1. Hebrew Bible, Song of Songs, 7.3 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 7.3. שָׁרְרֵךְ אַגַּן הַסַּהַר אַל־יֶחְסַר הַמָּזֶג בִּטְנֵךְ עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים סוּגָה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים׃ | 7.3. Thy navel is like a round goblet, wherein no mingled wine is wanting; Thy belly is like a heap of wheat Set about with lilies. |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 15.25, 18.22, 19.7, 19.9, 21.1, 32.10 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 15.25. וַיִּצְעַק אֶל־יְהוָה וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יְהוָה עֵץ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל־הַמַּיִם וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ׃ 18.22. וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת־הָעָם בְּכָל־עֵת וְהָיָה כָּל־הַדָּבָר הַגָּדֹל יָבִיאוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְכָל־הַדָּבָר הַקָּטֹן יִשְׁפְּטוּ־הֵם וְהָקֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ וְנָשְׂאוּ אִתָּךְ׃ 19.7. וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וַיִּקְרָא לְזִקְנֵי הָעָם וַיָּשֶׂם לִפְנֵיהֶם אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ יְהוָה׃ 19.9. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ וְגַם־בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם וַיַּגֵּד מֹשֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל־יְהוָה׃ 21.1. וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם׃ 21.1. אִם־אַחֶרֶת יִקַּח־לוֹ שְׁאֵרָהּ כְּסוּתָהּ וְעֹנָתָהּ לֹא יִגְרָע׃ | 15.25. And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordice, and there He proved them;" 18.22. And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves; so shall they make it easier for thee and bear the burden with thee." 19.7. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD commanded him." 19.9. And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and may also believe thee for ever.’ And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD." 21.1. Now these are the ordices which thou shalt set before them." 32.10. Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of thee a great nation.’" |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 2.15-2.16, 6.12, 9.4-9.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.15. וַיִּקַּח יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ בְגַן־עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ׃ 2.16. וַיְצַו יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים עַל־הָאָדָם לֵאמֹר מִכֹּל עֵץ־הַגָּן אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל׃ 6.12. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁחָתָה כִּי־הִשְׁחִית כָּל־בָּשָׂר אֶת־דַּרְכּוֹ עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃ 9.4. אַךְ־בָּשָׂר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ דָמוֹ לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ׃ 9.5. וְאַךְ אֶת־דִּמְכֶם לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם אֶדְרֹשׁ מִיַּד כָּל־חַיָּה אֶדְרְשֶׁנּוּ וּמִיַּד הָאָדָם מִיַּד אִישׁ אָחִיו אֶדְרֹשׁ אֶת־נֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם׃ 9.6. שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת־הָאָדָם׃ | 2.15. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." 2.16. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying: ‘of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat;" 6.12. And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. ." 9.4. Only flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat." 9.5. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, will I require the life of man." 9.6. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Job, 40.30 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 40.30. Will the bands of fishermen make a banquet of him? Will they part him among the merchants?" |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 18.30 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 18.30. Therefore shall ye keep My charge, that ye do not any of these abominable customs, which were done before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God." |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 35.5 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 35.5. וּמַדֹּתֶם מִחוּץ לָעִיר אֶת־פְּאַת־קֵדְמָה אַלְפַּיִם בָּאַמָּה וְאֶת־פְּאַת־נֶגֶב אַלְפַּיִם בָּאַמָּה וְאֶת־פְּאַת־יָם אַלְפַּיִם בָּאַמָּה וְאֵת פְּאַת צָפוֹן אַלְפַּיִם בָּאַמָּה וְהָעִיר בַּתָּוֶךְ זֶה יִהְיֶה לָהֶם מִגְרְשֵׁי הֶעָרִים׃ | 35.5. And ye shall measure without the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the open land about the cities." |
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7. Anon., 1 Enoch, 7.1, 8.3, 9.6-9.10, 10.11, 12.4, 15.3-15.7, 16.3, 19.1, 27.2, 85.4, 89.32-89.33, 89.51-89.52, 89.54, 93.4, 93.6, 98.11, 99.2, 99.6-99.9, 106.14 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 7.1. And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charm 8.3. were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. Semjaza taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, 'Armaros the resolving of enchantments, Baraqijal (taught) astrology, Kokabel the constellations, Ezeqeel the knowledge of the clouds, Araqiel the signs of the earth, Shamsiel the signs of the sun, and Sariel the course of the moon. And as men perished, they cried, and their cry went up to heaven . . . 9.6. things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which 9.7. men were striving to learn: And Semjaza, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the 9.9. women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. And the women have 10.11. that each one of them will live five hundred years.' And the Lord said unto Michael: 'Go, bind Semjaza and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselve 12.4. called me -Enoch the scribe- and said to me: 'Enoch, thou scribe of righteousness, go, declare to the Watchers of the heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, and have done as the children of earth do, and have taken unto themselve 15.3. for you: Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children 15.4. of earth, and begotten giants (as your) sons And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those also do who die 15.5. and perish. Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and beget 15.6. children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. But you were formerly 15.7. piritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling. 16.3. to them): 'You have been in heaven, but all the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth. 19.1. And Uriel said to me: 'Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their spirits assuming many different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to demons as gods, (here shall they stand,) till the day of the great judgement in 27.2. accursed valley between' Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered and said: 'This accursed valley is for those who are accursed for ever: Here shall all the accursed be gathered together who utter with their lips against the Lord unseemly words and of His glory speak hard things. Here shall they be gathered together, and here 85.4. the other red. And that black bull gored the red one and pursued him over the earth, and thereupon 89.32. them]: ' We are not able to stand before our Lord or to behold Him.' And that sheep which led them again ascended to the summit of that rock, but the sheep began to be blinded and to wander 89.33. from the way which he had showed them, but that sheep wot not thereof. And the Lord of the sheep was wrathful exceedingly against them, and that sheep discovered it, and went down from the summit of the rock, and came to the sheep, and found the greatest part of them blinded and fallen 89.51. And again I saw those sheep that they again erred and went many ways, and forsook that their house, and the Lord of the sheep called some from amongst the sheep and sent them to the sheep 89.52. but the sheep began to slay them. And one of them was saved and was not slain, and it sped away and cried aloud over the sheep; and they sought to slay it, but the Lord of the sheep saved it from 93.4. And after me there shall arise in the second week great wickedness, And deceit shall have sprung up; And in it there shall be the first end.And in it a man shall be saved; And after it is ended unrighteousness shall grow up, And a law shall be made for the sinners.And after that in the third week at its close A man shall be elected as the plant of righteous judgement, And his posterity shall become the plant of righteousness for evermore. 93.6. And after that in the fourth week, at its close, Visions of the holy and righteous shall be seen, And a law for all generations and an enclosure shall be made for them. 98.11. Woe to you, ye obstinate of heart, who work wickedness and eat blood: Whence have ye good things to eat and to drink and to be filled From all the good things which the Lord the Most High has placed in abundance on the earth; therefore ye shall have no peace. 99.2. Woe to them who pervert the words of uprightness, And transgress the eternal law, And transform themselves into what they were not [into sinners]: They shall be trodden under foot upon the earth. 99.7. And again I swear to you, ye sinners, that sin is prepared for a day of unceasing bloodshed. And they who worship stones, and grave images of gold and silver and wood (and stone) and clay, and those who worship impure spirits and demons, and all kinds of idols not according to knowledge, shall get no manner of help from them. 99.8. And they shall become godless by reason of the folly of their hearts, And their eyes shall be blinded through the fear of their hearts And through visions in their dreams. 99.9. Through these they shall become godless and fearful; For they shall have wrought all their work in a lie, And shall have worshiped a stone: Therefore in an instant shall they perish. |
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8. Anon., Jubilees, 7 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
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9. Tosefta, Avodah Zarah, 8.4, 8.6-8.8 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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10. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 16.5-16.6 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 16.5. וַיִּקַּח ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם וגו' (בראשית ב, טו), רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר עִלָּה אוֹתוֹ, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (ישעיה יד, ב): וּלְקָחוּם עַמִּים וֶהֱבִיאוּם וגו'. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר פִּתָּה אוֹתוֹ, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (הושע יד, ג): קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל ה' וגו'. וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ, רַבִּי יוּדָן וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה. רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר הִנִּיחַ לוֹ וְהֵגֵן עָלָיו וְעִדְּנוֹ מִכָּל אִילָנֵי גַּן עֵדֶן. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אָמַר לְהַנִּיחוֹ וּלְהָגֵן עָלָיו וּלְעַדְּנוֹ מִכָּל אִילָנֵי גַּן עֵדֶן. וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ, נָתַן לוֹ מִצְוַת שַׁבָּת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות כ, יא): וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי. לְעָבְדָהּ, (שמות כ, ט): שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד. וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ, (דברים ה, יב): שָׁמוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ, אֵלּוּ הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, יב): תַּעַבְדוּן אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים, וּכְתִיב (במדבר כח, ב): תִּשְׁמְרוּ לְהַקְרִיב לִי בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ. 16.6. וַיְצַו ה' אֱלֹהִים עַל הָאָדָם לֵאמֹר מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל (בראשית ב, טז), רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר צִוָּהוּ עַל שֵׁשׁ מִצְווֹת, וַיְצַו, עַל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (הושע ה, יא): כִּי הוֹאִיל הָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי צָו. ה', עַל בִּרְכַּת הַשֵּׁם, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (ויקרא כד, טז): וְנֹקֵב שֵׁם ה'. אֱלֹהִים, אֵלּוּ הַדַּיָּנִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כב, כז): אֱלֹהִים לֹא תְקַלֵּל. עַל הָאָדָם, זוֹ שְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט, ו): שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם. לֵאמֹר, זֶה גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ג, א): לֵאמֹר הֵן יְשַׁלַּח אִישׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וגו'. מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן אָכֹל, צִוָּהוּ עַל הַגָּזֵל. רַבָּנָן פָּתְרִין לֵיהּ כָּל עִנְיָנָא, וַיְצַו ה' אֱלֹהִים, רַחֲמָן אֲנִי וְדַיָּן אֲנִי לְהִפָּרַע. אֱלֹהִים, אָמַר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים אֲנִי, נְהֹג בִּי כֵּאלוֹהַּ, שֶׁלֹא תְקַלְּלֵנִי, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב: אֱלֹהִים לֹא תְקַלֵּל. גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת מִנַּיִן (בראשית ב, כד): וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ וְלֹא בְּאֵשֶׁת חֲבֵרוֹ, וְלֹא בְּזָכָר, וְלֹא בִּבְהֵמָה. אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל, אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב דִּכְפַר חָנִין מָתַי יִתְכַּשֵּׁר לַאֲכִילָה מִשֶּׁתִּשָּׁחֵט, רָמַז לוֹ עַל אֵבָר מִן הַחַי. מוֹת תָּמוּת, מִיתָה לְאָדָם, מִיתָה לְחַוָּה, מִיתָה לוֹ, מִיתָה לְתוֹלְדוֹתָיו. | |
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11. Anon., Sifre Deuteronomy, 41 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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12. Babylonian Talmud, Arakhin, 15b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 15b. {שמות טז } אל תצאו ויצאו אל תותירו ויותירו,שנים בשליו ראשון ובשליו שני בשליו ראשון {שמות ט״ז:ג׳ } בשבתכם על סיר הבשר,בשליו שני (במדבר יא, ד) והאספסוף אשר בקרבו,בעגל כדאיתיה במדבר פארן כדאיתיה,אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי יוסי בן זימרא מאי דכתיב (תהלים קכ, ג) מה יתן לך ומה יוסיף לך לשון רמיה אמר לו הקב"ה ללשון כל אבריו של אדם זקופים ואתה מוטל כל אבריו של אדם מבחוץ ואתה מבפנים ולא עוד אלא שהקפתי לך שתי חומות אחת של עצם ואחת של בשר מה יתן לך ומה יוסיף לך לשון רמיה,אמר ר' יוחנן משום ר' יוסי בן זימרא כל המספר לשון הרע כאילו כפר בעיקר שנאמר (תהלים יב, ה) אשר אמרו ללשוננו נגביר שפתינו אתנו מי אדון לנו,ואמר ר' יוסי בן זימרא כל המספר לשון הרע נגעים באים עליו שנאמר (תהלים קא, ה) מלשני בסתר רעהו אותו אצמית וכתיב התם {ויקרא כה } לצמיתות ומתרגמינן לחלוטין,ותנן אין בין מצורע מוסגר למצורע מוחלט אלא פריעה ופרימה,אמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (ויקרא יד, ב) זאת תהיה תורת המצורע זאת תהיה תורתו של מוציא שם רע,ואמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (קהלת י, יא) אם ישוך הנחש בלא לחש ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון לעתיד לבא מתקבצות כל החיות ובאות אצל נחש ואומרות ארי דורס ואוכל זאב טורף ואוכל אתה מה הנאה יש לך אומר להם וכי מה יתרון לבעל הלשון,ואמר ריש לקיש כל המספר לשון הרע מגדיל עונות עד לשמים שנאמר (תהלים עג, ט) שתו בשמים פיהם ולשונם תהלך בארץ,אמר רב חסדא אמר מר עוקבא כל המספר לשון הרע ראוי לסוקלו באבן כתיב הכא אותו אצמית וכתיב התם (איכה ג, נג) צמתו בבור חיי וידו אבן בי,ואמר רב חסדא אמר מר עוקבא כל המספר לשון הרע אמר הקב"ה אין אני והוא יכולין לדור בעולם שנאמר תהלים קא, ה) מלשני בסתר רעהו אותו אצמית גבה עינים ורחב לבב אותו לא אוכל אל תיקרי אותו לא אוכל אלא אתו לא אוכל ואיכא דמתני לה על גסי הרוח,אמר רב חסדא אמר מר עוקבא כל המספר לשון הרע אומר הקב"ה [לשר של] גיהנם אני עליו מלמעלה ואתה עליו מלמטה נדוננו שנאמר (תהלים קכ, ד) חצי גבור שנונים עם גחלי רתמים אין חץ אלא לשון שנאמר (ירמיהו ט, ז) חץ שחוט לשונם מרמה דבר,ואין גבור אלא הקב"ה שנאמר (ישעיהו מב, יג) ה' כגבור יצא גחלי רתמים היינו גיהנם,אמר רבי חמא בר' חנינא מה תקנתו של מספרי לשון הרע אם תלמיד חכם הוא יעסוק בתורה שנא' (משלי טו, ד) מרפא לשון עץ חיים ואין לשון אלא לשון הרע שנאמר חץ שחוט לשונם ואין עץ אלא תורה שנאמר (משלי ג, יח) עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה ואם עם הארץ הוא ישפיל דעתו שנאמר (משלי טו, ד) וסלף בה שבר רוח,רבי אחא ברבי חנינא אומר סיפר אין לו תקנה שכבר כרתו דוד ברוח הקדש שנאמר (תהלים יב, ד) יכרת ה' כל שפתי חלקות לשון מדברת גדולות אלא מה תקנתו שלא יבא לידי לשון הרע אם תלמיד חכם הוא יעסוק בתורה ואם ע"ה הוא ישפיל דעתו שנאמר וסלף בה שבר רוח,תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל כל המספר לשון הרע מגדיל עונות כנגד שלש עבירות עבודת כוכבים וגילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים כתיב הכא לשון מדברת גדולות וכתיב בעבודת כוכבים (שמות לב, לא) אנא חטא העם הזה חטאה גדולה,בגילוי עריות כתיב (בראשית לט, ט) ואיך אעשה הרעה הגדולה הזאת בשפיכות דמים כתיב (בראשית ד, יג) גדול עוני מנשוא,גדולות אימא תרתי הי מינייהו מפקא,במערבא אמרי לשון תליתאי קטיל תליתאי הורג למספרו ולמקבלו ולאומרו,א"ר חמא ברבי חנינא מאי דכתיב (משלי יח, כא) מות וחיים ביד לשון וכי יש יד ללשון לומר לך מה יד ממיתה אף לשון ממיתה אי מה יד אינה ממיתה אלא בסמוך לה אף לשון אינה ממיתה אלא בסמוך לה ת"ל חץ שחוט לשונם,אי מה חץ עד ארבעים וחמשים אמה אף לשון עד ארבעים וחמשים אמה תלמוד לומר שתו בשמים פיהם ולשונם תהלך בארץ,וכי מאחר דכתיב שתו בשמים פיהם חץ שחוט לשונם למה לי הא קמשמע לן דקטיל כחץ,וכי מאחר דכתיב חץ שחוט לשונם מות וחיים ביד לשון למה לי לכדרבא דאמר רבא בעי חיים בלישניה דבעי מיתה בלישניה,היכי דמי לישנא בישא (רבא אמר) כגון דאמר איכא נורא בי פלניא אמר ליה אביי מאי קא עביד גלויי מילתא בעלמא הוא אלא דמפיק בלישנא בישא דאמר היכא משתכח נורא אלא בי פלניא [דאיכא בשרא וכוורי],אמר רבה כל מילתא דמיתאמרא באפי מרה לית בה משום לישנא בישא אמר ליה כל שכן חוצפא ולישנא בישא אמר ליה אנא כרבי יוסי סבירא לי דאמר רבי יוסי מימי לא אמרתי דבר וחזרתי לאחורי אמר | 15b. bDo not go out,as indicated in the verse: “And Moses said: Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath for the Lord; today you will not find it in the field” (Exodus 16:25). bButnevertheless there were people who bwent outto look for manna, as it is written: “And it came to pass on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, and they found none” (Exodus 16:27). The verse also states: “And Moses said to them: Let bnoman bleave any of ituntil the morning” (Exodus 16:19), bandthere were people who bleft ituntil morning, as it states: “But they did not listen to Moses; and some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and rotted; and Moses was angry with them” (Exodus 16:20).,The Gemara continues its elucidation of the ibaraita /i: There were btwotrials relating to the quail, one was bon the firstoccasion when the bquailappeared, bandthe other bon the secondoccasion the bquailappeared. The Gemara clarifies: The trial bof the first quailis described in the verse: “And the children of Israel said to them: Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, bwhen we sat by the meat pots,when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exodus 16:3). Immediately afterward the quail arrived, as the verse states: “And it came to pass in the evening, that the quail came up, and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew round about the camp” (Exodus 16:13).,The bsecondtrial of the bquailis described in the verse: b“And the mixed multitude that was among themdesired; and the children of Israel also wept on their part, and said: Would that we were given meat to eat” (Numbers 11:4). Later the verse states: “And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought across quails from the sea and let them fall by the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth” (Numbers 11:31).,The Gemara concludes its detailing of the Jewish people’s ten trials of God: The trial of bthegolden bcalfis bas it isdescribed in the Torah (Exodus, chapter 32), and the trial in bthe wilderness of Paranis bas it isdescribed in the Torah (Numbers, chapter 13).,§ The Gemara returns to the topic of malicious speech. bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done for you, you deceitful tongue”(Psalms 120:3)? bThe Holy One, Blessed be He said to the tongue: All theother blimbs of a person are upright, but you are lyinghorizontally. bAll theother blimbs of a person are external, but you are internal. And moreover, I have surrounded you with two walls, one of bone,i.e., the teeth, band one of flesh,the lips. bWhat shall be given to you and what more shall be done for you,to prevent byoufrom speaking in ba deceitfulmanner, btongue? /b,Furthermore, bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Anyone who speaks malicious speechis considered bas though he denied the fundamentalbelief in God. bAs it is stated: “Who have said: We will make our tongue mighty; our lips are with us: Who is lord over us”(Psalms 12:5)., bAnd Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra says: Anyone who speaks malicious speechwill be afflicted by bleprous marks coming upon him, as it is stated: “Whoever defames his neighbor in secret, I will destroy him [ iatzmit /i];whoever is haughty of eye and proud of heart, I will not suffer him” (Psalms 101:5). bAnd it is written there:“And the land shall not be sold bin perpetuity [ iletzmitut /i];for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and settlers with Me” (Leviticus 25:23). bAnd we translatethis term iletzmitutas ilaḥalutin /i,in perpetuity or confirmed.,Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra continues: bAnd we learnedin a mishna ( iMegilla8b): bThe difference between a quarantined leper,i.e., one examined by a priest who found his symptoms inconclusive, and who must therefore remain in isolation for a period of up to two weeks to see if conclusive symptoms develop, band a confirmed [ imuḥlat /i] leper,one whose symptoms were conclusive and the priest declared him a definite leper, bis onlywith regard to blettingthe hair on one’s head grow bwild and rendingone’s garments. A confirmed leper is obligated to let the hair on his head grow wild and rend his garments; a quarantined leper is not. The similarity in the terms teaches that one who speaks malicious speech will be afflicted with leprous marks., bReish Lakish says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “This shall be the law of the leper [ imetzora /i]in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest” (Leviticus 14:2)? This means that bthis shall be the law of a defamer [ imotzi shem ra /i]. /b, bAnd Reish Lakish says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then what advantage is there to the master of the tongue”(Ecclesiastes 10:11). What is the connection between the serpent and the master of the tongue? bIn the future, all the animalswill bgather and come to the serpent andwill bsayto it: bA lion trampleswith its paws to kill its prey band eats; a wolf tearswith its teeth to kill its prey band eats.But byou, what benefit do you havewhen you bite, as you cannot eat every animal that you kill? The serpent will bsay to them: And what is the benefit to the master of the tonguethat speaks malicious speech?, bAnd Reish Lakish says: Anyone who speaks malicious speech increaseshis bsins until the heavens, as it is stated: “They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth”(Psalms 73:9). In other words, while his tongue walks on the earth, his sin reaches the heavens., bRav Ḥisda saysthat bMar Ukva says: Anyone who speaks malicious speech,it is bappropriate to stone him with stones. It is written here:“Whoever defames his neighbor in secret, bI will destroy him [ iatzmit /i]”(Psalms 101:5), band it is written there: “They have destroyed [ itzamtu /i] my life in the dungeon, and have cast stones upon me”(Lamentations 3:53)., bAnd Rav Ḥisda saysthat bMar Ukva says:With regard to banyone who speaks malicious speech, the Holy One, Blessed be He saysabout him: bHe and I cannot dwelltogether bin the world. As it is statedin the verse: b“Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will destroy him; whoever is haughty of eye and proud of heart, I will not suffer him”(Psalms 101:5). bDo not readthe phrase as: b“I will not suffer him [iotob],” butas: bWith him [ iito /i] I cannotbear to dwell. God is saying that He cannot bear having this person in the world with Him. bAnd there arethose bwho teach thisnotion of God’s not being able to tolerate a certain type of person in reference bto the arrogant,i.e., they apply it to the last part of the verse: Proud of heart., bRav Ḥisdafurther bsaysthat bMar Ukva says:With regard to banyone who speaks malicious speech, the Holy One Blessed be He saysabout him bto Gehenna: Iwill be bon him from above, and youwill be bon him from below,and together bwe will judge himand punish him. bAs it is stated: “Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of broom”(Psalms 120:4), bandthe word b“arrow”means bnothing other than the tongue, as it is stated: “Their tongue is a sharpened arrow; it speaks deceit.One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he lies in wait for him” (Jeremiah 9:7).,Mar Ukva continued: bAndthe word b“mighty” inPsalms 120:4 means bnothing other than the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord will go forth as a mighty man,He will stir up jealousy like a man of war; He will cry; He will shout aloud, He will prove Himself mighty against His enemies” (Isaiah 42:13). And as for the bcoals ofthe bbroomtree [igaḥalei retamim/b] that burn for a long time, bthis isan allusion to bGehenna. /b, bRabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina says: What is the remedy for those who speak malicious speech? If he is a Torah scholar,let him bstudy Torah, as it is stated: “A soothing tongue is a tree of life,but its perverseness is a broken spirit” (Proverbs 15:4). bAndthe word b“tongue”means bnothing other than malicious speech, as it is stated: “Their tongue is a sharpened arrow;it speaks deceit” (Jeremiah 9:7). bAndthe word b“tree”means bnothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life to them that lay hold of it”(Proverbs 3:18). bAnd if he is an ignoramus,let him bhumble his mind, as it is stated: “Its perverseness is a broken spirit”(Proverbs 15:4). In other words, one who perverts his tongue with malicious speech should remedy his behavior by cultivating a broken and humble spirit., bRabbi Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina says:If one has already bspokenmalicious speech, bhe has no remedy, asKing bDavid,inspired bby Divine Spirit, has alreadycut him off with the punishment of ikaret /i, as it is stated: “May the Lord cut off [ iyakhret /i] all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks great things”(Psalms 12:4). bRather, what is his remedybeforehand, bso that he does not come tospeak bmalicious speech? If he is a Torah scholar,let him bstudy Torah; and if he is an ignoramuslet him bhumble his mind, as it is stated:“A soothing tongue is a tree of life, bbut its perverseness is a broken spirit”(Proverbs 15:4). One who is humble will not come to speak badly about another., bThe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Anyone who speaks malicious speech increaseshis bsinsto the degree that they bcorrespondto the bthreecardinal btransgressions: Idol worship, and forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed.This can be derived from a verbal analogy based on the word “great.” bIt is written here:“May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, bthe tongue that speaks great things”(Psalms 12:4). bAnd it is written with regard to idol worship:“And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: bOh, this people have sinned a great sin,and have made for themselves a god of gold” (Exodus 32:31)., bWith regard to forbidden sexual relations it is writtenthat when Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce Joseph he responded: b“How can I do this great wickedness,and sin against God” (Genesis 39:9). bWith regard to bloodshed it is written,after Cain murdered his brother: “And Cain said to the Lord: bMy punishment is greater than I can bear”(Genesis 4:13). The Torah describes each of these three cardinal sins with the word “great” in the singular, whereas malicious speech is described with the plural term “great things,” indicating that it is equivalent to all three of the other transgressions together.,The Gemara asks: Granted that with regard to malicious speech the verse uses the plural: b“Great things,”but the plural indicates a minimum of two. If so, one can only bsaythat malicious speech is equivalent to btwoof the cardinal transgressions. The Gemara responds: bWhich of themcould be btaken outas less than the other two? All three are equal. Therefore malicious speech must be equivalent to all three., bIn the West,Eretz Yisrael, bthey say: Third speech,i.e., malicious speech about a third party, bkills threepeople. bIt kills the one who speaksmalicious speech, band the one who acceptsthe malicious speech when he hears it, bandthe one baboutwhom the malicious speech is bsaid. /b, bRabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “Death and life are in the hand ofthe btongue”(Proverbs 18:21). bDoes the tongue have a hand?Rather the verse comes bto tell youthat bjust as a hand can kill, so too a tongue can kill. Ifyou were to claim that bjust as the hand kills only from close by, so too the tongue kills only from close by,therefore bthe verse states: “Their tongue is a sharpened arrow”(Jeremiah 9:7). The tongue kills like an arrow that is fired from a bow, at a great distance., bIfyou say that bjust as an arrowcan kill only within the distance it can be shot, which is bup toabout bforty or fifty cubits, so too a tonguecan kill only from bup to forty or fifty cubits,therefore bthe verse teaches: “They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth”(Psalms 73:9). This teaches that malicious speech can reach great distances, even the distance between heaven and earth.,The Gemara asks: bBut since it is written: “They have set their mouth against the heavens,and their tongue walks through the earth” (Psalms 73:9), which teaches that malicious speech reaches between heaven and earth, bwhy do Ineed that which we derived from the verse: b“Their tongue is a sharpened arrow”(Jeremiah 9:7), i.e. that a tongue can kill from the distance an arrow flies? The Gemara answers: bThis teaches us thata tongue bkillsin the bsamemanner that ban arrowkills.,The Gemara further asks: bBut since it is written: “Their tongue is a sharpened arrow”(Jeremiah 9:7), bwhy do Ineed the verse: b“Death and life are in the hand of the tongue”(Proverbs 18:21), which merely teaches that a tongue can kill? The Gemara answers: This verse is necessary bfora statement bof Rava, as Rava says: One who wants lifecan attain it bbymeans of bhis tongue,which he can use for speaking appropriately and studying Torah. bOne who wants deathcan also attain it bbymeans of bhis tongue,by using it for inappropriate and malicious speech.,The Gemara asks: bWhat is considered malicious speech?In other words, how is malicious speech defined and what are the limits of the prohibition? bRava said: For example, if one says: There isalways bfire at so-and-so’s home,indicating that they are always cooking food there. bAbaye said toRava: bWhat didthis person bdowrong by saying that there is always fire in that home? His statement bis merely revealingthe true bfacts,and is not malicious speech. bRather,it is considered malicious speech if he bexpressedthis bin a slanderousmanner. For example, bif he says: Whereelse can one bfind fire except at so-and-so’s home,because they are always cooking food there., bRabba says: Any statement that is said in the presence of its master,i.e., if the subject of the statement was there, bdoes not haveany prohibition bdue to malicious speech.Abaye bsaid to him: All the more soit is proscribed speech, as it is both bimpudence and malicious speech.Rabba bsaid toAbaye: bI hold in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei, as Rabbi Yosei says: In all my days I never said something and then turned aroundto see if the person I was speaking about was standing behind me listening, as I would say it even to the person involved. He bsays, /b |
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13. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 35b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 35b. כאן לאחר ברכה,א"ר חנינא בר פפא כל הנהנה מן העוה"ז בלא ברכה כאילו גוזל להקב"ה וכנסת ישראל שנא' (משלי כח, כד) גוזל אביו ואמו ואומר אין פשע חבר הוא לאיש משחית ואין אביו אלא הקב"ה שנא' (דברים לב, ו) הלא הוא אביך קנך ואין אמו אלא כנסת ישראל שנא' (משלי א, ח) שמע בני מוסר אביך ואל תטוש תורת אמך,מאי חבר הוא לאיש משחית א"ר חנינא בר פפא חבר הוא לירבעם בן נבט שהשחית את ישראל לאביהם שבשמים:,ר' חנינא בר פפא רמי כתיב (הושע ב, יא) ולקחתי דגני בעתו וגו' וכתיב (דברים יא, יד) ואספת דגנך וגו',ל"ק כאן בזמן שישראל עושין רצונו של מקום כאן בזמן שאין ישראל עושין רצונו של מקום,ת"ר ואספת דגנך מה ת"ל לפי שנא' (יהושע א, ח) לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך יכול דברים ככתבן ת"ל ואספת דגנך הנהג בהן מנהג דרך ארץ דברי ר' ישמעאל,ר"ש בן יוחי אומר אפשר אדם חורש בשעת חרישה וזורע בשעת זריעה וקוצר בשעת קצירה ודש בשעת דישה וזורה בשעת הרוח תורה מה תהא עליה אלא בזמן שישראל עושין רצונו של מקום מלאכתן נעשית ע"י אחרים שנא' (ישעיהו סא, ה) ועמדו זרים ורעו צאנכם וגו' ובזמן שאין ישראל עושין רצונו של מקום מלאכתן נעשית ע"י עצמן שנא' (דברים יא, יד) ואספת דגנך ולא עוד אלא שמלאכת אחרים נעשית על ידן שנא' (דברים כח, מח) ועבדת את אויביך וגו',אמר אביי הרבה עשו כרבי ישמעאל ועלתה בידן כר' שמעון בן יוחי ולא עלתה בידן,א"ל רבא לרבנן במטותא מינייכו ביומי ניסן וביומי תשרי לא תתחזו קמאי כי היכי דלא תטרדו במזונייכו כולא שתא:,אמר רבה בר בר חנה א"ר יוחנן משום רבי יהודה בר' אלעאי בא וראה שלא כדורות הראשונים דורות האחרונים דורות הראשונים עשו תורתן קבע ומלאכתן עראי זו וזו נתקיימה בידן דורות האחרונים שעשו מלאכתן קבע ותורתן עראי זו וזו לא נתקיימה בידן,ואמר רבה בר בר חנה אר"י משום ר"י בר' אלעאי בא וראה שלא כדורות הראשונים דורות האחרונים דורות הראשונים היו מכניסין פירותיהן דרך טרקסמון כדי לחייבן במעשר דורות האחרונים מכניסין פירותיהן דרך גגות דרך חצרות דרך קרפיפות כדי לפטרן מן המעשר דא"ר ינאי אין הטבל מתחייב במעשר עד שיראה פני הבית שנא' (דברים כו, יג) בערתי הקדש מן הבית,ור' יוחנן אמר אפי' חצר קובעת שנא' (דברים כו, יב) ואכלו בשעריך ושבעו:,חוץ מן היין וכו': מאי שנא יין אילימא משום דאשתני לעלויא אשתני לברכה והרי שמן דאשתני לעלויא ולא אשתני לברכה דאמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל וכן א"ר יצחק א"ר יוחנן שמן זית מברכין עליו בפה"ע,אמרי התם משום דלא אפשר היכי נבריך נבריך בורא פרי הזית פירא גופיה זית אקרי,ונבריך עליה בורא פרי עץ זית אלא אמר מר זוטרא חמרא זיין משחא לא זיין,ומשחא לא זיין והתנן הנודר מן המזון מותר במים ובמלח והוינן בה מים ומלח הוא דלא אקרי מזון הא כל מילי אקרי מזון,נימא תיהוי תיובתא דרב ושמואל דאמרי אין מברכין בורא מיני מזונות אלא בה' המינין בלבד וא"ר הונא באומר כל הזן עלי,אלמא משחא זיין אלא חמרא סעיד ומשחא לא סעיד וחמרא מי סעיד והא רבא הוה שתי חמרי כל מעלי יומא דפסחא כי היכי דנגרריה ללביה וניכול מצה טפי טובא גריר פורתא סעיד,ומי סעיד כלל והכתיב (תהלים קד, טו) ויין ישמח לבב אנוש ולחם לבב אנוש יסעד וגו' נהמא הוא דסעיד חמרא לא סעיד אלא חמרא אית ביה תרתי סעיד ומשמח נהמא מסעד סעיד שמוחי לא משמח,אי הכי נבריך עליה שלש ברכות לא קבעי אינשי סעודתייהו עלויה,א"ל רב נחמן בר יצחק לרבא אי קבע עלויה סעודתיה מאי א"ל לכשיבא אליהו ויאמר אי הויא קביעותא השתא מיהא בטלה דעתו אצל כל אדם:,גופא אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל וכן א"ר יצחק א"ר יוחנן שמן זית מברכין עליו בורא פרי העץ היכי דמי אילימא דקא שתי ליה (משתה) אוזוקי מזיק ליה דתניא השותה שמן של תרומה משלם את הקרן ואינו משלם את החומש הסך שמן של תרומה משלם את הקרן ומשלם את החומש,אלא דקא אכיל ליה על ידי פת אי הכי הויא ליה פת עיקר והוא טפל ותנן זה הכלל כל שהוא עיקר ועמו טפלה מברך על העיקר ופוטר את הטפלה אלא דקא שתי ליה ע"י אניגרון דאמר רבה בר שמואל אניגרון מיא דסלקא אנסיגרון מיא | 35b. and bhere,where it says that He gave the earth to mankind refers to bafter a blessingis recited., bRabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: Anyone who derives benefit from this world without a blessing, it is as if he stole from God and the community of Israel, as it is stated: “Whoever robs his father and his mother and says: It is no transgression, he is the companion of a destroyer”(Proverbs 28:24). The phrase, bhis father, refers to none other than God, as it is stated: “Is He not your Father Who created you,Who made you and established you” (Deuteronomy 32:6). The phrase bhis mother refers to none other than the community of Israel, as it is stated: “Hear, my son, the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the Torah of your mother”(Proverbs 1:8). The mention of the Torah as emanating from the mouth of the mother, apparently means that your mother is the community of Israel., bWhatis the meaning of the continuation of the verse: bHe is the companion of a destroyer? Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said:He is ba companion of Jeroboam ben Nevat, who corrupted Israel before their Father in heavenby sinning and causing others to sin.,On a similar note, the Gemara cites that bRabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa raised a contradiction: It is written, “I will take back My grain at its timeand wine in its season” (Hosea 2:11), band it is written: “And you shall gather your grain,your wine and your oil” (Deuteronomy 11:14). To whom does the grain belong: To God, or to the people?,The Gemara responds: This is bnot difficult. Here,where God promises Israel that they will gather their grain, the verse refers to ba time when they perform God’s will. Here,where the verse indicates that the grain belongs to God, it refers to ba time when they do not perform God’s will,as then He will take back the grain, demonstrating that it belongs to Him., bThe Sages taught: Whatis the meaning of that which bthe verse states: “And you shall gather your grain”? Because it is stated: “This Torah shall not depart from your mouths,and you shall contemplate in it day and night” (Joshua 1:8), bI mighthave thought bthat these matters areto be understood bas they are written;one is to literally spend his days immersed exclusively in Torah study. Therefore, bthe verse states: “And you shall gather your grain,your wine and your oil,” bassume in theirregard, bthe way of the world;set aside time not only for Torah, but also for work. This is bthe statement of Rabbi Yishmael. /b, bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Is it possible that a person plows in the plowing season and sows in the sowing season and harvests in the harvest season and threshes in the threshing season and winnows in the windy season,as grain is separated from the chaff by means of the wind, and is constantly busy; bwhat will become of Torah? Rather,one must dedicate himself exclusively to Torah at the expense of other endeavors; as bwhen Israel performs God’s will, their work is performed by others, as it is stated: “And strangers will stand and feed your flocks,and foreigners will be your plowmen and your vinedressers” (Isaiah 61:5). bWhen Israel does not perform God’s will, their work is performed by themthemselves, as it is stated: b“And you shall gather your grain.” Moreover,if Israel fails to perform God’s will, bothers’ work will be performed by them, as it is stated: “You shall serve your enemywhom God shall send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness and in want of all things” (Deuteronomy 28:48).,Summing up this dispute, bAbaye said:Although there is room for both opinions, bmany have acted in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yishmael,and combined working for a living and learning Torah, bandalthough they engaged in activities other than the study of Torah, bwere successfulin their Torah study. bMany have acted in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai and were not successfulin their Torah study. They were ultimately forced to abandon their Torah study altogether.,Similarly, bRava said to the Sageswho would attend his study hall: bI implore you; duringthe months of bNisan and Tishrei,the crucial agricultural periods, bdo not appear before me.Engage in your agricultural work then bso that you will not be preoccupied with your sustece all year. /b,Summarizing these statements, bRabba bar bar Ḥana saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said in the name ofthe itanna bRabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi El’ai: Come and see that the latter generations are not like the earlier generations;rather they are their inferiors. bThe earlier generations made their Torah permanent and their work occasional,and bthis,Torah study, band that,their work, bwere successful for them.However, bthe latter generations who made their work permanent and their Torah occasional, neither this nor that was successful for them. /b,Along these lines, bRabba bar bar Ḥana saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi El’ai: Come and see that the latter generations are not like the earlier generations.In the bearlier generations,people bwould bring their fruits into their courtyards through the main gate in order to obligate them in tithes.However, bthe latter generations bring their fruits through roofs, through courtyards and through enclosed courtyards,avoiding the main gate bin order to exempt them fromthe mitzva of btithing. As Rabbi Yannai said: Untithed produce is not obligated inthe mitzva of btithing until it sees the front of the housethrough which people enter and exit, and it is brought into the house that way bas it is statedin the formula of the confession of the tithes: b“I have removed the consecrated from the house”(Deuteronomy 26:13), as the obligation to tithe produce whose purpose has not yet been designated takes effect only when it is brought into the house., bAnd Rabbi Yoḥa said: Evenbringing it into the bcourtyard determinesits status as having completed the production process and obligates the produce to be tithed, bas it is writtenin the confession of the tithes: “And I have given to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow, band they shall eat in your gates and be satisfied”(Deuteronomy 26:12).,We learned in our mishna: Over fruits that grow on a tree one recites: Who creates fruit of the tree, bwith the exception of winethat even though it originates from fruit of the tree, a separate blessing was established for it: Who creates the fruit of the vine. The Gemara asks: bWhat is differentabout bwine,that a separate blessing was established for it? bIf you say that because the fruit changed for the betterinto wine, therefore, bthe blessing changed.Olive boil changed for the better andnevertheless, bits blessing did not change. As Rabbi Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said, and so too Rabbi Yitzḥak saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: Over olive oil, one recites: Who creates fruit of the tree,just as he does over the fruit itself.,The Sages bsaid: There,in the case of oil, bit is because it is impossibleto find an appropriate blessing, as bhow shall we recite the blessing?If bwe recite the blessing: Who creates fruit of the olive, the fruit itself is called oliveand that is what was created. The oil is a man-made product of that fruit, rendering that formula inappropriate. Similarly, reciting a formula parallel to the blessing on wine: Who creates the fruit of the vine, is inappropriate as the grapes themselves are the fruit that was created, as opposed to oil which was not.,The Gemara challenges: Nevertheless, it is still possible to formulate a blessing, bas we may recite the blessing: Who creates fruit of the olive tree,which would be parallel to the blessing recited over wine. bRather, Mar Zutra offereda different rationale: The reason that no separate blessing was established over oil is because, as opposed to bwinethat bnourishes, oil does not nourish. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd oil does not nourish? Didn’t we learnin a mishna: bOne who vows that nourishmentis forbidden to him bis permittedto eat bwater and salt,as they are not considered nourishment. bAnd we discussed this ihalakha /i: By inference, bwater and salt are not considered nourishment, but allother edible bitems are considered nourishment. /b, bLet us say that this is a conclusive refutation of Rav and Shmuel, who said: One only recites: Who creates various kinds of nourishment, over the five speciesof grain balone,as they alone are considered nourishing. bAnd Rav Huna saidas a solution that this mishna referred to a case bwherehe vows band says: Anything that nourishesis prohibited bto me.That formula includes anything that is at all nourishing and therefore only water and salt are excluded. Olive oil is not excluded., bApparently, oil nourishes. Rather,there is another distinction between wine and oil: bWine satisfies, oil does not satisfy.Wine not only nourishes, but it is also filling. The Gemara asks: bAnd does wine satisfy? Wouldn’t Rava drink wine allday on bthe eve of Passover in order to stimulate his heart,i.e., whet his appetite bso that he might eat more imatza /iat the seder? Wine does not satisfy, it whets the appetite. The Gemara answers: bA lotof wine bstimulates, a little satisfies. /b,Again, the Gemara asks: bDoeswine bsatisfy at all? Isn’t it written: “Wine gladdens the heart of man,making the face brighter than oil, band bread fills man’s heart”(Psalms 104:15); bbread is that which satisfies, wine does not satisfy. Rather,this verse is not a proof; bwine has twoadvantages, bit satisfies and gladdens. Bread,however, bsatisfies but does not gladden. /b,Since wine possesses all of these virtues, the Gemara asks: bIf so, let us recitethe bthree blessingsof Grace after Meals bover itafter drinking, just as we do after eating bread. The Gemara answers: bPeople do not base their meals onwine., bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to Rava: If one based his meal on it, what is theruling? Must he recite the Grace after Meals as he does after bread? He replied: bWhen Elijah comes and says whetheror not bit can serve as the basisfor a meal, this will be resolved. bNevertheless, now,until then, bhis intention isrendered birrelevant bythe opinions of ball other menand he is not required to recite the complete Grace after Meals.,Previously, the Gemara cited the ihalakhathat one recites the blessing: Who creates fruit of the tree, over olive oil. The Gemara discusses bthe matter itself. Rav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said, and so too Rabbi Yitzḥak saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: One recites the blessing: Who creates fruit of the tree, over olive oiljust as he does over the fruit itself. bWhat are the circumstances? If you say that he drank itplain, bit causes damage tothe drinker. bAs it was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne who drinks oil of iteruma /i,while unaware that it was iteruma /i, bpays the principal and does not paythe additional bfifthwhich is the typical penalty for unintentional misuse of consecrated property, as in that case the individual is considered to have only damaged consecrated property without deriving benefit from it. bOne who anointshis body bwith the oil of iterumapays the principal and pays the fifth,as he derived benefit from it. Apparently, one who drinks oil derives no benefit and it even causes him damage., bRather,it is referring to a case where bhe eatsthe oil bbydipping bbreadinto it. bIf so,the bbread is primary andthe oil bsecondary, and we learnedin a mishna: bThis is the principle: Anyfood bthat is primary, andis eaten bwithfood that is bsecondary, one recites a blessing over the primaryfood, and that blessing bexempts the secondaryfrom the requirement to recite a blessing before eating it. A blessing need only be recited over the bread, not over the oil. bRather,it is referring to a case bwhere he is drinking it by means of an ianigeron /i, as Rabba bar Shmuel said: iAnigeron /iis bwaterin which a bbeetwas boiled, iansigeron /iis bthe water /b |
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14. Babylonian Talmud, Hulin, 92a, 67b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 67b. באביה אסורה משום (ויקרא יא, מא) השרץ השורץ על הארץ,לימא מסייע ליה דתני חדא על הארץ להוציא את הזיזין שבעדשים ואת היתושים שבכליסים ותולעת שבתמרים ושבגרוגרות ותניא אידך כל השרץ השורץ על הארץ לרבות תולעת שבעיקרי זיתים ושבעיקרי גפנים,מאי לאו אידי ואידי בפירא והא באביה והא שלא באביה,לא אידי ואידי באביה ולא קשיא הא בפירא הא באילנא גופא,דיקא נמי דקתני תולעת שבעיקרי זיתים ושבעיקרי גפנים ש"מ,בעי רב יוסף פרשה ומתה מהו מקצתה מהו לאויר העולם מהו תיקו,בעי רב אשי לגג תמרה מהו לגג גרעינתה מהו מתמרה לתמרה מהו תיקו,אמר רב ששת בריה דרב אידי קוקיאני אסירי מאי טעמא מעלמא אתו,מתקיף לה רב אשי אי מעלמא אתו לישתכחו דרך בית הריעי,איכא דאמרי אמר רב שישא בריה דרב אידי קוקיאני שרו מאי טעמא מיניה גבלי אמר רב אשי פשיטא דאי מעלמא קא אתו לישתכחו דרך בית הריעי,והלכתא קוקיאני אסירי מ"ט מינם ניים ועיילי ליה באוסייה תולעים דרני דבשרא אסירי דכוורי שריין,אמר לה רבינא לאימיה אבלע לי ואנא איכול א"ל רב משרשיא בריה דרב אחא לרבינא מאי שנא מהא דתניא (ויקרא יא, יא) ואת נבלתם תשקצו לרבות את הדרנים שבבהמה,א"ל הכי השתא בהמה בשחיטה הוא דמשתריא והני מדלא קא מהניא להו שחיטה באיסורייהו קיימן אבל דגים באסיפה בעלמא מישתרי והני כי קא גבלן בהיתרא קא גבלן,ת"ר (ויקרא יא, מב) הולך על גחון זה נחש כל לרבות השילשול ואת הדומה לשילשול על ארבע זה עקרב כל הולך לרבות את החיפושית ואת הדומה לחיפושית מרבה רגלים זה נדל עד כל לרבות את הדומה ואת הדומה לדומה,תניא ר' יוסי בן דורמסקית אומר לויתן דג טהור הוא שנאמר (איוב מא, ז) גאוה אפיקי מגנים (איוב מא, כב) תחתיו חדודי חרש אפיקי מגנים אלו קשקשים שבו תחתיו חדודי חרש אלו סנפירין שפורח בהן:, br br big strongהדרן עלך אלו טרפות /strong /big br br | |
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15. Babylonian Talmud, Menachot, 53a, 29a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 29a. bandthe beighteen of thesix bbranches; thisequals btwenty-twogoblets. Concerning the bknobs as well,it is clear how the number belevenwas reached. The Candelabrum contains the btwo knobs of itsmain shaft, as the verse states: “Its knobs” (Exodus 25:34), with the plural “knobs” indicating that there were two, bandthe bsix ofthe six bbranches,as it is written: “In one branch, a knob and a flower” (Exodus 25:33). In addition to these eight knobs, the verse states: b“And a knobunder two branches of one piece with it, band a knobunder two branches of one piece with it, band a knobunder two branches of one piece with it” (Exodus 25:35); bthisequals belevenknobs., bBut from where do wederive that the Candelabrum contained bnine flowers?According to the verse there are the btwo flowers of itsmain shaft, as it is written: “And its flowers” (Exodus 25:34), band the six ofthe six bbranches,as it is written: “In one branch, a knob and a flower” (Exodus 25:33), meaning that bthere are eight,not nine, flowers on the Candelabrum. bRav Shalman saidin response: bIt is written: “It was a beaten work, from the base to the flower”(Numbers 8:4), which teaches that there was a ninth flower near the base., bRav says: The height ofthe bCandelabrumis bnine handbreadths. Rav Shimi bar Ḥiyya raised an objection tothe statement of bRav:We learned in a mishna ( iTamid30b): bThere was a stone beforethe bCandelabrum and it had three steps, upon which the priestwould bstand and prepare the lampsfor kindling. If the Candelabrum was only nine handbreadths high, why would it be necessary for the priest to stand on an elevated surface to reach the lamps?,Rav bsaid to him: Shimi,is it byouwho is asking me such a question? bWhen I saidthat the height of the Candelabrum is nine handbreadths, I was referring not to the total height, which is eighteen handbreadths; rather, I meant that the Candelabrum is nine handbreadths bfrom the pointat which the bbranchesextend from the main shaft band above. /b,§ bIt is written: “And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold [ imikhlot zahav /i]”(II Chronicles 4:21). The Gemara asks: bWhatis meant by imikhlot zahav /i? Rav Ami says:It is a reference to the fact bthatthe Candelabrum and its vessels bexhausted [ ikilattu /i] all of Solomon’s pure [ isagur /i] gold [ izahav /i],which was used in its fashioning in such great quantities. bAs Rav Yehuda saysthat bRav said: Solomon made ten Candelabrums, and for each and every one he brought one thousand talents of gold, and they placedthe gold bin the furnaceto refine it bone thousand times, until they reducedthe gold btoone btalentfor each Candelabrum, as it is stated: “of a talent of pure gold shall it be made” (Exodus 25:39).,The Gemara asks: bIs that sothat all of Solomon’s gold was exhausted for the fashioning of the Candelabrum and its vessels? bBut isn’t it written: “And all King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold;silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon”(II Chronicles 9:20)? The Gemara answers: bWe are sayingthat Solomon’s bpure goldwas exhausted for the fashioning of the Candelabrum, but not all of his gold.,The Gemara asks: bAnd wouldrefining the gold breduceit bto this extent,that one thousand talents of gold would be reduced to one talent? bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: An incidentoccurred where the weight of bthe Candelabrum of the Temple wasfound to be bgreater thanthe weight of the Candelabrum bof Moses byone iKordikinigold dinar, and they placed it in the furnace eighty times untilthe weight of the Candelabrum bstood atprecisely one btalent.Evidently, putting the Candelabrum into a furnace reduces its weight by very little. The Gemara answers: bOnce it is standing, it is standing,i.e., since the gold was refined to such a degree in the time of Solomon, later when it was refined eighty times it was reduced by the weight of only one dinar.,§ bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysthat bRabbi Yonatan says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “Upon the pure Candelabrum”(Leviticus 24:4)? It teaches bthatthe procedure for bfashioning it descended,i.e., was shown to Moses, bfrom the place of purity,i.e., by God, who showed Moses a model of the Candelabrum. The Gemara asks: bIf that is so,is that to say that phrase b“upon the pure Table”(Leviticus 24:6) also teaches bthatthe procedure for bfashioning itwas shown to Moses bfrom the place of purity? Rather,the expression “the bpureTable” teaches, bby inference, that it issusceptible to becoming britually impure. Here too,the expression “the bpureCandelabrum” teaches, bby inference, that it issusceptible to becoming britually impure. /b,The Gemara rejects this: bGranted,the inference drawn btherewith regard to the Table is bin accordance withthat bwhich Reish Lakishsays; bas Reish Lakish says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “Upon the pure Table”(Leviticus 24:6)? The expression “pure Table” teaches, bby inference, that it issusceptible to becoming britually impure,but why? Isn’t the Table ba wooden vessel designated to restin a fixed place, band any wooden vessel that is designated to restin a fixed place bis not susceptible tobecoming britually impure? Rather,this bteaches thatthe Table was not always left in a fixed place; the priests would bliftthe Table with its shewbread bto display the shewbread to the pilgrimsstanding in the Temple courtyard, banda priest would bsay to them: See your affection before the Omnipresent.For this reason, the Table is susceptible to becoming ritually impure.,Parenthetically, the Gemara asks: bWhatis meant by: See byour affectionbefore God? It is bin accordance withthat bwhich Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisays, bas Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: A great miracle was performed with the shewbread:Its condition at the time of bits removalfrom the Table, after having been left there for a week, was blikeits condition at the time of bits arrangementon the Table, bas it is stated: “To place hot bread on the day when it was taken away”(I Samuel 21:7), indicating that it was as hot on the day of its removal as it was on the day when it was placed on the Table.,The Gemara resumes stating its objection: bBut here,with regard to the Candelabrum, there is no reason to explain that the expression “the bpureCandelabrum” teaches, bby inference, that it issusceptible to becoming britually impure;this is bobvious,as the Candelabrums bare metal vessels, and metal vessels are susceptible tobecoming britually impurewhether or not they remain in a fixed location. bRather,it must be that the expression “the pure Candelabrum” teaches bthatthe procedure for bfashioning it descended,i.e., was shown to Moses, bfrom the place of purity. /b,§ bIt is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: An Ark of fire and a Table of fire and a Candelabrum of fire descended from the Heavens, and Moses sawtheir format band fashionedthe vessels for the Tabernacle bin their likeness. As it is statedafter the command to fashion these items: b“And see that you make them after their pattern, which is being shown to you in the mount”(Exodus 25:40).,The Gemara asks: bIf that is so,is that to say that the verse: b“And you shall set up the Tabernacle according to its fashion which has been shown to you in the mount”(Exodus 26:30), balsoindicates that God showed Moses a Tabernacle of fire? The Gemara answers: bHere,with regard to the Tabernacle, bit is written: “According to its fashion,”meaning that it should be built according to the instructions given to Moses, whereas bthere,with regard to the Ark, Table, and Candelabrum, bit is written: “After their pattern,”indicating that an actual model of the items was shown to Moses.,Apropos this discussion the Gemara relates: bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saysthat bRabbi Yoḥa says:The angel bGabrielwas bgirded with a type ofwide bbelt [ ipesikiyya /i]in the manner of artisans who tie up their clothes to prevent these clothes from hindering them in their work. bAnd he showedthe precise bway to fashion the Candelabrum to Moses, as it is written: “And this is the work of the Candelabrum”(Numbers 8:4), and the term “this” indicates that an exact replica was shown to him., bThe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Three matters were difficult for Mosesto comprehend precisely, buntil the Holy One, Blessed be He, showedthem to bhim with His finger, and these arethe three matters: The form of the bCandelabrum, andthe exact size of the bnew moon, andthe impure bcreeping animals.The bCandelabrumwas shown to him, bas it is written: “And this is the work of the Candelabrum”(Numbers 8:4). The bnew moonwas shown to him, bas it is written: “This month shall be for you the beginning of months”(Exodus 12:2). The bcreeping animalswere shown to him, bas it is written: “And these are they which are unclean for youamong the swarming things” (Leviticus 11:29). bAnd there arethose bwho saythat God balsoshowed Moses bthe ihalakhotof slaughtering, as it is stated: “Now this is that which you shall sacrifice upon the altar”(Exodus 29:38), and slaughtering is the first ritual of sacrifice.,§ The mishna teaches: With regard to the btwo passages that are in the imezuza /i,the absence of beach prevents fulfillment of the mitzva with the others. Andfurthermore, the absence of beven one letter prevents fulfillment of the mitzva withthe rest of bthem.The Gemara asks: Isn’t it bobviousthat the absence of even one letter prevents fulfillment of the mitzva, since it is written: “And you shall write them [ iukhtavtam /i]” (Deuteronomy 6:9), which teaches that the writing [ iketav /i] must be complete [ itam /i]?, bRav Yehuda saysthat bRav says:It bwas necessaryto state that bonlyto teach that even the absence of bthe thorn,i.e., the small stroke, bofa letter iyod /iprevents fulfillment of the mitzva. The Gemara asks: bButisn’t bthis also obvious,since the letter is not formed properly? bRather,it is necessary baccording to anotherstatement bthat Rav Yehuda saysthat bRavsays, bas Rav Yehuda saysthat bRav says: Any letter that is not encircled withblank bparchment onall bfour of its sides,i.e., where its ink connects to the letter above it, below it, preceding it, or succeeding it, is bunfit.When the mishna makes reference to one letter preventing fulfillment of the mitzva, it is referring to a letter that touches an adjacent letter., bAshiyan bar Nadbakh says in the name of Rav Yehuda:If bthe innerpart bofthe letter ihehwas perforatedit is bfit,but if the perforation was in bthe leg ofthe letter ihehit is bunfit. Rabbi Zeira says:This matter was bexplained to me by Rav Huna, and Rabbi Ya’akov says:This matter was bexplained to me by Rav Yehuda:If bthe innerpart bofthe letter ihehwas perforatedit is bfit.In a case where the perforation was in bthe leg ofthe letter iheh /i, then bif there remained inthe leg that is attached to the roof of the letter bthe equivalent of the measure of a small letter,i.e., the letter iyod /i, then it is bfit. But if not,it is bunfit. /b,The Gemara relates: bAgra, the father-in-law of Rabbi Abba, /b |
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16. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 17b, 34a, 56a, 86a, 17a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 17a. עמך עמך ואת בהדייהו ורבי יהודה עמך משום שכינה,ורבנן אמר קרא (במדבר יא, יז) ונשאו אתך במשא העם אתך ואת בהדייהו ורבי יהודה אתך בדומין לך,ורבנן (שמות יח, כב) מוהקל מעליך ונשאו אתך נפקא וילפא סנהדרי גדולה מסנהדרי קטנה,ת"ר (במדבר יא, כו) וישארו שני אנשים במחנה יש אומרים בקלפי נשתיירו,שבשעה שאמר לו הקב"ה למשה אספה לי שבעים איש מזקני ישראל אמר משה כיצד אעשה אברור ששה מכל שבט ושבט נמצאו שנים יתירים אברור חמשה חמשה מכל שבט ושבט נמצאו עשרה חסרים אברור ששה משבט זה וחמשה משבט זה הריני מטיל קנאה בין השבטים,מה עשה בירר ששה ששה והביא שבעים ושנים פיתקין על שבעים כתב זקן ושנים הניח חלק בללן ונתנן בקלפי אמר להם בואו וטלו פיתקיכם כל מי שעלה בידו זקן אמר כבר קידשך שמים מי שעלה בידו חלק אמר המקום לא חפץ בך אני מה אעשה לך,כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (במדבר ג, מז) ולקחת חמשת חמשת שקלים לגולגולת אמר משה כיצד אעשה להן לישראל אם אומר לו תן לי פדיונך וצא יאמר לי כבר פדאני בן לוי,מה עשה הביא עשרים ושנים אלפים פיתקין וכתב עליהן בן לוי ועל שלשה ושבעים ומאתים כתב עליהן חמשה שקלים בללן ונתנן בקלפי אמר להן טלו פיתקיכם מי שעלה בידו בן לוי אמר לו כבר פדאך בן לוי מי שעלה בידו חמשת שקלים אמר לו תן פדיונך וצא,רבי שמעון אומר במחנה נשתיירו בשעה שאמר לו הקב"ה למשה אספה לי שבעים איש אמרו אלדד ומידד אין אנו ראויין לאותה גדולה אמר הקב"ה הואיל ומיעטתם עצמכם הריני מוסיף גדולה על גדולתכם ומה גדולה הוסיף להם שהנביאים כולן נתנבאו ופסקו והם נתנבאו ולא פסקו,ומה נבואה נתנבאו אמרו משה מת יהושע מכניס את ישראל לארץ אבא חנין אומר משום רבי אליעזר על עסקי שליו הן מתנבאים עלי שליו עלי שליו,רב נחמן אמר על עסקי גוג ומגוג היו מתנבאין שנאמר (יחזקאל לח, ג) כה אמר ה' אלהים האתה הוא אשר דברתי בימים קדמונים ביד עבדי נביאי ישראל הנבאים בימים ההם שנים להביא אותך עליהם וגו' אל תיקרי שנים אלא שנים ואיזו הן שנים נביאים שנתנבאו בפרק אחד נבואה אחת הוי אומר אלדד ומידד,אמר מר כל הנביאים כולן נתנבאו ופסקו והן נתנבאו ולא פסקו מנא לן דפסקו אילימא מדכתיב (במדבר יא, כה) ויתנבאו ולא יספו אלא מעתה (דברים ה, יח) קול גדול ולא יסף ה"נ דלא אוסיף הוא אלא דלא פסק הוא,אלא הכא כתיב ויתנבאו התם כתיב (במדבר יא, כז) מתנבאים עדיין מתנבאים והולכים,בשלמא למ"ד משה מת היינו דכתיב (במדבר יא, כח) אדוני משה כלאם אלא למ"ד הנך תרתי מאי אדני משה כלאם דלאו אורח ארעא דהוה ליה כתלמיד המורה הלכה לפני רבו,בשלמא למ"ד הנך תרתי היינו דכתיב מי יתן אלא למ"ד משה מת מינח הוה ניחא ליה לא סיימוה קמיה,מאי כלאם א"ל הטל עליהן צרכי ציבור והן כלין מאיליהן:,מניין להביא עוד שלשה:,סוף סוף לרעה ע"פ שנים לא משכחת לה אי אחד עשר מזכין ושנים עשר מחייבין אכתי חד הוא אי עשרה מזכין ושלשה עשר מחייבין תלתא הוו א"ר אבהו אי אתה מוצא אלא במוסיפין ודברי הכל ובסנהדרי גדולה ואליבא דרבי יהודה דאמר שבעים,וא"ר אבהו במוסיפין עושין ב"ד שקול לכתחילה פשיטא מהו דתימא האי דקאמר איני יודע כמאן דאיתיה דמי ואי אמר מילתא שמעינן ליה קמ"ל דהאי דקאמר איני יודע כמאן דליתיה דמי ואי אמר טעמא לא שמעינן ליה,אמר רב כהנא סנהדרי שראו כולן לחובה פוטרין אותו מ"ט כיון דגמירי הלנת דין למעבד ליה זכותא והני תו לא חזו ליה,א"ר יוחנן אין מושיבין בסנהדרי אלא בעלי קומה ובעלי חכמה ובעלי מראה ובעלי זקנה ובעלי כשפים ויודעים בע' לשון שלא תהא סנהדרי שומעת מפי המתורגמן,אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אין מושיבין בסנהדרין אלא מי שיודע לטהר את השרץ מה"ת אמר רב אני אדון ואטהרנו | 17a. bwith you”(Numbers 11:16), i.e., they will stand b“with you,” and youare to be counted bwith them,leading to a total number of seventy-one. bAnd Rabbi Yehudaholds that the term b“with you”is mentioned bdue to the Divine Presencethat rested on Moses. According to Rabbi Yehuda, Moses was instructed to remain with the seventy Elders in order for the Divine Presence to rest upon them as well. He was not formally part of their court and therefore the number of Sages on the Great Sanhedrin is seventy.,The Gemara asks: bAndhow would bthe Rabbisrespond to this line of reasoning? The Gemara answers: bThe verse states: “And they shall bear the burden of the people with you”(Numbers 11:17), which indicates: b“With you,” and youare to be counted bwith them. Andhow would bRabbi Yehudarespond to that? He would explain that the term b“with you”means bsimilar to you,meaning, that the Elders appointed to the court had to be of fit lineage and free of blemish, like Moses., bAndfrom where do bthe Rabbisderive that ihalakha /i? They bderive it fromwhat was stated with regard to the appointment of the ministers of thousands and the ministers of hundreds: b“And they shall make it easier for you, and bear the burden with you”(Exodus 18:22), understanding the term “with you” to mean: Similar to you. bAndthe ihalakhaof the judges of bthe Great Sanhedrinof seventy bis derived fromthe ihalakhaof the judges of bthe lesser Sanhedrin,i.e., those ministers, that Moses appointed.,§ Apropos the appointment of the Elders by Moses, the Gemara discusses additional aspects of that event. There were seventy-two candidates for Elder but only seventy were needed. They were chosen by lots with their names put into a box. bThe Sages taught:The verse states: b“And there remained two men in the camp;the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad, and the spirit rested upon them, and they were among those who were written but who did not go out to the tent, and they prophesied in the camp” (Numbers 11:26). Where did they remain? bSome saythis means bthey,i.e., their names, bremainedexcluded from those selected from the lots bin the box. /b,The ibaraitaexplains: bAt the time that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: “Gather for Me seventy men of the Elders of Israel”(Numbers 11:16), bMoses said: How shall I doit? If bI select six from each and every tribe, there will bea total of seventy-two, which will be btwo extra.But if bI select five from each and every tribe, there will bea total of sixty, blacking ten.And if bI select six from this tribe and five from that tribe, I will bring about envy between the tribes,as those with fewer representatives will resent the others., bWhat did he do? He selected sixfrom every tribe band he brought seventy-two slips [ ipitakin /i]. On seventyof them bhe wrote: Elder, and he left twoof them bblank. He mixed them and placed them in the box. Hethen bsaid tothe seventy-two chosen candidates: bCome and draw your slips. Everyone whose hand drew upa slip that said: bElder, he saidto him: bHeaven has already sanctified you.And beveryone whose hand drew upa bblankslip, bhe saidto him: bThe Omnipresent does not desire you; what can I do for you? /b,The Gemara comments: bYoucan bsaysomething bsimilar to thisto explain the verse about the redemption of the firstborn by the Levites: “Take the Levites in place of all of the firstborn of the children of Israel…and as for the redemption of the 273 of the firstborn of the children of Israel who are in excess over the number of the Levites… byou shall take five shekels per head”(Numbers 3:45–47). It can be explained that bMoses said: How shall I dothis bfor the Jews? If I say toone of the firstborns: bGive memoney for byour redemption andyou may bleave,as you are among the 273 extra firstborns, bhe will say to me: A Levite already redeemed me;what is the reason you think that I am among those who were not redeemed?, bWhat did he do? He brought 22,000 slips ( /bsee Numbers 3:39), band he wrote on them: Levite, and on 273additional ones bhe wrote: Five shekels. He mixed them up and placed them in a box. He said to them: Draw your slips. Everyone whose hand drew upa slip that said: bLevite, he said to him: A Levite already redeemed you. Everyone whose hand drew upa slip that said: bFive shekels, he said to him: Pay your redemptionmoney and you may bleave. /b, bRabbi Shimon says:Eldad and Medad bremained in the camp,as they did not want to come to the lottery for the Elders. bAt the time that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Gather for me seventy Elders, Eldad and Medad said: We are not fitting for thatlevel of bgreatness;we are not worthy of being appointed among the Elders. bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Since you have made yourselves humble, I will add greatness to your greatness. And what isthe bgreatnessthat bhe added to them?It was bthat all of the prophets,meaning the other Elders, who were given prophecy, bprophesiedfor a time bandthen bstoppedprophesying, bbut they prophesied and did not stop. /b,Apropos Eldad and Medad being prophets, the Gemara asks: bAnd what prophecy did they prophesy? They said: Moses will die,and bJoshua will bring the Jewish people into EretzYisrael. bAbba Ḥanin says in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: They prophesied about the matter of the quailthat came afterward (Numbers 11:31–33), saying: bArise quail, arise quail,and then the quail came., bRav Naḥman says: They were prophesying about the matter of Gog and Magog, as it is statedwith regard to Gog and Magog: b“So says the Lord God: Are you the one of whom I spoke in ancient days, through my servants, the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for many years [ ishanim /i] that I would bring you against them?”(Ezekiel 38:17). bDo not readit as: b“Years [ ishanim /i]”; rather,read it as: bTwo [ ishenayim /i]. And who are the two prophets who prophesied the same prophecy at the same time? You must say: Eldad and Medad. /b, bThe Master says:The ibaraitasaid: bAll of the prophets prophesied andthen bstopped, butEldad and Medad bprophesied and did not stop.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive bthatthe other prophets bstoppedprophesying? bIf we sayit is bfrom that which is writtenabout them: b“And they prophesied but they did so no more [ ivelo yasafu /i]”(Numbers 11:25), that is difficult: bBut if that is so,then concerning that which is stated in relation to the giving of the Torah: “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly…with ba great voice, and it went on no more [ ivelo yasaf /i]”(Deuteronomy 5:19), bso tooshall it be understood bthatthe great voice bdid not continue? Rather,the intention there is bthat it did not stop,interpreting the word iyasafuas related to isof /i, meaning: End. Consequently, with regard to the seventy Elders as well, the word can be interpreted to mean that they did not stop prophesying., bRather,the proof is as follows: bIt is written herewith regard to the seventy Elders: b“They prophesied”(Numbers 11:25), and bit is written there:“Eldad and Medad bare prophesyingin the camp” (Numbers 11:27), from which it can be derived that bthey were continuously prophesying. /b,With regard to the content of Eldad and Medad’s prophecy, the Gemara asks: bGranted, according to the one who saystheir prophecy was that bMoses will die, this isthe reason for that bwhich is writtenthere: “And Joshua, son of Nun, the servant of Moses from his youth, answered and said: bMy master Moses, imprison them”(Numbers 11:28), as their prophecy appeared to be a rebellion against Moses. bBut according to the one who says thoseother btwoopinions with regard to the content of the prophecy, according to which their prophecy had no connection to Moses, bwhatis the reason that Joshua said: b“My master Moses, imprison them”?The Gemara answers: He said this bbecauseit is bnot proper conductfor them to prophesy publicly in close proximity to Moses, basby doing so bthey are like a student who teaches a ihalakhain his teacher’s presence,which is inappropriate.,The Gemara asks: bGranted, according to the one who says thoseother btwoopinions, bthis isthe reason for that bwhich is written:“And Moses said to him: Are you jealous for my sake? bWouldthat all of the Lord’s people were prophets” (Numbers 11:29). bBut according to the one who saysthat Eldad and Medad prophesied that bMoses will dieand Joshua will bring Israel into the land, bwould it have been satisfactory to Mosesthat all of the people of God would utter similar prophecies? The Gemara answers: bThey did not conclude it before him.Moses was not aware of what they had said, but only that they were prophesying.,The Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of: b“Imprison them [ ikela’em /i]”?The Gemara answers: Joshua bsaid to him: Placeresponsibility for the bneeds of the public upon them,so that they will be occupied like the other Elders of Israel band they will cease [ ikalin /i]prophesying, bon their own.Due to the burden of public responsibility they would not be able to be prophets.,§ The mishna derives the ihalakhathat there are twenty-three judges on a lesser Sanhedrin from the verses: “And the congregation shall judge,” and: “And the congregation shall save” (Numbers 35:24–25). The mishna understands that the term “congregation” is referring to ten judges, so that the two congregations, one in each verse, total twenty judges. The mishna then asks: bFrom whereis it derived bto bring three morejudges to the court? The mishna answers: The implication of the verse: “You shall not follow a multitude to convict” (Exodus 23:2), is that your inclination after a majority to exonerate is not like your inclination after a majority to convict, and a conviction must be by a majority of two.,The Gemara objects: bUltimately, you do not findan occurrence of the inclination bfor evil according toa majority of btwojudges. bIf elevenjudges vote to bacquitthe defendant band twelvevote to bconvict, this is stillonly a majority of bone,and bif tenvote to bacquit and thirteenvote to bconvict, they area majority of bthree.With a court of twenty-three judges, there is no possible way to convict with a majority of two. bRabbi Abbahu says: You do not findsuch a scenario bexceptin a case bwhere they addtwo additional judges because one of the judges abstained from the deliberation, the other judges are split in their decisions, and the two added judges both vote to convict. bAndthis is a possibility baccording toall itanna’im /i, band ina case tried by bthe Great Sanhedrin according tothe opinion bof Rabbi Yehuda, who saysthere are bseventyjudges on the Great Sanhedrin. With an even number, it is possible to have a majority of two., bAnd Rabbi Abbahu says: When they addadditional judges, they bcreate a courtconsisting of ban evennumber of judges iab initio /i.The Gemara asks: Isn’t that bobvious?What is the novelty in Rabbi Abbahu’s statement? The Gemara answers: bLest you say: Thisjudge bwho says: I do not know, isviewed bas one who isstill bthere, and if he says somethingafterward, bwe listen to himand include him in the count, so there are actually an odd number of judges on the court; therefore, Rabbi Abbahu bteaches us that thisjudge bwho says: I do not know, isviewed bas one who is notstill bthere, and if he says a reasonto rule in a certain manner afterward, bwe do not listen to him.Consequently, the court consists of an even number of judges.,§ bRav Kahana says:In ba Sanhedrin where allthe judges bsawfit bto convictthe defendant in a case of capital law, they bacquit him.The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasoningfor this ihalakha /i? It is bsinceit bis learnedas a tradition that bsuspension of the trialovernight is necessary in order bto createa possibility of bacquittal.The ihalakhais that they may not issue the guilty verdict on the same day the evidence was heard, as perhaps over the course of the night one of the judges will think of a reason to acquit the defendant. bAndas bthosejudges all saw fit to convict him they bwill not seeany bfurtherpossibility to acquit bhim,because there will not be anyone arguing for such a verdict. Consequently, he cannot be convicted.,§ bRabbi Yoḥa says:They bplace on theGreat bSanhedrin onlymen bofhigh bstature, and of wisdom, and ofpleasant bappearance, and ofsuitable bageso that they will be respected. bAndthey must also be bmasters of sorcery,i.e., they know the nature of sorcery, so that they can judge sorcerers, bandthey must bknowall bseventy languagesin order bthat the Sanhedrin will notneed to bheartestimony bfrom the mouth of a translatorin a case where a witness speaks a different language., bRav Yehuda saysthat bRav says:They bplace on the Sanhedrin only one who knowshow bto rendera carcass of ba creeping animal pure by Torah law.The judges on the Sanhedrin must be so skilled at logical reasoning that they could even produce a convincing argument that creeping animals, which the Torah states explicitly are ritually impure, are actually pure. bRav said: I will discussthe ihalakhaof the creeping animal band render it pure,i.e., I am able to demonstrate how it is possible to construct such a proof: |
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17. Babylonian Talmud, Zevahim, 116a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 116a. זכרים ונקבות תמימין ובעלי מומין (דאמר מר תמות וזכרות בבהמה ואין תמות וזכרות בעופות,ואיתקש בהמה לעוף,תמימין ובעלי מומין) לאפוקי מחוסר אבר דלא א"ר אלעזר מנין למחוסר אבר שנאסר לבני נח ת"ל (בראשית ו, יט) ומכל החי מכל בשר אמרה תורה הבא בהמה שחיין ראשי איברין שלה,ודילמא למעוטי טריפה ההוא מלחיות זרע נפקא,הניחא למ"ד טריפה אינה יולדת אלא למ"ד טריפה יולדת מאי איכא למימר האמר קרא אתך בדומין לך,ודילמא נח גופיה טריפה הוה תמים כתיב ביה ודילמא תמים בדרכיו צדיק כתיב ביה,ודילמא תמים בדרכיו צדיק במעשיו אי סלקא דעתך דנח גופיה טריפה הוה מי קאמר ליה לנח דכוותך עייל שלמים לא תעייל,ומאחר דנפקא לן מאתך לחיות זרע למה לי מהו דתימא אתך לצותא בעלמא אפי' זקן אפילו סריס קמשמע לן:,טהורין אבל לא טמאין: ומי הוו טמאין וטהורין בההיא שעתא א"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן מאותן שלא נעבדה בהן עבירה,מנא הוו ידעי כדרב חסדא דאמר רב חסדא העבירן לפני התיבה כל שהתיבה קולטתן בידוע שהוא טהור אין התיבה קולטתן בידוע שהן טמאין,רבי אבהו אמר אמר קרא (בראשית ז, טז) והבאים זכר ונקבה הבאין מאיליהן,אמר מר והכל קרבו עולות עולות אין שלמים לא והא כתיב (שמות כד, ה) ויזבחו זבחים שלמים לה' פרים אלא אימא הכל קרבו עולות [ושלמים,והתניא אבל שלמים לא כי אם עולות] עולות אין שלמים לא כמ"ד לא קרבו שלמים בני נח דאיתמר ר"א ור' יוסי בר חנינא חד אמר קרבו [שלמים בני נח] וחד אמר לא קרבו,מ"ט דמ"ד קרבו שלמים בני נח דכתיב (בראשית ד, ד) והבל הביא גם הוא מבכורות צאנו ומחלביהן איזהו דבר שחלבו קרב לגבי מזבח ואין כולו קרב לגבי מזבח הוי אומר זה שלמים,מ"ט דמ"ד לא קרבו דכתיב (שיר השירים ד, טז) עורי צפון ובואי תימן תתנער אומה שמעשיה בצפון ותבוא אומה שמעשיה בצפון ובדרום,ומר נמי הכתיב ומחלביהן משמניהן [דידהו],ומר נמי הכתיב עורי צפון [ההוא] בקיבוץ גליות הוא דכתיב,והא כתיב (שמות י, כה) ויאמר משה גם אתה תתן בידינו זבחים ועולות ועשינו לה' אלהינו זבחים לאכילה ועולות להקרבה,והא כתיב (שמות יח, יב) ויקח יתרו [חותן משה] עולה וזבחים ההוא לאחר מתן תורה הוא דכתיב,הניחא למ"ד [יתרו] אחר מתן תורה היה אלא למ"ד [יתרו] קודם מתן תורה היה מאי איכא למימר דאיתמר בני ר' חייא ור' יהושע בן לוי חד אמר יתרו קודם מתן תורה היה וחד אמר יתרו אחר מתן תורה היה למ"ד יתרו קודם מתן תורה היה קסבר שלמים הקריבו בני נח,כתנאי (שמות יח, א) וישמע יתרו כהן מדין מה שמועה שמע ובא ונתגייר ר' יהושע אומר מלחמת עמלק שמע שהרי כתיב בצדו (שמות יז, יג) ויחלש יהושע את עמלק ואת עמו לפי חרב,ר"א המודעי אומר מתן תורה שמע [ובא] שכשניתנה תורה לישראל היה קולו הולך מסוף העולם ועד סופו וכל [מלכי] עובדי כוכבים אחזתן רעדה בהיכליהן ואמרו שירה שנאמר (תהלים כט, ט) ובהיכלו כולו אומר כבוד,נתקבצו כולם אצל בלעם הרשע ואמרו לו מה קול ההמון אשר שמענו שמא מבול בא לעולם (אמר להם) (תהלים כט, י) ה' למבול ישב [אמר להם] וישב ה' מלך לעולם כבר נשבע הקב"ה שאינו מביא מבול לעולם,אמרו לו מבול של מים אינו מביא אבל מבול של אש מביא שנא' (ישעיהו סו, טז) כי (הנה) באש ה' נשפט אמר להן כבר נשבע שאינו משחית כל בשר,ומה קול ההמון הזה ששמענו אמר להם חמדה טובה יש לו בבית גנזיו שהיתה גנוזה אצלו תתקע"ד דורות קודם שנברא העולם וביקש ליתנה לבניו שנאמר (תהלים כט, יא) ה' עוז לעמו יתן [מיד] פתחו כולם ואמרו (תהלים כט, יא) ה' יברך את עמו בשלום,ר"א אומר קריעת ים סוף שמע ובא שנא' (יהושע ה, א) ויהי כשמוע כל מלכי האמורי ואף רחב הזונה אמרה לשלוחי יהושע (יהושע ב, י) כי שמענו את אשר הוביש ה' את מי ים סוף,מאי שנא התם דאמר (ליה) (יהושע ה, א) ולא היה בם עוד רוח ומ"ש הכא דקאמר (יהושע ב, יא) ולא קמה עוד רוח באיש | 116a. That which was taught in the ibaraita /i: All animals were fit to be sacrificed: bMales and females, unblemished and blemishedanimals, pertains to bthatwhich bthe Master saidas a principle concerning the ihalakhotof sacrifices: The requirements that an offering must have bunblemished status andthat a burnt offering must have bmale statusapply bto animalofferings, bbutthe requirements of bunblemished status and male statusdo bnotapply bto birds. /b, bAndin the verses that recount Noah’s sacrifices upon exiting the ark, ba domesticated animal is juxtaposed with a bird,in the verse: “of every pure animal, and of every pure fowl” (Genesis 8:20), which teaches that kosher animals had a status identical to that of birds, and could be sacrificed whether male or female, unblemished or blemished.,The Gemara adds: That which was taught in the ibaraita /i: bUnblemished and blemishedanimals, serves bto excludeanimals that are blacking a limb, whichwere bnotfit for sacrifice. As bRabbi Elazar says: From whereis it derived bthatan animal that is blacking a limb is forbidden to the descendants of Noah,i.e., gentiles, to be used as a sacrifice? bThe verse stateswith regard to Noah: b“And of every living being of all flesh,two of every sort shall you bring into the ark” (Genesis 6:19). With regard to the phrase: “And of every living being,” which is superfluous, bthe Torah stated: Bring an animal whose limbs areall bliving,not one lacking a limb, as that animal is disqualified from sacrifice.,The Gemara challenges: bBut perhapsthis phrase: “And of every living being,” serves bto exclude an animal with a wound that will cause it to die within twelve months [ itereifa /i]from being fit as a sacrifice. The Gemara explains: The disqualification of a itereifa bis derived fromthe phrase: b“To keep seed alive”(Genesis 7:3), as a itereifacannot propagate.,The Gemara challenges: bThis works out well according to the one who saysthat ba itereifacannot give birth.In this case the disqualification of the itereifais derived from the verse: “To keep seed alive,” while the disqualification of the animal lacking a limb is derived from the verse: “And of every living being.” bBut according to the one who saysthat ba itereifacan give birth, what can be said?According to this opinion, a itereifacannot be excluded by the phrase: “To keep seed alive.” The Gemara explains: bDoesn’t the verse statewith regard to the animals that were brought by Noah into the ark: “You shall bring into the ark, to keep them alive bwith you”(Genesis 6:19)? The term “with you” indicates that the verse is stated bwith regard toanimals that are bsimilar to you,not a itereifa /i.,The Gemara asks: bBut perhaps Noah himself was a itereifa /i.If so, one cannot exclude a itereifafrom the comparison of animals to Noah. The Gemara answers: bIt is written aboutNoah that he was b“complete”(Genesis 6:9), which indicates that he was physically whole and unblemished. The Gemara challenges: bBut perhapsthe verse means that bhis ways were complete,and it is not referring to Noah’s physical attributes. The Gemara explains: bIt isalready bwritten about himthat he was b“righteous”(Genesis 6:9), which means that his actions were perfect. Consequently, when the verse says that he was also complete, it must be referring to his body.,The Gemara challenges: bBut perhapsthe verse means that Noah was bcomplete in his manner,and he was brighteous in hisgood bdeeds.Accordingly, the verse would not exclude the possibility that Noah himself was a itereifa /i. The Gemara responds: bIf it enters your mindto say bthat Noah himself was a itereifa /i, would the Merciful One have said to him: Bring in itereifot blike youto the ark, but bdo not bring in wholeand perfect animals? It is not reasonable to say that there would be a preference for him to bring itereifot /i. Rather, Noah was certainly not a itereifa /i, and the fact that a itereifais disqualified for sacrifice is derived from “with you.”,The Gemara asks: bAnd once we derivethe disqualification of a itereifa bfromthe term b“with you,” why do Ineed the phrase b“to keep seed alive”?The Gemara answers: If one could derive only from b“with you,” you would saythat Noah brought the animals to the ark bonly forthe purpose of bcompanionship,and therefore bevenan animal that is boldor beven one who is castratedcan come into the ark, provided that it is not a itereifa /i. Therefore, the Merciful One writes: “To keep seed alive,” which bteaches usthat only animals that can bear offspring were allowed to be brought into the ark.,§ The ibaraitaalso teaches that before the Tabernacle was constructed, sacrifices were brought from animals and birds that were bkosher, but notfrom bnon-kosherspecies. This is based on the verse that describes what Noah sacrificed when he exited the ark: “And he took of every pure animal and of every pure fowl and offered burnt offerings on the altar” (Genesis 8:20). The Gemara asks: bAnd were there pure and impurespecies bat that time,during the period of Noah? The distinction between pure, i.e., kosher species, and impure, i.e., non-kosher species, was introduced only after the Torah was given (see Leviticus, chapter 11). bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysthat bRabbi Yonatan says:The pure animals that Noah took were bfrom those that had not been used in the performance of sin. /b,The Gemara asks: bFrom where didNoah and his sons bknowwhich animals had been used in the performance of a sin, in order to prevent them from entering the ark? The Gemara answers that it is bin accordance withthe statement bof Rav Ḥisda. As Rav Ḥisda says:Noah caused all of the animals to bpass before the ark. Allanimals bthat the ark accepted,i.e., drew in, was bknown to be pure;if bthe ark did not accept them,it was bknown that theywere bimpure. /b, bRabbi Abbahu saysthere is a different explanation as to how Noah knew which animals were pure or impure. bThe verse states: “And they that went in,went in bmale and femaleof all flesh” (Genesis 7:16), which means: Those bthat went in on their own.Consequently, Noah did not need to distinguish between pure and impure animals, as only the pure ones approached.,§ In describing the sacrificial service before the Tabernacle was constructed, bthe Master said: And allofferings brought before the construction of the Tabernacle were bsacrificedas bburnt offerings.The Gemara infers: bBurnt offerings, yes,were sacrificed, but bpeace offeringswere bnotsacrificed. The Gemara challenges: bButwith regard to the offerings that were sacrificed at Mount Sinai at the time of the giving of the Torah, bit is written:“And they offered burnt offerings, band sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord”(Exodus 24:5). This event occurred prior to the construction of the Tabernacle. bRather, saythat the ibaraitameans: bAllofferings bsacrificedwere either bburnt offerings or peace offerings. /b,The Gemara challenges: bAnd isn’t it taughtin another ibaraita /i: bBut peace offeringswere bnotsacrificed before the construction of the Tabernacle; brather, only burnt offeringswere sacrificed? Clearly, bburnt offerings, yes,were sacrificed, but bpeace offeringswere bnotsacrificed. The Gemara answers that this ibaraitais bin accordance withthe opinion of bthe one who saysthat bpeace offerings were not sacrificedby the bdescendants of Noah. As it was statedthat there is a dispute between bRabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥaninawith regard to this: bOne saysthat bthe descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings, and one saysthat bthey did not sacrificepeace offerings.,The Gemara explains the two opinions: bWhat is the reasoning of the one who saysthat bthe descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings? As it is written: “And Abel, he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat thereof”(Genesis 4:4). Abel, like all gentiles, is categorized as a descendant of Noah. The verse emphasizes that the fat was sacrificed. The Gemara analyzes: bWhat is an item,i.e., an offering, bthe fat of which is sacrificed upon the altar, butthat bis not sacrificed in its entirety upon the altar? You must say: This is the peace offering,the meat of which is consumed., bWhat is the reasoning of the one who saysthat bthey did not sacrificepeace offerings? bAs it is written: “Awake [ iuri /i], O north; and come, south… /bLet my beloved come into his garden, and eat his precious fruits” (Song of Songs 4:16). The Gemara interprets this homiletically: The bnation,i.e., the nations of the world, who are the descendants of Noah, bwhose acts,i.e., sacrifices, are only bin the north,i.e., they sacrifice only burnt offerings, which are slaughtered and their blood collected in the north of the Temple courtyard, bshall be removed [ ititna’er /i], andin its place bshall comethe Jewish bnation, whose acts,i.e., sacrifices, are bin the north and in the south,as they sacrifice burnt offerings, whose rites are performed in the north, and peace offerings, whose rites may also be performed in the south, as the entire courtyard is fit for their rites.,The Gemara asks: bAnd alsoaccording to bthe Masterwho holds that the descendants of Noah did not sacrifice peace offerings, bisn’t it written: “And of the fat thereof,”from which it may be derived that Abel sacrificed a peace offering? The Gemara answers: “The fat thereof,” does not mean that Abel sacrificed only the fats of his offerings; rather, it means that he sacrificed bthe fattest of them,i.e., the fattest and choicest of his animals.,The Gemara asks: bAnd alsoaccording to bthe Masterwho holds that the descendants of Noah did sacrifice peace offerings, bisn’t it written: “Awake, O north,”from which it may be derived that the nations of the world do not sacrifice peace offerings? The Gemara answers: In his opinion, bthatverse bis written with regard to the ingathering of the exiles,i.e., the Jewish exiles will come from the north and the south.,With regard to the opinion that the descendants of Noah did not sacrifice peace offerings, the Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it written: “And Moses said: You must also give into our hand sacrifices [ izevaḥim /i] and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God”(Exodus 10:25)? This indicates that sacrifices [ izevaḥim /i], i.e., peace offerings, were sacrificed before the Torah was given. The Gemara answers: In this context, b“ izevaḥim /i”is referring to animals to be used bfor consumption,as the word izevaḥcan also be translated as an animal for slaughter, band “burnt offerings”is referring to animals to be used bfor sacrifice. /b,The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it writtenbefore the giving of the Torah: b“And Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices [ izevaḥim /i]for God” (Exodus 18:12)? Since the word izevaḥimthere is referring to sacrifices, as the verse clearly states that Yitro took them for God, evidently peace offerings were sacrificed before the giving of the Torah. The Gemara answers: bThatverse bwas writtenwith regard to the period bafter the giving of the Torah,when the Jewish people were permitted to sacrifice peace offerings.,The Gemara notes: bThis works out well according to the one who saysthat the episode with bYitro was after the giving of the Torah. But according to the one who saysthat the episode with bYitro was before the giving of the Torah, what can be said? As it was stated: The sons of Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Leviengage in a dispute concerning this issue. bOne saysthat the episode with bYitro was before the giving of the Torah, and one saysthat the episode with bYitro was after the giving of the Torah.The Gemara answers: bThe one who saysthat the episode with bYitro was before the giving of the Torah maintainsthat bthe descendants of Noah did sacrifice peace offerings. /b,§ The Gemara notes that the disagreement between iamora’imwith regard to when Yitro came to Mount Sinai is blikea dispute between itanna’im /i:The Torah states with regard to Yitro, before he came to Mount Sinai: b“Now Yitro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heardof all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 18:1). bWhat tiding did he hear that he came and converted? Rabbi Yehoshua says: He heardabout bthe war with Amalek, as it is written adjacent tothe verses that state that Yitro came: b“And Joshua weakened Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword”(Exodus 17:13)., bRabbi Elazar HaModa’i says: He heardabout bthe giving of the Torah and came. As when the Torah was given to the Jewish people, the voice ofthe Holy One, Blessed be He, bwent fromone bend of the world to theother bend, and all of the kings of the nations of the world were overcome with trembling in their palaces and recited a songof praise, bas it is stated:“The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve… band in his palace all say: Glory”(Psalms 29:9), i.e., each king in his own palace recited songs of praise to God.,At that time, ball ofthe kings bgathered around Balaam the wicked,who was the greatest gentile prophet, band said to him: What is the tumultuous sound,i.e., the loud noise, bthat we have heard? Perhaps a flood is coming todestroy bthe world, as it is stated: “The Lord sat enthroned at the flood”(Psalms 29:10)? Balaam bsaid to them: “The Lord sits as King forever”(Psalms 29:10), which means that bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, already took an oathafter the flood bnever to bring a flood to the world,as it is stated: “And the waters shall no more become a flood” (Genesis 9:15).,The kings bsaid to him: He will not bring a flood of water,as he vowed, bbutperhaps bHe will bring a flood of fire,as in the future the Lord will punish the nations with fire, bas it is stated: “For by fire will the Lord contend,and by His sword with all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many” (Isaiah 66:16). Balaam bsaid to them: He already took an oath that He will not destroy all fleshin any manner, as it is stated: “To destroy all flesh” (Genesis 9:15). Therefore, there will not be a flood of fire.,They asked: bAndif so, bwhat is this tumultuous sound that we have heard?Balaam bsaid to them: He has a goodand bprecious item in His treasury, that was hidden away with Himfor b974 generations before the world was created, and He seeks to give it to his children, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people”(Psalms 29:11). “Strength” is a reference to the Torah, which is the strength of the Jewish people. bImmediately, they all began to say: “The Lord will bless His people with peace”(Psalms 29:11).,The Gemara offers another explanation of what Yitro heard: bRabbi Eliezer says: He heardabout bthe splitting of the Red Sea and came, as it is statedin a similar context with regard to the splitting of the Jordan in the days of Joshua: b“And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites,that were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, that were by the sea, bheardhow that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until they were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them anymore, because of the children of Israel” (Joshua 5:1). bAnd even Rahab the prostitute said to Joshua’s messengers: “For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Seabefore you” (Joshua 2:10).,The Gemara asks: bWhat is different there,i.e., with regard to the splitting of the Jordan, bwherethe verse bstates: “Neither was there spirit in them anymore,” and what is different here,i.e., in the statement of Rahab, bwherethe verse bstates: “Neither did there remain [ ikama /i] any more spirit in any man”(Joshua 2:11)? |
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18. Anon., Midrash On Song of Songs, 5.2
| 5.2. The Divine presence was not on the earthly, lowliest plane, proof is that it is written, and they heard the voice of the lord walking in the garden." |
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