1. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 44.30 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 44.30. Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad’s soul;" |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 19.1-19.19 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 19.1. וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר׃ 19.1. וְכִבֶּס הָאֹסֵף אֶת־אֵפֶר הַפָּרָה אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וְטָמֵא עַד־הָעָרֶב וְהָיְתָה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם׃ 19.2. זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה לֵאמֹר דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה תְּמִימָה אֲשֶׁר אֵין־בָּהּ מוּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־עָלָה עָלֶיהָ עֹל׃ 19.2. וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִטְמָא וְלֹא יִתְחַטָּא וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מִתּוֹךְ הַקָּהָל כִּי אֶת־מִקְדַּשׁ יְהוָה טִמֵּא מֵי נִדָּה לֹא־זֹרַק עָלָיו טָמֵא הוּא׃ 19.3. וּנְתַתֶּם אֹתָהּ אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְהוֹצִיא אֹתָהּ אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וְשָׁחַט אֹתָהּ לְפָנָיו׃ 19.4. וְלָקַח אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן מִדָּמָהּ בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ וְהִזָּה אֶל־נֹכַח פְּנֵי אֹהֶל־מוֹעֵד מִדָּמָהּ שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים׃ 19.5. וְשָׂרַף אֶת־הַפָּרָה לְעֵינָיו אֶת־עֹרָהּ וְאֶת־בְּשָׂרָהּ וְאֶת־דָּמָהּ עַל־פִּרְשָׁהּ יִשְׂרֹף׃ 19.6. וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן עֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וּשְׁנִי תוֹלָעַת וְהִשְׁלִיךְ אֶל־תּוֹךְ שְׂרֵפַת הַפָּרָה׃ 19.7. וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו הַכֹּהֵן וְרָחַץ בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמַּיִם וְאַחַר יָבוֹא אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה וְטָמֵא הַכֹּהֵן עַד־הָעָרֶב׃ 19.8. וְהַשֹּׂרֵף אֹתָהּ יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו בַּמַּיִם וְרָחַץ בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמָּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד־הָעָרֶב׃ 19.9. וְאָסַף אִישׁ טָהוֹר אֵת אֵפֶר הַפָּרָה וְהִנִּיחַ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה בְּמָקוֹם טָהוֹר וְהָיְתָה לַעֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת לְמֵי נִדָּה חַטָּאת הִוא׃ 19.11. הַנֹּגֵעַ בְּמֵת לְכָל־נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם וְטָמֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים׃ 19.12. הוּא יִתְחַטָּא־בוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יִטְהָר וְאִם־לֹא יִתְחַטָּא בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לֹא יִטְהָר׃ 19.13. כָּל־הַנֹּגֵעַ בְּמֵת בְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר־יָמוּת וְלֹא יִתְחַטָּא אֶת־מִשְׁכַּן יְהוָה טִמֵּא וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כִּי מֵי נִדָּה לֹא־זֹרַק עָלָיו טָמֵא יִהְיֶה עוֹד טֻמְאָתוֹ בוֹ׃ 19.14. זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אָדָם כִּי־יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל כָּל־הַבָּא אֶל־הָאֹהֶל וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר בָּאֹהֶל יִטְמָא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים׃ 19.15. וְכֹל כְּלִי פָתוּחַ אֲשֶׁר אֵין־צָמִיד פָּתִיל עָלָיו טָמֵא הוּא׃ 19.16. וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה בַּחֲלַל־חֶרֶב אוֹ בְמֵת אוֹ־בְעֶצֶם אָדָם אוֹ בְקָבֶר יִטְמָא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים׃ 19.17. וְלָקְחוּ לַטָּמֵא מֵעֲפַר שְׂרֵפַת הַחַטָּאת וְנָתַן עָלָיו מַיִם חַיִּים אֶל־כֶּלִי׃ 19.18. וְלָקַח אֵזוֹב וְטָבַל בַּמַּיִם אִישׁ טָהוֹר וְהִזָּה עַל־הָאֹהֶל וְעַל־כָּל־הַכֵּלִים וְעַל־הַנְּפָשׁוֹת אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ־שָׁם וְעַל־הַנֹּגֵעַ בַּעֶצֶם אוֹ בֶחָלָל אוֹ בַמֵּת אוֹ בַקָּבֶר׃ 19.19. וְהִזָּה הַטָּהֹר עַל־הַטָּמֵא בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְחִטְּאוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָהֵר בָּעָרֶב׃ | 19.1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying:" 19.2. This is the statute of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying: Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer, faultless, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke." 19.3. And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, and she shall be brought forth without the camp, and she shall be slain before his face." 19.4. And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times." 19.5. And the heifer shall be burnt in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall be burnt." 19.6. And the priest shall take cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer." 19.7. Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he may come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even." 19.8. And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even." 19.9. And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of sprinkling; it is a purification from sin." 19.10. And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even; and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever." 19.11. He that toucheth the dead, even any man’s dead body, shall be unclean seven days;" 19.12. the same shall purify himself therewith on the third day and on the seventh day, and he shall be clean; but if he purify not himself the third day and the seventh day, he shall not be clean." 19.13. Whosoever toucheth the dead, even the body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself—he hath defiled the tabernacle of the LORD—that soul shall be cut off from Israel; because the water of sprinkling was not dashed against him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him." 19.14. This is the law: when a man dieth in a tent, every one that cometh into the tent, and every thing that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days." 19.15. And every open vessel, which hath no covering close-bound upon it, is unclean." 19.16. And whosoever in the open field toucheth one that is slain with a sword, or one that dieth of himself, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days." 19.17. And for the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the purification from sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel." 19.18. And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave." 19.19. And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify him; and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 2.19 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.19. כָּל־בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן וְלֹא־יַשִּׂיגוּ אָרְחוֹת חַיִּים׃ | 2.19. None that go unto her return, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life;" |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Joshua, 1.8 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 1.8. לֹא־יָמוּשׁ סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה מִפִּיךָ וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה לְמַעַן תִּשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכָל־הַכָּתוּב בּוֹ כִּי־אָז תַּצְלִיחַ אֶת־דְּרָכֶךָ וְאָז תַּשְׂכִּיל׃ | 1.8. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy ways prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." |
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5. Mishnah, Avot, 3.11 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 3.11. Rabbi Elazar of Modiin said: one who profanes sacred things, and one who despises the festivals, and one who causes his fellow’s face to blush in public, and one who annuls the covet of our father Abraham, may he rest in peace, and he who is contemptuous towards the Torah, even though he has to his credit [knowledge of the] Torah and good deeds, he has not a share in the world to come." |
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6. Mishnah, Sanhedrin, 10.1 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 10.1. All Israel have a portion in the world to come, for it says, “Your people, all of them righteous, shall possess the land for ever; They are the shoot that I planted, my handiwork in which I glory” (Isaiah 60:2. And these are the ones who have no portion in the world to come: He who maintains that resurrection is not a biblical doctrine, that the torah was not divinely revealed, and an epikoros. Rabbi Akiva says: “Even one who reads non-canonical books and one who whispers [a charm] over a wound and says, “I will not bring upon you any of the diseases whichbrought upon the Egyptians: for I the lord am you healer” (Exodus 15:26). Abba Shaul says: “Also one who pronounces the divine name as it is spelled.”" |
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7. Mishnah, Sotah, 9.14 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 9.14. During the war with Vespasian they [the rabbis] decreed against [the use of] crowns worn by bridegrooms and against [the use of] the bell. During the war with Quietus they decreed against [the use of] crowns worn by brides and that nobody should teach their child Greek. During the final war they decreed that a bride should not go out in a palanquin inside the city, but our rabbis decreed that a bride may go out in a palanquin inside the city." |
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8. New Testament, Luke, 10.25-10.37 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 10.25. Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 10.26. He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it? 10.27. He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. 10.28. He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live. 10.29. But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor? 10.30. Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 10.31. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 10.32. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. 10.33. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion 10.34. came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 10.35. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.' 10.36. Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers? 10.37. He said, "He who showed mercy on him."Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise. |
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9. Tosefta, Avodah Zarah, 1.20 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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10. Tosefta, Demai, 6.13 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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11. Tosefta, Horayot, 1.5 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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12. Tosefta, Peah, 4.18 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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13. Tosefta, Sotah, 15.8 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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14. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 21.5, 46.10 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 21.5. דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי פַּפּוּס הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּאֶחָד מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא דַּיְּךָ פַּפּוּס, אָמַר לוֹ מָה אַתָּה מְקַיֵּם הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמַר לוֹ שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם לְפָנָיו שְׁנֵי דְרָכִים, דֶּרֶךְ הַחַיִּים וְדֶרֶךְ הַמָּוֶת, וּבֵרַר לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ אַחֶרֶת. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן אָמַר כִּיחִידוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו, ד): שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי כְּגַבְרִיאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל י, ה): וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ אֶחָד לָבוּשׁ בַּדִּים, כְּהָדֵין קַמְצָא דִּלְבוּשֵׁיהּ מִינֵיהּ וּבֵיהּ. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר כְּיוֹנָה, מַה זֶּה בּוֹרֵחַ מִשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יונה א, ג): וַיָּקָם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵי ה', אַף זֶה בּוֹרֵחַ מִלְּקַיֵּים צִוּוּי הַמָּקוֹם. מַה זֶּה לֹא לָן בִּכְבוֹדוֹ, אַף זֶה לֹא לָן כְּבוֹדוֹ עִמּוֹ. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר כְּאֵלִיָּהוּ, מַה זֶּה לֹא טָעַם טַעַם מָוֶת, אַף זֶה לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי לִטְעֹם טַעַם מָוֶת, הִיא דַעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָנִין, דְּאָמַר כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם הָיָה כְּאֶחָד, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּטְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ צַלְעָתוֹ, לָדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע. | |
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15. Anon., Pesikta Rabbati, 14 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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16. Anon., Sifre Numbers, 75, 11 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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17. Palestinian Talmud, Berachot, 8.7 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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18. Palestinian Talmud, Hagigah, 1.7 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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19. Palestinian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 10.1 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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20. Palestinian Talmud, Shabbat, 1.4 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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21. Palestinian Talmud, Taanit, 4.5 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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22. Palestinian Talmud, Sheviit, 1.5 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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23. Palestinian Talmud, Peah, 2.4 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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24. Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zarah, 17b, 27b, 17a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 17a. והנאך ועליו נתפסת אמר לו עקיבא הזכרתני פעם אחת הייתי מהלך בשוק העליון של ציפורי ומצאתי אחד ומתלמידי ישו הנוצרי ויעקב איש כפר סכניא שמו אמר לי כתוב בתורתכם (דברים כג, יט) לא תביא אתנן זונה [וגו'] מהו לעשות הימנו בהכ"ס לכ"ג ולא אמרתי לו כלום,אמר לי כך לימדני ישו הנוצרי (מיכה א, ז) כי מאתנן זונה קבצה ועד אתנן זונה ישובו ממקום הטנופת באו למקום הטנופת ילכו,והנאני הדבר על ידי זה נתפסתי למינות ועברתי על מה שכתוב בתורה (משלי ה, ח) הרחק מעליה דרכך זו מינות ואל תקרב אל פתח ביתה זו הרשות ואיכא דאמרי הרחק מעליה דרכך זו מינות והרשות ואל תקרב אל פתח ביתה זו זונה וכמה אמר רב חסדא ארבע אמות,ורבנן [האי] מאתנן זונה מאי דרשי ביה כדרב חסדא דאמר רב חסדא כל זונה שנשכרת לבסוף היא שוכרת שנאמר (יחזקאל טז, לד) ובתתך אתנן ואתנן לא נתן לך [ותהי להפך],ופליגא דרבי פדת דא"ר פדת לא אסרה תורה אלא קריבה של גלוי עריות בלבד שנא' (ויקרא יח, ו) איש איש אל כל שאר בשרו לא תקרבו לגלות ערוה,עולא כי הוה אתי מבי רב הוה מנשק להו לאחתיה אבי ידייהו ואמרי לה אבי חדייהו ופליגא דידיה אדידיה דאמר עולא קריבה בעלמא אסור משום לך לך אמרין נזירא סחור סחור לכרמא לא תקרב,(משלי ל, טו) לעלוקה שתי בנות הב הב מאי הב הב אמר מר עוקבא [קול] שתי בנות שצועקות מגיהנם ואומרות בעוה"ז הבא הבא ומאן נינהו מינות והרשות איכא דאמרי אמר רב חסדא אמר מר עוקבא קול גיהנם צועקת ואומרת הביאו לי שתי בנות שצועקות ואומרות בעולם הזה הבא הבא,(משלי ב, יט) כל באיה לא ישובון ולא ישיגו אורחות חיים וכי מאחר שלא שבו היכן ישיגו ה"ק ואם ישובו לא ישיגו אורחות חיים,למימרא דכל הפורש ממינות מיית והא ההיא דאתאי לקמיה דרב חסדא ואמרה ליה קלה שבקלות עשתה בנה הקטן מבנה הגדול ואמר לה רב חסדא טרחו לה בזוודתא ולא מתה,מדקאמרה קלה שבקלות עשתה מכלל דמינות [נמי] הויא בה ההוא דלא הדרא בה שפיר ומש"ה לא מתה,איכא דאמרי ממינות אין מעבירה לא והא ההיא דאתאי קמיה דרב חסדא וא"ל [ר"ח זוידו לה זוודתא] ומתה מדקאמרה קלה שבקלות מכלל דמינות נמי הויא בה,ומעבירה לא והתניא אמרו עליו על ר"א בן דורדיא שלא הניח זונה אחת בעולם שלא בא עליה פעם אחת שמע שיש זונה אחת בכרכי הים והיתה נוטלת כיס דינרין בשכרה נטל כיס דינרין והלך ועבר עליה שבעה נהרות בשעת הרגל דבר הפיחה אמרה כשם שהפיחה זו אינה חוזרת למקומה כך אלעזר בן דורדיא אין מקבלין אותו בתשובה,הלך וישב בין שני הרים וגבעות אמר הרים וגבעות בקשו עלי רחמים אמרו לו עד שאנו מבקשים עליך נבקש על עצמנו שנאמר (ישעיהו נד, י) כי ההרים ימושו והגבעות תמוטינה אמר שמים וארץ בקשו עלי רחמים אמרו עד שאנו מבקשים עליך נבקש על עצמנו שנאמר (ישעיהו נא, ו) כי שמים כעשן נמלחו והארץ כבגד תבלה,אמר חמה ולבנה בקשו עלי רחמים אמרו לו עד שאנו מבקשים עליך נבקש על עצמנו שנאמר (ישעיהו כד, כג) וחפרה הלבנה ובושה החמה אמר כוכבים ומזלות בקשו עלי רחמים אמרו לו עד שאנו מבקשים עליך נבקש על עצמנו שנאמר (ישעיהו לד, ד) ונמקו כל צבא השמים,אמר אין הדבר תלוי אלא בי הניח ראשו בין ברכיו וגעה בבכיה עד שיצתה נשמתו יצתה בת קול ואמרה ר"א בן דורדיא מזומן לחיי העולם הבא [והא הכא בעבירה הוה ומית] התם נמי כיון דאביק בה טובא כמינות דמיא,בכה רבי ואמר יש קונה עולמו בכמה שנים ויש קונה עולמו בשעה אחת ואמר רבי לא דיין לבעלי תשובה שמקבלין אותן אלא שקורין אותן רבי,ר' חנינא ור' יונתן הוו קאזלי באורחא מטו להנהו תרי שבילי חד פצי אפיתחא דעבודת כוכבים וחד פצי אפיתחא דבי זונות אמר ליה חד לחבריה ניזיל אפיתחא דעבודת כוכבים | 17a. band you derived pleasure from it, and because ofthis byou were held responsibleby Heaven. Rabbi Eliezer bsaid to him: Akiva,you are right, as byou have reminded methat bonce I was walking in the upper marketplace of Tzippori, and I found a manwho was one bof the students of Jesus the Nazarene, and his name was Ya’akov of Kefar Sekhanya. He said to me: It is written in your Torah: “You shall not bring the payment to a prostitute,or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 23:19). bWhat isthe ihalakha /i: Is it permitted bto make fromthe payment to a prostitute for services rendered ba bathroom for a High Priestin the Temple? bAnd I said nothing to himin response., bHe said to me: Jesus the Nazarene taught me the following:It is permitted, as derived from the verse: b“For of the payment to a prostitute she has gathered them, and to the payment to a prostitute they shall return”(Micah 1:7). Since the coins bcame from a place of filth, let them go to a place of filthand be used to build a bathroom., bAnd I derived pleasure from the statement,and bdue to this, I was arrested for heresyby the authorities, because bI transgressed that which is written in the Torah:“Remove your way far from her, and do not come near the entrance of her house” (Proverbs 5:8). b“Remove your way far from her,” thisis a reference to bheresy; “and do not come near the entrance of her house,” thisis a reference to bthe ruling authority.The Gemara notes: bAnd there arethose bwho saya different interpretation: b“Remove your way far from her,” thisis a reference to bheresy and the ruling authority; “and do not come near the entrance of her house,” thisis a reference to ba prostitute. And how muchdistance must one maintain from a prostitute? bRav Ḥisda said: Four cubits. /b,With regard to the derivation of the verse by Jesus the Nazarene, the Gemara asks: bAnd what do the Sages derive from thisphrase: b“Payment to a prostitute”?The Gemara answers: They explain it bin accordance withthe opinion bof Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda says: Any prostitute who hires herselfout to others for money will become so attached to this practice that bultimately,when others no longer wish to hire her, bshewill bhireothers to engage in intercourse with her. bAs it is stated: “And in that you gave payment, and no payment is given to you, therefore you are contrary”(Ezekiel 16:34).,The Gemara comments: bAndRav Ḥisda, who stated above that the Torah requires one to maintain a distance of four cubits from a prostitute, bdisagrees withthe opinion bof Rabbi Pedat. As Rabbi Pedat says: The Torah prohibited only intimacy that involves engaging in prohibited sexual relations, as it is stated: “None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness”(Leviticus 18:6). The prohibition against intimacy in the Torah applies exclusively to sexual intercourse, and all other kinds of intimacy that do not include actual intercourse are not included in the prohibition.,The Gemara relates: bWhen Ulla would come from the study hall, he would kiss his sisters on their hands. And some say: On their chests. Andthe Gemara points out that this action of bhis disagrees withanother ruling that Ulla bhimselfissued, bas Ulla says: Mere intimacywith a woman with whom one is prohibited from engaging in sexual intercourse is bprohibited, due tothe maxim: bGo, go, we say to a nazirite, go around, go aroundbut bdo not come near to the vineyard.Just as a nazirite is warned not even to come into close proximity of a vineyard lest he consume a product of the vine, so too one is obligated to distance himself from anyone with whom intercourse is forbidden.,§ In connection to the earlier mention of heresy and the ruling authorities, the Gemara cites a verse: b“The horseleech has two daughters: Give, give”(Proverbs 30:15). bWhatis meant by b“give, give”? Mar Ukva says:This is the bvoiceof bthe two daughters who cryout bfrom Gehennadue to their suffering; bandthey are the ones who bsay in this world: Give, give,demanding dues and complete allegiance. bAnd who are they?They are bheresy and the ruling authority. There arethose bwho saythat bRav Ḥisda saysthat bMar Ukva says: The voice of Gehenna criesout band says: Bring me two daughters who cry and say in this world: Give, give. /b,The following verse in Proverbs makes reference to a foreign woman, which according to the Sages is a euphemism for heresy: b“None that go to her return, neither do they attain the paths of life”(Proverbs 2:19). The Gemara asks: bSincethose that are drawn to heresy bdo not return,from bwhere would they attainthe path of life? Why is it necessary for the verse to add that they do not attain the paths of life? The Gemara explains that bthisis what the verse bis saying:In general, those who go to her do not return, bandeven bif they return, they do not attain the paths of life,i.e., the pain of their regret will shorten their lives.,The Gemara asks: Is this bto say that anyone who separateshimself bfrom heresyand returns from his mistaken ways must bdie? Butwhat about bthatwoman bwho came before Rav Ḥisdato confess to him, band she said to him: The lightest of the light,i.e., the least of the sins that she committed, is that bshe conceived her younger son fromengaging in intercourse with bher older son. And Rav Ḥisda said to her: Prepare funeral shrouds for her,i.e., yourself, as you will certainly die soon, bbut she did not die. /b,The above incident refutes the claim that anyone who repents for the sin of heresy must die, as bfromthe fact bthat she saidthat bthe lightest of the lightof her sins was that bshe conceivedone son from engaging in intercourse with another son, bby inferenceone can learn bthat she was also involved in heresy,and yet she did not die. The Gemara answers: bThatis a case bwherethe woman bdid not repent properly, and due to thatreason bshe did not die. /b, bThere arethose bwho saythere is a different version of the objection to the Gemara’s statement that those who repent for the sin of heresy must die: Is that to say that if one repents bforthe sin of bheresy, yes,the result is death, whereas if one repents bforthe bsinof forbidden sexual intercourse he does bnotdie? bButwhat about bthatwoman bwho came before Rav Ḥisdato confess to him band Rav Ḥisda said tothose present: bPrepare funeral shrouds for her, and she died?The Gemara answers: bFromthe fact bthat she said: The lightest of the light, by inferenceone can learn bthat she was also involved in heresy. /b,The Gemara asks: bAndis it correct that one who repents bof the sinof forbidden sexual intercourse does bnotdie? bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bThey said about Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya thathe was so promiscuous that bhe did not leave one prostitute in the world with whom he did not engage in sexual intercourse. Once, he heard that there was one prostitute inone of the bcities overseas who would take a pursefull of bdinars as her payment. He took a pursefull of bdinars and went and crossed seven riversto reach bher. Whenthey were engaged in the bmattersto which they were baccustomed,a euphemism for intercourse, bshe passed windand bsaid: Just as this passed windwill bnot return to its place, so too Elazar ben Durdayya will not be accepted in repentance,even if he were to try to repent.,This statement deeply shocked Elazar ben Durdayya, and bhe went and sat between two mountains and hillsand bsaid: Mountains and hills, pray for mercy on mybehalf, so that my repentance will be accepted. bThey said to him: Before we pray for mercy on yourbehalf, bwe must pray for mercy on our ownbehalf, bas it is stated: “For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed”(Isaiah 54:10). bHe said: Heaven and earth, pray for mercy on mybehalf. bThey saidto him: bBefore we pray for mercy on yourbehalf, bwe must pray for mercy on our ownbehalf, bas it is stated: “For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment”(Isaiah 51:6)., bHe said: Sun and moon, pray for mercy on mybehalf. bThey said to him: Before we pray for mercy on yourbehalf, bwe must pray for mercy on our ownbehalf, bas it is stated: “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed”(Isaiah 24:23). bHe said: Stars and constellations, pray for mercy on mybehalf. bThey said to him: Before we pray for mercy on yourbehalf, bwe must pray for mercy on our ownbehalf, bas it is stated: “And all the hosts of heaven shall molder away”(Isaiah 34:4).,Elazar ben Durdayya bsaid:Clearly bthe matter depends on nothing other than myself. He placed his head between his knees and cried loudly until his soul lefthis body. bA Divine Voice emerged and said: Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya is destined for life in the World-to-Come.The Gemara explains the difficulty presented by this story: bAnd hereElazar ben Durdayya bwasguilty of bthe sinof forbidden sexual intercourse, bandyet bhe diedonce he repented. The Gemara answers: bThere too, since he was attached so stronglyto the sin, to an extent that transcended the physical temptation he felt, bit is similar to heresy,as it had become like a form of idol worship for him.,When bRabbiYehuda HaNasi heard this story of Elazar ben Durdayya, bhe wept and said: There isone who bacquires hisshare in the World-to-Come only bafter many yearsof toil, band there isone who bacquires hisshare in the World-to-Come bin one moment. And RabbiYehuda HaNasi further bsays: Not only are penitents accepted, but they are even called: Rabbi,as the Divine Voice referred to Elazar ben Durdayya as Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya.,§ In relation to the issue of distancing oneself from idol worship and prostitution, the Gemara relates: bRabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yonatan wereonce bwalking along the roadwhen bthey came to a certain two paths, oneof which bbranched off toward the entrance ofa place of bidol worship, andthe other bone branched off toward the entrance of a brothel. One said to the other: Let us go bythe path that leads to bthe entranceof the place bof idol worship, /b |
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25. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra, 11a, 10b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 10b. נותנה ואינו יודע למי נותנה נוטלה ואינו יודע ממי נוטלה נותנה ואינו יודע למי נותנה לאפוקי מדמר עוקבא נוטלה ואינו יודע ממי נוטלה לאפוקי מדרבי אבא ואלא היכי ליעביד ליתיב לארנקי של צדקה,מיתיבי מה יעשה אדם ויהיו לו בנים זכרים רבי אליעזר אומר יפזר מעותיו לעניים ר' יהושע אומר ישמח אשתו לדבר מצוה ר' אליעזר בן יעקב אומר לא יתן אדם פרוטה לארנקי של צדקה אלא אם כן ממונה עליה כר' חנניא בן תרדיון כי קא אמרינן דממני עלה כר' חנניא בן תרדיון,א"ר אבהו אמר משה לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם במה תרום קרן ישראל אמר לו בכי תשא,וא"ר אבהו שאלו את שלמה בן דוד עד היכן כחה של צדקה אמר להן צאו וראו מה פירש דוד אבא (תהלים קיב, ט) פזר נתן לאביונים צדקתו עומדת לעד קרנו תרום בכבוד רבי אבא אמר מהכא (ישעיהו לג, טז) הוא מרומים ישכון מצדות סלעים משגבו לחמו נתן מימיו נאמנים מה טעם מרומים ישכון מצדות סלעים משגבו משום דלחמו נתן ומימיו נאמנים,וא"ר אבהו שאלו את שלמה איזהו בן העולם הבא אמר להם כל (ישעיהו כד, כג) שכנגד זקניו כבוד כי הא דיוסף בריה דר' יהושע חלש אינגיד א"ל אבוה מאי חזית אמר ליה עולם הפוך ראיתי עליונים למטה ותחתונים למעלה אמר ליה עולם ברור ראית ואנן היכי חזיתינן [א"ל] כי היכי דחשבינן הכא חשבינן התם,ושמעתי שהיו אומרים אשרי מי שבא לכאן ותלמודו בידו ושמעתי שהיו אומרים הרוגי מלכות אין כל בריה יכולה לעמוד במחיצתן מאן נינהו אילימא ר"ע וחבריו משום הרוגי מלכות ותו לא פשיטא בלאו הכי נמי אלא הרוגי לוד,תניא אמר להן רבן יוחנן בן זכאי לתלמידיו בני מהו שאמר הכתוב (משלי יד, לד) צדקה תרומם גוי וחסד לאומים חטאת נענה רבי אליעזר ואמר צדקה תרומם גוי אלו ישראל דכתיב (שמואל ב ז, כג) ומי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד בארץ וחסד לאומים חטאת כל צדקה וחסד שאומות עובדי כוכבים עושין חטא הוא להן שאינם עושין אלא להתגדל בו כמו שנאמר (עזרא ו, י) די להוון מהקרבין ניחוחין לאלהה שמיא ומצליין לחיי מלכא ובנוהי,ודעביד הכי לאו צדקה גמורה היא והתניא האומר סלע זה לצדקה בשביל שיחיו בני ובשביל שאזכה לעולם הבא הרי זה צדיק גמור לא קשיא כאן בישראל כאן בעובד כוכבים,נענה רבי יהושע ואמר צדקה תרומם גוי אלו ישראל דכתיב ומי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד וחסד לאומים חטאת כל צדקה וחסד שאומות עובדי כוכבים עושין חטא הוא להן שאין עושין אלא כדי שתמשך מלכותן שנאמר (דניאל ד, כד) להן מלכא מלכי ישפר עליך וחטיך בצדקה פרוק ועויתך במיחן עניין הן תהוי ארכא לשלותיך וגו',נענה רבן גמליאל ואמר צדקה תרומם גוי אלו ישראל דכתיב ומי כעמך ישראל [וגו'] וחסד לאומים חטאת כל צדקה וחסד שעכו"ם עושין חטא הוא להן שאין עושין אלא להתיהר בו וכל המתיהר נופל בגיהנם שנאמר (משלי כא, כד) זד יהיר לץ שמו עושה בעברת זדון ואין עברה אלא גיהנם שנאמר (צפניה א, טו) יום עברה היום ההוא,אמר רבן גמליאל עדיין אנו צריכין למודעי רבי אליעזר המודעי אומר צדקה תרומם גוי אלו ישראל דכתיב ומי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד וחסד לאומים חטאת כל צדקה וחסד שעכו"ם עושין חטא הוא להן שאין עושין אלא לחרף אותנו בו שנאמר (ירמיהו מ, ג) ויבא ויעש ה' כאשר דבר כי חטאתם לה' ולא שמעתם בקולו והיה לכם הדבר הזה,נענה רבי נחוניא בן הקנה ואמר צדקה תרומם גוי וחסד לישראל ולאומים חטאת אמר להם רבן יוחנן בן זכאי לתלמידיו נראין דברי רבי נחוניא בן הקנה מדברי ומדבריכם לפי שהוא נותן צדקה וחסד לישראל ולעכו"ם חטאת מכלל דהוא נמי אמר מאי היא דתניא אמר להם רבן יוחנן בן זכאי כשם שהחטאת מכפרת על ישראל כך צדקה מכפרת על אומות העולם:,איפרא הורמיז אימיה דשבור מלכא שדרה ארבע מאה דינרי לקמיה דרבי אמי ולא קבלינהו שדרינהו קמיה דרבא וקבלינהו משום שלום מלכות שמע רבי אמי איקפד אמר לית ליה (ישעיהו כז, יא) ביבש קצירה תשברנה נשים באות מאירות אותה ורבא משום שלום מלכות,ורבי אמי נמי משום שלום מלכות דאיבעי ליה למפלגינהו לעניי עובדי כוכבים ורבא נמי לעניי עובדי כוכבים יהבינהו ור' אמי דאיקפד הוא | 10b. It is the type in which bone givesthe charity bwithout knowing to whom he gave it,and the other bone takes it without knowing from whom he took it.The Gemara explains: bOne gives it without knowing to whom he gave it,this serves bto excludethe practice bof Mar Ukva,who would personally give charity to poor people without their knowing he was the donor. The other one btakes it without knowing from whom he took it;this serves bto excludethe practice bof Rabbi Abba,who would render his money ownerless, so that poor people would come and take it without his knowing whom he helped, although they would know from whom the money came. The Gemara asks: bRather, howthen bshould one actto conceal his own identity and also remain ignorant of the identities of the recipients? The Gemara answers: The best method is bto putthe money binto the charity purse. /b,The Gemara braises an objectionfrom what is taught in a ibaraita /i: bWhat should a person do to have male offspring? Rabbi Eliezer says: He should distribute his money liberally among the poor. Rabbi Yehoshua says: He should gladden his wife beforeengaging in the bmitzvaof conjugal relations. bRabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: A person should not donate a iperutato the charity purse unlessa great and trusted individual blike Rabbi Ḥaya ben Teradyon is appointedas supervisor bover it.This seems to indicate that putting money into the charity box is not always preferred. The Gemara answers: bWhen we saythat putting money into the charity box is the preferred way to give charity, this is referring to bwhena man blike Rabbi Ḥaya ben Teradyon is appointedas supervisor bover it. /b,The Gemara discusses other matters concerning charity. bRabbi Abbahu says: Moses said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, with what shall the horn of Israel be exalted?God bsaid to him: Withthe passage of b“When you raise,”i.e., Israel will be exalted by way of the donations and charity that they will give, as it is stated: “When you raise the heads of the children of Israel…then shall they give” (Exodus 30:12)., bAnd Rabbi Abbahu says: They askedKing bSolomon, son of David: How far does the power of charity extend?King Solomon bsaid to them: Go out and see what my father David explained: “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor, his righteousness endures forever, his horn shall be exalted with honor”(Psalms 112:9). bRabbi Abba said:It is derived bfrom herehow far the power of charity extends: b“He shall dwell on high, his place of defense shall be the fortress of rocks; his bread shall be given, his water shall be sure”(Isaiah 33:16). bWhat is the reasonthat b“He shall dwell on high, his place of defense shall be the fortress of rocks”? Because “his bread shall be given”to the poor, band “his water shall be sure,”i.e., it shall be given faithfully and he can be trusted in the matter., bAnd Rabbi Abbahu says: They askedKing bSolomon: Who is onewho is destined bfor the World-to-Come?King Solomon bsaid to them: Allthose about whom it is stated: b“And before His Elders will be His glory”(Isaiah 24:23), referring to those who are honored in this world due to their wisdom. This is blikethe incident involving bYosef, son of Rabbi Yehoshua, who became illand bfainted.When he returned to good health, bhis father said to him: What did you seewhen you were not conscious? Yosef bsaid to him: I saw an inverted world. Those above,i.e., those who are considered important in this world, were bbelow,insignificant, while bthose below,i.e., those who are insignificant in this world, were babove.Rabbi Yehoshua bsaid to him: You have seen a clear world.The world you have seen is the true world, one in which one’s spiritual and moral standing determines his true importance. Rabbi Yehoshua further asked him: bAnd how did you see us,the Torah scholars, there? Yosef bsaid to him: Just as we are important here, we are important there. /b,Yosef added: bAnd I heard that they were sayingin that world: bHappy is the one who arrives with his studies in hand. And Ialso bheard that they were saying: Those executed by the governmentenjoy such exalted status that bno one can stand in their section.The Gemara asks: bWho are thesemartyrs to whom Yosef was referring? bIf we saythat he was referring to bRabbi Akiva and his colleagues,who were killed by the Romans, this cannot be: Is their elevated status bdueonly btothe fact that bthey were martyred bythe Roman bgovernment and nothing more?These men were exceptional in their piety and sanctity during their lives as well. Therefore bitis bobvious that even withouttheir martyrdom they would be greater than other people. bRather,it is referring to those like bthe martyrs of Lod,who died for the sanctification of God’s name but were not Torah scholars., bIt is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai said to his students: My sons, what isthe meaning of bthat which the verse states: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but the kindness of the peoples is sin”(Proverbs 14:34)? bRabbi Eliezer answered and said: “Righteousness exalts a nation”; these arethe people of bIsrael, as it is written: “And who is like your people Israel, one nation on the earth?”(I Chronicles 17:21). b“But the kindness of the peoples is sin,”meaning that ball theacts of bcharity and kindness that the nations of the world perform iscounted as ba sin for them, since they perform them only to elevate themselvesin prestige, bas it is stated: “That they may sacrifice offerings of pleasing aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons”(Ezra 6:10). Even though they donated offerings, they did so only for their own benefit.,The Gemara asks: bAnd if one acts this way, is it not full-fledged charity? But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraitathat bone who says:I am contributing bthis iselato charity so that my sons will live, orif he says: I am performing the mitzva bso that I will merita share in bthe World-to-Come, thisperson bis a full-fledged righteous person,as far as that mitzva is concerned, even though he has his own welfare in mind? The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Here,the statement that he is considered absolutely righteous is bwith regard to a Jew;while bthere,the statement that such benefaction is not credited as charity is bwith regard to a gentile. /b, bRabbi Yehoshua answeredRabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai’s challenge to interpret the verse band said: “Righteousness exalts a nation”; these arethe people of bIsrael, as it is written: “And who is like your people Israel, one nationon the earth.” b“But the kindness of the peoples is sin”means that ball theacts of bcharity and kindness that the nations of the world perform iscounted as ba sin for them, since they perform them only to perpetuate their dominion, as it is statedby Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar: b“Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by charity, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; that there may be an extension of your serenity”(Daniel 4:24). Since this is the argument that persuaded Nebuchadnezzar, it would appear that his actual motive was his own benefit., bRabban Gamliel answered and said: “Righteousness exalts a nation”; these arethe people of bIsrael, as it is written: “And who is like your people Israel,one nation on the earth.” b“But the kindness of the peoples is sin”means that ball theacts of bcharity and kindness that the nations of the world perform iscounted as ba sin for them, since they perform them only in order to act haughtily through them, and whoever acts haughtily falls into Gehenna, as it is stated: “The proud and haughty one, scorner is his name, acts in arrogant wrath”(Proverbs 21:24). bAnd wrath means nothing other than Gehenna, as it is stated: “That day is a day of wrath”(Zephaniah 1:15)., bRabban Gamliel said: We still needto hear what bthe Moda’ihas to say, as bRabbi Eliezer HaModa’i says: “Righteousness exalts a nation”; these arethe people of bIsrael, as it is written: “And who is like your people Israel, one nation on the earth.” “But the kindness of the peoples is sin”means that ball theacts of bcharity and kindness that the nations of the world perform iscounted as ba sin for them, since they perform them only to taunt us with them, as it is statedthat the Babylonian officer Nebuzaradan said: b“The Lord has brought it, and done according as He has said; because you have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed His voice, therefore this matter is come upon you”(Jeremiah 40:3)., bRabbi Neḥunya ben HaKana answered and said: “Righteousness exalts a nation and kindness”is referring to bIsrael; andin addition, b“of the peoples is sin.” Rabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai said to his students: The statement of Rabbi Neḥunya ben HaKana appearsto be more precise bthanboth bmy statement and your statements, because he assignsboth brighteousness and kindness to Israel, and sin to the peoplesof the world. The Gemara asks: bBy inference,it appears bthat he,Rabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai, balso offeredan interpretation of this verse. bWhat is it? As it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai said to themthat the verse should be understood as follows: bJust as a sin-offering atones for Israel, so charity atones for the nations of the world. /b,It is related that bIfera Hurmiz, the mother of King Shapur,king of Persia, bsent four hundred dinars to Rabbi Ami, but he did not accept them. Shethen bsent them to Rava, and he accepted them for the sake of peace with the kingdom. Rabbi Ami heardwhat Rava had done band was angry. He said: DoesRava bnot acceptthe lesson of the verse: b“When the boughs are withered, they shall be broken off; the women shall come and set them on fire”(Isaiah 27:11), meaning that when righteousness has ceased from a particular nation, it is time for its citizens to be punished, and therefore we should not help them perform any meritorious deeds, which would delay their punishment? The Gemara asks: bAndwhy did bRavaaccept the money? The Gemara answers: He did so bfor the sake of peace with the kingdom. /b,The Gemara asks: bButdid bRabbi Aminot balsosee the importance of accepting the money bfor the sake of peace with the kingdom?The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ami maintains that Rava bshould have distributedthe money bto the gentile poorrather than to the Jewish poor, as it is a disgrace to the Jews to require the kindness of the nations of the world in order to support their poor. The Gemara comments: In fact, bRava also gavethe money bto the gentile poorand not to the Jewish poor. bAnd Rabbi Ami got angrybecause |
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26. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, 53b, 58a, 16b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 16b. אי הכי מאי איריא הכונס את הבתולה אפי' כונס את האלמנה נמי,הכא טריד והכא לא טריד,אי משום טרדא אפילו טבעה ספינתו בים נמי אלמה אמר רבי אבא בר זבדא אמר רב אבל חייב בכל מצות האמורות בתורה חוץ מן התפילין שהרי נאמר בהן פאר שנאמר (יחזקאל כד, יז) פארך חבוש עליך וגו',אמרי התם טרדא דרשות הכא טרדא דמצוה:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big רחץ לילה הראשון שמתה אשתו אמרו לו תלמידיו למדתנו רבינו שאבל אסור לרחוץ אמר להם איני כשאר בני אדם אסטניס אני,וכשמת טבי עבדו קבל עליו תנחומין אמרו לו תלמידיו למדתנו רבינו שאין מקבלין תנחומין על העבדים אמר להם אין טבי עבדי כשאר כל העבדים כשר היה,חתן אם רוצה לקרות קרית שמע לילה הראשון קורא רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר לא כל הרוצה ליטול את השם יטול:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big מ"ט דרבן (שמעון בן) גמליאל קסבר אנינות לילה דרבנן דכתיב (עמוס ח, י) ואחריתה כיום מר ובמקום אסטניס לא גזרו ביה רבנן: ,וכשמת טבי עבדו וכו':,ת"ר עבדים ושפחות אין עומדין עליהם בשורה ואין אומרים עליהם ברכת אבלים ותנחומי אבלים,מעשה ומתה שפחתו של רבי אליעזר נכנסו תלמידיו לנחמו כיון שראה אותם עלה לעלייה ועלו אחריו נכנס לאנפילון נכנסו אחריו נכנס לטרקלין נכנסו אחריו אמר להם כמדומה אני שאתם נכוים בפושרים עכשיו אי אתם נכוים אפילו בחמי חמין לא כך שניתי לכם עבדים ושפחות אין עומדין עליהם בשורה ואין אומרים עליהם ברכת אבלים ולא תנחומי אבלים אלא מה אומרים עליהם כשם שאומרים לו לאדם על שורו ועל חמורו שמתו המקום ימלא לך חסרונך כך אומרים לו על עבדו ועל שפחתו המקום ימלא לך חסרונך,תניא אידך עבדים ושפחות אין מספידין אותן ר' יוסי אומר אם עבד כשר הוא אומרים עליו הוי איש טוב ונאמן ונהנה מיגיעו אמרו לו אם כן מה הנחת לכשרים:,ת"ר אין קורין אבות אלא לשלשה ואין קורין אמהות אלא לארבע,אבות מאי טעמא אילימא משום דלא ידעינן אי מראובן קא אתינן אי משמעון קא אתינן אי הכי אמהות נמי לא ידעינן אי מרחל קא אתינן אי מלאה קא אתינן אלא עד הכא חשיבי טפי לא חשיבי,תניא אידך עבדים ושפחות אין קורין אותם אבא פלוני ואמא פלונית ושל ר"ג היו קורים אותם אבא פלוני ואמא פלונית,מעשה לסתור משום דחשיבי:,א"ר אלעזר מאי דכתיב (תהלים סג, ה) כן אברכך בחיי בשמך אשא כפי כן אברכך בחיי זו ק"ש בשמך אשא כפי זו תפלה ואם עושה כן עליו הכתוב אומר (תהלים סג, ו) כמו חלב ודשן תשבע נפשי ולא עוד אלא שנוחל שני עולמים העוה"ז והעולם הבא שנאמר (תהלים סג, ו) ושפתי רננות יהלל פי:,ר' אלעזר בתר דמסיים צלותיה אמר הכי יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו שתשכן בפורינו אהבה ואחוה ושלום וריעות ותרבה גבולנו בתלמידים ותצליח סופנו אחרית ותקוה ותשים חלקנו בגן עדן ותקננו בחבר טוב ויצר טוב בעולמך ונשכים ונמצא יחול לבבנו ליראה את שמך ותבא לפניך קורת נפשנו לטובה.,רבי יוחנן בתר דמסיים צלותיה אמר הכי יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו שתציץ בבשתנו ותביט ברעתנו ותתלבש ברחמיך ותתכסה בעזך ותתעטף בחסידותך ותתאזר בחנינותך ותבא לפניך מדת טובך וענותנותך.,ר' זירא בתר דמסיים צלותיה אמר הכי יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו שלא נחטא ולא נבוש ולא נכלם מאבותינו,ר' חייא בתר דמצלי אמר הכי יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו שתהא תורתך אומנותנו ואל ידוה לבנו ואל יחשכו עינינו.,רב בתר צלותיה אמר הכי יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו שתתן לנו חיים ארוכים חיים של שלום חיים של טובה חיים של ברכה חיים של פרנסה חיים של חלוץ עצמות חיים שיש בהם יראת חטא חיים שאין בהם בושה וכלימה חיים של עושר וכבוד חיים שתהא בנו אהבת תורה ויראת שמים חיים שתמלא לנו את כל משאלות לבנו לטובה.,רבי בתר צלותיה אמר הכי יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו שתצילנו מעזי פנים ומעזות פנים מאדם רע ומפגע רע מיצר רע מחבר רע משכן רע ומשטן המשחית ומדין קשה ומבעל דין קשה בין שהוא בן ברית בין שאינו בן ברית,ואע"ג דקיימי קצוצי עליה דרבי.,רב ספרא בתר צלותיה אמר הכי יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו שתשים שלום | 16b. The Gemara questions this: bIf so, why discussa case of bone who is marrying a virginin particular? bEven one who is marrying a widowis performing a mitzva and should balsobe exempt.,The Gemara responds that nevertheless, there is a distinction between one marrying a virgin and one marrying a widow. bHere,in the case of one who marries a virgin, the groom is bpreoccupiedby his thoughts, bwhile here,in the case of one who marries a widow, bhe is not preoccupied. /b,The Gemara challenges: bIfa groom is exempt from the recitation of iShemasimply bdue to preoccupation,then bevenone who is preoccupied because bhis ship sank at sea shouldbe exempt. If so, bwhy then did Rabbi Abba bar Zavda saythat bRav said: A mourner is obligated in all the mitzvot mentioned in the Torah except forthe mitzva to don bphylacteries, asthe term bsplendor is statedwith regard to phylacteries, bas it is statedthat the prophet Ezekiel was prohibited to mourn and was told: b“Bind your splendor upon yourself”(Ezekiel 24:17). If even a mourner, who is pained and preoccupied, is obligated to recite iShema /i, clearly preoccupation has no bearing upon one’s obligation.,The Gemara responds: Nevertheless, there is a distinction between the cases. bThere,it is a case of bpreoccupation with a voluntaryact, as there is no mitzva to be preoccupied with his mourning, but bhere,in the case of a groom, the cause of bthe preoccupation isthe bmitzvaitself., strongMISHNA: /strong The mishna relates another episode portraying unusual conduct by Rabban Gamliel. bHe bathed on the first night after his wife died. His students said to him:Have byounot btaught us, our teacher, that a mourner is prohibited to bathe?He answered them: bI am not like other people, I am delicate [ iistenis /i].For me, not bathing causes actual physical distress, and even a mourner need not suffer physical distress as part of his mourning.,Another exceptional incident is related: bAnd when his slave, Tavi, died,Rabban Gamliel baccepted condolences for hisdeath as one would for a close family member. bHis students said to him: Have younot btaught us, our teacher, that one does not accept condolences forthe death of bslaves?Rabban Gamliel said to his students: bMy slave, Tavi, is not like all the rest of the slaves, he was virtuousand it is appropriate to accord him the same respect accorded to a family member.,With regard to the recitation of iShemaon one’s wedding night, the Sages said that bif,despite his exemption, ba groom wishes to recite iShemaon the first night,he may do so. bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Not everyone who wishes to assume the reputationof a God-fearing person bmay assumeit, and consequently, not everyone who wishes to recite iShemaon his wedding night may do so., strongGEMARA: /strong With regard to Rabban Gamliel’s bathing on the first night after the death of his wife, the Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonthat bRabban Gamlieldid not practice the customs of mourning after his wife died? The Gemara answers: bHe holds thatacute mourning [ ianinut /i] is in effect only on the day of the death itself, but bacute mourning at night isonly bby rabbinic law, as it is written:“And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentations; I will bring sackcloth upon your loins and baldness upon every head; and I will make you like a mourner for an only child, band the end will be like a bitter day”(Amos 8:10). Therefore, by Torah law one’s acute mourning is only during the day, like a bitter day, while the acute mourning at night that follows is only rabbinic. bAnd in the case of a delicate person, the Sages did not issue a decreethat one should afflict himself during the period of acute mourning.,We learned in our mishna that: bWhen his servant, Tavi, died,Rabban Gamliel accepted condolences for him., bThe Sagestaught in a ibaraita /i: For bslaves and maidservantswho die, bone does not stand in a rowof comforters to console the mourners, band one recites neither the blessing of the mourners nor the consolation of the mourners. /b, bAn incidentis related that when bRabbi Eliezer’s maidservant died, his students entered to console him. When he saw themapproaching bhe went up to the second floor, and they went up after him. He entered the gatehouse [ ianpilon /i], and they entered after him. He entered the banquet hall [ iteraklin /i],and bthey entered after him.Having seen them follow him everywhere, bhe said to them: It seems to me that you would be burned by lukewarm water,meaning that you could take a hint and when I went up to the second floor, you would understand that I did not wish to receive your consolations. bNowI see that byou are not even burned by boiling hot water. Did I not teach you the following:For bslaves and maidservantswho die, bone does not stand in a rowof comforters to console the mourners, band one neither recites the blessing of the mourners nordoes he recite bthe consolation of the mourners,as the relationship between master and slave is not like a familial relationship? bRather, what does one say about themwhen they die? bJust as we say to a person about his ox or donkey which died: May the Omnipresent replenish your loss, so too do we say for one’s slave or maidservantwho died: bMay the Omnipresent replenish your loss,as the connection between a master and his slave is only ficial in nature., bIt was taught in another ibaraita /i: bOne does not eulogize slaves and maidservants. Rabbi Yosei says: If he was a virtuous servant, one recites over hima eulogy of sorts: bAlas, a good and loyal man who enjoyedthe fruits bof his hard labor. They said to him: If so, whatpraise bhave you left for virtuousJews? A Jewish person would be proud to be eulogized in that manner., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne may only call threepeople bpatriarchs,Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but not Jacob’s children. bAnd one may only call fourpeople bmatriarchs,Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.,The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonfor this exclusivity with regard to the bPatriarchs? If you saythat it is bbecause we do not know whether we descend from Reuben or from Simon,so we cannot accurately say our father Reuben, for example, bif so,with regard to the Matriarchs as well, bwe do not know whether we descend from Rachel or from Leah,and we should not call Rachel and Leah matriarchs either. bInstead,the reason the sons of Jacob are not called patriarchs is not for that reason, but because buntilJacob bthey are significantenough to be referred to as patriarchs, but bbeyondJacob, bthey are not significantenough to be referred to as patriarchs.,This serves as an introduction; although older people are often referred to with the honorific: Father so-and-so, bit was taught in another ibaraita /i: bOne may not refer to slaves and maidservants as father [ iabba /i] so-and-so or mother [ iimma /i] so-and-so. But they would callthe slaves and maidservants bof Rabban Gamliel “father so-and-so” and “mother so-and-so.” /b,The Gemara asks: Is a bstorycited in order bto contradictthe previously stated ihalakha /i? The Gemara answers: There is no contradiction; rather, bbecauseRabban Gamliel’s servants bwere significant,they were addressed with these honorifics.,The Gemara cites an aggadic statement concerning prayer and the recitation of iShema /i. bRabbi Elazar said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “So I will bless You as I live, to Your name I will raise my hands”(Psalms 63:5)? bSo I will bless You as I live, refers to the recitation of iShema /i,and bto Your name I will raise my hands, refers tothe iAmida bprayer,which is characterized as lifting one’s hands to God. bAnd if one does so,recites iShemaand prays, bthe verse says about him: “As with fat and marrow, my soul will be satisfied”(Psalms 63:6). bAnd not onlydoes he receive this reward, bbut he inherits two worlds, this world and the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “With lips of joys [ ireot /i], my mouth praises You”(Psalms 63:6). The plural, joys, refers to two joys, that of this world and that of the World-to-Come.,The Gemara describes how bafter Rabbi Elazar concluded his prayer, he said the followingadditional prayer: br bMay it be Your will, Lord our God, br bto cause to dwell in our lot love and brotherhood, peace and friendship. br bAnd may You make our borders rich in disciples br band cause us to ultimately succeed,that we will have a good bend and hope. br bAnd may You set our portion in the Garden of Eden, br band may You establish for us a good companion and a good inclination in Your world. br bAnd may we rise early and find the aspiration of our hearts to fear Your name, br band may the satisfaction of our souls come before You,i.e., may You hear our prayers that we may have spiritual contentment in this world bfor the best. /b,Similarly, the Gemara recounts that bafter Rabbi Yoḥa concluded his prayer, he said the followingadditional prayer: br bMay it be Your will, Lord our God, br bthat You look upon our shame and behold our plight, br bthat You clothe Yourself in Your mercy, br band cover Yourself with Your might, br bthat You wrap Yourself in Your loving-kindness, br band gird Yourself with Your grace, br band may Your attributes of goodness and humility come before You. /b,Similarly, bafter Rabbi Zeira concluded his prayers he said the followingadditional prayer: br bMay it be Your will, Lord our God, br bthat we not sin or shame ourselves, br band that we not disgrace ourselves before our forefathers, brin the sense that our actions should not disgrace the actions of our forefathers., bAfter Rabbi Ḥiyya prayed he said the following: br bMay it be Your will, Lord our God, br bthat Your Torah should be our vocation, br band may our heart not become faint nor our eyes dim. /b, bAfter his prayer, Rav said the following: br bMay it be Your will, Lord our God, br bthat You grant us long life, a life of peace, br ba life of goodness, a life of blessing, br ba life of sustece, a life of freedom of movementfrom place to place, where we are not tied to one place, br ba life of dread of sin, a life without shame and disgrace, br ba life of wealth and honor, br ba life in which we have love of Torah and reverence for Heaven, br ba life in which You fulfill all the desires of our heart for good. /b, bAfter his prayer, RabbiYehuda HaNasi bsaid the following: br bMay it be Your will, Lord our God, and God of our forefathers, br bthat You save us from the arrogant and from arrogancein general, br bfrom a bad man, from a bad mishap, br bfrom an evil instinct, from a bad companion, br bfrom a bad neighbor, from the destructive Satan, br bfrom a harsh trial and from a harsh opponent, br bwhether he is a member of the covet,a Jew, br bor whether he is not a member of the covet. /b, bAndthe Gemara notes that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi would recite this prayer every day bdespite the fact thatroyal bofficers stoodwatch bover RabbiYehuda HaNasi for his protection; nevertheless, he prayed to avoid conflict or hindrance resulting from arrogance., bAfter his prayer, Rav Safra said the following: br bMay it be Your will, Lord our God, that You establish peace /b |
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27. Babylonian Talmud, Gittin, 60a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 60a. מי קוראין לא הוה בידיה אתא ושייליה לרבי יצחק נפחא א"ל אחריהן קוראין ת"ח הממונין פרנסים על הצבור ואחריהן ת"ח הראויין למנותם פרנסים על הציבור ואחריהן בני ת"ח שאבותיהן ממונים פרנסים על הצבור ואחריהן ראשי כנסיות וכל אדם,שלחו ליה בני גליל לר' חלבו מהו לקרות בחומשים בבהכ"נ בציבור לא הוה בידיה אתא שייליה לר' יצחק נפחא לא הוה בידיה אתא שאיל בי מדרשא ופשטוה מהא דא"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יוחנן ס"ת שחסר יריעה אחת אין קורין בו,ולא היא התם מחסר במילתיה הכא לא מחסר במילתיה רבה ורב יוסף דאמרי תרוייהו אין קוראין בחומשין בבית הכנסת משום כבוד צבור,ורבה ורב יוסף דאמרי תרוייהו האי ספר אפטרתא אסור למקרי ביה בשבת מאי טעמא דלא ניתן ליכתב,מר בר רב אשי אמר לטלטולי נמי אסור מ"ט דהא לא חזי למיקרי ביה ולא היא שרי לטלטולי ושרי למיקרי ביה,דר' יוחנן ור"ש בן לקיש מעייני בספרא דאגדתא בשבתא והא לא ניתן ליכתב אלא כיון דלא אפשר (תהלים קיט, קכו) עת לעשות לה' הפרו תורתך ה"נ כיון דלא אפשר עת לעשות לה' הפרו תורתך,בעא מיניה אביי מרבה מהו לכתוב מגילה לתינוק להתלמד בה תיבעי למאן דאמר תורה מגילה מגילה ניתנה תיבעי למאן דאמר תורה חתומה ניתנה,תיבעי למ"ד תורה מגילה מגילה ניתנה כיון דמגילה מגילה ניתנה כותבין או דילמא כיון דאידבק אידבק,תיבעי למ"ד תורה חתומה ניתנה כיון דחתומה ניתנה אין כותבין או דילמא כיון דלא אפשר כתבינן א"ל אין כותבין ומה טעם לפי שאין כותבין,איתיביה אף היא עשתה טבלא של זהב שפרשת סוטה כתובה עליה א"ר שמעון בן לקיש משום ר' ינאי באל"ף בי"ת,איתיביה כשהוא כותב רואה וכותב מה שכתוב בטבלא אימא כמה שכתוב בטבלא,איתיביה כשהוא כותב רואה בטבלא וכותב מה שכתוב בטבלא מה הוא כתוב בטבלא (במדבר ה, יט) אם שכב אם לא שכב הכא במאי עסקינן בסירוגין,כתנאי אין כותבין מגילה לתינוק להתלמד בה ואם דעתו להשלים מותר ר' יהודה אומר בבראשית עד דור המבול בתורת כהנים עד ויהי ביום השמיני,א"ר יוחנן משום רבי בנאה תורה מגילה מגילה ניתנה שנא' (תהלים מ, ח) אז אמרתי הנה באתי במגילת ספר כתוב עלי ר"ש בן לקיש אומר תורה חתומה ניתנה שנאמר (דברים לא, כו) לקוח את ספר התורה הזאת,ואידך נמי הכתיב לקוח ההוא לבתר דאידבק,ואידך נמי הכתיב במגילת ספר כתוב עלי ההוא דכל התורה כולה איקרי מגילה דכתיב (זכריה ה, ב) ויאמר אלי מה אתה רואה ואומר אני רואה מגילה עפה,אי נמי לכדרבי לוי דאמר רבי לוי שמנה פרשיות נאמרו ביום שהוקם בו המשכן אלו הן פרשת כהנים ופרשת לוים ופרשת טמאים ופרשת שילוח טמאים ופרשת אחרי מות | 60a. bwho readsfrom the Torah? An answer bwas notreadily bavailable to him. He came and asked Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa,who bsaid to him: After them readthe bTorah scholars who are appointed as leaders [ iparnasim /i] of the community. And after themread bTorah scholars who are fit to be appointed as leaders of the community,even if in practice they received no such appointment. The Sages said that a Torah scholar who knows how to answer any question asked of him is fit to be appointed as leader of the community. bAnd after themread bthe sons of Torah scholars whose fathers were appointed as leaders of the community. And after themread bthe heads of synagogues, andafter them bany person. /b, bThe people of the Galilee senta question bto Rabbi Ḥelbo: What isthe ihalakhawith regard bto reading from iḥumashim /i,i.e., scrolls containing only one of the five books of the Torah, bin the synagogue in public?Is this permitted, or is it necessary to read from a complete Torah scroll? An answer bwas notreadily bavailable to him. He came and asked Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa,but an answer bwas notreadily bavailable to himeither. Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa bcame and askedthis question bin the study hall, and they resolvedthe difficulty bfrom that which Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysthat bRabbi Yoḥa says:With regard to ba Torah scroll that is missingeven bone sheetof parchment, bone may not read from itin public. This indicates that an incomplete Torah scroll may not be used for a public Torah reading.,The Gemara rejects this argument: bButthat bis not so,i.e., this cannot serve as a proof to the matter at hand. bThere,it is blackingpart bof the matterit is addressing, as a sheet of parchment is missing, whereas bhere, it is not lackingpart bof the matterit is addressing, as it contains a complete book. bRabba and Rav Yosef both say: One does not read from iḥumashimin the synagogue out of respect for the community. /b, bAnd Rabba and Rav Yosef both say: It is prohibited topublicly breadthe ihaftara /i, the portion from the Prophets that is read after the weekly Torah portion, bon Shabbat, from a scrollcontaining only bthe ihaftarot /i. What is the reasonfor this? It is bbecausethis type of scroll bmay not be written,as the words of the Prophets must also be written as complete books., bMar bar Rav Ashi said: To handlesuch a scroll on Shabbat bis also prohibited. What is the reasonfor this? It is bbecause it is not fit to be read.Consequently, it is treated as set-aside [ imuktze /i] on Shabbat. The Gemara rejects this argument: bButthat bis not so;rather, bit is permitted to handlesuch a scroll band it is permitted to read from it. /b,And a proof for this is bthat Rabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish used to read from a scroll of iaggada /icontaining the words of the Sages bon Shabbat. Butsuch a scroll bmay not be written,for in principle, the statements of the Oral Law may not be committed to writing. bRather, since it is not possibleto remember the Oral Law without writing it down, it is permitted to violate the ihalakha /i, as indicated by the verse: b“It is time to act for the Lord; they have nullified your Torah”(Psalms 119:126). bHere too,in the case of a ihaftarascroll, bsince it is notalways bpossibleto write complete books of the Bible, due to the expense, it is permitted to apply the reasoning of b“It is time to act for the Lord; they have nullified your Torah.” /b, bAbaye raised a dilemma before Rabba: What isthe ihalakhawith regard to whether it is permitted bto write a scrollcontaining only one portion of the Torah bforthe purpose of enabling ba child to study it?The Gemara notes: bLet the dilemma be raised according to the one who saysthat bthe Torah was givenfrom the outset bscroll by scroll,meaning that Moses would teach the Jewish people one portion of the Torah, and then write it down, and then teach them the next portion of the Torah, and then write that down, and continue in this way until he committed the entire Torah to writing. And blet the dilemmaalso bbe raised according to the one who saysthat bthe Torah was givenas ba completebook, meaning that the Torah was not written down incrementally, but rather, after teaching the Jewish people the entire Torah, Moses committed it to writing all at once.,The Gemara explains the two sides of the dilemma according to each opinion: bLet the dilemma be raised according to the one who saysthat bthe Torah was given scroll by scroll.On the one hand it is possible to say that bsincethe Torah bwasoriginally bgiven scroll by scroll,today as well bone may writethe Torah in separate scrolls. bOron the other hand, bperhapsone should say that bsince it wasultimately bjoinedtogether to form a single scroll, bit was joinedtogether and can no longer be written in separate scrolls.,And blet the dilemmaalso bbe raised according to the one who saysthat bthe Torah was givenas ba completebook. On the one hand it is possible to say that bsince it was givenfrom the outset as ba completebook, bone may not writeit today in separate scrolls. bOron the other hand, bperhapsone could say that bsince it is notalways bpossibleto write a complete Torah, bone may writeit in separate scrolls. Rabba bsaid to him: One may not writethe Torah in separate scrolls. bAnd what is the reason? Because one may not writea scroll that is only part of the Torah.,Abaye braised an objection to hisopinion from a mishna ( iYoma37b) where it was taught: Queen Helene balso fashioned a golden tabletas a gift for the Temple bon which theTorah bportiondiscussing ba isotawas written.When the priest would write the scroll of a isotain the Temple, he would copy this Torah portion from the tablet, so that a Torah scroll need not be taken out for that purpose. This indicates that it is permitted for one to write a single portion of the Torah. bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish says in the name of Rabbi Yannai:There is no proof from this mishna, as the tablet prepared by Queen Helene was not written in an ordinary manner, but rather it consisted of the letters bofthe ialef-beit /i,i.e., only the first letter of each word was written on the tablet, and by looking at it the priest writing the isotascroll would remember what to write.,The Gemara braised an objectionfrom a ibaraitathat teaches: bWhenthe priest bwritesthe isotascroll, bhe looksat band writes that which is written on the tablet,which indicates that the full text of the passage was written on the tablet. The Gemara rejects this argument: Emend the ibaraitaand bsaythat it should read as follows: He looks at and writes blike that which is written on the tablet.The tablet aids the priest in remembering the text that must actually be written.,The Gemara braised an objectionfrom a different ibaraita /i: bWhen he writes, he looks at the tablet and writes that which is written on the tablet.And bwhat is written on the tablet? “Ifa man blaywith you…and bif he did not laywith you” (see Numbers 5:19). Apparently, the full text of the passage was written on the tablet. The Gemara answers: bWith what are we dealing here?The tablet fashioned by Queen Helene was written bby alternatingcomplete words and initials. The first words of each verse were written there, but the rest of the words in the verse were represented by initials. Therefore, this contribution of Queen Helene does not resolve the question of whether writing a scroll for a child is permitted.,The Gemara comments: The question of whether or not writing a scroll for a child is permitted is bsubject toa dispute between itanna’im /i,as it is taught in the following ibaraita /i: bOne may not write a scrollcontaining only one portion of the Torah bforthe purpose of enabling ba child to study, but ifthe writer’s bintention is to completethe scroll, bit is permitted. Rabbi Yehuda says: Inthe book of bGenesishe may write a scroll from the beginning buntil the generation of the flood. In iTorat Kohanim /i,the book of Leviticus, he may write a scroll from the beginning buntil “And it came to pass on the eighth day”(Leviticus 9:1).,The Gemara returns to discuss the previously mentioned dispute. bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Bana’a: The Torah was givenfrom the outset bscroll by scroll, as it is stated: “Then I said, behold, I come with the scroll of the book that is written for me”(Psalms 40:8). King David is saying about himself that there is a section of the Torah, “the scroll of the book,” that alludes to him, i.e., “that is written for me.” This indicates that each portion of the Torah constitutes a separate scroll. bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: The Torah was givenas ba completebook, bas it is stated: “Take this scroll of the Torah”(Deuteronomy 31:26), which teaches that from the outset the Torah was given as a complete unit.,The Gemara asks: bAndaccording to bthe otherSage, Rabbi Yoḥa, bas well, isn’t it written “take,”indicating that the Torah scroll was given whole? How does he explain this verse? The Gemara answers: bThatverse is speaking about the Torah bafter it was joinedtogether to form a single unit.,The Gemara asks: bAndaccording to bthe otherSage, Reish Lakish, bas well, isn’t it written: “With the scroll of the book that is written for me,”indicating that the Torah was given scroll by scroll? How does he explain this verse? The Gemara answers: bThatverse teaches that bthe entire Torah is called a scroll.This is indicated in another verse as well, bas it is written: “And He said to me: What do you see? And I said: I see a flying scroll”(Zechariah 5:2)., bAlternatively,this verse serves to allude btothe sections of the Torah discussed in bthatstatement bof Rabbi Levi, as Rabbi Levi says: Eight sections were said on the day that the Tabernacle was erected,on the first of Nisan. bThey are: The section of the priests(Leviticus 21:1–22:26); bthe section of the Levites(Numbers 8:5–26); bthe section of the impure(Leviticus 13:1– 14:57); bthe section of the sending away of the impure(Numbers 5:1–4); bthe sectionbeginning with the words b“After the death”(Leviticus, chapter 16); |
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28. Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah, 14a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 14a. קודם שנברא העולם ולא נבראו עמד הקב"ה ושתלן בכל דור ודור והן הן עזי פנים שבדור,ורב נחמן בר יצחק אמר אשר קומטו לברכה הוא דכתיב אלו תלמידי חכמים שמקמטין עצמן על דברי תורה בעולם הזה הקב"ה מגלה להם סוד לעולם הבא שנאמר (איוב כב, טז) נהר יוצק יסודם,אמר ליה שמואל לחייא בר רב בר אריא תא אימא לך מילתא מהני מילי מעליותא דהוה אמר אבוך כל יומא ויומא נבראין מלאכי השרת מנהר דינור ואמרי שירה ובטלי שנאמר (איכה ג, כג) חדשים לבקרים רבה אמונתך ופליגא דר' שמואל בר נחמני דאמר ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר ר' יונתן כל דיבור ודיבור שיוצא מפי הקב"ה נברא ממנו מלאך אחד שנאמר (תהלים לג, ו) בדבר ה' שמים נעשו וברוח פיו כל צבאם,כתוב אחד אומר (דניאל ז, ט) לבושיה כתלג חיור ושער (רישיה) כעמר נקא וכתיב (שיר השירים ה, יא) קוצותיו תלתלים שחורות כעורב לא קשיא כאן בישיבה כאן במלחמה דאמר מר אין לך נאה בישיבה אלא זקן ואין לך נאה במלחמה אלא בחור,כתוב אחד אומר (דניאל ז, ט) כרסיה שביבין דינור וכתוב אחד אומר (דניאל ז, ט) עד די כרסון רמיו ועתיק יומין יתיב לא קשיא אחד לו ואחד לדוד כדתניא אחד לו ואחד לדוד דברי ר' עקיבא אמר לו ר' יוסי הגלילי עקיבא עד מתי אתה עושה שכינה חול אלא אחד לדין ואחד לצדקה,קיבלה מיניה או לא קיבלה מיניה ת"ש אחד לדין ואחד לצדקה דברי רבי עקיבא אמר לו ר"א בן עזריה עקיבא מה לך אצל הגדה כלך מדברותיך אצל נגעים ואהלות אלא אחד לכסא ואחד לשרפרף כסא לישב עליו שרפרף להדום רגליו שנאמר (ישעיהו סו, א) השמים כסאי והארץ הדום רגלי,כי אתא רב דימי אמר שמונה עשרה קללות קילל ישעיה את ישראל ולא נתקררה דעתו עד שאמר להם המקרא הזה (ישעיהו ג, ה) ירהבו הנער בזקן והנקלה בנכבד,שמונה עשרה קללות מאי נינהו דכתיב (ישעיהו ג, א) כי הנה האדון ה' צבאות מסיר מירושלם ומיהודה משען ומשענה כל משען לחם וכל משען מים גבור ואיש מלחמה שופט ונביא וקוסם וזקן שר חמשים ונשוא פנים ויועץ וחכם חרשים ונבון לחש ונתתי נערים שריהם ותעלולים ימשלו בם וגו',משען אלו בעלי מקרא משענה אלו בעלי משנה כגון ר"י בן תימא וחביריו פליגו בה רב פפא ורבנן חד אמר שש מאות סדרי משנה וחד אמר שבע מאות סדרי משנה,כל משען לחם אלו בעלי תלמוד שנאמר (משלי ט, ה) לכו לחמו בלחמי ושתו ביין מסכתי וכל משען מים אלו בעלי אגדה שמושכין לבו של אדם כמים באגדה גבור זה בעל שמועות ואיש מלחמה זה שיודע לישא וליתן במלחמתה של תורה שופט זה דיין שדן דין אמת לאמיתו נביא כמשמעו קוסם זה מלך שנאמר (משלי טז, י) קסם על שפתי מלך זקן זה שראוי לישיבה,שר חמשים אל תקרי שר חמשים אלא שר חומשין זה שיודע לישא וליתן בחמשה חומשי תורה דבר אחר שר חמשים כדרבי אבהו דאמר רבי אבהו מכאן שאין מעמידין מתורגמן על הצבור פחות מחמשים שנה ונשוא פנים זה שנושאין פנים לדורו בעבורו למעלה כגון רבי חנינא בן דוסא למטה כגון רבי אבהו בי קיסר,יועץ שיודע לעבר שנים ולקבוע חדשים וחכם זה תלמיד המחכים את רבותיו חרשים בשעה שפותח בדברי תורה הכל נעשין כחרשין ונבון זה המבין דבר מתוך דבר לחש זה שראוי למסור לו דברי תורה שניתנה בלחש,ונתתי נערים שריהם מאי ונתתי נערים שריהם א"ר אלעזר אלו בני אדם שמנוערין מן המצות,ותעלולים ימשלו בם אמר רב (פפא) בר יעקב תעלי בני תעלי ולא נתקררה דעתו עד שאמר להם ירהבו הנער בזקן (והנקלה בנכבד) אלו בני אדם שמנוערין מן המצות ירהבו במי שממולא במצות כרמון והנקלה בנכבד יבא מי שחמורות דומות עליו כקלות וירהבו במי שקלות דומות עליו כחמורות,אמר רב קטינא אפי' בשעת כשלונה של ירושלים לא פסקו מהם בעלי אמנה שנא' (ישעיהו ג, ו) כי יתפש איש באחיו בית אביו (לאמר) שמלה לך קצין תהיה לנו דברים שבני אדם מתכסין כשמלה ישנן תחת ידך,(ישעיהו ג, ו) והמכשלה הזאת מאי והמכשלה הזאת דברים שאין בני אדם עומדין עליהן אא"כ נכשל בהן ישנן תחת ידך (ישעיהו ג, ז) ישא ביום ההוא לאמר לא אהיה חובש ובביתי אין לחם ואין שמלה לא תשימוני קצין עם ישא אין ישא אלא לשון שבועה שנאמר (שמות כ, ו) לא תשא את שם ה' אלהיך לא אהיה חובש לא הייתי מחובשי בית המדרש ובביתי אין לחם ואין שמלה שאין בידי לא מקרא ולא משנה ולא גמרא,ודלמא שאני התם דאי אמר להו גמירנא אמרי ליה אימא לן הוה ליה למימר גמר ושכח מאי לא אהיה חובש לא אהיה חובש כלל,איני והאמר רבא לא חרבה ירושלים עד שפסקו ממנה בעלי אמנה שנאמר (ירמיהו ה, א) שוטטו בחוצות ירושלם וראו נא ודעו ובקשו ברחובותיה אם תמצאו איש אם יש עושה משפט מבקש אמונה ואסלח לה לא קשיא | 14a. bbefore the creation of the world, but they were not created.The Torah was supposed to have been given a thousand generations after the world was created, as it is written: “He commanded His word for a thousand generations” (Psalms 105:8), but God gave it earlier, after only twenty-six generations, so that nine-hundred and seventy-four generations should have been created but were not. bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, acted by plantinga few of bthem in each and every generation, and they are the insolent ones of the generation,as they belonged to generations that should not have been created at all., bAnd Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak saidthat the verse: b“Who were snatched [ ikumtu /i]”(Job 22:16), bis written for a blessing,as the verse is not referring to lowly, cursed people, but to the blessed. bThese are Torah scholars, who shrivel [ imekamtin /i],i.e., humble, bthemselves over the words of Torah in this world. The Holy One, Blessed be He, reveals a secret to them in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “Whose foundation [ iyesodam /i] was poured out as a stream”(Job 22:16), implying that He will provide them with an abundant knowledge of secret matters [ isod /i]., bShmuel said to Ḥiyya bar Rav: Son of great ones, come and I will tell you something of the great things that your father would say: Each and every day, ministering angels are created from the River Dinur, and they recite songto God bandthen immediately bceaseto exist, bas it is stated: “They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness”(Lamentations 3:23), indicating that new angels praise God each morning. The Gemara comments: bAndthis opinion bdisagrees withthat bof Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saidthat bRabbi Yonatan said:With beach and every word that emerges from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, an angel is created, as it is stated: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts”(Psalms 33:6). The hosts of heaven are the angels, who, he claims, are created from the mouth of God, rather than from the River Dinur.,§ The Gemara continues to reconcile verses that seem to contradict each other: bOne verse states: “His raiment was as white snow, and the hair of his head like purewhite bwool”(Daniel 7:9), band it is written: “His locks are curled, black as a raven”(Song of Songs 5:11). The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Herethe verse in Daniel is referring to when He is bin theheavenly bacademy,while btherethe verse in Song of Songs speaks of when He is bat war, for the Master said: There is no finerindividual to study Torah bin an academy than an old man, and there is no finerindividual to wage war bthan a youth.A different metaphor is therefore used to describe God on each occasion.,The Gemara poses another question: bOne verse states: “His throne was fiery flames”(Daniel 7:9), bandanother phrase in the same bverse states: “Till thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat,”implying the existence of two thrones. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Onethrone is bfor Him and oneis bfor David, as it is taughtin a ibaraitawith regard to this issue: bOnethrone bfor Him and one for David;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Yosei HaGelili said to him: Akiva, how long shall you make the Divine Presence profane,by presenting it as though one could sit next to Him? bRather,the two thrones are designated for different purposes: bOne for judgment and one for righteousness. /b,The Gemara asks: Did Rabbi Akiva bacceptthis rebuff bfrom him, or did he not acceptit bfrom him?The Gemara offers a proof: bComeand bhearthe following teaching of a different ibaraita /i: bOnethrone is bfor judgment and oneis bfor righteousness;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said to him: Akiva, what are you doingoccupying yourself bwiththe study of iaggada /i?This is not your field of expertise. bTake [ ikelakh /i] your words tothe topics of bplagues and tents.Meaning, it is preferable that you teach the ihalakhotof the impurity of leprosy and the impurity of the dead, which are within your field of expertise. bRather,with regard to the two thrones: bOnethrone is bfor a seat and oneis bfor a small seat.The bseatis bto sit on,and the bsmall seatis bfor His footstool, as it is stated: “The heavens are My seat, and the earth My footstool”(Isaiah 66:1).,§ The Gemara stated earlier that one who studies the secrets of Torah must be “a captain of fifty and a man of favor” (Isaiah 3:3), but it did not explain the meaning of these requirements. It now returns to analyze that verse in detail. bWhen Rav Dimi camefrom Israel to Babylonia, bhe said: Isaiah cursed Israel with eighteen curses, and his mind was not calmed,i.e., he was not satisfied, buntil he said to them thegreat curse of the bfollowing verse: “The child shall behave insolently against the aged, and the base against the honorable”(Isaiah 3:5).,The Gemara asks: bWhat are these eighteen curses?The Gemara answers: bAs it is written: “For behold, the Master, the Lord of hosts, shall take away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and staff, every support of bread, and every support of water; the mighty man, and the man of war; the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the elder; the captain of fifty, and the man of favor, and the counselor, and the cunning charmer, and the skillful enchanter. And I will make children their princes, and babes shall rule over them”(Isaiah 3:1–4). The eighteen items listed in these verses shall be removed from Israel.,The Gemara proceeds to clarify the homiletical meaning of these terms: b“Support”; these are masters of the Bible. “Staff”; these are masters of Mishna, such as Rabbi Yehuda ben Teima and his colleagues.The Gemara interjects: bRav Pappa and the Rabbis disagreed with regard to this. Oneof them bsaid:They were proficient in bsix hundred orders of Mishna, andthe other bone said:In bseven hundred orders of Mishna,only six of which remain today., b“Every support of bread”; these are masters of Talmud, as it is stated: “Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled”(Proverbs 9:5). b“And every support of water”; these are the masters of iaggada /i, who draw people’s hearts like water bymeans of iaggada /i. “The mighty man”; this is the master of halakhic tradition,one who masters the ihalakhottransmitted to him from his rabbis. b“And the man of war”; this is one who knows how to engage in the discourse of Torah,generating novel teachings bin the war of Torah. “A judge”; this is a judge who judges a true judgment truthfully. “A prophet”; as it literally indicates. “A diviner”; this is a king.Why is he called a diviner? bFor it is stated: “A divine sentence is on the lips of the king”(Proverbs 16:10). b“An elder”; this is one fit forthe position of head of ban academy. /b, b“A captain of fifty,” do not readit as b“ isar ḥamishim /i,” ratherread it as b“ isar ḥumashin /i”; this is one who knows how to engage in discoursewith regard to bthe five books of [ iḥamisha ḥumshei /i] the Torah. Alternatively, “a captain of fifty”should be understood binaccordance with bRabbi Abbahu, for Rabbi Abbahu said: From herewe learn bthat one may not appoint a disseminator over the publicto transmit words of Torah or teachings of the Sages if he is bless than fifty yearsof age. b“And the man of favor”; this isone bfor whose sake favor is shown to his generation.The Gemara provides different examples of this: Some garner favor babove, such as Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa,whose prayers for his generation would invariably be answered. Others gain favor bbelow, for example: Rabbi Abbahu,who would plead Israel’s case bin the house ofthe bemperor. /b, b“The counselor”;this is referring to one bwho knows how to intercalate years and determine months,due to his expertise in the phases of the moon and the calculation of the yearly cycle. b“The cunning”; this is a student who makes his rabbis wisethrough his questions. b“Charmer [ iḥarashim /i]”;this is referring to one so wise bthat when he begins speaking matters of Torah, allthose listening bare as though deaf [ iḥershin /i],as they are unable to comprehend the profundity of his comments. b“The skillful”; this is one who understands somethingnew bfrom something elsehe has learned. b“Enchanter [ ilaḥash /i]”; thisis referring to one bwho is worthy of having words of the Torah that were given in whispers [ ilaḥash /i],i.e., the secrets of the Torah, btransmitted to him. /b,The Gemara continues to interpret this verse: b“And I will make children their princes”(Isaiah 3:4). The Gemara asks: bWhat isthe meaning of b“And I will make children [ ine’arim /i] their princes”? Rabbi Elazar said: These are people who are devoid [ imenu’arin /i] of mitzvot;such people will become the leaders of the nation., b“And babes [ ita’alulim /i] shall rule over them”; Rav Pappa bar Ya’akov said: iTa’alulimmeans bfoxes [ ita’alei /i], sons of foxes.In other words, inferior people both in terms of deeds and in terms of lineage. bAndthe prophet Isaiah’s bmind was not calmed until he said to them: “The child shall behave insolently against the aged, and the base against the honorable”(Isaiah 3:5). “The child” [ ina’ar /i]; bthese are people who are devoid of mitzvot,who bwill behave insolently toward one who is as filled with mitzvot as a pomegranate. “And the base [ inikleh /i] against the honorable [ inikhbad /i]”;this means that bone for whom major [ ikaved /i]transgressions bare like minor ones [ ikalot /i] in his mind will come and behave insolently with one for whomeven bminortransgressions bare like major ones in his mind. /b,§ The Gemara continues its explanation of the chapter in Isaiah. bRav Ketina said: Even at the time of Jerusalem’s downfall, trustworthy men did not cease to existamong its people, bas it is stated: “For a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father,and say: bYou have a cloak, be our ruler”(Isaiah 3:6). The Gemara explains that they would approach someone and say to him: bThings that peopleare careful to keep bcovered as with a cloak,i.e., words of Torah that are covered and concealed, bare under your hand,as you are an expert with regard to them., bWhat isthe meaning of the end of that verse: b“And this stumbling block”(Isaiah 3:6)? bThings that people cannot grasp unless they have stumbled over them,as they can be understood only with much effort, bare under your hand. Althoughthey will approach an individual with these statements, he b“shall swear that day, saying: I will not be a healer, for in my house there is neither bread nor a cloak; you shall not make me ruler of a people”(Isaiah 3:7). When the verse states: b“Shall swear [ iyissa /i],” iyissais noneother bthan an expression of an oath, as it is stated: “You shall not take [ itissa /i] the name of the Lord your Godin vain” (Exodus 20:6). Therefore, the inhabitant of Jerusalem swears: b“I will not be a healer [ iḥovesh /i]”(Isaiah 3:7), which means: bI was neverone bof those who sit [ imeḥovshei /i] in the study hall; “for in my house there is neither bread nor a cloak,” as I possessknowledge of bneitherthe bBible, nor Mishna, nor Gemara.This shows that even at Jerusalem’s lowest spiritual ebb, its inhabitants would admit the truth and own up to their complete ignorance.,The Gemara raises a difficulty: bBut perhaps it is different there, for if he had said: I have learned, they would have said to him: Tell us,and people do not lie about things that can be easily verified. The Gemara rejects this claim: If he were a liar, bhe would have saidthat bhe learned and forgot,thereby avoiding shame. bWhat isthe meaning of b“I will not be a healer,”which seems to imply that he had learned in the past? It means: bI will not be a healer at all,as I have never learned. Consequently, there were trustworthy men in Jerusalem after all.,The Gemara raises another difficulty: bIs that so? But didn’t Rava say: Jerusalem was not destroyed until trustworthy men ceased to exist in it, as it is stated: “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in its broad places, if you can find a man, if there is any that acts justly, that seeks truth, and I will pardon her”(Jeremiah 5:1), implying there were no trustworthy people at that time? The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult: /b |
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29. Babylonian Talmud, Hulin, 89a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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30. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah, 31a, 3a, 18a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 18a. (הושע ג, ה) אחר ישובו בני ישראל ובקשו את ה' אלהיהם ואת דוד מלכם וכיון שבא דוד באתה תפלה שנאמר (ישעיהו נו, ז) והביאותים אל הר קדשי ושמחתים בבית תפלתי,וכיון שבאת תפלה באת עבודה שנאמר עולותיהם וזבחיהם לרצון על מזבחי וכיון שבאת עבודה באתה תודה שנאמר (תהלים נ, כג) זובח תודה יכבדנני,ומה ראו לומר ברכת כהנים אחר הודאה דכתיב (ויקרא ט, כב) וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם וירד מעשות החטאת והעולה והשלמים,אימא קודם עבודה לא ס"ד דכתיב וירד מעשות החטאת וגו' מי כתיב לעשות מעשות כתיב,ולימרה אחר העבודה לא ס"ד דכתיב זובח תודה,מאי חזית דסמכת אהאי סמוך אהאי מסתברא עבודה והודאה חדא מילתא היא,ומה ראו לומר שים שלום אחר ברכת כהנים דכתיב (במדבר ו, כז) ושמו את שמי על בני ישראל ואני אברכם ברכה דהקב"ה שלום שנאמר (תהלים כט, יא) ה' יברך את עמו בשלום,וכי מאחר דמאה ועשרים זקנים ומהם כמה נביאים תקנו תפלה על הסדר שמעון הפקולי מאי הסדיר שכחום וחזר וסדרום,מכאן ואילך אסור לספר בשבחו של הקב"ה דא"ר אלעזר מאי דכתיב (תהלים קו, ב) מי ימלל גבורות ה' ישמיע כל תהלתו למי נאה למלל גבורות ה' למי שיכול להשמיע כל תהלתו,אמר רבה בר בר חנה א"ר יוחנן המספר בשבחו של הקב"ה יותר מדאי נעקר מן העולם שנאמר (איוב לז, כ) היסופר לו כי אדבר אם אמר איש כי יבלע,דרש ר' יהודה איש כפר גבוריא ואמרי לה איש כפר גבור חיל מאי דכתיב (תהלים סה, ב) לך דומיה תהלה סמא דכולה משתוקא כי אתא רב דימי אמר אמרי במערבא מלה בסלע משתוקא בתרין:,קראה על פה לא יצא וכו': מנלן אמר רבא אתיא זכירה זכירה כתיב הכא והימים האלה נזכרים וכתיב התם (שמות יז, יד) כתב זאת זכרון בספר מה להלן בספר אף כאן בספר,וממאי דהאי זכירה קריאה היא דלמא עיון בעלמא לא סלקא דעתך (דכתיב) (דברים כה, יז) זכור יכול בלב כשהוא אומר לא תשכח הרי שכחת הלב אמור הא מה אני מקיים זכור בפה:,קראה תרגום לא יצא וכו': היכי דמי אילימא דכתיבה מקרא וקרי לה תרגום היינו על פה לא צריכא דכתיבה תרגום וקרי לה תרגום:,אבל קורין אותה ללועזות בלעז וכו': והא אמרת קראה בכל לשון לא יצא רב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו בלעז יווני,היכי דמי אילימא דכתיבה אשורית וקרי לה יוונית היינו על פה א"ר אחא א"ר אלעזר שכתובה בלעז יוונית,וא"ר אחא א"ר אלעזר מנין שקראו הקב"ה ליעקב אל שנאמר (בראשית לג, כ) ויקרא לו אל אלהי ישראל דאי סלקא דעתך למזבח קרא ליה יעקב אל ויקרא לו יעקב מיבעי ליה אלא ויקרא לו ליעקב אל ומי קראו אל אלהי ישראל,מיתיבי קראה גיפטית עברית עילמית מדית יוונית לא יצא,הא לא דמיא אלא להא גיפטית לגיפטים עברית לעברים עילמית לעילמים יוונית ליוונים יצא,אי הכי רב ושמואל אמאי מוקמי לה למתני' בלעז יוונית לוקמה בכל לעז [אלא מתניתין כברייתא] וכי איתמר דרב ושמואל בעלמא איתמר רב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו לעז יווני לכל כשר,והא קתני יוונית ליוונים אין לכולי עלמא לא אינהו דאמור כרשב"ג דתנן רשב"ג אומר אף ספרים לא התירו שיכתבו אלא יוונית,ולימרו הלכה כרשב"ג אי אמרי הלכה כרשב"ג הוה אמינא הני מילי שאר ספרים אבל מגילה דכתיב בה ככתבם אימא לא קמ"ל:,והלועז ששמע אשורית יצא וכו': והא לא ידע מאי קאמרי מידי דהוה אנשים ועמי הארץ,מתקיף לה רבינא אטו אנן האחשתרנים בני הרמכים מי ידעינן אלא מצות קריאה ופרסומי ניסא הכא נמי מצות קריאה ופרסומי ניסא:,קראה סירוגין יצא וכו': לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי סירוגין שמעוה לאמתא דבי רבי דקאמרה להו לרבנן דהוי עיילי פסקי פסקי לבי רבי עד מתי אתם נכנסין סירוגין סירוגין,לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי חלוגלוגות שמעוה לאמתא דבי רבי דאמרה ליה לההוא גברא דהוה קא מבדר פרפחיני עד מתי אתה מפזר חלוגלוגך,לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי (משלי ד, ח) סלסלה ותרוממך שמעוה לאמתא דבי רבי דהוות אמרה לההוא גברא דהוה מהפך במזייה אמרה ליה עד מתי אתה מסלסל בשערך,לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי (תהלים נה, כג) השלך על ה' יהבך אמר רבה בר בר חנה זימנא חדא הוה אזילנא בהדי ההוא טייעא וקא דרינא טונא ואמר לי שקול יהביך ושדי אגמלאי,לא הוו ידעי רבנן מאי (ישעיהו יד, כג) וטאטאתיה במטאטא השמד שמעוה לאמתא דבי רבי דהוות אמרה לחברתה שקולי טאטיתא וטאטי ביתא,ת"ר קראה סירוגין יצא | 18a. b“Afterward the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God and David their king”(Hosea 3:5), and consequently, the blessing of the kingdom of David follows the blessing of the building of Jerusalem. bAnd oncethe scion of bDavid comes,the time for bprayer will come, as it is stated: “I will bring them to My sacred mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer”(Isaiah 56:7). Therefore, the blessing of hearing prayer is recited after the blessing of the kingdom of David., bAnd after prayer comes, theTemple bservice will arrive, as it is statedin the continuation of that verse: b“Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on My altar”(Isaiah 56:7). The blessing of restoration of the Temple service follows the blessing of hearing prayer. bAnd when theTemple bservice comes,with it will also bcome thanksgiving, as it is stated: “Whoever sacrifices a thanks-offering honors Me”(Psalms 50:23), which teaches that thanksgiving follows sacrifice. Therefore, the blessing of thanksgiving follows the blessing of restoration of the Temple service., bAnd why did they seefit to institute that one bsays the Priestly Benediction afterthe blessing of bthanksgiving? As it is written: “And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from sacrificing the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings”(Leviticus 9:22), teaching that the Priestly Benediction follows the sacrificial service, which includes the thanks-offering.,The Gemara asks: But the cited verse indicates that Aaron blessed the people and then sacrificed the offerings. Should we not then bsaythe Priestly Benediction bbefore theblessing of the Temple bservice?The Gemara answers: bIt should not enter your mindto say this, bas it is written: “And he came down from sacrificing the sin-offering.” Is it writtenthat he came down bto sacrificethe offerings, implying that after blessing the people Aaron came down and sacrificed the offerings? No, bit is written, “from sacrificing,”indicating that the offerings had already been sacrificed.,The Gemara asks: If, as derived from this verse, the Priestly Benediction follows the sacrificial service, the Priestly Benediction should be bsaidimmediately bafterthe blessing of restoration of btheTemple bservice,without the interruption of the blessing of thanksgiving. The Gemara rejects this argument: bIt should not enter your mindto say this, bas it is written: “Whoever sacrifices a thanks-offeringhonors Me,” from which we learn that thanksgiving follows sacrifice, as already explained.,The Gemara asks: bWhat did you see to rely on thisverse and juxtapose thanksgiving with sacrifice? bRelyrather bon the otherverse, which indicates that it is the Priestly Benediction that should be juxtaposed with the sacrificial service. The Gemara answers: bIt stands to reasonto have the blessing of thanksgiving immediately following the blessing of the sacrificial service, since the sacrificial bservice and thanksgiving,which are closely related conceptually, bare one matter. /b, bAnd why did they seefit to institute that one bsaysthe blessing beginning with the words: bGrant peace, after the Priestly Benediction? As it is writtenimmediately following the Priestly Benediction: b“And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them”(Numbers 6:27). The Priestly Benediction is followed by God’s blessing, and bthe blessing of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is peace, as it is stated: “The Lord blesses His people with peace”(Psalms 29:11).,The Gemara returns to the ibaraitacited at the beginning of the discussion: bNow, sincethe ibaraitateaches that ba hundred and twenty Elders, including many prophets, established the iAmida bprayer in itsfixed border, whatis it that bShimon HaPakuli arrangedin a much later period of time, as related by Rabbi Yoḥa? The Gemara answers: Indeed, the blessings of the iAmidaprayer were originally arranged by the hundred and twenty members of the Great Assembly, but over the course of time the people bforgot them, andShimon HaPakuli then barranged them again. /b,The Gemara comments: These nineteen blessings are a fixed number, and bbeyond this it is prohibitedfor one bto declare the praises of the Holy One, Blessed be He,by adding additional blessings to the iAmida /i. As bRabbi Elazar said: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can declare all His praise?”(Psalms 106:2)? It means: bFor whom is it fitting to utter the mighty acts of the Lord?Only bfor one who can declare all His praise.And since no one is capable of declaring all of God’s praises, we must suffice with the set formula established by the Sages., bRabba bar bar Ḥana saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:With regard to bone who excessively declares the praises of the Holy One, Blessed be He,his fate bisto be buprooted from the world,as it appears as if he had exhausted all of God’s praises. bAs it is stated: “Shall it be told to Him when I speak? If a man saysit, bhe would be swallowed up”(Job 37:20). The Gemara interprets the verse as saying: Can all of God’s praises be expressed when I speak? If a man would say such a thing, he would be “swallowed up” as punishment.,The Gemara relates: bRabbi Yehuda, a man of Kefar Gibboraya, and some sayhe was ba man of Kefar Gibbor Ĥayil, taught: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “For You silence is praise”(Psalms 65:2)? bThebest bremedy of all is silence,i.e., the optimum form of praising God is silence. The Gemara relates: bWhen Rav Dimi camefrom Eretz Israel to Babylonia, bhe said: In the West,Eretz Yisrael, bthey sayan adage: If ba word isworth one isela /i, silence isworth btwo. /b,§ It is taught in the mishna: bIf one readthe Megilla bby heart he has not fulfilledhis obligation. The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this? bRava said:This is bderivedby means of a verbal analogy between one instance of the term bremembranceand another instance of the term bremembrance. It is written here,with regard to the Megilla: b“That these days should be remembered”(Esther 9:28), band it is written elsewhere: “And the Lord said to Moses: Write this for a memorial in the book,and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: That I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens” (Exodus 17:14). bJust as there,with regard to Amalek, remembrance is referring specifically to something written bin a book,as it is stated, “in the book,” bso too here,the Megilla remembrance is through being written bin a book. /b,The Gemara raises a question: bBut from wheredo we know bthat this remembrancethat is stated with regard to Amalek and to the Megilla involves breadingit out loud from a book? bPerhapsit requires bmerely looking intothe book, reading it silently. The Gemara answers: bIt should not enter your mindto say this, as it was taught in a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“Rememberwhat Amalek did to you” (Deuteronomy 25:17). One bmighthave thought that it suffices for one to remember this silently, bin his heart.But this cannot be, since bwhen it sayssubsequently: b“You shall not forget”(Deuteronomy 25:19), bit isalready breferring to forgetting from the heart. How,then, bdo I upholdthe meaning of b“remember”?What does this command to remember add to the command to not forget? Therefore, it means that the remembrance must be expressed out loud, bwith the mouth. /b,§ It was taught further in the mishna: bIf one readthe Megilla binAramaic btranslation he has not fulfilledhis obligation. The Gemara asks: bWhat are the circumstancesof this case? bIf we say thatthe Megilla bwas written inthe original bbiblical text,i.e., in Hebrew, band he read it inAramaic btranslation,then bthis isthe same as reading it bby heart,as he is not reading the words written in the text, and the mishna has already stated that one does not fulfill his obligation by reading the Megilla by heart. The Gemara answers: bNo,it is bnecessaryto teach this case as well, as it is referring to a case in which the Megilla bwas writtennot in the original Hebrew but binAramaic btranslation, and he read itas written, binAramaic btranslation. /b,§ The mishna continues: bHowever, for those who speak a foreign language, one may readthe Megilla binthat bforeign language.The Gemara raises a difficulty: bBut didn’t you sayin the mishna: bIf he read it in anyother blanguage he has not fulfilledhis obligation? The Gemara cites the answer of bRav and Shmuel, who both say:When the mishna says: A foreign language, it is referring specifically to bthe Greek foreign language,which has a unique status with regard to biblical translation.,The Gemara asks: bWhat are the circumstancesof the case? bIf we say thatthe Megilla bwas written in iAshurit /i,i.e., in Hebrew, band he read it in Greek, this isthe same as reading it bby heart,and the mishna teaches that one does not fulfill his obligation by reading by heart. The Gemara answers: bRabbi Aḥa saidthat bRabbi Elazar said:The mishna is dealing with a case in which the Megilla bwas written in the Greek foreign languageand was also read in that language.,Apropos statements in this line of tradition, the Gemara adds: bAnd Rabbi Aḥafurther bsaidthat bRabbi Elazar said: From whereis it derived bthat the Holy One, Blessed be He, called Jacob El,meaning God? bAs it is stated:“And he erected there an altar, band he called it El, God of Israel”(Genesis 33:20). It is also possible to translate this as: And He, i.e., the God of Israel, called him, Jacob, El. Indeed, it must be understood this way, bas if it enters your mindto say that the verse should be understood as saying that bJacob called the altar El, it should havespecified the subject of the verb and written: bAnd Jacob called itEl. bButsince the verse is not written this way, the verse must be understood as follows: bHe called Jacob El; and who called him El? The God of Israel. /b,The Gemara returns to discussing languages for reading the Megilla and braises an objectionagainst Rav and Shmuel, who said that one may read the Megilla in Greek but not in other foreign languages. It is taught in a ibaraita /i: bIf one readthe Megilla bin Coptic [ iGiptit /i], iIvrit /i, Elamite, Median, or Greek, he has not fulfilledhis obligation, indicating that one cannot fulfill his obligation by reading the Megilla in Greek.,The Gemara answers: The clause in the mishna that teaches that the Megilla may be read in a foreign language to one who speaks that foreign language bis comparable only to thatwhich was taught in a different ibaraita /i: If one reads the Megilla bin Coptic to Copts,in iIvritto iIvrim /i, in Elamite to Elamites, or in Greek to Greeks, he has fulfilledhis obligation. The Megilla may be read in any language, provided the listener understands that language.,The Gemara asks: But bif so,that one who reads the Megilla in a foreign language that he speaks fulfills his obligation, bwhy did Rav and Shmuel establish theruling of the bmishna asreferring specifically bto Greek? Let them interpret itas referring bto any foreign languagethat one speaks. The Gemara explains: bRather, the mishnais to be understood blike the ibaraita /i,that one who reads the Megilla in a language that he speaks fulfills his obligation; band that which was statedin the name of bRav and Shmuel was saidas a bgeneralstatement, not relating to the mishna but as an independent ruling, as follows: bRav and Shmuel both say: The Greek language is acceptable for everyone,i.e., anyone who reads the Megilla in Greek has fulfilled his obligation, even if he does not understand Greek.,The Gemara raises a difficulty: bBut doesn’tthe ibaraitacited above bteachthat if one reads the Megilla in bGreek to Greekshe has fulfilled his obligation? This implies that reading in Greek, byes,this is acceptable for Greeks, but bfor everyoneelse, bno,it is not. The Gemara answers: Rav and Shmuel disagree with this statement of the ibaraita /i, because they bagree withthe opinion of bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel. As we learnedin a mishna ( iMegilla8b): bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Evenfor bbooksof the Bible, the Sages bdid not permit them to be writtenin any foreign language bother than Greek,indicating that Greek has a special status, and is treated like the original Hebrew.,The Gemara asks: But if this was the intention of Rav and Shmuel, blet them stateexplicitly: bThe ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabban Shimon ben Gamliel.Why did Rav and Shmuel formulate their statement as if they were issuing a new ruling? The Gemara answers: bHad they saidsimply bthat the ihalakhais in accordance with Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, I would have saidthat bthis appliesonly bto the other booksof the Bible, bbutwith regard to bthe Megilla, of which it is written: “According to their writing,” I would saythat one does bnotfulfill his obligation if he reads it in Greek. Therefore they stated their own opinion to bteach usthat even in the case of the Megilla one fulfills his obligation if he reads it in Greek.,§ It was taught in the mishna: bAnd one who speaks a foreign language who heardthe Megilla being read bin iAshurit /i,i.e., in Hebrew, bhas fulfilledhis obligation. The Gemara asks: bBut isn’tit so that bhe does not understand what they are saying?Since he does not understand Hebrew, how does he fulfill his obligation? The Gemara answers: bIt is just as it iswith bwomen and uneducated people;they too understand little Hebrew, but nevertheless they fulfill their obligation when they hear the Megilla read in that language., bRavina strongly objects tothe premise of the question raised above, i.e., that someone who does not understand the original, untranslated language of the Megilla cannot fulfill his obligation. bIs that to saythat even bwe,the Sages, who are very well acquainted with Hebrew, bknowfor certain the meaning of the obscure words iha’aḥashteranim benei haramakhim /i(Esther 8:10), often translated as: “Used in the royal service, bred from the stud”? bButnevertheless, we fulfill the bmitzva of readingthe Megilla band publicizing the miracleof Purim by reading these words as they appear in the original text. bHere too,one who speaks a foreign language who hears the Megilla being read in Hebrew fulfills the bmitzva of readingthe Megilla band publicizing thePurim bmiracle,even if he does not understand the words themselves.,§ The mishna continues: bIf one readsthe Megilla bat intervals[iseirugin/b] bhe has fulfilledhis obligation. The Gemara relates that bthe Sages did not know what ismeant by the word iseirugin /i.One day bthey heard the maidservant in RabbiYehuda HaNasi’s bhouse saying to the Sages who were entering the house intermittentlyrather than in a single group: bHow long are you going to enter iseirugin seirugin /i?As she lived in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s house and certainly heard the most proper Hebrew being spoken, they understood from this that the word iseiruginmeans at intervals.,It is similarly related that bthe Sages did not know what ismeant by the word iḥalogelogot /i,which appears in various imishnayotand ibaraitot /i. One day bthey heard the maidservant in RabbiYehuda HaNasi’s bhouse saying to a certain man who was scattering purslane: How long will you go on scattering your iḥalogelogot /i?And from this they understood that iḥalogelogotis purslane.,Likewise, bthe Sages did not know what ismeant by isalselehain the verse: “Get iwisdom…salselehaand it will exalt you”(Proverbs 4:7–8). One day bthey heard the maidservant in RabbiYehuda HaNasi’s bhouse talking to a certain man who was twirling his hair, saying to him: How long will you go on twirling[imesalsel/b] byour hair?And from this they understood that the verse is saying: Turn wisdom around and around, and it will exalt you.,The Gemara relates additional examples: bThe Sages did not know what ismeant by the word iyehavin the verse: b“Cast upon the Lord your iyehav /i”(Psalms 55:23). bRabba bar bar Ḥana said: One time I was traveling with a certain Arab[iTayya’a/b] band I was carrying a load, and he said to me: Take your iyehavand throw it on my camel,and I understood that iyehavmeans a load or burden.,And similarly, bthe Sages did not know what ismeant by the word imatateiin the verse: b“And I will itateiit with the imatateiof destruction”(Isaiah 14:23). One day bthey heard the maidservant in RabbiYehuda HaNasi’s bhouse saying to her friend: Take a itateitaand itatithe house,from which they understood that a imatateiis a broom, and the verb itatimeans to sweep.,On the matter of reading the Megilla with interruptions, bthe Sages taughtthe following ibaraita /i: bIf one reads the Megilla at intervals,pausing and resuming at intervals, bhe has fulfilledhis obligation. |
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31. Babylonian Talmud, Niddah, 20b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 20b. רבי חנינא הוא דחכים כולי עלמא לאו חכימי הכי,אמר רבי יוחנן חכמתא דרבי חנינא גרמא לי דלא אחזי דמא מטמינא מטהר מטהרנא מטמא אמר רבי אלעזר ענוותנותא דרבי חנינא גרמא לי דחזאי דמא ומה רבי חנינא דענותן הוא מחית נפשיה לספק וחזי אנא לא אחזי,אמר רבי זירא טבעא דבבל גרמא לי דלא חזאי דמא דאמינא בטבעא לא ידענא בדמא ידענא,למימרא דבטבעא תליא מלתא והא רבה הוא דידע בטבעא ולא ידע בדמא כל שכן קאמר ומה רבה דידע בטבעא לא חזא דמא ואנא אחזי,עולא אקלע לפומבדיתא אייתו לקמיה דמא ולא חזא אמר ומה רבי אלעזר דמרא דארעא דישראל הוה כי מקלע לאתרא דר' יהודה לא חזי דמא אנא אחזי,ואמאי קרו ליה מרא דארעא דישראל דההיא אתתא דאייתא דמא לקמיה דרבי אלעזר הוה יתיב רבי אמי קמיה ארחיה אמר לה האי דם חימוד הוא בתר דנפקה אטפל לה רבי אמי אמרה ליה בעלי היה בדרך וחמדתיו קרי עליה (תהלים כה, יד) סוד ה' ליראיו,אפרא הורמיז אמיה דשבור מלכא שדרה דמא לקמיה דרבא הוה יתיב רב עובדיה קמיה ארחיה אמר לה האי דם חימוד הוא אמרה ליה לבריה תא חזי כמה חכימי יהודאי א"ל דלמא כסומא בארובה,הדר שדרה ליה שתין מיני דמא וכולהו אמרינהו ההוא בתרא דם כנים הוה ולא ידע אסתייע מילתא ושדר לה סריקותא דמקטלא כלמי אמרה יהודאי בתווני דלבא יתביתו,אמר רב יהודה מרישא הוה חזינא דמא כיון דאמרה לי אמיה דיצחק ברי האי טיפתא קמייתא לא מייתינן לה קמייהו דרבנן משום דזהימא לא חזינא,בין טמאה לטהורה ודאי חזינא,ילתא אייתא דמא לקמיה דרבה בר בר חנה וטמי לה הדר אייתא לקמיה דרב יצחק בריה דרב יהודה ודכי לה,והיכי עביד הכי והתניא חכם שטימא אין חברו רשאי לטהר אסר אין חבירו רשאי להתיר,מעיקרא טמויי הוה מטמי לה כיון דא"ל דכל יומא הוה מדכי לי כי האי גונא והאידנא הוא דחש בעיניה דכי לה,ומי מהימני אין והתניא נאמנת אשה לומר כזה ראיתי ואבדתיו,איבעיא להו כזה טיהר איש פלוני חכם מהו,תא שמע נאמנת אשה לומר כזה ראיתי ואבדתיו שאני התם דליתיה לקמה,תא שמע דילתא אייתא דמא לקמיה דרבה בר בר חנה וטמי לה לקמיה דרב יצחק בריה דרב יהודה ודכי לה והיכי עביד הכי והתניא חכם שטימא אין חבירו רשאי לטהר וכו',ואמרינן טמויי הוה מטמי לה כיון דאמרה ליה דכל יומא מדכי לה כי האי גונא והאידנא הוא דחש בעיניה הדר דכי לה אלמא מהימנא לה,רב יצחק בר יהודה אגמריה סמך,רבי ראה דם בלילה וטימא ראה ביום וטיהר המתין שעה אחת חזר וטימא אמר אוי לי שמא טעיתי,שמא טעיתי ודאי טעה דתניא לא יאמר חכם אילו היה לח היה ודאי טמא,אלא אמר אין לו לדיין אלא מה שעיניו רואות מעיקרא אחזקיה בטמא כיון דחזא לצפרא דאשתני אמר (ליה) ודאי טהור הוה ובלילה הוא דלא אתחזי שפיר כיון דחזא דהדר אשתני אמר האי טמא הוא ומפכח הוא דקא מפכח ואזיל,רבי בדיק לאור הנר רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסף בדיק ביום המעונן ביני עמודי אמר רב אמי בר שמואל וכולן אין בודקין אותן אלא בין חמה לצל רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה בחמה ובצל ידו,וכמזוג שני חלקים כו' תנא | 20b. Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, explained: bIt isonly bRabbi Ḥaninawho is permitted to examine the blood in this fashion, bas he is wise,but beveryoneelse bis not so wisethat they can successfully perform the examination without water., bRabbi Yoḥa says: Rabbi Ḥanina’s wisdom causes me not to see bloodfor a halakhic examination. When bI wouldexamine blood and bdeemit bimpure, he would deemit bpure,and when bI would deemit bpure, he would deemit bimpure.Conversely, bRabbi Elazar says: Rabbi Ḥanina’s humility causes me to see blood,as I reason to myself: bIf Rabbi Ḥanina, who is humble, places himself intoa situation of buncertainty and seesvarious types of blood to determine their status, should bI,who am not nearly as humble, bnot seeblood for an examination?, bRabbi Zeira says: Thecomplex bnatureof the residents bof Babylonia causes me not to see bloodfor a halakhic examination, bas I sayto myself: Even matters binvolving thecomplex bnatureof people bI do not know;can I then claim that bI knowabout matters bof blood? /b,The Gemara asks: bIs this to say thatthe bmatterof the appearance of blood bis dependent on the natureof people, i.e., that it changes in accordance with their nature? bBut Rabba isan example of someone bwho knew about thecomplex bnatureof the people of Babylonia, bandyet bhe did not knowhow to distinguish between different types bof blood.The Gemara answers: Rabbi Zeira took this factor into account and bsaidto himself: bAll the more so; if Rabba, who knew about thecomplex bnatureof these people, nevertheless bwould not see blood,should bI,who am unknowledgeable about the nature of these people, bseeblood for examination?,The Gemara relates that bUlla happenedto come bto Pumbedita,where bthey brought blood before himfor an examination, bbut he would not seeit, as bhe said: If Rabbi Elazar, who was the master of Eretz Yisraelin wisdom, bwhen he would happento come bto the locale of Rabbi Yehuda, he would not see blood, shall I see bloodhere?,The Gemara asks: bAnd why would they callRabbi Elazar bthe master of Eretz Yisraelin wisdom? The Gemara explains that there was an incident binvolving a certain woman who brought blood before Rabbi Elazarfor examination, and bRabbi Ami was sitting before him.Rabbi Ami observed that Rabbi Elazar bsmelledthe blood and bsaid tothe woman: bThis is blood of desire,i.e., your desire for your husband caused you to emit this blood, and it is not the blood of menstruation. bAfterthe woman bleftRabbi Elazar’s presence, bRabbi Ami caught up with herand inquired into the circumstances of her case. bShe said to him: My husband wasabsent bon a journey, and I desired him.Rabbi Ami breadthe following verse baboutRabbi Elazar: b“The counsel of the Lord is with those who fear Him;and His covet, to make them know it” (Psalms 25:14), i.e., God reveals secret matters to those who fear Him.,The Gemara further relates that bIfera Hurmiz, the mother of King Shapur, sent blood before Ravafor examination, as she sought to convert and was practicing the ihalakhotof menstruation. At that time bRav Ovadya was sitting beforeRava. Rav Ovadya observed that Rava bsmelledthe blood and later bsaid tothe woman: bThis is blood of desire. She said to her son: Comeand bsee how wise the Jewsare, as Rava is correct. Her son bsaid to her: PerhapsRava was blike a blind manwho escapes bfrom a chimney,i.e., it was a lucky guess.,Ifera Hurmiz bthen sentRava bsixtydifferent types of bblood,some impure and others pure, bandwith regard to ball of themRava accurately btold hertheir origin. The Gemara adds: bThat lastsample of blood sent by Ifera Hurmiz bwas blood of lice, andRava bdid not knowwhat it was. He received bsupportin this bmatterin the form of heavenly guidance, as he unwittingly bsent heras a gift ba comb for killing lice. She saidin exclamation: bJews, youmust bdwell in the chamber ofpeople’s bhearts. /b,§ The Gemara cites more statements of the Sages with regard to the examination of blood. bRav Yehuda says: At first I would see blood,i.e., perform examinations of blood, but I changed my conduct bwhen the mother of my son Yitzḥak,i.e., my wife, bsaid to methat she acts as follows: With regard to bthis first dropof blood that I see, bI do not bring it before the Sages, because it is not pristineblood, i.e., other substances are mixed with it. After hearing this, I decided bIwould bnolonger bseeblood, as it is possible that the first drop, which I do not get to see, was impure.,Rav Yehuda continues: But with regard to the examination of blood that a woman who gave birth emitted after the completion of her days of purity, i.e., at least forty days after giving birth to a male, or eighty after giving birth to a female (see Leviticus, chapter 12), in order to determine bwhether she is ritually impure or pure, I certainly seethis blood and determine her status based on its color. This blood is clean, as the woman has been bleeding for a long period of time.,§ The Gemara relates that bYalta,Rav Naḥman’s wife, bbrought blood before Rabba bar bar Ḥana, and he deemed her ritually impure. She then broughtit bbefore Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, and he deemed her pure. /b,The Gemara asks: bBut how couldRav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, bact in this manner? But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: In the case of ba halakhic authority who deemedan item bimpure, anotherhalakhic authority bis not allowed to deemit bpure;if one halakhic authority bdeemeda matter bprohibited, anotherhalakhic authority bis not allowed to deemit bpermitted? /b,The Gemara explains that binitiallyRav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, bdeemed her impure,but he changed his mind bwhenYalta bsaid to him: Every daythat I bring blood bof this kindof color to Rabba bar bar Ḥana bhe deems me pure, and specifically nowhe issued a different ruling, bas he feelspain bin his eye.Upon hearing this, Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, bdeemed her pure. /b,The Gemara asks: bButare people bdeemed credibleto present claims such as the one presented by Yalta? The Gemara answers: bYes; andlikewise bit is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bA woman is deemed credibleif she bsays: I sawblood blike thiscolor, bbut I lost itbefore it could be examined., bA dilemma was raised beforethe Sages: If a woman states to her friend who showed her blood: My blood, which has an appearance blike this, so-and-so, the halakhic authority, deemedit bpure, what isthe ihalakha /i? Is she deemed credible concerning its status?,The Gemara suggests: bComeand bheara resolution to this dilemma from the ibaraitacited above: bA woman is deemed credibleif she bsays: I sawblood blike thiscolor, bbut I lost it.This demonstrates that a woman may issue claims of this kind. The Gemara rejects this proof: bThereit bis different, asin that case the blood bis not before her,and therefore the Sages were lenient. But here, the woman’s friend can take her blood to a halakhic authority for examination.,The Gemara further suggests: bComeand bhearthe incident cited above, bas Yalta brought blood before Rabba bar bar Ḥana, and he deemed her ritually impure;she then brought it bbefore Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, and he deemed her pure. Andthe Gemara asked: bHow couldRav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, bact in this manner? But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: In the case of ba halakhic authority who deemedan item bimpure, anotherhalakhic authority bis not allowed to deemit bpure? /b, bAnd we sayin response that initially Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, bdeemed her impure,but he changed his mind bwhen she said to him that every daythat she brings blood bof this kindof color to Rabba bar bar Ḥana bhe deems her pure, and specifically nowhe issued a different ruling, bas he feelspain bin his eye.The Gemara summarizes: The conclusion of the story was that upon hearing this, Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, bthen deemed her pure. Evidently,when a woman issues claims with regard to blood that is presented, bwe deem herclaims bcredible. /b,The Gemara answers: That incident does not provide proof, as bRav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Yehuda, relied on his studiesin his lenient ruling. At first, he was reluctant to issue his ruling, in deference to Rabba bar bar Ḥana, who had said the blood was impure. But when he heard Yalta’s explanation he deemed the blood pure, as he had originally thought. Therefore, there is no proof from there that a woman’s statements of this kind are accepted.,§ The Gemara further relates: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi once bsawa woman’s bblood at night and deemedit bimpure. Heagain bsawthat blood bin the day,after it had dried, band deemedit bpure.He bwaited one hourand then bdeemedit bimpure again.It is assumed that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did not conduct another examination at this point; rather, he reasoned that the previous night’s examination had been correct, and the blood’s color should be deemed impure because of how it had looked when it was moist. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi then bsaid: Woe is me! Perhaps I erredby declaring the blood impure, as based on its color it should be pure.,The Gemara questions this statement: bPerhaps I erred? He certainly erred, as it is taughtin a ibaraitathat ba halakhic authority may not say: Ifthe blood bwere moist it would certainly have been impure,and yet here, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi deemed the blood impure based on that type of reasoning.,The Gemara explains that the incident did not unfold as initially assumed. bRather,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi examined the blood three times, as he bsaid: A judge has only what his eyes seeas the basis for his ruling. bInitially,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bestablished the presumptive statusof the blood bas ritually impure,but bwhen he saw in the morning thatits color had bchanged, he said: It was definitely purelast night as well, band onlybecause it was bat nightI thought that it was impure, bbecause it could not be seen well.Subsequently, bwhen he sawafter a short while bthatits color bagain changed,Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi bsaid: Thisblood bis impure, and it is gradually becoming lighteras its color fades.,With regard to the manner in which the Sages would examine blood, the Gemara relates that bRabbiYehuda HaNasi bwould examineblood bby candlelight. Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosef, would examineblood bbetween the pillarsof the study hall even bon a cloudy day,despite the fact that it was not very light there. bRav Ami bar Shmuel says: Andin ball thesecases, bone examinesblood bonly between sunlight and shade. Rav Naḥmansays that bRabba bar Avuh says:One stands bina place lit by the bsun, andhe conducts the examination bunder the shadow of his hand,i.e., he places his hand over the blood. In this manner the color of the blood can be best discerned.,§ The mishna states: bAndwhat is the color that is blike dilutedwine that is impure? It is specifically when the dilution consists of btwo partswater and one part wine, and specifically when it is from the wine of the Sharon region in Eretz Yisrael. The Sages btaughtin a ibaraita /i: |
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32. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 38b, 44a, 49a, 67b, 74a, 99a, 100a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 100a. לא שרו לן עורבא ולא אסרו לן יונה,רבא כי הוו מייתי טריפתא דבי בנימין קמיה כי הוה חזי בה טעמא להיתירא אמר להו תחזו דקא שרינא לכו עורבא כי הוה חזי לה טעמא לאיסורא אמר להו תחזו דקא אסרנא לכו יונה,רב פפא אמר כגון דאמר הני רבנן רב פפא אישתלי ואמר כגון הני רבנן ואיתיב בתעניתא,לוי בר שמואל ורב הונא בר חייא הוו קא מתקני מטפחות ספרי דבי רב יהודה כי מטו מגילת אסתר אמרי הא [מגילת אסתר] לא בעי מטפחת אמר להו כי האי גוונא נמי מיחזי כי אפקירותא,רב נחמן אמר זה הקורא רבו בשמו דאמר רבי יוחנן מפני מה נענש גיחזי מפני שקרא לרבו בשמו שנאמר (מלכים ב ח, ה) ויאמר גחזי אדני המלך זאת האשה וזה בנה אשר החיה אלישע,יתיב רבי ירמיה קמיה דרבי זירא ויתיב וקאמר עתיד הקב"ה להוציא נחל מבית קדשי הקדשים ועליו כל מיני מגדים שנאמר (יחזקאל מז, יב) ועל הנחל יעלה על שפתו מזה ומזה כל עץ מאכל לא יבול עלהו ולא יתם פריו לחדשיו יבכר כי מימיו מן המקדש [המה] יוצאים והיה פריו למאכל ועלהו לתרופה א"ל ההוא סבא יישר וכן אמר ר' יוחנן (יישר) אמר ליה ר' ירמיה לרבי זירא כי האי גונא מיחזי אפקרותא,אמר ליה הא [האי] סיועי קא מסייע (ליה) [לך] אלא אי שמיע לך הא שמיע לך כי הא דיתיב רבי יוחנן וקא דריש עתיד הקב"ה להביא אבנים טובות ומרגליות שהן שלשים על שלשים אמות וחוקק בהם עשר ברום עשרים ומעמידן בשערי ירושלים שנאמר (ישעיהו נד, יב) ושמתי כדכוד שמשותיך ושעריך לאבני אקדח וגו' לגלג עליו אותו תלמיד אמר השתא כביעתא דצילצלא לא משכחינן כולי האי משכחינן,לימים הפליגה ספינתו בים חזינהו למלאכי השרת דקא מנסרי אבנים טובות ומרגליות אמר להו הני למאן אמרי עתיד הקב"ה להעמידן בשערי ירושלים כי הדר אשכחיה לר' יוחנן דיתיב וקא דריש א"ל רבי דרוש ולך נאה לדרוש כשם שאמרת כך ראיתי אמר לו ריקה אם לא ראית לא האמנת מלגלג על דברי חכמים אתה יהב ביה עיניה ועשאו גל של עצמות,מיתבי (ויקרא כו, יג) ואולך אתכם קוממיות ר"מ אומר מאתים אמה כשתי קומות של אדם הראשון רבי יהודה אומר ק' אמה כנגד היכל וכותליו שנאמר (תהלים קמד, יב) אשר בנינו כנטיעים מגודלים בנעוריהם בנותינו כזויות מחוטבות תבנית היכל וגו',כי קאמר ר' יוחנן לכוי דבי זיקא,מאי ועלהו לתרופה ר' יצחק בר אבודימי ורב חסדא חד אמר להתיר פה של מעלה וחד אמר להתיר פה של מטה,איתמר (נמי) חזקיה אמר להתיר פה אילמין בר קפרא אמר להתיר פה עקרות ר' יוחנן אמר לתרופה ממש מאי לתרופה ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר לתואר פנים של בעלי הפה,דרש ר' יהודה ברבי סימון כל המשחיר פניו על דברי תורה בעולם הזה הקב"ה מבהיק זיויו לעולם הבא שנאמר (שיר השירים ה, טו) מראהו כלבנון בחור כארזים,אמר ר' תנחום בר' חנילאי כל המרעיב עצמו על דברי תורה בעולם הזה הקב"ה משביעו לעולם הבא שנאמר (תהלים לו, ט) ירויון מדשן ביתך ונחל עדניך תשקם,כי אתא רב דימי אמר עתיד הקב"ה ליתן לכל צדיק וצדיק מלא עומסו שנאמר (תהלים סח, כ) ברוך ה' יום יום יעמס לנו האל ישועתנו סלה א"ל אביי וכי אפשר לומר כן והלא כבר נאמר (ישעיהו מ, יב) מי מדד בשעלו מים ושמים בזרת תכן,אמר מאי טעמא לא שכיחת באגדתא דאמרי במערבא משמיה דרבא בר מרי עתיד הקב"ה ליתן לכל צדיק וצדיק ג' מאות ועשרה עולמות שנא' (משלי ח, כא) להנחיל אוהבי יש ואוצרותיהם אמלא יש בגימטריא תלת מאה ועשרה הוי,תניא ר' מאיר אומר במדה שאדם מודד מודדין לו דכתיב (ישעיהו כז, ח) בסאסאה בשלחה תריבנה,אמר ר' יהושע וכי אפשר לומר כן אדם נותן מלא עומסו לעני בעולם הזה הקב"ה נותן לו מלא עומסו לעולם הבא והכתיב (ישעיהו מ, יב) שמים בזרת תכן ואתה אי אומר כן איזו היא מדה מרובה מדת טובה מרובה או מדת פורענות | 100a. bhave they permitted a raven for us nor have they prohibited a dove for us.They merely tell us matters stated explicitly in the Torah.,The Gemara relates with regard to bRava: When they would bringa possible itereifafrom the house of Binyamin before him, when he would see in it a reason to permitits consumption, Rava would bsay to them: See that I am permitting a raven for you,as this is an animal that appeared forbidden. bWhen he would see in it a reason to prohibitits consumption, Rava would bsay to them: See that I am prohibiting a dove for you. /b, bRav Pappa says:The iepikorosmentioned in the mishna is referring to one who conducts himself blike one who says: Those Sages,with contemptuous overtones. The Gemara relates that bRav Pappahimself bforgotin one instance band said: Like those Sages, and he observed a fastto achieve atonement for expressing himself in that manner.,The Gemara relates: bLevi bar Shmuel and Rav Huna bar Ḥiyya were mending mantles forthe sacred bscrolls of the school of Rav Yehuda. When they reached the scroll of Esther they said: This scroll of Esther does not require a mantle,as it is not as significant as the other sacred scrolls. Rav Yehuda bsaid to them:A statement bof that sort also seemsto express irreverence blikethe birreverencetypical of an iepikoros /i, as you should not have referred to the scroll of Esther as: This scroll., bRav Naḥman says:An iepikoros bis one who calls his teacher by his nameand does not call him Rabbi, bas Rabbi Yoḥa said: For whatreason bwas Gehazi punished?It is bdue tothe fact bthat he called his teacher by his name, as it is stated: “And Gehazi said: My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha revived”(II Kings 8:5).,§ The Gemara relates: bRabbi Yirmeya sat before Rabbi Zeira, and sat and said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, will cause a river to emerge from the Holy of Holies, and alongside it all sorts of delicacieswill grow, bas it is stated: “And the river upon its bank, on this side and on that side shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall its fruit fall; it shall bring forth new fruit every month, because their waters emerged from the Sanctuary; and its fruit shall be for food and its leaf for medicine”(Ezekiel 47:12). bA certain elder said toRabbi Yirmeya: bWell done, and so Rabbi Yoḥa said: Well done. Rabbi Yirmeya said to Rabbi Zeira:Does a statement bof that sort,when one who is not a Torah scholar says to a Sage that his statement is correct, bseem likethe birreverencetypical of an iepikoros /i?,Rabbi Zeira bsaid to him: But isn’t he supporting yourstatement? He meant no disrespect. bRather, if you heardthat at times supporting the statement of a Sage is irreverent, bthisis what byou heard:It is blike thatcase in bwhich Rabbi Yoḥa sat and taught: The Holy One, Blessed be He, is destined to bring precious stones and jewels that are thirty by thirty cubits, and He will bore in theman opening btencubits wide bby twentycubits bin height and place themto serve bas the gates of Jerusalem, as it is stated: “And I will make your pinnacles of rubies and your gates of carbuncles”(Isaiah 54:12). bA certain student mocked himand bsaid: Now,at present, bwe do not findprecious stones bcomparablein size to bthe egg of a palm dove.Will bwe findstones bas large asthose bthatyou described?, bSometimelater that student’s bship set sail at sea. He saw the ministering angels cutting precious stonesthat size. bHe said tothe angels: bFor whomare bthesestones? The angels bsaidto him: bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, is destined to place them at the gates of Jerusalem. Whenthe student breturned, he found Rabbi Yoḥa, who was sitting and teaching.The student bsaid to him: My teacher, teach, and it is fitting for you to teach. Just as you saidwith regard to the precious stones, bso I saw.Rabbi Yoḥa bsaid to him: Good-for-nothing, if you did not seeit, byou would not believeit? bYouare one who bmocks the statements of the Sages.Rabbi Yoḥa bdirected his eyes toward himin anger band rendered him a pile of bones. /b,The Gemara braises an objectionfrom a ibaraitato the statement of Rabbi Yoḥa that the gates will be twenty cubits high. The Sages engaged in a dispute concerning the interpretation of the verse: b“And I made you go upright [ ikomemiyyut /i]”(Leviticus 26:13). bRabbi Meir saysthat in the end of days people will be btwo hundred cubitstall, bthe equivalent of twice the height of Adam the firstman, who was one hundred cubits tall. bRabbi Yehuda says:People will be bone hundred cubitstall, bcorresponding tothe height of the bSanctuary and its walls, as it is stated: “For our sons are as plants grown up in their youth; our daughters as cornerstones, carved in the fashion of a palace”(Psalms 144:12), indicating that the sons and daughters will be one hundred cubits tall, the height of the Sanctuary. If the people are that tall, how will they enter gates twenty cubits high?,The Gemara answers: bWhen Rabbi Yoḥa saysthat the openings would be twenty cubits high he is referring bto the windowsthrough which bwind enters.The gates through which people enter will extend considerably higher.,§ Apropos the river that will emerge from the Holy of Holies, the Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of the phrase: bAnd its leaf for medicine [ iliterufa /i]? Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Avudimi and Rav Ḥisdadisagree. bOne says:This is an abbreviation for the phrase: bTo unlock the mouth [ ilehattir peh /i]that is babove,i.e., the leaf heals the mute. bAnd one says:That is the abbreviation, but it means bto unlock the mouththat is bbelow,a euphemism for healing the womb of a barren woman., bIt was also statedthat other Sages engaged in a dispute concerning this matter. bḤizkiyya saysthat the reference is: bTo unlock the mouth of mutes,and bbar Kappara saysthat the reference is: bTo unlock the mouth of barren women. Rabbi Yoḥa says:The reference is bto actual medicine.The Gemara asks: According to that opinion, bwhat isthe meaning of the term: bFor medicine [ iliterufa /i]? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says:It is an abbreviation meaning btobeautify bthe countece [ iletoar panim /i] of the keepers of the mouth [ ipeh /i],i.e., the Sages, who labored with their mouths to study Torah in this world., bRabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Simon, taught:For banyone who blackens his facewhile toiling bover matters of Torah in this world, the Holy One, Blessed be He, shines his brightness in the World-to-Come, as it is stated:“His locks are curly black as a raven” (Song of Songs 5:11), and thereafter it is written: b“His countece is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars”(Song of Songs 5:15), followed by: “His palate is like sweets” (Song of Songs 5:16). One who engages in sweets, i.e., Torah study, in this world, until he is blackened, black as a raven, is privileged to shining brightness in the World-to-Come., bRabbi Tanḥum, son of Rabbi Ḥanilai, says:With regard to banyone who starves himself over matters of Torah in this world, the Holy One, Blessed be He, satisfies him in the World-to-Come, as it is stated:“Your judgments are like the great deep” (Psalms 36:7), indicating that God is exacting with the righteous and does not reward them in this world, and it is stated thereafter: b“They are abundantly satisfied with the plenty of Your house, and You feed them drink of the river of Your pleasures”(Psalms 36:9)., bWhen Rav Dimi camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia bhe said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, will give each and every righteous person His handful, as it is stated: “Blessed be the Lord, Who day by day bears our burden; God is our salvation, Selah”(Psalms 68:20). bAbaye said to him: And is it possible to say so,that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will give them His handful? bBut wasn’t it already stated: “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with the span,and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure” (Isaiah 40:12)? And if the span of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is as great as the heavens, how can a person receive a handful from the Holy One, Blessed be He?,Rav Dimi bsaid: What is the reasonthat byou are not familiar withmatters of iaggada /i? As they say in the West,Eretz Yisrael, bin the name of Rava bar Mari: The Holy One, Blessed be He, will give every righteous person 310 worlds as it is stated: “To bequeath to those who love Me substance [ iyesh /i]; and I will fill their treasuries”(Proverbs 8:21). bInterms of its bnumerical value,the word iyesh /i,spelled iyod /i, ishin /i, bis 310,indicating that God grants the righteous a full measure.,In a related matter, bit is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Meir says: In accordance with the measure that a person metesout for others the heavenly court bmetesout bfor him,i.e., the response is commensurate with the action, bas it is written: “In full measure [ ibesasse’a /i] when You send her away do You contend with her”(Isaiah 27:8). The term ibesasse’ais interpreted as ibese’a se’a /i, meaning that one receives a measure [ ise’a /i] commensurate with the measure [ ibese’a /i] that he meted out., bRabbi Yehoshua saidto Rabbi Meir: bAnd is it possible to say thatif ba person gives his handful to a pauper in this world, the Holy One, Blessed be He, gives him His handful in the World-to-Come? But isn’t it written: “And meted out heaven with the span”(Isaiah 40:12)? He asked how one can receive so bountiful a reward. Rabbi Meir answered him: bAnd you do not say so? Whichof God’s battributes is greater?Is bthe attribute of reward greater oris bthe attribute of punishmentgreater? |
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33. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 30b, 104a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 104a. עלויי קא מעלי ליה דאמר רב חסדא מ"ם וסמ"ך שבלוחות בנס היו עומדין אלא סתום ועשאו פתוח גרועי קא מגרע ליה דאמר ר' ירמיה ואיתימא ר' חייא בר אבא מנצפך צופים אמרום,ותיסברא והכתיב (ויקרא כז, לד) אלה המצות שאין הנביא רשאי לחדש דבר מעתה אלא מיהוה הואי מידע לא הוה ידעין הי באמצע תיבה הי בסוף תיבה ואתו צופים תקנינהו ואכתי אלה המצות שאין הנביא רשאי לחדש דבר מעתה אלא שכחום וחזרו ויסדום,גופא א"ר חסדא מ"ם וסמ"ך שבלוחות בנס היו עומדין ואמר רב חסדא כתב שבלוחות נקרא מבפנים ונקרא מבחוץ כגון נבוב בובן (רהב בהר) סרו ורס:,אמרי ליה רבנן לריב"ל אתו דרדקי האידנא לבי מדרשא ואמרו מילי דאפילו בימי יהושע בן נו"ן לא איתמר כוותייהו אל"ף בי"ת אלף בינה גימ"ל דל"ת גמול דלים מ"ט פשוטה כרעיה דגימ"ל לגבי דל"ת שכן דרכו של גומל חסדים לרוץ אחר דלים ומ"ט פשוטה כרעיה דדל"ת לגבי גימ"ל דלימציה ליה נפשיה ומ"ט מהדר אפיה דדל"ת מגימ"ל דליתן ליה בצינעה כי היכי דלא ליכסיף מיניה,ה"ו זה שמו של הקב"ה ז"ח ט"י כ"ל ואם אתה עושה כן הקב"ה זן אותך וחן אותך ומטיב לך ונותן לך ירושה וקושר לך כתר לעוה"ב מ"ם פתוחה מ"ם סתומה מאמר פתוח מאמר סתום נו"ן כפופה נו"ן פשוטה נאמן כפוף נאמן פשוט,ס"ע סמוך עניים ל"א סימנין עשה בתורה וקנה אותה פ' כפופה פ' פשוטה פה פתוח פה סתום צד"י כפופה וצד"י פשוטה צדיק כפוף צדיק פשוט היינו נאמן כפוף נאמן פשוט הוסיף לך הכתוב כפיפה על כפיפתו מכאן שנתנה התורה במנוד ראש,קו"ף קדוש רי"ש רשע מאי טעמא מהדר אפיה דקו"ף מרי"ש אמר הקב"ה אין אני יכול להסתכל ברשע ומאי טעמא מהדרה תגיה דקו"ף לגבי רי"ש אמר הקב"ה אם חוזר בו אני קושר לו כתר כמותי ומ"ט כרעיה דקו"ף תלויה דאי הדר ביה ליעייל,וליעול בהך מסייע ליה לריש לקיש) דאמר ר"ל מ"ד (משלי ג, לד) אם ללצים הוא יליץ ולענוים יתן חן בא ליטמא פותחין לו בא ליטהר מסייעים אותו,שי"ן שקר תי"ו אמת מאי טעמא שקר מקרבן מיליה אמת מרחקא מיליה שיקרא שכיח קושטא לא שכיח ומ"ט שיקרא אחדא כרעיה קאי ואמת מלבן לבוניה קושטא קאי שיקרא לא קאי,א"ת ב"ש אותי תעב אתאוה לו ב"ש בי לא חשק שמי יחול עליו ג"ר גופו טימא ארחם עליו ד"ק דלתותי נעל קרניו לא אגדע עד כאן מדת רשעים,אבל מדת צדיקים א"ת ב"ש אם אתה בוש ג"ר ד"ק אם אתה עושה כן גור בדוק ה"ץ ו"ף חציצה הוי בינך לאף ז"ע ח"ס ט"ן ואין אתה מזדעזע מן השטן י"ם כ"ל אמר [שר של] גיהנם לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם לים כל,אמר הקב"ה אח"ס בט"ע גי"ף אני חס עליהם מפני שבעטו בגי"ף דכ"ץ דכים הם כנים הם צדיקים הם הל"ק אין לך חלק בהן ומרז"ן ש"ת אמר גיהנם לפניו רבונו של עולם מרי זניני מזרעו של שת,א"ל א"ל ב"ם ג"ן ד"ס להיכן אוליכן לגן הדס ה"ע ו"ף אמר גיהנם לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם עיף אנכי ז"ץ ח"ק הללו זרעו של יצחק ט"ר י"ש כ"ת טר יש לי כיתות כיתות של עובדי כוכבים שאני נותן לך: | 104a. bhe elevates itsstatus, as bRav Ḥisda said:The letters imemand isamekhthat were in the tablets were standing miraculously.Each letter was chiseled all the way through the tablets. In that case, the segment of the tablets at the center of the isamekhand final imem /i, letters that are completely closed, should have fallen. Miraculously, they remained in place. Consequently, rendering an open imemclosed elevates its status. bHowever,if bone rendered a closedletter bopen, he diminishes itsstatus, as bRabbi Yirmeya said, and some saythat it was bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abbawho said: bThe prophets institutedthe difference between the open and closed forms of the letters imem /i, inun /i, itzadi /i, ipeh /i, ikaf /i.Since the closed letters date back to the Ten Commandments, apparently the prophets introduced the open versions of the letters, which are therefore less significant.,The Gemara rejects this: bAnd is that reasonable? Isn’t it written: “These are the commandmentsthat the Lord commanded Moses to tell the children of Israel at Mount Sinai” (Leviticus 27:34). The word “these” underscores bthat a prophet is not permitted to introduce anynew belementrelated to the Torah and its mitzvot bfrom here on. Rather,the prophets did not innovate these forms. Both the open and closed versions bexistedbefore then. However, people bdid not know whichform appeared bin the middle of a wordand bwhichform bat the end of a word. And the prophets cameand binstituted theirset positions. The Gemara asks: bAnd stillthe question remains: Didn’t the Sages derive from the verse: b“These are the commandments,” that a prophet is not permitted to introduce anynew belement from here on?How could they institute the position of the letters? bRather,over the course of time, the people bforgot theirpositions in the words bandthe prophets bthen reestablished theirpositions. Apparently, closed letters are no more significant than the open ones.,The Gemara returns to discuss bthe matter itself. Rav Ḥisda said:The letters imemand isamekhthat were in the tablets were standing miraculously. Andfurthermore, bRav Ḥisda said:The bwriting on the tablets was read from the inside,from one side of the tablets, band read from the outside,the other side of the tablets, in reverse order. The Gemara cites words that appear elsewhere in the Bible: iNevuv /iwas read as ibet /i, ivav /i, ibet /i, inun /i; irahav /ias ibeit /i, iheh /i, ireish /i;and isaru /ias ivav /i, ireish /i, isamekh /i. /b, bThe Sages said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Young students cametoday bto the study hall and said thingsthe likes of bwhich were not saideven bin the days of Joshua bin Nun.These children who only knew the Hebrew alphabet interpreted the letters homiletically. briAlef beit /imeans blearn[ielaf/b] the bwisdom[ibina/b] of the Torah. briGimmel dalet /imeans bgive to the poor[igemol dalim/b]. bWhy is the leg of the igimmelextended towardthe idalet /i? Because it is the manner of one who bestows loving-kindness to pursue the poor. And whyis the bleg ofthe idaletextended towardthe igimmel /i?It is so bthata poor person bwill make himself available to himwho wants to give him charity. bAnd why does the idaletface away fromthe igimmel /i?It is to teach bthat one should givecharity bdiscreetly so thatthe poor person bwill not be embarrassed by him. /b,The children continued to interpret the letters. briHeh vav /i: That isthe principal bname of the Holy One, Blessed be He.briZayin ḥet /i, itet yod /i, ikaf lamed /i: And if you do so, the Holy One, Blessed be He, feeds [ izan /i] you, and shows you favor [ iḥan /i], and bestows goodness [ imeitiv /i] upon you, and gives you an inheritance [ iyerusha /i], and ties a crown [ iketer /i] for you in the World to Come [ ila’olam haba /i].brThe bopen imemand closed imem /iindicate that the Torah contains ban open statement,understood by all, and ban esoteric statement.brThe bbent inun /iand the bstraight inun /iat the end of a word refer to ba faithful person who is bent [ ine’eman kafuf /i]and is modest now, who will ultimately become a bwell-known faithful person [ ine’eman pashut /i]. /b,iSamekh ayin /i: Support the poor [ isemokh aniyyim /i]to prevent them from falling further. bAnother version: Make mnemonicsigns b[ isimanim aseh /i]to remember bthe Torah and acquire it.brThe bbent ipeh /iand the bstraight ipeh /i:Sometimes one needs to have ban open mouth [ ipeh patuaḥ /i]and speak, and sometimes one needs to have ba closed mouth [ ipeh satum /i].brThe bbent itzadi /iand the bstraight itzadi /iindicate that ba righteousperson who is bbentand humble b[ itzaddik kafuf /i]now will ultimately become ba well-known righteousperson b[ itzaddik pashut /i]whose righteousness is apparent to all. The Gemara asks: bThat is identicalto the interpretation of the bent and straight inun /i: iNe’eman kafuf /i, ine’eman pashut /i.The Gemara explains: bThe verse addedthe bbendingof the righteous person bto the bending ofthe faithful person. bFrom hereit is derived bthat the Torah was given inan atmosphere of bgravity.One must receive the Torah with a sense of awe and extreme humility.,The children continued: briKuf /i: Holy [ ikadosh /i],referring to God. briReish /i: A wicked person [ irasha /i]. Why is the ikuffacing away fromthe ireish /i?This question was phrased euphemistically, as it is the ireishthat is facing away from the ikuf /i. bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I am unable look at a wicked person,i.e., the wicked person does not want to look toward God. bAnd why is the crown ofthe letter ikufturned towardthe ireish /i? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Ifthe wicked person brepentshis evil ways bI will tie a crown for him like My own. And why is the leg ofthe ikufsuspendedand not connected to the roof of the letter? bBecause ifthe wicked person brepents he can enterthrough this opening if he so desires.,The Gemara asks: bLet him enter through thatopening, as the ikufis open on both sides at the bottom. The Gemara answers: This bsupportsthe statement of bReish Lakish, as Reish Lakish said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “If it concerns the scorners, He scorns them, and unto the humble He gives grace”(Proverbs 3:34)? One who bcomesin order bto become impure,i.e., to sin, bthey,in Heaven, bprovide him with an openingto do so, and he is not prevented from sinning. However, if he bcomesin order bto become purified,not only is he allowed to do so, but bthey,in Heaven, bassist him. /b,They further taught: briShin /i: Falsehood [ isheker /i]. iTav /i: Truth [ iemet /i].br bWhy are the letters ofthe word ishekeradjacentto one another in the alphabet, while bthe letters of iemetare distantfrom one another? That is because while bfalsehood iseasily bfound, truth is foundonly with great difficulty. bAnd why dothe letters that comprise the word isheker /iall bstand on one foot, andthe letters that comprise the word iemet /istand on bases that are wide like bbricks?Because the btruth standseternal and bfalsehood does not standeternal.,The Gemara cites another midrash that also deals with the letters of the alphabet. This one uses a code in which the first letter is paired with the last letter, the second letter with the penultimate one, and so on b[ ialef tav /i, ibeit shin /i]. iAlef tav /i, God said: If bhe despised Me [ ioti ti’ev /i]would bI desire [ ietaveh /i] him? iBeit shin /i:If bhe does not desireto worship bMe [ ibi /i],shall bMy name [ ishemi /i] rest upon him? iGimmel reish /i:He bdefiled his body [ igufo /i];shall bI have mercy [ iaraḥem /i] on him?The word comprised of the letters igimmeland ireishin Aramaic means licentiousness. iDalet kuf /i:He blocked My doors [ idaltotai /i],shall bI not cut off his horns [ ikarnav /i]? To this point,the Gemara interpreted the letters as referring to bthe attribute of the wicked. /b, bHowever,with regard to bthe attribute of the righteousit is taught differently. iAlef tav /i, ibeit shin /i: If you have shame [ iata bosh /i], igimmel reish /i, idalet kuf /i: If you do so,you will breside [ igur /i] inthe bheavens [ ibedok /i],as the verse says: “Who stretches out the Heavens like a curtain [ idok /i]” (Isaiah 40:22). iHeh tzadi /i, ivav peh /i: There is a partition [ iḥatzitza havei /i] between you and anger [ iaf /i]. iZayin ayin /i, iḥet samekh /i, itet nun /i: And you will not be shaken [ imizdaze’a /i] by the Satan. iYod mem /i, ikaf lamed /i: The minister of Gehenna said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe,send the righteous as well into the bseato which ballgo b[ iyam kol /i],Gehenna.,The interpretation of the alphabet continues with other combinations of letters. bThe Holy One, Blessed be He, said: iAlef ḥet samekh /i, ibet tet ayin /i, igimmel yod peh /i: I have mercy on them [ iAni ḥas aleihem /i] because they spurned [ iba’atu /i] adultery [ igif /i].The Gemara continues with this combination of the letters: iDalet kaf tzadi /i: They are pure [ idakkim /i], they are honest [ ikenim /i], they are righteous [ itzaddikim /i]. iHeh lamed kuf /i: You have no portion [ iḥelek /i] with them,based on the interchange of the letters iḥetand iheh /i. iVav mem reish zayin nun /i, ishin tav /i:The minister of bGehenna said [ iamar /i],based on ivav mem reish /i, bbefore Him: Master of the Universe, my Master [ iMari /i], sustain me [ izaneini /i] with the seed of Seth [ iShet /i],which refers to all humankind, including the Jewish people.,The Holy One, Blessed be He, bsaid to himusing another configuration of the alphabet: iAlef lamed /i, ibeit mem /i: Not with them [ ial bam /i],i.e., you will have no portion of them. iGimmel nun /i, idalet samekh /i: To where will I lead them?I will lead them bto the garden of myrtle [ igan hadas /i],i.e., the Garden of Eden. iHeh ayin /i, ivav peh /i:The minister of bGehenna said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, I am tired [ iayef anokhi /i]and thirsty and need people to care for me. The Holy One, Blessed be He, responded: iZayin tzadi /i, iḥet kuf /i: These are the descendants [ izaro /i] of Isaac [ iYitzḥak /i]. iTet reish /i, iyod shin /i, ikaf tav /i: Wait [ itar /i], I have groupsupon bgroups [ iyesh li kittot kittot /i] ofother bnations that I will give youinstead. |
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34. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, 49b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 49b. אזלא ודלדלה ואין שואל ואין מבקש על מי יש להשען על אבינו שבשמים,בעקבות משיחא חוצפא יסגא ויוקר יאמיר הגפן תתן פריה והיין ביוקר ומלכות תהפך למינות ואין תוכחת בית וועד יהיה לזנות והגליל יחרב והגבלן ישום ואנשי הגבול יסובבו מעיר לעיר ולא יחוננו,וחכמות סופרים תסרח ויראי חטא ימאסו והאמת תהא נעדרת נערים פני זקנים ילבינו זקנים יעמדו מפני קטנים בן מנוול אב בת קמה באמה כלה בחמותה אויבי איש אנשי ביתו פני הדור כפני הכלב הבן אינו מתבייש מאביו ועל מה יש לנו להשען על אבינו שבשמים, big strong(גמ׳) /strong /big אמר רב לא שנו אלא של מלח וגפרית אבל של הדס ושל וורד מותר ושמואל אומר אף של הדס ושל וורד אסור של קנים ושל חילת מותר ולוי אמר אף של קנים ושל חילת אסור וכן תני לוי במתניתיה אף של קנים ושל חילת אסור,ועל האירוס מאי אירוס א"ר אלעזר טבלא דחד פומא רבה בר רב הונא עבד ליה לבריה טנבורא אתא אבוה תבריה אמר ליה מיחלף בטבלא דחד פומא זיל עביד ליה אפומא דחצבא או אפומא דקפיזא,בפולמוס של טיטוס גזרו על עטרות כלות וכו' מאי עטרות כלות אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר ר' יוחנן עיר של זהב תניא נמי הכי איזהו עטרות כלות עיר של זהב אבל עושה אותה כיפה של מילת,תנא אף על חופת חתנים גזרו מאי חופת חתנים זהורית המוזהבות תניא נמי הכי אלו הן חופת חתנים זהורית המוזהבות אבל עושה פפירית ותולה בה כל מה שירצה,ושלא ילמד את בנו יוונית ת"ר כשצרו מלכי בית חשמונאי זה על זה היה הורקנוס מבחוץ ואריסטובלוס מבפנים בכל יום ויום היו משלשלין דינרים בקופה ומעלין להן תמידים,היה שם זקן אחד שהיה מכיר בחכמת יוונית לעז להם בחכמת יוונית אמר להן כל זמן שעוסקים בעבודה אין נמסרין בידכם למחר שלשלו להם דינרים בקופה והעלו להם חזיר כיון שהגיע לחצי חומה נעץ צפרניו נזדעזעה א"י ארבע מאות פרסה,אותה שעה אמרו ארור אדם שיגדל חזירים וארור אדם שילמד לבנו חכמת יוונית ועל אותה שנה שנינו מעשה ובא עומר מגגות צריפים ושתי הלחם מבקעת עין סוכר,איני והאמר רבי בא"י לשון סורסי למה אלא אי לשון הקודש אי לשון יוונית ואמר רב יוסף בבבל לשון ארמי למה אלא או לשון הקודש או לשון פרסי,לשון יוונית לחוד וחכמת יוונית לחוד,וחכמת יוונית מי אסירא והאמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל משום רשב"ג מאי דכתיב (איכה ג, נא) עיני עוללה לנפשי מכל בנות עירי אלף ילדים היו בבית אבא חמש מאות למדו תורה וחמש מאות למדו חכמת יוונית ולא נשתייר מהן אלא אני כאן ובן אחי אבא בעסיא,שאני של בית ר"ג דקרובין למלכות הוו דתניא מספר קומי הרי זה מדרכי האמורי אבטולוס בן ראובן התירו לספר קומי שהוא קרוב למלכות של בית רבן גמליאל התירו להן חכמה יוונית מפני שקרובין למלכות,בפולמוס האחרון גזרו שלא תצא כלה באפריון וכו' מ"ט משום צניעותא,משמת רבן יוחנן בטלה החכמה ת"ר משמת רבי אליעזר נגנז ס"ת משמת רבי יהושע בטלה עצה ומחשבה משמת ר"ע בטלו זרועי תורה ונסתתמו מעיינות החכמה,משמת רבי אלעזר בן עזריה בטלו עטרות חכמה (משלי יד, כד) שעטרת חכמים עשרם משמת רבי חנינא בן דוסא בטלו אנשי מעשה משמת אבא יוסי בן קטונתא בטלו חסידים ולמה נקרא שמו אבא יוסי בן קטונתא שהיה מקטני חסידים,משמת בן עזאי בטלו השקדנין משמת בן זומא בטלו הדרשנין משמת רשב"ג עלה גובאי ורבו צרות משמת רבי הוכפלו צרות,משמת רבי בטלה ענוה ויראת חטא אמר ליה רב יוסף לתנא לא תיתני ענוה דאיכא אנא אמר ליה רב נחמן לתנא לא תיתני יראת חטא דאיכא אנא, br br big strongהדרן עלך ערופה וסליקא לן מסכת סוטה /strong /big br br | |
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35. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, 44a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 44a. אמרי לדידהו נמי לא דחי ואלא קשיא הני תרתי דתנא חדא כל העם מוליכין את לולביהן להר הבית ותני' אידך לבית הכנסת ומתרצינן כאן בזמן שבית המקדש קיים כאן בזמן שאין בית המקדש קיים,לא אידי ואידי בזמן שבית המקדש קיים ולא קשיא כאן במקדש כאן בגבולין,א"ל אביי לרבא מאי שנא לולב דעבדינן ליה שבעה זכר למקדש ומאי שנא ערבה דלא עבדינן לה שבעה זכר למקדש א"ל הואיל ואדם יוצא ידי חובתו בערבה שבלולב א"ל ההוא משום לולב הוא דקא עביד ליה וכי תימא דקא מגבה ליה והדר מגבה ליה והא מעשים בכל יום דלא קא עבדינן הכי,אמר רב זביד משמיה דרבא לולב דאורייתא עבדינן שבעה זכר למקדש ערבה דרבנן לא עבדינן לה שבעה זכר למקדש,למאן אילימא לאבא שאול האמר (ויקרא כג, מ) ערבי נחל כתיב שתים אחת ללולב ואחת למקדש אי לרבנן הלכתא גמירי לה דא"ר אסי א"ר יוחנן משום ר' נחוניא איש בקעת בית חורתן עשר נטיעות ערבה וניסוך המים הלכה למשה מסיני,אלא אמר רב זביד משמיה דרבא לולב דאית ליה עיקר מה"ת בגבולין עבדינן ליה שבעה זכר למקדש ערבה דלית לה עיקר מן התורה בגבולין לא עבדינן שבעה זכר למקדש,אמר ר"ל כהנים בעלי מומין נכנסין בין האולם ולמזבח כדי לצאת בערבה א"ל ר' יוחנן מי אמרה מי אמרה הא איהו אמר דא"ר אסי א"ר יוחנן משום ר' נחוניא איש בקעת בית חורתן עשר נטיעות ערבה וניסוך המים הלכה למשה מסיני,אלא מי אמרה בנטילה דלמא בזקיפה מי אמרה בבעלי מומין דלמא בתמימים,אתמר ר' יוחנן ור' יהושע בן לוי חד אמר ערבה יסוד נביאים וחד אמר (ערבה) מנהג נביאים תסתיים דר' יוחנן הוא דאמר יסוד נביאים דא"ר אבהו א"ר יוחנן ערבה יסוד נביאים הוא תסתיים,א"ל ר' זירא לר' אבהו מי א"ר יוחנן הכי והא"ר יוחנן משום ר' נחוניא איש בקעת בית חורתן עשר נטיעות ערבה וניסוך המים הלכה למשה מסיני (דניאל ד, טז) אשתומם כשעה חדא ואמר שכחום וחזרו ויסדום,ומי א"ר יוחנן הכי והא"ר יוחנן דלכון אמרי דלהון היא ל"ק | 44a. The Sages bsay: For themin Eretz Yisrael bit also does not overrideShabbat. The Gemara asks: bButif that is the case, the contradiction between bthese twosources is bdifficult, as it was taught in onemishna: bAll the people bring their ilulavimto the Temple Mounton Friday, band it was taught in anothermishna that they bring their ilulavim bto the synagogue. And we resolvedthis contradiction as follows: bHere,where the mishna says that they bring their ilulavimto the Temple Mount, it is referring to bwhen the Temple is standing,and bthere,where the mishna says that they bring their ilulavimto the synagogue, it is referring to bwhen the Temple is not standing.Based on the above, when the Temple is not in existence the mitzva of ilulavdoes not override Shabbat.,The Gemara resolves the contradiction: bNo,both bthismishna band thatmishna are referring to Eretz Yisrael bwhen the Temple is in existence; andnevertheless, it is bnot difficult. Here,where the mishna says that they bring their ilulavimto the Temple Mount, it is referring to the procedure bin the Temple.And bthere,where the mishna says that they bring their ilulavimto the synagogue, it is referring to the procedure bin the outlying areasin the rest of Eretz Yisrael, where they knew when the new month was established. However, today, neither in the Diaspora nor in Eretz Yisrael does the mitzva of ilulavoverride Shabbat., bAbaye said to Rava: What is differentabout ilulav /isuch bthat we performthe mitzva bsevendays bin commemoration of the Temple, and what is differentabout the bwillow branch that we do not performthe mitzva bsevendays bin commemoration of the Temple?Rava bsaid to him: Since a person fulfills his obligation with the willow branch in the ilulav /i,no additional commemoration is necessary. Abaye bsaid to him:That is not a satisfactory answer, as bhe is performing thataction bdue to themitzva of taking the ilulav /iand the other species. bAnd if you say that he liftsthe willow branch bound with the ilulavto fulfill the mitzva of the four species band then lifts it againin commemoration of the willow branch in the Temple, baren’t actionsperformed bdailyproof bthat we do not do so,as no one lifts the ilulavtwice?, bRav Zevid said in the name of Rava:Since the mitzva of ilulav /iis a mitzva bby Torahlaw, bwe perform it sevendays bin commemoration of the Templeeven today. Since the mitzva of the bwillow branchis a mitzva bby rabbiniclaw, bwe do not perform it sevendays bin commemoration of the Temple. /b,The Gemara asks: In accordance bwith whoseopinion did Rava say this? bIf we saythat Rava said this in accordance with the opinion of bAbba Shaul, didn’t he say that it is written: Willows of the river,i.e., in the plural, indicating btwowillow branches, bone for the ilulavand one for the Temple?In his opinion, the mitzva of the willow branch in the Temple is also a mitzva by Torah law. bIfRava said this in accordance bwiththe opinion of bthe Rabbis, they learned thisas ba ihalakha /itransmitted to Moses from Sinai, bas Rabbi Asi saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said in the name of Rabbi Neḥunya of the valley of Beit Ḥortan:The ihalakhaof the bten saplings,the mitzva of the bwillow branchin the Temple, bandthe mitzva of bthe water libationon the altar during the festival of iSukkotare each ba ihalakha /itransmitted bto Moses from Sinai. /b, bRather, Rav Zevid said in the name of Rava:With regard to the mitzva of ilulav /i, which hasits bbasiswritten explicitly bin the Torah, in the outlying areas we perform it sevendays bin commemoration of the Temple.With regard to the mitzva of the bwillow branch, which does not haveits bbasiswritten explicitly bin the Torah, in the outlying areas we do not perform it sevendays bin commemoration of the Temple. /b,Apropos the willow branch in the Temple, bReish Lakish said: Priests withphysical bdefects enter between the Entrance Hall and the altar in order to fulfillthe obligation of the mitzva of bthe willow branch.Although due to their blemishes it is prohibited for them to pass there, as they circle the altar with the willow branches they inevitably pass between the Entrance Hall and the altar. bRabbi Yoḥa said to him: Who statedthis ihalakha /i? The Gemara wonders about Rabbi Yoḥa’s question: bWho stated it? Didn’tRabbi Yoḥa bhimself stateit? bAs Rabbi Asi saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said in the name of Rabbi Neḥunya of the valley of Beit Ḥortan:The ihalakhaof the bten saplings,the mitzva of the bwillow branchin the Temple, bandthe mitzva of bthe water libationon the altar during the festival of iSukkotare each ba ihalakha /itransmitted bto Moses from Sinai. /b, bRather,Rabbi Yoḥa’s question was: bWho saidthat the mitzva is fulfilled bby takingthe willow branch and circling the altar? bPerhapsthe mitzva is only fulfilled bby standingthe willow branches buprightsurrounding the altar. bWho saidthat the mitzva may be fulfilled even bbythose bwithphysical bdefects? Perhapsit may be fulfilled only bby unblemishedpriests., bIt was statedthat there is a dispute between bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. One saidthat the mitzva of the bwillow branchis ban ordice ofthe bprophets,as Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi instituted it in the Temple as obligatory. bAnd one saidthat the mitzva of the bwillow branchis an ancient bcustompracticed by the bprophetsand adopted by others as well. It was not instituted as a binding ordice. The Gemara suggests: bConclude that it was Rabbi Yoḥa who saidthat it is ban ordice ofthe bprophets, as Rabbi Abbahu saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:The mitzva of the bwillow branch is an ordice ofthe bprophets.The Gemara concurs: Indeed, bconcludethat it is so., bRabbi Zeira said to Rabbi Abbahu: Did Rabbi Yoḥaactually bsay that? Didn’t Rabbi Yoḥa say in the name of Rabbi Neḥunya of the valley of Beit Ḥortan:The ihalakhaof the bten saplings,the mitzva of the bwillow branchin the Temple, bandthe mitzva of bthe water libationon the altar during the festival of iSukkotare each ba ihalakha /itransmitted bto Moses from Sinai?How then could he attribute the origin of the mitzva of the willow branch to the prophets? b“He was astonished for a while”(Daniel 4:16), bandafter considering the apparent contradiction bhe saidthat indeed Rabbi Yoḥa maintains that the mitzva of the willow branch is a ihalakhatransmitted to Moses from Sinai. However, over the course of time during the Babylonian exile bthey forgotsome ihalakhot /i, including the mitzva of the willow branch, band thenthe prophets breinstituted them. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd did Rabbi Yoḥaactually bsaythat it is a ihalakhatransmitted to Moses from Sinai? bAnd didn’t Rabbi Yoḥa say: Yours,i.e., the Babylonian Sages, bsay thatthis ordice bis theirs,instituted by the Sages, and it is neither a ihalakhatransmitted to Moses from Sinai nor an ordice instituted by the prophets. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult; /b |
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36. Babylonian Talmud, Temurah, 14b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 14b. ולא תיסמי מנחת נסכים ממתני' ולא קשיא כאן בנסכים הבאין עם הזבח כאן בנסכים הבאין בפני עצמן,ואי הוה ליה איגרתא מי אפשר למישלחא והא אמר רבי אבא בריה דרבי חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן כותבי הלכות כשורף התורה והלמד מהן אינו נוטל שכר,דרש ר' יהודה בר נחמני מתורגמניה דר"ל כתוב אחד אומר (שמות לד, כז) כתוב לך את הדברים האלה וכתוב אחד אומר (שמות לד, כז) כי על פי הדברים האלה לומר לך דברים שעל פה אי אתה רשאי לאומרן בכתב ושבכתב אי אתה רשאי לאומרן על פה,ותנא דבי רבי ישמעאל כתוב לך את הדברים האלה אלה אתה כותב אבל אין אתה כותב הלכות,אמרי דלמא מילתא חדתא שאני דהא רבי יוחנן ור"ל מעייני בסיפרא דאגדתא בשבתא ודרשי הכי (תהלים קיט, קכו) עת לעשות לה' הפרו תורתך אמרי מוטב תיעקר תורה ואל תשתכח תורה מישראל,אמר רב פפא השתא דאמרת נסכים הבאין בפני עצמן קריבין אפי' בלילה נזדמנו נסכים בלילה מקדישין בלילה ומקריבין,אמר ליה רב יוסף בריה דרב שמעיה לרב פפא תניא דמסייע לך זה הכלל כל הקרב ביום אינו קדוש אלא ביום וכל הקרב בלילה קדוש (בין ביום בין) בלילה,אמר רב אדא בר אהבה ועלות השחר פוסלת בהן כאברין,כי אתא רב דימי א"ר יוחנן משום ר"ש בן יהוצדק (במדבר כט, לט) אלה תעשו לה' במועדיכם אלו חובות הבאות חובה ברגל,לבד מנדריכם ונדבותיכם לימד על נדרים ונדבות שקרבין בחולו של מועד,ולעולותיכם במה הכתוב מדבר אי בעולת נדר הרי כבר אמור נדריכם ואי בעולת נדבה הרי כבר אמור ונדבותיכם הא אינו מדבר אלא בעולת יולדת ועולת מצורע,ולמנחותיכם במה הכתוב מדבר אי במנחת נדר הרי כבר אמור אי במנחת נדבה הרי כבר אמור הא אינו מדבר אלא במנחת סוטה ובמנחת קנאות,ולנסכיכם ולשלמיכם מקיש נסכים לשלמים מה שלמים ביום אף נסכים ביום ולשלמיכם לרבות שלמי נזיר,א"ל אביי ולימא מר שלמי פסח דאי שלמי נזיר נידר ונידב הוא,דהתניא זה הכלל כל שהוא נידב ונידר קרב בבמת יחיד ושאינו נידב ונידר אינו קרב בבמת יחיד,ותנן המנחות והנזירות קריבין בבמת יחיד דברי ר"מ סמי מכאן נזירות,מי איכא למ"ד דנזיר לאו נידר ונידב הוא והכתיב (שמואל ב טו, ז) מקץ ארבעים שנה ויאמר אבשלום אל המלך אלכה נא ואשלם את נדרי אשר נדרתי לה' בחברון כי נדר נדר עבדך וגו' מאי לאו אקרבן,לא אעיקר נדרו אמר עיקר נדרו בחברון הוה והלא בגשור הוה,אמר רב אחא ואיתימא רבה בר רב חנן לא הלך אבשלום אלא להביא כבשים מחברון ה"נ מסתברא דאי תימא לאקרובי הוא דאזיל שביק ירושלים ואזיל ומקריב בחברון,ואלא מאי להביא כבשים מחברון האי אשר נדרתי לה' בחברון מחברון מיבעי ליה,אלא לעולם לאקרובי ודקא קשיא לך אמאי שבק ירושלים ומקריב בחברון תיקשי לך גבעון דמקום קדוש הוא אלא כיון שהותרו הבמות כל היכא דבעי מקריב,ארבעים שנה למאן תניא רבי נהוראי אומר משום רבי יהושע מקץ ארבעים שנה ששאלו להם מלך דתניא אותה שנה ששאלו להם מלך אותה שנה עשירית של שמואל היתה | 14b. bandin light of this ruling bhe will not deletethe phrase: bThe meal offeringthat accompanies bthe libations, from the ibaraita /i. Andinstead, the apparent contradiction between the ibaraitotcan be explained as follows: It is bnot difficult; here,the ibaraitathat states that meal offerings accompanying libations are sacrificed only in the day is referring bto libations that come withan animal boffering,whereas bthere,the ibaraitathat permits sacrificing a meal offering that accompanies the libations at night is referring bto libations that cometo be sacrificed bby themselves,i.e., which do not accompany the sacrifice of an offering.,The Gemara raises a difficulty with regard to Rav Dimi’s suggestion to write this opinion in a letter. bAndeven bif he hadsomeone to write ba letterfor him, bwouldit have been bpossible to send it? But didn’t Rabbi Abba, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, saythat bRabbi Yoḥa said:Those bwho write ihalakhotareconsidered blikethose who bburn the Torah, and one who learns fromwritten ihalakhot bdoes not receivethe brewardof studying Torah. Evidently, it is prohibited to send ihalakhotin letters.,Before resolving the difficulty, the Gemara further discusses the prohibition of writing down the Torah: bRabbi Yehuda bar Naḥmani, the disseminator for Reish Lakish, expoundedas follows: bOne verse says: “Write you these words,” and one verse says,i.e., it states later in that same verse: b“For by the mouth of these words”(Exodus 34:27). These phrases serve bto say to you: Words that weretaught borally you may not recite in writing, andwords bthat are written you may not recite orally,i.e., by heart., bAndfurthermore, bthe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught:The word “these” in the command b“write you these words”serves to emphasize that bthesewords, i.e., those recorded in the Written Law, byou may write, but you may not write ihalakhot /i,i.e., the imishnayotand the rest of the Oral Law., bThey saidin response to the question of how Rav Dimi could propose writing down the ihalakhain a letter: bPerhapswith regard to ba new matterit bis different,i.e., it might be permitted to write down new material so that it not be forgotten. One proof for this suggestion is bthat Rabbi Yoḥa and Reish Lakishwould bread from a scroll of iaggada /i,containing the words of the Sages, bon Shabbat. Andthey did so because bthey taught as follows:Since one cannot remember the Oral Law without writing it down, it is permitted to violate the ihalakha /i, as derived from the verse: b“It is time to work for the Lord; they have made void your Torah”(Psalms 119:126). bThey said it is better to uproota single ihalakhaof the bTorah,i.e., the prohibition of writing down the Oral Torah, bandthereby ensure bthat the Torah is not forgotten from the Jewish peopleentirely.,§ With regard to Rav Dimi’s differentiation between libations that come with an animal offering and libations that are sacrificed by themselves, bRav Pappa said: Now that you have saidthat blibations that come by themselves are sacrificed even at night,if one bhappenedto have blibationsof this kind bat night,they may be bconsecratedby placing them in a service vessel bat night andthey may be bsacrificedat night., bRav Yosef, son of Rav Shemaya, said to Rav Pappa:A ibaraita bis taught that supports youropinion. bThis is the principle: Anyoffering bthat is sacrificed in the day is consecratedby being placed in a service vessel bonly in the day; but anyoffering bthat is sacrificed at night is consecrated both in the day and at night. /b,With regard to the topic of libations sacrificed by themselves, bRav Adda bar Ahava says: And dawn disqualifies them, likethe ihalakhaof blimbsof offerings that have had their blood sprinkled during the day. Such limbs are left to burn on the altar all night long, but at dawn they are disqualified and may no longer be placed on the altar.,§ The Gemara returns to discuss the verse: “These you shall offer to the Lord in your appointed seasons, beside your vows, and your voluntary offerings, and your burnt offerings, and your meal offerings, and your libations, and your peace offerings” (Numbers 29:39). bWhen Rav Dimi camefrom Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, bhe saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: “These you shall offer to the Lord in your appointed seasons,”i.e., btheseare the bobligatoryofferings bthat cometo be sacrificed as bobligatoryofferings bon the pilgrimage Festival,e.g., the burnt offerings of appearance, the Festival offerings, and the additional offerings.,The verse continues: b“Beside your vows and your voluntary offerings.”This bteaches with regard to vows and voluntary offerings that they are sacrificed on the intermediate days of a Festival. /b,The verse further states: b“And your burnt offerings.”The Gemara inquires: bWith regard to whatcase bis the verse speaking? Ifit is referring bto a vow burnt offering,the verse balready said: “Your vows.” And ifit is referring bto a voluntary burnt offering,the verse balready said: “Your voluntary offerings.” Consequently, it is speaking of nothing other than a burnt offering of a woman who gave birth,i.e., the lamb that she sacrifices on the forty-first day after giving birth to a son or the eighty-first day after giving birth to a daughter, band a burnt offering of a leper,which is the lamb that is sacrificed after a leper is purified. The verse teaches that these obligatory offerings may be sacrificed on the intermediate days of a Festival.,The verse continues: b“And your meal offerings.”The Gemara again asks: bWith regard to whatcase bis the verse speaking? Ifit is referring bto a meal offeringbrought in fulfillment of ba vow,the verse balready said:“Your vows.” bIfit is referring bto a voluntary meal offering,the verse balready said:“Your voluntary offerings.” bConsequently, it is speaking of nothing other thanthe bmeal offering of a isota /i, and thatis the bmeal offering of jealousy. /b,The verse further states: b“And your libations and your peace offerings.”The Torah here bjuxtaposes libations to peace offerings: Just as peace offeringsare sacrificed only bduring the day,not at night, bso too, libationsare sacrificed only bduring the day,not at night. Finally, the verse states: b“And your peace offerings.”This serves bto include the peace offering of a nazirite,which he brings at the completion of his term of naziriteship. This offering may also be sacrificed on the intermediate days of a Festival.,With regard to the last ihalakha /i, bAbaye said toRav Dimi, when he cited this statement in the name of Rabbi Yoḥa: bBut let the Master saythat the phrase “and your peace offerings” serves to include the bpeace offeringthat is brought together with ba Paschal offering.This offering is sacrificed on the fourteenth of Nisan by a large group of people when they will not receive enough meat from their Paschal offering to feed them all. The suggested derivation from the verse is that if a peace offering separated for this purpose was not sacrificed on the fourteenth of Nisan, it may be brought during the intermediate days of the Festival. Abaye further adds: It is more reasonable to include this peace offering, bas, ifthe verse is referring to bthe peace offering of a nazirite, it isalready included by the verse in the categories of offerings that are bvowed or contributedvoluntarily.,Abaye elaborates: bAs isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bThis is the principle: Anyoffering bthat is vowed or contributedvoluntarily, e.g., a burnt offering or a peace offering, bis sacrificed on a private altar. Andany offering bthat is not vowed or contributedvoluntarily bmay not be sacrificed on a private altar. /b, bAnd we learnedin another ibaraita /i: bThe meal offerings and theofferings of ba nazirite are sacrificed on a private altar; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir.It is clear from these ibaraitotthat the peace offering of a nazirite belongs in the category of offerings that are vowed or contributed voluntarily. If so, there is no need for it to be included separately by the verse. Rav Dimi replied to Abaye: bDeletethe phrase: offering of ba nazirite from here,i.e., from the ibaraitathat considers it an offering that is vowed or contributed voluntarily. Only the nazirite vow itself is classified as voluntary; once the vow has been uttered, the ensuing offerings are obligatory.,The Gemara asks: bIs there one who said thatthe offering of ba nazirite is not vowed or contributedvoluntarily? bBut isn’t it written: “And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king: Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. For your servant vowed a vowwhile I dwelled at Geshur in Aram, saying: If the Lord shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord” (II Samuel 15:7–8). The Gemara explains the difficulty: bWhat, is it notthe case that Absalom asked his father for permission for him to go to Hebron btosacrifice ban offeringon a private altar?,The Gemara answers: bNo,Absalom did not go to Hebron to sacrifice his nazirite offerings. Rather, Absalom actually bsaid thathe undertook bthe principal vowto be a nazirite when he was in Hebron. The Gemara asks: bWas his principal vowto be a nazirite in fact uttered bin Hebron? But wasn’tthe vow made when Absalom was bin Geshur?After all, the verse states explicitly: “For your servant vowed a vow while I dwelled at Geshur.”, bRav Aḥa said, and some saythat it was bRabba bar Rav Ḥawho said: The verse means that bAbsalom went to Hebron onlyin order bto bring sheepspecifically from there. The Gemara adds that bthis also stands to reason, as, if you say thatAbsalom bwentto Hebron bto sacrificehis offering, would he have babandoned Jerusalem and gone to sacrifice in Hebron? /b,The Gemara rejects Rabba bar Rav Ḥa’s answer: bBut rather, whatis our explanation of the verse? That Absalom went bto bring sheep from Hebron?If so, bthisverse that states: “Please let me go and pay my vow, bwhich I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron”(II Samuel 15:7), bshouldinstead bhavestated: Which I have vowed to the Lord bfrom Hebron. /b, bRather,the Gemara explains that bactuallyAbsalom did go to Hebron bto sacrificehis peace offering as a nazirite. bAnd thatwhich is bdifficult for you,i.e., bwhyAbsalom babandoned Jerusalem and sacrificedhis offering bin Hebron,should not pose a difficulty for you; rather, it is the question of why Absalom did not sacrifice his offering in bGibeonthat bshould pose a difficulty for you, asat that time the Tabernacle and the communal altar were in Gibeon, and bit was a sanctified place.Why, then, did Absalom go to Hebron rather than Gibeon? bRather, since theprivate baltars were permitted,he was permitted to bsacrifice wherever he wished,and he chose to go to Hebron. There was no reason for him to choose to go to Gibeon rather than any private altar.,The verse states that Absalom submitted his request to his father “at the end of forty years.” The Gemara asks: bForty years, according to whosecounting, i.e., forty years from when? It bis taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Nehorai says in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua:The verse is referring bto the end of forty yearsfrom bwhenthe Jewish people brequested for themselves a king,in the days of Samuel (see I Samuel, chapter 8). bAs it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: With regard to bthat year when they requested for themselves a king, that year was the tenthyear of the leadership bof Samuel. /b |
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37. Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, 80a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
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38. Anon., Avot Derabbi Nathan A, 26, 2 (6th cent. CE - 8th cent. CE)
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