Yoma 56

Chapter 56

א <big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> תניא ר' ישמעאל אומר ברק ברקאי ר"ע אומר עלה ברקאי נחומא בן אפקשיון אומר אף ברקאי בחברון מתיא בן שמואל (אומר) הממונה על הפייסות אומר האיר פני כל המזרח עד שבחברון רבי יהודה בן בתירא אומר האיר פני כל המזרח עד בחברון ויצאו כל העם איש איש למלאכתו
1 It was taught: R'Ishmael said: The morning [star] shines. R'Akiba said the morning [star] rose.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A later time.');"><sup>1</sup></span> Nahuma B'Afkashion said: The morning [star] is already in Hebron.
ב אי הכי נגה ליה טובא לשכור פועלים קאמרינן
2 Mathia B'Samuel, the officer in charge of the counts, said: The whole east even unto Hebron is alight. R'Judah B'Bathyra said: The whole east even unto Hebron is alight and all the people have gone forth, each to his work. If that were the case, it would be [too much of the day] too late! - Rather: each to hire working men.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' All the people have gone forth, each to his work, refers not to the workingmen who leave for work at a later hour, but to the contractors, who early in the morning hire their men for the day's work.');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג אמר רב ספרא צלותיה דאברהם מכי משחרי כותלי
3 R'Safra said: The [afternoon] prayer of Abraham<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The afternoon prayer is by tradition ascribed to Isaac, but since he learned it from his father, Abraham receives here the credit for it. Or, as ejmh Tosaf. Ber. ');"><sup>3</sup></span> is due when the walls begin to grow dark.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Are no longer shone upon by the sun, that is after the middle of the day.');"><sup>4</sup></span> R'Joseph said: Shall we indeed learn [our laws] from Abraham?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For Abraham lived before the Torah was given and Israelites should follow the conduct of the prophets, who knew and practised the Torah rather than that of Abraham who, whilst living in its spirit, could not have known all the laws thereof. There are, of course, also views according dj vn to which Abraham practised the oral and the written law, v. below. v. Tosaf. Moed Katon, 20a, s.v. .');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ד אמר רב יוסף אנן מאברהם ניקום וניגמר אמר רבא תנא גמר מאברהם ואנן לא גמרינן מיניה דתניא (ויקרא יב, ג) וביום השמיני ימול בשר ערלתו מלמד שכל היום כשר למילה אלא שהזריזין מקדימין למצות שנאמר (בראשית כב, ג) וישכם אברהם בבקר ויחבוש וגו'
4 - Raba answered: A Tanna learned from Abraham and we should not learn from him! For it has been taught: And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XII, 3.');"><sup>6</sup></span> this passage teaches that the whole of the [eighth] day is proper for the circumcision, but the zealots perform their religious duty as early as possible as it is said: And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his ass.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXII, 3, the reference may also be ibid. XIX, 27, v. Meg. 20a.');"><sup>7</sup></span> - Rather, said Raba, is it this that appeared difficult to R'Joseph: For we have learnt: If the eve of Passover falls on the eve of Sabbath, the paschal lamb is to be slaughtered at one half after the sixth hour,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The day was divided into twelve hours of varying duration, in winter an hour may be as short as forty minutes, in summer as long as ninety.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ה אלא אמר רבא רב יוסף הא קא קשיא ליה דתנן חל ערבי פסחים להיות בע"ש נשחט בשש ומחצה וקרב בשבע ומחצה ונשחטיה מכי משחרי כותלי
5 and offered up at one half after the seventh hour.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Pes. 58a.');"><sup>9</sup></span> - But let it be slaughtered when the walls begin to grow dark!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., after the beginning of the seventh hour-after midday.');"><sup>10</sup></span> - What is the difficulty?
ו מאי קושיא ודילמא כותלי דבית המקדש בשש ומחצה משחרי משום דלא מכווני טובא א"נ שאני אברהם דאיצטגנינות גדולה היתה בלבו א"נ משום דזקן ויושב בישיבה הוה דא"ר חמא בר' חנינא מימיהן של אבותינו לא פרשה ישיבה מהם
6 Perhaps the walls of the Sanctuary begin to grow dark half an hour after the sixth hour because they were not exactly straight.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was narrower above than below and thus did not cast a shadow till later in the afternoon.');"><sup>11</sup></span> Or [one might say]: It was different with Abraham whose heart [mind] knew great astronomical speculation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And could hence foretell the exact hour; V. B.B., Sonc. ed., p. 83, n. II.');"><sup>12</sup></span> Or: Because he was an elder [zaken] who had a seat at the scholar's council,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And could hence foretell the exact hour; V. B.B., Sonc. ed., p. 83, n. II.');"><sup>12</sup></span>
ז היו במצרים ישיבה עמהם שנאמר (שמות ג, טז) לך ואספת את זקני ישראל היו במדבר ישיבה עמהם שנאמר (במדבר יא, טז) אספה לי שבעים איש מזקני ישראל אברהם אבינו זקן ויושב בישיבה היה שנאמר (בראשית כד, א) ואברהם זקן בא בימים יצחק אבינו זקן ויושב בישיבה היה שנאמר (בראשית כז, א) ויהי כי זקן יצחק יעקב אבינו זקן ויושב בישיבה היה שנאמר (בראשית מח, י) ועיני ישראל כבדו מזוקן
7 for R'Hama B'Hanina said: Our ancestors were never left without the scholars' council. In Egypt they had the scholars' council, as it is said: Go and gather the elders of Israel together;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. III, 16.');"><sup>13</sup></span> in the wilderness they had the scholars' council, as it is said: Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 16.');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ח אליעזר עבד אברהם זקן ויושב בישיבה היה שנאמר (בראשית כד, ב) ויאמר אברהם אל עבדו זקן ביתו המושל בכל אשר לו אר"א שמושל בתורת רבו (בראשית טו, ב) הוא דמשק אליעזר א"ר אלעזר שדולה ומשקה מתורתו של רבו לאחרים
8 our father Abraham was an elder and a member of the scholars' council, as it is said: And Abraham was [zaken] an elder well stricken in age;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXIV, I. E.V. 'was old'.');"><sup>15</sup></span> our father Isaac was an elder and a member of the scholars' council, as it is said: And it came to pass when Isaac was an elder [zaken];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVII, 1.');"><sup>16</sup></span> our father Jacob was an elder and a member of the scholars' council, as it is said: Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age [zoken];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XLVIII, 10.');"><sup>17</sup></span>
ט אמר רב קיים אברהם אבינו כל התורה כולה שנאמר (בראשית כו, ה) עקב אשר שמע אברהם בקולי וגו' א"ל רב שימי בר חייא לרב ואימא שבע מצות הא איכא נמי מילה ואימא שבע מצות ומילה א"ל א"כ מצותי ותורותי למה לי
9 [even] Eliezer, the servant of Abraham was an elder and a member of the scholars' council, as it is said: And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all he had,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXIV, 2. vnfj vbea vz ize');"><sup>18</sup></span> which R'Eleazar explained to mean that he ruled over [knew, controlled] the Torah of his master.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XV, 2. In all these cases the word zaken (elder) is interpreted in accord with Sifra, Kedoshim. III, 7: () a zaken is he who has acquired wisdom (through study) . eans vkus vean');"><sup>19</sup></span> Eliezer of Damascus': R'Eleazar said, He was so called because he drew<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is a play on , as if it were a compositum of (one who draws) and , (one who gives drink) .');"><sup>20</sup></span>
י אמר (רב) ואיתימא רב אשי קיים אברהם אבינו אפילו עירובי תבשילין שנאמר תורותי אחת תורה שבכתב ואחת תורה שבעל פה
10 and gave drink to others of his master's teachings. Rab said: Our father Abraham kept the whole Torah, as it is said: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice [kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXVI, 5.');"><sup>21</sup></span> R'Shimi B'Hiyya said to Rab: Say, perhaps, that this refers to the seven laws?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Obligatory upon 'The sons of Noah', i.e., upon all civilized nations and individuals. They include the commandment to promote justice, and the prohibitions of idolatry, immorality, blasphemy, murder, cruelty to animals, and theft.');"><sup>22</sup></span>
יא מתיא בן שמואל אמר וכו' והוא אומר הן מאן אמר הן אילימא הך דקאי אאיגרא הוא חלים והוא מפשר אלא הך דקאי אארעא מנא ידע
11 - Surely there was also that of circumcision!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which Abraham observed.');"><sup>23</sup></span> Then say that it refers to the seven laws and circumcision [and not to the whole Torah]? - If that were so, why does Scripture say: 'My commandments and My laws'? Raba or R'Ashi said: Abraham, our father, kept even the law concerning the 'erub of the dishes,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'mixing of dishes'. One may not prepare food on a holy day, which falls on Friday, for the Sabbath immediately following it. But one may start on the eve of the holy day to prepare such food for the Sabbath, the cooking on the holy day being but a continuation of this weekday work. This provision is not Biblical.');"><sup>24</sup></span>
יב איבעית אימא הך דקאי אארעא ואיבעית אימא הך דקאי אאיגרא איבעית אימא הך דקאי אאיגרא אמר איהו האיר פני כל המזרח וא"ל הך דקאי אארעא עד שבחברון וא"ל איהו הן
12 as it is said: 'My Torahs':<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Taking the word Torah in its sense as the sum-total of Jewish Law.');"><sup>25</sup></span> one being the written Torah, the other the oral Torah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The written Law, i.e., the Five Books of Moses; the Oral Law, which Moses received on Sinai, handing it down to Joshua, the latter handing it down to the elders, the latter to the prophets, these to the Men of the Great Synod (Aboth I, 1) .');"><sup>26</sup></span> MATHIA B. SAMUEL SAID etc. AND HE ANSWERED 'YES'.
יג ואיבעית אימא הך דקאי אארעא אמר איהו האיר פני כל המזרח וא"ל עד שבחברון וא"ל הן
13 Who was it that said 'yes'? the man standing on the roof! Is he the dreamer and the interpreter?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It seems strange that one man should both ask the question and answer it.');"><sup>27</sup></span> Should it, then, be he who is standing on the ground, whence would he know?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He could not observe it from where he stood.');"><sup>28</sup></span>
יד ולמה הוצרכו לכך וכו' ומי מיחליף והתניא רבי אומר אינו דומה תימור של לבנה לתימור של חמה תימור של לבנה מתמר ועולה כמקל תימור של חמה מפציע לכאן ולכאן תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל יום המעונן היה ומפציע לכאן ולכאן אמר רב פפא שמע מינה יומא דעיבא כוליה שמשא
14 - If you like say it is he who stands on the roof, and if you like say it he who stands on the ground. If you want to say it is he who stands on the roof; he says: THE WHOLE EAST IS ALIGHT, the one standing on the ground answering: EVEN UNTO HEBRON? whereupon the former says: 'YES'.
טו למאי נפקא מינה לשטוחי עורות אי נמי לכדדרש רבא אשה לא תלוש לא בחמה ולא בחמי חמה
15 If you like say that it is he who stands on the ground: He says: THE WHOLE EAST IS ALIGHT? whereupon the other responds: EVEN UNTO HEBRON?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' ['Is this what you want to know'.]');"><sup>29</sup></span> and the former answers: 'YES'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' ['Indeed this is just what I ask'. The mention of Hebron is to recall the memory of the patriarchs who lie buried there. T. J. Yoma III, 1. V. Rashi. Var. lec.: He (who stands on the roof) says THE WHOLE EAST IS ALIGHT AS EAR AS HEBRON, and the other (who stands on the ground) says 'YES?' i.e., 'Indeed? are you sure it is so?' V. R. Hananel and D.S. a.l.]');"><sup>30</sup></span>
טז אמר רב נחמן זוהמא דשימשא קשי משימשא וסימניך דנא דחלא שברירי דשימשא קשו משימשא וסימניך דילפא
16 AND WHY WAS THAT CONSIDERED NECESSARY etc. But can it be confused?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Can the light of the moon be confused with that of the sun?');"><sup>31</sup></span> Has it not been taught: Rabbi says: The rising column of the moon is different from that of the sun. The light column of the moon rises straight like a stick, the light column of the sun [the dawn] irradiates in all directions? - The school o Ishmael taught: It was a cloudy day and the light was scattered in all directions.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On a cloudy day the rising column of the sun is invisible because of the heavy clouds and it is only where the clouds are somewhat scattered that it is visible, hence the confusion is possible.');"><sup>32</sup></span> R'Papa said: We can infer therefrom that on a cloudy day the sun is felt all over. What is the practical difference?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That this inference is mentioned here.');"><sup>33</sup></span> - In the spreading<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To be dried.');"><sup>34</sup></span> of skins, or, as Raba expounded: A woman should not knead<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The dough on the Passover to prepare unleavened cakes. R. Papa's maxim would make the rule more stringent.');"><sup>35</sup></span> either in the sun or in the heat o the sun. R'Nahman said: The sultry air of the sun<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Produced by the passage of the sun-rays through a cloudy atmosphere.');"><sup>36</sup></span> is more intense than that of direct sunlight, your analogy<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'your sign'.');"><sup>37</sup></span> being: a jar of vinegar;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which emits a stronger smell through a small opening than when quite open.');"><sup>38</sup></span> the dazzling sun-light<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Coming through cracks or breaks in the clouds.');"><sup>39</sup></span> is worse than the uncovered sun, your analogy being drippings [from the roof].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is more agreeable to enter completely (a bath or rainy place) than to get continual drippings on one's body.');"><sup>40</sup></span>
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