Mesorat%20hashas for Sanhedrin 189:16

ת"ר שלשה קפצה להם הארץ אליעזר עבד אברהם ויעקב אבינו ואבישי בן צרויה אבישי בן צרויה הא דאמרן אליעזר עבד אברהם דכתיב (בראשית כד, מב) ואבוא היום אל העין למימרא דההוא יומא נפק יעקב אבינו

but how is it in a time of danger? So he went and propounded the question in the schoolhouse, and was answered, 'In time of danger, it is permitted.' He then mounted his [sc. David's] mule and rode off,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hoping that the animal's instinct would lead it to its master. ');">³⁰</span> and the earth contracted under him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he might cover the distance quickly. ');">³¹</span> Whilst riding, he saw Orpah his [sc. Ishbi-benob's] mother spinning. On descrying him, she broke off [the thread of] the spindle and threw it [the spindle] at him, intending to kill him. Then she said, 'Young man, bring me the spindle.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Pretending that it had merely fallen out of her hand. ');">³²</span> but he threw it on the top of her head instead, and killed her. When Ishbi-benob beheld him, he said [to himself], Now that there are two they will slay me. So he threw David up [in the air] and stuck his spear [into the earth], Saying. 'Let him fall upon it, and perish;' but Abishai pronounced the Divine Name, by means of which David was held suspended between heaven and earth. (Why did not David pronounce it himself? — Because 'a prisoner cannot free himself from prison.') [Abishai] then enquired of him, 'What dost thou here?' — 'Thus did God speak unto me,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The alternative mentioned above. ');">³³</span> and thus did I answer Him,' replied he. 'Reverse thy prayer.' said he: 'let thy grandson sell wax rather than that thou shouldst suffer.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Juvenal, Saturnalia, 6, 542. alludes to the Jews selling wax-candles in Rome. V. Ginzberg, Legends. VI, 264, n. 87.] ');">³⁴</span> 'If so,' said he, 'do thou aid me [to reverse it].' Hence it is written, But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. XXI, 17. ');">³⁵</span> upon which Rab Judah commented in Rab's name: He succoured him in prayer. Abishai then [again] pronounced the Divine Name and brought him down<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At some distance from where Ishbi stood (Rashi). ');">³⁶</span> [from midair, where he was still suspended]. Now Ishbi-benob was pursuing them. When they reached Kubi<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A town near the border. [Horowitz, Palestine, p. 158 identifies it with El-Kabbu S.W. of Bethar.] ');">³⁷</span> they said to [each other], 'Let us stand [and fight] against him.' [But they were still afraid, and proceeded further.] When they reached Bethre<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bethar, where the last stand in the Bar Cochba revolt was made (Neubauer, op. cit. 103). ');">³⁸</span> they said, 'Can two whelps kill a lion?'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely not; i.e., 'we are too weak, even combined, to slay him.' The remark was suggested by the place name Bethre, which means 'by two', as previously 'let us arise' — [H] — was suggested by [H]. ');">³⁹</span> So they taunted him, 'Go and find thy mother Orpah in the grave.' On their mentioning his mother's name to him<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that she was dead. ');">⁴⁰</span> his strength failed, and they slew him. Hence it is written, Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt no more go out with us unto battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">⁴¹</span> Our Rabbis taught: For three did the earth shrink: Eliezer, Abraham's servant, our father Jacob, and Abishai the son of Zeruiah. Abishai the son of Zeruiah, as has just been narrated. Eliezer, Abraham's servant, as it is written, And I came this day unto the well,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXIV, 42. ');">⁴²</span> implying that he had set out on that day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the journey could not be normally done in a day, the earth must have shrunk for him. ');">⁴³</span> Our father Jacob,

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