Shabbat 175

Chapter 175

א לרבנן ח' חסרים עבוד
1 in that of the Rabbis', eight months were declared defective.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the year consisted of three hundred and fifty-two days, And the first of Siwan fell on a Monday. ');"><sup>1</sup></span> Come and hear: For it was taught in the Seder 'Olam:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Seder 'Olam is the earliest extant post-exilic chronicle in Hebrew, and is a chronological record extending from Adam to Bar Kochba's revolt during the reign of Hadrian. Most scholars are agreed in assigning its authorship to R. Halafta, a Tanna of the first century, on the strength of a statement by R. Johanan in Yeb. 82b. V. J.E., art. Seder 'Olam Rabbah. ');"><sup>2</sup></span> As to the Nisan in which the Israelites departed from Egypt, on the fourteenth they slaughtered their Passover sacrifices, on the fifteenth they went out, and that day was the Sabbath eve. Now, since the first of Nisan was the Sabbath eve, the first of Iyar was on a Sunday, and [the first of] Siwan on a Monday. This is a difficulty according to R. Jose? — R. Jose answers you: This agrees with the Rabbis. Come and hear: R. Jose said: On the second day Moses ascended and descended;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hearing, 'and ye shall be … a kingdom of priests' and telling it to the people. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ב ת"ש דתניא בסדר עולם ניסן שבו יצאו ישראל ממצרים בארבעה עשר שחטו פסחיהן בחמשה עשר יצאו ואותו היום ע"ש היה ומדריש ירחא דניסן ערב שבת ריש ירחא דאייר חד בשבא וסיון בתרי בשבא קשיא לר' יוסי אמר לך ר' יוסי הא מני רבנן היא
2 on the third he ascended and descended;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Being given the order to set boundaries. ');"><sup>4</sup></span> on the fourth he descended and ascended no more.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Until the Revelation. ');"><sup>5</sup></span> But since he did not go up,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the fourth. ');"><sup>6</sup></span> whence did he descend? — Rather [say,] on the fourth he ascended and descended; on the fifth he built an altar and offered a sacrifice thereon; [but] on the sixth he had no time. Surely that was on account of [the giving of] the Torah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which supports the Rabbis that the Torah wis given on the sixth of the month. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ג ת"ש רבי יוסי אומר בשני עלה משה וירד בשלישי עלה וירד בד' ירד ושוב לא עלה ומאחר שלא עלה מהיכן ירד אלא ברביעי עלה וירד בחמישי בנה מזבח והקריב עליו קרבן בששי לא היה לו פנאי מאי לאו משום תורה
3 — No: it was on account of the preparations for<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'trouble of'. ');"><sup>8</sup></span> the Sabbath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The sixth of the month being Friday, the eve of the Sabbath. ');"><sup>9</sup></span> A certain Galilean lectured before R. Hisda:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the public lectures or sermons the scholar sat and whispered his statements to a speaker, who conveyed them to the people; this Galilean was probably R. Hisda's speaker (generally referred to as 'meturgeman'). ');"><sup>10</sup></span> Blessed be the Merciful One who gave a three-fold Torah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the Torah (Pentateuch), Prophets and Hagiographa. ');"><sup>11</sup></span>
ד לא משום טורח שבת דרש ההוא גלילאה עליה דרב חסדא בריך רחמנא דיהב אוריאן תליתאי לעם תליתאי על ידי תליתאי ביום תליתאי בירחא תליתאי כמאן כרבנן:
4 to a three-fold people<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Israel consisting of Priests, Levites, and Israelites. ');"><sup>12</sup></span> through a third[-born]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. Moses, born third after Miriam and Aaron. ');"><sup>13</sup></span> on the third day<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of their separation from their wives. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> in the third month. With whom does this agree? With the Rabbis.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For according to R. Jose it was on the fourth day of their separation, Moses having added a day (supra 87a). ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
ה (שמות יט, יז) ויתיצבו בתחתית ההר א"ר אבדימי בר חמא בר חסא מלמד שכפה הקב"ה עליהם את ההר כגיגית ואמר להם אם אתם מקבלים התורה מוטב ואם לאו שם תהא קבורתכם א"ר אחא בר יעקב מכאן מודעא רבה לאורייתא אמר רבא אעפ"כ הדור קבלוה בימי אחשורוש דכתיב (אסתר ט, כז) קימו וקבלו היהודים קיימו מה שקיבלו כבר
5 And they stood under the mount:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XIX. 17. The translation is literal. E.V. nether part. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> R. Abdimi b. Hama b. Hasa said: This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, overturned the mountain upon them like an [inverted] cask, and said to them,'If ye accept the Torah, 'tis well; if not, there shall be your burial.' R. Aha b. Jacob observed: This furnishes a strong protest against the Torah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It provides an excuse for non-observance, since it was forcibly imposed in the first place. ');"><sup>17</sup></span> Said Raba, Yet even so, they re-accepted it in the days of Ahasuerus, for it is written, [the Jews] confirmed, and took upon them [etc.]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Esth. IX, 27. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> [i.e.,] they confirmed what they had accepted long before. Hezekiah said: What is meant by, Thou didst cause sentence to be heard from Heaven; The earth feared, and was tranquil:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXVI, 9. ');"><sup>19</sup></span>
ו אמר חזקיה מאי דכתיב (תהלים עו, ט) משמים השמעת דין ארץ יראה ושקטה אם יראה למה שקטה ואם שקטה למה יראה אלא בתחילה יראה ולבסוף שקטה ולמה יראה כדריש לקיש דאמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (בראשית א, לא) ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום הששי ה' יתירה למה לי מלמד שהתנה הקב"ה עם מעשה בראשית ואמר להם אם ישראל מקבלים התורה אתם מתקיימין ואם לאו אני מחזיר אתכם לתוהו ובוהו:
6 if it feared, why was it tranquil, and if it was tranquil, why did it fear? But at first it feared, yet subsequently it was tranquil,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It feared lest Israel would reject the Torah, and became tranquil when israel accepted it. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> And why did it fear? — Even in accordance with Resh Lakish. For Resh Lakish said: Why is it written, And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. I, 31. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> What is the purpose of the additional 'the'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of the other days it is simply stated, a second day, a third day, etc., 'a' being altogether unexpressed in Hebrew. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, stipulated with the Works of Creation and said thereto. 'If Israel accepts the Torah, ye shall exist; but if not, I will turn you back into emptiness and formlessness.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He thus translates homiletically: and the continuance of morning and evening was depended on the sixth day, sc. of Siwan, when israel was offered the Torah. The general idea is: Without law and order as exemplified by the Torah the world must lapse into chaos and anarchy. ');"><sup>23</sup></span>
ז דרש ר' סימאי בשעה שהקדימו ישראל נעשה לנשמע באו ששים ריבוא של מלאכי השרת לכל אחד ואחד מישראל קשרו לו שני כתרים אחד כנגד נעשה ואחד כנגד נשמע וכיון שחטאו ישראל ירדו מאה ועשרים ריבוא מלאכי חבלה ופירקום שנאמר (שמות לג, ו) ויתנצלו בני ישראל את עדים מהר חורב א"ר חמא בר' חנינא בחורב טענו בחורב פרקו בחורב טענו כדאמרן בחורב פרקו דכתיב ויתנצלו בני ישראל וגו' א"ר יוחנן וכולן זכה משה ונטלן דסמיך ליה ומשה יקח את האהל אמר ר"ל עתיד הקב"ה להחזירן לנו שנאמר (ישעיהו לה, י) ופדויי ה' ישובון ובאו ציון ברנה ושמחת עולם על ראשם שמחה שמעולם על ראשם
7 R. Simla lectured: When the Israelites gave precedence to 'we will do' over 'we will hearken,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Ex. XXIV, 7. Thus they promised to obey God's commands even before hearing them. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> six hundred thousand ministering angels came and set two crowns upon each man of Israel, one as a reward for<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'corresponding to'. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> 'we will do,' and the other as a reward for 'we will hearken'. But as soon as Israel sinned,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Through the Golden Calf ');"><sup>26</sup></span> one million two hundred thousand destroying angels descended and removed them, as it is said, And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., which they had received at Mount Horeb. Ibid. XXXIII, 6. E.V. from mount onwards'. ');"><sup>27</sup></span>
ח אמר רבי אלעזר בשעה שהקדימו ישראל נעשה לנשמע יצתה בת קול ואמרה להן מי גילה לבני רז זה שמלאכי השרת משתמשין בו דכתיב (תהלים קג, כ) ברכו ה' מלאכיו גבורי כח עושי דברו לשמוע בקול דברו ברישא עושי והדר לשמוע א"ר חמא ברבי חנינא מ"ד (שיר השירים ב, ג) כתפוח בעצי היער וגו' למה נמשלו ישראל לתפוח לומר לך מה תפוח זה פריו קודם לעליו אף ישראל הקדימו נעשה לנשמע
8 R. Hama son of R. Hanina said: At Horeb they put them on and at Horeb they put them off. At Horeb the put them on, as we have stated. At Horeb they put them off, for it is written, And [the children of Israel] stripped themselves, etc. R. Johanan observed: And Moses was privileged and received them all, for in proximity thereto it is stated, And Moses took the tent.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 7 — The reference is not clear. V. Rashi. ');"><sup>28</sup></span> Resh Lakish said: [Yet] the Holy One, blessed be He, will return them to us in the future, for it is said, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXXV, 10. ');"><sup>29</sup></span> the joy from of old<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The verse may be translated thus. ');"><sup>30</sup></span> shall be upon their heads.
ט ההוא צדוקי דחזייה לרבא דקא מעיין בשמעתא ויתבה אצבעתא דידיה תותי כרעא וקא מייץ בהו וקא מבען אצבעתיה דמא א"ל עמא פזיזא דקדמיתו פומייכו לאודנייכו אכתי בפחזותייכו קיימיתו ברישא איבעי' לכו למשמע אי מציתו קבליתו ואי לא לא קבליתו א"ל אנן
9 R. Eleazar said: When the Israelites gave precedence to 'we will do' over 'we will hearken,' a Heavenly Voice went forth and exclaimed to them, Who revealed to My children this secret, which is employed by the Ministering Angels, as it is written, Bless the Lord, ye angels of his. Ye mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, That hearken unto the voice of his word:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CIII, 20. ');"><sup>31</sup></span> first they fulfil and then they hearken? R. Hama son of R. Hanina said: What is meant by, As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, [So is my beloved among the sons]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cant. II, 3. The two lovers in this poem were regarded as God and Israel. ');"><sup>32</sup></span> why were the Israelites compared to an apple tree? To teach you: just as the fruit of the apple tree precedes its leaves,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosaf. observes this is untrue of the apple tree, which grows like all other trees; consequently refer this to the citron tree. As the citron remains on the tree from one year to the next, at which time the tree sheds its' leaves of the previous year, the fruit may be said to precede the leaves. ');"><sup>33</sup></span> so did the Israelites give precedence to 'we will do' over 'we will hearken'. There was a certain Sadducee who saw Raba<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There were no Sadducces in Raba's time, and the word is probably a censor's substitute for Gentile. In J.E. X, 633 bottom it is suggested that he was probably a Manichean. [MS.M: Min (v. Glos.)]. ');"><sup>34</sup></span> engrossed in his studies while the finger[s] of his hand were under his feet, and he ground them down, so that his fingers spurted blood. 'Ye rash people,' he exclaimed, 'who gave precedence to your mouth over your ears: ye still persist in your rashness. First ye should have listened, if within your powers, accept; if not, ye should not have accepted.' Said he to him, 'We
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