Talmud for Taanit 31:13
(יונה ג, ח) וישובו איש מדרכו הרעה ומן החמס אשר בכפיהם מאי ומן החמס אשר בכפיהם אמר שמואל אפילו גזל מריש ובנאו בבירה מקעקע כל הבירה כולה ומחזיר מריש לבעליו
Does the term 'elder' here used denote one who is not a scholar? - Abaye replied: This is what is meant: If there is present an elder who is also a scholar then he addresses them, and if not, then a [younger] scholar addresses them, and if not, a distinguished looking man addresses them. [And this is what he says], 'Our brethren, neither sackcloth nor fastings are effective but only penitence and good deeds, for we find that of the men of Nineveh Scripture does not say, And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but, God saw their works that they turned from their evil way.'
Jerusalem Talmud Taanit
Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, the people of Nineveh repented in trickery. What did they do53Babli 16a.? Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalfuta54In A: R. Ḥanania in the name of Resh Laqish.: They put calves inside and their mothers outside, foals inside and their mothers outside; these were mooing from one side and those mooing from the other side. They said, if He does not have mercy on us we shall not have mercy on them. That is what is written55Joel 1:18., how the animals groan, are cattle herds confused, etc. Rebbi Aḥa said, that is what they do in Arabia. They should be covered by sack-cloth, humans and animals, and call on God in force56Jonah 3:8.. What means “in force”? Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalfuta said, the brash one wins over the proper one57Cf. Babli Sanhedrin 105a., so much more if it is for the good of the world. Each man shall repent his evil ways and robbery in their hands. Rebbi Joḥanan said, what they had in their hands they returned, what was in a chest, a trunk and a cupboard they did not return.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy