1. Septuagint, Tobit, 13.6 (10th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 13.6. If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,to do what is true before him,then he will turn to you and will not hide his face from you. But see what he will do with you;give thanks to him with your full voice. Praise the Lord of righteousness,and exalt the King of the ages. I give him thanks in the land of my captivity,and I show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners. Turn back, you sinners, and do right before him;who knows if he will accept you and have mercy on you? |
|
2. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 25.2, 35.25 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
25.2. וְהָיוּ הַכְּרֻבִים פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה סֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו אֶל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת יִהְיוּ פְּנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים׃ 25.2. דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ־לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִי׃ 35.25. וְכָל־אִשָּׁה חַכְמַת־לֵב בְּיָדֶיהָ טָווּ וַיָּבִיאוּ מַטְוֶה אֶת־הַתְּכֵלֶת וְאֶת־הָאַרְגָּמָן אֶת־תּוֹלַעַת הַשָּׁנִי וְאֶת־הַשֵּׁשׁ׃ | 25.2. ’Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering; of every man whose heart maketh him willing ye shall take My offering." 35.25. And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen." |
|
3. Hebrew Bible, Hosea, 6.6, 14.3 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
6.6. כִּי חֶסֶד חָפַצְתִּי וְלֹא־זָבַח וְדַעַת אֱלֹהִים מֵעֹלוֹת׃ 14.3. קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָה אִמְרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל־תִּשָּׂא עָוֺן וְקַח־טוֹב וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ׃ | 6.6. For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings." 14.3. Take with you words, And return unto the LORD; Say unto Him: ‘Forgive all iniquity, And accept that which is good; So will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips." |
|
4. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 19.15, 40.7, 51.1-51.2, 51.6-51.16, 51.18-51.21, 57.8, 69.14, 78.37, 104.29, 141.2 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
19.15. יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי׃ 40.7. זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה לֹא־חָפַצְתָּ אָזְנַיִם כָּרִיתָ לִּי עוֹלָה וַחֲטָאָה לֹא שָׁאָלְתָּ׃ 51.1. לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃ 51.1. תַּשְׁמִיעֵנִי שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה תָּגֵלְנָה עֲצָמוֹת דִּכִּיתָ׃ 51.2. הֵיטִיבָה בִרְצוֹנְךָ אֶת־צִיּוֹן תִּבְנֶה חוֹמוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ 51.2. בְּבוֹא־אֵלָיו נָתָן הַנָּבִיא כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּא אֶל־בַּת־שָׁבַע׃ 51.6. לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ חָטָאתִי וְהָרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ עָשִׂיתִי לְמַעַן תִּצְדַּק בְּדָבְרֶךָ תִּזְכֶּה בְשָׁפְטֶךָ׃ 51.7. הֵן־בְּעָווֹן חוֹלָלְתִּי וּבְחֵטְא יֶחֱמַתְנִי אִמִּי׃ 51.8. הֵן־אֱמֶת חָפַצְתָּ בַטֻּחוֹת וּבְסָתֻם חָכְמָה תוֹדִיעֵנִי׃ 51.9. תְּחַטְּאֵנִי בְאֵזוֹב וְאֶטְהָר תְּכַבְּסֵנִי וּמִשֶּׁלֶג אַלְבִּין׃ 51.11. הַסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָי וְכָל־עֲוֺנֹתַי מְחֵה׃ 51.12. לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא־לִי אֱלֹהִים וְרוּחַ נָכוֹן חַדֵּשׁ בְּקִרְבִּי׃ 51.13. אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וְרוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ אַל־תִּקַּח מִמֶּנִּי׃ 51.14. הָשִׁיבָה לִּי שְׂשׂוֹן יִשְׁעֶךָ וְרוּחַ נְדִיבָה תִסְמְכֵנִי׃ 51.15. אֲלַמְּדָה פֹשְׁעִים דְּרָכֶיךָ וְחַטָּאִים אֵלֶיךָ יָשׁוּבוּ׃ 51.16. הַצִּילֵנִי מִדָּמִים אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵי תְּשׁוּעָתִי תְּרַנֵּן לְשׁוֹנִי צִדְקָתֶךָ׃ 51.18. כִּי לֹא־תַחְפֹּץ זֶבַח וְאֶתֵּנָה עוֹלָה לֹא תִרְצֶה׃ 51.19. זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה לֵב־נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכֶּה אֱלֹהִים לֹא תִבְזֶה׃ 51.21. אָז תַּחְפֹּץ זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק עוֹלָה וְכָלִיל אָז יַעֲלוּ עַל־מִזְבַּחֲךָ פָרִים׃ 57.8. נָכוֹן לִבִּי אֱלֹהִים נָכוֹן לִבִּי אָשִׁירָה וַאֲזַמֵּרָה׃ 69.14. וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי־לְךָ יְהוָה עֵת רָצוֹן אֱלֹהִים בְּרָב־חַסְדֶּךָ עֲנֵנִי בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ׃ 78.37. וְלִבָּם לֹא־נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ וְלֹא נֶאֶמְנוּ בִּבְרִיתוֹ׃ 104.29. תַּסְתִּיר פָּנֶיךָ יִבָּהֵלוּן תֹּסֵף רוּחָם יִגְוָעוּן וְאֶל־עֲפָרָם יְשׁוּבוּן׃ 141.2. תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי מִנְחַת־עָרֶב׃ | 19.15. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, O LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer." 40.7. Sacrifice and meal-offering Thou hast no delight in; mine ears hast Thou opened; burnt-offering and sin-offering hast Thou not required." 51.1. For the Leader. A Psalm of David;" 51.2. when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba." 51.6. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in Thy sight; That Thou mayest be justified when Thou speakest, And be in the right when Thou judgest." 51.7. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." 51.8. Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts; make me, therefore, to know wisdom in mine inmost heart." 51.9. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." 51.10. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast crushed may rejoice." 51.11. Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities." 51.12. Create me a clean heart, O God; and renew a stedfast spirit within me." 51.13. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy holy spirit from me." 51.14. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and let a willing spirit uphold me." 51.15. Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall return unto Thee. ." 51.16. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; so shall my tongue sing aloud of Thy righteousness." 51.18. For Thou delightest not in sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering." 51.19. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." 51.20. Do good in Thy favour unto Zion; build Thou the walls of Jerusalem." 51.21. Then wilt Thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt-offering and whole offering; Then will they offer bullocks upon Thine altar." 57.8. My heart is stedfast, O God, my heart is stedfast; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises." 69.14. But as for me, let my prayer be unto Thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time; O God, in the abundance of Thy mercy, Answer me with the truth of Thy salvation." 78.37. For their heart was not stedfast with Him, Neither were they faithful in His covet." 104.29. Thou hidest Thy face, they vanish; Thou withdrawest their breath, they perish, And return to their dust." 141.2. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before Thee, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." |
|
5. Hebrew Bible, 2 Kings, 13.23 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
13.23. וַיָּחָן יְהוָה אֹתָם וַיְרַחֲמֵם וַיִּפֶן אֲלֵיהֶם לְמַעַן בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא אָבָה הַשְׁחִיתָם וְלֹא־הִשְׁלִיכָם מֵעַל־פָּנָיו עַד־עָתָּה׃ | 13.23. But the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of His covet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither hath He cast them from His presence until now." |
|
6. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 29.24, 44.17, 57.15, 63.10-63.11 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
29.24. וְיָדְעוּ תֹעֵי־רוּחַ בִּינָה וְרוֹגְנִים יִלְמְדוּ־לֶקַח׃ 44.17. וּשְׁאֵרִיתוֹ לְאֵל עָשָׂה לְפִסְלוֹ יסגוד־[יִסְגָּד־] לוֹ וְיִשְׁתַּחוּ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל אֵלָיו וְיֹאמַר הַצִּילֵנִי כִּי אֵלִי אָתָּה׃ 57.15. כִּי כֹה אָמַר רָם וְנִשָּׂא שֹׁכֵן עַד וְקָדוֹשׁ שְׁמוֹ מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּוֹן וְאֶת־דַּכָּא וּשְׁפַל־רוּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת רוּחַ שְׁפָלִים וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לֵב נִדְכָּאִים׃ 63.11. וַיִּזְכֹּר יְמֵי־עוֹלָם מֹשֶׁה עַמּוֹ אַיֵּה הַמַּעֲלֵם מִיָּם אֵת רֹעֵי צֹאנוֹ אַיֵּה הַשָּׂם בְּקִרְבּוֹ אֶת־רוּחַ קָדְשׁוֹ׃ | 29.24. They also that err in spirit shall come to understanding, And they that murmur shall learn instruction." 44.17. And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; He falleth down unto it and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it, And saith: ‘Deliver me, for thou art my god.’" 57.15. For thus saith the High and Lofty One That inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones." 63.10. But they rebelled, and grieved His holy spirit; therefore He was turned to be their enemy, Himself fought against them." 63.11. Then His people remembered the days of old, the days of Moses: ‘Where is He that brought them up out of the sea With the shepherds of His flock? Where is He that put His holy spirit In the midst of them?" |
|
7. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 23.39-23.40 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
23.39. לָכֵן הִנְנִי וְנָשִׁיתִי אֶתְכֶם נָשֹׁא וְנָטַשְׁתִּי אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת־הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם מֵעַל פָּנָי׃ | 23.39. therefore, behold, I will utterly tear you out, and I will cast you off, and the city that I gave unto you and to your fathers, away from My presence;" 23.40. and I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten" |
|
8. Plato, Euthyphro, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14b (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 14b. Socrates. You might, if you wished, Euthyphro, have answered much more briefly the chief part of my question. But it is plain that you do not care to instruct me. |
|
9. Septuagint, Tobit, 13.6 (4th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 13.6. If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,to do what is true before him,then he will turn to you and will not hide his face from you. But see what he will do with you;give thanks to him with your full voice. Praise the Lord of righteousness,and exalt the King of the ages. I give him thanks in the land of my captivity,and I show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners. Turn back, you sinners, and do right before him;who knows if he will accept you and have mercy on you? |
|
10. Anon., 1 Enoch, 90.40, 106.5 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 106.5. fled, and came to his father Methuselah. And he said unto him: ' I have begotten a strange son, diverse from and unlike man, and resembling the sons of the God of heaven; and his nature is different and he is not like us, and his eyes are as the rays of the sun, and hi |
|
11. Cicero, On The Nature of The Gods, 2.71 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 2.71. But though repudiating these myths with contempt, we shall nevertheless be able to understand the personality and the nature of the divinities pervading the substance of the several elements, Ceres permeating earth, Neptune the sea, and so on; and it is our duty to revere and worship these gods under the names which custom has bestowed upon them. But the best and also the purest, holiest and most pious way of worshipping the gods si ever to venerate them with purity, sincerity and innocence both of thought and of speech. For religion has been distinguished from superstition not only by philosophers but by our ancestors. |
|
12. Philo of Alexandria, On The Special Laws, 1.287 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.287. But some are verbal symbols of things appreciable only by the intellect, and the mystical meaning which is concealed beneath them must be investigated by those who are eager for truth in accordance with the rules of allegory. The altar of God is the grateful soul of the wise man, being compounded of perfect numbers undivided and indivisible; for no part of virtue is useless. |
|
13. Anon., Epistle of Barnabas, 6.15 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 6.15. For a holy temple unto the Lord, my brethren, is the abode of our heart. |
|
14. Anon., The Life of Adam And Eve, 29.2-29.4 (1st cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
|
15. New Testament, Hebrews, 10.5-10.10, 10.19-10.21, 13.15 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 10.5. Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, "Sacrifice and offering you didn't desire, But a body did you prepare for me; 10.6. In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure. 10.7. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of me) To do your will, God.' 10.8. Previously saying, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn't desire, neither had pleasure in them" (those which are offered according to the law) 10.9. then he has said, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first, that he may establish the second 10.10. by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 10.19. Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus 10.20. by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 10.21. and having a great priest over the house of God 13.15. Through him, then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name. |
|
16. New Testament, Matthew, 5.15 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 5.15. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. |
|
17. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 14b, 16a, 24b, 40b, 4b, 9b, 13b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
13b. (דברים ו, ו) אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך מכאן אתה למד שכל הפרשה כולה צריכה כוונה,אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר ר' יוחנן הלכה כר"ע,איכא דמתני לה אהא דתניא הקורא את שמע צריך שיכוין את לבו ר' אחא משום ר' יהודה אומר כיון שכוון לבו בפרק ראשון שוב אינו צריך אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר ר' יוחנן הלכה כר' אחא שאמר משום ר' יהודה,תניא אידך והיו שלא יקרא למפרע על לבבך ר' זוטרא אומר עד כאן מצות כוונה מכאן ואילך מצות קריאה רבי יאשיה אומר עד כאן מצות קריאה מכאן ואילך מצות כוונה,מ"ש מכאן ואילך מצות קריאה דכתיב לדבר בם הכא נמי הא כתיב ודברת בם,ה"ק עד כאן מצות כוונה וקריאה מכאן ואילך קריאה בלא כוונה,ומאי שנא עד כאן מצות כוונה וקריאה דכתיב על לבבך ודברת בם התם נמי הא כתיב על לבבכם לדבר בם,ההוא מבעי ליה לכדרבי יצחק דאמר (דברים יא, יח) ושמתם את דברי אלה צריכה שתהא שימה כנגד הלב:,אמר מר ר' יאשיה אומר עד כאן מצות קריאה מכאן ואילך מצות כוונה מ"ש מכאן ואילך מצות כוונה משום דכתיב על לבבכם הכא נמי הא כתיב על לבבך,ה"ק עד כאן מצות קריאה וכוונה מכאן ואילך כוונה בלא קריאה,ומ"ש עד כאן מצות קריאה וכוונה דכתיב על לבבך ודברת בם התם נמי הא כתיב על לבבכם לדבר בם,ההוא בדברי תורה כתיב וה"ק רחמנא אגמירו בנייכו תורה כי היכי דליגרסו בהו:,ת"ר (דברים ו, ד) שמע ישראל ה' אלהינו ה' אחד עד כאן צריכה כוונת הלב דברי ר"מ אמר רבא הלכה כר"מ,תניא סומכוס אומר כל המאריך באחד מאריכין לו ימיו ושנותיו אמר רב אחא בר יעקב ובדלי"ת אמר רב אשי ובלבד שלא יחטוף בחי"ת,ר' ירמיה הוה יתיב קמיה דר' [חייא בר אבא] חזייה דהוה מאריך טובא א"ל כיון דאמליכתיה למעלה ולמטה ולארבע רוחות השמים תו לא צריכת:,אמר רב נתן בר מר עוקבא אמר רב יהודה על לבבך בעמידה על לבבך סלקא דעתך אלא אימא עד על לבבך בעמידה מכאן ואילך לא ורבי יוחנן אמר כל הפרשה כולה בעמידה,ואזדא ר' יוחנן לטעמיה דאמר רבה בר בר חנה א"ר יוחנן הלכה כר' אחא שאמר משום ר' יהודה:,ת"ר שמע ישראל ה' אלהינו ה' אחד זו ק"ש של ר' יהודה הנשיא א"ל רב לר' חייא לא חזינא ליה לרבי דמקבל עליה מלכות שמים אמר ליה בר פחתי בשעה שמעביר ידיו על פניו מקבל עליו עול מלכות שמים,חוזר וגומרה או אינו חוזר וגומרה בר קפרא אומר אינו חוזר וגומרה רבי שמעון ברבי אומר חוזר וגומרה א"ל בר קפרא לר"ש ברבי בשלמא לדידי דאמינא אינו חוזר וגומרה היינו דמהדר רבי אשמעתא דאית בה יציאת מצרים אלא לדידך דאמרת חוזר וגומרה למה ליה לאהדורי,כדי להזכיר יציאת מצרים בזמנה,אמר ר' אילא בריה דרב שמואל בר מרתא משמיה דרב אמר שמע ישראל ה' אלהינו ה' אחד ונאנס בשינה יצא אמר ליה רב נחמן לדרו עבדיה בפסוקא קמא צערן טפי לא תצערן אמר ליה רב יוסף לרב יוסף בריה דרבה אבוך היכי הוה עביד אמר ליה בפסוקא קמא הוה קא מצער נפשיה טפי לא הוה מצער נפשיה,אמר רב יוסף פרקדן לא יקרא קריאת שמע מקרא הוא דלא ליקרי הא מיגנא שפיר דמי והא רבי יהושע בן לוי לייט אמאן דגני אפרקיד,אמרי מיגנא כי מצלי שפיר דמי מקרא אע"ג דמצלי נמי אסור,והא ר' יוחנן מצלי וקרי,שאני ר' יוחנן דבעל בשר הוה:,ובפרקים שואל וכו',משיב מחמת מאי אילימא מפני הכבוד השתא משאל שאיל אהדורי מבעיא אלא שואל מפני הכבוד ומשיב שלום לכל אדם אימא סיפא ובאמצע שואל מפני היראה ומשיב,משיב מחמת מאי אילימא מפני היראה השתא משאל שאיל אהדורי מבעיא אלא מפני הכבוד היינו דר"י דתנן ר"י אומר באמצע שואל מפני היראה ומשיב מפני הכבוד ובפרקים שואל מפני הכבוד ומשיב שלום לכל אדם,חסורי מחסרא והכי קתני בפרקים שואל מפני הכבוד ואין צריך לומר שהוא משיב ובאמצע שואל מפני היראה ואין צריך לומר שהוא משיב דברי ר"מ רבי יהודה אומר באמצע שואל מפני היראה ומשיב מפני הכבוד | 13b. b“Which I command you this day, will be upon your heart.”Surely the word these, does not come to limit the mitzva of intent. On the contrary, bfrom here you derive that the entire portion requires intent. /b, bRabba bar bar Ḥana saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Akiva;the entire portion requires intent., bSome teach this ihalakhastated by Rabbi Yoḥa bwith regard to that which was taughtin a iTosefta /i, where there is a tannaitic dispute. The first itannaholds: bOne who recites iShemamust focus his heartfor the entire iShema /i. bRabbi Aḥa says in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: Once he focused his heart for the first paragraphalone, bhe no longer requiresintent. With regard to this iTosefta /i, bRabba bar bar Ḥana saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: The ihalakhais in accordance with Rabbi Aḥa who said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda.While this differs from the previous version in form, it arrives at the same conclusion., bIt was taughtin banother ibaraitaon this subject, which cited different opinions. From: bAnd they will be,recited in iShema /i, it is derived that bit may not be recited out of order.From: bUpon your heart, Rav Zutra says: To this point,there is bthe mitzva of intent; from here on,beginning with the second paragraph, there is only bthe mitzva of recitation. Rabbi Yoshiya saysthat it means the opposite: bTo this point,there is bthe mitzva of recitation; from here onthere is only bthe mitzva of intent. /b,At first the Gemara understands that Rav Zutra required recitation only in the second paragraph, while in the first paragraph only intent was required. Therefore, the Gemara asks: bWhat is different,that bfrom here on,beginning with the second paragraph, there is bthe mitzva of recitation?Is it because bit is written:“And you shall teach them to your children, bto speak of them”(Deuteronomy 11:19)? This is no proof, as bhere too,in the first paragraph bit is written: “And you shall speak of them.”The mitzva of recitation applies to the first paragraph as well.,Rather, bhe is saying as follows: To this pointthere is bthe mitzva ofboth bintent and recitation,but bfrom here on,there is only the mitzva of brecitation without intent. /b,Again the Gemara asks: According to Rav Zutra, bwhat is different,that bto this point,in the first paragraph, there is bthe mitzva ofboth bintent and recitationbecause there are two requirements in the first paragraph, bas it is written: “Upon your heart…and you shall speak of them”? There, too,in the second paragraph bit is also written: “And you shall place these words upon your heart…to speak of them,”indicating that intent is also required in that paragraph.,The Gemara responds: bThat verse is necessary to derivethat which was taught by bRabbi Yitzḥak, who said: “And you shall place these words”refers literally to the paragraphs of iShemafound in the phylacteries. The verse teaches bthat the placementof the phylacteries of the arm bmust be opposite the heart. /b,The Gemara now attempts to clarify the second opinion in the ibaraita /i. bThe Master said, Rabbi Yoshiya says: To this pointat the end of the first paragraph, there is bthe mitzva of recitation; from here onthere is bthe mitzva of intent.The Gemara asks: bWhat is different,that bfrom here on,beginning with the second paragraph, there is bthe mitzva of intent?Is it bbecause it is writtenin the second paragraph: “And you shall place these words bupon your heart”?That is no proof, as bhere too,in the first paragraph bit is written: “Upon your heart.” /b,The Gemara responds that bhe is saying as follows: To this point,there is bthe mitzva ofboth brecitation and intent,but bfrom here on,there is only the mitzva of bintent without recitation. /b,The Gemara continues: bAnd what is different,that bto this point,in the first paragraph, there is bthe mitzva of recitation and intentbecause there are two requirements, bas it is written: Upon your heartas well as: bAnd you shall speak of them? There, too,with regard to the second paragraph bisn’t it written:And you shall place these words bupon your heart /b…and you shall teach them to your children, bto speak of them? /b,Rabbi Yoshiya responded: bThatverse refers to bTorah studyin general, not to the recitation of iShemain particular. bAnd the Torah says the following: Teach your children Torah, that they will be well-versed in them. /b, bThe Sages taughtin another ibaraitawith regard to one who recites iShemaand utters the verse, b“Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.” Intent of the heart isonly brequired to this point.This is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir. Rava said:In this matter, bthe ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Meir. /b, bIt was taughtin a ibaraita /i, bSumakhos says: One who extendshis intonation bofthe word bOne [ ieḥad /i]while reciting iShema /i, is rewarded that bhis days and years are extended. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said:This is only true if he extends btheletter idalet /i,so the word ieḥadis sounded in its entirety. bRav Ashi said:This is bonly so long as one does notpronounce the letter iḥethurriedly. /b,The Gemara relates that bRabbi Yirmeya was seated before Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba. He saw that he was greatly extendinghis pronunciation of ieḥad /i. bHe said to him: Once you have crowned Himin your thoughts bovereverything babove,in Heaven, bbelow,on earth, band in the four corners of the heavens, you need notextend any bfurther. /b, bRav Natan bar Mar Ukva saidthat bRav Yehuda said:One must recite bupon your heart, while standingin one place. The Gemara is perplexed: bDoes it enter your mindthat bupon your heartalone must be recited while standing in one place? What distinguishes that phrase from the rest of iShema /i? bRather, say:One must recite buntil upon your heartwhile bstandingin one place. bFrom here on,one need bnotstand in one place. bRabbi Yoḥa said:One must recite bthe entirefirst bportionwhile bstandingin one place.,The Gemara notes: bRabbi Yoḥais consistent band follows his reasoningexpressed elsewhere, as bRabba bar bar Ḥana saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Aḥa who said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda;one is required to recite the entire first paragraph of iShemawith intent., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: The single verse, b“Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One”; this is Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s recitation of iShema /i.The Gemara relates: bRav said tohis uncle, bRabbi Ḥiyya: I did not see RabbiYehuda HaNasi baccept the kingship of Heaven upon himself,meaning that he did not see him recite iShema /i. Rabbi Ḥiyya bsaid to him: Son of noblemen [ ibar paḥtei/b], bwhenRabbi Yehuda HaNasi bpassed his hands over his facein the study hall in the middle of his lesson, bhe accepted the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven upon himself,as his iShemawas comprised of a single verse.,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s students and members of his household disputed: bDoes he complete iShema blater or does he not complete it later? Bar Kappara says: He does not complete it later. Rabbi Shimon, son of RabbiYehuda HaNasi, bsays: He completes it later. Bar Kappara said to Rabbi Shimon, son of RabbiYehuda HaNasi: bGranted, according to myposition, bthat I say thatRabbi Yehuda HaNasi bdoes not complete iShema blater, that is whywhen he taught, bRabbiYehuda HaNasi would specifically bseek a topic that included the exodus from Egypt,as by so doing he fulfills the mitzva to remember the Exodus; a mitzva that others fulfill in their recitation of the last paragraph of iShema /i. bBut according to you, who says that he completeshis recitation of iShema blater, why,when he teaches, bwouldhe specifically bseeka topic that included the exodus from Egypt?,Rabbi Shimon responded: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did so bin order to mention the exodus from Egypt at itsappointed btime,during the time of the recitation of iShema /i.,Based on this ihalakha /i, bRabbi Ila, son of Rav Shmuel bar Marta, said in the name of Rav: One who recitedthe verse, b“Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One,” and wasimmediately bovercome by sleep, fulfilledhis obligation to recite iShema /i. Similarly, bRav Naḥman said to his slave, Daru:If you see that I have fallen asleep, bbother meto recite bthe first verse, do not bother meto recite any bmorethan that. Similarly, bRav Yosef said to Rav Yosef, son of Rabba: What would your father do?Rav Yosef, son of Rabba, bsaid to him: He would exert himselfnot to fall asleep in order to recite bthe first verse, he would not exert himselfto recite any bmorethan that., bRav Yosef said: One who is lying [ iperakdan /i] on his back may not recite iShema /i,for lying that way is unbecoming. The Gemara asks: Is that to say that bone may not recite iShemain this position, bbut tosleep blyingin that position bis permissible? Didn’t Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi curse one whosleeps blying on his back? /b,The Gemara answers: bIf onelies on his back bwhile leaningslightly to the side, bit is permissible.Nonetheless, bto recite iShemain this position, beven though he is leaning, is prohibited. /b,The Gemara asks: bWouldn’t Rabbi Yoḥalie on his back, bleanslightly band recite iShema /i?,The Gemara responds: The case of bRabbi Yoḥa is different,because bhe was corpulentand it was difficult for him to read any other way.,The mishna cited Rabbi Meir’s statement: bAt thebreaks between bparagraphs, one may greetan individual due to the respect that he is obligated to show him, and may respond. And in the middle of each paragraph, one may greet an individual due to the fear that the individual may harm him if he fails do so, and may respond.,About this, the Gemara asks: He may brespond due to whatcircumstance? bIf you saythat one may respond bdue to respect; now thatwe learned that bone may greetanother due to respect, bis it necessaryto say that bone may responddue to respect? bRather,it must be explained as follows: bOne may greet due to respect and respond with a greeting to any person.But if that is the case, bsay the latter clauseof the mishna: bIn the middleof each paragraph bone may greet due to fear and returnanother’s greeting due to fear.,Here too, it must be clarified: He may brespond due to whatcircumstance? bIf you saythat one may respond bdue to fear; now thatwe have learned that bone may greetanother due to fear, bis it necessaryto say that bone may responddue to fear? bRather,it must mean that one may respond to another’s greeting even bdue to honor.If so, bthat isidentical to the opinion of bRabbi Yehuda, as we learnedin the mishna: bIn the middleof each paragraph, bone may greetanother bdue to fear and respond due to respect. At thebreaks between bparagraphs, one may greetanother bdue to respect and respond with a greeting to any person.If so, what is the dispute between them?,The Gemara says: The mishna bis incomplete;it is missing an important element, band it teaches the following: At thebreaks between the bparagraphs, one may greet due to respect, and, needless to say, he may responddue to respect. bIn the middleof each paragraph bone may greet due to fear, and, needless to say, he may responddue to fear. This is the bstatement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says: In the middleof each paragraph bone may greet due to fear and respond due to respect. /b |
|
18. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah, 22a, 23b, 24b, 21b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
21b. תנא מה שאין כן בתורה תנו רבנן בתורה אחד קורא ואחד מתרגם ובלבד שלא יהא אחד קורא ושנים מתרגמין ובנביא אחד קורא ושנים מתרגמין ובלבד שלא יהו שנים קורין ושנים מתרגמין ובהלל ובמגילה אפילו עשרה קורין ועשרה מתרגמין,מאי טעמא כיון דחביבה יהבי דעתייהו ושמעי:,מקום שנהגו לברך יברך: אמר אביי לא שנו אלא לאחריה אבל לפניה מצוה לברך דאמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל כל המצות כולן מברך עליהן עובר לעשייתן,מאי משמע דהאי עובר לישנא דאקדומי הוא אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר קרא (שמואל ב יח, כג) וירץ אחימעץ דרך הככר ויעבר את הכושי אביי אמר מהכא (בראשית לג, ג) והוא עבר לפניהם ואיבעית אימא מהכא (מיכה ב, יג) ויעבר מלכם לפניהם וה' בראשם,לפניה מאי מברך רב ששת מקטרזיא איקלע לקמיה דרב אשי ובריך מנ"ח,לאחריה מאי מברך ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם (האל) הרב את ריבנו והדן את דיננו והנוקם את נקמתנו והנפרע לנו מצרינו והמשלם גמול לכל אויבי נפשנו ברוך אתה ה' הנפרע לישראל מכל צריהם רבא אמר האל המושיע אמר רב פפא הלכך נימרינהו לתרוייהו ברוך אתה ה' הנפרע לישראל מכל צריהם האל המושיע:,בשני ובחמישי בשבת במנחה קורין שלשה וכו': הני שלשה כנגד מי אמר רב אסי כנגד תורה נביאים וכתובים רבא אמר כנגד כהנים לוים וישראלים,אלא הא דתני רב שימי אין פוחתין מי' פסוקין בבית הכנסת וידבר עולה מן המנין הני עשרה כנגד מי,א"ר יהושע בן לוי כנגד עשרה בטלנין שבבית הכנסת רב יוסף אמר כנגד עשרת הדברות שנאמרו למשה בסיני (רבי לוי אמר כנגד עשרה הילולין שאמר דוד בספר תהלים) ורבי יוחנן אמר כנגד עשרה מאמרות שבהן נברא העולם,הי נינהו ויאמר דבראשית הני תשעה הוו בראשית נמי מאמר הוא דכתיב (תהלים לג, ו) בדבר ה' שמים נעשו וברוח פיו כל צבאם,אמר רבא ראשון שקרא ד' משובח שני שקרא ד' משובח שלישי שקרא ד' משובח,ראשון שקרא ד' משובח דתנן בשלש קופות של שלש סאין שבהן תורמין את הלשכה והיה כתוב עליהן אב"ג לידע איזו מהן נתרמה ראשון להקריב ממנה ראשון שמצוה בראשון,אמצעי שקרא ארבעה משובח דתניא (במדבר ח, ב) אל מול פני המנורה יאירו מלמד שמצדד פניהם כלפי נר מערבי ונר מערבי כלפי שכינה ואמר רבי יוחנן מכאן שאמצעי משובח,ואחרון שקרא ארבעה משובח משום מעלין בקדש ולא מורידין רב פפא איקלע לבי כנישתא דאבי גובר וקרא ראשון ארבעה ושבחיה רב פפא:,אין פוחתין מהן ואין מוסיפין: תנא הפותח מברך לפניה והחותם מברך לאחריה,והאידנא דכולהו מברכי לפניה ולאחריה היינו טעמא דתקינו רבנן גזירה משום הנכנסין ומשום היוצאין:,בראשי חדשים ובחולו של מועד קורין ארבעה וכו': בעא מיניה עולא בר רב מרבא פרשת ראש חודש כיצד קורין אותה (במדבר כח, ב) צו את בני ישראל ואמרת אליהם את קרבני לחמי דהויין תמניא פסוקי היכי נעביד,ניקרי תרי תלתא תלתא פסוקין פשו להו תרי ואין משיירין בפרשה פחות משלשה פסוקין ניקרי ארבעה ארבעה פשו להו שבעה וביום השבת הויין תרי ובראשי חדשיכם הויין חמשה היכי נעביד ניקרי תרי מהא וחד מהנך | 21b. bIt was taught:This bis not the case with regard toreading bthe Torah,which may be read only by a single person. bThe Sages taught( iTosefta /i, iMegilla3:20): When reading from bthe Torah, oneperson breads and one may translatethe reading into Aramaic for the congregation, bprovided that there are not oneperson breading and twopeople btranslating,because two voices cannot be heard simultaneously. bAndwhen reading from bthe Prophets, oneperson breads and two may translate,as there is less of a need to ensure that everyone hears the precise translation, as the Prophets do not teach ihalakha /i. This is the case bprovided that there are not twopeople breading and two translating. Andwhen reciting ihallelandreading bthe Megilla, even tenpeople bmay read and ten may translate. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonthat the Megilla may be read by several people at once? bSincethe Megilla bis cherishedby the congregation, bthey will payclose battention and hear it,and they will not become distracted by the different voices.,§ We learned in the mishna: In ba place wherethe people bare accustomed to recite a blessingover the reading, bone should recite a blessing. Abaye said: They taughtthat the matter depends upon local custom bonlywith regard to the blessing that is recited bafterthe reading of the Megilla. bButas for the blessing that is recited bbeforethe reading, it is ba mitzva to recite the blessingaccording to all opinions, as bRav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: With regard to all the mitzvot, one recites a blessing over them prior to [ iover /i] their performance. /b,The Gemara asks: bFrom wheremay it bbe inferred thatthe word ioveris the language of precedence? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said that the verse states: “And Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran [ ivaya’avor /i] the Cushite”(II Samuel 18:23), i.e., Ahimaaz overtook the Cushite. bAbaye said:It is derived bfrom here: “And he passed [ iavar /i] before them”(Genesis 33:3). bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that the proof is bfrom here: “And their king passed [ ivaya’avor /i] before them and the Lord at their head”(Micah 2:13).,The Gemara asks: bWhat blessing is recited beforethe reading of the Megilla? The Gemara relates that bRav Sheshet from Katrazyaonce bhappenedto come bbefore Rav Ashi, and he recitedthree bblessings,alluded to by the letters imem /i, inun /i, iḥet /i:Concerning the reading [ imikra /i] of the Megilla; Who has performed miracles [ inissim /i] for our fathers; and Who has given us life [ isheheḥeyanu /i].,The Gemara asks: bWhat blessing is recited afterthe reading of the Megilla in places where it is customary to recite such a blessing? The Gemara answers that the following blessing is recited: bBlessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, the God Who pleads our cause, and Who judges our claim, and Who avenges our vengeance, and Who punishes our foes, and Who brings retribution to our enemies. Blessed are You, Lord, Who, on behalf of Israel, exacts punishment from all of their foes. Rava said:The conclusion of the blessing is as follows: Blessed are you, Lord, bthe God who brings salvation. Rav Pappa said: Therefore,since there are two opinions on the matter, bwe should say both of them: Blessed are you, Lord, Who, on behalf of Israel, exacts punishment from all their foes; the God Who brings salvation. /b,We learned in the mishna: bOn Mondays andon bThursdaysduring the morning service band on Shabbat during the afternoon service, threepeople breadfrom the Torah. The Gemara asks: bCorresponding to what were these threereaders instituted? bRav Asi said: They correspondto the three sections of the Bible: bPentateuch, Prophets, and Writings. Rava said: They correspond tothe three components of the Jewish people: bPriests, Levites, and Israelites. /b,The Gemara raises a question: bButwith regard to bthis ibaraita bthat Rav Shimi taught: One may not decreaseto fewer than btenthe number of bversesread during a public Torah reading bin the synagogue,and a generic verse, e.g., b“AndGod bspoketo Moses saying,” bis included in the count, to what do these tenverses bcorrespond?Why specifically the number ten?, bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said:They bcorrespond to the ten idlers that are in the synagogue,i.e., ten men who have the leisure not to work, and instead sit in the synagogue and are available to attend to communal needs. bRav Yosef said:They bcorrespond to the Ten Commandments that were spoken to Moses at Sinai. Rabbi Levi said:They bcorrespond to the tenpsalms of bpraisethat bDavid said in the book of Psalms. And Rabbi Yoḥa said: They correspond to the ten utterances with which the world was created. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat are theseten utterances? Presumably, they are the utterances introduced by the words b“andGod bsaid”in the story of Creation in the first chapter of bGenesis.However, bthere areonly bnine of theseutterances and not ten. The Gemara answers: The expression: b“In the beginning”(Genesis 1:1) bis alsoconsidered ban utterance, as it is written: “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth”(Psalms 33:6), which indicates that the first utterance of Creation was the general creation of the entire universe., bRava said:Since ten verses must be read, if bthe firstof the three readers called to the Torah bread fourverses, bhe is praiseworthy;if bthe second one read fourverses, bhe is praiseworthy;and if bthe third one read fourverses, bhe is praiseworthy. /b,Rava explains: bIf the firstof the three readers called to the Torah bread fourverses, bhe is praiseworthybecause the first in a series is privileged, bas we learnedin a mishna ( iShekalim8a): One bremovesthe funds bfrom theTemple treasury bchamber,in order to use them for purchasing communal offerings and attending to other needs of the Temple, bwith threelarge bbaskets,each measuring bthree ise’a /i. Onthe baskets bis written,respectively, ialef /i, ibeit /i, igimmel /i,in order bto know which of them was removed first,in order bto sacrificeofferings purchased with money bfromthat basket bfirst, as it is a mitzvato use the money collected with bthe firstbasket before the money collected with the others.,If bthe middle one read fourverses, bhe isalso bpraiseworthy,as the middle position is also dignified, bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: “The seven lamps bshall give light in front of the candelabrum”(Numbers 8:2); bthis teaches thatthe priest bturns the frontof each lamp btowardthe bwestern lampof the candelabrum, i.e., the middle lamp, bandthe bwestern lampfaces btoward the Divine Presence. And Rabbi Yoḥa said:It is derived bfrom here that the middle one isespecially bpraiseworthy. /b, bAnd if the last onecalled to the Torah bread fourverses, bhetoo bis praiseworthy, due tothe principle that bone elevatesto a higher level of bsanctity and does not downgrade.If the last reader reads more verses than did the first two, this is an elevation in sanctity. The Gemara relates that bRav Pappa happenedto come bto the synagogue ofthe place called bAvi Gover, and the first personcalled to the Torah bread fourverses, band Rav Pappa praised him. /b,We learned in the mishna that bone may neither decreasethe number of readers bnor add to them.The one who begins the reading and the one who concludes the reading from the Torah each recite a blessing. bIt is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bThe one who beginsthe reading brecites a blessing beforereading from the Torah, band the one who concludesthe reading brecites a blessing afterthe reading.,The Gemara comments: bAnd now that allwho read from the Torah brecite blessingsboth bbefore and afterreading from the Torah, bthis is the reason that the Sages institutedthis policy: It is ba decree due toboth bthose who enterthe synagogue in middle of the reading and do not hear the first reader’s initial blessing band due to those who leavethe synagogue early and do not hear the final reader’s concluding blessing, lest they come to the erroneous conclusion that one blessing suffices.,We learned in the mishna: bOnthe days of the bNew Moon and on the intermediate days of a Festival, fourpeople breadfrom the Torah. bUlla bar Rav raised a dilemma before Rava: TheTorah bportionread bon the New Moonconsists of three short consecutive paragraphs (Numbers 28:1–8, 9–10, 11–15). bHow does one read itin order to divide it among four readers? With regard to the first paragraph, which includes the verse: b“Command the children of Israel and say to them, My offering, the provisionof My sacrifices made by fire” (Numbers 28:2), and bwhich is eight verses, what shall we do? /b,If you say that bthefirst btworeaders bshould read three verses each, there will remainonly btwomore bversesuntil the end of the paragraph, and bone may not leave fewer than three versesbefore the end of ba paragraphat the conclusion of a reading. If you say that the first two readers bshould read fourverses beachand complete the first paragraph, then bsevenverses bwill be leftuntil the end of entire portion; the second paragraph of b“And on Shabbat day”(Numbers 28:9) bis twoverses, and the third paragraph of b“And on the beginnings of your months”(Numbers 28:11) bis fiveverses. bWhat shall we dowith them? If the third reader breadsthe btwoverses bfrom thisparagraph band one of thoseverses in the following paragraph, this is improper due to the principle that |
|
19. Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah, 34b, 24b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
24b. של חמשה ושל ששה ושל שמונה ושל שבעה לא יעשה אפי' של שאר מיני מתכות רבי יוסי בר יהודה אומר אף של עץ לא יעשה כדרך שעשו מלכי בית חשמונאי,אמרו לו משם ראייה שפודין של ברזל היו וחיפום בבעץ העשירו עשאום של כסף חזרו העשירו עשאום של זהב,ושמשין שאי אפשר לעשות כמותן מי שרי והתניא (שמות כ, יט) לא תעשון אתי לא תעשון כדמות שמשיי המשמשין לפני במרום אמר אביי לא אסרה תורה אלא דמות ארבעה פנים בהדי הדדי,אלא מעתה פרצוף אדם לחודיה תשתרי אלמה תניא כל הפרצופות מותרין חוץ מפרצוף אדם א"ר הונא בריה דרב אידי מפרקיה דאביי שמיעא לי לא תעשון אתי לא תעשון אותי,ושאר שמשין מי שרי והא תניא לא תעשון אתי לא תעשון כדמות שמשיי המשמשין לפני במרום כגון אופנים ושרפים וחיות הקודש ומלאכי השרת אמר אביי לא אסרה תורה אלא שמשין שבמדור העליון,ושבמדור התחתון מי שרי והתניא (שמות כ, ג) אשר בשמים לרבות חמה ולבנה כוכבים ומזלות ממעל לרבות מלאכי השרת כי תניא ההיא לעבדם,אי לעבדם אפילו שלשול קטן נמי אין ה"נ דתניא (שמות כ, ג) אשר בארץ לרבות הרים וגבעות ימים ונהרות אפיקים וגאיות מתחת לרבות שלשול קטן,ועשייה גרידתא מי שרי והתניא לא תעשון אתי לא תעשון כדמות שמשיי המשמשין לפני כגון חמה ולבנה כוכבים ומזלות,שאני ר"ג דאחרים עשו לו והא רב יהודה דאחרים עשו לו וא"ל שמואל לרב יהודה שיננא סמי עיניה דדין,התם חותמו בולט הוה ומשום חשדא כדתניא טבעת חותמו בולט אסור להניחה ומותר לחתום בה חותמו שוקע מותר להניחה ואסור לחתום בה,ומי חיישינן לחשדא והא ההיא בי כנישתא דשף ויתיב בנהרדעא דהוה ביה אנדרטא והוו עיילי רב ושמואל ואבוה דשמואל ולוי ומצלו התם ולא חיישי לחשדא רבים שאני,והא ר"ג יחיד הוא כיון דנשיא הוא שכיחי רבים גביה איבעית אימא דפרקים הוה,ואיבעית אימא להתלמד עבד וכתיב (דברים יח, ט) לא תלמד לעשות אבל אתה למד להבין ולהורות:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big מעשה שבאו שנים ואמרו ראינוהו שחרית במזרח | 24b. a candelabrum bof five or of six or of eightlamps. bBut one may not fashiona candelabrum with bsevenlamps bevenif he constructs it bfrom other kinds of metalrather than gold, as in exigent circumstances the candelabrum in the Temple may be fashioned from other metals. bRabbi Yosei bar Yehuda says: Also, one may not fashiona candelabrum bof wood, in the manner that the kings of the Hasmonean monarchy fashionedit. When they first purified the Temple they had to prepare the candelabrum out of wood, as no other material was available. Since this candelabrum is fit for the Temple, it is prohibited to fashion one of this kind for oneself.,The other Sages bsaid toRabbi Yosei bar Yehuda: bFrom thereyou seek to bring ba proof?There the branches of the candelabrum bwerecomprised of bspits [ ishippudin /i] of iron and they covered them with tin.Later, when bthey grew richerand could afford a candelabrum of higher-quality material, bthey fashioned them from silver.When bthey grew even richer, they fashioned them from gold.Still, Abaye proves from this ibaraitathat the prohibition against forming an image applies only to items that can be reconstructed in an accurate manner. Since this is not possible in the case of the moon, Rabban Gamliel’s forms were permitted.,The Gemara asks: bAnd is itreally bpermittedto form images of bthose attendantsconcerning bwhich it is impossible to reproduce their likeness? Isn’t it taughtin a ibaraitathat the verse: b“You shall not make with Megods of silver” (Exodus 20:19), comes to teach: bYou shall not make images of My attendants that serve before Me on high.Apparently, this includes the sun and the moon. bAbaye said:This does not include the sun and the moon, as bthe Torah prohibited onlythe fashioning of ban image ofall bfour facesof the creatures of the Heavenly Chariot btogether(see Ezekiel, chapter 1). However, all other images, which are not the likeness of the ministering angels, are permitted.,The Gemara raises a difficulty: bHowever, ifthat is bso, letthe fashioning of an image of ba human face [ ipartzuf] alone be permitted. Why,then, bis it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bAll faces are permittedfor ornamental purposes, bexcept for the face of a person? Rav Huna, son of Rav Idi, said: From a lecture of Abaye I heardthat there is a different reason why one may not form an image of a human face, as the verse states: b“You shall not make with Me [ iiti /i]”(Exodus 20:19). This can be read as: bYou shall not make Me [ ioti /i].Since man is created in the image of God, it is prohibited to form an image of a human being.,The Gemara asks: bAnd is it permittedto form images of bother attendants? Isn’t it taughtin another ibaraitathat the verse: b“You shall not make with Megods of silver” (Exodus 20:19), teaches that byou shall not make images of My attendants that serve before Me on high, for example, iofanimand seraphim and the sacred iḥayyotand the ministering angels. Abaye said: The Torah prohibited onlythose battendants that arefound bin the upper Heaven,i.e., the supreme angels in the highest firmament, but not the celestial bodies, e.g., the sun and the moon, despite the fact that they too are located in heaven.,The Gemara raises another difficulty: bAnd is it permittedto form images of bthosebodies found bin the lower heaven? Isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: “You shall not make for yourself any graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:3). The phrase b“that is in heaven”comes bto includethe bsun,the bmoon,the bstars, andthe bconstellations.The term b“above”serves bto include the ministering angels.Apparently, it is prohibited to form an image even of the celestial bodies found in the lower Heaven. The Gemara answers: bWhen that ibaraita bis taught,it is in reference to the prohibition bagainst worshipping them.However, there is no prohibition against forming an image in their likeness.,The Gemara asks: bIfthat ibaraitais referring to bthe prohibition against worshipping them,then beven a tiny wormshould balsobe prohibited. The Gemara answers: bYes, it is indeed so, as it is taughtin the same ibaraitawith regard to the continuation of the verse, b“in the earth”comes bto include mountains and hills, seas and rivers, streams and valleys; “beneath”comes bto include a tiny worm.If so, it is indeed possible to explain that the entire ibaraitais referring to the prohibition against idol worship.,The Gemara raises yet another objection: bAnd is the mere fashioningof images of the celestial bodies bpermitted? Isn’t it taughtin another ibaraita /i: b“You shall not make with Megods of silver” (Exodus 20:19). This verse teaches that byou shall not make images of My attendants that serve before Me, for examplethe bsun,the bmoon,the bstars andthe bconstellations.This is explicit proof that it is prohibited to form images of the sun and the moon; consequently, the solution proposed by Abaye is rejected, leaving the difficulty with Rabban Gamliel’s diagram unresolved.,The Gemara proposes an alternative resolution: The case of bRabban Gamliel is different, as others,i.e., gentiles, bfashionedthose images bfor him,and it is prohibited only for a Jew to fashion such images; there is no prohibition against having them in one’s possession. The Gemara raises a difficulty: bButthere is the case of bRav Yehuda, as others fashioned for hima seal in the form of a human being, band Shmuel said to Rav Yehuda,who was his student: bSharp-witted one, blind this one’s eyes,i.e., disfigure the image, as it is prohibited even to have the image of a human being in one’s possession.,The Gemara answers: bThere,in the case of Rav Yehuda, bhis was a protruding seal,i.e., the image projected from the ring, and Shmuel prohibited it bdue tothe potential bsuspicionthat he had an object of idol worship in his hand. bAs it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: With regard to ba ring,if bits seal protrudes it is prohibited to place iton one’s finger, due to the suspicion of idol worship, bbut it is permitted to sealobjects bwith it.In this case, the act of sealing creates an image that is sunken below the surface, which is not prohibited. However, if bits seal is sunken, it is permitted to place iton one’s finger, bbut it is prohibited to sealobjects bwith it,as that creates a protruding image.,The Gemara asks: bAnd are we concerned aboutarousing bsuspicionin a case of this kind? bButwhat about that bcertain synagogue that had beendestroyed in Eretz Yisrael and its stones were brelocated andit was rebuilt so that it bsat in Neharde’a,and bthere was a statue [ iandarta /i]of the king bin it. Andnevertheless bRav and Shmuel and Shmuel’s father and Levi wouldall benter and pray there and they were not concerned aboutarousing bsuspicion.The Gemara answers: When bmanyJews are present it bis different,as a large group is not suspected of having idolatrous intentions. Rather, it is assumed that the statue is there exclusively for purposes of ornamentation.,The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t Rabban Gamliel an individual?According to this reasoning, his images of the moon should have been prohibited, as they would have aroused suspicion. The Gemara answers: bSince he is the iNasi /i,the head of the Great Sanhedrin, bmanypeople bwerealways bfound with him,and therefore there was no room for suspicion. The Gemara suggests an alternative answer: bIf you wish, saythat these images were not whole; rather, they bwereformed bfrom piecesof images that had to be put together. Only complete images are prohibited.,The Gemara suggests yet another answer: bIf you wish, say:Rabban Gamliel bdidthis bto teach himself,which is not prohibited, as bit is written: “You shall not learn to doafter the abominations of those nations” (Deuteronomy 18:9), which indicates: bHowever, you may learn to understand and to teach.In other words, it is permitted to do certain things for the sake of Torah study which would otherwise be prohibited., strongMISHNA: /strong There was ban incidentin bwhich twowitnesses bcameto testify about the new moon, band they said: We sawthe waning moon bin the morning in the east, /b |
|
20. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 12b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
12b. רבי יהודה אומר המקום ירחם עליך ועל חולי ישראל רבי יוסי אומר המקום ירחם עליך בתוך חולי ישראל שבנא איש ירושלים בכניסתו אומר שלום וביציאתו אומר שבת היא מלזעוק ורפואה קרובה לבא ורחמיו מרובין ושבתו בשלום כמאן אזלא הא דאמר רבי חנינא מי שיש לו חולה בתוך ביתו צריך שיערבנו בתוך חולי ישראל כמאן כר' יוסי,ואמר רבי חנינא בקושי התירו לנחם אבלים ולבקר חולים בשבת אמר רבה בר בר חנה כי הוה אזלינן בתריה דרבי אלעזר לשיולי בתפיחה זימנין אמר המקום יפקדך לשלום וזימנין אמר (ליה) רחמנא ידכרינך לשלם היכי עביד הכי והאמר רב יהודה לעולם אל ישאל אדם צרכיו בלשון ארמי ואמר רבי יוחנן כל השואל צרכיו בלשון ארמי אין מלאכי השרת נזקקין לו שאין מלאכי השרת מכירין בלשון ארמי שאני חולה דשכינה עמו,דאמר רב ענן אמר רב מנין ששכינה סועד את החולה שנאמר (תהלים מא, ד) ה' יסעדנו על ערש דוי תניא נמי הכי הנכנס לבקר את החולה לא ישב לא על גבי מטה ולא על גבי כסא אלא מתעטף ויושב לפניו מפני ששכינה למעלה מראשותיו של חולה שנאמר ה' יסעדנו על ערש דוי ואמר רבא אמר רבין מנין שהקב"ה זן את החולה שנאמר ה' יסעדנו על ערש דוי:,ולא יקרא לאור הנר: אמר רבה אפילו גבוה שתי קומות ואפי' שתי מרדעות ואפילו עשרה בתים זו על גב זו חד הוא דלא ליקרי הא תרי שפיר דמי והתניא לא אחד ולא שנים אמר ר' אלעזר לא קשיא כאן בענין אחד כאן בשני ענינים אמר רב הונא ובמדורה אפי' עשרה בני אדם אסור,אמר רבא אם אדם חשוב הוא מותר מיתיבי לא יקרא לאור הנר שמא יטה אמר ר' ישמעאל בן אלישע אני אקרא ולא אטה פעם א' קרא ובקש להטות אמר כמה גדולים דברי חכמים שהיו אומרים לא יקרא לאור הנר ר' נתן אומר קרא והטה וכתב על פנקסו אני ישמעאל בן אלישע קריתי והטיתי נר בשבת לכשיבנה בהמ"ק אביא חטאת שמנה א"ר אבא שאני ר' ישמעאל בן אלישע הואיל ומשים עצמו על דברי תורה כהדיוט,תני חדא שמש בודק כוסות וקערות לאור הנר ותניא אידך לא יבדוק לא קשיא כאן בשמש קבוע כאן בשמש שאינו קבוע ואי בעית אימא הא והא בשמש קבוע ולא קשיא הא בדמשחא והא בדנפטא,איבעיא להו שמש שאינו קבוע בדמשחא מהו אמר רב הלכה ואין מורין כן ור' ירמיה בר אבא אמר הלכה ומורין כן ר' ירמיה בר אבא איקלע לבי רב אסי קם שמעיה קא בדיק לנהורא דשרגא אמרה ליה דביתהו ומר לא עביד הכי אמר לה שבקיה כרביה ס"ל:,באמת אמרו החזן כו': והאמרת רישא רואה מאי לאו לקרות לא לסדר ראשי פרשיותיו וכן אמר רבה בר שמואל אבל מסדר הוא ראשי פרשיותיו וכולה פרשה לא | 12b. bRabbi Yehuda saysthat it is appropriate to say: bMay the Omnipresent have compassion upon you and upon all the sick people of Israel. Rabbi Yosei saysthat it is appropriate to say: bMay the Omnipresent have compassion upon you among the sick people of Israel,thereby including this sick person within the community of Israel. When bShevna of Jerusalemwould visit a sick person on Shabbat, bupon entering, he would say ishalomb. And when he exited he would say: It is Shabbatwhen one is prohibited bto cry out, and healing is soon to come, and His compassion is abundant, and reston Shabbat bin peace.The Gemara asks: bIn accordance with whoseopinion bisthe ihalakhathat bRabbi Ḥanina said: One who has a sick person in his house must include him among the sick people of Israelin his prayer? bIn accordance with whoseopinion? bIn accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei. /b, bAnd Rabbi Ḥanina said: It wasonly bwith great difficulty thatthe Sages bpermitted to comfort the mourners and visit the sick on Shabbat,as both the visitor and the comforter experience suffering on Shabbat. They permitted it only due to the mitzva involved in these activities. bRabba bar bar Ḥana said: When we would follow Rabbi Elazar to inquire aboutthe health of ba sick person; sometimes he would sayin Hebrew: bMay the Omnipresent remember you for peace /b, band sometimes he would say to himin Aramaic: bMay the all-Merciful remember you for peace.He would say it in Aramaic when the sick person did not understand Hebrew (Rav Elazar Moshe Horovitz). The Gemara asks: bHow did he do this,pray in Aramaic? bDidn’t Rav Yehuda say: A person should never requestthat bhis needsbe met bin the Aramaic language /b? bAnd,similarly, bRabbi Yoḥa said: Anyone who requeststhat bhis needsbe met bin the Aramaic language /b, bthe ministering angels do not attend to himto bring his prayer before God, bas the ministering angels are not familiar with the Aramaic language,but only with the sacred tongue, Hebrew, exclusively. The Gemara responds: bA sick person is different.He does not need the angels to bring his prayer before God because bthe Divine Presence is with him. /b, bAs Rav A saidthat bRav said: From where is it derived that the Divine Presence cares forand aids bthe sick person? As it is stated: “God will support him on the bed of illness”(Psalms 41:4). The Gemara comments: bThat was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne who enters to visit the sick person should sit neither on the bed nor on a chair; rather, he should wrap himselfin his prayer shawl with trepidation and awe, band sit beforethe sick person below him, bas the Divine Presence is above the head of the sick person, as it is stated: “God will support him on the bed of illness,”and he must treat the Divine Presence with deference. On a similar note, bRava saidthat bRavin said: From whereis it derived bthat the Holy One, Blessed be He, feeds the sick personduring his illness? bAs it is stated: “God will support him on the bed of illness.” /b,We learned in the mishna that bone may not reada book bby candlelighton Shabbat. bRabba said:Since a decree was issued, there is no distinction whether or not the lamp was near enough to him to enable him to adjust the wick. The prohibition applies bevenif the lamp was btwo staturesof a person bhigh, and evenas high as btwo plow handles, and evenif it was as high as bten houses one atop the other.We learned in the mishna that one may not read, and the Gemara infers: bOne may not read, butfor btwo,apparently, he may bwelldo so. They will not violate any prohibition, as two people together will certainly not forget the Shabbat prohibition. The Gemara asks: bWasn’t it taughtin a ibaraitathat bneither one nor twoare permitted to read by the light of the lamp? bRabbi Elazar said:This is bnot difficult,as there is room to distinguish between them and say that bhere,where two were permitted to read by candlelight, it is referring to a case where they are both engaged bin one matterand will remind each other to refrain from adjusting the wick. bThere,where two were prohibited to read by candlelight it is referring to a case where they are engaged bin twodifferent bmatters.Since each is preoccupied with a different text, they will not pay attention and remind each other. bRav Huna said: And with regard to a bonfire,where everyone is sitting around it and not adjacent to it, bevenif they were bten people, it is prohibitedto read by its light. When sitting around a bonfire, everyone sits at a distance from the others, and therefore they do not notice each other, and each is liable to adjust the firebrands to provide himself with more light., bRava said:Even though they prohibited reading by candlelight due to a decree lest they adjust the wick, bif he is an important person, it is permitted,as even on weekdays he is not accustomed to adjust a lamp that is dirty with oil. The Gemara braises an objectionfrom that which was taught in a iTosefta /i: bOne may not reada book on Shabbat bby the light of the lamp, lest he adjust it.The iToseftarelates that bRabbi Yishmael ben Elisha said: I will read and will not adjust,as I will certainly not forget that it is Shabbat. However, bonce he reada book by candlelight bandhe bsought to adjustthe wick. bHe said: How great are the words of the Sages, who would saythat bone may not read by candlelight,as even a person like me sought to adjust the wick. bRabbi Natan says:That was not the way it happened. Rather, bhe read andactually badjustedthe wick, band he wroteafterward bin his notebook [ ipinkas /i]: I, Yishmael ben Elisha, read and adjusted a lamp on Shabbat. When the Temple will be rebuilt I will bring a fat sin-offeringas atonement for this sin. This proves that even an important person like Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha is liable to adjust the wick. bRabbi Abba said: Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha is different, since with regard to the study of Torah, he comports himself like a simple manwith no air of importance, but generally, an important person would not dirty his hands and adjust the wick.,On this subject, the Gemara cites two apparently contradictory ibaraitot /i. bIt was taughtin bone ibaraitathat a bservant may examine cups and bowls by candlelightto check if they are clean. bAnd it was taughtin banother ibaraitathat bhe may not examinethem. The Gemara explains: This is bnot difficult.Rather, bhere,the ibaraitathat prohibited examining the cups, is referring bto a regularlyemployed bservantwho fears his master and examines the dishes meticulously. Therefore, there is concern lest he come to adjust the wick. While bthere,the ibaraitathat permitted examining the cups, is referring bto a servant who is not regularlyemployed, does not fear his master, and therefore will not check meticulously. There is no concern lest he come to adjust the wick. bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that bthis ibaraita band that ibaraitaare both referring bto a regularlyemployed bservant. Andthis is bnot difficult,as they are not referring to the same kind of lamp. bThis ibaraita /i, which prohibited examining the dishes, is referring bto an oil lamp,where there is room for concern lest he adjust it. bAnd that ibaraita /i, which permitted examining the dishes, is referring bto a naphtha[inafta/b] blamp.Since the naphtha lamp is dirty, the servant certainly will not touch it while checking the cups and dishes., bA dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: bWhat isthe ruling with regard to ba servant who is not regularlyemployed in terms of examining cups and dishes by the light of ban oil lamp?Is he permitted to examine the cups by candlelight, or not? From the perspective of his being a servant not regularly employed, it should be permitted. On the other hand, because it is an oil lamp it should be prohibited. bRav said: The ihalakha /iis that it is permitted, band,however, iab initio bapublic bruling is not issued to that effectso that they will not come to sin. However, one who knows the ihalakhathat it is permitted may practice accordingly. bRabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said: That ihalakhaisthat it is permitted band apublic bruling is issued to that effect.The Gemara relates that bRabbi Yirmeya bar Abba happened tocome to bthe house of Rav Asion Shabbat. Rabbi Yirmeya’s bservant stood and examined the cups by the light of a lamp[isheraga/b], as he was not a regularly employed servant in the house of Rav Asi. Rav Asi’s bwife said toRav Asi: But bthe Master,you, bdoes not do so.You prohibit doing so. Why is the servant of Rabbi Yirmeya examining the cups? bHe said to her: Leave him, he holds in accordance withthe opinion of bhis master. /b,We learned in the mishna that bin truth they saidthat bthe attendantsees where in the book the children under his supervision are reading, but he himself should not read. The Gemara asked: bDidn’t you say in the first clauseof the mishna that the attendant bsees? Doesn’tthat mean that he sees in order bto read?How can that part of the mishna conclude by saying that he may not read? The Gemara answers: bNo,it does not mean that the attendant is permitted to actually read; rather, he is only permitted btolook and barrange the beginning of his sectionsof the Torah that bhemust read the next day. bAnd so too, Rabba bar Shmuel said: However, he may arrange the beginning of his sectionsthat he must read the next day. The Gemara asks: bAndmay he bnotread bthe entire section? /b |
|
21. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, 33a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
33a. כל התורה בכל לשון נאמרה דאי סלקא דעתך בלשון הקודש נאמרה והיו דכתב רחמנא למה לי,איצטריך משום דכתיב שמע,לימא קסברי רבנן כל התורה כולה בלשון קודש נאמרה דאי סלקא דעתך בכל לשון שמע דכתב רחמנא למה לי,איצטריך משום דכתיב והיו,תפלה רחמי היא כל היכי דבעי מצלי,ותפלה בכל לשון והאמר רב יהודה לעולם אל ישאל אדם צרכיו בלשון ארמית דאמר רבי יוחנן כל השואל צרכיו בלשון ארמי אין מלאכי השרת נזקקין לו לפי שאין מלאכי השרת מכירין בלשון ארמי,לא קשיא הא ביחיד הא בצבור,ואין מלאכי השרת מכירין בלשון ארמי והתניא יוחנן כהן גדול שמע ב"ק מבית קדש הקדשים שהוא אומר נצחו טליא דאזלו לאגחא קרבא לאנטוכיא ושוב מעשה בשמעון הצדיק ששמע בת קול מבית קדש הקדשים שהוא אומר בטילת עבידתא דאמר שנאה לאייתאה על היכלא ונהרג גסקלגס ובטלו גזירותיו וכתבו אותה שעה וכיוונו ובלשון ארמי היה אומר,אי בעית אימא בת קול שאני דלאשמועי עבידא ואי בעית אימא גבריאל הוה דאמר מר בא גבריאל ולימדו שבעים לשון,ברכת המזון דכתיב (דברים ח, י) ואכלת ושבעת וברכת את ה' אלהיך בכל לשון שאתה מברך,שבועת העדות דכתיב (ויקרא ה, א) ונפש כי תחטא ושמעה קול אלה בכל לשון שהיא שומעת,שבועת הפקדון אתיא תחטא תחטא משבועת העדות,ואלו נאמרין בלשון הקודש מקרא ביכורים וחליצה כו' עד מקרא ביכורים כיצד (דברים כו, ה) וענית ואמרת לפני ה' אלהיך ולהלן הוא אומר (דברים כז, יד) וענו הלוים ואמרו אל כל איש ישראל מה ענייה האמורה להלן בלשון הקודש אף כאן בלה"ק,ולוים גופייהו מנלן אתיא קול קול ממשה כתיב הכא קול רם וכתיב התם (שמות יט, יט) משה ידבר והאלהים יעננו בקול מה להלן בלשון הקודש אף כאן בלשון הקודש,חליצה כיצד וכו' ורבנן האי ככה מאי עבדי ליה מיבעי להו לדבר שהוא מעשה מעכב,ור' יהודה מכה ככה ורבנן כה ככה לא משמע להו | 33a. that bthe entire Torah may be recited in any language, as, if it should enter your mindto say bthatthe entire Torah bmay be recitedonly bin the sacred tongueand not in any other language, bwhy do Ineed bthat which the Merciful One writes: “Andthese words, which I command you this day, bwill be”?If in fact it is prohibited for one to recite any portion of the Torah in a language other than Hebrew, then prohibiting the recitation of iShemain a language other than Hebrew is superfluous. Since the Torah specifically requires iShemato be recited in Hebrew, it must be because the rest of the Torah may be recited in any language.,The Gemara rejects this suggestion: This is not unquestionably so, as the phrase “and these words, which I command you this day, will be” bis necessaryin this case bbecause “hear” isalso bwritten.Had it not said “and these words, which I command you this day, will be,” it would have been derived from the word “hear” that iShemamay be recited in any language, in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis. Therefore, the phrase “and these words, which I command you this day, will be” is necessary.,The Gemara asks: bShall we saythat bthe Rabbis holdthat bthe entire Torah may be recitedonly bin the sacred tongueand not in any other language? bAs, if it should enter your mindto say bthatthe Torah bmay be recited in any language, why do Ineed bthat which the Merciful One writes: “Hear”?It is permitted for one to recite the entire Torah in any language, rendering a specific requirement with regard to iShemasuperfluous.,The Gemara rejects this: The word “hear” bis necessaryin any case, bbecause “andthese words, which I command you this day, bwill be” isalso bwritten.Had it not been for the word “hear,” the Rabbis would have understood that it is prohibited to recite iShemain any other language, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. Therefore, the word “hear” is necessary.,§ It is stated in the mishna that the iAmida bprayermay be recited in any language. The reason for this is that since prayer bisa request for divine bmercy, one may pray in any way that one desires. /b,The Gemara asks: bButmay bprayerreally be recited bin any language? But didn’t Rav Yehuda say: A person should never request in the Aramaic languagethat bhis needsbe met, bas Rabbi Yoḥa saidthat with regard to banyone who requests in the Aramaic languagethat bhis needsbe met, bthe ministering angels do not attend to him, as the ministering angels are not familiar [ imakkirin /i] with the Aramaic language? /b,The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult,as bthatstatement of Rabbi Yoḥa is referring btothe prayer of ban individual,who needs the support of the angels, whereas bthisstatement of the mishna is referring bto communalprayer.,The Gemara asks: bAnd are the ministering angels not familiar with the Aramaic language? But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita( iTosefta13:5): bYoḥa the High Priest heard a Divine Voiceemerging bfrom the House of the Holy of Holies that was saying: The youth who went to wage war in Antokhya have been victorious. Andthere was banother incident involving Shimon HaTzaddik, who heard a Divine Voiceemerging bfrom the House of the Holy of Holies that was saying: The decree that the enemy intended to bring against the Temple is annulled, and Gaskalgas,Caligula, bhas been killed and his decrees have been voided. Andpeople bwrotedown bthat timethat the Divine Voice was heard, bandlater found that it bmatchedexactly the moment that Caligula was killed. The Gemara concludes: bAndthis Divine Voice bwas speaking in the Aramaic language. /b,The Gemara answers: bIf you wish, saythat the bDivine Voice is different, as its purpose is to communicatea message, and therefore it also communicates in Aramaic. bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that bit wasthe angel bGabriel, as the Master saidwith regard to Joseph: bGabriel came and taught him seventy languages,as he knows all of the languages, as opposed to the other angels, who do not.,§ It is stated in the mishna that bGrace after Mealsmay be recited in any language. bAs it is written: “And you shall eat, and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your God”(Deuteronomy 8:10). The word “bless” is homiletically interpreted to mean: bIn any language that you bless. /b,It is stated in the mishna that ban oath of testimonymay be said in any language, bas it is written: “And if anyone sins, in that he heard the voice of adjuration”(Leviticus 5:1). The emphasis on hearing in the verse is interpreted to mean that it can be recited bin any language that a person hears,i.e., understands.,It is stated in the mishna that ban oath on a depositmay be taken in any language. This bis derivedby means of a verbal analogy bfromthe word b“sins”(Leviticus 5:21) that appears in the portion of an oath on a deposit, and the word b“sins”(Leviticus 5:1) that is mentioned in the portion of ban oath of testimony. /b,§ It is stated in the mishna: bAnd these are recitedonly bin the sacred tongue: The recitation ofthe verses that one recounts when bringing the bfirst fruitsto the Temple; band iḥalitza /i…howis it derived that the brecitationwhen bringing the bfirst fruitsis recited specifically in Hebrew? When the Torah discusses this mitzva it states: b“And you shall speak and say before the Lord your God”(Deuteronomy 26:5), band below,in the discussion of the blessings and curses, bit states: “And the Levites shall speak and say to all the men of Israel”(Deuteronomy 27:14). bJust as there,in the portion of the Levites, they speak bin the sacred tongue, so too here,in the portion of the first fruits, the recitation is bin the sacred tongue. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd from where do wederive that bthe Levites themselvesanswered in Hebrew? The Gemara answers: It is bderived froma verbal analogy between the word b“voice”that appears here, in the portion of the blessings and curses, and the word b“voice”in the verse that relates to bMoses. It is written here: “With a loud voice”(Deuteronomy 27:14), band it is written there: “Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice”(Exodus 19:19). bJust as there,the Ten Commandments were stated bin the sacred tongue, so too here,the Levites spoke bin the sacred tongue. /b,It is stated in the mishna: bHowis it derived that the recitation at ba iḥalitza /iceremony must be in Hebrew? The verse states: “And she shall speak and say: So shall it be done to the man that doth not build up his brother’s house” (Deuteronomy 25:9). Rabbi Yehuda derives this ihalakhafrom the phrase: “And she shall speak and say: So” (Deuteronomy 25:9). The Gemara asks: bAnd what do the Rabbis do with,i.e., how do they interpret, bthisword b“so”? They requireit btoteach that any bmatterdetailed in the portion bthat is an action is indispensableto the iḥalitzaceremony, as the verse states: “So shall it be done.” However, the other aspects of the ritual, e.g., the recitations, are not indispensable, and in their absence the ritual is valid after the fact., bAnd Rabbi Yehudaderives this ihalakha bfromthe fact that the verse could have used the shorter form of the word bso [ iko /i],and instead uses the longer form of the word bso [ ikakha /i].He therefore derives both ihalakhotfrom this word. bAnd the Rabbis do not learn anything fromthe difference between iko /iand ikakha /i. /b |
|
22. Babylonian Talmud, Taanit, 28b, 29b, 4b, 22b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
22b. (דברי הימים ב לה, כא) וישלח אליו מלאכים לאמר מה לי ולך מלך יהודה לא עליך אתה היום כי אל בית מלחמתי ואלהים אמר לבהלני חדל לך מאלהים אשר עמי ואל ישחיתך,מאי אלהים אשר עמי אמר רב יהודה אמר רב זו ע"ז אמר הואיל וקא בטח בע"ז יכילנא ליה,(דברי הימים ב לה, כג) ויורו היורים למלך יאשיהו ויאמר המלך לעבדיו העבירוני כי החליתי מאד מאי כי החליתי מאד אמר רב יהודה אמר רב מלמד שעשו כל גופו ככברה,אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי (יוחנן) מפני מה נענש יאשיהו מפני שהיה לו לימלך בירמיהו ולא נמלך מאי דרש (ויקרא כו, ו) וחרב לא תעבור בארצכם,מאי חרב אילימא חרב שאינה של שלום והכתיב ונתתי שלום בארץ אלא אפילו של שלום והוא אינו יודע שאין דורו דומה יפה,כי הוה ניחא נפשיה חזא ירמיהו שפוותיה דקא מרחשן אמר שמא ח"ו מילתא דלא מהגנא אמר אגב צעריה גחין ושמעיה דקא מצדיק עליה דינא אנפשיה אמר (איכה א, יח) צדיק הוא ה' כי פיהו מריתי פתח עליה ההיא שעתא (איכה ד, כ) רוח אפינו משיח ה':,מעשה וירדו זקנים מירושלים לעריהם כו' איבעיא להו כמלא תנור תבואה או דלמא כמלא תנור פת,תא שמע כמלא פי תנור ועדיין תיבעי להו ככיסויא דתנורא או דלמא כי דרא דריפתא דהדר ליה לפומא דתנורא תיקו:,ועוד גזרו תענית על שאכלו זאבים כו' אמר עולא משום ר' שמעון בן יהוצדק מעשה ובלעו זאבים שני תינוקות והקיאום דרך בית הרעי ובא מעשה לפני חכמים וטיהרו את הבשר וטמאו את העצמות:,על אלו מתריעין בשבת כו': תנו רבנן עיר שהקיפוה נכרים או נהר ואחד ספינה המיטרפת בים ואחד יחיד שנרדף מפני נכרים או מפני לסטין ומפני רוח רעה על כולן יחיד רשאי לסגף את עצמו בתענית,רבי יוסי אומר אין היחיד רשאי לסגף את עצמו בתענית שמא יצטרך לבריות ואין הבריות מרחמות עליו אמר רב יהודה אמר רב מ"ט דרבי יוסי דכתיב (בראשית ב, ז) ויהי האדם לנפש חיה נשמה שנתתי בך החייה:,שמעון התימני אומר אף על הדבר כו': איבעיא להו לא הודו לו חכמים בשבת אבל בחול הודו לו או דלמא לא הודו לו כלל,ת"ש דתניא מתריעין על הדבר בשבת ואצ"ל בחול ר' חנן בן פיטום תלמידו של ר' עקיבא משום רבי עקיבא אומר אין מתריעין על הדבר כל עיקר:,על כל צרה שלא תבא על הצבור כו': ת"ר על כל צרה שלא תבא על הצבור מתריעין עליה חוץ מרוב גשמים מ"ט אמר ר' יוחנן לפי שאין מתפללין על רוב הטובה,ואמר רבי יוחנן מניין שאין מתפללין על רוב הטובה שנאמר (מלאכי ג, י) הביאו את כל המעשר אל בית האוצר וגו' מאי עד בלי די אמר רמי בר רב (יוד) עד שיבלו שפתותיכם מלומר די,אמר רמי בר רב יוד ובגולה מתריעין עליה תניא נמי הכי שנה שגשמיה מרובין אנשי משמר שולחין לאנשי מעמד תנו עיניכם באחיכם שבגולה שלא יהא בתיהם קבריהם,שאלו את ר' אליעזר עד היכן גשמים יורדין ויתפללו שלא ירדו אמר להם כדי שיעמוד אדם בקרן אפל וישכשך רגליו במים והתניא ידיו רגליו כידיו קאמינא,אמר רבה בר בר חנה לדידי חזיא לי קרן אפל דקם ההוא טייעא כי רכיב גמלא ונקיט רומחא בידיה מתחזי איניבא,ת"ר (ויקרא כו, ד) ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם לא שכורה ולא צמאה אלא בינונית שכל זמן שהגשמים מרובין מטשטשין את הארץ ואינה מוציאה פירות דבר אחר | 22b. b“But he sent ambassadors to him saying: What have I to do with you, king of Judea? I do not come against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war; and God has commanded me to make haste. Forbear from meddling with God, Who is with me, so that He will not destroy you”(II Chronicles 35:21). This clearly shows that Pharaoh Neco had no intention of engaging Josiah in battle.,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe meaning of the phrase b“God, Who is with me”? Rav Yehuda saidthat bRav said: Thisis referring to Neco’s bidolatry,which he brought for assistance. In other words, it is a secular reference and should be read as: The god that is with me, in my possession. Josiah bsaid: Sincehe trusts in idolatry, bI will be ableto defeat bhim. /b,With regard to Josiah’s battle with Pharaoh Neco, the verse states: b“And the archers shot at King Josiah and the king said to his servants: Move me away, for I am seriously wounded”(II Chronicles 35:23). bWhat isthe meaning of the phrase: b“For I am seriously wounded”? Rav Yehuda saidthat bRav said:This bteaches thatthe Egyptian archers bmade his entire body like a sievefrom the many arrows they shot at him., bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: For whatreason bwas Josiah punished? Because he should have consulted withthe prophet bJeremiahto find out if he should go to war, bbut he did not consultwith him. bHow didJosiah binterpretthe verses of the Torah? How did they lead him to go to war? The verse states: b“Neither shall a sword go through your land”(Leviticus 26:6)., bWhat isthe meaning of the term: b“Sword”? If we saythat it is referring to ba sword that is not of peace, but isn’t it writtenearlier in the same verse: b“And I will give peace in the land”? Rather,the verse must mean that bevena sword bof peaceshall not pass through the land, and Josiah sought to prevent this occurrence, in fulfillment of the blessing. bBut he did not know that his generation did not meritthese blessings, and he would therefore not receive divine assistance in this regard.,The Gemara discusses Josiah’s deathbed reflections. bWhenJosiah bwas dying, Jeremiah saw his lips moving.Jeremiah bsaid: Perhaps, Heaven forbid, he is saying something improperand complaining about God’s judgment bon account of hisgreat bdistress.Jeremiah bbent over and heard that he was justifyingGod’s bjudgment against himself.Josiah bsaid: “The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against His word”(Lamentations 1:18). bAt that moment,Jeremiah bbeganhis eulogy bforJosiah: b“The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord,was trapped in their pits” (Lamentations 4:20).,§ The mishna taught: bAn incidentoccurred in bwhich Elders descended from Jerusalem to their citiesand decreed a fast throughout the land because a small amount of blight was seen in the city of Ashkelon, enough to fill the mouth of an oven. bA dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: Did they mean enough bgrain to fillan entire boven, or perhapsthey meant enough grain to prepare bbread to fill an oven?This is far less, as bread is stuck to the walls of the oven and does not fill its inner area.,The Gemara answers: bComeand bhearthe phrase of the mishna: Enough bto fill the mouth of an oven.This indicates that the bread referred to does not fill the entire oven, but rather covers the mouth of the oven. The Gemara further asks: bAnd still you can raise this dilemma before them:Is the mishna referring to the bread bof the cover of the oven? Perhapsit is referring bto a row of bread around the mouth of the oven.No resolution was found, and the Gemara states that the dilemma bshall standunresolved.,§ The mishna taught: bAnd furthermore, they decreed a fast because wolves had eatentwo children in Transjordan. bUlla said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: An incidentoccurred in bwhich wolves swallowed two children and excreted them. And the incident came before the Sagesfor a ruling. They were asked if the remains were ritually impure even after they had passed through the animal’s digestive tract, band they pronounced the flesh ritually pure,as it had been digested, but they bpronouncedthe intact bbones ritually impure. /b,§ The mishna further taught: bFor the followingcalamities bthey sound the alarmeven bon Shabbat:For a city that is surrounded by gentile troops, for a place in danger of being flooded by a river that has swelled its banks, or for a ship tossed about at sea. bThe Sages taught:In the case of ba city that is surrounded by gentiletroops bor a riverthat has swelled beyond its banks, and this also applies to bboth a ship tossed about at sea and an individual who is being pursued by gentiles, or by thieves, or by an evil spirit,which may lead him to harm himself, bthey sound the alarmeven bon Shabbat. And in all thesecases, ban individual is permitted to afflict himself by fastingto annul the evil decrees against him., bRabbi Yosei says: An individual is not permitted to afflict himself by fasting, lesthe become too weak to work and bbe beholden to other beings, andthose bbeings will not have mercy on him. Rav Yehuda saidthat bRav said: What is the reason of Rabbi Yosei?It is bas it is written: “And man became a living soul”(Genesis 2:7). Rabbi Yosei interprets this verse as a command: bThe soul I placed within you,preserve and bsustain it. /b,§ The mishna taught that bShimon the Timnite says:One may cry out on Shabbat beven for pestilence,but the Rabbis did not agree with him. bA dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: Does this mean that bthe Rabbis did not agree with himwith regard to crying out in these cases bon Shabbat,but if they occur bon a weekday they agreed with him? Or perhaps they did not agree with him at all,as they maintain that one never cries out over pestilence.,The Gemara answers: bComeand bhear, as it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne cries out fora plague of bpestilence on Shabbat, and needless to say on weekdays. Rabbi Ḥa ben Pitom, the student of Rabbi Akiva, says in the name of Rabbi Akiva: One does not cry out for pestilence at all.This opinion attributed to Rabbi Akiva is the ruling of the Rabbis in the mishna.,§ The mishna further states that they sound the alarm bonaccount of any btrouble that should not befall the community,a euphemism for trouble that may befall the community, except for an overabundance of rain. bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bFor any trouble that should not befall the community, they sound the alarm for it, except for an overabundance of rain.The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonfor this? bRabbi Yoḥa said: Because one does not pray over an excess of good.Since rain is generally good for the world, it is not appropriate to pray for it to stop, even when it falls in excess., bAnd Rabbi Yoḥa said: From whereis it derived bthat one does not pray over an excess of good?It bis stated: “Bring the whole tithe into the storeroom,that there may be food in My house, and test Me now by this, said the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing that there shall be more than sufficiency” (Malachi 3:10). bWhatis the meaning of the phrase: b“That there shall be more than sufficiency [ iad beli dai /i]”? Rami bar Ḥama said:It means that the abundance will be so great bthat your lips will be worn out [ iyivlu /i],similar to the word ibeli /i, bfrom saying enough [ idai /i].In other words, even when a blessing is delivered in gross excess, one should not pray for it to cease, as the verse blesses the people with an excess., bRami bar Rav Yud said:This is true in Eretz Yisrael, but in the Diaspora, i.e., Babylonia, bthey do sound the alarm overexcessive rain. The reason is that Babylonia is in a low-lying region, where excessive rain poses a real danger. bThatopinion bis also taughtin a ibaraita /i: In ba year whose rains are abundant, the members of the priestly watchin the Temple bwould senda message bto the members of the non-priestly watch: Cast your eyes on your brothers in the Diasporaand have them in mind when you pray, so bthat their housesshould not collapse from excessive rain and bbecome their graves. /b, bThey asked Rabbi Eliezer: How much rain must falluntil btheyshould bpray that it should not fallanymore? bHe said to themby way of exaggeration: Enough rain must fall bso that a person stands atthe colossal cliff bKeren Ophel and dips his feet in water.The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraitathat Rabbi Eliezer said he must be able to place bhis handsin water? Rabbi Eliezer could answer: When bI said to youthat he must be able to place bhis feet,I meant blike his hands,i.e., the water must be high enough that he can dip both his hands and feet into the water with ease.,With regard to the height of this great cliff, bRabba bar bar Ḥana said: Ipersonally bsaw Keren Ophel,and when I peered down I saw bthat an Arab was positioned below,and bwhile riding a camel andholding ba spear in his hand, he looked like a worm [ iiniva /i]. /b, bThe Sages taught: “Then I will give your rains in their season”(Leviticus 26:4). This means that the earth will be bneither drunk nor thirsty; rather, a moderateamount of rain will fall. bFor as long as the rains are abundant, they muddythe soil of bthe land, and it does not give outits bproduce. Alternatively, /b |
|
23. Iamblichus, Concerning The Mysteries, 5.7 (3rd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
|
24. Origen, Against Celsus, 8.17 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 8.17. Celsus then proceeds to say that we shrink from raising altars, statues, and temples; and this, he thinks, has been agreed upon among us as the badge or distinctive mark of a secret and forbidden society. He does not perceive that we regard the spirit of every good man as an altar from which arises an incense which is truly and spiritually sweet-smelling, namely, the prayers ascending from a pure conscience. Therefore it is said by John in the Revelation, The odours are the prayers of saints; and by the Psalmist, Let my prayer come up before You as incense. And the statues and gifts which are fit offerings to God are the work of no common mechanics, but are wrought and fashioned in us by the Word of God, to wit, the virtues in which we imitate the First-born of all creation, who has set us an example of justice, of temperance, of courage, of wisdom, of piety, and of the other virtues. In all those, then, who plant and cultivate within their souls, according to the divine word, temperance, justice, wisdom, piety, and other virtues, these excellences are their statues they raise, in which we are persuaded that it is becoming for us to honour the model and prototype of all statues: the image of the invisible God, God the Only-begotten. And again, they who put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that has created him, in taking upon them the image of Him who has created them, do raise within themselves a statue like to what the Most High God Himself desires. And as among statuaries there are some who are marvellously perfect in their art, as for example Pheidias and Polycleitus, and among painters, Zeuxis and Apelles, while others make inferior statues, and others, again, are inferior to the second-rate artists - so that, taking all together, there is a wide difference in the execution of statues and pictures - in the same way there are some who form images of the Most High in a better manner and with a more perfect skill; so that there is no comparison even between the Olympian Jupiter of Pheidias and the man who has been fashioned according to the image of God the Creator. But by far the most excellent of all these throughout the whole creation is that image in our Saviour who said, My Father is in Me. |
|
25. Porphyry, On Abstinence, 2.24 (3rd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
| 2.24. 24.To which may be added, that we should sacrifice to the Gods for the sake of three things, viz. either for the sake of honouring them, or of testifying our gratitude, or through our want of good. For, as we offer first-fruits to good men, thus also we think it is necessary that we should offer them to the Gods. But we honour the Gods, either exploring the means of averting evils, and obtaining good, or when we have been previously benefited, or in order that we may obtain some present advantage and assistance, or merely for the purpose of venerating the goodness of their nature. So that if the first-fruits of animals are to be |58 offered to the Gods, some of them for the sake of this are to be sacrificed. For whatever we sacrifice, we sacrifice for the sake of some one of the above mentioned particulars. Is it therefore to be thought that God is honoured by us, when we are directly seen to act unjustly through the first-fruits which we offer to him? Or will he not rather think that he is dishonoured by such a sacrifice, in which, by immolating animals that have not at all injured us, we acknowledge that we have acted unjustly. So that no one of other animals is to be sacrificed for the sake of honouring divinity. Nor yet are they to be sacrificed for the purpose of testifying our gratitude to the Gods. For he who makes a just retribution for the benefits he has received, ought not to make it by doing an injury to certain other animals. For he will no more appear to make a retribution than he who, plundering his neighbour of his property, should bestow it on another person for the sake of honour. Neither are animals to be sacrificed for the sake of obtaining a certain good of which we are in want. For he who endeavours to be benefited by acting unjustly, is to be suspected as one who would not be grateful even when he is benefited. So that animals are not to be sacrificed to the Gods through the expectation of deriving advantage from the sacrifice. For he who does this, may perhaps elude men, but it is impossible that he can elude divinity. If, therefore, we ought to sacrifice for the sake of a certain thing, but this is not to be done for the sake of any of the before mentioned particulars, it is evident that animals ought not to be sacrificed. SPAN |
|
26. Anon., 2 Enoch, 71
|