Abolitionist Torah Study Syllabus
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ShareSyllabus for the first 13 weeks of the Abolitionist Torah Study group, which will be facilitated by Noraa Kaplan
Week One — June 28
שנים שיושבין ועוסקין בתורה שכרם מתקבל במרום שנאמר (מלאכי ג׳:ט״ז) אז נדברו יראי ה׳ איש אל רעהו ויקשב ה׳. אלו הן יראי ה׳ אלו שגוזרים גזרה ואומרים נלך ונתיר את האסורים ונפדה את השבויים והספיק הקב"ה בידיהם והולכין ועושין מייד. ואלו הן ולחושבי שמו אלו שמחשבין בלבם ואומרים נלך ונתיר את האסורים ונפדה את השבויים ולא הספיק הקב״ה בידיהם ובא מלאך וחבטן בקרקע:
When two people sit together and engage in Torah, their reward is accrued on High – as it says (Malachi 3:16), “Then the God-fearing people spoke together, every man to his fellow, and the Eternal listened.” And who are these God-fearing people? It is those who make a public proclamation, saying: We must go and release prisoners and redeem the captives. Then the Holy Blessed One provides for them and they are able to go and accomplish this immediately. And who are those that “think of God’s name” (the end of the verse in Malachi 3:16)? These are the people who just think silently in their hearts: We should go and release the prisoners and redeem the captives. The Holy Blessed One does not provide for them, and an angel comes along and smacks them to the ground.
Week 2 — July 5
אִיפְרָא הוֹרְמִיז אִימֵּיהּ דְּשַׁבּוּר מַלְכָּא שַׁדַּרָה אַרְנְקָא דְּדִינָרֵי לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב יוֹסֵף אֲמַרָה לֶיהֱוֵי לְמִצְוָה רַבָּה יָתֵיב רַב יוֹסֵף וְקָא מְעַיֵּין בַּהּ מַאי מִצְוָה רַבָּה אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי מִדְּתָנֵי רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יְהוּדָה אֵין פּוֹסְקִין צְדָקָה עַל הַיְּתוֹמִים אֲפִילּוּ לְפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם מִצְוָה רַבָּה הִיא אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן דְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם מִצְוָה רַבָּה הִיא אֲמַר לֵיהּ דִּכְתִיב וְהָיָה כִּי יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ אָנָה נֵצֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ אֲשֶׁר לַמָּוֶת לַמָּוֶת וַאֲשֶׁר לַחֶרֶב לַחֶרֶב וַאֲשֶׁר לָרָעָב לָרָעָב וַאֲשֶׁר לַשְּׁבִי לַשֶּׁבִי וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כׇּל הַמְאוּחָר בְּפָסוּק זֶה קָשֶׁה מֵחֲבֵירוֹ חֶרֶב קָשָׁה מִמָּוֶת אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא הַאי קָא מִינַּוַּול וְהַאי לָא קָא מִינַּוַּול וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא יָקָר בְּעֵינֵי ה׳ הַמָּוְתָה לַחֲסִידָיו רָעָב קָשֶׁה מֵחֶרֶב אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא הַאי קָא מִצְטַעַר וְהַאי לָא קָא מִצְטַעַר אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא טוֹבִים הָיוּ חַלְלֵי חֶרֶב מֵחַלְלֵי רָעָב שֶׁבִי [קָשֶׁה מִכּוּלָּם] דְּכוּלְּהוּ אִיתַנְהוּ בֵּיהּ:
Incidental to this story, the Gemara relates that Ifera Hurmiz, the mother of King Shapur, king of Persia, sent a purse [arneka] full of dinars to Rav Yosef. She said to him: Let the money be used for a great mitzva. Rav Yosef sat and considered the question: What did Ifera Hurmiz mean when she attached a condition to the gift, saying that it should be used for a great mitzva? Abaye said to him: From what Rav Shmuel bar Yehuda taught, that one does not impose a charity obligation on orphans even for the sake of redeeming captives, learn from this that redeeming captives is a great mitzva. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: Concerning this matter that the Sages stated, that redeeming captives is a great mitzva, from where is it derived? Rabba bar Mari said to him: As it is written: “And it shall come to pass, when they say to you: To where shall we depart? Then you shall tell them: So says the Lord: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for famine, to famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity” (Jeremiah 15:2). And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Whichever punishment is written later in this verse is more severe than the one before it. Rabbi Yoḥanan explains: The sword is worse than death. If you wish, say that this is learned from a verse; if you wish, say instead that it is derived by way of logical reasoning. If you wish, say that this is derived by way of logical reasoning: This punishment, i.e., death by sword, mutilates the body, but that punishment, i.e., natural death, does not mutilate it. And if you wish, say that the fact that the sword is worse than death is learned from a verse: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). Famine is worse than the sword. If you wish, say that this is derived by way of logical reasoning: This one, who dies of famine, suffers greatly before departing from this world, but that one, who dies by the sword, does not suffer. If you wish, say instead that the fact that famine is worse than the sword is learned from a verse: “More fortunate were the victims of the sword than the victims of famine” (Lamentations 4:9). And captivity is worse than all of them, as it includes all of them, i.e., famine, the sword, and death.
Week 3 — July 12
וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע שְׁפַטְיָ֣ה בֶן־מַתָּ֗ן וּגְדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־פַּשְׁח֔וּר וְיוּכַל֙ בֶּן־שֶׁ֣לֶמְיָ֔הוּ וּפַשְׁח֖וּר בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּ֑ה אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ מְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃ כֹּה֮ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָה֒ הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את יָמ֕וּת בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְהַיֹּצֵ֤א אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים֙ (יחיה) [וְחָיָ֔ה] וְהָיְתָה־לּ֥וֹ נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לְשָׁלָ֖ל וָחָֽי׃ {ס} כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה הִנָּתֹ֨ן תִּנָּתֵ֜ן הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֗את בְּיַ֛ד חֵ֥יל מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל וּלְכָדָֽהּ׃ וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ הַשָּׂרִ֜ים אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ י֣וּמַת נָא֮ אֶת־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּה֒ כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֡ן הֽוּא־מְרַפֵּ֡א אֶת־יְדֵי֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים ׀ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֗את וְאֵת֙ יְדֵ֣י כׇל־הָעָ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֣י ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֗ה אֵינֶ֨נּוּ דֹרֵ֧שׁ לְשָׁל֛וֹם לָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כִּ֥י אִם־לְרָעָֽה׃ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ הִנֵּה־ה֖וּא בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יוּכַ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃ וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֨כוּ אֹת֜וֹ אֶל־הַבּ֣וֹר ׀ מַלְכִּיָּ֣הוּ בֶן־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּחֲצַ֣ר הַמַּטָּרָ֔ה וַיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּחֲבָלִ֑ים וּבַבּ֤וֹר אֵֽין־מַ֙יִם֙ כִּ֣י אִם־טִ֔יט וַיִּטְבַּ֥ע יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּטִּֽיט׃ {ס} וַיִּשְׁמַ֡ע עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אִ֣ישׁ סָרִ֗יס וְהוּא֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־נָתְנ֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּשַׁ֥עַר בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ וַיֵּצֵ֥א עֶבֶד־מֶ֖לֶךְ מִבֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר׃ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הֵרֵ֜עוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ אֵ֣ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ לְיִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיָּ֤מׇת תַּחְתָּיו֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָרָעָ֔ב כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין הַלֶּ֛חֶם ע֖וֹד בָּעִֽיר׃ וַיְצַוֶּ֣ה הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֛ת עֶבֶד־מֶ֥לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר קַ֣ח בְּיָדְךָ֤ מִזֶּה֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְֽהַעֲלִ֜יתָ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֧הוּ הַנָּבִ֛יא מִן־הַבּ֖וֹר בְּטֶ֥רֶם יָמֽוּת׃ וַיִּקַּ֣ח ׀ עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֗וֹ וַיָּבֹ֤א בֵית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־תַּ֣חַת הָאוֹצָ֔ר וַיִּקַּ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ בְּלוֹיֵ֣ (הסחבות) [סְחָב֔וֹת] וּבְלוֹיֵ֖ מְלָחִ֑ים וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֧ם אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֖וֹר בַּחֲבָלִֽים׃ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ שִׂ֣ים נָ֠א בְּלוֹאֵ֨י הַסְּחָב֤וֹת וְהַמְּלָחִים֙ תַּ֚חַת אַצִּל֣וֹת יָדֶ֔יךָ מִתַּ֖חַת לַחֲבָלִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ כֵּֽן׃ וַיִּמְשְׁכ֤וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ בַּחֲבָלִ֔ים וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ בַּחֲצַ֖ר הַמַּטָּרָֽה׃ {ס}
Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah heard what Jeremiah was saying to all the people: “Thus said the LORD: Whoever remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans shall live; he shall at least gain his life-a and shall live. Thus said the LORD: This city shall be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon’s army, and he shall capture it.” Then the officials said to the king, “Let that man be put to death, for he disheartens the soldiers, and all the people who are left in this city, by speaking such things to them. That man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm!” King Zedekiah replied, “He is in your hands; the king cannot oppose you in anything!” So they took Jeremiah and put him down in the pit of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the prison compound; they let Jeremiah down by ropes. There was no water in the pit, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud. Ebed-melech the Cushite, a eunuch who was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the pit. The king was then sitting at the Benjamin Gate; so Ebed-melech left the king’s palace, and spoke to the king: “O lord king, those men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah; they have put him down in the pit, to die there of hunger.” For there was no more bread in the city. Then the king instructed Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take with you thirty men from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the pit before he dies.” So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went to the king’s palace, to a place below-d the treasury. There they got worn cloths and rags, which they let down to Jeremiah in the pit by ropes. And Ebed-melech the Cushite called to Jeremiah, “Put the worn cloths and rags under your armpits, inside the ropes.” Jeremiah did so, and they pulled Jeremiah up by the ropes and got him out of the pit. And Jeremiah remained in the prison compound.
וְאֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ הָיָ֣ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֑ה בִּֽהְיֹת֣וֹ עָצ֔וּר בַּחֲצַ֥ר הַמַּטָּרָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ הָל֣וֹךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ לְעֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨י אֶת־דְּבָרַ֜י אֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את לְרָעָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א לְטוֹבָ֑ה וְהָי֥וּ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥יךָ בַיּוֹם־הַה֖וּא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ בְּיַ֣ד הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה יָג֖וֹר מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ כִּ֤י מַלֵּט֙ אֲמַלֶּטְךָ֔ וּבַחֶ֖רֶב לֹ֣א תִפֹּ֑ל וְהָיְתָ֨ה לְךָ֤ נַפְשְׁךָ֙ לְשָׁלָ֔ל כִּֽי־בָטַ֥חְתָּ בִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
The word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah while he was still confined in the prison compound: Go and say to Ebed-melech the Cushite: “Thus said the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to fulfill My words concerning this city—for disaster, not for good—and they shall come true on that day in your presence. But I will save you on that day—declares the LORD; you shall not be delivered into the hands of the men you dread. I will rescue you, and you shall not fall by the sword. You shall escape with your life,-e because you trusted Me—declares the LORD.”
Week 4 — July 19
פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים קוֹדֵם לְפַרְנָסַת עֲנִיִּים וְלִכְסוּתָן. וְאֵין לְךָ מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה כְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים שֶׁהַשָּׁבוּי הֲרֵי הוּא בִּכְלַל הָרְעֵבִים וְהַצְּמֵאִים וַעֲרוּמִּים וְעוֹמֵד בְּסַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת. וְהַמַּעֲלִים עֵינָיו מִפִּדְיוֹנוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה עוֹבֵר עַל (דברים טו ז) "לֹא תְאַמֵּץ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְלֹא תִקְפֹּץ אֶת יָדְךָ" וְעַל (ויקרא יט טז) "לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ" וְעַל (ויקרא כה נג) "לֹא יִרְדֶּנּוּ בְּפֶרֶךְ לְעֵינֶיךָ". וּבִטֵּל מִצְוַת (דברים טו ח) (דברים טו יא) "פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ". וּמִצְוַת (ויקרא כה לו) "וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ". (ויקרא יט יח) "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ". (משלי כד יא) "וְהַצֵּל לְקֻחִים לַמָּוֶת" וְהַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים כָּאֵלּוּ. וְאֵין לְךָ מִצְוָה רַבָּה כְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים: אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר שֶׁגָּבוּ מָעוֹת לְבִנְיַן בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת וּבָא לָהֶן דְּבַר מִצְוָה מוֹצִיאִין בּוֹ הַמָּעוֹת. קָנוּ אֲבָנִים וְקוֹרוֹת לֹא יִמְכְּרוּם לִדְבַר מִצְוָה אֶלָּא לְפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ אֶת הָאֲבָנִים וּגְדָרוּם וְאֶת הַקּוֹרוֹת וּפְסָלוּם וְהִתְקִינוּ הַכּל לַבִּנְיָן מוֹכְרִין הַכּל לְפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים בִּלְבַד. אֲבָל אִם בָּנוּ וְגָמְרוּ לֹא יִמְכְּרוּ אֶת בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת אֶלָּא יִגְבּוּ לְפִדְיוֹנָן מִן הַצִּבּוּר: אֵין פּוֹדִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִים בְּיֶתֶר עַל דְּמֵיהֶן מִפְּנֵי תִּקּוּן הָעוֹלָם. שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ הָאוֹיְבִים רוֹדְפִין אַחֲרֵיהֶם לִשְׁבּוֹתָם. וְאֵין מַבְרִיחִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִים מִפְּנֵי תִּקּוּן הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ הָאוֹיְבִים מַכְבִּידִין עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת הָעל וּמַרְבִּים בִּשְׁמִירָתָן:
The redemption of captives held for ransom takes precedence over sustaining the poor and clothing them. You do not find a mitzvah greater than the redemption of captives, for captivity is in the same category as famine, drought, or exposure, and one stands in danger to one's life. One who averts his eyes from redeeming [the captive] transgresses [the commandment], (Deut. 15:7) Do not harden your heart and shut your hand, and (Lev. 19:16) Do not stand upon the blood of your neighbor, and (Lev. 25:53) He shall not rule ruthlessly over him in your sight, and nullifies the commandment (Deut. 15:8) You must open your hand, and the commandment, (Lev. 25:36) Let him live by your side as your kinsman, and (Lev. 19:18) Love your fellow as yourself, and (Proverbs 24:11) If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death, [those condemned to slaughter--if you say, "We knew nothing of it," surely He who fathoms hearts will discern], and many such sayings. You cannot find a greater mitzvah than the redemption of captives. If people of a city have collected money for the building of a synagogue, and a matter of a mitzvah comes before them, they should use the money [for the mitzvah]. But if they already purchased stones and beams, they should only sell them in the case of redeeming captives. Even if they have brought the stones and made walls of them, beams and laid them out, they sell it all for the sake of redeeming captives and that alone, but if they have built and completed [the synagogue], they do not sell the synagogue. Rather, they collect for their [the captives'] redemption from the public. They may not redeem the captives for more than their worth for the sake of civilization, so that the enemies will not pursue after them to enslave them [once they find out they are will to pay anything]. And they do not try to make the captives escape for the sake of civilization, so that the enemies will not increase the weight of their yoke and add more guards.
Week 5 — July 26
לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ לֹֽא־תִשְׂנָ֥א אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ הוֹכֵ֤חַ תּוֹכִ֙יחַ֙ אֶת־עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֥א עָלָ֖יו חֵֽטְא׃ לֹֽא־תִקֹּ֤ם וְלֹֽא־תִטֹּר֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃
Do not deal basely with members of your people. Do not profit by the blood of your fellow [Israelite]: I am יהוה. You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart. Reprove your kin but incur no guilt on their account. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against members of your people. Love your fellow [Israelite] as yourself: I am יהוה.
Week 6 — August 2
וְאַמַּאי קָרוּ לֵיהּ ״רֹאשׁ הַמְדַבְּרִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם״? דְּיָתְבִי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְיָתֵיב יְהוּדָה בֶּן גֵּרִים גַּבַּיְיהוּ. פָּתַח רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְאָמַר: כַּמָּה נָאִים מַעֲשֵׂיהֶן שֶׁל אוּמָּה זוֹ: תִּקְּנוּ שְׁוָוקִים, תִּקְּנוּ גְּשָׁרִים, תִּקְנוּ מֶרְחֲצָאוֹת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי שָׁתַק. נַעֲנָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי וְאָמַר: כׇּל מַה שֶּׁתִּקְּנוּ, לֹא תִּקְּנוּ אֶלָּא לְצוֹרֶךְ עַצְמָן. תִּקְּנוּ שְׁווֹקִין — לְהוֹשִׁיב בָּהֶן זוֹנוֹת, מֶרְחֲצָאוֹת — לְעַדֵּן בָּהֶן עַצְמָן, גְּשָׁרִים — לִיטּוֹל מֵהֶן מֶכֶס. הָלַךְ יְהוּדָה בֶּן גֵּרִים וְסִיפֵּר דִּבְרֵיהֶם, וְנִשְׁמְעוּ לַמַּלְכוּת. אָמְרוּ: יְהוּדָה שֶׁעִילָּה — יִתְעַלֶּה. יוֹסֵי שֶׁשָּׁתַק — יִגְלֶה לְצִיפּוֹרִי. שִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁגִּינָּה — יֵהָרֵג. אֲזַל הוּא וּבְרֵיהּ, טְשׁוֹ בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא. כׇּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה מַתְיָא לְהוּ דְּבֵיתְהוּ רִיפְתָּא וְכוּזָא דְמַיָּא וְכָרְכִי. כִּי תְּקֵיף גְּזֵירְתָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ: נָשִׁים דַּעְתָּן קַלָּה עֲלֵיהֶן, דִילְמָא מְצַעֲרִי לַהּ וּמְגַלְּיָא לַן. אֲזַלוּ טְשׁוֹ בִּמְעָרְתָּא. אִיתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָּא אִיבְּרִי לְהוּ חָרוּבָא וְעֵינָא דְמַיָּא, וַהֲווֹ מַשְׁלְחִי מָנַיְיהוּ וַהֲווֹ יָתְבִי עַד צַוְּארַיְיהוּ בְּחָלָא. כּוּלֵּי יוֹמָא גָּרְסִי. בְּעִידָּן צַלּוֹיֵי לָבְשִׁי מִיכַּסּוּ וּמְצַלּוּ, וַהֲדַר מַשְׁלְחִי מָנַיְיהוּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לִיבְלוּ. אִיתִּיבוּ תְּרֵיסַר שְׁנֵי בִּמְעָרְתָּא. אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ וְקָם אַפִּיתְחָא דִמְעָרְתָּא, אֲמַר: מַאן לוֹדְעֵיהּ לְבַר יוֹחַי דְּמִית קֵיסָר וּבְטִיל גְּזֵירְתֵיהּ. נְפַקוּ, חֲזוֹ אִינָשֵׁי דְּקָא כָּרְבִי וְזָרְעִי, אָמְרִין: מַנִּיחִין חַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְעוֹסְקִין בְּחַיֵּי שָׁעָה. כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין עֵינֵיהֶן מִיָּד נִשְׂרָף. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לָהֶם: לְהַחֲרִיב עוֹלָמִי יְצָאתֶם?! חִיזְרוּ לִמְעָרַתְכֶם! הֲדוּר אֲזוּל אִיתִּיבוּ תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי שַׁתָּא. אָמְרִי: מִשְׁפַּט רְשָׁעִים בְּגֵיהִנָּם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: צְאוּ מִמְּעָרַתְכֶם! נְפַקוּ. כָּל הֵיכָא דַּהֲוָה מָחֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הֲוָה מַסֵּי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, דַּי לָעוֹלָם אֲנִי וְאַתָּה.
In this baraita Rabbi Yehuda is described as head of the speakers in every place. The Gemara asks: And why did they call him head of the speakers in every place? The Gemara relates that this resulted due to an incident that took place when Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon were sitting, and Yehuda, son of converts, sat beside them. Rabbi Yehuda opened and said: How pleasant are the actions of this nation, the Romans, as they established marketplaces, established bridges, and established bathhouses. Rabbi Yosei was silent. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai responded and said: Everything that they established, they established only for their own purposes. They established marketplaces, to place prostitutes in them; bathhouses, to pamper themselves; and bridges, to collect taxes from all who pass over them. Yehuda, son of converts, went and related their statements to his household, and those statements continued to spread until they were heard by the monarchy. They ruled and said: Yehuda, who elevated the Roman regime, shall be elevated and appointed as head of the Sages, the head of the speakers in every place. Yosei, who remained silent, shall be exiled from his home in Judea as punishment, and sent to the city of Tzippori in the Galilee. And Shimon, who denounced the government, shall be killed. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai and his son, Rabbi Elazar, went and hid in the study hall. Every day Rabbi Shimon’s wife would bring them bread and a jug of water and they would eat. When the decree intensified, Rabbi Shimon said to his son: Women are easily impressionable and, therefore, there is room for concern lest the authorities torture her and she reveal our whereabouts. They went and they hid in a cave. A miracle occurred and a carob tree was created for them as well as a spring of water. They would remove their clothes and sit covered in sand up to their necks. They would study Torah all day in that manner. At the time of prayer, they would dress, cover themselves, and pray, and they would again remove their clothes afterward so that they would not become tattered. They sat in the cave for twelve years. Elijah the Prophet came and stood at the entrance to the cave and said: Who will inform bar Yoḥai that the emperor died and his decree has been abrogated? They emerged from the cave, and saw people who were plowing and sowing. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: These people abandon eternal life of Torah study and engage in temporal life for their own sustenance. The Gemara relates that every place that Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar directed their eyes was immediately burned. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Did you emerge from the cave in order to destroy My world? Return to your cave. They again went and sat there for twelve months. They said: The judgment of the wicked in Gehenna lasts for twelve months. Surely their sin was atoned in that time. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Emerge from your cave. They emerged. Everywhere that Rabbi Elazar would strike, Rabbi Shimon would heal. Rabbi Shimon said to Rabbi Elazar: My son, you and I suffice for the entire world, as the two of us are engaged in the proper study of Torah.
Week 7 — August 9
אֲמַר: הוֹאִיל וְאִיתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָּא אֵיזִיל אַתְקֵין מִילְּתָא. דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם״, וְאָמַר רַב: שָׁלֵם בְּגוּפוֹ, שָׁלֵם בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, שָׁלֵם בְּתוֹרָתוֹ. ״וַיִּחַן אֶת פְּנֵי הָעִיר״, אָמַר רַב: מַטְבֵּעַ תִּיקֵּן לָהֶם, וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: שְׁוָוקִים תִּיקֵּן לָהֶם, וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: מֶרְחֲצָאוֹת תִּיקֵּן לָהֶם. אֲמַר: אִיכָּא מִילְּתָא דְּבָעֵי לְתַקּוֹנֵי? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אִיכָּא דּוּכְתָּא דְּאִית בֵּיהּ סְפֵק טוּמְאָה וְאִית לְהוּ צַעֲרָא לְכֹהֲנִים לְאַקּוֹפֵי. אֲמַר: אִיכָּא אִינִישׁ דְּיָדַע דְּאִיתַּחְזַק הָכָא טָהֳרָה? אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא סָבָא: כָּאן קִיצֵּץ בֶּן זַכַּאי תּוּרְמְסֵי תְּרוּמָה. עֲבַד אִיהוּ נָמֵי הָכִי, כָּל הֵיכָא דַּהֲוָה קְשֵׁי — טַהֲרֵיהּ, וְכָל הֵיכָא דַּהֲוָה רְפֵי — צַיְּינֵיהּ. אֲמַר הָהוּא סָבָא: טִיהֵר בֶּן יוֹחַי בֵּית הַקְּבָרוֹת! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִילְמָלֵי לֹא הָיִיתָ עִמָּנוּ, וַאֲפִילּוּ הָיִיתָ עִמָּנוּ, וְלֹא נִמְנֵיתָ עִמָּנוּ — יָפֶה אַתָּה אוֹמֵר. עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁהָיִיתָ עִמָּנוּ, וְנִמְנֵיתָ עִמָּנוּ, יֹאמְרוּ: זוֹנוֹת מְפַרְכְּסוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ, תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן?! יְהַב בֵּיהּ עֵינֵיהּ וְנָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ. נְפַק לְשׁוּקָא חַזְיֵיהּ לִיהוּדָה בֶּן גֵּרִים. אֲמַר: עֲדַיִין יֵשׁ לְזֶה בָּעוֹלָם? נָתַן בּוֹ עֵינָיו וְעָשָׂהוּ גַּל שֶׁל עֲצָמוֹת.
Rabbi Shimon said: Since a miracle transpired for me, I will go and repair something for the sake of others in gratitude for God’s kindness, as it is written: “And Jacob came whole to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and he graced the countenance of the city” (Genesis 33:18). Rav said, the meaning of: And Jacob came whole, is: Whole in his body, whole in his money, whole in his Torah. And what did he do? And he graced the countenance of the city; he performed gracious acts to benefit the city. Rav said: Jacob established a currency for them. And Shmuel said: He established marketplaces for them. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He established bathhouses for them. In any event, clearly one for whom a miracle transpires should perform an act of kindness for his neighbors as a sign of gratitude. He said: Is there something that needs repair? They said to him: There is a place where there is uncertainty with regard to ritual impurity and the priests are troubled by being forced to circumvent it, as it is prohibited for them to become ritually impure from contact with a corpse. There was suspicion, but no certainty, that a corpse was buried there. Therefore, they were unable to definitively determine its status. Rabbi Shimon said: Is there a person who knows that there was a presumption of ritual purity here? Is there anyone who remembers a time when this place was not considered ritually impure, or that at least part of it was considered to be ritually pure? An Elder said to him: Here ben Zakkai planted and cut the teruma of lupines. In this marketplace Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, who himself was a priest, once planted lupines that were given to him as teruma. On that basis, the conclusion can be drawn that it was definitely ritually pure. Rabbi Shimon, like Jacob, also did so and took steps to improve the city and examined the ground (Tosafot). Everywhere that the ground was hard, he pronounced it ritually pure as there was certainly no corpse there, and every place that the ground was soft, he marked it indicating that perhaps a corpse was buried there. In that way, he purified the marketplace so that even priests could walk through it. A certain Elder said in ridicule and surprise: Ben Yoḥai purified the cemetery. Rabbi Shimon got angry and said to him: Had you not been with us, and even had you been with us and were not counted with us in rendering this ruling, what you say is fine. You could have said that you were unaware of my intention or that you did not agree or participate in this decision. Now that you were with us and were counted with us in rendering this ruling, you will cause people to say that Sages are unwilling to cooperate with one another. They will say: If competing prostitutes still apply makeup to each other to help one another look beautiful, all the more so that Torah scholars should cooperate with each other. He directed his eyes toward him and the Elder died. Rabbi Shimon went out to the marketplace and he saw Yehuda, son of converts, who was the cause of this entire incident. Rabbi Shimon, said: This one still has a place in the world? He directed his eyes toward him and turned him into a pile of bones.
Week 8 — August 16
ר' אלעזר ב"ר שמעון אשכח לההוא פרהגונא דקא תפיס גנבי אמר ליה היכי יכלת להו לאו כחיותא מתילי דכתיב בו תרמוש כל חיתו יער איכא דאמרי מהאי קרא קאמר ליה (תהלים י, ט) יארב במסתר כאריה בסוכו דלמא שקלת צדיקי ושבקת רשיעי א"ל ומאי אעביד הרמנא דמלכא הוא אמר תא אגמרך היכי תעביד עול בארבע שעי לחנותא כי חזית איניש דקא שתי חמרא וקא נקיט כסא בידיה וקא מנמנם שאול עילויה אי צורבא מרבנן הוא וניים אקדומי קדים לגרסיה אי פועל הוא קדים קא עביד עבידתיה ואי עבידתיה בליליא רדודי רדיד ואי לא גנבא הוא ותפסיה אישתמע מילתא בי מלכא אמרו קריינא דאיגרתא איהו ליהוי פרונקא אתיוה לרבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון וקא תפיס גנבי ואזיל שלח ליה ר' יהושע בן קרחה חומץ בן יין עד מתי אתה מוסר עמו של אלהינו להריגה שלח ליה קוצים אני מכלה מן הכרם שלח ליה יבא בעל הכרם ויכלה את קוציו
The Gemara relates a story that involves rising early. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, found a certain officer [parhagavna] whose responsibility was to arrest thieves. He said to the officer: How are you able to arrest them? Aren’t they likened to beasts, as it is written: “You make darkness and it is night, in which all the beasts of the forest creep forth” (Psalms 104:20)? There are those who say that he said to him a proof from this verse: “He lies in wait in a secret place as a lion in his lair, he lies in wait to catch the poor; he catches the poor when he draws him up in his net” (Psalms 10:9). Since the wicked are so devious, perhaps you apprehend the righteous and leave the wicked alone? The officer said to him: But what should I do? It is the king’s edict [harmana] that I must arrest thieves, and I am perform-ing my job to the best of my ability. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, said to him: Come and I will instruct you how you should do it. At the fourth hour of the day enter the tavern. When you see someone drinking wine, holding his cup in his hand, and dozing, inquire about his background. If he is a Torah scholar and is dozing, assume that he rose early in the morning for his studies. If he is a daytime laborer, assume that he rose early and performed his work. And if his work is at night and no one heard him working, it is possible that this is because he draws copper wires, which is a form of labor that does not produce noise. And if he is none of these, he is a thief, and you should arrest him, as it can be assumed that he was awake the previous night because he was stealing, and that is why he is now dozing off. This matter of the advice of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, was heard in the king’s palace. The king’s ministers said: Let the reader of the letter be its messenger [parvanka], i.e., since Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, offered this advice, he should be the one to implement it. They brought Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, to the authorities who appointed him to this task, and he proceeded to arrest thieves. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa sent Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, the following message: You are vinegar, son of wine, i.e., you are wicked in comparison to your father, the righteous Rabbi Shimon, just as vinegar is spoiled wine. Until when will you inform on the nation of our God to be sentenced to execution by a gentile king’s court? Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, sent a message back to him: I am merely eradicating thorns from the vineyard, i.e., I am removing the wicked from the Jewish people. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa sent back to him: Let the Owner of the vineyard, i.e., God, come and eradicate His own thorns.
Week 9 — August 23
יומא חד פגע ביה ההוא כובס קרייה חומץ בן יין אמר מדחציף כולי האי שמע מינה רשיעא הוא אמר להו תפסוהו תפסוהו לבתר דנח דעתיה אזל בתריה לפרוקיה ולא מצי קרי עליה (משלי כא, כג) שומר פיו ולשונו שומר מצרות נפשו זקפוהו קם תותי זקיפא וקא בכי אמרו ליה רבי אל ירע בעיניך שהוא ובנו בעלו נערה מאורסה ביום הכפורים הניח ידו על בני מעיו אמר שישו בני מעי שישו ומה ספיקות שלכם כך ודאית שלכם על אחת כמה וכמה מובטח אני בכם שאין רמה ותולעה שולטת בכם ואפי' הכי לא מייתבא דעתיה אשקיוהו סמא דשינתא ועיילוהו לביתא דשישא וקרעו לכריסיה הוו מפקו מיניה דיקולי דיקולי דתרבא ומותבי בשמשא בתמוז ואב ולא מסרחי כל תרבא נמי לא סריח כל תרבא לא סריח שורייקי סומקי מסריח הכא אף על גב דאיכא שורייקי סומקי לא מסריח קרי אנפשיה (תהלים טז, ט) אף בשרי ישכון לבטח ואף ר' ישמעאל ברבי יוסי מטא כי האי מעשה לידיה פגע ביה אליהו אמר ליה עד מתי אתה מוסר עמו של אלהינו להריגה אמר ליה מאי אעביד הרמנא דמלכא הוא אמר ליה אבוך ערק לאסיא את ערוק ללודקיא
One day, a certain laundryman met Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, and called him vinegar, son of wine. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, said: From the fact that this man acted so insolently by vilifying a Torah scholar, one can conclude that he is a wicked person. He told the authorities: Arrest that man. They arrested him and condemned him to death. After his mind settled, i.e., when his anger abated, Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, regretted his hasty decision. He went after the laundryman in order to ransom him and save him from execution, but he was unable to do so. He read the verse about him: “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue, keeps his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23), i.e., had the laundryman not issued his derogatory comment he would have been spared this fate. Ultimately, they hanged the laundryman. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, stood beneath the gallows and wept. Those who were present said to him: Our teacher, let it not be bad in your eyes that you caused his death, as this laundryman was a wholly wicked person; you should know that he and his son both engaged in intercourse with a betrothed young woman on Yom Kippur. Upon hearing this, Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, placed his hand upon his belly, over his innards, and said: Rejoice, my innards, rejoice! If your mere suspicions are so accurate, all the more so your certainties must be correct. If the condemnation of this man based upon the suspicions raised by his insolence proved to be correct, the identification of thieves in accordance with logical reasoning must certainly be accurate. I am assured about you, my innards, that worm and maggot will not affect you, which is a sign of a completely righteous person. Nevertheless, his mind was not calmed. He decided to test himself. He arranged for people to give him a sedative to drink, and they brought him into a house of marble, where surgeries were performed, and cut open his belly. They removed baskets upon baskets of fat from it, placed them in the hot sun in the summer months of Tammuz and Av, and the fat did not putrefy. In this manner, Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, received proof that his decisions were correct and that he was a wholly righteous individual. The Gemara questions what the proof was: This is not sufficient proof, as all fat that is not attached to flesh does not putrefy. The Gemara answers: True, all fat not attached to flesh does not putrefy, but the red veins within the fat do putrefy. Here, by contrast, although there were red veins in the fat, they did not putrefy, which is a sign of his righteousness. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, read the verses about himself: “I have set the Lord always before me…therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also dwells in safety” (Psalms 16:8–9). The Gemara relates: And a similar incident also occurred to Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, i.e., he too was appointed head officer. Elijah the prophet encountered him and said to him: Until when will you inform on the nation of our God to be sentenced to execution? Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, said to Elijah: What should I do? It is the king’s edict that I must obey. Elijah said to him: Faced with this choice, your father fled to Asia. You should flee to Laodicea rather than accept this appointment.
Week 10 — August 30
אָסוּר לִמְסֹר הָאָדָם בְּיַד עַכּוּ''ם בֵּין בְּגוּפוֹ בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיָה רָשָׁע וּבַעַל עֲבֵרוֹת וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיָה מֵצֵר לוֹ וּמְצַעֲרוֹ. וְכָל הַמּוֹסְרוֹ בְּיַד עַכּוּ''ם בֵּין בְּגוּפוֹ בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנוֹ אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא: מֻתָּר לַהֲרֹג הַמּוֹסֵר בְּכָל מָקוֹם וַאֲפִלּוּ בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה שֶׁאֵין דָּנִין דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת. וּמֻתָּר לְהָרְגוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּמְסֹר אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁאָמַר הֲרֵינִי מוֹסֵר פְּלוֹנִי בְּגוּפוֹ אוֹ בְּמָמוֹנוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ מָמוֹן קַל הִתִּיר עַצְמוֹ לְמִיתָה. וּמַתְרִין לוֹ וְאוֹמְרִין לוֹ אַל תִּמְסֹר. אִם הֵעֵז פָּנָיו וְאָמַר לֹא כִּי אֶלָּא אֶמְסְרֶנּוּ מִצְוָה לְהָרְגוֹ וְכָל הַקּוֹדֵם לְהָרְגוֹ זָכָה: עָשָׂה הַמּוֹסֵר אֲשֶׁר זָמַם וּמָסַר. יֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁאָסוּר לְהָרְגוֹ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הֻחְזַק לִמְסֹר הֲרֵי זֶה יֵעָנֵשׁ שֶׁמָּא יִמְסֹר אֲחֵרִים. וּמַעֲשִׂים בְּכָל זְמַן בְּעָרֵי הַמַּעֲרָב לַעֲנשׁ הַמּוֹסְרִים שֶׁהֻחְזְקוּ לִמְסֹר מָמוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם וְלִמְסֹר הַמּוֹסְרִים בְּיַד הָעַכּוּ''ם לְעָנְשָׁם וּלְהַכּוֹתָם וּלְאָסְרָם כְּפִי רִשְׁעָם. וְכֵן כָּל הַמֵּצֵר לַצִּבּוּר וּמְצַעֲרָן מֻתָּר לְמָסְרוֹ בְּיַד עַכּוּ''ם לְהַכּוֹתוֹ וּלְאָסְרוֹ וּלְקָנְסוֹ. אֲבָל מִפְּנֵי צַעַר יָחִיד אָסוּר לְאָסְרוֹ. וְאָסוּר לְאַבֵּד מָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מוֹסֵר וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֻּתָּר לְעָנְשׁוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי מָמוֹנוֹ לְיוֹרְשָׁיו:
It is forbidden to turn a Jew over into the hands of a heathen, whether physically or financially, even if he happens to be wicked and sinful, and even if he is the cause of one's distress and pain. Anyone who hands a Jew over into the hands of heathen, whether physically or financially, has no share in the world to come. An informer may be slain anywhere, even at the present time when Jewish courts do not try capital cases. It is permissible to slay him before he has informed. As soon as he says that he is about to inform against an individual or his property, even a small amount of money, he has surrendered himself to death [as an outlaw]. He must be warned and told: "Do not inform." If he has acted impudently, replying: "Not so, I will inform against him," it is a religious duty to slay him ; whoever hastens to kill him attains merit. If the informer has executed what he planned, and reported, it seems to me that it is forbidden to kill him, unless he is a confirmed informer, in which case he should be killed lest he continue to inform against others. There are frequent cases in the cities of Northern Africa where informers, who are known to report Jewish funds to oppressors, are killed or handed over to the non-Jewish authorities to be executed, beaten, or imprisoned, in accordance with their wickedness.— — It is forbidden to destroy the property of an informer, even though it is permissible to destroy him physically, since his property belongs to his heirs.
Week 11 — September 6
רַבִּי שֵׁילָא נַגְּדֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דִּבְעַל גּוֹיָה. אֲזַל אֲכַל בֵּיהּ קוּרְצֵי בֵּי מַלְכָּא, אֲמַר: אִיכָּא חַד גַּבְרָא בִּיהוּדָאֵי דְּקָא דָּיֵין דִּינָא בְּלָא הַרְמָנָא דְמַלְכָּא. שַׁדַּר עֲלֵיהּ פְּרִיסְתְּקָא. כִּי אֲתָא אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: מַאי טַעְמָא נַגֵּדְתֵּיהּ לְהַאי? אֲמַר לְהוּ: דְּבָא עַל חֲמָרְתָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אִית לְךָ סָהֲדִי? אֲמַר לְהוּ: אִין. אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ אִדְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּאִינִישׁ, וְאַסְהֵיד. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אִי הָכִי, בַּר קְטָלָא הוּא! אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֲנַן מִיּוֹמָא דִּגְלֵינַן מֵאַרְעִין לֵית לַן רְשׁוּתָא לְמִקְטַל. אַתּוּן, מַאי דְּבָעֵיתוּן עֲבִידוּ בֵּיהּ. עַד דִּמְעַיְּינִי בֵּיהּ בְּדִינָא, פְּתַח רַבִּי שֵׁילָא וַאֲמַר: ״לְךָ ה׳ הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְגוֹ׳״. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: מַאי קָאָמְרַתְּ? אֲמַר לְהוּ, הָכִי קָאָמֵינָא: ״בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּיָהֵיב מַלְכוּתָא בְּאַרְעָא כְּעֵין מַלְכוּתָא דִרְקִיעָא, וִיהַב לְכוּ שׁוּלְטָנָא וְרָחֲמִי דִּינָא״. אֲמַרוּ: חַבִּיבָא עֲלֵיהּ יְקָרָא דְמַלְכוּתָא כּוּלֵּי הַאי! יָהֲבִי לֵיהּ קוּלְפָא אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: דּוּן דִּינָא. כִּי הֲוָה נָפֵיק, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא גַּבְרָא: עָבֵיד רַחֲמָנָא נִיסָּא לְשַׁקָּרֵי הָכִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָשָׁע, לָאו חֲמָרֵי אִיקְּרוּ? דִּכְתִיב: ״אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׂר חֲמוֹרִים בְּשָׂרָם״. חַזְיֵיהּ דְּקָאָזֵיל לְמֵימְרָא לְהוּ דִּקְרִינְהוּ חֲמָרֵי, אֲמַר: הַאי רוֹדֵף הוּא. וְהַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה: אִם בָּא לְהׇרְגְּךָ — הַשְׁכֵּם לְהׇרְגוֹ. מַחְיֵיהּ בְּקוּלְפָא וְקַטְלֵיהּ.
As for the connection between divine and earthly royalty, the Gemara cites another story: Rabbi Sheila ordered that a man who had relations with a gentile woman be flogged. That man went to inform the king and said: There is one man among the Jews who renders judgment without the king’s authority [harmana]. The king sent a messenger [peristaka] for Rabbi Sheila to bring him to trial. When Rabbi Sheila came, they said to him: Why did you order flogging for this man? He said to them: Because he had relations with a female donkey. According to Persian law this was an extremely heinous crime, so they said to him: Do you have witnesses that he did so? He replied: Yes, and Elijah the prophet came and appeared as a person and testified. They said to Rabbi Sheila: If so, he is liable for the death penalty; why did you not sentence him to death? He replied: Since the day we were exiled from our land we do not have the authority to execute, but you, do with him as you wish. As they considered the sentence, Rabbi Sheila praised God for saving him from danger: “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, power, glory, triumph, and majesty; for all that is in heaven and on earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all” (I Chronicles 29:11). They asked him: What did you say? He told them: This is what I said: Blessed is Merciful One who grants kingdom on earth that is a microcosm of the kingdom in heaven, and granted you dominion and love of justice. They said to him: Indeed, the honor of royalty is so dear to you. They gave him a staff to symbolize his license to sit in judgment and said to him: Judge. As he was leaving, that man said to Rabbi Sheila: Does God perform such miracles for liars? He replied: Scoundrel! Aren’t gentiles called donkeys? As it is written: “Whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys” (Ezekiel 23:20). Rabbi Sheila saw that he was going to tell the Persian authorities that he called them donkeys. He said: This man has the legal status of a pursuer. He seeks to have me killed. And the Torah said: If one comes to kill you, kill him first. He struck him with the staff and killed him.
Week 12 — September 13
אַחֵר קִיצֵּץ בִּנְטִיעוֹת, עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: ״אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ״. מַאי הִיא? חֲזָא מֶיטַטְרוֹן דְּאִתְיְהִבָא לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְמֵיתַב לְמִיכְתַּב זַכְווֹתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲמַר: גְּמִירִי דִּלְמַעְלָה לָא הָוֵי לֹא יְשִׁיבָה וְלֹא תַּחֲרוּת, וְלֹא עוֹרֶף וְלֹא עִיפּוּי. שֶׁמָּא, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, שְׁתֵּי רְשׁוּיוֹת הֵן. אַפְּקוּהּ לְמֶיטַטְרוֹן ומַחְיוּהּ שִׁיתִּין פּוּלְסֵי דְנוּרָא. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזִיתֵיהּ לָא קַמְתְּ מִקַּמֵּיהּ? אִיתְיְהִיבָא לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְמִימְחַק זַכְווֹתָא דְאַחֵר. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: ״שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים״ — חוּץ מֵאַחֵר. אֲמַר: הוֹאִיל וְאִיטְּרִיד הָהוּא גַּבְרָא מֵהָהוּא עָלְמָא, לִיפּוֹק לִיתְהֲנֵי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. נְפַק אַחֵר לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה. נְפַק, אַשְׁכַּח זוֹנָה תַּבְעַהּ, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: וְלָאו אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן אֲבוּיָה אַתְּ? עֲקַר פּוּגְלָא מִמֵּישְׁרָא בְּשַׁבָּת וִיהַב לַהּ, אָמְרָה: אַחֵר הוּא.
§ The Gemara stated earlier that Aḥer chopped down the saplings, becoming a heretic. With regard to him, the verse states: “Do not let your mouth bring your flesh into guilt” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). The Gemara poses a question: What was it that led him to heresy? He saw the angel Mitatron, who was granted permission to sit and write the merits of Israel. He said: There is a tradition that in the world above there is no sitting; no competition; no turning one’s back before Him, i.e., all face the Divine Presence; and no lethargy. Seeing that someone other than God was seated above, he said: Perhaps, the Gemara here interjects, Heaven forbid, there are two authorities, and there is another source of power in control of the world in addition to God. Such thoughts led Aḥer to heresy. The Gemara relates: They removed Mitatron from his place in heaven and smote him with sixty rods [pulsei] of fire, so that others would not make the mistake that Aḥer made. They said to the angel: What is the reason that when you saw Elisha ben Avuya you did not stand before him? Despite this conduct, since Mitatron was personally involved, he was granted permission to erase the merits of Aḥer and cause him to stumble in any manner. A Divine Voice went forth saying: “Return, rebellious children” (Jeremiah 3:22), apart from Aḥer. Upon hearing this, Elisha ben Avuya said: Since that man, meaning himself, has been banished from that world, let him go out and enjoy this world. Aḥer went astray. He went and found a prostitute and solicited her for intercourse. She said to him: And are you not Elisha ben Avuya? Shall a person of your stature perform such an act? He uprooted a radish from a patch of radishes on Shabbat and gave it to her, to demonstrate that he no longer observed the Torah. The prostitute said: He is other than he was. He is not the same Elisha ben Avuya, he is Aḥer, other.
שָׁאַל אַחֵר אֶת רַבִּי מֵאִיר לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״לֹא יַעַרְכֶנָּה זָהָב וּזְכוֹכִית וּתְמוּרָתָהּ כְּלִי פָז״? אָמַר לוֹ: אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁקָּשִׁין לִקְנוֹתָן כִּכְלֵי זָהָב וּכְלֵי פָז, וְנוֹחִין לְאַבְּדָן כִּכְלֵי זְכוּכִית. אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא רַבָּךְ לֹא אָמַר כָּךְ, אֶלָּא: מָה כְּלֵי זָהָב וּכְלֵי זְכוּכִית, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרוּ — יֵשׁ לָהֶם תַּקָּנָה, אַף תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁסָּרַח — יֵשׁ לוֹ תַּקָּנָה. אָמַר לוֹ: אַף אַתָּה חֲזוֹר בָּךְ! אָמַר לוֹ: כְּבָר שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַפַּרְגּוֹד: ״שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים״ — חוּץ מֵאַחֵר. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאַחֵר שֶׁהָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַסּוּס בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר מְהַלֵּךְ אַחֲרָיו לִלְמוֹד תּוֹרָה מִפִּיו, אָמַר לוֹ: מֵאִיר, חֲזוֹר לְאַחֲרֶיךָ, שֶׁכְּבָר שִׁיעַרְתִּי בְּעִקְבֵי סוּסִי עַד כָּאן תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת. אָמַר לוֹ: אַף אַתָּה חֲזוֹר בָּךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: וְלֹא כְּבָר אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ כְּבָר שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַפַּרְגּוֹד: ״שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים״ — חוּץ מֵאַחֵר. תַּקְפֵיהּ עַיְּילֵיהּ לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְיָנוֹקָא: פְּסוֹק לִי פְּסוּקָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: ״אֵין שָׁלוֹם אָמַר ה׳ לָרְשָׁעִים״. עַיְּילֵיהּ לְבֵי כְנִישְׁתָּא אַחֲרִיתִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְיָנוֹקָא: פְּסוֹק לִי פְּסוּקָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: ״כִּי אִם תְּכַבְּסִי בַּנֶּתֶר וְתַרְבִּי לָךְ בּוֹרִית נִכְתָּם עֲוֹנֵךְ לְפָנַי״. עַיְּילֵיהּ לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא אַחֲרִיתִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְיָנוֹקָא: פְּסוֹק לִי פְּסוּקָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״וְאַתְּ שָׁדוּד מַה תַּעֲשִׂי כִּי תִלְבְּשִׁי שָׁנִי כִּי תַעְדִּי עֲדִי זָהָב כִּי תִקְרְעִי בַפּוּךְ עֵינַיִךְ לַשָּׁוְא תִּתְיַפִּי וְגוֹ׳״. עַיְּילֵיהּ לְבֵי כְנִישְׁתָּא אַחֲרִיתִי, עַד דְּעַיְּילֵיהּ לִתְלֵיסַר בֵּי כְנִישָׁתָא, כּוּלְּהוּ פְּסַקוּ לֵיהּ כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא. לְבָתְרָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פְּסוֹק לִי פְּסוּקָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״וְלָרָשָׁע אָמַר אֱלֹהִים מַה לְּךָ לְסַפֵּר חֻקָּי וְגוֹ׳״. הָהוּא יָנוֹקָא הֲוָה מְגַמְגֵּם בְּלִישָּׁנֵיהּ, אִשְׁתְּמַע כְּמָה דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״וְלֶאֱלִישָׁע אָמַר אֱלֹהִים״, אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: סַכִּינָא הֲוָה בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְקַרְעֵיהּ וְשַׁדַּרֵיהּ לִתְלֵיסַר בֵּי כְנִישָׁתֵי. וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, אֲמַר: אִי הֲוַאי בִּידִי סַכִּינָא, הֲוָה קָרַעְנָא לֵיהּ.
Aḥer asked Rabbi Meir another question, again after he had gone astray. What is the meaning of that which is written: “Gold and glass cannot equal it; neither shall its exchange be vessels of fine gold” (Job 28:17)? If it is referring to the praise and honor of the Torah, it should have compared it only to gold, not to glass. He said to him: This is referring to words of Torah, which are as difficult to acquire as gilded vessels and vessels of fine gold but are as easy to lose as glass vessels. Aḥer said to him: Rabbi Akiva, your teacher, did not say so, but taught as follows: Just as golden vessels and glass vessels have a remedy even when they have broken, as they can be melted down and made into new vessels, so too a Torah scholar, although he has transgressed, has a remedy. Rabbi Meir said to him: If so, you too, return from your ways. He said to him: I have already heard the following declaration behind the dividing curtain, which conceals God from the world: “Return, rebellious children,” (Jeremiah 3:22) apart from Aḥer. The Gemara cites a related story: The Sages taught: There was once an incident involving Aḥer, who was riding on a horse on Shabbat, and Rabbi Meir was walking behind him to learn Torah from him. After a while, Aḥer said to him: Meir, turn back, for I have already estimated and measured according to the steps of my horse that the Shabbat boundary ends here, and you may therefore venture no further. Rabbi Meir said to him: You, too, return to the correct path. He said to him: But have I not already told you that I have already heard behind the dividing curtain: “Return, rebellious children,” apart from Aḥer? Nevertheless, Rabbi Meir took hold of him and brought him to the study hall. Aḥer said to a child, by way of divination: Recite your verse that you studied today to me. He recited the following verse to him: “There is no peace, said the Lord, concerning the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). He brought him to another study hall. Aḥer said to a child: Recite your verse to me. He recited to him: “For though you wash with niter, and take for you much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before Me” (Jeremiah 2:22). He brought him to another study hall. Aḥer said to a child: Recite your verse to me. He recited to him: “And you, spoiled one, what are you doing, that you clothe yourself with scarlet, that you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you make yourself fair” (Jeremiah 4:30). He brought him to another synagogue, until he had brought him into thirteen synagogues, where all the children recited to him similar verses that speak of the hopeless situation of the wicked. At the last one, he said to him: Recite your verse to me. He recited to him: “And to the wicked [velerasha] God says, what is it for you to declare My statutes” (Psalms 50:16). The Gemara relates: That child had a stutter, so it sounded as though he were saying to him: Vele’elisha, i.e., and to Elisha, God says. This made Elisha think the child was deliberately insulting him. Some say Aḥer had a knife, and he tore the child apart and sent him to the thirteen synagogues. And others say that Aḥer merely said: Had I a knife, I would have torn him apart.
Week 13 — September 20
כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּאַחֵר, אָמְרִי: לָא מֵידָן לִידַיְּינֵיהּ, וְלָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי לֵיתֵי. לָא מֵידָן לִידַיְּינֵיהּ — מִשּׁוּם דַּעֲסַק בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא, וְלָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי לֵיתֵי — מִשּׁוּם דַּחֲטָא. אֲמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר: מוּטָב דְּלִידַיְּינֵיהּ וְלֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. מָתַי אָמוּת, וְאַעֲלֶה עָשָׁן מִקִּבְרוֹ. כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר סְלֵיק קוּטְרָא מִקִּבְרֵיהּ דְּאַחֵר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גְּבוּרְתָּא לְמִיקְלֵי רַבֵּיהּ? חַד הֲוָה בֵּינַנָא וְלָא מָצֵינַן לְאַצּוֹלֵיהּ? אִינְקְטֵיהּ בְּיָד, מַאן מַרְמֵי לֵיהּ מִן. אָמַר: מָתַי אָמוּת, וַאֲכַבֶּה עָשָׁן מִקִּבְרוֹ. כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן פְּסַק קוּטְרָא מִקִּבְרֵיהּ דְּאַחֵר. פְּתַח עֲלֵיהּ הַהוּא סַפְדָנָא: אֲפִילּוּ שׁוֹמֵר הַפֶּתַח לֹא עָמַד לְפָנֶיךָ, רַבֵּינוּ! בִּתּוֹ שֶׁל אַחֵר אָתְיָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: רַבִּי, פַּרְנְסֵנִי. אָמַר לָהּ: בַּת מִי אַתְּ? אָמְרָה לוֹ: בִּתּוֹ שֶׁל אַחֵר אֲנִי. אָמַר לָהּ: עֲדַיִין יֵשׁ מִזַּרְעוֹ בָּעוֹלָם?! וְהָא כְּתִיב: ״לֹא נִין לוֹ וְלֹא נֶכֶד בְּעַמּוֹ וְאֵין שָׂרִיד בִּמְגוּרָיו״! אָמְרָה לוֹ: זְכוֹר לְתוֹרָתוֹ, וְאַל תִּזְכּוֹר מַעֲשָׂיו. מִיָּד יָרְדָה אֵשׁ וְסִכְסְכָה סַפְסָלוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי. בָּכָה וְאָמַר רַבִּי: וּמָה לַמִּתְגַּנִּין בָּהּ — כָּךְ, לַמִּשְׁתַּבְּחִין בָּהּ — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה!
The Gemara relates: When Aḥer passed away, the Heavenly Court declared that he should not be judged, nor brought into the World-to-Come. He should not be judged in a manner befitting his deeds, because he occupied himself with Torah, whose merit protects him. And he should not be brought into the World-to-Come because he sinned. Rabbi Meir said: It is better that he be judged properly and be brought into the World-to-Come. When I die I will request this of Heaven, and I will cause smoke to rise up from his grave, as a sign that he is being sentenced in Gehenna. The Gemara relates: When Rabbi Meir passed away, smoke rose up from the grave of Aḥer, implying that Rabbi Meir’s wish was granted. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Was this a mighty deed on Rabbi Meir’s part, to burn his teacher? Was this the only remedy available? Can it be that there was one Sage among us who left the path and we cannot save him? If we hold him by the hand, who will remove him from our protection; who? Rabbi Yoḥanan continued and said: When I die I will have the smoke extinguished from his grave, as a sign that he has been released from the sentence of Gehenna and brought to the World-to-Come. Indeed, when Rabbi Yoḥanan passed away, the smoke ceased to rise up from the grave of Aḥer. A certain eulogizer began his eulogy of Rabbi Yoḥanan with the following: Even the guard at the entrance could not stand before you, our rabbi. The guard at the entrance to Gehenna could not prevent Rabbi Yoḥanan from arranging the release of Aḥer. The Gemara relates: The daughter of Aḥer came before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and said to him: Rabbi, provide me with sustenance, as she was in need of food. He said to her: Whose daughter are you? She said to him: I am the daughter of Aḥer. He said to her, angrily: Is there still of his seed remaining in the world? But isn’t it stated: “He shall have neither son nor grandson among his people or any remaining in his dwellings” (Job 18:19)? She said to him: Remember his Torah, and do not remember his deeds. Immediately, fire descended and licked Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s bench. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi wept and said: If God protects the honor of those who treat the Torah with contempt in such a manner, as Aḥer despised the Torah and relinquished its teachings, how much more so would He do for those who treat it with honor.
כִּי אֲתָא רַב דִּימִי, אֲמַר, אָמְרִי בְּמַעְרְבָא: רַבִּי מֵאִיר אֲכַל תַּחְלָא, וּשְׁדָא שִׁיחְלָא לְבָרָא. דָּרֵשׁ רָבָא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אֶל גִּנַּת אֱגוֹז יָרַדְתִּי לִרְאוֹת בְּאִבֵּי הַנָּחַל וְגוֹ׳״, לָמָּה נִמְשְׁלוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים לֶאֱגוֹז — לוֹמַר לָךְ: מָה אֱגוֹז זֶה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּלוּכְלָךְ בְּטִיט וּבְצוֹאָה — אֵין מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכוֹ נִמְאָס; אַף תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁסָּרַח — אֵין תּוֹרָתוֹ נִמְאֶסֶת. אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רַבָּה בַּר שֵׁילָא לְאֵלִיָּהוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי קָא עָבֵיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: קָאָמַר שְׁמַעְתָּא מִפּוּמַּיְיהוּ דְּכוּלְּהוּ רַבָּנַן, וּמִפּוּמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר לָא קָאָמַר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי? מִשּׁוּם דְּקָא גָמַר שְׁמַעְתָּא מִפּוּמֵּיהּ דְּאַחֵר. אָמַר לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי? רַבִּי מֵאִיר רִמּוֹן מָצָא, תּוֹכוֹ אָכַל, קְלִיפָּתוֹ זָרַק. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַשְׁתָּא קָאָמַר, מֵאִיר בְּנִי אוֹמֵר: בִּזְמַן שֶׁאָדָם מִצְטַעֵר, שְׁכִינָה מָה לָשׁוֹן אוֹמֶרֶת: קַלַּנִי מֵרֹאשִׁי, קַלַּנִי מִזְּרוֹעִי. אִם כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִצְטַעֵר עַל דָּמָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים — קַל וָחוֹמֶר עַל דָּמָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים שֶׁנִּשְׁפַּךְ.
When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said: In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say: Rabbi Meir ate a half-ripe date and threw the peel away. In other words, he was able to extract the important content from the inedible shell. Rava taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I went down into the garden of nuts, to look at the green plants of the valley” (Song of Songs 6:11)? Why are Torah scholars compared to nuts? To tell you: Just as this nut, despite being soiled with mud and excrement, its content is not made repulsive, as only its shell is soiled; so too a Torah scholar, although he has sinned, his Torah is not made repulsive. The Gemara relates: Rabba bar Sheila found Elijah the prophet, who had appeared to him. He said to Elijah: What is the Holy One, Blessed be He, doing? Elijah said to him: He is stating halakhot transmitted by all of the Sages, but in the name of Rabbi Meir He will not speak. He said to him: Why? He replied: Because he learned halakhot from the mouth of Aḥer. He said to him: Why should he be judged unfavorably for that? Rabbi Meir found a pomegranate and ate its contents while throwing away its peel. He said to him: Indeed, your defense has been heard above. Now God is saying: My son, Meir, says: When a person suffers, e.g., by receiving lashes or the death penalty at the hands of the court, how does the Divine Presence express itself? Woe is Me from My head, woe is Me from My arm, as God empathizes with the sufferer. If the Holy One, Blessed be He, suffers to such an extent over the blood of the wicked, how much more so does He suffer over the blood of the righteous that is spilled.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין פּוֹדִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִין יָתֵר עַל כְּדֵי דְּמֵיהֶן מִפְּנֵי תִּיקּוּן הָעוֹלָם וְאֵין מַבְרִיחִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִין מִפְּנֵי תִּיקּוּן הָעוֹלָם רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר מִפְּנֵי תַּקָּנַת הַשְּׁבוּיִין גְּמָ׳ אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ הַאי מִפְּנֵי תִּיקּוּן הָעוֹלָם מִשּׁוּם דּוּחְקָא דְצִבּוּרָא הוּא אוֹ דִילְמָא מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא לִגְרְבוּ וְלַיְיתוֹ טְפֵי תָּא שְׁמַע דְּלֵוִי בַּר דַּרְגָּא פַּרְקַהּ לִבְרַתֵּיהּ בִּתְלֵיסַר אַלְפֵי דִּינְרֵי זָהָב אָמַר אַבָּיֵי וּמַאן לֵימָא לַן דְּבִרְצוֹן חֲכָמִים עֲבַד דִּילְמָא שֶׁלֹּא בִּרְצוֹן חֲכָמִים עֲבַד וְאֵין מַבְרִיחִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִין מִפְּנֵי תִּיקּוּן הָעוֹלָם רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר מִפְּנֵי תַּקָּנַת שְׁבוּיִין מַאי בֵּינַיְיהוּ אִיכָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ דְּלֵיכָּא אֶלָּא חַד
MISHNA: The captives are not redeemed for more than their actual monetary value, for the betterment of the world; and one may not aid the captives in their attempt to escape from their captors for the betterment of the world, so that kidnappers will not be more restrictive with their captives to prevent them from escaping. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: For the betterment of the captives, so that kidnappers will not avenge the escape of the captives by treating other captives with cruelty. GEMARA: A dilemma was raised before the Sages: With regard to this expression: For the betterment of the world, is it due to the financial pressure of the community? Is the concern that the increase in price will lead to the community assuming financial pressures it will not be able to manage? Or perhaps it is because the result of this will be that they will not seize and bring additional captives, as they will see that it is not worthwhile for them to take Jews captive? The Gemara suggests: Come and hear an answer based on the fact that Levi bar Darga redeemed his daughter who was taken captive with thirteen thousand gold dinars. This indicates that private citizens may pay excessive sums to redeem a captive if they so choose. Therefore, it must be that the reason for the ordinance was to avoid an excessive burden being placed upon the community. If the ordinance was instituted to remove the incentive for kidnappers to capture Jews, a private citizen would also not be permitted to pay an excessive sum. Abaye said: And who told us that he acted in accordance with the wishes of the Sages? Perhaps he acted against the wishes of the Sages, and this anecdote cannot serve as a proof. The mishna taught: And one may not aid the captives in their attempt to escape from their captors, for the betterment of the world. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: For the betterment of the captives. The Gemara asks: What is the difference between the two reasons given? The Gemara answers: There is a difference between them when there is only one captive. If this ordinance was instituted for the benefit of the other captives, so that the kidnappers should not avenge a captive’s escape by treating the others with cruelty, then if there is only one captive to begin with, one may help him to escape. If it was instituted so that kidnappers in general will not act restrictively with their captives, it would be prohibited in this case as well.
מַתְנִי׳ הַמּוֹכֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו לַגּוֹיִם אֵין פּוֹדִין אוֹתוֹ אֲבָל פּוֹדִין אֶת הַבָּנִים לְאַחַר מִיתַת אֲבִיהֶן גְּמָ׳ אָמַר רַב אַסִּי וְהוּא שֶׁמָּכַר וְשָׁנָה וְשִׁילֵּשׁ הָנְהוּ בְּנֵי בֵּי מִיכְסֵי דְּיָזְפִי זוּזֵי מִגּוֹיִם וְלָא הֲוָה לְהוּ לְמִפְרְעִינְהוּ אָתוּ וְקָא גָרְבִי לְהוּ אֲתוֹ לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב הוּנָא אֲמַר לְהוּ מַאי אֶיעְבֵּיד לְכוּ דִּתְנַן הַמּוֹכֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו לַגּוֹיִם אֵין פּוֹדִין אוֹתוֹ אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַבָּא לִימַּדְתַּנִי רַבֵּינוּ וְהוּא שֶׁמָּכַר וְשָׁנָה וְשִׁילֵּשׁ אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָנֵי מִרְגָּל רְגִילִי דְּעָבְדִי הָכִי הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּזַבֵּין נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְלוּדָאֵי אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אַמֵּי אֲמַר לֵיהּ פִּירְקַן אֲמַר לֵיהּ תְּנַן הַמּוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו לַגּוֹיִם אֵין פּוֹדִין אוֹתוֹ אֲבָל פּוֹדִין אֶת הַבָּנִים מִשּׁוּם קִלְקוּלָא וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן הָכָא דְּאִיכָּא קְטָלָא אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרַבִּי אַמֵּי הַאי יִשְׂרָאֵל מוּמָר הוּא דְּקָא חָזוּ לֵיהּ דְּקָאָכֵיל נְבֵילוֹת וּטְרֵיפוֹת אֲמַר לְהוּ אֵימָא לְתֵיאָבוֹן הוּא דְּקָאָכֵיל אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ וְהָא זִמְנִין דְּאִיכָּא הֶיתֵּירָא וְאִיסּוּרָא קַמֵּיהּ וְשָׁבֵיק הֶיתֵּירָא וְאָכֵיל אִיסּוּרָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ זִיל לָא קָא שָׁבְקִי לִי דְּאֶפְרְקִינָּךְ
MISHNA: With regard to one who sells himself and his children as slaves to gentiles, he is not redeemed, but the children are redeemed after their father’s death, as there is no reason to penalize them. GEMARA: Rav Asi says: And this halakha, that he is not redeemed, applies only when he sold himself for a first time and was redeemed, and repeated his action by selling himself a second time and was redeemed, and repeated his action by selling himself a third time. Since he sold himself repeatedly, the Sages penalized him by instituting that he may not be redeemed. The Gemara relates: There were those residents of Bei Mikhsi who borrowed money from gentiles, and they did not have sufficient funds to repay them. As a result, the gentiles came and seized them as slaves. They came before Rav Huna and requested that he instruct the Jews to redeem them. Rav Huna said to them: What can I do for you, as we learned in a mishna: With regard to one who sells himself and his children as slaves to gentiles, he is not redeemed. Rabbi Abba said to Rav Huna: Our master taught me: And this halakha applies only when he sold himself, and repeated a second time, and repeated a third time, which was not the case in this incident. Rav Huna said to him: These people do this habitually, and it is as though they sold themselves for a second and third time. The Gemara relates: A certain man sold himself to gladiators [luda’ei]. He came before Rabbi Ami and said to him: Redeem me. Rabbi Ami said to him: We learned in a mishna: With regard to one who sells himself and his children as slaves to gentiles, he is not redeemed. However, his children are redeemed due to the harm of becoming assimilated among the gentiles, and all the more so here, where there is a concern that leaving him in bondage may lead to his death, he should be redeemed. The Sages said to Rabbi Ami: This man is a Jewish apostate, as they saw him when he was eating unslaughtered animal carcasses and animals with a wound that will cause them to die within twelve months [tereifot]. He said to them: Say that he was eating them due to his appetite, not because he is an apostate, but because he was overcome by temptation. They said to him: But there are times when there are permitted and forbidden foods before him, and he sets aside the permitted food and eats the forbidden food, indicating that it is not temptation alone that causes him to transgress. Once he heard this, Rabbi Ami said to that man: Go, because they do not allow me to redeem you.
רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ זַבֵּין נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְלוּדָאֵי שְׁקַל בַּהֲדֵיהּ חַיְיתָא וְגֻלְגֻּלְתָּא אֲמַר גְּמִירִי דְּיוֹמָא בָּתְרָא כֹּל דְּבָעֵי מִינַּיְיהוּ עָבְדִי לֵיהּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלֵיחוּל אַדְּמֵיהּ יוֹמָא בָּתְרָא אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ מַאי נִיחָא לָךְ אֲמַר לְהוּ בָּעֵינָא אֶקְמְטִינְכוּ וְאוֹתְבִינְכוּ וְכֹל חַד מִינַּיְיכוּ אֶמְחְיֵהּ חַיְיתָא וּפַלְגָא קַמְטִינְהוּ וְאוֹתְבִינְהוּ כֹּל חַד מִינַּיְיהוּ כַּד מַחְיֵיהּ חַד חַיְיתָא נְפַק נִשְׁמְתֵיהּ חַרְקִינֵּיהּ לְשִׁינֵּיהּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַחוֹכֵי קָא מְחַיְּיכַתְּ בִּי אַכַּתִּי פָּשׁ לָךְ גַּבַּי פַּלְגָא דְּחַיְיתָא קַטְלִינְהוּ כּוּלְּהוּ
The Gemara recounts a related incident: Reish Lakish sold himself to gladiators. He took a bag and a round stone inside of it with him. He said: There is a tradition that on the final day of a captive’s life, before his captors kill him, they do for him anything that he requests of them, so that he would forgive them for the spilling of his blood. On the final day before they were set to kill him they said to him: What is amenable to you? He said to them: I want to tie you up and have you sit, and I will strike each one of you one and a half times. He tied them up and had each one of them sit. When he struck each of them with one strike with the stone in the bag, the one whom he struck died, because Reish Lakish was of great strength. Reish Lakish gritted his teeth in anger, and said to the one whom he killed, in order to prevent the others from realizing what was happening: Are you laughing at me? You still have half of a strike remaining with me, as I struck you only once. He killed them all, and Reish Lakish escaped his captors.
תנו רבנן כשחלה רבי יוסי בן קיסמא הלך רבי חנינא בן תרדיון לבקרו אמר לו חנינא אחי (אחי) אי אתה יודע שאומה זו מן השמים המליכוה שהחריבה את ביתו ושרפה את היכלו והרגה את חסידיו ואבדה את טוביו ועדיין היא קיימת ואני שמעתי עליך שאתה יושב ועוסק בתורה [ומקהיל קהלות ברבים] וספר מונח לך בחיקך אמר לו מן השמים ירחמו אמר לו אני אומר לך דברים של טעם ואתה אומר לי מן השמים ירחמו תמה אני אם לא ישרפו אותך ואת ספר תורה באש אמר לו רבי מה אני לחיי העולם הבא אמר לו כלום מעשה בא לידך אמר לו מעות של פורים נתחלפו לי במעות של צדקה וחלקתים לעניים אמר לו אם כן מחלקך יהי חלקי ומגורלך יהי גורלי אמרו לא היו ימים מועטים עד שנפטר רבי יוסי בן קיסמא והלכו כל גדולי רומי לקברו והספידוהו הספד גדול ובחזרתן מצאוהו לרבי חנינא בן תרדיון שהיה יושב ועוסק בתורה ומקהיל קהלות ברבים וס"ת מונח לו בחיקו הביאוהו וכרכוהו בס"ת והקיפוהו בחבילי זמורות והציתו בהן את האור והביאו ספוגין של צמר ושראום במים והניחום על לבו כדי שלא תצא נשמתו מהרה אמרה לו בתו אבא אראך בכך אמר לה אילמלי אני נשרפתי לבדי היה הדבר קשה לי עכשיו שאני נשרף וס"ת עמי מי שמבקש עלבונה של ס"ת הוא יבקש עלבוני אמרו לו תלמידיו רבי מה אתה רואה אמר להן גליון נשרפין ואותיות פורחות אף אתה פתח פיך ותכנס בך האש אמר להן מוטב שיטלנה מי שנתנה ואל יחבל הוא בעצמו אמר לו קלצטונירי רבי אם אני מרבה בשלהבת ונוטל ספוגין של צמר מעל לבך אתה מביאני לחיי העולם הבא אמר לו הן השבע לי נשבע לו מיד הרבה בשלהבת ונטל ספוגין של צמר מעל לבו יצאה נשמתו במהרה אף הוא קפץ ונפל לתוך האור יצאה בת קול ואמרה רבי חנינא בן תרדיון וקלצטונירי מזומנין הן לחיי העולם הבא בכה רבי ואמר יש קונה עולמו בשעה אחת ויש קונה עולמו בכמה שנים
§ The Sages taught: When Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma fell ill, Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon went to visit him. Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said to him: Ḥanina my brother, do you not know that this nation has been given reign by a decree from Heaven? The proof is that Rome has destroyed God’s Temple, and burned His Sanctuary, and killed His pious ones, and destroyed His best ones, and it still exists. Evidently, all of this is by Divine decree. And yet I heard about you that you sit and engage in Torah study, and convene assemblies in public, and have a Torah scroll placed in your lap, thereby demonstrating complete disregard for the decrees issued by the Romans. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to him: Heaven will have mercy and protect me. Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said to him: I am saying reasonable matters to you, and you say to me: Heaven will have mercy? I wonder if the Romans will not burn both you and your Torah scroll by fire. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to him: My teacher, what will become of me? Am I destined for life in the World-to-Come? Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said to him: Did any special incident occur to you which might serve as an indication? Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to him: I confused my own coins that I needed for the festivities of Purim with coins of charity, and I distributed them all to the poor at my own expense. Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said to him: If that is so, may my portion be of your portion, and may my lot be of your lot. The Sages said: Not even a few days passed before Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma died of his illness, and all of the Roman notables went to bury him, and they eulogized him with a great eulogy. And upon their return, they found Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon, who was sitting and engaging in Torah study and convening assemblies in public, with a Torah scroll placed in his lap. They brought him to be sentenced, and wrapped him in the Torah scroll, and encircled him with bundles of branches, and they set fire to it. And they brought tufts of wool and soaked them in water, and placed them on his heart, so that his soul should not leave his body quickly, but he would die slowly and painfully. His daughter said to him: Father, must I see you like this? Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to her: If I alone were being burned, it would be difficult for me, but now that I am burning along with a Torah scroll, He who will seek retribution for the insult accorded to the Torah scroll will also seek retribution for the insult accorded to me. His students said to him: Our teacher, what do you see? Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to them: I see the parchment burning, but its letters are flying to the heavens. They said to him: You too should open your mouth and the fire will enter you, and you will die quickly. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to them: It is preferable that He who gave me my soul should take it away, and one should not harm oneself to speed his death. The executioner [kaltzatoniri] said to him: My teacher, if I increase the flame and take off the tufts of wool from your heart, so that you will die sooner and suffer less, will you bring me to the life of the World-to-Come? Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to the executioner: Yes. The executioner said: Take an oath for me, that what you say is true. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon took the oath for him, and the executioner immediately increased the flame and took off the tufts of wool from his heart, causing his soul to leave his body quickly. The executioner too leaped and fell into the fire and died. A Divine Voice emerged and said: Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon and the executioner are destined for the life of the World-to-Come. Upon hearing this, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi wept and said: There is one who acquires his share in the World-to-Come in one moment, such as the executioner, and there is one who acquires his share in the World-to-Come only after many years of toil, such as Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon.
