1. Septuagint, Tobit, 12.10 (10th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 12.10. but those who commit sin are the enemies of their own lives. |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Song of Songs, 2.14, 4.1 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.14. יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַרְאִינִי אֶתּ־מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִינִי אֶת־קוֹלֵךְ כִּי־קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב וּמַרְאֵיךְ נָאוֶה׃ 4.1. מַה־יָּפוּ דֹדַיִךְ אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה מַה־טֹּבוּ דֹדַיִךְ מִיַּיִן וְרֵיחַ שְׁמָנַיִךְ מִכָּל־בְּשָׂמִים׃ 4.1. הִנָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי הִנָּךְ יָפָה עֵינַיִךְ יוֹנִים מִבַּעַד לְצַמָּתֵךְ שַׂעְרֵךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָעִזִּים שֶׁגָּלְשׁוּ מֵהַר גִּלְעָד׃ | 2.14. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, Let me see thy countece, let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countece is comely.’ 4.1. Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Thine eyes are as doves behind thy veil; Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that trail down from mount Gilead. |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 30.12 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 30.12. לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא לֵאמֹר מִי יַעֲלֶה־לָּנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה׃ | 30.12. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: ‘Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’" |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 18.1-18.15, 32.24-32.32, 35.13 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 18.1. וַיֹּאמֶר שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ כָּעֵת חַיָּה וְהִנֵּה־בֵן לְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתֶּךָ וְשָׂרָה שֹׁמַעַת פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל וְהוּא אַחֲרָיו׃ 18.1. וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָה בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח־הָאֹהֶל כְּחֹם הַיּוֹם׃ 18.2. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה זַעֲקַת סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה כִּי־רָבָּה וְחַטָּאתָם כִּי כָבְדָה מְאֹד׃ 18.2. וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁים נִצָּבִים עָלָיו וַיַּרְא וַיָּרָץ לִקְרָאתָם מִפֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרְצָה׃ 18.3. וַיֹּאמֶר אַל־נָא יִחַר לַאדֹנָי וַאֲדַבֵּרָה אוּלַי יִמָּצְאוּן שָׁם שְׁלֹשִׁים וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה אִם־אֶמְצָא שָׁם שְׁלֹשִׁים׃ 18.3. וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנָי אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אַל־נָא תַעֲבֹר מֵעַל עַבְדֶּךָ׃ 18.4. יֻקַּח־נָא מְעַט־מַיִם וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם וְהִשָּׁעֲנוּ תַּחַת הָעֵץ׃ 18.5. וְאֶקְחָה פַת־לֶחֶם וְסַעֲדוּ לִבְּכֶם אַחַר תַּעֲבֹרוּ כִּי־עַל־כֵּן עֲבַרְתֶּם עַל־עַבְדְּכֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ׃ 18.6. וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָה וַיֹּאמֶר מַהֲרִי שְׁלֹשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח סֹלֶת לוּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂי עֻגוֹת׃ 18.7. וְאֶל־הַבָּקָר רָץ אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח בֶּן־בָּקָר רַךְ וָטוֹב וַיִּתֵּן אֶל־הַנַּעַר וַיְמַהֵר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֹתוֹ׃ 18.8. וַיִּקַּח חֶמְאָה וְחָלָב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּתֵּן לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהוּא־עֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם תַּחַת הָעֵץ וַיֹּאכֵלוּ׃ 18.9. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו אַיֵּה שָׂרָה אִשְׁתֶּךָ וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה בָאֹהֶל׃ 18.11. וְאַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה זְקֵנִים בָּאִים בַּיָּמִים חָדַל לִהְיוֹת לְשָׂרָה אֹרַח כַּנָּשִׁים׃ 18.12. וַתִּצְחַק שָׂרָה בְּקִרְבָּהּ לֵאמֹר אַחֲרֵי בְלֹתִי הָיְתָה־לִּי עֶדְנָה וַאדֹנִי זָקֵן׃ 18.13. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־אַבְרָהָם לָמָּה זֶּה צָחֲקָה שָׂרָה לֵאמֹר הַאַף אֻמְנָם אֵלֵד וַאֲנִי זָקַנְתִּי׃ 18.14. הֲיִפָּלֵא מֵיְהוָה דָּבָר לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ כָּעֵת חַיָּה וּלְשָׂרָה בֵן׃ 18.15. וַתְּכַחֵשׁ שָׂרָה לֵאמֹר לֹא צָחַקְתִּי כִּי יָרֵאָה וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי צָחָקְתְּ׃ 32.24. וַיִּקָּחֵם וַיַּעֲבִרֵם אֶת־הַנָּחַל וַיַּעֲבֵר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ׃ 32.25. וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר׃ 32.26. וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף־יְרֵכוֹ וַתֵּקַע כַּף־יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב בְּהֵאָבְקוֹ עִמּוֹ׃ 32.27. וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּנִי׃ 32.28. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה־שְּׁמֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב׃ 32.29. וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי־שָׂרִיתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל׃ 32.31. וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם פְּנִיאֵל כִּי־רָאִיתִי אֱלֹהִים פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים וַתִּנָּצֵל נַפְשִׁי׃ 32.32. וַיִּזְרַח־לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָבַר אֶת־פְּנוּאֵל וְהוּא צֹלֵעַ עַל־יְרֵכוֹ׃ 35.13. וַיַּעַל מֵעָלָיו אֱלֹהִים בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אִתּוֹ׃ | 18.1. And the LORD appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;" 18.2. and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed down to the earth," 18.3. and said: ‘My lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant." 18.4. Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree." 18.5. And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on; forasmuch as ye are come to your servant.’ And they said: ‘So do, as thou hast said.’" 18.6. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said: ‘Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.’" 18.7. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hastened to dress it." 18.8. And he took curd, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat." 18.9. And they said unto him: ‘Where is Sarah thy wife?’ And he said: ‘Behold, in the tent.’" 18.10. And He said: ‘I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.’ And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.—" 18.11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.—" 18.12. And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: ‘After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’" 18.13. And the LORD said unto Abraham: ‘Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?" 18.14. Is any thing too hard for the LORD. At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.’" 18.15. Then Sarah denied, saying: ‘I laughed not’; for she was afraid. And He said: ‘Nay; but thou didst laugh.’" 32.24. And he took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had." 32.25. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." 32.26. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him." 32.27. And he said: ‘Let me go, for the day breaketh.’ And he said: ‘I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.’" 32.28. And he said unto him: ‘What is thy name?’ And he said: ‘Jacob.’" 32.29. And he said: ‘Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.’" 32.30. And Jacob asked him, and said: ‘Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.’ And he said: ‘Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?’ And he blessed him there." 32.31. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ‘for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.’" 32.32. And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped upon his thigh." 35.13. And God went up from him in the place where He spoke with him." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 21.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 21.6. וַיְשַׁלַּח יְהוָה בָּעָם אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים וַיְנַשְּׁכוּ אֶת־הָעָם וַיָּמָת עַם־רָב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל׃ | 21.6. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died." |
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6. Hebrew Bible, 1 Samuel, 3.1 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 3.1. וַיָּבֹא יְהוָה וַיִּתְיַצַּב וַיִּקְרָא כְפַעַם־בְּפַעַם שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל דַּבֵּר כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ עַבְדֶּךָ׃ 3.1. וְהַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל מְשָׁרֵת אֶת־יְהוָה לִפְנֵי עֵלִי וּדְבַר־יְהוָה הָיָה יָקָר בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֵין חָזוֹן נִפְרָץ׃ | 3.1. And the child Shemu᾽el ministered to the Lord before ῾Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision." |
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7. Hebrew Bible, 2 Kings, 2.12, 6.21 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 2.12. וֶאֱלִישָׁע רֹאֶה וְהוּא מְצַעֵק אָבִי אָבִי רֶכֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפָרָשָׁיו וְלֹא רָאָהוּ עוֹד וַיַּחֲזֵק בִּבְגָדָיו וַיִּקְרָעֵם לִשְׁנַיִם קְרָעִים׃ 6.21. וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע כִּרְאֹתוֹ אוֹתָם הַאַכֶּה אַכֶּה אָבִי׃ | 2.12. And Elisha saw it, and he cried: ‘My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! ’ And he saw him no more; and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces." 6.21. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them: ‘My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?’" |
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8. Hebrew Bible, Joshua, 5.13-5.15, 15.18 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 5.13. וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּירִיחוֹ וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ עֹמֵד לְנֶגְדּוֹ וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הֲלָנוּ אַתָּה אִם־לְצָרֵינוּ׃ 5.14. וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי אֲנִי שַׂר־צְבָא־יְהוָה עַתָּה בָאתִי וַיִּפֹּל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל־פָּנָיו אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מָה אֲדֹנִי מְדַבֵּר אֶל־עַבְדּוֹ׃ 5.15. וַיֹּאמֶר שַׂר־צְבָא יְהוָה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שַׁל־נַעַלְךָ מֵעַל רַגְלֶךָ כִּי הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹמֵד עָלָיו קֹדֶשׁ הוּא וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כֵּן׃ 15.18. וַיְהִי בְּבוֹאָהּ וַתְּסִיתֵהוּ לִשְׁאוֹל מֵאֵת־אָבִיהָ שָׂדֶה וַתִּצְנַח מֵעַל הַחֲמוֹר וַיֹּאמֶר־לָהּ כָּלֵב מַה־לָּךְ׃ | 5.13. And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand; and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him: ‘Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?’ ." 5.14. And he said: ‘Nay, but I am captain of the host of the LORD; I am now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said unto him: ‘What saith my lord unto his servant?’" 5.15. And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua: ‘Put off thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.’ And Joshua did so." 15.18. And it came to pass, when she came unto him, that she persuaded him to ask of her father a field; and she alighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her: ‘What wouldest thou?’" |
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9. Hebrew Bible, Judges, 6.34 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 6.34. וְרוּחַ יְהוָה לָבְשָׁה אֶת־גִּדְעוֹן וַיִּתְקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר וַיִזָּעֵק אֲבִיעֶזֶר אַחֲרָיו׃ | 6.34. But the spirit of the Lord clothed Gid῾on, and he blew a shofar; and Avi-῾ezer mustered behind him." |
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10. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 3.12, 3.14, 8.1, 8.3 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 3.12. וַתִּשָּׂאֵנִי רוּחַ וָאֶשְׁמַע אַחֲרַי קוֹל רַעַשׁ גָּדוֹל בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד־יְהוָה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ׃ 3.14. וְרוּחַ נְשָׂאַתְנִי וַתִּקָּחֵנִי וָאֵלֵךְ מַר בַּחֲמַת רוּחִי וְיַד־יְהוָה עָלַי חָזָקָה׃ 8.1. וָאָבוֹא וָאֶרְאֶה וְהִנֵּה כָל־תַּבְנִית רֶמֶשׂ וּבְהֵמָה שֶׁקֶץ וְכָל־גִּלּוּלֵי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מְחֻקֶּה עַל־הַקִּיר סָבִיב סָבִיב׃ 8.1. וַיְהִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית בַּשִּׁשִּׁי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה לַחֹדֶשׁ אֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵיתִי וְזִקְנֵי יְהוּדָה יוֹשְׁבִים לְפָנָי וַתִּפֹּל עָלַי שָׁם יַד אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה׃ 8.3. וַיִּשְׁלַח תַּבְנִית יָד וַיִּקָּחֵנִי בְּצִיצִת רֹאשִׁי וַתִּשָּׂא אֹתִי רוּחַ בֵּין־הָאָרֶץ וּבֵין הַשָּׁמַיִם וַתָּבֵא אֹתִי יְרוּשָׁלְַמָה בְּמַרְאוֹת אֱלֹהִים אֶל־פֶּתַח שַׁעַר הַפְּנִימִית הַפּוֹנֶה צָפוֹנָה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם מוֹשַׁב סֵמֶל הַקִּנְאָה הַמַּקְנֶה׃ | 3.12. Then a spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing: ‘Blessed be the glory of the LORD from His place’;" 3.14. So a spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit, and the hand of the LORD was strong upon me." 8.1. And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me." 8.3. And the form of a hand was put forth, and I was taken by a lock of my head; and a spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy." |
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11. Septuagint, Tobit, 12.10 (4th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 12.10. but those who commit sin are the enemies of their own lives. |
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12. Anon., Jubilees, 16.1-16.4, 32.21-32.26 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 16.1. And on the new moon of the fourth month we appeared unto Abraham, at the oak of Mamre, and we talked with him 16.2. and we announced to him that a son would be given to him by Sarah his wife. 16.3. And Sarah laughed, for she heard that we had spoken these words with Abraham 16.4. and we admonished her, and she became afraid, and denied that she had laughed on account of the words. 32.21. And on the following night, on the twenty-second day of this month, Jacob resolved to build that place, and to surround the court with a wall, and to sanctify it and make it holy for ever, for himself and his children after him. 32.22. And the Lord appeared to him by night and blessed him and said unto him: "Thy name shall not be called Jacob, but Israel shall they name thy name. 32.23. And He said unto him again: "I am the Lord who created the heaven and the earth, and I shall increase thee and multiply thee exceedingly, and kings will come forth from thee, and they will judge everywhere wherever the foot of the sons of men hath trodden. 32.24. Ana I shall give to thy seed all the earth which is under heaven, and they will judge all the nations according to their desires, and after that they will get possession of the whole earth and inherit it for ever. 32.25. And He finished speaking with him, and He went up from him, and Jacob looked till He had ascended into heaven. 32.26. And he saw in a vision of the night, and behold an angel descended from heaven with seven tablets in his hands, and he gave them to Jacob, and he read them and knew all that was written therein which would befall him and his sons through-out all the ages. |
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13. Anon., Testament of Job, 7.1-7.12 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. CE)
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14. Anon., Testament of Naphtali, 5.8 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 5.8. And I saw, for I was there, and behold a holy writing appeared to us, saying: Assyrians, Medes, Persians, [Chaldeans,] Syrians, shall possess in captivity the twelve tribes of Israel. |
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15. Hebrew Bible, Daniel, 3.26 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 3.26. בֵּאדַיִן קְרֵב נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר לִתְרַע אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא עָנֵה וְאָמַר שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד־נְגוֹ עַבְדוֹהִי דִּי־אֱלָהָא עליא [עִלָּאָה] פֻּקוּ וֶאֱתוֹ בֵּאדַיִן נָפְקִין שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ מִן־גּוֹא נוּרָא׃ | 3.26. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace; he spoke and said: ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of God Most High, come forth, and come hither.’ Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth out of the midst of the fire." |
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16. Septuagint, 2 Maccabees, 3.26, 3.33-3.34, 15.11-15.19 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 3.26. Two young men also appeared to him, remarkably strong, gloriously beautiful and splendidly dressed, who stood on each side of him and scourged him continuously, inflicting many blows on him.' 3.33. While the high priest was making the offering of atonement, the same young men appeared again to Heliodorus dressed in the same clothing, and they stood and said, 'Be very grateful to Onias the high priest, since for his sake the Lord has granted you your life.' 3.34. And see that you, who have been scourged by heaven, report to all men the majestic power of God.'Having said this they vanished.' 15.11. He armed each of them not so much with confidence in shields and spears as with the inspiration of brave words, and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of vision, which was worthy of belief.' 15.12. What he saw was this: Onias, who had been high priest, a noble and good man, of modest bearing and gentle manner, one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews.' 15.13. Then likewise a man appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and of marvelous majesty and authority.' 15.14. And Onias spoke, saying, 'This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God.' 15.15. Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it he addressed him thus:' 15.16. Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries.' 15.17. Encouraged by the words of Judas, so noble and so effective in arousing valor and awaking manliness in the souls of the young, they determined not to carry on a campaign but to attack bravely, and to decide the matter, by fighting hand to hand with all courage, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.' 15.18. Their concern for wives and children, and also for brethren and relatives, lay upon them less heavily; their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated sanctuary.' 15.19. And those who had to remain in the city were in no little distress, being anxious over the encounter in the open country.' |
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17. Septuagint, Judith, 13.16 (2nd cent. BCE - 0th cent. CE)
| 13.16. As the Lord lives, who has protected me in the way I went, it was my face that tricked him to his destruction, and yet he committed no act of sin with me, to defile and shame me. |
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18. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 17.5, 17.7, 17.11, 17.20, 18.17-18.19 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)
| 17.5. And no power of fire was able to give light,nor did the brilliant flames of the stars avail to illumine that hateful night. 17.7. The delusions of their magic art lay humbled,and their boasted wisdom was scornfully rebuked. 17.11. For wickedness is a cowardly thing, condemned by its own testimony;distressed by conscience, it has always exaggerated the difficulties. 17.20. For the whole world was illumined with brilliant light,and was engaged in unhindered work 18.17. Then at once apparitions in dreadful dreams greatly troubled them,and unexpected fears assailed them; 18.18. and one here and another there, hurled down half dead,made known why they were dying; 18.19. for the dreams which disturbed them forewarned them of this,so that they might not perish without knowing why they suffered. |
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19. Anon., Sibylline Oracles, 1.127-1.147, 1.267-1.275 (1st cent. BCE - 5th cent. CE)
| 1.127. Into Tartarean chamber terrible 1.128. Kept in firm chains to pay full penalty 1.129. In Gehenna of strong, furious, quenchless fire. 1.130. 130 And after these a third strong-minded race 1.131. Appeared, a race of overbearing men 1.132. And terrible, who wrought among themselve 1.133. Many an evil. And fights, homicides 1.134. And battles did continually destroy 1.135. 135 Those men possessed of overweening heart 1.136. And from these afterward another race 1.137. Proceeded, late-completed, youngest born 1.138. Blood-stained, perverse in counsel; of men these 1.139. Were in the fourth race; much the blood they spilled 1.140. 140 Nor feared they God nor had regard for men 1.141. For maddening wrath and sore impiety 1.142. Were sent upon them. And wars, homicides 1.143. And battles sent some into Erebus 1.144. Since they were overweening impious men. 1.145. 145 But the rest did the heavenly God himself 1.146. In anger afterwards change from his world 1.147. Casting them into mighty Tartaru 1.267. And he massed clouds, and bid the sun's bright disk 1.268. And moon, and stars, and circle of the heaven 1.269. Obscuring all things round; he thundered loud 1.270. 270 Terror of mortals, sending lightnings forth; 1.271. And all the winds together were aroused 1.272. And all the veins of water were unloosed 1.273. By opening of great cataracts from heaven 1.274. And from earth's caverns and the tireless deep 1.275. 275 Appeared the myriad waters, and the whole |
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20. Anon., The Life of Adam And Eve, 23.2, 23.5 (1st cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
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21. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 1.185, 3.89-3.90, 8.350, 8.352, 13.282-13.283 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.185. After which, before he built his altar, where the birds of prey flew about, as desirous of blood, a divine voice came to him, declaring that their neighbors would be grievous to his posterity, when they should be in Egypt, for four hundred years; during which time they should be afflicted, but afterwards should overcome their enemies, should conquer the Canaanites in war, and possess themselves of their land, and of their cities. 3.89. 4. When he had said this, he brought the people, with their wives and children, so near the mountain, that they might hear God himself speaking to them about the precepts which they were to practice; that the energy of what should be spoken might not be hurt by its utterance by that tongue of a man, which could but imperfectly deliver it to their understanding. 8.352. and after a silence made, a divine voice exhorted him not to be disturbed with the circumstances he was in, for that none of his enemies should have power over him. The voice also commanded him to return home, and to ordain Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be king over their own multitude; and Hazael, of Damascus, to be over the Syrians; and Elisha, of the city Abel, to be a prophet in his stead; and that of the impious multitude, some should be slain by Hazael, and others by Jehu. 13.282. Now a very surprising thing is related of this high priest Hyrcanus, how God came to discourse with him; for they say that on the very same day on which his sons fought with Antiochus Cyzicenus, he was alone in the temple, as high priest, offering incense, and heard a voice, that his sons had just then overcome Antiochus. 13.283. And this he openly declared before all the multitude upon his coming out of the temple; and it accordingly proved true; and in this posture were the affairs of Hyrcanus. |
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22. New Testament, 2 Corinthians, 11.7 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
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23. New Testament, Apocalypse, 10.4, 10.8 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 10.4. When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don't write them. 10.8. The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land. |
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24. New Testament, Luke, 9.28-9.36, 24.13-24.35, 24.39, 24.41-24.43 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 9.28. It happened about eight days after these sayings, that he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray. 9.29. As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling. 9.30. Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah 9.31. who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 9.32. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him. 9.33. It happened, as they were parting from him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let's make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah," not knowing what he said. 9.34. While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. 9.35. A voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him! 9.36. When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. 24.13. Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem. 24.14. They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened. 24.15. It happened, while they talked and questioned together, that Jesus himself came near, and went with them. 24.16. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 24.17. He said to them, "What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad? 24.18. One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things which have happened there in these days? 24.19. He said to them, "What things?"They said to him, "The things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; 24.20. and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 24.21. But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 24.22. Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb; 24.23. and when they didn't find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24.24. Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like the women had said, but they didn't see him. 24.25. He said to them, "Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 24.26. Didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory? 24.27. Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 24.28. They drew near to the village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further. 24.29. They urged him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over."He went in to stay with them. 24.30. It happened, that when he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them. 24.31. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight. 24.32. They said one to another, "Weren't our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us? 24.33. Rising rose up that very hour, they returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them 24.34. saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon! 24.35. They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. 24.39. See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see that I have. 24.41. While they still didn't believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Do you have anything here to eat? 24.42. They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 24.43. He took it, and ate in front of them. |
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25. New Testament, Matthew, 23.9 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 23.9. Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. |
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26. Ps.-Philo, Biblical Antiquities, 9.10, 9.15, 10.3, 10.6, 15.1, 18.14, 20.2, 23.13, 27.10, 28.4, 28.6-28.7, 28.10, 31.6, 31.9, 32.8, 39.5, 40.1, 40.3, 40.8, 47.10 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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27. Tosefta, Sotah, 13.3-13.5 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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28. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 59b. וזה הוא תנור של עכנאי מאי עכנאי אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל שהקיפו דברים כעכנא זו וטמאוהו תנא באותו היום השיב רבי אליעזר כל תשובות שבעולם ולא קיבלו הימנו,אמר להם אם הלכה כמותי חרוב זה יוכיח נעקר חרוב ממקומו מאה אמה ואמרי לה ארבע מאות אמה אמרו לו אין מביאין ראיה מן החרוב חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי אמת המים יוכיחו חזרו אמת המים לאחוריהם אמרו לו אין מביאין ראיה מאמת המים,חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי כותלי בית המדרש יוכיחו הטו כותלי בית המדרש ליפול גער בהם רבי יהושע אמר להם אם תלמידי חכמים מנצחים זה את זה בהלכה אתם מה טיבכם לא נפלו מפני כבודו של רבי יהושע ולא זקפו מפני כבודו של ר"א ועדיין מטין ועומדין,חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי מן השמים יוכיחו יצאתה בת קול ואמרה מה לכם אצל ר"א שהלכה כמותו בכ"מ,עמד רבי יהושע על רגליו ואמר (דברים ל, יב) לא בשמים היא מאי לא בשמים היא אמר רבי ירמיה שכבר נתנה תורה מהר סיני אין אנו משגיחין בבת קול שכבר כתבת בהר סיני בתורה (שמות כג, ב) אחרי רבים להטות אשכחיה רבי נתן לאליהו א"ל מאי עביד קוב"ה בההיא שעתא א"ל קא חייך ואמר נצחוני בני נצחוני בני,אמרו אותו היום הביאו כל טהרות שטיהר ר"א ושרפום באש ונמנו עליו וברכוהו ואמרו מי ילך ויודיעו אמר להם ר"ע אני אלך שמא ילך אדם שאינו הגון ויודיעו ונמצא מחריב את כל העולם כולו,מה עשה ר"ע לבש שחורים ונתעטף שחורים וישב לפניו ברחוק ארבע אמות אמר לו ר"א עקיבא מה יום מיומים אמר לו רבי כמדומה לי שחבירים בדילים ממך אף הוא קרע בגדיו וחלץ מנעליו ונשמט וישב על גבי קרקע,זלגו עיניו דמעות לקה העולם שליש בזיתים ושליש בחטים ושליש בשעורים ויש אומרים אף בצק שבידי אשה טפח תנא אך גדול היה באותו היום שבכל מקום שנתן בו עיניו ר"א נשרף,ואף ר"ג היה בא בספינה עמד עליו נחשול לטבעו אמר כמדומה לי שאין זה אלא בשביל ר"א בן הורקנוס עמד על רגליו ואמר רבונו של עולם גלוי וידוע לפניך שלא לכבודי עשיתי ולא לכבוד בית אבא עשיתי אלא לכבודך שלא ירבו מחלוקות בישראל נח הים מזעפו,אימא שלום דביתהו דר"א אחתיה דר"ג הואי מההוא מעשה ואילך לא הוה שבקה ליה לר"א למיפל על אפיה ההוא יומא ריש ירחא הוה ואיחלף לה בין מלא לחסר איכא דאמרי אתא עניא וקאי אבבא אפיקא ליה ריפתא,אשכחתיה דנפל על אנפיה אמרה ליה קום קטלית לאחי אדהכי נפק שיפורא מבית רבן גמליאל דשכיב אמר לה מנא ידעת אמרה ליה כך מקובלני מבית אבי אבא כל השערים ננעלים חוץ משערי אונאה,תנו רבנן המאנה את הגר עובר בשלשה לאוין והלוחצו עובר בשנים,מאי שנא מאנה דכתיבי שלשה לאוין (שמות כב, כ) וגר לא תונה (ויקרא יט, לג) וכי יגור אתך גר בארצכם לא תונו אותו (ויקרא כה, יז) ולא תונו איש את עמיתו וגר בכלל עמיתו הוא לוחצו נמי שלשה כתיבי (שמות כב, כ) ולא תלחצנו (שמות כג, ט) וגר לא תלחץ (שמות כב, כד) ולא תהיה לו כנושה וגר בכלל הוא אלא אחד זה ואחד זה בשלשה,תניא רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר מפני מה הזהירה תורה בל"ו מקומות ואמרי לה במ"ו מקומות בגר מפני שסורו רע,מאי דכתיב וגר לא תונה ולא תלחצנו כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים (תנינא) רבי נתן אומר מום שבך אל תאמר לחברך והיינו דאמרי אינשי דזקיף ליה זקיפא בדיותקיה לא נימא ליה לחבריה זקיף ביניתא:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big אין מערבין פירות בפירות אפי' חדשים בחדשים | 59b. bAnd this isknown as bthe oven of iakhnai /i.The Gemara asks: bWhatis the relevance of iakhnai /i,a snake, in this context? bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said:It is characterized in that manner due to the fact bthatthe Rabbis bsurroundedit bwiththeir bstatements like this snake,which often forms a coil when at rest, band deemed it impure.The Sages btaught: On that day,when they discussed this matter, bRabbi Eliezer answered allpossible banswers in the worldto support his opinion, bbutthe Rabbis bdid not accepthis explanations bfrom him. /b,After failing to convince the Rabbis logically, Rabbi Eliezer bsaid to them: Ifthe ihalakha /iis bin accordance with myopinion, bthis carobtree bwill proveit. The bcarobtree bwas uprooted from its place one hundred cubits, and some say four hundred cubits.The Rabbis bsaid to him: One does not citehalakhic bproof from the carobtree. Rabbi Eliezer bthen said to them: Ifthe ihalakha /iis bin accordance with myopinion, bthe stream will proveit. The water in bthe stream turned backwardand began flowing in the opposite direction. bThey said to him: One does not citehalakhic bproof from a stream. /b,Rabbi Eliezer bthen said to them: Ifthe ihalakha /iis bin accordance with myopinion, bthe walls of the study hall will proveit. bThe walls of the study hall leanedinward and began bto fall. Rabbi Yehoshua scoldedthe walls and bsaid to them: If Torah scholars are contendingwith beach other inmatters of ihalakha /i, whatis the bnatureof byourinvolvement in this dispute? The Gemara relates: The walls bdid not fall because ofthe bdeferencedue bRabbi Yehoshua, but they did not straighten because ofthe bdeferencedue bRabbi Eliezer, and they still remain leaning. /b,Rabbi Eliezer bthen said to them: Ifthe ihalakha /iis bin accordance with myopinion, bHeaven will proveit. bA Divine Voice emergedfrom Heaven band said: Why are youdiffering bwith Rabbi Eliezer, asthe ihalakha /iis bin accordance withhis opinion bin every placethat he expresses an opinion?, bRabbi Yehoshua stood on his feet and said:It is written: b“It is not in heaven”(Deuteronomy 30:12). The Gemara asks: bWhatis the relevance of the phrase b“It is not in heaven”in this context? bRabbi Yirmeya says:Since bthe Torah was already given at Mount Sinai, we do not regard a Divine Voice, as You already wrote at Mount Sinai, in the Torah: “After a majority to incline”(Exodus 23:2). Since the majority of Rabbis disagreed with Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion, the ihalakhais not ruled in accordance with his opinion. The Gemara relates: Years after, bRabbi Natan encountered Elijahthe prophet and bsaid to him: What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, do at that time,when Rabbi Yehoshua issued his declaration? Elijah bsaid to him:The Holy One, Blessed be He, bsmiled and said: My children have triumphed over Me; My children have triumphed over Me. /b,The Sages bsaid:On bthat day,the Sages bbrought all the ritually pureitems bdeemed pure bythe ruling of bRabbi Eliezerwith regard to the oven band burned them in fire, andthe Sages breached a consensus in his regard and ostracized him. Andthe Sages bsaid: Who will go and inform himof his ostracism? bRabbi Akiva,his beloved disciple, bsaid to them: I will go, lest an unseemly person goand inform him in a callous and offensive manner, band he would thereby destroy the entire world. /b, bWhat did Rabbi Akiva do? He wore black and wrapped himself in black,as an expression of mourning and pain, band sat beforeRabbi Eliezer bat a distance of four cubits,which is the distance that one must maintain from an ostracized individual. bRabbi Eliezer said to him: Akiva, whatis different about btoday from other days,that you comport yourself in this manner? Rabbi Akiva bsaid to him: My teacher, it appears to me thatyour bcolleagues are distancingthemselves bfrom you.He employed euphemism, as actually they distanced Rabbi Eliezer from them. Rabbi Eliezer btoo, rent his garments and removed his shoes,as is the custom of an ostracized person, band he droppedfrom his seat band sat upon the ground. /b,The Gemara relates: bHis eyes shed tears,and as a result btheentire bworld was afflicted: One-third ofits boliveswere afflicted, band one-third ofits bwheat, and one-third ofits bbarley. And some saythat beven doughkneaded bin a woman’s hands spoiled.The Sages btaught: There was great anger on that day, as any place that Rabbi Eliezer fixed his gaze was burned. /b, bAnd even Rabban Gamliel,the iNasiof the Sanhedrin at Yavne, the head of the Sages who were responsible for the decision to ostracize Rabbi Eliezer, bwas coming on a boatat the time, and ba large wave swelled over himand threatened bto drown him.Rabban Gamliel bsaid: It seems to me that this is only for the sake of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus,as God punishes those who mistreat others. Rabban Gamliel bstood on his feet and said: Master of the Universe, it is revealed and known before You that neither was it for my honorthat bI actedwhen ostracizing him, bnor was it for the honor of the house of my fatherthat bI acted; rather,it was bfor Your honor, so that disputes will not proliferate in Israel.In response, bthe sea calmed from its raging. /b,The Gemara further relates: bImma Shalom, the wife of Rabbi Eliezer, was the sister of Rabban Gamliel. From that incident forward, she would not allow Rabbi Eliezer to lower his headand recite the itaḥanunprayer, which includes supplication and entreaties. She feared that were her husband to bemoan his fate and pray at that moment, her brother would be punished. bA certain day wasaround the day of bthe New Moon, and sheinadvertently bsubstituted a fullthirty-day month bfor a deficienttwenty-nine-day month, i.e., she thought that it was the New Moon, when one does not lower his head in supplication, but it was not. bSome saythat ba pauper came and stood at the door,and bshe took bread out to him.The result was that she left her husband momentarily unsupervised.,When she returned, bshe found himand saw bthat he had lowered his headin prayer. bShe said to him: Arise, youalready bkilled my brother. Meanwhile,the sound of ba ishofaremerged from the house of Rabban Gamlielto announce bthatthe iNasi bhad died.Rabbi Eliezer bsaid to her: From where did you knowthat your brother would die? bShe said to him: This isthe tradition that bI received from the house of the father ofmy bfather: All the gatesof Heaven are apt to be blocked, except for the gatesof prayer for victims bofverbal bmistreatment. /b,§ bThe Sages taught: One whoverbally bmistreats the convert violates three prohibitions, and one who oppresses himin other ways bviolates two. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat is differentwith regard to verbal bmistreatment, that three prohibitions are writtenconcerning it: b“And you shall neither mistreat a convert”(Exodus 22:20); b“And when a convert lives in your land, you shall not mistreat him”(Leviticus 19:33); b“And you shall not mistreat, each man his colleague”(Leviticus 25:17), band a convert isincluded in the category of bcolleague?With regard to bone who also oppressesa convert bas well, threeprohibitions bare written:“And you shall neither mistreat a convert, bnor oppress him”(Exodus 22:20); b“And you shall not oppress a convert(Exodus 23:9); b“And you shall not be to him like a creditor”(Exodus 22:24). This last prohibition is a general prohibition, bin which converts are included.Consequently, it is not correct that one who oppresses a convert violates only two prohibitions. bRather, both thisone, who verbally mistreats a convert, band thatone, who oppresses him, bviolate three prohibitions. /b, bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Eliezer the Great says: For what reason did the Torah issue warnings in thirty-six places, and some say in forty-six places, with regard tocausing any distress to ba convert?It is bdue tothe fact bthata convert’s binclination is evil,i.e., he is prone to return to his previous way of living., bWhatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “And you shall not mistreat a convert nor oppress him, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt”(Exodus 22:20)? bWe learnedin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Natan says: A defect that is in you, do not mentionit bin another.Since the Jewish people were themselves strangers, they are not in a position to demean a convert because he is a stranger in their midst. bAnd thisexplains the adage bthat people say: One who hasa person bhanged in his family [ ibidyotkei /i], does not say to anothermember of his household: bHang a fish for me,as the mention of hanging is demeaning for that family., strongMISHNA: /strong bOne may not intermingle producebought from one supplier bwithother bproduce, evenif he intermingles bnewproduce bwithother bnewproduce and ostensibly the buyer suffers no loss from his doing so. |
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29. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 3b. בחדתי,ותיפוק ליה משום מזיקין בתרי,אי בתרי חשד נמי ליכא בתרי ופריצי.,מפני המפולת ותיפוק ליה משום חשד ומזיקין,בתרי וכשרי.,מפני המזיקין ותיפוק ליה מפני חשד ומפולת,בחורבה חדתי ובתרי וכשרי, אי בתרי מזיקין נמי ליכא,במקומן חיישינן ואי בעית אימא לעולם בחד ובחורבה חדתי דקאי בדברא דהתם משום חשד ליכא דהא אשה בדברא לא שכיחא ומשום מזיקין איכא:,תנו רבנן ארבע משמרות הוי הלילה דברי רבי רבי נתן אומר שלש,מאי טעמא דרבי נתן דכתיב (שופטים ז)ויבא גדעון ומאה איש אשר אתו בקצה המחנה ראש האשמורת התיכונה תנא אין תיכונה אלא שיש לפניה ולאחריה,ורבי מאי תיכונה אחת מן התיכונה שבתיכונות,ורבי נתן מי כתיב תיכונה שבתיכונות תיכונה כתיב,מאי טעמיה דרבי אמר רב זריקא אמר רבי אמי אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כתוב אחד אומר (תהלים קיט)חצות לילה אקום להודות לך על משפטי צדקך וכתוב אחד אומר (שם)קדמו עיני אשמורות הא כיצד ארבע משמרות הוי הלילה,ורבי נתן סבר לה כרבי יהושע דתנן רבי יהושע אומר עד שלש שעות שכן דרך מלכים לעמוד בשלש שעות שית דליליא ותרתי דיממא הוו להו שתי משמרות,רב אשי אמר משמרה ופלגא נמי משמרות קרו להו:,ואמר רבי זריקא אמר רבי אמי אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אין אומרין בפני המת אלא דבריו של מת,אמר רבי אבא בר כהנא לא אמרן אלא בדברי תורה אבל מילי דעלמא לית לן בה,ואיכא דאמרי אמר רבי אבא בר כהנא לא אמרן אלא [אפילו] בדברי תורה וכל שכן מילי דעלמא:,ודוד בפלגא דליליא הוה קאי מאורתא הוה קאי דכתיב (תהלים קיט)קדמתי בנשף ואשועה וממאי דהאי נשף אורתא הוא דכתיב (משלי ז)בנשף בערב יום באישון לילה ואפילה,אמר רב אושעיא אמר רבי אחא הכי קאמר (דוד) מעולם לא עבר עלי חצות לילה בשינה.,רבי זירא אמר עד חצות לילה היה מתנמנם כסוס מכאן ואילך היה מתגבר כארי רב אשי אמר עד חצות לילה היה עוסק בדברי תורה מכאן ואילך בשירות ותשבחות., ונשף אורתא הוא הא נשף צפרא הוא דכתיב (שמואל א ל)ויכם דוד מהנשף ועד הערב למחרתם מאי לאו מצפרא ועד ליליא,לא מאורתא ועד אורתא,אי הכי לכתוב מהנשף ועד הנשף או מהערב ועד הערב,אלא אמר רבא תרי נשפי הוו נשף ליליא ואתי יממא נשף יממא ואתי ליליא.,ודוד מי הוה ידע פלגא דליליא אימת השתא משה רבינו לא הוה ידע דכתיב (שמות יא) כחצות הלילה אני יוצא בתוך מצרים,מאי כחצות אילימא דאמר ליה קודשא בריך הוא כחצות מי איכא ספיקא קמי שמיא אלא דאמר ליה (למחר) בחצות (כי השתא) ואתא איהו ואמר כחצות אלמא מספקא ליה ודוד הוה ידע,דוד סימנא הוה ליה דאמר רב אחא בר ביזנא אמר רבי שמעון חסידא כנור היה תלוי למעלה ממטתו של דוד וכיון שהגיע חצות לילה בא רוח צפונית ונושבת בו ומנגן מאליו מיד היה עומד ועוסק בתורה עד שעלה עמוד השחר כיון שעלה עמוד השחר נכנסו חכמי ישראל אצלו אמרו לו אדונינו המלך עמך ישראל צריכין פרנסה אמר להם לכו והתפרנסו זה מזה אמרו לו אין הקומץ משביע את הארי ואין הבור מתמלא מחוליתו אמר להם לכו ופשטו ידיכם בגדוד,מיד יועצים באחיתופל ונמלכין בסנהדרין ושואלין באורים ותומים,אמר רב יוסף מאי קרא (דכתיב) (דברי הימים א כז)ואחרי אחיתופל בניהו בן יהוידע ואביתר ושר צבא למלך יואב,אחיתופל זה יועץ וכן הוא אומר (שמואל ב טז) ועצת אחיתופל אשר יעץ בימים ההם כאשר ישאל (איש) בדבר האלהים | 3b. The Gemara answers: This ihalakhaapplies even binthe case of a bnew,sturdy ruin, where there is no danger of collapse. Therefore, the reason because of suspicion is cited in order to warn one not to enter a new ruin as well.,The Gemara continues to object: bAnd let this ihalakha bbe derived because of demons?The Gemara answers: Demons are only a threat to individuals, so because of demons would not apply to a case bwhere twopeople enter a ruin together.,The Gemara objects: But bif there are twopeople entering a ruin together, then bthere is no suspicion either.There is no prohibition against two men to be alone with a woman as, in that case, there is no suspicion of untoward behavior. Consequently, if two men enter a ruin together, there is no room for suspicion. The Gemara answers: If btwo individualsknown to be bimmoralenter together, there is suspicion even though there are two of them.,The Gemara considers why bbecause of collapseis necessary. bLetthe prohibition bbe derived from suspicion and demons. /b,The Gemara responds: There are times when this reason is necessary, e.g., when btwo upstanding individualsenter a ruin together. Although there is neither concern of suspicion nor of demons, there remains concern lest the ruin collapse.,The Gemara considers the third reason, bbecause of demons.Why is it necessary to include: Because of demons? bLetthe prohibition bbe derived from suspicion and collapse. /b,The Gemara responds: There are cases where this is the only concern, for example where it is a bnewruin into which btwo upstandingindividuals enter, so there is neither concern lest it collapse nor of suspicion.,The Gemara points out, however, that bif there are two people, there is also noconcern of bdemons.As such, the question remains: In what case can demons be the sole cause not to enter a ruin?,The Gemara responds: Generally speaking, two individuals need not be concerned about demons; but, if they are bin their place,i.e., a place known to be haunted by demons (see Isaiah 13:21), bwe are concernedabout demons even with two people. bAnd if you wish, sayinstead: bActually,this refers btothe case of ban individualentering ba new ruin located in a field. There, there is no suspicion, asfinding ba woman in the field is uncommon;and since it is a new ruin, there is no danger of collapse. bHowever, there isstill concern of bdemons. /b, bThe Sages taughtin a iTosefta /i: bThe night is comprised of four watches;this is bthe statement of RabbiYehuda HaNasi. bRabbi Natan says:The night is comprised of bthreewatches.,The Gemara explains: bWhat is Rabbi Natan’s reasoning? As it is written: “And Gideon, and the one hundred men who were with him, came to the edge of camp at the beginning of the middle watch”(Judges 7:19). bIt was taughtin the iTosefta /i: bMiddle means nothing other thanthat bthere is one before it and one after it.From the fact that the verse refers to a middle watch, the fact that the night is comprised of three watches may be inferred., bAndwhat does bRabbiYehuda HaNasi say about this proof? He argues that it is inconclusive, as one could say: To bwhatdoes bmiddlerefer? It refers to bone of thetwo bmiddlewatches., bAndhow would bRabbi Natanrespond? He would say: Despite Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s objection, bis: One of the middlewatches, bwrittenin the verse? bThe middlewatch bis written.This indicates that the night is comprised of only three watches., bWhat is RabbiYehuda HaNasi’s breasoning? Rabbi Zerika saidthat bRabbi Ami saidthat bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: RabbiYehuda HaNasi’s opinion is based on a comparison of two verses. bOne verse says: “At midnight I rise to give thanks for Your righteous laws”(Psalms 119:62), band the other verse says: “My eyes forestall the watches,that I will speak of Your word” (Psalms 119:148). Taken together, these verses indicate that their author, King David, rose at midnight, two watches before dawn, in order to study Torah. bHow is itpossible to reconcile these two verses? Only if bthere are four watches in the nightdoes one who rises two watches before dawn rise at midnight., bAndhow does bRabbi Natanreconcile these two verses? He bholds in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yehoshua, for we learnedin a mishna that bRabbi Yehoshua says:One is permitted to recite the morning iShemaduring the time when people rise, buntil the third hourof the day, bas it is the custom of kings to rise during the third hour.Since it is customary for kings to rise during the third hour of the day, if David rose at midnight, he would be awake for bsix hours of the night and two hours of the day,which amounts to btwo watches.Therefore King David could say that he “forestalls the watches,” as he rose two watches before the rest of the kings in the world., bRav Ashi saidthat the verses can be reconciled in accordance with Rabbi Natan’s opinion in another way: bOne and one-half watches are still called watchesin plural. Therefore King David could rise at midnight yet maintain that he “forestalls the watches.”,Following this discussion, another ihalakhathat bRabbi Zerika saidthat bRabbi Ami saidthat bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi saidis cited: bBefore the dead, one may speak only of matters relating to the dead,as speaking of other matters appears to be contemptuous of the deceased, underscoring that he is unable to talk while those around him can. Therefore, one must remain fully engaged in matters relating to him.,Two traditions exist with regard to the details of this ihalakhain the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana. According to one version, bRabbi Abba bar Kahana said:This ihalakha bwas only said with regard to matters of Torah.Speaking of bother matters, however, is notprohibited, since no contempt is expressed for the deceased by the fact that he is unable to speak of such topics., bOthers sayanother version of this ihalakhain the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: This ihalakha bwas said even with regard to matters of Torah, and all the more so with regard to other matters.If one must refrain from speaking of matters of Torah, regarding which one is commanded to speak, and limit himself to matters concerning the deceased, all the more so should he refrain from speaking of other matters, regarding which one is not commanded to speak.,Incidental to the Gemara’s mention of King David, other sources are cited that describe his actions. Regarding that which was cited above, that he would rise in the middle of the night in order to serve his Creator, the Gemara asks: bDid David rise at midnight? He rose in the evening. As it is written: “I rose with the ineshefand cried,I hoped for Your word” (Psalms 119:147). bAnd howdo we know bthat this ineshefis the evening? As it is written: “In the ineshef /i, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness”(Proverbs 7:9). Apparently, King David did indeed rise when it was still evening.,The Gemara suggests several ways to resolve this contradiction. bRabbi Oshaya saidthat bRabbi Aḥa said: David said as follows: Midnight never passed me by in my sleep.Sometimes I fulfilled the verse, “I rose with the ineshefand cried,” but I always, at least, fulfilled the verse, “At midnight I rise to give thanks for Your righteous laws.”, bRabbi Zeira said: Until midnight,David bwould doze like a horse,as a horse dozes, but never sleeps deeply. bFrommidnight bon, he would gain the strength of a lion. Rav Ashi said: Until midnight, he would study Torah,as it is written: “I rose with the ineshefand cried, I hoped for Your word,” band frommidnight bon,he would engage in bsongs and praise,as it is written: “At midnight I rise to give thanks.”,To this point, the discussion has been based on the assumption that ineshefmeans evening. The Gemara asks: bDoes ineshef /ireally bmean evening? Doesn’t ineshefmean morning? As it is written: “And David slew them from the ineshefuntil the evening of the next day”(I Samuel 30:17). bDoesn’tthis verse mean bfrom the morning until the night,in which case ineshefmust mean morning?,The Gemara responds: bNo,this verse means that David slew them bfromone bevening untilthe next bevening. /b,The Gemara rejects this response: bIf so, letthe verse bbe written: From the ineshefuntil the ineshef /i, or from the evening until the evening.Why would the verse employ two different terms for a single concept?, bRather, Rava said: There are twotimes referred to as ineshef /i,and the word can refer to either evening or morning. iNeshefmust be understood in accordance with its Aramaic root: bThe night movespast b[ineshaf] band the day arrives, and the day movespast [ ineshaf] band the night arrives. /b,When King David said: At midnight I rise, the assumption is that he rose precisely at midnight. The Gemara asks: bDid David knowexactly bwhen it was midnight? Even Moses our teacher did not knowexactly when it was midnight. How do we know this about Moses? bAs it is writtenthat he said to Pharaoh: “Thus said the Lord: bAbout midnight, I will go out into the midst of Egypt”(Exodus 11:4). The word about indicates that it was only an approximation.,The Gemara clarifies: bWhatis the meaning of the expression: bAbout midnight?Did Moses say it or did God say it? bIf we saythat bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself, said: About midnight, toMoses, bis there doubt beforeGod in bheaven? Rather,this must be understood as follows: bGod toldMoses: bAt midnight, butfrom the fact that bwhenMoses bcameto Pharaoh bhe said: About midnight; apparently /b, Moses bwas uncertainabout the exact moment of midnight. Moses, the greatest of all the prophets, was uncertain, and bDavid knew? /b,The Gemara offers several answers to this question: br bDavid had a signindicating when bit was midnight.As bRav Aḥa bar Bizna saidthat bRabbi Shimon Ḥasida said: A lyre hung over David’s bed, and once midnight arrived, the northernmidnight bwind would come andcause bthe lyre to play on its own.David bwould immediately risefrom his bed band study Torah until the first rays of dawn. br bOnce dawnarrived, bthe Sages of Israel enteredto advise bhimwith regard to the various concerns of the nation and the economy. bThey said to him: Our master, the king, your nation requires sustece. br bHe said: Go and sustain one another,provide each other with whatever is lacking. brThe Sages of Israel bresponded to himwith a parable: bA single handfulof food bdoes not satisfy a lion, and a pitwill bnotbe bfilledmerely bfromthe rain that falls directly into bits mouth,but other water must be piped in ( ige’onim /i). So too, the nation cannot sustain itself using its own resources. brKing David btold them: Go and take up arms with the troopsin battle in order to expand our borders and provide our people with the opportunity to earn a livelihood.,The Sages bimmediately seek advice from Ahitophelto determine whether or not it was appropriate to go to war at that time and how they should conduct themselves, band they consult the Sanhedrinin order to receive the requisite license to wage a war under those circumstances ( iTosefot HaRosh /i). bAnd they ask the iUrim VeTummim /iwhether or not they should go to war, and whether or not they would be successful., bRav Yosef said:Upon bwhat verseis this iaggadabased? bAs it is written: “And after Ahitophel was Yehoyada son of Benayahu and Evyatar, and the general of the king’s army, Yoav”(I Chronicles 27:34).,The individuals named in this verse correspond with the roles in the iaggadaas follows: bAhitophel is the adviserwhose advice they sought first with regard to going to war, band so it says: “Now the counsel of Ahitophel, which he counseled in those days, was as a man who inquires of the word of God;so was the counsel of Ahitophel both with David and with Absalom” (II Samuel 16:23). |
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30. Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 9b. ששהו את קיניהן מיהא מעלה עליהן הכתוב כאילו שכבום,בזיון קדשים דכתיב (שמואל א ב, טו) גם בטרם יקטירון את החלב ובא נער הכהן ואמר לאיש הזובח תנה בשר לצלות לכהן ולא יקח ממך בשר מבושל כי אם חי ויאמר אליו האיש קטר יקטירון כיום החלב וקח לך כאשר תאוה נפשך ואמר לו כי עתה תתן ואם לא לקחתי בחזקה ותהי חטאת הנערים גדולה מאד את פני ה' כי נאצו האנשים את מנחת ה',מקדש ראשון מפני מה חרב מפני ג' דברים שהיו בו ע"ז וגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים ע"ז דכתיב (ישעיהו כח, כ) כי קצר המצע מהשתרע,מאי קצר המצע מהשתרע א"ר יונתן קצר מצע זה מהשתרר עליו שני רעים כאחד,(ישעיהו כח, כ) והמסכה צרה כהתכנס א"ר שמואל בר נחמני כי מטי רבי יונתן להאי קרא בכי אמר מאן דכתיב ביה (תהלים לג, ז) כונס כנד מי הים נעשית לו מסכה צרה,גלוי עריות דכתיב (ישעיהו ג, טז) ויאמר ה' יען כי גבהו בנות ציון ותלכנה נטויות גרון ומשקרות עינים הלוך וטפוף תלכנה וברגליהן תעכסנה יען כי גבהו בנות ציון שהיו מהלכות ארוכה בצד קצרה ותלכנה נטויות גרון שהיו מהלכות בקומה זקופה ומשקרות עינים דהוו מליין כוחלא עיניהן הלוך וטפוף תלכנה שהיו מהלכות עקב בצד גודל וברגליהן תעכסנה א"ר יצחק שהיו מביאות מור ואפרסמון ומניחות במנעליהן וכשמגיעות אצל בחורי ישראל בועטות ומתיזות עליהן ומכניסין בהן יצה"ר כארס בכעוס,שפיכות דמים דכתיב (מלכים ב כא, טז) וגם דם נקי שפך מנשה [הרבה מאד] עד אשר מלא את ירושלם פה לפה,אבל מקדש שני שהיו עוסקין בתורה ובמצות וגמילות חסדים מפני מה חרב מפני שהיתה בו שנאת חנם ללמדך ששקולה שנאת חנם כנגד שלש עבירות ע"ז גלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים,רשעים היו אלא שתלו בטחונם בהקב"ה אתאן למקדש ראשון דכתיב (מיכה ג, יא) ראשיה בשוחד ישפוטו וכהניה במחיר יורו ונביאיה בכסף יקסומו ועל ה' ישענו לאמר הלא ה' בקרבנו לא תבוא עלינו רעה לפיכך הביא עליהן הקב"ה ג' גזרות כנגד ג' עבירות שבידם שנאמר (מיכה ג, יב) לכן בגללכם ציון שדה תחרש וירושלים עיין תהיה והר הבית לבמות יער,ובמקדש ראשון לא הוה ביה שנאת חנם והכתיב (יחזקאל כא, יז) מגורי אל חרב היו את עמי לכן ספוק אל ירך וא"ר (אליעזר) אלו בני אדם שאוכלין ושותין זה עם זה ודוקרין זה את זה בחרבות שבלשונם,ההיא בנשיאי ישראל הואי דכתיב (יחזקאל כא, יז) זעק והילל בן אדם כי היא היתה בעמי ותניא זעק והילל בן אדם יכול לכל תלמוד לומר היא בכל נשיאי ישראל,ר' יוחנן ור"א דאמרי תרווייהו ראשונים שנתגלה עונם נתגלה קצם אחרונים שלא נתגלה עונם לא נתגלה קצם,אמר רבי יוחנן טובה צפורנן של ראשונים מכריסו של אחרונים א"ל ריש לקיש אדרבה אחרונים עדיפי אף על גב דאיכא שעבוד מלכיות קא עסקי בתורה אמר ליה בירה תוכיח שחזרה לראשונים ולא חזרה לאחרונים,שאלו את רבי אלעזר ראשונים גדולים או אחרונים גדולים אמר להם תנו עיניכם בבירה איכא דאמרי אמר להם עידיכם בירה,ריש לקיש הוי סחי בירדנא אתא רבה בר בר חנה יהב ליה ידא א"ל אלהא סנינא לכו דכתיב (שיר השירים ח, ט) אם חומה היא נבנה עליה טירת כסף ואם דלת היא נצור עליה לוח ארז אם עשיתם עצמכם כחומה ועליתם כולכם בימי עזרא נמשלתם ככסף שאין רקב שולט בו עכשיו שעליתם כדלתות נמשלתם כארז שהרקב שולט בו,מאי ארז אמר עולא ססמגור מאי ססמגור אמר רבי אבא בת קול כדתניא משמתו נביאים האחרונים חגי זכריה ומלאכי נסתלקה רוח הקדש מישראל ועדיין היו משתמשין בבת קול,וריש לקיש מי משתעי בהדי רבה בר בר חנה ומה רבי (אליעזר) דמרא דארעא דישראל הוה ולא הוה משתעי ר"ל בהדיה דמאן דמשתעי ר"ל בהדיה בשוק יהבו ליה עיסקא בלא סהדי בהדי רבב"ח משתעי,אמר רב פפא שדי גברא בינייהו או ריש לקיש הוה וזעירי או רבה בר בר חנה הוה ור"א כי אתא לקמיה דרבי יוחנן א"ל לאו היינו טעמא א"נ סליקו כולהו בימי עזרא לא הוה שריא שכינה במקדש שני דכתיב (בראשית ט, כז) יפת אלהים ליפת וישכן באהלי שם | 9b. bthat they deferredthe sacrifice of btheirbird-offerings by women after childbirth; bnevertheless, the verse ascribes to them as if they laywith bthem.These women came to the Tabernacle to sacrifice doves or pigeons as bird-offerings as part of their purification process, which would permit them to engage in sexual relations with their husbands. Eli’s sons delayed the sacrifice of these offerings and thereby delayed the return of these women to their husbands and their fulfillment of the mitzva of procreation. Even though, according to this opinion, Eli’s sons did not actually engage in sexual relations with these women, the verse attributes that degree of severity to their conduct.,Eli’s sons also sinned in the bdegradation of consecrated items, as it is written: “Before the fat was made burned, the priest’s servant came and said to the man who sacrificed: Hand over some flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not take cooked flesh from you, but raw. And if the man said to him: Let the fat be burnt first and then take as much as you want, then he would say: No, hand it over right now, or I will take it by force. The sin of the young men against the Lord was very great, for the men treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt”(I Samuel 2:15–17).,§ The iToseftacontinues with a discussion of the sins of the Jewish people over the generations: bDue to whatreason bwasthe bFirst Temple destroyed?It was destroyed bdue tothe fact bthat there were three mattersthat existed binthe First Temple: bIdol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. Idol worship, as it is written: “The bed is too short for stretching [ imehistare’a /i],and the cover is too narrow for gathering” (Isaiah 28:20)., bWhat isthe meaning of: b“The bed is too short for stretching?” Rabbi Yonatan said: This bed is too short for two counterparts [ ire’im /i] to dominate [ imehistarer /i]. iMehistare’ais a contraction of imehistarer re’im /i. It is inconceivable that there would be in one Temple both service of God and worship of the idol placed there by King Manasseh., bWhatis the meaning of: bAnd the cover [ ivehamasseikha /i] is too narrow [ itzara /i] for gathering [ ikehitkannes /i]? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saidthat bwhen Rabbi Yonatan reached this verse, he weptand bsaid: For He about Whom it is written: “He gathers [ ikones /i] waters of the sea together as a heap”(Psalms 33:7), bthe idol [ imasseikha /i] became a rival [ itzara /i]?In the homiletic interpretation, imasseikhais interpreted as idol and itzarais interpreted as rival, as in the term used to describe the relationship between two women married to the same husband, iisha tzara /i.,With regard to bforbidden sexual relations, it is written: “The Lord says because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go and making a tinkling with their feet”(Isaiah 3:16). br bBecause the daughters of Zion are haughty,indicates a btallwoman walking balongsidea bshortone so that the tall woman would stand out. br bAnd walk with outstretched necks,indicates bthat they would walk with upright statureand carry themselves in an immodest way. br bAnd wanton eyes,indicates bthat they would fill their eyes with blue eye shadowin order to draw attention to their eyes. br bWalking and mincing as they go,indicates bthat they would walkin small steps, bheel to toe,so onlookers would notice them. br bMaking a tinkling [ ite’akasna /i] with their feet, Rabbi Yitzḥak said:This teaches bthat they would bring myrrh and balsam and placethem bin their shoesand would walk in the marketplaces of Jerusalem. bAnd once they approacheda place where byoung Jewish menwere congregated, bthey would stamptheir feet on the ground band splashthe perfume btoward them and instill the evil inclination into them like venom of a viper [ ike’eres bikhos /i]. /b,With regard to bbloodshed it is written: “Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another”(II Kings 21:16)., bHowever,considering that the people during bthe Second Templeperiod bwere engaged in Torahstudy, observance of bmitzvot, and acts of kindness,and that they did not perform the sinful acts that were performed in the First Temple, bwhy wasthe Second Temple bdestroyed?It was destroyed bdue tothe fact bthat there was wanton hatredduring that period. This comes bto teach you thatthe sin of bwanton hatred is equivalent to the threesevere btransgressions: Idol worship, forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. /b,The Gemara continues: bThey were wicked; however, they put their faith in the Holy One, Blessed be He.With that statement bwe have come tothe bFirst Templeera, about bwhich it is written: “Her chiefs judge for bribes, her priests give rulings for a fee, and her prophets divine for pay; yet they rely on the Lord, saying: The Lord is in our midst, no tragedy will overtake us”(Micah 3:11). At least the final portion of the verse was to their credit. bTherefore, the Holy One, Blessed be He, brought upon them three decrees corresponding to their three wicked sins, as it is stated: “Therefore, due to you Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become heaps of ruins, and the Temple Mount will be a like a shrine in the woods”(Micah 3:12).,The Gemara asks: bAnd in the First Templeera bwas therereally bno baseless hatred? Isn’t it written:“Cry and wail, son of man, for this will befall my people, this will befall all the princes of Israel: bThey will be cast before the sword together with my people, therefore strike the thigh”(Ezekiel 21:17)? bRabbi Eliezerinterpreted this verse and bsaid: These are people who eat and drink with each other, and stab each other with verbal barbs.Apparently, even those who were close were filled with hatred toward one another.,The Gemara answers: bThatbehavior bwasfound only among bthe princes of Israel, as it is written: “Cry and wail, son of man, for this will befall my people”; and it was taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“Cry and wail, son of man,for this will befall my people”; one bmighthave thought that this unsavory trait was common bto all.Therefore, bthe verse states: “This will befall all the princes of Israel.”It was only the leaders of the nation who harbored baseless hatred for each other; the people of the nation as a whole did not hate one another.,§ It was bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazar who both said:In the case of bthe former,the people in the First Temple era, bwhose sin was exposedand no attempt was made to disguise their conduct, the bendof btheirpunishment bwas exposed,and the prophet informed them that they would return to their land in seventy years. In the case of bthe latter,the people in the Second Temple era, bwhose sin was not exposed;rather, they attempted to disguise their conduct, the bendof btheirpunishment bwas not exposed. /b, bRabbi Yoḥa said: The fingernails of the former are preferable to the belly of the latter. Reish Lakish said to him: On the contrary, the latter were superior; even though there is subjugation by the kingdoms, they are engaged in Torah study.Rabbi Yoḥa bsaid toReish Lakish: bThe Temple will provethat the former were superior, bas itwas brestored to the former.The Second Temple was constructed after the destruction of the first. However, after the destruction of the Second Temple, bitwas bnot restored to the latter.Apparently, the former were superior to the latter.,Similarly, the Sages basked Rabbi Elazar: Are the former greater or are the latter greater? He said to them: Look to the Templeand see if it has been restored, as it was to our predecessors. bSome saythe exchange was slightly different: bHe said to them: The Temple is your witness.The restoration of the Temple after the destruction of the First Temple, attests to the fact that the former generation was greater., bReish Lakish was swimming in the Jordan Riverwhen bRabba bar bar Ḥana came and gave him a handto help him out. Reish Lakish bsaid to him: My God! I hate youBabylonians, bas it is written: “If she be a wall we will build a silver turret upon her, if she be a door we will cover her with boards of cedar”(Song of Songs 8:9). This is the meaning of the verse as it applies to the Jewish people: bHad you rendered yourselvesa solid bloc blike a wall and all ascendedto Eretz Yisrael bin the days of Ezra, you would have been likened to silver, which rot does not infest,in the sense that you would have merited experiencing the Divine Presence in all its glory. bNow that you ascended like doors,and only some of you came to Eretz Yisrael, byou are likened to cedar, which rot infests,and you merit experiencing only partial revelation of the Divine Presence.,The Gemara asks: bWhatrot infests bcedar? Ulla said: It is isasmagor /i,a type of worm. The Gemara asks: bWhatdoes isasmagor /ihave to do with the Divine Presence during the Second Temple era? bRabbi Abba said:Just as little remains from a cedar tree infested by this worm, similarly, all that remained from the Divine Presence during the Second Temple period was a bDivine Voice, as it was taughtin a ibaraita /i: bAfter the last prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi died, the Divine Spiritof prophetic revelation bdeparted from the Jewish people, and they were still utilizing a Divine Voice,which they heard as an echo of prophecy.,The Gemara asks: bAnd would Reish Lakish speak with Rabba bar bar Ḥanain public? bJust as Rabbi Elazar, who was the master of Eretz Yisraelin wisdom and character, bandnevertheless, bReish Lakish would not speak with himin public, as Reish Lakish was sparing in his speech and extended friendship to only a select few prominent, righteous people, to the extent that ba person to whom Reish Lakishwas seen bspeaking in the marketplace, one would give hima loan and bdo businesswith him bwithout witnesses;would he bhave spoken with Rabba bar bar Ḥana? /b, bRav Pappa said: Cast a man between them,and say that the incident did not involve Reish Lakish and Rabba bar bar Ḥana. It bwas either Reish Lakishbathing in the river band Ze’iri,the prominent Babylonian Sage, who extended him a hand, borit was bRabba bar bar Ḥanawho was in the river band Rabbi Elazarextended a hand to him. In any event, bwhenthe Sage who heard what Reish Lakish said bcame before Rabbi Yoḥaand related it, Rabbi Yoḥa bsaid to him: That is not the reason; even had they all ascended in the days of Ezra, the Divine Presence would not have rested in the Second Temple, as it is written: “God will enlarge Japheth, and dwell in the tents of Shem”(Genesis 9:27). |
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31. Anon., 4 Baruch, 6.15-6.19, 9.13, 9.18
| 6.15. And while Baruch was still praying, behold an angel of the Lord cameand said all these words to Baruch: Agent of the light, do not be anxious about how you will send to Jeremiah; for an eagle is coming to you at the hour of light tomorrow, and you will direct him to Jeremiah. 6.16. Therefore, write in a letter: Say to the children of Israel: Let the stranger who comes among you be set apart and let 15 days go by; and after this I will lead you into your city, says the Lord. 6.17. He who is not separated from Babylon will not enter into the city; and I will punish them by keeping them from being received back by the Babylonians, says the Lord. 6.18. And when the angel had said this, he departed from Baruch. 6.19. And Baruch sent to the market of the gentiles and got papyrus and inkand wrote a letter as follows: Baruch, the servant of God, writes to Jeremiah in the captivity of Babylon: 9.13. And when they heard the voice they did not bury him, but stayedaround his tabernacle for three days saying, "when will he arise? 9.18. And what is crimson will become white as wool -- the snow will be blackened -- the sweet waters will become salty, and the salty sweet, in the intense light of the joy of God. |
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32. Anon., Joseph And Aseneth, 16.14-16.15
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