Sanhedrin 76

גופו מבבל וראשו מארץ ישראל ואבריו משאר ארצות עגבותיו א"ר אחא מאקרא דאגמא

his head from Erez Yisrael,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' His head, the most exalted part of his body, comes from Eretz Yisrael the most exalted of all lands. ');">¹</span> his limbs from other lands, and his private parts, according to R. Aha, from Akra di Agma.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [A town near Pumbeditha (Obermeyer, op. cit. 237, n. 3), notorious on account of the loose morals of its inhabitants, v. Ginzberg, Legends V, 15.] ');">²</span> R. Johanan<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. l.: R. Ahai. ');">³</span>

א"ר יוחנן בר חנינא שתים עשרה שעות הוי היום שעה ראשונה הוצבר עפרו שניה נעשה גולם שלישית נמתחו אבריו רביעית נזרקה בו נשמה חמישית עמד על רגליו ששית קרא שמות שביעית נזדווגה לו חוה שמינית עלו למטה שנים וירדו ארבעה תשיעית נצטווה שלא לאכול מן האילן עשירית סרח אחת עשרה נידון שתים עשרה נטרד והלך לו שנאמר (תהלים מט, יג) אדם ביקר בל ילין

b. Hanina said: The day consisted of twelve hours. In the first hour, his [Adam's] dust was gathered; in the second, it was kneaded into a shapeless mass. In the third, his limbs were shaped;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'Extended'. ');">⁴</span> in the fourth, a soul was infused into him; in the fifth, he arose and stood on his feet; in the sixth, he gave [the animals] their names; in the seventh, Eve became his mate; in the eighth, they ascended to bed as two and descended as four;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., Cain and his twin sister were born. V. Yeb. 62a. Abel and his other twin sister were born after they sinned. V. Tosaf. a.l. ');">⁵</span> in the ninth, he was commanded not to eat of the tree, in the tenth, he sinned; in the eleventh, he was tried, and in the twelfth he was expelled [from Eden] and departed, for it is written, Man abideth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], lit., 'tarrieth not over night'. ');">⁶</span>

אמר רמי בר חמא אין חיה רעה שולטת באדם אלא אם כן נדמה לו כבהמה שנאמר (תהלים מט, יג) נמשל כבהמות נדמו:

not in honour.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XLIX, 13. ');">⁷</span> Rami b. Hama said: A wild beast has no dominion over man unless he appears to it as a brute,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Man's majesty keeps the wild beasts in check only as long as he does not descent to their level. ');">⁸</span> for it is written. Men are overruled<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], He is like the beasts that perish. ');">⁹</span>

(שע"ה בסו"ף ארמ"י סימן) אמר רב יהודה א"ר בשעה שבקש הקב"ה לבראות את האדם ברא כת אחת של מלאכי השרת אמר להם רצונכם נעשה אדם בצלמנו אמרו לפניו רבש"ע מה מעשיו אמר להן כך וכך מעשיו

when they appear as beasts.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XLIX, 13. ');">¹⁰</span> (Mnemonic: <i>When;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'hour'. ');">¹¹</span></i> The End; Aramaic</i>.)

אמרו לפניו רבש"ע (תהלים ח, ה) מה אנוש כי תזכרנו ובן אדם כי תפקדנו הושיט אצבעו קטנה ביניהן ושרפם וכן כת שניה כת שלישית אמרו לפניו רבש"ע ראשונים שאמרו לפניך מה הועילו כל העולם כולו שלך הוא כל מה שאתה רוצה לעשות בעולמך עשה

Rab Judah said in Rab's name: When the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to create man, He [first] created a company of ministering angels and said to them: Is it your desire that we make a man in our image? They answered: Sovereign of the Universe, what will be his deeds? Such and such will be his deeds, He replied. Thereupon they exclaimed: Sovereign of the Universe, What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou thinkest of him?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. VIII, 5. ');">¹²</span> Thereupon He stretched out His little finger among them and consumed them with fire. The same thing happened with a second company. The third company said to Him: Sovereign of the Universe, what did it avail the former [angels] that they spoke to Thee [as they did]? the whole world is Thine, and whatsoever that Thou wishest to do therein, do it. When He came to the men of the Age of the flood and of the division [of tongues] whose deeds were corrupt, they said to Him: Lord of the Universe, did not the first [company of angels] speak aright? Even to old age I am the same, and even to hoar hairs will I carry,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XLVI, 4. I.e., I shall suffer mankind under all conditions. ');">¹³</span> He retorted.

כיון שהגיע לאנשי דור המבול ואנשי דור הפלגה שמעשיהן מקולקלין אמרו לפניו רבש"ע לא יפה אמרו ראשונים לפניך אמר להן (ישעיהו מו, ד) ועד זקנה אני הוא ועד שיבה אני אסבול וגו'

Rab Judah said in Rab's name: The first man reached from one end of the world to the other, as it is written, Since the day that God created man upon the eath, even from the one end of Heaven unto the other.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. IV, 32. ');">¹⁴</span> But when he sinned, the Holy One, blessed be He, laid His hand upon him and diminished him, as it is written, Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before, and laid Thy hands upon me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXXXIX, 5. ');">¹⁵</span> R. Eleazar said: The first man reached from earth to heaven, as it is written, Since the day that God created man upon the earth, and from one end of the Heaven [to the other].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashal rightly deletes the bracketed passage, because on this dictum the verse must be read: He created man upon the earth and reaching up to the end of Heaven, i.e., he reached from earth to Heaven. ');">¹⁶</span>

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אדם הראשון מסוף העולם ועד סופו היה שנאמר (דברים ד, לב) למן היום אשר ברא אלהים אדם על הארץ ולמקצה השמים ועד קצה השמים כיון שסרח הניח הקדוש ברוך הוא ידו עליו ומיעטו שנאמר (תהלים קלט, ה) אחור וקדם צרתני ותשת עלי כפכה

But when he sinned, the Holy One, blessed be He, laid His hand upon him and diminished him, for it is written, Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXXXIX, 5. ');">¹⁵</span> But these verses contradict each other! — Both measurements are identical.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The gigantic stature of Adam plays an important part in the system of many Gnostic sects, v. Ginzberg, op. cit. V, 79.] ');">¹⁷</span> Rab Judah also said in Rab's name: The first man spoke Aramaic,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [This may have been said in justification of the abandonment by the Babylonian Jews of the Hebrew language in favour of Aramaic.] ');">¹⁸</span>

אמר ר"א אדם הראשון מן הארץ עד לרקיע היה שנאמר למן היום אשר ברא אלהים אדם על הארץ ולמקצה השמים (עד קצה השמים) כיון שסרח הניח הקב"ה ידו עליו ומיעטו שנאמר אחור וקדם צרתני וגו' קשו קראי אהדדי אידי ואידי חדא מידה היא

for it is written, How weighty are thy thoughts unto me, God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXXXIX, 17. This Psalm deals with the creation of man. [H] 'weighty', and [H] 'thoughts' are Aramaisms. ');">¹⁹</span> And that is what Resh Lakish meant when he said: What is the meaning of the verse, 'This is the book of the generations of Adam?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. V, 1. ');">²⁰</span> It is to intimate that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him [Adam] every generation and its thinkers,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'exponents'. ');">²¹</span>

ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב אדם הראשון בלשון ארמי ספר שנאמר (תהלים קלט, יז) ולי מה יקרו רעיך אל

every generation and its sages. When he came to the generation of Rabbi Akiba, he [Adam] rejoiced at his learning but was grieved at his death,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Akiba was executed by Tineius Rufus after being most cruelly tortured. Cf. Ber. 61b. ');">²²</span> and said: How weighty<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Perhaps to be understood here with a twofold meaning: weighty = honoured; and weighty = a source of heaviness and grief. ');">²³</span> are Thy friends<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] is probably here taken in its usual Hebrew meaning, 'Thy friends'. ');">²⁴</span>

והיינו דאמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (בראשית ה, א) זה ספר תולדות אדם מלמד שהראהו הקב"ה דור דור ודורשיו דור דור וחכמיו כיון שהגיע לדורו של רבי עקיבא שמח בתורתו ונתעצב במיתתו אמר ולי מה יקרו רעיך אל

to me, O God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXXXIX, 17. This Psalm deals with the creation of man. [H] 'weighty', and [H] 'thoughts' are Aramaisms. ');">¹⁹</span> Rab Judah also said in Rab's name: Adam was a Min,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. V. p. 234, n. 4; it is to be observed that Min is contrasted (in the next passage) with unbeliever. ');">²⁵</span> for it is written, And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. III, 9. ');">²⁶</span>

ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב אדם הראשון מין היה שנאמר (בראשית ג, ט) ויקרא ה' אלהים אל האדם ויאמר לו איכה אן נטה לבך רבי יצחק אמר מושך בערלתו היה כתיב הכא (הושע ו, ז) והמה כאדם עברו ברית וכתיב התם (בראשית ט, ט) את בריתי הפר

i.e., whither has thine heart turned? R. Isaac said: He practised episplasm:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he removed the mark of circumcision. ');">²⁷</span> For here it is written, But like man, [Adam] they have transgressed the covenant;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hos. VI, 7. ');">²⁸</span> whilst elsewhere it is said, He hath broken my covenant,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XVII, 14. with reference to circumcision. ');">²⁹</span>

רב נחמן אמר כופר בעיקר היה כתיב הכא עברו ברית וכתיב התם (את בריתי הפר) (ירמיהו כב, ט) ואמרו על אשר עזבו (את) ברית ה' (אלהי אבותם)

R. Nahman said: He denied God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the fundamental (principle)'. ');">³⁰</span> Here it is written, They have transgressed the covenant;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hos. VI, 7. ');">²⁸</span> whilst elsewhere it is stated, [He hath broken my covenant,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XVII, 14. Ms.M. omits the bracketed passage; rightly so, for it is irrelevant. ');">³¹</span>

תנן התם ר"א אומר הוי שקוד ללמוד תורה ודע מה שתשיב לאפיקורוס אמר ר' יוחנן ל"ש אלא אפיקורוס (של) עובדי כוכבים אבל אפיקורוס ישראל כ"ש דפקר טפי

and again,] Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord their God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXII, 9, referring to belief in God. ');">³²</span> We learnt elsewhere:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Aboth II, 14. ');">³³</span> R. Eliezer said: Be diligent to learn the Torah and know how to answer an Epikoros.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who endeavours to draw support from the Torah for his beliefs. [H] is derived from the personal name, Epicurus, and is adopted by the Talmud for the sake of the play upon the word [H] 'to be free from restraint'. To denote one who denies God and his commandments, v. Herford, Christianity in Talmud p. 120. ');">³⁴</span>

א"ר יוחנן כ"מ שפקרו המינים תשובתן בצידן (בראשית א, כו) נעשה אדם בצלמנו (ואומר) (בראשית א, כז) ויברא אלהים את האדם בצלמו (בראשית יא, ז) הבה נרדה ונבלה שם שפתם (בראשית יא, ה) וירד ה' לראות את העיר ואת המגדל (בראשית לה, ז) כי שם נגלו אליו האלהים (בראשית לה, ג) לאל העונה אותי ביום צרתי

R. Johanan commented: They taught this only with respect to a Gentile Epikoros; with a Jewish Epikoros, it would only make his heresy more pronounced.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'He is more lawless.' With him, therefore, discussion is not advised since he is deliberate in his negation and not therefore easily dissuaded (Rashi). ');">³⁵</span> R. Johanan sad: In all the passages which the Minim have taken [as grounds] for their heresy,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., where God is spoken of in the plural. ');">³⁶</span> their refutation is found near at hand. Thus: Let us make man in our image,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. I, 26. ');">³⁷</span>

(דברים ד, ז) כי מי גוי גדול אשר לו אלהים קרובים אליו כה' אלהינו בכל קראנו אליו (שמואל ב ז, כג) ומי כעמך כישראל גוי אחד בארץ אשר הלכו אלהים לפדות לו לעם (דניאל ז, ט) עד די כרסוון רמיו ועתיק יומין יתיב

— And God created [sing.] man in His own image;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 27. ');">³⁸</span> Come, let us go down and there confound their language,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XI, 7. ');">³⁹</span> — And the Lord came down [sing.] to see the city and the tower;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 5. ');">⁴⁰</span>

הנך למה לי כדרבי יוחנן דא"ר יוחנן אין הקב"ה עושה דבר אא"כ נמלך בפמליא של מעלה שנאמר (דניאל ד, יד) בגזירת עירין פתגמא ובמאמר קדישין שאילתא

Because there were revealed [plur.] to him God,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXXV, 7. ');">⁴¹</span> — Unto God who answereth [sing.] me in the day of my distress;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 3. ');">⁴²</span> For what great nation is there that hath God so nigh [plur.] unto it, as the Lord our God is [unto us] whensoever we call upon Him [sing.];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. IV, 7. ');">⁴³</span>

התינח כולהי עד די כרסוון רמיו מאי איכא למימר אחד לו ואחד לדוד דתניא אחד לו ואחד לדוד דברי ר"ע א"ל ר' יוסי עקיבא עד מתי אתה עושה שכינה חול אלא אחד לדין ואחד לצדקה

And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, [like] Israel, whom God went [plur.] to redeem for a people unto himself [sing.],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. VII, 23. ');">⁴⁴</span> Till thrones were placed and one that was ancient did sit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Dan. VII, 9. ');">⁴⁵</span> Why were these<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Plural forms. ');">⁴⁶</span>

קבלה מיניה או לא קבלה מיניה ת"ש דתניא אחד לדין ואחד לצדקה דברי ר"ע א"ל ר' אלעזר בן עזריא עקיבא מה לך אצל הגדה כלך אצל נגעים ואהלות אלא אחד לכסא ואחד לשרפרף כסא לישב עליו שרפרף להדום רגליו

necessary? To teach R. Johanan's dictum; viz.: The Holy One, blessed be He, does nothing without consulting His Heavenly Court,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], 'family'v. p. 675. ');">⁴⁷</span> for it is written, The matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the Holy Ones.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Dan. IV, 14. ');">⁴⁸</span> Now, that is satisfactory for all [the other verses], but how explain Till thrones were placed? — One [throne] was for Himself and one for David.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Messiah. ');">⁴⁹</span>

אמר רב נחמן האי מאן דידע לאהדורי למינים כרב אידית ליהדר ואי לא לא ליהדר אמר ההוא מינא לרב אידית כתיב (שמות כד, א) ואל משה אמר עלה אל ה' עלה אלי מיבעי ליה א"ל זהו מטטרון ששמו כשם רבו דכתיב (שמות כג, כא) כי שמי בקרבו

Even as it has been taught: One was for Himself and one for David: this is R. Akiba's view. R. Jose protested to him: Akiba, how long will thou profane the <i>Shechinah</i>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By asserting that a human being sit beside Him. ');">⁵⁰</span> Rather, one [throne] for justice, and the other for mercy. Did he accept [this answer] from him or not? Come and hear! For it has been taught: One is for justice and the other for charity; this is R. Akiba's view. Said R. Eleazar b. Azariah to him: Akiba, what hast thou to do with Aggada? Confine thyself to [the study of] Nega'im and Ohaloth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Names of Treatises in the Seder Tohoroth, the most difficult in the whole of the Talmud. V. infra 67b. R. Akiba was a great authority on these laws, whereas his Haggadic interpretations were not always acceptable. [This interpretation involved the same danger as that of R. Akiba's first interpretation in that it tended to obscure the true monotheistic concept of God.] ');">⁵¹</span> But one was a throne, the other a footstool: a throne for a seat and a footstool in support of His feet.

אי הכי ניפלחו ליה כתיב (שמות כג, כא) אל תמר בו אל תמירני בו אם כן לא ישא לפשעכם למה לי א"ל הימנותא בידן דאפילו בפרוונקא נמי לא קבילניה דכתיב (שמות לג, טו) ויאמר אליו אם אין פניך הולכים וגו'

R. Nahman said: He who is as skilled in refuting the Minim as is R. Idith,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Ms.M.: R. Idi.] ');">⁵²</span> let him do so; but not otherwise. Once a Min said to R. Idith: It is written, And unto Moses He said, Come up to the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXIV, 1. ');">⁵³</span> But surely it should have stated, Come up unto me! — It was Metatron<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Name of an Angel, probably derived from metator, guide. In Talmud and Midrash he is regarded notably as the defender of the rights of Israel (cf. Hag. 16a). ');">⁵⁴</span>

אמר ליה ההוא מינא לר' ישמעאל בר' יוסי כתיב (בראשית יט, כד) וה' המטיר על סדום ועל עמורה גפרית ואש מאת ה' מאתו מיבעי ליה א"ל ההוא כובס שבקיה אנא מהדרנא ליה דכתיב (בראשית ד, כג) ויאמר למך לנשיו עדה וצלה שמען קולי נשי למך נשיי מיבעי ליה אלא משתעי קרא הכי הכא נמי משתעי קרא הכי א"ל מנא לך הא מפירקיה דר"מ שמיע לי

[who said that], he replied, whose name is similar to that of his Master,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Rashi on Ex. XXIII, 21. The numerical value of Metatron ([H]) is equal to that of [H] (the Almighty) viz. 314. ');">⁵⁵</span> for it is written, For my name is in him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXIII, 21. ');">⁵⁶</span> But if so, [he retorted,] we should worship him! The same passage, however, — replied R. Idith says: Be not rebellious<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] is here taken, in the sense of 'exchange', from [H]. ');">⁵⁷</span>

דא"ר יוחנן כי הוה דריש ר' מאיר בפירקיה הוה דריש תילתא שמעתא תילתא אגדתא תילתא מתלי ואמר ר' יוחנן ג' מאות משלות שועלים היו לו לרבי מאיר ואנו אין לנו אלא שלש

against him, i.e., exchange Me not for him. But if so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he is not to be worshipped, but God alone. ');">⁵⁸</span> why is it stated: He will not pardon your transgression?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. Surely, he has no authority to do so. ');">⁵⁹</span> He answered: By our troth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'we hold the belief.' ');">⁶⁰</span> we would not accept him even as a messenger,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'Postman' — of forgiveness. ');">⁶¹</span> for it is written, And he said unto him, If Thy [personal] presence go not etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIII, 15. [The Min was a believer in the doctrine of two rulers and he sought support for this belief from Ex. XXIV, 1. R. Idith met his argument by showing that even Metatron was accepted by Jews only as guide, and in no sense a second god. For a full discussion of the passage, v. Herford, op. cit. p. 285ff.] ');">⁶²</span> A Min once said to R. Ishmael b. Jose: It is written, Then the Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XIX, 24 ');">⁶³</span> but from him should have been written! A certain fuller<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A figure frequently mentioned in the Talmud as of a specific type. V. e.g., Ber. 28a, Ned. 41a. [In Roman literature, he is an object of ridicule; in rabbinic lore, he plays a more dignified role.] ');">⁶⁴</span> said, Leave him to me, I will answer him. [He then proceeded,' It is written, And Lamech said to his wives, Ada and Zillah, Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. IV, 23. ');">⁶⁵</span> but he should have said, my wives! But such is the Scriptural idiom — so here too, it is the Scriptural idiom. Whence do you know that? asked he [R. Ishmael]. — I heard it in a public discourse<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] v. supra p. 178 n. 3. ');">⁶⁶</span> of R. Meir, [he answered]. Even as R. Johanan said: When R. Meir used to deliver his public discourses, a third was Halacha, a third Haggadah, and a third consisted of parables. R Johanan also said: R. Meir had three hundred parables of foxes, and we have only three left,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Probably of those collected by R. Meir, since many other fox fables are found scattered throughout the Talmud and Midrash. Cf. Ber. 61b; Eccl. Rab. V. 14. ');">⁶⁷</span>