Sanhedrin 208

א"ל אחד מהם לחבירו גמל שמהלכת לפנינו סומא באחת מעיניה וטעונה שתי נודות אחת של יין ואחת של שמן ושני בני אדם המנהיגים אותה אחד ישראל ואחד נכרי אמר להן [שבאי] עם קשה עורף מאין אתם יודעין

One of them said to the other, 'The camel walking in front of us is blind in one eye, and is laden with two barrels, one of wine, and the other of oil, and of the two men leading it, one is a Jew, and the other a heathen.' Their captor said to them, 'Ye stiff-necked people, whence do ye know this?' They replied, 'Because the camel is eating of the herbs before it only on the side where it can see, but not on the other, where it cannot see.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An animal eats from the herbs on both sides of it. This camel however, was eating of one side only, proving that it was blind in one eye. ');">¹</span> It is laden with two barrels, one of wine and the other of oil: because wine drips and is absorbed [into the earth], whilst oil drips and rests<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'floats'. ');">²</span> [on the surface].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And they had observed two lines of such drops — one absorbed into the earth, and the other remaining on the surface. ');">³</span>

אמרו לו גמל מעשבים שלפניה מצד שרואה אוכלת מצד שאינה רואה אינה אוכלת וטעונה שתי נודות אחת של יין ואחת של שמן של יין מטפטף ושוקע ושל שמן מטפטף וצף ושני בני אדם המנהיגים אותה אחד נכרי ואחד ישראל נכרי נפנה לדרך וישראל נפנה לצדדין

And of the two men leading it, one is a Jew, and the other a heathen: because a heathen obeys the call of Nature in the roadway, whilst a Jew turns aside.' He hastened after them, and found that it was as they had said.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In our editions this story is considerably abbreviated. The Munich edition (referred to and partly quoted in the Aruch) proceeds from here: 'It appears to us,' said they, 'that our master is the son of the king's dancer' (So translated in the REJ. XI, 15, on the basis of the general context. Jast: the king's fool, which is probably the same. Aruch: the son of the king's executioner (quaestionarius), but that is quite unsuited to the context). Then he brought them into his house, prepared a great feast, and danced before them. Seeing this, the Jews exclaimed, 'Did we not say that our master is the son of the king's dancer?' On hearing these words, the man sped to his mother and threatened her, 'If thou dost not confess the truth to me, I will kill thee.' Thereupon she disclosed to him that on her wedding day, her husband having quitted the nuptial chamber, the king's dancer entered and ravished her. He then returned to his captives and served them with some meat. Having smelt it, they cried out, 'This meat smells of dog!' Again he threatened his mother with death if she would not tell him the truth. She answered: 'This is the meat of a ewe suckled by a bitch, its own mother having died'. He then offered them wine. 'It smells of the dead', said they. A third time he challenged his mother to reveal the truth, on pain of death. She told him that the wine had been manufactured from a vine whose branches had trailed over his father's tomb. He returned, kissed them, and exclaimed, 'Blessed be the God who made choice of Abraham's posterity.' Then he dismissed them in peace to their homes. Cf. REJ. loc. cit. et seqq., where the parallel story is quoted from the Yalkut on Ekah [1000], and the probable date, place, and purpose of its composition discussed. ');">⁴</span> So he went and kissed them on the head,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kissing, in ancient days as well as in our own, was often a mark of respect and admiration, not necessarily of affection. ');">⁵</span> brought them into his house, and prepared a great feast for them. He danced [with joy] before them and exclaimed 'Blessed be He who made choice of Abraham's seed and imparted to them of His wisdom, and wherever they go they become princes to their masters!' Then he liberated them, and they went home in peace.

רדף אחריהם ומצא כדבריהם בא ונשקן על ראשן והביאן לביתן ועשה להן סעודה גדולה והיה מרקד לפניהם ואמר ברוך שבחר בזרעו של אברהם ונתן להם מחכמתו ובכל מקום שהן הולכים נעשין שרים לאדוניהם ופטרן [והלכו] לבתיהם לשלום

She weepeth, yea, She weepeth, in the night.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Literal rendering of Lam. I, 2. ');">⁶</span> Why this double weeping? — Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Once for the first Temple, and once for the second. 'In the night' — on account of what happened at night. For it is written, And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried, and the people wept that night.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XIV, 1 — this was after the discouraging report of the Spies. ');">⁷</span> Rabbah observed in R. Johanan's name: It was the night of the ninth of Ab, and the Almighty said to Israel, 'Ye have wept without cause: therefore will I appoint a weeping to you for future generations. Another interpretation of 'in the night': whoever weeps at night, his voice is heard.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Israel's weeping did not arouse any pity. ');">⁸</span>

(איכה א, ב) בכה תבכה בלילה שתי בכיות הללו למה אמר רבה אמר רבי יוחנן אחד על מקדש ראשון ואחד על מקדש שני בלילה על עסקי לילה שנאמר (במדבר יד, א) ותשא כל העדה ויתנו את קולם ויבכו העם בלילה ההוא

Another meaning: whoever weeps at night, the stars and constellations weep with him. Another meaning: whoever weeps at night, he who hears him, weeps [in sympathy]. It happened that the child of a neighbour of R. Gamaliel died, and she was weeping for him at night. R. Gamaliel, on hearing her, wept in sympathy with her, until his eyelashes fell out. On the morrow, his disciples discerned this, and removed her from his neighbourhood. And her tears are on her cheeks.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lam. I, 2. ');">⁹</span> Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: As a woman who weeps for the husband of her youth, as it is written, Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Joel I, 8. ');">¹⁰</span>

אמר רבה א"ר יוחנן אותו (היום) ליל ט' באב היה אמר להן הקב"ה לישראל אתם בכיתם בכיה של חנם ואני אקבע לכם בכיה לדורות

Her adversaries are the chief.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lam. I, 5. ');">¹¹</span> Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Whoever distresses Israel becomes a chief, as it is written,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Wilna Gaon deletes this. ');">¹²</span> Nevertheless, there shall be no weariness for her that oppressed her.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 636. ');">¹³</span>

ד"א בלילה שכל הבוכה בלילה קולו נשמע ד"א בלילה שכל הבוכה בלילה כוכבים ומזלות בוכין עמו ד"א בלילה שכל הבוכה בלילה השומע קולו בוכה כנגדו מעשה באשה אחת שכנתו של רבן גמליאל שמת בנה והיתה בוכה עליו בלילה שמע רבן גמליאל קולה ובכה כנגדה עד שנשרו ריסי עיניו למחר הכירו בו תלמידיו והוציאוה משכונתו

In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by way of the sea, beyond Jordan, the circuit of the nations.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. VIII, 23. ');">¹⁴</span> Whereupon Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Whoever oppresses Israel does not weary. Not to you, all ye that pass by.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lam. I, 12. ');">¹⁵</span>

(איכה א, ב) ודמעתה על לחיה אמר רבא אמר ר' יוחנן כאשה שבוכה על בעל נעוריה שנאמר (יואל א, ח) אלי כבתולה חגורת שק על בעל נעוריה (איכה א, ה) היו צריה לראש אמר רבא אמר רבי יוחנן כל המיצר לישראל נעשה ראש שנאמר (ישעיהו ח, כג) כי לא מועף לאשר מוצק לה כעת הראשון הקל ארצה זבולון וארצה נפתלי והאחרון הכביד דרך הים עבר הירדן גליל הגוים אמר רבא אמר ר' יוחנן כל המציק לישראל אינו עיף

Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: This gives Biblical support to the custom of saying 'not to you'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] (kublana) is a formula for warding off danger from one's neighbour when reciting woes to him by saying, 'May this not befall you'. Another meaning: 'crying out'; I.e., a man in trouble should cry out to his neighbours and obtain their sympathy (Jast). On this rendering the E.V. can be retained: 'Is it nothing to you?' ');">¹⁶</span> 'All ye that pass by.' R. Amram said in Rab's name: They have made me as those who transgress the law;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Translating [H] 'Transgressors of the way of the Lord'. ');">¹⁷</span> for in the case of Sodom it is written, And the Lord rained upon Sodom [and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XIX, 24. ');">¹⁸</span>

(איכה א, יב) לא אליכם כל עוברי דרך אמר רבא אמר ר' יוחנן מכאן לקובלנא מן התורה כל עוברי דרך אמר רב עמרם אמר רב עשאוני כעוברי על דת דאילו בסדום כתיב (בראשית יט, כד) וה' המטיר על סדום ואילו בירושלים כתיב (איכה א, יג) ממרום שלח אש בעצמותי וירדנה וגו' וכתיב (איכה ד, ו) ויגדל עון בת עמי מחטאת סדום

whilst in the case of Jerusalem it is written, From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lam. I, 13: thus Jerusalem was treated as Sodom and Gomorrah. ');">¹⁹</span> For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. IV, 6. In the editions this is preceded by 'And it is written', thus making it a continuation of the previous passage. But the Wilna Gaon deletes it. ');">²⁰</span> is there then favouritism in the matter?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since Sodom was completely destroyed, whilst Jerusalem in spite of its greater iniquity was left standing. ');">²¹</span>

וכי משוא פנים יש בדבר אמר רבא אמר ר' יוחנן מדה יתירה היתה בירושלים שלא היתה בסדום דאילו בסדום כתיב (יחזקאל טז, מט) הנה זה היה עון סדום אחותך גאון שבעת לחם ויד עני ואביון לא החזיקה וגו' ואילו בירושלים כתיב (איכה ד, י) ידי נשים רחמניות בשלו ילדיהן

— Rabbah answered in R. Johanan's name: There was an extra measure [of punishment] in Jerusalem, which Sodom was spared. For in the case of Sodom, it is written, Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XVI, 49. ');">²²</span> Whereas in the case of Jerusalem it is written, The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their children.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lam. IV, 10, thus Jerusalem suffered extreme hunger, which Sodom never did, and this fact counterbalanced her being spared total destruction (Rashi). ');">²³</span> The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. I, 15. ');">²⁴</span>

(איכה א, טו) סלה כל אבירי ה' בקרבי כאדם שאומר לחברו נפסלה מטבע זו

as one says to his neighbour, This coin has lost its currency.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'disqualified', 'rejected'; and so may be trodden under foot. So did God treat Israel's heroes as being of no value (Rashi). ');">²⁵</span> All thine enemies have opened their mouths against thee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. II, 16. ');">²⁶</span> Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Why did he place the pe before the 'ayin?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As remarked before, Lamentations is written in the form of an alphabetical acrostic. But in this chapter, and also in Chs. III and IV, the verse beginning with [H] precedes that of the [H]; pe [H] means mouth and 'ayin [H] means eye. ');">²⁷</span>

(איכה ב, טז) פצו עליך פיהם אמר רבא אמר רבי יוחנן בשביל מה הקדים פ"א לעי"ן בשביל מרגלים שאמרו בפיהם מה שלא ראו בעיניהם

Because of the Spies who spoke with their mouths what they had not seen with their eyes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus putting the one before the other. ');">²⁸</span> They eat my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XIV, 4. ');">²⁹</span> Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Whoever eats the bread of Israel enjoys the taste of bread; whoever does not eat the bread of Israel does not enjoy the taste of bread.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Heathens enjoy their bread only if it is stolen from the Jews. ');">³⁰</span>

(תהלים יד, ד) אוכלי עמי אכלו לחם ה' לא קראו אמר רבא אמר ר' יוחנן כל האוכל מלחמן של ישראל טועם טעם לחם ושאינו אוכל מלחמן של ישראל אינו טועם טעם לחם ה' לא קראו רב אמר אלו הדיינין ושמואל אמר אלו מלמדי תינוקות

They call not upon the Lord. Rab said: This refers to the judges;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who do not mete out fair justice. ');">³¹</span> Samuel said: To teachers of children.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who do not carry out their task honestly. ');">³²</span> Now, who enumerated them?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who originally enumerated these kings and commoners as having no portion in the coming world, seeing that ordinary persons cannot know such things? ');">³³</span>

מי מנאן אמר רב אשי אנשי כנסת הגדולה מנאום אמר רב יהודה אמר רב בקשו עוד למנות אחד באה דמות דיוקנו של אביו ונשטחה לפניהם ולא השגיחו עליה באה אש מן השמים ולחכה אש בספסליהם ולא השגיחו עליה

— R. Ashi said: The men of the Great Assembly<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The men of the Great Synagogue or Great Assembly are regarded as the connecting link in the chain of tradition from Moses down to the Rabbis, and many institutions are traced to them; v. Aboth I, 1. ');">³⁴</span> enumerated them. Rab Judah said in Rab's name: They wished to include another [sc. Solomon], but an apparition of his father's likeness came and prostrated itself [in supplication] before them, which, however, they disregarded. A heavenly fire descended and its flames licked their seats, yet they still disregarded it. Whereupon a Heavenly Voice cried out to them, 'Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXII, 29. ');">³⁵</span>

יצאה בת קול ואמרה להם (משלי כב, כט) חזית איש מהיר במלאכתו לפני מלכים יתיצב בל יתיצב לפני חשוכים מי שהקדים ביתי לביתו ולא עוד אלא שביתי בנה בשבע שנים וביתו בנה בשלש עשרה שנה לפני מלכים יתיצב [בל יתיצב] לפני חשוכים ולא השגיח עליה יצאה בת קול ואמרה (איוב לד, לג) המעמך ישלמנה כי מאסת כי אתה תבחר ולא אני וגו'

He who gave precedence to My house over his, and, moreover, built My house in seven years, but his own in thirteen, he shall stand before kings;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Paradise (Rashi). ');">³⁶</span> he shall not stand before mean men.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he must not be included among those who have no portion in the future world. ');">³⁷</span> Yet they paid no attention even to this. Whereupon the Heavenly Voice cried out, 'Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, 'or whether thou choose; and not I etc.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXXIV, 33. It would appear from this passage that the men of the Great Synagogue were regarded as the actual arbiters of the matter, save in the case of Solomon. ');">³⁸</span>

דורשי רשומות היו אומרים כולן באין לעולם הבא שנאמר (תהלים ס, ט) לי גלעד ולי מנשה ואפרים מעוז ראשי יהודה מחוקקי מואב סיר רחצי על אדום אשליך נעלי עלי פלשת התרועעי לי גלעד (ולי מנשה) זה אחאב שנפל ברמות גלעד מנשה כמשמעו אפרים מעוז ראשי זה ירבעם דקאתי מאפרים יהודה מחוקקי זה אחיתופל

The Doreshe Reshumoth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [ [H] lit., 'interpreters of signs,' i.e., those who interpret the law symbolically, for the sake of edification and instruction, a school of exegetes belonging to a period anterior to that of Hillel and Shammai and of Palestinian origin. For a full discussion of the term, v. Lauterbach, J.Q.R. (N.S.) I, pp. 291ff. and 503ff.] ');">³⁹</span> maintained: All of them will enter the world to come, as it is written, Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it is for me to bear their iniquities, that they may enter into the coming world. ');">⁴⁰</span> Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver,' Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LX, 9f. ');">⁴¹</span> [Thus:] 'Gilead is mine' this refers to Ahab, who fell at Ramoth-gilead; 'Manasseh' is literally meant;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., the son of Hezekiah. ');">⁴²</span> 'Ephraim also is the strength of mine head' — this alludes to Jeroboam, a descendant of Ephraim; 'Judah is my lawgiver' — this refers to Ahitophel,