Sotah 82

מאתחלתא דמועד

, i.e., the beginning of the Festival.

וחזן הכנסת נוטל ס"ת ונותנו לראש הכנסת שמעת מינה חולקין כבוד לתלמיד במקום הרב אמר אביי כולה משום כבודו דמלך

THE SYNAGOGUE-ATTENDANT TAKES A TORAH-SCROLL AND HANDS IT TO THE SYNAGOGUE-PRESIDENT. Is it to be deduced from this that honour may be paid to a disciple in the presence of his master?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra 40b. ');">¹</span>

והמלך עומד ומקבל וקורא יושב אגריפס המלך עמד וקיבל וקרא עומד עומד מכלל דיושב והאמר מר אין ישיבה בעזרה אלא למלכי בית דוד בלבד שנא' (שמואל ב ז, יח) ויבא המלך דוד וישב לפני ה' ויאמר וגו' כדאמר רב חסדא בעזרת נשים הכא נמי בעזרת נשים

— Abaye said: [No]; all this was done for the purpose of honouring the king.

ושבחוהו חכמים שבחוהו מכלל דשפיר עבד האמר רב אשי אפי' למ"ד נשיא שמחל על כבודו כבודו מחול מלך שמחל על כבודו אין כבודו מחול שנא' (דברים יז, טו) שום תשים עליך מלך שתהא אימתו עליך

THE KING STANDS AND RECEIVES IT, BUT READS SITTING. KING AGRIPPA STOOD AND RECEIVED IT AND READ STANDING. [Since it is stated that] he stands, it follows that he had been sitting. But a Master has said: In the Temple-court the kings of the House of David alone were allowed to sit; as it is said: Then David the king went in, and sat before the Lord, and he said etc.!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. VII, 18. ');">²</span>

מצוה שאני

— It is as R. Hisda declared: [This occurred] in the Court of Women, and here also [with the reading by the king] it was in the Court of Women. FOR WHICH ACT THE SAGES PRAISED HIM. Since they praised him, it follows that he acted rightly; but R. Ashi has said: Even according to him who maintains that when a Nasi<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Chief of the Great Sanhedrin. ');">³</span>

וכשהגיע ללא תוכל לתת תנא משמיה דרבי נתן באותה שעה נתחייבו שונאי ישראל כלייה שהחניפו לו לאגריפס

forgoes the honour due to him one may avail himself of the permission, when a king forgoes the honour due to him one may not avail himself of the permission; as it is said: Thou shalt set a king over thee<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XVII, 15. ');">⁴</span>

אמר ר' שמעון בן חלפתא מיום שגבר אגרופה של חנופה נתעוותו הדינין ונתקלקלו המעשים ואין אדם יכול לומר לחבירו מעשי גדולים ממעשיך

— that his authority<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'fear'. ');">⁵</span>

דרש ר' יהודה בר מערבא ואיתימא ר' שמעון בן פזי מותר להחניף לרשעים בעולם הזה שנאמר (ישעיהו לב, ה) לא יקרא עוד לנבל נדיב ולכילי לא יאמר שוע מכלל דבעולם הזה שרי

may be over thee! — It is different [with the fulfilment of] a precept.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A king may forgo his honour when fulfilling it. ');">⁶</span>

ר' שמעון בן לקיש אמר מהכא (בראשית לג, י) כראות פני אלהים ותרצני

WHEN HE REACHED 'THOU MAYEST NOT PUT [etc.]'. A Tanna taught in the name of R. Nathan: At that moment<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the Rabbis said: 'Thou art our brother'. ');">⁷</span>

ופליגא דרבי לוי דאמר רבי לוי משל של יעקב ועשו למה הדבר דומה לאדם שזימן את חבירו והכיר בו שמבקש להורגו אמר לו טעם תבשיל זה שאני טועם כתבשיל שטעמתי בבית המלך אמר ידע ליה מלכא מיסתפי ולא קטיל ליה

the enemies of Israel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An euphemism for Israel. ');">⁸</span>

אמר רבי אלעזר כל אדם שיש בו חנופה מביא אף לעולם שנא' (איוב לו, יג) וחנפי לב ישימו אף ולא עוד אלא שאין תפלתו נשמעת שנאמר (איוב לו, יג) לא ישועו כי אסרם

made themselves liable to extermination, because they flattered Agrippa. R. Simeon b. Halafta said: From the day the fist of flattery prevailed, justice became perverted, conduct deteriorated, and nobody could say to his neighbour, 'My conduct is better than yours'. R. Judah the Palestinian — another version, R. Simeon b. Pazzi — expounded: It is permitted to flatter the wicked in this world, as it is said: The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXXII. 5. This verse alludes to the Hereafter. ');">⁹</span>

סימן א"ף עוב"ר גיהנ"ם ביד"ו ניד"ה גול"ה

— consequently it is allowed in this world. R. Simeon b. Lakish said: [It may be derived] from this text: As one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXXIII, 10. The words were spoken in flattery by Jacob to the wicked Esau. ');">¹⁰</span>

ואמר רבי אלעזר כל אדם שיש בו חנופה אפילו עוברין שבמעי אמן מקללין אותו שנא' (משלי כד, כד) אומר לרשע צדיק אתה יקבוהו עמים יזעמוהו לאומים ואין קוב אלא קללה שנא' (במדבר כג, ח) לא קבה אל ואין לאום אלא עוברין שנא' (בראשית כה, כג) ולאום מלאום יאמץ

On this point he is at variance with R. Levi; for R. Levi said: A parable of Jacob and Esau: To what is the matter like? To a man who invited his neighbour to a meal, and the latter perceived that he wished to kill him. So he said to him, 'The taste of this dish of which I am partaking is like the dish I tasted in the king's palace'. The other said [to himself]. 'He is acquainted with the king!' So he became afraid and did not kill him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Similarly Jacob's words were not flattery, but spoken with the intention of frightening Esau. ');">¹¹</span>

ואמר רבי אלעזר כל אדם שיש בו חנופה נופל בגיהנם שנא' (ישעיהו ה, כ) הוי האומרים לרע טוב ולטוב רע וגו' מה כתיב אחריו לכן כאכל קש לשון אש וחשש להבה ירפה וגו'

R. Eleazar said: Every man in whom is flattery brings anger upon the world: as it is said: But they that are flatterers at heart lay up anger.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXXVI, 13. ');">¹²</span>

ואמר רבי אלעזר כל המחניף לחבירו סוף נופל בידו ואם אינו נופל בידו נופל ביד בניו ואם אינו נופל ביד בניו נופל ביד בן בנו שנא' (ירמיהו כח, ה) ויאמר ירמיה לחנניה אמן כן יעשה ה' יקם ה' את דבריך וכתי'

Not only that, but their prayer remains unheard; as it continues, They cry not for help when He chasteneth them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because their cry receives no response. ');">¹³</span> (Mnemonic:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 171, n. 6. The first word refers to what has just preceded. ');">¹⁴</span> Anger, embryo, Gehinnom, in his hand, menstruant, exile). R. Eleazar also said: As for any man in whom is flattery, even the embryos in their mothers' wombs curse him; as it is said: He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXIV, 24. ');">¹⁵</span> — the word kob ['abhor'] means nothing but 'curse', as it is said: Whom God hath not cursed;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXIII, 8. ');">¹⁶</span> and le'om [nation] means nothing but 'embryo', as it is said: And the one le'om [nation] shall be stronger than the other nation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXV, 23. The context deals with the unborn sons of Rebekkah. ');">¹⁷</span> R. Eleazar also said: Every man in whom is flattery will fall into Gehinnom; as it is said: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. V, 20. ');">¹⁸</span> What is Written after that? Therefore as the tongue of fire devoureth the stubble, and as the dry grass sinketh down in the flame etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 24. ');">¹⁹</span> R. Eleazar also said: Whoever flattereth his neighbour<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Var. lec. 'the wicked'] ');">²⁰</span> will finally fall into his hand; if he does not fall into his hand, he will fall into the hand of his sons; and if he does not fall into his sons' hand, he will fall into the hand of his grandsons; as it is stated: And Jeremiah said to Hananiah, Amen; the Lord do so; the Lord perform thy words,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXVIII, 6. In the Massoretic text the reading is 'The prophet Jeremiah said: Amen; the Lord etc.' ');">²¹</span> and it is written,