1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 28.48 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 28.48. וְעָבַדְתָּ אֶת־אֹיְבֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ יְהוָה בָּךְ בְּרָעָב וּבְצָמָא וּבְעֵירֹם וּבְחֹסֶר כֹּל וְנָתַן עֹל בַּרְזֶל עַל־צַוָּארֶךָ עַד הִשְׁמִידוֹ אֹתָךְ׃ | 28.48. therefore shalt thou serve thine enemy whom the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 19.18, 24.7, 25.2, 25.8 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 19.18. וְהַר סִינַי עָשַׁן כֻּלּוֹ מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו יְהוָה בָּאֵשׁ וַיַּעַל עֲשָׁנוֹ כְּעֶשֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁן וַיֶּחֱרַד כָּל־הָהָר מְאֹד׃ 24.7. וַיִּקַּח סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית וַיִּקְרָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהוָה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע׃ 25.2. וְהָיוּ הַכְּרֻבִים פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה סֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו אֶל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת יִהְיוּ פְּנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים׃ 25.2. דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ־לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִי׃ 25.8. וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם׃ | 19.18. Now mount Sinai was altogether on smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." 24.7. And he took the book of the covet, and read in the hearing of the people; and they said: ‘All that the LORD hath spoken will we do, and obey.’" 25.2. ’Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering; of every man whose heart maketh him willing ye shall take My offering." 25.8. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 26.13 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 26.13. אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִהְיֹת לָהֶם עֲבָדִים וָאֶשְׁבֹּר מֹטֹת עֻלְּכֶם וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם קוֹמְמִיּוּת׃ | 26.13. I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings, 12.4, 12.10 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 12.4. אָבִיךָ הִקְשָׁה אֶת־עֻלֵּנוּ וְאַתָּה עַתָּה הָקֵל מֵעֲבֹדַת אָבִיךָ הַקָּשָׁה וּמֵעֻלּוֹ הַכָּבֵד אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן עָלֵינוּ וְנַעַבְדֶךָּ׃ | 12.4. ’Thy father made our yoke grievous; now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.’" 12.10. And the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto him, saying: ‘Thus shalt thou say unto this people that spoke unto thee, saying: Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou speak unto them: My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 9.4, 14.25, 33.15, 47.6, 58.6 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 9.4. כִּי כָל־סְאוֹן סֹאֵן בְּרַעַשׁ וְשִׂמְלָה מְגוֹלָלָה בְדָמִים וְהָיְתָה לִשְׂרֵפָה מַאֲכֹלֶת אֵשׁ׃ 14.25. לִשְׁבֹּר אַשּׁוּר בְּאַרְצִי וְעַל־הָרַי אֲבוּסֶנּוּ וְסָר מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עֻלּוֹ וְסֻבֳּלוֹ מֵעַל שִׁכְמוֹ יָסוּר׃ 33.15. הֹלֵךְ צְדָקוֹת וְדֹבֵר מֵישָׁרִים מֹאֵס בְּבֶצַע מַעֲשַׁקּוֹת נֹעֵר כַּפָּיו מִתְּמֹךְ בַּשֹּׁחַד אֹטֵם אָזְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹעַ דָּמִים וְעֹצֵם עֵינָיו מֵרְאוֹת בְּרָע׃ 47.6. קָצַפְתִּי עַל־עַמִּי חִלַּלְתִּי נַחֲלָתִי וָאֶתְּנֵם בְּיָדֵךְ לֹא־שַׂמְתְּ לָהֶם רַחֲמִים עַל־זָקֵן הִכְבַּדְתְּ עֻלֵּךְ מְאֹד׃ 58.6. הֲלוֹא זֶה צוֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ פַּתֵּחַ חַרְצֻבּוֹת רֶשַׁע הַתֵּר אֲגֻדּוֹת מוֹטָה וְשַׁלַּח רְצוּצִים חָפְשִׁים וְכָל־מוֹטָה תְּנַתֵּקוּ׃ | 9.4. For every boot stamped with fierceness, and every cloak rolled in blood, shall even be for burning, for fuel of fire." 14.25. That I will break Asshur in My land, And upon My mountains tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, And his burden depart from off their shoulder." 33.15. He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; He that despiseth the gain of oppressions, That shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, That stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, And shutteth his eyes from looking upon evil;" 47.6. I was wroth with My people, I profaned Mine inheritance, And gave them into thy hand; Thou didst show them no mercy; Upon the aged hast thou very heavily Laid thy yoke." 58.6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the fetters of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And that ye break every yoke?" |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 2.20, 5.5 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 5.5. אֵלֲכָה־לִּי אֶל־הַגְּדֹלִים וַאֲדַבְּרָה אוֹתָם כִּי הֵמָּה יָדְעוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה מִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהֵיהֶם אַךְ הֵמָּה יַחְדָּו שָׁבְרוּ עֹל נִתְּקוּ מוֹסֵרוֹת׃ | 2.20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou saidst: ‘I will not transgress’; upon every high hill And under every leafy tree Thou didst recline, playing the harlot." 5.5. I will get me unto the great men, And will speak unto them; For they know the way of the LORD, And the ordice of their God.’ But these had altogether broken the yoke, And burst the bands." |
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7. Hebrew Bible, 2 Chronicles, 10.4 (5th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 10.4. אָבִיךָ הִקְשָׁה אֶת־עֻלֵּנוּ וְעַתָּה הָקֵל מֵעֲבֹדַת אָבִיךָ הַקָּשָׁה וּמֵעֻלּוֹ הַכָּבֵד אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן עָלֵינוּ וְנַעַבְדֶךָּ׃ | 10.4. ’Thy father made our yoke grievous; now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.’" |
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8. Anon., 1 Enoch, 95.6-95.7, 103.11, 103.14-103.15 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 95.6. Woe to you, lying witnesses, And to those who weigh out injustice, For suddenly shall ye perish. 95.7. Woe to you, sinners, for ye persecute the righteous; For ye shall be delivered up and persecuted because of injustice, And heavy shall its yoke be upon you. 103.11. We hoped to be the head and have become the tail: We have toiled laboriously and had no satisfaction in our toil; And we have become the food of the sinners and the unrighteous, And they have laid their yoke heavily upon us. 103.14. And are complained to the rulers in our tribulation, And cried out against those who devoured us, But they did not attend to our cries And would not hearken to our voice. 103.15. And they helped those who robbed us and devoured us and those who made us few; and they concealed their oppression, and they did not remove from us the yoke of those that devoured us and dispersed us and murdered us, and they concealed their murder, and remembered not that they had lifted up their hands against us. |
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9. Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant, 6 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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10. Dead Sea Scrolls, (Cairo Damascus Covenant) Cd-A, 6 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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11. Septuagint, 1 Maccabees, 8.17-8.18, 8.20, 8.22, 8.24, 8.31, 13.41 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 8.17. So Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, son of Accos, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to establish friendship and alliance 8.18. and to free themselves from the yoke; for they saw that the kingdom of the Greeks was completely enslaving Israel. 8.20. Judas, who is also called Maccabeus, and his brothers and the people of the Jews have sent us to you to establish alliance and peace with you, that we may be enrolled as your allies and friends. 8.22. and this is a copy of the letter which they wrote in reply, on bronze tablets, and sent to Jerusalem to remain with them there as a memorial of peace and alliance: 8.24. If war comes first to Rome or to any of their allies in all their dominion 8.31. And concerning the wrongs which King Demetrius is doing to them we have written to him as follows, `Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies the Jews? 13.41. In the one hundred and seventieth year the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel |
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12. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 6.30, 26.7, 28.19-28.20, 30.13, 33.27, 40.1, 51.26 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 26.7. An evil wife is an ox yoke which chafes;taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion. 28.19. Happy is the man who is protected from it,who has not been exposed to its anger,who has not borne its yoke,and has not been bound with its fetters; 30.13. Discipline your son and take pains with him,that you may not be offended by his shamelessness. 33.27. Put him to work, that he may not be idle,for idleness teaches much evil. 40.1. Much labor was created for every man,and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam,from the day they come forth from their mothers womb till the day they return to the mother of all. 40.1. All these were created for the wicked,and on their account the flood came. 51.26. Put your neck under the yoke,and let your souls receive instruction;it is to be found close by. |
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13. Anon., 2 Baruch, 41.3 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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14. Mishnah, Avot, 1.1, 3.2-3.3, 3.6 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1.1. Moses received the torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be patient in [the administration of] justice, raise many disciples and make a fence round the Torah." 3.2. Rabbi Hanina, the vice-high priest said: pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for the fear it inspires, every man would swallow his neighbor alive. R. Haiah ben Teradion said: if two sit together and there are no words of Torah [spoken] between them, then this is a session of scorners, as it is said: “nor sat he in the seat of the scornful…[rather, the teaching of the Lord is his delight]” (Psalms 1:1); but if two sit together and there are words of Torah [spoken] between them, then the Shekhinah abides among them, as it is said: “then they that feared the Lord spoke one with another; and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon His name” (Malachi 3:16). Now I have no [scriptural proof for the presence of the Shekhinah] except [among] two, how [do we know] that even one who sits and studies Torah the Holy One, blessed be He, fixes his reward? As it is said: “though he sit alone and [meditate] in stillness, yet he takes [a reward] unto himself” (Lamentations 3:28)." 3.3. Rabbi Shimon said: if three have eaten at one table and have not spoken there words of Torah, [it is] as if they had eaten sacrifices [offered] to the dead, as it is said, “for all tables are full of filthy vomit, when the All-Present is absent” (Isaiah 28:8). But, if three have eaten at one table, and have spoken there words of Torah, [it is] as if they had eaten at the table of the All-Present, blessed be He, as it is said, “And He said unto me, ‘this is the table before the Lord’” (Ezekiel 41:2." 3.6. Rabbi Halafta of Kefar Haia said: when ten sit together and occupy themselves with Torah, the Shechinah abides among them, as it is said: “God stands in the congregation of God” (Psalm 82:. How do we know that the same is true even of five? As it is said: “This band of His He has established on earth” (Amos 9:6). How do we know that the same is true even of three? As it is said: “In the midst of the judges He judges” (Psalm 82:1) How do we know that the same is true even of two? As it is said: “Then they that fear the Lord spoke one with another, and the Lord hearkened, and heard” (Malachi 3:16). How do we know that the same is true even of one? As it is said: “In every place where I cause my name to be mentioned I will come unto you and bless you” (Exodus 20:21)." |
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15. Mishnah, Berachot, 2.2 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 2.2. These are the breaks between the sections: between the first blessing and the second, between the second and “Shema,” between “Shema” and “And it shall come to pass if you listen” between “And it shall come to pass if you listen” and “And the Lord said” and between “And the Lord said” and “Emet veYatziv” (true and firm). Rabbi Judah says: between “And the Lord said” and “Emet veYatziv” one should not interrupt. Rabbi Joshua ben Korhah said: Why was the section of “Shema” placed before that of “And it shall come to pass if you listen”? So that one should first accept upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and then take upon himself the yoke of the commandments. Why does the section of “And it shall come to pass if you listen” come before that of “And the Lord said”? Because “And it shall come to pass if you listen” is customary during both day and night, whereas [the section] “And the Lord said” is customary only during the day." |
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16. New Testament, Acts, 15.10 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 15.10. Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? |
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17. New Testament, Matthew, 6.33, 7.15, 7.28-7.29, 24.24 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 6.33. But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 7.15. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 7.28. It happened, when Jesus had finished saying these things, that the multitudes were astonished at his teaching 7.29. for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes. 24.24. For there will arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. |
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18. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 6a, 64a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 64a. שנאמר (דברי הימים א כו, ה) פעלתי השמיני וכתיב (דברי הימים א כו, ה) כי ברכו אלהים (דברי הימים א כו, ח) כל אלה [מבני] (ל) עובד אדום המה ובניהם ואחיהם (אנשי) [איש] חיל בכח לעבודה ששים ושנים לעובד אדום,אמר ר' אבין הלוי כל הדוחק את השעה שעה דוחקתו וכל הנדחה מפני השעה שעה נדחת מפניו,מדרבה ורב יוסף דרב יוסף סיני ורבה עוקר הרים אצטריכא להו שעתא שלחו להתם סיני ועוקר הרים איזה מהם קודם שלחו להו סיני קודם שהכל צריכין למרי חטיא אף על פי כן לא קבל עליו ר' יוסף דאמרי ליה כלדאי מלכת תרתין שנין,מלך רבה עשרין ותרתין שנין מלך רב יוסף תרתין שנין ופלגא,כל הנך שני דמלך רבה אפילו אומנא לביתיה לא קרא:,ואמר רבי אבין הלוי מאי דכתיב (תהלים כ, ב) יענך ה' ביום צרה ישגבך שם אלהי יעקב אלהי יעקב ולא אלהי אברהם ויצחק מכאן לבעל הקורה שיכנס בעביה של קורה:,ואמר רבי אבין הלוי כל הנהנה מסעודה שתלמיד חכם שרוי בתוכה כאילו נהנה מזיו שכינה שנאמר (שמות יח, יב) ויבא אהרן וכל זקני ישראל לאכל לחם עם חותן משה לפני האלהים וכי לפני אלהים אכלו והלא לפני משה אכלו,אלא לומר לך כל הנהנה מסעודה שתלמיד חכם שרוי בתוכה כאילו נהנה מזיו שכינה:,ואמר רבי אבין הלוי הנפטר מחברו אל יאמר לו לך בשלום אלא לך לשלום שהרי יתרו שאמר לו למשה (שמות ד, יח) לך לשלום עלה והצליח דוד שאמר לו לאבשלום (שמואל ב טו, ט) לך בשלום הלך ונתלה:,ואמר רבי אבין הלוי הנפטר מן המת אל יאמר לו לך לשלום אלא לך בשלום שנאמר (בראשית טו, טו) ואתה תבא אל אבותיך בשלום:,אמר רבי לוי בר חייא היוצא מבית הכנסת ונכנס לבית המדרש ועוסק בתורה זוכה ומקבל פני שכינה שנאמר (תהלים פד, ח) ילכו מחיל אל חיל יראה אל אלהים בציון.,אמר רבי חייא בר אשי אמר רב תלמידי חכמים אין להם מנוחה לא בעולם הזה ולא בעולם הבא שנאמר ילכו מחיל אל חיל יראה אל אלהים בציון:,אמר רבי אלעזר אמר רבי חנינא תלמידי חכמים מרבים שלום בעולם שנאמר (ישעיהו נד, יג) וכל בניך למודי ה' ורב שלום בניך,אל תקרי בניך אלא בוניך (תהלים קיט, קסה) שלום רב לאוהבי תורתך ואין למו מכשול (תהלים קכב, ז) יהי שלום בחילך שלוה בארמנותיך (תהלים קכב, ח) למען אחי ורעי אדברה נא שלום בך (תהלים קכב, ט) למען בית ה' אלהינו אבקשה טוב לך (תהלים כט, יא) ה' עוז לעמו יתן ה' יברך את עמו בשלום:, br br big strongהדרן עלך הרואה וסליקא לה מסכת ברכות /strong /big br br | |
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19. Babylonian Talmud, Ketuvot, 111b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 111b. שאין בה סמיכה עמידה שיש בה סמיכה נוחה הימנה,וכן אמרו יצחק ושמעון ואושעיא אמרו דבר אחד הלכה כר' יהודה בפרדות דתניא רבי יהודה אומר פרדה שתבעה אין מרביעין עליה לא סוס ולא חמור אלא מינה,אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק יצחק זה רבי יצחק נפחא שמעון זה ר"ש בן פזי ואמרי לה ר"ל אושעיא זה רבי אושעיא ברבי,אמר ר' אלעזר עמי הארצות אינן חיים שנאמר (ישעיהו כו, יד) מתים בל יחיו וגו' תניא נמי הכי מתים בל יחיו יכול לכל ת"ל רפאים בל יקומו במרפה עצמו מדברי תורה הכתוב מדבר,א"ל ר' יוחנן לא ניחא למרייהו דאמרת להו הכי ההוא במרפה עצמו לעבודת כוכבים הוא דכתיב א"ל מקרא אחר אני דורש דכתיב (ישעיהו כו, יט) כי טל אורות טליך וארץ רפאים תפיל כל המשתמש באור תורה אור תורה מחייהו וכל שאין משתמש באור תורה אין אור תורה מחייהו,כיון דחזייה דקמצטער א"ל רבי מצאתי להן תקנה מן התורה (דברים ד, ד) ואתם הדבקים בה' אלהיכם חיים כולכם היום וכי אפשר לדבוקי בשכינה והכתיב (דברים ד, כד) כי ה' אלהיך אש אוכלה,אלא כל המשיא בתו לתלמיד חכם והעושה פרקמטיא לתלמידי חכמים והמהנה תלמידי חכמים מנכסיו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו מדבק בשכינה,כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (דברים ל, כ) לאהבה את ה' אלהיך ולדבקה בו וכי אפשר לאדם לידבק בשכינה אלא כל המשיא בתו לתלמיד חכם והעושה פרקמטיא לתלמידי חכמים והמהנה תלמידי חכמים מנכסיו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו מדבק בשכינה,א"ר חייא בר יוסף עתידין צדיקים שמבצבצין ועולין בירושלים שנאמר (תהלים עב, טז) ויציצו מעיר כעשב הארץ ואין עיר אלא ירושלים שנאמר (מלכים ב יט, לד) וגנותי אל העיר הזאת,וא"ר חייא בר יוסף עתידים צדיקים שיעמדו במלבושיהן ק"ו מחטה מה חטה שנקברה ערומה יוצאה בכמה לבושין צדיקים שנקברו בלבושיהן על אחת כמה וכמה,וא"ר חייא בר יוסף עתידה א"י שתוציא גלוסקאות וכלי מילת שנאמר (תהלים עב, טז) יהי פסת בר בארץ,ת"ר יהי פסת בר בארץ בראש הרים אמרו עתידה חטה שתתמר כדקל ועולה בראש הרים ושמא תאמר יש צער לקוצרה תלמוד לומר (תהלים עב, טז) ירעש כלבנון פריו הקב"ה מביא רוח מבית גנזיו ומנשבה עליה ומשרה את סלתה ואדם יוצא לשדה ומביא מלא פיסת ידו וממנה פרנסתו ופרנסת אנשי ביתו,(דברים לב, יד) עם חלב כליות חטה אמרו עתידה חטה שתהא כשתי כליות של שור הגדול ואל תתמה שהרי שועל קינן בלפת ושקלוהו ומצאו בו ששים ליטרין בליטרא של צפורי,תניא אמר רב יוסף מעשה בשיחין באחד שהניח לו אביו שלשה בדי חרדל ונפשח אחד מהן ונמצאו בו תשעה קבין חרדל ועציו סיככו בו סוכת יוצרין: אמר ר"ש בן תחליפא קלח של כרוב הניח לנו אבא והיינו עולים ויורדים בו בסולם,(דברים לב, יד) ודם ענב תשתה חמר אמרו לא כעולם הזה העולם הבא העולם הזה יש בו צער לבצור ולדרוך העולם הבא מביא ענוה אחת בקרון או בספינה ומניחה בזוית ביתו ומספק הימנה כפטוס גדול ועציו מסיקין תחת התבשיל ואין לך כל ענבה וענבה שאין בה שלשים גרבי יין שנא' (דברים לב, יד) ודם ענב תשתה חמר אל תקרי חמר אלא חומר,כי אתא רב דימי אמר מאי דכתיב (בראשית מט, יא) אוסרי לגפן עירה אין לך כל גפן וגפן שבא"י שאין צריך עיר אחת לבצור (בראשית מט, יא) ולשורקה בני אתונו אין לך כל אילן סרק שבא"י שאינו מוציא משוי שתי אתונות ושמא תאמר אין בו יין ת"ל (בראשית מט, יא) כבס ביין לבושו ושמא תאמר אינו אדום ת"ל ודם ענב תשתה חמר,ושמא תאמר אינו מרוה ת"ל סותה ושמא תאמר אין בו טעם ת"ל חכלילי עינים מיין כל חיך שטועמו אומר לי לי ושמא תאמר לנערים יפה ולזקנים אינו יפה ת"ל ולבן שנים מחלב אל תיקרי לבן שינים אלא לבן שנים,פשטיה דקרא במאי כתיב כי אתא רב דימי אמר אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם רמוז בעיניך דבסים מחמרא ואחוי לי שיניך דבסים מחלבא,מסייע ליה לר' יוחנן דאמר ר' יוחנן טוב המלבין שינים לחבירו יותר ממשקהו חלב שנאמר ולבן שנים מחלב אל תקרי לבן שינים אלא לבון שינים,רב חייא בר אדא מקרי דרדקי דר"ל הוה איפגר תלתא יומי ולא אתא כי אתא א"ל אמאי איפגרת,א"ל דלית אחת הניח לי אבא ובצרתי ממנה יום ראשון ג' מאות אשכולות אשכול לגרב יום שני בצרתי ג' מאות אשכולות שתי אשכולות לגרב יום שלישי בצרתי ממנה ג' מאות אשכולות שלש אשכולות לגרב והפקרתי יותר מחציה א"ל אי לאו דאיפגרת הוה עבדא טפי,רמי בר יחזקאל איקלע לבני ברק חזנהו להנהו עיזי דקאכלן תותי תאיני וקנטיף דובשא מתאיני וחלבא טייף מנייהו ומיערב בהדי הדדי אמר היינו זבת חלב ודבש,א"ר יעקב בן דוסתאי מלוד לאונו שלשה מילין פעם אחת קדמתי בנשף והלכתי עד קרסולי בדבש של תאינים אמר ר"ל לדידי חזי לי זבת חלב ודבש של צפורי והוי שיתסר מילין אשיתסר מילין אמר רבה בר בר חנה לדידי חזי לי זבת חלב ודבש של כל ארץ ישראל | 111b. bwithout support, standing with a support,i.e. an object against which one can lean, bis better than it. /b, bAnd so too,the brothers bsaidto Rabba: bYitzḥak, Shimon, and Oshayaall bsaid the same statement:The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yehuda with regard to female mules. As it is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yehuda says:With regard to ba female mule in heat, onemay bnot mate a horse or a donkey with her,due to the prohibition against crossbreeding of livestock. bRather,one mates her with bone of her kind,another mule., bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said,in explanation of this last statement of Rabba’s brothers: bYitzḥak isto be identified with bRabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa; Shimon is Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi. And some saythat he is bReish Lakish,i.e., Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish. bOshaya is Rabbi Oshaya the Distinguished /b.,§ bRabbi Elazar said: The common, uneducated peoplewill bnotcome balivein the future, bas it is stated: “The dead live not”(Isaiah 26:14). In other words, those who were already considered dead in their lifetimes will not come back to life afterward either. bThisidea bis also taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“The dead live not”;one bmighthave thought that this is referring bto everyone,i.e., none of the dead will live again. Therefore, bthe verse states: “The shades [ irefa’im /i] rise not”(Isaiah 26:14). This teaches that bthe verse is speaking of one who weakens [ imerapeh /i] himself from matters of Torah. /b, bRabbi Yoḥa said toRabbi Elazar: bTheir master,i.e. God, bis not pleased that you say this ofordinary Jews. Rather, bthatverse bis written about one who weakens himselfand succumbs bto idol worship.Those who commit this great sin do not merit to be resurrected in the future. Rabbi Elazar bsaid to him: I teachit from ba different verse, as it is written: “For Your dew is as the dew of light, and the earth shall bring to life the shades”(Isaiah 26:19). Rabbi Elazar explains: bAnyone who uses the light of Torah,which is called the dew of light, bthe light of Torahwill brevive him; and anyone who does not use the light of Torah, the light of Torahwill bnot revive him. /b, bSinceRabbi Elazar bsaw thatRabbi Yoḥa bwas grievedover the distress of common, uneducated people, bhe said to him: My teacher, I have found for them a remedy from the Torahso that they will merit life in the World-to-Come, as it states: b“But You who cleave to the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day”(Deuteronomy 4:4). bBut is it possible to cleave to the Divine Presence? Isn’t it written: For the Lord your God is a devouring fire”(Deuteronomy 4:24)?, bRather,this verse teaches that banyone who marries his daughter to a Torah scholar, and one who conducts business [ iperakmatya /i] on behalf of Torah scholars,by investing their money, band one whoutilizes his wealth bto benefit Torah scholars with his propertyin some other way, bthe verse ascribes himcredit bas though he is cleaving to the Divine Presence. /b, bOn a similar note, you say:The verse states: b“To love the Lord your God,to hearken to His voice, band to cleave to Him”(Deuteronomy 30:20). bBut is it possible for a person to cleave to the Divine Presence? Rather, anyone who marries his daughter to a Torah scholar, and one who conducts business on behalf of Torah scholars, and one whoutilizes his wealth bto benefit Torah scholars with his property, the verse ascribes himcredit bas though he is cleaving to the Divine Presence. /b,§ bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Yosef said: In the future,at the time of the resurrection of the dead, bthe righteous will burst forth and arise in Jerusalem, as it is stated: “And may they blossom out of the city like the grass of the earth”(Psalms 72:16), bandthe term b“city”means bnothing otherthan bJerusalem, as it is stated: “For I will defend this city”(II Kings 19:34)., bAnd Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Yosef said: In the future the righteous will standup from their graves bin their clothes.This is derived by an ia fortiori /iinference bfromthe example of bwheat: Just as wheat, which is buried naked,i.e., the seed alone is planted, and yet it bemergesfrom the ground bwith several layers of garb,including straw and chaff, in the case of bthe righteous, who are buriedfully bclothed, all the more sodo they come out of the ground properly dressed., bAnd Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Yoseffurther bsaid: In the future Eretz Yisrael will produce cakes [ igeluskaot /i] andfine bwool clothing [ imeilat /i]that will grow from the ground, bas it is stated: “Let abundant [ ipissat /i] grain [ ibar /i] be in the land”(Psalms 72:16). The term ipissatis interpreted in a similar manner to iketonet passim /i, Joseph’s valuable clothing of many colors, while ibarcan mean bread.,§ bThe Sages taughtthe following with regard to the verse b“Let abundant [ ipissat /i] grain be in the land upon the top of the mountains”(Psalms 72:16). bThey said: In the future, wheat will rise up, and growtall blike a palm tree, and ascend to the top of the mountains. And lest you saythat if wheat will grow this tall bits reaperwill suffer bdiscomfort, thesame bverse states: “May his fruit rustle like Lebanon.” The Holy One, Blessed be He,will bbring a wind from His treasury and blow across, andthis will thereby binduce the flourto fall from the stalks of wheat, band a person will go out to the field and bring back a palmful [ ipissat /i]of flour, bfrom which he willprovide bhis livelihood and the livelihood of the members of his household. /b,It is stated: b“With the kidney-fat of wheat”(Deuteronomy 32:14). The Sages bsaid: In the future,each and every kernel of bwheat will be asbig as bthe two kidneys of the large ox. And do not be surprisedthat this is possible, bas there wasan incident involving ba fox that nested inside a turnip, and they weighedthis turnip, band they discoveredthat even discounting the space dug out by the fox, bitstill weighed bsixty ilitra /i,as measured bby the ilitraof Tzippori. /b,Similarly, bit is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRav Yosef said:There was ban incidentwhich occurred binthe village of bShiḥin,in Eretz Yisrael, binvolving one whose father had left him three branches of mustard, one of which broke. And they discovered onthis one branch alone bnine ikavof mustard. Andwith the bwood of itslarge branches bthey roofed a booth for artisans.Similarly, bRabbi Shimon ben Taḥlifa said: Father left us a cabbage stalk and we would go up and down on it with a ladder,due to its great height.,§ It is stated: b“And from the blood of the grape you drank foaming wine”(Deuteronomy 32:14). The Sages bsaid: The World-to-Come is not like this world.In bthis world there is sufferinginvolved bin pickinggrapes bandin bpressingthem. By contrast, in the bWorld-to-Comeone will bbring one grape in a wagon or on a boat and set it down in a corner of his house and supply from it enoughto fill baboutthe amount of ba large jug [ ipitus /i], and with its wood one will kindlea fire bunder a cooked dish. And every grape you have will produce no lessthan bthirty full jugs of wine,each with the capacity of a ise’a /i. bAs it is stated: “And from the blood of the grape you drank foaming wine [ iḥamer /i].” Do not readthis term as iḥamer /i; rather,read it as iḥomer /i,which is a measure equaling thirty ise’a /i.,§ bWhen Rav Dimi camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, bhe said: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “Binding his foal to the vine”(Genesis 49:11), which is interpreted as a prophecy for the future? It means that bevery grapevine you have in Eretz Yisrael requires a foal tocarry the load of its bharvest.The verse continues: b“And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine [ isoreka /i].”The Gemara explains: bEvery barren [ iserak /i] tree you have in Eretz Yisrael will producesufficient fruit in the future bto loadupon btwo donkeys. And lest you saythat these trees bdo not contain wine, thesame bverse states: “He washes his garments in wine.” And lest you saythat the wine bis not red, the verse states: “And from the blood of the grape you drank foaming wine”(Deuteronomy 32:14)., bAnd lest you saythat this wine bdoes not inebriatethose who drink it, bthe verse states: “And his vesture [ isuto /i]in the blood of grapes” (Genesis 49:11). This verse indicates that these wines will induce [ imesit /i] a state of drunkenness. bAnd lest you saythat this wine bhas no flavor, the verse states: “His eyes shall be red [ iḥakhlili /i] with wine”(Genesis 49:12). This unusual term is read homiletically as follows: bEach palate [ iḥeikh /i] that tastes it says:This is bfor me, for me [ ili li /i]. And lest you saythat the wine bis good for the young but it is not good for the old, the verse states: “And his teeth white [ ileven shinayim /i] with milk”(Genesis 49:12). bDo not readthis expression as ileven shinayim /i; rather,read it as ileven shanim /i,one of years, i.e., an elderly person.,The Gemara asks: bTo what does the plain meaning ofthe aforementioned bverse refer? When Rav Dimi camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, bhe said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe: Hint with Your eyesa love bthat is sweeter than wine, and show me Your teeththrough a smile bthat is sweeter than milk. /b,The Gemara comments: This interpretation bsupportsthe opinion bof Rabbi Yoḥa. As Rabbi Yoḥa said: One who whitens his teeth to his friendby smiling at him bis better than one who gives him milk to drink, as it is stated: “And his teeth white [ ileven shinayim /i] with milk”(Genesis 49:12). bDo not readthis expression as ileven shinayim /i; rather,read it as ilibbun shinayim /i,the whitening of teeth. Likewise, the phrase: With milk, can be read as: Than milk.,§ The Gemara relates further stories concerning the great bounty of Eretz Yisrael. bRav Ḥiyya bar Adda was a school teacher of Reish Lakish.On one occasion, Rav Ḥiyya bar Adda bwas delayed for three days and did not cometo teach the children. bWhen hefinally bcame,Reish Lakish bsaid to him: Why were you delayed? /b,Rav Ḥiyya bar Adda bsaid to him: Father left me one branchof a grape vine, band I harvested from iton the bfirst day three hundred grape clusters,and each bclusteryielded a quantity of wine enough btofill ba jug.On the bsecond day I harvestedanother bthree hundred grape clusters,and every btwo clustersyielded enough wine btofill ba jug.On bthe third day Ionce again bharvested three hundred grape clusters,and every bthree clustersyielded enough btofill ba jug, and I declared ownerless more than half of it.Reish Lakish bsaid to him: Had you not delayedand thereby disrupted the Torah study of children, each grape cluster bwould have produced morewine. Due to your cancellation of Torah study, each cluster yielded progressively less.,§ bRami bar Yeḥezkel happenedto come bto Benei Berak.He bsaw those goats that were grazing beneath a figtree, band there was honey oozing from the figs and milk dripping fromthe goats, bandthe two liquids bwere mixing together. He said: This isthe meaning of the verse “A land bflowing with milk and honey”(Exodus 3:8)., bRabbi Ya’akov ben Dostai said: There are three imilfrom Lud to Ono. Once I rose early in the morning and I walked in ankle-deep honeyoozing bfrom fig trees. Reish Lakish said: I myself sawa region called: The place bflowing with milk and honey by Tzippori, and it wasan area that covered bsixteen by sixteen imil /i,256 square imil /i. bRabba bar bar Ḥana said: I myself sawthe region bflowing with milk and honey of all Eretz Yisrael, /b |
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20. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, 4b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 4b. בדחטי או בדשערי ברכיכא או באקושא תיקו,א"ר יצחק בר (רב) יוסף א"ר יוחנן כל אחד ואחד בעצמו שיער והאיכא בן עזאי דלא נסיב,איבעית אימא נסיב ופירש הוה ואיבעית אימא מרביה שמיע ליה ואיבעית אימא (תהלים כה, יד) סוד ה' ליראיו,דרש רב עוירא זמנין אמר לה משמיה דרבי אמי וזמנין אמר לה משמיה דרבי אסי כל האוכל לחם בלא נטילת ידים כאילו בא על אשה זונה שנאמר (משלי ו, כו) כי בעד אשה זונה עד ככר לחם,אמר רבא האי בעד אשה זונה עד ככר לחם בעד ככר לחם עד אשה זונה מיבעי ליה אלא אמר רבא כל הבא על אשה זונה לסוף מבקש ככר לחם,א"ר זריקא אמר ר"א כל המזלזל בנטילת ידים נעקר מן העולם אמר רב חייא בר אשי אמר רב מים ראשונים צריך שיגביה ידיו למעלה מים אחרונים צריך שישפיל ידיו למטה תניא נמי הכי הנוטל ידיו צריך שיגביה ידיו למעלה שמא יצאו המים חוץ לפרק ויחזרו ויטמאו את הידים,אמר רבי אבהו כל האוכל פת בלא ניגוב ידים כאילו אוכל לחם טמא שנאמר (יחזקאל ד, יג) ויאמר ה' ככה יאכלו בני ישראל את לחמם טמא וגו',ומאי (משלי ו, כו) ואשת איש נפש יקרה תצוד אמר רבי חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן כל אדם שיש בו גסות הרוח לבסוף נכשל באשת איש שנא' ואשת איש נפש יקרה תצוד,אמר רבא האי נפש יקרה נפש גבוהה מיבעי ליה ועוד היא תצוד מיבעי ליה אלא אמר רבא כל הבא על אשת איש אפילו למד תורה דכתיב בה (משלי ג, טו) יקרה היא מפנינים מכהן גדול שנכנס לפני ולפנים היא תצודנו לדינה של גיהנם,א"ר יוחנן משום ר"ש בן יוחי כל אדם שיש בו גסות הרוח כאילו עובד עבודת כוכבים כתי' הכא (משלי טז, ה) תועבת ה' כל גבה לב וכתיב התם (דברים ז, כו) ולא תביא תועבה אל ביתך,ורבי יוחנן דידיה אמר כאילו כפר בעיקר שנאמר (דברים ח, יד) ורם לבבך ושכחת את ה' אלהיך וגו',ר' חמא בר חנינא אמר כאילו בא על כל העריות כתי' הכא תועבת ה' כל גבה לב וכתי' התם (ויקרא יח, כז) כי את כל התועבות האל וגו',עולא אמר כאילו בנה במה שנאמר (ישעיהו ב, כב) חדלו לכם מן האדם אשר נשמה באפו כי במה נחשב הוא אל תיקרי במה אלא במה,מאי יד ליד לא ינקה אמר רב כל הבא על אשת איש אפי' הקנהו להקב"ה שמים וארץ כאברהם אבינו דכתיב ביה (בראשית יד, כב) הרימותי ידי אל ה' אל עליון קונה שמים וארץ לא ינקה מדינה של גיהנם,קשיא להו לדבי רבי שילא האי יד ליד לא ינקה ידי מיבעי ליה,אלא אמרי דבי רבי שילא אפילו קיבל תורה כמשה רבינו דכתיב ביה (דברים לג, ב) מימינו אש דת למו לא ינקה מדינה של גיהנם,קשיא ליה לר' יוחנן האי יד ליד יד מיד מיבעיא ליה,אלא א"ר יוחנן | 4b. Is this speaking of a case bwherethe loaf is made bof wheat,which is slippery and takes longer to remove, boris this speaking of a case bwherethe loaf is made bof barley,which is easily removed? Is this speaking of a case bwherethe loaf is bsoft,so that it may catch upon the side of the basket, bora case bwherethe loaf is bhard,where this is not a concern? The Gemara states: These questions bshall standunresolved.,The Gemara notes: bRav Yitzḥak bar Rav Yosef saysthat bRabbi Yoḥa says: Each and every oneof these Sages who presented an opinion with regard to the time needed for the initial stage of intercourse bestimated based on himself,i.e., based on his own experience. The Gemara asks: bBut there is ben Azzai, who did not marry,so how could he estimate based on his own experience?,The Gemara answers: bIf you wish, saythat bhe was married and separatedfrom his wife. bAnd if you wish, saythat bhe heard from his teacher. And if you wish, sayhis knowledge can be understood based on the verse: b“The counsel of the Lord is with them that fear Him”(Psalms 25:14), teaching that those who fear God are privy to knowledge beyond their personal experience.,§ Having quoted an allusion from the verse: “For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread” (Proverbs 6:26), the Gemara offers another interpretation of that verse. bRav Avira interpreteda verse bhomiletically;there were btimes he saidthis interpretation bin the name of Rabbi Ami andthere were btimes he said it in the name of Rabbi Asi:Concerning banyone who eats bread without washinghis bhands,it is bas ifhe bengaged in sexual intercourse with a prostitute, as it is stated: “For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread.” /b, bRava said: Thisphrase: b“For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread,”is not how the verse would present this idea. bIt should havestated: b“On account of a loaf a man is brought to a harlot.” Rather, Rava saysthe verse should be interpreted as follows: bAnyone who engages in sexual intercourse with a harlotwill beventuallybe reduced to poverty and bbegpeople for ba loaf of bread. /b,The Gemara continues its discussion of washing hands. bRabbi Zerika saysthat bRabbi Elazar says: Anyone who treatsthe ritual of bwashing hands with contempt is uprooted from the world. Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi saysthat bRav says:With regard to the bfirst water,i.e., the water used when washing one’s hands before a meal, one bmust raise his hands upwardafter washing. With regard to the blast water,i.e., the water used when washing one’s hands at the conclusion of the meal before reciting Grace after Meals, one bmust lower his hands downward. Thisdistinction bis also taughtin a ibaraita( iTosefta /i, iYadayim2:2): bOne who washes his handsbefore a meal bmust raise his hands upwardafter washing, blest the water advance past the jointonto the part of the hands that he was not required to wash, becoming impure, bandthen breturnto the area he had washed, brenderinghis bhands ritually impure. /b, bRabbi Abbahu says: Anyone who eats bread without wipinghis bhandsdry after washing them causes the bread to become repulsive and is considered bas if he were eating impure bread,since the verse refers to repulsive bread as impure bread, bas it is stated: “And the Lord said: Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread uncleanamong the nations where I will drive them” (Ezekiel 4:13). Eating bread with wet hands causes the bread to become repulsive. The verse deems eating in an uncouth manner, as did the gentiles among whom the Jewish people were exiled, as akin to eating ritually impure bread.,§ The Gemara now continues the interpretation of the above quoted verse: “For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread” (Proverbs 6:26). The Gemara asks: bAnd whatis the meaning of the continuation of the verse: b“But the adulteress hunts for the precious life”? Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saysthat bRabbi Yoḥa says: Any person who has arrogance within him will eventually stumbleby sinning bwith an adulteress, as it is stated: “But the adulteress hunts for the precious life,”i.e., she sins with one who considers himself precious., bRava said: Thisphrase: b“The precious life,”is not how the verse would present this idea. bIt should havestated: bAn arrogant life. And further, it should havestated: A precious life, bshe huntsfor the adulteress, indicating that the precious soul will entrap the adulteress, and not vice versa, as the verse indicates as written. bRather, Rava saysthat the verse should be interpreted as follows: bAnyone who engages in sexual intercourse with an adulteress, evenif that man bstudied Torah, about which it is written: “She is more precious than rubies [ ipeninim /i]”(Proverbs 3:15), which, based on its etymological connection with the Hebrew term for the Holy of Holies, ilifnai velifnim /i, is interpreted by the Sages to mean that one who studies Torah is more precious bthan a High Priest, who enters the innermost sanctum,still, bthistransgression of adultery bwill entrap him into the judgment of Gehenna,and the Torah he studied will not be able to save him., bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: Any person who has arrogance within himis considered bas if he were an idol worshipper,as bit is written here: “Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord”(Proverbs 16:5), band it is written thereconcerning the destruction of idols: b“And you shall not bring an abomination into your house”(Deuteronomy 7:26)., bAnd Rabbi Yoḥa said his ownstatement: Any person who has arrogance within him is considered bas if he has denied the corebelief in God’s existence, bas it is stated: “Then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God”(Deuteronomy 8:14)., bRabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina says:Any person who has arrogance within him is considered bas if he engaged in sexual intercourse with allof bthose with whom relations are forbidden,as bit is written here: “Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord”(Proverbs 16:5), band it is written there,at the end of the passage concerning forbidden sexual relationships: b“For all these abominationshave the men of the land done” (Leviticus 18:27)., bUlla says:Any person who has arrogance within him is considered bas if he builta personal baltarfor idol worship, bas it is stated: “Cease you from man, in whose nostrils there is breath, for how little [ ibammeh /i] is he to be accounted”(Isaiah 2:22), referring to an arrogant person. bDo not readthe verse basit is written, ibammeh /i,how little. bRather,read it as ibama /i,altar.,Having interpreted the phrase: “Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 16:5), the Gemara interprets the continuation of the verse. bWhatis the meaning of: b“Hand to hand, he shall not be unpunished”(Proverbs 16:5)? bRav says: Anyone who engages in sexual intercourse with an adulteress, evenif bhewere to have battributed possession of heaven and earth to the Holy One, Blessed be He, just as Abraham our forefatherdid, bthat it is written with regard to him: “I have lifted up my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth”(Genesis 14:22), bhe will not be unpunished from the judgment of Gehenna.Abraham is described as one whose hands were lifted to declare the glory of God, yet this verse declares that even if one who engaged in forbidden sexual intercourse were to use his hands in the same way, still, due to his sin, the verse says: “He shall not be unpunished.”,This interpretation bposes a difficulty tothe Sages of bthe school of Rabbi Sheila: Thisphrase: b“Hand to hand, he shall not be unpunished,”is not how the verse would present this idea. bIt should havestated: bMy hand,as that is the term employed in the verse with regard to Abraham., bRather,the Sages bof the school of Rabbi Sheila say:This teaches that bevenif one who engages in sexual intercourse with an adulteress had breceived the Torahfrom the hand of God blike Moses our teacherdid, bthat it is written with regard to him: “At His right hand was a fiery law unto them”(Deuteronomy 33:2), i.e., God gave the Torah from His right hand into the hand of Moses in order to give to the Jewish people, the sinner bwill not be unpunished from the judgment of Gehenna. /b, bThisinterpretation also bposes a difficulty to Rabbi Yoḥa: Thisphrase “ bhand to hand”is not how the verse would present this idea. bIt should havestated: bHand from hand,as that is the term employed in the verse with regard to Moses., bRather Rabbi Yoḥa says: /b |
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21. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, 53a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 53a. אשה היתה בוררת חטים לאור של בית השואבה:,חסידים ואנשי מעשה כו': ת"ר יש מהן אומרים אשרי ילדותנו שלא ביישה את זקנותנו אלו חסידים ואנשי מעשה ויש מהן אומרים אשרי זקנותנו שכפרה את ילדותנו אלו בעלי תשובה אלו ואלו אומרים אשרי מי שלא חטא ומי שחטא ישוב וימחול לו,תניא אמרו עליו על הלל הזקן כשהיה שמח בשמחת בית השואבה אמר כן אם אני כאן הכל כאן ואם איני כאן מי כאן הוא היה אומר כן למקום שאני אוהב שם רגלי מוליכות אותי אם תבא אל ביתי אני אבא אל ביתך אם אתה לא תבא אל ביתי אני לא אבא אל ביתך שנאמר (שמות כ, כד) בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי אבא אליך וברכתיך,אף הוא ראה גלגולת אחת שצפה על פני המים אמר לה על דאטפת אטפוך ומטיפיך יטופון אמר רבי יוחנן רגלוהי דבר איניש אינון ערבין ביה לאתר דמיתבעי תמן מובילין יתיה,הנהו תרתי כושאי דהוו קיימי קמי שלמה (מלכים א ד, ג) אליחרף ואחיה בני שישא סופרים דשלמה הוו יומא חד חזייה למלאך המות דהוה קא עציב א"ל אמאי עציבת א"ל דקא בעו מינאי הני תרתי כושאי דיתבי הכא מסרינהו לשעירים שדרינהו למחוזא דלוז כי מטו למחוזא דלוז שכיבו,למחר חזיא מלאך המות דהוה קבדח א"ל אמאי בדיחת א"ל באתר דבעו מינאי תמן שדרתינהו מיד פתח שלמה ואמר רגלוהי דבר איניש אינון ערבין ביה לאתר דמיתבעי תמן מובילין יתיה,תניא אמרו עליו על רבן שמעון בן גמליאל כשהיה שמח שמחת בית השואבה היה נוטל שמנה אבוקות של אור וזורק אחת ונוטל אחת ואין נוגעות זו בזו וכשהוא משתחוה נועץ שני גודליו בארץ ושוחה ונושק את הרצפה וזוקף ואין כל בריה יכולה לעשות כן וזו היא קידה,לוי אחוי קידה קמיה דרבי ואיטלע והא גרמא ליה והאמר רבי אלעזר לעולם אל יטיח אדם דברים כלפי מעלה שהרי אדם גדול הטיח דברים כלפי מעלה ואיטלע ומנו לוי הא והא גרמא ליה,לוי הוה מטייל קמיה דרבי בתמני סכיני שמואל קמיה שבור מלכא בתמניא מזגי חמרא אביי קמיה (דרבא) בתמניא ביעי ואמרי לה בארבעה ביעי,תניא אמר ר' יהושע בן חנניה כשהיינו שמחים שמחת בית השואבה לא ראינו שינה בעינינו כיצד שעה ראשונה תמיד של שחר משם לתפלה משם לקרבן מוסף משם לתפלת המוספין משם לבית המדרש משם לאכילה ושתיה משם לתפלת המנחה משם לתמיד של בין הערבים מכאן ואילך לשמחת בית השואבה,איני והאמר רבי יוחנן שבועה שלא אישן שלשה ימים מלקין אותו וישן לאלתר אלא הכי קאמר לא טעמנו טעם שינה דהוו מנמנמי אכתפא דהדדי:,חמש עשרה מעלות: אמר ליה רב חסדא לההוא מדרבנן דהוי קמסדר אגדתא קמיה א"ל שמיע לך הני חמש עשרה מעלות כנגד מי אמרם דוד א"ל הכי אמר רבי יוחנן בשעה שכרה דוד שיתין קפא תהומא ובעי למשטפא עלמא אמר דוד חמש עשרה מעלות והורידן אי הכי חמש עשרה מעלות יורדות מיבעי ליה,אמר ליה הואיל ואדכרתן (מלתא) הכי אתמר בשעה שכרה דוד שיתין קפא תהומא ובעא למשטפא עלמא אמר דוד מי איכא דידע אי שרי למכתב שם | 53a. It was so bright that ba woman wouldbe able to bsort wheat by the light of theCelebration of the bPlace of the Drawingof the Water.,§ The mishna continues: bThe pious and the men of actionwould dance before the people who attended the celebration. bThe Sages taughtin the iToseftathat bsome of them would sayin their song praising God: bHappy is our youth,as we did not sin then, bthat did not embarrass our old age. These are the pious and the men of action,who spent all their lives engaged in Torah and mitzvot. bAnd some would say: Happy is our old age, that atoned for our youthwhen we sinned. bThese are the penitents.Both bthese and those say: Happy is he who did not sin; and he who sinned should repent andGod bwill absolve him. /b, bIt is taughtin the iTosefta /i: bThey said about Hillel the Elder that when he was rejoicing at the Celebration of the Place of the Drawingof the Water bhe said this: If I am here, everyone is here; and if I am not here, who is here?In other words, one must consider himself as the one upon whom it is incumbent to fulfill obligations, and he must not rely on others to do so. bHe wouldalso bsay this: To the place that I love, there my feet take me,and therefore, I come to the Temple. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: bIf you come to My house, I will come to your house; if you do not come to My house, I will not come to your house, as it is stated: “In every place that I cause My name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you”(Exodus 20:21).,The Gemara cites another statement of Hillel the Elder. bAdditionally, he saw one skull that was floating on the waterand bhe said to it: Because you drownedothers, bthey drowned you, and those that drowned you will be drowned.That is the way of the world; everyone is punished measure for measure. Apropos following one’s feet, bRabbi Yoḥa said: The feet of a person are responsible for him; to the place where he is in demand, there they lead him. /b,The Gemara relates with regard to bthese two Cushites who would stand before Solomon: “Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha”(I Kings 4:3), and bthey were scribes of Solomon. One daySolomon bsaw that the Angel of Death was sad. He said to him: Why are you sad? He said to him: They are asking meto take the lives of bthese two Cushites who are sitting here.Solomon bhanded them to the demonsin his service, band sent them to the district of Luz,where the Angel of Death has no dominion. bWhen they arrived at the district of Luz, they died. /b, bThe following day,Solomon bsaw that the Angel of Death was happy. He said to him: Why are you happy? He replied: In the place that they asked meto take them, bthere you sent them.The Angel of Death was instructed to take their lives in the district of Luz. Since they resided in Solomon’s palace and never went to Luz, he was unable to complete his mission. That saddened him. Ultimately, Solomon dispatched them to Luz, enabling the angel to accomplish his mission. That pleased him. bImmediately, Solomon beganto speak band said: The feet of a person are responsible for him; to the place where he is in demand, there they lead him. /b,§ bIt is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bThey said about Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel that when he would rejoice at the Celebration of the Place of the Drawingof the Water, bhe would take eight flaming torches and toss one and catch another,juggling them, band,though all were in the air at the same time, bthey would not touch each other. And when he would prostrate himself, he would insert his two thumbs into the ground, and bow, and kiss the floorof the courtyard band straighten, andthere was bnot anyother bcreaturethat bcould do thatdue to the extreme difficulty involved. bAnd this was theform of bowing called ikidda /iperformed by the High Priest.,The Gemara relates: bLevi demonstrated a ikiddabefore RabbiYehuda HaNasi and strained his thigh band came up lame.The Gemara asks: bAnd is that what caused himto be lame? bBut didn’t Rabbi Elazar say: One should never speak impertinently towardGod babove; as a great persononce bspoke impertinently towardGod babove,and even though his prayers were answered, he was still punished band came up lame. And whowas this great person? It was bLevi.Apparently his condition was not caused by his bow. The Gemara answers: There is no contradiction. Both bthis and that caused himto come up lame; because he spoke impertinently toward God, he therefore was injured when exerting himself in demonstrating ikidda /i.,Apropos the rejoicing of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel at the Celebration of the Place of the Drawing of the Water, the Gemara recounts: bLevi would walk before RabbiYehuda HaNasi juggling bwith eight knives. Shmuelwould juggle bbefore King Shapur with eight glasses of winewithout spilling. bAbayewould juggle bbefore Rabba with eight eggs. Some sayhe did so bwith four eggs.All these were cited., bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥaya said: When we would rejoicein bthe Celebration of the Place of the Drawingof the Water, bwe did not see sleep in our eyesthe entire Festival. bHow so?In the bfirst hourof the day, bthe daily morning offeringwas sacrificed and everyone came to watch. bFrom therethey proceeded btoengage in bprayerin the synagogue; bfrom there, towatch the sacrifice of bthe additional offerings; from there,to the synagogue btorecite bthe additional prayer. From therethey would proceed bto the study hallto study Torah; bfrom there to the eating and drinkingin the isukka /i; bfrom there to the afternoon prayer. From therethey would proceed bto the daily afternoon offeringin the Temple. bFrom thispoint bforward,they proceeded bto the Celebration of the Place of the Drawingof the Water.,The Gemara wonders: bIs that so? But didn’t Rabbi Yoḥa say:One who took ban oath that I will not sleep three days, one flogs himimmediately for taking an oath in vain, band hemay bsleep immediatelybecause it is impossible to stay awake for three days uninterrupted. bRather, this is whatRabbi Yehoshua bis saying: We did not experience the sense ofactual bsleep, because they wouldmerely bdoze on each other’s shoulders.In any case, they were not actually awake for the entire week.,§ The mishna continues: The musicians would stand on the bfifteen stairsthat descend from the Israelites’ courtyard to the Women’s Courtyard, corresponding to the fifteen Songs of the Ascents in Psalms. bRav Ḥisda said to one of the Sages who was organizing iaggadabefore him: Did you hearwith regard to bthese fifteenSongs of bAscentsin Psalms, bcorresponding to what did David say them? He said to himthat bthisis what bRabbi Yoḥa said: At the time that David dug the drainpipesin the foundation of the Temple, the waters of bthe depths rose and sought to inundate the world.Immediately, bDavid recited the fifteenSongs of the bAscents and caused them to subside.Rav Ḥisda asked: bIf so,should they be called bfifteenSongs of the bAscents? They should have beencalled Songs of the bDescents. /b,Rav Ḥisda continued and bsaid to him: Since you reminded meof this bmatter, this iswhat bwasoriginally bstated: At the time that David dug the drainpipes,the waters of bthe depths rose and sought to inundate the world. David said: Is there anyone who knows whether it is permitted to write thesacred bname /b |
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22. Anon., Exodus Rabbah, 33.1 (4th cent. CE - 9th cent. CE)
| 33.1. וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (משלי ד, ב): כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ, אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ אֶת הַמִּקָּח שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָכֶם, יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁלּוֹקֵחַ מִקָּח, יֵשׁ בּוֹ זָהָב אֵין בּוֹ כֶסֶף, יֵשׁ בּוֹ כֶסֶף אֵין בּוֹ זָהָב, אֲבָל הַמִּקָּח שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָכֶם יֵשׁ בּוֹ כֶסֶף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יב, ז): אִמְרוֹת ה' אֲמָרוֹת טְהֹרוֹת כֶּסֶף צָרוּף. יֵשׁ בּוֹ זָהָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יט, יא): הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפָּז רָב. יֵשׁ אָדָם לוֹקֵחַ שָׂדוֹת אֲבָל לֹא כְרָמִים, כְּרָמִים וְלֹא שָׂדוֹת, אֲבָל הַמִּקָּח הַזֶּה יֵשׁ בּוֹ שָׂדוֹת וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ כְּרָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד, יג): שְׁלָחַיִךְ פַּרְדֵּס רִמּוֹנִים. יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם לוֹקֵחַ מִקָּח וּבְנֵי אָדָם אֵינָן יוֹדְעִין מַהוּ, אֲבָל מִשְֹּׂכַר הַסַּרְסוּר נִתְוַדַּע מַה לָּקַח. כָּךְ הַתּוֹרָה אֵין אָדָם יוֹדֵעַ מַה הִיא, אֶלָּא מִשָֹּׂכָר שֶׁלָּקַח משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כט): וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו בְּדַבְּרוֹ אִתּוֹ. וְיֵשׁ לְךָ מִקָּח שֶׁמִּי שֶׁמְּכָרוֹ נִמְכָּר עִמּוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מָכַרְתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי, כִּבְיָכוֹל נִמְכַּרְתִּי עִמָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בַּת יְחִידָה, בָּא אֶחָד מִן הַמְּלָכִים וּנְטָלָהּ, בִּקֵּשׁ לֵילֵךְ לוֹ לְאַרְצוֹ וְלִטֹּל לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: בִּתִּי שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ יְחִידִית הִיא, לִפְרשׁ מִמֶּנָּה אֵינִי יָכוֹל, לוֹמַר לְךָ אַל תִּטְלָהּ אֵינִי יָכוֹל לְפִי שֶׁהִיא אִשְׁתֶּךָ, אֶלָּא, זוֹ טוֹבָה עֲשֵׂה לִי, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ קִיטוֹן אֶחָד עֲשֵׂה לִי, שֶׁאָדוּר אֶצְלְכֶם, שֶׁאֵינִי יָכוֹל לְהַנִּיחַ אֶת בִּתִּי. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, לִפְרשׁ הֵימֶנָּה אֵינִי יָכוֹל, לוֹמַר לָכֶם אַל תִּטְלוּהָ אֵינִי יָכוֹל, אֶלָּא בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים בַּיִת אֶחָד עֲשׂוּ לִי שֶׁאָדוּר בְּתוֹכוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כה, ח): וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ. | |
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