Sanhedrin 186

Chapter 186

א אלא שש סאין
1 But [if it means] six se'ahs,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For if it refers to a measure, se'ah must be understood, it being the measure generally used on the field and in the threshing floor. (Rashi). ');"><sup>1</sup></span> can a woman take six se'ahs?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' She cannot carry such a heavy weight. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ב וכי דרכה של אשה ליטול שש סאין אלא רמז [רמז] לה שעתידין ששה בנים לצאת ממנה שמתברכין בשש [שש] ברכות ואלו הן דוד ומשיח דניאל חנניה מישאל ועזריה דוד דכתיב (שמואל א טז, יח) ויען אחד מהנערים ויאמר הנה ראיתי בן לישי בית הלחמי יודע נגן וגבור חיל ואיש מלחמה ונבון דבר ואיש תואר וה' עמו וגו'
2 — But he symbolically intimated to her [by giving her six barley grains] that six sons were destined to come forth from her, who should each be blessed with six blessings. Viz, David, Messiah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. David, for it is written, Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse, the Bethlemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and understanding in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XVI, 18. The six epithets viz., cunning in playing, a mighty, valiant man, etc., are regarded as blessings applicable to each of the six persons mentioned. ');"><sup>3</sup></span> And Rab Judah said in Rab's name: This whole verse was said by Doeg with nothing but evil intent.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That these praises should excite Saul's jealousy. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ג ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב כל הפסוק הזה לא אמרו דואג אלא בלשון הרע יודע נגן שיודע לישאל גבור שיודע להשיב איש מלחמה שיודע לישא וליתן במלחמתה של תורה (איש תואר שמראה פנים בהלכה ונבון דבר שמבין דבר מתוך דבר) וה' עמו שהלכה כמותו בכל מקום
3 Thus: 'that is cunning in playing' — skillful in asking questions [of law]; 'a mighty valiant man' — an adept in answering them; 'a man of war' — well versed in the battle of the Torah;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., in Biblical dialectics. ');"><sup>5</sup></span> 'understanding in matters' — understanding [how to deduce] one thing from another; 'and a comely person' — who sustains his ruling by weighty reasons;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'shows a face in halachah'. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ד בכולהו אמר להו יהונתן בני כמוהו כיון דאמר ליה [וה' עמו] מילתא דבדידיה נמי לא הוה ביה חלש דעתיה ואיקניא ביה דבשאול כתיב (שמואל א יד, מז) ובכל אשר יפנה ירשיע ובדוד כתיב ובכל אשר יפנה יצליח
4 'and the Lord is with him' — everywhere the <i>halachah</i> is determined in accordance with his views.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To the Rabbis there were no higher virtues than those pertaining to study, thus they homiletically interpreted a series of military and other virtues as referring to the Torah. ');"><sup>7</sup></span> With respect to all he replied, My son Jonathan is equally so. But when he said, 'And the Lord is with him' — a privilege which even he himself did not enjoy,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That his ruling should be accepted as the halachah. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ה מנלן דדואג הוה כתיב הכא (שמואל א טז, יח) ויען אחד מהנערים מיוחד שבנערים וכתיב התם (שמואל א כא, ח) ושם איש מעבדי שאול ביום ההוא נעצר לפני ה' ושמו דואג האדומי אביר הרועים אשר לשאול
5 — he felt humiliated and envied him. For in the case of Saul it is written, And whithersoever he turned about, he vexed them,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XIV, 47. ');"><sup>9</sup></span> whereas of David it is said,' And whithersoever he turned about, he prospered.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There is no such verse in the Bible. Possibly it is a misquotation or a copyist's error of and David behaved himself wisely in all his ways (ibid. XVIII, 14). Thus David was 'wise, i.e., his view always became halachah, whereas Saul merely 'vexed them,' i.e., he was a redoubtable opponent in halachah, yet was not successful in having his views adopted. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
ו משיח דכתיב (ישעיהו יא, ב) ונחה עליו רוח ה' רוח חכמה ובינה רוח עצה וגבורה רוח דעת ויראת ה' וגו' וכתיב (ישעיהו יא, ג) והריחו ביראת ה'
6 Whence do we know that this was Doeg? — Here is written, Then answered one of the servants, implying one distinguished from the other young men; whilst elsewhere it is written, Now a man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXI, 8. Thus 'a man,' i.e., 'one distinguished,' is the epithet applied to Doeg. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> The Messiah — as it is written, And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge of the fear of the Lord. And shall make him of quick understanding [wa-hariho] in the fear of the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XI, 2f. ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
ז אמר רבי אלכסנדרי מלמד שהטעינו מצות ויסורין כריחיים רבא אמר דמורח ודאין דכתיב (ישעיהו יא, ג) ולא למראה עיניו ישפוט (ישעיהו יא, ד) ושפט בצדק דלים והוכיח במישור לענוי ארץ
7 R. Alexandri said: This teaches that he loaded him with good deeds and suffering as a mill[is laden].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is a play of words on [H] (wa-hariho) and [H] (rehayyim). ');"><sup>13</sup></span> Raba said: He smells [a man] and judges,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thereby definitely knowing whether he is guilty or innocent. [H] is thus derived from [H] reah, smell. ');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ח בר כוזיבא מלך תרתין שנין ופלגא אמר להו לרבנן אנא משיח אמרו ליה במשיח כתיב דמורח ודאין נחזי אנן אי מורח ודאין כיון דחזיוהו דלא מורח ודאין קטלוהו
8 as it is written, and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears, yet with righteousness shall he judge the poor.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 3f. Since he uses neither his eyes nor his ears, he must judge through his sense of smell. ');"><sup>15</sup></span> (Bar Koziba<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bar Koziba was the leader of the third war against Rome in the reign of Hadrian, which terminated disastrously at Bethar (132-135 C.E.). Many scholars believe that this name was derived from Chezib (Gen. XXXVIII, 5) or Chozeba (I Chron. IV, 22). Others believe that it means 'Son of Lies,' bestowed upon him after the tremendous defeat which he sustained, and on account of his alleged claims to be the Messiah. Probably, however, Kozeba was an actual patronym, which was thus disparagingly applied to him (Lam. R. II, 2). He is also referred to as Bar Cochba, but this was certainly merely because R. Akiba applied to him the verse, There shall come a star (kokab) out of Jacob (Num. XXIV, 17). The revolt met with initial success, and Bar Koziba maintained his independence for some time. [Our sources do not agree as to the length of his reign, varying between two and a half years as in our text, and three and a half (so Seder 'Olam according to reading of Dei Rossi). Derenbourg, Essai (v. pp. 413 and 431) gives preference to the period given in the Talmud. Graetz, Geschichte iv, 418, accepts three and a half years as the total duration of the war, but gives only one year to the actual siege of Bethar. It is nevertheless possible that the last year, marking the disastrous siege of Bethar, was omitted in the Talmudic statement on the length of his 'reign.'] ');"><sup>16</sup></span>
ט דניאל חנניה מישאל ועזריה דכתיב בהו (דניאל א, ד) אשר אין בהם כל מאום וטובי מראה ומשכילים בכל חכמה ויודעי דעת ומביני מדע ואשר כח בהם לעמוד בהיכל המלך וללמדם ספר ולשון כשדים
9 reigned two and a half years, and then said to the Rabbis, 'I am the Messiah.' They answered, 'Of Messiah it is written that he smells and judges: let us see whether he [Bar Koziba] can do so.' When they saw that he was unable to judge by the scent, they slew him.) Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, as it is written of them, In whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Dan. I, 4. ');"><sup>17</sup></span>
י מאי אשר אין בהם כל מום אמר רבי חמא (בר חנניא) אפילו כריבדא דכוסילתא לא הוה בהו מאי ואשר כח בהם לעמוד בהיכל המלך אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא מלמד שהיו אונסין את עצמן מן השחוק ומן השיחה ומן השינה ומעמידין על עצמן בשעה שנצרכין לנקביהם מפני אימת מלכות
10 What is meant by in whom there was no blemish? — R. Hama b. Hanina said: They did not even bear the scar made by bleeding. What is the meaning of and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace? — R. Hama b. Hanina said: This teaches that they restrained themselves from levity, conversation, and sleep, and suppressed the call of Nature out of royal respect. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid 6. ');"><sup>18</sup></span>
יא (דניאל א, ו) ויהיו בהם מבני יהודה דניאל חנניה מישאל ועזריה אמר רבי (אליעזר) כולן מבני יהודה הם ורבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר דניאל מבני יהודה חנניה מישאל ועזריה משאר שבטים
11 — R. Eleazar said: They were all of the children of Judah; but R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: Daniel was of the tribe of Judah, whilst Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were of the other tribes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Heb. the verb [H] (rendered 'they were') is singular. Thus be does not accept the homiletical interpretation of 'six barley grains' as stated above. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> And of thy sons which shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away: and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings XX, 18; Isa, XLIX, 7. ');"><sup>20</sup></span>
יב (ישעיהו לט, ז) ומבניך אשר יצאו ממך אשר תוליד יקחו והיו סריסים בהיכל מלך בבל מאי סריסים רב אמר סריסים ממש ורבי חנינא אמר שנסתרסה ע"ז בימיהם
12 What is meant by 'eunuchs'? — Rab said: Literally eunuchs. R. Hanina said: In their days the idols were sterilized.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., their impotency was demonstrated. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> Now, according to the opinion that the idols were sterilized in their days, it is well to state, And there is no hurt in them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Dan. III, 25; v. next note. ');"><sup>22</sup></span>
יג בשלמא למאן דאמר שנסתרסה ע"ז בימיהם היינו דכתיב (דניאל ג, כה) וחבל לא איתי בהון אלא למאן דאמר סריסים ממש מאי וחבל לא איתי בהון חבלא דנורא והכתיב (דניאל ג, כז) וריח נור לא עדת בהן לא חבלא ולא ריחא
13 But on the view that 'eunuchs' is literally meant, what is meant by, And there is no hurt in them?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since castration itself, which eunuchs underwent, is a hurt. ');"><sup>23</sup></span> — No hurt of fire. But is it not written, nor the smell of fire had passed on them?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 27, which renders the former verse on this interpretation superfluous. ');"><sup>24</sup></span>
יד בשלמא למאן דאמר שנסתרסה ע"ז בימיהם היינו דכתיב (ישעיהו נו, ד) כה אמר ה' לסריסים אשר ישמרו את שבתותי וגו' אלא למאן דאמר סריסים ממש משתעי קרא בגנותא דצדיקי הא והא הוה בהו
14 They were neither hurt [by the fire] nor even smelled thereof. Now according to the opinion that the idols were sterilized in their days, it is well to write, For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LVI, 4. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> But on the view that 'eunuchs' is literally meant, would Scripture recount the shame of the righteous? — There were both among them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Among those who were exiled to Babylon, some were actually castrated for eunuchs, and others lived to see the 'sterilization of the idols', and Isa. LVI, 4 refers to the latter. ');"><sup>26</sup></span>
טו בשלמא למאן דאמר סריסים ממש היינו דכתיב (ישעיהו נו, ה) בביתי ובחומותי יד ושם טוב מבנים ומבנות אלא למאן דאמר שנסתרסה ע"ז בימיהם מאי טוב מבנים ומבנות אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק מבנים שהיו להם כבר ומתו מאי שם עולם אתן לו אשר לא יכרת אמר ר' תנחום דרש בר קפרא בצפורי זה ספר דניאל שנקרא על שמו
15 Now, the literal rendering is in conformity with the verse, [Even unto them will I give] in mine house, and within my walls a place, and a name better than of sons and of daughters.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 5. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> But on the view that the idols were sterilized in their days, why state 'better than of sons and of daughters'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Seeing that they had children. Here it cannot be answered that there were both among them, as above, for in that case there is no conflict at all between Rab and R. Hanina (Rashi). ');"><sup>28</sup></span>
טז מכדי כל מילי דעזרא נחמיה בן חכליה אמרינהו ונחמיה בן חכליה מ"ט לא איקרי סיפרא על שמיה אמר רבי ירמיה בר אבא מפני שהחזיק טובה לעצמו שנאמר (נחמיה ה, יט) זכרה לי אלהי לטובה דוד נמי מימר אמר (תהלים קו, ד) זכרני ה' ברצון עמך פקדני בישועתך דוד רחמי הוא דקבעי
16 — R. Nahman b. Isaac answered: [Better] than the children whom they had formerly possessed, but had died. What is meant by, I shall give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');"><sup>29</sup></span>
יז רב יוסף אמר מפני שסיפר בגנותן של ראשונים שנאמר (נחמיה ה, טו) והפחות הראשונים אשר לפני הכבידו על העם ויקחו מהם בלחם ויין אחד כסף שקלים ארבעים וגו' ואף על דניאל שגדול ממנו סיפר
17 — R. Tanhum said: Bar Kappara expounded in Sepphoris: This alludes to the Book of Daniel, which was named after him. Now let us consider. The whole subject matter of [the book of] Ezra was narrated by Nehemiah the son of Hachalia; why then was the book not called by his name?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reference is to the Book of Nehemiah, as it is, in fact, called in our canon. It is evident from this query that according to the Talmudic canon it was called Ezra. In some canons it bears the title Esdras II or Esdras III. ');"><sup>30</sup></span>
יח ומנלן דגדול ממנו דכתיב (דניאל י, ז) וראיתי אני דניאל לבדי את המראה והאנשים אשר היו עמי לא ראו את המראה אבל חרדה גדולה נפלה עליהם ויברחו בהחבא והאנשים אשר היו עמי לא ראו את המראה ומאן נינהו אנשים אמר רבי ירמיה ואיתימא ר' חייא בר אבא זה חגי זכריה ומלאכי
18 — R. Jeremiah b. Abba said: Because he claimed merit for himself, as it is written, Think upon me, my God, for good.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nehem. V, 19. ');"><sup>31</sup></span> But did not David say likewise, Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; O visit me with thy salvation?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CVI, 4. ');"><sup>32</sup></span> — David [merely] supplicated in prayer.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereas Nehemiah was boasting. ');"><sup>33</sup></span> R. Joseph said:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Reverting to the question why the Book does not bear his name. ');"><sup>34</sup></span> Because he spoke disparagingly of his predecessors, as it is written, But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread, and wine, beside forty <i>shekels</i> of silver etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nehem. V, 15. ');"><sup>35</sup></span> Moreover, he spoke thus even of Daniel, who was greater than he. And whence do we know that Daniel was greater than he? From the verse, And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Dan. X, 7. ');"><sup>36</sup></span> 'For the men that were with me saw not the vision:' now who were these men? — R. Jeremiah — others say R. Hiyya b. Abba — said: Haggai, Zecharia and Malachi.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since he was vouchsafed the vision, whilst they were not, he was greater than they, though they were prophets; hence he was certainly greater than Nehemiah, who was not a prophet. ');"><sup>37</sup></span>
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