1. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 6.4, 34.7 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 6.4. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃ 34.7. וּמֹשֶׁה בֶּן־מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה בְּמֹתוֹ לֹא־כָהֲתָה עֵינוֹ וְלֹא־נָס לֵחֹה׃ | 6.4. HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE." 34.7. And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 2.24, 15.18, 19.19, 20.15 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 2.24. וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת־נַאֲקָתָם וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם אֶת־יִצְחָק וְאֶת־יַעֲקֹב׃ 15.18. יְהוָה יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד׃ 19.19. וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל׃ 20.15. וְכָל־הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת־הַלַּפִּידִם וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר וְאֶת־הָהָר עָשֵׁן וַיַּרְא הָעָם וַיָּנֻעוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ מֵרָחֹק׃ | 2.24. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covet with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob." 15.18. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever." 19.19. And when the voice of the horn waxed louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice." 20.15. And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the horn, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 8.1 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 8.1. וַיָּחֶל עוֹד שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֲחֵרִים וַיֹּסֶף שַׁלַּח אֶת־הַיּוֹנָה מִן־הַתֵּבָה׃ 8.1. וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת־נֹחַ וְאֵת כָּל־הַחַיָּה וְאֶת־כָּל־הַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בַּתֵּבָה וַיַּעֲבֵר אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ עַל־הָאָרֶץ וַיָּשֹׁכּוּ הַמָּיִם׃ | 8.1. And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;" |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Leviticus, 26.42, 26.45 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 26.42. וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב וְאַף אֶת־בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְאַף אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם אֶזְכֹּר וְהָאָרֶץ אֶזְכֹּר׃ 26.45. וְזָכַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית רִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי־אֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם לִהְיֹת לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי יְהוָה׃ | 26.42. then will I remember My covet with Jacob, and also My covet with Isaac, and also My covet with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land." 26.45. But I will for their sakes remember the covet of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD." |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 114-118, 113 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
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6. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 27.13, 44.6 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 27.13. וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל וּבָאוּ הָאֹבְדִים בְּאֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר וְהַנִּדָּחִים בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַיהוָה בְּהַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם׃ 44.6. כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגֹאֲלוֹ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן וּמִבַּלְעָדַי אֵין אֱלֹהִים׃ | 27.13. And it shall come to pass in that day, That a great horn shall be blown; And they shall come that were lost in the land of Assyria, And they that were dispersed in the land of Egypt; And they shall worship the LORD in the holy mountain at Jerusalem." 44.6. Thus saith the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer the LORD of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last, And beside Me there is no God." |
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7. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 2.2 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 2.2. הָלֹךְ וְקָרָאתָ בְאָזְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם לֵאמֹר כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה׃ 2.2. כִּי מֵעוֹלָם שָׁבַרְתִּי עֻלֵּךְ נִתַּקְתִּי מוֹסְרֹתַיִךְ וַתֹּאמְרִי לֹא אעבד [אֶעֱבוֹר] כִּי עַל־כָּל־גִּבְעָה גְּבֹהָה וְתַחַת כָּל־עֵץ רַעֲנָן אַתְּ צֹעָה זֹנָה׃ | 2.2. Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the LORD: I remember for thee the affection of thy youth, the love of thine espousals; how thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown." |
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8. Mishnah, Berachot, 9.5 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 9.5. One must bless [God] for the evil in the same way as one blesses for the good, as it says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). “With all your heart,” with your two impulses, the evil impulse as well as the good impulse. “With all your soul” even though he takes your soul [life] away from you. “With all your might” with all your money. Another explanation, “With all your might” whatever treatment he metes out to you. One should not show disrespect to the Eastern Gate, because it is in a direct line with the Holy of Holies. One should not enter the Temple Mount with a staff, or with shoes on, or with a wallet, or with dusty feet; nor should one make it a short cut, all the more spitting [is forbidden]. All the conclusions of blessings that were in the Temple they would say, “forever [lit. as long as the world is].” When the sectarians perverted their ways and said that there was only one world, they decreed that they should say, “for ever and ever [lit. from the end of the world to the end of the world]. They also decreed that a person should greet his fellow in God’s name, as it says, “And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, ‘May the Lord be with you.’ And they answered him, “May the Lord bless you’” (Ruth 2:. And it also says, “The Lord is with your, you valiant warrior” (Judges 6:12). And it also says, “And do not despise your mother when she grows old” (Proverbs 23:22). And it also says, “It is time to act on behalf of the Lord, for they have violated Your teaching” (Psalms 119:126). Rabbi Natan says: [this means] “They have violated your teaching It is time to act on behalf of the Lord.”" |
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9. Mishnah, Megillah, 4.3, 4.8 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 4.3. They do not recite the Shema responsively, And they do not pass before the ark; And the [the priests] do not lift up their hands; And they do not read the Torah [publicly]; And they do not conclude with a haftarah from the prophets; And they do not make stops [at funeral] processions; And they do not say the blessing for mourners, or the comfort of mourners, or the blessing of bridegrooms; And they do not mention God’s name in the invitation [to say Birkat Hamazon]; Except in the presence of ten. [For redeeming sanctified] land nine and a priest [are sufficient], and similarly with human beings." 4.8. If one says, “I will not pass before the ark in colored clothes,” even in white clothes he may not pass before it. [If one says], “I will not pass before it in shoes,” even barefoot he may not pass before it. One who makes his tefillin [for the head] round, it is dangerous and has no religious value. If he put them on his forehead or on the palm of his hand, behold this is the way of heresy. If he overlaid them with gold or put [the one for the hand] on his sleeve, behold this is the manner of the outsiders." |
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10. Mishnah, Rosh Hashanah, 1.4, 4.1, 4.3, 4.7 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1.4. On account of two months they profane Shabbat: on account of Nissan and Tishri, for on those months messengers go forth to Syria and in them the dates of the festivals are fixed. When the Temple stood they used to profane Shabbat for all the months, in order that the sacrifice might be offered on the right day." 4.1. If Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbat, they would blow the shofar in the Temple but not in the country. After the destruction of the Temple, Rabban Yoha ben Zakai decreed that it should be blown [on Shabbat] in every place where there was a court. Rabbi Eliezer said: Rabban Yoha ben Zakai decreed for Yavneh only. They said to him: both Yavneh and any place where there is a court." 4.3. In earlier times the lulav was taken for seven days in the Temple, and in the provinces for one day only. When the temple was destroyed, Rabbi Yoha ben Zakkai decreed that the lulav should be taken in the provinces for seven days in memory of the Temple, [He also decreed] that on the whole of the day of waving it be forbidden [to eat the new produce]." 4.7. The one who passes before the ark on the festival of Rosh Hashanah: the second one blows the shofar. On days when Hallel is said, the first one recites the Hallel." |
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11. Mishnah, Sukkah, 3.12 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 3.12. In earlier times the lulav was taken for seven days in the Temple, and in the provinces for one day only. When the temple was destroyed, Rabbi Yoha ben Zakkai decreed that the lulav should be taken in the provinces for seven days in memory of the Temple, [He also decreed] that on the whole of the day of waving it be forbidden [to eat the new produce]." |
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12. Mishnah, Taanit, 2.2-2.3, 4.1, 4.4 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 2.2. [When] they stand up to pray they bring down before the ark an old man conversant [with the prayers], one who has children and whose house is empty [of food], so that his heart is complete prayer. He recites before them twenty-four benedictions, the eighteen recited daily, to which he adds six." 2.3. These are they [the six additional benedictions:Zikhronot,“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence” (I Kings 8:37). Shofarot,“The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts” (Jeremiah. “In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me” (Psalm. “I turn my eyes to the mountains” (Psalm. “Out of the depths I call you, O Lord” (Psalm. “A prayer of lowly man when he is faint” (Psalm. Rabbi Judah says: he need not recite the zikhronot and shofarot, but instead he should recite [the following]: And he ends each [of the additional six] sections with its appropriate concluding benediction." 4.1. On three occasions during the year, on fast days, on ma’amadot, and on Yom Kippur the priests lift up their hands to bless [the people] four times during the day--at Shaharit, at Mussaf, at Minhah and at Neilah." 4.4. On any day when there is Hallel there was no maamad at Shaharit; [On the day when] there is a Musaf-offering, there was no [maamad] at Ne'ilah. [On the day of] the wood-offering, there was no [maamad] at Minhah, the words of Rabbi Akiva. Ben Azzai said to him: Thus did Rabbi Joshua learn: [On the day when] there is a Musaf-offering, there was no [maamad] at Minhah; [On the day of] the wood-offering, there was no [maamad] at Ne’ilah. Rabbi Akiva retracted and learned like Ben Azzai." |
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13. Mishnah, Tamid, 1.2, 2.1, 5.1, 7.2 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1.2. Anyone who desired to remove the ashes from the altar used to rise early and bathe before the superintendent came. At what time did the superintendent come? He did not always come at the same time; sometimes he came just at cock-crow, sometimes a little before or a little after. The superintendent would come and knock and they would open for him, and he would say to them, let all who have bathed come and draw lots. So they drew lots, and whoever was successful." 2.1. When his fellow priests saw that he had descended, they came running and hastened to wash their hands and feet in the laver. They then took the shovels and the forks and went up to the top of the altar. The limbs and pieces of fat that had not been consumed since the evening they pushed to the sides of the altar. If there was not room on the sides they arranged them on the surround or on the ascent." 5.1. The superintendent said to them: Bless one blessing! And they blessed. They then read the Ten Commandments, the Shema, the “And it will be if you hearken” (the second paragraph of Shema) and Vayomer (the third paragraph of Shema), and they blessed the people with three blessings: Emet veYatziv, and Avodah, and the priestly benediction. On Shabbat they added a blessing to be said by the watch which was leaving." 7.2. They went and stood on the steps of the Sanctuary. The first ones stood at the south side of their fellow priests with five vessels in their hands: one held the teni, the second the kuz, the third the firepan, the fourth the dish, and the fifth the spoon and its covering. They blessed the people with a single blessing, except in the country they recited it as three blessings, in the Temple as one. In the Temple they pronounced the divine name as it is written, but in the country by its substitute. In the country the priests raised their hands as high as their shoulders, but in the Temple above their heads, except the high priest, who did not raise his hands above the diadem. Rabbi Judah says: the high priest also raised his hands above the diadem, since it says, “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22)." |
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14. Tosefta, Megillah, 3.21 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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15. Tosefta, Pesahim, 10.7 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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16. Tosefta, Sotah, 6.2-6.3 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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17. Tosefta, Sukkah, 3.2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 3.2. The [beat of the willow] is a tradition from Moses at Sinai, and Abba Sha'ul deduced it from Scripture, as it is says, “Willows of the brook”, the plural denoting two, one for the lulav, and one for the altar. Rabbi Elieser ben Yacov said, Thus were they saying, \"To Him and to thee, O altar, to Him and to thee, O altar!\" Eighteen days and one night (in the year) the entire Hallel is repeated. These are: the eight days of sukkot, the eight days of Hanukkah, the first day of Passover, the night of the first day of Passover, and the first day of Shavuot." |
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18. Anon., Sifre Deuteronomy, 357 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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19. Anon., Sifre Numbers, 138, 141, 39, 116 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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20. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 10b. א"ר חנן אפי' בעל החלומות אומר לו לאדם למחר הוא מת אל ימנע עצמו מן הרחמים שנאמר (קהלת ה, ו) כי ברוב חלומות והבלים ודברים הרבה כי את האלהים ירא,מיד (ישעיהו לח, ב) ויסב חזקיהו פניו אל הקיר ויתפלל אל ה',מאי קיר אמר רשב"ל מקירות לבו שנא' (ירמיהו ד, יט) מעי מעי אוחילה קירות לבי וגו',ר' לוי אמר על עסקי הקיר אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם ומה שונמית שלא עשתה אלא קיר אחת קטנה החיית את בנה אבי אבא שחפה את ההיכל כולו בכסף ובזהב על אחת כמה וכמה (ישעיהו לח, ג) זכר נא את אשר התהלכתי לפניך באמת ובלב שלם והטוב בעיניך עשיתי,מאי והטוב בעיניך עשיתי א"ר יהודה אמר רב שסמך גאולה לתפלה ר' לוי אמר שגנז ספר רפואות,תנו רבנן ששה דברים עשה חזקיהו המלך על ג' הודו לו ועל ג' לא הודו לו,על ג' הודו לו גנז ספר רפואות והודו לו כתת נחש הנחשת והודו לו גירר עצמות אביו על מטה של חבלים והודו לו,ועל ג' לא הודו לו סתם מי גיחון ולא הודו לו קצץ דלתות היכל ושגרם למלך אשור ולא הודו לו עבר ניסן בניסן ולא הודו לו,ומי לית ליה לחזקיהו (שמות יב, ב) החדש הזה לכם ראש חדשים זה ניסן ואין אחר ניסן,אלא טעה בדשמואל דאמר שמואל אין מעברין את השנה ביום שלשים של אדר הואיל וראוי לקובעו ניסן סבר הואיל וראוי לא אמרינן:,א"ר יוחנן משום ר' יוסי בן זמרא כל התולה בזכות עצמו תולין לו בזכות אחרים וכל התולה בזכות אחרים תולין לו בזכות עצמו,משה תלה בזכות אחרים שנא' (שמות לב, יג) זכור לאברהם ליצחק ולישראל עבדיך תלו לו בזכות עצמו שנאמר (תהלים קו, כג) ויאמר להשמידם לולי משה בחירו עמד בפרץ לפניו להשיב חמתו מהשחית,חזקיהו תלה בזכות עצמו דכתיב זכר נא את אשר התהלכתי לפניך תלו לו בזכות אחרים שנא' (מלכים ב יט, לד) וגנותי אל העיר הזאת להושיעה למעני ולמען דוד עבדי והיינו דריב"ל דאמר ריב"ל מאי דכתיב (ישעיהו לח, יז) הנה לשלום מר לי מר אפי' בשעה ששיגר לו הקב"ה שלום מר הוא לו:,(מלכים ב ד, י) נעשה נא עליית קיר קטנה,רב ושמואל חד אמר עלייה פרועה היתה וקירוה וחד אמר אכסדרה גדולה היתה וחלקוה לשנים,בשלמא למ"ד אכסדרה היינו דכתיב קיר אלא למ"ד עלייה מאי קיר,שקירוה,בשלמא למ"ד עלייה היינו דכתיב עליית אלא למ"ד אכסדרה מאי עליית,מעולה שבבתים.,ונשים לו שם מטה ושולחן וכסא ומנורה,אמר אביי ואיתימא ר' יצחק הרוצה להנות יהנה כאלישע ושאינו רוצה להנות אל יהנה כשמואל הרמתי שנאמר (שמואל א ז, יז) ותשובתו הרמתה כי שם ביתו וא"ר יוחנן שכל מקום שהלך שם ביתו עמו.,(מלכים ב ד, ט) ותאמר אל אישה הנה נא ידעתי כי איש אלהים קדוש הוא א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא מכאן שהאשה מכרת באורחין יותר מן האיש,קדוש הוא מנא ידעה רב ושמואל חד אמר שלא ראתה זבוב עובר על שולחנו וחד אמר סדין של פשתן הציעה על מטתו ולא ראתה קרי עליו,קדוש הוא א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא הוא קדוש ומשרתו אינו קדוש (שנא') (מלכים ב ד, כז) ויגש גיחזי להדפה א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא שאחזה בהוד יפיה.,עובר עלינו תמיד א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום רבי אליעזר בן יעקב כל המארח תלמיד חכם בתוך ביתו ומהנהו מנכסיו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו מקריב תמידין.,וא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום ראב"י אל יעמוד אדם במקום גבוה ויתפלל אלא במקום נמוך ויתפלל שנא' (תהלים קל, א) ממעמקים קראתיך ה',תניא נמי הכי לא יעמוד אדם לא על גבי כסא ולא ע"ג שרפרף ולא במקום גבוה ויתפלל אלא במקום נמוך ויתפלל לפי שאין גבהות לפני המקום שנאמר ממעמקים קראתיך ה' וכתיב (תהלים קב, א) תפלה לעני כי יעטוף.,וא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום ראב"י המתפלל צריך שיכוין את רגליו שנא' (יחזקאל א, ז) ורגליהם רגל ישרה,(א"ר יצחק א"ר יוחנן) וא"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום ראב"י מאי דכתיב (ויקרא יט, כו) לא תאכלו על הדם לא תאכלו קודם שתתפללו על דמכם,(א"ד) א"ר יצחק א"ר יוחנן א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא משום ראב"י כל האוכל ושותה ואח"כ מתפלל עליו הכתוב אומר (מלכים א יד, ט) ואותי השלכת אחרי גויך אל תקרי גויך אלא גאיך אמר הקב"ה לאחר שנתגאה זה קבל עליו מלכות שמים:,ר' יהושע אומר עד ג' שעות: אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל הלכה כרבי יהושע:,הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד:,אמר רב חסדא אמר מר עוקבא ובלבד שלא יאמר יוצר אור,מיתיבי הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד כאדם שהוא קורא בתורה אבל מברך הוא שתים לפניה ואחת לאחריה תיובתא דרב חסדא תיובתא,איכא דאמרי אמר רב חסדא אמר מר עוקבא מאי לא הפסיד שלא הפסיד ברכות תניא נמי הכי הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד כאדם שקורא בתורה אבל מברך הוא שתים לפניה ואחת לאחריה,א"ר מני גדול הקורא ק"ש בעונתה יותר מהעוסק בתורה מדקתני הקורא מכאן ואילך לא הפסיד כאדם הקורא בתורה מכלל דקורא בעונתה עדיף:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big בית שמאי אומרים בערב כל אדם יטה ויקרא ובבקר יעמוד שנאמר (דברים ו, ז) ובשכבך ובקומך,ובית הלל אומרים כל אדם קורא כדרכו שנאמר ובלכתך בדרך,אם כן למה נאמר ובשכבך ובקומך בשעה שבני אדם שוכבים ובשעה שבני אדם עומדים,א"ר טרפון אני הייתי בא בדרך והטתי לקרות כדברי ב"ש וסכנתי בעצמי מפני הלסטים,אמרו לו כדי היית לחוב בעצמך שעברת על דברי ב"ה: | 10b. Similarly, bRabbi Ḥa said: Even if the master of dreams,in a true dream, an angel ( iMa’ayan HaBerakhot /i) btells a person that tomorrow he will die, he should not prevent himself frompraying for bmercy, as it is stated: “For in the multitude of dreams and vanities there are many words; but fear God”(Ecclesiastes 5:6). Although the dream may seem real to him, that is not necessarily the case, and one must place his trust in God.,Having heard Isaiah’s harsh prophecy, bimmediately “Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed to the Lord”(Isaiah 38:2).,The Gemara asks: bWhat ismeant by the word b“wall [ ikir /i]”in this context? Why did Hezekiah turn his face to a wall? bRabbi Shimon ben Lakish said:This symbolically alludes to the fact that Hezekiah prayed to God bfrom the chambers [ ikirot /i] of his heart, as it is statedelsewhere: b“My anguish, my anguish, I am in pain. The chambers of my heart.My heart moans within me” (Jeremiah 4:19)., bRabbi Levi said:Hezekiah intended to evoke bmattersrelating bto a wall,and bhe said beforeGod: bMaster of the Universe, and if the woman from Shunem, who made only a single small wallon the roof for the prophet Elisha, and byou revived her son, all the more soshould you bring life to the descendant of bmy father’s father,King Solomon, bwho covered the entireTemple bSanctuary with silver and gold.In his prayer, Hezekiah said: “Please, Lord, bplease remember that I walked before You in truth, and with a complete heart, and what was good in Your eyes I did.And Hezekiah wept sore” (Isaiah 38:3).,The Gemara asks: To bwhatspecific action was he referring when he said: b“And what was good in your sight I did”?Various opinions are offered: Mentioning Hezekiah’s merits, bRav Yehuda said in the name of Rav that he juxtaposed redemption and prayerat sunrise instead of sleeping late, as was the custom of most kings ( iIyyun Ya’akov /i). bRabbi Levi said: He suppressed the Book of Remediesupon which everyone relied., bThe Sages taught: King Hezekiah performed sixinnovative bactions. With regard to threethe Sages bagreed with him, and with regard to three they did not agree with him. /b, bWith regard to threeactions the Sages bagreed with him: br bHe suppressed the Book of Remedies, and they agreed with him. br bHe ground the copper snakethrough which miracles were performed for Israel (Numbers 21:9), destroying it because it had been used in idol worship (II Kings 18:4), band they agreed with him. br bHe dragged the bones of hisevil bfather,King Ahaz, bon a bed of ropes;meaning he did not accord his father a funeral fit for a king (II Chronicles 28:27), band they agreed with him. /b,Yet, bwith regard to threeother innovations, the Sages of his generation bdid not agree with him: br bHe stopped up the waters of the Gihon,the Pool of Siloam, diverting its water into the city by means of a tunnel (II Chronicles 32:30), band they did not agree with him. br bHe cut off the doors of the Sanctuary and sent them to the king of Assyria(II Kings 18:16), band they did not agree with him. br bHe intercalated Nisan in Nisan,creating a leap year by adding an extra month during the month of Nisan. That intercalation must be performed before the end of Adar (II Chronicles 30:2).,With regard to his intercalation of Nisan, the Gemara asks: bDid Hezekiah notaccept the ihalakha /i: b“This month will be for you the first of the months;it shall be the first for you of the months of the year” (Exodus 12:2)? By inference, bthisfirst month bis Nisan, and no othermonth bis Nisan.How could Hezekiah add an additional Nisan in violation of Torah law?,The Gemara answers that the scenario was different. bRather, Hezekiah erred with regard tothe halakhic opinion ascribed in later generations to bShmuel,as bShmuel said: One may not intercalate the year on the thirtieth day of Adar, since it is fit to establish itas the New Moon of bNisan.On the thirtieth day of each month, those who witnessed the new moon would come and testify before the court, which, based on their testimony, would declare that day the first day of the next month. Therefore, one may not declare a leap year on the thirtieth day of Adar, as it could potentially become the first of Nisan. Therefore, the Sages of Hezekiah’s generation did not agree with his decision to intercalate the year on the thirtieth of Adar. Hezekiah bheldthat bwe do not say: Sincethat day bis fit to establish itas the New Moon is reason enough to refrain from intercalation of the year.,Stemming from the analysis of Hezekiah’s prayer, bRabbi Yoḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Anyone who baseshis prayer or request bupon his own merit,when God answers his prayer, bit is based upon the merit of others. And anyone whomodestly bbaseshis prayer or request bupon the merit of others,when God answers his prayer, bit is based upon his own merit. /b,The Gemara cites proof from Moses. When he prayed to God for forgiveness after the incident of the Golden Calf, bhe basedhis request bupon the merit of others, as it is stated: “Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel your servants,to whom You swore upon Yourself, and told them: I will increase your descendants like the stars of the heavens, and all of this land of which I have spoken, I will give to your descendants and they will inherit it forever” (Exodus 32:13). Yet when this story is related, God’s forgiveness of Israel bis based upon Moses’ own merit, as it is stated: “And He said He would destroy them, had Moses, His chosen, not stood before Him in the breach to turn back His destructive fury, lest He should destroy them”(Psalms 106:23)., bHezekiah,however, bbasedhis request bupon his own merit, as it is written: “Please, remember that I walked before You”(Isaiah 38:3). When God answered his prayers, bit was based upon the merit of otherswith no mention made of Hezekiah’s own merit, bas it is stated: “And I will protect this city to save it, for My sake and for the sake of David, My servant”(II Kings 19:34). bAnd that is what Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisaid. bAs Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “Behold, for my peace I had great bitterness;but You have, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption; for You have thrown all my sins behind Your back” (Isaiah 38:17)? This verse teaches that beven when the Holy One, Blessed be He, sent him peaceand told him that he would recover from his illness, bit was bitter for him,because God did not take his merit into consideration.,Having mentioned the chamber on the roof built for Elisha by the woman from Shunem, the Gemara now describes the entire event. The woman from Shunem suggested to her husband: b“Let us make, I pray thee, a small chamber on the roof,and let us place a bed, table, stool and candlestick for him there, and it will be, when he comes to us, that he will turn in there” (II Kings 4:10)., bRav and Shmuelargued over the meaning of small chamber. bOneof them bsaid: They had an uncovered second storyon their roof, bover which they built a ceiling;and boneof them bsaid: There was an enclosed veranda [ iakhsadra /i] and they divided it in half. /b,The Gemara comments: bGranted, according to the one who said that it was an enclosed verandawhich they divided in two, it makes sense bthatthe term bwall [ ikir /i] was written. However, according to the one who said that they had anopen bsecond story, what isthe meaning of bwall? /b,The Gemara responds: The one who said that they had an uncovered second story interprets ikirnot as wall but as ceiling meaning that they bbuilt a ceiling[ ikirui /i] over it.,On the other hand, bgranted, according to the one who said that they had anuncovered bsecond story,it makes sense bthatthe term bsecond story[ialiyat /i] was written. But according to the one who saidthat it was ban enclosed veranda, what isthe meaning of the term bsecond story? /b,The Gemara responds: The one who said that it was an enclosed veranda interprets ialiyatnot as second story, but bas the most outstanding [ ime’ula /i] of the rooms. /b,Incidental to this discussion, the Gemara analyzes the statement made by the woman from Shunem to her husband with regard to the provisions that they would place in the room for Elisha: b“And let us place a bed, table, stool and candlestick for him there.” /b, bAbaye, and some say Rabbi Yitzḥak, said:A great man bwho seeks to enjoythe contributions of those who seek to honor him bmay enjoythose gifts, bas Elishaenjoyed gifts given him by the woman from Shunem, among others. bAnd one who does not seek to enjoythese gifts bshould not enjoy them, aswas the practice of the prophet bSamuel from Rama,who would not accept gifts from anyone at all. From where do we know that this was Samuel’s custom? bAs it is stated: “And he returned to Rama, for there was his house,and there he judged Israel, and he built an altar to the Lord” (I Samuel 7:17). bAndsimilarly, bRabbi Yoḥa said: Every place whereSamuel bwent, his house was with him,so he would have everything that he needed and not be forced to benefit from public contributions. One may opt to conduct himself in accordance with either of these paths.,Regarding the woman from Shunem: b“And she said to her husband: Behold now, I perceive that he is a holy man of Godwho passes by us continually” (II Kings 4:9). bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: From here,where the woman from Shunem perceived the prophet’s greatness before her husband did, derive bthat a woman recognizesthe character of her bguests more than a mandoes.,The Gemara notes that the woman from Shunem said that b“he is holy.”The Gemara asks: bFrom where did she knowthat he was holy? bRav and Shmueldisagreed over this. bOneof them bsaid: She never saw a fly pass over his table; and the other said: She spread awhite blinen sheet on his bed,and despite that even the smallest stain is visible on white linen, and nocturnal seminal emissions are not uncommon, bshe never sawthe residue of ba seminal emission on it. /b,With regard to the verse: b“He is holy,” Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said:The woman from Shunem intimated that: bHe is holy,but bhis attendant,Geihazi, bis not holy,as she saw no indication of holiness in him ( iIyyun Ya’akov /i). Here too, she correctly perceived the character of her guest, bas it islater bstated: “And Geihazi approached her to push her away [ ilehodfa /i]”(II Kings 4:27). And bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: He grabbed her by the majesty of her beauty [ ihod yofya /i],meaning that when he pushed her he grabbed her breasts in a licentious manner.,With regard to the phrasing of the verse: “He is a holy man of God bwho passes by us continually,” Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov:From this verse we derive that bone who hosts a Torah scholar in his home and lets him enjoy his possessions, the verse ascribes to himcredit bas if he is sacrificing the daily [ itamid /i] offering,as the verse states: “Passes by us continually [ itamid /i].”,With regard to the ihalakhotof prayer, bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov: A person should not stand in a high place and pray; rather,he should stand bin a low place and pray, as it is stated: “I called to You, Lord, from the depths”(Psalms 130:1)., bThat was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne should neither stand upon a chair nor upon a stool, nor in a high place and pray. Rather,one should stand bin a low place and pray, for there is no haughtiness before God. As it is stated: “I called to You, Lord, from the depths” and it is written: “A prayer for the impoverished, when he is faintand pours out his complaint before God” (Psalms 102:1). It is appropriate to feel impoverished when praying and make one’s requests humbly., bAnd Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov: When praying, one should align his feetnext to each other, as a single foot, in order to model oneself after the angels, with regard to whom bit is stated: “And their feet were a straight foot”(Ezekiel 1:7)., bRabbi Yitzḥak saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said and Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov: What isthe meaning of bthat which is written: “You shall not eat with the blood”(Leviticus 19:26)? bYou may not eat before you pray for your blood.One may not eat before he prays., bOthers saythat bRabbi Yitzḥak saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa saidthat bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov: One who eats and drinks and later prays, about him the verse statesthe rebuke of the prophet in the name of God: b“And Me you have cast behind your back”(I Kings 14:9). One who sees to his own bodily needs by eating and drinking before prayer casts God aside, according his arrogance and ego priority over God (Maharsha). Indeed, bdo not read your back [ igavekha /i]; rather, your pride [ ige’ekha /i]. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: After thisone bhas become arrogantand engaged in satisfying his own needs, bheonly then baccepted upon himself the kingdom of Heaven. /b,We learned in the mishna that bRabbi Yehoshua says:One may recite the morning iShema buntil three hoursof the day. bRav Yehuda saidthat bShmuel said: The ihalakhais in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Yehoshua. /b,We also learned in the mishna that bone who recites iShema bfrom that time onward loses nothing;although he does not fulfill the mitzva of reciting of iShemaat its appointed time, bhe isnevertheless considered like one who reads the Torah, and is rewarded accordingly.,With regard to this ruling, bRav Ḥisda saidthat bMar Ukva said:This only applies bprovided one does not recite: Who forms light [ iyotzer or /i],or the rest of the blessings recited along with iShema /i, as they pertain only to the fulfillment of the mitzva of reciting of the morning iShema /i; after the third hour, they are inappropriate.,The Gemara braises an objection toRav Ḥisda’s statement from a ibaraita /i: bOne who recites iShema bfrom that time onward loses nothing, and is considered like one who reads Torah, but he recites two blessings beforehand and oneblessing bthereafter. /bThis directly contradicts Rav Ḥisda’s statement, and the Gemara notes: Indeed, bthe refutationof the statement bof Rav Ḥisda is aconclusive brefutation,and Rav Ḥisda’s opinion is rejected in favor of that of the ibaraita /i., bSome say that Rav Ḥisda saidthat bMar Ukva saidthe opposite: bWhat isthe meaning of: bLoses nothing,in the mishna? This means that one who recites iShemaafter the third hour bdoes not losethe opportunity to recite bthe blessingsand is permitted to recite them although the time for the recitation of iShemahas passed. bThat was also taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne who recites iShema bafter this time loses nothing, and is considered like one who reads the Torah, but he recites two blessings beforehand and one thereafter. /b,With regard to our mishna, bRabbi Mani said: Greater is one who recites iShemaat itsappropriate btime than one who engages in Torahstudy. A proof is cited based on bwhat was taughtin the mishna: bOne who recites iShema bafter this time loses nothing and isconsidered blike one who reads the Torah.This is proven bby inference,since bone who recites iShema bat itsappointed btime is greaterthan one who does not, and one who does not is equal to one who reads the Torah, when one recites iShemaat its appointed time he fulfills two mitzvot, that of Torah study and that of the recitation of iShema /i., strongMISHNA: /strong Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disputed the proper way to recite iShema /i. bBeit Shammai say:One should recite iShemain the manner indicated in the text of iShemaitself. Therefore, bin the evening every person must reclineon his side and recite iShema /i, in fulfillment of the verse: “When you lie down,” band in the morning he must standand recite iShema /i, in fulfillment of the verse: When you rise, bas it is stated: “When you lie down, and when you rise.” /b, bAnd Beit Hillel say: Every person recites iShema bas he is,and he may do so in whatever position is most comfortable for him, both day and night, bas it is stated: “And when you walk along the way,”when one is neither standing nor reclining ( iMe’iri /i)., bIf so,according to Beit Hillel, bwhy was it stated: “When you lie down, and when you rise”?This is merely to denote time; bat the time when people lie down and the time when people rise. /b,With regard to this ihalakha /i, bRabbi Tarfon said:Once, bI was coming on the roadwhen I stopped and breclined to recite iShema bin accordance with the statement of Beit Shammai.Although Rabbi Tarfon was a disciple of Beit Hillel, he thought that fulfilling the mitzva in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai would be a more meticulous fulfillment of the mitzva, acceptable to all opinions. Yet in so doing, bI endangered myself due to the highwaymen [ ilistim /i]who accost travelers.,The Sages bsaid to him: You deservedto be in a position where you were bliableto pay bwith your life, as you transgressed the statement of Beit Hillel.This statement will be explained in the Gemara. |
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21. Babylonian Talmud, Gittin, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 59b. בור שהוא קרוב לאמה מתמלא ראשון מפני דרכי שלום,מצודות חיה ועופות ודגים יש בהן משום גזל מפני דרכי שלום ר' יוסי אומר גזל גמור,מציאת חרש שוטה וקטן יש בהן משום גזל מפני דרכי שלום ר' יוסי אומר גזל גמור,עני המנקף בראש הזית מה שתחתיו גזל מפני דרכי שלום ר' יוסי אומר גזל גמור,אין ממחין ביד עניי עובדי כוכבים בלקט שכחה ופאה מפני דרכי שלום:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big מנה"מ אמר רב מתנה דאמר קרא (דברים לא, ט) ויכתוב משה את התורה הזאת ויתנה אל הכהנים בני לוי אטו אנא לא ידענא דכהנים בני לוי נינהו אלא כהן ברישא והדר לוי,רבי יצחק נפחא אמר מהכא (דברים כא, ה) ונגשו הכהנים בני לוי אטו אנן לא ידעינן דכהנים בני לוי נינהו אלא כהן ברישא והדר לוי,רב אשי אמר מהכא (דברי הימים א כג, יג) בני עמרם אהרן ומשה ויבדל אהרן להקדישו קדש קדשים,ר' חייא בר אבא אמר מהכא (ויקרא כא, ח) וקדשתו לכל דבר שבקדושה תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל וקדשתו לכל דבר שבקדושה לפתוח ראשון ולברך ראשון וליטול מנה יפה ראשון,א"ל אביי לרב יוסף מפני דרכי שלום דאורייתא היא א"ל דאורייתא ומפני דרכי שלום,כל התורה כולה נמי מפני דרכי שלום היא דכתיב (משלי ג, יז) דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום,אלא אמר אביי לכדמר דתניא שנים ממתינין זה לזה בקערה שלשה אין ממתינין הבוצע הוא פושט ידו תחלה ואם בא לחלוק כבוד לרבו או למי שגדול ממנו הרשות בידו,ואמר מר עלה לא שנו אלא בסעודה אבל בבהכ"נ לא דאתו לאינצויי,אמר רב מתנה הא דאמרת בבהכ"נ לא לא אמרן אלא בשבתות וימים טובים דשכיחי רבים אבל בשני ובחמישי לא,איני והא רב הונא קרי בכהני בשבתות ויו"ט שאני רב הונא דאפילו רבי אמי ורבי אסי כהני חשיבי דא"י מיכף הוו כייפי ליה,אמר אביי נקטינן אין שם כהן נתפרדה חבילה ואמר אביי נקטינן אין שם לוי קורא כהן,איני והאמר רבי יוחנן כהן אחר כהן לא יקרא משום פגמו של ראשון לוי אחר לוי לא יקרא משום פגם שניהם כי קאמרינן באותו כהן,מ"ש לוי אחר לוי דאיכא פגם שניהם דאמרי חד מינייהו לאו לוי הוא כהן אחר כהן נמי אמרי חד מינייהו לאו כהן הוא כגון דמוחזק לן באבוה דהאי שני דכהן הוא,ה"נ דמוחזק לן באבוה דהאי שני דלוי הוא אלא אמרי ממזרת או נתינה נסיב ופסליה לזרעיה הכא נמי אמרי גרושה או חלוצה נסיב ואחליה לזרעיה,סוף סוף לוי מי קא הוי,ולמאן אי ליושבין הא קא חזו ליה אלא ליוצאין,שלחו ליה בני גלילא לרבי חלבו אחריהן | 59b. The Sages enacted that bthe pit that is nearest to the irrigation channelthat supplies water to several pits or fields bis filled first on account of the ways of peace.They established a fixed order for the irrigation of fields, so that people would not quarrel over who is given precedence., bAnimals, birds, or fishthat were caught in btrapsare not acquired by the one who set the traps until he actually takes possession of them. Nevertheless, if another person comes and takes them, it bis considered robbery on account of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yosei says:This is bfull-fledged robbery. /b,Similarly, ba lost itemfound by ba deaf-mute, an imbecile, or a minoris not acquired by him, since he lacks the legal competence to effect acquisition. Nevertheless, taking such an item from him bis considered robbery on account of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yosei says:This is bfull-fledged robbery. /b,If ba poor person gleansolives bat the top of an olive treeand olives fall to the ground under the tree, then taking those olives bthat are beneath it isconsidered brobbery on account of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yosei says:This is bfull-fledged robbery. /b, bOne does not protest against poor gentileswho come to take bgleanings, forgottensheaves, band the produce in the corner of the field, which is given to the poor [ ipe’a /i],although they are meant exclusively for the Jewish poor, bon account of the ways of peace. /b, strongGEMARA: /strong The mishna teaches that at public readings of the Torah, a priest reads first, and after him a Levite. The Gemara asks: bFrom where are these mattersderived? What is the source of this ihalakhain the Torah? bRav Mattana said: As the verse states: “And Moses wrote this Torah, and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi”(Deuteronomy 31:9). The Gemara explains the inference: bIs that to say I do not know that the priests are the sons of Levi?Why is it necessary for the verse to say this? bRather,the Torah was first delivered to the priests and afterward to the other Levites, and this serves as the source for the enactment that first ba priestreads from the Torah, band afterhim ba Levite. /b, bRabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa saidthat this ihalakhais derived bfrom here,as it is written: b“And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near”(Deuteronomy 21:5). The Gemara asks: bIs that to say I do not know that the priests are the sons of Levi? Rather,the Torah was first given to the priests and afterward to the other Levites, and from this we learn that bfirst a priestreads from the Torah, band afterhim ba Levite. /b, bRav Ashi saidthat this ihalakhais derived bfrom here: “The sons of Amram, Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should be sanctified as most holy”(I Chronicles 23:13). This indicates that Aaron and his descendants, the priests, are considered to be holier than the rest of the tribe of Levi. Consequently, they are given precedence in public Torah readings., bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saidthat this ihalakhais derived bfrom here,as it is stated with regard to a priest: b“And you shall sanctify him”(Leviticus 21:8), giving a priest priority bfor every matter of sanctity.And with regard to this verse, a Sage from bthe school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: “And you shall sanctify him,”giving a priest priority bfor every matter of sanctity: To openthe discussion in the study hall bfirst, to recite the blessingof Grace after Meals bfirst, and to take a fine portionat a meal bfirst,meaning that he can choose any portion at a meal for himself., bAbaye said to Rav Yosef:According to this, why does the mishna teach that the priest reads first from the Torah bon account of the ways of peace,indicating that this is a rabbinic enactment? Is it not bby Torah lawthat he reads first? Rav Yosef bsaid toAbaye: Indeed, it is bby Torah law, butthe reason that the priest reads first is bon account of the ways of peace. /b,Abaye objected: Aren’t the ihalakhotof bthe entire Torah alsogiven bon account of the ways of peace, as it is written: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace”(Proverbs 3:17)? Consequently, this ihalakhais no different from the other ihalakhotin the Torah, all of which were given to increase pleasantness and tranquility in the world., bRather, Abaye said:The mishna’s statement that a priest reads first from the Torah on account of the ways of peace bis in accordance withwhat was said by bmy master,Rabba. bAs it is taughtin a ibaraita( iTosefta /i, iBerakhot5:3): When btwo peopleare eating together bfrom a single dish,they must bwait for each other,but if there are bthree,each eats when he wishes and they do bnotneed to bwaitfor each other. Generally, bthe one who breaks bread extends his handto take food bfirst, but if he wishes to show respect to his teacher or to one who is greaterthan he and allow him to take first, bhe has permissionto do so., bAnd the Master,Rabba, bsaid with regard tothis ibaraita /i: bThey taughtthis bwith regard to a meal,that one may show honor to a person of greater stature and allow him to take food first. bBut in the synagogue,one may bnotshow another honor, because the congregants are liable to bcome to quarrelabout who is the most distinguished among them. Accordingly, the ruling of the mishna is that to prevent strife and controversy, it is not permitted for a priest to honor an Israelite and allow him to read first from the Torah in his place., bRav Mattana said:With regard to bthismatter bthat you stated,that bin the synagoguea priest is bnotpermitted to honor an Israelite and allow him to read first, bwe saidthis bonly concerning iShabbatotand Festivals, when many people are presentfor the services, bbut not on Mondays and Thursdays,when only a small number of people are there. On those days it is permitted for one to honor his superior, and there is no concern that this will lead to a quarrel.,The Gemara asks: bIs that so?Is it actually prohibited for a priest to honor his teacher and allow him to read first in his place? bBut didn’t Rav Huna,who was not a priest, breadthe Torah section ordinarily reserved bfor priests,even bon iShabbatotand Festivals?The Gemara answers: bRav Huna is different, as even Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi, the most important priests in Eretz Yisrael, were subject to hisjurisdiction. Therefore, there was no concern about a quarrel, because everyone agreed that he was the leading authority of the generation and it was fitting that he should read from the Torah first.,§ bAbaye saidthat bwe have a traditionthat if bthere is no priest therein the synagogue at the time of the Torah reading, bthe bundle is separated,i.e., a Levite is not shown precedence over Israelites. bAnd Abaye saidthat bwe have a traditionthat if bthere is no Levite therein the synagogue, ba priest readsin his place.,The Gemara asks: bIs that so? But didn’t Rabbi Yoḥa say:One bpriest should not read afteranother bpriest, becausepeople might mistakenly think that the second priest was called to read due to ba flawthat was found binthe status of bthe firstone, i.e., that he was found not to be a priest. And one bLevite should not read afteranother bLevite, becausepeople might mistakenly think that there is ba flaw in both of them.If two Levites read one after the other, people might say that the second is not a Levite but an Israelite, or else that the first was not a Levite, and therefore a real Levite was called to read in his place. The Gemara answers: bWhen we saidthat when there is no Levite present a priest reads in his place, we were speaking bof the same priestwho had already read from the Torah, for in that case there is no concern that people will think that a flaw had been found in his status.,The Gemara raises a question with regard to Rabbi Yoḥa’s statement: bWhat is differentthat in the case where one bLevitereads from the Torah bafteranother bLevite,Rabbi Yoḥa says bthat there isconcern that people might mistakenly think that there is ba flaw in both of them?It must be that he is concerned that people might bsaythat bone of them,either the first or the second, biscertainly bnot a Levite.If so, in the case where one bpriestreads from the Torah bafteranother bpriest,he should balsobe concerned that people might bsaythat bone of them,either the first or the second, biscertainly bnot a priest.Why, then, was Rabbi Yoḥa concerned only about suspicions that might be raised about the first priest? The Gemara answers: He speaks about a case bwhere we have a presumption concerning the father of the secondone, bthat he is a priest. /b,The Gemara asks: If so, bhere too,in the case of the Levites let us say that bwe have a presumption concerning the father of the secondone, bthat he is a Levite. Rather,the concern here is that even if it is known that he is the son of a Levite, people might bsaythat perhaps the father bmarried a imamzeret /i,a daughter born from an incestuous or adulterous relationship, bor a Gibeonite woman, andthereby bdisqualified his children,so that they are considered Israelites rather than Levites. If so, then bhere too,in the case of the priests, there is concern that people might bsaythat perhaps the priest’s father bmarried a divorced woman or a iyevamawho underwent iḥalitza[ iḥalutza /i] andthereby bdisqualified his childrenfrom the priesthood (see Leviticus 21:7).,The Gemara answers: bUltimately, is he a Levite?If the priest is disqualified from the priesthood owing to his blemished lineage, he has the status of an Israelite, not a Levite. Therefore, if he reads from the Torah after another priest, and it is known that his father is a priest, then it must be that he too is a qualified priest. Therefore, the only reason for concern is that people might say that there is a flaw in the status of the first priest.,With regard to the concern itself, the Gemara asks: bAnd about whomis there a concern? Who might mistakenly think that the first priest’s status is blemished? bIfyou say that the concern is bfor those sittingin the synagogue until the end of the Torah reading, that is not a valid concern, as bthey seethat he is counted as one of the seven who must read from the Torah, and therefore he must certainly be a qualified priest. bRather,the concern is bfor those who leavebefore the conclusion of the reading, and do not know that he was counted among the seven readers., bThe people of the Galilee senta question bto Rabbi Ḥelbo: After them,the priest and the Levite |
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22. Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 16a. מאי דרש אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן (דברים לג, ב) (ואתא) מרבבות קדש אות הוא ברבבה שלו,ורבי אבהו אמר (שיר השירים ה, י) דגול מרבבה דוגמא הוא ברבבה שלו,וריש לקיש אמר (ישעיהו מח, ב) ה' צבאות שמו אדון הוא בצבא שלו,ורבי חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן (מלכים א יט, יא) לא ברוח ה' ואחר הרוח רעש לא ברעש ה' ואחר הרעש אש לא באש ה' ואחר האש קול דממה דקה והנה ה' עובר,ת"ר ששה דברים נאמרו בשדים שלשה כמלאכי השרת ושלשה כבני אדם שלשה כמלאכי השרת יש להם כנפים כמלאכי השרת וטסין מסוף העולם ועד סופו כמלאכי השרת ויודעין מה שעתיד להיות כמלאכי השרת,יודעין ס"ד אלא שומעין מאחורי הפרגוד כמלאכי השרת,ושלשה כבני אדם אוכלין ושותין כבני אדם פרין ורבין כבני אדם ומתים כבני אדם,ששה דברים נאמרו בבני אדם שלשה כמלאכי השרת שלשה כבהמה שלשה כמלאכי השרת יש להם דעת כמלאכי השרת ומהלכין בקומה זקופה כמלאכי השרת ומספרים בלשון הקדש כמלאכי השרת שלשה כבהמה אוכלין ושותין כבהמה ופרין ורבין כבהמה ומוציאין רעי כבהמה:,כל המסתכל בד' דברים רתוי לו שלא בא לעולם כו': בשלמא מה למעלה מה למטה מה לאחור לחיי אלא לפנים מה דהוה הוה,ר' יוחנן ור"א דאמרי תרוייהו משל למלך ב"ו שאמר לעבדיו בנו לי פלטירין גדולין על האשפה הלכו ובנו לו אין רצונו של מלך להזכיר שם אשפה:,כל שלא חס על כבוד קונו רתוי לו שלא בא לעולם: מאי היא ר' אבא אמר זה המסתכל בקשת רב יוסף אמר זה העובר עבירה בסתר מסתכל בקשת דכתיב (יחזקאל א, כח) כמראה הקשת אשר יהיה בענן ביום הגשם כן מראה הנגה סביב הוא מראה דמות כבוד ה',רב יוסף אמר זה העובר עבירה בסתר כדר' יצחק דאמר רבי יצחק כל העובר עבירה בסתר כאילו דוחק רגלי שכינה שנא' (ישעיהו סו, א) כה אמר ה' השמים כסאי והארץ הדום רגלי,איני והאמר ר' אלעא הזקן אם רואה אדם שיצרו מתגבר עליו ילך למקום שאין מכירין אותו וילבש שחורין ויתעטף שחורין ויעשה מה שלבו חפץ ואל יחלל שם שמים בפרהסיא לא קשיא הא דמצי כייף ליה ליצריה הא דלא מצי כייף ליצריה,דרש ר' יהודה ברבי נחמני מתורגמניה דריש לקיש כל המסתכל בג' דברים עיניו כהות בקשת ובנשיא ובכהנים בקשת דכתיב כמראה הקשת אשר יהיה בענן ביום הגשם הוא מראה דמות כבוד ה' בנשיא דכתיב (במדבר כז, כ) ונתת מהודך עליו המסתכל בכהנים בזמן שבהמ"ק קיים שהיו עומדין על דוכנן ומברכין את ישראל בשם המפורש,דרש ר' יהודה ברבי נחמני מתורגמניה דריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (מיכה ז, ה) אל תאמינו ברע אל תבטחו באלוף אם יאמר לך יצר הרע חטוא והקב"ה מוחל אל תאמן (שנא') אל תאמן ברע ואין רע אלא יצר הרע שנאמר (בראשית ח, כא) כי יצר לב האדם רע,ואין אלוף אלא הקב"ה שנאמר (ירמיהו ג, ד) אלוף נעורי אתה שמא תאמר מי מעיד בי אבני ביתו וקורות ביתו של אדם הם מעידין בו שנאמר (חבקוק ב, יא) כי אבן מקיר תזעק וכפיס מעץ יעננה,וחכ"א נשמתו של אדם מעידה בו שנאמר (מיכה ז, ה) משכבת חיקך שמור פתחי פיך אי זו היא דבר ששוכבת בחיקו של אדם הוי אומר זו נשמה ר' זריקא אמר שני מלאכי השרת המלוין אותו הן מעידין בו שנאמר (תהלים צא, יא) כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמרך בכל דרכיך (וחכ"א) אבריו של אדם מעידין בו שנאמר (ישעיהו מג, יב) ואתם עדי נאם ה' ואני אל:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big (יוסי) בן יועזר אומר שלא לסמוך יוסף בן יוחנן אומר לסמוך יהושע בן פרחיה אומר שלא לסמוך ניתאי הארבלי אומר לסמוך יהודה בן טבאי אומר שלא לסמוך שמעון בן שטח אומר לסמוך שמעיה אומר לסמוך אבטליון אומר שלא לסמוך הלל ומנחם לא נחלקו יצא מנחם נכנס שמאי שמאי אומר שלא לסמוך הלל אומר לסמוך | 16a. The Gemara asks: bWhatverse did Rabbi Akiva bexpoundthat prevented him from making the same mistake as iAḥer /i? bRabba bar bar Ḥana saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said:It was the following: b“And He came [ ive’ata /i] from the holy myriads”(Deuteronomy 33:2), which he explained in this manner: bHe,God, bis unique [ iot /i] among His myriadsof angels. Therefore, he knew that he had merely seen an angel., bAnd Rabbi Abbahu said:Rabbi Akiva expounded the verse: b“Preeminent above a myriad”(Song of Songs 5:10) to indicate that bHe is exemplary among His myriad. /b, bAnd Reish Lakish said:He expounded the verse: b“The Lord of hosts is His name”(Isaiah 48:2); bHe is the Master in His host. /b, bAnd Rav Ḥiyya bar Abbasaid that bRabbi Yoḥa said:He expounded the verses: b“But the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake; the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, fire;but bthe Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still, small voice,”and it states in that verse: b“And behold, the Lord passed by”(I Kings 19:11–12). Rabbi Akiva used this verse in order to recognize the place of His presence and refrain from trespassing there.,§ The Gemara returns to discussing the heavenly beings. bThe Sages taught: Sixstatements bwere said with regard to demons:In bthreeways they are blike ministering angels, andin bthreeways they are blike humans.The ibaraitaspecifies: In bthreeways they are blike ministering angels: They have wings like ministering angels; and they fly from one end of the world to the other like ministering angels; and they know what will be in the future like ministering angels. /b,The Gemara is puzzled by this last statement: bShould it enter your mind that they knowthis? Not even the angels are privy to the future. bRather, they hear from behind the curtainwhen God reveals something of the future, blike ministering angels. /b, bAndin bthreeways they are similar bto humans: They eat and drink like humans; they multiply like humans; and they die like humans. /b, bSixstatements bwere said with regard to humans:In bthreeways, they are blike ministering angels,and in bthreeways they are blike animals.The ibaraitaexplains: In bthreeways they are blike ministering angels: They have intelligence like ministering angels; and they walk upright like ministering angels; and they speak in the holy tongue like ministering angels.In bthreeways humans are blike animals: They eat and drink like animals; and they multiply like animals; and they emit excrement like animals. /b,§ The mishna taught: bWhoever looks at four things, it would have been better for him had he never entered the world:Anyone who reflects upon that which is above the firmament; that which is below the earth; what was before the creation of the world; and what will be after the end of the world. The Gemara asks: bGranted,it is prohibited to reflect on bwhat is above, what is below,and bwhat is after.This is bfine,since one is examining things that are not part of the world but lie beyond it. bBut beforethe creation of the world, bwhat has happened has happened.Why is it prohibited to reflect upon this?,The Gemara explains: bRabbi Yoḥa and Rabbi Elazar both say:This can be demonstrated through ba parablewith regard to ba flesh-and-blood king who said to his servants: Build for me large palaces on a garbage dump. They went and builtthem bfor him.Clearly, in that case, bthe king does not desirethat they bmention the garbage dump.Here too, God does not want people to concern themselves with the chaos that preceded the world.,It is taught in the mishna: bWhoever has no concern for the honor of his Maker deserves to have never come to the world.The Gemara asks: bWhat islack of concern for the honor of one’s Maker? bRabbi Abba said: This isone bwho looks at a rainbow. Rav Yosef said: This isone bwho commits a transgression in private.They proceed to clarify their opinions: bLooking at a rainbowconstitutes an act of disrespect toward the Divine Presence, bas it is written: “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord”(Ezekiel 1:28), and it is a dishonor to God to stare at His likeness., bRav Yosef said: This isone bwho commits a transgression in private, in accordance with Rabbi Yitzḥak, as Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Whoever commits a transgression in private, it is as though he pushedaway bthe feet of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Thus said the Lord: The heavens are My seat, and the earth My footstool”(Isaiah 66:1). If one believes that no one can see what he is doing in private, it is as though he said that God is absent from that place. He is therefore compared to one who attempts to remove God from His footstool.,The Gemara raises a difficulty: And bis that so? But didn’t Rabbi Ela the Elder say: If a person sees that his inclination is overcoming him, he should go to a place where he is unknown, and wear black, and wrap himself in black,in the manner of mourners, because he should be ashamed of his weakness, band dothere bwhat his heart desires, but let him not desecrate the Name of Heaven in public.This shows that sinning in private is sometimes preferable to the public performance of a transgression. The Gemara answers: This is bnot difficult. Thiscase, where one who commits a transgression in public has no concern for the honor of his Maker, occurs bwhen one is capable of overcoming his inclinationand fails to do so. bThatcase, where it is preferable to sin in private, occurs bwhen one is incapable of overcoming his inclination.He is therefore advised to, at the very least, refrain from desecrating God’s name in public., bRabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Naḥmani, the disseminatorof bReish Lakish, interpreteda verse bhomiletically: Whoever looks atthe following bthree things, his eyes will grow dim:One who looks bat a rainbow, at a iNasi /i, and at the priests.He explains: bAt a rainbow, as it is written: “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain,so was the appearance of the brightness round about, bthis was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord”(Ezekiel 1:28). bAt a iNasi /i, as it is written: “And you shall put of your splendor upon him”(Numbers 27:20), which indicates that the splendor of the Divine Presence rested upon Moses, who was the iNasiof Israel. The third item, looking at priests, is referring to one bwho looks at the priests when the Temple is standing, as they would stand on their platform and bless Israel with the ineffable name,at which point the Divine Presence would rest above the joints of their fingers.,Apropos this Sage, the Gemara cites another statement of his: bRabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Naḥmani, the disseminatorof bReish Lakish, interpreteda verse bhomiletically: What isthe meaning of that bwhich is written: “Trust not in a companion, do not put your confidence in an intimate friend”(Micah 7:5)? bIf the evil inclination says to you: Sin, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, will forgive, do not trustit, bsince it is stated: “Trust not in a companion [ irei’a /i].” And irei’ais referring to none otherthan bthe evil [ ira /i] inclination, as it is stated: “For the inclination of the heart of man is evil [ ira /i]”(Genesis 8:21)., bAnd “intimate friend” is referring to none otherthan bthe Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “You are the intimate friend of my youth”(Jeremiah 3:4). bLest you say:Since I am acting in private, bwho will testify against me? The stones of the house and the beams of the house ofeach bperson testify against him, as it is stated:“For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it” (Habakkuk 2:11)., bAnd the Sages say: A person’s soulshall itself btestify against him, as it is stated: “Guard the doors of your mouth from she who lies in your bosom”(Micah 7:5). bWhat thing lies in a person’s bosom? You must say it ishis bsoul. Rabbi Zerika said:The btwo ministering angels who accompany him,i.e., each individual, bthey testify against him, as it is stated: “For He will command his angels over you, to guard you in all your ways”(Psalms 91:11). bAnd the Sages say: A person’s limbs testify against him, as it is stated: “Therefore you are My witnesses, says the Lord, and I am God”(Isaiah 43:12), which indicates that each individual becomes his own witness and testifies against himself on the Day of Judgment., strongMISHNA: /strong bYosei ben Yo’ezer says not to placeone’s hands on offerings before slaughtering them on a Festival because this is considered performing labor with an animal on a Festival. His colleague, bYosef ben Yoḥa, says to placethem; bYehoshua ben Peraḥya says not to placethem; bNitai HaArbeli says to placethem; bYehuda ben Tabbai says not to placethem; bShimon ben Shataḥ says to placethem; bShemaya says to placethem; bAvtalyon says not to placethem. bHillel and Menaḥem did not disagreewith regard to this issue. bMenaḥem departedfrom his post, and bShammai enteredin his stead. bShammai says not to placethem; bHillel says to placethem. |
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23. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 23b. כנגדו נמי לא בעי,מתקיף לה רבא והרי (ירמיהו ז, כא) עולותיכם ספו דלא הויין עשרין וחד וקרינן שאני התם דסליק עניינא,והיכא דלא סליק עניינא לא והאמר רב שמואל בר אבא זמנין סגיאין הוה קאימנא קמיה דר' יוחנן וכי הוה קרינן עשרה פסוקי אמר לן אפסיקו מקום שיש תורגמן שאני דתני רב תחליפא בר שמואל לא שנו אלא במקום שאין תורגמן אבל מקום שיש תורגמן פוסק:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big אין פורסין על שמע ואין עוברין לפני התיבה ואין נושאין את כפיהם ואין קורין בתורה ואין מפטירין בנביא,ואין עושין מעמד ומושב ואין אומרים ברכת אבלים ותנחומי אבלים וברכת חתנים ואין מזמנין בשם פחות מעשרה ובקרקעות תשעה וכהן ואדם כיוצא בהן:, big strongגמ׳ /strong /big מה"מ אמר ר' חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן דאמר קרא (ויקרא כב, לב) ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל כל דבר שבקדושה לא יהא פחות מעשרה,מאי משמע דתני ר' חייא אתיא תוך תוך כתיב הכא ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל וכתיב התם (במדבר טז, כא) הבדלו מתוך העדה,ואתיא עדה עדה דכתיב התם (במדבר יד, כז) עד מתי לעדה הרעה הזאת מה להלן עשרה אף כאן עשרה:,ואין עושין מעמד ומושב פחות מעשרה: כיון דבעי למימר עמדו יקרים עמודו שבו יקרים שבו בציר מעשרה לאו אורח ארעא:,ואין אומרים ברכת אבלים וברכת חתנים (וכו'): מאי ברכת אבלים ברכת רחבה דא"ר יצחק א"ר יוחנן ברכת אבלים בעשרה ואין אבלים מן המנין ברכת חתנים בעשרה וחתנים מן המנין:,ואין מזמנין על המזון בשם פחות מעשרה (וכו'): כיון דבעי למימר נברך לאלהינו בציר מעשרה לאו אורח ארעא:,והקרקעות תשעה וכהן ואדם כיוצא בהן (וכו'): מנה"מ,אמר שמואל עשרה כהנים כתובים בפרשה חד לגופיה (וחד למעוטי) ואידך הוי מיעוט אחר מיעוט ואין מיעוט אחר מיעוט אלא לרבות תשעה ישראלים וחד כהן,ואימא חמשה כהנים וחמשה ישראלים קשיא:,ואדם כיוצא בהן: אדם מי קדוש,אמר רבי אבהו באומר דמי עלי דתניא האומר דמי עלי שמין אותו כעבד ועבד איתקש לקרקעות דכתיב (ויקרא כה, מו) והתנחלתם אותם לבניכם אחריכם לרשת אחוזה:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big הקורא בתורה לא יפחות משלשה פסוקים ולא יקרא למתורגמן יותר מפסוק אחד | 23b. bit is not necessaryto balsoadd corresponding verses in the ihaftara /i., bRava strongly objects to this ibaraita /i: bButthere is the ihaftarathat begins with the words: b“Add your burnt offerings”(Jeremiah 7:21–28), bwhich does not have twenty-one verses, andnevertheless bwe read it.The Gemara answers: bThere it is different, as the topic is completedin fewer than twenty-one verses, and it is not necessary to begin another topic merely to complete the number of verses.,The Gemara asks: bButis it true that bwhere the topic is not completed,we do bnotread fewer than twenty-one verses? bDidn’t Rav Shmuel bar Abba say: Many times I stood before Rabbi Yoḥaas a translator, band when we had read ten verses he would say to us: Stop.This indicates that a ihaftaraneed not be twenty-one verses. The Gemara answers: bIn a place where there is a translator,who translates each verse into Aramaic and adds additional explanation, bit is different.In that case, it is not necessary for the ihaftarato consist of twenty-one verses, so as not to overburden the congregation, bas Rav Taḥalifa bar Shmuel taught: They taughtthat twenty-one verses must be read from the ihaftara bonlyin ba place where there is no translator; but in a place where there is a translator, one may stopeven before that., strongMISHNA: /strong bOne does not recite theintroductory prayers and bblessing [ iporesin /i]before iShema /i; nor does one pass before the arkto repeat the iAmidaprayer; bnor do thepriests blift their handsto recite the Priestly Benediction; bnor is the Torah readin public; bnor does one conclude witha reading from bthe Prophets[ ihaftara /i] in the presence of fewer than ten men., bAnd one does not observethe practice of bstanding up and sitting downfor the delivery of eulogies at a funeral service; bnor does one recite the mourners’ blessing or comfort mournersin two lines after the funeral; borrecite the bbridegrooms’ blessing; and one does not inviteothers to recite Grace after Meals, i.e., conduct a izimmun /i, bwith the nameof God, bwith fewer than tenmen present. If one consecrated blandand now wishes to redeem it, the land must be assessed by bninemen band one priest,for a total of ten. bAnd similarly,assessing the value of ba personwho has pledged his own value to the Temple must be undertaken by ten people, one of whom must be a priest., strongGEMARA: /strong The Gemara asks: bFrom where are these matters,i.e., that ten people are needed in each of these cases, derived? bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥa said:It is bas the verse states: “And I shall be hallowed among the children of Israel”(Leviticus 22:32), which indicates that bany expression of sanctity may not berecited in a quorum of bfewer than tenmen.,The Gemara asks: bFrom wherein the verse may this bbe inferred?The Gemara responds that it must be understood bas Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: It is inferredby means of a verbal analogy [ igezera shava /i] between the words b“among,” “among.” Here, it is written: “And I shall be hallowed among the children of Israel,” and there,with regard to Korah’s congregation, bit is written “Separate yourselves from among this congregation”(Numbers 16:21). Just as with regard to Korah the reference is to ten men, so too, the name of God is to be hallowed in a quorum of ten men.,The connotation of ten associated with the word “among” in the portion of Korah is, in turn, binferredby means of another verbal analogy between the word b“congregation”written there and the word b“congregation”written in reference to the ten spies who slandered Eretz Yisrael, bas it is written there: “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation?”(Numbers 14:27). Consequently, bjust as there,in the case of the spies, it was a congregation of btenpeople, as there were twelve spies altogether, and Joshua and Caleb were not included in the evil congregation, bso too, here,in the case of Korah, the reference is to a congregation of btenpeople. The first several items mentioned in the mishna are expressions of sanctity, and they consequently require a quorum of ten.,§ We learned in the mishna: bAnd one does not observethe practice of bstanding up and sitting downfor the delivery of eulogies at a funeral service bwith fewer than tenmen present. As this is not an expression of sanctity, it is therefore necessary to explain why a quorum is required. The Gemara explains: bSincethe leader of the funeral procession bis required to say: Stand, dearfriends, bstand; sit down, dearfriends, bsit down,when there are bfewer than ten it is not proper conductto speak in such a dignified style.,We also learned in the mishna that bone does not recite the mourners’ blessing and the bridegrooms’ blessingwith fewer than ten men present. The Gemara asks: bWhat is the mourners’ blessing? The blessingrecited bin the squarenext to the cemetery. Following the burial, those who participated in the funeral would assemble in the square and bless the mourners that God should comfort them, bas Rabbi Yitzḥak said that Rabbi Yoḥa said: The mourners’ blessingis recited only bwith tenmen present, band mournersthemselves bare not included in the count. The bridegrooms’ blessingis also recited only bwith tenmen present, band bridegroomsthemselves bare included in the count.Consequently, only nine other men are needed.,We learned further in the mishna: bAnd one does not inviteothers to recite Grace after Meals, i.e., conduct a izimmun /i, in order to thank God bforone’s bnourishment, with the nameof God, bwith fewer than tenmen present. bSince one is required to say: Let us bless our Lord,in the presence of bfewer than tenit is bnot proper conductto mention the name of God.,§ If one consecrated blandand now wishes to redeem it, the land must be assessed by bnineIsraelites band one priest,for a total of ten. bAnd similarly,assessing the value of ba personwho has pledged his own value to the Temple must be undertaken by ten people, one of whom must be a priest. The Gemara asks: bFrom where are these matters,that consecrated land must be assessed by ten people, one of whom is a priest, derived?, bShmuel said:The word bpriestis bwritten tentimes bin theTorah bportionthat addresses the redemption of consecrated property, indicating that ten people are required to assess the value of such property (Leviticus, chapter 27). bOneinstance of the word is needed bfor itself,to indicate that a priest must participate in the assessment. bAnd oneinstance is needed bto excludeall non-priests from fulfilling that role. bAndall bthe otherinstances of the word bare restrictions followingother brestrictions,and there is a general hermeneutical principle that bone restriction after anotherserves bonly to amplify.Therefore, each additional time the word priest is repeated, it extends the criteria applied to appraisers, so as to allow non-priests to participate. Consequently, the assessment may be carried out by bnineordinary bIsraelites and one priest. /b,The Gemara asks: bAndon the basis of this principle, bsaythat the first usage of the term is restrictive and requires a priest for the assessment; the second usage amplifies and allows for a non-priest; the third usage again requires a priest; the fourth usage allows for a non-priest; and so on. Consequently, the assessment must be carried out by bfive priests and fiveordinary bIsraelites.The Gemara concludes: Indeed, it is bdifficult,as the derivation has not been sufficiently explained.,We learned in the mishna: bAnd similarly,assessing the value of ba personwho has pledged his own value to the Temple must be undertaken by ten people, one of whom must be a priest. The Gemara asks: bCan a person become consecratedand thereby require redemption?, bRabbi Abbahu said:The mishna is referring bto one who says: My assessmentis incumbent bupon me,and thereby pledges to donate a sum of money equivalent to his own monetary value to the Temple treasury, bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: With regard to bone who says: My assessmentis incumbent bupon me,the court bassesses him asthough he were ba slavein order to determine the amount he is obligated to donate to the Temple treasury. bAnd a slave is compared to land, as it is writtenwith regard to slaves: b“And you shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession”(Leviticus 25:46). Consequently, the same criteria that apply to assessing consecrated land apply to assessing the monetary value of an individual., strongMISHNA: /strong bOne who reads from the Torahin the synagogue bshould not read fewer than three verses. Andwhen it is being translated, bhe should not read to the translator more than one verseat a time, so that the translator will not become confused. |
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24. Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 62a. תנא הוקפלו רוב המקצועות מותרות משום גזל ופטורות מן המעשרות,רבי ורבי יוסי בר רבי יהודה איקלעו לההוא אתרא בזמן שהוקפלו רוב המקצועות רבי הוה קא אכיל רבי יוסי בר ר' יהודה לא אכיל אתא מרהון אמר להו אמאי לא אכלי רבנן הוקפלו רוב המקצועות הוא ואף על פי כן לא אכיל ר' יוסי בר ר' יהודה קסבר משום סניות מילתא הוא דקאמר הדין גברא,רבי חמא בר רבי חנינא איקלע לההוא אתרא בזמן שהוקפלו רוב המקצועות הוה קאכיל יהיב לשמעיה לא אכיל אמר ליה אכול כך אמר לי רבי ישמעאל בר רבי יוסי משום אביו הוקפלו רוב המקצועות מותרות משום גזל ופטורות מן המעשר,ר' טרפון אשכחיה ההוא גברא בזמן שהוקפלו המקצועות דקאכיל אחתיה בשקא ושקליה ואמטייה למשדיה בנהרא אמר לו אוי לו לטרפון שזה הורגו שמע ההוא גברא שבקיה וערק אמר רבי אבהו משום ר' חנניה בן גמליאל כל ימיו של אותו צדיק היה מצטער על דבר זה אמר אוי לי שנשתמשתי בכתרה של תורה,ואמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר ר' יוחנן כל המשתמש בכתרה של תורה נעקר מן העולם קל וחומר ומה בלשצר שנשתמש בכלי קודש שנעשו כלי חול שנאמר (יחזקאל ז, כב) ובאו בה פריצים וחיללוה כיון שפרצום נעשו חול נעקר מן העולם דכתיב (דניאל ה, ל) בה בליליא קטיל בלשצר המשתמש בכתרה של תורה שהוא חי וקיים לעולם על אחת כמה וכמה,ורבי טרפון כיון דכי אכיל דהוקפלו רוב המקצועות הוה אמאי צעריה ההוא גברא משום דההוא הוו גנבי ליה ענבי כולה שתא וכיון דאשכחיה לר' טרפון סבר היינו דגנבן אי הכי אמאי ציער נפשיה משום דרבי טרפון עשיר גדול הוה והוה ליה לפייסו בדמים,תניא (דברים ל, כ) לאהבה את ה' אלהיך לשמוע בקולו ולדבקה בו שלא יאמר אדם אקרא שיקראוני חכם אשנה שיקראוני רבי אשנן שאהיה זקן ואשב בישיבה,אלא למד מאהבה וסוף הכבוד לבא שנאמר (משלי ז, ג) קשרם על אצבעותיך כתבם על לוח לבך ואומר (משלי ג, יז) דרכיה דרכי נועם ואומר (משלי ג, יח) עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה ותומכיה מאושר,רבי אליעזר בר ר' צדוק אומר עשה דברים לשם פעלם ודבר בהם לשמם אל תעשם עטרה להתגדל בהם ואל תעשם קורדום להיות עודר בו וקל וחומר ומה בלשצר שלא נשתמש אלא בכלי קדש שנעשו כלי חול נעקר מן העולם המשתמש בכתרה של תורה על אחת כמה וכמה,אמר רבא שרי ליה לאיניש לאודועי נפשיה באתרא דלא ידעי ליה דכתיב (מלכים א יח, יב) ועבדך ירא את ה' מנעוריו אלא קשיא דר' טרפון דעשיר גדול היה והוה ליה לפייסיה בדמים,רבא רמי כתיב ועבדך ירא את ה' מנעוריו וכתיב (משלי כז, ב) יהללך זר ולא פיך הא באתרא דידעי ליה הא באתרא דלא ידעי ליה,אמר רבא שרי ליה לצורבא מרבנן למימר צורבא מרבנן אנא שרו לי תיגראי ברישא דכתיב (שמואל ב ח, יח) ובני דוד כהנים היו מה כהן נוטל בראש אף תלמיד חכם נוטל בראש וכהן מנא לן דכתיב (ויקרא כא, ח) וקדשתו כי את לחם (ה') אלהיך הוא מקריב ותנא דבי רבי ישמעאל וקדשתו לכל דבר שבקדושה | 62a. The Sages btaught:If bmost of the knives have been set aside,the figs left in the field bare permitted with regard tothe laws of bstealing and are exempt from tithes,since their owners presumably do not want them and the figs are therefore considered ownerless property.,The Gemara relates: bRabbiYehuda HaNasi band Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Yehuda arrived at a certain place at a time when most of the knives had been set aside. RabbiYehuda HaNasi batethe figs left in the field, but bRabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Yehuda did not eat. The ownerof the field bcameand bsaid to them: Why are the Sages not eating? It isnow the period when bmost of the knives have been set aside.The Gemara notes: bBut nevertheless, Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Yehuda did not eat,since bhe thoughtthat it was only bdue to embarrassment over the matterthat bthat man saidhis comment, but he did not really mean to declare his figs ownerless.,The Gemara relates another incident: bRabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina arrived at a certain place at a time when most of the knives had been set aside. He atefrom the figs that were left in the field, but when bhe gavesome bto his attendantthe latter bdid not eat.Rabbi Ḥama bsaid to him: Eat,as bRabbi Yishmael bar Rabbi Yosei said to me the followingruling bin the name of his father:If bmost of the knives have been set aside,the figs bare permitted with regard tothe laws of bstealing and are exempt from the tithe. /b,The Gemara relates another incident: bA certain man found Rabbi Tarfon eatingfigs from his field bat the time when most of the knives had been set aside. He placedRabbi Tarfon bin a sack, lifted him up, and carried him to throw him into the river.Rabbi Tarfon bsaid to him: Woe to Tarfon, for thisman bis killing him.When bthat man heardthat he was carrying the great Rabbi Tarfon, bhe left him and fled. Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Ḥaya ben Gamliel: All the days of that righteous man,Rabbi Tarfon, bhe was distressed over this matter, saying: Woe is me, for I made use of the crown of Torah,as Rabbi Tarfon was only released out of respect for his Torah learning., bAndwith regard to this statement, bRabba bar bar Ḥana saidthat bRabbi Yoḥa said: Whoever makes use of the crown of Torah is uprooted from the world.This can be derived by means of ban ia fortiori /iinference: bIf Belshazzar, who made use of the sacredTemple bvessels, which hadalready bbecome non-sacred vesselsby that time, as after their forcible removal from the Temple the vessels lost their sanctity, bas it is statedin the verse: b“And robbers shall enter into it, and profane it”(Ezekiel 7:22), showing that boncethe Temple vessels bhave been robbed they become non-sacred, was uprooted from the worldfor his actions, bas it is written: “On that night Belshazzarthe Chaldean king bwas killed”(Daniel 5:30); bone who makes use of the crown of Torah, which lives and endures foreverand whose sanctity cannot be removed, ball the more soshall he be uprooted.,The Gemara returns to the incident involving Rabbi Tarfon. bAndin the case of bRabbi Tarfon, since he was eatingduring the time bwhen most of the knives had been set aside, why did that man trouble him?The Gemara explains: It was bbecausesomeone bhad been stealing grapes from thatman ball year, and when he found Rabbi Tarfon he thought: This isthe one bwho stole from methe entire year. The Gemara asks: bIf so, why did Rabbi Tarfon berate himself?Clearly he was justified in saving himself. The Gemara answers: bSince Rabbi Tarfon was very wealthy, he should havesought bto appease him with moneyin order to save himself, rather than relying on his status as a Torah scholar.,Apropos the story of Rabbi Tarfon’s regret for gaining personal benefit from his status as a Torah scholar, the Gemara cites similar teachings. It bis taughtin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“To love the Lord your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him”(Deuteronomy 30:20). This verse indicates bthat a person should not say: I will readthe written Torah bso that they will call me a Sage; I will studyMishna bso that they will call me Rabbi; I will reviewmy studies bso that I will be an Elder and will sit in the academy. /b, bRather, learn out of love,as the verse states: “To love the Lord your God.” bAnd the honor will eventually comeof its own accord, bas it is stated: “Bind them upon your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart”(Proverbs 7:3), band it states: “Its ways are ways of pleasantness,and all its paths are peace” (Proverbs 3:17), band it states: “It is a tree of life to those who grasp it; happy is everyone who holds it fast”(Proverbs 3:17). Consequently, one who studies in order to master Torah for its own sake, as reflected in the verse “bind them upon your fingers,” will eventually merit pleasantness, peace, and happiness., bRabbi Eliezer bar Rabbi Tzadok says: Do things for the sake of their performance,not for any ulterior motive, band speakwords bofTorah bfor their own sake. Do not make them a crown with which to become glorified, and do not make them nor make them a dolabra [ ikordom /i] with which to hoe,i.e., do not use Torah study as a means of earning a livelihood. bAndthis is ban ia fortiori /iinference: bIf Belshazzar, who made use only of sacred vessels that had become non-sacred vessels, was uprooted from the world, one who makes use of the crown of Torah,whose sanctity is permanent, ball the more soshall he be uprooted from the world., bRava said:In a time of need, bit is permitted for a person to make himself known in a place wherepeople bdo not know him.The proof is from what Obadiah said to Elijah in order to identify himself, bas it is written: “But I, your servant, have feared the Lord from my youth”(I Kings 18:12). The Gemara asks: bButthis is bdifficultwith regard to the story about bRabbi Tarfon,who was distraught because he revealed his identity to the man who placed him in the sack. The Gemara answers: The case of Rabbi Tarfon is different, bas he was very wealthy, andtherefore bhe should havesought bto appease him with money. /b, bRava raises a contradiction: It is writtenthat Obadiah spoke highly of himself: b“But I, your servant, have feared the Lord from my youth.” And it is written: “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth”(Proverbs 27:2). He answers: bThisverse is referring bto a place wherepeople bknow him,where he should not praise himself, whereas bthatverse is referring bto a place wherepeople bdo not know him. /b, bRava saidfurther: bIt is permitted for a Torah scholar to say: I am a Torah scholar,so bresolve my case first, as it is written: “And the sons of David were priests”(II Samuel 8:18). The sons of David could not have been actual priests, as David was not a priest. Rather, the verse indicates that bjust as a priest takeshis portion bfirst, so too, a Torah scholar takeshis portion bfirst. And a priest, from where do wederive that he takes his portion first? bAs it is written: “And you shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God”(Leviticus 21:8). bAnd the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught:The phrase b“and you shall sanctify him”applies with regard bto every matter of sanctity: /b |
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25. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 41a. תנהו ענין למלקות,דבי חזקיה תנא (שמות כא, יד) וכי יזיד איש על רעהו להרגו בערמה שהתרו בו ועדיין הוא מזיד,דבי רבי ישמעאל תנא (במדבר טו, לג) המוצאים אותו מקושש עצים שהתרו בו ועדיין הוא מקושש,דבי רבי תנא (דברים כב, כד) על דבר אשר ענה על עסקי דיבור,וצריכא דאי כתב רחמנא אחותו הוה אמינא חייבי מלקות אין חייבי מיתות לא כתב רחמנא כי יזיד,ואי כתב רחמנא וכי יזיד הוה אמינא הני מילי סייף דקיל אבל סקילה דחמורה אימא לא צריכא,ותרתי בנסקלין למה לי לר"ש לאתויי נשרפין,לרבנן מילתא דאתיא בק"ו טרח וכתב לה קרא ולכתוב רחמנא בנסקלין וליתו הנך וליגמרו מיניה הכא נמי מילתא דאתיא בקל וחומר טרח וכתב לה קרא:,התיר עצמו למיתה: מנא לן אמר רבא ואיתימא חזקיה אמר קרא (דברים יז, ו) יומת המת עד שיתיר עצמו למיתה,אמר רב חנן עדי נערה המאורסה שהוזמו אין נהרגין מתוך שיכולים לומר לאוסרה על בעלה באנו,והא אתרו בה דלא אתרו בה ואי לא אתרו בה היכי מיקטלא,באשה חבירה ואליבא דרבי יוסי בר' יהודה דתניא רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה אומר חבר אין צריך התראה לפי שלא נתנה התראה אלא להבחין בין שוגג למזיד,וכיון דאינהו לא מיקטלי איהי היכי מיקטלא הויא לה עדות שאי אתה יכול להזימה וכל עדות שאי אתה יכול להזימה לא שמה עדות,הכי נמי קאמר מתוך שאין נהרגין שיכולין לומר לאוסרה על בעלה באנו אף היא אינה נהרגת דהויא לה עדות שאי אתה יכול להזימה,אלא באשה חבירה דקיימא לן דמיקטלא אליבא דר' יוסי בר' יהודה היכי משכחת לה כשזינתה וחזרה וזינתה,והא יכולין לומר לאוסרה על בועלה שני באנו שזינתה מבועל ראשון אי נמי שזינתה מקרוביה,מאי שנא נערה מאורסה דנקט אפילו נשואה נמי אין אלא אפילו האי דלא יתבא תותיה יכולין לומר לאוסרה על בעלה באנו,אמר רב חסדא אחד אומר בסייף הרגו ואחד אומר בארירן הרגו אין זה נכון אחד אומר כליו שחורין ואחד אומר כליו לבנים הרי זה נכון,מיתיבי נכון שיהא נכון אחד אומר בסייף הרגו ואחד אומר בארירן הרגו אחד אומר כליו שחורין ואחד אומר כליו לבנים אין זה נכון תרגמה רב חסדא בסודר שחנקו בו דהיינו סייף וארירן,ת"ש אחד אומר סנדליו שחורין ואחד אומר סנדליו לבנים אין זה נכון התם נמי כגון שבעט בו בסנדלו והרגו,ת"ש מעשה ובדק בן זכאי בעוקצי תאנה אמר רמי בר חמא כגון שעקץ תאנה בשבת דעלה קא מיקטיל,והא תניא אמרו לו תחת תאנה הרגו אלא אמר רמי בר חמא כגון ששפדו בייחור של תאנה,ת"ש אמר להן תאנה זו עוקציה דקין עוקציה גסין תאנים שחורות תאנים לבנות אלא אמר רב יוסף מבן זכאי לותיב איניש שאני בן זכאי דבדיקות כחקירות משוי ליה,מאן בן זכאי אילימא רבי יוחנן בן זכאי מי הוה בסנהדרי והתניא כל שנותיו של רבי יוחנן בן זכאי מאה ועשרים שנה ארבעים שנה עסק בפרקמטיא מ' שנה למד ארבעים שנה לימד,ותניא ארבעים שנה קודם חורבן הבית גלתה סנהדרי וישבה לה בחנות ואמר ר' יצחק בר אבודימי לומר שלא דנו דיני קנסות דיני קנסות ס"ד אלא שלא דנו דיני נפשות,ותנן משחרב בית המקדש התקין רבן יוחנן בן זכאי,אלא בן זכאי דעלמא הכי נמי מסתברא דאי ס"ד רבן יוחנן בן זכאי קרי ליה ר' בן זכאי,והתניא מעשה ובדק רבן יוחנן בן זכאי בעוקצי תאנים אלא תלמיד היושב לפני רבו הוה ואמר מילתא ומסתבר להו טעמיה | 41a. bapply it to the matter of lashes,as forewarning is required for the court to be able to administer lashes., bThe school of Ḥizkiyya taughta source for the requirement of forewarning from the verse concerning the court-imposed capital punishment meted out to a murderer, as it is states: b“But if a man come intentionally upon his neighbor to slay him with guile”(Exodus 21:14). How do the witnesses know that he acted intentionally? It must be bthat they forewarned him, and still heacts bintentionally. /b, bThe school of Rabbi Yishmael taughta source for the requirement to forewarn transgressors from the verse concerning the court-imposed capital punishment meted out to the wood-gatherer on Shabbat in the wilderness, as it is stated: “And bthey that found him gathering sticksbrought him” (Numbers 15:33). By writing “gathering” in the present tense, the verse indicates bthat they forewarned him, buthe is bstill gathering. /b, bThe school of RabbiYehuda HaNasi btaughta source for the requirement to forewarn a transgressor from the verse concerning the court-imposed capital punishment meted out to one who commits adultery with a betrothed young woman, as it is stated: b“For the matter [ idevar /i] that he has humbledhis neighbor’s wife” (Deuteronomy 22:24). They make a verbal analogy: bFor mattersinvolving bspeech [ idibbur /i],the punishment is given only if the witnesses issued a verbal forewarning.,The Gemara comments: bAndit is bnecessaryto have all of these sources, bsince if the Merciful Onewould bwritethe requirement of forewarning in the context of b“his sister”(Leviticus 20:17) alone, bI would say: Those liableto receive blashes, yes,they do require forewarning, but bthose liableto receive court-imposed bcapital punishments,whose transgressions are severe, do bnotrequire forewarning. Therefore bthe Merciful One writes,with regard to a murderer: b“Ifa man bcome intentionally.” /b, bAnd if the Merciful Onewould bwriteonly: b“Ifa man bcome intentionally,” I would saythat bthis statementapplies only when the penalty is death by the bsword, asthat is ba lenientform of court-imposed capital punishment. bButwith regard to bstoning, whichis ba severeform of court-imposed capital punishment, one could bsaythat it does bnotrequire forewarning. Therefore, it is bnecessaryto state the requirement of forewarning with regard to one who desecrates Shabbat.,The Gemara asks: bAnd why do Ineed btwoverses that state the requirement for forewarning binthe context of those liable to be bstoned?Both the Shabbat violator and one who commits adultery with a betrothed young woman are punished with stoning. The Gemara answers: bAccording tothe opinion of bRabbi Shimonthat death by burning is more severe than death by stoning, the additional verse serves bto addthe ihalakhathat a forewarning must be issued to bthoseliable to be bburnedfor their transgressions, by way of the application of the principle: If this ihalakhais not needed for the matter in which it is written, apply it to a different matter., bAccording tothe opinion of bthe Rabbisthat death by stoning is more severe than death by burning, one can say that even with ba matter that can be derived through an ia fortiori /iinference, the bversenevertheless btakes the trouble and writes itexplicitly. The Gemara challenges: bBut let the Merciful One writethis ihalakhaonly binthe context of bthoseliable to be bstoned, and let theseothers bbe derived from it,as stoning is the most severe punishment. The Gemara answers: bHere too,one can say that even with ba matter that can be derived through an ia fortiori /iinference, the bversenevertheless btakes the trouble and writes itexplicitly.,§ The ibaraitateaches that one of the questions the court asks of the witnesses is: bDid he release himself to death,i.e., did he acknowledge that he is aware that the court imposes capital punishment for murder? The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive that he must release himself to death? bRava said, and some sayit was bḤizkiyyawho said, that bthe verse states:“By the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall bthe dead be put to death”(Deuteronomy 17:6). By referring to the transgressor as dead even before he is executed, the verse indicates that he is not executed buntil he releases himself to death,by stating that he is aware that he will be executed for his transgression., bRav Ḥa says: Witnesseswho testify to the adultery bof a betrothed young woman who were rendered conspiring witnesses are not killed.Although conspiring witnesses are generally punished with the same punishment they attempted to impose on the purported transgressor (see Deuteronomy 19:19), this is an exception. This is bbecause they can say:We did not come to testify in order to have her be executed; rather, bwe came to forbid her to her husband,as a betrothed or married woman who willingly engages in adulterous sexual intercourse is forbidden to her husband.,The Gemara challenges this ruling: bButthey must testify that bthey forewarned herbefore her transgression, and a forewarning includes apprising the transgressor of the punishment he or she will receive. How can the witnesses claim that they did not intend this result? The Gemara answers: Rav Ḥa stated his ihalakhawith regard to a case bwherethey claim bthey did not forewarn her.The Gemara asks: bBut ifthey claim bthey did not forewarn her, how can she be killed?If she would not have been killed, there is no novelty to Rav Ḥa’s statement that the witnesses are not killed.,The Gemara explains: Rav Ḥa stated his ihalakha bwith regard to a womanwho is ba iḥavera /i,knowledgeable in Torah, bandit is bin accordance withthe opinion bof Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda. As it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bRabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: A iḥaverdoes not require forewarningin order to be liable for a transgression, bbecause forewarning is given only in order to distinguish between an intentionaland ban unintentionalact.,The Gemara asks further: bBut sincethe witnesses bare not killedfor their conspiratory testimony in the case of a iḥavera /i, bhow can she be killedfor her action? Their testimony is btestimony that you cannot render conspiratorytestimony, i.e., the witnesses cannot be punished for their testimony, band any testimony that you cannotpotentially brender conspiratorytestimony is bnot categorized as testimony. /b,The Gemara answers: bThat is also what he is saying: Sincethe witnesses bare not killed, as they can say: We came to forbid her to her husband, she is also not killed, sincetheir testimony bis testimony that you cannotpotentially brender conspiratorytestimony.,The Gemara challenges: bBut with regard to a womanwho is ba iḥavera /i, since we maintain that shecan be bkilledwithout being forewarned, bhow can you find thisoccurring baccording tothe opinion bof Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda?As there was no forewarning, the witnesses can claim that their intention was to forbid her to her husband. The Gemara answers: It is found in a case bwherethey testify that bshe committed adultery and thenthey testified that bshe again committed adultery.The witnesses cannot claim that their testimony was meant to forbid her to her husband, as she was already forbidden to him due to the first time she committed adultery.,The Gemara questions this: bButthe witnesses bcan say: We come to forbid her to her second paramour.The ihalakhais that in addition to becoming forbidden to her husband, an adulterous woman becomes forbidden to her paramour. The witnesses can claim that this was their intent in testifying. The Gemara answers: It is found in a case bwherethey testify that bsheagain bcommitted adultery with the first paramour,i.e., the second act was with the same paramour, to whom she was already forbidden. bAlternatively,it is found in a case bwherethey testify that bshe committed adultery withone of bher relatives,to whom she is forbidden regardless.,The Gemara clarifies: bWhat is different thatRav Ḥa bchoseto state his ihalakhawith regard to ba betrothed young woman?His ihalakhacould be stated with regard to ba married woman as well.The Gemara answers: bYes,that is correct. bButthe novelty of this element of his ruling is that bevenwith regard to bthisbetrothed young woman, bwho does not live underher husband, the witnesses bcan say: We came to forbid her to her husband. /b,§ bRav Ḥisda says:In a case where boneof the witnesses bsays:The murderer bkilledthe victim bwith a sword, and oneof the witnesses bsays:The murderer bkilledthe victim bwith an iariran /i,another weapon, bthis is not congruenttestimony, as this is a clear contradiction. But if boneof the witnesses bsays:The murderer’s bgarmentswere bblack, and oneof the witnesses bsays:The murderer’s bgarmentswere bwhite, this is congruenttestimony, as this is not a meaningful discrepancy.,The Gemara braises an objectionfrom a ibaraita /i: The verse states with regard to testimony: “And behold it be truth, the matter certain” (Deuteronomy 17:4). The meaning of b“certain”is that the testimony of the two witnesses bmust be congruent.If bonewitness bsays:The murderer bkilledthe victim bwith a sword, and one says:The murderer bkilledthe victim bwith an iariran /i,or if boneof the witnesses bsays:The murderer’s bgarmentswere bblack, and oneof the witnesses bsays:The murderer’s bgarmentswere bwhite, this is not congruenttestimony. This contradicts the ruling of Rav Ḥisda. The Gemara answers: bRav Ḥisda interpretedthat ibaraitaas speaking babout a scarf with whichthe murderer bstrangledthe victim, bas this isthe same as a contradiction with regard to ba sword and an iariran /i.As Rav Ḥisda himself ruled, a contradiction concerning details of the murder weapon renders the testimony incongruent.,The Gemara suggests: bComeand bhearproof from a ibaraita /i: If boneof the witnesses bsays:The bsandals ofthe murderer were bblack, and oneof the witnesses bsays:The bsandals ofthe murderer were bwhite, this is not congruenttestimony. This contradicts the ruling of Rav Ḥisda. The Gemara answers: Rav Ḥisda can explain that bthere also,it is speaking of a case bwherethe murderer bkickedthe victim bwith his sandal and killed him. /b,The Gemara suggests: bComeand bhearproof from the mishna: bAn incidentoccurred, band ben Zakkai examinedthe witnesses babout the stems of figs,indicating that even a contradiction concerning a minor point such as this would render the testimony incongruent. The Gemara answers: bRami bar Ḥama said:It is speaking there of a case bwhere he picked a fig on Shabbat, as he is killed for thatact itself. Picking a fruit from its source of growth is an example of the forbidden labor of reaping, so the testimony about the characteristics of the fig is significant.,The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: When ben Zakkai asked the witnesses the question about the stems of figs, bthey said to him:The murderer bkilledthe victim bbeneath a fig tree,indicating that it is speaking of a murder case? bRather, Rami bar Ḥama said:The mishna is speaking of a case bwherethe murderer bstabbedthe victim bwith a branch of a fig tree.As Rav Ḥisda himself ruled, a contradiction concerning details of the murder weapon renders the testimony incongruent., bComeand bheara proof, as in that same examination ben Zakkai bsaid tothe witnesses: bThis figtree about which you are testifying, were bits stems thinor were bits stems thick?Were the bfigson it bblackor were the bfigs white?These questions concern the fruit itself, not the characteristics of a branch. bRather, Rav Yosef says: Should a person raise a difficulty fromthe conduct of bben Zakkai? Ben Zakkai is different, as he equated examinations with interrogations.According to ben Zakkai’s opinion, a contradiction in the witnesses’ answers to an examination is as significant as a contradiction in the witnesses’ answers to an interrogation, and it also renders the testimony incongruent.,§ The Gemara clarifies: bWhois the bben Zakkaimentioned in the mishna? bIf we sayit is bRabbi Yoḥa ben Zakkai, was hea member bin a Sanhedrinthat judged capital cases? bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bAll the years of Rabbi Yoḥa ben Zakkaiwere b120 years.For bfortyof those byears he dealt in business [ ibiferakmatya /i],for bfortyof those byears he studied, andfor bfortyof those byears he taughtand guided the Jewish people.,The Gemara continues its question: bAnd it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: bForty years before the destruction of theSecond bTemple, the Sanhedrin was exiledfrom the Chamber of Hewn Stone band sat in the storenear the Temple Mount. bAnd Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Avudimi says:The intent of the statement concerning the relocation of the Sanhedrin is bto say thatthey bnolonger bjudged laws of fines.The Gemara asks: Does it benter your mindto say that they no longer judged blaws of fines?It is known that the Sanhedrin would judge laws of fines for hundreds of years after the destruction of the Temple. bRather,he must have said bthatthe Sanhedrin bnolonger bjudgedcases of bcapital law.Once the Sanhedrin left the Chamber of Hewn Stone, the court’s power to judge capital cases was nullified.,The Gemara concludes its question: bAndsince as bwe learnedin a mishna ( iSukka41a): bOnce the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai institutedan ordice that the mitzva of ilulavshould be performed even in the rest of the country for seven days in commemoration of the Temple, it is clear that he was in a position of prominence after the destruction of the Temple. Since the Sanhedrin ceased judging cases of capital law forty years before the destruction of the Temple, and Rabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai was in a position of prominence for only forty years, he could not have been a judge in a capital case.,The Gemara suggests: bRather,one can say that it was bmerelya different person named bben Zakkai,not the well-known Sage of that name. The Gemara comments: bSo too, it is reasonableto say this, bas if it enters your mindthat this was bRabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai, would RabbiYehuda HaNasi bcall him ben Zakkai,without any title? He must have been referring to someone else.,The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraitaexplicitly: bAn incidentoccurred, band Rabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai examinedthe witnesses bwith regard to the stems of figs?This proves that the Sage in question is Rabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai. bRather,one can say that at that time, when this incident occurred, Rabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai bwas a student sitting before his teacher,and in those years the Sanhedrin was in its place and judged cases of capital law. bAnd he said a matterin the course of examining the witnesses, band his reasoning was logical to them,and the judges asked his question |
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26. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 40a. בנעילה דיומא דכיפורי מאי אמר אמר מר זוטרא ואמרי לה במתניתא (תהלים קכח, ד) הנה כי כן יברך גבר ירא ה' יברכך ה' מציון וראה בטוב ירושלים כל ימי חייך וראה בנים לבניך שלום על ישראל,היכן אומרן רב יוסף אמר בין כל ברכה וברכה ורב ששת אמר בהזכרת השם,פליגי בה רב מרי ורב זביד חד אמר פסוקא לקבל פסוקא וחד אמר אכל פסוקא אמר להו לכולהו,א"ר חייא בר אבא כל האומרן בגבולין אינו אלא טועה אמר רבי חנינא בר פפא תדע דבמקדש נמי לא מיבעי למימרינהו כלום יש לך עבד שמברכין אותו ואינו מאזין,א"ר אחא בר חנינא תדע דבגבולין נמי מיבעי למימרינהו כלום יש עבד שמברכין אותו ואין מסביר פנים א"ר אבהו מריש הוה אמינא להו כיון דחזינא ליה לרבי אבא דמן עכו דלא אמר להו אנא נמי לא אמינא להו,ואמר רבי אבהו מריש הוה אמינא עינותנא אנא כיון דחזינא ליה לרבי אבא דמן עכו דאמר איהו חד טעמא ואמר אמוריה חד טעמא ולא קפיד אמינא לאו עינותנא אנא,ומאי עינוותנותיה דרבי אבהו דאמרה לה דביתהו דאמוריה דרבי אבהו לדביתיה דרבי אבהו הא דידן לא צריך ליה לדידך והאי דגחין וזקיף עליה יקרא בעלמא הוא דעביד ליה אזלא דביתהו ואמרה ליה לרבי אבהו אמר לה ומאי נפקא ליך מינה מיני ומיניה יתקלס עילאה,ותו רבי אבהו אימנו רבנן עליה לממנייה ברישא כיון דחזיה לר' אבא דמן עכו דנפישי ליה בעלי חובות אמר להו איכא רבה,ר' אבהו ור' חייא בר אבא איקלעו לההוא אתרא רבי אבהו דרש באגדתא רבי חייא בר אבא דרש בשמעתא שבקוה כולי עלמא לרבי חייא בר אבא ואזול לגביה דר' אבהו חלש דעתיה אמר ליה אמשל לך משל למה הדבר דומה לשני בני אדם אחד מוכר אבנים טובות ואחד מוכר מיני סידקית על מי קופצין לא על זה שמוכר מיני סידקית,כל יומא הוה מלוה רבי חייא בר אבא לרבי אבהו עד אושפיזיה משום יקרא דבי קיסר ההוא יומא אלויה רבי אבהו לרבי חייא בר אבא עד אושפיזיה ואפילו הכי לא איתותב דעתיה מיניה,בזמן ששליח צבור אומר מודים העם מה הם אומרים אמר רב מודים אנחנו לך ה' אלהינו על שאנו מודים לך ושמואל אמר אלהי כל בשר על שאנו מודים לך רבי סימאי אומר יוצרנו יוצר בראשית על שאנו מודים לך נהרדעי אמרי משמיה דרבי סימאי ברכות והודאות לשמך הגדול על שהחייתנו וקיימתנו על שאנו מודים לך רב אחא בר יעקב מסיים בה הכי כן תחיינו ותחננו ותקבצנו ותאסוף גליותינו לחצרות קדשך לשמור חוקיך ולעשות רצונך בלבב שלם על שאנו מודים לך,אמר רב פפא הילכך נימרינהו לכולהו,אמר ר' יצחק לעולם תהא אימת צבור עליך שהרי כהנים פניהם כלפי העם ואחוריהם כלפי שכינה,רב נחמן אמר מהכא (דברי הימים א כח, ב) ויקם המלך דוד על רגליו ויאמר שמעוני אחי ועמי אם אחי למה עמי ואם עמי למה אחי אמר רבי אלעזר אמר להם דוד לישראל אם אתם שומעין לי אחי אתם ואם לאו עמי אתם ואני רודה אתכם במקל,רבנן אמרי מהכא דאין הכהנים רשאין לעלות בסנדליהן לדוכן וזהו אחת מתשע תקנות שהתקין רבן יוחנן בן זכאי מאי טעמא לאו משום כבוד צבור אמר רב אשי לא התם שמא נפסקה לו רצועה בסנדלו והדר אזיל למיקטריה ואמרי בן גרושה או בן חלוצה הוא,ובמקדש ברכה אחת כו' | 40a. bDuring the closing prayer [ ine’ila /i] of Yom Kippur,which also includes the Priestly Benediction, bwhat dothe people bsay? Mar Zutra says, and some saythat this was taught bin a ibaraita /i: “Behold, surely thus shall the man who fears the Lord be blessed”(Psalms 128:4), b“The Lord shall bless you out of Zion, and you shall see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life”(Psalms 128:5), and b“And see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel”(Psalms 128:6).,The Gemara asks: bWhere doesthe congregation bsaythese verses during the Priestly Benediction? bRav Yosef says:They are said bbetween each and every blessing. And Rav Sheshet says:They are said bduring the mention of the nameof God in each of the three blessings., bRav Mari and Rav Zevid disagree aboutthis matter. bOne says:The congregation recites one bverseat a time, bcorresponding tothe bversethat the priests recite. bAnd one says: For everysingle bversethat the priests recite, the congregation bsays allthree verses., bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: Anyone who recitesthese verses bin the outlying areas,i.e., outside the Temple, bis nothing other than mistakenin his practice. bRabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said:You should bknow that in the Temple alsopeople bshould not recitethese verses. bDo you have a servant who is being blessed and does not listento the blessing, but rather speaks at the same time?,Conversely, bRabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina says:You should bknow that in the outlying areas one is also required to saythese verses. bIs there a servant who is being blessed and his face does not brighten?Therefore, one must recite these verses to give thanks for receiving the Priestly Benediction. bRabbi Abbahu says: At first, I would recitethese verses, but bsince I saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko does not say them, I also do not recite themanymore., bAnd Rabbi Abbahu says: At first, I would sayto myself that bI was humble. Since I saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko himself stated one reasonfor a matter, band his interpreter stated oneother breasonof his own rather than delivering the reason that Rabbi Abba stated, bandyet Rabbi Abba bdid not mind, I sayto myself that bI am not humble. /b,The Gemara asks: bAnd what was the humility of Rabbi Abbahu?The Gemara relates bthat Rabbi Abbahu’s interpreter’s wife said to Rabbi Abbahu’s wife: This one of ours,i.e., my husband, bhas no need for yourhusband Rabbi Abbahu, as he could teach everything on his own. bAndthe fact bthat he bends overto listen to Rabbi Abbahu, bandthen bstands up above him,and repeats his words to the congregants bis merely to show respect for him.Rabbi Abbahu’s bwife went and toldthis bto Rabbi Abbahu. He said to her: And what difference does it make to you? Through me and through him the One above will be exalted,and it does not matter which one of us is teaching., bAnd furthermore,in another example of his humility, bthe Sages were countedand reached a decision bto appoint Rabbi Abbahu to be the headof the yeshiva. bSince he saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko had many creditorsand was impoverished, he attempted to get him out of debt. bHe said to them: There isa man who is bgreaterthan me, Rabbi Abba.,The Gemara relates another example of his humility: bRabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba happenedto come bto a certain place. Rabbi Abbahu taughtmatters of iaggada /i,and at the same time bRabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba taught ihalakha /i. Everyone left Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba and went to Rabbi Abbahu,and Rabbi Ḥiyya bwas offended.Rabbi Abbahu bsaid to him,to appease him: bI will tell you a parable: To what is this matter comparable?It is comparable bto two people, onewho bsells precious stones and onewho bsells small items [ isidkit /i]. Upon whom dothe customers bspring? Don’tthey spring bupon the one who sells small items?Similarly, you teach lofty and important matters that do not attract many people. Everyone comes to me because I teach minor matters.,The Gemara relates that bevery day Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba would escort Rabbi Abbahu to his lodging place [ iushpizei /i] out of respect for the house of the emperor,with which Rabbi Abbahu was associated. On bthat day, Rabbi Abbahu escorted Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba to his lodging place, and even so,Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba’s bmind was not at ease withRabbi Abbahu and he felt insulted.,§ The Gemara returns to discuss the response of the congregants to certain parts of the prayer service. bWhile the prayer leader is recitingthe blessing of: bWe give thanks, what do the people say? Rav saysthat they say: bWe give thanks to You, Lord our God, forthe merit of bgiving thanks to You. And Shmuel saysthat one should say: bGod of allliving bflesh, forthe merit of bgiving thanks to You. Rabbi Simai saysthat one should say: bOur Creator, Who createdeverything bin the beginning, forthe merit of bgiving thanks to You.The Sages bof Neharde’a say in the name of Rabbi Simaithat one should say: We offer bblessings and praises to Your great name, for You have given us life and sustained us, for giving thanks to You. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akovwould bfinishthe blessing bas follows: So may You give us life, and show us favor, and collect us, and gather our exiles into Your sacred courtyards, in order to observe Your laws and to fulfill Your will wholeheartedly, for giving thanks to You. /b, bRav Pappa said:These Sages each added a different element to the prayer. bTherefore, we shouldcombine them together and brecite all of them. /b,§ bRabbi Yitzḥak says: The awe of the public should always be upon you,i.e., one must always treat the public courteously. bAswhen the bpriestsbless the people they bface the people and their backs are toward the Divine Presence,out of respect for the congregation., bRav Naḥman saidthat this principle is derived bfrom here: “Then King David stood up upon his feet, and said: Hear me, my brethren, and my people”(I Chronicles 28:2). Evidently, King David stood up to address the people rather than remain seated. bIfhe said b“my brethren,” whydid he say b“my people”? And ifhe said b“my people” whydid he say b“my brethren”? Rabbi Elazar says: David said to the Jewish people: If you listen to me, you are my brethren. And ifyou do bnotlisten to me willingly, byou are my peopleand I am your king, band I will rule over youby force bwith a staff.This shows that if the nation acted properly, David would relate to them respectfully., bThe Sages saythat the importance of showing respect for the congregation is derived bfrom here:The ihalakhais bthat the priests are not permitted to ascend the platformto recite the benediction bin their sandals,as is taught in a ibaraita /i. bAnd this ihalakha bis one of nine ordices that Rabban Yoḥa ben Zakkai instituted. What is the reasonfor this ordice? bIs it not out of respect for the congregation,as it would be disrespectful for the priests to display their dirty sandals in front of the congregants? bRav Ashi said: No,this is not the reason. bThere,in the ibaraita /i, the reason is a concern blest a strap of his sandal break, and hewill therefore breturnto his place bto go tie itand not ascend the platform in time for the benediction, bandpeople will bsaythat he was removed from the platform because he is disqualified from the priesthood, as he bis the son ofa priest and ba divorced woman or the son ofa priest and ba iḥalutza /i. /b,§ It is taught in the mishna: bAnd in the Temple,the priests recite the three verses as bone blessing. /b |
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27. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 51a. כתנאי (דתניא) עבדי כהנים היו דברי ר' מאיר רבי יוסי אומר משפחת בית הפגרים ומשפחת בית ציפריא ומאמאום היו שהיו משיאין לכהונה,ר' חנינא בן אנטיגנוס אומר לוים היו מאי לאו בהא קא מיפלגי דמאן דאמר עבדים היו קסבר עיקר שירה בפה ומאן דאמר לוים היו קסבר עיקר שירה בכלי,ותסברא רבי יוסי מאי קסבר אי קסבר עיקר שירה בפה אפילו עבדים נמי אי קסבר עיקר שירה בכלי לוים אין ישראלים לא,אלא דכולי עלמא עיקר שירה בפה ובהא קא מיפלגי דמר סבר הכי הוה מעשה ומר סבר הכי הוה מעשה,למאי נפקא מינה למעלין מדוכן ליוחסין ולמעשר קא מיפלגי,מאן דאמר עבדים היו קסבר אין מעלין מדוכן ליוחסין ולא למעשר ומאן דאמר ישראל היו קסבר מעלין מדוכן ליוחסין אבל לא למעשר ומאן דאמר לוים היו קסבר מעלין מדוכן בין ליוחסין בין למעשר,ורבי ירמיה בר אבא אמר מחלוקת בשיר של שואבה דרבי יוסי בר יהודה סבר שמחה יתירה נמי דוחה את השבת ורבנן סברי שמחה יתירה אינה דוחה את השבת אבל בשיר של קרבן דברי הכל עבודה היא ודוחה את השבת,מיתיבי שיר של שואבה דוחה את השבת דברי רבי יוסי בר יהודה וחכמים אומרים אף יום טוב אינו דוחה תיובתא דרב יוסף תיובתא,לימא בשיר של שואבה הוא דפליגי אבל בשיר של קרבן דברי הכל דוחה את השבת לימא תיהוי תיובתא דרב יוסף בתרתי,אמר לך רב יוסף פליגי בשיר של שואבה והוא הדין לקרבן והאי דקמיפלגי בשיר של שואבה להודיעך כחו דרבי יוסי בר יהודה דאפילו דשואבה נמי דחי,והא קתני זהו חליל של בית השואבה שאינו דוחה לא את השבת ולא את יום טוב זהו דאינו דוחה אבל דקרבן דוחה מני אי נימא רבי יוסי בר יהודה האמר שיר של שואבה נמי דוחה אלא לאו רבנן ותיובתא דרב יוסף בתרתי תיובתא,מאי טעמא דמאן דאמר עיקר שירה בכלי דכתיב (דברי הימים ב כט, כז) ויאמר חזקיהו להעלות העולה להמזבח ובעת החל העולה החל שיר ה' והחצוצרות ועל ידי כלי דויד מלך ישראל,מ"ט דמאן דאמר עיקר שירה בפה דכתיב (דברי הימים ב ה, יג) ויהי כאחד למחצצרים ולמשוררים להשמיע קול אחד,ואידך נמי הא כתיב ויאמר חזקיהו הכי קאמר החל שיר ה' בפה על ידי כלי דויד מלך ישראל לבסומי קלא,ואידך נמי הא כתיב ויהי כאחד למחצצרים ולמשוררים הכי קאמר משוררים דומיא דמחצצרים מה מחצצרים בכלי אף משוררים בכלי:, big strongמתני׳ /strong /big מי שלא ראה שמחת בית השואבה לא ראה שמחה מימיו במוצאי יום טוב הראשון של חג ירדו לעזרת נשים ומתקנין שם תיקון גדול מנורות של זהב היו שם וארבעה ספלים של זהב בראשיהם וארבעה סולמות לכל אחד ואחד וארבעה ילדים מפירחי כהונה ובידיהם כדים של מאה ועשרים לוג שהן מטילין לכל ספל וספל מבלאי מכנסי כהנים ומהמייניהן מהן היו מפקיעין ובהן היו מדליקין ולא היה חצר בירושלים שאינה מאירה מאור בית השואבה,חסידים ואנשי מעשה היו מרקדין בפניהם | 51a. This dispute is bparallelto another dispute between itanna’im /i, as it is taughtin a mishna in tractate iArakhin /i: The Temple musicians bwere slaves of priests;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yosei says:The musicians were not slaves; they were Israelites from bthe family of the House of Happegarim and the family of the House of Tzipperaya. And they were fromthe city of bEmma’um,and their lineage was sufficiently distinguished bthat they would marrytheir daughters btomembers of bthe priesthood. /b, bRabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus says: They were Levites. What, is it not that they disagree with regard to this; that the one who saidthat the musicians bwere slaves holdsthat the bprimaryessence of bsongis singing bwith the mouth.Since the instrumental music is mere accompaniment, it could be performed by slaves. bAnd the one who said thatthe musicians bwere Levites holdsthat the bprimaryessence of bsongis accompaniment bbymusical binstruments.Therefore, the musicians were Levites, who were tasked with the song that was part of the Temple service.,The Gemara asks: bAndhow can byou understandthe mishna that way? According to that explanation, bwhat does Rabbi Yosei hold? If he holdsthat the bprimaryessence of bsongis singing bwith the mouth,then beven slavescan balsoplay the instruments. Why then does he require that the musicians be from Israelite families of distinguished lineage? bIf he holdsthat the bprimaryessence of bsongis accompaniment bbymusical binstruments,he should have said: bLevites, yes,they may play the instruments, but bIsraelites, no,they may not., bRather,the explanation of the dispute is bthat everyone agreesthat the bprimaryessence of bsongis singing bwith the mouthand the musical instruments are merely for accompaniment. bAndit is bwith regard to this that they disagree:It is bthatone bSage holdsthat the beventtook place in bthismanner, i.e., slaves played the instruments, bandone bSage holdsthat the beventtook place in bthismanner, i.e., Israelite families of distinguished lineage played the instruments.,The Gemara asks: bWhatpractical halakhic bdifference is therewhether one group or another played the instruments? The Gemara answers: It is with regard btowhether bone elevatesa Levite bfrom the platform tothe presumptive status of distinguished blineage andeligibility btoreceive btithes that they disagree.Is it possible to draw the conclusion that a family is of distinguished lineage or eligible to receive tithes based on the fact that a member or ancestor of that family played a musical instrument on the Temple platform?, bThe one who said thatthe musicians bwere slaves holdsthat bone does not elevate from the platform tothe presumptive status of distinguished blineage andeligibility btoreceive btithes. And the one who said thatthe musicians bwere Israelites holdsthat bone elevatesa Levite bfrom the platformto the presumptive status of distinguished blineage but noteligibility btoreceive btithes. And the one who said thatthe musicians bwere Levites holdsthat bone elevatesa Levite bfrom the platform tothe presumptive status of distinguished blineageand eligibility btoreceive btithes. /b,§ The Gemara cites an opinion that disagrees with that of Rav Yosef. bAnd Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said: The disputebetween Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda and the Rabbis bis with regard to the song ofthe bDrawingof the Water. bRabbi Yosei bar Yehuda holdsthat bextra rejoicing also overrides Shabbat, and the Rabbis holdthat bextra rejoicing does not override Shabbat. However, with regard tothe bsong thatthe Levites sang accompanying ban offering, everyone agreesthat it is part of the Temple bservice, and overrides Shabbat. /b,The Gemara braises an objectionto the opinion of Rav Yosef that the dispute is with regard to the song that the Levites sang accompanying the daily offering: bThe song ofthe bDrawingof the Water boverrides Shabbat;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda. And the Rabbis say: It does not override even the Festival.Apparently, their dispute is with regard to the song of the Drawing of the Water. Say that this is ba conclusive refutationof the opinion bof Rav Yosef.The Gemara concludes: Indeed, it is ba conclusive refutation. /b,The Gemara suggests: bLet us say,based on this ibaraita /i, that bit is with regard to the song ofthe bDrawingof the Water alone bthat they disagree; however, with regard to the song thatthe Levites sang accompanying bthedaily boffering, everyone saysthat bit overrides Shabbat.If so, blet us saythat bthis will be a conclusive refutation ofthe opinion bof Rav Yosef on twocounts. According to Rav Yosef, the dispute is with regard to the song of the Drawing of the Water, and not with regard to the song the Levites sang accompanying the daily offering. The above suggestion refutes both aspects of his opinion., bRav Yosefcould have bsaid to you: They disagree with regard to the song ofthe bDrawingof the Water band the same is true forthe song that the Levites sang accompanying ban offering. Andthe fact bthat they disagreespecifically bwith regard to the song ofthe bDrawingof the Water and do not specifically mention the song that the Levites sang accompanying the daily offering bis to convey to you the far-reachingnature of the opinion bof Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda, that even thesong bofthe bDrawingof the Water balso overridesShabbat.,The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it taughtin the mishna: bThis isthe bflute of the Place of the Drawingof the Water, bwhich overrides neither Shabbat northe bFestival.By inference, bthis isthe flute bthat does not overrideShabbat; bhowever,the flute that accompanies bthedaily boffering overridesShabbat. The Gemara asks: bWho isthe itannaof the mishna? bIf we sayit is bRabbi Yosei bar Yehuda, didn’t he say that the song ofthe bDrawingof the Water balso overridesShabbat? bRather, is it not the Rabbis, andsay that this is ba conclusive refutationof bRav Yosef on twocounts. The Gemara concludes: Indeed, it is ba conclusive refutation. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat is the rationalefor the opinion bof the one who said:The bprimaryessence of bsongis singing accompanied bbymusical binstruments?The Gemara answers: It is bas it is written: “And Hezekiah commanded to sacrifice the burnt-offering upon the altar. And when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David, king of Israel”(II Chronicles 29:27), indicating that the song of God that accompanies the offering is played by trumpets and other instruments.,The Gemara asks: bWhat is the rationalefor the opinion bof the one who said:The bprimaryessence of bsongis singing bwith the mouth?The Gemara answers: It is bas it is written: “And it came to pass, when the trumpeters and the singers were as one to make one sound”(II Chronicles 5:13). Since the verse does not mention any musical instrument played with the singing other than the trumpets, and the trumpets were not sounded as accompaniment for the singers, apparently the primary essence of song is singing with the mouth. The trumpets were sounded in order to accompany the sacrifice of the daily and additional offerings with the requisite sounds of itekiaand iterua /i.,The Gemara asks: bAndaccording to bthe other itanna btoo,who holds that the primary essence of song is singing with the mouth, bisn’t it written: “And Hezekiah commanded /b…the song of the Lord began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments,” indicating that the instruments are the primary essence? The Gemara answers: bThis is whatthe verse bis saying: “The song of the Lord began,”indicates that the primary essence is bwith the mouth; “with the instruments of David, King of Israel,”is bto sweeten the sound,as the instruments are merely to accompany and enhance the singing.,The Gemara asks: bAndaccording to bthe other itanna btoo,who holds that the primary essence of song is singing accompanied by musical instruments, bisn’t it written: “And it came to pass, when the trumpeters and the singers were as one,”indicating that the primary essence is with the mouth? The Gemara answers: bThis is whatthe verse bis saying:Through their juxtaposition, one derives that the bsingersare bsimilar to the trumpeters; just as trumpetersproduce their sound bwith an instrument, so toothe bsingersproduce their song bwith an instrument. /b, strongMISHNA: /strong bOne who did not see the Celebration of the Place of the Drawingof the Water bnever saw celebration in his days.This was the sequence of events: bAt the conclusion of the first Festivalday the priests and the Levites bdescendedfrom the Israelites’ courtyard bto the Women’s Courtyard, where they would introduce a significant repair,as the Gemara will explain. bThere were golden candelabraatop poles btherein the courtyard. bAndthere were bfour basinsmade bof gold at the topof each candelabrum. bAndthere were bfour ladders for each and everypole bandthere were bfour children from the priesthood trainees, and in their handswere bpitcherswith a capacity bof 120 ilog /iof oil bthat they would pour into each and every basin. From the worn trousers of the priests and their belts they would loosenand tear strips to use as wicks, band with them they would lightthe candelabra. bAndthe light from the candelabra was so bright that bthere was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that was not illuminated from the light of the Place of the Drawingof the Water.,The bpious andthe bmen of action would dance beforethe people who attended the celebration |
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