greets

One should not stand up to say Tefillah except in a reverent state of mind. The pious men of old used to wait an hour before praying in order that they might direct their thoughts to God. Even if a king greets him [while praying] he should not answer him: even if a snake is wound round his heel he should not stop.

MISHNAH: If someone was reading in the Torah at the time of recital, if he read with intention he fulfilled his duty, otherwise he did not fulfill his duty. Between the sections, one greets people out of respect and answers their greetings. In the middle of a section one may greet because of fear and answer, the words of Rebbi Meïr. Rebbi Yehudah says: in the middle of a section one may greet out of fear and answer for respect, between sections one greets for respect and answers greetings from everybody.

MISHNAH: If someone was reading in the Torah at the time of recital, if he read with intention he fulfilled his duty, otherwise he did not fulfill his duty. Between the sections, one greets people out of respect and answers their greetings. In the middle of a section one may greet because of fear and answer, the words of Rebbi Meïr. Rebbi Yehudah says: in the middle of a section one may greet out of fear and answer for respect, between sections one greets for respect and answers greetings from everybody.

New Section. “Between the sections one greets people out of respect, and answers them.” Why does one answer, out of fear or to show respect? We may hear it from this: “In the middle of a section one may greet because of fear and answer (for respect), the words of Rebbi Meïr.” Hence, in the prior case one may ask because of respect and answer out of respect. “In the middle of a section one may greet because of fear and answer, the words of Rebbi Meïr.” For what does one answer, out of fear or to show respect? We may hear it from this: “Rebbi Yehudah says: in the middle of a section one may greet out of fear and answer for respect.” Hence, in the first case one asks because of fear and answers because of fear.

MISHNAH: One starts to pray only in a serious frame of mind. The first Ḥasidim waited one hour before praying in order to be able to concentrate. Even if the king greets one, he should not respond. Even if a snake is wound around one’s heel, he should not interrupt.

“Even if the king greets one, he should not respond.” Rebbi Aḥa said, that is, if the greeter is a king of Israel. But one returns greeting from a Gentile king. It was stated: If one is writing a Divine name, then even if the king greets him, he should not respond. If he is writing two or three Names, e. g. (Jos. 22:22) “Powerful, God, Eternal”, he finishes one of them and then responds to the greeting.

“Even if the king greets one, he should not respond.” Rebbi Aḥa said, that is, if the greeter is a king of Israel. But one returns greeting from a Gentile king. It was stated: If one is writing a Divine name, then even if the king greets him, he should not respond. If he is writing two or three Names, e. g. (Jos. 22:22) “Powerful, God, Eternal”, he finishes one of them and then responds to the greeting.

MISHNAH: One rents ploughed fields from Gentiles in the Sabbatical year but not from Jews. One encourages Gentiles in the Sabbatical year but not Jews. One greets them for communal peace.

HALAKHAH: “One rents ploughed fields,” etc. Rebbi Ḥiyya, Rebbi Ammi. One said: “Plough it well; then I will rent it after the Sabbatical.” The other one said: “May you succed”. For him who says plough it well, then I will rent it after the Sabbatical, what means “one greets them”? “May you succed.” For him who says may you succed, what means “one greets them”? Jewish greeting, “Peace upon you.”

HALAKHAH: “One rents ploughed fields,” etc. Rebbi Ḥiyya, Rebbi Ammi. One said: “Plough it well; then I will rent it after the Sabbatical.” The other one said: “May you succed”. For him who says plough it well, then I will rent it after the Sabbatical, what means “one greets them”? “May you succed.” For him who says may you succed, what means “one greets them”? Jewish greeting, “Peace upon you.”

MISHNAH: A woman may lend to her neighbor whom she suspects in matters of the Sabbatical a coarse sieve, a fine sieve, grindstones and an oven but she should neither cull nor grind with her. The wife of a fellow may lend to the wife of a vulgar a coarse sieve and a fine sieve, she may cull, grind and sift with her, but she may not touch hers once water has been put in because one does not support transgressors. All this has only been said for communal peace. One encourages Gentiles in the Sabbatical year but not Jews. One greets them for communal peace.

“All this has only been said for communal peace.” Rebbi Ḥiyya, Rebbi Ammi. One said: “Plough it well then I will rent it from you after the Sabbatical.” The other one said: “May you succed” For him who says plough it well, what means “one greets them”? “May you succed.” For him who says may you succed, what means “one greets them”? Jewish greeting, “Peace upon you.”

“All this has only been said for communal peace.” Rebbi Ḥiyya, Rebbi Ammi. One said: “Plough it well then I will rent it from you after the Sabbatical.” The other one said: “May you succed” For him who says plough it well, what means “one greets them”? “May you succed.” For him who says may you succed, what means “one greets them”? Jewish greeting, “Peace upon you.”

Ḥizqiah said, once he started with his storage it is as if removed. A case came before Rebbi Assi and he instructed following Ḥizqiah, not that I am agreeing with him but since we see that the rabbis do act following him. Rebbi Isaac bar Redifah had a case, he came before Rebbi Jeremiah who said to him, there are lions before you, why do you ask foxes? He went and asked Rebbi Joshia who said to him, look for three people who love you and declare it abandoned before them. The Kappadokians of Sepphoris asked Rebbi Ammi: Since we have nobody who loves us or even greets us, what should we do? He said to them, when you see that [the market is] clear from steps, bring it out to the market, declare it abandoned, and acquire it again.

“Slaves”. Let us hear from the following: Three times a year shall all your males be seen, anybody who has no master but the Holy One, praise to Him. This excludes the slave who has another master. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, from where that anybody who keeps the commandment of appearance is like one who greets the Divine Presence? From this, Three times a year shall all your males be seen before the face of the Master, the Eternal, etc.

MISHNAH: A woman may lend to her neighbor, whom she suspects in matters of the Sabbatical, a coarse sieve, a fine sieve, grindstones, or an oven, but she should neither cull nor grind with her. The wife of a Fellow may lend to the wife of a vulgar a coarse sieve and a fine sieve, she may cull, grind, and sift with her, but she may not touch hers once water has been put in because one does not support transgressors. All this has only been said for communal peace. One encourages Gentiles in the Sabbatical year but not Jews. One greets them for communal peace.

Rebbi Ḥiyya, Rebbi Ammi. One said: “Plough it well then, I will rent it from you after the Sabbatical.” The other one said: “May you succeed” For him who says, plough it well, then I will rent it from you after the Sabbatical, what means “one greets them” in a Jewish way? “May you succeed.” For him who says to the Gentile “may you succeed”? Explanation: Rebbi Ḥinena bar Pappa and Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman passed by one of the ploughmen in the Sabbatical. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said to him, are you not Jewish? Rebbi Ḥinena bar Pappa said to him, did not Rebbi teach us (Ps. 129:8): “The passers-by did not say, the blessing of the Eternal be on you,” these are the nations of the world who pass out of the world, they did not say to Israel “the blessing of the Eternal is on you.” What does Israel say to them, “we bless you in the Name of the Eternal.” All blessings that come into the world because of us are not enough for you; not only do you not say, come and take from these blessings for yourselves, but you roll over us pro-rated contributions and fines, head taxes and annonae.

And denied the Resurrection of the Dead. You find that at the time when Elisha came to resurrect the Shunamite’s son, he told him: Take my support staff in your hand and go, and if you meet a man do not greet him, or if a person greets you do not answer him. But he did not do that, but when a person met him and asked, from where and to where, Geḥazi? He told him, I am going to resurrect the dead. This one would tell him, only the Holy One, praise to Him, can resurrect the dead, as it is written: The Eternal kills and gives life, brings down to the pit and lifts up. He went there and did not do anything. He returned to him and said to him, I know that if he really were dead, he would not wake up through you.

Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: If one bartered an animal for an idol it becomes forbidden. Rav Ḥisda asked: If he had worshipped it he would not have made it forbidden. Because he bartered an animal for an idol he made it forbidden? Maybe it was said about merchandise assembled before the fair. There came Rebbi Ze‘ira, Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: If one bartered an animal for an idol it becomes forbidden. This was said about merchandise assembled before the fair. Rebbi Abbahu said, it is forbidden to make a group visit to a fair, as we have stated: “One should not greet him at a place where it gives him prestige. If he meets him on his way, he greets him gravely.”

Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Immi. One said, “plough it well; then I will rent it from you after the Sabbatical.” The other one said, “may you succeed.” For him who said, plough it well; then I will rent it from you after the Sabbatical, what means “one greets them”? “May you succeed.” But he who said that one says to a Gentile, may you succeed, what means that one greets Jews? “Peace be on you.”

Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Immi. One said, “plough it well; then I will rent it from you after the Sabbatical.” The other one said, “may you succeed.” For him who said, plough it well; then I will rent it from you after the Sabbatical, what means “one greets them”? “May you succeed.” But he who said that one says to a Gentile, may you succeed, what means that one greets Jews? “Peace be on you.”

He may return a salutation ; but on what ground ? If it is supposed out of respect, since he is allowed to greet, surely he ought to be permitted to respond ! But [the meaning is], He greets a man out of respect, and returns a salutation to any person. Consider the sequel : In the middle [of the sections] he may greet a man because of fear for him and return the salutation. On what ground may he respond ?

Rab said : Whoever greets his neighbour before he prays is as though he accounted him as an idolatrous altar [bamah] ; as it is said, "Cease ye from man, in whose nostrils is a breath ; for how little [bammeh] is he to be accounted" (Is. ii. 22). Read not bammeh but bamah.

And there is a teaching: R. Eliezer says: He who prays behind his master, or greets his master or returns his salutation, or opposes [the opinions taught by] his master's school, or reports a teaching [in his master's name] which he had not heard from his master's lips, causes the Shekinah to depart from Israel !

MISHNAH One must not stand up to say the Tefillah except in a serious frame of mind. The pious men of old used to wait an hour and then say the Tefillah, in order to direct their heart to their Father in Heaven. Even when a king greets him, he must not respond ; and though a serpent be wound round his heel, he must not interrupt.

Even when a king greets him, he must not respond.

Greetings. The Rabbis have taught: Scholarly people should not greet one another (during the fast days), and if an uneducated man greets, the greeting is to be returned in an undertone and with a serious mien; they should wrap themselves up and sit like mourners and like people reprimanded by God, (waiting) for heaven to show them mercy.