xxvii

When he began, he said (from Deut. xxvii. 15): “Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say Amen!”

Like as it is written, Gen. xxvii. 27: “And Elohim shall give thee from the dew of heaven.”

This is the same which is said, Exod. xvi. 4: “Behold I rain upon you bread from heaven.” And also that passage where it is thus written, Gen. xxvii. 28: “And the Elohim shall give unto thee of the dew of heaven.”

Now when the Jews crucified Christ on the Wood, they divided His garments among them beneath the Cross, even as it is written. His tunic was of purple, which is the raiment of royalty; and when they stripped Him of the raiment of royalty Pilate would not permit the Jews to array Him in ordinary apparel, but only in the actual raiment of royalty, either purple or scarlet. By both of these it might be known that He was a king. For it is impossible for any other man to wear purple; only a king can do this. And one of the Evangelists hath said, “ The soldiers put on Him a purple robe ” (Mark xv. 17; John xix. 2, 5), and this is a true word and is highly credible; and another Evangelist uses the word “scarlet ” (Matt. xxvii. 28), and he proclaimed what was true. The scarlet garment indicateth to us blood, and the purple garment water; for the scarlet one was like unto blood, and the purple one was like* unto water. The scarlet garment proclaimeth the joyful and immortal nature of man, and the purple one the sad and mortal nature of man. Understand, therefore, O our brother Nemesius, that scarlet proclaimeth life.

Rab Joseph asked : What is the Scriptural authority for this? "And after Ahitophel was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Abiathar ; and the captain of the king's host was Joab" (I Chron. xxvii. 34) —

"My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart will be glad, even mine" (Prov. xxiii. 15), and "My son, be wise, and make mine heart glad, that I may answer him that taunteth me" (ibid, xxvii. 11).

But how could David describe himself as "godly"? For behold it is written, "If I had not [lule'] believed to look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Ps. xxvii. 13); and it has been taught in the name of R. Jose : Why are there dots over the word lule'? David spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Lord of the Universe, I am confident that Thou repayest a good reward to the righteous in the hereafter, but I know not whether I have a portion among them or not.

"Reuben" — [what means "Reuben"]? R. Eleazar answered : Leah said, "See the difference between my son and the son of my father-in-law ; for the son of my father-in-law, although he voluntarily sold his birthright — as it is written, 'And he sold his birthright unto Jacob' (ibid. xxv. 33) — see what is written of him, 'And Esau hated Jacob' (ibid, xxvii. 41)

Rab Joseph said : The dispute is only over the reading of the Shema', but with other commandments all agree that [if inaudible] he has not complied with the requirements of the law ; for it is written, "Attend and hear, O Israel" (Deut. xxvii. 9).

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 !

R. Abba was avoiding Rab Judah because he wished to go up to the land of Israel ; for Rab Judah declared : Whoever goes up from Babylon to the land of Israel commits a transgression because of [the injunction] which is stated, "They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be, until the day that I remember them, saith the Lord" ( Jer. xxvii. 22). R. Abba said : I will go and hear some teaching from him at the seminary and then I will depart.

R. Hamma b. Hannina said : If a man sees that he prays and is not answered he should repeat his prayer ; as it is said, "Wait for the Lord ; be strong and let thy heart take courage ; yea, wait thou for the Lord" (Ps. xxvii. 14).

R. Ammi also said : Great is knowledge which is placed between two references to the Divine Name ; as it is said, "For a God of knowledge is the Lord" (I Sam. ii. 3). It is forbidden to have mercy upon one who does not possess knowledge ; as it is said, "For it is a people of no understanding, therefore He that made them will not have compassion upon them" (Is. xxvii. 11).

The second tithe or food belonging to the Sanctuary which had not been redeemed. This is evident ! No ; it is necessary [to mention it] for the case where it has been redeemed but not according to the Halakah. With "the second tithe," for instance, where he redeemed it with uncoined silver, whereas the All-merciful declared, "Thou shalt bind up the money in thy hand" (Deut. xiv. 25) — i.e. money which has a stamp upon it. With "food belonging to the Sanctuary" for which [for instance] he had given a piece of land in exchange but he had not redeemed with money ; whereas the All-merciful declared, "He shall add the fifth part of the money of thy valuation unto it, and it shall be assured to him" (Lev. xxvii. 19).

It has been taught : They are stones which remained suspended [in the air] for the sake of a man and descended for the sake of a man. They remained suspended for the sake of a man, viz.: Moses; for it is written, "Now the man Moses was very meek" (Num. xii. 3), and it is written, "And the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain poured not upon the earth" (Exod. ix, 33). They descended for the sake of a man, viz. Joshua ; for it is written, "Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is spirit" (Num. xxvii. 18), and it is written, "And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down great stones" (Josh. x. 11).

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 a horn should on rising say, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great horn shall be blown" (Is. xxvii. 13), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "Blow ye the horn of Gibeah" (Hos. 5:8).

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].

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).

Rab Joseph said : Who dreams of a goat, the year will be blessed for him; of goats, years will be blessed for him ; as it is said, "And there will be goat's milk enough for thy food" (Prov. xxvii. 27). Who dreams of the myrtle, his business undertakings will prosper ; and if he has no business undertakings, an inheritance will fall to his lot from some other place. 'Ulla said (another version : It was taught in a Baraita) : This only applies when he sees [the myrtle] on its stem. Who dreams of a citron, will be honoured before his Maker; as it is said, "The fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees" (Lev. xxiii. 40). Who dreams of a palm-branch has but one heart for his Father in Heaven.

Further did R. Judah begin with the honour of the Torah and expound : "Attend and hear; this day thou art become a people unto the Lord thy God" (Deut. xxvii. 9). But was it on that day that the Torah had been given to Israel? Was that not the completion of forty years! But it is intended to teach thee that every day is the Torah endeared to them who study it as on the day that it was given on Mount Sinai.

Another explanation of "Attend [hasket] and hear, O Israel" (Deut. xxvii. 9) — i.e. submit to blows [kattetu] on behalf of the words of Torah ; according to the statement of R. Simeon b. Lakish who said : Whence is it learnt that the words of Torah endure only with him who would suffer death on its behalf? As it is said, "This is the law : when a man dieth in a tent" (Num. xix. 14).

R. Hunna, when he came upon this passage, wept, "And thou shalt sacrifice peace-offerings and shalt eat there" (Deut. xxvii. 7). Should a servant, whose master is looking out for him to eat at his table, absent himself from him? For it is written "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord" (Is. i. 11).

R. Simeon ben Jochai says, One does not say, Investigate a camel, investigate a pig, but investigate a lamb. And what kind of person is this? This is the pupil of a wise man, who has separated himself from the Law. R. Jehudah ben Lakish said, Every pupil of a wise man, who has separated himself from the Law, to him does the passage refer, which says, "As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place" (Prov. xxvii. 8), and that which says, "What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me?" (Jer. ii. 5) There is no difficulty. The one case has to do with his unmarried sister, the other with another man's wife. And, if you like, I will say that both of them have to do with another man's wife, and yet there is no difficulty. The one is

There is a Baraitha. R. Eliezer says, They have something upon which they may rest, for it is said, "when he shall separate," "when he shall separate," twice (Lev. xxvii. 2, Numb. vi. 2). One separation has to do with binding and one separation with dissolving. R. Joshua says, They have something upon which they may rest, for it is said, "Wherefore I sware in my wrath" (Ps. xcv. 11). In my wrath I sware, and I relented. R. Isaac says, They have something upon which they may rest, for it is said, "Whosoever is of a willing heart" (Exod. xxxv. 5). Chănaniah, nephew of R. Joshua, says, They have something on which they may rest, for it is said, "I have sworn and have fulfilled it, that I will observe thy righteous judgments" (Ps. cxix. 106). R. Jehudah said that R. Samuel said, If I had been there, I would have said to them, Mine is much better than yours, for it is said, "He shall not break his word" (Numb. xxx. 3, E.V. 2). He is not to break it, but afterwards it may be broken for him. Rabba said, There is an objection to all of them except Samuel's, for there is no objection to his. For if we take that of R. Eliezer, perhaps the truth rests with R. Jehudah, who said it in the name of R. Tarphon, for there is a Baraitha, R. Jehudah says in the name of R. Tarphon, I grant fully that neither of them is a Nazirite, for the state of a Nazirite is not given except on condition of separation. If we take the words of R. Joshua, perhaps the meaning is this, I sware in my wrath, and I will not relent. If we take the words of R. Isaac, perhaps it is to exclude the explanation of Samuel, for Samuel said, If a man has determined in his heart, it is further needful that he should utter it with his lips. Lo, we learn from this, that even though he has not uttered it with his lips, he is bound. If we take the words of Chănaniah, nephew of R. Joshua, perhaps it is as R. Gidel reported that Rab said; for R. Gidel said that Rab said, Whence do we find that an oath is meritorious? Because it is said, "I have sworn and have fulfilled it that I will observe thy righteous judgments" (Ps. cxix. 106). But the words of Samuel are open to no objection. Rabba said, or, if you like, R. Nachman bar Isaac said, This accords with the proverbial saying, Better is one grain of pepper than a basket full of dates.

R. Jochanan said to R. El'azar, Come, I will fully instruct thee in the subject of the Chariot. He said to him, I am not old enough. When he was old enough, R. Jochanan's soul had passed away. R. Asi said to him, Come, and I will fully instruct thee in the subject of the Chariot. He said to him, If I had been worthy, I should have received full instruction from R. Jochanan thy teacher. R. Joseph was giving full instruction in the subject of the Chariot. The wise men of Pumbeditha were teaching the subject of Creation. They said to him, Would that our lord would instruct us fully in the subject of the Chariot. He said to them, Instruct me fully in the subject of Creation. After they had instructed him fully, they said to him, Would that our lord would instruct us fully in the subject of the Chariot. He said to them, There is a Baraitha with reference to these things which says, "Honey and milk are under thy tongue" (Cant. iv. 11). Let words sweeter than honey and milk be under thy tongue. R. Abohu said, It is drawn from this passage, viz., "things to be concealed under thy clothes" (Prov. xxvii. 26), that is to say, things which are the secrets of the world shall be under thy clothes. They said to him, We have worked in them as far as the words, "And he said unto me, Son of man" (Ezek. ii. 1). He said to them, But this is the subject of the Chariot. Some one puts a difficulty. How far does the subject of the Chariot reach? Rab says, It reaches to the last occurrence of the expression, "I saw" (Ezek. i. 27). R. Isaac says, It reaches to the Chashmal. We instruct fully to the words, "and I saw;" thenceforward we only impart the heads of the divisions. There are others who say, As far as, "and I saw," we impart the heads of the divisions; thenceforward, if the man be wise and of ready intelligence, Yes; if not, No. And how are we to expound in Chashmal? For there is the story of the child, who was studying in Chashmal, and there came out a fire and consumed him. The case of the child is different, for he had not reached the fitting age.

R. Jehudah in the name of R. Nachmani the interpreter of Resh Lakish expounded the saying, Every one who gazes upon three things, his eyes grow weak, viz., upon the bow, and the prince, and the priests: upon the bow, for it is written, "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was ... the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD;" (Ezek. i. 28) upon the prince, for it is written, "And thou shalt put of thine honour upon him" (Numb. xxvii. 20). He that gazeth upon the priests—this has to do with the time that the House of the Sanctuary was in existence, when they stood upon their platform and blessed Israel in the Ineffable Name.