1. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 32.11 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 32.11. וַיְחַל מֹשֶׁה אֶת־פְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָה יְהוָה יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה׃ | 32.11. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said: ‘LORD, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people, that Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?" |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 106.23 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 106.23. וַיֹּאמֶר לְהַשְׁמִידָם לוּלֵי מֹשֶׁה בְחִירוֹ עָמַד בַּפֶּרֶץ לְפָנָיו לְהָשִׁיב חֲמָתוֹ מֵהַשְׁחִית׃ | 106.23. Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, To turn back His wrath, lest He should destroy them." |
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3. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 18.4-18.10, 18.23-18.25, 20.97-20.99, 20.101-20.103 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 18.4. Yet was there one Judas, a Gaulonite, of a city whose name was Gamala, who, taking with him Sadduc, a Pharisee, became zealous to draw them to a revolt, who both said that this taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty; 18.4. When Phraates had had legitimate sons of his own, he had also an Italian maid-servant, whose name was Thermusa, who had been formerly sent to him by Julius Caesar, among other presents. He first made her his concubine; but he being a great admirer of her beauty, in process of time having a son by her, whose name was Phraataces, he made her his legitimate wife, and had a great respect for her. 18.5. as if they could procure them happiness and security for what they possessed, and an assured enjoyment of a still greater good, which was that of the honor and glory they would thereby acquire for magimity. They also said that God would not otherwise be assisting to them, than upon their joining with one another in such councils as might be successful, and for their own advantage; and this especially, if they would set about great exploits, and not grow weary in executing the same; 18.5. But Vonones fled away to Armenia; and as soon as he came thither, he had an inclination to have the government of the country given him, and sent ambassadors to Rome [for that purpose]. 18.6. o men received what they said with pleasure, and this bold attempt proceeded to a great height. All sorts of misfortunes also sprang from these men, and the nation was infected with this doctrine to an incredible degree; 18.6. 2. But Pilate undertook to bring a current of water to Jerusalem, and did it with the sacred money, and derived the origin of the stream from the distance of two hundred furlongs. However, the Jews were not pleased with what had been done about this water; and many ten thousands of the people got together, and made a clamor against him, and insisted that he should leave off that design. Some of them also used reproaches, and abused the man, as crowds of such people usually do. 18.7. one violent war came upon us after another, and we lost our friends which used to alleviate our pains; there were also very great robberies and murder of our principal men. This was done in pretense indeed for the public welfare, but in reality for the hopes of gain to themselves; 18.7. and when he joyfully hearkened to her entreaty, she said she wanted no more than fifty thousand drachmae for the entrapping of the woman. So when she had encouraged the young man, and gotten as much money as she required, she did not take the same methods as had been taken before, because she perceived that the woman was by no means to be tempted by money; but as she knew that she was very much given to the worship of the goddess Isis, she devised the following stratagem: 18.8. whence arose seditions, and from them murders of men, which sometimes fell on those of their own people, (by the madness of these men towards one another, while their desire was that none of the adverse party might be left,) and sometimes on their enemies; a famine also coming upon us, reduced us to the last degree of despair, as did also the taking and demolishing of cities; nay, the sedition at last increased so high, that the very temple of God was burnt down by their enemies’ fire. 18.8. while he only banished Mundus, but did no more to him, because he supposed that what crime he had committed was done out of the passion of love. And these were the circumstances which concerned the temple of Isis, and the injuries occasioned by her priests. I now return to the relation of what happened about this time to the Jews at Rome, as I formerly told you I would. 18.9. Such were the consequences of this, that the customs of our fathers were altered, and such a change was made, as added a mighty weight toward bringing all to destruction, which these men occasioned by their thus conspiring together; for Judas and Sadduc, who excited a fourth philosophic sect among us, and had a great many followers therein, filled our civil government with tumults at present, and laid the foundations of our future miseries, by this system of philosophy, which we were before unacquainted withal 18.9. 3. But Vitellius came into Judea, and went up to Jerusalem; it was at the time of that festival which is called the Passover. Vitellius was there magnificently received, and released the inhabitants of Jerusalem from all the taxes upon the fruits that were bought and sold, and gave them leave to have the care of the high priest’s vestments, with all their ornaments, and to have them under the custody of the priests in the temple, which power they used to have formerly 18.23. 6. But of the fourth sect of Jewish philosophy, Judas the Galilean was the author. These men agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty, and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord. They also do not value dying any kinds of death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relations and friends, nor can any such fear make them call any man lord. 18.23. Now the centurion who was set to keep Agrippa, when he saw with what haste Marsyas came, and what joy Agrippa had from what he said, he had a suspicion that his words implied some great innovation of affairs, and he asked them about what was said. 18.24. And since this immovable resolution of theirs is well known to a great many, I shall speak no further about that matter; nor am I afraid that any thing I have said of them should be disbelieved, but rather fear, that what I have said is beneath the resolution they show when they undergo pain. 18.24. 1. But Herodias, Agrippa’s sister, who now lived as wife to that Herod who was tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, took this authority of her brother in an envious manner, particularly when she saw that he had a greater dignity bestowed on him than her husband had; since, when he ran away, it was because he was not able to pay his debts; and now he was come back, it was because he was in a way of dignity, and of great good fortune. 18.25. And it was in Gessius Florus’s time that the nation began to grow mad with this distemper, who was our procurator, and who occasioned the Jews to go wild with it by the abuse of his authority, and to make them revolt from the Romans. And these are the sects of Jewish philosophy. 18.25. Now Caius saluted Herod, for he first met with him, and then looked upon the letters which Agrippa had sent him, and which were written in order to accuse Herod; wherein he accused him, that he had been in confederacy with Sejanus against Tiberius’s and that he was now confederate with Artabanus, the king of Parthia, in opposition to the government of Caius; 20.97. 1. Now it came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it; 20.98. and many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them; who, falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. 20.99. This was what befell the Jews in the time of Cuspius Fadus’s government. 20.101. Under these procurators that great famine happened in Judea, in which queen Helena bought corn in Egypt at a great expense, and distributed it to those that were in want, as I have related already. 20.102. And besides this, the sons of Judas of Galilee were now slain; I mean of that Judas who caused the people to revolt, when Cyrenius came to take an account of the estates of the Jews, as we have showed in a foregoing book. The names of those sons were James and Simon, whom Alexander commanded to be crucified. 20.103. But now Herod, king of Chalcis, removed Joseph, the son of Camydus, from the high priesthood, and made Aias, the son of Nebedeu, his successor. And now it was that Cumanus came as successor to Tiberius Alexander; |
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4. Josephus Flavius, Jewish War, 2.220, 2.247-2.266, 2.271, 2.433, 2.447, 2.493, 4.616, 5.45 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.247. 8. After this Caesar sent Felix, the brother of Pallas, to be procurator of Galilee, and Samaria, and Perea, and removed Agrippa from Chalcis unto a greater kingdom; for he gave him the tetrarchy which had belonged to Philip, which contained Batanea, Trachonitis, and Gaulonitis: he added to it the kingdom of Lysanias, and that province [Abilene] which Varus had governed. 2.248. But Claudius himself, when he had administered the government thirteen years, eight months, and twenty days, died, and left Nero to be his successor in the empire, whom he had adopted by his Wife Agrippina’s delusions, in order to be his successor, although he had a son of his own, whose name was Britannicus, by Messalina his former wife, and a daughter whose name was Octavia 2.249. whom he had married to Nero; he had also another daughter by Petina, whose name was Antonia. 2.252. 2. Nero therefore bestowed the kingdom of the Lesser Armenia upon Aristobulus, Herod’s son, and he added to Agrippa’s kingdom four cities, with the toparchies to them belonging; I mean Abila, and that Julias which is in Perea, Taricheae also, and Tiberias of Galilee; but over the rest of Judea he made Felix procurator. 2.253. This Felix took Eleazar the arch-robber, and many that were with him, alive, when they had ravaged the country for twenty years together, and sent them to Rome; but as to the number of robbers whom he caused to be crucified, and of those who were caught among them, and whom he brought to punishment, they were a multitude not to be enumerated. 2.254. 3. When the country was purged of these, there sprang up another sort of robbers in Jerusalem, which were called Sicarii, who slew men in the daytime, and in the midst of the city; 2.255. this they did chiefly at the festivals, when they mingled themselves among the multitude, and concealed daggers under their garments, with which they stabbed those that were their enemies; and when any fell down dead, the murderers became a part of those that had indignation against them; by which means they appeared persons of such reputation, that they could by no means be discovered. 2.256. The first man who was slain by them was Jonathan the high priest, after whose death many were slain every day, while the fear men were in of being so served was more afflicting than the calamity itself; 2.257. and while everybody expected death every hour, as men do in war, so men were obliged to look before them, and to take notice of their enemies at a great distance; nor, if their friends were coming to them, durst they trust them any longer; but, in the midst of their suspicions and guarding of themselves, they were slain. Such was the celerity of the plotters against them, and so cunning was their contrivance. 2.258. 4. There was also another body of wicked men gotten together, not so impure in their actions, but more wicked in their intentions, which laid waste the happy state of the city no less than did these murderers. 2.259. These were such men as deceived and deluded the people under pretense of Divine inspiration, but were for procuring innovations and changes of the government; and these prevailed with the multitude to act like madmen, and went before them into the wilderness, as pretending that God would there show them the signals of liberty. 2.261. 5. But there was an Egyptian false prophet that did the Jews more mischief than the former; for he was a cheat, and pretended to be a prophet also, and got together thirty thousand men that were deluded by him; 2.262. these he led round about from the wilderness to the mount which was called the Mount of Olives, and was ready to break into Jerusalem by force from that place; and if he could but once conquer the Roman garrison and the people, he intended to domineer over them by the assistance of those guards of his that were to break into the city with him. 2.263. But Felix prevented his attempt, and met him with his Roman soldiers, while all the people assisted him in his attack upon them, insomuch that when it came to a battle, the Egyptian ran away, with a few others, while the greatest part of those that were with him were either destroyed or taken alive; but the rest of the multitude were dispersed every one to their own homes, and there concealed themselves. 2.264. 6. Now, when these were quieted, it happened, as it does in a diseased body, that another part was subject to an inflammation; for a company of deceivers and robbers got together, and persuaded the Jews to revolt, and exhorted them to assert their liberty, inflicting death on those that continued in obedience to the Roman government, and saying, that such as willingly chose slavery ought to be forced from such their desired inclinations; 2.265. for they parted themselves into different bodies, and lay in wait up and down the country, and plundered the houses of the great men, and slew the men themselves, and set the villages on fire; and this till all Judea was filled with the effects of their madness. And thus the flame was every day more and more blown up, till it came to a direct war. 2.266. 7. There was also another disturbance at Caesarea:—those Jews who were mixed with the Syrians that lived there, raising a tumult against them. The Jews pretended that the city was theirs, and said that he who built it was a Jew, meaning king Herod. The Syrians confessed also that its builder was a Jew; but they still said, however, that the city was a Grecian city; for that he who set up statues and temples in it could not design it for Jews. 2.271. 1. Now it was that Festus succeeded Felix as procurator, and made it his business to correct those that made disturbances in the country. So he caught the greatest part of the robbers, and destroyed a great many of them. 2.433. 8. In the meantime, one Manahem, the son of Judas, that was called the Galilean (who was a very cunning sophister, and had formerly reproached the Jews under Cyrenius, that after God they were subject to the Romans) took some of the men of note with him, and retired to Masada 2.447. A few there were of them who privately escaped to Masada, among whom was Eleazar, the son of Jarius, who was of kin to Manahem, and acted the part of a tyrant at Masada afterward. 2.493. However, this man did not begin to teach them wisdom by arms, but sent among them privately some of the principal men, and thereby entreated them to be quiet, and not provoke the Roman army against them; but the seditious made a jest of the entreaties of Tiberius, and reproached him for so doing. 4.616. 6. Justly, therefore, did Vespasian desire to obtain that government, in order to corroborate his attempts upon the whole empire; so he immediately sent to Tiberius Alexander, who was then governor of Egypt and of Alexandria, and informed him what the army had put upon him, and how he, being forced to accept of the burden of the government, was desirous to have him for his confederate and supporter. 5.45. as also there came Tiberius Alexander, who was a friend of his, most valuable, both for his goodwill to him, and for his prudence. He had formerly been governor of Alexandria 5.45. This miserable procedure made Titus greatly to pity them, while they caught every day five hundred Jews; nay, some days they caught more: yet it did not appear to be safe for him to let those that were taken by force go their way, and to set a guard over so many he saw would be to make such as guarded them useless to him. The main reason why he did not forbid that cruelty was this, that he hoped the Jews might perhaps yield at that sight, out of fear lest they might themselves afterwards be liable to the same cruel treatment. |
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5. Mishnah, Avot, 1.15 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1.15. Shammai used to say: make your [study of the] Torah a fixed practice; speak little, but do much; and receive all men with a pleasant countece." |
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6. New Testament, Acts, 1.22, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 5.36, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4, 24.5, 24.6, 24.8, 24.9, 24.10, 24.11, 24.12, 24.13, 24.14, 24.15, 24.16, 24.17, 24.18, 24.19, 24.20, 24.21, 24.22, 24.23, 24.24, 24.25, 24.26, 24.27, 25.13-26.32 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 1.22. beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection. |
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7. New Testament, Mark, 9.5 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 9.5. Peter answered Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let's make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. |
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8. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 8.3, 44.15 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 8.3. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם (בראשית א, כו), בְּמִי נִמְלָךְ, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר, בִּמְלֶאכֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ נִמְלָךְ, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי סַנְקְלִיטִים, וְלֹא הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה דָבָר חוּץ מִדַּעְתָּן. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר בְּמַעֲשֵׂה כָּל יוֹם וָיוֹם נִמְלַךְ, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ סַנְקַתַּדְרוֹן, וְלֹא הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה דָבָר חוּץ מִדַּעְתּוֹ. רַבִּי אַמֵּי אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ נִמְלַךְ, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁבָּנָה פָּלָטִין עַל יְדֵי אַרְדְּכָל, רָאָה אוֹתָהּ וְלֹא עָרְבָה לוֹ, עַל מִי יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהִתְרַעֵם לֹא עַל אַרְדְּכָל, אֶתְמְהָא, הֱוֵי וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ. אָמַר רַב אַסֵּי מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה לוֹ סְחוֹרָה עַל יְדֵי סַרְסוּר וְהִפְסִיד, עַל מִי יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהִתְרָעֵם לֹא עַל הַסַּרְסוּר, אֶתְמְהָא, הֱוֵי וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ. 44.15. דָּבָר אַחֵר, קְחָה לִי עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת, זוֹ בָּבֶל, שֶׁהֶעֱמִידָה שְׁלשָׁה מְלָכִים, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַר וֶאֱוִיל מְרוֹדַךְ וּבֵלְשַׁצַּר. וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת, זוֹ מָדַי, שֶׁהָיְתָה מַעֲמִידָה שְׁלשָׁה מְלָכִים, כּוֹרֶשׁ וְדָרְיָוֶשׁ וַאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ. וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ, זוֹ יָוָן, רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר כָּל הָרוּחוֹת כָּבְשׁוּ בְּנֵי יָוָן וְרוּחַ מִזְרָחִית לֹא כָבָשׁוּ, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְהָכְתִיב (דניאל ח, ד): רָאִיתִי אֶת הָאַיִל מְנַגֵּחַ יָמָּה וְצָפוֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה וְכָל חַיּוֹת לֹא יַעַמְדוּ לְפָנָיו וְאֵין מַצִּיל מִיָּדוֹ וְעָשָׂה כִרְצֹנוֹ וְהִגְדִּיל, הוּא דַעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְּלָא אֲמַר מִזְרָחִית. וְתֹר וְגוֹזָל, זוֹ מַלְכוּת אֱדוֹם, תּוֹר הוּא אֶלָּא שֶׁגַּזְלָן הוּא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיִּקַּח לוֹ אֶת כָּל אֵלֶּה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר שָׂרֵי עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים הֶרְאָה לוֹ. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר שָׂרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֶרְאָה לוֹ, עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה קָתֶדְרִין דְּדֵין לָקֳבֵל קָתֶדְרִין דְּדֵין. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה שֶׁשָּׁם הָיוּ סַנְהֶדְּרֵי גְדוֹלָה שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹשֶׁבֶת וְחוֹתֶמֶת דִּינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֶת הַצִּפֹּר לֹא בָתָר, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר הֶרְאָה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא מַעֲמִיד פָּנִים בַּגַּל, הַגַּל שׁוֹטְפוֹ, וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַעֲמִיד פָּנִים בַּגַּל, אֵין הַגַּל שׁוֹטְפוֹ. | 8.3. Let us make a human”—with whom did He rule/nimlokh? R’ Yehoshua in the name of R’ Levi said: With the work/m’la’khah of the heavens and the earth . . . R’ Shmuel bar Nachman said: With the work/ma`aseh of each and every day..." |
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9. Anon., Sifre Deuteronomy, 343 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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10. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 63b. ואמרו לאחינו שבגולה אם שומעין מוטב ואם לאו יעלו להר אחיה יבנה מזבח חנניה ינגן בכנור ויכפרו כולם ויאמרו אין להם חלק באלהי ישראל,מיד געו כל העם בבכיה ואמרו חס ושלום יש לנו חלק באלהי ישראל,וכל כך למה משום שנאמר (ישעיהו ב, ג) כי מציון תצא תורה ודבר ה' מירושלים,בשלמא הוא מטהר והם מטמאין לחומרא אלא הוא מטמא והם מטהרין היכי הוי והא תניא חכם שטמא אין חברו רשאי לטהר אסר אין חברו רשאי להתיר קסברי כי היכי דלא נגררו בתריה:,תנו רבנן כשנכנסו רבותינו לכרם ביבנה היו שם רבי יהודה ורבי יוסי ור' נחמיה ור' אליעזר בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי פתחו כולם בכבוד אכסניא ודרשו,פתח רבי יהודה ראש המדברים בכל מקום בכבוד תורה ודרש (שמות לג, ז) ומשה יקח את האהל ונטה לו מחוץ למחנה והלא דברים קל וחומר ומה ארון ה' שלא היה מרוחק אלא שנים עשר מיל אמרה תורה (שמות לג, ז) והיה כל מבקש ה' יצא אל אהל מועד תלמידי חכמים שהולכים מעיר לעיר וממדינה למדינה ללמוד תורה על אחת כמה וכמה,(שמות לג, יא) ודבר ה' אל משה פנים אל פנים אמר ר' יצחק אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה משה אני ואתה נסביר פנים בהלכה איכא דאמרי כך אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה כשם שאני הסברתי לך פנים כך אתה הסבר פנים לישראל והחזר האהל למקומו,(שמות לג, יא) ושב אל המחנה וגו' אמר רבי אבהו אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה עכשו יאמרו הרב בכעס ותלמיד בכעס ישראל מה תהא עליהם אם אתה מחזיר האהל למקומו מוטב ואם לאו יהושע בן נון תלמידך משרת תחתיך,והיינו דכתיב ושב אל המחנה אמר רבא אף על פי כן לא יצא הדבר לבטלה שנאמר (שמות לג, יא) ומשרתו יהושע בן נון נער לא ימיש מתוך האהל:,ועוד פתח ר' יהודה בכבוד תורה ודרש (דברים כז, ט) הסכת ושמע ישראל היום הזה נהיית לעם וכי אותו היום נתנה תורה לישראל והלא אותו יום סוף ארבעים שנה היה אלא ללמדך שחביבה תורה על לומדיה בכל יום ויום כיום שנתנה מהר סיני,אמר ר' תנחום בריה דר' חייא איש כפר עכו תדע שהרי אדם קורא קריאת שמע שחרית וערבית וערב אחד אינו קורא דומה כמי שלא קרא קריאת שמע מעולם,הסכת עשו כתות כתות ועסקו בתורה לפי שאין התורה נקנית אלא בחבורה כדר' יוסי ברבי חנינא דאמר ר' יוסי ברבי חנינא מאי דכתיב (ירמיהו נ, לו) חרב (על) הבדים ונואלו חרב על שונאיהם של תלמידי חכמים שיושבים בד בבד ועוסקים בתורה ולא עוד אלא שמטפשים כתיב הכא ונואלו וכתיב התם (במדבר יב, יא) אשר נואלנו ולא עוד אלא שחוטאים שנאמר ואשר חטאנו,איבעית אימא מהכא (ישעיהו יט, יג) נואלו שרי צוען,דבר אחר הסכת ושמע ישראל כתתו עצמכם על דברי תורה כדאמר ריש לקיש דאמר ריש לקיש מנין שאין דברי תורה מתקיימין אלא במי שממית עצמו עליה שנאמר (במדבר יט, יד) זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל,דבר אחר הסכת ושמע ישראל הס ואחר כך כתת כדרבא דאמר רבא לעולם ילמוד אדם תורה ואחר כך יהגה,אמרי דבי ר' ינאי מאי דכתיב (משלי ל, לג) כי מיץ חלב יוציא חמאה ומיץ אף יוציא דם ומיץ אפים יוציא ריב,במי אתה מוצא חמאה של תורה במי שמקיא חלב שינק משדי אמו עליה,ומיץ אף יוציא דם כל תלמיד שכועס עליו רבו פעם ראשונה ושותק זוכה להבחין בין דם טמא לדם טהור,ומיץ אפים יוציא ריב כל תלמיד שכועס עליו רבו פעם ראשונה ושניה ושותק זוכה להבחין בין דיני ממונות לדיני נפשות דתנן ר' ישמעאל אומר הרוצה שיתחכם יעסוק בדיני ממונות שאין לך מקצוע בתורה יותר מהן שהן כמעין נובע,אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמני מאי דכתיב (משלי ל, לב) אם נבלת בהתנשא ואם זמות יד לפה כל המנבל עצמו על דברי תורה סופו להתנשא ואם זמם יד לפה:,פתח ר' נחמיה בכבוד אכסניא ודרש מאי דכתיב (שמואל א טו, ו) ויאמר שאול אל הקיני לכו סורו רדו מתוך עמלקי פן אוסיפך עמו ואתה עשיתה חסד עם כל בני ישראל והלא דברים קל וחומר ומה יתרו שלא קרב את משה אלא לכבוד עצמו כך המארח תלמיד חכם בתוך ביתו ומאכילו ומשקהו ומהנהו מנכסיו על אחת כמה וכמה:,פתח ר' יוסי בכבוד אכסניא ודרש (דברים כג, ח) לא תתעב אדומי כי אחיך הוא לא תתעב מצרי כי גר היית בארצו והלא דברים קל וחומר ומה מצריים שלא קרבו את ישראל אלא לצורך עצמן שנאמר (בראשית מז, ו) ואם ידעת ויש בם אנשי חיל ושמתם שרי מקנה על אשר לי כך המארח תלמיד חכם בתוך ביתו ומאכילו ומשקהו ומהנהו מנכסיו על אחת כמה וכמה:,פתח ר' אליעזר בנו של ר' יוסי הגלילי בכבוד אכסניא ודרש (שמואל ב ו, יא) ויברך ה' את עובד אדום (הגתי) בעבור ארון האלהים והלא דברים ק"ו ומה ארון שלא אכל ושתה אלא כבד ורבץ לפניו כך המארח תלמיד חכם בתוך ביתו ומאכילו ומשקהו ומהנהו מנכסיו עאכ"ו,מאי היא ברכה שברכו אמר רב יהודה בר זבידא זו חמות וח' כלותיה שילדו ששה ששה בכרס אחד | 63b. bAndin order to underscore this, btell our brethren in exile: If they obeythe Sages of Eretz Yisrael to excommunicate Ḥanina, bfine; and ifthey do bnotobey us, it is as if they are seceding from the Jewish people. bThey should climb a mountain; Aḥiya,one of the leaders of the Babylonian Jewish community, bwill build an altar, Ḥaya,son of Rabbi Yehoshua’s brother, who was a Levite, bwill play the lute, and all willproclaim bheresy and say that they have no portion in the God of Israel. /b,This message had a profound impact on the people, and bimmediately the entire nation burst into tears, saying: God forbid. We do have a portion in the God of Israel.They reconsidered their plans to establish Babylonia as the center of the Jewish people.,The Gemara asks: bWhydid the Sages of Eretz Yisrael go bto that extentto stop Ḥanina? The Gemara answers: bBecause it is stated: “For out of Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem”(Isaiah 2:3).,The Gemara considers the details of this event: bGranted,Ḥanina would rule an item bpure andthe Sages from Eretz Yisrael would rule it bimpure;they ruled bstringently. Butin a case where bheruled an item bimpure and theyruled it bpure, what arethe circumstances? How could they rule pure that which he ruled impure? bWas it not taughtin a ibaraita /i: bIf a Sageruled an item bimpure, his colleague is not permittedto rule it bpure;if he bprohibitedit, bhis colleague may not permitit? The Gemara explains: bThey heldthat they must do so in this case, bso that people would not be drawn after him;due to the exigencies of the time they overturned his rulings., bThe Sages taught: When our Rabbis,the Sages of the Mishna, bentered the vineyard,the academy, bin Yavne, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Neḥemya, and Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, were therepresiding over the Sages. bThey all beganto speak bin honor oftheir bhosts,the local population hosting them and their students as guests, band they taught. /b, bRabbi Yehuda, head of the speakers in every place, openedhis speech bin honor of Torah, and taught:It is stated: b“Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp,far off from the camp; and he called it the Tent of Meeting. And it came to pass, that every seeker of God went out unto the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp” (Exodus 33:7). He said: bIsn’t this an ia fortioriinference? Just as the Torah saysof bthe ark of God, which was only twelve imilfrom the camp: “Every seeker of God went out unto the Tent of Meeting”; all the more soshould bTorah scholars,who wander great distances and bgo from city to city and country to country to study Torah,be called seekers of God.,The Gemara continues: It is stated: b“And the Lord spoke unto Moses, face to face”(Exodus 33:11). bRabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Moses, you and I will show cheerful faces inthe study of ihalakha /ito those who come to study. bSome saythat bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, told Moses: Just as I showed you a cheerful face, so too you will show Israel a cheerful face and restore the tent to its placein the camp.,It is said: b“And he would return into the camp;but his minister, Joshua bin-Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent” (Exodus 33:11). bRabbi Abbahu said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, told Moses: Now,they will say: bThe Master,God, bis angry andthe bstudent,Moses, is also bangry, and what will happen to Israel?Rather, you must restore the tent to its place among the people. bIf you restore the tent to its place, fine; and if not, Joshua bin-Nun, your student,will bserveas Israel’s leader bin your place. /b, bAnd that is what is written: “And he would return into the camp;but his minister, Joshua bin-Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.” bRava said: Nevertheless,though Moses obeyed and restored the tent, bthe statementwritten with regard to the role of Joshua bwas not uttered for naught.Joshua bin-Nun remained as deputy to Moses, and ultimately served in his place, as it is stated: b“But his minister, Joshua bin-Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.” /b, bAnd Rabbi Yehuda again beganto speak bin honor of Torah and taught:When Moses took leave of Israel on his last day in this world, he said: b“Keep silence [ ihasket /i] and hear, Israel; this day you have become a peopleunto the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 27:9). This is surprising: bWas the Torah given to Israel on that day? Wasn’t that day at the end of forty yearssince the Torah was given? bRather,it comes bto teach that each and every day the Torah is as dear to those who study it, asit was bon the day it was given from Mount Sinai. /b, bRabbi Tanḥum, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, of the village of Akko, said: Knowthat the Torah is indeed beloved, bas one who recites iShema /i, morning and evening,for his entire life, and bdoes not recite it one evening, it is as if he never recited iShema /i.He cannot compensate for what he missed.,The Gemara interprets the word ihasket /iin this verse homiletically, as an acronym of the words ias /i, make, and ikat /i, group. bForm [ iasu /i] many groups [ ikitot /i] and study Torah, for the Torah is only acquiredthrough study bin a group.This is bin accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina; as Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “A sword is upon the boasters [ ihabaddim /i], and they shall become fools [ inoalu /i]”(Jeremiah 50:36)? This verse can be interpreted homiletically: bA sword upon the enemies of Torah scholars,a euphemism for the Torah scholars themselves, bwho sit alone [ ibad bevad /i] and study Torah. And furthermore,those who study alone bgrow foolish, as it is written here, inoalu /i, and elsewhere it is writtenthat after Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, Aaron told Moses: b“For that we have done foolishly [ inoalnu /i]”(Numbers 12:11). bAnd furthermore, they sindue to that ignorance, basat the end of that same verse bit is stated:“For that we have done foolishly, band for that we have sinned.” /b, bIf you wish, sayinstead that it is derived bfrom here: “The princes of Tzoan are become fools [ inoalu /i]”(Isaiah 19:13).,The Gemara offers ban alternativeexplanation of this verse: b“Keep silence [ ihasket /i] and hear, Israel”; break [ ikattetu /i] yourselves over words of the Torah.This is bin accordance withthe opinion of bReish Lakish, as Reish Lakish said: From whereis it derived bthat matters of Torah are only retained by one who kills himself over it? As it is stated: “This is the Torah: When one dies in a tent”(Numbers 19:14); true Torah study demands the total devotion of one who is willing to dedicate his life in the tent of Torah.,The Gemara offers yet another balternative explanationof this verse: b“Keep silence [ ihasket /i] and hear, Israel”;first bbe silent [ ihas /i]and listen and bthenstudy intensively in order to banalyze [ ikattet /i]and clarify the details. This is bin accordance withthe opinion of bRava, as Rava said: One must always study Torahand gain expertise in it, bandonly bthen analyzeand delve into it., bIn the school of Rabbi Yannai they said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “For the churning of milk brings forth curd, and the wringing of the nose [ iaf /i] brings forth blood, so the forcing of wrath [ iappayim /i] brings forth strife”(Proverbs 30:33)?,With regard to the beginning of the verse: For the churning of milk brings forth curd; bin whom do you find the cream of Torah? With one who spits out the milk that he nursed from his mother’s breasts over it;one who struggles with all his might to study Torah.,With regard to: bAnd the wringing of the nose brings forth blood, any student whose rabbi is angry [ iaf /i] with him the first time and he is silentand does not react, bwill meritto be able bto distinguish between blood that is ritually impure and blood that is ritually pure. /b,As for: bAnd the forcing of wrath [ iappayim /i] brings forth strife; any student whose rabbi is angry with him for the first and second times, iappayimbeing the plural of iaf /i, band he is silent, merits to distinguish between monetary cases,strife, band capital cases,as that is the highest level of learning. bAs we learnedin a mishna: bRabbi Yishmael says: One who seeks to become wise should engage in monetary laws, as there is no greater discipline in Torah, as they are like a flowing wellin which innovations constantly spring forth.,Similarly, bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have planned devices [ izamota /i], lay your hand over your mouth”(Proverbs 30:32)? bAnyone who abases himself over matters of Torah,asking questions despite the shame he feels for his ignorance, bwill ultimately be exalted. And if he muzzles [ izamam /i] himselfdue to embarrassment, he will end up with his bhand overhis bmouth,unable to answer.,The Gemara returns to the homilies offered by the Sages in the vineyard of Yavne. bRabbi Neḥemya beganto speak bin honor of the hosts and taught: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “And Saul said unto the Kenites: Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites lest I destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the Children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt”(I Samuel 15:6)? bIsn’t this an ia fortioriinference: Just as Jethro,the forbearer of the Kenite tribe, who bonly befriended Moses for his own honor,is treated bin this wayand rewarded that his merit would protect his descendants; ball the more soshould bone who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessions,be rewarded with that protection., bRabbi Yosei beganto speak bin honor of the hosts, and taught:It is said: b“You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land”(Deuteronomy 23:8). bIsn’t this an ia fortioriinference: Just as the Egyptians, who only befriended Israel,even when they hosted them, bfor their own benefit,as Pharaoh said to Joseph, bas it is stated: “And if you know any able men among them, then make them rulers over my cattle”(Genesis 47:6), are treated bthis way, all the more soshould bone who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessionswithout concern for personal gain, be treated this way., bRabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, beganto speak bin honor of the hosts, and taught:It is stated: b“The Lord has blessed the house of Oved-edom…because of the ark of God”(II Samuel 6:12). bIsn’t this an ia fortioriinference: Just as in reward for honoring the ark, which neither ate nor drank, but before whichOved-edom simply bswept and sprinkledwater to settle the dust, he was treated bthis wayand merited a blessing, ball the more soshould bone who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessionswithout concern for his personal gain, be rewarded with such a blessing.,The Gemara asks: bWhat isthat bblessing with whichOved-edom bwas blessed? Rav Yehuda bar Zevida said: This is Ḥamot and her eight daughters-in-law, each of whom bore six in a single womb, /b |
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