Rosh Hashanah 33

ומצפצפין ועולין שנאמר (זכריה יג, ט) והבאתי את השלישית באש וצרפתים כצרוף את הכסף ובחנתים כבחון את הזהב הוא יקרא בשמי ואני אענה אותו ועליהם אמרה חנה (שמואל א ב, ו) ה' ממית ומחי' מוריד שאול ויעל

and squeal<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On account of their punishment. Al. 'struggle and rise'. [Ginzberg L.: 'be singed', i.e., by the fires of the Gehinnom, and after this experience arise thence and be healed. V. Moore S.F. Judaism III, p. 198].');">¹</span> and rise again, as it says, And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name and I will answer them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zech. XIII, 9.');">²</span>

ב"ה אומרים ורב חסד מטה כלפי חסד ועליהם אמר דוד (תהלים קטז, א) אהבתי כי ישמע ה' את קולי ועליהם אמר דוד כל הפרשה כולה דלותי ולי יהושיע

Of them, too, Hannah said, The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 1 Sam. II, 6.');">³</span> Beth Hillel, however, say: He that abounds in grace inclines [the scales] towards grace,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And does not doom them to Gehinnom.');">⁴</span> and of them David said, I love that the Lord should hear my voice and my supplication,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXVI, 1. Further on we read, The cords of death compassed me (v. 3) .');">⁵</span>

פושעי ישראל בגופן ופושעי אומות העולם בגופן יורדין לגיהנם ונידונין בה י"ב חדש לאחר י"ב חדש גופן כלה ונשמתן נשרפת ורוח מפזרתן תחת כפות רגלי צדיקים שנא' (מלאכי ג, כא) ועסותם רשעים כי יהיו אפר תחת כפות רגליכם

and on their behalf David composed the whole of the passage, I was brought low and he saved me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 6.');">⁶</span> Wrongdoers of Israel who sin with their body<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is explained infra.');">⁷</span> and wrongdoers of the Gentiles who sin with their body go down to Gehinnom and are punished there for twelve months.

אבל המינין והמסורות והאפיקורסים שכפרו בתורה ושכפרו בתחיית המתים ושפירשו מדרכי צבור ושנתנו חיתיתם בארץ חיים ושחטאו והחטיאו את הרבים כגון ירבעם בן נבט וחביריו יורדין לגיהנם ונידונין בה לדורי דורות שנאמר (ישעיהו סו, כד) ויצאו וראו בפגרי האנשים הפושעים בי וגו'

After twelve months their body is consumed and their soul is burnt and the wind scatters them under the soles of the feet of the righteous as it says, And ye shall tread down the wicked, and they shall be as ashes under the soles of your feet.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mal. III, 21.');">⁸</span> But as for the minim<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. The reference is probably to the Judeo-Christians, as the Sadducees would be included under 'those who denied the resurrection'. ohxruehpt');">⁹</span> and the informers and the scoffers,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' ; those who treat the Rabbis and students of the Torah with disdain. If this is meant, then we should insert with MS.M. the words 'and those' before the word 'who'.');">¹⁰</span>

גיהנם כלה והן אינן כלין שנאמר (תהלים מט, טו) וצורם לבלות שאול (מזבול לו) וכל כך למה מפני שפשטו ידיהם בזבול שנאמר מזבול לו ואין זבול אלא בית המקדש שנאמר (מלכים א ח, יג) בנה בניתי בית זבול לך ועליהם אמרה חנה (שמואל א ב, י) ה' יחתו מריביו

who rejected the Torah and denied the resurrection of the dead, and those who abandoned the ways of the community,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi deletes these words, (on the ground that they do not designate a separate class, but are a general description of all the classes mentioned.');">¹¹</span> and those who 'spread their terror in the land of the living',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A phrase borrowed from Ezek. XXXII, 23. It is explained infra.');">¹²</span> and who sinned and made the masses sin, like Jeroboam the son of Nebat and his fellows - these will go down to Gehinnom and be punished there for all generations, as it says, And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have rebelled against me<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LXVI, 24.');">¹³</span>

א"ר יצחק בר אבין ופניהם דומין לשולי קדירה ואמר רבא ואינהו משפירי שפירי בני מחוזא ומקריין בני גיהנם

etc. Gehinnom will be consumed but they will not be consumed, as it says, and their form shall wear away the nether world.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XLIX, 15.');">¹⁴</span> Why all this? Because they laid hands on the habitation [zebul], as it says, that there be no habitation [zebul] for Him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. (E.V. 'for it'. [It is through the sins of such as these that the Temple has been destroyed (Rashi) . If the reference is to Jewish Christians it may allude to their repudiation of the claims of the Temple as the place where alone true and perfect worship could be offered, V. Herford, Christianity in Talmud p. 135].');">¹⁵</span>

אמר מר ב"ה אומרים ורב חסד מטה כלפי חסד והכתיב והבאתי את השלישית באש התם בפושעי ישראל בגופן

and zebul signifies the Temple, as it says, I have surely built thee a house of habitation [zebul].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings VIII, 13.');">¹⁶</span> Of them Hannah said, They that strive with the Lord shall be broken to pieces.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. II, 10.');">¹⁷</span> R'Isaac B'Abin said: And their faces shall be black like the sides of a pot.

פושעי ישראל בגופן והא אמרת לית להו תקנתא כי לית להו תקנה ברוב עונות הכא מחצה עונות ומחצה זכיות ואית בהו נמי עון דפושעי ישראל בגופן לא סגיא ליה דלאו והבאתי את השלישית באש ואם לאו ורב חסד מטה כלפי חסד ועליהן אמר דוד אהבתי כי ישמע ה'

Raba added: Among them are the most handsome of the inhabitants of Mahuza, and they shall be called 'sons of Gehinnom'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The passage is difficult. Read with MS.M. 'The Master said (above) " of="" them="" (of="" the="" intermediate="" class)="" hannah="" said="" lord="" killeth="" and="" maketh="" alive,="" he="" bringeth="" down="" to="" grave="" up".="" r.="" isaac="" b.="" abin="" said,="" their="" faces="" (that="" is,="" shall="" (on="" rising="" from="" gehinnom)="" be="" black="" like="" sides="" pot.="" raba="" added,="" yet="" (despite="" this="" disfigurement)="" they="" more="" beautiful="" than="" most="" handsome="" men="" mahuza="" who="" called="" sons="" gehinnom'.="" v.="" d.s.="" a.l.].');"="">¹⁸</span> The Master said [above]: 'Beth Hillel say, He that abounds in grace inclines [the scales] towards grace'. [How can this be], seeing that it is written, And I shall bring the third part through the fire?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was explained above to refer to the intermediate.');">¹⁹</span>

דרש רבא מאי דכתיב אהבתי כי ישמע ה' אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע אימתי אני אהובה לפניך בזמן שאתה שומע קול תחנוני דלותי ולי יהושיע אע"פ שדלה אני מן המצות לי נאה להושיע

That refers to wrongdoers of Israel who sin with their body. Wrongdoers of Israel who sin with their body! But you said that there is no remedy for them?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that after passing through the fire they become dust.');">²⁰</span> - There is no remedy for them when their iniquities are more numerous [than their good deeds].

פושעי ישראל בגופן מאי ניהו אמר רב קרקפתא דלא מנח תפלין פושעי אומות העולם בגופן אמר רב בעבירה

We now speak of those whose iniquities and good deeds are evenly balanced, but whose iniquities include that which is committed by sinners of Israel with their body. In that case they cannot escape the doom of 'I shall bring the third through the fire', but otherwise, [in regard to them], 'He that is abundant in grace inclines towards grace', and of them David said, I love that the Lord should hear. [On this verse] Raba discoursed as follows: What is meant by the words, 'I love that the Lord should hear'?

ושנתנו חיתיתם בארץ חיים אמר רב חסדא זה פרנס המטיל אימה יתירה על הצבור שלא לשם שמים א"ר יהודה אמר רב כל פרנס המטיל אימה יתירה על הצבור שלא לשם שמים אינו רואה בן תלמיד חכם שנאמר (איוב לז, כד) לכן יראוהו אנשים לא יראה כל חכמי לב

The Community of Israel exclaimed before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of the Universe, when am I beloved in thy sight? At the time when thou hearest the voice of my supplications.' I was brought low [dalothi] and he saved me': although I am poor (dallah) in the performance of religious duties, yet it is fitting to save me.

בית הלל אומרים ורב חסד מטה כלפי חסד היכי עביד רבי אליעזר אומר כובשו שנאמר (מיכה ז, יט) ישוב ירחמנו יכבוש עונותינו ר' יוסי בר חנינא אמר נושא שנאמר (מיכה ז, יח) נושא עון ועובר על פשע

What is meant by 'wrongdoers of Israel who sin with their body'? - Rab said: This refers to the cranium which does not put on the phylactery.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even this in an Israelite is sufficient to merit Gehinnom.');">²¹</span> Who are 'the wrongdoers of the Gentiles who sin with their body'? - Rab said: This refers to [sexual] sin.' Who have spread their terror in the land of the living': [who are these]? - R'Hisda said: This is a communal leader<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. Parnas. (V. Git., Sonc. ed., p. 280, n. 9) .');">²²</span>

תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל מעביר ראשון ראשון וכן היא המדה אמר רבא ועון עצמו אינו נמחק דאי איכא רובא עונות מחשיב בהדייהו

who makes himself unduly feared by the community for purposes other than religious.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., not merely to make them keep the commandments.');">²³</span> Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Any communal leader who makes himself unduly feared by the community for purposes other than religious will never have a scholar for a son, as it says, Therefore if men fear him, he shall not see [among his sons] any wise of heart.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXXVII, 24. E.V. Men do therefore fear Him; He regardeth not any that are wise of heart.');">²⁴</span> 'Beth Hillel say: He that abounds in grace inclines [the scales] to grace'.

(רבא אמר) כל המעביר על מדותיו מעבירין לו על כל פשעיו שנאמר נושא עון ועובר על פשע למי נושא עון למי שעובר על פשע

How does He do? - R'Eliezer<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Read with MSM. R. Eleazar].');">²⁵</span> says: He presses down [the scale of merit], as it says, He will again have compassion on us, he will press down our iniquities.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., press down the scale of merit against our iniquities, Micah VII, 19.');">²⁶</span> R'Jose B'Hanina says: [He does so] by raising [the scale of iniquities], as it says, Raising<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'that pardoneth'.');">²⁷</span>

רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע חלש על רב פפא לשיולי ביה חזייה דחליש ליה עלמא אמר להו צביתו ליה זוודתא לסוף איתפח הוה מיכסיף רב פפא למיחזייה א"ל מאי חזית אמר (ליה) אין הכי הוה ואמר להו הקב"ה הואיל ולא מוקים במיליה לא תקומו בהדיה שנאמר נושא עון ועובר על פשע למי נושא עון לעובר פשע

iniquity and passing by transgression.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 18.');">²⁸</span> In the school of R'Ishmael they taught: He puts aside every first iniquity;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi and Asheri explain this to mean that if without the first iniquity the good deeds are in excess, then the first iniquity is not put back in the scale.');">²⁹</span> and herein lies the attribute [of grace].

(מיכה ז, יח) לשארית נחלתו אמר רבי אחא בר חנינא אליה וקוץ בה לשארית נחלתו ולא לכל נחלתו

Raba said: The iniquity itself is not obliterat and if there is an excess of iniquities<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if even so the iniquities just balance the merits.');">³⁰</span> [God] reckons it with the others.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So as to count him guilty.');">³¹</span> Raba said: He who forgoes his right [to exact punishment]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'passes by his measures'.');">³²</span> is forgiven all his iniquities, as it says, Forgiving iniquity and passing by transgression. Who is forgiven iniquity? One who passes by transgression [against himself]. R'Huna the son of R'Joshua was once ill. R'Papa went to inquire about him. He saw that he was very ill<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit. 'the world (life) was getting weak for him'.');">³³</span> and said to those present, Make ready provisions for his [everlasting] journey.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., prepare shrouds.');">³⁴</span> Eventually, however, he [R'Huna] recovered, and R'Papa felt ashamed to see him. He said to him, What did you see [in your illness]? He replied, It was indeed as you thought, but the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them [the angels]: Because he does not insist upon his rights, do not be particular with him, as it says, Forgiving iniquity and passing by transgression. Who is forgiven iniquity? He who passes by transgression. [The verse continues], 'to the remnant of his heritage'. R'Aha son of R'Hanina said: We have here a fat tail with a thorn in it:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A certain breed of sheep in the East have very long tails which are esteemed a great delicacy, but as they trail on the ground they often pick up thorns. Hence the proverbial expression, 'a tail with a thorn in it' for a good thing containing a snag.');">³⁵</span> 'for the remnant of his inheritance', but not for all his inheritanc