33 (1) VEZOT HABBERAKHA And this is the blessing, with which Moshe the man of God blessed the children of Yisra᾽el before his death.

(2) And he said, The Lord came from Sinay, and rose up from Se῾ir to them; he shone forth from mount Paran, and he came from holy multitudes: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

(3) Truly he loves the peoples; all his holy ones are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

(4) Moshe commanded us a Tora, the inheritance of the congregation of Ya῾aqov.

(5) And he was king in Yeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Yisra᾽el were gathered together.

(6) Let Re᾽uven live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

8 (54) And it was so, that when Shelomo had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.

(55) And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Yisra᾽el with a loud voice, saying,

(56) Blessed is the Lord that has given rest to his people Yisra᾽el, according to all that he promised: there has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moshe his servant.

(57) The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:

(58) that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.

(59) And let these my words, with which I have made supplication before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Yisra᾽el at all times, as each day may require,

10 (1) Why standest Thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest Thou Thyself in times of trouble?

(2) The wicked in his pride hotly pursues the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

(3) For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, and the greedy wretch curses and renounces the Lord.

(4) The wicked, through the pride of his countenance thinks, He will not seek out: all his thoughts are, God is not.

(5) His ways are always strong; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he hisses at them.

(6) He says in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

1. One must not put a cake of pressed [terumah] figs or dried [terumah] figs into fish-brine, since it spoils them. But one may place [terumah] wine into fish brine. One must not perfume the oil, But one may put honey and pepper into wine. One may not boil terumah wine, because it decreases it. Rabbi Judah permits this, because it improves it.

2. [A non-priest drank] honey of dates, wine of apples, vinegar from winter grapes, and all other kinds of fruit juice of terumah: Rabbi Eliezer makes him liable to repay their value and the fifth; But Rabbi Joshua exempts from the fifth. Rabbi Eliezer declares [these] susceptible to uncleanness as liquids. Rabbi Joshua says: the sages have not enumerated seven liquids as those that count spices, but rather they stated: seven liquids make things susceptible to uncleaness, whereas all other liquids do not make susceptible.

3. One must not make dates into honey, apples into wine, winter-grapes into vinegar, or change any other kind of fruit that is terumah or second tithe from their natural state, except olives and grapes. One does not receive forty lashes on account of orlah except with that which comes from olives and grapes. Liquids cannot be brought as first fruits, except with that which comes from olives and grapes. And no fruit juice is susceptible to uncleanness as liquids except with that which comes from olives and grapes. And nothing [that is derived from fruit] can be offered on the altar except with that which comes from olives and grapes.

4. The stems of fresh figs and dried figs, klisim and carobs of terumah are forbidden to non-priests.

5. Seeds of terumah [fruit]: When he gathers them in, they are prohibited. But if he throws them away, they are permitted. Similarly, the bones of holy things: When he gathers them in, they are prohibited. But if he throws them away, they are permitted. Coarse bran is permitted. Fine bran of new wheat is forbidden, and old wheat permitted. One may act with regard to terumah as one does with hullin. One who sifts a kav or two [of fine flour] from a seah of wheat, must not leave the rest to ruin, but rather he should put it in a hidden place.

6. If a store-chamber was cleared of terumah wheat, they do not need to force him to sit down and collect each grain, but rather he may sweep it all up in his usual manner and then deposit hullin in it.

7. Similarly, if a jar of oil is upset, they do not need to force him to sit down and scoop it up [with his fingers], but he may deal with it as he would in a case of hullin.

8. One who pours from jar to jar and three drops drip, he may place in it hullin. But if he inclined the jar [on its side] in order to drain it, it is terumah. How much terumat maaser of demai must there be for him to take it to the priest? One eighth of an eighth [of a log].

9. Vetches of terumah may be given to cattle, to wild beasts or fowls. If an Israelite hired a cow from a priest, he may give it vetches of terumah to eat. But if a priest hired a cow from an Israelite, even though the responsibility of feeding it is his, he must not feed it with vetches of terumah. If an Israelite undertakes the care of a cow from a priest, he must not feed it with vetches of terumah. But if a priest undertakes the care of a cow from an Israelite, he may feed it on vetches of terumah.

10. One may burn terumah oil that has to be burnt in synagogues, houses of study, dark alleys, and for sick people with permission of the priest. If the daughter of an Israelite married to a priest regularly goes to her father's house, her father may burn [such oil] with her permission. One may also burn [such oil] in a house of celebration but not in a house of mourning, the words of Rabbi Judah. Rabbi Yose says: in the house of mourning, but not in a house of celebration. Rabbi Meir forbids it in both places. But Rabbi Shimon permits it in both places.

The Gemara returns to the homilies offered by the Sages in the vineyard of Yavne. Rabbi Neḥemya began to speak in honor of the hosts and taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And Saul said unto the Kenites: Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites lest I destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the Children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt” (I Samuel 15:6)? Isn’t this an a fortiori inference: Just as Jethro, the forbearer of the Kenite tribe, who only befriended Moses for his own honor, is treated in this way and rewarded that his merit would protect his descendants; all the more so should one who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessions, be rewarded with that protection.

Rabbi Yosei began to speak in honor of the hosts, and taught: It is said: “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land” (Deuteronomy 23:8). Isn’t this an a fortiori inference: Just as the Egyptians, who only befriended Israel, even when they hosted them, for their own benefit, as Pharaoh said to Joseph, as it is stated: “And if you know any able men among them, then make them rulers over my cattle” (Genesis 47:6), are treated this way, all the more so should one who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessions without concern for personal gain, be treated this way.

Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, began to speak in honor of the hosts, and taught: It is stated: “The Lord has blessed the house of Oved-edom…because of the ark of God” (II Samuel 6:12). Isn’t this an a fortiori inference: Just as in reward for honoring the ark, which neither ate nor drank, but before which Oved-edom simply swept and sprinkled water to settle the dust, he was treated this way and merited a blessing, all the more so should one who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessions without concern for his personal gain, be rewarded with such a blessing.

The Gemara asks: What is that blessing with which Oved-edom was blessed? Rav Yehuda bar Zevida said: This is Ḥamot and her eight daughters-in-law, each of whom bore six in a single womb,

as it is stated: “And Oved-edom had sons…Peulletai the eighth,” and in the continuation of the same verse it is written: “For God blessed him” (I Chronicles 26:4–5); apparently, these eight children were the blessing, as it is stated: “All these were of the sons of Oved-edom; they and their sons and their brethren, able men in strength for the service; sixty-two of Oved-edom” (I Chronicles 26:8). Each of the nine women gave birth to six sons, for a total of fifty-four. If one adds the original eight, there were sixty-two altogether.

Rabbi Avin HaLevi said: If one forces the moment and attempts to take advantage of an undeserved opportunity, the moment forces him and he is pushed aside. If one yields to the moment and relinquishes an opportunity that presents itself, the moment yields to him.

This may be derived from an incident involving Rabba and Rav Yosef, as Rav Yosef was Sinai, extremely erudite, and Rabba was one who uproots mountains, extremely sharp. The moment arrived when they were needed; one of them was to be chosen as head of the yeshiva. They sent the following question there, to the Sages of Eretz Yisrael: Which takes precedence, Sinai or one who uproots mountains? They sent to them in response: Sinai takes precedence, for everyone needs the owner of the wheat, one who is expert in the sources. Nevertheless, Rav Yosef did not accept the appointment, as the Chaldean astrologers told him: You will preside as head of the yeshiva for two years.

Rabba presided as head of the yeshiva for twenty-two years. After he died, Rav Yosef presided for two and a half years. Though he did not take advantage of the opportunity that presented itself, he ultimately fulfilled that for which he was destined.

The Gemara relates that all those years that Rabba presided, Rav Yosef did not even call a bloodletter to his home. Rav Yosef did not assume even the slightest air of authority, and would go to seek out the bloodletter rather than call upon the bloodletter to accommodate him.

And Rabbi Avin HaLevi said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “The Lord will answer you on the day of distress; the name of the God of Jacob set you upon high” (Psalms 20:2)? Is God specifically the God of Jacob and not the God of Abraham and Isaac? Rather, from here the general principle is derived: One who owns a beam should approach carrying the thick portion of the beam. A builder, carrying a beam in order to affix it in a building, must calibrate it and measure carefully so that the thick part of the beam fits in its place; so too must Jacob, who fathered and raised the children who would become the people of Israel, continue to pray for them and complete the task of nation-building.

And Rabbi Avin HaLevi said: One who partakes of a meal at which a Torah scholar is present, it is as if he enjoyed the radiant splendor of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “And Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God” (Exodus 18:12). Did they actually eat before God? Didn’t they eat before Moses?

Rather, this verse comes to tell you that one who partakes in a meal at which a Torah scholar is present, it is as if he enjoyed the radiant splendor of the Divine Presence.

And Rabbi Avin HaLevi said: One who takes leave from another should not say to him: Go in peace, but rather, he should say: Go to peace. As we see that, on the one hand, Jethro said to Moses: “Go to peace” (Exodus 4:18), and Moses ascended and was successful. On the other hand, David said to his son, Absalom: “Go in peace” (II Samuel 15:9), and Absalom went and was ultimately hanged.

Rabbi Avin HaLevi also said: One who takes leave from a dead person should not say to him: Go to peace, but rather, one should say: Go in peace, as it is stated: “But you shall go to your fathers in peace” (Genesis 15:15).

Rabbi Levi bar Ḥiyya said: One who leaves the synagogue and immediately enters the study hall and engages in Torah study, is privileged to receive the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “They go from strength to strength, every one of them appears before God in Zion” (Psalms 84:8); those who go from a place of prayer to a place of Torah study are privileged to receive a divine revelation in Zion.

With regard to that same verse, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ashi said that Rav said: Torah scholars have rest neither in this world nor in the World-to-Come, as in both worlds they are constantly progressing, as it is stated: “They go from strength to strength, every one of them appears before God in Zion.”

Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: Torah scholars increase peace in the world, as it is said: “And all your children [banayikh] shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13). If all the children of Israel are taught of the Lord, there will be peace for all.

The Sages interpreted this verse homiletically: Do not read your children [banayikh], but your builders [bonayikh]. Torah scholars are those who build peace for their generation. As it is stated: “Those who love Your Torah have great peace; there is no stumbling block for them” (Psalms 119:165); and “May there be peace within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Psalms 122:7), because: “For the sake of my brothers and friends, I shall say: Peace be within you. For the sake of the House of the Lord, our God, I will seek your good” (Psalms 122:8–9), and “May the Lord give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11).

The individual who cuts the loaf places a slice before everyone at table; and a slice he takes in his hand. He does not put the bread into the hand of anyone except that of a mourner. The person who cuts the bread helps himself first and begins to eat. Those at the table may not taste of any dish till the person who has said the blessing over the bread, has tasted first. He may not however begin to eat till the sound of the "Amen" uttered by the majority of those present has ceased. If he desires to show courtesy to his teacher or to his superior in learning by permitting him to help himself first, he is at liberty to do so.

Two having a meal together, in partaking of the successive dishes, wait for each other; but three do not need to do so. If two of them have completed their meal, the third pauses for grace. If one has finished, the other two do not pause, but continue their meal, till they have completed it. No conversation takes place during a meal, to avoid the risk (of choking). Hence, when wine is served in the course of the meal, every one at table says the blessing for himself; for if one were to say the blessing, and another responded "Amen" while swallowing, he might be in danger of choking. Nor may one stare at a person while he is eating, or at his portion of food, so as not to embarrass him.

And this is the thing about the group of slanderers:
Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Arakhin 15b), “Anyone who speaks evil speech is as though he denied a fundamental principle [of faith] - as it is stated (Psalms 12:5), ‘Who have said, “we will make our tongue mighty; our lips are with us; who is lord over us?”’” Therefore, they considered him as if he denied a fundamental principle. For he causes and brings about great damage and much evil to his fellows by making them foul in the eyes of people or by other ways of [causing them] loss. And it is not likely that a man would prepare a mechanism of destruction and damage that is more bitter than death without it benefitting himself monetarily, unless it is to have his [evil] impulse honor himself and remove the yoke of the Heavens from upon him - to remove ethical constraints - as it is stated in the Psalm, “when the Ziphites came and told Saul, etc., O God, arrogant men have risen against me; a band of ruthless men seek my life; they are not mindful of You.” (This is a scribal error, as there is some difference between the verse brought down by the author, may his memory be blessed, [and his source]. As [in the source], it is written, “For strangers have risen against me, etc.” And the verse that he wrote here is found in Psalms 86:14; but it needs to be corrected and replaced with the verse as it is written there in Psalms 54:5.) And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, explained (Midrash Tehillim 54) that they intended that Saul would bless them, as he said to them (I Samuel 23:21), “May you be blessed of the Lord for the compassion you have shown me!” But they did not place God in front of them - as it is written in His Torah (Deuteronomy 27:24), “Cursed be he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.” And it is written (Ecclesiastes 10:11), “no advantage is gained by the master of the tongue!” And it is stated about Doeg (Psalms 52:4-5), “Your tongue devises mischief… You prefer evil to good; the lie, to speaking truthfully. Selah.” And they explained in Midrash Tehillim 52, “What do you benefit and what do you gain when you say evil speech? Is it not that you did not need money, for you had [already] become wealthy - as it is stated about him (I Samuel 21:8), ‘Saul’s chief herdsman.’ It was only because you preferred the evil to the good, and ‘the lie, to speaking truthfully’ - as you have removed His yoke.” And it is stated (Proverbs 6:30), “A thief is not held in contempt for stealing [to fill his hunger]; and it is written after it (Proverbs 6:32), “He who commits adultery is devoid of sense, etc.” This is meaning to say that he is worse than a thief, for [the former] needs to “fill his hunger.” Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Midrash Tehillim 120) that one involved in evil speech is worse than both of them. For he does a great sin without benefit, as it is stated (Psalms 120:3), “What can you profit, what can you gain, O deceitful tongue?”

And secondly, for this [too] is one who speaks evil speech considered as if he denied a fundamental principle: For he says in his heart that his lips are in his [own] control; and because they do not do an action and he is in charge of his tongue, he determined in his heart that he should not restrain the spirit of his lips from saying that which comes to his spirit; and that only all the other limbs are not in his control to sin with them - like the matter that is stated (Psalms 12:5), “They say, “with lips such as ours, who can be our master?” And they do not say, “Where is the God that made me, to whom all the movements of His creations are given - not one is lacking. They are all subjected to doing His will. Rather, it is no matter - the petitions about the lips are in our control.” The evildoers that sin with other sins are not like this. For they know that their leaving God is bad and bitter, however they were pulled after their desire and their overpowering [evil] impulse; yet they are pained by this. And our Rabbis said (Arakhin 15b), “Evil speech [...] corresponds to three transgressions [and these are them]: Idol worship, forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. [...] With regard to idol worship, it is stated (Exodus 32:31), ‘Oh, this people have sinned a great sin.’ With regard to forbidden sexual relations, it is stated (Genesis 39:9), ‘How can I do this great wickedness.’ With regard to bloodshed it is stated (Genesis 4:13), ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear.’ [And with regard to evil speech,] it is stated (Psalms 12:4), “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks great things.”