Sotah 69

וילכו ויבאו א"ר יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי מקיש הליכה לביאה מה ביאה בעצה רעה אף הליכה בעצה רעה

and they went and came.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XIII, 25f. ');">¹</span> R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon b. Yohai, It compares the going to the coming back; as the coming back was with an evil design, so the going was with an evil design.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They planned at the outset to bring back a discouraging report. ');">²</span>

(במדבר יג, כז) ויספרו לו ויאמרו באנו וגו' וכתיב אפס כי עז העם אמר רבי יוחנן (סימן אמ"ת לבד"ו לוי"ה) משום ר"מ כל לשון הרע שאין בו דבר אמת בתחילתו אין מתקיים בסופו

And they told him and said: We came etc.,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 27. ');">³</span> and it continues, Howbeit the people are strong.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 28. ');">⁴</span>

(במדבר יג, ל) ויהס כלב את העם אל משה אמר רבה שהסיתן בדברים

R. Johanan said<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Gemara inserts here: mnemonic — truth, alone, interment. These are keywords to assist in remembering the sequence of the passages treated. ');">⁵</span> in the name of R. Meir, Any piece of slander, which has not some truth in the beginning, will not endure in the end.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On that account the report opened with a true description of the land's fertility. ');">⁶</span>

פתח יהושע דקא משתעי אמרי ליה דין ראש קטיעה ימלל

And Caleb stilled [wa-yahas] the people concerning Moses<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 30. I.e., he silenced them to hear something about Moses. E.V. 'before'. ');">⁷</span> — Rabbah said, [It means] that he won them over [hissithan] with words. When Joshua began to address them, they said to him, 'Would this person with the lopped-off head<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An allusion to the fact that he was childless. What interest could he have in the conquest since he had no children to possess the land! (Rashi). ');">⁸</span>

אמר אי משתעינא אמרי בי מילתא וחסמין לי אמר להן וכי זו בלבד עשה לנו בן עמרם סברי בגנותיה קא משתעי אישתיקו

speak to us!' [Caleb] said [to himself], If I address them [in the same strain as Joshua], they will answer me in like manner and silence me; so he said to them, 'Is it this alone that Amram's son has done to us!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He chose his words that the people should imagine he was against Moses, and so they would listen to him. 'Alone' in this sentence is the key-word of the mnemonic. ');">⁹</span> They thought that he was speaking to censure Moses, so they were silent. Then he said to them, 'He brought us out of Egypt, divided the Red Sea for us and fed us with manna. If he were to tell us, Prepare ladders and ascend to heaven, should we not obey him! Let us go up at once and possess it etc.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">¹⁰</span>

אמר להו הוציאנו ממצרים וקרע לנו את הים והאכילנו את המן אם יאמר עשו סולמות ועלו לרקיע לא נשמע לו (במדבר יג, ל) עלה נעלה וירשנו אותה וגו'

But the men that went up with him said: We will not be able etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 31. ');">¹¹</span> R. Hanina b. Papa said: A grievous statement did they make at that moment, viz. For they are stronger than we — read not than we but than He;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [ [H] instead of [H] a difference of pronounciation in the Babylonian Masora, in order to distinguish between the 1st. masc. plur and 3rd. sing, (v. Ges. K. 1910 para. m, n. 1), and cf. Ibn Ezra on Ex. I, 9.] ');">¹²</span>

והאנשים אשר עלו עמו אמרו לא נוכל וגו' אמר רבי חנינא בר פפא דבר גדול דברו מרגלים באותה שעה כי חזק הוא ממנו אל תקרי ממנו אלא ממנו כביכול אפילו בעל הבית אינו יכול להוציא כליו משם

as it were even the master of the house cannot remove his furniture from there.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even God is powerless against them. ');">¹³</span> It is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XIII, 32. ');">¹⁴</span>

(במדבר יג, לב) ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא דרש רבא אמר הקב"ה אני חשבתיה לטובה והם חשבו לרעה אני חשבתיה לטובה דכל היכא דמטו מת חשיבא דידהו כי היכי דניטרדו ולא לשאלו אבתרייהו ואיכא דאמרי איוב נח נפשיה ואטרידו כולי עלמא בהספידא הם חשבו לרעה ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא

Raba expounded: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I intended this for good<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., that many Canaanites die there. Hence the word 'interment' in the mnemonic. ');">¹⁵</span> but they thought it in a bad sense. I intended this for good, because wherever [the spies] came, the chief [of the inhabitants] died, so that they should be occupied [with his burial] and not inquire about them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is how the spies were able to return unmolested. ');">¹⁶</span>

(במדבר יג, לג) ונהי בעינינו כחגבים וכן היינו וגו' אמר רב משרשיא מרגלים שקרי הוו בשלמא ונהי בעינינו כחגבים לחיי אלא וכן היינו בעיניהם מנא הוו ידעי

(Others say that Job died then and the whole world was occupied with mourning for him.) But they thought it in a bad sense: It is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This fate would befall the Israelites if they settled there. ');">¹⁷</span> And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 33. ');">¹⁸</span>

ולא היא כי הוו מברי אבילי תותי ארזי הוו מברי וכי חזינהו סלקו יתבי באילני שמעי דקאמרי קחזינן אינשי דדמו לקמצי באילני

R. Mesharsheya said: The spies were liars. As regards 'we were in our own sight as grasshoppers', very well; but how could they know that 'so we were in their sight'? But it is not so;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The spies did not lie in this matter. ');">¹⁹</span> for when [the inhabitants] held their funeral-meal<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After burying the dead, as mentioned above. ');">²⁰</span>

(במדבר יד, א) ותשא כל העדה ויתנו את קולם ויבכו אמר רבה אמר רבי יוחנן אותו היום [ערב] תשעה באב היה אמר הקב"ה הן בכו בכיה של חנם ואני אקבע להם בכיה לדורות

they ate it beneath cedar trees, and when [the spies] saw them they climbed the trees and sat there. Then they heard them say: 'We see men like grasshoppers in the trees'. And all the congregation lifted up their voice and wept.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XIV, 1. ');">²¹</span>

ויאמרו כל העדה לרגום אותם באבנים וכתיב (במדבר יד, י) וכבוד ה' נראה באהל מועד אמר רבי חייא בר אבא מלמד שנטלו אבנים וזרקום כלפי מעלה

Rabbah said in the name of R. Johanan: That day was the ninth of Ab;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Fifth month. On that date the two Temples were destroyed, and the day is observed as a fast. ');">²²</span> and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: They are now weeping for nothing, but I will fix [this day] for them as an occasion of weeping for generations.

(במדבר יד, לז) וימותו האנשים מוציאי דבת הארץ רעה במגפה אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש שמתו מיתה משונה אמר רבי חנינא בר פפא דרש ר' שילא איש כפר תמרתא מלמד שנשתרבב לשונם ונפל על טיבורם והיו תולעים יוצאות מלשונם ונכנסות בטיבורם ומטיבורם ונכנסות בלשונם ורב נחמן בר יצחק אמר באסכרה מתו

But all the congregation bade them stone them with stones,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 10. ');">²³</span> and it continues, And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting. R. Hiyya b. Abba said: It teaches that they took stones and hurled them against Him Who is above.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word 'them' includes God, ');">²⁴</span>

וכיון שעלה האחרון שבישראל מן הירדן חזרו מים למקומן שנאמר (יהושע ד, יח) ויהי בעלות הכהנים נושאי ארון ברית ה' מתוך הירדן נתקו כפות רגלי הכהנים אל החרבה וישובו מי הירדן למקומם וילכו כתמול שלשום על כל גדותיו

Even those men that did bring up an evil report of the land died by the plague.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XIV, 37. ');">²⁵</span> R. Simeon b. Lakish said: They died an unnatural death.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That is the meaning of 'by the plague'. ');">²⁶</span>

נמצא ארון ונושאיו וכהנים מצד אחד וישראל מצד אחד נשא ארון את נושאיו ועבר שנאמר (יהושע ד, יא) ויהי כאשר תם כל העם לעבור ויעבור ארון ה' והכהנים לפני העם

R. Hanina b. Papa said: R. Shila of Kefar Temarthah expounded; It<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The definite article in 'the plague' shows that it was not an ordinary epidemic. ');">²⁷</span> teaches that their tongue was elongated and reached down to their navel, and worms issued from their tongue and penetrated their navel and from their navel they penetrated their tongue. R. Nahman b. Isaac said: They died of croup.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was regarded as the severest form death could take (Ber. 8a) and was the fate of the slanderer (Shab. 33b). ');">²⁸</span>

ועל דבר זה נענש עוזא שנאמר (דברי הימים א יג, ט) ויבאו עד גורן כידון וישלח עוזא את ידו לאחוז את הארון אמר לו הקב"ה עוזא נושאיו נשא עצמו לא כל שכן

When<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After this long digression there is resumed the narrative of the crossing of the Jordan. ');">²⁹</span> the last of the Israelites ascended from the Jordan, the waters returned to their place; as it is said: And it came to pass, when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry ground, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and went over all its banks, as aforetime.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Josh. IV, 18. ');">³⁰</span>

(שמואל ב ו, ז) ויחר אף ה' בעוזא ויכהו שם על השל וגו' רבי יוחנן ור"א חד אמר על עסקי שלו וחד אמר שעשה צרכיו בפניו

Consequently the ark and its bearers and the priests were on one side [of the Jordan] and the Israelites on the other!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The text is understood in the same sense that the priests who carried the ark dipped their feet in the Jordan and the waters remained parted so long as the feet were kept there. When the Israelites had crossed, the priests lifted their feet out of the water, stepping back upon the bank. They were consequently on the other side; so how did they get over? ');">³¹</span> The ark carried its bearers and passed over [the river]; as it is said: And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 11. Note that the ark 'passed over', and was not carried over. ');">³²</span>

(שמואל ב ו, ז) וימת שם עם ארון האלהים א"ר יוחנן עוזא בא לעוה"ב שנאמר עם ארון האלהים מה ארון לעולם קיים אף עוזא בא לעוה"ב

On that account was Uzza punished, as it is said: And when they came unto the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Chron. XIII, 9. ');">³³</span> The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Uzza, [the ark] carried its bearers; must it not all the more [be able to carry] itself!'

(שמואל ב ו, ח) ויחר לדוד על אשר פרץ ה' פרץ בעוזא א"ר אלעזר שנשתנו פניו כחררה

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error [shal] etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. VI, 7. ');">³⁴</span> R. Johanan and R. Eleazar [differ on the interpretation of the word 'shal']. One said [that it means] on account of the act of error [shalu];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [ [H] error, neglect, cf. Ezra IV, 12.] ');">³⁵</span>

אלא מעתה כל היכא דכתיב ויחר ה"נ התם כתיב אף הכא לא כתיב אף

the other said [that it means] he relieved himself in its presence.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Shal is connected with the root nashal 'to drop off. ');">³⁶</span> And there he died by<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'with'. ');">³⁷</span>

דרש רבא מפני מה נענש דוד מפני שקרא לדברי תורה זמירות שנאמר (תהלים קיט, נד) זמירות היו לי חוקיך בבית מגורי

the ark of God. R. Johanan said: Uzzah entered the World to Come, as it is stated 'with the ark of God' — as the ark endures for ever, so Uzzah entered the World to Come. And David was angry, because the Lord had broken forth upon Uzzah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. VI, 8. 'Angry' is 'wa-yihar' lit., 'be kindled'. The explanation is intended to avoid the thought that David was angered against God. ');">³⁸</span>

אמר לו הקב"ה ד"ת שכתוב בהן (משלי כג, ה) התעיף עיניך בו ואיננו אתה קורא אותן זמירות הריני מכשילך בדבר שאפילו תינוקות של בית רבן יודעין אותו דכתיב (במדבר ז, ט) ולבני קהת לא נתן כי עבודת הקודש וגו' ואיהו אתייה בעגלתא

R. Eleazar said: His face was changed [so that it became in colour] like a cake baked upon the coals [hararah]. Are we to infer from this that wherever wa-yihar occurs it has this meaning? — In other passages the word 'af [anger] is added but here it is not added. Raba expounded: Why was David punished?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That Uzzah died through him. ');">³⁹</span>

(שמואל א ו, יט) ויך באנשי בית שמש כי ראו בארון משום דראו ויך (אלהים) רבי אבהו ורבי אלעזר חד אמר קוצרין ומשתחוים היו וחד אמר מילי נמי אמור

Because he called words of Torah 'songs', as it is said: Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXIX, 54. When he fled from his enemies, he entertained himself by treating Scriptural passages as songs. He thus made a profane use of them. ');">⁴⁰</span> The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Words of Torah, of which it is written: Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? It is gone,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXIII, 5 — i.e., the Torah is beyond human understanding. ');">⁴¹</span> thou recitest as songs! I will cause thee to stumble in a matter which even school-children know.' For it is written: But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary etc.;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. VII, 9. The ark had to be carried upon the shoulders of the Levites. ');">⁴²</span> and yet [David] brought it in a waggon. And he smote of the men of Beth-Shemesh, because they looked into the ark.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. VI, 19. ');">⁴³</span> God smote them because they looked into the ark! R. Abbahu and R. Eleazar [differ in their interpretation]; one said that they went on reaping while they prostrated themselves [before the ark];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The phrase [H] is taken to signify 'they gazed at the ark' with unbecoming interest, v. Driver, S.R., Samuel, a.l.] ');">⁴⁴</span> the other said that they also used this [disrespectful] language to it,