seals

When he seals, the treasurer seals and gives it to the overseer. The overseer seals and gives it to the katholikos. The katholikos seals and gives it to the High Priest. The High Priest seals and gives it to the King. And if the break the seals, the King sees his seal and breaks it. The High Priest sees his seal and breaks it. The katholikos sees his seal and breaks it. The overseer sees his seal and breaks it. The treasurer sees his seal and breaks it.

When he seals, the treasurer seals and gives it to the overseer. The overseer seals and gives it to the katholikos. The katholikos seals and gives it to the High Priest. The High Priest seals and gives it to the King. And if the break the seals, the King sees his seal and breaks it. The High Priest sees his seal and breaks it. The katholikos sees his seal and breaks it. The overseer sees his seal and breaks it. The treasurer sees his seal and breaks it.

When he seals, the treasurer seals and gives it to the overseer. The overseer seals and gives it to the katholikos. The katholikos seals and gives it to the High Priest. The High Priest seals and gives it to the King. And if the break the seals, the King sees his seal and breaks it. The High Priest sees his seal and breaks it. The katholikos sees his seal and breaks it. The overseer sees his seal and breaks it. The treasurer sees his seal and breaks it.

Rebbi Ze`ira, Rebbi Eudaimon of Haifa in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: In height even one hundred cubits. Rebbi Judan said, that is, for kilaim, but as regards (Peah), a symbolic fence should not be better than a beam. Rebbi Yose said, it is the same for kilaim and Sabbath. According to Rebbi Yose, what is the difference between a beam and a symbolic fence? A beam saves in one direction; a symbolic fence does not save from one side unless it is used to close all four sides;. This follows what Rebbi Ze`ira said in the name of Rav Hamnuna: A symbolic fence does not save unless it seals all four sides.

“All these were said on a holiday, so much more on the Sabbath..” Are these it? Are there no others? There is stoning on the Sabbath, there is no stoning on a holiday. There is extirpation on the Sabbath, there is no extirpation on a holiday. There is flogging on a holiday, there is no flogging on the Sabbath. If you would say, we are coming to state cases connected with food, did we not state: “one lowers produce through a skylight on the holiday but not on the Sabbath”? In addition from the following, one grinds aromatic wood for a circumcision on a holiday but not on the Sabbath. Rebbi Yose said, only if he circumcised. In addition from what was stated, “The Sages agree with Rebbi Meïr about seals in the ground that one pushes aside, and removes, and unties, and cuts. On the Sabbath one pushes aside but one does not remove nor untie nor cut. For implements on the Sabbath it is permitted; it is not necessary to mention on a holiday.”

HALAKHAH: All benedictions after their seals; one does not say a verse as [after a] benediction. Rebbi Isaac (bar) <ben rebbi> Eleazar objected before Rebbi Yose: Because you say after their seals, one does not say a verse as benediction? They said, (that young man is intelligent,) [so is the matter] because he thinks what is the meaning of “after their seals”? It is that when he was standing in the morning prayer and mentioned the text of evening prayers but he caught himself and finished with the text of morning prayers, then he did his duty. Rebbi Aḥa said, all benedictions in the kind of their seals. But those who say: Jubilate and sing, inhabitant of Zion, for great is in your midst the Holy One of Israel do not violate the rule that no benediction is a verse.

HALAKHAH: All benedictions after their seals; one does not say a verse as [after a] benediction. Rebbi Isaac (bar) <ben rebbi> Eleazar objected before Rebbi Yose: Because you say after their seals, one does not say a verse as benediction? They said, (that young man is intelligent,) [so is the matter] because he thinks what is the meaning of “after their seals”? It is that when he was standing in the morning prayer and mentioned the text of evening prayers but he caught himself and finished with the text of morning prayers, then he did his duty. Rebbi Aḥa said, all benedictions in the kind of their seals. But those who say: Jubilate and sing, inhabitant of Zion, for great is in your midst the Holy One of Israel do not violate the rule that no benediction is a verse.

HALAKHAH: All benedictions after their seals; one does not say a verse as [after a] benediction. Rebbi Isaac (bar) <ben rebbi> Eleazar objected before Rebbi Yose: Because you say after their seals, one does not say a verse as benediction? They said, (that young man is intelligent,) [so is the matter] because he thinks what is the meaning of “after their seals”? It is that when he was standing in the morning prayer and mentioned the text of evening prayers but he caught himself and finished with the text of morning prayers, then he did his duty. Rebbi Aḥa said, all benedictions in the kind of their seals. But those who say: Jubilate and sing, inhabitant of Zion, for great is in your midst the Holy One of Israel do not violate the rule that no benediction is a verse.

HALAKHAH: All benedictions after their seals; one does not say a verse as [after a] benediction. Rebbi Isaac (bar) <ben rebbi> Eleazar objected before Rebbi Yose: Because you say after their seals, one does not say a verse as benediction? They said, (that young man is intelligent,) [so is the matter] because he thinks what is the meaning of “after their seals”? It is that when he was standing in the morning prayer and mentioned the text of evening prayers but he caught himself and finished with the text of morning prayers, then he did his duty. Rebbi Aḥa said, all benedictions in the kind of their seals. But those who say: Jubilate and sing, inhabitant of Zion, for great is in your midst the Holy One of Israel do not violate the rule that no benediction is a verse.

“All these were said on a holiday, so much more on the Sabbath..” Are these it? Are there no others? There is stoning on the Sabbath, there is no stoning on a holiday. There is extirpation on the Sabbath, there is no extirpation on a holiday. There is flogging on a holiday, there is no flogging on the Sabbath. If you would say, we are coming to state cases connected with food, did we not state: “one lowers produce through a skylight on the holiday but not on the Sabbath”? In addition from the following, one grinds aromatic wood for a circumcision on a holiday but not on the Sabbath. Rebbi Yose said, only if he circumcised. In addition from what was stated, “The Sages agree with Rebbi Meïr about seals in the ground that one pushes aside, and removes, and unties, and cuts. On the Sabbath one pushes aside but one does not remove nor untie nor cut. For implements on the Sabbath it is permitted; it is not necessary to mention on a holiday.”

It was stated: “One who contracts with another for a field has to harvest, bind into sheaves, thresh, winnow, and grade. The digger, the measurer, the steward, the town watchmen, and the administrator take their wages from the community. The builder of furnaces, the maker of seals, and the scribe, if hired by the tenant they take from the tenant; if hired by the landlord they take from the landlord. One does not change local usage.”

Or like the following. “One accepts the witnesses’ testimony only if they saw it together. Rebbi Joshua ben Qorḥa says, even if they saw it one after the other.” Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rav: The Sages agree with Rebbi Joshua ben Qorḥa with regard to witnesses of firstlings and witnesses of squatters’ rights. Rebbi Abba in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: the same holds for testimony regarding signs. In that case, it is obvious if one says, I saw two hairs on his back and the other says, I saw two hairs on his side. If one says, I saw one hair on his back and the other says, I saw one hair on his belly, that is nothing; so much more his back and his side. Two are saying, we saw one hair on his back; and two are saying, we saw one hair on his belly. Rav Yose and Rav Hoshaia ben Rav Shammai, one said, it is invalid, but the other said, it is valid. He who says it is invalid considers him as one who testifies to half a sign. He who says it is valid? I say, maybe they were rubbed off. One says, two hairs on his back; and one says, two on his belly. Rebbi Abba said, everybody agrees that this is valid. Rebbi Ḥaggai said, everybody agrees that this is invalid [testimony]. Rebbi Yose said, this is in disagreement. Rebbi [Yose] said to Rebbi Ḥaggai, does not Rebbi Yudan follow my opinion? He answered, I am disagreeing with his teacher, so much more with him. Rebbi Mama said, Rebbi Ḥaggai was correct. If a document was signed by four seals, if one person verified the signature of two [witnesses], and another those of the other two, and the document was attacked, is that worth anything? Does not every single signature need two witnesses? And here, every single hair needs two witnesses. Rebbi Ḥinena learns it (because of) [from the years of] squatting rights. If one [witness] testified that he ate from the property the first, second, and third years and another testified that he ate it the fourth, fifth, and sixth years, is that worth anything? Does not every single year need two witnesses? And here, every single hair needs two witnesses.

“And to proclaim the greatness of the King over kings of kings, the Holy One, praise to Him,” etc. To proclaim the greatness of the King over kings of kings Who from one die coins all seals and no one is like the other, as it is said: The seal turns around like clay. Why did He change their looks? That no man should jump and go to another’s wife or another’s field. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr: Three things did the Holy One, praise to Him, diversify in humans: looks of the face, understanding, and voice. Looks and understanding because of the robbers, voice because of forbidden women. Rebbi Isaac said, even a fig tree or a wheat plant is not identical to any other. Man was created Sabbath Eve so from the start he should enter with a commandment. Another explanation: Why was he created last? A parable of a king who made a banquet. After he had ordered the meal, he invited the guests. So wisdom built her house, that is the Holy One, praise to Him, Who created the world in wisdom, as it is said, the Eternal in wisdom based the earth, etc. She quarried its seven pillars, these are the seven days of creation. She slaughtered her slaughtering, mixed her wine, these are seas and rivers and all the needs of the world. Any silly one shall come here, that is Adam and Eve.

Or like the following. “One accepts the witnesses’ testimony only if they saw it together. Rebbi Joshua ben Qorḥa says, even if they saw it one after the other.” Rebbi Jeremiah, Rebbi Samuel ben Rav Isaac in the name of Rav Isaac who said in the name of Rav: The Sages agree with Rebbi Joshua ben Qorḥa with regard to witnesses of firstlings and witnesses of squatters’ rights. Rebbi Abba in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: the same holds for testimony regarding signs. In that case, it is obvious if one says, I saw two hairs on his back and one says, I saw one hair on his back and the other says, I saw one hair on his belly, that is nothing; so much more his back and his back. Two are saying, we saw one hair on his back; and one is saying, I saw one hair on his belly. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Bun and Rebbi Hoshaia ben Rebbi Shammai, one said, it is invalid, but the other said, it is valid. He who says it is invalid considers him as one who testifies to half a sign. He who says it is valid? I say, maybe it was rubbed off. One says, I saw two hairs on his back; and one says, I saw two on his belly. Rebbi Abba said, everybody agrees that this is valid. Rebbi Ḥaggai said, everybody agrees that this is invalid [testimony]. Rebbi Yose says, this is in disagreement. Rebbi Yudan said, this is in disagreement. Rebbi Yose said to Rebbi Ḥaggai, does not Rebbi Yudan follow my opinion? He answered, I am disagreeing with his teacher, so much more with him. Rebbi Mana said, Rebbi Ḥaggai was correct. If a document was signed by four seals, if one person (permitted) two, and another (questioned) the other two, and the document was attacked, is that worth anything? Does not every single signature need two witnesses? And here, every single sign needs two witnesses. Rebbi Ḥanina learns it from the years of squatting rights. If one [witness] testified that he ate from the property the first, second, and third years and another testified that he ate it the fourth and fifth years, is that worth anything? Does not every single year need two witnesses? And here, every single sign needs two witnesses.

Rebbi Ismael stated: In the Torah there are forbidden matters and permitted matters. There are easy parts and severe parts. But in the words of the Sopherim all are severe, since we have stated: “He who says that there are no phylacteries, to transgress the words of the Torah, is not prosecutable. Five compartments to add to the words of the Sopherim is punishable.” Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Idi in the name of Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ḥiyya: The words of the Sages carry more weight than those of the prophets since it is written, do not preach, they preach. And it is written,I shall preach to you for wine and liquor. The relation of prophet and scholar can be compared to the case of a king who sent two seals to a province. About one of them he wrote, if he does not show you my seal and σημαντήριον, do not believe him. About the other he wrote, even if he does not show you my seal and σημαντήριον, believe him. So about a prophet is written, he gives you a sign or miracle. But here it is written, according to the teachings that they will teach you.

“They added to this the sword, the crown, and the ring.” The sword with which he kills, the crown with which he crowns himself, the ring with which he seals.