1. Hebrew Bible, Song of Songs, 1.2, 1.4, 1.10-1.11, 1.16, 2.2-2.3, 2.9, 2.14, 2.17, 3.3, 4.1-4.5, 4.8, 4.13, 5.1-5.16, 6.1-6.2, 6.5-6.10, 6.12, 7.1, 7.3-7.9, 7.12, 8.1, 8.13-8.14 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.2. יִשָּׁקֵנִי מִנְּשִׁיקוֹת פִּיהוּ כִּי־טוֹבִים דֹּדֶיךָ מִיָּיִן׃ 1.4. מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָּרוּצָה הֱבִיאַנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ חֲדָרָיו נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בָּךְ נַזְכִּירָה דֹדֶיךָ מִיַּיִן מֵישָׁרִים אֲהֵבוּךָ׃ 1.11. תּוֹרֵי זָהָב נַעֲשֶׂה־לָּךְ עִם נְקֻדּוֹת הַכָּסֶף׃ 1.16. הִנְּךָ יָפֶה דוֹדִי אַף נָעִים אַף־עַרְשֵׂנוּ רַעֲנָנָה׃ 2.2. כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים כֵּן רַעְיָתִי בֵּין הַבָּנוֹת׃ 2.3. כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר כֵּן דּוֹדִי בֵּין הַבָּנִים בְּצִלּוֹ חִמַּדְתִּי וְיָשַׁבְתִּי וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי׃ 2.9. דּוֹמֶה דוֹדִי לִצְבִי אוֹ לְעֹפֶר הָאַיָּלִים הִנֵּה־זֶה עוֹמֵד אַחַר כָּתְלֵנוּ מַשְׁגִּיחַ מִן־הַחֲלֹּנוֹת מֵצִיץ מִן־הַחֲרַכִּים׃ 2.14. יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַרְאִינִי אֶתּ־מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִינִי אֶת־קוֹלֵךְ כִּי־קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב וּמַרְאֵיךְ נָאוֶה׃ 2.17. עַד שֶׁיָּפוּחַ הַיּוֹם וְנָסוּ הַצְּלָלִים סֹב דְּמֵה־לְךָ דוֹדִי לִצְבִי אוֹ לְעֹפֶר הָאַיָּלִים עַל־הָרֵי בָתֶר׃ 3.3. מְצָאוּנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר אֵת שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי רְאִיתֶם׃ 4.1. מַה־יָּפוּ דֹדַיִךְ אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה מַה־טֹּבוּ דֹדַיִךְ מִיַּיִן וְרֵיחַ שְׁמָנַיִךְ מִכָּל־בְּשָׂמִים׃ 4.1. הִנָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי הִנָּךְ יָפָה עֵינַיִךְ יוֹנִים מִבַּעַד לְצַמָּתֵךְ שַׂעְרֵךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָעִזִּים שֶׁגָּלְשׁוּ מֵהַר גִּלְעָד׃ 4.2. שִׁנַּיִךְ כְּעֵדֶר הַקְּצוּבוֹת שֶׁעָלוּ מִן־הָרַחְצָה שֶׁכֻּלָּם מַתְאִימוֹת וְשַׁכֻּלָה אֵין בָּהֶם׃ 4.3. כְּחוּט הַשָּׁנִי שִׂפְתֹתַיִךְ וּמִדְבָּרֵיךְ נָאוֶה כְּפֶלַח הָרִמּוֹן רַקָּתֵךְ מִבַּעַד לְצַמָּתֵךְ׃ 4.4. כְּמִגְדַּל דָּוִיד צַוָּארֵךְ בָּנוּי לְתַלְפִּיּוֹת אֶלֶף הַמָּגֵן תָּלוּי עָלָיו כֹּל שִׁלְטֵי הַגִּבּוֹרִים׃ 4.5. שְׁנֵי שָׁדַיִךְ כִּשְׁנֵי עֳפָרִים תְּאוֹמֵי צְבִיָּה הָרוֹעִים בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים׃ 4.8. אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן כַּלָּה אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן תָּבוֹאִי תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה מֵרֹאשׁ שְׂנִיר וְחֶרְמוֹן מִמְּעֹנוֹת אֲרָיוֹת מֵהַרְרֵי נְמֵרִים׃ 4.13. שְׁלָחַיִךְ פַּרְדֵּס רִמּוֹנִים עִם פְּרִי מְגָדִים כְּפָרִים עִם־נְרָדִים׃ 5.1. דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם דָּגוּל מֵרְבָבָה׃ 5.1. בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה אָרִיתִי מוֹרִי עִם־בְּשָׂמִי אָכַלְתִּי יַעְרִי עִם־דִּבְשִׁי שָׁתִיתִי יֵינִי עִם־חֲלָבִי אִכְלוּ רֵעִים שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים׃ 5.2. אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה וְלִבִּי עֵר קוֹל דּוֹדִי דוֹפֵק פִּתְחִי־לִי אֲחֹתִי רַעְיָתִי יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי שֶׁרֹּאשִׁי נִמְלָא־טָל קְוֻּצּוֹתַי רְסִיסֵי לָיְלָה׃ 5.3. פָּשַׁטְתִּי אֶת־כֻּתָּנְתִּי אֵיכָכָה אֶלְבָּשֶׁנָּה רָחַצְתִּי אֶת־רַגְלַי אֵיכָכָה אֲטַנְּפֵם׃ 5.4. דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן־הַחֹר וּמֵעַי הָמוּ עָלָיו׃ 5.5. קַמְתִּי אֲנִי לִפְתֹּחַ לְדוֹדִי וְיָדַי נָטְפוּ־מוֹר וְאֶצְבְּעֹתַי מוֹר עֹבֵר עַל כַּפּוֹת הַמַּנְעוּל׃ 5.6. פָּתַחְתִּי אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ בִּקַּשְׁתִּיהוּ וְלֹא מְצָאתִיהוּ קְרָאתִיו וְלֹא עָנָנִי׃ 5.7. מְצָאֻנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר הִכּוּנִי פְצָעוּנִי נָשְׂאוּ אֶת־רְדִידִי מֵעָלַי שֹׁמְרֵי הַחֹמוֹת׃ 5.8. הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם אִם־תִּמְצְאוּ אֶת־דּוֹדִי מַה־תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ שֶׁחוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי׃ 5.9. מַה־דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים מַה־דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד שֶׁכָּכָה הִשְׁבַּעְתָּנוּ׃ 5.11. רֹאשׁוֹ כֶּתֶם פָּז קְוּצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב׃ 5.12. עֵינָיו כְּיוֹנִים עַל־אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם רֹחֲצוֹת בֶּחָלָב יֹשְׁבוֹת עַל־מִלֵּאת׃ 5.13. לְחָיָו כַּעֲרוּגַת הַבֹּשֶׂם מִגְדְּלוֹת מֶרְקָחִים שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים נֹטְפוֹת מוֹר עֹבֵר׃ 5.14. יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב מְמֻלָּאִים בַּתַּרְשִׁישׁ מֵעָיו עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים׃ 5.15. שׁוֹקָיו עַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ מְיֻסָּדִים עַל־אַדְנֵי־פָז מַרְאֵהוּ כַּלְּבָנוֹן בָּחוּר כָּאֲרָזִים׃ 5.16. חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים וְכֻלּוֹ מַחֲּמַדִּים זֶה דוֹדִי וְזֶה רֵעִי בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ 6.1. אָנָה הָלַךְ דּוֹדֵךְ הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים אָנָה פָּנָה דוֹדֵךְ וּנְבַקְשֶׁנּוּ עִמָּךְ׃ 6.1. מִי־זֹאת הַנִּשְׁקָפָה כְּמוֹ־שָׁחַר יָפָה כַלְּבָנָה בָּרָה כַּחַמָּה אֲיֻמָּה כַּנִּדְגָּלוֹת׃ 6.2. דּוֹדִי יָרַד לְגַנּוֹ לַעֲרוּגוֹת הַבֹּשֶׂם לִרְעוֹת בַּגַּנִּים וְלִלְקֹט שׁוֹשַׁנִּים׃ 6.5. הָסֵבִּי עֵינַיִךְ מִנֶּגְדִּי שֶׁהֵם הִרְהִיבֻנִי שַׂעְרֵךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָעִזִּים שֶׁגָּלְשׁוּ מִן־הַגִּלְעָד׃ 6.6. שִׁנַּיִךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָרְחֵלִים שֶׁעָלוּ מִן־הָרַחְצָה שֶׁכֻּלָּם מַתְאִימוֹת וְשַׁכֻּלָה אֵין בָּהֶם׃ 6.7. כְּפֶלַח הָרִמּוֹן רַקָּתֵךְ מִבַּעַד לְצַמָּתֵךְ׃ 6.8. שִׁשִּׁים הֵמָּה מְּלָכוֹת וּשְׁמֹנִים פִּילַגְשִׁים וַעֲלָמוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר׃ 6.9. אַחַת הִיא יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי אַחַת הִיא לְאִמָּהּ בָּרָה הִיא לְיוֹלַדְתָּהּ רָאוּהָ בָנוֹת וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ מְלָכוֹת וּפִילַגְשִׁים וַיְהַלְלוּהָ׃ 6.12. לֹא יָדַעְתִּי נַפְשִׁי שָׂמַתְנִי מַרְכְּבוֹת עַמִּי־נָדִיב׃ 7.1. וְחִכֵּךְ כְּיֵין הַטּוֹב הוֹלֵךְ לְדוֹדִי לְמֵישָׁרִים דּוֹבֵב שִׂפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים׃ 7.1. שׁוּבִי שׁוּבִי הַשּׁוּלַמִּית שׁוּבִי שׁוּבִי וְנֶחֱזֶה־בָּךְ מַה־תֶּחֱזוּ בַּשּׁוּלַמִּית כִּמְחֹלַת הַמַּחֲנָיִם׃ 7.3. שָׁרְרֵךְ אַגַּן הַסַּהַר אַל־יֶחְסַר הַמָּזֶג בִּטְנֵךְ עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים סוּגָה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים׃ 7.4. שְׁנֵי שָׁדַיִךְ כִּשְׁנֵי עֳפָרִים תָּאֳמֵי צְבִיָּה׃ 7.5. צַוָּארֵךְ כְּמִגְדַּל הַשֵּׁן עֵינַיִךְ בְּרֵכוֹת בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן עַל־שַׁעַר בַּת־רַבִּים אַפֵּךְ כְּמִגְדַּל הַלְּבָנוֹן צוֹפֶה פְּנֵי דַמָּשֶׂק׃ 7.6. רֹאשֵׁךְ עָלַיִךְ כַּכַּרְמֶל וְדַלַּת רֹאשֵׁךְ כָּאַרְגָּמָן מֶלֶךְ אָסוּר בָּרְהָטִים׃ 7.7. מַה־יָּפִית וּמַה־נָּעַמְתְּ אַהֲבָה בַּתַּעֲנוּגִים׃ 7.8. זֹאת קוֹמָתֵךְ דָּמְתָה לְתָמָר וְשָׁדַיִךְ לְאַשְׁכֹּלוֹת׃ 7.9. אָמַרְתִּי אֶעֱלֶה בְתָמָר אֹחֲזָה בְּסַנְסִנָּיו וְיִהְיוּ־נָא שָׁדַיִךְ כְּאֶשְׁכְּלוֹת הַגֶּפֶן וְרֵיחַ אַפֵּךְ כַּתַּפּוּחִים׃ 7.12. לְכָה דוֹדִי נֵצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה נָלִינָה בַּכְּפָרִים׃ 8.1. מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי יוֹנֵק שְׁדֵי אִמִּי אֶמְצָאֲךָ בַחוּץ אֶשָׁקְךָ גַּם לֹא־יָבוּזוּ לִי׃ 8.1. אֲנִי חוֹמָה וְשָׁדַי כַּמִּגְדָּלוֹת אָז הָיִיתִי בְעֵינָיו כְּמוֹצְאֵת שָׁלוֹם׃ 8.13. הַיוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַּנִּים חֲבֵרִים מַקְשִׁיבִים לְקוֹלֵךְ הַשְׁמִיעִינִי׃ 8.14. בְּרַח דּוֹדִי וּדְמֵה־לְךָ לִצְבִי אוֹ לְעֹפֶר הָאַיָּלִים עַל הָרֵי בְשָׂמִים׃ | 1.2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— For thy love is better than wine. 1.4. Draw me, we will run after thee; The king hath brought me into his chambers; We will be glad and rejoice in thee, We will find thy love more fragrant than wine! Sincerely do they love thee. 1.10. Thy cheeks are comely with circlets, Thy neck with beads. 1.11. We will make thee circlets of gold With studs of silver. 1.16. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; Also our couch is leafy. 2.2. As a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters. 2.3. As an apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. Under its shadow I delighted to sit, And its fruit was sweet to my taste. 2.9. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart; Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He looketh in through the windows, He peereth through the lattice. 2.14. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, Let me see thy countece, let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countece is comely.’ 2.17. Until the day breathe, and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a gazelle or a young hart Upon the mountains of spices. 3.3. The watchmen that go about the city found me: ‘Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?’ 4.1. Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Thine eyes are as doves behind thy veil; Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that trail down from mount Gilead. 4.2. Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes all shaped alike, Which are come up from the washing; Whereof all are paired, and none faileth among them. 4.3. Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, And thy mouth is comely; Thy temples are like a pomegranate split open Behind thy veil. 4.4. Thy neck is like the tower of David Builded with turrets, Whereon there hang a thousand shields, All the armour of the mighty men. 4.5. Thy two breasts are like two fawns That are twins of a gazelle, Which feed among the lilies. 4.8. Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, With me from Lebanon; Look from the top of Amana, From the top of Senir and Hermon, From the lions’dens, From the mountains of the leopards. 4.13. Thy shoots are a park of pomegranates, With precious fruits; Henna with spikenard plants 5.1. I am come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. 5.2. I sleep, but my heart waketh; Hark! my beloved knocketh: ‘Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; For my head is filled with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.’ 5.3. I have put off my coat; How shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; How shall I defile them? 5.4. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, And my heart was moved for him. 5.5. I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands dropped with myrrh, And my fingers with flowing myrrh, Upon the handles of the bar. 5.6. I opened to my beloved; But my beloved had turned away, and was gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. 5.7. The watchmen that go about the city found me, They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls took away my mantle from me. 5.8. ’I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved, what will ye tell him? That I am love-sick.’ 5.9. ’What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved, That thou dost so adjure us?’ 5.10. ’My beloved is white and ruddy, Pre-eminent above ten thousand. 5.11. His head is as the most fine gold, His locks are curled, And black as a raven. 5.12. His eyes are like doves Beside the water-brooks; Washed with milk, And fitly set. 5.13. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, As banks of sweet herbs; His lips are as lilies, Dropping with flowing myrrh. 5.14. His hands are as rods of gold Set with beryl; His body is as polished ivory Overlaid with sapphires. 5.15. His legs are as pillars of marble, Set upon sockets of fine gold; His aspect is like Lebanon, Excellent as the cedars. 5.16. His mouth is most sweet; Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.’ 6.1. ’Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? Whither hath thy beloved turned him, That we may seek him with thee?’ 6.2. ’My beloved is gone down into his garden, To the beds of spices, To feed in the gardens, And to gather lilies. 6.5. Turn away thine eyes from me, For they have overcome me. Thy hair is as a flock of goats, That trail down from Gilead. 6.6. Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes, Which are come up from the washing; Whereof all are paired, And none faileth among them. 6.7. Thy temples are like a pomegranate split open Behind thy veil. 6.8. There are threescore queens, And fourscore concubines, And maidens without number. 6.9. My dove, my undefiled, is but one; She is the only one of her mother; She is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her happy; Yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. 6.10. Who is she that looketh forth as the dawn, Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun, Terrible as an army with banners? 6.12. Before I was aware, my soul set me Upon the chariots of my princely people. 7.1. Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulammite? As it were a dance of two companies. 7.3. Thy navel is like a round goblet, wherein no mingled wine is wanting; Thy belly is like a heap of wheat Set about with lilies. 7.4. Thy two breasts are like two fawns that are twins of a gazelle. 7.5. Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; Thine eyes as the pools in Heshbon, By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon Which looketh toward Damascus. 7.6. Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy head like purple; The king is held captive in the tresses thereof. 7.7. How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights! . 7.8. This thy stature is like to a palm-tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes. 7.9. I said: ‘I will climb up into the palm-tree, I will take hold of the branches thereof; and let thy breasts be as clusters of the vine, And the smell of thy countece like apples; 7.12. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. 8.1. Oh that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; Yea, and none would despise me. 8.13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, The companions hearken for thy voice: ‘Cause me to hear it.’ 8.14. Make haste, my beloved, And be thou like to a gazelle or to a young hart Upon the mountains of spices. |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 6.4, 33.26, 33.29 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 6.4. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃ 33.26. אֵין כָּאֵל יְשֻׁרוּן רֹכֵב שָׁמַיִם בְעֶזְרֶךָ וּבְגַאֲוָתוֹ שְׁחָקִים׃ 33.29. אַשְׁרֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִי כָמוֹךָ עַם נוֹשַׁע בַּיהוָה מָגֵן עֶזְרֶךָ וַאֲשֶׁר־חֶרֶב גַּאֲוָתֶךָ וְיִכָּחֲשׁוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ לָךְ וְאַתָּה עַל־בָּמוֹתֵימוֹ תִדְרֹךְ׃ | 6.4. HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE." 33.26. There is none like unto God, O Jeshurun, Who rideth upon the heaven as thy help, And in His excellency on the skies." 33.29. Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee? A people saved by the LORD, The shield of thy help, And that is the sword of thy excellency! And thine enemies shall dwindle away before thee; And thou shalt tread upon their high places." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 2.3, 3.14, 4.14, 15.2, 15.11, 29.4-29.7 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.3. וְלֹא־יָכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ וַתִּקַּח־לוֹ תֵּבַת גֹּמֶא וַתַּחְמְרָה בַחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת וַתָּשֶׂם בָּהּ אֶת־הַיֶּלֶד וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף עַל־שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר׃ 3.14. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם׃ 4.14. וַיִּחַר־אַף יְהוָה בְּמֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלֹא אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ הַלֵּוִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־דַבֵּר יְדַבֵּר הוּא וְגַם הִנֵּה־הוּא יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתֶךָ וְרָאֲךָ וְשָׂמַח בְּלִבּוֹ׃ 15.2. עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי־לִי לִישׁוּעָה זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי וַאֲרֹמְמֶנְהוּ׃ 15.2. וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת־הַתֹּף בְּיָדָהּ וַתֵּצֶאןָ כָל־הַנָּשִׁים אַחֲרֶיהָ בְּתֻפִּים וּבִמְחֹלֹת׃ 15.11. מִי־כָמֹכָה בָּאֵלִם יְהוָה מִי כָּמֹכָה נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ נוֹרָא תְהִלֹּת עֹשֵׂה פֶלֶא׃ 29.4. וְאֶת־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת־בָּנָיו תַּקְרִיב אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְרָחַצְתָּ אֹתָם בַּמָּיִם׃ 29.4. וְעִשָּׂרֹן סֹלֶת בָּלוּל בְּשֶׁמֶן כָּתִית רֶבַע הַהִין וְנֵסֶךְ רְבִעִית הַהִין יָיִן לַכֶּבֶשׂ הָאֶחָד׃ 29.5. וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת־הַבְּגָדִים וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ אֶת־אַהֲרֹן אֶת־הַכֻּתֹּנֶת וְאֵת מְעִיל הָאֵפֹד וְאֶת־הָאֵפֹד וְאֶת־הַחֹשֶׁן וְאָפַדְתָּ לוֹ בְּחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד׃ 29.6. וְשַׂמְתָּ הַמִּצְנֶפֶת עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וְנָתַתָּ אֶת־נֵזֶר הַקֹּדֶשׁ עַל־הַמִּצְנָפֶת׃ 29.7. וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת־שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְיָצַקְתָּ עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וּמָשַׁחְתָּ אֹתוֹ׃ | 2.3. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river’s brink." 3.14. And God said unto Moses: ‘I AM THAT I AM’; and He said: ‘Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I AM hath sent me unto you.’" 4.14. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: ‘Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee; and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart." 15.2. The LORD is my strength and song, And He is become my salvation; This is my God, and I will glorify Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him." 15.11. Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the mighty? Who is like unto Thee, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?" 29.4. And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water." 29.5. And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the tunic, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod." 29.6. And thou shalt set the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre." 29.7. Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 1 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
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5. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 16.4, 16.23-16.24 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 16.4. כְּתֹנֶת־בַּד קֹדֶשׁ יִלְבָּשׁ וּמִכְנְסֵי־בַד יִהְיוּ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ וּבְאַבְנֵט בַּד יַחְגֹּר וּבְמִצְנֶפֶת בַּד יִצְנֹף בִּגְדֵי־קֹדֶשׁ הֵם וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ וּלְבֵשָׁם׃ 16.23. וּבָא אַהֲרֹן אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּפָשַׁט אֶת־בִּגְדֵי הַבָּד אֲשֶׁר לָבַשׁ בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְהִנִּיחָם שָׁם׃ 16.24. וְרָחַץ אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ בַמַּיִם בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ וְלָבַשׁ אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וְיָצָא וְעָשָׂה אֶת־עֹלָתוֹ וְאֶת־עֹלַת הָעָם וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד הָעָם׃ | 16.4. He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with the linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired; they are the holy garments; and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and put them on." 16.23. And Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there." 16.24. And he shall bathe his flesh in water in a holy place and put on his other vestments, and come forth, and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people." |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 11.12 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 11.12. הֶאָנֹכִי הָרִיתִי אֵת כָּל־הָעָם הַזֶּה אִם־אָנֹכִי יְלִדְתִּיהוּ כִּי־תֹאמַר אֵלַי שָׂאֵהוּ בְחֵיקֶךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא הָאֹמֵן אֶת־הַיֹּנֵק עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתָיו׃ | 11.12. Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?" |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 1.9, 4.9, 5.19, 8.3, 8.22-8.31 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.9. כִּי לִוְיַת חֵן הֵם לְרֹאשֶׁךָ וַעֲנָקִים לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶיךָ׃ 4.9. תִּתֵּן לְרֹאשְׁךָ לִוְיַת־חֵן עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת תְּמַגְּנֶךָּ׃ 5.19. אַיֶּלֶת אֲהָבִים וְיַעֲלַת־חֵן דַּדֶּיהָ יְרַוֻּךָ בְכָל־עֵת בְּאַהֲבָתָהּ תִּשְׁגֶּה תָמִיד׃ 8.3. לְיַד־שְׁעָרִים לְפִי־קָרֶת מְבוֹא פְתָחִים תָּרֹנָּה׃ 8.3. וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וָאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים יוֹם יוֹם מְשַׂחֶקֶת לְפָנָיו בְּכָל־עֵת׃ 8.22. יְהוָה קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ קֶדֶם מִפְעָלָיו מֵאָז׃ 8.23. מֵעוֹלָם נִסַּכְתִּי מֵרֹאשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָרֶץ׃ 8.24. בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי בְּאֵין מַעְיָנוֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָיִם׃ 8.25. בְּטֶרֶם הָרִים הָטְבָּעוּ לִפְנֵי גְבָעוֹת חוֹלָלְתִּי׃ 8.26. עַד־לֹא עָשָׂה אֶרֶץ וְחוּצוֹת וְרֹאשׁ עָפְרוֹת תֵּבֵל׃ 8.27. בַּהֲכִינוֹ שָׁמַיִם שָׁם אָנִי בְּחוּקוֹ חוּג עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם׃ 8.28. בְּאַמְּצוֹ שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל בַּעֲזוֹז עִינוֹת תְּהוֹם׃ 8.29. בְּשׂוּמוֹ לַיָּם חֻקּוֹ וּמַיִם לֹא יַעַבְרוּ־פִיו בְּחוּקוֹ מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ׃ 8.31. מְשַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵל אַרְצוֹ וְשַׁעֲשֻׁעַי אֶת־בְּנֵי אָדָם׃ | 1.9. For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, And chains about thy neck." 4.9. She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of glory will she bestow on thee.’" 5.19. A lovely hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; With her love be thou ravished always." 8.3. Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:" 8.22. The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, The first of His works of old." 8.23. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was." 8.24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; When there were no fountains abounding with water." 8.25. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth;" 8.26. While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world." 8.27. When He established the heavens, I was there; When He set a circle upon the face of the deep," 8.28. When He made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep showed their might," 8.29. When He gave to the sea His decree, That the waters should not transgress His commandment, When He appointed the foundations of the earth;" 8.30. Then I was by Him, as a nursling; And I was daily all delight, Playing always before Him," 8.31. Playing in His habitable earth, And my delights are with the sons of men." |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 19.9, 89.18 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 19.9. פִּקּוּדֵי יְהוָה יְשָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי־לֵב מִצְוַת יְהוָה בָּרָה מְאִירַת עֵינָיִם׃ 89.18. כִּי־תִפְאֶרֶת עֻזָּמוֹ אָתָּה וּבִרְצֹנְךָ תרים [תָּרוּם] קַרְנֵנוּ׃ | 19.9. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes." 89.18. For Thou art the glory of their strength; And in Thy favour our horn is exalted." |
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9. Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings, 18.30 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 18.30. And Elijah said unto all the people: ‘Come near unto me’; and all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was thrown down." |
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10. 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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11. Hebrew Bible, Habakkuk, 3.3 (8th cent. BCE - 6th cent. BCE)
| 3.3. אֱלוֹהַ מִתֵּימָן יָבוֹא וְקָדוֹשׁ מֵהַר־פָּארָן סֶלָה כִּסָּה שָׁמַיִם הוֹדוֹ וּתְהִלָּתוֹ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ׃ | 3.3. God cometh from Teman, And the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah His glory covereth the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise." |
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12. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 41.25, 43.21 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 41.25. הַעִירוֹתִי מִצָּפוֹן וַיַּאת מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁמֶשׁ יִקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְיָבֹא סְגָנִים כְּמוֹ־חֹמֶר וּכְמוֹ יוֹצֵר יִרְמָס־טִיט׃ 43.21. עַם־זוּ יָצַרְתִּי לִי תְּהִלָּתִי יְסַפֵּרוּ׃ | 41.25. I have roused up one from the north, and he is come, From the rising of the sun one that calleth upon My name; And he shall come upon rulers as upon mortar, And as the potter treadeth clay." 43.21. The people which I formed for Myself, That they might tell of My praise." |
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13. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 2.3, 52.15 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 2.3. לַשָּׁוְא הִכֵּיתִי אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶם מוּסָר לֹא לָקָחוּ אָכְלָה חַרְבְּכֶם נְבִיאֵיכֶם כְּאַרְיֵה מַשְׁחִית׃ 2.3. קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיהוָה רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתֹה כָּל־אֹכְלָיו יֶאְשָׁמוּ רָעָה תָּבֹא אֲלֵיהֶם נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ 52.15. וּמִדַּלּוֹת הָעָם וְאֶת־יֶתֶר הָעָם הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּעִיר וְאֶת־הַנֹּפְלִים אֲשֶׁר נָפְלוּ אֶל־מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וְאֵת יֶתֶר הָאָמוֹן הֶגְלָה נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב־טַבָּחִים׃ | 2.3. Israel is the LORD’S hallowed portion, His first-fruits of the increase; all that devour him shall be held guilty, evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD." 52.15. Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the poorest sort of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude." |
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14. Hebrew Bible, 1 Chronicles, 17.21 (5th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 17.21. וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים לִפְדּוֹת לוֹ עָם לָשׂוּם לְךָ שֵׁם גְּדֻלּוֹת וְנֹרָאוֹת לְגָרֵשׁ מִפְּנֵי עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר־פָּדִיתָ מִמִּצְרַיִם גּוֹיִם׃ | 17.21. And who is like Thy people Israel, a nation one in the earth, whom God went to redeem unto Himself for a people, to make Thee a name by great and tremendous things, in driving out nations from before Thy people, whom Thou didst redeem out of Egypt." |
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15. Septuagint, Judith, 8.5, 9.10, 10.3-10.4, 15.9, 16.1, 16.5-16.9, 16.14-16.15, 16.17 (2nd cent. BCE - 0th cent. CE)
| 8.5. She set up a tent for herself on the roof of her house, and girded sackcloth about her loins and wore the garments of her widowhood. 9.10. By the deceit of my lips strike down the slave with the prince and the prince with his servant; crush their arrogance by the hand of a woman. 10.3. and she removed the sackcloth which she had been wearing, and took off her widow's garments, and bathed her body with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment, and combed her hair and put on a tiara, and arrayed herself in her gayest apparel, which she used to wear while her husband Manasseh was living. 10.4. And she put sandals on her feet, and put on her anklets and bracelets and rings, and her earrings and all her ornaments, and made herself very beautiful, to entice the eyes of all men who might see her. 15.9. And when they met her they all blessed her with one accord and said to her, "You are the exaltation of Jerusalem, you are the great glory of Israel, you are the great pride of our nation! 16.1. Then Judith began this thanksgiving before all Israel, and all the people loudly sang this song of praise. 16.5. He boasted that he would burn up my territory, and kill my young men with the sword, and dash my infants to the ground and seize my children as prey, and take my virgins as booty. 16.6. But the Lord Almighty has foiled them by the hand of a woman. 16.7. For their mighty one did not fall by the hands of the young men, nor did the sons of the Titans smite him, nor did tall giants set upon him; but Judith the daughter of Merari undid him with the beauty of her countece. 16.8. For she took off her widow's mourning to exalt the oppressed in Israel. She anointed her face with ointment and fastened her hair with a tiara and put on a linen gown to deceive him. 16.9. Her sandal ravished his eyes, her beauty captivated his mind, and the sword severed his neck. 16.14. Let all thy creatures serve thee, for thou didst speak, and they were made. Thou didst send forth thy Spirit, and it formed them; there is none that can resist thy voice. 16.15. For the mountains shall be shaken to their foundations with the waters; at thy presence the rocks shall melt like wax, but to those who fear thee thou wilt continue to show mercy. 16.17. Woe to the nations that rise up against my people! The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgment; fire and worms he will give to their flesh; they shall weep in pain for ever. |
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16. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 6.1-6.11, 6.24, 7.1, 7.12, 7.21-7.23, 7.25-7.26, 7.29, 8.3, 8.6, 14.2 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 6.1. Listen therefore, O kings, and understand;learn, O judges of the ends of the earth. 6.2. Give ear, you that rule over multitudes,and boast of many nations. 6.3. For your dominion was given you from the Lord,and your sovereignty from the Most High,who will search out your works and inquire into your plans. 6.4. Because as servants of his kingdom you did not rule rightly,nor keep the law,nor walk according to the purpose of God 6.5. he will come upon you terribly and swiftly,because severe judgment falls on those in high places. 6.6. For the lowliest man may be pardoned in mercy,but mighty men will be mightily tested. 6.7. For the Lord of all will not stand in awe of any one,nor show deference to greatness;because he himself made both small and great,and he takes thought for all alike. 6.8. But a strict inquiry is in store for the mighty. 6.9. To you then, O monarchs, my words are directed,that you may learn wisdom and not transgress. 6.10. For they will be made holy who observe holy things in holiness,and those who have been taught them will find a defense. 6.11. Therefore set your desire on my words;long for them, and you will be instructed. 6.24. A multitude of wise men is the salvation of the world,and a sensible king is the stability of his people. 7.1. I also am mortal, like all men,a descendant of the first-formed child of earth;and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh 7.12. I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them;but I did not know that she was their mother. 7.21. I learned both what is secret and what is manifest 7.22. for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me. For in her there is a spirit that is intelligent, holy,unique, manifold, subtle,mobile, clear, unpolluted,distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,irresistible 7.23. beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,all-powerful, overseeing all,and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent and pure and most subtle. 7.25. For she is a breath of the power of God,and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. 7.26. For she is a reflection of eternal light,a spotless mirror of the working of God,and an image of his goodness. 7.29. For she is more beautiful than the sun,and excels every constellation of the stars. Compared with the light she is found to be superior 8.3. She glorifies her noble birth by living with God,and the Lord of all loves her. 8.6. And if understanding is effective,who more than she is fashioner of what exists? 14.2. For it was desire for gain that planned that vessel,and wisdom was the craftsman who built it; |
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17. Philo of Alexandria, On The Creation of The World, 10 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 10. for reason proves that the father and creator has a care for that which has been created; for a father is anxious for the life of his children, and a workman aims at the duration of his works, and employs every device imaginable to ward off everything that is pernicious or injurious, and is desirous by every means in his power to provide everything which is useful or profitable for them. But with regard to that which has not been created, there is no feeling of interest as if it were his own in the breast of him who has not created it. |
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18. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 1.1 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 1.1. רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה רַבָּה פָּתַח (משלי ח, ל): וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וָאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים יוֹם יוֹם וגו', אָמוֹן פַּדְּגוֹג, אָמוֹן מְכֻסֶּה, אָמוֹן מֻצְנָע, וְאִית דַּאֲמַר אָמוֹן רַבָּתָא. אָמוֹן פַּדְּגוֹג, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (במדבר יא, יב): כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָֹּׂא הָאֹמֵן אֶת הַיֹּנֵק. אָמוֹן מְכֻסֶּה, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (איכה ד, ה): הָאֱמֻנִים עֲלֵי תוֹלָע וגו'. אָמוֹן מֻצְנָע, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (אסתר ב, ז): וַיְהִי אֹמֵן אֶת הֲדַסָּה. אָמוֹן רַבָּתָא, כְּמָא דְתֵימָא (נחום ג, ח): הֲתֵיטְבִי מִנֹּא אָמוֹן, וּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן הַאַתְּ טָבָא מֵאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָא רַבָּתָא דְּיָתְבָא בֵּין נַהֲרוֹתָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר אָמוֹן, אֻמָּן. הַתּוֹרָה אוֹמֶרֶת אֲנִי הָיִיתִי כְּלִי אֻמְנוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם בּוֹנֶה פָּלָטִין, אֵינוֹ בּוֹנֶה אוֹתָהּ מִדַּעַת עַצְמוֹ אֶלָּא מִדַּעַת אֻמָּן, וְהָאֻמָּן אֵינוֹ בּוֹנֶה אוֹתָהּ מִדַּעַת עַצְמוֹ אֶלָּא דִּפְתְּרָאוֹת וּפִנְקְסָאוֹת יֵשׁ לוֹ, לָדַעַת הֵיאךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה חֲדָרִים, הֵיאךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה פִּשְׁפְּשִׁין. כָּךְ הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַבִּיט בַּתּוֹרָה וּבוֹרֵא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וְהַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים. וְאֵין רֵאשִׁית אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (משלי ח, כב): ה' קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ. 1.1. רַבִּי יוֹנָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר, לָמָּה נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם בְּב', אֶלָּא מַה ב' זֶה סָתוּם מִכָּל צְדָדָיו וּפָתוּחַ מִלְּפָנָיו, כָּךְ אֵין לְךָ רְשׁוּת לוֹמַר, מַה לְּמַטָּה, מַה לְּמַעְלָה, מַה לְּפָנִים, מַה לְּאָחוֹר, אֶלָּא מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם וּלְהַבָּא. בַּר קַפָּרָא אָמַר (דברים ד, לב): כִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְיָמִים רִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ, לְמִן הַיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ אַתָּה דּוֹרֵשׁ, וְאִי אַתָּה דּוֹרֵשׁ לִפְנִים מִכָּאן. (דברים ד, לב): וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם, אַתָּה דּוֹרֵשׁ וְחוֹקֵר, וְאִי אַתָּה חוֹקֵר לִפְנִים מִכָּאן. דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן פָּזִי בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּבַר קַפָּרָא, לָמָּה נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם בְּב', לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁהֵן שְׁנֵי עוֹלָמִים, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְלָמָּה בְּב' שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן בְּרָכָה, וְלָמָּה לֹא בְּאָלֶ"ף שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲרִירָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה לֹא בְּאָלֶ"ף שֶׁלֹא לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסִין לוֹמַר הֵיאַךְ הָעוֹלָם יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד שֶׁהוּא נִבְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרִירָה, אֶלָּא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵי אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן בְּרָכָה, וְהַלְּוַאי יַעֲמֹד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה בְּב' אֶלָּא מַה ב' זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי עוֹקְצִין, אֶחָד מִלְּמַעְלָה וְאֶחָד מִלְּמַטָּה מֵאֲחוֹרָיו, אוֹמְרִים לַב' מִי בְּרָאֲךָ, וְהוּא מַרְאֶה בְּעוּקְצוֹ מִלְּמַעְלָה, וְאוֹמֵר זֶה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה בְּרָאָנִי. וּמַה שְּׁמוֹ, וְהוּא מַרְאֶה לָהֶן בְּעוּקְצוֹ שֶׁל אַחֲרָיו, וְאוֹמֵר ה' שְׁמוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר חֲנִינָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֲחָא, עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁשָּׁה דוֹרוֹת הָיְתָה הָאָלֶ"ף קוֹרֵא תִּגָּר לִפְנֵי כִסְאוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל אוֹתִיּוֹת וְלֹא בָּרָאתָ עוֹלָמְךָ בִּי, אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָעוֹלָם וּמְלוֹאוֹ לֹא נִבְרָא אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, יט): ה' בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ וגו', לְמָחָר אֲנִי בָּא לִתֵּן תּוֹרָה בְּסִינַי וְאֵינִי פּוֹתֵחַ תְּחִלָה אֶלָּא בָּךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא אוֹמֵר לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אָלֶ"ף, שֶׁהוּא מַסְכִּים מֵאָלֶ"ף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קה, ח): דָּבָר צִוָּה לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר. | 1.1. The great Rabbi Hoshaya opened [with the verse (Mishlei 8:30),] \"I [the Torah] was an amon to Him and I was a plaything to Him every day.\" Amon means \"pedagogue\" (i.e. ny). Amon means \"covered.\" Amon means \"hidden.\" And there is one who says amon means \"great.\" Amon means \"ny,\" as in (Bamidbar 11:12) “As a ny (omein) carries the suckling child.\" Amon means \"covered,\" as in (Eichah 4:5) \"Those who were covered (emunim) in scarlet have embraced refuse heaps.\" Amon means \"hidden,\" as in (Esther 2:7) \"He hid away (omein) Hadassah.\" Amon means \"great,\" as in (Nahum 3:8) \"Are you better than No-amon [which dwells in the rivers]?\" which the Targum renders as, \"Are you better than Alexandria the Great (amon), which dwells between the rivers?\" Alternatively, amon means \"artisan.\" The Torah is saying, \"I was the artisan's tool of Hashem.\" In the way of the world, a king of flesh and blood who builds a castle does not do so from his own knowledge, but rather from the knowledge of an architect, and the architect does not build it from his own knowledge, but rather he has scrolls and books in order to know how to make rooms and doorways. So too Hashem gazed into the Torah and created the world. Similarly the Torah says, \"Through the reishis Hashem created [the heavens and the earth],\" and reishis means Torah, as in \"Hashem made me [the Torah] the beginning (reishis) of His way\" (Mishlei 8:22)." |
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19. Anon., Leviticus Rabba, 24.3 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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20. Anon., Sifre Deuteronomy, 48 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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21. Palestinian Talmud, Bikkurim, 3.3 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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22. Palestinian Talmud, Kilayim, 9.4 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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23. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra, 165b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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24. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia, 24a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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25. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 4a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 4a. בניהו בן יהוידע זה סנהדרין ואביתר אלו אורים ותומים,וכן הוא אומר (שמואל ב כ, כג) ובניהו בן יהוידע על הכרתי ועל הפלתי ולמה נקרא שמם כרתי ופלתי כרתי שכורתים דבריהם פלתי שמופלאים בדבריהם ואח"כ שר צבא למלך יואב,אמר רב יצחק בר אדא ואמרי לה אמר רב יצחק בריה דרב אידי מאי קרא (תהלים נז, ט) עורה כבודי עורה הנבל וכנור אעירה שחר.,רבי זירא אמר משה לעולם הוה ידע ודוד נמי הוה ידע,וכיון דדוד הוה ידע כנור למה ליה לאתעורי משנתיה,וכיון דמשה הוה ידע למה ליה למימר כחצות משה קסבר שמא יטעו אצטגניני פרעה ויאמרו משה בדאי הוא דאמר מר למד לשונך לומר איני יודע שמא תתבדה ותאחז,רב אשי אמר בפלגא אורתא דתליסר נגהי ארבסר הוה קאי והכי קאמר משה לישראל אמר הקב"ה למחר כחצות הלילה כי האידנא אני יוצא בתוך מצרים:,(תהלים פו, ב) לדוד שמרה נפשי כי חסיד אני לוי ור' יצחק חד אמר כך אמר דוד לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם לא חסיד אני שכל מלכי מזרח ומערב ישנים עד שלש שעות ואני (תהלים קיט, סב) חצות לילה אקום להודות לך,ואידך כך אמר דוד לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם לא חסיד אני שכל מלכי מזרח ומערב יושבים אגודות אגודות בכבודם ואני ידי מלוכלכות בדם ובשפיר ובשליא כדי לטהר אשה לבעלה ולא עוד אלא כל מה שאני עושה אני נמלך במפיבשת רבי ואומר לו מפיבשת רבי יפה דנתי יפה חייבתי יפה זכיתי יפה טהרתי יפה טמאתי ולא בושתי,א"ר יהושע בריה דרב אידי מאי קרא (תהלים קיט, מו) ואדברה בעדותיך נגד מלכים ולא אבוש,תנא לא מפיבשת שמו אלא איש בשת שמו ולמה נקרא שמו מפיבשת שהיה מבייש פני דוד בהלכה לפיכך זכה דוד ויצא ממנו כלאב,וא"ר יוחנן לא כלאב שמו אלא דניאל שמו ולמה נקרא שמו כלאב שהיה מכלים פני מפיבשת בהלכה,ועליו אמר שלמה בחכמתו (משלי כג, טו) בני אם חכם לבך ישמח לבי גם אני ואומר (משלי כז, יא) חכם בני ושמח לבי ואשיבה חורפי דבר.,ודוד מי קרי לנפשיה חסיד והכתיב (תהלים כז, יג) לולא האמנתי לראות בטוב ה' בארץ חיים ותנא משמיה דרבי יוסי למה נקוד על לולא אמר דוד לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע מובטח אני בך שאתה משלם שכר טוב לצדיקים לעתיד לבוא אבל איני יודע אם יש לי חלק ביניהם אם לאו,שמא יגרום החטא,כדר' יעקב בר אידי דר' יעקב בר אידי רמי כתיב (בראשית כח, טו) והנה אנכי עמך ושמרתיך בכל אשר תלך וכתיב (בראשית לב, ח) ויירא יעקב מאד אמר שמא יגרום החטא,כדתניא (שמות טו, טז) עד יעבור עמך ה' עד יעבור עם זו קנית,עד יעבור עמך ה' זו ביאה ראשונה עד יעבור עם זו קנית זו ביאה שנייה מכאן אמרו חכמים ראוים היו ישראל ליעשות להם נס בימי עזרא כדרך שנעשה להם בימי יהושע בן נון אלא שגרם החטא:,וחכ"א עד חצות: חכמים כמאן סבירא להו אי כרבי אליעזר סבירא להו לימרו כרבי אליעזר | 4a. bBenayahu ben Yehoyadacorresponds to bthe Sanhedrin,since he was the head of the Sanhedrin, and bEvyatarcorresponds to bthe iUrim VeTummim /i,as Evyatar ben Ahimelekh the priest would oversee inquiries directed to the iUrim VeTummim(see I Samuel 23:9)., bAnd so it saysregarding Benayahu ben Yehoyada’s position as head of the Sanhedrin: b“And Benayahu ben Yehoyada was over the iKeretiand over the iPeleti /i”(II Samuel 20:23). bAnd why wasthe Sanhedrin bcalled iKereti UPeleti /i?It was called iKereti /ibecause bthey were decisive [ ikoretim /i] in their pronouncements.It was called iPeleti /ibecause btheir pronouncementsand wisdom bwere wondrous [ imufla’im /i] /b. The head of the iKereti UPeletiwas the head of the Sanhedrin. According to the order of the verse, upon being instructed by King David to go to war, the Sages first consulted with Ahitophel, then with the Sanhedrin, then they would ask the iUrim VeTummim /i, bandonly bthereafterwas bthe general of the king’s army, Yoav,given the command to ready the military for battle., bRav Yitzḥak bar Adda, and some say Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Idi, said:From bwhat verseis it derived that David’s lyre would wake him at midnight? b“Awake, my glory; awake, harp and lyre; I will wake the dawn”(Psalms 57:9). This means that the playing lyre has already woken, and now I must engage in Torah study until dawn., bRabbi Zeiraoffered a different solution to the question of whether Moses and David knew exactly when it was midnight and bsaid:Moses bcertainly knewwhen it was midnight, band David also knew. /b,The Gemara asks: bIf David knew,then bwhy did he need the lyre?The Gemara answers: He needed the lyre bto wake him from his sleep. /b,Similarly with regard to Moses, bsince Moses knewthe precise moment of midnight, bwhy did he say: About midnight,instead of: At midnight? Moses did so because he bmaintained: Lest Pharaoh’s astrologers errand believe midnight to be earlier. Since no disaster would have occurred, bthey would say: Moses is a liar.Moses spoke in accordance with the principle barticulated by the Master: Accustom your tongue to say: I do not know, lest you become entangled ina web of bdeceit. /b, bRav Ashi said:This question is unfounded, as Moses bwas standing at midnight of the thirteenth, leading into the fourteenth,when he pronounced his prophecy, band Moses told Israelthat bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, saidthat btomorrow,at the exact time blike midnight tonight, I will go out into the midst of Egypt.This indicates that the passage should not be understood to mean about midnight, an approximation; but rather, like midnight, as a comparison, likening midnight tomorrow to midnight tonight.,The Gemara further explores King David’s character. It is said: “A prayer bof David…Keep my soul, for I am pious”(Psalms 86:1–2). Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak debated the meaning of this verse and how David’s piety is manifest in the fact that he went beyond his fundamental obligations. bOne said:David’s declaration of piety referred to his awakening during the night to pray, and bso said David before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, am I not pious? As all of the kings of the East and the West sleep until the third hourof the day, bbutalthough I am a king like them, b“At midnight I rise to give thanks”(Psalms 119:62)., bAnd the otherSage said: bDavid said the following before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, am I not pious? For all of the kings of the East and the West sit in groupsbefitting btheir honoredstatus, but I sit as a judge who issues rulings for the people. Women come with questions of ritual impurity and bmy hands become soiled withtheir bbloodas I labor to determine whether or not it is blood of impurity and she has menstruating woman status, bandwith ba fetus that miscarriedat a stage of development before it was clear whether or not it is considered a birth, bandwith bplacenta,which women sometimes discharge unrelated to the birth of a child (see Leviticus 15:19–30 with regard to blood, and 12:1–8 with regard to miscarriage and placenta). King David went to all this trouble bin order to render a woman ritually pureand consequently permitted bto her husband.If, after examination, a Sage declares the woman ritually pure, she is permitted to be with her husband, which leads to increased love and affection, and ultimately to procreation (Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto). bAnd not onlydo I engage in activity considered to be beneath the station of a king, bbut I consult my teacher, Mefivoshet,son of King Saul’s son, Jonathan, with regard to beverything that I do. I say to him: Mefivoshet, my teacher, did I decide properly? Did I convict properly? Did I acquit properly? Did I ruleritually bpure properly? Did I ruleritually bimpure properly? And I was not embarrassed.Forgoing royal dignity should make me worthy to be called pious., bRav Yehoshua, son of Rav Idi, said: What versealludes to this? b“And I speak Your testimonies before kings and I will not be ashamed”(Psalms 119:46). This verse alludes both to David’s commitment to Torah, in contrast to the kings of the East and the West, as well as to the fact that he was not ashamed to discuss matters of Torah with Mefivoshet, a descendant of kings. David was not afraid to have his mistakes corrected by Mefivoshet., bIt was taughtin a iToseftafrom a tannaitic tradition: bHis name was not Mefivoshet, but rather Ish Boshet was his name. Why wasIsh Boshet breferred to as Mefivoshet? Because he would embarrass [ imevayesh /i] David in matters of ihalakha/b. According to this approach, Mefivoshet is an abbreviation of iboshet panim /i, embarrassment. bBecauseDavid was not embarrassed to admit his errors, bhe merited that Kilav,who, according to tradition, was exceedingly wise, bwould descend from him. /b, bRabbi Yoḥa said: His name was not Kilav; rather, his name was Daniel,as it appears in a different list of David’s descendants. bWhy was he called Kilav? Because he would embarrass [ imakhlim /i] Mefivoshet,the teacher or authority figure [av] bin matters of ihalakha./b, bIn hisbook of bwisdom, Solomon saidabout this wise son: b“My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will be glad, even mine”(Proverbs 23:15), as David enjoyed witnessing his son Kilav develop into a Torah luminary to the extent that Kilav was able to respond to Mefivoshet. bAndSolomon bsaysabout Kilav: b“Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may respond to those who taunt me”(Proverbs 27:11).,With regard to David’s statement, “Keep my soul, for I am pious,” the Gemara asks: bDid David call himself pious? Isn’t it written: “If I had not [ iluleh/b] bbelieved to look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”(Psalms 27:13). The dots that appear over the word ilulehin the text indicate doubt and uncertainty of his piety, and whether he was deserving of a place in the land of the living (see iAvot DeRabbi Natan34). bIn the name of Rabbi Yosei, it was taughtin a iTosefta /i: bWhydo bdotsappear bover the word iluleh /i,as if there are some reservations? Because bDavid said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe. Ihave every bconfidence in You that You grant an excellent reward to the righteous in the World-to-Comesince God’s ultimate goodness is manifest in the land of eternal life, bbutI still harbor uncertainty with regard to myself, and bI do not know whether or not Idefinitely bhave a portion among them.In any case, apparently David was uncertain whether or not he deserved to receive a portion of God’s reward for the righteous; how, then, could he characterize himself as pious?,The Gemara responds: His concern does not prove anything, as King David knew that he was pious. He was simply concerned blest a transgressionthat he might commit in the future bwill causehim to lose his opportunity to look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.,The Gemara cites a proof that there is room for one to fear lest he commit a transgression in the future bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Ya’akov bar Idi, as Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi raised a contradictionbetween two verses. bIt is writtenthat God told Jacob in his vision of the ladder: b“Behold, I am with you and I guard you wherever you go”(Genesis 28:15), yet when Jacob returned to Canaan and realized that Esau was coming to greet him, bit is written: “And Jacob became very afraid,and he was pained” (Genesis 32:8). Why did Jacob not rely on God’s promise? Jacob had concerns and bsaidto himself: bLest a transgressionthat I might have committed after God made His promise to me bwill causeGod to revoke His promise of protection.,Apparently, at times, transgression does cause God’s promise to go unfulfilled, bas it was taughtexplicitly in a ibaraitawith regard to the ostensibly redundant language in a verse in the Song of the Sea: b“Until Your people will cross, Lord, until the people You have acquired will cross.You bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, the place, Lord, which You made for Your dwelling” (Exodus 15:16–17).,The Gemara interprets homiletically that buntil Your people will crossrefers to the bfirst entryinto Eretz Yisrael during the time of Joshua, while buntil the people You have acquired pass overrefers to the bsecond entryfollowing the exile in Babylonia. bBased onthe juxtaposition of these two entries in this single verse, bthe Sages said: Israel was worthy of having a miracle performed on itsbehalf bin the time of Ezrathe scribe, just basone bwas performed on theirbehalf bin the time of Joshua bin Nun. However, transgression causedthe absence of a miracle.,The Gemara returns to explain what we learned in the mishna: bAnd the Rabbis say:The time for the recitation of the evening iShemais buntil midnight.The Gemara asks: bIn accordance with whoseopinion bdo they holdin explaining the verse: “When you lie down”? bIfthey explain this verse bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Eliezer,who says that “when you lie down” is the time when people customarily go to sleep, then bletthe Rabbis also bsaythat the time for the recitation of iShemaextends, bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Eliezer,until the end of the first watch. |
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26. Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin, 54b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 54b. כל זמן שאדם ממשמש בה מוצא בה תאנים אף דברי תורה כל זמן שאדם הוגה בהן מוצא בהן טעם,א"ר שמואל בר נחמני מאי דכתיב (משלי ה, יט) אילת אהבים ויעלת חן וגו' למה נמשלו דברי תורה לאילת לומר לך מה אילה רחמה צר וחביבה על בועלה כל שעה ושעה כשעה ראשונה אף דברי תורה חביבין על לומדיהן כל שעה ושעה כשעה ראשונה,ויעלת חן שמעלת חן על לומדיה דדיה ירווך בכל עת למה נמשלו דברי תורה כדד מה דד זה כל זמן שהתינוק ממשמש בו מוצא בו חלב אף דברי תורה כל זמן שאדם הוגה בהן מוצא בהן טעם,באהבתה תשגה תמיד כגון רבי (אליעזר) בן פדת אמרו עליו על רבי (אליעזר) שהיה יושב ועוסק בתורה בשוק התחתון של ציפורי וסדינו מוטל בשוק העליון של ציפורי (תניא) א"ר יצחק בן אלעזר פעם אחת בא אדם ליטלו ומצא בו שרף,תנא דבי רב ענן מאי דכתיב (שופטים ה, י) רוכבי אתונות צחורות יושבי על מדין [והולכי על דרך שיחו] רוכבי אתונות אלו תלמידי חכמים שמהלכין מעיר לעיר וממדינה למדינה ללמוד (בו) תורה צחורות שעושין אותה כצהרים יושבי על מדין שדנין דין אמת לאמיתו והולכי אלו בעלי מקרא על דרך אלו בעלי משנה שיחו אלו בעלי תלמוד שכל שיחתן דברי תורה,אמר רב שיזבי משום רבי אלעזר בן עזריה מאי דכתיב (משלי יב, כז) לא יחרוך רמיה צידו לא יחיה ולא יאריך ימים צייד הרמאי,רב ששת אמר צייד הרמאי יחרוך,כי אתא רב דימי אמר משל לצייד שצד צפרים אם ראשון ראשון משבר כנפיו משתמר ואם לאו אין משתמר,אמר (רבה) אמר רב סחורה אמר רב הונא מאי דכתיב (משלי יג, יא) הון מהבל ימעט וקובץ על יד ירבה אם עושה אדם תורתו חבילות חבילות מתמעט ואם לאו קובץ על יד ירבה,אמר (רבה) ידעי רבנן להא מלתא ועברי עלה אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק אנא עבדתה ואיקיים בידאי:,ת"ר כיצד סדר משנה משה למד מפי הגבורה נכנס אהרן ושנה לו משה פירקו נסתלק אהרן וישב לשמאל משה נכנסו בניו ושנה להן משה פירקן נסתלקו בניו אלעזר ישב לימין משה ואיתמר לשמאל אהרן רבי יהודה אומר לעולם אהרן לימין משה חוזר נכנסו זקנים ושנה להן משה פירקן נסתלקו זקנים נכנסו כל העם ושנה להן משה פירקן נמצאו ביד אהרן ארבעה ביד בניו שלשה וביד הזקנים שנים וביד כל העם אחד,נסתלק משה ושנה להן אהרן פירקו נסתלק אהרן שנו להן בניו פירקן נסתלקו בניו שנו להן זקנים פירקן נמצא ביד הכל ארבעה,מכאן א"ר אליעזר חייב אדם לשנות לתלמידו ארבעה פעמים וקל וחומר ומה אהרן שלמד מפי משה ומשה מפי הגבורה כך הדיוט מפי הדיוט על אחת כמה וכמה,ר"ע אומר מניין שחייב אדם לשנות לתלמידו עד שילמדנו שנאמר (דברים לא, יט) ולמדה את בני ישראל ומניין עד שתהא סדורה בפיהם שנאמר שימה בפיהם,ומניין שחייב להראות לו פנים שנאמר (שמות כא, א) ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם,וליגמרו כולהו ממשה כדי לחלוק כבוד לאהרן ובניו וכבוד לזקנים,וניעול אהרן וניגמר ממשה וליעיילו בניו וליגמרו מאהרן וליעיילו זקנים ולילפו מבניו וליזלו וליגמרינהו לכולהו ישראל כיון דמשה מפי הגבורה גמר מסתייעא מלתיה,אמר מר רבי יהודה אומר לעולם אהרן לימין משה חוזר כמאן אזלא הא דתניא שלשה שהיו מהלכין בדרך הרב באמצע וגדול בימינו וקטן בשמאלו לימא רבי יהודה היא ולא רבנן,אפילו תימא רבנן משום טירחא דאהרן,רבי פרידא הוה ליה ההוא תלמידא דהוה תני ליה ארבע מאה זימני וגמר יומא חד בעיוה למלתא דמצוה תנא ליה ולא גמר,א"ל האידנא מאי שנא א"ל מדההיא שעתא דא"ל למר איכא מילתא דמצוה אסחאי לדעתאי וכל שעתא אמינא השתא קאי מר השתא קאי מר א"ל הב דעתיך ואתני ליך הדר תנא ליה ד' מאה זימני [אחריני],נפקא בת קלא וא"ל ניחא ליך דליספו לך ד' מאה שני או דתיזכו את ודרך לעלמא דאתי אמר דניזכו אנא ודריי לעלמא דאתי אמר להן הקב"ה תנו לו זו וזו,אמר רב חסדא אין תורה נקנית אלא בסימנין שנאמר שימה בפיהם אל תקרי שימה אלא סימנה,שמעה רב תחליפא ממערבא אזל אמרה קמיה דר' אבהו אמר אתון מהתם מתניתו לה אנן מהכא מתנינן לה (ירמיהו לא, כא) הציבי לך ציונים שימי לך וגו' עשו ציונים לתורה ומאי משמע דהאי ציון לישנא דסימנא הוא דכתיב (יחזקאל לט, טו) וראה עצם אדם ובנה אצלו ציון,ר' אליעזר אמר מהכא (משלי ז, ד) אמור לחכמה אחותי את ומודע לבינה תקרא עשה מודעים לתורה רבא אמר עשה מועדים לתורה | 54b. bwhenever a person searches itfor figs to eat, bhe finds figs in it,as the figs on a tree do not ripen all at once, so that one can always find a recently ripened fig, bsotoo, with bmatters of Torah. Whenever a person meditates upon them, he finds in themnew bmeaning. /b, bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “A loving hind and a graceful roe,let her breasts satisfy you at all times, and be you ravished always with her love” (Proverbs 5:19)? bWhy were matters of Torah compared to a hind? To tell youthat bjust aswith ba hind, its womb is narrow and it is cherished by its mate each and every hour like the first hour, sotoo, bmatters of Torah are cherished by those who study them each and every hour like the first hour. /b, b“And a graceful roe”is expounded as follows: bThatthe Torah bbestows grace upon those who study it. “Let her breasts satisfy you at all times”; why were matters of Torah compared to a breast? Just aswith ba breast, whenever a baby searches itfor milk to suckle, bhe finds milk in it, sotoo, with bmatters of Torah. Whenever a person meditates upon them, he findsnew bmeaning in them. /b, b“And be you ravished always with her love”;your love for Torah should always distract you from worldly matters, bas wasthe case with bRabbi Elazar ben Pedat. They said of him, of Rabbi Elazar, that he would sit and engage in Torahstudy bin the lower marketplace of Tzippori, and his cloak was lying in the upper marketplace of Tzippori.His mind was so focused on Torah study that he would act in this unusual manner. In this regard, the Gemara relates that bit was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yitzḥak ben Elazar said: One time a person came to takethis cloak for himself band found a serpent on itguarding it.,In further praise of the Torah and those who study it, a Sage bof the school of Rav A taught: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “You that ride on white donkeys, you that sit on rich cloths, and you that walk by the way, tell of it”(Judges 5:10)? b“You that ride on white donkeys”; these are Torah scholars, who travel from city to city and from province to province to study Torah. “White [ itzeḥorot /i]”are those bwho make itclear bas noon[itzahorayim/b], i.e., who make the Torah comprehensible. b“You that sit on couches [ imidin /i]”refers to those bwho judge [ idanin /i] an absolutely true judgment. “And you that walk”; these are the masters of Bible,who are the least important of the scholars. b“By the way”; these are themore important bmasters of Mishna. “Tell of it”; these are the masters of Talmud,the most important of all, bas all their conversation isabout bmatters of Torah. /b,The Gemara continues with this topic: bRav Sheizvi said in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “The slothful man [ iremiyya /i] will not roast [ iyaḥarokh /i] his catch”(Proverbs 12:27)? bThe deceitful [ irammai /i] hunter will not live [ iyiḥyeh /i] a long life [ iya’arikh /i].A deceitful hunter continues to hunt more and more animals without holding on to the animals he has already caught. Similarly, someone who continues to study new material without reviewing what he has already learned will not be successful., bRav Sheshet said:Will ba deceitful hunterhave something to broast?One who acts in this way is a fool, but it is hard to describe him as deceitful., bWhen Rav Dimi camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, bhe said: This is comparable to a hunter who is hunting birds; if he breaksthe bwingsof the birds bone by oneas he captures them so that they will be unable to fly off again, his prey bwill be secured, and if not,they bwill not be secured.According to this explanation, the word irammaiis interpreted as cunning rather than deceitful. A cunning hunter secures his prey; similarly, a cunning student reviews each lesson and thereby retains that which he learns.,Similarly, bRabba said that Rav Seḥora said that Rav Huna said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “Wealth gotten through vanity[ihevel/b] bshall be diminished; but he that gathers little by little shall increase”(Proverbs 13:11)? bIf a person turns his Torah into bundles[iḥavilot /i,derived from the word ihevelby replacing the ihehwith a iḥet /i], studying large amounts at the same time, his Torah bwill diminish. And if not,i.e., if he learns little by little and reviews what he has learned, bhe that gathers little by little shall increase. /b, bRabba said: The Sages know this, butnevertheless btransgress it,i.e., they fail to heed this advice. bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: I did this,learning little by little and regularly reviewing what I had learned, bandmy learning bhasindeed bendured. /b,The Gemara continues to discuss methods of Torah study. bThe Sages taughtthe following ibaraita /i: bWhat was the order of teachingthe Oral Law? How was the Oral Law first taught? bMoses learneddirectly bfrom the mouth of the Almighty. Aaron enteredand sat before him, band Moses taught him his lessonas he had learned it from God. bAaron movedaside band sat to the left of Moses.Aaron’s bsons entered, and Moses taught them their lessonwhile Aaron listened. Aaron’s bsons movedaside; bElazar sat to the right of Moses and Itamarsat bto the left of Aaron. Rabbi Yehudadisagreed with the first itannawith regard to the seating arrangements and bsaid: Actually, Aaron would return tosit to bthe right of Moses. The elders entered and Moses taught them their lesson. The elders movedaside, and bthe entire nation entered and Moses taught them their lesson. Therefore, Aaron hadheard the lesson bfour times, his sonsheard it bthreetimes, bthe eldersheard it btwice, and the entire nationheard it bonce. /b, bMosesthen bdepartedto his tent, band Aaron taughtthe others bhis lessonas he had learned it from Moses. bAaronthen bdepartedand bhis sons taughtthe others btheir lesson. His sonsthen bdepartedand bthe elders taughtthe rest of the people btheir lesson. Hence everyone,Aaron, his sons, the elders and all the people, heard the lesson taught by God bfour times. /b, bFrom here Rabbi Eliezer said: A person is obligated to teach his studenthis lesson bfour times. Andit follows by way of ban ia fortioriinference: If Aaron, who learned from Moseshimself, band Moseshad received the Torah directly bfrom the mouth of the Almighty,needed bthisregimen; ban ordinarystudent learning bfrom the mouth of an ordinaryteacher, bhow much more somust he review his studies four times., bRabbi Akiva says: From wheredo we derive bthat a person is obligated to teach his student until he learnsthe material and understands it? bAs it is stated:“Now therefore write this song for you, band teach it to the children of Israel;put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 31:19). This verse indicates that one must teach Torah to others. bAnd from wheredo we derive that one must teach his students buntilthe material bis organized in their mouths? As it is stated: “Put it in their mouths,”so that they should be capable of teaching it to others., bAnd from wheredo we derive bthata teacher bmust showhis students bthe reasonsfor the teachings? bAs it is stated: “Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them”(Exodus 21:1), which indicates that the lesson must be set out in logical fashion for the students.,With regard to the manner in which the Oral Law was taught, the Gemara asks: bThey should all have studied from Moseshimself four times. The Gemara answers: The teaching was divided in this manner bin order to give honor to Aaron and his sons, andalso to give bhonor to the elders. /b,The Gemara asks why a different method was not adopted, one which would have involved less trouble for Moses: bAaron should have entered and studied from Moses; his sons shouldthen bhave entered and studied from Aaron; the elders shouldthen bhave entered and studied fromAaron’s bsons; andthen bthey should have goneout band taught all of the Jewish people.The Gemara answers: bSince Moses had studieddirectly bfrom the mouth of the Almighty, it would bemore beffectivefor everyone to hear the Torah at least once from Moses himself., bThe Master saidin the ibaraitathat bRabbi Yehuda says: Actually, Aaron would return tosit to bthe right of Moses,i.e., no matter how many people were present Aaron always sat to Moses’ right. The Gemara asks: bIn accordance with whoseopinion bwas it taughtin a ibaraitadealing with the rules of etiquette: If bthreepeople bwere walking along the way, the teachershould walk bin the middle and the greaterof the two students should be bto his right and the lesserone should be bto his left? Shall we saythat bit isthe opinion of bRabbi Yehuda and notthat of bthe Sages?According to the Sages, the greater of the two students should be positioned to the left of the teacher so that the student’s right side faces his teacher.,The Gemara answers: You can beven saythat this ibaraitawas taught in accordance with the opinion of bthe Sages,and the reason they said that Aaron remained to Moses’ left even after the others entered is bdue to the trouble to Aaronif he would have to stand up and sit down again.,Having discussed the importance of reviewing one’s Torah study, the Gemara relates that bRabbi Perida had a certain student whom he wouldhave to bteach four hundred times, andonly then would he blearnthe material, as he was incapable of understanding it otherwise. bOne day they requestedRabbi Perida’s presence bfor a mitzva matterafter the lesson. Rabbi Perida btaughthis student four hundred times as usual, bbutthis time the student bdid notsuccessfully blearnthe material.,Rabbi Perida bsaid to him: What is different nowthat you are unable to grasp the lesson? bHe said to him: From the time that they said to the Masterthat bthere is a mitzva matterfor which he is needed, bmy mind was distractedfrom the lesson band every moment I said: Now the Master will get up, now the Master will get upto go and perform the mitzva and he will not complete the lesson. Rabbi Perida bsaid to him: Pay attentionthis time band I will teach you,and know that I will not leave until you have fully mastered the lesson. bHe taught him again an additional four hundred times. /b,Due to the merit of Rabbi Perida’s great devotion to his students, ba Divine Voice emerged and said to him:Is it bpreferable to you that four hundred years be addedto your life, bor that you andthe rest of byour generationwill bmerit the World-to-Come? He said:I prefer bthat I and my generation merit the World-to-Come. The Holy One, Blessed be He, saidto the angels: bGive him both;he shall live a very long life and he and the rest of his generation will merit the World-to-Come.,The Gemara continues its discussion with regard to methods of Torah study: bRav Ḥisda said: The Torah can be acquired only withmnemonic bsignsthat aid the memory, bas it is stated: “Put it in their mouths.” Do not readthe phrase as: bPut it [ isimah /i], butrather as: bIts sign [ isimanah /i],thus indicating that mnemonic signs aid in memorizing the material., bRav Taḥalifa of the West,i.e., from Eretz Yisrael, bheard thisstatement and bwentand bsaid it before Rabbi Abbahu,who bsaid: You learn thisidea bfrom there; we learn it from here,as the verse states: b“Set up signposts [ itziyyunim /i] for yourself; establish youmarkers” (Jeremiah 31:20), which is understood to mean: bEstablishmnemonic bsigns for the Torah. And from wheremay it be inferred bthat thisterm itziyyundenotes a sign? As it is writtenin a different verse: “And when they that pass through shall pass through the land, band any sees a human bone, he shall set up a sign[itziyyun/b] bby it”(Ezekiel 39:15), i.e., a sign that there is a source of ritual impurity at that spot., bRabbi Eliezer saidthat we learn this same idea bfrom here: “Say to wisdom, you are my sister, and call understanding, your kinswoman [ imoda /i]”(Proverbs 7:4), which means: bEstablish signs [ imoda’im /i]that convey knowledge of bthe Torah. Rava saidwith regard to this verse: bSet appointed times [ imo’adim /i] for Torahstudy. |
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27. Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah, 3a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 3a. חייב בשמחה ואת שאינו לא שומע ולא מדבר ושוטה וקטן פטורין אף מן השמחה הואיל ופטורין מכל מצות האמורות בתורה מאי שנא לענין ראיה דפטירי ומאי שנא לענין שמחה דמחייבי,לענין ראיה גמר ראיה ראיה מהקהל דכתיב (דברים לא, יב) הקהל את העם האנשים והנשים והטף וכתיב (דברים לא, יא) בבא כל ישראל לראות,והתם מנלן דכתיב (דברים לא, יב) למען ישמעו ולמען ילמדו ותניא למען ישמעו פרט למדבר ואינו שומע ולמען ילמדו פרט לשומע ואינו מדבר,למימרא דכי לא משתעי לא גמר והא הנהו תרי אילמי דהוו בשבבותיה דרבי בני ברתיה דרבי יוחנן בן גודגדא ואמרי לה בני אחתיה דרבי יוחנן דכל אימת דהוה עייל רבי לבי מדרשא הוו עיילי ויתבי קמייהו ומניידי ברישייהו ומרחשין שפוותייהו,ובעי רבי רחמי עלייהו ואיתסו ואשתכח דהוו גמירי הלכתא וספרא וספרי וכולה הש"ס,אמר מר זוטרא קרי ביה למען ילמדו רב אשי אמר ודאי למען ילמדו הוא דאי סלקא דעתך למען ילמדו וכיון דלא משתעי לא גמר וכיון דלא שמע לא גמר,האי מלמען ישמעו נפקא אלא ודאי למען ילמדו הוא,אמר ר' תנחום חרש באזנו אחת פטור מן הראיה שנאמר (דברים לא, יא) באזניהם,והאי באזניהם מבעי ליה באזניהם דכולהו ישראל ההוא מנגד כל ישראל נפקא אי מנגד כל ישראל הוה אמינא אע"ג דלא שמעי כתב רחמנא באזניהם והוא דשמעי,ההוא מלמען ישמעו נפקא,אמר רבי תנחום חיגר ברגלו אחת פטור מן הראיה שנאמר רגלים,והא רגלים מבעי ליה פרט לבעלי קבין ההוא מפעמים נפקא דתניא פעמים אין פעמים אלא רגלים וכן הוא אומר (ישעיהו כו, ו) תרמסנה רגל רגלי עני פעמי דלים ואומר (שיר השירים ז, ב) מה יפו פעמיך בנעלים בת נדיב,דרש רבא מאי דכתיב מה יפו פעמיך בנעלים בת נדיב כמה נאין רגליהן של ישראל בשעה שעולין לרגל בת נדיב בתו של אברהם אבינו שנקרא נדיב שנאמר (תהלים מז, י) נדיבי עמים נאספו עם אלהי אברהם אלהי אברהם ולא אלהי יצחק ויעקב אלא אלהי אברהם שהיה תחילה לגרים,אמר רב כהנא דרש רב נתן בר מניומי משום ר' תנחום מאי דכתיב (בראשית לז, כד) והבור רק אין בו מים משמע שנאמר והבור רק איני יודע שאין בו מים אלא מים אין בו אבל נחשים ועקרבים יש בו,ת"ר מעשה ברבי יוחנן בן ברוקה ורבי אלעזר (בן) חסמא שהלכו להקביל פני ר' יהושע בפקיעין אמר להם מה חידוש היה בבית המדרש היום אמרו לו תלמידיך אנו ומימיך אנו שותין אמר להם אף על פי כן אי אפשר לבית המדרש בלא חידוש,שבת של מי היתה שבת של ר' אלעזר בן עזריה היתה ובמה היתה הגדה היום אמרו לו בפרשת הקהל ומה דרש בה,(דברים לא, יב) הקהל את העם האנשים והנשים והטף אם אנשים באים ללמוד נשים באות לשמוע טף למה באין כדי ליתן שכר למביאיהן אמר להם מרגלית טובה היתה בידכם ובקשתם לאבדה ממני,ועוד דרש (דברים כו, יז) את ה' האמרת היום וה' האמירך היום,אמר להם הקב"ה לישראל אתם עשיתוני חטיבה אחת בעולם ואני אעשה אתכם חטיבה אחת בעולם אתם עשיתוני חטיבה אחת בעולם דכתיב (דברים ו, ד) שמע ישראל ה' אלהינו ה' אחד ואני אעשה אתכם חטיבה אחת בעולם שנאמר | 3a. they are bobligated in rejoicing. And one who does not hear and does not speak, an imbecile, and a minor areall bexempt even from rejoicing, since they are exempt from all the mitzvot mentioned in the Torah.The Gemara asks: bWhat is different with regard tothe mitzva of bappearance, thata deaf person and a mute bare exemptfrom this mitzva? bAnd what is different with regard tothe mitzva of brejoicing, that they are obligated? /b,The Gemara explains: bWith regard totheir exemption from the obligation of bappearance,the itanna bderivesthis ihalakhaby means of a verbal analogy between the term bappearancestated with regard to the mitzva of appearance at the Temple on the pilgrim Festival and the term bappearancestated with regard to the mitzva bof assembly,i.e., the obligation to assemble in the Temple on iSukkotin the year following the Sabbatical Year. bAs it is written,with regard to the mitzva of assembly: b“Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones”(Deuteronomy 31:12), band it is writtenin that context: b“When all of Israel come to appear”(Deuteronomy 31:11). Just as a deaf person and a mute are not obligated to attend the assembly, they are likewise exempt from appearing in the Temple on the Festivals.,The Gemara asks: bAnd there,with regard to the mitzva of assembly, bfrom where do wederive that a deaf person and a mute are exempt? bAs it is writtenthere: b“That they may hear, and that they may learn”(Deuteronomy 31:12), band it is taughtin a ibaraitathat the phrase b“that they may hear” excludes one who speaks but does not hear;and the phrase b“and that they may learn” excludes one who hears but does not speak,as he is unable to learn.,The Gemara asks: bIs that to say that one whois bnotable to bspeakis bnotable to blearn? Butconsider the following incident. There were btwo mute people who were in the neighborhood of RabbiYehuda HaNasi. They were the bsons of the daughter of Rabbi Yoḥa ben Gudgeda, and some saythat they were the bsons of the sister of Rabbi Yoḥaben Gudgeda. bWhenever RabbiYehuda HaNasi bwould enter the study hall they wouldalso benter and sit beforethe Sages, band they would nod their headsas if they understood band move their lips. /b, bAnd RabbiYehuda HaNasi bprayed forGod to have bmercy upon them, and they were healed. And it was discovered that they had learnedand were proficient in ihalakha /i,i.e., Mishna; iSifra /i,the halakhic midrash on Leviticus; iSifrei /i,the halakhic midrash on Numbers and Deuteronomy; band the entire Talmud.This shows that those who cannot speak are able to learn., bMar Zutra saidthat one should bread intothe verse: bThat they may teach [ iyelamdu /i],instead of: “That they may learn [ iyilmedu /i]” (Deuteronomy 31:12). Even if a mute person is able to learn he cannot teach others. bRav Ashi saidthat the verse bis certainlyto be read: bThat they may teach. As, if it enters your mindthat one should read: b“That they may learn,”as it is written, bandyou will explain that bsince he is notable to bspeak heis bnotable to blearn,and similarly the reason for the exemption of a deaf person is that bsince he is notable to bhear he is notable to blearn,you will have erred. According to this interpretation, it is clear from the context that a deaf person is exempted by the phrase: “That they may hear,” not merely due to his lack of hearing but because his inability to hear prevents him from learning.,However, this is incorrect, for if so, bthisexemption of a mute could also be bderived from: “That they may hear,”as the verse has already taught the basic principle that anyone who cannot learn is not obligated in the mitzva of assembly. bRather,the verse bis certainlyto be read as: b“That they may teach,”which indicates that although a mute is able to learn himself, and therefore he is not exempted by the previous verse, he is nevertheless exempt because he is unable to teach others., bRabbi Tanḥum said: One who is deaf in one ear is exempt fromthe mitzva of bappearancein the Temple, bas it is statedwith regard to the mitzva of assembly: “When all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place that He shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel bin their ears”(Deuteronomy 31:11). This verse indicates that the obligation of assembly applies only to those who can hear with both ears. Since the two mitzvot are connected by verbal analogy, as explained above, this ihalakhaapplies to the mitzva of appearance as well.,The Gemara asks: bBut thisphrase: b“In their ears,” is necessaryto teach that the reading of the Torah at the assembly must enter bthe ears of the entire Jewish people.Consequently, it cannot serve as the source of the ihalakhaconcerning one who is deaf in one ear. The Gemara answers: bThat ihalakha /i, that the reading of the Torah must be heard by the entire Jewish people, bis derived fromthe phrase: b“Before all Israel”(Deuteronomy 31:11). The Gemara asks: bIfthat ihalakhawere derived bfrom: “Before all Israel,” I would saythat the mitzva applies beven though they cannot hear;therefore, bthe Merciful One writes: “In their ears,” and thatindicates that btheymust be able to bhear.If so, this phrase is not available for deriving the ihalakhaof someone who is deaf in one ear.,The Gemara answers: bThat ihalakha /i, that the people must hear, bis derived from: “That they may hear”(Deuteronomy 31:12). Therefore, the phrase: “In their ears,” is not required for that purpose. Rather, it teaches that only those who can hear with both ears are obligated in the mitzva of assembly, and by extension, in the mitzva of appearance as well., bRabbi Tanḥum said: One who is lame in one leg is exempt fromthe mitzva of bappearance, as it is stated:“Three btimes [ iregalim /i]shall you keep a feast for Me in the year” (Exodus 23:14).Since the term for feet is iraglayim /i, it can be inferred from here that the obligation to ascend involves the use of both of one’s legs.,The Gemara asks: bButthe term b“ iregalim /i” is necessaryto bexclude people with artificial legs.Although these people are capable of walking, as they do not have two natural legs they are exempt from ascending to the Temple. The Gemara responds: bThat ihalakhais bderived from:“Three boccasions [ ipe’amim /i]in the year all your males will appear before the Lord God” (Exodus 23:17). The term ipe’amimcan also mean legs, bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i, with regard to the term b“ ipe’amim /i”: iPe’amimmeans nothing otherthan blegs. And so it says: “The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps [ ipa’amei /i] of the needy”(Isaiah 26:6), band it says: “How beautiful are your feet [ ife’amayikh /i] in sandals, daughter of the prince”(Song of Songs 7:2).,With regard to the aforementioned verse, bRava taught: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, daughter of the prince [ inadiv /i]”? How pleasant are the feet [ iraglehen /i] of the Jewish people when they ascend toJerusalem bon the pilgrimage Festival [ iregel /i]. “Daughter of the prince”:this is referring to bthe daughter of Abraham our father who is called a prince, as it is stated: “The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham”(Psalms 47:10). The Gemara asks: Is God only b“the God of Abraham,” and not the God of Isaac and Jacob? Rather,the verse mentions b“the God of Abraham,” ashe bwas the first of the converts.Abraham was the first prince, as all converts who follow in his path are called “the princes of the peoples.”,The Gemara cites another statement of Rabbi Tanḥum. bRav Kahana saidthat bRabbi Natan bar Manyumi taught in the name of Rabbi Tanḥum: What isthe meaning of bthat which is writtenwith regard to Joseph: “And they took him, and cast him into the pit; band the pit was empty, there was no water in it”(Genesis 37:24). bBy inference from that which is stated: “And the pit was empty,” don’t I know that there was no water in it? Rather,this teaches that bthere was no water in it, but there were snakes and scorpions in it. /b,§ bThe Sages taught:There was ban incident involving Rabbi Yoḥa ben Beroka and Rabbi Elazar ben Ḥisma, when they went to greet Rabbi Yehoshua in Peki’in.Rabbi Yehoshua bsaid to them: What novelidea bwastaught btoday in the study hall? They said to him: We are your students and we drinkfrom byour water,i.e., all of our Torah knowledge comes from you, and therefore how can we tell you something you have not already learned? bHe said to them: Even so, there cannot be a study hall without a novelty. /b,He asked them: bWhose week was it,i.e. who was the lecturer this week? They said to him: bIt was Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya’s week.He inquired: bAnd on whatsubject bwas the lecture today? They said to him:He spoke babout the portion ofthe mitzva of bassembly.Rabbi Yehoshua persisted: bAnd whatverse bdid he interpret homiletically with regard tothis mitzva?,They said to him that Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya interpreted the following verse: b“Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones”(Deuteronomy 31:12). This verse is puzzling: bIf men come to learn,and bwomen,who might not understand, bcomeat least bto hear, why do the little ones come?They come bin orderfor God to bgive a reward to those who bring them,i.e., God credits those who bring their children to the assembly. Rabbi Yehoshua bsaid to them:This bgood pearlof wisdom bwas in your hands, and you tried to conceal it from me? /b,Upon seeing that Rabbi Yehoshua was pleased to hear this idea, Rabbi Yoḥa ben Beroka and Rabbi Elazar ben Ḥisma said to him: bAdditionally,Rabbi Elazar binterpretedthe following verses bhomiletically: “You have affirmed, this day,that bthe Lordis your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His mitzvot, and His ordices, and listen to His voice. bAnd the Lord has affirmed you, this day,to be His treasure, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His mitzvot” (Deuteronomy 26:17–18).,Rabbi Elazar explained: bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the Jewish people: You have made Me a single entity in the world,as you singled Me out as separate and unique. bAndtherefore bI will make you a single entity in the world,as you will be a treasured nation, chosen by God. bYou have made Me a single entity in the world, as it is written: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One”(Deuteronomy 6:4). bAndtherefore bI will make you a single entity in the world, as it is stated: /b |
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28. Babylonian Talmud, Horayot, 12a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 12a. ומי הוה שמן המשחה והתניא משנגנז ארון נגנז שמן המשחה וצנצנת המן ומקלו של אהרן שקדיה ופרחיה וארגז ששלחו פלשתים דורון לישראל שנאמר (שמואל א ו, ח) ואת כלי הזהב אשר השבותם לו אשם תשימו בארגז מצדו ושלחתם אותו והלך,ומי גנזו יאשיהו מלך יהודה גנזו שראה שכתוב בתורה (דברים כח, לו) יולך ה' אותך ואת מלכך וגו' צוה וגנזום שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לה, ג) ויאמר ללוים המבינים לכל ישראל הקדושים לה' תנו את ארון הקדש בבית אשר בנה שלמה בן דוד מלך ישראל אין לכם משא בכתף עתה עבדו את ה' אלהיכם ואת עמו ישראל,ואמר רבי אלעזר אתיא שם שם אתיא משמרת משמרת אתיא דורות דורות אמר רב פפא באפרסמא דכיא,ת"ר כיצד מושחין את המלכים כמין נזר ואת הכהנים כמין כי מאי כמין כי אמר רב מנשיא בר גדא כמין כף יוני,תני חדא בתחלה מוצקין שמן על ראשו ואח"כ נותנין לו שמן בין ריסי עיניו ותניא אחריתי בתחלה נותנין לו שמן בין ריסי עיניו ואח"כ מוצקים לו שמן על ראשו תנאי היא איכא דאמרי משיחה עדיפא ואיכא דאמרי יציקה עדיפא,מ"ט דמאן דאמר יציקה עדיפא דכתיב (ויקרא ח, יב) ויצוק משמן המשחה על ראש אהרן וימשח אותו לקדשו ומאן דאמר משיחה עדיפא מ"ט קסבר שכן אתה מוצא אצל כלי שרת והכתיב ויצוק ובסוף וימשח הכי קאמר מאי טעם ויצוק משום דוימשח,ת"ר (תהלים קלג, ב) כשמן הטוב [וגו'] יורד על הזקן זקן אהרן וגו' כמין שני טפי מרגליות היו תלויות לאהרן בזקנו אמר רב פפא תנא כשהוא מספר עולות ויושבות לו בעיקר זקנו ועל דבר זה היה משה דואג אמר שמא חס ושלום מעלתי בשמן המשחה יצתה בת קול ואמרה כשמן הטוב וגו' (תהלים קלג, ג) כטל חרמון מה טל חרמון אין בו מעילה אף שמן המשחה שבזקן אהרן אין בו מעילה,ועדיין היה אהרן דואג אמר שמא משה לא מעל אבל אני מעלתי יצתה בת קול ואמרה לו (תהלים קלג, א) הנה מה טוב ומה נעים שבת אחים גם יחד מה משה לא מעל אף אתה לא מעלת,ת"ר אין מושחים את המלכים אלא על המעיין כדי שתמשך מלכותם שנא' (מלכים א א, לג) ויאמר המלך להם קחו עמכם את עבדי אדוניכם [וגו'] והורדתם אותו אל גחון,אמר רבי אמי האי מאן דבעי לידע אי מסיק שתיה אי לא ניתלי שרגא בעשרה יומי דבין ראש השנה ליום הכפורים בביתא דלא נשיב זיקא אי משיך נהוריה נידע דמסיק שתיה,ומאן דבעי למיעבד בעיסקא ובעי למידע אי מצלח אי לא מצלח לירבי תרנגולא אי שמין ושפר מצלח,האי מאן דבעי למיפק [לאורחא] ובעי למידע אי חזר ואתי לביתא אי לא ניקום בביתא דחברא אי חזי בבואה דבבואה לידע דהדר ואתי לביתא ולאו מלתא היא דלמא חלשא דעתיה ומיתרע מזליה אמר אביי השתא דאמרת סימנא מילתא היא [לעולם] יהא רגיל למיחזי בריש שתא קרא ורוביא כרתי וסילקא ותמרי,אמר להו רב משרשיא לבריה כי בעיתו מיעל ומיגמרי קמי רבייכו גרסו מתניתא ועלו לקמי רבייכו וכי יתביתו קמיה חזו לפומיה דכתיב (ישעיהו ל, כ) והיו עיניך רואות את מוריך וכי גרסיתו גרסו על נהרא דמיא דכי היכי דמשכן מיא משכן שמעתתייכו ותיבו אקילקלי דמתא מחסיא ולא תיבו אפדני דפומבדיתא טב גלדנא סריא [דמתא מחסיא למיכל] מכותחא דרמי כיפי,(שמואל א ב, א) רמה קרני באלהי רמה קרני ולא רמה פכי דוד ושלמה שנמשחו בקרן נמשכה מלכותן שאול ויהוא שנמשחו בפך לא נמשכה מלכותן:,המשוח בשמן המשחה וכו': ת"ר משיח יכול מלך ת"ל כהן אי כהן יכול מרובה בגדים ת"ל משיח אי משיח יכול משוח מלחמה תלמוד לומר והכהן המשיח שאינו משיח על גביו,מאי משמע כדאמר רבא הירך המיומנת שבירך הכא נמי המשיח המיומן שבמשוחים,אמר מר משיח יכול מלך מלך פר הוא דמייתי שעיר הוא דמייתי איצטריך ס"ד אמינא על שגגת מעשה יביא שעיר על העלם דבר יביא פר קמ"ל:,אין בין משוח בשמן המשחה כו': מתניתין דלא כרבי מאיר דאי ר"מ הא תניא מרובה בגדים מביא פר הבא על כל המצות דברי ר"מ ולא הודו לו חכמים,מ"ט דר"מ דתניא (ויקרא ד, ג) משיח אין לי אלא משוח בשמן המשחה מרובה בגדים מנין תלמוד לומר הכהן המשיח,במאי אוקימתיה כרבנן | 12a. The Gemara asks with regard to the fact that Jehoahaz was anointed: bAnd was there anointing oilduring the days of Jehoahaz? bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bWhen the Ark of the Covet was sequestered, the anointing oil, and the jar of imanna /i(see Exodus 16:33), band Aaron’s staffwith bits almonds and blossoms(see Numbers 17:23), band the chest that the Philistines sentas ba gift to Israel,were all bsequesteredwith it, bas it is stated:“And you shall take the Ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart, band put the vessels of gold that you return Him as a guilt-offering in a chest by its side and send it away that it may go”(I Samuel 6:8)., bAnd who sequesteredthe Ark? bJosiah, king of Judea, sequestered it, as he saw that it is written in the Torahin the portion of rebuke: b“The Lord will lead you, and your kingwhom you shall establish over you, unto a nation that you have not known” (Deuteronomy 28:36). bHe commanded andthe people bsequestered them, as it is stated: “And he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, and who were sacred unto the Lord: Place the sacred Ark in the room that Solomon, son of David, king of Israel built; there shall be no more burden upon your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel”(II Chronicles 35:3)., bAnd Rabbi Elazar says: One derivesa verbal analogy between the term: bThere,written with regard to the Ark (see Exodus 29:43), and the term: bThere,written with regard to the jar of imanna(see Exodus 16:33); and between the term: bKeepsake,written with regard to the jar of imanna(see Exodus 16:33), and the term: bKeepsake,written with regard to Aaron’s staff (see Numbers 17:25–26); and between the term: bGenerations,written with regard to the jar of imanna(see Exodus 16:33), and the term: bGenerations,written with regard to the anointing oil (see Exodus 30:31). By means of these verbal analogies it is derived that all of these items were sequestered. bRav Pappa said:They anointed Jehoahaz bwith pure balsamoil, not with anointing oil.,§ bThe Sages taught: How does one anoint the kings?One smears the oil in a manner that is bsimilar tothe form of ba crownaround his head. bAndhow does one anoint bthe priests?One smears the oil in a shape blikethe Greek letter bchi.The Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of: bLikethe Greek letter bchi? Rav Menashya bar Gadda said: Likethe bGreekequivalent of the Hebrew letter ikaf /i. /b, bIt is taughtin bone ibaraita /i: bInitially, they pour oil onthe priest’s bhead, and thereafter, they place oil for him between the lashes of his eyes. And it is taughtin ba different ibaraita /i: bInitially, they place oil for him between the lashes of his eyes, and thereafter, they pour oil on his head.The Gemara explains: bIt isa dispute between itanna’im /i. Some say: Anointingwith oil between his eyes bis preferableand takes precedence, band some say: Pouringoil on his head bis preferableand takes precedence., bWhat is the reasonfor the opinion bof the one who saidthat bpouringoil on his head bis preferable?It is bas it is written: “And he poured from the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head and anointed him to sanctify him”(Leviticus 8:12), indicating that pouring precedes anointing. bAnd the one who saidthat banointing is preferableand takes precedence, bwhat is the reasonfor his opinion? bHe holds:Anointing takes precedence basthat is what byou find with regard to service vessels(see Numbers 7:1). They were anointed, but the anointing oil was not poured on them. The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it writtenwith regard to the priests: b“And he poured,” and ultimately: “And anointed”?The Gemara answers: bThisis what the verse bis saying: What is the reasonthat bhe pouredthe oil? It is bdue tothe fact bthat hehad already banointedthem. Anointing is the primary component of the process., bThe Sages taught: “It is like the precious oil upon the head coming down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard,that comes down upon the collar of his garments” (Psalms 133:2). bTwo dropsof anointing oil, bshaped like pearls, were suspended for Aaron from his beard. Rav Pappa saidthat it is btaught: WhenAaron would bspeakand his beard would move, those drops would miraculously brise and settle on the roots of his beardso that they would not fall. bMoses was concerned about this matter. He said: Perhaps, Heaven forfend, I misusedthe consecrated banointing oiland poured more than necessary, as two additional drops remain? bA Divine Voice emerged and said: “It is like the precious oilupon the head coming down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard, that comes down upon the collar of his garments. bLike the dew of Hermon”(Psalms 133:2–3). This analogy teaches: bJust as there is no misuse of the dew of Hermon,which is not consecrated, bso too,with regard to bthe anointing oil that is on Aaron’s beard, there is no misuseof consecrated property., bAnd still Aaron was concerned. He said: Perhaps Moses did not misuseconsecrated property; bbutperhaps bI misusedconsecrated property, as the additional oil is on my beard and I enjoy it. bA Divine Voice emerged and said: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity”(Psalms 133:1). bJust asyour brother bMoses did not misuseconsecrated property, bso too, you did not misuseconsecrated property., bThe Sages taught: One anoints the kings only upon a spring,as an omen, bso that their kingdom will continuelike a spring, bas it is statedwith regard to the coronation of Solomon before the death of David: b“And the king said unto them: Take with you the servants of your lord,and let Solomon my son ride upon my own mule, band bring him down to Gihon.And let Tzadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel and sound the shofar and say: Long live King Solomon” (I Kings 1:33–34).,§ Apropos good omens, the Gemara cites a statement that bRabbi Ami said: Thisperson bwho seeks to know if he will complete his year or ifhe will bnot,i.e., whether or not he will remain alive in the coming year, blet him light a lamp, during the ten days that are between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, in a house in which wind does not blow. If its light continuesto burn, bhe knows that hewill bcomplete his year. /b, bAnd one who seeks to conduct a business venture and wishes to know if he will succeedor bifhe will bnot succeed, let him raise a rooster. Ifthe rooster bgrows fat and healthy, he will succeed. /b, bOne who seeks to embark on a journey and wishes to know if hewill breturn and come tohis bhomeor bifhe will bnot, let him go to a dark [ idaḥavara /i] house. If he sees the shadow of a shadow he shall know that hewill breturn and come home.The Sages reject this: This omen bis nota significant bmatter. Perhaps he will be disheartenedif the omen fails to appear, band his fortune will sufferand it is this that causes him to fail. bAbaye said: Now that you saidthat ban omen isa significant bmatter, a person should always be accustomed to seeingthese bon Rosh HaShana: Squash, and fenugreek, leeks, and chard, and dates,as each of these grows quickly and serves as a positive omen for one’s actions during the coming year.,Apropos good omens, bRav Mesharshiyya said to his son: When you seek to enter and study before your teacher, study the ibaraita /ifirst, bandonly then benter before your teacher. And when you are sitting before him, look to his mouth, as it is written: “And your eyes shall see your teacher”(Isaiah 30:20). bAnd when you study, study adjacent to a river of water; just as the water flows, your studies will flowunimpeded. He added: bAndit is preferable for you to bsit on the rubbish heaps [ iakilkelei /i] of Mata Meḥasya, and do not sit in the palaces [ iappadnei /i] of Pumbedita. Better to eat the rotten fish [ igildana /i] of Mata Meḥasya thanto eat ikutḥa /i, which displaces rocks,a metaphor for how potent it is.,Apropos good omens for anointing, it is stated in the prayer of Hannah, Samuel’s mother: b“My horn is exalted in my God”(I Samuel 2:1). The Gemara infers: bMy horn is exalted, and my jug is not exalted. David and Solomon were anointed withoil from ba horn.This was a good omen for them and btheir reign endured. Saul and Jehu were anointed withoil from ba jug and their reign did not endure. /b,§ The mishna teaches: And who is the anointed priest? It is the High Priest bwho is anointed with the anointing oil,not the High Priest consecrated by donning multiple garments. bThe Sages taught: “Anointed”is written in the verse (Leviticus 6:15). One bmighthave thought that the reference is to ba king.Therefore, bthe verse states: “Priest.” Ifthe reference is to ba priest,one bmighthave thought that the reference is to a priest consecrated by donning bmultiple garments.Therefore, bthe verse states: “Anointed.” Ifthe reference is to one who is banointed,one bmighthave thought that the reference is even to a priest banointed for war.Therefore, bthe verse states: “And the anointed priest,”indicating bthat there is no anointedpriest bover him;rather, he is the highest-ranking priest.,The Gemara asks: bFrom whereis this binferred?The Gemara answers: It is bas Rava saidwith regard to the term b“the thigh”in the verse: “The sciatic nerve that is on the hollow of the thigh” (Genesis 32:33); the reference is to bthe stronger of the thighs. Here too,where the verse states: b“The anointed,”the reference is to bthemost bdistinguished ofthose banointed,i.e., the High Priest.,The Gemara analyzes the ibaraita /i: bThe Master said: “Anointed”is written in the verse. One bmighthave thought that the reference is to ba king.The Gemara asks: bIs it a bull that a king bringsfor a sin-offering? bIt is a male goat that he brings,as the Torah states explicitly, later in that passage. The Gemara answers: It bwas necessaryfor the itannato say this, as it may benter your mind to say:It is bfor the unwittingperformance bof an actionfor which all people are liable to bring a sin-offering that a king bshall bringa male goat as his offering; but bfor absenceof awareness bof the matterwith the unwitting performance of an action, a king bshall bring a bull.Therefore, the itanna bteaches usthat it is only the High Priest who brings a bull.,§ The mishna teaches: bThe difference betweena High bPriest anointed with the anointing oiland one consecrated by donning multiple garments is only that the latter does not bring the bull that comes for the transgression of any of the mitzvot. The Gemara comments: bThe mishna is not in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Meir, as, if it wasin accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Meir, isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: A priest who is consecrated by donning bmultiple garments brings a bull that comes forthe transgression of bany of the mitzvot;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir, but the Rabbis did not concedethat point bto him. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonfor the opinion bof Rabbi Meir?It is bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“Anointed”is written in the verse. bI havederived bonly a priest anointed with the anointing oil. From wheredo I derive the ihalakhaof a priest who is consecrated by donning bmultiple garments? The verse states: “The anointed priest,”from which it is derived that anyone who is appointed as the High Priest is included, even if he was not anointed.,The Gemara asks: bIn accordance with whichopinion bdid you interpretthe mishna? It is bin accordance withthe opinion of bthe Rabbis. /b |
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29. Babylonian Talmud, Moed Qatan, 16b, 16a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 16a. זו עשירית האיפה שלו דברי רבי יהודה,ר"ש אומר (יחזקאל מד, כז) בבאו יקריב בזמן שראוי לביאה ראוי להקרבה בזמן שאינו ראוי לביאה אינו ראוי להקרבה,אמר רבא מנלן דמשדרין שליחא דבי דינא ומזמנינן ליה לדינא דכתיב (במדבר טז, יב) וישלח משה לקרא לדתן ולאבירם בני אליאב ומנלן דמזמנינן לדינא דכתיב (במדבר טז, טז) ויאמר משה אל קרח אתה וכל עדתך,לקמי גברא רבה דכתיב (במדבר טז, טז) לפני ה' את ופלניא דכתיב אתה והם ואהרן דקבעינן זימנא דכתיב מחר זימנא בתר זימנא דכתיב (ירמיהו מו, יז) קראו שם פרעה מלך מצרים שאון העביר המועד,ומנלן דאי מתפקר בשליחא דבי דינא ואתי ואמר לא מיתחזי כלישנא בישא דכתיב (במדבר טז, יד) העיני האנשים ההם תנקר,ומנלן דמשמתינן דכתיב (שופטים ה, כג) אורו מרוז דהכי סברא דגברא רבה דכתיב (שופטים ה, כג) אמר מלאך ה' ומנלן דמחרמינן דכתיב אורו ארור,דאכיל ושתי בהדיה וקאי בארבע אמות דידיה דכתיב יושביה ומנלן דפרטינן חטאיה בציבורא דכתיב (שופטים ה, כג) כי לא באו לעזרת ה',ואמר עולא בד' מאה שיפורי שמתיה ברק למרוז איכא דאמרי גברא רבה הוה ואיכא דאמרי כוכבא הוה שנאמר (שופטים ה, כ) מן שמים נלחמו הכוכבים,ומנלן דמפקרינן נכסיה דכתיב (עזרא י, ח) וכל אשר לא יבא לשלשת הימים בעצת השרים והזקנים יחרם כל רכושו והוא יבדל מקהל הגולה,ומנלן דנצינן ולייטינן ומחינן ותלשינן שיער ומשבעינן דכתיב (נחמיה יג, כה) ואריב עמם ואקללם ואכה מהם אנשים ואמרטם ואשביעם,ומנלן דכפתינן ואסרינן ועבדינן הרדפה דכתיב (עזרא ז, כו) הן למות הן לשרושי הן לענש נכסין ולאסורין מאי לשרושי אמר אדא מרי אמר נחמיה בר ברוך אמר רב חייא בר אבין אמר רב יהודה הרדפה מאי הרדפה אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב מנדין לאלתר ושונין לאחר ל' ומחרימין לאחר ששים,א"ל רב הונא בר חיננא הכי אמר רב חסדא מתרין ביה שני וחמישי ושני ה"מ לממונא אבל לאפקירותא לאלתר,ההוא טבחא דאיתפקר ברב טובי בר מתנה אימנו עליה אביי ורבא ושמתוהו לסוף אזל פייסיה לבעל דיניה אמר אביי היכי ליעביד לישרי ליה לא חל שמתא עליה תלתין יומין לא לישרי ליה קא בעו רבנן למיעל,א"ל לרב אידי בר אבין מידי שמיע לך בהא א"ל הכי אמר רב תחליפא בר אבימי אמר שמואל טוט אסר וטוט שרי אמר ליה ה"מ לממונא אבל לאפקירותא עד דחיילא שמתא עליה תלתין יומין,אלמא קסבר אביי הני בי תלתא דשמיתו לא אתו תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה,דאיבעיא להו הני בי תלתא דשמיתו מהו למיתי תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה ת"ש מנודה לרב מנודה לתלמיד מנודה לתלמיד אינו מנודה לרב,מנודה לעירו מנודה לעיר אחרת מנודה לעיר אחרת אינו מנודה לעירו מנודה לנשיא מנודה לכל ישראל מנודה לכל ישראל אינו מנודה לנשיא רשב"ג אומר אחד מן התלמידים שנידה ומת חלקו אינו מופר,ש"מ תלת שמע מינה תלמיד שנידה לכבודו נידויו נידוי ושמע מינה כל אחד ואחד מיפר חלקו וש"מ הני בי תלתא דשמיתו לא אתו תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה,אמר אמימר הלכתא הני בי תלתא דשמיתו אתו בי תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה א"ל רב אשי לאמימר והא תניא רשב"ג אומר אחד מן התלמידים שנידה ומת חלקו אינו מופר מאי לאו אינו מופר כלל לא עד דאתו בי תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה,ת"ר אין נידוי פחות מל' יום ואין נזיפה פחות מז' ימים ואף על פי שאין ראיה לדבר זכר לדבר שנאמר (במדבר יב, יד) ואביה ירק ירק בפניה הלא תכלם שבעת ימים,אמר רב חסדא נידוי שלנו כנזיפה שלהן ונזיפה דידהו שבעה ותו לא והא ר"ש בר רבי ובר קפרא הוו יתבי וקא גרסי קשיא להו שמעתא א"ל ר"ש לבר קפרא דבר זה צריך רבי א"ל בר קפרא לר"ש ומה רבי אומר בדבר זה,אזל א"ל לאבוה איקפד אתא בר קפרא לאיתחזויי ליה א"ל בר קפרא איני מכירך מעולם ידע דנקט מילתא בדעתיה נהג נזיפותא בנפשיה תלתין יומין,שוב פעם אחד גזר רבי שלא ישנו לתלמידים בשוק מאי דרש (שיר השירים ז, ב) חמוקי ירכיך כמו חלאים מה ירך בסתר | 16a. bthis isthe meal-offering of ba tenth of an ephahof flour, which every priest would bring on the day he began serving in the Temple. But as long as he is ritually impure, whether because he had come into contact with a corpse or due to leprosy, he may not send his offerings to the Temple; this is bthe statement of Rabbi Yehuda. /b, bRabbi Shimon says:The verse states: “And on the day that bhe goes intothe Sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the Sanctuary bhe shall sacrificehis sin offering.” This teaches that bwhen he is fit to enterthe Sanctuary, bhe is fit to sacrificean offering. But bwhen he is not fit to go intothe Sanctuary, i.e., when he is ritually impure, bhe is not fit to sacrificean offering. This implies that a leper may not send his offerings to the Temple to be sacrificed on the altar, as he himself is not fit to enter the Temple.,§ Having discussed some of the restrictions applying to a person who was ostracized, the Gemara explains some of the basic principles relating to ostracism: bRava said: From where do wederive bthat a court agent is sent to summonthe defendant btoappear before the bcourtbefore he is ostracized? bAs it is written: “And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab”(Numbers 16:12). bAnd from where do wederive bthat we summonthe defendant, that he himself must appear before the bcourt? As it is written: “And Moses said to Korah: Be you and all your congregationbefore the Lord, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow” (Numbers 16:16).,From where is it derived that the defendant must be told that he is being summoned to appear bbefore a great man? As it is written:“And Moses said to Korah: Be you and all your congregation bbefore the Lord”(Numbers 16:16). From where is it derived that the summons must mention the names of both parties: bYou and so-and-so,the plaintiff? bAs it is written: “You, and they, and Aaron”(Numbers 16:16). From where is it derived bthat we set a datefor the court proceedings? bAs it is written: “Tomorrow”(Numbers 16:16). From where is it derived that a second bdatemust be set bafterthe first bdate,if the defendant did not heed the first summons? bAs it is written: “They did cry there, Pharaoh, king of Egypt is but a noise; he has passed the time appointed… /bSurely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come” (Jeremiah 46:17). Although a time had been appointed and it had passed, it was not canceled entirely but pushed off to a later date., bAnd from where do wederive bthat ifthe summoned person bbehaves disrespectfully toward the agent of the court, andthe agent bcomesback band reportshis conduct, that bthis is not considered slander? As it is written: “Will you put out the eyes of these men?”(Numbers 16:14). Dathan and Abiram spoke these words to the messenger that Moses had sent to them, and the messenger reported them back to Moses., bAnd from where do wederive bthat we ostracizeone who does not obey a court summons? bAs it is written: “Curse Meroz”(Judges 5:23), who was ostracized for not coming to battle after having been summoned. From where is it derived that the ostracized person must be told bthat itwas bthe decision of a great manto ostracized him? bAs it is written:“Curse Meroz, bsaid the messenger of the Lord”(Judges 5:23). bAnd from where do wederive bthat,if he fails to mend his ways, bwe excommunicatesuch a person more harshly, putting him under the most severe form of excommunication? bAs it is written:“Curse Meroz… bcurse bitterlyits inhabitants” (Judges 5:23), implying that one curse is followed by another, i.e., lesser ostracism is followed by harsh excommunication.,From where is it derived bthatthe curse applies to anyone who beats or drinks with, or stands within, four cubits ofthe ostracized person? bAs it is written:“Curse bitterly bits inhabitants”(Judges 5:23), in reference to all those sitting together with Meroz. bAnd from where do wederive bthat we detail his sin in public? As it is written:“Curse bitterly its inhabitants, bbecause they did not come to the help of the Lord”(Judges 5:23)., bAnd Ulla said: Barak ostracized Meroz withthe blowing of bfour hundred ishofarot /idue to his failure to come. As for the identification of Meroz, bsome saythat bhe was a great manand that he was ostracized because he did not join in the war effort. bAnd others saythat the reference is to ba starand not a human being, and that it did not aid the Jewish people in their battle, bas it is stated: “The stars fought from heaven;in their courses they fought against Sisera,” (Judges 5:20). This star, which did not help the Jewish people, was cursed., bAnd from where do wederive bthatthe court bmay declare the property ofone who does not obey its orders bas ownerless? As it is written: “And that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the Elders, all his substance shall be forfeited [ iyaḥoram /i] and himself separated from the congregation of the exiles”(Ezra 10:8). “Shall be forfeited” is referring to excommunication., bAnd from where do wederive bthat we may contend withsuch a person, band cursehim, band beathim, band pull outhis bhair, and makehim btake an oathin order to prevent him from sinning? bAs it is written: “And I contended with them, and cursed them, and beat some of them, and pulled out their hair, and made them take oathby God” (Nehemiah 13:25)., bAnd from where do wederive bthat we may shacklehis hands and feet, bchainhim, band apply pressure? As it is written: “Whether it be for death, or for banishment [ ilishroshi /i], or for confiscation of goods, or for imprisonment”(Ezra 7:26). The Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of the word b“ ilishroshi /i,”translated here as banishment? bAdda Mari saidthat bNeḥemya bar Baruch saidthat bRav Ḥiyya bar Avin saidthat bRav Yehuda said:This is bpressure.Since this expression is also unclear, the Gemara asks: bWhatis bpressure? Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, said in the name of Ravthat this term refers to the following series of actions: bThey ostracizehim bimmediately, andthen once bagain after thirtydays, and if he still does not repent, bthey excommunicate him after sixtydays., bRav Huna bar Ḥina said to him: Rav Ḥisda said as follows:Before excommunicating a person, the court bwarns himthree times, on bMonday, Thursday, andthe following bMonday.The Gemara notes: bThis appliesin a case where one ignores ba monetary judgmentthat was issued against him. He is warned three times that he must repay his debt. bButin a case where one bbehaves disrespectfullytoward a Torah scholar, he is bimmediatelyostracized.,§ The Gemara relates that ba certain butcher behaved disrespectfully toward Rav Tuvi bar Mattana. Abaye and Rava were appointedto the case band ostracized him. In the endthe butcher bwent and appeased his disputant,Rav Tuvi. bAbaye said: What should we doin this case? Shall bhe be releasedfrom his decree of ostracism? bHisdecree of bostracism has notyet bbeen in effect forthe usual bthirty days.On the other hand, bshall he not be releasedfrom ostracism? But bthe Sages wish to enterhis shop and purchase meat, and they are presently unable to do so. What, then, is the most appropriate course of action?, bHe said to Rav Idi bar Avin:Have byou heard anything with regard to sucha case? Rav Idi bar Avin bsaid toAbaye: bRav Taḥlifa bar Avimi saidthat bShmuel said as follows:A ishofar bblastat the time of the ostracism bmakesit bbinding, anda ishofar bblast releasesit. In other words, the ishofarshould be sounded now, as it had been sounded when the decree of ostracism was pronounced, and it should be canceled, although thirty days have not passed. Abaye bsaid to him: This appliesin a case where one ignores ba monetary judgmentthat was issued against him; bbutin a case where one bbehaves disrespectfully,there must be no release buntil thedecree of bostracism has been in effect for thirty days. /b,The Gemara comments: bApparently, Abaye maintainsthat if bthreepeople bostracizedone, bthree others may not come and release him.This is derived from the fact that Abaye was concerned about releasing the butcher from ostracism and did not delegate the task to someone else., bAs a dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: If bthreepeople bostracizedsomeone, bwhat isthe ihalakhawith regard to bthree others coming and releasing himfrom his decree of ostracism? The Gemara suggests: bComeand bheara proof from that which is taught in a ibaraita /i: bOne who was ostracized by the teacherof Torah for having acted disrespectfully toward him bisconsidered bostracized with regard to the student,and the latter must keep his distance from him. However, bone who was ostracized by the student is notconsidered bostracized with regard to the teacher. /b, bOne who was ostracized by hisown bcity isconsidered bostracized with regard to another city.However, bone who was ostracized by another city is notconsidered bostracized with regard to hisown bcity. One who was ostracized by the iNasi /iof the Sanhedrin bisconsidered bostracized with regard to all the Jewish people;but bone who was ostracized by all the Jewish people is notconsidered bostracized with regard to the iNasi /iof the Sanhedrin. bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel says:If bone of the studentssitting as a judge on the court bhad ostracizedsomeone, band he diedbefore releasing him from the decree of ostracism, bhis portionof the decree of ostracism bis not nullified. /b,The Gemara says: bLearn three ihalakhot bfrom this ibaraita /i. bLearn from thisthat in the case of ba student who ostracizessomeone bdue toan insult to bhis dignityand not because the ostracized person was guilty of some transgression, bhisdecree of bostracism is valid.Were the case one where one was ostracized due to sin, everyone is required to respect the decree of ostracism, even the student’s teacher. bAnd learn from thisthat beach and every onewho participated in the decree of ostracism bnullifies hisown bportionof the decree of ostracism, as the ibaraitaspeaks of: His portion. bAnd learn from thisthat if bthreepeople bostracizedanother person, bthree otherpeople bmay not come and nullifythe decree of ostracism. Were this not the case, it wouldn’t matter if a certain person’s portion was not nullified. His portion could be nullified by someone else., bAmeimar said: The ihalakhaisthat if bthreepeople bostracizeanother person, bthree others may come and nullifythe decree of ostracism. bRav Ashi said to Ameimar: But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel says:If bone of the students had ostracizedanother person, band he diedbefore releasing him from the decree of ostracism, bhis portion is not nullified? What, is it notthat bit is not nullified at all,i.e., it cannot be nullified by another person? The Gemara rejects this argument: bNo,this means that the decree of ostracism remains in force buntil three other people come and nullifyit.,§ bThe Sages taughtthe following ibaraita /i: bOstracism does notapply bfor less thana period of bthirty days, and admonition,which is less severe than ostracism, bdoes notapply bfor less thana period of bseven days. And although there is no proof with regard to the matter,i.e., the standard duration of admonition, there is ban allusion to the matter, as it is stated: “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed for seven days?”(Numbers 12:14). This implies that admonition lasts for seven days., bRav Ḥisda said: Ourdecree of bostracismin Babylonia has the power bof their admonitionin Eretz Yisrael. Since the authorities in Eretz Yisrael are ordained with the title Rabbi, their admonition carries more weight than a decree of ostracism issued in Babylonia. The Gemara asks: Is btheir admonitionin Eretz Yisrael only bsevendays band no more? But isn’tit related that bRabbi Shimon, son of RabbiYehuda HaNasi, band bar Kappara were sitting and studying,and they posed ba difficulty witha certain ihalakha /i. Rabbi Shimon said to bar Kappara: This issue requiresmy father, bRabbiYehuda HaNasi, to explain it. bBar Kappara said to Rabbi Shimon,somewhat mockingly: bAnd what canyour father, bRabbiYehuda HaNasi, bsay about thisissue? What can he add and teach us about it?,Rabbi Shimon bwent and told his father,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, what bar Kappara had said, and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bbecame angrywith him. When bbar Kappara cameat some later point bto visit,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid to him: Bar Kappara, I do not know you at all.Bar Kappara bunderstood thatRabbi Yehuda HaNasi bhad takenhis bstatement to heart,i.e., was insulted. He subsequently bbehavedas if he had been badmonished,as a self-imposed punishment, bfor thirty days. /b, bOnce again, on another occasion, RabbiYehuda HaNasi bdecreed that students not be taught in the marketplacebut only in a study hall. bWhatverse did he bexpoundto serve as the basis for this decree? The verse states: b“Your rounded thighs are like jewels,the work of the hands of an artist” (Song of Songs 7:2). bJustas ba thigh isordinarily bhiddenand kept covered with clothes |
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30. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 16b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 16b. (דברי הימים א כז, לד) ואחרי אחיתופל בניהו בן יהוידע ואביתר ושר צבא למלך יואב אחיתופל זה יועץ וכן הוא אומר (שמואל ב טז, כג) ועצת אחיתופל אשר יעץ וגו' ובניהו בן יהוידע זו סנהדרין אביתר אלו אורים ותומים,וכן הוא אומר (דברי הימים א יח, יז) ובניהו בן יהוידע על הכרתי ועל הפלתי ולמה נקרא שמן כרתי ופלתי כרתי שכורתין דבריהן ופלתי שמופלאין מעשיהן ואחר כך שר הצבא למלך יואב,א"ר יצחק בריה דרב אדא ואמרי לה א"ר יצחק בר אבודימי מאי קרא (תהלים נז, ט) עורה כבודי עורה הנבל וכנור אעירה שחר:,ואין מוסיפין על העיר: מנהני מילי אמר רב שימי בר חייא אמר קרא (שמות כה, ט) ככל אשר אני מראה אותך את תבנית המשכן וכן תעשו לדורות הבאין,מתיב רבא כל הכלים שעשה משה משיחתן מקדשן מיכן ואילך עבודתן מחנכתן ואמאי נימא וכן תעשו לדורות הבאין,שאני התם דאמר קרא (במדבר ז, א) וימשחם ויקדש אותם אותם במשיחה ולא לדורות במשיחה,ואימא אותם במשיחה ולדורות אי במשיחה אי בעבודה אמר רב פפא אמר קרא (במדבר ד, יב) אשר ישרתו בם בקודש הכתוב תלאן בשירות,אלא אותם למה לי אי לאו אותם הוה אמינא לדורות במשיחה ובעבודה דהא כתיב וכן תעשו כתב רחמנא אותם אותם במשיחה ולא לדורות במשיחה:,ואין עושין סנהדראות כו': מנא לן כדאשכחן במשה דאוקי סנהדראות ומשה במקום שבעים וחד קאי,תנו רבנן מניין שמעמידין שופטים לישראל תלמוד לומר (דברים טז, יח) שופטים תתן שוטרים לישראל מניין תלמוד לומר שוטרים תתן שופטים לכל שבט ושבט מניין תלמוד לומר שופטים לשבטיך שוטרים לכל שבט ושבט מניין ת"ל שוטרים לשבטיך,שופטים לכל עיר ועיר מניין ת"ל שופטים לשעריך שוטרים לכל עיר ועיר מניין ת"ל שוטרים לשעריך רבי יהודה אומר אחד ממונה על כולן שנאמר תתן לך רשב"ג אומר לשבטיך ושפטו מצוה בשבט לדון את שבטו:,ואין עושין עיר הנדחת: מנה"מ אמר ר' חייא בר יוסף אמר רבי אושעיא דאמר קרא (דברים יז, ה) והוצאת את האיש ההוא או את האשה ההיא איש ואשה אתה מוציא לשעריך ואי אתה מוציא כל העיר כולה לשעריך:,אין עושין עיר הנדחת בספר: מ"ט (דברים יג, ו) מקרבך אמר רחמנא ולא מן הספר:,ולא שלש (ערי הנדחת): דכתיב אחת אבל עושין אחת או שתים דכתיב (דברים יג, יג) עריך תנו רבנן אחת אחת ולא שלש אתה אומר אחת ולא שלש או אינו אלא אחת ולא שתים כשהוא אומר עריך הרי שתים אמור הא מה אני מקיים אחת אחת ולא שלש,זימנין אמר רב בב"ד אחד הוא דאין עושין הא בשנים ושלשה בתי דינין עושין וזימנין אמר רב אפילו בשנים ושלשה בתי דינין לעולם אין עושין מ"ט דרב משום קרחה אמר ר"ל לא שנו אלא במקום אחד אבל בשנים ושלשה מקומות עושין רבי יוחנן אמר אין עושין משום קרחה,תניא כוותיה דר"י אין עושין שלש עיירות מנודחות בארץ ישראל אבל עושין אותם שתים כגון אחת ביהודה ואחת בגליל אבל שתים ביהודה ושתים בגליל אין עושין וסמוכה לספר אפילו אחת אין עושין מאי טעמא שמא ישמעו נכרים ויחריבו את ארץ ישראל,ותיפוק לי דמקרבך אמר רחמנא ולא מן הספר רבי שמעון היא דדריש טעמא דקרא:,סנהדרי גדולה היתה: מ"ט דרבנן דאמרי ומשה על גביהן אמר קרא (במדבר יא, טז) והתיצבו שם | 16b. It is: bAnd after Ahithophel was Benaiah, son of Jehoiada; and Ebiathar; and the general of the king’s army, Yoav(see I Chronicles 27:34). The individuals named in this verse correspond to the roles in the iaggadaas follows: bAhithophel isthe badvisorwhose counsel they sought first with regard to going to war, band so it says: “Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he counseledin those days, was like that of a man who inquires of the word of God; so was the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom” (II Samuel 16:23). bAnd Benaiah, son of Jehoiadacorresponds to bthe Sanhedrin,since he was the head of the Sanhedrin, and bEbiatharcorresponds to bthe iUrim VeTummim /i,as Ebiathar, son of Ahimelech the priest would oversee inquiries directed to the iUrim VeTummim(see I Samuel 23:9)., bAnd so it sayswith regard to the position of Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, as head of the Sanhedrin: b“And Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was over the iKeretiand over the iPeleti /i”(II Samuel 20:23). bAnd why wasthe Sanhedrin bcalled iKeretiand iPeleti /i?It was called iKereti /ibecause bthey were decisive [ ishekoretin /i] in their pronouncements.It was called iPeleti /ibecause btheir actionsand wisdom bwere wondrous [ ishemufla’in /i],as iPeletiand imufla’inshare the same root. According to the order of the verse, upon being instructed by King David to go to war, the Sages first consulted with Ahithophel, then with the Sanhedrin, and then they would ask the iUrim VeTummim /i; bandonly bthereafterwas bthe general of the king’s army, Yoav,given the command to ready the army for battle., bRabbi Yitzḥak, son of Rav Adda, and some say Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Avudimi, said: What is the versefrom which it is derived that David’s lyre would awaken him at midnight? b“Awake, my glory; awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn”(Psalms 57:9). This means that the self-playing lyre has already awoken, and now I must engage in Torah study until dawn.,§ The mishna teaches: bThey may extend the cityof Jerusalem or the courtyards of the Temple only on the basis of a court of seventy-one judges. The Gemara asks: bFrom where is this matterderived? bRav Shimi bar Ḥiyya says: The verse states: “According to all that I show you, the pattern of the Tabernacleand the pattern of all its vessels, band so shall you do”(Exodus 25:9). “And so shall you do” means bfor future generations;just as the Tabernacle was fashioned in all of its details according to Moses’ instructions, so too later, the Temple is fashioned according to the instructions of the Great Sanhedrin, whose members stand in place of Moses., bRava raises an objectionfrom a ibaraita /i: With regard to ball of the utensils that Moses fashioned, their anointmentwith the sacred oil is what bconsecrates them,rendering them fit for service in the Tabernacle. bFrom thatpoint bforward,i.e., in future generations, there is no need for anointment, but rather btheir servicein and of itself bdedicates them,meaning that when they are used for the first time in sacred service they become consecrated. Rava explains the objection: bAnd whyis this so? bLet us sayinstead that since the verse states: b“And so shall you do,”this teaches that it must be done bfor future generationsas in the Tabernacle, and therefore anointment with sacred oil should be required in the Temple as in the Tabernacle.,The Gemara answers: It bis different there, as the verse states:“And it came to pass on the day that Moses completed erecting the Tabernacle that he anointed it and sanctified it and all its vessels, and the altar and all its vessels, band he anointed them and he sanctified them”(Numbers 7:1). The verse emphasizes that he sanctified b“them,”and from this it is inferred that only those utensils need sanctification bby anointment, but forfuture bgenerationsthere is bnota requirement of sanctification bby anointment. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd sayinstead: bThosevessels require sanctification specifically bby anointment, but forfuture bgenerationsit could be done beither by anointment or by service. Rav Pappa says: The verse stateswith regard to this: “And they shall take all service vessels bwith which they shall serve in the sanctuary”(Numbers 4:12). bThe verse renders it dependent upon service,meaning that the service is what sanctifies them.,The Gemara asks: bButif so, bwhy do Ineed the extra word b“them”?This emphasis seems superfluous. The Gemara answers: bHadthe verse bnotadded the word b“them,” I would say: Forfuture bgenerationsthe sanctification is accomplished bby anointment and by servicetogether, bas it is written: “And so shall you do.” Therefore, the Merciful One writes “them,”to teach: bTheyalone are consecrated bby anointment, but forfuture bgenerationsthe vessels are bnotconsecrated bby anointment. /b,§ The mishna teaches that they may bappointa lesser bSanhedrinfor the tribes only on the basis of a court of seventy-one judges. The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this matter? The Gemara answers: It is bas we find with regard to Moses, who establishedlesser bcourtsfor all of the people (see Exodus 18:25–26), band Moses stands in place ofthe bseventy-onejudges on the Great Sanhedrin. Consequently, a lesser Sanhedrin that stands at the head of a tribe is appointed by the Great Sanhedrin., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bFrom whereis it derived bthatsociety must bestablish judges forthe bJewish people? The verse states: “You shall place judgesand officers over you in all of your gates that the Lord your God gives you for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment” (Deuteronomy 16:18). bFrom whereis it derived that society must also establish bofficers forthe bJewish people? Thesame bverse states: “You shall placejudges and bofficers.” From whereis it derived that society must also establish bjudgesnot only for the entire Jewish people but also bfor each and every tribe? The verse states:“You shall place bjudgesand officers… bfor your tribes.” From whereis it derived that society must also establish bofficers for each and every tribe? Thesame bverse states:“You shall place judges and bofficers /b… bfor your tribes.” /b, bFrom whereis it derived that society must also establish bjudges for each and every city? The verse states:You shall place bjudgesand officers… bfor your gates,as the gate of the city is the seat of the elders of the city and its judges. bFrom whereis it derived that society must also establish bofficers for each and every city? The verse states:You shall place Judges and bofficers /b… bfor your gates. Rabbi Yehuda says:You must also have bonecourt bappointed over all of them, as it is stated: “You shall place over you,”meaning that there must be a single institution that is responsible for all of these appointments. bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel says:Another ihalakhais derived from the verse: b“For your tribes, and they shall judge.”This teaches that it is ba mitzva for a tribe to judgethe sinners from within bits tribe,and not to delegate the responsibility to other tribes.,§ The mishna states that ba city may be designatedas ban idolatrous cityonly in accordance with the ruling of the Great Sanhedrin, consisting of seventy-one judges. The Gemara asks: bFrom where are these mattersderived? bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Yosef saysthat bRabbi Oshaya says: As the verse stateswith regard to one who engages in idol worship: b“And you shall take out that man or that womanwho did that evil thing to your gates” (Deuteronomy 17:5), and it is inferred: bYou take out a man or a woman to your gatesfor the lesser Sanhedrin to judge them, bbut you do not take out the entire city to your gates;rather, they are to be judged by the Great Sanhedrin.,§ The mishna teaches that the court bmay not designatea city as ban idolatrous cityif it is bon the frontier.The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonfor this? The Gemara answers: The verse states: “Certain worthless people have gone out from your midst and have led astray the inhabitants of their city” (Deuteronomy 13:14). bThe Merciful One statesthat this ihalakhaapplies when they come bfrom your midst,meaning from within your country, bbut not from the frontier. /b,§ The mishna teaches: bAnd threeadjoining cities may bnotbe designated as bidolatrous cities.The source for this ruling is bas it is written:“If you shall hear concerning boneof your cities that the Lord your God has given you” (Deuteronomy 13:13), and not three cities. The mishna continues: bButthe court bmay designate onecity, bor twoadjoining cities as idolatrous cities. The source for this is bas it is written: “Your cities,”in the plural. bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“One,”from which it is inferred: bOne, but not three. Do you saythat the meaning is bone, but not three, or rather,is this bnotthe meaning of the verse, that it is bone, but not two?The ibaraitaexplains that this cannot be. bWhenthe verse bstates: “Your cities,” two are stated. How do I realizethe meaning of: b“One”? One, but not three. /b, bAt times Rav said: It is in one court that they may not designatemore than two adjoining cities as idolatrous cities, bbut in two or three courts they may designatethem. bAnd at times Rav said: Even in two or three courts they may never designatethem. bWhat is the reasoning of Rav?It is bdue to desolation,to ensure there will not be large swaths of uninhabited land in Eretz Yisrael. bReish Lakish says: They taught onlythat the court may not designate three adjoining cities as idolatrous cities bin one region, but in two or three regions they may designatethem. bRabbi Yoḥa says: They may not designatethem, bdue to desolation. /b,The Gemara comments: It bis taughtin a ibaraita( iTosefta14:1) bin accordance withthe opinion bof Rabbi Yoḥa:The court bmay not designate threeadjoining bcitiesas bidolatrouscities bin Eretz Yisrael, but they may designate two, such as one in Judea and one in the Galilee. But they may not designate two in Judea or two in the Galilee. Andif the city is bnear the frontier, they may not designate even one. What is the reasonfor this? bPerhaps the gentiles will hearthat there is a city on the border that is desolate, band they willseize the opportunity to invade and bdestroy Eretz Yisrael. /b,The Gemara asks: bButlet bhim derivethis ihalakhafrom the fact bthat the Merciful One states: “From your midst,”from which it is inferred: bBut not from the frontier.The Gemara answers: This ibaraita bisin accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Shimon, as he interprets the reasonfor the mitzva bin the verseand draws halakhic conclusions based on that interpretation.,§ The mishna teaches that bthe Great Sanhedrin wascomposed of seventy-one judges, and that Rabbi Yehuda holds that it was composed of only seventy, as Moses gathered seventy men of the Elders of the Jewish people, and according to Rabbi Yehuda, Moses himself was not counted as part of the group. The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasoning of the Rabbis, who saythat when bMosesgathered seventy men, he was bat the head ofthe court and is therefore counted among them? bThe verse states:“And the Lord said to Moses: Gather Me seventy men from the Elders of Israel, whom you know to be the Elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the Tent of Meeting band they shall stand there /b |
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31. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 127a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 127a. כדאמרי אינשי ואי בעי אפילו טובא נמי מפנין ומאי אבל לא את האוצר שלא יגמור כולו דילמא אתי לאשוויי גומות אבל אתחולי מתחיל ומני ר"ש היא דלית ליה מוקצה,ת"ר אין מתחילין באוצר תחילה אבל עושה בו שביל כדי שיכנס ויצא עושה בו שביל והא אמרת אין מתחילין הכי קאמר עושה בו שביל ברגליו בכניסתו וביציאתו,תנו רבנן תבואה צבורה בזמן שהתחיל בה מע"ש מותר להסתפק ממנה בשבת ואם לאו אסור להסתפק ממנה בשבת דברי ר"ש ר' אחא מתיר כלפי לייא אלא אימא דברי ר' אחא ורבי שמעון מתיר,תנא כמה שיעור תבואה צבורה לתך בעא מיניה רב נחומי בר זכריה מאביי שיעור תבואה צבורה בכמה אמר ליה הרי אמרו שיעור תבואה צבורה לתך,איבעיא להו הני ארבע וחמש קופות דקאמר בארבע וחמש קופות אין טפי לא אלמא למעוטי בהילוכא עדיף או דילמא למעוטי משוי עדיף,ת"ש דתני חדא מפנין אפילו ארבע וחמש קופות של כדי שמן ושל כדי יין ותניא אידך בעשר ובחמש עשרה מאי לאו בהא קמיפלגי דמר סבר מעוטי בהילוכא עדיף ומר סבר מעוטי במשוי עדיף,לא דכ"ע מעוטי בהילוכא עדיף ומי סברת בעשר ובחמש עשרה אקופות קאי אכדין קאי ולא קשיא הא דמשתקלי חד חד בקופה והא דמישתקלי תרי תרי והא דמשתקלי תלתא תלתא ובדקורי דהרפניא,איבעיא להו הני ארבע וחמש דקאמר אע"ג דאית ליה אורחין טובא או דילמא הכל לפי האורחין ואת"ל הכל לפי האורחין חד גברא מפני לכולהו או דילמא גברא גברא מפני לנפשיה,ת"ש דאמר רבה אמר רבי חייא פעם אחת הלך רבי למקום אחד וראה מקום דחוק לתלמידים ויצא לשדה ומצא שדה מלאה עומרים ועימר רבי כל השדה כולה (שמע מינה הכל לפי האורחין),ורב יוסף א"ר הושעיא פעם אחת הלך ר' חייא למקום אחד וראה מקום דחוק לתלמידים ויצא לשדה ומצא שדה מלאה עומרים ועימר ר' חייא כל השדה כולה שמע מינה הכל לפי האורחין,ועדיין תבעי לך חד גברא מפני ליה לכולא או דילמא כל גברא וגברא מפני לנפשיה,ת"ש ועימר רבי ולטעמיך רבי בדנפשיה עימר אלא צוה ועימר ולעולם כל חד וחד מפני לנפשיה:,מפני האורחין וכו': א"ר יוחנן גדולה הכנסת אורחין כהשכמת בית המדרש דקתני מפני האורחין ומפני בטול בית המדרש ורב דימי מנהרדעא אמר יותר מהשכמת בית המדרש דקתני מפני האורחין והדר ומפני בטול בית המדרש אמר רב יהודה אמר רב גדולה הכנסת אורחין מהקבלת פני שכינה דכתיב (בראשית יח, ג) ויאמר (ה') אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך אל נא תעבור וגו' א"ר אלעזר בא וראה שלא כמדת הקב"ה מדת בשר ודם מדת ב"ו אין קטן יכול לומר לגדול המתן עד שאבא אצלך ואילו בהקדוש ברוך הוא כתיב ויאמר (ה') אם נא מצאתי וגו',אמר רב יהודה בר שילא א"ר אסי א"ר יוחנן ששה דברים אדם אוכל פירותיהן בעולם הזה והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא ואלו הן הכנסת אורחין וביקור חולים ועיון תפלה והשכמת בית המדרש והמגדל בניו לתלמוד תורה והדן את חברו לכף זכות,איני והא אנן) תנן אלו דברים שאדם עושה אותם ואוכל פירותיהן בעולם הזה והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא ואלו הן כיבוד אב ואם וגמילות חסדים והבאת שלום שבין אדם לחברו ות"ת כנגד כולם) [הני אין מידי אחרינא לא] | 127a. bas peoplewho are not so precise in their formulation bsay:Four or five. bAnd if oneso bdesires, he may clear even more. And whatthen is the meaning of: bHowever,one may bnotmove these items to create space in bthe storeroom?It means bthat one may not finishmoving the baskets out of the bentirestoreroom, blest he come to levelthe floor by filling the bholes. However, one may beginremoving baskets from the storeroom. bAnd whoseopinion is cited in this mishna? It is the opinion of bRabbi Shimon, who is notof the opinion that there is a prohibition of bset-aside. /b, bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne may notuse bthe storeroomfor the bfirst time.If one has never taken supplies from this storeroom, he may not begin moving baskets from it. bHowever, he makes a path in it, so that he willbe able to benter and exit.The Gemara asks: He bmakes a path in it? Did you not say: One may notuse bthe storeroomfor the bfirst time?The Gemara answers that the ibaraita bis saying as follows: He makes a path in itby moving baskets bwith his feet, as he entersthe storehouse band as he exits.He may not move the basket with his hand., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: With regard to bpiled grain, if one had startedto take grain from the pile bon Shabbat eve, it is permitted to satisfy his needs from it on Shabbat, and if not, it is prohibited to satisfy his needs from it on Shabbat;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Aḥa permitsdoing so in any case. The Gemara raises a difficulty: bOn the contrary;it is Rabbi Shimon who is lenient with regard to the ihalakhotof set-aside. bRather,emend the ibaraitaand bsay:This is bthe statement of Rabbi Aḥa. Rabbi Shimon permitsdoing so in any case., bIt was taught: How much isthe bmeasure of piled grainneeded to confer the legal status of a storeroom? bA half-kor. Rav Naḥumi bar Zekharya raised a dilemma before Abaye:The bmeasure of piled grain, how muchis it? Abaye said to him that bthey said: The measure of piled grain is a half- ikor /i. /b, bA dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: bThese four or five baskets, whichthe itanna bstatedin the mishna, is he saying the following: bFour or five baskets, yes,one may move them, bmorebaskets, bno,one may not move them? This would indicate bthat it is preferable to minimizethe bwalkingdistance because fewer baskets results in less walking in and out of the storeroom. bOr perhaps it is preferable to minimizethe size of the bburdenby carrying smaller baskets, as long as the total measure of all that one carries does not exceed the capacity of five large baskets?, bComeand bheara resolution to this dilemma, bas one ibaraita btaught: Onemay bmove even four or five basketscontaining bjugs of oil and jugs of wine. And it was taughtin banother ibaraita /i: One may move them even bin ten and in fifteenbaskets. bWhat, is it not thatthe two ibaraitot bdisagreeconcerning bthe followingmatter, bas this Sagein the first ibaraita bholdsthat bit is preferable to minimizethe bwalkingdistance by moving fewer, heavier baskets, band this Sagein the second ibaraita bholdsthat bit is preferable to minimizethe size of the bburdenby moving lighter baskets over the course of several trips.,The Gemara rejects this: bNo, everyone agrees that it is preferable to minimizethe bwalkingdistance. bAnd do you holdthat: bIn ten and in fifteen, is referring to baskets? It is referring to jugs,and there is no dispute between the ibaraitot /i. bAndthis is bnot difficult: This ibaraita /i, which spoke of moving five, is referring to a case bin whichthe jugs bare taken one by one ineach bbasket. And that ibaraita /i, which speaks of moving ten, is referring to a case bin whichthe jugs bare taken two by two ineach basket. bAnd that ibaraita /i, which speaks of moving fifteen, is referring to a case bin whichthe jugs bare taken three by three,e.g., in the case of bthe small jugs of Harpanya. /b, bA dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: bThese four or five baskets, whichthe itanna bstatedin the mishna, is he saying that one may move only four or five baskets beven though he has many guests? Or perhaps, it is all according tothe number bof guests,and if there are more guests one may move more baskets. bAnd if you say it is all according to thenumber of bguests,does bone man movethe baskets to make room bfor all of them, or perhaps each and every man movesa basket to make room bfor himself? /b, bComeand bheara resolution to this dilemma from that which bRabba saidthat bRav Ḥiyya said: Once RabbiYehuda HaNasi bwent to a certain place and sawthat the bplace wastoo bcrowded for the students. And he went to the field and found a field full of bundlesof grain, band RabbiYehuda HaNasi bcleared the bundlesfrom bthe whole field in its entirety. Conclude from itthat the quantity that can be moved bis all according to thenumber of bguests. /b, bAnd Rav Yosef saidthat bRav Hoshaya said: Once Rabbi Ḥiyya went to a certain place and sawthat the bplace wastoo bcrowded for the students. And he went to the field and found a field full of bundlesof grain, band Rabbi Ḥiyya cleared the bundlesfrom bthe whole field in its entirety. Conclude from itthat the quantity that can be moved bis all according to thenumber of bguests. /b,The Gemara continues: bAnd still you have a dilemma.Does bone man movethe baskets to make room bfor all of them, or perhaps each and every man movesbaskets to make room bfor himself? /b, bComeand bheara resolution to this question. We learned: bAnd RabbiYehuda HaNasi bcleared the bundles.Apparently, one person moved the bundles to make room for the others. The Gemara rejects the proof: bAnd according to your reasoning,your opinion, do you think bRabbiYehuda HaNasi, the spiritual leader of his generation, bcleared the bundles himself? Rather, he orderedothers to do so, bandhe thereby bcleared the bundles. And actually, each and every one movesa bundle to make room bfor himself. /b,We learned in the mishna: One may move baskets of produce bdue to the guestsand in order to prevent the suspension of Torah study in the study hall. bRabbi Yoḥa said: Hospitalitytoward bguests is as great as rising earlyto go bto the study hall, asthe mishna equates them band teaches: Due to the guests and due to suspension ofTorah study in bthe study hall. And Rav Dimi from Neharde’a says:Hospitality toward guests is bgreater than rising early to the study hall, as it teaches: Due to the guests, andonly bafterward: And due to suspension ofTorah study in bthe study hall. Rav Yehuda saidthat bRav saidon a related note: bHospitalitytoward bguests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence, aswhen Abraham invited his guests bit is written: “And he said: Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please pass notfrom Your servant” (Genesis 18:3). Abraham requested that God, the Divine Presence, wait for him while he tended to his guests appropriately. bRabbi Elazar said: Come and see that the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is not like that of flesh and blood. The attribute of flesh and bloodpeople is such that ba less significantperson bis unable to say to a more significantperson: bWait until I come to you, while with regard to the Holy One, Blessed be He, it is written: “And he said: Lord, if now I have found favorin Your sight, please pass not from Your servant.” Abraham requested that God wait for him due to his guests., bRav Yehuda bar Sheila saidthat bRabbi Asi saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:There are bsix matters a person enjoysthe bprofits of in this world, andnevertheless bthe principal exists for him for the World-to-Come, and they are: Hospitalitytoward bguests, and visitingthe bsick, and considerationduring bprayer,and brising early to the study hall, and one who raises his sons toengage bin Torah study, and one who judges another favorably,giving him the benefit of the doubt.,The Gemara asks: bIs that so? And did we not learnin a mishna: bTheseare the bmatters that a person does them and enjoys their profits in this world, andnevertheless bthe principal exists for him for the World-to-Come, and they are: Honoring one’s father and mother, and acts of loving kindness, and bringing peace between a person and another, and Torah study is equal to all of them.By inference: bThesematters, byes,one enjoys their profits in this world and the principal exists for him in the World-to-Come; bother matters, no. /b |
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32. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, 49b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 49b. כשם שניסוכו בקדושה כך שריפתו בקדושה מאי משמע אמר רבינא אתיא קדש קדש כתיב הכא (במדבר כח, ז) בקדש הסך נסך וכתיב התם (שמות כט, לד) ושרפת את הנותר באש לא יאכל כי קדש הוא,כמאן אזלא הא (דתניא) נסכים בתחילה מועלין בהן ירדו לשיתין אין מועלין בהן לימא רבי אלעזר בר צדוק היא דאי רבנן הא נחתו להו לתהום,אפילו תימא רבנן בדאיקלט,ואיכא דאמרי לימא רבנן היא ולא ר' אלעזר בר צדוק דאי רבי אלעזר אכתי בקדושתייהו קיימי אפילו תימא רבי אלעזר אין לך דבר שנעשה מצותו ומועלין בו אמר ריש לקיש בזמן שמנסכין יין על גבי מזבח פוקקין את השיתין לקיים מה שנאמר בקדש הסך נסך שכר לה',מאי משמע אמר רב פפא שכר לשון שתיה לשון שביעה לשון שכרות אמר רב פפא שמע מינה כי שבע איניש חמרא מגרוניה שבע אמר רבא צורבא מרבנן דלא נפישא ליה חמרא ליגמע גמועי רבא אכסא דברכתא אגמע גמועי,דרש רבא מאי דכתיב (שיר השירים ז, ב) מה יפו פעמיך בנעלים בת נדיב מה יפו פעמותיהן של ישראל בשעה שעולין לרגל בת נדיב בתו של אברהם אבינו שנקרא נדיב שנא' (תהלים מז, י) נדיבי עמים נאספו עם אלהי אברהם אלהי אברהם ולא אלהי יצחק ויעקב אלא אלהי אברהם שהיה תחילה לגרים,תנא דבי רב ענן מאי דכתיב (שיר השירים ז, ב) חמוקי ירכיך למה נמשלו דברי תורה כירך לומר לך מה ירך בסתר אף דברי תורה בסתר,והיינו דא"ר אלעזר מאי דכתיב (מיכה ו, ח) הגיד לך אדם מה טוב ומה ה' דורש ממך כי אם עשות משפט ואהבת חסד והצנע לכת עם אלהיך עשות משפט זה הדין ואהבת חסד זו גמילות חסדים והצנע לכת עם אלהיך זו הוצאת המת והכנסת כלה לחופה והלא דברים ק"ו ומה דברים שדרכן לעשותן בפרהסיא אמרה תורה הצנע לכת דברים שדרכן לעשותן בצנעא על אחת כמה וכמה,א"ר אלעזר גדול העושה צדקה יותר מכל הקרבנות שנאמר (משלי כא, ג) עשה צדקה ומשפט נבחר לה' מזבח וא"ר אלעזר גדולה גמילות חסדים יותר מן הצדקה שנאמר (הושע י, יב) זרעו לכם לצדקה וקצרו לפי חסד אם אדם זורע ספק אוכל ספק אינו אוכל אדם קוצר ודאי אוכל,וא"ר אלעזר אין צדקה משתלמת אלא לפי חסד שבה שנאמר זרעו לכם לצדקה וקצרו לפי חסד,ת"ר בשלשה דברים גדולה גמילות חסדים יותר מן הצדקה צדקה בממונו גמילות חסדים בין בגופו בין בממונו צדקה לעניים גמילות חסדים בין לעניים בין לעשירים צדקה לחיים גמילות חסדים בין לחיים בין למתים,וא"ר אלעזר כל העושה צדקה ומשפט כאילו מילא כל העולם כולו חסד שנאמר (תהלים לג, ה) אוהב צדקה ומשפט חסד ה' מלאה הארץ שמא תאמר כל הבא לקפוץ קופץ ת"ל (תהלים לו, ח) מה יקר חסדך אלהים (חסד ה' מלאה הארץ) וגו' יכול אף ירא שמים כן ת"ל (תהלים קג, יז) וחסד ה' מעולם ועד עולם על יראיו,א"ר חמא בר פפא כל אדם שיש עליו חן בידוע שהוא ירא שמים שנא' חסד ה' מעולם ועד עולם על יראיו וא"ר אלעזר מאי דכתיב (משלי לא, כו) פיה פתחה בחכמה ותורת חסד על לשונה וכי יש תורה של חסד יש תורה שאינה של חסד אלא תורה לשמה זו היא תורה של חסד שלא לשמה זו היא תורה שאינה של חסד איכא דאמרי תורה ללמדה זו היא תורה של חסד שלא ללמדה זו היא תורה שאינה של חסד:,כמעשהו בחול כו': ואמאי נייתי במקודשת אמר זעירי קסבר אין שיעור למים וכלי שרת מקדשין שלא מדעת | 49b. bjust as its pouring is in sanctity, so too must its burning be in sanctity. From wheremay it bbe inferredthat this is referring to burning? bRavina said: It is derivedby means of a verbal analogy between the term bsanctitywritten with regard to libations and bsanctitywritten with regard to leftover offerings. bIt is written here,with regard to libations: b“In sanctity shall you pour a libation”(Numbers 28:7), band it is written there,with regard to leftover offerings: b“You shall burn the leftovers in fire; they are not to be eaten, for they are sanctity”(Exodus 29:34). Through the verbal analogy it is derived that leftover libations must also be burned.,The Gemara notes: bIn accordance with whoseopinion bis that which is taughtin this mishna? With regard to blibations, initially,prior to being poured, bonecan bmisuse consecrated property with them,as is the case with all consecrated items. However, once bthey descended to the drainpipes, one does notviolate the prohibition against bmisuseof bconsecrated property with them,because the mitzva was already fulfilled. bLet us saythat the mishna bisin accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Elazar bar Tzadok,who holds that the libations did not descend to the depths but would collect between the ramp and the altar and would be collected once every seventy years. bAs, ifit were in accordance with the opinion of bthe Rabbis,how could the libations be misused? bDidn’t theyalready bdescend to the depthsthrough the drainpipes?,The Gemara rejects this: bEvenif byou saythat the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of bthe Rabbis,it could be referring btoa case bwheresome of the wine landed outside the drainpipes and bwas collectedin the space between the ramp and the altar., bAnd some saya different version of this exchange. bLet us saythat the mishna bisin accordance with the opinion of bthe Rabbis and notin accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Elazar bar Tzadok. As, ifit were in accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Elazar,then the wine that collected between the ramp and the altar bremains in its sanctity,as it must be burned, and the prohibition against misuse would still apply. The Gemara rejects this: bEvenif byou saythat the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Elazar, there is no item whose mitzva has been performed with which onecan violate the prohibition against bmisuse of consecrated property. Reish Lakish said: When they pour wine onto the altar, they plugthe top of bthe drainpipesso that the wine does not descend to the depths, in order bto fulfill that which is stated: “In sanctity shall you pour a libation of strong drink [ ishekhar /i] unto the Lord”(Numbers 28:7).,The Gemara asks: bFrom wheremay it bbe inferredthat this is referring to plugging the drainpipes? bRav Pappa said: iShekhar /iis ban expression of drinking, of satiation, of intoxication.In order to underscore all three aspects of the libations, the space between the altar and the ramp would fill with wine. bRav Pappa said: Conclude from this that when a person is satiated fromdrinking bwine,it is bfrom his throatbeing filled with wine that he is bsatiated.Unlike food, wine does not satiate a person when it fills his stomach. bRava said:Therefore, blet a youngTorah bscholar, who does nothave bmuch wine, swallowhis wine binlarge bswigs,filling his throat each time, as he will thereby maximize his enjoyment. And bRavahimself, when drinking ba cup of blessing, would swallowlarge bswigsso as to drink the wine accompanying the mitzva in an optimal manner.,§ Apropos the homiletic interpretations of the verses from Song of Songs with regard to the drainpipes, the Gemara cites additional interpretations. bRava taught: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “How beautiful are your steps in sandals, O prince’s daughter”(Song of Songs 7:2)? bHow beautiful are the feet of the Jewish people at the time when they ascendto Jerusalem bfor the Festival. “O prince’s daughter”;this is referring to bthe daughter of Abraham our Patriarch, who was called prince, as it is stated: “The princes of the peoples are gathered, the people of the God of Abraham”(Psalms 47:10). The verse calls the Jewish people the people of bthe God of Abraham and not the God of Isaac and Jacob.Why are the Jewish people associated specifically with Abraham? bRatherthan referring to the three Patriarchs, the verse is referring to bthe God of Abraham, who was first of the converts,and therefore it is reasonable for the princes of other nations to gather around him.,In bthe school of Rav Ait was btaught: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “The hidden of your thighs”(Song of Songs 7:2)? bWhy are matters of Torah likened to a thigh?It is bto tell youthat bjust asthe bthigh isalways bconcealed,covered by clothes, so btoo, matters of Torahare optimal when recited bin privateand not in public., bAnd this is what Rabbi Elazar said: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “It has been told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord does require of you; only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”(Micah 6:8)? b“To do justly”; this is justice. “To love mercy”; this is acts of kindness. “To walk humbly with your God”; this isreferring to btaking theindigent bdead outfor burial band accompanyinga poor bbride toher bwedding canopy,both of which must be performed without fanfare. The Gemara summarizes: bAnd arethese bmatters notinferred ia fortiori /i? If,with regard to bmatters that tend to be conducted in public,as the multitudes participate in funerals and weddings, bthe Torah says: Walk humbly,then in bmatters that tend to be conducted in private,e.g., giving charity and studying Torah, ball the more soshould they be conducted privately.,§ bRabbi Elazar said: One who performsacts of bcharity is greater thanone who sacrifices balltypes of bofferings, as it is stated: “To perform charity and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than an offering”(Proverbs 21:3), including all types of offerings. bAnd Rabbi Elazar said: Acts of kindness,assisting someone in need, bare greater than charity, as it is stated: “Sow to yourselves according to charity, and reap according to kindness”(Hosea 10:12). This means: bIf a person sows,it is buncertainwhether bhewill beat orwhether bhewill bnot eat,since much can go wrong before the seed becomes food. However, if ba person reaps, he certainly eats.In this verse, charity is likened to sowing, while acts of kindness are likened to reaping., bAnd Rabbi Elazar said:The reward for bcharity is paidfrom Heaven bonly in accordance with the kindnessand generosity included bthereinand in accordance with the effort and the consideration that went into the giving. It is not merely in accordance with the sum of money, bas it is stated: “Sow to yourselves according to charity, and reap according to kindness.” /b, bThe Sages taughtthat bacts of kindness are superior to charity in three respects: Charitycan be performed only bwith one’s money,while bacts of kindnesscan be performed bboth with his person and with his money. Charityis given bto the poor,while bacts of kindnessare performed bboth for the poor and for the rich. Charityis given to the bliving,while bacts of kindnessare performed bboth for the living and for the dead. /b, bAnd Rabbi Elazar said: Anyone who performs charity and justice isconsidered bas though he filled the whole world in its entirety with kindness, as it is stated: “He loves charity and justice; the earth is full of the kindness of the Lord”(Psalms 33:5). bLest you say that anyone who comes to leapand perform an act of kindness may simply bleapand do so without scrutiny, bthe verse states: “How precious is your kindness, O God”(Psalms 36:8). It is a precious and rare occurrence to perform an act of kindness properly. One bmighthave thought that beven a God-fearingindividual does not always encounter the opportunity to perform acts of kindness. Therefore, bthe verse states: “But the kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him”(Psalms 103:17)., bRabbi Ḥama bar Pappa said:With regard to bany person who has grace about him, it is certain that he is God-fearing, as it is stated: “But the kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him.”When one sees that a certain individual is endowed with grace and kindness, one can be certain that he is a God-fearing person. bAnd Rabbi Elazar said: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and a Torah of kindness is on her tongue”(Proverbs 31:26)? The Gemara asks: bIs there, then, a Torah of kindness and a Torah that is not of kindness? Rather,it is bTorahstudied bfor its own sake that is a Torah of kindness,as one studies it wholeheartedly; and it is Torah studied bnot for its own sakebut for some ulterior motive bthat is a Torah that is not of kindness. Some saythat it is bTorahstudied in order bto teach itto others bthat is a Torah of kindness;it is Torah studied bwiththe intent of bnot teaching itto others bthat is a Torah that is not of kindness. /b,§ The mishna continues: bAs its performance during the week,so is its performance on Shabbat, except that on Shabbat one would not draw water. Instead, on Shabbat eve, one would fill a golden barrel that was not consecrated and would place it in the Temple chamber, and water would be drawn from there on Shabbat. The Gemara asks: bAnd whyshould one do so? bLethim bbringthe water bin a consecratedbarrel. bZe’iri said:The itannain the mishna bholds that there is norequisite bmeasure for the waterto be poured for libation, and therefore more than three ilogcould be consecrated; bandthat bTemple vessels consecratetheir content if it is fit to be consecrated, even bwithout intentto consecrate it. |
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33. Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, 72b, 29a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 29a. הרהורי עבירה קשו מעבירה וסימניך ריחא דבישרא שילהי דקייטא קשיא מקייטא וסימניך תנורא שגירא,אישתא דסיתוא קשיא מדקייטא וסימניך תנורא קרירא מיגמר בעתיקתא קשיא מחדתא וסימניך טינא בר טינא,א"ר אבהו מ"ט דרבי דכתיב (תהלים כב, א) למנצח על אילת השחר מה אילה זו קרניה מפצילות לכאן ולכאן אף שחר זה מפציע לכאן ולכאן,א"ר זירא למה נמשלה אסתר לאילה לומר לך מה אילה רחמה צר וחביבה על בעלה כל שעה ושעה כשעה ראשונה אף אסתר היתה חביבה על אחשורוש כל שעה ושעה כשעה ראשונה א"ר אסי למה נמשלה אסתר לשחר לומר לך מה שחר סוף כל הלילה אף אסתר סוף כל הנסים,והא איכא חנוכה ניתנה לכתוב קא אמרינן הניחא למאן דאמר אסתר ניתנה לכתוב אלא למאן דאמר אסתר לא ניתנה לכתוב מאי איכא למימר,מוקים לה כר' בנימין בר יפת אמר ר' אלעזר דאמר רבי בנימין בר יפת אמר רבי אלעזר למה נמשלו תפלתן של צדיקים כאילת לומר לך מה אילה זו כל זמן שמגדלת קרניה מפצילות אף צדיקים כל זמן שמרבין בתפלה תפלתן נשמעת,שחטו את התמיד אימת אילימא בשאר ימות השנה לא סגיא דלאו כהן גדול אלא ביום הכפורים מאור הלבנה מי איכא,הכי קאמר וביום הכפורים כי אמר ברק ברקאי הורידו כ"ג לבית הטבילה,תני אבוה דרבי אבין לא זו בלבד אמרו אלא אף מליקת העוף וקמיצת מנחה בלילה תשרף בשלמא עולת העוף מאי דהוה הוה אלא קומץ | 29a. bThoughts of transgression are worse than transgressionitself, band your mnemonic is the odor of meat.The smell of roasting meat is more appetizing than actually eating the meat. The heat of bthe end of summer is more oppressive than theheat of the bsummeritself, band your mnemonic is a heated oven.After an oven has been heated several times in the course of a day, lighting it again, even slightly, will produce powerful heat. So too, at the end of the summer, since everything is hot, the heat is more oppressive., bA fever inthe bwinter is more powerful thana fever binthe bsummer, and your mnemonic is a cold oven.Heating a cold oven requires greater heat than heating a hot oven. A fever that succeeds in raising the body temperature in the winter must be more powerful than a fever that raises the body temperature in the summer. bRelearning oldmaterial that was known and forgotten bis more difficult than learning from newmaterial. bAnd your mnemonic ismixing bmortar from mortar.It is harder to take hardened mortar, crush it, and mix new mortar than it is to simply mix new mortar.,Apropos moonlight and sunlight discussed previously, bRabbi Abbahu said: What is the rationalefor the statement of bRabbiYehuda HaNasi that sunlight diffuses and in that sense is dissimilar to moonlight? It is bas it is written: “For the leader, about the morning hind”(Psalms 22:1); bjust as the antlers of a hind branch out to here and to there, so too,the light of bdawn diffuses to here and to there. /b,In tractate iMegilla /i, the Gemara states that Queen Esther prophetically recited this Psalm in reference to her situation as she was about to come before King Ahasuerus without being summoned. bRabbi Zeira said: Why is Esther likened to a hind?It is bto tell you: Just asin the case of ba hind its womb is narrow and it is desirable to its mate at each and every hour likeit is at bthe first hour, so too, Esther was desirable to Ahasuerus at each and every hour likeshe was at bthe first hour. Rabbi Asi said: Why was Esther likened to the dawn?It is bto tell you: Just as the dawn is the conclusion of the entire night, so too, Esther was the conclusion of all miraclesperformed for the entire Jewish people.,The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t therethe miracle of bHanukkah,which was performed many years later? The Gemara answers: It is true that additional miracles were performed after the miracle of Purim; however, it is with regard to miracles for which permission bwas granted to writethem in the Bible that bwe are sayingthat the miracle of Purim was the last one. The Gemara asks: bThatworks out bwell according to the one who said:Permission bwas granted to writethe Scroll of bEstherin the Bible as a book whose sanctity equals that of the other books of the Bible. bHowever, according to the one who said:Permission bwas not granted to writethe Scroll of bEstherin the Bible, and its sanctity does not reach the level of the other books of the Bible, bwhat can be said? /b,The Gemara answers: Actually, Purim was not the conclusion of all miracles performed for the entire Jewish people, and the one who holds that permission was not granted for the Scroll of Esther to be written bestablishesthe analogy between Esther and the hind bin accordance withthe statement that bRabbi Binyamin bar Yefetsaid bthat Rabbi Elazar said; as Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet saidthat bRabbi Elazar said: Why are the prayers of the righteous likened to a hind?It is bto tell you: Just aswith regard to ba hind, as long as it grows its antlers theycontinue to bbranch out; so too,with regard to bthe righteous, as long as theyengage bmore in prayer their prayer is heard. /b,§ The mishna relates that as a result of the confusion, bthey slaughtered the daily offeringbefore dawn. The Gemara asks: bWhendid this incident occur? bIf we sayit occurred bduring the rest of the days of the year, is there no alternativeto having the service performed by bthe High Priest?The mishna states that after slaughtering the daily offering, they led the High Priest down to the Hall of Immersion. On all the other days of the year, the High Priest need not perform the service and it may be performed by a common priest. bRather,it must be that this incident occurred bon Yom Kippur,when the service is performed exclusively by the High Priest. However, in that case, bis there moonlight?According to the lunar cycle, the moon never rises in the east adjacent to dawn on Yom Kippur.,The Gemara answers that bthis is whatthe mishna bis saying:The incident occurred during the rest of the year, at which point they instituted that the appointed priest announce the arrival of dawn in the Temple. bAnd on Yom Kippur, whenthe appointed priest bsaid: The light flashed, theyimmediately bled the High Priest down to the Hall of Immersion. /b,Apropos this fundamental ihalakha /i, bthe father of Rabbi Avin taughta ibaraita /i: bNot only this,that a daily offering slaughtered before dawn is disqualified and burned, bdid they say; rather, evenin the case of bthe pinching of theneck of ba bird and the taking of the handful of a meal-offeringthat are performed bat night,these items must bbe burned.The Gemara analyzes the ibaraita /i: bGranted, a birdsacrificed as ba burnt-offeringis disqualified if pinched before dawn; bwhat was, was.The situation can no longer be remedied, and the bird must be burned. bHowever,why should bthe handfulof a meal-offering be burned? |
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34. Anon., Midrash On Song of Songs, 4.12, 7.6
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