1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 6.4-6.5 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 6.4. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃ 6.5. וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶךָ׃ | 6.4. HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE." 6.5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 18.20 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 18.20. And the LORD said: ‘Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Hosea, 3.1, 4.12, 4.15 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 3.1. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלַי עוֹד לֵךְ אֱהַב־אִשָּׁה אֲהֻבַת רֵעַ וּמְנָאָפֶת כְּאַהֲבַת יְהוָה אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֵם פֹּנִים אֶל־אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְאֹהֲבֵי אֲשִׁישֵׁי עֲנָבִים׃ 4.12. עַמִּי בְּעֵצוֹ יִשְׁאָל וּמַקְלוֹ יַגִּיד לוֹ כִּי רוּחַ זְנוּנִים הִתְעָה וַיִּזְנוּ מִתַּחַת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם׃ 4.15. אִם־זֹנֶה אַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אַל־יֶאְשַׁם יְהוּדָה וְאַל־תָּבֹאוּ הַגִּלְגָּל וְאַל־תַּעֲלוּ בֵּית אָוֶן וְאַל־תִּשָּׁבְעוּ חַי־יְהוָה׃ | 3.1. And the LORD said unto me: ‘Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend and an adulteress, even as the LORD loveth the children of Israel, though they turn unto other gods, and love cakes of raisins." 4.12. My people ask counsel at their stock, And their staff declareth unto them; For the spirit of harlotry hath caused them to err, And they have gone astray from under their God." 4.15. Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, Yet let not Judah become guilty; And come not ye unto Gilgal, Neither go ye up to Beth-aven, Nor swear: ‘As the LORD liveth.’" |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Joel, 4.16 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 4.16. וַיהוָה מִצִּיּוֹן יִשְׁאָג וּמִירוּשָׁלִַם יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ וְרָעֲשׁוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ וַיהוָה מַחֲסֶה לְעַמּוֹ וּמָעוֹז לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ | 4.16. And the LORD shall roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem, And the heavens and the earth shall shake; But the LORD will be a refuge unto His people, And a stronghold to the children of Israel." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Malachi, 3.5 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 3.5. וְקָרַבְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם לַמִּשְׁפָּט וְהָיִיתִי עֵד מְמַהֵר בַּמְכַשְּׁפִים וּבַמְנָאֲפִים וּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִים לַשָּׁקֶר וּבְעֹשְׁקֵי שְׂכַר־שָׂכִיר אַלְמָנָה וְיָתוֹם וּמַטֵּי־גֵר וְלֹא יְרֵאוּנִי אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת׃ | 3.5. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers; and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, The widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not Me, Saith the LORD of hosts." |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 11.16, 28.16 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 11.16. אֵשֶׁת־חֵן תִּתְמֹךְ כָּבוֹד וְעָרִיצִים יִתְמְכוּ־עֹשֶׁר׃ 28.16. נָגִיד חֲסַר תְּבוּנוֹת וְרַב מַעֲשַׁקּוֹת שנאי [שֹׂנֵא] בֶצַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים׃ | 11.16. A gracious woman obtaineth honour; And strong men obtain riches." 28.16. The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor; But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days." |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 7.8, 18.13 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 7.8. וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָּ וְעָלֶיהָ לַמָּרוֹם שׁוּבָה׃ 18.13. מִנֹּגַהּ נֶגְדּוֹ עָבָיו עָבְרוּ בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי־אֵשׁ׃ | 7.8. And let the congregation of the peoples compass Thee about, And over them return Thou on high." 18.13. At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds Hailstones and coals of fire." |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Amos, 1.2 (8th cent. BCE - 6th cent. BCE)
| 1.2. וַיֹּאמַר יְהוָה מִצִיּוֹן יִשְׁאָג וּמִירוּשָׁלִַם יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ וְאָבְלוּ נְאוֹת הָרֹעִים וְיָבֵשׁ רֹאשׁ הַכַּרְמֶל׃ | 1.2. And he said: The LORD roareth from Zion, And uttereth His voice from Jerusalem; and the pastures of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither." |
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9. Hebrew Bible, Habakkuk, 2.6 (8th cent. BCE - 6th cent. BCE)
| 2.6. הֲלוֹא־אֵלֶּה כֻלָּם עָלָיו מָשָׁל יִשָּׂאוּ וּמְלִיצָה חִידוֹת לוֹ וְיֹאמַר הוֹי הַמַּרְבֶּה לֹּא־לוֹ עַד־מָתַי וּמַכְבִּיד עָלָיו עַבְטִיט׃ | 2.6. Shall not all these take up a parable against him, And a taunting riddle against him, And say: ‘Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! How long? and that ladeth himself with many pledges! ’" |
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10. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 3.12, 10.2 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 3.12. עַמִּי נֹגְשָׂיו מְעוֹלֵל וְנָשִׁים מָשְׁלוּ בוֹ עַמִּי מְאַשְּׁרֶיךָ מַתְעִים וְדֶרֶךְ אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ בִּלֵּעוּ׃ 10.2. לְהַטּוֹת מִדִּין דַּלִּים וְלִגְזֹל מִשְׁפַּט עֲנִיֵּי עַמִּי לִהְיוֹת אַלְמָנוֹת שְׁלָלָם וְאֶת־יְתוֹמִים יָבֹזּוּ׃ 10.2. וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֹא־יוֹסִיף עוֹד שְׁאָר יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפְלֵיטַת בֵּית־יַעֲקֹב לְהִשָּׁעֵן עַל־מַכֵּהוּ וְנִשְׁעַן עַל־יְהוָה קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּאֱמֶת׃ | 3.12. As for My people, a babe is their master, And women rule over them. O My people, they that lead thee cause thee to err, And destroy the way of thy paths." 10.2. To turn aside the needy from judgment, And to take away the right of the poor of My people, That widows may be their spoil, And that they may make the fatherless their prey!" |
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11. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 3.8-3.9, 5.27, 10.13, 13.22, 13.27, 17.11, 25.30, 31.34 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 3.8. וָאֵרֶא כִּי עַל־כָּל־אֹדוֹת אֲשֶׁר נִאֲפָה מְשֻׁבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁלַּחְתִּיהָ וָאֶתֵּן אֶת־סֵפֶר כְּרִיתֻתֶיהָ אֵלֶיהָ וְלֹא יָרְאָה בֹּגֵדָה יְהוּדָה אֲחוֹתָהּ וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתִּזֶן גַּם־הִיא׃ 3.9. וְהָיָה מִקֹּל זְנוּתָהּ וַתֶּחֱנַף אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וַתִּנְאַף אֶת־הָאֶבֶן וְאֶת־הָעֵץ׃ 5.27. כִּכְלוּב מָלֵא עוֹף כֵּן בָּתֵּיהֶם מְלֵאִים מִרְמָה עַל־כֵּן גָּדְלוּ וַיַּעֲשִׁירוּ׃ 10.13. לְקוֹל תִּתּוֹ הֲמוֹן מַיִם בַּשָּׁמַיִם וַיַּעֲלֶה נְשִׂאִים מִקְצֵה ארץ [הָאָרֶץ] בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה וַיּוֹצֵא רוּחַ מֵאֹצְרֹתָיו׃ 13.22. וְכִי תֹאמְרִי בִּלְבָבֵךְ מַדּוּעַ קְרָאֻנִי אֵלֶּה בְּרֹב עֲוֺנֵךְ נִגְלוּ שׁוּלַיִךְ נֶחְמְסוּ עֲקֵבָיִךְ׃ 13.27. נִאֻפַיִךְ וּמִצְהֲלוֹתַיִךְ זִמַּת זְנוּתֵךְ עַל־גְּבָעוֹת בַּשָּׂדֶה רָאִיתִי שִׁקּוּצָיִךְ אוֹי לָךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַם לֹא תִטְהֲרִי אַחֲרֵי מָתַי עֹד׃ 17.11. קֹרֵא דָגַר וְלֹא יָלָד עֹשֶׂה עֹשֶׁר וְלֹא בְמִשְׁפָּט בַּחֲצִי ימו [יָמָיו] יַעַזְבֶנּוּ וּבְאַחֲרִיתוֹ יִהְיֶה נָבָל׃ 31.34. וְלֹא יְלַמְּדוּ עוֹד אִישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵהוּ וְאִישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו לֵאמֹר דְּעוּ אֶת־יְהוָה כִּי־כוּלָּם יֵדְעוּ אוֹתִי לְמִקְטַנָּם וְעַד־גְּדוֹלָם נְאֻם־יְהוָה כִּי אֶסְלַח לַעֲוֺנָם וּלְחַטָּאתָם לֹא אֶזְכָּר־עוֹד׃ | 3.8. And I saw, when, forasmuch as backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, that yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot;" 3.9. and it came to pass through the lightness of her harlotry, that the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with stocks;" 5.27. As a cage is full of birds, So are their houses full of deceit; Therefore they are become great, and waxen rich;" 10.13. At the sound of His giving a multitude of waters in the heavens, When He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; When He maketh lightnings with the rain, And bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries;" 13.22. And if thou say in thy heart: ‘Wherefore are these things befallen me?’— For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, And thy heels suffer violence." 13.27. Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy harlotry, On the hills in the field have I seen thy detestable acts. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! thou wilt not be made clean! When shall it ever be?" 17.11. As the partridge that broodeth over young which she hath not brought forth, So is he that getteth riches, and not by right; In the midst of his days he shall leave them, And at his end he shall be a fool." 25.30. Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them: The LORD doth roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He doth mightily roar because of His fold; He giveth a shout, as they that tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth." 31.34. and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying: ‘Know the LORD’; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more." |
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12. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 16.32, 23.37 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 16.32. הָאִשָּׁה הַמְּנָאָפֶת תַּחַת אִישָׁהּ תִּקַּח אֶת־זָרִים׃ 23.37. כִּי נִאֵפוּ וְדָם בִּידֵיהֶן וְאֶת־גִּלּוּלֵיהֶן נִאֵפוּ וְגַם אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶן אֲשֶׁר יָלְדוּ־לִי הֶעֱבִירוּ לָהֶם לְאָכְלָה׃ | 16.32. Thou wife that committest adultery, that takest strangers instead of thy husband—" 23.37. For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery; and their sons, whom they bore unto Me, they have also set apart unto them to be devoured." |
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13. Hebrew Bible, Zechariah, 9.9 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 9.9. גִּילִי מְאֹד בַּת־צִיּוֹן הָרִיעִי בַּת יְרוּשָׁלִַם הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבוֹא לָךְ צַדִּיק וְנוֹשָׁע הוּא עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל־חֲמוֹר וְעַל־עַיִר בֶּן־אֲתֹנוֹת׃ | 9.9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, He is triumphant, and victorious, Lowly, and riding upon an ass, Even upon a colt the foal of an ass." |
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14. Anon., 1 Enoch, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 10.9, 11.1, 13.3, 15.8, 15.9, 19.1, 94.6-95.2, 95.4, 95.5, 95.6, 95.7, 97.8, 97.9, 97.10, 99.11, 99.12, 99.13, 99.14, 99.15, 99.16, 102.3 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 1.3. for to come. Concerning the elect I said, and took up my parable concerning them:The Holy Great One will come forth from His dwelling |
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15. Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant, 4.11-4.12, 4.14-4.18, 6.16-6.17, 8.4-8.8 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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16. Dead Sea Scrolls, Pesher On Habakkuk, 8.11-8.12, 9.4-9.7 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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17. Dead Sea Scrolls, (Cairo Damascus Covenant) Cd-A, 4.11-4.12, 4.14-4.18, 6.16-6.17, 8.4-8.8 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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18. Dead Sea Scrolls, Community Rule, 4.9-4.11, 10.19, 11.2 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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19. Septuagint, 2 Maccabees, 3.10, 3.31 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 3.10. The high priest explained that there were some deposits belonging to widows and orphans,' 3.31. Quickly some of Heliodorus' friends asked Onias to call upon the Most High and to grant life to one who was lying quite at his last breath. |
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20. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 34.21-34.27 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 34.21. The bread of the needy is the life of the poor;whoever deprives them of it is a man of blood. 34.22. To take away a neighbors living is to murder him;to deprive an employee of his wages is to shed blood. 34.23. When one builds and another tears down,what do they gain but toil? 34.24. When one prays and another curses,to whose voice will the Lord listen? 34.25. If a man washes after touching a dead body,and touches it again,what has he gained by his washing? 34.26. So if a man fasts for his sins,and goes again and does the same things,who will listen to his prayer?And what has he gained by humbling himself? |
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21. Septuagint, 3 Maccabees, 7.9 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 7.9. For you should know that if we devise any evil against them or cause them any grief at all, we always shall have not man but the Ruler over every power, the Most High God, in everything and inescapably as an antagonist to avenge such acts. Farewell. |
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22. Anon., Sibylline Oracles, 2.56 (1st cent. BCE - 5th cent. CE)
| 2.56. of the prize give, and to all men allot |
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23. Philo of Alexandria, On The Embassy To Gaius, 135-149, 134 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 134. and, as they wished to curry favour with him by a novel kind of flattery, so as to allow, and for the future to give the rein to, every sort of ill treatment of us without ever being called to account, what did they proceed to do? All the synagogues that they were unable to destroy by burning and razing them to the ground, because a great number of Jews lived in a dense mass in the neighbourhood, they injured and defaced in another manner, simultaneously with a total overthrow of their laws and customs; for they set up in every one of them images of Gaius, and in the greatest, and most conspicuous, and most celebrated of them they erected a brazen statue of him borne on a four-horse chariot. |
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24. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 13.67, 13.74-13.76 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 13.67. I desire therefore that you will grant me leave to purge this holy place, which belongs to no master, and is fallen down, and to build there a temple to Almighty God, after the pattern of that in Jerusalem, and of the same dimensions, that may be for the benefit of thyself, and thy wife and children, that those Jews which dwell in Egypt may have a place whither they may come and meet together in mutual harmony one with another, and he subservient to thy advantages; 13.74. 4. Now it came to pass that the Alexandrian Jews, and those Samaritans who paid their worship to the temple that was built in the days of Alexander at Mount Gerizzim, did now make a sedition one against another, and disputed about their temples before Ptolemy himself; the Jews saying that, according to the laws of Moses, the temple was to be built at Jerusalem; and the Samaritans saying that it was to be built at Gerizzim. 13.75. They desired therefore the king to sit with his friends, and hear the debates about these matters, and punish those with death who were baffled. Now Sabbeus and Theodosius managed the argument for the Samaritans, and Andronicus, the son of Messalamus, for the people of Jerusalem; 13.76. and they took an oath by God and the king to make their demonstrations according to the law; and they desired of Ptolemy, that whomsoever he should find that transgressed what they had sworn to, he would put him to death. Accordingly, the king took several of his friends into the council, and sat down, in order to hear what the pleaders said. |
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25. Mishnah, Berachot, 2.2, 9.5 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 2.2. These are the breaks between the sections: between the first blessing and the second, between the second and “Shema,” between “Shema” and “And it shall come to pass if you listen” between “And it shall come to pass if you listen” and “And the Lord said” and between “And the Lord said” and “Emet veYatziv” (true and firm). Rabbi Judah says: between “And the Lord said” and “Emet veYatziv” one should not interrupt. Rabbi Joshua ben Korhah said: Why was the section of “Shema” placed before that of “And it shall come to pass if you listen”? So that one should first accept upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and then take upon himself the yoke of the commandments. Why does the section of “And it shall come to pass if you listen” come before that of “And the Lord said”? Because “And it shall come to pass if you listen” is customary during both day and night, whereas [the section] “And the Lord said” is customary only during the day." 9.5. One must bless [God] for the evil in the same way as one blesses for the good, as it says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). “With all your heart,” with your two impulses, the evil impulse as well as the good impulse. “With all your soul” even though he takes your soul [life] away from you. “With all your might” with all your money. Another explanation, “With all your might” whatever treatment he metes out to you. One should not show disrespect to the Eastern Gate, because it is in a direct line with the Holy of Holies. One should not enter the Temple Mount with a staff, or with shoes on, or with a wallet, or with dusty feet; nor should one make it a short cut, all the more spitting [is forbidden]. All the conclusions of blessings that were in the Temple they would say, “forever [lit. as long as the world is].” When the sectarians perverted their ways and said that there was only one world, they decreed that they should say, “for ever and ever [lit. from the end of the world to the end of the world]. They also decreed that a person should greet his fellow in God’s name, as it says, “And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, ‘May the Lord be with you.’ And they answered him, “May the Lord bless you’” (Ruth 2:. And it also says, “The Lord is with your, you valiant warrior” (Judges 6:12). And it also says, “And do not despise your mother when she grows old” (Proverbs 23:22). And it also says, “It is time to act on behalf of the Lord, for they have violated Your teaching” (Psalms 119:126). Rabbi Natan says: [this means] “They have violated your teaching It is time to act on behalf of the Lord.”" |
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26. New Testament, Apocalypse, 2.9, 18.3 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.9. I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 18.3. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury. |
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27. New Testament, James, 2.6 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.6. But you have dishonored the poor man. Don't the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts? |
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28. New Testament, Luke, 3.14 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.14. Soldiers also asked him, saying, "What about us? What must we do?"He said to them, "Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages. |
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29. Anon., Semahot, 8.11, 8.15 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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30. Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zarah, 17a, 10b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 10b. ולימא ליה מימר [בהדיא] אמר שמעי (בי) חשובי רומי ומצערו ליה ולימא ליה בלחש משום דכתיב (קהלת י, כ) כי עוף השמים יוליך את הקול,הוה ליה ההוא ברתא דשמה גירא קעבדה איסורא שדר ליה גרגירא שדר ליה כוסברתא שדר ליה כרתי שלח ליה חסא,כל יומא הוה שדר ליה דהבא פריכא במטראתא וחיטי אפומייהו אמר להו אמטיו חיטי לרבי אמר [ליה רבי] לא צריכנא אית לי טובא אמר ליהוו למאן דבתרך דיהבי לבתראי דאתו בתרך ודאתי מינייהו ניפוק עלייהו,ה"ל ההיא נקרתא דהוה עיילא מביתיה לבית רבי כל יומא הוה מייתי תרי עבדי חד קטליה אבבא דבי רבי וחד קטליה אבבא דביתיה א"ל בעידנא דאתינא לא נשכח גבר קמך,יומא חד אשכחיה לר' חנינא בר חמא דהוה יתיב אמר לא אמינא לך בעידנא דאתינא לא נשכח גבר קמך א"ל לית דין בר איניש א"ל אימא ליה לההוא עבדא דגני אבבא דקאים וליתי,אזל ר' חנינא בר חמא אשכחיה דהוה קטיל אמר היכי אעביד אי איזיל ואימא ליה דקטיל אין משיבין על הקלקלה אשבקיה ואיזיל קא מזלזלינן במלכותא בעא רחמי עליה ואחייה ושדריה אמר ידענא זוטי דאית בכו מחיה מתים מיהו בעידנא דאתינא לא נשכח איניש קמך,כל יומא הוה משמש לרבי מאכיל ליה משקי ליה כי הוה בעי רבי למיסק לפוריא הוה גחין קמי פוריא א"ל סק עילואי לפורייך אמר לאו אורח ארעא לזלזולי במלכותא כולי האי אמר מי ישימני מצע תחתיך לעולם הבא,א"ל אתינא לעלמא דאתי א"ל אין א"ל והכתיב (עובדיה א, יח) לא יהיה שריד לבית עשו בעושה מעשה עשו,תניא נמי הכי לא יהיה שריד לבית עשו יכול לכל ת"ל לבית עשו בעושה מעשה עשו,א"ל והכתיב (יחזקאל לב, כט) שמה אדום מלכיה וכל נשיאיה א"ל מלכיה ולא כל מלכיה כל נשיאיה ולא כל שריה,תניא נמי הכי מלכיה ולא כל מלכיה כל נשיאיה ולא כל שריה מלכיה ולא כל מלכיה פרט לאנטונינוס בן אסוירוס כל נשיאיה ולא כל שריה פרט לקטיעה בר שלום,קטיעה בר שלום מאי הוי דההוא קיסרא דהוה סני ליהודאי אמר להו לחשיבי דמלכותא מי שעלה לו נימא ברגלו יקטענה ויחיה או יניחנה ויצטער אמרו לו יקטענה ויחיה,אמר להו קטיעה בר שלום חדא דלא יכלת להו לכולהו דכתיב (זכריה ב, י) כי כארבע רוחות השמים פרשתי אתכם מאי קאמר אלימא דבדרתהון בד' רוחות האי כארבע רוחות לארבע רוחות מבעי ליה אלא כשם שא"א לעולם בלא רוחות כך א"א לעולם בלא ישראל ועוד קרו לך מלכותא קטיעה,א"ל מימר שפיר קאמרת מיהו כל דזכי (מלכא) שדו ליה לקמוניא חלילא כד הוה נקטין ליה ואזלין אמרה ליה ההיא מטרוניתא ווי ליה לאילפא דאזלא בלא מכסא נפל על רישא דעורלתיה קטעה אמר יהבית מכסי חלפית ועברית כי קא שדו ליה אמר כל נכסאי לר"ע וחביריו יצא ר"ע ודרש (שמות כט, כח) והיה לאהרן ולבניו מחצה לאהרן ומחצה לבניו,יצתה בת קול ואמרה קטיעה בר שלום מזומן לחיי העוה"ב בכה רבי ואמר יש קונה עולמו בשעה אחת ויש קונה עולמו בכמה שנים,אנטונינוס שמשיה לרבי אדרכן שמשיה לרב כי שכיב אנטונינוס א"ר נתפרדה חבילה כי שכיב אדרכן אמר רב | 10b. The Gemara asks: bButwhy not blet him sayhis advice bexplicitly?Why did Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi answer in such a circumspect way, which could have been interpreted incorrectly? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaidto himself: If I answer openly, bthe important Romansmight bhear me and will causeme banguish.The Gemara asks: bButwhy not blet him sayhis advice bquietly?The Gemara explains: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was still worried that they might hear what he had said, bbecause it is written:“Curse not the king, no, not in your thought, and curse not the rich in your bedchamber, bfor a bird of the air shall carry the voice”(Ecclesiastes 10:20).,The Gemara relates: Antoninus bhad a certain daughter whose name was Gira,who bperformed a prohibited action,i.e., she engaged in promiscuous intercourse. Antoninus bsent a rocket plant [ igargira /i] toRabbi Yehuda HaNasi, to allude to the fact that Gira had acted promiscuously [ igar /i]. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsent him coriander [ ikusbarta /i],which Antoninus understood as a message to kill [ ikos /i] his daughter [ ibarta /i], as she was liable to receive the death penalty for her actions. Antoninus bsent him leeks [ ikarti /i]to say: I will be cut off [ ikaret /i] if I do so. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi then bsent him lettuce [ iḥasa /i],i.e., Antoninus should have mercy [ iḥas /i] on her.,The Gemara relates: bEvery dayAntoninus bwould send toRabbi Yehuda HaNasi bcrushed gold in large sacks, with wheat in the opening ofthe sacks. bHewould bsay tohis servants: bBringthis bwheat to RabbiYehuda HaNasi, and they did not realize that the bags actually contained gold. bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bsaid toAntoninus: bI do not needgold, as bI have plenty.Antoninus bsaid:The gold bshould be for those who will come after you, who will give it to the last ones who come after you. And those who descend from them will bring forththe gold that I now give you, and will be able to pay taxes to the Romans from this money.,The Gemara relates anther anecdote involving Antoninus. Antoninus bhad a certainunderground bcavefrom which there was a tunnel bthat went from his house to the house of RabbiYehuda HaNasi. bEvery day he would bring two servantsto serve him. bHe would kill one at the entrance of the house of RabbiYehuda HaNasi, band would killthe other bone at the entrance of his house,so that no living person would know that he had visited Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. bHe said toRabbi Yehuda HaNasi: bWhen I cometo visit, blet no man be found before you. /b, bOne day,Antoninus bfound that Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama was sittingthere. bHe said: Did I not tell youthat bwhen I cometo visit, blet no man be found before you?Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to him: This is not a human being;he is like an angel, and you have nothing to fear from him. Antoninus bsaid toRabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama: bTell that servant who is sleeping at the entrance that he should rise and come. /b, bRabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama wentand bfound thatthe servant Antoninus referred to bhad been killed. He saidto himself: bHow shall I act? If I go and tellAntoninus bthat he was killed,this is problematic, as one should bnot report distressingnews. If bI leave him and go,then I would be btreating the king with disrespect. He prayed forGod to have bmercy and revivedthe servant, band he sent himto Antoninus. Antoninus bsaid: I knowthat even bthe least among youcan brevive the dead; but when I cometo visit blet no man be found before you,even one as great as Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama.,The Gemara relates: bEvery dayAntoninus bwould minister to RabbiYehuda HaNasi; bhe would feed himand bgive him to drink. When RabbiYehuda HaNasi bwanted to ascend to his bed,Antoninus bwould bend down in front of the bedand bsay to him: Ascend upon me to your bed.Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaidin response: It is bnot proper conduct to treat the king with this much disrespect.Antoninus bsaid: Oh, that I were set as a mattress under you in the World-to-Come! /b,On another occasion, Antoninus bsaid toRabbi Yehuda HaNasi: Will bI enter the World-to-Come?Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to him: Yes.Antoninus bsaid to him: But isn’t it written: “And there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau”(Obadiah 1:18)? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi answered: The verse is stated bwith regard tothose who bperform actionssimilar to those bofthe wicked bEsau,not to people like you., bThis is also taughtin a ibaraita /i: From the verse: b“And there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau,”one bmighthave thought that this applies bto everyonedescended from Esau, irrespective of an individual’s actions. Therefore, bthe verse states: “of the house of Esau,”to indicate that the verse is stated only bwith regard tothose who continue in the way of Esau, and bperform actionssimilar to those bof Esau. /b,Antoninus bsaid toRabbi Yehuda HaNasi: bBut isn’t it writtenin the description of the netherworld: b“There is Edom, her kings and all her leaders”(Ezekiel 32:29)? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to him:The verse states: b“Her kings,” but not: All of her kings,and likewise it states: b“All her leaders,” but not: All of her officers.Some of them will merit the World-to-Come., bThis is also taughtin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“Her kings,” but not: All of her kings,and: b“All her leaders,” but not: All of her officers.The inference learned from the wording of the verse: b“Her kings,” but not: All of her kings,serves bto exclude Antoninus the son of Asveirus;and the inference from the wording: b“All her leaders,” but not: All of her officers,serves bto excludethe Roman officer bKetia, son of Shalom. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat is itthat occurred involving bKetia, son of Shalom? As there was a certainRoman bemperor who hated the Jews. He said to the importantmembers bof the kingdom:If bone had an ulcerous sore [ inima /i] rise on his foot, should he cut it off and live, or leave it and suffer? They said to him: He should cut it off and live.The ulcerous sore was a metaphor for the Jewish people, whom the emperor sought to eliminate as the cause of harm for the Roman Empire., bKetia, son of Shalom, said to them:It is unwise to do so, for two reasons. bOneis bthat you cannotdestroy ball of them, as it is written: “For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven,says the Lord” (Zechariah 2:10). He clarified: bWhat is it saying? Shall we say thatthe verse means that God has bscattered them to the four windsof the world? If so, bthisphrase: b“As the four winds,”is inaccurate, since bit should havesaid: bTo the four winds. Rather,this is what the verse is saying: bJust as the world cannotexist bwithout winds, so too, the world cannotexist bwithout the Jewish people,and they will never be destroyed. bAnd furthermore,if you attempt to carry out the destruction of the Jews, bthey will call you the severed kingdom,as the Roman Empire would be devoid of Jews, but Jews would exist in other locations.,The emperor bsaid toKetia: bYou have spoken welland your statement is correct; bbut they throw anyone who defeats the kingin argument binto a house full of ashes [ ilekamonya ḥalila /i],where he would die. bWhen they were seizingKetia band goingto take him to his death, ba certain matron [ imatronita /i] said to him: Woe to the ship that goes withoutpaying the btax.Ketia bbent down over his foreskin, severed it,and bsaid: I gave my tax; Iwill bpass and enter. When they threw himinto the house of ashes, bhe said: All of my propertyis given bto Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues.How was this inheritance to be divided? The Gemara relates: bRabbi Akiva went out and taughtthat the verse: b“And it shall be for Aaron and his sons”(Exodus 29:28), means bhalf to Aaron and half to his sons.Here too, as Rabbi Akiva is mentioned separately, he should receive half, while his colleagues receive the other half.,The Gemara returns to the story of Ketia. bA Divine Voice emerged and said: Ketia, son of Shalom, is destined for life in the World-to-Come.When bRabbiYehuda HaNasi heard this, bhe wept, saying: There isone who bacquires hisshare in the bWorld /b-to-Come bin one moment, and there isone who bacquires hisshare in the bWorld /b-to-Come only bafter many yearsof toil.,The Gemara relates: bAntoninus would attend to RabbiYehuda HaNasi, and similarly the Persian king bAdrakan would attend to Rav. When Antoninus died, RabbiYehuda HaNasi bsaid: The bundle is separated. When Adrakan died, Ravlikewise bsaid: /b |
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31. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 61b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 61b. ריאה שואבת כל מיני משקין כבד כועס מרה זורקת בו טפה ומניחתו טחול שוחק קרקבן טוחן קיבה ישנה אף נעור נעור הישן ישן הנעור נמוק והולך לו תנא אם שניהם ישנים או שניהם נעורים מיד מת,תניא רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר צדיקים יצר טוב שופטן שנאמר (תהלים קט, כב) ולבי חלל בקרבי רשעים יצר רע שופטן שנאמר (תהלים לו, ב) נאם פשע לרשע בקרב לבי אין פחד אלהים לנגד עיניו בינונים זה וזה שופטן שנאמר (תהלים קט, לא) יעמוד לימין אביון להושיע משופטי נפשו,אמר רבא כגון אנו בינונים אמר ליה אביי לא שביק מר חיי לכל בריה,ואמר רבא לא איברי עלמא אלא לרשיעי גמורי או לצדיקי גמורי אמר רבא לידע אינש בנפשיה אם צדיק גמור הוא אם לאו אמר רב לא איברי עלמא אלא לאחאב בן עמרי ולר' חנינא בן דוסא לאחאב בן עמרי העולם הזה ולרבי חנינא בן דוסא העולם הבא:,ואהבת את י"י אלהיך: תניא ר' אליעזר אומר אם נאמר בכל נפשך למה נאמר בכל מאדך ואם נאמר בכל מאדך למה נאמר בכל נפשך אלא אם יש לך אדם שגופו חביב עליו מממונו לכך נאמר בכל נפשך ואם יש לך אדם שממונו חביב עליו מגופו לכך נאמר בכל מאדך רבי עקיבא אומר בכל נפשך אפילו נוטל את נפשך,תנו רבנן פעם אחת גזרה מלכות הרשעה שלא יעסקו ישראל בתורה בא פפוס בן יהודה ומצאו לרבי עקיבא שהיה מקהיל קהלות ברבים ועוסק בתורה אמר ליה עקיבא אי אתה מתירא מפני מלכות,אמר לו אמשול לך משל למה הדבר דומה לשועל שהיה מהלך על גב הנהר וראה דגים שהיו מתקבצים ממקום למקום אמר להם מפני מה אתם בורחים אמרו לו מפני רשתות שמביאין עלינו בני אדם אמר להם רצונכם שתעלו ליבשה ונדור אני ואתם כשם שדרו אבותי עם אבותיכם אמרו לו אתה הוא שאומרים עליך פקח שבחיות לא פקח אתה אלא טפש אתה ומה במקום חיותנו אנו מתיראין במקום מיתתנו על אחת כמה וכמה אף אנחנו עכשיו שאנו יושבים ועוסקים בתורה שכתוב בה (דברים ל, כ) כי הוא חייך ואורך ימיך כך אם אנו הולכים ומבטלים ממנה עאכ"ו,אמרו לא היו ימים מועטים עד שתפסוהו לר"ע וחבשוהו בבית האסורים ותפסו לפפוס בן יהודה וחבשוהו אצלו אמר לו פפוס מי הביאך לכאן אמר ליה אשריך רבי עקיבא שנתפסת על דברי תורה אוי לו לפפוס שנתפס על דברים בטלים,בשעה שהוציאו את ר' עקיבא להריגה זמן ק"ש היה והיו סורקים את בשרו במסרקות של ברזל והיה מקבל עליו עול מלכות שמים אמרו לו תלמידיו רבינו עד כאן אמר להם כל ימי הייתי מצטער על פסוק זה בכל נפשך אפילו נוטל את נשמתך אמרתי מתי יבא לידי ואקיימנו ועכשיו שבא לידי לא אקיימנו היה מאריך באחד עד שיצתה נשמתו באחד יצתה ב"ק ואמרה אשריך ר"ע שיצאה נשמתך באחד,אמרו מלאכי השרת לפני הקב"ה זו תורה וזו שכרה (תהלים יז, יד) ממתים ידך י"י ממתים וגו' אמר להם חלקם בחיים יצתה בת קול ואמרה אשריך ר"ע שאתה מזומן לחיי העוה"ב:,לא יקל אדם את ראשו כנגד שער המזרח שהוא מכוון כנגד בית קדשי הקדשים וכו': אמר רב יהודה אמר רב לא אמרו אלא מן הצופים ולפנים וברואה איתמר נמי א"ר אבא בריה דרבי חייא בר אבא הכי אמר רבי יוחנן לא אמרו אלא מן הצופים ולפנים וברואה ובשאין גדר ובזמן שהשכינה שורה,ת"ר הנפנה ביהודה לא יפנה מזרח ומערב אלא צפון ודרום ובגליל לא יפנה אלא מזרח ומערב ורבי יוסי מתיר שהיה ר' יוסי אומר לא אסרו אלא ברואה ובמקום שאין שם גדר ובזמן שהשכינה שורה וחכמים אוסרים,חכמים היינו ת"ק איכא בינייהו צדדין,תניא אידך הנפנה ביהודה לא יפנה מזרח ומערב אלא צפון ודרום ובגליל צפון ודרום אסור מזרח ומערב מותר ורבי יוסי מתיר שהיה רבי יוסי אומר לא אסרו אלא ברואה רבי יהודה אומר בזמן שבית המקדש קיים אסור בזמן שאין בית המקדש קיים מותר רבי עקיבא אוסר בכל מקום,רבי עקיבא היינו ת"ק איכא בינייהו חוץ לארץ,רבה הוו שדיין ליה לבני מזרח ומערב אזל אביי שדנהו צפון ודרום על רבה תרצנהו אמר מאן האי דקמצער לי אנא כר' עקיבא סבירא לי דאמר בכל מקום אסור: | 61b. and the blungs draw all kinds of liquids,the bliver becomes angry,the bgallbladder binjects a dropof gall bintothe liver and ballaysanger, the bspleen laughs,the bmaw grindsthe food, and the bstomachbrings bsleep,the bnose awakens.If they reversed roles such that btheorgan which brings on bsleepwere to bawaken,or btheorgan which bawakenswere to bring on bsleep,the individual bwould gradually deteriorate. It was taught: If bothbring on bsleep or both awaken,the person bimmediately dies. /b,With regard to one’s inclinations, bit was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yosei HaGelili says: The good inclination rules the righteous, as it is stated: “And my heart is dead within me”(Psalms 109:22); the evil inclination has been completely banished from his heart. The bevil inclination rules the wicked, as it is stated: “Transgression speaks to the wicked, there is no fear of God before his eyes”(Psalms 36:2). bMiddling people are ruled by boththe good and evil inclinations, bas it is stated: “Because He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from them that rule his soul”(Psalms 109:31)., bRabba said:People blike usare bmiddling. Abaye,his student and nephew, bsaid to him:If bthe Masterclaims that he is merely middling, he bdoes not leaveroom for bany creature to live.If a person like you is middling, what of the rest of us?, bAnd Rava said: The world was created only forthe sake of bthe full-fledged wicked or the full-fledged righteous;others do not live complete lives in either world. bRava said: One should know of himself whether or not he is completely righteous,as if he is not completely righteous, he knows that his life will be a life of suffering. bRav said: The world was only created forthe wicked bAhab ben Omri and for Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa.The Gemara explains: For bAhab ben Omri, this worldwas created, as he has no place in the World-to-Come, bandfor bRabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa, the World-to-Comewas created.,We learned in our mishna the explanation of the verse: b“And you shall love the Lord your Godwith all your heart and all your soul and all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). This was elaborated upon when bit was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Eliezer says: If it is stated: “With all your soul,” why does it state: “With all your might”?Conversely, bif it stated: “With all your might,” why does it state: “With all your soul”? Rather,this means that bif one’s body is dearer to him than his property, therefore it is stated: “With all your soul”;one must give his soul in sanctification of God. bAnd if one’s money is dearer to him than his body, therefore it is stated: “With all your might”;with all your assets. bRabbi Akiva says: “With all your soul”means: bEven ifGod btakes your soul. /b,The Gemara relates at length how Rabbi Akiva fulfilled these directives. bThe Sages taught: One time,after the bar Kokheva rebellion, bthe evil empireof Rome bdecreed that Israel may not engage inthe study and practice of bTorah. Pappos ben Yehuda came and found Rabbi Akiva, who was convening assemblies in public and engaging in Torahstudy. Pappos bsaid to him: Akiva, are you not afraid of the empire? /b,Rabbi Akiva banswered him: I will relate a parable. To what can this be compared?It is like ba fox walking along a riverbank when he sees fish gatheringand fleeing bfrom place to place. brThe fox bsaid to them: From what are you fleeing? br bThey said to him:We are fleeing bfrom the nets that people cast upon us. br bHe said to them: Do you wish to come up onto dry land, and we will reside together just as my ancestors resided with your ancestors? brThe fish bsaid to him: You are the one of whom they say, he is the cleverest of animals? You are not clever; you are a fool. If we are afraid inthe water, bournatural bhabitatwhich gives us blife,then bin a habitatthat causes our bdeath, all the more so. brThe moral is: bSo too, weJews, bnow that we sit and engage in Torahstudy, babout which it is written: “For that is your life, and the length of your days”(Deuteronomy 30:20), we fear the empire bto this extent; if we proceed tosit bidle from itsstudy, as its abandonment is the habitat that causes our death, ball the more sowill we fear the empire.,The Sages bsaid: Not a few days passed until they seized Rabbi Akiva and incarcerated him in prison, and seized Pappos ben Yehuda and incarcerated him alongside him.Rabbi Akiva bsaid to him: Pappos, who brought you here?Pappos breplied: Happy are you, Rabbi Akiva, for you were arrested onthe charge of engaging in bTorahstudy. bWoe unto Pappos who was seized onthe charge of engaging in bidle matters. /b,The Gemara relates: bWhen they took Rabbi Akiva out to be executed, it was time for the recitation of iShema /i. And they were raking his flesh with iron combs, and he wasreciting iShema /i, thereby baccepting upon himself the yoke of Heaven. His students said to him: Our teacher, even now,as you suffer, you recite iShema /i? bHe said to them: All my days I have been troubled by the verse: With all your soul,meaning: bEven if God takes your soul. I saidto myself: bWhen will theopportunity bbe afforded me to fulfill thisverse? bNow that it has been afforded me, shall I not fulfill it? He prolongedhis uttering of the word: bOne, until his soul lefthis body as he uttered his final word: bOne. A voice descendedfrom heaven band said: Happy are you, Rabbi Akiva, that your soul leftyour body basyou uttered: bOne. /b, bThe ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: This is Torah and this its reward?As it is stated: b“From death, by Your hand, O Lord, from deathof the world” (Psalms 17:14); Your hand, God, kills and does not save. God bsaidthe end of the verse btothe ministering angels: b“Whose portion is in this life.”And then ba Divine Voice emerged and said: Happy are you, Rabbi Akiva, as you are destined for life in the World-to-Come,as your portion is already in eternal life.,We learned in the mishna that bone may not act irreverently opposite the Eastern Gate, which is aligned with the Holy of Holies.Limiting this ihalakha /i, bRav Yehuda saidthat bRav said: They only saidthis ihalakhawith regard to irreverent behavior bfromMount bScopus [ iTzofim /i] and within, andspecifically areas from where bone can seethe Temple. bIt is also stated: Rabbi Abba, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, said: Rabbi Yoḥa said the following: They only saidthis ihalakhawith regard to Mount bScopus and within,when bone can see, and when there is no fenceobstructing his view, band when the Divine Presence is restingthere, i.e., when the Temple is standing.,In this context, bthe Sages taught: One who defecates in Judea should not defecatewhen facing beast and west,for then he is facing Jerusalem; bratherhe should do so bfacing north and south. But in the Galileewhich is north of Jerusalem, bone should only defecatefacing beast and west. Rabbi Yosei permitsdoing so, bas Rabbi Yosei was wont to say: They only prohibiteddoing so when bone can seethe Temple, bwhere there is no fence, and when the Divine Presence is restingthere. bAnd the Rabbis prohibitdoing so.,The Gemara argues: But the opinion of the bRabbis,who prohibit this, bisidentical to that of the bfirstanonymous itanna, /iwho also prohibits doing so. The Gemara replies: The practical difference bbetween them iswith regard to bthe sides,i.e., a place in Judea that is not directly east or west of Jerusalem, or a place in the Galilee that is not directly north of Jerusalem. According to the first itanna /i, it is prohibited; according to the Rabbis, it is permitted., bIt was taughtin banother ibaraita /i: bOne who defecates in Judea should not defecatewhen facing beast and west; rather,he should only do so facing bnorth and south. And in the Galilee,defecating while facing bnorth and south is prohibited,while beast and west is permitted. And Rabbi Yosei permitteddoing so, bas Rabbi Yosei was wont to say: They only prohibiteddoing so when bone can seethe Temple. bRabbi Yehuda says: When the Temple is standing, it is prohibited,but bwhen the Temple is not standing, it is permitted.The Gemara adds that bRabbi Akiva prohibitsdefecating banywherewhile facing east and west.,The Gemara challenges this: bRabbi Akiva’sposition bis identical tothat of bthe first,anonymous itanna /i,who also prohibits doing so. The Gemara responds: The practical difference bbetween themis with regard to places boutside of EretzYisrael b,as according to Rabbi Akiva, even outside of Eretz Yisrael, defecating while facing east and west is prohibited.,The Gemara relates that in bRabba’sbathroom, bthe bricks were placed east and westin order to ensure that he would defecate facing north and south. bAbaye wentand bplaced them north and south,to test if Rabba was particular about their direction or if they had simply been placed east and west incidentally. bRabba enteredand bfixed them. He said: Who is the one that is upsetting me? I hold in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Akiva,who bsaid: It is prohibited everywhere. /b |
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32. Babylonian Talmud, Ketuvot, 103b (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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33. Babylonian Talmud, Moed Qatan, 9a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 9a. מותרין לישא ערב הרגל קשיא לכולהו,לא קשיא למאן דאמר משום שמחה עיקר שמחה חד יומא הוא,למ"ד משום טירחא עיקר טירחא חד יומא הוא למ"ד משום ביטול פריה ורביה לחד יומא לא משהי איניש נפשיה,ודאין מערבין שמחה בשמחה מנלן דכתיב (מלכים א ח, סה) ויעש שלמה בעת ההיא את החג וכל ישראל עמו קהל גדול מלבוא חמת עד נחל מצרים [לפני ה' אלהינו] שבעת ימים ושבעת ימים ארבעה עשר יום ואם איתא דמערבין שמחה בשמחה איבעי ליה למינטר עד החג ומיעבד שבעה להכא ולהכא,ודלמא מינטר לא נטרינן והיכא דאתרמי עבדינן איבעי ליה לשיורי פורתא,שיורי בנין בהמ"ק לא משיירינן איבעי ליה לשיורי באמה כליא עורב,אמה כליא עורב צורך בנין הבית הוא אלא מדמייתר קרא מכדי כתיב ארבעה עשר יום שבעת ימים ושבעת ימים למה לי שמע מינה הני לחוד והני לחוד,א"ר פרנך א"ר יוחנן אותה שנה לא עשו ישראל את יום הכפורים והיו דואגים ואומרים שמא נתחייבו שונאיהן של ישראל כלייה יצתה בת קול ואמרה להם כולכם מזומנין לחיי העולם הבא,מאי דרוש אמרו קל וחומר ומה משכן שאין קדושתו קדושת עולם וקרבן יחיד דוחה שבת דאיסור סקילה מקדש דקדושתו קדושת עולם וקרבן צבור ויום הכפורים דענוש כרת לא כ"ש,אלא אמאי היו דואגים התם צורך גבוה הכא צורך הדיוט הכא נמי מיעבד ליעבדו מיכל לא ניכלו ולא לישתו אין שמחה בלא אכילה ושתיה,ומשכן דדחי שבת מנלן אילימא מדכתיב (במדבר ז, יב) ביום הראשון וביום השביעי דלמא שביעי לקרבנות אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר קרא (במדבר ז, עב) ביום עשתי עשר יום מה יום כולו רצוף אף עשתי עשר כולן רצופין,ודלמא ימים הראויין כתיב קרא אחרינא (במדבר ז, עח) ביום שנים עשר יום מה יום כולו רצוף אף שנים עשר יום כולן רצופין,ודלמא הכא נמי ימים הראויין אם כן תרי קראי למה לי,ומקדש דדוחה יום הכפורים מנלן אילימא מדכתיב ארבעה עשר יום ודלמא ימים הראויין גמר יום יום מהתם,יצתה בת קול ואמרה להם כולכם מזומנין לחיי העולם הבא ומנלן דאחיל להו דתני תחליפא (מלכים א ח, סו) ביום השמיני שלח את העם ויברכו את המלך וילכו לאהליהם שמחים וטובי לב על כל הטובה אשר עשה ה' לדוד עבדו ולישראל עמו,לאהליהם שהלכו ומצאו נשיהם בטהרה שמחים שנהנו מזיו השכינה וטובי לב שכל אחד ואחד נתעברה אשתו בבן זכר על כל הטובה שיצתה בת קול ואמרה להם כולכם מזומנין לחיי העולם הבא,לדוד עבדו ולישראל עמו בשלמא לישראל עמו דאחיל להו עון יום הכפורים אלא לדוד עבדו מאי היא,אמר רב יהודה אמר רב בשעה שביקש שלמה להכניס ארון למקדש דבקו שערים זה לזה אמר שלמה עשרים וארבע רננות ולא נענה פתח ואמר (תהלים כד, ז) שאו שערים ראשיכם וגו' ולא נענה,כיון שאמר (דברי הימים ב ו, מב) ה' אלהים אל תשב פני משיחך זכרה לחסדי דוד עבדך מיד נענה באותה שעה נהפכו פני שונאי דוד כשולי קדירה וידעו הכל שמחל לו הקב"ה על אותו עון,ר' יונתן בן עסמיי ורבי יהודה בן גרים תנו פרשת נדרים בי ר' שמעון בן יוחי איפטור מיניה באורתא לצפרא הדור וקא מפטרי מיניה אמר להו ולאו איפטריתו מיני באורתא,אמרו ליה למדתנו רבינו תלמיד שנפטר מרבו ולן באותה העיר צריך ליפטר ממנו פעם אחרת שנאמר ביום השמיני שלח את העם ויברכו את המלך וכתיב (דברי הימים ב ז, י) וביום עשרים ושלשה לחדש השביעי שלח את העם,אלא מכאן לתלמיד הנפטר מרבו ולן באותה העיר צריך ליפטר ממנו פעם אחרת,א"ל לבריה בני אדם הללו אנשים של צורה הם זיל גביהון דליברכוך אזל אשכחינהו דקא רמו קראי אהדדי כתיב (משלי ד, כו) פלס מעגל רגלך וכל דרכיך יכונו וכתיב (משלי ה, ו) אורח חיים פן תפלס,לא קשיא כאן במצוה שאפשר לעשותה ע"י אחרים | 9a. bare permitted to marry on the eve of the pilgrimage Festival.This poses ba difficulty to all ofthe opinions, as a wedding celebration ordinarily extends for seven days, and the majority of the celebration will coincide with the Festival.,The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult,as this ibaraitacan be reconciled with all of the opinions. bAccording to the one who saidthat one may not get married on the intermediate days of a Festival bbecause of joy,i.e., because one must not mix one joy with another, or because one may not put aside the rejoicing of the Festival and occupy himself with rejoicing with his wife, this is not difficult, as bthe primary joyof a wedding bisonly bone day,and after that, the joy of the wedding will not affect the joy of the Festival.,And baccording to the one who saidthat one may not marry on the intermediate days of a Festival bdue tothe excessive bexertionthat the wedding preparations demand, it is not difficult, as bthe primary exertion isonly bone day.After the wedding, excessive exertion is not required. And baccording to the one who saidthat the reason is bdue to the neglect ofthe mitzva to be bfruitful and multiply,there is no room for concern: Since there is only bone day,the eve of the Festival, when he can get married and save money on the feast, ba man will not delayhis wedding in order to get married then, lest some unforeseen circumstance arise that will prevent him from getting married on that day. Therefore, according to all the reasons offered, there is no need to prohibit weddings on the eve of a Festival.,§ The Gemara asks: With regard to the principle that bone may not mixone bjoy withanother bjoy, from where do wederive it? The Gemara explains that the source is bas it is writtenwith regard to the dedication of the Temple: b“So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, fourteen days”(I Kings 8:65). bAnd if it is sothat bone mayin fact bmixone bjoy withanother bjoy, he should have waited until the festivalof iSukkot /i, which was the second set of seven days, band madea feast of bsevendays bfor this and for that,i.e., for the dedication of the Temple and for the festival of iSukkottogether. The fact that he did not do so indicates that one must not mix one joy with another.,The Gemara raises a question: bPerhaps,however, it may be derived from here only that bwe may not delaya wedding to be on a Festival, just as King Solomon did not delay the Temple dedication to be on the Festival, but nevertheless, bwhere it happensto occur that way, bwe mayindeed bpreparea feast to celebrate both occasions together. The Gemara answers: If this were permitted, Solomon bshould have left a smallpart of the Temple unfinished until the Festival, and thereby arranged for a joint celebration of the dedication of the Temple and the festival of iSukkot /i.,The Gemara responds: bOne may not leaveany part of bthe building of the Templeundone, as a mitzva should be completed as quickly as possible. The Gemara modifies its previous opinion: Solomon bshould have left the cubit- /bwide plates with spikes, which were designed to beliminate the ravens,unfinished. The roof of the Temple was fitted with sharp metal spikes to deter the ravens, who were attracted by the smell of the sacrificial meat, from perching there. Although this was not considered a part of the building itself, delaying its installation would have allowed Solomon to delay the celebration of the Temple dedication.,The Gemara rejects this opinion as well: bThe cubit /b-wide plates with spikes to beliminate the ravens was a necessaryelement bin the building of the Temple,and consequently Solomon could not delay its construction either. bRather,the proof is bfrom the redundancyin bthe verse. Since it is written “fourteen days,” why do Ineed the verse to specify b“seven days and seven days”? Learn from itthat btheseseven days of celebrating the Temple dedication must bbe discrete, andsimilarly, btheseseven days of celebrating the Festival must bbe discrete,due to the principle that one may not mix one joy with another.,§ Apropos the discussion of the celebration at Solomon’s dedication of the Temple, the Gemara relates that bRabbi Parnakh said that Rabbi Yoḥa said: That year,the Jewish people bdid not observe Yom Kippur,as the seven-day celebration of the dedication of the Temple coincided with Yom Kippur and all seven days were celebrated with feasting. bAndthe people bwere worried and said: Perhaps the enemies of the Jewish people,a euphemism for the Jewish people themselves, bhave become liable to be destroyedfor the transgression of eating on Yom Kippur, which is punishable by ikaret /i. bA Divine Voice issued forth and said to them: All of you are designated for life in the World-to-Come. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat derivationled them to conclude that it was permitted for them to eat on Yom Kippur? The Gemara explains that they based their ruling on an ia fortiori /iinference: bIfat the dedication of bthe Tabernacle, whose sanctity is not a permanent sanctity, an individual’s offering,i.e., an offering of one of the tribal princes, boverridesthe prohibition of bShabbat,as the princes’ offerings were brought every day including Shabbat despite the attendant transgression of ba prohibitionthat is punishable by bstoning;then with regard to the dedication of bthe Temple, whose sanctity is a permanent sanctityand the offerings brought there were bcommunal offerings,is it bnot all the more soclear that the dedication of the Temple overrides the prohibition of bYom Kippur,a violation that is bpunishable bythe less severe punishment of ikaret /i? /b,The Gemara asks: bButif they had firm basis for their behavior, bwhy were they worried?The Gemara answers that one can refute this ia fortioriinference as follows: bThere,at the dedication of the Tabernacle, Shabbat was desecrated only bfor the necessitiesof the Temple service to God on bHigh,i.e., by sacrificing offerings. bHere,at the dedication of the Temple, they desecrated Yom Kippur by eating and drinking, which was for bthe need of commonmortals. Based on this distinction the Gemara suggests: bHere too,at the dedication of the Temple bthey shouldhave bperformedthe rites of the sacrificial offerings and bthey should nothave beaten or drunk.The Gemara answers: bThere is nocomplete brejoicing without eating and drinking. /b,With regard to the proof itself, the Gemara asks: bAnd from where do wederive that the offerings brought at the dedication of bthe Tabernacle overrode Shabbat? If we sayit is bas it is writtenwith regard to the offerings brought by the tribal princes: b“On the first day”(Numbers 7:12) band “on the seventh day”(Numbers 7:48), this is not a conclusive proof, as bperhapsthis refers not to the seventh day of the week but to bthe seventhday bofsacrificial bofferings.Perhaps they skipped Shabbat and did not sacrifice offerings connected to the dedication of the Tabernacle on that day. bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The versealso bstates: “On the day of the eleventh day”(Numbers 7:72). The repetition of the word day indicates that bjust as a day is allone bcontinuousperiod of time, bso too, the elevendays bwere allone bcontinuousperiod of time, with no break in the middle, even for Shabbat.,The Gemara asks: bBut perhapsthis refers only to bdays that are fitfor an individual’s offerings, i.e., the offerings were sacrificed on eleven consecutive days that were suitable for sacrificing the offerings of an individual, but not on Shabbat. The Gemara answers: In banother verse it is written: “On the day of the twelfth day”(Numbers 7:78), indicating that bjust as a day is allone bcontinuousperiod of time, bso too, the twelve days were allone bcontinuousperiod of time.,The Gemara asks again: bBut perhaps here toothis is referring to bdays that are fitfor sacrificing the offerings of an individual? The Gemara rejects this opinion: bIf so, why do Ineed btwo verses,the verse with regard to the eleventh day and the verse with regard to the twelfth day, to teach the same principle? The fact that the Torah uses repetitive phraseology in both verses indicates that all the days were consecutive, without a break for Shabbat.,The Gemara asks: bAnd from where do wederive that the feasting at the time of the dedication of bthe Temple overrides Yom Kippur,so that the people did not have to fast? bIf we sayit is derived bfrom that which is written: Fourteen days, perhapsthis is referring to bdays that are fitfor feasting, to the exclusion of Yom Kippur. The Gemara answers: This is bderivedby means of a verbal analogy between the word b“day”mentioned in this context bandthe word b“day”mentioned bthere,with regard to the dedication of the Tabernacle. Just as there the days were consecutive, without a break for Shabbat, so too here, the days were consecutive, without a break for Yom Kippur.,It was stated above that ba Divine Voice issued forth and said to them: All of you are designated for life in the World-to-Come.The Gemara asks: bAnd from where do wederive bthatGod bpardoned themfor this sin? The Gemara answers: The Sage bTaḥlifa taughtin a ibaraitathat the verse states: b“On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David His servant and for Israel His people”(I Kings 8:66).,This verse may be expounded as follows: The words b“to their tents”indicate bthat they went and found their wives ina state of bpurity,as the terms tent and house often denote one’s wife. The term b“joyful”is referring to the fact bthey had enjoyed the splendor of the Divine Presence,as there was a revelation of the Divine Presence when the offerings were sacrificed in the Temple. The phrase b“and glad of heart”refers to the fact that beach of their wives conceived a male child.The words b“for all the goodness”indicate bthat a Divine Voice issued forth and said to them: All of you are designated for life in the World-to-Come,which is the ultimate good.,The aforementioned verse stated: “For all the goodness that the Lord had done bfor David His servant and for Israel His people. /b” The Gemara asks: bGranted,when the verse mentions the goodness that God did bfor Israel His people,this is referring to the fact bthat He pardoned them the sin ofeating on bYom Kippurthat year; bbut what isthe goodness that God performed bfor David His servant? /b, bRav Yehuda said that Rav said: When Solomon sought to bring the Ark into the Temple the gates clung togetherand could not be opened. bSolomon uttered twenty-four songsof praise, bandhis prayer bwas not answered. He began and said: “Lift up your heads, O you gates,and be lifted up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in” (Psalms 24:7), bbutonce again his prayer bwas not answered,and the Temple gates remained closed., bOnce he said:“Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into your resting place, You, and the Ark of Your strength; Let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with victory and let Your pious ones rejoice in goodness. bO Lord God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; remember the faithful love of David Your servant”(II Chronicles 6:41–42), bhe was immediately answered. At that moment the faces of David’s enemies turneddark blike thecharred bbottom of a pot, and all knew that the Holy One, Blessed be He, forgave him for that sininvolving Bathsheba, as they saw that it was only in his merit that the gates of the Temple opened.,The Gemara relates that bRabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, studied the portiondealing with boaths in the study hall of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai.After completing their studies, the disciples btook leave oftheir master bin the evening,but did not yet leave the city. bIn the morning they went back and took leave of hima second time. bHe said to them: Did you notalready btake leave of meyesterday bin the evening? /b, bThey said to him: You have taught us, our teacher,that ba disciple who takes leave of his teacher andthen bstays overnight in the same city must take leave of him an additional time, as it is statedat the conclusion of the dedication of the Temple: b“On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king”(I Kings 8:66), bandelsewhere bit is written: “And on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away”(II Chronicles 7:10). The eighth day in the verse is referring to the Eighth Day of Assembly, the twenty-second of the month of Tishrei, yet it says that he sent the people away on the next day, the twenty-third of the month., bRather,it can be derived bfrom herethat ba disciple who takes leave of his teacher andthen bstays overnight in the same city must take leave of him an additional time,just as the Jewish people took leave of Solomon an additional time on the day after the Festival, on the twenty-third of Tishrei.,Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai bsaid to his son: Thesetwo bpeople,Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, bare men ofnoble bform [ itzura /i]i.e., wise and learned individuals; bgo to them so that they will bless you. He wentand bfound themdeep in discussion, braisingapparent bcontradictions between versesas follows: bIt is written: “Make level the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established”(Proverbs 4:26), indicating that when one has the opportunity to perform more than one mitzva, he must evaluate which of them is most important. bAndelsewhere bit is written: “Lest you level out the path of life,”(Proverbs 5:6), indicating that one must perform each mitzva as the opportunity arises, without considering its relative importance.,They explained that it is bnot difficult: Here,in the first verse cited above, it is discussing ba mitzva that can be done by others,and therefore one must consider what is most worthwhile for him to perform himself and what he will leave to others. |
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34. Babylonian Talmud, Taanit, 29a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 29a. אנת צבית לחרובי ביתא ידך אשלימת ליה,בתשעה באב נגזר על אבותינו שלא יכנסו לארץ מנלן דכתיב (שמות מ, יז) ויהי בחדש הראשון בשנה השנית באחד לחדש הוקם המשכן ואמר מר שנה ראשונה עשה משה את המשכן שניה הקים משה את המשכן ושלח מרגלים וכתיב (במדבר י, יא) ויהי בשנה השנית בחדש השני בעשרים בחדש נעלה הענן מעל משכן העדות,וכתיב (במדבר י, לג) ויסעו מהר ה' דרך שלשת ימים אמר רבי חמא בר חנינא אותו היום סרו מאחרי ה' וכתיב (במדבר יא, ד) והאספסוף אשר בקרבו התאוו תאוה וישובו ויבכו גם בני ישראל וגו' וכתיב (במדבר יא, כ) עד חדש ימים וגו' דהוו להו עשרין ותרתין בסיון,וכתיב (במדבר יב, טו) ותסגר מרים שבעת ימים דהוו להו עשרין ותשעה בסיון וכתיב (במדבר יג, ב) שלח לך אנשים,ותניא בעשרים ותשעה בסיון שלח משה מרגלים וכתיב (במדבר יג, כה) וישובו מתור הארץ מקץ ארבעים יום הני ארבעים יום נכי חד הוו,אמר אביי תמוז דההיא שתא מלויי מליוה דכתיב (איכה א, טו) קרא עלי מועד לשבור בחורי,וכתיב (במדבר יד, א) ותשא כל העדה ויתנו את קולם ויבכו העם בלילה ההוא אמר רבה אמר ר' יוחנן (אותו היום ערב) תשעה באב היה אמר להם הקב"ה אתם בכיתם בכיה של חנם ואני קובע לכם בכיה לדורות,חרב הבית בראשונה דכתיב (מלכים ב כה, ח) ובחדש החמישי בשבעה לחדש היא שנת תשע עשרה [שנה] למלך נבוכדנצר מלך בבל בא נבוזראדן רב טבחים עבד מלך בבל ירושלם וישרוף את בית ה' וגו' וכתיב (ירמיהו נב, יב) ובחדש החמישי בעשור לחדש היא שנת תשע עשרה [שנה] למלך נבוכדנצר מלך בבל בא נבוזראדן רב טבחים עמד לפני מלך בבל בירושלם וגו',ותניא אי אפשר לומר בשבעה שהרי כבר נאמר בעשור ואי אפשר לומר בעשור שהרי כבר נאמר בשבעה הא כיצד בשבעה נכנסו נכרים להיכל ואכלו וקלקלו בו שביעי שמיני,ותשיעי סמוך לחשכה הציתו בו את האור והיה דולק והולך כל היום כולו שנאמר (ירמיהו ו, ד) אוי לנו כי פנה היום כי ינטו צללי ערב והיינו דאמר רבי יוחנן אלמלי הייתי באותו הדור לא קבעתיו אלא בעשירי מפני שרובו של היכל בו נשרף ורבנן אתחלתא דפורענותא עדיפא,ובשניה מנלן דתניא מגלגלין זכות ליום זכאי וחובה ליום חייב,אמרו כשחרב בית המקדש בראשונה אותו היום ערב תשעה באב היה ומוצאי שבת היה ומוצאי שביעית היתה ומשמרתה של יהויריב היתה והלוים היו אומרי' שירה ועומדין על דוכנם ומה שירה היו אומרים (תהלים צד, כג) וישב עליהם את אונם וברעתם יצמיתם ולא הספיקו לומר יצמיתם ה' אלהינו עד שבאו נכרים וכבשום וכן בשניה,נלכדה ביתר גמרא,נחרשה העיר תניא כשחרב טורנוסרופוס הרשע את ההיכל נגזרה גזרה על רבן גמליאל להריגה בא אדון אחד ועמד בבית המדרש ואמר בעל החוטם מתבקש בעל החוטם מתבקש שמע רבן גמליאל אזל טשא מינייהו,אזל לגביה בצנעא א"ל אי מצילנא לך מייתית לי לעלמא דאתי א"ל הן א"ל אשתבע לי אשתבע ליה סליק לאיגרא נפיל ומית וגמירי דכי גזרי גזירתא ומית חד מינייהו מבטלי לגזרתייהו יצתה בת קול ואמרה אדון זה מזומן לחיי העולם הבא,תנו רבנן משחרב הבית בראשונה נתקבצו כיתות כיתות של פרחי כהונה ומפתחות ההיכל בידן ועלו לגג ההיכל ואמרו לפניו רבונו של עולם הואיל ולא זכינו להיות גזברין נאמנים יהיו מפתחות מסורות לך וזרקום כלפי מעלה ויצתה כעין פיסת יד וקיבלתן מהם והם קפצו ונפלו לתוך האור,ועליהן קונן ישעיהו הנביא (ישעיהו כב, א) משא גיא חזיון מה לך איפוא כי עלית כולך לגגות תשואות מלאה עיר הומיה קריה עליזה חלליך לא חללי חרב ולא מתי מלחמה אף בהקב"ה נאמר (ישעיהו כב, ה) מקרקר קיר ושוע אל ההר:,משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה כו' אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב כשם שמשנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה כך משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה | 29a. bYou want to destroy the Temple; I have given you your hand.It is as though one idol said to the other: You are seeking to destroy the Temple by causing Israel to pray to you; I, too, give you a hand to assist you.,§ The mishna taught: bOn the Ninth of Av, it was decreed upon our ancestors that they would not enter EretzYisrael. The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this? bAs it is written: “And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the Tabernacle was erected”(Exodus 40:17). bAnd the Master said:In the bfirst yearafter leaving Egypt, bMoses built the Tabernacle.At the beginning of the bsecondyear, bMoses erected the Tabernacle and sentthe bspies. And it is written: “And it came to pass in the second year in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from the Tabernacle of the Testimony”(Numbers 10:11)., bAnd it isfurther bwritten: “And they set forward from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey”(Numbers 10:33). bRabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Thatvery bday, they turned away from Godby displaying their anxiety about leaving Mount Sinai. bAnd it is written: “And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting, and the children of Israel also wept on their part,and said: Would that we were given flesh to eat” (Numbers 11:4). bAnd it is writtenthat the Jews ate the meat b“for an entire month”(Numbers 11:20). If one adds to the first twenty days an additional three days’ journey, bthese aretwenty-three days. Consequently, the subsequent month of twenty-nine days of eating meat ended bon the twenty-second of Sivan. /b,After this, the Jews traveled to Hazeroth, where Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, band it is written: “And Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days,and the people did not journey until Miriam was brought in again” (Numbers 12:15). Including btheseseven days, they remained in Hazeroth until bthe twenty-ninth of Sivanbefore traveling on to Paran, band it is writtenimmediately afterward: b“Send you men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan”(Numbers 13:2)., bAndthis calculation bis taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOn the twenty-ninth of Sivan, Moses sentthe bspies. And it is written: “And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days”(Numbers 13:25), which means that they came back on the Ninth of Av. The Gemara asks: bThese are forty days minus one.The remaining days of the days of Sivan, the entire month of Tammuz, and eight days of Av add up to a total of thirty-nine days, not forty., bAbaye said: The month of Tammuz of that year was a fullmonth of thirty days. Accordingly, there are exactly forty days until the Ninth of Av. bAndthis is alluded to in the following verse, bas it is written: “He has called an appointed time against me to crush my young men”(Lamentations 1:15). This indicates that an additional appointed day, i.e., a New Moon, was added so that this calamity would fall specifically on the Ninth of Av., bAnd it isfurther bwritten: “And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried and the people wept that night”(Numbers 14:1). bRabba saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: That night was the night of the Ninth of Av. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: You wept needlesslythat night, band Iwill therefore bestablish for youa true tragedy over which there will be bweeping infuture bgenerations. /b,§ The mishna further taught that on the Ninth of Av bthe Temple was destroyed the first time.The Gemara explains that this is bas it is written: “And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the King of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. And he burnt the house of the Lord”(II Kings 25:8–9). bAnd it isalso bwritten: “And in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, came into Jerusalem.And he burnt the house of the Lord” (Jeremiah 52:12–13)., bAnd it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bIt is impossible to saythat the Temple was burned bon the seventhof Av, bas it has already been stated,in Jeremiah, that it was destroyed bon the tenth. And it isalso bimpossible to saythat the Temple was burned bon the tenthof Av, bas it has already been statedthat it was destroyed bon the seventh,in II Kings 25:8–9. bHow so;what actually occurred? bOn the seventhof Av, bgentiles entered the Sanctuary, and on the seventh and the eighth they atethere band desecrated it,by engaging in acts of fornication., bAndon bthe ninth, adjacent to nightfall, they set fire to it, and it continuously burned the entire day, as it is stated: “Woe unto us, for the day has declined, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out”(Jeremiah 4:6). This verse is interpreted as a prophecy about the evening when the Temple was burned. bAnd this iswhat bRabbi Yoḥameant when he bsaid: Had I beenalive bin that generation, I would have establishedthe fast bonly on the tenthof Av bbecause most of the Sanctuary was burned on thatday. bAnd the Sages,who established the fast on the ninth, how do they respond to that comment? They maintain that it is bpreferableto mark bthe beginning of the tragedy. /b, bAndthe mishna further taught that the Temple was destroyed bfor the second timealso on the Ninth of Av. The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive that the Second Temple was destroyed on this date? bIt is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bA meritoriousmatter bis brought about on an auspicious day, and a deleteriousmatter bon an inauspicious day,e.g., the Ninth of Av, on which several tragedies had already occurred.,The Sages bsaid: When the Temple was destroyed for the first time, that day was the Ninth of Av; and it was the conclusion of Shabbat; and it was the year after a Sabbatical Year; and it was the week of the priestly watch of Jehoiarib; and the Levites were singingthe bsong and standing on their platform. And what song were they singing?They were singing the verse: b“And He brought upon them their own iniquity, and He will cut them off in their own evil”(Psalms 94:23). bAnd they did not manage to recitethe end of the verse: b“The Lord our God will cut them off,” before gentiles came and conquered them. And likewise,the same happened bwhen the SecondTemple was destroyed.,The mishna teaches that bBeitar was capturedon the Ninth of Av. The Gemara explains that this is known by btradition. /b,§ The mishna taught that on the Ninth of Av bthe cityof Jerusalem bwas plowed. It is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bWhen the wicked Turnus Rufus plowed the Sanctuary, a decree was issued against Rabban Gamliel for execution. A certain Roman officer came and stood in the study hall and saidsurreptitiously: bThe man with the nose is wanted; the man with the nose is wanted.This was a hint that Rabban Gamliel, who stood out in his generation like a nose protruding from a face, was sought by the government. Rabban Gamliel bheard and went into hiding. /b,The Roman officer bwent to him in private, and said to him: If I save youfrom death, will byou bring me into the World-to-Come?Rabban Gamliel bsaid to him: Yes.The officer bsaid toRabban Gamliel: bSwear to me. He swore to him.The officer bascended to the roof, fell, and died. Andthe Romans had ba tradition that when they issued a decree and oneof their advisors bdied, they would cancel the decree.The officer’s sacrifice saved Rabban Gamliel’s life. bA Divine Voice emerged and said: That officer is designated forthe blife of the World-to-Come. /b, bThe Sages taught: When the Temple was destroyed for the first time, many groups of young priests gathered together with the Temple keys in their hands. And they ascended to the roof of the Sanctuary and said beforeGod: bMaster of the Universe, since we did not merit to be faithful treasurers,and the Temple is being destroyed, bletthe Temple bkeys be handed to You. And they threw them upward, and a kind of palm of a hand emerged and receivedthe keys bfrom them. And the young priests jumpedfrom the roof band fell into the fireof the burning Temple., bAnd the prophet Isaiah lamented over them: “The burden of the Valley of Vision. What ails you now that you have all gone up to the roofs? You that were full of uproar, a tumultuous city, a joyous town, your slain are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle”(Isaiah 22:1–2). This is referring to the young priests who died by throwing themselves off the roof into the fire. bAnd even with regard to the Holy One, Blessed be He, it is stated:“For it is a day of trouble, and of trampling, and of confusion for the Lord of hosts, in the Valley of Vision; ba shouting over walls and a cry to the mountain”(Isaiah 22:5). This verse indicates that even God shouts over the destruction of the Temple.,§ The mishna teaches that bfrom whenthe month of bAv begins, one decreasesacts of brejoicing. Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, said in the name of Rav: Just as when Av begins one decreases rejoicing, so too whenthe month of bAdar begins, one increases rejoicing. /b |
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35. Anon., 2 Enoch, 18.2
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