1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 4.6, 7.6, 10.15, 14.2, 32.8-32.9 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 4.6. וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם כִּי הִוא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּן אֵת כָּל־הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה וְאָמְרוּ רַק עַם־חָכָם וְנָבוֹן הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה׃ 7.6. כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּךָ בָּחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה מִכֹּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה׃ 10.15. רַק בַּאֲבֹתֶיךָ חָשַׁק יְהוָה לְאַהֲבָה אוֹתָם וַיִּבְחַר בְּזַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם בָּכֶם מִכָּל־הָעַמִּים כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃ 14.2. כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּבְךָ בָּחַר יְהוָה לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה מִכֹּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה׃ 14.2. כָּל־עוֹף טָהוֹר תֹּאכֵלוּ׃ 32.8. בְּהַנְחֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹיִם בְּהַפְרִידוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם יַצֵּב גְּבֻלֹת עַמִּים לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 32.9. כִּי חֵלֶק יְהֹוָה עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ׃ | 4.6. Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’" 7.6. For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be His own treasure, out of all peoples that are upon the face of the earth." 10.15. Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you, above all peoples, as it is this day." 14.2. For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be His own treasure out of all peoples that are upon the face of the earth." 32.8. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel." 32.9. For the portion of the LORD is His people, Jacob the lot of His inheritance." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 1.7, 2.2, 6.7, 19.6, 33.16 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.7. וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ וַיַּעַצְמוּ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֹתָם׃ 2.2. וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי־טוֹב הוּא וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יְרָחִים׃ 2.2. וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־בְּנֹתָיו וְאַיּוֹ לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן אֶת־הָאִישׁ קִרְאֶן לוֹ וְיֹאכַל לָחֶם׃ 6.7. וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לִי לְעָם וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרָיִם׃ 19.6. וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ־לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 33.16. וּבַמֶּה יִוָּדַע אֵפוֹא כִּי־מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲנִי וְעַמֶּךָ הֲלוֹא בְּלֶכְתְּךָ עִמָּנוּ וְנִפְלֵינוּ אֲנִי וְעַמְּךָ מִכָּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה׃ | 1.7. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them." 2.2. And the woman conceived, and bore a son; and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months." 6.7. and I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." 19.6. and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.’" 33.16. For wherein now shall it be known that I have found grace in Thy sight, I and Thy people? is it not in that Thou goest with us, so that we are distinguished, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?’" |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, a b c d\n0 "17.15" "17.15" "17 15"\n1 1 1 1 None\n2 1.6 1.6 1 6\n3 10 10 10 None\n4 10.10 10.10 10 10\n.. ... ... ... ...\n203 9.5 9.5 9 5\n204 9.6 9.6 9 6\n205 9.7 9.7 9 7\n206 9.8 9.8 9 8\n207 9.9 9.9 9 9\n\n[208 rows x 4 columns] (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
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4. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 20.26 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 20.26. וִהְיִיתֶם לִי קְדֹשִׁים כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי יְהוָה וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן־הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת לִי׃ | 20.26. And ye shall be holy unto Me; for I the LORD am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that ye should be Mine." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 11.17, 23.7-23.10 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 11.17. וְיָרַדְתִּי וְדִבַּרְתִּי עִמְּךָ שָׁם וְאָצַלְתִּי מִן־הָרוּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וְשַׂמְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם וְנָשְׂאוּ אִתְּךָ בְּמַשָּׂא הָעָם וְלֹא־תִשָּׂא אַתָּה לְבַדֶּךָ׃ 23.7. וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר מִן־אֲרָם יַנְחֵנִי בָלָק מֶלֶךְ־מוֹאָב מֵהַרְרֵי־קֶדֶם לְכָה אָרָה־לִּי יַעֲקֹב וּלְכָה זֹעֲמָה יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 23.8. מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל וּמָה אֶזְעֹם לֹא זָעַם יְהוָה׃ 23.9. כִּי־מֵרֹאשׁ צֻרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ וּמִגְּבָעוֹת אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ הֶן־עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב׃ | 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." 23.7. And he took up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: ‘Come, curse me Jacob, And come, execrate Israel.’" 23.8. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I execrate, whom the LORD hath not execrated?" 23.9. For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations." 23.10. Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, Or numbered the stock of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let mine end be like his!" |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 2.5-2.6, 8.2-8.8, 8.13, 106.34-106.39 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.5. אָז יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ בְאַפּוֹ וּבַחֲרוֹנוֹ יְבַהֲלֵמוֹ׃ 2.6. וַאֲנִי נָסַכְתִּי מַלְכִּי עַל־צִיּוֹן הַר־קָדְשִׁי׃ 8.2. יְהוָה אֲדֹנֵינוּ מָה־אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל־הַשָּׁמָיִם׃ 8.3. מִפִּי עוֹלְלִים וְיֹנְקִים יִסַּדְתָּ עֹז לְמַעַן צוֹרְרֶיךָ לְהַשְׁבִּית אוֹיֵב וּמִתְנַקֵּם׃ 8.4. כִּי־אֶרְאֶה שָׁמֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂי אֶצְבְּעֹתֶיךָ יָרֵחַ וְכוֹכָבִים אֲשֶׁר כּוֹנָנְתָּה׃ 8.5. מָה־אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי־תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן־אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ׃ 8.6. וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְּעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים וְכָבוֹד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ׃ 8.7. תַּמְשִׁילֵהוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ כֹּל שַׁתָּה תַחַת־רַגְלָיו׃ 8.8. צֹנֶה וַאֲלָפִים כֻּלָּם וְגַם בַּהֲמוֹת שָׂדָי׃ 106.34. לֹא־הִשְׁמִידוּ אֶת־הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יְהוָה לָהֶם׃ 106.35. וַיִּתְעָרְבוּ בַגּוֹיִם וַיִּלְמְדוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם׃ 106.36. וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֶת־עֲצַבֵּיהֶם וַיִּהְיוּ לָהֶם לְמוֹקֵשׁ׃ 106.37. וַיִּזְבְּחוּ אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם וְאֶת־בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם לַשֵּׁדִים׃ 106.38. וַיִּשְׁפְּכוּ דָם נָקִי דַּם־בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר זִבְּחוּ לַעֲצַבֵּי כְנָעַן וַתֶּחֱנַף הָאָרֶץ בַּדָּמִים׃ 106.39. וַיִּטְמְאוּ בְמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וַיִּזְנוּ בְּמַעַלְלֵיהֶם׃ | 2.5. Then will He speak unto them in His wrath, and affright them in His sore displeasure:" 2.6. 'Truly it is I that have established My king upon Zion, My holy mountain.'" 8.2. O LORD, our Lord, How glorious is Thy name in all the earth! Whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens." 8.3. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou founded strength, Because of Thine adversaries; That Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." 8.4. When I behold Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast established;" 8.5. What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou thinkest of him?" 8.6. Yet Thou hast made him but little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour." 8.7. Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under His feet:" 8.8. Sheep and oxen, all of them, Yea, and the beasts of the field;" 106.34. They did not destroy the peoples, As the LORD commanded them;" 106.35. But mingled themselves with the nations, And learned their works;" 106.36. And they served their idols, Which became a snare unto them;" 106.37. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons," 106.38. And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood." 106.39. Thus were they defiled with their works, And went astray in their doings." |
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7. Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings, 19.16 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 19.16. וְאֵת יֵהוּא בֶן־נִמְשִׁי תִּמְשַׁח לְמֶלֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן־שָׁפָט מֵאָבֵל מְחוֹלָה תִּמְשַׁח לְנָבִיא תַּחְתֶּיךָ׃ | 19.16. and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room." |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 2.4 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 2.4. וְשָׁפַט בֵּין הַגּוֹיִם וְהוֹכִיחַ לְעַמִּים רַבִּים וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבוֹתָם לְאִתִּים וַחֲנִיתוֹתֵיהֶם לְמַזְמֵרוֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה׃ | 2.4. And He shall judge between the nations, And shall decide for many peoples; And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruninghooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more." |
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9. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 8.3 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 8.3. וְנִבְחַר מָוֶת מֵחַיִּים לְכֹל הַשְּׁאֵרִית הַנִּשְׁאָרִים מִן־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת בְּכָל־הַמְּקֹמוֹת הַנִּשְׁאָרִים אֲשֶׁר הִדַּחְתִּים שָׁם נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת׃ | 8.3. And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts." |
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10. Hebrew Bible, Judges, 18-21, 17 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
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11. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 6.3 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 6.3. וְאָמַרְתָּ הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר־אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה לֶהָרִים וְלַגְּבָעוֹת לָאֲפִיקִים ולגאית [וְלַגֵּאָיוֹת] הִנְנִי אֲנִי מֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם חֶרֶב וְאִבַּדְתִּי בָּמוֹתֵיכֶם׃ | 6.3. and say: Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the mountains and concerning the hills, concerning the ravines and concerning the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places." |
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12. Anon., Jubilees, 10.19-10.26 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 10.19. Thus the evil. spirits were precluded from (hurting) the sons of Noah. 10.20. And he gave all that he had written to Shem, his eldest son; for he loved him exceedingly above all his sons. 10.21. And Noah slept with his fathers, and was buried on Mount Lûbâr in the land of Ararat. 10.22. Nine hundred and fifty years he completed in his life, nineteen jubilees and two weeks and five years. 10.23. And in his life on earth he excelled the children of men save Enoch because of the righteousness, wherein he was perfect. 10.24. For Enoch's office was ordained for a testimony to the generations of the world, so that he should recount all the deeds of generation unto generation, till the day of judgment. 10.25. And in the three and thirtieth jubilee, in the first year in the second week, Peleg took to himself a wife, whose name was Lômnâ the daughter of Sînâ’ar 10.26. and she bare him a son in the fourth year of this week, and he called his name Reu; |
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13. Anon., Letter of Aristeas, 132-139, 131 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 131. the means of escaping from ignorance and amending their lives. Our Lawgiver first of all laid down the principles of piety and righteousness and inculcated them point by point, not merely by prohibitions but by the use of examples as well, demonstrating the injurious effects of sin and the |
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14. Cicero, Pro Archia, 23 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 23. nam si quis minorem gloriae fructum putat ex Graecis versibus percipi quam ex Latinis, vehementer errat, propterea quod Graeca leguntur in omnibus fere gentibus, Latina suis finibus exiguis sane continentur. qua re, si res eae quas gessimus orbis terrae regionibus definiuntur, cupere debemus, quo hominum nostrorum hominum nostrorum Bases : minus ( om. c2k, del. Madvig ) manuum nostrarum codd. tela pervenerint, eodem eodem eandem G : om. e gloriam famamque penetrare, quod cum ipsis populis de quorum rebus scribitur haec ampla sunt, tum eis iis χς : his cett. certe qui de vita gloriae causa dimicant hoc maximum et periculorum incitamentum est et laborum. | |
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15. Hebrew Bible, Daniel, 3.6 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 3.6. וּמַן־דִּי־לָא יִפֵּל וְיִסְגֻּד בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָא יִתְרְמֵא לְגוֹא־אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא׃ | 3.6. and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.’" |
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16. Septuagint, 2 Maccabees, 14.3, 14.38 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 14.3. Now a certain Alcimus, who had formerly been high priest but had wilfully defiled himself in the times of separation, realized that there was no way for him to be safe or to have access again to the holy altar,' 14.38. For in former times, when there was no mingling with the Gentiles, he had been accused of Judaism, and for Judaism he had with all zeal risked body and life.' |
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17. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 17.17 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 17.17. He appointed a ruler for every nation,but Israel is the Lords own portion. |
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18. Philo of Alexandria, On The Confusion of Tongues, 56 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 56. for we are of the race of picked men of Israel, that sees God, of whom not one has Disagreed;" that the instrument of the universe, the whole world, may be melodiously sounded in musical harmony. |
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19. Philo of Alexandria, On The Change of Names, 166-167, 12 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 12. but in order that the human race may not be wholly destitute of any appellation which they may give to the most excellent of beings, I allow you to use the word Lord as a name; the Lord God of three natures--of instruction, and of holiness, and of the practice of virtue; of which Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob are recorded as the symbols. For this, says he, is the everlasting name, as if it has been investigated and discerned in time as it exists in reference to us, and not in that time which was before all time; and it is also a memorial not placed beyond recollection or intelligence, and again it is addressed to persons who have been born, not to uncreated natures. |
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20. Philo of Alexandria, On Curses, 44 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 44. Having, therefore, thus distinguished the indications intended to be afforded by the name of Enoch, let us now proceed in regular order to the name of Methuselah; and this name is interpreted, a sending forth of death. Now there are two meanings contained in this word; one, that according to which death is sent to any one, and the other, that according to which it is sent away from any one. He, therefore, to whom it is sent, immediately dies, but he, from whom it is sent, lives and survives. |
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21. Philo of Alexandria, On Sobriety, 66 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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22. Philo of Alexandria, On Dreams, 2.173 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.173. Now Israel is the mind inclined to the contemplation of God and of the world; for the name Israel is interpreted, "seeing God," and the abode of the mind is the whole soul; and this is the most sacred vineyard, bearing as its fruit the divine shoot, virtue: |
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23. Philo of Alexandria, On The Embassy To Gaius, 4 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 4. And this nation of suppliants is in the Chaldaic language called Israel, but when the name is translated into the Greek language it is called, "the seeing nation;" which appellation appears to me to be the most honourable of all things in the world, whether private or public; |
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24. Philo of Alexandria, Questions On Genesis, 3.49 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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25. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 1.17, 1.109, 1.113-1.118, 1.120-1.122, 1.129-1.147, 4.197 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.17. As I proceed, therefore, I shall accurately describe what is contained in our records, in the order of time that belongs to them; for I have already promised so to do throughout this undertaking; and this without adding any thing to what is therein contained, or taking away any thing therefrom. 1.17. and he took himself what the other left, which were the lower grounds at the foot of the mountains; and he himself dwelt in Hebron, which is a city seven years more ancient than Tanis of Egypt. But Lot possessed the land of the plain, and the river Jordan, not far from the city of Sodom, which was then a fine city, but is now destroyed, by the will and wrath of God, the cause of which I shall show in its proper place hereafter. 1.109. 1. Now the sons of Noah were three,—Shem, Japhet, and Ham, born one hundred years before the Deluge. These first of all descended from the mountains into the plains, and fixed their habitation there; and persuaded others who were greatly afraid of the lower grounds on account of the flood, and so were very loath to come down from the higher places, to venture to follow their examples. 1.113. 2. Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it was through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. 1.114. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power. He also said he would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers! 1.115. 3. Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God; and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it, it grew very high, sooner than any one could expect; 1.116. but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed, upon the view, to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw that they acted so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not grown wiser by the destruction of the former sinners; 1.117. but he caused a tumult among them, by producing in them divers languages, and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon, because of the confusion of that language which they readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word Babel, confusion. 1.118. The Sibyl also makes mention of this tower, and of the confusion of the language, when she says thus: “When all men were of one language, some of them built a high tower, as if they would thereby ascend up to heaven, but the gods sent storms of wind and overthrew the tower, and gave every one his peculiar language; and for this reason it was that the city was called Babylon.” 1.121. and some of those nations do still retain the denominations which were given them by their first founders; but some have lost them also, and some have only admitted certain changes in them, that they might be the more intelligible to the inhabitants. And they were the Greeks who became the authors of such mutations. For when in after-ages they grew potent, they claimed to themselves the glory of antiquity; giving names to the nations that sounded well [in Greek] that they might be better understood among themselves; and setting agreeable forms of government over them, as if they were a people derived from themselves. 1.122. 1. Now they were the grandchildren of Noah, in honor of whom names were imposed on the nations by those that first seized upon them. Japhet, the son of Noah, had seven sons: they inhabited so, that, beginning at the mountains Taurus and Amanus, they proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tanais, and along Europe to Cadiz; and settling themselves on the lands which they light upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own names. 1.129. Now when I have premised somewhat, which perhaps the Greeks do not know, I will return and explain what I have omitted; for such names are pronounced here after the manner of the Greeks, to please my readers; for our own country language does not so pronounce them: but the names in all cases are of one and the same ending; for the name we here pronounce Noeas, is there Noah, and in every case retains the same termination. 1.131. For of the four sons of Ham, time has not at all hurt the name of Chus; for the Ethiopians, over whom he reigned, are even at this day, both by themselves and by all men in Asia, called Chusites. 1.132. The memory also of the Mesraites is preserved in their name; for all we who inhabit this country [of Judea] called Egypt Mestre, and the Egyptians Mestreans. Phut also was the founder of Libya, and called the inhabitants Phutites, from himself: 1.133. there is also a river in the country of Moors which bears that name; whence it is that we may see the greatest part of the Grecian historiographers mention that river and the adjoining country by the appellation of Phut: but the name it has now has been by change given it from one of the sons of Mesraim, who was called Lybyos. We will inform you presently what has been the occasion why it has been called Africa also. 1.134. Canaan, the fourth son of Ham, inhabited the country now called Judea, and called it from his own name Canaan. The children of these [four] were these: Sabas, who founded the Sabeans; Evilas, who founded the Evileans, who are called Getuli; Sabathes founded the Sabathens, they are now called by the Greeks Astaborans; 1.135. Sabactas settled the Sabactens; and Ragmus the Ragmeans; and he had two sons, the one of whom, Judadas, settled the Judadeans, a nation of the western Ethiopians, and left them his name; as did Sabas to the Sabeans: but Nimrod, the son of Chus, staid and tyrannized at Babylon, as we have already informed you. 1.136. Now all the children of Mesraim, being eight in number, possessed the country from Gaza to Egypt, though it retained the name of one only, the Philistim; for the Greeks call part of that country Palestine. 1.137. As for the rest, Ludieim, and Enemim, and Labim, who alone inhabited in Libya, and called the country from himself, Nedim, and Phethrosim, and Chesloim, and Cephthorim, we know nothing of them besides their names; for the Ethiopic war which we shall describe hereafter, was the cause that those cities were overthrown. 1.138. The sons of Canaan were these: Sidonius, who also built a city of the same name; it is called by the Greeks Sidon Amathus inhabited in Amathine, which is even now called Amathe by the inhabitants, although the Macedonians named it Epiphania, from one of his posterity: Arudeus possessed the island Aradus: Arucas possessed Arce, which is in Libanus. 1.139. But for the seven others, [Eueus,] Chetteus, Jebuseus, Amorreus, Gergesus, Eudeus, Sineus, Samareus, we have nothing in the sacred books but their names, for the Hebrews overthrew their cities; and their calamities came upon them on the occasion following. 1.141. and, being drunk, he fell asleep, and lay naked in an unseemly manner. When his youngest son saw this, he came laughing, and showed him to his brethren; but they covered their father’s nakedness. 1.142. And when Noah was made sensible of what had been done, he prayed for prosperity to his other sons; but for Ham, he did not curse him, by reason of his nearness in blood, but cursed his prosperity: and when the rest of them escaped that curse, God inflicted it on the children of Canaan. But as to these matters, we shall speak more hereafter. 1.143. 4. Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian Ocean. For Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians. Ashur lived at the city Nineve; and named his subjects Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation, beyond others. 1.144. Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans. Aram had the Aramites, which the Greeks called Syrians; as Laud founded the Laudites, which are now called Lydians. 1.145. of the four sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus: this country lies between Palestine and Celesyria. Ul founded Armenia; and Gather the Bactrians; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called Charax Spasini. 1.146. Sala was the son of Arphaxad; and his son was Heber, from whom they originally called the Jews Hebrews. Heber begat Joetan and Phaleg: he was called Phaleg, because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several countries; for Phaleg among the Hebrews signifies division. 1.147. Now Joctan, one of the sons of Heber, had these sons, Elmodad, Saleph, Asermoth, Jera, Adoram, Aizel, Decla, Ebal, Abimael, Sabeus, Ophir, Euilat, and Jobab. These inhabited from Cophen, an Indian river, and in part of Asia adjoining to it. And this shall suffice concerning the sons of Shem. 4.197. only we shall so far innovate, as to digest the several kinds of laws into a regular system; for they were by him left in writing as they were accidentally scattered in their delivery, and as he upon inquiry had learned them of God. On which account I have thought it necessary to premise this observation beforehand, lest any of my own countrymen should blame me, as having been guilty of an offense herein. |
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26. Mishnah, Megillah, 1.8 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1.8. There is no difference between scrolls [of the Tanakh] and tefillin and mezuzahs except that scrolls may be written in any language whereas tefillin and mezuzahs may be written only in Assyrian. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says that scrolls [of the Tanakh] were permitted [by the sages] to be written only in Greek." |
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27. New Testament, John, 1.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. |
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28. New Testament, Matthew, 5.8, 23.2-23.3 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 23.2. saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses' seat. 23.3. All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don't do their works; for they say, and don't do. |
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29. Pliny The Elder, Natural History, 7.2 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
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30. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 16.4, 36.8 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 16.4. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַשְׁקוֹת כּוֹס תַּרְעֵלָה לָאֻמּוֹת מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהַדִּין יוֹצֵא, מַאי טַעְמָא (בראשית ב, י): וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד, וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה נְהָרִים אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים, אֵלּוּ אַרְבָּעָה גָּלֻיּוֹת כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים. (בראשית ב, יא): שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן, זוֹ בָּבֶל, עַל שֵׁם (חבקוק א, ח): וּפָשׁוּ פָּרָשָׁיו. הוּא הַסֹּבֵב אֵת כָּל אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה, שֶׁעָלָה וְהִקִּיף אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (תהלים מב, ו): הוֹחִלִי לֵאלֹהִים כִּי עוֹד אוֹדֶנּוּ. אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הַזָּהָב, אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁהֵן נֶחְמָדִין מִזָּהָב וּמִפָּז רָב. וּזֲהַב הָאָרֶץ הַהִיא טוֹב, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין תּוֹרָה כְּתוֹרַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא חָכְמָה כְּחָכְמַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. שָׁם הַבְּדֹלַח וְאֶבֶן הַשֹּׁהַם וגו', מִקְרָא מִשְׁנָה וְתַלְמוּד וְתוֹסֶפְתָּא וְאַגָּדָה. וְשֵׁם הַנָּהָר הַשֵּׁנִי גִיחוֹן, זוֹ מָדַי שֶׁהָיָה הָמָן שָׁף עַמָּהּ כַּנָּחָשׁ, עַל שֵׁם (בראשית ג, יד): עַל גְּחֹנְךָ תֵלֵךְ. חִדֶּקֶל זוֹ יָוָן, שֶׁהָיְתָה קַלָּה וְחַדָּה בִּגְזֵרוֹתֶיהָ, שֶׁהָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּתְבוּ עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֵּאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים קָדְמָה מַלְכוּת יָוָן לְמַלְכוּת הָרְשָׁעָה, בְּנִימוּסִין וּבְפִנְקֵיסִין וּבְלָשׁוֹן. רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַב אַחָא אָמַר, כָּל הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת נִקְרְאוּ עַל שֵׁם אַשּׁוּר, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מִתְעַשְּׁרוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא כָּל הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת נִקְרְאוּ עַל שֵׁם נִינְוֵה, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מִתְנָאוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר רַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא כָּל הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת נִקְרְאוּ עַל שֵׁם מִצְרַיִם, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מְצִירוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהַנָּהָר הָרְבִיעִי הוּא פְרָת, זוֹ אֱדוֹם. פְּרָת, שֶׁהֵפֵרָה וְהִצִירָה לְבָנָיו [נ"א לפניו]. פְּרָת, שֶׁפָּרָה וְרָבָה מִבִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל זָקֵן. פְּרָת, שֶׁאֲנִי עָתִיד לְהִפָּרַע לָהּ. פְּרָת, עַל שֵׁם סוֹפָהּ (ישעיה סג, ג): פּוּרָה דָּרַכְתִּי לְבַדִּי וגו'. 36.8. וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ ה' אֱלֹהֵי שֵׁם (בראשית ט, כו), אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אַף מִיֶּפֶת עָמְדוּ בְּאָהֳלֵי שֵׁם. וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ ה' אֱלֹהֵי שֵׁם וִיהִי כְנַעַן, יַפְתְּ אֱלֹהִים לְיֶפֶת, זֶה כֹּרֶשׁ שֶׁהוּא גּוֹזֵר שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן וְיִשְׁכֹּן בְּאָהֳלֵי שֵׁם, אֵין שְׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה אֶלָּא בְּאָהֳלֵי שֵׁם. בַּר קַפָּרָא אָמַר יִהְיוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה נֶאֱמָרִים בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יֶפֶת בְּתוֹךְ אָהֳלֵי שֵׁם. רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר מִכָּאן לְתַרְגּוּם מִן הַתּוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (נחמיה ח, ח): וַיִּקְרְאוּ בַסֵּפֶר בְּתוֹרַת הָאֱלֹהִים, זֶה הַמִּקְרָא. מְפֹרָשׁ, זֶה תַּרְגּוּם. וְשׂוֹם שֶׂכֶל, אֵלּוּ הַטְּעָמִים. וַיָּבִינוּ בַּמִּקְרָא, אֵלּוּ רָאשֵׁי הַפְּסוּקִים. רַבִּי הוּנָא בֶּן לוּלְיָאנִי אוֹמֵר אֵלּוּ הַהַכְרָעוֹת וְהָרְאָיוֹת. רַבָּנָן דְּקֵיסָרִין אָמְרֵי מִיכָּן לַמָּסֹרֶת. רַבִּי זְעִירָא וְרַבִּי חֲנַנְאֵל בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֲפִלּוּ אָדָם רָגִיל בַּתּוֹרָה כְּעֶזְרָא, לֹא יְהֵא קוֹרֵא מִפִּיו וְכוֹתֵב, וְהָא תָּנֵי מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר בְּאַסְיָא וְלֹא הָיָה שָׁם מְגִלַּת אֶסְתֵּר וְקָרָא לוֹ מִפִּיו וּכְתָבָהּ, תַּמָּן אָמְרִין שְׁתֵּי מְגִלּוֹת כָּתַב, גָּנַז אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְקִיֵּם אֶת הַשְּׁנִיָּה. | |
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31. Irenaeus, Refutation of All Heresies, 1, 1.23, 1.23.2, 1.23.5, 1.24, 1.25, 1.26, 1.27, 1.27.2, 1.27.4, 2.9.1, 2.pre, 3.4.3, 3.pre (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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32. Justin, First Apology, 26 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 26. And, thirdly, because after Christ's ascension into heaven the devils put forward certain men who said that they themselves were gods; and they were not only not persecuted by you, but even deemed worthy of honours. There was a Samaritan, Simon, a native of the village called Gitto, who in the reign of Claudius C sar, and in your royal city of Rome, did mighty acts of magic, by virtue of the art of the devils operating in him. He was considered a god, and as a god was honoured by you with a statue, which statue was erected on the river Tiber, between the two bridges, and bore this inscription, in the language of Rome: - Simoni Deo Sancto, To Simon the holy God. And almost all the Samaritans, and a few even of other nations, worship him, and acknowledge him as the first god; and a woman, Helena, who went about with him at that time, and had formerly been a prostitute, they say is the first idea generated by him. And a man, Meder, also a Samaritan, of the town Capparet a, a disciple of Simon, and inspired by devils, we know to have deceived many while he was in Antioch by his magical art. He persuaded those who adhered to him that they should never die, and even now there are some living who hold this opinion of his. And there is Marcion, a man of Pontus, who is even at this day alive, and teaching his disciples to believe in some other god greater than the Creator. And he, by the aid of the devils, has caused many of every nation to speak blasphemies, and to deny that God is the maker of this universe, and to assert that some other being, greater than He, has done greater works. All who take their opinions from these men, are, as we before said, called Christians; just as also those who do not agree with the philosophers in their doctrines, have yet in common with them the name of philosophers given to them. And whether they perpetrate those fabulous and shameful deeds - the upsetting of the lamp, and promiscuous intercourse, and eating human flesh - we know not; but we do know that they are neither persecuted nor put to death by you, at least on account of their opinions. But I have a treatise against all the heresies that have existed already composed, which, if you wish to read it, I will give you. |
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33. Justin, Dialogue With Trypho, 35.6, 46.1, 62.4, 82.1, 113.3 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 113. Joshua was a figure of Christ Justin: What I mean is this. Jesus (Joshua), as I have now frequently remarked, who was called Oshea, when he was sent to spy out the land of Canaan, was named by Moses Jesus (Joshua). Why he did this you neither ask, nor are at a loss about it, nor make strict inquiries. Therefore Christ has escaped your notice; and though you read, you understand not; and even now, though you hear that Jesus is our Christ, you consider not that the name was bestowed on Him not purposelessly nor by chance. But you make a theological discussion as to why one 'α ' was added to Abraham's first name; and as to why one 'ρ ' was added to Sarah's name, you use similar high-sounding disputations. But why do you not similarly investigate the reason why the name of Oshea the son of Nave (Nun), which his father gave him, was changed to Jesus (Joshua)? But since not only was his name altered, but he was also appointed successor to Moses, being the only one of his contemporaries who came out from Egypt, he led the surviving people into the Holy Land; and as he, not Moses, led the people into the Holy Land, and as he distributed it by lot to those who entered along with him, so also Jesus the Christ will turn again the dispersion of the people, and will distribute the good land to each one, though not in the same manner. For the former gave them a temporary inheritance, seeing he was neither Christ who is God, nor the Son of God; but the latter, after the holy resurrection, shall give us the eternal possession. The former, after he had been named Jesus (Joshua), and after he had received strength from His Spirit, caused the sun to stand still. For I have proved that it was Jesus who appeared to and conversed with Moses, and Abraham, and all the other patriarchs without exception, ministering to the will of the Father; who also, I say, came to be born man by the Virgin Mary, and lives forever. For the latter is He after whom and by whom the Father will renew both the heaven and the earth; this is He who shall shine an eternal light in Jerusalem; this is he who is the king of Salem after the order of Melchizedek, and the eternal Priest of the Most High. The former is said to have circumcised the people a second time with knives of stone (which was a sign of this circumcision with which Jesus Christ Himself has circumcised us from the idols made of stone and of other materials), and to have collected together those who were circumcised from the uncircumcision, i.e., from the error of the world, in every place by the knives of stone, to wit, the words of our Lord Jesus. For I have shown that Christ was proclaimed by the prophets in parables a Stone and a Rock. Accordingly the knives of stone we shall take to mean His words, by means of which so many who were in error have been circumcised from uncircumcision with the circumcision of the heart, with which God by Jesus commanded those from that time to be circumcised who derived their circumcision from Abraham, saying that Jesus (Joshua) would circumcise a second time with knives of stone those who entered into that holy land. |
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34. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 8b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 8b. ואפילו (במדבר לב) עטרות ודיבון שכל המשלים פרשיותיו עם הצבור מאריכין לו ימיו ושנותיו,רב ביבי בר אביי סבר לאשלומינהו לפרשייתא דכולא שתא במעלי יומא דכפורי תנא ליה חייא בר רב מדפתי כתיב (ויקרא כג) ועניתם את נפשתיכם בתשעה לחדש בערב,וכי בתשעה מתענין והלא בעשרה מתענין אלא לומר לך כל האוכל ושותה בתשיעי מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו מתענה תשיעי ועשירי.,סבר לאקדומינהו אמר ליה ההוא סבא תנינא ובלבד שלא יקדים ושלא יאחר,כדאמר להו ר' יהושע בן לוי לבניה אשלימו פרשיותייכו עם הצבור שנים מקרא ואחד תרגום,והזהרו בורידין כרבי יהודה דתנן רבי יהודה אומר עד שישחוט את הורידין,והזהרו בזקן ששכח תלמודו מחמת אונסו דאמרינן לוחות ושברי לוחות מונחות בארון,אמר להו רבא לבניה כשאתם חותכין בשר אל תחתכו על גב היד איכא דאמרי משום סכנה ואיכא דאמרי משום קלקול סעודה,ואל תשבו על מטת ארמית ואל תעברו אחורי בית הכנסת בשעה שהצבור מתפללין. ואל תשבו על מטת ארמית. איכא דאמרי לא תגנו בלא ק"ש ואיכא דאמרי דלא תנסבו גיורתא וא"ד ארמית ממש,ומשום מעשה דרב פפא דרב פפא אזל לגבי ארמית הוציאה לו מטה אמרה לו שב אמר לה איני יושב עד שתגביהי את המטה הגביהה את המטה ומצאו שם תינוק מת מכאן אמרו חכמים אסור לישב על מטת ארמית,ואל תעברו אחורי בית הכנסת בשעה שהצבור מתפללין מסייע ליה לרבי יהושע בן לוי דאמר ר' יהושע בן לוי אסור לו לאדם שיעבור אחורי בית הכנסת בשעה שהצבור מתפללין,אמר אביי ולא אמרן אלא דליכא פתחא אחרינא אבל איכא פתחא אחרינא לית לן בה ולא אמרן אלא דליכא בי כנישתא אחרינא אבל איכא בי כנישתא אחרינא לית לן בה ולא אמרן אלא דלא דרי טונא ולא רהיט ולא מנח תפילין אבל איכא חד מהנך לית לן בה:,תניא אמר ר"ע בשלשה דברים אוהב אני את המדיים כשחותכין את הבשר אין חותכין אלא על גבי השולחן כשנושקין אין נושקין אלא על גב היד וכשיועצין אין יועצין אלא בשדה,אמר רב אדא בר אהבה מאי קראה (בראשית לא) וישלח יעקב ויקרא לרחל וללאה השדה אל צאנו:,תניא אמר רבן גמליאל בשלשה דברים אוהב אני את הפרסיים הן צנועין באכילתן וצנועין בבית הכסא וצנועין בדבר אחר:,(ישעיהו יג) אני צויתי למקודשי תני רב יוסף אלו הפרסיים המקודשין ומזומנין לגיהנם:,רבן גמליאל אומר וכו': אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל הלכה כר"ג,תניא ר"ש בן יוחי אומר פעמים שאדם קורא ק"ש שתי פעמים בלילה אחת קודם שיעלה עמוד השחר ואחת לאחר שיעלה עמוד השחר ויוצא בהן ידי חובתו אחת של יום ואחת של לילה.,הא גופא קשיא אמרת פעמים שאדם קורא קרית שמע שתי פעמים בלילה אלמא לאחר שיעלה עמוד השחר ליליא הוא והדר תני יוצא בהן ידי חובתו אחת של יום ואחת של לילה אלמא יממא הוא,לא לעולם ליליא הוא והא דקרי ליה יום דאיכא אינשי דקיימי בההיא שעתא,אמר רב אחא בר חנינא אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי הלכה כרבי שמעון בן יוחי,איכא דמתני להא דרב אחא בר חנינא אהא דתניא רבי שמעון בן יוחי אומר משום ר' עקיבא פעמים שאדם קורא ק"ש שתי פעמים ביום אחת קודם הנץ החמה ואחת לאחר הנץ החמה ויוצא בהן ידי חובתו אחת של יום ואחת של לילה,הא גופא קשיא אמרת פעמים שאדם קורא קרית שמע שתי פעמים ביום אלמא קודם הנץ החמה יממא הוא והדר תני יוצא בהן ידי חובתו אחת של יום ואחת של לילה אלמא ליליא הוא | 8b. This applies to every verse, bevena verse like: b“Atarot and Divonand Yazer and Nimra and Ḥeshbon and Elaleh and Sevam and Nevo and Beon” (Numbers 32:3). While that verse is comprised entirely of names of places that are identical in Hebrew and Aramaic, one is nevertheless required to read the verse twice and its translation once, bas one who completes hisTorah bportions with the congregationis rewarded that bhis days and years are extended. /b, bRav Beivai bar Abaye thought to finish all theTorah bportions of the entire year,which he had been unable to complete at their appointed time, bon the eve of Yom Kippurwhen he would have time to do so. But bḤiyya bar Rav of Difti taught him: It is writtenwith regard to Yom Kippur: b“And you shall afflict your souls on the ninth day of the month in the evening,from evening to evening you shall keep your Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:32).,The Gemara wonders: bAnd does one fast on the ninthof Tishrei? bDoesn’t one fast on the tenth of Tishrei,as the Torah says at the beginning of that portion: “However, on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; there shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall afflict your souls” (Leviticus 23:27)? bRather,this verse comes bto tell you: One who eats and drinks on the ninthday of Tishrei in preparation for the fast the next day, bthe verse ascribes himcredit bas if he fasted onboth bthe ninth and the tenthof Tishrei. Ḥiyya bar Rav of Difti cited this verse to Rav Beivai bar Abaye to teach him that Yom Kippur eve is dedicated to eating and drinking, not to completing the Torah portions one may have missed throughout the year.,When Rav Beivai heard this, bhe thought toread the Torah portions bearlier,before they were to be read by the community. bA certainunnamed belder told him, we learned: As long as one does notread the Torah portions bearlier or laterthan the congregation. One must read them together with the congregation., bAs Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi told his sons: Complete your portions with the congregation, the Bibletext btwice andthe btranslation once. /b,He also advised them: bBe careful with thejugular bveins, in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yehuda, as we learnedin a mishna with regard to the laws of ritual slaughter: bRabbi Yehuda said:Cutting the trachea and esophagus in the ritual slaughter of a bird does not render the bird kosher buntil he slaughters thejugular bveinsas well. While this is not halakhically required, it is appropriate to do so to prevent significant amounts of blood from remaining in the bird.,Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi further advised: bAnd be carefulto continue to respect ban elder who has forgotten hisTorah bknowledge due tocircumstances bbeyond his control.Even though he is no longer a Torah scholar, he must still be respected for the Torah that he once possessed. bAs we say:Both bthe tabletsof the Covet band the broken tablets are placed in the Arkof the Covet in the Temple. Even though the first tablets were broken, their sanctity obligates one not to treat them with contempt. An elder who forgot the Torah knowledge he once possessed is likened to these broken tablets., bRava said to his sonsthree bits of advice: bWhen you cut meat, do not cut it on your hand.The Gemara offers two explanations for this. bSome say: Due tothe bdangerthat one might accidentally cut his hand, band some say: Due tothe fact that it could bruin the meal,as even if one only cut himself slightly, that small amount of blood could still spoil the meat and render it repulsive to eat., bAndRava also advised: bDo not sit on the bed of an Aramean woman, and do not pass by a synagogue when the community is praying.The Gemara explains: bSome say: Do not sit on the bed of an Aramean womanmeans bone should not go to sleep without reciting iShema, /ias by doing so, it is tantamount to sleeping in the bed of a non-Jew, as his conduct is unbecoming a Jew. bOthers say:This means that bone should not marry a woman who converted,and it is better to marry a woman who was born Jewish. bAnd some say:It bliterallymeans that one should not sit on the bed of ban Aramean,i.e., a non-Jewish bwoman. /b,This bit of advice was bdue to an incidentinvolving bRav Pappa. Rav Pappa went tovisit ban Aramean woman. She took out a bedand bshe said to him: Sit. He said to her: I will not sit until you lift thesheets covering the bbed.She did so band they found a dead baby there.Had Rav Pappa sat upon the bed, he would have been blamed for killing the baby. bFromthat incident, bthe Sages said: One is prohibited from sitting on the bed of an Aramean woman. /b, bAndRava’s third bit of advice was, bdo not pass behind a synagogue while the congregation is praying. Thisstatement bsupportsthe opinion of bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi,as bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One is prohibited from passing behind a synagogue while the congregation is prayingbecause they will suspect that he does not want to pray, and it is a show of contempt for the synagogue., bAbayeintroduced several caveats to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s statement and bsaid: br bWe only saidthis prohibition if bthere is no other entranceto the synagogue, bbutif bthere isanother entrance, since it is possible that he will simply use the second entrance, they will not suspect him, and the prohibition bdoes not apply. br bAnd we only saidthis prohibition if bthere is no other synagoguein the city, bbutif bthere is another synagogue,the prohibition bdoes not apply. br bAnd we only saidthis prohibition when bhe is not carrying a burden, and not running, and not wearing phylacteries. Butif bone of thosefactors bapplies /b, the prohibition bdoes not apply.If he is carrying a burden or running, clearly he is occupied with his work. If he is wearing phylacteries, it is evident that he is a God-fearing individual and they will not suspect him.,The Gemara cites a statement from a ibaraita /i, along the lines of Rava’s advice to refrain from cutting meat on one’s hands: bRabbi Akiva said: In three aspectsof their conduct, bI like the Medes,and we should learn from their practices. bWhen they cut meat, they cut it only on the tableand not on their hands; bwhen they kiss,either as a show of affection or honor, bthey kiss only the back of the handand do not give the person being kissed an unpleasant feeling; and bwhen they hold counsel, they only hold counsel in the fieldso others will not hear their secrets., bRav Adda bar Ahava said:From bwhat verseis this derived? From the verse, b“And Jacob sent and he called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock”(Genesis 31:4); it was only there in the field that he held counsel with them., bIt was taughtin a ibaraita /i, bRabban Gamliel said: In three aspectsof their conduct, bI like the Persians:They are a modest people; bthey are modest in their eating, they are modest in the lavatory, and they are modest in another matter,i.e., sexual relations.,While they have been praised here regarding certain specific aspects of their conduct, the Gemara proceeds to offer another perspective on the Persians based on a verse describing the destruction of Babylonia at the hands of the Persian and Medean armies: b“I have commanded My consecrated ones;I have also called My mighty ones for My anger, even My proudly exulting ones” (Isaiah 13:3). bRav Yosef taughta ibaraita /i: bThese are the Persians who are consecrated and designated for Gehenna,for they have been sent by God to carry out his mission of anger, and they will be sent to Gehenna.,The Gemara returns to explain the mishna, in which we learned that bRabban Gamliel says:One may recite iShemauntil dawn. bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabban Gamliel. /b, bIt was taughtin a ibaraita /i: Based on Rabban Gamliel’s ruling, bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: At times, one recites iShematwice at night, oncejust bbefore dawn and oncejust bafter dawn, and he thereby fulfills his obligationto recite iShema /i, bone of the day and one of the night.According to Rabban Gamliel, the iShemathat he recited before dawn fulfills his evening obligation and the iShemathat he recited after dawn fulfills his morning obligation., bThis iTosefta bis self-contradictory.Initially, byou said: At times one recites iShematwice at night. Apparently,the time just bafter dawn isstill bnight. And then you taught: He thereby fulfills his obligationto recite iShema bone of the day and one of the night. Apparently,the time in question bisconsidered bday,as otherwise, he would not have fulfilled his obligation to recite iShemaduring the day. There is an internal contradiction with regard to the status of the time just after dawn. Is it considered day or night?,The Gemara answers: bNo,there is no contradiction. bActually,the time just after dawn, when it is still dark, bisconsidered bnight and the fact that it is referred tohere as bdayis because bthere are people who risefrom their sleep bat that timeand, if the need arises, it can be characterized as ibekumekha /i, when you rise, despite the fact that it is still night., bRav Aḥa bar Ḥanina saidthat bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The ihalakha bis in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai. /b, bSome teach thisstatement bof Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina,in which he ruled that the ihalakhais in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, bwith regard to this ihalakha /i, which is stylistically similar to the previous ihalakha /i. bAs it was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said in the name of Rabbi Akiva: At times, one recites iShematwice during the day, oncejust bbefore sunrise and oncejust bafter sunrise, and he thereby fulfills hisdual bobligationto recite iShema /i: bOne,that he recites after sunrise, iShema bof the day, and one,that he recites before sunrise, iShema bof the night. /b, bThis ibaraita bis self-contradictory.Initially, byou said: “At times one recites iShematwice during the day.” Apparently,the time just bbefore sunrise isconsidered bday. And then you taught: “He thereby fulfills hisdual bobligationto recite iShema /i, bone of the day and one of the night.” Apparently,the time in question bisconsidered bnight,as otherwise, he could not thereby fulfill his obligation to recite iShemaduring the night. |
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35. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah, 9b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 9b. לא חמד אחד מהם נשאתי (במדבר טז, טו) אשר חלק ה' אלהיך אתם להאיר לכל העמים (דברים ד, יט),וילך ויעבוד אלהים אחרים אשר לא צויתי לעובדם (דברים יז, ג),וכתבו לו את צעירת הרגלים ולא כתבו לו (ויקרא יא, ו) את הארנבת מפני שאשתו של תלמי ארנבת שמה שלא יאמר שחקו בי היהודים והטילו שם אשתי בתורה:,רשב"ג אומר אף בספרים לא התירו שיכתבו אלא יונית: א"ר אבהו א"ר יוחנן הלכה כרשב"ג וא"ר יוחנן מ"ט דרשב"ג אמר קרא (בראשית ט, כז) יפת אלהים ליפת וישכן באהלי שם דבריו של יפת יהיו באהלי שם,ואימא גומר ומגוג א"ר חייא בר אבא היינו טעמא דכתיב יפת אלהים ליפת יפיותו של יפת יהא באהלי שם:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big אין בין כהן משוח בשמן המשחה למרובה בגדים אלא פר הבא על כל המצות,אין בין כהן משמש לכהן שעבר אלא פר יום הכפורים ועשירית האיפה:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big הא לענין פר יום כפורים ועשירית האיפה זה וזה שוין,מתניתין דלא כר"מ דאי ר"מ [הא תניא] מרובה בגדים מביא פר הבא על כל המצות דברי ר"מ וחכ"א אינו מביא,מ"ט דר"מ דתניא (ויקרא ד, ג) משיח אין לי אלא משוח בשמן המשחה מרובה בגדים מנין ת"ל המשיח,במאי אוקימנא דלא כר"מ אימא סיפא אין בין כהן משמש לכהן שעבר אלא פר יוה"כ ועשירית האיפה הא לכל דבריהן זה וזה שוין אתאן לר"מ דתניא אירע בו פסול ומינו כהן אחר תחתיו ראשון חוזר לעבודתו שני כל מצות כהונה גדולה עליו דברי ר"מ רבי יוסי אומר ראשון חוזר לעבודתו שני אינו ראוי לא לכהן גדול ולא לכהן הדיוט,וא"ר יוסי מעשה ברבי יוסף בן אולם מציפורי שאירע בו פסול בכהן גדול ומינוהו תחתיו ובא מעשה לפני חכמים ואמרו ראשון חוזר לעבודתו שני אינו ראוי לא לכהן גדול ולא לכהן הדיוט,כהן גדול משום איבה כהן הדיוט משום מעלין בקודש ולא מורידין רישא רבנן וסיפא ר"מ,אמר רב חסדא אין רישא רבנן וסיפא ר"מ רב יוסף אמר רבי היא ונסיב לה אליבא דתנאי:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big אין בין במה גדולה לבמה קטנה אלא פסחים זה הכלל כל שהוא נידר ונידב קרב בבמה וכל שאינו לא נידר ולא נידב אינו קרב בבמה:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big פסחים ותו לא אימא כעין פסחים,מני ר"ש היא דתניא ר"ש אומר אף צבור לא הקריבו אלא פסחים וחובות שקבוע להם זמן אבל חובות שאין קבוע להם זמן הכא והכא לא קרב:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big אין בין שילה לירושלים אלא שבשילה אוכלין קדשים קלים ומעשר שני בכל הרואה ובירושלים לפנים מן החומה,וכאן וכאן קדשי קדשים נאכלין לפנים מן הקלעים קדושת שילה | 9b. Instead of Moses’ assertion: “I have not taken one donkey [ iḥamor /i] from them” (Numbers 16:15), they wrote in more general terms: b“I have not taken one item of value [ iḥemed /i] from them,”to prevent the impression that Moses took other items. To the verse that discusses the worship of the sun and the moon, about which it is written: “Which the Lord your God has allotted to all the nations” (Deuteronomy 4:19), they added a word to make it read: b“Which the Lord your God has allotted to give light to all the nations,”to prevent the potential misinterpretation that the heavenly bodies were given to the gentiles so that they may worship them.,The verse: b“And has gone and served other gods,and worshipped them, either the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, bwhich I have not commanded”(Deuteronomy 17:3), could be understood as indicating that God did not command their existence, i.e., these entities created themselves. Therefore, when these Elders translated the verse they added a word to the end of the verse to make it read: Which I have not commanded bto serve them. /b, bAndin the list of unclean animals bthey wrote for him: The short-legged beast [ itze’irat haraglayim /i]. And they did not write for him: “And the hare [ iarnevet /i]”(Leviticus 11:6), bsince the name of Ptolemy’s wifewas bArnevet, so that he would not say: The Jews have mocked me and inserted my wife’s name in the Torah.Therefore, they did not refer to the hare by name, but by one of its characteristic features.,The mishna cites that bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Even with regard toTorah bscrolls,the Sages bpermitted them to be written onlyin bGreek. Rabbi Abbahu saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel. And Rabbi Yoḥa said: What is the reasonfor the opinion bof Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel?He based his opinion on an allusion in the Torah, as the bverse states: “God shall enlarge Japheth, and He shall dwell in the tents of Shem”(Genesis 9:27), indicating that bthe words of Japheth shall be in the tents of Shem.The language of Javan, who is the forbear of the Greek nation and one of the descendants of Japheth, will also serve as a sacred language in the tents of Shem, where Torah is studied.,The Gemara asks: bAnd saythat it is the languages of bGomer and Magogthat serve as sacred languages, as they too were descendants of Japheth (see Genesis 10:2). The Gemara answers that bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: This is the reason, as it is written: “God shall enlarge [ iyaft /i] Japheth [ iYefet /i].” iYaftis etymologically similar to the Hebrew term for beauty [ iyofi /i]. The verse teaches that bthe beauty of Japheth shall be in the tents of Shem,and Greek is the most beautiful of the languages of the descendants of Japheth., strongMISHNA: /strong bThe difference between aHigh bPriest anointed with the oil of anointing,which was the method through which High Priests were consecrated until the oil was sequestered toward the end of the First Temple period, bandone consecrated by donning bmultiple garmentsunique to the High Priest, which was the practice during the Second Temple period, bis onlythat the latter does not bring the bbull that comes fortransgression of bany of the mitzvot.An anointed High Priest who unwittingly issued an erroneous halakhic ruling and acted upon that ruling, and transgressed a mitzva whose unwitting violation renders one liable to bring a sin-offering, is obligated to bring a sin-offering unique to one in his position., bThe difference between aHigh bPriestcurrently bservingin that capacity band a formerHigh bPriest,who temporarily filled that position when the High Priest was unfit for service, bis onlywith regard to bthe bullbrought by the High Priest on bYom Kippur, and the tenth of an ephahmeal-offering brought daily by the High Priest. Each of these offerings is brought only by the current High Priest, and not by a former High Priest., strongGEMARA: /strong The Gemara infers bthatwith regard bto the matter of the bullbrought by the High Priest on bYom Kippur, andwith regard to bthe tenth of an ephahmeal-offering, both bthis,the anointed High Priest, band that,the High Priest consecrated by donning multiple garments, are bequal. /b,The Gemara comments: bThe mishna is not in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Meir, as if itwere in accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Meir,it would be difficult. bIsn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: A High Priest consecrated by donning the bmultiple garmentsunique to the High Priest bbrings the bull brought forthe unwitting violation of bany of the mitzvot;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: He does not bringthat offering.,The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonfor the opinion bof Rabbi Meir?It is bas it is taughtin a ibaraitathat it is written: “If the anointed priest shall sin” (Leviticus 4:3). From the word banointed, I havederived bonlythat this ihalakhaapplies to a High Priest who was actually banointed with the oil of anointing. From wheredo I derive that even a High Priest consecrated by donning the bmultiple garmentsis also included in this ihalakha /i? bThe verse states: “The anointed,”with the definite article, indicating that the ihalakhaapplies to every High Priest.,The Gemara asks: bHow did we establishthe mishna? We established bthatit is bnot in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Meir. Say the latter clauseof the mishna: bThe difference between aHigh bPriestcurrently bservingin that capacity band a formerHigh bPriest is onlywith regard to bthe bullbrought bon Yom Kippur, and the tenth of an ephahmeal-offering. The Gemara infers bthatwith regard bto allother bmatters,both bthis,a High Priest currently serving, band that,a former High Priest, are bequal.If so bwe have arrived atthe opinion of bRabbi Meir, as it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: If temporary bdisqualification befellthe High Priest, band they appointed another priest in his stead,then after the cause of disqualification of bthe firstpriest passes, he breturns to his serviceas High Priest. With regard to bthe secondpriest, ball of the mitzvot of the High Priestare incumbent bupon him;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yosei says: The first returns to his service; the second is fitto serve bneither as a High Priest nor as a common priest. /b, bAnd Rabbi Yosei said:There was ban incident involvingthe priest bRabbi Yosef ben Elem of Tzippori,who, bwhen disqualification befell a High Priest,the priests bappointed him in his stead. Andafter the cause of the disqualification was resolved, bthe incident came before the Sagesfor a ruling with regard to the status of Rabbi Yosef ben Elem. bAndthe Sages bsaid:The boriginalHigh Priest breturns to his service,while the bsecond is fitto serve bneither as High Priest nor as a common priest. /b,The Gemara explains: Neither as a bHigh Priest, due to hatred,jealousy, and bitterness that would arise if there were two High Priests with equal standing in the Temple; nor as a bcommon priest, becausethe principle is: bOne elevatesto a higher level binmatters of bsanctity and one does not downgrade.Once he has served as a High Priest he cannot be restored to the position of a common priest. Is that to say that bthe first clauseof the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of bthe Rabbis,who disagree with Rabbi Meir, band the latter clauseis in accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Meir? /b, bRav Ḥisda said: Indeed, the first clauseof the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of bthe Rabbis, and the latter clauseis in accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Meir. Rav Yosef said:The entire mishna bisaccording to bRabbiYehuda HaNasi, band he formulates it according tothe opinions bofdifferent itanna’im /i,that is to say, resulting in a third opinion, in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis with regard to a High Priest consecrated by donning multiple garments, and the opinion of Rabbi Meir with regard to a former High Priest., strongMISHNA: /strong bThe difference between a great,public baltar,such as the altars established at Nob and Gibeon, which served as religious centers following the destruction of the Tabernacle in Shiloh, band a small,personal baltaron which individuals would sacrifice their offerings, bis onlywith regard to bPaschal lambs,which may not be sacrificed on a small altar. bThis is the principle: Anyoffering bthat is vowed or contributedvoluntarily bis sacrificed on asmall baltar, and anyoffering bthat is neither vowed nor contributedvoluntarily, but rather is compulsory, e.g., a sin-offering, bis not sacrificed on asmall baltar. /b, strongGEMARA: /strong The Gemara asks: Is the difference only bPaschal lambs and nothing more?The continuation of the mishna indicates that there are additional differences. The Gemara answers: bSaythat the difference between them is only with regard to offerings that are bsimilar to Paschal lambs. /b,The Gemara asks: According to bwhoseopinion is the mishna taught? The Gemara answers: bIt isaccording to the opinion of bRabbi Shimon, as it is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Shimon says: Even the public sacrificed only Paschal lambs and compulsoryofferings bfor which there is a set time,like fixed communal offerings. bHowever, compulsoryofferings bfor which there is not a set time,e.g., sin-offerings brought for an unwitting transgression committed by the community, bare sacrificed neither hereon a small altar bnor hereon a great altar; they are sacrificed only in the Temple., strongMISHNA: /strong bThe difference betweenthe Tabernacle in bShilo andthe Temple in bJerusalem is only that in Shiloh one eats offerings of lesser sanctity,e.g., individual peace-offerings, thanks-offerings, and the Paschal lamb, bandalso bthe second tithe, in any place that overlooksShiloh, as Shiloh was not a walled city and any place within its Shabbat boundary was regarded as part of the city. bAnd in Jerusalemone eats those consecrated items only bwithin the walls. /b, bAnd here,in Shiloh, band there,in Jerusalem, bofferings of the most sacred order are eatenonly bwithin the hangings.The Tabernacle courtyard in Shiloh was surrounded by hangings and the Temple courtyard in Jerusalem was surrounded by a wall. There is another difference: With regard to bthe sanctity of Shiloh, /b |
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36. Babylonian Talmud, Menachot, 99b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 99b. btheapparent bdereliction ofthe study of bTorah is its foundation,e.g., if one breaks off his studies in order to participate in a funeral or a wedding procession. This is derived from a verse, bas it is written:“And the Lord said to Moses: Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, bwhich [ iasher /i] you broke”(Exodus 34:1). The word “ iasher /i” is an allusion to the fact that that bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Your strength is true [ iyishar koḥakha /i]in bthat you brokethe tablets, as the breaking of the first tablets led to the foundation of the Torah through the giving of the second tablets., bAnd Reish Lakish says:With regard to ba Torah scholar who sinned, he is not disgraced in public, as it is stated: “Therefore, you shall stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with you in the night”(Hosea 4:5). One can derive from the verse that if a prophet or any other Torah scholar stumbles and sins, one bshould concealhis offense blike the nightand not punish him in public., bAnd Reish Lakish says: Anyone who causes himself to forgeteven bone matter from his studies violates a prohibition, as it is statedwith regard to the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai: “Only bobserve for yourself, and guard your soul diligently, lest you forget the mattersthat your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life, but you should make them known to your children and to your children’s children” (Deuteronomy 4:9). bAndthis is bin accordance withthe principle that bRabbi Avinsays that bRabbi Ile’a says, as Rabbi Avin saysthat bRabbi Ile’a says: Wherever it is stated: Observe,or: bLest, or: Do not, it is nothing other than a prohibition. /b, bRavina says:One who forgets his studies violates two prohibitions, as the verse uses both the term b“observe” andthe term b“lest,”and bthese are two prohibitions. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says:He violates bthree prohibitions, as it is stated:“Only bobserve for yourself, and guard your soul diligently, lest you forget the mattersthat your eyes saw.” The term “Guard your soul” is derived from the same root as “observe” and is considered an additional prohibition.,The Gemara qualifies this statement: One bmighthave thought this applies bevento one who forgot his Torah knowledge bdue tocircumstances bbeyond his control.Therefore, bthe verse states: “And lest they depart from your heart.”This indicates that bthe verse is speaking of one whowillingly bcauses them to depart from his heart. Rabbi Dostai, son of Rabbi Yannai, says:One bmighthave thought that this applies bevenif bhis studies weretoo bhard for himto remember. Therefore, bthe verse states: “Only,”which excludes one who is unable to recall his studies., bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazar both say:The bTorah was given in fortydays, when Moses ascended to Mount Sinai to receive it, bandsimilarly the bsoulof man bis formed in fortydays, as the formation of the fetus in the womb takes forty days from the time of conception. This teaches that banyone who preserves his Torahstudies, bhis soul islikewise bpreserved, and anyone who does not preserve his Torahstudies, bhis soul is not preservedeither., bThe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught:This can be illustrated by ba parable,as it is comparable bto a person who delivered a sparrow to his slavefor safekeeping, and bsaidto him: bAre you under the impression that if you lose it I will take from you an iissar /i,a small coin, bwhich is the valueof the bird? It is not so; bI will take your soul from youas punishment, meaning I will kill you. Similarly, one who fails to preserve the Torah entrusted to him will be severely punished., strongMISHNA: /strong bThere were two tables in the Entrance Hall, on the insideof the Entrance Hall, next bto the entrance to the Temple,i.e., next to the entrance to the Sanctuary. bOnewas bof marble and onewas bof gold. Onthe table bof marble,the priests bplace thenew bshewbreadthat has been baked, bbefore its entranceinto the Sanctuary, so that the loaves may cool a little from the heat of the oven and not spoil. bAndwhen the old shewbread is removed from the shewbread Table it is placed bonthe table bof gold upon its exitfrom the Sanctuary, where it remains until the frankincense is burned on the altar.,The reason the shewbread is placed on a gold table when it is removed, rather than on a marble or silver table, is bthat one elevatesto a higher level binmatters of bsanctity and one does not downgrade.Since it is set on the gold shewbread Table all week, it cannot be downgraded to a marble or silver table upon its removal. bAndthere was boneTable bof gold withinthe Sanctuary, bupon which the shewbreadis balwaysfound.,The mishna describes the manner in which it is ensured that the shewbread is constantly on the Table: bAnd four priests enter, twowith the btwo arrangementsof the new shewbread bin their hands and twowith the btwo bowlsof frankincense bin their hands. And fourpriests bprecedethem, entering the Sanctuary bbefore them, two to takethe btwo arrangementsof the old shewbread from the Table, band two to takethe btwo bowlsof frankincense., bThose bringingthe new shewbread bintothe Sanctuary bstand in the north and their faces are to the south, and those removingthe old shewbread bstand in the south and their faces are to the north. Thesepriests bdrawthe old shewbread from the Table band thosepriests bplacethe new shewbread on the Table, band foreach bhandbreadth of thisold shewbread that is removed from the Table a bhandbreadth of thatnew shewbread is placed upon the Table, so that the Table is never without loaves upon it, bas it is stated:“And you shall set upon the Table shewbread bbefore Me always”(Exodus 25:30)., bRabbi Yosei says: Evenif bthesepriests were to bremovethe shewbread from the Table entirely, bandonly afterward bthosepriests were to bplacethe new shewbread upon the Table, this btoo wouldfulfill the requirement that the shewbread balwaysbe on the Table. It is unnecessary to ensure the uninterrupted presence of the shewbread upon the Table, as long as it does not remain a single night without shewbread upon it.,The mishna describes the manner in which the shewbread is distributed: The priests who carried the old shewbread loaves bcame outof the Sanctuary band placed them on the table of gold that was in the Entrance Hall.The priests then bburnedon the altar bthefrankincense that was in the bbowls. And the loaves weresubsequently bdistributed to the priests.This occurred on Shabbat, the day that the priestly watch that served in the Temple during the preceding week was replaced by the priestly watch that would serve during the following week. The shewbread was distributed to the priests of both watches.,If bYom Kippur occurs on Shabbat, the loaves are distributed at night,at the conclusion of the fast, since they may not be eaten during the day. If Yom Kippur boccurs on Friday,i.e., when the holy day begins on Thursday evening, bthe goatsin offering bof Yom Kippur is eatenby the priests bat night,i.e., on Friday night, as it may be eaten only on the day that it is sacrificed or during the following night, until midnight. bAndsince there is no possibility of cooking the meat, as one may not cook on Yom Kippur or Shabbat, bthe Babylonians,i.e., priests who had emigrated from Babylonia, beat it when it is raw, due tothe fact bthat they are broad-mindedwith regard to their food, i.e., they are not particular and will eat meat even when it is not cooked., strongGEMARA: /strong The mishna teaches that according to Rabbi Yosei, even if the priest first removes the old shewbread entirely, and only then places the new shewbread upon the Table, this fulfills the requirement that the shewbread always be on the Table. Moreover, bit is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yosei says: Evenif the priest bremoved the oldshewbread on the bmorningof Shabbat, band arranged the newshewbread toward bevening,there is bnothingwrong bwith that. Rather, how do I realizethe meaning of the verse: “And you shall set upon the Table shewbread bbefore Me always”(Exodus 25:30)? This means bthatthe bTable should not be left overnight without breadupon it.,The ibaraitateaches that according to Rabbi Yosei, even if the old shewbread remained on the Table for a short while in the morning, and the new shewbread was placed on the Table toward evening, and even though it did not reside constantly on the Table, this fulfills the requirement that the shewbread should always be on the Table. bRabbi Ami says: From Rabbi Yosei’s statement we may learnthat bevenif ba person learned only one chapterof the Mishna in bthe morning and one chapterof the Mishna in bthe evening, he hasthereby bfulfilled the mitzva of: “This Torah scroll shall not depart from your mouth,and you shall contemplate in it day and night, that you may take heed to do according to all that is written in it, for then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall have good success” (Joshua 1:8)., bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: Evenif ba person recited only the recitation of iShema /iin bthe morning andin bthe evening,he has bfulfilledthe mitzva of: “This Torah scroll bshall not departfrom your mouth.” bAnd it is prohibited to state this matter in the presence of ignoramuses [ iamei ha’aretz /i],as they are likely to get the impression that there is no need to study Torah beyond this. bAnd Rava says:On the contrary, it is ba mitzva to statethis matter bin the presence of ignoramuses,as they will realize that if merely reciting the iShemaleads to such a great reward, all the more so how great is the reward of those who study Torah all day and night., bBen Dama, son of Rabbi Yishmael’s sister, asked Rabbi Yishmael:In the case of one bsuch as I, who has learned the entire Torah, what isthe ihalakha bwith regard to studying Greek wisdom?Rabbi Yishmael brecited this verse about him: “This Torah scroll shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall contemplate in it day and night.” Go and searchfor ban hour that is neitherpart bof the day norpart bof the night, and learn Greek wisdom in it. /b,The Gemara notes: bAndthis statement of Rabbi Yishmael’s bdisagreeswith the opinion bof Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysthat bRabbi Yonatan says: This verse is neither an obligation nor a mitzva, but a blessing.Rabbi Yonatan explains: bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, saw Joshuaand observed bthatthe bwords of Torah were very precious to him, as it is stated:“And the Lord spoke to Moses face-to-face… band his servant Joshua, son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the Tent”(Exodus 33:11). bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said toJoshua: bJoshua, arethe bwords of Torah so precious to you?I bless you that b“this Torah scroll shall not depart from your mouth.” /b, bThe itannaof the school of Rabbi Yishmaelteaches: The bwords of Torah should not beconsidered as ban obligation upon you,i.e., one should not treat Torah study as a burden, bbutat the same time byou are not permitted to exempt yourself from them. /b, bḤizkiyya said: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written:“He delivers the afflicted due to His affliction, and opens their ear by tribulation; band also He has allured you out of a narrow opening to a broad place without confines below it,and that which is set on your table is full of fatness” (Job 36:15–16)? bCome and see that the attribute of flesh and blood is unlike the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He. The attribute of flesh and bloodis that ba person allures another fromthe bpaths of life tothe bpaths of death, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, allures the person fromthe bpaths of death tothe bpaths of life, as it is stated: “And also He has allured you out of a narrow opening,”i.e., bfrom Gehenna, the opening of which is narrowso bthat its smoke is collected /b |
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37. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 75a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 75a. שכן יריעה שנפל בה דרנא קורעין בה ותופרין אותה,אמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב המותח חוט של תפירה בשבת חייב חטאת והלומד דבר אחד מן המגוש חייב מיתה והיודע לחשב תקופות ומזלות ואינו חושב אסור לספר הימנו,מגושתא רב ושמואל חד אמר חרשי וחד אמר גדופי תסתיים דרב דאמר גדופי דאמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב הלומד דבר אחד מן המגוש חייב מיתה דאי ס"ד חרשי הכתיב (דברים יח, ט) לא תלמד לעשות אבל אתה למד להבין ולהורות תסתיים,אר"ש בן פזי א"ר יהושע בן לוי משום בר קפרא כל היודע לחשב בתקופות ומזלות ואינו חושב עליו הכתוב אומר (ישעיהו ה, יב) ואת פועל ה' לא יביטו ומעשה ידיו לא ראו א"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יוחנן מנין שמצוה על האדם לחשב תקופות ומזלות שנאמר (דברים ד, ו) ושמרתם ועשיתם כי היא חכמתכם ובינתכם לעיני העמים איזו חכמה ובינה שהיא לעיני העמים הוי אומר זה חישוב תקופות ומזלות:,הצד צבי וכו': ת"ר הצד חלזון והפוצעו אינו חייב אלא אחת רבי יהודה אומר חייב שתים שהיה ר' יהודה אומר פציעה בכלל דישה אמרו לו אין פציעה בכלל דישה אמר רבא מ"ט דרבנן קסברי אין דישה אלא לגדולי קרקע וליחייב נמי משום נטילת נשמה אמר רבי יוחנן שפצעו מת,רבא אמר אפילו תימא שפצעו חי מתעסק הוא אצל נטילת נשמה והא אביי ורבא דאמרי תרווייהו מודה ר"ש בפסיק רישא ולא ימות שאני הכא דכמה דאית ביה נשמה טפי ניחא ליה כי היכי דליציל ציבעיה:,השוחטו: שוחט משום מאי חייב רב אמר משום צובע ושמואל אמר משום נטילת נשמה | 75a. bAs, when a curtain had a wormwhich made a tear bin it, they would tearthe curtain further to lengthen the tear, bandthat enabled them to then bsew itin a manner that obscured the tear., bRav Zutra bar Toviya saidthat bRav said: One who tightens the thread of a stitch on Shabbat is liable tobring ba sin-offering.If two parts of a garment that were sewn together begin to separate, and one pulls the thread to reattach them, it is tantamount to having sewn them. The Gemara cites additional ihalakhotcited by Rav Zutra in the name of Rav. bAnd one who learnseven bone matter from a imagosh /i,a Persian priest, bis liable toreceive the bdeathpenalty. bAnd one who knows how to calculate astronomical seasons andthe movement of bconstellations, and does not do so, one may not speak with himbecause his actions are improper.,The Gemara proceeds to discuss the additional ihalakhotcited by Rav Zutra bar Toviya. With regard to the imagosh /i, Rav and Shmueldisagreed. bOne saidthat they are bsorcerers, while the other saidthey are bheretics.The Gemara adds: bConclude that Ravis the one bwho saidthat they are bheretics, as Rav Zutra bar Toviya saidthat bRavsaid: bOne who learns one matter from the imagoshis liable toreceive the bdeathpenalty. bAs, if it should enter your mindthat they are bsorcerers, wasn’t it written:“When you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you, byou shall not learn to doafter the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that uses divination, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer” (Deuteronomy 18:9–10)? And the Sages inferred: You shall not learn to do, bbut youmay blearn to understand and to teachthe topic of sorcery. Apparently, merely learning about sorcery does not violate a prohibition. Only acting upon that learning is prohibited. Rav, who prohibited learning even a single matter from a imagosh /i, must hold that they are heretics, not merely sorcerers. The Gemara states: Indeed, bconcludethat Rav is the one who said that they are heretics., bRabbi Shimon ben Pazi saidthat bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said in the name of bar Kappara: Anyone who knows how to calculate astronomical seasons andthe movement of bconstellations and does not do so, the verse says about him: “They do not take notice of the work of God, and they do not see His handiwork”(Isaiah 5:12). And bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: From whereis it derived bthatthere is ba mitzvaincumbent bupon a person to calculate astronomical seasons andthe movement of bconstellations? As it was stated: “And you shall guard and perform, for it is your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations”(Deuteronomy 4:6). bWhat wisdom and understandingis there in the Torah bthat is in the eyes of the nations,i.e., appreciated and recognized by all? bYou must say: This is the calculation of astronomical seasons andthe movement of bconstellations,as the calculation of experts is witnessed by all.,We learned in the mishna, among those liable for performing primary categories of labor: bOne who traps a deeror any other living creature. bThe Sages taughtin a iTosefta /i: bOne who traps a iḥilazonand breaks itsshell to remove its blood for the dye bis liable tobring bonly onesin-offering. He is not liable for breaking the shell. bRabbi Yehuda says: He is liable tobring btwo,for performing the prohibited labors of trapping and for threshing, bas Rabbi Yehuda would say: The breaking of a iḥilazonis includedin the primary category of bthreshing,as its objective is to extract the matter that he desires from the shell that he does not. The Rabbis bsaid to him: Breakingthe shell bis not includedin the primary category of bthreshing. Rava said: What is the rationalefor the opinion bof the Rabbis? They hold: Threshingapplies bonly toproduce bthat growsfrom bthe ground.One who extracts other materials from their covering is exempt. The Gemara asks: Even if extracting blood is not considered threshing, blet him be liable for taking a life as well. Rabbi Yoḥa said:This is referring to a case bwhere he broke itsshell after it was bdead. /b, bRava said: Evenif you bsay that he broke itwhen it was balive,he is exempt. Since he had no intention of killing the iḥilazon /i, he is considered as one who bis acting unawares with regard to taking a life.The Gemara raises a difficulty: bDidn’t Abaye and Rava both saythat bRabbi Shimon,who rules that an unintentional act is permitted, bagreesthat bina case of: bCut off its head and will it not die,one is liable? One who performs an action that will inevitably result in a prohibited labor cannot claim that he did not intend for his action to lead to that result. Lack of intention is only a valid claim when the result is merely possible, not inevitable. Since one who extracts blood from a iḥilazoninevitably takes its life, how can Rava claim that his action is unintentional? The Gemara answers: bHere it is different, as the longerthe iḥilazon blives, the betterit is bforthe trapper, bso that its dye will become clear.Dye extracted from a live iḥilazonis a higher quality than that which is extracted from a dead one. Rabbi Shimon agrees that one who performs an action with inevitable consequences is liable only in a case where the consequences are not contrary to his interests. Since he prefers that the iḥilazonremain alive as long as possible, he is not liable for the inevitable consequences.,We learned in the mishna, among those liable for performing primary categories of labor: bAnd one who slaughtersan animal on Shabbat. The Gemara asks: As there was no slaughter necessary for construction of the Tabernacle, bone who slaughtersan animal, bdue to whatprohibited labor is he bliable? Rav said:He is liable bdue to dyeing,as in the course of the slaughter the hide is dyed with blood. bAnd Shmuel said:He is liable bdue to taking a life. /b |
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38. Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, 4.22.5 (3rd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
| 4.22.5. But Thebuthis, because he was not made bishop, began to corrupt it. He also was sprung from the seven sects among the people, like Simon, from whom came the Simonians, and Cleobius, from whom came the Cleobians, and Dositheus, from whom came the Dositheans, and Gorthaeus, from whom came the Goratheni, and Masbotheus, from whom came the Masbothaeans. From them sprang the Medrianists, and Marcionists, and Carpocratians, and Valentinians, and Basilidians, and Saturnilians. Each introduced privately and separately his own peculiar opinion. From them came false Christs, false prophets, false apostles, who divided the unity of the Church by corrupt doctrines uttered against God and against his Christ. |
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39. Origen, Against Celsus, 8.40 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 8.40. Such is our doctrine of punishment; and the inculcation of this doctrine turns many from their sins. But let us see, on the other hand, what is the response given on this subject by the priest of Jupiter or Apollo of whom Celsus speaks. It is this: The mills of the gods grind slowly. Another describes punishment as reaching to children's children, and to those who came after them. How much better are those words of Scripture: The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. And again, Every man that eats the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. And, The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. If any shall say that the response, To children's children, and to those who come after them, corresponds with that passage, Who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me, let him learn from Ezekiel that this language is not to be taken literally; for he reproves those who say, Our fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge, and then he adds, As I live, says the Lord, every one shall die for his own sin. As to the proper meaning of the figurative language about sins being visited unto the third and fourth generation, we cannot at present stay to explain. |
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40. Anon., Esther Rabbah, 4.12
| 4.12. וַיִּשְׁלַח סְפָרִים אֶל כָּל מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ (אסתר א, כב), אָמַר רַב הוּנָא אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ דַּעַת סְרוּחָה הָיְתָה לוֹ, מִנְהָג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם מְבַקֵּשׁ לֶאֱכֹל עֲדָשִׁים וְאִשְׁתּוֹ מְבַקֶּשֶׁת לֶאֱכֹל אֲפוּנִים, יָכוֹל הוּא לְכוּפָהּ, לָא מַה דְּהִיא בָּעְיָא עָבְדָה. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה שְׂחוֹק בָּעוֹלָם, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם מָדִיִּי נוֹשֵׂא פַּרְסִית וְהִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת בְּלָשׁוֹן מָדִיִּי, פַּרְסִי נוֹשֵׂא מָדִיִּית וְהִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת בְּלָשׁוֹן פַּרְסִי, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דִּבֶּר עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּלָּשׁוֹן שֶׁלָּמְדוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לָשׁוֹן יָחֳנָךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי נָתָן דְּבֵית גּוּבְרִין, אַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת נָאִין הֵן שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן עוֹלָם, לַעַז לְזֶמֶר, פַּרְסִי לְאֶלְיָה, עִבְרִי לְדִבּוּר, רוֹמִים לְקָרֵב. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף אַשּׁוּרִית לִכְתָב. עִבְרִית, יֵשׁ לָהּ דִּבּוּר וְאֵין לָהּ כְּתָב. אַשּׁוּרִית. יֵשׁ לָהּ כְּתָב וְאֵין לָהּ דִּבּוּר, בָּחֲרוּ לָהֶם כְּתַב אַשּׁוּרִית וְלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִית. בּוּרְגָנִי אֶחָד אָמַר בָּרְרוּ לְהוֹן לָשׁוֹן רוֹמִי מִלָּשׁוֹן יְוָנִי. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר גְּנַאי הוּא לָהּ שֶׁחוֹתֶמֶת שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁלָּה. וְרַב חָנִין בַּר אָדָא אָמַר אַף עַל פִּי כֵן (דניאל ז, יט): וְטִפְרַהּ דִּי נְחָשׁ, אֵינָהּ חוֹתֶמֶת אֶלָּא בִּלְשׁוֹנָהּ. אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן מִכָּאן אָדָם צָרִיךְ לִשְׁנוֹת אֶת פָּרָשִׁיּוֹתָיו, אִלּוּ לֹא שָׁנָה לָנוּ משֶׁה אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מֵהֵיכָן אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין (דברים יד, ז): הַשְּׁסוּעָה, וְאִלּוּ לֹא שָׁנָה לָנוּ דָּנִיֵּאל אֶת הַחֲלוֹם, מֵהֵיכָן אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין וְטִפְרַהּ דִּי נְחָשׁ. | |
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