across

And they having come down to the shore, he spoke to them the word of God; and he having blessed them, we saluted them, and went on board the ship. And the one of them who was named Stephanus wished to accompany us, and Barnabas did not permit him. And we, having gone across, sailed down to Cyprus by night; and having come to the place called Crommyacita, we found Timon and Ariston the temple servants, at whose house also we were entertained.

For the country is well adapted not only for agriculture but also for commerce, and the city is rich in the arts and lacks none of the merchandise which is brought across the sea.

And the Truth took me and led me: and carried me across pits and gulleys; and from the rocks and the waves it preserved me:

These are the words of that epistle which Baruch the son of Neriah sent to the nine and a half tribes, which were across the river Euphrates, in which these things were written.

Bearing a great spear, having marched across

Across thee; battle of the Thracians comes

And I, Zosimus, besought again the blessed ones to make entreaty for me to the Lord that the trees might receive me to take me across. And they all cried to the Lord and said, O God that hast shown us your marvels and hast made your servant Zosimus to come to us out of the world of vanity, set him again in his own place with peace, and command these trees to bow down and take up your servant and set him on the further side. And as they finished their prayer, the trees straightway bent down before them, and received me as on the second day before; and being set on the other side of the river I cried with a loud voice and said, Men of righteousness, who are brothers of the holy angels, grant me your prayer in peace, for behold I depart from you. And making prayer they all cried out, saying, Peace, peace be with you, brother.

Now as the Romans began to raise their banks on the twelfth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] so had they much ado to finish them by the twenty-ninth day of the same month, after they had labored hard for seventeen days continually. For there were now four great banks raised, one of which was at the tower Antonia; this was raised by the fifth legion, over against the middle of that pool which was called Struthius. Another was cast up by the twelfth legion, at the distance of about twenty cubits from the other. But the labors of the tenth legion, which lay a great way off these, were on the north quarter, and at the pool called Amygdalon; as was that of the fifteenth legion about thirty cubits from it, and at the high priest's monument. And now, when the engines were brought, John had from within undermined the space that was over against the tower of Antonia, as far as the banks themselves, and had supported the ground over the mine with beams laid across one another, whereby the Roman works stood upon an uncertain foundation. Then did he order such materials to be brought in as were daubed over with pitch and bitumen, and set them on fire; and as the cross beams that supported the banks were burning, the ditch yielded on the sudden, and the banks were shaken down, and fell into the ditch with a prodigious noise. Now at the first there arose a very thick smoke and dust, as the fire was choked with the fall of the bank; but as the suffocated materials were now gradually consumed, a plain flame brake out; on which sudden appearance of the flame a consternation fell upon the Romans, and the shrewdness of the contrivance discouraged them; and indeed this accident coming upon them at a time when they thought they had already gained their point, cooled their hopes for the time to come. They also thought it would be to no purpose to take the pains to extinguish the fire, since if it were extinguished, the banks were swallowed up already [and become useless to them].

Woe unto him upon whom it is opened, so that the eye is mingled with redness, and unto whom the redness appeareth, spreading across that eye. Who can escape from it?

The hairs which are classed in the sixth disposition ascend and come from beneath upwards unto the corner of the mouth, and cover the places of copious fragrance, even unto the upper corner of the mouth, and the hair descendeth at the corner of the opening, and across below the mouth.

When the Magi had returned to their country, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and said to him, ‘Arise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt; and stay there until I tell thee.’ So Joseph arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and fled to Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod. When they were journeying along the road to Egypt, two robbers met them; the name of the one was Titus, that of the other Dumachos (?). Dumachos wished to harm them and to treat them evilly, but Titus would not let him, and delivered them from the hands of his companion. When they reached the gate of the city called Hermopolis, there were by the two buttresses of the gate two figures of brass, that had been made by the sages and philosophers; and they spoke like men. When our Lord and His mother and Joseph entered Egypt, that is to say that city, these two figures cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘ A great king has come into Egypt.’ When the king of Egypt heard this, he was troubled and moved; for he feared lest his kingdom should be taken away from him. And he commanded the heralds to proclaim throughout the whole city, ‘ If any man knoweth (who He is), let him point (Him) out to us without delay.’ When they had made much search and did not find Him, the king commanded all the inhabitants of the city to go outside and come in one by one. When our Lord entered, these two figures cried out, ‘ This is the king.’ And when our Lord was revealed, Pharaoh sought to slay Him. Now Lazarus — whom Christ raised from the dead — was there, and was one of the king’s officials, and held in much esteem by the lord of Egypt. He drew near to Joseph and asked them, ‘Whence are ye?’ They said to him, ‘ From the land of Palestine.’ When he heard that they were from the land of Palestine, he was sorry for them, and came to the king and pledged himself for the Child. And he said to the king, ‘ O king, live for ever! If deceit be found in this Child, behold, I am before thee, do unto me according to thy will.’ This is the (cause) of the love between Lazarus and Christ. One day when Mary was washing the swaddling bands of our Lord, she poured out the water used in washing in a certain place, and there grew up there apursam (that is to say balsam) trees, a species of tree not found anywhere else save in this spot in Egypt. Its oil has (divers) properties; if a man dips iron into it, ‘and brings (the iron) near a fire, it shines like wax; if some of it is thrown upon water, it sinks to the bottom; and if a drop of it is dropped upon the hollow of a man’s hand, it goes through to the other side. Our Lord remained two years in Egypt, until Herod had died an evil death. He died in this manner. First of all he slew his wife and his daughter, and he killed one man of every family, saying, ‘ At the time of my death there shall be mourning and weeping and lamentation in the whole city.’ His bowels and his legs were swollen with running sores, and matter flowed from them, and he was consumed by worms. He had nine wives and thirteen children. And he commanded his sister Salome and her husband, saying, ‘ I know that the Jews will hold a great festival on the day of my death; when they are gathered together with the weepers and mourners, slay them, and let them not live after my death.’ There was a knife in his hand, and he was eating an apple; and by reason of the severity of his pain, he drew the knife across his throat, and cut it with his own hand; and his belly burst open, and he died and went to perdition. After the death of Herod who slew the children, his son Herod Archelaus reigned, who cut off the head of John. And the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in Egypt and said to him, ‘Arise, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the life of the Child are dead.’ So Joseph took the Child and His mother, and came to Galilee; and they dwelt in the city of Nazareth, that what was said in the prophecy might be fulfilled, ‘ He shall be called a Nazarene.’ In the tenth year of the reign of Archelaus the kingdom of the Jews was divided into four parts. To Philip (were assigned) two parts, Ituraea and Trachonitis; to Lysanias one part, which was Abilene; and to Herod the younger the fourth part. And Herod loved Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.

[With regard to sheaves forgotten] at the end of the row, the sheaf lying across from it proves [that the first sheaf has not been forgotten.] [As for] a sheaf that [the owner] took to bring it to the city and forgot it, all agree that it is not considered a “forgotten sheaf.”

One who uses his field as a pen for cattle, he [first] makes an enclosure for every two bet se'ahs. He then uproots three sides, and leaves the middle side. It turns out that he has made a pen of four seahs. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: one of eight seahs. If his entire field is only four seahs in area, he must allow a portion of it to remain [unenclosed] for appearance's sake. And he may take the dung out from the enclosure, and spread across his field in the manner of those who fertilize their fields.

The table was ten handbreadths long and five wide; the showbread was ten handbreadths long and five wide. Each cake was placed lengthwise across the breadth of the table, and two and a half handbreadths were turned up at either side so that its length filled the entire breadth of the table, the words of Rabbi Judah. Rabbi Meir says: the table was twelve handbreadths long and six wide; the showbread was ten handbreadths long and five wide. Each cake was placed lengthwise across the breadth of the table, and two handbreadths were turned up at either side; and there was a space of two handbreadths between [the two sets] so that the wind could blow between them. Abba Shaul says: there they used to put the two dishes of frankincense for the showbread. They said to him: Has it not already been said, “And you shall put pure frankincense upon [al] each row” (Leviticus 24:7)? He replied, But has it not also been said, “And next unto [al] him shall be the tribe of Manasseh” (Numbers 2:20)?

The table was ten handbreadths long and five wide; the showbread was ten handbreadths long and five wide. Each cake was placed lengthwise across the breadth of the table, and two and a half handbreadths were turned up at either side so that its length filled the entire breadth of the table, the words of Rabbi Judah. Rabbi Meir says: the table was twelve handbreadths long and six wide; the showbread was ten handbreadths long and five wide. Each cake was placed lengthwise across the breadth of the table, and two handbreadths were turned up at either side; and there was a space of two handbreadths between [the two sets] so that the wind could blow between them. Abba Shaul says: there they used to put the two dishes of frankincense for the showbread. They said to him: Has it not already been said, “And you shall put pure frankincense upon [al] each row” (Leviticus 24:7)? He replied, But has it not also been said, “And next unto [al] him shall be the tribe of Manasseh” (Numbers 2:20)?

A mat whose reeds stretched lengthwise is insusceptible to uncleanness; But the sages rule: only if they lay in the shape of [the Greek letter] chi. If they were laid along its width and there was a distance of less than four handbreadths between the two reeds, it is insusceptible to uncleanness. If it was divided along its width, Rabbi Judah rules that is clean. So also, where the end-knots are untied, it is clean. If it was divided along its length but three end-knots remained intact across a stretch of six handbreadths, it is susceptible to uncleanness. When does a mat become susceptible to uncleanness? When its rough ends are trimmed, this being the completion of its manufacture.

Just as they protect inside so they protect outside. How so? In the case of a large basket supported on pegs on the outside [of an ohel], If there was uncleanness beneath it, vessels in the basket remain clean. But if it was [next to] the wall of a courtyard or of a garden, it does not protect. [In the case of] a beam placed across from one wall to an other, with a pot hanging from it, if there was uncleanness beneath it, Rabbi Akiva declares the vessels inside it to be clean, But the sages declare them unclean.

[With regard to] a beam which is placed across from one wall to another and which has uncleanness beneath it: If it is one handbreadth wide, it conveys uncleanness to everything beneath it; If it is not [one handbreadth wide], the uncleanness cleaves upwards and downwards. How much must its circumference be so that its width should be one handbreadth? If it is round, its circumference must be three handbreadths; If square, four handbreadths, since a square has a [circumference] one quarter greater than [that of] a circle.

Hatat waters and hatat ashes one may not carry them across a river on a ship, nor may one float them upon the water, nor may one stand on the bank on one side and throw them across to the other side. One may, however, cross over with the water up to his neck. He that is clean for the hatat may [sail] across [a river] carrying in his hands an empty vessel that is clean for the hatat or water that has not yet been prepared.

Hatat waters and hatat ashes one may not carry them across a river on a ship, nor may one float them upon the water, nor may one stand on the bank on one side and throw them across to the other side. One may, however, cross over with the water up to his neck. He that is clean for the hatat may [sail] across [a river] carrying in his hands an empty vessel that is clean for the hatat or water that has not yet been prepared.

Hatat waters and hatat ashes one may not carry them across a river on a ship, nor may one float them upon the water, nor may one stand on the bank on one side and throw them across to the other side. One may, however, cross over with the water up to his neck. He that is clean for the hatat may [sail] across [a river] carrying in his hands an empty vessel that is clean for the hatat or water that has not yet been prepared.

If three women slept in one bed, and blood was found under the middle one, they are all unclean. If it was found under the inner one, the two inner ones are unclean while the outer one is clean. If it was found under the outer one, the two outer ones are unclean while the inner one is clean. Rabbi Judah said: when is this so? When they passed by way of the foot of the bed, but if they passed across it, they are all unclean. If one of them examined herself and was found clean, she remains clean while the two others are unclean. If two examined themselves and were found to be clean they remain clean while the third is unclean. If the three examined themselves and were found to be clean, they are all unclean. To what may this be compared? To an unclean heap that was mixed up with two clean heaps: If they examined one of them and found it to be clean, it is clean while the two others are unclean; If they examined two of the heaps and found them to be clean, they are clean while the third one is unclean; And if they examined the three and they were all found to be clean, they are all unclean, the words of Rabbi Meir, For Rabbi Meir used to say: any object that is presumed to be unclean remains unclean until it is known to you where the uncleanness is. But the sages say: one continues the examination of the heap until one reaches bedrock or virgin soil.

A zav who lays across five benches, or five money-belts: If lengthwise, he [makes them] unclean; But breadthwise, they are clean. If he slept [on them], and it was doubtful that he had turned over onto them, they are unclean. If he was lying on six seats, with two hands on two [seats], two feet on another two, his head on one, with his body on another one, only that one on which his body lay is rendered unclean. If [a zav] stood on two seats: Rabbi Shimon says: if these were distant one from the other, they remain clean.

Rebbi Ḥuna said, in three places did the wind come out without measure and desired to destroy the entire world; once in the time of Jonah, once in the time of Elijah, and once in the time of Job. In the time of Jonah (Jonah 1:4): “The Eternal sent a strong wind.” In the time of Job (Job 1:19): “A great wind came across the desert.” In the time of Elijah, from where? (1K. 19: 19:11) “Lo, the Eternal passes, and a great, strong wind, shattering mountains.” Rebbi Yudan ben Shalom said, let us say that the one of Job was for him only, that of Jonah was for him only. You have only that of Elijah which was worldwide “Lo, the Eternal passes, etc. After that an earthquake and after the earthquake fire, but the Eternal was not in the fire.”

HALAKHAH: 4. Not only four cubits in the sea, but even if he threw across the entire sea he is not liable, since any sea is called karmelit.

They asked before Rebbi Abba: Concerning what you are saying about a window between two courtyards, is it the same for a window between two houses? He told them, yes. Is it the same for a window between two roofs? He told them, yes. May one make an eruv across skylights? Rebbi Abba Mari said, it is a disagreement between Rav and Samuel, as we have stated there: “All roofs of a city are one domain.” Samuel said, up to two bet se’ah; Rav said, one may move inside them even a kor, even two kor.

It is written: “The waters descending from higher up stood like a dam, very far, from the town of Adam which is besides Ṣāretān. Rebbi Joḥanan said, Adam is a town and Ṣāretān is a town; there are twelve mil from one to the other. That teaches that the water was stacked up and rose like the citadel of Ṣāretān. Which one is lighter, water or man? Waters are lighter than man; you know that this is so. This teaches that the waters were stacked and increased, wave upon wave. Rebbi Levi said, up to the sky’s heart. There, they said, as far as Babylon. It says here “far”, and it says there “they came from a very far land, from Babylon.” It was stated: Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob said, the waters were stacked and rose, waves on waves, for more than 300 mil until all the peoples of the world saw them. That is what is written: “It happened when all the kings of the Emorite on the other side of the Jordan, and all the Canaanite dwelling on the Sea, heard that the Eternal had dried up the waters of the river Jordan for the children of Israel until they had passed across,” etc.

This does not follow Rebbi Eliezer, for Rebbi Eliezer said that walking acquires, as it was stated: If one walked across a field in length and breadth, he acquired up to the place he walked to, the words of Rebbi Eliezer. But the Sages say that he did not acquire up to the moment he acted in possession. Everybody agrees that if somebody sells a path to another, when the latter went, he acquired. What is the reason? “Arise, walk in the Land in length and breadth, for I shall give it to you.”

This does not follow Rebbi Eliezer, for Rebbi Eliezer said that walking acquires. If one walked across a field in length and breadth, he acquired up to the place he walked, the words of Rebbi Eliezer. But the Sages say that he did not acquire up to the moment he acted in possession. Everybody agrees that if somebody sells a path to another, when the latter went, he acquired. What is the reason? “Arise, walk in the Land, etc.”

Rebbi Abba in the name of Rav Jeremiah: The signatures of the witnesses must be two blank lines away from the text. Rebbi Idi in the name of Rav Jeremiah: On a knotted document the witnesses sign lengthwise; on a simple document the witnesses sign across. The first one on the outside, the latter one on the inside. Rebbi Mana said, [ ]. How do the witnesses sign on a knotted document? Rav Huna said, between two knots. Rebbi Idi said, but between witnesses’ signatures and the document there may not be space for two lines.

Our Rabbis have taught: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" — that was the reading of the Shema' of R. Judah ha-Nasi'. Rab said to R. Hiyya, "I have never seen Rabbi receive the yoke of the kingdom of heaven upon himself." He replied to him, "Son of princes, at the time when he passed his hands across his face, he received upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of heaven."

And for thunders. What is thunder? Samuel said : The clouds in a whirl ; as it is said, "The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind ; the lightnings lighted up the world, the earth trembled and shook" (Ps. Ixxvii. 19). The Rabbis say : The clouds pouring water one into the other; as it is said, "At the sound of His giving a multitude of waters in the heavens" (Jer. x. 13). Rab Aha b. Jacob said : It is a mighty lightning-flash which strikes against a cloud and the latter is shattered into hail-stones. Rab Ashe said : The clouds are hollow and a blast of wind comes and blows across their mouths, so it is like a blast across the mouth of a jar. The most probable view is that of Rab Aha b. Jacob, that the lightning strikes, the clouds are made to rumble and rain descends.

And for thunders. What is thunder? Samuel said : The clouds in a whirl ; as it is said, "The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind ; the lightnings lighted up the world, the earth trembled and shook" (Ps. Ixxvii. 19). The Rabbis say : The clouds pouring water one into the other; as it is said, "At the sound of His giving a multitude of waters in the heavens" (Jer. x. 13). Rab Aha b. Jacob said : It is a mighty lightning-flash which strikes against a cloud and the latter is shattered into hail-stones. Rab Ashe said : The clouds are hollow and a blast of wind comes and blows across their mouths, so it is like a blast across the mouth of a jar. The most probable view is that of Rab Aha b. Jacob, that the lightning strikes, the clouds are made to rumble and rain descends.

It was taught: R. Hanina stated: When I went down to the Diaspora I came across an old man who said to me, A reed mat may be used as skhakh.” And when I came before R. Joshua, my father’s brother, he agreed with his words. R. Hisda said only if it has no rim.

as was the case when Abaye heard a certain man saying to a woman, “Let’s get up early and go on our way.” Abaye said: I will follow them in order to keep them away from transgression” and he followed them for three parasangs across the meadows. When they parted company he heard them say, “Our company is pleasant, the way is long.”

but he did not heed them. Towards evening he was picking up chips of wood and, on his way home, carried the chips on one shoulder and his cloak on the other. The whole way long he did not put on his shoes, but when he had to cross the water he put them on. When he came across thorns and shrubs he lifted up his garments, and when he reached the city, his wife came to meet him bedecked with her finery. When he arrived at the door of his house, he let her enter first, then he followed. He sat down to eat, but did not invite the scholars to join him. Distributing cakes to the children, he gave to the older child one and to the younger two. Turning to his wife, he said: "I know that these scholars came to see me on account of rain; let us go up to the roof and pray; the Holy One, blessed be He, will, perhaps, accept our prayer and there will be rain." When on the roof, he stood praying in one corner and she in another. The clouds appeared first over the corner where his wife stood. He came down and asked the scholars: "Why did the Rabbis come?" "The Rabbis sent us to the Master, that you might pray for rain to come," they replied. Said he: "Blessed be the Lord who put you beyond the need of Abba Hilkiah's prayer!" They, however, replied: "We know well that this rain is come through you, but be that as it may, we should like you to explain to us those actions of yours that greatly surprised us: Why, when we greeted you, did you not heed us?" "I hired myself out for the day, so I thought I had no right to interrupt my work." "Why did you carry the chips of wood on one shoulder and your cloak on the other?" "It is a borrowed garment," he said, "and it was loaned to me for the purpose of wearing, but not for the purpose of placing wood on it." "Why did you not put on your shoes the entire way," the scholars continued, "but when you had to cross the water you put them on?" "Because the entire way," he replied, "I could see (what I was stepping on), in the water I could not see." "Why did you lift up your garments when you came upon thorns and shrubs?" "Because the one (a scratch on the body) heals up, the other (a rent in the garment) does not heal up." "Why did your wife come to meet you so well dressed?" "In order that I should not cast an eye upon another woman." "Why did your wife enter the house first and you after her?" "Because ye are not known to me". "Why did you not invite us to eat with you?" "Because there was not enough food and I did not want to get your thanks for nothing." "Why did you give one cake to the older child and two to the younger?" "The older one stays at home, while the younger goes to school." "Why did the clouds appear first over the corner where your wife was standing?" "Because the woman is usually in the house, and the good she does is direct. (Or it may be because there were some highwaymen living in my neighborhood; I prayed that they should die, while she prayed that they should improve their ways)."

One may accept service from one who can repeat the four [orders of the Mishnah] but not from one who can [also] teach them. As in the following story of Resh Lakish, who was once traveling along a road when he came to a pool of water, and a man came up and put him on his shoulders and began taking him across. He said to the man: Can you read the Scriptures? He answered: I can read. Can you recite the Mishnah? [He replied]: I can recite four orders of the Mishnah. Resh Lakish thereupon said: You have hewn four rocks, and you carry the son of Lakish on your shoulder? Throw the son of Lakish into the water!

Mishnah: "To where are they exiled? To the cities of refuge—to the three that are across the Jordan, and to the three that are in the land of Canaan. As it is said, 'The three cities you will make across the Jordan and the three cities you will make in the land of Canaan' (Numbers 35:14). While they hadn't chosen the three [cities] in the land of Israel, the three across the Jordan were not effective at providing refuge, as it is said: 'Six cities of refuge will be for you' (Numbers 35)—when there are all six, they are effective at providing refuge as one.

Mishnah: "To where are they exiled? To the cities of refuge—to the three that are across the Jordan, and to the three that are in the land of Canaan. As it is said, 'The three cities you will make across the Jordan and the three cities you will make in the land of Canaan' (Numbers 35:14). While they hadn't chosen the three [cities] in the land of Israel, the three across the Jordan were not effective at providing refuge, as it is said: 'Six cities of refuge will be for you' (Numbers 35)—when there are all six, they are effective at providing refuge as one.

Mishnah: "To where are they exiled? To the cities of refuge—to the three that are across the Jordan, and to the three that are in the land of Canaan. As it is said, 'The three cities you will make across the Jordan and the three cities you will make in the land of Canaan' (Numbers 35:14). While they hadn't chosen the three [cities] in the land of Israel, the three across the Jordan were not effective at providing refuge, as it is said: 'Six cities of refuge will be for you' (Numbers 35)—when there are all six, they are effective at providing refuge as one.

Gemara: Our rabbis taught [in a baraita]: Moses set aside three cities across the Jordan. And opposite them, Joshua set aside [three cities] in the land of Canaan. They were arranged such that they resembled two rows in a vineyard: Hebron in Judah opposite Betzer in the wilderness; Shkhem on the mountain of Efraim opposite Ramot in Gilead; Kedesh on the mountain of Naftali opposite Golan in Bashan. And they divided [the length] into thirds so that they should be thirds: from the south to Hebron was like Hebron to Shkhem; from Hebron to Shkhem was like Shkhem to Kedesh; from Shkhem to Kedesh was like Kedesh to the north.

Across the Jordan—three [cities]; in the land of Israel—three?! [How can such diverse sized populations need the same number of cities?] Abaye said: In Gilead [more generally a term for the other side of the Jordan], there were a lot of murderers.

Rabbi Smalai expounded: "What is that which it was written, 'Then Moses separated three cities across the Jordan in the east (mizraha shamesh)' (Deuteronomy 4:41)? The Holy Blessed One said to Moses: 'The sun will rise (hizrah shemesh) on the murderers.'" There are those who say: "[God] said to [Moses]: "You caused the sun to rise (hazrahta shemesh) on the murderers."

Rabbi Simai expounded: "What is that which is written, 'One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves wealth with income' (Ecclesiastes 5:9)? 'One who loves money will not be satisfied with money'—that's Moses our teacher, who knew that the three cities across the Jordan would not be effective at providing refuge until the three in the land of Canaan were chosen, but he said: 'A mitzvah has come to my hand and I will fulfil it!' [Understanding 'money' here to be 'mitzvot].