Kiddushin 78

Chapter 78

א ארבע על ארבע רוחות הערוגה ואחת באמצע שפיר אלא הכא משום נוי ואי נמי משום טרחא דשמעא היא:

1 [that he sowed] four [species] on the four sides of the bed and one [species] in the middle.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., sowing different species in the same bed, yet taking care according to the regulation to leave sufficient space between each for their roots not to intertwine; v. Shab. 84b. The only possible reason would then be that kil'ayim are forbidden outside Palestine.');">1 Here, however,2 he did so on account of beauty, or [to save] the attendant trouble.3

ב <big>מתני׳</big> כל העושה מצוה אחת מטיבין לו ומאריכין לו ימיו ונוחל את הארץ וכל שאינו עושה מצוה אחת אין מטיבין לו ואין מאריכין לו ימיו ואינו נוחל את הארץ:

2 <big>MISHNAH: </big>HE WHO PERFORMS ONE PRECEPT IS WELL REWARDED,4 HIS DAYS ARE PROLONGED, AND HE INHERITS THE LAND,5 BUT HE WHO DOES NOT PERFORM ONE PRECEPT, GOOD IS NOT DONE TO HIM, HIS DAYS ARE NOT PROLONGED, AND HE DOES NOT INHERIT THE LAND.6

ג <big>גמ׳</big> ורמינהי אלו דברים שאדם אוכל פירותיהן בעולם הזה והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא אלו הן כבוד אב ואם וגמילות חסדים והכנסת אורחים והבאת שלום בין אדם לחבירו ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם

3 <big>GEMARA: </big>But a contradiction is shewn: These are the things the fruit of which man eats in this world,7 while the principal remains for him for the future world. Viz. , honouring one's parents, the practice of loving deeds, hospitality to wayfarers,8

ד אמר רב יהודה הכי קאמר כל העושה מצוה אחת יתירה על זכיותיו מטיבים לו ודומה כמי שמקיים כל התורה כולה מכלל דהנך אפילו בחדא נמי אמר רב שמעיה לומר שאם היתה שקולה מכרעת

4 and making peace between man and his neighbour; and the study of the Torah surpasses them all.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus, only for these is one rewarded in this world, whereas the Mishnah states this of any precept. To the Rabbis study was not only a means to religious observance (cf. infra 40b: study is great, as it leads to action) , but a religious act in itself, - indeed, one of the most important, as is shewn by this and numerous other passages in the Talmud. Nevertheless, they were far from believing that religious sincerity might be replaced by mere intellectualism; v. M. Joseph, Judaism as Creed and Life, p. 360.');">9 - Said Rab Judah: This is its meaning: HE WHO PERFORMS ONE PRECEPT in addition to his [equally balanced] merits10 IS WELL REWARDED, and he is as though he had fulfilled the whole Torah.

ה וכל העושה מצוה אחת יתירה על זכיותיו מטיבין לו ורמינהו כל שזכיותיו מרובין מעונותיו מריעין לו ודומה כמי ששרף כל התורה כולה ולא שייר ממנה אפילו אות אחת וכל שעונותיו מרובין מזכיותיו מטיבין לו ודומה כמי שקיים כל התורה כולה ולא חיסר אות אחת ממנה

5 Hence it follows that for these others [one is rewarded] even for a single one!11 - Said R'Shemaiah: That teaches that if there is an equal balance, it tips the scale.12 Yet is it a fact that he who performs one precept in addition to his [equally balanced] merits is rewarded?

ו אמר אביי מתניתין דעבדין ליה יום טב ויום ביש רבא אמר הא מני רבי יעקב היא דאמר שכר מצוה בהאי עלמא ליכא

6 But the following contradicts it: He whose good deeds outnumber his iniquities is punished,13 and is as though he had burnt the whole Torah, not leaving even a single letter;14 while he whose iniquities outnumber his good deeds is rewarded,15

ז דתניא רבי יעקב אומר אין לך כל מצוה ומצוה שכתובה בתורה שמתן שכרה בצדה שאין תחיית המתים תלויה בה בכיבוד אב ואם כתיב (דברים ה, טז) למען יאריכון ימיך ולמען ייטב לך בשילוח הקן כתיב (דברים כב, ז) למען ייטב לך והארכת ימים

7 and is as though he had fulfilled the whole Torah, not omitting even a single letter! - Said Abaye: Our Mishnah means that a festive day and an evil day are prepared for him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By 'good is done to him' the Mishnah means that he is punished in this world; this punishment is regarded as a festive day for him, since he thereby wholly enjoys the next. Conversely the second half of the MISHNAH:');">16 Raba said: This latter agrees with R'Jacob, who said: There is no reward for precepts in this world.17 For it was taught: R'Jacob said: There is not a single precept in the Torah whose reward is [stated] at its sid which is not dependent on the resurrection of the dead.18

ח הרי שאמר לו אביו עלה לבירה והבא לי גוזלות ועלה לבירה ושלח את האם ונטל את הבנים ובחזירתו נפל ומת היכן טובת ימיו של זה והיכן אריכות ימיו של זה אלא למען ייטב לך לעולם שכולו טוב ולמען יאריכון ימיך לעולם שכולו ארוך

8 [Thus:] in connection with honouring parents it is written, that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee.19 In reference to the dismissal of the nest20 it is written, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days.21

ט ודלמא לאו הכי הוה ר' יעקב מעשה חזא ודלמא מהרהר בעבירה הוה מחשבה רעה אין הקב"ה מצרפה למעשה

9 Now, if one's father said to him, 'Ascend to the loft and bring me young birds,' and he ascends to the loft, dismisses the dam and takes the young, and on his return falls and is killed - where is this man's happiness22 and where is this man's prolonging of days? But 'in order that it may be well with thee', means on the day that is wholly good; and 'in order that thy days may be long', on the day that is wholly long.23

י ודלמא מהרהר בעבודת כוכבים הוה וכתיב (יחזקאל יד, ה) למען תפוש את בית ישראל בלבם איהו נמי הכי קאמר אי סלקא דעתך שכר מצוה בהאי עלמא אמאי לא אגין מצות עליה כי היכי דלא ליתי לידי הרהור

10 Yet perhaps there was no such happening?24 - R'Jacob saw an actual occurrence. Then perhaps he25

יא והא א"ר אלעזר שלוחי מצוה אין נזוקין התם בהליכתן שאני

11 was meditating upon a transgression? - The Holy One, blessed be He, does not combine an evil thought with an [evil] act.26 Yet perhaps he was meditating idolatry, and it is written, that I may take the house of Israel i their own heart?27 - That too was precisely his point: should you think that precepts are rewarded in this world, why did the [fulfilment of these] precepts not shield him from being led to [such] meditation?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Aboth IV, 2: 'the reward of a precept is a precept, and the punishment of transgression is transgression, for precept draws precept and transgression draws transgression'.');">28

יב והא אמר רבי אלעזר שלוחי מצוה אינן נזוקין לא בהליכתן ולא בחזירתן סולם רעוע הוה דקביע היזיקא וכל היכא דקביע היזיקא לא סמכינן אניסא דכתיב (שמואל א טז, ב) ויאמר שמואל איך אלך ושמע שאול והרגני

12 Yet R'Eleazar said: Those who are engaged29 on a precept are never harmed?30 - There, when they are going [to fulfil the precept], it is different.31

יג אמר רב יוסף אילמלי דרשיה אחר להאי קרא כרבי יעקב בר ברתיה לא חטא ואחר מאי הוא איכא דאמרי כי האי גוונא חזא

13 But R'Eleazar said: Those who are engaged on a precept are never harmed, either when going or returning? - It was a rickety ladder, so that injury was likely,32 and where injury is likely one must not rely on a miracle, for it is written, and Samuel said: How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.33

יד ואיכא דאמרי לישנא דחוצפית המתורגמן חזא דהוה גריר ליה דבר אחר אמר פה שהפיק מרגליות ילחך עפר נפק חטא

14 R'Joseph said: Had Aher34 interpreted this verse35 as R'Jacob, his daughter's son, he would not have sinned.36

טו רמי רב טובי בר רב קיסנא לרבא תנן כל העושה מצוה אחת מטיבין לו עשה אין לא עשה לא ורמינהי ישב ולא עבר עבירה נותנים לו שכר כעושה מצוה אמר ליה התם כגון שבא דבר עבירה לידו וניצול הימנה

15 Now, what happened with Aher? Some say, he saw something of this nature.37 Others say, he saw the tongue of Huzpith the Interpreter dragged along by a swine.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a different thing' - a euphemism for swine, the unmentionable. - Huzpith was one of the martyrs slain in the Hadrianic persecution, after the fall of Bethar; v. Dor. II, 119. The Interpreter was a functionary who interpreted the public readings of the Torah to the people.');">38

טז כי הא דרבי חנינא בר פפי תבעתיה ההיא מטרוניתא אמר מלתא ומלי נפשיה שיחנא וכיבא עבדה היא מילתא ואיתסי ערק טשא בההוא בי בני דכי הוו עיילין בתרין אפילו ביממא הוו מיתזקי למחר אמרו ליה רבנן מאן נטרך אמר להו שני

16 'The mouth that uttered pearls licks the dust!' he exclaimed. [Thereupon] he went forth and sinned.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to this, it was the eternal question, why do the righteous suffer, which is even put into the mouth of Moses (Ber. 7a) , which led him to religious apostasy. For other conjectures v. J.E. s.v. Elishah ben Abuyah.');">39 R'Tobi son of R'Kisna pointed out a contradiction to Raba: We learnt: HE WHO PERFORMS ONE PRECEPT IS WELL REWARDED; hence, only if he [actively] performs it, but not otherwise. But the following contradicts this: If he sits and commits no transgression he is rewarded as though he has fulfilled a precept! - Said he to him: There it means, e.g. , that he was tempted40 and successfully resisted.41 As in the case of R'Hanina B'Pappi, whom a certain matron urged [to immorality]. He pronounced a certain [magical] formula, whereupon his body was covered with boils and scabs;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Belief in magic was very widespread in ancient times, and was even entertained by scholars. On the whole the Talmud was strongly opposed to it, as 'impairing the Divine Agencies' (Sanh. 67b; cf. Tosef. Sotah, XIV, 3; Sotah, IX, 3) , and being bound up with idolatry. Nevertheless, in case of need it was resorted to and permitted, so long as pagan means were not employed. Thus healing by means of an amulet was permitted and its use regulated by law (Shab. 61a-b) . Here, on the other hand, a Rabbi uses magic to cover himself with boils in order to resist immoral demands, and it is obviously permitted. The most potent means was an incantation, as here, particularly one which employed the name of God. V. Blau, Das altjudische Zauberwesen, pp. 117-146.');">42 but she did something and he was healed. So he fled and hid himself in a bath-house in which when [even] two entered, even in daytime, they would suffer harm.43 The next morning the Rabbis asked him, 'Who guarded you? ' Said he to them, 'Two

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