Nedarim 75

זאת דהמצוה (דברים ו, א) ידרוך דהדורך (ירמיהו נא, ג) חמש דפאת נגב (יחזקאל מח, טז) אם דכי גואל (רות ג, ט) הלין כתבן ולא קריין

'these' in Now [these] are the commandments.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VI, 1. Wilna Gaon deletes this example, as in fact 'these' is read. He substitutes 'eth in As the Lord liveth ('eth — sign of the accusative) that made us this soul (Jer. XXXVIII, 16). In Heb. Zoth (this) and 'eth are similar, differing only in one letter, and this may have caused the error in the text. ');">¹</span> 'let him bend' in Against him that bendeth [let him bend] the bow;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. LI, 3. ');">²</span>

אמר רב אחא בר אדא במערבא פסקין להדין פסוקא לתלתא פסוקין ויאמר ה' אל משה הנה אנכי בא אליך בעב הענן (שמות יט, ט)

'five' in and on the south side, four thousand and five [five] hundred;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLVIII, 26. ');">³</span> 'if' in it is time that [If] I am thy near kinsman.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ruth III, 12. ');">⁴</span>

אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא לא העשיר משה אלא מפסולתן של לוחות שנאמר פסל לך שני לוחות אבנים כראשונים (שמות לד, א) פסולתן שלך יהא

The foregoing are written but not read.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Wilna Gaon adds the following examples: Ibid. XV, 21 Jer. XXXIX. These are given in Soferim VI. ');">⁵</span> R. Aha b. Adda said: In the West [i.e., Palestine] the following verse is divided into three verses, viz., And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XIX, 9. [This is not to imply that in Palestine where the whole of the Pentateuch was read in three years, most verses were divided in two or three (v. Rappaport, Halichoth Kedem pp. 10 and 17). It only means that this was one of the few passages in which there existed a difference of division between the Palestinians and Babylonians; v. Blau, JQR, 1896, p. 143.] ');">⁶</span>

אמר רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא לא ניתנה תורה אלא למשה ולזרעו שנאמר כתב לך (שמות לד, כז) פסל לך (שם, א) מה פסולתן שלך אף כתבן שלך משה נהג בה טובת עין ונתנה לישראל ועליו הכתוב אומר טוב עין הוא יבורך וגו' (משלי כב, ט)

R. Hama b. R. Hanina said: Moses became wealthy but from the chippings of the tablets, for it is written, Hew thee two tablets of stone like unto the first:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIV, 1. ');">⁷</span> their chips be thine.

מתיב רב חסדא ואותי צוה ה' בעת ההיא ללמד אתכם (דברים ד, יד) ואותי צוה ואני לכם ראה למדתי אתכם חוקים ומשפטים כאשר צוני ה' אלהי (דברים ד, ה) אותי צוה ואני לכם

R. Jose son of R. Hanina said: The Torah was given only to Moses and his seed, for it is written, write thee these words<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 27. ');">⁸</span> [and] Hew thee:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 1. ');">⁹</span>

ועתה כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת (דברים לא, יט) השירה לחודה למען תהיה לי השירה הזאת לעד בבני ישראל (שם) אלא פילפולא בעלמא

just as the chips are thine so is the writing thine.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Torah is thy property. ');">¹⁰</span> But Moses in his generosity gave it to Israel, and concerning him it is said, He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXII, 9. ');">¹¹</span>

אמר רבי יוחנן אין הקב"ה משרה שכינתו אלא על גבור ועשיר וחכם ועניו וכולן ממשה גבור דכתיב ויפרוש את האהל על המשכן (שמות מ, יט) ואמר מר (בכורות מד א) משה רבינו פרסו וכתיב עשר אמות ארך הקרש וגו' (שמות כו, טז) אימא דאריך וקטין

R. Hisda objected: And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. IV, 14. This proves that it was not given to Moses for himself. ');">¹²</span> — He commanded me, and I [passed it on] to you.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is the answer, which interprets the verse thus: And the Lord commanded me at that time, (and I determined) to teach you etc. ');">¹³</span>

אלא מן הדין קרא דכתיב ואתפוש בשני הלוחות ואשליכם מעל שתי ידי ואשברם (דברים ט, יז) ותניא (בבא בתרא יד א) הלוחות ארכן ששה ורחבן ששה ועביין שלשה

[A further objection:] Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 5. ');">¹⁴</span> — He commanded me, and I taught you. Now, therefore, write this song for you!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXXI, 19. 'For you' shews that it was given to the Israelites in the first place. ');">¹⁵</span>

עשיר פסל לך (שם, א) פסולתן שלך יהא חכם רב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו חמשים שערי בינה נבראו בעולם וכולם ניתנו למשה חסר אחת שנאמר ותחסרהו מעט מאלהים (תהלים ח, ו) עניו דכתיב והאיש משה עניו מאד (במדבר יב, ג)

— This refers to the song alone.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But the rest of the Torah was originally given to Moses alone. ');">¹⁶</span> That this song be a witness for the against the children of Israel?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXI, 19. If the reference is to the song alone, how can that testify against Israel? ');">¹⁷</span>

אמר ר' יוחנן כל הנביאים עשירים היו מנלן ממשה ומשמואל מעמוס ומיונה

— But only the [Scripture] dialectics [were given to Moses alone].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And he taught them to the people. ');">¹⁸</span> R. Johanan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, causes His Divine Presence to rest only upon him who is strong, wealthy, wise and meek;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Maim. Guide, II, ch. 32. It seems strange that wealth should he regarded as a necessary qualification for prophecy. Poverty was not regarded as a fault, many of the Rabbis being poor (e.g., Hillel, before he became nasi; R. Joshua, the opponent of R. Gamaliel; R. Judah), yet were not thought of any the less. CF. also Aboth, VI, 4. Is it possible that 'wealthy' was included in order to oppose the N.T. teachings which imply that poverty in itself is a virtue? [According to Asheri these qualifications are deemed necessary for the gift of permanent prophecy. This would explain the inclusion of wealth, which dowers its possessor with the sense of independence. the better to proclaim the word of God and which commands greater respect.] ');">¹⁹</span>

משה דכתיב לא חמור אחד מהם נשאתי (במדבר טז, טו) אי בלא אגרא לאפוקי מאן דשקל בלא אגרא אלא דאפילו באגרא דילמא משום דעני הוה אלא מן פסל לך פסולתן יהא שלך

and all these [qualifications] are deduced from Moses. Strong, for it is written, And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XL, 19. ');">²⁰</span> and a Master said, Moses our teacher spread it; and it is also written, Ten cubits shall be the length of the board.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXVI, 16. This then was the height of the tabernacle: to have spread the tent over it he must have been extremely tall, and presumably correspondingly strong. ');">²¹</span>

שמואל דכתיב הנני ענו בי נגד ה' ונגד משיחו את שור מי לקחתי וחמור מי לקחתי (שמואל א יב, ג) אי בחנם לאפוקי מאן דשקל בחנם אלא דאפילו בשכר דלמא דעני הוה אלא מהכא ותשובתו הרמתה כי שם ביתו (שמואל א ז, יז) ואמר רבא (ברכות י ב) כל מקום שהלך ביתו עמו

Yet perhaps it was long and thin?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which case he would not necessarily be strong. ');">²²</span> — But [it is derived] from this verse: And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. IX, 17. ');">²³</span>

אמר רבא גדול מה שנאמר בשמואל יותר משנאמר במשה דאילו במשה רבינו כתיב לא חמור אחד מהם נשאתי דאפילו בשכר ואילו גבי שמואל אפילו ברצון לא שכרו דכתיב (שמואל א יב, ד) ויאמרו לא עשקתנו ולא רצותנו וגו'

Now, it was taught: The tablss [sic, tables] were six [handbreadths] in length, six in breadth, and three in thickness.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These would be extremely heavy and require great strength to handle. ');">²⁴</span> Wealthy, [as it is written] Hew thee, [interpreted] the chips be thine. Wise: for Rab and Samuel both said, Fifty gates of understanding were created in the world, and all but one were given to Moses, for it is said, For thou hast made him [sc. Moses] a little lower than God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. VIII, 6. ');">²⁵</span>

עמוס דכתיב ויען עמוס ויאמר אל אמציה לא נביא אנכי ולא בן נביא אנכי כי בוקר אנכי ובולס שקמים (עמוס ז, יד) כדמתרגם רב יוסף ארי מרי גיתי אנא ושקמין לי בשפלתא וגו' (ת"י)

Meek, for it is written, Now the man Moses was very meek.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XII, 3. ');">²⁶</span> R. Johanan said: All the prophets were wealthy. Whence do we derive this? From Moses, Samuel, Amos and Jonah. Moses, because it is written, I have not taken one ass from them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jon. I, 3. ');">³⁸</span>

יונה דכתיב ויתן שכרה וירד בה (יונה א, ג) ואמר ר' יוחנן שנתן שכרה של ספינה כולה אמר ר' רומנוס שכרה של ספינה הויא ד' אלפים דינרי דהבא

Now, if he meant without a hiring fee — did he then merely claim not to be one of those who take without a fee?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely he did not pride himself on not being a thief! ');">²⁸</span> He must hence have meant, even with a fee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he had no need to hire an animal, possessing so many himself. Therefore he must have been wealthy. ');">²⁹</span>

ואמר ר' יוחנן בתחילה היה משה למד תורה ומשכחה עד שניתנה לו במתנה שנאמר ויתן אל משה ככלתו לדבר אתו (שמות לא, יח)

But perhaps it was because of his poverty?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., having so few possessions that he did not need one. ');">³⁰</span> — But [it is derived] from the verse, Hew thee etc.: the chips be thine. Samuel, because it is written, Behold here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken, or whose ass have I taken?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XII, 3. ');">³¹</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> וזן את אשתו ואת בניו אף על פי שהוא חייב במזונותן ולא יזון את בהמתו בין טמאה בין טהורה רבי אליעזר אומר זן את הטמאה ואינו זן את הטהורה אמרו לו מה בין טמאה לטהורה אמר להו שהטהורה נפשה לשמים וגופה שלו וטמאה

Now, if he meant for nothing — did he then merely claim not to be one of those who take without payment? Hence he must have meant, even for payment. But perhaps it was due to poverty? — Rather from this verse, <i>And his return was to Ramah: for there was his house</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. VII, 17. ');">³²</span> Whereupon Raba observed, wherever he went, his house went with him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he travelled about with all the retinue and baggage of his house: this could be done only by a wealthy man. ');">³³</span> (Raba said: A greater thing is said of Samuel than of Moses: for in the case of Moses it is stated, <i>'I have not taken one ass from them'</i> implying even for a fee;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This implies that he did not compel them to hire him an ass. Yet even when he merely requested it, they might have dissimulated their unwillingness through shame and hired it to him. ');">³⁴</span> but in the case of Samuel, he did not hire it even with their consent, for it is written, <i>And they said, thou hast not defrauded us, nor taken advantage of our willingness</i>.)<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Amos VII, 14. ');">³⁶</span> &nbsp; Amos, because it is written, <i>Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son, but I was a herdman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Amos VII, 14. ');">³⁶</span> which R. Joseph translated: Behold, I am the owner of flocks, and possess sycamore trees in the valley.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence I have no need to turn my prophecy to professional uses. Boker, rendered in the A.V. 'herdman', is here translated 'owner of flocks'. [This is the rendering of Targum Pseudo-Jonathan; v. B.K. (Sonc. ed.) p. 9, n. 9.] ');">³⁷</span> Jonah, as it is written [<i>and he found a ship going to Tarshish</i>:] <i>so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jon. I, 3. ');">³⁸</span> And R. Johanan observed: He paid for the hire of the whole ship. R. Romanus said: The hire of the ship was four thousand gold <i>denarii</i>. R. Johanan also said: At first Moses used to study the Torah and forget it, until it was given to him as a gift, for it is said, <i>And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him</i> [… <i>two tables of testimony</i>].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXI, 18. This shews that the two tables (i.e., the Torah) were made a gift to him. ');">³⁹</span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. AND HE MAY SUPPORT HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN, THOUGH HE [THE MUDDAR] IS LIABLE FOR THEIR MAINTENANCE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This continues the preceding Mishnahs. Tosaf.: this applies according to the Rabbis supra 33b, to maintenance above the minimum necessities, which is all a husband is liable For. ');">⁴⁰</span> BUT HE MAY NOT FEED HIS BEASTS, WHETHER CLEAN OR UNCLEAN.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because a fattened animal has more value than otherwise; hence it is a direct benefit to the muddar. ');">⁴¹</span> R. ELIEZER SAID: HE MAY FEED AN UNCLEAN BEAST OF HIS, BUT NOT A CLEAN ONE. THEY [THE SAGES] SAID TO HIM, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN UNCLEAN AND A CLEAN BEAST? HE REPLIED TO THEM, THE LIFE OF A CLEAN BEAST BELONGS TO HEAVEN, BUT THE BODY IS HIS OWN;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., since it may be eaten, he directly benefits by its fattening ');">⁴²</span> BUT AN UNCLEAN ANIMAL