1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 5.16, 5.21, 5.24, 17.5, 19.15, 21.15, 21.18-21.19, 21.21, 22.15-22.19, 32.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 5.16. כַּבֵּד אֶת־אָבִיךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ׃ 5.21. וַתֹּאמְרוּ הֵן הֶרְאָנוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶת־כְּבֹדוֹ וְאֶת־גָּדְלוֹ וְאֶת־קֹלוֹ שָׁמַעְנוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה רָאִינוּ כִּי־יְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם וָחָי׃ 5.24. קְרַב אַתָּה וּשֲׁמָע אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאַתְּ תְּדַבֵּר אֵלֵינוּ אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְשָׁמַעְנוּ וְעָשִׂינוּ׃ 17.5. וְהוֹצֵאתָ אֶת־הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁה הַהִוא אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה אֶל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֶת־הָאִישׁ אוֹ אֶת־הָאִשָּׁה וּסְקַלְתָּם בָּאֲבָנִים וָמֵתוּ׃ 19.15. לֹא־יָקוּם עֵד אֶחָד בְּאִישׁ לְכָל־עָוֺן וּלְכָל־חַטָּאת בְּכָל־חֵטְא אֲשֶׁר יֶחֱטָא עַל־פִּי שְׁנֵי עֵדִים אוֹ עַל־פִּי שְׁלֹשָׁה־עֵדִים יָקוּם דָּבָר׃ 21.15. כִּי־תִהְיֶיןָ לְאִישׁ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים הָאַחַת אֲהוּבָה וְהָאַחַת שְׂנוּאָה וְיָלְדוּ־לוֹ בָנִים הָאֲהוּבָה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָה וְהָיָה הַבֵּן הַבְּכוֹר לַשְּׂנִיאָה׃ 21.18. כִּי־יִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה אֵינֶנּוּ שֹׁמֵעַ בְּקוֹל אָבִיו וּבְקוֹל אִמּוֹ וְיסְּרוּ אֹתוֹ וְלֹא יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיהֶם׃ 21.19. וְתָפְשׂוּ בוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְהוֹצִיאוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל־זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ וְאֶל־שַׁעַר מְקֹמוֹ׃ 21.21. וּרְגָמֻהוּ כָּל־אַנְשֵׁי עִירוֹ בָאֲבָנִים וָמֵת וּבִעַרְתָּ הָרָע מִקִּרְבֶּךָ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁמְעוּ וְיִרָאוּ׃ 22.15. וְלָקַח אֲבִי הנער [הַנַּעֲרָה] וְאִמָּהּ וְהוֹצִיאוּ אֶת־בְּתוּלֵי הנער [הַנַּעֲרָה] אֶל־זִקְנֵי הָעִיר הַשָּׁעְרָה׃ 22.16. וְאָמַר אֲבִי הנער [הַנַּעַרָה] אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִים אֶת־בִּתִּי נָתַתִּי לָאִישׁ הַזֶּה לְאִשָּׁה וַיִּשְׂנָאֶהָ׃ 22.17. וְהִנֵּה־הוּא שָׂם עֲלִילֹת דְּבָרִים לֵאמֹר לֹא־מָצָאתִי לְבִתְּךָ בְּתוּלִים וְאֵלֶּה בְּתוּלֵי בִתִּי וּפָרְשׂוּ הַשִּׂמְלָה לִפְנֵי זִקְנֵי הָעִיר׃ 22.18. וְלָקְחוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר־הַהִוא אֶת־הָאִישׁ וְיִסְּרוּ אֹתוֹ׃ 22.19. וְעָנְשׁוּ אֹתוֹ מֵאָה כֶסֶף וְנָתְנוּ לַאֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה כִּי הוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע עַל בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלוֹ־תִהְיֶה לְאִשָּׁה לֹא־יוּכַל לְשַּׁלְּחָהּ כָּל־יָמָיו׃ 32.6. הֲ־לַיְהוָה תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹאת עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם הֲלוֹא־הוּא אָבִיךָ קָּנֶךָ הוּא עָשְׂךָ וַיְכֹנְנֶךָ׃ | 5.16. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." 5.21. and ye said: ‘Behold, the LORD our God hath shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he liveth." 5.24. Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that the LORD our God may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.’" 17.5. then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, who have done this evil thing, unto thy gates, even the man or the woman; and thou shalt stone them with stones, that they die." 19.15. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be establishment" 21.15. If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son be hers that was hated;" 21.18. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not hearken to the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them;" 21.19. then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;" 21.21. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee; and all Israel shall hear, and fear." 22.15. then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate." 22.16. And the damsel’s father shall say unto the elders: ‘I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her;" 22.17. and, lo, he hath laid wanton charges, saying: I found not in thy daughter the tokens of virginity; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city." 22.18. And the elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him." 22.19. And they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel; and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days." 32.6. Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? Is not He thy father that hath gotten thee? Hath He not made thee, and established thee?" |
|
2. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 7.15, 7.17, 7.20, 20.12, 33.20 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 7.15. לֵךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה בַּבֹּקֶר הִנֵּה יֹצֵא הַמַּיְמָה וְנִצַּבְתָּ לִקְרָאתוֹ עַל־שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר וְהַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר־נֶהְפַּךְ לְנָחָשׁ תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ׃ 7.17. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מַכֶּה בַּמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדִי עַל־הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר וְנֶהֶפְכוּ לְדָם׃ 20.12. כַּבֵּד אֶת־אָבִיךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּךָ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ׃ | 7.15. Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thy hand." 7.17. thus saith the LORD: In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD—behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood." 7.20. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood." 20.12. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." 33.20. And He said: ‘Thou canst not see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.’" |
|
3. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 38.25, 44.30 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 38.25. הִוא מוּצֵאת וְהִיא שָׁלְחָה אֶל־חָמִיהָ לֵאמֹר לְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אֵלֶּה לּוֹ אָנֹכִי הָרָה וַתֹּאמֶר הַכֶּר־נָא לְמִי הַחֹתֶמֶת וְהַפְּתִילִים וְהַמַּטֶּה הָאֵלֶּה׃ | 38.25. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: ‘By the man, whose these are, am I with child’; and she said: ‘Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.’" 44.30. Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad’s soul;" |
|
4. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 11.16-11.17, 15.35-15.36 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 11.16. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶסְפָה־לִּי שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ כִּי־הֵם זִקְנֵי הָעָם וְשֹׁטְרָיו וְלָקַחְתָּ אֹתָם אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהִתְיַצְּבוּ שָׁם עִמָּךְ׃ 11.17. וְיָרַדְתִּי וְדִבַּרְתִּי עִמְּךָ שָׁם וְאָצַלְתִּי מִן־הָרוּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וְשַׂמְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם וְנָשְׂאוּ אִתְּךָ בְּמַשָּׂא הָעָם וְלֹא־תִשָּׂא אַתָּה לְבַדֶּךָ׃ 15.35. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה מוֹת יוּמַת הָאִישׁ רָגוֹם אֹתוֹ בָאֲבָנִים כָּל־הָעֵדָה מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה׃ 15.36. וַיֹּצִיאוּ אֹתוֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָה אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וַיִּרְגְּמוּ אֹתוֹ בָּאֲבָנִים וַיָּמֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃ | 11.16. And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee." 11.17. And I will come down and speak with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." 15.35. And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.’" 15.36. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died, as the LORD commanded Moses." |
|
5. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 6.1 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 6.1. בִּשְׁנַת־מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת־אֲדֹנָי יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא וְשׁוּלָיו מְלֵאִים אֶת־הַהֵיכָל׃ 6.1. הַשְׁמֵן לֵב־הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאָזְנָיו הַכְבֵּד וְעֵינָיו הָשַׁע פֶּן־יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו וּבְאָזְנָיו יִשְׁמָע וּלְבָבוֹ יָבִין וָשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ׃ | 6.1. In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple." |
|
6. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 1.1 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 1.1. וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל־הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם וּפְנֵי־שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאול לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן וּפְנֵי־נֶשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן׃ 1.1. וַיְהִי בִּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה בָּרְבִיעִי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה לַחֹדֶשׁ וַאֲנִי בְתוֹךְ־הַגּוֹלָה עַל־נְהַר־כְּבָר נִפְתְּחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וָאֶרְאֶה מַרְאוֹת אֱלֹהִים׃ | 1.1. Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God." |
|
7. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 1 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
|
8. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 2.6 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 2.6. Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist,and make use of the creation to the full as in youth. |
|
9. Philo of Alexandria, On The Eternity of The World, 15, 1 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 1. In every uncertain and important business it is proper to invoke God, because he is the good Creator of the world, and because nothing is uncertain with him who is possessed of the most accurate knowledge of all things. But of all times it is most necessary to invoke him when one is preparing to discuss the incorruptibility of the world; for neither among the things which are visible to the outward senses is there anything more admirably complete than the world, nor among things appreciable by the intellect is there anything more perfect than God. But the mind is at all times the governor of the outward sense, and that which is appreciable by the intellect is at all times superior to that which is visible to the outward senses, but those persons in whom there is implanted a vigorous and earnest love of truth willingly undergo the trouble of making inquiries relative to the subordinate things, from that which is superior to and the ruler over them. |
|
10. Philo of Alexandria, On The Decalogue, 51 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
|
11. Philo of Alexandria, On The Creation of The World, 17-18, 16 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 16. for God, as apprehending beforehand, as a God must do, that there could not exist a good imitation without a good model, and that of the things perceptible to the external senses nothing could be faultless which wax not fashioned with reference to some archetypal idea conceived by the intellect, when he had determined to create this visible world, previously formed that one which is perceptible only by the intellect, in order that so using an incorporeal model formed as far as possible on the image of God, he might then make this corporeal world, a younger likeness of the elder creation, which should embrace as many different genera perceptible to the external senses, as the other world contains of those which are visible only to the intellect. |
|
12. Philo of Alexandria, On Curses, 46 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 46. And again, the name Lamech, which means humiliation, is a name of ambiguous meaning; for we are humiliated either when the vigour of our soul is relaxed, according to the diseases and infirmities which arise from the irrational passions, or in respect of our love for virtue, when we seek to restrain ourselves from swelling selfopinions. |
|
13. Philo of Alexandria, On The Special Laws, 1.32-1.35, 1.41 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 1.32. But the Father and Ruler of the universe is a being whose character it is difficult to arrive at by conjecture and hard to comprehend; but still we must not on that account shrink from an investigation of it. Now, in the investigations which are made into the nature of God, there are two things of the greatest importance, about which the intellect of the man who devotes himself to philosophy in a genuine spirit is perplexed. One is, whether there is any Deity at all? this question arises from the atheism (which is the greatest of all vice 1.33. It has invariably happened that the works which they have made have been, in some degree, the proofs of the character of the workmen; for who is there who, when he looks upon statues or pictures, does not at once form an idea of the statuary or painter himself? And who, when he beholds a garment, or a ship, or a house, does not in a moment conceive a notion of the weaver, or shipbuilder, or architect, who has made them? And if any one comes into a well-ordered city, in which all parts of the constitution are exceedingly well arranged and regulated, what other idea will he entertain but that this city is governed by wise and virtuous rulers? 1.34. He, therefore, who comes into that which is truly the greatest of cities, namely, this world, and who beholds all the land, both the mountain and the champaign district full of animals, and plants, and the streams of rivers, both overflowing and depending on the wintry floods, and the steady flow of the sea, and the admirable temperature of the air, and the varieties and regular revolutions of the seasons of the year; and then too the sun and moon, the rulers of day and night, and the revolutions and regular motions of all the other planets and fixed stars, and of the whole heaven; would he not naturally, or I should rather say, of necessity, conceive a notion of the Father, and creator, and governor of all this system; 1.35. for there is no artificial work whatever which exists of its own accord? And the world is the most artificial and skilfully made of all works, as if it had been put together by some one who was altogether accomplished and most perfect in knowledge. It is in this way that we have received an idea of the existence of God.VII. 1.41. Which that interpreter of the divine word, Moses, the man most beloved by God, having a regard to, besought God and said, "Show me thyself"--all but urging him, and crying out in loud and distinct words--"that thou hast a real being and existence the whole world is my teacher, assuring me of the fact and instructing me as a son might of the existence of his father, or the work of the existence of the workman. But, though I am very desirous to know what thou art as to thy essence, I can find no one who is able to explain to me anything relating to this branch of learning in any part of the universe whatever. |
|
14. Philo of Alexandria, On The Embassy To Gaius, 229 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 229. Then the body of the old men, standing before him, addressed him in the following terms: "We are, as you see, without any arms, but yet as we passed along some persons have accused us as being enemies, but even the very weapons of defence with which nature has provided each individual, namely our hands, we have averted from you, and placed in a position where they can do nothing, offering our bodies freely an easy aim to any one who desires to put us to death. |
|
15. Philo of Alexandria, That God Is Unchangeable, 30 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 30. It is plain therefore that the creator of all created things, and the maker of all the things that have ever been made, and the governor of all the things which are subject to government, must of necessity be a being of universal knowledge; and he is in truth the father, and creator, and governor of all things in heaven and in the whole world; and indeed future events are overshadowed by the distance of future time, which is sometimes a short and sometimes a long interval. |
|
16. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 2.144, 2.152, 4.260-4.263, 14.22, 14.24, 20.97-20.98, 20.167-20.168, 20.185-20.186 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.144. for thou wilt save those this way whom thou didst feed the other; and thou wilt hereby preserve alive, by thy own bounty, those souls which thou didst not suffer to be distressed by famine, it being indeed at once a wonderful and a great thing to sustain our lives by corn, and to bestow on us that pardon, whereby, now we are distressed, we may continue those lives. 2.152. for thereby thou wilt honor him that begat thee, and will grant it to thyself also, who enjoyest already that denomination; thou wilt then, by that denomination, be preserved of God, the Father of all,—by showing a pious regard to which, in the case of our father, thou wilt appear to honor him who is styled by the same name; I mean, if thou wilt have this pity on our father, upon this consideration, how miserable he will be if he be deprived of his sons! 4.261. and let them say thus to them:—That they cohabited together, not for the sake of pleasure, nor for the augmentation of their riches, by joining both their stocks together, but that they might have children to take care of them in their old age, and might by them have what they then should want. And say further to him, “That when thou wast born, we took thee up with gladness, and gave God the greatest thanks for thee, and brought time up with great care, and spared for nothing that appeared useful for thy preservation, and for thy instruction in what was most excellent. 4.262. And now, since it is reasonable to forgive the sins of those that are young, let it suffice thee to have given so many indications of thy contempt of us; reform thyself, and act more wisely for the time to come; considering that God is displeased with those that are insolent towards their parents, because he is himself the Father of the whole race of mankind, and seems to bear part of that dishonor which falls upon those that have the same name, when they do not meet with dire returns from their children. And on such the law inflicts inexorable punishment; of which punishment mayst thou never have the experience.” 4.263. Now if the insolence of young men be thus cured, let them escape the reproach which their former errors deserved; for by this means the lawgiver will appear to be good, and parents happy, while they never behold either a son or a daughter brought to punishment. 14.22. There were present at the writing of this decree, Lucius Calpurnius Piso of the Menenian tribe, Servius Papinins Potitus of the Lemonian tribe, Caius Caninius Rebilius of the Terentine tribe, Publius Tidetius, Lucius Apulinus, the son of Lucius, of the Sergian tribe, Flavius, the son of Lucius, of the Lemonian tribe, Publius Platins, the son of Publius, of the Papyrian tribe, Marcus Acilius, the son of Marcus, of the Mecian tribe, Lucius Erucius, the son of Lucius, of the Stellatine tribe, Mareils Quintus Plancillus, the son of Marcus, of the Pollian tribe, and Publius Serius. 14.22. Now there was one, whose name was Onias, a righteous man he was, and beloved of God, who, in a certain drought, had prayed to God to put an end to the intense heat, and whose prayers God had heard, and had sent them rain. This man had hid himself, because he saw that this sedition would last a great while. However, they brought him to the Jewish camp, and desired, that as by his prayers he had once put an end to the drought, so he would in like manner make imprecations on Aristobulus and those of his faction. 14.24. In the presence of these it was that Lentulus pronounced this decree: I have before the tribunal dismissed those Jews that are Roman citizens, and are accustomed to observe the sacred rites of the Jews at Ephesus, on account of the superstition they are under.” 14.24. “O God, the King of the whole world! since those that stand now with me are thy people, and those that are besieged are also thy priests, I beseech thee, that thou wilt neither hearken to the prayers of those against these, nor bring to effect what these pray against those.” Whereupon such wicked Jews as stood about him, as soon as he had made this prayer, stoned him to death. 20.97. 1. Now it came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it; 20.98. and many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them; who, falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. 20.167. 6. These works, that were done by the robbers, filled the city with all sorts of impiety. And now these impostors and deceivers persuaded the multitude to follow them into the wilderness 20.168. and pretended that they would exhibit manifest wonders and signs, that should be performed by the providence of God. And many that were prevailed on by them suffered the punishments of their folly; for Felix brought them back, and then punished them. 20.185. 10. Upon Festus’s coming into Judea, it happened that Judea was afflicted by the robbers, while all the villages were set on fire, and plundered by them. 20.186. And then it was that the sicarii, as they were called, who were robbers, grew numerous. They made use of small swords, not much different in length from the Persian acinacae, but somewhat crooked, and like the Roman sicae, [or sickles,] as they were called; and from these weapons these robbers got their denomination; and with these weapons they slew a great many; |
|
17. Josephus Flavius, Jewish War, 6.301-6.302 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 6.301. began on a sudden to cry aloud, “A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides, and a voice against this whole people!” This was his cry, as he went about by day and by night, in all the lanes of the city. 6.302. However, certain of the most eminent among the populace had great indignation at this dire cry of his, and took up the man, and gave him a great number of severe stripes; yet did not he either say anything for himself, or anything peculiar to those that chastised him, but still he went on with the same words which he cried before. |
|
18. Mishnah, Bava Batra, 10.2 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 10.2. A simple document requires two witnesses; a sewn document requires three. If a simple document has only one witness, or a sewn document has only two, they are both invalid. If it was written in a debt document: “100 zuz which are 20 sela (=80”, he (the creditor) can claim only 20 sela; if [it was written] “100 zuz which are 30 sela (=120” he (the creditor) can claim only 100 zuz. [If there was written in a debt document] “Silver zuzim which are …”, and the rest was erased, [the creditor can claim] at least two zuzim. [If there was written in a debt document] “Silver selas which are …”, and the rest was erased, [the creditor can claim] at least two selas. [If there was written in a debt document] “Darics which are …”, and the rest was erased, [the creditor can claim] at least two darics. If at the top was written a “maneh (100” and at the bottom “200 zuz”, or “200 zuz” at the top and “maneh” at the bottom, everything goes according to the bottom amount. If so, why is the figure written at the top of the document? So that, if a letter of the lower figure was erased, they can learn from the upper figure." |
|
19. Mishnah, Sanhedrin, 6.1, 8.4 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 6.1. When the trial is completed he [the condemned] is led forth to be stoned. The place of stoning was outside of the court, as it is says, “Bring out him that has cursed” (Lev. 24:14). A man was stationed at the door of the court with the handkerchiefs in his hand, and a man on a horse was stationed at a distance yet within sight of him. If one says, ‘I have something [further] to state in his favor’, he [the signaler] waves the handkerchief, and the man on the horse runs and stops them. And even if he [the convict] himself says, ‘I have something to plead in my own favor’, he is brought back, even four or five times, providing, however, that there is substance in his assertion. If then they find him innocent, they discharge him. But if not, he goes forth to be stoned, and a herald precedes him [crying]: so and so, the son of so and so, is going forth to be stoned because he committed such and such an offense, and so and so are his witnesses. Whoever knows anything in his favor, let him come and state it.”" 8.4. If his father wants [to have him punished], but not his mother; or his father does not want [to have him punished] but his mother does, he is not treated as a ‘wayward a rebellious son’, unless they both desire it. Rabbi Judah said: “If his mother is not fit for his father, he does not become a ‘wayward and rebellious son”. If one of them [his father or his mother] had a hand cut off, or was lame, mute, blind or deaf, he cannot become a “wayward and rebellious son”, because it says “his father and mother shall take hold of him” (Deut. 21:19) not those with a hand cut off; “and bring him out”, not lame parents; “and they shall say”, and not mute parents; “this our son”, and not blind parents; “he will not obey our voice” (Deut. 21:20), and not deaf parents. He is warned in the presence of three and beaten. If he transgresses again after this, he is tried by a court of twenty three. He cannot be sentenced to stoning unless the first three are present, because it says, “this our son” (Deut. 21:20), [implying], this one who was whipped in your presence. If he [the rebellious son] fled before his trial was completed, and then his pubic hair grew in fully, he is free. But if he fled after his trial was completed, and then his pubic hair grew in fully, he remains liable." |
|
20. New Testament, 1 John, 1.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life |
|
21. New Testament, Acts, 12.15, 14.11 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 12.15. They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel. 14.11. When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men! |
|
22. New Testament, Apocalypse, 2.23 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.23. I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. |
|
23. New Testament, Hebrews, 2.7-2.8, 11.37 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.7. You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor. 2.8. You have put all things in subjection under his feet."For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don't see all things subjected to him, yet. 11.37. They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated |
|
24. New Testament, John, 1.21, 7.20, 8.48, 8.59, 10.20 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.21. They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?"He said, "I am not.""Are you the Prophet?"He answered, "No. 7.20. The multitude answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you? 8.48. Then the Jews answered him, "Don't we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon? 8.59. Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the midst of them, and so passed by. 10.20. Many of them said, "He has a demon, and is insane! Why do you listen to him? |
|
25. New Testament, Luke, 1.57, 4.2-4.4, 7.24, 7.33-7.50, 11.37-11.54, 14.1-14.24, 15.1-15.2, 20.6, 24.39 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.57. Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son. 4.2. for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry. 4.3. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. 4.4. Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' 7.24. When John's messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 7.33. For John the Baptizer came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' 7.34. The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 7.35. Wisdom is justified by all her children. 7.36. One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee's house, and sat at the table. 7.37. Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 7.38. Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 7.39. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner. 7.40. Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."He said, "Teacher, say on. 7.41. A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 7.42. When they couldn't pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most? 7.43. Simon answered, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most."He said to him, "You have judged correctly. 7.44. Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. 7.45. You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. 7.46. You didn't anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 7.47. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. 7.48. He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven. 7.49. Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins? 7.50. He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace. 11.37. Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in, and sat at the table. 11.38. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner. 11.39. The Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. 11.40. You foolish ones, didn't he who made the outside make the inside also? 11.41. But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you. 11.42. But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. 11.43. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces. 11.44. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don't know it. 11.45. One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you insult us also. 11.46. He said, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won't even lift one finger to help carry those burdens. 11.47. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 11.48. So you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs. 11.49. Therefore also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute 11.50. that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 11.51. from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.' Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 11.52. Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn't enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered. 11.53. As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him; 11.54. lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him. 14.1. It happened, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him. 14.2. Behold, a certain man who had dropsy was in front of him. 14.3. Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? 14.4. But they were silent. He took him, and healed him, and let him go. 14.5. He answered them, "Which of you, if your son or an ox fell into a well, wouldn't immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day? 14.6. They couldn't answer him regarding these things. 14.7. He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them 14.8. When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, don't sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him 14.9. and he who invited both of you would come and tell you, 'Make room for this person.' Then you would begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. 14.10. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may tell you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 14.11. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 14.12. He also said to the one who had invited him, "When you make a dinner or a supper, don't call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your kinsmen, nor rich neighbors, or perhaps they might also return the favor, and pay you back. 14.13. But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind; 14.14. and you will be blessed, because they don't have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous. 14.15. When one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is he who will feast in the Kingdom of God! 14.16. But he said to him, "A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people. 14.17. He sent out his servant at supper time to tell those who were invited, 'Come, for everything is ready now.' 14.18. They all as one began to make excuses. "The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.' 14.19. Another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go try them out. Please have me excused.' 14.20. Another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I can't come.' 14.21. That servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.' 14.22. The servant said, 'Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room.' 14.23. The lord said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 14.24. For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper.' 15.1. Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. 15.2. The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them. 20.6. But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. 24.39. See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see that I have. |
|
26. New Testament, Mark, 3.22, 6.14-6.15, 8.31 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.22. The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul," and, "By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons. 6.14. King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, "John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him. 6.15. But others said, "It is Elijah." Others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets. 8.31. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. |
|
27. New Testament, Matthew, 3.15, 9.32-9.33, 11.7-11.19, 12.24, 16.14, 16.21, 17.12, 18.10 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.15. But Jesus, answering, said to him, "Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him. 9.32. As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him. 9.33. When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel! 11.7. As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 11.8. But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in king's houses. 11.9. But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 11.10. For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.' 11.11. Most assuredly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. 11.12. From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 11.13. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 11.14. If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. 11.15. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 11.16. But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions 11.17. and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance. We mourned for you, and you didn't lament.' 11.18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 11.19. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children. 12.24. But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons. 16.14. They said, "Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 16.21. From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. 17.12. but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn't recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them. 18.10. See that you don't despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. |
|
28. Tosefta, Sanhedrin, 11.6-11.7 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
|
29. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 44.1, 55.4 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 44.1. אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה הָיָה דְבַר ה' אֶל אַבְרָם בַּמַּחֲזֶה לֵאמֹר וגו' (בראשית טו, א), (תהלים יח, לא): הָאֵל תָּמִים דַּרְכּוֹ אִמְרַת ה' צְרוּפָה מָגֵן הוּא לְכֹל הַחוֹסִים בּוֹ, אִם דְּרָכָיו תְּמִימִים, הוּא עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, רַב אָמַר לֹא נִתְּנוּ הַמִּצְווֹת אֶלָּא לְצָרֵף בָּהֶן אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְכִי מָה אִיכְפַּת לֵיהּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמִי שֶׁשּׁוֹחֵט מִן הַצַּוָּאר אוֹ מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹחֵט מִן הָעֹרֶף, הֱוֵי לֹא נִתְּנוּ הַמִּצְווֹת אֶלָּא לְצָרֵף בָּהֶם אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הָאֵל תָּמִים דַּרְכּוֹ, זֶה אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחמיה ט, ח): וּמָצָאתָ אֶת לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְפָנֶיךָ. אִמְרַת ה' צְרוּפָה, שֶׁצֵּרְפוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּכִבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ. מָגֵן הוּא לְכֹל הַחוֹסִים בּוֹ, (בראשית טו, א): אַל תִּירָא אַבְרָם אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ. 44.1. וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם הֵן לִי לֹא נָתַתָּ זָרַע (בראשית טו, ג), אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק הַמַּזָּל דּוֹחְקֵנִי וְאוֹמֵר לִי אַבְרָם אֵין אַתְּ מוֹלִיד. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֵן כִּדְבָרֶיךָ, אַבְרָם לֹא מוֹלִיד אַבְרָהָם מוֹלִיד. (בראשית יז, טו): שָׂרַי אִשְׁתְּךָ לֹא תִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ שָׂרָי, שָׂרַי לֹא תֵלֵד, שָׂרָה תֵּלֵד. 55.4. אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אַחַר הִרְהוּרֵי דְבָרִים שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, מִי הִרְהֵר אַבְרָהָם הִרְהֵר וְאָמַר שָׂמַחְתִּי וְשִׂמַּחְתִּי אֶת הַכֹּל וְלֹא הִפְרַשְׁתִּי לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא פַּר אֶחָד וְלֹא אַיִל אֶחָד. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל מְנָת שֶׁנֹּאמַר לְךָ שֶׁתַּקְרִיב אֶת בִּנְךָ וְלֹא תְעַכֵּב, עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְּאָמַר, אֱלֹהִים וְהָאֱלֹהִים, הוּא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ, מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אָמְרוּ, אַבְרָהָם זֶה שָׂמַח וְשִׂמַּח אֶת הַכֹּל וְלֹא הִפְרִישׁ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא פַּר אֶחָד וְלֹא אַיִל אֶחָד. אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל מְנָת שֶׁנֹּאמַר לוֹ שֶׁיַּקְרִיב אֶת בְּנוֹ וְלֹא יְעַכֵּב. יִצְחָק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִים זֶה עִם זֶה, זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי חָבִיב מִמְךָ שֶׁנִּמַּלְתִּי לִשְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, וְזֶה אָמַר חָבִיב אֲנִי מִמְךָ שֶׁנִּמַּלְתִּי לִשְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים. אָמַר לֵיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֲנִי חָבִיב מִמְךָ, לָמָּה שֶׁהָיָה סִפֵּק בְּיָדִי לִמְחוֹת וְלֹא מָחִיתִי. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר יִצְחָק הַלְּוַאי הָיָה נִגְלָה עָלַי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאוֹמֵר לִי שֶׁאֶחְתֹּךְ אֶחָד מֵאֵבָרַי וְלֹא אֲעַכֵּב, מִיָּד וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם. br br[נֻסַּח אַחֵר: אָמַר לוֹ יִשְׁמָעֵאל, אֲנִי חָבִיב מִמְךָ שֶׁנִּמַּלְתִּי לִשְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, אֲבָל אַתָּה נִמַּלְתָּ בְּקָטְנְךָ וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִמְחוֹת. אָמַר לוֹ יִצְחָק כָּל מַה שֶּׁהִלְוֵיתָ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁלשָׁה טִפִּים דַּם הֵם, אֶלָּא הֲרֵינִי עַכְשָׁו בֶּן שְׁלשִׁים וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנָה אִלּוּ מְבַקֵּשׁ לִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהִשָּׁחֵט אֵינִי מְעַכֵּב, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵי הַשָּׁעָה, מִיָּד וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם.] | 44.1. After these things the word of Hashem came to Abram in a vision, saying, etc. (Psalms 18:31) \"As for God — His ways are perfect; the Word of Hashem is tried; a shield is He for all who take refuge in Him.\" If His way is perfect, how much more is He Himself! Rav said: Were not the mitzvot given so that man might be refined by them? . Do you really think that The Holy One of Blessing cares if an animal is slaughtered by front or by the back of the neck? Therefore, mitzvot were only given to make humans better." 55.4. After these things — misgivings were experienced on that occasion. Who then had misgivings? Avraham, saying to himself: ‘I have rejoiced and made all others rejoice, yet I did not set aside a single bullock or ram for the Holy One of Blessing.’ Said the Holy One of Blessing to him: ‘I know that even if you were commanded to offer your only son to Me, you would not refuse.’ - this is according to Rabbi Eleazar who said that the employment of va-e-lohim where E-lohim would suffice, implies both God and God’s Court. It was the ministering angels who spoke thus: ‘This Avraham rejoiced and made all others rejoice, yet did not set aside for the Holy One of Blessing a single bullock or ram.’ Said the Holy One of Blessing to them: ‘Even if we tell him to offer his own son, he will not refuse.’ Itzchak and Ishmael were engaged in a dispute: the latter argued, ‘I am more beloved than you, because I was circumcised at the age of thirteen’; while the other retorted, ‘I am more beloved than you, because I was circumcised at eight days.’ Said Ishmael to him: ‘I am more beloved, because I could have protested, yet I did not.’ At that moment Itzchak exclaimed: ‘O that God would appear to me and bid me cut off one of my limbs! then I would not refuse.’ Said God: ‘Even if I bid you sacrifice yourself, you will not refuse.’ [Another version: Said Ishmael to him: ‘I am more beloved than you, since I as circumcised at the age of thirteen, but you were circumcised as a baby and could not refuse.’ Itzchak retorted: ‘All that you did lend to the Holy One of Blessing was three drops of blood. But look, I am now thirty-seven years old, yet if God desired of me that I be slaughtered, I would not refuse.’ Said the Holy One of Blessing ‘This is the moment!’ Straightway, “God tested Avraham”.]" |
|
30. Anon., Sifre Deuteronomy, 219 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
|
31. Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies, 1.176.1-1.176.2 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
|
32. Justin, Dialogue With Trypho, 88.3 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
|
33. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 160b. זה פשוט וחתום זה מקושר והעד שנים עדים שלשה הא כיצד שנים לפשוט שלשה למקושר,ואיפוך אנא מתוך שנתרבה בקשריו נתרבה בעדיו,רפרם אמר מהכא (ירמיהו לב, יא) ואקח את ספר המקנה את החתום המצוה והחקים ואת הגלוי ואקח את ספר המקנה זה פשוט את החתום זה מקושר ואת הגלוי זה פשוט שבמקושר,המצוה והחקים אלו דברים שבין פשוט למקושר הא כיצד זה עדיו שנים וזה עדיו שלשה זה עדיו מתוכו וזה עדיו מאחוריו,ואיפוך אנא מתוך שנתרבה בקשריו נתרבה בעדיו,רמי בר יחזקאל אמר מהכא (דברים יט, טו) על פי שנים עדים או על פי שלשה עדים יקום דבר אם תתקיים עדותן בשנים למה פרט לך בשלשה לומר לך שנים לפשוט שלשה למקושר,ואיפוך אנא מתוך שנתרבה בקשריו נתרבה בעדיו,והני להכי הוא דאתו כל חד וחד למילתיה הוא דאתא לכדתניא (ירמיהו לב, מד) שדות בכסף יקנו וכתוב בספר וחתום עצה טובה קא משמע לן ואקח את ספר המקנה הכי הוה מעשה על פי שנים עדים או על פי שלשה עדים להקיש שלשה לשנים בפלוגתא דרבי עקיבא ורבנן,אלא מקושר מדרבנן וקראי אסמכתא בעלמא,וטעמא מאי תקינו רבנן מקושר אתרא דכהני הוו והוו קפדי טובא ומגרשי נשייהו ועבדי רבנן תקנתא אדהכי והכי מיתבא דעתייהו,התינח גיטין שטרות מאי איכא למימר כדי שלא תחלק בין גיטין לשטרות,היכן עדים חותמין רב הונא אמר בין קשר לקשר ורב ירמיה בר אבא אמר אחורי הכתב וכנגד הכתב מבחוץ,אמר ליה רמי בר חמא לרב חסדא לרב הונא דאמר בין קשר לקשר קא סלקא דעתין בין קשר לקשר מגואי והא ההוא מקושר דקאתא לקמיה דרבי ואמר רבי אין זמן בזה אמר ליה רבי שמעון ברבי לרבי שמא בין קשריו מובלע פלייה וחזייה ואם איתא אין זמן בזה ואין עדים בזה מיבעי ליה,אמר ליה מי סברת בין קשר לקשר מגואי לא בין קשר לקשר מאבראי,וניחוש דלמא זייף וכתב מאי דבעי וחתימי סהדי,דכתיב ביה שריר וקיים,וניחוש דלמא כתב מאי דבעי והדר כתב שריר וקיים אחרינא חד שריר וקיים כתבינן תרי שריר וקיים לא כתבינן,וליחוש דלמא מחיק ליה לשריר וקיים וכתב מאי דבעי והדר כתב שריר וקיים הא אמר ר' יוחנן תלויה מקויימת כשרה | 160b. bthisis referring to ban ordinarydocument. When the verse states: b“And seal them,” thisis referring to ba tieddocument. The next phrase, “and call witnesses [ iveha’ed edim /i],” which more literally would be translated: And have witnesses bear witness, is interpreted as follows: b“And have bear witness [ iveha’ed /i],”this indicates the need for btwowitnesses, as the term “witness [ ied /i]” in the Torah generally refers to two witnesses. As to the word b“witnesses [ iedim /i],”this additional term indicates the need for bthreewitnesses. bHow so?How can the verse call for both two witnesses and three witnesses? Rabbi Ḥanina explains: bTwowitnesses are required bfor an ordinarydocument, and bthreeare required bfor a tieddocument.,The Gemara questions this explanation: bBut Ican just as well breverseit, requiring two witnesses for a tied document and three for an ordinary one. The Gemara answers: bSincethe tied document requires bmoreto be done bwith regard to its ties,it stands to reason that it requires bmoreto be done bwith regard to its witnesses,requiring three rather than two., bRafram saysthat there is a different source for two kinds of documents, bfrom here: “So I took the deed of the purchase, that which was sealed, the terms and conditions, and that which was open”(Jeremiah 32:11). When the verse states: b“So I took the deed of the purchase,” thisis referring to ban ordinarydocument. When it states: b“That which was sealed,” thisis referring to ba tieddocument. When it states: b“And that which was open,” thisis referring to the bordinary,unfolded part bof a tieddocument.,Rafram continues: With regard to the phrase: b“The terms and conditions,” these are the matters thatdistinguish ban ordinarydocument bfrom a tiedone. bHow so?What are the details that differentiate the two types of documents? bThisone, the ordinary document, has btwo witnesses, and thatone, the tied document, has bthree witnesses.And in bthisone, the ordinary document, bits witnessesare signed binside it,on the front side, while in bthatone, the tied document, bits witnessesare signed bon the back of it. /b,The Gemara questions this explanation: bBut Ican just as well breverseit, requiring two witnesses for a tied document and three for an ordinary one. The Gemara answers: bSincethe tied document requires bmoreto be done bwith regard to its ties,it stands to reason that it requires bmoreto be done bwith regard to its witnesses,requiring three rather than two., bRami bar Yeḥezkel saidthat there is a different source for two sets of ihalakhotfor two types of documents bfrom here: “At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall a matter be established”(Deuteronomy 19:15). bIfwitnesses’ btestimony is established with twowitnesses, bwhydid the verse bspecify for youthat it is also established bwith three,which is self-evident? Rather, this verse serves bto tell youthat there is a requirement for btwowitnesses bfor an ordinarydocument, and a requirement for bthreewitnesses bfor a tieddocument.,The Gemara questions this explanation: bBut Ican just as well breverseit, requiring two witnesses for a tied document and three for an ordinary one. The Gemara answers: bSincethe tied document requires bmoreto be done bwith regard to its ties,it stands to reason that it requires bmoreto be done bwith regard to its witnesses,requiring three rather than two.,The Gemara asks: bAndis it so that btheseverses bare coming for thispurpose, to teach that there are two types of documents? But beach and every oneof them bcomes for itsown bpurpose.The first verse comes bfor that which is taughtin a ibaraita /i: When the verse states: b“They shall buy fields for money, and subscribe the deeds, and seal them,and call witnesses” (Jeremiah 32:44), it is merely to bteach us good advice,that people should carefully document their purchases in order to provide permanent proof of purchase. When the verse states: b“So I took the deed of the purchase”(Jeremiah 32:11), bthis wasmerely how that bincidentoccurred, and the phrase is not intended to teach any ihalakhot /i. When the verse states: b“At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnessesshall a matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15), this is stated in order bto juxtapose threewitnesses bwith twowitnesses for several reasons, as delineated bin the dispute between Rabbi Akiva and the Rabbis( iMakkot5b).,The Gemara explains: bRather,the entire institution of the btieddocument is brabbinicin origin, bandall these bversesthat were cited above by various iamora’imwere intended as bmere supportfor the concept of a tied document, as opposed to actual sources.,The Gemara asks: bAnd what is the reasonthat bthe Sages institutedthe btieddocument? The Gemara explains: There was ba place where there weremany bpriests, and they were very quick tempered, and they wouldseek to bdivorce their wivesimpetuously. The ihalakhais that a priest may not marry a divorcée, even his own ex-wife. These priests, who acted impetuously, often regretted having divorced their wives. bAndtherefore, bthe Sages instituted an ordicethat the bill of divorce for these people should be of the tied format, which is a long, drawn-out process, hoping that bmeanwhile, their composure would be regainedand they would reconsider their decision to divorce.,The Gemara asks: This bworks out wellfor bbills of divorce,but bwhat can be saidwith regard to other bdocuments?Why is this procedure used for other documents as well? The Gemara answers: This was instituted bso that you should not differentiate between bills of divorce andother bdocuments. /b,§ bWhere do the witnesses signon a tied document? bRav Huna says:They sign bbetween each tiedfold. bAnd Rav Yirmeya bar Abba says:They sign bon the back of the writtenside, taking care that the signatures are exactly bopposite the writing, on the outside. /b, bRami bar Ḥama said to Rav Ḥisda: According to Rav Huna, who saysthat the witnesses sign bbetween each tiedfold, it benters our mindthat he meant bbetween each tiedfold bon the insideof the document. bButthis is difficult, as there was ba certain tieddocument bthat came before RabbiYehuda HaNasi, band RabbiYehuda HaNasi, not realizing it was tied, bsaid: There is no date on thisdocument, so it is not valid. Then, bRabbi Shimon, son of RabbiYehuda HaNasi, bsaid to RabbiYehuda HaNasi: bPerhapsthe date is bhidden between the tiedfolds. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bopened it and sawthat the date was in fact between the tied folds. bAnd if it is sothat the witnesses sign between each tied fold on the inside of the document, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bshould havehad two objections, and said: bThere is no date on thisdocument, band there arealso bno witnessessigned bon thisdocument.,Rav Ḥisda bsaid to him: Do you maintainthat Rav Huna meant that the witnesses sign bbetween the tiedfolds bon the inside? No,he meant bbetween the tiedfolds bon the outsideof the document.,The Gemara questions Rav Huna’s opinion: bBut let us be concernedthat bperhapsthe party holding the document bfalsifiedsome information band wrote whatever he wanted. Andthis is a concern, as there are already bwitnesses signedon the document. In an ordinary document the witnesses sign immediately following the text, so there is no possibility of adding to the text. A tied document has part of its text written in the folds, but also has a part written on the face of the document on the unfolded paper, before or after the text in the folded part. If the witnesses sign between the folds there is the possibility of writing additional text in the unfolded section.,The Gemara explains: The case is one bwhere it is written inthe document: Everything is bconfirmed and established.That is, every folded document must contain this formula at the end of the text, to prevent forgery, as any writing after this formula would be disregarded.,The Gemara questions this explanation: bBut let us be concernedthat bperhapsthe holder of the document bwrote whatever he wanted and afterward wrote anothertime: Everything is bconfirmed and established.The Gemara explains: bWe writeonly bonedeclaration of: Everything is bconfirmed and established; we do not write twodeclarations of: Everything is bconfirmed and established.Therefore, anything written after the first declaration would be rejected, even if followed by a repetition of the declaration.,The Gemara questions further: bBut letthere be ba concernthat bperhapsthe holder of the document berasedthe declaration: Everything is bconfirmed and established, andthen bwrote whatever he wantedover the erasure, band afterward wrotethe declaration: Everything is bconfirmed and established.The Gemara responds: How could this happen? bDoesn’t Rabbi Yoḥa say:A document that includes ba suspendedcorrection of text inserted between lines of the document, which is bverifiedat the end of the document, bis valid; /b |
|
34. Babylonian Talmud, Gittin, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 2b. לפי שאין בקיאין לשמה,רבא אמר לפי שאין עדים מצויין לקיימו,מאי בינייהו איכא בינייהו דאתיוהו בי תרי אי נמי ממדינה למדינה בארץ ישראל,אי נמי באותה מדינה במדינת הים,ולרבה דאמר לפי שאין בקיאין לשמה ליבעי תרי מידי דהוה אכל עדיות שבתורה עד אחד נאמן באיסורין,אימור דאמרינן עד אחד נאמן באיסורין כגון חתיכה ספק של חלב ספק של שומן דלא איתחזק איסורא,אבל הכא דאיתחזק איסורא דאשת איש הוי דבר שבערוה ואין דבר שבערוה פחות משנים,רוב בקיאין הן ואפילו לר"מ דחייש למיעוטא סתם ספרי דדייני מיגמר גמירי ורבנן הוא דאצרוך והכא | 2b. It is bbecausethe people who live overseas bare not expertsin writing a bill of divorce bfor her sake.It is not sufficient for a bill of divorce to be written in a technically correct manner. It must also be written for the sake of the man and the woman who are divorcing. Therefore, when the witness comes before the court and says that it was written and signed in his presence, he is testifying that the writing and the signing of the bill of divorce were performed for the sake of the man and woman in question., bRava saysa different reason: It is bbecause there are no witnesses available to ratify it.Since the bill of divorce was written in a distant place, it is possible that the husband, or someone else, might later claim that the bill of divorce is a forgery. For this reason the agent must say that the bill of divorce was written and signed in his presence, a declaration that bars any subsequent objection on the part of the husband.,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe difference bbetweenthese two explanations? The Gemara answers: bThere isa difference bbetween themwith regard to a case bwhere twopeople bbroughtthe bill of divorce. In this case, two witnesses are available to ratify the bill of divorce if someone objects to its validity. bAlternatively,the difference concerns a case where the agent brings the bill of divorce bfromone bregion toanother bregion within Eretz Yisrael.Here there is no concern that the bill of divorce might not have been written for her sake, as the residents of Eretz Yisrael are aware of this requirement. However, witnesses are not necessarily available to confirm the document., bAlternatively,there is a difference between the two explanations in a case where the agent brings the bill of divorce bwithin thatsame bregion in a country overseas.According to the opinion of Rabba, who says the concern is that the people there might not know that the document must be written for her sake, this problem is equally relevant in this case. However, according to the opinion of Rava, who says that the reason is because witnesses are not available, if the bill of divorce is brought in the same region then the witnesses will be available to ratify it.,The Gemara asks: bAnd according tothe opinion of bRabba, who saidthat the reason is bbecause they are not expertsin writing a bill of divorce bfor her sake, let us require twowitnesses to testify about this, bjust as isthe case bwith regard to all testimonies in the Torah.The Gemara answers: bOne witness is deemed credible with regard to prohibitions.In other words, if there is uncertainty as to whether a matter is prohibited or permitted, in the case of the heretofore married woman, the testimony of one witnesses is sufficient.,The Gemara asks: One can bsay that we say one witness is deemed credible with regard to prohibitionsin a case bsuch aswhere there is ba pieceof fat, and it is buncertainif it is forbidden bfat[iḥelev/b] and buncertainif it is permitted bfat.In this situation the piece can be rendered permitted by a single witness, bas there is no presumptionthat it is bforbidden.Therefore, as there is an uncertainty, and one witness said it is permitted fat, he is deemed credible., bHowever, here, where there is a presumptionthat this woman is bforbidden, asshe is ba married woman,a status she retains until it is established that she has received a bill of divorce, if so, this bis a matter of forbidden sexual relations, andthe general principle is that bthere is no matterof testimony bfor forbidden sexual relationsthat can be attested to by bfewer than twowitnesses.,The Gemara answers: Rabba’s concern is not equivalent to a case of uncertainty, as bmostJewish people bare expertsin the requirement that a bill of divorce must be written for the woman’s sake. bAndthis is so beven according tothe opinion of bRabbi Meir, who isgenerally bconcerned about a minorityin a matter of forbidden sexual relations. In this case Rabbi Meir concedes that one need not be concerned for the minority, as bordinary judicial scribes,who write bills of divorce, bare learnedin this ihalakha /i, and know that a bill of divorce must be written for the woman’s sake. bAnd it is the Sages who requiredtestimony about this matter, as an extra precaution. bAnd here,with regard to this testimony |
|
35. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 103b. (תהלים צא, יד) כי בי חשק ואפלטהו אשגבהו כי ידע שמי יקראני ואענהו עמו אנכי בצרה אחלצהו ואכבדהו אורך ימים אשביעהו ואראהו בישועתי,אמר ר"ש בן לקיש מאי דכתיב (איוב לח, טו) וימנע מרשעים אורם וזרוע רמה תשבר מפני מה עי"ן של רשעים תלויה כיון שנעשה אדם רש מלמטה נעשה רש מלמעלה,ולא נכתביה כלל ר' יוחנן ור"א חד אמר מפני כבודו של דוד וחד אמר משום כבודו של נחמיה בן חכליה,תנו רבנן מנשה היה שונה חמשים וחמשה פנים בתורת כהנים כנגד שני מלכותו אחאב שמנים וחמשה ירבעם מאה ושלשה,תניא היה ר"מ אומר אבשלום אין לו חלק לעוה"ב שנאמר (שמואל ב יח, טו) ויכו את אבשלום וימיתוהו ויכוהו בעוה"ז וימיתוהו לעוה"ב תניא ר"ש בן אלעזר אומר משום ר"מ אחז ואחזיה וכל מלכי ישראל שכתוב בהן ויעש הרע בעיני ה' לא חיין ולא נידונין,(מלכים ב כא, טז) וגם דם נקי שפך מנשה הרבה מאד עד אשר מלא את ירושלים פה לפה לבד מחטאתו אשר החטיא את יהודה לעשות הרע בעיני ה' הכא תרגימו שהרג ישעיה במערבא אמרי שעשה צלם משאוי אלף בני אדם ובכל יום ויום הורג (את) כולם כמאן אזלא הא דאמר רבה בר בר חנה שקולה נשמה של צדיק אחד כנגד כל העולם כולו כמ"ד ישעיה הרג,כתיב (דברי הימים ב לג, ז) פסל וכתיב (דברי הימים ב לג, כב) פסילים א"ר יוחנן בתחלה עשה לו פרצוף אחד ולבסוף עשה לו ארבעה פרצופים כדי שתראה שכינה ותכעוס,אחז העמידו בעלייה שנאמר (מלכים ב כג, יב) ואת המזבחות אשר על הגג עליית אחז וגו' מנשה העמידו בהיכל שנאמר (מלכים ב כא, ז) וישם את פסל האשרה אשר עשה בבית אשר אמר ה' אל דוד ואל שלמה [בנו] בבית הזה ובירושלים אשר בחרתי מכל שבטי ישראל אשים את שמי לעולם אמון הכניסו לבית קדשי הקדשים שנאמר (ישעיהו כח, כ) כי קצר המצע מהשתרע והמסכה צרה כהתכנס,מאי כי קצר המצע מהשתרע אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יונתן [כי] קצר המצע זה מלהשתרר עליו שני רעים כאחד מאי והמסכה צרה וגו' אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני רבי יונתן כי הוה מטי להאי קרא הוה קא בכי מי שכתב בו (תהלים לג, ז) כונס כנד מי הים תעשה לו מסכה צרה,[אחז בטל את העבודה] וחתם את התורה שנאמר (ישעיהו ח, טז) צור תעודה חתום תורה בלמודי מנשה קדר את האזכרות והרס את המזבח אמון [שרף את התורה] והעלה שממית על גבי המזבח אחז התיר את הערוה מנשה בא על אחותו,אמון בא על אמו שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לג, כג) כי הוא אמון הרבה אשמה רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר ששרף את התורה וחד אמר שבא על אמו אמרה לו אמו כלום יש לך הנאה ממקום שיצאת ממנו א"ל כלום אני עושה אלא להכעיס את בוראי,כי אתא יהויקים אמר קמאי לא ידעי לארגוזי כלום אנו צריכין אלא לאורו יש לנו זהב פרויים שאנו משתמשין בו יטול אורו אמרו לו והלא כסף וזהב שלו הוא שנאמר (חגי ב, ח) לי הכסף ולי הזהב נאם ה' צבאות אמר להם כבר נתנו לנו שנאמר (תהלים קטו, טז) השמים שמים לה' והארץ נתן לבני האדם,א"ל רבא לרבה בר מרי מפני מה לא מנו את יהויקים משום דכתיב ביה (דברי הימים ב לו, ח) ויתר דברי יהויקים ותועבותיו אשר עשה והנמצא עליו מאי והנמצא עליו רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר שחקק שם עבודת כוכבים על אמתו וחד אמר שחקק שם שמים על אמתו,א"ל במלכים לא שמעתי בהדיוטות שמעתי מפני מה לא מנו את מיכה מפני שפתו מצויה לעוברי דרכים שנאמר כל העובר ושב אל הלוים,(זכריה י, יא) ועבר בים צרה והכה בים גלים א"ר יוחנן זה פסלו של מיכה תניא רבי נתן אומר מגרב לשילה ג' מילין והיה עשן המערכה ועשן פסל מיכה מתערבין זה בזה,בקשו מלאכי השרת לדוחפו אמר להן הקב"ה הניחו לו שפתו מצויה לעוברי דרכים ועל דבר זה נענשו אנשי פלגש בגבעה אמר להן הקב"ה בכבודי לא מחיתם על כבודו של בשר ודם מחיתם,א"ר יוחנן משום רבי יוסי בן קסמא גדולה לגימה שהרחיקה שתי משפחות מישראל שנאמר (דברים כג, ה) על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים ורבי יוחנן דידיה אמר מרחקת את הקרובים ומקרבת את הרחוקים ומעלמת עינים מן הרשעים ומשרה שכינה על נביאי הבעל ושגגתו עולה זדון,מרחקת את הקרובים | 103b. b“Because he has desired Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation”(Psalms 91:14–16)., bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “And He will withhold their light from the wicked [ iresha’im /i], and the high arm shall be broken”(Job 38:15)? bFor whatreason is the letter iayinofthe word iresha’imsuspendedslightly above the rest of the letters? It is suspended so that the word will be read irashim /i, meaning poor people. It means: bOnce a person becomes pooron earth bbelowand the number of his enemies grows, bhe becomes poorin Heaven babove,as he is certainly a sinner and that is why he is hated.,The Gemara challenges: If that is the meaning, bletthe iayin bnot be written at alland let the verse say: iRashim /i. bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazarboth explain why the iayinwas not omitted. bOne says:It was bdue tothe desire to preserve bthe honor of David,who had numerous enemies below despite the fact that he was a righteous person and had a place in the World-to-Come. bAnd one says:It was bdue tothe desire to preserve bthe honor of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah,who also had numerous enemies below, despite his righteousness.,§ bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bManasseh,king of Judea, bwould study fifty-fivedifferent baspects ininterpreting iTorat Kohanim /i,the halakhic midrash on Leviticus, bcorresponding to the years of his reign,indicating that he possessed great knowledge. bAhabwas greater and studied beighty-fiveaspects, and bJeroboamwas greater still and studied bone hundred and threeaspects., bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Meir would say: Absalom has no share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And they smote Absalom and they killed him”(II Samuel 18:15). b“And they smoteAbsalom” is referring to death bin this world,while b“and they killed him”is referring to death bin the World-to-Come. It is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Shimon ben Elazar says in the name of Rabbi Meir: Ahaz and Ahaziah,kings of Judea, band all of the kings ofthe kingdom of bIsrael about whom it is written: “And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord”(see, e.g., I Kings 15:34), bneither livein the World-to-Come bnor are sentencedto Gehenna.,It is stated: b“And Manasseh shed a great deal of innocent blood, until he filled Jerusalem from one end to another [ ipeh lafeh /i], beside his sin that he made Judea sin, to do evil in the eyes of the Lord”(II Kings 21:16). bHere,in Babylonia, bthey interpretthe verse to mean bthat he killedthe prophet bIsaiah(see iYevamot49b). bIn the West,Eretz Yisrael, bthey say thatManasseh bcrafted an idolso large that it was ba burdenrequiring bone thousand peopleto carry it, band each and every day hewould require them to carry it, which would bkill all of them.The Gemara asks: bIn accordance with whoseopinion bis that which Rabba bar bar Ḥana says: The soul of one righteous person is equalin value bto the entire world?It is bin accordance withthe opinion of bthe one who says: He killed Isaiah. /b, bIt is writtenthat Manasseh crafted b“an idol”(II Chronicles 33:7), band it is writtenthat Manasseh crafted b“idols”(II Chronicles 33:19). bRabbi Yoḥa says: Initially, he crafted one face [ ipartzuf] forthe idol, band ultimately, he crafted four faces for it so that the Divine Presence would seeit from each side band become angry. /b, bAhaz placedthat idol bin the upper chamberin the Temple, bas it is stated: “And the altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz”(II Kings 23:12). bManasseh placed it in the Sanctuaryitself, bas it is stated: “And he set the graven image of the iasherathat he had crafted, in that house of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son: In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, will I put My name forever”(II Kings 21:7). bAmon introduced it into the Holy of Holies, as it is stated: “For the bed is too short for spreading, and the covering too narrow for when he gathers himself”(Isaiah 28:20)., bWhatis the meaning of the phrase b“For the bed is too short for spreading”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysthat bRabbi Yonatan saysthat it means: bFor his bed is too narrow for two colleagues to spread upon it together,as it is impossible that service of God and idol worship will coexist there. bWhatis the meaning of the phrase b“and the covering [ imasekha /i] too narrow [ itzara /i]for when he gathers himself [ ikehitkanes /i]”? bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: When Rabbi Yonatan would reach this verse he would cry. He about whom it is written: “He gathers [ ikones /i] the waters of the sea like a rampart”(Psalms 33:7), bshall a graven image [ imasekha /i] be a rival [ itzara /i]? /b, bAhaz nullified theTemple bservice and sealed the Torah,prohibiting its study, bas it is stated: “Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah among my disciples”(Isaiah 8:16). bManasseh excised the mentionsof God’s names from sacred books band destroyed the altar. Amon burned the Torah and sacrificed a gecko,an impure creeping animal, bupon the altar. Ahaz permittedengaging in sexual intercourse with bforbidden relatives,and announced that marriage between those relatives is permitted. bManassehexploited that pronouncement and bengaged in sexual intercourse with his sister. /b, bAmon engaged in sexual intercourse with his mother, as it is stated: “But Amon increased his guilt”(II Chronicles 33:23), indicating that he performed a greater and more disgraceful transgression than anyone else. bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazardisagreed about his transgression; bone says that he burned the Torah, and one says that he engaged in sexual intercourse with his mother. His mother said to him: Do you have any pleasureby engaging in intercourse bfrom the place from which you emerged? He said to her: I am doingthis bonly to express insolence to my Creator,not for my pleasure., bWhen Jehoiakim camealong and reigned, bhe said:My bpredecessors did not knowhow bto express insolence toGod. bDo we needGod beven for his light?Since bwe have iparvayimgold that we usethat shines, bletGod btake His lightfrom the world. bThey said to him: Aren’t the silver and the gold His, as it is stated: “The silver is mine and the gold is mine says the Lord of hosts”(Haggai 2:8)? Jehoiakim bsaid to them: He has already given it to us, as it is stated: “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the children of men”(Psalms 115:16).,§ bRava said to Rabba bar Mari: For whatreason bdidthe itanna’im bnot enumerate Jehoiakimamong the kings who have no share in the World-to-Come? One would imagine that he has no share in the World-to-Come, bbecause it is written concerning him: “And the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and his abominations that he did, and that which was found on him”(II Chronicles 36:8). The Gemara explains: bWhatis the meaning of the phrase b“and that which was found on him”? Rabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazardisagree; bone says that he etched the name of idols on his penisdue to his devotion to them, band one says that he etched the name of Heaven on his penisin a display of contempt.,Rabba bar Mari bsaid toRava: bWith regard tothe list of bkings, I did not hearwhy Jehoiakim was excluded; but bwith regard tothe list of bcommoners, I heardwhy a certain sinner was excluded. bFor whatreason bdidthe itanna’im bnot enumerate Micahamong those with no share in the World-to-Come? After all, he crafted idols that the Jewish people worshipped (see Judges, chapter 17). It is bdue tothe fact bthat his breadwas bavailable for passersby, as it is stated: All those who pass by the Levites.He would provide sustece to all hosted in his house.,With regard to that which is written: b“And He shall pass through the sea with affliction and shall strike the waves in the sea”(Zechariah 10:11), bRabbi Yoḥa says: Thisaffliction is a reference to bthe idol of Micah,as Micah passed through the sea during the exodus from Egypt. bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Natan says:The distance bfrom Gerav,where Micah resided, bto Shiloh,where the Tabernacle was at that time, bwas three imil /i, and the smoke from the arrangementof wood on the altar in Shiloh band the smokefrom the worship bof the idol of Micah would intermingle with each other. /b, bThe ministering angels sought to dismiss himfrom the world. bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: Leave him, as his bread is available for travelers. And it is for this matter,the sin of Micah’s idol, that bthe peopleinvolved in the incident of bthe concubine in Gibeah were punished.The tribes of Israel waged war with the tribe of Benjamin and forty thousand of them were killed. bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: You did not protest for My honorand took no action to destroy Micah’s idol, but byou protested for the honor ofone of bflesh and bloodwho was killed? Therefore, the other tribes were initially unsuccessful, and many of their soldiers were killed., bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma: Great is eating, as it distanced two clans from the Jewish people, as it is stated:“An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of the bLord…because they met you not with bread and with water”(Deuteronomy 23:4–5). bAnd Rabbi Yoḥa himself says:Food bdistances the near, and draws near the distant, and averts eyes from the wicked,sparing them from punishment, band causes the Divine Presence to rest on the prophets of the Baal; and an unwittingtransgression bwith regard to itis at times bconsidered an intentionaltransgression.,The Gemara elaborates: The fact that it bdistances the nearis derived |
|
36. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
|
37. Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 47a. אין לי אלא בארץ בח"ל מנין תלמוד לומר אתך בכל מקום שאתך אם כן מה ת"ל בארץ בארץ צריך להביא ראיה בח"ל אין צריך להביא ראיה דברי ר' יהודה וחכמים אומרים בין בארץ בין בחוצה לארץ צריך להביא ראיה,בא הוא ועדיו עמו קרא למה לי אמר רב ששת דאמרי שמענו שנתגייר בב"ד של פלוני סד"א לא ליהמנייהו קמ"ל,בארץ אין לי אלא בארץ בח"ל מנין ת"ל אתך בכל מקום שאתך והא אפיקתיה חדא מאתך וחדא מעמך,וחכ"א בין בארץ בין בח"ל צריך להביא ראיה ואלא הא כתיב בארץ,ההוא מיבעי ליה דאפילו בארץ מקבלים גרים דסד"א משום טיבותא דארץ ישראל קמגיירי והשתא נמי דליכא טיבותא איכא לקט שכחה ופאה ומעשר עני קמ"ל,א"ר חייא בר אבא אמר ר' יוחנן הלכה בין בארץ בין בח"ל צריך להביא ראיה פשיטא יחיד ורבים הלכה כרבים מהו דתימא מסתבר טעמא דרבי יהודה דקמסייעי ליה קראי קמ"ל,ת"ר (דברים א, טז) ושפטתם צדק בין איש ובין אחיו ובין גרו מכאן א"ר יהודה גר שנתגייר בב"ד הרי זה גר בינו לבין עצמו אינו גר,מעשה באחד שבא לפני רבי יהודה ואמר לו נתגיירתי ביני לבין עצמי א"ל רבי יהודה יש לך עדים אמר ליה לאו יש לך בנים א"ל הן א"ל נאמן אתה לפסול את עצמך ואי אתה נאמן לפסול את בניך,[ומי] א"ר יהודה אבנים לא מהימן והתניא (דברים כא, יז) יכיר יכירנו לאחרים מכאן א"ר יהודה נאמן אדם לומר זה בני בכור וכשם שנאמן לומר זה בני בכור כך נאמן לומר בני זה בן גרושה הוא או בן חלוצה הוא וחכ"א אינו נאמן,א"ר נחמן בר יצחק ה"ק ליה לדבריך עובד כוכבים אתה ואין עדות לעובד כוכבים רבינא אמר הכי קאמר ליה יש לך בנים הן יש לך בני בנים הן א"ל נאמן אתה לפסול בניך ואי אתה נאמן לפסול בני בניך,תניא נמי הכי ר' יהודה אומר נאמן אדם לומר על בנו קטן ואין נאמן על בנו גדול ואמר ר' חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן לא קטן קטן ממש ולא גדול גדול ממש אלא קטן ויש לו בנים זהו גדול גדול ואין לו בנים זהו קטן,והלכתא כוותיה דרב נחמן בר יצחק והתניא כוותיה דרבינא ההוא לענין יכיר איתמר,תנו רבנן גר שבא להתגייר בזמן הזה אומרים לו מה ראית שבאת להתגייר אי אתה יודע שישראל בזמן הזה דוויים דחופים סחופים ומטורפין ויסורין באין עליהם אם אומר יודע אני ואיני כדאי מקבלין אותו מיד,ומודיעין אותו מקצת מצות קלות ומקצת מצות חמורות ומודיעין אותו עון לקט שכחה ופאה ומעשר עני ומודיעין אותו ענשן של מצות אומרים לו הוי יודע שעד שלא באת למדה זו אכלת חלב אי אתה ענוש כרת חללת שבת אי אתה ענוש סקילה ועכשיו אכלת חלב ענוש כרת חללת שבת ענוש סקילה,וכשם שמודיעין אותו ענשן של מצות כך מודיעין אותו מתן שכרן אומרים לו הוי יודע שהעולם הבא אינו עשוי אלא לצדיקים וישראל בזמן הזה אינם יכולים לקבל | 47a. bI havederived bonlythat a convert is accepted bin EretzYisrael; bfrom wheredo I derive that also boutsideof bEretzYisrael he is to be accepted? bThe verse states “with you,”which indicates that bin any place that he is with you,you should accept him. bIf so, whatis the meaning when bthe verse states: In the land?This indicates that bin EretzYisrael bhe needs to bring evidencethat he is a convert, bbut outsideof bEretzYisrael bhe does not need to bring evidencethat he is a convert; rather, his claim is accepted. This is bthe statement of Rabbi Yehuda. And the Rabbis say: Whetherhe is bin EretzYisrael bor whetherhe is boutsideof bEretzYisrael, bhe needs to bring evidence. /b,The Gemara analyzes the ibaraita /i: In the case when bhe came andbrought bwitnessesto his conversion bwith him, why do Ineed ba verseto teach that he is accepted? In all cases, the testimony of witnesses is fully relied upon. bRav Sheshet said:The case is bwhere they say: We heard that he converted inthe bcourtof bso-and-so,but they did not witness the actual conversion. And it is necessary to teach this because it could benter your mind to saythat bthey should not be relied upon;therefore, the verse bteaches usthat they are relied upon.,As cited above, the latter clause of the ibaraitastates: “With you binyour bland”(Leviticus 19:33). bI havederived bonlythat a convert is accepted bin EretzYisrael; bfrom wheredo I derive that also boutsideof bEretzYisrael he is to be accepted? bThe verse states: “With you,”which indicates that bin any place that he is with you,you should accept him. The Gemara asks: bBut didn’t youalready bexpound thatphrase in the first clause of the ibaraitato teach that one doesn’t accept the claims of an individual that he is a valid convert? The Gemara explains: bOneof these ihalakhotis derived from the phrase b“with you”in the verse cited, bandthe other boneis derived from the phrase b“with you”in a subsequent verse (Leviticus 25:35).,The ibaraitastates: bAnd the Rabbis say: Whetherhe is bin EretzYisrael bor whetherhe is boutsideof bEretzYisrael, bhe needs to bring evidence.The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t “inyour bland” writtenin the verse? How can the Rabbis deny any distinction between the ihalakhainside and outside of Eretz Yisrael?,The Gemara explains: bThatphrase bis necessaryto teach bthat even in EretzYisrael, the Jewish people should baccept converts, as it could enter your mind to saythat it is only bfor the sake ofbenefiting from bthe goodness of Eretz Yisrael,and not for the sake of Heaven, that bthey are converting,and therefore they should not be accepted. bAndit could also enter your mind to say that even bnowadays, whenGod’s blessing has ceased and bthere is nolonger btheoriginal bgoodnessfrom which to benefit, one should still suspect their purity of motives because bthere arethe bgleanings,the bforgotten sheaves, andthe bcornersof fields, band the poor man’s tithefrom which they would benefit by converting. Therefore, the verse bteaches usthat they are accepted even in Eretz Yisrael., bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:The ihalakha /iis that bwhethera convert is bin EretzYisrael bor whetherhe is boutside of EretzYisrael, bhe needs to bring evidence.The Gemara asks: bIsn’tthis bobvious;in all disputes between ban individualSage band manySages the ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of the bmanySages. The Gemara explains: It is necessary to state this blest you saythat bRabbi Yehuda’s reasonis more blogical, being that the verse supports himwhen it states: “In your land.” Therefore, it is necessary for Rabbi Yoḥa to bteach usthat the ihalakhais not in accordance with his opinion., bThe Sages taught:The verse states that Moses charged the judges of a court: b“And judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the convert with him”(Deuteronomy 1:16). bFrom here,based on the mention of a convert in the context of judgment in a court, bRabbi Yehuda said:A potential bconvert who converts in a court is avalid bconvert.However, if he converts bin private, he is not a convert. /b,The Gemara relates: There was ban incident involving onewho was presumed to be Jewish bwho came before Rabbi Yehuda and said to him: I converted in private,and therefore I am not actually Jewish. bRabbi Yehuda said to him:Do byou have witnessesto support your claim? bHe said to him: No.Rabbi Yehuda asked: Do byou have children? He said to him: Yes.Rabbi Yehuda bsaid to him: You are deemed crediblein order bto render yourself unfitto marry a Jewish woman by claiming that you are a gentile, bbut you are not deemed crediblein order bto render your children unfit. /b,The Gemara asks: bBut did Rabbi Yehudaactually bsaythat bwith regard tohis bchildren he is not deemed credible? But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“He shall acknowledge [ iyakir /i]the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has” (Deuteronomy 21:17). The phrase “he shall acknowledge” is apparently superfluous. It is therefore expounded to teach that the father is deemed credible so that bhe can identify him [ iyakirenu /i] to others. From here Rabbi Yehuda said: A man is deemed credible to say: This is my firstborn son, and just as he is deemed credible to say: This is my firstborn son, sotoo, a priest bis deemed credible to say: This son of mine is a son of a divorced womanand myself, borto say: He is ba son of a iḥalutza /iand myself, and therefore he is disqualified due to flawed lineage [ iḥalal /i]. bAnd the Rabbis say: He is not deemed credible.If Rabbi Yehuda holds that a father is deemed credible to render his children unfit, why did he rule otherwise in the case of the convert?, bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak saidthat bthis is whatRabbi Yehuda bsaid to him: According to your statement you are a gentile, and there is no testimony for a gentile,as a gentile is a disqualified witness. Consequently, you cannot testify about the status of your children and render them unfit. bRavina saidthat bthis is whatRabbi Yehuda bsaid to him:Do byou have children? He said: Yes. He said to him:Do byou have grandchildren?He said: bYes. He said to him: You are deemed crediblein order bto render your children unfit,based on the phrase “he shall acknowledge,” bbut you are not deemed crediblein order bto render your grandchildren unfit,as the verse affords a father credibility only with respect to his children., bThisopinion of Ravina bis also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Yehuda says: A man is deemed credible to say about his minor sonthat he is unfit, bbut he is not deemed credible to say about his adult sonthat he is unfit. bAndin explanation of the ibaraita /i, bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:The reference to ba minorson does bnotmean one who is bliterally a minor,who has not yet reached majority, bandthe reference to ban adultson does bnotmean one who is bliterally an adult,who has reached majority; brather, a minor who has children, this iswhat the ibaraitais referring to as ban adult,and ban adult who does not have children, this iswhat the ibaraitais referring to as ba minor. /b,The Gemara concludes: bAnd the ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak.The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it taughtin the ibaraita bin accordance withthe opinion bof Ravina?If there is a ibaraitathat supports his opinion, the ihalakhashould be in accordance with his opinion. The Gemara explains: bThat ibaraita bwas stated concerning the matter of “he shall acknowledge,”that a father is deemed credible to render his son unfit; however, if one claims he is a gentile, he is not deemed credible to say the same about his son.,§ bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: With regard to a potential bconvert who comes toa court in order to bconvert, at the present time,when the Jews are in exile, the judges of the court bsay to him: What did you see thatmotivated byouto bcome to convert? Don’t you know that the Jewish people at the present time are anguished, suppressed, despised, and harassed, and hardships arefrequently bvisited upon them? If he says: I know, andalthough bI am unworthyof joining the Jewish people and sharing in their sorrow, I nevertheless desire to do so, then the court baccepts him immediatelyto begin the conversion process., bAndthe judges of the court binform himof bsome of the lenient mitzvot and some of the stringent mitzvot, and they inform himof bthe sinof neglecting the mitzva to allow the poor to take bgleanings, forgotten sheaves, andproduce in the bcornerof one’s field, bandabout the bpoor man’s tithe. And they inform himof bthe punishment fortransgressing bthe mitzvot,as follows: bThey say to him: Be aware that before you came to this statusand converted, bhad you eaten forbidden fat, you would not be punished by ikaret /i,and bhad you profaned Shabbat, you would not be punished by stoning,since these prohibitions do not apply to gentiles. bBut now,once converted, if byou have eaten forbidden fat you are punished by ikaret /i,and if byou have profaned Shabbat, you are punished by stoning. /b, bAnd just as they inform himabout the bpunishment fortransgressing the bmitzvot, sotoo, bthey inform himabout the breward granted forfulfilling bthem. They say to him: Be aware that the World-to-Come is made only for the righteous,and if you observe the mitzvot you will merit it, bandbe aware that bthe Jewish people, at the present time, are unable to receivetheir full reward in this world; |
|
38. Anon., Exodus Rabbah, 28.1 (4th cent. CE - 9th cent. CE)
| 28.1. וּמשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים סח, יט): עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם שָׁבִיתָ שֶׁבִי, מַהוּ עָלִיתָ, נִתְעֲלֵיתָ, נִתְגַּשַׁשְׁתָּ עִם הַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם, שֶׁלֹא שָׁלְטָה בְּרִיָה מִלְּמַעְלָן כְּשֵׁם שֶׁשָּׁלַט משֶׁה. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה הַלּוּחוֹת הָיוּ אָרְכָּן שִׁשָּׁה טְפָחִים, כִּבְיָכוֹל הָיוּ בְּיַד מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם שְׁנֵי טְפָחִים וּבְיָדוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה שְׁנֵי טְפָחִים וּשְׁנֵי טְפָחִים הָיוּ מַפְרִישִׁין בֵּין יַד לְיַד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם שָׁבִיתָ שֶׁבִי, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַנִּכְנָס לִמְדִינָה נוֹטֵל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין עֵין בְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה עָלָיו, וּמשֶׁה עָלָה לַמָּרוֹם וְנָטַל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהָיוּ הַכֹּל נוֹשְׂאִין עֵינֵיהֶם עָלֶיהָ, הֱוֵי: עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם שָׁבִיתָ שֶׁבִי, יָכוֹל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשָּׁבָה אוֹתָהּ נְטָלָהּ חִנָּם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (תהלים סח, יט): לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת בָּאָדָם, בִּלְקִיחָה נִתְּנָה לוֹ. יָכוֹל יְהֵא חַיָּב לִתֵּן לוֹ דָּמִים, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מַתָּנוֹת, בְּמַתָּנָה נִתְּנָה לוֹ. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה בִּקְּשׁוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְגֹעַ בְּמשֶׁה, עָשָׂה בּוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קְלַסְטֵירִין שֶׁל פָּנָיו שֶׁל משֶׁה דּוֹמֶה לְאַבְרָהָם, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִי אַתֶּם מִתְבַּיְשִׁין הֵימֶנּוּ לֹא זֶהוּ שֶׁיְּרַדְתֶּם אֶצְלוֹ וַאֲכַלְתֶּם בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה לֹא נִתְּנָה לְךָ תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת בָּאָדָם, וְאֵין אָדָם הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֶלָּא אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע יד, טו): הָאָדָם הַגָּדוֹל בָּעֲנָקִים, הֱוֵי: וּמשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים. | |
|
39. Theodosius Ii Emperor of Rome, Theodosian Code, 16.8.2, 16.8.13 (5th cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
|
40. Anon., 4 Baruch, 8.2
| 8.2. And the Lord said to Jeremiah: Rise up -- you and the people -- and come to the Jordan and say to the people: Let anyone who desires the Lord forsake the works of Babylon. |
|
41. Anon., Pirqe Rabbi Eliezer, 46
|
42. Anon., Hekhalot Zutarti, 349-350, 348
|
