ibid

"A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son" (ibid. iii. 1). "A Psalm of David"! Rather should we have expected "A Lament of David"!

But it is not so ! For behold, R. Isaac has said : If thou seest a wicked man upon whom fortune smiles, do not contend with him ; as it is said, "His ways prosper at all times" (Ps. x. 5). More than that, [if thou contendest with him] he will be justified, in judgment; as it is said, "Thy judgments are far above out of his sight" (ibid.). More even than that, he will see his desire on his enemies; as it is said, "As for his enemies, he puffeth at them" (ibid.)!

But it is not so ! For behold, R. Isaac has said : If thou seest a wicked man upon whom fortune smiles, do not contend with him ; as it is said, "His ways prosper at all times" (Ps. x. 5). More than that, [if thou contendest with him] he will be justified, in judgment; as it is said, "Thy judgments are far above out of his sight" (ibid.). More even than that, he will see his desire on his enemies; as it is said, "As for his enemies, he puffeth at them" (ibid.)!

R. Simeon b. Lakish said : Whoever has a Synagogue in his town, and does not enter it to pray, is called "an evil neighbour"; as it is said, "Thus saith the Lord, As for all Mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit" (Jer. xii. 14). More than that, he causes exile to come upon himself and his sons ; as it is said, "Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them" (ibid.).

This is like what R. Joshua b. Levi said to his sons : Rise early and stay up late to enter the Synagogue, so that you may prolong your life. R. Aha b. R. Hannina asked, What is the Scriptural authority for this ? "Happy is the man that hearkeneth to Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors" (Prov. viii. 34), after which it is written, "For whoso findeth me findeth life" (ibid. v. 35).

R. Hiyya b. Ammi said in the name of 'Ulla : Greater is he who enjoys the fruit of his labour than the fearer of Heaven ; for with regard to the fearer of Heaven it is written, "Happy is the man that feareth the Lord" (ibid. cxii. 1), but with regard to him who enjoys the fruit of his labour it is written, "When thou eatest the labour of thy hands, happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee" (ibid, cxxviii. 2) — "happy shalt thou be" in this world, "and it shall be well with thee" in the world to come. It is not written, "and it shall be well with thee" about the fearer of Heaven.

R. Hiyya b. Ammi said in the name of 'Ulla : Greater is he who enjoys the fruit of his labour than the fearer of Heaven ; for with regard to the fearer of Heaven it is written, "Happy is the man that feareth the Lord" (ibid. cxii. 1), but with regard to him who enjoys the fruit of his labour it is written, "When thou eatest the labour of thy hands, happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee" (ibid, cxxviii. 2) — "happy shalt thou be" in this world, "and it shall be well with thee" in the world to come. It is not written, "and it shall be well with thee" about the fearer of Heaven.

Rab Joseph said : There is no contradiction ; the statement of the Mishnah being the view of R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah, the other the view of R. 'Akiba. For there is a teaching : "And they shall eat the flesh in that night" (Exod. xii. 8). R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah said, "Here it is stated, 'in that night' and the same phrase occurs in 'For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night' (ibid. 5:12) ; as in the latter passage it means 'until midnight', so also in the former it means 'until midnight'."

R. 'Akiba said to him, "But has it not already been stated, 'Ye shall eat it in haste' (ibid. v. 11) — i.e. until the time of hastening?" R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah asked, "If so, why is there a teaching to state 'in that night'?" R. 'Akiba answered, "One might otherwise have thought that the Paschal offering could be eaten like the other holy offerings during the day ; therefore there is a teaching to state 'in that night,' meaning

R. Abba said : Everybody admits that the Israelites were only redeemed from Egypt at even ; as it is said, "The Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night" (ibid. v. I); but they actually left Egypt by day ; as it is said, "On the morrow after the Passover, the children of Israel went out with a high hand " (Nam. xxxiii. 3).

[the righteous one] 'And they shall serve them, and they shall afflict them' (Gen. xv. 13) He did fulfil in them, but 'and afterward shall they come out with great substance' (ibid. v. 14) He did not fulfil in them."

"I am that I am" (ibid. iii. 14). R. Ammi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, spake to Moses, "Go, say to the Israelites, I was with you in this servitude, and I will be with you in the servitude of the kingdoms."

He said before Him, "Lord of the Universe, sufficient is the evil in its time." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Go say to them, I am hath sent me unto you" (ibid.).

"Hear me, O Lord, hear me " (I Kings xviii. 37). R. Abbahu said: Why did Elijah exclaim "Hear me" twice? This teaches that Elijah spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Lord of the Universe, hear me, that fire may descend from heaven and consume all that is upon the altar; and hear me, that Thou mayest divert their mind so that they say not it was the effect of sorcery; as it is said, 'For Thou didst turn their heart backward' (ibid.)."

How was he able to unite them? For lo, R, Johanan has said : At the commencement of the Tefillah one should say "O Lord, open Thou my lips" (Ps. li. 17) and at the conclusion "Let the words of my mouth etc." (ibid. xix. 15) !

"Happy is the man" (Ps. i. 1) and "Why are the nations in an uproar" (ibid. ii. 1) form one Psalm.

For R. Judah, the son of R. Simeon b. Pazzi, has said : David composed one hundred and three Psalms, and did not say Hallelujah until he had seen the overthrow of the wicked ; as it is said, "Let sinners cease out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Hallelujah" (ibid, civ, 35).

Every Psalm which was dear to David he opened with "Happy" and concluded with "Happy." He opened with "Happy" as it is written, "Happy is the man" (ibid. i. 1 ) and concluded with "Happy" as it is written, "Happy are all they that take refuge in Him" (ibid. ii. 12).

Every Psalm which was dear to David he opened with "Happy" and concluded with "Happy." He opened with "Happy" as it is written, "Happy is the man" (ibid. i. 1 ) and concluded with "Happy" as it is written, "Happy are all they that take refuge in Him" (ibid. ii. 12).

A Min said to R. Abbahu : It is written "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son" (Ps. iii. 1) and also "Of David, Michtam ; when he fled from Saul, in the cave" (ibid. Ivii. 1). Which incident happened first? Surely the incident of Saul happened first ; then he should record it first !

Whence is the rule of juxtaposition derived from the Torah? As it is said : "Semukim for ever and ever, they are done in truth and righteousness" (ibid. cxi. 8).

He dwelt in the womb of his mother and composed a song ; as it is said, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that I am within, bless His holy name" (ibid. ciii. 1).

He issued forth into the air of the world, gazed at the stars and planets, and composed a song; as it is said, "Bless the Lord, ye angels of His, ye mighty in strength, that fulfil His word, hearkening unto the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all ye His hosts, etc." (ibid. vv. 20 f.).

He sucked at his mother's breast, gazed at her nipples, and composed a song ; as it is said, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (ibid. v. 2).

David looked upon the overthrow of the wicked and composed a song ; as it is said, "Let sinners cease out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Hallelujah" (ibid. civ. 35).

He reflected on the day of death and composed a song ; as it is said, "Bless the Lord, O my soul : O Lord my God, Thou art very great, Thou art clothed with glory and majesty" (ibid. v. 1).

How is it understood that this verse speaks of the day of death? Rabbah b. Rab Shela answered : From the continuation ; as it is written, "Thou hidest Thy face, they vanish ; Thou withdrawest their breath, they perish, and return to the dust" (ibid. v. 29).

Rab Shimi b. 'Ukba (another version : Mar 'Ukba) was frequently in the company of R. Simeon b. Pazzi who used to arrange the Aggadah in the presence of R. Joshua b. Levi. He asked him : What means that which is written, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name" (ibid. ciii. I)? He replied : Come and see that the attribute of man is not like the attribute of the Holy One, blessed be He. It is an attribute of man to draw a figure on a wall, but he is unable to endow it with breath and soul, with inward parts and bowels. But with the Holy One, blessed be He, it is not so. He draws a figure within a figure, and endows it with breath and soul, with inward parts and bowels. That is what Hannah said, "There is none holy as the Lord, for there is none beside Thee ; neither is there any rock like our God" (I Sam. ii, 2).

Moses referred to the merit of others; as it is said, "Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Thy servants" (ibid, xxxii. 13), and his own merit was referred to ; as it is said, "Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn back His wrath, lest He should destroy them" (Ps. cvi. 23).

Hezekiah referred to his own merit; as it is written, "Remember now, O Lord, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee" (Is. xxxviii. 3), and the merit of others was referred to ; as it is said, "For I will defend this city, for Mine own sake, and for My servant David's sake" (ibid, xxxvii. 35). This agrees with the statement of R. Joshua b. Levi who said : What means that which is written, "Behold, for my peace I had great bitterness" (Is. xxxviii. 17)? Even when the Holy One, blessed be He, sent him peace, it was bitter for him.

"And let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool and a candlestick" (ibid.).

"A holy man." R. Jose b. R. Hannina said : He is holy, but not his servant : as it is said, "Gehazi came near to thrust her away" (ibid. v. 27). R. Simeon b. Lakish said: He seized her by the breast.

"That passeth by us continually" (ibid. v. 9). R. Jose b. R. Hannina said in the name of R. Eliezer b. Jacob : Whoever invites a disciple of the wise as a guest to his house and lets him enjoy his possessions, the Scriptures ascribe it to him as though he had brought continual offerings.

There is a teaching to the same effect : Let not a man stand upon a chair, or a stool, or any elevated place to pray, but let him pray in a lowly place, because there can be no haughtiness before the Omnipresent ; as it is said, "Out of the depths have I called Thee, O Lord," and it is said, "A prayer of the afflicted, when he fainteth" (ibid. cii. 1).

But Bet Hillel say : A man reads it after his own manner; as it is said, "And when thou walkest by the way" (ibid.).

We have learnt elsewhere in the Mishnah : The Temple-super-intendent said [to the priests] "Utter one benediction," and they did so. They then read the Decalogue, "Hear, O Israel" etc. (Deut. vi. 4 ff.), "And it shall come to pass if ye shall hearken diligently" etc. (ibid. xi. 13 ff.), "And the Lord said" etc. (Num. xv, 37 ff.). After that they uttered with the people three benedictions, viz, "True and firm," "Accept, O Lord our God" and the Priestly Benediction. On the Sabbath they added a benediction for the outgoing guard.

Samuel asked : What is Rab's reason ? Because it is written, "The Lord raiseth up them that are bowed down" (ibid, cxlvi. 8).

What is the reason ? Are we to suppose it is because it is written, "There is none of you that is sorry for me or discloseth unto me" (ibid. xxii. 8)? Perhaps it is different in the case of a king! Nay, [derive the reason] from the following : "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I afflicted my soul with fasting ; and my prayer, may it return into mine own bosom" (Ps. xxxv. 13).

Whence do we know that he was forgiven by God ? As it is said, "(And Samuel said unto Saul), Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me" (ibid. 5:19); upon which R. Johanan comments, "with me" i.e. in my division.

Nay ; R. Jose b. Abin said : [The reason is] because it is written therein, "He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness ; who shall rouse him up?" (ibid. xxiv. 9).

Quite right that three of these are explicitly stated therein ; viz. : the yoke of the commandments, as it is written, "That ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord" (ibid. xv. 39) ; the command of Fringes, as it is written, "That they make for themselves fringes" (ibid. v. 38) ; the exodus from Egypt, as it is written, "I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God ; I am the Lord your God" (ibid. 5:41). But where is there reference to heretical opinions and lustful imagination and idolatrous longing ?

Quite right that three of these are explicitly stated therein ; viz. : the yoke of the commandments, as it is written, "That ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord" (ibid. xv. 39) ; the command of Fringes, as it is written, "That they make for themselves fringes" (ibid. v. 38) ; the exodus from Egypt, as it is written, "I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God ; I am the Lord your God" (ibid. 5:41). But where is there reference to heretical opinions and lustful imagination and idolatrous longing ?

Quite right that three of these are explicitly stated therein ; viz. : the yoke of the commandments, as it is written, "That ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord" (ibid. xv. 39) ; the command of Fringes, as it is written, "That they make for themselves fringes" (ibid. v. 38) ; the exodus from Egypt, as it is written, "I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God ; I am the Lord your God" (ibid. 5:41). But where is there reference to heretical opinions and lustful imagination and idolatrous longing ?

There is a teaching : "After your heart" (ibid. v. 39) means heresy; for thus the Scriptures state, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Ps. xiv, 1). "After your own eyes" (Num. I.c.) means lustful imagination ; as it is said, "And Samson said unto his father. Get her for me, for she is pleasing in my eyes" (Judg. xiv. 3). "After which ye use to go astray" (Num. I.c.) means idolatrous longing; for thus the Scriptures state, "The children of Israel again went astray after the Baalim " (Judg. viii. 33).

It is not intended that the name Jacob shall be obliterated, but that Israel will be fundamental and Jacob secondary. Similarly the Scriptures state, "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old" (Is. xliii. 18) — "Remember ye not the former things," i.e. the servitude of the kingdoms, "neither consider the things of old," i.e. the exodus from Egypt. "Behold I will do a new thing ; now shall it spring forth" (ibid. 5:19). Rab Joseph taught :

Bar Kappara taught : Whoever calls Abraham " Abram " transgresses a command ; as it is said, "Thy name shall be Abraham" (Gen. xvii. 5). R. Eliezer says: He transgresses a prohibition ; as it is said, "Thy name shall no more be called Abram" (ibid.).

In her case the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, "As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be" (ibid. v. 15).

No; it is different here, because the Scriptures afterwards repeat [his old name] ; as it is written, "And God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob" (ibid. xlvi. 2).

And what is the reason of the Sages? The text states, "Hear, O Israel" (ibid. v. 4); i.e. in any language which thou hearest.

'Ulla said : Whoever reads the Shema' without Tefillin is as though he spoke false testimony against himself. R. Hiyya b. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan : It is as though he had offered a burnt-offering without a meal-offering (cf. Num. xxviii. 5) and a sacrifice without drink-offerings (ibid. v. 14).

It is certainly in agreement with R. Judah, even though it be ab initio ; and there is no contradiction. The latter is his own opinion, the other the opinion of his teacher. For there is a teaching : R. Judah says in the name of R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah : When one reads the Shema' he must make it audible to his ear ; as it is said, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deut. vi. 4). R. Meir said to him : Behold the Scriptures state, "And these words which I command thee this day shall be upon thy heart" (ibid. v. 6), i.e. the words depend on the Kawwanah of the heart. Since thou hast reached so far, thou mayest even suppose that

Rab Mari, the son of Samuel's daughter, asked Raba : Our Mishnah states : Workmen may read [the Shema'] on the top of a tree or on the top of scaffolding ; hence it is to be inferred that it does not require Kawwanah. I quote in refutation: Who reads the Shema' must direct his heart; as it is said, "Hear, O Israel" (Deut. vi. 4) and elsewhere, "Attend and hear, O Israel " (ibid, xxvii. 9) ; as here "attention" is required so also there !

A bridegroom is exempt from the obligation of reading the Shema'. Our Rabbis have taught : "When thou sittest in thy house" (Deut. vi. 7) excludes one occupied with a religious duty ; "and when thou walkest by the way" (ibid.) excludes a bridegroom. Hence they say : He who takes a virgin to his house as wife is exempt ; but if he marry a widow, he has that obligation.

R. Eleazar said : what means that which is written, "So will I bless Thee as long as I live ; in Thy name will I lift up my hands" (Ps. Ixiii. 5)? "So will I bless Thee as long as I live" refers to the reading of the Shema' ; "in Thy name will I lift up my hands" refers to Tefillah. If one act thus, of him the text saith, "My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness" (ibid. v. 6) ; and not only that, but he will inherit two worlds, this world and the world to come, as it is said, "And my mouth will praise Thee with joyful lips" (ibid.).

R. Eleazar said : what means that which is written, "So will I bless Thee as long as I live ; in Thy name will I lift up my hands" (Ps. Ixiii. 5)? "So will I bless Thee as long as I live" refers to the reading of the Shema' ; "in Thy name will I lift up my hands" refers to Tefillah. If one act thus, of him the text saith, "My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness" (ibid. v. 6) ; and not only that, but he will inherit two worlds, this world and the world to come, as it is said, "And my mouth will praise Thee with joyful lips" (ibid.).

It is here at any rate taught that [the mourner, although he is not in the same room as the body,] is exempt from reading the Shema', from Tefillah, Tefillin, and all the commandments mentioned in the Torah ! Rab Pappa replied : [The Baraita] is to be interpreted as referring to one who turns his face from the body and eats. Rab Ashe said : Since the duty of burying rests upon him, it is to be regarded as though the body was lying before him; as it is said, "And Abraham rose up from before his dead" (Gen. xxiii. 3) and it is said "That I may bury my dead from before me" (ibid. v. 4), i.e. so long as the duty of burial rested upon him, it was as though the body was actually before him.

Rahbah said in the name of R. Judah : Whoever sees a body [being conveyed to burial] and does not accompany it commits a transgression because of [the injunction] "Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker" (Prov. xvii. 5). If he accompany it, what is his reward ? Rab Assi said : Of him the Scriptures state, "He that is gracious to the poor lendeth unto the Lord" (ibid. xix. 17) and "he that is gracious unto the needy honoureth Him" (ibid. xiv. 31).

Rahbah said in the name of R. Judah : Whoever sees a body [being conveyed to burial] and does not accompany it commits a transgression because of [the injunction] "Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker" (Prov. xvii. 5). If he accompany it, what is his reward ? Rab Assi said : Of him the Scriptures state, "He that is gracious to the poor lendeth unto the Lord" (ibid. xix. 17) and "he that is gracious unto the needy honoureth Him" (ibid. xiv. 31).

He asked him, "Do they know all that ; for lo, it is written, 'The dead know not anything' (Eccles. ix. 5)?" He answered, "If thou hast read [this verse], thou hast not read it a second time ; if a second time, then not a third time ; and if a third time, its meaning has not been explained to thee. 'For the living know that they shall die' (ibid.) — this refers to the righteous who are called living even in their death ; as it is said, 'And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a living man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he smote the two altar-hearths of Moab ; he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow' (II Sam. xxiii. 20).

The first said to him, "But does he not know ; for behold it is written, 'But his flesh grieveth for him, and his soul mourneth over him' (ibid. v. 22)? And R. Isaac has said : The worm is as painful to the flesh of the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living !"

Rab Joseph said : What is the Scriptural authority for this ? As it is said, "We should have been as Sodom" (Is. i. 9) ; and what did the prophet reply to them? "Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom" (ibid. v. 10).

Come and hear: [It is written :] "And hide thyself from them" (ibid. xxii. 1); i.e. there are times when thou mayest hide thyself from them, and times when thou must not hide thyself from them.

R. Jose b. Hannina said : From the following passage [did R. Johanan derive his reason] : "And let them grow [weyidgu] into a multitude in the midst of the earth" (ibid. xlviii. 16) ; i.e. as the fishes [dagim] in the sea are covered by the water and the Evil Eye has no power over them,

Whence is it that the benediction to be uttered before reading the Torah is ordained by the Torah? As it is said, "For I will proclaim the name of the Lord : ascribe ye greatness unto our God" (ibid. xxxii. 3).

R. Judah declares : He says Grace before and after. That is to say that R. Judah is of the opinion that a Ba'al Keri is permitted to study Torah. But lo, R. Joshua b. Levi has said : Whence is it that a Ba'al Keri is forbidden to study Torah? As it is said, "Thou shalt make them known unto thy children and thy children's children" (Deut. iv. 9) and it continues, "The day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb" (ibid. v. 10) — as those who were Ba'al Keri were forbidden [in the assembly at Horeb], so are they forbidden [to occupy themselves with Torah].

How do we know that he does not use this method in any other part of the Torah ? For there is a teaching : Ben 'Azzai said : It is stated, "Thou shalt not suffer a sorceress to live" (Exod. xxii. 17) and it continues, "Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death" (ibid. v. 18); [the Rabbis] connect the two laws to infer that as the one who lieth with a beast is put to death by stoning, so also is the sorceress put to death by stoning.

Because it is written in the preceding verse, "The man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver" (ibid. xxii. 29).

They said : Yes, in the Book of Deuteronomy R. Judah does use this method of deduction; but the consecutive verses [quoted above] are required for another teaching of R. Joshua b. Levi who says : Whoever teaches his son Torah, the Scriptures ascribe it to him as though he had received it from Mount Horeb ; as it is said, "Thou shalt make them known unto thy children and thy children's children" (Deut. iv. 9) and it continues, "The day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb" (ibid. v. 10).

R. Samuel b. Nahmani also said in the name of R. Jonathan : What means that which is written, "Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God" (Eccles. iv. 17)? Guard thyself so that thou sinnest not; but if thou sinnest, bring an offering into My presence. "And be ready to hearken " (Eccles. iv. 1 7) — Raba said : Be ready to hearken to the words of the Sages ; for if they sin, they bring an offering and repent. "It is better than when fools give sacrifices" (ibid.) — be not like the fools who sin and bring an offering without repenting.

"For they know not to do evil " (ibid.) — if so, they are righteous ! Nay, [the meaning is :] Be not like the fools who sin and bring an offering and know not whether they bring it for the good [they have done] or for the evil [they have committed]. The Holy One, blessed be He, says, "They are unable to discern between good and evil, and they bring an offering into My presence!"

Rab Hisda said : The calf of a woman's leg is to be regarded as nakedness; as it is said, "Uncover the leg, pass through the rivers" (Is. xlvii. 2) and it continues, "Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen" (Is. xlvii. 3). Samuel said : A woman's voice is to be regarded as nakedness ; as it is said, "For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely" (Cant. ii. 14). ab Sheshet said: A woman's hair is to be regarded as nakedness; as it is said, "Thy hair is as a flock of goats" (ibid. iv. 1).

And Rab Hisda said : It is forbidden to read the Shema' [in such circumstances] — what is the reason ? Because it is written, "All my bones shall say, Lord who is like unto Thee" (ibid. xxxv. 10).

R. Jonathan who asked : It is written "Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad" (Deut. xxiii. 13) and it continues, "And thou shalt have a paddle among thy weapons ; and it shall be when thou sittest down abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee" (ibid. 5:14) —

If he is standing outside the [Holy] Land, he must direct his heart towards the land of Israel ; as it is said, "And pray unto Thee toward their land" (ibid. v. 48). If he is standing in the land of Israel, he must direct his heart towards Jerusalem ; as it is said, "And they pray unto the Lord toward the city which Thou hast chosen" (ibid. v. 44). If he is standing in Jerusalem, he must direct his heart towards the Temple ; as it is said, "And pray toward this house" (II Chron. vi. 32). If he is standing in the Temple, he must direct his heart towards the Holy of Holies; as it is said, "And they pray toward this place" (I Kings viii. 35). If he is standing in the Holy of Holies, he must direct his heart towards the mercy-seat. If he is standing behind the mercy-seat, he must imagine himself to be in front of it. Consequently if he is standing in the East, he must turn West ; if in the West, he must turn East ; if in the South, he must turn North ; if in the North, he must turn South. As a result, all Israel will be directing their heart to one spot.

If he is standing outside the [Holy] Land, he must direct his heart towards the land of Israel ; as it is said, "And pray unto Thee toward their land" (ibid. v. 48). If he is standing in the land of Israel, he must direct his heart towards Jerusalem ; as it is said, "And they pray unto the Lord toward the city which Thou hast chosen" (ibid. v. 44). If he is standing in Jerusalem, he must direct his heart towards the Temple ; as it is said, "And pray toward this house" (II Chron. vi. 32). If he is standing in the Temple, he must direct his heart towards the Holy of Holies; as it is said, "And they pray toward this place" (I Kings viii. 35). If he is standing in the Holy of Holies, he must direct his heart towards the mercy-seat. If he is standing behind the mercy-seat, he must imagine himself to be in front of it. Consequently if he is standing in the East, he must turn West ; if in the West, he must turn East ; if in the South, he must turn North ; if in the North, he must turn South. As a result, all Israel will be directing their heart to one spot.

How is it derived from this verse ? Perhaps it was different with David, since he afflicted his soul exceedingly in prayer ! But said R, Joshua b. Levi : [Derive it] from the following : "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" (ibid. xxix. 2) — read not "beauty" [hadrat] but "trembling" [herdat].

How is it derived from this verse ? Perhaps I may indeed tell thee that "in the beauty of holiness" is to be understood literally, as with Rab Judah who used to adorn himself and then pray ! But said Rab Nahman b. Isaac : [Derive it] from the following : "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (ibid. ii. 11).

R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon b. Johai : It is forbidden that a man's mouth be filled with laughter in this world ; because it is written, "Then will our mouth be filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing" (Ps. cxxvi. 2). When ? At the time when "They will say among the nations. The Lord hath done great things with these" (ibid.). It was said of R. Simeon b. Lakish that never again was his mouth full of laughter in this world after hearing this teaching from his master R. Johanan.

It is possible to imagine that a man can pray all the day long ; but it has already been clearly stated by Daniel, "And he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed, and gave thanks before his God " (ibid.).

It is possible to imagine that only when he was taken into captivity, he commenced to pray thus ; but it has been said, "As he did aforetime" (ibid.).

It is possible to imagine that one can pray in any direction he wishes; therefore there is a teaching to state, "Towards Jerusalem" (ibid.).

Rab Hamnuna said : How many weighty Halakot there are to be learnt from the passage relating to Hannah ! "Now Hannah, she spake in her heart" (I Sam. i. 13) — hence it is deduced that one who prays must direct his heart. "Only her lips moved" — hence, one who prays must pronounce [the words] with his lips. "But her voice was not heard" — hence, it is forbidden to raise the voice when praying. "Therefore Eli thought she had been drunken" — hence, it is forbidden to pray when intoxicated. "And Eli said to her. How long wilt thou be drunken?" (ibid. v. 14) — [[fol. 31 b.]] R. Eleazar said:

anything that is unseemly, he must rebuke him. "And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord" (ibid. v. 15) — 'Ulla (another version: R. Jose b. R. Hannina) declared : She said to Eli, "Thou art not 'a lord' in this affair, nor does the Holy Spirit rest upon thee, seeing thou hast suspected me of this thing."

"Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace" (I Sam. i. 17) — R. Eleazar said : Hence, if one wrongly suspected another, he must conciliate him ; nay more, he must bless him ; as it is said, "And the God of Israel grant thy petition" (ibid.).

"And she vowed a vow and said, O Lord of hosts" (ibid. v. 11) — R. Eleazar said : From the day that the Holy One, blessed be He, created His universe, there was nobody who called Him "[Lord of] hosts" until Hannah came and gave Him that designation.

"If thou wilt indeed look" (ibid.) — R. Eleazar said: Thus spake Hannah before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Lord of the universe ! If Thou wilt look, well and good ; but if Thou wilt not look, I will go and seclude myself [with another man] before Elkanah my husband ; and having done so, they will administer to me the waters of the woman suspected of adultery, and Thou wilt surely not make Thy Torah a fraud ; for it is said,

"But wilt give Thy handmaid seed of men" (ibid.). What means "seed of men"?

"For this child I prayed" (ibid. v. 27). R. Eleazar said : Samuel was one who decided a Halakah in the presence of his master ; as it is said, "And when the bullock was slain, the child was brought to Eli" (ibid. v. 25). Because "the bullock was slain," therefore "the child was brought to Eli"!

"For this child I prayed" (ibid. v. 27). R. Eleazar said : Samuel was one who decided a Halakah in the presence of his master ; as it is said, "And when the bullock was slain, the child was brought to Eli" (ibid. v. 25). Because "the bullock was slain," therefore "the child was brought to Eli"!

first, that which is written, "Her that I have afflicted" (ibid.); second, that which is written, "Behold as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel" (Jer. xviii. 6) ; third, that which is written, "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" (Ezek. xxxvi. 26).

Rab Pappa said : [It may also be learnt] from this passage: "And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes" (ibid. v. 27).

Rab Aha b. Rab Huna said in the name of Rab Sheshet : That is what people say : "He whose stomach is full increaseth deeds of evil" ; as it is said, "When they were fed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was exalted ; therefore have they forgotten Me" (Hosea xiii. 6). Rab Nahman said : [It may be learnt] from this passage : "Then thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God" (Deut. viii. 14) ; and the Rabbis said from the following: "And they shall have eaten their fill, and waxen fat, and turned unto other gods " (ibid. xxxi. 20) ;

or if thou wilt, from the following : "But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked " (ibid, xxxii. 15). R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan : Whence is it that the Holy One, blessed be He, afterwards admitted [the plea of] Moses ? As it is said, "I multiplied unto her silver and gold, which they used for Baal" (Hosea ii. 10).

"And Moses besought [wayyehal] the Lord his God" (ibid. v. 11). R. Eleazar said : This teaches that Moses stood in prayer before the Holy One, blessed be He, until he wore Him out [hehelehu]. Raba said : [Moses besought Him] until He annulled His vow for him ; for it is written here wayyehal "and he besought," and elsewhere it is written, "he shall not break [yahel] his word" (Num. 30:3) ; and a teacher has said : [He who makes a vow] cannot break it himself, but others can break it on his behalf.

"Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou didst swear by Thine own self" (ibid. v. 13). What means "By Thine own self" ? R. Eleazar said : Moses spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Lord of the universe ! If Thou hadst sworn to them by heaven and earth, I might have said that as heaven and earth will be annulled, so will Thine oath be annulled ; but now that Thou hast sworn to them by Thy great name, as Thy great name lives and endures for all eternity, so must Thine oath endure for all eternity."

"And Thou saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed" (ibid.). The phrase "that I have spoken of" should rather be "that Thou hast spoken of" !

R. Johanan said : Whence is it that the Holy One, blessed be He, afterwards yielded to Moses? As it is said, "And the Lord said, I have forgiven according to thy word" (ibid. v. 20). The school of R. Ishmael taught : "According to thy word" — the nations of the world will say thus,

"But in very deed, as I live" (ibid. v. 21) — Raba said in the name of Rab Isaac : This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Moses, thou hast made Me to survive [in the estimation of the peoples] with thy word."

R. Simlai expounded : A man should always recount the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, and thereafter pray [for his needs]. Whence have we this? From Moses; for it is written, "And I besought the Lord at that time, saying" (Deut. iii. 23). Then it is written, "O Lord God, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy strong hand ; for what god is there in heaven or on earth, that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy mighty acts ?" (ibid. v. 24). And after that it is written, "Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land" etc. (ibid. v. 25).

R. Simlai expounded : A man should always recount the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, and thereafter pray [for his needs]. Whence have we this? From Moses; for it is written, "And I besought the Lord at that time, saying" (Deut. iii. 23). Then it is written, "O Lord God, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy strong hand ; for what god is there in heaven or on earth, that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy mighty acts ?" (ibid. v. 24). And after that it is written, "Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land" etc. (ibid. v. 25).