Yoma 144

אלמלא בגדי כהונה לא נשתייר משונאיהן של ישראל שריד ופליט

garments for ministering in the holy place.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXV, 19.');">¹</span> But for the priestly garments, there would not have remained of the haters<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Euphemistic for Israel - a calamity is foreshadowed only in indirect fashion.');">²</span>

רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר דבי ר"ש תנא בגדים שגורדין אותן כברייתן מכליהן ומשרדין מהן כלום מאי היא ריש לקיש אמר אלו מעשה מחט

of Israel one to remain or to escape.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The root sarad (to plant) also means 'leaving over', hence the interpretation: the garments of escape, because they brought atonement for Israel, thereby preventing their extinction.');">³</span> R'Samuel B'Nahmani said: In the school of R'Simeon it was taught: [They were] webs which they cut off the looms in the shape required, leaving a small portion of the unwoven thread.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Here the term is explained as the garments, one part of which was left over unwoven, or unmade.');">⁴</span>

מיתיבי בגדי כהונה אין עושין אותן מעשה מחט אלא מעשה אורג שנאמר (שמות כח, לב) מעשה אורג אמר אביי לא נצרכה אלא לבית יד שלהם כדתניא בית יד של בגדי כהונה נארגת בפני עצמה ונדבקת עם הבגד ומגעת עד פיסת היד

What was that? - Resh Lakish said: It was needle-work.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [This is difficult, nor is the text apparently quite in order. According to Rashi the meaning is, what is done with the unwoven remnant? And the answer is that it is cut off, woven separately and then sewn on to the main garment].');">⁵</span> An objection was raised:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zeb. 88a.');">⁶</span>

אמר רחבה אמר רב יהודה שלש ארונות עשה בצלאל אמצעי של עץ תשעה פנימי של זהב שמונה חיצון עשרה ומשהו

'All priestly garments must not be made by needle-work, but by weaving', as it is said: woven work!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXVIII, 32.');">⁷</span> - Abaye said: This applies only to their sleeves, as it was taught: The sleeves of the priestly garments were woven apparently and then attached to the garment.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to Resh Lakish, then, the unwoven remnant would be used in connection with the sleeves.');">⁸</span>

והתניא אחד עשר ומשהו לא קשיא הא כמ"ד יש בעביו טפח הא כמ"ד אין בעביו טפח ומאי משהו זיר

They reached up to the wrist. Rehaba said in the name of Rab Judah: Three arks did Bezalel make: the middle one of wood, nine [handbreadths] high; the inner one of gold, eight high, the outer one of gold,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Reading with Bah.');">⁹</span>

א"ר יוחנן שלשה זירים הן של מזבח ושל ארון ושל שלחן של מזבח זכה אהרן ונטלו של שלחן זכה דוד ונטלו של ארון עדיין מונח הוא כל הרוצה ליקח יבא ויקח שמא תאמר פחות הוא ת"ל (משלי ח, טו) בי מלכים ימלוכו

a little more than ten high. But it was taught: A little more than eleven [high]? - That is no contradiction: the one opinion agrees with the view that the thickness thereof<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the outer ark.');">¹⁰</span>

רבי יוחנן רמי כתיב זר וקרינן זיר זכה נעשית לו זיר לא זכה זרה הימנו

was one handbreadth, the other was in accord with the view that the thickness thereof was not one handbreadth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [In order to understand the distinction thus drawn, it is well to remember that the three arks were open at the top; consequently if the thickness of the outer one was less than one handbreadth, a height of ten handbreadths and a little more would suffice: nine handbreadths corresponding to the height of the middle ark (when measured from without) and a fraction of a handbreadth to allow for the thickness of the outer ark at the bottom, while one extra handbreadth was necessary for the mercy seat which was inserted between the two side boards of the outer ark to rest upon the thickness of the sides of the two smaller arks. If, however, the thickness of the outer ark was one handbreadth, its height, measured from outside would then have to be at least ten handbreadths whilst for the purpose of the mercy seat an extra handbreadth would be necessary, making a total of eleven. As to the need of the 'little more' this will be explained soon. V. Rashi].');">¹¹</span> And what purpose served the 'little more'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mentioned in the Baraitha, v. supra n. 1.');">¹²</span>

ר' יוחנן רמי כתיב (דברים י, א) ועשית לך ארון עץ וכתיב (שמות כה, י) ועשו ארון עצי שטים מכאן לתלמיד חכם שבני עירו מצווין לעשות לו מלאכתו

- It is the space of the crown.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [V. Ex. XXV, 11. The side boards of the outer ark projected beyond the mercy seat that was inserted between them (cf. n. 1) , a kind of rim');">¹³</span> R'Johanan said: There were three crowns: that of the altar, that of the ark, and that of the table.

(שמות כה, יא) מבית ומחוץ תצפנו אמר רבא כל תלמיד חכם שאין תוכו כברו אינו תלמיד חכם

The one the altar Aaron deserved and he received it. The one of the ark, David deserved and received.

(אמר) אביי ואיתימא רבה בר עולא נקרא נתעב שנאמר (איוב טו, טז) אף כי נתעב ונאלח איש שותה כמים עולה

The one of the ark is still lying and whosoever wants to take it, may come and take it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Aaron, the first high priest, obtained the crown of priesthood, symbolized by the altar; David, the crown of kingdom; but there is no hereditary crown of learning, it must be acquired by each individual. The aspirants. however, are not many, hence it is still lying unclaimed.');">¹⁴</span> Perhaps you might think it is of little account, therefore the text reads: By me kings reign.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. VIII, 15. Wisdom is identified with Torah, through which it is acquired.');">¹⁵</span>

אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר ר' יונתן מאי דכתיב (משלי יז, טז) למה זה מחיר ביד כסיל לקנות חכמה ולב אין אוי להם לשונאיהן של תלמידי חכמים שעוסקין בתורה ואין בהן יראת שמים

R'Johanan pointed out a contradiction. It is written: Zar [alien] and we read it: zir? i.e.,[crown] - If he deserves it, it becomes a wreath unto him; if not it remains alien to him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Hebrew spelling of wreath may include the letter 'yod', without it the word might be read 'zar', stranger, hence the illustrative suggestion.');">¹⁶</span>

מכריז ר' ינאי חבל על דלית ליה דרתא ותרעא לדרתיה עביד

R'Johanan pointed out another contradiction. It is written: Make thee an ark of wood,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. X,1.');">¹⁷</span>

אמר להו רבא לרבנן במטותא מינייכו לא תירתון תרתי גיהנם

and it is also written: And they shall make an ark of acacia wood?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex.XXV, 10.');">¹⁸</span> Hence one learns that the inhabitants of his city are obliged to do the work of the scholar for him.

אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי מאי דכתיב (דברים ד, מד) וזאת התורה אשר שם משה זכה נעשית לו סם חיים לא זכה נעשית לו סם מיתה והיינו דאמר רבא דאומן לה סמא דחייא דלא אומן לה סמא דמותא

Within and without shalt thou overlay it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. II.');">¹⁹</span> Raba said: Any scholar whose inside is not like his outside, is no scholar.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Inside and outside there should be the same golden character.');">²⁰</span>

אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני רבי יונתן רמי כתיב (תהלים יט, ט) פקודי ה' ישרים משמחי לב וכתיב (תהלים יח, לא) אמרת ה' צרופה זכה משמחתו לא זכה צורפתו ריש לקיש אמר מגופיה דקרא נפקא זכה צורפתו לחיים לא זכה צורפתו למיתה

Abaye, or, as some say, Rabbah B''Ulla said: He is called abominable, as it is said: How much less one that is abominable and impure, man who drinketh iniquity like water.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XV,16; rendered, one who drinketh the water of the Torah and yet has iniquity in him.');">²¹</span> R'Samuel B'Nahmani, in the name of R'Jonathan: What is the meaning of the scriptural statement: Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool, to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XVII, 16. Wisdom is knowledge of the Torah, understanding is moral rightness, based on fear of heaven. Hence this interpretation.');">²²</span>

(תהלים יט, י) יראת ה' טהורה עומדת לעד אמר רבי חנינא זה הלומד תורה בטהרה מאי היא נושא אשה ואחר כך לומד תורה

i.e., woe unto the enemies of the scholars,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Euphemism for 'scholars'.');">²³</span> who occupy themselves with the Torah, but have no fear of heaven! R'Jannai proclaimed: Woe unto him who has no court, but makes a gateway for his court!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Fear of the Lord is the court, the goal. Learning should lead to it. Learning (the gateway) without reverence (the goal) is wasteful, sinful.');">²⁴</span>

עדות ה' נאמנה אמר רבי חייא בר אבא נאמנה היא להעיד בלומדיה

Raba said to the Sages: I beseech you, do not inherit a double Gehinnom!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Mishnah, Aboth VI, indicates that acquisition of the Torah depends upon a frugal way of living, a reduction of the margin of joy to a minimum. The reward is to come in after-life. Such reward depends upon reaching the goal of study; fear of heaven. One who now engages in Torah-study without possessing fear of heaven, suffers in this world, wherein he denies himself pleasure for the sake of his study, as well as in the other world, where because he had no fear of heaven, reward will be denied, punishment inflicted.');">²⁵</span> R'Joshua B'Levi said: What is the meaning of the Scriptural verse: And this is the law which Moses set [before the children of Israel]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. IV, 44.');">²⁶</span>

(שמות כו, לו) מעשה רוקם (שמות כו, א) מעשה חושב אמר רבי אלעזר שרוקמין במקום שחושבין

- If he is meritorious it becomes for him a medicine of life, if not, a deadly poison. That is what Raba [meant when he] said: If he uses it the right way it is a medicine of life unto him; he who does not use it the right way, it is a deadly poison.

תנא משמיה דרבי נחמיה רוקם מעשה מחט לפיכך פרצוף אחד חושב מעשה אורג לפיכך שני פרצופות

R'Samuel B'Nahmani said: R'Jonathan pointed out the following contradiction: it is written: The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XIX, 9.');">²⁷</span> but it is also written: The word of the Lord is tried?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XVIII, 31.');">²⁸</span>

באלו נשאלין באורים ותומים כי אתא רב דימי אמר בגדים שכהן גדול משמש בהן משוח מלחמה משמש בהן שנאמר (שמות כט, כט) ובגדי הקודש אשר לאהרן יהיו לבניו אחריו למי שבא בגדולה אחריו

If he is meritorious, it rejoices him; if not, it tries him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Here the part. passive is interpreted as active, 'tested' becomes 'testing'.');">²⁹</span> Resh Lakish said: From the body of the same passage this can be derived: If he is meritorious, it tests him unto life; if not, it tests him unto death.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It tries and refines him, so that he lives a finer life. It tries him by suffering, which ultimately destroys him.');">³⁰</span>

מתיב רב אדא בר אהבה ואמרי לה כדי יכול יהא בנו של משוח מלחמה משמש תחתיו כדרך שבנו של כהן גדול משמש תחתיו

The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XIX, 10.');">³¹</span> R'Hanina said: This refers to one who studies the Torah in purity. What does that mean? - He marries a woman and afterwards studies the Torah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that he is undisturbed by impure thoughts.');">³²</span> The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 8.');">³³</span> R'Hiyya B'Abba said: It [the Torah] may be entrusted to testify as to those who study it.' The work of the skillful workman.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXVI, 31.');">³⁴</span> the work of the skillf embroiderer.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. v. 1.');">³⁵</span> R'Eleazar said: Those embroidered over what they had traced. It was taught in the name of R'Nehemiah: The embroiderer's is needle-work, therefore it has only one [visible] figure. The designer's is weaving work, therefore it has two different figures.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the two sides of the cloth.');">³⁶</span> IN THESE WERE THE URIM AND THUMMIM INQUIRED OF. When R'Dimi came [from Palestine] he said: In the garments wherein the high priest officiates, the [priest] Anointed for Battle officiates, as it is And the holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXIX, 29.');">³⁷</span> i.e., for him who comes after him in greatness [of office]. R'Adda B'Ahabah, some say Kadi, raised an objection: One might have assumed that the son of the Anointed for Battle succeeds him in service, even as the son of the high priest succeeds him in service,