Commentary for Berakhot 9:25

He examined and did not find - he did not find a transgression that corresponded to all of this suffering.

Title of a student of Torah. He need not read the Shema' on his bed because his mind is constantly bent on his religious studies.

M.: b. Lahma.

On the Jeser Tob and Jeser Ra', the tendency towards good and evil, see J. E. XII. p. 601. To the literature there cited may now be added, Schechter, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, Chaps. XV, XVI, and Abelson, Immanence of God, Chap. XXIII.

Of the Torah it is said, "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart" (Deut. vi. 6).

The Shema' was to be read "when thou liest down" (Deut. vi. 7).

Stillness being a symbol of death. Cf. "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence " (Ps. cxv. 17).

M. : Talmud.

On the significance of this passage, see Introduction, § I.

M. : R. Eleazar.

To ward off the evil spirits.

"Sons of Reshef" in the English version is "sparks." The ancient Jewish Aramaic version, the Targum, renders it "the sons of evil spirits."

The root of this word is 'uf, "to fly." The verse is appHed to Torah: "Wilt thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it [i.e. neglect it]? It is gone [from thy mind]."

The Targum here renders Reshef by "birds"; so LXX in Job v. 7. But "bitter destruction " is rendered by "attacked by evil spirits." According to a statement in Pesahim 111 b, Kefeb meriri "bitter destruction" is the name of an evil spirit which is active about the time of noon. It is probably heat personified ; cf. T. A . III. p. 346 n. 131.

The teaching is explicitly inculcated in the Torah in a passage known to school-children. Why, then, derive it from obscure verses?

This is what R. Simeon meant to teach, and it cannot be deduced from Exod. xv. 26.

M. adds: Another version in the West: in the name of R. Abba b. Mari. This is probably an error for Raba b. Mari; cf. D.S. ad loc.

At parting with the article.

He rejoiced inasmuch as He "gave" it, willingly and without price.

Instead of "another version : Rab Hisda," M. reads: in the name of R. Sahorah, in the name of Rab Huna.

On the Rabbinic doctrine of Retribution, see Schechter, Studies in Judaism (First Series), pp. 259 ff.

The work for "restitution" is asham which also means "trespass-offering." Before the asham was offered, confession had to be made (Lev. 5:5), and therefore the sacrifice was a voluntary act. Hence the inference is drawn that the sufferings are voluntarily endured.

The preceding verses (cf. vv. 10-12) speak of sufferings.

The Rabbis frequently suggest an alteration of the Scriptural text for homiletic purposes. In the present instance, a slight change in the vowels is required. See Introduction, § v.

The argument here used is called Kol wahomer, lit. "light and heavy," i.e. a fortiori or a majore ad minorem. See Mielziner, pp. 130 ff.

See Exod. xxi. 26 f.

If God ordained that a slave should be set free whose eye or tooth had been damaged, will He not show His mercy to His creatures who suffer more than that!

The verse occurs at the end of the chapter containing the penalties threatened to Israel if disobedient to the word of God.

The word for "instruction," musur, comes from the same root as jisur "suffering." "The way of life" is referred to the life eternal.

Sufferings are chasttenings of love: God makes people suffer in the this world even if they are free of sin in order to increase their reward in the world to come - so that they will receive more than their actions merit.