Halakhah for Sanhedrin 40:20
פורץ לעשות לו דרך: ת"ר אוצרות מלכים למלך ושאר ביזה שבוזזין מחצה למלך ומחצה לעם אמר ליה אביי לרב דימי ואמרי לה לרב אחא בשלמא אוצרות מלכים למלך אורחא דמלתא אלא שאר ביזה שבוזזין מחצה למלך ומחצה לעם מנלן דכתיב
Resh Lakish said: At first, Solomon reigned over the higher beings,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., his influence reached the highest spheres, the angels and the spirits. ');"><sup>31</sup></span> as it is written, Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 1 Chron. XXIX, 23. ');"><sup>32</sup></span> afterwards, [having sinned,] he reigned [only] over the lower,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., his influence was on the wane. ');"><sup>33</sup></span> as it is written, For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tifsah even to Gaza.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings V, 4. ');"><sup>34</sup></span> Rab and Samuel [explain this verse in different ways]: One says, Tifsah was situated at one end of the world<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Tifsah would thus be identified (probably by Samuel, who was a Babylonian) with Thapsacus, the most important crossing-place of the middle Euphrates, above the mouth of the Belek.] ');"><sup>35</sup></span> and Gaza at the other. The other says: Tifsah and Gaza were beside each other,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Tifsah would thus be identified (probably by Rab the Palestinian) with the town mentioned in II Kings XV, 16 near Mount Ephraim.] ');"><sup>36</sup></span> and just as he reigned over these, so did he reign over the whole world. But eventually his reign was restricted to Israel, as it is written, I Koheleth have been king over Israel etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. I, 12. ');"><sup>37</sup></span> Later, his reign was confined to Jerusalem alone, even as it is written, The words of Koheleth, son of David, king in Jerusalem.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');"><sup>38</sup></span> And still later he reigned only over his couch,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Household. ');"><sup>39</sup></span> as it is written, Behold it is the litter of Solomon, three-score mighty men are about it etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cant. III, 7. ');"><sup>40</sup></span> And finally, he reigned only over his staff as it is written, This was my portion from all my labour.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. II, 10. ');"><sup>41</sup></span> Rab and Samuel [explain this differently]: One says: His staff [was all that was left him]; the other: His Gunda.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' a) A pitcher; b) an over-all, to protect clothes, c) a duster. V. Shab. 14b and 'Er. 21b, where it is related that Solomon instituted 'Erub (providing for the transportation of objects from one domain to another on the Sabbath day), and the washing of hands before touching holy food. Probably the 'staff' (measurestick) and 'pitcher' allude to these. ');"><sup>42</sup></span> Did he regain his first power, or not? Rab and Samuel [differ]: One maintains that he did; the other, that he did not. The one who says that he did not, agrees with the view that Solomon was first a king and then a commoner;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi in Git. 68b explains that his dominion was curtailed only as far as the higher beings (v. supra) were concerned.] ');"><sup>43</sup></span> the other, who says that he did, agrees with the view that he was first king, then commoner and finally king again. HE MAY FORCE A WAY THROUGH PRIVATE PROPERTY etc. Our Rabbis taught: Royal treasures<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Taken in war. ');"><sup>44</sup></span> [must be given] to the king; but of all other spoil, half to the king and half to the people. Abaye said to R. Dimi or, according to others, to Rab Aha: We quite understand it is the natural thing to give royal treasures [wholly] to the king; but where do we learn that of all other spoil he is to receive half? — From the verse,