Shabbat 62

יראת שמים דומה לגזבר שמסרו לו מפתחות הפנימיות ומפתחות החיצונות לא מסרו לו בהי עייל מכריז רבי ינאי חבל על דלית ליה דרתא ותרעא לדרתא עביד אמר רב יהודה לא ברא הקב"ה את עולמו אלא כדי שייראו מלפניו שנאמר (קהלת ג, יד) והאלהים עשה שייראו מלפניו

the fear of Heaven is like a treasurer who is entrusted with the inner keys but not with the outer: how is he to enter? R. Jannai proclaimed: Woe to him who has no courtyard yet makes a gate for same!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Learning is a gate whereby one enters the court of piety. Woe to him who prepares the entry without the court itself! ');">¹</span> Rab Judah said, The Holy One, blessed be He, created His world only that men should fear Him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By 'fear' not dread but awe and reverence is to be understood, proceeding out of man's realization of God's essential perfection. This reverence, and the attempt to attain something of that perfection which it inculcates, is man's highest aim in life, and that is probably the meaning of this dictum; cf. Maim. (Guide, III, 52. ');">²</span> for it is said, and God hath done it, that men should fear before Him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. III, 14. ');">³</span>

ר' סימון ור' אלעזר הוו יתבי חליף ואזיל ר' יעקב בר אחא א"ל חד לחבריה ניקו מקמיה דגבר דחיל חטאין הוא א"ל אידך ניקו מקמיה דגבר בר אוריין הוא א"ל אמינא לך אנא דגבר דחיל חטאין הוא ואמרת לי את בר אוריין הוא

R. Simon and R. Eleazar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' in the Yalkut, 'Ekeb, 855 the reading is: Rabbi and R. Eleazar b. Simeon. ');">⁴</span> were sitting, when R. Jacob b. Aha came walking past. Said one to his companion, 'Let us arise before him, because he is a sin-fearing man.' Said the other, 'Let us arise before him, because he is a man of learning.' 'I tell you that he is a sin-fearing man, and you tell me that he is a man of learning!' retorted he.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The former is a greater attribute. ');">⁵</span> It may be proved that it was R. Eleazar who observed that he was a sin-fearing man. For R. Johanan said in R. Eleazar's name:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This would be R. Eleazar b. Pedath, R. Johanan's younger contemporary; he is hardly likely to have quoted him. Hence the Yalkut's version given in p. 142, n. 7 is preferable, and the reading is: R. Johanan in the name of R. Eleazar b. R. Simeon. ');">⁶</span>

תסתיים דרבי אלעזר הוא דאמר דגבר דחיל חטאין הוא דא"ר יוחנן משום ר' אלעזר אין לו להקב"ה בעולמו אלא יראת שמים בלבד שנאמר (דברים י, יב) ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלהיך שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה וגו' וכתיב (איוב כח, כח) ויאמר לאדם הן יראת ה' היא חכמה וגו' שכן בלשון יוני קורין לאחת הן תסתיים:

The Holy One, blessed be He, has nought else in His world but<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' i.e., cherishes nothing so highly. ');">⁷</span> the fear of Heaven alone, for it is said, And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God requires of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. X, 12. ');">⁸</span> and it is written, And unto man he said, Behold [hen], the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and in Greek one is hen.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus translating: the fear of the Lord is one, unique (in God's affections). ');">⁹</span>

דרש רב עולא מאי דכתיב (קהלת ז, יז) אל תרשע הרבה וגו' הרבה הוא דלא לירשע הא מעט לירשע אלא מי שאכל שום וריחו נודף יחזור ויאכל שום אחר ויהא ריחו נודף

That proves it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. R. Eleazar's (or, R. Eleazar b. Simeon's) view. ');">¹⁰</span> R. 'Ulla expounded: Why Is it written, Be not much wicked?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. VII, 17. ');">¹¹</span> must one not be much wicked, yet he may be a little wicked! But if one has eaten garlic and his breath smells, shall he eat some more garlic that his breath may [continue to] smell?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' i.e., having sinned a little, do not think that you must go on sinning. ');">¹²</span>

דרש רבא בר רב עולא מאי דכתיב (תהלים עג, ד) כי אין חרצובות למותם ובריא אולם אמר הקב"ה לא דיין לרשעים שאינן חרדין ועצבין מיום המיתה אלא שלבם בריא להן כאולם והיינו דאמר רבה מאי דכתיב (תהלים מט, יד) זה דרכם כסל למו יודעין רשעים שדרכם למיתה ויש להם חלב על כסלם שמא תאמר שכחה היא מהן ת"ל ואחריהם בפיהם ירצו סלה:

Raba son of R. 'Ulla expounded: What is meant by, For there are no pangs [harzuboth] in their death: but their strength is firm [bari] ulam]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXIII, 4. ');">¹³</span> The Holy One, blessed be He, said, it is not enough for the wicked that they do not tremble and are not grief-stricken before the day of death, but their hearts are as firm as an edifice.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Regarding harzuboth as a combination of hared (trembling) and 'azeb (grief-stricken) and translating ulam, a hall, edifice. ');">¹⁴</span> And that is what Raba said, What is meant by, This their way is their confidence [kesel]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XLIX, 14. ');">¹⁵</span>

כחס על הנר כו': ר' יוסי כמאן ס"ל אי כר' יהודה ס"ל אפילו בהנך נמי ליחייב ואי כר"ש ס"ל פתילה נמי ליפטר אמר עולא לעולם כר' יהודה ס"ל וקסבר ר' יוסי סותר על מנת לבנות במקומו הוי סותר על מנת לבנות שלא במקומו לא הוי סותר

The wicked know that their way is to death, but they have fat on their loins [kislam].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which close their understanding. The loins (reins) were regarded as the seat of understanding. ');">¹⁶</span> But lest you think that it is their forgetfulness, therefore it is stated, and they approve their end with their own mouths.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XLIX, 14. ');">¹⁵</span> IF HE WOULD SPARE THE LAMP, etc. With whom does R. Jose agree? If with R. Judah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That one is liable for work not needed in itself, v. p. 131, n. 4 ');">¹⁷</span>

א"ל רבה מכדי כל מלאכות ילפינן להו ממשכן והתם סותר ע"מ לבנות שלא במקומו הוא א"ל שאני התם כיון דכתיב (במדבר ט, יח) על פי ה' יחנו כסותר ע"מ לבנות במקומו דמי

then one should be liable for the others too; and if with R. Simeon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 12a. ');">¹⁸</span> he should be exempt even for[sparing] the wick? — Said 'Ulla, After all, he agrees with R. Judah; yet R. Jose holds that demolishing in order to rebuild on the same site is destroying, but if it is in order to rebuild elsewhere, it is not destroying.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One is not liable for desecrating the Sabbath when his work is destructive; but if he demolishes a house in order to rebuild, it is regarded as constructive. Now, extinguishing a wick, thereby destroying its light, is the equivalent of demolishing a house; if the purpose is to save the wick to be used again later, it is analogous to demolishing a house to build on the same site, since it is the wick which is extinguished and the wick which is to be relit. But if the purpose is to save the oil or the lamp, it is analogous to demolishing a house in order to rebuild elsewhere, for whereas the wick is extinguished, it is the oil or lamp that is saved for subsequent use. ');">¹⁹</span> Said Rabbah to him, Consider; all forms of labour are derived from the Tabernacle,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' infra 49b. ');">²⁰</span>

ור' יוחנן אמר לעולם כר"ש ס"ל ומאי שנא פתילה כדאמר רב המנונא ואיתימא רב אדא בר אהבה הכא בפתילה שצריך להבהבה עסקינן דבההיא אפילו ר"ש מודי דקא מתקן מנא אמר רבא דיקא נמי דקתני שהוא עושה פחם ולא קתני מפני שנעשית פחם ש"מ:

yet there it was taking down in order to rebuild elsewhere?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Tabernacle was only taken down when they had to journey onwards, and it was re-erected on their new camping pitch. ');">²¹</span> It was different there, answered he; for since it is written, At the commandment of the Lord they encamped, [and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. IX, 23. ');">²²</span> it was like demolishing in order to rebuild on the same site.

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> על שלש עבירות נשים מתות בשעת לידתן על שאינן זהירות בנדה בחלה ובהדלקת הנר:

But R. Johanan maintained: After all, he agrees with R. Simeon, yet why is the case of a wick different? As R. Hamnuna-others state, R. Adda b. Ahabah-said: This refers to a wick which needs singeing,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In order to burn clearer. ');">²³</span> and in such a case even R. Simeon agrees since he renders an object fit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For its purpose, and thus it is a labour needed for itself, which involves liability. ');">²⁴</span> Raba said, This may be inferred too, for it is stated, BECAUSE HE MAKES CHARCOAL, and not, because a charcoal is formed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The text implies that by extinguishing it he intends making charcoal, i.e., to make it more ready for relighting, and thus must apply to a wick which needs singeing. ');">²⁵</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> נדה מ"ט א"ר יצחק היא קלקלה בחדרי בטנה לפיכך תלקה בחדרי בטנה תינח נדה חלה והדלקת הנר מאי איכא למימר כדדרש ההוא גלילאה עליה דרב חסדא אמר הקב"ה רביעית דם נתתי בכם על עסקי דם הזהרתי אתכם

This proves it. <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. FOR THREE SINS WOMEN DIE IN CHILDBIRTH: BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OBSERVANT OF [THE LAWS OF] <i>NIDDAH</i>, <i>HALLAH</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the terms v. Glos. ');">²⁶</span> AND THE KINDLING OF THE [SABBATH] LIGHTS.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [In time before Sabbath sets in, v. Strashun]. ');">²⁷</span> <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. What is the reason of <i>niddah</i>? — Said R. Isaac: She transgressed through the chambers of her womb, therefore she is punished through the chambers of her womb. That is right of <i>niddah</i>, but what can be said of <i>hallah</i> and the kindling of lights? — As a certain Galilean lectured before R. Hisda: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I put a rebi'ith of blood in you;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rebi'ith=one log=one fourth of a kab, and was held to be the smallest quantity of blood within a human being on which life in be supported. ');">²⁸</span> therefore I commanded you concerning blood.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not to shed it: Gen. IX. 5f. ');">²⁹</span>