מאי ויועץ אמר רבי יהודה שהושיב רשע אצל צדיק אמר להו חתמיתו על כל דעבידנא אמרו ליה הין אמר להו מלכא בעינא למיהוי אמרו ליה הין כל דאמינא לכו עבידתו אמרו ליה הין אפילו למפלח לעבודת כוכבים אמר ליה צדיק ח"ו אמר ליה רשע לצדיק ס"ד דגברא כירבעם פלח לעבודת כוכבים אלא למינסינהו הוא דקא בעי אי קבליתו למימריה
What is meant by And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., what did he actually do?
');"><sup>25</sup></span> — R. Nahman said: He took off his phylacteries in front of him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This was regarded as a mark of disrespect. Another version: he removed his phylacteries, so as to be unconstrained in his abuse of Solomon, which he would not wish to do with these religious symbols upon him.
');"><sup>26</sup></span> R. Nahman said: The conceit which possessed Jeroboam drove him out of the world,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., led him into destruction.
');"><sup>27</sup></span> as it is written, Now Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn unto their Lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XII, 26f.
');"><sup>28</sup></span> He reasoned thus: it is a tradition that none but the kings of the house of Judah may sit in the Temple Court.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This was a special prerogative of Davidic kings. V. Kid. 78a, and cf. Josephus Ant. VIII, 4, 2.
');"><sup>29</sup></span> Now, when they [the people] see Rehoboam sitting and me standing, they will say, The former is the king and the latter his subject; whilst if I sit too, I am guilty of treason,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a rebel against royal authority.'
');"><sup>30</sup></span> and they will slay me, and follow him. Straightway, Wherefore the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 28.
');"><sup>31</sup></span> How did he 'take counsel'? — R Judah said: He set a wicked man by the side of the righteous [in the council chamber] and said to him, 'Will ye sign [your approval] of all that I may do?' They replied, 'Yes.' 'I wish to be king,' he went on; and they again said, 'Yes.' 'Will ye execute all my commands?' he asked. Again they replied 'Yes.' 'Even for the worship of idols?' Whereupon the righteous man rejoined, 'God forbid!' 'But,' urged the wicked upon the righteous, 'dost thou really think that a man like Jeroboam would serve idols? He only wishes to test us, to see whether we will give full acceptance to his orders?'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus he received the signature of the righteous under false pretences, and it could not be subsequently withdrawn.
');"><sup>32</sup></span>
Jerusalem Talmud Avodah Zarah
How does Rebbi Yose uphold this verse, bring your sacrifices in the morning, etc6Since for him the Mishnah has no biblical basis; the cessation of commerce with idolators either is rabbinic or an old popular custom. The entire sermon is reproduced in Yalqut Šim`oni Prophets§542.? The verse speaks about Jeroboam’s kingdom. When Jeroboam became king over Israel he started seducing Israel and said to them come, let us worship pagan worship. Pagan worship is lenient. This is what is written, let us go against Jehudah, cut it down, break it up, and appoint a king in it, the man from Ṭabeal7Is. 7:6. The tradition that Ṭabeal is a place rather than a personal name was accepted by the Medieval commentators of Prophets. According to Rashi the name is coded; one has to replace letter nby n+/-11; then טבאל becomes רַמְלֵא, a city founded after the Arab conquest.. Rebbi Abba said, we checked all of Scripture but did not find a place named Ṭabeal. But it treats its worshippers well. The Torah said, selected him from all of the tribes of Israel to be a priest for Me81S. 2:28.. Pagan worship says, he made priests from the fringes of the people91K. 12:31; quoted in the Babli, Qiddušin75b, in the name of R. Joḥanan.. Rebbi La said, from the thorns of the people, the rubbish of the people. The Torah said, the fat of My sacrifice shall not remain until the morning10Ex. 23:28.; but pagan worship said, bring your sacrifices in the morning3Am. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.. The Torah said, it should be eaten on the day of its slaughter and the next day11Lev. 19:6.; but pagan worship said, on the third day your tithes3Am. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.. The Torah said, do not sacrifice the blood of My sacrifice on leavened matter10Ex. 23:28.; but pagan worship said, and burn your thanksgiving offer of leavened matter3Am. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.. The Torah said, if you are vowing a vow to the Eternal, your God, do not tarry to fulfill it12Deut. 23:22., but pagan worship said, pledge gifts, publicize them3,Am. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.13But it is not necessary to fulfill one’s pledge. The reason of the Northern Kingdom’s apostasy is traced to the cost and onerous rules of Torah practice.. Rebbi Yudan, Rebbi Mattaniah’s father, said, the verse only serves to mention the shame of Israel. The day of our king, the princes are sick from wine’s heat, he draws the mockers by his hand14Hos. 4:5.. On the day when Jeroboam became king over Israel, all of Israel came to him late in the evening and told him, come and worship pagan worship. He told them, it is late in the evening; I am drunk and not drunk15He claimed that his mental faculties were slightly impaired.. Everybody is drinking; but if you wish, go and come in the morning. That is what is written, for their heart is like an oven while they are lying in ambush; all night long their baker is sleeping.16Hos. 4:6. All night long their baker did not sleep. In the morning he is burning like fire of a conflagration16Hos. 4:6.. In the morning they came to him. He told them, I do understand what you want but I am afraid of your Synhedrion lest they kill me. They told him, we shall kill them; this is what is written, that all are glowing like an oven and eat their judges17Hos.4:7. All of Talmudic literature assumes that the legal system imagined for late Hasmonean rule was that of the Davidic kingdom.. Rebbi Levi said, they killed them, as is written, if a corpse is found18Deut. 21:1. This sermon derives הֶחֱלוּ in Hos. 4:5 not from חלה “to be sick” but from חלל “to be perforated”.. Rebbi La said, they deposed them; The day of our king, the princes are profaned from wine’s heat14,Hos. 4:5.19Deriving הֶחֱלוּ in Hos. 4:5 from חול “to be profane”.; the day when princes were profaned. From wine’s heat, they were addicted to wine. He draws the mockers by his hand: When he saw a serious person he placed two scoffers next to him who asked him, which generation was preferred over all generations? He told them, the generation of the Exodus. But did they not practice pagan worship? He answered them, because they were beloved they were not punished. But they told him, be quiet for the king wants to do the same. Not only that, but they made one and this one made two. He put the one up at Bethel; the other he gave to Dan201K. 12:29..
