1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 1.39 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.39. וְטַפְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם לָבַז יִהְיֶה וּבְנֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדְעוּ הַיּוֹם טוֹב וָרָע הֵמָּה יָבֹאוּ שָׁמָּה וְלָהֶם אֶתְּנֶנָּה וְהֵם יִירָשׁוּהָּ׃ | 1.39. Moreover your little ones, that ye said should be a prey, and your children, that this day have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 2.9 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.9. וַיַּצְמַח יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים מִן־הָאֲדָמָה כָּל־עֵץ נֶחְמָד לְמַרְאֶה וְטוֹב לְמַאֲכָל וְעֵץ הַחַיִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן וְעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע׃ | 2.9. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 18.19 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 18.19. וְאֶל־אִשָּׁה בְּנִדַּת טֻמְאָתָהּ לֹא תִקְרַב לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָתָהּ׃ | 18.19. And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 31.17 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 31.17. וְעַתָּה הִרְגוּ כָל־זָכָר בַּטָּף וְכָל־אִשָּׁה יֹדַעַת אִישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר הֲרֹגוּ׃ | 31.17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 31.10 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 31.10. A woman of valour who can find? For her price is far above rubies." |
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6. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 7.15-7.16 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 7.15. חֶמְאָה וּדְבַשׁ יֹאכֵל לְדַעְתּוֹ מָאוֹס בָּרָע וּבָחוֹר בַּטּוֹב׃ 7.16. כִּי בְּטֶרֶם יֵדַע הַנַּעַר מָאֹס בָּרָע וּבָחֹר בַּטּוֹב תֵּעָזֵב הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה קָץ מִפְּנֵי שְׁנֵי מְלָכֶיהָ׃ | 7.15. Curd and honey shall he eat, when he knoweth to refuse the evil, and choose the good." 7.16. Yea, before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land whose two kings thou hast a horror of shall be forsaken." |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 29.10 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 29.10. For thus saith the LORD: After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will remember you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place." |
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8. Xenophon, Memoirs, 2.2.4-2.2.5 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 2.2.4. of course you don’t suppose that lust provokes men to beget children, when the streets and the stews are full of means to satisfy that? We obviously select for wives the women who will bear us the best children, and then marry them to raise a family. 2.2.5. The man supports the woman who is to share with him the duty of parentage and provides for the expected children whatever he thinks will contribute to their benefit in life, and accumulates as much of it as he can. The woman conceives and bears her burden in travail, risking her life, and giving of her own food; and, with much labour, having endured to the end and brought forth her child, she rears and cares for it, although she has not received any good thing, and the babe neither recognises its benefactress nor can make its wants known to her: still she guesses what is good for it and what it likes, and seeks to supply these things, and rears it for a long season, enduring toil day and night, nothing knowing what return she will get. |
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9. Cicero, On Old Age, 7 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
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10. Philo of Alexandria, On The Decalogue, 114-118, 113 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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11. Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, 1.2-1.3, 6.1, 21.6, 55.3 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.2. τίς γὰρ παρεπιδημήσας πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὴν πανάρετον καὶ βεβαίαν ὑμῶν πίστιν οὐκ ἐδοκίμασεν; τήν τε σώφρονα καὶ ἐπιεικῆ ἐν Χριστῷ εὐσέβειαν οὐκ ἐθαύμασεν; καὶ τὸ μεγαλοπρεπὲς τῆς φιλοξενίας ὑμῶν ἦθος οὐκ ἐκήρυξεν; καὶ τὴν τελείαν καὶ ἀσφαλῆ γνῶσιν οὐκ ἐμακάρισεν; 1.3. ἀπροσωπολήμπτως γὰρ πάντα ἐποιεῖτε καὶ ἐν τοῖς νομίμοις τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπορεύεσθε, ὑποτασσόμενοι τοῖς ἡγουμένοις ὑμῶν, καὶ τιμὴν τὴν καθήκουσαν ἀπονέμοντες τοῖς παῤ ὑμῖν πρεσβυτέροις: νέοις τε μέτρια καὶ σεμνὰ νοεῖν ἐπετρέπετε: γυναιξίν τε ἐν ἀμώμῳ καὶ σεμνῇ καὶ ἁγνῇ συνειδήσει πάντα ἐπιτελεῖν παρηγγέλλετε, στεργούσας καθηκόντως τοὺς ἄνδρας ἑαυτῶν: ἔν τε τῷ κανόνι τῆς ὑποταγῆς ὑπαρχούσας τὰ κατὰ τὸν οἶκον σεμνῶς οἰκουργεῖν ἐδιδάσκετε, πάνυ σωφρονούσας. 6.1. Τούτοις τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ὁσίως πολιτευσαμένοις συνηθροίσθη πολὺ πλῆθος ἐκλεκτῶν, οἵτινες πολλαῖς αἰκίαις καὶ βασάνοις LK perhaps imply polla\s ai)ki/as kai\ basa/noui. διὰ ζῆλος παθόντες ὑπόδειγμα κάλλιστον ἐγένοντο ἐν ἡμῖν. 21.6. τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, οὗ τὸ αἷμα ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη, ἐντραπῶμεν, τοὺς προηγουμένους ἡμῶν αἰδεσθῶμεν, τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τιμήσωμεν, τοὺς νέους παιδεύσωμεν τὴν παιδείαν τοῦ φόβου τοῦ θεοῦ, τὰς γυναῖκας ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν διορθωσώμεθα. 55.3. πολλαὶ γυναῖκες ἐνδυναμωθεῖσαι διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Judith 8 ff θεοῦ ἐπετελέσαντο πολλὰ ἀνδρεῖα. | |
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12. Ignatius, To Polycarp, 2.3 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 2.3. The season requireth thee, as pilots require winds or as a storm-tossed mariner a haven, that it may attain unto God. Be sober, as God's athlete. The prize is incorruption and life eternal, concerning which thou also art persuaded. In all things I am devoted to thee -- I and my bonds which thou didst cherish. |
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13. Ignatius, To The Ephesians, 1.2, 11.2, 12.1-12.2, 21.2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 1.2. for when ye heard that I was on my way from Syria, in bonds for the sake of the common Name and hope, and was hoping through your prayers to succeed in fighting with wild beasts in Rome, that by so succeeding I might have power to be a disciple, ye were eager to visit me: -- 11.2. Let nothing glitter in your eyes apart from Him, in whom I carry about my bonds, my spiritual pearls in which I would fain rise again through your prayer, whereof may it be my lot to be always a partaker, that I may be found in the company of those Christians of Ephesus who moreover were ever of one mind with the Apostles in the power of Jesus Christ. 12.1. I know who I am and to whom I write. I am a convict, ye have received mercy: I am in peril, ye are established. 12.2. Ye are the high-road of those that are on their way to die unto God. Ye are associates in the mysteries with Paul, who was sanctified, who obtained a good report, who is worthy of all felicitation; in whose foot-steps I would fain be found treading, when I shall attain unto God; who in every letter maketh mention of you in Christ Jesus. 21.2. Pray for the church which is in Syria, whence I am led a prisoner to Rome -- I who am the very last of the faithful there; according as I was counted worthy to be found unto the honour of God. Fare ye well in God the Father and in Jesus Christ our common hope. |
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14. Ignatius, To The Magnesians, 1.2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 1.2. For being counted worthy to bear a most godly name, in these bonds, which I carry about, I sing the praise of the churches; and I pray that there may be in them union of the flesh and of the spirit which are Jesus Christ's, our never-failing life -- an union of faith and of love which is preferred before all things, and -- what is more than all -- an union with Jesus and with the Father; in whom if we endure patiently all the despite of the prince of this world and escape therefrom, we shall attain unto God. |
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15. Ignatius, To The Romans, 5.1, 9.2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 5.1. From Syria even unto Rome I fight with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards, even a company of soldiers, who only wax worse when they are kindly treated. Howbeit through their wrong doings I become more completely a disciple; yet am I not hereby justified. 9.2. But for myself I am ashamed to be called one of them; for neither am I worthy, being the very last of them and an untimely birth: but I have found mercy that I should be some one, if so be I shall attain unto God. |
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16. Ignatius, To The Smyrnaeans, 10.2, 11.1 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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17. Ignatius, To The Trallians, 10.1, 12.2, 13.1 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 10.1. But if it were as certain persons who are godless, that is unbelievers, say, that He suffered only in semblance, being themselves mere semblance, why am I in bonds? And why also do I desire to fight with wild beasts? So I die in vain. Truly then I lie against the Lord. 12.2. My bonds exhort you, which for Jesus Christ's sake I bear about, entreating that I may attain unto God; abide ye in your concord and in prayer one with another. For it becometh you severally, and more especially the presbyters, to cheer the soul of your bishop unto the honour of the Father [and to the honour] of Jesus Christ and of the Apostles. 13.1. The love of the Smyrnaeans and Ephesians saluteth you. Remember in your prayers the church which is in Syria; whereof [also] I am not worthy to be called a member, being the very last of them. |
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18. Mishnah, Sanhedrin, 7.6 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 7.6. He who engages in idol-worship [is executed]. This includes the one whoserves it, sacrifices, offers incense, makes libations, bows to it, accepts it as a god, or says to it, “You are my god.” But he who embraces, kisses it, sweeps or sprinkles the ground before it, washes it, anoints it, clothes it, or puts shoes on it, he transgresses a negative commandment [but is not executed]. He who vows or swears by its name, violates a negative commandment. He who uncovers himself before Baal-Peor [is guilty and is to be stoned for] this is how it is worshipped. He who casts a stone on Merculis [is guilty and is to be stoned for] this is how it is worshipped." |
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19. Mishnah, Sotah, 6.2 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 6.2. If one witness said, “I saw that she was defiled”, she does not drink the water. Not only that, but even a slave, male or female, is believed even to disqualify her from receiving her ketubah. Her mother-in-law, her mother-in-law’s daughter, her rival wife, her sister-in-law, and the daughter of her husband are believed, not to disqualify her from receiving her ketubah, but that she should not drink." |
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20. New Testament, 1 Peter, 3.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.1. In like manner, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don't obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word; |
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21. New Testament, 1 Corinthians, 1.1, 7.8-7.40, 14.34-14.35, 15.8, 15.32 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the willof God, and our brother Sosthenes 7.8. But I sayto the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain evenas I am. 7.9. But if they don't have self-control, let them marry. Forit's better to marry than to burn. 7.10. But to the married I command-- not I, but the Lord -- that the wife not leave her husband 7.11. (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled toher husband), and that the husband not leave his wife. 7.12. But to the rest I -- not the Lord -- say, if any brother hasan unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him notleave her. 7.13. The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he iscontent to live with her, let her not leave her husband. 7.14. For theunbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wifeis sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean,but now are they holy. 7.15. Yet if the unbeliever departs, let therebe separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in suchcases, but God has called us in peace. 7.16. For how do you know,wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband,whether you will save your wife? 7.17. Only, as the Lord hasdistributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So Icommand in all the assemblies. 7.18. Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not becomeuncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not becircumcised. 7.19. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision isnothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 7.20. Let eachman stay in that calling in which he was called. 7.21. Were you calledbeing a bondservant? Don't let that bother you, but if you get anopportunity to become free, use it. 7.22. For he who was called in theLord being a bondservant is the Lord's free man. Likewise he who wascalled being free is Christ's bondservant. 7.23. You were bought witha price. Don't become bondservants of men. 7.24. Brothers, let eachman, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition withGod. 7.25. Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord,but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord tobe trustworthy. 7.26. I think that it is good therefore, because ofthe distress that is on us, that it is good for a man to be as he is. 7.27. Are you bound to a wife? Don't seek to be freed. Are you freefrom a wife? Don't seek a wife. 7.28. But if you marry, you have notsinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will haveoppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you. 7.29. But I saythis, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those whohave wives may be as though they had none; 7.30. and those who weep,as though they didn't weep; and those who rejoice, as though theydidn't rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn't possess; 7.31. and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. Forthe mode of this world passes away. 7.32. But I desire to have you tobe free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things ofthe Lord, how he may please the Lord; 7.33. but he who is married isconcerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife. 7.34. There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. Theunmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may beholy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about thethings of the world -- how she may please her husband. 7.35. This Isay for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that whichis appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord withoutdistraction. 7.36. But if any man thinks that he is behavinginappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of herage, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn'tsin. Let them marry. 7.37. But he who stands steadfast in his heart,having no necessity, but has power over his own heart, to keep his ownvirgin, does well. 7.38. So then both he who gives his own virgin inmarriage does well, and he who doesn't give her in marriage doesbetter. 7.39. A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives;but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whoever shedesires, only in the Lord. 7.40. But she is happier if she stays asshe is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God's Spirit. 14.34. let your wives keepsilent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them tospeak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says. 14.35. Ifthey desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home,for it is shameful for a woman to chatter in the assembly. 15.8. and last of all, as to the child born at the wrongtime, he appeared to me also. 15.32. If I fought withanimals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If thedead are not raised, then "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. |
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22. New Testament, 1 Timothy, 1.1, 1.3, 2.7-2.15, 3.1-3.10, 3.12-3.13, 4.6-4.7, 4.11-4.16, 5.1-5.16, 5.22, 6.2, 6.11-6.14 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope; 1.3. As I exhorted you to stay at Ephesus when I was going into Macedonia, that you might charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine 2.7. to which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth in Christ, not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 2.8. I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. 2.9. In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety; not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing; 2.10. but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works. 2.11. Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. 2.12. But I don't permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness. 2.13. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 2.14. Adam wasn't deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience; 2.15. but she will be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety. 3.1. This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work. 3.2. The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; 3.3. not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 3.4. one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; 3.5. (but if a man doesn't know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?) 3.6. not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 3.7. Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil. 3.8. Deacons, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money; 3.9. holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 3.10. Let them also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, if they are blameless. 3.12. Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 3.13. For those who have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. 4.6. If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed. 4.7. But refuse profane and old wives' fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness. 4.11. Command and teach these things. 4.12. Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. 4.13. Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching. 4.14. Don't neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders. 4.15. Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all. 4.16. Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. 5.1. Don't rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers; 5.2. the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity. 5.3. Honor widows who are widows indeed. 5.4. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 5.5. Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day. 5.6. But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives. 5.7. Also command these things, that they may be without reproach. 5.8. But if anyone doesn't provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. 5.9. Let no one be enrolled as a widow under sixty years old, having been the wife of one man 5.10. being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work. 5.11. But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry; 5.12. having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge. 5.13. Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. 5.14. I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for reviling. 5.15. For already some have turned aside after Satan. 5.16. If any man or woman who believes has widows, let them relieve them, and don't let the assembly be burdened; that it might relieve those who are widows indeed. 5.22. Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other men's sins. Keep yourself pure. 6.2. Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things. 6.11. But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 6.12. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. 6.13. I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession 6.14. that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; |
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23. New Testament, 2 Corinthians, 1.1, 12.21 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
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24. New Testament, 2 Timothy, 1.1, 1.7-1.8, 2.1-2.5, 2.8-2.9, 2.16, 2.24, 3.1-3.4, 3.6-3.8, 3.14, 4.2, 4.5, 4.15 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus 1.7. For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. 1.8. Therefore don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the gospel according to the power of God 2.1. You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2.2. The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 2.3. You therefore must endure hardship, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 2.4. No soldier on service entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. 2.5. Also, if anyone competes in athletics, he isn't crowned unless he has competed by the rules. 2.8. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel 2.9. in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God's word isn't chained. 2.16. But shun empty chatter, for they will proceed further in ungodliness 2.24. The Lord's servant must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient 3.1. But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come. 3.2. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy 3.3. without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good 3.4. traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 3.6. For of these are those who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts 3.7. always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 3.8. Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith. 3.14. But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 4.2. preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching. 4.5. But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry. 4.15. of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words. |
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25. New Testament, Philemon, 10, 13, 9, 1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
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26. New Testament, Colossians, 1.1, 3.18-4.1, 4.18 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother |
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27. New Testament, Ephesians, 1.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.21-5.33 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: 3.1. For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles 4.1. I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called 5.21. subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. 5.22. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 5.23. For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. 5.24. But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. 5.25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; 5.26. that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word 5.27. that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 5.28. Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. 5.29. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; 5.30. because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. 5.31. For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh. 5.32. This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. 5.33. Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband. |
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28. New Testament, Galatians, 1.1, 5.19 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead) 5.19. Now the works of the fleshare obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness,lustfulness |
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29. New Testament, Philippians, 1.7, 1.13, 1.17 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.7. It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 1.13. so that it became evident to the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ; 1.17. but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. |
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30. New Testament, Romans, 1.1-1.6, 13.13 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God 1.2. which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures 1.3. concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh 1.4. who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord 1.5. through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake; 1.6. among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ; 13.13. Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. |
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31. New Testament, Titus, 1.1, 1.5-1.9, 1.16, 2.1-2.10, 2.12, 3.1-3.2 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.1. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness 1.5. I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you; 1.6. if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior. 1.7. For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; 1.8. but given to hospitality, as a lover of good, sober-minded, fair, holy, self-controlled; 1.9. holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him. 1.16. They profess that they know God, but by their works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. 2.1. But say the things which fit sound doctrine 2.2. that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober-minded, sound in faith, in love, and in patience: 2.3. and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good; 2.4. that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children 2.5. to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God's word may not be blasphemed. 2.6. Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober-minded; 2.7. in all things showing yourself an example of good works; in your teaching showing integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility 2.8. and soundness of speech that can't be condemned; that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us. 2.9. Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting; 2.10. not stealing, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things. 2.12. instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; 3.1. Remind them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work 3.2. to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men. |
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32. Plutarch, Whether An Old Man Should Engage In Public Affairs, None (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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33. Hermas, Visions, 2.3.1 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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34. Justin, First Apology, 64 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 64. From what has been already said, you can understand how the devils, in imitation of what was said by Moses, asserted that Proserpine was the daughter of Jupiter, and instigated the people to set up an image of her under the name of Kore [Cora, i.e., the maiden or daughter] at the spring-heads. For, as we wrote above, Moses said, In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and unfurnished: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. In imitation, therefore, of what is here said of the Spirit of God moving on the waters, they said that Proserpine [or Cora] was the daughter of Jupiter. And in like manner also they craftily feigned that Minerva was the daughter of Jupiter, not by sexual union, but, knowing that God conceived and made the world by the Word, they say that Minerva is the first conception [ἔννοια]; which we consider to be very absurd, bringing forward the form of the conception in a female shape. And in like manner the actions of those others who are called sons of Jupiter sufficiently condemn them. |
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35. Justin, Dialogue With Trypho, 23 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 23. Justin: But if we do not admit this, we shall be liable to fall into foolish opinions, as if it were not the same God who existed in the times of Enoch and all the rest, who neither were circumcised after the flesh, nor observed Sabbaths, nor any other rites, seeing that Moses enjoined such observances; or that God has not wished each race of mankind continually to perform the same righteous actions: to admit which, seems to be ridiculous and absurd. Therefore we must confess that He, who is ever the same, has commanded these and such like institutions on account of sinful men, and we must declare Him to be benevolent, foreknowing, needing nothing, righteous and good. But if this be not so, tell me, sir, what you think of those matters which we are investigating. And when no one responded: Wherefore, Trypho, I will proclaim to you, and to those who wish to become proselytes, the divine message which I heard from that man. Do you see that the elements are not idle, and keep no Sabbaths? Remain as you were born. For if there was no need of circumcision before Abraham, or of the observance of Sabbaths, of feasts and sacrifices, before Moses; no more need is there of them now, after that, according to the will of God, Jesus Christ the Son of God has been born without sin, of a virgin sprung from the stock of Abraham. For when Abraham himself was in uncircumcision, he was justified and blessed by reason of the faith which he reposed in God, as the Scripture tells. Moreover, the Scriptures and the facts themselves compel us to admit that He received circumcision for a sign, and not for righteousness. So that it was justly recorded concerning the people, that the soul which shall not be circumcised on the eighth day shall be cut off from his family. And, furthermore, the inability of the female sex to receive fleshly circumcision, proves that this circumcision has been given for a sign, and not for a work of righteousness. For God has given likewise to women the ability to observe all things which are righteous and virtuous; but we see that the bodily form of the male has been made different from the bodily form of the female; yet we know that neither of them is righteous or unrighteous merely for this cause, but [is considered righteous] by reason of piety and righteousness. |
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36. Tatian, Oration To The Greeks, 32 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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37. Tertullian, Prescription Against Heretics, 41 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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38. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 26b. אמרו ליה משירייתך היכא אמר הדרו בי אמרו ליה אם כן אחוכי קא מחייכת בן נקבוהו בעקביו ותלאוהו בזנבי סוסיהם והיו מגררין אותו על הקוצים ועל הברקנין,אמר רבי אלעזר שבנא בעל הנאה היה כתיב הכא (ישעיהו כב, טו) לך בא אל הסוכן הזה וכתיב התם (מלכים א א, ב) ותהי לו סוכנת,(ואומר) (תהלים יא, ג) כי השתות יהרסון צדיק מה פעל רב יהודה ורב עינא חד אמר אילו חזקיה וסיעתו נהרסים צדיק מה פעל וחד אמר אילו בית המקדש יהרס צדיק מה פעל ועולא אמר אילו מחשבותיו של אותו רשע אינן נהרסות צדיק מה פעל,בשלמא למאן דאמר אילו מחשבותיו של אותו רשע היינו דכתיב כי השתות יהרסון,ולמ"ד בית המקדש נמי דתנן אבן היתה שם מימות נביאים הראשונים ושתייה היתה נקראת,אלא למ"ד חזקיה וסיעתו היכא אשכחן צדיקי דאיקרו שתות,דכתיב (שמואל א ב, ח) כי לה' מצוקי ארץ וישת עליהם תבל ואיבעית אימא מהכא (ישעיהו כח, כט) הפליא עצה הגדיל תושיה,א"ר חנן למה נקרא שמה תושיה מפני שהיא מתשת כחו של אדם דבר אחר תושיה שניתנה בחשאי מפני השטן דבר אחר תושיה דברים של תוהו שהעולם משותת עליהם,אמר עולא מחשבה מועלת אפילו לד"ת שנאמר (איוב ה, יב) מפר מחשבות ערומים ולא תעשינה ידיהם תושיה,אמר רבה אם עסוקין לשמה אינה מועלת שנאמר (משלי יט, כא) רבות מחשבות בלב איש ועצת ה' היא תקום עצה שיש בה דבר ה' היא תקום לעולם:,אמר ר' יהודה אימתי: א"ר אבהו א"ר אלעזר הלכה כרבי יהודה,וא"ר אבהו אמר רבי אלעזר כולן צריכין הכרזה בבית דין,רועה פליגי בה רב אחא ורבינא חד אמר בעי הכרזה וחד אמר לא בעי הכרזה,בשלמא למ"ד לא בעי הכרזה היינו דאמר רב יהודה אמר רב סתם רועה פסול אלא למ"ד בעי הכרזה מאי סתם רועה פסול,דבסתמא מכרזינן עליה,ההיא מתנה דהוו חתימי עלה תרין גזלנין סבר רב פפא בר שמואל לאכשורה דהא לא אכרזינן עלייהו,אמר ליה רבא נהי דבעינן הכרזה בגזלן דרבנן בגזלן דאורייתא מי בעינן הכרזה:,סימן דב"ר ועריו"ת גנ"ב:,אמר רב נחמן אוכלי דבר אחר פסולין לעדות,הני מילי בפרהסיא אבל בצינעה לא ובפרהסיא נמי לא אמרן אלא דאפשר ליה לאיתזוני בצינעה וקא מבזי נפשיה בפרהסיא אבל לא אפשר ליה חיותיה הוא,אמר רב נחמן החשוד על העריות כשר לעדות אמר רב ששת עני מרי ארבעין בכתפיה וכשר,אמר רבא ומודה רב נחמן לענין עדות אשה שהוא פסול אמר רבינא ואיתימא רב פפא לא אמרן אלא לאפוקה אבל לעיולה לית לן בה,פשיטא מהו דתימא הא עדיפא ליה דכתיב (משלי ט, יז) מים גנובים ימתקו וגו' קמ"ל דכמה דקיימא הכי שכיחא ליה,ואמר רב נחמן גנב ניסן וגנב תשרי לא שמיה גנב,הני מילי באריסא ודבר מועט ובדבר שנגמרה מלאכתו,איכריה דרב זביד חד גנב קבא דשערי ופסליה וחד גנב קיבורא דאהיני ופסליה,הנהו קבוראי דקבור נפשא ביום טוב ראשון של עצרת שמתינהו רב פפא ופסלינהו לעדות ואכשרינהו רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע,אמר ליה רב פפא והא רשעים נינהו סברי מצוה קא עבדי,והא קא משמתינא להו סברי כפרה קא עבדי לן רבנן:,איתמר | 26b. The Assyrians bsaid to him: Where is your camp?Shebna bsaid: They backed out on me. They said to him: If so, you are mocking us;you led us to believe that behind you stands a large camp of supporters. bThey punched holes in his heels and hung him by the tails of their horses, and dragged him on the thorns and on the bristles. /b, bRabbi Elazar says: Shebna was a hedonist. It is written here: “Go, get yourself to this steward [ ihasokhen /i],to Shebna, who is over the house” (Isaiah 22:15), band it is written therewith regard to Abishag the Shunammite: b“And let her be a companion [ isokhenet /i] to him;and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may get heat” (I Kings 1:2)., bAndfollowing the aforementioned verse: “For behold, the wicked bend the bow, they have made ready their arrow upon the string,” the next verse bstates: “When the foundations are destroyed, what has the Righteous One done?”(Psalms 11:3). bRav Yehuda and Rav Einainterpret this verse. bOne says: If Hezekiah and his camp are destroyed, what has the Righteous One done? And one says: If the Temple should be destroyed, what has the Righteous One done? And Ulla says: If the intentions of that wicked person,Sennacherib, bare not destroyed, what has the Righteous One done? /b,The Gemara asks: bGranted, according to the one who saysthat the verse means: bIf the intentions of that wicked personare not destroyed, what has the Righteous One done, bthis isthe reason bthat it is written: “When the foundations [ ihashatot /i] are destroyed,”i.e., the intentions of Sennacherib are destroyed, as intentions are called ishatot /i., bAnd according to the one who saysit is referring to bthe Temple,the word ihashatotis balsoclear, bas we learnedin a mishna ( iYoma53b): bThere was a stonein the Holy of Holies bfrom the days of the early prophets,David and Samuel, who laid the groundwork for construction of the Temple, bandthis stone bwas calledthe bFoundation [ ishetiyya /i]Stone., bBut according to the one who saysthat the reference is to bHezekiah and his camp, where do we find that righteous people are referred to as ishatot /i? /b,The Gemara answers: bAs it is written:“He raises up the poor out of the dust, He lifts up the needy from the dung hill, to make them sit with princes and inherit the throne of glory; bfor the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He has set [ ivayyashet /i] the world upon them”(I Samuel 2:8). Since the righteous are considered the foundations of the world, this verse is interpreted in reference to them. bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that it is derived bfrom here: “Wonderful is His counsel, and great His wisdom [ itushiyya /i]”(Isaiah 28:29). Accordingly, the wise, righteous people are called ishatot /i.,With regard to the latter verse, bRabbi Ḥa says: Why isthe Torah bcalled itushiyya /i? Because it weakens [ imatteshet /i] the strength of a personwho engages in its study. bAlternatively, itushiyya /ican be interpreted as an abbreviation: bThat it was given in secret [ ishenittena beḥashai /i].This was done bbecause of the Satan,lest he claim that the Jewish people are not worthy of it. bAlternatively, itushiyya /ican be interpreted as an abbreviation for bamorphous [ itohu /i] matters thatseem foreign and strange, but nevertheless bthe world is founded [ imeshotat /i] on them. /b, bUlla says: Thought,i.e., concern, bis effective [ imo’elet /i] indisturbing beventhe study of bstatements of Torah, as it is stated: “He frustrates the thoughts of the crafty, so that their hands can perform nothing [ ivelo…tushiyya /i]”(Job 5:12), and itushiyyais a reference to Torah., bRabba says: Ifpeople bengagein Torah study bfor its own sake,concern bis not effective; as it is stated: “There are many devices in a man’s heart; but the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand”(Proverbs 19:21). Rabba interprets this to mean that ba counsel that has in it the statement of the Lord shall rise foreverand cannot be disturbed.,§ The mishna teaches that bRabbi Yehuda says: Whenare all these people, e.g., gamblers and those who lend with interest, disqualified from bearing witness? It is when they have no occupation other than this one. bRabbi Abbahu saysthat bRabbi Elazar says: The ihalakha /iis bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yehuda. /b, bAnd Rabbi Abbahu saysthat bRabbi Elazar says: All ofthese brequire a proclamation in the court.In other words, one is disqualified only after it is proclaimed in court that he was found guilty of this behavior.,With regard to ba shepherd,who is also disqualified from bearing witness, bRav Aḥa and Ravina disagree. One saysthat bhe requires a proclamationthat he is disqualified due to his being a shepherd, band one saysthat bhe does not require a proclamationand is disqualified automatically.,The Gemara asks: bGranted, according to the one who saysthat bhe does not require a proclamation, this is what Rav Yehudameans when he bsaysthat bRav saysthat ban ordinary shepherd is disqualified,i.e., he does not require a specific proclamation. bBut according to the one who saysthat a shepherd brequires a proclamation, whatis meant by the statement that ban ordinary shepherd is disqualified? /b,The Gemara answers: It means bthat in an ordinarycase, the court bproclaims about himthat he is disqualified for having engaged in shepherding. If the court discovers that he regularly engages in this trade, it proclaims immediately that he is disqualified, and the court does not need to prove that he shepherds his flock in the fields of others.,The Gemara recounts: With regard to ba certaindeed of bgift on whichthe names of btwo robbers were signed, Rav Pappa bar Shmuel thought to deem it validdespite the identity of the witnesses, basthe court bdid not proclaim about themthat they were disqualified., bRava said to him: Although we require a proclamationin order to disqualify a robber from bearing witness, this is only bwith regard to a robberwho is guilty of stealing bby rabbinic law; with regard to a robberwho is guilty of stealing bby Torah law, do we require a proclamation?He is disqualified automatically.,§ The Gemara states ba mnemonicfor the following statements with regard to disqualification from testifying: bSomething; and forbidden sexual relations;and ba thief. /b, bRav Naḥman says: Those who eat something else,a euphemism for pork, bare disqualified from bearing witness.This is referring to those who accept charity from gentiles, thereby causing a desecration of God’s name. They are tantamount to wicked people guilty of monetary transgressions, as they are willing to desecrate God’s name for monetary gain.,The Gemara comments: bThis statementapplies with regard to taking charity from gentiles bin public [ ibefarhesya /i], butif one takes it bin privatehe is bnotdisqualified. bAnd evenif he takes it bin public, we saidthat he is disqualified bonlyin a case bwhere he can sustainhimself by accepting charity from gentiles bin private anddespite this bhe disgraces himselfby taking it bin public. Butif bhe cannotsupport himself in any other manner, he is not disqualified, as bit is his livelihood. /b, bRav Naḥman says: One whodue to a rumor bis suspected ofengaging in bforbidden sexual relations is fit to bear witness. Rav Sheshet saidto him: bAnswer me, my Master:The ihalakhais that one who is rumored to have engaged in forbidden sexual intercourse receives bfortylashes bon his shoulders, andyet you say bhe is fitto bear witness?, bRava said: And Rav Naḥman concedes that he is disqualified with regard to testimonyabout the status of a married bwoman,as he is clearly under suspicion with regard to this matter. bRavina says, and some say Rav Pappasays: bWe saidhe is disqualified bonly with regard totestimony that bremoves herstatus as a married woman, e.g., testimony that her husband died, as he is suspected of wanting her for himself. bBut with regard totestimony that bestablishes herin that status, bwe have noproblem bwith it. /b,The Gemara asks: Isn’t that bobvious?Why should he be suspected of lying in order to render a woman married? The Gemara answers: bLest you saythat if he wants her for himself, bthissituation, i.e., her being married to another, bis preferable to him; as it is written: “Stolen waters are sweetand bread eaten in secret is pleasant” (Proverbs 9:17), i.e., the forbidden is more pleasant than the permitted, Rav Pappa bteaches usthat this is not the case, bas the waythe woman bisnow, being unmarried, bshe ismore bavailable to him.He therefore is not motivated to testify falsely that she is married., bAnd Rav Naḥman says: A thief of Nisan and a thief of Tishrei,i.e., one who steals during the harvest seasons, bis not called a thiefand is therefore not disqualified from bearing witness.,The Gemara explains: bThis statementapplies specifically bwith regard to a tet farmer, andit is a situation where he took ba small amount, and ina case where it was ban item whose work was completed,i.e., that needed no further processing. Since the produce was sufficiently processed, the tet may assume that he deserves additional pay for any further labor and justify taking a small amount of the produce for his effort. Consequently, his theft is not willful.,The Gemara recounts: An incident occurred with bthetet bfarmers of Rav Zevid. One stole a ikavof barley, andRav Zevid bdisqualified himfrom bearing witness, band one stole a cluster of dates, and he disqualified him.The reason for their disqualification is that the quantity of produce they stole is not considered a small amount.,The Gemara relates: There were bthese gravediggers, who buried a person on the first day of the festival of iShavuot /i,desecrating the Festival. bRav Pappa excommunicated them andthen bdisqualified them from bearing witness, and Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, deemed them fitto bear witness., bRav Pappa said toRav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua: bBut aren’t they wicked people,as they violated a Torah prohibition? Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, answered him: bThey assumed they were doing a mitzva,as they were burying the dead.,Rav Pappa asked: bBut didn’t I excommunicate themfor this? Nevertheless, they continued to bury people on the Festival. Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, answered: bThey assumed:We were not excommunicated for doing something wrong. Rather, since the mitzva of burying the dead involved desecrating the Festival, bthe Sages are achieving atonement for us,although our behavior was appropriate.,§ A conspiring witness is one who testified that a certain incident occurred at a particular time and place, and then two other witnesses testify that he was elsewhere at that time. The Gemara discusses the disqualification of a conspiring witness from providing testimony in other cases. bIt was stated /b |
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39. Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 60b. והא אמר רבי שמעון ראויה לכהן גדול מטמא לה שאין ראויה לכהן גדול אין מטמא לה שאני התם דרבי רחמנא קרובה,א"ה מוכת עץ נמי [רבי] קרובה אחת ולא שתים ומה ראית הא אתעביד בה מעשה הא לא אתעביד בה מעשה,ורבי יוסי מדשבקיה לבר זוגיה מכלל דבמוכת עץ כרבי מאיר סבירא ליה מנא ליה מלא היתה לאיש,והא אפיקתיה חד מלא היתה וחד מלאיש,אליו לרבות הבוגרת והא אמר ר' שמעון בתולה בתולה שלימה משמע טעמא דידיה נמי התם מהכא דדריש הכי מדאליו לרבות הבוגרת מכלל דבתולה בתולה שלימה משמע,תניא ר' שמעון בן יוחי אומר גיורת פחותה מבת שלש שנים ויום אחד כשירה לכהונה שנאמר (במדבר לא, יח) וכל הטף בנשים אשר לא ידעו משכב זכר החיו לכם והרי פנחס עמהם,ורבנן לעבדים ולשפחות אי הכי בת שלש שנים ויום אחד נמי,כדרב הונא דרב הונא רמי כתיב (במדבר לא, יז) כל אשה יודעת איש למשכב זכר הרוגו הא אינה יודעת קיימו מכלל דהטף בין ידעו בין לא ידעו קיימו וכתיב (במדבר לא, יח) וכל הטף בנשים אשר לא ידעו משכב זכר החיו לכם הא ידעי הרוגו,הוי אומר בראויה ליבעל הכתוב מדבר,תניא נמי הכי וכל אשה יודעת איש בראויה ליבעל הכתוב מדבר אתה אומר בראויה ליבעל או אינו אלא נבעלה ממש כשהוא אומר וכל הטף בנשים אשר לא ידעו משכב זכר הוי אומר בראויה ליבעל הכתוב מדבר,מנא ידעי אמר רב הונא בר ביזנא אמר ר' שמעון חסידא העבירום לפני הציץ כל שפניה מוריקות בידוע שהיא ראויה ליבעל כל שאין פניה מוריקות בידוע שאינה ראויה ליבעל אמר רב נחמן סימן לעבירה הדרוקן,כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (שופטים כא, יב) וימצאו מיושבי יבש גלעד ארבע מאות נערה בתולה אשר לא ידעו איש למשכב זכר מנא ידעי אמר רב כהנא הושיבום על פי חבית של יין בעולה ריחה נודף בתולה אין ריחה נודף,ונעברינהו לפני הציץ אמר רב כהנא בריה דרב נתן (שמות כח, לח) לרצון להם כתיב לרצון ולא לפורענות אי הכי במדין נמי אמר רב אשי להם כתיב להם לרצון ולא לפורענות ולעובדי כוכבים אפילו לפורענות,אמר רבי יעקב בר אידי אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי הלכה כרבי שמעון בן יוחאי אמר ליה רבי זירא לרבי יעקב בר אידי בפירוש שמיע לך או מכללא שמיע לך,מאי כללא דאמר ר' יהושע בן לוי עיר אחת היתה בארץ ישראל שקרא עליה ערער ושגר רבי את רבי רומנוס ובדקה ומצא בה בת גיורת פחותה מבת שלש שנים ויום אחד והכשירה רבי לכהונה אמר ליה בפירוש שמיע לי,ואי מכללא מאי דלמא שאני התם הואיל ואנסיב אנסיב דהא רב ורבי יוחנן דאמרי תרוייהו בוגרת ומוכת עץ לא ישא ואם נשא נשוי,הכי השתא בשלמא התם סופה להיות בוגרת תחתיו סופה להיות בעולה תחתיו הכא סופה להיות זונה תחתיו,רב ספרא מתני לה מכללא וקשיא ליה ומשני ליה הכי,ההוא כהנא דאנסיב גיורת פחותה מבת שלש שנים ויום אחד אמר ליה ר"נ בר יצחק מאי האי אמר ליה דאמר רבי יעקב בר אידי אמר ר' יהושע בן לוי הלכה כר"ש בן יוחאי אמר ליה זיל אפיק ואי לא מפיקנא לך ר' יעקב בר אידי מאונך,תניא וכן היה ר"ש בן יוחאי אומר | 60b. bDidn’t Rabbi Shimon say:If she was bfit for a High Priest,her brother must bbecome impure for her,and if she was bnot fit for a High Priest,her brother bmay not become impure for her?A divorced woman is not fit for a High Priest even if she had been only betrothed before her divorce. The Gemara answers: bIt is different there, as the Merciful One includesher by the term: Who is bnear,which includes any sister who is close to him, even if she is unfit for a High Priest.,The Gemara asks: bIf so, a woman whose hymen was torn accidentallyshould balsobe bincluded.The Gemara responds that the term: Who is bnear,which is written in the singular, includes only boneadditional case band not two.The Gemara asks: bAnd what did you seeto render forbidden a woman whose hymen was accidentally torn and permit a divorcée who had previously been only betrothed, and not the opposite? The Gemara answers: In bthiscase of the women whose hymen was torn, ban action has been performedon her body, whereas in bthatcase of the divorcée, bno action has been performedon her body.,The ibaraitacites Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon as holding that a priest may not become impure for his sister who was betrothed and then divorced, and it cites only Rabbi Shimon as holding that he may not become impure for his sister who was a grown woman. Based on this, the Gemara asks: bFromthe fact bthat Rabbi Yosei left his partner,Rabbi Shimon, bit may be inferred that with regard to a woman whose hymen was torn accidentally he holds in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Meir,that a priest does become impure. bFrom wheredoes bhederive this ihalakha /i? The Gemara explains that he derives it bfromthe phrase: “Who bhas had no man,”as a woman whose hymen was torn accidentally has not been with a man.,The Gemara asks: bHaven’t youalready bderivedthe ihalakhaof a betrothed woman from that phrase? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Yosei learns bone ihalakha bfromthe phrase b“has had no,”which indicates that she has not even been betrothed, bandhe derives bone ihalakha bfromthe term b“man,”which indicates that only a woman who was with a man is no longer considered a virgin with regard to this ihalakha /i, but not one whose hymen was torn accidentally.,It was stated previously that according to Rabbi Shimon, the term b“to him,”comes bto include a grown woman.The Gemara asks: bDidn’t Rabbi Shimon saywith regard to a High Priest that the term bvirgin indicates a complete virgin,which does not include a grown woman? The Gemara answers: bHis reason there is alsoderived bfrom here, as he expounds as follows: Fromthe fact bthatthe expression b“to him”is needed bto include a grown woman,it may be binferred thatthe term bvirginby itself bindicates a complete virgin. /b,§ The Gemara cites another ruling of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, also related to the discussion of defining who is considered a virgin. bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: A female convertwho converted when she was bless than three years and one day old is permitted tomarry into bthe priesthood, as it is stated: “But all the women children that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves”(Numbers 31:18). This verse indicates that these women were fit for all of the warriors, bandsince bPinehasthe priest bwas with them(see Numbers 31:6), it is clear that young converts are permitted to priests.,The Gemara asks: bAndhow do bthe Rabbis,who disagree with Rabbi Shimon, interpret this verse? The Gemara responds: They understand the phrase “keep alive for yourselves” to mean that they could keep them bas slaves and as maidservants,but they could not necessarily marry them. The Gemara asks: bIf so,if the source for Rabbi Shimon’s ruling is this verse, a girl who converted at the bage of three years and one day oldshould balsobe permitted to a priest, as long as she has never had intercourse, as stated by the verse.,The Gemara replies: His reasoning is basstated by bRav Huna, as Rav Huna raised a contradiction: It is writtenin one verse: b“Kill every woman that has known man by lying with him”(Numbers 31:17), which indicates that a woman who bhas not knowna man in this way byou may keepalive. This proves bby inference that thefemale bchildren,who are not classified as women, byou may keepalive regardless of bwhether they knewa man bor they did not knowa man. bAnd it is writtenin a different verse: b“But all the women children that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves”(Numbers 31:18), which indicates that if bthey have knownmen, byou must killthem. This is an apparent contradiction.,Rav Huna explains: bYou must say that the verse is speaking ofa woman who is bfit for intercourse.The verse does not mean to distinguish between women who have actually engaged in sexual intercourse and those who have not. Rather, it distinguishes between a girl over the age of three, with whom an act of intercourse is recognized as such, and a girl below the age of three., bThis is also taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“Every woman that has known man”; the verse is speaking ofa woman bwho is fit for intercourse.The ibaraitaproceeds to discuss this ihalakha /i: Do byou sayit is referring btoone who is bfit for intercourse,or perhaps bit isreferring bonlyto bone who has actually had intercourse? Whenthe verse bstates: “But all the women children that have not known man by lying with him,keep alive for yourselves,” which indicates that grown women must be killed even if they have not had intercourse with a man, byou must say that the verse is speaking ofa woman bwho is fit for intercourse. /b,The Gemara asks a practical question with regard to the events described by the Torah: bFrom where did they knowwhether a particular girl was already three years old and fit for intercourse? bRav Huna bar Bizna said that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida said: They passed them before the frontplateof the High Priest. bAnygirl bwhose facemiraculously bturned sallow, it was known that she was fit for intercourse,and banygirl bwhose face did not turn sallow, itwas thereby bknown that she was not fit for intercourse.Similarly, bRav Naḥman said: A sign of transgressionin the area of sexual morality bisthe disease ihidrokan /i,which causes one’s face to turn sallow., bSimilarly, youcan bsaywith regard to the verse: b“And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins that had not known man by lying with him”(Judges 21:12). bFrom where did they knowthat they were virgins? bRav Kahana said: They sat them on the opening of a barrel of wine.If she was ba non-virgin, her breathwould bsmelllike wine; if she was ba virgin, her breath did not smelllike wine.,The Gemara suggests: bThey shouldhave bpassed them before the frontplate,as described previously with regard to the daughters of Midian. bRav Kahana, son of Rav Natan, said:The verse states with regard to the frontplate: “And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead… bthat they may be acceptedbefore the Lord” (Exodus 28:38), which indicates that the frontplate is worn bfor acceptance but not for calamity.The Gemara raises a difficulty: bIf so,the frontplate should balsonot have been used bwith regard tothe women of bMidian. Rav Ashi said:The word b“they” is writtenin the verse, indicating that bfor them,the Jewish people, the frontplate is bfor acceptance but not for calamity; but for gentilesit can be used beven for calamity. /b, bRabbi Ya’akov bar Idi saidthat bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai. Rabbi Zeira said to Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi:Did byou hearRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi say this bexplicitly ordid byou learnit bby inference? /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat inferencewas Rabbi Zeira hinting at? The Gemara explains: bAs Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: There was a certain city in Eretz Yisrael where they contestedthe lineage of a particular family. bAnd RabbiYehuda HaNasi bsent Rabbi Romanus, and he examinedthe family’s lineage band foundthat bitincluded bthe daughterof ba convertwho had converted when she was bless than three years and one day old,and she had married a priest. bAnd RabbiYehuda HaNasi bpermitted her to the priesthood.This indicates that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi ruled in accordance with Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi bsaid to him: I heard explicitlythat Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi ruled in this manner.,The Gemara asks: bAnd ifRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s opinion had been derived bby inference, whatof it? The Gemara answers: bPerhaps it was different there,because bsince shehad already bmarrieda priest, bshecould remain bmarriedafter the fact, but it would not be permitted for her to marry a priest iab initio /i, basit is bRav and Rabbi Yoḥa who both say:A High Priest bmay not marry a grown woman and a woman whose hymen was torn accidentally, but if he marriedone of them bhe is marriedand not required to divorce her.,The Gemara refutes this claim: bHow canthese cases bbe compared? Granted, there,in the case of a grown woman, it is reasonable for her to be permitted after the fact, as a young woman bwill eventually be a grown woman under him,i.e., while married to him, and bshe will eventually be a non-virgin under him.However, bhere,in the case of a convert, bwill she eventually be a izonaunder him?If she is forbidden to a priest iab initioit is because she has the status of a izona /i, in which case she should be prohibited after the fact as well. Consequently, it can be proven from the incident cited previously that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi rules in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon.,The Gemara comments: bRav Safra taught this ihalakhaafter deriving Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s ruling bby inference,although he had never heard this ruling explicitly. bAndthe question mentioned above was bdifficult for him, and he resolved it in thissame manner.,The Gemara relates another incident related to this ihalakha /i: bA certain priest married a convert,who had converted when she was bless than three years and one day old. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to him: What is this?Why are you violating the ihalakha /i? bHe said to him:It is permitted for me to marry her, bas Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi saidthat bthe ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai. He said to him: Go removeher, i.e., divorce her. bAnd if not, I will remove Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi from your ear [ ime’unekh /i] for you.In other words, I will take the necessary action to ensure that you obey and divorce her, so that you can no longer follow Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi’s opinion.,§ bIt is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bAnd similarly, Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai would say: /b |
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40. Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 86b. אמר ר' יוחנן גדולה תשובה שדוחה את לא תעשה שבתורה שנאמר (ירמיהו ג, א) לאמר הן ישלח איש את אשתו והלכה מאתו והיתה לאיש אחר הישוב אליה עוד הלא חנוף תחנף הארץ ההיא ואת זנית רעים רבים ושוב אלי נאם ה',א"ר יונתן גדולה תשובה (שמקרבת) את הגאולה שנאמר (ישעיהו נט, כ) ובא לציון גואל ולשבי פשע ביעקב מה טעם ובא לציון גואל משום דשבי פשע ביעקב,אמר ריש לקיש גדולה תשובה שזדונות נעשות לו כשגגות שנאמר (הושע יד, ב) שובה ישראל עד ה' אלהיך כי כשלת בעונך הא עון מזיד הוא וקא קרי ליה מכשול איני והאמר ריש לקיש גדולה תשובה שזדונות נעשות לו כזכיות שנאמר (יחזקאל לג, יט) ובשוב רשע מרשעתו ועשה משפט וצדקה עליהם (חיה) יחיה לא קשיא כאן מאהבה כאן מיראה,אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר ר' יונתן גדולה תשובה שמארכת שנותיו של אדם שנאמר (יחזקאל יח, כז) ובשוב רשע מרשעתו (חיו) יחיה,אמר ר' יצחק אמרי במערבא משמיה דרבה בר מרי בא וראה שלא כמדת הקדוש ברוך הוא מדת בשר ודם מדת בשר ודם מקניט את חבירו בדברים ספק מתפייס הימנו ספק אין מתפייס הימנו וא"ת מתפייס הימנו ספק מתפייס בדברים ספק אין מתפייס בדברים,אבל הקב"ה אדם עובר עבירה בסתר מתפייס ממנו בדברים שנאמר (הושע יד, ג) קחו עמכם דברים ושובו אל ה' ולא עוד אלא שמחזיק לו טובה שנאמר וקח טוב ולא עוד אלא שמעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו הקריב פרים שנאמר (הושע יד, ג) ונשלמה פרים שפתינו שמא תאמר פרי חובה ת"ל (הושע יד, ה) ארפא משובתם אוהבם נדבה,תניא היה ר"מ אומר גדולה תשובה שבשביל יחיד שעשה תשובה מוחלין לכל העולם כולו שנא' ארפא משובתם אוהבם נדבה כי שב אפי ממנו מהם לא נאמר אלא ממנו,היכי דמי בעל תשובה אמר רב יהודה כגון שבאת לידו דבר עבירה פעם ראשונה ושניה וניצל הימנה מחוי רב יהודה באותה אשה באותו פרק באותו מקום,א"ר יהודה רב רמי כתיב (תהלים לב, א) אשרי נשוי פשע כסוי חטאה וכתיב (משלי כח, יג) מכסה פשעיו לא יצליח לא קשיא הא בחטא מפורסם הא בחטא שאינו מפורסם רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב נחמן כאן בעבירות שבין אדם לחבירו כאן בעבירות שבין אדם למקום,תניא ר' יוסי בר יהודה אומר אדם עובר עבירה פעם ראשונה מוחלין לו שניה מוחלין לו שלישית מוחלין לו רביעית אין מוחלין לו שנאמר (עמוס ב, ו) כה אמר ה' על שלשה פשעי ישראל ועל ארבעה לא אשיבנו (ונאמר) (איוב לג, כט) הן כל אלה יפעל אל פעמים שלש עם גבר,מאי ואומר וכי תימא הני מילי בציבור אבל ביחיד לא ת"ש הן כל אלה יפעל אל פעמים שלש עם גבר מכאן ואילך אין מוחלין לו שנאמר על שלשה פשעי ישראל ועל ארבעה לא אשיבנו,ת"ר עבירות שהתודה עליהן יוה"כ זה לא יתודה עליהן יום הכפורים אחר ואם שנה בהן צריך להתודות יוה"כ אחר ואם לא שנה בהן וחזר והתודה עליהן עליו הכתוב אומר (משלי כו, יא) ככלב שב על קיאו כסיל שונה באולתו,רבי אליעזר בן יעקב אומר כ"ש שהוא משובח שנאמר (תהלים נא, ה) כי פשעי אני אדע וחטאתי נגדי תמיד אלא מה אני מקיים ככלב שב על קיאו וגו' כדרב הונא דאמר רב הונא כיון שעבר אדם עבירה ושנה בה הותרה לו הותרה לו סלקא דעתך אלא אימא נעשית לו כהיתר,וצריך לפרוט את החטא שנאמר (שמות לב, לא) אנא חטא העם הזה חטאה גדולה ויעשו להם אלהי זהב דברי ר' יהודה בן בבא רבי עקיבא אומר אשרי נשוי פשע כסוי חטאה אלא מהו שאמר משה ויעשו להם אלהי זהב כדר' ינאי דאמר ר' ינאי אמר משה לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא רבש"ע כסף וזהב שהרבית להם לישראל עד שאמרו די גרם להם שיעשו אלהי זהב,שני פרנסים טובים עמדו להם לישראל משה ודוד משה אמר יכתב סורחני שנאמר (במדבר כ, יב) יען לא האמנתם בי להקדישני דוד אמר אל יכתב סורחני שנאמר אשרי נשוי פשע כסוי חטאה,משל דמשה ודוד למה הדבר דומה לשתי נשים שלקו בבית דין אחת קלקלה ואחת אכלה פגי שביעית אמרה להן אותה שאכלה פגי שביעית בבקשה מכם הודיעו על מה היא לוקה שלא יאמרו על מה שזו לוקה זו לוקה הביאו פגי שביעית ותלו בצוארה והיו מכריזין לפניה ואומרין על עסקי שביעית היא לוקה,מפרסמין את החנפין מפני חילול השם שנאמר (יחזקאל ג, כ) ובשוב צדיק מצדקו ועשה עול ונתתי מכשול לפניו תשובת המוחלטין מעכבת הפורענות ואע"פ שנחתם עליו גזר דין של פורענות,שלות רשעים סופה תקלה והרשות מקברת את בעליה ערום נכנס לה וערום יצא ממנה ולואי שתהא יציאה כביאה רב כי הוה נפיק למידן דינא אמר הכי בצבו נפשיה לקטלא נפיק וצבו ביתיה לית הוא עביד וריקן לביתיה אזיל ולואי שתהא ביאה כיציאה,רבא כי הוה נפיק לדינא אמר הכי | 86b. § bRabbi Yoḥa said: Great is repentance, asit boverrideseven ba prohibition of the Torah.How so? bAs it is statedthat God said: b“…Saying: If a man sends away his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, may he return to her again? Will not that land be greatly polluted? But you have committed adultery with many lovers; and would you yet return to Me, said the Lord”(Jeremiah 3:1). Indeed, the Torah states: “Her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife after she has been made impure” (Deuteronomy 24:4). The relationship between the Jewish people and the Holy One, Blessed be He, is compared to that between a husband and wife. Just as it is prohibited for an adulterous wife to return to her husband, it should be prohibited for the Jewish people to return to God from their sins, yet repentance overrides this prohibition., bRabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which hastens the redemption, as it is stated: “And a redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who repent from transgression in Jacob”(Isaiah 59:20). bWhat is the reasonthat ba redeemer will come to Zion?It is bbecausethere are bthose who repent from transgression in Jacob. /b, bReish Lakish said: Great is repentance, asthe penitent’s bintentional sins are counted for him as unwitting transgressions, as it is stated: “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity”(Hosea 14:2). The Gemara analyzes this: bDoesn’t “iniquity”mean ban intentional sin? Yetthe prophet bcalls it stumbling,implying that one who repents is considered as though he only stumbled accidentally in his transgression. The Gemara asks: bIs that so? Didn’t Reish Lakishhimself bsay: Great is repentance, as one’s intentional sins are counted for him as merits, as it is stated: “And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby”(Ezekiel 33:19), and all his deeds, even his transgressions, will become praiseworthy? The Gemara reconciles: This is bnot difficult: Here,when one repents bout of love,his sins become like merits; bthere,when one repents bout of fear,his sins are counted as unwitting transgressions., bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saidthat bRabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which lengthensthe byears of a person’slife, bas it is stated: “When the wicked man turns from his wickednessthat he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, bhe will preserve his life”(Ezekiel 18:27).,§ bRabbi Yitzḥak said: They say in the West,Eretz Yisrael, bin the name of Rabba bar Mari: Come and see that the attribute of flesh and blood is unlike the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He.With bflesh and bloodpeople, if one binsults his friend with words, it is uncertain whetherthe victim will bbe appeased by him orwill bnot be appeased by him. And if you say he will be appeased, it isstill buncertain whether hewill bbe appeased by wordsalone borwill bnot be appeased by wordsalone, and one must try to appease him in other ways., bButwith regard to bthe Holy One, Blessed be He,if ba person commits a transgression in private,God bis appeased by words, as it is stated: “Take with you words and return to God”(Hosea 14:3). bAnd not only that, butGod bconsiders itas though he has done ba favorfor God by repenting, bas it is stated: “Accept that which is good”(Hosea 14:3). bAnd not only that, but the verse ascribes himcredit bas though he had sacrificed bulls, as it is stated: “So we will render for bulls the offering of our lips”(Hosea 14:3). bLest you sayhe is considered only like one who offers bobligatory bulls,therefore bthe verse states: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely”(Hosea 14:5). Repentance is considered as though it were the sacrifice of a free-will offering., bIt was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Meir would say: Great is repentance because the entire world is forgiven on account ofone bindividual who repents, as it is stated: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for My anger has turned away from him”(Hosea 14:5). bIt does not say: From them,i.e., from the sinners, bbut “from him,”i.e., from that individual. Because he repented, everyone will be healed.,§ With regard to repentance, the Gemara asks: bWhat are the circumstancesthat demonstrate that one bhascompletely brepented? Rav Yehuda said: For example, the prohibited matter came to his hand a first time and a second time, and he was saved from it,thereby proving that he has completely repented. bRav Yehuda demonstratedwhat he meant: If one has the opportunity to sin bwith the same womanhe sinned with previously, bat the same timeand bthe same place,and everything is aligned as it was that first time when he sinned, but this time he overcomes his inclination, it proves his repentance is complete, and he is forgiven., bRav Yehuda saidthat bRav raised a contradiction: It is written: “Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is hidden”(Psalms 32:1), implying that it is inappropriate for one to reveal his sins, band it is written: “He who hides his transgressions shall not prosper”(Proverbs 28:13). He resolved the contradiction as follows: This is bnot difficult. Hereit is referring to ba publicized sin;since his sin is public knowledge it is fitting for him to also publicize his repentance. bThere,it is referring bto a sin that is not publicized,in which case it is inappropriate to publicize one’s repentance. bRav Zutra bar Toviyasaid that bRav Naḥman said: Here,it is referring bto sins a person commits against another;he must publicize his repentance so that those who hear him may persuade the other to forgive him. bThere,it is referring bto sins a person commits against God,in which case he need not repent publicly.,§ bIt was taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yosei bar Yehuda says:When ba person commits a transgressionthe bfirst time, he is forgiven; a secondtime, bhe is forgiven; a thirdtime, bhe is forgiven;but the bfourthtime, bhe is not forgiven, as it is stated: “Thus said the Lord: For three transgressions of Israel, but for four I will not reverse it”(Amos 2:6). bAnd it says: “All these things does God do twice or three times with a man”(Job 33:29).,The Gemara asks: bWhat is: And it says?Why did he need to bring an additional biblical proof when the first verse seems to suffice? The Gemara explains: bLest you saythat bthisstatement that the Holy One, Blessed be He, forgives easily the first three times bapplies to a community but not to an individual, comeand bhearproof from another verse that states: b“All these things does God do twice or three times with a man,”implying that this is so even for an individual. bFrom thispoint bonward, he is not forgiven, as it is stated: “For three transgressions of Israel, but for four I will not reverse it.” /b,§ bThe Sages taughtin the iTosefta /i: With regard to btransgressions that one confessed on this Yom Kippur, he should not confess them on another Yom Kippur,since he has already been forgiven. bBut if he repeated thosesame transgressions during the year, bhe must confessthem again bon another Yom Kippur. And if he did not repeat them but did confess them again, about him the verse states: “As a dog that returns to its vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly”(Proverbs 26:11), since it is inappropriate to go back and mention one’s earlier sins., bRabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says:If one confesses in subsequent years, ball the more so is he praiseworthy,as he remembers his earlier sins and is thereby humbled, bas it is stated: “For I know my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me”(Psalms 51:5). bBut how do I establish themeaning of the verse: b“Like a dog that returns to its vomit”?It may be established bin accordance with the opinion of Rav Huna, as Rav Huna said: When a person commits a transgression and repeats it, it is permitted to him.The Gemara is surprised at this: bCan it enter your mind that it is permitted to himbecause he has sinned twice? bRather, say it becomes to him as ifit were bpermitted. /b,Furthermore, during confession, bone must detail the sinhe committed and not suffice with a general admission of sin, bas it is stated:“And Moses returned to the Lord and said: bPlease, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves a god of gold”(Exodus 32:31); this is bthe statement of Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava. Rabbi Akiva saysthat the verse states: b“Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is hidden”(Psalms 32:1), which teaches that one need not detail his sins. bBut what isthe meaning of that bwhich Moses said: “And have made themselves a god of gold”(Exodus 32:31)? It should be understood bin accordance withthe statement bof Rabbi Yannai, as Rabbi Yannai said: Moses said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the universe,it is the bsilver and gold that you gave to the Jewish people in abundance, until they said: Enough,which bcaused them to make a god of gold.Consequently, the phrase: “And have made themselves a god of gold,” is not a description of the sin but an explanation and justification of it.,It is said that btwo good leaders arose for the Jewish people: Moses and David. Moses said: Let my disgrace be written,i.e., may the sin I committed be written explicitly, bas it is stated: “Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me”(Numbers 20:12). In contrast, bDavid said: Let my disgrace not be written, as it is stated: “Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is hidden”(Psalms 32:1).,The Gemara explains: bA parablewith regard to bMoses and Davidshows bto what this may be compared.It may be compared bto two women who were flogged in courtfor their sins. bOneof them bsinnedby engaging in forbidden relations, band one ate unripe figs of the Sabbatical Yearalthough they are forbidden. bThe woman who ate the unripe figs of the Sabbatical Year said tothe court: bPlease publicizethe sin bfor whichI am being bflogged, so thatpeople bwill not saythat bwhat thatwoman bis being flogged for isalso bwhat thiswoman bis being flogged for. They brought unripe figs of the Sabbatical Year, and hung them around her neck, and announced before her, saying: She is receiving lashes on account of the Sabbatical Year.Moses requested that his sin be publicized so that people would not think that he committed the same sins as the members of his generation, i.e., the Golden Calf and the report of the spies.,Furthermore, they said: bOne exposes the hypocrites due tothe bdesecration ofGod’s bname,so others will not think that they are truly righteous and that their deeds bear imitating, bas it is stated: “When a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, I will lay a stumbling block before him”(Ezekiel 3:20). That is, when people do not know that someone is wicked to the core, he causes other people to err and this desecrates the name of God when it is revealed. bThe repentance of utterlywicked bpeople prevents sufferingfrom coming upon them. bAnd although the sentence of judgment hasalready bbeen signedagainst them bfor suffering,their repentance prevents them from being punished., bThe tranquility of the wicked is ultimately their destruction,as in their contentment they sit and think about forbidden matters. bAnd authority buries one who owns it. He was naked when he enteredinto power, band he will be naked when he leaves it, and if only his exit would be like his entrance,without sin and added iniquity. The Gemara relates: bWhen Rav would leavehis home btogo to court to bjudge cases, hewould bsay thisof himself: bof his own will, he goes to die,because a judge who misjudges a case is liable to death at the hand of Heaven; band he does not fulfill the will of his household and he goes empty-handed to his household,because a judge does not receive a salary; band if only his entrance would be like his exit,without sin or transgression., bWhen Rava would go to judge, he would say thisof himself: |
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