Sanhedrin 206

(תהלים צא, יד) כי בי חשק ואפלטהו אשגבהו כי ידע שמי יקראני ואענהו עמו אנכי בצרה אחלצהו ואכבדהו אורך ימים אשביעהו ואראהו בישועתי

<i>Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 14ff. ');">¹</span> R. Simeon b. Lakish said: What is meant by the verse <i>And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken</i>:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXXVIII, 15. ');">²</span>

אמר ר"ש בן לקיש מאי דכתיב (איוב לח, טו) וימנע מרשעים אורם וזרוע רמה תשבר מפני מה עי"ן של רשעים תלויה כיון שנעשה אדם רש מלמטה נעשה רש מלמעלה

now why is the <i>'ayin of resha'im</i> [wicked] suspended?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the text it is written [H], the [H] being written above the level of the line, making it read [H] plur. of [H] 'poor'. ');">³</span> Once a man becomes poor [in friends] below [on earth], he becomes poor above [in heaven]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where one earns the disapproval of man, it is proof that he has earned the disapproval of God too. Cf. Aboth. III 13. ');">⁴</span>

ולא נכתביה כלל ר' יוחנן ור"א חד אמר מפני כבודו של דוד וחד אמר משום כבודו של נחמיה בן חכליה

Then let the 'ayin not be written at all? — R. Johanan and R. Eleazar [differ in their answer]: One said, because of David's honour; the other said, because of the honour of Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Both had many enemies, yet were truly righteous men. ');">⁵</span> Our Rabbis taught: Manasseh interpreted Leviticus<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the Priestly Law'. ');">⁶</span>

תנו רבנן מנשה היה שונה חמשים וחמשה פנים בתורת כהנים כנגד שני מלכותו אחאב שמנים וחמשה ירבעם מאה ושלשה

in fifty-five different ways, corresponding to the years of his reign. Ahab [in] eighty-five, and Jeroboam [in] one hundred and three [ways]. It has been taught: R. Meir said: Absalom has no portion in the world to come, for it is written, And they smote Absalom, and slew him:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. XVIII, 15. ');">⁷</span>

תניא היה ר"מ אומר אבשלום אין לו חלק לעוה"ב שנאמר (שמואל ב יח, טו) ויכו את אבשלום וימיתוהו ויכוהו בעוה"ז וימיתוהו לעוה"ב תניא ר"ש בן אלעזר אומר משום ר"מ אחז ואחזיה וכל מלכי ישראל שכתוב בהן ויעש הרע בעיני ה' לא חיין ולא נידונין

'they smote him' — in this world, 'and slew him' — in the next. It has been taught: R. Simeon b. Eleazar said on the authority of R. Meir: Ahaz, Ahaziah, and all the kings of Israel of whom it is written, And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord will neither live [in the future world] nor be judged [there].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., they lead in the Hereafter an indifferent existence. ');">⁸</span> Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings XXI, 16. ');">⁹</span>

(מלכים ב כא, טז) וגם דם נקי שפך מנשה הרבה מאד עד אשר מלא את ירושלים פה לפה לבד מחטאתו אשר החטיא את יהודה לעשות הרע בעיני ה' הכא תרגימו שהרג ישעיה במערבא אמרי שעשה צלם משאוי אלף בני אדם ובכל יום ויום הורג (את) כולם כמאן אזלא הא דאמר רבה בר בר חנה שקולה נשמה של צדיק אחד כנגד כל העולם כולו כמ"ד ישעיה הרג

Here, [in Babylon] it is interpreted as meaning that he slew Isaiah; in the West [Palestine] they said: [It means] that he made an image as heavy as a thousand men, and every day it slew all of them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., its enormous weight crushed such a number every day (Rashi); [or, he (Manasseh) slew them every day (at the end of the day's work); V. Ginzberg, Legends, IV, 278.] ');">¹⁰</span> With whom does this dictum of Rabbah b. Bar Hana agree? Viz., The soul of one righteous man is equal to the whole world: with whom does it agree? With the author of the view that he killed Isaiah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since, in his opinion, that is meant by the statement that Manasseh filled Jerusalem with innocent blood from end to end. ');">¹¹</span>

כתיב (דברי הימים ב לג, ז) פסל וכתיב (דברי הימים ב לג, כב) פסילים א"ר יוחנן בתחלה עשה לו פרצוף אחד ולבסוף עשה לו ארבעה פרצופים כדי שתראה שכינה ותכעוס

[Scripture writes, And he set] the graven image,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. XXXIII, 7. ');">¹²</span> but it is also stated, [And the groves and the] graven images, [which he had set up].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 19. The Talmud discusses the discrepancy in number. ');">¹³</span>

אחז העמידו בעלייה שנאמר (מלכים ב כג, יב) ואת המזבחות אשר על הגג עליית אחז וגו' מנשה העמידו בהיכל שנאמר (מלכים ב כא, ז) וישם את פסל האשרה אשר עשה בבית אשר אמר ה' אל דוד ואל שלמה [בנו] בבית הזה ובירושלים אשר בחרתי מכל שבטי ישראל אשים את שמי לעולם אמון הכניסו לבית קדשי הקדשים שנאמר (ישעיהו כח, כ) כי קצר המצע מהשתרע והמסכה צרה כהתכנס

R. Johanan said: At first he made it with one face, but subsequently he made it with four faces,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Copying the pattern of the four figures on the throne of God; v. Ezek. 1.] ');">¹⁴</span> that the <i>Shechinah</i> might see it, and be wroth. Ahaz set it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An idol — not the one just mentioned. ');">¹⁵</span>

מאי כי קצר המצע מהשתרע אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יונתן [כי] קצר המצע זה מלהשתרר עליו שני רעים כאחד מאי והמסכה צרה וגו' אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני רבי יונתן כי הוה מטי להאי קרא הוה קא בכי מי שכתב בו (תהלים לג, ז) כונס כנד מי הים תעשה לו מסכה צרה

in an upper chamber, as it is written, And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings XXIII, 13. ');">¹⁶</span> Manasseh placed it in the Temple, as it is written, And he set up a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel will I put my name for ever.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid.XXI, 7. ');">¹⁷</span>

[אחז בטל את העבודה] וחתם את התורה שנאמר (ישעיהו ח, טז) צור תעודה חתום תורה בלמודי מנשה קדר את האזכרות והרס את המזבח אמון [שרף את התורה] והעלה שממית על גבי המזבח אחז התיר את הערוה מנשה בא על אחותו

Amon introduced it into the Holy of Holies, as it is said, For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXVIII, 20. ');">¹⁸</span> Now, what is meant by 'For the bed is shorter than that one can stretch himself on it'? — R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan: For this bed is too short that two neighbours may rule therein together.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A play on the word [H] I.e., the Holy of Holies is too small that God and the idol should rule together. ');">¹⁹</span>

אמון בא על אמו שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לג, כג) כי הוא אמון הרבה אשמה רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר ששרף את התורה וחד אמר שבא על אמו אמרה לו אמו כלום יש לך הנאה ממקום שיצאת ממנו א"ל כלום אני עושה אלא להכעיס את בוראי

What is the meaning of 'and the covering narrower etc.'? — R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: When R. Jonathan reached this verse, he wept. He of whom it is written, He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XXXIII, 7. ');">²⁰</span> — should a molten image be made a rival to it!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The verse is accordingly translated: 'And the molten image is a rival to him who gathered (the waters) as an heap.' ');">²¹</span>

כי אתא יהויקים אמר קמאי לא ידעי לארגוזי כלום אנו צריכין אלא לאורו יש לנו זהב פרויים שאנו משתמשין בו יטול אורו אמרו לו והלא כסף וזהב שלו הוא שנאמר (חגי ב, ח) לי הכסף ולי הזהב נאם ה' צבאות אמר להם כבר נתנו לנו שנאמר (תהלים קטו, טז) השמים שמים לה' והארץ נתן לבני האדם

Ahaz caused the [sacrificial] service to cease, and sealed the Torah, as it is written, Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. VIII, 16. ');">²²</span> Manasseh cut out the Divine Name [from the Torah], and broke down the altar. Amon burnt the Torah, and allowed spider webs to cover the altar [through complete disuse]. Ahaz permitted consanguineous relations; Manasseh violated his sister; Amon, his mother, as it is written, For he Amon sinned very much.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. XXXIII, 23. ');">²³</span>

א"ל רבא לרבה בר מרי מפני מה לא מנו את יהויקים משום דכתיב ביה (דברי הימים ב לו, ח) ויתר דברי יהויקים ותועבותיו אשר עשה והנמצא עליו מאי והנמצא עליו רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר שחקק שם עבודת כוכבים על אמתו וחד אמר שחקק שם שמים על אמתו

R. Johanan and R. Eleazar [dispute therein]: One maintained, He burnt the Torah; the other, he dishonoured his mother. His mother remonstrated with him: 'Hast thou then any pleasure in the place whence thou didst issue?' He replied: 'Do I do this for any other purpose than to provoke my Creator!' When Jehoiakim came, he said, 'My predecessors knew not how to anger him: do we need [Him] for aught but his light?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the sun. ');">²⁴</span> But we have Parvaim<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A place famed for its gold, [cf. II Chron. III, 6.] ');">²⁵</span>

א"ל במלכים לא שמעתי בהדיוטות שמעתי מפני מה לא מנו את מיכה מפני שפתו מצויה לעוברי דרכים שנאמר כל העובר ושב אל הלוים

gold, which we use [for light]; let him take His light!' Said they [his courtiers] to him, 'But silver and gold are His too, as it is written, The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of Hosts.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hag. II, 8. ');">²⁶</span> 'He has long since given them to us,' he replied, 'as it is written, The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXV, 16. ');">²⁷</span>

(זכריה י, יא) ועבר בים צרה והכה בים גלים א"ר יוחנן זה פסלו של מיכה תניא רבי נתן אומר מגרב לשילה ג' מילין והיה עשן המערכה ועשן פסל מיכה מתערבין זה בזה

Raba said to Rabbah b. Mari: Why did they not count Jehoiakim<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra p. 706., ');">²⁸</span> [amongst those who have no portion in the world to come], seeing that it is written of him, And the remaining words of Jehoiakim, and the abomination which he wrought, and that which was found upon him etc.?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. XXXVI, 8. [V. Yad Ramah, whose interpretation is here adopted.] ');">²⁹</span>

בקשו מלאכי השרת לדוחפו אמר להן הקב"ה הניחו לו שפתו מצויה לעוברי דרכים ועל דבר זה נענשו אנשי פלגש בגבעה אמר להן הקב"ה בכבודי לא מחיתם על כבודו של בשר ודם מחיתם

(What is meant by that which was found upon him? — R. Johanan and R. Eliezer differ: one maintained that he engraved the name of an idol upon his person, and the other held that he engraved the name of Heaven thereon [as a gesture of contempt])? — He answered: I have heard no explanation concerning the kings [why Jehoiakim was not included]: but I have heard one concerning the commoners. [Thus:] Why did they not include Micah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Amongst the commoners who are excluded in the Mishnah from the future world: Micah was an Ephraimite, who had a private idolatrous shrine; Judges XVII. ');">³⁰</span> — Because his bread was available to travellers, as it is written, Every traveller [turned] to the Levites.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For refreshment. This verse is not found in our Bible, v. p. 698, n. 8. 'The Levite' stands for Micah, since he had a Levite ministering at his shrine. [This gloss is however suspect, as it does not occur in many MSS. v. D.S.] ');">³¹</span>

א"ר יוחנן משום רבי יוסי בן קסמא גדולה לגימה שהרחיקה שתי משפחות מישראל שנאמר (דברים כג, ה) על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים ורבי יוחנן דידיה אמר מרחקת את הקרובים ומקרבת את הרחוקים ומעלמת עינים מן הרשעים ומשרה שכינה על נביאי הבעל ושגגתו עולה זדון

And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zech. X, 11. It is not clear how this applies to Micah. Rashi gives two explanations: (i) When Moses cast the Divine Name into the sea in order to bring up Joseph's coffin, Micah stole and hid it; subsequently, he crossed the Red Sea together with the Israelites, bearing this Divine Name with him, by means of which he was able magically to make the Golden Calf (v. p. 446, nn. 9, 10); the verse is accordingly translated: And he passed over the sea with that which was to be a source of distress; (ii) Micah made his graven image (which he subsequently set up in his private sanctuary) whilst yet in Egypt, and took it with him when Israel crossed the Red Sea. The translation will be similar to the first. ');">³²</span> R. Johanan observed: This refers to Micah's graven image.

מרחקת את הקרובים

It has been taught: R. Nathan said: From Gareb<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A town supposed to be the seat of Micah's image in Shiloh. [Gareb has been identified with Kirbat Gharaba, Horowitz, op. cit. p. 144.] ');">³³</span> to Shiloah is a distance of three mils, and the smoke of the altar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'wood pile (on the altar).' ');">³⁴</span> and that of Micah's image intermingled. The ministering angels wished to thrust Micah away, but the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, 'Let him alone, because his bread is available for wayfarers.' And it was on this account<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. Micah's image, which his neighbours permitted. ');">³⁵</span> that the people involved in the matter of the concubine at Gibeah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Judges XIX. ');">³⁶</span> were punished.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Forty thousand of those who went to war against Benjamin being slain. ');">³⁷</span> For the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, 'Ye did not protest for My honour, yet ye protest for the honour of a woman.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit. 'flesh and blood'. ');">³⁸</span> R. Johanan said on the authority of R. Jose b. Kisma: Of great [importance] is the mouthful [of food given to wayfarers], since it alienated two families from Israel, as it is written, [An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord]&nbsp;… Because they met you not with bread and water in the way, when ye come forth out of Egypt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXIII, 4f. ');">³⁹</span> R. Johanan, stating his own views, said: It alienates those who are near, and draws near those who are distant; it causes [God's] eyes to be averted from the wicked, and made the <i>Shechinah</i> to rest even on the prophets of Baal; and an unwitting offence in connection therewith is accounted as deliberate. 'It alienates those who are near,