1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 32.41-32.42 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 32.41. אִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי בְּרַק חַרְבִּי וְתֹאחֵז בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָדִי אָשִׁיב נָקָם לְצָרָי וְלִמְשַׂנְאַי אֲשַׁלֵּם׃ 32.42. אַשְׁכִּיר חִצַּי מִדָּם וְחַרְבִּי תֹּאכַל בָּשָׂר מִדַּם חָלָל וְשִׁבְיָה מֵרֹאשׁ פַּרְעוֹת אוֹיֵב׃ | 32.41. If I whet My glittering sword, And My hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine adversaries, And will recompense them that hate Me." 32.42. I will make Mine arrows drunk with blood, And My sword shall devour flesh; With the blood of the slain and the captives, From the long-haired heads of the enemy.’" |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Hosea, 13.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 13.6. כְּמַרְעִיתָם וַיִּשְׂבָּעוּ שָׂבְעוּ וַיָּרָם לִבָּם עַל־כֵּן שְׁכֵחוּנִי׃ | 13.6. When they were fed, they became full, They were filled, and their heart was exalted; Therefore have they forgotten Me." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 26.7-26.8, 26.25, 26.33 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 26.7. וּרְדַפְתֶּם אֶת־אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְנָפְלוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם לֶחָרֶב 26.8. וְרָדְפוּ מִכֶּם חֲמִשָּׁה מֵאָה וּמֵאָה מִכֶּם רְבָבָה יִרְדֹּפוּ וְנָפְלוּ אֹיְבֵיכֶם לִפְנֵיכֶם לֶחָרֶב׃ 26.25. וְהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיכֶם חֶרֶב נֹקֶמֶת נְקַם־בְּרִית וְנֶאֱסַפְתֶּם אֶל־עָרֵיכֶם וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי דֶבֶר בְּתוֹכְכֶם וְנִתַּתֶּם בְּיַד־אוֹיֵב׃ 26.33. וְאֶתְכֶם אֱזָרֶה בַגּוֹיִם וַהֲרִיקֹתִי אַחֲרֵיכֶם חָרֶב וְהָיְתָה אַרְצְכֶם שְׁמָמָה וְעָרֵיכֶם יִהְיוּ חָרְבָּה׃ | 26.7. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword." 26.8. And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword." 26.25. And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute the vengeance of the covet; and ye shall be gathered together within your cities; and I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy." 26.33. And you will I scatter among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you; and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Micah, 5.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 5.6. וְהָיָה שְׁאֵרִית יַעֲקֹב בְּקֶרֶב עַמִּים רַבִּים כְּטַל מֵאֵת יְהוָה כִּרְבִיבִים עֲלֵי־עֵשֶׂב אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְקַוֶּה לְאִישׁ וְלֹא יְיַחֵל לִבְנֵי אָדָם׃ | 5.6. And the remt of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, As dew from the LORD, as showers upon the grass, That are not looked for from man, Nor awaited at the hands of the sons of men." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 12.11 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 12.11. וַיֹּאמֶר אַהֲרֹן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה בִּי אֲדֹנִי אַל־נָא תָשֵׁת עָלֵינוּ חַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר נוֹאַלְנוּ וַאֲשֶׁר חָטָאנוּ׃ | 12.11. And Aaron said unto Moses: ‘Oh my lord, lay not, I pray thee, sin upon us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned." |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 2.9, 27.17 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.9. אָז תָּבִין צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט וּמֵישָׁרִים כָּל־מַעְגַּל־טוֹב׃ 27.17. בַּרְזֶל בְּבַרְזֶל יָחַד וְאִישׁ יַחַד פְּנֵי־רֵעֵהוּ׃ | 2.9. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, yea, every good path." 27.17. Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countece of his friend." |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 63.10 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 63.10. But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, Shall go into the nethermost parts of the earth." |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Zephaniah, 2.12 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.12. גַּם־אַתֶּם כּוּשִׁים חַלְלֵי חַרְבִּי הֵמָּה׃ | 2.12. Ye Ethiopians also, Ye shall be slain by My sword." |
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9. Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings, 10.9 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 10.9. יְהִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּרוּךְ אֲשֶׁר חָפֵץ בְּךָ לְתִתְּךָ עַל־כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבַת יְהוָה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעֹלָם וַיְשִׂימְךָ לְמֶלֶךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה׃ | 10.9. Blessed be the LORD thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made He thee king, to do justice and righteousness.’" |
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10. Hebrew Bible, 2 Samuel, 8.15 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 8.15. וַיִּמְלֹךְ דָּוִד עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיְהִי דָוִד עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה לְכָל־עַמּוֹ׃ | 8.15. And David reigned over all Yisra᾽el; and David executed judgment and justice to all his people." |
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11. Hebrew Bible, Amos, 4.10, 7.17, 9.1, 9.4 (8th cent. BCE - 6th cent. BCE)
| 7.17. לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה אִשְׁתְּךָ בָּעִיר תִּזְנֶה וּבָנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ וְאַדְמָתְךָ בַּחֶבֶל תְּחֻלָּק וְאַתָּה עַל־אֲדָמָה טְמֵאָה תָּמוּת וְיִשְׂרָאֵל גָּלֹה יִגְלֶה מֵעַל אַדְמָתוֹ׃ 9.1. רָאִיתִי אֶת־אֲדֹנָי נִצָּב עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וַיֹּאמֶר הַךְ הַכַּפְתּוֹר וְיִרְעֲשׁוּ הַסִּפִּים וּבְצַעַם בְּרֹאשׁ כֻּלָּם וְאַחֲרִיתָם בַּחֶרֶב אֶהֱרֹג לֹא־יָנוּס לָהֶם נָס וְלֹא־יִמָּלֵט לָהֶם פָּלִיט׃ 9.1. בַּחֶרֶב יָמוּתוּ כֹּל חַטָּאֵי עַמִּי הָאֹמְרִים לֹא־תַגִּישׁ וְתַקְדִּים בַּעֲדֵינוּ הָרָעָה׃ 9.4. וְאִם־יֵלְכוּ בַשְּׁבִי לִפְנֵי אֹיבֵיהֶם מִשָּׁם אֲצַוֶּה אֶת־הַחֶרֶב וַהֲרָגָתַם וְשַׂמְתִּי עֵינִי עֲלֵיהֶם לְרָעָה וְלֹא לְטוֹבָה׃ | 4.10. I have sent among you the pestilence in the way of Egypt; Your young men have I slain with the sword, And have carried away your horses; And I have made the stench of your camp to come up even into your nostrils; Yet have ye not returned unto Me, Saith the LORD." 7.17. Therefore thus saith the LORD: Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, And thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, And thy land shall be divided by line; And thou thyself shalt die in an unclean land, And Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’" 9.1. I saw the Lord standing beside the altar; and He said: Smite the capitals, that the posts may shake; And break them in pieces on the head of all of them; And I will slay the residue of them with the sword; There shall not one of them flee away, And there shall not one of them escape." 9.4. And though they go into captivity before their enemies, Thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them; And I will set Mine eyes upon them For evil, and not for good." |
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12. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 34.6, 41.2, 65.12, 66.16 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 34.6. חֶרֶב לַיהוָה מָלְאָה דָם הֻדַּשְׁנָה מֵחֵלֶב מִדַּם כָּרִים וְעַתּוּדִים מֵחֵלֶב כִּלְיוֹת אֵילִים כִּי זֶבַח לַיהוָה בְּבָצְרָה וְטֶבַח גָּדוֹל בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם׃ 41.2. לְמַעַן יִרְאוּ וְיֵדְעוּ וְיָשִׂימוּ וְיַשְׂכִּילוּ יַחְדָּו כִּי יַד־יְהוָה עָשְׂתָה זֹּאת וּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרָאָהּ׃ 41.2. מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים יַרְדְּ יִתֵּן כֶּעָפָר חַרְבּוֹ כְּקַשׁ נִדָּף קַשְׁתּוֹ׃ 65.12. וּמָנִיתִי אֶתְכֶם לַחֶרֶב וְכֻלְּכֶם לַטֶּבַח תִּכְרָעוּ יַעַן קָרָאתִי וְלֹא עֲנִיתֶם דִּבַּרְתִּי וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם וַתַּעֲשׂוּ הָרַע בְּעֵינַי וּבַאֲשֶׁר לֹא־חָפַצְתִּי בְּחַרְתֶּם׃ 66.16. כִּי בָאֵשׁ יְהוָה נִשְׁפָּט וּבְחַרְבּוֹ אֶת־כָּל־בָּשָׂר וְרַבּוּ חַלְלֵי יְהוָה׃ | 34.6. The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, It is made fat with fatness, With the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams; For the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom." 41.2. Who hath raised up one from the east, At whose steps victory attendeth? He giveth nations before him, And maketh him rule over kings; His sword maketh them as the dust, His bow as the driven stubble." 65.12. I will destine you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called, ye did not answer, when I spoke, ye did not hear; But ye did that which was evil in Mine eyes, And chose that wherein I delighted not." 66.16. For by fire will the LORD contend, And by His sword with all flesh; And the slain of the LORD shall be many." |
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13. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 9.16, 11.22, 12.12, 14.12, 14.15-14.16, 15.2-15.3, 18.21, 20.4, 21.7, 21.9, 22.3, 23.5, 23.29, 24.10, 25.16, 25.27, 25.29, 25.31, 32.36, 38.2, 42.16-42.17, 42.22, 44.13, 44.27, 46.10, 50.37 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 9.16. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת הִתְבּוֹנְנוּ וְקִרְאוּ לַמְקוֹנְנוֹת וּתְבוֹאֶינָה וְאֶל־הַחֲכָמוֹת שִׁלְחוּ וְתָבוֹאנָה׃ 11.22. לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת הִנְנִי פֹקֵד עֲלֵיהֶם הַבַּחוּרִים יָמֻתוּ בַחֶרֶב בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם יָמֻתוּ בָּרָעָב׃ 12.12. עַל־כָּל־שְׁפָיִם בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּאוּ שֹׁדְדִים כִּי חֶרֶב לַיהוָה אֹכְלָה מִקְצֵה־אֶרֶץ וְעַד־קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ אֵין שָׁלוֹם לְכָל־בָּשָׂר׃ 14.12. כִּי יָצֻמוּ אֵינֶנִּי שֹׁמֵעַ אֶל־רִנָּתָם וְכִי יַעֲלוּ עֹלָה וּמִנְחָה אֵינֶנִּי רֹצָם כִּי בַּחֶרֶב וּבָרָעָב וּבַדֶּבֶר אָנֹכִי מְכַלֶּה אוֹתָם׃ 14.15. לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה עַל־הַנְּבִאִים הַנִּבְּאִים בִּשְׁמִי וַאֲנִי לֹא־שְׁלַחְתִּים וְהֵמָּה אֹמְרִים חֶרֶב וְרָעָב לֹא יִהְיֶה בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת בַּחֶרֶב וּבָרָעָב יִתַּמּוּ הַנְּבִאִים הָהֵמָּה׃ 14.16. וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר־הֵמָּה נִבְּאִים לָהֶם יִהְיוּ מֻשְׁלָכִים בְּחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָב וְהַחֶרֶב וְאֵין מְקַבֵּר לָהֵמָּה הֵמָּה נְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וּבְנֹתֵיהֶם וְשָׁפַכְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־רָעָתָם׃ 15.2. וּנְתַתִּיךָ לָעָם הַזֶּה לְחוֹמַת נְחֹשֶׁת בְּצוּרָה וְנִלְחֲמוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְלֹא־יוּכְלוּ לָךְ כִּי־אִתְּךָ אֲנִי לְהוֹשִׁיעֲךָ וּלְהַצִּילֶךָ נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ 15.2. וְהָיָה כִּי־יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ אָנָה נֵצֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר לַמָּוֶת לַמָּוֶת וַאֲשֶׁר לַחֶרֶב לַחֶרֶב וַאֲשֶׁר לָרָעָב לָרָעָב וַאֲשֶׁר לַשְּׁבִי לַשֶּׁבִי׃ 15.3. וּפָקַדְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם אַרְבַּע מִשְׁפָּחוֹת נְאֻם־יְהוָה אֶת־הַחֶרֶב לַהֲרֹג וְאֶת־הַכְּלָבִים לִסְחֹב וְאֶת־עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־בֶּהֱמַת הָאָרֶץ לֶאֱכֹל וּלְהַשְׁחִית׃ 18.21. לָכֵן תֵּן אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם לָרָעָב וְהַגִּרֵם עַל־יְדֵי־חֶרֶב וְתִהְיֶנָה נְשֵׁיהֶם שַׁכֻּלוֹת וְאַלְמָנוֹת וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶם יִהְיוּ הֲרֻגֵי מָוֶת בַּחוּרֵיהֶם מֻכֵּי־חֶרֶב בַּמִּלְחָמָה׃ 20.4. כִּי כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה הִנְנִי נֹתֶנְךָ לְמָגוֹר לְךָ וּלְכָל־אֹהֲבֶיךָ וְנָפְלוּ בְּחֶרֶב אֹיְבֵיהֶם וְעֵינֶיךָ רֹאוֹת וְאֶת־כָּל־יְהוּדָה אֶתֵּן בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל וְהִגְלָם בָּבֶלָה וְהִכָּם בֶּחָרֶב׃ 21.7. וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן נְאֻם־יְהוָה אֶתֵּן אֶת־צִדְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה וְאֶת־עֲבָדָיו וְאֶת־הָעָם וְאֶת־הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת מִן־הַדֶּבֶר מִן־הַחֶרֶב וּמִן־הָרָעָב בְּיַד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל וּבְיַד אֹיְבֵיהֶם וּבְיַד מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשָׁם וְהִכָּם לְפִי־חֶרֶב לֹא־יָחוּס עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא יַחְמֹל וְלֹא יְרַחֵם׃ 21.9. הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת יָמוּת בַּחֶרֶב וּבָרָעָב וּבַדָּבֶר וְהַיּוֹצֵא וְנָפַל עַל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים הַצָּרִים עֲלֵיכֶם יחיה [וְחָיָה] וְהָיְתָה־לּוֹ נַפְשׁוֹ לְשָׁלָל׃ 22.3. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה כִּתְבוּ אֶת־הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה עֲרִירִי גֶּבֶר לֹא־יִצְלַח בְּיָמָיו כִּי לֹא יִצְלַח מִזַּרְעוֹ אִישׁ יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא דָוִד וּמֹשֵׁל עוֹד בִּיהוּדָה׃ 22.3. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה עֲשׂוּ מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה וְהַצִּילוּ גָזוּל מִיַּד עָשׁוֹק וְגֵר יָתוֹם וְאַלְמָנָה אַל־תֹּנוּ אַל־תַּחְמֹסוּ וְדָם נָקִי אַל־תִּשְׁפְּכוּ בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה׃ 23.5. הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה וַהֲקִמֹתִי לְדָוִד צֶמַח צַדִּיק וּמָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ וְהִשְׂכִּיל וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בָּאָרֶץ׃ 23.29. הֲלוֹא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם־יְהוָה וּכְפַטִּישׁ יְפֹצֵץ סָלַע׃ 25.16. וְשָׁתוּ וְהִתְגֹּעֲשׁוּ וְהִתְהֹלָלוּ מִפְּנֵי הַחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ בֵּינֹתָם׃ 25.27. וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ וּקְיוּ וְנִפְלוּ וְלֹא תָקוּמוּ מִפְּנֵי הַחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ בֵּינֵיכֶם׃ 25.29. כִּי הִנֵּה בָעִיר אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא־שְׁמִי עָלֶיהָ אָנֹכִי מֵחֵל לְהָרַע וְאַתֶּם הִנָּקֵה תִנָּקוּ לֹא תִנָּקוּ כִּי חֶרֶב אֲנִי קֹרֵא עַל־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת׃ 25.31. בָּא שָׁאוֹן עַד־קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ כִּי רִיב לַיהוָה בַּגּוֹיִם נִשְׁפָּט הוּא לְכָל־בָּשָׂר הָרְשָׁעִים נְתָנָם לַחֶרֶב נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ 32.36. וְעַתָּה לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הָעִיר הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים נִתְּנָה בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל בַּחֶרֶב וּבָרָעָב וּבַדָּבֶר׃ 38.2. וַיֹּאמֶר יִרְמְיָהוּ לֹא יִתֵּנוּ שְׁמַע־נָא בְּקוֹל יְהוָה לַאֲשֶׁר אֲנִי דֹּבֵר אֵלֶיךָ וְיִיטַב לְךָ וּתְחִי נַפְשֶׁךָ׃ 38.2. כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת יָמוּת בַּחֶרֶב בָּרָעָב וּבַדָּבֶר וְהַיֹּצֵא אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים יחיה [וְחָיָה] וְהָיְתָה־לּוֹ נַפְשׁוֹ לְשָׁלָל וָחָי׃ 42.16. וְהָיְתָה הַחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יְרֵאִים מִמֶּנָּה שָׁם תַּשִּׂיג אֶתְכֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְהָרָעָב אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם דֹּאֲגִים מִמֶּנּוּ שָׁם יִדְבַּק אַחֲרֵיכֶם מִצְרַיִם וְשָׁם תָּמֻתוּ׃ 42.17. וְיִהְיוּ כָל־הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־שָׂמוּ אֶת־פְּנֵיהֶם לָבוֹא מִצְרַיִם לָגוּר שָׁם יָמוּתוּ בַּחֶרֶב בָּרָעָב וּבַדָּבֶר וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה לָהֶם שָׂרִיד וּפָלִיט מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם׃ 42.22. וְעַתָּה יָדֹעַ תֵּדְעוּ כִּי בַּחֶרֶב בָּרָעָב וּבַדֶּבֶר תָּמוּתוּ בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר חֲפַצְתֶּם לָבוֹא לָגוּר שָׁם׃ 44.13. וּפָקַדְתִּי עַל הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כַּאֲשֶׁר פָּקַדְתִּי עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָם בַּחֶרֶב בָּרָעָב וּבַדָּבֶר׃ 44.27. הִנְנִי שֹׁקֵד עֲלֵיהֶם לְרָעָה וְלֹא לְטוֹבָה וְתַמּוּ כָל־אִישׁ יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם בַּחֶרֶב וּבָרָעָב עַד־כְּלוֹתָם׃ 50.37. חֶרֶב אֶל־סוּסָיו וְאֶל־רִכְבּוֹ וְאֶל־כָּל־הָעֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכָהּ וְהָיוּ לְנָשִׁים חֶרֶב אֶל־אוֹצְרֹתֶיהָ וּבֻזָּזוּ׃ | 9.16. Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the wise women, that they may come;" 11.22. therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will punish them; The young men shall die by the sword, Their sons and their daughters shall die by famine;" 12.12. Upon all the high hills in the wilderness spoilers are come; for the sword of the LORD devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land, no flesh hath peace." 14.12. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.’" 14.15. Therefore thus saith the LORD: As for the prophets that prophesy in My name, and I sent them not, yet they say: Sword and famine shall not be in this land, by sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed;" 14.16. and the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters; for I will pour their evil upon them.’" 15.2. And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee: Whither shall we go forth? then thou shall tell them: Thus saith the LORD: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity." 15.3. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to drag, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy." 18.21. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, And hurl them to the power of the sword; And let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; And let their men be slain of death, And their young men smitten of the sword in battle." 20.4. For thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it; and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword." 21.7. And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life; and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have compassion." 21.9. He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and falleth away to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey." 22.3. Thus saith the LORD: Execute ye justice and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor; and do no wrong, do no violence, to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place." 23.5. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous shoot, and he shall reign as king and prosper, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land." 23.29. Is not My word like as fire? Saith the LORD; And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" 24.10. And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.’" 25.16. And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be like madmen, because of the sword that I will send among them.—" 25.27. And thou shalt say unto them: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink ye, and be drunken, and spew, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you." 25.29. For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city whereupon My name is called, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished; for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts." 25.31. A noise is come even to the end of the earth; For the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, He doth plead with all flesh; As for the wicked, He hath given them to the sword, Saith the LORD." 32.36. And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say: It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence:" 38.2. ’Thus saith the LORD: He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey, and he shall live." 42.16. then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye fear, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye are afraid, shall follow hard after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die." 42.17. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them." 42.22. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn there.’" 44.13. For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence;" 44.27. Behold, I watch over them for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them." 46.10. For the Lord GOD of hosts shall have on that day A day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries; And the sword shall devour and be satiate, And shall be made drunk with their blood; For the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice In the north country by the river Euphrates." 50.37. A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, And upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her, And they shall become as women; A sword is upon her treasures, and they shall be robbed." |
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14. Hebrew Bible, Judges, 7.20 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 7.20. Then the three companies blew on the shofarot, and broke the jars, and held the torches in their left hands, and the shofarot in their right hands to blow on them: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gid῾on." |
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15. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 5.17, 6.3, 6.11, 12.14, 14.17, 14.21, 16.40, 17.21, 21.3, 21.14, 23.25, 23.47, 24.21, 25.13, 28.7, 29.8, 30.4-30.5, 30.22, 32.10-32.11, 32.23-32.26, 32.32, 33.27, 35.8 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 5.17. וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם רָעָב וְחַיָּה רָעָה וְשִׁכְּלֻךְ וְדֶבֶר וָדָם יַעֲבָר־בָּךְ וְחֶרֶב אָבִיא עָלַיִךְ אֲנִי יְהוָה דִּבַּרְתִּי׃ 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׃ 6.11. כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הַכֵּה בְכַפְּךָ וּרְקַע בְּרַגְלְךָ וֶאֱמָר־אָח אֶל כָּל־תּוֹעֲבוֹת רָעוֹת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בַּחֶרֶב בָּרָעָב וּבַדֶּבֶר יִפֹּלוּ׃ 12.14. וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָיו עזרה [עֶזְרוֹ] וְכָל־אֲגַפָּיו אֱזָרֶה לְכָל־רוּחַ וְחֶרֶב אָרִיק אַחֲרֵיהֶם׃ 14.17. אוֹ חֶרֶב אָבִיא עַל־הָאָרֶץ הַהִיא וְאָמַרְתִּי חֶרֶב תַּעֲבֹר בָּאָרֶץ וְהִכְרַתִּי מִמֶּנָּה אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה׃ 14.21. כִּי כֹה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה אַף כִּי־אַרְבַּעַת שְׁפָטַי הָרָעִים חֶרֶב וְרָעָב וְחַיָּה רָעָה וָדֶבֶר שִׁלַּחְתִּי אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִָם לְהַכְרִית מִמֶּנָּה אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה׃ 17.21. וְאֵת כָּל־מברחו [מִבְרָחָיו] בְּכָל־אֲגַפָּיו בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִים לְכָל־רוּחַ יִפָּרֵשׂוּ וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה דִּבַּרְתִּי׃ 21.3. וְאַתָּה חָלָל רָשָׁע נְשִׂיא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־בָּא יוֹמוֹ בְּעֵת עֲוֺן קֵץ׃ 21.3. וְאָמַרְתָּ לְיַעַר הַנֶּגֶב שְׁמַע דְּבַר־יְהוָה כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנְנִי מַצִּית־בְּךָ אֵשׁ וְאָכְלָה בְךָ כָל־עֵץ־לַח וְכָל־עֵץ יָבֵשׁ לֹא־תִכְבֶּה לַהֶבֶת שַׁלְהֶבֶת וְנִצְרְבוּ־בָהּ כָּל־פָּנִים מִנֶּגֶב צָפוֹנָה׃ 21.14. בֶּן־אָדָם הִנָּבֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי אֱמֹר חֶרֶב חֶרֶב הוּחַדָּה וְגַם־מְרוּטָה׃ 23.25. וְנָתַתִּי קִנְאָתִי בָּךְ וְעָשׂוּ אוֹתָךְ בְּחֵמָה אַפֵּךְ וְאָזְנַיִךְ יָסִירוּ וְאַחֲרִיתֵךְ בַּחֶרֶב תִּפּוֹל הֵמָּה בָּנַיִךְ וּבְנוֹתַיִךְ יִקָּחוּ וְאַחֲרִיתֵךְ תֵּאָכֵל בָּאֵשׁ׃ 23.47. וְרָגְמוּ עֲלֵיהֶן אֶבֶן קָהָל וּבָרֵא אוֹתְהֶן בְּחַרְבוֹתָם בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם יַהֲרֹגוּ וּבָתֵּיהֶן בָּאֵשׁ יִשְׂרֹפוּ׃ 24.21. אֱמֹר לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנְנִי מְחַלֵּל אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁי גְּאוֹן עֻזְּכֶם מַחְמַד עֵינֵיכֶם וּמַחְמַל נַפְשְׁכֶם וּבְנֵיכֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר עֲזַבְתֶּם בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ׃ 25.13. לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וְנָטִתִי יָדִי עַל־אֱדוֹם וְהִכְרַתִּי מִמֶּנָּה אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה וּנְתַתִּיהָ חָרְבָּה מִתֵּימָן וּדְדָנֶה בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ׃ 28.7. לָכֵן הִנְנִי מֵבִיא עָלֶיךָ זָרִים עָרִיצֵי גּוֹיִם וְהֵרִיקוּ חַרְבוֹתָם עַל־יְפִי חָכְמָתֶךָ וְחִלְּלוּ יִפְעָתֶךָ׃ 29.8. לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנְנִי מֵבִיא עָלַיִךְ חָרֶב וְהִכְרַתִּי מִמֵּךְ אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה׃ 30.4. וּבָאָה חֶרֶב בְּמִצְרַיִם וְהָיְתָה חַלְחָלָה בְּכוּשׁ בִּנְפֹל חָלָל בְּמִצְרָיִם וְלָקְחוּ הֲמוֹנָהּ וְנֶהֶרְסוּ יְסוֹדֹתֶיהָ׃ 30.5. כּוּשׁ וּפוּט וְלוּד וְכָל־הָעֶרֶב וְכוּב וּבְנֵי אֶרֶץ הַבְּרִית אִתָּם בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ׃ 30.22. לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה הִנְנִי אֶל־פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם וְשָׁבַרְתִּי אֶת־זְרֹעֹתָיו אֶת־הַחֲזָקָה וְאֶת־הַנִּשְׁבָּרֶת וְהִפַּלְתִּי אֶת־הַחֶרֶב מִיָּדוֹ׃ 32.11. כִּי כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה חֶרֶב מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל תְּבוֹאֶךָ׃ 32.23. אֲשֶׁר נִתְּנוּ קִבְרֹתֶיהָ בְּיַרְכְּתֵי־בוֹר וַיְהִי קְהָלָהּ סְבִיבוֹת קְבֻרָתָהּ כֻּלָּם חֲלָלִים נֹפְלִים בַּחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר־נָתְנוּ חִתִּית בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים׃ 32.24. שָׁם עֵילָם וְכָל־הֲמוֹנָהּ סְבִיבוֹת קְבֻרָתָהּ כֻּלָּם חֲלָלִים הַנֹּפְלִים בַּחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר־יָרְדוּ עֲרֵלִים אֶל־אֶרֶץ תַּחְתִּיּוֹת אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ חִתִּיתָם בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים וַיִּשְׂאוּ כְלִמָּתָם אֶת־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר׃ 32.25. בְּתוֹךְ חֲלָלִים נָתְנוּ מִשְׁכָּב לָהּ בְּכָל־הֲמוֹנָהּ סְבִיבוֹתָיו קִבְרֹתֶהָ כֻּלָּם עֲרֵלִים חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב כִּי־נִתַּן חִתִּיתָם בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים וַיִּשְׂאוּ כְלִמָּתָם אֶת־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר בְּתוֹךְ חֲלָלִים נִתָּן׃ 32.26. שָׁם מֶשֶׁךְ תֻּבַל וְכָל־הֲמוֹנָהּ סְבִיבוֹתָיו קִבְרוֹתֶיהָ כֻּלָּם עֲרֵלִים מְחֻלְלֵי חֶרֶב כִּי־נָתְנוּ חִתִּיתָם בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים׃ 32.32. כִּי־נָתַתִּי אֶת־חתיתו [חִתִּיתִי] בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים וְהֻשְׁכַּב בְּתוֹךְ עֲרֵלִים אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה וְכָל־הֲמוֹנֹה נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃ 33.27. כֹּה־תֹאמַר אֲלֵהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה חַי־אָנִי אִם־לֹא אֲשֶׁר בֶּחֳרָבוֹת בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ וַאֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה לַחַיָּה נְתַתִּיו לְאָכְלוֹ וַאֲשֶׁר בַּמְּצָדוֹת וּבַמְּעָרוֹת בַּדֶּבֶר יָמוּתוּ׃ 35.8. וּמִלֵּאתִי אֶת־הָרָיו חֲלָלָיו גִּבְעוֹתֶיךָ וְגֵאוֹתֶיךָ וְכָל־אֲפִיקֶיךָ חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב יִפְּלוּ בָהֶם׃ | 5.17. and I will send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.’" 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." 6.11. Thus saith the Lord GOD: Smite with thy hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say: Alas! because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel; for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence." 12.14. And I will disperse toward every wind all that are round about him to help him, and all his troops; and I will draw out the sword after them." 14.17. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say: Let the sword go through the land, so that I cut off from it man and beast;" 14.21. For thus saith the Lord GOD: How much more when I send My four sore judgments against Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the evil beasts, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast." 16.40. They shall also bring up an assembly against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords." 17.21. And all his mighty men in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind; and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it." 21.3. and say to the forest of the South: Hear the word of the LORD: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree, it shall not be quenched, even a flaming flame; and all faces from the south to the north shall be seared thereby." 21.14. ’Son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus saith the LORD: Say: A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, And also furbished:" 23.25. And I will set My jealousy against thee, and they shall deal with thee in fury; they shall take away thy nose and thine ears, and thy residue shall fall by the sword; they shall take thy sons and thy daughters, and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire." 23.47. And the assembly shall stone them with stones, and despatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire." 24.21. Speak unto the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and the longing of your soul; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind shall fall by the sword." 25.13. therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: I will stretch out My hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman, even unto Dedan shall they fall by the sword." 28.7. Therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon thee, The terrible of the nations; And they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, And they shall defile thy brightness. ." 29.8. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and will cut off from thee man and beast." 30.4. And a sword shall come upon Egypt, And convulsion shall be in Ethiopia, When the slain shall fall in Egypt; And they shall take away her abundance, And her foundation shall be broken down." 30.5. Ethiopia, and Put, and Lud, and all the mingled people, and Cub, and the children of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword." 30.22. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand." 32.10. Yea, I will make many peoples appalled at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish My sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall." 32.11. For thus saith the Lord GOD: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee." 32.23. whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit, and her company is round about her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living." 32.24. There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit." 32.25. They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude; her graves are round about them; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; because their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit; they are put in the midst of them that are slain." 32.26. There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude; her graves are round about them; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; because they caused their terror in the land of the living." 32.32. For I have put My terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that are slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.’" 33.27. Thus shalt thou say unto them: Thus saith the Lord GOD: As I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence." 35.8. And I will fill his mountains with his slain; in thy hills and in thy valleys and in all thy streams shall they fall that are slain with the sword." |
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16. Hebrew Bible, 2 Chronicles, 6.9 (5th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 6.9. רַק אַתָּה לֹא תִבְנֶה הַבָּיִת כִּי בִנְךָ הַיּוֹצֵא מֵחֲלָצֶיךָ הוּא־יִבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לִשְׁמִי׃ | 6.9. nevertheless thou shalt not build the house, but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for My name." |
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17. Hebrew Bible, Zechariah, 11.17 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 11.17. הוֹי רֹעִי הָאֱלִיל עֹזְבִי הַצֹּאן חֶרֶב עַל־זְרוֹעוֹ וְעַל־עֵין יְמִינוֹ זְרֹעוֹ יָבוֹשׁ תִּיבָשׁ וְעֵין יְמִינוֹ כָּהֹה תִכְהֶה׃ | 11.17. Woe to the worthless shepherd That leaveth the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm, And upon his right eye; His arm shall be clean dried up, And his right eye shall be utterly darkened." |
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18. Anon., 1 Enoch, 91.11 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
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19. Anon., Jubilees, 5.7, 23.22 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 5.7. And He said: "I shall destroy man and all flesh upon the face of the earth which I have created. 23.22. illness and overthrow, and snow and frost and ice, and fever, and chills, and torpor, and famine, and death, and sword, and captivity, and all kinds of calamities and pains. |
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20. Hebrew Bible, Daniel, 7.21-7.22, 11.33, 12.1 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 7.21. חָזֵה הֲוֵית וְקַרְנָא דִכֵּן עָבְדָה קְרָב עִם־קַדִּישִׁין וְיָכְלָה לְהוֹן׃ 7.22. עַד דִּי־אֲתָה עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא וְדִינָא יְהִב לְקַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין וְזִמְנָא מְטָה וּמַלְכוּתָא הֶחֱסִנוּ קַדִּישִׁין׃ 11.33. וּמַשְׂכִּילֵי עָם יָבִינוּ לָרַבִּים וְנִכְשְׁלוּ בְּחֶרֶב וּבְלֶהָבָה בִּשְׁבִי וּבְבִזָּה יָמִים׃ 12.1. יִתְבָּרֲרוּ וְיִתְלַבְּנוּ וְיִצָּרְפוּ רַבִּים וְהִרְשִׁיעוּ רְשָׁעִים וְלֹא יָבִינוּ כָּל־רְשָׁעִים וְהַמַּשְׂכִּלִים יָבִינוּ׃ 12.1. וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יַעֲמֹד מִיכָאֵל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל הָעֹמֵד עַל־בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ וְהָיְתָה עֵת צָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־נִהְיְתָה מִהְיוֹת גּוֹי עַד הָעֵת הַהִיא וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִמָּלֵט עַמְּךָ כָּל־הַנִּמְצָא כָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר׃ | 7.21. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;" 7.22. until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High; and the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom." 11.33. And they that are wise among the people shall cause the many to understand; yet they shall stumble by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days." 12.1. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." |
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21. New Testament, Apocalypse, 12.7-12.9, 19.21 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 12.7. There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war. 12.8. They didn't prevail, neither was a place found for him any more in heaven. 12.9. The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 19.21. The rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword which came forth out of his mouth. All the birds were filled with their flesh. |
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22. Palestinian Talmud, Nedarim, None (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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23. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 63b. ואמרו לאחינו שבגולה אם שומעין מוטב ואם לאו יעלו להר אחיה יבנה מזבח חנניה ינגן בכנור ויכפרו כולם ויאמרו אין להם חלק באלהי ישראל,מיד געו כל העם בבכיה ואמרו חס ושלום יש לנו חלק באלהי ישראל,וכל כך למה משום שנאמר (ישעיהו ב, ג) כי מציון תצא תורה ודבר ה' מירושלים,בשלמא הוא מטהר והם מטמאין לחומרא אלא הוא מטמא והם מטהרין היכי הוי והא תניא חכם שטמא אין חברו רשאי לטהר אסר אין חברו רשאי להתיר קסברי כי היכי דלא נגררו בתריה:,תנו רבנן כשנכנסו רבותינו לכרם ביבנה היו שם רבי יהודה ורבי יוסי ור' נחמיה ור' אליעזר בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי פתחו כולם בכבוד אכסניא ודרשו,פתח רבי יהודה ראש המדברים בכל מקום בכבוד תורה ודרש (שמות לג, ז) ומשה יקח את האהל ונטה לו מחוץ למחנה והלא דברים קל וחומר ומה ארון ה' שלא היה מרוחק אלא שנים עשר מיל אמרה תורה (שמות לג, ז) והיה כל מבקש ה' יצא אל אהל מועד תלמידי חכמים שהולכים מעיר לעיר וממדינה למדינה ללמוד תורה על אחת כמה וכמה,(שמות לג, יא) ודבר ה' אל משה פנים אל פנים אמר ר' יצחק אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה משה אני ואתה נסביר פנים בהלכה איכא דאמרי כך אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה כשם שאני הסברתי לך פנים כך אתה הסבר פנים לישראל והחזר האהל למקומו,(שמות לג, יא) ושב אל המחנה וגו' אמר רבי אבהו אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה עכשו יאמרו הרב בכעס ותלמיד בכעס ישראל מה תהא עליהם אם אתה מחזיר האהל למקומו מוטב ואם לאו יהושע בן נון תלמידך משרת תחתיך,והיינו דכתיב ושב אל המחנה אמר רבא אף על פי כן לא יצא הדבר לבטלה שנאמר (שמות לג, יא) ומשרתו יהושע בן נון נער לא ימיש מתוך האהל:,ועוד פתח ר' יהודה בכבוד תורה ודרש (דברים כז, ט) הסכת ושמע ישראל היום הזה נהיית לעם וכי אותו היום נתנה תורה לישראל והלא אותו יום סוף ארבעים שנה היה אלא ללמדך שחביבה תורה על לומדיה בכל יום ויום כיום שנתנה מהר סיני,אמר ר' תנחום בריה דר' חייא איש כפר עכו תדע שהרי אדם קורא קריאת שמע שחרית וערבית וערב אחד אינו קורא דומה כמי שלא קרא קריאת שמע מעולם,הסכת עשו כתות כתות ועסקו בתורה לפי שאין התורה נקנית אלא בחבורה כדר' יוסי ברבי חנינא דאמר ר' יוסי ברבי חנינא מאי דכתיב (ירמיהו נ, לו) חרב (על) הבדים ונואלו חרב על שונאיהם של תלמידי חכמים שיושבים בד בבד ועוסקים בתורה ולא עוד אלא שמטפשים כתיב הכא ונואלו וכתיב התם (במדבר יב, יא) אשר נואלנו ולא עוד אלא שחוטאים שנאמר ואשר חטאנו,איבעית אימא מהכא (ישעיהו יט, יג) נואלו שרי צוען,דבר אחר הסכת ושמע ישראל כתתו עצמכם על דברי תורה כדאמר ריש לקיש דאמר ריש לקיש מנין שאין דברי תורה מתקיימין אלא במי שממית עצמו עליה שנאמר (במדבר יט, יד) זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל,דבר אחר הסכת ושמע ישראל הס ואחר כך כתת כדרבא דאמר רבא לעולם ילמוד אדם תורה ואחר כך יהגה,אמרי דבי ר' ינאי מאי דכתיב (משלי ל, לג) כי מיץ חלב יוציא חמאה ומיץ אף יוציא דם ומיץ אפים יוציא ריב,במי אתה מוצא חמאה של תורה במי שמקיא חלב שינק משדי אמו עליה,ומיץ אף יוציא דם כל תלמיד שכועס עליו רבו פעם ראשונה ושותק זוכה להבחין בין דם טמא לדם טהור,ומיץ אפים יוציא ריב כל תלמיד שכועס עליו רבו פעם ראשונה ושניה ושותק זוכה להבחין בין דיני ממונות לדיני נפשות דתנן ר' ישמעאל אומר הרוצה שיתחכם יעסוק בדיני ממונות שאין לך מקצוע בתורה יותר מהן שהן כמעין נובע,אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמני מאי דכתיב (משלי ל, לב) אם נבלת בהתנשא ואם זמות יד לפה כל המנבל עצמו על דברי תורה סופו להתנשא ואם זמם יד לפה:,פתח ר' נחמיה בכבוד אכסניא ודרש מאי דכתיב (שמואל א טו, ו) ויאמר שאול אל הקיני לכו סורו רדו מתוך עמלקי פן אוסיפך עמו ואתה עשיתה חסד עם כל בני ישראל והלא דברים קל וחומר ומה יתרו שלא קרב את משה אלא לכבוד עצמו כך המארח תלמיד חכם בתוך ביתו ומאכילו ומשקהו ומהנהו מנכסיו על אחת כמה וכמה:,פתח ר' יוסי בכבוד אכסניא ודרש (דברים כג, ח) לא תתעב אדומי כי אחיך הוא לא תתעב מצרי כי גר היית בארצו והלא דברים קל וחומר ומה מצריים שלא קרבו את ישראל אלא לצורך עצמן שנאמר (בראשית מז, ו) ואם ידעת ויש בם אנשי חיל ושמתם שרי מקנה על אשר לי כך המארח תלמיד חכם בתוך ביתו ומאכילו ומשקהו ומהנהו מנכסיו על אחת כמה וכמה:,פתח ר' אליעזר בנו של ר' יוסי הגלילי בכבוד אכסניא ודרש (שמואל ב ו, יא) ויברך ה' את עובד אדום (הגתי) בעבור ארון האלהים והלא דברים ק"ו ומה ארון שלא אכל ושתה אלא כבד ורבץ לפניו כך המארח תלמיד חכם בתוך ביתו ומאכילו ומשקהו ומהנהו מנכסיו עאכ"ו,מאי היא ברכה שברכו אמר רב יהודה בר זבידא זו חמות וח' כלותיה שילדו ששה ששה בכרס אחד | 63b. bAndin order to underscore this, btell our brethren in exile: If they obeythe Sages of Eretz Yisrael to excommunicate Ḥanina, bfine; and ifthey do bnotobey us, it is as if they are seceding from the Jewish people. bThey should climb a mountain; Aḥiya,one of the leaders of the Babylonian Jewish community, bwill build an altar, Ḥaya,son of Rabbi Yehoshua’s brother, who was a Levite, bwill play the lute, and all willproclaim bheresy and say that they have no portion in the God of Israel. /b,This message had a profound impact on the people, and bimmediately the entire nation burst into tears, saying: God forbid. We do have a portion in the God of Israel.They reconsidered their plans to establish Babylonia as the center of the Jewish people.,The Gemara asks: bWhydid the Sages of Eretz Yisrael go bto that extentto stop Ḥanina? The Gemara answers: bBecause it is stated: “For out of Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem”(Isaiah 2:3).,The Gemara considers the details of this event: bGranted,Ḥanina would rule an item bpure andthe Sages from Eretz Yisrael would rule it bimpure;they ruled bstringently. Butin a case where bheruled an item bimpure and theyruled it bpure, what arethe circumstances? How could they rule pure that which he ruled impure? bWas it not taughtin a ibaraita /i: bIf a Sageruled an item bimpure, his colleague is not permittedto rule it bpure;if he bprohibitedit, bhis colleague may not permitit? The Gemara explains: bThey heldthat they must do so in this case, bso that people would not be drawn after him;due to the exigencies of the time they overturned his rulings., bThe Sages taught: When our Rabbis,the Sages of the Mishna, bentered the vineyard,the academy, bin Yavne, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Neḥemya, and Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, were therepresiding over the Sages. bThey all beganto speak bin honor oftheir bhosts,the local population hosting them and their students as guests, band they taught. /b, bRabbi Yehuda, head of the speakers in every place, openedhis speech bin honor of Torah, and taught:It is stated: b“Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp,far off from the camp; and he called it the Tent of Meeting. And it came to pass, that every seeker of God went out unto the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp” (Exodus 33:7). He said: bIsn’t this an ia fortioriinference? Just as the Torah saysof bthe ark of God, which was only twelve imilfrom the camp: “Every seeker of God went out unto the Tent of Meeting”; all the more soshould bTorah scholars,who wander great distances and bgo from city to city and country to country to study Torah,be called seekers of God.,The Gemara continues: It is stated: b“And the Lord spoke unto Moses, face to face”(Exodus 33:11). bRabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Moses, you and I will show cheerful faces inthe study of ihalakha /ito those who come to study. bSome saythat bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, told Moses: Just as I showed you a cheerful face, so too you will show Israel a cheerful face and restore the tent to its placein the camp.,It is said: b“And he would return into the camp;but his minister, Joshua bin-Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent” (Exodus 33:11). bRabbi Abbahu said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, told Moses: Now,they will say: bThe Master,God, bis angry andthe bstudent,Moses, is also bangry, and what will happen to Israel?Rather, you must restore the tent to its place among the people. bIf you restore the tent to its place, fine; and if not, Joshua bin-Nun, your student,will bserveas Israel’s leader bin your place. /b, bAnd that is what is written: “And he would return into the camp;but his minister, Joshua bin-Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.” bRava said: Nevertheless,though Moses obeyed and restored the tent, bthe statementwritten with regard to the role of Joshua bwas not uttered for naught.Joshua bin-Nun remained as deputy to Moses, and ultimately served in his place, as it is stated: b“But his minister, Joshua bin-Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.” /b, bAnd Rabbi Yehuda again beganto speak bin honor of Torah and taught:When Moses took leave of Israel on his last day in this world, he said: b“Keep silence [ ihasket /i] and hear, Israel; this day you have become a peopleunto the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 27:9). This is surprising: bWas the Torah given to Israel on that day? Wasn’t that day at the end of forty yearssince the Torah was given? bRather,it comes bto teach that each and every day the Torah is as dear to those who study it, asit was bon the day it was given from Mount Sinai. /b, bRabbi Tanḥum, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, of the village of Akko, said: Knowthat the Torah is indeed beloved, bas one who recites iShema /i, morning and evening,for his entire life, and bdoes not recite it one evening, it is as if he never recited iShema /i.He cannot compensate for what he missed.,The Gemara interprets the word ihasket /iin this verse homiletically, as an acronym of the words ias /i, make, and ikat /i, group. bForm [ iasu /i] many groups [ ikitot /i] and study Torah, for the Torah is only acquiredthrough study bin a group.This is bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina; as Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “A sword is upon the boasters [ ihabaddim /i], and they shall become fools [ inoalu /i]”(Jeremiah 50:36)? This verse can be interpreted homiletically: bA sword upon the enemies of Torah scholars,a euphemism for the Torah scholars themselves, bwho sit alone [ ibad bevad /i] and study Torah. And furthermore,those who study alone bgrow foolish, as it is written here, inoalu /i, and elsewhere it is writtenthat after Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, Aaron told Moses: b“For that we have done foolishly [ inoalnu /i]”(Numbers 12:11). bAnd furthermore, they sindue to that ignorance, basat the end of that same verse bit is stated:“For that we have done foolishly, band for that we have sinned.” /b, bIf you wish, sayinstead that it is derived bfrom here: “The princes of Tzoan are become fools [ inoalu /i]”(Isaiah 19:13).,The Gemara offers ban alternativeexplanation of this verse: b“Keep silence [ ihasket /i] and hear, Israel”; break [ ikattetu /i] yourselves over words of the Torah.This is bin accordance withthe opinion of bReish Lakish, as Reish Lakish said: From whereis it derived bthat matters of Torah are only retained by one who kills himself over it? As it is stated: “This is the Torah: When one dies in a tent”(Numbers 19:14); true Torah study demands the total devotion of one who is willing to dedicate his life in the tent of Torah.,The Gemara offers yet another balternative explanationof this verse: b“Keep silence [ ihasket /i] and hear, Israel”;first bbe silent [ ihas /i]and listen and bthenstudy intensively in order to banalyze [ ikattet /i]and clarify the details. This is bin accordance withthe opinion of bRava, as Rava said: One must always study Torahand gain expertise in it, bandonly bthen analyzeand delve into it., bIn the school of Rabbi Yannai they said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “For the churning of milk brings forth curd, and the wringing of the nose [ iaf /i] brings forth blood, so the forcing of wrath [ iappayim /i] brings forth strife”(Proverbs 30:33)?,With regard to the beginning of the verse: For the churning of milk brings forth curd; bin whom do you find the cream of Torah? With one who spits out the milk that he nursed from his mother’s breasts over it;one who struggles with all his might to study Torah.,With regard to: bAnd the wringing of the nose brings forth blood, any student whose rabbi is angry [ iaf /i] with him the first time and he is silentand does not react, bwill meritto be able bto distinguish between blood that is ritually impure and blood that is ritually pure. /b,As for: bAnd the forcing of wrath [ iappayim /i] brings forth strife; any student whose rabbi is angry with him for the first and second times, iappayimbeing the plural of iaf /i, band he is silent, merits to distinguish between monetary cases,strife, band capital cases,as that is the highest level of learning. bAs we learnedin a mishna: bRabbi Yishmael says: One who seeks to become wise should engage in monetary laws, as there is no greater discipline in Torah, as they are like a flowing wellin which innovations constantly spring forth.,Similarly, bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have planned devices [ izamota /i], lay your hand over your mouth”(Proverbs 30:32)? bAnyone who abases himself over matters of Torah,asking questions despite the shame he feels for his ignorance, bwill ultimately be exalted. And if he muzzles [ izamam /i] himselfdue to embarrassment, he will end up with his bhand overhis bmouth,unable to answer.,The Gemara returns to the homilies offered by the Sages in the vineyard of Yavne. bRabbi Neḥemya beganto speak bin honor of the hosts and taught: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “And Saul said unto the Kenites: Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites lest I destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the Children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt”(I Samuel 15:6)? bIsn’t this an ia fortioriinference: Just as Jethro,the forbearer of the Kenite tribe, who bonly befriended Moses for his own honor,is treated bin this wayand rewarded that his merit would protect his descendants; ball the more soshould bone who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessions,be rewarded with that protection., bRabbi Yosei beganto speak bin honor of the hosts, and taught:It is said: b“You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land”(Deuteronomy 23:8). bIsn’t this an ia fortioriinference: Just as the Egyptians, who only befriended Israel,even when they hosted them, bfor their own benefit,as Pharaoh said to Joseph, bas it is stated: “And if you know any able men among them, then make them rulers over my cattle”(Genesis 47:6), are treated bthis way, all the more soshould bone who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessionswithout concern for personal gain, be treated this way., bRabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, beganto speak bin honor of the hosts, and taught:It is stated: b“The Lord has blessed the house of Oved-edom…because of the ark of God”(II Samuel 6:12). bIsn’t this an ia fortioriinference: Just as in reward for honoring the ark, which neither ate nor drank, but before whichOved-edom simply bswept and sprinkledwater to settle the dust, he was treated bthis wayand merited a blessing, ball the more soshould bone who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessionswithout concern for his personal gain, be rewarded with such a blessing.,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthat bblessing with whichOved-edom bwas blessed? Rav Yehuda bar Zevida said: This is Ḥamot and her eight daughters-in-law, each of whom bore six in a single womb, /b |
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24. Babylonian Talmud, Ketuvot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 103b. והושיבו ישיבה לאחר שלשים יום שמעון בני חכם גמליאל בני נשיא חנינא בר חמא ישב בראש:,אל תספדוני בעיירות: סבור מינה משום טרחא הוא דקאמר כיון דחזי דקספדי בכרכים וקאתו כולי עלמא אמרו שמע מינה משום יקרא הוא דקאמר,הושיבו ישיבה לאחר שלשים יום דלא עדיפנא ממשה רבינו דכתיב (דברים לד, ח) ויבכו בני ישראל את משה בערבות מואב שלשים יום תלתין יומין ספדין ביממא וליליא מכאן ואילך ספדו ביממא וגרסי בליליא או ספדו בליליא וגרסי ביממא עד דספדי תריסר ירחי שתא,ההוא יומא דאשכבתיה דרבי נפקא בת קלא ואמרה כל דהוה באשכבתיה דרבי מזומן הוא לחיי העוה"ב ההוא כובס כל יומא הוה אתי קמיה ההוא יומא לא אתא כיון דשמע הכי סליק לאיגרא ונפל לארעא ומית יצתה בת קול ואמרה אף ההוא כובס מזומן הוא לחיי העולם הבא:,שמעון בני חכם: מאי קאמר הכי קאמר אע"פ ששמעון בני חכם גמליאל בני נשיא,אמר לוי צריכא למימר אמר רבי שמעון בר רבי צריכא לך ולמטלעתך מאי קשיא ליה הא קרא קאמר (דברי הימים ב כא, ג) ואת הממלכה נתן ליהורם כי הוא הבכור,ההוא ממלא מקום אבותיו הוה ורבן גמליאל אינו ממלא מקום אבותיו הוה,ורבי מאי טעמא עבד הכי נהי דאינו ממלא מקום אבותיו בחכמה ביראת חטא ממלא מקום אבותיו הוה:,חנינא בר חמא ישב בראש לא קיבל רבי חנינא שהיה ר' אפס גדול ממנו שתי שנים ומחצה יתיב רבי אפס ברישא ויתיב רבי חנינא אבראי ואתא לוי ויתיב גביה,נח נפשיה דרבי אפס ויתיב רבי חנינא ברישא ולא הוה ליה ללוי איניש למיתב גביה וקאתא לבבל והיינו דאמרי ליה לרב גברא רבה אקלע לנהרדעא ומטלע ודריש כלילא שרי אמר שמע מינה נח נפשיה דרבי אפס ויתיב רבי חנינא ברישא ולא הוה ליה ללוי איניש למיתב גביה וקאתא,ואימא רבי חנינא נח נפשיה ור' אפס כדיתיב יתיב ולא הוה ליה ללוי איניש למיתב גביה וקאתא איבעית אימא לוי לר' אפס מיכף הוה כייף ליה,ואי בעית אימא כיון דאמר ר' חנינא בר חמא ישב בראש לא סגי דלא מליך דכתיב בהו בצדיקים (איוב כב, כח) ותגזר אומר ויקם לך,והא הוה ר' חייא נח נפשיה והאמר ר' חייא אני ראיתי קברו של רבי והורדתי עליו דמעות איפוך,והאמר רבי חייא אותו היום שמת רבי בטלה קדושה איפוך,והתניא כשחלה רבי נכנס ר' חייא אצלו ומצאו שהוא בוכה אמר לו רבי מפני מה אתה בוכה והתניא מת מתוך השחוק סימן יפה לו מתוך הבכי סימן רע לו פניו למעלה סימן יפה לו פניו למטה סימן רע לו פניו כלפי העם סימן יפה לו כלפי הכותל סימן רע לו פניו ירוקין סימן רע לו פניו צהובין ואדומים סימן יפה לו מת בע"ש סימן יפה לו במו"ש סימן רע לו מת בערב יוהכ"פ סימן רע לו במוצאי יוהכ"פ סימן יפה לו מת מחולי מעיים סימן יפה לו מפני שרובם של צדיקים מיתתן בחולי מעיים,א"ל אנא אתורה ומצות קא בכינא,איבעית אימא איפוך ואיבעית אימא לעולם לא תיפוך ר' חייא עסוק במצות הוה ורבי סבר לא אפגריה,והיינו דכי הוו מינצו ר' חנינא ור' חייא א"ל ר' חנינא לר' חייא בהדי דידי מינצת דאם חס ושלום נשתכחה תורה מישראל מהדרנא ליה מפלפולי,א"ל ר' חייא אנא עבדי דלא משתכחה תורה מישראל דאייתינא כיתנא ושדיינא ומגדלנא נישבי וציידנא טביא ומאכילנא בישרא ליתמי ואריכנא מגילתא ממשכי דטביא וסליקנא למתא דלית בה מקרי דרדקי וכתיבנא חמשא חומשי לחמשא ינוקי ומתנינא שיתא סידרי לשיתא ינוקי לכל חד וחד אמרי ליה אתני סידרך לחברך,והיינו דאמר רבי כמה גדולים מעשה חייא א"ל ר"ש ב"ר אפילו ממך א"ל אין א"ל רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי אפילו מאבא א"ל חס ושלום לא תהא כזאת בישראל,אמר להן לבני קטן אני צריך נכנס ר' שמעון אצלו מסר לו סדרי חכמה,אמר להן לבני גדול אני צריך נכנס רבן גמליאל אצלו ומסר לו סדרי נשיאות אמר לו בני נהוג נשיאותך ברמים זרוק מרה בתלמידים,איני והא כתיב (תהלים טו, ד) ואת יראי ה' יכבד ואמר מר זה יהושפט מלך יהודה כשהיה רואה תלמיד חכם היה עומד מכסאו ומחבקו ומנשקו וקורא לו רבי רבי מרי מרי,לא קשיא הא בצינעא הא בפרהסיא,תניא רבי מוטל בציפורי ומקום מוכן לו בבית שערים והתניא (דברים טז, כ) צדק צדק תרדף הלך אחר ר' לבית שערים,ר' בבית שערים הוה אלא כיון דחלש אמטיוהי לציפורי | 103b. band reconvene thestudy sessions at the byeshiva after thirty daysof mourning. bMy son Shimon is a Sage. My son Gamlielshould be the iNasi /i. Ḥanina bar Ḥama will sit at the headof the yeshiva.,The Gemara explains the requests of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: bDo not eulogize me in thesmall btowns.They bunderstood fromthis statement bthat he said this due to the troublethat would be caused for many if he were eulogized in every town, since they would have to travel from the outlying villages to take part in the eulogies. However, bwhen they saw that they were eulogizing him in the cities and everyone camedespite the trouble, bthey said: Conclude from here that he said this due toconsiderations of bhonor.Had they eulogized him in the towns, the gatherings would have been small and unfitting for a man of his stature. He therefore requested that they arrange things in a way that large crowds would gather.,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi further instructed: bReconvene thestudy sessions at the byeshiva after thirty daysof mourning. This is bbecause I am not better than Moses, our teacher, as it is written: “And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days”(Deuteronomy 34:8), which means that for bthirty days they eulogizedhim bby day and night. From thispoint bforward they eulogizedhim bby day and they studied by night, or they eulogizedhim bby night and studied by day, until they eulogizedhim bfor twelve monthsof bthe year. /b,The Gemara relates that bon the day of the funeralof bRabbiYehuda HaNasi, ba Divine Voice emerged and said: Whoever waspresent bat the funeral of RabbiYehuda HaNasi bis destined for lifein bthe World-to-Come.There was ba certain laundererwho bwould come beforeRabbi Yehuda HaNasi bevery day. On thatparticular bday, he did not comeand was therefore not present at the funeral. bWhen he heard this,that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had died, he was so full of grief that bhe ascended to the roof and fell to the ground and died. A Divine Voice emerged and said: That launderer too is destined for lifein bthe World-to-Come. /b,§ Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: bMy son Shimon is a Sage;my son Gamliel should be the iNasi /i. bWhatwas bhe saying,i.e., what did he mean by these remarks? The Gemara explains: bThis is what hewas bsaying: Although my son Shimon is agreater bSage, my son Gamlielshould be the iNasi /i. /b, bLevi said: Need this be said?After all, Gamliel was the firstborn. bRabbi Shimon, son of RabbiYehuda HaNasi, bsaid:It is bnecessary for you and for your limp.The Gemara asks: bWhat didRabbi Shimon find bdifficultwith Levi’s question that caused him to scoff? bDoesn’t the verse state: “But the kingdom he gave to Jehoram because he was the firstborn”(II Chronicles 21:3)? This indicates that the firstborn is the one who inherits his father’s appointment, and so Levi legitimately asked why Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had to leave specific instructions about this.,The Gemara explains: bHe,Jehoram, bfilled the place of his fathers,i.e., he was their equal in his personal attributes and leadership capabilities. However, bRabban Gamliel did not fill the place of his fathers,and for this reason Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had to specifically command that he nevertheless be appointed as the iNasi /i.,The Gemara asks: bAndif that is so, bwhat is the reasonthat bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bdid this?Why did he choose this son to be his successor if he was unfit for the position? The Gemara answers: bAlthough he did not fill the place of his fathers with regard to wisdom,as he was not as great a Torah scholar as his father, bhe did fill the place of his fathers with regard to fear of sinand was therefore fit to be appointed as the iNasi /i.,§ Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi instructed: bḤanina bar Ḥama will sit at the headof the yeshiva. The Gemara relates: bRabbi Ḥanina did not acceptthis appointment, bbecause Rabbi Afes was older than himby btwo and a half yearsand he did not want to precede him in accepting this position. Consequently, bRabbi Afes sat at the headof the yeshiva, band Rabbi Ḥanina sat outside,as it was unbefitting for him to sit as a student before Rabbi Afes. bAnd Levi came and satand studied bwith himoutside., bRabbi Afes died, and Rabbi Ḥanina,taking his place, bsat at the headof the yeshiva. bAnd Levi did not have anyone to sitand study bwith, andso bhe came to Babylonia. And this isthe background to the incident in which bthey said to Rav: A great man came to Neharde’a, and he limps, and he taught:It bis permittedfor a woman who is wearing a ikelila /i,a tiara-like ornament, to go out into the public domain on Shabbat. Rav then bsaid: Conclude from thisthat bRabbi Afes died and Rabbi Ḥanina,taking his place, bsat at the headof the yeshiva, band Levi did not have anyone to sitand study bwith, andso bhe cameto Babylonia.,The Gemara asks: How did Rav know that it was Rabbi Afes who died? bSaythat bRabbi Ḥaninawas the one who bdied,and bRabbi Afes sat as he had sat,i.e., he continued to sit at the head of the yeshiva, band Levi did not have anyone to sit with, andso bhe cameto Babylonia. The Gemara answers: bIf you wish, saythat bLevi was subordinate to Rabbi Afesand would have sat before him as a student had Rabbi Afes still been alive, and the only reason why he sat outside in the first place was in deference to Rabbi Ḥanina, who sat outside because he did not consider himself subordinate to Rabbi Afes., bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that bsince RabbiYehuda HaNasi had bsaid: Ḥanina bar Ḥama will sit at the headof the yeshiva, bit is not possible that he will notone day brulethe yeshiva. Therefore, it must have been Rabbi Afes who died and Rabbi Ḥanina who took his place, bas it is written about the righteous: “You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you”(Job 22:28).,The Gemara asks: bBut wasn’t Rabbi Ḥiyyathere? Why didn’t Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi appoint him as head of the yeshiva? The Gemara answers: bHe diedbefore Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. The Gemara asks: bBut didn’t Rabbi Ḥiyya say: I saw the grave site of RabbiYehuda HaNasi band I shed tears over it?The Gemara answers: bReversethe names. It was Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi who said that he saw the grave site of Rabbi Ḥiyya.,The Gemara asks: bBut didn’t Rabbi Ḥiyya say:On bthat day that RabbiYehuda HaNasi bdied, sanctity ceased?The Gemara answers: bReversethe names. It was Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi who made this statement about Rabbi Ḥiyya.,The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bWhen RabbiYehuda HaNasi bfell ill, Rabbi Ḥiyya enteredto be bwith him and found him crying. He said to him: My teacher, for whatreason bare you crying? Isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: brIf one bdies while laughing, it is a good sign for him; while crying, it is a bad sign for him. brIf one dies with bhis face upward, it is a good sign for him;with bhis face downward, it is a bad sign for him. brIf one dies with bhis face facing the peoplestanding around him, bit is a good sign for him;with bhis face facing the wall, it is a bad sign for him. brIf one’s bfaceis bsallow, it is a bad sign for him;if bhis faceis byellow or ruddy, it is a good sign for him. brIf one bdies on the Shabbat eve it is a good sign for him,because he is heading straight into the Shabbat rest; if one dies bat the conclusion of Shabbat it is a bad sign for him. brIf one bdies on the eve of Yom Kippur, it is a bad sign for him,as his sins have not yet been forgiven; if one dies at bthe conclusion of Yom Kippur it is a good sign for him,because he died after his sins have been forgiven. brIf one bdies due to an intestinal disease, it is a good sign for him, because most of the righteous die due to intestinal disease. /b,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to him: I am crying for the Torah and the mitzvotthat I will be unable to fulfill after I die. This indicates that Rabbi Ḥiyya was present at the time of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s death.,The Gemara answers: bIf you wish, saythat one must breversethe names and that it was Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi who came to visit Rabbi Ḥiyya prior to his death. bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that bactuallywe bdo notneed to breversethe names in all of the above statements, but rather explain that bRabbi Ḥiyya was occupied withthe performance of bmitzvot and RabbiYehuda HaNasi bthought: I will not hold him backfrom his performance of mitzvot by appointing him head of the yeshiva., bAnd this isthe background to an exchange that took place bwhen Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Ḥiyya argued. Rabbi Ḥanina said to Rabbi Ḥiyya: You are arguing with me? If, Heaven forfend, the Torah would be forgotten from the Jewish people, I would restore it through my analyses,i.e., using my abilities of analysis I would be able to rediscover all that had been lost., bRabbi Ḥiyya saidto Rabbi Ḥanina: bI am workingto ensure bthat the Torah will not be forgotten from the Jewish people. For I bring flax and I plant it, and Ithen bweave netsfrom the flax fibers. bIthen go out and btrap deer, and I feedthe bmeat to orphans, and I form scrolls from the skins of the deer. And I go to a town that has no teachers of children in it and I write the five booksof the Torah bfor five children. And I teach the six ordersof the Mishna bto six children. To each and every oneof these children bI say: Teach your order to your friends.In this way all of the children will learn the whole of the Torah and the Mishna., bAnd this iswhat bRabbiYehuda HaNasi referred to when he bsaid: How great are the actions of Ḥiyya. Rabbi Shimon, son of RabbiYehuda HaNasi, bsaid tohis father: bEvengreater bthan yourworks? bHe said to him: Yes. Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, said toRabbi Yehuda HaNasi: bEvengreater bthanthe work of Rabbi Yosei, my bfather?Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to him: Heaven forfend. Suchcomments bshould not bemade bamong the Jewish people. /b,§ The Gemara returns to the narrative of the impending death of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: bHe said to them: I need my younger son. Rabbi Shimon entered hispresence. bHe transmitted to him the orders of wisdom,including how he should conduct himself and the essential principles of the Torah., bHe said to them: I need my older son. Rabban Gamliel entered hispresence, bandRabbi Yehuda HaNasi btransmitted to him the proceduresof the office bof the iNasi /i.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid toRabban Gamliel: bMy son, conduct yourterm as iNasiwith assertivenessand bcast fear uponyour bstudents,i.e., treat them in a firm manner so that they will fear you.,The Gemara asks: bIs that sothat it is correct to behave in such a manner? bBut isn’t it written: “But he honors those that fear the Lord”(Psalms 15:4), band the Master said: Thisis referring to bJehoshaphat, king of Judea. When he would see a Torah scholar he would rise from his throne and hug him and kiss him and call to him: My teacher, my teacher, my master, my master.This demonstrates that it is appropriate even for a king to behave with affection toward Torah scholars.,The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thisdisplay of affection should be applied bin private,when only the teacher and student are present, and bthatstern demeanor should be applied bin public,in order to ensure the teacher’s authority., bIt is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi was blyingill in bTzippori and aburial bsite was ready for him in Beit She’arim.The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“Justice, justice shall you follow”(Deuteronomy 16:20); bfollow RabbiYehuda HaNasi bto Beit She’arim,i.e., one should seek to have his case adjudicated by Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s court in Beit She’arim. This indicates that Beit She’arim, not Tzippori, was Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s place of residence, and therefore he must have been lying ill in Beit She’arim.,The Gemara answers: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bwas in Beit She’arim, but when he became ill they transferred him to Tzippori, /b |
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25. Babylonian Talmud, Makkot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 10a. דכתיב (הושע ו, ח) גלעד קרית פועלי און עקובה מדם מאי עקובה מדם א"ר אלעזר שהיו עוקבין להרוג נפשות,ומאי שנא מהאי גיסא ומהאי גיסא דמרחקי ומאי שנא מציעאי דמקרבי,אמר אביי בשכם נמי שכיחי רוצחים דכתיב (הושע ו, ט) וכחכי איש גדודים חבר כהנים דרך ירצחו שכמה וגו' מאי חבר כהנים א"ר אלעזר שהיו מתחברין להרוג נפשות ככהנים הללו שמתחברין לחלוק תרומות בבית הגרנות,ותו ליכא והא כתיב (במדבר לה, ו) ועליהם תתנו ארבעים ושתים עיר אמר אביי הללו קולטות בין לדעת בין שלא לדעת הללו לדעת קולטות שלא לדעת אינן קולטות,וחברון עיר מקלט הוא והכתיב (שופטים א, כ) ויתנו לכלב את חברון כאשר דבר משה אמר אביי פרוודהא דכתיב (יהושע כא, יב) ואת שדה העיר ואת חצריה נתנו לכלב בן יפנה,וקדש עיר מקלט הואי והכתיב (יהושע יט, לה) וערי מבצר הצדים צר וחמת רקת וכנרת [וגו'] וקדש ואדרעי ועין חצור ותניא ערים הללו אין עושין אותן לא טירין קטנים ולא כרכים גדולים אלא עיירות בינוניות אמר רב יוסף תרתי קדש הואי אמר רב אשי כגון סליקום ואקרא דסליקום,גופא ערים הללו אין עושין אותן לא טירין קטנים ולא כרכין גדולים אלא עיירות בינוניות ואין מושיבין אותן אלא במקום מים ואם אין שם מים מביאין להם מים ואין מושיבין אותן אלא במקום שווקים ואין מושיבין אותן אלא במקום אוכלוסין נתמעטו אוכלוסיהן מוסיפין עליהן נתמעטו דיוריהן מביאין להם כהנים לוים וישראלים,ואין מוכרין בהן לא כלי זיין ולא כלי מצודה דברי רבי נחמיה וחכמים מתירין ושוין שאין פורסין בתוכן מצודות ואין מפשילין לתוכן חבלים כדי שלא תהא רגל גואל הדם מצויה שם,א"ר יצחק מאי קרא (דברים ד, מב) ונס אל אחת מן הערים האל וחי עביד ליה מידי דתהוי ליה חיותא,תנא תלמיד שגלה מגלין רבו עמו שנאמר וחי עביד ליה מידי דתהוי ליה חיותא אמר ר' זעירא מכאן שלא ישנה אדם לתלמיד שאינו הגון,א"ר יוחנן הרב שגלה מגלין ישיבתו עמו איני והא א"ר יוחנן מנין לדברי תורה שהן קולטין שנאמר (דברים ד, מג) את בצר במדבר וגו' [וכתיב בתריה] (דברים ד, מד) וזאת התורה,לא קשיא הא בעידנא דעסיק בה הא בעידנא דלא עסיק בה,ואי בעית אימא מאי קולטין ממלאך המות כי הא דרב חסדא הוה יתיב וגריס בבי רב ולא הוה קא יכול שליחא [דמלאכא דמותא] למיקרב לגביה דלא הוה שתיק פומיה מגירסא סליק ויתיב אארזא דבי רב פקע ארזא ושתיק ויכיל ליה,א"ר תנחום בר חנילאי מפני מה זכה ראובן לימנות בהצלה תחלה מפני שהוא פתח בהצלה תחלה שנאמר (בראשית לז, כא) וישמע ראובן ויצילהו מידם,דרש רבי שמלאי מאי דכתיב (דברים ד, מא) אז יבדיל משה שלש ערים בעבר הירדן מזרחה [שמש] אמר לו הקב"ה למשה הזרח שמש לרוצחים איכא דאמרי א"ל הזרחת שמש לרוצחים,דרש רבי סימאי מאי דכתיב (קהלת ה, ט) אוהב כסף לא ישבע כסף ומי אוהב בהמון לא תבואה אוהב כסף לא ישבע כסף זה משה רבינו שהיה יודע שאין שלש ערים שבעבר הירדן קולטות עד שלא נבחרו שלש בארץ כנען ואמר מצוה שבאה לידי אקיימנה,ומי אוהב בהמון לא תבואה למי נאה ללמד בהמון מי שכל תבואה שלו והיינו דא"ר אלעזר מאי דכתיב (תהלים קו, ב) מי ימלל גבורות ה' ישמיע כל תהלתו למי נאה (ללמד) [למלל] גבורות ה' מי שיכול להשמיע כל תהלתו,ורבנן ואיתימא רבה בר מרי אמר מי אוהב בהמון לו תבואה כל האוהב (למלמד) בהמון לו תבואה יהבו ביה רבנן עינייהו ברבא בריה דרבה,(סימן אשי ללמוד רבינא ללמד),רב אשי אמר כל האוהב ללמוד בהמון לו תבואה והיינו דא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא מאי דכתיב (ירמיהו נ, לו) חרב אל הבדים ונואלו חרב על צוארי שונאיהם של ת"ח שיושבין ועוסקין בתורה בד בבד ולא עוד אלא שמטפשין כתיב הכא ונואלו וכתיב התם (במדבר יב, יא) אשר נואלנו ולא עוד אלא שחוטאין שנאמר ואשר חטאנו ואיבעית אימא מהכא (ישעיהו יט, יג) נואלו שרי צוען,רבינא אמר כל האוהב ללמד בהמון לו תבואה והיינו דאמר רבי הרבה תורה למדתי מרבותי ומחבירי יותר מהם ומתלמידי יותר מכולן,א"ר יהושע בן לוי מאי דכתיב (תהלים קכב, ב) עומדות היו רגלינו בשעריך ירושלם מי גרם לרגלינו שיעמדו במלחמה שערי ירושלם שהיו עוסקים בתורה,וא"ר יהושע בן לוי מאי דכתיב (תהלים קכב, א) שיר המעלות לדוד שמחתי באומרים לי בית ה' נלך אמר דוד לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא רבש"ע שמעתי בני אדם שהיו אומרים מתי ימות זקן זה ויבא שלמה בנו ויבנה בית הבחירה ונעלה לרגל ושמחתי אמר לו הקב"ה (תהלים פד, יא) כי טוב יום בחצריך מאלף טוב לי יום אחד שאתה עוסק בתורה לפני מאלף עולות שעתיד שלמה בנך להקריב לפני על גבי המזבח:,ומכוונות להם דרכים וכו': תניא ר' אליעזר בן יעקב אומר | 10a. Therefore, a greater number of cities of refuge per capita were required there, bas it is written: “Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is covered [ iakuba /i] with blood”(Hosea 6:8). bWhatis the meaning of: bCovered [ iakuba /i] with blood? Rabbi Elazar says:It means bthat they would set an ambush [ iokevin /i] to kill people. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd what is differentabout the cities of refuge closest to the border on bthissouthern bsideof the country band fromthe border on bthatnorthern bsideof the country, bthat are distancedone-quarter of the length of Eretz Yisrael from the border, band what is differentabout the city of refuge in the bmiddleof the country, bwhich isrelatively bcloseto any potential murderers? The maximum distance that one would need to travel to reach the middle city is one-half the distance from the northern and southern borders to their respective cities of refuge., bAbaye said: Murderers are also common in Shechem, as it is written: “And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so does the band of priests; they murder in the way toward Shechem,yes, they commit enormity” (Hosea 6:9). bWhatis the meaning of b“the band of priests”? Rabbi Elazar says:It means bthatthe people bwould band together to kill people, like those priests who band together to distribute iteruma /iamong themselves bin the granaries. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd are there no morecities of refuge beyond these six? bBut isn’t it written:“And the cities that you shall give to the Levites: The six cities of refuge you shall give for the murderer to flee there, band beyond them you shall give forty-two cities”(Numbers 35:6), indicating that the status of all the Levite cities is that of cities of refuge? bAbaye said:With regard to bthesesix cities designated specifically for this purpose, unintentional murderers in need of refuge are badmittedthere bwhetherthey entered the cities bdeliberately,aware that they are cities of refuge, or bwhetherthey entered binadvertently.By contrast, with regard to bthoseforty-two Levite cities, unintentional murderers are badmittedonly if they entered the cities bdeliberately,but if they entered the cities binadvertently,they are bnot admittedto the cities.,The Gemara asks: bAnd is Hebron a city of refuge? But isn’t it written: “And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken”(Judges 1:20)? This indicates that Hebron belonged to Caleb from the tribe of Judah, and it was not a Levite city. bAbaye said: Its suburbs [ iparvadaha /i]were given to Caleb; the city itself was a city of priests, bas it is writtenin the context of the distribution of the Levite cities: “And they gave them Kiryat Arba…which is Hebron… band the field of the city and its courtyards they gave to Caleb, son of Jephunneh”(Joshua 21:11–12).,The Gemara further asks: bAnd is Kadesh a city of refuge? But isn’t it written: “And the fortified cities were Ziddim Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth…and Kedesh and Edrei and En Hazor”(Joshua 19:35–37), band it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: With regard to bthese citiesof refuge, bone does not establish themin bsmall settlements [ itirin /i] orin blarge cities; rather,one establishes them in bintermediate /b-sized btowns?Apparently, Kadesh was a large, fortified city. bRav Yosef said: There were twocities named bKedesh,and the one listed among the fortified cities in the book of Joshua is not the one that was a city of refuge. bRav Ashi said:The listing of Kadesh among the fortified cities is not difficult, as it is bsimilar tothe two adjacent yet separate cities of bSelikum and the fortification [ ive’akra /i] of Selikum.Likewise, there was the fortified city of Kadesh, mentioned in Joshua, and the city itself, which was an intermediate city that served as city of refuge.,§ The Gemara discusses bthematter bitself,and it cites the complete ibaraita /i: With regard to bthese citiesof refuge, bone does not establish themin bsmall settlements orin blarge cities; rather,one establishes them in bintermediate- /bsized btowns. And one establishes them only in a placewhere bwateris available, band if there is no wateravailable bthere,as there is no spring accessible from the city, bone brings them waterby digging a canal. bAnd one establishes them only in a placewhere there are bmarkets, and one establishes them only in a populated place,where there are many people who regularly frequent the town. If the bpopulationof the surrounding areas bdiminishes, one adds to it.If the number of bresidentsin the city of refuge itself bdiminishes, one bringsnew residents to the city, among them bpriests, Levites, and Israelites. /b,The ibaraitacontinues: bAnd one may not sell weapons or hunting toolsin the cities of refuge, to prevent the blood redeemer from gaining access to means that he could exploit to kill the unintentional murderer who fled to the city of refuge; this is bthe statement of Rabbi Neḥemya. And the Rabbis permitselling weapons and hunting tools. bAndRabbi Neḥemya and the Rabbis bagree that one may not spread nets inthe cities of refuge, bnor may they braid [ imafshilin /i] ropes inthose cities, bso that the foot of the blood redeemer will not be found there.If the blood redeemer were to enter the city of refuge to purchase nets or ropes, he is apt to encounter the murderer and kill him., bRabbi Yitzḥak says: What is the versefrom which these matters are derived? It is written: b“And he shall flee to one of these cities and live”(Deuteronomy 4:42), meaning: bPerform someactions bforthe unintentional murderer so bthatlife in the city of refuge bwill beconducive to bliving for him.All these steps are taken to facilitate that objective.,The Sages btaught:In the case of ba student who was exiled, his teacher is exiledto the city of refuge bwith him,so that the student can continue studying Torah with him there, bas it is stated:“And he shall flee to one of these cities band live,”from which it is derived: bPerform someactions bforthe unintentional murderer so bthatlife in the city bwill beconducive to bliving for him.Since Torah study is an integral component of his life, arrangements must be made to ensure continuity in that facet of his existence. bRabbi Zeira says: From hereone learns bthat a person should not teach a student who is not fit,as that may result in the teacher following the student into exile., bRabbi Yoḥa says:In the case of ba teacherof Torah bwho was exiled, his school is exiled with him.The Gemara asks: bIs that sothat a teacher of Torah is exiled? bBut doesn’t Rabbi Yoḥahimself bsay: From whereis it derived bthat matters of Torah provide refuge,i.e., that the blood redeemer may not harm one who is engaged in Torah? It is derived from a verse, bas it is stated: “Bezer in the wilderness,in the flatlands, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites” (Deuteronomy 4:43), in the list of cities of refuge designated by Moses, band it is written thereafter: “And this is the Torah”(Deuteronomy 4:44). Based on that juxtaposition it is derived that the status of Torah is like that of a city of refuge.,The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult,as bthisstatement of Rabbi Yoḥa, that the status of Torah is like that of a city of refuge, is referring to Torah bat the time that one is engaged in itsstudy, and bthatstatement of Rabbi Yoḥa, that the teacher of Torah must take his school to the city of refuge, is referring to the teacher of Torah bat the time that he is not engaged in itsstudy. His mere presence in a city of refuge provides him with continuous protection., bAnd if you wish, say: Whatis the meaning of Rabbi Yoḥa’s statement that matters of Torah bprovide refuge?It means protection, but not for an unintentional murderer from the blood redeemer; rather, it means protection bfrom the Angel of Death.This is basit was in bthisincident bwhere Rav Ḥisda was sitting and studying in the study hall of Rav and the agent of the Angel of Death was unable to approach himand take his life bbecause his mouth was not silent from his studyfor even a moment. The agent bascended and sat on the cedartree bof the study hall of Rav. The cedartree bbroke and Rav Ḥisda wasmomentarily bsilent,startled by the sudden noise, bandthe agent of the Angel of Death bovercame him.Apparently, matters of Torah provide protection from the Angel of Death only when one is actively engaged in their study.,§ bRabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai says: For whatreason bwas Reuben privileged to be enumerated first in the rescue,as the first city of refuge listed is Bezer (see Deuteronomy 4:43), which is located in the tribal portion of Reuben? It is bdue tothe fact bthat he began the rescueof Joseph bfirst, as it is stated: “And Reuben heard and delivered him from their hands”(Genesis 37:21)., bRabbi Simlai taught: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “Then Moses separated three cities beyond the Jordan, to the east of the sun [ imizreḥa shamesh /i]”(Deuteronomy 4:41)? bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Shine the sun [ ihazraḥ shemesh /i] for murderers,i.e., provide them with the hope of rescue. bSome saythat God bsaid toMoses: In designating these cities of refuge byou have shined the sun for murderers. /b,On a related note, bRabbi Simai taught: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance with increase”(Ecclesiastes 5:9)? b“He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver”; thisis a reference to bMoses our teacher,whose love of mitzvot was so great bthatalthough bhe knew thatan unintentional murderer bwould not be admitted to the three citiesof refuge bthat were inthe east bbank of the Jordan untilthe bthreecities of refuge bthatwere bin the land of Canaan were selected, andthat his designation of cities of refuge would have no practical ramifications in his lifetime, bhenevertheless bsaid:When there is ba mitzva that has come my way, I will fulfill it. /b,The next phrase in that verse: b“Nor he who loves abundance with increase,”is also interpreted as referring to Torah: bFor whom is it fitting to teach an abundanceof people? bOnefor bwhom allits bincrease belongs to him,i.e., one who knows all the content of the Torah is worthy of teaching it in public. bAnd that isidentical to that bwhich Rabbi Elazar says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “Who can express the mighty acts of God, or make all His praise heard”(Psalms 106:2)? bFor whom is it fitting to express the mighty acts of God?It is bone who can make all His praise heard.One who knows only part of it is unfit to teach the multitudes., bAnd the Rabbissay, band some say Rabba bar Mari says,that the passage b“nor he who loves abundance with increase”means bwhoever lovesa Torah scholar bwho teaches inthe presence of ban abundanceof people, bto him shall be increase,i.e., sons who are Torah scholars. The Gemara relates: When they heard that interpretation, bthe Sages cast their eyes upon Rava, son of Rabba,who loved Torah scholars who disseminate Torah, and he was blessed with sons who were Torah scholars.,The Gemara provides ba mnemonicfor the ensuing interpretations of the second part of the verse cited earlier (Ecclesiastes 5:9): bAshi to study, Ravina to teach. /b, bRav Ashi says: Anyone who loves to study in abundance,i.e., with many colleagues, bto him shall be increase,i.e., he will succeed in his studies. bAnd that isparallel to that bwhich Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “A sword is upon the ibaddim /i, iveno’alu /i”(Jeremiah 50:36)? It is fitting that ba swordbe placed bon the necks of the enemies of Torah scholars,a euphemism for Torah scholars, bwho sit and engage inthe study of bthe Torah individually [ ibad bevad /i]. Moreover, they grow foolishthrough individual study, as bit is written here: iVeno’alu /i, and it is written there: “For we have been foolish [ ino’alnu /i]”(Numbers 12:11). bMoreover, theythereby bsin, as it is statedimmediately thereafter: b“And for we have sinned.” And if you wish, saythat bfrom hereit is derived that ino’alumeans sinned: b“The ministers of Zoan have sinned [ ino’alu /i]”(Isaiah 19:13)., bRavina saysthat there is a different interpretation of the verse cited earlier (Ecclesiastes 5:9): bAnyone who loves to teach in abundance,before the multitudes, bto him shall be increase,as his Torah knowledge is enhanced through those lectures. bAnd that isthe parallel to that bwhich RabbiYehuda HaNasi bsays: Much Torah have I studied from my teachers, andI have learned bmore from my colleaguesthan bfrom them, andI have learned bmore from my studentsthan bfrom all of them. /b,Apropos the virtue of Torah study, bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “Our feet were standing in your gates, Jerusalem”(Psalms 122:2)? bWhat caused our feet to withstandthe enemies bin war?It is bthe gates of Jerusalem, where they were engaged in Torahstudy. He interprets the term “in your gates” to mean: Because of your gates, the place of justice and Torah., bAnd Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “A song of the ascents to David: I rejoiced when they said to me, let us go to the house of God”(Psalms 122:1)? bDavid said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, I heard people who were sayingin reference to me: bWhen will this old man die, and Solomon his son will comeand succeed him band build the Temple and we will ascendthere bfor the pilgrimage Festival?It was common knowledge that the Temple would be constructed by David’s successor. David continued: bAnddespite my pain that I am not privileged to build the Temple, bI rejoiced. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: “For better is one day in your courtyard than one thousand”(Psalms 84:11), meaning, bI prefer one dayduring bwhich you engage inthe study of bTorah before Me thanthe bone thousand burnt-offerings that your son Solomon is destined to sacrifice before Me upon the altar(see I Kings 3:4).,§ The mishna teaches: bAnd roads were aligned for themfrom this city to that city. bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: /b |
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26. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 33b. על המעשר ר' אלעזר בר' יוסי אומר על לשון הרע אמר רבא ואיתימא ריב"ל מאי קראה (תהלים סג, יב) והמלך ישמח באלהים יתהלל כל הנשבע בו כי יסכר פי דוברי שקר,איבעיא להו רבי אלעזר ברבי יוסי על לשון הרע קאמר או דילמא אף על לשון הרע נמי קאמר ת"ש כשנכנסו רבותינו לכרם ביבנה היה שם רבי יהודה ור' אלעזר בר' יוסי ור"ש נשאלה שאלה זו בפניהם מכה זו מפני מה מתחלת בבני מעיים וגומרת בפה נענה רבי יהודה ברבי אלעאי ראש המדברים בכל מקום ואמר אע"פ שכליות יועצות ולב מבין ולשון מחתך פה גומר נענה רבי אלעזר ברבי יוסי ואמר מפני שאוכלין בה דברים טמאין דברים טמאים סלקא דעתך אלא שאוכלין בה דברים שאינן מתוקנים נענה ר' שמעון ואמר בעון ביטול תורה,אמרו לו נשים יוכיחו שמבטלות את בעליהן נכרים יוכיחו שמבטלין את ישראל תינוקות יוכיחו שמבטלין את אביהן תינוקות של בית רבן יוכיחו,התם כדרבי גוריון דאמר רבי גוריון ואיתימא רב יוסף ברבי שמעיה בזמן שהצדיקים בדור צדיקים נתפסים על הדור אין צדיקים בדור תינוקות של בית רבן נתפסים על הדור א"ר יצחק בר זעירי ואמרי לה א"ר שמעון בן נזירא מאי קראה (שיר השירים א, ח) אם לא תדעי לך היפה בנשים צאי לך בעקבי הצאן וגו' ואמרינן גדיים הממושכנין על הרועים ש"מ אף על לשון הרע נמי קאמר ש"מ,ואמאי קרו ליה ראש המדברים בכל מקום דיתבי רבי יהודה ורבי יוסי ורבי שמעון ויתיב יהודה בן גרים גבייהו פתח ר' יהודה ואמר כמה נאים מעשיהן של אומה זו תקנו שווקים תקנו גשרים תקנו מרחצאות ר' יוסי שתק נענה רשב"י ואמר כל מה שתקנו לא תקנו אלא לצורך עצמן תקנו שווקין להושיב בהן זונות מרחצאות לעדן בהן עצמן גשרים ליטול מהן מכס הלך יהודה בן גרים וסיפר דבריהם ונשמעו למלכות אמרו יהודה שעילה יתעלה יוסי ששתק יגלה לציפורי שמעון שגינה יהרג,אזל הוא ובריה טשו בי מדרשא כל יומא הוה מייתי להו דביתהו ריפתא וכוזא דמיא וכרכי כי תקיף גזירתא א"ל לבריה נשים דעתן קלה עליהן דילמא מצערי לה ומגליא לן אזלו טשו במערתא איתרחיש ניסא איברי להו חרובא ועינא דמיא והוו משלחי מנייהו והוו יתבי עד צוארייהו בחלא כולי יומא גרסי בעידן צלויי לבשו מיכסו ומצלו והדר משלחי מנייהו כי היכי דלא ליבלו איתבו תריסר שני במערתא אתא אליהו וקם אפיתחא דמערתא אמר מאן לודעיה לבר יוחי דמית קיסר ובטיל גזירתיה,נפקו חזו אינשי דקא כרבי וזרעי אמר מניחין חיי עולם ועוסקין בחיי שעה כל מקום שנותנין עיניהן מיד נשרף יצתה בת קול ואמרה להם להחריב עולמי יצאתם חיזרו למערתכם הדור אזול איתיבו תריסר ירחי שתא אמרי משפט רשעים בגיהנם י"ב חדש יצתה בת קול ואמרה צאו ממערתכם נפקו כל היכא דהוה מחי ר' אלעזר הוה מסי ר"ש אמר לו בני די לעולם אני ואתה,בהדי פניא דמעלי שבתא חזו ההוא סבא דהוה נקיט תרי מדאני אסא ורהיט בין השמשות אמרו ליה הני למה לך אמר להו לכבוד שבת ותיסגי לך בחד חד כנגד (שמות כ, ז) זכור וחד כנגד (דברים ה, יא) שמור א"ל לבריה חזי כמה חביבין מצות על ישראל יתיב דעתייהו,שמע ר' פנחס בן יאיר חתניה ונפק לאפיה עייליה לבי בניה הוה קא אריך ליה לבישריה חזי דהוה ביה פילי בגופיה הוה קא בכי וקא נתרו דמעת עיניה וקמצוחא ליה א"ל אוי לי שראיתיך בכך א"ל אשריך שראיתני בכך שאילמלא לא ראיתני בכך לא מצאת בי כך דמעיקרא כי הוה מקשי ר"ש בן יוחי קושיא הוה מפרק ליה ר' פנחס בן יאיר תריסר פירוקי לסוף כי הוה מקשי ר"פ בן יאיר קושיא הוה מפרק ליה רשב"י עשרין וארבעה פירוקי,אמר הואיל ואיתרחיש ניסא איזיל אתקין מילתא דכתיב (בראשית לג, יח) ויבא יעקב שלם ואמר רב שלם בגופו שלם בממונו שלם בתורתו (בראשית לג, יח) ויחן את פני העיר אמר רב מטבע תיקן להם ושמואל אמר שווקים תיקן להם ור' יוחנן אמר מרחצאות תיקן להם אמר איכא מילתא דבעי לתקוני אמרו ליה איכא דוכתא דאית ביה ספק טומאה | 33b. bforneglecting to separate btithes. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, says: iAskaracomes as punishment for bslander. Rava said, and some saythat it was bRabbi Yehoshua ben Leviwho said it: bWhat is the versethat alludes to this? b“But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that swears by Him shall glory; for the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped”(Psalms 63:12). The punishment for lying is that the mouth will be stopped. iAskaraaffects the mouth along with other parts of the body., bA dilemma was raised beforethose who were sitting in the study hall: Did bRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, saythat iaskaracomes as punishment only bfor slander, or perhaps he saidit was balso for slander? Comeand bheara resolution to this dilemma from that which was taught in a ibaraita /i: bWhen our Sages entered the vineyard in Yavne, Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Shimon were there, and a question was asked before themwith regard to bthis plagueof iaskara /i: bWhy does it begin in the intestines and end in the mouth? Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ila’i,who was bthe head of the speakers in every place, responded and said: Even though the kidneys advise, and the heart understands, and the tongue shapesthe voice that emerges from the mouth, still, bthe mouth completesthe formation of the voice. Therefore, the disease begins in the same place that slander begins and it ends in the mouth. bRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, responded and said:This disease ends in the mouth bbecause one eats with it non-kosher things.They immediately wondered about this: bDoes it enter your mindto say that iaskarais caused by eating bnon-kosher food?Are those who eat non-kosher food so numerous? bRather,it comes as a punishment bfor eatingfoods bthat were notritually bprepared,i.e., were not tithed. bRabbi Shimon responded and said:This disease comes as a punishment bfor the sin of dereliction inthe study of bTorah. /b, bThey said to him: Women will provethat dereliction in the study of Torah is not the cause, as they are not obligated to study Torah and, nevertheless, they contract iaskara /i. He answered them: They are punished because bthey cause their husbands to be idlefrom the study of Torah. They said to him: bGentiles will provethat this is not the cause, as they also contract iaskaraeven though they are not obligated to study Torah. He answered them: They are also punished because bthey cause Israel to be idlefrom the study of Torah. They said to him: bChildren will provethat this is not the cause, for they are not at all obligated to study Torah and they also suffer from iaskara /i. He answered them: They are punished because bthey cause their fathers to be idlefrom the study of Torah. They said to him: bSchool children will provethat this is not the cause, as they study Torah and, nevertheless, they suffer from iaskara /i.,The Gemara answers: bThere /b, it must be understood bin accordance withthe statement of bRabbi Guryon,as bRabbi Guryon said, and some saythat it was bRav Yosef, son of Rabbi Shemaya,who said it: bAt a time whenthere are brighteous people in the generation,the brighteous are seized /b, i.e., they die or suffer, bforthe sins of bthe generation. If there are no righteous people in the generation, school children,who are also without sin, bare seized forthe sins of bthe generation /b. bRabbi Yitzḥak bar Ze’iri said, and some saythat bRabbi Shimon ben Nezira said: What is the versethat alludes to this? b“If you know not, you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flockand feed your kids, beside the shepherds’ tents [ imishkenot /i] b” ( /bSong of Songs 1:8). bAnd we sayin explanation of this verse: They are the blambs that are taken as collateral [ ihamemushkanin /i],which is etymologically similar to the word imishkenot /i, bin place of the shepherds.If the shepherds and leaders of the generation corrupt the multitudes, young children die because of their sins. With regard to the dilemma, bconclude from itthat Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, bsaidthat the illness of iaskara balsoresults from bslander,as the ibaraitaprovides an additional cause of the illness. The Gemara comments: Indeed, bconclude from it. /b,In this ibaraitaRabbi Yehuda is described as head of the speakers in every place. The Gemara asks: bAnd why did they call him head of the speakers in every place?The Gemara relates that this resulted due to an incident that took place bwhen Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon were sitting, and Yehuda, son of converts, sat beside them. Rabbi Yehuda opened and said: How pleasant are the actions of this nation,the Romans, as bthey established marketplaces, established bridges,and bestablished bathhouses. Rabbi Yosei was silent. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai responded and said: Everything that they established, they established only for their own purposes. They established marketplaces, to place prostitutes in them; bathhouses, to pamper themselves;and bbridges, to collect taxes fromall who pass over bthem. Yehuda, son of converts, went and related their statementsto his household, bandthose statements continued to spread until bthey were heard by the monarchy. Theyruled and bsaid: Yehuda, who elevatedthe Roman regime, bshall be elevatedand appointed as head of the Sages, the head of the speakers in every place. bYosei, who remained silent, shall be exiledfrom his home in Judea as punishment, and sent btothe city of bTzipporiin the Galilee. bAnd Shimon, who denouncedthe government, bshall be killed. /b,Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai band his son,Rabbi Elazar, bwentand bhid in the study hall. Every dayRabbi Shimon’s bwife would bring them bread and a jug of water and they would eat. When the decree intensified,Rabbi Shimon bsaid to his son: Women are easily impressionableand, therefore, there is room for concern blestthe authorities btorture her and she reveal ourwhereabouts. bThey went and they hid in a cave. A miracle occurredand ba carobtree bwas created for them as well as a spring of water. They would remove their clothes and sitcovered bin sand up to their necks /b. bThey would studyTorah ball dayin that manner. bAt the time of prayer, they would dress, cover themselves, and pray, and they would again remove their clothes afterward so that they would not become tattered. They sat in the cave for twelve years. Elijahthe Prophet bcame and stood at the entrance to the caveand bsaid: Who will inform bar Yoḥai thatthe bemperor died and his decree has been abrogated? /b, bThey emergedfrom the cave, and bsaw people who were plowing and sowing.Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai bsaid:These people babandon eternal lifeof Torah study band engage in temporal lifefor their own sustece. The Gemara relates that bevery place thatRabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar bdirected their eyes was immediately burned. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them:Did byou emergefrom the cave in order bto destroy My world? Return to your cave. They again wentand bsatthere bfor twelve months. They said: The judgment of the wicked in Gehenna lastsfor btwelve months.Surely their sin was atoned in that time. bA Divine Voice emerged and saidto them: bEmerge from your cave. They emerged. Everywhere that Rabbi Elazar would strike, Rabbi Shimon would heal.Rabbi Shimon bsaid toRabbi Elazar: bMy son, you and I suffice for theentire bworld,as the two of us are engaged in the proper study of Torah., bAs the sun was setting on Shabbat eve, they saw an elderly man who was holding two bundles of myrtle branches and running at twilight. They said to him: Why do you have these? He said to them: In honor of Shabbat.They said to him: bAnd let one suffice.He answered them: bOneis bcorresponding to: “Rememberthe Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), bandone is bcorresponding to: “Observethe Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Deuteronomy 5:12). Rabbi Shimon bsaid to his son: See how beloved the mitzvot are to Israel. Their minds wereput bat easeand they were no longer as upset that people were not engaged in Torah study., bRabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir,Rabbi Shimon’s bson-in-law /b, bheard and went out togreet bhim. He brought him into the bathhouse andbegan btending to his flesh. He saw thatRabbi Shimon bhad cracks inthe skin on bhis body. He was crying, and the tears fell from his eyes and causedRabbi Shimon bpain.Rabbi Pineḥas bsaid toRabbi Shimon, his father-in-law: bWoe is me, that I have seen you like this.Rabbi Shimon bsaid to him: Happy are you that you have seen me like this, as had you not seen me like this, you would not have found in me thisprominence in Torah, basthe Gemara relates: bAt first, when Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai would raise a difficulty, Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir would respondto his question with btwelve answers. Ultimately, when Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir would raise a difficulty /b, bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai would respondwith btwenty-four answers. /b,Rabbi Shimon bsaid: Since a miracle transpiredfor me, bI will goand brepair somethingfor the sake of others in gratitude for God’s kindness, bas it is written: “And Jacob came wholeto the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and he graced the countece of the city” (Genesis 33:18). bRav said,the meaning of: And Jacob came whole, is: bWhole in his body, whole in his money, whole in his Torah.And what did he do? bAnd he graced the countece of the city;he performed gracious acts to benefit the city. bRav said:Jacob bestablished a currency for them. And Shmuel said: He established marketplaces for them. And Rabbi Yoḥa said: He established bathhouses for them.In any event, clearly one for whom a miracle transpires should perform an act of kindness for his neighbors as a sign of gratitude. bHe said: Is there something that needs repair? They said to him: There is a place where there is uncertainty with regard to ritual impurity /b |
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27. Babylonian Talmud, Taanit, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 7a. נימרינהו לתרוייהו אל ההודאות ורוב ההודאות,אמר ר' אבהו גדול יום הגשמים מתחיית המתים דאילו תחיית המתים לצדיקים ואילו גשמים בין לצדיקים בין לרשעים ופליגא דרב יוסף דאמר רב יוסף מתוך שהיא שקולה כתחיית המתים קבעוה בתחיית המתים,אמר רב יהודה גדול יום הגשמים כיום שניתנה בו תורה שנא' (דברים לב, ב) יערף כמטר לקחי ואין לקח אלא תורה שנא' (משלי ד, ב) כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו רבא אמר יותר מיום שניתנה בו תורה שנאמר יערף כמטר לקחי מי נתלה במי הוי אומר קטן נתלה בגדול,רבא רמי כתיב יערף כמטר לקחי וכתיב תזל כטל אמרתי אם תלמיד חכם הגון הוא כטל ואם לאו עורפהו כמטר,תניא היה ר' בנאה אומר כל העוסק בתורה לשמה תורתו נעשית לו סם חיים שנאמר (משלי ג, יח) עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה ואומר (משלי ג, ח) רפאות תהי לשרך ואומר (משלי ח, לה) כי מוצאי מצא חיים וכל העוסק בתורה שלא לשמה נעשית לו סם המות שנאמר יערף כמטר לקחי ואין עריפה אלא הריגה שנאמר (דברים כא, ד) וערפו שם את העגלה בנחל,א"ל ר' ירמיה לר' זירא ליתי מר ליתני א"ל חלש לבאי ולא יכילנא לימא מר מילתא דאגדתא א"ל הכי אמר ר' יוחנן מאי דכתיב (דברים כ, יט) כי האדם עץ השדה וכי אדם עץ שדה הוא,אלא משום דכתיב (דברים כ, יט) כי ממנו תאכל ואותו לא תכרת וכתיב אותו תשחית וכרת הא כיצד אם ת"ח הגון הוא ממנו תאכל ואותו לא תכרת ואם לאו אותו תשחית וכרת,אמר רבי חמא (אמר רבי) חנינא מאי דכתיב (משלי כז, יז) ברזל בברזל יחד לומר לך מה ברזל זה אחד מחדד את חבירו אף שני תלמידי חכמים מחדדין זה את זה בהלכה,אמר רבה בר בר חנה למה נמשלו דברי תורה כאש שנאמר (ירמיהו כג, כט) הלא כה דברי כאש נאם ה' לומר לך מה אש אינו דולק יחידי אף דברי תורה אין מתקיימין ביחידי,והיינו דאמר רבי יוסי בר חנינא מאי דכתיב (ירמיהו נ, לו) חרב אל הבדים ונואלו חרב על שונאיהן של תלמידי חכמים שעוסקין בד בבד בתורה ולא עוד אלא שמטפשין שנאמר ונואלו,ולא עוד אלא שחוטאין כתיב הכא ונואלו וכתיב התם (במדבר יב, יא) אשר נואלנו ואשר חטאנו ואיבעית אימא מהכא (ישעיהו יט, יג) נואלו שרי צוען [וגו'] והתעו את מצרים,אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק למה נמשלו דברי תורה כעץ שנאמר (משלי ג, יח) עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה לומר לך מה עץ קטן מדליק את הגדול אף תלמידי חכמים קטנים מחדדים את הגדולים והיינו דאמר ר' חנינא הרבה למדתי מרבותי ומחבירי יותר מרבותי ומתלמידי יותר מכולן,רבי חנינא בר פפא רמי כתיב (ישעיהו כא, יד) לקראת צמא התיו מים וכתיב (ישעיהו נה, א) הוי כל צמא לכו למים אם תלמיד הגון הוא לקראת צמא התיו מים ואי לא הוי כל צמא לכו למים,רבי חנינא בר חמא רמי כתיב (משלי ה, טז) יפוצו מעינותיך חוצה וכתיב (משלי ה, יז) יהיו לך לבדך אם תלמיד הגון הוא יפוצו מעינותיך חוצה ואם לאו יהיו לך לבדך,(ואמר) רבי חנינא בר אידי למה נמשלו דברי תורה למים דכתיב הוי כל צמא לכו למים לומר לך מה מים מניחין מקום גבוה והולכין למקום נמוך אף דברי תורה אין מתקיימין אלא במי שדעתו שפלה,ואמר רבי אושעיא למה נמשלו דברי תורה לשלשה משקין הללו במים וביין ובחלב דכתיב הוי כל צמא לכו למים וכתיב (ישעיהו נה, א) לכו שברו ואכלו ולכו שברו בלא כסף ובלא מחיר יין וחלב לומר לך מה שלשה משקין הללו אין מתקיימין אלא בפחות שבכלים אף דברי תורה אין מתקיימין אלא במי שדעתו שפלה,כדאמרה ליה ברתיה דקיסר לר' יהושע בן חנניה אי חכמה מפוארה בכלי מכוער אמר לה אביך רמי חמרא במני דפחרא אמרה ליה אלא במאי נירמי אמר לה אתון דחשביתו רמו במאני דהבא וכספא,אזלה ואמרה ליה לאבוה רמייא לחמרא במני דהבא וכספא ותקיף אתו ואמרו ליה אמר לה לברתיה מאן אמר לך הכי אמרה ליה רבי יהושע בן חנניה קריוהו אמר ליה אמאי אמרת לה הכי אמר ליה כי היכי דאמרה לי אמרי לה והא איכא שפירי דגמירי | 7a. bwe will recite them both: God of thanksgivings, and: Abundant thanksgivings. /b,§ The Gemara cites statements in praise of rainfall. bRabbi Abbahu said: The day of rain is greater than the resurrection of the dead.The reason is that bwhile the resurrection of the deadbenefits only bthe righteous, rainbenefits bboth the righteous and the wicked.The Gemara comments: bAndthis statement bdisagrees withthe opinion of bRav Yosef, as Rav Yosef said: Sincerainfall bis equivalent to the resurrection of the dead,the Sages bestablishedits recitation binthe second blessing of the iAmida /i, the blessing of bthe resurrection of the dead.According to Rav Yosef, rainfall is the equivalent to, but not superior to, the resurrection of the dead.,Similarly, bRav Yehuda said: The day of the rains is as great as the dayon which bthe Torah was given, as it is stated: “My doctrine [ ilikḥi /i] shall drop as the rain”(Deuteronomy 32:2), band ilekaḥmeans nothing otherthan bTorah, as it is stated: “For I give you good doctrine [ ilekaḥ /i]; do not forsake My Torah”(Proverbs 4:2). bRava said:Rainfall is even bgreater than the day on which the Torah was given, as it is stated: “My doctrine shall drop as the rain,”and when one makes a comparison, bwhichobject bismade bdependent upon which? You must saythat bthe lesserobject bis dependent upon the greaterone. If Torah is compared to rain, it follows that rain is greater than Torah.,The Gemara cites another interpretation of the verse from Deuteronomy. bRava raised a contradiction:At the beginning of the verse bit is written: “My doctrine shall drop [ iya’arof /i] as the rain,”in a harsh manner, bandyet later in the verse, bit is written: “My speech shall distill as the dew,”in a gentle tone. He resolves this apparent contradiction as follows: bIf he is a worthy Torah scholar,the Torah flows through him blike the dew, but ifhe is bnotworthy, bit snaps his neck [ iorfehu /i] like thepowerful brain. /b, bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Bena’a would say: Anyone who engages in Torah for its own sake, his Torahstudy bwill be an elixir of life for him, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life to them who lay hold upon it”(Proverbs 3:18), band it says: “It shall be health to your navel”(Proverbs 3:8), band it says: “For whoever finds Me finds life”(Proverbs 8:35). bAnd anyone who engages in Torah not for its own sake,e.g., for self-aggrandizement, his Torah bwill be an elixir of death for him, as it is stated: “My doctrine shall drop [ iya’arof] as the rain,” and iarifa /imeans bnothing otherthan bkilling, as it is stated: “And they shall break the heifer’s neck [ iarefu /i] there in the valley”(Deuteronomy 21:4)., bRabbi Yirmeyaonce bsaid to Rabbi Zeira: Let the Master come and teacha halakhic discourse. Rabbi Zeira bsaid to him: My heart is weak and I cannotstrain myself over a halakhic discourse. Rabbi Yirmeya replied to him: In that case, blet the Master tell us a matter of iaggada /i,which does not require as much effort. Rabbi Zeira bsaid to himthat bRabbi Yoḥa said as follows: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “For man is a tree of the field”(Deuteronomy 20:19)? bAnd is manactually ba tree of the field? /b, bRather,it is bbecause it is writtenearlier in the same verse: b“You may eat of them but you may not cut them down,” and it is writtenin the next verse: b“Them you may destroy and cut down”(Deuteronomy 20:20). This indicates that there are certain trees which may be cut down, while others may not be destroyed. bHow so? If a Torah scholar is worthy: “You may eat of them but you may not cut them down,” but ifhe is bnotworthy: b“He you may destroy and cut down.” /b,The Gemara cites other expositions that deal with Torah study. bRabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “Iron sharpens iron,so a man sharpens the countece of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17)? This verse comes bto tell youthat bjust aswith bthese iron implements, one sharpens the otherwhen they are rubbed against each other, bso too,when bTorah scholarsstudy together, they bsharpen one another in ihalakha /i. /b, bRabba bar bar Ḥana said: Why are matters of Torah compared to fire, as it is stated: “Is not My word like fire, says the Lord”(Jeremiah 23:29)? bTo tell you: Just as fire does not ignitein ba lonestick of wood but in a pile of kindling, bso too, matters of Torah are not retainedand understood properly by ba lonescholar who studies by himself, but by a group of Sages., bAnd this is what Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “A sword is upon the boasters [ ihabaddim /i], and they shall become fools [ inoalu /i]”(Jeremiah 50:36)? This verse can be interpreted homiletically: There is a bsword upon the enemies of Torah scholars,a euphemism for Torah scholars themselves, bwho sit alone [ ibad bevad /i] and study Torah. And not only that, butthose who study by themselves bgrow foolishfrom their solitary Torah study, bas it is stated: “And they shall become fools.” /b, bAnd not only that, but they sin, as it is written here: “And they shall become fools,” and it is written there: “For that we have done foolishly [ inoalnu /i] and for that we have sinned”(Numbers 12:11). bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that it is derived bfrom here: “The princes of Zoan have become fools [ inoalu /i]…they have caused Egypt to go astray”(Isaiah 19:13)., bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Why are Torah matters likened to a tree, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life to them who lay hold upon it”(Proverbs 3:18)? This verse comes bto tell youthat bjust as a smallpiece of bwood can ignite a large piece, so too, minor Torah scholars can sharpen greatTorah scholars and enable them to advance in their studies. bAnd this is what Rabbi Ḥanina said: I have learned much from my teachers and even more from my friends, but from my studentsI have learned bmore thanfrom ball of them. /b, bRabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa raised a contradiction.In one verse bit is written: “To him who is thirsty bring water”(Isaiah 21:14), which indicates that the one who has water must bring it to the thirsty person, band it is writtenelsewhere: b“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water”(Isaiah 55:1), from which it may be inferred that the thirsty person must seek out water himself. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa resolves this apparent contradiction by explaining that bif he is a worthy studentthe teacher must seek him out, as in b“to him who is thirsty bring water,” but ifthe student is bnotworthy, then b“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water,”i.e., this student must seek out a teacher himself., bRabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama raisedanother bcontradiction.In one verse bit is written: “Let your springs be dispersed abroad”(Proverbs 5:16), whereas in the next verse bit is written: “Let them be your own”(Proverbs 5:17). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama explains: bIf the studentsitting before you bis worthy,then b“Let your springs be dispersed abroad,”as you should teach him, but bifhe is bnotworthy, then b“Let them be your own.” /b, bAnd Rabbi Ḥanina bar Idi said: Why are matters of Torah likened to water, as it is written: “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water”(Isaiah 55:1)? This verse comes bto tell you: Just as water leaves a high place and flows to a low place, so too, Torah matters are retained only by one whose spirit is lowly,i.e., a humble person., bAnd Rabbi Oshaya said: Why are matters of Torah likened to these three liquids: To water, wine and milk? As it is writtenwith regard to water: b“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water,” and it is writtenin the same verse: b“Come, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”This verse comes bto tell you: Just as these three liquids can be retained only in the least of vessels,e.g., clay pots, but not vessels of silver and gold, as they will spoil, bso too, matters of Torah are retained only by one whose spirit is lowly. /b,The Gemara cites a related incident: This bis as the daughter of theRoman bemperor said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya,who was an ugly man: bWoe to glorious wisdomsuch as yours, which is contained bin an ugly vessel.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya bsaid to her,in a seemingly unrelated response: Does byour father keep his wine insimple bclay vessels?The emperor’s daughter bsaid to him: Rather, in what,then, bshould he keep it?Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya bsaid to her: You, who are so important,should bput it in vessels of gold and silver. /b,The emperor’s daughter bwent and saidthis bto her father. He put the wine in vessels of gold and silver and it turned sour.When his advisors bcame and told the emperorthat the wine had turned sour, bhe said tohis daughter: bWho told youto do bthis?His daughter bresponded: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya.The emperor bsummoned himand bsaid to him: Why did you say this to her?Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya bsaid to him: Just as she said to me, so I said say to her,to demonstrate to her that fine material is best preserved in the least of vessels. The emperor said to him: bBut there are handsome people who are learned. /b |
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