xi

Rabbi Schimeon said further: “He who walketh, going up and down (from one house unto another) revealeth the secret; but the faithful in spirit concealeth the word’ (Prov. xi. 13).

And the appearance of this dew is white, like unto the colour of the crystal stone, whose appearance hath all colours in itself. This is that which is written, Num. xi. 7: “And its varieties as the varieties of crystal.”

Like as it is written, Isaiah xi. 2: “And the Spirit of Tetragrammaton shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge, and of the Fear of Tetragrammaton.”

“Another exposition: He was appeased through his wrath, which is intimated in these words, Num. xi. 15: ‘And if Thou dealest thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found grace in Thy sight.’

Also have we learned this. It is written, Deut. xi. 12: “The eyes of Tetragrammaton thy God are upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” This is that which is written: “Justice dwelt therein;” because therein are found many most severe judgments, as in all other instances.

In good; as it is written, Psa. lxix. 33: “For Tetragrammaton heareth the poor.” In evil; as it is written, Num. xi. 1: “And Tetragrammaton heard, and His wrath arose, and the fire of Tetragrammaton was kindled against them.”

And therefore is it written, Num. xi. 1: “And Tetragrammaton heard, and His wrath was kindled, and the fire of Tetragrammaton was kindled against them.” For through that hearing of that voice the whole brain is stirred up.

As it is written, Isa. xi. 2: “And the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, RVCh ChKMH VBINH, Ruach Chokmah Va-Binah, shall rest upon Him,” &c.

This is that which standeth written, Deut. v. 28: “And Tetragrammaton hath heard the voice of your words.” Again, Num. xi. 1: “And Tetragrammaton heard, and His wrath was kindled.”

This is that which is written, Num. xi. 1: “And Tetragrammaton heard, and His wrath was kindled, and the fire of Tetragrammaton turned against them.”

Blessed is the portion of the just, concerning whom it is said, Prov. xi. 13: “A tale-bearer revealeth secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”

Now, there are certain men who will dispute this [statement] and say, “ Where was Christ when the children were massacred, for it is written that He was not found in the land of Judah?” It was because of this massacre that He fled to Egypt, so that there might be fulfilled that which is written. “ From Egypt I called my Son ” (Hos. xi. r). And know this also. When Christ entered Egypt all the idols therein were swept from their places, and fell down, and were broken, so that there might be fulfilled that which is written, “ Behold, the Lord rideth on a swift cloud, and entereth Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be broken before Him ”’ (Isa. xix. I)..

Did David know when it was [exactly] midnight, since even Moses our teacher was not certain ; as it is written, "About mid-night will I go out into the midst of Egypt" (Exod. xi. 4) ? What means "about midnight" ?

R. Zera said : At first when I saw the Rabbis hastening to the study-session on the Sabbath, I thought they were desecrating the holy day; but when I heard the statement of R. Tanhum, in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi : A man should always run to hear the Halakah discussed, even on the Sabbath, as it is said, "They shall walk after the Lord, who shall roar like a lion, for He shall roar, and the children shall come hurriedly from the West" (ibid. xi. 10), I also hastened.

It was said to R. Johanan, "There are old men to be found in Babylon." He was astonished and exclaimed, "It is written 'that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, upon the land' (Deut. xi. 21); but not outside the land [of Israel] !" When they told him [that the old men are in the Synagogue early and late,] he said, "It is this which helps them [to live long]."

"Speak now [na'] in the ears of the people" etc. (Exod. xi. 2). In the school of R. Jannai they said : The word [na'] always expresses a request. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I request thee. Go and say to the Israelites : I beg of you to ask of the Egyptians vessels of silver and vessels of gold, so that the righteous one shall not say,

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.

That is required for that which R. Isaac said : "Therefore shall ye lay up these My words upon your heart" (Deut. xi. 18) is necessary [to teach that the Tefillin] must be placed over against the heart.

Rab Obadiah taught in the presence of Raba : "And ye shall teach" (Deut. xi. 19), i.e. let thy teaching be perfect — let one make a brief pause between words which are liable to be jumbled together,

R. Eleazar also said : Moses spoke rebelliously to the Most High; as it is said, "And Moses prayed unto the Lord" (Num. xi. 2) — read not "unto [el] the Lord" but "against ['al] the Lord";

R. Hannina b. Pappa asked : It is written, "Therefore will I take back My corn in the time thereof" etc. (Hosea ii. 11), and it is written, "And thou shalt gather in thy corn" etc. (Deut. xi. 14) !

Rab declared: [If one broke the bread and pronounced the benediction, and before eating handed a piece to another saying,] "Take it, the benediction has been made; take it, the benediction has been made ! " it is unnecessary for him to pronounce it again [before partaking of the bread]. [But if before eating he says,] "Bring salt, bring the relish," he must repeat the benediction. R. Johanan declared that even if he said, "Bring salt, bring the relish," he likewise need not repeat the benediction. [Should he, however, say,] "Mix food for the oxen ! Mix food for the oxen !" the benediction must be repeated. Rab Sheshet declared that even if he said "Mix food for the oxen," he also need not repeat the benediction. For Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: A man must not eat his meal before giving food to his cattle ; as it is said, "And I will give grass in thy fields for thy cattle" and then "thou shalt eat and be satisfied" (Deut. xi. 15).

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.

Who dreams of a dog should on rising say, "But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue" (Exod. xi. 7), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "Yea, the dogs are greedy" (Is. Ivi. 11). Who dreams of a lion should on rising say, "The lion hath roared, who will not fear?" (Amos iii. 8), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "A lion is gone up from his thicket" (Jer. iv. 7) [is gone up] [a lion from his thicket].

Who dreams of olives, if small, his business will be fruitful and multiply and endure like olives. But this applies only to [dreaming of] the fruit ; if [he dreamt] of olive-trees, then he will have numerous offspring; as it is said, "Thy children like olive-plants, round about thy table" (Ps. cxxviii. 3). Some say that he who dreams of the olive, a good name will proceed from him; as it is said, "The Lord called thy name a leafy olive-tree, fair and goodly fruit" (Jer. xi. 16). Who dreams of olive-oil may hope for the light of Torah ; as it is said, "That they bring unto thee pure olive-oil beaten for the light" (Exod. xxvii. 20). Who dreams of palms, his iniquities will be ended; as it is said, "The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion" (Lam. iv. 22).

Our Rabbis have taught: He who pays money to a woman counting it from his hand into hers for the sake of gazing at her, even if he possess Torah and good deeds like Moses our teacher, he will not escape the punishment of Gehinnom ; as it is said, "Hand to hand the evil man shall not be unpunished" (Prov. xi. 21) — he shall not escape the punishment of Gehinnom.

There is a teaching : Hillel the Elder says : When people collect [learning], do thou scatter ; when they scatter [learning], do thou collect. If thou seest a generation to which Torah is dear, do thou scatter ; as it is said, "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth" (Prov. xi. 24); but if thou seest a generation to which Torah is not dear, do thou collect ; as it is said, "It is time for the Lord to work ; they have made void Thy Law."

Things unclean. But there is much in Holy Writ concerning them. It was only necessary in order to determine that a creeping thing should be the size of a lentil; for this is not determined in Holy Writ. For there is a Baraitha, "In them" (Lev. xi. 26, 43). One might have thought it meant among them all, but that the teaching says, "of them" (Lev. xi. 32, 33). One might have thought it meant from a portion of them, but that the teaching says, "among them." But how is this? It is to include the case of a man's touching the extremity of it, for this is equivalent to the whole of it. Wise men calculated that a lentil should be the minimum for comparison. For a snail at first is about the size of a lentil. R. Jose in the name of R. Jehudah says, As the tail of a lizard.

Things unclean. But there is much in Holy Writ concerning them. It was only necessary in order to determine that a creeping thing should be the size of a lentil; for this is not determined in Holy Writ. For there is a Baraitha, "In them" (Lev. xi. 26, 43). One might have thought it meant among them all, but that the teaching says, "of them" (Lev. xi. 32, 33). One might have thought it meant from a portion of them, but that the teaching says, "among them." But how is this? It is to include the case of a man's touching the extremity of it, for this is equivalent to the whole of it. Wise men calculated that a lentil should be the minimum for comparison. For a snail at first is about the size of a lentil. R. Jose in the name of R. Jehudah says, As the tail of a lizard.