Talmud for Yevamot 157:2

⁴⁸To this and the following paragraph there exists an almost parallel text in Sanhedrin 6:9 (ן), an enlarged version in the Babli Yebamot 78b–79a and Num.rabba 8(4), and a shortened version in Midrash Samuel 28[5].[“The dedicated ones”]⁴⁹Reading of G; in L: “It was stated”. The following text deals with the identity of “the dedicated ones”, their exclusion from the Jewish marriage community, and proof that they were among the returnees from Babylon.. Rebbi Immi in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, because of: “At that moment Joshua dedicated them as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation.⁵⁰Jos. 9:27.” One understands “for the congregation.” But “for the Eternal’s altar”⁵¹This is also mentioned in Jos. 9:27, but the service in the Tabernacle is reserved for priests and Levites. The statement is interpreted to mean that their status will only be determined when the Eternal’s altar is given its permanent place.? But Joshua kept them in limbo. He said, I shall not include nor exclude them. But he who sometime in the future will build the Temple, if he wants to include them he may include, exclude them he may exclude. David came and excluded them as it is said⁵²2S. 21:2.: “But the Gibeonites are not part of the Children of Israel.” Why did he exclude them? Because “⁵³2S. 21:1. there was a famine in David’s time, three years year after year.” David said, for four sins⁵⁴In ן “three” and this also seems to be the reading underlying the Babli’s version and Pirqe R.Eliezer Chapter 17. The number is 4 in Ta‘anit 3:3 (66c 1. 29). the rains are locked away. For the sins of foreign worship, incest and adultery, murder, and the sins of those who publicly promise money for welfare but do not pay. From where for the sin of foreign worship? “⁵⁵Deut. 11:16–17. Beware, lest you be seduced” etc. What is written afterwards? “The Eternal’s rage will be inflamed against you and he locks the sky, etc.” From where for the sins of the incestuous and adulterers? “⁵⁶Jer. 3:2–3. While the prophet obviously speaks of Baal worship, all his imagery is that of sexual transgressions. Quoted in the name of R. Jehudah in Sifra Qedošim Pereq7(4). You distorted the Land by your immorality and your evil deeds.” What is the punishment? “Rainshowers were withheld, there was no late rain,” etc. From where because of the murderers? “⁵⁷Num. 35:33. Because blood will distort the Land.” From where for the sins of those who publicly promise money for welfare but do not pay? “⁵⁸Prov. 25:14. In the name of different Amoraim in the Babli, Ta‘anit8b, Midrash Prov. 25(14). Clouds and wind but no rain means the man who prides himself by lying gifts.” David checked his entire generation and did not find one of these. He turned to ask the urim and tummim. That is what is written: “⁵³2S. 21:1. David asked before the Eternal” by urim and tummim.⁵⁹In MT, there is a lacuna in 2S. 21:1 between “David asked before the Eternal,” and “The Eternal said, because of Saul and the House of blood guilt.” It is explained that he asked by applying the urim and tummim oracle. In the Babli and the sources dependent on it, R. Eleazar explains that “asking before the Eternal” means applying the urim and tummim oracle since in Num. 27:21 it says, “before Eleazar the priest he shall stand and ask the urim and tummim.” Rebbi Eleazar said, “Ask the Eternal, all the meek of the Land, who execute His Law.⁶⁰Zeph. 2:3. The homily is slightly more explicit in the Babli, where it is credited to R. Simeon ben Laqish. It addresses a seeming inconsistency in 2S. 21:1 where God’s answer is that the famine is a punishment for two crimes, the first “about Saul” and the second “about the House of blood guilt because he killed the Gibeonites.” The verse of the prophet is read to mean that even at the moment a person is judged for his misdeeds his “works”, his good deeds, are mentioned in the Heavenly court. But here the sin “about Saul” was not Saul’s but David’s and the entire people’s since they let him be buried in Transjordan and did not bring him to his proper burial in his ancestral land until prodded by the absence of rain (2S. 21:14, where the coming of rain is described as a direct consequence of the proper burials given to Saul and Jonathan.)” What means “Whose Law is Work”? He enforces His Law and this is His Action⁶¹While the Babli certainly reads with the Masoretes פָּעָלוּ, it might be that the Yerushalmi reads פָּעֳלוֹ.. “⁵³2S. 21:1. The Eternal said, because of Saul and the House of blood guilt.” “Because of Saul,” whom you did not grant the last favor, “and because of the House of blood guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites.” David sent and called them, what is between you and the house of Saul? They told him, because he killed seven of our men, two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, a religious leader, a scribe, and a beadle. He asked them, what do you want now? They said to him: “⁶²2S. 21:6. May there be given to us seven men of his sons and we shall hang them before the Eternal on the hill of Saul, the elected of the Eternal.” He said to them, what use is it for you that they be killed? Take silver and gold for yourselves! But they answered, ⁶³2S. 21:4.“there is no money for us from Saul and his house.” He said, maybe they are afraid⁶⁴In ן: They are afraid one in front of the other (to accept blood money).; he separated them and spoke to each one separately, trying to mollify him by himself, and asked him: What use is it for you that they be killed? Take gold and silver! But he said, “there is no money for us from Saul and his house.” It is written “for me”⁶⁵In 2S. 21:4, the Ketib is “for me” but the Qere “for us”. The homily explains both readings; both are correct.. At this moment, David said that the Holy One gave three good gifts to Israel: They are merciful, decent, and charitable⁶⁶In addition to the sources mentioned in Note 48, the following is also in Midrash Psalms 1,17.. From where that they are merciful? “He gave you mercy⁶⁷Deut. 13:18..” From where that they are decent? “That His fear should be on your faces.⁶⁸Ex. 20:20.” This is a sign, for a decent person does not sin. About anybody indecent it is clear that his ancestors did not stand on Mount Sinai. From where that they are charitable? “The Eternal, your God, kept for you covenant and charity.⁶⁹Deut. 7:12.” But these, nothing of this in found in them. Immediately he went to exclude them as it is said: “But the Gibeonites are not of the Children of Israel.⁵²2S. 21:2.” And Ezra also excluded them, as it is said: “And the dedicated ones dwelt in the Ophel.⁷⁰Neh. 3:26, 11:21. The emphasis is on their dwelling separately.” Also in the future the Holy One, praise to Him, will exclude them as it is written: “One crossing the city they cause to be lost.⁷¹This quote (as well as the version of G) is clearly corrupt; it telescopes a quote and its interpretation into one sentence. The correct text is in ן:
וְהָעוֹבֵד הָעִיר יַעַבְדוּהוּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
יַאֲבִידוּהוּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(Ez. 48:19) “The city worker will cultivate it, from all the tribes of Israel.” (Interpretation) ‘He will cause him to be lost from all the tribes of Israel.’
Ezechiel, in his description of the future Israel, gives Jerusalem a strip of land from the Meditteranean to the Dead Sea, which will be cultivated by the Temple workers to provide food for the city. The verse is taken out of context and, in Galilean dialect, ע and א are identified, changing “cultivate” into “getting lost”. The city worker is the dedicated one.”