Kiddushin 58

כל היכא דליכא אלא חמש סלעים הוא קודם לבנו מאי טעמא מצוה דגופיה עדיפא כי פליגי היכא דאיכא חמש משועבדים וחמש בני חורין

if only five sela's are available, he takes precedence over his son. What is the reason? A precept affecting his own person is more important.

ר' יהודה סבר מלוה דכתיב בתורה ככתובה בשטר דמיא בהני חמש פריק לבריה ואזיל כהן וטריף ליה לחמש משועבדים לדידיה

They differ when there are five sela's [worth of property] sold<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Before the birth of his son, v. Tosaf.]');">¹</span> and five sela's free. R'Judah holds: A debt decreed in Scripture is as one indited in a bond:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the five sela's he owes for his own redemption is like a written liability, contracted before he sold the land, and therefore his creditor, i.e., the priest to whom the redemption money is due, can distrain upon this property.');">²</span>

ורבנן סברי מלוה דכתיב באורייתא לאו ככתובה בשטר דמיא והילכך מצוה דגופיה עדיף

hence, with these five sela's [that are free] he redeems his son, while the priest goes and seizes the five sela's [worth] that is sold on account of himself [the father]. But the Rabbis maintain, A debt decreed in Scripture is not as one indited in a bond; therefore a precept touching his own person is more important.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For a creditor can distrain upon mortgaged property that is sold only if he holds a note against the debt.');">³</span> Our Rabbis taught: If one has his son to redeem and the duty of making the festival pilgrimage,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles every male was to visit the Temple at Jerusalem: Deut. XVI, 16.');">⁴</span>

ת"ר לפדות את בנו ולעלות לרגל פודה את בנו ואחר כך עולה לרגל ר' יהודה אומר עולה לרגל ואח"כ פודה את בנו שזו מצוה עוברת וזו מצוה שאינה עוברת

he must [first] redeem his son and then make the Festival pilgrimage. R'Judah said: He must first make the Festival pilgrimage and then redeem his son, for the one is a passing precept<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the Festival is gone it cannot be carried out.');">⁵</span> whereas the other is not a passing precept.

בשלמא לר' יהודה כדקאמר טעמא אלא רבנן מאי טעמייהו דאמר קרא (שמות לד, כ) כל בכור בניך תפדה והדר לא יראו פני ריקם

As for R'Judah, it is well, the reason being as he states. But what is the reason of the Rabbis? - Because Scripture states: All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIV, 20.');">⁶</span> and only then is it stated, and none shall appear before me empty.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. With reference to the Festival pilgrimage.');">⁷</span>

ת"ר מנין שאם היו לו חמשה בנים מחמש נשים שחייב לפדות כולן ת"ל כל בכור בניך תפדה פשיטא בפטר רחם תלא רחמנא

Our Rabbis taught: How do we know that if one has five [firstborn] sons by five wives, he is bound to redeem them all? From the verse: 'All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem.' But that is obvious, [since] the Divine Law made it dependent upon the opening of the womb?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 19.');">⁸</span>

מהו דתימא נילף בכור בכור מנחלה מה להלן ראשית אונו אף כאן ראשית אונו קמ"ל:

- I might have argued, Let us learn the meaning of 'firstborn' here from inheritance.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Here, as stated; inheritance: Deut. XXI, 17: Bur he shall acknowledge . . the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath; for he is the beginning of his strength.');">⁹</span> Just as there, the beginning of his strength [is meant], so here too;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., his own firstborn.');">¹⁰</span> therefore we are informed [that it is not so].'

ללמדו תורה: מנלן דכתיב (דברים יא, יט) ולמדתם אותם את בניכם והיכא דלא אגמריה אבוה מיחייב איהו למיגמר נפשיה דכתיב ולמדתם

To teach him Torah.' How do we know it? - Because it is written. And ye shall teach them your sons.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XI, 19.');">¹¹</span>

איהי מנלן דלא מיחייבא דכתיב ולימדתם ולמדתם כל שמצווה ללמוד מצווה ללמד וכל שאינו מצווה ללמוד אינו מצווה ללמד

And if his father did not teach him, he must teach himself, for it is written, and ye shall study.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. V, 1. The education of children in olden times was in their parents' hands, organized teaching being for adults only. The defects of this system were obvious, and schools were established in Jerusalem and later in the provinces for children from the ages of six or seven and upwards. These reforms are variously ascribed to R. Simeon b. Shetah and the High Priest Joshua b. Gamala; v. Halevy, Doroth I, 111, p. 466 and note a.l.');">¹²</span> How do we know that she [the mother] has no duty [to teach her children]? - Because it is written, we-limaddetem [and ye shall teach], [which also reads] u-lemadetem [and ye shall study]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [So Rashi. The derivation may however be based on the analogy of Deut. XI, 9 and V, 1.]');">¹³</span> [hence] whoever is commanded to study, is commanded to teach; whoever is not commanded to study, is not commanded to teach.

ואיהי מנלן דלא מיחייבה למילף נפשה דכתיב ולימדתם ולמדתם כל שאחרים מצווין ללמדו מצווה ללמד את עצמו וכל שאין אחרים מצווין ללמדו אין מצווה ללמד את עצמו ומנין שאין אחרים מצווין ללמדה דאמר קרא ולמדתם אותם את בניכם ולא בנותיכם

And how do we know that she is not bound to teach herself? - Because it is written, we-limaddetem [and ye shall teach] - u-lema - detem [and ye shall learn]: the one whom others are commanded to teach is commanded to teach oneself; and the one whom others are not commanded to teach, is not commanded to teach oneself. How then do we know that others are not commanded to teach her? - Because it is written: 'And ye shall teach them your sons' - but not your daughters.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Differing opinions were held on the desirability of educating women. R. Eliezer's strong opposition is well-known (Sot. III, 4) , though the probability is that he referred to advanced Talmudic education only. The laws referring to women's obligation to certain prayers imply that they must have been instructed in the elements of Judaism at least; and it is noteworthy that in the ideal state ascribed to Hezekiah's reign, women were fully educated (Sanh. 94b) .');">¹⁴</span> Our Rabbis taught: If he has himself to teach and his son to teach, he takes precedence over his son.

ת"ר הוא ללמוד ובנו ללמוד הוא קודם לבנו ר' יהודה אומר אם בנו זריז וממולח ותלמודו מתקיים בידו בנו קודמו כי הא דרב יעקב בריה דרב אחא בר יעקב שדריה אבוה לקמיה דאביי כי אתא חזייה דלא הוה מיחדדין שמעתיה א"ל אנא עדיפא מינך תוב את דאיזיל אנא

R'Judah said: If his son is industrious, bright,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. filled (with a desire to learn) .');">¹⁵</span> and retentive,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'his learning endures in his hand.'');">¹⁶</span> his son takes precedence over him.

שמע אביי דקא הוה אתי הוה ההוא מזיק בי רבנן דאביי דכי הוו עיילי בתרין אפי' ביממא הוו מיתזקי אמר להו לא ליתיב ליה אינש אושפיזא אפשר דמתרחיש ניסא

Thus R'Jacob, son of R'Aha B'Jacob, was once sent by his father [to study] under Abaye. On his return he [his father] saw that his learning was dull.' I am better than you,' said he to him; 'do you [now] remain here, so that I can go'.

על בת בההוא בי רבנן אידמי ליה כתנינא דשבעה רישוותיה כל כריעה דכרע נתר חד רישיה אמר להו למחר אי לא איתרחיש ניסא סכינתין

Abaye heard that he was coming. Now, a certain demon haunted Abaye's schoolhouse, so that when [only] two entered, even by day, they were injured. He [Abaye] ordered, 'Let no man afford him hospitality;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'lodging place', so that he might be compelled to spend the night in the academy.');">¹⁷</span>

ת"ר ללמוד תורה ולישא אשה ילמוד תורה ואח"כ ישא אשה ואם א"א לו בלא אשה ישא אשה ואח"כ ילמוד תורה אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל הלכה נושא אשה ואח"כ ילמוד תורה

perhaps a miracle will happen [in his merit].' So he [R'Aha B'Jacob] entered and spent the night in that schoolhouse, during which it [the demon] appeared to him in the guise of a seven-headed dragon. Every time he [the Rabbi] fell on his knees [in prayer] one head fell off.

ר' יוחנן אמר ריחיים בצוארו ויעסוק בתורה ולא פליגי הא לן והא להו:

The next day he reproached them: 'Had not a miracle occurred, you would have endangered my life.' Our Rabbis taught: If one has to study Torah and to marry a wife, he should first study and then marry. But if he cannot [live] without a wife, he should first marry and then study.

משתבח ליה רב חסדא לרב הונא בדרב המנונא דאדם גדול הוא א"ל כשיבא לידך הביאהו לידי כי אתא חזייה דלא פריס סודרא א"ל מאי טעמא לא פריסת סודרא א"ל דלא נסיבנא אהדרינהו לאפיה מיניה א"ל חזי דלא חזית להו לאפי עד דנסבת

Rab Judah said in Samuel's name: The halachah is, [A man] first marries and then studies. R'Johanan said: [With] a millstone around the neck, shall one study Torah! Yet they do not differ: the one refers to ourselves [Babylonians]; the other to them [Palestinians].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: The Babylonian scholars used to travel to Palestine, the home of the Mishnah; hence they were free of household worries, and so might marry before study. But the Palestinians, studying at home and bearing family responsibilities, could make no progress if married, and so they were bound to study first. Tosaf. reverses the interpretation.');">¹⁸</span> R'Hisda praised R'Hamnuna before R'Huna as a great man.

רב הונא לטעמיה דאמר בן עשרים שנה ולא נשא אשה כל ימיו בעבירה בעבירה סלקא דעתך אלא אימא כל ימיו בהרהור עבירה

Said he to him, 'When he visits you, bring him to me. When he arrived, he saw that he wore no [head-]covering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A sudarium with which married men used to cover their heads. V. supra p. 29, n. 5. uapb jph,');">¹⁹</span> 'Why have you no head-dress? ' asked he.'

אמר רבא וכן תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל עד כ' שנה יושב הקב"ה ומצפה לאדם מתי ישא אשה כיון שהגיע כ' ולא נשא אומר תיפח עצמותיו

Because I am not married,' was the reply. Thereupon he [R'Huna] turned his face away from him.' See to it that you do not appear before me [again] before you are married,' said he.

אמר רב חסדא האי דעדיפנא מחבראי דנסיבנא בשיתסר ואי הוה נסיבנא בארביסר

R'Huna was thus in accordance with his views. For he said: He who is twenty years of age and is not married spends all his days in sin.' In sin' - can you really think so? - But say, spends all his days in sinful thoughts. Raba said, and the School of R'Ishmael taught likewise: Until the age of twenty, the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and waits. When will he take a wife? As soon as one attains twenty and has not married, He exclaims, 'Blasted be his bones!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [MS.M. , 'May he be blasted'.]');">²⁰</span> R'Hisda said: The reason that I am superior to my colleagues is that I married at sixteen.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that my mind was entirely free for study.');">²¹</span> And had I married at fourteen,