1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 6.4, 7.3, 27.20, 33.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 6.4. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃ 7.3. וְלֹא תִתְחַתֵּן בָּם בִּתְּךָ לֹא־תִתֵּן לִבְנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ לֹא־תִקַּח לִבְנֶךָ׃ 33.6. יְחִי רְאוּבֵן וְאַל־יָמֹת וִיהִי מְתָיו מִסְפָּר׃ | 6.4. HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE." 7.3. neither shalt thou make marriages with them: thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son." 27.20. Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he hath uncovered his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say: Amen. ." 33.6. Let Reuben live, and not die In that his men become few." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 21.1 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 21.1. וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם׃ 21.1. אִם־אַחֶרֶת יִקַּח־לוֹ שְׁאֵרָהּ כְּסוּתָהּ וְעֹנָתָהּ לֹא יִגְרָע׃ | 21.1. Now these are the ordices which thou shalt set before them." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 28.21, 29.31, 35.22, 37.25, 47.31, 49.4 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 28.21. וְשַׁבְתִּי בְשָׁלוֹם אֶל־בֵּית אָבִי וְהָיָה יְהוָה לִי לֵאלֹהִים׃ 29.31. וַיַּרְא יְהוָה כִּי־שְׂנוּאָה לֵאָה וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת־רַחְמָהּ וְרָחֵל עֲקָרָה׃ 35.22. וַיְהִי בִּשְׁכֹּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא וַיֵּלֶךְ רְאוּבֵן וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֶת־בִּלְהָה פִּילֶגֶשׁ אָבִיו וַיִּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי־יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר׃ 37.25. וַיֵּשְׁבוּ לֶאֱכָל־לֶחֶם וַיִּשְׂאוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה אֹרְחַת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים בָּאָה מִגִּלְעָד וּגְמַלֵּיהֶם נֹשְׂאִים נְכֹאת וּצְרִי וָלֹט הוֹלְכִים לְהוֹרִיד מִצְרָיְמָה׃ 47.31. וַיֹּאמֶר הִשָּׁבְעָה לִי וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל־רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה׃ 49.4. פַּחַז כַּמַּיִם אַל־תּוֹתַר כִּי עָלִיתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵי אָבִיךָ אָז חִלַּלְתָּ יְצוּעִי עָלָה׃ | 28.21. so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then shall the LORD be my God," 29.31. And the LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren." 35.22. And it came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:" 37.25. And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and ladanum, going to carry it down to Egypt." 47.31. And he said: ‘Swear unto me.’ And he swore unto him. And Israel bowed down upon the bed’s head." 49.4. Unstable as water, have not thou the excellency; Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; Then defiledst thou it—he went up to my couch." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 14.14 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 14.14. אֶעֱלֶה עַל־בָּמֳתֵי עָב אֶדַּמֶּה לְעֶלְיוֹן׃ | 14.14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.’" |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 1 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
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6. Hebrew Bible, 1 Chronicles, 5.1 (5th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 5.1. וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹר־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הוּא הַבְּכוֹר וּבְחַלְּלוֹ יְצוּעֵי אָבִיו נִתְּנָה בְּכֹרָתוֹ לִבְנֵי יוֹסֵף בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא לְהִתְיַחֵשׂ לַבְּכֹרָה׃ 5.1. וּבִימֵי שָׁאוּל עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה עִם־הַהַגְרִאִים וַיִּפְּלוּ בְּיָדָם וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם עַל־כָּל־פְּנֵי מִזְרָח לַגִּלְעָד׃ | 5.1. And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel—for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, yet not so that he was to be reckoned in the genealogy as first-born." |
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7. Anon., Jubilees, 33.2, 33.9, 33.15 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 33.2. And he went to his father Isaac, he and Leah his wife, on the new moon of the tenth month. 33.9. For this reason it is written and ordained on the heavenly tables that a man should not lie with his father's wife, and should not uncover his father's skirt, for this is unclean: 33.15. And let them not say: to Reuben was granted life and forgiveness after he had lain with his father's concubine, and to her also though she had a husband, and her husband Jacob, his father, was still alive. |
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8. Anon., Testament of Reuben, 1.6, 3.11, 3.15, 4.4 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 1.6. And behold I call to witness against you this day the God of heaven, that ye walk not in the sins of youth and fornication, wherein I was poured out, and defiled the bed of my father Jacob. 4.4. And yet my father comforted me much and prayed for me unto the Lord, that the anger of the Lord might pass from me, even as the Lord showed. And thenceforth until now I have been on my guard and sinned not. |
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9. Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant, 3.5 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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10. Dead Sea Scrolls, (Cairo Damascus Covenant) Cd-A, 3.5 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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11. Mishnah, Avodah Zarah, 2.5 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 2.5. Rabbi Judah said: Rabbi Ishmael put this question to Rabbi Joshua as they were walking on the way, “Why have they forbidden the cheese of non-Jews?” He replied, because they curdle it with the rennet of a nevelah (an animal that was not properly slaughtered.” He (Rabbi Ishmael) said: “but is not the rennet of a burnt-offering more strictly forbidden than the rennet of a nevelah? [and yet] it was said that a priest who is not fastidious may suck it out raw.” (Though the Sages disagreed with this opinion, and they said that no benefit may be derived from it, although one who consumed it did not trespass [temple property). Rabbi Joshua responded: “The reason then is because they curdle it with the rennet from calves sacrificed to idols.” He (Rabbi Ishmael) said to him: “if that be so, why do they not extend the prohibition to any benefit derived from it?” He (Rabbi Joshua) diverted him to another matter, saying: “Ishmael, how do you read for your [masc.] love is more delightful than wine” or “your [fem.] love etc. (Song of Songs 1:2” He replied: “your [fem.] love is better …” He said to him: this is not so, as it is proved by its fellow [-verse]: your ointments [masc.] have a goodly fragrance … [therefore do the maidens love you] (Song of Songs 1:3).”" |
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12. Mishnah, Avot, 1.12-1.13 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1.12. Hillel and Shammai received [the oral tradition] from them. Hillel used to say: be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving mankind and drawing them close to the Torah." 1.13. He [also] used to say: one who makes his name great causes his name to be destroyed; one who does not add [to his knowledge] causes [it] to cease; one who does not study [the Torah] deserves death; on who makes [unworthy] use of the crown [of learning] shall pass away." |
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13. Tosefta, Eruvin, 1.2, 6.2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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14. Tosefta, Hagigah, 2.13 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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15. Tosefta, Hulin, 2.24 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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16. Tosefta, Pesahim, 10.12 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 10.12. Once, Rabban Gamliel and the elders were reclining in the house of Boethus ben Zonin in Lod, and they were occupied in studying the laws of Pesach all that night, until the cock crowed. They lifted the table, made themselves ready and went to the house of study [to pray]." |
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17. Tosefta, Shabbat, 2.5, 13.2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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18. Tosefta, Sukkah, 1.9 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 1.9. One who puts up four beams, and covers them over [with schach], R. Yaakov says, They should be seen whether, were they divided, each post would reach a span on each side; if so, it is kosher; if not, it is invalid. And the sages say: Two legal walls; and the third wall [need only be] one handbreadth. R. Shimon says: Three legal [walls], and a fourth [need only be] one handbreadth. R. Shimon b. Elazar says in the name of R. Meir: If two are man-made and one by a tree, the sukkah is kosher and they may enter it on the festival." |
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19. Tosefta, Terumot, 2.13 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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20. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 10.7, 21.4, 56.2, 62.2 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 10.7. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אֲפִלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן שֶׁהֵן יְתֵירָה בָּעוֹלָם, כְּגוֹן זְבוּבִין וּפַרְעוֹשִׁין וְיַתּוּשִׁין, אַף הֵן בִּכְלַל בְּרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הֵן, וּבַכֹּל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה שְׁלִיחוּתוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ עַל יְדֵי נָחָשׁ, אֲפִלּוּ עַל יְדֵי יַתּוּשׁ, אֲפִלּוּ עַל יְדֵי צְפַרְדֵּעַ. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אָמַר לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מְנַחְמָה, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, רַבִּי אַחָא הֲוָה מִשְׁתָּעֵי הָדֵין עוֹבָדָא: חַד בַּר נָשׁ הֲוָה קָאֵים עַל כֵּיף נַהֲרָא, חֲמָא חַד עוּרְדְּעָן טָעֲנָה חָדָא עַקְרָב, וּמְגִיזָה יָתֵיהּ נַהֲרָא, וְכֵיוָן דְּעָבְדַת שְׁלִיחוּתֵיהּ אַחְזַרְתֵּא לְאַתְרֵהּ. רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָנָן דְּצִפּוֹרִין אֲמַר, עוֹבָדָא הֲוָה בְּחַד גְּבַר דַּהֲוָה קָאֵים לְמֶחֱצַד בַּהֲדָא בִּקְעַת בֵּי טַרְפָּא, חֲמָא חַד עֵשֶׂב וְלִקֵּט יָתֵיהּ וַעֲבָדֵיהּ כְּלִילָא לְרֵאשֵׁיהּ, אֲזַלָּא חַד חִוְיָא וּמְחָא יָתֵיהּ, וּקְטִיל יָתֵיהּ. אֲתָא חַד גַּבָּר וְקָם לְמִסְקַר בְּהַהוּא חִוְיָא, אֲמַר תָּמֵהַּ אֲנִי עַל מַן דְּקָטַל הָדֵין חִוְיָא. אֲמַר הַהוּא גַּבְרָא אֲנָא קְטָלִית יָתֵיהּ. תָּלָה אַפּוֹי וַחֲמָא לְהַהוּא עִשְׂבָּא עֲבִידָא כְּלִילָא לְרֵאשֵׁיהּ, אֲמַר מִן קוּשְׁטָא אַתְּ קָטְלִית יָתֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ, אִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, יָכֵיל אַתְּ מֵרִים הָדֵין עִשְׂבָּא מִן רֵאשֵׁךְ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין, כֵּיוָן דַּאֲרֵים יָתֵיהּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַתְּ יָכוֹל קָרֵיב הָכָא וּמֵרִים הָדֵין חִוְיָא בַּהֲדֵין חוּטְרָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין, כֵּיוָן דִּקְרַב לְהַהוּא חִוְיָא מִיָּד נָשְׁרוּ אֵבָרָיו. רַבִּי יַנַּאי הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ בְּפֶתַח עִירוֹ, רָאָה נָחָשׁ מַרְתִּיעַ וּבָא, וַהֲוָה מְרַדֵּף לֵיהּ מִן הָדֵין סִטְרָא, וַהֲוָה חָזַר מִן דֵּין סִטְרָא, וְעוֹד הֲוָה רָדֵיף לֵיהּ מִן הָדֵין סִטְרָא וַהֲוָה חָזַר מִן דֵּין סִטְרָא, אֲמַר זֶה הוֹלֵךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁלִיחוּתוֹ. מִיָּד נָפְלָה הֲבָרָה בָּעִיר פְּלוֹנִי בֶּן פְּלוֹנִי נְשָׁכוֹ נָחָשׁ וָמֵת. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה יָתֵיב מְטַיֵּל בְּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא, אֲתָא חַד רוֹמָאי וְתָרְכֵיהּ וְקָדִים יָתֵיהּ וִיתֵיב לֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵית דֵּין עַל מַגָּן, מִיָּד נְפַק חַד חִוְיָא וּמְחָא יָתֵיהּ וּקְטַל יָתֵיהּ, וְקָרָא עָלָיו (ישעיה מג, ד): וְאֶתֵּן אָדָם תַּחְתֶּיךָ, וְאֶתֵּן אֱדוֹם תַּחְתֶּיךָ. רַבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה קָאֵים וּמְטַיֵּל עַל מְשׁוֹנִיתָא דְּיַמָּא דְּקֵיסָרִין, רָאָה שָׁם קוּלִית אַחַת, וַהֲוָה מַצְנַע לָהּ וַהֲוַת מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא, מַצְנַע לָהּ וַהֲוַת מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא, אֲמַר זֹאת מוּכֶנֶת לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁלִיחוּתָהּ. עֲבַר חַד בַּלְדָּר וְנִכְשַׁל בָּהּ וְנָפַל וָמֵת, אֲזַל פַּשְׁפְּשׁוּנֵיהּ וְאַשְׁכְּחוּנֵיהּ טָעִין כְּתָבִין בִּישִׁין עַל יְהוּדָאֵי דְּקֵסָרִין. טִיטוּס הָרָשָׁע נִכְנַס לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ וְגִדֵּר אֶת שְׁתֵּי הַפָּרוֹכוֹת, וְנָטַל שְׁתֵּי זוֹנוֹת וּבְעָלָן עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְיָצָא חַרְבּוֹ מְלֵאָה דָּם. אִית דְּאָמְרֵי מִדַּם הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי מִדַּם שָׂעִיר שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. וְחֵרֵף וְגִדֵּף, וְנָטַל כָּל כְּלֵי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וַעֲשָׂאָן כְּמִין גּוּרְגּוּתְנִי אַחַת וְהִתְחִיל מְחָרֵף וּמְגַדֵּף כְּלַפֵּי מַעֲלָה, וְאָמַר, לָא דָּמֵי הַהוּא דְּעָבֵיד קְרָבָא עִם מַלְכָּא בְּמַדְבְּרָא וְנָצַח לֵיהּ, לְהַהוּא דְּעָבֵיד קְרָבָא עִם מַלְכָּא בְּגוֹ פָּלָטִין דִּידֵיהּ וְנָצַח לֵיהּ. יָרַד לַסְּפִינָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּרַד מְחָאֵיהּ נַחְשְׁלָא בְּיַמָּא. אֲמַר דּוֹמֶה זֶה שֶׁאֵין כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל אֱלוֹהַּ שֶׁל אֻמָּה זוֹ אֶלָּא בַּמַּיִם, דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ לֹא פָּרַע מֵהֶן אֶלָּא בַּמַּיִם, דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל לֹא פָּרַע מֵהֶן אֶלָּא בַּמַּיִם, פַּרְעֹה וְכָל חֵילוֹ לֹא פָּרַע מֵהֶן אֶלָּא בַּמַּיִם. אַף אֲנִי כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ וּבִרְשׁוּתוֹ לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בִּי, וְעַכְשָׁיו לְכָאן קִדְמַנִּי. סָבוּר הוּא שֶׁיַּהַרְגֵּנִי בַּמַּיִם. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רָשָׁע, חַיֶּיךָ מִבְּרִיָה שֶׁהִיא פְּחוּתָה מִכָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁבָּרָאתִי מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, בָּהּ אֲנִי נִפְרַע מֵאוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע. מִיָּד רָמַז הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַשַֹּׂר שֶׁל יָם וְעָמַד מִזַּעְפּוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְרוֹמִי יָצְאוּ כָּל גְּדוֹלֵי רוֹמִי לִקְרָאתוֹ וְקִלְּסוּ אוֹתוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה לְרוֹמִי נִכְנַס לַמֶּרְחָץ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא הֵבִיאוּ פְּיָילִי פּוֹטִירִין שֶׁל יַיִן לִשְׁתּוֹתוֹ, וְנִכְנַס יַתּוּשׁ בְּתוֹךְ חוֹטְמוֹ, וְהָיָה נוֹקֵר אֶת מֹחוֹ וְהוֹלֵךְ עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה גָּדוֹל כְּמוֹ גּוֹזָל שֶׁל שְׁתֵּי לִיטְרָאוֹת. וְהָיָה מְצַוֶּה וְאוֹמֵר פִּצְעוּ מֹחוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ וּדְעוּ בַּמֶּה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם שֶׁל יְהוּדִים נִפְרַע מֵאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ. מִיָּד קָרְאוּ לָרוֹפְאִים וּפָצְעוּ מֹחוֹ, וְהוֹצִיאוּ כְּגוֹזָל שֶׁל שְׁתֵּי לִיטְרָאוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אֲנָא חֲמִיתֵּיהּ בְּרוֹמִי תַּרְתֵּין לִיטְרִין מֵהָכָא וְגוֹזָלָא מֵהָכָא, וּתְקַל חָד לָקֳבֵל חָד. וְנָטְלוּ אוֹתוֹ וְנָתְנוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּתוֹךְ קְעָרָה אַחַת, כָּל מַה דַּהֲוָה הָדֵין שַׁנֵּי, הֲוָה הָדֵין שַׁנֵּי, פְּרַח יַתּוּשָׁה, פְּרַחָה נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּטִיטוּס הָרָשָׁע. 21.4. תִּתְקְפֵהוּ לָנֶצַח וַיַּהֲלֹךְ מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵהוּ (איוב יד, כ), תֹּקֶף שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן לָנֶצַח, לְעוֹלָם הָיָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִנִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהָלַךְ אַחַר דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל נָחָשׁ, מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵהוּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשְּׁלָחוֹ הִתְחִיל מְקוֹנֵן עָלָיו וְאוֹמֵר: הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ. 56.2. אָמַר לְיִצְחָק, בְּנִי, רוֹאֶה אַתָּה מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה, אָמַר לוֹ הֵן. אָמַר לִשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו, רוֹאִים אַתֶּם מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ לַאו. אָמַר הוֹאִיל וַחֲמוֹר אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה וְאַתֶּם אֵין אַתֶּם רוֹאִים (בראשית כב, ה): שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר. וּמִנַּיִין שֶׁהָעֲבָדִים דּוֹמִין לִבְהֵמָה, מֵהָכָא, שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר, עַם הַחֲמוֹר. רַבָּנָן מַיְתֵי לֵיהּ מֵהָכָא מִמַּתַּן תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, ט י): שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וְעָשִׂיתָ כָּל מְלַאכְתֶּךָ וגו' אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ וְעַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ וּבְהֶמְתֶּךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק עָתִיד הַמָּקוֹם לִרָחֵק מִבְּעָלָיו, וּלְעוֹלָם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (תהלים קלב, יד): זֹאת מְנוּחָתִי עֲדֵי עַד פֹּה אֵשֵׁב, לִכְשֶׁיָּבוֹא אוֹתוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (זכריה ט, ט): עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר. (בראשית כב, ה): וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי נֵלֵךְ וְנִרְאֶה מַה יִּהְיֶה בְּסוֹפוֹ שֶׁל כֹּה. (בראשית כב, ה): וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם, בִּשְֹּׂרוֹ שֶׁהוּא חוֹזֵר מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָה בְּשָׁלוֹם. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק הַכֹּל בִּזְכוּת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, וְאַבְרָהָם לֹא חָזַר מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה בְּשָׁלוֹם אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם. יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא נִגְאֲלוּ אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, לא): וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם וגו' וַיִקְדּוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ. הַתּוֹרָה לֹא נִתְּנָה אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כד, א): וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם מֵרָחֹק. חַנָּה לֹא נִפְקְדָה אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א א, כח): וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ שָׁם לַה': הַגָּלֻיּוֹת אֵינָן מִתְכַּנְסוֹת אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כז, יג): וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל וגו' וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַה' בְּהַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם. בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא נִבְנָה אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צט, ט): רוֹמְמוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְהַר קָדְשׁוֹ. הַמֵּתִים אֵינָן חַיִּין אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צה, ו): בֹּאוּ נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנִכְרָעָה נִבְרְכָה לִפְנֵי ה' עֹשֵׂנוּ. 62.2. וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ יִצְחָק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל אֶל מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה (בראשית כה, ט), כָּאן בֶּן הָאָמָה חוֹלֵק כָּבוֹד לְבֶן הַגְּבִירָה. (בראשית כה, י): הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר קָנָה אַבְרָהָם, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא וַהֲלוֹא מִקְבוּרָתָהּ שֶׁל שָׂרָה לִקְבוּרָתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם שְׁלשִׁים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה שָׁנָה, וְהָכָא אַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית כה, י): שָׁמָּה קֻבַּר אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ, אֶלָּא בָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁגָּמַל חֶסֶד לְשָׂרָה זָכָה לִגְמֹל חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן שֵׁם וְעֵבֶר הָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין לִפְנֵי מִטָּתוֹ וְרָאוּ גַּבָּהּ מָקוֹם מֻפְנֶה לְאָבִינוּ אַבְרָהָם וְקָבְרוּ אוֹתוֹ בִּדְיוֹטְרִין שֶׁלּוֹ בַּמָּקוֹם הַמּוּכָן וּמְזֻמָּן לוֹ. | 56.2. He then said to him [Itzchak]: ‘Itzchak, my son do you what I see?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied. He said to his two servants: ‘Do you see what I see?’ ‘No,’ they answered. ‘Since you do not see it, “stay here with the donkey,” (Gen. 22:5), he bade them, because you are like the donkey, it follows that slaves are like cattle. The Rabbis proved [it from this verse spoken at] the Revelation: Six days you shall labor, and do all your work … you, nor your daughter, nor your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your cattle (Ex. 20:10). R. Itzchak said: This place shall one day be alienated from its Owner. For ever? [No], for it is stated, “This is My resting-place forever; here will I dwell for I have desired it” (Ps. 132:14) — when he comes of whom it is written, “Lowly, and riding upon a donkey” (Zech. 1:9). “And I and the lad will go just there” — Ad Koh. Said R. Joshua b. Levi: We will go and see what is to be the eventual outcome of Koh. “And we will worship, and we will come back to you.” He informed him [through these words] that he [Itzchak] would return safely from Mount Moriah. R. Itzchak said: Everything happened as a reward for worshipping. Abraham returned in peace from Mount Moriah only as a reward for worshipping. “And we will worship, and we will come back to you.” Israel were redeemed only as a reward for worshipping: “And the people believed … then they bowed their heads and worshipped” (Ex. 4:31). The Torah was given only as a reward for worshipping: “And worship y’all afar off” (Ex. 24:1). Hannah was remembered only as a reward for worshipping: “And they worshipped before the Lord” (I Sam. 1:19). The exiles will be reassembled only as a reward for worshipping: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great horn shall be blown; and they shall come that were lost … and that were dispersed … and they shall worship Ad-nai in the holy mountain at Jerusalem” (Isa. 27:13). The Temple was built only as a reward for worshipping: “Exalt y’all Ad-nai our God, and worship at His holy mountain” (Ps. 99:9). The dead will come to life again only as a reward for worshipping: “O come, let us worship and bend the knee; let us kneel before Ad-nai our Maker (Ps 95:6)." |
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21. Anon., Leviticus Rabba, 3.6, 5.4, 9.3, 20.2, 25.1 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 3.6. וֶהֱבִיאָהּ אֶל בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן (ויקרא ב, ב), תָּנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּא וַאֲפִלּוּ רִבּוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן (משלי יד, כח): בְּרָב עָם הַדְּרַת מֶלֶךְ. (ויקרא ב, ב): וְקָמַץ מִשָּׁם מְלֹא קֻמְצוֹ מִסָּלְתָּהּ וּמִשַּׁמְנָהּ, מִסַּלְתָּהּ וְלֹא כָּל סָלְתָּהּ, מִשַּׁמְנָהּ וְלֹא כָּל שַׁמְנָהּ, הֲרֵי שֶׁהֵבִיא מִנְחָתוֹ מִגּוֹלָה מֵאַסְפַּמְיָא וְרָאָה אֶת הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁהִקְמִיץ וְאָכַל אֶת הַשְּׁאָר, אָמַר אוֹי לִי, כָּל הַצַּעַר הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּצְטַעַרְתִּי בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה, וְהַכֹּל מְפַיְּסִין אוֹתוֹ וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ וּמָה אִם זֶה שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַעֵר אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי פְּסִיעוֹת בֵּין הָאוּלָם לַמִּזְבֵּחַ זָכָה לֶאֱכֹל, אַתָּה שֶׁנִּצְטַעַרְתָּ כָּל הַצַּעַר הַזֶּה, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא (ויקרא ב, ג): וְהַנּוֹתֶרֶת מִן הַמִּנְחָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר אַבָּא אֲזַל לְחַד אֲתַר אַשְׁכָּחָא הָדֵין פְּסוּקָא רֹאשׁ סִדְרָא: וְהַנּוֹתֶרֶת מִן הַמִּנְחָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו, מַה פָּתַח עֲלָהּ (תהלים יז, יד): מִמְתִים יָדְךָ ה' מִמְתִים מֵחֶלֶד. מִמְתִים יָדְךָ ה', מַה גִּבּוֹרִים הֵם אֵלּוּ שֶׁנָּטְלוּ חֶלְקָן מִתַּחַת יָדְךָ ה', וְאֵיזֶה זֶה שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי. מִמְתִים מֵחֶלֶד, אֵלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא נָטְלוּ חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ. חֶלְקָם בַּחַיִּים, אֵלּוּ קָדְשֵׁי מִקְדָּשׁ. וּצְפוּנְךָ תְּמַלֵּא בִטְנָם, אֵלּוּ קָדְשֵׁי הַגְּבוּל. יִשְׂבְּעוּ בָנִים, (ויקרא ו, יא): כָּל זָכָר בִּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן יֹאכְלֶנָּה. וְהִנִּיחוּ יִתְרָם לְעוֹלְלֵיהֶם, וְהַנּוֹתֶרֶת מִן הַמִּנְחָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו, אַהֲרֹן זָכָה לְבָנִים בֵּין כְּשֵׁרִים בֵּין פְּסוּלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ב, ה): בְּרִיתִי הָיְתָה אִתּוֹ הַחַיִּים וְהַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁהָיָה רוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. (מלאכי ב, ה): וָאֶתְּנֵם לוֹ מוֹרָא וַיִּירָאֵנִי, שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה וּבִרְתֵת וּבְזִיעַ. מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (מלאכי ב, ה): מִפְּנֵי שְׁמִי נִחַת, אָמְרוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּצַק משֶׁה שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה עַל רֹאשׁ אַהֲרֹן, נִרְתַּע וְנָפַל לַאֲחוֹרָיו, וְאָמַר, אוֹי לִי שֶׁמָּא מָעַלְתִּי בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה. הֵשִׁיבָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאָמְרָה לוֹ (תהלים קלג, א ג): הִנֵּה מַה טּוֹב וּמַה נָּעִים שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם יָחַד כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ וגו' כְּטַל חֶרְמוֹן שֶׁיּוֹרֵד וגו'. מַה הַטַּל אֵין בּוֹ מְעִילָה אַף הַשֶּׁמֶן אֵין בּוֹ מְעִילָה. כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ יוֹרֵד עַל הַזָּקָן זְקַן אַהֲרֹן, וְכִי שְׁנֵי זְקָנִים הָיוּ לְאַהֲרֹן וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הַזָּקָן זְקַן, אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה משֶׁה אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן יוֹרֵד עַל זְקַן אַהֲרֹן הָיָה שָׂמֵחַ כְּאִלּוּ עַל זְקָנוֹ יָרָד. (מלאכי ב, ו): תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת הָיְתָה בְּפִיהוּ, שֶׁלֹּא אָסַר אֶת הַמֻּתָּר וְלֹא הִתִּיר אֶת הָאָסוּר. בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר הָלַךְ אִתִּי, שֶׁלֹּא הִרְהֵר אַחַר דַּרְכֵי הַמָּקוֹם, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁלֹּא הִרְהֵר אָבִינוּ אַבְרָהָם. וְרַבִּים הֵשִׁיב מֵעָוֹן, שֶׁהֵשִׁיב פּוֹשְׁעִים לְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שיר השירים א, ד): מֵישָׁרִים אֲהֵבוּךָ, מַה כְּתִיב בּוֹ בַּסּוֹף (מלאכי ב, ז): כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַעַת וְתוֹרָה יְבַקְּשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ וגו'. 5.4. מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ (משלי יח, טז), מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁהָלְכוּ לְחוֹלוֹת אַנְטוֹכְיָא לְעֵסֶק מִגְבַת צְדָקָה לַחֲכָמִים, וַהֲוָה תַּמָּן חַד בַּר נָשׁ וַהֲוָה שְׁמֵיהּ אַבָּא יוּדָן, וַהֲוָה יָהֵיב פַּרְנָסָה בְּעַיִן טוֹבָה, פַּעַם אַחַת יָרַד מִנְּכָסָיו וְרָאָה רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שָׁם וְנִתְכַּרְכְּמוּ פָנָיו, הָלַךְ לוֹ אֵצֶל אִשְׁתּוֹ, אָמְרָה לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ מִפְּנֵי מָה פָּנֶיךָ חוֹלָנִיּוֹת, אָמַר לָהּ רַבּוֹתַי כָּאן וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת, אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה צַדֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ אָמְרָה לוֹ לֹא נִשְׁתַּיֵּר לָנוּ אֶלָּא שָׂדֶה פְּלוֹנִי בִּלְבָד, לֵךְ מְכֹר חֶצְיָהּ וּתְנָהּ לָהֶן, הָלַךְ וּמָכַר חֶצְיָה וּנְתָנָהּ לָהֶן, נִתְפַּלְּלוּ עָלָיו וְאָמְרוּ הַמָּקוֹם יְמַלֵּא חֶסְרוֹנְךָ. לְאַחַר יָמִים הָלַךְ לַחֲרשׁ בַּחֲצִי שָׂדֵהוּ, עִם כְּשֶׁהוּא חוֹרֵשׁ נִפְתְּחָה הָאָרֶץ לְפָנָיו וְנָפְלָה פָּרָתוֹ שָׁם וְנִשְׁבְּרָה רַגְלָהּ, יָרַד לְהַעֲלוֹתָהּ וְהֵאִיר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֵינוֹ וּמָצָא שָׁם סִימָה, אָמַר לְטוֹבָתִי נִשְׁבְּרָה רֶגֶל פָּרָתִי. בַּחֲזִירַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לְשָׁם שָׁאֲלוּ עָלָיו וְאָמְרוּ מָה אַבָּא יוּדָן עָבֵיד, אֲמַר לְהוֹן הוּא אַבָּא יוּדָן דְּעַבְדֵי, אַבָּא יוּדָן דְּעִזְּיָן, אַבָּא יוּדָן דִּגְמַלֵּי, אַבָּא יוּדָן דְּתוֹרֵי, מַן יָכוֹל לְמֶחֱמֵי סְבַר אַפּוֹיָא דְאַבָּא יוּדָן. כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע יָצָא לִקְרָאתָן, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ מָה אַבָּא יוּדָן עָבֵיד, אֲמַר לָהֶן עָשְׂתָה תְּפִלַּתְכֶם פֵּרוֹת וּפֵרֵי פֵּרוֹת, אָמְרוּ לוֹ חַיֶּיךָ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנָּתְנוּ אֲחֵרִים יוֹתֵר מִמְּךָ לְךָ כָּתַבְנוּ בָּרֹאשׁ, נְטָלוּהוּ וְהוֹשִׁיבוּהוּ אֶצְלָן וְקָרְאוּ עָלָיו זֶה הַפָּסוּק: מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָזַל לְבָצְרָה וַהֲוָה תַּמָּן חַד בַּר נָשׁ וַהֲוָה שְׁמֵיהּ אַבָּא יוּדָן רַמַּאי, וְחַס וְשָׁלוֹם לָא הֲוָה רַמַּאי, אֶלָּא דַּהֲוָה מְרַמֵּי בְּמִצְוָתָא, כַּד הַוְיָן פָּסְקִין כָּל עַמָּה, הֲוָה פָּסֵיק כָּל קֳבֵל כֻּלְּהוֹן, נְטָלוֹ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ וְהוֹשִׁיבוֹ אֶצְלוֹ וְקָרָא עָלָיו הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה: מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ. רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא עָבֵיד פְּסִיקָה לְמִתַּן בְּבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא דִטְבֶרְיָא, וַהֲוָה תַּמָּן חַד בַּר נָשׁ מִן בְּנוֹ דְסִילְכָא וּפָסַק חָדָא לִיטְרָא דִּדְהַב, נְטָלוֹ רַבִּי חִיָא בַּר אַבָּא וְהוֹשִׁיבוֹ אֶצְלוֹ וְקָרָא עָלָיו הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה: מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ כְּתִיב (דברים יב, יט): הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן תַּעֲזֹב אֶת הַלֵּוִי, וּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ (דברים יב, כ): כִּי יַרְחִיב ה' אֶת גְּבֻלְךָ, וְכִי מָה עִנְיָן זֶה לָזֶה, אֶלָּא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְפִי מַתְּנוֹתֶיךָ מַרְחִיבִין לְךָ. רַבִּי אַחָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא עֶבֶד מֵבִיא פָּר וְרַבּוֹ מֵבִיא פָּר, הָעֶבֶד קֹדֶם לְרַבּוֹ, דִּתְנַן תַּמָּן (גמרא הוריות יב, ב): פַּר הַמָּשִׁיחַ וּפַר הָעֵדָה עוֹמְדִים, פַּר הַמָּשִׁיחַ קוֹדֵם לְפַר הָעֵדָה לְכָל מַעֲשָׂיו. 9.3. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְשָׂם דֶּרֶךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי וְשָׁם כְּתִיב דְּשָׁיֵם אָרְחֵיהּ, סַגֵּי שָׁוֵי, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יַנַּאי שֶׁהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְרָאָה אָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְשֻׁפַּע בְּיוֹתֵר, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַשְׁגַּח רַבִּי מִתְקַבְּלָא גַבָּן, אֲמַר לוֹ אִין, הִכְנִיסוֹ לְבֵיתוֹ הֶאֱכִילוֹ וְהִשְׁקָהוּ, בְּדָקוֹ בְּמִקְרָא וְלֹא מְצָאוֹ, בְּמִשְׁנָה וְלֹא מְצָאוֹ, בְּאַגָּדָה וְלֹא מְצָאוֹ, בְּתַלְמוּד וְלֹא מְצָאוֹ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ סַב בְּרִיךְ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ יְבָרֵךְ יַנַּאי בְּבֵיתֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִית בָּךְ אֲמַר מַה דַּאֲנָא אֲמַר לָךְ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֱמֹר אָכוֹל כַּלְבָּא פִּיסְתְּיָא דְּיַנַּאי, קָם תַּפְסֵיהּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ יְרוּתָתִי גַבָּךְ דְּאַתְּ מוֹנֵעַ לִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמַה יַרְתּוּתָךְ גַבִּי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ חַד זְמַן הֲוֵינָא עָבַר קַמֵּי בֵּית סִפְרָא, וּשְׁמָעִית קָלְהוֹן דְּמֵנִיקַיָא אָמְרִין (דברים לג, ד): תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ משֶׁה מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב, מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַנַּאי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָמָּה זָכִיתָ לְמֵיכְלָא עַל פְּתוֹרִי, אֲמַר לוֹ מִיּוֹמַי לָא שְׁמָעִית מִילָא בִּישָׁא וְחִזַּרְתִּי לְמָרַהּ, וְלָא חָמֵית תְּרֵין דְּמִתְכַּתְּשִׁין דֵּין עִם דֵּין וְלָא יְהַבִית שְׁלָמָא בֵּינֵיהוֹן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ כָּל הֲדָא דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ גַּבָּךְ וְקָרִיתָךְ כַּלְבָּא, קָרָא עֲלֵיהּ שָׁם דֶּרֶךְ, דְּשָׁיֵם אָרְחֵיהּ סַגֵּי שָׁוֵי, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּר רַב נַחְמָן עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁשָּׁה דוֹרוֹת קָדְמָה דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ג, כד): לִשְׁמֹר אֶת דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים, דֶּרֶךְ, זוֹ דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים, זוֹ תּוֹרָה. אַרְאֶנּוּ בְּיֵשַׁע אֱלֹהִים, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת שֶׁיְשׁוּעָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְשׁוּעָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל (תהלים פ, ג): וּלְכָה לִישֻׁעָתָה לָּנוּ. 20.2. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אַחֲרֵי מוֹת, רַבִּי לֵוִי פָּתַח (תהלים עה, ה): אָמַרְתִּי לַהוֹלְלִים אַל תָּהוֹלוּ, לַהוֹלְלִים, לִמְעַרְבְּבַיָּא, אֵלּוּ שֶׁלִּבָּם מָלֵא עֲלֵיהֶם חַלְחוֹלִיּוֹת רָעוֹת, רַבִּי לֵוִי הֲוָה צָוַח לְהוֹן אַלְלַיָיא, שֶׁמְבִיאִין אַלְלַי לָעוֹלָם. (תהלים עה, ה): וְלָרְשָׁעִים אַל תָּרִימוּ קָרֶן, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָרְשָׁעִים, הַצַּדִּיקִים לֹא שָׂמְחוּ בְּעוֹלָמִי וְאַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁין לִשְׂמֹחַ. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אָמַר תַּפּוּחַ עֲקֵבוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן הָיָה מַכְּהֶה גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, קְלַסְתֵּר פָּנָיו עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה דִיסְקָרִי, אֶחָד לוֹ וְאֶחָד לְבֵיתוֹ, שֶׁל מִי עוֹשֶׂה נָאֶה לֹא אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, כָּךְ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן נִבְרָא לְתַשְׁמִישׁ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְגַלְגַּל חַמָּה לְתַשְׁמִישָׁן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא, שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה חֻפּוֹת קָשַׁר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּגַן עֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כח, יג): בְּעֵדֶן גַּן אֱלֹהִים הָיִיתָ כָּל אֶבֶן יְקָרָה מְסֻכָתֶךָ אֹדֶם פִּטְדָה וְיַהֲלֹם תַּרְשִׁישׁ שֹׁהַם וְיָשְׁפֵה סַפִּיר נֹפֶךְ וּבָרְקַת וְזָהָב מְלֶאכֶת תֻּפֶּיךָ וּנְקָבֶיךָ בָּךְ בְּיוֹם הִבָּרַאֲךָ כּוֹנָנוּ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר חַד עֲשַׂר, וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי עֲשַׂר, וְלָא פְּלִיגֵי מַאן דַעֲבַד לְהוֹן תְּלַת עֲשַׂר עָבֵיד כָּל אֶבֶן יְקָרָה מְסֻכָתֶךָ תְּלַת, מַאן דַּעֲבַד לְהוֹן חַד סַר, עֲבֵיד לְהוּ חָדָא, מַאן דַעֲבַד לְהוֹן עֲשָׂרָה לָא עֲבֵיד חַד מִנְהוֹן, וְאַחַר כָּל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה (בראשית ג, יט): כִּי עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל עָפָר תָּשׁוּב. אַבְרָהָם לֹא שָׂמַח בְּעוֹלָמִי וְאַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁים לִשְמֹחַ. נוֹלַד לוֹ בֵּן לְמֵאָה שָׁנָה וּבַסּוֹף אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (בראשית כב, ב): קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ, וְהָלַךְ אַבְרָהָם מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים, לְאַחַר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים רָאָה עָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל גַּב הָהָר, אָמַר לוֹ בְּנִי רוֹאֶה אַתָּה מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה, אָמַר לֵיהּ הֵן, מָה אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אָמַר לֵיהּ עָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל גַּב הָהָר אֲנִי רוֹאֶה, אָמַר לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל וְלֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר רוֹאִים אַתֶּם כְּלוּם, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ לָאו, אָמַר לָהֶם הוֹאִיל וְאֵינְכֶם רוֹאִים כְּלוּם וַחֲמוֹר זֶה אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה (בראשית כב, ה): שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר, עַם הַדּוֹמִים לַחֲמוֹר. נָטַל אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וְהֶעֱלָהוּ הָרִים וְהוֹרִידוֹ גְּבָעוֹת, הֶעֱלָהוּ עַל אֶחָד מִן הֶהָרִים וּבָנָה מִזְבֵּחַ וְסִדֵּר עֵצִים וְעָרַךְ מַעֲרָכָה וְנָטַל אֶת הַסַּכִּין לְשָׁחֲטוֹ, וְאִלּוּלֵי שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ מַלְאָךְ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּבָר הָיָה נִשְׁחָט. תֵּדַע שֶׁכֵּן, שֶׁחָזַר יִצְחָק אֵצֶל אִמּוֹ, וְאָמְרָה לוֹ אָן הָיִיתָ בְּרִי, אָמַר לָהּ נְטָלַנִּי אָבִי וְהֶעֱלַנִי הָרִים וְהוֹרִידַנִּי גְבָעוֹת וכו', אָמְרָה וַוי עַל בְּרִי דְרֵיוָתָא, אִלּוּלֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ כְּבָר הָיִיתָ שָׁחוּט, אָמַר לָהּ אִין. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה צָוְחָה שִׁשָּׁה קוֹלוֹת כְּנֶגֶד שִׁשָּׁה תְּקִיעוֹת, אָמְרוּ לֹא הִסְפִּיקָה אֶת הַדָּבָר עַד שֶׁמֵּתָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית כג, ב): וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם לִסְפֹּד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ, וּמֵהֵיכָן בָּא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָה בָּא, וְהָיָה אַבְרָהָם מְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם נִמְצָא בּוֹ פְּסוּל וְלֹא נִתְקַבֵּל קָרְבָּנוֹ, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ (קהלת ט, ז): לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ. יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׂמְחוּ בְּעוֹלָמִי, שָׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֹשָׂיו אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא (תהלים קמט, ב): יִשְׂמַח, עֲתִידִין הֵן לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. כִּבְיָכוֹל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא שָׂמַח בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, שָׂמַח ה' בְּמַעֲשָׂיו אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא (תהלים קד, לא): יִשְׂמַח, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. אֱלִישֶׁבַע בַּת עֲמִינָדָב לֹא שָׂמְחָה בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁרָאֲתָה חֲמִשָּׁה כְּתָרִים בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, יְבָמָהּ מֶלֶךְ, אָחִיהָ נָשִׂיא, בַּעֲלָהּ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, שְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ שְׁנֵי סְגָנֵי כְּהֻנָּה, פִּנְחָס בֶּן בְּנָהּ מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בָּנֶיהָ לְהַקְרִיב וְנִשְׂרְפוּ, נֶהְפְּכָה שִׂמְחָתָהּ לְאֵבֶל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן. 25.1. וְכִי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כָּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל (ויקרא יט, כג), הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי ג, יח): עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ דִבְרֵי תוֹרָה בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּאָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בַּת בּוֹגֶרֶת וְהוּא רוֹצֶה לְהַשִּׂיאָהּ לְאֶחָד, אֶלָּא (משלי ב, א): בְּנִי אִם תִּקַּח אֲמָרָי וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפֹּן אִתָּךְ, אִם יֵשׁ לְךָ זְכוּת קַח אֲמָרָי. רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר לִבְנוֹ צֵא לִפְרַקְמַטְיָא, אָמַר לוֹ אַבָּא מִתְיָרֵא אֲנִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ מֵהַלִּסְטִים וּבַיָּם מִפְּנֵי אַפִּירָטִין, מֶה עָשָׂה אָבִיו נָטַל מַקֵּל וַחֲקָקוֹ וְנָתַן בּוֹ קָמֵיעַ וּנְתָנָהּ לִבְנוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ יְהִי הַמַּקֵּל הַזֶּה בְּיָדֶךָ וְאִי אַתָּה מִתְיָרֵא מִשּׁוּם בְּרִיָּה, אַף כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, אֱמֹר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בָּנַי עִסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וְאֵין אַתֶּם מִתְיָרְאִים מִשּׁוּם אֻמָּה, אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לָעֲמֵלִים בָּהּ, לֹא הָיְתָה תְּקוּמָה לְשׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים. אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִלְמַד, לֹא הָיְתָה תְּקוּמָה לְשׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא (דברים כז, כו): אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָקִים אֶת [כל] דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ. רַב הוּנָא אָמַר אִם נִכְשַׁל אָדָם בַּעֲבֵרָה חַיָּב מִיתָה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה וְיִחְיֶה, אִם הָיָה לָמוּד לִקְרוֹת דַּף אֶחָד קוֹרֵא שְׁנֵי דַפִּים, וְאִם הָיָה לָמוּד לִשְׁנוֹת פֶּרֶק אֶחָד יִשְׁנֶה שְׁנַיִם, וְאִם אֵינוֹ לָמוּד לִקְרוֹת וְלִשְׁנוֹת, מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה וְיִחְיֶה, יֵלֵךְ וְיֵעָשֶׂה פַּרְנָס עַל הַצִּבּוּר וְגַבַּאי שֶׁל צְדָקָה וְהוּא חַי, שֶׁאִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר אָרוּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִלְמַד, לֹא הָיְתָה תְּקוּמָה, אֶלָּא אָרוּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָקִים. אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר עֵץ חַיִּים לָעֲמֵלִים בָּהּ, לֹא הָיְתָה תְּקוּמָה, אֶלָּא עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ. (קהלת ז, יב): כִּי בְּצֵל הַחָכְמָה בְּצֵל הַכָּסֶף, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בֶּן רַבִּי חִיָּא לָמַד אָדָם וְלִמֵּד וְשָׁמַר וְעָשָׂה וְהָיְתָה סִפֵּק בְּיָדוֹ לְמַחוֹת וְלֹא מִחָה, לְהַחֲזִיק וְלֹא הֶחֱזִיק, הֲרֵי זֶה בִּכְלַל אָרוּר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אָרוּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָקִים. רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה אָמַר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא לֹא לָמַד אָדָם וְלֹא עָשָׂה וְלֹא שָׁמַר וְלֹא לִמֵּד לַאֲחֵרִים וְלֹא הָיְתָה סִפֵּק בְּיָדוֹ לְהַחֲזִיק וְהֶחֱזִיק, וְלֹא לְמַחוֹת וּמִחָה, הֲרֵי זֶה בִּכְלַל בָּרוּךְ. | 9.3. Another opinion regarding the verse (Ps. 50:23) “And there is a path, I will show him the salvation of God”- Rabbi Yanai said: the it is written the one who puts a path[with a sin and not a shin], meaning that two ways are similar [in bringing one to salvation] Rabbi Yannai was once walking along the road, and saw a man who was extremely well dressed. Rabbi Yannai said to him: Would you like to come over to my house? The man replied: Yes. Rabbi Yannai brought him into his home, and gave him food and drink. As they were eating and drinking together, he examined him in his knowledge of Bible, and found out that he had none; examined his knowledge of Mishnah, and realized that he had none; his knowledge of legends, and saw that he had none; his knowledge of Talmud and saw he had none. Rabbi Yannai then told him: Wash and recite grace. Said the guest: Let Yannai recite grace in his own home. Seeing that he could not even recite a blessing, Yannai told him: Can you at least repeat what I say? Said he: Yes. Said Rabbi Yannai: repeat the following: 'A dog has eaten Yannai's bread.' offended, the man stood up, and grabbed Rabbi Yannai by the coat! He then said: My inheritance is with you, and you are withholding it from me! Said Rabbi Yannai with puzzlement: What legacy of yours is there with me? He replied: Once I passed by a school, and I heard the voices of the little children saying: 'Moses gave us the Torah, the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.' They did not say 'the inheritance of the congregation of Yannai,' but the 'congregation of Jacob.' Rabbi Yannai asked, “How then are you worthy to eat at my table?” The guest replied, “Never have I heard an evil word spoken against me and returned to argue with the person who spoke it. Never have I seen two people arguing without making peace between them.” Rabbi Yannai then said, “you have so much Derech Eretz and I called you a dog.” On him rabbi Yanai said the verse “And there is a path” – meaning not one, but two paths take you to salvation – since rabbi Ishmael son of rav Nachman said: Derech eretz precedes Torah by 26 generations, since it is written “and to guard the way to the Tree of Life” (Genesis 3). “Way” is the derech eretz, and only after that comes “Tree of Life” which is Torah. [Back to the verse in question, Ps 50:23] I will show him the salvation of God, said rabbi Abahu: this is one of the sources for the idea that God’s salvation is Israel’s salvation (Ps. 80:3) “and come and save us”" |
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22. Anon., Sifre Deuteronomy, 329, 348, 355, 41, 2 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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23. Anon., Sifre Numbers, 115 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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24. Palestinian Talmud, Avodah Zarah, 2.8 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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25. Palestinian Talmud, Berachot, 2.8 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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26. Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zarah, 22b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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27. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra, 8a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 8a. אלו ת"ח ור"ל סבר לה כדדרש רבא (שיר השירים ח, י) אני חומה זו כנסת ישראל ושדי כמגדלות אלו בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות,רב נחמן בר רב חסדא רמא כרגא ארבנן א"ל רב נחמן בר יצחק עברת אדאורייתא ואדנביאי ואדכתובי,אדאורייתא דכתיב (דברים לג, ג) אף חובב עמים כל קדושיו בידך אמר משה לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם אפילו בשעה שאתה מחבב עמים כל קדושיו יהיו בידך והם תכו לרגלך תני רב יוסף אלו תלמידי חכמים שמכתתים רגליהם מעיר לעיר וממדינה למדינה ללמוד תורה ישא מדברותיך לישא וליתן בדבורותיו של מקום,אדנביאי דכתיב (הושע ח, י) גם כי יתנו בגוים עתה אקבצם ויחלו מעט ממשא מלך ושרים אמר עולא פסוק זה בלשון ארמית נאמר אי תנו כולהו עתה אקבצם ואם מעט מהם יחלו ממשא מלך ושרים,אדכתובי דכתיב (עזרא ז, כד) מנדה בלו והלך לא שליט למרמא עליהם ואמר רב יהודה מנדה זו מנת המלך בלו זו כסף גולגלתא והלך זו ארנונא,רב פפא רמא כריא חדתא איתמי א"ל רב שישא בריה דרב אידי לרב פפא ודילמא לא מידויל אמר ליה מישקל שקילנא מנייהו אי מידויל מידויל ואי לא מהדרנא לה ניהלייהו,אמר רב יהודה הכל לאגלי גפא אפילו מיתמי אבל רבנן לא צריכי נטירותא הכל לכריא פתיא אפילו מרבנן ולא אמרן אלא דלא נפקי באכלוזא אבל נפקי באכלוזא רבנן לאו בני מיפק באכלוזא נינהו:,רבי פתח אוצרות בשני בצורת אמר יכנסו בעלי מקרא בעלי משנה בעלי גמרא בעלי הלכה בעלי הגדה אבל עמי הארץ אל יכנסו דחק רבי יונתן בן עמרם ונכנס אמר לו רבי פרנסני אמר לו בני קרית אמר לו לאו שנית אמר לו לאו אם כן במה אפרנסך [אמר לו] פרנסני ככלב וכעורב פרנסיה,בתר דנפק יתיב רבי וקא מצטער ואמר אוי לי שנתתי פתי לעם הארץ אמר לפניו ר' שמעון בר רבי שמא יונתן בן עמרם תלמידך הוא שאינו רוצה ליהנות מכבוד תורה מימיו בדקו ואשכח אמר רבי יכנסו הכל,רבי לטעמיה דאמר רבי אין פורענות בא לעולם אלא בשביל עמי הארץ כההוא דמי כלילא דשדו אטבריא אתו לקמיה דרבי ואמרו ליה ליתבו רבנן בהדן אמר להו לא אמרו ליה ערוקינן [אמר להו] ערוקו ערקו פלגיהון דליוה פלגא,אתו הנהו פלגא קמי דרבי א"ל ליתבו רבנן בהדן אמר להו לא ערוקינן ערוקו ערקו כולהו פש ההוא כובס שדיוה אכובס ערק כובס פקע כלילא א"ר ראיתם שאין פורענות בא לעולם אלא בשביל עמי הארץ:,וכמה יהא בעיר ויהא כאנשי העיר וכו': ורמינהי החמרת והגמלת העוברת ממקום למקום ולנה בתוכה והודחה עמהן הן בסקילה וממונן פלט,ואם נשתהו שם שלשים יום הן בסייף וממונן אבד,אמר רבא לא קשיא הא לבני מתא הא ליתובי מתא כדתניא המודר הנאה מאנשי העיר כל שנשתהא שם שנים עשר חדש אסור ליהנות ממנו פחות מכאן מותר מיושבי העיר כל שנשתהא שם שלשים יום אסור ליהנות ממנו פחות מכאן מותר ליהנות ממנו,ולכל מילי מי בעינן י"ב חדש והתניא שלשים יום לתמחוי שלשה חדשים לקופה ששה לכסות תשעה לקבורה שנים עשר לפסי העיר אמר ר' אסי אמר ר' יוחנן כי תנן נמי מתניתין שנים עשר חדש לפסי העיר תנן:,וא"ר אסי אמר ר' יוחנן הכל לפסי העיר ואפי' מיתמי אבל רבנן לא דרבנן לא צריכי נטירותא אמר רב פפא לשורא ולפרשאה ולטרזינא אפילו מיתמי אבל רבנן לא צריכי נטירותא כללא דמילתא כל מילתא דאית להו הנאה מיניה אפילו מיתמי,רבה רמא צדקה איתמי דבי בר מריון א"ל אביי והתני רב שמואל בר יהודה אין פוסקין צדקה על היתומים אפילו לפדיון שבוים אמר ליה אנא לאחשובינהו קא עבידנא,איפרא הורמיז אימיה דשבור מלכא שדרה ארנקא דדינרי לקמיה דרב יוסף אמרה ליהוי למצוה רבה יתיב רב יוסף וקא מעיין בה מאי מצוה רבה א"ל אביי מדתני רב שמואל בר יהודה אין פוסקין צדקה על היתומים אפילו לפדיון שבוים שמע מינה | 8a. bthese are Torah scholars,and towers do not require additional protection? The Gemara comments: bAnd Reish Lakish,who did not cite this verse, bholdsin accordance with the way that bRava expoundedthe verse: b“I am a wall”; thisis referring to bthe Congregation of Israel. “And my breasts are like towers”; these are the synagogues and study halls. /b,It is similarly related that bRav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisdaonce bim-posedpayment of bthepoll btax [ ikarga /i]even bon the Sages. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to him: You have transgressedthe words of bthe Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. /b,You have transgressed the words of bthe Torah, as it is written: “Even when He loves the peoples, all His holy ones are in Your hand”(Deuteronomy 33:3), which is understood to mean that bMoses said to the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, even when You hold theother bnations dearand grant them dominion over Israel, let b“all His holy ones,”meaning the Torah scholars, bbeexclusively bin Your handand free from the authority of the nations, and therefore be exempt from pay-ing taxes. The continuation of that verse can also be understood as referring to Torah scholars, as it states: b“And they sit [ itukku /i] at Your feet,receiving Your words” (Deuteronomy 33:3), and bRav Yosef teaches: These are Torah scholars who pound [ imekhatetim /i] their feet from city to city and from country to country to study Torah; “receiving [ iyissa /i] Your words,” to discuss [ ilissa velitten /i] the utterances of God. /b,And you have transgressed the words of bthe Prophets, as it is written: “Though they have hired lovers [ iyitnu /i] among the nations, now I will gather them, and they will begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of kings and princes”(Hosea 8:10). With regard to this verse, bUlla says:Part of bthis verse is stated in the Aramaic language;the word iyitnushould be understood here in its Aramaic sense: To learn. And the verse should be interpreted as follows: bIf allof Israel blearnsTorah, bI will gather themalready bnow; and ifonly ba few of themlearn Torah, bthey will be excused from the burdenimposed bby kings and princes.This indicates that those who study Torah should not be subject to paying taxes.,And furthermore, you have transgressed the words of bthe Writings, as it is written: “It shall not be lawful to impose tribute, impost or toll upon them”(Ezra 7:24), i.e., upon the priests and Levites who serve in the Temple. This ihalakhawould apply to Torah scholars as well. bAnd Rav Yehuda says: “Tribute”; thisis referring to bthe king’s portion,a tax given to the king. b“Impost”; thisis referring to bthe head tax. “Toll”; thisis referring to ba tax [ iarnona /i]paid with property that was imposed from time to time.,It is related that bRav Pappaonce bimposeda tax for bthe digging of a newcistern even bon orphans. Rav Sheisha, son of Rav Idi, said to Rav Pappa: Perhapsthey will dig, but in the end bthey will not drawany bwaterfrom there, and it will turn out that the money will have been spent for nothing. The rest of the townspeople can relinquish their rights to their money, but orphans who are minors cannot do so. Rav Pappa bsaid to him: I shall collectmoney bfromthe orphans; bif they drawwater, btheywill bdrawwater, band if not, I will returnthe money btothe orphans., bRav Yehuda says: Allof the city’s residents must contribute btothe building and upkeep of bthe city gates [ ile’aglei gappa /i],and for this purpose money is collected beven from orphans. But the Sages do not require protectionand are therefore exempt from this payment. bAllof the city’s residents must contribute bto the digging of cisterns [ ilekarya patya /i],and for this purpose money is collected beven from the Sages,since they too need water. The Gemara comments: bAnd we saidthis bonly whenthe people are bnotrequired to bgo out en masse [ ibe’akhluza /i]and do the actual digging, but are obligated merely to contribute money for that purpose. bBut ifthe people are required to bgo out en masseand actually dig, bthe Sagesare bnotexpected to bgo outwith them ben masse,but rather they are exempt from such labor.,It is related that bRabbiYehuda HaNasi once bopenedhis bstorehousesto distribute food bduring years of drought. He said: Masters of Bible, masters of Mishna, masters of Talmud, masters of ihalakha /i, masters of iaggadamay enterand receive food from me, bbut ignoramuses should not enter. Rabbi Yonatan ben Amram,whom Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did not know, bpushedhis way in, band entered,and bsaid to him: RabbiYehuda HaNasi, bsustain me.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to him: My son, have you readthe Bible? Rabbi Yonatan ben Amram bsaid to him,out of modesty: bNo.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi continued: bHave you studiedMishna? Once again, Rabbi Yonatan ben Amram bsaid to him: No.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi then asked him: bIf so, by whatmerit bshould I sustain you?Rabbi Yonatan ben Amram bsaid to him: Sustain me like a dog and like a raven,who are given food even though they have not learned anything. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was moved by his words and bfed him. /b, bAfterRabbi Yonatan bleft, RabbiYehuda HaNasi bsat, and was distressed, and said: Woe is me, that I have given my bread to an ignoramus.His son, bRabbi Shimon bar RabbiYehuda HaNasi, bsaid to him: Perhaps he was your disciple Yonatan ben Amram, who never in his life wanted tomaterially bbenefit from the honorshown to the bTorah? They investigatedthe matter band foundthat such was the case. bRabbiYehuda HaNasi then bsaid: Let everyone enter,as there may also be others who hide the fact that they are true Torah scholars.,Commenting on Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s opinion, the Gemara notes that bRabbiYehuda HaNasi conformed bto hisstandard line of breasoning,as bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsays: Suffering comes to the world only due to ignoramuses.This is blikethe incident of bthe crown tax [ ikelila /i] that was imposed onthe residents of the city of bTiberias.The heads of the city bcame before RabbiYehuda HaNasi band said to him: The Sages should contributealong bwith us.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to them: No,the Sages are exempt. bThey said to him:Then bwe will run awayand the entire burden will fall on the Torah scholars. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to them: Run awayas you please. bHalfof the city’s residents bran away.The authorities then bwaived halfthe sum that they had initially imposed on the city., bThe halfof the population that remained in the city then bcame before RabbiYehuda HaNasi, and bsaid to him: The Sages should contributealong bwith us.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to them: No,the Sages are exempt. They said to him: Then bwetoo bwill run away.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to them: bRun awayas you please. bThey all ran away,so that only bone launderer was leftin the city. The authorities bimposedthe entire tax bon the launderer. The laundererthen bran awayas well. bThe crown tax wasthen bcanceledin its entirety. bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsaid: You seefrom this bthat suffering comes to the world only due to ignoramuses,for as soon as they all fled from the city, the crown tax was completely canceled.,§ The mishna teaches: bAnd how longmust one live bin the city to beconsidered blikeone of bthe people of the city?Twelve months. bAnd we raise a contradictionfrom what is taught in a ibaraita /i: In the case of ba donkey caravan or a camel caravan that was journeying from place to place, and it lodged insidean idolatrous city, band itsmembers bwere led astrayalong bwiththe other residents of the city, and they too engaged in idol worship, bthey,the members of the caravan, are liable to death bby stoninglike ordinary individual idolaters, band their property escapesdestruction, i.e., they are not treated like the residents of an idolatrous city, who are liable to death by the sword and whose property is destroyed.,The ibaraitacontinues: bAnd ifthe caravan members bhad remainedin that city for bthirty days, theyare liable to death bby the sword and their property is destroyed,just as it is for the rest of the residents of the city. This seems to indicate that once an individual has lived in a city for thirty days, he is already considered one of its residents., bRava said:This is bnot difficult. Thisperiod, i.e., twelve months, is required in order to be considered one of the bmembers of the city;and bthatperiod, i.e., thirty days, suffices in order to be considered one of the bresidents of the city. As it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne who is prohibited by a vow from deriving benefit from the people of aparticular bcityis bprohibited from deriving benefit from anyone who has stayed therefor btwelve months,but it is permitted for him to derive benefit from anyone who has stayed there for blesstime bthan that.By contrast, if he prohibited himself by way of a vow from deriving benefit bfrom the residents of aparticular bcity,he is bprohibited from deriving benefit from anyone who has stayed therefor bthirty days,but bit is permitted for him to derive benefit fromanyone who has stayed there for blesstime bthan that. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd do we requirethat one live in a city for btwelve months for all matters? But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: If one lives in city for bthirty days,he must contribute btothe bcharity platterfrom which food is distributed to the poor. If he lives there for bthree months,he must contribute btothe charity bbox.If he lives there for bsixmonths, he must contribute btothe bclothingfund. If he lives there for bninemonths, he must contribute btothe bburialfund. If he lives there for btwelvemonths, he must contribute btothe bcolumns of the city [ ilepassei ha’ir /i],i.e., for the construction of a security fence. bRabbi Asi saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: When we learned twelve months in the mishna, we learnedthat with regard to contributing btothe bcolumns of the city,money used for protecting and strengthening the city, but not for other matters., bAnd Rabbi Asi saysthat bRabbi Yoḥa says: Allare required to contribute btothe bcolumns of the city, andmoney is collected for that purpose beven from orphans. But the Sagesare bnotrequired to contribute, bsince the Sages do not need protection. Rav Pappa said:Money is collected beven from orphans for thecity bwall, for thecity bhorseman, and for the guard [ iuletarzina /i]of the city armory, bbut the Sages do not require protection. The principle of the matteris: Money is collected beven from orphansfor banything from which theyderive bbenefit. /b,It is reported that bRabba imposeda contribution to a certain bcharity on the orphans of the house of bar Maryon. Abaye said to him: But didn’t Rav Shmuel bar Yehuda teach: One does not impose a charityobligation bon orphans even forthe sake of bredeeming captives,since they are minors and are not obligated in the mitzvot? Rabba bsaid to him: I did this to elevate themin standing, i.e., so that people should honor them as generous benefactors; not in order that the poor should benefit.,Incidental to this story, the Gemara relates that bIfera Hurmiz, the mother of King Shapur,king of Persia, bsent a purse [ iarneka /i]full bof dinars to Rav Yosef. She saidto him: bLetthe money be used bfor a great mitzva. Rav Yosef sat and consideredthe question: bWhatdid Ifera Hurmiz mean when she attached a condition to the gift, saying that it should be used for ba great mitzva? Abaye said to him: From what Rav Shmuel bar Yehuda taught,that bone does not impose a charityobligation bon orphans even forthe sake of bredeeming captives, learn from this /b |
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28. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Qamma, 49a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 49a. א"כ משהאשה יולדת משבחת אלא שמין את הולדות כמה הן יפין ונותן לבעל ואם אין לה בעל נותן ליורשיו,היתה שפחה ונשתחררה או גיורת פטור:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big טעמא דמתכוין לחבירו הא מתכוין לאשה משלם דמי ולדות לימא תיהוי תיובתא דרב אדא בר אהבה דאמר רב אדא בר אהבה שוורים שנתכוונו לאשה פטורים מדמי ולדות,אמר לך רב אדא בר אהבה הוא הדין דאפי' נתכוונו לאשה נמי פטורים מדמי ולדות והא דקתני שור שהיה מתכוין לחבירו איידי דקא בעי למיתנא סיפא אדם שהיה מתכוין לחבירו דהכי כתיב קרא קתני רישא נמי שור שהיה מתכוין לחבירו,אמר רב פפא שור שנגח את השפחה ויצאו ילדיה משלם דמי ולדות מאי טעמא חמרתא מעברתא בעלמא הוא דאזיק דאמר קרא (בראשית כב, ה) שבו לכם פה עם החמור עם הדומה לחמור:,כיצד משלם דמי ולדות: דמי ולדות שבח ולדות מיבעי ליה הכי נמי קאמר כיצד משלם דמי ולדות ושבח ולדות שמין את האשה כמה היא יפה עד שלא ילדה וכמה היא יפה משילדה:,אמר רשב"ג א"כ משהאשה יולדת משבחת: מאי קאמר אמר רבה ה"ק וכי אשה משבחת קודם שתלד יותר מלאחר שתלד והלא אשה משבחת לאחר שתלד יותר מקודם שתלד אלא שמין את הולדות ונותנין לבעל,תניא נמי הכי וכי אשה משבחת קודם שתלד יותר מלאחר שתלד והלא אשה משבחת לאחר שתלד יותר מקודם שתלד אלא שמין את הולדות ונותנין לבעל,רבא אמר הכי קתני וכי אשה למי שיולדת משבחת ואין לעצמה בשבח ולדות כלום אלא שמין את הולדות ונותנין לבעל ושבח ולדות חולקין,תניא נמי הכי אמר רשב"ג וכי אשה למי שיולדת משבחת ואין לעצמה בשבח ולדות כלום אלא שמין נזק בפני עצמו וצער בפני עצמו ושמין את הולדות ונותנין לבעל ושבח ולדות חולקין,קשיא דרשב"ג אדרשב"ג,ל"ק כאן במבכרת כאן בשאינה מבכרת,ורבנן דאמרי שבח ולדות נמי לבעל מאי טעמא כדתנן ממשמע שנאמר (שמות כא, כב) ויצאו ילדיה איני יודע שהיא הרה מה ת"ל הרה לומר לך שבח הריון לבעל,ורשב"ג האי הרה מאי דריש ביה מבעי ליה לכדתניא ר"א בן יעקב אומר לעולם אינו חייב עד שיכנה כנגד בית ההריון אמר רב פפא לא תימא כנגד בית הריון ממש אלא כל היכא דסליק ביה שיחמא לולד לאפוקי יד ורגל דלא:,היתה שפחה ונשתחררה או גיורת פטור: אמר רבה לא שנו אלא שחבל בה בחיי הגר ומת הגר דכיון דחבל בה בחיי הגר זכה בהו גר וכיון דמת הגר זכה בהו מן הגר אבל חבל בה לאחר מיתת הגר זכיא לה איהי בגוייהו ומיחייב לשלומי לה לדידה,א"ר חסדא מרי דיכי אטו ולדות צררי נינהו וזכיא בהו אלא איתיה לבעל זכה ליה רחמנא ליתיה לבעל לא,מיתיבי הכה את האשה ויצאו ילדיה נותן נזק וצער לאשה ודמי ולדות לבעל אין הבעל נותן ליורשיו אין האשה נותן ליורשיה היתה שפחה ונשתחררה או גיורת זכה,אמרי ומי עדיפא ממתניתין דאוקימנא שחבל בה בחיי הגר ומת הגר הכא נמי שחבל בה בחיי הגר ומת הגר ואיבעית אימא לאחר מיתת הגר | 49a. bIf so,the consequences would be absurd, as bwhen a woman gives birthher value bincreases. Rather,the court bappraises how much the offspring are worth, andthe one liable for the damage bgivesthat amount bto the husband. And if she does not have a husband,e.g., her husband died, he bgivesthe money bto his heirs. /b,If the pregt woman bwasa Canaanite bmaidservant andthen bshe was emancipated, or a convert,and she was married to an emancipated Canaanite slave or to a convert who died without any heirs, the one who caused the damage is bexemptfrom pay-ing compensation for miscarried offspring. This is because this payment is made specifically to the husband, not to the woman., strongGEMARA: /strong The first clause of the mishna indicates that bthe reasonthe owner is exempt from paying compensation for the offspring when an ox unintentionally gores a pregt woman is specifically bthat it was intending togore banotherox. By inference, if it bwas intending togore bthe woman,the owner bpays compensation formiscarried boffspring. Shall we saythat this bshould be a conclusive refutationof the opinion bof Rav Adda bar Ahava, as Rav Adda bar Ahava says:With regard to boxen that intended togore ba womanand then did so, the owners are bexemptfrom paying bcompensation formiscarried boffspring? /b,The Gemara answers that bRav Adda bar Ahavacould have bsaid to you: The same is true, that evenif the oxen bintended togore bthe woman,the owners are balso exempt frompaying bcompensation formiscarried boffspring.As for bthat which is taughtin the mishna: bAn ox that was intending togore banotherox, it bistaught this way bsince it wants to teach the latter clause: A person that was intending toinjure banotherperson, bas thiscase is bwrittenexplicitly in bthe verse:“And if men struggle and hurt a pregt woman and her offspring emerge” (Exodus 21:22). In the case in the verse, the assailant intended to injure another person but injured the woman instead. Therefore, the mishna balso teaches the first clausein that style: bAn ox that was intending togore banotherox., bRav Pappa says:In the case of ban ox that goreda Canaanite bmaidservant, and her offspring emergeddue to miscarriage, the owner bpays compensation formiscarried boffspring. What is the reason?The ox binjured a mere pregt donkey.With regard to the matter of compensation for offspring, who would be the property of the master were they to be born, a Canaanite slave is considered property of the master. bAsthe bverse statesthat Abraham addressed Eliezer, who was a Canaanite, by saying: b“You remain here with [ iim /i] the donkey”(Genesis 22:5), on which the Sages expound that he was alluding to the idea that Eliezer is of ba people [ iam /i] that is similar to a donkey.Therefore, the case of an ox goring a Canaanite maidservant is not included in the Torah’s exemption from paying compensation for miscarried offspring.,§ The mishna teaches: bHow does he pay compensation formiscarried boffspring?The court appraises how much the value of the woman increased due to the offspring. The Gemara asks: Would this be a correct interpretation of the term: bCompensation formiscarried boffspring?If this is how the sum is calculated, the mishna bshould havestated: How does he pay bthe increasein value due to bthe offspring?The Gemara answers: bThat is also whatthe itanna bis saying: How does he pay compensation formiscarried boffspring and the increasein value due to bthe offspring?In other words, apart from evaluating the compensation for the miscarried offspring, the court also bappraisesthe value bof the womanby calculating how much shewould be bworthif sold as a maidservantbefore giving birth, and how much shewould be bworth after giving birth. /b,he mishna teaches: bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: If so,the consequences would be absurd, as bwhen a woman gives birthher value bincreases.The Gemara asks: bWhat isRabban Shimon ben Gamliel bsaying? Rabba said: This iswhat he bis saying: But isthe monetary value of ba woman higher before she gives birth than after she gives birth? But isn’tthe opposite true, that the monetary value of ba womanis bhigher after giving birth than before giving birth,since the concern for her dying during childbirth, which lowers her monetary value prior to giving birth, is no longer a concern? bRather,the court bappraisesthe value of bthe fetuses and givesthat amount bto the husband. /b, bThisexplanation of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel’s statement bis also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bBut isthe monetary value of ba woman higher before she gives birth than after she gives birth? But isn’tthe opposite true, that the monetary value of ba womanis bhigher after giving birth than before giving birth? Rather,the court bappraisesthe value of bthe fetuses and givesthat amount bto the husband. /b, bRava said: This is whatRabban Shimon ben Gamliel bis teaching: But isthe value of bthe woman higheronly bfor the one for whom she gives birth,i.e., her husband, band she herself does not have any increasein value bat alldue to the boffspring?A pregt woman’s monetary value is increased on account of her pregcy, beyond the monetary value of the offspring. bRather,the court bappraisesthe value of bthe offspring and givesit bto the husband. Andin addition, bthehusband and wife bdivide the increasein her value due to the boffspring. /b, bThisexplanation of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel’s opinion bis also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: But isthe value of bthe woman higheronly bfor the one for whom she gives birth,i.e., her husband, band she herself does not have any increasein value bat alldue to the boffspring? Rather,the court bappraises damage by itself and pain by itself, and appraisesthe value of bthe offspring and givesit bto the husband, and thehusband and wife bdivide the increasein her value due to the boffspring. /b,The Gemara asks: The opinion bof Rabban Shimon ben Gamlielin the first ibaraita /i, that the woman’s value decreases because of pregcy, poses ba difficulty for that of Rabban Shimon ben Gamlielin the second ibaraita /i, that it increases.,The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult,since each ibaraitais referring to a different case: bHere,the first ibaraita /i, which stated that the woman’s value increases after giving birth, is referring btoa woman bgiving birth toher bfirstborn.Her value decreases prior to birth out of concern that she might die in childbirth. bThere,the second ibaraita /i, which stated that her value increases due to pregcy, is referring btoa woman bwho is not giving birth toher bfirstborn. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd what is the reasonof bthe Rabbisin the second ibaraita /i, bwho say: The increasein her value due to bthe offspringis balsogiven bto the husband?The Gemara answers: They derive it from a redundancy in a verse, bas we learnedin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: “And hurt a pregt woman and her offspring emerge” (Exodus 21:22). bFrom the fact that it is stated: “And her offspring emerge,” don’t I knowby inference bthat she was pregt?If so, bwhatis the meaning when bthe verse states: “A pregtwoman,” and not just “a woman”? bTo inform youthat even the bincreasein her value due to bthe pregcyis given bto the husband. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd what ihalakha bdoes Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel expound on thisextra word b“pregt”?The Gemara answers: bHe requires it for that which is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov saysthat one who injures a woman bis never liableto pay compensation for miscarried offspring bunless he strikes her opposite the womb,i.e., on the abdomen. bRav Pappa said: Do not saythat it must be bliterally opposite the womb. Rather,he is liable if she was struck banywhere that the wound’simpact could breach the offspring,i.e., any part of the torso, bto excludea wound to her bhand or foot, for whichhe is bnotliable, since it could be argued that it was not the wound to the hand or foot that caused the miscarriage.,§ The mishna teaches: If the pregt woman bwas a maidservant andthen bshe was emancipated, or a convert,he is bexemptfrom the payment of damages for miscarried offspring. bRabba says: They taughtthis ihalakha bonlyin a case bwhere one injured her during the lifetime of the convert,i.e., her husband, band the convert diedbefore the payment was given. The reason for this is bthat sincethe assailant binjured her during the lifetime of the convert, the convert acquiresthe money, although it is still in the possession of the one liable for the damage. bAnd once the convert dieswithout heirs, the money is ownerless. Therefore, the assailant bacquires it from the convert.Since anyone can assume ownership of ownerless property, the assailant, who already possesses the money, becomes the owner. bBut if he injured her after the convert had died, she acquiresthe money, band he must pay the woman herself. /b, bRav Ḥisda saidin amazement: bMaster of this ruling! Is that to saythat compensation for the boffspring islike bbundlesof money, band she acquires themwhen her husband dies? Rabba seems to understand that the pregt woman assumes ownership of the offspring by virtue of being in possession of them when the husband dies, and therefore has the right to compensation for them. That is not the case. bRather,if bthe husband is present, the Merciful One grantscompensation for the offspring bto him,but if bthe husband is notalive, the Torah does bnotgrant compensation to anyone else.,The Gemara braises an objectionagainst the opinion of Rabba from the following: If the assailant bstruck the woman and her offspring emergeddue to miscarriage, bhe givescompensation for bdamage and pain to the woman and compensation formiscarried boffspring to the husband.If bthe husband is notalive, bhe givesthe compensation for the offspring bto his heirs.If bthe woman is notalive, bhe givesthe payment owed to her bto her heirs.If bshe was a maidservant andthen bshe was emancipated, or a convert,the assailant bacquiresthe money. This indicates that if the husband is no longer alive, the woman doesn’t receive anything.,The Sages bsaidin response to this: bBut isthe ibaraita bpreferable to the mishna, which we interpretedas a referring to case bwhere he injured her during the lifetime of the convert, and the convertthen bdied? Here also,it must be explained bthat he injured her during the lifetime of the convert, and the convertthen bdied. And if you wish, sayinstead that he injured her even bafter the death of the convert. /b |
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29. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 34b, 43b, 10b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 10b. א"ר חנן אפי' בעל החלומות אומר לו לאדם למחר הוא מת אל ימנע עצמו מן הרחמים שנאמר (קהלת ה, ו) כי ברוב חלומות והבלים ודברים הרבה כי את האלהים ירא,מיד (ישעיהו לח, ב) ויסב חזקיהו פניו אל הקיר ויתפלל אל ה',מאי קיר אמר רשב"ל מקירות לבו שנא' (ירמיהו ד, יט) מעי מעי אוחילה קירות לבי וגו',ר' לוי אמר על עסקי הקיר אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם ומה שונמית שלא עשתה אלא קיר אחת קטנה החיית את בנה אבי אבא שחפה את ההיכל כולו בכסף ובזהב על אחת כמה וכמה (ישעיהו לח, ג) זכר נא את אשר התהלכתי לפניך באמת ובלב שלם והטוב בעיניך עשיתי,מאי והטוב בעיניך עשיתי א"ר יהודה אמר רב שסמך גאולה לתפלה ר' לוי אמר שגנז ספר רפואות,תנו רבנן ששה דברים עשה חזקיהו המלך על ג' הודו לו ועל ג' לא הודו לו,על ג' הודו לו גנז ספר רפואות והודו לו כתת נחש הנחשת והודו לו גירר עצמות אביו על מטה של חבלים והודו לו,ועל ג' לא הודו לו סתם מי גיחון ולא הודו לו קצץ דלתות היכל ושגרם למלך אשור ולא הודו לו עבר ניסן בניסן ולא הודו לו,ומי לית ליה לחזקיהו (שמות יב, ב) החדש הזה לכם ראש חדשים זה ניסן ואין אחר ניסן,אלא טעה בדשמואל דאמר שמואל אין מעברין את השנה ביום שלשים של אדר הואיל וראוי לקובעו ניסן סבר הואיל וראוי לא אמרינן:,א"ר יוחנן משום ר' יוסי בן זמרא כל התולה בזכות עצמו תולין לו בזכות אחרים וכל התולה בזכות אחרים תולין לו בזכות עצמו,משה תלה בזכות אחרים שנא' (שמות לב, יג) זכור לאברהם ליצחק ולישראל עבדיך תלו לו בזכות עצמו שנאמר (תהלים קו, כג) ויאמר להשמידם לולי משה בחירו עמד בפרץ לפניו להשיב חמתו מהשחית,חזקיהו תלה בזכות עצמו דכתיב זכר נא את אשר התהלכתי לפניך תלו לו בזכות אחרים שנא' (מלכים ב יט, לד) וגנותי אל העיר הזאת להושיעה למעני ולמען דוד עבדי והיינו דריב"ל דאמר ריב"ל מאי דכתיב (ישעיהו לח, יז) הנה לשלום מר לי מר אפי' בשעה ששיגר לו הקב"ה שלום מר הוא לו:,(מלכים ב ד, י) נעשה נא עליית קיר קטנה,רב ושמואל חד אמר עלייה פרועה היתה וקירוה וחד אמר אכסדרה גדולה היתה וחלקוה לשנים,בשלמא למ"ד אכסדרה היינו דכתיב קיר אלא למ"ד עלייה מאי קיר,שקירוה,בשלמא למ"ד עלייה היינו דכתיב עליית אלא למ"ד אכסדרה מאי עליית,מעולה שבבתים.,ונשים לו שם מטה ושולחן וכסא ומנורה,אמר אביי ואיתימא ר' יצחק הרוצה להנות יהנה כאלישע ושאינו רוצה להנות אל יהנה כשמואל הרמתי שנאמר (שמואל א ז, יז) ותשובתו הרמתה כי שם ביתו וא"ר יוחנן שכל מקום שהלך שם ביתו עמו.,(מלכים ב ד, ט) ותאמר אל אישה הנה נא ידעתי כי איש אלהים קדוש הוא א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא מכאן שהאשה מכרת באורחין יותר מן האיש,קדוש הוא מנא ידעה רב ושמואל חד אמר שלא ראתה זבוב עובר על שולחנו וחד אמר סדין של פשתן הציעה על מטתו ולא ראתה קרי עליו,קדוש הוא א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא הוא קדוש ומשרתו אינו קדוש (שנא') (מלכים ב ד, כז) ויגש גיחזי להדפה א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא שאחזה בהוד יפיה.,עובר עלינו תמיד א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום רבי אליעזר בן יעקב כל המארח תלמיד חכם בתוך ביתו ומהנהו מנכסיו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו מקריב תמידין.,וא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום ראב"י אל יעמוד אדם במקום גבוה ויתפלל אלא במקום נמוך ויתפלל שנא' (תהלים קל, א) ממעמקים קראתיך ה',תניא נמי הכי לא יעמוד אדם לא על גבי כסא ולא ע"ג שרפרף ולא במקום גבוה ויתפלל אלא במקום נמוך ויתפלל לפי שאין גבהות לפני המקום שנאמר ממעמקים קראתיך ה' וכתיב (תהלים קב, א) תפלה לעני כי יעטוף.,וא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום ראב"י המתפלל צריך שיכוין את רגליו שנא' (יחזקאל א, ז) ורגליהם רגל ישרה,(א"ר יצחק א"ר יוחנן) וא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום ראב"י מאי דכתיב (ויקרא יט, כו) לא תאכלו על הדם לא תאכלו קודם שתתפללו על דמכם,(א"ד) א"ר יצחק א"ר יוחנן א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום ראב"י כל האוכל ושותה ואח"כ מתפלל עליו הכתוב אומר (מלכים א יד, ט) ואותי השלכת אחרי גויך אל תקרי גויך אלא גאיך אמר הקב"ה לאחר שנתגאה זה קבל עליו מלכות שמים:,ר' יהושע אומר עד ג' שעות: אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל הלכה כרבי יהושע:,הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד:,אמר רב חסדא אמר מר עוקבא ובלבד שלא יאמר יוצר אור,מיתיבי הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד כאדם שהוא קורא בתורה אבל מברך הוא שתים לפניה ואחת לאחריה תיובתא דרב חסדא תיובתא,איכא דאמרי אמר רב חסדא אמר מר עוקבא מאי לא הפסיד שלא הפסיד ברכות תניא נמי הכי הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד כאדם שקורא בתורה אבל מברך הוא שתים לפניה ואחת לאחריה,א"ר מני גדול הקורא ק"ש בעונתה יותר מהעוסק בתורה מדקתני הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד כאדם הקורא בתורה מכלל דקורא בעונתה עדיף:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big בית שמאי אומרים בערב כל אדם יטה ויקרא ובבקר יעמוד שנאמר (דברים ו, ז) ובשכבך ובקומך,ובית הלל אומרים כל אדם קורא כדרכו שנאמר ובלכתך בדרך,אם כן למה נאמר ובשכבך ובקומך בשעה שבני אדם שוכבים ובשעה שבני אדם עומדים,א"ר טרפון אני הייתי בא בדרך והטתי לקרות כדברי ב"ש וסכנתי בעצמי מפני הלסטים,אמרו לו כדי היית לחוב בעצמך שעברת על דברי ב"ה: | 10b. Similarly, bRabbi Ḥa said: Even if the master of dreams,in a true dream, an angel ( iMa’ayan HaBerakhot /i) btells a person that tomorrow he will die, he should not prevent himself frompraying for bmercy, as it is stated: “For in the multitude of dreams and vanities there are many words; but fear God”(Ecclesiastes 5:6). Although the dream may seem real to him, that is not necessarily the case, and one must place his trust in God.,Having heard Isaiah’s harsh prophecy, bimmediately “Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed to the Lord”(Isaiah 38:2).,The Gemara asks: bWhat ismeant by the word b“wall [ ikir /i]”in this context? Why did Hezekiah turn his face to a wall? bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish said:This symbolically alludes to the fact that Hezekiah prayed to God bfrom the chambers [ ikirot /i] of his heart, as it is statedelsewhere: b“My anguish, my anguish, I am in pain. The chambers of my heart.My heart moans within me” (Jeremiah 4:19)., bRabbi Levi said:Hezekiah intended to evoke bmattersrelating bto a wall,and bhe said beforeGod: bMaster of the Universe, and if the woman from Shunem, who made only a single small wallon the roof for the prophet Elisha, and byou revived her son, all the more soshould you bring life to the descendant of bmy father’s father,King Solomon, bwho covered the entireTemple bSanctuary with silver and gold.In his prayer, Hezekiah said: “Please, Lord, bplease remember that I walked before You in truth, and with a complete heart, and what was good in Your eyes I did.And Hezekiah wept sore” (Isaiah 38:3).,The Gemara asks: To bwhatspecific action was he referring when he said: b“And what was good in your sight I did”?Various opinions are offered: Mentioning Hezekiah’s merits, bRav Yehuda said in the name of Rav that he juxtaposed redemption and prayerat sunrise instead of sleeping late, as was the custom of most kings ( iIyyun Ya’akov /i). bRabbi Levi said: He suppressed the Book of Remediesupon which everyone relied., bThe Sages taught: King Hezekiah performed sixinnovative bactions. With regard to threethe Sages bagreed with him, and with regard to three they did not agree with him. /b, bWith regard to threeactions the Sages bagreed with him: br bHe suppressed the Book of Remedies, and they agreed with him. br bHe ground the copper snakethrough which miracles were performed for Israel (Numbers 21:9), destroying it because it had been used in idol worship (II Kings 18:4), band they agreed with him. br bHe dragged the bones of hisevil bfather,King Ahaz, bon a bed of ropes;meaning he did not accord his father a funeral fit for a king (II Chronicles 28:27), band they agreed with him. /b,Yet, bwith regard to threeother innovations, the Sages of his generation bdid not agree with him: br bHe stopped up the waters of the Gihon,the Pool of Siloam, diverting its water into the city by means of a tunnel (II Chronicles 32:30), band they did not agree with him. br bHe cut off the doors of the Sanctuary and sent them to the king of Assyria(II Kings 18:16), band they did not agree with him. br bHe intercalated Nisan in Nisan,creating a leap year by adding an extra month during the month of Nisan. That intercalation must be performed before the end of Adar (II Chronicles 30:2).,With regard to his intercalation of Nisan, the Gemara asks: bDid Hezekiah notaccept the ihalakha /i: b“This month will be for you the first of the months;it shall be the first for you of the months of the year” (Exodus 12:2)? By inference, bthisfirst month bis Nisan, and no othermonth bis Nisan.How could Hezekiah add an additional Nisan in violation of Torah law?,The Gemara answers that the scenario was different. bRather, Hezekiah erred with regard tothe halakhic opinion ascribed in later generations to bShmuel,as bShmuel said: One may not intercalate the year on the thirtieth day of Adar, since it is fit to establish itas the New Moon of bNisan.On the thirtieth day of each month, those who witnessed the new moon would come and testify before the court, which, based on their testimony, would declare that day the first day of the next month. Therefore, one may not declare a leap year on the thirtieth day of Adar, as it could potentially become the first of Nisan. Therefore, the Sages of Hezekiah’s generation did not agree with his decision to intercalate the year on the thirtieth of Adar. Hezekiah bheldthat bwe do not say: Sincethat day bis fit to establish itas the New Moon is reason enough to refrain from intercalation of the year.,Stemming from the analysis of Hezekiah’s prayer, bRabbi Yoḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Anyone who baseshis prayer or request bupon his own merit,when God answers his prayer, bit is based upon the merit of others. And anyone whomodestly bbaseshis prayer or request bupon the merit of others,when God answers his prayer, bit is based upon his own merit. /b,The Gemara cites proof from Moses. When he prayed to God for forgiveness after the incident of the Golden Calf, bhe basedhis request bupon the merit of others, as it is stated: “Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel your servants,to whom You swore upon Yourself, and told them: I will increase your descendants like the stars of the heavens, and all of this land of which I have spoken, I will give to your descendants and they will inherit it forever” (Exodus 32:13). Yet when this story is related, God’s forgiveness of Israel bis based upon Moses’ own merit, as it is stated: “And He said He would destroy them, had Moses, His chosen, not stood before Him in the breach to turn back His destructive fury, lest He should destroy them”(Psalms 106:23)., bHezekiah,however, bbasedhis request bupon his own merit, as it is written: “Please, remember that I walked before You”(Isaiah 38:3). When God answered his prayers, bit was based upon the merit of otherswith no mention made of Hezekiah’s own merit, bas it is stated: “And I will protect this city to save it, for My sake and for the sake of David, My servant”(II Kings 19:34). bAnd that is what Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisaid. bAs Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “Behold, for my peace I had great bitterness;but You have, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption; for You have thrown all my sins behind Your back” (Isaiah 38:17)? This verse teaches that beven when the Holy One, Blessed be He, sent him peaceand told him that he would recover from his illness, bit was bitter for him,because God did not take his merit into consideration.,Having mentioned the chamber on the roof built for Elisha by the woman from Shunem, the Gemara now describes the entire event. The woman from Shunem suggested to her husband: b“Let us make, I pray thee, a small chamber on the roof,and let us place a bed, table, stool and candlestick for him there, and it will be, when he comes to us, that he will turn in there” (II Kings 4:10)., bRav and Shmuelargued over the meaning of small chamber. bOneof them bsaid: They had an uncovered second storyon their roof, bover which they built a ceiling;and boneof them bsaid: There was an enclosed veranda [ iakhsadra /i] and they divided it in half. /b,The Gemara comments: bGranted, according to the one who said that it was an enclosed verandawhich they divided in two, it makes sense bthatthe term bwall [ ikir /i] was written. However, according to the one who said that they had anopen bsecond story, what isthe meaning of bwall? /b,The Gemara responds: The one who said that they had an uncovered second story interprets ikirnot as wall but as ceiling meaning that they bbuilt a ceiling[ ikirui /i] over it.,On the other hand, bgranted, according to the one who said that they had anuncovered bsecond story,it makes sense bthatthe term bsecond story[ialiyat /i] was written. But according to the one who saidthat it was ban enclosed veranda, what isthe meaning of the term bsecond story? /b,The Gemara responds: The one who said that it was an enclosed veranda interprets ialiyatnot as second story, but bas the most outstanding [ ime’ula /i] of the rooms. /b,Incidental to this discussion, the Gemara analyzes the statement made by the woman from Shunem to her husband with regard to the provisions that they would place in the room for Elisha: b“And let us place a bed, table, stool and candlestick for him there.” /b, bAbaye, and some say Rabbi Yitzḥak, said:A great man bwho seeks to enjoythe contributions of those who seek to honor him bmay enjoythose gifts, bas Elishaenjoyed gifts given him by the woman from Shunem, among others. bAnd one who does not seek to enjoythese gifts bshould not enjoy them, aswas the practice of the prophet bSamuel from Rama,who would not accept gifts from anyone at all. From where do we know that this was Samuel’s custom? bAs it is stated: “And he returned to Rama, for there was his house,and there he judged Israel, and he built an altar to the Lord” (I Samuel 7:17). bAndsimilarly, bRabbi Yoḥa said: Every place whereSamuel bwent, his house was with him,so he would have everything that he needed and not be forced to benefit from public contributions. One may opt to conduct himself in accordance with either of these paths.,Regarding the woman from Shunem: b“And she said to her husband: Behold now, I perceive that he is a holy man of Godwho passes by us continually” (II Kings 4:9). bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: From here,where the woman from Shunem perceived the prophet’s greatness before her husband did, derive bthat a woman recognizesthe character of her bguests more than a mandoes.,The Gemara notes that the woman from Shunem said that b“he is holy.”The Gemara asks: bFrom where did she knowthat he was holy? bRav and Shmueldisagreed over this. bOneof them bsaid: She never saw a fly pass over his table; and the other said: She spread awhite blinen sheet on his bed,and despite that even the smallest stain is visible on white linen, and nocturnal seminal emissions are not uncommon, bshe never sawthe residue of ba seminal emission on it. /b,With regard to the verse: b“He is holy,” Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said:The woman from Shunem intimated that: bHe is holy,but bhis attendant,Geihazi, bis not holy,as she saw no indication of holiness in him ( iIyyun Ya’akov /i). Here too, she correctly perceived the character of her guest, bas it islater bstated: “And Geihazi approached her to push her away [ ilehodfa /i]”(II Kings 4:27). And bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: He grabbed her by the majesty of her beauty [ ihod yofya /i],meaning that when he pushed her he grabbed her breasts in a licentious manner.,With regard to the phrasing of the verse: “He is a holy man of God bwho passes by us continually,” Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov:From this verse we derive that bone who hosts a Torah scholar in his home and lets him enjoy his possessions, the verse ascribes to himcredit bas if he is sacrificing the daily [ itamid /i] offering,as the verse states: “Passes by us continually [ itamid /i].”,With regard to the ihalakhotof prayer, bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov: A person should not stand in a high place and pray; rather,he should stand bin a low place and pray, as it is stated: “I called to You, Lord, from the depths”(Psalms 130:1)., bThat was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne should neither stand upon a chair nor upon a stool, nor in a high place and pray. Rather,one should stand bin a low place and pray, for there is no haughtiness before God. As it is stated: “I called to You, Lord, from the depths” and it is written: “A prayer for the impoverished, when he is faintand pours out his complaint before God” (Psalms 102:1). It is appropriate to feel impoverished when praying and make one’s requests humbly., bAnd Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov: When praying, one should align his feetnext to each other, as a single foot, in order to model oneself after the angels, with regard to whom bit is stated: “And their feet were a straight foot”(Ezekiel 1:7)., bRabbi Yitzḥak saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said and Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “You shall not eat with the blood”(Leviticus 19:26)? bYou may not eat before you pray for your blood.One may not eat before he prays., bOthers saythat bRabbi Yitzḥak saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa saidthat bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov: One who eats and drinks and later prays, about him the verse statesthe rebuke of the prophet in the name of God: b“And Me you have cast behind your back”(I Kings 14:9). One who sees to his own bodily needs by eating and drinking before prayer casts God aside, according his arrogance and ego priority over God (Maharsha). Indeed, bdo not read your back [ igavekha /i]; rather, your pride [ ige’ekha /i]. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: After thisone bhas become arrogantand engaged in satisfying his own needs, bheonly then baccepted upon himself the kingdom of Heaven. /b,We learned in the mishna that bRabbi Yehoshua says:One may recite the morning iShema buntil three hoursof the day. bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yehoshua. /b,We also learned in the mishna that bone who recites iShema bfrom that time onward loses nothing;although he does not fulfill the mitzva of reciting of iShemaat its appointed time, bhe isnevertheless considered like one who reads the Torah, and is rewarded accordingly.,With regard to this ruling, bRav Ḥisda saidthat bMar Ukva said:This only applies bprovided one does not recite: Who forms light [ iyotzer or /i],or the rest of the blessings recited along with iShema /i, as they pertain only to the fulfillment of the mitzva of reciting of the morning iShema /i; after the third hour, they are inappropriate.,The Gemara braises an objection toRav Ḥisda’s statement from a ibaraita /i: bOne who recites iShema bfrom that time onward loses nothing, and is considered like one who reads Torah, but he recites two blessings beforehand and oneblessing bthereafter. /bThis directly contradicts Rav Ḥisda’s statement, and the Gemara notes: Indeed, bthe refutationof the statement bof Rav Ḥisda is aconclusive brefutation,and Rav Ḥisda’s opinion is rejected in favor of that of the ibaraita /i., bSome say that Rav Ḥisda saidthat bMar Ukva saidthe opposite: bWhat isthe meaning of: bLoses nothing,in the mishna? This means that one who recites iShemaafter the third hour bdoes not losethe opportunity to recite bthe blessingsand is permitted to recite them although the time for the recitation of iShemahas passed. bThat was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne who recites iShema bafter this time loses nothing, and is considered like one who reads the Torah, but he recites two blessings beforehand and one thereafter. /b,With regard to our mishna, bRabbi Mani said: Greater is one who recites iShemaat itsappropriate btime than one who engages in Torahstudy. A proof is cited based on bwhat was taughtin the mishna: bOne who recites iShema bafter this time loses nothing and isconsidered blike one who reads the Torah.This is proven bby inference,since bone who recites iShema bat itsappointed btime is greaterthan one who does not, and one who does not is equal to one who reads the Torah, when one recites iShemaat its appointed time he fulfills two mitzvot, that of Torah study and that of the recitation of iShema /i., strongMISHNA: /strong Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disputed the proper way to recite iShema /i. bBeit Shammai say:One should recite iShemain the manner indicated in the text of iShemaitself. Therefore, bin the evening every person must reclineon his side and recite iShema /i, in fulfillment of the verse: “When you lie down,” band in the morning he must standand recite iShema /i, in fulfillment of the verse: When you rise, bas it is stated: “When you lie down, and when you rise.” /b, bAnd Beit Hillel say: Every person recites iShema bas he is,and he may do so in whatever position is most comfortable for him, both day and night, bas it is stated: “And when you walk along the way,”when one is neither standing nor reclining ( iMe’iri /i)., bIf so,according to Beit Hillel, bwhy was it stated: “When you lie down, and when you rise”?This is merely to denote time; bat the time when people lie down and the time when people rise. /b,With regard to this ihalakha /i, bRabbi Tarfon said:Once, bI was coming on the roadwhen I stopped and breclined to recite iShema bin accordance with the statement of Beit Shammai.Although Rabbi Tarfon was a disciple of Beit Hillel, he thought that fulfilling the mitzva in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai would be a more meticulous fulfillment of the mitzva, acceptable to all opinions. Yet in so doing, bI endangered myself due to the highwaymen [ ilistim /i]who accost travelers.,The Sages bsaid to him: You deservedto be in a position where you were bliableto pay bwith your life, as you transgressed the statement of Beit Hillel.This statement will be explained in the Gemara. |
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30. Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah, 5b, 13a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 13a. בבתי גואי הא בבתי בראי ואמר רב אחא בר יעקב עוד רקיע אחד יש למעלה מראשי החיות דכתיב (יחזקאל א, כב) ודמות על ראשי החיה רקיע כעין הקרח הנורא,עד כאן יש לך רשות לדבר מכאן ואילך אין לך רשות לדבר שכן כתוב בספר בן סירא במופלא ממך אל תדרוש ובמכוסה ממך אל תחקור במה שהורשית התבונן אין לך עסק בנסתרות תניא אמר רבן יוחנן בן זכאי מה תשובה השיבתו בת קול לאותו רשע בשעה שאמר (ישעיהו יד, יד) אעלה על במתי עב אדמה לעליון יצתה בת קול ואמרה לו רשע בן רשע בן בנו של נמרוד הרשע שהמריד כל העולם כולו עליו במלכותו,כמה שנותיו של אדם שבעים שנה שנאמר (תהלים צ, י) ימי שנותינו בהם שבעים שנה ואם בגבורות שמונים שנה והלא מן הארץ עד לרקיע מהלך חמש מאות שנה ועוביו של רקיע מהלך חמש מאות שנה וכן בין כל רקיע ורקיע,למעלה מהן חיות הקדש רגלי החיות כנגד כולם קרסולי החיות כנגד כולן שוקי החיות כנגד כולן רכובי החיות כנגד כולן ירכי החיות כנגד כולן גופי החיות כנגד כולן צוארי החיות כנגד כולן ראשי החיות כנגד כולן קרני החיות כנגד כולן למעלה מהן כסא כבוד רגלי כסא הכבוד כנגד כולן כסא הכבוד כנגד כולן מלך אל חי וקים רם ונשא שוכן עליהם ואתה אמרת אעלה על במתי עב אדמה לעליון אך אל שאול תורד אל ירכתי בור:,ולא במרכבה ביחיד: תני רבי חייא אבל מוסרין לו ראשי פרקים אמר רבי זירא אין מוסרין ראשי פרקים אלא לאב ב"ד ולכל מי שלבו דואג בקרבו איכא דאמרי והוא שלבו דואג בקרבו,אמר רבי אמי אין מוסרין סתרי תורה אלא למי שיש בו חמשה דברים (ישעיהו ג, ג) שר חמשים ונשוא פנים ויועץ וחכם חרשים ונבון לחש ואמר רבי אמי אין מוסרין דברי תורה לעובד כוכבים שנאמר (תהלים קמז, כ) לא עשה כן לכל גוי ומשפטים בל ידעום,א"ל רבי יוחנן לרבי אלעזר תא אגמרך במעשה המרכבה א"ל לא קשאי כי קש נח נפשיה דרבי יוחנן א"ל ר' אסי תא ואגמרך במעשה מרכבה א"ל אי זכאי גמירתא מר' יוחנן רבך,רב יוסף הוה גמיר מעשה המרכבה סבי דפומבדיתא הוו תנו במעשה בראשית אמרו ליה ליגמור לן מר מעשה מרכבה אמר להו אגמרון לי מעשה בראשית בתר דאגמרון אמרו ליה ליגמרון מר במעשה מרכבה אמר להו תנינא בהו (שיר השירים ד, יא) דבש וחלב תחת לשונך דברים המתוקין מדבש וחלב יהו תחת לשונך,ר' אבהו אמר מהכא (משלי כז, כו) כבשים ללבושך דברים שהן כבשונו של עולם יהיו תחת לבושך אמרו ליה תנינן בהו עד (יחזקאל ב, א) ויאמר אלי בן אדם אמר להו הן הן מעשה המרכבה,מיתיבי עד היכן מעשה המרכבה רבי אומר עד (יחזקאל א, כז) וארא בתרא ר' יצחק אומר עד החשמל עד וארא מגמרינן מכאן ואילך מסרינן ראשי פרקים איכא דאמרי עד וארא מסרינן ראשי פרקים מכאן ואילך אם הוא חכם מבין מדעתו אין אי לא לא,ומי דרשינן בחשמל והא ההוא ינוקא דדרש בחשמל ונפקא נורא ואכלתיה שאני ינוקא דלאו מטי זימניה,אמר רב יהודה ברם זכור אותו האיש לטוב וחנניה בן חזקיה שמו אלמלא הוא נגנז ספר יחזקאל שהיו דבריו סותרין דברי תורה מה עשה העלו לו ג' מאות גרבי שמן וישב בעלייה ודרשו,ת"ר מעשה בתינוק אחד שהיה קורא בבית רבו בספר יחזקאל והיה מבין בחשמל ויצאה אש מחשמל ושרפתו וביקשו לגנוז ספר יחזקאל אמר להם חנניה בן חזקיה אם זה חכם הכל חכמים הן,מאי חשמל אמר רב יהודה | 13a. btothe binner houses,where there is only light; bthatsource, according to which He is surrounded by darkness, is referring btothe bouter houses. And Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: There is one more firmamentabove these, which is babove the heads of the divine creatures, as it is written: “And over the heads of the divine creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the terrible ice”(Ezekiel 1:22).,The Gemara comments: bUntil here, you have permission to speak; from thispoint bforward you do not have permission to speak, as it is written in the book of Ben Sira: Seek not things concealed from you, nor search those hidden from you. Reflect on that which is permitted to you; you have no business with secret matters. It is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai said: What response did the Divine Voice provide to that wicked man,Nebuchadnezzar, bwhen he said: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High”(Isaiah 14:14), thereby intending to rise to heaven? bA Divine Voice came and said to him: Wicked man, son of a wicked man, descendant,i.e., follower of the ways, bof Nimrod the wicked, who caused the entire world to rebel against Him duringthe time of bhis reign. /b, bHow many are the years of man? Seventy years, as it is stated: “The span of our life is seventy years, or if we are strong, eighty years”(Psalms 90:10). bNow isthere bnot from the earth to the firmament a walkingdistance bof five hundred years, and the thickness of the firmamentitself is ba walkingdistance bof five hundred years, and a similardistance exists bbetween each and every one of the firmaments? /b,And babove them,above all the firmaments, bare the divine creatures. The feet of the divine creatures correspondin distance bto allthe firmaments; bthe ankles of the animals correspond to all of them, the shins of the animals correspond to all of them, the knees of the animals correspond to all of them, the thighs of the animals correspond to all of them, the bodies of the animals correspond to all of them, the necks of the animals correspond to all of them, the heads of the animals correspond to all of them,and bthe horns of the animals correspond to all of them. Above themis the bThrone of Glory: The feet of the Throne of Glory correspond to all of them, the Throne of Glory corresponds to all of them,and the bliving, almighty, lofty, exalted King dwells above them. And you,Nebuchadnezzar, bsay: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High”(Isaiah 14:15), but the next verse states: b“Yet you shall be brought down to the netherworld, to the uttermost parts of the pit”(Isaiah 14:15).,§ It is taught in the mishna, according to the Gemara’s explanation: bNormay one expound btheDesign of the Divine bChariot to an individual. Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: But one may transmit to him,an individual, bthe outlinesof this topic, leaving him to comprehend the rest on his own. bRabbi Zeira said: One may transmit the outlinesof the Design of the Divine Chariot bonly to the president of the court,who needs to know them due to his wisdom and meritorious deeds, band to anyone whose heart inside him is concerned,i.e., one who is concerned about his sins and desires to achieve full repentance. bThere arethose bwho saythat this does not refer to two separate individuals, but to the president of the court, bwhose heart inside him is concerned. /b, bRabbi Ami said: The secrets of the Torah may be transmitted only to one who possessesthe following bfive characteristics: “The captain of fifty, and the man of favor, and the counselor, and the cunning charmer, and the skillful enchanter”(Isaiah 3:3). bAnd Rabbi Ami saidfurther: bThe words of Torah may not be transmitted to a gentile, as it is stated: “He has not dealt so with any nation, and as for His ordices, they have not known them”(Psalms 147:20).,§ The Gemara relates: bRabbi Yoḥa said to Rabbi Elazar: Come and I will teach you the Design of theDivine bChariot.Rabbi Elazar bsaid to him:I have bnotyet bagedsufficiently, as one must be very settled in one’s mind for these studies. bWhen he grew old, Rabbi Yoḥa hadalready bpassed away. Rabbi Asi said to him: Come and I will teach you the Design of theDivine bChariot. He said to him: Had I merited, I would have learnedit bfrom Rabbi Yoḥa, your teacher.It therefore appears that I am unworthy of studying it.,The Gemara relates: bRav Yosef would study the Design of theDivine bChariotand was familiar with the subject, whereas bthe Elders of Pumbedita would study the act of Creation. They said toRav Yosef: bLet the Master teach us the Design of theDivine bChariot. He said to them:You bteach me the act of Creation. After they taught himthat subject, bthey said to him: Let the Master teach us the Design of theDivine bChariot. He said to them: We learned with regard to themthe secrets of the Torah: b“Honey and milk are under your tongue”(Song of Songs 4:11), meaning that bmatters that are sweeter than honey and milk should remain under your tongue.In other words, one should not speak of such matters, and anyone who is familiar with them may not reveal them to others., bRabbi Abbahu said:It is derived from bhere,from the following verse: b“The lambs[ikevasim/b] bwill be for your clothing”(Proverbs 27:26), which he expounds as though it were written with the letter ishin /i, ikevashim /i, meaning concealed matters: bThings that constitute the concealed matters of the world should be under your clothing;you should not reveal them. When the Elders of Pumbedita saw that Rav Yosef was not going to teach them, bthey said to him: We have learned them,the verses concerning the Design of the Divine Chariot written in the book of Ezekiel, bup tothe verse b“And He said to me, son of man”(Ezekiel 2:1). bHe said to them:If so, btheseverses barethe very essence of the bDesign of theDivine bChariot,as they provide the main details of the topic.,The Gemara braises an objectionto this from a ibaraita /i: bUntil where is the Design of theDivine bChariotrelated? bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsays: Until the latter “And I saw”(Ezekiel 1:27), not including the last verse. bRabbi Yitzḥak says: Untilthe word b“the electrum”(Ezekiel 1:27). Neither of these opinions accord with Rav Yosef’s opinion that the Design of the Divine Chariot continues until the end of the chapter. The Gemara answers: bUntil “And I saw,” we teachthose worthy of it; bfrom thispoint bforward,we btransmitonly the boutlines. There arethose bwho say: Until “And I saw,” we transmit the outlines; from thispoint bforward, if he is wiseand bcan understand of his own accord, yes,we teach him. bIf not,we do bnotteach him even the outlines.,The Gemara poses a question: bAnd may one teach about the electrumof the Design of the Divine Chariot at all? bBut wasn’t there a certain youthwho bexpounded the electrum, and fire came out and consumed him,showing that such study is highly dangerous? The Gemara answers: That byouth was different, for his timeto study such matters bhad notyet barrived.Therefore, he was punished., bRav Yehuda said: Indeed, that man is remembered for good, and Ḥaya ben Ḥizkiya was his name,because bwere it not for him, the book of Ezekiel would have been suppressed.Why did they wish to suppress it? Because they found bthat its words contradicted the words of Torah,as its later chapters contain many ihalakhotthat appear not to accord with those of the Torah. bWhat did he do? They brought up to him three hundred barrels of oil,for light and sustece, band he sat in an upper chamber and expounded it,to reconcile its teachings with those of the Torah., bThe Sages taught: An incidentoccurred binvolving a youth who was reading the book of Ezekiel in the house of his teacher, andhe bwasable to bcomprehend the electrum, and fire came out of the electrum and burned him. And they sought to suppress the book of Ezekieldue to the danger it posed. bḤaya ben Ḥizkiya said to them: If thisyouth happened to be bwise,are ballpeople bwiseenough to understand this book?,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe belectrum? Rav Yehuda said: /b |
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31. Babylonian Talmud, Hulin, 92a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 92a. ברוך אופנים הוא דאמרי ליה ואיבעית אימא כיון דאתיהיב רשותא אתיהיב,(הושע יב, ה) וישר אל מלאך ויוכל בכה ויתחנן לו איני יודע מי נעשה שר למי כשהוא אומר (בראשית לב, כט) כי שרית עם אלהים הוי אומר יעקב נעשה שר למלאך,בכה ויתחנן לו איני יודע מי בכה למי כשהוא אומר ויאמר שלחני הוי אומר מלאך בכה ליעקב,כי שרית [עם אלהים ועם אנשים] אמר רבה רמז רמז לו שעתידים שני שרים לצאת ממנו ראש גולה שבבבל ונשיא שבארץ ישראל מכאן רמז לו גלות,(בראשית מ, י) ובגפן שלשה שריגים אמר רב חייא בר אבא אמר רב אלו ג' שרי גאים היוצאים מישראל בכל דור ודור פעמים ששנים כאן ואחד בארץ ישראל פעמים ששנים בארץ ישראל ואחד כאן יהיבו רבנן עינייהו ברבנא עוקבא ורבנא נחמיה בני ברתיה דרב,רבא אמר אלו שלשה שרי גוים שמלמדים זכות על ישראל בכל דור ודור,תניא רבי אליעזר אומר גפן זה העולם שלשה שריגים זה אברהם יצחק ויעקב והיא כפורחת עלתה נצה אלו האמהות הבשילו אשכלותיה ענבים אלו השבטים,אמר לו רבי יהושע וכי מראין לו לאדם מה שהיה והלא אין מראין לו לאדם אלא מה שעתיד להיות אלא גפן זה תורה שלשה שריגים אלו משה ואהרן ומרים והיא כפורחת עלתה נצה אלו סנהדרין הבשילו אשכלותיה ענבים אלו הצדיקים שבכל דור ודור,אמר ר"ג עדיין צריכין אנו למודעי דמוקים ליה כוליה בחד מקום רבי אלעזר המודעי אומר גפן זה ירושלים שלשה שריגים זה מקדש מלך וכהן גדול והיא כפורחת עלתה נצה אלו פרחי כהונה הבשילו אשכלותיה ענבים אלו נסכים,רבי יהושע בן לוי מוקים לה במתנות דאמר ר' יהושע בן לוי גפן זו תורה שלשה שריגים זה באר עמוד ענן ומן והיא כפורחת עלתה נצה אלו הבכורים הבשילו אשכלותיה ענבים אלו נסכים,רבי ירמיה בר אבא אמר גפן אלו ישראל וכן הוא אומר (תהלים פ, ט) גפן ממצרים תסיע שלשה שריגים אלו שלשה רגלים שישראל עולין בהן בכל שנה ושנה והיא כפורחת עלתה נצה הגיע זמנן של ישראל לפרות ולרבות וכן הוא אומר (שמות א, ז) ובני ישראל פרו וישרצו,עלתה נצה הגיע זמנן של ישראל ליגאל וכן הוא אומר (ישעיהו סג, ג) ויז נצחם על בגדי וכל מלבושי אגאלתי הבשילו אשכלותיה ענבים הגיע זמנה של מצרים לשתות כוס התרעלה,והיינו דאמר רבא שלשה כוסות האמורות במצרים למה אחד ששתה בימי משה ואחד ששתה בימי פרעה נכה ואחד שעתידה לשתות עם כל העובדי כוכבים,אמר ליה רבי אבא לרבי ירמיה בר אבא כי דריש להו רב להני קראי באגדתא כוותך דריש להו,אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש אומה זו כגפן נמשלה זמורות שבה אלו בעלי בתים אשכולות שבה אלו תלמידי חכמים עלין שבה אלו עמי הארץ קנוקנות שבה אלו ריקנים שבישראל,והיינו דשלחו מתם ליבעי רחמים איתכליא על עליא דאילמלא עליא לא מתקיימין איתכליא,(הושע ג, ב) ואכרה לי בחמשה עשר כסף א"ר יוחנן משום ר' שמעון בן יהוצדק אין כירה אלא לשון מכירה שנאמר (בראשית נ, ה) בקברי אשר כריתי לי,בחמשה עשר זה ט"ו בניסן שבו נגאלו ישראל ממצרים כסף אלו צדיקים וכן הוא אומר (משלי ז, כ) צרור הכסף לקח בידו,חומר שעורים ולתך שעורים אלו מ"ה צדיקים שהעולם מתקיים בהם ואיני יודע אם שלשים כאן וט"ו בארץ ישראל ואם שלשים בארץ ישראל וט"ו כאן כשהוא אומר (זכריה יא, יג) ואקחה שלשים הכסף ואשליך אותו בית ה' אל היוצר הוי אומר שלשים בארץ ישראל וט"ו כאן,אמר אביי ורובייהו משתכחי בבי כנישתא דתותי אפתא והיינו דכתיב (זכריה יא, יב) ואומר אליהם אם טוב בעיניכם הבו שכרי ואם לא חדלו וישקלו את שכרי שלשים כסף,רבי יהודה אומר אלו שלשים צדיקי אומות העולם שאומות העולם מתקיימים עליהם עולא אמר אלו שלשים מצות שקבלו עליהם בני נח ואין מקיימין אלא שלשה אחת | 92a. The Gemara answers that it is the iofanimwho saythe verse: b“Blessed bethe glory of the Lord from His place,” as the next verse mentions “the noise of the iofanim /i” (Ezekiel 3:13), and Rav Ḥanina’s statement citing Rav was referring not to iofanimbut to ministering angels. bAnd if you wish, saythat bonce permission has been givento them to mention the name of God after three words when they say: “Holy, holy, holy,” permission is also bgivento them to mention the name of God again while praising Him even after fewer than three words.,The Gemara continues to discuss Jacob wrestling with the angel. The prophet states: b“So he strove [ ivayyasar /i] with an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him;at Beth El he would find him, and there he would speak with us” (Hosea 12:5). From this verse bI do not know who became master [ isar /i],i.e., was victorious, bover whom. Whenanother verse bstates:“And he said: Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; bfor you have striven with angelsand with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:29), byou must saythat bJacob became master over the angel. /b,The verse in Hosea states: b“He wept, and made supplication to him.”From this verse bI do not know who cried to whom. Whenanother verse bstates: “And he said: Let me go,for the dawn has risen” (Genesis 32:27), byou must saythat bthe angel cried to Jacob. /b,The verse states: “And he said: Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; bfor you have striven with angels [ ielohim /i] and with men,and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:29). bRabba says:The angel bintimated toJacob bthat in the future two princes would emerge from him:They are the bExilarch who is in Babylonia and the iNasiwho is in Eretz Yisrael.And bfrom here healso bintimated toJacob that there would be ban exile. /b,Similarly, with regard to the dream of Pharaoh’s butler, the verse states: b“And in the vine were three branches [ isarigim /i];and as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes” (Genesis 40:10). bRav Ḥiyya bar Abba saysthat bRav says: Thesethree branches refer to the bthree proud princes [ isarei ge’im /i] who emerge from the Jewish people in each and every generation.There are btimeswhen btwo are herein Babylonia band one is in Eretz Yisrael,and there are btimeswhen btwo are in Eretz Yisrael and one is herein Babylonia. When this was stated in the study hall, bthe Sagespresent bturned their eyes toward Rabbana Ukva and Rabbana Neḥemya, the sons of the daughter of Rav,who were from the family of the Exilarch and were two leaders of the generation who resided in Babylonia., bRava saysa different explanation of the verse: bThesethree branches [ isarigim /i] bare the three ministeringangels appointed to oversee bthe gentiles [ isarei goyim /i], who plead in favor of the Jewish people in each and every generation. /b, bIt is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Eliezer saysan alternate interpretation of the verse. b“Vine”; thisis a reference to bthe world. “Three branches”; thisis a reference to bAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “And as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth”; these are the matriarchs. “And its clusters brought forth ripe grapes”; these are thetwelve btribes,i.e., the twelve sons of Jacob., bRabbi Yehoshua said to him: But is a person shownin a dream bwhat wasin the past? bIsn’tit true that bone is shown only what will be in the future?Since the patriarchs, matriarchs, and sons of Jacob were all born prior to this dream, the dream was not alluding to them. bRather,the verse should be interpreted as follows: b“Vine”; thisis a reference to bthe Torah. “Three branches”; these are Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. “And as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth”; these are themembers of the bSanhedrin. “And its clusters brought forth ripe grapes”; these are the righteouspeople bwholive bin each and every generation. /b, bRabban Gamliel said:In order to understand this verse (Genesis 40:10) bwe still needthe explanation bofRabbi Elazar bHaModa’i, whois an expert in matters of iaggada /i, as he binterprets all ofthe phrases in the verse as referring to bone location. Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i says: “Vine”; thisis a reference to bJerusalem. “Three branches”; thisis a reference to the bTemple,the bking andthe bHigh Priest. “And as it was budding [ iporaḥat /i], its blossoms shot forth”; these are the young priests [ ipirḥei khehunna /i]. “And its clusters brought forth ripe grapes”; these are thewine blibations. /b, bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interprets it withreference to the bgiftsthat God gave the Jewish people, bas Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: “Vine”; thisis a reference to the bTorah. “Three branches”; thisis a reference to the miraculous items that accompanied the Jewish people in the wilderness and sustained and protected them: The bwell, the pillar of cloud, and the manna. “And as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth”; these are the first fruitsthat are brought to the Temple. b“And its clusters brought forth ripe grapes”; these arethe wine blibations. /b, bRabbi Yirmeya bar Abba says: “Vine”; thisis a reference to bthe Jewish people, and similarlyanother verse bstates: “You plucked up a vine out of Egypt;You drove out the nations and planted it” (Psalms 80:9). b“Three branches”; these are the threepilgrimage bFestivals, on which the Jewish people ascendto Jerusalem bevery year. “And as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth,”means that bthe time has arrived for the Jewish people to be fruitful and multiply, and similarlyanother verse bstates: “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly,and multiplied, and became exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7)., b“Its blossoms [ initzah /i] shot forth”means that bthe time has arrived for the Jewish people to be redeemed. And similarlyanother verse bstates: “And their eternity [ initzḥam /i] is dashed against My garments, and I have redeemed all My raiment”(Isaiah 63:3). b“And its clusters brought forth ripe grapes”means that bthe time has arrived for Egypt to drink the cup of fury,i.e., to receive its punishment., bAnd this is as Rava said: Whyare there bthree cups stated with regard to Egyptin the dream of Pharaoh’s butler (see Genesis 40:11)? They are an allusion to three cups of misfortune that would later befall Egypt: bOne thatEgypt bdrank in the days of Mosesduring the ten plagues and the Exodus; bone thatEgypt bdrank in the days of Pharaoh Nekho,the king of Egypt defeated by Nebuchadnezzar; band one thatEgypt bwill drink in the future with all theother bnations,when they are punished in the time of the Messiah., bRabbi Abba said to Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba: When Rav interpreted these verses homiletically he interpreted them according tothe way in which byouhave interpreted them, and not according to any of the other opinions cited above.,Similar to Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba’s interpretation of the word vine as an allusion to the Jewish people, bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: This nation is likened to a vine. The branches ofthe vine support the clusters of grapes, the leaves, and the tendrils; bthese arerepresented among the Jewish people by bthe homeowners,who provide ficial support for the entire nation. bThe clustersof grapes bonthe vine, bthese are the Torah scholars. The leaves onthe vine, which protect the grapes, bthese are the ignoramuses,who protect the Torah scholars. bThe tendrils ofthe vine, which do not directly serve the grapes themselves, bthese are the emptyones bof the Jewish people. /b, bAnd this isthe meaning of the instruction bthat they sent from there,i.e., from Eretz Yisrael: bLet the clustersof grapes bpray for the leaves, as were it not for the leaves, the clustersof grapes bwould not survive. /b,§ The Gemara cites homiletical interpretations of other verses that pertain to the leaders of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael and Babylonia. The verse states: b“So I bought her [ iva’ekkereha /i] to me for fifteen pieces of silver,and a iḥomerof barley, and a half- iḥomerof barley” (Hosea 3:2). bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak:The term ikira /i,which forms the basis of the verb iva’ekkereha /i, bis nothing other than languagereferring to ba sale [ imekhira /i], as it is statedthat Joseph said: “My father made me swear, saying: Lo, I die; bin my grave that I have acquired [ ikariti /i] for mein the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me” (Genesis 50:5).,Rabbi Yoḥa continues: b“For fifteenpieces of silver”; bthisis a reference to bthe fifteenth of Nisan,the date bon which the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt. “Silver”; these are the righteouspeople. bAnd similarly,another verse bstates: “He has taken the bag of silver with him”(Proverbs 7:20), a reference to God taking the righteous away prior to the destruction of the First Temple (see iSanhedrin96b).,The verse states: b“A iḥomerof barley, and a half- iḥomerof barley.”A iḥomerequals thirty ise’a /i, and a half- iḥomerequals fifteen ise’a /i, totaling forty-five ise’a /i; bthese are the forty-five righteousindividuals bin whosemerit bthe worldcontinues to bexist. Andalthough the verse alludes to the fact that thirty of these righteous individuals are in one place and fifteen are elsewhere, bI do not know if thirty are herein Babylonia band fifteen are in Eretz Yisrael, or if thirty are in Eretz Yisrael and fifteen are herein Babylonia. bWhen it saysin a different verse: b“And I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them into the treasury, in the house of the Lord”(Zechariah 11:13), byou must saythat bthirtyof the righteous individuals are bin Eretz Yisrael and fifteen are herein Babylonia., bAbaye said: And most of thefifteen righteous individuals in Babylonia bare found in the synagogue under the upper room. And this isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “And I said to them: If it is good in your eyes, give me my hire; and if not, refrain. And they weighed for my hire thirty pieces of silver”(Zechariah 11:12)., bRabbi Yehuda says: These are the thirty righteousindividuals among the bnations of the world, in whosemerit bthe nations of the worldcontinue to bexist. Ulla says: These are the thirty mitzvot that the descendants of Noahinitially baccepted upon themselves; but they fulfill only threeof them. bOneof these three mitzvot i |
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32. Babylonian Talmud, Ketuvot, 111b, 62b, 105b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 105b. אפילו צדיק גמור ולוקח שוחד אינו נפטר מן העולם בלא טירוף דעת,כי אתא רב דימי אמר דרש רב נחמן בר כהן מאי דכתיב (משלי כט, ד) מלך במשפט יעמיד ארץ ואיש תרומות יהרסנה אם דומה דיין למלך שאינו צריך לכלום יעמיד ארץ ואם דומה לכהן שמחזר על הגרנות יהרסנה,אמר רבה בר רב שילא האי דיינא דשאיל שאילתא פסול למידן דינא ולא אמרן אלא דלית ליה לאושולי אבל אית ליה לאושולי לית לן בה,איני והא רבא שאיל שאילתא מדבי בר מריון אע"ג דלא שיילי מיניה התם לאחשובינהו הוא דבעי,אמר רבא מאי טעמא דשוחדא כיון דקביל ליה שוחדא מיניה איקרבא ליה דעתיה לגביה והוי כגופיה ואין אדם רואה חובה לעצמו מאי שוחד שהוא חד א"ר פפא לא לידון איניש דינא למאן דרחים ליה ולא למאן דסני ליה דרחים ליה לא חזי ליה חובה דסני ליה לא חזי ליה זכותא,אמר אביי האי צורבא מרבנן דמרחמין ליה בני מתא לאו משום דמעלי טפי אלא משום דלא מוכח להו במילי דשמיא,אמר רבא מריש הוה אמינא הני בני מחוזא כולהו רחמו לי כיון דהואי דיינא אמינא מינייהו סנו לי ומינייהו רחמו לי כיון דחזאי דמאן דמיחייב ליה האידנא קא זכי למחר אמינא אם מרחם כולהו רחמו לי אי מסנו כולהו סנו לי,ת"ר (שמות כג, ח) ושוחד לא תקח אינו צריך לומר שוחד ממון אלא אפילו שוחד דברים נמי אסור מדלא כתיב בצע לא תקח היכי דמי שוחד דברים,כי הא דשמואל הוה עבר במברא אתא ההוא גברא יהיב ליה ידיה אמר ליה מאי עבידתיך אמר ליה דינא אית לי א"ל פסילנא לך לדינא,אמימר הוה יתיב וקא דאין דינא פרח גדפא ארישיה אתא ההוא גברא שקליה א"ל מאי עבידתיך א"ל דינא אית לי אמר ליה פסילנא לך לדינא מר עוקבא הוה שדי רוקא קמיה אתא ההוא גברא כסייה א"ל מאי עבידתיך א"ל דינא אית לי א"ל פסילנא לך לדינא,ר' ישמעאל בר' יוסי הוה רגיל אריסיה דהוה מייתי ליה כל מעלי שבתא כנתא דפירי יומא חד אייתי ליה בה' בשבתא א"ל מאי שנא האידנא א"ל דינא אית לי ואמינא אגב אורחי אייתי ליה למר לא קביל מיניה א"ל פסילנא לך לדינא,אותיב זוזא דרבנן וקדיינין ליה בהדי דקאזיל ואתי אמר אי בעי טעין הכי ואי בעי טעין הכי אמר תיפח נפשם של מקבלי שוחד ומה אני שלא נטלתי ואם נטלתי שלי נטלתי כך מקבלי שוחד על אחת כמה וכמה:,ר' ישמעאל בר אלישע אייתי ליה ההוא גברא ראשית הגז אמר ליה מהיכא את א"ל מדוך פלן ומהתם להכא לא הוה כהן למיתבא ליה א"ל דינא אית לי ואמינא אגב אורחאי אייתי ליה למר א"ל פסילנא לך לדינא לא קביל מיניה,אותיב ליה זוגא דרבנן וקדייני ליה בהדי דקאזיל ואתי אמר אי בעי טעין הכי ואי בעי טעין הכי אמר תיפח נפשם של מקבלי שוחד ומה אני שלא נטלתי ואם נטלתי שלי נטלתי כך מקבלי שוחד על אחת כמה וכמה:,רב ענן אייתי ליה ההוא גברא כנתא דגילדני דבי גילי א"ל מאי עבידתיך א"ל דינא אית לי לא קביל מיניה א"ל פסילנא לך לדינא,אמר ליה דינא דמר לא בעינא קבולי לקביל מר דלא למנען מר מאקרובי בכורים דתניא (מלכים ב ד, מב) ואיש בא מבעל שלישה ויבא לאיש האלהים לחם בכורים עשרים לחם שעורים וכרמל בצקלונו וכי אלישע אוכל בכורים הוה אלא לומר לך כל המביא דורון לתלמיד חכם כאילו מקריב בכורים,אמר ליה קבולי לא בעינן דאיקביל השתא דאמרת לי טעמא מקבילנא שדריה לקמיה דרב נחמן שלח ליה נידייניה מר להאי גברא דאנא ענן פסילנא ליה לדינא אמר מדשלח לי הכי שמע מינה קריביה הוא הוה קאים דינא דיתמי קמיה אמר | 105b. beven if he is completely righteous but he took a bribe, he will not leavethis bworld without becoming demented. /b, bWhen Rav Dimi camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, bhe saidthat bRav Naḥman bar Kohen interpreteda verse bhomileticallyas follows. bWhat isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “The king by justice establishes the land, but he who exacts gifts [ iterumot /i] overthrows it”(Proverbs 29:4)? bIf a judge is like a king,in bthat he does not need anythingand is not dependent on anyone, bhe establishes the land,i.e., he can serve as a judge. bBut if he is like a priest, who seeks outhis iterumot bfromvarious bgranaries,as he is dependent on others, bhe overthrowsthe land.,§ bRabba bar Rav Sheila said: This judge who borrowsitems bfrom others is disqualified from rendering judgmentbecause it is as though he accepts a salary. bAnd we said this onlyin a case bwhere he does not havearticles bto lendout to others but is constantly borrowing without lending objects in turn. bHowever, if he hasitems bto lendout to others, bwe have noproblem bwith it. /b,The Gemara asks: bIs that so? But Ravawould bborrowitems bfrom the house of bar Maryon even though they would not borrow from him.The Gemara answers: bThere, he wanted to cause them tobe considered bmore importantin the community. Rava was very wealthy and did not need to borrow for his own benefit. On the contrary, by borrowing from the house of bar Maryon he raised their standing in the community., bRava said: What is the reason forthe prohibition against taking ba bribe? Oncea judge baccepts a bribe fromone party, bhis thoughts draw closer to him and he becomes like hisown bself, and a person does not find fault in himself.The Gemara notes that the term itself alludes to this idea: bWhat isthe meaning of ishoḥad /i,bribe? It can be read as: iShehu ḥad /i,as he is one, i.e., at one mind with the litigant. bRav Pappa said: A person should not judge a case involving one whom he loves, nor involving one whom he hates.He should not judge one bwhom he loves,as bhe will not find any fault in him,while with regard to one bwhom he hates, he will not find any merit in him. /b, bAbaye said:With regard to bthis Torah scholar who is beloved by the residentsof his town, bit is not because he is a superiorSage than others; brather,it is bbecause he does not reprove them in Heavenly matters.He is beloved because he is not strict with them with regard to the observance of mitzvot., bRava said: At first I would saythat ball these residents of Meḥoza love me;however, bonce I became a judge I saidthat bsome of them hate me and some of them love me,as I assumed that their feelings toward me depended on the success of their case. bWhen I saw that the one I declared guilty todaywould be bfound innocent the following day,I realized that my rulings do not determine their attitudes, and therefore bI said: Ifthey blove,then bthey all love me,and bifthey bhate,then bthey all hate me,regardless of what happens in the courtroom.,§ bThe Sages taught: “And you shall take no bribe”(Exodus 23:8). bIt is not necessary to saythat this includes bbriberyby means of bmoney; however, even verbal bribery,assisting by means of speech, bis also prohibited.The ihalakhathat a bribe is not necessarily monetary is derived bfromthe fact bthat it is not written: And you shall take no profit.The Gemara asks: bWhat are the circumstances of bribing with words? /b,The Gemara explains: This can be demonstrated bby thatepisode binvolving Shmuel, who wasonce bcrossinga river bona narrow bferry. A certain man camealong band gave him a handto help him out of the ferryboat. Shmuel bsaid to him: What are you doingin this place? The man bsaid to him: I have a caseto present before you for judgment. Shmuel bsaid to him: I am disqualified frompresiding over byour case,as you did me a favor. Although no money changed hands, a bond was formed between the pair.,The Gemara relates a similar story. bAmeimar was sitting and judging a casewhen ba feather floatedand landed bon his head. A certain man cameby and bremoved itfrom his head. Ameimar bsaid to him: What are you doinghere? bHe said to him: I have a caseto present before you. Ameimar bsaid to him: I am disqualified frompresiding over byour case,due to the favor you performed for me. The Gemara likewise relates: bThere was spittle lying before Mar Ukva. A certain man cameby and bcovered it. He said to him: What are you doinghere? bHe said to him: I have a caseto present before you. Mar Ukva bsaid to him: I am disqualified frompresiding over byour case. /b,The Gemara cites another incident. The bsharecropper of Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, was accustomed to bringing him a basket [ ikanta /i]full bof fruits every Shabbat eve. One day, he brought himthe basket bon a Thursday.Rabbi Yishmael bsaid to him: What is differentthat you came early bnow,this week? The sharecropper bsaid to him: I have a caseto present before you, band I saidto myself that balong my way I will bring to the Masterthe basket of fruits, as in any case I am coming on Thursday, the day the courts are in session. Rabbi Yishmael bdid not acceptthe basket of fruits bfrom him,and he bsaid to him: I am disqualified frompresiding over byour case. /b,Rabbi Yishmael bseated a pair of rabbinicscholars band they judgedthe sharecropper’s case. bAsRabbi Yishmael bwas coming and going, he saidto himself: bIf he wants, hecould bclaim this, and if he wants, he could claim that,i.e., he kept thinking of all the ways in which the litigant who brought him the fruits could win his case. bHe saidto himself: bBlast the souls of those who accept bribes. If I, who did not acceptanything, band if I had accepted, Iwould have baccepted my ownproperty, as it is my sharecropper and the fruits legally belong to me, am nevertheless in bthisstate of mind due to the proposed gift, ball the more soare bthose whoactually baccept bribesinevitably biased in favor of the one who bribed them.,The Gemara likewise relates with regard to bRabbi Yishmael bar Elisha,who was a priest, that ba certain manonce bbrought him the first shearing.Rabbi Yishmael bsaid to him: From where are you?The man bsaid to him:I am bfrom such and such a place.Rabbi Yishmael bsaid to him: And from there to here was there no priest towhom you could bgivethe first shearing? bHe said to him: I have a caseto present before you, band I saidto myself that balong my way I will bring to the Masterthe first shearing. Rabbi Yishmael bsaid to him: I am disqualified frompresiding over byour case,and he would bnot acceptthe first shearing bfrom him. /b,Rabbi Yishmael bar Elisha bseated a pair of rabbinicscholars band they judged hiscase. bAsRabbi Yishmael bwas coming and going, he saidto himself: bIf he wants, hecould bclaim this, and if he wants, he could claim that. He saidto himself: bBlast the souls of those who accept bribes. If I, who did not acceptanything, band if I had accepted, Iwould have baccepted my ownproperty, as I am a priest and am entitled to receive the first shearing, am nevertheless in bthisstate of mind, ball the more soare bthose who accept bribes. /b,The Gemara relates: There was ba certain manwho once bbrought to Rav A a basket of small fish [ igildanei devei gilei /i]. He said to him: What are you doinghere? The man bsaid to him: I have a caseto present before you. Rav A would bnot acceptthe basket bfrom him,and bhe said to him: I am disqualified frompresiding over byour case,due to your actions., bThe man said to him: I do not need the Master’s judgment.However, blet the Master accept my giftanyway, bso that the Master does not prevent me from presenting first fruits.What does the mitzva of first fruits have to with this situation? bAs it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“And there came a man came from Ba’al Shalisha, and he brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of corn in his sack”(II Kings 4:42). bBut did Elisha,the recipient of these gifts, beat first fruits?After all, he was not a priest. bRather,this verse comes bto tell you: Whoever brings a gift to a Torah scholar, it is as though he has presented first fruits.This visitor to Rav A wished to fulfill this mitzva.,Rav A bsaid to him: I do not want to take it from you,but bnow that you have explained to me the reasonthat you wish to give it to me bI will accept itfrom you. Rav A bsentthe man bto Rav Naḥman,and bhealso bsent hima letter: bLet the Master judge this man’scase bbecause I, A, am disqualified from judging hiscases. Rav Naḥman bsaidto himself: bFrom the fact that he sent me thisletter, I can bconclude from herethat the reason he is disqualified from judging the case is because bhe is his relative.At that time, ba case involving orphans wasbeing heard bbeforeRav Naḥman. bHe said: /b |
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33. Babylonian Talmud, Menachot, 44a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 44a. is bmore lowlythan a woman, and therefore it is appropriate to recite an additional blessing on not having been born a slave.,§ bThe Sages taught: This iḥilazon /i,which bisthe source of the sky-blue dye used in ritual fringes, has the following characteristics: bIts body resembles the sea, its form resemblesthat of ba fish, it emerges once in seventy years, and with its blood one dyeswool bsky-bluefor ritual fringes. It is scarce, and btherefore it is expensive. /b,It bis taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Natan says: There is no mitzva,however bminor, that is written in the Torah, for which there is no reward given in this world; and in the World-to-Come I do not know how muchreward is given. bGo and learn fromthe following incident concerning bthe mitzva of ritual fringes. /b,There was ban incident involving a certain man who was diligent about the mitzva of ritual fringes.This man bheard that there was a prostitute inone of bthe cities overseas who took four hundred gold coins as her payment. He sent her four hundred gold coins and fixed a time tomeet with bher. When his time came, he came and sat at the entranceto her house., bThe maidservant ofthat prostitute bentered and said to her: That man who sent you four hundred gold coins came and sat at the entrance. She said: Let him enter. He entered. She arranged seven beds for him, six of silver and one of gold. Between each and every oneof them there was ba laddermade bof silver, and the topbed was the one that was made bof gold. /b, bShe went up and sat naked on the topbed, band he too went upin order bto sit naked facing her.In the meantime, bhis four ritual fringes came and slapped him on his face. He dropped down and sat himself on the ground, and she also dropped down and sat on the ground. She said to him:I take an oath by the igappaof Rome that I will not allow youto go buntil you tell me what defect you saw in me. /b, bHe said to her:I take an oath by bthe Templeservice bthat I never saw a woman as beautiful as you. Butthere is bone mitzvathat bthe Lord, our God, commanded us, and its name is ritual fringes, and inthe passage where bitis commanded, bit is written twice: “I am the Lord your God”(Numbers 15:41). The doubling of this phrase indicates: bI am the one who will punishthose who transgress My mitzvot, band I am the one who will rewardthose who fulfill them. bNow,said the man, the four sets of ritual fringes bappeared to me asif they were bfour witnesseswho will testify against me., bShe said to him: I will not allow youto go buntil you tell me: What is your name, and what is the name of your city, and what is the name of your teacher, and what is the name of the study hall in which you studied Torah? He wrotethe information band placedit bin her hand. /b, bShe arose and divided all of her property,giving bone-thirdas a bribe bto the government, one-third to the poor, and she took one-thirdwith her bin her possession, in addition to those bedsof gold and silver., bShe came to the study hall of Rabbi Ḥiyyaand bsaid to him: My teacher, instructyour students bconcerning me andhave them bmake me a convert.Rabbi Ḥiyya bsaid to her: My daughter, perhaps you set your sights on one of the studentsand that is why you want to convert? bShe tookthe bnotethe student had given her bfrom her hand and gave it toRabbi Ḥiyya. bHe said to her: Go take possession of your purchase. /b, bThose beds that she had arranged for him in a prohibitedfashion, bshenow barranged for him in a permittedfashion. The Gemara completes its point about the reward of mitzvot and points out how this story illustrates the concept: bThis is the reward given to him in this world, andwith regard bto the World-to-Come, I do not know how muchreward he will be given.,§ bRav Yehuda says:In the case of ba borrowed cloak, forthe first bthirty days it is exempt from ritual fringes; from then onit is bobligated. /b,The Gemara notes: bThatdistinction bis also taughtin a ibaraita /i: In the case of bone who resides in a guesthouse [ ipundaki /i] in Eretz Yisrael, or one who rents a house outside of Eretz Yisrael, forthe first bthirty dayshe is bexempt from themitzva of imezuza /i; from then onhe is bobligated. But one who rents a house in Eretz Yisraelmust baffix a imezuzaimmediately, due tothe bsettlement of Eretz Yisrael. /b,§ The mishna teaches: Absence of the bphylacteries ofthe barm does not preventfulfillment of the mitzva of the phylacteries of the head, and absence of the phylacteries of the head does not prevent fulfillment of the mitzva of the phylacteries of the arm. bRav Ḥisda said: They taughtthis bonlyin a case bwhere one hasthe other phylacteries, but they are not with him or he is unable to wear them for some reason. bButif bhe does not havethe other phylacteries at all, then their absence bdoes preventthe fulfillment of the mitzva to don the phylacteries that he has.,Later on, the students bsaid to him:Do byoustill bsaythat? Rav Ḥisda bsaid to them: No, ratherI would say the opposite: Concerning bone who does not havethe ability to fulfill btwo mitzvot, should he also not performthe bone mitzvathat he does have the ability to fulfill? The Gemara asks: bAnd what did he hold initiallywhen he said not to don one of the phylacteries in the absence of the other? The Gemara answers: He held that it was due to a rabbinic bdecree, lest he be negligentand not try to acquire the phylacteries that he lacks., bRav Sheshet says: Anyone who does not don phylacteries violates eight positive mitzvot.This is referring to the mitzva to don phylacteries of the arm and head, each of which is mentioned in four different passages (Exodus 13:9; Exodus 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 11:18)., bAnd anyone who does not have ritual fringes on his garments violates five positive mitzvot.This is because the mitzva of ritual fringes is stated four times in the primary passage concerning ritual fringes in Numbers: “That they prepare for themselves strings…and they shall put on the fringe of the corner a sky-blue thread. And it shall be to you for a fringe that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord” (Numbers 15:38–39). An additional command appears in the verse: “You shall prepare yourself twisted cords” (Deuteronomy 22:12)., bAnd any priest who does not ascend the platformto recite the Priestly Benediction bviolates three positive mitzvotexpressed in the verses: “So you shall bless the children of Israel; you shall say to them” (Numbers 6:23), and: “And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel” (Numbers 6:27)., bAnyone who does not have a imezuzain his doorway violates two positive mitzvot,stated in the verses: b“And you shall write themon the doorposts of your house” (Deuteronomy 6:9), and: b“And you shall write themon the doorposts of your house” (Deuteronomy 11:20)., bAnd Reish Lakish says: Anyone who dons phylacteries livesa blong life, as it is stated: /b |
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34. Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim, 81a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 81a. גוף כולו לא כל שכן אמרי אין כביסה אלימא לר' יוסי דאמר שמואל האי ערבוביתא דרישא מתיא לידי עוירא ערבוביתא דמאני מתיא לידי שעמומיתא ערבוביתא דגופא מתיא לידי שיחני וכיבי,שלחו מתם הזהרו בערבוביתא הזהרו בחבורה הזהרו בבני עניים שמהן תצא תורה שנאמר (במדבר כד, ז) יזל מים מדליו שמהן תצא תורה,ומפני מה אין מצויין ת"ח לצאת ת"ח מבניהן אמר רב יוסף שלא יאמרו תורה ירושה היא להם רב ששת בריה דרב אידי אומר כדי שלא יתגדרו על הצבור מר זוטרא אומר מפני שהן מתגברין על הצבור רב אשי אומר משום דקרו לאינשי חמרי,רבינא אומר שאין מברכין בתורה תחלה דאמר רב יהודה אמר רב מאי דכתיב (ירמיהו ט, יא) מי האיש החכם ויבן את זאת דבר זה נשאל לחכמים ולנביאים ולא פירשוהו,עד שפירשו הקב"ה בעצמו דכתיב (ירמיהו ט, יב) ויאמר ה' על עזבם את תורתי וגו' היינו לא שמעו בקולי היינו לא הלכו בה אמר רב יהודה אמר רב שאין מברכין בתורה תחלה,איסי בר יהודה לא אתא למתיבתא דר' יוסי תלתא יומי אשכחיה ורדימוס בר' יוסי א"ל מאי טעמא לא אתי מר לבי מדרשא דאבא הא תלתא יומין א"ל כי טעמיה דאבוך לא ידענא היכא איתאי א"ל לימא מר מאי קא"ל דלמא ידענא טעמיה א"ל הא דתניא ר' יוסי אומר כביסתן קודמין לחיי אחרים קרא מנלן,א"ל דכתיב (במדבר לה, ג) ומגרשיהם יהיו לבהמתם וגו' מאי חייתם אילימא חיה והלא חיה בכלל בהמה היא אלא מאי חייתם חיותא ממש פשיטא אלא לאו כביסה דהא איכא צערא דערבוביתא,א"ר יוסי אין אלו נדרי עינוי נפש איבעיא להו לר' יוסי מהו שיפר משום דברים שבינו לבינה ת"ש א"ר יוסי אין אלו נדרי עינוי נפש אבל דברים שבינו לבינה הויין,דלמא לדידהו קאמר להו לדידי אפי' דברים שבינו לבינה לא הויין לדידכו דאמריתו הויין נדרי עינוי נפש אודו לי דאין אלו נדרי עינוי נפש,מאי רב אדא בר אהבה אומר מפר רב הונא אומר אין מפר | 81a. is it bnot all the more sothe case that if one does not bathe, which affects the bentire body,Rabbi Yosei would agree that he will suffer pain? The Gemara refutes this argument: The Sages bsayin response: bYes,the pain of refraining from blaunderingone’s clothes bis stronger, according to Rabbi Yosei,than the pain of not washing one’s body. bAs Shmuel said: Grime onone’s bhead leads to blindness,and bgrime onone’s bclothes leads to madness,whereas bgrime onone’s bbody leads to boils and sores,which are less serious than madness and blindness. Based on this it may be suggested that according to Rabbi Yosei, soiled clothing presents a greater danger than an unwashed body.,§ With regard to this issue, the Gemara relates that the Sages bsentthe following message bfrom there,i.e., Eretz Yisrael, to Babylonia: bBe careful with regard to grime,as it can lead to disease and sickness. bBe carefulto learn Torah bin the companyof others, rather than study it alone. And bbe carefulwith regard to the education bof the sons of paupers, asit is bfrom themthat bthe Torah will issue forth. As it is stated: “Water shall flow from his branches [ imidalyav /i]”(Numbers 24:7), which is expounded to mean: From the poor ones [ imidalim /i] among him, basit is bfrom themthat bthe Torah,which may be compared to water, bwill issue forth. /b,With regard to a similar matter, the Gemara inquires: bAnd for what reason is it not common for Torah scholars to give rise to Torah scholars from among their sons?Why are Torah scholars generally born to paupers, who are not Torah scholars themselves? bRav Yosef said:This is bso that they should not say the Torah is their inheritance.Therefore, it is unusual to find that all the sons of a Torah scholar are also Torah scholars. bRav Sheshet, son of Rav Idi, said:This is bso that they should not be presumptuous [ iyitgadderu /i] toward the community,with the knowledge that they will be Torah scholars like their fathers. bMar Zutra said: Because theytake advantage of their fathers’ standing to blord over the communityand are punished for their conduct. bRav Ashi said: Because they callordinary bpeople donkeys. /b, bRavina says:They are punished bbecause they do not first recite a blessing over the Torahbefore commencing their studies. bAs Rav Yehuda saidthat bRav said: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “Who is the wise man that may understand this,and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land is perished and laid waste like a wilderness, so that none passes through” (Jeremiah 9:11)? bThis matter,the question as to why Eretz Yisrael was destroyed, bwas asked of the Sages,i.e., “the wise man,” band of the prophets,“he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken,” bbut they could not explain it. /b,The matter remained a mystery buntil the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself explainedwhy Eretz Yisrael was laid waste, bas it is writtenin the next verse: b“And the Lord said: Because they have forsaken My Torahwhich I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked therein” (Jeremiah 9:12). It would appear that b“have not obeyed My voice” isthe same as b“nor walked therein.” Rav Yehuda saidthat bRav said:The expression “nor walked therein” means bthat they do not first recite a blessing over the Torah,and they are therefore liable to receive the severe punishments listed in the verse.,§ Returning to the issue of laundering clothes, the Gemara relates that it once happened that bIsi bar Yehuda did not come to the academy of Rabbi Yoseifor bthreestraight bdays. Vardimus, son of Rabbi Yosei, found himand bsaid to him: What is the reason that the Master did not come to Father’s academy these three days? He said to him: When I do not know your father’s reasoning, how can I come?Vardimus bsaid to him: Let the Master say what he,my father, bis saying to him; perhaps I know his reasoning. He said to him:With regard to bthat which is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Yosei saysthat btheirown blaundry takes precedence over the lives of others, from where do wehave ba versethat teaches this ihalakha /i?,Vardimus bsaid to him: As it is writtenwith regard to the Levite cities: b“And their open land shall be for their animalsand for their substance, and for all their beasts” (Numbers 35:3). bWhat isthe meaning of b“their beasts”? If we sayan actual bbeast,there is a difficulty, bas isn’t a beast included inthe category of banimal,which has already been mentioned in the verse? bRather, what isthe meaning of b“their beasts[iḥayyatam/b]”? It means btheir actual lives [ iḥiyyuta /i].This, however, is difficult, as it bis obviousthat the Levites received their cities in order to live their lives there. bRather, is it notreferring to blaunderingclothes, bas there isthe bpaincaused by the bgrimeon one’s unwashed clothes? Since it is vitally necessary for their well-being, laundering the clothing of the city’s residents takes precedence over the lives of others.,§ With regard to the vows: If I bathe, and: If I do not bathe, and: If I adorn myself, and: If I do not adorn myself, bRabbi Yosei saidin the mishna that bthese are not vows of affliction. A dilemma was raisedbefore the Sages: bAccording to Rabbi Yosei, what isthe ihalakhaas to whether the husband bcan nullifythese vows bas matters thatadversely affect the relationship bbetween him and her?The Gemara suggests: bComeand bheara resolution to this question from what bRabbi Yosei said: These are not vows of affliction,which indicates, bhowever,that bthey are mattersthat affect the relationship bbetween him and her. /b,The Gemara refutes this proof: bPerhapsRabbi Yosei bwas speaking tothe Rabbis in accordance with btheirown opinion, as follows: bAccording to myopinion, bthey are not even mattersthat affect the relationship bbetween him and her.But baccording to youropinion, bthat you saythat bthey are vows of affliction, agree with meat least that bthese are not vows of affliction.In other words, one should not infer from the phrasing of Rabbi Yosei’s response to the Rabbis that he holds that these vows are concerning matters that affect the relationship between him and her, as he was merely countering the claim of the Rabbis that they are vows of affliction.,The question therefore remains: bWhatdoes Rabbi Yosei maintain in this regard? bRav Adda bar Ahava says: He can nullifythese vows as matters between him and her, whereas bRav Huna says: He cannot nullifythem. |
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35. Babylonian Talmud, Pesahim, 49b, 53b, 49a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 49a. big strongמתני׳ /strong /big ארבעה עשר שחל להיות בשבת מבערין את הכל מלפני השבת דברי ר"מ וחכמים אומרים בזמנו ר"א בר צדוק אומר תרומה מלפני השבת וחולין בזמנן:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big תניא ר"א בר צדוק אומר פעם אחת שבת אבא ביבנה וחל ארבעה עשר להיות בשבת ובא זונין ממונה של ר"ג ואמר הגיע עת לבער את החמץ והלכתי אחר אבא וביערנו את החמץ:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big ההולך לשחוט את פסחו ולמול את בנו ולאכול סעודת אירוסין בבית חמיו ונזכר שיש לו חמץ בתוך ביתו אם יכול לחזור ולבער ולחזור למצותו יחזור ויבער ואם לאו מבטלו בלבו,להציל מן הנכרים ומן הנהר ומן הלסטים ומן הדליקה ומן המפולת יבטל בלבו ולשבות שביתת הרשות יחזור מיד,וכן מי שיצא מירושלים ונזכר שיש בידו בשר קדש אם עבר צופים שורפו במקומו ואם לאו חוזר ושורפו לפני הבירה מעצי המערכה,ועד כמה הן חוזרין ר"מ אומר זה וזה בכביצה ר' יהודה אומר זה וזה בכזית וחכמים אומרים בשר קדש בכזית וחמץ בכביצה:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big ורמינהו ההולך לאכול סעודת אירוסין בבית חמיו ולשבות שביתת הרשות יחזור מיד,א"ר יוחנן לא קשיא הא ר' יהודה הא רבי יוסי דתניא סעודת אירוסין רשות דברי ר' יהודה רבי יוסי אומר מצוה,והשתא דאמר רב חסדא מחלוקת בסעודה שניה אבל בסעודה ראשונה דברי הכל מצוה אפילו תימא הא והא ר' יהודה ולא קשיא הא בסעודה ראשונה הא בסעודה שניה,תניא אמר רבי יהודה אני לא שמעתי אלא סעודת אירוסין אבל לא סבלונות אמר לו ר' יוסי אני שמעתי סעודת אירוסין וסבלונות,תניא רבי שמעון אומר כל סעודה שאינה של מצוה אין תלמיד חכם רשאי להנות ממנה,כגון מאי א"ר יוחנן כגון בת כהן לישראל ובת תלמיד חכם לעם הארץ דא"ר יוחנן בת כהן לישראל אין זווגן עולה יפה,מאי היא אמר רב חסדא או אלמנה או גרושה או זרע אין לה במתניתא תנא קוברה או קוברתו או מביאתו לידי עניות,איני והא א"ר יוחנן הרוצה שיתעשר ידבק בזרעו של אהרן כל שכן שתורה וכהונה מעשרתן לא קשיא הא בת"ח הא בעם הארץ,ר' יהושע נסיב כהנתא חלש אמר לא ניחא ליה לאהרן דאדבק בזרעיה דהוי ליה חתנא כי אנא,רב אידי בר אבין נסיב כהנתא נפקו מיניה תרי בני סמיכי רב ששת בריה דרב אידי ור' יהושע בריה דרב אידי אמר ר"פ אי לא נסיבנא כהנתא לא איעתרי,אמר רב כהנא אי לא נסיבנא כהנתא לא גלאי אמרו ליה והא למקום תורה גלית לא גלאי כדגלי אינשי,אמר רבי יצחק כל הנהנה מסעודת הרשות לסוף גולה שנא' (עמוס ו, ד) ואוכלים כרים מצאן ועגלים מתוך מרבק וכתיב לכן עתה יגלו בראש גולים:,ת"ר כל ת"ח המרבה סעודתו בכל מקום סוף מחריב את ביתו ומאלמן את אשתו ומייתם את גוזליו ותלמודו משתכח ממנו ומחלוקות רבות באות עליו ודבריו אינם נשמעים ומחלל שם שמים ושם רבו ושם אביו וגורם שם רע לו ולבניו ולבני בניו עד סוף כל הדורות,מאי היא אמר אביי קרו ליה בר מחים תנורי רבא אמר בר מרקיד בי כובי רב פפא אמר בר מלחיך פינכי רב שמעיה אמר בר מך רבע:,ת"ר לעולם ימכור אדם כל מה שיש לו וישא בת ת"ח שאם מת או גולה מובטח לו שבניו ת"ח ואל ישא בת ע"ה שאם מת או גולה בניו ע"ה,ת"ר לעולם ימכור אדם כל מה שיש לו וישא בת ת"ח וישיא בתו לת"ח משל לענבי הגפן בענבי הגפן דבר נאה ומתקבל ולא ישא בת עם הארץ משל לענבי הגפן בענבי הסנה דבר כעור | 49a. strongMISHNA: /strong With regard to bthe fourteenthof Nisan bthat occurs on Shabbat, one removes allleaven from his possession, whether it is iterumaor non-sacred food, bbefore Shabbat,except for that which will be eaten during the first part of Shabbat. In that case, one cannot remove leaven from his possession on the fourteenth of Nisan itself as he does in other years. This is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say:One may remove the leaven bat itsusual btimeon the fourteenth of Nisan by throwing it away or declaring it ownerless. bRabbi Eliezer bar Tzadok says: iTeruma /ishould be removed bbefore Shabbat,as only a few people are permitted to eat it and therefore one can presume that it will remain uneaten during Shabbat. However, bnon-sacredfoods should be removed bat theirusual btime,on the fourteenth of Nisan itself., strongGEMARA: /strong bIt was taughtin the iToseftathat bRabbi Eliezer bar Tzadok says: One time my father,Rabbi Tzadok, bspent Shabbat in Yavne, and the fourteenthof Nisan boccurred onthat bShabbat. Zonin,who was bthe appointee of Rabban Gamliel, came and said: The time has come to remove leavened bread; and I went with my father and we removed the leavened bread.This story serves as anecdotal evidence that leaven is removed at the usual time on the fourteenth of Nisan, even on Shabbat., strongMISHNA: /strong bOne who is travelingon the eve of Passover bto slaughter his Paschal lamb, to circumcise his son, or to eat a betrothal feast in his father-in-law’s house, and he remembers that he has leavened bread in his house, if he is able to returnto his house band removethe leaven and afterward breturn to the mitzvatoward which he was traveling, bhe should returnhome band removehis leaven. bBut ifthere is not enough time for him to go home and remove the leaven, and still complete the mitzva that he already began, bhe should nullify it in his heart,as by Torah law this is sufficient.,If one was traveling bto saveJews from an attack by bgentiles, from aflooding briver, from bandits, from a fire, or from a collapsedbuilding, he should not even attempt to return, and instead bhe should nullifythe leaven bin his heart.This applies even if he could remove his leaven and still return to his previous activity. If he went bto establish his Shabbatresidence in order to adjust his Shabbat limit for an boptionalpurpose, rather than in order to fulfill a commandment, bhe should return immediatelyto remove his leaven., bAnd so too,the same ihalakhaapplies to bone who left Jerusalem and remembered that there was consecrated meat in his hand.Meat that is taken out of Jerusalem becomes disqualified, and one is required to burn it in proximity to the Temple. bIf he passedthe area of Mount bScopus[iTzofim /i],beyond which one cannot see Jerusalem, bhe burnsthe meat bat the sitewhere bheis located; band ifhe has bnottraveled that far, bhe must return and burn it before the Temple with wood from the arrangementon the altar, which was designated for burning consecrated items that were disqualified.,The mishna asks: For bhow muchleaven or consecrated meat is one required bto return? Rabbi Meir says:In both bthiscase band thatcase, one must return for ban egg-bulk. Rabbi Yehuda says:In both bthiscase band thatcase, one must return for ban olive-bulk. And the Rabbis saythat the amount depends on the case: With regard to bconsecrated meat,he is required to return if he has ban olive-bulk, butin a case where he remembers that he has bleavened bread,he required to return only bfor an egg-bulk. /b, strongGEMARA: /strong The Gemara braises a contradictionbetween this mishna and another source. It was taught in a ibaraita /i: bOne who is traveling to eat a betrothal feast in his father-in-law’s house or to establish his Shabbatresidence for an boptionalpurpose, bmust return immediatelyto remove his leaven. This contradicts the mishna, which states that one who is going to a betrothal feast may nullify the leaven without returning for it, because the meal is considered a mitzva., bRabbi Yoḥa said:This is bnot difficult,as there is a tannaitic dispute with regard to the issue. bThissource, the ibaraita /i, is in accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Yehuda,while bthatsource, the mishna, is in accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Yosei. As it was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bA betrothal feast is optional;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Yosei says:It is a bmitzva. /b, bAnd now that Rav Ḥisda said: The disputebetween Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei applies to bthe secondbetrothal feast, where the groom takes part in an additional meal with the bride’s family, bbut everyone agrees that the firstbetrothal bfeast is a mitzva,the contradiction between the mishna and the ibaraitacan be resolved differently. bEven if you say that thismishna and bthat ibaraitaare both in accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Yehuda,it is bnot difficult. Thismishna, which relates to the meal as a mitzva, is referring to bthe first meal. That ibaraita /i, which assumes that the meal is not a mitzva, is referring to bthe second meal. /b, bIt was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yehuda said: I heard onlythat there is a mitzva with regard to a bbetrothal feastitself, bbut notwith regard to the feast of the bgifts [ isivlonot /i],when the groom would present gifts to the bride. While a festive meal was eaten on this occasion, it was not considered to be a mitzva. bRabbi Yosei said to him: I heardthat both ba betrothal feast andthe feast of the bgiftsare considered mitzvot.,Having discussed whether a betrothal feast is a mitzva, the Gemara addresses a related issue. bIt was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Shimon says: A Torah scholar may notderive bbenefit frompartaking in bany feast that is not a mitzva. /b,The Gemara asks: bIn what casedoes this statement apply? bRabbi Yoḥa said: In a casewhere bthe daughter of a priestmarries ban Israelite,or where bthe daughter of a Torah scholarmarries ban ignoramus.Although a wedding feast is generally a mitzva, it is not in this case, bas Rabbi Yoḥa said:When bthe daughter of a priestmarries ban Israelite their union will not be auspicious,as it is disgraceful for the priesthood when the daughter of a priest marries an Israelite.,The Gemara asks: bWhat ismeant by bthisstatement that their union will be inauspicious? bRav Ḥisda said:The inauspicious nature of such a marriage can be identified based on the verse describing the return of a daughter of a priest to her father’s house after marrying a non-priest. The verse is understood as mentioning that the marriage will result in one of three possibilities: she will beither be a widow, a divorcee, or without children(see Leviticus 22:13). bIt was taught in a ibaraita /i:Either her husband bwill bury her or she will bury him,because one of them will die young, bor she will cause him to become poor. /b,The Gemara asks: bIs that so? Didn’t Rabbi Yoḥahimself bsay: One who wishes to become wealthy should cling to the descendants of Aaron,and ball the more soshould the merit of the bTorahand the bpriesthood cause them to become wealthy.The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult,as bthiscase, where he becomes wealthy, brefers to a Torah scholarwho marries a woman of priestly lineage. In that case their union will be a successful one. bThatcase, where their union will not be auspicious, refers to ban ignoramuswho marries a woman of priestly lineage.,The Gemara relates that bRabbi Yehoshua married a daughter of a priestand bbecame ill. He said:Apparently, bit is not satisfactory to Aaronthe priest bthat I cling to his descendants, so that he has a son-in-law like me. /b,The Gemara also relates that bRav Idi bar Avin married a daughter of a priest. Two sonswho were bordainedto decide halakhic matters bcame from him,namely bRav Sheshet, son of Rav Idi, and Rabbi Yehoshua, son of Rav Idi.Similarly, bRav Pappa said: Had I not married a daughter of a priest, I would not have become wealthy. /b,On the other hand, bRav Kahana,who was not a priest, bsaid: Had I not married a daughter of a priest, I would not have been exiled,as Rav Kahana was forced to flee from Babylonia to Eretz Yisrael. bThey said to him: But you were exiled to a place of Torah,which is not a punishment at all. He answered: bI was not exiled as people aregenerally bexiled,i.e., I did not emigrate of my own free will; rather, I was forced to flee from the authorities., bRabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who benefits frompartaking in ban optional feast,which is not a mitzva, bwill ultimately be exiled, as it is stated: “And eat the lambs of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall”(Amos 6:4), band it is written: “Therefore now they shall go into exile at the head of the exiles;and the revelry of those who stretched themselves out shall pass away” (Amos 6:7).,The Gemara continues discussing a Torah scholar who benefits from optional feasts. bThe Sages taught: Any Torah scholar who feasts excessively everywheredegrades himself and brings suffering upon himself. He will bultimately destroy his house, widow his wife, orphan his chicks,i.e., his children, band his studies will be forgotten. Much dispute will come upon him, his words will not be heeded, and he will desecrate God’s name and the name of his master and the name of his father. And he will cause a bad name for himself, his children, and his descendants throughout future generations. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat is thisbad reputation that he causes to himself and his descendants? bAbaye said:His son bis called the son[ibar/b] bof the one who heats ovens,since this person continually heated ovens in order to prepare food for feasts. bRava said:His son will be called bthe son of the one who dancesin binns [ ibei kuvei /i],as he seems to be invited to every feast to entertain the guests. bRav Pappa said:His son will be called bthe son of the one who licks bowls [ ipinkhei /i]. Rav Shemaya said:His son will be called bthe son of the one who foldshis garment band crouches,i.e., falls asleep drunk.,On the topic of proper marriage partners, the Gemara cites the following discussion. bThe Sages taught: One should alwaysbe willing to bsell all he hasin order to bmarry the daughter of a Torah scholar, as if he dies orif he bis exiledand he cannot raise his children, bhe can be assured that his sons will be Torah scholars,since their mother will ensure that they are well educated. bAnd one should not marry the daughter of an ignoramus, as if he dies or is exiled, his sons will be ignoramuses. /b,Furthermore, bthe Sages taught: One should alwaysbe willing to bsell all he hasin order to bmarry the daughter of a Torah scholar andin order to bmarry off his daughter to a Torah scholar.This type of marriage can be bcompared to grapes of a vinethat become intertwined bwith grapes of a vine, somethingwhich is bbeautiful and acceptableto God and man. bAnd one should not marry the daughter of an ignoramus.This type of marriage can be bcompared to grapes of a vinethat have become intertwined bwith berries of a bramble,which is bsomething unseemly /b |
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36. Babylonian Talmud, Qiddushin, 33a, 68a, 72b, 30b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 30b. (משלי ז, ד) אמור לחכמה אחותי את וגו' ואומר (משלי ז, ג) קשרם על אצבעותיך כתבם על לוח לבך ואומר (תהלים קכז, ד) כחצים ביד גבור כן בני הנעורים ואומר (תהלים קכ, ד) חצי גבור שנונים ואומר (תהלים מה, ו) חציך שנונים עמים תחתיך יפלו ואומר (תהלים קכז, ה) אשרי הגבר אשר מלא את אשפתו מהם לא יבושו כי ידברו את אויבים בשער,מאי את אויבים בשער אמר רבי חייא בר אבא אפי' האב ובנו הרב ותלמידו שעוסקין בתורה בשער אחד נעשים אויבים זה את זה ואינם זזים משם עד שנעשים אוהבים זה את זה שנאמר (במדבר כא, יד) את והב בסופה אל תקרי בסופה אלא בסופה,ת"ר (דברים יא, יח) ושמתם סם תם נמשלה תורה כסם חיים משל לאדם שהכה את בנו מכה גדולה והניח לו רטיה על מכתו ואמר לו בני כל זמן שהרטיה זו על מכתך אכול מה שהנאתך ושתה מה שהנאתך ורחוץ בין בחמין בין בצונן ואין אתה מתיירא ואם אתה מעבירה הרי היא מעלה נומי,כך הקב"ה אמר להם לישראל בני בראתי יצר הרע ובראתי לו תורה תבלין ואם אתם עוסקים בתורה אין אתם נמסרים בידו שנאמר (בראשית ד, ז) הלא אם תטיב שאת,ואם אין אתם עוסקין בתורה אתם נמסרים בידו שנא' לפתח חטאת רובץ ולא עוד אלא שכל משאו ומתנו בך שנאמר ואליך תשוקתו ואם אתה רוצה אתה מושל בו שנאמר ואתה תמשל בו,ת"ר קשה יצר הרע שאפילו יוצרו קראו רע שנאמר (בראשית ח, כא) כי יצר לב האדם רע מנעוריו אמר רב יצחק יצרו של אדם מתחדש עליו בכל יום שנאמר (בראשית ו, ה) רק רע כל היום,ואמר ר"ש בן לוי יצרו של אדם מתגבר עליו בכל יום ומבקש המיתו שנאמר (תהלים לז, לב) צופה רשע לצדיק ומבקש להמיתו ואלמלא הקב"ה עוזרו אין יכול לו שנאמר אלהים לא יעזבנו בידו,תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל בני אם פגע בך מנוול זה משכהו לבית המדרש אם אבן הוא נימוח ואם ברזל הוא מתפוצץ שנאמר (ירמיהו כג, כט) הלא כה דברי כאש נאם ה' וכפטיש יפוצץ סלע אם אבן הוא נימוח שנאמר (ישעיהו נה, א) הוי כל צמא לכו למים ואומר (איוב יד, יט) אבנים שחקו מים,להשיאו אשה מנלן דכתיב (ירמיהו כט, ו) קחו נשים והולידו בנים ובנות וקחו לבניכם נשים ואת בנותיכם תנו לאנשים,בשלמא בנו בידו אלא בתו בידו היא הכי קאמר להו ניתן לה מידי ולבשייה ונכסייה כי היכי דקפצו עלה אינשי,ללמדו אומנות מנלן אמר חזקיה דאמר קרא (קהלת ט, ט) ראה חיים עם אשה אשר אהבת אם אשה ממש היא כשם שחייב להשיאו אשה כך חייב ללמדו אומנות אם תורה היא כשם שחייב ללמדו תורה כך חייב ללמדו אומנות,ויש אומרים אף להשיטו בנהר מאי טעמא חיותיה הוא,רבי יהודה אומר כל שאינו מלמדו אומנות מלמדו ליסטות ליסטות ס"ד אלא כאילו מלמדו ליסטות,מאי בינייהו איכא בינייהו דאגמריה עיסקא,כל מצות האב על הבן וכו' מאי כל מצות האב על הבן אילימא כל מצותא דמיחייב אבא למיעבד לבריה נשים חייבות והתניא האב חייב בבנו למולו ולפדותו אביו אין אמו לא,אמר רב יהודה הכי קאמר כל מצות האב המוטלת על הבן לעשות לאביו אחד אנשים ואחד נשים חייבין תנינא להא דת"ר איש אין לי אלא איש אשה מנין כשהוא אומר תיראו הרי כאן שנים,א"כ מה ת"ל איש איש סיפק בידו לעשות אשה אין סיפק בידה לעשות מפני שרשות אחרים עליה אמר רב אידי בר אבין אמר רב נתגרשה שניהם שוים,ת"ר נאמר (שמות כ, יב) כבד את אביך ואת אמך ונאמר (משלי ג, ט) כבד את ה' מהונך השוה הכתוב כבוד אב ואם לכבוד המקום,נאמר (ויקרא יט, ג) איש אמו ואביו תיראו ונאמר (דברים ו, יג) את ה' אלהיך תירא ואותו תעבוד השוה הכתוב מוראת אב ואם למוראת המקום,נאמר (שמות כא, יז) מקלל אביו ואמו מות יומת ונאמר (ויקרא כד, טו) איש איש כי יקלל אלהיו ונשא חטאו השוה הכתוב ברכת אב ואם לברכת המקום אבל בהכאה ודאי אי אפשר,וכן בדין ששלשתן שותפין בו ת"ר שלשה שותפין הן באדם הקב"ה ואביו ואמו בזמן שאדם מכבד את אביו ואת אמו אמר הקב"ה מעלה אני עליהם כאילו דרתי ביניהם וכבדוני,תניא רבי אומר גלוי וידוע לפני מי שאמר והיה העולם שבן מכבד את אמו יותר מאביו מפני | 30b. b“Say to wisdom: You are my sister,and call understanding your kinswoman” (Proverbs 7:4), which indicates that one should be as knowledgeable in the Torah as in the identity of his sister. bAnd it states: “Bind them upon your fingers, you shall write them upon the tablet of your heart”(Proverbs 7:3). bAnd it states: “As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of one’s youth”(Psalms 127:4). bAnd it states: “Sharp arrows of the mighty”(Psalms 120:4). bAnd it states: “Your arrows are sharp, the peoples fall under you”(Psalms 45:6). bAnd it states: “Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate”(Psalms 127:5).,The Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of the phrase b“enemies in the gate”with regard to Torah study? bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: Even a father and his son,or ba rabbi and his student, who are engaged in Torahtogether bin one gate become enemies with each otherdue to the intensity of their studies. bBut they do not leave there until they love each other, as it is statedin the verse discussing the places the Jewish people engaged in battle in the wilderness: “Therefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, bVahev in Suphah [ ibeSufa /i],and the valleys of Arnon” (Numbers 21:14). The word “ ivahev /i” is interpreted as related to the word for love, iahava /i. Additionally, bdo not readthis as b“in Suphah [ ibeSufa /i]”; rather,read it as b“at its end [ ibesofa /i],”i.e., at the conclusion of their dispute they are beloved to each other., bThe Sages taught: “And you shall place [ ivesamtem /i]these words of Mine in your hearts” (Deuteronomy 11:18). Read this as though it stated isam tam /i, a perfect elixir. The Torah is compared to an elixir of life.There is ba parable thatillustrates this: bA person hit his son with a strong blow and placed a bandage on his wound. And he said to him: My son, as long as this bandage is on your woundand is healing you, beat what you enjoy and drink what you enjoy, and bathe in either hot water or cold water, and you do not need to be afraid,as it will heal your wound. bBut if you take it off,the wound bwill become gangrenous. /b, bSotoo bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel: My children, I created an evil inclination,which is the wound, band I created Torah as its antidote. If you are engaged in Torahstudy byou will not be given over into the handof the evil inclination, bas it is stated: “If you do well, shall it not be lifted up?”(Genesis 4:7). One who engages in Torah study lifts himself above the evil inclination., bAnd if you do not engage in Torahstudy, byou are given over to its power, as it is stated: “Sin crouches at the door”(Genesis 4:7). bMoreover, allof the evil inclination’s bdeliberationswill be bconcerning you, as it is statedin the same verse: b“And to you is its desire.” And if you wish you shall rule over it, as it is statedin the conclusion of the verse: b“But you may rule over it”(Genesis 4:7)., bThe Sages taught:So bdifficult is the evil inclination that even its Creator calls it evil, as it is stated: “For the inclination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth”(Genesis 8:21). bRav Yitzḥak says: A person’sevil binclination renews itself to him every day, as it is stated:“And that every inclination of the thoughts in his heart was bonly evil all day [ ikol hayyom /i]”(Genesis 6:5). “ iKol hayyom /i” can also be understood as: Every day., bAnd Rabbi Shimon ben Levi says: A person’s inclination overpowers him every day, and seeks to kill him, as it is stated: “The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him”(Psalms 37:32). bAnd if notfor the fact that bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, assistseach person in battling his evil inclination, bhe could notovercome bit, as it is stated: “The Lord will not leave him in his hand”(Psalms 37:33).,A Sage from bthe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: My son, if this wretched one,the evil inclination, bencounters you, pull it into the study hall,i.e., go and study Torah. bIf it is a stoneit will bmelt, and if it is ironit will bbreak, as it is statedwith regard to the Torah: b“Is not My word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”(Jeremiah 23:29). Just as a stone shatters a hammer, so too one can overcome his evil inclination, which is as strong as iron, through Torah study. With regard to the second part of the statement: bIf it is a stoneit will bmelt,this is bas it is statedwith regard to the Torah: b“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water”(Isaiah 55:1), band it states: “The water wears the stones”(Job 14:19), indicating that water is stronger than stone.,§ The ibaraita(29a) teaches that a father is commanded bto marryhis son to ba woman.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this matter? bAs it is written: “Take wives and bear sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men”(Jeremiah 29:6).,The Gemara analyzes this verse: bGrantedwith regard to bhis son,this is bin his power,i.e., he can instruct him to marry a woman, as a man is the active agent in a marriage. bButwith regard to bhis daughter, isthis bin his power?She must wait for a man to marry her. The Gemara answers: bThis is whatJeremiah was bsaying to themin the aforementioned verse: Her father should bgive her somethingfor her dowry, band he should dress and cover herwith suitable clothing bso that men will leap tomarry bher. /b,§ The ibaraitafurther states that a father is commanded bto teachhis son ba trade.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this? bḤizkiyya said: As the verse states: “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love”(Ecclesiastes 9:9). bIfthis verse is interpreted literally, and bitis referring to ban actual woman,then one can derive as follows: bJust asa father bis obligated to marryhis son bto a woman, so too, he is obligated to teach him a trade,as indicated by the term: Life. bAnd ifthe wife mentioned in this verse is allegorical, and bit is the Torah,then one should explain the verse in the following manner: bJust as he is obligated to teach him Torah, so too, he is obligated to teach him a trade. /b,§ The ibaraitaadds: bAnd some saythat a father is balsoobligated bto teachhis son bto swim in a river.The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonfor this? bIt isnecessary for bhis life,i.e., this is potentially a lifesaving skill.,§ The ibaraitafurther teaches that bRabbi Yehuda says: Anyfather bwho does not teachhis son ba trade teaches him banditry.The Gemara asks: Can it benter your mindthat he actually teaches him bbanditry? Rather,the ibaraitameans that it is bas though he taught him banditry. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe difference bbetweenthe opinion of the first itannaand that of Rabbi Yehuda? Both state that a father must teach his son a trade. The Gemara answers: bThere isa difference bbetween themin a case bwherethe father bteaches himto engage in bbusiness.According to the first itannathis is sufficient, whereas Rabbi Yehuda maintains that he must teach him an actual trade.,§ The mishna teaches: With regard to ball mitzvot of a father with regard to his son,both men and women are obligated to perform them. The Gemara inquires: bWhatis the meaning of the expression: bAll mitzvot of a father with regard to his son? If we saythat this is referring to ball of the mitzvot that a father is required to perform for his son,are bwomen obligatedin these? bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bA father is obligated with regard to his son to circumcise him, and to redeem him?This indicates that bhis father, yes,he is obligated to do these, but bhis mother, no,she is not obligated to perform these mitzvot for her son., bRav Yehuda saidthat bthis is whatthe mishna bis saying:With regard to beach mitzvafor bthe father that is incumbent upon the son to perform for his father, both men and women are obligatedin them. The Gemara comments: bWealready blearned this, as the Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i, with regard to the verse: b“A manshall fear [ itira’u /i] his mother and his father” (Leviticus 19:3). bI havederived bonlythat ba manis obligated in this mitzva; bfrom wheredo I derive that ba womanis also obligated? bWhen it saysin the same verse: b“A man shall fear [ itira’u /i] his mother and his father”(Leviticus 19:3), employing the plural form of the verb, this indicates that bthere are twothat are obligated bhere,both a man and a woman., bIf so,that both of them are obligated, bwhatis the meaning when bthe verse states: “Man”?In the case of ba man,it is bin his power to performthis mitzva; whereas with regard to ba woman,it is bnotalways bin her power to performthis mitzva, bbecause she is under the authority of anotherperson, i.e., her husband. As she is obligated to her husband to maintain her household, she is not always able to find time for her parents. bRav Idi bar Avin saysthat bRav says:Consequently, if a woman bis divorced,then bboth of them,a daughter and a son, are bequalwith regard to honoring and fearing their father and mother., bThe Sages taughtthat bit is stated: “Honor your father and your mother”(Exodus 20:11), band it is stated: “Honor the Lord with your wealth”(Proverbs 3:9). In this manner, bthe verse equates the honor of one’s father and mother to the honor of the Omnipresent,as the term “honor” is used in both cases.,Similarly, bit is stated: “A man shall fear his mother and his father”(Leviticus 19:3), band it is stated: “You shall fear the Lord your God and Him you shall serve”(Deuteronomy 6:13). bThe verse equates the fear of one’s father and mother to the fear of the Omnipresent. /b,Likewise, bit is stated: “He who curses his father or his mother shall be put to death”(Exodus 21:17), band it is stated: “Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin”(Leviticus 24:15). bThe verse equates the blessing,a euphemism for cursing, bofone’s bfather and mother to the blessing of the Omnipresent. But with regard to striking,i.e., with regard to the ihalakhathat one who strikes his father or mother is liable to receive court-imposed capital punishment, bit is certainly not possibleto say the same concerning the Holy One, Blessed be He., bAnd sotoo, the equating of one’s attitude toward his parents to his attitude toward God is ba logical derivation, as the three of them are partners in hiscreation. As bthe Sages taught: There are three partners inthe forming of ba person: The Holy One, Blessed be He,who provides the soul, band his father and his mother. When a person honors his father and mother, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I ascribecredit bto them as if I dwelt between them and they honor Meas well., bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsays: It is revealed and known before the One Who spoke and the world came into being that a son honors his mother more thanhe honors bhis father, because /b |
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37. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 22a, 49a, 96a, 99a, 102b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 102b. דאיתפח הדר קא דריש אמרי לא קבילת עלך דלא דרשת בהו אמר אינהו מי הדרו בהו דאנא אהדר בי,רב אשי אוקי אשלשה מלכים אמר למחר נפתח בחברין אתא מנשה איתחזי ליה בחלמיה אמר חברך וחבירי דאבוך קרית לן,מהיכא בעית למישרא המוציא אמר ליה לא ידענא א"ל מהיכא דבעית למישרא המוציא לא גמירת וחברך קרית לן א"ל אגמריה לי ולמחר דרישנא ליה משמך בפירקא א"ל מהיכא דקרים בישולא,א"ל מאחר דחכימתו כולי האי מאי טעמא קא פלחיתו לעבודת כוכבים א"ל אי הות התם הות נקיטנא בשיפולי גלימא ורהטת אבתראי למחר אמר להו לרבנן נפתח ברבוותא,אחאב אח לשמים אב לעבודת כוכבים אח לשמים דכתיב (משלי יז, יז) אח לצרה יולד אב לעבודת כוכבים דכתיב (תהלים קג, יג) כרחם אב על בנים,(מלכים א טז, לא) ויהי הנקל לכתו בחטאת ירבעם בן נבט אמר ר' יוחנן קלות שעשה אחאב כחמורות שעשה ירבעם ומפני מה תלה הכתוב בירבעם מפני שהוא היה תחילה לקלקלה (הושע יב, יב) גם מזבחותם כגלים על תלמי שדי א"ר יוחנן אין לך כל תלם ותלם בא"י שלא העמיד עליו אחאב עבודת כוכבים והשתחוה לו,ומנא לן דלא אתי לעלמא דאתי דכתיב (מלכים א כא, כא) והכרתי לאחאב משתין בקיר ועצור ועזוב בישראל עצור בעוה"ז ועזוב לעוה"ב,א"ר יוחנן מפני מה זכה עמרי למלכות מפני שהוסיף כרך אחד בארץ ישראל שנאמר (מלכים א טז, כד) ויקן את ההר שמרון מאת שמר בככרים כסף ויבן את ההר ויקרא [את] שם העיר אשר בנה על שם שמר אדני ההר שמרון,א"ר יוחנן מפני מה זכה אחאב למלכות כ"ב שנה,מפני שכיבד את התורה שניתנה בכ"ב אותיות שנאמר (מלכים א כ, ב) וישלח מלאכים אל אחאב מלך ישראל העירה ויאמר לו כה אמר בן הדד כספך וזהבך לי הוא ונשיך ובניך הטובים לי הם כי אם כעת מחר אשלח את עבדי אליך וחפשו את ביתך ואת בתי עבדיך והיה כל מחמד עיניך ישימו בידם ולקחו ויאמר למלאכי בן הדד אמרו לאדוני המלך כל אשר שלחת (לעבדך) [אל עבדך] בראשונה אעשה והדבר הזה לא אוכל לעשות,מאי מחמד עיניך לאו ס"ת,דילמא עבודת כוכבים לא ס"ד דכתיב (מלכים א כ, ח) ויאמרו אליו כל הזקנים וכל העם (לא תאבה ולא תשמע) ודילמא סבי דבהתא הוו מי לא כתיב (שמואל ב יז, ד) ויישר הדבר בעיני אבשלום (והזקנים) [ובעיני כל זקני ישראל] ואמר רב יוסף סבי דבהתא,התם לא כתיב וכל העם הכא כתיב וכל העם דאי אפשר דלא הוו בהון צדיקי וכתיב (מלכים א יט, יח) והשארתי בישראל שבעת אלפים כל הברכים אשר לא כרעו לבעל וכל הפה אשר לא נשק לו,אמר ר"נ אחאב שקול היה שנאמר (מלכים א כב, כ) ויאמר ה' מי יפתה את אחאב ויעל ויפול ברמות גלעד ויאמר זה בכה וזה אומר בכה מתקיף לה רב יוסף מאן דכתב ביה (מלכים א כא, כה) רק לא היה כאחאב אשר התמכר לעשות הרע בעיני ה' אשר הסתה אותו איזבל אשתו ותנינא בכל יום היתה שוקלת שקלי זהב לעבודת כוכבים ואת אמרת שקול היה אלא אחאב וותרן בממונו היה ומתוך שההנה תלמידי חכמים מנכסיו כיפרו לו מחצה,(מלכים א כב, כא) ויצא הרוח ויעמד לפני ה' ויאמר אני אפתנו ויאמר ה' אליו במה ויאמר אצא והייתי רוח שקר בפי כל נביאיו ויאמר תפתה וגם תוכל צא ועשה כן מאי רוח א"ר יוחנן רוחו של נבות היזרעאלי,מאי צא אמר רבינא צא ממחיצתי שכן כתיב (תהלים קא, ז) דובר שקרים לא יכון לנגד עיני אמר רב פפא היינו דאמרי אינשי דפרע קיניה מחריב ביתיה,(מלכים א טז, לג) ויעש אחאב את האשרה ויוסף אחאב לעשות להכעיס את ה' אלהי ישראל מכל מלכי ישראל אשר היו לפניו א"ר יוחנן שכתב על דלתות שמרון אחאב כפר באלהי ישראל לפיכך אין לו חלק באלהי ישראל,(דברי הימים ב כב, ט) ויבקש את אחזיהו וילכדהו והוא מתחבא בשמרון א"ר לוי שהיה קודר אזכרות וכותב עבודת כוכבים תחתיהן,מנשה שנשה יה ד"א מנשה שהנשי את ישראל לאביהם שבשמים ומנלן דלא אתי לעלמא דאתי דכתיב (דברי הימים ב לג, א) בן שתים עשרה שנה מנשה במלכו וחמשים וחמש שנה מלך בירושלים (מלכים ב כא, ג) ויעש (הרע) [אשרה] (בעיני ה') כאשר עשה אחאב מלך ישראל מה אחאב אין לו חלק לעוה"ב אף מנשה אין לו חלק לעוה"ב:,רבי יהודה אומר מנשה יש לו חלק לעוה"ב שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לג, יג) ויתפלל מנשה אל ה' ויעתר לו וכו': א"ר יוחנן ושניהם מקרא אחד דרשו שנאמר (ירמיהו טו, ד) ונתתים לזעוה לכל ממלכות הארץ בגלל מנשה בן יחזקיהו מר סבר בגלל מנשה שעשה תשובה ואינהו לא עבוד ומר סבר | 102b. bhe recovered, he then lecturedon that topic. His students bsaid to him: Did you not undertake that you will not lecture about them?Rabbi Abbahu bsaid: Did they repent, that I will reconsiderand refrain from condemning them?,One day bRav Ashi endedhis lecture just before reaching the matter bof the three kings. He saidto his students: bTomorrow we will beginthe lecture bwith our colleaguesthe three kings, who, although they were sinners, were Torah scholars like us. bManasseh,king of Judea, bcame and appeared to him in his dream.Manasseh bsaidto him angrily: bYou called us your colleague and the colleagues of your father?How dare you characterize yourself as our equal?,Manasseh said to him: I will ask you, bfrom where are you required to begincutting a loaf of bread when reciting the blessing: bWho brings forthbread from the earth? Rav Ashi bsaid to him: I do not know.Manasseh bsaid to him:Even this, bfrom where you are required to begincutting a loaf of bread when reciting the blessing: bWho brings forthbread from the earth, byou did not learn, andyet byou call us your colleague?Rav Ashi bsaid toManasseh: bTeach methis ihalakha band tomorrow I will lectureand cite bit in your name duringmy public blecturedelivered on the Festival. Manasseh bsaid to him:One cuts the loaf bfrom where it crustsas a result of bbaking. /b,Rav Ashi bsaid to him: Since you were so wise, what is the reason you engaged in idol worship?Manasseh bsaid to him: Had you been thereat that time, byou would have takenand lifted bthe hem of your cloak and run after medue to the fierce desire to engage in idol worship and due to the fact that it was a common faith. bThe next dayRav Ashi bsaid to the Sagesas a prelude to his lecture: bWe will begin withthe treatment of bour teachers,those kings who were greater than us in Torah knowledge but whose sins caused them to lose their share in the World-to-Come.,§ The Gemara proceeds to discuss the second king enumerated in the mishna, Ahab. bAhab [ iAḥav /i],although he was ba brother [ iaḥ /i] to Heaven,he was ba father [ iav /i] for idol worship.He was ba brother to Heaven, as it is written: “And a brother is born for adversity”(Proverbs 17:17), and in desperate times, he turned to Heaven. He was ba father for idolatry.This is the highest level of attachment, bas it is written: “As a father has compassion for his children”(Psalms 103:13).,With regard to Ahab, it is written: b“And it came to pass, the most minor of his transgressions was his walking in the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat”(I Kings 16:31). bRabbi Yoḥa says: The minorsins bthat Ahab performedwere bon par with the majorsins bthat Jeroboam performed,as the transgressions committed by Ahab were much more serious than those committed by Jeroboam. bAnd for whatreason bdid the verse attributethe sins of all the kings of Israel bto Jeroboam,even though the sins of Ahab were more substantial? It is bdue tothe fact bthat he was first toengage in biniquity.With regard to the verse: b“Their altars shall also be like droppings in the furrows of the field”(Hosea 12:12), bRabbi Yoḥa says: You do not have even one furrow in Eretz Yisrael upon which Ahab did not placean object of bidol worship and bow to it. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd from where do wederive bthatAhab bdoes not enter into the World-to-Come?The Gemara answers: It is derived bas it is written: “And I will excise from Ahab every man, and him that is shut up and him that is abandoned in Israel”(I Kings 21:21). b“Him that is shut up”indicates he will be excised bin this world,while b“and him that is abandoned”indicates he will be excised bin the World-to-Come. /b, bRabbi Yoḥa says: For whatvirtue bwas Omri,king of Israel, who was Ahab’s father, bprivilegedto ascend btothe bmonarchy?It is bdue tothe fact bthat he added one city in Eretz Yisrael, as it is stated: “And he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city that he built after Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria”(I Kings 16:24)., bRabbi Yoḥa says: For whatvirtue bwas Ahab privilegedto ascend btothe bmonarchyand rule for btwenty-two years? /b,It is bdue tothe fact bthat he respected the Torah, which was given with twenty-two letters, as it is stated: “And he sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, into the city, and said to him: So says Ben-Hadad: Your silver and your gold are mine; your wives and also your good children, are mine.And the king of Israel answered and said: It is according to your saying, my lord, O king: I am yours, and all that I have. And the messengers came again, and said: So speaks Ben-Hadad, saying: I sent to you, saying: You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children. bYet I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants, and it shall be, that they shall put in their hand all the delight of your eyes and take it…And he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, tell my lord the king: All that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do; but this thing I may not do”(I Kings 20:2–6, 9).,The Gemara asks: bWhatis b“the delight of your eyes”that Ahab refused to give Ben-Hadad after agreeing to give him his wives and his gold? bIs it not a Torah scroll?Ahab treated the Torah with deference.,The Gemara suggests: bPerhapsthe delight of his eyes was an object of bidol worship.The Gemara answers: That could bnot enter your mind, as it is writtenthat Ahab consulted the Sages with regard to this matter: b“And all the elders and all the people said to him: Do not consent and heed not”(I Kings 20:8). The elders in this verse are presumably the Sages. The Gemara continues: bBut perhaps they were wicked elders,who worshipped idols. bIsn’t it written: “And the saying pleased Absalom well and all the elders of Israel”(II Samuel 17:4), band Rav Yosef says:The elders of Israel mentioned in that verse were bwicked elders.Perhaps the elders of Israel with whom Ahab consulted were also wicked.,The Gemara rejects this: bThere,with regard to Absalom bit is not written: “And all the people,”whereas bhere,with regard to Ahab, bit is written: “And all the people.” As it is impossible that there were not among them righteouspeople, if the righteous people agreed, apparently, “the delight of your eyes” was sacred. bAnd it is written: “And I will leave seven thousand in Israel; all the knees that have not bent to the Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed it”(I Kings 19:18), indicating that there were righteous people among them., bRav Naḥman says: Ahab was balancedin terms of the mitzvot and transgressions that he performed, bas it is stated: “And the Lord said, who shall entice Ahab that he may ascend and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And this one said in this manner, and that one said in that manner”(I Kings 22:20), indicating that it is unclear whether or not he was a full-fledged transgressor. bRav Yosef objects to thisstatement: This is the person babout whomthe prophet bwrote: “But there was none like Ahab who devoted himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife had incited”(I Kings 21:25). bAnd we learnin a ibaraita /i: bEvery day she would weigh gold shekelsequal to Ahab’s weight bfor idol worship. And you say he was balanced? Rather, Ahab was generous with his moneyand did not scrimp, band since healso bbenefited Torah scholars with his property,the heavenly court bexpiated halfhis sins bfor him.The result was a balance between mitzvot and transgressions.,With regard to God’s search for a volunteer to entice Ahab, it is written: b“And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will entice him. And the Lord said to him: With what? And he said: I will go out, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said: You shall entice him, and also prevail; go out, and do so”(I Kings 22:21–22). The Gemara asks: bWhat spiritwas that? bRabbi Yoḥa says:It was bthe spirit of Naboth the Jezreelite,who sought to take revenge against Ahab.,The Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of the term b“go out”that God instructed the spirit? bRavina saysthat it means: bGo out fromwithin bmy partitionand do not return, bas so it is written: “He that speaks falsehoods shall not be established before My eyes”(Psalms 101:7). The spirit that volunteered to lie may no longer be before God. bRav Pappa saysthat bthisis in accordance with the adage bthat people say: One who avengesdue to bhis zealotry destroys hisown bhouse.The spirit of Naboth that sought revenge was expelled from before God.,With regard to the verse: b“And Ahab made the iashera /i; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him”(I Kings 16:33), bRabbi Yoḥa says:It means bthat he wrote on the doors of Samaria: Ahab denies theexistence of the bGod of Israel, therefore he has no share in the God of Israel. /b,With regard to the verse: b“And he sought Ahaziah, and they apprehended him, for he was hiding in Samaria”(II Chronicles 22:9), bRabbi Levi says:What would he do in hiding? bHe would excise mentionsof God’s name in Torah scrolls band writethe name of an object of bidol worship in their stead. /b,The Gemara proceeds to discuss the third king enumerated in the mishna. He was called bManasseh [ iMenashe /i] because he forgot God [ inasha yah /i]. Alternatively,he was called bManasseh since he caused thekingdom of bIsrael to forget [ ihinshi /i] their Father Who is in Heaven. And from where do wederive bthatManasseh bdoes not enter into the World-to-Come?The Gemara answers: It is derived bas it is written: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem… /bAnd he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord… bAnd he made an iashera /i, as did Ahab king of Israel”(II Kings 21:1–3). bJust as Ahab has no share in the World-to-Come, so too, Manasseh has no share in the World-to-Come. /b,§ The mishna teaches that bRabbi Yehuda says: Manasseh has a share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And he prayed to him and He was entreated of him,and heard his supplication and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13). bRabbi Yoḥa says: And both of them,Rabbi Yehuda and the Rabbis, who disagree with regard to whether Manasseh has a share in the World-to-Come, binterpreted oneand the same bverse, as it is stated: “And I will make them into a horror for all the kingdoms of the earth, on account of Manasseh, son of Hezekiah”(Jeremiah 15:4). One bSage,Rabbi Yehuda, bholdsthat b“on account of Manasseh”means that the Jewish people will be judged harshly, basultimately, one as wicked as Manasseh brepented, and they did not doso. bAndone bSage,the Rabbis, bholdsthat |
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38. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 33b-34a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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39. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, 21b, 22a, 46b, 12a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 12a. דיקא נמי דכתיב (יהושע יד, ו) הקניזי ש"מ,עזובה זו מרים ולמה נקרא שמה עזובה שהכל עזבוה מתחילתה הוליד והלא מינסב הוה נסיב לה א"ר יוחנן כל הנושא אשה לשם שמים מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו ילדה,יריעות שהיו פניה דומין ליריעות,ואלה בניה אל תקרי בניה אלא בוניה ישר שישר את עצמו שובב ששיבב את יצרו וארדון שרדה את יצרו ואיכא דאמרי על שהיו פניה דומין לורד,(דברי הימים א ד, ה) ולאשחור אבי תקוע היו שתי נשים חלאה ונערה אשחור זה כלב ולמה נקרא שמו אשחור שהושחרו פניו בתעניות אבי שנעשה לה כאב תקוע שתקע את לבו לאביו שבשמים,היו שתי נשים נעשה מרים כשתי נשים חלאה ונערה לא חלאה ונערה הואי אלא בתחילה חלאה ולבסוף נערה,(דברי הימים א ד, ז) ובני חלאה צרת וצהר ואתנן צרת שנעשית צרה לחברותיה צהר שהיו פניה דומין כצהרים אתנן שכל הרואה אותה מוליך אתנן לאשתו,(שמות א, כב) ויצו פרעה לכל עמו א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא אף על עמו גזר ואמר ר"י בר' חנינא שלש גזירות גזר בתחילה אם בן הוא והמתן אותו ולבסוף כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו ולבסוף אף על עמו גזר,(שמות ב, א) וילך איש מבית לוי להיכן הלך אמר רב יהודה בר זבינא שהלך בעצת בתו,תנא עמרם גדול הדור היה כיון (שראה שאמר) פרעה הרשע כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו אמר לשוא אנו עמלין עמד וגירש את אשתו עמדו כולן וגירשו את נשותיהן,אמרה לו בתו אבא קשה גזירתך יותר משל פרעה שפרעה לא גזר אלא על הזכרים ואתה גזרת על הזכרים ועל הנקיבות פרעה לא גזר אלא בעוה"ז ואתה בעוה"ז ולעוה"ב,פרעה הרשע ספק מתקיימת גזירתו ספק אינה מתקיימת אתה צדיק בודאי שגזירתך מתקיימת שנאמר (איוב כב, כח) ותגזר אומר ויקם לך עמד והחזיר את אשתו עמדו כולן והחזירו את נשותיהן,ויקח ויחזור מיבעי ליה א"ר יהודה בר זבינא שעשה לו מעשה ליקוחין הושיבה באפריון ואהרן ומרים מרקדין לפניה ומלאכי השרת אמרו (תהלים קיג, ט) אם הבנים שמחה,את בת לוי אפשר בת מאה ושלשים שנה הויא וקרי לה בת דא"ר חמא בר' חנינא זו יוכבד שהורתה בדרך ולידתה בין החומות שנאמר (במדבר כו, נט) אשר ילדה אותה ללוי במצרים,לידתה במצרים ואין הורתה במצרים א"ר יהודה שנולדו בה סימני נערות,(שמות ב, ב) ותהר האשה ותלד בן והא הות מיעברא ביה תלתא ירחי מעיקרא א"ר יהודה בר זבינא מקיש לידתה להורתה מה הורתה שלא בצער אף לידתה שלא בצער מכאן לנשים צדקניות שלא היו בפיתקה של חוה,(שמות ב, ב) ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא תניא ר"מ אומר טוב שמו ר' יהודה אומר טוביה שמו רבי נחמיה אומר הגון לנביאות אחרים אומרים נולד כשהוא מהול וחכמים אומרים בשעה שנולד משה נתמלא הבית כולו אור כתיב הכא ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא וכתיב התם (בראשית א, ד) וירא אלהים את האור כי טוב,(שמות ב, ב) ותצפנהו שלשה ירחים דלא מנו מצרים אלא משעה דאהדרה והיא הות מיעברא ביה תלתא ירחי מעיקרא,(שמות ב, ג) ולא יכלה עוד הצפינו אמאי תצפניה ותיזיל אלא כל היכא דהוו שמעי מצראי דמתיליד ינוקא ממטו ינוקא התם כי היכי דלישמעינהו ומעוי (בהדיהו) דכתיב (שיר השירים ב, טו) אחזו לנו שועלים שועלים קטנים וגו',(שמות ב, ג) ותקח לו תבת גמא מאי שנא גומא א"ר אלעזר מיכן לצדיקים שממונם חביב עליהן יותר מגופן וכל כך למה לפי שאין פושטין ידיהן בגזל,רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר דבר רך שיכול לעמוד בפני דבר רך ובפני דבר קשה,ותחמרה בחמר ובזפת תנא חמר מבפנים וזפת מבחוץ כדי שלא יריח אותו צדיק ריח רע,ותשם בה את הילד ותשם בסוף רבי אלעזר אומר ים סוף רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר | 12a. The Gemara comments: The language of another verse bis also precisebased on this explanation, bas it is written:“And Caleb the son of Jephunneh bthe Kenizzitesaid unto him” (Joshua 14:6). Although his father was Jephunneh, he is known as “the Kenizzite,” although he was not actually a son of Kenaz. The Gemara accepts this proof and states: bConclude from itthat Rava’s explanation is correct.,The verse states: “And Caleb, the son of Hezron, begot children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth, and these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon” (I Chronicles 2:18). The Gemara analyzes the verse: The verse refers to the wife of Caleb by the name bAzubah.The Sages teach that bthisis bMiriam. And why is she called Azubah? As everyone initially abandoned her [ iazavuha /i]and did not want to marry her because she was sickly and unattractive. The verse additionally states: “And Caleb, the son of Hezron, bbegot children [ iholid /i]of Azubah his wife” (I Chronicles 2:18). The Gemara asks: Why use the term “ iholid /i,” begot children? bButdoesn’t this verse state that bhe married her? Rabbi Yoḥa says:This teaches us that with regard to banyone who marries a woman for the sake of Heaven,as he married her due to her righteousness without concern for her appearance, bthe verse ascribes himcredit bas if he gave birth to her. /b,The same verse refers to Miriam additionally as bJerioth,which the Gemara explains was appropriate, bfor her face was likeextremely pallid bcurtains [ iyeriot /i]. /b,The verse continues: b“And these were her sons [ ivaneha /i].”The Gemara explains: bDo not readit as ivaneha /i, her sons; rather,read it as iboneha /i, her builders.In other words, the rest of the names in the verse are not the names of her children, but rather appellations for her husband, whose marriage to her built her, as it were. The first appellation for Caleb, b“Jesher,”is referring to his actions, bas he set himself straight [ iyisher /i]and did not join in the counsel of the spies. The second appellation, b“Shobab,”is referring to the fact bthat he broke [ isibbev /i] hisevil binclinationby rebelling against the other spies. The third appellation, b“and Ardon [ iveArdon /i],”is referring to the fact bthat he ruled [ irada /i]over bhisevil binclination. And some say: Because the faceof his wife Miriam became beautiful blike a rose [ ivered /i]after they were married, she was also called Vardon, due to her rose-like complexion.,The Gemara interprets an additional verse as referring to Caleb. It is stated: b“And Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah”(I Chronicles 4:5). bAshhur is Caleb. And why was he called Ashhur? Because his face became blackened [ ihusheḥaru /i] fromthe extensive bfaststhat he accepted upon himself so that he would not be entrapped by the counsel of the spies. b“The father of”is also referring to Caleb, bas he became like a father tohis wife. The next word in the verse, b“Tekoa,”is an additional reference to Caleb, bas he attached [ itaka /i] his heart to his Father in Heaven. /b,The phrase in the verse b“had two wives”actually means it is as if bMiriam became like two wives,because she changed over the course of time. And therefore the two names written in the verse: b“Helah and Naarah,” were nottwo separate women, bHelah and Naarah. Rather, initiallyMiriam was bsickly [ iḥela /i]and forlorn, band ultimatelyshe was healthy and beautiful like ba young woman [ ina’ara /i]. /b,The Gemara expounds the following verse as referring to Miriam: b“And the children of Helah were Zereth [ iTzeret /i] and Zohar and Eth”(I Chronicles 4:7). She was now called b“ iTzeret /i,” for she becameso beautiful that she was like ba rival [ itzara /i] to otherwomen, as they were jealous of her beauty. She is called b“Zohar,” as her faceshined blikethe sun does at bnoon [ itzohorayim /i].She is called b“Eth,” as anyman bthat saw herwould be aroused so much that he bwould bring a gift [ iet /i] to his wifeto entice her.,§ The Gemara returns to the discussion of the bondage in Egypt. b“And Pharaoh charged all his people,saying: Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive” (Exodus 1:22). bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:The use of the phrase “every son that is born” indicates that bhe decreed even on his own nationthat all their male babies must be killed. bAnd Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, saysfurther: bHe decreed three decrees. Initially,he commanded the midwives only with regard to Jewish infants: “You shall look upon the stones. bIf it be a son, then you shall kill him;but if it be a daughter, then she shall live” (Exodus 1:16). bAnd afterward,he decreed with regard to the Jewish infants: b“Every son that is born you shall cast into the river”(Exodus 1:22). bAnd ultimately, he decreed even on his own nationthat Egyptian infant boys should be cast into the river as well.,The verse states: b“And there went a man of the house of Levi,and took for a wife a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1). The Gemara asks: bTo where did he go? Rav Yehuda bar Zevina says: He went according to the advice of his daughterMiriam, as the Gemara will proceed to explain.,A Sage bteaches: Amram,the father of Moses, bwas the great man of his generation. Once he saw that the wicked Pharaoh said: “Every son that is born you shall cast into the river,and every daughter you shall save alive” (Exodus 1:22), bhe said: We are laboring for nothingby bringing children into the world to be killed. Therefore, bhe arose and divorced his wife. Allothers who saw this followed his example and barose and divorced their wives. /b, bHis daughter,Miriam, bsaid to him: Father, your decree is more harshfor the Jewish people bthan that of Pharaoh, as Pharaoh decreed only with regard to the males, but you decreedboth bon the males and on the females.And now no children will be born. Additionally, bPharaoh decreedto kill them bonly in this world, but youdecreed bin this world and in the World-to-Come,as those not born will not enter the World-to-Come.,Miriam continued: Additionally, concerning bPharaoh the wicked,it is buncertainwhether bhis decreewill be bfulfilled,and it is buncertainif his decree will bnotbe bfulfilled. You are a righteous person,and as such, byour decreeswill bcertainlybe bfulfilled, as it is statedwith regard to the righteous: b“You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you”(Job 22:28). Amram accepted his daughter’s words and barose and brought back,i.e., remarried, bhis wife,and ballothers who saw this followed his example and barose and brought back their wives. /b,The Gemara asks: If Amram remarried Jochebed, rather than say: b“And tookfor a wife a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1), bit should havestated: b“And returnedfor a wife the daughter of Levi.” bRav Yehuda bar Zevina says: He performed an act of marriagejust as one would do for a first marriage. bHe sat her on a palanquin [ iappiryon /i], and Aaron and Miriam danced before her, and the ministering angels said: “A joyful mother of children”(Psalms 113:9).,The verse is referring to Jochebed as b“a daughter of Levi”(Exodus 2:1). The Gemara asks: Is it bpossiblethat this is Jochebed? Jochebed bwasthen b130 years old andthe verse still bcalls her a daughter?Jochebed’s age is established based on a tradition concerning the number of the descendants of Jacob who came to Egypt, as follows: While the verse states that Leah had thirty-three descendants (Genesis 46:15), only thirty-two were enumerated. This was explained bas Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says:The “daughter of Levi” bis Jochebed, whose conception was on the road,as the family of Jacob descended to Egypt, band she was born between the walls,i.e., in Egypt, bas it is stated:“And the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, bwho was born to Levi in Egypt”(Numbers 26:59).,This interpolation concerning her birth is interpreted: bHer birthwas bin Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt.Since the Jewish people were in Egypt for two hundred ten years and Moses was eighty years old at the time of the exodus, Jochebed was one hundred thirty years old when Moses was born. In light of this, the Gemara is asking how the verse can refer to her as a daughter. bRabbi Yehuda says: The signs of a young woman were born in herwhen her husband remarried her, and she became like a young girl again.,§ The verse states concerning Moses: b“And the woman conceived, and bore a son;and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:2). The Gemara asks: bButJochebed bwas pregt withMoses bfor three months at the outset,before Amram remarried her, as will be explained further. bRav Yehuda bar Zevina said:The intention of the verse is to bjuxtapose hergiving bbirth to her becoming pregt. Just as her becoming pregt was without pain, so too, hergiving bbirth was without pain. From hereit is derived bconcerning righteous women that they were not included in the verdict [ ipitkah /i] of Evethat a woman will suffer pain during childbirth (see Genesis 3:16).,The verse states with regard to the birth of Moses: “And the woman conceived, and bore a son; band when she saw him that he was a goodly [ itov /i] child,she hid him three months” (Exodus 2:2). It bis taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Meir says: “Tov” is his,Moses’, real bname,as it was given to him by his parents when he was born. bRabbi Yehuda says: His name was Toviya. Rabbi Neḥemya says:They said he was good because they saw that he was bfit for prophecy. Others say:They said he was good because he was bborn when he wasalready bcircumcised. And the Rabbis say: At the time when Moses was born, the entire house was filled with light,as bit is written here: “And when she saw him that he was a goodly [ itov /i] child,” and it is written there: “And God saw the light, that it was good [ itov /i]”(Genesis 1:4).,The verse continues: b“And she hid him three months”(Exodus 2:2). The Gemara explains that she was able to hide him for three months bbecause the Egyptians countedthe nine months of her pregcy bonly from the timeher husband btook her back, but she was pregt withMoses bfor three months from the outsetof her remarriage.,The next verse states: b“And when she could no longer hide him”(Exodus 2:3). The Gemara asks: bWhycouldn’t she hide him any longer? bLet her continue to hide him. Rather, anywhere that the Egyptians heard that a baby was bornand they wanted to locate the baby, bthey would bringanother bbaby there in order that it could be heardcrying, bandthe two babies bwould cry together, as it is written: “Take us the foxes, the little foxes,that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Songs 2:15). The infants who were used to uncover the hidden babies are referred to as little foxes.,The verse states: “And when she could no longer hide him, bshe took for him an ark of bulrushes,and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the willows by the river’s bank” (Exodus 2:3). The Gemara asks: bWhat is differentabout bbulrushesthat she decided to use them? bRabbi Elazar says: From hereit is derived bconcerning righteous people that their money is more precious to them than their bodies,as she took an inexpensive material to build the ark. bAnd whydo they care bso muchabout their money? bBecause they do not stretch out their hands topartake of bstolen property.Therefore, their own property is very precious to them., bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysan alternative reason for her taking bulrushes for the ark: She took ba soft materiallike bulrush, bwhich is able to withstandan impact both bbefore a soft item and before a hard item.She feared that if she would have made the box from a hard material like wood, if it were to collide with a hard item in the water it might break.,The verse continues: b“And daubed it with bitumen and with pitch”(Exodus 2:3). A Sage bteaches:She daubed bbitumen on the interior and pitch on the exterior, so that righteous person,i.e., Moses, bwould not smell a foul odor,such as that of pitch.,The verse continues: b“And she put the child therein, and laid it in the willows [ ibassuf]”(Exodus 2:3). bRabbi Elazar says:This means she placed him bin the Suf Sea,i.e., the Red Sea. bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: /b |
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40. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, 45b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 45b. אסרו חג בעבותים עד קרנות המזבח א"ר ירמיה משום ר"ש בן יוחי ור' יוחנן משום ר"ש המחוזי משום ר' יוחנן המכותי כל העושה איסור לחג באכילה ושתיה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו בנה מזבח והקריב עליו קרבן שנא' אסרו חג בעבותים עד קרנות המזבח,אמר חזקיה א"ר ירמיה משום רשב"י כל המצות כולן אין אדם יוצא בהן אלא דרך גדילתן שנאמר (שמות כו, טו) עצי שטים עומדים,תנ"ה עצי שטים עומדים שעומדים דרך גדילתן דבר אחר עומדים שמעמידין את ציפוין דבר אחר עומדים שמא תאמר אבד סיברם ובטל סיכויין ת"ל עצי שטים עומדים שעומדים לעולם ולעולמי עולמים,ואמר חזקיה א"ר ירמיה משום רשב"י יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין מיום שנבראתי עד עתה ואילמלי אליעזר בני עמי מיום שנברא העולם ועד עכשיו ואילמלי יותם בן עוזיהו עמנו מיום שנברא העולם עד סופו,ואמר חזקיה א"ר ירמיה משום רשב"י ראיתי בני עלייה והן מועטין אם אלף הן אני ובני מהן אם מאה הם אני ובני מהן אם שנים הן אני ובני הן ומי זוטרי כולי האי והא אמר רבא תמני סרי אלפי דרא הוה דקמיה קודשא בריך הוא שנאמר (יחזקאל מח, לה) סביב שמנה עשר אלף ל"ק הא דמסתכלי באספקלריא המאירה הא דלא מסתכלי באספקלריא המאירה,ודמסתכלי באספקלריא המאירה מי זוטרי כולי האי והא אמר אביי לא פחות עלמא מתלתין ושיתא צדיקי דמקבלי אפי שכינה בכל יום שנאמר (ישעיהו ל, יח) אשרי כל חוכי לו ל"ו בגימטריא תלתין ושיתא הוו ל"ק הא דעיילי בבר הא דעיילי בלא בר:,בשעת פטירתן מה הן אומרים וכו': והא קא משתתף שם שמים ודבר אחר ותניא כל המשתף שם שמים ודבר אחר נעקר מן העולם שנאמר (שמות כב, יט) בלתי לה' לבדו הכי קאמר ליה אנחנו מודים ולך אנו משבחין ליה אנחנו מודים ולך אנו מקלסין:,כמעשהו בחול: אמר רב הונא מ"ט דר' יוחנן בן ברוקה דכתיב (ויקרא כג, מ) כפות שנים אחת ללולב ואחת למזבח ורבנן אמרי כפת כתיב,ר' לוי אומר כתמר מה תמר זה אין לו אלא לב אחד אף ישראל אין להם אלא לב אחד לאביהם שבשמים,אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל לולב שבעה וסוכה יום אחד מ"ט לולב דמפסקי לילות מימים כל יומא מצוה באפיה נפשיה הוא סוכה דלא מפסקי לילות מימים כולהו שבעה כחד יומא אריכא דמו,ורבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן סוכה שבעה ולולב יום אחד מאי טעמא סוכה דאורייתא שבעה לולב דרבנן סגי ליה בחד יומא,כי אתא רבין אמר רבי יוחנן אחד זה ואחד זה שבעה אמר רב יוסף נקוט דרבה בר בר חנה בידך דכולהו אמוראי קיימי כוותיה בסוכה,מיתיבי | 45b. b“Bind [ iisru /i] with dense-leaved branches [ iba’avotim /i] on the Festival until the horns of the altar”(Psalms 118:27), which alludes to both the binding of the ilulavand to the myrtle branch, referred to in the Torah as the branch of a dense-leaved tree [ ianaf etz avot /i]. bRabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, and Rabbi Yoḥasaid bin the name of Rabbi Shimon HaMeḥozi,who said bin the name of Rabbi Yoḥa HaMakkoti:With regard to banyone who establishes an addition [ iissur /i] to the Festivalon the day after the Festival bby eating and drinking, the verse ascribes himcredit bas though he built an altar and sacrificed an offering upon it, as it is stated: “Add [ iisru /i] to the Festival with fattened animals [ iba’avotim /i] until the horns of the altar.” /b,§ Apropos the ihalakhacited by Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, the Gemara cites additional ihalakhot /i. bḤizkiya saidthat bRabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai:With regard to ballobjects used in performance of beach and everyone of bthe mitzvot, a person fulfills his obligation onlywhen the objects are positioned bin the manner of their growth.One must take the ilulavwith the bottom of the branch facing down, bas it is statedwith regard to the beams of the Tabernacle: b“Acacia wood, standing”(Exodus 26:15), indicating that the beams stood in the manner of their growth., bThat was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“Acacia wood, standing,”indicating bthat they standin the Tabernacle bin the manner of their growthin nature. bAlternatively, standingmeans bthatthe beams bsupport theirgold bplatingthat is affixed to the beams with nails. bAlternatively, standingteaches: bLest you saythat after the destruction of the Tabernacle btheir hope is lost and their prospect is abolished,and they will never serve a sacred purpose again, therefore bthe verse states: “Acacia wood, standing,”meaning bthat they stand forever and for all timeand will yet be revealed and utilized again., bAnd Ḥizkiya saidthat bRabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: I am able to absolve the entire world from judgmentfor sins committed bfrom the day I was created until now.The merit that he accrued through his righteousness and the suffering that he endured atone for the sins of the entire world. bAnd werethe merit accrued by bEliezer, my son,calculated along bwith myown, we would absolve the world from judgment for sins committed bfrom the day that the world was created until now. And werethe merit accrued by the righteous king, bJotham ben Uzziah,calculated bwith ourown, we would absolve the world from judgment for sins committed bfrom the day that the world was created until its end.The righteousness of these three serves as a counterbalance to all the evil deeds committed throughout the generations, and it validates the ongoing existence of the world., bAnd Ḥizkiya saidthat bRabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: I have seen membersof the caste bofthe spiritually bprominent,who are truly righteous, band they are few. If theynumber bone thousand, I and my son are among them. If theynumber bone hundred, I and my son are among them; and if theynumber btwo, I and my son are they.The Gemara asks: bAre they so few? But didn’t Rava say: There are eighteen thousandrighteous individuals bin a row before the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “Surrounding are eighteen thousand”(Ezekiel 48:35)? Apparently, the righteous are numerous. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thisstatement of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai is referring to the very few bwho viewthe Divine Presence bthrough a bright,mirror-like bpartition,while bthatstatement of Rava is referring to those bwho do not viewthe Divine Presence bthrough a bright partition. /b,The Gemara asks further: bAnd arethose bwho viewthe Divine Presence through ba bright partition so few? But didn’t Abaye say: The worldhas bno fewer than thirty-six righteouspeople in each generation bwho greet the Divine Presence every day, as it is stated: “Happy are all they that wait for Him [ ilo /i]”(Isaiah 30:18)? bThe numerological value of ilo /i,spelled ilamed vav /i, bis thirty-six,alluding to the fact that there are at least thirty-six full-fledged righteous individuals in each generation. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thisstatement of Abaye is referring to those bwho enterto greet the Divine Presence bbyrequesting and being granted bpermission,while bthatstatement of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai is referring to those bwho entereven bwithoutrequesting bpermission,for whom the gates of Heaven are open at all times. They are very few indeed.,§ The mishna asks: bAt the time of their departureat the end of the Festival, bwhatwould bthey say?The mishna answers that they would praise the altar and glorify God. The Gemara challenges this: bButin doing so baren’t they joining the name of Heaven and another entity, and it was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bAnyone who joins the name of Heaven and another entity is uprooted from the world, as it is stated:“He that sacrifices unto the gods, bsave unto the Lord only,shall be utterly destroyed” (Exodus 22:19)? The Gemara answers that bthis is whatthe people bare sayingwhen they depart the Temple: bTo the Lord, we acknowledgethat He is our God, band to you,the altar, bwe give praise; to the Lord, we acknowledgethat He is our God, band to you,the altar, bwe give acclaim.The praise to God and the praise to the altar are clearly distinct.,§ The mishna continues: bAs its performance during the week,so is its performance on Shabbat. And according to Rabbi Yoḥa ben Beroka, on the seventh day of the Festival they would bring palm branches to the Temple. bRav Huna said: What is the rationalefor the opinion bof Rabbi Yoḥa ben Beroka?It is bas it is written:“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a beautiful tree, bbranchesof a date palm” (Leviticus 23:40). Branches in the plural indicates that btwobranches must be taken, bone for the ilulavand one forplacement around bthe altar. And the Rabbis say:Although the word is vocalized in the plural, based on tradition it bis written ikappot /i,without the letter ivav /i. Therefore, it is interpreted as if it were written ikappat /i, indicating that only one palm branch need be taken., bRabbi Levi says:The rationale for the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥa ben Beroka is not based on a verse. Rather, it is a custom that developed to express praise for the Jewish people, blikeningthem to ba date palm /b. bJust as the date palm has only one heart,as branches do not grow from its trunk but rather the trunk rises and branches emerge only at the top, bso too, the Jewish people have only one heartdirected btoward their Father in Heaven. /b,§ bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said:The blessing over the mitzva of ilulav /iis recited bsevendays bandthe blessing over the mitzva of isukka /iis recited bone day. What is the rationalefor this distinction? It is written explicitly in the Torah that the mitzva to sit in the isukkaapplies all seven days. The Gemara explains: With regard to the ilulav /i, where the nights are distinct from the days,as the mitzva of ilulavis not in effect at night, beach day is a mitzva in and of itself.A separate blessing is recited over each mitzva. However, with regard to isukka /i, where the nights are not distinct from the days,as the mitzva of isukkais in effect at night just as it is during the day, the legal status of ball sevendays of the Festival bis likethat of bone long day. /b, bBut Rabba bar bar Ḥanasaid that bRabbi Yoḥa said:The blessing over the mitzva of isukka /iis recited bsevendays and the blessing over the mitzva of ilulav /iis recited bone day. What is the rationalefor this distinction? The Gemara explains: The mitzva of isukka /iis a mitzva bby Torahlaw all seven days of the Festival. Therefore, a blessing is recited for bsevendays. However, the mitzva of ilulav /i,other than on the first day, is a mitzva bby rabbiniclaw, as the Sages instituted an ordice to take the ilulavfor all seven days to commemorate the practice in the Temple. Therefore, bit is enoughto recite the blessing bone day,on the first day., bWhen Ravin camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that bRabbi Yoḥa said:One recites a blessing over bboth this,the mitzva of isukka /i, bandover bthat,the mitzva of ilulav /i, all bsevendays. bRav Yosef said: Takethe statement bof Rabba bar bar Ḥana in your hand, as all the iamora’im /iwho transmitted statements of Rabbi Yoḥa bhold in accordance with hisopinion binmatters related to isukka /i. /b,The Gemara braises an objectionbased on a ibaraita /i: |
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41. Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot, 61a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 61a. קברי עובדי כוכבים אינן מטמאין באהל שנא' (יחזקאל לד, לא) ואתן צאני צאן מרעיתי אדם אתם אתם קרויין אדם ואין העובדי כוכבים קרויין אדם,מיתיבי (במדבר לא, מ) ונפש אדם ששה עשר אלף משום בהמה,(יונה ד, יא) אשר יש בה הרבה משתים עשרה רבוא אדם אשר לא ידע בין ימינו לשמאלו (ובהמה רבה) משום בהמה,(במדבר לא, יט) כל הורג נפש וכל נוגע בחלל תתחטאו דלמא איקטיל חד מישראל ורבנן לא נפקד ממנו איש ור' שמעון בן יוחי לא נפקד ממנו איש לעבירה,רבינא אמר נהי דמעטינהו קרא מאטמויי באהל דכתיב (במדבר יט, יד) אדם כי ימות באהל ממגע ומשא מי מעטינהו קרא:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big אירס את האלמנה ונתמנה להיות כהן גדול יכנוס ומעשה ביהושע בן גמלא שקדש את מרתא בת ביתוס ומנהו המלך להיות כה"ג וכנסה שומרת יבם שנפלה לפני כהן הדיוט ונתמנה להיות כה"ג אע"פ שעשה בה מאמר הרי זה לא יכנוס:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big ת"ר מנין שאם אירס את האלמנה ונתמנה להיות כהן גדול שיכנוס ת"ל (ויקרא כא, יד) יקח אשה א"ה שומרת יבם נמי אשה ולא יבמה:,מעשה ביהושע וכו': מנהו אין נתמנה לא אמר רב יוסף קטיר קחזינא הכא דאמר רב אסי תרקבא דדינרי עיילה ליה מרתא בת ביתוס לינאי מלכא עד דמוקי ליה ליהושע בן גמלא בכהני רברבי:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big כהן גדול שמת אחיו חולץ ולא מייבם:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big קא פסיק ותני לא שנא מן האירוסין ולא שנא מן הנשואין בשלמא מן הנשואין עשה ולא תעשה הוא ואין עשה דוחה ל"ת ועשה אלא מן האירוסין יבא עשה וידחה את לא תעשה,גזירה ביאה ראשונה אטו ביאה שניה:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big כהן הדיוט לא ישא אילונית אלא א"כ יש לו אשה ובנים רבי יהודה אומר אע"פ שיש לו אשה ובנים לא ישא אילונית שהיא זונה האמורה בתורה וחכמים אומרים אין זונה אלא גיורת ומשוחררת ושנבעלה בעילת זנות:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big א"ל ריש גלותא לרב הונא מ"ט משום פריה ורביה אפריה ורביה כהנים הוא דמפקדי וישראל לא מפקדי אמר ליה משום דקא בעי למיתני סיפא רבי יהודה אומר אע"פ שיש לו אשה | 61a. bThe graves of gentiles do not renderitems bimpure though a tent, as it is stated: “And you My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are men [ iadam /i]”(Ezekiel 34:31), from which it is derived that byou,the Jewish people, bare called men [ iadam /i] but gentiles are not called men [ iadam /i].Since the Torah introduces the ihalakhaof ritual impurity of a tent with the words: “When a man [ iadam /i] dies in a tent” (Numbers 19:14), this ihalakhaapplies only to corpses of Jews but not those of gentiles.,The Gemara braises an objectionbased upon the verse with regard to captives taken during the war against Midian: b“And the persons [ inefesh adam /i] were sixteen thousand”(Numbers 31:40), which indicates that gentiles are also referred to as iadam /i. The Gemara answers: They are given this title bdue tothe need to distinguish the people taken captive from the banimalsthat were taken as spoils of war.,The Gemara raises another difficulty based upon a verse with regard to the city of Nineveh: b“Wherein are more than one hundred and twenty thousand men [ iadam /i] that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also much cattle”(Jonah 4:11). The Gemara answers: There, too, the gentiles are given this title bdue tothe need to distinguish them from the banimalsmentioned in the verse.,The Gemara continues to question Rabbi Shimon’s ruling based upon a verse pertaining to the war against Midian: b“Whoever has killed anyone, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves”(Numbers 31:19). This indicates that gentile corpses convey ritual impurity. The Gemara answers: bPerhaps a Jew was killed,and the concern was for impurity caused by his corpse. bAnd the Rabbisreply that the verse attests: b“Not one man of us is missing”(Numbers 31:49). No Jewish soldiers fell in battle, and therefore the concern for impurity must have been due to the corpses of gentiles. bAnd Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥairesponds: The intent of that verse is that bnot one man of us is missingdue to btransgression,i.e., none of them sinned., bRavina saidthat the explanation above is unnecessary: bGranted, the verse excludedgentiles bfrom renderingitems bimpure through a tent, as it is written: “When a man [ iadam /i] dies in a tent”(Numbers 19:14); but bdid the verse exclude them fromrendering items impure via btouching and carrying?Since gentile corpses convey impurity in these ways, they could have rendered impure the Jews involved in the war with Midian, even according to Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai., strongMISHNA: /strong If a priest bbetrothed a widow and wassubsequently bappointed to be High Priest, he may marryher. bAndthere was ban incident with Yehoshua ben Gamla, who betrothed Marta bat Baitos,a widow, band the kingsubsequently bappointed him to be High Priest, andhe nevertheless bmarried her.Conversely, in the case of ba widow waiting for her iyavamwho happened before a common priest,i.e., the priest was her iyavam /i, band he wassubsequently bappointed to be High Priest,then beven if hehad already bperformed levirate betrothal with her, he may not marry her,because she is a widow., strongGEMARA: /strong bThe Sages taught: From whereis it derived bthat ifa priest bbetrothed a widow and wassubsequently bappointed to be High Priest, that he may marryher? bThe verse states: “Shall he take for a wife”(Leviticus 21:14), an inclusive phrase that indicates that he may marry her in this situation despite the general prohibition for a High Priest to marry a widow. The Gemara asks: bIf so, a widow waiting for her iyavam /ishould balsobe permitted to a High Priest. The Gemara answers: The word b“wife”indicates that this does bnotinclude ba iyevama /i,who was not initially his wife but his brother’s.,The mishna related ban incident with Yehoshuaben Gamla. The Gemara notes that the mishna states that the king bappointed him, yes,but bnotthat he bwasworthy of being bappointed. Rav Yosef said: I see a conspiracy here,as this was clearly not a proper appointment by the priests and the Sanhedrin but rather a political appointment, bas Rav Asi said: Marta bat Baitos broughta vessel the size of ba half- ise’a[ itarkav /i]full bof dinars to King Yannai until he appointed Yehoshua ben Gamla High Priest. /b, strongMISHNA: /strong bA High Priest whose brother diedwithout children bperforms iḥalitzaand he does not perform levirate marriage,as he may not marry a widow., strongGEMARA: /strong The Gemara comments: The mishna bteachesthis ihalakha bcategorically,indicating that bit is no differentif she is his brother’s widow bfrom betrothal, and it is no differentif she is his widow bfrom marriage.The Gemara analyzes this ihalakha /i: bGranted,she is forbidden to him if she was widowed bfrom marriage, as,if he were to marry her, bitwould be a violation of both the bpositive mitzvathat the High Priest marry a virgin bandthe bprohibitionfor him to marry a widow. bAnd a positive mitzva,i.e., levirate marriage, bdoes not override a prohibition and a positivemitzva together. bHowever,if she was a widow bfrom betrothaland is therefore still a virgin, bthe positive mitzvaof levirate marriage bshould come and override the prohibitionfor a High Priest to marry a widow.,The Gemara answers: By Torah law, levirate marriage is permitted in this case. However, there is a rabbinic bdecreeprohibiting their bfirstact of bintercourse due totheir bsecondact of bintercourse.After they have engaged in intercourse once, they have fulfilled the mitzva of levirate marriage, and any subsequent act of intercourse would constitute a violation of the prohibition without the fulfillment of a mitzva., strongMISHNA: /strong bA common priest may not marry a sexually underdeveloped woman [ iaylonit /i],who is incapable of bearing children, bunless healready bhas a wife and children. Rabbi Yehuda says: Evenif bhe has a wife and children, he may not marry a sexually underdeveloped woman, as she is the izona /iabout whom it is bstated in the Torahthat a priest may not marry her. Intercourse with her is considered a licentious act because she is incapable of bearing children. bAnd the Rabbis say: The onlywomen in the category of izona /i,who are therefore forbidden to a priest, are ba female convert, a freedmaidservant, bandany woman bwho engaged in licentious sexual intercoursewith a man she is prohibited from marrying., strongGEMARA: /strong bThe Exilarch said to Rav Huna: What is the reasonfor the ihalakhathat a priest may not marry a sexually underdeveloped woman? It is bbecausehe is obligated to fulfill the mitzva to bbe fruitful and multiply. Is itonly bpriests who were commanded to be fruitful and multiply, but Israelites were not commanded?Why does the mishna specify that a priest may not marry a sexually underdeveloped woman? Rav Huna bsaid to him:This ihalakhadoes in fact apply even to Israelites, and the itannamentions priests bbecause he wants to teachit in a way that would parallel bthe latter clauseof the mishna, which states that bRabbi Yehuda says: Evenif bhe has a wife /b |
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42. Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, 4b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 4b. ויכסהו הענן להר ויקרא אל משה [משה] וכל ישראל עומדין ולא בא הכתוב אלא לחלק כבוד למשה רבי נתן אומר לא בא הכתוב אלא למרק אכילה ושתיה שבמעיו לשומו כמלאכי השרת,ר' מתיא בן חרש אומר לא בא הכתוב אלא לאיים עליו כדי שתהא תורה ניתנת באימה ברתת ובזיע שנאמר (תהלים ב, יא) עבדו את ה' ביראה וגילו ברעדה מאי וגילו ברעדה אמר רב אדא בר מתנה אמר רב במקום גילה שם תהא רעדה,במאי קא מיפלגי רבי יוסי הגלילי ור"ע בפלוגתא דהני תנאי דתניא בששה בחודש ניתנה תורה לישראל רבי יוסי אומר בשבעה בו מאן דאמר בששה בששה ניתנה ובשבעה עלה (דכתיב (שמות כד, טז) ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי) מאן דאמר בשבעה בשבעה ניתנה ובשבעה עלה [דכתיב ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי],רבי יוסי הגלילי סבר לה כתנא קמא דאמר בששה בחודש ניתנה תורה הלכך זה היה מעשה אחר עשרת הדברות (שמות כד, טז) וישכון כבוד ה' על הר סיני ויכסהו הענן ששת ימים למשה ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי לקבולי שאר תורה דאי סלקא דעתך וישכון כבוד ה' מר"ח ויכסהו הענן להר ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי לקבולי עשרת הדברות הא קבילו להו מששה והא אסתלק ענן מששה,ורבי עקיבא סבר לה כרבי יוסי דאמר בשבעה בחדש ניתנה תורה לישראל בשלמא לר' עקיבא היינו דמשכחת לה בשבעה עשר בתמוז נשתברו הלוחות עשרין וארבעה דסיון ושיתסר דתמוז מלו להו ארבעין יומין דהוה בהר ובשבסר בתמוז נחית ואתא ותברינהו ללוחות,אלא לר' יוסי הגלילי דאמר ששה דפרישה וארבעין דהר עד עשרין ותלת בתמוז לא אתבור לוחות אמר לך ר' יוסי הגלילי ארבעין דהר בהדי ששה דפרישה,אמר מר ויקרא אל משה משה וכל ישראל עומדין מסייע ליה לר"א דאמר רבי אלעזר ויקרא אל משה משה וכל ישראל עומדין ולא בא הכתוב אלא לחלק לו כבוד למשה,מיתיבי קול לו קול אליו משה שמע וכל ישראל לא שמעו לא קשיא הא בסיני הא באהל מועד ואי בעית אימא לא קשיא הא בקריאה הא בדבור,ר' זריקא רמי קראי קמיה דר' אלעזר ואמרי לה אמר ר' זריקא ר' אלעזר רמי כתיב (שמות מ, לה) ולא יכול משה לבא אל אהל מועד כי שכן עליו הענן וכתיב (שמות כד, יח) ויבא משה בתוך הענן מלמד שתפסו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה והביאו בענן,דבי ר' ישמעאל תנא נאמר כאן בתוך ונאמר להלן בתוך (שמות יד, טז) ויבואו בני ישראל בתוך הים מה להלן שביל דכתיב (שמות יד, כב) והמים להם חומה אף כאן שביל:,(ויקרא א, א) ויקרא אל משה וידבר למה הקדים קריאה לדיבור לימדה תורה דרך ארץ שלא יאמר אדם דבר לחבירו אלא א"כ קורהו מסייע ליה לרבי חנינא דאמר רבי חנינא לא יאמר אדם דבר לחבירו אלא אם כן קורהו לאמר אמר ר' (מוסיא בר בריה דרבי מסיא משמיה דר' מוסיא) רבה מניין לאומר דבר לחבירו שהוא בבל יאמר עד שיאמר לו לך אמור שנאמר (ויקרא א, א) וידבר ה' אליו מאהל מועד לאמר,מכלל דתרווייהו סבירא להו מלואים כל הכתוב בהן מעכב בהן דאיתמר מלואים ר' יוחנן ורבי חנינא חד אמר כל הכתוב בהן מעכב בהן וחד אמר דבר המעכב לדורות מעכב בהן שאין מעכב לדורות אין מעכב בהן,תסתיים דר' יוחנן הוא דאמר כל הכתוב בהן מעכב בהן מדקאמר ליה ר' שמעון בן לקיש לר' יוחנן אי מה מלואים כל הכתוב בהן מעכב בהן ולא קא מהדר ליה ולא מידי תסתיים,מאי בינייהו | 4b. And that which is written: b“And the cloud covered him,”means the cloud covered it, bthe mountain,and not him, Moses. b“And He called to Moses”; Moses and all of the Jewish people were standingat the foot of the mountain and listening, and if God did not mean that Moses was to climb the mountain, why did He call him? bThe verse comes only to accord deference to Moses,as the entire nation heard God address him. bRabbi Natan says:Moses was in fact called to enter the cloud; however, his entrance was not for the purpose of sequestering and purifying him, brather, the verse comes only to cleanse the food and drink that was in his intestines, to render him like the ministering angelswho require neither food nor drink., bRabbi Matya ben Ḥarash says: The versecalling Moses into the cloud bcomes only to intimidateMoses, to instill in him a sense of awe of the Creator, bso that the Torah would be delivered with reverence, with quaking and with trembling, as it is stated: “Serve the Lord with awe, and rejoice with trembling”(Psalms 2:11). Apropos the end of the verse, the Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of b“and rejoice with trembling”?Joy and trembling seem contradictory. bRav Adda bar Mattana saidthat bRav said: Where there isthe bjoy offulfilling a mitzva, bthere will bethe btremblingof the awe of Heaven bthere. /b,§ Apropos the interpretation of the verse with regard to revelation, the Gemara asks: With regard to bwhat do Rabbi Yosei HaGelili and Rabbi Akiva disagree?The Gemara explains that their dispute is parallel bto the dispute between theseother itanna’im /i, as it was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOn the sixthday bof the monthof Sivan, bthe Torah,the Ten Commandments, bwas given to the Jewish people. Rabbi Yosei says:It was bon the seventhday bofthe month. According to the bone who saidthat it was bon the sixth,the Torah bwas given on the sixth,which is the day of the revelation of the Ten Commandments, band on the seventhday of the month Moses bascendedthe mountain, bas it is written: “And He called to Moses on the seventh day”(Exodus 24:16). According to the bone who saidthat the Torah was given bon the seventhof the month, bit was given on the seventh and Moses ascended on the seventh, as it is written: “And he called to Moses on the seventh day.” /b,The Gemara proceeds to link the two disputes. bRabbi Yosei HaGelili holds in accordance withthe opinion of bthe first itanna /iin the ibaraita /i, bwho saidthat it was bon the sixthof the month bthat the Torah was given; therefore, this incident occurred afterthe revelation of bthe Ten Commandments.That is why he explains the verse b“And the glory of the Lord abode on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered him for six days”to mean that the cloud covered bMoses, and He called to Moses on the seventh day to receive the rest of the Torah. As, should it enter your mindto interpret the verse as follows: b“And the glory of the Lord abode” from the New Moonof Sivan; b“And the cloud covered it,” the mountain; “And He called to Moses on the seventh day,”to receive only the Ten Commandments; bdidn’t theyalready breceivethe Ten Commandments bon the sixthof the month, band the cloudthat was on the mountain balready departed on the sixthof the month?, bAnd Rabbi Akiva holds in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei, who said that on the seventh of the monththe bTorah was given to the Jewish people.That is why Moses was summoned on the seventh of the month immediately after the revelation of the Ten Commandments. The Gemara asks: bGranted,according to the opinion of bRabbi Akivathat the Torah was given on the seventh of Sivan and Moses then proceeded to climb the mountain and remain there for forty days, bthatexplains the calculation bthat you find: On the seventeenth of Tammuz the tablets were shattered,according to the standard tradition. How so? Calculate btwenty-fourdays until the end bof Sivan and sixteendays bof Tammuz; they total the forty days that he was on the mountain. On the seventeenth of Tammuz he descendedfrom the mountain band came and shatteredthe btablets. /b, bHowever, according to Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, who said:There were bsixdays bof sequesteringafter the Torah was given and an additional bfortydays bthatMoses was on the bmountain, the tablets were not shattered until the twenty-third of Tammuz,contrary to the standard tradition. bRabbi Yosei HaGelilicould have bsaid to you: The fortydays bthatMoses was on the bmountain include the sixdays bof sequestering. /b,§ bThe Master saidin that ibaraitacited above that when the Torah says: b“And He called to Moses,”it means that bMoses and all of the Jewish people were standingand listening. The Gemara suggests that this bsupportsthe opinion of bRabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar saidthat when the Torah says: b“And He called to Moses,”it means that bMoses and all of the Jewish people were standingand listening band the verse comes only to accord deference to Moses.From Rabbi Elazar’s statement it is clear that all of Israel heard the voice of God.,The Gemara braises an objection:The Torah states: “And when Moses went into the Tent of Meeting that He might speak with him, then he heard the voice speaking unto him from above the Ark cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubs; and He spoke unto him” (Numbers 7:89). The Torah could have said: He heard the bvoicespeaking btohim; however, instead the verse said: He heard the bvoicespeaking buntohim, indicating that the voice reached him alone. bMosesalone bheardGod’s voice band all of the Jewish people did not hearit. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thiscase, where everyone heard God’s voice, was bat Sinai. Thatcase, where Moses alone heard God’s voice, was batthe bTent of Meeting. Or if you wish, sayinstead an alternative resolution. This is bnot difficult;when God addressed Moses by bcallingto him, everyone heard; that which God subsequently communicated by bspeaking,Moses alone heard., bRabbi Zerika raised a contradiction between verses before Rabbi Elazar, and some saythat bRabbi Zerika saidthat bRabbi Elazar raised a contradiction: It is writtenin one place: b“And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting because the cloud dwelt on it”(Exodus 40:35), as Moses was unable to enter the cloud. bAnd it is writtenelsewhere: b“And Moses came into the cloud”(Exodus 24:18). bThis teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, grabbed Moses and brought him into the cloudsince he could not enter on his own., bThe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught:There is a verbal analogy that resolves this contradiction. bIt is stated here:“And Moses came bintothe cloud,” band it is stated below,in another verse: b“And the children of Israel went into the seaon dry land” (Exodus 14:22); bJust as below,there was ba pathwithin the sea, bas it is written: “And the water was a wall for them”(Exodus 14:22), bhere too,there was ba paththrough the cloud, but Moses did not actually enter the cloud.,The verse says: b“And He called unto Moses, andthe Lord bspokeunto him from within the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). bWhydoes the verse mention bcalling before speaking,and God did not speak to him at the outset? bThe Torah is teaching etiquette: A personshould bnot say anything to another unless he calls himfirst. This bsupportsthe opinion of bRabbi Ḥanina, as Rabbi Ḥanina said: A person should not say anything to another unless he calls himfirst. With regard to the term concluding the verse: b“Saying,” Rabbi Musya, grandson of Rabbi Masya, said in the name of Rabbi Musya the Great: From whereis it derived with regard bto one who tells anothersome bmatter, thatit is incumbent upon the latter bnotto bsay itto others buntilthe former explicitly bsays to him: Go and tell others? As it is stated: “And the Lord spoke to him fromwithin bthe Tent of Meeting, saying [ ilemor /i].” iLemoris a contraction of ilo emor /i, meaning: Do not say. One must be given permission before transmitting information.,§ After digressing to interpret the verses with regard to Mount Sinai, the Gemara resumes its discussion of the statements of Rabbi Yoḥa and Reish Lakish. Based on the question Reish Lakish addressed to Rabbi Yoḥa and the fact that Rabbi Yoḥa accepted the premise of that question, we learn bby inferencethat bboth maintainthat with regard to the binauguration,failure to perform ballthe details bthat are written in itsregard binvalidatesthe inauguration. bAs it is stated: Rabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Ḥaninadisagree. bOne said:Failure to perform ballthe details bthat are written in itsregard binvalidatesthe inauguration. bAnd one said: A matter that invalidatesofferings bthroughout the generations invalidatesthe inauguration; ba matter that does not invalidateofferings bthroughout the generations does not invalidatethe inauguration., bConcludethat bRabbi Yoḥa is the one who said:Failure to perform ballthe details bthat are written in itsregard binvalidatesthe inauguration. This may be concluded bfromthe fact bthat Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says to Rabbi Yoḥa: Just aswith regard to the binauguration,failure to perform ballthe details bthat are written in itsregard binvalidatesthe inauguration, so too is the ihalakhawith regard to Yom Kippur, bandRabbi Yoḥa bdid not respondand did bnotsay banything,indicating that he agreed. The Gemara states: bConcludethat this indeed is the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥa.,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe practical halakhic difference bbetweenthe opinions of Rabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Ḥanina? |
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43. Anon., Avot Derabbi Nathan A, 12 (6th cent. CE - 8th cent. CE)
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