Shabbat 298:1

וכדברי (ב"ה) אף משום רבית

and according to Beth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. omit 'Beth', v. supra 148b. ');">¹</span> Hillel, usury too.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When they are not particular with each other, and one borrows and returns the same amount after its price advances, there is no usury, since neither cares whether the exact amount is returned or not. But there every change in value is scrupulously noted, and therefore if it advances there is usury. This does not refer particularly to Festivals. ');">²</span>

אי הכי בניו ובני ביתו נמי בניו ובני ביתו היינו טעמא כדרב יהודה אמר רב דאמר רב יהודה אמר רב מותר להלוות בניו ובני ביתו ברבית כדי להטעימן טעם רבית

If so, the same applies to his sons and household? — As for his sons and household, this is the reason, as Rab Judah [said] in Rab's name. For Rab Judah said in Rab's name: One may lend to his sons and household on interest, in order to give them experience thereof.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to let them know the taste of usury', i.e., the grief and anxiety it causes. ');">³</span> If so, a large portion [set off] against a small portion [should be permitted] too? — That indeed is so, and there is a lacuna, while it is thus taught: 'A MAN MAY CAST LOTS FOR HIS SONS AND HOUSEHOLD FOR THE TABLE, even [setting] a large portion against a small portion'. What is the reason? — As Rab Judah['s dictum] in Rab's name. Yet only for his sons and household, but not for strangers. What is the reason? — As Rab Judah['s dictum] in Samuel's name. [Further, 'setting] A LARGE PORTION AGAINST A SMALL PORTION is forbidden even on weekdays in the case of strangers'. What is the reason? — On account of gambling.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which this resembles. ');">⁴</span>

אי הכי מנה גדולה כנגד מנה קטנה נמי

AND [PRIESTS] MAY CAST LOTS FOR, etc. What does BUT NOT FOR THE PORTIONS mean? — Said R. Jacob the son of the daughter of Jacob: But [one must not cast lots] for the portions of weekday [sacrifices] on the Festivals. That is obvious? You might argue, since it is written, for thy people are like the Priests that quarrel,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hos. IV, 4 (E. V. 'for thy people are as they that strive with the priest)'. ');">⁵</span> even the portions of weekdays too:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To save them from quarrelling. ');">⁶</span>

אין ה"נ וחסורי מיחסרא והכי קתני מפיס אדם עם בניו ועם בני ביתו על השלחן אפי' מנה גדולה כנגד מנה קטנה מ"ט כדרב יהודה אמר רב עם בניו ועם בני ביתו אין עם אחרים לא מ"ט כדרב יהודה אמר שמואל מנה גדולה כנגד מנה קטנה אף בחול לאחרים אסור מ"ט משום קוביא:

therefore he informs us [that it is not so]. R. Jacob son of Jacob's daughter also said: He through whom his neighbour is punished is not permitted to enter within the barrier [precincts] of the Holy One, blessed be He. How do we know this? Shall we say, because it is written, And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner; and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And he said, I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. And he [the Lord] said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 1 Kings XXII, 20ff ');">⁷</span>

מטילין חלשין על וכו': מאי אבל לא על המנות א"ר יעקב בריה דבת יעקב אבל לא על המנות של חול ביו"ט פשיטא מהו דתימא הואיל וכתיב (הושע ד, ד) ועמך כמריבי כהן אפי' מנות דחול נמי קמ"ל

Now we discussed, What spirit is meant? And R. Johanan answered: The spirit of Naboth the Jezreelite.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is deduced from the employment of the def. art. in Hebrew: 'and the spirit came forth', implying a particular one, viz., that of Naboth the Jezreelite, whom Ahab had turned from a living human being into a spirit — by judicial murder; v. ibid, ch. XXI. ');">⁸</span> And what does 'go forth' mean? Said Rab, Go forth from within My precincts!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because he lured Ahab, to destruction, which proves the dictum of R. Jacob. ');">⁹</span>

וא"ר יעקב בריה דבת יעקב כל שחבירו נענש על ידו אין מכניסין אותו במחיצתו של הקב"ה מנלן אילימא משום דכתיב (מלכים א כב, כ) ויאמר ה' מי יפתה את אחאב ויעל ויפול ברמות גלעד ויאמר זה בכה וזה אמר בכה ויצא הרוח ויעמוד לפני ה' ויאמר אני אפתנו וגו' ויאמר אצא והייתי רוח שקר בפי כל נביאיו ויאמר תפתה וגם תוכל צא ועשה כן

But perhaps there this is the reason, [viz.,] because it is written, He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CI, 7. Though God sought to lure Ahab to his doom, He nevertheless desired it to be done by arguments drawn from true facts (Maharsha in Sanh. 89a). ');">¹⁰</span> Again, [if] it is derived from here: Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and be as one uncircumcised, etc.;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hab. II, 16. ');">¹¹</span>

ואמרינן מאי רוח א"ר יוחנן זה רוחו של נבות ומאי צא אמר רב צא ממחיצתי ודילמא התם היינו טעמא דכתיב (תהלים קא, ז) דובר שקרים לא יכון

and it is maintained: 'Thou art filled with shame for glory' refers to Nebuchadnezzar: [whilst] 'drink thou also and be as one uncircumcised', refers to Zedekiah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the verse is interpreted in the sense that Zedekiah too is regarded as uncircumcised and not permitted to enter the precincts of the Almighty, because Nebuchadnezzar was punished on his account. ');">¹²</span> — one [objection] is that the whole verse is written in reference to Nebuchadnezzar;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it can be so interpreted. ');">¹³</span>

אלא מהכא (חבקוק ב, טז) שבעת קלון מכבוד שתה גם אתה והערל וגו' שבעת קלון מכבוד זה נבוכדנצר שתה גם אתה והערל זה צדקיה חדא דכוליה קרא בנבוכדנצר כתיב ועוד צדקיה צדיקא מאי הוה ליה למיעבד ליה דא"ר יהודה אמר רב בשעה שבקש אותו רשע לעשות לאותו צדיק כך וכו'

and further, what could the righteous Zedekiah have done to him, for Rab Judah said in Rab's name: When that wicked man [Nebuchadnezzar] wished to do thus to that righteous man [Zedekiah]. etc.?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra for the complete allusion. ');">¹⁴</span> Rather [it follows] from this: Also to punish the righteous is not good.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XVII, 26. ');">¹⁵</span>

אלא מהכא (משלי יז, כו) גם ענוש לצדיק לא טוב אין לא טוב אלא רע וכתיב (תהלים ה, ה) כי לא אל חפץ רשע אתה לא יגורך רע צדיק אתה ה' ולא יגור במגורך רע

Now, 'is not good' can mean nought but [that he is] evil,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Translating the verse thus: even the righteous, when made the cause or vehicle of punishment, is accounted evil. ');">¹⁶</span> and it is written, For thou art a God that hath no pleasure in wickedness, evil shall not sojourn with thee, [which means,] Thou art righteous, therefore evil shall not sojourn in thy habitation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. V, 5 (E.V. 4). ');">¹⁷</span>

מאי משמע דהאי חלשים לישנא דפורא הוא דכתיב (ישעיהו יד, יב) איך נפלת משמים הילל בן שחר נגדעת לארץ חולש על גוים וגו' אמר רבה בר רב הונא מלמד שהיה מטיל פור על גדולי מלכות לידע איזה בן יומו של משכב זכור וכתיב (ישעיהו יד, יח) כל מלכי גוים כולם וגו' אמר רבי יוחנן שנחו ממשכב זכור

How is it implied that HALASHIM<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word used in the Mishnah. ');">¹⁸</span> connotes lots? — Because it is written, How art thou fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground thou holesh [who didst cast lots]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which didst lay low. ');">¹⁹</span>

וא"ר יוחנן כל ימיו של אותו רשע לא נמצא שחוק בפה כל בריה שנאמר (ישעיהו יד, ז) נחה שקטה כל הארץ פצחו רנה מכלל דעד השתא לא הוה רנה

over the nations, etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XIV, 12. ');">²⁰</span> Rabbah son of R. Huna said: This teaches that he [Nebuchadnezzar] cast lots over the royal chiefs<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The kings he had captured in battle. ');">²¹</span>

ואמר ר' יצחק אמר ר' יוחנן אסור לעמוד בביתו של אותו רשע שנא' (ישעיהו יג, כא) ושעירים ירקדו שם

to ascertain whose turn<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'day'. ');">²²</span> it was for pederasty. And it is written, All the kings of the nations, all of them, [sleep in glory. etc.].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 18. ');">²³</span>

ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב בשעה שביקש אותו רשע לעשות לאותו צדיק כך נמשכה ערלתו שלש מאות אמה והיתה מחזרת על כל המסיבה כולה שנאמר שבעת קלון מכבוד שתה גם אתה והערל ערל בגימטריא שלש מאות הוי

R. Johanan said: That means that they rested from pederasty.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ascription of pederasty to Nebuchadnezzar may be a covert allusion to the fact that the Romans were addicted to this vice; v. Weiss, Dor, II, 21. ');">²⁴</span> R. Johanan also said: As long as that wicked man lived mirth was never heard<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'found'. ');">²⁵</span>

ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב בשעה שירד אותו רשע לגיהנם רעשו כל יורדי גיהנם אמרו שמא למשול עליהם הוא בא או ליחלות כמותם הוא בא שנאמר (ישעיהו יד, י) גם אתה חולית כמונו אלינו נמשלת יצאתה ב"ק ואמרה (יחזקאל לב, יט) ממי נעמת רדה והשכבה את ערלים

in the mouth of any living being, for it is written, the whole world is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XIV, 7. ');">²⁶</span> whence it follows that hitherto<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., before Nebuchadnezzar's death. ');">²⁷</span>

(ישעיהו יד, ד) איך שבת נוגש שבתה מדהבה א"ר יהודה אמר רב שבתה אומה זו שאמרה

there was no singing. R. Isaac also said in R. Johanan's name: One may not stand in that wicked man's palace, for it is said, and satyrs shall dance there.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. Xlii, 21. ');">²⁸</span> Rab Judah said in Rab's name: When that wicked man [Nebuchadnezzar] wished to treat that righteous one [Zedekiah] thus,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., submit him to sexual abuse. ');">²⁹</span> his membrum was extended three hundred cubits and wagged in front of the whole company [of captive kings]. for it is said, Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and be as one uncircumcised [he'orel]: the numerical value of 'orel' is three hundred. Rab Judah also said in Rab's name: When that wicked man descended to Gehenna,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 153, n. 8. ');">³⁰</span> all who had [previously] descended thither trembled, saying, Does he come to rule over us, or to be as weak as we [are], for it is said, Art thou also become weak as we? or art thou to rule over us?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XIV, 10. This connects [H] with [H], to rule E.V.: art thou become like unto us. ');">³¹</span> A Heavenly Echo went forth and declared, Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down with, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XXXII, 19. ');">³²</span> How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city [madhebah] ceased.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XIV, 4. ');">³³</span> Rab Judah said in Rab's name: This people hath ceased, that demanded,