Sanhedrin 207

מעמון ומואב

— [this is deduced] from Ammon and Moab. 'And brings near those who are distant,' from Jethro. For R. Johanan said: As a reward for [Jethro's saying] Call him, that he may eat bread,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 20. ');">¹</span> his descendants were privileged to sit in the Hall of Hewn Stones<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra, p. 573, n. 1. ');">²</span>

ומקרבת את הרחוקים מיתרו דאמר ר' יוחנן בשכר (שמות ב, כ) קראן לו ויאכל לחם זכו בני בניו וישבו בלשכת הגזית שנאמר (דברי הימים א ב, נה) וממשפחות סופרים יושבי יעבץ תרעתים שמעתים סוכתים המה הקינים הבאים מחמת אבי בית רכב וכתיב התם (שופטים א, טז) ובני קיני חותן משה עלו מעיר התמרים את בני יהודה מדבר יהודה אשר בנגב ערד וילך וישב את העם

[as scribes], as it is written, And the family of the scribes which dwell at Jabez; the Tirahites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Chron. II, 55. ');">³</span> whilst elsewhere it is written, And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Judges I, 16. This shews that the Kenites were descended from Jethro, and they sat in the Hall of Hewn Stones as scribes and Sanhedrin. ');">⁴</span>

ומעלמת עינים מן הרשעים ממיכה

'It causes [God's] eyes to be averted from the wicked' — [this is learnt] from Micah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 103b. ');">⁵</span> 'And made the <i>Shechinah</i> to rest upon the prophets of Baal', — from the companion of Iddo the prophet. For it is written, And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XIII, 20: he was a prophet of Baal, yet God's word came to him, as a reward for his hospitality. ');">⁶</span>

ומשרה שכינה על נביאי הבעל מחבירו של עדו הנביא דכתיב (מלכים א יג, כ) ויהי הם יושבים אל השלחן ויהי דבר ה' אל הנביא אשר השיבו

'And an unwitting offence in connection therewith is accounted as deliberate' — for Rab Judah said in Rab's name: Had but Jonathan given David two loaves of bread for his travels, Nob, the city of priests would not have been massacred, Doeg the Edomite would not have been destroyed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 640, n. 5. ');">⁷</span> and Saul and his three sons would not have been slain.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For had he provided him with food, he would not have taken any from Ahimelech. Thus, all this happened, though Jonathan's initial offence was due to an oversight. ');">⁸</span>

ושגגתה עולה זדון דאמר רב יהודה אמר רב אלמלי הלווהו יהונתן לדוד שתי ככרות לחם לא נהרגה נוב עיר הכהנים ולא נטרד דואג האדמי ולא נהרג שאול ושלשת בניו

Now, why did they not include Ahaz?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra, 103b. ');">⁹</span> — R. Jeremiah b. Abba said: Because he was placed between two righteous men, Jotham and Hezekiah. R. Joseph said: Because he was abashed before Isaiah, as it is written, Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the field of the kobes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] Isa. VII, 3. ');">¹⁰</span>

ומפני מה לא מנו את אחז אמר ר' ירמיה בר אבא מפני שמוטל בין שני צדיקים בין יותם לחזקיהו רב יוסף אמר מפני שהיה לו בשת פנים מישעיהו שנאמר (ישעיהו ז, ג) ויאמר ה' אל ישעיהו צא נא לקראת אחז אתה ושאר ישוב בנך אל קצה תעלת הברכה העליונה אל מסלת שדה כובס מאי כובס איכא דאמרי דכבשינהו לאפיה וחלף ואיכא דאמרי אוכלא דקצרי סחף ארישיה וחלף

What is the meaning of kobes? — Some say, he hid his face [in shame] and fled.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Connecting it with [H] 'to suppress', 'to bend down'. ');">¹¹</span> Others say, he dragged a fuller's trough<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Giving kobes its usual meaning. ');">¹²</span>

מפני מה לא מנו את אמון מפני כבודו של יאשיהו מנשה נמי לא נמני מפני כבודו של חזקיהו ברא מזכי אבא אבא לא מזכי ברא דכתיב (דברים לב, לט) ואין מידי מציל אין אברהם מציל את ישמעאל אין יצחק מציל את עשו השתא דאתית להכי אחז נמי לא אימני משום כבודו של חזקיהו

upon his head [reversed, to hide his face in shame] and fled. And why was Amon not included? — Because of Josiah's honour.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Josiah was his son, and a righteous man. To safeguard his honour and spare him from disgrace, Amon is permitted to enjoy the world to come. ');">¹³</span>

ומפני מה לא מנו את יהויקים משום דר' חייא בר' אבויה דאמר ר' חייא בר' אבויה כתיב על גולגלתו [של] יהויקים זאת ועוד אחרת זקינו דרבי פרידא אשכח גולגלתא דהוה קא שדיא בשערי ירושלים וכתיב בה זאת ועוד אחרת קברה ולא איקברא קברה ולא איקברא

Then Manasseh [Hezekiah's son] too should not be included, because of Hezekiah's honour? — A son confers privileges on his father, but a father confers no privilege on a son. For it is written, Neither is there any one that can deliver out of my hand:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXII, 39. ');">¹⁴</span> Abraham cannot deliver Ishmael, [and] Isaac cannot deliver Esau. Now, having arrived at this answer, Ahaz too was omitted because of Hezekiah's honour. And why was Jehoiakim omitted? — On account of what R. Hiyya, son of R. Abuiah said. For R. Hiyya, son of R. Abuiah, said: Upon Jehoiakim's skull was written, 'This and yet another.' Now, R. Perida's grandfather found a skull lying about at the gates of Jerusalem, and upon it was written, 'This and yet another.' So he buried it, but it refused to be buried [i.e., it re-emerged]; again he buried it, and again it would not remain buried. Thereupon he said, 'This must be Jehoiakim's skull, of whom it is written, He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXII, 19. ');">¹⁵</span>

אמר גולגלתו של יהויקים היא דכתיב ביה (ירמיהו כב, יט) קבורת חמור יקבר סחוב והשלך וגו' אמר מלכא הוא ולא איכשר לזלזולי ביה כרכה בשיראי ואותבה בסיפתא חזיתא דביתהו סברא הא דאיתתא קמייתא הוה דהא לא קא מנשי לה שגרא תנורא וקלתה היינו דכתיב זאת ועוד אחרת

'Yet,' reflected he, 'he was a king, and it is not meet to disgrace him'. So he wrapped it up in silk and placed it in a chest. On his wife's seeing it, she thought that it must be the skull of his first wife, whom he could not forget. So she fired the oven and burnt it. This is the meaning of the inscription: 'This and yet another.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This story is also related on 82a, with some slight variations. — These indignities made sufficient atonement for him that he should share in the future world. ');">¹⁶</span> It has been taught: R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: On account of [Hezekiah's boasting] And I have done that which was good in thy sight,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings XX, 3. ');">¹⁷</span>

תניא אמר רבי שמעון בן אלעזר בשביל (מלכים ב כ, ג) הטוב בעיניך עשיתי מה אות בשביל (מלכים ב כ, ח) מה אות נכרים אכלו על שולחנו בשביל שנכרים אכלו על שולחנו גרם גלות לבניו מסייע ליה לחזקיה דאמר חזקיה כל המזמן עובד כוכבים לתוך ביתו ומשמש עליו גורם גלות לבניו שנאמר (מלכים ב כ, יח) ובניך אשר יצאו ממך [אשר תוליד] יקחו והיו סריסים בהיכל מלך בבל

[he was led to inquire] What shall be the sign [that the Lord will heal me]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 9: 'Sin draws sin in its train'. The sin of boastfulness led him to that of disbelief, requiring a visible sign. The whole dictum is in this spirit ');">¹⁸</span> On account of 'What shall be the sign', heathens ate at his table;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Those whom Merodach-baladan had sent to congratulate him on his recovery. — Ibid. 22. ');">¹⁹</span>

(ישעיהו לט, ב) וישמח עליהם חזקיה ויראם את (כל) בית נכתה את הכסף ואת הזהב ואת הבשמים ואת השמן הטוב וגו' אמר רב מאי בית נכתה אשתו השקתה עליהם ושמואל אמר בית גנזיו הראה להם ור' יוחנן אמר זין אוכל זין הראה להן

and on account of heathens eating at his table, he caused his children to go into exile.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Ibid. 17f. ');">²⁰</span> This supports Hezekiah's dictum: He who invites a heathen into his house and attends to him, causes his children to go into exile, as it is written, And of thy sons that 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',' Ibid. 18. ');">²¹</span>

איכה ישבה בדד אמר רבא אמר רבי יוחנן מפני מה לקו ישראל באיכה מפני שעברו על שלשים ושש כריתות שבתורה

And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXXIX, 2; cf. II Kings XX, 13. ');">²²</span> Rab said: What is meant by 'the house of his precious things'? — His wife, who mixed the drinks for them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He permitted his wife ('his treasure') openly to wait upon them, disregarding the modesty which should have kept her within her own quarters (Maharsha). ');">²³</span>

אמר רבי יוחנן מפני מה לקו באל"ף בי"ת מפני שעברו על התורה שניתנה באל"ף בי"ת

Samuel said: He shewed them his treasury. R. Johanan said: He shewed them weapons which could destroy other weapons. How [ekah] doth the city sit solitary!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lam. I, 1. Having mentioned exile, the Talmud proceeds to discuss Lamentations. ');">²⁴</span> Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Why was Israel smitten with 'ekah'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., brought to such a dirge. ');">²⁵</span>

ישבה בדד אמר רבא אמר רבי יוחנן אמר הקב"ה אני אמרתי (דברים לג, כח) וישכן ישראל בטח בדד עין יעקב אל ארץ דגן ותירוש אף שמיו יערפו טל עכשיו יהיה בדד מושבם (איכה א, א) העיר רבתי עם אמר רבא אמר רבי יוחנן שהיו משיאין קטנה לגדול וגדולה לקטן כדי שיהו להם בנים הרבה

Because they transgressed the thirty-six injunctions<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Ker. I, 1. ');">²⁶</span> of the Torah which are punished by extinction.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The numerical value of [H] is 36. ');">²⁷</span>

(איכה א, א) היתה כאלמנה אמר רב יהודה אמר רב כאלמנה ולא אלמנה ממש אלא כאשה שהלך בעלה למדינת הים ודעתו לחזור אליה רבתי בגוים שרתי במדינות אמר רבא אמר רבי יוחנן כל מקום שהן הולכין נעשין שרים לאדוניהן

R. Johanan said: Why were they smitten with an alphabetical dirge?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lamentations is written in the form of an alphabetical acrostic. ');">²⁸</span> Because they violated the Torah, which was given by means of the alphabet.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., its words are formed from the alphabet. Possibly this alludes to the belief that the letters themselves are endowed with certain powers; v. p. 446, n. 9. ');">²⁹</span>

ת"ר מעשה בשני בני אדם שנשבו בהר הכרמל והיה שבאי מהלך אחריהם

'Sit [badad]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H]. ');">³⁰</span> Solitary': Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: The Holy One, blessed be He, exclaimed, 'I said, "Israel then shall dwell in safety alone [badad].' the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew,"31 but now they shall sit solitary.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., desolate. ');">³²</span> The city that was full of people. Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: They used to marry off a young girl to an adult, and a minor to a full-grown woman, that they might bear many children.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is meant to exclude marriage where both are minors. ');">³³</span> She is become as a widow. Rab Judah said in Rab's name: As a widow, yet not a widow in fact: as a woman whose husband had gone overseas, but intends returning to her. She that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces: Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Wherever they went, they became princes of their masters.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even in the Diaspora they forged to the front ranks. ');">³⁴</span> Our Rabbis taught: It once happened that two men [Jews] were taken captive on Mount Carmel, and their captor was walking behind them.