Jewish%20thought for Shabbat 109:18

אין מיתה בלא חטא דכתיב (יחזקאל יח, כ) הנפש החוטאת היא תמות בן לא ישא בעון האב ואב לא ישא בעון הבן צדקת הצדיק עליו תהיה ורשעת הרשע עליו תהיה וגו' אין יסורין בלא עון דכתיב (תהלים פט, לג) ופקדתי בשבט פשעם ובנגעים עונם

Was then the brazen altar [still] in existence?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to tradition Solomon hid it and substituted an earthen altar for it; v. I Kings VIII, 64 and Zeb. 59b. ');">¹⁷</span> — The Holy One, blessed be He, spake thus to them; Commence [destruction] from the place where song is uttered before Me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., start with the Levites, who utter song to the accompaniment of musical instruments of brass. ');">¹⁸</span> And who were the six men? — Said R. Hisda: Indignation [Kezef], Anger [Af], Wrath [Hemah], Destroyer [Mashhith] Breaker [Meshabber] and Annihilator [Mekaleh]. And why taw? — Said Rab: Taw [stands for] tihyeh [thou shalt live], taw [stands for] tamuth [thou shalt die]. Samuel said: The taw denotes, the merit of the Patriarchs is exhausted [tamah].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The merit of the Patriarchs, which acted as a shield for the wicked, is at an end. ');">¹⁹</span> R. Johanan said: The merit of the Patriarchs will confer grace [tahon].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Samuel explains the taw on the wicked; R. Johanan that on the righteous. ');">²⁰</span> While Resh Lakish said: Taw is the end of the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He. For R. Hanina said: The seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is emeth [truth]. R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: It denotes the people who fulfilled the Torah from alef to taw.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. n. 2. ');">²¹</span> And since when has the merit of the Patriarchs been exhausted? — Rab said, Since the days of Hosea the son of Beeri, for it is written, [And now] will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hos. II, 12; 'and none', i.e., their merit ');">²²</span> Samuel said. Since the days of Hazael, for it is said, And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings XIII, 22. ');">²³</span> and it is written, But the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion upon them, and had respect unto them, because of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence until now.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 23. 'Until now' implies, but no longer. ');">²⁴</span> R. Joshua b. Levi said: Since the days of Elijah, for it is said, And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening oblation, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, O Lord, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XVIII, 36. Here too this day implies a limitation. ');">²⁵</span> R. Johanan said: Since the days of Hezekiah, for it is said, Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with judgement and with righteousness for henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. IX, 6. 'The zeal, etc.' implies, but not the merit of the Patriarchs, this being exhausted by now. ');">²⁶</span> R. Ammi said: There is no death without sin,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One's sins cause his death. ');">²⁷</span> and there is no suffering without iniquity. There is no death without sin, for it is written, The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son, the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him, etc.,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XVIII, 20. ');">²⁸</span> There is no suffering without iniquity, for it is written, Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXXIX, 33. ');">²⁹</span>

Explore jewish%20thought for Shabbat 109:18. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.