ibid

R. Eleazar said : Greater is prayer than good deeds ; for thou hast no one greater in good deeds than Moses, our teacher, nevertheless he was only answered through prayer ; as it is said, "Speak no more unto Me of this matter" (ibid. v. 26), which is followed by, "Get thee up into the top of Pisgah" (ibid. v. 27).

R. Eleazar said : Greater is prayer than good deeds ; for thou hast no one greater in good deeds than Moses, our teacher, nevertheless he was only answered through prayer ; as it is said, "Speak no more unto Me of this matter" (ibid. v. 26), which is followed by, "Get thee up into the top of Pisgah" (ibid. v. 27).

R. Eleazar also said : Greater is prayer than sacrifices ; as it is said, "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me?" (Is. i. 11), and it is written, "And when ye spread forth your hands" (ibid. v. 15).

R. Johanan said : A Kohen who has committed murder must not lift up his hands; as it is said, "Your hands are full of blood" (ibid.).

R. Hannin said in the name of R. Hannina : Whoever prolongs his prayer, his prayer will not return empty. Whence have we this ? From Moses our teacher ; as it is said, "And I prayed unto the Lord" (Deut. ix. 26), and it is afterwards written, "[Now I stayed in the mount... forty days and forty nights ;] and the Lord hearkened unto me that time also" (ibid. x. 10).

But it is not so ! For R. Hiyya b. Abba has said in the name of R. Johanan : Whoever prolongs his prayer and calculates on it will eventually come to pain of heart ; as it is said, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick" (Prov. xiii. 12). What is his remedy? Let him occupy himself with Torah; as it is said, "But desire fulfilled is a tree of life" (ibid.), and "tree of life" is nothing else than Torah, as it is said, "It is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon it" (Prov. iii. 18)! There is no contradiction; the latter teaching refers to one who prolongs his prayer and calculates on it, the former to one who prolongs his prayer without calculating on it.

"Can a woman forget her sucking child ['ulah]?" (Is. xlix. 15). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Can I forget the burnt-offerings ['olot] of rams and the firstborn of animals which Thou didst offer to Me in the wilderness?" [The community of Israel] spake before Him, "Lord of the universe ! Since there is no forgetfulness before the throne of Thy glory, perhaps Thou wilt not forget against me the incident of the Golden Calf!" He replied, "Yea, 'these' will be forgotten" (ibid.).

Israel spake before Him, "Lord of the universe! Since there is forgetfulness before the throne of Thy glory, perhaps Thou wilt forget for me the incident at Sinai!" He replied, "Yet 'the I' will I not forget thee" (ibid.).

R. Joshua b. Levi also said : He who prays should wait an hour after his prayer ; as it is said, "Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name, the upright shall dwell in Thy presence" (ibid. cxl. 14).

Our Rabbis have taught : It happened that a pious man was saying the Tefillah by the roadside. A nobleman passed and greeted him ; but he did not respond. The nobleman waited until he had concluded his prayer ; and after he had concluded it, he said to him, "Good for nothing! Is it not written in your Torah, 'Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently' (Deut iv. 9) and 'Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves' (ibid. 5:15)? When I greeted thee, why didst thou not return my salutation? If I had cut off thy head with a sword, who would have demanded thy blood at my hand?"

Our Rabbis have taught : "Bowing" means upon the face ; as it is said, "Then Bath Sheba bowed with her face to the earth" (ibid. i. 31)."Bending" means upon the knees; as it is said, "From kneeling on his knees" (ibid. viii. 54). "Prostrating" means spreading out the hands and legs ; as it is said, "Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to prostrate ourselves to thee to the earth?" (Gen. xxxvii. 10).

Our Rabbis have taught : "Bowing" means upon the face ; as it is said, "Then Bath Sheba bowed with her face to the earth" (ibid. i. 31)."Bending" means upon the knees; as it is said, "From kneeling on his knees" (ibid. viii. 54). "Prostrating" means spreading out the hands and legs ; as it is said, "Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to prostrate ourselves to thee to the earth?" (Gen. xxxvii. 10).

Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel : Whoever enjoys anything of this world without a benediction is as though he had partaken of the holy things of Heaven ; as it is said, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof" (Ps. xxiv. 1). R. Levi asked : t is written, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof," and it is written, "The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth hath He given to the children of men" (ibid. cxv. 16) ! There is no contradiction ; the former passage referring [[fol. 35 b.]] to before the benediction [has been uttered],

R. Johanan said : Even [if it see] a fixed court [it is subject to the tithe] ; as it is said, "That they may eat within thy gates and be satisfied" (ibid. v. 12).

It is quoted in objection : R. Meir has declared : From the statement of Scripture, "Ye shall deem it an uncircumcision with its fruit" (Lev. xix. 23), do I not know that a food-bearing tree is intended ? Why, then, is there a teaching to tell us "trees for food" (ibid.)? To include a tree whose wood and fruit taste alike. And which is that? Pepper ; to teach thee that pepper is subject to 'Orlah, and to teach thee that the Land of Israel lacks nothing ; as it is said, "A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it" (Deut. viii. 9)!

The Rabbis explain this verse as follows : Thus spake the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel, "When I bring you forth, I will do that for you whereby you may know that I am He that brought you forth from Egypt; for it is written 'And ye shall know that I am the Lord your God Who brought you out [hammosi']'" (ibid.).

If, over fruits of the earth, etc. This is evident ! Rab Nahman b. Isaac said : It is only necessary for R. Judah who declares that wheat is a kind of tree ; for there is a teaching : The tree from which Adam ate was — so says R. Meir — the vine, because thou hast nothing which brings lamentation upon man as does wine; as it is said, "And he drank of the wine, and was drunken" (Gen. ix. 21). R. Nehemiah says: It was the fig-tree, for by the very thing that they were disgraced were they restored ; as it is said, "And they sewed fig-leaves together" (ibid. iii. 7). R. Judah said : It was wheat, because a child does not know to call "Father, mother" before it has tasted wheat.

Abbai declared : We also add : A benediction [immediately alights upon him who entertains] disciples of the wise ; as it is said, "The Lord hath blessed me for thy sake" (Gen. xxx. 27); or, if thou wilt, from this passage, as it is said, "The Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake " (ibid. xxxix. 5).

GEMARA What is Rabban Gamaliel's reason? Because it is written, "A land of wheat and barley and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates" (Deut. viii. 8), and it is written, "A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness" (ibid. v. 9), and it is written "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord thy God" (ibid. v. lO).

GEMARA What is Rabban Gamaliel's reason? Because it is written, "A land of wheat and barley and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates" (Deut. viii. 8), and it is written, "A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness" (ibid. v. 9), and it is written "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord thy God" (ibid. v. lO).

Our Rabbis have taught : Whence do we derive the Grace after meals from the Torah? As it is said, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless" (Deut. viii. 10) — this refers to the benediction "Who feedest"; "the Lord thy God" (ibid.)— to the benediction of Zimmun; "for the land" (ibid.) — to the benediction of "the land" ; "the good" (ibid.) — to "Who. . . rebuildest Jerusalem," for so it states "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (ibid. iii. 25); "which He hath given thee" (ibid. viii. 10) — to "Who art kind and dealest kindly." I have here only the Grace after meals ; whence do we derive the Grace before meals ? Thou canst reason by a fortiori argument — if a man should bless God when satisfied, how much more so when he is hungry !

Our Rabbis have taught : Whence do we derive the Grace after meals from the Torah? As it is said, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless" (Deut. viii. 10) — this refers to the benediction "Who feedest"; "the Lord thy God" (ibid.)— to the benediction of Zimmun; "for the land" (ibid.) — to the benediction of "the land" ; "the good" (ibid.) — to "Who. . . rebuildest Jerusalem," for so it states "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (ibid. iii. 25); "which He hath given thee" (ibid. viii. 10) — to "Who art kind and dealest kindly." I have here only the Grace after meals ; whence do we derive the Grace before meals ? Thou canst reason by a fortiori argument — if a man should bless God when satisfied, how much more so when he is hungry !

Our Rabbis have taught : Whence do we derive the Grace after meals from the Torah? As it is said, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless" (Deut. viii. 10) — this refers to the benediction "Who feedest"; "the Lord thy God" (ibid.)— to the benediction of Zimmun; "for the land" (ibid.) — to the benediction of "the land" ; "the good" (ibid.) — to "Who. . . rebuildest Jerusalem," for so it states "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (ibid. iii. 25); "which He hath given thee" (ibid. viii. 10) — to "Who art kind and dealest kindly." I have here only the Grace after meals ; whence do we derive the Grace before meals ? Thou canst reason by a fortiori argument — if a man should bless God when satisfied, how much more so when he is hungry !

Our Rabbis have taught : Whence do we derive the Grace after meals from the Torah? As it is said, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless" (Deut. viii. 10) — this refers to the benediction "Who feedest"; "the Lord thy God" (ibid.)— to the benediction of Zimmun; "for the land" (ibid.) — to the benediction of "the land" ; "the good" (ibid.) — to "Who. . . rebuildest Jerusalem," for so it states "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (ibid. iii. 25); "which He hath given thee" (ibid. viii. 10) — to "Who art kind and dealest kindly." I have here only the Grace after meals ; whence do we derive the Grace before meals ? Thou canst reason by a fortiori argument — if a man should bless God when satisfied, how much more so when he is hungry !

Our Rabbis have taught : Whence do we derive the Grace after meals from the Torah? As it is said, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless" (Deut. viii. 10) — this refers to the benediction "Who feedest"; "the Lord thy God" (ibid.)— to the benediction of Zimmun; "for the land" (ibid.) — to the benediction of "the land" ; "the good" (ibid.) — to "Who. . . rebuildest Jerusalem," for so it states "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (ibid. iii. 25); "which He hath given thee" (ibid. viii. 10) — to "Who art kind and dealest kindly." I have here only the Grace after meals ; whence do we derive the Grace before meals ? Thou canst reason by a fortiori argument — if a man should bless God when satisfied, how much more so when he is hungry !

Why all this? Because women are garrulous. Samuel said: The women did it in order to gaze upon Saul's beauty; for it is written, "From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people" (ibid. 5:2). R. Johanan said : [The women did it] because one reign must not encroach upon another even a hair's breadth.

R. Judah b. Batyra said : [This reasoning] is unnecessary ; for it states, "Good" (Deut. viii. 7) and "the good" (ibid. 5:10) — "good" i.e. Torah, as it is said "For I give you good doctrine" (Prov. iv. 2); "the good" i.e. the rebuilding of Jerusalem, as it is said "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (Deut. iii. 25).

Rab Nahman b. Isaac said : I know neither Zilai nor Ziwai nor Zohamai ; but I know the following teaching : Rab Judah said in the name of Rab (another version : it is taught in a Baraita) : "Sanctify yourselves" (Lev. xi. 44) — i.e. the washing before the meal ; "and be ye holy" (ibid.) — i.e. the washing after the meal ; "for holy" (ibid.) — i.e. the oil ; "I am the Lord your God" — i.e. the Grace.

Rab Nahman b. Isaac said : I know neither Zilai nor Ziwai nor Zohamai ; but I know the following teaching : Rab Judah said in the name of Rab (another version : it is taught in a Baraita) : "Sanctify yourselves" (Lev. xi. 44) — i.e. the washing before the meal ; "and be ye holy" (ibid.) — i.e. the washing after the meal ; "for holy" (ibid.) — i.e. the oil ; "I am the Lord your God" — i.e. the Grace.

and made caves for themselves in which they hid, saying, "When the Israelites pass here we will kill them." But they knew not that the Ark was journeying before Israel and was lowering the rocks in front of them ; so when the Ark reached [the spot where the Amorites were in hiding], the rocks clave together, killing them, and their blood descended into the valleys of Arnon. When Et and Heb came and saw blood issuing from between the rocks, they went and told the Israelites and uttered a song. That is what is written, "And he poured out the valleys that incline toward the seat of Ar and lean upon the border of Moab" (ibid. v. 15).

"They who journey in the desert" — whence have we this ? For it is written, "They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way ; they found no city of habitation...Then they cried unto the Lord... and He led them by a straight way... Let them give thanks unto the Lord for His mercy" (ibid. vv. 4-8).

"The prisoner who has been set free" — whence have we this? For it is written, "Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death... because they rebelled against the words of God... Therefore He humbled their heart with travail... They cried unto the Lord in their trouble... He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death... Let them give thanks unto the Lord for His mercy" (ibid. vv. 10-15).

What benediction should he utter? Rab Judah said, "Blessed ...Who bestowest lovingkindnesses." Abbai said : It is necessary for him to offer his thanksgiving in the presence of ten ; for it is written, "Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people" etc. (ibid. 5:32). Mar Zotra said : Two of them must be Rabbis ; as it is said, "And praise Him in the seat of the elders" (ibid.).

What benediction should he utter? Rab Judah said, "Blessed ...Who bestowest lovingkindnesses." Abbai said : It is necessary for him to offer his thanksgiving in the presence of ten ; for it is written, "Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people" etc. (ibid. 5:32). Mar Zotra said : Two of them must be Rabbis ; as it is said, "And praise Him in the seat of the elders" (ibid.).

R. Isaac said : "We must not appoint a leader over the Community without first consulting them ; as it is said, "See, the Lord hath called by name Besalel, the son of Uri" (ibid. xxxv. 30). The Holy One, blessed be He, asked Moses, "Is Besalel acceptable to thee?" He replied, "Lord of the universe, if he is acceptable to Thee, how much more so to me!" He said to him, "Nevertheless, go and tell the people." He went and asked Israel, "Is Besalel acceptable to you?" They answered, "If he is acceptable to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to thee, how much more so to us ! "

R. Levi said : A man should always wait up to twenty-two years for [the fulfilment of] a good dream. Whence is this learnt ? From Joseph ; for it is written, "These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old" etc. (ibid. v. 2), and it is written, "And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh" (ibid. xli. 46). From seventeen to thirty — how many years is it? Thirteen ; add the seven years of plenty and two of famine, hence we get twenty-two.

R. Levi said : A man should always wait up to twenty-two years for [the fulfilment of] a good dream. Whence is this learnt ? From Joseph ; for it is written, "These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old" etc. (ibid. v. 2), and it is written, "And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh" (ibid. xli. 46). From seventeen to thirty — how many years is it? Thirteen ; add the seven years of plenty and two of famine, hence we get twenty-two.

The next commenced and said : He who enters a town and is afraid of the Evil Eye, let him take his right thumb in his left hand and his left thumb in his right hand and say the following: "I, A the son of B, come from the seed of Joseph against whom the Evil Eye had no power ; as it is said, 'Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain' (Gen. xlix. 22). Read not 'ale 'ayin 'by a fountain' but 'ole 'ayin 'overcoming the [Evil] Eye'." R. Jose b. R. Hannina said : It may be derived from the verse : "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 cannot have power over them, in similar manner the Evil Eye has no power over the seed of Joseph. Should he, however, be afraid of his own Evil Eye, let him gaze upon the wing of his left nostril.

Is there such a Scriptural passage as "All dreams follow the mouth"? Yes; and it is like the statement of R. Eleazar who said : Whence is it that all dreams follow the mouth ? As it is said, "And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was" (Gen. xli. 13). Raba said : That is only so if he interprets it from the content of the dream; as it is said, "To each man according to his dream he did interpret" (ibid. v. 12).

"When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good" (ibid. xl. 16) — how did he know this? R. Eleazar said : This teaches that each of them was shown the dream and interpretation of the other.

R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan : A man is only shown [in a dream what emanates] from the thoughts of his heart ; as it is said, "As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed" (Dan. ii. 29). Or if thou wilt I can say from this passage, "That thou mayest know the thoughts of thy heart" (ibid. v. 30). Raba said : Thou mayest know this from the fact that a man is never shown [in a dream] a golden date-palm or an elephant entering the eye of a needle.

They said to him : We were made to read in our dream the words "Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be thine, for they shall go into captivity" (ibid. 5:41). To Raba he replied in an unfavourable sense. To Abbai he said : Thy sons and daughters will be many, and thy daughters will marry [husbands in distant parts of] the world, so that they will seem to thee as though they had gone into captivity,

[They said to him : In our dream] we were made to read the words "Thy sons and thy daughters shall he given unto another people " (ibid. v. 32), To Abbai he said : Thy sons and daughters will be many ; thou wilt say [they should marry] thy relatives, but [thy wife] will say they [should marry] her relatives, and she will compel thee to give them to her relatives, and it will seem [as though they had been given] to another people. To Raba he said : Thy wife will die, and thy sons and daughters will come under the control of another wife. For Raba said in the name of R. Jeremiah b. Abba in the name of Rab : What means that which is written, "Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people"? This refers to a stepmother.

We were made to read the words "And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon thee, and they shall be afraid of thee" (ibid. v. 10). To Abbai he said : Thy fame will go forth as the Principal of the College and the fear of thee will be widespread in the world. To Raba he said : The king's treasury will be broken into and thou wilt be arrested as one of the thieves, and everybody will draw an inference from thee. The next day the king's treasury was broken into, and they came and arrested Raba.

R. Hanan said : There are three [types of dreams which indicate] peace — a river, bird and pot. "A river" — for it is written, "Behold I will extend peace to her like a river" (Is. Ixvi. 12). "A bird" — for it is written, "As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem" (ibid. xxxi. 5). "A pot" — for it is written, "Lord, Thou wilt establish peace for us" (ibid. xxvi. 12). R. Hannina said : But it must be a pot in which there is no meat; for it is said, "They chop them in pieces, as that which is in the pot, and as flesh within the caldron" (Micah iii. 3).

R. Hanan said : There are three [types of dreams which indicate] peace — a river, bird and pot. "A river" — for it is written, "Behold I will extend peace to her like a river" (Is. Ixvi. 12). "A bird" — for it is written, "As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem" (ibid. xxxi. 5). "A pot" — for it is written, "Lord, Thou wilt establish peace for us" (ibid. xxvi. 12). R. Hannina said : But it must be a pot in which there is no meat; for it is said, "They chop them in pieces, as that which is in the pot, and as flesh within the caldron" (Micah iii. 3).

R. Joshua b. Levi said : Who dreams of a river should on rising say, "Behold I will extend peace to her like a river" (Is. Ixvi. 12), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "For distress will come in like a river" (ibid. lix. 19). Who dreams of a bird should on rising say, "As birds hovering so will the Lord of hosts protect" (ibid. xxxi. 5), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place" (Prov. xxvii. 8). Who dreams of a pot should on rising say, "Lord, Thou wilt establish [shapat] peace for us" (Is. xxvi. 12), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "Set on [shapat] the pot, set it on" (Ezek. xxiv. 3).

R. Joshua b. Levi said : Who dreams of a river should on rising say, "Behold I will extend peace to her like a river" (Is. Ixvi. 12), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "For distress will come in like a river" (ibid. lix. 19). Who dreams of a bird should on rising say, "As birds hovering so will the Lord of hosts protect" (ibid. xxxi. 5), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place" (Prov. xxvii. 8). Who dreams of a pot should on rising say, "Lord, Thou wilt establish [shapat] peace for us" (Is. xxvi. 12), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "Set on [shapat] the pot, set it on" (Ezek. xxiv. 3).

Who dreams of shaving should on rising say, "And [Joseph] shaved himself and changed his raiment" (Gen. xli. 14), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me" (Judges xvi. 17). Who dreams of a well should on rising say, "A well of living waters" (Cant. iv. 15), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "As a cistern welleth with her waters, so she welleth with her wickedness" (Jer. vi. 7). Who dreams of a reed should on rising say, "A bruised reed shall he not break" (Is. xlii. 3), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed" (ibid, xxxvi. 6).

Our Rabbis have taught : Who dreams of a reed [kaneh] may hope for wisdom ; as it is said, "Get [keneh] wisdom" (Prov. iv. 5). Who dreams of reeds may hope for understanding ; as it is said, "With all thy getting get understanding" (ibid. v. 7). R. Zera said: A pumpkin [kara], a palm-heart [kora], wax [kira] and a reed [kanya] are all auspicious in a dream. There is a teaching : Nobody is shown a gourd [in a dream] except him who is a fearer of Heaven with all his strength.

Who dreams of the fig, his Torah will be preserved within him ; as it is said, "Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof" (Prov. xxvii. 18). Who dreams of pomegranates, if small, his business will bear fruit like the pomegranate ; if large, his business will grow like the pomegranate ; if split open, should he be a disciple of the wise, he may hope for Torah ; as it is said, "I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate" (Cant. viii. 2); but should he be an 'Am ha'ares, he may hope for commandments [to perform], as it is said, "Thy temples [rakkah] are like a pomegranate split open" (ibid. iv. 3). What means rakkah? Even the illiterate [rekanim] amongst thee will be full of commandments as a pomegranate [is full of seeds].

disciple of the wise, it is always a good omen ; as it is said, "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled" (ibid, ix. 5).

Six things are a favourable symptom in an invalid : sneezing, perspiration, abdominal motion, seminal emission, sleep and a dream. "Sneezing" — for it is written, "His sneezings flash forth light" (Job xli. 10). "Perspiration" — for it is written, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Gen, iii. 19). "Abdominal motion" — for it is written, "He that is bent down shall speedily be loosed ; and he shall not go down dying into the pit" (Is. li. 14). "Seminal emission" — for it is written, "Seeing seed, he will prolong his days" (ibid. liii. 10). "Sleep" — for it is written, "I should have slept, then had I been at rest" (Job iii. 13). "A dream" — for it is written, "Thou didst cause me to dream and make me to live" (Is. xxxviii. 16).

R. Jeremiah b. Eleazar said : When Babylon was cursed, her neighbours were cursed ; but when Samaria was cursed, her neighbours were blessed. When Babylon was cursed, her neighbours were cursed ; for it is written, "I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water" (ibid.). When Samaria was cursed, her neighbours were blessed ; for it is written, "Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the field, a place for the planting of vineyards" (Micah i. 6).

What does one say concerning a good guest ? "Remember that thou magnify his work, whereof men have sung" (Job xxxvi. 24) ; and of a bad guest it is written, "Men do therefore fear him ; he regardeth not any that are wise of heart" (ibid. xxxvii 24).

'Ulla and Rab Hisda were journeying along the road. When they reached the entrance of the house of Rab Hanna b. Hanilai, Rab Hisda broke down and sighed. 'Ulla asked him, "Why dost thou sigh? For lo, Rab has said : A sigh breaketh half the body of a man ; as it is said, 'Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins,' etc. (Ezek. xxi. 11); and R. Johanan has said : It even breaks the whole body ; as it is said, 'And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou ? that thou shalt say, Because of the tidings, for it cometh ; and every heart shall melt' etc. (ibid. v. 12)."

What means 'Ash [the Bear]? Rab Judah said : Juta. What is Juta? Some say : The tail of a ram ; others say : The head of a calf. But the more probable view is that of him who said, "The tail of a ram" ; for it is written, "And the 'Ajish will be comforted for her children" (ibid. 5:32). Hence it seems as if something is lacking [in the tail]

Rab Kattina himself explained [that the phenomenon was due to God] clapping His hands ; as it is said, "I will also smite My hands together, and I will satisfy My fury" (Ezek. xxi. 22). R. Nathan says : The rumbling is due to His sighing; as it is said, "I will satisfy My fury upon them, and I will be eased" (ibid. v. 13). The Rabbis say : He treads upon the firmament ; as it is said, "He giveth a noise, as they that tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth" (Jer. xxv. 30). Rab Aha b. Jacob said : He presses His feet beneath the Throne of Glory ; as it is said, "Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool" (Is. Ixvi. 1).

Rab Joseph said: What is the Scriptural authority? For it is written, "We should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah" (Is, i. 9). What did the prophet answer them? "Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom" (ibid. v. 10).

R. Samuel b. Nahmani said : It may be derived from the following: "In the Lord, I will praise His word ; in God, I will praise His word" (ibid. Ivi. 11) — "In the Lord, I will praise His word" refers to His attribute of goodness; "In God, I will praise His word" refers to His attribute of retribution.

R. Tanhum said : It may be derived from the following : "I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord" (ibid. cxvi. 13) [and] "I found trouble and sorrow, but I called upon the name of the Lord" (ibid. vv. 3f).

R. Tanhum said : It may be derived from the following : "I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord" (ibid. cxvi. 13) [and] "I found trouble and sorrow, but I called upon the name of the Lord" (ibid. vv. 3f).

It is quite right according to him who says that it was a face ; that is what is written, "Male and female created He them" (Gen. 5:2). But according to him who said it was a tail, what means "Male and female created He them"? It is [to be explained] according to R. Abbahu who asked : It is written "Male and female created He them," and it is written, "For in the image of God made He man" (ibid. ix. 6). How is this? At first He planned to create two, but in the end only one was created.

It is quite right according to him who says it was a face ; that is what is written, "He closed up the place with flesh instead thereof " (ibid. ii. 21). But according to him who said it was a tail, what means "He closed up the place with flesh instead thereof"? R. Jeremiah (other versions : Rab Zebid ; Rab Nahman b. Isaac) said : That was only necessary in the place of the wound.

It is quite right according to him who said it was a tail ; that is what is written, "And He made [lit. built]" (ibid. v. 22). But according to him who said it was a face, what means "He made"?

"And He brought her unto the man" (ibid.). R. Jeremiah b. Eleazar said : This means that the Holy One, blessed be He, constituted Himself Adam's "best man"; hence the Torah teaches a rule of conduct, viz. : that an eminent man should accompany one of less importance as "best man," and it will not injure [his dignity].

There is a teaching : R. Jose of Galilee says : The good impulse controls the righteous ; as it is said, "My heart is wounded within me" (Ps. cix. 22). The evil impulse controls the wicked ; as it is said, "Transgression speaketh to the wicked, in the midst of the heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes" (ibid, xxxvi. 2). Both impulses control average people ; as it is said, "Because He standeth at the right hand of the needy, to save him from them that judge his soul" (Ps. cix. 31).

The ministering angels spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Such Torah, and such a reward? 'From men, by Thy hand, O Lord, from men' etc. (Ps. xvii. 14)." He replied to them, "Their portion is in this life" (ibid.). A Bat Kol issued forth and announced, "Happy art thou, R. 'Akiba, for thou art destined for the life of the world to come!"

It ought to be "And I said"; "but it spared"! It ought to be "but I spared." R. Eleazar said : Thus spake David to Saul, "According to the Torah, thou art liable to be put to death, because thou art a pursuer ; and the Torah declares that if one comes to kill thee, kill him first. But the modesty which is manifest in thee has spared thee." In what did [Saul's modesty] consist? For it is written, "And he came to the sheep-cotes by the way, where was a cave ; and Saul went in to cover his feet" (ibid. 5:4).

"Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily" (ibid. 5:5). R. Jose b. R. Hannina said : Whoever deals contemptuously with garments will in the end derive no benefit from them ; as it is said, "Now King David was old and stricken in years ; and they covered him with clothes but he could get no heat" (I Kings i. 1).

"If it be the Lord that hath stirred thee up against me, let Him accept an offering" (I Sam. xxvi. 19). R. Eleazar said: Thus spake the Holy One, blessed be He, to David, Thou callest Me a "stirrer-up," behold I will cause thee to stumble in a matter which even school-children know ; for it is written, "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to their number, then shall they give every man a ranson for his soul unto the Lord... that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them" (Exod. xxx. 12). Immediately "Satan stood up against Israel" (I Chron. xxi. 1); for it is written, "He stirred up David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah" (II Sam. xxiv. 1). But when he numbered them, he took no ransom from them ; and it is written, "So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed" (ibid. v. 15).

"And He said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough [rab]" (ibid. v. 16). R. Eleazar said: Thus spake the Holy One, blessed be He, to the angel, Take for me the chief [rab] among them, so that through him I can punish them for their sins. At that moment Abishai b. Zeruiah died, who was equal [in worth] to the majority of the Sanhedrin.

Rab said : He beheld our father Jacob ; for it is written, "And Jacob said when he beheld them" (Gen. xxxii. 3). Samuel said : He beheld the ashes of [the sacrifice substituted for] Isaac ; as it is said, "God will provide Himself the lamb" (ibid. xxii. 8).

"Why all this? Because the response "Amen" was never made in the Sanctuary. Whence is it that "Amen" was never used as a response in the Sanctuary? As it is said, "Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting" (Nehem. ix. 5), and it continues, "And let them say: Blessed be Thy glorious Name, that is exalted above all blessing and praise" (ibid).

Bar Kappara expounded : Which is a brief Scriptural passage upon which all the principles of the Torah depend? "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths" (ibid. iii. 6). Raba said : Even for a matter of transgression.

Hezekiah b. R. Parnak said in the name of R. Parnak in the name of R. Johanan : Why does the section of the woman suspected of adultery adjoin the section of the offerings and tithes ? To tell thee that whoever has offerings and tithes and does not hand them to the priest will in the end require the services of a priest in the matter of his wife; as it is said, "And every man's hallowed things shall be his" (Num. v. 10) and next to it is, "If any man's wife go aside" (ibid. v. 12). Not only that, but in the end he will be in need of the offerings and tithes ; as it is said, "And every man's hallowed things shall be his."

R. Judah, the chief of orators in every place, began with the honour of the Torah and expounded : "Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it without the camp" (Exod. xxxiii. 7). Can we not use here an a fortiori argument : If of the Ark of God, which was never more than twelve Mil distant, the Torah declares, "Everyone that sought the Lord went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp" (ibid.), how much more so, the disciples of the wise who go from city to city and from province to province to study Torah!

"And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face" (ibid. v. 11). R. Isaac said : The Holy One, blessed be He, spake unto Moses, "Moses, I and thou will discuss aspects of Halakah." Another version : Thus spake the Holy One, blessed be He, unto Moses, "In the same manner that I have shown thee a cheerful countenance, do thou likewise show Israel a cheerful countenance, and restore the tent to its place."

"And he would return into the camp" etc. (ibid.). R. Abbahu said : The Holy One, blessed be He, spake to Moses, "Now will they say, The Master is angry and the disciple is angry; what will become of Israel? If thou wilt restore the tent to its place [within the camp], well and good ; but if not, Joshua the son of Nun, thy disciple, will minister in thy stead."

That is what is written, "And he would return into the camp." Raba said : Nevertheless the word did not go forth from Him in vain ; as it is said, "But his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tent" (ibid.).

as it is said, "Peullethai the eighth son" (I Chron. xxvi. 5), and it is written "For God blessed him" (ibid.), "All these were the sons of Obed-Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, able men in strength for the service ; threescore and two of Obed-Edom" (ibid. v. 8)[3].

as it is said, "Peullethai the eighth son" (I Chron. xxvi. 5), and it is written "For God blessed him" (ibid.), "All these were the sons of Obed-Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, able men in strength for the service ; threescore and two of Obed-Edom" (ibid. v. 8)[3].

"Great peace have they that love Thy law; and there is no stumbling for them" (Ps. cxix. 165). "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces" (ibid, cxxii. 7). "For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee" (ibid. v. 8). "For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good" (ibid. v. 9). "The Lord will give strength unto His people ; the Lord will bless His people with peace" (ibid. xxix. 11)[2]

"Great peace have they that love Thy law; and there is no stumbling for them" (Ps. cxix. 165). "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces" (ibid, cxxii. 7). "For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee" (ibid. v. 8). "For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good" (ibid. v. 9). "The Lord will give strength unto His people ; the Lord will bless His people with peace" (ibid. xxix. 11)[2]

"Great peace have they that love Thy law; and there is no stumbling for them" (Ps. cxix. 165). "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces" (ibid, cxxii. 7). "For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee" (ibid. v. 8). "For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good" (ibid. v. 9). "The Lord will give strength unto His people ; the Lord will bless His people with peace" (ibid. xxix. 11)[2]

"Great peace have they that love Thy law; and there is no stumbling for them" (Ps. cxix. 165). "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces" (ibid, cxxii. 7). "For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee" (ibid. v. 8). "For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good" (ibid. v. 9). "The Lord will give strength unto His people ; the Lord will bless His people with peace" (ibid. xxix. 11)[2]

R. Samuel b. Nahamani said in the name of R. Jonathan, three men expressed their request in careless language; two of them were answered favorably, but the third was answered unfavorably. They are: Eliezer the servant of Abraham, Saul the son of Kish, and Jephthah the Gileadite. As to Eliezer, Scripture says (Gen., 24.14): "So let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I shall say, let down thy pitcher," etc. These words include one that is lame or blind. He was answered, however, favorably, in that he happened upon Rebekah. As to Saul, Scripture says (I Sam., 17.25): "And it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter." This might include a slave or a bastard, but he was answered favorably in that he happened upon David. As to Jephthah, Scripture says (Jud., 11.31): "Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be the Lord's and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering." This may mean even something unclean (unfit for a sacrifice), and, indeed, he was answered unfavorably, in that it was his daughter who came out of the house. It is with reference to this event that the prophet said to Israel (Jer., 8.22): "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" Hence it is also written (ibid., 19.5): "Which I commanded not, nor spoke it, neither came it into My mind." "I commanded not" refers to the son of Mesha king of Moab, for it is said (II Kings, 3.27): "Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall. And there came great wrath upon Israel"; "nor spoke it" refers to the daughter of Jephthah; "neither came it into My mind" refers to Isaac the son of Abraham.

R. Berechiah said: The Congregation of Israel likewise presented her request in careless language, but the Holy One, blessed be He, answered it favorably. The Congregation of Israel said to Him: Master of the World! "Let us know, eagerly strive to know the Lord, His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth" (Hos., 6.3). The Holy One, blessed be He, however, replied to her: My daughter! Thou art asking for something which is desirable at times and undesirable at others; I wish to be unto thee something that is desirable at all times, as it is said (ibid., 14.6): "I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon." The Congregation further asked and said: Master of the World! "Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm" (Cant., 8.6). The Holy one, blessed be He, replied to her: My daughter! thou askest for something that is visible at times and invisible at others; I shall make of thee something that is visible at all times, as it is said (Is., 49.16): "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me."

R. Naḥman further asked R. Isaac, how do you explain the verse (ibid., 2.13): "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters?" Only two did they commit? Did they not commit also twenty-two other evils? Or did He remit twenty two? "Thus said R. Johanan," replied R. Isaac, "(they committed) one that

is equal to two, and that is idolatry, for it is written (ibid., 2.10-11): 'For pass over to the isles of the Kittites, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, etc. Hath a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? But My people hath changed its glory for that which doth not profit.'" Concerning this it is taught in a Baraita: The Kittites worship water and the Kedarites worship fire, and although they know that water quenches fire, they never changed their gods, "but My people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit."

R. Naḥman further asked R. Isaac, how do you explain the verse (I Sam., 8.1): "And it came to pass, when Samuel was old"? Did Samuel become old at all? Indeed, Samuel only reached the age of 52, for it is said (Mo'ed Ḳaṭan, 28a) that if one dies at the age of 52, he has attained to the age reached by Samuel the Ramathite. "Thus said R. Johanan," replied R. Isaac, "Samuel grew old prematurely, for it is said (ibid., 15.11): 'It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed My commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night,' saying: Master of the world! Thou hast declared me equal to both Moses and Aaron, for it is written (Ps., 99.6): 'Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name.' Now just as their work was not destroyed during their life-time, so should my work not be destroyed during my life-time. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to Himself, what shall I do? Shall I cause Saul to die? Samuel will not let me. Shall I cause Samuel to die? Seeing he is still young, people will speak ill of him. Shall I spare both Saul and Samuel? The time for the kingdom of the house of David has arrived, and the term set for one kingdom must not overlap that of another even by a hair's breadth. Immediately Samuel was overtaken by old age, and hence it is written (I Sam., 22.6): 'And Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah.' Now what relation is there between Gibeah and Ramah? The idea therefore is that what had enabled Saul to sit (as king) in Gibeah two and a half years was the prayer of Samuel the Ramathite." But is the life of one man set aside (cut short) on account of that of another? Yes, for R. Samuel b. Naḥamani said in the name of R. Jonathan: What is the meaning of the verse (Hos., 6.5): "Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth"? It is not said by the works of their hands, but "by the words of My mouth", which proves that one man may be set aside on account of another.

Our Rabbis have taught (Sifrē, ibid. 42): Yoreh is the rain that falls in Marḥeshwan, and malḳosh is the rain that falls in Nisan. You say yoreh is in Marḥeshwan, is it not the rain that falls in Kislew? No, Scripture says (Deut., 11.14): "In its season, the former rain (yoreh), and the latter rain (malḳosh)." Now just as malḳosh is that one only which falls in its season (Nisan), so yoreh is that one only which falls in its season (Marḥeshwan).

Whose opinion is represented in the following Baraita (Tos., ibid.): R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says, if rain falls seven days without interruption, I consider it either as the combined first and second or as the combined second and third rainfalls? It is the opinion of R. Jose.

We read: R. Bannaah used to say: If one studies the Torah for its own sake, it becomes to him an elixir of life, for it is said (Prov., 3.18): "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her," and it is further said (ibid., 3.8): "It shall be health to thy navel," and again it is said (ibid., 4.22): "For they are life unto those that find them"; but if one studies the Torah not for its own sake, it becomes to him a deadly poison, for it is said (Deut., 32.2): "My doctrine shall drop as the rain," the term used here for dropping (ya'arof) being used elsewhere for killing, as it is said (Deut., 21.4): "And they shall break the heifer's neck" (we-'arefū).

We read: R. Bannaah used to say: If one studies the Torah for its own sake, it becomes to him an elixir of life, for it is said (Prov., 3.18): "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her," and it is further said (ibid., 3.8): "It shall be health to thy navel," and again it is said (ibid., 4.22): "For they are life unto those that find them"; but if one studies the Torah not for its own sake, it becomes to him a deadly poison, for it is said (Deut., 32.2): "My doctrine shall drop as the rain," the term used here for dropping (ya'arof) being used elsewhere for killing, as it is said (Deut., 21.4): "And they shall break the heifer's neck" (we-'arefū).

R. Ḥanina b. Papa pointed out an inconsistency. It is written (Is., 21.14): "Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water," and again it is written (ibid., 55.1): "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters?!" If he is a worthy scholar, then "unto him that is thirsty bring ye water," but if he is not worthy, then: "ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." R. 'Aḥa b. Ḥanina pointed out an inconsistency. It is written (Prov., 5.16): "Let thy springs be dispersed abroad," and directly after it is written: "Let them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee!" If he is a worthy scholar, "let thy springs be dispersed abroad," but if not, "let them be only thine own."

R. 'Osha'ya said: Why are the words of the Torah likened unto these three liquids: water, wine, and milk?—As to water, it is written (Is., 55.1): "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters"; as to wine and milk, it is written (ibid.): "And he that hath no money come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price"?—To indicate to you that just as these three liquids can be preserved only in the cheapest kind of vessels, so will the words of the Torah be preserved only in him whose mind is lowly. This explains the story of the daughter of a Roman emperor, who said to R. Joshua b. Ḥananiah: "What brilliant wisdom in such an ugly vessel!" Whereupon he exclaimed: "Oh, you daughter of a man who puts wine in vessels of clay!" "Wherein should he put it?" she asked. "You nobles should put it in vessels of gold and silver!" Whereupon she went home and told her father, who ordered the wine to be put into vessels of gold and silver, and the wine became sour. They then went to R. Joshua and asked him, "Why did you give her such advice?" "As she spoke to me, so I spoke to her," R. Joshua replied. "But there are also handsome people that are learned!" they said.

Rabbah b. Bar Ḥana said: Why have the words of the Torah been likened unto fire, as it is said (Jer., 23.29): "Is not My word like as fire?" In order to indicate that just as fire does not burn when isolated, so will the words of the Torah not be preserved when studied by oneself, alone. It is in keeping herewith that R. Jose b. Ḥanina said: What is the meaning of the verse (ibid., 50.36): "A sword is upon the boasters, and they shall become fools"? It means: a sword upon the necks of the enemies of the learned who are occupied in the study of the Torah each one by himself. Nay, more, they become dull, as it is said: "And they shall become fools." The same idea may be derived from the following verse (Is., 19.13): "The princes of Zoan are become fools."

R. 'Ami further said: What is the meaning of the verse (Eccl., 10.10): "If the iron be blunt and one do not whet the edge"? If thou seest a generation over which the heavens are as tough as iron, sending neither dew nor rain, it is due to the people's corrupt deeds, as it is said, "and one do not whet the edge." What is the remedy? They should pray much, as it is said (ibid.): "Then must he put to more strength, but wisdom is profitable to direct," the latter part of which means to say that the additional praying will prove more profitable if the people's deeds are still good. Resh Laḳish explains it thus: When thou seest a scholar

R. Joshua b. Levi said: He who accepts gladly the sufferings of this world, brings salvation to the world, as it is said (ibid.): "Upon them have we stayed of old, that we might be saved."