The punishment for lying is that the mouth will be stopped. iAskaraaffects the mouth along with other parts of the body., bA dilemma was raised beforethose who were sitting in the study hall: Did bRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, saythat iaskaracomes as punishment only bfor slander, or perhaps he saidit was balso for slander? Comeand bheara resolution to this dilemma from that which was taught in a ibaraita /i: bWhen our Sages entered the vineyard in Yavne, Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Shimon were there, and a question was asked before themwith regard to bthis plagueof iaskara /i: bWhy does it begin in the intestines and end in the mouth? Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ila’i,who was bthe head of the speakers in every place, responded and said: Even though the kidneys advise, and the heart understands, and the tongue shapesthe voice that emerges from the mouth, still, bthe mouth completesthe formation of the voice. Therefore, the disease begins in the same place that slander begins and it ends in the mouth. bRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, responded and said:This disease ends in the mouth bbecause one eats with it non-kosher things.They immediately wondered about this: bDoes it enter your mindto say that iaskarais caused by eating bnon-kosher food?Are those who eat non-kosher food so numerous? bRather,it comes as a punishment bfor eatingfoods bthat were notritually bprepared,i.e., were not tithed. bRabbi Shimon responded and said:This disease comes as a punishment bfor the sin of dereliction inthe study of bTorah. /b, bThey said to him: Women will provethat dereliction in the study of Torah is not the cause, as they are not obligated to study Torah and, nevertheless, they contract iaskara /i. He answered them: They are punished because bthey cause their husbands to be idlefrom the study of Torah. They said to him: bGentiles will provethat this is not the cause, as they also contract iaskaraeven though they are not obligated to study Torah. He answered them: They are also punished because bthey cause Israel to be idlefrom the study of Torah. They said to him: bChildren will provethat this is not the cause, for they are not at all obligated to study Torah and they also suffer from iaskara /i. He answered them: They are punished because bthey cause their fathers to be idlefrom the study of Torah. They said to him: bSchool children will provethat this is not the cause, as they study Torah and, nevertheless, they suffer from iaskara /i.,The Gemara answers: bThere /b, it must be understood bin accordance withthe statement of bRabbi Guryon,as bRabbi Guryon said, and some saythat it was bRav Yosef, son of Rabbi Shemaya,who said it: bAt a time whenthere are brighteous people in the generation,the brighteous are seized /b, i.e., they die or suffer, bforthe sins of bthe generation. If there are no righteous people in the generation, school children,who are also without sin, bare seized forthe sins of bthe generation /b. bRabbi Yitzḥak bar Ze’iri said, and some saythat bRabbi Shimon ben Nezira said: What is the versethat alludes to this? b“If you know not, you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flockand feed your kids, beside the shepherds’ tents [ imishkenot /i] b” ( /bSong of Songs 1:8). bAnd we sayin explanation of this verse: They are the blambs that are taken as collateral [ ihamemushkanin /i],which is etymologically similar to the word imishkenot /i, bin place of the shepherds.If the shepherds and leaders of the generation corrupt the multitudes, young children die because of their sins. With regard to the dilemma, bconclude from itthat Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, bsaidthat the illness of iaskara balsoresults from bslander,as the ibaraitaprovides an additional cause of the illness. The Gemara comments: Indeed, bconclude from it. /b,In this ibaraitaRabbi Yehuda is described as head of the speakers in every place. The Gemara asks: bAnd why did they call him head of the speakers in every place?The Gemara relates that this resulted due to an incident that took place bwhen Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon were sitting, and Yehuda, son of converts, sat beside them. Rabbi Yehuda opened and said: How pleasant are the actions of this nation,the Romans, as bthey established marketplaces, established bridges,and bestablished bathhouses. Rabbi Yosei was silent. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai responded and said: Everything that they established, they established only for their own purposes. They established marketplaces, to place prostitutes in them; bathhouses, to pamper themselves;and bbridges, to collect taxes fromall who pass over bthem. Yehuda, son of converts, went and related their statementsto his household, bandthose statements continued to spread until bthey were heard by the monarchy. Theyruled and bsaid: Yehuda, who elevatedthe Roman regime, bshall be elevatedand appointed as head of the Sages, the head of the speakers in every place. bYosei, who remained silent, shall be exiledfrom his home in Judea as punishment, and sent btothe city of bTzipporiin the Galilee. bAnd Shimon, who denouncedthe government, bshall be killed. /b,Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai band his son,Rabbi Elazar, bwentand bhid in the study hall. Every dayRabbi Shimon’s bwife would bring them bread and a jug of water and they would eat. When the decree intensified,Rabbi Shimon bsaid to his son: Women are easily impressionableand, therefore, there is room for concern blestthe authorities btorture her and she reveal ourwhereabouts. bThey went and they hid in a cave. A miracle occurredand ba carobtree bwas created for them as well as a spring of water. They would remove their clothes and sitcovered bin sand up to their necks /b. bThey would studyTorah ball dayin that manner. bAt the time of prayer, they would dress, cover themselves, and pray, and they would again remove their clothes afterward so that they would not become tattered. They sat in the cave for twelve years. Elijahthe Prophet bcame and stood at the entrance to the caveand bsaid: Who will inform bar Yoḥai thatthe bemperor died and his decree has been abrogated? /b, bThey emergedfrom the cave, and bsaw people who were plowing and sowing.Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai bsaid:These people babandon eternal lifeof Torah study band engage in temporal lifefor their own sustece. The Gemara relates that bevery place thatRabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar bdirected their eyes was immediately burned. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them:Did byou emergefrom the cave in order bto destroy My world? Return to your cave. They again wentand bsatthere bfor twelve months. They said: The judgment of the wicked in Gehenna lastsfor btwelve months.Surely their sin was atoned in that time. bA Divine Voice emerged and saidto them: bEmerge from your cave. They emerged. Everywhere that Rabbi Elazar would strike, Rabbi Shimon would heal.Rabbi Shimon bsaid toRabbi Elazar: bMy son, you and I suffice for theentire bworld,as the two of us are engaged in the proper study of Torah., bAs the sun was setting on Shabbat eve, they saw an elderly man who was holding two bundles of myrtle branches and running at twilight. They said to him: Why do you have these? He said to them: In honor of Shabbat.They said to him: bAnd let one suffice.He answered them: bOneis bcorresponding to: “Rememberthe Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), bandone is bcorresponding to: “Observethe Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Deuteronomy 5:12). Rabbi Shimon bsaid to his son: See how beloved the mitzvot are to Israel. Their minds wereput bat easeand they were no longer as upset that people were not engaged in Torah study., bRabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir,Rabbi Shimon’s bson-in-law /b, bheard and went out togreet bhim. He brought him into the bathhouse andbegan btending to his flesh. He saw thatRabbi Shimon bhad cracks inthe skin on bhis body. He was crying, and the tears fell from his eyes and causedRabbi Shimon bpain.Rabbi Pineḥas bsaid toRabbi Shimon, his father-in-law: bWoe is me, that I have seen you like this.Rabbi Shimon bsaid to him: Happy are you that you have seen me like this, as had you not seen me like this, you would not have found in me thisprominence in Torah, basthe Gemara relates: bAt first, when Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai would raise a difficulty, Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir would respondto his question with btwelve answers. Ultimately, when Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir would raise a difficulty /b, bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai would respondwith btwenty-four answers. /b,Rabbi Shimon bsaid: Since a miracle transpiredfor me, bI will goand brepair somethingfor the sake of others in gratitude for God’s kindness, bas it is written: “And Jacob came wholeto the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and he graced the countece of the city” (Genesis 33:18). bRav said,the meaning of: And Jacob came whole, is: bWhole in his body, whole in his money, whole in his Torah.And what did he do? bAnd he graced the countece of the city;he performed gracious acts to benefit the city. bRav said:Jacob bestablished a currency for them. And Shmuel said: He established marketplaces for them. And Rabbi Yoḥa said: He established bathhouses for them.In any event, clearly one for whom a miracle transpires should perform an act of kindness for his neighbors as a sign of gratitude. bHe said: Is there something that needs repair? They said to him: There is a place where there is uncertainty with regard to ritual impurity /b |
|
9. Anon., Exodus Rabbah, 31.11 (4th cent. CE - 9th cent. CE)
| 31.11. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי כח, ח): מַרְבֶּה הוֹנוֹ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית לְחוֹנֵן דַּלִּים יְקַבְּצֶנּוּ, יֵשׁ אָדָם שֶׁהוּא עָשִׁיר וּמַלְוֶה בְּרִבִּית וּמְכַנֵּס מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה וְהוּא מֵת בְּלֹא בָנִים וְכָל הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ נִכְנַס לְטִמְיוֹן, מָה הַמֶּלֶךְ עוֹשֶׂה בְּאוֹתוֹ מָמוֹן, בּוֹנֶה בִּימְסָאוֹת וּמֶרְחֲצָאוֹת וְאִיצְטַבָּאוֹת וּבָתֵּי כִסְאוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְהֵא לְצָרְכֵי הָעֲנִיִּים, הֱוֵי: לְחוֹנֵן דַּלִּים יְקַבְּצֶנּוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַרְבֶּה הוֹנוֹ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ, זֶה עֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע שֶׁהוּא מַלְוֶה בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית, וּלְמִי הוּא מַכְנִיס כָּל הַמָּמוֹן, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לְחוֹנֵן דַּלִּים, וְנֶאֱמַר (יחזקאל לט, י): וְשָׁלְלוּ אֶת שֹׁלְלֵיהֶם וּבָזְזוּ אֶת בֹּזְזֵיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ הִזְהִיר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹא יַלְווּ בְּרִבִּית כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יֹאכְלוּ אֲחֵרִים אֶת נִכְסֵיהֶם, הֲרֵי אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי אֶת הֶעָנִי. | |
|
10. Anon., Midrash On Song of Songs, 1.19
|
11. Papyri, P.Murabba'T, 20
|
12. Papyri, P.Yadin, 10
|
