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Avot DeRabbi Natan

Sefaria · Talmud > Bavli > Minor Tractates · 253 sections

1. 17.6

   Another story is told of a young woman who was taken captive. A Gentile acquired her and she grew up in his house. The Angel of Dreams13lit. ‘the master of the dream’; cf. Ber. 10b (Sonc. ed., p. 55, n. 5) where another explanation is suggested. appeared to him and said, ‘Send the young woman from your house’. His wife said to him, ‘Do not send her away’. Again the Angel of Dreams appeared to him and said, ‘If you do not send her away I will kill you’, and he let her go. He followed her, saying [to himself], ‘I must go and see what will befall this young woman’. On her journey she became thirsty and went down to drink at a spring, When she placed her hand on the wall, a snake came and bit her so that she died, [her body] floating on the surface of the water. He went down, took her out and buried her. On his return home he remarked to his wife, ‘This people whom you behold bear the anger of none other than their Father in heaven’.

2. 17.7

   AND LET ALL YOUR DEEDS BE DONE FOR THE SAKE OF HEAVEN.14The conclusion of R. Jose’s teaching in Aboth 2:17 (Sonc. ed., II, 12, p. 22). That means, for the sake of the Torah, as it is stated, In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.15Prov. 3, 6. By following the ways of the Torah one arrives at a knowledge of God.

3. 17.8

   R. SIMEON SAID: BE CAREFUL TO READ THE SHEMA‘ AND THE ‘AMIDAH; AND WHEN YOU PRAY LET NOT YOUR PRAYER BE A CONVERSATION16The reading in Aboth 2:18 (Sonc. ed., II, 13, p. 23) is ‘a fixed task’. BUT SUPPLICATION BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AS IT IS WRITTEN, FOR HE IS GRACIOUS AND FULL OF COMPASSION, SLOW TO ANGER AND ABUNDANT IN MERCY, AND REPENTETH HIM OF THE EVIL.17Joel 2, 13. A variant text is the verse from Jon. 4, 2. R. ELIEZER SAID: BE EAGER TO STUDY THE TORAH, AND KNOW HOW TO ANSWER AN UNBELIEVER. Let not one word of the Torah be forgotten by you. KNOW BEFORE WHOM YOU TOIL, AND WITH WHOM YOU HAVE ENTERED INTO A COMPACT.18The phrase Ba‘al berith as a designation for God is not found elsewhere in Rabbinic literature. GRA substitutes Ba‘al melakteka, ‘thy Employer’, in conformity with Aboth 2:19 (Sonc. ed., II, 16, p. 25).

4. 18.1

   Likewise1This passage links up with the dictum in Aboth 2:11 (Sonc. ed., II, 8, p. 18) where Rabban Joḥanan b. Zakkai recounts the distinctive qualifications of his five foremost disciples. R. Judah the Prince used to recount the praises of the following Sages: R. Ṭarfon, R. ‘Aḳiba, R. Eleazar b. Azariah, R. Joḥanan b. Nuri and R. Jose the Galilean. R. Ṭarfon he described as a heap of stones (another version: a heap of nuts). When a man removes one, they all topple and fall over each other. So it was with R. Ṭarfon; whenever a disciple came to him and said, ‘Teach me’, he would produce for him [instruction in] Scripture, Mishnah, Midrash, halakoth and ’aggadoth. When that disciple departed, he left laden with blessing and [intellectual] wealth. R. ‘Aḳiba he described as a treasury with compartments.2The translation follows the view of Rashi, given in Giṭ. 67a (Sonc. ed., p. 317), where he explains בלום as ‘divided into several compartments’. Jastrow, s.v. בלם, defines it ‘a packed treasury’ (of knowledge), but explains the variant, בלוס (s.v. בלס) as ‘a mind full of knowledge’. [Bacher, Ag. d. pal. Amoräer, II, p. 65, n. 6, gives בלום as the correct reading which he understands as ‘locked up’ or ‘packed’.] To what may [25b] R. ‘Aḳiba be compared? To a pedlar who takes his sack and goes into a field. When he finds wheat he drops it in the sack; similarly when he finds barley, spelt, beans and lentils he drops them all in the sack. On returning home he sorts them all out, putting the wheat apart, the barley apart, the spelt, the beans, the lentils all apart. Such was the practice of R. ‘Aḳiba: he sorted all the Torah [he amassed] into its various compartments.3The text varies between ṭaba‘oth, ‘rings’ and maṭbe‘oth, ‘coins’. Rashi, loc. cit., adopts the latter according to which the meaning is: As coins are put into a box according to their various denominations, so did R. ‘Aḳiba systematize the whole of the oral tradition. [Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten I, p. 267, n. 1, accepts the former reading, and explains that R. ‘Aḳiba sorted out the heterogeneous material and arranged it like ‘a chain of connected links’.] R. Eleazar b. Azariah he described as a perfumer’s chest. To what may R. Eleazar be compared? To a perfumer who takes his chest with him and enters a city. The townsfolk come out and enquire, ‘Have you fine oil? Have you spikenard oil? Have you balsam oil?’ and find that he has everything [they require]. So it was with R. Eleazar b. Azariah. When a disciple came to him and enquired about Scripture he enlightened him, about Mishnah he enlightened him, about Midrash or halakoth or ’aggadoth he enlightened him. When the disciple departed he left laden with [intellectual] wealth and blessing.

5. 18.2

   When R. Joshua was an old man, his disciples came to visit him.4Cf. Ḥag. 3a (Sonc. ed., pp. 8f). This passage is inserted as an example of the skill of R. Eleazar b. ‘Azariah in ‘aggadoth. He said to them, ‘My sons, what new interpretation was there at the House of Study to-day?’ They replied, ‘We are your disciples and drink your waters’.5We cannot possibly have anything to teach you. He said to them, ‘Heaven forfend! No generation is orphaned of its Sages.6He deprecated the suggestion that there were no other great teachers. Whose Sabbath7Rabban Gamaliel, the President of the College, had been deposed because of his high-handed treatment and humiliation of R. Joshua, and R. Eleazar b. ‘Azariah had been elected in his place. When Rabban Gamaliel had been reinstated it was arranged that he should give the discourse three Sabbaths in the month and R. Eleazar b. ‘Azariah one Sabbath (cf. Ber. 27b, 28a; Sonc. ed., pp. 166ff). This explains the question asked by R. Joshua. was it?’ They replied, ‘It was the Sabbath of R. Eleazar b. Azariah’. He asked, ‘And what was the theme of his discourse to-day?’ They answered, ‘It was the section [beginning], Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones’.8Deut. 31, 12. He further asked, ‘What exposition did he give in connection with it?’ They said, ‘His comment was as follows: The men came to learn, the women to listen, but why had the little ones to come? In order to grant a good reward to those who brought them’. He said to them, ‘You had such a precious pearl in your possession and sought to withhold it from me! Had you visited me only for the purpose of imparting this to me, it would have been sufficient’. They said to him, ‘He also gave this exposition: The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are the words of masters of assemblies:9Eccl. 12, 11. E.V., … fastened are those that are composed in collections. as the goad guides the heifer along its furrows, so do the words of the Torah guide a man along the paths of life. But [should you contend,] As the goad is movable so the words of the Torah are likewise movable,10i.e. not of permanent authority. the text adds, And as nails well fastened: As nails well fastened cannot be pulled out, so the words of the Torah cannot be dislodged. Masters of assemblies: these are the disciples of the wise who enter [the House of Study] and sit in several groups; some declare a thing forbidden others declaring it permitted, some pronounce a thing unclean others pronouncing it clean, some rule a thing unfit others ruling it fit. Now lest a man say to you, “I will sit idle and not study”, the text continues, They were given from one shepherd, i.e. one God created them,11[Cf. what ‘a heavenly voice’ declared of the controversies between the Schools of Hillel and Shammai, ‘They both speak the words of the Living God’ (‘Erub. 13b, Sonc. ed., pp. 85f). one leader12i.e. Moses. gave them, the Lord of all creation uttered them. Therefore make your ear like a funnel and allow to enter therein the words of those who forbid and those who permit, the words of those who pronounce unclean and of those who pronounce clean, the words of those who rule it unfit and of those who rule it fit’.

6. 18.3

   R. Joḥanan b. Nuri he described as a chest [filled with] halakoth. R. Jose the Galilean he described as a collector of the finest, devoid of arrogance; because he held fast to the rule of the Sages13That a man should be humble. derived from Mount Sinai, and diligently taught all the wise men of Israel.

7. 18.4

   Issi b. Judah used to describe certain Sages in these terms:14Cf. Giṭ. 67a (Sonc. ed., pp. 317f.) from which the following annotations are quoted. R. Meir was a wise man and a scribe;15That was his profession. R. Judah was a wise man when he desired to be such;16i.e. when he was not too hasty, he could be even wiser than R. Meir. the Mishnah of R. Eliezer b. Jacob was little and good;17lit. ‘a ḳab (little in quantity) but fine (well-sifted)’. So that whenever he gives an opinion, the halakah follows him. R. Jose always had his reasons; R. Joḥanan b. Nuri was a chest [filled with] halakoth; R. Jose the Galilean was a collector of the very finest, devoid of arrogance; R. Simeon b. Gamaliel was a shop stocked with the best purple; R. Simeon studied much and forgot little. Later when R. Simeon met Issi b. Judah he said to him, ‘Why do you prate about me before the Sages?’ He replied, ‘I merely said that you study much and forget little, and the little you do forget is but the bran of your learning’.18i.e. those statements which were not followed by the halakah.

8. 19.1

   ‘Aḳabya b. Mahalalel said: Whosoever takes four things to heart1Cf. Aboth 3:1 (Sonc. ed., p. 26) where the more popular version reads: ‘Consider three things’, etc., omitting the third item, ‘what he is destined to become—dust, worms and maggots’ as being heterodox in outlook; cf. Finkelstein, Akiba: Scholar, Saint and Martyr, pp. 159f, where the maxim of ‘Aḳabya is described as ‘this unequivocal denial of personal immortality’. See also DER III, 1 (below, p. 543) where the saying is quoted as in the present text in the name of Ben ‘Azzai. will never sin: whence he came, whither he is going, what he is destined to become, and who is his Judge. ‘Whence he came’—from a place of darkness; ‘whither he is going’—to a place of thick darkness; ‘what he is destined to become’—dust, worms and maggots; ‘and who is his Judge’—the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.

9. 19.2

   R. Simeon said: Man came from a place of darkness and returns to a place of darkness. He came from a fetid drop, from a place which no eye can behold. And what is he destined to become? Dust, worms and maggots, as it is stated, How much less man, that is a worm! and the son of man, that is a maggot!2Job 25, 6. R. Eleazar b. Jacob said: Man that is a worm when alive, and the son of man that is a maggot when dead. In what sense is he a worm when alive? By reason of the lice [which infest him]. And a maggot when dead? By reason of the creeping things which he generates when dead.

10. 19.3

    R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: I will illustrate it to you by a parable. To what can the matter be compared? To a king who built a large palace in which he resided,3According to a variant reading: ‘which he elaborately adorned’. GRA reads ‘magnificent in every detail’. V has ‘large palaces’. but the waste-pipe of a tannery ran through it and emptied itself at the entrance. Every passer-by exclaimed, ‘How beautiful and magnificent would that palace be if the waste-pipe of the tannery did not run through it!’ Just so is it with man; and if in his present state, when from his entrails issue fetid streams,4The natural secretions. he lords it over all creatures, how much more would he lord it over all creatures if there were to issue from him streams of fine oil, balsam and spikenard!

11. 19.4

    When R. Eliezer fell ill, his disciples came to visit him. They sat before him and said, ‘Master, tell us in one word what you have taught us’.5lit. ‘teach us one word of what you have taught us’. In the master’s last hours the disciples enquire of him the epitome of his wisdom and experience. In the parallel passage, Ber. 28b (Sonc. ed., p. 173), the text reads: ‘Teach us the ways of life’. He replied, ‘What shall I tell you? Go forth and be mindful of the honour of your fellow-man, and when you pray know before Whom you are standing and praying. Then will you merit the life of the world to come’. R. Eleazar said: Five things did we learn from R. Eliezer [on that day], and they afforded us greater pleasure than all that we had enjoyed from him in his lifetime, and they are as follows: If a round cushion, a ball, a shoemaker’s last, an amulet or a phylactery, about which you spoke to us, were torn, what would be the law?6The five articles enumerated have in common that they are made of leather and are permanently filled with stuffing. It is established law that an article of leather can contract defilement only if it is a receptacle, i.e. it has a cavity in which it can hold things. Since the articles here listed are permanently filled, the Sage held the view that they are not considered to be vessels with receptacles and consequently cannot be ritually defiled. R. Eliezer, however, was of the opinion that since the filling was removable, they were to be considered vessels with receptacles and could contract defilement. Furthermore, if any one of the enumerated articles were torn the opinion was unanimous that it could contract defilement, because some of the filling must have fallen out and in consequence a receptacle was formed. If, in the circumstances stated, the article became unclean, there was a further argument between R. Eliezer and the Sages whether it was necessary to remove all the filling before immersion took place. The Sages held the view that this must be done otherwise the immersion would be invalid, since the filling interposed between the vessel and the water. R. Eliezer, on the other hand, ruled that it could be immersed as it was without the removal of the filling. R. Eliezer here put forward his views as ancient traditional rulings. Cf. Kel. XXIII, 1 (Sonc. ed., p. 110). The answer he gave was: They can contract uncleanness so be careful with them; and [if unclean] they may be immersed as they are. These laws are well established, for they were communicated to Moses on Mount Sinai.7For textual variants of this passage, cf. below XXV 2 (p. 171), Sanh. 68a (Sonc. ed., pp. 462f) and DER III, end (below p. 544).

12. 20.1

    R. Ḥananiah, the deputy High Priest,1In Aboth 3:2 (Sonc. ed., p. 27) there is a different saying attributed to ‘R. Ḥanina, the deputy High Priest’, and in III, 5 (Sonc. ed., III, 5, p. 29) a statement of R. Neḥuniah b. Ha-Ḳanah bears some resemblance to what is quoted here. said: He who lays the words of the Torah to his heart will be freed from the anxieties of the sword, hunger, madness, lust, the evil inclination, adultery, vain thoughts, and of the yoke of human cares; for so it is written in the Book of Psalms by David king of Israel, The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.2Ps. 19, 9. And he who does not lay the words of the Torah to his heart will be burdened with the anxieties of the sword, hunger, madness, lust, the evil inclination, adultery, vain thoughts, and of the yoke of human cares; for so it is written in the Book of Deuteronomy by Moses our master, And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever; because thou didst not serve the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemy whom the Lord shall send against thee in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things.3Deut. 28, 46-48. In hunger: what does this mean? When a man longs to eat barley bread and cannot afford even that, his enemies demand of him white bread and rich meat. And in thirst: what does this mean? When a man longs to drink a drop of sour wine or a drop of beer and cannot afford even that, his enemies demand of him the best wine of all the lands. And in nakedness: what does this mean? When a man wishes to wear a woollen or linen shirt and cannot afford even that, his enemies demand of him the finest silks and satins of all the lands. And in want of all things: he will be without a lamp, [26a] without a knife and without a table. Another interpretation of And in want of all things: he will be without vinegar and salt. When people curse one another they say, ‘May there be no vinegar or salt in your house!’ He used to say: [It is written:] Look not upon me, that I am swarthy, that the sun hath tanned me; [my mother’s sons were incensed against me]:4Cant. 1, 6. these are the councillors5Reading bula’oth. Cf. Giṭ. 37a (Sonc. ed., p. 151, n. 5, where the word is explained as the Greek for ‘city councils’). V has banoth (daughters) which does not make sense. [On the passage, cf. Büchler, Studies in Sin and Atonement, pp. 63f and The Economic Conditions of Judaea, p. 28, n. 2.] of Judah who cast from themselves the yoke of the Holy One, blessed be He, and set a human king over them.6The lords of Judah were so incensed against God that in their exasperation they acted to their own hurt. Another interpretation of My mother’s sons were incensed against me: this refers to Moses when he killed the Egyptian,7Moses was so incensed at the injustice which he witnessed that he acted zealously ‘for Me’, i.e. on God’s behalf. as it is stated, And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens … and he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.8Ex. 2, 11f. What do the words that there was no man imply? They teach that Moses had set up a Sanhedrin of ministering angels9Since no human beings were about, he had no alternative but to call upon angels to form a court of justice. and said to them, ‘Shall I kill this man?’ They replied, ‘Kill him’. And do you think that he killed by the sword? No, he killed him with speech, as it is stated, Dost thou say to kill me as thou didst kill the Egyptian,10ibid. 14. E.V., thinkest thou to kill me. proving that he killed him by [pronouncing] the Name. Another interpretation of My mother’s sons were incensed against me: this refers to Moses when he fled to Midian; as it is stated, When Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters … and the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flocks.11ibid. 15-17. Moses was incensed by the action of the shepherds. Moses came forward and sat in judgment upon [the men]. He said to them, ‘In the ordinary way men draw12Or ‘fill’ according to a variant. the water and women give the flocks to drink, but here women draw the water and men [take it and] give their flocks to drink! This is an injustice; you are guilty in law’. Thereupon he rose up and helped [the women].13Following the emendation of GRA and Schechter. V reads ‘you are guilty at the hour’. Some report the matter as follows: So long as Moses was standing by the edge of the well the waters surged up towards him, but when he moved away the waters receded. At that moment he exclaimed, ‘Woe is me! I have abandoned my people and am come to dwell with strangers!’ Another interpretation of My mother’s sons were incensed against me: this refers to the people of Israel when they made the golden calf.14The people here showed their resentment against God by making a golden calf, and the spies (next §) by spreading an evil report about the land. At first they said, All that the Lord hath spoken will we do and obey,15ibid. XXIV, 7. but later they said, This is thy god, O Israel.16ibid. XXXII, 4. Another interpretation of My mother’s sons were incensed against me: this refers to the spies when they spread an evil report about the land, and in consequence caused the carcasses of Israel to fall in the wilderness; as it is stated, Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness.17Num. 14, 29. They made me keeper of the vineyards.18Cant. 1, 6. The verse concludes, but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Israel, God’s vineyard, was unkept by Him because of the people’s shortcomings. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared, ‘Who was it that caused Me to show favour to the Gentiles, if not Israel? For so long as the Gentiles dwell at ease, the people of Israel are oppressed, rejected and tossed about’. Another interpretation of They made me keeper of the vineyards: this refers to the people of Israel when they were exiled to Babylon. The prophets in their midst arose and bade them, ‘Set apart your terumah and your tithes.’ They replied, ‘It was because we did not separate terumah and tithes that we were exiled from our land, and now you bid us to set apart terumah and tithes [in exile]?’ Scripture therefore states, They made me keeper of the vineyards; [but mine own vineyard have I not kept].19ibid. Because Israel had not observed the laws relating to fields and vineyards, they were driven into captivity where they had to labour in the vineyards of strangers.

13. 21.1

    R. DOSA B. HARKINAS SAID: MORNING SLEEP, AND MIDDAY WINE, [AND CHILDREN’S TALK, AND SITTING IN THE MEETING-HOUSES OF THE IGNORANT] DRIVE A MAN OUT OF THE WORLD. MORNING SLEEP—what does this mean? It teaches that a man should not wilfully sleep late so that the time-limit for the recital of the Shema‘ passes; for if he sleep late so that the time-limit for reciting the Shema‘ passes he consequently neglects the study of the Torah,1By reciting the Shema‘ one fulfils a dual obligation: the duty of proclaiming the unity of God and that of Torah-study; cf. Yalḳuṭ on Ps. 1, 2, §614. as it is stated, The sluggard saith: There is a lion in the way; yea, a lion is in the streets. The door is turning upon its hinges, and the sluggard is still upon his bed.2Prov. 26, 13f. In V. the order of the verses is reversed. MIDDAY WINE—what does this mean? It teaches that a man should not form the habit of drinking wine at midday; for when he drinks wine at midday, the consequence is that he neglects the [study of the] whole Torah, as it is stated, Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning.3Eccl. 10, 16. And it continues, Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, [and thy princes eat in due season!].4ibid. 17. And when is that due season? You must say that it is in the time to come, as it is stated, I the Lord will hasten it5The coming salvation. in its due season.6Is. 60, 22, E.V., in its time. Scripture also states, Like the time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel: What hath God wrought!7Num. 23, 23, E.V., now it is said of Jacob. The reference in the verse is to the time to come when Israel will enjoy close relationship with God, knowing what He is about to do. Thus said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Balaam: Like the time (ka‘eth), and not ‘in the time’ (ba‘eth)—not in the time in which you live, but like the time when I am about to bring deliverance to Israel. CHILDREN’S TALK—what does this mean? It teaches that a man should not make a practice of sitting and studying at home;8So according to the MSS. V. reads: ‘a man should not make a practice, while studying at home, of engaging in conversation with his wife and children, because all the time he sits at home and studies and converses with his children and members of his household, the outcome is’, etc. The proper place for study is the house of learning where his family will not distract him. because when a man sits and studies at home and engages in conversation with his children and members of his household, the outcome is that he neglects the Torah; and it is stated, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night.9Josh. 1, 8. AND SITTING IN THE MEETING-HOUSES OF THE IGNORANT—what does this mean? It teaches that a man should not sit with idlers in the market-place;10[On the identity of ‘idlers in the marketplace’ with ‘the ignorant’, cf. Büchler, The Economic Conditions of Judaea, p. 31n.] [for when a man sits with idlers in the market-place] it follows that he neglects the Torah, as it is stated, Happy is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord.11Ps. 1, 1f. R. Meir said: What does the verse mean by nor sat in the seat of the scornful? It refers to the theatres and circuses12‘and circuses’ is inserted from the MSS. of the Gentiles13V. ‘scorners’. where men are condemned to death, and it is written, I hate the gathering of evil-doers (mere‘im), and will not sit with the wicked.14ibid. XXVI, 5. By mere‘im the wicked are meant, as it is stated, For evil-doers (mere‘im) shall be cut off.15ibid. XXXVII, 9. And what will be their punishment in the hereafter? Even as it is stated, For behold the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness shall be stubble.16Mal. 3, 19. And by the proud none other are intended but the scorners, as it is stated, A proud and haughty man, scorner is his name.17Prov. 21, 24.

14. 21.2

    It is related of R. ‘Aḳiba that once when he was sitting and lecturing to his disciples he recalled the conduct of his youth,18Until the age of forty, R. ‘Aḳiba was wholly unlearned in the Torah; cf. VI, 2, p. 43. and offered up the prayer, ‘I thank Thee, O Lord my God, that Thou hast set my portion with those who sit in the House of Study, and hast not set my portion with the idlers in the market-place’.

15. 22.1

    R. ḤANINA B. DOSA SAID: HE WHOSE FEAR OF SIN COMES BEFORE HIS WISDOM, HIS WISDOM SHALL ENDURE; [BUT HE WHOSE WISDOM COMES BEFORE HIS FEAR OF SIN, HIS WISDOM SHALL NOT ENDURE,] as it is stated, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.1Ps. 111, 10. HE USED TO SAY: HE WHOSE DEEDS EXCEED [HIS WISDOM, HIS WISDOM SHALL ENDURE; BUT HE WHOSE WISDOM EXCEEDS HIS DEEDS, HIS WISDOM SHALL NOT ENDURE,] as it is stated, We will do and obey.2Ex. 24, 7. Credit was ascribed to Israel that, at the time of the Revelation at mount Sinai, they declared their readiness ‘to do’ even before they had heard the commandments; cf. Shab. 88a (Sonc. ed., p. 418). Rabban Joḥanan b. Zakkai was asked, ‘How would you describe the man who is both learned and sin-fearing?’ He replied, ‘He is a craftsman who has the tools of his craft in his hand’. ‘And the man who is learned but not sin-fearing?’ He replied, ‘He is a craftsman who has not the tools of his craft in his hand’. ‘And the man who is sin-fearing but not learned?’ He replied, ‘He is no craftsman though he has the craftsman’s tools in his hand’. R. ELEAZAR B. AZARIAH SAID: WHERE THERE IS NO TORAH THERE ARE NO MANNERS,3Quoted from Aboth 3:21 (Sonc. ed., III, 17, p. 40). The next saying is from ibid. 2 with variants and in the reverse order. etc. He used to say: A man who has good deeds to his credit and has learnt much Torah, to what is he like? To a tree planted by the waters, whose branches are few but whose roots are many, so that even if the four winds of the world come and blow against it they cannot move it from its place; as it is stated, For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters,4Jer. 17, 8. etc. But he who has no good deeds to his credit and yet has learnt much Torah, to what is he like? To a tree planted in the desert, whose branches are many but whose roots are few, so that when the wind blows against it, it uproots and overturns it; as it is stated, For he shall be like a tamarisk in the desert,5ibid. 6. etc. Rabban Gamaliel said: Provide yourself with a teacher and get a companion:6This is a maxim of Joshua b. Peraḥiah in Aboth 1:6 (Sonc. ed., p. 5). a teacher for wisdom and a companion for study. Remove yourself from all doubt, and do not make a habit [26b] of tithing by guesswork.7cf. ibid. 16 (Sonc. ed., p. 9).

16. 22.2

    Simeon his son said: All my days I have grown up among the wise and have found nothing better for a man than silence.8From ibid. 17 (Sonc. ed., p. 9). If silence is good for the wise, how much more so for fools!

17. 22.3

    Wisdom does not produce words, nor do words produce wisdom; [the chief thing] is doing.9A comment on the maxim in Aboth 1:17 (Sonc. ed., p. 9): ‘Study is not the chief thing but deed’. He who multiplies words brings about sin, as it is stated, In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression;10Prov. 10, 19. and it further states, Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise.11ibid. XVII, 28.

18. 23.1

    BEN ZOMA SAID: WHO IS WISE? HE THAT LEARNS FROM ALL MEN, AS IT IS STATED, FROM ALL MY TEACHERS HAVE I GOT UNDERSTANDING.1Ps. 119, 99, E.V., I have more understanding than all my teachers. Who is the humblest among the humble? He who is humble like Moses our teacher, as it is stated, The man Moses was very meek.2Num. 12, 3. WHO IS THE RICHEST AMONG THE RICH? HE WHO REJOICES IN HIS PORTION, AS IT IS STATED, WHEN THOU EATEST THE LABOUR OF THY HANDS, HAPPY SHALT THOU BE, AND IT SHALL BE WELL WITH THEE.3Ps. 128, 2. In Aboth 4:1 (Sonc. ed., p. 43) the question reads, ‘Who is rich?’. WHO IS THE MIGHTIEST AMONG THE MIGHTY? HE WHO SUBDUES HIS PASSIONS, AS IT IS WRITTEN, HE THAT IS SLOW TO ANGER IS BETTER THAN THE MIGHTY; AND HE THAT RULETH HIS SPIRIT THAN HE THAT TAKETH A CITY.4Prov. 16, 32. In Aboth loc. cit. the question reads, ‘Who is mighty?’ Whosoever subdues his passions is accounted as though he conquered a city filled with mighty men, as it is stated, A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty;5ibid. XXI, 22. and6GRA inserts here ‘Another interpretation’ which is to be preferred, because what follows is an exposition substantially different from the preceding. the mighty are none other than those who are strong in [the performance of the] Torah, as it is stated, Ye mighty in strength, that fulfil His word.7Ps. 103, 20. The verse therefore means: the wise man is raised to the category of ‘the mighty’ who fulfil God’s word. Some say: They are the ministering angels, as it is stated, Bless the Lord, ye angels of His, ye mighty in strength.8ibid. The verse is thereby interpreted to mean that the wise man is raised above the level of the angels. Others say: [Who is mighty?] Who turns an enemy into his friend.

19. 23.2

    R. NEHORAI SAID: WANDER FORTH TO A PLACE OF THE TORAH,9From Aboth 4:18 (Sonc. ed., IV, 14, p. 51). etc. 10A saying of Ben ‘Azzai, ibid. 3 (Sonc. ed., pp. 44f.). [Cf. Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten I, p. 410, n. 1.]He used to say: Despise no man and consider nothing impossible, as it is stated, Whoso despiseth the word shal suffer thereby; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.11Prov. 13, 13. 12GRA inserts here: ‘Elisha b. ’Abuyah used to say: If one learns as a child, what is it like? Like ink written on clean paper, etc. (Aboth 4 25, Sonc. ed., IV, 20, p. 55). Cf. §3 below.He used to say: He who learns Torah in his youth, to what is he like? To a heifer which has been broken in while young, as it is stated, Ephraim is a heifer well broken, that loveth to thresh.13Hos. 10, 11. Trained from its early days to thresh, the animal welcomes the task. So, too, the scholar, initiated in his youth to Torah-study, finds it a welcome duty. But he who learns Torah in his old age is like a heifer which was broken in only in its late years, as it is stated, For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer.14ibid. IV, 16. He used to say: He who learns Torah in his youth is like dough which a woman kneads with warm water;15Following the emendation of GRA. but he who learns Torah in his old age is like dough which a woman kneads with cold water.

20. 23.3

    R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: He who learns Torah in his youth is like writing which is written on new paper; but he who learns Torah in his old age is like writing which is written on old paper.16i.e. paper which has once been written on and rubbed out, so that any further writing would be blurred and indistinct.

21. 23.4

    Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel added to the former’s saying: He who learns Torah in his youth is like a young man who married a virgin: they suit one another and desire one another. But he who learns Torah in his old age is like an old man who married a virgin: she suits him but he does not suit her; she desires him but he withdraws from her, as it is stated, As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of one’s youth,17Ps. 127, 4. and in the following verse it is written, Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. He who learns [Torah] and forgets it is like a woman who bears children and buries them, as it is stated, Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them till none is left.18Hos. 9, 12, E.V., that there be not a man left. Read not I will bereave them but ‘I will make them forget’.19The two verbs differ in only one letter, ושכלתים, ‘and I will bereave them’, and ושכחתים, ‘and I will make them forget’. The lesson is derived by drawing upon both verbs: bereavement is the result of forgetting the Torah. R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: He who learns Torah in his youth is like a surgeon who, even when confronted with a growth, possesses a knife for the operation and remedial drugs to cure; but he who learns Torah in his old age is like a surgeon who, when confronted with a growth, possesses a knife for the operation but has no drugs to cure. Therefore20This paragraph follows logically on the last but one, and suggests means whereby the words of the Torah shall not be forgotten; cf. ‘Erub. 54b (Sonc. ed., pp. 381ff). The preceding paragraph, the maxim of R. Simeon b. Eleazar, is manifestly out of place where it stands, and is transferred by GRA to the end of chap. XXII. It could very well be inserted between §§3 and 4 of this chapter. let the words of the Torah be distinguished so that one thing [may be derived] from another and one thing [may be equated] with another, as it is stated, Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart;21Prov. 7, 3. and Scripture also states, Bind them continually upon thy heart, tie them about thy neck.22ibid. VI, 21.

22. 24.1

    Elisha b. ’Abuya said: 1This chapter is devoted entirely to the teachings of Elisha b. ’Abuyah, a great scholar of the second century C.E. and teacher of R. Meir, who entered too deeply into theosophical speculations and eventually abandoned Judaism. Thereafter he was always referred to as ’Aḥer, ‘That other one’; cf. Ḥag. 15a (Sonc. ed., pp. 93ff). For a recent and learned study of this ‘outcast’ scholar, cf. Travers Herford in Essays Presented to J. H. Hertz, 1944, pp. 215-225.A man who has good deeds to his credit and has also studied much Torah, to what is he like? To one who builds [a structure and lays] stones below [for the foundation] and bricks above, so that however much water may collect at the side it will not wash it away.

23. 24.2

    But a man who has no good deeds to his credit, though he has studied Torah, to what is he like? To one who builds [a structure and lays] bricks first [for the foundation] and then stones above, so that even if only a little water collects it at once undermines it.2The study of the Torah can become a permanent blessing only if it is founded on the good life. This is the theme of all the illustrations quoted.

24. 24.3

    He used to say: A man who has good deeds to his credit and has also studied Torah, to what is he like? To a coating of lime spread on stone,3So according to the MSS. and GRA. V. reads ‘bricks’, an obvious error since the contrast is between lime spread on stone and lime spread on bricks, the former enduring whilst the latter flakes off quickly. so that however much rain falls on it, it will not wash it away. But a man who has no good deeds to his credit, though he has studied much Torah, is like a coating of lime spread on bricks, so that even if the lightest rain falls on it, it will immediately dissolve and fall away.

25. 24.4

    He used to say: A man who has good deeds to his credit and has also studied much Torah is like a cup which has a square base4The Heb. noun is the Greek for ‘a stone’, here a solid base with four polished sides (cf. below XXVIII, 9, p. 137). Since the cup has a wide four-square base, even if it be shaken and pushed, it will retain its balance and not lose its contents. to it, so that when it is set down, though it is turned on its side, all its contents will not be split. But a man who has no good deeds to his credit, though he has studied much Torah, is like a cup which has not a square base, so that when it is set down it will at once turn on its side and all its contents will be spilt. He used to say: A man who has good deeds to his credit and has also studied much Torah is like a horse with a bridle;5Reading כלינוס, as found in the MSS. and ‘Aruk. V. reads ‘fine trappings’. but he who has no good deeds to his credit, though he has studied much Torah, is like a horse without a bridle,6Here, too, reading kalinos in accordance with the authorities quoted in the preceding note. V. has ‘a bridle to curb it’. and as soon as a man attempts to mount it he is thrown headlong. He used to say: He who learns Torah in his youth, its words are absorbed in his blood and issue from his mouth with clarity; but he who learns Torah only in his old age, its words are not absorbed in his blood and do not issue from his mouth with clarity. Accordingly the proverb runs, ‘If thou hadst no delight in them in thy youth, how canst thou attain them in thy old age?’

26. 24.5

    He used to say: The words of the Torah are hard to acquire as vessels of gold, and are easily destroyed as glassware; as it is stated, Gold and glass cannot equal it.7Job 28, 17. A comparison is drawn between gold and glass: a golden vessel can be repaired when it is broken, but vessels of glass cannot be repaired when broken unless they are reduced to their original element.8i.e. melted by fire and then reshaped. And how am I to interpret, Neither shall the exchange thereof be vessels of fine gold?9ibid. It teaches that he who toils in [the words of the Torah] and fulfils them, his face shines like fine gold; but he who toils in them and does not fulfil them, his face is dark like glass.10The meaning is either opaque glass which is dull, or glass which quickly darkens.

27. 24.6

    He used to say: A man may study the Torah for twenty years and forget it in two years. How can this be? If he sits idle for six months and does not revise his studies, he will in consequence pronounce the unclean to be clean and the clean to be unclean. [If he continues idle for] twelve months without revision, he will then confuse [the names of] the Sages;11Attributing a teaching to the wrong authority. if for eighteen months without revision, he will forget the opening words of the chapters; and if twenty-four months without revision, he will forget even the titles [27a] of the Tractates.12This is the more logical order and is supported by MSS., cf. Schechter ad loc. V. reverses the order, putting ‘the titles of the Tractates’ before ‘the opening words of the chapters’. And so, having pronounced the unclean to be clean and the clean to be unclean, having also confused [the names of] the Sages, and forgotten the chapter headings and even the titles of the Tractates, he will eventually sit in silence. Of him Solomon said, I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.13Prov. 24, 30f. When the wall of a vineyard collapses the entire vineyard is soon destroyed.

28. 24.7

    He used to say: He who causes another to perform a commandment is regarded by Scripture as if he had performed it himself…. 14There seems to be a lacuna here, because the parable which follows has no relation to the preceding statement. GRA inserts here the teaching of R. Dostai b. Yannai in Aboth 3:10 (Sonc. ed., III, 8, p. 32): ‘Whosoever forgets one word of his study, him Scripture regards as though he was guilty against his soul.’ This dictum is well illustrated by the parable. Cf. Men. 99b (Sonc. ed., p. 607)This may be illustrated by a parable. To what can it be compared? To a human king who caught a bird and gave it to one of his servants saying, ‘Be careful with the bird. If you guard it, well and good; but if not I will take your life for it’. So, too, did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel, ‘I have entrusted the words of the Torah to you. If you guard them, well and good; but if not I will take your lives for them’. For it is stated, Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw.15Deut. 4, 9. In Aboth loc. cit. this verse is quoted in support of R. Dostai’s teaching mentioned in the preceding note. [And it is also stated,] For it is no vain thing for you, because it is your life.16ibid. XXXII, 47.

29. 25.1

    Ben ‘Azzai said: He whose mind is at ease because of his learning,1The knowledge which he acquired did not make him overbearing, but confirms him in his faith and helps him to live the good life. Cf. Tosif. Ber. III, 5. it is a good omen for him; and he whose mind is ill at ease because of his learning, it is a bad omen for him. He whose mind is at ease with his inclination,2i.e. his desires are not in constant conflict within him. A variant reading has ‘his Creator’ for ‘his inclination’. it is a good omen for him; and he whose mind is ill at ease with his inclination, it is a bad omen for him. Whoever holds the good opinion of the Sages at the hour of his death, it is a good omen for him; but whoever does not hold the good opinion of the Sages, it is a bad omen for him. Whoever [dies] with his face directed upwards3Indicating that he is prepared to meet his Maker with a clear conscience. Cf. on this passage, Keth. 103b (Sonc. ed., p. 661). it is a good omen; if it is turned downwards it is a bad omen. If his eyes look straight towards the people [about him] it is a good omen; if they do not look towards the people [about him] it is a bad omen. Whoever [dies] with a cheerful countenance it is a good omen; if with a frowning countenance it is a bad omen. When Rabban Joḥanan b. Zakkai was about to depart from this world,4Cf. Ber. 28b (Sonc. ed., p. 173). he wept aloud. His disciples said to him, ‘Master! Exalted pillar! Light of the world! Mighty hammer! Why do you weep?’ He replied, ‘Is it into the presence of a human king that I am going? If he be angry with me his anger endures only in this world; if he imprison me the imprisonment endures only in this world; and if he kill me my death is only in this world. Moreover, him I can appease with words and bribe with money. Behold, I am going into the Presence of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. If He be angry with me His anger endures in this world and in the world to come; and Him I cannot appease with words or bribe with money. Furthermore, before me lie two ways, one leading to the Garden of Eden and the other to Gehinnom, and I know not whether I will be condemned to Gehinnom or conducted to the Garden of Eden; and concerning this5The day of his death. Scripture declares, All they that go down to the dust shall kneel before Him.6Ps. 22, 30. This verse is interpreted in Midrash Rabbah, Numbers, XIV, 22 (Sonc. ed., p. 640), as indicating that at death all are led into the Presence of God. Of Moses Scripture states, And he expired, and died, and was gathered to his people.7This verse is not found of Moses, but only of Abraham (Gen. 25, 8) and Isaac (ibid. XXXV, 29). The text is in disorder, and the verses which follow have but a slender connection with the theme of the passage (cf. GRA and Schechter’s notes ad loc.). The verse in the text suggests that the righteous are ‘gathered’ to God and are shown the reward which has been stored up for them. Cf. Midrash Rabbah, Gen. 62, 2 (Sonc. ed., p. 549). And it further states, And I will take away My hand.8Ex. 33, 23. This verse also suggests that at the hour of death God ‘takes away His hand’ and reveals their reward to the righteous. It also states, And He spread it before me, and it was written on its face and on its back9Ezek. 2, 10, E.V., written within and without. The scroll which was spread before the prophet apparently contained the doctrine of retribution; cf. ‘Erub. 21a (Sonc. ed., p. 147).—face refers to this world and back to the world to come. According to another interpretation face refers to the suffering of the righteous on earth and the prosperity of the wicked in this world, and back to the reward of the righteous in the hereafter and the punishment of the wicked in Gehinnom. And there was written therein lamentations, and sweet music, and woe10ibid., E.V., lamentations, and moaning, and woe.—lamentations [ḳinim] refers to the punishment of the wicked11In the parallel passage in ‘Erub. loc. cit., as well as in Rashi’s commentary on the verse of Ezek., lamentations refers to the sufferings of the righteous on earth. in this world, as it is stated, This is the lamentation [ḳinah] which shall be chanted; the daughters of the nations shall chant it.12ibid. XXXII, 16, E.V., lamentation wherewith they shall lament … shall lament therewith. This verse proves that the term ḳinah, the singular of ḳinim, signifies a dirge of misery and suffering. Sweet music [hegeh] refers to the reward of the righteous in the hereafter, as it is stated, With an instrument of ten strings, and with the psaltery; with sweet music [higgayon] upon the harp.13Ps. 92, 4, E.V., with a solemn sound. The words hegeh and higgayon are related in meaning, suggesting melodious song. Woe [he] refers to the punishment of the wicked in the world to come, as it is stated, Calamity [howah] shall come upon calamity, and rumour shall be upon rumour.14Ezek. 7, 26. The words הי and הוה are here brought together, each signifying ‘sorrow, woe’. [In his last utterance] he15viz. of Rabban Joḥanan b. Zakkai. said, ‘Remove all vessels from the house that they be not defiled, and prepare a throne for Hezekiah king of Judah’.16Who will accompany him into the next world. Rabban Joḥanan, like king Hezekiah, had acted zealously for the spread of Torah-study and the observance of the commandments; cf. Sanh. 94b (Sonc. ed., p. 637).

30. 25.2

    He used to say: He who dies in a tranquil frame of mind it is a good omen for him;17Because he is able to put his affairs in order with calmness and deliberation. if in a state of delirium it is a bad omen for him. [If he dies] while speaking it is a good omen; if while silent it is a bad omen. If while conversing about the Torah it is a good omen, about business affairs it is a bad omen; if while engaged upon a religious act it is a good omen, upon a worthless pursuit it is a bad omen. [If he dies] in the midst of a joyous atmosphere it is a good omen, amidst sadness it is a bad omen; [if he dies] smiling it is a good omen, if weeping it is a bad omen. Should a man die on the Sabbath-eve it is a good omen,18He will enter immediately into rest. if at the termination of the Sabbath it is a bad omen. If he dies on the eve of the Day of Atonement it is a bad omen,19He dies with his sins unexpiated. if at the termination of the Day of Atonement it is a good omen.

31. 25.3

    The day when R. Eliezer fell ill was, according to tradition, the Sabbath-eve. R. ‘Aḳiba and his colleagues came to visit him, and he was sitting in his canopied four-poster20So according to a variant reading and the parallel passage in Sanh. 68a (Sonc. ed., p. 461). V. reads: ‘he was sleeping in his room’. while they waited in an anteroom. His son Hyrḳanos went in to remove his father’s tefillin,21Which are not worn on the Sabbath. but he would not allow him to do so. Hyrḳanos came out weeping and said to the Sages, ‘My masters, it seems that my father’s mind is deranged’. [Thereupon R. Eliezer] called out, ‘My son, it is not my mind that is deranged but yours, because you put off kindling the Sabbath lamp for which you incur the penalty of death at the hand22To light the Sabbath lamp after the Sabbath had begun constitutes a profanation of the holy day involving the death penalty. of Heaven and occupied yourself with the tefillin for which you incur only the penalty of transgressing a Rabbinic precept concerning the Sabbath rest’.23Wearing the tefillin on the Sabbath is comparable to the wearing of an adornment, which is forbidden only by Rabbinic law. When the Sages perceived that his mind was clear, they entered, sat at a distance of four cubits away from him,24R. Eliezer had been placed under the ban of excommunication (cf. B.M. 59b, Sonc. ed., p. 353) and all intercourse with him by his colleagues was carried out at a distance of four cubits. and enquired of him, ‘Master, if a round cushion, a ball, a shoe-last, an amulet or a phylactery were torn, can they contract uncleanness?’25On the questions and the ritualistic principles involved, cf. above XIX, 4 (p. 108, n. 6). He replied, ‘They can, and [if they are unclean] they may be immersed as they are. Be careful about these laws, because they are important laws which were communicated to Moses at Sinai’. They continued to question him on matters concerning cleanness and uncleanness and the regulations of ritual immersion. They said to him, ‘Master, what is the law in this case?’ and he answered, ‘It is unclean’. ‘And what is the law in that case?’ and he answered, ‘It is clean’. Throughout he pronounced the unclean to be unclean and the clean to be clean. After that R. Eliezer said to the Sages, ‘I am concerned about the disciples of the present generation lest they be punished with death at the hand of Heaven’. They asked him, ‘Master, what is the reason?’ He replied, ‘Because they did not come and attend upon me’.26On account of the ban imposed upon him, the scholars had not sought his instruction. He then said to ‘Aḳiba b. Joseph, ‘ ‘Aḳiba, why did you not come and attend upon me?’ He replied, ‘Master, I had no leisure’. He retorted, ‘I wonder whether you will die a natural death’. Some say that R. Eliezer did not make that rejoinder, but as R. Eliezer spoke to his disciples in this manner, R. ‘Aḳiba at once felt his blood melt within him and exclaimed, ‘Master, what will my death be?’ and he replied, ‘Yours will be the most cruel of all’. R. ‘Aḳiba then approached, sat down before him and said, ‘Master teach me now’. He began and taught him three hundred halakoth on the subject of ‘the bright spot’.27A symptom, as well as a type, of leprosy; cf. Lev. 13. At that time R. Eliezer raised his two arms and, laying them upon his breast, exclaimed, ‘Alas for these two arms of mine, [the equal of] two scrolls of the Torah, which must leave this world! For though all the seas were ink, all reeds quills and all men scribes, they could not set down all the Scripture which I read, all the Mishnah which I studied, and all that I had gained by attending upon the scholars at their sessions. And I took from my teachers no more than a man takes of the sea when he dips his finger in it; and my disciples took no more from me than a paint-stick takes of the paint in the tube.28The text is evidently faulty and the translation follows the emendation of GRA which accords with the parallel passage in Sanh. 68a (Sonc. ed., p. 462). V is lit., ‘I withheld not of all that my eyes desired only to the extent of a man dipping his finger in the sea, and I no more lost of my learning than a paint-stick removes paint from a tube’. Moreover, I can recite three hundred (another version: three thousand) halakoth on the prohibition, Thou shalt not suffer a sorceress to live,29Ex. 22, 17. yet no one ever questioned me about them except ‘Aḳiba b. Joseph. For on one occasion he said to me, “Master, teach me how cucumbers are planted”30The reference to the planting and uprooting of cucumbers has a magical connotation; cf. Sanh. loc. cit. V adds in brackets, ‘and how they are uprooted’.. So I pronounced a word and the entire field [about us] was filled with cucumbers. He then said to me, “You have taught me how they are planted, now teach me how to uproot them”. I again pronounced a word and all the cucumbers were gathered in one place’. R. Eleazar b. Azariah enquired of him, ‘Master, what is the law if the shoe is still on the shoemaker’s last?’31Since the shoe is still on the last, it could be regarded as unfinished, and consequently should not contract defilement. He answered, ‘It is clean’. He made reply [to many questions] declaring the unclean to be unclean and the clean to be clean until with the word ‘clean’ [on his lips] his soul departed. At once R. Eleazar b. Azariah rent his clothes and wept. He went out to the Sages and said, ‘Come, my masters, and behold R. Eliezer who is clean for the world to come, because his soul departed with the word “clean” [upon his lips]’. After the Sabbath, R. ‘Aḳiba set out and encountered [his master’s] bier as it proceeded from Caesarea to Lydda. Forthwith he rent his garments and plucked his hair, and [beat his breast until] his blood flowed to the ground. He wept and cried, ‘Woe is me! I grieve for you, my master! Woe is me! I mourn for you, my teacher who left his whole generation orphaned!’ As they stood in a row32Which was formed around the bier. he began his funeral oration and said, ‘My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof.332 Kings 2, 12. I have many coins, but there is no money-changer to exchange them’.34Many difficult questions of law will now be left unanswered because none but R. Eliezer, with his vast accumulation of traditional rulings, could have solved them. [27b]

32. 25.4

    BEN ‘AZZAI SAID: RUN TO FULFIL EVEN A LIGHT PRECEPT.35[This passage is discussed in Büchler, Studies in Sin and Atonement, pp. 311f.] He used to say: If you have performed a precept and have no regrets with regard to it, it will in the end draw many precepts in its train. And if one has committed a transgression and has no regrets about it, it will in the end draw many transgressions in its train; FOR ONE PRECEPT LEADS TO ANOTHER PRECEPT, AND ONE TRANSGRESSION TO ANOTHER TRANSGRESSION; FOR THE REWARD OF A PRECEPT IS ANOTHER PRECEPT, AND THE REWARD OF A TRANSGRESSION IS ANOTHER TRANSGRESSION. He used to say: Desist36From committing a transgression (Emden). Alternatively: ‘Allocate charity of your own accord’ (B.Y.), or ‘Keep silent of your own accord and wait not for others to silence you’ (Meiri). of your own accord and you will reap the reward for desisting; but let not others make you desist, because they will then reap the reward for making you desist. He used to say: Step down from your place two or three degrees and sit there, because it is better for you to be told to ascend than to be told to descend; as it is stated, For better is it that it be said unto thee: Come up hither, than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen.37Prov. 25, 7.

33. 25.5

    There are three whose life is not worth living, and they are: He who must look to the table of another [for sustenance], he who lives in an attic, and whoever is dominated by his wife. Others add: he whose body is afflicted with sufferings.38Cf. Beẓah 32b (Sonc. ed., p. 165). [Cf. also Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten, I, p. 414, n. 4.] He used to say: It is easier to rule over the whole world than to sit and teach39Or, ‘to study in the presence of’. people who are wrapped in linen robes.40A term for hypocrites, who wrap themselves in a mantle of piety but inwardly are of evil mind. Cf. Midrash Tehillim on XVIII, 44. [Buber, ad loc., defines the phrase as ‘judges’. Bacher, op. cit., n. 1, holds the meaning to be doubtful. He quotes Midrash Rabbah, Ecclesiastes, to I, 7 (Sonc. ed., p. 24) where it refers to two Sages who were humble men.]

34. 26.1

    R. ‘Aḳiba said: A fence1The ‘fence’ is here taken in the sense of a safeguard or an aid to. With this paragraph, cf. Aboth 3:17. to honour is [the avoidance of] jesting,2That this is the true meaning of the saying is proved by the wording in Schechter’s second version of ARN XXXIII (beg.), ‘a fence to honour is not to jest’. Cf. Finkelstein’s translation of this maxim in his Akiba: Scholar, Saint and Martyr, p. 111, ‘Laughter protects one’s honour’. a fence to wisdom is silence, a fence to vows is self-restraint,3By practising abstinence the making of vows becomes unnecessary. a fence to purity is holiness, a fence to humility is the fear of sin.

35. 26.2

    He used to say: Come not among scoffers lest you learn of their ways. Eat not bread with a priest who is an ‘am ha-’areẓ lest you trespass in hallowed things. Be not free with vows lest you trespass in oaths.4The breaking of an oath is a more serious matter than the breaking of a vow. Cf. Ned. 20a (Sonc. ed., p. 56) and R. Nissim ad loc. Be not in the habit of feasting sumptuously lest in the end you will have to eat the bread of charity.5Reading haḳḳuppah, lit. ‘[the charity] chest’ which is found as a variant. The word in the text haḳḳanim, ‘the reeds’, makes no sense. The emendation of GRA is attractive, haẓẓiḳnin, ‘the scrapings of the pot’. Bring not yourself to a state of doubt lest you come up against a certain [transgression]. Do not leave the land [of Israel] lest you serve idols; for so David said, For they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of the Lord, saying; Go, serve other gods.61 Sam. 26, 19. Can it, however, enter your mind that king David would serve idols? But this is what David meant: Whosoever leaves the land of Israel and goes abroad, Scripture regards him as an idolater. He used to say: Whoever is buried in other lands is considered as though he were buried in Babylon;7Death being an expiation, when a person dies and is interred, he is brought one degree closer to the Divine Presence which manifests its greatest concentration and brilliance in the Throne of Glory which is directly above the altar in Jerusalem. The degrees in ascending scale which lead to the Divine Glory are: other lands, Babylon, the land of Israel, Jerusalem (this is omitted in the text), the altar, and the Throne of Glory. Cf. Kel. I, 6ff (Sonc. ed., pp. 10ff). whoever is buried in Babylon is as though he were buried in the land of Israel; whoever is buried in the land of Israel is as though he were buried beneath the altar, because all the land of Israel is fit [to be the site of] the altar; and whoever is buried beneath the altar8This is a strange statement. GRA substitutes ‘in Jerusalem’ for ‘beneath the altar’. Cf. Keth. 111a (Sonc. ed., p. 714). is as though he were buried beneath the Throne of Glory; as it is stated, The throne of glory, on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.9Jer. 17, 12. E.V., Thou throne … thou place of our sanctuary.

36. 26.3

    HE USED TO SAY: AN IGNORANT MAN CANNOT BE PIOUS, THE BASHFUL MAN CANNOT LEARN, AND THE IMPATIENT MAN CANNOT TEACH.10A saying ascribed to Hillel in Aboth 2:10. He used to say: Why do disciples of the Sages [often] die young? It is not because they are immoral or because they rob; but because they interrupt their study of the Torah to indulge in idle talk. Moreover, [when returning to their studies] they do not begin where they left off.

37. 26.4

    R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: The Israelites who live outside the land of Israel serve idols in all innocence.11lit. ‘in purity’. Cf. ‘A.Z. 8a (Sonc. ed., p. 38). [The word for ‘in purity’ is omitted in the Tosiftha to ‘A.Z. IV, 6, and Büchler, Studies in Sin and Atonement, p. 319, n. 2, explains it as ‘without evil intention’. How is this? For example, a Gentile prepares a banquet for his son and invites all the Jews of his town to it; although they eat and drink [of their own], and their own attendant waits on them and serves them with drink, Scripture accounts it to them as though they had eaten of the sacrifices of the dead; as it is stated, And they call thee and thou eat of their sacrifice.12Ex. 34, 15. R. ELIEZER OF MODIN SAID: IF A MAN PROFANES THE SABBATHS,13In Aboth 3:15: ‘the hallowed things’. SLIGHTS THE FESTIVALS, MAKES VOID THE COVENANT IN THE FLESH,14i.e. disregards the rite of circumcision. Aboth, loc. cit., reads, ‘the covenant of Abraham our father … the Torah contrary to the halakah’. [Some Jewish scholars have detected here a polemic against the early Christians cf. Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten I, p. 190, n. 1.] OR MISINTERPRETS THE TORAH, EVEN THOUGH HE POSSESSES TORAH AND GOOD DEEDS, HE HAS NO SHARE IN THE WORLD TO COME. R. ‘Aḳiba said: Whoever marries a wife who is unsuited to him transgresses five commandments, namely: Thou shalt not take vengeance;15Lev. 19, 18. Thou shalt not bear a grudge;16ibid. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart;17ibid. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;18ibid. and That thy brother may live with thee19ibid. XXV, 36.—because since he hates her, he wishes her dead, and, in consequence, he abstains from fulfilling the duty to be fruitful and multiply in the world.20Gen. 1, 28.

38. 26.5

    He used to say: If a man eats food which is unsuitable for his constitution,21A variant reading is: ‘over which no blessing should be recited’. Cf. R. Judah’s opinion in Ber. VI, 3 (Sonc. ed., p. 251). he transgresses three commandments: he disgraces himself, he disgraces his food, and he recites a benediction to no purpose.22lit. ‘that is not in accordance with the regulation’. Since the food is harmful to health, no blessing is to be recited, and one who does so pronounces the name of God in vain.

39. 26.6

    R. Judah b. Ilai said: If a man died and left a son, and that son, who had learnt no Torah from his father, now seeks to learn Torah from others, he is obviously insincere in his quest.23Since he missed the opportunity of being instructed by his own father. The passage, however, is obscure (cf. the commentaries ad loc.). R. Eleazar ha-Ḳappar said: Be not like the top lintel of a doorway which is out of reach of a man’s hand, nor like the top of the door-frame which can injure the face, nor like the middle of the door-frame which can hurt the legs; but be like the threshold below upon which all tread, and when the entire building is demolished it remains in its place.24A maxim stressing the importance of humility with its enduring virtue, and the harmfulness of pride and arrogance in whatever degree.

40. 27.1

    R. JOSE SAID: HE WHO HONOURS THE TORAH IS HIMSELF HONOURED BY MANKIND, as it is stated, For them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.11 Sam. 2, 30. ‘Me’ is here identified with the Torah, a doctrine frequent in the Zohar and other mystical literature. Another interpretation2Omitted in V, but inserted by GRA. of For them that honour Me I will honour: this refers to Pharaoh king of Egypt who paid honour to Him Who spoke and the world came into being by going out at the head of his council of ministers. His servants said to him, ‘Usually kings go out behind their ministers, but you go out at their head!’ He replied, ‘Am I going out to meet a [28a] king of flesh and blood? No, I go to meet the Presence of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He’. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, paid Pharaoh honour, and He Himself meted out retribution to him, as it is stated, I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.3Cant. 1, 9. This verse in no wise proves the point that God Himself inflicted punishment upon Pharaoh. GRA substitutes for this verse Hab. 3, 15, quoted in the preceding paragraph. This latter verse suggests that God set forth on His horses in order to requite Pharaoh; cf. Sanh. 94b (Sonc. ed., p. 634).

41. 27.2

    R. Pappias said: The congregation of Israel praised the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, as it is stated, Thou hast trodden the sea with Thy horses.4Hab. ibid. This verse too offers no proof for R. Pappias’ statement, and it has been suggested that Cant. 1, 9 should be read here as indicating the high esteem in which Pharaoh’s steeds were held, since God likens His love for Israel to a highly prized mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. The text of the passage is evidently in disorder and Schechter gives it up as hopeless. [Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten I, p. 319, n. 3, thinks that the appropriate quotation is Hab. 3, 8.] R. Joshua b. Ḳorḥah said: When Pharaoh came to the Red Sea he was riding on a stallion, and the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to him on a mare,5To lure Pharaoh’s stallion to follow headlong into the sea; cf. Midrash Rabbah, Song of Songs, on I, 9 (Sonc. ed., p. 71). as it is stated, To a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots. But did He not ride upon a cherub, as it is stated, And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind?6Ps. 18, 11. The cherub appeared to the steeds of Pharaoh in the form of a mare, and they followed her into the sea. And they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed: this refers to Sennacherib who behaved contemptuously before Him Who spoke and the world came into being, as it is stated, By thy servants hast thou taunted the Lord, and hast said: With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I have cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice cypress-trees thereof; and I have entered into his farthest height, the forest of his fruitful field. I have digged and drunk water, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of Egypt.7Is. 37, 24f. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, meted out punishment to him by an angel who shaved his head and beard,8Cf. Sanh. 96a (Sonc. ed., p. 646). so that he returned shamefacedly to his land.9In the MSS. quoted in Schechter’s edition the words ‘who shaved … land’ are omitted, and in their place is quoted the appropriate verse from Is. 37, 36, And the angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the camp of the Assyrians, etc. R. ISHMAEL THE SON OF R. JOḤANAN B. BEROKA SAID: HE WHO LEARNS IN ORDER TO TEACH, etc.10From Aboth 4:6 (Sonc. ed., IV, 5, p. 46). He used to say: It is not incumbent upon you to undertake to finish the whole of the Torah, yet you are not free to keep aloof from it.11An adaptation of R. Ṭarfon’s dictum in Aboth 2:21 (Sonc. ed., II, 16, p. 24). But he who greatly amasses [knowledge of the Torah] accumulates abundant reward. R. ELEAZAR B. ḤISMA SAID: THE LAWS CONCERNING BIRD-OFFERINGS AND THE PURIFICATION OF WOMEN ARE THE ESSENTIAL ORDINANCES.12From Aboth 3:23 (Sonc. ed., III, 18, p. 41). R. Joḥanan b. Nuri said: The halakoth, the laws of ritual purity and of menstrual women and bird-offerings are the essentials of the Torah. He used to say: The arranging of the table13To set out the Shewbread (cf. Lev. 24, 5ff). According to GRA, the provision of a large and lavish table to feed the scholars and the needy. and the establishment of a Beth Din14To administer justice and establish law and order in the community. as well as its upkeep bring welfare to the world.

42. 27.3

    R. Joḥanan b. Dehabai said: If a man says, ‘This law is not acceptable’,15Reading נראית for נבראת. The statement is a denial of the authenticity and Divine origin of the Torah; cf. Sanh. 99a (Sonc. ed., pp. 671f). he has no share in the world to come. He used to say: Keep not aloof from a pursuit which is limitless or from a task which is endless.16i.e. the study of the Torah. This is an exposition of R. Ṭarfon’s dictum in Aboth 2:21 (Sonc. ed., II, 16, p. 24). The author may well be R. Ṭarfon himself. [This may be illustrated by] a parable. To what is the matter like? To a man who was [hired] to carry away the waters from the sea and pour them out on the dry land. The sea did not grow less nor was the dry land filled up; so the man became dispirited. Whereupon people said to him, ‘You fool! why are you dispirited? Continue to draw your pay of one golden dinar daily’.

43. 27.4

    R. ELIEZER B. SHAMMUA‘ SAID: LET THE HONOUR OF YOUR DISCIPLE BE AS DEAR TO YOU AS YOUR OWN, AND THE HONOUR OF YOUR COLLEAGUE AS THE REVERENCE FOR YOUR TEACHER, AND THE REVERENCE FOR YOUR TEACHER AS THE REVERENCE OF HEAVEN. Whence do we know that the honour of a disciple should be as dear as one’s own honour?17As corrected by the Commentators. V. reads, ‘It teaches that … as the honour of his colleague’. All may derive it from Moses our teacher who said to Joshua, Choose for us men.18Ex. 17, 9. E.V., choose us out men. It is not stated, ‘Choose for me’ but Choose for us, proving that he regarded Joshua as an equal, although he was the master and Joshua his disciple. Whence do we know that the honour of a colleague should be as dear as [the reverence for] one’s teacher? As it is stated, And Aaron said unto Moses: Oh my lord.19Num. 12, 11. But was not Moses his younger brother? Yet he acknowledged Moses as his master.20By addressing him as my lord. And whence do we know that the reverence21The text has ‘honour’, but the intent is ‘reverence’ as set out at the beginning of the passage. for a teacher should be as dear to one as the reverence of Heaven? As it is stated, And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: My lord Moses, shut them in.22ibid. XI, 28. He then considered his teacher’s honour as equal to that of the Divine.23Joshua regarded disobedience to his teacher Moses as disobedience to the Divine command. For24This word is deleted by GRA as the passage has no connection with what has gone before; but cf. the commentary of B.Y. at first they said, ‘Corn [is plentiful] in Judah, straw in Galilee, and chaff beyond the Jordan’. Later, however, they said, ‘In Judah there is no corn [only straw], in Galilee there is no straw but only chaff, and beyond the Jordan there is neither the one nor the other’.25The passage describes in metaphor the state of learning which prevailed in Judah and the provinces, and proceeds to contrast the attainments of the early generations with the later, showing how the standard had deteriorated in the course of the years. Cf. ‘Erub. 53a (Sonc. ed., pp. 370ff). Schechter considers this passage out of place here and suggests its transference to XXVIII, 2.

44. 28.1

    R. Nathan said: There is no love like the love for the Torah, no wisdom like the wisdom of the land of Israel,1So MSS. and GRA; V, ‘worldly affairs’. no beauty like the beauty of Jerusalem, no wealth like the wealth of Media, no might like the might of Persia, no immorality like that of the Arabs, no arrogance like the arrogance of Elam, no hypocrisy like the hypocrisy of Babylon, as it is stated, And he said unto me: To build her a house in the land of Shinar,2Zech. 5, 11. and no magic like the magic of Egypt.3On this passage, cf. Ḳid. 49b (Sonc. ed., pp. 248f).

45. 28.2

    R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: If a sage who has been living in the land of Israel leaves it for a foreign country, he has lost merit;4Cf. B.B. 158b (Sonc. ed., p. 691): ‘The climate of the land of Israel makes one wise’. and he who remains there is more worthy than he. But although he has lost merit, he is still far more worthy than the meritorious of other lands. [This may be illustrated by] a parable. To what can the matter be compared? To Indian iron5Iron from India was highly prized for the making of armour. Cf. ‘A.Z. 16a (Sonc. ed., p. 79). which has been exported to a land6So GRA. V. reads, ‘which has come from a land’. beyond the sea; even when it has deteriorated it is still superior to the best of other lands.

46. 28.3

    R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Whoever makes peace in his house, Scripture ascribes it to him as though he made peace for every individual in Israel; but whoever brings jealousy and strife into his house, Scripture ascribes it to him as though he brought these among Israel; because each person is a king in his home, as it is stated, That every man shall bear rule in his own house.7Esth. 1, 22.

47. 28.4

    Rabban Gamaliel said: By four methods heathen States devour [their inhabitants]: by their taxes, bath-houses, theatres and annual levies.8The exorbitant taxes, and the life of ease, sport and luxury indulged in by the upper classes, contributed largely to the disintegration of the Roman Empire.

48. 28.5

    He used to say: The words of the Torah are as difficult to acquire as fine woollen clothes, but are as easily lost as linen garments. Foolish and frivolous words are easily acquired, but are as hard to lose as a sack. Often a man buys a sack in the market for a sela‘ and continues using it for four or five years. R. Judah the Prince said: Whoever indulges in the pleasures of this world will be withheld from the pleasures of the world to come; but whoever denies himself the pleasures of this world will be granted the pleasures of the world to come.

49. 28.6

    He used to say: To what can the righteous who are unfortunate in this world be compared? To a chef who prepares a meal for himself; for though it cost him much effort, he prepares it for none other than himself; but to what can the wicked who are unfortunate in this world be compared? To a chef who prepared a meal for others; for though it cost him much effort, he has prepared nothing for himself but only for others.

50. 28.7

    He used to say: Let your private life be open to full view;9i.e. act in private as you would in public. The phrase used is equivalent to the more usual expression toko kebaro, ‘whose inside is as his outside’, i.e. sincere; cf. Ber. 28a (Sonc. ed., p. 168). and what is not meant to be heard10i.e. a confidential matter. tell not to your fellow.

51. 28.8

    HILLEL SAID: DO NOT SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM THE CONGREGATION, etc.11From Aboth 2:5 (Sonc. ed., II, 4, p. 14).

52. 28.9

    He used to say: The more one eats the more he discharges; the more flesh one puts on the more worms and maggots he breeds; the more good deeds [28b] one does the more peace he provides for his body. R. Eleazar b. Shammua‘ said: There are three types of disciple: a cut stone, a corner-stone and a plinth. ‘A cut stone’—what does this describe? The disciple who has studied Midrash12Laws derived from the text of the Torah by exegesis. only, so that whenever a scholar comes to consult him on a Midrashic subject he can enlighten him. Such a one is like a cut stone which has only one polished surface. ‘A corner-stone’—what does this describe? The disciple who has studied Midrash and halakoth, so that whenever a scholar comes to consult him either on a Midrashic or halakic subject he can enlighten him. Such a one is like a corner-stone which has two polished surfaces. ‘A plinth’—what does this describe? The disciple who has studied Midrash, halakoth, ’aggadoth and tosephoth, so that whenever a scholar comes to consult him on a subject in the Midrash, in the halakoth, in the ’aggadoth or in the tosephoth he can enlighten him. Such a one is like a plinth which has four polished surfaces on its four sides.

53. 28.10

    R. Judah b. Ilai said: He who treats the words of the Torah as of primary importance and worldly affairs as secondary will himself be of primary importance in the world;13V. prints ‘this’ with ‘world’ in brackets. MS. E. has ‘in the world to come’. but he who treats worldly affairs as of primary importance and the words of the Torah as secondary will himself be of secondary importance in the world.13V. prints ‘this’ with ‘world’ in brackets. MS. E. has ‘in the world to come’. [This may be illustrated by] a parable. To what is the matter like? To a public roadway which runs between two paths, one formed of fire and the other of snow. If a man walks close to the path of fire he will be scorched by the heat, and if he walks close to the path of snow he will be frost-bitten; so what should he do? He should walk in the middle of the roadway and so protect himself from being scorched by the fire or bitten by the frost.14The view expounded by this parable is that of the via media, a wholesome combination of Torah-study and worldly affairs.

54. 29.1

    R. SIMEON B. ELEAZAR SAID IN THE NAME OF R. MEIR: DO NOT APPEASE YOUR FELLOW IN THE TIME OF HIS ANGER; DO NOT COMFORT HIM IN THE TIME OF HIS MOURNING;1Aboth 4:23 (Sonc. ed., IV, 18, pp. 53f) where the text reads: ‘when his dead lies before him’. This is the meaning required here; at that hour silence is the greatest kindness. The phrase ‘do not enter … calamity’ is omitted. DO NOT QUESTION HIM IN THE HOUR OF HIS VOW; DO NOT ENTER HIS HOUSE IN THE DAY OF HIS CALAMITY; AND DO NOT STRIVE TO SEE HIM [IN THE HOUR OF HIS DISGRACE]. He used to say:2The reading of GRA instead of V. ‘some say’. If among your colleagues there are some who rebuke you and others who praise you, love him who rebukes you and hate him who praises you; because it is the one who rebukes you that leads you to the life of the world to come, while he who praises you drives you out of the world. He used to say: Wherever a man goes his heart goes there too; wherever he stands his heart stands there too; and wherever he sits his actions confront him.3lit. ‘words (or, actions) are settled before him’. The thought seems to be that it is wholly within the power of man to guide his heart on the course which he chooses for himself; and once the choice is made he cannot escape the consequences. [Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten II, p. 427, n. 4, suggests the following interpretation based on the use of ‘heart’ for ‘mind’ in Hebrew psychology: When a man walks about his mind is active; when he stands still his mind is passive; when he sits his mind is settled and not agitated.]

55. 29.2

    He used to say: Whoever is diligent in the study of Torah is afforded many opportunities for being diligent, and whoever is neglectful of the study of Torah is likewise afforded many causes for neglect; e.g. a lion, wolf, leopard, tiger, a snake or a band of troops or robbers will come and encircle him and inflict punishment upon him; as it is stated, Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.4Ps. 58, 12. God offers man the opportunity for the performance of good or evil, but he has the power to determine his step. Cf. Yoma 38b (Sonc. ed., p. 181): ‘If a man goes to defile himself, they open the door for him; and if he goes to purify himself, they assist him.

56. 29.3

    Abba Saul b. Nanos said: There are four types of scholars: he who studied but did not teach others; he who taught others but did not teach himself; he who studied and taught others; and he who neither studied nor taught others. ‘He who studied but did not teach others’—how is this? A man learnt a chapter or two or three [of the Mishnah] but did not rehearse them with another and occupy himself with them so as not to forget them—he is one who studied but did not teach others. ‘He who taught others but did not teach himself’—how is this? A man learnt an Order5One of the six divisions of the Mishnah. or two or three [of the Mishnah] several times and taught them to others, but he did not occupy himself with them so that he forgot them—he is one who taught others but did not teach himself. ‘He who studied and taught others’—how is this? A man learnt an Order or two or three [of the Mishnah] and rehearsed them with others, occupied himself with them so that he did not forget them, and both he and they grasped them firmly—he is one who studied and taught others. ‘He who neither studied nor taught others’—how is this? A man learnt an Order or two or three [of the Mishnah] several times but did not teach them to others or occupy himself with them so that he forgot them—he is one who neither studied nor taught others. R. Ḥananya b. Jacob said: He who keeps awake at night by reason of Torah-study, it is a good omen for him; if by reason of general conversation,6A variant reading is: ‘business affairs’. it is a bad omen for him. R. Jacob b. Ḥananya said: He who keeps awake at night and does not utter any words of Torah, for him it were better—and indeed he would deserve it—had his mother’s afterbirth been turned upon his face [and suffocated him], and he had not come forth into the atmosphere of the world or ever seen its light.

57. 29.4

    R. Eliezer ha-Ḳappar said: Whoever honours his fellow for the sake of gain7He flatters him in the hope of personal gain. will in the end depart from him in shame; and whoever slights his fellow in connection with a religious cause8He rebukes him for his shortcomings, in accordance with the precept in Lev. 19, 17. will in the end depart from him in honour. Whence do we know that whoever honours his fellow for the sake of gain will in the end depart from him in shame? We find it so with the wicked Balaam who honoured Balak for the sake of gain, as it is stated, And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak: If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold.9Num. 22, 18. And whence do we know that he departed from him in shame? For it is stated, Now flee thou to thy place … but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.10ibid. XXIV, 11. Whence do we know that whoever slights his fellow in connection with a religious cause will in the end depart from him in honour? We find it so with Moses our teacher who slighted Pharaoh in connection with a religious cause, as it is stated, And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down unto me, saying.11Ex. 11, 8. Moses slighted Pharaoh and his court by declaring that he would refuse to listen to their appeals and supplications. But was Pharaoh standing on the roof12Implied in the verb come down. and Moses on the ground? It was rather this that Moses said to Pharaoh, ‘Even if all your servants, who stand before you and prostrate themselves before you on your dais, were to stand and implore me, I would not hearken to them’. And whence do we know that he departed from him in honour? For it is stated, And he called for Moses and Aaron by night.13ibid. XII, 31. Pharaoh thus honoured Moses by personally calling upon him with the appeal to depart. They said to Pharaoh, ‘Are we thieves that we should leave [Egypt] by night? You must wait until the Holy One, blessed be He, will produce the seven clouds of glory for us, that we may go forth in them joyfully and with head uncovered,14An expression meaning ‘defiantly, fearlessly’, equivalent to the Biblical idiom with a high hand (Ex. 14, 8). as it is stated, On the morrow after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand.15Num. 33, 3.

58. 29.5

    To enquire about the four different forms of atonement16On this paragraph, cf. Yoma 86a (Sonc. ed., p. 426). R. Matthia b. Ḥeresh paid a visit to R. Ishmael b. Eleazar ha-Ḳappar at Laodicea. He said to him, ‘Have you heard [a tradition] concerning the four different forms of atonement which R. Ishmael expounded?’ He replied, ‘I have heard [a tradition] and there are only three forms, and repentance is imperative with each. One verse states, Return, ye backsliding children (saith the Lord) I will heal your backslidings.17Jer. 3, 22. Saith the Lord is not in the Biblical text. A second verse states, For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you.18Lev. 16, 30. A third verse states, Then I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with strokes.19Ps. 89, 33. And a fourth verse states, Surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you till ye die.20Is. 22, 14. How are these verses [to be reconciled]? If a man transgressed a positive command and repented, before he stirs from his place he is forthwith forgiven; and concerning him it states, Return, ye backsliding children. If a man transgressed a negative command and repented, the repentance suspends [the punishment] and the Day of Atonement effects atonement; and concerning him it states, For on this day shall atonement be made for you. If a man transgressed a prohibition punishable by kareth or by death at the hands of the court and repented, the repentance and the Day of Atonement together suspend [the punishment] and sufferings in the course of the year will purge the sin;21The text is in some disorder; the translation follows Schechter’s text and is required by the context. and concerning him it states, Then will I visit their transgression with the rod. But if a man profaned the Name of Heaven22‘By sinning himself and causing others to sin’ (Rashi, Yoma loc. cit.). [and repented], there is no power in the repentance to suspend [punishment], or in sufferings to purge the sin, or in the Day of Atonement to effect atonement; but repentance [with the Day of Atonement and]23Inserted by GRA and required by the context. with sufferings together suspend [the punishment], and death purges the sin; and concerning him it states, Surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you till ye die.

59. 29.6

    Isi b. Judah said: Why do scholars [sometimes] die before their time? It is not because they are immoral or because they rob, but because they make themselves contemptible.24By neglecting their appearance. Cf. XXVI, 3, p. 130.

60. 29.7

    R. Isaac b. Phinehas said: Whoever is versed in Midrash 25Here the word seems to be a synonym of ’aggadah, the ethical and moral expositions of the Bible.and not in halakoth26Here the analytical reasoning and exegetical argument on the Biblical law. has never experienced the taste of wisdom; and he who is versed in halakah and not in Midrash has never experienced the taste of the fear of sin. He used to say: Whoever is versed in Midrash and not in halakoth is like a strong man without weapons; whoever is versed in halakoth and not in Midrash is like a weak man with a weapon; but whoever is versed in both is like a strong man with a weapon. He used to say: Be careful to greet your fellow-man;27In Aboth 4:20 (Sonc. ed., IV, 15, p. 52) the reading is ‘be beforehand in greeting all men’. enter not into a quarrel nor be eager to see it; sit in the company of your fellows,28Or, your equals. AND BE RATHER A TAIL TO LIONS THAN A HEAD TO FOXES.29From Aboth loc. cit.

61. 30.1

    R. NATHAN1Aboth 4:11 (Sonc. ed., IV, 9, pp. 48f) where the dictum is given in reverse order in the name of R. Jonathan. GRA emends to R. Jonathan b. Joseph, a disciple of R. ‘Aḳiba. B. JOSEPH SAID: WHOEVER NEGLECTS THE STUDY OF THE TORAH IN THE MIDST OF WEALTH SHALL IN THE END NEGLECT IT IN POVERTY; AND WHOEVER FULFILS THE WORDS OF THE TORAH IN POVERTY SHALL IN THE END FULFIL THEM IN THE MIDST OF WEALTH. [29a] He used to say: Comforting mourners, visiting the sick, and the practice of lovingkindness bring welfare into the world.

62. 30.2

    R. Meir said: Whoever is in doubt whether he has transgressed or not is regarded by Scripture [more gravely than]2So according to B.Y. and required by the context. if he transgressed of a certainty. How is this? If a man sinned [in error] and then became aware of his sin, he must bring a sin-offering of the value of one sela,3The usual price of a sin-offering; cf. Ker. 10b (Sonc. ed., p. 81). or a tenth of an ephah [as a meal-offering]4If the sinner is poor and unable to afford an animal offering. of the value of one pondion;5Cf., however, Ker. loc. cit., where a tenth of an ephah of fine flour is priced at one peruṭah (i.e. a sixteenth of a pondion). whereas if he was in doubt whether he had sinned or not, he must bring a trespass-offering with the ‘added fifth’,6If his doubt referred to an inadvertent misappropriation of Temple property (cf. Lev. 5, 15f). or a guilt-offering of the value of two selas.7This is the minimum price of a ram for a guilt-offering (Lev. ibid.) Consequently the cost of the sacrifice in the case where a man sinned in error is less than that of the sacrifice where a man was in doubt whether he had sinned in error; in the former the cost is one sela, in the latter two selas. Now which Divine attribute is the greater, that of reward8lit. ‘goodness’. or that of punishment? You must agree that the attribute of reward is the greater;9For God’s lovingkindness extends to thousands of generations, while punishment for sin reaches only to the third and fourth generation (Ex. 20, 5f). so is there not here an argument from the lesser to the greater? For if with regard to the attribute of punishment, which is the lesser, he who is in doubt whether he has transgressed or not is regarded by Scripture [more gravely10Since he has to bring a more costly sacrifice. than] if he had transgressed of a certainty, how much more is it so with the attribute of reward, which is the greater!11Thus a man who is not sure whether he has performed a meritorious deed will receive a reward as if he had done it of a certainty. R. Nathan b. Joseph said: Whoever transgressed in error is regarded by Scripture as if he had acted wantonly. How is this? If a man killed a person unintentionally and fled to a city of refuge,12In accordance with Num. 35, 11f. and the avenger of blood found him13Outside the city of refuge. and killed him, the avenger of blood is not culpable;14Num. ibid. 27. whereas if a man killed wantonly and the avenger of blood found him and killed him, he is put to death.15So MS. E. and GRA. V. reads, ‘he must escape into exile because of him’; but this is not established law. It is, however, evident that the avenger of blood may in certain circumstances exercise his right of vengeance against the unintentional killer but not against the wanton killer, so proving the thesis that the transgressor in error is in a graver position than the deliberate transgressor. Now which of the Divine attributes is the greater, that of reward or that of punishment? Surely that of reward. And if with regard to the attribute of punishment, which is the lesser, it is held that he who transgressed in error is regarded by Scripture as if he had acted wantonly, how much more so is it with the attribute of reward, which is the greater!

63. 30.3

    R. ‘Aḳiba said: 16Cf. Mak. I, 7 (Sonc. ed., p. 29).Whoever joins himself to those that commit a transgression, even though he does not act like them, is punished as they are; and whoever joins himself to those that fulfil a commandment, even though he does not act like them, is rewarded as they are. How is this? If two testify of another saying, ‘That man killed a person’, and they are found to be false witnesses17lit. ‘plotters’; i.e. they were proved by the evidence of two subsequent witnesses to have been absent at the time of the alleged crime. Their punishment is on the principle of retaliation (cf. Deut. 19, 19). so that sentence of death is passed upon them, and as they are being led to the place of execution18lit. ‘house of stoning’. a third man comes running after them calling out, ‘I know something concerning this testimony’, they say to him, ‘Come and offer your testimony’. This man also is found to be a false witness, so that sentence of death is passed upon him. As he is led to the place of execution, he exclaims, ‘Woe is me! had I not come, I would not have been sentenced to death; but now that I came and joined them I am sentenced to death’.19Though his evidence alone would be worthless since two witnesses at least are required. They say to him, ‘Fool that you are, even if one hundred men were to come after you and found to be false witnesses, they would all be put to death!’ Now which Divine attribute is the greater, that of reward or that of punishment? Surely that of reward. And if with regard to the attribute of punishment, which is the lesser, it is held that he who joins himself to those who commit a transgression, even though he does not act like them, is punished [as they are], how much more is it so with the attribute of reward which is the greater!

64. 30.4

    R. Simeon said: Such is the penalty of a liar, that even when he speaks the truth he is not believed;20Cf. Sanh. 89b (Sonc. ed., p. 596). This passage follows naturally on the preceding which deals with perjured witnesses. for we find it so with the sons of Jacob. When they first lied to their father he believed them, as it is stated, And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a he-goat;21Gen. 37, 31. and it is written, And he knew it, and said: It is my son’s coat.22ibid. 33. Jacob believed their story. [Cf., however, Soferim XXI, below p. 332.] But finally, although they spoke the truth to him, he did not believe them, as it is stated, And they told him, saying: Joseph is yet alive … And his heart fainted, for he believed them not.23ibid. XLV, 26. Some say that the Holy Spirit, which had departed from our father Jacob [during his grieving for Joseph], now settled upon him, as it is stated, The spirit of Jacob their father revived.24ibid. 27. It was only the return of the Divine Spirit to him that convinced him of the fact that Joseph was alive, but he did not accept the word of his sons on this occasion when they spoke the truth.

65. 31.1

    1This paragraph has no connection with the theme of this chapter, which is an extensive commentary on Aboth 5. Such commentary begins with §2. Accordingly it has been suggested that this paragraph should be joined to the previous chapter. This arrangement has been adopted by Schechter.R. Aḥai b. Josiah said: He who buys grain in the market,2Not having land of his own, he must resort to the market for grain for his household. This was considered a precarious existence; cf. Men. 103b (Sonc. ed., p. 637). to what may he be compared? To a child whose mother has died; though it is taken around to the homes of nursing mothers, it is not satisfied. And he who buys bread in the market, to what may he be compared? To a man who digs his own grave.3lit. ‘is dug and buried’. His is a wretched existence; cf. the statement in Men. loc. cit.: ‘And shalt have no assurance of this life (Deut. 28, 66): this refers to one who has to rely upon the bread dealer [for his daily needs]’ (Sonc. ed., p. 638). But he who eats of his own produce is like a child reared at his mother’s breast. He used to say: When a man eats of his own labour his mind is at ease. Even when he is dependent upon his father or mother or children, his mind is not at ease; and needless to say when he is dependent upon strangers.

66. 31.2

    BY TEN SAYINGS WAS THE WORLD CREATED. What need is there for mankind to [know] this? It is to teach that if a person performs one precept, or keeps one Sabbath, or saves one life, Scripture imputes it to him as though he had saved a whole world which was created by ten sayings.4The importance of the world is enhanced by the fact that God, in view of His omnipotence, took so much trouble with its creation, for instead of a single fiat He resorted to ten utterances to perfect the world. And if a person commits one sin, or profanes one Sabbath, or destroys one life, Scripture imputes it to him as though he had destroyed a whole world which was created by ten sayings. We find it so with Cain who slew his brother Abel; as it is stated, The voice of thy brother’s bloods crieth unto Me.5Gen. 4, 10, E.V., brother’s blood. The Heb. noun is plural. He shed the blood of one person, yet Scripture speaks of many bloods! But it teaches you that the blood of his sons, of his sons’ sons and of his descendants to the end of all generations that were destined to issue from him, all stood and cried to the Holy One, blessed be He. Hence you learn that one man is equal in worth to the entire creation.6Cf. Sanh. IV, 5 (Sonc. ed., pp. 233f.).

67. 31.3

    R. Nehemiah said: Whence do we know that one man is equal in worth to the entire creation? For it is stated, This is the book of the generations of Adam. [In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him];7ibid. V, 1. and elsewhere it states, These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, [in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven].8ibid. II, 4. As in the one verse [which describes the creation of the world] the terms created and made are used, so in the other verse [which describes the creation of man] the terms created and made are used. This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Adam all the future generations that were to issue from him standing and sporting, as it were, before him. Some say that He showed him only the righteous [of every generation], as it is stated, Every one that is written unto life in Jerusalem.9Is. 4, 3. The verse refers to the righteous, God’s elect, whose names are inscribed in the ‘Book of Life’, which is identical with the book of the generations of Adam. R. Joshua b. Ḳorḥa said: It states, Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, and in Thy book they were all written.10Ps. 139, 16. Thy book is interpreted as the book of the generations. This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Adam, the first man, every generation and its teachers, every generation and its administrators, every generation and its leaders, every generation and its prophets, every generation and its heroes, every generation and its transgressors, every generation and its pious men, and that in a certain generation such a king will arise and in a certain generation such a Sage will live. R. Eliezer the son of R. Jose the Galilean said: Nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the creation of the world the Torah was already written11The Divine plan, as intimated ibid. CV, 8: The word (i.e. the Torah) which He commanded to a thousand generations, was that a thousand generations were to pass before the giving of the Torah to man. Since, in fact, Moses received the Torah and he lived in the twenty-sixth generation from the creation, it follows that the Torah must have been in existence for nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the creation. Cf. Ḥag. 13b, 14a (Sonc. ed., p. 82, n. 7). and lay in the bosom of the Holy One, blessed be He, singing praises together with the ministering angels; as it is stated, Then I was by Him as a nursling; and I was daily all delight, [playing always before Him,] playing in His habitable earth.12Prov. 8, 30f. [R. Jose the Galilean said: All that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in the world, He also created in man.13This sentence is omitted in V. It is found in the Oxford MS. of this work [cf. Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten, I, p. 365, n. 1] and serves as a fine introduction to the parable and the extensive paragraph which follow.] This may be illustrated by a parable. To what can it be compared? To a man who takes a piece of wood intending to engrave many designs on it; but as he has insufficient space for his designs, he is dejected. He, however, who draws his designs on the ground can do so interminably, and keep everything distinct and apart. On the other hand,14So according to Schechter’s text which has MS. authority. V reads ‘so too’. The contrast in the thought is this: whereas man requires the whole surface of the earth to draw his designs, God formed within the confined space of his body everything which He had created in the world. This is the concept of the ‘microcosm’: that man is regarded as an epitome of the universe, a world in miniature. the Holy One, blessed be He,—may His great name be blessed for ever and to all eternity—in His wisdom and understanding created the whole world: He created the heaven and the earth, the celestial beings and terrestrial creatures. He likewise fashioned in man all that He had created in His world: He created forests in the world and forests in man, viz. his hairs; He created wild beasts in the world and wild beasts in man, viz. the intestinal worms;15The text varies between ‘the intestines of man’ and ‘the worms in man’. Both readings apparently refer to the same thing, the intestinal worms. He created destructive agents16Heb. ḳorẓin, a difficult word with doubtful meaning. According to Jastrow ‘destructive insects’, but he emends the end of the line to ‘intestines’ in place of ‘ears’. Bacher, R.E.J. XXXVII, pp. 301f, compares this word with the Aramaic expression in Dan. 3, 8: wa’akalu ḳarẓehon, ‘and they brought accusations’ and translates here ‘accusers’, ‘slanderers’. in the world and destructive agents in man, these [act via] the ears of man;17Which are the receptacles of slanderous and malicious talk. He created odours18Another reading is ‘wind’. in the world and odours in man, these are [sensed by] the nose of man; He created a sun in the world and a sun in man, viz. the light of [the countenance of] man;19Another reading is ‘his forehead’. fetid water in the world and also in man, viz. his nasal discharge; salt water in the world and also in man, viz. his tears; streams in the world and also in man, viz. the secretions;20lit. ‘tears’; but as tears have just been mentioned with the qualification ‘of the eyes’, the word might mean ‘secretions’. GRA reads ‘the urine’. ramparts21Another reading is ‘seals’. in the world [29b] and also in man, viz. his lips;22Cf. ‘Arak. 15b (Sonc. ed., p. 87) where it is stated that the tongue is surrounded by two walls, one of bone (the teeth) and one of flesh (the lips), to guard it from speaking evil. doors in the world and also in man, viz. his teeth; vaults in the world and also a vault in man, viz. his tongue;23Or, the palate, which is the vault of the mouth. sweet water in the world and also in man, viz. his sputum; contours24lit. ‘jaws’. GRA reads ‘stars’; cf. Shab. 151b (Sonc. ed., p. 774) where the stars represent man’s cheeks. in the world and also in man, viz. his jaws; towers in the world and a tower in man, viz. his neck;25Cf. Cant. 7, 5 where the neck is likened to a tower of ivory. riggings26The word is unique in Heb. literature and the meaning is a matter of conjecture. Jastrow’s translation is adopted here. [Krauss, Lehnwörter, p. 413, suggests a connection with סרדיוטות, ‘officers’, which is also found in the commentary Tummath Yesharim.] in the world and also in man, viz. his arms; pegs in the world and also in man, viz. his fingers; a king in the world and also in man, viz. his head; [wine-bearing] clusters in the world and also in man, viz. his blood;27The red juice of the grape is designated ‘blood’ in Deut. 32, 14. In the MSS. ‘his breasts’ is read in place of ‘his blood’; for this cf. Cant. 7, 8. counsellors in the world and also in man, viz. his kidneys;28For this and the following two comparisons, cf. Ber. 61a, b (Sonc. ed., p. 384): ‘the kidneys prompt [thought]’. grinding mills in the world and also in man, viz. his stomach; crushing mills in the world and also in man, viz. his spleen; refuse bins in the world and also in man, viz. the belly; pits in the world and also in man, viz the navel;29Which forms a slight depression on the body. running waters in the world and also in man, viz. the urine; life in the world and also in man, viz. his blood; trees in the world and also in man, viz. the bones; hills in the world and also in man, viz. the hips; a pestle and mortar in the world and also in man, viz. his knees;30These articulate in ball and socket fashion, i.e. like a pestle and mortar. horses in the world and also in man, viz. his shanks;31[GRA reads ‘deers in the world and also in man, viz. his legs’.] the angel of death in the world and also in man, viz. his heels;32Man can crush to death beneath his heel. hills and valleys in the world and also in man, for erect he is like a hill, fallen he is like a valley. Hence you learn that all that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world He also created in man.

68. 32.1

    THERE WERE TEN GENERATIONS FROM ADAM TO NOAH. What need is there for mankind to [know] this? It is to teach you that although those generations provoked Him continually, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not bring the waters of the flood upon them on account of the righteous and pious who were among them. Some say that as long as Methuselah was alive the flood did not descend upon the earth; and even when Methuselah died the flood was yet suspended for them for seven days after his death, as it is stated, And it came to pass after the seven days.1Gen. 7, 10. What special feature was there about those seven days? They were the days of mourning for that righteous man which stayed the retribution; therefore it is stated, And it came to pass after the seven days.2Cf. Sanh. 108b (Sonc. ed., p. 744). Another interpretation of And it came to pass after the seven days: it teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, granted them this further respite after the original period of one hundred and twenty years, in which time they might repent;3The verse in Gen. 6, 3, Therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years, is interpreted by the Rabbis as a period of warning which God granted to that generation in which to repent. When this ended, He allowed them a further seven days’ grace. but they did not do so, therefore it is stated, And it came to pass after the seven days. Another interpretation is: the words teach that the Holy One, blessed be He, reversed for them the order of the universe, the sun rising in the west and setting in the east, perchance they would notice it, be awestruck and repent; but they did not do so, therefore it is stated, And it came to pass after the seven days.4The words the seven days recall the days of the creation and suggest that God interfered with the order of nature, as laid down at the creation, in the hope that mankind would be awestruck at the phenomenon and repent. Another interpretation: The words teach that the Holy One, blessed be He, spread His table before them and showed them His bounty of the kind to be enjoyed in the world to come, so that they might scrutinize themselves and say, ‘Woe to us for all this good which we shall have lost!’ But they corrupted their way upon the earth,5The text is in disorder and the translation follows Schechter’s text which gives the MS. reading. V reads ‘and [woe to us] for having destroyed our seed from the earth’. as it is stated, And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; [for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth].6ibid. VI, 12.

69. 32.2

    R. Eleazar b. Parṭa said: It is written, My spirit shall not judge man for ever.7ibid. 3. The verb yadon, translated in the Versions as ‘abide’ or ‘contend’, is here given the meaning ‘judge’. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I shall not judge them until I shall have first doubled their reward’,8This is in agreement with the Rabbinic doctrine (cf. Ḳid. 40b, Sonc. ed., p. 202) that God bestows prosperity upon the wicked in this world, paying them a double reward for the few good deeds to their credit in this world (cf. B.B. 15b, Sonc. ed., p. 75), in order to deny them the world to come. as it is stated, They spend their days in prosperity, and peacefully they go down to the grave.9Job 21, 13. Their reward is thus double: they live in prosperity and die in tranquillity without suffering; cf. Sanh. 108a (Sonc. ed., p. 739) where the verse is explained as referring to the generation of the flood. R. Jose the Galilean said: Scripture states, Shall not judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I shall not regard the evil impulse as equal to the good impulse’. When is this so? Before the decree has been sealed; but once the decree has been sealed, both impulses bear equal responsibility for sin.10The intention of this passage is obscure. Perhaps the meaning is: because the evil impulse enters man at birth (Gen. 8, 21) and the nature of man is prone to fall under its sway (ibid. VI, 5), God will not judge it on the same footing as the good impulse, but make allowance for human frailty. Once man has been sentenced at the seat of judgment, both impulses are on equal footing as regards responsibility for sin. Cf. the somewhat similar statement by the same author in Midrash Rabbah, Genesis, XXVI, §6 (Sonc. ed., pp. 216f).

70. 32.3

    He used to say: From the righteous the evil impulse is removed11lit. ‘he takes away from them’. and they are left with12lit. ‘and he gives them’. the good impulse only, as it is stated, My heart is slain within me.13Ps. 109, 22, E.V., is wounded. By heart is meant the desires of the heart, i.e. the evil impulse. [According to Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten, I, p. 361, n. 3, the interpretation is based on the use of leb for heart instead of lebab both here and in the next quotation. The latter is explained by the Rabbis as the two impulses while the former denotes only one of them.] From the wicked the good impulse is removed and they are left with the evil impulse only, as it is stated, Transgression speaketh to the wicked, methinks—there is no fear of God before his eyes.14ibid. XXXVI, 2. Transgression speaketh is interpreted as ‘the evil impulse prompts’. Average people are left with both impulses: he who draws near to the evil impulse is swayed by it, and he who draws near to the good impulse is swayed by it, as it is stated, Because He standeth at the right hand of the needy, to save him from them that judge his soul.15ibid. CIX, 31. The needy are the average persons who are lacking in good deeds. Them that judge his soul are the two impulses in man which control him. On the passage, cf. Ber. 61b (Sonc. ed., p. 385). R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: Scripture states, Shall not judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I will not judge them until I have rewarded the righteous’. This is so only in this world;16The punishment of the wicked will be the more poignant when they see the bliss of the righteous. This, however, can only happen in this world and not in the world to come, because the generation of the flood will not stand in the judgment in the world to come; cf. Sanh. 107b (Sonc. ed., p. 737). but as for the world to come Scripture declares, His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his dust.17ibid. CXLVI, 4. Consequently the wicked will not see anything of the reward granted to the righteous in the hereafter. R. ‘Aḳiba said: Scripture states, My spirit shall not judge man for ever. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘They did not scrutinize themselves as mortals,18According to this interpretation the subject of yadon, here understood as ‘they did not judge themselves’ is the generation of the flood. but displayed an arrogant spirit towards the Most High’, [as it is stated,] Yet they said unto God: Depart from us.19Job 21, 14. R. Meir said: Scripture states, Shall not judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘That generation declared, “The Lord shall not judge” [meaning,] there is no Judge in the world; the All-present has abandoned the world’. Rabbi [Judah the Prince] said: Scripture states, Shall not judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘They do not set up courts of justice on earth, so I will set up20There is a variant, ‘I, too, will not set up’; i.e. I will punish them without recourse to judicial procedure. against them courts of justice on high’.

71. 33.1

    THERE WERE TEN GENERATIONS FROM NOAH TO ABRAHAM. What need is there for mankind to [know] this? It is to teach that all those generations were provoking Him, and there was not one man who would walk in the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, until Abraham our father came and walked in His ways; as it is stated, Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice, [and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.]1Gen. 26, 5. The verse does not say ‘law’ but laws. But whence did he learn them?2In the plural. So according to a variant reading. V reads, ‘Did he keep one law? Surely he kept many laws!’ It teaches you that the Holy One, blessed be He, provided Abraham with two reins which, like two Sages, instructed him, counselled him, and taught him wisdom all the night long, as it is stated, I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel; yea, in the night seasons my reins instruct me.3Ps. 16, 7. Cf. above XXXI, 3, p. 148f., where the kidneys are said to act as counsellors. Moreover, our father Abraham was wont to practise righteousness first and justice afterwards, as it is stated, For I have known him, to the end that he might command [his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice].4Gen. 18, 19. In this description of Abraham righteousness precedes justice. Whenever two disputants came before our father Abraham with a lawsuit, the one claiming a mina from the other, he would take out a mina, give it to the defendant, and say to him, ‘Argue your case before me’. After their case had been argued, if [he found that] one was in debt to the other, he would say to the defendant in whose hand was the mina, ‘Pay the mina to your companion’; but if [the claim was] not [proved], he would say to them, ‘Divide it between you and depart in peace’. King David, on the other hand, did not act so; he was wont to do justice first and righteousness afterwards, as it is stated, And David executed justice and righteousness unto all his people.52 Sam. 8, 15. When disputants came before king David with a lawsuit, one claiming a mina from the other, he said to them, ‘Argue your case’. After their case had been argued, if [he found that] one owed a mina to the other, he would take out a mina of his own and give it to the claimant; but if [the claim was] not [proved] he would say to them, ‘Depart in peace’.6In V the text reads, as with Abraham, ‘Divide it between you and depart in peace’. This is an obvious error, because where the case was not proved, king David made no gift of money. Consequently the words ‘divide it between you’ are incorrectly interpolated.

72. 33.2

    WITH TEN TRIALS WAS ABRAHAM OUR FATHER TRIED BY THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AND HE WAS FOUND STEADFAST IN THEM ALL.7The version in Aboth 5:4 (Sonc. ed., V, 3, p. 59) is ‘and he stood firm in them all’. They are: twice when he had to leave his home,8The first time when he was bidden to leave his native land (Gen. 12, 1), and the second time when he set out for Egypt because of a famine in the land (ibid. 10). twice with his two sons,9First when he was induced to drive his son Ishmael out of the house (ibid. XXI, 10), and then in the supreme test of the binding of Isaac (ibid. XXII). twice with his two wives,10When Sarah was taken to Pharaoh’s palace (ibid. XII, 15), and when he was induced to send Hagar from his home (ibid. XXI, 10). Alternatively, the second trial was the occasion when Sarah was taken by Abimelech (ibid. XX, 2). once [when he fought] against the kings,11ibid. XIV. once at the Covenant between the Pieces,12ibid. XV, 7ff. once in Ur of the Chaldees13According to a tradition, Abraham had been thrown by Nimrod into a fiery furnace because of his belief in God, from which he came forth unharmed. The name Ur means ‘fire’ in Heb. and once at the Covenant of Circumcision.14Cf. ibid. XVII, 10. [30a] Why [was he subjected to these trials]? So that when our father Abraham will come to claim his reward, the angels15GRA reads ‘all will say’. There is a variant ‘the nations of the world will say’. will say, ‘Far more than all of us is our father Abraham worthy of claiming his reward’; as it is stated, Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart.16Eccl. 9, 7. Midrash Rabbah, Ecclesiastes, ad loc., applies the verse to Abraham when, after his many trials, he was steadfast in his faith. Corresponding to the ten trials with which our father Abraham was tried, in all of which he was found steadfast, the Holy One, blessed be He, performed ten miracles for his children in Egypt.17The children of Israel were immune from the ten plagues which afflicted the Egyptians. On account of them He brought ten plagues [upon the Egyptians]; so, too, on account of them ten miracles were wrought for Israel at the Red Sea;18These are enumerated in the passage which follows, each miracle being introduced by the formula ‘we will not cross until’. and also on account of them He brought ten plagues upon the Egyptians at the Red Sea.19Implied in the ten expressions used in Ex. 15 describing the complete destruction of the Egyptians. The Egyptians thundered against Israel with their voices; so did the Holy One, blessed be He, thunder against them with His voice at the Red Sea, as it is stated, God thundereth marvellously with His voice.20Job 37, 5. The Egyptians advanced towards the Red Sea with bow and arrow; and the Holy One, blessed be He, likewise revealed Himself to them with bow and arrow, as it is stated, Thy bow is made quite bare,21Hab. 3, 9. and it is also stated, And He sent His arrows, and scattered them.22Ps. 18, 15. The Egyptians advanced towards the Red Sea with swords; and the Holy One, blessed be He, also came against them with swords and spears, as it is stated, And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings and discomfited them;23ibid. ‘lightning’ indicates nothing else than the sword, as it is stated, A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, and also furbished; it is sharpened that it may make a sure slaughter, it is furbished that it may be as lightning.24Ez. 21, 14f. The last words of the quotation are rendered as in the Revised Version. The Egyptians gloried in shield and buckler; and the Holy One, blessed be He, did likewise, as it is stated, Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to my help.25Ps. 35, 2. The Egyptians advanced with spears; so, too, did the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated, At the shining of Thy glittering spear.26Hab. 3, 11. The Egyptians advanced with stones and slings; and the Holy One, blessed be He, triumphed over them with great hailstones, as it is stated, At the brightness before Him, there passed through His black clouds, hailstones and coals of fire.27Ps. 18, 13. At the time when our ancestors stood at the Red Sea, Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until the Sea appears to us as yawning holes’.28Here are enumerated ten miracles which God wrought for Israel at the Red Sea. Cf. on this passage Mekilta, Beshallaḥ, on Ex. 14, 16. Moses took his staff and struck the Sea so that it became like yawning holes, as it is stated, Thou hast stricken through with his own rods the head of his rulers.29Hab. 3, 14. The verb naḳabta, Thou hast stricken through, is of the same root as neḳabim, ‘holes’. Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until the Sea will become before us like a valley’. Moses struck the Sea and it became before them as a valley, as it is stated, He cleaved the sea and caused them to pass through;30Ps. 78, 13. The verb baḳa’, He cleaved, is of the same root as biḳ‘ah, ‘valley’. and it is also stated, As the cattle that go down into the valley.31Is. 63, 14. Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until it will be divided before us into parts’.32i.e. into lanes, a separate lane for each tribe. [Moses struck the Sea so that it was divided into parts,] as it is stated, To Him who divided the Red Sea into parts.33Ps. 136, 13. E.V., in sunder. Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until it will become for us like clay’.34Or, ‘like a heap’. Moses took his staff and struck the Sea so that it became for them like clay, as it is stated, Thou hast trodden the sea with Thy horses, the clay of the mighty waters.35Hab. 3, 15. E.V., the foam of the mighty waters. The noun, ḥomer, is the same as for ‘clay’. According to the alternative rendering, ‘heap’, the end of the verse should read, ‘the heap of the mighty waters’. Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until it will become for us as a wilderness’. Moses took up his staff and struck the Sea [and it became for them as a wilderness], as it is stated, And He led them through the depths, as through a wilderness.36Ps. 106, 9 Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until it will crumble into pieces before us.’ Moses took his staff and struck the Sea [so that it crumbled into pieces], as it is stated, Thou didst break the sea in pieces by Thy strength.37ibid. LXXIV, 13. Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until it will turn into rocks for us’. Moses took his staff and struck the Sea [and it turned into rocks], as it is stated, Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea-monsters on the waters,38ibid. and you must say that the heads of sea-monsters can only be shattered on rocks. Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until it will become dry land for us’. Moses took his staff and struck the Sea [and it became dry land], as it is stated, He turned the sea into dry land,39ibid. LXVI, 6. and it further states, But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea.40Ex. 14, 29. Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until it will stand up before us like walls’. Moses took his staff and struck the Sea [so that it stood up like walls], as it is stated, And the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.41ibid. Moses said to them, ‘Rise up and cross’; but they replied, ‘We will not cross until it will stand up for us [as in] bottles’. Moses took his staff and struck the Sea [so that it stood up as in bottles], as it is stated, The floods stood upright as in bottles.42ibid. XV, 8. E.V., as a heap. The noun נד is homiletically read as נאד, ‘bottle’. And whence do we know that from between the several divisions a fire came forth which licked them up?43The sea lanes were licked dry by the fire so that Israel might walk in comfort along the paths. For it is stated, As when fire kindleth melting waters, and the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries.44Is. 64, 1. E.V., kindleth the brush-wood. The bottles produced a flow of oil and honey into the mouths of the infants from which they drew nourishment, as it is stated, And He made him to suck honey out of the crag.45Deut. 32, 13. Some say that fresh water issued for them from the Sea which they drank when they were in the sea-lanes, because sea-water is salty, as it is stated, the floods [nozelim],46Ex. ibid. The Heb. word signifies ‘flowing streams’. and by nozelim sweet water is meant, as it is stated, A well of living waters, and flowing streams [nozelim] from Lebanon.47Cant. 4, 15. Above them were clouds of glory that the sun should not overpower them, and so Israel passed through that they might suffer no discomfort. R. Eliezer said: He arched the deep over them like a vault, and Israel passed through that they should suffer no discomfort. R. Eliezer and R. Simeon said: The upper and lower waters [combined] to overthrow the Egyptians, as it is stated, And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.48Ex. 14, 27.

73. 34.1

    WITH TEN TRIALS DID THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, TEST OUR FATHERS,1According to the MSS. and Aboth 5:7 (Sonc. ed., V, 4, p. 60) the statement is reversed: ‘With ten trials did our fathers try the Holy One, blessed be He’. and in all of them they were not found perfect. They are: In the wilderness, in the Arabah, over against Suph, between Paran and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Di-zahab.2Deut. 1, 1. In the wilderness: where they made the golden calf, as it is stated, They have made them a molten calf.3Ex. 32, 8. This verse, however, does not mention ‘the wilderness’. Cf. Pseudo-Jonathan on Num. 24, 1: ‘And he (Balaam) set his face toward the wilderness, in order to call to mind against them the golden calf which they had made there’. In Schechter’s ed. Ps. 106, 19 is quoted here: They made a calf in Horeb. In the Arabah: [where they murmured] for water, as it is stated, And the people thirsted there for water.4Ex. 17, 3. This occurred at Rephidim, which might be described as ‘Arabah’, i.e. a desert, a waterless region. Over against Suph: because they rebelled at the Red Sea.5Which is called in Heb. Yam Suf. Some say that it refers to Micah’s graven image.6Micah was an Ephraimite who had set up a private idolatrous shrine (cf. Judg. 17). He had made his graven image while yet in Egypt, and took it with him when Israel crossed the Red Sea. Cf. Sanh. 103b (Sonc. ed., p. 704) where the verse from Zech. 10, 11, And there passed through the Sea a rival (E.V., and over the sea affliction shall pass) is interpreted as a reference to Micah’s idol. R. Judah said: They rebelled at the Sea and also while in the Sea, as it is stated, They were rebellious at the sea, even in the Red Sea.7Ps. 106, 7, so lit. E.V. even at the Red Sea. Between Paran: in the episode of the spies, as it is stated, And Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran.8Num. 13, 3. And Tophel: this refers to the disparaging remarks which they made regarding the manna.9There is a play upon words between the place-name תפל and תפלות, ‘disparaging remarks’. And Laban: this refers to Korah’s revolt.10Cf. Num. 16. It is difficult to see how Laban, meaning ‘white’, can allude to Korah’s revolt. The commentators suggest that the allusion is based on the Midrash (Tanḥuma, Num. 16, 1) where it is related that Korah was prompted to question the authority of Moses by a specious argument about the law of ẓiẓith which provides for ‘white’ threads as well as a blue one. And Hazeroth: in the matter of the quails.11Cf. Num. 11, 31ff. A variant is ‘in the matter of forbidden sexual relationship’; cf. Yoma 75a (Sonc. ed., p. 361). Here are seven [trials], and elsewhere it states, And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah,12Deut. 9, 22. [thus making ten]. And Di-zahab;13These are the concluding words of Deut. 1, 1 and are interpreted not as place-names but according to the meaning of the words: ‘sufficient of gold’. Aaron14Since it was through his agency that the golden calf was made (Ex. 32, 35). said to them, ‘Sufficient unto you is this sin of the gold which you provided for the calf’. R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: This sin [of the golden calf] is sufficient [in gravity] for Israel to suffer on its account from now until the resurrection.15Cf. Sanh. 102a (Sonc. ed., p. 694).

74. 34.2

    By ten terms of praise is the Holy One, blessed be He, designated: viz. the Name beginning with alef-daleth,16The name ’Adonai, ‘the Lord’. YHVH,17The Tetragrammaton, but pronounced ’Adonai. ’Elohim,18Usually rendered ‘God’. So also ’Eloah and ’El. ’Eloah, ’Eloheka,19‘Thy God’., ’Elohekem,20‘Your God’. ’El, ’Ehyeh ’asher ’eheyeh,21Ex. 3, 14, rendered ‘I am that I am’. Shaddai,22‘The Almighty’. and Ẓeba’oth.23‘Hosts’. As a name of God it is always preceded by ‘God’ or ‘the Lord’. R. Jose said: I disagree with regard to Ẓeba’oth, since it is stated, Captains of hosts [ẓeba’oth] shall be appointed at the head of the people.24Deut. 20, 9. Here the word has a secular meaning.

75. 34.3

    By ten terms of opprobium are idols designated: viz. detestable things, abominations, molten images, graven images, things of naught, ’asherim, sun-pillars, carved figures, wickedness, and teraphim.25All these terms are of frequent occurrence in the Bible. For ‘wickedness’ a reading ‘Baalim’ has been suggested.

76. 34.4

    Two distinguishing marks are inserted in the Torah at a short section.26The marks are in the form of an inverted nun, one being placed at the beginning and the other at the end of the section. They serve to put the section in parentheses. Which is that short section? The verses, And it came to pass, when the ark was set forward, that Moses said … [And when it rested, he said, etc.].27Num. 10, 35f. Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said: It would have been appropriate for this section to have been taken from its place here and written elsewhere.28Cf. Shab. 116a (Sonc. ed., p. 568). [30b] Similarly [a peculiarity occurs in the verse], And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh.29Judg. 18, 30. In M.T. the nun of מנשה is suspended; without that letter the name reads משה, ‘Moses’. But was he the son of Manasseh? Surely he was the [grand]son of Moses!30This Jonathan was the grandson of Moses. ‘Son’ is commonly used in the Heb. Bible for ‘grandson’. But since his deeds were unlike those of his [grand]father Moses, his descent is traced to Manasseh.31lit. ‘they suspend him with Manasseh’. He was one of the most wicked kings of Judah (cf. 2 Kings 21, 1-17). Out of respect for Moses, Scripture associates the idolatrous priest Jonathan with the wicked Manasseh. Cf. B.B. 109b (Sonc. ed., p. 453). Similarly we find in the verse, These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth:32Zech. 4, 14. The allusion is to Joshua the High Priest and to Zerubbabel of the royal line of David. these are Aaron and the Messiah.33Representing the priesthood and monarchy. This passage is inserted here in contrast to the preceding exposition: as the wicked are traced back to the wicked, so the righteous are traced back to, or named after, the righteous. Accordingly, Joshua the High Priest, is here designated ‘Aaron’ and the leader Zerubbabel ‘king Messiah’. I know not which of the two is the more beloved; when, however, Scripture states, The Lord hath sworn and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever [after the manner of Melchizedek],34Ps. 110, 4. I know that king Messiah is more beloved than the righteous priest.35The first element in the name Melchizedek signifies ‘king’. The verse therefore implies that the priest is after the manner of the king, i.e. he ranks second to the king, thus proving that king Messiah has precedence over the High Priest. Scripture states, The boar out of the wood doth ravage it,36ibid. LXXX, 14. In M.T. the ‘ain of מיער, ‘of the wood’, is suspended; without this letter the word is מיר which might be equated with מיאר ‘of the river’. although as written [the Hebrew means], The boar of the river doth ravage it. The boar of the wood doth ravage it—because when Israel do not perform the will of the All-present, the heathen nations are like a boar of the wood to them: as the boar of the wood kills persons, attacks beasts37According to the MSS, ‘mankind’. and injures human beings, so when Israel do not perform the will of the All-present, the heathen nations kill, attack and injure them. But when Israel perform the will of the All-present, the heathen nations have no power over them [and are harmless] like the boar of the river: as the boar of the river neither kills persons nor injures human beings, so when Israel perform His will no nation or tongue can kill, attack or injure them. Therefore it is written the boar of the river.

77. 34.5

    In ten places in the Torah [certain words or letters] have dots over them:38On the whole passage, cf. the parallels in Sifrë on Num. 9, 10, Midrash Rabbah, Numbers, III, 13 (Sonc. ed., pp. 91ff) and Soferim VI, below pp. 238; also L. Blau, Masoretische Untersuchungen. Among the many theories put forward in explanation of these dots two may be mentioned: (i) they were intended to call attention to important homiletical teachings which the early Rabbis had connected with the dotted words; (ii) they indicate that the words or letters are doubtful and are to be deleted. Cf. J.E., VIII, p. 368. viz. (i) In The Lord judge between me and between thee,39Gen. 16, 5. there is a dot over the [second] yod in the word ubeneka [and between thee]—it teaches that she spoke to him so only about Hagar.40Sarah reproached Abraham because he did not check Hagar’s haughtiness towards her. Others say that [she intended her words] against those who stir up strife ‘between me and thee’.41Words ‘between me and thee’ should be of no concern to others. (ii) In And they said unto him: Where is Sarah thy wife,42ibid. XVIII, 9. there are dots over the letters alef, yod and waw of the word ’elaw [unto him]—because they knew where she was but made [courteous] enquiry about her.43Since they were angels they had knowledge of her whereabouts; but they asked a rhetorical question out of courtesy and in order to endear her to her husband. (iii) In And He knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose,44ibid. XIX, 33. In M.T. it is the last word of this verse which has the dot; the reference might be to ibid. 35. there is a dot over the [second] waw in the first occurrence of ubeḳumah [when she arose]—it teaches that he was not aware at all when the younger daughter arose.45The text is in disorder and various corrections have been proposed. The reading adopted is that of MS. E, בה for אלא. The exposition seems to be this: the word ובקומה in verse 33, which speaks of the elder daughter, has a dot over it suggesting the deletion of the word. Accordingly Lot did know she rose up, in contrast with the younger daughter, of whose rising he was unaware. (iv) Similarly in And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him,46ibid. XXXIII, 4. there are dots over every letter of the word wayyishshaḳehu [and kissed him]—it teaches that he did not kiss him with sincerity. R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: The kissing on this occasion was sincere, though at all other times it was insincere.47Cf. Rashi ad loc. (v) Similarly in And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem,48ibid. XXXVII, 12. there are dots over the word ’eth49This word indicates the accusative and is not reproduced in translation.—it teaches that they did not go to feed the flock but to eat, drink and indulge in pleasures. (vi) Similarly in All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered,50Num. 3, 39. there are dots over the letters of the word we Aharon [and Aaron]—why is this so? It teaches that Aaron was not included in the number.51Although a Levite, Aaron was not included in the census of the Levites; cf. Bek. 4a (Sonc. ed., p. 18). (vii) Similarly in Or be in a journey afar off,52ibid. IX, 10. there is a dot over the he in the word reḥoḳkah [afar off]—it teaches that a journey afar off means no more than beyond the threshold of the Temple court.53Cf. Pes. 93b (Sonc. ed., p. 500). (viii) Similarly in And we have laid waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba,54ibid. XXI, 30. there is a dot over the resh in the word ’asher [which]: why is this so? It teaches that they destroyed the people but not the lands. [Others say that] they did not destroy the people but only the lands.55The two sentences are in contradiction. Hence the insertion of ‘Others say that’ (cf. B.Y.). The text has ‘idolaters’ for ‘peoples’ which is the reading of GRA and others. (ix) In And a separate tenth part,56ibid. XXIX, 15. in connection with [the sacrifices offered on the] first Festival day of Tabernacles, there is a dot over the waw in the word we’issaron [and a tenth]. Why is this so? It teaches that there was to be only one tenth-measure.57For all occasions the tenth-measure had to be used, even when it was necessary to measure three-tenths as for the meal-offering for a bullock; cf. Men. 87b (Sonc. ed., p. 529). (x) Similarly in The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and unto our children for ever,58Deut. 29, 28. there are dots over every letter in the words lanu ulebanenu [unto us and unto our children] and over the ayin in the word ‘ad [for]. Why is this so? [It teaches that He did not punish them for any sin until they had crossed the Jordan.]59Lacking in V but added by GRA; cf. Sanh. 43b (Sonc. ed., p. 285, n. 4). And why all these dots? Thus said Ezra, ‘If Elijah will come and say to me, “Why have you written these words?” I will reply, “But I have already placed dots over them”. And if he will say to me, “You have written them correctly”, then I will remove the dots from them’. Eleven times in the Torah the word he’60Meaning ‘she’ or ‘it’. The pronoun is regularly spelt with a waw (hu’) in the Pentateuch but pronounced he’. In vowelless texts it is indistinguishable from the masculine pronoun pronounced hu’. is spelt with a yod: (i) The king of Bela, the same is [he’] Ẓoar;61Gen. 14, 2. (ii) Said he not himself unto me: She is my sister? And she [wehe’], even she herself said: He is my brother.62ibid. XX, 5. (iii) When she was brought forth, she [wehe’] sent to her father-in-law, saying.63ibid. XXXVIII, 25. (iv) And if any beast, of which [he’] ye may eat, die.64Lev. 11, 39. (v) And it [wehe’] have turned the hair white.65ibid. XIII, 10. (vi) But if the priest look on it … but it [wehe’] be dim.66ibid. 21. (vii) And she [wehe’] see his nakedness.67ibid. XX, 17. (viii) She [he’] profaneth her father.68ibid. XXI, 9. (ix) In connection with the meal-offering of jealousy, She [wehe’] being defiled secretly.69Num. 5, 13. (x) Neither she [wehe’] be taken in the act.70ibid. This is not in agreement with M.T. GRA therefore omits this verse and substitutes Lev. 16, 31, It is [he’] a sabbath of solemn rest unto you. (xi) Or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she [wehe’] be not defiled.71Num. 5, 14.

78. 34.6

    Ten descents did the Divine Presence make upon the earth. The first time in the Garden of Eden, as it is stated, And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden.72Gen. 3, 8. This verse does not mention a descent; so GRA substitutes Cant. 6, 2, My beloved is gone down to his garden, the Rabbis explaining my beloved as God. Again in the generation of the Tower of Babel, as it is stated, And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower.73Gen. 11, 5. Again in Sodom, as it is stated, I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it.74ibid. XVIII, 21. Again in Egypt, as it is stated, And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.75Ex. 3, 8. Again at the Red Sea, as it is stated, He bowed the heavens also, and came down.762 Sam. 22, 10; Ps. 18, 10. Again at Sinai, as it is stated, And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai.77Ex. 19, 20. The text continues ‘in the sight of the people’, but there is no such verse. Again in the Temple, as it is stated, And the Lord said unto me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened … for the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered by it.78Ez. 44, 2. To enter the gate God must have descended from heaven. Again in the pillar of cloud,79Another reading is ‘in the Tent of Meeting’. as it is stated, And the Lord came down in the cloud.80Num. 11, 25. And once more when it will come down in the future in the days of Gog and Magog,81In Jewish eschatology the Messianic era will be preceded by a final combat between Israel and the nations led by Gog and Magog; cf. Ez. 38, 2ff. as it is stated, And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives.82Zech. 14, 4. The list of ‘descents’ is incomplete; cf. Pirḳë d’Rabbi Eliezer XIV for a fuller and variant list.

79. 34.7

    By ten stages did the Divine Presence depart [from Israel], moving from place to place:83Cf. R.H. 31a (Sonc. ed., pp. 147f). from the ark-cover to the cherub, from the cherub to the threshold of the house, from the threshold of the house to the two cherubim, from the two cherubim to the roof of the Sanctuary, from the roof of the Sanctuary to the wall of the Temple court, from the wall of the Temple court to the altar, from the altar to the city, from the city to the mountain, from the mountain to the wilderness, [and finally it ascended to its abode on high].84The words in brackets are added by GRA. ‘From the ark-cover to the cherub’, as it is stated, And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly.852 Sam. 22, 11; Ps. 18, 11. GRA precedes this quotation with, And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the ark-cover (Ex. 25, 22) to indicate the starting-point of the ascent. ‘From the cherub to the threshold of the house’, as it is stated, And the glory of the Lord mounted up from the cherub to the threshold of the house.86Ez. 10, 4. The words in the text are not found as a verse in the Bible. ‘From the threshold of the house to the two cherubim’, as it is stated, And the glory of the Lord went forth from off the threshold of the house and stood over the cherubim.87ibid. 18 ‘From the cherubim to the roof of the Sanctuary’, as it is stated, It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop.88Prov. 21, 9. ‘From the roof of the Sanctuary to the wall of the Temple court’, as it is stated, And, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumbline.89Amos 7, 7. ‘From the wall of the Temple court to the altar’, as it is stated, I saw the Lord standing beside the altar.90ibid. IX, 1. ‘From the altar to the city’, as it is stated, Hark! the Lord crieth unto the city.91Micah 6, 9. ‘From the city to the mountain’, as it is stated, And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain.92Ez. 11, 23. ‘From the mountain to the wilderness’, as it is stated, It is better to dwell in a desert land.93Prov. 21, 19. ‘And finally it ascended to its abode on high’, as it is stated, I will go and return to My place.94Hos. 5, 15.

80. 34.8

    By ten terms is a prophet designated, viz. ambassador, the faithful one, servant, messenger, visionary, watchman, seer, dreamer,95GRA reads ‘messenger’. prophet, and man of God.

81. 34.9

    By ten terms is the Holy Spirit designated, viz. proverb, parable, riddle, speech, oracle, triumphant song,96There is a variant reading סוכה, ‘foreseeing’, which Schechter emends to סופה, ‘tempest’. GRA reads ‘calling’. command, burden, prophecy, and vision.

82. 34.10

    By ten terms is joy described, viz. joy, gladness, happiness, song, exultation, pleasure, delight, rejoicing, triumph, and jubilation.

83. 34.11

    Ten are distinguished by the expression ‘living’,97The list enumerates eleven, but the obvious intruder is ‘a tree’ which is not found in the parallel passage in Yalḳuṭ, Psalms, 874. viz. the Holy One, blessed be He, [as it is stated], The Lord God is the true God, He is the living God.98Jer. 10, 10. The Torah is termed living, as it is stated, She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her.99Prov. 3, 18. Israel are described as living, as it is stated, But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.100Deut. 4, 4. The righteous are termed living, as it is stated, The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.101Prov. 11, 30. GRA reads ‘good deeds’ for ‘the righteous’. The Garden of Eden is described by the term living, as it is stated, I will walk before the Lord in the lands of the living.102Ps. 116, 9. A tree is described as living, as it is stated, The tree of life also in the midst of the garden.103Gen. 2, 9. [31a] The land of Israel is designated living, as it is stated, And I will set glory in the land of the living.104Ez. 26, 20. Jerusalem is described by the expression living, as it is stated, Every one that is written unto life in Jerusalem.105Is. 4, 3. So according to GRA; V repeats the quotation from Ps. 116, 9. GRA’s continuation is: the world to come is called living, quoting Dan.XII, 2, some to everlasting life; righteousness is called living (cf. Prov. 12, 28); wisdom is called living (ibid. XIII, 14); light is called living (Job 33, 30). The practice of lovingkindness is termed living, as it is stated, For Thy lovingkindness is better than life; my lips shall praise Thee.106Ps. 63, 4. The wise are termed living, as it is stated, The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life.107Prov. 13, 14. Waters are described as living, as it is stated, And it shall come to pass on that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem.108Zech. 14, 8.

84. 35.1

    TEN MIRACLES WERE WROUGHT FOR OUR FATHERS IN JERUSALEM:1The current editions read ‘in the Temple’. This is an error, because the list of miracles wrought in the Temple is given later in the chapter, §5, and the name ‘Jerusalem’ is specified in the last eight items. It would seem that the first two were common to the Temple and Jerusalem. Cf. Aboth 5:8 (Sonc. ed., V, 5, pp. 61f). Furthermore, in the current editions the first two items are followed by, ‘Ten miracles were wrought for our fathers in Jerusalem’. It is suggested that these words were a marginal correction for the opening line of the chapter, intended to replace it, but by mistake it was inserted in the text in addition to the opening line. Cf. Schechter’s note in his ed. THE HALLOWED FLESH NEVER TURNED PUTRID; NO WOMAN MISCARRIED THROUGH THE SMELL OF THE HALLOWED FLESH; no man was ever injured in Jerusalem, no man was ever attacked in Jerusalem; no man ever stumbled in Jerusalem; never did fire break out in Jerusalem; never did a building collapse in Jerusalem; no man ever said to his fellow, ‘I cannot find an oven in which to roast the Passover-offering in Jerusalem’; no man ever said to his fellow, ‘I cannot find a bed to sleep on in Jerusalem’; AND NO MAN EVER SAID TO HIS FELLOW, ‘THE PLACE IS TOO STRAIT FOR ME TO LODGE OVERNIGHT IN JERUSALEM’.

85. 35.2

    [The2Here is enumerated a list of special regulations which applied to Jerusalem. Cf. B.Ḳ. 82b (Sonc. ed., pp. 468f) and Maimonides, Yad, Beth Habbeḥirah, VII, 14. houses of] Jerusalem cannot become defiled by leprosy.3Cf. Lev. 14, 34-53. The law of leprosy of houses did not apply to the buildings in Jerusalem. [Jerusalem] cannot be condemned as an apostate city.4Cf. Deut. 13, 13-18. No juttings, balconies or gutters in it were allowed to overhang the public thoroughfare lest they form a tent for defilement by a corpse.5Cf. Num. 19, 14. No dead bodies were kept in it overnight,6The dead were buried the same day and not kept overnight. and no human bones were carried through it. A resident alien was not permitted to settle in it. No graves were allowed to remain within it, except the tombs of the House of David and of the prophetess Huldah, which existed there since the days of the early prophets. And why, when they cleared the city of graves, did they not remove these tombs? It is said that there was an underground cave there through which the uncleanness passed out to the brook Kidron.7There was accordingly no danger of the defilement being spread. No plants were planted in it;8The reason was the same as for the regulation forbidding all overhanging projections; here, too, the branches of the trees would form a ‘tent’ over a corpse and thereby spread the defilement. no gardens or orchards were laid out in it, except the rose-gardens which existed there from the days of the early prophets. No geese or fowl were reared in it,9These birds spread defilement by carrying reptiles in their beaks. and needless to say no pigs;10Cf. B.Ḳ. 79b (Sonc. ed., p. 453). no dunghills were allowed to remain in it on account of uncleanness. No ‘stubborn and rebellious son’11Cf. Deut. 21, 18ff. could be condemned in it, according to the view of R. Nathan, for it is stated, Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place,12ibid. 19. and Jerusalem is neither his city nor his place.13Because Jerusalem had not been divided among the tribes, but was in trust for all Israel collectively. There was therefore no ownership of land in the city. No houses could be sold there [together with the ground on which they stood], but only the structure above the ground; and no house sold in it became irredeemable after twelve months.14As in the law with a dwelling-house in a walled city; cf. Lev. 25, 29f. No payment was allowed to be taken there as rent, but a charge could be made for the hire of bed and bedding.15The text is in disorder, and the translation follows the emendations of GRA. R. Judah said: It was not even allowed to make a charge for bed and bedding. What did they16i.e. the pilgrims who came to Jerusalem for the Festivals and lived in houses rent free. do with the skins of the sacrifices?17The skins of private sacrifices belonged to the offerer. They gave them to the proprietors of the guest-houses. Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Visitors were accommodated within the house while the owners lived outside; visitors therefore acted shrewdly and used to bring as offerings Egyptian lambs18According to another reading, ‘multi-coloured’. whose skins were worth four or five selas each which they gave to the owners of guest-houses in Jerusalem, and in this way the house-owners profited.

86. 35.3

    One verse of Scripture states, [The place which the Lord shall choose] in one of thy tribes;19Deut. 12, 14. and another verse states, [The place which the Lord your God shall choose] out of all your tribes.20ibid. 5. In one of thy tribes refers to [a place in] the tribes of Judah and Benjamin;21i.e. the Temple, which was partly in Benjamin’s lot and partly in Judah’s. out of all your tribes refers to Jerusalem, in which all Israel have a share. What was in the portion of Judah? The Temple mount, the priestly chambers and the courts. And what was in the portion of Benjamin? The Sanctuary, the porch and the Holy of Holies. A wedge22lit. ‘like the head of an ox’. of land projected [from Judah’s portion], entered [Benjamin’s portion], and then fell back again [into Judah’s portion], and on this the altar was built. Thus Benjamin was deemed worthy to become the host of the Almighty, as it is stated, And He dwelleth between his shoulders.23ibid. XXXIII, 12. Since the ark, symbolizing the Divine Presence, was in the Holy of Holies which was located in Benjamin’s territory.

87. 35.4

    Joshua24i.e. Joshua the son of Nun when he was about to apportion the land among the tribes. This is the reading of MS. E and the commentators. V reads ‘R. Joshua b. Levi’. said, ‘As soon as I know that the Temple will be situated in the region between Judah and Benjamin, I will go and set aside the fertile region around Jericho [as compensation]’.25The tribe which will give up part of its territory for the Temple will receive this fertile land in compensation. It is known that the tribe of Benjamin eventually claimed this land. And who enjoyed its produce all the intervening years? The children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, as it is stated, And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm-trees.26Judg. 1, 16. The city of palm-trees is the fertile land at Jericho; cf. Deut. 34, 3. Jethro’s descendants enjoyed this region for four hundred and forty years, i.e. from the entry into Canaan until the building of the Temple. They27i.e. the Sages. said that when the Holy One, blessed be He, will again reveal His Presence, He will pay a goodly reward to Jethro and his sons. And whence did Jethro’s descendants maintain themselves [in the meantime]?28From the time they gave up possession of that region until the realization of their promised reward. From their pottery works,29So according to the MSS. and the marginal reading. V has ‘from charity’. as it is stated, And the families of scribes that dwelt at Jabez;301 Chron. 2, 55. and it also states, These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plantations,31ibid. IV, 23. etc. For they were great men, possessed of houses, fields and vineyards, but for the sake of the work of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, they abandoned everything and departed, and there they dwelt occupied in the king’s work.32ibid. The word ‘king’ is understood of God. The translation of the passage follows a variant text. Where did they go? To Jabez33According to Rabbinic tradition Jabez is identical with Othniel the son of Kenaz; cf. Tem. 16a (Sonc. ed., p. 111, n. 13). to study Torah with him, and so they became the All-present’s people. For Jabez was a good and worthy man, true and pious, who sat and expounded the Torah, as it is stated, And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying: Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed … And God granted him that which he requested.34ibid. 10.

88. 35.5

    TEN MIRACLES WERE WROUGHT FOR OUR FATHERS IN THE TEMPLE: NO FLY WAS EVER SEEN IN THE TEMPLE SLAUGHTER-HOUSE. NO UNCLEAN ACCIDENT EVER BEFELL THE HIGH PRIEST ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. There was an exception in the case of R. Ishmael b. Ḳimḥith who went out [on the Day of Atonement] to converse with a certain prince and some saliva dropped from the latter’s mouth and fell upon his garments, [thereby rendering him unclean]; so his brother entered and officiated as High Priest in his stead. Their mother accordingly saw her two sons [officiating as] High Priests on that day. On seeing her the Sages asked her, ‘What merit had you?’ She replied, ‘Never did the beams of my house see the hair of my head’.35It being improper, especially for a married woman, to expose her hair; cf. Yoma 47a (Sonc. ed., p. 223, n. 4). In the Talmudic version he conversed with an Arab, not with a prince. No man36V inserts ‘No man was ever attacked in Jerusalem’. It is out of place in this paragraph which deals with the miracles in the Temple, and is omitted in the MSS. was ever injured in the Temple, and no man ever stumbled there. NO WOMAN EVER MISCARRIED THROUGH THE SMELL OF THE HALLOWED FLESH. Never did the priests render a sacrifice disqualified. Whenever the priests ate too much of the hallowed flesh they used [31b] to drink the waters of Siloam, whereby the food was assimilated within them as in the normal process of digestion. 6.

89. 35.6

    NO DISQUALIFYING DEFECT WAS EVER FOUND IN THE ‘OMER,37The measure of the new barley which was offered on the second day of Passover (Lev. 23, 10). OR IN THE TWO LOAVES,38These were baked of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest and offered on Pentecost (ibid. 17). OR IN THE SHEWBREAD.39Cf. ibid. XXIV, 5ff.

90. 35.7

    Whenever an earthenware vessel was broken, the fragments were swallowed up in the place [where they lay].40Cf. Yoma 21a (Sonc. ed., p. 92). THE WIND NEVER PREVAILED OVER THE PILLAR OF SMOKE [which ascended from the altar]. When the pillar of smoke ascended from the altar of the burnt-offering it rose up straight as a stick until it reached the sky; and when the column of incense went forth from the golden altar, it proceeded in a direct line towards the Holy of Holies.

91. 35.8

    THE PEOPLE STOOD CLOSELY PRESSED TOGETHER YET FOUND AMPLE SPACE TO PROSTRATE THEMSELVES. When Israel went up to prostrate themselves before their Father in heaven, although they sat so closely pressed together that none could insert a finger between them, yet when they prostrated themselves they found ample space to do so. The greatest miracle of all was that even when a hundred people were bowing all at the same time, the superintendent of the assembly never found it necessary to call out, ‘Make room for your brethren’. Miracles were wrought also in the Temple court; for even if all Israel entered there, the Temple court accommodated them all. The greatest miracle of all was that when Israel stood in prayer so closely pressed together that none could insert a finger between them, yet when they prostrated themselves there was the space of a man’s height between them.41The several sentences in this passage are apparently different versions of the same tradition.

92. 35.9

    Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Jerusalem is destined that all the nations and all the kingdoms will be gathered together in her midst, as it is stated, And all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, [to Jerusalem],42Jer. 3, 17. and elsewhere it declares, Let the waters be gathered together;43Gen. 1, 9. as the ‘gathering together’ of the latter verse means that all the waters of creation are to be brought into one place, so the ‘gathering together’ of the former verse means that all the nations and kingdoms will be assembled in her midst, as it is stated, And all the nations shall be gathered unto it.

93. 36.1

    The men of Sodom will neither come to life [in the hereafter] nor be brought to judgment,1The eschatological doctrines assumed here are that some time in the future, after the Messianic era, the dead will come to life again. This will be followed by the Day of Judgment, and all who will be acquitted will then enjoy the world to come. It would seem that all, the wicked as well as the righteous, will be resurrected, with the exception only of the very wicked who, as enumerated here, will not come back to life and consequently will not stand in judgment. For a comprehensive study of this subject, cf. the chapters on ‘The Hereafter’ in G. F. Moore, Judaism, II, Part VII and A. Cohen, Everyman’s Talmud, chap. XI. The Talmudic source is Sanh. 107b ff (Sonc. ed., pp. 737ff). for it is stated, Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against the Lord exceedingly:2Gen. 13, 13. they were wicked towards one another, sinners by incest, against the Lord refers to the profanation of the Name, exceedingly implies that they deliberately set out to sin. This is the view of R. Eliezer; but R. Joshua said: They will be brought to judgment, as it is stated, Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous:3Ps. 1, 5. they will not stand in the congregation of the righteous, but they will stand in the congregation of the wicked. R. Nehemiah said: They will not even enter into the congregation of the wicked [for judgment], as it is stated, Let sinners cease out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more.4ibid. CIV, 35. The children of the wicked5i.e. the young children of wicked parents in Israel who died in infancy and have not sinned; what will be their future? Cf. Sanh. 110b (Sonc. ed., p. 760). will neither come to life [in the hereafter] nor be brought to judgment, as it is stated, For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; [and all the proud, and all that work wickedness shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall set them ablaze, saith the Lord of hosts], that it shall leave them neither root not branch.6Mal. 3, 19. This is the view of R. Eliezer but R. Joshua said: They will enter [the world to come], and concerning them Scripture declares, He cried aloud, and said this: Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit;7Dan. 4, 11. but it also states, Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even in a band of iron and brass.8ibid. 12. Now the word root is mentioned here and also in the former verse: as here9In Daniel. the word root refers to the stock of the tree,10i.e. it speaks of the preservation of the stock of the tree. so there11The passage in Malachi dealing with the destruction of the wicked. the word root refers to the stock of man.12i.e. the preservation of the stock which is man’s posterity. Thus the wicked will be annihilated but their young children will be resurrected in the world to come. How then am I to explain the words, That it shall leave them neither root nor branch? No merit will be found for them13viz. the wicked parents. upon which they can rely. Other Sages said: They will enter [the world to come], and concerning them Scripture states, One shall say: I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.14Is. 44, 5. Cf. Rashi ad loc. One shall say: I am the Lord’s: these are the perfectly righteous; another shall call himself by the name of Jacob: these are the children of the wicked;15Who, being entirely free from sin, have never forfeited the name of ‘Jacob’. another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord; these are the wicked who abandoned their ways, reformed and repented; and surname himself by the name of Israel; these are the proselytes from among the nations of the world.16Another reading is ‘these are the true proselytes’.

94. 36.2

    Korah and his company will neither come to life [in the hereafter] nor be brought to judgment, as it is stated, And the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly.17Num. 16, 33. This is the view of R. Eliezer; but R. Joshua said: They will be brought to judgment, and concerning them Scripture declares, The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.181 Sam. 2, 6. Now here [in connection with Korah] the word grave is mentioned, So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the grave,19Num. ibid. E.V. pit. and there also the word grave is mentioned: as in the latter verse [Scripture speaks of] bringing down to the grave and also bringing up, so here too they went down but will come up in the hereafter. R. Eliezer said to him, ‘How then am I to explain the words, And the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the assembly?’ He replied, ‘They perished from among the assembly, but they did not perish from [entering into] the world to come’.

95. 36.3

    The generation of the wilderness will neither come to life [in the hereafter] nor be brought to judgment, as it is stated, In the wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die;20ibid. XIV, 35. and it also declares, Wherefore I swore in My wrath, that they shall not enter into My rest.21Ps. 95, 11. The psalmist speaks of the generation of the wilderness. This is the view of R. Eliezer; but R. Joshua said: They will be brought to judgment, and concerning them Scripture states, Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.22ibid. L, 5. The phrase My saints refers to the generation of the wilderness who made a covenant with God by sacrifices; cf. Ex. 24, 5-8. R. Eliezer said to him, ‘How then am I to explain the words, Wherefore I swore in My wrath?’ He replied, ‘They refer to the spies and all the wicked of that generation’. R. Joshua said to him, ‘And how am I to explain the words, Gather My saints together unto Me?’ He replied, ‘They refer to Moses, Aaron, the pious of that generation and the tribe of Levi’.23This passage, enclosed in brackets, is undoubtedly out of place and should be inserted at the conclusion of the view of R. Jose the Galilean. It is against his argument that this objection is raised. (They objected to his argument: Is it only of the wicked that the expression there is used and not of the righteous? Surely it is stated, There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife;24Gen. 49, 31. and also, In my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there thou shalt bury me;25ibid. L, 5. and also, And Miriam died there and was buried there;26Num. 20, 1. and it is also stated, And Aaron the priest went up … and died there;27ibid. XXXIII, 38. and also, So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.)28Deut. 34, 5. R. Jose the Galilean said: They will not be brought to judgment, as it is stated, In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die;29Num. 14, 35. and it is also stated, And they shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley:30Deut. 21, 4. The comparison is made on the strength of the common word there, mentioned in both verses. as the word there used in connection with the heifer means that it will die and not be moved from its place,31The beheaded heifer had to be buried in the place where the ceremony took place. Cf. Sifrë ad loc. so the word there used in this passage means that they will die and not be moved from their place.32Here follows logically the objection against the argument, viz. the bracketed passage above. Many verses are adduced which contain the word there and allude to the righteous. Other Sages said: They will be brought to judgment, and concerning them Scripture declares, Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: … I remember for thee the affection of thy youth.33Jer. 2, 2. The generation of the wilderness are here praised for their loyalty to God, and the prophet declares that this act of faith will stand future generations in good stead so that they will be worthy of a place in the world to come. And if descendants will enter the world to come in their merit, surely they themselves will enter! Cf. Sanh. 110b (Sonc. ed., pp. 758f).

96. 36.4

    The ten tribes will neither come to life [in the hereafter] nor be brought to judgment, as it is stated, And the Lord rooted them out of their land … and cast them into another land, as it is this day.34Deut. 29, 27. R. Simeon b. Yoḥai35In some texts: R. Simeon b. Judah. said: As this day (in which they rebelled)36The bracketed words are deleted by GRA and are missing in several MSS. has passed never to return, so they will never return. R. ‘Aḳiba said: As the day darkens and then becomes light, so their darkness will be followed by light in the hereafter. Rabban Gamaliel said: It is stated, That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children,37ibid. XI, 21. and it also declares, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children:38ibid. XXIV, 16. when the father prolongs his days the son also prolongs his days, and when the father does not prolong his days the son also does not prolong his days.39This statement of Rabban Gamaliel is, according to the commentators, out of place here. It would seem that he is expressing a favourable view with regard to the future of the generation of the wilderness. In the first verse he notes that the days of the parents and the days of the children are equated, and he argues therefrom that since the days of the children are prolonged, because they did not sin in the wilderness, and will merit life in the hereafter, so the parents’ days will also be prolonged and they too will be deemed worthy of the hereafter on account of their children. The second verse adds force to his view that the children’s virtue will stand in good stead for the parents. R. Jose the Galilean supports the view of R. Eliezer, and Rabban Gamaliel supports that of R. Joshua.40Rabban Gamaliel and R. Joshua both hold a favourable view for the generation of the wilderness, while R. Eliezer is supported by R. Jose the Galilean in denying them life in the world to come.

97. 36.5

    Seven have no portion in the world to come,41If they do not conduct their affairs with the utmost caution and sincerity. viz. a scribe,42A writer of sacred texts such as Torah scrolls, and for Tefillin and Mezuzoth. Cf. ‘Erub. 13a (Sonc. ed., p. 81) where the scribe is admonished to be meticulous in his work lest by the addition or omission of one letter he destroy the world by writing blasphemous matter. a writer,43A writer of deeds and documents who can do untold harm by careless writing, and even by forging documents. Some translate sofer as ‘a teacher of young children’, and refer to Mishnah Ḳid. 82a (Sonc. ed., pp. 421f). the best [32a] of doctors,44A doctor who considers himself the ‘best’, and refuses in his conceit to consult others could be responsible for the patient’s death; or one who is at the height of his profession and refuses to attend poor patients. Cf. Ḳid. loc. cit. (Sonc. ed., p. 423, n. 9). a city judge,45One who sits alone as judge. This is strongly condemned by the Rabbis; cf. Aboth 4:10 (Sonc. ed., IV, 8, p. 48). Such a man is too sure of himself and lacks the qualities essential in a judge: humility and responsibility. Some interpret the term as referring to judges in general; for their condemnation, cf. Shab. 139a (Sonc. ed., p. 700). a diviner,46He misleads people by his prognostications. A variant, adopted by GRA, is ‘a shopkeeper’. His trade is described in Ḳid. loc. cit. as the trade of robbers, because he frequently resorts to fraudulent practices. a communal official47Either the officer of the court who carries out its sentences and can inflict vindictive punishment upon the condemned, or the precentor of the Synagogue who renders the service not in a spirit of devotion but to display his vocal ability. and a butcher.48On account of monetary loss he is prepared to declare fit for consumption an animal about which there is a doubt. Cf. Ḳid. loc. cit. This passage [cf. Soferim XV, 10, below p. 287] has long been a perplexing problem to scholars, and much learning has been displayed to justify the severe condemnation of the seven types. Cf. the commentaries. An ingenious interpretation of the passage has been put forward by Rabbi Moses Kunitzer in his Hammaẓref, Part I, pp. 74f. He suggests that the seven occupations are merely a mnemonic for the seven names of persons listed in the following paragraph (and also in Sanh. 90a, Sonc. ed., pp. 602f) who have no portion in the world to come. Much ingenuity is exercised to find the link whereby the occupation is connected with the respective name. E.g. the ‘writer’ represents Ahab who, as reported in Sanh. 102b (Sonc. ed., p. 697), wrote on the gates of Samaria ‘Ahab denies the God of Israel’; the ‘diviner’ represents Balaam who is described in Josh. 13, 22 as the soothsayer.

98. 36.6

    Three kings and four commoners have no portion in the world to come. 49Cf. Mishnah Sanh. 90a (Sonc. ed., pp. 602f).The three kings are: Jeroboam, Ahab and Manasseh. The four commoners are: Balaam, Doeg, Ahithophel and Gehazi. R. Judah said: Manasseh had since repented, as it is stated, And he prayed unto Him; and He was entreated of him, [and heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom].502 Chron. 33, 13. The Sages said to him: Had the verse merely stated And brought him back to Jerusalem and no more, we should have agreed with your view; but since the verse adds into his kingdom, this signifies that He brought him back to his kingdom only, but not to life in the world to come. R. Meir said: Absalom had no portion in the world to come.51For this and the next paragraph, cf. Sanh. 103b (Sonc. ed., p. 702). R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: Jeroboam, Ahab, Manasseh, Baasa, Ahaziah, and all the kings of Israel who acted wickedly, have no portion in the world to come. R. Joḥanan b. Nuri said: Also he who pronounces the Name by its letters52i.e. he pronounces the Tetragrammaton as it is spelt. Cf. Mishnah Sanh. 90a (Sonc. ed., p. 602). has no portion in the world to come. He used to say: He who renders the Song of Songs in a warbling manner,53lit. ‘he trills with his voice’; cf. Tosiftha Sanh. XII, 5. According to Sanh. 101a (Sonc. ed., p. 684) the meaning is that he treats the verses of the Song of Songs as a secular poem. According to Rashi ad loc. he recites it not in agreement with the traditional cantillation. and he who utters a charm over a wound, expectorating upon it,54Before uttering the charm; cf. Sanh. 90a (Sonc. ed., p. 602). and says, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee,55Ex. 15, 26. have no portion in the world to come. The Sages said: Any scholar who once studied the Torah and abandoned it has no portion in the world to come, as it is stated, Because he hath despised the word of the Lord,56Num. 15, 31. and it also declares, What unrighteousness have your fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me?57Jer. 2, 5. R. Meir said: Whoever has a House of Study in his town and does not attend there has no portion in the world to come. R. ‘Aḳiba said: Also he who does not minister to the Sages has no portion in the world to come.

99. 37.1

    There are seven creations [in the universe] in ascending degrees of importance. High above everything God created the firmament. Above1i.e. of greater importance and usefulness. the firmament are2lit. ‘He created’, and so throughout this passage. the stars which give light to the world. Above the stars are the trees, because trees yield fruit whereas the stars yield no fruit. Above the trees are the violent winds,2a(2a) The phrase could also be translated ‘evil spirits’. because the violent winds go from place to place whereas the trees cannot move from their place. Above the violent winds are the beasts, because the beasts toil and eat whereas the violent winds neither toil nor eat. Above the beasts is man, because man is able to reason whereas the beasts cannot reason. Above man are the ministering angels, because the ministering angels wander from one end of the earth to the other whereas man cannot do so.

100. 37.2

     Six things are said of human beings, in three they resemble the animal and in three they resemble the ministering angels.3For this and the next paragraph, cf. Ḥag. 16a (Sonc. ed., pp. 101f). ‘In three they resemble the animal’—they eat and drink like the animal, they multiply like the animal, and they excrete like the animal. ‘In three they resemble the ministering angels’—they have understanding like the ministering angels, they walk erect like the ministering angels, and they converse in the holy tongue like the ministering angels.

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The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London Soncino Press, 1965. Via Sefaria (sefaria.org), Sefaria-Export. Version source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH002035163/NLI Licence: CC-BY. Source.