תורה
יכוין בקריאת ששה פסוקים אלו שהם כנגד וָ דמילוי וו דשם ב''ן לקנות הארת מתוספת נפש יתרה משבת הבאה:
ל (יז) אֵ֣לֶּה הַֽחֻקִּ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֵּ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ לְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ בֵּֽין־אָ֣ב לְבִתּ֔וֹ בִּנְעֻרֶ֖יהָ בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיהָ׃ {פ}
אִלֵּין קְיָמַיָּא דִּי פַקִּיד יְיָ יָת משֶׁה בֵּין גְּבַר לְאִתְּתֵיהּ בֵּין אַבָּא לִבְרַתֵּיהּ בְּרַביוּתָהָא בֵּית אָבוּהָא:
לא (א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
וּמַלִּיל יְיָ עִם משֶׁה לְמֵימָר:
(ב) נְקֹ֗ם נִקְמַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאֵ֖ת הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים אַחַ֖ר תֵּאָסֵ֥ף אֶל־עַמֶּֽיךָ׃
אִתְפְּרַע פֻּרְעֲנוּת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן מִדְיָנָאֵי בָּתַר כֵּן תִּתְכְּנֵשׁ לְעַמָּיךְ:
(ג) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵחָלְצ֧וּ מֵאִתְּכֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַצָּבָ֑א וְיִהְיוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן לָתֵ֥ת נִקְמַת־יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּמִדְיָֽן׃
וּמַלִּיל משֶׁה עִם עַמָּא לְמֵימַר זְרִיזוּ מִנְּכוֹן גֻּבְרִין לְחֵילָא וִיהוֹן עַל מִדְיָן לְמֵיהַב פֻּרְעֲנוּת דִּין עַמָּא דַיְיָ בְּמִדְיָן:
(ד) אֶ֚לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה לְכֹל֙ מַטּ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תִּשְׁלְח֖וּ לַצָּבָֽא׃
אַלְפָא לְשִׁבְטָא אַלְפָא לְשִׁבְטָא לְכֹל שִׁבְטַיָּא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל תְּשַׁלְּחוּן לְחֵילָא:
(ה) וַיִּמָּֽסְרוּ֙ מֵאַלְפֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף חֲלוּצֵ֥י צָבָֽא׃
וְאִתְבְּחָרוּ מֵאַלְפַיָּא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַלְפָא לְשִׁבְטָא תְּרֵי עֲשַׂר אַלְפִין מְזָרְזֵי חֵילָא:
30 (17) These are the statutes, which the Lord commanded Moshe, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father’s house.
31 (1) And the Lord spoke to Moshe saying,
(2) Execute the vengeance of the children of Yisra᾽el on the Midyanim: afterwards thou shalt be gathered to thy people.
(3) And Moshe spoke to the people, saying, Arm from yourselves men for the army, and let them go against Midyan and avenge the Lord on Midyan.
(4) Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Yisra᾽el, shall you send to the war.
(5) So there were delivered out of the thousands of Yisra᾽el, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
נביאים
יג (ל) וַיְהִ֣י גְבוּלָ֗ם מִמַּחֲנַ֨יִם כׇּֽל־הַבָּשָׁ֜ן כׇּֽל־מַמְלְכ֣וּת ׀ ע֣וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֗ן וְכׇל־חַוֺּ֥ת יָאִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן שִׁשִּׁ֥ים עִֽיר׃
וַהֲוָה תְּחוּמֵיהוֹן מִמַחֲנַיִם כָּל מַתְנָן כָּל מַלְכוּתֵיהּ דְעוֹג מַלְכָּא דְמַתְנָן וְכָל כַּפְרָנֵי יָאִיר דִבְמַתְנָן שִׁתִּין קִרְוִין:
(לא) וַחֲצִ֤י הַגִּלְעָד֙ וְעַשְׁתָּר֣וֹת וְאֶדְרֶ֔עִי עָרֵ֛י מַמְלְכ֥וּת ע֖וֹג בַּבָּשָׁ֑ן לִבְנֵ֤י מָכִיר֙ בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לַחֲצִ֥י בְנֵֽי־מָכִ֖יר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃
וּפַלְגוּת אַרְעָא דְגִלְעָד וְעַשְׁתָּרוֹת וְאֶדְרֶעִי קִרְוַיָא מַלְכוּתֵיהּ דְעוֹג בְּמַתְנָן לִבְנֵי מָכִיר בַּר מְנַשֶׁה לְפַלְגוּת בְּנֵי מָכִיר לְזַרְעֲיַתְהוֹן:
(לב) אֵ֕לֶּה אֲשֶׁר־נִחַ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת מוֹאָ֑ב מֵעֵ֛בֶר לְיַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרִיח֖וֹ מִזְרָֽחָה׃ {פ}
אִלֵין דִי אַחֲסִין מֹשֶׁה בְּמֵישְׁרַיָא דְמוֹאָב מֵעִיבְרָא לְיַרְדְנָא דִירִיחוֹ מַדִינְחָא:
(לג) וּלְשֵׁ֙בֶט֙ הַלֵּוִ֔י לֹא־נָתַ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֖ה נַחֲלָ֑ה יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ ה֣וּא נַחֲלָתָ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר לָהֶֽם׃ {ס}
וּלְשִׁבְטָא דְלֵוִי לָא יְהַב מֹשֶׁה אַחֲסָנָא מַתְּנָן דִיהַב לְהוֹן יְיָ אֱלָהָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִינוּן אַחֲסַנְתְּהוֹן כְּמָא דְמַלֵיל לְהוֹן:
יד (א) וְאֵ֛לֶּה אֲשֶׁר־נָחֲל֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִחֲל֜וּ אוֹתָ֗ם אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֔וּן וְרָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
וְאִלֵין דְאַחֲסִינוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַרְעָא דִכְנָעַן דְאַחֲסִינוּ יַתְהוֹן אֶלְעָזָר כַּהֲנָא וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נוּן וְרֵישֵׁי אֲבָהַת שִׁבְטַיָא לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(ב) בְּגוֹרַ֖ל נַחֲלָתָ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְתִשְׁעַ֥ת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת וַחֲצִ֥י הַמַּטֶּֽה׃
בְּעַדְבָא אִתְפַּלְגַת לְהוֹן אַחֲסַנְתְּהוֹן כְּמָא דְפַקֵד יְיָ בִּידָא דְמֹשֶׁה לְתִשְׁעַת שִׁבְטִין וּפַלְגוּת שִׁבְטָא:
13 (30) And their border was from Maĥanayim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of ῾Og king of Bashan, and all the villages of Ya᾽ir, which are in Bashan, sixty cities:
(31) and half Gil῾ad, and ῾Ashtarot, and Edre῾i, cities of the kingdom of ῾Og in Bashan, for the children of Makhir the son of Menashshe, for the one half of the children of Makhir by their families.
(32) These are what Moshe did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Mo᾽av, on the other side of the Yarden, by Yeriĥo, eastward.
(33) But to the tribe of Levi Moshe gave no inheritance: the Lord God of Yisra᾽el is their inheritance, as he said to them.
14 (1) And these are the places which the children of Yisra᾽el inherited in the land of Kena῾an, which El῾azar the priest, and Yehoshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Yisra᾽el, assigned for their inheritance.
(2) By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moshe, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.
כתובים
צב (ד) עֲֽלֵי־עָ֭שׂוֹר וַעֲלֵי־נָ֑בֶל עֲלֵ֖י הִגָּי֣וֹן בְּכִנּֽוֹר׃
עַל פּוּם כִּנָרָא דַעֲשַׂרְתֵּי נִימִין וְעַל פּוּם נִבְלָא עֲלֵי רִנְנַת כִּנָרַיָא:
(ה) כִּ֤י שִׂמַּחְתַּ֣נִי יְהֹוָ֣ה בְּפׇעֳלֶ֑ךָ בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖י יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲרַנֵּֽן׃
אֲרוּם אַחְדִיתַנִי יְיָ בְּעוֹבָדָךְ בְּעוֹבָדֵי אַיְדָךְ אֲבוּעַ:
(ו) מַה־גָּדְל֣וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֣יךָ יְהֹוָ֑ה מְ֝אֹ֗ד עָמְק֥וּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
כַּמָה רַבְרְבִין עוֹבָדָךְ יְיָ לַחֲדָא עֲמִיקִין מַחְשְׁבָתָיִךְ:
(ז) אִֽישׁ־בַּ֭עַר לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל לֹא־יָבִ֥ין אֶת־זֹֽאת׃
בַּר נַשׁ שַׁטְיָא לָא יְדָע וּכְסִילָא לָא יַתְבַּיֵן יַת דָא:
(ח) בִּפְרֹ֤חַ רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ־עֵ֗שֶׂב וַ֭יָּצִיצוּ כׇּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן לְהִשָּׁמְדָ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַֽד׃
כַּד מִתְלַבְלְבִין רַשִׁיעַיָא הֵיךְ עִסְבָּא וְנָצְצִין כָּל עָבְדֵי שְׁקַר וַעֲתִיד דִישֵׁצִינוּן אֱלָהָא עַד עָלְמָא:
(ט) וְאַתָּ֥ה מָר֗וֹם לְעֹלָ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה׃
וְאַתְּ רְמָא וְעִלָאָה בְעַלְמָא הָדֵין יְיָ וְאַתְּ רְמָא וְעִלָאָה לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי:
92 (4) upon an instrument of ten strings and upon the harp; to the melody of the lyre.
(5) For Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands.
(6) O Lord, how great are Thy works! and Thy thoughts are very deep.
(7) A brutish man does not know; nor does a fool understand this.
(8) When the wicked spring like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed forever:
(9) but Thou, Lord, art most high for evermore.
משנה
א. לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים אָסוּר לָשֵׂאת וְלָתֵת עִמָּהֶן, לְהַשְׁאִילָן וְלִשְׁאֹל מֵהֶן, לְהַלְוֹתָן וְלִלְוֹת מֵהֶן, לְפָרְעָן וְלִפָּרַע מֵהֶן. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, נִפְרָעִין מֵהֶן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מֵצֵר לוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּצֵר הוּא עַכְשָׁיו, שָׂמֵחַ הוּא לְאַחַר זְמָן:
ב. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים לִפְנֵיהֶם וּשְׁלשָׁה יָמִים לְאַחֲרֵיהֶם, אָסוּר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן אָסוּר, לְאַחַר אֵידֵיהֶן מֻתָּר:
ג. וְאֵלּוּ אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם, קָלֶנְדָּא, וּסְטַרְנוּרָא, וּקְרָטֵסִים, וְיוֹם גְּנֻסְיָא שֶׁל מְלָכִים, וְיוֹם הַלֵּידָה, וְיוֹם הַמִּיתָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, כָּל מִיתָה שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵפָה, יֶשׁ בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵפָה, אֵין בָּה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ וּבְלוֹרִיתוֹ, יוֹם שֶׁעָלָה בוֹ מִן הַיָּם, וְיוֹם שֶׁיָּצָא בוֹ מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים, וְגוֹי שֶׁעָשָׂה מִשְׁתֶּה לִבְנוֹ, אֵינוֹ אָסוּר אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם וְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ בִּלְבָד:
ד. עִיר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, חוּצָה לָהּ מֻתָּר. הָיָה חוּצָה לָהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, תּוֹכָהּ מֻתָּר. מַהוּ לֵילֵךְ לְשָׁם. בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ מְיֻחֶדֶת לְאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם, אָסוּר. וְאִם הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהַלֵּךְ בָּהּ לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר, מֻתָּר. עִיר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהָיוּ בָהּ חֲנֻיּוֹת מְעֻטָּרוֹת וְשֶׁאֵינָן מְעֻטָּרוֹת, זֶה הָיָה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּבֵית שְׁאָן, וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, הַמְעֻטָּרוֹת אֲסוּרוֹת וְשֶׁאֵינָן מְעֻטָּרוֹת מֻתָּרוֹת:
ה. אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים אֲסוּרִים לִמְכֹּר לְגוֹיִם, אִצְטְרוֹבָּלִין, וּבְנוֹת שׁוּחַ וּפְטוֹטְרוֹתֵיהֶן, וּלְבוֹנָה, וְתַרְנְגוֹל הַלָּבָן. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מֻתָּר לִמְכּוֹר לוֹ תַּרְנְגוֹל לָבָן בֵּין הַתַּרְנְגוֹלִין. וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהוּא בִפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, קוֹטֵעַ אֶת אֶצְבָּעוֹ וּמוֹכְרוֹ לוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מַקְרִיבִין חָסֵר לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַדְּבָרִים, סְתָמָן מֻתָּר, וּפֵרוּשָׁן אָסוּר. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, אַף דֶּקֶל טָב וַחֲצָב וְנִקְלִיבָם אָסוּר לִמְכֹּר לְגוֹיִם:
ו. מְקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לִמְכֹּר בְּהֵמָה דַקָּה לְגוֹיִם, מוֹכְרִין. מְקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ שֶׁלֹּא לִמְכֹּר, אֵין מוֹכְרִין. וּבְכָל מָקוֹם אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם בְּהֵמָה גַסָּה, עֲגָלִים וּסְיָחִים, שְׁלֵמִים וּשְׁבוּרִין. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַתִּיר בִּשְׁבוּרָה. וּבֶן בְּתֵירָה מַתִּיר בְּסוּס:
ז. אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם דֻּבִּין וַאֲרָיוֹת וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ נֵזֶק לָרַבִּים. אֵין בּוֹנִין עִמָּהֶם בָּסִילְקִי, גַּרְדּוֹם, וְאִצְטַדְיָא, וּבִימָה. אֲבָל בּוֹנִים עִמָּהֶם בִּימוֹסְיָאוֹת וּבֵית מֶרְחֲצָאוֹת. הִגִּיעוּ לַכִּפָּה שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אָסוּר לִבְנוֹת:
ח. וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין תַּכְשִׁיטִין לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, קֻטְלָאוֹת וּנְזָמִים וְטַבָּעוֹת. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, בְּשָׂכָר מֻתָּר. אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם בִּמְחֻבָּר לַקַּרְקַע, אֲבָל מוֹכֵר הוּא מִשֶּׁיִּקָּצֵץ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מוֹכֵר הוּא לוֹ עַל מְנָת לָקוֹץ. אֵין מַשְׂכִּירִין לָהֶם בָּתִּים בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שָׂדוֹת. וּבְסוּרְיָא מַשְׂכִּירִין לָהֶם בָּתִּים, אֲבָל לֹא שָׂדוֹת. וּבְחוּץ לָאָרֶץ מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם בָּתִּים וּמַשְׂכִּירִין שָׂדוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַשְׂכִּירִין לָהֶם בָּתִּים, אֲבָל לֹא שָׂדוֹת. וּבְסוּרְיָא מוֹכְרִין בָּתִּים וּמַשְׂכִּירִין שָׂדוֹת. וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ מוֹכְרִין אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ:
ט. אַף בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְהַשְׂכִּיר, לֹא לְבֵית דִּירָה אָמְרוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַכְנִיס לְתוֹכוֹ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ז) וְלֹא תָבִיא תוֹעֵבָה אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ. וּבְכָל מָקוֹם לֹא יַשְׂכִּיר לוֹ אֶת הַמֶּרְחָץ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא נִקְרָא עַל שְׁמוֹ:
1. On the three days before the festivals of gentiles the following actions are prohibited, as they would bring joy to the gentile, who would subsequently give thanks to his object of idol worship on his festival: It is prohibited to engage in business with them; to lend items to them or to borrow items from them; to lend money to them or to borrow money from them; and to repay debts owed to them or to collect repayment of debts from them. Rabbi Yehuda says: One may collect repayment of debts from them because this causes the gentile distress. The Rabbis said to Rabbi Yehuda: Even though he is distressed now, when he repays the money, he is happy afterward that he is relieved of the debt, and therefore there is concern that he will give thanks to his object of idol worship on his festival.
2. Rabbi Yishmael says: On the three days before the festivals of gentiles and on the three days after them, it is prohibited to engage in business with those gentiles. And the Rabbis say: It is prohibited to engage in business with them before their festivals, but it is permitted to engage in business with them after their festivals.
3. And these are the festivals of gentiles: Kalenda, Saturnalia, and Kratesis, and the day of the festival of their kings, and the birthday of the king, and the anniversary of the day of the death of the king. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: Every death that includes public burning is a festival that includes idol worship, and any death that does not include public burning is not a festival that includes idol worship. But in the case of the day of shaving his, i.e., a gentile’s, beard and his locks, and the day of his ascent from the sea, and the day that he left prison, and also in the case of a gentile who prepared a wedding feast for his son and celebrates on that day, engaging in business is prohibited only on that day and with that man.
4. In the case of a city in which there is active idol worship, it is permitted to engage in business transactions with gentiles who live outside of the city. If the idol worship is outside the city, it is permitted to engage in business within the city. What is the halakha with regard to traveling there, a place where a pagan festival is being celebrated? When the road is designated only for that place, it is prohibited to use the road, as onlookers will assume that the traveler intends to join the festival. But if one were able to travel on it to arrive at another place, it is permitted to use the road to reach the place that is observing the festival. With regard to a city in which idol worship is practiced and in which there are stores that are adorned for the sake of idol worship and there are others that are not adorned, this was in fact an incident that occurred in Beit She’an, and the Sages said: With regard to the adorned shops, it is prohibited to buy from them, but in the case of those that are not adorned it is permitted.
5. These are the items that it is prohibited to sell to a gentile at any time of year, as they are used specifically for idol worship: Itzterubalin, benot shuaḥ, petotarot, frankincense, and a white rooster. Rabbi Yehuda says: It is permitted to sell a white rooster to a gentile provided that it is sold along with other types of roosters. But when it is sold by itself, one should cut off its toe and sell it to the gentile, because they do not sacrifice a defective animal to their object of idol worship. And with regard to all remaining items, without specification it is permitted to sell them, but with specification it is prohibited to sell them. Rabbi Meir says: Even in the case of a good palm tree, ḥatzav, and naklav, it is prohibited to sell them to gentiles.
6. In a place where the residents were accustomed to sell small domesticated animals to gentiles, one may sell them. In a place where they were not accustomed to sell them, one may not sell them. But in every place, one may not sell them large livestock, calves, or foals, whether these animals are whole or damaged. The Sages prohibited these sales lest a Jew’s animal perform labor for the gentile on Shabbat in violation of an explicit Torah prohibition, as explained in the Gemara. Rabbi Yehuda permits the sale of a damaged animal because it is incapable of performing labor, and ben Beteira permits the sale of a horse for riding, because riding a horse on Shabbat is not prohibited by Torah law.
7. One may not sell bears, or lions, or any item that can cause injury to the public, to gentiles. One may not build with them a basilica [basileki], a tribunal [gardom], a stadium [itztadeyya], or a platform. But one may build with them small platforms [bimmusiot] and bathhouses. Even in this case, once he reaches the arched chamber in the bath where the gentiles put up objects of idol worship, it is prohibited to build it.
8. And one may not fashion jewelry for an object of idol worship, and this applies to jewelry such as necklaces [katla’ot], nose rings, and rings. Rabbi Eliezer says: If one fashions them in exchange for payment, it is permitted. The mishna returns to the issue of selling items to gentiles: One may not sell to a gentile any item that is attached to the ground, but one may sell such an item once it is severed from the ground. Rabbi Yehuda says: It is not necessary to sever the item from the ground; rather, one may sell it on the condition that it be severed. One may not rent a house to a gentile in Eretz Yisrael, and needless to say one may not rent fields to them, as explained in the Gemara. And in Syria one may rent houses to gentiles, but one may not rent fields. And outside of Eretz Yisrael one may sell houses and rent fields to gentiles; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yosei says: In Eretz Yisrael one may rent houses to gentiles but one may not rent fields. And in Syria one may sell houses to them and rent fields, and outside of Eretz Yisrael one may sell both these, houses, and those, fields.
9. Even in a place with regard to which the Sages said that it is permitted for a Jew to rent a house to a gentile, they did not say that one may rent it for use as a residence, because the gentile will bring objects of idol worship into it, as it is stated: “You shall not bring an abomination into your house” (Deuteronomy 7:26), and this is still considered the house of a Jew. And for the same reason, in every place, one may not rent a bathhouse to a gentile, since it is called by the name of the owner, and onlookers will think that the Jew is operating it on Shabbat.
גמרא
לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן. רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל חַד תָּנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן דִּכְתִיב (דברים לב) כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם אֵידָם. וְחַד תָּנֵי עֵידֵיהֶן דִּכְתִיב (ישעי' מג) יִתְּנוּ עֵידֵיהֶן וְיִצְדָקוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי כָּל מִצְוֹת שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בָּאוֹת וּמְעִידוֹת לָהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) יִתְּנוּ עֵידֵיהֶן וְיִצְדָּקוּ אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁמְעוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ אֱמֶת אֵלּוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְאָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי כָּל מִצְוֹת שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בָּאוֹת וְטוֹרְפוֹת לַכּוּתִים עַל פְּנֵיהֶם לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם כִּי הִיא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים נֶגֶד הָעַמִּים לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּאוֹת וְטוֹרְפוֹת אוֹתָם עַל פְּנֵיהֶם. וְאָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי לֹא עָשׂוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הָעֵגֶל אֶלָּא לִיתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבַּעֲלֵי תְשׁוּבָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם ה) מִי יִתֵּן וְהָיָה לְבָבָם זֶה לָהֶם לְיִרְאָה אֹתִי כָּל הַיָּמִים. וְהַיְינוּ דְאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי לֹא הָיָה דָוִד רָאוּי לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה. וְלֹא הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל רְאוּיִין לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה. לֹא דָוִד רָאוּי דִּכְתִיב (תהלים קט) וְלִבִּי חָלָל בְּקִרְבִּי. וְלֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל רְאוּיִים דִּכְתִיב מִי יִתֵּן וְהָיָה לְבָבָם זֶה לָהֶם. וְלָמָה עָשׂוּ לוֹמַר לָךְ שֶׁאִם חָטָא יָחִיד אוֹמְרִים לוֹ כְּלַךְ אֵצֶל יָחִיד. וְאִם חָטָא צִבּוּר אוֹמְרִים לוֹ כְּלַךְ אֵצֶל צִבּוּר. וּצְרִיכָא דְּאִי אַשְׁמֵעִינָן יָחִיד מִשּׁוּם דְלָא מְפַרְסֵם חַטָּאֵיה אֲבָל צִבּוּר דִמְפַרְסֵם חַטָּאֵיהֶן אֵימָא לָא וְאִי אַשְׁמֵעִינָן צִבּוּר מִשּׁוּם דִנְפִישֵׁי רַחֲמַיְיהוּ אֲבָל יָחִיד דְלָא אַלִימָא זְכוּתֵיהּ אֵימָא לָא צְרִיכָא. וְהַיְינוּ דְרִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמֵנִי דְאָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמֵנִי מָאי דִכְתִיב נְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר הוּקַם עָל נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן יִשַּׁי שֶׁהֵקִים עוּלָה שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה. וְאָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי כָּל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוַה אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה מְקַדְּמָתוֹ וְהוֹלֶכֶת לְפָנָיו לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעי' נח) וְהָלַךְ לְפָנֶיךָ צִדְקֶךָ וְכָל הָעוֹבֵר עֲבֵירָה אַחַת מְלַפְפָתוֹ וּמוֹלִיכָתוֹ לְיוֹם הַדִּין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב ו) יִלַּפְתוּ אָרְחוֹת דַּרְכָּם. רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר קְשׁוּרָה עִמּוֹ כַּכֶּלֶב שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לט) וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ לִהְיוֹת עִמָּהּ לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ בְּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לִהְיוֹת עִמָּהּ לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
GEMARA: Rav and Shmuel disagree with regard to the correct version of the text of the mishna. One teaches the term meaning: Their festivals, as eideihen, spelled with an alef as the first letter, and one teaches eideihen with an ayin as the first letter. The Gemara comments: The one who teaches eideihen with an alef is not mistaken, and the one who teaches eideihen with an ayin is not mistaken, as there is support for each version of the term.
The Gemara elaborates: The one who teaches eideihen with an alef is not mistaken, as it is written: “For the day of their calamity [eidam] is at hand” (Deuteronomy 32:35), and the future downfall mentioned in the verse is partly due to the festivals of idol worshippers. The term there is spelled with an alef. And likewise, the one who teaches eideihen with an ayin is not mistaken, as it is written: “Let them bring their witnesses [eideihem], that they may be justified” (Isaiah 43:9), i.e., the festivals will serve as witnesses against gentile sinners, proving that they engaged in idol worship. The term there is spelled with an ayin.
The Gemara asks: And according to the one who teaches eideihen with an alef, what is the reason that he did not teach eideihen with an ayin? The Gemara answers: He could have said to you that a term that refers to a calamity is preferable. The Gemara asks: And the one who teaches eideihen with an ayin, what is the reason that he did not teach eideihen with an alef? The Gemara answers: He could have said to you: What causes this calamity to happen to them? It is the testimony that they testified against themselves. Therefore, a term that references testimony is preferable.
The Gemara asks: But is this verse: “Let them bring their witnesses that they may be justified,” written with regard to the nations of the world? Isn’t it written with regard to the Jewish people? As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: All the mitzvot that the Jews perform in this world will come and bear witness for them in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “Let them bring their witnesses that they may be justified.” These are the Jews, as their good deeds bear witness for them and demonstrate their righteousness. When the verse states: “And let them hear, and say: It is truth” (Isaiah 43:9), these are the nations of the world, who will admit to the righteousness of the Jews.
Rather, Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said: The one who says that the correct word is eideihen with an ayin derived this use of the term from here: “They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things shall not profit; and their own witnesses [eideihem] see not, nor know” (Isaiah 44:9). This demonstrates that the objects of idol worship will serve as witnesses against their worshippers.
§ The Gemara cites homiletic interpretations of the verse that was discussed earlier: “All the nations are gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled; who among them can declare this, and announce to us former matters? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; and let them hear, and say: It is truth” (Isaiah 43:9). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa taught, and some say that it was Rabbi Simlai who taught: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will bring a Torah scroll and place it in His lap and say: Anyone who engaged in its study should come and take his reward.
Immediately, the nations of the world will gather together and come intermingled with each other, as it is stated: “All the nations are gathered together and let the peoples be assembled.” The Holy One, Blessed be He, will say to them: Do not enter before Me intermingled; rather, let each and every nation enter
with their scholars, as it is stated: “And let the peoples [le’umim] be assembled” (Isaiah 43:9); and the term le’om means nothing other than kingdom, as it is stated: “And the one kingdom [ule’om] shall be stronger than the other kingdom [mile’om]” (Genesis 25:23). The Gemara asks: But is it possible for there to be intermingling before the Holy One, Blessed be He, that it should be necessary for each nation to stand and be addressed separately? Rather, the nations are instructed to stand separately so that they will not become intermingled with each other in order that they will each hear what He says to them.
Immediately, the Roman Empire enters first before Him. The Gemara asks: What is the reason that the Roman Empire enters first? It is because the Roman Empire is the most important of all of the nations. And from where do we derive that it is the most important? As it is written in the book of Daniel with regard to the fourth empire that will rule over the world: “And it shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces” (Daniel 7:23), and Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This empire that will devour the earth is the wicked Roman Empire, whose name spread throughout the world.
The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that whoever is more important enters first? This is in accordance with a statement of Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda says: When a king and a community are brought before God for judgment, the king enters for judgment first, as it is stated: “That He make the judgment of His servant and the judgment of His people Israel, as every day shall require” (I Kings 8:59). And what is the reason that it is important for the king to enter first? If you wish, say that it is not proper conduct for the king to stand outside and wait for the trial of his subjects to end. And if you wish, say instead that the king is brought in first so that he may be judged before God’s anger intensifies due to the sins of the community.
The Gemara returns to its narration of the future judgment. First, the members of the Roman Empire enter. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to them: With what did you occupy yourselves? They say before Him in response: Master of the Universe, we have established many marketplaces, we have built many bathhouses, and we have increased much silver and gold. And we did all of this only for the sake of the Jewish people, so that they would be free to engage in Torah study.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to them: Fools of the world! Are you attempting to deceive Me? Everything that you did, you did for your own needs. You established marketplaces to place prostitutes in them; you built bathhouses for your own enjoyment; and as for the silver and gold that you claim to have increased, it is Mine, as it is stated: “Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold, said the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:8).
Is there no one among you who can declare that they have studied this Torah? This is the meaning of the continuation of the verse from Isaiah, as it is stated: “Who among them can declare this?” (Isaiah 43:9). And “this” is referring to nothing other than the Torah, as it is stated: “And this is the Torah that Moses set before the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 4:44), and whoever did not engage in its study does not receive reward. Immediately, the members of the Roman Empire leave disappointed.
The Roman Empire leaves, and the Persian Empire enters after it. What is the reason that the Persian Empire enters second? The reason is that after the Roman Empire it is the next most important. And from where do we derive this? As it is written in Daniel’s vision: “And behold another beast, a second, like a bear” (Daniel 7:5). And Rav Yosef teaches: These are the Persians, who are compared to a bear, as they eat and drink copious amounts as does a bear, and they are fleshy like a bear, and they grow their hair long as does a bear, and they never rest, like a bear, which is constantly on the move from one place to another.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to them: With what did you occupy yourselves? They say before Him in response: Master of the Universe, we have built many bridges, we have conquered many cities, and we have fought many wars. And we did all of this only for the sake of the Jewish people, so that they would engage in Torah study.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to them: Everything that you did, you did for your own needs. You established bridges to collect taxes from all who pass over them. You conquered cities to use their residents for forced labor [angareya]; and with regard to fighting the wars, I wage wars, and your success is from Me, as it is stated: “The Lord is a man of war” (Exodus 15:3). Is there no one among you who can declare that they have studied this Torah? As it is stated: “Who among them can declare this” (Isaiah 43:9), and “this” is referring to nothing other than the Torah, as it is stated: “And this is the Torah that Moses set” (Deuteronomy 4:44). Immediately, the members of the Persian Empire leave from before Him disappointed.
The Gemara asks: But once the Persian Empire sees that everything said by the Roman Empire is completely ineffective, what is the reason that they come forward? The Gemara answers: They believe that their claims will be more effective, as they say: The Romans destroyed the Second Temple, and we had built it, as the Second Temple was constructed under the auspices and with the encouragement of Cyrus, the king of Persia. The Gemara adds: And likewise, a similar exchange occurred with each and every nation.
The Gemara asks: But once the other nations see that every-thing said by the first ones, Rome and Persia, is completely ineffective, what is the reason that they come forward? The Gemara answers that they think: Those Empires subjugated the Jewish people, but we did not subjugate the Jewish people. The Gemara further asks: What is different about these, Rome and Persia, which were singled out explicitly, and what is different about those other empires that come afterward, which were not singled out and mentioned by name? It is because with regard to these, Rome and Persia, their kingship extends until the coming of the Messiah.
The nations will say before God: Master of the Universe, did You give us the Torah and we did not accept it? Since we never received the Torah, why are we being judged for not fulfilling its mitzvot? The Gemara asks: And can one say that they were never offered the Torah? But isn’t it written in the description of the giving of the Torah: “And he said: The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Seir unto them” (Deuteronomy 33:2), and it is written: “God comes from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran” (Habakkuk 3:3). And the Sages asked: What did God require in Seir and what did He require in Paran? The Torah was not given in those locations.
And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, took the Torah around to every nation and those who speak every language, such as the Edomites in Seir and the Ishmaelites in Paran, but they did not accept it, until He came to the Jewish people and they accepted it. If the other nations all rejected the Torah, how can they excuse themselves by claiming that it was never offered to them?
Rather, this is what they say: Did we accept the Torah and then not fulfill its mitzvot? The Gemara asks: But this itself serves as the refutation of their own claim, as one can respond: Why didn’t you accept it? Rather, this is what the nations of the world say before Him: Master of the Universe, did You overturn the mountain above us like a basin, and we still did not accept the Torah, as You did for the Jewish people?
The Gemara provides the background for this claim: As it is written: “And they stood at the nether part of the mount” (Exodus 19:17), and Rav Dimi bar Ḥama says: The verse teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, overturned the mountain, i.e., Mount Sinai, above the Jews like a basin, and He said to them: If you accept the Torah, excellent, and if not, there, under the mountain, will be your burial. The nations of the world will claim that they too could have been coerced to accept the Torah.
Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says to them: The first mitzvot will let us hear the truth, as it is stated in the continuation of the same verse under discussion: “And announce to us the first things” (Isaiah 43:9). With regard to the seven Noahide mitzvot that preceded the giving of the Torah that even you accepted, where is the proof that you fulfilled them?
The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that they did not fulfill them? As Rav Yosef teaches in explanation of the verse: “He stands, and shakes the earth, He sees, and makes the nations tremble [vayater]” (Habakkuk 3:6): What did God see? He saw the seven mitzvot that the descendants of Noah accepted upon themselves, and He saw that they did not fulfill them. Since they did not fulfill them, He arose and nullified for them [vehitiran] the command to heed these mitzvot. The Gemara asks: Do they gain from not obeying, as they are now released from the obligation to fulfill these mitzvot? If so, we find that a sinner profits from his transgression.
Mar, son of Ravina, said:
This serves to say that even if they fulfill the seven Noahide mitzvot they do not receive a reward for their fulfilment.
The Gemara asks: And are they not rewarded for fulfilling those mitzvot? But isn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Meir would say: From where is it derived that even a gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest? The verse states: “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My ordinances, which if a person do, and shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5). It is not stated: Priests, Levites, and Israelites, but rather the general term “person.” From here you learn that even a gentile who engages in the study of Torah is like a High Priest. This demonstrates that gentiles are rewarded for fulfilling mitzvot, despite the fact that they are not commanded to do so.
Rather, the verse serves to tell you that they do not receive as great a reward for their fulfillment as one who is commanded and performs a mitzva. Rather, they receive a lesser reward, like that of one who is not commanded and still performs a mitzva. As Rabbi Ḥanina says: Greater is one who is commanded to do a mitzva and performs it than one who is not commanded and performs it.
The Gemara returns to the discussion between God and the nations of the world, whose claims are rejected with the rebuttal that they did not receive the Torah because they did not fulfill the seven Noahide mitzvot that were incumbent upon them. Rather, this is what the gentiles say before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, as for the Jewish people who accepted the Torah, where is the evidence that they fulfilled its mitzvot?
The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to them in response: I will testify about the Jewish people that they fulfilled the Torah in its entirety. The nations say before Him: Master of the Universe, is there a father who can testify about his son? As it is written: “Israel is My son, My firstborn” (Exodus 4:22). Since God is considered the Father of the Jewish people, He is disqualified from testifying on their behalf. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: Heaven and earth will testify about them that they fulfilled the Torah in its entirety.
The nations say before Him: Master of the Universe, in this matter the testimony of heaven and earth is tainted by a conflict of interest, as it is stated: “If My covenant be not with day and night, I would not have appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jeremiah 33:25). And concerning this verse, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31)? This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, established a condition with the acts of Creation, and said: If the Jewish people accept My Torah at the revelation at Sinai, all is well, but if they do not accept it, I will return you to the primordial state of chaos and disorder.
And this is similar to that which Ḥizkiyya says with regard to a different matter: What is the meaning of that which is written: “You caused sentence to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was silent” (Psalms 76:9)? If the earth feared, why was it silent, and if it was silent, why did it fear? One who is afraid does not stay silent, and one who remains silent thereby demonstrates that he is not afraid. Rather, this is the meaning of the verse: At first, when God came to give the Torah to the Jewish people, the earth feared that they might not accept it, and it would be destroyed. This is alluded to by the phrase “You caused sentence to be heard.” But ultimately, when the Jews accepted the Torah, the earth was silent. Consequently, heaven and earth are interested parties and cannot testify about the Jewish people’s commitment to the Torah.
Instead, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says to the nations: Let the witnesses come from among you and testify that the Jewish people fulfilled the Torah in its entirety. Let Nimrod come and testify about Abraham that he did not engage in idol worship. Let Laban come and testify about Jacob that he is not suspect with regard to robbery (see Genesis 31:36–42). Let the wife of Potiphar come and testify about Joseph that he is not suspect with regard to the sin of adultery (see Genesis 39:7–12).
Let Nebuchadnezzar come and testify about Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah that they did not prostrate themselves before a graven image. Let Darius come and testify about Daniel that he did not neglect his prayer (see Daniel 6). Let Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and Eliphaz the Temanite, and Elihu, son of Barachel, the Buzite, friends of Job (see Job 2:11 and 32:2) come and testify about the Jewish people that they fulfilled the Torah in its entirety. As it is stated: “All the nations are gathered together…let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified” (Isaiah 43:9), i.e., the gathered gentiles will submit testimony on behalf of the Jewish people and demonstrate the Jews’ righteousness.
The gentiles say before Him: Master of the Universe, give us the Torah afresh and we will perform its mitzvot. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to them in response: Fools of the world! Do you think you can request this? One who takes pains on Shabbat eve will eat on Shabbat, but one who did not take pains on Shabbat eve, from where will he eat on Shabbat? The opportunity for performing mitzvot has already passed, and it is now too late to ask to perform them. But even so, I have an easy mitzva to fulfill, and its name is sukka; go and perform it.
The Gemara asks: And how can you say so, that it is possible to perform a mitzva after the end of this world? But doesn’t Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi say: What is the meaning of that which is written: “You shall therefore keep the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day, to do them” (Deuteronomy 7:11)? This verse teaches that today, in this world, is the time to do them, but tomorrow, in the World-to-Come, is not the time to do them. Furthermore, today is the time to do them, but today is not the time to receive one’s reward, which is granted in the World-to-Come.
The Gemara explains: But even so, God gave the nations an opportunity to perform a mitzva, as The Holy One, Blessed be He, does not deal tyrannically [beteruneya] with His creations, but wants them to feel that they have been judged fairly. The Gemara asks: And why does God call the mitzva of sukka an easy mitzva to fulfill? Because performing the mitzva involves no monetary loss.
Immediately, each and every gentile will take materials and go and construct a sukka on top of his roof. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, will set upon them the heat [makdir] of the sun in the season of Tammuz, i.e., the summer, and each and every one who is sitting in his sukka will be unable to stand the heat, and he will kick his sukka and leave, as it is stated: “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalms 2:3). The Gemara asks: Why does God heat the sun over them? But didn’t you say that the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not deal tyrannically with His creations? The Gemara answers: This is not considered dealing tyrannically with the gentiles, because for the Jewish people as well, there are times
when the season of Tammuz extends until the festival of Sukkot, and in such years sitting in the sukka causes them suffering. The Gemara asks: But doesn’t Rava say that one who suffers in the sukka is exempt from performing the mitzva of sukka, and under these circumstances even a Jew is permitted to leave the sukka? If so, why are the gentiles criticized for leaving? The Gemara answers: Granted that one is exempt from performing the mitzva and is permitted to leave his sukka, but should one kick it?
The Gemara resumes its narration: Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and makes sport of those gentiles, i.e., He laughs at them, as it is stated: “He that sits in heaven makes sport, the Lord has them in derision” (Psalms 2:4). With regard to this verse, Rabbi Yitzḥak says: There is no making sport for the Holy One, Blessed be He, but on that day alone.
There are those who teach that which Rabbi Yitzḥak subsequently said with regard to this matter, as it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yosei says: In the future, the nations of the world will come and convert. The Gemara asks: And do we accept them as converts at that time? But isn’t it taught in another baraita: The court does not accept converts in the days of the Messiah; similarly, they did not accept converts either in the days of David or in the days of Solomon, due to a concern that these people wanted to convert for ulterior motives, because the Jewish people were mighty and respected?
Rather, Rabbi Yosei means that they become converts who have attached themselves to the Jewish people, and they don phylacteries on their heads, phylacteries on their arms, place ritual fringes on their garments, and a mezuza in their doorways.
When these converts see the war of Gog and Magog, every convert of this sort will say to Gog and Magog: For what purpose did you come? They will say to him: We came to fight against the Lord and against His Messiah, as it is stated: “Why are the nations in an uproar? And why do the peoples mutter in vain. The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Messiah” (Psalms 2:1–2).
And then every one of these converts will tear loose his sign of performance of a mitzva and leave, as it is stated: “Let us tear their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalms 2:3). And the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and makes sport, i.e., laughs or rejoices, as it is stated: “He that sits in heaven makes sport, the Lord has them in derision” (Psalms 2:4). Rabbi Yitzḥak says: There is no making sport for the Holy One, Blessed be He, but on that day alone.
The Gemara asks: Is that so? Is there is no other making sport for the Holy One, Blessed be He? But doesn’t Rav Yehuda say that Rav says: There are twelve hours in the day. During the first three, the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and engages in Torah study. During the second three hours, He sits and judges the entire world. Once He sees that the world has rendered itself liable to destruction, He arises from the throne of judgment and sits on the throne of mercy, and the world is not destroyed.
During the third set of three hours, the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and sustains the entire world, from the horns of wild oxen to the eggs of lice. During the fourth three hours, He sits and makes sport with the leviathan, as it is stated: “There is leviathan, whom You have formed to sport with” (Psalms 104:26). Evidently, God makes sport every day, not only on that one day. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says in explanation: He makes sport with His creations, just as He sports with the leviathan; He does not make sport of His creations but on that day alone.
Rav Aḥa said to Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak: From the day the Temple was destroyed, there is no longer any making sport for the Holy One, Blessed be He. And from where do we derive that there is no making sport? If we say that it is from that which is written: “And in that day did the Lord, the God of hosts, call to weeping, and to lamentation, and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth” (Isaiah 22:12), that is inconclusive: Perhaps that day alone was called for weeping and lamentation, and no additional days.
Rather, you might suggest that the source is that it is written: “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you” (Psalms 137:5–6). This is also inconclusive, as perhaps there is no forgetting of Jerusalem for God, but in any event there is still making sport. Rather, it is derived from this verse: “I have long time held My peace, I have been still, and refrained Myself; now will I cry like a travailing woman, gasping and panting at once” (Isaiah 42:14).
The Gemara asks: If God no longer makes sport, what does He now do during the fourth three-hour period of the day? The Gemara answers: He sits and teaches Torah to schoolchildren, as it is stated: “Whom shall one teach knowledge? And whom shall one make to understand the message? Them that are weaned from the milk, them that are drawn from the breasts” (Isaiah 28:9). The verse is interpreted in the following manner: To whom does God teach knowledge, and to whom does He make to understand the message? To those who are just weaned from the milk and to those who are drawn from the breasts, i.e., children only recently weaned from nursing.
The Gemara asks: And initially, before the destruction of the Temple, who would teach the schoolchildren? The Gemara answers: If you wish, say that the angel Metatron would teach them, and if you wish, say instead that He would do both this, sport with the leviathan, and that, teach the schoolchildren; whereas after the destruction of the Temple in the fourth period of the day He only teaches the schoolchildren.
The Gemara asks: And during the twelve hours of the night, what does God do? The Gemara answers: If you wish, say that the night is similar to the day, i.e., God performs the same activities as in the day. And if you wish, say instead that He rides on his light cherub and flies in eighteen thousand worlds, as it is stated: “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even [shinan] thousands” (Psalms 68:18). Do not read it as even [shinan], rather read it as: That which are not [she’einan]. Since the minimum of thousands is two thousand, the phrase: That which are not thousands, indicates that two thousand are not present, i.e., the chariots of God are twenty thousand minus two thousand, which means that God rides in eighteen thousand worlds. And if you wish, say instead that God sits and listens to the songs from the mouths of the angelic creatures, as it is stated: “By day the Lord will command His loving-kindness, and in the night His song shall be with me” (Psalms 42:9).
§ Rabbi Levi says: Anyone who interrupts his study of words of Torah to occupy himself with mundane matters will be fed with the coals of the broom tree, as it is stated: “They pluck salt-wort from wormwood, and the roots of the broom are their food” (Job 30:4). Reish Lakish says: With regard to any-one who occupies himself with Torah at night, the Holy One, Blessed be He, extends a thread of kindness over him by day, as it is stated: “By day, the Lord will command His kindness, and in the night His song shall be with me” (Psalms 42:9). The verse is understood as follows: What is the reason that by day, the Lord will command His kindness to extend over him? It is due to the fact that in the night His song is with me, i.e., he occupies himself at night with Torah, which is referred to as a song.
There are those who say that this is what Reish Lakish says: With regard to anyone who occupies himself with Torah in this world, which is comparable to night, the Holy One, Blessed be He, extends a thread of kindness over him in the World-to-Come, which is comparable to day, as it is stated: “By day, the Lord will command His kindness, and in the night His song shall be with me.”
The Gemara continues discussing the importance of Torah study. Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And makes people as the fish of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them” (Habakkuk 1:14)? Why are people compared to the fish of the sea? This serves to say to you: Just as with regard to the fish of the sea, once they arise onto dry land they die immediately; so too, with regard to people, once they separate themselves from studying words of Torah and performing the mitzvot, they die immediately. Alternatively, just as with regard to the fish of the sea, once the sun is heated over them they die immediately, so too with regard to people, once the sun is heated over them they die immediately.
The Gemara clarifies: If you wish, say that this applies in this world, and if you wish, say instead that it applies to the World-to-Come. If you wish, say that it applies in this world, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina. As Rabbi Ḥanina says: All occurrences that befall man are in the hands of Heaven except for colds and obstacles [paḥim], from which one is able to protect himself, as it is stated: “Colds and snares are on the path of the crooked; he who guards his soul shall keep far from them” (Proverbs 22:5). This indicates that cold and, conversely, heat, are forms of harm from which one must protect himself, which teaches that being exposed to excessive heat can cause death.
And if you wish, say instead that this is referring to the World-to-Come, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish. As Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: There is no Gehenna in the World-to-Come. Rather, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will remove the sun from its sheath [minnarteikah], where it is situated during these times, and heats [umakdir] that world with it. The wicked will be punished by it and consumed by the heat, but the righteous will be healed by it. The wicked will be punished
by it, as it is written: “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that comes shall set them ablaze, said the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Malachi 3:19). This verse is interpreted as follows: Neither a root shall remain for them in this world, nor will a branch grow for them in the World-to-Come. This teaches that the sun itself will burn and consume the wicked in the future.
And the righteous will be healed by it, as it is written in the next verse: “But to you that fear My Name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 3:20). And moreover, not only will they be healed by it, but they will even be rejuvenated by it, as it is stated in the continuation of that verse: “And you shall go forth and leap as calves of the stall.”
Alternatively, just as in the case of fish of the sea, any fish that is bigger than another swallows the other, so too in the case of people, were it not for the fear of the ruling government, anyone who is bigger than another would swallow the other. And this is as we learned in a mishna (Avot 3:2) that Rabbi Ḥanina, the deputy High Priest, says: One should pray for the continued welfare of the government, as were it not for the fear of the government, every man would swallow his neighbor alive.
§ Rav Ḥinnana bar Pappa raises a contradiction between the following verses. It is written: “The Almighty, Whom we have not found out His excellent power” (Job 37:23), which indicates that His power has not been seen. And it is written elsewhere: “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power” (Psalms 147:5), and it is also written: “Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power” (Exodus 15:6), from which it may be inferred that His power is discernable. The Gemara answers: This is not difficult; here, in the first verse, God’s strength is not seen at a time of judgment, where He acts mercifully, whereas there, in the other verses, they are referring to a time of war, when He wages war against His enemies and His power is seen.
Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, raises a contradiction between the following verses. It is written: “Fury is not in Me” (Isaiah 27:4), and it is written: “The Lord is a jealous and furious God” (Nahum 1:2). The Gemara answers: This is not difficult; here, where it states that God has no fury, it is speaking with regard to the Jewish people, whereas there, where it says that God has fury, it is speaking with regard to the nations of the world. Rav Ḥinnana bar Pappa says in explanation of the verse: “Fury is not in Me; would that I were as the briers and thorns in flame! I would with one step burn it altogether” (Isaiah 27:4). “Fury is not in Me,” as I have already taken an oath that I will not destroy the Jewish people; “would that I” had not taken this oath, since then I would be active “as the briers and thorns in flame! I would with one step burn it altogether.”
And this is the same as that which Rabbi Alexandri says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations” (Zechariah 12:9)? “I will seek” from whom? Does God need to seek permission? Rather, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I will seek and search in their records [benigeni]; if they have merit, I will redeem them, and if not, I will destroy them.
And this is the same as that which Rava says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Surely none shall put forth his hand to a ruinous heap, neither because of these things shall help come in one’s calamity [befido]” (Job 30:24)? The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to the Jewish people: When I judge the Jewish people, I do not judge them as I judge the nations of the world. When judging the nations of the world, I punish them for all of their transgressions together, as it is written: “A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, will I make it, this also shall be no more” (Ezekiel 21:32). Rather, I punish the Jewish people like the pecking [kefid] of a hen, which picks up only a tiny amount each time it pecks.
Alternatively, even if the Jewish people perform but a few mitzvot before Me, like the pecking of hens that peck in a dunghill, I will combine them to a large reckoning, as it is stated: “Though they peck [befido],” i.e., perform mitzvot a little at a time, “they will be saved [lahen shua]” (Job 30:24). Alternatively, in reward for the manner in which they cry out [shua] and pray before Me, I will save [moshia] them. In other words, God punishes the Jewish people for each individual infraction, but He does not destroy them entirely in a moment of fury.
And this is the same as that which Rabbi Abba says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And though I will redeem them, they have spoken lies against Me” (Hosea 7:13)? I said that I would redeem them through taking away their money in this world so that they should merit the World-to-Come, but they have spoken lies against Me, by saying that I am angry and uninterested in them.
And this is the same as that which Rav Pappi says in the name of Rava: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Though I have trained [yissarti] and strengthened their arms, yet they consider evil against Me” (Hosea 7:15)? The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I said that I would visit them [ayasserem] with afflictions in this world for their benefit, so that their arms would be strengthened in the World-to-Come, but they consider that which I have done as evil.
With regard to the afflictions of the Jewish people, the Gemara relates: Rabbi Abbahu would praise Rav Safra to the heretics by saying that he is a great man. Therefore, they remitted Rav Safra’s obligation to pay taxes for thirteen years, as they relied upon Rabbi Abbahu’s word and wanted to reward a great man. One day they found Rav Safra and said to him: It is written: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will visit upon you all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). The meaning of this verse is unclear, as why would God punish specifically the Jewish people because He loves them? One who has wrath [siseya], does he raise it against his beloved? Rav Safra was silent and did not say anything in response to them. They threw a scarf around his neck and tormented him, by pulling and denigrating him.
Rabbi Abbahu came and found them doing this to Rav Safra. Rabbi Abbahu said to them: Why are you tormenting him? They said to him: And didn’t you say to us that he is a great man? But he did not even know how to tell us the explanation of this verse. Rabbi Abbahu said to them: You can say that I said this praise of Rav Safra to you only with regard to the Oral Law and the statements of tanna’im, but did I say to you that he is knowledgeable with regard to the Bible?
They said to Rabbi Abbahu: What is different about you Sages of Eretz Yisrael, that you know the Bible as well? Rabbi Abbahu said to them: We, who are situated among you heretics and are forced to debate the meaning of verses, we impose upon ourselves this obligation and analyze verses in depth. By contrast, those Sages of Babylonia, who are not forced to debate you, do not analyze the Bible in such depth.
The heretics said to Rabbi Abbahu: In that case, you should tell us the meaning of this verse. Rabbi Abbahu said to them: I will relate a parable to you. To what is this matter comparable? It is comparable to a person who lends money to two people, one of whom is his beloved, and the other one is his enemy. In the case of his beloved, he collects the debt from him little by little, whereas in the case of his enemy he collects the debt from him all at once. So too, with regard to the Jewish people, God punishes them for each transgression as it occurs, so that they should not receive one severe punishment on a single occasion.
§ The Gemara continues discussing the manner in which God metes out punishment. Rabbi Abba Bar Kahana says: What is the meaning of that which is written as part of Abraham’s prayer to God, when God informed him that He was going to destroy Sodom: “That be far [ḥalila] from You to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked” (Genesis 18:25)? This is what Abraham said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, it is a sacrilege [ḥullin] for You to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked.
The Gemara asks: And does God not act in this manner? But isn’t it written: “And I will cut off from You the righteous and the wicked” (Ezekiel 21:8)? The Gemara answers: There the verse is referring to a righteous person who is not completely righteous, and he will therefore be destroyed along with the wicked.
The Gemara raises a difficulty: But is it true that one who is completely righteous cannot be destroyed along with the wicked? But isn’t it written in a prophecy about the destruction of the Temple that God says to the destroyers: “And begin at My Sanctuary [mimmikdashi]” (Ezekiel 9:6); and Rav Yosef teaches: Do not read the word as “mimmikdashi,” but rather read it as mimmekudashai, those sanctified to Me. He explains: These are people who observed the Torah in its entirety, from the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet alef through its final letter tav. These people observed every mitzva in the Torah, and yet they were destroyed along with the wicked. The Gemara answers the difficulty: There too, since they had the power to protest against the wicked and prevent them from sinning and they did not protest, they are considered as righteous people who are not completely righteous.
Rav Pappa raises a contradiction between the following verses. It is written: “A God that has indignation every day” (Psalms 7:12), and yet the world still exists, and it is written: “Who can stand before His indignation?” (Nahum 1:6). The Gemara answers: This is not difficult; here, where the verse states that no one can stand before His indignation, it is referring to an individual, whereas there, when it is written that God is indignant every day, it is referring to the community, which can withstand the indignation of God, due to its cumulative merits.
The Sages taught with regard to the verse: A God that has indignation every day. And how long does His indignation last? It lasts a moment. And how long is a moment? One in 53,848 parts of an hour, a very small amount of time, that is a moment. The Gemara adds: And no entity can precisely determine that moment when God is indignant, except for Balaam the wicked, that it is written concerning him:
“And knows the knowledge of the Most High” (Numbers 24:16). Now, this should not be understood to mean that Balaam knew the thoughts of God, as is it possible that Balaam did not know the mind of his animal, and yet he did know the mind of the Most High?
The Gemara clarifies: What is meant by the claim that Balaam did not know the mind of his animal? When the princes of Moab saw that Balaam was riding on his donkey, they said to him: What is the reason that you do not ride upon a horse, which is more fitting for you? Balaam said to them: I am riding on a donkey because I left my horse in a meadow to graze. Immediately: “And the donkey said to Balaam: Am not I your donkey?” (Numbers 22:30), i.e., the donkey you always use. Balaam said to it: For carrying burdens only, not for riding.
The donkey further said to Balaam: “Upon which you have ridden.” Balaam said to it: Merely at irregular occurrences. The donkey said to him: “All your life long unto this day” (Numbers 22:30). The donkey added: And moreover, I perform for you riding during the day, and marriage, i.e., intercourse, during the night. The Gemara explains: This is derived from the following comparison: It is written here that Balaam’s donkey said: “Was I ever wont [hahasken hiskanti] to do so to you” (Numbers 22:30), and it is written there, with regard to Abishag the Shunammite and King David: “And be a companion [sokhenet] unto him; and let her lie in your bosom” (I Kings 1:2). This teaches that the term hiskanti alludes to sexual intercourse.
The Gemara returns to its previous question: Rather, what is the meaning of: “And knows the knowledge of the Most High” (Numbers 24:16)? It means that he was able to determine precisely the hour at which the Holy One, Blessed be He, is angry. At that moment Balaam would utter his curse and, through God’s anger, it would be fulfilled. And this is what the prophet said to the Jewish people: “O My people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, devised, and what Balaam, son of Beor, answered him; from Shittim unto Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord” (Micah 6:5).
Rabbi Elazar says, in explanation of that verse: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the Jewish people: My nation, see how many acts of kindness I performed for you, that I did not become angry at you during all of those days when Balaam attempted to curse the Jewish people, and he was not able to find a moment of divine anger. As, had I become angry at you, there would not have remained a remnant or a refugee among the enemies of the Jewish people, a euphemism for the Jewish people themselves. Instead, God restrained His anger and Balaam’s curse went unfulfilled. And this is what Balaam said to Balak: Since God is not becoming angry, I can do nothing, as: “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I execrate whom the Lord has not execrated”? (Numbers 23:8).
The Gemara further discusses this matter: And how long does His indignation last? It lasts a moment. And how long is a moment? Ameimar, and some say Ravina, said: It lasts as long as it takes to say the word moment [rega]. The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that God’s anger lasts for only a moment? As it is written: “His anger is but for a moment; His favor, for a lifetime” (Psalms 30:6). And if you wish, say instead that it is derived from here: “Hide yourself for a brief moment, until the anger passes” (Isaiah 26:20), meaning that God’s anger passes in a mere moment.
The Gemara asks: When is God angry? Abaye said: During the first three hours of the day, when the crest of the rooster whitens in the sun, as though life has left the rooster and it suddenly turns white, that is when God is angry. The Gemara asks: Doesn’t its crest whiten each and every hour? How can this serve as a sign? The Gemara answers: The difference is that every other hour there remain red streaks [surayekei] in the rooster’s crest, whereas at that hour of His anger there are no red streaks in its crest.
The Gemara relates: A certain heretic would distress Rabi Yehoshua ben Levi by incessantly challenging him as to the meaning of verses. One day, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi took a rooster and placed it between the legs of the bed upon which he sat, and looked at it. He thought: When that moment of God’s anger arrives, I will curse the heretic and be rid of him. When that moment of God’s anger arrived, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi fell asleep and missed the opportunity to curse the heretic.
Upon awakening, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: I can conclude from the fact that I fell asleep that it is not proper conduct to do this, to curse people, even if they are wicked, as the verse: “And His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalms 145:9) is written even with regard to sinners. And moreover, it is inappropriate to cause the punishment of another, as it is written: “Punishment, even for the righteous, is not good” (Proverbs 17:26). Even for a righteous person, it is improper to punish another.
In explanation of the cause of God’s anger, it is taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: When the kings wake up and place their crowns on their heads and bow down to the sun, the Holy One, Blessed be He, immediately grows angry. This is why God’s anger occurs during the first three hours of the day. Rav Yosef says: A person should not recite the additional prayers during the first three hours of the day on the first day of Rosh HaShana if he is praying individually, as, since the judgment of the entire world is reckoned then, perhaps the Heavenly court will scrutinize his actions and reject him.
The Gemara raises a difficulty: If that is so, the prayer of the community should not be recited at that time as well. The Gemara explains: The prayer of the community is not rejected even at this time, due to its many merits. The Gemara asks: If that is so, then shouldn’t the morning prayer of one who is praying individually also not be recited at this time? The Gemara answers: Since there is in all places a community that prays the morning prayer at that same time, his prayer is not rejected. By contrast, the additional prayer is recited at different times by different communities, as unlike the morning prayer it does not have a fixed time but can be recited at any point during the day.
The Gemara raises another difficulty: But didn’t you say that during the first three hours of the day The Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and engages in Torah study, and He engages in judgment only during the second set of three hours? The Gemara answers: Reverse the order so that it is stated that He sits in judgment during the first three hours of the day.
And if you wish, say instead: Actually, do not reverse the order. Rather, this is the reason that an individual should not recite the additional prayer during the first three hours of the day when God is engaged in Torah study: In the case of the Torah, with regard to which it is written: Truth, as it is written: “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:23), the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not act in a manner that is beyond the letter of the law. But with regard to judgment, with regard to which it is not written: Truth, but it is a process that involves mercy and compromise, the Holy One, Blessed be He, can act in a manner that is beyond the letter of the law.
§ The Gemara presents a mnemonic for the ensuing statements of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Today, bear witness, shake, the golden calf. The Gemara returns to an earlier discussion (3a), first by citing the matter itself. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Which I command you this day, to do them” (Deuteronomy 7:11)? This verse teaches that today is the time to do them, i.e., to perform the mitzvot, in this world, but tomorrow, in the World-to-Come, is not the time to do them. Furthermore, today is the time to do them, but today is not the time to receive one’s reward, which is given in the World-to-Come.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: All of the mitzvot that the Jews perform in this word will come and bear witness for them in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “Let them bring their witnesses that they may be justified, and let them hear, and say: It is truth” (Isaiah 43:9). He explains: “Let them bring their witnesses that they may be justified”; these are referring to the Jews. “And let them hear, and say: It is truth”; these are referring to the nations of the world.
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: All of the mitzvot that the Jewish people perform in this world will come and strike the faces of the nations of the world in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the nations” (Deuteronomy 4:6). It is not stated: Before the nations; rather, the verse states: “In the eyes of the nations,” which taken literally teaches that they will come and strike the faces of the nations of the world in the World-to-Come.
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: The Jewish people fashioned the Golden Calf (see Exodus, chapter 32) only to give a claim to penitents, as it is stated after the revelation at Sinai: “Who would give that they had such a heart as this always, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be good for them, and with their children forever” (Deuteronomy 5:25). If the nation was truly at such a lofty spiritual state, how could they worship the Golden Calf? Rather, their sin occurred so that it would be made clear that one can repent for any sin, as even a sin as severe as the Golden Calf was forgiven.
And this is similar to that which Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: David was not fit to act as he did in that incident involving Bathsheba, and the Jewish people were not fit to act as they did in that incident of the Golden Calf. David was not fit to act as he did in that incident involving Bathsheba (see II Samuel, chapter 11), as it is written: “And my heart is wounded within me” (Psalms 109:22), i.e., he had vanquished his evil inclination, and therefore it should not have been able to rule over him to that extent.
And likewise the Jewish people were not fit to act as they did in that incident of the Golden Calf, as it is written with regard to the Jewish people of that time: “Who would give that they had such a heart as this always, to fear Me and keep all My commandments, that it might be good for them, and with their children forever” (Deuteronomy 5:25). Rather, why did they perform these sins?
This serves to say to you that if an individual has sinned, one says to him: Go to that famous individual who sinned, King David, and learn from him that one can repent. And if the community sinned, one says to them: Go to the community that sinned, i.e., the Jewish people at the time of the Golden Calf.
The Gemara notes: And it is necessary to learn about repentance both in the case of an individual and in the case of a community. The reason is that if we had learned this idea only with regard to an individual, one might have thought that he has the option to repent only because his sin is not publicized. But in the case of a community, whose sin is publicized, one might say that the community cannot repent. And likewise, if we had learned this idea only with regard to a community, one might have said that their repentance is accepted because their prayers are more numerous than those of an individual, and they are heard before God. But in the case of an individual, whose merit is not as strong, one might say that he is not able to repent. Therefore, it is necessary to teach both cases.
And this is similar to that which Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “The saying of David, son of Yishai, and the saying of the man raised on high [al]” (II Samuel 23:1)? This is the meaning of the verse: The saying of David, son of Yishai, who raised and lightened the yoke [ullah] of repentance, as he taught the power of repentance through his own example.
And Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani further says that Rabbi Yonatan says: With regard to anyone who performs one mitzva in this world, the mitzva will precede him and walk before him in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your reward” (Isaiah 58:8). And with regard to anyone who commits one transgression, that transgression will shroud him and lead him on the Day of Judgment, as it is stated: “The paths of their way do wind, they go up into the waste, and are lost” (Job 6:18).
Rabbi Elazar says: The transgression is tied to him like a dog and does not leave him, as it is stated with regard to Joseph and Potiphar’s wife: “And he did not listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her” (Genesis 39:10). This teaches that Joseph refused “to lie by her” in this world, which would have meant that he would have had “to be with her” in the World-to-Come.
זוהר
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָזַל לְגַבֵּי דְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרִבִי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לְקוֹנְיָא חֲמוֹי כֵּיוַן דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ אִתְקִיל לֵיהּ תוֹפְסִיתָה (ס''א טוֹפְסִיסָא) דְקוּמְרָא בְמַטְוַן דְּקוּלְפָא וִיתִיבוּ אָמַר לֵיהּ חֲמוֹי אֶפְשַׁר דְּשַׁמְעַת מֵאָבוּךְ הָאי דִכְתִיב (איכה ב) עָשָׂה ה' אֲשֶׁר זָמָם בִּצַע אֶמְרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מִימֵי קֶדֶם אָמַר לֵיהּ הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָא בִּצַע אֶמְרָתוֹ דְבָזַע פּוּרְפִירָא דִילֵיהּ. אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מִימֵי קֶדֶם. דְהָא פוּרְפִירָא פָקִיד לָהּ מֵאִינוּן יוֹמֵי קַדְמָאֵי עִלָּאֵי וּבְיוֹמָא דְאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְשָׁא בָזַע לָהּ בְּגִין דְּהָאי פּוּרְפִירָא אִיהִי יְקָרָא דִילֵיהּ וְתִיקוּנָא דִילֵיהּ וּבָזַע לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ (שם) עָשָׂה ה' אֲשֶׁר זָמָם. וְכִי מַלְכָּא חָשִׁיב (קוֹדֶם) לְאַבְאָשָׁא לִבְנוֹי עַד לָא יֵיתוּן לְמֵחֶטוֹי אָמַר לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא דַהֲוָה לֵיהּ מָאן יְקָר וּבְכָל יוֹמָא הֲוָה דָחִיל עֲלֵיהּ דְלָא יִתְבַר וַהֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל בֵיה וְתַקִּין בְּעֵינוֹי. לְיוֹמִין אָתָא בְּרֵיהּ וְאַרְגִּיז לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא נָטַל מַלְכָּא הַהוּא מָאן יְקָר וְתָבַר לֵיהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב עָשָׂה ה' אֲשֶׁר זָמָם תָא חֲזֵי מִן יוֹמָא דְאִתְבְנֵי בֵי מַקְדְשָׁא הֲוָה קב''ה מִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ וְחָבִיב עֲלֵיהּ סַגִּי וַהֲוָה דָחִיל עֲלַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּיֶחֱטוּן וִיחָרֵב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא וְכֵן בְּכָל זִמְנָא דַהֲוָה אָתֵי לְגַבֵּי בֵי מַקְדְשָׁא הֲוָה לָבִישׁ הַהוּא פוּרְפִירָא לְבָתַר דְגָרְמוּ חוֹבִין וְאַרְגִּיזוּ קָמֵי מַלְכָּא אִתְחָרֵב בֵּי מַקְדְשָׁא וּבָזַע הַהוּא פוּרְפִירָא (ד''א גָרִיס הָכִי בָזַע הַהוּא פוּרְפִירָא וְאִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְשָׁא) הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב (שם) עָשָׂה ה' אֲשֶׁר זָמָם בִּצַע אִמְרָתוֹ וְגוֹמֵר הָאי אֶמְרָתוֹ בְקַדְמִיתָא יַתְבָא בְרֹאשׁ אָמִיר וְהָא אִתְעֲטָרוּ עַטְרָא לְרֵישָׁא וְאִילָן נָאֶה לְפָנָיו וְאִיהִי מִימֵי קֶדֶם וַדָּאי וּכְדֵין עֲצִיבוּ קָמֵיהּ בְּבָתֵּי בִרָאי וַדָּאי וְהֵן (ישעיה לג) אֶרְאֶלָּם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה (שם כב) וַיִּקְרָא ה' צְבָאוֹת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְגוֹמֵר הַיְינוּ בְּזִמְנָא דְאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְשָׁא אֲבָל בְזִמְנָא אַחֲרָא לֵית חֶדְוָה קָמֵי קֻדְשָׁא בְרִיךְ הוּא כְּזִמְנָא דְאִתְאֲבִידוּ חַיָּיבֵי עַלְמָא וְאִינוּן דְאַרְגִיזוּ קָמֵיהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יא) וּבַאֲבוֹד רְשָׁעִים רִנָּה. וְכֵן בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא דְעָבִיד דִינָא בְּחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא חֶדְוָה וְתוּשְׁבְּחָא קָמֵי קֻדְשָׁא בְרִיךְ הוּא וְאִי תֵימָא הָא תָנֵינָן דְּלֵית חֶדְוָה קָמֵי קֻדְשָׁא בְרִיךְ הוּא כַּד אִיהוּ עָבִיד דִינָא בְּחַיָיבַיָא. אֶלָא תָא חֲזֵי בְּשַׁעְתָא דְאִתְעֲבִיד דִינָא בְּחַיָּיבַיָא חֶדְוָון וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן קָמֵיהּ עַל דְאִתְאֲבִידוּ מֵעַלְמָא וַהֲנֵי מִילֵי כַד מָטָא הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְאוֹרִיךְ לוֹן וְלָא תָאבָן לְגַבֵּיהּ מֵחוֹבַיְיהוּ. אֲבָל אִי אִתְעֲבִיד בְהוּ דִינָא עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנַיְיהוּ (וְעַד) דְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים חוֹבַיְיהוּ כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָאֱמוֹרִי עַד הֵנָה כְּדֵין לֵית חֶדְוָה קָמֵיהּ וּבְאִישׁ קָמֵיהּ עַל דְאִתְאֲבִידוּ. וְאִי תֵימָא אִיהוּ עַד לָא מָטוּ זִמְנַיְיהוּ אֲמָאי עָבִיד בְּהוּ דִינָא. אֶלָּא אִינוּן גָרְמִין בִּישָׁא לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ דְהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְרִיךְ הוּא לָא עָבִיד בְּהוּ דִינָא עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנַיְיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְמִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן וּבְגִין כֵּן עָבִיד דִינָא וְאוֹבִיד לוֹן מֵעַלְמָא בְּלָא זִמְנָא וְדָא הוּא דְאַבְאִישׁ קַמֵּיהּ וּבְגִין כַּךְ אַטְבַע מִצְרָאֵי בְּיַמָּא וְאוֹבִיד שׂוֹנְאֵיהוֹן דְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּימֵי יְהוֹשָׁפָט וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ דְהָא בְגִינֵיהוֹן דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְאֲבִידוּ בְּלָא זְמַנָּא אֲבָל כַּד אִשְׁתַּלִים זְמַנָּא דְאוֹרִיךְ לוֹן וְלָא תָּבוּ כְדֵין חֶדְוָה וְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא קַמֵּיה עַל דְאִתְאֲבִידוּ מֵעָלְמָא בַּר בְּזִמְנָא דְאִתְחַרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְשָׁא דְאַף עַל גַּב דְאִשְׁתַּלִים זְמַנָּא דִלְהוֹן דְּאַרְגִיזוּ קַמֵּיהּ לָא הֲוָה חֶדְוָה קַמֵּיהּ וּמֵהַהוּא זִמְנָא לָא הֲוָה חֶדְוָה לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא:
Rabbi Elazar went over to Rabbi Yosi, the son of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakunya, his father-in-law. As soon as he saw him, he spread carpets over planks of wood and prepared a canopy under which they both sat. His father-in-law asked him if, by any chance, he had learned from his father the meaning of the verse: "Hashem has done that which He devised; He has performed His word that He commanded in the days of old" (Eichah 2:17).
He answered: Our friends have already explained it. "He has performed His word (also: 'He tore His hem')" means that He ripped His precious cloak; "that He commanded in the days of old" means that this cloak He commanded from the supernal days of old. On the day the Temple was destroyed, He ripped His cloak, for it is His glory and perfection. And He ripped it, means that the first nine Sefirot left her and only the tenth remained.
He asks, "Hashem has done that which He devised:" Is this the way of a king to devise evil against his children even before they have sinned? And he answers him: It is like a king who had a precious vessel and was constantly afraid that it might one day break. So he used to watch it by keeping it under his eye. One day his son came along and made the king angry. So the king took his precious vessel and smashed it. That is why it says "that which He devised."
Come and behold: from the day the Temple was built, the Holy One, blessed be He, used to watch it, because it was very precious to Him. And He used to worry that Yisrael might sin and cause the Temple to be destroyed. So every time He came to the Temple, He wore a precious mantle. But when Yisrael sinned and made the King furious, the Temple was destroyed and He tore His cloak apart. That is the meaning of "Hashem has done that which He has devised..."
"His hem (Heb. אִמְרָתוֹ)" as mentioned here, (corresponds to Malchut) which was sitting before on the top of the tree (Heb. אמיר). And the King crowned Himself with it and had before Him a beautiful tree; (the tree of the souls before they came into this world). But now, after the destruction of the Temple, He tore her (meaning that the upper nine Sefirot left Malchut and only the light of Nefesh remained there). So now there is sadness before Him all over in the external houses. As the verse reads: "Behold, the valiant ones shall cry without" (Yeshayah 33:7), that is, only external ones. "And on that day Hashem Tzva'ot called to weeping, to mourning, to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth" (Yeshayah 22:12). This means that only on that day, when the Temple was destroyed (did He call). But aside from that day, there is no greater joy for the Holy One blessed be He, than when the wicked of the world, who provoke Him, are removed from this world. As it is written: "And when the wicked perish there is joy" (Mishlei 11:10). So in each generation, when judgment is executed on wicked people, there is joy and songs before the Holy one, blessed be He.
And if you claim that we learned that there is no joy before the Holy One, blessed be He, when He passes His judgment on the sinners, come and behold: when judgment is delivered on the wicked, there is joy and exultation before Him, because they are removed from this world. But, when is there joy? When the time that He has waited for them (to repent) is over, and they have not returned to Him from sinning. But if judgment is delivered on them before their time has come, and the measure of their sins has not yet been completed, it is, as it is written: "the iniquity of the Emorite is not yet full" (Gen. 15:16) (i.e. they can still repent); thus, there is no joy. And there is grief before Him because of their destruction.
But, you might ask: If their time has not come yet, then why should judgment be delivered on them? Because it is they who inflict the punishment on themselves, as the Holy One, blessed be He, would never punish them before their time has come. Because they associate with Yisrael in an effort to harm them, He passes His Judgment on them and entirely removes them from the world before their time is up. And now there is grief before Him (because He destroyed them before their time). This is also the reason why He drowned the Egyptians in the sea and destroyed the enemies of Yisrael in the days of Yehoshafat. They were all destroyed before their time because they harmed Yisrael.
So only when the time that He waits for them is completed, and they do not mend their ways, is their destruction a cause for joy and exaltation before Him. The only exception was the time when the Temple was destroyed, because even though their time for angering Him had expired, there was no joy before Him. From that time onward, there has been happiness neither above nor below.
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הָלַךְ אֶל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקוֹנְיָא חוֹתְנוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתוֹ. תִּקֵּן לוֹ שְׁטִיחִים שֶׁל מִכְסֶה עַל מוֹטוֹת עֵץ, וְיָשְׁבוּ. אָמַר לוֹ חוֹתְנוֹ, אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתָּ מֵאָבִיךְ זֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב, עָשָׂה ה' אֲשֶׁר זָמָם בִּצַע אֶמְרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מִימֵי קֶדֶם. אָמַר לוֹ הֲרֵי פֵּרְשׁוּהוּ הַחֲבֵרִים בִּצַע אֱמְרָתוֹ, שֶׁקָּרַע הַלְּבוּשׁ הַיָּקָר שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁנִּקְרָא פּוּרְפִירָא. אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מִימֵי קֶדֶם, פּוּרְפִירָא זוֹ צִוָּה אוֹתָהּ מֵאֵלּוּ יְמֵי קֶדֶם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, הַיְנוּ מֵהַסְּפִירוֹת דְּפַרְצוּף עַתִּיק הַנִּקְרָאוֹת יְמֵי קֶדֶם. וּבַיּוֹם שֶׁנֶּחֶרָב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קָרַע אוֹתָהּ. בַּאֲשֶׁר פּוּרְפִירָא זוֹ הִיא הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁלּוֹ וְהַתִּקּוּן שֶׁלּוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ הַמַּלְכוּת הַנִּקְרֵאת כָּבוֹד ה'. וְהִיא תִּקּוּנוֹ, כִּי הוּא מִתְתַּקֵּן עַל יָדָהּ בַּמּוֹחִין דְּהֶאָרַת הַחָכְמָה, וְקָרַע אוֹתָהּ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקוּ מִמֶּנָּהּ ט' סְפִירוֹת רִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְלֹא נִשְׁאָר בָּהּ כִּי אִם חֵלֶק הָעֲשִׂירִית מִמֶּנָּהּ. הִקְשָׁה לוֹ, עָשָׂה ה' אֲשֶׁר זָמָם, הֲכִי דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל הַמֶּלֶךְ לַחֲשׁוֹב לְהָרַע לְבָנָיו עוֹד קוֹדֶם שֶׁבָּאִים לַחֲטוֹא. וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ, זֶה דּוֹמֶה, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ כְּלִי יָקָר וּבְכָל יוֹם הָיָה מְפַחֵד עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁבֵר, וְהָיָה מִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ, וְהָיָה יָשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו. לְיָמִים בָּא הַבֵּן וְהִכְעִיס אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ, לָקַח הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת כְּלִי הַיָקָר וְשָׁבַר אוֹתוֹ. זֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב, עָשָׂה ה' אֲשֶׁר זָמָם. בֹּא וּרְאֵה, מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ, וְהָיָה חָבִיב עָלָיו מְאֹד. וְהָיָה מְפַחֵד עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא יֶחְטֶאוּ וְיֶחֱרָב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. וְכֵן בְּכָל פַּעַם שֶׁהָיָה בָּא לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הָיָה לוֹבֵשׁ פּוּרְפִירָא הַזּוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהָיָה מִזְדַוֵּג עִם הַמַּלְכוּת. וְאַחַר שֶׁגָּרְמוּ הַחַטָּאִים וְהִכְעִיסוּ אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ, נֶחֱרָב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְקָרַע אֶת אוֹתָהּ פּוּרְפִירָא. הַיְנוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב, עָשָׂה ה' אֲשֶׁר זָמָם. בִּצַע אֶמְרָתוֹ: אֶמְרָתוֹ זוֹ, שֶׁהִיא הַמַּלְכוּת, מִתְּחִלָּה הָיְתָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת בְּרֹאשׁ אַמִּיר, וּמִתְעַטֵּר בָּהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ עֲטָרָה לְרֹאשׁוֹ, וְאִילָן נָאֶה לְפָנָיו, הַיְנוּ אִילָן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת מִטֶּרֶם שֶׁבָּאִים לָעוֹלָם. וְעַתָּה, כְּשֶׁנֶּחֱרָב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, קָרַע אוֹתָהּ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקוּ מִמֶּנָּהּ ט' סְפִירוֹת רִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְנִשְׁאֲרָה בְּאוֹר הַנֶּפֶשׁ בִּלְבָד. וְאָז, כְּשֶׁנֶּחֶרָב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, נַעֲשֶׂה עַצְבוּת לְפָנָיו בַּבָּתִּים הַחִיצוֹנִים בְּוַדַּאי, וְלֹא בַּפְּנִימִיִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הֶן אֶרְאֶלָּם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה, דְּהַיְנוּ רַק בַּחִיצוֹנִיוּת. וַיִּקְרָא ה' צְבָאוֹת וְכוּ': הַיְנוּ רַק בַּזְּמָן שֶׁנֶּחֱרָב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, קָרָא לִבְכִי וּמִסְפֵּד, אֲבָל בִּזְמָן אַחֵר, אֵין שִׂמְחָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּבִזְמָן שֶׁרְשָׁעֵי הָעוֹלָם וְהַמַּכְעִיסִים אוֹתוֹ נֶאֱבָדִים מֵהָעוֹלָם, וְזֶ''שׁ וּבַאֲבוֹד רְשָׁעִים רִנָּה. וְכֵן בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר, בָּעֵת שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה דִּין בְּרִשְׁעֵי הָעוֹלָם, שִׂמְחָה וְרִנָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, אִם הוּא מִטֶּרֶם שֶׁהִגִּיעַ זְמַנָּם, לָמָּה עוֹשִׂים בָּהֶם דִּין. אֶלָּא הֵם גָּרְמוּ רָעָה לְעַצְמָם, כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה בָּהֶם דִּין מִטֶּרֶם שֶׁהִגִּיעַ זְמַנָּם, אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנִּתְחַבְּרוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהָרַע לָהֶם, מִשּׁוּם זֶה עָשָׂה בָּהֶם דִּין וְהֶאֱבִיד אוֹתָם מֵהָעוֹלָם לִפְנֵי זְמַנָּם. וְלָכֵן רַע לְפָנָיו לְהַאֲבִידָם לִפְנֵי זְמַנָּם. וּמִשּׁוּם זֶה הִטְבִּיעַ אֶת הַמִּצְרִים בַּיָּם, וְהֶאֱבִיד שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּימֵי יְהוֹשָׁפָט, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם. כִּי בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהֵרֵעוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֱבְדוּ לִפְנֵי זְמַנָּם. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁלָם הַזְּמָן שֶׁהִמְתִּין לָהֶם וְלֹא שָׁבוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה, אָז שִׂמְחָה וְרִנָּה לְפָנָיו עַל שֶׁנֶּאֱבְדוּ מֵהָעוֹלָם, חוּץ מִבַּזְּמָן שֶׁנֶּחֱרָב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר נִשְׁלָם זְמַנָּם שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ לְפָנָיו, מִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא הָיְתָה שִׂמְחָה לְפָנָיו, וּמֵהָעֵת הַהִיא וָאֵילָךְ, אֵין שִׂמְחָה לְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה:
הלכה פסוקה
א. אֵין קוֹרִין בַּתּוֹרָה בְּצִבּוּר בְּפָחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים גְדוֹלִים בְּנֵי חוֹרִין. וְאֵין קוֹרִין פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה פְּסוּקִים. וַיְדַבֵּר עוֹלֶה מִן הַמִּנְיָן. וְלֹא יִהְיוּ הַקּוֹרִין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלשָה אֲנָשִׁים. וְאֵין מַתְחִילִין בְּפָרָשָׁה פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלשָׁה פְּסוּקִים. וְאֵין מְשַּׁיְירִין בְּפָרָשָׁה פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלשָה פְּסוּקִים. וְלֹא יִקְרָא הַקּוֹרֵא פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלשָׁה פְּסוּקִים:
ב. שְׁלשָׁה שֶׁקָּרְאוּ עֲשָׂרָה פְּסוּקִים שְׁנַיִם קוֹרְאִין שְׁלשָה שְׁלשָׁה וְאֶחָד אַרְבָּעָה וּבֵין שֶׁהָיָה הַקּוֹרֵא אַרְבָּעָה רִאשׁוֹן אוֹ אַחֲרוֹן אוֹ אֶמְצָעִי הֲרֵי זֶה מְשׁוּבָּח:
The Torah is not read publicly unless at least ten male Israelites—all adults and freemen—are present. A minimum of ten verses must be read. The introductory verse, "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying" is counted among the ten verses. Not less than three must be called to the reading of the Law. They do not begin to read at a place less than three verses from the beginning of a section, nor do they end at a place less than three verses from the close of a section. No reader may read less than three verses.
When ten verses are read by three persons, two of them read three verses each, and one reads four verses. The one who reads the four verses, whether he is the first, last or intermediate reader, is praiseworthy.
מוסר
כַּעַס בְּחֵיק כְּסִילִים יָנוּחַ הַכַּעַס רַע מְאֹד וְעַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְהִתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנּוּ עַד קְצֵה הָאַחֲרוֹן וִילַמֵּד כָּל אָדָם לְעַצְמוֹ כָּל שָׁעָה וְשָׁעָה שֶׁלֹּא יִכְעוֹס כְּלַל וַאֲפִלּוּ עַל דָּבָר שֶׁרָאוּי לִכְעוֹס עָלָיו וְאִם רוֹצֶה לְהַטִּיל אֵימָה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ אוֹ עַל הַצִבּוּר אִם הוּא פַּרְנַס יַרְאֶה בִּפְנֵיהֶם שֶׁהוּא כוֹעֵס וְתִהְיֶה דַעְתּוֹ מְיוּשֶׁבֶת עָלָיו בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא מַרְאֶה פָּנִים שֶׁל כַּעַס וּבְלִבּוֹ אֵינוֹ כוֹעֵס כִּי הַכַּעַס מֵבִיא לִכְלַל טָעוּת. וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים כָּל הַכּוֹעֵס אִם חָכָם הוּא חָכְמָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ וּבַעֲלֵי כַּעַס חַיֵּיהֶם אֵינָם חַיִּים וְגַם מֵתִים קוֹדֶם זְמַנָּם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (איוב ה) כִּי לֶאֱוִיל יַהֲרֹג כַּעַס. לְפִיכָךְ נָאֶה מְאֹד לְהִתְרַחֵק מִן הַכַּעַס וּלְהַנְהִיג בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַרְגִּישׁ אַף בְּדִבְרֵי הַמַּכְעִיסוֹ וְזוּ הִיא דֶרֶךְ הַטּוֹבָה: