Commentary for Sotah 43:13

רבי אבא אמר זה תלמיד שלא הגיע להוראה ומורה דא"ר אבהו אמר רב הונא אמר רב מאי דכתיב (משלי ז, כו) כי רבים חללים הפילה ועצומים כל הרוגיה כי רבים חללים הפילה זה ת"ח שלא הגיע להוראה ומורה ועצומים כל הרוגיה זה ת"ח שהגיע להוראה ואינו מורה

— [It is not, because] you might have supposed [that the text meant], they who repeat a sin, and that it is according to the teaching of R. Huna; for R. Huna said: When a man commits a transgression and repeats it, it becomes to him something which is permissible. Therefore he informs us [that this is not the intention of the text]. A Tanna taught: The Tannaim<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who only report teachings without giving their derivations, cf. Glos. s.v. (b), and supra p. 103, n. 2. ');">¹²</span> bring destruction upon the world. How can it occur to you to say that they bring destruction upon the world! Rabina said: Because they decide points of law from their teachings.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The Baraithas and Mishnas which they memorized without knowing perfectly the reasoning on which they were based.] ');">¹³</span> It has been similarly taught: R. Joshua said: Do they destroy the world? Rather do they cultivate the world, as it is said: As for the ways, the world is for him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sic., Hab. III, 6. In Meg. 28b this is explained: Read not halichoth 'ways', but halachoth 'legal decisions', i.e., as for him (who studies) legal decisions, the world exists on account of him. ');">¹⁴</span> But [the reference is to] those who decide points of law from their teachings. A FEMALE PHARISEE etc. Our Rabbis have taught: A maiden who gives herself up to prayer,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the J. Talmud there is a variant: 'gives herself up to fasting'. We seem to have here an expression of disapproval of conventual life. ');">¹⁵</span> a gadabout widow,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Her chastity is open to suspicion. ');">¹⁶</span> and a minor whose months are not completed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Explained below. ');">¹⁷</span> — behold these bring destruction upon the world. But it is not so; for R. Johanan has said: We learnt fear of sin from a maiden [who gave herself up to prayer] and [confidence in] the bestowal of reward from a [gadabout] widow! Fear of sin from a maiden — for R. Johanan heard a maiden fall upon her face and exclaim, 'Lord of the Universe! Thou hast created Paradise and Gehinnom; Thou hast created righteous and wicked. May it be Thy will that men should not stumble through me'. [Confidence in] the bestowal of reward from a widow — a certain widow had a Synagogue in her neighbourhood; yet she used to come daily to the School of R. Johanan<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where Services were held. ');">¹⁸</span> and pray there. He said to her, 'My daughter, is there not a Synagogue in your neighbourhood?' She answered him, 'Rabbi, but have I not the reward for the steps!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., for the extra distance she walked to attend the Services. ');">¹⁹</span> — When it is said [that they bring destruction upon the world] the reference is to such a person as Johani the daughter of Retibi.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' She was a widow who by witchcraft made childbirth difficult for a woman and then offered prayer for her. ');">²⁰</span> What means 'a minor whose months are not completed'? — They explained it thus: It refers to a disciple who rebels against the authority of his teachers. R. Abba said: It refers to a disciple who has not attained the qualification to decide questions of law and yet decides them; for R. Abbahu declared that R. Huna said in the name of Rab, What means that which is written: For she hath cast down many wounded, yea, all her slain are a mighty host?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. VII, 26. ');">²¹</span> 'For she hath cast down many wounded' — this refers to a disciple who has not attained the qualification to decide questions of law and yet decides them; 'yea, all her slain are a mighty host' — this refers to a disciple who has attained the qualification to decide questions of law and does not decide them.

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