Sanhedrin 38

נפנה לימינו כבשו פניהם בקרקע נפנה לשמאלו וכבשו פניהם בקרקע אמר להן שמעון בן שטח בעלי מחשבות אתם יבא בעל מחשבות ויפרע מכם מיד בא גבריאל וחבטן בקרקע ומתו באותה שעה אמרו מלך לא דן ולא דנין אותו לא מעיד ולא מעידין אותו:

[Simeon] then turned first to the right and then to the left, but they all, [for fear of the King], looked down at the ground.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'they pressed their faces into the ground,' fearing to express an opinion. ');">¹</span> Then said Simeon b. Shetah unto them: 'Are ye wrapped in thoughts?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'You are masters of (hesitating) thoughts.' I.e., 'Are you in doubt on the point as to whether the law applies to the king or not?' Said sarcastically, of course. ');">²</span>

לא חולץ ולא חולצין וכו': איני והאמר רב אשי אפילו למאן דאמר נשיא שמחל על כבודו כבודו מחול מלך שמחל על כבודו אין כבודו מחול שנאמר (דברים יז, טו) שום תשים עליך מלך שתהא אימתו עליך מצוה שאני:

Let the Master of thoughts [God] come and call you to account!' Instantly, Gabriel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] (lit., 'man of God'). Angel mentioned in Dan. VIII, 16 and IX, 21. Frequently cited in Talmud as God's messenger on various missions, particularly punishment. ');">³</span> came and smote them to the ground, and they died. It was there and then enacted: A King [not of the House of David] may neither judge nor be judged; testify, nor be testified against.

ואין נושאין כו': תניא אמרו לו לר' יהודה נשים הראויות לו מבית המלך ומאי נינהו מירב ומיכל

HE MAY NOT PERFORM <i>HALIZAH</i> NOR MAY IT BE PERFORMED etc. [R. JUDAH SAID etc.] But is this really so?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Referring to R. Judah's view. ');">⁴</span>

שאלו תלמידיו את ר' יוסי היאך נשא דוד שתי אחיות בחייהן אמר להן מיכל אחר מיתת מירב נשאה ר' יהושע בן קרחה אומר קידושי טעות היו לו במירב שנאמר (שמואל ב ג, יד) תנה את אשתי את מיכל אשר ארסתי לי במאה ערלות פלשתים

Did not R. Ashi say, that even according to the view that if a Nasi foregoes his honour his renunciation is accepted, yet if a King foregoes his honour, it is not accepted; for it is written, Thou shalt not in any wise set him over thee<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XVII, 15. ');">⁵</span> intimating, that his authority<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'his fear'. ');">⁶</span>

מאי תלמודא אמר רב פפא מיכל אשתי ולא מירב אשתי

should remain over you?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., fear of him should always be before your eyes. This follows from the emphasis of 'set', expressed in the Heb. as usual, by the double form of the word. — The ceremony of Halizah is an undignified one. ');">⁷</span> — A precept is a different matter.

מאי קידושי טעות דכתיב (שמואל א יז, כה) והיה האיש אשר יכנו יעשרנו המלך עושר גדול וגו' אזל קטליה אמר לו מלוה אית לך גבאי והמקדש במלוה אינה מקודשת

NOR MAY ANYONE MARRY [HIS WIDOW. R. JUDAH SAID&nbsp;…] It has been taught: They [the Rabbis] said to R. Judah: He [David] married women of the house of the King who were permissible to him, namely, Merab and Michal.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The daughters of Saul, but not his widows whom he was not permitted by law to marry. ');">⁸</span> R. Jose was asked by his disciples: How could David marry two sisters while they were both living?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Lev. XVIII, 18, Thou shalt not take a woman to her sister. ');">⁹</span>

אזל יהבה לעדריאל דכתיב (שמואל א יח, יט) ויהי בעת תת את מירב בת שאול לדוד וגו' א"ל אי בעית דאתן לך מיכל זיל אייתי לי מאה ערלות פלשתים אזל אייתי ליה א"ל מלוה ופרוטה אית לך גבאי

He answered: He married Michal after the death of Merab. R. Joshua b. Korha said: His marriage to Merab was contracted in error,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And so was invalid. ');">¹⁰</span> as it is said, Deliver me my wife Michal whom I betrothed unto me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. III, 14. ');">¹¹</span>

שאול סבר מלוה ופרוטה דעתיה אמלוה ודוד סבר מלוה ופרוטה דעתיה אפרוטה

How does this prove it? — R. Papa answered: Because he said, My wife Michal but not 'my wife Merab'. Now, what was the error in his marriage [with Merab]? [It was this:] It is written, And it shall be that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches and will give him his daughter.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XVII, 25, referring to the slaying of Goliath. ');">¹²</span> Now he [David] went and slew him, whereupon Saul said to him: I owe thee a debt, and if one betroths a woman by a debt,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., by remitting the amount to her or, if she is a minor, to her father. ');">¹³</span>

ואיבעית אימא דכולי עלמא מלוה ופרוטה דעתיה אפרוטה שאול סבר לא חזו ולא מידי ודוד סבר חזו לכלבי ושונרי

she is not betrothed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For in returning a money loan, unlike a trust, the debtor is not obliged to return the actual coin lent, but its equivalent. Hence the woman receives actually nothing at the time of betrothal, by which it should be effected. V. Kidd. 6b; 47a. ');">¹⁴</span> Accordingly he gave her to Adriel, as it is written, But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam, XVIII, 19. ');">¹⁵</span>

ור' יוסי האי תנה את אשתי את מיכל מאי דריש ביה ר' יוסי לטעמיה דתניא רבי יוסי היה דורש מקראות מעורבין

Then Saul said to David, 'If you still wish me to give you Michal to wife, go and bring me [another] hundred foreskins of the Philistines.' He went and brought them to him. Then he said: 'You have now two claims on me, [the repayment of] a loan<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The promise to enrich him which stands as a loan. ');">¹⁶</span> and a <i>perutah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A small coin representing the estimated value of the hundred foreskins. A perutah is sufficient to serve as token of betrothal (kiddushin). ');">¹⁷</span>

כתיב (שמואל ב כא, ח) ויקח המלך את שני בני רצפה בת איה אשר ילדה לשאול את אדמוני ואת מפיבושת ואת חמשת בני מיכל אשר ילדה לעדריאל המחולתי וגו' וכי לעדריאל נתנה והלא לפלטי בן ליש נתנה דכתיב (שמואל א כה, מד) ושאול נתן את מיכל בתו אשת דוד לפלטי בן ליש וגו'

Now, Saul held that when a loan and a <i>perutah</i> are offered [as <i>kiddushin</i>], he [the would-be husband] thinks mainly of the loan;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And consequently, as stated above, she would not be betrothed. ');">¹⁸</span> but in David's view, when there is a loan and a <i>perutah</i>, the mind is set on the <i>perutah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the betrothal is valid. ');">¹⁹</span>

אלא מקיש קידושי מירב לעדריאל לקידושי מיכל לפלטי מה קידושי מיכל לפלטי בעבירה אף קידושי מירב לעדריאל בעבירה

Or if you like, I will say, all agree that where a loan and a <i>perutah</i> [are offered], the mind is set on the <i>perutah</i>. Saul, however, thought that [the hundred foreskins] had no value, while David held that they had value at least as food for dogs and cats. How does R. Jose<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who holds that before his marriage to Michal, David was legally married to Merab. ');">²⁰</span> interpret the verse, Deliver me my wife Michal? — 21 He explains it by another view of his. For it has been taught: R. Jose used to interpret the following confused passage thus: It is written, But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Ayah whom she bore unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal, the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai, the Meholathite etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam, XXI, 8. ');">²²</span>

ור' יהושע בן קרחה נמי הכתיב את חמשת בני מיכל בת שאול אמר לך רבי יהושע וכי מיכל ילדה והלא מירב ילדה מירב ילדה ומיכל גידלה לפיכך נקראו על שמה ללמדך שכל המגדל יתום בתוך ביתו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו ילדו:

But was Michal really given to Adriel; was she not given to Palti the son of Layish, as it is written, Now Saul had given Michal, David's wife, to Palti the son of Layish?&nbsp;…<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XXV, 44. ');">²³</span> But Scripture compares the marriage of Merab to Adriel to that of Michal to Palti, to teach that just as the marriage of Michal to Palti was unlawful.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And so invalid, as she was already betrothed to David. ');">²⁴</span>

(חנינא קרא יוחנן ואשתו אלעזר וגאולה ושמואל בלימודי סימן): רבי חנינא אומר מהכא (רות ד, יז) ותקראנה לו השכנות שם לאמר יולד בן לנעמי וכי נעמי ילדה והלא רות ילדה אלא רות ילדה ונעמי גידלה לפיכך נקרא על שמה

so was that of Merab to Adriel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence R. Jose interprets the words, 'Michal my wife', not as excluding Merab as wife, but rather as showing that just as Michal was legally his wife, so was Merab. Hence the marriages of Michal and Merab to Palti b. Layish and Adriel respectively, were transgressions. ');">²⁵</span> Now as to R. Joshua b. Korha,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who holds that Merab's marriage to Adriel was not lawful. ');">²⁶</span>

רבי יוחנן אמר מהכא (דברי הימים א ד, יח) ואשתו היהודית ילדה את ירד אביגדור וגו' אלה בני בתיה בת פרעה אשר לקח (לו) מרד מרד זה כלב ולמה נקרא שמו מרד שמרד בעצת מרגלים וכי בתיה ילדה והלא יוכבד ילדה אלא יוכבד ילדה ובתיה גידלה לפיכך נקרא על שמה

surely it is written, And the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul whom she bore to Adriel. — R. Joshua [b. Korha] answers thee: Was it then Michal who bore them? Surely it was rather Merab who bore them! But Merab bore and Michal brought them up; therefore they were called by her name. This teaches thee that whoever brings up an orphan in his home, Scripture ascribes it to him as though he had begotten him. (Mnemonic: <i>Hanina — he called,' Johanan — and his wife,' Eleazar — and Redemption; and Samuel among his Disciples</i>.)<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 21, n. 5. ');">²⁷</span>

רבי אלעזר אמר מהכא (תהלים עז, טז) גאלת בזרוע עמך בני יעקב ויוסף סלה וכי יוסף ילד והלא יעקב ילד אלא יעקב ילד ויוסף כילכל לפיכך נקראו על שמו

R. Hanina says this is derived from the following: And the women her neighbours, gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ruth IV, 17. ');">²⁸</span> Was it then Naomi who bore him? Surely it was Ruth who bore him! But Ruth bore and Naomi brought him up; hence he was called after her [Naomi's] name.

אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן כל המלמד בן חבירו תורה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו ילדו שנאמר (במדבר ג, א) ואלה תולדות אהרן ומשה וכתיב ואלה שמות בני אהרן לומר לך אהרן ילד ומשה לימד לפיכך נקראו על שמו

R. Johanan says it is derived from the following: And his wife Ha-Jehudiah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bithia, the daughter of Pharaoh, who is referred to at the conclusion of the verse. ');">²⁹</span> bore Yered the father of Gedor [and Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah]<a rel="footnote" href="#56a_30">³⁰</a>

(ישעיהו כט, כב) לכן כה אמר ה' אל בית יעקב אשר פדה את אברהם וכי היכן מצינו ביעקב שפדאו לאברהם אמר רב יהודה שפדאו מצער גידול בנים והיינו דכתיב (ישעיהו כט, כב) לא עתה יבוש יעקב וגו' לא עתה יבוש יעקב מאביו ולא עתה פניו יחוורו מאבי אביו

and these are the sons of Bithia the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Chron. IV, 18. ');">³¹</span> Now, 'Mered' was Caleb; and why was he called Mered?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] 'to disobey', 'oppose' or 'rebel'. ');">³²</span>

כתיב פלטי וכתיב פלטיאל אמר ר' יוחנן פלטי שמו ולמה נקרא שמו פלטיאל שפלטו אל מן העבירה מה עשה נעץ חרב בינו לבינה אמר כל העוסק בדבר זה ידקר בחרב זה

— Because he opposed the counsel of the other spies.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XIII, 30. ');">³³</span> But was he [Moses]<a rel="footnote" href="#56a_34">³⁴</a>

והכתיב (שמואל ב ג, טז) וילך אתה אישה שנעשה לה כאישה והכתיב (שמואל ב ג, טז) הלך ובכה על המצוה דאזיל מיניה עד בחורים שנעשו שניהם כבחורים שלא טעמו טעם ביאה

indeed born of Bithia and not rather of Jochebed? — But Jochebed bore and Bithia reared him;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, 10. ');">³⁵</span> therefore he was called after her.

אמר רבי יוחנן תוקפו של יוסף ענוותנותו של בועז תוקפו של בועז ענוותנותו של פלטי בן ליש תוקפו של יוסף ענוותנותו של בועז דכתיב (רות ג, ח) ויהי בחצי הלילה ויחרד האיש וילפת מאי וילפת אמר רב שנעשה בשרו כראשי לפתות

R. Eleazar says: It is inferred from the following: Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph, Selah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXVII, 16. ');">³⁶</span> Did then Joseph beget them; surely it was rather Jacob? — But Jacob begot and Joseph sustained them; therefore they are called by his name. R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in R. Jonathan's name: He who teaches the son of his neighbour the Torah, Scripture ascribes it to him as if he had begotten him, as it says, Now, these are the generations of Aaron and Moses;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. III, 1. ');">³⁷</span> whilst further on it is written, These are the names of the sons of Aaron: thus teaching thee that Aaron begot and Moses taught them; hence they are called by his name.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Under the earliest system of education, children were taught at home by their fathers, until Joshua b. Gamala reorganised the system by setting up schools in every town (B.B. 21a). Although that system was completely in vogue in the days of R. Samuel b. Nahmani, his dictum here might indicate that some virtue was still ascribed to private teaching by the parent or his proxy. It is doubtful whether it would simply refer to an ordinary elementary school teacher. ');">³⁸</span> Therefore thus saith the Lord unto the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXIX, 22. The E.V. translates differently. ');">³⁹</span> But where do we find that Jacob redeemed Abraham? — Rab Judah answered; It means that he redeemed him from the pains of rearing children;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Abraham, who was actually promised multiplication, should have borne the burden of rearing the children, but it fell upon Jacob. ');">⁴⁰</span> hence the passage, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">⁴¹</span> He shall not now be ashamed — of his father, neither shall his face now become pale — because of his grandfather. [The second husband of David's undivorced wife] is variously called Palti<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XXV, 44. ');">⁴²</span> and Paltiel!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. III, 15. ');">⁴³</span> — R. Johanan said: His name was really Palti, but why was he called Paltiel? Because God saved him from transgression.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word is composed of [H] — 'to escape' and [H] — 'God'. Bible onomatology has a large number of compound names which express distinct ideas. Many are compound with the name of God (El) preceding it, as El-Nathan, or succeeding it, as Amiel, or as in the instance in question. The chief reason for the later addition of 'El' to 'Palti' is taken to express, as it were, the ineffably holy name to which he dedicated himself. ');">⁴⁴</span> What did he do [to be delivered from sin]? He planted a sword between her [Michal] and himself, and said, Whoever [first] attempts this thing,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., forbidden indulgence. ');">⁴⁵</span> shall be pierced with this sword. But is it not stated: And her husband [Palti] went with her?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. III, 16. ');">⁴⁶</span> — This means that he was to her like a husband.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., maintaining and loving her, but no more. ');">⁴⁷</span> But is it not written, He went weeping? — This was for losing the good deed [of self-restraint]. Hence [he followed her] to Bahurim, implying that they both had remained like unmarried youths<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] pl. of [H] a youth. ');">⁴⁸</span> and not tasted the pleasure of marital relations. R. Johanan said: Joseph's strong [temptation]<a rel="footnote" href="#56a_49">⁴⁹</a> was but a petty trial to Boaz;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Ruth III, 8-15. I.e., the strong temptation to which Joseph was exposed, and which called forth his greatest powers of resistance, was but as a small thing, for which the mere exercise of a little self-restraint would suffice, in comparison to the temptation withstood by Boaz. ');">⁵⁰</span> and that of Boaz was small in comparison with that of Palti son of Layish. 'Joseph's strong temptation was but a petty trial to Boaz,' as it is written, And it came to pass at mid-night and the man was startled, 'wa — yillafeth'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] (E.V. 'and turned himself'), Ruth III, 8. ');">⁵¹</span> What is the meaning of wa — yillafeth? — Rab said: His flesh became [as hard] as turnip heads.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] ([H] = head; [H] = turnip). ');">⁵²</span>