Save "Class 5 - Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai 2 - The Great Negotiation"
Class 5 - Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai 2 - The Great Negotiation
רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי קִבֵּל מֵהִלֵּל וּמִשַּׁמָּאי. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, "אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה אַל תַּחֲזִיק טוֹבָה לְעַצְמְךָ, כִּי לְכָךְ נוֹצָרְתָּ." חֲמִשָּׁה תַלְמִידִים הָיוּ לוֹ לְרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָה, וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן, וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן נְתַנְאֵל, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ...הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, ״אִם יִהְיוּ כָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם וֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה, מַכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם.״ אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר מִשְּׁמוֹ, ״אִם יִהְיוּ כָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַף מֹאזְנַיִם וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן הוֹרְקְנוֹס אַף עִמָּהֶם, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ בְּכַף שְׁנִיָּה, מַכְרִיעַ אֶת כֻּלָּם.״:
Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai received [the oral tradition] from Hillel and Shammai. He used to say: if you have learned much Torah, do not claim credit for yourself, because for such a purpose were you created. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai had five disciples and they were these: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah, Rabbi Yose, the priest, Rabbi Shimon ben Nethaneel and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach. He [Rabbi Johanan] used to list their outstanding virtues: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus is a plastered cistern which loses not a drop; Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah happy is the woman that gave birth to him; Rabbi Yose, the priest, is a pious man; Rabbi Simeon ben Nethaneel is one that fears sin, And Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach is like a spring that [ever] gathers force. He [Rabbi Yohanan] used to say: if all the sages of Israel were on one scale of the balance and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus on the other scale, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in his name: if all the sages of Israel were on one scale of the balance, and Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus also with them, and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arach on the other scale, he would outweigh them all.
אָמַר לָהֶם, ״צְאוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה שֶׁיִּדְבַּק בָּהּ הָאָדָם.״ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, ״עַיִן טוֹבָה.״ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, ״חָבֵר טוֹב.״ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, ״שָׁכֵן טוֹב.״ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, ״הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד.״ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, ״לֵב טוֹב.״ אָמַר לָהֶם, ״רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם שֶׁבִּכְלָל דְּבָרָיו דִּבְרֵיכֶם.״
אָמַר לָהֶם, ״צְאוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ רָעָה שֶׁיִּתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנָּה הָאָדָם.״ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, ״עַיִן רָעָה.״ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, ״חָבֵר רָע.״ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, ״שָׁכֵן רָע.״ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, ״הַלֹּוֶה וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם.״ אֶחָד הַלֹּוֶה מִן הָאָדָם כְּלֹוֶה מִן הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ׳לֹוֶה רָשָׁע וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם וְצַדִּיק חוֹנֵן וְנוֹתֵן׳ (תהלים לז כא).״ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, ״לֵב רָע.״ אָמַר לָהֶם, ״רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁבִּכְלָל דְּבָרָיו דִּבְרֵיכֶם.״:
(9) He [Rabban Yohanan] said unto them: go forth and observe which is the right way to which a man should cleave? Rabbi Eliezer said, a good eye; Rabbi Joshua said, a good companion; Rabbi Yose said, a good neighbor; Rabbi Shimon said, foresight. Rabbi Elazar said, a good heart. He [Rabban Yohanan] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach, for in his words your words are included. He [Rabban Yohanan] said unto them: go forth and observe which is the evil way which a man should shun? Rabbi Eliezer said, an evil eye; Rabbi Joshua said, an evil companion; Rabbi Yose said, an evil neighbor; Rabbi Shimon said, one who borrows and does not repay for he that borrows from man is as one who borrows from God, blessed be He, as it is said, “the wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous deal graciously and give” (Psalms 37:21). Rabbi Elazar said, an evil heart. He [Rabban Yohanan] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach, for in his words your words are included.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שְׁמוֹנִים תַּלְמִידִים הָיוּ לוֹ לְהִלֵּל הַזָּקֵן, שְׁלֹשִׁים מֵהֶן רְאוּיִם שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה עֲלֵיהֶן שְׁכִינָה כְּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים מֵהֶן רְאוּיִם שֶׁתַּעֲמוֹד לָהֶם חַמָּה כִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, עֶשְׂרִים בֵּינוֹנִים. גָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּכוּלָּן יוֹנָתָן בֶּן עוּזִּיאֵל, קָטָן שֶׁבְּכוּלָּן רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי.
The Gemara continues to praise the Sages. The Sages taught: Hillel the Elder had eighty students. Thirty of them were sufficiently worthy that the Divine Presence should rest upon them as it did upon Moses our teacher, and thirty of them were sufficiently worthy that the sun should stand still for them as it did for Joshua bin Nun, and twenty were on an intermediate level between the other two. The greatest of all the students was Yonatan ben Uzziel, and the youngest of them was Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai.
...כְשֶׁחָלָה רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי נִכְנְסוּ תַּלְמִידָיו לְבַקְּרוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָם הִתְחִיל לִבְכּוֹת. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו, ״נֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַמּוּד הַיְּמִינִי, פַּטִּישׁ הֶחָזָק, מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתָּה בּוֹכֶה?״ אָמַר לָהֶם, ״אִילּוּ לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם הָיוּ מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתִי, שֶׁהַיּוֹם כָּאן וּמָחָר בַּקֶּבֶר, שֶׁאִם כּוֹעֵס עָלַי אֵין כַּעֲסוֹ כַּעַס עוֹלָם, וְאִם אוֹסְרֵנִי אֵין אִיסּוּרוֹ אִיסּוּר עוֹלָם, וְאִם מְמִיתֵנִי אֵין מִיתָתוֹ מִיתַת עוֹלָם, וַאֲנִי יָכוֹל לְפַיְּיסוֹ בִּדְבָרִים וּלְשַׁחֲדוֹ בְּמָמוֹן, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הָיִיתִי בּוֹכֶה, וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁמּוֹלִיכִים אוֹתִי לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁהוּא חַי וְקַיָּים לְעוֹלָם וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים, שֶׁאִם כּוֹעֵס עָלַי כַּעֲסוֹ כַּעַס עוֹלָם, וְאִם אוֹסְרֵנִי אִיסּוּרוֹ אִיסּוּר עוֹלָם, וְאִם מְמִיתֵנִי מִיתָתוֹ מִיתַת עוֹלָם, וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לְפַיְּיסוֹ בִּדְבָרִים וְלֹא לְשַׁחֲדוֹ בְּמָמוֹן, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְפָנַי שְׁנֵי דְרָכִים: אַחַת שֶׁל גַּן עֵדֶן וְאַחַת שֶׁל גֵּיהִנָּם, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ בְּאֵיזוֹ מוֹלִיכִים אוֹתִי, וְלֹא אֶבְכֶּה?!״ אָמְרוּ לוֹ, ״רַבֵּינוּ, בָּרְכֵנוּ!״ אָמַר לָהֶם, ״יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁתְּהֵא מוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם עֲלֵיכֶם כְּמוֹרָא בָּשָׂר וָדָם.״ אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו, ״עַד כָּאן?״ אָמַר לָהֶם, ״וּלְוַאי!״ תֵּדְעוּ כְּשֶׁאָדָם עוֹבֵר עֲבֵירָה אוֹמֵר, ״שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאַנִי אָדָם!״ בִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתוֹ אָמַר לָהֶם, ״פַּנּוּ כֵּלִים מִפְּנֵי הַטּוּמְאָה וְהָכִינוּ כִּסֵּא לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה שֶׁבָּא.״
A similar story is told about Rabbi Eliezer’s mentor, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: When Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai fell ill his students entered to visit him. When he saw them, he began to cry. His students said to him: Lamp of Israel, the right pillar, the mighty hammer, the man whose life’s work is the foundation of the future of the Jewish people, for what reason are you crying? With a life as complete as yours, what is upsetting you? He said to them: I cry in fear of heavenly judgment, as the judgment of the heavenly court is unlike the judgment of man. If they were leading me before a flesh and blood king whose life is temporal, who is here today and dead in the grave tomorrow; if he is angry with me, his anger is not eternal and, consequently, his punishment is not eternal; if he incarcerates me, his incarceration is not an eternal incarceration, as I might maintain my hope that I would ultimately be freed. If he kills me, his killing is not for eternity, as there is life after any death that he might decree. Moreover, I am able to appease him with words and even bribe him with money, and even so I would cry when standing before royal judgment. Now that they are leading me before the supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, Who lives and endures forever and all time; if He is angry with me, His anger is eternal; if He incarcerates me, His incarceration is an eternal incarceration; and if He kills me, His killing is for eternity. I am unable to appease Him with words and bribe him with money. Moreover, but I have two paths before me, one of the Garden of Eden and one of Gehenna, and I do not know on which they are leading me; and will I not cry?His students said to him: Our teacher, bless us. He said to them: May it be His will that the fear of Heaven shall be upon you like the fear of flesh and blood. His students were puzzled and said: To that point and not beyond? Shouldn’t one fear God more? He said to them: Would that a person achieve that level of fear. Know that when one commits a transgression, he says to himself: I hope that no man will see me. If one is as concerned about avoiding shame before God as he is before man, he will never sin. The Gemara relates that at the time of his death, immediately beforehand, he said to them: Remove the vessels from the house and take them outside due to the ritual impurity that will be imparted by my corpse, which they would otherwise contract. And prepare a chair for Hezekiah, the King of Judea, who is coming from the upper world to accompany me.
אֵין דּוֹרְשִׁין בַּעֲרָיוֹת בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה וְלֹא בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית בִּשְׁנַיִם וְלֹא בַמֶּרְכָּבָה בְּיָחִיד, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה חָכָם וּמֵבִין מִדַּעְתּוֹ. כָּל הַמִּסְתַּכֵּל בְּאַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים רָאוּי לוֹ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא בָּא לָעוֹלָם: מַה לְּמַעְלָה, מַה לְּמַטָּה, מַה לְּפָנִים, וּמַה לְּאָחוֹר. וְכָל שֶׁלֹּא חָס עַל כְּבוֹד קוֹנוֹ רָאוּי לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בָּא לָעוֹלָם:
One may not expound the topic of forbidden sexual relations before three or more individuals; nor may one expound the act of Creation and the secrets of the beginning of the world before two or more individuals; nor may one expound by oneself the Design of the Divine Chariot, a mystical teaching with regard to the ways God conducts the world, unless he is wise and understands most matters on his own. The mishna continues in the same vein: Whoever looks at four matters, it would have been better for him had he never entered the world: Anyone who reflects upon what is above the firmament and what is below the earth, what was before Creation, and what will be after the end of the world. And anyone who has no concern for the honor of his Maker, who inquires into and deals with matters not permitted to him, deserves to have never come to the world.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי שֶׁהָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַחֲמוֹר וְהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מְחַמֵּר אַחֲרָיו. אָמַר לוֹ, ״רַבִּי, שְׁנֵה לִי פֶּרֶק אֶחָד בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מֶרְכָּבָה!״ אָמַר לוֹ, ״לֹא כָּךְ שָׁנִיתִי לָכֶם, וְלֹא בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה בְּיָחִיד אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה חָכָם מֵבִין מִדַּעְתּוֹ?!״ אָמַר לוֹ, ״רַבִּי, תַּרְשֵׁינִי לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ דָּבָר אֶחָד שֶׁלִּמַּדְתַּנִי!״ אָמַר לוֹ, ״אֱמוֹר.״ מִיָּד יָרַד רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי מֵעַל הַחֲמוֹר וְנִתְעַטֵּף וְיָשַׁב עַל הָאֶבֶן תַּחַת הַזַּיִת. אָמַר לוֹ, ״רַבִּי, מִפְּנֵי מָה יָרַדְתָּ מֵעַל הַחֲמוֹר?״ אָמַר, ״אֶפְשָׁר אַתָּה דּוֹרֵשׁ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מֶרְכָּבָה וּשְׁכִינָה עִמָּנוּ וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְלַוִּין אוֹתָנוּ וַאֲנִי אֶרְכַּב עַל הַחֲמוֹר?!״ מִיָּד פָּתַח רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וְדָרַשׁ וְיָרְדָה אֵשׁ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְסִיבְּבָה כׇּל הָאִילָנוֹת שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה, פָּתְחוּ כּוּלָּן וְאָמְרוּ שִׁירָה...נַעֲנָה מַלְאָךְ מִן הָאֵשׁ, וְאָמַר, ״הֵן הֵן מַעֲשֵׂה הַמֶּרְכָּבָה!״ עָמַד רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי וּנְשָׁקוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וְאָמַר, ״בָּרוּךְ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנָּתַן בֵּן לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהָבִין וְלַחְקוֹר וְלִדְרוֹשׁ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מֶרְכָּבָה! יֵשׁ נָאֶה דּוֹרֵשׁ וְאֵין נָאֶה מְקַיֵּים, נָאֶה מְקַיֵּים וְאֵין נָאֶה דּוֹרֵשׁ, אַתָּה נָאֶה דּוֹרֵשׁ וְנָאֶה מְקַיֵּים! אַשְׁרֶיךָ אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ שֶׁאֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ יָצָא מֵחֲלָצֶיךָ!״ וּכְשֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ הַדְּבָרִים לִפְנֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, הָיָה הוּא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן מְהַלְּכִים בַּדֶּרֶךְ. אָמְרוּ, ״אַף אָנוּ נִדְרוֹשׁ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מֶרְכָּבָה!״ פָּתַח רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְדָרַשׁ, וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם תְּקוּפַת תַּמּוּז הָיָה. נִתְקַשְּׁרוּ שָׁמַיִם בְּעָבִים וְנִרְאֶה כְּמִין קֶשֶׁת בֶּעָנָן וְהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִתְקַבְּצִין וּבָאִין לִשְׁמוֹעַ כִּבְנֵי אָדָם שֶׁמִּתְקַבְּצִין וּבָאִין לִרְאוֹת בְּמַזְמוּטֵי חָתָן וְכַלָּה. הָלָךְ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַכֹּהֵן וְסִיפֵּר דְּבָרִים לִפְנֵי רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, וְאָמַר, ״אַשְׁרֵיכֶם וְאַשְׁרֵי יוֹלַדְתְּכֶם! אַשְׁרֵי עֵינַי שֶׁכָּךְ רָאוּ! וְאַף אֲנִי וְאַתֶּם, בַּחֲלוֹמִי מְסוּבִּין הַיְינוּ עַל הַר סִינַי וְנִתְּנָה עָלֵינוּ בַּת קוֹל מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, ׳עֲלוּ לְכָאן, עֲלוּ לְכָאן! טְרַקְלִין גְּדוֹלִים וּמַצָּעוֹת נָאוֹת מוּצָּעוֹת לָכֶם, אַתֶּם, וְתַלְמִידֵיכֶם, וְתַלְמִידֵי תַלְמִידֵיכֶם מְזוּמָּנִין לְכַת שְׁלִישִׁית!׳״
§ The Gemara returns to the topic of the Design of the Divine Chariot. The Sages taught: An incident occurred involving Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, who was riding on a donkey and was traveling along the way, and his student, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh, was riding a donkey behind him.Rabbi Elazarsaid to him: My teacher, teach me one chapter in the Design of the Divine Chariot. He said to him: Have I not taught you: And one may not expound the Design of the Divine Chariot to an individual, unless he is a Sage who understands on his own accord?Rabbi Elazarsaid to him: My teacher, allow me to say before you one thing that you taught me. In other words, he humbly requested to recite before him his own understanding of this issue. He said to him: Speak.Immediately, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai alighted from the donkey, and wrapped his head in his cloak in a manner of reverence, and sat on a stone under an olive tree.Rabbi Elazarsaid to him: My teacher, for what reason did you alight from the donkey? He said: Is it possible that while you are expounding the Design of the Divine Chariot, and the Divine Presence is with us, and the ministering angels are accompanying us, that I should ride on a donkey? Immediately, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh began to discuss the Design of the Divine Chariot and expounded, and fire descended from heaven and encircled all the trees in the field, and all the trees began reciting song.What song did they recite? “Praise the Lord from the earth, sea monsters and all depths…fruit trees and all cedars…praise the Lord” (Psalms 148:7–14). An angel responded from the fire, saying: This is the very Design of the Divine Chariot, just as you expounded. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai stood and kissedRabbi Elazar ben Arakhon his head, and said: Blessed be God, Lord of Israel, who gave our father Abraham a son like you, who knows how to understand, investigate, and expound the Design of the Divine Chariot. There are some who expound the Torah’s verses well but do not fulfill its imperatives well, and there are some who fulfill its imperatives well but do not expound its verses well, whereas you expound its verses well and fulfill its imperatives well. Happy are you, our father Abraham, that Elazar ben Arakh came from your loins.The Gemara relates: And when these matters, this story involving his colleague Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh, were recounted before Rabbi Yehoshua, he was walking along the way with Rabbi Yosei the Priest. They said: We too shall expound the Design of the Divine Chariot. Rabbi Yehoshua began expounding. And that was the day of the summer solstice, when there are no clouds in the sky. Yet the heavens became filled with clouds, and there was the appearance of a kind of rainbow in a cloud. And ministering angels gathered and came to listen, like people gathering and coming to see the rejoicing of a bridegroom and bride.Rabbi Yosei the Priest went and recited these matters before Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, who said to him: Happy are all of you, and happy are the mothers who gave birth to you; happy are my eyes that saw this, students such as these. As for you and I, I saw in my dream that we were seated at Mount Sinai, and a Divine Voice came to us from heaven: Ascend here, ascend here, for large halls [teraklin] and pleasant couches are made up for you. You, your students, and the students of your students are invited to the third group, those who will merit to welcome the Divine Presence.
ה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֖ם הִרְבָּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְהִנְּכֶ֣ם הַיּ֔וֹם כְּכוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹֽב׃
Your God ה׳ has multiplied you until you are today as numerous as the stars in the sky.—
״וְהִנְּכֶ֣ם הַיּ֔וֹם כְּכוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹֽב״ (דברים א י), הרי אתם קיימים כיום. מיכן אמרו שבע כתות של צדיקים בגן עדן זו למעלה מזו: ראשונה ״אַ֣ךְ צַ֭דִּיקִים יוֹד֣וּ לִשְׁמֶ֑ךָ יֵשְׁב֥וּ יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ״ (תהלים קמ יד), שניה ״אַשְׁרֵ֤י ׀ תִּ֥בְחַ֣ר וּתְקָרֵב֮ יִשְׁכֹּ֢ן חֲצֵ֫רֶ֥יךָ״ (שם סה ה), שלישית ״אַ֭שְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י בֵיתֶ֑ךָ״ (שם פד ה), רביעית ״ה׳ מִי־יָג֣וּר בְּאׇהֳלֶ֑ךָ...״ (שם טו א), חמישית ״...מִֽי־יִ֝שְׁכֹּ֗ן בְּהַ֣ר קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ״ (שם), ששית ״מִֽי־יַעֲלֶ֥ה בְהַר־ה׳...״ (שם כד ג), שביעית ״...וּמִי־יָ֝ק֗וּם בִּמְק֥וֹם קׇדְשֽׁוֹ״ (שם).
(Devarim 1:10) "And you are this day": existing "as the stars of the heavens in multitude" — whence it was derived: There are seven classes of the righteous in Gan Eden — one higher than the other: the first class — (Psalms 140:14) "Only the righteous will give praise to Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence." the second class — (Ibid. 65:5) "Praises to him You choose and draw near to dwell in Your courts." the third class — (Ibid. 84:5) "Praised are the dwellers in Your house." the fourth class — (Ibid. 15:1) "Who shall dwell in Your tent?" the fifth class — (Ibid.) "Who shall dwell on Your holy mountain?" the sixth class — (Ibid. 24:3) "Who shall ascend the mountain of the L-rd?" the seventh class — (Ibid.) Who shall stand in the place of His sanctity?"
אמר להם פנו כלים מפני הטומאה. כשהרגיש שנשמתו רוצה לצאת אמר להם, ״הוציאו הכלים מן הבית שלא יטמאו והכינו כסא לחזקיהו מלך יהודה שבא ללוותני.״ ושבע כתות בג"ע וחזקיה הוא מכת שלישית ובא ללוות את רבן יוחנן בן זכאי שהיה מזומן לכת שלישית, דהכי אמרינן בחגיגה על ר' יוחנן בן זכאי שיצתה בת קול ואמרה להם, ״אתם ותלמידיכם ותלמידי תלמידיכם מזומנים לכת שלישית״:
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִשְׁפָּחָה אַחַת הָיְתָה בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁהָיוּ מֵתֶיהָ מֵתִין בְּנֵי שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה. בָּאוּ וְהוֹדִיעוּ אֶת רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, אָמַר לָהֶם, ״שֶׁמָּא מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת עֵלִי אַתֶּם דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ, ׳וְכׇל מַרְבִּית בֵּיתְךָ יָמוּתוּ אֲנָשִׁים׳ (שמואל א ב לג), לְכוּ וְעִסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וִחְיוּ.״ הָלְכוּ וְעָסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וְחָיוּ, וְהָיוּ קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ מִשְׁפַּחַת רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן עַל שְׁמוֹ.
The Sages taught in a baraita: There was a certain family in Jerusalem whose members used to die at the age of eighteen, and they did not know why. They came and told Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai about their situation. He said to them: Perhaps you are descended from the family of Eli, as it is written about them: “And all the increase of your house shall die young men” (I Samuel 2:33). If indeed this is so, the remedy is as follows: Go and engage in Torah study, in the merit of which you will live. They went and engaged in Torah study and lived. And people would call that family afterward by the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan in his honor.
...פעם אחת היה רבן יוחנן בן זכאי יוצא מירושלים והיה רבי יהושע הולך אחריו וראה בית המקדש חרב. [אר״י, ״אוי לנו על זה שהוא חרב] מקום שמכפרים בו עונותיהם של ישראל!״ א״ל, ״בני, אל ירע לך. יש לנו כפרה אחת שהיא כמותה, ואיזה זה? גמ״ח, שנאמר ׳כי חסד חפצתי ולא זבח׳ (תהלים פט ג)״...
...Once, Rabban [our rabbi] Yohanan ben Zakkai, left Jerusalem, and Rabbi Yehoshua followed after him. And he saw the Holy Temple destroyed. [Rabbi Yehoshua said: Woe to us, for this is destroyed –] the place where all of Israel’s sins are forgiven! [Rabbi Yohanan] said to him: My son, do not be distressed, for we have a form of atonement just like it. And what is it? Acts of kindness, as it says (Psalms 89:3), “For I desire kindness, not a well-being offering.”...
מֵפֵר֙ אֹת֣וֹת בַּדִּ֔ים וְקֹסְמִ֖ים יְהוֹלֵ֑ל מֵשִׁ֧יב חֲכָמִ֛ים אָח֖וֹר וְדַעְתָּ֥ם יְסַכֵּֽל׃
Who annul the omens of diviners, And make fools of the augurs; Who turn sages back And make nonsense of their knowledge;
...כִּי מְטָא לְהָתָם, אֲמַר, ״שְׁלָמָא עֲלָךְ מַלְכָּא, שְׁלָמָא עֲלָךְ מַלְכָּא!״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״מִיחַיְּיבַתְּ תְּרֵי קָטְלִי, חֲדָא דְּלָאו מַלְכָּא אֲנָא וְקָא קָרֵית לִי מַלְכָּא וְתוּ אִי מַלְכָּא אֲנָא עַד הָאִידָּנָא אַמַּאי לָא אָתֵית לְגַבַּאי?!״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״דְּקָאָמְרַתְּ לָאו מַלְכָּא אֲנָא אִיבְרָא מַלְכָּא אַתְּ, דְּאִי לָאו מַלְכָּא אַתְּ לָא מִימַּסְרָא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בִּידָךְ...וּדְקָאָמְרַתְּ אִי מַלְכָּא אֲנָא אַמַּאי לָא קָאָתֵית לְגַבַּאי עַד הָאִידָּנָא, בִּרְיוֹנֵי דְּאִיתבַּן לָא שָׁבְקִינַן.״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״אִילּוּ חָבִית שֶׁל דְּבַשׁ וּדְרָקוֹן כָּרוּךְ עָלֶיהָ, לֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹבְרִין אֶת הֶחָבִית בִּשְׁבִיל דְּרָקוֹן?״ אִישְׁתִּיק. קָרֵי עֲלֵיהּ רַב יוֹסֵף וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, ״מֵשִׁיב חֲכָמִים אָחוֹר וְדַעְתָּם יְסַכֵּל״ (ישעיה מד כה). אִיבְּעִי לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר לֵיהּ, ״שָׁקְלִינַן צְבָתָא וְשָׁקְלִינַן לֵיהּ לִדְרָקוֹן וְקָטְלִינַן לֵיהּ וְחָבִיתָא שָׁבְקִינַן לַהּ.״ אַדְּהָכִי אֲתָא פְּרֵיסְתְּקָא עֲלֵיהּ מֵרוֹמִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״קוּם דְּמִית לֵיהּ קֵיסָר וְאָמְרִי הָנְהוּ חֲשִׁיבֵי דְּרוֹמִי לְאוֹתֹיבָךָ בְּרֵישָׁא.״...אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״מֵיזָל אָזֵילְנָא וְאִינָשׁ אַחֲרִינָא מְשַׁדַּרְנָא, אֶלָּא בָּעֵי מִינַּאי מִידֵּי דְּאֶתֵּן לָךְ.״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״תֵּן לִי יַבְנֶה וַחֲכָמֶיהָ וְשׁוּשִׁילְתָּא דְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְאָסְווֹתָא דְּמַסַּיִין לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי צָדוֹק.״ קָרֵי עֲלֵיהּ רַב יוֹסֵף וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, ״מֵשִׁיב חֲכָמִים אָחוֹר וְדַעְתָּם יְסַכֵּל״ (ישעיה מד כה). אִיבְּעִי לְמֵימַר לֵיהּ, ״לִשְׁבְּקִינְהוּ הָדָא זִימְנָא!״ וְהוּא סָבַר, ״דִּלְמָא כּוּלֵּי הַאי לָא עָבֵיד וְהַצָּלָה פּוּרְתָּא נָמֵי לָא הָוֵי.״...
...When Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai reached there, i.e., the Roman camp, he said: Greetings to you, the king; greetings to you, the king. Vespasian said to him: You are liable for two death penalties, one because I am not a king and yet you call me king, and furthermore, if I am a king, why didn’t you come to me until now? Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: As for what you said about yourself: I am not a king, in truth, you are a king, if not now, then in the future. As if you are not a king, Jerusalem will not be handed over into your hand...And as for what you said with your second comment: If I am a king why didn’t you come to me until now, there are zealots among us who did not allow us to do this. Understanding that Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai was prepared to ask him not to destroy the Temple, Vespasian said to him: If there is a barrel of honey and a snake [derakon] is wrapped around it, wouldn’t they break the barrel in order to kill the snake? In similar fashion, I am forced to destroy the city of Jerusalem in order to kill the zealots barricaded within it. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai was silent and did not answer. In light of this, Rav Yosef later read the following verse about him, and some say that it was Rabbi Akiva who applied the verse to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: “I am the Lord…Who turns wise men backward and makes their knowledge foolish” (Isaiah 44:25). As Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkaishould have said the following toVespasian in response: In such a case, we take tongs, remove the snake, and kill it, and in this way we leave the barrel intact. So too, you should kill the rebels and leave the city as it is. In the meantime, as they were talking, a messenger [feristaka] arrived from Rome, and said to him: Rise, for the emperor has died, and the noblemen of Rome plan to appoint you as their leader and make you the next emperor...Vespasian then said to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: I will be going to Rome to accept my new position, and I will send someone else in my place to continue besieging the city and waging war against it. But before I leave, ask something of me that I can give you. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Give me Yavne and its Sages and do not destroy it, and spare the dynasty of Rabban Gamliel and do not kill them as if they were rebels, and lastly give me doctors to heal Rabbi Tzadok. Rav Yosef read the following verse about him, and some say that it was Rabbi Akiva who applied the verse to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: “I am the Lord…Who turns wise men backward and makes their knowledge foolish” (Isaiah 44:25), as he should have said to him to leave the Jews alone this time. And why didn’t Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai make this request? He maintained that Vespasian might not do that much for him, and there would not be even a small amount of salvation. Therefore, he made only a modest request, in the hope that he would receive at least that much...
(כד) כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר ה׳ גֹּאֲלֶ֔ךָ וְיֹצֶרְךָ֖ מִבָּ֑טֶן אָנֹכִ֤י ה׳ עֹ֣שֶׂה כֹּ֔ל נֹטֶ֤ה שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ לְבַדִּ֔י רֹקַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ (מי אתי) [מֵאִתִּֽי]׃ (כה) מֵפֵר֙ אֹת֣וֹת בַּדִּ֔ים וְקֹסְמִ֖ים יְהוֹלֵ֑ל מֵשִׁ֧יב חֲכָמִ֛ים אָח֖וֹר וְדַעְתָּ֥ם יְסַכֵּֽל׃ (כו) מֵקִים֙ דְּבַ֣ר עַבְדּ֔וֹ וַעֲצַ֥ת מַלְאָכָ֖יו יַשְׁלִ֑ים הָאֹמֵ֨ר לִירוּשָׁלַ֜͏ִם תּוּשָׁ֗ב וּלְעָרֵ֤י יְהוּדָה֙ תִּבָּנֶ֔ינָה וְחׇרְבוֹתֶ֖יהָ אֲקוֹמֵֽם׃ (כז) הָאֹמֵ֥ר לַצּוּלָ֖ה חֳרָ֑בִי וְנַהֲרֹתַ֖יִךְ אוֹבִֽישׁ׃ (כח) הָאֹמֵ֤ר לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ רֹעִ֔י וְכׇל־חֶפְצִ֖י יַשְׁלִ֑ם וְלֵאמֹ֤ר לִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ תִּבָּנֶ֔ה וְהֵיכָ֖ל תִּוָּסֵֽד׃ {פ}
(24) Thus said GOD, your Redeemer, Who formed you in the womb: It is I, GOD, who made everything, Who alone stretched out the heavensAnd unaided spread out the earth; (25) Who annul the omens of diviners, And make fools of the augurs; Who turn sages backAnd make nonsense of their knowledge; (26) But confirm the word of My servant And fulfill the prediction of My messengers. It is I who say of Jerusalem, “It shall be inhabited,” And of the towns of Judah, “They shall be rebuilt; And I will restore their ruined places.” (27) [I,] who said to the deep, “Be dry; I will dry up your floods,” (28) Am the same who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd; He shall fulfill all My purposes! He shall say of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be rebuilt,’ And to the temple: ‘You shall be founded again.’”
הָי֨וּ צָרֶ֤יהָ לְרֹאשׁ֙ אֹיְבֶ֣יהָ שָׁל֔וּ כִּֽי־ה׳ הוֹגָ֖הּ עַ֣ל רֹב־פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ עוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י לִפְנֵי־צָֽר׃
(5) Her enemies are now the masters, Her foes are at ease, Because the LORD has afflicted her For her many transgressions; Her infants have gone into captivity Before the enemy.
הָיוּ צָרֶיהָ לְרֹאשׁ, אָמַר רַבִּי הִלֵּל בְּרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, ״כָּל מִי שֶׁבָּא לְהָצֵר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ. מַה טַּעַם? ׳הָיוּ צָרֶיהָ לְרֹאשׁ׳.״...הָיוּ צָרֶיהָ לְרֹאשׁ זֶה אַסְפַּסְיָאנוּס, אֹיְבֶיהָ שָׁלוּ זֶה טִיטוּס. שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים וּמֶחֱצָה הִקִּיף אַסְפַּסְיָאנוּס אֶת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, וְהָיוּ עִמּוֹ אַרְבָּעָה דֻכָּסִין, דֻּכָּס דַּעֲרַבְיָא, דֻּכָּס דְּאַפְרִיקָא, דֻּכָּס דַּאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָא, דֻּכָּס דְּפַלַסְטִינִי. דֻּכָּס דַּעֲרַבְיָא תְּרֵין אֳמוֹרִין, חַד אֲמַר קִילוּס שְׁמֵיהּ, וְחַד אֲמַר פַּנְגַּר שְׁמֵיהּ...וְהָיָה שָׁם בֶּן בָּטִיחַ בֶּן אֲחוֹתוֹ שֶׁל רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי שֶׁהָיָה מְמֻנֶּה עַל הָאוֹצָרוֹת, וְאוֹקֵיד כָּל אוֹצְרַיָּא. שָׁמַע רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי אֲמַר ״וַי!״...שְׁלַח וְאַתְיֵהּ, אֲמַר לוֹ ״לְמָה אֲמַרְתְּ וַי?״ אָמַר לוֹ, ״לֹא אָמַרְתִּי וַי, אֶלָּא וַהּ אֲמַרִי.״ אָמַר לוֹ, ״וַהּ אָמַרְתָּ? וְלָמָּה אָמַרְתָּ וַהּ?״ אָמַר לֵיהּ, ״דְּאוֹקַדְתָּ כָּל אוֹצְרַיָּא, וְאָמַרְתִּי דְּכָל זְמַן דְּאוֹצְרַיָּא קַיָּמִין לָא יְהִיבִין גִּשְׁמֵיהוֹן לְמֶעְבַּד קְרָבָא.״ בֵּין וַי לְוַהּ נִמְלַט רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, וְקָרָא עָלָיו ״וְיִתְרוֹן דַעַת הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ״ (קהלת ז יב)...
(31)“Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies are tranquil, for the Lord has tormented her for her abundant transgressions; her infants are led into captivity before the adversary (Lamentations 1:5). “Her adversaries have become the head.” Rabbi Hillel ben Rabbi Berekhya said: Anyone who comes to oppress Israel becomes a leader. What is the source? “Her adversaries have become the head.” You find that until Jerusalem was destroyed, there was no province that was at all significant. When Jerusalem was destroyed, Caesarea became a metropolis and a fortified city. Another matter, “Her adversaries have become the head,” this is Nebuchadnezzar. “Her enemies are tranquil,” this is Nevuzaradan. Alternatively, “Her adversaries have become the head,” this is Vespasian. “Her enemies are tranquil,” this is Titus. For three-and-a-half years, Vespasian surrounded Jerusalem. There were four governors with him: The governor of Arabia, the governor of Africa, the governor of Alexandria, and the governor of Palestine. Regarding the governor of Arabia, there are two amora’im, one says that his name was Kilus and one said that his name was Pangar. There were four noblemen in Jerusalem: Ben Tzitzit, ben Guryon, ben Nakdimon, and ben Kalba Savua. Each and every one was capable of providing sustenance for the city for ten years. There was also ben Batiaḥ, the son of the sister of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai, who was appointed over the storehouses, and he burned all the storehouses. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai heard and said ‘woe [vai].’ They went and told ben Batiaḥ: ‘Your uncle said woe.’ He sent and had him brought and said to him: ‘Why did you say woe?’ He said to him: ‘I did not say woe. Rather, I said va.’ He said to him: ‘You said va; why did you say va?’ He said: ‘Because you burned all the storehouses, and I said: As long as the storehouses are intact, they will not risk their lives to engage in battle.’ Between vai and va Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai escaped. They applied to him the verse: “The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its possessors” (Ecclesiastes 7:12). Three days later, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai went out to walk in the marketplace. He saw that they were boiling straw and drinking its broth. He said: ‘Are people who boil straw and drink its broth capable of standing against Vespasian’s troops?’ He said: ‘The priority is to get me out of here.’ He sent [a message] to ben Batiaḥ saying: ‘Get me out of here.’ [Ben Batiaḥ] said to him: ‘We have agreed among us that no person may emerge from here unless he is dead.’ He said: ‘Get me out in the guise of one who died.’ Rabbi Eliezer carried his [bier] from the head and Rabbi Yehoshua from the feet, and ben Batiaḥ walked before them. When they arrived they sought to stab him. Ben Batiaḥ said to them: ‘Is that what you want, that they will say that their rabbi died and they stabbed him?’ When he said that to them, they let him go. When they went out of the gate of the wall, they carried him and placed him in a certain tomb and they returned to the city. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai went to walk among Vespasian’s troops. He said to them: ‘Where is the king?’ They went and said to Vespasian: ‘A certain Jew wishes to inquire after your wellbeing.’ He said to them: ‘Let him come.’ When he came he said: ‘Long live my lord, the emperor.’ He said to him: ‘You greeted me with the greeting of a king, but I do not reign [as king], and if the king will hear of it, he will kill me.’ [Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai] said to him: ‘If you are not [yet] the king, ultimately you will reign, as this Temple will be destroyed only by a king, as it is stated: “The Lebanon will fall by a mighty one”’ (Isaiah 10:34). They took him and placed him behind seven partitions. They would ask him: ‘What hour of the night is it?’ He would tell them. ‘What hour of the day is it?’ He would tell them. How did Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai know? It was from his studies. Three days later, Vespasian went to bathe in the Gafna spring. After he bathed and put on one of his shoes, tidings reached him informing him that Nero had died and that the citizens of Rome had crowned him king. He sought to put on his other shoe, but it did not fit. He sent and had Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai brought and he said to him: ‘Are you not able to tell me? All these days I would wear two shoes and they would fit me, now one fits and one does not fit.’ He said to him: ‘You received good tidings, as it is written: “Good tidings fatten the bone”’ (Proverbs 15:30). He said to him: ‘What shall I do so it will fit?’ He said to him: ‘Is there a person whom you hate or who wronged you? Let him pass before you and your flesh will recede, as it is written: “A depressed spirit dries bones”’ (Proverbs 17:22). They began telling parables before him: ‘What should one do to a barrel in which a snake has nested?’ He said to them: ‘One brings a snake charmer, charms the snake, and leaves the barrel intact.’ Pangar said: ‘One kills the snake and breaks the barrel.’ ‘What should one do to a cabinet in which a snake has nested?’ He said to them: ‘One brings a snake charmer, charms the snake, and leaves the cabinet intact.’ Pangar said: ‘One kills the snake and burns the cabinet.’ Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai said to Pangar: ‘All neighbors who perform evil perform it in their own neighborhood. Not only do you fail to plea in our favor, you speak to our detriment.’ He said to him: ‘I want only what is best for you. As long as that Temple is intact, the kingdoms will confront you; if that Temple is destroyed, the kingdoms will not confront you.’ Rabban Yoḥanan said to him: ‘The heart knows whether it is constructive [laakal] or crooked [laakalkalot].’ Vespasian said to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai: ‘Make a request and I will grant it.’ He said to him: ‘I request that you leave this city and go on your way.’ He said to him: ‘Did the citizens of Rome crown me so I would leave this city? Make a [different] request and I will grant it.’ He said to him: ‘I request that you leave the gate of the western gate, which points toward Lod, so that anyone who emerges for four hours will be saved.’ After [Vespasian] conquered it, he said to him: ‘If you have someone who is beloved to you or someone with whom you are close, send and bring him before the soldiers enter.’ He sent to Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua to take out Rabbi Tzadok. They went and found him at the city gate. When he came, Rabban Yoḥanan stood before him. Vespasian said to him: ‘You stand before this repulsive old man?’ He said to him: ‘By your life, if there was another like him, and you had double the [number of your] soldiers, you would not be able to conquer [the city.’ He said to him: ‘What is his strength?’ He said to him: ‘He eats one gamzuz and from it studies one hundred chapters.’ He said to him: ‘Why is he so emaciated?’ He said to him: ‘It is due to the effects of fasts and abstinences.’ [Vespasian] sent and brought physicians and they would feed him a little at a time and would give him to drink a little at a time, until his body was restored [to good health]. Elazar, his son, said to him: ‘Father, give them their reward in this world, so that they will have no merit with you in the World to Come.’ He gave them [a method for] mathematical calculations with fingers and scales. After he conquered it, he distributed the four sides to the four governors. The western gate was in the portion of Pangar. It was decreed from Heaven that it would never be destroyed. Why? Because the Divine Presence is in the west. They destroyed theirs, he did not destroy his. [Vespasian] sent and had him brought and said to him: ‘Why did you not destroy yours?’ He said to him: ‘By your life, I did so for the glory of the kingdom. Had I destroyed it, people would not know what you destroyed. When the people will see [the remaining wall], they will say: Look at the power of Vespasian, what he destroyed.’ He said to him: ‘By your life, you have spoken well; however, because you violated my command, that man will ascend to the roof and cast himself from it. If he lives, he lives; if he dies, he dies.’ He ascended, cast himself, and died. The curse of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai came upon him.
כִּ֛י בְּצֵ֥ל הַֽחׇכְמָ֖ה בְּצֵ֣ל הַכָּ֑סֶף וְיִתְר֣וֹן דַּ֔עַת הַֽחׇכְמָ֖ה תְּחַיֶּ֥ה בְעָלֶֽיהָ׃
(12) For to be in the shelter of wisdom is to be also in the shelter of money, and the advantage of intelligence is that wisdom preserves the life of him who possesses it.
...נְפַק רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי לְטַיֵּיל בַּחֲיָילוֹתָיו שֶׁל אַסְפַּסְיָאנוּס. אָמַר לוֹן, ״אָן הוּא מַלְכָּא?״ אָזְלוּן וְאָמְרוּ לְאַסְפַּסְיָאנוּס, ״חַד יְהוּדִי בָּעֵי לְמִישְׁאַל בִּשְׁלָמָךְ.״ אֲמַר לְהוֹן, ״יֵיתֵי!״ מִן דַּאֲתָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״וּבִיבָא מָארִי אַפְּלָטוֹר!״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״שְׁאִילָא דְּמֶלֶךְ שְׁאֵילְתְּ בִּי וַאֲנָא לֵית אֲנָא מָלֵיךְ! וְכַדּוּ שְׁמַע מַלְכָּא וְקָטֵיל לְהַהוּא גַבְרָא!״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״אִם לֵית אַתְּ מֶלֶךְ סוֹף אַתְּ מָלֵיךְ, דְּלֵית הָדֵין בֵּיתָא חָרֵיב אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי מֶלֶךְ״...לְבָתַר תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין אֲזַל אַסְפַּסְיָאנוּס מַסְחֵי בַּהֲדָא גַפְנָא...אֲתַת בְּשׂוֹרָה וּבִשְֹּׂרוּהוּ מִית נִירוֹן וְאַמְלִיכוּנֵיהּ בְּנֵי רוֹמִי...שְׁלַח וְאַתְיוּהָ לְרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי...הִתְחִילוּ מוֹשְׁלִין לְפָנָיו מְשָׁלוֹת: ״חָבִית שֶׁקִּנֵּן נָחָשׁ בְּתוֹכָהּ כֵּיצַד עוֹשִׂין לוֹ?״ אָמַר לָהֶם, ״מְבִיאִין חוֹבֵר וְחוֹבְרִין אֶת הַנָּחָשׁ וּמַנִּיחִין אֶת הֶחָבִית.״ אָמַר פַּנְגַּר, ״הוֹרְגִין אֶת הַנָּחָשׁ וְשׁוֹבְרִין אֶת הֶחָבִית.״ ״מִגְדָּל שֶׁקִּנֵּן בּוֹ נָחָשׁ כֵּיצַד עוֹשִׂין?״ אָמַר לָהֶם, ״מְבִיאִין חוֹבֵר וְחוֹבְרִין אֶת הַנָּחָשׁ וּמַנִּיחִין אֶת הַמִּגְדָּל.״ אָמַר פַּנְגַּר, ״הוֹרְגִין אֶת הַנָּחָשׁ וְשׂוֹרְפִין אֶת הַמִּגְדָּל.״ אָמַר לוֹ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי לְפַנְגַּר, ״כָּל מְגִירַיָא דְּעָבְדִין בִּישָׁא לִמְגִירֵיהוֹן עָבְדִין! עַד דְּלֵית אַתְּ מְלִיף סַנֵּיגוֹרְיָא אַתְּ מְלִיף עֲלָן קָטֵיגוֹרְיָא!״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״לְטִיבוּתְכוֹן אֲנָא בָּעֵי, דְּכָל זְמַן דְּהָדֵין בֵּיתָא קַיָּים מַלְכְּוָותָא מִתְגָּרִין בְּכוֹן. אִין אִיחֲרוּב הָדֵין בֵּיתָא לֵית מַלְכְּוָּותָא מִתְגָּרִין בְּכוֹן!״ אָמַר לוֹ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן, ״הַלֵּב יוֹדֵעַ אִם לַעֲקָל אִם לַעֲקַלְקַלּוֹת.״
אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַסְפַּסְיָאנוּס לְרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, ״שְׁאַל לִי שְׁאֵלָה וַאֲנָא עָבֵיד.״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״אֲנָא בָּעֵי דְּתִירְפֵּי הֲדָא מְדִינְתָּא וְתֵיזֵיל לָךְ!״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ, ״כְּלוּם אַמְלִיכוּנִי בְּנֵי רוֹמִי דְּנִרְפֵּי לַהֲדָא מְדִינְתָּא? שְׁאַל לִי שְׁאֵלְתָּא וַאֲנָא עָבֵיד!״ אֲמַר לוֹ, ״בָּעֵי אֲנָא דְּתִרְפֵּי לְפִילֵי מַעַרְבָאָה דְּהִיא אָזְלָא לְלוּד דְּכָל בַּר דְּנָפֵיק עַד אַרְבָּעָה שָׁעִין יְהֵא לְשֵׁיזָבָא.״ מִן דִּכְבָשַׁהּ אֲמַר לוֹ, ״אִי אִית לָךְ דִּרְחֵים לָךְ, אוֹ בַּר נָשׁ דְּאַתְּ קָרֵיב לֵיהּ, שְׁלַח וְאַיְתֵיהּ עַד דְּלָא יֵיעֲלוּן אֻכְלוּסַיָא.״ שָׁלַח לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וּלְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לַאֲפוּקֵי לְרַבִּי צָדוֹק...

(31)“Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies are tranquil, for the Lord has tormented her for her abundant transgressions; her infants are led into captivity before the adversary (Lamentations 1:5). “Her adversaries have become the head.” Rabbi Hillel ben Rabbi Berekhya said: Anyone who comes to oppress Israel becomes a leader. What is the source? “Her adversaries have become the head.” You find that until Jerusalem was destroyed, there was no province that was at all significant. When Jerusalem was destroyed, Caesarea became a metropolis and a fortified city. Another matter, “Her adversaries have become the head,” this is Nebuchadnezzar. “Her enemies are tranquil,” this is Nevuzaradan. Alternatively, “Her adversaries have become the head,” this is Vespasian. “Her enemies are tranquil,” this is Titus. For three-and-a-half years, Vespasian surrounded Jerusalem. There were four governors with him: The governor of Arabia, the governor of Africa, the governor of Alexandria, and the governor of Palestine. Regarding the governor of Arabia, there are two amora’im, one says that his name was Kilus and one said that his name was Pangar. There were four noblemen in Jerusalem: Ben Tzitzit, ben Guryon, ben Nakdimon, and ben Kalba Savua. Each and every one was capable of providing sustenance for the city for ten years. There was also ben Batiaḥ, the son of the sister of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai, who was appointed over the storehouses, and he burned all the storehouses. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai heard and said ‘woe [vai].’ They went and told ben Batiaḥ: ‘Your uncle said woe.’ He sent and had him brought and said to him: ‘Why did you say woe?’ He said to him: ‘I did not say woe. Rather, I said va.’ He said to him: ‘You said va; why did you say va?’ He said: ‘Because you burned all the storehouses, and I said: As long as the storehouses are intact, they will not risk their lives to engage in battle.’ Between vai and va Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai escaped. They applied to him the verse: “The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its possessors” (Ecclesiastes 7:12). Three days later, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai went out to walk in the marketplace. He saw that they were boiling straw and drinking its broth. He said: ‘Are people who boil straw and drink its broth capable of standing against Vespasian’s troops?’ He said: ‘The priority is to get me out of here.’ He sent [a message] to ben Batiaḥ saying: ‘Get me out of here.’ [Ben Batiaḥ] said to him: ‘We have agreed among us that no person may emerge from here unless he is dead.’ He said: ‘Get me out in the guise of one who died.’ Rabbi Eliezer carried his [bier] from the head and Rabbi Yehoshua from the feet, and ben Batiaḥ walked before them. When they arrived they sought to stab him. Ben Batiaḥ said to them: ‘Is that what you want, that they will say that their rabbi died and they stabbed him?’ When he said that to them, they let him go. When they went out of the gate of the wall, they carried him and placed him in a certain tomb and they returned to the city. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai went to walk among Vespasian’s troops. He said to them: ‘Where is the king?’ They went and said to Vespasian: ‘A certain Jew wishes to inquire after your wellbeing.’ He said to them: ‘Let him come.’ When he came he said: ‘Long live my lord, the emperor.’ He said to him: ‘You greeted me with the greeting of a king, but I do not reign [as king], and if the king will hear of it, he will kill me.’ [Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai] said to him: ‘If you are not [yet] the king, ultimately you will reign, as this Temple will be destroyed only by a king, as it is stated: “The Lebanon will fall by a mighty one”’ (Isaiah 10:34). They took him and placed him behind seven partitions. They would ask him: ‘What hour of the night is it?’ He would tell them. ‘What hour of the day is it?’ He would tell them. How did Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai know? It was from his studies. Three days later, Vespasian went to bathe in the Gafna spring. After he bathed and put on one of his shoes, tidings reached him informing him that Nero had died and that the citizens of Rome had crowned him king. He sought to put on his other shoe, but it did not fit. He sent and had Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai brought and he said to him: ‘Are you not able to tell me? All these days I would wear two shoes and they would fit me, now one fits and one does not fit.’ He said to him: ‘You received good tidings, as it is written: “Good tidings fatten the bone”’ (Proverbs 15:30). He said to him: ‘What shall I do so it will fit?’ He said to him: ‘Is there a person whom you hate or who wronged you? Let him pass before you and your flesh will recede, as it is written: “A depressed spirit dries bones”’ (Proverbs 17:22). They began telling parables before him: ‘What should one do to a barrel in which a snake has nested?’ He said to them: ‘One brings a snake charmer, charms the snake, and leaves the barrel intact.’ Pangar said: ‘One kills the snake and breaks the barrel.’ ‘What should one do to a cabinet in which a snake has nested?’ He said to them: ‘One brings a snake charmer, charms the snake, and leaves the cabinet intact.’ Pangar said: ‘One kills the snake and burns the cabinet.’ Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai said to Pangar: ‘All neighbors who perform evil perform it in their own neighborhood. Not only do you fail to plea in our favor, you speak to our detriment.’ He said to him: ‘I want only what is best for you. As long as that Temple is intact, the kingdoms will confront you; if that Temple is destroyed, the kingdoms will not confront you.’ Rabban Yoḥanan said to him: ‘The heart knows whether it is constructive [laakal] or crooked [laakalkalot].’ Vespasian said to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai: ‘Make a request and I will grant it.’ He said to him: ‘I request that you leave this city and go on your way.’ He said to him: ‘Did the citizens of Rome crown me so I would leave this city? Make a [different] request and I will grant it.’ He said to him: ‘I request that you leave the gate of the western gate, which points toward Lod, so that anyone who emerges for four hours will be saved.’ After [Vespasian] conquered it, he said to him: ‘If you have someone who is beloved to you or someone with whom you are close, send and bring him before the soldiers enter.’ He sent to Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua to take out Rabbi Tzadok. They went and found him at the city gate. When he came, Rabban Yoḥanan stood before him. Vespasian said to him: ‘You stand before this repulsive old man?’ He said to him: ‘By your life, if there was another like him, and you had double the [number of your] soldiers, you would not be able to conquer [the city.’ He said to him: ‘What is his strength?’ He said to him: ‘He eats one gamzuz and from it studies one hundred chapters.’ He said to him: ‘Why is he so emaciated?’ He said to him: ‘It is due to the effects of fasts and abstinences.’ [Vespasian] sent and brought physicians and they would feed him a little at a time and would give him to drink a little at a time, until his body was restored [to good health]. Elazar, his son, said to him: ‘Father, give them their reward in this world, so that they will have no merit with you in the World to Come.’ He gave them [a method for] mathematical calculations with fingers and scales. After he conquered it, he distributed the four sides to the four governors. The western gate was in the portion of Pangar. It was decreed from Heaven that it would never be destroyed. Why? Because the Divine Presence is in the west. They destroyed theirs, he did not destroy his. [Vespasian] sent and had him brought and said to him: ‘Why did you not destroy yours?’ He said to him: ‘By your life, I did so for the glory of the kingdom. Had I destroyed it, people would not know what you destroyed. When the people will see [the remaining wall], they will say: Look at the power of Vespasian, what he destroyed.’ He said to him: ‘By your life, you have spoken well; however, because you violated my command, that man will ascend to the roof and cast himself from it. If he lives, he lives; if he dies, he dies.’ He ascended, cast himself, and died. The curse of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakai came upon him.
...הוציאוהו עד שהגיעו אצל אספסיינוס,פתחו הארון ועמד לפניו. אמר לו, ״אתה הוא ריב״ז? שאל מה אתן לך!״ א״ל, ״איני מבקש ממך אלא יבנה, אלך ואשנה בה לתלמידי ואקבע בה תפלה ואעשה בה כל מצות [האמורות בתורה].״ א״ל, ״לך וכל מה שאתה רוצה לעשות עשה.״ א״ל, ״רצונך שאומר לפניך דבר אחד?״ א״ל, ״אמור!״ א״ל, ״הרי את עומד במלכות.״ ״מניין אתה יודע?״ א"ל, ״כך מסור לנו שאין בהמ״ק נמסר ביד הדיוט אלא ביד המלך.״...אמרו לא היה שלשה ימים עד שבא אליו דיופלא מעירו שמת קיסר ונמנו עליו לעמוד במלכות...
So they took him out until they came to Vespasian, and they opened the coffin, and [Rabbi Yohanan] got up and stood before him. He said: So you are Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai. Ask for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you. He replied: I ask nothing from you except for Yavneh. I will go there and teach my students, and I will establish prayer, and I will do all the mitzvot [mentioned in the Torah]. [Vespasian] replied: Go. All that you wish to do, you may do. [Rabbi Yohanan] said to him: Do you want me to tell you one thing? He said: Go ahead. He said to him: Take note; soon you will ascend to the kingship. How do you know? [Vespasian] said to him. [Rabbi Yohanan answered:] We have a tradition that the Holy Temple will not be taken by an ordinary man, but only by a king. For it says (Isaiah 10:34), “And the Lebanon tree will fall in its majesty.” They say that it was not (one or two or) three days until a letter came from [Vespasian’s] city announcing that the Caesar had died and they were appointing him to ascend to the kingship...
(ט) ט. וכשמוע יוסף את הדבר הזה שלח אל אספסינוס, כי יש לו דבר סוד לספר לו לבד. ואספסינוס הוציא מעליו את כל האנשים, מלבד טיטוס ושני אוהביו, ואז קרא אליו יוסף: ״אתה חושב, אספסינוס, כי יוסף הנלכד בידך הוא שבוי־מלחמה לבד, אולם באמת אני ציר שלוח לדַבּר אליך גדולות. הן יודע אני את חֻקי היהודים ולא נעלם ממני איזוהי דרך־מות ישרה שיָבֹר לו שר־הצבא, [על כן לא באתי אליך] לולא שלחני אלקים. הנה אתה אומר לשלח אותי אל נירון, — למה הדבר הזה? העוד יאריכו ימים נירון ויורשי כסאו זולתך? אתה, אספסינוס, תהיה קיסר, הנה שליט־יחיד אתה, ועמך טיטוס בנך. ולא רק אדון לנפשי תהיה אתה הקיסר, כי־אם גם אדונֵי היבשה והים וכל זרע האדם. ואני נוטל עליך לחַזק עלי את המשמר, למען עשות בי נקמות בהגלות לך, כי דברתי תעתועים באזניך בשם אלהים״. בדַבּר יוסף את זאת לא רצה אספסינוס להאמין לו לראשונה, באמרו בלבו, כי בחר לו יוסף דרכי ערמה, להציל את נפשו, אולם מעט מעט התעוררה בו האמונה, כי כבר הטה אלקים את לבו לבקש לו את הממשלה והראה לו את שרביט המלוכה באותות ובמופתים אחרים, וגם שמעה אזנו, כי קמה נבואת יוסף בדברים רבים. ומאוהבי אספסינוס, אשר שמעו את הסוד, אמר האחד, כי הוא משתאה ליוסף, מדוע לא נִבּא גם על מפלת יודפת ולא צפה כי יפול בשבי הרומאים, הלא זה האות, כי בדה את דבריו, להסיר את החֵמה מעליו. ויוסף ענה, כי באמת נבּא ליושבי יודפת, אשר מקץ ארבעים ושבעה יום יפלו בנופלים והוא יִתָּפש חי. אספסינוס צוה לחקור את הדבר חרש מפי השבוים ומצא, כי כנים דברי יוסף, ומני אז האמין בנבואותיו. אמנם לא פדה את יוסף ממשמר ולא התיר את אסוריו, אך נתן לו בגדי־כבוד והעניק לו דברי־חפץ שונים בעין יפה והאיר לו את פניו מן היום ההוא והלאה, וטיטוס הרבה גם הוא כבוד [ליוסף].
When Josephus heard him give those orders, he said that he had somewhat in his mind that he would willingly say to himself alone. When therefore they were all ordered to withdraw, excepting Titus and two of their friends, he said, "Thou, O Vespasian, thinkest no more than that thou hast taken Josephus himself captive; but I come to thee as a messenger of greater tidings...Thou, O Vespasian, art Caesar and emperor, thou, and this thy son. Bind me now still faster, and keep me for thyself, for thou, O Caesar, are not only lord over me, but over the land and the sea, and all mankind; and certainly I deserve to be kept in closer custody than I now am in, in order to be punished, if I rashly affirm any thing of God." When he had said this, Vespasian at present did not believe him, but supposed that Josephus said this as a cunning trick, in order to his own preservation; but in a little time he was convinced, and believed what he said to be true...
(ג) ג. ומספר השבוים, אשר נתפשו בכל עת המלחמה, היה תשע רבבות ושבעת אלפים, ומספר המתים בכל עת המצור היה מאה ועשרה רבוא. רֻבּם יהודים, אך לא ילידי המקום (ירושלים). כי מכל עברים נאספו אנשים אל ירושלים למועד חג־המצות, ופתאֹם סגרה עליהם המלחמה. ובאשר צר המקום לשאתם, פרץ ביניהם לראשונה דֶבֶר־הַוּוֹת, ואחרי־כן בא הרעב והִרבּה את חלליהם. ואמנם לא נבצר מירושלים להכיל המון עצום כזה, והדבר הזה נגלה, כאשר מָנה צֶסטיוס את היהודים. כי ברצות צסטיוס להראות את תפארת ירושלים לקיסר נירון, למען אשר לא יבוז לעם היהודים, בקש את הכהנים למצֹא את מספר העם הגדול, אם יש הדבר לאֵל־ידם. והנה הגיע החג הנקרא פסח (פסחא), אשר בו היהודים מקריבים זבחים מתשע שעות עד אחת־עשרה שעה, והחבורה הנמנית על קרבן אחד לא מעטה מעשרה אנשים, כי לא יכול אדם לאכול מבשר הקרבן לבדו — ורבים הצטרפו גם לחבורות בנות עשרים איש —, והכהנים מנו את הזבחים ומספרם היה עשרים וחמשה רבוא וחמשת אלפים ושש מאות, והמקריבים אותם היו אנשים טהורים, אשר התקדשו לחג, כי למצֹרעים ולזבים ולנשים דווֹת וליתר הטמאים היה אסור לאכול מבשׂר הזבח, וגם בני־הנכר [הערלים] הבאים אל ירושלים לעבוד את האלקים לא לקחו בו חלק.
...the number of those that were carried captive during this whole war was collected to be ninety-seven thousand; as was the number of those that perished during the whole siege eleven hundred thousand, the greater part of whom were indeed of the same nation [with the citizens of Jerusalem], but not belonging to the city itself; for they were come up from all the country to the feast of unleavened bread, and were on a sudden shut up by an army...
וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף אֶת־בֵּית־ה׳ וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־בָּתֵּ֧י יְרוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם וְאֶת־כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית גָּד֖וֹל שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃
(9) He burned the House of GOD, the king’s palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down the house of every notable person.
...אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, ״׳וַיִּשְׂרֹ֛ף אֶת־בֵּית־יי֨׳ (מלכים ב כה ט) זֶה בֵית הַמִּקִדָּשׁ, ׳וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ׳ (שם) זֶה פַּלָטִין שֶׁלְּצִדְקִיָּהוּ, ׳וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־בָּתֵּ֧י יְרֽוּשָׁלַ֛ם׳ (שם) אֵילּוּ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁמוֹנִים בַּתֵּי כְנֵיסִיּוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִירוּשָׁלִַם, דְּאָמַר רִבִּי פִינְחָס בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה, ׳אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁמוֹנִים בַּתֵּי כְנֵיסִיּוֹת הָיוּ בִירוּשָׁלִַם וְכָל־אַחַת וְאַחַת הָיָה לָהּ בֵּית סֵפֶר וּבֵית תַּלְמוּד: [בֵּית סֵפֶר] לְמִקְרָא וּבֵית תַּלְמוּד לְמִשְׁנָה, וְכוּלְּהֹם עָלָה אֶסְפַּסִייָנוּס׳. ׳וְאֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֥ית הַגָּדוֹל שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׳ (שם) זֶה מִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁלְרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּיי שֶׁשָּׁם הָיוּ מְתַנִּין גְּדוּלוֹתָיו שֶׁלְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא...״...
The people of Bet Shean asked Rebbi Immi, may one take stones from one synagogue to build another synagogue? He said to them, it is forbidden. Rebbi Ḥelbo said, Rebbi Immi forbade it only to make them feel bad. Rebbi Gorion said, the people from Magdala asked Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: May one take stones from one village to build in another village? He said to them, it is forbidden. Rebbi Immi instructed, even from East to West is forbidden because of the destruction of that place. May one sell a synagogue to buy a school? Rebbi Joshua ben Levi’s word implies that it is permitted. For Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, he burned the Eternal’s House, that is the Temple, and the king’s house, that is Sedecias’s palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem, these are the 480 synagogues which were in Jerusalem. As Rebbi Phineas said in the name of Rebbi Hoshaia: There were 480 synagogues in Jerusalem, each of which had a school and a Talmud study; [the school] for Bible and the Talmud study for Mishnah. Against all of them came Vespasian. And every large house he burned in fire, that is the study of Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai where one was telling the great deeds of the Holy One, praise to Him, in the sense of tell please of the great deeds which Elisha accomplished. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: That you are saying about a private synagogue. But with a public synagogue it is forbidden; I am saying that one at the end of the world has part in it. But did we not state, “it happened that Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Ṣadoq bought the synagogue of the Alexandrians and used it for all his needs”? The Alexandrians made it from their own. So far if it was built as a synagogue. If it was built as a court and he dedicated it, what is the rule? Let us hear from the following: “A qônam that I shall not enter this house and it was turned into a synagogue.” This implies that if it was built as a court and he dedicated it, it became sanctified. When is it sanctified, immediately [or] at the moment of use? Let us hear from the following: If one builds a chest for a scroll or makes ribands for a scroll. As long as it was not used for a scroll profane use is permitted; after it was used for the scroll private use is prohibited. Therefore, if these who were made for a scroll are not sanctified until used, this which was built as court not so much more? What is the rule for these if they were made for profane use? Since you are saying there, if it was built as a court and he dedicated it, it is sanctified, so here if they were made for profane use and he dedicated them they are sanctified.
...תַנְיָא: אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּצִילּוֹ שֶׁל הֵיכָל וְדוֹרֵשׁ כׇּל הַיּוֹם כּוּלּוֹ...
Abaye said: From where do I say my opinion? As it was taught in a baraita: They said about Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai that he would sit in the street adjacent to the Temple Mount in the shade of the Sanctuary and expound to a large number of people all day long. And here, isn’t it a case where it was not possible to act differently, as there was no other place where so many people could congregate, and he certainly intended to derive benefit from the shade of the Sanctuary, and yet it was permitted? Apparently, when it is not possible to avoid the situation and one intends to derive benefit, it is permitted to do so.
...כיון ששמע רבן יוחנן בן זכאי שהחריב את ירושלים ושרף את בהמ״ק באש קרע בגדיו וקרעו תלמידיו את בגדיהם והיו בוכין וצועקין וסופדין...
When Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai heard that Jerusalem was destroyed and the Holy Temple was burning in flames, he tore his clothes, and his students tore their clothes, and they cried and screamed and lamented...
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין כֹּהֲנִים רַשָּׁאִין לַעֲלוֹת בְּסַנְדְּלֵיהֶן לַדּוּכָן, וְזוֹ אֶחָד מִתֵּשַׁע תַּקָּנוֹת שֶׁהִתְקִין רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי...וְאִידַּךְ דְּתַנְיָא גֵּר שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּיר בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּפְרִישׁ רוֹבַע לְקִינּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר, ״כְּבָר נִמְנָה עָלֶיהָ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן וּבִיטְּלָהּ מִפְּנֵי הַתַּקָּלָה.״
§ The Sages taught in a baraita: Priests are not allowed to ascend with their sandals to the platform to recite the Priestly Blessing in the synagogue. And this is one of the nine ordinances that Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted. Six are mentioned in this chapter: Sounding the shofar on Shabbat in Yavne, taking the lulav all seven days, the prohibition against eating new grain the entire day of waving, accepting testimony to determine the start of the month all day, having the witnesses to the New Moon go to the place of meeting, and reciting the Priestly Blessing without sandals. And one is stated in the first chapter, that the witnesses to the New Moon may desecrate Shabbat only for the months of Tishrei and Nisan. And the other, as it is taught in a baraita: A convert who converts nowadays is required to set aside a quarter-shekel for his nest, i.e., his pair of doves. By Torah law a convert must bring two burnt-offerings of birds, in addition to his immersion and circumcision. After the destruction, it was instituted that he must set aside the value of two young pigeons in anticipation of the rebuilding of the Temple. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai already assembled a majority who voted and rescinded the ordinance due to a potential mishap. If a convert is obligated to set aside money, someone might unwittingly use this money, thereby violating the prohibition against misuse of consecrated property.
יוֹם טוֹב שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיוּ תוֹקְעִים, אֲבָל לֹא בַמְּדִינָה. מְשֶּׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הִתְקִין רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, שֶׁיְּהוּ תּוֹקְעִין בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ בֵית דִּין...
(1) With regard to the Festival day of Rosh HaShana that occurs on Shabbat, in the Temple they would sound the shofar as usual. However, they would not sound it in the rest of the country outside the Temple. After the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that the people should sound the shofar on Shabbat in every place where there is a court of twenty-three judges. Rabbi Elazar said: Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted this practice only in Yavne, where the Great Sanhedrin of seventy-one judges resided in his time, but nowhere else. They said to him: He instituted the practice both in Yavne and in any place where there is a court.
בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיָה לוּלָב נִטָּל בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ שִׁבְעָה, וּבַמְּדִינָה יוֹם אֶחָד. מִשֶּׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הִתְקִין רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי שֶׁיְּהֵא לוּלָב נִטָּל בַּמְּדִינָה שִׁבְעָה, זֵכֶר לַמִּקְדָשׁ...
(12)Originally, during the Temple era, the lulav was taken in the Temple for seven days, and in the rest of the country outside the Temple it was taken for one day. Once the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted an ordinance that the lulav should be taken even in the rest of the country for seven days, in commemoration of the Temple.And for similar reasons, he instituted an ordinance that for the entire day of waving the omer offering, it should be prohibited to eat the grain of the new crop. It is prohibited to eat the grain of the new crop until the omer offering is brought and waved in the Temple on the sixteenth of Nisan. The offering was sacrificed in the morning; however, after taking potential delays into consideration, the new crop remained prohibited until it was clear that the offering had been sacrificed. Practically speaking, it was prohibited to eat the new grain until the sixteenth of Nisan was over; it was permitted only on the seventeenth. Once the Temple was destroyed and there was no longer an omer offering sacrificed, it was permitted to eat the new crop on the sixteenth. However, Rabban Yoḥanan instituted an ordinance that eating the new grain would remain prohibited until the seventeenth to commemorate the Temple.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, ״מְקֻבָּל אֲנִי מֵרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, שֶׁשָּׁמַע מֵרַבּוֹ וְרַבּוֹ מֵרַבּוֹ הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינַי, שֶׁאֵין אֵלִיָּהוּ בָא לְטַמֵּא וּלְטַהֵר לְרַחֵק וּלְקָרֵב אֶלָּא לְרַחֵק הַמְקֹרָבִין בִּזְרוֹעַ וּלְקָרֵב הַמְרֻחָקִין בִּזְרוֹעַ...״ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, ״לְקָרֵב אֲבָל לֹא לְרַחֵק.״ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, ״לְהַשְׁווֹת הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת״, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, ״לֹא לְרַחֵק וְלֹא לְקָרֵב אֶלָּא לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ׳הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא וְגוֹ' וְהֵשִׁיב לֵב אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים וְלֵב בָּנִים עַל אֲבוֹתָם׳ (מלאכי ג כב-כג)״
(7)Rabbi Joshua said: I have received a tradition from Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, who heard it from his teacher, and his teacher [heard it] from his teacher, as a halakhah [given] to Moses from Sinai, that Elijah will not come to pronounce unclean or to pronounce clean, to put away or to bring near, but to put away those brought near by force and to bring near those put away by force. The family of Beth Tzriphah was on the other side of the Jordan and Ben Zion put it away by force; and yet another family was there, and Ben Zion brought it near by force. It is such as these that Elijah will come to pronounce unclean or to pronounce clean, to put away or to bring near. Rabbi Judah says: to bring near, but not to put away. Rabbi Shimon says: to conciliate disputes. And the Sages say: neither to put away nor to bring near, but to make peace in the world, for it is said, “Behold I send to you Elijah the prophet”, etc., “and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 3:23-2.
- Mishnah Yadayim 4:6 - struggle against the Sadducees)
- Avos d'Rabbi Nosson (Recencion A) 14 - R' YbZ preferred the words of R' Elazar ben Arakh to his other students