Commentary for Yoma 38:16

אמר אביי ואיתימא ר"נ בר יצחק תרגומא נהרדעא דא"ל אליהו לרב יהודה אחוה דרב סלא חסידא אמריתו אמאי לא אתי משיח והא האידנא יומא דכיפורי הוא ואבעול כמה בתולתא בנהרדעא אמר ליה הקב"ה מאי אמר אמר ליה

so that sleep should not overcome him suddenly. It has been taught: Abba Saul said: Also in the country<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'border-towns', then: the country outside Jerusalem.');">²⁸</span> they used to do so<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Stay up all night before the Day of Atonement.');">²⁹</span> in memory of the Temple, but they used to commit sin.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Intimacy developed between men and women.');">³⁰</span> Abaye, or, as some say, R'Nahman B'Isaac, interpreted that to refer to Nehardea. For Elijah said to Rab Judah, the brother of R'Sila the Pious: You have said: Why has not Messiah come? Now to-day is the Day of Atonement and yet how many virgins were embraced in Nehardea! He answered: What did the Holy One, blessed be He, say? - He answered:

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