1. Mishnah, Middot, 5.4 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 5.4. On the south were the wood chamber, the chamber of the exile and the chamber of hewn stones. The wood chamber: Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: I forget what it was used for. Abba Shaul says: It was the chamber of the high priest, and it was behind the two of them, and one roof covered all three. In the chamber of the exile there was a fixed cistern, with a wheel over it, and from there water was provided for all of the courtyard. In the chamber of hewn stone the great Sanhedrin of Israel used to sit and judge the priesthood. A priest in whom was found a disqualification used to put on black garments and wrap himself in black and go away. One in whom no disqualification was found used to put on white garments and wrap himself in white and go in and serve along with his brother priests. They used to make a feast because no blemish had been found in the seed of Aaron the priest, and they used to say: Blessed is the Omnipresent, blessed is He, for no blemish has been found in the seed of Aaron. Blessed is He who chose Aaron and his sons to stand to minister before the Lord in the Holy of Holies." |
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2. New Testament, Acts, 2.32-2.36 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 2.32. This Jesus God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 2.33. Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. 2.34. For David didn't ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit by my right hand 2.35. Until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet."' 2.36. Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. |
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3. New Testament, John, 1.18, 20.24-20.27 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.18. No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. 20.24. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn't with them when Jesus came. 20.25. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord!"But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. 20.26. After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be to you. 20.27. Then he said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but believing. |
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4. New Testament, Luke, 16.19-16.31, 20.27-20.39, 24.36-24.43 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 16.19. Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 16.20. A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores 16.21. and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 16.22. It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. 16.23. In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 16.24. He cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.' 16.25. But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. 16.26. Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' 16.27. He said, 'I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house; 16.28. for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won't also come into this place of torment.' 16.29. But Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' 16.30. He said, 'No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 16.31. He said to him, 'If they don't listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.' 20.27. Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection. 20.28. They asked him, "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up children for his brother. 20.29. There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless. 20.30. The second took her as wife, and he died childless. 20.31. The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died. 20.32. Afterward the woman also died. 20.33. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife. 20.34. Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry, and are given in marriage. 20.35. But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. 20.36. For they can't die any more, for they are like the angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 20.37. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord 'The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' 20.38. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him. 20.39. Some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you speak well. 24.36. As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace be to you. 24.37. But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 24.38. He said to them, "Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? 24.39. See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see that I have. 24.40. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 24.41. While they still didn't believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Do you have anything here to eat? 24.42. They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 24.43. He took it, and ate in front of them. |
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5. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 21.4 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 21.4. תִּתְקְפֵהוּ לָנֶצַח וַיַּהֲלֹךְ מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵהוּ (איוב יד, כ), תֹּקֶף שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן לָנֶצַח, לְעוֹלָם הָיָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִנִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהָלַךְ אַחַר דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל נָחָשׁ, מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵהוּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשְּׁלָחוֹ הִתְחִיל מְקוֹנֵן עָלָיו וְאוֹמֵר: הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ. | |
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6. Justin, Dialogue With Trypho, 80 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 80. The opinion of Justin with regard to the reign of a thousand years. Several Catholics reject it Trypho: I remarked to you sir, that you are very anxious to be safe in all respects, since you cling to the Scriptures. But tell me, do you really admit that this place, Jerusalem, shall be rebuilt; and do you expect your people to be gathered together, and made joyful with Christ and the patriarchs, and the prophets, both the men of our nation, and other proselytes who joined them before your Christ came? Or have you given way, and admitted this in order to have the appearance of worsting us in the controversies? Justin: I am not so miserable a fellow, Trypho, as to say one thing and think another. I admitted to you formerly, that I and many others are of this opinion, and [believe] that such will take place, as you assuredly are aware; but, on the other hand, I signified to you that many who belong to the pure and pious faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise. Moreover, I pointed out to you that some who are called Christians, but are godless, impious heretics, teach doctrines that are in every way blasphemous, atheistical, and foolish. But that you may know that I do not say this before you alone, I shall draw up a statement, so far as I can, of all the arguments which have passed between us; in which I shall record myself as admitting the very same things which I admit to you. For I choose to follow not men or men's doctrines, but God and the doctrines [delivered] by Him. For if you have fallen in with some who are called Christians, but who do not admit this [truth], and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; who say there is no resurrection of the dead, and that their souls, when they die, are taken to heaven; do not imagine that they are Christians, even as one, if he would rightly consider it, would not admit that the Sadducees, or similar sects of Genistæ, Meristæ, Galilæans, Hellenists, Pharisees, Baptists, are Jews (do not hear me impatiently when I tell you what I think), but are [only] called Jews and children of Abraham, worshipping God with the lips, as God Himself declared, but the heart was far from Him. But I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged, [as] the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare. |
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7. Palestinian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah, 1.3 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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8. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia, 84b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 84b. ואפילו הכי לא סמך רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון אדעתיה קביל עליה יסורי באורתא הוו מייכי ליה שיתין נמטי לצפרא נגדי מתותיה שיתין משיכלי דמא וכיבא,למחר עבדה ליה דביתהו שיתין מיני לפדא ואכיל להו וברי ולא הות שבקא ליה דביתהו למיפק לבי מדרשא כי היכי דלא לדחקוהו רבנן,באורתא אמר להו אחיי ורעיי בואו בצפרא אמר להו זילו מפני ביטול תורה יומא חד שמעה דביתהו אמרה ליה את קא מייתית להו עילויך כלית ממון של בית אבא אימרדה אזלה לבית נשא,סליקו ואתו הנך [שיתין] ספונאי עיילו ליה שיתין עבדי כי נקיטי שיתין ארנקי ועבדו ליה שיתין מיני לפדא ואכיל להו,יומא חד אמרה לה לברתה זילי בקי באבוך מאי קא עביד האידנא אתיא אמר לה זילי אמרי לאמך שלנו גדול משלהם קרי אנפשיה (משלי לא, יד) היתה כאניות סוחר ממרחק תביא לחמה אכל ושתי וברי נפק לבי מדרשא,אייתו לקמיה שתין מיני דמא טהרינהו הוה קא מרנני רבנן ואמרי סלקא דעתך לית בהו חד ספק אמר להו אם כמותי הוא יהיו כולם זכרים ואם לאו תהא נקבה אחת ביניהם היו כולם זכרים ואסיקו להו ר' אלעזר על שמיה,תניא אמר רבי כמה פריה ורביה ביטלה רשעה זו מישראל,כי הוה קא ניחא נפשיה אמר לה לדביתהו ידענא בדרבנן דרתיחי עלי ולא מיעסקי בי שפיר אוגנין בעיליתאי ולא תידחלין מינאי א"ר שמואל בר נחמני אישתעיא לי אימיה דרבי יונתן דאישתעיא לה דביתהו דרבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון לא פחות מתמני סרי ולא טפי מעשרין ותרין שנין אוגניתיה בעיליתא,כי הוה סליקנא מעיננא ליה במזייה כי הוה משתמטא ביניתא מיניה הוה אתי דמא יומא חד חזאי ריחשא דקא נפיק מאוניה חלש דעתאי איתחזי לי בחלמא אמר לי לא מידי הוא יומא חד שמעי בזילותא דצורבא מרבנן ולא מחאי כדבעי לי,כי הוו אתו בי תרי לדינא הוו קיימי אבבא אמר מר מילתיה ומר מילתיה נפיק קלא מעיליתיה ואמר איש פלוני אתה חייב איש פלוני אתה זכאי יומא חד הוה קא מינציא דביתהו בהדי שבבתא אמרה לה תהא כבעלה שלא ניתן לקבורה אמרי רבנן כולי האי ודאי לאו אורח ארעא,איכא דאמרי רבי שמעון בן יוחאי איתחזאי להו בחלמא אמר להו פרידה אחת יש לי ביניכם ואי אתם רוצים להביאה אצלי אזול רבנן לאעסוקי ביה לא שבקו בני עכבריא דכל שני דהוה ניים רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון בעיליתיה לא סליק חיה רעה למתייהו,יומא חד מעלי יומא דכיפורי הוה הוו טרידי שדרו רבנן לבני בירי ואסקוהו לערסיה ואמטיוה למערתא דאבוה אשכחוה לעכנא דהדרא לה למערתא אמרו לה עכנא עכנא פתחי פיך ויכנס בן אצל אביו פתח להו,שלח רבי לדבר באשתו שלחה ליה כלי שנשתמש בו קודש ישתמש בו חול תמן אמרין באתר דמרי ביתא תלא זייניה כולבא רעיא קולתיה תלא שלח לה נהי דבתורה גדול ממני אבל במעשים טובים מי גדול ממני שלחה ליה בתורה מיהא גדול ממך לא ידענא במעשים ידענא דהא קביל עליה יסורי,בתורה מאי היא דכי הוו יתבי רבן שמעון בן גמליאל ורבי יהושע בן קרחה אספסלי יתבי קמייהו רבי אלעזר בר' שמעון ורבי אארעא,מקשו ומפרקו אמרי מימיהן אנו שותים והם יושבים על גבי קרקע עבדו להו ספסלי אסקינהו,אמר להן רבן שמעון בן גמליאל פרידה אחת יש לי ביניכם ואתם מבקשים לאבדה הימני אחתוהו לרבי אמר להן רבי יהושע בן קרחה מי שיש לו אב יחיה ומי שאין לו אב ימות אחתוהו נמי לרבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון חלש דעתיה אמר קא חשביתו ליה כוותי,עד ההוא יומא כי הוה אמר רבי מילתא הוה מסייע ליה רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון מכאן ואילך כי הוה אמר רבי יש לי להשיב אמר ליה רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון כך וכך יש לך להשיב זו היא תשובתך השתא היקפתנו תשובות חבילות שאין בהן ממש,חלש דעתיה דרבי אתא א"ל לאבוה אמר ליה בני אל ירע לך שהוא ארי בן ארי ואתה ארי בן שועל,והיינו דאמר רבי שלשה ענוותנין הן ואלו הן אבא | 84b. § After this digression, the Gemara returns to the story of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon. bAndalthough his flesh did not putrefy, beven so Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon,still bdid not rely on hisown bopinion,as he was worried that he may have erred in one of his decisions. bHe accepted afflictions upon himselfas atonement for his possible sins. bAt nighthis attendants bwould spread out sixty feltbed coverings bfor him. In the morning,despite the bed coverings, bthey would remove sixty basins of blood and pus from underneath him. /b, bThe following day,i.e., every morning, bhis wife would prepare for him sixty types of relish [ ilifda /i]made from figs, band he would eat them and become healthy. His wife,concerned for his health, bwould not allow him to go to the study hall, so that the Rabbis would not push himbeyond his limits., bIn the evening, hewould bsay tohis pains: bMy brothers and my friends, come! In the morning hewould bsay to them: Goaway, bdue tothe bderelictionof bTorahstudy that you cause me. bOne day his wife heard himinviting his pains. bShe said to him: You are bringingthe pains bupon yourself. You have diminished the money ofmy bfather’s homedue to the costs of treating your self-imposed afflictions. bShe rebelledagainst him and bwentback bto her father’s home,and he was left with no one to care for him.,Meanwhile, there were bthese sixty sailorswho bcame and enteredto visit Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon. bThey brought him sixty servants,each bbearing sixty purses, and prepared him sixty types of relish and he ate them.When they had encountered trouble at sea, these sailors had prayed to be saved in the merit of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon. Upon returning to dry land, they presented him with these gifts., bOne day,the wife of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, bsaid to her daughter: Goand bcheck on your fatherand see bwhat he is doing now.The daughter bcameto her father, who bsaid to her: Goand btell your motherthat bours is greater than theirs,i.e., my current ficial status is greater than that of your father’s household. bHe readthe verse babout himself: “She is like the merchant-ships; she brings her food from afar”(Proverbs 31:14). As he was unhindered by his wife from going to the study hall, Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, bate and drank and became healthy and went out to the study hall. /b,The students bbrought sixtyquestionable bsamples of blood before himfor inspection, to determine whether or not they were menstrual blood. bHe deemed themall britually pure,thereby permitting the women to engage in intercourse with their husbands. bThe Rabbisof the academy bwere murmuring aboutRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, band saying:Can it benter your mindthat bthere is not one uncertainsample bamong them?He must be mistaken. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, bsaid to them: Ifthe ihalakha bisin accordance with bmyruling, blet allthe children born from these women bbe males. And if not, let there be one female among them.It turned out that ballof the children bwere males, andthey bwere called Elazar in his name. /b, bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbiYehuda HaNasi lamented and bsaidconcerning the wife of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon: bHow much procreationhas bthis evil woman prevented from the Jewish people.She caused women not to have children by preventing her husband from going to the study hall and rendering his halakhic rulings., bAsRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, bwas dying, he said to his wife: I know that the Rabbis are angry at mefor arresting several thieves who are their relatives, bandtherefore bthey will not properly tend to myburial. When I die, blay me in my attic and do not be afraid of me,i.e., do not fear that anything will happen to my corpse. bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Rabbi Yonatan’s mother told me that the wife of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, told her: I laid him in the atticfor bno less than eighteenyears bandfor bno more than twenty-two years. /b,His wife continued: bWhen I would go upto the attic bI would check his hair,and bwhen a hair would fall out fromhis head, bblood would comeand appear in its place, i.e., his corpse did not decompose. bOne day I saw a worm emerging from his ear,and bI becamevery bdistressedthat perhaps his corpse had begun to decompose. My husband bappeared to me in a dreamand bsaid to me: It is no matterfor concern. Rather, this is a consequence for a sin of mine, as bone day I heard a Torah scholar being insulted and I did not protest as I should have.Therefore, I received this punishment in my ear, measure for measure.,During this period, bwhen twopeople bwould come for adjudication ofa dispute, bthey would stand by the doorwayto the home of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon. bOnelitigant bwould state hisside of the bmatter, and the otherlitigant would state bhisside of the bmatter. A voice would issue forth from his attic, saying: So-and-so, you are guilty; so-and-so, you are innocent.The Gemara relates: bOne day, the wife ofRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, bwas quarreling with a neighbor.The neighbor bsaid to heras a curse: This woman bshould be like her husband, who was not buried.When word spread that Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, had not been buried, bthe Rabbis said: This much,i.e., now that the matter is known, to continue in this state is bcertainly not proper conduct,and they decided to bury him., bThere arethose bwho saythat the Sages found out that Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, had not been buried when bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai,his father, bappeared to them in a dream and said to them: I have a single fledgling among you,i.e., my son, band you do not wish to bring it to meby burying him next to me. Consequently, bthe Sages went to tend tohis burial. bThe residents of Akhbaria,the town where the corpse of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, was resting, bdid not allowthem to do so, basthey realized that ball the years that Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, had been resting in his attic, no wild beast had entered their town.The townspeople attributed this phenomenon to his merit and they did not want to lose this protection., bOne day,which bwas Yom Kippur eve,everyone in the town bwas preoccupiedwith preparations for the Festival. bThe Rabbis senta message bto the residents ofthe adjacent town bof Biriinstructing them to help remove the body of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, from the attic, band they removed his bier and brought it to his father’sburial bcave. They found a serpent [ ile’akhna /i] thathad placed its tail in its mouth and completely bencircledthe entrance to bthe cave,denying them access. bThey said to it: Serpent, serpent! Open your mouth to allow a son to enter next to his father. It openedits mouth bfor themand uncoiled, and they buried Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, alongside his father.,The Gemara continues: After this incident, bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsenta messenger bto speak with the wife ofRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, and propose marriage. bShe senta message bto himin response: Shall ba vessel used bysomeone bsacred,i.e., Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, bbe used bysomeone who is, relative to him, bprofane? There,in Eretz Yisrael, bthey saythat she used the colloquial adage: bIn the locationwhere bthe master of the house hangs his sword,shall bthe contemptible shepherd hang his basket [ ikultei /i]?Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsenta message back bto her: Granted that in Torah he was greater than I, but washe bgreater than I in pious deeds? She senta message back bto him: Whetherhe was bgreater than you in Torah I do not know;but bI do knowthat he was greater than you binpious bdeeds, as he accepted afflictions upon himself. /b,The Gemara asks: bWith regard to Torahknowledge, bwhat isthe event that demonstrated the superiority of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, over Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi? The Gemara answers: bWhen Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa,the leading Sages of the generation, bwere sitting on benches [ iasafselei /i]teaching Torah along with the other Sages, the youthful pair bRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, and RabbiYehuda HaNasi bwould sit before them on the groundout of respect.,These two young students would engage in discussions with the Sages, in which they would braise difficulties and answerthem brilliantly. Seeing the young scholars’ brilliance, the leading Sages bsaid: From their waters we drink,i.e., we are learning from them, band they arethe ones bsitting on the ground? Benches were prepared forRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, band they were promotedto sit alongside the other Sages., bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel said tothe other Sages present: bI have a single fledgling among you,i.e., my son Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, band you are seeking to take it from me?By promoting my son to such a prestigious position at such a young age, his chances of being adversely affected by the evil eye are greatly increased. bThey demoted RabbiYehuda HaNasi to sit on the ground, at his father’s request. bRabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said tothe Sages: Should bone who has a fatherto care for him, i.e., Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, be demoted so that he may blive, whilethe other bone, who does not have a fatherto care for him, i.e., Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, should be allowed to bdie?Upon hearing his argument, the Sages balso demoted Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon,without explaining to him the reason for his demotion. bHe became offendedand bsaidto them: bYou are equatingRabbi Yehuda HaNasi bto me,by demoting us together. In fact, I am much greater than he.,As a result of that incident, the relationship of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, with Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi changed. Up buntil that day, when RabbiYehuda HaNasi bwould state a matterof Torah, bRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, would support himby citing proofs for his opinion. bFrom thispoint bforward, whenthey were discussing a subject and bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bwould say: I havean argument bto respond, Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, wouldpreempt him by bsaying to him: Such and such is what you have to respond,and bthis is the refutation of yourclaim. bNowthat you asked these questions, byou have surrounded us with bundles of refutations that have no substance,i.e., you have forced us to give unnecessary answers. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, would anticipate Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s comments and immediately dismiss them as having no value., bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bbecame offended. He cameand btold his fatherwhat had transpired. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel bsaidto him: bMy son, do not lethis actions boffendyou, bas he is a lion, son of a lion, and you are a lion, son of a fox.Rabbi Elazar’s father, Rabbi Shimon, was a renowned Sage, and therefore Rabbi Elazar’s sagacity is not surprising. In any event, this incident demonstrates the superiority of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi with regard to knowledge of Torah.,The Gemara concludes: bThisincident bisthe background to a statement bwhich RabbiYehuda HaNasi bsaid: There are threeprototypical bmodestpeople, band they are: Father,i.e., Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel; |
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9. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 28a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 28a. דלמא מעברין לך אמר לה [לשתמש אינש] יומא חדא בכסא דמוקרא ולמחר ליתבר אמרה ליה לית לך חיורתא ההוא יומא בר תמני סרי שני הוה אתרחיש ליה ניסא ואהדרו ליה תמני סרי דרי חיורתא היינו דקאמר ר' אלעזר בן עזריה הרי אני כבן שבעים שנה ולא בן שבעים שנה,תנא אותו היום סלקוהו לשומר הפתח ונתנה להם רשות לתלמידים ליכנס שהיה ר"ג מכריז ואומר כל תלמיד שאין תוכו כברו לא יכנס לבית המדרש,ההוא יומא אתוספו כמה ספסלי א"ר יוחנן פליגי בה אבא יוסף בן דוסתאי ורבנן חד אמר אתוספו ארבע מאה ספסלי וחד אמר שבע מאה ספסלי הוה קא חלשא דעתיה דר"ג אמר דלמא ח"ו מנעתי תורה מישראל אחזו ליה בחלמיה חצבי חיורי דמליין קטמא ולא היא ההיא ליתובי דעתיה הוא דאחזו ליה,תנא עדיות בו ביום נשנית וכל היכא דאמרינן בו ביום ההוא יומא הוה ולא היתה הלכה שהיתה תלויה בבית המדרש שלא פירשוה ואף ר"ג לא מנע עצמו מבית המדרש אפילו שעה אחת,דתנן בו ביום בא יהודה גר עמוני לפניהם בבית המדרש אמר להם מה אני לבא בקהל,א"ל ר"ג אסור אתה לבא בקהל א"ל ר' יהושע מותר אתה לבא בקהל א"ל ר"ג והלא כבר נאמר (דברים כג, ד) לא יבא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ה' א"ל ר' יהושע וכי עמון ומואב במקומן הן יושבין כבר עלה סנחריב מלך אשור ובלבל את כל האומות שנאמר (ישעיהו י, יג) ואסיר גבולות עמים ועתידותיהם שוסתי ואוריד כאביר יושבים וכל דפריש מרובא פריש,אמר לו ר"ג והלא כבר נאמר (ירמיהו מט, ו) ואחרי כן אשיב את שבות בני עמון נאם ה' וכבר שבו,אמר לו ר' יהושע והלא כבר נאמר (עמוס ט, יד) ושבתי את שבות עמי ישראל ועדיין לא שבו מיד התירוהו לבא בקהל,אר"ג הואיל והכי הוה איזיל ואפייסיה לר' יהושע כי מטא לביתיה חזינהו לאשיתא דביתיה דמשחרן א"ל מכותלי ביתך אתה ניכר שפחמי אתה א"ל אוי לו לדור שאתה פרנסו שאי אתה יודע בצערן של ת"ח במה הם מתפרנסים ובמה הם נזונים,אמר לו נעניתי לך מחול לי לא אשגח ביה עשה בשביל כבוד אבא פייס,אמרו מאן ניזיל ולימא להו לרבנן אמר להו ההוא כובס אנא אזילנא שלח להו ר' יהושע לבי מדרשא מאן דלביש מדא ילבש מדא ומאן דלא לביש מדא יימר ליה למאן דלביש מדא שלח מדך ואנא אלבשיה אמר להו ר"ע לרבנן טרוקו גלי דלא ליתו עבדי דר"ג ולצערו לרבנן,א"ר יהושע מוטב דאיקום ואיזיל אנא לגבייהו אתא טרף אבבא א"ל מזה בן מזה יזה ושאינו לא מזה ולא בן מזה יאמר למזה בן מזה מימיך מי מערה ואפרך אפר מקלה א"ל ר"ע רבי יהושע נתפייסת כלום עשינו אלא בשביל כבודך למחר אני ואתה נשכים לפתחו,אמרי היכי נעביד נעבריה גמירי מעלין בקדש ואין מורידין נדרוש מר חדא שבתא ומר חדא שבתא אתי לקנאויי אלא לדרוש ר"ג תלתא שבתי וראב"ע חדא שבתא והיינו דאמר מר שבת של מי היתה של ראב"ע היתה ואותו תלמיד ר' שמעון בן יוחאי הוה:,ושל מוספין כל היום: א"ר יוחנן ונקרא פושע,ת"ר היו לפניו שתי תפלות אחת של מנחה ואחת של מוסף מתפלל של מנחה ואח"כ מתפלל של מוסף שזו תדירה וזו אינה תדירה ר' יהודה אומר מתפלל של מוסף ואח"כ מתפלל של מנחה שזו מצוה עוברת וזו מצוה שאינה עוברת א"ר יוחנן הלכה מתפלל של מנחה ואח"כ מתפלל של מוסף,ר' זירא כי הוה חליש מגירסיה הוה אזיל ויתיב אפתחא דבי ר' נתן בר טובי אמר כי חלפי רבנן אז איקום מקמייהו ואקבל אגרא נפק אתא ר' נתן בר טובי א"ל מאן אמר הלכה בי מדרשא א"ל הכי א"ר יוחנן אין הלכה כר' יהודה דאמר מתפלל אדם של מוסף ואח"כ מתפלל של מנחה,א"ל רבי יוחנן אמרה אמר ליה אין תנא מיניה ארבעין זמנין א"ל חדא היא לך או חדת היא לך א"ל חדת היא לי משום דמספקא לי בר' יהושע בן לוי:,אריב"ל כל המתפלל תפלה של מוספין לאחר שבע שעות לר' יהודה עליו הכתוב אומר (צפניה ג, יח) נוגי ממועד אספתי ממך היו מאי משמע דהאי נוגי לישנא דתברא הוא כדמתרגם רב יוסף תברא אתי על שנאיהון דבית ישראל על דאחרו זמני מועדיא דבירושלים,א"ר אלעזר כל המתפלל תפלה של שחרית לאחר ארבע שעות לר' יהודה עליו הכתוב אומר נוגי ממועד אספתי ממך היו מאי משמע דהאי נוגי לישנא דצערא הוא דכתיב (תהלים קיט, כח) דלפה נפשי מתוגה רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר מהכא (איכה א, ד) בתולותיה נוגות והיא מר לה | 28a. There is room for concern. bPerhaps they will remove youfrom office just as they removed Rabban Gamliel. bHe said to her,based on the folk saying: bLet a person use an expensive goblet one day and let it break tomorrow.In other words, one should take advantage of an opportunity that presents itself and he need not concern himself whether or not it will last. bShe said to him: You have no whitehair, and it is inappropriate for one so young to head the Sages. The Gemara relates: bThat day, he was eighteen years old, a miracle transpired for him and eighteen rows of hair turned white.The Gemara comments: bThatexplains bthat which Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said: I am as one who is seventy years old and he did not say: I am seventy years old,because he looked older than he actually was., bIt was taught: On that daythat they removed Rabban Gamliel from his position and appointed Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya in his place, there was also a fundamental change in the general approach of the study hall as bthey dismissed the guard at the door and permission was granted to the students to enter.Instead of Rabban Gamliel’s selective approach that asserted that the students must be screened before accepting them into the study hall, the new approach asserted that anyone who seeks to study should be given opportunity to do so. bAs Rabban Gamliel would proclaim and say: Any student whose inside,his thoughts and feelings, bare not like his outside,i.e., his conduct and his character traits are lacking, bwill not enter the study hall. /b,The Gemara relates: bOn that day several benches were addedto the study hall to accommodate the numerous students. bRabbi Yoḥa said: Abba Yosef ben Dostai and the Rabbis disputed thismatter. bOne said: Four hundred benches were addedto the study hall. bAnd one said: Seven hundred benches were addedto the study hall. When he saw the tremendous growth in the number of students, bRabban Gamliel was disheartened. He said: Perhaps, Heaven forbid, I prevented Israel fromengaging in bTorahstudy. bThey showed him in his dream white jugs filled with ashesalluding to the fact that the additional students were worthless idlers. The Gemara comments: bThat is notthe case, but bthatdream bwas shown to him to ease his mindso that he would not feel bad., bIt was taught:There is a tradition that tractate iEduyyotwas taught that day. And everywherein the Mishna or in a ibaraita bthat they say: On that day, it isreferring to bthat day. There was no ihalakhawhose ruling was pending in the study hall that they did not explainand arrive at a practical halakhic conclusion. bAnd even Rabban Gamliel did not avoid the study hall for even one moment,as he held no grudge against those who removed him from office and he participated in the halakhic discourse in the study hall as one of the Sages., bAs we learnedin a mishna: bOn that day, Yehuda, the Ammonite convert, came beforethe students in the study hall band he said to them: What is mylegal status in terms of bentering into the congregationof Israel, i.e., to marry a Jewish woman?, bRabban Gamliel said to him: You are forbidden to enter into the congregation. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: You are permitted to enter into the congregation. Rabban Gamliel said toRabbi Yehoshua: bWasn’t it already stated: “An Ammonite and a Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord;even to the tenth generation shall none of them enter into the congregation of the Lord forever” (Deuteronomy 23:4)? How can you permit him to enter the congregation? bRabbi Yehoshua said toRabban Gamliel: bDo Ammon and Moab reside in their place? Sennacherib already came and,through his policy of population transfer, bscrambled all the nationsand settled other nations in place of Ammon. Consequently, the current residents of Ammon and Moab are not ethnic Ammonites and Moabites, bas it is stated inreference to Sennacherib: b“I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and have brought down as one mighty the inhabitants”(Isaiah 10:13). bAndalthough it is conceivable that this particular convert is an ethnic Ammonite, nevertheless, there is no need for concern due to the halakhic principle: bAnything that partsfrom a group bparts from the majority,and the assumption is that he is from the majority of nations whose members are permitted to enter the congregation., bRabban Gamliel said toRabbi Yehoshua: bBut wasn’t it already stated: “But afterward I will bring back the captivity of the children of Ammon, says the Lord”(Jeremiah 49:6) band they have already returnedto their land? Therefore, he is an ethnic Ammonite and he may not convert., bRabbi Yehoshua said toRabban Gamliel: That is no proof. bWasn’t it already statedin another prophecy: b“And I will turn the captivity of My people Israeland they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them” (Amos 9:14), band they have not yet returned?In rendering the ruling, only proven facts may be taken into consideration. bThey immediately permitted him to enter the congregation.This proves that Rabban Gamliel did not absent himself from the study hall that day and participated in the halakhic discourse., bRabban Gamliel saidto himself: bSince this isthe situation, that the people are following Rabbi Yehoshua, apparently he was right. Therefore, it would be appropriate for me to bgo and appease Rabbi Yehoshua. When he reachedRabbi Yehoshua’s bhouse, he sawthat bthe walls of his house were black.Rabban Gamliel bsaid toRabbi Yehoshua in wonderment: bFrom the walls of your house it is apparent that you are a blacksmith,as until then he had no idea that Rabbi Yehoshua was forced to engage in that arduous trade in order to make a living. Rabbi Yehoshua bsaid to him: Woe unto a generation that you are its leader as you are unaware of the difficulties of Torah scholars, how they make a living and how they feed themselves. /b,Rabban Gamliel bsaid to him: I insulted you, forgive me.Rabbi Yehoshua bpaid him no attentionand did not forgive him. He asked him again: bDo it in deference to my father,Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, who was one of the leaders of Israel at the time of the destruction of the Temple. bHe was appeased. /b,Now that Rabbi Yehoshua was no longer offended, it was only natural that Rabban Gamliel would be restored to his position. bThey said: Who will go and inform the Sages?Apparently, they were not eager to carry out the mission that would undo the previous actions and remove Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya from his position as iNasi /i. bThis launderer said to them: I will go. Rabbi Yehoshua sent tothe Sages bto the study hall: The one who wears the uniform willcontinue to bwear the uniform,the original iNasiwill remain in his position so that bthe one who did not wear the uniform willnot bsay to the one who wears the uniform, remove your uniform and I will wear it.Apparently, the Sages believed that this emissary was dispatched at the initiative of Rabban Gamliel and they ignored him. bRabbi Akiva said to the Sages: Lock the gates so that Rabban Gamliel’s servants will not come and disturb the Sages. /b,When he heard what happened, bRabbi Yehoshua said: It is best if I go to them. He came and knocked on the door. He said to themwith a slight variation: bOne who sprinklespure water on those who are ritually impure, bson of one who sprinkleswater bshallcontinue bto sprinklewater. And it is inappropriate that he who is bneither one who sprinkles nor son of one who sprinkles will say to one who sprinkles son of one who sprinkles: Your water is cave waterand not the running water required to purify one exposed to ritual impurity imparted by a corpse band your ashes are burnt ashesand not the ashes of a red heifer. bRabbi Akiva said to him: Rabbi Yehoshua, have you been appeased? Everything we did was todefend byour honor.If you have forgiven him, none of us is opposed. bEarly tomorrow you and I will go toRabban Gamliel’s bdoorwayand offer to restore him to his position as iNasi /i.,The question arose what to do with Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya? bThey said: What shall we do? Remove himfrom his position. That is inappropriate as we blearneda ihalakhathrough tradition: One belevatesto a higher level of bsanctity and does not downgrade.Therefore, one who was the iNasiof the Sanhedrin cannot be demoted. bLetone bSage lecture one week andthe other bSage one week, they will come to be jealousone of another, as they will be forced to appoint one as the acting head of the Sanhedrin. bRather, Rabban Gamliel will lecture three weeks and Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryawill lecture as head of the yeshiva bone week.That arrangement was adopted band that isthe explanation of the exchange in tractate iḤagiga /i: bWhose week was it? It was the week of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya.One final detail: bThat studentwho asked the original question that sparked this entire incident bwas Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai. /b,We learned in the mishna: bAnd the additional prayermay be recited ball day. Rabbi Yoḥa said:Nevertheless, bonewho postpones his prayer excessively bis called negligent. /b, bThe Rabbis taughtin a ibaraita /i: bIfthe obligation to recite btwo prayers was before him, one, the afternoon prayer and one, the additional prayer, he recites the afternoon prayerfirst band the additional prayer thereafter,because bthis,the afternoon prayer, bisrecited on a bfrequentbasis, band this one,the additional prayer, bisrecited on a relatively binfrequentbasis. bRabbi Yehuda says: He recites the additional prayerfirst band the afternoon prayer thereafter,because bthis, the additional prayer, is a mitzvawhose time soon belapses,as it may only be recited until the seventh hour band this, the afternoon prayer, is a mitzvawhose time does bnotsoon belapseas one may recite it until the midpoint of the afternoon. bRabbi Yoḥa said: The ihalakha /iis that bhe recites the afternoon prayerfirst band the additional prayer thereafter,in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis.,The Gemara cites additional sources relating to this issue: bWhen Rabbi Zeira would tire of his studies, he would go and sit in the doorway of Rabbi Natan bar Tovi’s study hall. He saidto himself: bWhen theentering and exiting bSages pass, I will rise before them and be rewardedfor the mitzva of honoring Torah scholars. bRabbi Natan bar Tovihimself bemerged and cameto where Rabbi Zeira was seated. Rabbi Zeira bsaid to him: Whojust bstated a ihalakhain the study hall?Rabbi Natan bar Tovi bsaid to him: Rabbi Yoḥajust bsaid as follows: The ihalakhais not in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yehuda who said: He recites the additional prayerfirst band the afternoon prayer thereafter. /b,Rabbi Zeira bsaid to him:Did bRabbi Yoḥahimself bsaythis ihalakha /i? Rabbi Natan bsaid to him: Yes. He learnedthis statement bfrom him forty times,etching it into his memory. Rabbi Natan bsaid to him:Is this ihalakhaso dear to you because bit is singular for you,as it is the only ihalakhathat you learned in the name of Rabbi Yoḥa, bor is it new to you,as you were previously unaware of this ruling? Rabbi Zeira bsaid to him:It bissomewhat bnew to me, as I was uncertainwhether this ihalakhawas said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥa or in the name of bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi.Now it is clear to me that this ihalakhais in the name of Rabbi Yoḥa., bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said:With regard to banyone who recites the additional prayer after seven hoursof the day, baccording to Rabbi Yehuda, the verse states: “Those who are destroyed [ inugei /i] far from the Festivals, I shall gather from you,they who carried for you the burden of insult” (Zephaniah 3:18). bFrom wheremay it bbe inferred that inugeiis an expression of destruction? As Rav Yosef translatedthe verse into Aramaic: bDestruction comes upon the enemiesof bthe house of Israel,a euphemism for Israel itself, bfor they have delayed the times of the Festivals in Jerusalem.This proves both that inugeimeans destruction and that destruction comes upon those who fail to fulfill a mitzva at its appointed time.,Similarly, bRabbi Elazar said: Regarding anyone who recites the morning prayer after four hoursof the day, baccording to Rabbi Yehuda, the verse states: “Those who are in sorrow [ inugei /i] far from the Festivals, I shall gather from you,they who carried for you the burden of insult” (Zephaniah 3:18). bFrom wheremay it bbe inferred that inugeiis an expression of sorrow? As it is written: “My soul drips in sorrow [ ituga /i]”(Psalms 119:28). bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:The proof that inugeiindicates suffering is bfrom here: “Her virgins are sorrowed [ inugot /i] and she is embittered”(Lamentations 1:4). |
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10. Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah, 5b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 5b. אינו מהם אמרו ליה רבנן לרבא מר לא בהסתר פנים איתיה ולא בוהיה לאכול איתיה אמר להו מי ידעיתו כמה משדרנא בצנעא בי שבור מלכא אפי' הכי יהבו ביה רבנן עינייהו אדהכי שדור דבי שבור מלכא וגרבוהו אמר היינו דתניא אמר רבן שמעון בן גמליאל כל מקום שנתנו חכמים עיניהם או מיתה או עוני,(דברים לא, יח) ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני ביום ההוא אמר רבא אמר הקב"ה אף על פי שהסתרתי פני מהם בחלום אדבר בו רב יוסף אמר ידו נטויה עלינו שנאמר (ישעיהו נא, טז) ובצל ידי כסיתיך,ר' יהושע בן חנניה הוה קאי בי קיסר אחוי ליה ההוא אפיקורוסא עמא דאהדרינהו מריה לאפיה מיניה אחוי ליה ידו נטויה עלינו אמר ליה קיסר לר' יהושע מאי אחוי לך עמא דאהדרינהו מריה לאפיה מיניה ואנא מחוינא ליה ידו נטויה עלינו,אמרו ליה לההוא מינא מאי אחויית ליה עמא דאהדרינהו מריה מיניה ומאי אחוי לך לא ידענא אמרו גברא דלא ידע מאי מחוו ליה במחוג יחוי קמי מלכא אפקוהו וקטלוהו,כי קא ניחא נפשיה דרבי יהושע בן חנניה אמרו ליה רבנן מאי תיהוי עלן מאפיקורוסין אמר להם (ירמיהו מט, ז) אבדה עצה מבנים נסרחה חכמתם כיון שאבדה עצה מבנים נסרחה חכמתן של אומות העולם,ואי בעית אימא מהכא (בראשית לג, יב) ויאמר נסעה ונלכה ואלכה לנגדך,רבי אילא הוה סליק בדרגא דבי רבה בר שילא שמעיה לינוקא דהוה קא קרי (עמוס ד, יג) כי הנה יוצר הרים ובורא רוח ומגיד לאדם מה שיחו אמר עבד שרבו מגיד לו מה שיחו תקנה יש לו מאי מה שיחו אמר רב אפילו שיחה יתירה שבין איש לאשתו מגידים לו לאדם בשעת מיתה,איני והא רב כהנא הוה גני תותי פורייה דרב ושמעיה דסח וצחק ועשה צרכיו אמר דמי פומיה דרב כמאן דלא טעים ליה תבשילא אמר ליה כהנא פוק לאו אורח ארעא,לא קשיא כאן דצריך לרצויה הא דלא צריך לרצויה,(ירמיהו יג, יז) ואם לא תשמעוה במסתרים תבכה נפשי מפני גוה אמר רב שמואל בר איניא משמיה דרב מקום יש לו להקב"ה ומסתרים שמו מאי מפני גוה אמר רב שמואל בר יצחק מפני גאוותן של ישראל שניטלה מהם ונתנה לעובדי כוכבים ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר מפני גאוותה של מלכות שמים,ומי איכא בכיה קמיה הקב"ה והאמר רב פפא אין עציבות לפני הקב"ה שנאמר (דברי הימים א טז, כז) הוד והדר לפניו עוז וחדוה במקומו לא קשיא הא בבתי גואי הא בבתי בראי,ובבתי בראי לא והא כתיב (ישעיהו כב, יב) ויקרא אדני ה' צבאות ביום ההוא לבכי ולמספד ולקרחה ולחגור שק שאני חרבן בית המקדש דאפילו מלאכי שלום בכו שנאמר (ישעיהו לג, ז) הן אראלם צעקו חוצה מלאכי שלום מר יבכיון:,(ירמיהו יג, יז) ודמע תדמע ותרד עיני דמעה כי נשבה עדר ה' אמר ר' אלעזר שלש דמעות הללו למה אחת על מקדש ראשון ואחת על מקדש שני ואחת על ישראל שגלו ממקומן ואיכא דאמרי אחת על ביטול תורה,בשלמא למאן דאמר על ישראל שגלו היינו דכתיב כי נשבה עדר ה' אלא למאן דאמר על ביטול תורה מאי כי נשבה עדר ה' כיון שגלו ישראל ממקומן אין לך ביטול תורה גדול מזה,תנו רבנן שלשה הקב"ה בוכה עליהן בכל יום על שאפשר לעסוק בתורה ואינו עוסק ועל שאי אפשר לעסוק בתורה ועוסק ועל פרנס המתגאה על הצבור,רבי הוה נקיט ספר קינות וקא קרי בגויה כי מטא להאי פסוקא (איכה ב, א) השליך משמים ארץ נפל מן ידיה אמר מאיגרא רם לבירא עמיקתא,רבי ורבי חייא הוו שקלי ואזלי באורחא כי מטו לההוא מתא אמרי איכא צורבא מרבנן הכא נזיל וניקביל אפיה אמרי איכא צורבא מרבנן הכא ומאור עינים הוא אמר ליה ר' חייא לרבי תיב את לא תזלזל בנשיאותך איזיל אנא ואקביל אפיה,תקפיה ואזל בהדיה כי הוו מיפטרי מיניה אמר להו אתם הקבלתם פנים הנראים ואינן רואין תזכו להקביל פנים הרואים ואינן נראין אמר ליה איכו השתא מנעתן מהאי בירכתא,אמרו ליה ממאן שמיעא לך מפרקיה דרבי יעקב שמיע לי דרבי יעקב איש כפר חיטייא הוה מקביל אפיה דרביה כל יומא כי קש א"ל לא נצטער מר דלא יכיל מר,אמר ליה מי זוטר מאי דכתיב בהו ברבנן (תהלים מט, י) ויחי עוד לנצח לא יראה השחת כי יראה חכמים ימותו ומה הרואה חכמים במיתתן יחיה בחייהן על אחת כמה וכמה,רב אידי אבוה דרבי יעקב בר אידי הוה רגיל דהוה אזיל תלתא ירחי באורחא וחד יומא בבי רב והוו קרו ליה רבנן בר בי רב דחד יומא חלש דעתיה קרי אנפשיה (איוב יב, ד) שחוק לרעהו אהיה וגו' א"ל ר' יוחנן במטותא מינך לא תעניש להו רבנן,נפק ר' יוחנן לבי מדרשא ודרש (ישעיהו נח, ב) ואותי יום יום ידרשון ודעת דרכי יחפצון וכי ביום דורשין אותו ובלילה אין דורשין אותו אלא לומר לך כל העוסק בתורה אפי' יום אחד בשנה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו עסק כל השנה כולה,וכן במדת פורענות דכתיב (במדבר יד, לד) במספר הימים אשר תרתם את הארץ וכי ארבעים שנה חטאו והלא ארבעים יום חטאו אלא לומר לך כל העובר עבירה אפי' יום אחד בשנה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו עבר כל השנה כולה:,אי זהו קטן כל שאינו יכול לרכוב על כתפו של אביו: מתקיף לה רבי זירא | 5b. bis not fromamong bthem. The Sages said to Rava: Master, you are not subject toHis bhidingof the bface,as your prayers are heard, band you are not subject to: “And they shall be devoured,”as the authorities take nothing from you. bHe said to them: Do you know how manygifts bI send in private to the house of King Shapur?Although it might seem that the monarchy does not take anything from me, in actuality I am forced to give many bribes. bEven so, the Sages looked uponRava with suspicion. bIn the meantime,messengers bfrom the house of King Shapur sentfor him band imprisoned himto extort more money from him. Rava bsaid: This is as it is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: Wherever the Sages looked uponsomeone, it resulted in beither death or poverty. /b,With regard to the verse: b“And I will hide my face in that day”(Deuteronomy 31:18), bRava saidthat bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Even though I hid my face from themand My Divine Presence is not revealed, nevertheless: b“I speak with him in a dream”(Numbers 12:6). bRav Yosef said: His hand is outstretched,guarding bover us, as it is stated: “And I have covered you in the shadow of my hand”(Isaiah 51:16).,The Gemara relates: bRabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya was standing inthe bhouse of the Caesar. A certain heretic,who was also present, bgestured to him,indicating that his was bthe nation whose Master,God, bturned His faceaway bfrom it.Rabbi Yehoshua bgestured to himthat bHis hand is outstretched over usin protection. bThe Caesar said to Rabbi Yehoshua: What did he gesture to you,and how did you respond? He replied: He indicated that mine is bthe nation whose Master turned His face from it, and I gestured to himthat bHis hand is outstretched over us. /b,The members of the Caesar’s household bsaid to that heretic: What did you gesture to him?He said to them: I gestured that his is bthe nation whose Master has turnedHis face bfrom it.They asked: bAnd what did he gesture to you?He said to them: bI don’t know;I did not understand. bThey said:How can ba man who does not know whatothers bgesture to himdare to bgesture in the presence of the king? They took him out and killed him. /b,The Gemara relates: bWhen Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya was dying, the Sages said to him: What will become of us, fromthe threat of bthe heretics,when there is no scholar like you who can refute them? bHe said to themthat the verse states: “Is wisdom no more in Teiman? bHas counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished?”(Jeremiah 49:7). He explained: bSince counsel has perished from the prudent,from the Jewish people, the bwisdom of the nations of the world has vanishedas well, and there will be no superior scholars among them., bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that the same idea can be derived bfrom here: “And he said: Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go corresponding to you”(Genesis 33:12). Just as the Jewish people rise and fall, so too, the nations of the world simultaneously rise and fall, and they will never have an advantage.,The Gemara relates that bRabbi Ila was ascending the stairs in the house of Rabba bar Sheila,a children’s teacher. bHe heard a child who was readinga verse out loud: b“For, lo, He Who forms the mountains, and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his speech”(Amos 4:13). Rabbi Ila bsaid:With regard to ba servant whose master declares to him what is hisproper bspeech, is there a remedy for him?The Gemara asks. bWhatis the meaning of the phrase: b“What is his speech”? Rav said: Even frivolous speech that is between a man and his wifebefore engaging in relations bis declared to a person at the time of death,and he will have to account for it.,The Gemara asks: bIs that so?Is it prohibited for a man to speak in this manner with his wife? bWasn’t Rav Kahana lying beneath Rav’s bed, and he heardRav bchatting and laughingwith his wife, band performing his needs,i.e., having relations with her. Rav Kahana bsaidout loud: bThe mouth of Rav is likeone who bhas never eaten a cooked dish,i.e., his behavior is lustful. Rav bsaid to him: Kahana, leave, asthis is bnot proper conduct.This shows that Rav himself engaged in frivolous talk before relations.,The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Here,where this type of speech is permitted, it is referring to a situation bwhere he must appeasehis wife before relations, and therefore this speech is appropriate. However, bthisstatement, that it is prohibited, is referring to a situation bwhere he doesn’t need to appease her.In these circumstances, it is prohibited to engage in excessively lighthearted chatter with one’s wife.,The verse states: b“But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret [ ibemistarim /i] for your pride”(Jeremiah 13:17). bRav Shmuel bar Inya said in the name of Rav: The Holy One, Blessed be He, has a placewhere He cries, band its name is Mistarim. Whatis the meaning of b“for your pride”? Rav Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said:God cries bdue to the pride of the Jewish people, which was taken from them and given tothe gentile bnations. Rav Shmuel bar Naḥmani said:He cries bdue to the pride of the kingdom of Heaven,which was removed from the world.,The Gemara asks: bBut is there crying before the Holy One, Blessed be He? Didn’t Rav Pappa say: There is no sadness before the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and gladness are in His place”(I Chronicles 16:27)? The Gemara responds: This is bnot difficult. Thisstatement, that God cries, is referring to bthe innermost chambers,where He can cry in secret, whereas bthisstatement, that He does not cry, is referring to bthe outer chambers. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd doesn’tGod cry bin the outer chambers? Isn’t it written: “And on that day the Lord, the God of hosts, called to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth”(Isaiah 22:12)? The Gemara responds: bThe destruction of the Temple is different, as even the angels of peace cried, as it is stated: “Behold, their valiant ones cry without; the angels of peace weep bitterly”(Isaiah 33:7).,The verse continues: b“And my eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive”(Jeremiah 13:17). bRabbi Elazar said: Why these threereferences to btearsin the verse? bOneis bfor the First Temple; oneis bfor the Second Temple; and oneis bfor the Jewish people who were exiled from their place. And there arethose bwho say:The last boneis bforthe unavoidable bderelictionof the study of bTorahin the wake of the exile.,The Gemara asks: bGranted, according to the one who saidthat the last tear is bfor the Jewish people who were exiled, this is as it is written: “Because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.” However, according to the one who saidthat this tear is bfor the derelictionof the study of bTorah, whatis the meaning of: b“Because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive”?The Gemara answers: bSince the Jewish people were exiled from their place, there is no greaterinvoluntary bderelictionof the study of bTorah thanthat which was caused by bthis. /b, bThe Sages taughtthat there are bthreetypes of people bfor whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, cries every day: Forone bwho is able to engage in Torahstudy band does not engagein it; band forone bwho is unable to engage in Torahstudy and nevertheless he endeavors and bengagesin it; band for a leader who lords over the community. /b,The Gemara relates: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bwas holdingthe bbook of Lamentations and was reading from it. When he reached the verse: “He has cast down from heaven to earththe beauty of Israel” (Lamentations 2:1), in his distress the book bfell from his hand. He said: From a high roof to a deep pit,i.e., it is terrible to tumble from the sky to the ground.,§ The Gemara relates: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi band Rabbi Ḥiyya were walking along the road. When they arrived at a certain city, they said: Is there a Torah scholar here whom wecan bgo and greet?The people of the city bsaid: There is a Torah scholar here but he is blind. Rabbi Ḥiyya said to RabbiYehuda HaNasi: bYou sithere; bdo not demean yourdignified status as iNasi /ito visit someone beneath your stature. bI will go and greet him. /b,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bgrabbed him and went with himanyway, and together they greeted the blind scholar. bWhen they were leaving him, he said to them: You greetedone who is bseen and does not see; may you be worthy to greetthe One Who bsees and is not seen.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid toRabbi Ḥiyya: bNow, ifI had listened to you and not gone to greet him, byou would have prevented me from receiving this blessing. /b, bThey said tothe blind scholar: bFrom whom did you hearthat we are worthy of this blessing? He said to them: bI heardit bfrom the instruction of Rabbi Ya’akov, as Rabbi Ya’akov of the village of Ḥitiyya would greet his teacher every day. WhenRabbi Ya’akov bgrew elderly,his teacher bsaid to him: Do not despair, my Master, that my Master is unableto make the effort to greet me. It is better that you should not visit me.,Rabbi Ya’akov bsaid to him: Is ita bminormatter, bthat which is written about the Sages: “That he should still live always, that he should not see the pit. For he sees that wise men die”(Psalms 49:10–11)? In this regard an ia fortiorireference applies: bJust as one who sees Sages in their death will live, all the more soone who sees them bin their lifetime.From here the blind scholar learned the importance of greeting Torah scholars, which is why he blessed the Sages who came to greet him.,The Gemara relates: bRav Idi, father of Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi, would regularly travel three months on the roadto reach the study hall bandas he would immediately travel back again to arrive home for the festival of iSukkot /i, he spent only bone day in the school of Rav. And the Sages woulddisparagingly bcall him: A studentof Torah bfor one day. He was offendedand breadthe following verse babout himself: “I am as one that is a laughingstock to his neighbor,a man who calls upon God, and He answers him” (Job 12:4). bRabbi Yoḥa said to him: Please do not punish the Sages,i.e., do not take offense and be harsh with them, as this will cause them to be punished by God., bRabbi Yoḥa leftRav Idi and went bto the study hall and taught: “Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways”(Isaiah 58:2). bBut isit possible that only bduring the day they seek Him and at night they do not seek Him?What is the meaning of daily? bRather,this verse comes bto say to youthat with regard to banyone who engages in Torahstudy beven one day a year, the verse ascribes himcredit bas though he engagedin Torah study bthe entire year. /b, bAnd the sameapplies bto the attribute of punishment, as it is written: “After the number of the days in which you spied out the land,even forty days, for every day a year, shall you bear your iniquities” (Numbers 14:34). bBut did they sinfor bforty years? Didn’t they sinfor only bforty days? Rather,this comes bto say to youthat banyone who transgresses a sin even one day a year, the verse ascribes himliability bas though he transgressed the entire year. /b,§ The mishna taught: bWho is a minorwho is exempt from the mitzva of appearance in the Temple? bAnychild bwho is unable to ride on his father’s shouldersand ascend from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount. bRabbi Zeira strongly objects to this: /b |
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11. Babylonian Talmud, Horayot, 13b-14a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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12. Babylonian Talmud, Ketuvot, 103b, 111a, 103a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 103a. מאי למקום שאמה שמעת מינה בת אצל האם לא שנא גדולה ולא שנא קטנה:,לא יאמרו שניהם וכו':,ההוא גברא דאוגר ליה ריחיא לחבריה לטחינה לסוף איעתר זבין ריחיא וחמרא,אמר ליה עד האידנא הוה טחיננא גבך השתא הב לי אגרא א"ל מיטחן טחיננא לך,סבר רבינא למימר היינו מתניתין לא יאמרו שניהם הרי אנו זנין אותה כאחד אלא אחד זנה ואחד נותן לה דמי מזונות,א"ל רב עוירא מי דמי התם חד כריסא אית לה תרתי כריסתא לית לה הכא מצי א"ל טחון וזבין טחון ואותיב,ולא אמרן אלא דלית ליה טחינא לריחיא אבל אית ליה טחינא לריחיא כגון זו כופין אותו על מדת סדום:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big אלמנה שאמרה אי אפשי לזוז מבית בעלי אין היורשין יכולין לומר לה לכי לבית אביך ואנו זנין אותך אלא זנין אותה ונותנין לה מדור לפי כבודה,אמרה אי אפשי לזוז מבית אבא יכולין היורשין לומר לה אם את אצלנו יש ליך מזונות ואם אין את אצלנו אין ליך מזונות,אם היתה טוענת מפני שהיא ילדה והן ילדים זנין אותה והיא בבית אביה:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big תנו רבנן משתמשת במדור כדרך שמשתמשת בחיי בעלה בעבדים ושפחות כדרך שמשתמשת בחיי בעלה בכרים וכסתות כדרך שמשתמשת בחיי בעלה בכלי כסף ובכלי זהב כדרך שמשתמשת בחיי בעלה שכך כתב לה ואת תהא יתבת בביתי ומיתזנא מנכסי כל ימי מגר ארמלותיך בביתי,תני רב יוסף בביתי ולא בבקתי,אמר רב נחמן יתומים שמכרו מדור אלמנה לא עשו ולא כלום,ומ"ש מדרבי אסי א"ר יוחנן דא"ר אסי אמר ר' יוחנן יתומים שקדמו ומכרו בנכסים מועטין מה שמכרו מכרו,התם לא משתעבדי לה מחיים הכא משתעבדי לה מחיים,אמר אביי נקיטינן מדור אלמנה שנפל אין היורשין חייבין לבנותו,תניא נמי הכי מדור אלמנה שנפל אין היורשין חייבין לבנותו ולא עוד אלא אפילו היא אומרת הניחוני ואבננו משלי אין שומעין לה,בעי אביי שיפצה מאי תיקו:,אמרה אי אפשי:,וליתבו לה כי יתבה התם מסייע ליה לרב הונא דאמר רב הונא ברכת הבית ברובה,וליתבו לה לפי ברכת הבית ה"נ,אמר רב הונא לשון חכמים ברכה לשון חכמים עושר לשון חכמים מרפא ברכה הא דאמרן,עושר דתנן המוכר פירות לחבירו משך ולא מדד קנה מדד ולא משך לא קנה ואם היה פקח שוכר את מקומו,מרפא דתנן לא ילעוס אדם חטין ויניח על גבי מכתו בפסח מפני שמחמיצות,ת"ר בשעת פטירתו של רבי אמר לבני אני צריך נכנסו בניו אצלו אמר להם הזהרו בכבוד אמכם נר יהא דלוק במקומו שולחן יהא ערוך במקומו מטה תהא מוצעת במקומה יוסף חפני שמעון אפרתי הם שמשוני בחיי והם ישמשוני במותי:,הזהרו בכבוד אמכם: דאורייתא היא דכתיב (שמות כ, יא) כבד את אביך ואת אמך אשת אב הואי,אשת אב נמי דאורייתא היא דתניא כבד את אביך ואת אמך את אביך זו אשת אביך ואת אמך זו בעל אמך וי"ו יתירה לרבות את אחיך הגדול,הני מילי מחיים אבל לאחר מיתה לא:,נר יהא דלוק במקומו שולחן יהא ערוך במקומו מטה תהא מוצעת במקומה: מאי טעמא כל בי שמשי הוה אתי לביתיה,ההוא בי שמשא אתאי שבבתא קא קריה אבבא אמרה אמתיה שתיקו דרבי יתיב כיון דשמע שוב לא אתא שלא להוציא לעז על צדיקים הראשונים:,יוסף חפני שמעון אפרתי הם שמשוני בחיי והם ישמשוני במותי: סבור מינה בהדין עלמא הוא דקאמר כיון דחזו דקדים ערסייהו לערסיה אמרי שמע מינה לההוא עלמא הוא דקאמר,והאי דאמר הכי דלא לימרו מילתא הואי להו ועד האידנא נמי זכותו דרבי הוא דאהניא להו,אמר להן לחכמי ישראל אני צריך נכנסו אצלו חכמי ישראל אמר להן אל תספדוני בעיירות | 103a. bWhatis the purpose of emphasizing: bTo the place where her motherlives? bConclude from herethat a bdaughterlives bwithher bmother;it is bno differentif she is ban adult woman, andit is bno differentif she is ba minor girl. /b,§ It was taught in the mishna that if two men are obligated to support this girl, bboth of them may notjointly bsaythat they will be partners in her support. Rather, each one fulfills his obligation independently.,The Gemara relates that there was ba certain man who rented out a millstone to another forthe price of bgrinding,i.e., the one who rented the millstone was to pay the cost of the rental by grinding whatever the owner needed to be ground. bIn the end,the owner of the millstone bbecame rich,and bhe purchasedanother bmillstone and a donkey,and he no longer required the services of the renter to grind things for him.,The owner of the millstone bsaid tothe renter: bUntil now I wouldhave what I needed bground by you,and the service that you provided was in place of payment for the rental of the millstone. bNow,since I no longer require this service, bgive me paymentfor the millstone. The renter bsaidback bto him: I will grind for youbecause that is what I agreed to, but I did not agree to have to pay money., bRavina thought to saythat bthis is the same as the mishnathat states that bboth of them may notjointly bsay: We will sustainthe girl bas onein a partnership. bRather, one sustains her,providing her with food, while bthe other gives her the monetaryvalue bof the sustece.In that case, although the original condition was to provide the girl with support in the form of food, when circumstances changed, the previous husband became obligated to pay her support in the form of money. So too here, due to the change in circumstances, the renter should pay the owner of the millstone with money., bRav Avira said toRavina: bAre thetwo cases bcomparable? There,in the case of the girl, bshe hasonly bone stomach; she does not have two stomachs.Therefore, it is impossible for both of them to support her with food. bHere,in the case of the millstone, the renter bis able to say to him: Grind and sell, grind and storefor later use, i.e., the owner of the millstone can use his new millstone to grind for others at a profit, and at the same time the renter will continue grinding the owner’s grain as per their agreement. Therefore, the renter is not obligated to change the terms of the original agreement.,The Gemara notes: bWe saidthis bonlyin a case bwherethe renter bdoes not haveany other bgrindingto do bwith the millstoneand without the grinding that the renter does for the owner the mill will remain inoperative. bHowever,if bhe hasother bgrindingto do bwith the millstone,i.e., instead of grinding the owner’s grain he can grind the grain of others for a fee and thereby pay money for his rental, in a case bsuch as this one forces himto cease his bconductcharacteristic bof Sodomand to pay his rental fee in the form of money., strongMISHNA: /strong In the case of ba widow who said: I do not want to move from my husband’s house,but instead I wish to remain there, bthe heirs are not able to say to her: Go to your father’s house and we will sustain you. Rather, they sustain herin her husband’s house band they give her living quarters befitting her dignity. /b,However, if bshe said: I do not want to move from my father’s house,and you should bring me my support there, bthe heirs are able to say to her: If you areliving bwith us, youwill bhave sustecefrom us, bbut if you are notliving bwith us, youwill bnot have sustecefrom us., bIf she arguedthat she does not wish to live in her deceased husband’s house bbecause she is young, and they,the heirs, barealso byoung,and it is improper for them to be living in the same house together, then bthey sustain her and shestays bin her father’s house. /b, strongGEMARA: /strong bThe Sages taught:A widow that remains in her husband’s house buses the living quarters in thesame bmanner that shewould busethem bin her husband’s lifetime.She uses bthe slaves and the maidservants in thesame bmanner that shewould busethem bin her husband’s lifetime, the pillows and the sheets in thesame bmanner that shewould busethem bin her husband’s lifetime,and bthe silver utensils and gold utensils in thesame bmanner that shewould busethem bin her husband’s lifetime.She maintains all the rights she had during her husband’s lifetime bbecause thisis what bhe wrote to herin the text of the marriage contract: bAnd you will reside in my house and be sustained from my property all the days that you live in my house as a widow. /b, bRav Yosef taught:The husband stipulated in the marriage contract: You will reside bin my house,with the implication: bAnd not in my hut.Therefore, if the house is too small, she cannot obligate the heirs to allow her to live in the house with them., bRav Naḥman said: Orphans who sold the living quarters of a widow did not do anything,i.e., the sale is invalid.,The Gemara asks: bAndin bwhatway is this case bdifferent from that which Rabbi Asisaid that bRabbi Yoḥa said? As Rabbi Asi saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:With regard to borphans who preemptively sold from the small quantity of propertyleft to them by their father before the court appropriated it for the purpose of providing for female children, who do not inherit, bwhat they sold is sold,even though they acted improperly. Why, then, is the sale of a widow’s living quarters invalid?,The Gemara answers: bThere,in the case of orphans selling property that according to ihalakhashould be retained in order to support the orphaned daughters, the property bis not mortgaged tothe orphaned daughters bfromthe blifetimeof their father, since the lien on the property arising from the obligation to provide support for the daughters occurs only after the father’s death. bHere,in the case of the widow’s living quarters, the property is bmortgaged to her fromthe blifetimeof her husband, who was obligated even while he was alive to provide her with a place to live., bAbaye said: We holdon the authority of tradition that in the case of ba widow’s living quarters that collapsed, the heirs are not obligated to rebuild it,since they are obligated to maintain her in the residence that was mortgaged to her and are not required to provide her with a place to live., bThis is also taughtin a ibaraita /i: In the case of ba widow’s living quarters that collapsed, the heirs are not obligated to rebuild it. And not onlythis, bbuteven bif she says: Leave mebe band I will rebuild it from my ownfunds, bone does not listen to her,and the heirs do not have to let her rebuild it., bAbaye raised a dilemma:If bshe repairedthe house, bwhatis the ihalakha /i? Is it as though the house collapsed and was rebuilt, in which case she no longer has rights to it, or may she stay in the house as long as it remains standing? The Gemara concludes: The dilemma bshall standunresolved.,§ We learned in the mishna: If bshe said: I do not wantto move from my father’s house and you should bring me my support there, the heirs are not obligated to support her.,The Gemara asks: bAndwhy is this so? bThey should give hersupport just basthey would if bshe were living there,i.e., in her husband’s house. The Gemara answers: This bsupportsthe view of bRav Huna, as Rav Huna said: The blessing of the house is in its abundanceof residents. This means that the amount of blessing in a home is proportionate to the number of people who live there. When there are many people living together in one home, the expenses per capita are decreased. The heirs can say to her that if she stays with them in the house, the expense of her upkeep will be less than if she lives on her own.,The Gemara asks: bAnd they should give herthe support in her father’s house baccording to the blessing of the house,i.e., according to the amount they would be required to pay if she lived with them. The Gemara answers: bIndeed,the intent of the mishna is that they may pay her this amount, not that they may entirely avoid supporting her., bRav Huna said:The blanguage of the Sagesteaches bblessing,the blanguage of the Sagesteaches bwealth,and the blanguage of the Sagesteaches bhealing.One can learn important lessons about these matters from the manner in which the Sages formulated their halakhic rulings. How is this so? With regard to bblessing,it is bthat which we saidabove about the blessings of the home.,The language of the Sages teaches about bwealth, as we learnedin a mishna ( iBava Batra84b): bOne who sells produce to another,if the buyer bpulledthe produce as an act of acquisition bbut did not measureit, bhe has acquiredthe produce. If bhe measuredthe produce bbut did not pullit, bhe has not acquiredit. bAnd ifthe buyer bwas perspicaciousand wanted to ensure that the seller would not back out of the deal, he would brent the placewhere the produce was located, and he would thereby acquire the produce immediately from the time he measures it. This mishna teaches good counsel in money-related matters.,The language of the Sages teaches about bhealing, as we learnedin a mishna ( iPesaḥim39b): bA person should not chew wheat andthen bplace it on his wound during Passover becausethe wheat bwill become leavenedas a result. This comment of the Sages indicates that chewed wheat is beneficial for treating a wound.,§ bThe Sages taught: At the time of the passing of RabbiYehuda HaNasi, bhe said: I need my sons. His sons entered hisroom. bHe said to themas a last will and testament: bBe careful with the honor of your mother.He said further: My blamp should be lit in itsusual bplace,my btable should be set in itsusual bplace,and bthe bed should be arranged in itsusual bplace. Yosef Ḥeifaniand bShimon Efrati; they served me during my lifetime and they will serve me in my death. /b,The Gemara clarifies the various requests that he made of his sons: bBe careful with the honor of your mother.The Gemara asks: Why would he need to say this? After all, bthisis required bby Torahlaw, bas it is written: “Honor your father and your mother”(Exodus 20:11)? The Gemara answers: bShe wastheir bfather’s wife.She was not their mother, but their stepmother, and he therefore needed to caution them concerning her honor.,The Gemara asks: Honoring ba father’s wife is alsorequired bby Torahlaw, bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bHonor your father [ iet avikha /i] and your mother [ ive’et immekha /i].The preposition ietin the phrase: bYour father; thisteaches that you must honor byour father’s wife.Similarly, the preposition ietin the phrase: bAnd your mother; thisteaches that you must honor byour mother’s husband.And bthe extraletter ivav /i,which is appended as a prefix in the phrase “ ive’et immekha /i” is included in order bto add your older brotherto those who must be honored.,The Gemara answers: bThis ihalakha /i, that one is obligated by Torah law to respect his father’s wife, bappliesonly bduringhis father’s blifetime.While the father is alive, out of respect for him, his wife must also be treated with respect. bHowever, followinghis bdeath, no,there is no longer any obligation to honor a stepmother. It was for this reason that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had to caution his sons in this matter.,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi commanded his sons: My blamp should be lit in itsusual bplace,my btable should be set in itsusual bplace,and bthe bed should be arranged in itsusual bplace.The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonhe made these requests? The Gemara explains: bEvery Shabbat eve,even after his passing, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bwould come to his houseas he had done during his lifetime, and he therefore wished for everything to be set up as usual.,The Gemara relates the following incident: It happened on ba certain Shabbat evethat a bneighbor cameby and bcalledand knocked bat the door. His maidservant saidto her: bBe quiet, for RabbiYehuda HaNasi bis sitting. When he heardhis maidservant reveal his presence to the neighbor, bhe did not come again, so as not to cast aspersions on earlier righteousindividuals who did not appear to their families following their death.,The Gemara elaborates on Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s statement: bYosef Ḥeifaniand bShimon Efrati, they served me during my lifetime and they will serve me in my death.It was bunderstood fromthis statement that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bwas speaking of this world,that these two should serve him in his death and administer his burial. However, bwhen they saw that their biers preceded his bier,i.e., they died before him, bthey said: Conclude from here that he was speaking of that world.They will attend to him in the World-to-Come., bAnd thereason bhe said thiswas so that bpeople should not say: There was somethingwrong bwith them, and until now, too, it was the merit of RabbiYehuda HaNasi bthat benefited themand prevented them from dying due to their sins. Now that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is dying, his merit no longer protects them. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi therefore clarified that the reason for their deaths was in order to enable them to escort him in death as in life.,§ Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaidfurther btohis attendants: bI need the Sages of Israel. The Sages of Israel entered hisroom. bHe said to them: Do not eulogize me in thesmall btowns /b |
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13. Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin, 72b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 72b. bToday he is sitting in the lap of Abrahamour forefather, since he has just been circumcised. He added: bToday Rav Yehuda was born in Babylonia. /b,The Gemara comments: bAs the Master said: While Rabbi Akiva was dying, RabbiYehuda HaNasi bwas born; while RabbiYehuda HaNasi bwas dying, Rav Yehuda was born; while Rav Yehuda was dying, Rava was born; while Rava was dying, Rav Ashi was born.This bteaches you that a righteous person does not leave the world before an equally righteous person is created, as it is stated: “The sun also rises and the sun also sets”(Ecclesiastes 1:5). The same applies to earlier generations: bBefore Eli’s sun had gone out, Samuel the Ramathite’s sun wasalready brising, as it is stated: “And the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was lyingin the Temple of the Lord” (I Samuel 3:3), which teaches that Samuel was already prophesying in the days of Eli.,The Gemara stated above that Homanya is an Ammonite city. The verse states: b“The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries”(Lamentations 1:17), indicating that the Jewish people are surrounded by enemies even in its exile. bRav Yehuda says: Homanyais close to bPum Nahara,which had Jewish residents.,The verse states: b“And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said: Ah Lord God!”(Ezekiel 11:13). bRav and Shmueldisagreed with regard to the meaning of this verse. bOne saidit should be interpreted bfor good, and one saidit should be interpreted bfor evil.How so? bThe one who saysthat it should be interpreted bfor goodclaims it is blike thatstory involving bthe governor [ ide’istandera /i]of the province bof Meishan, who was the son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar. He senta message btohis father-in-law: bFrom all those captives you have brought for yourselffrom your wars byou have not sent usanyone bto stand before us. /b,Nebuchadnezzar bwanted to send himcaptives bfrom the Jewsto serve his son-in-law. bPelatiah, son of Benaiah, said toNebuchadnezzar: bWe, who are important, shall standand serve bbefore you here, and our slaves will go there,to your son-in-law. Nebuchadnezzar took his advice. bAndabout him the prophet bEzekiel said: One who didthis bgood for the Jewish people,i.e., Pelatiah ben Benaiah, who spared them this exile, should he bdie at halfof bhis days? /b, bThe one who saysthat the verse should be interpreted bfor evilcites the following verse, bas it is written: “Then a spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord’s House, which looked eastward; and behold, at the door of the gate five and twenty men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people”(Ezekiel 11:1), band it is written: “And He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s House, and, behold, at the door of the Temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the Temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east”(Ezekiel 8:16).,The second verse is analyzed in light of the first verse, which states that Pelatiah ben Benaiah was among the twenty-five people: bFrom thefact that bit is stated: “And their faces toward the east,” don’t I know that their backs were toward the west,where the Temple was? bWhatis the meaning when bthe verse states: “Their backs toward the Temple of the Lord”?These words hint at another matter, as the verse bteaches that they exposed themselvesfrom behind band dischargedexcrement btowardthe One babove,in the direction of the Temple. bAndthe bprophet is saying:Shall bhe who did this evil in Israel diepeacefully bon his bed? /b,The Gemara comments: bIt may be concludedthat it was bShmuelwho bsaidthis was bfor evil, as Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Avin saysthat bShmuel says: Mushekanei is like the exile with regard to lineage.And even with regard to bMishon, they were not concerned due to slavery nor due to imamzerstatus. Rather, the priests who were there were not particular with regard tothe prohibition against priests marrying bdivorced women.Consequently, Shmuel maintains that the only flaw of lineage in Mishon was that of iḥalalim /i, whereas the opinion that the verse was stated for good maintains that the some of the residents of Mishon were slaves.,The Gemara rejects this: bActually, Icould bsay to youthat bShmuel saidit was bfor good, andthere is no contradiction, since bShmuelconforms bto hisstandard line of breasoning, as he says:With regard to one bwho renounces ownership of his slave,the slave bis emancipated and he does noteven brequire a bill of manumission.Shmuel cited a proof from that bwhich is stated:“But bevery slave man that is bought for money”(Exodus 12:44). Does this apply only to ba slavewho is ba man, and not to a woman slave? Rather,it means: The slave of a man, i.e., ba slave whose master has authorityand control bover him, is called a slave,since he is the slave of a particular man. bA slave whose master does not have authority over him,such as one who has been declared ownerless, bis not called a slavebut a freeman. The slaves who went to Mishon no longer had the status of slaves because their masters remained behind., bRav Yehuda saysthat bShmuel says: Thismishna, which indicates that only the inhabitants of Babylonia have unflawed lineage, is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir. But the Rabbis say: All lands retain a presumptive status of unflawedlineage.,The Gemara comments: bAmeimar permitted Rav Huna bar Natan to marry a woman from Meḥoza,which is outside the borders of Babylonia as pertains to lineage. bRav Ashi said toAmeimar: bWhat is your reasoningin allowing him to do so? Is it because bRav Yehuda saysthat bShmuel says: Thisis bthe statement of Rabbi Meir, but the Rabbis say all lands retain a presumptive status of unflawedlineage. The ihalakhafollows the opinion of the Rabbis, bbut the school of Rav Kahana did not teach like this, and the school of Rav Pappa did not teach like this, and the school of Rav Zevid did not teach like this.The Gemara comments: bNevertheless,despite hearing of all these reports, Ameimar bdid not accept this ihalakhafrom him, because he had heard this ihalakhadirectly from bRav Zevid of Neharde’a,upon whom he relied., bThe Sages taught( iTosefta5:5): iMamzerimand Gibeoniteswill be bpure in the future;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Yosei. Rabbi Meir says: Theywill bnotbe bpure. Rabbi Yosei said to him: But hasn’t it already been stated: “And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be cleanfrom all your uncleanness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you” (Ezekiel 36:25)? bRabbi Meir said to him: When it says: “From all your uncleanness, and from all your idols,”this emphasizes that God will purify people from these types of impurity, bbut not from imamzerstatus. Rabbi Yosei said to him: When it says: “Will I cleanse you,”at the end of the verse, byou must saythis means beven from imamzerstatus. /b,The Gemara comments: bGranted, according to Rabbi Meir,who maintains that imamzerimwill not be purified, bthis is as it is written: “And a imamzershall dwell in Ashdod”(Zechariah 9:6), indicating that they will have their own isolated living area. bBut according to Rabbi Yosei, whatis the meaning of the phrase b“And a imamzershall dwell in Ashdod”?The Gemara answers: He understands that verse bas Rav Yosef would translateit: bThe Jewish people shall dwell in tranquility in their land, where they wereformerly blike strangers,reading imamzeras ime’am zar /i, from a strange people., bRav Yehuda saysthat bShmuel says:The ihalakha /iis bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei,that imamzerimand Gibeonites will be pure in the future. bRav Yosef says: If it were notfor the fact that bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel saidthat the ihalakha /iis bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei, Elijah would comeand bremove from us group after groupof bforbidden people [ ikolarin /i],since he would reveal how many imamzerimthere are among the Jewish people., bThe Sages taught( iTosefta5:3): bA convert may marry a imamzeret /i iab initio /i; this is bthe statement of Rabbi Yosei. Rabbi Yehuda says: A convert may not marry a imamzeret /i. A convert, an emancipated slave, and a iḥalalareall bpermitted tomarry bthe daughter of a priest.The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reason of Rabbi Yosei,who deems it permitted for a convert to marry a imamzeret /i? The Gemara answers: bFive congregations are written,meaning, the word congregation appears five times in the Torah with regard to various people of flawed lineage who are prohibited from entering the congregation of God. |
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14. Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim, 20b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 20b. בניך יפיפין ביותר אמרה להן אינו מספר עמי לא בתחלת הלילה ולא בסוף הלילה אלא בחצות הלילה וכשהוא מספר מגלה טפח ומכסה טפח ודומה עליו כמי שכפאו שד,ואמרתי לו מה טעם ואמר לי כדי שלא אתן את עיני באשה אחרת ונמצאו בניו באין לידי ממזרות,לא קשיא הא במילי דתשמיש הא במילי אחרנייתא,אמר רבי יוחנן זו דברי יוחנן בן דהבאי אבל אמרו חכמים אין הלכה כיוחנן בן דהבאי אלא כל מה שאדם רוצה לעשות באשתו עושה משל לבשר הבא מבית הטבח רצה לאוכלו במלח אוכלו צלי אוכלו מבושל אוכלו שלוק אוכלו וכן דג הבא מבית הצייד,אמר אמימר מאן מלאכי השרת רבנן דאי תימא מלאכי השרת ממש אמאי אמר רבי יוחנן אין הלכה כיוחנן בן דהבאי הא אינהו בקיאי בצורת הולד טפי ואמאי קרו להו מלאכי השרת דמצייני כמלאכי השרת,ההיא דאתאי לקמיה דרבי אמרה לו רבי ערכתי לו שולחן והפכו אמר לה בתי תורה התירתך ואני מה אעשה ליך ההיא דאתאי לקמיה דרב אמרה לו רבי ערכתי לו שולחן והפכו אמר מאי שנא מן ביניתא,ולא תתורו אחרי לבבכם מכאן אמר רבי אל ישתה אדם בכוס זה ויתן עיניו בכוס אחר אמר רבינא לא נצרכא אלא דאפילו שתי נשיו,וברותי מכם המורדים והפושעים בי אמר רבי לוי אלו בני תשע מדות בני אסנ"ת משגע"ח,בני אימה בני אנוסה בני שנואה בני נידוי בני תמורה בני מריבה בני שכרות בני גרושת הלב בני ערבוביא בני חצופה,איני והאמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יונתן כל אדם שאשתו תובעתו הויין לו בנים שאפילו בדורו של משה רבינו לא היו כמותם שנאמר הבו לכם אנשים חכמים ונבונים וכתיב ואקח את ראשי שבטיכם ולא כתיב נבונים,וכתיב יששכר חמור גרם וכתיב מבני יששכר יודעי בינה לעתים,ההיא דמרציא ארצויי:, br br big strongהדרן עלך ואלו מותרין /strong /big br br,מתני׳ big strongארבעה /strong /big נדרים התירו חכמים נדרי זרוזין ונדרי הבאי ונדרי שגגות ונדרי אונסין נדרי זרוזין כיצד היה מוכר חפץ ואמר קונם שאיני פוחת לך מן הסלע והלה אומר קונם שאיני מוסיף לך על השקל | 20b. bare your children so beautiful? She said to them:My husband bdoes not converse with mewhile engaging in sexual intercourse, bneither at the beginning of the night nor at the end of the night,but brather at midnight. And when he converseswith me while engaging in sexual intercourse, bhe reveals a handbreadthof my body band covers a handbreadth, andhe covers himself up bas though he were being coerced by a demonand is covering himself out of fear., bAnd I said tomy husband: bWhat is the reasonfor this behavior? bAnd he said to me:It is bso that I will not set my eyes on another woman,i.e., think about another woman; if a man thinks about another woman during sexual intercourse with his wife, bhis children consequently comeclose btoreceiving ba imamzerstatus,i.e., the nature of their souls is tantamount to that of a imamzer /i. Therefore I engage in sexual intercourse with you at an hour when there are no people in the street, and in this manner. In any event, it can be seen from her words that a Sage conversed with his wife while engaging in sexual intercourse with her.,The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thispermission to converse with her is bwith regard to matters of sexual intercourse,whereas bthatrestriction of conversation is bwith regard to other mattersthat are not related to sexual intercourse., bRabbi Yoḥa said: That is the statement of Yoḥa ben Dehavai. However, the Rabbis said: The ihalakhais not in accordance withthe opinion of bYoḥa ben Dehavai. Rather, whatever a man wishes to do with his wife he may do.He may engage in sexual intercourse with her in any manner that he wishes, and need not concern himself with these restrictions. As ban allegory,it is blike meat that comes from the butcher.If bhe wants to eat it with salt, he may eat itthat way. If he wants to eat it broasted, he may eat itroasted. If he wants to eat it bcooked, he may eat itcooked. If he wants to eat it bboiled, he may eat itboiled. bAnd likewisewith regard to bfish that come from the fisherman. /b, bAmeimar said: Who are the ministering angelsthat Rabbi Yoḥa ben Dehavai mentioned? He was referring to bthe Sages,for whom he employed the honorary title: Ministering angels. bBecause if you saythat he was referring to bactual ministering angels, why did Rabbi Yoḥa saythat bthe ihalakhais not in accordance withthe opinion of bYoḥa ben Dehavai?The ministering angels bare more knowledgeable about the forming of the fetusthan people are. Clearly, if the ministering angels were the source for the ruling of Rabbi Yoḥa ben Dehavai it would have been imperative to heed his instructions. bAnd why arethe Sages bcalled ministering angels? Because they stand out like ministering angels,as they are recognized by their clothing.,The Gemara relates: bA certain woman, who came before RabbiYehuda HaNasi to complain about her husband, bsaid to him: My teacher, I set him a table,using a euphemism to say that she lay before him during intimacy, band he turned it over.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to her: My daughter, the Torah permittedhim to engage in sexual intercourse with byoueven in an atypical manner, band what can I do for youif he does so? Similarly, ba certain woman who came before Rav said to him: My teacher, I set a table for him and he turned it over. He saidto her: In bwhatway bisthis case bdifferent from a fish [ ibinnita /i]that one may eat any way he wishes?,§ The verse states: b“And that you not go about after your own heart”(Numbers 15:39). bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsaidthat it is derived bfrom herethat ba man should not drink from this cup while setting his eyes on another cup,i.e., one should not engage in sexual intercourse with one woman while thinking about another woman. bRavina said:This statement is not necessary with regard to an unrelated woman. Rather, it bis necessary onlyto state bthat evenwith regard to bhisown btwo wives,he should not engage in sexual intercourse with one while thinking about the other.,The verse states: b“And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those that transgress against Me”(Ezekiel 20:38). bRabbi Levi said: These are children ofthose who have bnine traits,who are defective from their conception and from whom rebels and transgressors emerge. The mnemonic for these nine traits is bchildren ofthe acronym ialeph /i, isamekh /i, inun /i, itav /i, imem /i, ishin /i, igimmel /i, iayin /i, iḥet /i. /b,The children of nine traits are as follows: bChildren of fear [ ieima /i],i.e., where the wife was afraid of her husband and engaged in sexual intercourse with him out of fear; bchildren of a woman who was raped [ ianusa /i]; children of a hated woman [ isenua /i],i.e., a woman who was hated by her husband; bchildren of ostracism [ iniddui /i],i.e., one of the parents was ostracized by the court; bchildren of substitution [ itemura /i],i.e., while engaging in intercourse with the woman, the man thought that she was another woman; bchildren of strife [ imeriva /i],i.e., the parents engaged in intercourse while they were quarreling; bchildren of drunkenness [ ishikhrut /i],i.e., the parents engaged in intercourse while they were drunk; bchildren of a woman who was divorced in the heart [ igerushat halev /i],i.e., the husband had already decided to divorce her when they engaged in intercourse; bchildren of mixture [ iirbuveya /i],i.e., the man did not know with which woman he was engaging in intercourse; bchildren of a shameless woman [ iḥatzufa /i]who demands of her husband that he engage in intercourse with her.,The Gemara asks: bIs that so? But didn’t Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saythat bRabbi Yonatan said: Any man whose wife demands of himthat he engage in sexual intercourse with her bwill have children the likes of whom did not exist even in the generation of Moses our teacher? As it is stated: “Get you wise men, and understanding,and well known from each one of your tribes, and I will make them head over you” (Deuteronomy 1:13); band it is writtensubsequently: b“So I took the heads of your tribes,wise men, and well known” (Deuteronomy 1:15). bAnd it does not saythat they were bunderstanding.Evidently, even Moses could not find understanding men in his generation., bAndby contrast, bit is written: “Issachar is a large-boned donkey”(Genesis 49:14). The Sages transmitted a tradition that this is an allusion to the incident when Jacob came in from the field riding on a donkey, and Leah went out to greet him, saying: “You must come in to me; for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes” (Genesis 30:16). Issachar was conceived from their subsequent sexual intercourse. bAnd it is written: “And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times”(I Chronicles 12:33). The descendants of Issachar were understanding men. It is derived from here that a woman who demands from her husband that he engage in sexual intercourse with her has a positive effect on their children.,The Gemara answers: bThat ibaraitais not referring to a woman who demands intercourse explicitly, but rather to one bwho enticesher husband, so that he understands that she wants to engage in sexual intercourse with him. They consequently have excellent children.,, strongMISHNA: /strong bThe Sages dissolved fourtypes of bvowswithout the requirement of a request to a halakhic authority: bVows of exhortation, vows of exaggeration, vows that are unintentional, and vowswhose fulfillment is impeded by bcircumstances beyondone’s bcontrol.The mishna explains: bVows of exhortationare those by which one encourages another using vow terminology that is exaggerated. bHow so? One was selling an item and said: I will not lowerthe price bfor youto less bthan a isela /i,as bthat is ikonam /i,forbidden bas ifit were ban offering,for me. bAnd the other one,the buyer, bsays: I will not raisemy payment bto youto bmore than a shekel,as bthat is ikonam /ifor me. |
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15. Babylonian Talmud, Qiddushin, 69b, 71a, 72a, 30b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 30b. (משלי ז, ד) אמור לחכמה אחותי את וגו' ואומר (משלי ז, ג) קשרם על אצבעותיך כתבם על לוח לבך ואומר (תהלים קכז, ד) כחצים ביד גבור כן בני הנעורים ואומר (תהלים קכ, ד) חצי גבור שנונים ואומר (תהלים מה, ו) חציך שנונים עמים תחתיך יפלו ואומר (תהלים קכז, ה) אשרי הגבר אשר מלא את אשפתו מהם לא יבושו כי ידברו את אויבים בשער,מאי את אויבים בשער אמר רבי חייא בר אבא אפי' האב ובנו הרב ותלמידו שעוסקין בתורה בשער אחד נעשים אויבים זה את זה ואינם זזים משם עד שנעשים אוהבים זה את זה שנאמר (במדבר כא, יד) את והב בסופה אל תקרי בסופה אלא בסופה,ת"ר (דברים יא, יח) ושמתם סם תם נמשלה תורה כסם חיים משל לאדם שהכה את בנו מכה גדולה והניח לו רטיה על מכתו ואמר לו בני כל זמן שהרטיה זו על מכתך אכול מה שהנאתך ושתה מה שהנאתך ורחוץ בין בחמין בין בצונן ואין אתה מתיירא ואם אתה מעבירה הרי היא מעלה נומי,כך הקב"ה אמר להם לישראל בני בראתי יצר הרע ובראתי לו תורה תבלין ואם אתם עוסקים בתורה אין אתם נמסרים בידו שנאמר (בראשית ד, ז) הלא אם תטיב שאת,ואם אין אתם עוסקין בתורה אתם נמסרים בידו שנא' לפתח חטאת רובץ ולא עוד אלא שכל משאו ומתנו בך שנאמר ואליך תשוקתו ואם אתה רוצה אתה מושל בו שנאמר ואתה תמשל בו,ת"ר קשה יצר הרע שאפילו יוצרו קראו רע שנאמר (בראשית ח, כא) כי יצר לב האדם רע מנעוריו אמר רב יצחק יצרו של אדם מתחדש עליו בכל יום שנאמר (בראשית ו, ה) רק רע כל היום,ואמר ר"ש בן לוי יצרו של אדם מתגבר עליו בכל יום ומבקש המיתו שנאמר (תהלים לז, לב) צופה רשע לצדיק ומבקש להמיתו ואלמלא הקב"ה עוזרו אין יכול לו שנאמר אלהים לא יעזבנו בידו,תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל בני אם פגע בך מנוול זה משכהו לבית המדרש אם אבן הוא נימוח ואם ברזל הוא מתפוצץ שנאמר (ירמיהו כג, כט) הלא כה דברי כאש נאם ה' וכפטיש יפוצץ סלע אם אבן הוא נימוח שנאמר (ישעיהו נה, א) הוי כל צמא לכו למים ואומר (איוב יד, יט) אבנים שחקו מים,להשיאו אשה מנלן דכתיב (ירמיהו כט, ו) קחו נשים והולידו בנים ובנות וקחו לבניכם נשים ואת בנותיכם תנו לאנשים,בשלמא בנו בידו אלא בתו בידו היא הכי קאמר להו ניתן לה מידי ולבשייה ונכסייה כי היכי דקפצו עלה אינשי,ללמדו אומנות מנלן אמר חזקיה דאמר קרא (קהלת ט, ט) ראה חיים עם אשה אשר אהבת אם אשה ממש היא כשם שחייב להשיאו אשה כך חייב ללמדו אומנות אם תורה היא כשם שחייב ללמדו תורה כך חייב ללמדו אומנות,ויש אומרים אף להשיטו בנהר מאי טעמא חיותיה הוא,רבי יהודה אומר כל שאינו מלמדו אומנות מלמדו ליסטות ליסטות ס"ד אלא כאילו מלמדו ליסטות,מאי בינייהו איכא בינייהו דאגמריה עיסקא,כל מצות האב על הבן וכו' מאי כל מצות האב על הבן אילימא כל מצותא דמיחייב אבא למיעבד לבריה נשים חייבות והתניא האב חייב בבנו למולו ולפדותו אביו אין אמו לא,אמר רב יהודה הכי קאמר כל מצות האב המוטלת על הבן לעשות לאביו אחד אנשים ואחד נשים חייבין תנינא להא דת"ר איש אין לי אלא איש אשה מנין כשהוא אומר תיראו הרי כאן שנים,א"כ מה ת"ל איש איש סיפק בידו לעשות אשה אין סיפק בידה לעשות מפני שרשות אחרים עליה אמר רב אידי בר אבין אמר רב נתגרשה שניהם שוים,ת"ר נאמר (שמות כ, יב) כבד את אביך ואת אמך ונאמר (משלי ג, ט) כבד את ה' מהונך השוה הכתוב כבוד אב ואם לכבוד המקום,נאמר (ויקרא יט, ג) איש אמו ואביו תיראו ונאמר (דברים ו, יג) את ה' אלהיך תירא ואותו תעבוד השוה הכתוב מוראת אב ואם למוראת המקום,נאמר (שמות כא, יז) מקלל אביו ואמו מות יומת ונאמר (ויקרא כד, טו) איש איש כי יקלל אלהיו ונשא חטאו השוה הכתוב ברכת אב ואם לברכת המקום אבל בהכאה ודאי אי אפשר,וכן בדין ששלשתן שותפין בו ת"ר שלשה שותפין הן באדם הקב"ה ואביו ואמו בזמן שאדם מכבד את אביו ואת אמו אמר הקב"ה מעלה אני עליהם כאילו דרתי ביניהם וכבדוני,תניא רבי אומר גלוי וידוע לפני מי שאמר והיה העולם שבן מכבד את אמו יותר מאביו מפני | 30b. b“Say to wisdom: You are my sister,and call understanding your kinswoman” (Proverbs 7:4), which indicates that one should be as knowledgeable in the Torah as in the identity of his sister. bAnd it states: “Bind them upon your fingers, you shall write them upon the tablet of your heart”(Proverbs 7:3). bAnd it states: “As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of one’s youth”(Psalms 127:4). bAnd it states: “Sharp arrows of the mighty”(Psalms 120:4). bAnd it states: “Your arrows are sharp, the peoples fall under you”(Psalms 45:6). bAnd it states: “Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate”(Psalms 127:5).,The Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of the phrase b“enemies in the gate”with regard to Torah study? bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: Even a father and his son,or ba rabbi and his student, who are engaged in Torahtogether bin one gate become enemies with each otherdue to the intensity of their studies. bBut they do not leave there until they love each other, as it is statedin the verse discussing the places the Jewish people engaged in battle in the wilderness: “Therefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, bVahev in Suphah [ ibeSufa /i],and the valleys of Arnon” (Numbers 21:14). The word “ ivahev /i” is interpreted as related to the word for love, iahava /i. Additionally, bdo not readthis as b“in Suphah [ ibeSufa /i]”; rather,read it as b“at its end [ ibesofa /i],”i.e., at the conclusion of their dispute they are beloved to each other., bThe Sages taught: “And you shall place [ ivesamtem /i]these words of Mine in your hearts” (Deuteronomy 11:18). Read this as though it stated isam tam /i, a perfect elixir. The Torah is compared to an elixir of life.There is ba parable thatillustrates this: bA person hit his son with a strong blow and placed a bandage on his wound. And he said to him: My son, as long as this bandage is on your woundand is healing you, beat what you enjoy and drink what you enjoy, and bathe in either hot water or cold water, and you do not need to be afraid,as it will heal your wound. bBut if you take it off,the wound bwill become gangrenous. /b, bSotoo bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel: My children, I created an evil inclination,which is the wound, band I created Torah as its antidote. If you are engaged in Torahstudy byou will not be given over into the handof the evil inclination, bas it is stated: “If you do well, shall it not be lifted up?”(Genesis 4:7). One who engages in Torah study lifts himself above the evil inclination., bAnd if you do not engage in Torahstudy, byou are given over to its power, as it is stated: “Sin crouches at the door”(Genesis 4:7). bMoreover, allof the evil inclination’s bdeliberationswill be bconcerning you, as it is statedin the same verse: b“And to you is its desire.” And if you wish you shall rule over it, as it is statedin the conclusion of the verse: b“But you may rule over it”(Genesis 4:7)., bThe Sages taught:So bdifficult is the evil inclination that even its Creator calls it evil, as it is stated: “For the inclination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth”(Genesis 8:21). bRav Yitzḥak says: A person’sevil binclination renews itself to him every day, as it is stated:“And that every inclination of the thoughts in his heart was bonly evil all day [ ikol hayyom /i]”(Genesis 6:5). “ iKol hayyom /i” can also be understood as: Every day., bAnd Rabbi Shimon ben Levi says: A person’s inclination overpowers him every day, and seeks to kill him, as it is stated: “The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him”(Psalms 37:32). bAnd if notfor the fact that bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, assistseach person in battling his evil inclination, bhe could notovercome bit, as it is stated: “The Lord will not leave him in his hand”(Psalms 37:33).,A Sage from bthe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: My son, if this wretched one,the evil inclination, bencounters you, pull it into the study hall,i.e., go and study Torah. bIf it is a stoneit will bmelt, and if it is ironit will bbreak, as it is statedwith regard to the Torah: b“Is not My word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”(Jeremiah 23:29). Just as a stone shatters a hammer, so too one can overcome his evil inclination, which is as strong as iron, through Torah study. With regard to the second part of the statement: bIf it is a stoneit will bmelt,this is bas it is statedwith regard to the Torah: b“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water”(Isaiah 55:1), band it states: “The water wears the stones”(Job 14:19), indicating that water is stronger than stone.,§ The ibaraita(29a) teaches that a father is commanded bto marryhis son to ba woman.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this matter? bAs it is written: “Take wives and bear sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men”(Jeremiah 29:6).,The Gemara analyzes this verse: bGrantedwith regard to bhis son,this is bin his power,i.e., he can instruct him to marry a woman, as a man is the active agent in a marriage. bButwith regard to bhis daughter, isthis bin his power?She must wait for a man to marry her. The Gemara answers: bThis is whatJeremiah was bsaying to themin the aforementioned verse: Her father should bgive her somethingfor her dowry, band he should dress and cover herwith suitable clothing bso that men will leap tomarry bher. /b,§ The ibaraitafurther states that a father is commanded bto teachhis son ba trade.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this? bḤizkiyya said: As the verse states: “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love”(Ecclesiastes 9:9). bIfthis verse is interpreted literally, and bitis referring to ban actual woman,then one can derive as follows: bJust asa father bis obligated to marryhis son bto a woman, so too, he is obligated to teach him a trade,as indicated by the term: Life. bAnd ifthe wife mentioned in this verse is allegorical, and bit is the Torah,then one should explain the verse in the following manner: bJust as he is obligated to teach him Torah, so too, he is obligated to teach him a trade. /b,§ The ibaraitaadds: bAnd some saythat a father is balsoobligated bto teachhis son bto swim in a river.The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonfor this? bIt isnecessary for bhis life,i.e., this is potentially a lifesaving skill.,§ The ibaraitafurther teaches that bRabbi Yehuda says: Anyfather bwho does not teachhis son ba trade teaches him banditry.The Gemara asks: Can it benter your mindthat he actually teaches him bbanditry? Rather,the ibaraitameans that it is bas though he taught him banditry. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe difference bbetweenthe opinion of the first itannaand that of Rabbi Yehuda? Both state that a father must teach his son a trade. The Gemara answers: bThere isa difference bbetween themin a case bwherethe father bteaches himto engage in bbusiness.According to the first itannathis is sufficient, whereas Rabbi Yehuda maintains that he must teach him an actual trade.,§ The mishna teaches: With regard to ball mitzvot of a father with regard to his son,both men and women are obligated to perform them. The Gemara inquires: bWhatis the meaning of the expression: bAll mitzvot of a father with regard to his son? If we saythat this is referring to ball of the mitzvot that a father is required to perform for his son,are bwomen obligatedin these? bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bA father is obligated with regard to his son to circumcise him, and to redeem him?This indicates that bhis father, yes,he is obligated to do these, but bhis mother, no,she is not obligated to perform these mitzvot for her son., bRav Yehuda saidthat bthis is whatthe mishna bis saying:With regard to beach mitzvafor bthe father that is incumbent upon the son to perform for his father, both men and women are obligatedin them. The Gemara comments: bWealready blearned this, as the Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i, with regard to the verse: b“A manshall fear [ itira’u /i] his mother and his father” (Leviticus 19:3). bI havederived bonlythat ba manis obligated in this mitzva; bfrom wheredo I derive that ba womanis also obligated? bWhen it saysin the same verse: b“A man shall fear [ itira’u /i] his mother and his father”(Leviticus 19:3), employing the plural form of the verb, this indicates that bthere are twothat are obligated bhere,both a man and a woman., bIf so,that both of them are obligated, bwhatis the meaning when bthe verse states: “Man”?In the case of ba man,it is bin his power to performthis mitzva; whereas with regard to ba woman,it is bnotalways bin her power to performthis mitzva, bbecause she is under the authority of anotherperson, i.e., her husband. As she is obligated to her husband to maintain her household, she is not always able to find time for her parents. bRav Idi bar Avin saysthat bRav says:Consequently, if a woman bis divorced,then bboth of them,a daughter and a son, are bequalwith regard to honoring and fearing their father and mother., bThe Sages taughtthat bit is stated: “Honor your father and your mother”(Exodus 20:11), band it is stated: “Honor the Lord with your wealth”(Proverbs 3:9). In this manner, bthe verse equates the honor of one’s father and mother to the honor of the Omnipresent,as the term “honor” is used in both cases.,Similarly, bit is stated: “A man shall fear his mother and his father”(Leviticus 19:3), band it is stated: “You shall fear the Lord your God and Him you shall serve”(Deuteronomy 6:13). bThe verse equates the fear of one’s father and mother to the fear of the Omnipresent. /b,Likewise, bit is stated: “He who curses his father or his mother shall be put to death”(Exodus 21:17), band it is stated: “Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin”(Leviticus 24:15). bThe verse equates the blessing,a euphemism for cursing, bofone’s bfather and mother to the blessing of the Omnipresent. But with regard to striking,i.e., with regard to the ihalakhathat one who strikes his father or mother is liable to receive court-imposed capital punishment, bit is certainly not possibleto say the same concerning the Holy One, Blessed be He., bAnd sotoo, the equating of one’s attitude toward his parents to his attitude toward God is ba logical derivation, as the three of them are partners in hiscreation. As bthe Sages taught: There are three partners inthe forming of ba person: The Holy One, Blessed be He,who provides the soul, band his father and his mother. When a person honors his father and mother, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I ascribecredit bto them as if I dwelt between them and they honor Meas well., bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsays: It is revealed and known before the One Who spoke and the world came into being that a son honors his mother more thanhe honors bhis father, because /b |
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16. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 22a, 92a, 102b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 102b. דאיתפח הדר קא דריש אמרי לא קבילת עלך דלא דרשת בהו אמר אינהו מי הדרו בהו דאנא אהדר בי,רב אשי אוקי אשלשה מלכים אמר למחר נפתח בחברין אתא מנשה איתחזי ליה בחלמיה אמר חברך וחבירי דאבוך קרית לן,מהיכא בעית למישרא המוציא אמר ליה לא ידענא א"ל מהיכא דבעית למישרא המוציא לא גמירת וחברך קרית לן א"ל אגמריה לי ולמחר דרישנא ליה משמך בפירקא א"ל מהיכא דקרים בישולא,א"ל מאחר דחכימתו כולי האי מאי טעמא קא פלחיתו לעבודת כוכבים א"ל אי הות התם הות נקיטנא בשיפולי גלימא ורהטת אבתראי למחר אמר להו לרבנן נפתח ברבוותא,אחאב אח לשמים אב לעבודת כוכבים אח לשמים דכתיב (משלי יז, יז) אח לצרה יולד אב לעבודת כוכבים דכתיב (תהלים קג, יג) כרחם אב על בנים,(מלכים א טז, לא) ויהי הנקל לכתו בחטאת ירבעם בן נבט אמר ר' יוחנן קלות שעשה אחאב כחמורות שעשה ירבעם ומפני מה תלה הכתוב בירבעם מפני שהוא היה תחילה לקלקלה (הושע יב, יב) גם מזבחותם כגלים על תלמי שדי א"ר יוחנן אין לך כל תלם ותלם בא"י שלא העמיד עליו אחאב עבודת כוכבים והשתחוה לו,ומנא לן דלא אתי לעלמא דאתי דכתיב (מלכים א כא, כא) והכרתי לאחאב משתין בקיר ועצור ועזוב בישראל עצור בעוה"ז ועזוב לעוה"ב,א"ר יוחנן מפני מה זכה עמרי למלכות מפני שהוסיף כרך אחד בארץ ישראל שנאמר (מלכים א טז, כד) ויקן את ההר שמרון מאת שמר בככרים כסף ויבן את ההר ויקרא [את] שם העיר אשר בנה על שם שמר אדני ההר שמרון,א"ר יוחנן מפני מה זכה אחאב למלכות כ"ב שנה,מפני שכיבד את התורה שניתנה בכ"ב אותיות שנאמר (מלכים א כ, ב) וישלח מלאכים אל אחאב מלך ישראל העירה ויאמר לו כה אמר בן הדד כספך וזהבך לי הוא ונשיך ובניך הטובים לי הם כי אם כעת מחר אשלח את עבדי אליך וחפשו את ביתך ואת בתי עבדיך והיה כל מחמד עיניך ישימו בידם ולקחו ויאמר למלאכי בן הדד אמרו לאדוני המלך כל אשר שלחת (לעבדך) [אל עבדך] בראשונה אעשה והדבר הזה לא אוכל לעשות,מאי מחמד עיניך לאו ס"ת,דילמא עבודת כוכבים לא ס"ד דכתיב (מלכים א כ, ח) ויאמרו אליו כל הזקנים וכל העם (לא תאבה ולא תשמע) ודילמא סבי דבהתא הוו מי לא כתיב (שמואל ב יז, ד) ויישר הדבר בעיני אבשלום (והזקנים) [ובעיני כל זקני ישראל] ואמר רב יוסף סבי דבהתא,התם לא כתיב וכל העם הכא כתיב וכל העם דאי אפשר דלא הוו בהון צדיקי וכתיב (מלכים א יט, יח) והשארתי בישראל שבעת אלפים כל הברכים אשר לא כרעו לבעל וכל הפה אשר לא נשק לו,אמר ר"נ אחאב שקול היה שנאמר (מלכים א כב, כ) ויאמר ה' מי יפתה את אחאב ויעל ויפול ברמות גלעד ויאמר זה בכה וזה אומר בכה מתקיף לה רב יוסף מאן דכתב ביה (מלכים א כא, כה) רק לא היה כאחאב אשר התמכר לעשות הרע בעיני ה' אשר הסתה אותו איזבל אשתו ותנינא בכל יום היתה שוקלת שקלי זהב לעבודת כוכבים ואת אמרת שקול היה אלא אחאב וותרן בממונו היה ומתוך שההנה תלמידי חכמים מנכסיו כיפרו לו מחצה,(מלכים א כב, כא) ויצא הרוח ויעמד לפני ה' ויאמר אני אפתנו ויאמר ה' אליו במה ויאמר אצא והייתי רוח שקר בפי כל נביאיו ויאמר תפתה וגם תוכל צא ועשה כן מאי רוח א"ר יוחנן רוחו של נבות היזרעאלי,מאי צא אמר רבינא צא ממחיצתי שכן כתיב (תהלים קא, ז) דובר שקרים לא יכון לנגד עיני אמר רב פפא היינו דאמרי אינשי דפרע קיניה מחריב ביתיה,(מלכים א טז, לג) ויעש אחאב את האשרה ויוסף אחאב לעשות להכעיס את ה' אלהי ישראל מכל מלכי ישראל אשר היו לפניו א"ר יוחנן שכתב על דלתות שמרון אחאב כפר באלהי ישראל לפיכך אין לו חלק באלהי ישראל,(דברי הימים ב כב, ט) ויבקש את אחזיהו וילכדהו והוא מתחבא בשמרון א"ר לוי שהיה קודר אזכרות וכותב עבודת כוכבים תחתיהן,מנשה שנשה יה ד"א מנשה שהנשי את ישראל לאביהם שבשמים ומנלן דלא אתי לעלמא דאתי דכתיב (דברי הימים ב לג, א) בן שתים עשרה שנה מנשה במלכו וחמשים וחמש שנה מלך בירושלים (מלכים ב כא, ג) ויעש (הרע) [אשרה] (בעיני ה') כאשר עשה אחאב מלך ישראל מה אחאב אין לו חלק לעוה"ב אף מנשה אין לו חלק לעוה"ב:,רבי יהודה אומר מנשה יש לו חלק לעוה"ב שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לג, יג) ויתפלל מנשה אל ה' ויעתר לו וכו': א"ר יוחנן ושניהם מקרא אחד דרשו שנאמר (ירמיהו טו, ד) ונתתים לזעוה לכל ממלכות הארץ בגלל מנשה בן יחזקיהו מר סבר בגלל מנשה שעשה תשובה ואינהו לא עבוד ומר סבר | 102b. bhe recovered, he then lecturedon that topic. His students bsaid to him: Did you not undertake that you will not lecture about them?Rabbi Abbahu bsaid: Did they repent, that I will reconsiderand refrain from condemning them?,One day bRav Ashi endedhis lecture just before reaching the matter bof the three kings. He saidto his students: bTomorrow we will beginthe lecture bwith our colleaguesthe three kings, who, although they were sinners, were Torah scholars like us. bManasseh,king of Judea, bcame and appeared to him in his dream.Manasseh bsaidto him angrily: bYou called us your colleague and the colleagues of your father?How dare you characterize yourself as our equal?,Manasseh said to him: I will ask you, bfrom where are you required to begincutting a loaf of bread when reciting the blessing: bWho brings forthbread from the earth? Rav Ashi bsaid to him: I do not know.Manasseh bsaid to him:Even this, bfrom where you are required to begincutting a loaf of bread when reciting the blessing: bWho brings forthbread from the earth, byou did not learn, andyet byou call us your colleague?Rav Ashi bsaid toManasseh: bTeach methis ihalakha band tomorrow I will lectureand cite bit in your name duringmy public blecturedelivered on the Festival. Manasseh bsaid to him:One cuts the loaf bfrom where it crustsas a result of bbaking. /b,Rav Ashi bsaid to him: Since you were so wise, what is the reason you engaged in idol worship?Manasseh bsaid to him: Had you been thereat that time, byou would have takenand lifted bthe hem of your cloak and run after medue to the fierce desire to engage in idol worship and due to the fact that it was a common faith. bThe next dayRav Ashi bsaid to the Sagesas a prelude to his lecture: bWe will begin withthe treatment of bour teachers,those kings who were greater than us in Torah knowledge but whose sins caused them to lose their share in the World-to-Come.,§ The Gemara proceeds to discuss the second king enumerated in the mishna, Ahab. bAhab [ iAḥav /i],although he was ba brother [ iaḥ /i] to Heaven,he was ba father [ iav /i] for idol worship.He was ba brother to Heaven, as it is written: “And a brother is born for adversity”(Proverbs 17:17), and in desperate times, he turned to Heaven. He was ba father for idolatry.This is the highest level of attachment, bas it is written: “As a father has compassion for his children”(Psalms 103:13).,With regard to Ahab, it is written: b“And it came to pass, the most minor of his transgressions was his walking in the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat”(I Kings 16:31). bRabbi Yoḥa says: The minorsins bthat Ahab performedwere bon par with the majorsins bthat Jeroboam performed,as the transgressions committed by Ahab were much more serious than those committed by Jeroboam. bAnd for whatreason bdid the verse attributethe sins of all the kings of Israel bto Jeroboam,even though the sins of Ahab were more substantial? It is bdue tothe fact bthat he was first toengage in biniquity.With regard to the verse: b“Their altars shall also be like droppings in the furrows of the field”(Hosea 12:12), bRabbi Yoḥa says: You do not have even one furrow in Eretz Yisrael upon which Ahab did not placean object of bidol worship and bow to it. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd from where do wederive bthatAhab bdoes not enter into the World-to-Come?The Gemara answers: It is derived bas it is written: “And I will excise from Ahab every man, and him that is shut up and him that is abandoned in Israel”(I Kings 21:21). b“Him that is shut up”indicates he will be excised bin this world,while b“and him that is abandoned”indicates he will be excised bin the World-to-Come. /b, bRabbi Yoḥa says: For whatvirtue bwas Omri,king of Israel, who was Ahab’s father, bprivilegedto ascend btothe bmonarchy?It is bdue tothe fact bthat he added one city in Eretz Yisrael, as it is stated: “And he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city that he built after Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria”(I Kings 16:24)., bRabbi Yoḥa says: For whatvirtue bwas Ahab privilegedto ascend btothe bmonarchyand rule for btwenty-two years? /b,It is bdue tothe fact bthat he respected the Torah, which was given with twenty-two letters, as it is stated: “And he sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, into the city, and said to him: So says Ben-Hadad: Your silver and your gold are mine; your wives and also your good children, are mine.And the king of Israel answered and said: It is according to your saying, my lord, O king: I am yours, and all that I have. And the messengers came again, and said: So speaks Ben-Hadad, saying: I sent to you, saying: You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children. bYet I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants, and it shall be, that they shall put in their hand all the delight of your eyes and take it…And he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, tell my lord the king: All that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do; but this thing I may not do”(I Kings 20:2–6, 9).,The Gemara asks: bWhatis b“the delight of your eyes”that Ahab refused to give Ben-Hadad after agreeing to give him his wives and his gold? bIs it not a Torah scroll?Ahab treated the Torah with deference.,The Gemara suggests: bPerhapsthe delight of his eyes was an object of bidol worship.The Gemara answers: That could bnot enter your mind, as it is writtenthat Ahab consulted the Sages with regard to this matter: b“And all the elders and all the people said to him: Do not consent and heed not”(I Kings 20:8). The elders in this verse are presumably the Sages. The Gemara continues: bBut perhaps they were wicked elders,who worshipped idols. bIsn’t it written: “And the saying pleased Absalom well and all the elders of Israel”(II Samuel 17:4), band Rav Yosef says:The elders of Israel mentioned in that verse were bwicked elders.Perhaps the elders of Israel with whom Ahab consulted were also wicked.,The Gemara rejects this: bThere,with regard to Absalom bit is not written: “And all the people,”whereas bhere,with regard to Ahab, bit is written: “And all the people.” As it is impossible that there were not among them righteouspeople, if the righteous people agreed, apparently, “the delight of your eyes” was sacred. bAnd it is written: “And I will leave seven thousand in Israel; all the knees that have not bent to the Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed it”(I Kings 19:18), indicating that there were righteous people among them., bRav Naḥman says: Ahab was balancedin terms of the mitzvot and transgressions that he performed, bas it is stated: “And the Lord said, who shall entice Ahab that he may ascend and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And this one said in this manner, and that one said in that manner”(I Kings 22:20), indicating that it is unclear whether or not he was a full-fledged transgressor. bRav Yosef objects to thisstatement: This is the person babout whomthe prophet bwrote: “But there was none like Ahab who devoted himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife had incited”(I Kings 21:25). bAnd we learnin a ibaraita /i: bEvery day she would weigh gold shekelsequal to Ahab’s weight bfor idol worship. And you say he was balanced? Rather, Ahab was generous with his moneyand did not scrimp, band since healso bbenefited Torah scholars with his property,the heavenly court bexpiated halfhis sins bfor him.The result was a balance between mitzvot and transgressions.,With regard to God’s search for a volunteer to entice Ahab, it is written: b“And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will entice him. And the Lord said to him: With what? And he said: I will go out, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said: You shall entice him, and also prevail; go out, and do so”(I Kings 22:21–22). The Gemara asks: bWhat spiritwas that? bRabbi Yoḥa says:It was bthe spirit of Naboth the Jezreelite,who sought to take revenge against Ahab.,The Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of the term b“go out”that God instructed the spirit? bRavina saysthat it means: bGo out fromwithin bmy partitionand do not return, bas so it is written: “He that speaks falsehoods shall not be established before My eyes”(Psalms 101:7). The spirit that volunteered to lie may no longer be before God. bRav Pappa saysthat bthisis in accordance with the adage bthat people say: One who avengesdue to bhis zealotry destroys hisown bhouse.The spirit of Naboth that sought revenge was expelled from before God.,With regard to the verse: b“And Ahab made the iashera /i; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him”(I Kings 16:33), bRabbi Yoḥa says:It means bthat he wrote on the doors of Samaria: Ahab denies theexistence of the bGod of Israel, therefore he has no share in the God of Israel. /b,With regard to the verse: b“And he sought Ahaziah, and they apprehended him, for he was hiding in Samaria”(II Chronicles 22:9), bRabbi Levi says:What would he do in hiding? bHe would excise mentionsof God’s name in Torah scrolls band writethe name of an object of bidol worship in their stead. /b,The Gemara proceeds to discuss the third king enumerated in the mishna. He was called bManasseh [ iMenashe /i] because he forgot God [ inasha yah /i]. Alternatively,he was called bManasseh since he caused thekingdom of bIsrael to forget [ ihinshi /i] their Father Who is in Heaven. And from where do wederive bthatManasseh bdoes not enter into the World-to-Come?The Gemara answers: It is derived bas it is written: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem… /bAnd he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord… bAnd he made an iashera /i, as did Ahab king of Israel”(II Kings 21:1–3). bJust as Ahab has no share in the World-to-Come, so too, Manasseh has no share in the World-to-Come. /b,§ The mishna teaches that bRabbi Yehuda says: Manasseh has a share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And he prayed to him and He was entreated of him,and heard his supplication and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13). bRabbi Yoḥa says: And both of them,Rabbi Yehuda and the Rabbis, who disagree with regard to whether Manasseh has a share in the World-to-Come, binterpreted oneand the same bverse, as it is stated: “And I will make them into a horror for all the kingdoms of the earth, on account of Manasseh, son of Hezekiah”(Jeremiah 15:4). One bSage,Rabbi Yehuda, bholdsthat b“on account of Manasseh”means that the Jewish people will be judged harshly, basultimately, one as wicked as Manasseh brepented, and they did not doso. bAndone bSage,the Rabbis, bholdsthat |
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17. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 25b, 12b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 12b. רבי יהודה אומר המקום ירחם עליך ועל חולי ישראל רבי יוסי אומר המקום ירחם עליך בתוך חולי ישראל שבנא איש ירושלים בכניסתו אומר שלום וביציאתו אומר שבת היא מלזעוק ורפואה קרובה לבא ורחמיו מרובין ושבתו בשלום כמאן אזלא הא דאמר רבי חנינא מי שיש לו חולה בתוך ביתו צריך שיערבנו בתוך חולי ישראל כמאן כר' יוסי,ואמר רבי חנינא בקושי התירו לנחם אבלים ולבקר חולים בשבת אמר רבה בר בר חנה כי הוה אזלינן בתריה דרבי אלעזר לשיולי בתפיחה זימנין אמר המקום יפקדך לשלום וזימנין אמר (ליה) רחמנא ידכרינך לשלם היכי עביד הכי והאמר רב יהודה לעולם אל ישאל אדם צרכיו בלשון ארמי ואמר רבי יוחנן כל השואל צרכיו בלשון ארמי אין מלאכי השרת נזקקין לו שאין מלאכי השרת מכירין בלשון ארמי שאני חולה דשכינה עמו,דאמר רב ענן אמר רב מנין ששכינה סועד את החולה שנאמר (תהלים מא, ד) ה' יסעדנו על ערש דוי תניא נמי הכי הנכנס לבקר את החולה לא ישב לא על גבי מטה ולא על גבי כסא אלא מתעטף ויושב לפניו מפני ששכינה למעלה מראשותיו של חולה שנאמר ה' יסעדנו על ערש דוי ואמר רבא אמר רבין מנין שהקב"ה זן את החולה שנאמר ה' יסעדנו על ערש דוי:,ולא יקרא לאור הנר: אמר רבה אפילו גבוה שתי קומות ואפי' שתי מרדעות ואפילו עשרה בתים זו על גב זו חד הוא דלא ליקרי הא תרי שפיר דמי והתניא לא אחד ולא שנים אמר ר' אלעזר לא קשיא כאן בענין אחד כאן בשני ענינים אמר רב הונא ובמדורה אפי' עשרה בני אדם אסור,אמר רבא אם אדם חשוב הוא מותר מיתיבי לא יקרא לאור הנר שמא יטה אמר ר' ישמעאל בן אלישע אני אקרא ולא אטה פעם א' קרא ובקש להטות אמר כמה גדולים דברי חכמים שהיו אומרים לא יקרא לאור הנר ר' נתן אומר קרא והטה וכתב על פנקסו אני ישמעאל בן אלישע קריתי והטיתי נר בשבת לכשיבנה בהמ"ק אביא חטאת שמנה א"ר אבא שאני ר' ישמעאל בן אלישע הואיל ומשים עצמו על דברי תורה כהדיוט,תני חדא שמש בודק כוסות וקערות לאור הנר ותניא אידך לא יבדוק לא קשיא כאן בשמש קבוע כאן בשמש שאינו קבוע ואי בעית אימא הא והא בשמש קבוע ולא קשיא הא בדמשחא והא בדנפטא,איבעיא להו שמש שאינו קבוע בדמשחא מהו אמר רב הלכה ואין מורין כן ור' ירמיה בר אבא אמר הלכה ומורין כן ר' ירמיה בר אבא איקלע לבי רב אסי קם שמעיה קא בדיק לנהורא דשרגא אמרה ליה דביתהו ומר לא עביד הכי אמר לה שבקיה כרביה ס"ל:,באמת אמרו החזן כו': והאמרת רישא רואה מאי לאו לקרות לא לסדר ראשי פרשיותיו וכן אמר רבה בר שמואל אבל מסדר הוא ראשי פרשיותיו וכולה פרשה לא | 12b. bRabbi Yehuda saysthat it is appropriate to say: bMay the Omnipresent have compassion upon you and upon all the sick people of Israel. Rabbi Yosei saysthat it is appropriate to say: bMay the Omnipresent have compassion upon you among the sick people of Israel,thereby including this sick person within the community of Israel. When bShevna of Jerusalemwould visit a sick person on Shabbat, bupon entering, he would say ishalomb. And when he exited he would say: It is Shabbatwhen one is prohibited bto cry out, and healing is soon to come, and His compassion is abundant, and reston Shabbat bin peace.The Gemara asks: bIn accordance with whoseopinion bisthe ihalakhathat bRabbi Ḥanina said: One who has a sick person in his house must include him among the sick people of Israelin his prayer? bIn accordance with whoseopinion? bIn accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei. /b, bAnd Rabbi Ḥanina said: It wasonly bwith great difficulty thatthe Sages bpermitted to comfort the mourners and visit the sick on Shabbat,as both the visitor and the comforter experience suffering on Shabbat. They permitted it only due to the mitzva involved in these activities. bRabba bar bar Ḥana said: When we would follow Rabbi Elazar to inquire aboutthe health of ba sick person; sometimes he would sayin Hebrew: bMay the Omnipresent remember you for peace /b, band sometimes he would say to himin Aramaic: bMay the all-Merciful remember you for peace.He would say it in Aramaic when the sick person did not understand Hebrew (Rav Elazar Moshe Horovitz). The Gemara asks: bHow did he do this,pray in Aramaic? bDidn’t Rav Yehuda say: A person should never requestthat bhis needsbe met bin the Aramaic language /b? bAnd,similarly, bRabbi Yoḥa said: Anyone who requeststhat bhis needsbe met bin the Aramaic language /b, bthe ministering angels do not attend to himto bring his prayer before God, bas the ministering angels are not familiar with the Aramaic language,but only with the sacred tongue, Hebrew, exclusively. The Gemara responds: bA sick person is different.He does not need the angels to bring his prayer before God because bthe Divine Presence is with him. /b, bAs Rav A saidthat bRav said: From where is it derived that the Divine Presence cares forand aids bthe sick person? As it is stated: “God will support him on the bed of illness”(Psalms 41:4). The Gemara comments: bThat was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne who enters to visit the sick person should sit neither on the bed nor on a chair; rather, he should wrap himselfin his prayer shawl with trepidation and awe, band sit beforethe sick person below him, bas the Divine Presence is above the head of the sick person, as it is stated: “God will support him on the bed of illness,”and he must treat the Divine Presence with deference. On a similar note, bRava saidthat bRavin said: From whereis it derived bthat the Holy One, Blessed be He, feeds the sick personduring his illness? bAs it is stated: “God will support him on the bed of illness.” /b,We learned in the mishna that bone may not reada book bby candlelighton Shabbat. bRabba said:Since a decree was issued, there is no distinction whether or not the lamp was near enough to him to enable him to adjust the wick. The prohibition applies bevenif the lamp was btwo staturesof a person bhigh, and evenas high as btwo plow handles, and evenif it was as high as bten houses one atop the other.We learned in the mishna that one may not read, and the Gemara infers: bOne may not read, butfor btwo,apparently, he may bwelldo so. They will not violate any prohibition, as two people together will certainly not forget the Shabbat prohibition. The Gemara asks: bWasn’t it taughtin a ibaraitathat bneither one nor twoare permitted to read by the light of the lamp? bRabbi Elazar said:This is bnot difficult,as there is room to distinguish between them and say that bhere,where two were permitted to read by candlelight, it is referring to a case where they are both engaged bin one matterand will remind each other to refrain from adjusting the wick. bThere,where two were prohibited to read by candlelight it is referring to a case where they are engaged bin twodifferent bmatters.Since each is preoccupied with a different text, they will not pay attention and remind each other. bRav Huna said: And with regard to a bonfire,where everyone is sitting around it and not adjacent to it, bevenif they were bten people, it is prohibitedto read by its light. When sitting around a bonfire, everyone sits at a distance from the others, and therefore they do not notice each other, and each is liable to adjust the firebrands to provide himself with more light., bRava said:Even though they prohibited reading by candlelight due to a decree lest they adjust the wick, bif he is an important person, it is permitted,as even on weekdays he is not accustomed to adjust a lamp that is dirty with oil. The Gemara braises an objectionfrom that which was taught in a iTosefta /i: bOne may not reada book on Shabbat bby the light of the lamp, lest he adjust it.The iToseftarelates that bRabbi Yishmael ben Elisha said: I will read and will not adjust,as I will certainly not forget that it is Shabbat. However, bonce he reada book by candlelight bandhe bsought to adjustthe wick. bHe said: How great are the words of the Sages, who would saythat bone may not read by candlelight,as even a person like me sought to adjust the wick. bRabbi Natan says:That was not the way it happened. Rather, bhe read andactually badjustedthe wick, band he wroteafterward bin his notebook [ ipinkas /i]: I, Yishmael ben Elisha, read and adjusted a lamp on Shabbat. When the Temple will be rebuilt I will bring a fat sin-offeringas atonement for this sin. This proves that even an important person like Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha is liable to adjust the wick. bRabbi Abba said: Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha is different, since with regard to the study of Torah, he comports himself like a simple manwith no air of importance, but generally, an important person would not dirty his hands and adjust the wick.,On this subject, the Gemara cites two apparently contradictory ibaraitot /i. bIt was taughtin bone ibaraitathat a bservant may examine cups and bowls by candlelightto check if they are clean. bAnd it was taughtin banother ibaraitathat bhe may not examinethem. The Gemara explains: This is bnot difficult.Rather, bhere,the ibaraitathat prohibited examining the cups, is referring bto a regularlyemployed bservantwho fears his master and examines the dishes meticulously. Therefore, there is concern lest he come to adjust the wick. While bthere,the ibaraitathat permitted examining the cups, is referring bto a servant who is not regularlyemployed, does not fear his master, and therefore will not check meticulously. There is no concern lest he come to adjust the wick. bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that bthis ibaraita band that ibaraitaare both referring bto a regularlyemployed bservant. Andthis is bnot difficult,as they are not referring to the same kind of lamp. bThis ibaraita /i, which prohibited examining the dishes, is referring bto an oil lamp,where there is room for concern lest he adjust it. bAnd that ibaraita /i, which permitted examining the dishes, is referring bto a naphtha[inafta/b] blamp.Since the naphtha lamp is dirty, the servant certainly will not touch it while checking the cups and dishes., bA dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: bWhat isthe ruling with regard to ba servant who is not regularlyemployed in terms of examining cups and dishes by the light of ban oil lamp?Is he permitted to examine the cups by candlelight, or not? From the perspective of his being a servant not regularly employed, it should be permitted. On the other hand, because it is an oil lamp it should be prohibited. bRav said: The ihalakha /iis that it is permitted, band,however, iab initio bapublic bruling is not issued to that effectso that they will not come to sin. However, one who knows the ihalakhathat it is permitted may practice accordingly. bRabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said: That ihalakhaisthat it is permitted band apublic bruling is issued to that effect.The Gemara relates that bRabbi Yirmeya bar Abba happened tocome to bthe house of Rav Asion Shabbat. Rabbi Yirmeya’s bservant stood and examined the cups by the light of a lamp[isheraga/b], as he was not a regularly employed servant in the house of Rav Asi. Rav Asi’s bwife said toRav Asi: But bthe Master,you, bdoes not do so.You prohibit doing so. Why is the servant of Rabbi Yirmeya examining the cups? bHe said to her: Leave him, he holds in accordance withthe opinion of bhis master. /b,We learned in the mishna that bin truth they saidthat bthe attendantsees where in the book the children under his supervision are reading, but he himself should not read. The Gemara asked: bDidn’t you say in the first clauseof the mishna that the attendant bsees? Doesn’tthat mean that he sees in order bto read?How can that part of the mishna conclude by saying that he may not read? The Gemara answers: bNo,it does not mean that the attendant is permitted to actually read; rather, he is only permitted btolook and barrange the beginning of his sectionsof the Torah that bhemust read the next day. bAnd so too, Rabba bar Shmuel said: However, he may arrange the beginning of his sectionsthat he must read the next day. The Gemara asks: bAndmay he bnotread bthe entire section? /b |
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18. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, 21b, 22a, 46b, 12a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 12a. דיקא נמי דכתיב (יהושע יד, ו) הקניזי ש"מ,עזובה זו מרים ולמה נקרא שמה עזובה שהכל עזבוה מתחילתה הוליד והלא מינסב הוה נסיב לה א"ר יוחנן כל הנושא אשה לשם שמים מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו ילדה,יריעות שהיו פניה דומין ליריעות,ואלה בניה אל תקרי בניה אלא בוניה ישר שישר את עצמו שובב ששיבב את יצרו וארדון שרדה את יצרו ואיכא דאמרי על שהיו פניה דומין לורד,(דברי הימים א ד, ה) ולאשחור אבי תקוע היו שתי נשים חלאה ונערה אשחור זה כלב ולמה נקרא שמו אשחור שהושחרו פניו בתעניות אבי שנעשה לה כאב תקוע שתקע את לבו לאביו שבשמים,היו שתי נשים נעשה מרים כשתי נשים חלאה ונערה לא חלאה ונערה הואי אלא בתחילה חלאה ולבסוף נערה,(דברי הימים א ד, ז) ובני חלאה צרת וצהר ואתנן צרת שנעשית צרה לחברותיה צהר שהיו פניה דומין כצהרים אתנן שכל הרואה אותה מוליך אתנן לאשתו,(שמות א, כב) ויצו פרעה לכל עמו א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא אף על עמו גזר ואמר ר"י בר' חנינא שלש גזירות גזר בתחילה אם בן הוא והמתן אותו ולבסוף כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו ולבסוף אף על עמו גזר,(שמות ב, א) וילך איש מבית לוי להיכן הלך אמר רב יהודה בר זבינא שהלך בעצת בתו,תנא עמרם גדול הדור היה כיון (שראה שאמר) פרעה הרשע כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו אמר לשוא אנו עמלין עמד וגירש את אשתו עמדו כולן וגירשו את נשותיהן,אמרה לו בתו אבא קשה גזירתך יותר משל פרעה שפרעה לא גזר אלא על הזכרים ואתה גזרת על הזכרים ועל הנקיבות פרעה לא גזר אלא בעוה"ז ואתה בעוה"ז ולעוה"ב,פרעה הרשע ספק מתקיימת גזירתו ספק אינה מתקיימת אתה צדיק בודאי שגזירתך מתקיימת שנאמר (איוב כב, כח) ותגזר אומר ויקם לך עמד והחזיר את אשתו עמדו כולן והחזירו את נשותיהן,ויקח ויחזור מיבעי ליה א"ר יהודה בר זבינא שעשה לו מעשה ליקוחין הושיבה באפריון ואהרן ומרים מרקדין לפניה ומלאכי השרת אמרו (תהלים קיג, ט) אם הבנים שמחה,את בת לוי אפשר בת מאה ושלשים שנה הויא וקרי לה בת דא"ר חמא בר' חנינא זו יוכבד שהורתה בדרך ולידתה בין החומות שנאמר (במדבר כו, נט) אשר ילדה אותה ללוי במצרים,לידתה במצרים ואין הורתה במצרים א"ר יהודה שנולדו בה סימני נערות,(שמות ב, ב) ותהר האשה ותלד בן והא הות מיעברא ביה תלתא ירחי מעיקרא א"ר יהודה בר זבינא מקיש לידתה להורתה מה הורתה שלא בצער אף לידתה שלא בצער מכאן לנשים צדקניות שלא היו בפיתקה של חוה,(שמות ב, ב) ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא תניא ר"מ אומר טוב שמו ר' יהודה אומר טוביה שמו רבי נחמיה אומר הגון לנביאות אחרים אומרים נולד כשהוא מהול וחכמים אומרים בשעה שנולד משה נתמלא הבית כולו אור כתיב הכא ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא וכתיב התם (בראשית א, ד) וירא אלהים את האור כי טוב,(שמות ב, ב) ותצפנהו שלשה ירחים דלא מנו מצרים אלא משעה דאהדרה והיא הות מיעברא ביה תלתא ירחי מעיקרא,(שמות ב, ג) ולא יכלה עוד הצפינו אמאי תצפניה ותיזיל אלא כל היכא דהוו שמעי מצראי דמתיליד ינוקא ממטו ינוקא התם כי היכי דלישמעינהו ומעוי (בהדיהו) דכתיב (שיר השירים ב, טו) אחזו לנו שועלים שועלים קטנים וגו',(שמות ב, ג) ותקח לו תבת גמא מאי שנא גומא א"ר אלעזר מיכן לצדיקים שממונם חביב עליהן יותר מגופן וכל כך למה לפי שאין פושטין ידיהן בגזל,רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר דבר רך שיכול לעמוד בפני דבר רך ובפני דבר קשה,ותחמרה בחמר ובזפת תנא חמר מבפנים וזפת מבחוץ כדי שלא יריח אותו צדיק ריח רע,ותשם בה את הילד ותשם בסוף רבי אלעזר אומר ים סוף רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר | 12a. The Gemara comments: The language of another verse bis also precisebased on this explanation, bas it is written:“And Caleb the son of Jephunneh bthe Kenizzitesaid unto him” (Joshua 14:6). Although his father was Jephunneh, he is known as “the Kenizzite,” although he was not actually a son of Kenaz. The Gemara accepts this proof and states: bConclude from itthat Rava’s explanation is correct.,The verse states: “And Caleb, the son of Hezron, begot children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth, and these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon” (I Chronicles 2:18). The Gemara analyzes the verse: The verse refers to the wife of Caleb by the name bAzubah.The Sages teach that bthisis bMiriam. And why is she called Azubah? As everyone initially abandoned her [ iazavuha /i]and did not want to marry her because she was sickly and unattractive. The verse additionally states: “And Caleb, the son of Hezron, bbegot children [ iholid /i]of Azubah his wife” (I Chronicles 2:18). The Gemara asks: Why use the term “ iholid /i,” begot children? bButdoesn’t this verse state that bhe married her? Rabbi Yoḥa says:This teaches us that with regard to banyone who marries a woman for the sake of Heaven,as he married her due to her righteousness without concern for her appearance, bthe verse ascribes himcredit bas if he gave birth to her. /b,The same verse refers to Miriam additionally as bJerioth,which the Gemara explains was appropriate, bfor her face was likeextremely pallid bcurtains [ iyeriot /i]. /b,The verse continues: b“And these were her sons [ ivaneha /i].”The Gemara explains: bDo not readit as ivaneha /i, her sons; rather,read it as iboneha /i, her builders.In other words, the rest of the names in the verse are not the names of her children, but rather appellations for her husband, whose marriage to her built her, as it were. The first appellation for Caleb, b“Jesher,”is referring to his actions, bas he set himself straight [ iyisher /i]and did not join in the counsel of the spies. The second appellation, b“Shobab,”is referring to the fact bthat he broke [ isibbev /i] hisevil binclinationby rebelling against the other spies. The third appellation, b“and Ardon [ iveArdon /i],”is referring to the fact bthat he ruled [ irada /i]over bhisevil binclination. And some say: Because the faceof his wife Miriam became beautiful blike a rose [ ivered /i]after they were married, she was also called Vardon, due to her rose-like complexion.,The Gemara interprets an additional verse as referring to Caleb. It is stated: b“And Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah”(I Chronicles 4:5). bAshhur is Caleb. And why was he called Ashhur? Because his face became blackened [ ihusheḥaru /i] fromthe extensive bfaststhat he accepted upon himself so that he would not be entrapped by the counsel of the spies. b“The father of”is also referring to Caleb, bas he became like a father tohis wife. The next word in the verse, b“Tekoa,”is an additional reference to Caleb, bas he attached [ itaka /i] his heart to his Father in Heaven. /b,The phrase in the verse b“had two wives”actually means it is as if bMiriam became like two wives,because she changed over the course of time. And therefore the two names written in the verse: b“Helah and Naarah,” were nottwo separate women, bHelah and Naarah. Rather, initiallyMiriam was bsickly [ iḥela /i]and forlorn, band ultimatelyshe was healthy and beautiful like ba young woman [ ina’ara /i]. /b,The Gemara expounds the following verse as referring to Miriam: b“And the children of Helah were Zereth [ iTzeret /i] and Zohar and Eth”(I Chronicles 4:7). She was now called b“ iTzeret /i,” for she becameso beautiful that she was like ba rival [ itzara /i] to otherwomen, as they were jealous of her beauty. She is called b“Zohar,” as her faceshined blikethe sun does at bnoon [ itzohorayim /i].She is called b“Eth,” as anyman bthat saw herwould be aroused so much that he bwould bring a gift [ iet /i] to his wifeto entice her.,§ The Gemara returns to the discussion of the bondage in Egypt. b“And Pharaoh charged all his people,saying: Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive” (Exodus 1:22). bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:The use of the phrase “every son that is born” indicates that bhe decreed even on his own nationthat all their male babies must be killed. bAnd Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, saysfurther: bHe decreed three decrees. Initially,he commanded the midwives only with regard to Jewish infants: “You shall look upon the stones. bIf it be a son, then you shall kill him;but if it be a daughter, then she shall live” (Exodus 1:16). bAnd afterward,he decreed with regard to the Jewish infants: b“Every son that is born you shall cast into the river”(Exodus 1:22). bAnd ultimately, he decreed even on his own nationthat Egyptian infant boys should be cast into the river as well.,The verse states: b“And there went a man of the house of Levi,and took for a wife a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1). The Gemara asks: bTo where did he go? Rav Yehuda bar Zevina says: He went according to the advice of his daughterMiriam, as the Gemara will proceed to explain.,A Sage bteaches: Amram,the father of Moses, bwas the great man of his generation. Once he saw that the wicked Pharaoh said: “Every son that is born you shall cast into the river,and every daughter you shall save alive” (Exodus 1:22), bhe said: We are laboring for nothingby bringing children into the world to be killed. Therefore, bhe arose and divorced his wife. Allothers who saw this followed his example and barose and divorced their wives. /b, bHis daughter,Miriam, bsaid to him: Father, your decree is more harshfor the Jewish people bthan that of Pharaoh, as Pharaoh decreed only with regard to the males, but you decreedboth bon the males and on the females.And now no children will be born. Additionally, bPharaoh decreedto kill them bonly in this world, but youdecreed bin this world and in the World-to-Come,as those not born will not enter the World-to-Come.,Miriam continued: Additionally, concerning bPharaoh the wicked,it is buncertainwhether bhis decreewill be bfulfilled,and it is buncertainif his decree will bnotbe bfulfilled. You are a righteous person,and as such, byour decreeswill bcertainlybe bfulfilled, as it is statedwith regard to the righteous: b“You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you”(Job 22:28). Amram accepted his daughter’s words and barose and brought back,i.e., remarried, bhis wife,and ballothers who saw this followed his example and barose and brought back their wives. /b,The Gemara asks: If Amram remarried Jochebed, rather than say: b“And tookfor a wife a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1), bit should havestated: b“And returnedfor a wife the daughter of Levi.” bRav Yehuda bar Zevina says: He performed an act of marriagejust as one would do for a first marriage. bHe sat her on a palanquin [ iappiryon /i], and Aaron and Miriam danced before her, and the ministering angels said: “A joyful mother of children”(Psalms 113:9).,The verse is referring to Jochebed as b“a daughter of Levi”(Exodus 2:1). The Gemara asks: Is it bpossiblethat this is Jochebed? Jochebed bwasthen b130 years old andthe verse still bcalls her a daughter?Jochebed’s age is established based on a tradition concerning the number of the descendants of Jacob who came to Egypt, as follows: While the verse states that Leah had thirty-three descendants (Genesis 46:15), only thirty-two were enumerated. This was explained bas Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:The “daughter of Levi” bis Jochebed, whose conception was on the road,as the family of Jacob descended to Egypt, band she was born between the walls,i.e., in Egypt, bas it is stated:“And the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, bwho was born to Levi in Egypt”(Numbers 26:59).,This interpolation concerning her birth is interpreted: bHer birthwas bin Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt.Since the Jewish people were in Egypt for two hundred ten years and Moses was eighty years old at the time of the exodus, Jochebed was one hundred thirty years old when Moses was born. In light of this, the Gemara is asking how the verse can refer to her as a daughter. bRabbi Yehuda says: The signs of a young woman were born in herwhen her husband remarried her, and she became like a young girl again.,§ The verse states concerning Moses: b“And the woman conceived, and bore a son;and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:2). The Gemara asks: bButJochebed bwas pregt withMoses bfor three months at the outset,before Amram remarried her, as will be explained further. bRav Yehuda bar Zevina said:The intention of the verse is to bjuxtapose hergiving bbirth to her becoming pregt. Just as her becoming pregt was without pain, so too, hergiving bbirth was without pain. From hereit is derived bconcerning righteous women that they were not included in the verdict [ ipitkah /i] of Evethat a woman will suffer pain during childbirth (see Genesis 3:16).,The verse states with regard to the birth of Moses: “And the woman conceived, and bore a son; band when she saw him that he was a goodly [ itov /i] child,she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:2). It bis taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Meir says: “Tov” is his,Moses’, real bname,as it was given to him by his parents when he was born. bRabbi Yehuda says: His name was Toviya. Rabbi Neḥemya says:They said he was good because they saw that he was bfit for prophecy. Others say:They said he was good because he was bborn when he wasalready bcircumcised. And the Rabbis say: At the time when Moses was born, the entire house was filled with light,as bit is written here: “And when she saw him that he was a goodly [ itov /i] child,” and it is written there: “And God saw the light, that it was good [ itov /i]”(Genesis 1:4).,The verse continues: b“And she hid him three months”(Exodus 2:2). The Gemara explains that she was able to hide him for three months bbecause the Egyptians countedthe nine months of her pregcy bonly from the timeher husband btook her back, but she was pregt withMoses bfor three months from the outsetof her remarriage.,The next verse states: b“And when she could no longer hide him”(Exodus 2:3). The Gemara asks: bWhycouldn’t she hide him any longer? bLet her continue to hide him. Rather, anywhere that the Egyptians heard that a baby was bornand they wanted to locate the baby, bthey would bringanother bbaby there in order that it could be heardcrying, bandthe two babies bwould cry together, as it is written: “Take us the foxes, the little foxes,that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Songs 2:15). The infants who were used to uncover the hidden babies are referred to as little foxes.,The verse states: “And when she could no longer hide him, bshe took for him an ark of bulrushes,and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the willows by the river’s bank” (Exodus 2:3). The Gemara asks: bWhat is differentabout bbulrushesthat she decided to use them? bRabbi Elazar says: From hereit is derived bconcerning righteous people that their money is more precious to them than their bodies,as she took an inexpensive material to build the ark. bAnd whydo they care bso muchabout their money? bBecause they do not stretch out their hands topartake of bstolen property.Therefore, their own property is very precious to them., bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysan alternative reason for her taking bulrushes for the ark: She took ba soft materiallike bulrush, bwhich is able to withstandan impact both bbefore a soft item and before a hard item.She feared that if she would have made the box from a hard material like wood, if it were to collide with a hard item in the water it might break.,The verse continues: b“And daubed it with bitumen and with pitch”(Exodus 2:3). A Sage bteaches:She daubed bbitumen on the interior and pitch on the exterior, so that righteous person,i.e., Moses, bwould not smell a foul odor,such as that of pitch.,The verse continues: b“And she put the child therein, and laid it in the willows [ ibassuf]”(Exodus 2:3). bRabbi Elazar says:This means she placed him bin the Suf Sea,i.e., the Red Sea. bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: /b |
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19. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, 45b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 45b. אסרו חג בעבותים עד קרנות המזבח א"ר ירמיה משום ר"ש בן יוחי ור' יוחנן משום ר"ש המחוזי משום ר' יוחנן המכותי כל העושה איסור לחג באכילה ושתיה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו בנה מזבח והקריב עליו קרבן שנא' אסרו חג בעבותים עד קרנות המזבח,אמר חזקיה א"ר ירמיה משום רשב"י כל המצות כולן אין אדם יוצא בהן אלא דרך גדילתן שנאמר (שמות כו, טו) עצי שטים עומדים,תנ"ה עצי שטים עומדים שעומדים דרך גדילתן דבר אחר עומדים שמעמידין את ציפוין דבר אחר עומדים שמא תאמר אבד סיברם ובטל סיכויין ת"ל עצי שטים עומדים שעומדים לעולם ולעולמי עולמים,ואמר חזקיה א"ר ירמיה משום רשב"י יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין מיום שנבראתי עד עתה ואילמלי אליעזר בני עמי מיום שנברא העולם ועד עכשיו ואילמלי יותם בן עוזיהו עמנו מיום שנברא העולם עד סופו,ואמר חזקיה א"ר ירמיה משום רשב"י ראיתי בני עלייה והן מועטין אם אלף הן אני ובני מהן אם מאה הם אני ובני מהן אם שנים הן אני ובני הן ומי זוטרי כולי האי והא אמר רבא תמני סרי אלפי דרא הוה דקמיה קודשא בריך הוא שנאמר (יחזקאל מח, לה) סביב שמנה עשר אלף ל"ק הא דמסתכלי באספקלריא המאירה הא דלא מסתכלי באספקלריא המאירה,ודמסתכלי באספקלריא המאירה מי זוטרי כולי האי והא אמר אביי לא פחות עלמא מתלתין ושיתא צדיקי דמקבלי אפי שכינה בכל יום שנאמר (ישעיהו ל, יח) אשרי כל חוכי לו ל"ו בגימטריא תלתין ושיתא הוו ל"ק הא דעיילי בבר הא דעיילי בלא בר:,בשעת פטירתן מה הן אומרים וכו': והא קא משתתף שם שמים ודבר אחר ותניא כל המשתף שם שמים ודבר אחר נעקר מן העולם שנאמר (שמות כב, יט) בלתי לה' לבדו הכי קאמר ליה אנחנו מודים ולך אנו משבחין ליה אנחנו מודים ולך אנו מקלסין:,כמעשהו בחול: אמר רב הונא מ"ט דר' יוחנן בן ברוקה דכתיב (ויקרא כג, מ) כפות שנים אחת ללולב ואחת למזבח ורבנן אמרי כפת כתיב,ר' לוי אומר כתמר מה תמר זה אין לו אלא לב אחד אף ישראל אין להם אלא לב אחד לאביהם שבשמים,אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל לולב שבעה וסוכה יום אחד מ"ט לולב דמפסקי לילות מימים כל יומא מצוה באפיה נפשיה הוא סוכה דלא מפסקי לילות מימים כולהו שבעה כחד יומא אריכא דמו,ורבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן סוכה שבעה ולולב יום אחד מאי טעמא סוכה דאורייתא שבעה לולב דרבנן סגי ליה בחד יומא,כי אתא רבין אמר רבי יוחנן אחד זה ואחד זה שבעה אמר רב יוסף נקוט דרבה בר בר חנה בידך דכולהו אמוראי קיימי כוותיה בסוכה,מיתיבי | 45b. b“Bind [ iisru /i] with dense-leaved branches [ iba’avotim /i] on the Festival until the horns of the altar”(Psalms 118:27), which alludes to both the binding of the ilulavand to the myrtle branch, referred to in the Torah as the branch of a dense-leaved tree [ ianaf etz avot /i]. bRabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, and Rabbi Yoḥasaid bin the name of Rabbi Shimon HaMeḥozi,who said bin the name of Rabbi Yoḥa HaMakkoti:With regard to banyone who establishes an addition [ iissur /i] to the Festivalon the day after the Festival bby eating and drinking, the verse ascribes himcredit bas though he built an altar and sacrificed an offering upon it, as it is stated: “Add [ iisru /i] to the Festival with fattened animals [ iba’avotim /i] until the horns of the altar.” /b,§ Apropos the ihalakhacited by Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, the Gemara cites additional ihalakhot /i. bḤizkiya saidthat bRabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai:With regard to ballobjects used in performance of beach and everyone of bthe mitzvot, a person fulfills his obligation onlywhen the objects are positioned bin the manner of their growth.One must take the ilulavwith the bottom of the branch facing down, bas it is statedwith regard to the beams of the Tabernacle: b“Acacia wood, standing”(Exodus 26:15), indicating that the beams stood in the manner of their growth., bThat was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“Acacia wood, standing,”indicating bthat they standin the Tabernacle bin the manner of their growthin nature. bAlternatively, standingmeans bthatthe beams bsupport theirgold bplatingthat is affixed to the beams with nails. bAlternatively, standingteaches: bLest you saythat after the destruction of the Tabernacle btheir hope is lost and their prospect is abolished,and they will never serve a sacred purpose again, therefore bthe verse states: “Acacia wood, standing,”meaning bthat they stand forever and for all timeand will yet be revealed and utilized again., bAnd Ḥizkiya saidthat bRabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: I am able to absolve the entire world from judgmentfor sins committed bfrom the day I was created until now.The merit that he accrued through his righteousness and the suffering that he endured atone for the sins of the entire world. bAnd werethe merit accrued by bEliezer, my son,calculated along bwith myown, we would absolve the world from judgment for sins committed bfrom the day that the world was created until now. And werethe merit accrued by the righteous king, bJotham ben Uzziah,calculated bwith ourown, we would absolve the world from judgment for sins committed bfrom the day that the world was created until its end.The righteousness of these three serves as a counterbalance to all the evil deeds committed throughout the generations, and it validates the ongoing existence of the world., bAnd Ḥizkiya saidthat bRabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: I have seen membersof the caste bofthe spiritually bprominent,who are truly righteous, band they are few. If theynumber bone thousand, I and my son are among them. If theynumber bone hundred, I and my son are among them; and if theynumber btwo, I and my son are they.The Gemara asks: bAre they so few? But didn’t Rava say: There are eighteen thousandrighteous individuals bin a row before the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “Surrounding are eighteen thousand”(Ezekiel 48:35)? Apparently, the righteous are numerous. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thisstatement of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai is referring to the very few bwho viewthe Divine Presence bthrough a bright,mirror-like bpartition,while bthatstatement of Rava is referring to those bwho do not viewthe Divine Presence bthrough a bright partition. /b,The Gemara asks further: bAnd arethose bwho viewthe Divine Presence through ba bright partition so few? But didn’t Abaye say: The worldhas bno fewer than thirty-six righteouspeople in each generation bwho greet the Divine Presence every day, as it is stated: “Happy are all they that wait for Him [ ilo /i]”(Isaiah 30:18)? bThe numerological value of ilo /i,spelled ilamed vav /i, bis thirty-six,alluding to the fact that there are at least thirty-six full-fledged righteous individuals in each generation. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thisstatement of Abaye is referring to those bwho enterto greet the Divine Presence bbyrequesting and being granted bpermission,while bthatstatement of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai is referring to those bwho entereven bwithoutrequesting bpermission,for whom the gates of Heaven are open at all times. They are very few indeed.,§ The mishna asks: bAt the time of their departureat the end of the Festival, bwhatwould bthey say?The mishna answers that they would praise the altar and glorify God. The Gemara challenges this: bButin doing so baren’t they joining the name of Heaven and another entity, and it was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bAnyone who joins the name of Heaven and another entity is uprooted from the world, as it is stated:“He that sacrifices unto the gods, bsave unto the Lord only,shall be utterly destroyed” (Exodus 22:19)? The Gemara answers that bthis is whatthe people bare sayingwhen they depart the Temple: bTo the Lord, we acknowledgethat He is our God, band to you,the altar, bwe give praise; to the Lord, we acknowledgethat He is our God, band to you,the altar, bwe give acclaim.The praise to God and the praise to the altar are clearly distinct.,§ The mishna continues: bAs its performance during the week,so is its performance on Shabbat. And according to Rabbi Yoḥa ben Beroka, on the seventh day of the Festival they would bring palm branches to the Temple. bRav Huna said: What is the rationalefor the opinion bof Rabbi Yoḥa ben Beroka?It is bas it is written:“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a beautiful tree, bbranchesof a date palm” (Leviticus 23:40). Branches in the plural indicates that btwobranches must be taken, bone for the ilulavand one forplacement around bthe altar. And the Rabbis say:Although the word is vocalized in the plural, based on tradition it bis written ikappot /i,without the letter ivav /i. Therefore, it is interpreted as if it were written ikappat /i, indicating that only one palm branch need be taken., bRabbi Levi says:The rationale for the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥa ben Beroka is not based on a verse. Rather, it is a custom that developed to express praise for the Jewish people, blikeningthem to ba date palm /b. bJust as the date palm has only one heart,as branches do not grow from its trunk but rather the trunk rises and branches emerge only at the top, bso too, the Jewish people have only one heartdirected btoward their Father in Heaven. /b,§ bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said:The blessing over the mitzva of ilulav /iis recited bsevendays bandthe blessing over the mitzva of isukka /iis recited bone day. What is the rationalefor this distinction? It is written explicitly in the Torah that the mitzva to sit in the isukkaapplies all seven days. The Gemara explains: With regard to the ilulav /i, where the nights are distinct from the days,as the mitzva of ilulavis not in effect at night, beach day is a mitzva in and of itself.A separate blessing is recited over each mitzva. However, with regard to isukka /i, where the nights are not distinct from the days,as the mitzva of isukkais in effect at night just as it is during the day, the legal status of ball sevendays of the Festival bis likethat of bone long day. /b, bBut Rabba bar bar Ḥanasaid that bRabbi Yoḥa said:The blessing over the mitzva of isukka /iis recited bsevendays and the blessing over the mitzva of ilulav /iis recited bone day. What is the rationalefor this distinction? The Gemara explains: The mitzva of isukka /iis a mitzva bby Torahlaw all seven days of the Festival. Therefore, a blessing is recited for bsevendays. However, the mitzva of ilulav /i,other than on the first day, is a mitzva bby rabbiniclaw, as the Sages instituted an ordice to take the ilulavfor all seven days to commemorate the practice in the Temple. Therefore, bit is enoughto recite the blessing bone day,on the first day., bWhen Ravin camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that bRabbi Yoḥa said:One recites a blessing over bboth this,the mitzva of isukka /i, bandover bthat,the mitzva of ilulav /i, all bsevendays. bRav Yosef said: Takethe statement bof Rabba bar bar Ḥana in your hand, as all the iamora’im /iwho transmitted statements of Rabbi Yoḥa bhold in accordance with hisopinion binmatters related to isukka /i. /b,The Gemara braises an objectionbased on a ibaraita /i: |
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20. Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, 4b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 4b. ויכסהו הענן להר ויקרא אל משה [משה] וכל ישראל עומדין ולא בא הכתוב אלא לחלק כבוד למשה רבי נתן אומר לא בא הכתוב אלא למרק אכילה ושתיה שבמעיו לשומו כמלאכי השרת,ר' מתיא בן חרש אומר לא בא הכתוב אלא לאיים עליו כדי שתהא תורה ניתנת באימה ברתת ובזיע שנאמר (תהלים ב, יא) עבדו את ה' ביראה וגילו ברעדה מאי וגילו ברעדה אמר רב אדא בר מתנה אמר רב במקום גילה שם תהא רעדה,במאי קא מיפלגי רבי יוסי הגלילי ור"ע בפלוגתא דהני תנאי דתניא בששה בחודש ניתנה תורה לישראל רבי יוסי אומר בשבעה בו מאן דאמר בששה בששה ניתנה ובשבעה עלה (דכתיב (שמות כד, טז) ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי) מאן דאמר בשבעה בשבעה ניתנה ובשבעה עלה [דכתיב ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי],רבי יוסי הגלילי סבר לה כתנא קמא דאמר בששה בחודש ניתנה תורה הלכך זה היה מעשה אחר עשרת הדברות (שמות כד, טז) וישכון כבוד ה' על הר סיני ויכסהו הענן ששת ימים למשה ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי לקבולי שאר תורה דאי סלקא דעתך וישכון כבוד ה' מר"ח ויכסהו הענן להר ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי לקבולי עשרת הדברות הא קבילו להו מששה והא אסתלק ענן מששה,ורבי עקיבא סבר לה כרבי יוסי דאמר בשבעה בחדש ניתנה תורה לישראל בשלמא לר' עקיבא היינו דמשכחת לה בשבעה עשר בתמוז נשתברו הלוחות עשרין וארבעה דסיון ושיתסר דתמוז מלו להו ארבעין יומין דהוה בהר ובשבסר בתמוז נחית ואתא ותברינהו ללוחות,אלא לר' יוסי הגלילי דאמר ששה דפרישה וארבעין דהר עד עשרין ותלת בתמוז לא אתבור לוחות אמר לך ר' יוסי הגלילי ארבעין דהר בהדי ששה דפרישה,אמר מר ויקרא אל משה משה וכל ישראל עומדין מסייע ליה לר"א דאמר רבי אלעזר ויקרא אל משה משה וכל ישראל עומדין ולא בא הכתוב אלא לחלק לו כבוד למשה,מיתיבי קול לו קול אליו משה שמע וכל ישראל לא שמעו לא קשיא הא בסיני הא באהל מועד ואי בעית אימא לא קשיא הא בקריאה הא בדבור,ר' זריקא רמי קראי קמיה דר' אלעזר ואמרי לה אמר ר' זריקא ר' אלעזר רמי כתיב (שמות מ, לה) ולא יכול משה לבא אל אהל מועד כי שכן עליו הענן וכתיב (שמות כד, יח) ויבא משה בתוך הענן מלמד שתפסו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה והביאו בענן,דבי ר' ישמעאל תנא נאמר כאן בתוך ונאמר להלן בתוך (שמות יד, טז) ויבואו בני ישראל בתוך הים מה להלן שביל דכתיב (שמות יד, כב) והמים להם חומה אף כאן שביל:,(ויקרא א, א) ויקרא אל משה וידבר למה הקדים קריאה לדיבור לימדה תורה דרך ארץ שלא יאמר אדם דבר לחבירו אלא א"כ קורהו מסייע ליה לרבי חנינא דאמר רבי חנינא לא יאמר אדם דבר לחבירו אלא אם כן קורהו לאמר אמר ר' (מוסיא בר בריה דרבי מסיא משמיה דר' מוסיא) רבה מניין לאומר דבר לחבירו שהוא בבל יאמר עד שיאמר לו לך אמור שנאמר (ויקרא א, א) וידבר ה' אליו מאהל מועד לאמר,מכלל דתרווייהו סבירא להו מלואים כל הכתוב בהן מעכב בהן דאיתמר מלואים ר' יוחנן ורבי חנינא חד אמר כל הכתוב בהן מעכב בהן וחד אמר דבר המעכב לדורות מעכב בהן שאין מעכב לדורות אין מעכב בהן,תסתיים דר' יוחנן הוא דאמר כל הכתוב בהן מעכב בהן מדקאמר ליה ר' שמעון בן לקיש לר' יוחנן אי מה מלואים כל הכתוב בהן מעכב בהן ולא קא מהדר ליה ולא מידי תסתיים,מאי בינייהו | 4b. And that which is written: b“And the cloud covered him,”means the cloud covered it, bthe mountain,and not him, Moses. b“And He called to Moses”; Moses and all of the Jewish people were standingat the foot of the mountain and listening, and if God did not mean that Moses was to climb the mountain, why did He call him? bThe verse comes only to accord deference to Moses,as the entire nation heard God address him. bRabbi Natan says:Moses was in fact called to enter the cloud; however, his entrance was not for the purpose of sequestering and purifying him, brather, the verse comes only to cleanse the food and drink that was in his intestines, to render him like the ministering angelswho require neither food nor drink., bRabbi Matya ben Ḥarash says: The versecalling Moses into the cloud bcomes only to intimidateMoses, to instill in him a sense of awe of the Creator, bso that the Torah would be delivered with reverence, with quaking and with trembling, as it is stated: “Serve the Lord with awe, and rejoice with trembling”(Psalms 2:11). Apropos the end of the verse, the Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of b“and rejoice with trembling”?Joy and trembling seem contradictory. bRav Adda bar Mattana saidthat bRav said: Where there isthe bjoy offulfilling a mitzva, bthere will bethe btremblingof the awe of Heaven bthere. /b,§ Apropos the interpretation of the verse with regard to revelation, the Gemara asks: With regard to bwhat do Rabbi Yosei HaGelili and Rabbi Akiva disagree?The Gemara explains that their dispute is parallel bto the dispute between theseother itanna’im /i, as it was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOn the sixthday bof the monthof Sivan, bthe Torah,the Ten Commandments, bwas given to the Jewish people. Rabbi Yosei says:It was bon the seventhday bofthe month. According to the bone who saidthat it was bon the sixth,the Torah bwas given on the sixth,which is the day of the revelation of the Ten Commandments, band on the seventhday of the month Moses bascendedthe mountain, bas it is written: “And He called to Moses on the seventh day”(Exodus 24:16). According to the bone who saidthat the Torah was given bon the seventhof the month, bit was given on the seventh and Moses ascended on the seventh, as it is written: “And he called to Moses on the seventh day.” /b,The Gemara proceeds to link the two disputes. bRabbi Yosei HaGelili holds in accordance withthe opinion of bthe first itanna /iin the ibaraita /i, bwho saidthat it was bon the sixthof the month bthat the Torah was given; therefore, this incident occurred afterthe revelation of bthe Ten Commandments.That is why he explains the verse b“And the glory of the Lord abode on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered him for six days”to mean that the cloud covered bMoses, and He called to Moses on the seventh day to receive the rest of the Torah. As, should it enter your mindto interpret the verse as follows: b“And the glory of the Lord abode” from the New Moonof Sivan; b“And the cloud covered it,” the mountain; “And He called to Moses on the seventh day,”to receive only the Ten Commandments; bdidn’t theyalready breceivethe Ten Commandments bon the sixthof the month, band the cloudthat was on the mountain balready departed on the sixthof the month?, bAnd Rabbi Akiva holds in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei, who said that on the seventh of the monththe bTorah was given to the Jewish people.That is why Moses was summoned on the seventh of the month immediately after the revelation of the Ten Commandments. The Gemara asks: bGranted,according to the opinion of bRabbi Akivathat the Torah was given on the seventh of Sivan and Moses then proceeded to climb the mountain and remain there for forty days, bthatexplains the calculation bthat you find: On the seventeenth of Tammuz the tablets were shattered,according to the standard tradition. How so? Calculate btwenty-fourdays until the end bof Sivan and sixteendays bof Tammuz; they total the forty days that he was on the mountain. On the seventeenth of Tammuz he descendedfrom the mountain band came and shatteredthe btablets. /b, bHowever, according to Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, who said:There were bsixdays bof sequesteringafter the Torah was given and an additional bfortydays bthatMoses was on the bmountain, the tablets were not shattered until the twenty-third of Tammuz,contrary to the standard tradition. bRabbi Yosei HaGelilicould have bsaid to you: The fortydays bthatMoses was on the bmountain include the sixdays bof sequestering. /b,§ bThe Master saidin that ibaraitacited above that when the Torah says: b“And He called to Moses,”it means that bMoses and all of the Jewish people were standingand listening. The Gemara suggests that this bsupportsthe opinion of bRabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar saidthat when the Torah says: b“And He called to Moses,”it means that bMoses and all of the Jewish people were standingand listening band the verse comes only to accord deference to Moses.From Rabbi Elazar’s statement it is clear that all of Israel heard the voice of God.,The Gemara braises an objection:The Torah states: “And when Moses went into the Tent of Meeting that He might speak with him, then he heard the voice speaking unto him from above the Ark cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubs; and He spoke unto him” (Numbers 7:89). The Torah could have said: He heard the bvoicespeaking btohim; however, instead the verse said: He heard the bvoicespeaking buntohim, indicating that the voice reached him alone. bMosesalone bheardGod’s voice band all of the Jewish people did not hearit. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thiscase, where everyone heard God’s voice, was bat Sinai. Thatcase, where Moses alone heard God’s voice, was batthe bTent of Meeting. Or if you wish, sayinstead an alternative resolution. This is bnot difficult;when God addressed Moses by bcallingto him, everyone heard; that which God subsequently communicated by bspeaking,Moses alone heard., bRabbi Zerika raised a contradiction between verses before Rabbi Elazar, and some saythat bRabbi Zerika saidthat bRabbi Elazar raised a contradiction: It is writtenin one place: b“And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting because the cloud dwelt on it”(Exodus 40:35), as Moses was unable to enter the cloud. bAnd it is writtenelsewhere: b“And Moses came into the cloud”(Exodus 24:18). bThis teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, grabbed Moses and brought him into the cloudsince he could not enter on his own., bThe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught:There is a verbal analogy that resolves this contradiction. bIt is stated here:“And Moses came bintothe cloud,” band it is stated below,in another verse: b“And the children of Israel went into the seaon dry land” (Exodus 14:22); bJust as below,there was ba pathwithin the sea, bas it is written: “And the water was a wall for them”(Exodus 14:22), bhere too,there was ba paththrough the cloud, but Moses did not actually enter the cloud.,The verse says: b“And He called unto Moses, andthe Lord bspokeunto him from within the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). bWhydoes the verse mention bcalling before speaking,and God did not speak to him at the outset? bThe Torah is teaching etiquette: A personshould bnot say anything to another unless he calls himfirst. This bsupportsthe opinion of bRabbi Ḥanina, as Rabbi Ḥanina said: A person should not say anything to another unless he calls himfirst. With regard to the term concluding the verse: b“Saying,” Rabbi Musya, grandson of Rabbi Masya, said in the name of Rabbi Musya the Great: From whereis it derived with regard bto one who tells anothersome bmatter, thatit is incumbent upon the latter bnotto bsay itto others buntilthe former explicitly bsays to him: Go and tell others? As it is stated: “And the Lord spoke to him fromwithin bthe Tent of Meeting, saying [ ilemor /i].” iLemoris a contraction of ilo emor /i, meaning: Do not say. One must be given permission before transmitting information.,§ After digressing to interpret the verses with regard to Mount Sinai, the Gemara resumes its discussion of the statements of Rabbi Yoḥa and Reish Lakish. Based on the question Reish Lakish addressed to Rabbi Yoḥa and the fact that Rabbi Yoḥa accepted the premise of that question, we learn bby inferencethat bboth maintainthat with regard to the binauguration,failure to perform ballthe details bthat are written in itsregard binvalidatesthe inauguration. bAs it is stated: Rabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Ḥaninadisagree. bOne said:Failure to perform ballthe details bthat are written in itsregard binvalidatesthe inauguration. bAnd one said: A matter that invalidatesofferings bthroughout the generations invalidatesthe inauguration; ba matter that does not invalidateofferings bthroughout the generations does not invalidatethe inauguration., bConcludethat bRabbi Yoḥa is the one who said:Failure to perform ballthe details bthat are written in itsregard binvalidatesthe inauguration. This may be concluded bfromthe fact bthat Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says to Rabbi Yoḥa: Just aswith regard to the binauguration,failure to perform ballthe details bthat are written in itsregard binvalidatesthe inauguration, so too is the ihalakhawith regard to Yom Kippur, bandRabbi Yoḥa bdid not respondand did bnotsay banything,indicating that he agreed. The Gemara states: bConcludethat this indeed is the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥa.,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe practical halakhic difference bbetweenthe opinions of Rabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Ḥanina? |
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21. Anon., Pesikta Rabbati, 43
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