Shabbat 173

Chapter 173

א בתלתא אמר להו מצות הגבלה בארבעה עבוד פרישה ורבנן סברי בתרי בשבא איקבע ירחא בתרי בשבא לא אמר להו ולא מידי משום חולשא דאורחא בתלתא אמר להו ואתם תהיו לי בארבעה אמר להו מצות הגבלה בה' עבוד פרישה מיתיבי (שמות יט, י) וקדשתם היום ומחר קשיא לר' יוסי
1 on Tuesday he informed them of the order to set boundaries,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. ibid. 12. ');"><sup>1</sup></span> and on Wednesday they separated themselves [from their wives].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though the reference to this precedes the command to set boundaries, it is nevertheless assumed that events were in this order; v. infra. ');"><sup>2</sup></span> But the Rabbis hold: New Moon was fixed on Monday, and on that day he said nothing to them on account of their exhaustion from the journey. On Tuesday he said to them, and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests; on Wednesday he informed them of the order to set boundaries, and on Thursday they separated themselves. An objection is raised: And sanctify them to-day and to-morrow:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 10. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ב אמר לך ר' יוסי יום אחד הוסיף משה מדעתו דתניא ג' דברים עשה משה מדעתו והסכים הקב"ה עמו הוסיף יום אחד מדעתו ופירש מן האשה ושבר את הלוחות
2 this is difficult in the view of R. Jose?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For it implies Thursday and Friday, Revelation taking place on the Sabbath. The sanctification consisted in their separation from their wives (v. 14f). ');"><sup>4</sup></span> — R. Jose can answer you: Moses added one day of his own understanding.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The command 'sanctify them' was given him on Wednesday, and he interpreted it as implying three days. ');"><sup>5</sup></span> For it was taught, Three things did Moses do of his own understanding, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave His approval:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'agreed with him'. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ג הוסיף יום אחד מדעתו מאי דריש היום ומחר היום כמחר מה למחר לילו עמו אף היום לילו עמו ולילה דהאידנא נפקא ליה ש"מ תרי יומי לבר מהאידנא ומנלן דהסכים הקב"ה על ידו דלא שריא שכינה עד צפרא דשבתא
3 he added one day of his own understanding, he separated himself from his wife,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Entirely, after the Revelation. ');"><sup>7</sup></span> and he broke the Tables. 'He added one day of his own understanding': what [verse] did he interpret? To-day and to-morrow: 'to-day' [must be] like 'tomorrow: just as to-morrow includes the [previous] night, so 'to-day' [must] include the [previous] night, but the night of to-day has already passed! Hence it must be two days exclusive of to-day. And how do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave his approval? — Since the <i>Shechinah</i> did not rest [upon Mount Sinal] until the morning of the Sabbath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Had Moses' interpretation been incorrect, the Shechinah should have alighted Friday morning. ');"><sup>8</sup></span> And 'he separated himself from his wife': What did he interpret? He applied an <i>a minori</i> argument to himself, reasoning: If the Israelites, with whom the <i>Shechinah</i> spoke only on one occasion and He appointed them a time [thereof], yet the Torah said, Be ready against the third day: come not near a woman: I, with whom the <i>Shechinah</i> speaks at all times and does not appoint me a [definite] time, how much more so! And how do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave his approval? Because it is written, Go say to them, Return to your tents,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut, V, 30. This was permission to resume marital relations. ');"><sup>9</sup></span>
ד ופירש מן האשה מאי דריש נשא קל וחומר בעצמו אמר ומה ישראל שלא דברה שכינה עמהן אלא שעה אחת וקבע להן זמן אמרה תורה (שמות יט, יא) והיו נכונים וגו' אל תגשו אני שכל שעה ושעה שכינה מדברת עמי ואינו קובע לי זמן על אחת כמה וכמה ומנלן דהסכים הקב"ה על ידו דכתיב (דברים ה, כו) לך אמור להם שובו לכם לאהליכם וכתיב בתריה ואתה פה עמוד עמדי ואית דאמרי (במדבר יב, ח) פה אל פה אדבר בו
4 which is followed by, But as for thee, stand thou here by me. Some there are who quote, with him [sc. Moses] will I speak mouth to mouth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XII, 8 — the same conclusion may be drawn from this. ');"><sup>10</sup></span> 'He broke the Tables': how did he learn [this]? He argued: If the Passover sacrifice, which is but one of the six hundred and thirteen precepts, yet the Torah said, there shall no alien eat thereof:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XII, 43. 'Alien' is interpreted, one whose actions have alienated him from God, v. Targum Onkelos a.l. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> here is the whole Torah, and the Israelites are apostates, how much more so!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They are surely unfit to receive the Torah! ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
ה שבר את הלוחות מאי דריש אמר ומה פסח שהוא אחד מתרי"ג מצות אמרה תורה (שמות יב, מג) וכל בן נכר לא יאכל בו התורה כולה [כאן] וישראל מומרים על אחת כמה וכמה ומנלן דהסכים הקב"ה על ידו שנאמר (שמות לד, א) אשר שברת ואמר ר"ל יישר כחך ששיברת
5 And how do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave His approval? Because it is said, which thou brakest,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXXIV, 1. ');"><sup>13</sup></span> and Resh Lakish interpreted this: All strength to thee<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'thy strength be well', an expression of approval. For further notes V. Yeb., Sonc. ed., pp. 412ff. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> that thou brakest it.
ו ת"ש (שמות יט, יא) והיו נכונים ליום השלישי קשיא לר' יוסי הא אמרינן יום אחד הוסיף משה מדעתו ת"ש שלישי שלישי בחדש ושלישי בשבת קשיא לרבנן אמרי לך רבנן הא מני ר' יוסי היא
6 Come and hear: And be ready against the third day: this is a difficulty according to R. Jose?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. P. 411, n. 7. ');"><sup>15</sup></span> — Surely we have said that Moses added one day of his own understanding! Come and hear: The third, the third day of the month and the third day of the week:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The meaning of the first 'the third' is discussed infra. ');"><sup>16</sup></span>
ז שלישי למאי לכדתניא (שמות יט, ח) וישב משה את דברי העם אל ה' וכתיב ויגד משה את דברי העם אל ה'
7 this is a difficulty according to the Rabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since they hold that New Moon was on Monday, the third was on Wednesday, not Tuesday. ');"><sup>17</sup></span> — The Rabbis answer you: with whom does this agree? with R. Jose. In respect of what is [the first] 'the third' [mentioned]? — [In respect] of that which was taught: And Moses reported the words of the people unto the Lord;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 8. ');"><sup>18</sup></span>
ח מה אמר לו הקב"ה למשה ומה אמר להם משה לישראל ומה אמרו ישראל למשה ומה השיב משה לפני הגבורה זו מצות הגבלה דברי ר' יוסי בר יהודה רבי אומר בתחילה פירש עונשה דכתיב וישב משה דברים שמשבבין דעתו של אדם ולבסוף פירש מתן שכרה דכתיב ויגד משה דברים שמושכין לבו של אדם כאגדה ואיכא דאמרי בתחילה פירש מתן שכרה דכתיב וישב משה דברים שמשיבין דעתו של אדם ולבסוף פירש עונשה דכתיב ויגד משה דברים שקשין לאדם כגידין
8 and it is written, And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIV, 9. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> Now, what did the Holy One, Blessed be He, say unto Moses, what did Moses say unto Israel, what did Israel say to Moses, and what did Moses report before the Omnipotent?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the strength'- one of the names of God. The difficulty is this: what conversations took place between v.v. 8 and 9, necessitating a second statement by Moses? ');"><sup>20</sup></span> This is the order of setting boundaries:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though this is mentioned only in v. 12, it is assumed to have been given between Moses' two statements, the second of which signified the people's willingness to set boundaries. ');"><sup>21</sup></span>
ט תא שמע ששי ששי בחודש ששי בשבת קשיא לרבנן הא נמי רבי יוסי היא ששי למאי רבא אמר
9 that is the view of R. Jose son of R. Judah. Rabbi said: At first he explained the penalties [for non-observance], for it is written, 'And Moses reported [wa-yasheb]', [which implies] things which repel [meshabbebin] one's mind.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Threats of punishment would naturally make the people reluctant to accept the Torah in the first place (Rashi). jast.: words which chasten, etc. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> But subsequently he explained its reward, for it is said, 'And Moses told [wa-yagged]', [which means,] words which draw one's heart like a narrative [<i>aggadah</i>]. Some there are who maintain, At first he explained the reward it confers, for it is written, 'And Moses reported [wa-yasheb]', [which means,] words which appease [meshibin] one's mind. Whilst subsequently he explained its penalties, for it is written, 'and Moses told [wa-yagged'], [meaning], words as hard [unpleasant] to man as worm-wood [giddin]. Come and hear: The sixth, the sixth day of the month and the sixth day of the week [Friday]: this is a difficulty according to the Rabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since they held that New Moon was on Monday, Friday was not the sixth day of the month. ');"><sup>23</sup></span> — This too agrees with R. Jose. In respect of what is [the first] 'the sixth' [mentioned]? — Raba said: