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Facing Uncertainty On Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot and Every Day

And who by fire, who by water
Who in the sunshine, who in the night time
Who by high ordeal, who by common trial
Who in your merry merry month of may
Who by very slow decay
And who shall I say is calling?

And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate
Who in these realms of love, who by something blunt
Who by avalanche, who by powder
Who for his greed, who for his hunger
And who shall I say is calling?

And who by brave assent, who by accident
Who in solitude, who in this mirror
Who by his lady's command, who by his own hand
Who in mortal chains, who in power
And who shall I say is calling?

Leonard Cohen

(מג) בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יִכָּתֵבוּן וּבְיוֹם צוֹם כִּפּוּר יֵחָתֵמוּן. כַּמָּה יַעַבְרוּן. וְכַמָּה יִבָּרֵאוּן. מִי יִחְיֶה. וּמִי יָמוּת. מִי בְקִצּוֹ. וּמִי לֹא בְקִצּוֹ. מִי בַמַּֽיִם. וּמִי בָאֵשׁ. מִי בַחֶֽרֶב. וּמִי בַחַיָּה. מִי בָרָעָב. וּמִי בַצָּמָא. מִי בָרַֽעַשׁ. וּמִי בַמַּגֵּפָה. מִי בַחֲנִיקָה וּמִי בַסְּקִילָה. מִי יָנוּחַ. וּמִי יָנֽוּעַ. מִי יִשָּׁקֵט. וּמִי יִטָּרֵף. מִי יִשָּׁלֵו. וּמִי יִתְיַסָּר. מִי יֵעָנִי. וּמִי יֵעָשֵׁר. מִי יִשָּׁפֵל. וּמִי יָרוּם:

(43) On Rosh Hashana their decree is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed, how many will pass away and how many will be created, who will live and who will die; who will come to his timely end, and who to an untimely end; who will perish by fire and who by water; who by the sword and who by beast; who by hunger and who by thirst; who by earthquake and who by the plague; who by strangling and who by stoning; who will be at rest and who will wander about; who will have serenity and who will be confused; who will be tranquil and who will be tormented; who will become poor and who will become wealthy; who will be brought to a low state and who will be uplifted.

(ב) בְּאַרְבָּעָה פְרָקִים הָעוֹלָם נִדּוֹן, בְּפֶסַח עַל הַתְּבוּאָה, בַּעֲצֶרֶת עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם עוֹבְרִין לְפָנָיו כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים לג) הַיּוֹצֵר יַחַד לִבָּם, הַמֵּבִין אֶל כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם. וּבֶחָג נִדּוֹנִין עַל הַמָּיִם:

(2) At four times of the year the world is judged: On Passover judgment is passed concerning grain; on Shavuot concerning fruits that grow on a tree; on Rosh HaShana, all creatures pass before Him like sheep [benei maron], as it is stated: “He Who fashions their hearts alike, Who considers all their deeds” (Psalms 33:15); and on the festival of Sukkot they are judged concerning water, i.e., the rainfall of the coming year.

(ו) מפני ד' דברים מאורות לוקין מפני כותבי פלסתר [ומפני מעידי] עדות שקר ומפני מגדלי בהמה דקה ומפני קוצצי אילנות טובות. [מפני] ד' דברים נכסי בעלי בתים ישראל נמסרין למלכות מפני כובשי שטרות ומפני מלוי ברבית ומפני שפוסקין צדקה [ואין נותנין ושסיפק בידו] למחות ואין ממחין.

(6) On account of four things are the heavenly lights eclipsed: on account of writing forgeries, on account of breeding small cattle, on account of bearing false witness, and on account of cutting down good trees.

On account of four things the property of householders in Israel is confiscated by the government: on account of delaying a satisfied bond of indebtedness, on account of lending on interest, on account of promising to give tzedakah and not giving, or one who could have protested but did not.

In these two tannaitic sources think about what exactly is being judged. What do you think it means "to be judged"?

In Tosefta Sukkah, what is the connection between the lights being eclipsed/property taken away and the causes?

הלכה: אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. כּוּלְּהֹם נִידוֹנִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וּגְזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁלְכָּל־אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִתְחַתֵּם בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה.

אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. כּוּלְּהֹם נִידוֹנִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וּגְזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁלְכָּל־אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִתְחַתֵּם בְּיוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים.

אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. כּוּלְּהֹם נִידוֹנִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וּגְזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁלְכָּל־אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִתְחַתֵּם בִּזְמַנּוֹ.

אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. כָּל־אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִידוֹן בִּזְמַנּוֹ וּגְזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁלְכָּל־אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִתְחַתֵּם בִּזְמַנּוֹ.

מַתְנִיתָא כְּמָאן דְּאָמַר. כּוּלְּהֹם נִידוֹנִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וּגְזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁלְכָּל־אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִתְחַתֵּם בִּזְמַנּוֹ. דְּתַנִּינָן וּבֶחָג נִידּוֹנִין עַל הַמָּיִם:

מִלְּתֵיהּ דְּרַב אָֽמְרָה. כּוּלְּהֹם נִידוֹנִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וּגְזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁלְאֶחָד מֵהֶן מִתְחַתֵּם בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה.

דְּתַנֵּי בִתְקִיעָיתָא דְּרַב. זֶה הַיּוֹם תְּחִילַּת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ. זִכָּרוֹן לְיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן. כִּי חוֹק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא מִשְׁפָּט לֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב. וְעַל הַמְּדִינוֹת בּוֹ יֵיאָמַר. אֵי זוֹ לַחֶרֶב וְאֵי זוֹ לַשָּׁלוֹם. אֵי זוֹ לָרָעָב וְאֵי זוֹ לַשּׂוֹבַע. וּבִרְיוֹת בּוֹ יִפָּקֵדוּ. לְהַזְכִּירָם לַחַיִים וְלַמָּוֶת.

וּדְלֹא כְרִבִּי יּוֹסֵה. דְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר. יָחִיד נִידּוֹן בְּכָל־שָׁעָה. מַה טָעַם. וַתִּפְקְדֶ֥נּוּ לִבְקָרִ֑ים לִ֝רְגָעִ֗ים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃ וַתִּפְקְדֶ֥נּוּ לִבְקָרִ֑ים זוֹ פַּרְנָסָתוֹ. לִ֝רְגָעִ֗ים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ זוֹ אֲכִילָתוֹ.

רִבִּי יִצְחָק רֹבָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי. מֶלֶךְ וְצִיבּוּר נִידּוֹנִין בְּכָל־יוֹם. מַה טָעַם. לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת ׀ מִשְׁפַּ֣ט עַבְדּׄוֹ וּמִשְׁפַּ֛ט עַמּ֥וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל֭ דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃

אְמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי. וְה֗וּא יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק יָדִ֥ין לִ֝אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים: הַקָּדוֹשׁ בְּרוּךְ הוּא דָּן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיּוֹם בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהֵן עֲסוּקִין בְּמִצוֹת וְאֶת הָאוּמּוֹת בַּלַּיְלָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהֵן בְּטֵילִין מִן הָעֲבֵירוֹת.

שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר. מִי שֶׁהוּא דָן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל דָּן אֶת הָאוּמּוֹת. מַה מְקַייֵם שְׁמוּאֵל יָדִ֥ין לְאוּמִּים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ דָּנָן כִּכְשֵׁירִים שֶׁבָּהֶן. מַזְכִּיר לָהֶם מַעֲשֶׂה יִתְרוֹ. מַזְכִּיר לָהֶן מַעֲשֶׂה רָחָב הַזּוֹנָה.

HALAKHAH: There are Tannaim who state, all is judged on New Year’s Day and judgment is passed for every item on New Year’s Day.

There are Tannaim who state, all is judged on New Year’s Day and judgment is passed for every item on the Day of Atonement.

There are Tannaim who state, all is judged on New Year’s Day and judgment is passed for every item on its proper time.

There are Tannaim who state, every item is judged on its proper time and judgment is passed for every item on its proper time.

Our Mishnah follows him who said, all is judged on New Year’s Day and judgment is passed for every item on its proper time, as we have stated: “and on Sukkot they are judged about water.”

The words of Rav imply that all is judged on Rosh Hashanah and judgment is passed for every item on New Year’s Day, since it is stated in the teki'ata of Rav: “This is the day, the beginning of Your works, remembrance of the First Day, for it is a decree for Israel, a law for the God of Jacob. On it will be proclaimed for countries which one will be for war, and which one for peace, which one for famine, and which one for plenty. And creatures will be counted on it, to remember them for life or for death.”

This does not follow Rabbi Yose, since Rabbi Yose said, an individual is judged every moment. What is the reason? You are counting him in the mornings; in moments You are examining him. You are counting him in the mornings, this refers to his livelihood; in moments You are examining him, this refers to his food.

Rabbi Yitzchak Rova in the name of Rabbi: The king and public are judged every day. What is the reason? To look after the right of His servant and of His people Israel; each day’s affairs on each day.

Rebbi Levi said, He will judge the dry land in equity, will pass judgment over peoples in straightness. The Holy One, praise to Him, judges Israel during daytime when they are occupied earning merit, and the nations during the night, when they are resting from evil deeds.

Shmuel said, as He judges Israel so he judges the nations. How does Shmuel confirm that He will pass judgment over peoples in straightness? He judges them according to the qualified among them; He remembers for them the deeds of Yitro, he remembers for them the deeds of Raḥab the prostitute.

This is a complicated text and we're not going to discuss the entire thing.

What do you think it matters about when one's fate is sealed?

רִבִּי חִייָה בַּר בָּא בָעֵי. ... אֵילּוּ שֶׁמֵּתִים מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד יוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים מֵאֵי זֶה דִין הֵם מֵתִים. אִין תֵּימַר מִשַּׁתָּא דַעֲלָת. עַד כְּדוֹן לָא עֲלָת. אִין תֵּימַר מִשַּׁתָּא דְנַפְקָא. הָכֵן הֲווֹן מוּרְכִין כָל־שַׁתָּא מֵמוֹת כְּדוֹן. וְלָא שְׁמִיעַ דַּאֲמַר רִבִּי קְרוּסְפָּא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. שָׁלֹשׁ פִּינְקַסִּיוֹת הֵם. אַחַת שֶׁלְצַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִין. וְאַחַת שֶׁלְרְשָׁעִים גְּמוּרִין. וְאַחַת שֶׁלְבֵּינוֹנִיִּים. זֶה שֶׁלְצַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִין כְּבָר נָֽטְלוּ (איפיכי) [איפופסי] שֶׁל חַיִים מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה. זֶה שֶׁלְרְשָׁעִים גְּמוּרִין כְּבָר נָֽטְלוּ אֵיפּוֹפֵיס שֶׁלָּהֶן מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה. שֶׁלְבֵּינוֹנִיִּים כְּבָר נִיתַּן לָהֶן עֲשֶׂרֶת יְמֵי תְשׁוּבָה שֶׁבֵּין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְיוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים. אִם עָשׂוּ תְשׁוּבָה נִכְתָּבִין עִם הַצַּדִּיקִים. וְאִם לָאו נִכְתָּבִין עִם הָֽרְשָׁעִים. מַה טַעַם. יִ֭מָּחֽוּ מִסֵּ֣פֶר אֵילּוּ הָֽרְשָׁעִים. חַיִּ֑ים אֵילּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים. וְעִ֥ם צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים אַל־יִכָּתֵֽבוּ אֵילּוּ הַבֵּינוֹנִיִּים.

Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba asked... From which judgment are those dying who die between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? If you want to say, from the coming year, it has not come yet. If you want to say from the past year, how could they grow in strength the entire year and then die at this moment. He had not heard what Rabbi Crispus said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan, there are three ledgers. One for perfectly just people, one for perfectly evil people, and one for average ones. Those of the one for the perfectly just already took judgment of life from New Year’s Day. Those of the one for the perfectly evil already took their verdict from New Year’s Day. Those of the average ones already were given the ten days of repentance between New Year’s day and Yom Kippur. If they repented, they were inscribed with the just ones; otherwise they are inscribed with the evil ones. What is the reason? May they be erased from the book, these are the evil ones; of life, these are the just ones; and with the just ones not being inscribed, these are the average ones.

מַתְנִי׳ כׇּל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת – מְטִיבִין לוֹ, וּמַאֲרִיכִין לוֹ יָמָיו, וְנוֹחֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְכֹל שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת – אֵין מְטִיבִין לוֹ, וְאֵין מַאֲרִיכִין לוֹ יָמָיו, וְאֵינוֹ נוֹחֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ.

MISHNA: Anyone who performs one mitzva has goodness bestowed upon him, his life is lengthened, and he inherits the land, i.e., life in the World-to-Come. And anyone who does not perform one mitzva does not have goodness bestowed upon him, his life is not lengthened, and he does not inherit the land of the World-to-Come.

In this section, and in all of the sections that appear below, ask yourself how the author views the world. When he looks around the world what does he see? Do you think he really sees this? Is this a wish? How does he understand reward and punishment? Is there a logical system that governs reward and punishment? If these positions are not due to thought, where might they come from?

גְּמָ׳ וּרְמִינְהִי: אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּירוֹתֵיהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּימֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֵלּוּ הֵן: כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וְהַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים, וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵירוֹ, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כּוּלָּם.

GEMARA: And the Gemara raises a contradiction from a mishna (Pe’a 1:1): These are the matters that a person engages in and enjoys their profits in this world, and the principal reward remains for him for the World-to-Come, and they are: Honoring one’s father and mother, acts of loving kindness, hospitality toward guests, and bringing peace between one person and another; and Torah study is equal to all of them. This indicates that one is rewarded in this world only for fulfilling these mitzvot, but not for fulfilling all mitzvot.

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: הָכִי קָאָמַר: כׇּל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת יְתֵירָה עַל זְכִיּוֹתָיו מְטִיבִים לוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁמְּקַיֵּים כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ. מִכְּלָל דְּהָנָךְ אֲפִילּוּ בַּחֲדָא נָמֵי? אָמַר רַב שְׁמַעְיָה: לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם הָיְתָה שְׁקוּלָה – מַכְרַעַת.
Rav Yehuda said that this is what the mishna is saying: Anyone who performs one mitzva in addition to his other merits, and thereby tips the scale of all his deeds to the side of righteousness, has goodness bestowed upon him and is compared to one who fulfills the entire Torah. The Gemara asks: One can learn by inference from here that with regard to those mitzvot listed in the mishna in Pe’a one is rewarded even for one of them, notwithstanding the fact that overall his sins are more numerous. Rav Shemaya said: The other mishna serves to say that if one’s sins and merits were of equal balance, i.e., he has accrued an equal amount of merit and sin, one of these mitzvot tilts the scale in his favor.
וְכׇל הָעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת יְתֵירָה עַל זְכִיּוֹתָיו מְטִיבִין לוֹ? וּרְמִינְהוּ: כֹּל שֶׁזְּכִיּוֹתָיו מְרוּבִּין מֵעֲוֹנוֹתָיו – מְרִיעִין לוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁשָּׂרַף כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ וְלֹא שִׁיֵּיר מִמֶּנָּה אֲפִילּוּ אוֹת אַחַת. וְכֹל שֶׁעֲוֹנוֹתָיו מְרוּבִּין מִזְּכִיּוֹתָיו – מְטִיבִין לוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁקִּיֵּים כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ וְלֹא חִיסֵּר אוֹת אַחַת מִמֶּנָּה!
The Gemara further asks: And does anyone who performs one mitzva in addition to his other merits have goodness bestowed upon him in this world? The Gemara raises a contradiction from a baraita: Anyone whose merits are greater than his sins is punished with suffering in order to cleanse his sins in this world and enable him to merit full reward for his mitzvot in the World-to-Come. And due to this punishment he appears to observers like one who burned the entire Torah without leaving even one letter remaining of it. Conversely, anyone whose sins are greater than his merits has goodness bestowed upon him in this world, and he appears like one who has fulfilled the entire Torah without lacking the fulfillment of even one letter of it.

...רָבָא אָמַר: הָא מַנִּי – רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב הִיא, דְּאָמַר: שְׂכַר מִצְוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא לֵיכָּא.

...Rava said that the mishna and this baraita represent two different opinions. In accordance with whose opinion is this baraita? It is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ya’akov, who says: There is no reward for performance of a mitzva in this world, as one is rewarded for mitzvot only World-to-Come.

דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: אֵין לָךְ כׇּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה שֶׁכְּתוּבָה בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁמַּתַּן שְׂכָרָהּ בְּצִדָּהּ שֶׁאֵין תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים תְּלוּיָה בָּהּ. בְּכִיבּוּד אָב וָאֵם כְּתִיב: ״לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ״, בְּשִׁילּוּחַ הַקֵּן כְּתִיב: ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים״.
As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Ya’akov says: There is not a single mitzva written in the Torah whose reward is stated alongside it, which is not dependent on the resurrection of the dead, i.e., the reward is actually bestowed in the World-to-Come, after the resurrection of the dead. How so? With regard to honoring one’s father and mother it is written: “That your days may be long, and that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16). With regard to the dispatch of the mother bird from the nest it is written: “That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days” (Deuteronomy 22:7).
הֲרֵי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו: עֲלֵה לַבִּירָה וְהָבֵא לִי גּוֹזָלוֹת, וְעָלָה לַבִּירָה וְשִׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם וְנָטַל אֶת הַבָּנִים וּבַחֲזִירָתוֹ נָפַל וָמֵת – הֵיכָן טוֹבַת יָמָיו שֶׁל זֶה, וְהֵיכָן אֲרִיכוּת יָמָיו שֶׁל זֶה? אֶלָּא: ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ״ – לְעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ טוֹב, ״וּלְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ״ – לְעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ אָרוֹךְ.
Despite this, it occurred that there was one whose father said to him: Climb to the top of the building and fetch me chicks. And he climbed to the top of the building and dispatched the mother bird and took the young, thereby simultaneously fulfilling the mitzva to dispatch the mother bird from the nest and the mitzva to honor one’s parents, but upon his return he fell and died. Where is the goodness of the days of this one, and where is the length of days of this one? Rather, the verse “that it may be well with you” means in the world where all is well, and “that your days may be long” is referring to the world that is entirely long.
וְדִלְמָא לָאו הָכִי הֲוָה? רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב מַעֲשֶׂה חֲזָא. וְדִלְמָא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲבֵירָה הֲוָה? מַחְשָׁבָה רָעָה אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְצָרְפָהּ לְמַעֲשֶׂה.
The Gemara asks: But perhaps this incident never occurred? It is possible that everyone who performs these mitzvot is rewarded in this world, and the situation described by Rabbi Ya’akov never happened. The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ya’akov himself saw an incident of this kind. The Gemara asks: But perhaps that man was contemplating sin at the time, and he was punished for his thoughts? The Gemara answers that there is a principle that the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not link a bad thought to an action, i.e., one is not punished for thoughts alone.
וְדִלְמָא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הֲוָה, וּכְתִיב: ״לְמַעַן תְּפֹשׂ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּלִבָּם״?! אִיהוּ נָמֵי הָכִי קָאָמַר: אִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ שְׂכַר מִצְוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אַמַּאי לָא אַגִּין מִצְוֹת עֲלֵיהּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לֵיתֵי לִידֵי הִרְהוּר?
The Gemara asks: But perhaps he was contemplating idol worship at the time, and it is written with regard to idol worship: “So I may take the house of Israel in their own heart” (Ezekiel 14:5), which indicates that one is punished for idolatrous thoughts. The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ya’akov was saying this as well: If it enters your mind that there is reward for performing a mitzva in this world, why didn’t these mitzvot protect him so that he should not come to contemplate idol worship? Since that man was not protected from thoughts of idol worship at the time, this indicates that the performance of mitzvot does not entitle one to merit reward in this world.
אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: אִילְמָלֵי דַּרְשֵׁיהּ אַחֵר לְהַאי קְרָא כְּרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר בְּרַתֵּיה – לָא חֲטָא. וְאַחֵר מַאי הוּא? אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא חֲזָא.

Rav Yosef said: Had Aḥer, literally Other, the appellation of the former Sage Elisha ben Avuya, interpreted this aforementioned verse: “That it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16), homiletically, as referring to the World-to-Come, as did Rabbi Ya’akov, son of his daughter, he would not have sinned. The Gemara asks: And what caused Aḥer to sin? There are those who say he saw a case like this, where a son went up to the roof on his father’s command, dispatched the mother bird, and then died. It was witnessing this episode that led Elisha ben Avuya astray.

וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: לִישָּׁנָא דְּחוּצְפִּית הַמְתוּרְגְּמָן חֲזָא דַּהֲוָה גָּרַיר לֵיהּ דָּבָר אַחֵר. אֲמַר: פֶּה שֶׁהֵפִיק מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת יְלַחֵךְ עָפָר?! נְפַק חֲטָא.
And there are those who say that he saw the tongue of Ḥutzpit the disseminator after the latter was executed by the government, thrown in the street, and dragged along by something else, a euphemism for a pig. He said: Shall a mouth that produced pearls lap up dirt? For this reason he went out and sinned.
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