1. Hebrew Bible, Hosea, 14.9 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 14.9. אֶפְרַיִם מַה־לִּי עוֹד לָעֲצַבִּים אֲנִי עָנִיתִי וַאֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ אֲנִי כִּבְרוֹשׁ רַעֲנָן מִמֶּנִּי פֶּרְיְךָ נִמְצָא׃ | 14.9. Ephraim [shall say]: ‘What have I to do any more with idols?’ As for Me, I respond and look on him; I am like a leafy cypress-tree; From Me is thy fruit found." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 25.1-25.5 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 25.1. וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃ 25.1. וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים וַיָּחֶל הָעָם לִזְנוֹת אֶל־בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב׃ 25.2. וַתִּקְרֶאןָ לָעָם לְזִבְחֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶן וַיֹּאכַל הָעָם וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶן׃ 25.3. וַיִּצָּמֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר וַיִּחַר־אַף יְהוָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 25.4. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה קַח אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁי הָעָם וְהוֹקַע אוֹתָם לַיהוָה נֶגֶד הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וְיָשֹׁב חֲרוֹן אַף־יְהוָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל׃ 25.5. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־שֹׁפְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִרְגוּ אִישׁ אֲנָשָׁיו הַנִּצְמָדִים לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר׃ | 25.1. And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab." 25.2. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods." 25.3. And Israel joined himself unto the Baal of Peor; and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel." 25.4. And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto the LORD in face of the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.’" 25.5. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel: ‘Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto the Baal of Peor.’" |
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3. Philo of Alexandria, On The Special Laws, 1.190-1.192, 2.148 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 1.190. The sacrifices which are whole burnt offerings and are joint offerings on behalf of the nation or--to speak more accurately--on behalf of the entire race of humanity have been addressed to the best of my ability. However, a he-goat accompanies the whole burnt offerings on each day of the feast. He is called "concerning sins" and is sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins. His meat is Distributed{25}{although S. Daniel included a negative in her edition (PAPM 24 1.191. What is the reason for this? Is it because a feast is a time of good cheer, and undeceiving and true good cheer is good sense firmly established in the soul, and this unwavering good sense is impossible to receive without a cure from sins and cutting off of the passions? For it would be out of place if each of the animals of the whole burnt offerings is sacrificed only when it is found undamaged and unhurt, but the mind of the sacrificer has not been purified in every way and cleansed by making use of washings and lustrations which the right reason of nature pours into God-loving souls through healthy and uncorrupt ears. 1.192. In addition the following ought to be said. These festal and holiday rests have in the past often opened up countless avenues to sins. For unmixed beverage and luxurious diets with excessive drinking arouse the insatiable desires of the stomach and also kindle the desires of the parts beneath the stomach. As these desires both flow and stream out in every way, they produce a surge of unspeakable evils using the fearless stimulant of the feast as a refuge to avoid suffering anything. 2.148. And each house is at that time invested with the character and dignity of a temple, the victim being sacrificed so as to make a suitable feast for the man who has provided it and of those who are collected to share in the feast, being all duly purified with holy ablutions. And those who are to share in the feast come together not as they do to other entertainments, to gratify their bellies with wine and meat, but to fulfil their hereditary custom with prayer and songs of praise. |
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4. Mishnah, Peah, 8.7 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 8.7. They may not give a poor person wandering from place to place less than a loaf worth a pundion at a time when four seahs [of wheat cost] one sela. If he spends the night [at a place], they must give him the cost of what he needs for the night. If he stays over Shabbat they must give him enough food for three meals. He who has the money for two meals, he may not take anything from the charity dish. And if he has enough money for fourteen meals, he may not take any support from the communal fund. The communal fund is collected by two and distributed by three people." |
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5. Tosefta, Megillah, 2.15 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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6. Tosefta, Peah, 4.8-4.9, 4.12, 4.18 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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7. Tosefta, Shabbat, 16.22 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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8. Anon., Leviticus Rabba, 23.4 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 23.4. רַב חָנָן דְּצִפּוֹרִי פָּתַר קְרָיָא בִּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם עֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם נִכְנָסִין לְבֵית הֶאָבֵל וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם יָכוֹל לִפְתֹּחַ אֶת פִּיו וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים, וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם פּוֹתֵחַ פִּיו וּמְבָרֵךְ, דּוֹמֶה כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים. בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם עֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם נִכְנָסִין לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם יָכוֹל לִפְרֹס עַל שְׁמַע וְלַעֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם יוֹדֵעַ, דּוֹמֶה כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָזַל לְחַד אֲתַר אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ פְּרֹס עַל שְׁמַע, אָמַר לָהֶן לֵינָא חָכֵם עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה. אָמַר לָהֶן לֵינָא חָכֵם, אָמְרִין דֵּין הוּא רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דֵּין הוּא דְּאַתּוּן מִתְגַּלְגְּלִין בֵּיהּ, עַל מַגָּן צָוְוחִין לֵיהּ רַבִּי. נִתְכַּרְכְּמוּ פָנָיו וְהָלַךְ לוֹ אֵצֶל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא רַבּוֹ, אָמַר לֵיהּ לָמָּה פָנֶיךָ חוֹלָנִיּוֹת, תָּנֵי לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ צָבֵי מָרִי דְּיֵלִיף, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין, אִלְפֵיהּ. לְבָתַר יוֹמִין אָזַל לְהַהוּא אַתְרָא, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ פְּרֹס עַל שְׁמַע, פָּרַס. עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, עָבַר. אָמְרִין אִתְחַסַּם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְקוֹרִין לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חִסְמָא. רַבִּי יוֹנָה הֲוָה מַלֵּיף לְתַלְמִידוֹי בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים, אֲמַר יֶהֱווֹן גַּבְרִין בְּכָל מִלָּה. | |
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9. Anon., Sifre Deuteronomy, 16 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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10. Tertullian, Apology, 39 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 39. I shall at once go on, then, to exhibit the peculiarities of the Christian society, that, as I have refuted the evil charged against it, I may point out its positive good. We are a body knit together as such by a common religious profession, by unity of discipline, and by the bond of a common hope. We meet together as an assembly and congregation, that, offering up prayer to God as with united force, we may wrestle with Him in our supplications. This violence God delights in. We pray, too, for the emperors, for their ministers and for all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for the prevalence of peace, for the delay of the final consummation. We assemble to read our sacred writings, if any peculiarity of the times makes either forewarning or reminiscence needful. However it be in that respect, with the sacred words we nourish our faith, we animate our hope, we make our confidence more steadfast; and no less by inculcations of God's precepts we confirm good habits. In the same place also exhortations are made, rebukes and sacred censures are administered. For with a great gravity is the work of judging carried on among us, as befits those who feel assured that they are in the sight of God; and you have the most notable example of judgment to come when any one has sinned so grievously as to require his severance from us in prayer, in the congregation and in all sacred intercourse. The tried men of our elders preside over us, obtaining that honour not by purchase, but by established character. There is no buying and selling of any sort in the things of God. Though we have our treasure chest, it is not made up of purchase-money, as of a religion that has its price. On the monthly day, if he likes, each puts in a small donation; but only if it be his pleasure, and only if he be able: for there is no compulsion; all is voluntary. These gifts are, as it were, piety's deposit fund. For they are not taken thence and spent on feasts, and drinking-bouts, and eating-houses, but to support and bury poor people, to supply the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old persons confined now to the house; such, too, as have suffered shipwreck; and if there happen to be any in the mines, or banished to the islands, or shut up in the prisons, for nothing but their fidelity to the cause of God's Church, they become the nurslings of their confession. But it is mainly the deeds of a love so noble that lead many to put a brand upon us. See, they say, how they love one another, for themselves are animated by mutual hatred; how they are ready even to die for one another, for they themselves will sooner put to death. And they are angry with us, too, because we call each other brethren; for no other reason, as I think, than because among themselves names of consanguinity are assumed in mere pretence of affection. But we are your brethren as well, by the law of our common mother nature, though you are hardly men, because brothers so unkind. At the same time, how much more fittingly they are called and counted brothers who have been led to the knowledge of God as their common Father, who have drunk in one spirit of holiness, who from the same womb of a common ignorance have agonized into the same light of truth! But on this very account, perhaps, we are regarded as having less claim to be held true brothers, that no tragedy makes a noise about our brotherhood, or that the family possessions, which generally destroy brotherhood among you, create fraternal bonds among us. One in mind and soul, we do not hesitate to share our earthly goods with one another. All things are common among us but our wives. We give up our community where it is practised alone by others, who not only take possession of the wives of their friends, but most tolerantly also accommodate their friends with theirs, following the example, I believe, of those wise men of ancient times, the Greek Socrates and the Roman Cato, who shared with their friends the wives whom they had married, it seems for the sake of progeny both to themselves and to others; whether in this acting against their partners' wishes, I am not able to say. Why should they have any care over their chastity, when their husbands so readily bestowed it away? O noble example of Attic wisdom, of Roman gravity - the philosopher and the censor playing pimps! What wonder if that great love of Christians towards one another is desecrated by you! For you abuse also our humble feasts, on the ground that they are extravagant as well as infamously wicked. To us, it seems, applies the saying of Diogenes: The people of Megara feast as though they were going to die on the morrow; they build as though they were never to die! But one sees more readily the mote in another's eye than the beam in his own. Why, the very air is soured with the eructations of so many tribes, and curi, and decuri . The Salii cannot have their feast without going into debt; you must get the accountants to tell you what the tenths of Hercules and the sacrificial banquets cost; the choicest cook is appointed for the Apaturia, the Dionysia, the Attic mysteries; the smoke from the banquet of Serapis will call out the firemen. Yet about the modest supper-room of the Christians alone a great ado is made. Our feast explains itself by its name. The Greeks call it agapè, i.e., affection. Whatever it costs, our outlay in the name of piety is gain, since with the good things of the feast we benefit the needy; not as it is with you, do parasites aspire to the glory of satisfying their licentious propensities, selling themselves for a belly-feast to all disgraceful treatment - but as it is with God himself, a peculiar respect is shown to the lowly. If the object of our feast be good, in the light of that consider its further regulations. As it is an act of religious service, it permits no vileness or immodesty. The participants, before reclining, taste first of prayer to God. As much is eaten as satisfies the cravings of hunger; as much is drunk as befits the chaste. They say it is enough, as those who remember that even during the night they have to worship God; they talk as those who know that the Lord is one of their auditors. After manual ablution, and the bringing in of lights, each is asked to stand forth and sing, as he can, a hymn to God, either one from the holy Scriptures or one of his own composing - a proof of the measure of our drinking. As the feast commenced with prayer, so with prayer it is closed. We go from it, not like troops of mischief-doers, nor bands of vagabonds, nor to break out into licentious acts, but to have as much care of our modesty and chastity as if we had been at a school of virtue rather than a banquet. Give the congregation of the Christians its due, and hold it unlawful, if it is like assemblies of the illicit sort: by all means let it be condemned, if any complaint can be validly laid against it, such as lies against secret factions. But who has ever suffered harm from our assemblies? We are in our congregations just what we are when separated from each other; we are as a community what we are individuals; we injure nobody, we trouble nobody. When the upright, when the virtuous meet together, when the pious, when the pure assemble in congregation, you ought not to call that a faction, but a curia- [i.e., the court of God.] |
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11. Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 59a. נוח לו לאדם שיבא על ספק אשת איש ואל ילבין פני חבירו ברבים מנ"ל מדדרש רבא דדרש רבא מאי דכתיב (תהלים לה, טו) ובצלעי שמחו ונאספו קרעו ולא דמו אמר דוד לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע גלוי וידוע לפניך שאם היו מקרעים בשרי לא היה דמי שותת לארץ,ולא עוד אלא אפילו בשעה שעוסקין בנגעים ואהלות אומרים לי דוד הבא על אשת איש מיתתו במה ואני אומר להם מיתתו בחנק ויש לו חלק לעוה"ב אבל המלבין את פני חבירו ברבים אין לו חלק לעוה"ב,(ואמר) מר זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב חנא בר ביזנא אמר ר"ש חסידא ואמרי לה א"ר יוחנן משום רשב"י נוח לו לאדם שיפיל עצמו לכבשן האש ואל ילבין פני חבירו ברבים מנ"ל מתמר דכתיב (בראשית לח, כה) היא מוצאת והיא שלחה אל חמיה,אמר רב חננא בריה דרב אידי מאי דכתיב (ויקרא כה, יז) ולא תונו איש את עמיתו עם שאתך בתורה ובמצות אל תונהו אמר רב לעולם יהא אדם זהיר באונאת אשתו שמתוך שדמעתה מצויה אונאתה קרובה,א"ר אלעזר מיום שנחרב בית המקדש ננעלו שערי תפלה שנאמר (איכה ג, ח) גם כי אזעק ואשוע שתם תפלתי ואע"פ ששערי תפלה ננעלו שערי דמעות לא ננעלו שנאמר (תהלים לט, יג) שמעה תפלתי ה' ושועתי האזינה אל דמעתי אל תחרש,ואמר רב כל ההולך בעצת אשתו נופל בגיהנם שנאמר (מלכים א כא, כה) רק לא היה כאחאב וגו' א"ל רב פפא לאביי והא אמרי אינשי איתתך גוצא גחין ותלחוש לה לא קשיא הא במילי דעלמא והא במילי דביתא לישנא אחרינא הא במילי דשמיא והא במילי דעלמא,אמר רב חסדא כל השערים ננעלים חוץ משערי אונאה שנאמר (עמוס ז, ז) הנה ה' נצב על חומת אנך ובידו אנך א"ר אלעזר הכל נפרע בידי שליח חוץ מאונאה שנאמר ובידו אנך,א"ר אבהו ג' אין הפרגוד ננעל בפניהם אונאה וגזל וע"ז אונאה דכתיב ובידו אנך גזל דכתיב (ירמיהו ו, ז) חמס ושוד ישמע בה על פני תמיד ע"ז דכתיב (ישעיהו סה, ג) העם המכעיסים אותי על פני תמיד [וגו'],אמר רב יהודה לעולם יהא אדם זהיר בתבואה בתוך ביתו שאין מריבה מצויה בתוך ביתו של אדם אלא על עסקי תבואה שנאמר (תהלים קמז, יד) השם גבולך שלום חלב חטים ישביעך אמר רב פפא היינו דאמרי אינשי כמשלם שערי מכדא נקיש ואתי תיגרא בביתא,ואמר רב חיננא בר פפא לעולם יהא אדם זהיר בתבואה בתוך ביתו שלא נקראו ישראל דלים אלא על עסקי תבואה שנאמר (שופטים ו, ג) והיה אם זרע ישראל וגו' וכתיב (שופטים ו, ד) ויחנו עליהם וגו' וכתיב (שופטים ו, ו) וידל ישראל מאד מפני מדין,(וא"ר) חלבו לעולם יהא אדם זהיר בכבוד אשתו שאין ברכה מצויה בתוך ביתו של אדם אלא בשביל אשתו שנאמר (בראשית יב, טז) ולאברם הטיב בעבורה והיינו דאמר להו רבא לבני מחוזא אוקירו לנשייכו כי היכי דתתעתרו,תנן התם חתכו חוליות ונתן חול בין חוליא לחוליא ר"א מטהר וחכמים מטמאין | 59a. bIt is preferable for a person to engage in intercourse with a womanwhose bmarriedstatus is buncertain and not humiliate another in public.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this? The Gemara answers: It is bfrom that which Rava interpreted, as Rava interpreted: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “And when I limped they rejoiced and gathered…they tore and did not cease [ idamu /i]”(Psalms 35:15)? The term “ idamu /i” can also be understood as a reference to blood. Concerning the fasting he undertook to atone for his sin with Bathsheba (see II Samuel, chapters 11–12), bDavid said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, it is revealed and known before You that ifmy tormenters bwere to tear my flesh, my blood [ idami /i] would not flow to the ground,due to excessive fasting., bAnd moreover,they torment me to the extent that beven at the timewhen bthey are engagedin the public study of the ihalakhot bof leprous sores and tentsin which there is a corpse, i.e., halakhic matters that have no connection to my sin, bthey say to me: David, one who engages in intercourse with a married woman, his deathis effected bwith whatform of execution? bAnd I say to them: One who engages in intercourse with a married womanbefore witnesses and with forewarning, bhis death is by strangulation, but hestill bhas a share in the World-to-Come. But one who humiliates another in public has no share in the World-to-Come.The transgression of you, who humiliate me, is more severe than my transgression., bAnd Mar Zutra bar Toviyya saysthat bRav says; and some say Rav Ḥana bar Bizna saysthat bRabbi Shimon Ḥasida says; and some say Rabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is more comfortable for a person to cast himself into a fiery furnace,than to bhumiliate another in publicto avoid being cast into the furnace. bFrom where do wederive this? bFrom Tamar,daughter-in-law of Judah. When she was taken out to be burned, she did not reveal that she was pregt with Judah’s child. Rather, she left the decision to him, to avoid humiliating him in public, bas it is written:“And Judah said: Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. bWhen she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law,saying: I am pregt by the man to whom these belong. And she said: Examine these, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff?” (Genesis 38:24–25).,§ bRav Ḥina, son of Rav Idi, says: Whatis the meaning of that bwhich is written: “And you shall not mistreat each man his colleague [ iamito /i]”(Leviticus 25:17)? The word iamitois interpreted as a contraction of iim ito /i, meaning: One who is with him. bWithone who is bwith you inobservance of bTorah and mitzvot, you shall not mistreathim. bRav says: A person must always be careful about mistreatment of his wife. Since her tear is easilyelicited, punishment for bher mistreatment is immediate. /b, bRabbi Elazar says: Since the day the Temple was destroyed the gates of prayer were locked,and prayer is not accepted as it once was, bas it is statedin lament of the Temple’s destruction: b“Though I plead and call out, He shuts out my prayer”(Lamentations 3:8). Yet, bdespitethe fact bthat the gates of prayer were lockedwith the destruction of the Temple, bthe gates of tears were not locked,and one who cries before God may rest assured that his prayers will be answered, bas it is stated: “Hear my prayer, Lord, and give ear to my pleading, keep not silence at my tears”(Psalms 39:13)., bAnd Rav says:Nevertheless, banyone who follows the counsel of his wife descends into Gehenna, as it is stated: “But there was none like Ahab,who did give himself over to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife incited” (I Kings 21:25). bRav Pappa said to Abaye: But don’t people saya popular proverb: If byour wife is short, stoop and whisper to herand consult with her? The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult,as bthisstatement of Rav instructs that one not follow her counsel bin general matters; and thatproverb instructs that one follow her counsel bin household matters.The Gemara presents banother versionof this distinction: bThisstatement of Rav maintains that one should not follow her counsel bin divine matters; and thatproverb maintains that one should follow her counsel bin general matters. /b, bRav Ḥisda says: All the gatesof Heaven are apt to be blocked, except for the gatesof prayer for victims bofverbal bmistreatment, as it is stated: “And behold, the Lord stood upon a wall built with a plumb line, and a plumb line in His hand”(Amos 7:7). God stands with the scales of justice in His hand to determine if one has been subjected to injustice. bRabbi Elazar says:In response to balltransgressions, God bpunishesthe perpetrator bby means of an agent, except for mistreatment [ iona’a /i], as it is stated: “And a plumb line [ ianakh /i] in His hand.”The term for mistreatment and the term for plumb line are spelled in a similar manner, indicating that God Himself inflicts retribution., bRabbi Abbahu says:There are bthreesins bbeforewhose transgressors bthe curtain [ ihapargod /i]between the world and the Divine Presence bis not locked;their sins reach the Divine Presence. They are: Verbal bmistreatment, robbery, and idol worship. Mistreatment, as it is stated: “And a plumb line in His hand”; robbery, as it is stated: “Violence and robbery are heard in her, they are before Me continually”(Jeremiah 6:7); bidol worship, as it is stated: “A people that angers Me before Me continually;that sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense upon bricks” (Isaiah 65:3).,Apropos the topic of how man should approach his household, bRav Yehuda says: A person must always be careful aboutensuring that there is bgrain inside his house, as discord is found in a person’s house only over matters of grain, as it is stated: “He makes your borders peace; He gives you plenty with the finest wheat”(Psalms 147:14). If there is the finest wheat in your house, there will be peace there. bRav Pappa said: Thisis in accordance with the adage bthat people say: When the barley is emptied from the jug, quarrel knocks and enters the house. /b, bAnd Rav Ḥina bar Pappa says: A person must always be careful aboutensuring that there is bgrain inside his house, as the Jewish people were characterized as poor only over matters of grain, as it is stated: “And it was, if Israel sowed,and Midian and the children of the east ascended” (Judges 6:3); band it is written: “And they encamped against themand they destroyed the crops of the land” (Judges 6:4); band it isfurther bwritten: “And Israel was greatly impoverished due to Midian”(Judges 6:6)., bAnd Rabbi Ḥelbo says: A person must always be careful aboutsustaining bthe honor of his wife, as blessing is found in a person’s house only because of his wife, as it is statedin allusion to this: b“And he dealt well with Abram for her sake,and he had sheep and oxen” (Genesis 12:16). bAnd that is what Rava said to the residents of Meḥoza,where he lived: bHonor your wives, so that you will become rich. /b,§ Apropos the topic of verbal mistreatment, bwe learnedin a mishna bthere( iKelim5:10): If bone cutan earthenware oven widthwise binto segments, and placed sand between each and every segment, Rabbi Eliezer deems it ritually pure.Because of the sand, its legal status is not that of a complete vessel, and therefore it is not susceptible to ritual impurity. bAnd the Rabbis deem it ritually impure,as it is functionally a complete oven. |
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12. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 43b. אמר רב גידל אמר רב האי סמלק מברכין עלויה בורא עצי בשמים אמר רב חננאל אמר רב הני חלפי דימא מברכין עלייהו בורא עצי בשמים אמר מר זוטרא מאי קראה (יהושע ב, ו) והיא העלתם הגגה ותטמנם בפשתי העץ,(רב משרשיא אמר) האי נרקום דגנוניתא מברכין עלויה בורא עצי בשמים דדברא בורא עשבי בשמים אמר רב ששת הני סיגלי מברכין עלייהו בורא עשבי בשמים אמר מר זוטרא האי מאן דמורח באתרוגא או בחבושא אומר ברוך שנתן ריח טוב בפירות,אמר רב יהודה האי מאן דנפיק ביומי ניסן וחזי אילני דקא מלבלבי אומר ברוך שלא חיסר בעולמו כלום וברא בו בריות טובות ואילנות טובות להתנאות בהן בני אדם אמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב מנין שמברכין על הריח שנאמר (תהלים קנ, ו) כל הנשמה תהלל יה איזהו דבר שהנשמה נהנית ממנו ואין הגוף נהנה ממנו הוי אומר זה הריח,ואמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב עתידים בחורי ישראל שיתנו ריח טוב כלבנון שנאמר (הושע יד, ז) ילכו יונקותיו ויהי כזית הודו וריח לו כלבנון:,ואמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב מאי דכתיב (קהלת ג, יא) את הכל עשה יפה בעתו מלמד שכל אחד ואחד יפה לו הקב"ה אומנתו בפניו,אמר רב פפא היינו דאמרי אינשי תלה ליה קורא לדבר אחר ואיהו דידיה עביד,ואמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב אבוקה כשנים וירח כשלשה איבעיא להו אבוקה כשנים בהדי דידיה או דילמא אבוקה כשנים לבר מדידיה ת"ש וירח כשלשה אי אמרת בשלמא בהדי דידיה שפיר אלא אי אמרת לבר מדידיה ארבעה למה לי והאמר מר לאחד נראה ומזיק לשנים נראה ואינו מזיק לשלשה אינו נראה כל עיקר אלא לאו שמע מינה אבוקה כשנים בהדי דידיה שמע מינה:,ואמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב חנא בר ביזנא אמר רבי שמעון חסידא ואמרי לה אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי נוח לו לאדם שיפיל עצמו לתוך כבשן האש ואל ילבין פני חברו ברבים מנלן מתמר שנאמר (בראשית לח, כה) היא מוצאת וגו':,ת"ר הביאו לפניו שמן והדס ב"ש אומרים מברך על השמן ואח"כ מברך על ההדס וב"ה אומרים מברך על ההדס ואח"כ מברך על השמן אמר ר"ג אני אכריע שמן זכינו לריחו וזכינו לסיכתו הדס לריחו זכינו לסיכתו לא זכינו א"ר יוחנן הלכה כדברי המכריע,רב פפא איקלע לבי רב הונא בריה דרב איקא אייתו לקמייהו שמן והדס שקל רב פפא בריך אהדס ברישא והדר בריך אשמן אמר ליה לא סבר לה מר הלכה כדברי המכריע אמר ליה הכי אמר רבא הלכה כב"ה ולא היא לאשתמוטי נפשיה הוא דעבד,ת"ר הביאו לפניהם שמן ויין ב"ש אומרים אוחז השמן בימינו ואת היין בשמאלו מברך על השמן וחוזר ומברך על היין ב"ה אומרים אוחז את היין בימינו ואת השמן בשמאלו מברך על היין וחוזר ומברך על השמן וטחו בראש השמש ואם שמש ת"ח הוא טחו בכותל מפני שגנאי לתלמיד חכם לצאת לשוק כשהוא מבושם,ת"ר ששה דברים גנאי לו לתלמיד חכם אל יצא כשהוא מבושם לשוק ואל יצא יחידי בלילה ואל יצא במנעלים המטולאים ואל יספר עם אשה בשוק ואל יסב בחבורה של עמי הארץ ואל יכנס באחרונה לבית המדרש ויש אומרים אף לא יפסיע פסיעה גסה ואל יהלך בקומה זקופה,אל יצא כשהוא מבושם לשוק א"ר אבא בריה דר' חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן במקום שחשודים על משכב זכור אמר רב ששת לא אמרן אלא בבגדו אבל בגופו זיעה מעברא ליה אמר רב פפא ושערו כבגדו דמי ואמרי לה כגופו דמי,ואל יצא יחידי בלילה משום חשדא ולא אמרן אלא דלא קביע ליה עידנא אבל קביע ליה עידנא מידע ידיע דלעידניה קא אזיל,ואל יצא במנעלים המטולאים מסייע ליה לרבי חייא בר אבא דאמר ר' חייא בר אבא גנאי הוא לתלמיד חכם שיצא במנעלים המטולאים איני והא ר' חייא בר אבא נפיק אמר מר זוטרא בריה דרב נחמן בטלאי על גבי טלאי ולא אמרן אלא בפנתא אבל בגילדא לית לן בה ובפנתא לא אמרן אלא באורחא אבל בביתא לית לן בה ולא אמרן אלא בימות החמה אבל בימות הגשמים לית לן בה,ואל יספר עם אשה בשוק אמר רב חסדא ואפילו היא אשתו תניא נמי הכא אפילו היא אשתו ואפילו היא בתו ואפילו היא אחותו לפי שאין הכל בקיאין בקרובותיו,ואל יסב בחבורה של עמי הארץ מאי טעמא דילמא אתי לאמשוכי בתרייהו,ואל יכנס אחרונה לבית המדרש משום דקרו ליה פושע,וי"א אף לא יפסיע פסיעה גסה דאמר מר פסיעה גסה נוטלת אחד מת"ק ממאור עיניו של אדם מאי תקנתיה להדריה בקדושא דבי שמשי,ואל יהלך בקומה זקופה דאמר מר המהלך בקומה זקופה אפילו ארבע אמות כאילו דוחק רגלי שכינה דכתיב (ישעיהו ו, ג) מלא כל הארץ כבודו: | 43b. bRav Giddel saidthat bRav said: Over this jasmine [ isimlak /i], one recites: Who creates fragrant trees. Rav Ḥael saidthat bRav said: Over these spikenards,which grow next to bthe sea, one recites: Who creates fragrant trees. Mar Zutra said: What is the versefrom which we derive that even a plant with soft stalks can be called a tree? From the verse: b“She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the trees of flax”(Joshua 2:6); evidently, even stalks of flax are called “trees.”, bRav Mesharshiya said: Over this garden daffodil one recites: Who creates fragrant trees,while over a wild daffodil that grows bin the field,one recites: bWho creates fragrant plants. Rav Sheshet said: Overfragrant bviolets one recites: Who creates fragrant plants. Mar Zutra said: One who smells a citron [ ietrog /i] or a quince recites: Blessed…who gave pleasant fragrance in fruits. /b,On a related topic, the Gemara cites that bRav Yehuda said: One who goes out during Nisan and sees trees that are blossoming recites: Blessed…who has withheld nothing from His world, and has created in it beautiful creatures and trees for human beings to enjoy. Rav Zutra bar Toviya saidthat bRav said: From whereis it derived bthat one recites a blessing over scent? As it is stated: “Let every soul praise the Lord”(Psalms 150:6). He explains the verse: bWhat is it from which the soul derives benefit and the body does not derive benefit from it? You must say: That is scent.Even over items from which only the soul derives benefit, one must recite a blessing and praise God., bAnd Rav Zutra bar Toviya saidthat bRav said: The young men of Israel are destined to emit a sweet scent as the Lebanon, as it is stated: “His branches shall spread and his beauty will be as the olive tree, and his fragrance as Lebanon”(Hosea 14:7)., bAnd Rav Zutra bar Toviya saidthat bRav said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “He has made everything beautiful in its time,and he has placed the world in their heart, yet so man cannot find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)? This bteaches that each and every individual, God has made his work pleasant for him in his own eyes.In that way, each individual will be satisfied with his work, enabling the world to function properly., bRav Pappa said: This isthe proverb bthat people say: Hang a heart of palm on a pig, and he willcontinue bto perform hisstandard activities. Although hearts of palm are a delicacy, a pig will roll it in the mud as is his wont. Every creature has its own particular tastes, and one cannot draw conclusions with regard to one based on the standards of another., bAnd Rav Zutra bar Toviya saidthat bRav said:For one walking on a dark path, if he has ba torchin his hand, bit is like twowere walking on that path bandthe light of the bmoon is like three.The Gemara braises a dilemma: Is a torch like two includingthe one carrying the torch bor perhaps a torch is like two besides himfor a total of three? bCome and heara proof from that which Rav said: bAnd the moon is like three. Granted, if you saythree bincluding him,it works out bwell. However, if you saythree bbesides him, why do I need four,what purpose do they serve? bDidn’t the Master say: To onewalking alone, a demon bcan be seen and causehim bharm. To twopeople, a demon can be seen banddoes not bcausethem bharm. To threepeople, bit cannot be seen at all.Four people are no better than three. bRather, can’t we learn from thisthat ba torch is like two,means two bincluding him.The Gemara comments: Indeed, bconclude from this. /b, bAnd Rav Zutra bar Toviya saidthat bRav said; and some say Rav Ḥana bar Bizna saidthat bRabbi Shimon Ḥasida said; and some say Rabbi Yoḥa said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is preferable,from an ethical perspective, bfor one to throw himself into a fiery furnace rather than humiliate another in public. From where do wederive this? bFrom Tamar,the daughter-in-law of Judah, when she was taken out to be burned, bas it is stated: “As she was brought forth,she sent to her father-in-law, saying I am pregt by the man to whom these belong, and she said examine these, to whom does this seal, cord and staff belong?” (Genesis 38:25). Despite her dire situation, she did not reveal that she was pregt with Judah’s child; rather, she left the decision to him, to avoid humiliating him in public., bThe Sages taught:If bthey brought before himboth scented boil anda bmyrtlebranch, bBeit Shammai say: One recites a blessing over the oilfirst band over the myrtlebranch bthereafter /b. bAnd Beit Hillel say: One recites a blessing over the myrtlebranch first band over the oil thereafter. Rabban Gamliel said: I will decidethis dispute in favor of the opinion of Beit Shammai, that one should recite a blessing over the oil first, as it is more significant. With regard to boil; we are privilegedto enjoy bits fragrance and we are privilegedto enjoy it by banointingourselves with bit.With regard to the bmyrtlebranch; bwe are privilegedto enjoy bits fragrance, we are not privilegedto enjoy it by banointingourselves with bit. Rabbi Yoḥa said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bthe decisor,Rabban Gamliel.,The Gemara relates: bRav Pappa happenedto come bto the house of Rav Huna, son of Rav Ika. They brought before himboth scented boil anda bmyrtlebranch. bRav Pappa took and recited a blessingover the bmyrtle branch first and then recited a blessingover the boil.Rav Huna bsaid to him:And bdoes the Master not holdthat bthe ihalakhais in accordancewith the opinion of bthe decisor?If so, you should have recited a blessing over the oil first. Rav Pappa said: bRava said the following: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bBeit Hillel.The Gemara comments: bThat is not so,as Rava did not issue that ruling. bRather, Rav Pappa didthis bin order to extricate himselffrom an unpleasant situation and justify his conduct., bOur Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: If bthey brought before themboth scented boil and wine, Beit Shammai say: He grasps the oil in his righthand, since he recites a blessing over the oil first, band the wine in his lefthand. bHe recites a blessing over the oil and then he recites a blessing over the wine. Beit Hillel saythe opposite: bHe grasps the wine in his righthand band the oil in his lefthand. bHe recites a blessing over the wine and then he recites a blessing over the oil. Andafter he has recited a blessing over the oil and anointed his hands with it, bhe smearsit bon the head of the servantso that his hands will not remain perfumed. bAnd if the servant is a Torah scholar, he smearsthe oil bon the wall, as it is unbecoming for a Torah scholar to go out perfumed into the marketplace. /b,Tangential to the mention of conduct unbecoming a Torah scholar, bthe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bSix things are disgraceful for a Torah scholar: He may not go out perfumed into the marketplace; he may not go outof his house balone at night; he may not go outwearing bpatched shoes; he may not converse with a woman in the marketplace; he may not reclineand participate in a meal bin the company of ignoramuses; and he may not be the last to enter the study hall. And some saythat bhe may not take long strides and he may not walk with an upright posture. /b,The Gemara elaborates on the statements of the ibaraita /i. bHe may not go out perfumed into the marketplace; Rabbi Abba, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:This prohibition only applies bin a place where they are suspected of homosexuality.One who goes out into the marketplace perfumed, will arouse suspicion. bRav Sheshet said: We only said this with regard to his clothingthat was perfumed, bbut with regard to his body,it is permitted, as bhis sweat causes the fragrance to dissipate. Rav Pappa said:In this regard, bhis hair isconsidered blike his clothing. And some say: His hair isconsidered blike his body. /b, bHe may not go outof his house balone at night because of suspicionof promiscuity. bAndtherefore bthis was onlyprohibited bif he does not have a set timeduring the night to study with his teacher, bbutif bhe has a set time,everyone bknows that he is going tostudy with his teacher at bhis set time,and they will not be suspicious of him., bHe may not go outwearing bpatched shoes.This bsupportsthe statement of bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, as Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: It is disgraceful for a Torah scholar to go outwearing bpatched shoes.The Gemara challenges: bIs that so? Didn’t Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abbahimself bgo outwearing patched shoes? bMar Zutra, son of Rav Naḥman, said:It is only prohibited when the shoe has ba patch upon a patch. And we only said this with regard topatches on bthe upperpart of the shoe bbutif the patch is bon the sole, this does notapply. bAnd with regard topatches on bthe upperpart of the shoe, bwe only said thiswhen he is out bon the road, but in his house, we need notbe concerned. bAnd we only said this with regard to the summerwhen the patches would be visible to all, bbut during the rainy season,when the mud obscures the view of the patches, bwe need notbe concerned., bHe may not converse with a woman in the marketplace. Rav Ḥisda said: Even if she is his wife. This was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: One may not converse with a woman in the market, beven if she is his wife, even if she is his daughter and even if she is his sister,for bnot everyone is well-versed inthe identity of bhis female relativesand they will suspect that he is talking to women who are not his relatives., bHe may not reclineand participate in a meal bin the company of ignoramuses.The Gemara explains: bWhat is the reason? Perhaps he will be drawn after themand emulate them., bHe may not be the last to enter the study hall.The Gemara explains: bBecause theywill bcall him negligent,in other words, careless and lazy., bAnd some say he may not take long strides, as the Master said: A long stride takesaway bone five-hundredth of a person’s eyesight.The Gemara asks: bWhat is his remedyif he took long strides? The Gemara responds: bHe can restore itby drinking the wine of ikiddushonShabbat beve. /b, bAnd he may not walk with an upright posture,but slightly bowed, bas the Master said: One who walks with an upright postureand in an arrogant manner, beven four cubits,it is bas if he is pushing away the feet of the Divine Presence,as bit is written: “The entire world is full of His glory”(Isaiah 6:3). One who walks in an arrogant way shows a lack of regard for the glory and honor of God that is surrounding him, and thereby chases God from that place. |
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13. Babylonian Talmud, Horayot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 10a. ואח"כ חטא מביא פר חטא ואח"כ עבר ממשיחותו צריכא למימר משום דקתני גבי נשיא דכי עבר מנשיאותו ואח"כ חטא כהדיוט מייתי אהכי תני גבי משיח [חטא ואח"כ עבר] מביא פר,מנא ה"מ דתנו רבנן (ויקרא ד, ג) והקריב על חטאתו מלמד שמביא חטאתו משעבר,שיכול והלא דין הוא ומה נשיא שמביא בשגגת מעשה אין מביא חטאתו משעבר משיח שאין מביא בשגגת מעשה אלא על העלם דבר עם שגגת מעשה [לא] כ"ש תלמוד לומר והקריב על חטאתו מלמד שמביא על חטאתו משעבר,ונייתי נמי נשיא מק"ו ומה משיח שאין מביא בשגגת מעשה מביא חטאת משעבר נשיא שמביא חטאת בשגגת מעשה אינו דין שמביא חטאתו משעבר תלמוד לומר (ויקרא ד, כב) אשר נשיא יחטא כשהוא נשיא אין כשהוא הדיוט לא:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big חטאו עד שלא נתמנו ואח"כ נתמנו הרי אלו כהדיוטות ר"ש אומר אם נודע להם עד שלא נתמנו חייבים ומשנתמנו פטורים,איזהו נשיא זה מלך שנאמר (ויקרא ד, כב) מכל מצות ה' אלהיו שאין על גביו אלא ה' אלהיו:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big מה"מ דתנו רבנן (ויקרא ד, ג) אם הכהן המשיח יחטא (לאשמת) פרט לקודמות,שיכול והלא דין הוא ומה נשיא שמביא בשגגת מעשה אין מביא על הקודמות משיח שאין מביא אלא על העלם דבר עם שגגת מעשה אינו דין שלא יביא על הקודמות,לא אם אמרת בנשיא שכן אין מביא חטאתו משעבר תאמר במשיח שמביא חטאתו משעבר הואיל ומביא חטאתו משעבר יביא על הקודמות תלמוד לומר המשיח יחטא חטא כשהוא משיח מביא כשהוא הדיוט אינו מביא,ותניא נמי גבי נשיא כה"ג (ויקרא ד, כב) אשר נשיא יחטא פרט לקודמות,שיכול והלא דין הוא ומה משיח שמביא חטאתו משעבר אינו מביא על הקודמות נשיא שאין מביא חטאתו משעבר אינו דין שלא יביא על הקודמות,מה למשיח שכן אין מביא בשגגת מעשה תאמר בנשיא שמביא בשגגת מעשה הואיל ומביא בשגגת מעשה יביא על הקודמות תלמוד לומר אשר נשיא יחטא שחטא והרי הוא נשיא ולא שחטא ועודהו הדיוט:,ת"ר אשר נשיא יחטא יכול גזרה ת"ל אם הכהן המשיח יחטא מה להלן לכשיחטא אף כאן לכשיחטא,אמר מר יכול גזרה גזרה מהיכא תיתי,אמרי אין אשכחן דכתיב (ויקרא יד, לד) ונתתי נגע צרעת בבית ארץ אחוזתכם בשורה היא להם שנגעים באים עליהם דברי רבי יהודה רבי שמעון אומר פרט לנגעי אונסין לאו אמר רבי יהודה בשורה הכא נמי אימא גזרה היא הלכך כתיב אם,ולרבי שמעון נגעי אונסין מי לא מטמו והא תניא (ויקרא יג, ב) אדם כי יהיה מן הדבור ואילך והלא דין הוא טמא בזב וטמא בנגעים מה זב מן הדבור ואילך אף נגעים מן הדבור ואילך,לא אם אמרת בזב שכן אין מטמא באונס תאמר בנגעים שמטמאין באונס תלמוד לומר אדם כי יהיה מן הדבור ואילך רבא אמר פרט לנגעי רוחות רב פפא אמר פרט לנגעי כשפים,תנו רבנן אשר נשיא יחטא פרט לחולה משום דהוה ליה חולה אידחי ליה מנשיאותיה אמר רב אבדימי בר חמא פרט לנשיא שנצטרע שנאמר (מלכים ב טו, ה) וינגע ה' את המלך ויהי מצורע עד יום מותו וישב בבית החפשית ויותם בן המלך על הבית מדקאמר בבית החפשית מכלל דעד השתא עבד הוה,כי הא דר' גמליאל ורבי יהושע הוו אזלי בספינתא בהדי דר' גמליאל הוה פיתא בהדי רבי יהושע הוה פיתא וסולתא שלים פיתיה דר' גמליאל סמך אסולתיה דרבי יהושע אמר ליה מי הוה ידעת דהוה לן עכובא כולי האי דאיתית סולתא אמר ליה כוכב אחד לשבעים שנה עולה ומתעה את (הספינות) [הספנים] ואמרתי שמא יעלה ויתעה [אותנו],אמר ליה כל כך בידך ואתה עולה בספינה א"ל עד שאתה תמה עלי תמה על שני תלמידים שיש לך ביבשה רבי אלעזר חסמא ורבי יוחנן בן גודגדא שיודעין לשער כמה טפות יש בים ואין להם פת לאכול ולא בגד ללבוש נתן דעתו להושיבם בראש,כשעלה שלח להם ולא באו חזר ושלח ובאו אמר להם כמדומין אתם ששררה אני נותן לכם | 10a. band thereafter sinned brings a bull.Does the case of one who bsinned and thereafter moved on from his anointment need to be said?It is obvious that he is liable to bring a bull. The Gemara answers: bDue tothe fact bthatthe itanna bteachesthe ihalakha bwith regard to a king, that when he moved on from his sovereignty and thereafter sinned he brings.an offering blikethat of ba commoner; therefore, he teachesthe corresponding ihalakha bwith regard to an anointedpriest: If bhe sinned and thereafter moved onfrom his priesthood, bhe brings a bull. /b,§ With regard to the statement in the mishna concerning an anointed priest who sinned after he was removed from his position, the Gemara asks: bFrom where are these mattersderived? The Gemara answers: It is bas the Sages taught:It is written with regard to the High Priest: b“And he shall sacrifice for his sin [ iḥattato /i]that he sinned” (Leviticus 4:3); this bteaches that he brings his sin-offering [ iḥattato /i]even bafter he has moved onfrom his priesthood.,This derivation is necessary, as one bmighthave thought: bCould this notbe derived through an ia fortiori binference? And if a king, who bringsa goat as his sin-offering bfor the unwittingperformance bof an action, does not bringa goat as bhis sin-offering fromthe moment bthat he has moved onfrom his sovereignty, ban anointedpriest, bwho does not bringa sin-offering bfor the unwittingperformance bof an actionalone; brather,he is liable bonly for absenceof awareness bof the matterby the court together bwith unwittingperformance bof an action,is it bnot all the more sothat he will not bring a bull for his sin-offering once he has moved on from the High Priesthood? Therefore, bthe verse states: “And he shall sacrifice for his sin [ iḥattato /i]that he sinned”; this bteaches that he brings his sin-offering [ iḥattato /i]even bafter he has moved onfrom his priesthood.,The Gemara asks: bAnd let a kingwho is no longer king, btoo, bringa goat as a sin-offering bbased on an ia fortiori /iinference: bAnd if an anointedpriest, bwho does not bringan offering bfor the unwittingperformance bof an action, brings a sin-offering after he has moved onfrom the priesthood, then with regard to ba king, who brings a sin-offering for the unwittingperformance bof an action, is it not logical that hestill bbrings his sin-offering once he has moved onfrom his sovereignty? To counter this, bthe verse states: “When a king sins”(Leviticus 4:22), from which it is derived: If he sins bwhen he is king, yes,he brings his sin-offering; if he sins bwhen he is a commoner, no,he does not bring his sin-offering., strongMISHNA: /strong If a king or High Priest bsinned before they were appointed, and thereafter they were appointed,the status of bthesepeople is blikethat of bcommoners;they bring the sin-offering of an individual. bRabbi Shimon says: If it became known to them, before they were appointedas king or High Priest, that they had sinned, bthey are liableto bring the sin-offering of an individual, bbutif it became known to them bafter they were appointedas king or High Priest bthey arecompletely bexempt. /b, bWho isthe inasi /i? This is a king, as it is stated:“When a inasisins, and performs any one bof all the mitzvot of the Lord his Godthat shall not be performed, unwittingly, and he is guilty” (Leviticus 4:22), referring to one bwho has only the Lord his God over himand no other authority. That is only the king., strongGEMARA: /strong The mishna teaches: If a king or High Priest sinned before they were appointed, and thereafter they were appointed, the status of these people is like that of commoners. The Gemara asks: bFrom where are these mattersderived? The Gemara answers: It is bas the Sages taughtwith regard to the verse: b“If the anointed priest shall sin to bring guilt”(Leviticus 4:3); this serves to bexclude theunwitting transgressions he performed bpriorto his installation as High Priest., bAsone bmighthave thought: bCould this notbe derived through an ia fortiori binference? And if a king, who bringsa goat as his sin-offering bfor the unwittingperformance bof an action, does not bringa sin-offering bfor theunwitting transgressions he performed bpriorto his coronation, then with regard to ban anointedpriest, bwho bringshis sin-offering bonly for absenceof awareness bof the matterby the court bwith the unwittingperformance bof an action, is it not logical that he will not bringhis sin-offering bfor the priortransgressions?,The Gemara rejects this: bNo, if you saidthis bwith regard to a king,that is reasonable, bas he does not bring hisgoat for a bsin-offering once he has moved onfrom his sovereignty, and instead brings the sin-offering of a commoner. bShall youalso bsaythis bwith regard to an anointedpriest, bwho bringsa bull for bhis sin-offering once he has moved onfrom his priesthood? bSince he bringsa bull for bhis sin-offeringeven bonce he has moved onfrom his priesthood, perhaps bhe shall bringa bull as a sin-offering bfor theunwitting transgressions he performed bpriorto his installation as High Priest? Therefore, bthe verse states:“If bthe anointed priest shall sin,”from which it is derived: If bhe sins when he isserving as ban anointed priest he bringsa bull as his sin-offering; if he sins bwhen he is an ordinarypriest bhe does not bringa bull as his sin-offering., bAnd it is also taught in this wayin a ibaraita bwith regard to a king: “When a king sins”(Leviticus 4:22); this serves to bexclude theunwitting transgressions he performed bpriorto his coronation as king., bAsone bmighthave thought: bCould this notbe derived through an ia fortiori binference? If an anointedpriest, bwho bringsa bull for bhis sin-offeringeven bonce he has moved onfrom his priesthood, bdoes not bringhis sin-offering bfor theunwitting transgressions he performed bpriorto his installation, then with regard to ba king, who does not bring hisgoat for a bsin-offering once he has moved onfrom his sovereignty, bis it not logical that he will not bringhis sin-offering bfor the priortransgressions? Apparently, there is no need for the derivation from the verse.,The Gemara notes that this inference can be rejected. bWhatis notable babout an anointedpriest? He is notable bin that he does not bringa sin-offering bfor the unwittingperformance bof an actionunless it was performed on the basis of an erroneous ruling. bShall you saythe same bwith regard to a king, who bringsan offering bfor the unwittingperformance bof an actionalone, even without an erroneous ruling? bSince he bringsan offering bfor the unwittingperformance bof an actionalone, bshall he bringa bull as a sin-offering bfor theunwitting transgressions he performed bpriorto his coronation? Therefore, bthe verse states: “When a king sins,”from which it is derived: In a case bwhere he sins and he is king,he brings a bull as his sin-offering, band notin a case bwhere he sins and he is still a commoner. /b,§ Apropos a king, bthe Sages taught:In contrast to other cases where the verse states: If he will sin, it states concerning a king: b“When [ iasher /i] a king sins.”One bmighthave thought that this is ba decree,i.e., that it is a given that the king will sin. Therefore, bthe verse states: “If the anointed priest shall sin”(Leviticus 4:3). bJust as therethe meaning is: bIn the event thatthe priest bshall sin, so too here,the meaning is: bIn the event thatthe king bshall sin. /b,The Gemara analyzes the ibaraita /i. bThe Master said:One bmighthave thought that this is ba decree.The Gemara asks: bA decree? From where would this be derived?Why would it enter one’s mind that there would be a decree that the king must sin?,The Sages bsay: Yes,there is a basis for that understanding, as bwe findthat type of interpretation elsewhere; bas it is written:“When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, band I shall place the mark of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession”(Leviticus 14:34). bThese are tidingsinforming bthem,i.e., the Jewish people, bthat leprous markswill bcome upon themwhen they enter Eretz Yisrael; this is bthe statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Shimon says:This verse serves to teach that leprosy causes ritual impurity only when its origins are divine, bto the exclusion of leprosythat results from bcircumstances beyond one’s control,i.e., those that have a clear physical cause. bDidn’t Rabbi Yehuda saythat leprosy could be btidings,i.e., that there will definitely be leprosy? bHere too,with regard to the king, bsaythat bit is a decreethat he will sin. bTherefore, it is written: “Ifthe anointed priest shall sin,” meaning that the sin is not a given.,The Gemara asks with regard to the ibaraita /i: bAnd according to Rabbi Shimon, doleprous bmarksthat result from bcircumstances beyond one’s control not cause ritual impurity? But isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“When a person shall havein the skin of his flesh a wool-white leprous mark or a scab” (Leviticus 13:2); these ihalakhotapply bfromthis bstatement onward,i.e., from the time that God gave this mitzva to the Jewish people, and these ihalakhotdo not apply to leprosy that preceded the giving of the mitzva? bAnd could this notbe derived through blogical inference:The Torah bdeemedone bimpure inthe case of ba izav /i, andthe Torah bdeemedone bimpure inthe case of leprous bmarks. Just as a izav /iis ritually impure only bfrom the statement onward, so too,with regard to leprous bmarks,there is impurity only bfrom that statement onward.There is no need for a derivation from the verse Leviticus 13:2.,The ibaraitacontinues: This inference can be rejected: bNo, if you saidthat bwith regard to a izav /i,this is reasonable, bas he does not become impureif his condition was caused bby circumstances beyond his control. Shall you saythe same bwith regard toleprous bmarks, which impart ritual impuritywhen caused bby circumstances beyond one’s control?Therefore, bthe verse states: “When a person shall have,”indicating that there is impurity only bfromthat bstatement onward.In any case, it is clear that leprosy causes impurity even if it was caused by circumstances beyond his control. bRava saysin explanation: The phrase “and I shall place the mark of leprosy” serves bto excludeleprous bmarkscaused bbyevil bspirits. Rav Pappa saysin explanation: That phrase serves bto excludeleprous bmarkscaused bby sorcery. /b,§ Apropos a king, bthe Sages taughtthat when the verse states: b“When a king sins”(Leviticus 4:22), this serves bto excludea king who is bill.The Gemara asks: bDue tothe fact bthat he is ill, is he removed from his sovereignty? Rav Avdimi bar Ḥama said:The reference is not to all illnesses; rather, it is bto exclude a king who is afflicted with leprosy, as it is statedconcerning King Azariah: b“And the Lord afflicted the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his death, and dwelt in an independent house. And Jotham, son of the king, was over the household,judging the people of the land” (II Kings 15:5). Azariah was removed from his sovereignty when he was afflicted with leprosy. The Gemara comments: bFromthe fact bthatthe verse bstates: “In an independent house,” by inferenceit may be understood bthat until now he was a servant,i.e., he was in servitude to the people.,The Gemara notes: This is bsimilarto bthatincident bwhere Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua were travelingtogether bon a ship. Rabban Gamliel hadsufficient bbreadfor the journey. bRabbi Yehoshuaalso bhadsufficient bbread, andadditionally he had bflour.The journey lasted longer than expected, and bRabban Gamliel’s bread was finished. He relied on Rabbi Yehoshua’s flourfor nourishment. Rabban Gamliel bsaid toRabbi Yehoshua: bDid you knowfrom the outset bthat we would have so substantial a delay?Is that the reason bthat you brought flourwith you? Rabbi Yehoshua bsaid toRabban Gamliel: bThere is one star that rises once in seventy years and misleads sailorsat sea, causing their journeys to be extended. bAnd I said: Perhapsthat star bwill riseduring our journey band mislead us. /b,Rabban Gamliel bsaid to him: So muchwisdom is bat yourdisposal, band you board a shipto earn your livelihood? Rabbi Yehoshua bsaid to him: Before you wonder about me, wonder about two students that you have on dry land, Rabbi Elazar Ḥisma and Rabbi Yoḥa ben Gudgeda, whoare so wise that they bknowhow bto calculate how many dropsof water bthere are in the sea, andyet bthey have neither bread to eat nor a garment to wear.Rabban Gamliel bmade up his mind to seat them at the headof the academy., bWhenRabban Gamliel bascendedto dry land, bhe senta messenger bto themto tell them to come so that he could appoint them band they did not come. He again senta messenger to them band they came.Rabban Gamliel bsaid to them: Do you imagine that I am granting you authority,and since you did not want to accept the honor you did not come when I sent for you? |
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14. Babylonian Talmud, Ketuvot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 67b. שבאו לינשא משיאין את היתומה ואחר כך משיאין את היתום מפני שבושתה של אשה מרובה משל איש:,ת"ר יתום שבא לישא שוכרין לו בית ומציעין לו מטה וכל כלי תשמישו ואחר כך משיאין לו אשה שנאמר (דברים טו, ח) די מחסורו אשר יחסר לו די מחסורו זה הבית אשר יחסר זה מטה ושלחן לו זו אשה וכן הוא אומר (בראשית ב, יח) אעשה לו עזר כנגדו:,תנו רבנן די מחסורו אתה מצווה עליו לפרנסו ואי אתה מצווה עליו לעשרו אשר יחסר לו אפילו סוס לרכוב עליו ועבד לרוץ לפניו אמרו עליו על הלל הזקן שלקח לעני בן טובים אחד סוס לרכוב עליו ועבד לרוץ לפניו פעם אחת לא מצא עבד לרוץ לפניו ורץ לפניו שלשה מילין:,תנו רבנן מעשה באנשי גליל העליון שלקחו לעני בן טובים אחד מציפורי ליטרא בשר בכל יום ליטרא בשר מאי רבותא אמר רב הונא ליטרא בשר משל עופות ואיבעית אימא בליטרא בשר ממש רב אשי אמר התם כפר קטן היה בכל יומא הוה מפסדי חיותא אמטולתיה:,ההוא דאתא לקמיה דרבי נחמיה אמר ליה במה אתה סועד א"ל בבשר שמן ויין ישן רצונך שתגלגל עמי בעדשים גלגל עמו בעדשים ומת אמר אוי לו לזה שהרגו נחמיה אדרבה אוי לו לנחמיה שהרגו לזה מיבעי ליה אלא איהו הוא דלא איבעי ליה לפנוקי נפשיה כולי האי,ההוא דאתא לקמיה דרבא אמר לו במה אתה סועד אמר לו בתרנגולת פטומה ויין ישן אמר ליה ולא חיישת לדוחקא דציבורא א"ל אטו מדידהו קאכילנא מדרחמנא קאכילנא דתנינא (תהלים קמה, טו) עיני כל אליך ישברו ואתה נותן להם את אכלם בעתו בעתם לא נאמר אלא בעתו מלמד שכל אחד ואחד נותן הקב"ה פרנסתו בעתו,אדהכי אתאי אחתיה דרבא דלא חזיא ליה תליסרי שני ואתיא ליה תרנגולת פטומה ויין ישן אמר מאי דקמא א"ל נענתי לך קום אכול,תנו רבנן אין לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס נותנין לו לשום הלואה וחוזרין ונותנין לו לשום מתנה דברי רבי מאיר וחכמים אומרים נותנין לו לשום מתנה וחוזרין ונותנין לו לשום הלואה לשום מתנה הא לא שקיל אמר רבא לפתוח לו לשום מתנה,יש לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס נותנין לו לשום מתנה וחוזרין ונפרעין ממנו חוזרין ונפרעין הימנו תו לא שקיל אמר רב פפא לאחר מיתה ר"ש אומר יש לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס אין נזקקין לו אין לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס אומרים לו הבא משכון וטול כדי שתזוח דעתו עליו,ת"ר (דברים טו, ח) העבט זה שאין לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס שנותנים לו לשום הלואה וחוזרין ונותנין לו לשום מתנה תעביטנו זה שיש לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס שנותנין לו לשום מתנה וחוזרין ונפרעין הימנו לאחר מיתה דברי ר' יהודה,וחכ"א יש לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס אין נזקקין לו ואלא מה אני מקיים תעביטנו דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם,מר עוקבא הוה עניא בשיבבותיה דהוה רגיל כל יומא דשדי ליה ארבעה זוזי בצינורא דדשא יום אחד אמר איזיל איחזי מאן קעביד בי ההוא טיבותא ההוא יומא נגהא ליה למר עוקבא לבי מדרשא אתיא דביתהו בהדיה,כיון דחזיוה דקא מצלי ליה לדשא נפק בתרייהו רהוט מקמיה עיילי לההוא אתונא דהוה גרופה נורא הוה קא מיקליין כרעיה דמר עוקבא אמרה ליה דביתהו שקול כרעיך אותיב אכרעאי חלש דעתיה אמרה ליה אנא שכיחנא בגויה דביתא ומקרבא אהנייתי,ומאי כולי האי דאמר מר זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב הונא בר ביזנא אמר ר"ש חסידא ואמרי לה א"ר יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי נוח לו לאדם שימסור עצמו לתוך כבשן האש ואל ילבין פני חברו ברבים מנא לן מתמר דכתיב (בראשית לח, כה) היא מוצאת,מר עוקבא הוה עניא בשיבבותיה דהוה רגיל לשדורי ליה ארבע מאה זוזי כל מעלי יומא דכיפורא יומא חד שדרינהו ניהליה ביד בריה אתא אמר ליה לא צריך אמר מאי חזית חזאי דקא מזלפי ליה יין ישן אמר מפנק כולי האי עייפינהו ושדרינהו ניהליה,כי קא ניחא נפשיה אמר אייתו לי חושבנאי דצדקה אשכח דהוה כתיב ביה שבעת אלפי דינרי סיאנקי אמר זוודאי קלילי ואורחא רחיקתא קם בזבזיה לפלגיה ממוניה היכי עביד הכי והאמר ר' אילעאי באושא התקינו המבזבז אל יבזבז יותר מחומש הני מילי מחיים שמא ירד מנכסיו אבל לאחר מיתה לית לן בה:,רבי אבא הוה צייר זוזי בסודריה ושדי ליה לאחוריה וממצי נפשיה לבי עניי ומצלי עיניה מרמאי,רבי חנינא הוה ההוא עניא דהוה רגיל לשדורי ליה ארבעה זוזי כל מעלי שבתא יומא חד שדרינהו ניהליה ביד דביתהו אתאי אמרה ליה לא צריך מאי חזית שמעי דהוה קאמרי ליה במה אתה סועד | 67b. bwho have cometo appeal to the charity fund bto be marriedoff, the administrators bmarryoff bthe orphan girlfirst band afterwardthey bmarryoff bthe orphan boy, because the humiliation of a womanwho is not married bis greater than that ofan unmarried bman. /b, bThe Sages taught:Concerning ban orphanboy bwho has come to marry,the community tries its utmost to provide for all of his needs. The charities brent a house for him, arrange for him a bed and all his utensils, and thereafterthey bmarry him a wife, as it is stated:“But you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him bsufficient for his deficiency in that which is deficient for him”(Deuteronomy 15:8). With regard to the phrase b“sufficient for his deficiency,” thisis referring to bthe house. “Which is deficient”; thisis referring to a bbed and table. “For him [ ilo /i]”; thisis referring to ba wife. And similarlythe verse bstates: “I will make him [ ilo /i] a helpmate for him”(Genesis 2:18), when God created a wife for Adam.,Concerning this issue, bthe Sages taught: “Sufficient for his deficiency”;this teaches that byou are commanded with respect tothe pauper bto support him, but you are not commanded with respect to him to make him wealthy,as the obligation encompasses only that which he lacks, as indicated by the word deficient. However, the verse also states: b“Which is deficient for him”;this includes beven a horse upon which to ride and a servant to run in front of himfor the sake of his stature, if necessary. For someone accustomed to these advantages, their absences constitute a true deficiency, not an extravagant indulgence. The Gemara relates: bThey said about Hillel the Elder that he obtained for a poor person of noble descent a horse upon which to ride and a servant to run in front of him. One time he did not find a servant to run in front of him, andHillel himself bran in front of himfor bthree imil /i,to fulfill the dictate “which is deficient for him.”, bThe Sages taught:There was ban incident involving the people of the Upper Galilee, who bought for a poor person of noble descent fromthe city of bTzippori a ilitraof meat every day.The Gemara asks: If they provided him with the reasonable ration of ba ilitraof meat, what is the noveltyin this incident? Why does it bear repeating? bRav Huna said:It was ba ilitraof meat of poultry,which is very expensive. bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that bforthe weight of ba ilitra /iof coins, they bought him bactualred bmeat.The price of ordinary meat was so expensive that they had to pay the exorbitant price of a ilitraof coins. bRav Ashi saidthey did not spend a ilitraof coins for him. Rather, bthere,in the Galilee, bit was a small village,and bevery day they would losean entire banimaljust bfor him.They would slaughter an animal daily, simply to provide him with fresh meat, although there was otherwise no market for such a plentiful supply of meat in the village.,The Gemara relates another incident concerning charity. bA certainperson bcame before Rabbi Neḥemyato request charity. bHe said to him: On what do younormally bdine? He said to him:I usually dine bon fatty meat and aged wine.Rabbi Neḥemya asked him: bIs it your wish to belittle yourselfand partake together bwith me ina meal of blentils,which is my regular food? bHe partook with him of lentils, and he died,since he was not accustomed to this food. Rabbi Neḥemya bsaid: Woe to this one who was killedby bNeḥemya.The Gemara wonders: bOn the contrary,Rabbi Neḥemya bshould have said: Woe to Neḥemya who killed this one.The Gemara responds: bRather,Rabbi Neḥemya meant that it was bhe,the pauper, bwho should not have pampered himself somuch. The poor man was to blame for his own death. His excessive indulgence rendered him incapable of digesting simple foods such as lentils.,The Gemara relates another story. bA certain person came before Ravato request charity. bHe said to him: On what do younormally bdine? He said to him: On a fattened hen and aged wine. He said to him: And were you not concerned forcausing ba burden to the communityby expecting such opulent foods? bHe said to him: Is that to saythat it is bfrom theirfunds that bI eat? I eat fromthe support of bthe Merciful One.This would seem to be a reasonable argument, bas wealready blearnedthat in the verse b“the eyes of all wait for You, and You give them their food in its time”(Psalms 145:15), the phrase: bAt their time, isnot bstated, rather “in its time.”This bteaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, gives each and every one hispersonally appropriate bsustece at its proper time,and the community is merely His agent in discharging His will. Therefore, the man is justified in maintaining his standard., bIn the meantime,while they were talking, bRava’s sister, who had not seen him for thirteen years, came. Andas a gift, bshe brought him a fattened hen and aged wine. Rava saidto himself: bWhat is this thathappened bin front of methat suddenly I am brought food that I do not usually eat? He then understood that this was a providential response to what he had earlier said to the man. Rava bsaid to him: I have responded [ ina’aneti /i] to yourcontention. bAriseand beat. /b,§ bThe Sages taught:If an individual bdoes not havesufficient means of support band does not want to be supportedfrom charity funds, the charities bprovide himfunds bas a loanin a dignified manner, bandthen they bgo back and givethe funds bto him as a gift;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say:They bgive himfunds bas a gift, andthen they bgo back and givethe funds bto him as a loan.The Gemara wonders about the Rabbis’ ruling: How can we give it bas a gift?After all, bhe does notwant to btake itas a gift. The Gemara answers that bRava said:The Rabbis’ instruction is bto begindiscussions bwith himby offering the assistance bas a gift.If he refuses, the charities give it to him as a loan, but they treat it as a gift and refrain from attempting to collect a debt.,If bhe hassufficient funds of his own bbut does not want to support himselfby his own funds without the assistance of charity, the charities bgive himaid bas a gift, and thenthey bgo back and collectthe debt bfrom him.The Gemara asks: How can the administrators of the fund bgo back and collect from him?Would their efforts not be in vain, as bsubsequently he would not taketheir support, knowing that he would still have to pay for it? bRav Pappa said:The charities collect the accrued debt from his estate only bafterhis bdeath.The ibaraitacontinues: bRabbi Shimon says,disputing the opinion of the Rabbis: If bhe hassufficient funds band does not want to be supportedby his own means, they bdo not get involved with him,as the community is not obligated to support him. If bhe does not have and does not want to be supportedfrom charity, the charities bsay to him: Bring collateral and takea loan, bso that his mindset should be raised for him,with the false impression that he is not receiving a handout.,The Gemara cites a dispute related to the previous discussions. bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraitawith regard to the double expression in the Torah: “You shall open your hand to him [ iha’avet ta’avitenu /i]” (Deuteronomy 15:8). b“ iHa’avet /i”; thisis referring to one bwho does not havefunds band does not want to be supportedby charity. The policy is bthatthe charities bprovide himfunds bas a loan and go back and givethe funds bto him as a gift. “ iTa’avitenu /i”; thisis referring to one bwho hasmeans band does not want to supporthimself. The policy is bthatthe charities bprovidemoney bas a gift, and thenthey bgo back and collect fromhis estate bafterhis bdeath.This is bthe statement of Rabbi Yehuda. /b,The ibaraitacontinues: bAnd the Rabbis say:If bhe hasmoney band does not want to supporthimself, they bdo not get involved with him.The ibaraitaasks: bHow then do I upholdthe double expression b“ iha’avet ta’avitenu /i”?The ibaraitaanswers: bThe Torah spoke in the language of men,and the double form does not have halakhic significance.,The Gemara recounts another incident related to charity. bMar Ukvahad ba pauper in his neighborhood,and Mar Ukva bwas accustomed every day to toss four dinars for him into theslot adjacent to the bhinge of the door. One daythe poor person bsaid: I will goand bsee who is doing this service for me. That day Mar Ukva was delayed in the study hall,and bhis wife came with himto distribute the charity., bWhenthe people in the poor man’s house bsaw thatsomeone bwas turning the door,the pauper bwent out after themto see who it was. Mar Ukva and his wife branaway bfrom before himso that he would not determine their identity, and bthey entered a certain furnace whose fire wasalready brakedover and tempered but was still burning. bMar Ukva’s legs were being singed,and bhis wife said to him: Raise your legs and set them on my legs,which are not burned. Understanding that only his wife was spared from burns, because she was more worthy, Mar Ukva bbecame distraught.By way of explanation, bshe said to him: I amnormally bfound inside the house, andwhen I give charity, bmy assistance is readyand immediate, insofar as I distribute actual food items. Since you distribute money, which is not as readily helpful, my aid is greater than yours.,The Gemara asks: bAnd whatis ball this?Why did they go to such extreme lengths to avoid being discovered? The Gemara answers: It is bas Mar Zutra bar Toviya saidthat bRav said, and some saythat bRav Huna bar Bizna saidthat bRabbi Shimon Ḥasida said, and some saythat bRabbi Yoḥa said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is preferable for a person to deliver himself into a fiery furnace so thathe bnot whitenthe bfaceof, i.e., embarrass, bhis friend in public. From where do wederive this? bFrom theconduct of bTamar, as it is written:“And Judah said: Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When bshe was brought forth,she sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man, whose these are, am I with child” (Genesis 38:24–25). Although Tamar was taken to be executed by burning, she privately and directly appealed to Judah, rather than publicly identifying him as the father of her unborn children and causing him embarrassment.,The Gemara relates another incident involving Mar Ukva. bMar Ukvahad another bpauper in his neighborhood,and Mar Ukva bwas accustomed to send to him four hundred dinars everyyear on the beve of Yom Kippur. One day he sentthe money bto him by the hand of his son.The son breturnedand bsaid to him:The poor individual bdoes not needthe charity. Mar Ukva bsaid: What did you seethat prompted you to say this? He said to him: bI saw them spilling old wineon the ground bfor him,to give the room a pleasant smell. Mar Ukva bsaid:If he is bpampered this muchand requires even this luxury, then he needs even more money. bHe doubledthe funds band sent them to him. /b, bWhenMar Ukva bwas dying, he said: Bring me my charity records. He found that it was written therethat he had given bseven thousandfine, isiankei /i,i.e., gold, bdinars,to charity. bHe said: My provisions are light, and the way is far.This meager sum is insufficient for me to merit the World-to-Come. bHe got upand bspent halfof bhisremaining bmoneyon charity. The Gemara asks: bHow did he do this? But didn’t Rabbi Ilai say: In Usha they instituted: One who spendsmoney on charity, bhe should not spend more than one-fifthof his money for this purpose. The Gemara answers: bThisrestriction on giving too much charity bappliesonly bwhile he is alive,because bperhaps he will descend from his holdingsand become destitute. Therefore, for his own ficial security, he should never distribute more than one-fifth. bBut after death, we have noproblem bwith it.One need not save money in his estate anymore.,The Gemara recounts more stories related to charity. bRabbi Abba would wrap coins in his scarf and tossthe money bbehind himover his shoulder. bAndhe bwould place himself at the homes of the poorwithout being seen, so the poor could receive the aid without being embarrassed. bAnd he would incline his eyesjust enough so he could safeguard the handouts bfrom swindlerswho might take the money dishonestly., bRabbi Ḥaninaknew ba certain pauperand bwas accustomed to send to him four dinarson bevery Shabbat eve. One day he sent it in the hand of his wife. She cameback home and bsaid to him:The man bdoes not needcharity. Rabbi Ḥanina asked her: bWhat did you seethat prompted you to say this? She said to him: bI heard them saying to himinside the house: bWith what do younormally bdine: /b |
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15. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 10b. השתא [הא] אמרי לא צריכא לקדושי אלא מצאו את אלו ומנאום,ולא אלו בלבד אלא כל שתעלה לך מסורת בידך מאבותיך שמוקפת חומה מימות יהושע בן נון כל המצות הללו נוהגין בה מפני שקדושה ראשונה קידשה לשעתה וקידשה לעתיד לבא קשיא דר' ישמעאל אדר' ישמעאל,תרי תנאי אליבא דר' ישמעאל בר' יוסי ואיבעית אימא הא ר' אלעזר בר יוסי אמרה דתניא ר' אלעזר בר' יוסי אמר אשר לוא חומה (ויקרא כה, ל) אע"פ שאין לו עכשיו והיה לו קודם לכן:,ויהי בימי אחשורוש אמר רבי לוי ואיתימא רבי יונתן דבר זה מסורת בידינו מאנשי כנסת הגדולה כל מקום שנאמר ויהי אינו אלא לשון צער,ויהי בימי אחשורוש (אסתר א, א) הוה המן ויהי בימי שפוט השופטים (רות א, א) הוה רעב ויהי כי החל האדם לרוב (בראשית ו, א) וירא ה' כי רבה רעת האדם (בראשית ו, ה),ויהי בנסעם מקדם (בראשית יא, ב) הבה נבנה לנו עיר (בראשית יא, ד) ויהי בימי אמרפל (בראשית יד, א) עשו מלחמה (בראשית יד, ב) ויהי בהיות יהושע ביריחו (יהושע ה, יג) וחרבו שלופה בידו ויהי ה' את יהושע (יהושע ו, כז) וימעלו בני ישראל (יהושע ז, א) ויהי איש אחד מן הרמתים (שמואל א א, א) כי את חנה אהב וה' סגר רחמה (שמואל א א, ה),ויהי (כי) זקן שמואל ולא הלכו בניו בדרכיו (שמואל א ח, ג) ויהי דוד לכל דרכיו משכיל [וה' עמו] (שמואל א יח, יד) ויהי שאול עוין את דוד (שמואל א יח, ט) ויהי כי ישב המלך בביתו (שמואל ב ז, א) רק אתה לא תבנה הבית (מלכים א ח יט),והכתיב (ויקרא ט, א) ויהי ביום השמיני ותניא אותו היום היתה שמחה לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא כיום שנבראו בו שמים וארץ כתיב הכא ויהי ביום השמיני וכתיב התם (בראשית א, ה) ויהי (בקר) יום אחד,הא שכיב נדב ואביהוא,והכתיב (מלכים א ו, א) ויהי בשמונים שנה וארבע מאות שנה והכתיב (בראשית כט, י) ויהי כאשר ראה יעקב את רחל והכתיב ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום אחד והאיכא שני והאיכא שלישי והאיכא טובא,אמר רב אשי כל ויהי איכא הכי ואיכא הכי ויהי בימי אינו אלא לשון צער,חמשה ויהי בימי הוו ויהי בימי אחשורוש ויהי בימי שפוט השופטים ויהי בימי אמרפל (ישעיהו ז, א) ויהי בימי אחז (ירמיהו א, ג) ויהי בימי יהויקים,(א"ר) לוי דבר זה מסורת בידינו מאבותינו אמוץ ואמציה אחים הוו מאי קמ"ל,כי הא דא"ר שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יונתן כל כלה שהיא צנועה בבית חמיה זוכה ויוצאין ממנה מלכים ונביאים מנלן מתמר דכתיב (בראשית לח, טו) ויראה יהודה ויחשבה לזונה כי כסתה פניה משום דכסתה פניה ויחשבה לזונה,אלא משום דכסתה פניה בבית חמיה ולא הוה ידע לה זכתה ויצאו ממנה מלכים ונביאים מלכים מדוד נביאים דא"ר לוי מסורת בידינו מאבותינו אמוץ ואמציה אחים היו וכתיב (ישעיהו א, א) חזון ישעיהו בן אמוץ,וא"ר לוי דבר זה מסורת בידינו מאבותינו מקום ארון אינו מן המדה,תניא נמי הכי ארון שעשה משה יש לו עשר אמות לכל רוח וכתיב (מלכים א ו, כ) ולפני הדביר עשרים אמה אורך וכתיב כנף הכרוב האחד עשר אמות וכנף הכרוב האחד עשר אמות ארון גופיה היכא הוה קאי אלא לאו שמע מינה בנס היה עומד,ר' יונתן פתח לה פיתחא להאי פרשתא מהכא (ישעיהו יד, כב) וקמתי עליהם וגו' והכרתי לבבל שם ושאר ונין ונכד נאם ה' שם זה הכתב שאר זה לשון נין זה מלכות ונכד זו ושתי,רבי שמואל בר נחמני פתח לה פיתחא להאי פרשתא מהכא (ישעיהו נה, יג) תחת הנעצוץ יעלה ברוש ותחת הסרפד יעלה הדס,תחת הנעצוץ תחת המן הרשע שעשה עצמו ע"ז דכתיב (ישעיהו ז, יט) ובכל הנעצוצים ובכל הנהלולים,יעלה ברוש זה מרדכי שנקרא ראש לכל הבשמים שנאמר (שמות ל, כג) ואתה קח לך בשמים ראש מר דרור ומתרגמינן מרי דכי,תחת הסרפד תחת ושתי הרשעה בת בנו של נבוכדנצר הרשע ששרף רפידת בית ה' דכתיב (שיר השירים ג, י) רפידתו זהב,יעלה הדס זו אסתר הצדקת שנקראת הדסה שנאמר (אסתר ב, ז) ויהי אומן את הדסה והיה לה' לשם זו מקרא מגילה לאות עולם לא יכרת אלו ימי פורים,ר' יהושע בן לוי פתח לה פיתחא להאי פרשתא מהכא (דברים כח, סג) והיה כאשר שש ה' עליכם להיטיב אתכם כן ישיש להרע אתכם,ומי חדי הקב"ה במפלתן של רשעים והא כתיב (דברי הימים ב כ, כא) בצאת לפני החלוץ ואומרים הודו לה' כי לעולם חסדו וא"ר יוחנן מפני מה לא נאמר כי טוב בהודאה זו לפי שאין הקב"ה שמח במפלתן של רשעים,ואמר רבי יוחנן מאי דכתיב (שמות יד, כ) ולא קרב זה אל זה כל הלילה בקשו מלאכי השרת לומר שירה אמר הקב"ה מעשה ידי טובעין בים ואתם אומרים שירה,אמר רבי אלעזר הוא אינו שש אבל אחרים משיש ודיקא נמי דכתיב כן ישיש ולא כתיב ישוש ש"מ,רבי אבא בר כהנא פתח לה פיתחא להאי פרשתא מהכא (קהלת ב, כו) לאדם שטוב לפניו נתן חכמה ודעת ושמחה זה מרדכי הצדיק ולחוטא נתן ענין לאסוף ולכנוס זה המן לתת לטוב לפני האלהים זה מרדכי ואסתר דכתיב ותשם אסתר את מרדכי על בית המן,רבה בר עופרן פתח לה פיתחא להאי פרשתא מהכא (ירמיהו מט, לח) ושמתי כסאי בעילם והאבדתי משם מלך ושרים מלך זו ושתי ושרים זה המן ועשרת בניו,רב דימי בר יצחק פתח לה פיתחא להאי פרשתא מהכא | 10b. bNow, didn’t they saylater in the same ibaraitathat bit is not necessary to consecratethem? bRather,this is what the ibaraitameans to say: It is due to the fact that when the exiles ascended from Babylonia bthey discovered these and enumerated them. /b,The ibaraitacontinues. bAnd not only these, butin banycity with regard to bwhich you receive a tradition from your ancestors that it was surrounded by a wall from the days of Joshua, son of Nun, all these mitzvot are observed in it, due tothe fact bthat the initial consecration sanctifiedEretz Yisrael bfor its time and sanctifiedEretz Yisrael bforever.This is bdifficult,as there is a contradiction between one statement bof Rabbi Yishmael andanother statement bof Rabbi Yishmael. /b,The Gemara answers: This is a dispute between btwolater itanna’im /i,who hold baccording tothe opinion of bRabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei.Each transmitted Rabbi Yishmael’s opinion in a different manner. bAnd if you wish, sayinstead that one of the traditions is mistaken, as with regard to bthisstatement, bRabbi Elazar bar Yosei said it, as it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, saidthat the verse states: b“Which has [ ilo /i] a wall”(Leviticus 25:30). The word ilois written with an ialef /i, meaning no, that it does not have a wall, but its vocalization is in the sense of its homonym, ilowith a ivav /i, meaning that it has a wall. This indicates that beven though it does not presently havea wall, as it was destroyed, bbut it had a wall previously,it retains its status as a walled city. It is Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, who maintains that the first consecration sanctified Jerusalem forever.,§ The Gemara returns to the primary topic of this chapter, the book of Esther. The Gemara cites various aggadic interpretations of the verses of the Megilla. The opening verse of the Megilla states: b“And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i] in the days of Ahasuerus”(Esther 1:1). bRabbi Levi said, and some saythat it was bRabbi Yonatanwho said: bThis matter is a traditionthat bwereceived bfrom the members of the Great Assembly. Anywhere thatthe word ivayhiis stated, it isan ominous btermindicating bnothing otherthan impending bgrief,as if the word were a contraction of the words ivaiand ihi /i, meaning woe and mourning.,The Gemara cites several proofs corroborating this interpretation. b“And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i] in the days of Ahasuerus”led to grief, as there bwas Haman. “And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i] in the days when the judges ruled”(Ruth 1:1) introduces a period when there bwas famine. “And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i], when men began to multiply”(Genesis 6:1) is immediately followed by the verse: b“And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth”(Genesis 6:5)., b“And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i] as they journeyed from the east”(Genesis 11:2) is followed by: b“Come, let us build us a city”(Genesis 11:4), which led to the sin of the Tower of Babel. The Gemara cites further examples: b“And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel”(Genesis 14:1), about whom it is stated: b“These made war”(Genesis 14:2). Another verse states: b“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho”(Joshua 5:13), it was there that he saw an angel b“with his sword drawn in his hand”as a warning. It is written: b“And the Lord was [ ivayhi /i] with Joshua”(Joshua 6:27), and immediately afterward: b“But the children of Israel committed a trespass”(Joshua 7:1). It states: b“And it came to pass that there was a certain man of Ramathaim”(I Samuel 1:1), and it mentions shortly afterward Hannah’s inability to conceive: b“For he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed up her womb”(I Samuel 1:5).,Similarly, the verse states: b“And it came to pass, when Samuel was old”(I Samuel 8:1), and then it is written: b“And his sons did not walk in his ways”(I Samuel 8:3). Also, it states: b“And it came to pass that David was successful in all his ways, and the Lord was with him”(I Samuel 18:14), and only a few verses prior it is written: b“And Saul viewed David with suspicion”(I Samuel 18:9). In another instance, the verse states: b“And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house”(II Samuel 7:1). Here King David mentioned his desire to build a temple for God, but it is written elsewhere that he was told: b“Yet you shall not build the house”(II Chronicles 6:9).,After citing several verses where ivayhiportends grief, the Gemara mentions a number of verses that seem to indicate otherwise. bBut isn’t it written: “And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i] on the eighth day”(Leviticus 9:1), which was the day of the dedication of the Tabernacle? bAnd it is taughtin a ibaraitawith regard to that day: bOn that day there was joy before the Holy One, Blessed be He, similar tothe joy that existed on the bday on which the heavens and earth were created.The Gemara cites a verbal analogy in support of this statement. bIt is written here,with regard to the dedication of the Tabernacle: b“And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i] on the eighth day,” and it is written there,in the Creation story: b“And it was [ ivayhi /i]evening, and it was bmorning, one day”(Genesis 1:5). This indicates that there was joy on the eighth day, when the Tabernacle was dedicated, similar to the joy that existed on the day the world was created. Apparently, the term ivayhiis not necessarily a portent of grief.,The Gemara answers: This verse does not contradict the principle. On the day of the dedication of the Tabernacle, a calamity also befell the people, bas Nadav and Avihu died. /b,The Gemara cites additional verses where ivayhiis not indicative of impending grief: bBut isn’t it written: “And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i] in the four hundred and eightieth year”(I Kings 6:1), which discusses the joyous occasion of the building of the Temple? bAndfurthermore, bisn’t it written: “And it came to pass [ ivayhi /i] when Jacob saw Rachel”(Genesis 29:10), which was a momentous occasion? bAnd isn’t it written: “And it was [ ivayhi /i] evening, and it was [ ivayhi /i] morning, one day”(Genesis 1:5)? bAnd isn’t there the secondday of Creation, band isn’t there the thirdday, where the term ivayhiis used? bAnd aren’t there manyverses in the Bible in which the term ivayhiappears and no grief ensues? Apparently, the proposed principle is incorrect.,Rather, bRav Ashi said:With regard to beveryinstance of ivayhi /ialone, bthere aresome that mean bthis,grief, band there aresome that mean bthat,joy. However, wherever the phrase b“and it came to pass in the days of [ ivayhi bimei /i]”is used in the Bible, bit is nothing otherthan ba term ofimpending bgrief. /b,The Gemara states that bthere are fiveinstances of ivayhi bimei /iin the Bible. b“And it came to pass in the days of [ ivayhi bimei /i] Ahasuerus”; “And it came to pass in the days [ ivayhi bimei /i] when the judges ruled”; “And it came to pass in the days of [ ivayhi bimei /i] Amraphel”; “And it came to pass in the days of [ ivayhi bimei /i] Ahaz”(Isaiah 7:1); b“And it came to pass in the days of [ ivayhi bimei /i] Jehoiakim”(Jeremiah 1:3). In all those incidents, grief ensued.,§ Apropos the tradition cited by Rabbi Levi above, the Gemara cites additional traditions that he transmitted. bRabbi Levi said: This matter is a traditionthat bwereceived bfrom our ancestors: Amoz,father of Isaiah, band Amaziah,king of Judea, bwere brothers.The Gemara questions: bWhatnovel element bis thisstatement bteaching us? /b,The Gemara responds: It is bin accordance with that which Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saidthat bRabbi Yonatan said: Any bride who is modest in the house of her father-in-law merits that kings and prophetswill bemerge from her. From where do wederive this? bFrom Tamar, as it is written: “When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute; for she had covered her face”(Genesis 38:15). Can it be that bbecauseTamar bcovered her face he thought her to be a prostitute?On the contrary, a harlot tends to uncover her face., bRather, because she covered her face in the house of her father-in-law and he was not familiar with herappearance, Judah didn’t recognize Tamar, thought she was a harlot, and sought to have sexual relations with her. Ultimately, bshe merited that kings and prophets emerged from her. Kingsemerged from her bthrough David,who was a descendant of Tamar’s son, Peretz. However, there is no explicit mention that she was the forebear of bprophets.This is derived from that bwhich Rabbi Levi said: This matter is a traditionthat bwereceived bfrom our ancestors. Amoz,father of Isaiah, band Amaziah,king of Judea, bwere brothers, and it is written: “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz”(Isaiah 1:1). Amoz was a member of the Davidic dynasty, and his son, the prophet Isaiah, was also a descendant of Tamar., bAnd Rabbi Levi said: This matter is a traditionthat bwereceived bfrom our ancestors: The place of the Arkof the Covet bis notincluded bin the measurementof the Holy of Holies in which it rested.,The Gemara comments: bThis is also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bThe Ark crafted by Moses had ten cubitsof empty space bon each side. And it is writtenin the description of Solomon’s Temple: b“And before the Sanctuary, which was twenty cubits in length,and twenty cubits in breadth” (I Kings 6:20). The place “before the Sanctuary” is referring to the Holy of Holies. It was twenty by twenty cubits. If there were ten cubits of empty space on either side of the Ark, apparently the Ark itself occupied no space. bAnd it is written: And the wing of one of the cherubs was ten cubits and the wing of the other cherub was ten cubits;the wings of the cherubs occupied the entire area. If so, bwhere was the Ark itself standing? Rather,must one bnot conclude from itthat the Ark bstood by means of a miracleand occupied no space?,§ The Gemara cites prologues utilized by various Sages to introduce study of the Megilla: bRabbi Yonatan introduced this passage,the book of Esther, bwith an introduction from here: “For I will rise up against them,says the Lord of hosts, band cut off from Babylonia name, and remt, and offspring [ inin /i], and posterity, says the Lord”(Isaiah 14:22). This verse may be interpreted homiletically: b“Name,” this isthe bwritingof ancient Babylonia that will disappear from the world. b“Remt,” this isthe blanguageof ancient Babylonia. b“offspring,” this istheir bkingdom. And “posterity,” this is Vashti,who according to tradition was Nebuchadnezzar’s granddaughter, and the book of Esther relates how she too was removed from the throne., bRabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani introduced this passage with an introduction from here: “Instead of the thorn shall the cypress come up, and instead of the nettle shall the myrtle come up;and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (Isaiah 55:13). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani interpreted the verse homiletically as referring to the righteous individuals who superseded the wicked ones in the book of Esther., b“Instead of the thorn”;this means binstead of the wicked Haman.He is referred to as a thorn bbecause he turned himself into an object of idol worship,as he decreed that all must prostrate themselves before him. The Gemara cites proof that the term thorn is used in connection with idol worship, bas it is written: “And upon all thorns, and upon all brambles”(Isaiah 7:19), which is understood to be a reference to idol worship.,The next section of the verse discusses what will replace the thorns, i.e., Haman: b“Shall the cypress [ iberosh /i] come up”; this is Mordecai.Why is he called a cypress [ iberosh /i]? bBecause he was called the chief[irosh/b] bof all the spices, as it is stated: “Take you also to yourself the chief spices, of pure myrrh [ imar deror /i]”(Exodus 30:23), band we translate“pure myrrh,” into Aramaic as imari dakhei /i.Mordecai was like imari dakhi /i, the chief [ irosh /i] of spices, and therefore he is called iberosh /i.,The verse continues: “And binstead of the nettle [ isirpad /i],”this means binstead of the wicked Vashti.Why is she called a nettle [ isirpad /i]? Because she was bthe daughter of the son of the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, who burned the ceiling [ isaraf refidat /i] of the House of God, as it is written: “Its top [ irefidato /i] of gold”(Song of Songs 3:10).,The next section of the verse states: b“Shall the myrtle [ ihadas /i] come up”; this is the righteous Esther, who was called Hadassahin the Megilla, bas it is stated: “And he had brought up Hadassah;that is, Esther” (Esther 2:7). The concluding section of the verse states: b“And it shall be to the Lord for a name”; this is the reading of the Megilla. “For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off”; these are the days of Purim. /b, bRabbi Yehoshua ben Levi introduced this passage with an introduction from here: “And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good,and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you” (Deuteronomy 28:63). The verse indicates that just as the Lord rejoiced in the good he did on behalf of Israel, so too, the Lord bwill rejoice to cause you harm. /b,Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi asked: bDoes the Holy One, Blessed be He,in fact brejoice over the downfall of the wicked? But it is written: “As they went out before the army, and say: Give thanks to the Lord, for His kindness endures forever”(II Chronicles 20:21), band Rabbi Yoḥa said: For whatreason were the words: b“for He is good” not stated in thisstatement of bthanksgiving,as the classic formulation is: “Give thanks to the Lord; for He is good; for His kindness endures forever” (I Chronicles 16:34)? bBecause the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not rejoice over the downfall of the wicked.Since this song was sung in the aftermath of a military victory, which involved the downfall of the wicked, the name of God was not mentioned for the good., bAndsimilarly, bRabbi Yoḥa said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “And the one came not near the other all the night”(Exodus 14:20)? bThe ministering angels wanted to singtheir bsong,for the angels would sing songs to each other, as it states: “And they called out to each other and said” (Isaiah 6:3), but bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, said: The work of My hands,the Egyptians, are bdrowning at sea, and youwish to bsay songs?This indicates that God does not rejoice over the downfall of the wicked., bRabbi Elazar saidthat this is how the matter is to be understood: Indeed, God Himself bdoes not rejoiceover the downfall of the wicked, bbut He causes others to rejoice.The Gemara comments: One can blearn fromthe language of the verse bas well, as it is written: “Sothe Lord bwill rejoice [ iken yasis /i]”(Deuteronomy 28:63). bAnd it is not written iyasus /i,the grammatical form of the verb meaning: He will rejoice. Rather, it is written iyasis /i. The grammatical form of this verb indicates that one causes another to rejoice. Consequently, these words are understood to mean that God will cause others to rejoice. The Gemara concludes: Indeed, blearn fromit that this is the case., bRabbi Abba bar Kahana introduced this passage with an introduction from here.The verse states with regard to God’s reward to the righteous: b“He gives to a man that is good in His sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy”(Ecclesiastes 2:26). The Gemara explains that bthisverse bisreferring to bthe righteous Mordecai.With regard to the next part of the verse: b“But to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and heaping up,” this isreferring to bHaman.The conclusion of the verse states: b“That he may give it to one who is good before God”(Ecclesiastes 2:26). bThis is Mordecai and Esther, as it is written: “And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman”(Esther 8:2)., bRabba bar oferan introduced this passage with an introduction from here: “And I will set my throne in Elam, and destroy from there the king and the princes, says the Lord”(Jeremiah 49:38). b“The king”who was destroyed; bthis isreferring to bVashti. “And the princes”; this isreferring to bHaman and his ten sons. /b, bRav Dimi bar Yitzḥak introduced this passage with an introduction from here: /b |
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16. Babylonian Talmud, Nazir, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 23b. ומדינים כבריח ארמון אח נפשע מקרית עוז זה לוט שפירש מאברהם ומדינים כבריח ארמון שהטיל מדינים כבריחין וארמון (דברים כג, ד) לא יבא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ה',דרש רבא ואיתימא רבי יצחק מאי דכתיב (משלי יח, א) לתאוה יבקש נפרד ובכל תושיה יתגלע לתאוה יבקש נפרד זה לוט ובכל תושיה יתגלע שנתגלה קלונו בבתי כנסיות ובבתי מדרשות דתנן עמוני ומואבי אסורין ואיסורן איסור עולם,אמר עולא תמר זינתה זמרי זינה,תמר זינתה יצאו ממנה מלכים ונביאים זמרי זינה נפלו עליו כמה רבבות מישראל,אמר ר"נ בר יצחק גדולה עבירה לשמה ממצוה שלא לשמה והאמר רב יהודה אמר רב לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ובמצות אפי' שלא לשמן שמתוך שלא לשמן בא לשמן,אלא אימא כמצוה שלא לשמה דכתיב (שופטים ה, כד) תבורך מנשים יעל אשת חבר הקני מנשים באהל תבורך מאן נשים שבאהל שרה רבקה רחל ולאה,א"ר יוחנן שבע בעילות בעל אותו רשע באותה שעה שנאמר (שופטים ה, כז) בין רגליה כרע נפל שכב וגו',והא קא מתהניא מבעילה דיליה א"ר יוחנן כל טובתן של רשעים אינה אלא רעה אצל צדיקים,שנאמר (בראשית לא, כט) השמר לך מדבר עם יעקב מטוב ועד רע בשלמא רע שפיר אלא טוב אמאי לא אלא לאו ש"מ טובתו רעה היא ש"מ:,גופא אמר רב יהודה אמר רב לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ובמצות אפי' שלא לשמן שמתוך שלא לשמן בא לשמן שבשכר מ"ב קרבנות שהקריב בלק הרשע זכה ויצאה ממנו רות וא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא רות בת בנו של עגלון מלך מואב היתה,א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן מנין שאין הקב"ה מקפח אפי' שכר שיחה נאה דאילו בכירה דקריתיה מואב א"ל רחמנא (דברים ב, ט) אל תצר את מואב ואל תתגר בם מלחמה מלחמה הוא דלא אבל צעורי צערינן,ואילו צעירה דקריתיה בן עמי אמר ליה (דברים ב, יט) אל תצורם ואל תתגר בם אפילו צעורי לא תצערינן כלל,א"ר חייא בר אבין א"ר יהושע בן קרחה לעולם יקדים אדם לדבר מצוה שבשכר לילה אחת שקדמתה בכירה לצעירה | 23b. band their contentions are like the bars of a castle”(Proverbs 18:19)? b“A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,” this is Lot,called Abraham’s brother (see Genesis 14:14), bwho separated from Abraham. “And their contentions are like the bars of a castle,”this is bbecauseLot bbrought contentionbetween the Jewish people and his own descendants blike bars,which lock the gates of ba castle.Just as no one can enter a locked castle, so too Lot’s descendants, Ammon and Moab, were prevented from joining the Jewish people, as it states: b“An Ammonite and a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord”(Deuteronomy 23:4).,On the same issue, bRava expoundeda verse bhomiletically, and some sayit was bRabbi Yitzḥak: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “He who separates himself seeks his own desire, and snarls against all sound wisdom”(Proverbs 18:1)? b“He who separates himself seeks his own desire,” this is Lot,who separated from Abraham. b“And snarls [ iyitgala /i] against all sound wisdom,”this too describes Lot, bas his shame waseventually brevealed [ initgala /i] in the synagogues,when his actions recorded in the Torah are read in public, band in the study halls,where the ihalakhotof his descendants are taught. bAs we learnedin a mishna: bAn Ammonite and a Moabite are prohibitedfrom entering the congregation by marrying a Jewish woman, band their prohibition is permanent. /b,§ In relation to the preceding discussion with regard to the daughters of Lot, who acted in a wanton manner for the sake of a mitzva, the Gemara cites that which bUlla said: Tamar engaged in licentioussexual intercourse with her father-in-law, Judah (see Genesis, chapter 38), and bZimriben Salu also bengaged in licentioussexual intercourse with a Midianite woman (see Numbers, chapter 25).,Yet despite the similarity between their actions, bTamar engaged in licentioussexual intercourse for the sake of a mitzva, to have children, and therefore she merited that bkingsof the House of David bdescended from her.King David’s lineage traces back to Tamar’s son Peretz (see Ruth 4:18–22). bAndshe also merited to be the ancestor of bprophets,e.g., Isaiah, who was related to the royal family. Conversely, with regard to bZimri,who bengaged in licentioussexual intercourse for the purpose of a transgression, bseveral multitudes of Israel fell due to him;twenty-four thousand in a plague (see Numbers 25:9). This shows that a great deal depends on one’s intentions.,§ bRav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Greater is a transgressioncommitted bfor its own sake,i.e., for the sake of Heaven, bthan a mitzvaperformed bnot for its own sake.The Gemara questions this comparison: bBut didn’t Rav Yehuda saythat bRav said: A person should always occupy himself with Torah and mitzvot even not for their own sake, asit is bthroughacts performed bnot for their own sakethat good deeds bfor their own sake comeabout? How, then, can any transgression be considered greater than a mitzva not for the sake of Heaven?, bRather,one must emend the above statement and bsayas follows: A transgression for the sake of Heaven is bequivalent to a mitzva not for its own sake.The proof is bas it is written: “Blessed above women shall Yael be, the wife of Hever the Kenite, above women in the tent she shall be blessed”(Judges 5:24), and it is taught: bWho arethese b“women in the tent?”They are bSarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.Yael’s forbidden intercourse with Sisera for the sake of Heaven is compared to the sexual intercourse in which the Matriarchs engaged.,The Gemara asks: How is it derived that Yael engaged in sexual intercourse with Sisera? As bRabbi Yoḥa said: That wicked one,Sisera, bengaged in seven acts of sexual intercoursewith Yael bat that time, as it is stated: “Between her feet he sunk, he fell, he lay;between her feet he sunk, he fell; where he sunk, there he fell down dead” (Judges 5:27). Each mention of falling is referring to another act of intercourse.,The Gemara asks: bButYael at least benjoyed the sexual intercoursewith bhim;why is the verse so effusive in her praise? bRabbi Yoḥa said: All the good of the wicked,i.e., anything good received from wicked people, bis nothing otherthan bevil for the righteous,and therefore she certainly derived no pleasure from the act.,The Gemara asks: From where is this principle derived? bAsit bis statedin the verse that God warned Laban the Aramean, when he was chasing Jacob: b“Guard yourself from speaking to Jacob, from good to evil”(Genesis 31:24). bGranted,with regard to the warning against speaking bevil,it is bfinethat Laban was warned not to harm Jacob. bHowever, why shouldn’the say anything bgoodto Jacob? bRather,must one bnot conclude fromthis verse that even Laban’s bgood is badin Jacob’s eyes? The Gemara concludes: bLearn from thisthat it is so.,§ The Gemara returns to analyze in greater detail btheabove matter bitself. Rav Yehuda saidthat bRav said: A person should always occupy himself with Torah and mitzvot even not for their own sake, as throughthese acts performed bnot for their own sake,good deeds bfor their own sake comeabout. The proof for this is bthat in reward for the forty-two offerings that the wicked Balak sacrificed(see Numbers, chapter 23), although he did not do so for the sake of Heaven but to facilitate the cursing of the Jewish people, nevertheless bhe merited that Ruth descended from him.Not only was he the forebear of a righteous convert, but also of King David. bAndthis is as bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: Ruth was the daughter of the son of Eglon, king of Moab,who descended from Balak, king of Moab., bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: From whereis it derived bthat the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not depriveone of beventhe breward for proper speech,i.e., for speaking in a refined manner? bAs whilethere is the case of Lot’s belderdaughter, bwho calledher son bMoab [ imo’av /i],which alludes to his shameful origins, as ime’avmeans: From father, band the Merciful One says toMoses: b“Do not besiege Moab, nor contend with them in war”(Deuteronomy 2:9), which indicates: It is bwar that is notpermitted; bhowever,with regard to bharassing,the Jews were permitted bto harass them. /b, bAnd whilethere is the case of Lot’s byoungerdaughter, bwho calledher son bBen-Ami,son of my people, without explicitly mentioning her father. With regard to her descendants, God bsaid toMoses: b“Do not harass them, nor contend with them”(Deuteronomy 2:19), which means bevenas far as bharassingis concerned, byou may not harass them at all. /b, bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Avin saidthat bRabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: A person should always come firstwith regard bto a matter of a mitzva, as in reward ofthe bone night that the elderdaughter of Lot bpreceded the youngerfor the sake of a mitzva |
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17. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 10b. אלא ויקריא מלמד שהקריא אברהם אבינו לשמו של הקב"ה בפה כל עובר ושב כיצד לאחר שאכלו ושתו עמדו לברכו אמר להם וכי משלי אכלתם משל אלהי עולם אכלתם הודו ושבחו וברכו למי שאמר והיה העולם,(בראשית לח, טו) ויראה יהודה ויחשבה לזונה כי כסתה פניה משום דכסתה פניה חשבה לזונה,א"ר אלעזר שכסתה פניה בבית חמיה דא"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן כל כלה שהיא צנועה בבית חמיה זוכה ויוצאין ממנה מלכים ונביאים מנלן מתמר נביאים דכתיב (ישעיהו א, א) חזון ישעיהו בן אמוץ מלכים מדוד ואמר רבי לוי דבר זה מסורת בידינו מאבותינו אמוץ ואמציה אחים הוו,(בראשית לח, כה) היא מוצאת היא מיתוצאת מיבעי ליה א"ר אלעזר לאחר שנמצאו סימניה בא סמאל וריחקן בא גבריאל וקירבן,היינו דכתיב (תהלים נו, א) למנצח על יונת אלם רחוקים לדוד מכתם א"ר יוחנן משעה שנתרחקו סימניה נעשית כיונה אילמת לדוד מכתם שיצא ממנה דוד שהיה מך ותם לכל דבר אחר מכתם שהיתה מכתו תמה שנולד כשהוא מהול דבר אחר מכתם כשם שבקטנותו הקטין עצמו אצל מי שגדול ממנו ללמוד תורה כך בגדולתו,(בראשית לח, כה) והיא שלחה אל חמיה לאמר לאיש אשר אלה לו אנכי הרה ותימא ליה מימר אמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב חנא בר ביזנא אמר רבי שמעון חסידא ואמרי לה אמר רבי יוחנן משום ר' שמעון בן יוחי נוח לו לאדם שיפיל עצמו לתוך כבשן האש ואל ילבין פני חבירו ברבים מנלן מתמר,(בראשית לח, כה) הכר נא א"ר חמא ברבי חנינא בהכר בישר לאביו בהכר בישרוהו בהכר בישר (בראשית לז, לב) הכר נא הכתנת בנך היא בהכר בישרוהו הכר נא למי,נא אין נא אלא לשון בקשה אמרה ליה בבקשה ממך הכר פני בוראך ואל תעלים עיניך ממני,(בראשית לח, כו) ויכר יהודה ויאמר צדקה ממני היינו דאמר רב חנין בר ביזנא א"ר שמעון חסידא יוסף שקדש ש"ש בסתר זכה והוסיפו לו אות אחת משמו של הקב"ה דכתיב (תהלים פא, ו) עדות ביהוסף שמו,יהודה שקדש ש"ש בפרהסיא זכה ונקרא כולו על שמו של הקב"ה כיון שהודה ואמר צדקה ממני יצתה בת קול ואמרה אתה הצלת תמר ושני בניה מן האור חייך שאני מציל בזכותך ג' מבניך מן האור מאן נינהו חנניה מישאל ועזריה,צדקה ממני מנא ידע יצתה בת קול ואמרה ממני יצאו כבושים,(בראשית לח, כו) ולא יסף עוד לדעתה אמר שמואל סבא חמוה דרב שמואל בר אמי משמיה דרב שמואל בר אמי כיון שידעה שוב לא פסק ממנה כתיב הכא ולא יסף עוד לדעתה וכתיב התם (דברים ה, יט) קול גדול ולא יסף,אבשלום נתגאה בשערו וכו' ת"ר אבשלום בשערו מרד שנאמר (שמואל ב יד, כה) וכאבשלום לא היה איש יפה וגו' ובגלחו את ראשו (וגו') והיה מקץ ימים לימים אשר יגלח כי כבד עליו וגלחו ושקל את שער ראשו מאתים שקלים באבן המלך תנא אבן שאנשי טבריא ואנשי ציפורי שוקלים בה,לפיכך נתלה בשערו שנאמר (שמואל ב יח, ט) ויקרא אבשלום לפני עבדי דוד ואבשלום רוכב על הפרד ויבא הפרד תחת שובך האלה הגדולה ויאחז ראשו באלה ויותן בין השמים ובין הארץ והפרד אשר תחתיו עבר [שקל ספסירא בעא למיפסקיה] תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל באותה שעה נבקע שאול מתחתיו,(שמואל ב יט, א) וירגז המלך ויעל על עליית השער ויבך וכה אמר בלכתו בני אבשלום בני בני [אבשלום] מי יתן מותי אני תחתיך אבשלום בני בני והמלך לאט את פניו ויזעק המלך קול גדול בני אבשלום אבשלום בני בני הני תמניא בני למה שבעה דאסקיה משבעה מדורי גיהנם ואידך איכא דאמרי דקריב רישיה לגבי גופיה ואיכא דאמרי דאייתיה לעלמא דאתי,(שמואל ב יח, יח) ואבשלום לקח ויצב לו בחייו מאי לקח אמר ריש לקיש שלקח מקח רע לעצמו את מצבת אשר בעמק המלך וגו' א"ר חנינא בר פפא בעצה עמוקה של מלכו של עולם | 10b. but bratheras ivayyakri /i, and he causedothers bto call.This bteaches that Abraham our forefather caused the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, to be calledout bin the mouth of all passersby. How so? Afterthe guests of Abraham bate and drank, they arose to bless him. He said to them: But did you eat fromwhat is bmine?Rather, byou ate fromthe food of bthe God of the world.Therefore, byoushould bthank and praise and bless the One Who spoke and the world wascreated. In this way, Abraham caused everyone to call out to God.,The Gemara continues its discussion of the incident of Judah and Tamar. It is written: b“When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face”(Genesis 38:15). The Gemara asks: bBecause she had covered her face he thought her to be a prostitute?Prostitutes usually uncover their faces in order to attract men., bRabbi Elazar says:The verse means bthatTamar bcovered her face in the home of her father-in-law,Judah. Therefore, he did not recognize her when her face was uncovered. bAs Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani saysthat bRabbi Yonatan says: Any daughter-in-law who is modest in the house of her father-in-law merits that kings and prophets emerge from her. From where do wederive this? bFrom Tamar. Prophetsemerged from her, bas it is written: “The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz”(Isaiah 1:1). bKingsemerged from her, as seen bfrom David. And Rabbi Levi says: This matter is a traditionthat bwereceived bfrom our ancestors: Amoz,father of Isaiah, band Amaziah,king of Judea, bwere brothers.This indi-cates that Isaiah was also from the house of David and therefore a descendant of Tamar.,The verse describes Tamar’s court hearing: b“When she was brought forth [ imutzet /i],she sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man whose these are, am I with child” (Genesis 38:25). The Gemara comments: bIt should havestated: bWhen she was imitutzet /i.The word imutzetalso carries the implication of being found. What then, is taught by the use of that term? bRabbi Elazar says: After her signs,which she was using to prove that she was impregnated by Judah, bwere brought out,the evil angel bSamael came and distanced themfrom each other in an attempt to prevent Judah’s admission and Tamar’s survival, which would enable the birth of King David. The angel bGabrielthen bcame and movedthe signs bcloseragain. Therefore, the word imutzetis used, as it alludes to the signs being found again.,The Gemara comments: bThis is as it is written: “For the leader, upon iyonat eilem reḥokim /i, a psalm [ imikhtam /i] of David”(Psalms 56:1). bRabbi Yoḥa saysthe verse means: bFrom the moment that her signs were distanced [ ireḥokim /i], she became like a mute dove [ iyona illemet /i].And the phrase b“a psalm [ imikhtam /i] of David”means: The one bfrom whom David emerged, as he was modest [ imakh /i] and flawless [ itam /i] with everyone. Alternatively, imikhtam /iindicates bthat imakkato /i,the place on his body that would have required wounding [ imakka /i], bwas complete [ itama /i],i.e., bthatDavid bwas born circumcised. Alternatively, imikhtam /iindicates that bjust as in his youthDavid bmade himself small in front of one who was greater than himin order bto learn Torahfrom that person, bso too, when he became greatand was crowned king, he still behaved in this manner, so that his modesty, imakh /i, was complete, itam /i, all of his life.,The verse concerning Tamar then states: b“She sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man whose these are, am I with child”(Genesis 38:25). The Gemara comments: bAnd let her say to himexplicitly that she was impregnated by him. bRav Zutra bar Tuviyya saysthat bRav says, and some say Rav Ḥana bar Bizna saysthat bRabbi Shimon Ḥasida says, and some saythat bRabbi Yoḥa says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is more amenable for a person to throw himself into a fiery furnaceif faced with the choice of publicly embarrassing another or remaining silent even if it leads to being burned, band not humiliate another in public. From where do wederive this? bFrom Tamar,as she was prepared to be burned if Judah did not confess, rather than humiliate him in public.,The verse continues: “And she said: bDiscern, please,whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff” (Genesis 38:25). bRabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: Withuse of the word bdiscernJudah binformed his fatherthat Joseph was lost, and also bwithuse of the word bdiscern they informedJudah about the signs. The Gemara explains: bWiththe word bdiscern he informedJacob his father when he brought him the coat of Joseph and said to his father: “And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father; and said: This have we found. bDiscern now whether it is your son’s coator not” (Genesis 37:32). bWiththe word bdiscern they informed him:“And she said: bDiscern, please, whose arethese.”,It states: “Discern, bplease [ ina /i].”The word ina /iis bnothing otherthan ba language of request.The Gemara explains: bShe said to him: I request of you: Discern the image of your Creatorin every person, band do not avert your eyes from me. /b,The verse states: b“And Judah acknowledged them, and said: She is more righteous than I;forasmuch as I gave her not to Shelah my son” (Genesis 38:26). bThis isthe same bas Rav Ḥanin bar Bizna saysthat bRabbi Shimon Ḥasida says: Joseph, who sanctified the name of Heaven in privateby not committing adultery with the wife of Potiphar, bmerited that one letter from the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, was added to hisname, bas it is written: “He appointed it in Joseph [ ibihosef] for a testimony in his name,when He went forth against the land of Egypt” (Psalms 81:6). In this verse the name Joseph is written with an additional letter iheh /i, found in the ineffable name of God.,He continues: bJudah, who sanctified the name of Heaven in public, merited that his entirename bis called by the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He,for all the letters of the ineffable name of God are included within the name of Judah, with the addition of the letter idalet /i. bWhen he confessed and said: “She is more righteous than I,” a Divine Voice went forth and said: You saved Tamar and her two childrenin her womb bfrombeing burned by bthe fire.By byour life,i.e., bin your merit, I will save three of your children from the fire.And bwho are they? Haiah, Mishael, and Azariah(see Daniel, chapter 3).,Judah said: b“She is more righteous than I [ imimmenni /i].”The word “ imimmenni /i” can also be understood as “from me,” with Judah thereby admitting that he is the father. The Gemara asks: bFrom where did he knowthat it was in fact from him that Tamar was pregt? The Gemara answers: bA Divine Voice went forth and said: From Me these hiddenmatters bemerged,and this woman will be the mother of royalty, which requires that Judah be the father.,The same verse continues: b“And he knew her [ ileda’atah /i] again no more [ ivelo yasaf],”seemingly indicating that Judah did not engage in sexual intercourse with Tamar again. bShmuel the Elder, father-in-law of Rav Shmuel bar Ami, says in the name of Rav Shmuel bar Ami:The verse actually means that bonce he knewof bherthat her intentions were for the sake of Heaven, bhe did not desist fromengaging in sexual intercourse with bher again,as bit is written here: “ iVelo yasaf od leda’atah /i,” and it is written thereat the giving of the Torah: “These words the Lord spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, bwith a great voice and it went on no more [ ivelo yasaf]”(Deuteronomy 5:18), which is interpreted to mean: A great voice that did not cease.,§ The mishna teaches: bAbsalom wasexcessively bproud of his hair,and therefore he was hung by his hair. bThe Sages taught( iTosefta3:16): bAbsalom rebelledand sinned bdue to his hair, as it is stated:“Now in all Israel bthere was noneto be so much praised bas Absalom for his beauty;from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. bAnd when he shaved his head, as it was at every year’s end that he shaved it; because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he shaved it, and he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, by the king’s stone”(II Samuel 14:25–26). What is the king’s stone? The Sages btaught: A stone with which the people of Tiberias and the people of Tzippori weighitems.,The ibaraitacontinues: And since he was proud of his hair, btherefore, he was hung by his hair, as it is statedin the verse describing the battle between the forces of David and Absalom: b“And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth, and his head caught hold of the terebinth, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went on”(II Samuel 18:9). After he was spotted by the opposing troops, Absalom btook a sword [ isafseira /i] and wanted to cut his hairto save himself. bThe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: At that moment,the gates of bthe netherworld opened beneath himand he was afraid to fall into it, so he did not cut his hair, and he was killed by the opposing troops.,It is written with regard to David’s reaction after he learns of the death of Absalom: b“And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went about he said: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died in your place, O Absalom, my son, my son”(II Samuel 19:1), and a few verses later it adds: b“And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice: O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son”(II Samuel 19:5). The Gemara asks: bWhyare there bthese eightmentions of b“my son”by David, i.e., to what do they correspond? The Gemara answers: bSeventimes he said “my son,” by bwhich he raised him up from the seven chambers of Gehenna. Andas for bthe other,eighth, time, bsome say thatDavid bbroughtthe bheadof Absalom bclose toAbsalom’s bbody, and some say thatwith this eighth mention David bbroughtAbsalom bto the World-to-Come. /b,It is written there: b“Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himselfthe pillar, which is in the king’s valley; for he said: I have no son to keep my name in remembrance” (II Samuel 18:18). The Gemara asks: bWhat didAbsalom btake? Reish Lakish says: He engaged in a bad transaction for himselfby accepting bad advice for which he was punished. The verse continues: b“The pillar, which is in the king’s valley [ ibe’emek hammelekh /i].” Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says:This alludes to the pillar that is bin the deep [ iamukka /i] counsel of the King [ imelekh /i] of the universe,as God had already decreed in the aftermath of the incident with Bathsheba that this would occur. |
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18. Anon., Lexicon Artis Grammaticae (E Cod. Coislin. 345), 23.4
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