Yoma 149

עינו בכוסו עריות כולן דומות עליו כמישור וחד אמר כל הנותן עינו בכוסו כל העולם כולו דומה עליו כמישור

his eye in the cup,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Talmud takes the passage in this sense: When he puts his eye i.e., devotes his attention to the cup, when he is drunk.');">¹</span> all incestual intercourse appears to him like a plain;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Mesharim' ('smoothly') is connected with meshor, 'a plain'.');">²</span> the other said: One who indulges in his cup, the entire world appears to him like a plain.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In his drunken state the man overlooks all handicaps to his desire, be they directed against illicit intercourse or against his neighbour's property.');">³</span>

(משלי יב, כה) דאגה בלב איש ישחנה רבי אמי ורבי אסי חד אמר ישחנה מדעתו וחד אמר ישיחנה לאחרים

Care in the heart, boweth it down.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XII, 25.');">⁴</span> R'Ammi and R'Assi [explained it differently], one said: One should force it down,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One connects the word yashhenna (boweth it down) with the Hebrew nassah, 'to remove'; the other with the Hebrew suh, 'to speak'.');">⁵</span> the other said: One should tell thereof to others.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One connects the word yashhenna (boweth it down) with the Hebrew nassah, 'to remove'; the other with the Hebrew suh, 'to speak'.');">⁵</span>

(ישעיהו סה, כה) ונחש עפר לחמו ר' אמי ורבי אסי חד אמר אפילו אוכל כל מעדני עולם טועם בהם טעם עפר וחד אמר אפילו אוכל כל מעדני עולם אין דעתו מיושבת עליו עד שיאכל עפר

And dust shall be the serpent's food.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LXV, 25.');">⁶</span> R'Ammi and R'Assi [disputed its meaning], one said: Even if the serpent were to eat all the delicacies of the world, he would feel therein but the taste of dust; the other said Even though he ate all the delicacies of the world, his mind would not be at ease until he had eaten dust. It was taught: R'Jose said, Come and see how different the action of human beings is from that of the Holy One, blessed be He.

תניא אמר רבי יוסי בוא וראה שלא כמדת הקב"ה מדת בשר ודם מדת בשר ודם מקניט את חבירו יורד עמו לחייו אבל הקב"ה אינו כן קלל את הנחש עולה לגג מזונותיו עמו יורד למטה מזונותיו עמו

If one of flesh and blood is angry with his neighbour he persecutes him as far as depriving him of his livelihood, but it is different with the Holy One, blessed be He. Although He cursed the serpent, yet when he goes up to the roof, there is his food; if he goes down, there is his food. He cursed Canaan:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. IX, 26. God did not really curse him, it was Noah who did so. But by decreeing that Canaan be a slave, He seems to confirm Noah's curse.');">⁷</span>

קלל את כנען אוכל מה שרבו אוכל ושותה מה שרבו שותה קלל את האשה הכל רצין אחריה קלל את האדמה הכל ניזונין הימנה

yet he eats what his master eats, drinks what his master drinks. He cursed the woman,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Here, too, God did not really curse the woman, unless the punishment He meted out to her may imply a curse. All the passages here adduced are connected either by the fact that R. Ammi and R. Assi discussed them or by association of ideas.');">⁸</span> all are running after her.

(במדבר יא, ה) זכרנו את הדגה אשר נאכל במצרים חנם רב ושמואל חד אמר דגים וחד אמר עריות מאן דאמר דגים דכתיב נאכל ומאן דאמר עריות דכתיב חנם

He cursed the earth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. III, 17.');">⁹</span> all are feeding from it. We remember the fish which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 5.');">¹⁰</span>

ולמאן דאמר עריות הא כתיב נאכל לישנא מעליא נקט דכתיב (משלי ל, כ) אכלה ומחתה פיה ואמרה לא פעלתי און ולמאן דאמר דגים מאי חנם דהוו מייתין להו מהפקירא דאמר מר כשהיו ישראל שואבין מים הקב"ה מזמין להם בתוך המים דגים קטנים בכדיהן

Rab and Samuel [were disputing its meaning], one said: [Fish here means] real fish; the other said: Illicit intercourse.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [I.e., they chafed under the new restrictions in matters of intercourse that had been imposed on them.]');">¹¹</span> One who said it means real fish [explains it so because of] 'which we were wont to eat'; the other who interprets it as 'illicit intercourse', does so because the term 'for nought' is used.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The suggestion is that whereas regular marriage implied widowhood (kethubah) , before that mohar (dowry, Ex. XXII, 16) , no such financial responsibility is necessary in the case of illicit intercourse.');">¹²</span> But according to him who said it means 'intercourse', does not Scripture read: 'Which we were wont to eat'? - Scripture uses an euphemism, as it is written: She eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith: I have done no wickedness.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXX, 20, referring to an unchaste woman.');">¹³</span>

בשלמא למאן דאמר דגים אבל עריות לא פריצי בהו היינו דכתב (שיר השירים ד, יב) גן נעול אחותי כלה [גו'] אלא למ"ד עריות מאי מעין חתום מהנך דאסירין לא פריצי בהו

What does 'for nought' mean according to him who says they were real fish? - They were brought to them from public property, for a Master taught: When the Israelites were drawing water, the Holy One, blessed be He, prepared for them in the water little fish for their pitchers. According to him who said 'real fish', but with regard to illi intercourse [he holds] they were not dissolute, it will be quite right that Scripture said: A garden shut up is my sister, etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cant. IV, 12.');">¹⁴</span> but according to the view that fishes mean 'illicit intercourse', what 'fountain sealed' is her - They were not dissolute with regard to forbidden relations.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [I.e., those that had been already forbidden to the sons of Noah, v. Sanh. 57b].');">¹⁵</span>

בשלמא למאן דאמר עריות היינו דכתיב (במדבר יא, י) וישמע משה את העם בוכה למשפחותיו על עסקי משפחותיו שנאסרו להם לשכב אצלם אלא למאן דאמר דגים מאי בוכה למשפחותיו הא והא הואי

It will be right according to him who interprets it as 'illicit intercourse', hence Scripture said: And Moses heard the people weeping for their families,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 10: E.V. 'family by family'; because of its families, family affairs, prohibitions of family life.');">¹⁶</span> i.e., because of the families [relations] with whom they were forbidden to have intercourse; but according to him who interprets it as 'fish', what does 'weeping for their families' mean? - Both<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The one (fish) is obvious, the other (illicit intercourse) is suggested.');">¹⁷</span> are implied.

(במדבר יא, ה) את הקשואים ואת האבטיחים רבי אמי ורבי אסי חד אמר טעם כל המינין טעמו במן טעם חמשת המינין הללו לא טעמו בו וחד אמר טעם כל המינין טעמו טעמן וממשן והללו טעמן ולא ממשן

The cucumbers and the melons.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 361, n. 4.');">¹⁸</span> R'Ammi and R'Assi [were disputing its meaning], one said: They found in the manna the taste of every kind of food, but not the taste of these five;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Israelites remembered sadly these foods, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, garlic. which they had enjoyed in Egypt and which they now missed. Evidently the manna substituted for all other foods, but these five. The latter were 'absent' because these foods do not agree with women in pregnancy.');">¹⁹</span> the other said: Of all kinds of food they felt both taste and substance, but of these the taste only without the substance.

(שמות טז, לא) (והמן) כזרע גד לבן (וטעמו) אמר ר' אסי עגול כגידא ולבן כמרגלית (תניא נמי הכי) גד שדומה לזרע פשתן בגבעולין

Now the manna was like gad [coriander] seed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 7.');">²⁰</span> R'Assi said [it was] round like a seed [of coriander] and white like a pearl. Our Rabbis taught: 'Gad' i.e., the manna resembled the seed of flax in its capsules.

אחרים אומרים גד שדומה להגדה שמושכת לבו של אדם כמים תניא אידך גד שמגיד להם לישראל אי בן תשעה לראשון ואי בן שבעה לאחרון

Others say: 'Gad' i.e., was like a tale, which draws the heart of man, even like water.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Connecting it with rt. negad, draw, pull, attract.');">²¹</span> Another [Baraitha] taught: 'Gad', because it revealed to Israel whether the child was one of nine months' pregnancy from the first husband, or of seven months' [pregnancy] from the second.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The 'omer per head in each household (v. Ex. XVI, 16) being arranged miraculously in accord with the true state of affairs, would be found in the house of the true father and thus would reveal whose child the infant was. Gad is thus connected with the causative of nagad, meaning to 'reveal', 'tell'.');">²²</span> 'White',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Being dependent for their daily food on God's bounty, the children of Israel would reflect on their conduct and continually improve it in order to deserve God's food.');">²³</span>

לבן שמלבין עונותיהן של ישראל

because it makes white [cleanses] the sins of Israel. It was taught: R'Jose said: Even as the prophet would tell Israel what is to be found in clefts or holes so would the manna reveal to Israel what is to 'be found in clefts or holes'. How that?

תניא ר' יוסי אומר כשם שהנביא היה מגיד להם לישראל מה שבחורין ומה שבסדקין כך המן מגיד להם לישראל מה שבחורין ומה שבסדקין כיצד שנים שבאו לפני משה לדין זה אומר עבדי גנבת וזה אומר אתה מכרתו לי אמר להם משה לבוקר משפט למחר אם נמצא עומרו בבית רבו ראשון בידוע שזה גנבו אם נמצא עומרו בבית רבו שני בידוע שזה מכרו לו

If, e.g. , two men came before Moses with a law-suit, one saying: You have stolen my servant, the other saying: You have sold him to me, Moses would say to them: To-morrow judgment will be pronounced. To-morrow, then: If his [the slave's] 'omer was found in the house of his first master, it was evidence that the other one had stolen him; if it was found in the house of his second master, that was proof that the former had sold him to the latter. Similarly, if a man and a woman came before Moses with a suit, he saying: She acted offensively against me, and she asserting: He acted offensively against me, Moses would say to them: To-morrow judgment will be pronounced.

וכן איש ואשה שבאו לפני משה לדין זה אומר היא סרחה עלי והיא אומרת הוא סרח עלי אמר להם משה לבקר משפט למחר אם נמצא עומרה בבית בעלה בידוע שהיא סרחה עליו נמצא עומרה בבית אביה בידוע שהוא סרח עליה

On the morrow: If her 'omer was found in her husband's house, that was proof that she had acted offensively, but if it was found in her father's house, that was evidence that he had acted offensively towards her.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In either situation the 'omer would be found in the home of him who deserved it. The master of the slave would have an additional 'omer bestowed upon himself; the husband whom his wife had offended would have the measure in his house, where she belonged; if the husband had ill-treated her, so that her father's house was a legitimate refuge, her 'omer would be found there. Thus would the gad (to which the manna was compared) reveal the true state of affairs. In the case of the slave he would be restored, on the evidence of the 'omer, to his master; in the case of the wife, either the husband would have to pay her her marriage settlement (kethubah) or, if she had been guilty, she would forfeit it.');">²⁴</span> It is written: And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 9.');">²⁵</span> and it is also written: And the people shall go out and gather,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XVI, 4.');">²⁶</span>

כתיב (במדבר יא, ט) וברדת הטל על המחנה לילה [ירד המן עליו] וכתיב (שמות טז, ד) ויצא העם ולקטו וכתיב (במדבר יא, ח) שטו העם ולקטו הא כיצד צדיקים ירד על פתח בתיהם בינונים יצאו ולקטו רשעים שטו ולקטו

and it is written too: The people went about and gathered it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 8.');">²⁷</span> How all that?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These three statements seem incompatible with one another; according to Num. XI, 9 the manna fell into the camp; according to Ex. XVI, 4 outside thereof, whereas according to Num. XI, 8 it was so far away from the camp that the people had to go far to find it. ,udug');">²⁸</span> - Unto the righteous it fell in front of their homes; the average folk went out and gathered, whereas the wicked ones had to go about to gather it.

כתיב לחם וכתיב עוגות וכתיב וטחנו הא כיצד צדיקים לחם בינונים עוגות רשעים טחנו בריחים

It is written: 'bread',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XVI, 4.');">²⁶</span> and it is written, [dough of] 'cakes',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' , Num. XI, 8; this denotes cakes while yet unbaked (Rashi) .');">²⁹</span> and it is written, 'they ground it'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' , Num. XI, 8; this denotes cakes while yet unbaked (Rashi) .');">²⁹</span>

(במדבר יא, ח) או דכו במדוכה א"ר יהודה אמר רב ואיתימא ר' חמא בר' חנינא מלמד שירד להם לישראל עם המן תכשיטי נשים דבר שנידוך במדוכה (במדבר יא, ח) ובשלו בפרור א"ר חמא מלמד שירד להם לישראל עם המן ציקי קדירה

How that? - The righteous received it as bread, the average Israelites as [dough of] cakes, and the wicked ones had to grind it in the handmill. Or beat it in mortars.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 8.');">³⁰</span> Rab Judah said in the name of Rab, or as some say, R'Hama B'Hanina: That teaches that there came down to Israel with the manna the cosmetics for women, i.e., a thing that is ground in a mortar.

(שמות לו, ג) והם הביאו אליו עוד נדבה בבקר בבקר מאי בבקר בבקר א"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן מדבר שירד להם בבקר בבקר מלמד שירדו להם לישראל אבנים טובות ומרגליות עם המן (שמות לה, כז) והנשיאים הביאו את אבני השהם תנא נשיאים ממש וכן הוא אומר (משלי כה, יד) נשיאים ורוח וגשם אין

And seethed it in pots.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 8.');">³⁰</span> R'Hama said: This intimates that with the manna there came down to Israel the ingredients for pudding. And they brought yet unto him freewill-offerings every morning.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXVI, 3.');">³¹</span>

(במדבר יא, ח) והיה טעמו כטעם לשד השמן א"ר אבהו מה שד זה תינוק טועם בה כמה טעמים אף המן כל זמן שישראל אוכלין אותו מוצאין בו כמה טעמים א"ד לשד ממש מה שד זה מתהפך לכמה גוונין אף המן מתהפך לכמה טעמים

What does 'every morning' mean? - R'Samuel B'Nahmani, in the name of R'Jonathan said: [This:] Of those things which came down every morning intimates that, together with the manna, there came down to Israel precious stones and pearls, as it is said: And hanesi'im brought the onyx stones;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word nesi'im, from the root nasa, 'to lift up'; thus things lifted up, elevated, may mean either princes or clouds.');">³²</span> [and] it was taught: [nesi'im here means]: clouds literally, as it is said also: As clouds [nesi'im] and winds, without rain.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXV, 14.');">³³</span> And the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 8.');">³⁰</span>

(שמות טז, ח) ויאמר משה בתת ה' לכם בערב בשר לאכול ולחם בבקר לשבוע תנא משמיה דר' יהושע בן קרחה בשר ששאלו שלא כהוגן ניתן להם שלא כהוגן

R'Abbuha said: [Do not read le-shad (cake) , but shad (breast) ]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supplemented from Bah.');">³⁴</span> viz: Just as the infant find very many a flavour in the breast, so also did Israel find many a taste in the manna as long as they were eating it. Some there are who say: ['Le-shad' means] a real demon; even as the demon changes into many colours, so did the manna change into many tastes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word le-shad may mean cake, as the simple text has it. It may also be connected with shad, 'breast', or with shed, 'demon'. Thus the two following interpretations. The different tastes of the milk depend on the food the mother has eaten.');">³⁵</span> And Moses said: This shall be when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XVI, 8.');">³⁶</span> A Tanna [taught] in the name of R'Joshua B'Karhah: The flesh for which they asked improperly was given to them at an improper time;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They had enough cattle to feed their lust for flesh, their importune prayers for flesh, hence, were improper, and they would in punishment receive the flesh at night when, because of the need for preparation, it came too late, 'at an improper time', because usable only the next day.');">³⁷</span>