Avodah Zarah 4

Avodah Zarah 4

בָּהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״[כִּי] הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם בָּא בֹּעֵר כַּתַּנּוּר וְהָיוּ כׇל זֵדִים וְכׇל עֹשֵׂה רִשְׁעָה קַשׁ וְלִהַט אֹתָם הַיּוֹם הַבָא אָמַר ה׳ צְבָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַעֲזֹב לָהֶם שֹׁרֶשׁ וְעָנָף״, לֹא שׁוֹרֶשׁ — בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְלֹא עָנָף — לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

by it, as it is written: “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that comes shall set them ablaze, said the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Malachi 3:19). This verse is interpreted as follows: Neither a root shall remain for them in this world, nor will a branch grow for them in the World-to-Come. This teaches that the sun itself will burn and consume the wicked in the future.

צַדִּיקִים מִתְרַפְּאִין בָּהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וּמַרְפֵּא בִּכְנָפֶיהָ וְגוֹ׳״, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁמִּתְעַדְּנִין בָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וִיצָאתֶם וּפִשְׁתֶּם כְּעֶגְלֵי מַרְבֵּק״.

And the righteous will be healed by it, as it is written in the next verse: “But to you that fear My Name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 3:20). And moreover, not only will they be healed by it, but they will even be rejuvenated by it, as it is stated in the continuation of that verse: “And you shall go forth and leap as calves of the stall.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר: מָה דָּגִים שֶׁבַּיָּם — כׇּל הַגָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵירוֹ בּוֹלֵעַ אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ, אַף בְּנֵי אָדָם — אִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאָה שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, כָּל הַגָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵירוֹ בּוֹלֵעַ אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּתְנַן: רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סְגַן הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי מִתְפַּלֵּל בִּשְׁלוֹמָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת ״אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ חַיִּים בָּלָעוּ״.

Alternatively, just as in the case of fish of the sea, any fish that is bigger than another swallows the other, so too in the case of people, were it not for the fear of the ruling government, anyone who is bigger than another would swallow the other. And this is as we learned in a mishna (Avot 3:2) that Rabbi Ḥanina, the deputy High Priest, says: One should pray for the continued welfare of the government, as were it not for the fear of the government, every man would swallow his neighbor alive.

רַב חִינָּנָא בַּר פָּפָּא רָמֵי, כְּתִיב: ״שַׁדַּי לֹא מְצָאנֻהוּ שַׂגִּיא כֹחַ״, וּכְתִיב: ״גָּדוֹל אֲדוֹנֵינוּ וְרַב כֹּחַ״, וּכְתִיב: ״יְמִינְךָ ה׳ נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ״! לָא קַשְׁיָא, כָּאן בִּשְׁעַת הַדִּין, כָּאן בִּשְׁעַת מִלְחָמָה.

§ Rav Ḥinnana bar Pappa raises a contradiction between the following verses. It is written: “The Almighty, Whom we have not found out His excellent power” (Job 37:23), which indicates that His power has not been seen. And it is written elsewhere: “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power” (Psalms 147:5), and it is also written: “Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power” (Exodus 15:6), from which it may be inferred that His power is discernable. The Gemara answers: This is not difficult; here, in the first verse, God’s strength is not seen at a time of judgment, where He acts mercifully, whereas there, in the other verses, they are referring to a time of war, when He wages war against His enemies and His power is seen.

רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא רָמֵי: כְּתִיב ״חֵמָה אֵין לִי״, וּכְתִיב ״נֹקֵם ה׳ וּבַעַל חֵמָה״! לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן — בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּאן — בְּאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. רַב חִינָּנָא בַּר פָּפָּא אָמַר: ״חֵמָה אֵין לִי״ — שֶׁכְּבָר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי, ״מִי יִתְּנֵנִי״ — שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי, ״אֶהְיֶה שָׁמִיר וָשַׁיִת וְגוֹ׳״.

Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, raises a contradiction between the following verses. It is written: “Fury is not in Me” (Isaiah 27:4), and it is written: “The Lord is a jealous and furious God” (Nahum 1:2). The Gemara answers: This is not difficult; here, where it states that God has no fury, it is speaking with regard to the Jewish people, whereas there, where it says that God has fury, it is speaking with regard to the nations of the world. Rav Ḥinnana bar Pappa says in explanation of the verse: “Fury is not in Me; would that I were as the briers and thorns in flame! I would with one step burn it altogether” (Isaiah 27:4). “Fury is not in Me,” as I have already taken an oath that I will not destroy the Jewish people; “would that I” had not taken this oath, since then I would be active “as the briers and thorns in flame! I would with one step burn it altogether.”

וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֲבַקֵּשׁ לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶת כׇּל הַגּוֹיִם״, אֲבַקֵּשׁ מִמִּי? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֲבַקֵּשׁ בְּנִיגְנֵי שֶׁלָּהֶם, אִם יֵשׁ לָהֶם זְכוּת — אֶפְדֵּם, וְאִם לָאו — אַשְׁמִידֵם.

And this is the same as that which Rabbi Alexandri says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations” (Zechariah 12:9)? “I will seek” from whom? Does God need to seek permission? Rather, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I will seek and search in their records [benigeni]; if they have merit, I will redeem them, and if not, I will destroy them.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רָבָא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אַךְ לֹא בְעִי יִשְׁלַח יָד אִם בְּפִידוֹ לָהֶן שׁוּעַ״? אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: כְּשֶׁאֲנִי דָּן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵין אֲנִי דָּן אוֹתָם כְּאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, דִּכְתִיב: ״עַוָּה עַוָּה עַוָּה אֲשִׂימֶנָּה וְגוֹ׳״, אֶלָּא אֲנִי נִפְרָע מֵהֶן כְּפִיד שֶׁל תַּרְנְגוֹלֶת.

And this is the same as that which Rava says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Surely none shall put forth his hand to a ruinous heap, neither because of these things shall help come in one’s calamity [befido]” (Job 30:24)? The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to the Jewish people: When I judge the Jewish people, I do not judge them as I judge the nations of the world. When judging the nations of the world, I punish them for all of their transgressions together, as it is written: “A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, will I make it, this also shall be no more” (Ezekiel 21:32). Rather, I punish the Jewish people like the pecking [kefid] of a hen, which picks up only a tiny amount each time it pecks.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֲפִילּוּ אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין מִצְוָה לְפָנַי כִּי אִם מְעַט, כְּפִיד שֶׁל תַּרְנְגוֹלִין שֶׁמְּנַקְּרִין בָּאַשְׁפָּה, אֲנִי מְצָרְפָן לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן גָּדוֹל, [שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִם בְּפִידוֹ] לָהֶן שׁוּעַ״, [דָּבָר אַחֵר]: בַּשָּׂכָר שֶׁמְּשַׁוְּועִין לְפָנַי, אֲנִי מוֹשִׁיעַ אוֹתָם.

Alternatively, even if the Jewish people perform but a few mitzvot before Me, like the pecking of hens that peck in a dunghill, I will combine them to a large reckoning, as it is stated: “Though they peck [befido],” i.e., perform mitzvot a little at a time, “they will be saved [lahen shua]” (Job 30:24). Alternatively, in reward for the manner in which they cry out [shua] and pray before Me, I will save [moshia] them. In other words, God punishes the Jewish people for each individual infraction, but He does not destroy them entirely in a moment of fury.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וְאָנֹכִי אֶפְדֵּם וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ עָלַי כְּזָבִים״? אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֶפְדֵּם בְּמָמוֹנָם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּזְכּוּ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ עָלַי כְּזָבִים.

And this is the same as that which Rabbi Abba says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And though I will redeem them, they have spoken lies against Me” (Hosea 7:13)? I said that I would redeem them through taking away their money in this world so that they should merit the World-to-Come, but they have spoken lies against Me, by saying that I am angry and uninterested in them.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רַב פַּפִּי מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וַאֲנִי יִסַּרְתִּי חִזַּקְתִּי זְרוֹעֹתָם וְאֵלַי יְחַשְּׁבוּ רָע״? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֲיַסְּרֵם בְּיִסּוּרִין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיֶּחְזְקוּ זְרוֹעוֹתָם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְאֵלַי יְחַשְּׁבוּ רָע.

And this is the same as that which Rav Pappi says in the name of Rava: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Though I have trained [yissarti] and strengthened their arms, yet they consider evil against Me” (Hosea 7:15)? The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I said that I would visit them [ayasserem] with afflictions in this world for their benefit, so that their arms would be strengthened in the World-to-Come, but they consider that which I have done as evil.

מִשְׁתַּבַּח לְהוּ רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ לְמִינֵי בְּרַב סָפְרָא, דְּאָדָם גָּדוֹל הוּא, שְׁבַקוּ לֵיהּ מִיכְסָא דִּתְלֵיסַר שְׁנִין. יוֹמָא חַד אַשְׁכְּחוּהוּ, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: כְּתִיב ״רַק אֶתְכֶם יָדַעְתִּי מִכֹּל מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה עַל כֵּן אֶפְקֹד עֲלֵיכֶם אֶת כׇּל עֲוֹנֹתֵיכֶם״, מַאן דְּאִית לֵיהּ סִיסְיָא בְּרָחֲמֵיהּ מַסֵּיק לֵיהּ? אִישְׁתִּיק וְלָא אֲמַר לְהוּ וְלָא מִידֵּי, רְמוֹ לֵיהּ סוּדָרָא בְּצַוְּארֵיהּ וְקָא מְצַעֲרוּ לֵיהּ.

With regard to the afflictions of the Jewish people, the Gemara relates: Rabbi Abbahu would praise Rav Safra to the heretics by saying that he is a great man. Therefore, they remitted Rav Safra’s obligation to pay taxes for thirteen years, as they relied upon Rabbi Abbahu’s word and wanted to reward a great man. One day they found Rav Safra and said to him: It is written: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will visit upon you all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). The meaning of this verse is unclear, as why would God punish specifically the Jewish people because He loves them? One who has wrath [siseya], does he raise it against his beloved? Rav Safra was silent and did not say anything in response to them. They threw a scarf around his neck and tormented him, by pulling and denigrating him.

אֲתָא רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ אַשְׁכְּחִינְהוּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: אַמַּאי מְצַעֲרִיתוּ לֵיהּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: וְלָאו אָמְרַתְּ לַן דְּאָדָם גָּדוֹל הוּא? וְלָא יָדַע לְמֵימַר לַן פֵּירוּשָׁא דְּהַאי פְּסוּקָא! אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֵימַר דַּאֲמַרִי לְכוּ בְּתַנָּאֵי, בִּקְרָאֵי מִי אֲמַרִי לְכוּ?

Rabbi Abbahu came and found them doing this to Rav Safra. Rabbi Abbahu said to them: Why are you tormenting him? They said to him: And didn’t you say to us that he is a great man? But he did not even know how to tell us the explanation of this verse. Rabbi Abbahu said to them: You can say that I said this praise of Rav Safra to you only with regard to the Oral Law and the statements of tanna’im, but did I say to you that he is knowledgeable with regard to the Bible?

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מַאי שְׁנָא אַתּוּן דְּיָדְעִיתוּן? אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֲנַן דִּשְׁכִיחִינַן גַּבֵּיכוֹן — רָמִינַן אַנַּפְשִׁין וּמְעַיְּינַן, אִינְהוּ לָא מְעַיְּינִי.

They said to Rabbi Abbahu: What is different about you Sages of Eretz Yisrael, that you know the Bible as well? Rabbi Abbahu said to them: We, who are situated among you heretics and are forced to debate the meaning of verses, we impose upon ourselves this obligation and analyze verses in depth. By contrast, those Sages of Babylonia, who are not forced to debate you, do not analyze the Bible in such depth.

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: לֵימָא לַן אַתְּ! אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֶמְשׁוֹל לָכֶם מָשָׁל, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאָדָם שֶׁנּוֹשֶׁה מִשְּׁנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם, אֶחָד אוֹהֲבוֹ וְאֶחָד שׂוֹנְאוֹ. אוֹהֲבוֹ — נִפְרָע מִמֶּנּוּ מְעַט מְעַט, שׂוֹנְאוֹ — נִפְרָע מִמֶּנּוּ בְּבַת אַחַת.

The heretics said to Rabbi Abbahu: In that case, you should tell us the meaning of this verse. Rabbi Abbahu said to them: I will relate a parable to you. To what is this matter comparable? It is comparable to a person who lends money to two people, one of whom is his beloved, and the other one is his enemy. In the case of his beloved, he collects the debt from him little by little, whereas in the case of his enemy he collects the debt from him all at once. So too, with regard to the Jewish people, God punishes them for each transgression as it occurs, so that they should not receive one severe punishment on a single occasion.

אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כָּהֲנָא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״חָלִילָה לְּךָ מֵעֲשֹׂת כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְהָמִית צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע״? אָמַר אַבְרָהָם לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, חוּלִּין הוּא מֵעֲשׂוֹת כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְהָמִית צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע.

§ The Gemara continues discussing the manner in which God metes out punishment. Rabbi Abba Bar Kahana says: What is the meaning of that which is written as part of Abraham’s prayer to God, when God informed him that He was going to destroy Sodom: “That be far [ḥalila] from You to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked” (Genesis 18:25)? This is what Abraham said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, it is a sacrilege [ḥullin] for You to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked.

וְלָא? וְהָכְתִיב: ״וְהִכְרַתִּי מִמֵּךְ צַדִּיק וְרָשָׁע״! בְּצַדִּיק שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּמוּר.

The Gemara asks: And does God not act in this manner? But isn’t it written: “And I will cut off from You the righteous and the wicked” (Ezekiel 21:8)? The Gemara answers: There the verse is referring to a righteous person who is not completely righteous, and he will therefore be destroyed along with the wicked.

אֲבָל בְּצַדִּיק גָּמוּר לָא? וְהָכְתִיב ״וּמִמִּקְדָּשִׁי תָּחֵלּוּ״, וְתָנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף: אַל תִּקְרֵי ״מִמִּקְדָּשִׁי״ אֶלָּא ״מִמְּקוּדָּשַׁי״, אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁקִּיְּימוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מֵאָלֶף וְעַד תָּיו. הָתָם נָמֵי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה בְּיָדָם לִמְחוֹת וְלֹא מִיחוּ, הָווּ לְהוּ כְּצַדִּיקִים שֶׁאֵינָן גְּמוּרִים.

The Gemara raises a difficulty: But is it true that one who is completely righteous cannot be destroyed along with the wicked? But isn’t it written in a prophecy about the destruction of the Temple that God says to the destroyers: “And begin at My Sanctuary [mimmikdashi]” (Ezekiel 9:6); and Rav Yosef teaches: Do not read the word as “mimmikdashi,” but rather read it as mimmekudashai, those sanctified to Me. He explains: These are people who observed the Torah in its entirety, from the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet alef through its final letter tav. These people observed every mitzva in the Torah, and yet they were destroyed along with the wicked. The Gemara answers the difficulty: There too, since they had the power to protest against the wicked and prevent them from sinning and they did not protest, they are considered as righteous people who are not completely righteous.

רַב פָּפָּא רָמֵי, כְּתִיב: ״אֵל זֹעֵם בְּכׇל יוֹם״, וּכְתִיב: ״לִפְנֵי זַעְמוֹ מִי יַעֲמוֹד״! לָא קַשְׁיָא, כָּאן בְּיָחִיד, כָּאן בְּצִבּוּר.

Rav Pappa raises a contradiction between the following verses. It is written: “A God that has indignation every day” (Psalms 7:12), and yet the world still exists, and it is written: “Who can stand before His indignation?” (Nahum 1:6). The Gemara answers: This is not difficult; here, where the verse states that no one can stand before His indignation, it is referring to an individual, whereas there, when it is written that God is indignant every day, it is referring to the community, which can withstand the indignation of God, due to its cumulative merits.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״אֵל זֹעֵם בְּכׇל יוֹם״, וְכַמָּה זַעְמוֹ? רֶגַע. וְכַמָּה רֶגַע? אַחַת מֵחֲמֵשׁ רִיבּוֹא וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה בְּשָׁעָה, זוֹ הִיא רֶגַע, וְאֵין כָּל בְּרִיָּה יְכוֹלָה לְכַוֵּין אוֹתָהּ רֶגַע חוּץ מִבִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ:

The Sages taught with regard to the verse: A God that has indignation every day. And how long does His indignation last? It lasts a moment. And how long is a moment? One in 53,848 parts of an hour, a very small amount of time, that is a moment. The Gemara adds: And no entity can precisely determine that moment when God is indignant, except for Balaam the wicked, that it is written concerning him:

״וְיֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן״ — אֶפְשָׁר דַּעַת בְּהֶמְתּוֹ לָא הֲוָה יָדַע, דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן מִי הֲוָה יָדַע?

“And knows the knowledge of the Most High” (Numbers 24:16). Now, this should not be understood to mean that Balaam knew the thoughts of God, as is it possible that Balaam did not know the mind of his animal, and yet he did know the mind of the Most High?

מַאי ״דַּעַת בְּהֶמְתּוֹ לָא הֲוָה יָדַע״? בְּעִידָּנָא דַּחֲזוֹ לֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה רְכִיב אַחֲמָרֵיהּ, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מַאי טַעְמָא לָא רְכַבְתָּא אַסּוּסְיָא? אֲמַר לְהוּ: בִּרְטִיבָא שְׁדַאי לֵיהּ. מִיָּד: ״וַתֹּאמֶר הָאָתוֹן הֲלֹא אָנֹכִי אֲתֹנְךָ״, אֲמַר לַהּ: לִטְעִינָא בְּעָלְמָא.

The Gemara clarifies: What is meant by the claim that Balaam did not know the mind of his animal? When the princes of Moab saw that Balaam was riding on his donkey, they said to him: What is the reason that you do not ride upon a horse, which is more fitting for you? Balaam said to them: I am riding on a donkey because I left my horse in a meadow to graze. Immediately: “And the donkey said to Balaam: Am not I your donkey?” (Numbers 22:30), i.e., the donkey you always use. Balaam said to it: For carrying burdens only, not for riding.

אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: ״אֲשֶׁר רָכַבְתָּ עָלַי״! אֲמַר לַהּ: אַקְרַאי בְּעָלְמָא. אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: ״מֵעוֹדְךָ וְעַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה״, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשָׂה לָךְ רְכִיבוּת בַּיּוֹם וְאִישׁוּת בַּלַּיְלָה. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״הַהַסְכֵּן הִסְכַּנְתִּי״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״וַתְּהִי לוֹ סֹכֶנֶת״.

The donkey further said to Balaam: “Upon which you have ridden.” Balaam said to it: Merely at irregular occurrences. The donkey said to him: “All your life long unto this day” (Numbers 22:30). The donkey added: And moreover, I perform for you riding during the day, and marriage, i.e., intercourse, during the night. The Gemara explains: This is derived from the following comparison: It is written here that Balaam’s donkey said: “Was I ever wont [hahasken hiskanti] to do so to you” (Numbers 22:30), and it is written there, with regard to Abishag the Shunammite and King David: “And be a companion [sokhenet] unto him; and let her lie in your bosom” (I Kings 1:2). This teaches that the term hiskanti alludes to sexual intercourse.

אֶלָּא מַאי ״וְיוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן״? שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ לְכַוֵּין אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כּוֹעֵס בָּהּ, וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר לְהוּ נָבִיא: ״עַמִּי זְכׇר נָא מַה יָּעַץ בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב וּמֶה עָנָה אוֹתוֹ בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר מִן הַשִּׁטִּים וְעַד הַגִּלְגָּל לְמַעַן דַּעַת צִדְקוֹת ה׳״.

The Gemara returns to its previous question: Rather, what is the meaning of: “And knows the knowledge of the Most High” (Numbers 24:16)? It means that he was able to determine precisely the hour at which the Holy One, Blessed be He, is angry. At that moment Balaam would utter his curse and, through God’s anger, it would be fulfilled. And this is what the prophet said to the Jewish people: “O My people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, devised, and what Balaam, son of Beor, answered him; from Shittim unto Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord” (Micah 6:5).

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: עַמִּי, רְאוּ כַּמָּה צְדָקוֹת עָשִׂיתִי עִמָּכֶם שֶׁלֹּא כָּעַסְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם כָּל אוֹתָן הַיָּמִים, שֶׁאִם כָּעַסְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם לֹא נִשְׁתַּיֵּיר מִשּׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׂרִיד וּפָלִיט, וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר לֵיהּ בִּלְעָם לְבָלָק: ״מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל וּמָה אֶזְעֹם לֹא זֹעֵם ה׳״.

Rabbi Elazar says, in explanation of that verse: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the Jewish people: My nation, see how many acts of kindness I performed for you, that I did not become angry at you during all of those days when Balaam attempted to curse the Jewish people, and he was not able to find a moment of divine anger. As, had I become angry at you, there would not have remained a remnant or a refugee among the enemies of the Jewish people, a euphemism for the Jewish people themselves. Instead, God restrained His anger and Balaam’s curse went unfulfilled. And this is what Balaam said to Balak: Since God is not becoming angry, I can do nothing, as: “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I execrate whom the Lord has not execrated”? (Numbers 23:8).

וְכַמָּה זַעְמוֹ? רֶגַע. וְכַמָּה רֶגַע? אָמַר אַמֵּימָר, וְאִיתֵּימָא רָבִינָא: רֶגַע כְּמֵימְרֵיהּ. וּמְנָלַן דְּרֶגַע הֲוָה רִיתְחֵיהּ? דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי רֶגַע בְּאַפּוֹ חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ״. וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא מֵהָכָא: ״חֲבִי כִּמְעַט רֶגַע עַד יַעֲבׇר זַעַם״.

The Gemara further discusses this matter: And how long does His indignation last? It lasts a moment. And how long is a moment? Ameimar, and some say Ravina, said: It lasts as long as it takes to say the word moment [rega]. The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that God’s anger lasts for only a moment? As it is written: “His anger is but for a moment; His favor, for a lifetime” (Psalms 30:6). And if you wish, say instead that it is derived from here: “Hide yourself for a brief moment, until the anger passes” (Isaiah 26:20), meaning that God’s anger passes in a mere moment.

אֵימַת רָתַח? אָמַר אַבַּיֵי: בִּתְלָת שָׁעֵי קַמָּיָיתָא, כִּי חִיוָּרָא כַּרְבָּלְתָּא דְתַרְנְגוֹלָא. כֹּל שַׁעְתָּא וְשַׁעְתָּא מִחְוָור חָיוְרָא? כָּל שַׁעְתָּא אִית בֵּיהּ סוּרְיָיקֵי סוּמָּקֵי, הָהִיא שַׁעְתָּא לֵית בֵּיהּ סוּרְיָיקֵי סוּמָּקֵי.

The Gemara asks: When is God angry? Abaye said: During the first three hours of the day, when the crest of the rooster whitens in the sun, as though life has left the rooster and it suddenly turns white, that is when God is angry. The Gemara asks: Doesn’t its crest whiten each and every hour? How can this serve as a sign? The Gemara answers: The difference is that every other hour there remain red streaks [surayekei] in the rooster’s crest, whereas at that hour of His anger there are no red streaks in its crest.

רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי הֲוָה מְצַעֵר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא [בִּקְרָאֵי], יוֹמָא חַד נְקַט תַּרְנְגוֹלָא [וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ בֵּין כַּרְעֵיהּ דְּעַרְסָא], וְעַיֵּין בֵּיהּ, סְבַר: כִּי מָטָא הָהִיא שַׁעְתָּא אֶלְטֵיהּ, כִּי מְטָא הָהִיא שַׁעְתָּא נַימְנֵם.

The Gemara relates: A certain heretic would distress Rabi Yehoshua ben Levi by incessantly challenging him as to the meaning of verses. One day, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi took a rooster and placed it between the legs of the bed upon which he sat, and looked at it. He thought: When that moment of God’s anger arrives, I will curse the heretic and be rid of him. When that moment of God’s anger arrived, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi fell asleep and missed the opportunity to curse the heretic.

אֲמַר: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמִיעְבַּד הָכִי, [״וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כׇּל מַעֲשָׂיו״] כְּתִיב, וּכְתִיב: ״גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא טוֹב״.

Upon awakening, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: I can conclude from the fact that I fell asleep that it is not proper conduct to do this, to curse people, even if they are wicked, as the verse: “And His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalms 145:9) is written even with regard to sinners. And moreover, it is inappropriate to cause the punishment of another, as it is written: “Punishment, even for the righteous, is not good” (Proverbs 17:26). Even for a righteous person, it is improper to punish another.

תָּנָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַמְּלָכִים מַנִּיחִין כִּתְרֵיהֶן בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶן וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִין לַחַמָּה, מִיָּד כּוֹעֵס [הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא]. אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: לָא לִיצַלֵּי אִינִישׁ צְלוֹתָא דְּמוּסָפֵי בִּתְלָת שָׁעֵי קַמָּיָיתָא דְּיוֹמָא בְּיוֹמָא קַמָּא דְּרֵישׁ שַׁתָּא בְּיָחִיד, דִּלְמָא כֵּיוָן דְּמִפְּקִיד דִּינָא, דִּלְמָא מְעַיְּינִי בְּעוֹבָדֵיהּ וְדָחֲפוּ לֵיהּ מִידְּחֵי.

In explanation of the cause of God’s anger, it is taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: When the kings wake up and place their crowns on their heads and bow down to the sun, the Holy One, Blessed be He, immediately grows angry. This is why God’s anger occurs during the first three hours of the day. Rav Yosef says: A person should not recite the additional prayers during the first three hours of the day on the first day of Rosh HaShana if he is praying individually, as, since the judgment of the entire world is reckoned then, perhaps the Heavenly court will scrutinize his actions and reject him.

אִי הָכִי, דְּצִבּוּר נָמֵי! דְּצִבּוּר נְפִישָׁא זְכוּתֵיהּ. אִי הָכִי, דְּיָחִיד דְּצַפְרָא נָמֵי לָא! כֵּיוָן דְּאִיכָּא צִבּוּרָא דְּקָא מְצַלּוּ, לָא קָא מִדְּחֵי.

The Gemara raises a difficulty: If that is so, the prayer of the community should not be recited at that time as well. The Gemara explains: The prayer of the community is not rejected even at this time, due to its many merits. The Gemara asks: If that is so, then shouldn’t the morning prayer of one who is praying individually also not be recited at this time? The Gemara answers: Since there is in all places a community that prays the morning prayer at that same time, his prayer is not rejected. By contrast, the additional prayer is recited at different times by different communities, as unlike the morning prayer it does not have a fixed time but can be recited at any point during the day.

וְהָא אָמְרַתְּ: שָׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה! אֵיפוֹךְ.

The Gemara raises another difficulty: But didn’t you say that during the first three hours of the day The Holy One, Blessed be He, sits and engages in Torah study, and He engages in judgment only during the second set of three hours? The Gemara answers: Reverse the order so that it is stated that He sits in judgment during the first three hours of the day.

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: לְעוֹלָם לָא תֵּיפוֹךְ, תּוֹרָה דִּכְתִיב בַּהּ ״אֱמֶת״, דִּכְתִיב: ״אֱמֶת קְנֵה וְאַל תִּמְכֹּר״ — אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין, דִּין דְּלָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ ״אֱמֶת״ — הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין.

And if you wish, say instead: Actually, do not reverse the order. Rather, this is the reason that an individual should not recite the additional prayer during the first three hours of the day when God is engaged in Torah study: In the case of the Torah, with regard to which it is written: Truth, as it is written: “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:23), the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not act in a manner that is beyond the letter of the law. But with regard to judgment, with regard to which it is not written: Truth, but it is a process that involves mercy and compromise, the Holy One, Blessed be He, can act in a manner that is beyond the letter of the law.

(יוֹם, מֵעִיד, טָרַף, בָּעֵגֶל — סִימָן.) גּוּפָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם״? ״הַיּוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם״ — וְלֹא לְמָחָר לַעֲשׂוֹתָם, ״הַיּוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם״ — וְלֹא הַיּוֹם לִיטּוֹל שְׂכָרָן.

§ The Gemara presents a mnemonic for the ensuing statements of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Today, bear witness, shake, the golden calf. The Gemara returns to an earlier discussion (3a), first by citing the matter itself. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Which I command you this day, to do them” (Deuteronomy 7:11)? This verse teaches that today is the time to do them, i.e., to perform the mitzvot, in this world, but tomorrow, in the World-to-Come, is not the time to do them. Furthermore, today is the time to do them, but today is not the time to receive one’s reward, which is given in the World-to-Come.

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כׇּל מִצְוֹת שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, בָּאוֹת וּמְעִידוֹת אוֹתָם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יִתְּנוּ עֵדֵיהֶם וְיִצְדָּקוּ יִשְׁמְעוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ אֱמֶת״. ״יִתְּנוּ עֵדֵיהֶם וְיִצְדָּקוּ״ — אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, ״יִשְׁמְעוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ אֱמֶת״ — אֵלּוּ אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: All of the mitzvot that the Jews perform in this word will come and bear witness for them in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “Let them bring their witnesses that they may be justified, and let them hear, and say: It is truth” (Isaiah 43:9). He explains: “Let them bring their witnesses that they may be justified”; these are referring to the Jews. “And let them hear, and say: It is truth”; these are referring to the nations of the world.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כׇּל מִצְוֹת שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, בָּאוֹת וְטוֹרְפוֹת אוֹתָם לְאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא עַל פְּנֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם כִּי הִוא חׇכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים״, ״נֶגֶד הָעַמִּים״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים״, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּאוֹת וְטוֹרְפוֹת לְאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם עַל פְּנֵיהֶם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: All of the mitzvot that the Jewish people perform in this world will come and strike the faces of the nations of the world in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the nations” (Deuteronomy 4:6). It is not stated: Before the nations; rather, the verse states: “In the eyes of the nations,” which taken literally teaches that they will come and strike the faces of the nations of the world in the World-to-Come.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: לֹא עָשׂוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הָעֵגֶל אֶלָּא לִיתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבַעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִי יִתֵּן וְהָיָה לְבָבָם זֶה לָהֶם לְיִרְאָה אֹתִי כׇּל הַיָּמִים וְגוֹ׳״.

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: The Jewish people fashioned the Golden Calf (see Exodus, chapter 32) only to give a claim to penitents, as it is stated after the revelation at Sinai: “Who would give that they had such a heart as this always, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be good for them, and with their children forever” (Deuteronomy 5:26). If the nation was truly at such a lofty spiritual state, how could they worship the Golden Calf? Rather, their sin occurred so that it would be made clear that one can repent for any sin, as even a sin as severe as the Golden Calf was forgiven.

וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי: לֹא דָּוִד רָאוּי לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, וְלֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל רְאוּיִן לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, לֹא דָּוִד רָאוּי לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלִבִּי חָלַל בְּקִרְבִּי״,

And this is similar to that which Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: David was not fit to act as he did in that incident involving Bathsheba, and the Jewish people were not fit to act as they did in that incident of the Golden Calf. David was not fit to act as he did in that incident involving Bathsheba (see II Samuel, chapter 11), as it is written: “And my heart is wounded within me” (Psalms 109:22), i.e., he had vanquished his evil inclination, and therefore it should not have been able to rule over him to that extent.

וְלֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל רְאוּיִן לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, דִּכְתִיב: ״מִי יִתֵּן וְהָיָה לְבָבָם זֶה לָהֶם לְיִרְאָה אוֹתִי כָּל הַיָּמִים״, אֶלָּא לָמָה עָשׂוּ?

And likewise the Jewish people were not fit to act as they did in that incident of the Golden Calf, as it is written with regard to the Jewish people of that time: “Who would give that they had such a heart as this always, to fear Me and keep all My commandments, that it might be good for them, and with their children forever” (Deuteronomy 5:25). Rather, why did they perform these sins?