כְּהָדָא רִבִּי טַרְפוֹן יָרַד לֶאֱכוֹל קְצִיעוֹת מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְטוֹבָה כְבֵית שַׁמַּאי.
חֲמוּנֵיהּ סַנְטֵירַייָא וְשׁוּרוֹן חַבְּטוֹן עָלוֹי.
כַּד חֲמָא גַרְמֵיהּ בְּסַכָּנָה, אָמַר לוֹן: בְּחַיֵיכוֹן אָֽמְרִין גַּו בֵּיתֵיהּ דְּטַרְפוֹן עַתְדִּין לֵיהּ תַּכְרִיכִין.
כַּד שְׁמָעוֹן כֵּן, אִישְׁתַּטְחוֹן עַל אַפֵּיהוֹן, אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ: רִבִּי, שָׁרֵי לוֹן.
אָמַר לוֹן: ייֵיתֵי עָלַי, עַל כָּל־חוֹטֵר וְחוֹטֵר דַּהֲוָה נְחִית עָלַי הֲוֵינָא שָׁרֵי לְכוֹן עַל קַדְמִיָּא. בְּאִילֵּין תַּרְתֵּי מִילַּיָּא נְהַג רִבִּי טַרְפוֹן כְּבֵית שַׁמַּאי וּסְכֵין. בְּהָדָא וּבְקִרְיַת שְׁמַע.
רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי חֲנִינָה בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: כָּל־יָמָיו שֶׁל רִבִּי טַרְפוֹן הָיָה מִתְעַנֶּה עַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְאוֹמֵר, אִי לִי שֶׁנִּתְכַּבַּדְתִּי בְכִתְרָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.
(א) וַֽיְהִי֙ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה הָיָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לֵ֚ךְ הֵרָאֵ֣ה אֶל־אַחְאָ֔ב וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה מָטָ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ב) וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵֽלִיָּ֔הוּ לְהֵרָא֖וֹת אֶל־אַחְאָ֑ב וְהָרָעָ֥ב חָזָ֖ק בְּשֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ (ג) וַיִּקְרָ֣א אַחְאָ֔ב אֶל־עֹבַדְיָ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְעֹבַדְיָ֗הוּ הָיָ֥ה יָרֵ֛א אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ (ד) וַֽיְהִי֙ בְּהַכְרִ֣ית אִיזֶ֔בֶל אֵ֖ת נְבִיאֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֨ח עֹבַדְיָ֜הוּ מֵאָ֣ה נְבִיאִ֗ים וַֽיַּחְבִּיאֵ֞ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה וְכִלְכְּלָ֖ם לֶ֥חֶם וָמָֽיִם׃ (ה) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ אֶל־עֹ֣בַדְיָ֔הוּ לֵ֤ךְ בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶל־כׇּל־מַעְיְנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם וְאֶ֖ל כׇּל־הַנְּחָלִ֑ים אוּלַ֣י ׀ נִמְצָ֣א חָצִ֗יר וּנְחַיֶּה֙ ס֣וּס וָפֶ֔רֶד וְל֥וֹא נַכְרִ֖ית מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה׃ (ו) וַֽיְחַלְּק֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ לַֽעֲבׇר־בָּ֑הּ אַחְאָ֞ב הָלַ֨ךְ בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ אֶחָד֙ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וְעֹבַדְיָ֛הוּ הָלַ֥ךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ־אֶחָ֖ד לְבַדּֽוֹ׃ (ז) וַיְהִ֤י עֹֽבַדְיָ֙הוּ֙ בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וַיַּכִּרֵ֙הוּ֙ וַיִּפֹּ֣ל עַל־פָּנָ֔יו וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הַאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֖ה אֲדֹנִ֥י אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃ (ח) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ אָ֑נִי לֵ֛ךְ אֱמֹ֥ר לַאדֹנֶ֖יךָ הִנֵּ֥ה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה חָטָ֑אתִי כִּֽי־אַתָּ֞ה נֹתֵ֧ן אֶֽת־עַבְדְּךָ֛ בְּיַד־אַחְאָ֖ב לַהֲמִיתֵֽנִי׃ (י) חַ֣י ׀ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אִם־יֶשׁ־גּ֤וֹי וּמַמְלָכָה֙ אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹא־שָׁלַ֨ח אֲדֹנִ֥י שָׁם֙ לְבַקֶּשְׁךָ֔ וְאָמְר֖וּ אָ֑יִן וְהִשְׁבִּ֤יעַ אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ וְאֶת־הַגּ֔וֹי כִּ֖י לֹ֥א יִמְצָאֶֽכָּה׃ (יא) וְעַתָּ֖ה אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֑ר לֵ֛ךְ אֱמֹ֥ר לַאדֹנֶ֖יךָ הִנֵּ֥ה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃ (יב) וְהָיָ֞ה אֲנִ֣י ׀ אֵלֵ֣ךְ מֵאִתָּ֗ךְ וְר֨וּחַ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ יִֽשָּׂאֲךָ֙ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־אֵדָ֔ע וּבָ֨אתִי לְהַגִּ֧יד לְאַחְאָ֛ב וְלֹ֥א יִֽמְצָאֲךָ֖ וַהֲרָגָ֑נִי וְעַבְדְּךָ֛ יָרֵ֥א אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִנְּעֻרָֽי׃ (יג) הֲלֹֽא־הֻגַּ֤ד לַֽאדֹנִי֙ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֔יתִי בַּֽהֲרֹ֣ג אִיזֶ֔בֶל אֵ֖ת נְבִיאֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וָאַחְבִּא֩ מִנְּבִיאֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֜ה מֵ֣אָה אִ֗ישׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֨ים חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה וָאֲכַלְכְּלֵ֖ם לֶ֥חֶם וָמָֽיִם׃ (יד) וְעַתָּה֙ אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֔ר לֵ֛ךְ אֱמֹ֥ר לַאדֹנֶ֖יךָ הִנֵּ֣ה אֵלִיָּ֑הוּ וַהֲרָגָֽנִי׃ {ס} (טו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵֽלִיָּ֔הוּ חַ֚י יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָמַ֖דְתִּי לְפָנָ֑יו כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם אֵרָאֶ֥ה אֵלָֽיו׃ (טז) וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ עֹבַדְיָ֛הוּ לִקְרַ֥את אַחְאָ֖ב וַיַּגֶּד־ל֑וֹ וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אַחְאָ֖ב לִקְרַ֥את אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃ (יז)
The famine was severe in Samaria. (3) Ahab had summoned Obadiah, the steward of the palace. (Obadiah revered the LORD greatly. (4) When Jezebel was killing off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and provided them with food and drink.) (5) And Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land, to all the springs of water and to all the wadis. Perhaps we shall find some grass to keep horses and mules alive, so that we are not left without beasts.” (6) They divided the country between them to explore it, Ahab going alone in one direction and Obadiah going alone in another direction. (7) Obadiah was on the road, when Elijah suddenly confronted him. [Obadiah] recognized him and flung himself on his face, saying, “Is that you, my lord Elijah?” (8) “Yes, it is I,” he answered. “Go tell your lord: Elijah is here!” (9) But he said, “What wrong have I done, that you should hand your servant over to Ahab to be killed? (10) As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom to which my lord has not sent to look for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that you could not be found. (11) And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord: Elijah is here!’ (12) When I leave you, the spirit of the LORD will carry you off I don’t know where; and when I come and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. Yet your servant has revered the LORD from my youth. (13) My lord has surely been told what I did when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred of the prophets of the LORD, fifty men to a cave, and provided them with food and drink. (14) And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord: Elijah is here.’ Why, he will kill me!” (15) Elijah replied, “As the LORD of Hosts lives, whom I serve, I will appear before him this very day.” (16) Obadiah went to find Ahab, and informed him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. (17) When Ahab caught sight of Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” (18) He retorted, “It is not I who have brought trouble on Israel, but you and your father’s House, by forsaking the commandments of the LORD and going after the Baalim. (19) Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, together with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”-b
(20) Ahab sent orders to all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. (21) Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you keep hopping between two opinions?-c If the LORD is God, follow Him; and if Baal, follow him!” But the people answered him not a word. (22) Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only prophet of the LORD left, while the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men. (23) Let two young bulls be given to us. Let them choose one bull, cut it up, and lay it on the wood, but let them not apply fire; I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and will not apply fire. (24) You will then invoke your god by name, and I will invoke the LORD by name; and let us agree:-d the god who responds with fire, that one is God.” And all the people answered, “Very good!” (25) Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull and prepare it first, for you are the majority; invoke your god by name, but apply no fire.” (26) They took the bull that was given them; they prepared it, and invoked Baal by name from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and none who responded; so they performed a hopping dance about the altar that had been set up. (27) When noon came, Elijah mocked them, saying, “Shout louder! After all, he is a god. But he may be in conversation, he may be detained, or he may be on a journey,-e or perhaps he is asleep and will wake up.” (28) So they shouted louder, and gashed themselves with knives and spears, according to their practice, until the blood streamed over them. (29) When noon passed, they kept raving-f until the hour of presenting the meal offering. Still there was no sound, and none who responded or heeded. (30) Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come closer to me”; and all the people came closer to him. He repaired the damaged altar of the LORD. (31) Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob—to whom the word of the LORD had come: “Israel shall be your name”— (32) and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. Around the altar he made a trench large enough for two seahs of seed. (33) He laid out the wood, and he cut up the bull and laid it on the wood. (34) And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it over the burnt offering and the wood.” Then he said, “Do it a second time”; and they did it a second time. “Do it a third time,” he said; and they did it a third time. (35) The water ran down around the altar, and even the trench was filled with water. (36) When it was time to present the meal offering, the prophet Elijah came forward and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel! Let it be known today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your bidding. (37) Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God; for You have turned their hearts backward.”-e (38) Then fire from the LORD descended and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the earth; and it licked up the water that was in the trench. (39) When they saw this, all the people flung themselves on their faces and cried out: “The LORD alone is God, The LORD alone is God!” (40) Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal, let not a single one of them get away.” They seized them, and Elijah took them down to the Wadi Kishon and slaughtered them there. (41) Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a rumbling of [approaching] rain,” (42) and Ahab went up to eat and drink. Elijah meanwhile climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, crouched on the ground, and put his face between his knees. (43) And he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the Sea.” He went up and looked and reported, “There is nothing.” Seven times [Elijah] said, “Go back,” (44) and the seventh time, [the servant] reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising in the west.” Then [Elijah] said, “Go say to Ahab, ‘Hitch up [your chariot] and go down before the rain stops you.’” (45) Meanwhile the sky grew black with clouds; there was wind, and a heavy downpour fell; Ahab mounted his chariot and drove off to Jezreel. (46) The hand of the LORD had come upon Elijah. He tied up his skirts-i and ran in front of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
שָׁלֹשׁ אֲרָצוֹת לַבִּעוּר, יְהוּדָה, וְעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן, וְהַגָּלִיל. וְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁלֹשׁ אֲרָצוֹת לְכָל אַחַת וְאַחַת. גָּלִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן, וְגָלִיל הַתַּחְתּוֹן, וְהָעֵמֶק. מִכְּפַר חֲנַנְיָה וּלְמַעְלָן, כָּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְגַדֵּל שִׁקְמִין, גָּלִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן, וּמִכְּפַר חֲנַנְיָה וּלְמַטָּן, כָּל שֶׁהוּא מְגַדֵּל שִׁקְמִין, גָּלִיל הַתַּחְתּוֹן. וּתְחוּם טְבֶרְיָא, הָעֵמֶק. וּבִיהוּדָה, הָהָר וְהַשְּׁפֵלָה וְהָעֵמֶק. וּשְׁפֵלַת לוּד כִּשְׁפֵלַת הַדָּרוֹם, וְהָהָר שֶׁלָּהּ כְּהַר הַמֶּלֶךְ. מִבֵּית חוֹרוֹן וְעַד הַיָּם מְדִינָה אֶחָת:
מנחם קיסטר, "בין מגילות כיתתיות לספרות חז"ל: ניגוד, דמיון והקבלה" מגילות, יד (תשע"ט), עמ' 139-161.