דִּילְמָא בִּיאַת אוֹרוֹ הוּא, וּמַאי ״וְטָהֵר״ — טְהַר גַּבְרָא?! Perhaps the expression: “And the sun sets and it is purified” refers to the very beginning of sunset, the setting of the sun’s light. According to that explanation, what does the expression and it is purified mean? It means that the person will become purified. After immersing, he will wait until the beginning of sunset, and only then will he be able to eat of his teruma (Tosafot).

אָמַר רַבָּהּ בַּר רַב שֵׁילָא: אִם כֵּן, לֵימָא קְרָא: ״וְיִטְהָר״, מַאי ״וְטָהֵר״ — טְהַר יוֹמָא, כִּדְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: ״אִיעֲרַב שִׁמְשָׁא וְאִדַּכִּי יוֹמָא״. Rabba bar Rav Sheila said: If so, that: And it is purified, means that the priest goes and purifies himself, then let the verse say unambiguously: And he will become purified. Since the Torah does not employ that language, the conclusion is: What is the meaning of the expression: And it is purified? It means the day is pure, no residue of day remains, as people say colloquially: The sun has set and the day is purified.

בְּמַעֲרָבָא, הָא דְּרַבָּהּ בַּר רַב שֵׁילָא לָא שְׁמִיעַ לְהוּ, וּבְעוֹ לַהּ מִיבַּעְיָא: הַאי ״וּבָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ״ בִּיאַת שִׁמְשׁוֹ הוּא, וּמַאי ״וְטָהֵר״ — טְהַר יוֹמָא, אוֹ דִילְמָא בִּיאַת אוֹרוֹ הוּא, וּמַאי ״וְטָהֵר״ — טְהַר גַּבְרָא. In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they did not hear this explanation given by Rabba bar Rav Sheila. They raised the dilemma: Does the expression: And the sun sets, refer to the actual setting of the sun, and does: And it is purified, mean the day clears away? Or perhaps it refers to the setting of its light at sunset, in which case what is the meaning of: And it is purified? It refers to the purification of the person. In other words, in Eretz Yisrael, they attempted to clarify the halakha based on the biblical passage, but were unable to do so.

וַהֲדַר פָּשְׁטוּ לַהּ מִבָּרַיְיתָא. מִדְּקָתָנֵי בְּבָרַיְיתָא, סִימָן לַדָּבָר — צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ — בִּיאַת שִׁמְשׁוֹ הוּא, וּמַאי ״וְטָהֵר״ — טְהַר יוֹמָא. Ultimately they resolved this dilemma from a baraita. It was taught in a baraita that the time for the recitation of the evening Shema corresponds to the time when priests are permitted to eat of their teruma, a sign for which is the emergence of the stars. Therefore, derive from here that “and the sun sets” refers to the complete sunset, and the expression “and it is purified” means the day clears away, as the Sages in Babylonia concluded.

אָמַר מָר מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים נִכְנָסִין לֶאֱכוֹל בִּתְרוּמָתָן. וּרְמִינְהוּ: מֵאֵימָתַי קוֹרִין אֶת שְׁמַע בָּעֲרָבִין — מִשֶּׁהֶעָנִי נִכְנָס לֶאֱכוֹל פִּתּוֹ בְּמֶלַח, עַד שָׁעָה שֶׁעוֹמֵד לִיפָּטֵר מִתּוֹךְ סְעוּדָּתוֹ. In our mishna, the Master said: The beginning of the time for the recitation of the evening Shema is: From the time when the priests enter to partake of their teruma. The Gemara raises a contradiction to this opinion from a baraita that states that the time for the recitation of the evening Shema is: From when a poor person enters to eat his bread with salt until he rises from his meal.

סֵיפָא, וַדַּאי פְּלִיגָא אַמַּתְנִיתִין. רֵישָׁא, מִי לֵימָא פְּלִיגִי אַמַּתְנִיתִין? The Gemara begins its analysis by clarifying whether there is an actual contradiction here, or whether different expressions are being employed to describe the same time. The latter clause of the baraita, which established that the time for the recitation of the evening Shema ends when a poor person rises from his meal, certainly disagrees with our mishna. Since the poor person clearly does not continue eating until the end of the first watch, this baraita certainly contradicts our mishna. With regard to the first clause of the baraita, however, which establishes the beginning of the time for the recitation of the evening Shema, shall we say that it disagrees with our mishna?

לָא, עָנִי וְכֹהֵן חַד שִׁיעוּרָא הוּא. The Gemara immediately rejects this idea: No, the time when the poor person eats and the time when the priest is purified and permitted to partake of his teruma are one and the same time.

וּרְמִינְהוּ: מֵאֵימָתַי מַתְחִילִין לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּעַרְבִית — מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם נִכְנָסִין לֶאֱכוֹל פִּתָּן בְּעַרְבֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים זַכָּאִין לֶאֱכוֹל בִּתְרוּמָתָן. סִימָן לַדָּבָר: צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין רְאָיָה לַדָּבָר, זֵכֶר לַדָּבָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַאֲנַחְנוּ עֹשִׂים בַּמְּלָאכָה וְחֶצְיָם מַחֲזִיקִים בָּרְמָחִים מֵעֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר עַד צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״וְהָיוּ לָנוּ הַלַּיְלָה מִשְׁמָר וְהַיּוֹם מְלָאכָה״. The Gemara raises a contradiction from the Tosefta: From when does one begin to recite Shema in the evening? From the time when people enter to eat their bread on Shabbat eve. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir. As they do in our mishna, the Rabbis say: From the time when the priests are eligible to partake of their teruma, a sign for which is the emergence of the stars. And although there is no explicit proof that the emergence of the stars is when one may begin to recite the evening Shema, there is an allusion in the book of Nehemiah to the fact that the emergence of the stars is generally considered the beginning of the night. As it is stated with regard to the building of the walls of Jerusalem: “And we perform the work, and half of them grasp their spears from dawn until the emergence of the stars” (Nehemiah 4:15). And it says: “That in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day” (Nehemiah 4:16). From here we ascertain that the day ends with the emergence of the stars.

מַאי ״וְאוֹמֵר״? Even before analyzing these sources, the Gemara seeks to clarify a confusing element in the Tosefta. In their biblical proof, the Rabbis do not suffice with one verse, but rather they say: And it says…and they cite an additional verse. What is added by this use of: And it says? It seems superfluous, as the entire proof appears in the first verse.

וְכִי תֵּימָא מִכִּי עָרְבָא שִׁמְשָׁא, לֵילְיָא הוּא, וְאִינְהוּ דְּמַחְשְׁכִי וּמַקְדְּמִי, תָּא שְׁמַע ״וְהָיוּ לָנוּ הַלַּיְלָה מִשְׁמָר וְהַיּוֹם מְלָאכָה״. The Gemara answers that the first verse was not sufficient. As, if you say that night begins when the sun sets, but the workers stayed late and arrived early; i.e., due to the importance of their task they worked even into the night. In anticipation of this objection, the second verse was cited to teach: Come and hear, as it is stated: “That in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day,” the time between dawn and the emergence of the stars is explicitly referred to as “day,” proving that night begins with the emergence of the stars.

קָא סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ דְּעָנִי וּבְנֵי אָדָם חַד שִׁעוּרָא הוּא. וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ עָנִי וְכֹהֵן חַד שִׁעוּרָא הוּא, חֲכָמִים הַיְינוּ רַבִּי מֵאִיר? In analyzing the three opinions regarding the beginning of the period for the recitation of the evening Shema, the Gemara begins with the supposition: It might enter your mind to say that the time when the poor person typically eats his meal and the time when ordinary people eat their Shabbat evening meal are one and the same time, since in both cases those eating would seek to begin their meals as early as possible, as, for different reasons, they are unable to kindle additional lights to illuminate their meal. And, if you say that the time of the poor person’s meal and the time when the priest is purified and permitted to partake of his teruma are one and the same time, then the opinion of the Rabbis is identical to that of Rabbi Meir. What is their disagreement?

אֶלָּא, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ עָנִי שִׁעוּרָא לְחוּד וְכֹהֵן שִׁעוּרָא לְחוּד. לָא, עָנִי וְכֹהֵן חַד שִׁעוּרָא הוּא, וְעָנִי וּבְנֵי אָדָם לָאו חַד שִׁעוּרָא הוּא. Rather, what we said previously must be rejected, and instead learn from this that there is a separate time for the poor person and a separate time for the priest. However, this conclusion is based on the assumption that the time of the poor person and the time of people are the same. That too can be rejected with the assertion that, no, the time of the poor person and the priest are one and the same time, and the time of the poor person and people are not the same. Accordingly, the opinion expressed by the tanna in our baraita is identical to that of the other tanna’im, and only Rabbi Meir disagrees with them.

וְעָנִי וְכֹהֵן חַד שִׁעוּרָא הוּא? וּרְמִינְהוּ: מֵאֵימָתַי מַתְחִילִין לִקְרוֹת שְׁמַע בָּעֲרָבִין — מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁקָּדַשׁ הַיּוֹם בְּעַרְבֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים מְטוֹהָרִים לֶאֱכוֹל בִּתְרוּמָתָן. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים טוֹבְלִין לֶאֱכוֹל בִּתְרוּמָתָן. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: וַהֲלֹא כֹּהֲנִים מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם הֵם טוֹבְלִים? רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אוֹמֵר מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁעָנִי נִכְנָס לֶאֱכוֹל פִּתּוֹ בְּמֶלַח. רַבִּי אַחַאי וְאָמְרִי לַהּ רַבִּי אַחָא אוֹמֵר: מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁרוֹב בְּנֵי אָדָם נִכְנָסִין לְהָסֵב. And is the time of the poor person and the priest the same? The Gemara raises a contradiction to this approach from another baraita, in which other opinions regarding the time for the recitation of the evening Shema are cited: From when does one begin to recite the evening Shema?
From the time when the day becomes sanctified on the eve of Shabbat, this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer, who established an earlier time for Shema.
Rabbi Yehoshua, like our mishna, says: From the time when the priests are eligible to partake of their teruma.
Rabbi Meir says: The time for the recitation of Shema begins before the priests were purified, from when the priests immerse themselves in order to partake of their teruma.
Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Meir: How is it possible that the time for the recitation of the evening Shema corresponds to the time of the priests’ immersion? Do the priests not immerse themselves during the day, so that with nightfall and the onset of a new day they will be purified? If so, how can that time be called night?
Rabbi Ḥanina says that the time for the recitation of the evening Shema begins when the poor person enters to eat his bread with salt.
But Rabbi Aḥai, and some say Rabbi Aḥa, says: From the time when most people enter to recline at their meal during the week.

וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ עָנִי וְכֹהֵן חַד שִׁעוּרָא הוּא, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא הַיְינוּ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ! The preceding was the text of the baraita. Returning to our question, if you say that the time of the poor person and the priest are one and the same time, then the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina is identical to that of Rabbi Yehoshua. However, the fact that they are cited together indicates that they are not, in fact, the same.

אֶלָּא לָאו שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ שִׁעוּרָא דְּעָנִי לְחוּד וְשִׁעוּרָא דְּכֹהֵן לְחוּד, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ. Rather, must one not conclude from this the time for the poor person is separate and the time for the priest is separate? Since no objection is raised, the Gemara concedes: Indeed, conclude from this.

הֵי מִינַּיְיהוּ מְאוּחָר? מִסְתַּבְּרָא דְּעָנִי מְאוּחָר דְּאִי אָמְרַתְּ דְּעָנִי מוּקְדָּם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא הַיְינוּ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. אֶלָּא לָאו שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ דְּעָנִי מְאוּחָר. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ. Having established that the time of the poor person and that of the priest are different, the Gemara seeks to determine: which one is later? The Gemara suggests that it is reasonable to conclude that the time of the poor person is later. As if you say that the poor person is earlier, it would be impossible to establish a time earlier than that established by Rabbi Yehoshua, unless we hold that night begins with sunset, in which case the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina is identical to that of Rabbi Eliezer. Rather, must one not conclude from this that the poor person is later? The Gemara notes: Indeed, conclude from this.

אָמַר מָר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: וַהֲלֹא כֹּהֲנִים מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם הֵם טוֹבְלִים! We learned that the Master said in a baraita that the time for the recitation of the evening Shema according to Rabbi Meir begins with the time of the immersion of the priests. Regarding this, Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Meir: Do the priests not immerse themselves during the day?

שַׁפִּיר קָאָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לְרַבִּי מֵאִיר? The Gemara notes: What Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Meir seems correct, and how can Rabbi Meir respond? Rabbi Meir’s response is connected to the fundamental dispute over when night begins. After sunset, a period begins which is neither day nor night. The tanna’im disagree over the precise duration of this period known as twilight [bein hashemashot]. Rabbi Yehuda holds that twilight extends a full hour after sunset. Rabbi Neḥemya agrees in principle, though he disagrees over the specifics. Rabbi Yosei maintains that twilight is very brief, and occurs immediately before the emergence of the stars, which marks the beginning of the night. Regarding Rabbi Meir’s argument, Rabbi Yehuda asks that since the priests immerse themselves before twilight, they have a long wait until nightfall; clearly their immersion takes place while it is still day.

וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר הָכִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ: מִי סָבְרַתְּ דַּאֲנָא אַבֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת דִּידָךְ קָא אָמֵינָא? אֲנָא אַבֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי קָא אָמֵינָא, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת כְּהֶרֶף עַיִן, זֶה — נִכְנָס, וְזֶה — יוֹצֵא, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲמוֹד עָלָיו. The Gemara answers that Rabbi Meir said to Rabbi Yehuda as follows: Do you maintain that I am speaking of your definition of twilight? I am speaking of Rabbi Yosei’s definition of twilight, as Rabbi Yosei said: Twilight is like the blink of an eye; night begins and day ends and the time between them is so brief, it is impossible to quantify. According to this opinion, the priests immerse themselves just before the emergence of the stars, when it is already considered night.

קַשְׁיָא דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר אַדְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר! תְּרֵי תַּנָּאֵי אַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר. The previous baraita cited Rabbi Meir’s opinion that the time for the recitation of Shema begins when the priests immerse before partaking of their teruma. In the Tosefta, it was taught that Rabbi Meir holds that one begins to recite Shema from when people enter to eat their meal on Shabbat eve. One opinion of Rabbi Meir seems to contradict another opinion of Rabbi Meir. The Gemara responds: Two tanna’im, students of Rabbi Meir, expressed different opinions in accordance with Rabbi Meir’s opinion.

קַשְׁיָא דְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אַדְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר! So too, the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer cited in the mishna contradicts the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer cited in the baraita. In the mishna, Rabbi Eliezer holds that the time for the recitation of Shema begins with the emergence of the stars: From the time when the priests enter to partake of their teruma, while in the baraita, he states that the time for the recitation of Shema begins when the day becomes sanctified on the eve of Shabbat.

תְּרֵי תַּנָּאֵי אַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: רֵישָׁא לָאו רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הִיא. The Gemara responds: There are two possible resolutions to the apparent contradiction in Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion. Either two tanna’im expressed different opinions in accordance with Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion, or if you wish, say instead that the first clause of the mishna, according to which we begin to recite Shema when the priests enter to partake of their teruma, is not actually Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion. Only the second half of the statement: Until the end of the first watch, was stated by Rabbi Eliezer.

עַד סוֹף הָאַשְׁמוּרָה. In the mishna, we learned that Rabbi Eliezer establishes that one may recite the evening Shema until the end of the first watch. These watches are mentioned in the Bible as segments of the night, but it must be established: Into precisely how many segments is the night divided, three or four? Moreover, why does Rabbi Eliezer employ such inexact parameters rather than a more precise definition of time (Tosefot HaRosh)?

מַאי קָסָבַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר? אִי קָסָבַר שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, לֵימָא ״עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת״. וְאִי קָסָבַר אַרְבַּע מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, לֵימָא ״עַד שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת״! What does Rabbi Eliezer actually hold? If he holds that the night consists of three watches, let him say explicitly that one recites the evening Shema until the fourth hour. If he holds that the night consists of four watches, let him say explicitly until the third hour.

לְעוֹלָם קָסָבַר שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, וְהָא קָמַשְׁמַע לָן: דְּאִיכָּא מִשְׁמָרוֹת בָּרָקִיעַ וְאִיכָּא מִשְׁמָרוֹת בְּאַרְעָא. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, וְעַל כָּל מִשְׁמָר וּמִשְׁמָר יוֹשֵׁב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְשׁוֹאֵג כָּאֲרִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ מִמָּרוֹם יִשְׁאָג, וּמִמְּעוֹן קָדְשׁוֹ יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ שָׁאֹג יִשְׁאַג עַל נָוֵהוּ״. The Gemara responds: Actually, Rabbi Eliezer holds that the night consists of three watches, and he employs this particular language of watches in order to teach us: There are watches in heaven and there are watches on earth; just as our night is divided into watches, so too is the night in the upper worlds. As it was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer says: The night consists of three watches, and over each and every watch, the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and roars like a lion in pain over the destruction of the Temple. This imagery is derived from a reference in the Bible, as it is stated: “The Lord roars [yishag] from on high, from His holy dwelling He makes His voice heard. He roars mightily [shaog yishag] over His dwelling place, He cries out like those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth” (Jeremiah 25:30). The three instances of the root shin-alef-gimmel in this verse correspond to the three watches of the night.

וְסִימָן לַדָּבָר: מִשְׁמָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה חֲמוֹר נוֹעֵר, שְׁנִיָּה כְּלָבִים צוֹעֲקִים, שְׁלִישִׁית, תִּינוֹק יוֹנֵק מִשְּׁדֵי אִמּוֹ, וְאִשָּׁה מְסַפֶּרֶת עִם בַּעֲלָהּ. And signs of the transition between each of these watches in the upper world can be sensed in this world: In the first watch, the donkey brays; in the second, dogs bark; and in the third people begin to rise, a baby nurses from its mother’s breast and a wife converses with her husband.

מַאי קָא חָשֵׁיב רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, אִי תְּחִלַּת מִשְׁמָרוֹת קָא חָשֵׁיב — תְּחִלַּת מִשְׁמָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה סִימָנָא לְמָה לִי? אוּרְתָּא הוּא! אִי סוֹף מִשְׁמָרוֹת קָא חָשֵׁיב, סוֹף מִשְׁמָרָה אַחֲרוֹנָה לְמָה לִי סִימָנָא? יְמָמָא הוּא! With regard to these earthly manifestations of the three heavenly watches as established in the baraita, the Gemara asks: What did Rabbi Eliezer enumerate? If he enumerated the beginning of the watch, why do I need a sign for the beginning of the first watch? It is when evening begins; an additional sign is superfluous. If he enumerated the end of the watches, why do I need a sign for the end of the last watch? It is when day begins; an additional sign is similarly superfluous.

אֶלָּא: חָשֵׁיב סוֹף מִשְׁמָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וּתְחִלַּת מִשְׁמָרָה אַחֲרוֹנָה, וְאֶמְצָעִית דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא. וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: כּוּלְּהוּ סוֹף מִשְׁמָרוֹת קָא חָשֵׁיב, וְכִי תֵּימָא אַחֲרוֹנָה לָא צְרִיךְ. The Gemara answers: Rather, he enumerated the signs for the end of the first watch and the beginning of the last watch, both of which require a sign, as well as the middle of the middle watch. And if you wish, say instead: He enumerated the ends of all of the watches. And if you say that a sign indicating the end of the final watch is unnecessary because it is day, nevertheless, that sign is useful.

לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ — לְמִיקְרֵי קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע לְמַאן דְּגָנֵי בְּבַיִת אָפֵל וְלָא יָדַע זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע אֵימַת. כֵּיוָן דְּאִשָּׁה מְסַפֶּרֶת עִם בַּעֲלָהּ וְתִינוֹק יוֹנֵק מִשְּׁדֵי אִמּוֹ, לִיקוּם וְלִיקְרֵי. What is the practical ramification of this sign? It is relevant to one who recites Shema while lying in a dark house, who cannot see the dawn and who does not know when the time for reciting Shema arrives. That person is provided with a sign that when a woman speaks with her husband and a baby nurses from its mother’s breast, the final watch of the night has ended and he must rise and recite Shema.

אָמַר רַב יִצְחָק בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, וְעַל כָּל מִשְׁמָר וּמִשְׁמָר יוֹשֵׁב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְשׁוֹאֵג כַּאֲרִי, וְאוֹמֵר: ״אוֹי שֶׁהֶחֱרַבְתִּי אֶת בֵּיתִי וְשָׂרַפְתִּי אֶת הֵיכָלִי וְהִגְלֵיתִי אֶת בָּנַי לְבֵין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם״. Rav Yitzḥak bar Shmuel said in the name of Rav: The night consists of three watches, and over each and every watch the Holy One, Blessed be He sits and roars like a lion, because the Temple service was connected to the changing of these watches (Tosefot HaRosh), and says: “Woe to Me, that due to their sins I destroyed My house, burned My Temple and exiled them among the nations of the world.”

תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְנִכְנַסְתִּי לְחוּרְבָּה אַחַת מֵחוּרְבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל. בָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב וְשָׁמַר לִי עַל הַפֶּתַח, (וְהִמְתִּין לִי) עַד שֶׁסִּייַּמְתִּי תְּפִלָּתִי. לְאַחַר שֶׁסִּייַּמְתִּי תְּפִלָּתִי אָמַר לִי: ״שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ, רַבִּי״. וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: ״שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ, רַבִּי וּמוֹרִי״. וְאָמַר לִי: בְּנִי, מִפְּנֵי מָה נִכְנַסְתָּ לְחוּרְבָּה זוֹ? אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: לְהִתְפַּלֵּל. וְאָמַר לִי: הָיָה לְךָ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּדֶּרֶךְ. וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: מִתְיָרֵא הָיִיתִי שֶׁמָּא יַפְסִיקוּ בִּי עוֹבְרֵי דְּרָכִים, וְאָמַר לִי הָיָה לְךָ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה קְצָרָה. Incidental to the mention of the elevated significance of the night watches, the Gemara cites a related story: It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yosei said: I was once walking along the road when I entered the ruins of an old, abandoned building among the ruins of Jerusalem in order to pray. I noticed that Elijah, of blessed memory, came and guarded the entrance for me and waited at the entrance until I finished my prayer. When I finished praying and exited the ruin, Elijah said to me, deferentially as one would address a Rabbi: Greetings to you, my Rabbi. I answered him: Greetings to you, my Rabbi, my teacher. And Elijah said to me: My son, why did you enter this ruin? I said to him: In order to pray. And Elijah said to me: You should have prayed on the road. And I said to him: I was unable to pray along the road, because I was afraid that I might be interrupted by travelers and would be unable to focus. Elijah said to me: You should have recited the abbreviated prayer instituted for just such circumstances.

בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה לָמַדְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים: לָמַדְתִּי שֶׁאֵין נִכְנָסִין לְחוּרְבָּה, וְלָמַדְתִּי שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִין בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וְלָמַדְתִּי שֶׁהַמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּדֶרֶךְ מִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה קְצָרָה. Rabbi Yosei concluded: At that time, from that brief exchange, I learned from him, three things: I learned that one may not enter a ruin; and I learned that one need not enter a building to pray, but he may pray along the road; and I learned that one who prays along the road recites an abbreviated prayer so that he may maintain his focus.

וְאָמַר לִי: בְּנִי, מָה קוֹל שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּחוּרְבָּה זוֹ? וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: שָׁמַעְתִּי בַּת קוֹל שֶׁמְּנַהֶמֶת כְּיוֹנָה וְאוֹמֶרֶת: ״אוֹי שֶׁהֶחֱרַבְתִּי אֶת בֵּיתִי וְשָׂרַפְתִּי אֶת הֵיכָלִי וְהִגְלֵיתִי אֶת בָּנַי לְבֵין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם״. וְאָמַר לִי: חַיֶּיךָ וְחַיֵּי רֹאשְׁךָ, לֹא שָׁעָה זוֹ בִּלְבַד אוֹמֶרֶת כָּךְ, אֶלָּא בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים אוֹמֶרֶת כָּךְ. וְלֹא זוֹ בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנָסִין לְבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְעוֹנִין ״יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ הַגָּדוֹל מְבֹורָךְ״, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְנַעְנֵעַ רֹאשׁוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר: אַשְׁרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁמְּקַלְּסִין אוֹתוֹ בְּבֵיתוֹ כָּךְ, מַה לּוֹ לָאָב שֶׁהִגְלָה אֶת בָּנָיו, וְאוֹי לָהֶם לַבָּנִים שֶׁגָּלוּ מֵעַל שׁוּלְחַן אֲבִיהֶם. And after this introduction, Elijah said to me: What voice did you hear in that ruin?
I responded: I heard a Heavenly voice, like an echo of that roar of the Holy One, Blessed be He (Maharsha), cooing like a dove and saying: Woe to the children, due to whose sins I destroyed My house, burned My Temple, and exiled them among the nations.
And Elijah said to me: By your life and by your head, not only did that voice cry out in that moment, but it cries out three times each and every day. Moreover, any time that God’s greatness is evoked, such as when Israel enters synagogues and study halls and answers in the kaddish prayer, May His great name be blessed, the Holy One, Blessed be He, shakes His head and says: Happy is the king who is thus praised in his house. When the Temple stood, this praise was recited there, but now: How great is the pain of the father who exiled his children, and woe to the children who were exiled from their father’s table, as their pain only adds to that of their father (Rabbi Shem Tov ibn Shaprut).

תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, מִפְּנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אֵין נִכְנָסִין לְחוּרְבָּה: מִפְּנֵי חֲשָׁד, מִפְּנֵי הַמַּפּוֹלֶת, וּמִפְּנֵי הַמַּזִּיקִין. ״מִפְּנֵי חֲשָׁד״, וְתִיפּוֹק לֵיהּ ״מִשּׁוּם מַפּוֹלֶת״? The Sages taught, for three reasons one may not enter a ruin: Because of suspicion of prostitution, because the ruin is liable to collapse, and because of demons. Three separate reasons seem extraneous, so the Gemara asks: Why was the reason because of suspicion necessary? Let this halakha be derived because of collapse.

בְּחַדְתִּי. The Gemara answers: This halakha applies even in the case of a new, sturdy ruin, where there is no danger of collapse. Therefore, the reason because of suspicion is cited in order to warn one not to enter a new ruin as well.

וְתִיפּוֹק לֵיהּ מִשּׁוּם מַזִּיקִין? בִּתְרֵי. The Gemara continues to object: And let this halakha be derived because of demons? The Gemara answers: Demons are only a threat to individuals, so because of demons would not apply to a case where two people enter a ruin together.

אִי בִּתְרֵי — חֲשָׁד נָמֵי לֵיכָּא! בִּתְרֵי וּפְרִיצִי. The Gemara objects: But if there are two people entering a ruin together, then there is no suspicion either. There is no prohibition against two men to be alone with a woman as, in that case, there is no suspicion of untoward behavior. Consequently, if two men enter a ruin together, there is no room for suspicion. The Gemara answers: If two individuals known to be immoral enter together, there is suspicion even though there are two of them.

״מִפְּנֵי הַמַּפּוֹלֶת״, וְתִיפּוֹק לֵיהּ מִשּׁוּם חֲשָׁד וּמַזִּיקִין! The Gemara considers why because of collapse is necessary. Let the prohibition be derived from suspicion and demons.

בִּתְרֵי וּכְשֵׁרֵי. The Gemara responds: There are times when this reason is necessary, e.g., when two upstanding individuals enter a ruin together. Although there is neither concern of suspicion nor of demons, there remains concern lest the ruin collapse.

״מִפְּנֵי הַמַּזִּיקִין״, וְתִיפּוֹק לֵיהּ מִפְּנֵי חֲשָׁד וּמַפּוֹלֶת! The Gemara considers the third reason, because of demons. Why is it necessary to include: Because of demons? Let the prohibition be derived from suspicion and collapse.

בְּחוּרְבָּה חַדְתִּי, וּבִתְרֵי וּכְשֵׁרֵי. The Gemara responds: There are cases where this is the only concern, for example where it is a new ruin into which two upstanding individuals enter, so there is neither concern lest it collapse nor of suspicion.

אִי בִּתְרֵי, מַזִּיקִין נָמֵי לֵיכָּא! The Gemara points out, however, that if there are two people, there is also no concern of demons. As such, the question remains: In what case can demons be the sole cause not to enter a ruin?

בִּמְקוֹמָן חָיְישִׁינַן. וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: לְעוֹלָם בְּחַד, וּבְחוּרְבָּה חַדְתִּי דְּקָאֵי בְּדַבְרָא, דְּהָתָם מִשּׁוּם חֲשָׁד לֵיכָּא דְּהָא אִשָּׁה בְּדַבְרָא לָא שְׁכִיחָא, וּמִשּׁוּם מַזִּיקִין אִיכָּא. The Gemara responds: Generally speaking, two individuals need not be concerned about demons; but, if they are in their place, i.e., a place known to be haunted by demons (see Isaiah 13:21), we are concerned about demons even with two people. And if you wish, say instead: Actually, this refers to the case of an individual entering a new ruin located in a field. There, there is no suspicion, as finding a woman in the field is uncommon; and since it is a new ruin, there is no danger of collapse. However, there is still concern of demons.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אַרְבַּע מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי. רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: שָׁלֹשׁ. The Sages taught in a Tosefta: The night is comprised of four watches; this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. Rabbi Natan says: The night is comprised of three watches.

מַאי טַעְמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי נָתָן — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיָּבֹא גִדְעוֹן וּמֵאָה אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה רֹאשׁ הָאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַתִּיכוֹנָה״, תָּנָא: אֵין ״תִּיכוֹנָה״ אֶלָּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְפָנֶיהָ וּלְאַחֲרֶיהָ. The Gemara explains: What is Rabbi Natan’s reasoning? As it is written: “And Gideon, and the one hundred men who were with him, came to the edge of camp at the beginning of the middle watch” (Judges 7:19). It was taught in the Tosefta: Middle means nothing other than that there is one before it and one after it. From the fact that the verse refers to a middle watch, the fact that the night is comprised of three watches may be inferred.

וְרַבִּי, מַאי ״תִּיכוֹנָה״ — אַחַת מִן הַתִּיכוֹנָה שֶׁבַּתִּיכוֹנוֹת. And what does Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi say about this proof? He argues that it is inconclusive, as one could say: To what does middle refer? It refers to one of the two middle watches.

וְרַבִּי נָתָן מִי כְּתִיב ״תִּיכוֹנָה שֶׁבַּתִּיכוֹנוֹת״? ״תִּיכוֹנָה״ כְּתִיב! And how would Rabbi Natan respond? He would say: Despite Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s objection, is: One of the middle watches, written in the verse? The middle watch is written. This indicates that the night is comprised of only three watches.

מַאי טַעְמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי? אָמַר רַבִּי זְרִיקָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ״, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״קִדְּמוּ עֵינַי אַשְׁמוּרוֹת״ הָא כֵּיצַד, אַרְבַּע מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָוֵי הַלַּיְלָה. What is Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s reasoning? Rabbi Zerika said that Rabbi Ami said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s opinion is based on a comparison of two verses. One verse says: “At midnight I rise to give thanks for Your righteous laws” (Psalms 119:62), and the other verse says: “My eyes forestall the watches, that I will speak of Your word” (Psalms 119:148). Taken together, these verses indicate that their author, King David, rose at midnight, two watches before dawn, in order to study Torah. How is it possible to reconcile these two verses? Only if there are four watches in the night does one who rises two watches before dawn rise at midnight.

וְרַבִּי נָתָן, סָבַר לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. דִּתְנַן, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: עַד שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת, שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ מְלָכִים לַעֲמֹוד בְּשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת. שֵׁית דְּלֵילְיָא, וְתַרְתֵּי דִּימָמָא, הָווּ לְהוּ שְׁתֵּי מִשְׁמָרוֹת. And how does Rabbi Natan reconcile these two verses? He holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua, for we learned in a mishna that Rabbi Yehoshua says: One is permitted to recite the morning Shema during the time when people rise, until the third hour of the day, as it is the custom of kings to rise during the third hour. Since it is customary for kings to rise during the third hour of the day, if David rose at midnight, he would be awake for six hours of the night and two hours of the day, which amounts to two watches. Therefore King David could say that he “forestalls the watches,” as he rose two watches before the rest of the kings in the world.

רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: מִשְׁמָרָה וּפַלְגָא נָמֵי ״מִשְׁמָרוֹת״ קָרוּ לְהוּ. Rav Ashi said that the verses can be reconciled in accordance with Rabbi Natan’s opinion in another way: One and one-half watches are still called watches in plural. Therefore King David could rise at midnight yet maintain that he “forestalls the watches.”

וְאָמַר רַבִּי זְרִיקָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: אֵין אוֹמְרִין בִּפְנֵי הַמֵּת אֶלָּא דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל מֵת. Following this discussion, another halakha that Rabbi Zerika said that Rabbi Ami said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said is cited: Before the dead, one may speak only of matters relating to the dead, as speaking of other matters appears to be contemptuous of the deceased, underscoring that he is unable to talk while those around him can. Therefore, one must remain fully engaged in matters relating to him.

אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כָּהֲנָא: לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, אֲבָל מִילֵּי דְעָלְמָא לֵית לָן בַּהּ. Two traditions exist with regard to the details of this halakha in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana. According to one version, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: This halakha was only said with regard to matters of Torah. Speaking of other matters, however, is not prohibited, since no contempt is expressed for the deceased by the fact that he is unable to speak of such topics.

וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כָּהֲנָא לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא [אֲפִילּוּ] בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן מִילֵּי דְעָלְמָא. Others say another version of this halakha in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: This halakha was said even with regard to matters of Torah, and all the more so with regard to other matters. If one must refrain from speaking of matters of Torah, regarding which one is commanded to speak, and limit himself to matters concerning the deceased, all the more so should he refrain from speaking of other matters, regarding which one is not commanded to speak.

וְדָוִד בְּפַלְגָא דְלֵילְיָא הֲוָה קָאֵי? מֵאוּרְתָּא הֲוָה קָאֵי! דִּכְתִיב: ״קִדַּמְתִּי בַנֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּעָה״, וּמִמַּאי דְּהַאי ״נֶשֶׁף״ אוּרְתָּא הוּא? — דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּנֶשֶׁף בְּעֶרֶב יוֹם בְּאִישׁוֹן לַיְלָה וַאֲפֵלָה״! Incidental to the Gemara’s mention of King David, other sources are cited that describe his actions. Regarding that which was cited above, that he would rise in the middle of the night in order to serve his Creator, the Gemara asks: Did David rise at midnight? He rose in the evening. As it is written: “I rose with the neshef and cried, I hoped for Your word” (Psalms 119:147). And how do we know that this neshef is the evening? As it is written: “In the neshef, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness” (Proverbs 7:9). Apparently, King David did indeed rise when it was still evening.

אָמַר רַב אוֹשַׁעְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא: הָכִי קָאָמַר (דָּוִד): מֵעוֹלָם לֹא עָבַר עָלַי חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה בְּשֵׁינָה. The Gemara suggests several ways to resolve this contradiction. Rabbi Oshaya said that Rabbi Aḥa said: David said as follows: Midnight never passed me by in my sleep. Sometimes I fulfilled the verse, “I rose with the neshef and cried,” but I always, at least, fulfilled the verse, “At midnight I rise to give thanks for Your righteous laws.”

רַבִּי זֵירָא אָמַר: עַד חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הָיָה מִתְנַמְנֵם כְּסוּס, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ הָיָה מִתְגַּבֵּר כַּאֲרִי. רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: עַד חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הָיָה עוֹסֵק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ בְּשִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת. Rabbi Zeira said: Until midnight, David would doze like a horse, as a horse dozes, but never sleeps deeply. From midnight on, he would gain the strength of a lion. Rav Ashi said: Until midnight, he would study Torah, as it is written: “I rose with the neshef and cried, I hoped for Your word,” and from midnight on, he would engage in songs and praise, as it is written: “At midnight I rise to give thanks.”

וְ״נֶשֶׁף״ אוּרְתָּא הוּא? הָא ״נֶשֶׁף״ צַפְרָא הוּא! דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּכֵּם דָּוִד מֵהַנֶּשֶׁף וְעַד הָעֶרֶב לְמָחֳרָתָם״. מַאי לָאו — מִצַּפְרָא וְעַד לֵילְיָא? To this point, the discussion has been based on the assumption that neshef means evening. The Gemara asks: Does neshef really mean evening? Doesn’t neshef mean morning? As it is written: “And David slew them from the neshef until the evening of the next day” (I Samuel 30:17). Doesn’t this verse mean from the morning until the night, in which case neshef must mean morning?

לָא, מֵאוּרְתָּא וְעַד אוּרְתָּא. The Gemara responds: No, this verse means that David slew them from one evening until the next evening.

אִי הָכִי, לִכְתּוֹב ״מֵהַנֶּשֶׁף וְעַד הַנֶּשֶׁף״ אוֹ ״מֵהָעֶרֶב וְעַד הָעֶרֶב״! The Gemara rejects this response: If so, let the verse be written: From the neshef until the neshef, or from the evening until the evening. Why would the verse employ two different terms for a single concept?

אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא: תְּרֵי נִשְׁפֵי הָווּ — נְשַׁף לֵילְיָא וְאָתֵי יְמָמָא, נְשַׁף יְמָמָא וְאָתֵי לֵילְיָא. Rather, Rava said: There are two times referred to as neshef, and the word can refer to either evening or morning. Neshef must be understood in accordance with its Aramaic root: The night moves past [neshaf ] and the day arrives, and the day moves past [neshaf ] and the night arrives.

וְדָוִד מִי הֲוָה יָדַע פַּלְגָא דְּלֵילְיָא אֵימַת? הַשְׁתָּא מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ לָא הֲוָה יָדַע, דִּכְתִיב ״כַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה אֲנִי יוֹצֵא בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרָיִם״. When King David said: At midnight I rise, the assumption is that he rose precisely at midnight. The Gemara asks: Did David know exactly when it was midnight? Even Moses our teacher did not know exactly when it was midnight. How do we know this about Moses? As it is written that he said to Pharaoh: “Thus said the Lord: About midnight, I will go out into the midst of Egypt” (Exodus 11:4). The word about indicates that it was only an approximation.

מַאי ״כַּחֲצוֹת״. אִילֵימָא דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא ״כַּחֲצוֹת״ — מִי אִיכָּא סְפֵיקָא קַמֵּי שְׁמַיָּא?! אֶלָּא: דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ (לִמְחַר) ״בַּחֲצוֹת״ (כִּי הַשְׁתָּא), וַאֲתָא אִיהוּ וַאֲמַר ״כַּחֲצוֹת״, אַלְמָא: מְסַפְּקָא לֵיהּ, וְדָוִד הֲוָה יָדַע?! The Gemara clarifies: What is the meaning of the expression: About midnight? Did Moses say it or did God say it? If we say that the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself, said: About midnight, to Moses, is there doubt before God in heaven? Rather, this must be understood as follows: God told Moses: At midnight, but from the fact that when Moses came to Pharaoh he said: About midnight; apparently, Moses was uncertain about the exact moment of midnight. Moses, the greatest of all the prophets, was uncertain, and David knew?

דָּוִד, סִימָנָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר בִּיזְנָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן חֲסִידָא: כִּנּוֹר הָיָה תָּלוּי לְמַעְלָה מִמִּטָּתוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה, בָּא רוּחַ צְפוֹנִית וְנוֹשֶׁבֶת בּוֹ וּמְנַגֵּן מֵאֵלָיו, מִיָּד הָיָה עוֹמֵד וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה עַד שֶׁעָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר נִכְנְסוּ חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶצְלוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֲדוֹנֵינוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ, עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִין פַּרְנָסָה. אָמַר לָהֶם: לְכוּ וְהִתְפַּרְנְסוּ זֶה מִזֶּה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֵין הַקּוֹמֶץ מַשְׂבִּיעַ אֶת הָאֲרִי, וְאֵין הַבּוֹר מִתְמַלֵּא מֵחוּלְיָתוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶם: לְכוּ וּפִשְׁטוּ יְדֵיכֶם בִּגְדוּד. The Gemara offers several answers to this question:
David had a sign indicating when it was midnight. As Rav Aḥa bar Bizna said that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida said: A lyre hung over David’s bed, and once midnight arrived, the northern midnight wind would come and cause the lyre to play on its own. David would immediately rise from his bed and study Torah until the first rays of dawn.
Once dawn arrived, the Sages of Israel entered to advise him with regard to the various concerns of the nation and the economy. They said to him: Our master, the king, your nation requires sustenance.
He said: Go and sustain one another, provide each other with whatever is lacking.
The Sages of Israel responded to him with a parable: A single handful of food does not satisfy a lion, and a pit will not be filled merely from the rain that falls directly into its mouth, but other water must be piped in (ge’onim). So too, the nation cannot sustain itself using its own resources.
King David told them: Go and take up arms with the troops in battle in order to expand our borders and provide our people with the opportunity to earn a livelihood.

מִיָּד יוֹעֲצִים בַּאֲחִיתוֹפֶל, וְנִמְלָכִין בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין, וְשׁוֹאֲלִין בְּאוּרִים וְתוּמִּים. The Sages immediately seek advice from Ahitophel to determine whether or not it was appropriate to go to war at that time and how they should conduct themselves, and they consult the Sanhedrin in order to receive the requisite license to wage a war under those circumstances (Tosefot HaRosh). And they ask the Urim VeTummim whether or not they should go to war, and whether or not they would be successful.

אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: מַאי קְרָא? דִּכְתִיב ״וְאַחֲרֵי אֲחִיתֹפֶל בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע וְאֶבְיָתָר וְשַׂר צָבָא לַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹאָב״. Rav Yosef said: Upon what verse is this aggada based? As it is written: “And after Ahitophel was Yehoyada son of Benayahu and Evyatar, and the general of the king’s army, Yoav” (I Chronicles 27:34).

אֲחִיתוֹפֶל — זֶה יוֹעֵץ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וַעֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֲשֶׁר יָעַץ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאַל אִישׁ בִּדְבַר הָאֱלֹהִים״. The individuals named in this verse correspond with the roles in the aggada as follows: Ahitophel is the adviser whose advice they sought first with regard to going to war, and so it says: “Now the counsel of Ahitophel, which he counseled in those days, was as a man who inquires of the word of God; so was the counsel of Ahitophel both with David and with Absalom” (II Samuel 16:23).

״בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע״ זֶה סַנְהֶדְרִין, ״וְאֶבְיָתָר״ אֵלּוּ אוּרִים וְתוּמִּים. Benayahu ben Yehoyada corresponds to the Sanhedrin, since he was the head of the Sanhedrin, and Evyatar corresponds to the Urim VeTummim, as Evyatar ben Ahimelekh the priest would oversee inquiries directed to the Urim VeTummim (see I Samuel 23:9).

וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע עַל הַכְּרֵתִי וְעַל הַפְּלֵתִי״. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם ״כְּרֵתִי״ וּ״פְלֵתִי״? ״כְּרֵתִי״ שֶׁכּוֹרְתִים דִּבְרֵיהֶם, ״פְּלֵתִי״ שֶׁמּוּפְלָאִים בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם. וְאַחַר כָּךְ ״שַׂר צָבָא לַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹאָב״. And so it says regarding Benayahu ben Yehoyada’s position as head of the Sanhedrin: “And Benayahu ben Yehoyada was over the Kereti and over the Peleti” (II Samuel 20:23). And why was the Sanhedrin called Kereti UPeleti? It was called Kereti because they were decisive [koretim] in their pronouncements. It was called Peleti because their pronouncements and wisdom were wondrous [mufla’im]. The head of the Kereti UPeleti was the head of the Sanhedrin. According to the order of the verse, upon being instructed by King David to go to war, the Sages first consulted with Ahitophel, then with the Sanhedrin, then they would ask the Urim VeTummim, and only thereafter was the general of the king’s army, Yoav, given the command to ready the military for battle.

אָמַר רַב יִצְחָק בַּר אַדָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ אָמַר רַב יִצְחָק בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אִידִי: מַאי קְרָא ״עוּרָה כְבוֹדִי עוּרָה הַנֵּבֶל וְכִנּוֹר אָעִירָה שָּׁחַר״. Rav Yitzḥak bar Adda, and some say Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Idi, said: From what verse is it derived that David’s lyre would wake him at midnight? “Awake, my glory; awake, harp and lyre; I will wake the dawn” (Psalms 57:9). This means that the playing lyre has already woken, and now I must engage in Torah study until dawn.

רַבִּי זֵירָא אָמַר: מֹשֶׁה לְעוֹלָם הֲוָה יָדַע, וְדָוִד נָמֵי הֲוָה יָדַע. Rabbi Zeira offered a different solution to the question of whether Moses and David knew exactly when it was midnight and said: Moses certainly knew when it was midnight, and David also knew.

וְכֵיוָן דְּדָוִד הֲוָה יָדַע, כִּנּוֹר לְמָה לֵיהּ? לְאִתְּעוֹרֵי מִשִּׁנְתֵּיהּ. The Gemara asks: If David knew, then why did he need the lyre? The Gemara answers: He needed the lyre to wake him from his sleep.

וְכֵיוָן דְּמֹשֶׁה הֲוָה יָדַע, לְמָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר ״כַּחֲצוֹת״? — מֹשֶׁה קָסָבַר: שֶׁמָּא יִטְעוּ אִצְטַגְנִינֵי פַּרְעֹה, וְיֹאמְרוּ ״מֹשֶׁה בַּדַּאי הוּא״. דְּאָמַר מָר: לַמֵּד לְשׁוֹנְךָ לוֹמַר ״אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ״, שֶׁמָּא תִּתְבַּדֶּה וְתֵאָחֵז. Similarly with regard to Moses, since Moses knew the precise moment of midnight, why did he say: About midnight, instead of: At midnight? Moses did so because he maintained: Lest Pharaoh’s astrologers err and believe midnight to be earlier. Since no disaster would have occurred, they would say: Moses is a liar. Moses spoke in accordance with the principle articulated by the Master: Accustom your tongue to say: I do not know, lest you become entangled in a web of deceit.

רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: בְּפַלְגָא אוּרְתָּא דִתְלֵיסַר נָגְהֵי אַרְבֵּסַר הֲוָה קָאֵי, וְהָכִי קָאָמַר מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לְמָחָר כַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה כִּי הָאִידָּנָא אֲנִי יוֹצֵא בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרָיִם. Rav Ashi said: This question is unfounded, as Moses was standing at midnight of the thirteenth, leading into the fourteenth, when he pronounced his prophecy, and Moses told Israel that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said that tomorrow, at the exact time like midnight tonight, I will go out into the midst of Egypt. This indicates that the passage should not be understood to mean about midnight, an approximation; but rather, like midnight, as a comparison, likening midnight tomorrow to midnight tonight.

״לְדָוִד, שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי כִּי חָסִיד אָנִי״. לֵוִי וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק. חַד אָמַר: כָּךְ אָמַר דָּוִד לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, לֹא חָסִיד אֲנִי? שֶׁכָּל מַלְכֵי מִזְרָח וּמַעֲרָב יְשֵׁנִים עַד שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת, וַאֲנִי ״חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ״. The Gemara further explores King David’s character. It is said: “A prayer of David…Keep my soul, for I am pious” (Psalms 86:1–2). Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak debated the meaning of this verse and how David’s piety is manifest in the fact that he went beyond his fundamental obligations. One said: David’s declaration of piety referred to his awakening during the night to pray, and so said David before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, am I not pious? As all of the kings of the East and the West sleep until the third hour of the day, but although I am a king like them, “At midnight I rise to give thanks” (Psalms 119:62).

וְאִידַּךְ, כָּךְ אָמַר דָּוִד לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, לֹא חָסִיד אֲנִי? שֶׁכָּל מַלְכֵי מִזְרָח וּמַעֲרָב יוֹשְׁבִים אֲגוּדּוֹת אֲגוּדּוֹת בִּכְבוֹדָם, וַאֲנִי יָדַי מְלוּכְלָכוֹת בְּדָם וּבְשָׁפִיר וּבְשִׁלְיָא כְּדֵי לְטַהֵר אִשָּׁה לְבַעֲלָהּ. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא כָּל מָה שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה, אֲנִי נִמְלָךְ בִּמְפִיבֹשֶׁת רַבִּי, וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: ״מְפִיבֹשֶׁת רַבִּי, יָפֶה דַּנְתִּי? יָפֶה חִייַּבְתִּי? יָפֶה זִכִּיתִי? יָפֶה טִהַרְתִּי? יָפֶה טִמֵּאתִי?״, וְלֹא בּוֹשְׁתִּי. And the other Sage said: David said the following before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, am I not pious? For all of the kings of the East and the West sit in groups befitting their honored status, but I sit as a judge who issues rulings for the people. Women come with questions of ritual impurity and my hands become soiled with their blood as I labor to determine whether or not it is blood of impurity and she has menstruating woman status, and with a fetus that miscarried at a stage of development before it was clear whether or not it is considered a birth, and with placenta, which women sometimes discharge unrelated to the birth of a child (see Leviticus 15:19–30 with regard to blood, and 12:1–8 with regard to miscarriage and placenta). King David went to all this trouble in order to render a woman ritually pure and consequently permitted to her husband. If, after examination, a Sage declares the woman ritually pure, she is permitted to be with her husband, which leads to increased love and affection, and ultimately to procreation (Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto). And not only do I engage in activity considered to be beneath the station of a king, but I consult my teacher, Mefivoshet, son of King Saul’s son, Jonathan, with regard to everything that I do. I say to him: Mefivoshet, my teacher, did I decide properly? Did I convict properly? Did I acquit properly? Did I rule ritually pure properly? Did I rule ritually impure properly? And I was not embarrassed. Forgoing royal dignity should make me worthy to be called pious.

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אִידִי: מַאי קְרָא — ״וַאֲדַבְּרָה בְעֵדֹתֶיךָ נֶגֶד מְלָכִים וְלֹא אֵבוֹשׁ״. Rav Yehoshua, son of Rav Idi, said: What verse alludes to this? “And I speak Your testimonies before kings and I will not be ashamed” (Psalms 119:46). This verse alludes both to David’s commitment to Torah, in contrast to the kings of the East and the West, as well as to the fact that he was not ashamed to discuss matters of Torah with Mefivoshet, a descendant of kings. David was not afraid to have his mistakes corrected by Mefivoshet.

תָּנָא: לֹא ״מְפִיבֹשֶׁת״ שְׁמוֹ, אֶלָּא ״אִישׁ בּשֶׁת״ שְׁמוֹ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מְפִיבֹשֶׁת? שֶׁהָיָה מְבַיֵּישׁ פְּנֵי דָּוִד בַּהֲלָכָה, לְפִיכָךְ זָכָה דָּוִד וְיָצָא מִמֶּנּוּ כִּלְאָב. It was taught in a Tosefta from a tannaitic tradition: His name was not Mefivoshet, but rather Ish Boshet was his name. Why was Ish Boshet referred to as Mefivoshet? Because he would embarrass [mevayesh] David in matters of halakha. According to this approach, Mefivoshet is an abbreviation of boshet panim, embarrassment. Because David was not embarrassed to admit his errors, he merited that Kilav, who, according to tradition, was exceedingly wise, would descend from him.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לֹא ״כִּלְאָב״ שְׁמוֹ אֶלָּא ״דָּנִיאֵל״ שְׁמוֹ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ ״כִּלְאָב״ — שֶׁהָיָה מַכְלִים פְּנֵי מְפִיבֹשֶׁת בַּהֲלָכָה. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: His name was not Kilav; rather, his name was Daniel, as it appears in a different list of David’s descendants. Why was he called Kilav? Because he would embarrass [makhlim] Mefivoshet, the teacher or authority figure [av] in matters of halakha.

וְעָלָיו אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ ״בְּנִי אִם חָכַם לִבֶּךָ יִשְׂמַח לִבִּי גַם אָנִי״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״חֲכַם בְּנִי וְשַׂמַּח לִבִּי וְאָשִׁיבָה חֹרְפִי דָבָר״. In his book of wisdom, Solomon said about this wise son: “My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will be glad, even mine” (Proverbs 23:15), as David enjoyed witnessing his son Kilav develop into a Torah luminary to the extent that Kilav was able to respond to Mefivoshet. And Solomon says about Kilav: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may respond to those who taunt me” (Proverbs 27:11).

וְדָוִד מִי קָרֵי לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ ״חָסִיד״? וְהָכְתִיב ״לוּלֵא הֶאֱמַנְתִּי לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּב ה׳ בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים״, וְתָנָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי: לָמָּה נָקוּד עַל ״לוּלֵא״? — אָמַר דָּוִד לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מוּבְטָח אֲנִי בְּךָ שֶׁאַתָּה מְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר טוֹב לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, אֲבָל אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם יֵשׁ לִי חֵלֶק בֵּינֵיהֶם אִם לָאו?! With regard to David’s statement, “Keep my soul, for I am pious,” the Gemara asks: Did David call himself pious? Isn’t it written: “If I had not [luleh] believed to look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalms 27:13). The dots that appear over the word luleh in the text indicate doubt and uncertainty of his piety, and whether he was deserving of a place in the land of the living (see Avot DeRabbi Natan 34). In the name of Rabbi Yosei, it was taught in a Tosefta: Why do dots appear over the word luleh, as if there are some reservations? Because David said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe. I have every confidence in You that You grant an excellent reward to the righteous in the World-to-Come since God’s ultimate goodness is manifest in the land of eternal life, but I still harbor uncertainty with regard to myself, and I do not know whether or not I definitely have a portion among them. In any case, apparently David was uncertain whether or not he deserved to receive a portion of God’s reward for the righteous; how, then, could he characterize himself as pious?

שֶׁמָּא יִגְרוֹם הַחֵטְא. The Gemara responds: His concern does not prove anything, as King David knew that he was pious. He was simply concerned lest a transgression that he might commit in the future will cause him to lose his opportunity to look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

כִּדְרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידִי, דְּרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידִי רָמֵי, כְּתִיב: ״וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד״ אָמַר: שֶׁמָּא יִגְרוֹם הַחֵטְא. The Gemara cites a proof that there is room for one to fear lest he commit a transgression in the future in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi, as Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi raised a contradiction between two verses. It is written that God told Jacob in his vision of the ladder: “Behold, I am with you and I guard you wherever you go” (Genesis 28:15), yet when Jacob returned to Canaan and realized that Esau was coming to greet him, it is written: “And Jacob became very afraid, and he was pained” (Genesis 32:8). Why did Jacob not rely on God’s promise? Jacob had concerns and said to himself: Lest a transgression that I might have committed after God made His promise to me will cause God to revoke His promise of protection.

כִּדְתַנְיָא ״עַד יַעֲבֹר עַמְּךָ ה׳, עַד יַעֲבֹר עַם זוּ קָנִיתָ״. Apparently, at times, transgression does cause God’s promise to go unfulfilled, as it was taught explicitly in a baraita with regard to the ostensibly redundant language in a verse in the Song of the Sea: “Until Your people will cross, Lord, until the people You have acquired will cross. You bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, the place, Lord, which You made for Your dwelling” (Exodus 15:16–17).

״עַד יַעֲבֹר עַמְּךָ ה׳״ — זוֹ בִּיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, ״עַד יַעֲבֹר עַם זוּ קָנִיתָ״ — זוֹ בִּיאָה שְׁנִיָּה. מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים: רְאוּיִם הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵיעָשׂוֹת לָהֶם נֵס בִּימֵי עֶזְרָא כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהֶם בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן. אֶלָּא שֶׁגָּרַם הַחֵטְא. The Gemara interprets homiletically that until Your people will cross refers to the first entry into Eretz Yisrael during the time of Joshua, while until the people You have acquired pass over refers to the second entry following the exile in Babylonia. Based on the juxtaposition of these two entries in this single verse, the Sages said: Israel was worthy of having a miracle performed on its behalf in the time of Ezra the scribe, just as one was performed on their behalf in the time of Joshua bin Nun. However, transgression caused the absence of a miracle.

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים עַד חֲצוֹת: חֲכָמִים כְּמַאן סְבִירָא לְהוּ, אִי כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר סְבִירָא לְהוּ — לֵימְרוּ כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. The Gemara returns to explain what we learned in the mishna: And the Rabbis say: The time for the recitation of the evening Shema is until midnight. The Gemara asks: In accordance with whose opinion do they hold in explaining the verse: “When you lie down”? If they explain this verse in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, who says that “when you lie down” is the time when people customarily go to sleep, then let the Rabbis also say that the time for the recitation of Shema extends, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, until the end of the first watch.

וְאִי כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל סְבִירָא לְהוּ — לֵימְרוּ כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. And if they explain this verse in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel who says that “when you lie down” refers to the entire night, then let the Rabbis also say that one may recite the evening Shema until dawn, in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel.

לְעוֹלָם כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל סְבִירָא לְהוּ, וְהָא דְּקָא אָמְרִי ״עַד חֲצוֹת״, כְּדֵי לְהַרְחִיק אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעֲבֵירָה. כִּדְתַנְיָא, חֲכָמִים עָשׂוּ סְיָיג לְדִבְרֵיהֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא אָדָם בָּא מִן הַשָּׂדֶה בָּעֶרֶב, וְאוֹמֵר: ״אֵלֵךְ לְבֵיתִי וְאוֹכַל קִימְעָא וְאֶשְׁתֶּה קִימְעָא, וְאִישַׁן קִימְעָא, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֶקְרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְאֶתְפַּלֵּל״, וְחוֹטַפְתּוֹ שֵׁינָה וְנִמְצָא יָשֵׁן כָּל הַלַּיְלָה. אֲבָל אָדָם בָּא מִן הַשָּׂדֶה בָּעֶרֶב, נִכְנָס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אִם רָגִיל לִקְרוֹת — קוֹרֵא. וְאִם רָגִיל לִשְׁנוֹת — שׁוֹנֶה, וְקוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּמִתְפַּלֵּל, וְאוֹכֵל פִּתּוֹ וּמְבָרֵךְ. The Gemara answers: Actually, the Rabbis hold in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel, and the fact that they say until midnight is in order to distance a person from transgression. As it was taught in a baraita, the Rabbis created a “fence” for their pronouncements with regard to the recitation of Shema in order to prevent a situation where a person comes home from the field in the evening, tired from his day’s work, and knowing that he is permitted to recite Shema until dawn says to himself: I will go home, eat a little, drink a little, sleep a little and then I will recite Shema and recite the evening prayer. In the meantime, he is overcome by sleep and ends up sleeping all night. However, since one is concerned lest he fall asleep and fail to wake up before midnight in order to recite Shema at the appropriate time, he will come from the field in the evening, enter the synagogue, and until it is time to pray, he will immerse himself in Torah. If he is accustomed to reading the Bible, he reads. If he is accustomed to learning mishnayot, a more advanced level of study, he learns. And then he recites Shema and prays as he should. When he arrives home, he eats his meal with a contented heart and recites a blessing.

וְכָל הָעוֹבֵר עַל דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים חַיָּיב מִיתָה. The baraita concludes with a warning: Anyone who transgresses the pronouncements of the Sages is liable to receive the death penalty.

מַאי שְׁנָא בְּכָל דּוּכְתָּא דְּלָא קָתָנֵי ״חַיָּיב מִיתָה״, וּמַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דְּקָתָנֵי ״חַיָּיב מִיתָה״? This is a startling conclusion. What is different in all other places that it is not taught that one is liable to receive the death penalty and what is different here that it is taught that he is liable to receive the death penalty? There is no unique stringency apparent in the rabbinic restriction on the recitation of Shema.

אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא מִשּׁוּם דְּאִיכָּא אוֹנֶס שֵׁינָה. וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: לְאַפּוֹקֵי מִמַּאן דְּאָמַר ״תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית רְשׁוּת״, קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן דְּחוֹבָה. The Gemara offers two answers, explaining that the conclusion of the baraita essentially stems not from the magnitude of the transgression, but rather from concern that the “fence” created around this particular mitzva may be neglected. If you wish, say that one returning from work is quite anxious to go to sleep, and due to the risk that he will be overcome by sleep, he must be particularly vigilant in the recitation of Shema. And if you wish, say instead that strong language is employed here in order to exclude the opinion of he who says that although the morning prayer and the afternoon prayer are mandatory, the evening prayer is optional. Therefore, it teaches us that the evening prayer is mandatory, and anyone who transgresses the pronouncement of the Sages in this regard is liable to receive the death penalty.

אָמַר מָר, קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּמִתְפַּלֵּל. מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵיזֶהוּ בֶּן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא — זֶה הַסּוֹמֵךְ גְּאוּלָּה לִתְפִלָּה שֶׁל עַרְבִית. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אוֹמֵר: תְּפִלּוֹת בָּאֶמְצַע תִּקְּנוּם. In this baraita, the Master said that when one returns from work in the evening, he enters the synagogue, recites Shema, and prays. From this baraita, we see that at night, just as during the day, one first recites Shema and then prays. This supports the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Who is assured of a place in the World-to-Come? It is one who juxtaposes the blessing of redemption, recited after Shema, to the evening prayer. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: The prayers were instituted to be recited between the two recitations of Shema. According to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, one recites the morning Shema, then recites all of the prayers and only after the recitation of the evening prayer does he recite the evening Shema.

בְּמַאי קָא מִפַּלְּגִי? Although the practical difference between these two positions is clear, the Gemara seeks to determine: With regard to what do they disagree? What is the basis of their argument?

אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא, אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא. The Gemara answers: If you wish, say that they disagree over the interpretation of a verse; if you wish, say instead that they disagree on a point of logic.

אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא. If you say that they disagree on a point of logic, then the argument relates to the redemption recited after Shema, whose focus is the exodus from Egypt, the first redemption. The question is whether that redemption began at night, which would render it appropriate to juxtapose redemption to the blessing of the evening prayers as well, in prayer for immediate redemption. Or, perhaps, the redemption from Egypt only began during the day.

דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן סָבַר גְּאוּלָּה מֵאוּרְתָּא נָמֵי הָוֵי, אֶלָּא גְּאוּלָּה מְעַלַּיְיתָא לָא הָוְיָא אֶלָּא עַד צַפְרָא. וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי סָבַר כֵּיוָן דְּלָא הָוְיָא אֶלָּא מִצַּפְרָא — לָא הָוְיָא גְּאוּלָּה מְעַלַּיְיתָא. Rabbi Yoḥanan holds: Redemption occurred in the evening as well; however, the full-fledged redemption was only in the morning. Since the redemption began in the evening, it is appropriate to juxtapose the blessing of redemption to the daily evening prayer. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, on the other hand, holds: Since full-fledged redemption only occurred in the morning, and the redemption of the previous evening was not a full-fledged redemption, there is no need to juxtapose the blessing of redemption to the evening prayer.

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם מִקְרָא אֶחָד דָּרְשׁוּ, דִּכְתִיב ״בְּשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ״. And if you wish, say instead that the dispute between Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi is not a difference over a point of logic, but over the interpretation of a verse. Both derived their opinions from the same verse: “When you lie down, and when you rise.” Both interpreted that the juxtaposition in this verse of the recitation of Shema at night and the recitation of Shema in the morning draws a parallel between them.

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן סָבַר: מַקִּישׁ שְׁכִיבָה לְקִימָה, מָה קִימָה — קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְאַחַר כָּךְ תְּפִלָּה, אַף שְׁכִיבָה נָמֵי — קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְאַחַר כָּךְ תְּפִלָּה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי סָבַר: מַקִּישׁ שְׁכִיבָה לְקִימָה: מָה קִימָה — קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע סָמוּךְ לְמִטָּתוֹ, אַף שְׁכִיבָה נָמֵי — קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע סָמוּךְ לְמִטָּתוֹ. Rabbi Yoḥanan holds: The verse juxtaposes lying down and rising. Just as when one rises, the recitation of Shema is followed by prayer, as everyone agrees that in the morning one juxtaposes redemption to the morning prayer, so too, when one lies down, the recitation of Shema is followed by prayer. And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi maintains: The verse juxtaposes lying down and rising in a different sense. Just as when one rises, he recites Shema adjacent to rising from his bed, as the verse, when you rise, means when one awakens, so too when one lies down, he recites Shema adjacent to lying down in his bed. Therefore, the recitation of the evening Shema should be performed as close as possible to the moment when one actually lies down.

מֵתִיב מָר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבִינָא, בָּעֶרֶב מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם לְפָנֶיהָ וּשְׁתַּיִם לְאַחֲרֶיהָ. וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ בָּעֵי לִסְמוֹךְ, הָא לָא קָא סָמֵךְ גְּאוּלָּה לִתְפִלָּה, דְּהָא בָּעֵי לְמֵימַר ״הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ״! According to Rabbi Yoḥanan, it is a mitzva to recite Shema before the evening prayer. Mar, son of Ravina, raises an objection from a mishna: How can one do that? We learn in a later mishna: In the evening, one recites two blessings prior to the recitation of Shema and two blessings afterward. And if you say that one must juxtapose redemption to prayer, doesn’t he fail to juxtapose redemption to prayer, as he must recite: Help us lie down [hashkivenu], the blessing recited after the blessing of redemption, which constitutes an interruption between redemption and prayer?

אָמְרִי: כֵּיוָן דְּתַקִּינוּ רַבָּנַן ״הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ״ — כִּגְאוּלָּה אֲרִיכְתָּא דָּמְיָא. דְּאִי לָא תֵּימָא הָכִי, שַׁחֲרִית הֵיכִי מָצֵי סָמֵיךְ? וְהָא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בַּתְּחִלָּה אוֹמֵר: ״ה׳ שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח״, וּלְבַסּוֹף הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי״. They say in response: Since the Sages instituted the practice of reciting: Help us lie down, it is considered one extended blessing of redemption, and therefore does not constitute an interruption. As if you fail to say that the sections added by the Sages are considered no less significant than the original prayers, then can one juxtapose redemption to prayer even in the morning? Didn’t Rabbi Yoḥanan say: Before every prayer one recites the verse: “Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your glory” (Psalms 51:17) as a prelude to prayer? Afterward, one recites the verse: “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable before You” (Psalms 19:15). Doesn’t the verse: Lord, open my lips, constitute an interruption between redemption and prayer?

אֶלָּא הָתָם כֵּיוָן דְּתַקִּינוּ רַבָּנַן לְמֵימַר ״ה׳ שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח״ — כִּתְפִלָּה אֲרִיכְתָּא דָּמְיָא. הָכָא נָמֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּתַקִּינוּ רַבָּנַן לְמֵימַר ״הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ״ — כִּגְאוּלָּה אֲרִיכְתָּא דָּמְיָא. Rather, there, since the Sages instituted that one must recite: Lord, open my lips, it is considered as an extended prayer and not as an interruption. Here, too, with regard to the evening prayer, since the Sages instituted to recite the blessing Help us lie down, it is considered as one extended blessing of redemption.

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבִינָא: כָּל הָאוֹמֵר ״תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד״ בְּכָל יוֹם שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים — מוּבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. Tangential to Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement that one who juxtaposes redemption and prayer is assured of a place in the World-to-Come, a similar statement is cited. Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Avina said: Anyone who recites: “A Psalm of David” (Psalms 145) three times every day is assured of a place in the World-to-Come.

מַאי טַעְמָא? This statement extolling the significance of this particular chapter of Psalms, usually referred to as ashrei because its recitation is preceded by recitation of the verse, “Happy [ashrei] are those who dwell in Your House, they praise You Selah” (Psalms 84:5), raises the question: What is the reason that such significance is ascribed to this particular chapter?

אִילֵּימָא מִשּׁוּם דְּאָתְיָא בְּאָלֶף בֵּית, נֵימָא ״אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי דָרֶךְ״ דְּאָתְיָא בִּתְמָנְיָא אַפִּין. If you say that it is because it is arranged alphabetically, then let us say: “Happy are they who are upright in the way” (Psalms 119) where the alphabetical arrangement appears eight times.

אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּאִית בֵּיהּ ״פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ״, נֵימָא ״הַלֵּל הַגָּדוֹל״ דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ ״נֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר״. Rather, if you suggest that this particular chapter is recited because it contains praise for God’s provision of sustenance to all of creation: “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor” (Psalms 145:16), then let him recite the great hallel (Psalms 136), in which numerous praises are written, including: “Who provides food to all flesh, Whose kindness endures forever” (Psalms 136:25).

אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּאִית בֵּיהּ תַּרְתֵּי. Rather, the reason why tehilla leDavid is accorded preference is because it contains both an alphabetic acrostic as well as mention of God’s provision of sustenance to all creation.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נֶאֱמַר נוּן בְּ״אַשְׁרֵי״ — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ מַפַּלְתָּן שֶׁל שׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב: ״נָפְלָה לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל״. Additionally, with regard to this psalm, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Why is there no verse beginning with the letter nun in ashrei? Because it contains an allusion to the downfall of the enemies of Israel, a euphemism for Israel itself. As it is written: “The virgin of Israel has fallen and she will rise no more; abandoned in her land, none will raise her up” (Amos 5:2), which begins with the letter nun. Due to this verse, ashrei does not include a verse beginning with the letter nun.

בְּמַעְרְבָא מְתָרְצִי לַהּ הָכִי: ״נָפְלָה וְלֹא תּוֹסִיף לִנְפּוֹל עוֹד, קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל״. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: אֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, חָזַר דָּוִד וּסְמָכָן בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״סוֹמֵךְ ה׳ לְכָל הַנֹּפְלִים״. In order to ease the harsh meaning of this verse, in the West, in Eretz Yisrael, they interpreted it with a slight adjustment: “She has fallen but she shall fall no more; rise, virgin of Israel.” Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak adds: Even so, David went and provided support, through divine inspiration. Although King David did not include a verse beginning with the letter nun alluding to Israel’s downfall, he foresaw the verse that would be written by Amos through divine inspiration; and the very next verse, which begins with the letter samekh, reads: “The Lord upholds the fallen and raises up those who are bowed down” (Psalms 145:14). Therefore, through divine inspiration, David offered hope and encouragement; although the virgin of Israel may have fallen, the Lord upholds the fallen.

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר אֲבִינָא: גָּדוֹל מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמִיכָאֵל יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּגַבְרִיאֵל, דְּאִילּוּ בְּמִיכָאֵל כְּתִיב: ״וַיָּעׇף אֵלַי אֶחָד מִן הַשְּׂרָפִים״. וְאִילּוּ גַּבֵּי גַבְרִיאֵל כְּתִיב: ״וְהָאִישׁ גַּבְרִיאֵל אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי בֶחָזוֹן בַּתְּחִלָּה מֻעָף בִּיעָף וְגוֹ׳״. After this discussion of the statement that Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Avina said, another statement of Rabbi Elazar is cited. Rabbi Elazar bar Avina said: What was said about the angel Michael is greater than what was said about the angel Gabriel. As about Michael, it is written: “And one of the seraphim flew to me” (Isaiah 6:6), indicating that with a single flight, the seraph arrived and performed his mission, while regarding Gabriel, it is written: “The man, Gabriel, whom I had seen at the beginning, in a vision, being caused to fly swiftly, approached close to me about the time of the evening offering” (Daniel 9:21). The double language used in the phrase “to fly swiftly [muaf biaf],” indicates that he did not arrive at his destination in a single flight, but rather, that it took him two flights.

מַאי מַשְׁמַע דְּהַאי ״אֶחָד״ מִיכָאֵל הוּא? To Rabbi Elazar bar Avina, it is clear that “one of the seraphim” refers to Michael, and the Gemara asks: From where is it inferred that the one mentioned in the verse is Michael?

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אַתְיָא ״אֶחָד״ ״אֶחָד״. כְּתִיב הָכָא ״וַיָּעׇף אֵלַי אֶחָד מִן הַשְּׂרָפִים״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״וְהִנֵּה מִיכָאֵל אֶחָד (מִן) הַשָּׂרִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים בָּא לְעָזְרֵנִי״. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is derived through a verbal analogy between the words one and one. Here, it is written: “And one of the seraphim flew to me” (Isaiah 6:6), and there, it is written: “And behold, Michael, one of the chief ministers of the king, came to my aid” (Daniel 10:13). Since the verse from Daniel refers to Michael as “one,” which aggadic midrash interprets as “the unique one,” so, too, “one of the seraphs” described in Isaiah must also refer to the unique one, Michael.

תָּנָא: מִיכָאֵל — בְּאַחַת, גַּבְרִיאֵל — בִּשְׁתַּיִם, אֵלִיָּהוּ — בְּאַרְבַּע, וּמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת — בִּשְׁמֹנֶה. וּבִשְׁעַת הַמַּגֵּפָה, בְּאֶחָת. This discussion in the Gemara concludes with a Tosefta that arrives at a hierarchy of angels based on the number of flights required by each to arrive at his destination. It was taught in a Tosefta: Michael, as stated above, in one flight; Gabriel, in two flights; Elijah the Prophet, in four flights; and the Angel of Death, in eight flights. During a time of plague, however, when the Angel of Death seems ubiquitous, he arrives everywhere in one flight.

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקָּרָא אָדָם קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת — מִצְוָה לִקְרוֹתוֹ עַל מִטָּתוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מַאי קְרָא — ״רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה״. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Even though one recited Shema in the synagogue, it is a mitzva to recite it upon his bed in fulfillment of the verse: “When you lie down.” Rabbi Yosei said: What verse alludes to the fact that one must recite Shema in the evening, upon his bed, as well? “Tremble, and do not sin; say to your heart upon your bed and be still, Selah” (Psalms 4:5). This is understood to mean: Recite Shema, about which it is written, “on your hearts,” upon your bed, and afterward be still and sleep.

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: With regard to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s statement, Rabbi Naḥman said:

אִם תַּלְמִיד חָכָם הוּא — אֵין צָרִיךְ. אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: אַף תַּלְמִיד חָכָם מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר חַד פְּסוּקָא דְרַחֲמֵי, כְּגוֹן: ״בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי, פָּדִיתָה אוֹתִי ה׳ אֵל אֱמֶת״. If one is a Torah scholar, he need not recite Shema on his bed since he is always engaged in the study of Torah and will likely fall asleep engrossed in matters of Torah. Abaye said: Even a Torah scholar must recite at least one verse of prayer, such as: “Into Your hand I trust my spirit; You have redeemed me, Lord, God of truth” (Psalms 31:6).

אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חָמָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: לְעוֹלָם יַרְגִּיז אָדָם יֵצֶר טוֹב עַל יֵצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ״ אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יַעֲסוֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם״. אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יִקְרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם״. אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יִזְכּוֹר לוֹ יוֹם הַמִּיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה״. Incidental to the verse, “Tremble, and do not sin,” the Gemara mentions that Rabbi Levi bar Ḥama said that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: One should always incite his good inclination against his evil inclination, i.e., that one must constantly struggle so that his evil inclination does not lead him to transgression, as it is stated: "Tremble, and do not sin."
If one succeeds and subdues his evil inclination, excellent, but if he does not succeed in subduing it, he should study Torah, as alluded to in the verse: “Say to your heart.”
If he subdues his evil inclination, excellent; if not, he should recite Shema, which contains the acceptance of the yoke of God, and the concept of reward and punishment, as it is stated in the verse: “Upon your bed,” which alludes to Shema, where it says: “When you lie down.”
If he subdues his evil inclination, excellent; if not, he should remind himself of the day of death, whose silence is alluded to in the continuation of the verse: “And be still, Selah.”

וְאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חָמָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ אֶת לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהוֹרֹתָם״. ״לֻחֹת״ — אֵלּוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, ״תּוֹרָה״ — זֶה מִקְרָא, ״וְהַמִּצְוָה״ — זוֹ מִשְׁנָה, ״אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי״ — אֵלּוּ נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים, ״לְהוֹרוֹתָם״ — זֶה תַּלְמוּד, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכּוּלָּם נִתְּנוּ לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי. And Rabbi Levi bar Ḥama said that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: God said to Moses, “Ascend to me on the mountain and be there, and I will give you the stone tablets and the Torah and the mitzva that I have written that you may teach them” (Exodus 24:12), meaning that God revealed to Moses not only the Written Torah, but all of Torah, as it would be transmitted through the generations.
The “tablets” are the ten commandments that were written on the tablets of the Covenant,
the “Torah” is the five books of Moses.
The “mitzva” is the Mishna, which includes explanations for the mitzvot and how they are to be performed.
“That I have written” refers to the Prophets and Writings, written with divine inspiration.
“That you may teach them” refers to the Talmud, which explains the Mishna.
These explanations are the foundation for the rulings of practical halakha. This verse teaches that all aspects of Torah were given to Moses from Sinai.

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל מִטָּתוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ אוֹחֵז חֶרֶב שֶׁל שְׁתֵּי פִיּוֹת בְּיָדוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רוֹמְמוֹת אֵל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם״, מַאי מַשְׁמַע? אָמַר מָר זוּטְרָא וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב אָשֵׁי: מֵרֵישָׁא דְעִנְיָנָא, דִּכְתִיב: ״יַעְלְזוּ חֲסִידִים בְּכָבוֹד יְרַנְּנוּ עַל מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָם״. וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״רוֹמְמוֹת אֵל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם״. The Gemara continues its treatment of the recitation of Shema upon one’s bed. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who recites Shema on his bed, it is as if he holds a double-edged sword, guarding him from all evil, as it is stated: “High praises of God in their mouths, and a double-edged sword in their hands” (Psalms 149:6). The Gemara asks: From where is it inferred that this verse from Psalms refers to the recitation of Shema? Mar Zutra, and some say Rav Ashi, said: We derive it from the preceding verse, as it is written: “Let the pious exult in glory; let them joyously sing upon their beds.” The praise of God from one’s bed is the recitation of Shema. And it is written thereafter: “High praises of God in their mouths, and a double-edged sword in their hands.”

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל מִטָּתוֹ — מַזִּיקִין בְּדֵילִין הֵימֶנּוּ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְנֵי רֶשֶׁף יַגְבִּיהוּ עוּף״, וְאֵין ״עוּף״ אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֲתָעִיף עֵינֶיךָ בּוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ״. וְאֵין ״רֶשֶׁף״ אֶלָּא מַזִּיקִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מְזֵי רָעָב וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף וְקֶטֶב מְרִירִי״. And Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who recites Shema upon his bed, demons stay away from him. This is alluded to, as it is stated: “But man is born into trouble, and the sparks [reshef ] fly [uf ] upward” (Job 5:7). The verse is explained: The word fly [uf ] means nothing other than Torah, as Torah is difficult to grasp and easy to lose, like something that floats away, as it is stated: “Will you set your eyes upon it? It is gone; for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flies into the heavens” (Proverbs 23:5). The word “sparks” means nothing other than demons, as it is stated: “Wasting of hunger, and the devouring of the sparks [reshef] and bitter destruction [ketev meriri], and the teeth of beasts I will send upon them, with the venom of crawling things of the dust” (Deuteronomy 32:24). Here we see reshef listed along with ketev meriri, both of which are understood by the Sages to be names of demons.

אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: כׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה — יִסּוּרִין בְּדֵילִין הֵימֶנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְנֵי רֶשֶׁף יַגְבִּיהוּ עוּף״. וְאֵין ״עוּף״ אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״הֲתָעִיף עֵינֶיךָ בּוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ״, וְאֵין ״רֶשֶׁף״ אֶלָּא יִסּוּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מְזֵי רָעָב וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף״. Regarding this unclear verse, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: If one engages in Torah study, suffering stays away from him, as it is stated: “And the sparks fly upward.” And fly means nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “Will you set your eyes upon it? It is gone; and sparks means nothing other than suffering, as it is stated: “Wasting of hunger, and the devouring of the sparks,” equating devouring sparks with wasting hunger, as both are types of suffering. From here, we derive that through Torah, fly, one is able to distance himself, upward, from suffering, sparks.

אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הָא אֲפִילּוּ תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית רַבָּן, יוֹדְעִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיֹּאמֶר אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע לְקוֹל ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה וְהַאֲזַנְתָּ לְמִצְוֹתָיו וְשָׁמַרְתָּ כׇּל חֻקָּיו כׇּל הַמַּחֲלָה אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם לֹא אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ כִּי אֲנִי ה׳ רוֹפְאֶךָ״. אֶלָּא: כׇּל שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לַעֲסוֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וְאֵינוֹ עוֹסֵק — הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵבִיא עָלָיו יִסּוּרִין מְכוֹעָרִין וְעוֹכְרִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב וּכְאֵבִי נֶעְכָּר״, וְאֵין ״טוֹב״ אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ״. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Even schoolchildren, who learn only the Written Torah, know this concept as it is stated: “And He said you shall surely hear the voice of the Lord your God, and what is upright in His eyes you shall do and you shall listen to His mitzvot and guard His statutes; any disease that I have placed upon Egypt I will not place upon you for I am the Lord your healer” (Exodus 15:26). Rather, one must interpret the verse: Anyone who is able to engage in Torah study yet does not engage in that study, not only does the Holy One, Blessed be He, fail to protect him, but He brings upon him hideous afflictions, that embarrass him and trouble him, as it is stated: “I was mute with silence; I was silent from good, and my pain was strong” (Psalms 39:3). The word good means nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “For I have given you a good portion, My Torah, do not abandon it” (Proverbs 4:2). The verse should be understood: “I have been silent from the study of Torah, and my pain was strong.”

אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא: בֹּא וּרְאֵה שֶׁלֹּא כְּמִדַּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם. מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם, אָדָם מוֹכֵר חֵפֶץ לַחֲבֵירוֹ, מוֹכֵר עָצֵב, וְלוֹקֵחַ שָׂמֵחַ, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵּן, נָתַן לָהֶם תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל — וְשָׂמַח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ״. With regard to the verse: “For I have given you a good portion,” Rabbi Zeira, and some say Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa, said: Come and see how the characteristics of the Holy One, Blessed be He, are unlike the characteristics of flesh and blood. It is characteristic of flesh and blood that when one sells an object to another person, the seller grieves the loss of his possession and the buyer rejoices. With regard to the Holy One, Blessed be He, however, this is not so. He gave the Torah to Israel and rejoiced, as it is stated: “For I have given you a good portion, My Torah, do not abandon it.” A good portion is understood as a good purchase; although God sold Torah to Israel, He rejoices in the sale and praises the object before its new owner (Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto).

אָמַר רָבָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב חִסְדָּא: אִם רוֹאֶה אָדָם שֶׁיִּסּוּרִין בָּאִין עָלָיו — יְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד ה׳״. פִּשְׁפֵּשׁ וְלֹא מָצָא — יִתְלֶה בְּבִטּוּל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר תְּיַסְּרֶנּוּ יָּהּ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ״. Previously, the Gemara discussed suffering that results from one’s transgressions. The Gemara shifts the focus and discusses suffering that does not result from one’s transgressions and the suffering of the righteous. Rava, and some say Rav Ḥisda, said: If a person sees that suffering has befallen him, he should examine his actions. Generally, suffering comes about as punishment for one’s transgressions, as it is stated: “We will search and examine our ways, and return to God” (Lamentations 3:40). If he examined his ways and found no transgression for which that suffering is appropriate, he may attribute his suffering to dereliction in the study of Torah. God punishes an individual for dereliction in the study of Torah in order to emphasize the gravity of the issue, as it is stated: “Happy is the man whom You punish, Lord, and teach out of Your law” (Psalms 94:12). This verse teaches us that his suffering will cause him to return to Your law.

וְאִם תָּלָה וְלֹא מָצָא — בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁיִּסּוּרִין שֶׁל אַהֲבָה הֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב ה׳ יוֹכִיחַ״. And if he did attribute his suffering to dereliction in the study of Torah, and did not find this to be so, he may be confident that these are afflictions of love, as it is stated: “For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes, as does a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:12).

אָמַר רָבָא, אָמַר רַב סְחוֹרָה, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפַץ בּוֹ — מְדַכְּאוֹ בְּיִסּוּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַה׳ חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ הֶחֱלִי״. So too, Rava said that Rav Seḥora said that Rav Huna said: Anyone in whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, delights, He oppresses him with suffering, as it is stated: “Yet in whom the Lord delights, He oppresses him with disease; to see if his soul would offer itself in guilt, that he might see his children, lengthen his days, and that the desire of the Lord might prosper by his hand” (Isaiah 53:10). This verse illustrates that in whomever God delights, he afflicts with illness.

יָכוֹל אֲפִילּוּ לֹא קִבְּלָם מֵאַהֲבָה? — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״אִם תָּשִׂים אָשָׁם נַפְשׁוֹ״, מָה אָשָׁם לְדַעַת, אַף יִסּוּרִין — לְדַעַת. I might have thought that God delights in him even if he does not accept his suffering with love. Therefore the verse teaches: “If his soul would offer itself in guilt.” Just as a guilt-offering is brought knowingly, as it is one of the sacrifices offered willingly, without coercion, so too his suffering must be accepted knowingly.

וְאִם קִבְּלָם מַה שְּׂכָרוֹ: ״יִרְאֶה זֶרַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים״. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁתַּלְמוּדוֹ מִתְקַיֵּים בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְחֵפֶץ ה׳ בְּיָדוֹ יִצְלָח״. And if one accepts that suffering with love, what is his reward? As the second part of the verse states: “That he might see his children, lengthen his days.” Moreover, in addition to these earthly rewards, his Torah study will endure and his Torah study will be successful, as it is stated: “The purpose of the Lord,” the Torah, the revelation of God’s will, “might prosper by his hand.”

פְּלִיגִי בַּהּ רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידִי וְרַבִּי אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא. חַד אָמַר: אֵלּוּ הֵם יִסּוּרִין שֶׁל אַהֲבָה — כׇּל שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן בִּטּוּל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר תְּיַסְּרֶנּוּ יָּהּ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ״. With regard to the acceptance of affliction with love and what exactly this entails, Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi and Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina disagree. One of them said: Afflictions of love are any that do not cause dereliction in the study of Torah, i.e., any which do not afflict his body to the extent that he is unable to study Torah, as it is stated: “Happy is the man whom You afflict, Lord, and teach from Your Torah.” Afflictions of love are when You “teach from Your Torah.”

וְחַד אָמַר: אֵלּוּ הֵן יִסּוּרִין שֶׁל אַהֲבָה — כׇּל שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן בִּטּוּל תְּפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בָּרוּךְ אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא הֵסִיר תְּפִלָּתִי וְחַסְדּוֹ מֵאִתִּי״. And one said: Afflictions of love are any that do not cause dereliction in the recitation of prayer, as it is stated: “Blessed is God Who did not turn away my prayer” (Psalms 66:20). Despite his suffering, the afflicted is still capable of praying to God.

אָמַר לְהוּ רַבִּי אַבָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ יִסּוּרִין שֶׁל אַהֲבָה הֵן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב ה׳ יוֹכִיחַ״. Rabbi Abba, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, said: My father, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said as follows: Both, even afflictions that cause dereliction in the study of Torah and those that cause dereliction in the recitation of prayer, are afflictions of love, as with regard to one who suffers without transgression it is stated: “For whom He loves, He rebukes,” and inability to study Torah and to pray are among his afflictions.

אֶלָּא מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ״ — אַל תִּקְרֵי ״תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ״, אֶלָּא תְלַמְּדֵנוּ. דָּבָר זֶה — מִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְּלַמְּדֵנוּ. What then, is the meaning when the verse states: “And teach him from Your Torah”? Do not read and teach to mean and teach him, rather, and teach us. You teach us the value of this affliction from Your Torah.

קַל וָחוֹמֶר מִשֵּׁן וָעַיִן. מַה שֵּׁן וָעַיִן שֶׁהֵן אֶחָד מֵאֵבָרָיו שֶׁל אָדָם — עֶבֶד יוֹצֵא בָּהֶן לְחֵרוּת, יִסּוּרִין שֶׁמְּמָרְקִין כׇּל גּוּפוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. This is taught through an a fortiori inference from the law concerning the tooth and eye of a slave: The tooth and eye are each a single limb of a person and if his master damages either, the slave thereby obtains his freedom; suffering that cleanses a person’s entire body all the more so that one attains freedom, atonement, from his sins.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: נֶאֱמַר ״בְּרִית״ בְּמֶלַח, וְנֶאֱמַר ״בְּרִית״ בְּיִסּוּרִין, נֶאֱמַר ״בְּרִית״ בְּמֶלַח, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלֹא תַשְׁבִּית מֶלַח בְּרִית״ וְנֶאֱמַר ״בְּרִית״ בְּיִסּוּרִין, דִּכְתִיב: ״אֵלֶּה דִבְרֵי הַבְּרִית״, מַה ״בְּרִית״ הָאָמוּר בְּמֶלַח — מֶלַח מְמַתֶּקֶת אֶת הַבָּשָׂר, אַף ״בְּרִית״ הָאָמוּר בְּיִסּוּרִין — יִסּוּרִין מְמָרְקִין כׇּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם. And that is the statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The word covenant is used with regard to salt, and the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions. The word covenant is used with regard to salt, as it is written: “The salt of the covenant with your God should not be excluded from your meal-offering; with all your sacrifices you must offer salt” (Leviticus 2:13). And the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions, as it is written: “These are the words of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 28:69). Just as, in the covenant mentioned with regard to salt, the salt sweetens the taste of the meat and renders it edible, so too in the covenant mentioned with regard to suffering, the suffering cleanses a person’s transgressions, purifying him for a more sublime existence.

תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי אוֹמֵר: שָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכוּלָּן לֹא נְתָנָן אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי יִסּוּרִין, אֵלּוּ הֵן: תּוֹרָה וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. Additionally, it was taught in a baraita with regard to affliction: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: The Holy One, Blessed be He, gave Israel three precious gifts, all of which were given only by means of suffering, which purified Israel so that they may merit to receive them. These gifts are: Torah, Eretz Yisrael, and the World-to-Come.

תּוֹרָה מִנַּיִן — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר תְּיַסְּרֶנּוּ יָּהּ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ״. From where is it derived that Torah is only acquired by means of suffering? As it is said: “Happy is the man whom You afflict, Lord,” after which it is said: “And teach from Your Torah.”

אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יְיַסֵּר אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְיַסְּרֶךָּ״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״כִּי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְבִיאֲךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה״. Eretz Yisrael, as it is written: “As a man rebukes his son, so the Lord your God rebukes you” (Deuteronomy 8:5), and it is written thereafter: “For the Lord your God will bring you to a good land.”

הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר״. The World-to-Come, as it is written: “For the mitzva is a lamp, the Torah is light, and the reproofs of instruction are the way of life” (Proverbs 6:23). One may arrive at the lamp of mitzva and the light of Torah that exists in the World-to-Come only by means of the reproofs of instruction in this world.

תָּנֵי תַּנָּא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים A tanna taught the following baraita before Rabbi Yoḥanan: If one engages in Torah and acts of charity

וְקוֹבֵר אֶת בָּנָיו — מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ עַל כׇּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו. and buries his sons, all his transgressions are forgiven.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בִּשְׁלָמָא תּוֹרָה וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְכֻפַּר עָוֹן״. ״חֶסֶד״ — זוֹ גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רוֹדֵף צְדָקָה וָחָסֶד יִמְצָא חַיִּים צְדָקָה וְכָבוֹד״. ״אֱמֶת״ — זוֹ תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֱמֶת קְנֵה וְאַל תִּמְכֹּר״. אֶלָּא ״קוֹבֵר אֶת בָּנָיו״ מִנַּיִן? Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: What is your source for this? Granted, if one engages in Torah and acts of charity, his transgressions are forgiven, as it is written: “With mercy and truth, iniquity is expiated” (Proverbs 16:6); mercy refers to acts of charity, as it is stated: “He who pursues charity and mercy finds life, charity and honor” (Proverbs 21:21), mercy and charity are listed together. And truth refers to Torah, as it is stated: “Buy truth and do not sell it; also wisdom, guidance and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23). However, from where is it derived that the transgressions of one who buries his sons are also forgiven?

תְּנָא לֵיהּ הַהוּא סָבָא, מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי: אָתְיָא, ״עָוֹן״ ״עָוֹן״. כְּתִיב הָכָא ״בְּחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְכֻפַּר עָוֹן״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם ״וּמְשַׁלֵּם עֲוֹן אָבוֹת אֶל חֵיק בְּנֵיהֶם״. An answer was provided to Rabbi Yoḥanan when a certain elder taught him in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai: This conclusion is derived from a verbal analogy between the words iniquity and iniquity. Here, it is written: “With mercy and truth, iniquity is expiated,” and there it is written: “He repays the iniquity of the fathers onto the bosom of their children” (Jeremiah 32:18). Because he “repays the iniquity of the fathers onto the bosom of their children,” the father’s transgressions are forgiven.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: נְגָעִים וּבָנִים — אֵינָן יִסּוּרִין שֶׁל אַהֲבָה. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Leprosy and suffering due to children are not afflictions of love.

וּנְגָעִים לָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: כׇּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעָה מַרְאוֹת נְגָעִים הַלָּלוּ — אֵינָן אֶלָּא מִזְבַּח כַּפָּרָה! The Gemara asks: Is leprosy not an affliction of love? Didn’t we learn in a baraita: If one has any of the four signs of leprosy (Leviticus 13) they are nothing other than an altar of atonement?

מִזְבַּח כַּפָּרָה — הָווּ, יִסּוּרִין שֶׁל אַהֲבָה — לָא הָווּ. The Gemara answers: Although the signs of leprosy are an altar of atonement for one’s transgressions, they are not an affliction of love.

וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא: הָא — לָן. וְהָא — לְהוּ. And if you wish, say instead: This baraita, which says that leprosy is an affliction of love, is for us in Babylonia, because outside of Eretz Yisrael we are not as careful of the laws of ritual impurity, and one afflicted with leprosy may interact with others, mitigating his suffering. And that statement of Rabbi Yoḥanan, that leprosy is not an affliction of love, is for them in Eretz Yisrael, where they are exceedingly careful of the laws of ritual impurity and the suffering of a leper is great because he is banished from society (Rav Hai Gaon).

וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא: הָא — בְּצִנְעָא, הָא — בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא. And if you wish, say instead: This baraita, which says that leprosy is an affliction of love, refers to concealed leprosy that only strikes the concealed areas of one’s body. But that statement of Rabbi Yoḥanan refers to visible leprosy that causes those who see it to distance themselves from the leper.

וּבָנִים לָא?! הֵיכִי דָמֵי, אִילֵּימָא דַּהֲווֹ לְהוּ וּמֵתוּ, וְהָא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, דֵּין גַּרְמָא דַּעֲשִׂירָאָה בִּיר? אֶלָּא הָא — דְּלָא הֲווֹ לֵיהּ כְּלָל. וְהָא — דַּהֲווֹ לֵיהּ וּמֵתוּ. The Gemara continues to object: And suffering due to children is not an affliction of love? The Gemara clarifies: What are the circumstances? If you say that he had children and they died, didn’t Rabbi Yoḥanan himself say, while consoling the victim of a catastrophe: This is the bone of my tenth son? Rabbi Yoḥanan experienced the death of ten of his children, and he kept a small bone from his tenth child as a painful memorial. He would show that bone to others in order to console them, and since he showed it to them, the deaths of his children must certainly have been affliction of love. He consoled others by displaying that there is an element of intimacy with God that exists in that suffering (Tosafot). Why, then, would Rabbi Yoḥanan have said that suffering due to children is not afflictions of love? Rather, one must conclude that when Rabbi Yoḥanan said that those afflictions are not afflictions of love, he was speaking with regard to one who has no children, and when one had children who died, this could very well be considered afflictions of love.

רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא חֲלַשׁ. עָל לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲבִיבִין עָלֶיךָ יִסּוּרִין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא הֵן וְלֹא שְׂכָרָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי יְדָךְ. יְהַב לֵיהּ יְדֵיהּ, וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ. The Gemara continues to address the issue of suffering and affliction: Rabbi Yoḥanan’s student, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, fell ill. Rabbi Yoḥanan entered to visit him, and said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? Do you desire to be ill and afflicted? Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: I welcome neither this suffering nor its reward, as one who welcomes this suffering with love is rewarded. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Give me your hand. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba gave him his hand, and Rabbi Yoḥanan stood him up and restored him to health.

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן חֲלַשׁ. עָל לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי חֲנִינָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲבִיבִין עָלֶיךָ יִסּוּרִין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא הֵן וְלֹא שְׂכָרָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי יְדָךְ. יְהַב לֵיהּ יְדֵיהּ, וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ. Similarly, Rabbi Yoḥanan fell ill. Rabbi Ḥanina entered to visit him, and said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: I welcome neither this suffering nor its reward. Rabbi Ḥanina said to him: Give me your hand. He gave him his hand, and Rabbi Ḥanina stood him up and restored him to health.

אַמַּאי, לוֹקִים רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ? The Gemara asks: Why did Rabbi Yoḥanan wait for Rabbi Ḥanina to restore him to health? If he was able to heal his student, let Rabbi Yoḥanan stand himself up.

אָמְרִי: אֵין חָבוּשׁ מַתִּיר עַצְמוֹ מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים. The Gemara answers, they say: A prisoner cannot generally free himself from prison, but depends on others to release him from his shackles.

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חֲלַשׁ. עַל לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן. חֲזָא דַּהֲוָה קָא גָּנֵי בְּבֵית אָפֵל. גַּלְיֵיהּ לִדְרָעֵיהּ וּנְפַל נְהוֹרָא. חַזְיֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה קָא בָּכֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי קָא בָּכֵית? אִי מִשּׁוּם תּוֹרָה דְּלָא אַפֵּשְׁתְּ — שָׁנִינוּ: אֶחָד הַמַּרְבֶּה וְאֶחָד הַמַּמְעִיט, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּכַוֵּין לִבּוֹ לַשָּׁמַיִם. וְאִי מִשּׁוּם מְזוֹנֵי — לֹא כׇּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לִשְׁתֵּי שֻׁלְחָנוֹת. וְאִי מִשּׁוּם בְּנֵי — דֵּין גַּרְמָא דַּעֲשִׂירָאָה בִּיר. The Gemara relates that Rabbi Elazar, another of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s students, fell ill. Rabbi Yoḥanan entered to visit him, and saw that he was lying in a dark room. Rabbi Yoḥanan exposed his arm, and light radiated from his flesh, filling the house. He saw that Rabbi Elazar was crying, and said to him: Why are you crying? Thinking that his crying was over the suffering that he endured throughout his life, Rabbi Yoḥanan attempted to comfort him: If you are weeping because you did not study as much Torah as you would have liked, we learned: One who brings a substantial sacrifice and one who brings a meager sacrifice have equal merit, as long as he directs his heart toward Heaven. If you are weeping because you lack sustenance and are unable to earn a livelihood, as Rabbi Elazar was, indeed, quite poor, not every person merits to eat off of two tables, one of wealth and one of Torah, so you need not bemoan the fact that you are not wealthy. If you are crying over children who have died, this is the bone of my tenth son, and suffering of that kind afflicts great people, and they are afflictions of love.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְהַאי שׁוּפְרָא דְּבָלֵי בְּעַפְרָא קָא בָּכֵינָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַל דָּא וַדַּאי קָא בָּכֵית, וּבְכוֹ תַּרְוַיְיהוּ. Rabbi Elazar said to Rabbi Yoḥanan: I am not crying over my misfortune, but rather, over this beauty of yours that will decompose in the earth, as Rabbi Yoḥanan’s beauty caused him to consider human mortality. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Over this, it is certainly appropriate to weep. Both cried over the fleeting nature of beauty in the world and death that eventually overcomes all.

אַדְּהָכִי וְהָכִי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲבִיבִין עָלֶיךָ יִסּוּרִין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא הֵן וְלֹא שְׂכָרָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי יְדָךְ, יְהַב לֵיהּ יְדֵיהּ, וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ. Meanwhile, Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? Rabbi Elazar said to him: I welcome neither this suffering nor its reward. Upon hearing this, Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Give me your hand. Rabbi Elazar gave him his hand, and Rabbi Yoḥanan stood him up and restored him to health.

רַב הוּנָא תְּקִיפוּ לֵיהּ אַרְבַּע מְאָה דַּנֵּי דְחַמְרָא. עָל לְגַבֵּיהּ רַב יְהוּדָה אֲחוּהּ דְּרַב סַלָּא חֲסִידָא וְרַבָּנַן, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה וְרַבָּנַן, וַאֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: לְעַיֵּין מָר בְּמִילֵיהּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: וּמִי חֲשִׁידְנָא בְּעֵינַיְיכוּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מִי חֲשִׁיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּעָבֵיד דִּינָא בְּלָא דִּינָא?! The Gemara relates another story regarding acknowledgement of the justice of divine punishment: Four hundred barrels of Rav Huna’s wine fermented and turned into vinegar, causing him great financial loss.
Rav Yehuda, the brother of Rav Sala the Pious, along with the Sages, and some say Rav Adda bar Ahava, along with the Sages, entered to visit him, and said: The Master should examine his actions, as perhaps he committed a transgression for which he is being punished.
Rav Huna said to them: Am I suspect in your eyes? Have I committed a transgression on account of which you advise me to examine my behavior?
They said to him: Is the Holy One, Blessed be He, suspect that He exacts punishment without justice? Your loss was certainly just, and you must examine your conduct to find out why. The Sages were aware of a flaw in Rav Huna’s conduct, to which they alluded (Tosafot).

אֲמַר לְהוּ: אִי אִיכָּא מַאן דִּשְׁמִיעַ עֲלַי מִלְּתָא — לֵימָא. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הָכִי שְׁמִיעַ לָן, דְּלָא יָהֵיב מָר שְׁבִישָׁא לַאֲרִיסֵיהּ. Rav Huna said to them: If someone has heard something improper that I have done, let him say so. They said to him: We have heard that the Master does not give a share of his grapevines to his tenant farmers. A tenant farmer is entitled to a portion of the crop grown on his landlord’s property, as well as a share of the vines planted during a given year.

אֲמַר לְהוּ: מִי קָא שָׁבֵיק לִי מִידֵּי מִינֵּיהּ? הָא קָא גָנֵיב לֵיהּ כּוּלֵּיהּ! Rav Huna said to them: Does this tenant farmer leave me anything from the produce that he grows on my property? He steals it all. Consequently, in denying him his share of the grapevines I am simply recouping that which was stolen from me by this tenant farmer.

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הַיְינוּ דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: ״בָּתַר גַּנָּבָא גְּנוֹב, וְטַעְמָא טְעֵים״. אֲמַר לְהוּ: קַבֵּילְנָא עָלַי דְּיָהֵיבְנָא לֵיהּ. אִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: הֲדַר חַלָּא וַהֲוָה חַמְרָא. וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: אִייַּקַּר חַלָּא, וְאִיזְדְּבַן בִּדְמֵי דְחַמְרָא. They said to him: That is the meaning of the folk saying: One who steals from a thief has a taste of theft. Despite the fact that the property was stolen to begin with, one nevertheless engages in theft. Although he did not violate a prohibition per se, it is still a form of theft, and one who is held to a higher standard than others will be punished for it.
He said to them: I accept upon myself to give my tenant farmer his portion in the future.
Thereupon, as a result of Rav Huna’s repentance, God restored his loss. Some say his vinegar turned back into wine, and some say that the price of vinegar rose and it was sold at the price of wine.

תַּנְיָא אַבָּא בִּנְיָמִין אוֹמֵר: עַל שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים הָיִיתִי מִצְטַעֵר כׇּל יָמַי — עַל תְּפִלָּתִי שֶׁתְּהֵא לִפְנֵי מִטָּתִי, וְעַל מִטָּתִי שֶׁתְּהֵא נְתוּנָה בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם. ״עַל תְּפִלָּתִי שֶׁתְּהֵא לִפְנֵי מִטָּתִי״, מַאי ״לִפְנֵי מִטָּתִי״? אִילֵּימָא ״לִפְנֵי מִטָּתִי״ מַמָּשׁ, וְהָאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה, אָמַר רַב, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: מִנַּיִן לַמִּתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא דָּבָר חוֹצֵץ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין הַקִּיר — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל״? לָא תֵּימָא, ״לִפְנֵי מִטָּתִי״, אֶלָּא אֵימָא ״סָמוּךְ לְמִטָּתִי״. The Gemara returns to the topic of prayer. It was taught in a baraita that the tanna Abba Binyamin would say: All of my life I have taken great pains with regard to two things: That my prayer should be before my bed and that my bed should be placed north to south. Abba Binyamin’s statement requires explanation. With regard to his statement: That my prayer should be before my bed, the Gemara asks, what does before my bed mean? If you say that it literally means that he would stand before his bed and pray, it is difficult, as Rav Yehuda said that Rav said, and some say that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: From where is it derived that one who prays should have nothing separating between him and the wall? As it is stated: “And Hezekiah turned to face the wall and prayed” (Isaiah 38:2), in order to facilitate his concentration during prayer. That being said, why would Abba Binyamin pray before his bed? Rather, do not say that before my bed refers to where he stood during prayer, but rather, say that he prayed adjacent to the time that he would retire to bed; he was careful to recite Shema and recite the evening prayer just before going to sleep (Rabbeinu Ḥananel).

״וְעַל מִטָּתִי שֶׁתְּהֵא נְתוּנָה בֵּין צָפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם״. Abba Binyamin’s statement: And my bed should be placed north to south was in deference to the Divine Presence, which rests between east and west, the direction of the Temple; as the Holy of Holies was to the west, while the main entrance was to the east. Therefore, the Sages were careful not to perform actions inconsistent with that sanctity while facing east to west; and, therefore, Abba Binyamin was careful not to sleep in a bed that faced east to west.

דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הַנּוֹתֵן מִטָּתוֹ בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם הָוְיִין לֵיהּ בָּנִים זְכָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּצְפוּנְךָ תְּמַלֵּא בִטְנָם יִשְׂבְּעוּ בָנִים״. In praise of that stringency, the Sages added that Rabbi Ḥama said that Rabbi Ḥanina said that Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One who places his bed facing north to south will be rewarded with male children, as it is stated: “And whose belly You fill with Your treasure [utzfunekha], who have sons in plenty and leave their abundance to their babies” (Psalms 17:14). This verse indicates that one who sets his bed facing north will be rewarded with sons in plenty, as north [tzafon] is etymologically similar to Your treasure [tzfunekha].

רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: אַף אֵין אִשְׁתּוֹ מַפֶּלֶת נְפָלִים. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״וּצְפוּנְךָ תְּמַלֵּא בִּטְנָם״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ לָלֶדֶת וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִים בְּבִטְנָהּ״. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Moreover, his wife will not miscarry. From where do we derive this? It is written here: “And whose belly You fill [temaleh] with Your treasure,” and it is written there, concerning Rebecca’s pregnancy: “And her time to give birth was fulfilled [vayimle’u] and there were twins in her belly” (Genesis 25:24), consequently: You fill with Your treasure refers to a pregnancy that proceeds without complication.

תַּנְיָא. אַבָּא בִּנְיָמִין אוֹמֵר: שְׁנַיִם שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל. וְקָדַם אֶחָד מֵהֶם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, וְלֹא הִמְתִּין אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ. וְיָצָא. טוֹרְפִין לוֹ תְּפִלָּתוֹ בְּפָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״טֹרֵף נַפְשׁוֹ בְּאַפּוֹ הַלְמַעַנְךָ תֵּעָזַב אָרֶץ״. Another of Abba Binyamin’s statements with regard to the laws of prayer was taught in a baraita: Abba Binyamin says: If two people enter a synagogue outside of the city in order to pray, and one began praying before the other and did not wait for the other person to complete his prayer, and left him alone in the synagogue, his prayer is thrown back in his face. Because he left the other person alone and caused him to be distracted during his prayer, his own prayer is thrown back in his face, as it is stated: “You who throw your soul in your face, for your sake will the earth be forsaken? The Rock will be moved from its place” (Job 18:4). This verse indicates that one who left the other person alone effectively causes his soul, as prayer is the outpouring of the soul before God, to be thrown in his face. God says to that person: For your sake, do you think because you left, the earth will be forsaken, that God will leave the world and the prayer of the other person will go unheard?

וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁגּוֹרֵם לַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁתִּסְתַּלֵּק מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיֶעְתַּק צוּר מִמְקֹמוֹ״. וְאֵין ״צוּר״ אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי״. Not only that, but it causes the Divine Presence to remove itself from Israel, as it is stated in the continuation of the verse: “The Rock will be moved from its place.” The rock, God, is forced to remove His presence. And Rock means nothing other than the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “Of the Rock that gave birth to you, you have been unmindful, and you have forgotten God Who bore you” (Deuteronomy 32:18).

וְאִם הִמְתִּין לוֹ מַה שְּׂכָרוֹ? And if he waits for him in the synagogue, what is his reward? Is his reward proportionate to the punishment received by one who failed to do so?

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: זוֹכֶה לַבְּרָכוֹת הַלָּלוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לוּא הִקְשַׁבְתָּ לְמִצְוֹתָי וַיְהִי כַנָּהָר שְׁלוֹמֶךָ וְצִדְקָתְךָ כְּגַלֵּי הַיָּם. וַיְהִי כַחוֹל זַרְעֶךָ וְצֶאֱצָאֵי מֵעֶיךָ״ וְגוֹ׳. In terms of this reward, Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina said: One who waits in the synagogue for the other to finish his prayer merits the following blessings, as it is stated: “If only you had listened to My mitzvot then your peace would be as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea. Your seed would be as the sand, and the offspring of your body like the grains thereof; his name would be neither cut off nor destroyed from before Me” (Isaiah 48:18–19). The explanation of this passage is based on the etymological similarity between the word mitzva and the word tzevet, which means group. If he keeps the other person company and does not abandon him after his prayer, all of the blessings that appear later in the verse will be fulfilled in him (Talmidei Rabbeinu Yona).

תַּנְיָא, אַבָּא בִּנְיָמִין אוֹמֵר: אִלְמָלֵי נִתְּנָה רְשׁוּת לָעַיִן לִרְאוֹת — אֵין כׇּל בְּרִיָּה יְכוֹלָה לַעֲמוֹד מִפְּנֵי הַמַּזִּיקִין. In another baraita it was taught that Abba Binyamin says: If the eye was given permission to see, no creature would be able to withstand the abundance and ubiquity of the demons and continue to live unaffected by them.

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: אִינְהוּ נְפִישִׁי מִינַּן, וְקָיְימִי עֲלַן כִּי כִּסְלָא לְאוּגְיָא. Similarly, Abaye said: They are more numerous than we are and they stand over us like mounds of earth surrounding a pit.

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כֹּל חַד וְחַד מִינַּן, אַלְפָא מִשְּׂמָאלֵיהּ וּרְבַבְתָּא מִיַּמִּינֵיהּ. Rav Huna said: Each and every one of us has a thousand demons to his left and ten thousand to his right. God protects man from these demons, as it says in the verse: “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; they will not approach you” (Psalms 91:7).

אָמַר רָבָא: הַאי דּוּחְקָא דְּהָוֵי בְּכַלָּה — מִנַּיְיהוּ הָוֵי. הָנֵי בִּרְכֵי דְּשָׁלְהִי — מִנַּיְיהוּ. הָנֵי מָאנֵי דְרַבָּנַן דְּבָלוּ — מֵחוּפְיָא דִידְהוּ. הָנֵי כַּרְעֵי דְּמִנַּקְפָן — מִנַּיְיהוּ. Summarizing the effects of the demons, Rava said:
The crowding at the kalla, the gatherings for Torah study during Elul and Adar, is from the demons;
those knees that are fatigued even though one did not exert himself is from the demons;
those clothes of the Sages that wear out, despite the fact that they do not engage in physical labor, is from friction with the demons;
those feet that are in pain is from the demons.

הַאי מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְמִידַּע לְהוּ לַיְיתֵי קִיטְמָא נְהִילָא, וְנַהְדַּר אַפּוּרְיֵיהּ, וּבְצַפְרָא חָזֵי כִּי כַּרְעֵי דְתַרְנְגוֹלָא. הַאי מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְמֶחֱזִינְהוּ, לַיְתֵי שִׁלְיְיתָא דְּשׁוּנָּרְתָּא אוּכַּמְתָּא בַּת אוּכַּמְתָּא בּוּכְרְתָא בַּת בּוּכְרְתָא, וְלִיקְלְיֵהּ בְּנוּרָא, וְלִשְׁחֲקֵיהּ, וְלִימְלֵי עֵינֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ, וְחָזֵי לְהוּ. וְלִשְׁדְּיֵיהּ בְּגוּבְתָּא דְפַרְזְלָא, וְלַחְתְּמֵיהּ בְּגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְפַרְזְלָא, דִּילְמָא גָּנְבִי מִנֵּיהּ, וְלַחְתּוֹם פּוּמֵּיהּ, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לִיתַּזַּק. רַב בִּיבִי בַּר אַבָּיֵי עֲבַד הָכִי, חֲזָא וְאִתַּזַּק, בְּעוֹ רַבָּנַן רַחֲמֵי עֲלֵיהּ, וְאִתַּסִּי. One who seeks to know that the demons exist should place fine ashes around his bed, and in the morning the demons’ footprints appear like chickens’ footprints, in the ash. One who seeks to see them should take the afterbirth of a firstborn female black cat, born to a firstborn female black cat, burn it in the fire, grind it and place it in his eyes, and he will see them. He must then place the ashes in an iron tube sealed with an iron seal [gushpanka] lest the demons steal it from him, and then seal the opening so he will not be harmed. Rav Beivai bar Abaye performed this procedure, saw the demons, and was harmed. The Sages prayed for mercy on his behalf and he was healed.

תַּנְיָא, אַבָּא בִּנְיָמִין אוֹמֵר: אֵין תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל אָדָם נִשְׁמַעַת אֶלָּא בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל הָרִנָּה וְאֶל הַתְּפִלָּה״. בִּמְקוֹם רִנָּה — שָׁם תְּהֵא תְּפִלָּה. It was taught in a baraita that Abba Binyamin said: One’s prayer is only fully heard in a synagogue, as it is stated with regard to King Solomon’s prayer in the Temple: “Yet have You turned toward the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, Lord my God, to listen to the song and the prayer which Your servant prays before You on this day” (I Kings 8:28). The following verse concludes: “To hear the prayer Your servant directs toward this place” (I Kings 8:29). We see that one’s prayer is heard specifically in the Temple, of which the synagogue is a microcosm (Rav Yoshiyahu Pinto). It may be inferred that in a place of song, a synagogue where God’s praises are sung, there prayer should be.

אָמַר רָבִין בַּר רַב אַדָּא, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: מִנַּיִן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָצוּי בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת אֵל״. In explaining Abba Binyamin’s statement, Ravin bar Rav Adda said that Rabbi Yitzḥak said: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is located in a synagogue? As it is stated: “God stands in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges He judges” (Psalms 82:1). The congregation of God is the place where people congregate to sing God’s praises, and God is located among His congregation.

וּמִנַּיִן לַעֲשָׂרָה שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִין שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת אֵל״. And from where is it derived that ten people who pray, the Divine Presence is with them? As it is stated: “God stands in the congregation of God,” and the minimum number of people that constitute a congregation is a quorum of ten.

וּמִנַּיִן לִשְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין בַּדִּין שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט״. From where is it derived that three who sit in judgment, the Divine Presence is with them? It is derived from this same verse, as it is stated: “In the midst of the judges He judges,” and the minimum number of judges that comprises a court is three.

וּמִנַּיִן לִשְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְעוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה׳ אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וַיַּקְשֵׁב ה׳״ וְגוֹ׳. From where is it derived that two who sit and engage in Torah study, the Divine Presence is with them? As it is stated: “Then they that feared the Lord spoke one with the other, and the Lord listened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that fear the Lord, and that think upon His name” (Malachi 3:16). The Divine Presence listens to any two God-fearing individuals who speak with each other.

מַאי ״וּלְחֹשְׁבֵי שְׁמוֹ״? אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: חָשַׁב אָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה, וְנֶאֱנַס, וְלֹא עֲשָׂאָהּ — מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילּוּ עֲשָׂאָהּ. With regard to this verse, the Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase, “And that think upon His name”? Rav Ashi said: If a person intended to perform a mitzva, but due to circumstances beyond his control, he did not perform it, the verse ascribes him credit as if he performed the mitzva, as he is among those that think upon His name.

וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ אֶחָד שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה עִמּוֹ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ״. The Gemara returns to Ravin bar Rav Adda’s statement: And from where is it derived that when even one who sits and engages in Torah study, the Divine Presence is with him? As it is stated: “In every place where I cause My Name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you” (Exodus 20:21); God blesses even a single person who mentions God’s name, a reference to Torah study (Iyyun Ya’akov).

וְכִי מֵאַחַר דַּאֲפִילּוּ חַד, תְּרֵי מִבַּעְיָא?! תְּרֵי — מִכַּתְבָן מִלַּיְיהוּ בְּסֵפֶר הַזִּכְרוֹנוֹת, חַד — לָא מִכַּתְבָן מִלֵּיהּ בְּסֵפֶר הַזִּכְרוֹנוֹת. The Gemara asks: Since the Divine Presence rests even upon one who engages in Torah study, was it necessary to say that the Divine Presence rests upon two who study Torah together? The Gemara answers: There is a difference between them. Two people, their words of Torah are written in the book of remembrance, as it is stated: “And a book of remembrance was written”; however a single individual’s words of Torah are not written in a book of remembrance.

וְכִי מֵאַחַר דַּאֲפִילּוּ תְּרֵי, תְּלָתָא מִבַּעְיָא?! מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: דִּינָא שְׁלָמָא בְּעָלְמָא הוּא, וְלָא אָתְיָא שְׁכִינָה, קָמַשְׁמַע לָן דְּדִינָא נָמֵי הַיְינוּ תּוֹרָה. The Gemara continues: Since the Divine Presence rests even upon two who engage in Torah study, is it necessary to mention three? The Gemara answers: Here too, a special verse is necessary lest you say that judgment is merely to keep the peace among the citizenry, and the Divine Presence does not come and rest upon those who sit in judgment as they are not engaged in Torah study. Ravin bar Rav Adda teaches us that sitting in judgment is also Torah.

וְכִי מֵאַחַר דַּאֲפִילּוּ תְּלָתָא, עֲשָׂרָה מִבַּעְיָא?! עֲשָׂרָה — קָדְמָה שְׁכִינָה וְאָתְיָא. תְּלָתָא — עַד דְּיָתְבִי. The Gemara asks: Since the Divine Presence rests even upon three, is it necessary to mention ten? The Gemara answers: The Divine Presence arrives before a group of ten, as the verse: “God stands in the congregation of God,” indicates that when the ten individuals who comprise a congregation arrive, the Divine Presence is already there. For a group of three judges, however, the Divine Presence does not arrive until they sit and begin their deliberations, as in the midst of the judges He judges. God aids them in their judgment, but does not arrive before them.

אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין בַּר רַב אַדָּא, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: מִנַּיִן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַנִּיחַ תְּפִילִּין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נִשְׁבַּע ה׳ בִּימִינוֹ וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ״. The Gemara cites another aggadic statement: Rabbi Avin bar Rav Adda said that Rabbi Yitzḥak said: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wears phylacteries? As it is stated: “The Lord has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength” (Isaiah 62:8). Since it is customary to swear upon holy objects, it is understood that His right hand and the arm of His strength are the holy objects upon which God swore.

״בִּימִינוֹ״ — זוֹ תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ״, ״וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ״ — אֵלּוּ תְּפִילִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן״. Specifically, “His right hand” refers to the Torah, as it is stated in describing the giving of the Torah: “From His right hand, a fiery law for His people” (Deuteronomy 33:2). “The arm of His strength,” His left hand, refers to phylacteries, as it is stated: “The Lord gave strength to His nation” (Psalms 29:11), in the form of the mitzva of phylacteries.

וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהַתְּפִילִּין עוֹז הֵם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְרָאוּ כׇּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְיָרְאוּ מִמֶּךָּ״. וְתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַגָּדוֹל אוֹמֵר: אֵלּוּ תְּפִילִּין שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ. The Gemara asks: And from where is it derived that phylacteries provide strength for Israel? As it is written: “And all the nations of the land shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you, and they will fear you” (Deuteronomy 28:10). It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer the Great says: This is a reference to the phylacteries of the head, upon which the name of God is written in fulfillment of the verse: “That the name of the Lord is called upon you.”

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק לְרַב חִיָּיא בַּר אָבִין: הָנֵי תְּפִילִּין דְּמָרֵי עָלְמָא מָה כְּתִיב בְּהוּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ ״וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ״. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin: What is written in the phylacteries of the Master of the world? Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin replied: It is written: “Who is like Your people, Israel, one nation in the land?” (I Chronicles 17:21). God’s phylacteries serve to connect Him, in a sense, to the world, the essence of which is Israel.

וּמִי מִשְׁתַּבַּח קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּשִׁבְחַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל? אִין, דִּכְתִיב: ״אֶת ה׳ הֶאֱמַרְתָּ הַיּוֹם״. וּכְתִיב: ״וַה׳ הֶאֱמִירְךָ הַיּוֹם״, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: אַתֶּם עֲשִׂיתוּנִי חֲטִיבָה אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם, וַאֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה אֶתְכֶם חֲטִיבָה אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak continues: Is the Holy One, Blessed be He, glorified through the glory of Israel? Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin answered: Yes, as indicated by the juxtaposition of two verses; as it is stated: “You have affirmed, this day, that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His laws and commandments, and listen to His voice.” And the subsequent verse states: “And the Lord has affirmed, this day, that you are His treasure, as He spoke to you, to keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 26:17–18). From these two verses it is derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel: You have made Me a single entity [ḥativa] in the world, as you singled Me out as separate and unique. And because of this, I will make you a single entity in the world, and you will be a treasured nation, chosen by God.

אַתֶּם עֲשִׂיתוּנִי חֲטִיבָה אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד״, וַאֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה אֶתְכֶם חֲטִיבָה אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ״. You have made Me a single entity in the world, as it is stated that Israel declares God’s oneness by saying: “Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4). And because of this, I will make you a single entity in the world, unique and elevated with the utterance: “Who is like Your people, Israel, one nation in the land?” Consequently, the Holy One, Blessed be He, is glorified through the glory of Israel whose praises are written in God’s phylacteries.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבָא לְרַב אָשֵׁי: תִּינַח בְּחַד בֵּיתָא, בִּשְׁאָר בָּתֵּי מַאי? Rav Aḥa, son of Rava said to Rav Ashi: It works out well with regard to the contents of one of the four compartments of God’s phylacteries of the head. However, all four compartments of Israel’s phylacteries of the head contain portions of the Torah that praise God. What portions in praise of Israel are written in the rest of the compartments of God’s phylacteries of the head?

אָמַר לֵיהּ: ״כִּי מִי גוֹי גָּדוֹל״, ״וּמִי גּוֹי גָּדוֹל״, ״אַשְׁרֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל״, ״אוֹ הֲנִסָּה אֱלֹהִים״, ״וּלְתִתְּךָ עֶלְיוֹן״. Rav Ashi said to him: In those three compartments it is written: “For who is a great nation, to whom God is close, like the Lord our God whenever we call upon Him?” (Deuteronomy 4:7); “And who is a great nation, who has righteous statutes and laws, like this entire Torah which I set before you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:8); “Happy are you, Israel, who is like you? A people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and that is the sword of your excellence. And your enemies shall dwindle away before you, and you shall tread upon their high places” (Deuteronomy 33:29); “Or has God attempted to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs and by wonders” (Deuteronomy 4:34); “And to elevate you above all nations that He has made, in praise, in name and in glory; that you may be a holy people to the Lord, your God, as He has spoken” (Deuteronomy 26:19).

אִי הָכִי, נְפִישִׁי לְהוּ טוּבֵי בָּתֵּי? אֶלָּא: ״כִּי מִי גוֹי גָּדוֹל״ ״וּמִי גּוֹי גָּדוֹל״ דְּדׇמְיָין לַהֲדָדֵי — בְּחַד בֵּיתָא, ״אַשְׁרֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל״ ״וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל״ — בְּחַד בֵּיתָא, ״אוֹ הֲנִסָּה אֱלֹהִים״ — בְּחַד בֵּיתָא, ״וּלְתִתְּךָ עֶלְיוֹן״ — בְּחַד בֵּיתָא. Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, raises an objection: If all of these verses are included in God’s phylacteries of the head, there are too many compartments as more than four verses of praise were listed. Rather, the portions in God’s phylacteries must be arranged as follows: The verses “For who is a great nation” and “And who is a great nation” are included in one compartment, as they are similar. “Happy are you, Israel” and "Who is like your people, Israel" are in one compartment. “Or has God attempted” is in one compartment and “And to elevate you” is in one compartment

וְכוּלְּהוּ כְּתִיבִי בְּאֶדְרָעֵיהּ. in the phylacteries of the head, where there are four separate compartments. And all of the verses are written together on one parchment in the phylacteries of the arm, which has only one compartment.

אָמַר רָבִין בַּר רַב אַדָּא, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הָרָגִיל לָבֹא לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְלֹא בָּא יוֹם אֶחָד, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְשָׁאֵיל בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִי בָכֶם יְרֵא ה׳ שֹׁמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים וְאֵין נֹגַהּ לוֹ״. Additionally, Ravin bar Rav Adda said that Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One who is accustomed to come to the synagogue and did not come one day, the Holy One, Blessed be He, asks about him, as it were, to determine what happened to him, as it is stated: “Who among you fears the Lord? Who hears the voice of His servant? Though he walks in darkness and has no light, let him trust in the name of the Lord, and rely upon his God” (Isaiah 50:10). In other words, God asks, who among you fears the Lord yet did not come to hear the voice of His servant the prayer leader, who engages in the service of God? He who went out before dawn and walks in darkness before prayer.

אִם לִדְבַר מִצְוָה הָלַךְ — נוֹגַהּ לוֹ, וְאִם לִדְבַר הָרְשׁוּת הָלַךְ — אֵין נוֹגַהּ לוֹ. If it is for a matter involving a mitzva that he went and absented himself from prayer in the synagogue, then, despite the darkness, there is light for him, the aura of his mitzva will protect him. But if it is for an optional matter, some mundane purpose, that he went and absented himself from prayer in the synagogue, then, even once the day begins, there is no light for him (Maharsha).

״יִבְטַח בְּשֵׁם ה׳״ מַאי טַעְמָא? — מִשּׁוּם דַּהֲוָה לֵיהּ לִבְטוֹחַ בְּשֵׁם ה׳, וְלָא בְּטַח. The verse continues: “Let him trust in the name of the Lord.” The Gemara asks: What is the reason that God is so exacting with this person? The Gemara answers: Because he should have relied on the name of the Lord, and trusted that he would not incur any loss if he postponed dealing with his mundane matters until after prayer in the synagogue, and he did not rely on God.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְלֹא מָצָא בָּהּ עֲשָׂרָה — מִיָּד הוּא כּוֹעֵס, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מַדּוּעַ בָּאתִי וְאֵין אִישׁ קָרָאתִי וְאֵין עוֹנֶה״. On this same topic, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, enters a synagogue and does not find ten people there, He immediately becomes angry, as it is stated: “Why, when I came, was there no one? When I called, there was no one to answer…Behold, with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness” (Isaiah 50:2).

אָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל הַקּוֹבֵעַ מָקוֹם לִתְפִלָּתוֹ — אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם בְּעֶזְרוֹ. Concerning another aspect of the constancy of prayer, Rabbi Ḥelbo said that Rav Huna said: One who sets a fixed place for his prayer, the God of Abraham assists him. Since prayer parallels the Temple service, it is a sign of respect to set a fixed place for this sacred rite (Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto). The God of Abraham assists him because this pious custom evokes Abraham’s conduct.

וּכְשֶׁמֵּת, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: ״אֵי עָנָיו, אֵי חָסִיד, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ״. When he dies, those who eulogize one who set a fixed place for his prayer say about him: “Where is the humble one, where is the pious one, of the disciples of our father Abraham?” Presumably, one who sets a fixed place for prayer is a disciple of Abraham in every respect, including humility and piety (Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto).

וְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ מְנָא לַן דִּקְבַע מָקוֹם? דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַד שָׁם״, וְאֵין ״עֲמִידָה״ אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּעֲמֹד פִּינְחָס וַיְפַלֵּל״. The Gemara asks: From where do we derive that Abraham our father set a fixed place for his prayer? The Gemara answers: As it is written: “And Abraham rose in the morning to the place where he had stood before God” (Genesis 19:27), and the verb “standing” means nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “And Pinehas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30).

אָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: הַיּוֹצֵא מִבֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת אַל יַפְסִיעַ פְּסִיעָה גַסָּה. אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: לָא אֲמַרַן, אֶלָּא לְמִיפַּק. אֲבָל לְמֵיעַל — מִצְוָה לְמִרְהַט, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נִרְדְּפָה לָדַעַת אֶת ה׳״. Rabbi Ḥelbo said that Rav Huna said: One who leaves the synagogue should not take large strides because it creates the impression that he is eager to leave. Abaye explained Rav Huna’s statement and said: This halakha was only said with regard to leaving the synagogue, where large strides seem particularly disrespectful. However, with regard to entering a synagogue, it is a mitzva to run and one is permitted to rush and take large strides (Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto). As it is said: “And let us know, eagerly strive to know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3). One who eagerly enters a synagogue displays his enthusiasm to follow the path of God.

אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: מֵרֵישׁ כִּי הֲוָה חֲזֵינָא לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן דְּקָא רָהֲטִי לְפִרְקָא בְּשַׁבְּתָא, אָמֵינָא: ״קָא מְחַלַּיִין רַבָּנַן שַׁבְּתָא״. כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁמַעְנָא לְהָא דְּרַבִּי תַּנְחוּם אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: לְעוֹלָם יָרוּץ אָדָם לִדְבַר הֲלָכָה וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּשַׁבָּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַחֲרֵי ה׳ יֵלְכוּ כְּאַרְיֵה יִשְׁאָג״ וְגוֹ׳, אֲנָא נָמֵי רָהֵיטְנָא. Rabbi Zeira said: Initially, when I saw the Sages running to the Rabbi’s lecture on Shabbat, I said: These Sages are desecrating Shabbat. One is prohibited from running on Shabbat in deference to the sanctity of the day. Once I heard that which Rabbi Tanḥum said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One should always run for a matter of halakha, even on Shabbat, as it is stated: “They shall walk after the Lord, who will roar like a lion” (Hosea 11:10). In other words, one should rush as though he were chased by a lion (Birkat Hashem), I too run.

אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: אַגְרָא דְפִרְקָא — רִהֲטָא. Rabbi Zeira said: The reward for attending the lecture is for running. Since most individuals attending the lecture did not fully understand the material taught, the primary reward for attendance was given for their intention to hear the Torah being taught, as evidenced by their rush to arrive.

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: אַגְרָא דְכַלָּה — דּוּחְקָא. Similarly, Abaye said: The reward for attending the kalla is for the crowding. Due to the large crowd, study was difficult, so the primary reward was given for their effort to hear and understand some part of the lecture.

אָמַר רָבָא: אַגְרָא דִשְׁמַעְתָּא — סְבָרָא. Similarly, Rava said: The reward for learning the halakhic traditions of the amora’im is for the logical analysis, as the primary reward for studying Talmud was not given for knowing the halakhic conclusions, but for the logical reasoning that led to those conclusions.

אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: אַגְרָא דְבֵי טַמְיָא — שְׁתִיקוּתָא. Rav Pappa said: The primary reward for attending a house of mourning [bei tammaya] is for the silence, which is the optimal manner for those consoling the mourners to express their empathy.

אָמַר מָר זוּטְרָא: אַגְרָא דְתַעֲנִיתָא — צִדְקְתָא. Mar Zutra said: The primary reward for fasting is for the charity given to the poor on the fast day (see Isaiah 58).

אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: אַגְרָא דְהֶסְפֵּדָא — דַּלּוֹיֵי. Rav Sheshet said: The primary reward for delivering a eulogy is for causing those in attendance to raise their voices and cry, as that increases the grief over the deceased.

אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: אַגְרָא דְבֵי הִלּוּלֵי — מִילֵּי. Rav Ashi said: The primary reward for participating in a wedding is for the words, i.e., the good wishes with which the guests regale the bride and groom.

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת נִקְרָא ״רָשָׁע״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״סָבִיב רְשָׁעִים יִתְהַלָּכוּן״. Back to the topic of deference for a synagogue, the Gemara records that Rav Huna said: One who prays behind the synagogue is called wicked, as while the entire congregation is facing one direction to pray, he faces the opposite direction creating the impression that he is treating the synagogue and its congregation with contempt. As it is stated: “The wicked walk round about, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men” (Psalms 12:9). In other words, only the wicked walk round about the synagogue in order to pray.

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלָא מַהְדַּר אַפֵּיהּ לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, אֲבָל מַהְדַּר אַפֵּיהּ לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא — לֵית לָן בַּהּ. Abaye said: This halakha was said only in a case where one does not turn his face toward the synagogue. But where he turns his face toward the synagogue and prays we have no prohibition in that case.

הַהוּא גַבְרָא דְּקָא מְצַלֵּי אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, וְלָא מַהְדַּר אַפֵּיהּ לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא. חֲלַף אֵלִיָּהוּ. חַזְיֵיהּ, אִידְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּטַיָּיעָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּדוּ בָר קָיְימַתְּ קַמֵּי מָרָךְ?! שְׁלַף סַפְסֵרָא וְקַטְלֵיהּ. To reinforce the gravity of this prohibition, the Gemara relates: A certain individual prayed behind the synagogue and did not turn to face the synagogue. Elijah the Prophet passed by and he saw him. He appeared to him as an Arab [taya’a]. Elijah said: “This is how [kadu bar] you stand before your Master?” Elijah drew a sword and killed him.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מֵרַבָּנַן לְרַב בִּיבִי בַּר אַבָּיֵי, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ רַב בִּיבִי לְרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: מַאי ״כְּרֻם זֻלּוּת לִבְנֵי אָדָם״? Rav Huna already explained the beginning of the verse, “The wicked walk round about.” The Gemara explains the end of the verse: “When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.” One of the Sages said to Rav Beivai bar Abaye, and some say Rav Beivai said to Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak: What is the meaning of: “When vileness is exalted among the sons of men”?

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁעוֹמְדִים בְּרוּמוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וּבְנֵי אָדָם מְזַלְזְלִין בָּהֶן. He said to him: These are matters of utmost importance, exalted, i.e., mitzvot or prayer, which people nonetheless treat with contempt, vileness among the sons of men.

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּצְטָרֵךְ אָדָם לַבְּרִיּוֹת, פָּנָיו מִשְׁתַּנּוֹת כִּכְרוּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כְּרֻם זֻלּוּת לִבְנֵי אָדָם״. Rabbi Yoḥanan and his student, Rabbi Elazar, both said an alternative explanation of this verse: Once a person needs the help of others and loses dignity in their eyes, vileness among the sons of men, his face changes and becomes like a kerum, as it is stated: “When [kerum] vileness is exalted among the sons of men.”

מַאי ״כְּרוּם״? כִּי אֲתָא רַב דִּימִי, אָמַר: עוֹף אֶחָד יֵשׁ בִּכְרַכֵּי הַיָּם, וּ״כְרוּם״ שְׁמוֹ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת מִתְהַפֵּךְ לְכַמָּה גְּווֹנִין. What is kerum referred to by Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar? When Rav Dimi came to Babylonia from Eretz Yisrael he said: There is a bird in the cities by the sea called kerum and when the sun rises, the bird changes several colors. Similarly, one who becomes dependent upon others blushes in embarrassment.

רַבִּי אַמֵּי וְרַבִּי אַסִּי דְאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: כְּאִלּוּ נִדּוֹן בִּשְׁנֵי דִינִים, אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִרְכַּבְתָּ אֱנוֹשׁ לְרֹאשֵׁנוּ בָּאנוּ בָאֵשׁ וּבַמַּיִם״. Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi both said: One who becomes dependent upon others, it is as if he was punished with two punishments: Fire and water. As it is stated: “You have caused men to ride over our heads; we have gone through fire and water” (Psalms 66:12).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: לְעוֹלָם יְהֵא אָדָם זָהִיר בִּתְפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ לֹא נַעֲנָה אֶלָּא בִּתְפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְהִי בַּעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא וַיֹּאמַר וְגוֹ׳ עֲנֵנִי ה׳ עֲנֵנִי״. And Rabbi Ḥelbo said that Rav Huna said: One must always be vigilant with regard to the afternoon prayer, as Elijah’s prayer was only answered in the afternoon prayer, as it is stated: “And it was at the time of the afternoon offering that Elijah the Prophet came near, and he said: Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known on this day that You are God in Israel, and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, Lord, answer me, that this people will know that You, Lord, are God” (I Kings 18:36–37). Because Elijah was answered in the afternoon prayer, it has particular significance.

״עֲנֵנִי״ — שֶׁתֵּרֵד אֵשׁ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַ״עֲנֵנִי״ — שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ מַעֲשֵׂה כְשָׁפִים הֵם. In passing, the Gemara explains why it was necessary for Elijah to repeat, “answer me, Lord, answer me”: The first answer me was the request that fire descend from the heavens, while the second answer me was the request that Israel should accept complete faith in God and not say that the fire descending from the heavens was an act of sorcery.

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: אַף בִּתְפִלַּת עַרְבִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי מִנְחַת עָרֶב״. רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: אַף תְּפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי, בֹּקֶר אֶעֱרׇךְ לְךָ וַאֲצַפֶּה״. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One must be vigilant with regard to the evening prayer as well, as it is stated: “Let my prayer come forth as incense before You, the lifting of my hands as the evening offering” (Psalms 141:2).
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: One must be vigilant with regard to the morning prayer as well, as it is stated: “Lord, in the morning You shall hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer unto You and will look forward” (Psalms 5:4).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מִסְּעוּדַת חָתָן וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׂמְּחוֹ עוֹבֵר בַּחֲמִשָּׁה קוֹלוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה קוֹל חָתָן וְקוֹל כַּלָּה קוֹל אוֹמְרִים הוֹדוּ אֶת ה׳ צְבָאוֹת״. And Rabbi Ḥelbo said that Rav Huna said: Anyone who benefits from the feast of a groom but does not cause him to rejoice violates the five voices mentioned in this verse, as it is stated: “The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, and the voice of those who say: Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His mercy lasts forever, even of those who bring a thanks-offering to the house of the Lord. For I will restore the captivity of the land as it was in the beginning, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 33:11). These five voices in the context of a bride and groom correspond to the five voices mentioned in the context of the revelation at Sinai, as in Song of Songs, the day of the revelation at Sinai is alluded to by the phrase: His wedding day (Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, Maharsha).

וְאִם מְשַׂמְּחוֹ מַה שְּׂכָרוֹ? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: זוֹכֶה לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה בַּחֲמִשָּׁה קוֹלוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיוֹת הַבֹּקֶר וַיְהִי קֹלֹת וּבְרָקִים וְעָנָן כָּבֵד עַל הָהָר וְקֹל שׁוֹפָר וְגוֹ׳. וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר וְגוֹ׳ וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל״. What is his reward if he causes the groom to rejoice? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: He is privileged to acquire the Torah, which was given with five voices, as it is stated: “And it was on the third day, when it was morning, there were sounds [kolot], and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and the voice of the shofar” (Exodus 19:16). The plural kolot indicates at least two sounds, while “the voice of the shofar” is one more. The passage continues: “And when the voice of the shofar grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him by a voice” (Exodus 19:19). Along with the three previous voices, the second shofar and the voice with which God answered Moses amount to a total of five voices at the revelation at Sinai.

אִינִּי? וְהָא כְּתִיב ״וְכׇל הָעָם רוֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת״! The Gemara asks: Is this so? Isn’t it also written: “And the whole nation saw the voices and the torches and the sound of the shofar” (Exodus 20:15)? Clearly more than five voices are mentioned with regard to the revelation at Sinai.

אוֹתָן קוֹלוֹת, דְּקוֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה הֲווֹ. The Gemara answers: Those voices were sounded prior to the giving of the Torah, so they are not included in this calculation of voices.

רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ אָמַר: כְּאִילּוּ הִקְרִיב תּוֹדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מְבִאִים תּוֹדָה בֵּית ה׳״. רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: כְּאִילּוּ בָּנָה אַחַת מֵחוּרְבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כִּי אָשִׁיב אֶת שְׁבוּת הָאָרֶץ כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה אָמַר ה׳״. Rabbi Abbahu said: The reward for causing a groom to rejoice is the same as if one had offered a thanks-offering in the Temple, for as it is stated later in the previously cited verse from Jeremiah: “Those who bring a thanks-offering to the house of the Lord.”
And Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The reward for causing a groom to rejoice is the same as if one rebuilt one of Jerusalem’s ruins, as it is stated later in the same verse: “For I will restore the captivity of the land as it was in the beginning.”

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל אָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם — דְּבָרָיו נִשְׁמָעִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״סוֹף דָּבָר הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים יְרָא וְגוֹ׳״. And Rabbi Ḥelbo said that Rav Huna said: Any person who has the fear of Heaven, his words are heeded, as it is stated: “The end of the matter, all having been heard: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is all of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The Gemara explains: “The end of the matter, all having been heard,” refers to the words of one “who keeps His commandments; for this is all of man.”

מַאי ״כִּי זֶה כׇּל הָאָדָם״? אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ לֹא נִבְרָא אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה. With regard to the end of this verse, the Gemara asks: What is meant by, “for this is all of man”? Rabbi Elazar said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said about him: The entire world was created only for this person. This is the ultimate person for which all of man was created.

רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כָּהֲנָא אָמַר: שָׁקוּל זֶה כְּנֶגֶד כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר: כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ לֹא נִבְרָא אֶלָּא לִצְווֹת לָזֶה. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The end of this verse teaches that this is equivalent to the entire world, all of man.
Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai, and some say Rabbi Shimon ben Zoma, says: Not only is he the equivalent of the entire world, but the entire world was created to serve as companions for him, so that he would have a society in which to live and with which to interact.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ בַּחֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁהוּא רָגִיל לִיתֵּן לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, יַקְדִּים לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בַּקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם וְרׇדְפֵהוּ״. וְאִם נָתַן לוֹ וְלֹא הֶחֱזִיר — נִקְרָא ״גַּזְלָן״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאַתֶּם בִּעַרְתֶּם הַכֶּרֶם גְּזֵלַת הֶעָנִי בְּבָתֵּיכֶם״. And Rabbi Ḥelbo said that Rav Huna said: One who is aware that another person is accustomed to greet him is not only obligated to return his greeting, but he must greet him first, as it is stated: “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalms 34:15). If the other person extended his greeting to him and he did not respond, he is called a robber, as it is stated: “It is you who have eaten up the vineyard, the spoils of the poor is in your houses” (Isaiah 3:14). The only way to steal from a pauper who owns nothing is to rob him of his dignity by refusing to return his greeting.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִנַּיִן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי״, ״תְּפִלָּתָם״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״תְּפִלָּתִי״, מִכָּאן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל. Along the same lines, Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, prays? As it is stated: “I will bring them to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in the house of My prayer” (Isaiah 56:7). The verse does not say the house of their prayer, but rather, “the house of My prayer”; from here we see that the Holy One, Blessed be He, prays.

מַאי מְצַלֵּי? The Gemara asks: What does God pray?

אָמַר רַב זוּטְרָא בַּר טוֹבִיָּה, אָמַר רַב: ״יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנַי שֶׁיִּכְבְּשׁוּ רַחֲמַי אֶת כַּעֲסִי, וְיִגּוֹלּוּ רַחֲמַי עַל מִדּוֹתַי, וְאֶתְנַהֵג עִם בָּנַי בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמִים, וְאֶכָּנֵס לָהֶם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין״. Rav Zutra bar Tovia said that Rav said:
God says: May it be My will that My mercy will overcome My anger towards Israel for their transgressions,
and may My mercy prevail over My other attributes through which Israel is punished,
and may I conduct myself toward My children, Israel, with the attribute of mercy,
and may I enter before them beyond the letter of the law.

תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אֱלִישָׁע: פַּעַם אַחַת, נִכְנַסְתִּי לְהַקְטִיר קְטוֹרֶת לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים, וְרָאִיתִי אַכְתְּרִיאֵל יָהּ ה׳ צְבָאוֹת, שֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא, וְאָמַר לִי: ״יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנִי, בָּרְכֵנִי!״ אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: ״יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, שֶׁיִּכְבְּשׁוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ אֶת כַּעַסְךָ, וְיִגּוֹלּוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ עַל מִדּוֹתֶיךָ, וְתִתְנַהֵג עִם בָּנֶיךָ בְּמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים, וְתִכָּנֵס לָהֶם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין״. וְנִעְנַע לִי בְּרֹאשׁוֹ. וְקָמַשְׁמַע לַן, שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא בִּרְכַּת הֶדְיוֹט קַלָּה בְּעֵינֶיךָ. Similarly, it was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha, the High Priest, said: Once, on Yom Kippur, I entered the innermost sanctum, the Holy of Holies, to offer incense, and in a vision I saw Akatriel Ya, the Lord of Hosts, one of the names of God expressing His ultimate authority, seated upon a high and exalted throne (see Isaiah 6).
And He said to me: Yishmael, My son, bless Me.
I said to Him the prayer that God prays: “May it be Your will that Your mercy overcome Your anger,
and may Your mercy prevail over Your other attributes,
and may You act toward Your children with the attribute of mercy,
and may You enter before them beyond the letter of the law.”
The Holy One, Blessed be He, nodded His head and accepted the blessing. This event teaches us that you should not take the blessing of an ordinary person lightly. If God asked for and accepted a man’s blessing, all the more so that a man must value the blessing of another man.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין מְרַצִּין לוֹ לְאָדָם בִּשְׁעַת כַּעְסוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״פָּנַי יֵלֵכוּ וַהֲנִחֹתִי לָךְ״. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: הַמְתֵּן לִי עַד שֶׁיַּעַבְרוּ פָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם וְאָנִיחַ לְךָ. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: From where is it derived that one must not placate a person while he is in the throes of his anger, rather he should mollify him after he has calmed down? As it is written, when following the sin of the Golden Calf, Moses requested that the Divine Presence rest upon Israel as it had previously, God said to him: “My face will go, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14). Rabbi Yoḥanan explained: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Wait until My face of wrath will pass and I will grant your request. One must wait for a person’s anger to pass as well.

וּמִי אִיכָּא רִתְחָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא? The Gemara asks: And is there anger before the Holy One, Blessed be He? Can we speak of God using terms like anger?

אִין, דְּתַנְיָא ״וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם״. The Gemara answers: Yes, as it was taught in a baraita, God becomes angry, as it is stated: “God vindicates the righteous, God is furious every day” (Psalms 7:12).

וְכַמָּה זַעְמוֹ — רֶגַע. וְכַמָּה רֶגַע — אֶחָד מֵחֲמֵשֶׁת רִבּוֹא וּשְׁמוֹנַת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת וּשְׁמֹנִים וּשְׁמֹנָה בְּשָׁעָה, וְזוֹ הִיא רֶגַע. וְאֵין כָּל בְּרִיָּה יְכוֹלָה לְכַוֵּין אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, חוּץ מִבִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: ״וְיוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן״. How much time does His anger last? God’s anger lasts a moment. And how long is a moment? One fifty-eight thousand, eight hundred and eighty-eighth of an hour, that is a moment. The Gemara adds: And no creature can precisely determine that moment when God becomes angry, except for Balaam the wicked, about whom it is written: “He who knows the knowledge of the Most High” (Numbers 24:16).

הַשְׁתָּא דַּעַת בְּהֶמְתּוֹ לֹא הֲוָה יָדַע, דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן הֲוָה יָדַע? This should not be understood to mean that Balaam was a full-fledged prophet. Now, clearly, Balaam did not know the mind of his animal; and he did know the mind of the Most High? If he could not understand the rebuke of his donkey, he was certainly unable to understand the mind of the Most High.

אֶלָּא, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ לְכַוֵּין אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כּוֹעֵס בָּהּ. Rather, this verse from Numbers teaches that Balaam was able to precisely determine the hour that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is angry. At that moment, Balaam would utter his curse and, through God’s anger, it would be fulfilled.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר לְהוּ נָבִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: ״עַמִּי זְכָר נָא מַה יָּעַץ בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב וְגוֹ׳״. מַאי ״לְמַעַן דַּעַת צִדְקוֹת ה׳״? And that is what the prophet said to Israel: “My nation, remember what Balak king of Moab advised, and how Balaam, son of Beor, responded; from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord” (Micah 6:5). What is meant by the statement: “So that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord”?

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: דְּעוּ כַּמָּה צְדָקוֹת עָשִׂיתִי עִמָּכֶם שֶׁלֹּא כָּעַסְתִּי בִּימֵי בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע, שֶׁאִלְמָלֵי כָּעַסְתִּי — לֹא נִשְׁתַּיֵּיר מִשּׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׂרִיד וּפָלִיט. Rabbi Elazar said that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel: Know how many acts of kindness I performed on your behalf, that I did not become angry during the days of Balaam the wicked, for had I become angry, there would have been no remnant or survivor remaining among the enemies of Israel, a euphemism for Israel itself. Instead, God restrained His anger and Balaam’s curse went unfulfilled.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר לֵיהּ בִּלְעָם לְבָלָק: ״מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל וּמָה אֶזְעֹם לֹא זָעַם ה׳״, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל אוֹתָן הַיָּמִים לֹא זָעַם. And that is what Balaam said to Balak: “How can I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I condemn whom God has not condemned?” (Numbers 23:8). This verse teaches that all those days, God was not angry.

וְכַמָּה זַעְמוֹ — רֶגַע. וְכַמָּה רֶגַע? אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי אֲבִינָא: רֶגַע כְּמֵימְרֵיהּ. And how long does His anger last? God’s anger lasts a moment. And how long is a moment? Rabbi Avin, and some say Rabbi Avina, said: A moment lasts as long as it takes to say it [rega].

וּמְנָא לָן דְּרֶגַע רָתַח? — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי רֶגַע בְּאַפּוֹ חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ״. וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא מֵהָכָא: ״חֲבִי כִּמְעַט רֶגַע עַד יַעֲבׇר זָעַם״. From where do we derive that God is only angry for a moment? As it is stated: “His anger is but for a moment, His favor, for a lifetime” (Psalms 30:6). And if you wish, say instead, from here, as it is stated: “Hide yourself for a brief moment, until the anger passes” (Isaiah 26:20), meaning that God’s anger passes in a mere moment.

וְאֵימַת רָתַח? אָמַר אַבַּיֵי: בְּהָנָךְ תְּלָת שָׁעֵי קַמָּיָיתָא כִּי חִיוָּרָא כַּרְבַּלְתָּא דְתַרְנְגוֹלָא וְקָאֵי אַחַד כַּרְעָא. The Gemara asks: When is the Holy One, Blessed be He, angry? Abaye said: God’s anger is revealed through animals. During the first three hours of the day, when the sun whitens the crest of the rooster and it stands on one leg. When it appears that its life has left him and he suddenly turns white, that is when God is angry.

כֹּל שַׁעְתָּא וְשַׁעְתָּא נָמֵי קָאֵי הָכִי? The Gemara asks: The rooster also stands that way every hour. What kind of sign is this?

כֹּל שַׁעְתָּא — אִית בֵּיהּ שׁוּרְיָיקֵי סוּמָּקֵי, בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא לֵית בֵּיהּ שׁוּרְיָיקֵי סוּמָּקֵי. The Gemara answers: The difference is that every other hour when the rooster stands in that way, there are red streaks in his crest. But when God is angry, there are no red streaks in his crest.

הַהוּא מִינָא דַּהֲוָה בְּשִׁבְבוּתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, הֲוָה קָא מְצַעֵר לֵיהּ טוּבָא בִּקְרָאֵי. יוֹמָא חַד שְׁקַל תַּרְנְגוֹלָא, וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ בֵּין כַּרְעֵיהּ דְּעַרְסָא, וְעַיֵּין בֵּיהּ, סְבַר: כִּי מָטָא הַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, אֶלְטְיֵיהּ. כִּי מְטָא הַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא — נָיֵים. אֲמַר: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ, לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמֶעְבַּד הָכִי. ״וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו״ כְּתִיב. The Gemara relates: A certain heretic who was in Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s neighborhood would upset him by incessantly challenging the legitimacy of verses. One day, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi took a rooster and placed it between the legs of the bed upon which he sat and looked at it. He thought: When the moment of God’s anger arrives, I will curse him and be rid of him. When the moment of God’s anger arrived, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi slept. When he woke up, he said to himself: Conclude from the fact that I nodded off that it is not proper conduct to do so, to curse people, even if they are wicked. “His mercy is over all His creations” (Psalms 145:9) is written even with regard to sinners.

וּכְתִיב: ״גַּם עָנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא טוֹב״. Moreover, it is inappropriate to cause the punishment of another, as it is written: “Punishment, even for the righteous, is not good” (Proverbs 17:26), even for a righteous person, it is improper to punish another.

תָּנָא, מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת, וְכָל מַלְכֵי מִזְרָח וּמַעֲרָב מַנִּיחִים כִּתְרֵיהֶם בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לַחַמָּה, מִיָּד כּוֹעֵס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. Explaining the cause of God’s anger, it is taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: When the sun rises and the kings of the East and the West place their crowns on their heads and bow down to the sun, the Holy One, Blessed be He, immediately grows angry. Since this occurs in the early hours every day, God becomes angry at His world at that moment every day.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: טוֹבָה מַרְדּוּת אַחַת בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם יוֹתֵר מִכַּמָּה מַלְקֻיוֹת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְרִדְּפָה אֶת מְאַהֲבֶיהָ וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמְרָה אֵלְכָה וְאָשׁוּבָה אֶל אִישִׁי הָרִאשׁוֹן כִּי טוֹב לִי אָז מֵעָתָּה״. וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר, יוֹתֵר מִמֵּאָה מַלְקֻיוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תֵּחַת גְּעָרָה בְמֵבִין מֵהַכּוֹת כְּסִיל מֵאָה״. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: A single regret or pang of guilt in one’s heart is preferable to many lashes administered by others that cause only physical pain, as it is stated: “And she chases her lovers, but she does not overtake them; she seeks them, but she will not find them; and she will say ‘I will go and return to my first husband; for it was better for me then than now’” (Hosea 2:9). Remorse is more effective than any externally imposed punishment listed in the verses that follow (Hosea 2:11–19). And Reish Lakish said that in the Bible, it seems that such remorse is preferable to one hundred lashes, as it is stated: “A rebuke enters deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred lashes to a fool” (Proverbs 17:10).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים בִּקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה מִלִּפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְנָתַן לוֹ. בִּקֵּשׁ שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנָתַן לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֲלוֹא בְּלֶכְתְּךָ עִמָּנוּ״. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yosei regarding Moses’ request that the Divine Presence rest upon Israel as it once had: Moses requested three things from the Holy One, Blessed be He, at that time, all of which were granted him. He requested that the Divine Presence rest upon Israel and not leave, and He granted it to him, as it is stated: “For how can it be known that I have found grace in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not in that You go with us, so that we are distinguished, I and Your people, from all the people that are on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:16). The request: Is it not in that You go with us, refers to the resting of the Divine Presence upon Israel.

בִּקֵּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָה עַל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, וְנָתַן לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנִפְלִינוּ אֲנִי וְעַמְּךָ״. Moses requested that the Divine Presence not rest upon the nations of the world, and He granted it to him, as it is stated: “So that we are distinguished, I and Your people, from all the people on the face of the earth” (Exodus 33:16).

בִּקֵּשׁ לְהוֹדִיעוֹ דְּרָכָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְנָתַן לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הוֹדִיעֵנִי נָא אֶת דְּרָכֶיךָ״, אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! מִפְּנֵי מָה יֵשׁ צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ, וְיֵשׁ צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ, יֵשׁ רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ, וְיֵשׁ רָשָׁע וְרַע לוֹ? אָמַר לוֹ: מֹשֶׁה, צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ — צַדִּיק בֶּן צַדִּיק. צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ — צַדִּיק בֶּן רָשָׁע. רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ — רָשָׁע בֶּן צַדִּיק. רָשָׁע וְרַע לוֹ — רָשָׁע בֶּן רָשָׁע. Lastly, Moses requested that the ways in which God conducts the world be revealed to him, and He granted it to him, as it is stated: “Show me Your ways and I will know You” (Exodus 33:13).
Moses said before God: Master of the Universe. Why is it that the righteous prosper, the righteous suffer, the wicked prosper, the wicked suffer?
God said to him: Moses, the righteous person who prospers is a righteous person, the son of a righteous person, who is rewarded for the actions of his ancestors. The righteous person who suffers is a righteous person, the son of a wicked person, who is punished for the transgressions of his ancestors. The wicked person who prospers is a wicked person, the son of a righteous person, who is rewarded for the actions of his ancestors. The wicked person who suffers is a wicked person, the son of a wicked person, who is punished for the transgressions of his ancestors.

אָמַר מָר: צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ — צַדִּיק בֶּן צַדִּיק, צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ — צַדִּיק בֶּן רָשָׁע. אִינִּי? וְהָא כְּתִיב: ״פֹּקֵד עֲוֹן אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים״, וּכְתִיב: ״וּבָנִים לֹא יוּמְתוּ עַל אָבוֹת״, וְרָמֵינַן קְרָאֵי אַהֲדָדֵי, The Gemara expands upon these righteous and wicked individuals: The Master said: The righteous person who prospers is a righteous person, the son of a righteous person. The righteous person who suffers is a righteous person, the son of a wicked person. The Gemara asks: Is it so that one is always punished for his ancestors’ transgressions? Isn’t it written: “He visits iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and fourth generations” (Exodus 34:7). And it is written elsewhere: “Fathers shall not die for their children, and children shall not be put to death for the fathers; every man shall die for his own transgression” (Deuteronomy 24:16). And the Gemara raises a contradiction between the two verses.

וּמְשַׁנֵּינַן: לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא — כְּשֶׁאוֹחֲזִין מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם בִּידֵיהֶם, הָא — כְּשֶׁאֵין אוֹחֲזִין מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם בִּידֵיהֶם. The Gemara resolves the contradiction: This is not difficult. This verse from Exodus, which states that God punishes descendants for the transgressions of their ancestors, refers to a case where they adopt the actions of their ancestors as their own. While this verse from Deuteronomy, which states that descendants are not punished for the actions of their ancestors, refers to a case where they do not adopt the actions of their ancestors as their own, as it is stated: “I visit iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and fourth generations of my enemies” (Exodus 20:5).

אֶלָּא, הָכִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ: צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ — צַדִּיק גָּמוּר, צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ — צַדִּיק שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּמוּר, רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ — רָשָׁע שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּמוּר, רָשָׁע וְרַע לוֹ — רָשָׁע גָּמוּר. A righteous person is clearly not punished for the transgressions of his ancestors. Rather, it must be that God said to Moses as follows:
The righteous person who prospers is a completely righteous person whose actions are entirely good and whose reward is entirely good both in this world and in the World-to-Come.
The righteous person who suffers is one who is not a completely righteous person. Because he does have some transgressions, he is punished in this world so that he will receive a complete reward in the World-to-Come.
The wicked person who prospers is one who is not a completely wicked person. God rewards him in this world for the good deeds that he performed, so that he will receive a complete punishment in the World-to-Come.
Finally, the wicked person who suffers is a completely wicked person. Since he performed absolutely no mitzvot and deserves no reward, he receives only punishment both in this world and in the World-to-Come (Maharsha).

וּפְלִיגָא דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר: שְׁתַּיִם נָתְנוּ לוֹ וְאַחַת לֹא נָתְנוּ לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחוֹן״ — אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן, ״וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם״ — אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן. Rabbi Yoḥanan’s opinion, that God granted Moses all three of his requests, disagrees with that of Rabbi Meir, as Rabbi Meir said: Two of Moses’ requests were granted to him, and one was not granted to him. God granted him that the Divine Presence would rest upon Israel and not leave, and that the Divine Presence would not rest upon the nations of the world, but God did not reveal to Moses the ways in which He conducts the world. As it is said: “And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious” (Exodus 33:19); in His mercy, God bestows His grace upon every person, even though he is not worthy. Similarly, God says: “And I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy,” even though he is not worthy. According to Rabbi Meir, the way in which God conducts the world and bestows grace and mercy was not revealed even to Moses.

״וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא תוּכַל לִרְאוֹת אֶת פָּנָי״, תָּנָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה, כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: כְּשֶׁרָצִיתִי — לֹא רָצִיתָ, עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה — אֵינִי רוֹצֶה. The Gemara continues to cite the Sages’ explanation of verses that require clarification on the same topic. With regard to God’s statement to Moses, “And He said: ‘You cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live’” (Exodus 33:20), it was taught in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses as follows: When I wanted to show you My glory at the burning bush, you did not want to see it, as it is stated: “And Moses concealed his face, fearing to gaze upon God” (Exodus 3:6). But now that you want to see My glory, as you said: “Show me Your glory,” I do not want to show it to you. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa interprets Moses’ initial refusal to look upon God’s glory negatively, as he rebuffed God’s desire to be close to him.

וּפְלִיגָא דְּרַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: בִּשְׂכַר שָׁלֹשׁ זָכָה לְשָׁלֹשׁ. This disagrees with that which Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Specifically as a reward for three acts of humility in averting his glance at the burning bush, Moses was privileged to experience three great revelations:

בִּשְׂכַר ״וַיַּסְתֵּר מֹשֶׁה פָּנָיו״ — זָכָה לִקְלַסְתֵּר פָּנִים. בִּשְׂכַר ״כִּי יָרֵא״ — זָכָה לְ״וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו״. בִּשְׂכַר ״מֵהַבִּיט״ — זָכָה לְ״וּתְמֻנַת ה׳ יַבִּיט״. Because “Moses concealed his face, fearing to gaze upon God” (Exodus 3:6), he was privileged to have his countenance [kelaster] glow.
Because he “feared,” he was privileged that “they feared to approach him” (Exodus 34:30).
Because he did not “gaze,” he was privileged to “behold the likeness of the Lord” (Numbers 12:8).

״וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת כַּפִּי וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחֹרָי״. אָמַר רַב חָנָא בַּר בִּיזְנָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן חֲסִידָא: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֶרְאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל תְּפִילִּין. What did Moses see? It is said: “And I will remove My hand, and you will see My back, but My face you will not see” (Exodus 33:23). Rav Ḥana bar Bizna said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida, the expression: “And you will see My back,” should be understood as follows: This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, Who, as mentioned above, wears phylacteries, showed him the knot of the phylacteries of His head, which is worn on the back of the head.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר שֶׁיָּצָא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְטוֹבָה, אֲפִילּוּ עַל תְּנַאי — לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ. On this subject, Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: Every statement to a person or to a nation that emerged from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, with a promise of good, even if it was conditional, He did not renege on it. Ultimately, every promise made by God will be fulfilled.

מְנָא לָן — מִמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי וְאַשְׁמִידֵם וְגוֹ׳ וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי עָצוּם״. אַף עַל גַּב דִּבְעָא מֹשֶׁה רַחֲמֵי עֲלַהּ דְּמִלְּתָא וּבַטְּלַהּ, אֲפִילּוּ הָכִי — אוֹקְמַהּ בְּזַרְעֵיהּ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה גֵּרְשׁוֹם וֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר. וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי אֱלִיעֶזֶר רְחַבְיָה הָרֹאשׁ וְגוֹ׳ וּבְנֵי רְחַבְיָה רָבוּ לְמָעְלָה וְגוֹ׳״. From where do we derive that all of God’s promises are fulfilled? We know this from Moses our teacher, as God promised and said: “Leave Me alone; I will destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make from you a nation mightier and greater than they” (Deuteronomy 9:14). Even though Moses prayed to have the decree repealed, and it was nullified, the promise was fulfilled and Moses’ descendants became a nation mightier and greater than the 600,000 Israelites in the desert. As it is stated with regard to the Levites: “The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer…and the sons of Eliezer were Reḥaviya the chief. And Eliezer had no other sons; and the sons of Reḥaviya were very many” (I Chronicles 23:15–17).

וְתָנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף: ״לְמַעְלָה״ — מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, אַתְיָא ״רְבִיָּה״ ״רְבִיָּה״. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״רָבוּ לְמַעְלָה״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ״. And Rav Yosef taught in a baraita: “Many” means more than 600,000. This is learned through a verbal analogy between the words many and many. It is written here with regard to Reḥaviya’s sons: “Were very many.” And it is written there with regard to the Israelites in Egypt: “And the children of Israel became numerous and multiplied and were very many, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7). Just as when the children of Israel were in Egypt, very many meant that there were 600,000 of them, so too the descendants of Reḥaviya were 600,000.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, לֹא הָיָה אָדָם שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ״אָדוֹן״, עַד שֶׁבָּא אַבְרָהָם וּקְרָאוֹ אָדוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהִים בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה״. Until now, the Gemara has cited statements made by Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of the tanna, Rabbi Yosei. Now, the Gemara begins to cite what Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: From the day that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world there was no person who called him “Lord” until Abraham came and called him Lord. As it is stated: “And he said, ‘My Lord, God, by what shall I know that I will inherit it?’” (Genesis 15:8).

אָמַר רַב: אַף דָּנִיאֵל לֹא נַעֲנָה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶל תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶל תַּחֲנוּנָיו וְהָאֵר פָּנֶיךָ עַל מִקְדָּשְׁךָ הַשָּׁמֵם לְמַעַן אֲדֹנָי״, ״לְמַעַנְךָ״ מִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ. The Gemara cites another statement extolling that virtue of Abraham is mentioned, as Rav said: Even Daniel’s prayers were only answered on account of Abraham, as it is stated: “And now listen, God, to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication; and cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate Temple, for the sake of the Lord” (Daniel 9:17). The verse should have said: And cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate Temple, for Your sake, as Daniel was addressing the Lord.

אֶלָּא — לְמַעַן אַבְרָהָם שֶׁקְּרָאֲךָ ״אָדוֹן״. Rather, this verse contains an allusion that the prayer should be accepted for the sake of Abraham, who called You, Lord. Daniel utilized that name of God in order to evoke Abraham’s virtue and enhance his prayer.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין מְרַצִּין לוֹ לָאָדָם בִּשְׁעַת כַּעֲסוֹ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״פָּנַי יֵלֵכוּ וַהֲנִחוֹתִי לָךְ״. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: From where is it derived that one must not placate a person while the person in the throes of his anger? As it is stated: “My face will go, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ לֹא הָיָה אָדָם שֶׁהוֹדָה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עַד שֶׁבָּאתָה לֵאָה וְהוֹדַתּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַפַּעַם אוֹדֶה אֶת ה׳״. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: From the day the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world, no one thanked the Holy One, Blessed be He, until Leah came and thanked Him, as it is stated: “And she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and she said, ‘This time I will give thanks to God,’ and thus he was called Judah” (Genesis 29:35).

רְאוּבֵן. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אָמְרָה לֵאָה: רְאוּ מָה בֵּין בְּנִי לְבֶן חָמִי. דְּאִילּוּ בֶּן חָמִי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּמִדַּעְתֵּיהּ זַבְּנַיהּ לִבְכֵירוּתֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּמְכֹּר אֶת בְּכֹרָתוֹ לְיַעֲקֹב״, חֲזוֹ מָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ: ״וַיִּשְׂטֹם עֵשָׂו אֶת יַעֲקֹב״. Tangential to the mention of Leah’s son, Judah, and the reason for his name, the Gemara explains the sources for other names, including Reuben. Rabbi Elazar said: Reuben’s name should be considered a prophecy by Leah, as Leah said: See [re’u] the difference between my son [beni] and the son of my father-in-law, Esau, son of Isaac. Even though Esau knowingly sold his birthright to his brother Jacob, as it is written: “And he sold his birthright to Jacob” (Genesis 25:33), nonetheless, behold what is written about him: “And Esau hated Jacob” (Genesis 27:41).

וּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר הֲכִי קָרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי זֶה פַעֲמַיִם״ וְגוֹ׳. Esau was not only angry over Isaac’s blessing, but he was angry about another matter as well, as it is written: “And he said, ‘Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me twice? He took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing’” (Genesis 27:36). Despite having sold his birthright, he refused to relinquish it.

וְאִילּוּ בְּנִי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּעַל כֻּרְחֵיהּ שַׁקְלֵיהּ יוֹסֵף לִבְכֵירוּתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וּבְחַלְּלוֹ יְצוּעֵי אָבִיו נִתְּנָה בְּכֹרָתוֹ לִבְנֵי יוֹסֵף״, אֲפִילּוּ הָכִי — לָא אִקַּנֵּא בֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּשְׁמַע רְאוּבֵן וַיַּצִּלֵהוּ מִיָּדָם״. While my son, Reuben, even though Joseph took his birthright from him by force, as it is written: “And the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, for he was the firstborn; but, since he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, son of Israel” (I Chronicles 5:1). Nevertheless, he was not jealous of him, as it is written when Joseph’s brothers sought to kill him: “And Reuben heard and he saved him from their hands, saying ‘Let us not take his life’” (Genesis 37:21).

רוּת, מַאי ״רוּת״? אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שֶׁזָּכְתָה וְיָצָא מִמֶּנָּה דָּוִד שֶׁרִיוָּהוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת. Continuing on the topic of names, the Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the name Ruth? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: That she had the privilege that David, who inundated the Holy One, Blessed be He, with songs and praises, would descend from her. The name Ruth [Rut] is etymologically similar in Hebrew to the word inundate [riva].

מְנָא לַן דִּשְׁמָא גָּרֵים? אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, דְּאָמַר קְרָא: ״לְכוּ חֲזוּ מִפְעֲלוֹת ה׳ אֲשֶׁר שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת בָּאָרֶץ״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שַׁמּוֹת״ אֶלָּא ״שֵׁמוֹת״. Regarding the basic assumption that these homiletic interpretations of names are allusions to one’s future, the Gemara asks: From where do we derive that the name affects one’s life? Rabbi Eliezer said that the verse says: “Go, see the works of the Lord, who has made desolations [shamot] upon the earth” (Psalms 46:9). Do not read the word as shamot, rather as shemot, names. The names given to people are, therefore, “the works of the Lord upon the earth.”

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: קָשָׁה תַּרְבּוּת רָעָה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם יוֹתֵר מִמִּלְחֶמֶת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד בְּבָרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּנוֹ״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״ה׳ מָה רַבּוּ צָרָי רַבִּים קָמִים עָלָי״, וְאִילּוּ גַּבֵּי מִלְחֶמֶת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג, כְּתִיב: ״לָמָּה רָגְשׁוּ גוֹיִם וּלְאֻמִּים יֶהְגּוּ רִיק״. וְאִילּוּ ״מָה רַבּוּ צָרָי״ לָא כְּתִיב. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said other aggadic statements in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: The existence of wayward children in a person’s home is more troublesome than the war of Gog and Magog, the ultimate war, the climax of the travails of Messianic times. As it is stated: “A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son, Absalom” (Psalms 3:1). And it is written thereafter: “Lord, how numerous are my enemies, many have risen against me” (Psalms 3:2). While concerning the war of Gog and Magog, which is alluded to in the second chapter of Psalms, it is written: “Why are the nations in an uproar? And why do the peoples speak for naught? The kings of the earth stand up and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed…He that sits in heaven laughs, the Lord mocks them” (Psalms 2:1–4). Yet in this chapter describing the war of Gog and Magog “how numerous are my enemies” is not written, as it is not as difficult as raising a wayward son like Absalom.

״מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד בְּבָרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּנוֹ״, ״מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד״?! ״קִינָה לְדָוִד״ מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ! Regarding the opening phrase of the psalm, which serves as its title, the Gemara wonders: It is said: “A Psalm of David, when fleeing his son, Absalom.” A Psalm of David? It should have said: A lament of David.

אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֲבִישָׁלוֹם: מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? — לְאָדָם שֶׁיָּצָא עָלָיו שְׁטַר חוֹב. קוֹדֶם שֶׁפְּרָעוֹ הָיָה עָצֵב, לְאַחַר שֶׁפְּרָעוֹ שָׂמַח. Rabbi Shimon ben Avishalom said a parable: To what is this similar? It is similar to a person about whom a promissory note was issued stating that he must repay a debt to the lender. Before he repaid it, he was despondent, worried how he will manage to repay the debt. After he repaid it, he was glad.

אַף כֵּן דָּוִד, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: ״הִנְנִי מֵקִים עָלֶיךָ רָעָה מִבֵּיתֶךָ״, הָיָה עָצֵב, אָמַר: שֶׁמָּא עֶבֶד אוֹ מַמְזֵר הוּא, דְּלָא חָיֵיס עֲלַי. כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזָא דְּאַבְשָׁלוֹם הוּא — שָׂמַח. מִשּׁוּם הָכִי אֲמַר ״מִזְמוֹר״. So too was the case with David. When the Holy One, Blessed be He, told him, through Natan the prophet, after the incident with Bathsheba, “Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your house” (II Samuel 12:11), David was despondent. He said: Perhaps it will be a slave or a mamzer who will rise up in my house, a person of such lowly status, who will have no pity on me. But once David saw that Absalom was the one through whom the prophecy was to be fulfilled, he rejoiced, as he was certain that Absalom would show him mercy. That is why David said a psalm, not a lament, thanking God for punishing him in the least severe manner possible.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: מוּתָּר לְהִתְגָּרוֹת בִּרְשָׁעִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עֹזְבֵי תוֹרָה יְהַלְלוּ רָשָׁע וְשֹׁמְרֵי תוֹרָה יִתְגָּרוּ בָם״. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: One is permitted to provoke the wicked in this world. Though the ways of the wicked prosper, one is still permitted to provoke them and need not fear (Maharsha), as it is stated: “Those who abandon the Torah will praise wickedness, and the keepers of the Torah will fight them” (Proverbs 28:4).

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי, רַבִּי דּוֹסְתַּאי בְּרַבִּי מָתוּן אוֹמֵר: מוּתָּר לְהִתְגָּרוֹת בִּרְשָׁעִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עֹזְבֵי תוֹרָה יְהַלְלוּ רָשָׁע״ וְגוֹ׳. וְאִם לְחָשְׁךָ אָדָם לוֹמַר: וְהָא כְּתִיב ״אַל תִּתְחַר בַּמְּרֵעִים אַל תְּקַנֵּא בְּעֹשֵׂי עַוְלָה״ — אֱמוֹר לוֹ: מִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ נוֹקְפוֹ אוֹמֵר כֵּן. אֶלָּא: ״אַל תִּתְחַר בִּמְרֵעִים״ — לִהְיוֹת כַּמְּרֵעִים, ״אַל תְּקַנֵּא בְּעֹשֵׂי עַוְלָה״ — לִהְיוֹת כָּעוֹשֵׂי עַוְלָה. That statement was also taught in a baraita, as Rabbi Dostai, son of Rabbi Matun, says: One is permitted to provoke the wicked in this world, as it is stated: “Those who abandon the Torah will praise wickedness, and the keepers of the Torah will fight them.” And if someone whispered to you, saying, on the contrary, isn’t it also written: “Do not compete with evil-doers, and do not envy the unjust” (Psalms 37:1), meaning that one should avoid provoking the wicked, say to him: Only one whose heart strikes him with pangs of conscience over sins that he committed says this. Rather, the true meaning of the verse is: Do not compete with evil-doers, to be like the evil-doers, and do not envy the unjust to be like the unjust.

וְאוֹמֵר: ״אַל יְקַנֵּא לִבְּךָ בַּחַטָּאִים כִּי אִם בְּיִרְאַת ה׳ כָּל הַיּוֹם״. The Gemara cites proof from another verse. And it says: “One shall not envy the unjust, but be in fear of the Lord all the day” (Proverbs 23:17). In this context, to envy means to seek to emulate the unjust.

אִינִי?! וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: אִם רָאִיתָ רָשָׁע שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה מְשַׂחֶקֶת לוֹ אַל תִּתְגָּרֶה בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יָחִילוּ דְרָכָיו בְּכָל עֵת״. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁזּוֹכֶה בַּדִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מָרוֹם מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ מִנֶּגְדּוֹ״. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁרוֹאֶה בְּצָרָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כָּל צוֹרְרָיו יָפִיחַ בָּהֶם״! From these verses in Psalms and Proverbs, it would seem that one is encouraged to provoke the wicked. The Gemara asks: Is this so? Didn’t Rabbi Yitzḥak say: If you see a wicked person upon whom the hour is smiling, do not provoke him. As long as he is enjoying good fortune, there is no point in confronting him. As it is stated: “His ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are far beyond him; as for his adversaries, he snorts at them” (Psalms 10:5). The verse teaches us that the ways of the wicked will always succeed. And not only that, but he emerges victorious in judgment, as it is stated: “Your judgments are far beyond him,” meaning that even when he is brought to justice, it does not affect him. And not only that, but he witnesses his enemies’ downfall, as it is stated: “As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.”

לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא בְּמִילֵּי דִידֵיהּ, הָא בְּמִילֵּי דִשְׁמַיָּא. To resolve this contradiction with regard to whether or not one may provoke the wicked, the Gemara offers several explanations: This is not difficult, as it can be understood that this, which says that one may not provoke the wicked, is referring to his personal matters, while that, which says that it is a mitzva to confront them, is referring to matters of Heaven.

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא הָא וְהָא בְּמִילֵּי דִשְׁמַיָּא, וְלָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בְּרָשָׁע שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה מְשַׂחֶקֶת לוֹ, הָא בְּרָשָׁע שֶׁאֵין הַשָּׁעָה מְשַׂחֶקֶת לוֹ. And if you wish, say instead that this, which says not to confront the wicked and that, which says to confront the wicked, are both referring to matters of Heaven, and, nevertheless, it is not difficult. This, which says that one may not provoke the wicked, is referring to a wicked person upon whom the hour is smiling, who is enjoying good fortune. While that, which says that it is a mitzva to confront them, is referring to a wicked person upon whom the hour is not smiling.

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: הָא וְהָא, בְּרָשָׁע שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה מְשַׂחֶקֶת לוֹ, וְלָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא, בְּצַדִּיק גָּמוּר, הָא, בְּצַדִּיק שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָמוּר. דְּאָמַר רַב הוּנָא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב, ״לָמָּה תַבִּיט בּוֹגְדִים תַּחֲרִישׁ בְּבַלַּע רָשָׁע צַדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ״, וְכִי רָשָׁע בּוֹלֵעַ צַדִּיק? וְהָא כְּתִיב: ה׳ לֹא יַעַזְבֶנּוּ בְיָדוֹ, וּכְתִיב: ״לֹא יְאֻנֶּה לַצַּדִּיק כָּל אָוֶן״. אֶלָּא: צַדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ — בּוֹלֵעַ, צַדִּיק גָּמוּר — אֵינוֹ בּוֹלֵעַ. And if you wish, say instead that this, which says not to confront and that, which says to confront, are both referring to a wicked person upon whom the hour is smiling, but the question of whether one is permitted to confront him depends on who is confronting him. And nevertheless, this is not difficult. This, which says that it is a mitzva to confront them, is referring to a completely righteous person, while this, which says that one may not confront the wicked, is referring to one who is not completely righteous, as Rav Huna said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Why do You look on those who deal treacherously and hold Your peace? When the wicked swallows the man more righteous than he?” (Habakkuk 1:13). This verse is difficult to understand. Do the wicked swallow the righteous? Isn’t it written: “The wicked looks to the righteous and seeks to kill him; the Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor allow him to be condemned when he is judged” (Psalms 37:32–33), and it is written: “No mischief shall befall the righteous” (Proverbs 12:21)? Rather, in light of these verses, the verse: “The wicked swallows the man more righteous than he” means: The man who is more righteous than he, but not completely righteous, he swallows. The completely righteous he does not swallow.

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא, שָׁעָה מְשַׂחֶקֶת לוֹ — שָׁאנֵי. And if you wish, say: In general, the wicked cannot swallow the righteous, but when the hour is smiling upon him, it is different. When the wicked are enjoying good fortune, even the righteous can be harmed (Birkat Hashem).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: כָּל הַקּוֹבֵעַ מָקוֹם לִתְפִלָּתוֹ אוֹיְבָיו נוֹפְלִים תַּחְתָּיו. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשַׂמְתִּי מָקוֹם לְעַמִּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְטַעְתִּיו וְשָׁכַן תַּחְתָּיו וְלֹא יִרְגַּז עוֹד וְלֹא יֹסִיפוּ בְנֵי עַוְלָה לְעַנּוֹתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה״. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: Setting a fixed place for prayer is so important that one who sets a fixed place for his prayer, his enemies fall beneath him, as it is said: “And I will appoint a place for My nation, Israel, and I will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place.” Through setting aside a place for prayer, they will merit to “be disturbed no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them anymore, as in the beginning” (II Samuel 7:10).

רַב הוּנָא רָמֵי כְּתִיב ״לְעַנּוֹתוֹ״, וּכְתִיב: ״לְכַלּוֹתוֹ״. This verse, cited by the Gemara, leads to an additional point. Rav Huna raised a contradiction: In the book of Samuel, in this verse it is written: “To afflict them,” while in the parallel verse in I Chronicles (17:9) it is written: “To destroy them.”

בַּתְּחִילָּה — לְעַנּוֹתוֹ, וּלְבַסּוֹף — לְכַלּוֹתוֹ. The Gemara resolves this contradiction: The enemies of Israel intend first to afflict them, and, ultimately, to destroy them entirely.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: גְּדוֹלָה שִׁמּוּשָׁהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה יוֹתֵר מִלִּמּוּדָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״פֹּה אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן שָׁפָט אֲשֶׁר יָצַק מַיִם עַל יְדֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ״. ״לָמַד״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״יָצַק״ — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁגְּדוֹלָה שִׁמּוּשָׁהּ יוֹתֵר מִלִּמּוּדָהּ. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: Service of Torah is greater than its study, i.e., serving a Torah scholar and spending time in his company is greater than learning Torah from him. Torah study is one component of a Torah life, but one who serves a Torah scholar learns about every aspect of life from his actions. This is derived from the verse that speaks in praise of Elisha, as it is stated: “Here is Elisha son of Shafat, who poured water over Elijah’s hands” (II Kings 3:11). The verse does not say that he learned from Elijah, rather that he poured water, which teaches that the service of Torah represented by Elisha pouring water over Elijah’s hands is greater than its study.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יִצְחָק לְרַב נַחְמָן: מַאי טַעְמָא לָא אָתֵי מָר לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא לְצַלּוֹיֵי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא יָכֵילְנָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לִכַּנְפִי לְמָר עַשְׂרָה וְלִיצַלֵּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: טְרִיחָא לִי מִלְּתָא. וְלֵימָא לֵיהּ מָר לִשְׁלוּחָא דְצִבּוּרָא, בְּעִידָּנָא דִּמְצַלֵּי צִבּוּרָא לֵיתֵי וְלוֹדְעֵיהּ לְמָר. As a prelude to another of the statements by Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, the Gemara relates the following incident. Rabbi Yitzḥak said to Rav Naḥman: Why did the Master not come to the synagogue to pray? Rav Naḥman said to him: I was weak and unable to come. Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him: Let the Master gather ten individuals, a prayer quorum, at your home and pray. Rav Naḥman said to him: It is difficult for me to impose upon the members of the community to come to my home to pray with me (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol). Rabbi Yitzḥak suggested another option: The Master should tell the congregation to send a messenger when the congregation is praying to come and inform the Master so you may pray at the same time.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַאי כּוּלֵּי הַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: Rav Naḥman saw that Rabbi Yitzḥak was struggling to find a way for him to engage in communal prayer. He asked: What is the reason for all this fuss? Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him: As Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai:

מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ ה׳ עֵת רָצוֹן״. אֵימָתַי עֵת רָצוֹן — בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין. What is the meaning of that which is written: “But as for me, let my prayer be unto You, Lord, in a time of favor; O God, in the abundance of Your mercy, answer me with the truth of Your salvation” (Psalms 69:14)? It appears that the individual is praying that his prayers will coincide with a special time of Divine favor. When is a time of favor? It is at the time when the congregation is praying. It is beneficial to pray together with the congregation, for God does not fail to respond to the entreaties of the congregation.

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ בְּעֵת רָצוֹן עֲנִיתִיךָ״. Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that the unique quality of communal prayer is derived from here: “Thus said the Lord, in a time of acceptance I have answered you and on a day of salvation I have aided you” (Isaiah 49:8).

רַבִּי אַחָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״הֶן אֵל כַּבִּיר וְלֹא יִמְאָס״: וּכְתִיב: ״פָּדָה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי מִקְּרָב לִי כִּי בְרַבִּים הָיוּ עִמָּדִי״. Rabbi Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that it is derived from here: “Behold, God is mighty, He despises no one” (Job 36:5). He adopts an alternative reading of the verse: “Behold, God will not despise” the prayer of “the mighty,” i.e., the community. And it is written: “He has redeemed my soul in peace so that none came upon me; for there were many with me. God shall hear and answer them…” (Psalms 55:19–20). This verse teaches that the prayer was answered because there were many with me when it was offered.

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי, רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹאֵס בִּתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל רַבִּים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֶן אֵל כַּבִּיר וְלֹא יִמְאָס״, וּכְתִיב: ״פָּדָה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי מִקְּרָב לִי״ וְגוֹ׳, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים וּמִתְפַּלֵּל עִם הַצִּבּוּר — מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עָלָיו כְּאִילּוּ פְּדָאַנִי, לִי וּלְבָנַי, מִבֵּין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. That last proof was also taught in a baraita. Rabbi Natan says: From where do we know that the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not despise the prayer of the masses? As it is stated: “Behold, God does not despise the mighty,” and it is written: “He has redeemed my soul in peace so that none came upon me; for there were many with me.” Rabbi Natan interprets this not as David speaking about himself, but as God speaking to Israel. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Anyone who engages in Torah study, which is called peace in the verse: “All its ways are peace” (Proverbs 3:17); and in acts of kindness, and prays with the congregation, I ascribe to him credit as if he redeemed Me and My children from among the nations of the world.

אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת בְּעִירוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ נִכְנָס שָׁם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, נִקְרָא ״שָׁכֵן רַע״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ עַל כָּל שְׁכֵנַי הָרָעִים הַנֹּגְעִים בַּנַּחֲלָה אֲשֶׁר הִנְחַלְתִּי אֶת עַמִּי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל״. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁגּוֹרֵם גָּלוּת לוֹ וּלְבָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִנְנִי נֹתְשָׁם מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם וְאֶת בֵּית יְהוּדָה אֶתּוֹשׁ מִתּוֹכָם״. Continuing to extol communal prayer, Reish Lakish said: One who has a synagogue nearby in his city but does not enter to pray there is called an evil neighbor, as it is stated: “Thus said the Lord: As for all My evil neighbors who touch My inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit, behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck the house of Judah up from among them” (Jeremiah 12:14). One who only touches, but does not enter the place of prayer, My inheritance, is considered an evil neighbor. And furthermore, he is punished in that he causes himself and his children to go into exile, as it is stated: “Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck the house of Judah up from among them.”

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אִיכָּא סָבֵי בְּבָבֶל. תְּמַהּ וַאֲמַר: ״לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָאֲדָמָה״ כְּתִיב, אֲבָל בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ — לָא? כֵּיוָן דְאָמְרִי לֵיהּ מְקַדְּמִי וּמְחַשְּׁכִי לְבֵי כְנִישְׁתָּא, אֲמַר: הַיְינוּ דְּאַהֲנִי לְהוּ. The Gemara relates that when the Sages told Rabbi Yoḥanan that there are elders in Babylonia, he was confounded and said: It is written: “So that your days will be lengthened and the days of your children upon the land the Lord swore to your forefathers to give to them like the days of heaven on the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21); lengthened in Eretz Yisrael but not outside of the Land. Why then, do the residents of Babylonia live long lives? When they told him that the people in Babylonia go early in the morning and go late in the evening to the synagogue, he said: That is what was effective for them in extending their lives.

דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי לִבְנֵיהּ: קַדִּימוּ וְחַשִּׁיכוּ וְעַיִּילוּ לְבֵי כְנִישְׁתָּא, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּתוֹרְכוּ חַיֵּי. אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: מַאי קְרָא — ״אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם שֹׁמֵעַ לִי לִשְׁקֹד עַל דַּלְתֹתַי יוֹם יוֹם לִשְׁמוֹר מְזוּזֹת פְּתָחָי״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״כִּי מֹצְאִי מָצָא חַיִּים״. As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to his sons: Go early and go late and enter the synagogue, so that your lives will be extended. And Rabbi Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: Upon what verse is this based? As it is stated: “Happy is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at My gates, guarding at My door posts” (Proverbs 8:34). And the reward for doing so is written thereafter: “For whoso finds Me finds life and obtains the favor of the Lord” (Proverbs 8:35).

אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: לְעוֹלָם יִכָּנֵס אָדָם שְׁנֵי פְתָחִים בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת. שְׁנֵי פְתָחִים סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ?! אֶלָּא אֵימָא, שִׁיעוּר שְׁנֵי פְתָחִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִתְפַּלֵּל. Based on this verse, Rav Ḥisda said: A person should always enter two doorways into the synagogue. This statement is unclear. Immediately, the Gemara asks: Does it enter your mind that Rav Ḥisda meant that one should enter two doorways literally? What if a synagogue only has a single doorway? Rather, emend his statement and say that Rav Ḥisda meant that one should enter a distance of two doorways into the synagogue and then pray. In entering a distance of two doorways, one fulfills the verse: Guarding at My door posts, in the plural.

״עַל זֹאת יִתְפַּלֵּל כָּל חָסִיד אֵלֶיךָ לְעֵת מְצֹא״, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: ״לְעֵת מְצֹא״ זוֹ אִשָּׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מָצָא אִשָּׁה מָצָא טוֹב״. Having mentioned the verse, “For whoso finds Me finds life,” the Gemara seeks to clarify its meaning. It is said, “For this, let every pious man pray to You in the time of finding, that the overflowing waters may not reach him” (Psalms 32:6). With regard to the phrase, the time of finding, Rabbi Ḥanina said: The time of finding refers to the time one must find a wife, that one should pray to find a suitable woman to marry. As it is said: “He who finds [matza] a wife finds [matza] good and obtains favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22).

בְּמַעְרְבָא כִּי נָסֵיב אִינָשׁ אִתְּתָא, אָמְרִי לֵיהּ הָכִי: ״מָצָא״ אוֹ ״מוֹצֵא״? ״מָצָא״ דִּכְתִיב: ״מָצָא אִשָּׁה מָצָא טוֹב וַיָּפֶק רָצוֹן מֵה׳״, ״מוֹצֵא״ דִּכְתִיב: ״וּמוֹצֶא אֲנִי מָר מִמָּוֶת אֶת הָאִשָּׁה״ וְגוֹ׳. In Eretz Yisrael, the custom was that when a man married a woman, they would ask him: Matza or motzeh? In other words, they would ask the groom whether the appropriate passage for his wife is the above verse from Proverbs that begins with the word matza, as it is written: “He who finds a wife finds good and obtains favor from the Lord” or whether the more appropriate verse is the one beginning with the word motzeh, as it is written: “And I find [motzeh] the woman more bitter than death” (Ecclesiastes 7:26).

רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: ״לְעֵת מְצֹא״ — זוֹ תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי מֹצְאִי מָצָא חַיִּים״ וְגוֹ׳. Rabbi Natan says: The time of finding refers to the time of finding Torah, as it is stated in a verse referring to Torah: “He who finds Me finds life.” The Torah is the object most sought.

רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר — ״לְעֵת מְצֹא״ זוֹ מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לַמָּוֶת תּוֹצָאוֹת״. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The time of finding refers to death. One should pray that when death comes, he will leave the world peacefully, as it is stated: “Issues [totzaot] of death” (Psalms 68:21). Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak’s statement is based on the etymological similarity between totzaot and matza, finding.

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִינֵי מִיתָה נִבְרְאוּ בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לַמָּוֶת תּוֹצָאוֹת״, ״תּוֹצָאוֹת״ בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא הָכִי הָווּ. קָשָׁה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן — אַסְכָּרָא, נִיחָא שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן — נְשִׁיקָה. אַסְכָּרָא דָּמְיָא כְּחִיזְרָא בִּגְבָבָא דְעַמְרָא דִּלְאַחוֹרֵי נַשְׁרָא, וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי כְּפִיטּוּרֵי בְּפִי וֶשֶׁט, נְשִׁיקָה דָּמְיָא כְּמִשְׁחַל בִּנִיתָא מֵחֲלָבָא. It was also taught in a baraita: Nine hundred and three types of death were created in the world, as it is stated: “Issues [totzaot] of death,” and that, 903, is the numerical value [gimatriya] of totzaot. The Gemara explains that the most difficult of all these types of death is croup [askara], while the easiest is the kiss of death. Croup is like a thorn entangled in a wool fleece, which, when pulled out backwards, tears the wool. Some say that croup is like ropes at the entrance to the esophagus, which would be nearly impossible to insert and excruciating to remove. The kiss of death is like drawing a hair from milk. One should pray that he does not die a painful death.

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: ״לְעֵת מְצֹא״ — זוֹ קְבוּרָה. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, מַאי קְרָא ״הַשְּׂמֵחִים אֱלֵי גִיל יָשִׂישׂוּ כִּי יִמְצְאוּ קָבֶר״. אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר רַב שֵׁילָא, הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: לִיבְעֵי אִינָשׁ רַחֲמֵי אֲפִילּוּ עַד זִיבּוּלָא בָּתְרָיְיתָא שְׁלָמָא. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The time of finding refers to a respectful burial, for which one should pray. Supporting Rabbi Yoḥanan’s interpretation, Rabbi Ḥanina said: What is the verse that teaches that the time of finding refers to burial? “Who rejoice in exultation and are glad when they can find a grave” (Job 3:22), as there are situations in which one is relieved when his body finds a grave in which to rest. Rabba bar Rav Sheila said, that is the meaning of the folk saying: A person should even pray for mercy until the final shovelful of dirt is thrown upon his grave.

מָר זוּטְרָא אָמַר: ״לְעֵת מְצֹא״ — זֶה בֵּית הַכִּסֵּא. אָמְרִי בְּמַעְרְבָא: הָא דְּמָר זוּטְרָא עֲדִיפָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ. Mar Zutra said: The time of finding refers to finding a lavatory. As most places did not have a sewage system, one was forced to relieve himself outside the city. Because of this unpleasantness, finding a suitable location was called by Mar Zutra, the time of finding. In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say: This explanation of Mar Zutra is preferable to all of them, as the term motza is explicitly associated in the Bible (see II Kings 10:27) with the lavatory (Rabbi Abraham Moshe Horovitz).

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַפְרָם בַּר פָּפָּא: לֵימָא לָן מָר מֵהָנֵי מִילֵּי מְעַלְּיָיתָא דְּאָמְרַתְּ מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב חִסְדָּא בְּמִילֵּי דְבֵי כְנִישְׁתָּא. Returning to the tractate’s central topic, Rava said to Rafram bar Pappa: Let the Master say to us some of those outstanding statements that you said in the name of Rav Ḥisda with regard to matters of the synagogue.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב, ״אֹהֵב ה׳ שַׁעֲרֵי צִיּוֹן מִכֹּל מִשְׁכְּנוֹת יַעֲקֹב״: אוֹהֵב ה׳ שְׁעָרִים הַמְצוּיָּינִים בַּהֲלָכָה, יוֹתֵר מִבָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּמִבָּתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת. Rafram said to him, Rav Ḥisda said as follows: What is the meaning of the verse: “The Lord loves the gates of Zion [Tziyyon] more than all the dwellings of Jacob” (Psalms 87:2)? This means that the Lord loves the gates distinguished [metzuyanim] through the study of halakha as they are the gates of Zion, the outstanding gates, more than the synagogues and study halls. Although those places are the most outstanding of the dwellings of Jacob, they are not engaged in the study of halakha.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַמֵּי מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּעוּלָּא: מִיּוֹם שֶׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ אֵין לוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעוֹלָמוֹ אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת שֶׁל הֲלָכָה בִּלְבַד. And this concept, that halakha is the most sublime pursuit, is expressed in that which Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ami said in the name of Ulla: Since the day the Temple, where the Divine Presence rested in this world, was destroyed, the Holy One, Blessed be He, has only one place in His world where he reveals His presence exclusively; only the four cubits where the study of halakha is undertaken.

וְאָמַר אַבָּיֵי: מֵרֵישׁ הֲוָה גָּרֵיסְנָא בְּגוֹ בֵּיתָא וּמְצַלֵּינָא בְּבֵי כְנִישְׁתָּא. כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁמַעְנָא לְהָא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַמֵּי מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּעוּלָּא — מִיּוֹם שֶׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ אֵין לוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעוֹלָמוֹ אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת שֶׁל הֲלָכָה בִּלְבַד — לָא הֲוָה מְצַלֵּינָא אֶלָּא הֵיכָא דְּגָרֵיסְנָא. This statement has practical ramifications. Abaye said: At first I studied in the house and prayed in the synagogue. Once I heard what Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ami said in the name of Ulla: Since the day the Temple was destroyed, the Holy One, Blessed be He, has only one place in His world, only the four cubits of halakha alone, from which I understood the significance of the four cubits of halakha, and I pray only where I study.

רַבִּי אַמֵּי וְרַבִּי אַסִּי אַף עַל גַּב דַּהֲווֹ לְהוּ תְּלֵיסַר בֵּי כְנִישְׁתָּא בִּטְבֶרְיָא לָא מְצַלּוּ אֶלָּא בֵּינֵי עַמּוּדֵי, הֵיכָא דַּהֲווֹ גָּרְסִי. Similarly, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi, despite the fact that they had thirteen synagogues in Tiberias, they would only pray between the pillars where they studied.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַמֵּי מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּעוּלָּא: גָּדוֹל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מִיגִיעוֹ יוֹתֵר מִיְּרֵא שָׁמַיִם, דְּאִילּוּ גַּבֵּי יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם כְּתִיב ״אַשְׁרֵי אִישׁ יָרֵא אֶת ה׳״, וְאִילּוּ גַּבֵּי נֶהֱנָה מִיגִיעוֹ כְּתִיב: ״יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ״. ״אַשְׁרֶיךָ״ — בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, ״וְטוֹב לָךְ״ — לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וּלְגַבֵּי יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם, ״וְטוֹב לָךְ״ לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ. And Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ami said in the name of Ulla: One who benefits from his hard labor is greater than a God-fearing person, i.e., one who is so enthralled by his fear of God that he sits idly by and does not work. As with regard to a God-fearing person, it is written: “Happy is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly desires His mitzvot” (Psalms 112:1), while with regard to one who benefits from his hard work, it is written: “By the labor of your hands you will live; you are happy and it is good for you” (Psalms 128:2). The Gemara explains this verse to mean that you are happy in this world, and it is good for you in the World-to-Come. And regarding a God-fearing person, happy is the man, is written about him but and it is good for you, is not written about him.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַמֵּי מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּעוּלָּא: לְעוֹלָם יָדוּר אָדָם בִּמְקוֹם רַבּוֹ, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁשִּׁמְעִי בֶּן גֵּרָא קַיָּים, לֹא נָשָׂא שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת בַּת פַּרְעֹה. And Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ami said in the name of Ulla: One should always live in the place where his teacher lives; thereby he will avoid sin. For as long as Shimi ben Gera, who according to tradition was a great Torah scholar and teacher of Solomon (see Gittin 59a), was alive, Solomon did not marry Pharaoh’s daughter. Immediately after the Bible relates the death of Shimi (I Kings, end of ch. 2), Solomon’s marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter is recorded (beginning of ch. 3).

וְהָתַנְיָא אַל יָדוּר! The Gemara raises an objection: Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that one should not live where his teacher lives?

לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא דִּכְיִיף לֵיהּ, הָא דְּלָא כְּיִיף לֵיהּ. The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This, which says that one should live where his teacher lives, is referring to a case where he is acquiescent to his teacher and will heed his teaching and instruction. While this baraita, which says that one should not live where his teacher lives, is referring to a case where he is not acquiescent to him and that will lead them to quarrel.

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בַּר יְהוּדָה, אָמַר רַבִּי מְנַחֵם, אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי: מַאי דִּכְתִיב, ״וְעוֹזְבֵי ה׳ יִכְלוּ״ — זֶה הַמַּנִּיחַ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה וְיוֹצֵא. The Gemara again returns to the topic of the synagogue. Rav Huna bar Yehuda said that Rabbi Menaḥem said that Rabbi Ami said: What is the practical halakhic meaning of that which is written: “They who forsake the Lord will perish” (Isaiah 1:28)? This verse refers to one who abandons the Torah scroll when it was taken out to be read and leaves the synagogue, as it appears that he is fleeing from God.

רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ נָפֵיק בֵּין גַּבְרָא לְגַבְרָא. Practically speaking, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Abbahu would go out between one person who read the Torah and the next person who did so. Since the scroll was closed between readers, it was not considered to be a show of contempt.

בָּעֵי רַב פָּפָּא: בֵּין פְּסוּקָא לִפְסוּקָא מַהוּ? Rav Pappa raised a dilemma: What is the ruling with regard to leaving between one verse and the next verse? Is one permitted to leave during a break in the Torah reading while the verse was translated into Aramaic?

תֵּיקוּ. An answer to this question was not found, so the dilemma stands unresolved.

רַב שֵׁשֶׁת מַהְדַּר אַפֵּיהּ וְגָרֵיס. אָמַר: אֲנַן בְּדִידַן וְאִינְהוּ בְּדִידְהוּ. The Gemara relates that Rav Sheshet would turn his face away from the Torah while it was being read and study. Explaining this practice, he said: We are engaged in ours, the study of the Oral Torah and they are engaged in theirs, listening to the Written Torah. Since Rav Sheshet was engaged in Torah study, he is not considered one who forsakes the Lord.

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בַּר יְהוּדָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי: לְעוֹלָם יַשְׁלִים אָדָם פָּרָשִׁיּוֹתָיו עִם הַצִּבּוּר. שְׁנַיִם מִקְרָא וְאֶחָד תַּרְגּוּם. Rav Huna bar Yehuda said that Rabbi Ami said: A person should always complete his Torah portions with the congregation. The congregation reads a particular Torah portion every Shabbat, and during the week prior to each Shabbat, one is required to read the Bible text of the weekly portion twice and the translation once.

וַאֲפִילּוּ ״עֲטָרוֹת וְדִיבֹן״. שֶׁכָּל הַמַּשְׁלִים פָּרָשִׁיּוֹתָיו עִם הַצִּבּוּר מֵאֲרִיכִין לוֹ יָמָיו וּשְׁנוֹתָיו. This applies to every verse, even a verse like: “Atarot and Divon and Yazer and Nimra and Ḥeshbon and Elaleh and Sevam and Nevo and Beon” (Numbers 32:3). While that verse is comprised entirely of names of places that are identical in Hebrew and Aramaic, one is nevertheless required to read the verse twice and its translation once, as one who completes his Torah portions with the congregation is rewarded that his days and years are extended.

רַב בִּיבִי בַּר אַבָּיֵי סָבַר לְאַשְׁלוֹמִינְהוּ לְפָרָשְׁיָיתָא דְּכֹלָּא שַׁתָּא בְּמַעֲלֵי יוֹמָא דְכִפּוּרֵי, תְּנָא לֵיהּ חִיָּיא בַּר רַב מִדִּפְתִּי: כְּתִיב: ״וְעִנִּיתֶם אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם בְּתִשְׁעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ בָּעֶרֶב״. Rav Beivai bar Abaye thought to finish all the Torah portions of the entire year, which he had been unable to complete at their appointed time, on the eve of Yom Kippur when he would have time to do so. But Ḥiyya bar Rav of Difti taught him: It is written with regard to Yom Kippur: “And you shall afflict your souls on the ninth day of the month in the evening, from evening to evening you shall keep your Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:32).

וְכִי בְּתִשְׁעָה מִתְעַנִּין?! וַהֲלֹא בַּעֲשָׂרָה מִתְעַנִּין! אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ כָּל הָאוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה בִּתְשִׁיעִי, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילּוּ מִתְעַנֶּה תְּשִׁיעִי וַעֲשִׂירִי. The Gemara wonders: And does one fast on the ninth of Tishrei? Doesn’t one fast on the tenth of Tishrei, as the Torah says at the beginning of that portion: “However, on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; there shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall afflict your souls” (Leviticus 23:27)? Rather, this verse comes to tell you: One who eats and drinks on the ninth day of Tishrei in preparation for the fast the next day, the verse ascribes him credit as if he fasted on both the ninth and the tenth of Tishrei. Ḥiyya bar Rav of Difti cited this verse to Rav Beivai bar Abaye to teach him that Yom Kippur eve is dedicated to eating and drinking, not to completing the Torah portions one may have missed throughout the year.

סָבַר לְאַקְדּוֹמִינְהוּ, אָמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא סָבָא, תְּנֵינָא: וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַקְדִּים וְשֶׁלֹּא יְאַחֵר. When Rav Beivai heard this, he thought to read the Torah portions earlier, before they were to be read by the community. A certain unnamed elder told him, we learned: As long as one does not read the Torah portions earlier or later than the congregation. One must read them together with the congregation.

כְּדַאֲמַר לְהוּ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי לִבְנֵיהּ: אַשְׁלִימוּ פָּרָשְׁיוֹתַיְיכוּ עִם הַצִּבּוּר שְׁנַיִם מִקְרָא וְאֶחָד תַּרְגּוּם. As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi told his sons: Complete your portions with the congregation, the Bible text twice and the translation once.

וְהִזָּהֲרוּ בִּוְרִידִין כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה, דִּתְנַן: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁחוֹט אֶת הַוְּרִידִין. He also advised them: Be careful with the jugular veins, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, as we learned in a mishna with regard to the laws of ritual slaughter: Rabbi Yehuda said: Cutting the trachea and esophagus in the ritual slaughter of a bird does not render the bird kosher until he slaughters the jugular veins as well. While this is not halakhically required, it is appropriate to do so to prevent significant amounts of blood from remaining in the bird.

וְהִזָּהֲרוּ בְּזָקֵן שֶׁשָּׁכַח תַּלְמוּדוֹ מֵחֲמַת אוֹנְסוֹ. דְּאָמְרִינַן: לוּחוֹת וְשִׁבְרֵי לוּחוֹת מוּנָּחוֹת בָּאָרוֹן. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi further advised: And be careful to continue to respect an elder who has forgotten his Torah knowledge due to circumstances beyond his control. Even though he is no longer a Torah scholar, he must still be respected for the Torah that he once possessed. As we say: Both the tablets of the Covenant and the broken tablets are placed in the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple. Even though the first tablets were broken, their sanctity obligates one not to treat them with contempt. An elder who forgot the Torah knowledge he once possessed is likened to these broken tablets.

אָמַר לְהוּ רָבָא לִבְנֵיהּ: כְּשֶׁאַתֶּם חוֹתְכִין בָּשָׂר, אַל תַּחְתְּכוּ עַל גַּב הַיָּד. אִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: מִשּׁוּם סַכָּנָה. וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: מִשּׁוּם קִלְקוּל סְעוּדָה. Rava said to his sons three bits of advice: When you cut meat, do not cut it on your hand. The Gemara offers two explanations for this. Some say: Due to the danger that one might accidentally cut his hand, and some say: Due to the fact that it could ruin the meal, as even if one only cut himself slightly, that small amount of blood could still spoil the meat and render it repulsive to eat.

וְאַל תֵּשְׁבוּ עַל מִטַּת אֲרַמִּית, וְאַל תַּעַבְרוּ אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין. וְאַל תֵּשְׁבוּ עַל מִטַּת אֲרַמִּית, אִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי לָא תִּגְנוֹ בְּלָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי דְּלָא תִּנְסְבוּ גִּיּוֹרְתָא. וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי, אֲרַמִּית מַמָּשׁ. And Rava also advised: Do not sit on the bed of an Aramean woman, and do not pass by a synagogue when the community is praying. The Gemara explains: Some say: Do not sit on the bed of an Aramean woman means one should not go to sleep without reciting Shema, as by doing so, it is tantamount to sleeping in the bed of a non-Jew, as his conduct is unbecoming a Jew. Others say: This means that one should not marry a woman who converted, and it is better to marry a woman who was born Jewish. And some say: It literally means that one should not sit on the bed of an Aramean, i.e., a non-Jewish woman.

וּמִשּׁוּם מַעֲשֶׂה דְרַב פָּפָּא. דְּרַב פָּפָּא אֲזַל לְגַבֵּי אֲרַמִּית, הוֹצִיאָה לוֹ מִטָּה. אָמְרָה לוֹ: שֵׁב! אָמַר לָהּ: אֵינִי יוֹשֵׁב, עַד שֶׁתַּגְבִּיהִי אֶת הַמִּטָּה. הִגְבִּיהָה אֶת הַמִּטָּה וּמָצְאוּ שָׁם תִּינוֹק מֵת. מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים: אָסוּר לֵישֵׁב עַל מִטַּת אֲרַמִּית. This bit of advice was due to an incident involving Rav Pappa. Rav Pappa went to visit an Aramean woman. She took out a bed and she said to him: Sit. He said to her: I will not sit until you lift the sheets covering the bed. She did so and they found a dead baby there. Had Rav Pappa sat upon the bed, he would have been blamed for killing the baby. From that incident, the Sages said: One is prohibited from sitting on the bed of an Aramean woman.

וְאַל תַּעַבְרוּ אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין — מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: אָסוּר לוֹ לְאָדָם שֶׁיַּעֲבוֹר אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין. And Rava’s third bit of advice was, do not pass behind a synagogue while the congregation is praying. This statement supports the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One is prohibited from passing behind a synagogue while the congregation is praying because they will suspect that he does not want to pray, and it is a show of contempt for the synagogue.

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: וְלָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלֵיכָּא פִּתְחָא אַחֲרִינָא, אֲבָל אִיכָּא פִּתְחָא אַחֲרִינָא — לֵית לָן בַּהּ. וְלָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלֵיכָּא בֵּי כְנִישְׁתָּא אַחֲרִינָא, אֲבָל אִיכָּא בֵּי כְנִישְׁתָּא אַחֲרִינָא — לֵית לָן בַּהּ. וְלָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלָא דָּרֵי טוּנָא, וְלָא רָהֵיט, וְלָא מַנַּח תְּפִילִּין, אֲבָל אִיכָּא חַד מֵהָנָךְ — לֵית לַן בַּהּ. Abaye introduced several caveats to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s statement and said:
We only said this prohibition if there is no other entrance to the synagogue, but if there is another entrance, since it is possible that he will simply use the second entrance, they will not suspect him, and the prohibition does not apply.
And we only said this prohibition if there is no other synagogue in the city, but if there is another synagogue, the prohibition does not apply.
And we only said this prohibition when he is not carrying a burden, and not running, and not wearing phylacteries. But if one of those factors applies, the prohibition does not apply. If he is carrying a burden or running, clearly he is occupied with his work. If he is wearing phylacteries, it is evident that he is a God-fearing individual and they will not suspect him.

תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים אוֹהֵב אֲנִי אֶת הַמָּדִיִּים, כְּשֶׁחוֹתְכִין אֶת הַבָּשָׂר — אֵין חוֹתְכִין אֶלָּא עַל גַּבֵּי הַשּׁוּלְחָן, כְּשֶׁנּוֹשְׁקִין — אֵין נוֹשְׁקִין אֶלָּא עַל גַּב הַיָּד, וּכְשֶׁיּוֹעֲצִין — אֵין יוֹעֲצִין אֶלָּא בַּשָּׂדֶה. The Gemara cites a statement from a baraita, along the lines of Rava’s advice to refrain from cutting meat on one’s hands: Rabbi Akiva said: In three aspects of their conduct, I like the Medes, and we should learn from their practices. When they cut meat, they cut it only on the table and not on their hands; when they kiss, either as a show of affection or honor, they kiss only the back of the hand and do not give the person being kissed an unpleasant feeling; and when they hold counsel, they only hold counsel in the field so others will not hear their secrets.

אָמַר רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה: מַאי קְרָאָה ״וַיִּשְׁלַח יַעֲקֹב וַיִּקְרָא לְרָחֵל וּלְלֵאָה הַשָּׂדֶה אֶל צֹאנוֹ״. Rav Adda bar Ahava said: From what verse is this derived? From the verse, “And Jacob sent and he called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock” (Genesis 31:4); it was only there in the field that he held counsel with them.

תַּנְיָא אָמַר רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים אוֹהֵב אֲנִי אֶת הַפַּרְסִיִּים: הֵן צְנוּעִין בַּאֲכִילָתָן, וּצְנוּעִין בְּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא, וּצְנוּעִין בְּדָבָר אַחֵר. It was taught in a baraita, Rabban Gamliel said: In three aspects of their conduct, I like the Persians: They are a modest people; they are modest in their eating, they are modest in the lavatory, and they are modest in another matter, i.e., sexual relations.

״אֲנִי צִוֵּיתִי לִמְקֻדָּשָׁי״, תָּנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף: אֵלּוּ הַפַּרְסִיִּים הַמְקוּדָּשִׁין וּמְזוּמָּנִין לְגֵיהִנָּם. While they have been praised here regarding certain specific aspects of their conduct, the Gemara proceeds to offer another perspective on the Persians based on a verse describing the destruction of Babylonia at the hands of the Persian and Medean armies: “I have commanded My consecrated ones; I have also called My mighty ones for My anger, even My proudly exulting ones” (Isaiah 13:3). Rav Yosef taught a baraita: These are the Persians who are consecrated and designated for Gehenna, for they have been sent by God to carry out his mission of anger, and they will be sent to Gehenna.

רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר וְכוּ׳: אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה, אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. The Gemara returns to explain the mishna, in which we learned that Rabban Gamliel says: One may recite Shema until dawn. Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel.

תַּנְיָא: רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּלַּיְלָה, אַחַת קוֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר וְאַחַת לְאַחַר שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, וְיוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אַחַת שֶׁל יוֹם וְאַחַת שֶׁל לַיְלָה. It was taught in a baraita: Based on Rabban Gamliel’s ruling, Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: At times, one recites Shema twice at night, once just before dawn and once just after dawn, and he thereby fulfills his obligation to recite Shema, one of the day and one of the night. According to Rabban Gamliel, the Shema that he recited before dawn fulfills his evening obligation and the Shema that he recited after dawn fulfills his morning obligation.

הָא גוּפָא קַשְׁיָא, אָמְרַתְּ: פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּלַּיְלָה, אַלְמָא לְאַחַר שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר לֵילְיָא הוּא, וַהֲדַר תָּנֵי: יוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אַחַת שֶׁל יוֹם וְאַחַת שֶׁל לַיְלָה, אַלְמָא יְמָמָא הוּא! This Tosefta is self-contradictory. Initially, you said: At times one recites Shema twice at night. Apparently, the time just after dawn is still night. And then you taught: He thereby fulfills his obligation to recite Shema one of the day and one of the night. Apparently, the time in question is considered day, as otherwise, he would not have fulfilled his obligation to recite Shema during the day. There is an internal contradiction with regard to the status of the time just after dawn. Is it considered day or night?

לָא — לְעוֹלָם לֵילְיָא הוּא. וְהָא דְּקָרֵי לֵיהּ ״יוֹם״ — דְּאִיכָּא אִינָשֵׁי דְּקָיְימִי בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא. The Gemara answers: No, there is no contradiction. Actually, the time just after dawn, when it is still dark, is considered night and the fact that it is referred to here as day is because there are people who rise from their sleep at that time and, if the need arises, it can be characterized as bekumekha, when you rise, despite the fact that it is still night.

אָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai.

אִיכָּא דְּמַתְנֵי לְהָא דְּרַב אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אַהָא. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם, אַחַת קוֹדֶם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, וְאַחַת לְאַחַר הַנֵּץ הַחַמָּה, וְיוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, אַחַת שֶׁל יוֹם וְאַחַת שֶׁל לַיְלָה. Some teach this statement of Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina, in which he ruled that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, with regard to this halakha, which is stylistically similar to the previous halakha. As it was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said in the name of Rabbi Akiva: At times, one recites Shema twice during the day, once just before sunrise and once just after sunrise, and he thereby fulfills his dual obligation to recite Shema: One, that he recites after sunrise, Shema of the day, and one, that he recites before sunrise, Shema of the night.

הָא גוּפָא קַשְׁיָא. אָמְרַתְּ פְּעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם, אַלְמָא קוֹדֶם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה יְמָמָא הוּא, וַהֲדַר תָּנֵי יוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אַחַת שֶׁל יוֹם וְאַחַת שֶׁל לַיְלָה, אַלְמָא לֵילְיָא הוּא! This baraita is self-contradictory. Initially, you said: “At times one recites Shema twice during the day.” Apparently, the time just before sunrise is considered day. And then you taught: “He thereby fulfills his dual obligation to recite Shema, one of the day and one of the night.” Apparently, the time in question is considered night, as otherwise, he could not thereby fulfill his obligation to recite Shema during the night.

לָא, לְעוֹלָם יְמָמָא הוּא, וְהַאי דְּקָרוּ לֵיהּ ״לֵילְיָא״ — דְּאִיכָּא אִינָשֵׁי דְּגָנוּ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא. The Gemara answers: No, there is no contradiction. Actually, the time just before sunrise is considered day and the fact that it is referred to here as night is because there are people who are still asleep at that time and, if the need arises, it can be characterized as beshokhbekha [when you lie down] despite the fact that it is already day.

אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁאָמַר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר ״הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ״. Rabbi Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon who said it in the name of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Zeira said: As long as he will not recite: Help us lie down [hashkivenu] as well, after reciting the evening Shema before sunrise, as the blessing: Help us lie down, is a prayer that we sleep in peace, which is inappropriate in the morning.

כִּי אֲתָא רַב יִצְחָק בַּר יוֹסֵף, אֲמַר: הָא דְּרַבִּי אַחָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, לָאו בְּפֵירוּשׁ אִיתְּמַר, אֶלָּא מִכְּלָלָא אִיתְּמַר. That is how the halakha was taught in the study hall. However, when Rav Yitzḥak bar Yosef came to Babylonia from Eretz Yisrael, where Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi lived, he said that this ruling that Rabbi Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, was not said explicitly by Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. Rather, it was stated that he held that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon who said it in the name of Rabbi Akiva based on inference.

דְּהָהוּא זוּגָא דְּרַבָּנַן דְּאִשְׁתַּכּוּר בְּהִלּוּלָא דִּבְרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. אֲתוֹ לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, אֲמַר: כְּדַאי הוּא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לִסְמוֹךְ עָלָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַדְּחָק. The incident was as follows: This pair of Sages got drunk at the wedding of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s son and fell asleep before reciting the evening Shema. By the time they awoke, dawn had already passed. They came before Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and asked him if they could still recite the evening Shema. He said to them: Rabbi Shimon is worthy to rely upon in exigent circumstances. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi did not rule in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon, and, in a case where there are no exigent circumstances, one may not rely on this ruling.

מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבָּאוּ בָּנָיו וְכוּ׳: The mishna relates that there was an incident where Rabban Gamliel’s sons returned very late from a wedding hall and they asked their father if they were permitted to recite Shema after midnight.

וְעַד הַשְׁתָּא לָא שְׁמִיעַ לְהוּ הָא דְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל?! The Gemara asks: And until now, had they not heard this halakha of Rabban Gamliel? Were they unaware that he held that one is permitted to recite the evening Shema after midnight?

הָכִי קָאָמְרִי לֵיהּ: רַבָּנַן פְּלִיגִי עִילָּווֹךְ, וְיָחִיד וְרַבִּים, הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּים, אוֹ דִּלְמָא רַבָּנַן כְּווֹתָךְ סְבִירָא לְהוּ, וְהַאי דְּקָאָמְרִי ״עַד חֲצוֹת״ — כְּדֵי לְהַרְחִיק אָדָם מִן הָעֲבֵירָה. אָמַר לְהוּ: רַבָּנָן כְּווֹתִי סְבִירָא לְהוּ, וְחַיָּיבִין אַתֶּם. וְהַאי דְּקָאָמְרִי ״עַד חֲצוֹת״ — כְּדֵי לְהַרְחִיק אָדָם מִן הָעֲבֵירָה. The Gemara answers that Rabban Gamliel’s sons did not ask him his opinion. Rather, they said to him as follows: Do the Rabbis fundamentally disagree with you concerning this halakha, holding that Shema may be recited only until midnight? If so, when there is a disagreement between an individual Sage and many Sages, the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of the many, in which case we must, in practice, follow the opinion of the Rabbis. Or perhaps, do the Rabbis hold in accordance with your opinion that the time of the evening Shema extends throughout the night, and that which they say that it may only be recited until midnight is in order to distance a person from transgression? If the latter is true, then, when there are extenuating circumstances, one may recite the evening Shema after midnight. Rabban Gamliel replied to his sons: The Rabbis agree with me and you are still obligated to recite Shema. The Rabbis say that Shema may only be recited until midnight in order to distance a person from transgression, but, after the fact, even the Rabbis permit recitation after midnight.

וְלֹא זוֹ בִּלְבַד אָמְרוּ, אֶלָּא וְכוּ׳: We learned in the mishna that Rabban Gamliel told his sons: And that is not only with regard to the halakha of the recitation of Shema, but, rather, wherever the Rabbis say until midnight, the mitzva may be performed until dawn.