Avodah Zarah 8
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ סָבַר: יָלְפִינַן מִמֹּשֶׁה, וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר סָבַר: לָא יָלְפִינַן מִמֹּשֶׁה, שָׁאנֵי מֹשֶׁה דְּרַב גּוּבְרֵיהּ. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: לֹא כְּדִבְרֵי זֶה וְלֹא כְּדִבְרֵי זֶה, אֶלָּא שׁוֹאֵל אָדָם צְרָכָיו בְּ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״.
Rabbi Yehoshua holds that we derive from the case of Moses that one should first praise God in prayer and only afterward issue personal requests. And Rabbi Eliezer holds that we do not derive from Moses how to act, since Moses is different, as his might is great, i.e., he knew how to pray to God in this order. And the Rabbis say: The halakha is not in accordance with the statement of this Sage, who says that one should issue personal requests before praying, nor is it in accordance with the statement of that Sage, who says that personal requests should follow prayer. Rather, a person requests his own needs in the blessing ending: Who listens to prayer. Therefore, when Naḥum the Mede stated that this is the halakha, he was merely concurring with the opinion of the Rabbis.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל, הֲלָכָה: שׁוֹאֵל אָדָם צְרָכָיו בְּ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר שִׁילַת מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ שׁוֹאֵל אָדָם צְרָכָיו בְּשׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״, אֲבָל אִם בָּא לוֹמַר בְּסוֹף כׇּל בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה מֵעֵין כׇּל בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה — אוֹמֵר.
With regard to the halakhic ruling, Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: The halakha is that a person requests his own needs during the Amida prayer in the blessing ending: Who listens to prayer. Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, says in the name of Rav: Although the Sages said that a person requests his own needs in the blessing ending: Who listens to prayer, that is not the only option. Rather, if he wishes to recite at the conclusion of each and every blessing personal requests that reflect the nature of each and every blessing, he may recite them.
אָמַר רַב חִיָּיא בַּר אָשֵׁי אָמַר רַב: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ שׁוֹאֵל אָדָם צְרָכָיו בְּ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״, אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ חוֹלֶה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ — אוֹמֵר בְּבִרְכַּת חוֹלִים, וְאִם צָרִיךְ לְפַרְנָסָה — אוֹמֵר בְּבִרְכַּת הַשָּׁנִים.
Similarly, Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi says that Rav says: Although the Sages said that a person requests his own needs in the blessing ending: Who listens to prayer, if he has a sick person in his house he recites a special prayer for him during the blessing of the sick. And if he is in need of sustenance, he recites a request during the blessing of the years.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ: שׁוֹאֵל אָדָם צְרָכָיו בְּ״שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה״, אֲבָל אִם בָּא לוֹמַר אַחַר תְּפִלָּתוֹ, אֲפִילּוּ כְּסֵדֶר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים — אוֹמֵר.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Although the Sages said that a person requests his own needs in the blessing ending: Who listens to prayer; but if one wishes to recite prayers and supplications after finishing his Amida prayer, even if his personal requests are as long as the order of the confession of Yom Kippur, he may recite them.
מַתְנִי׳ וְאֵלּוּ אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם — קָלֶנְדָּא, וּסְטַרְנוּרָא, וְקַרְטֵיסִים, וְיוֹם גְּנוּסְיָא שֶׁל מַלְכֵיהֶם, וְיוֹם הַלֵּידָה, וְיוֹם הַמִּיתָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: כׇּל מִיתָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה — יֵשׁ בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה — אֵין בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. אֲבָל יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ וּבְלוֹרִיתוֹ, וְיוֹם שֶׁעָלָה בּוֹ מִן הַיָּם, וְיוֹם שֶׁיָּצָא מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין, וְגוֹי שֶׁעָשָׂה מִשְׁתֶּה לִבְנוֹ — אֵינוֹ אָסוּר אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם וְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ בִּלְבַד.
MISHNA: And these are the festivals of gentiles: Kalenda, Saturnalia, and Kratesis, and the day of the festival of their kings, and the birthday of the king, and the anniversary of the day of the death of the king. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: Every death that includes public burning is a festival that includes idol worship, and any death that does not include public burning is not a festival that includes idol worship. But in the case of the day of shaving his, i.e., a gentile’s, beard and his locks, and the day of his ascent from the sea, and the day that he left prison, and also in the case of a gentile who prepared a wedding feast for his son and celebrates on that day, engaging in business is prohibited only on that day and with that man.
גְּמָ׳ אָמַר רַב חָנָן בַּר רָבָא: קָלֶנְדָּא — שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים אַחַר תְּקוּפָה, סְטַרְנוּרָא — שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים לִפְנֵי תְּקוּפָה, וְסִימָנָךְ — ״אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי וְגוֹ׳״.
GEMARA: Rav Ḥanan bar Rava says: When are these festivals celebrated? Kalenda is celebrated during the eight days after the winter solstice, and Saturnalia is celebrated during the eight days before the winter solstice. And your mnemonic to remember which festival is that the one that occurs after the solstice is mentioned first in the mishna, and the festival that takes place before the solstice is mentioned after, as in the verse: “You have hemmed me in behind and before, and laid Your Hand upon me” (Psalms 139:5), where the word “before” appears after the term “behind.”
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: לְפִי שֶׁרָאָה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן יוֹם שֶׁמִּתְמַעֵט וְהוֹלֵךְ, אָמַר: אוֹי לִי! שֶׁמָּא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁסָּרַחְתִּי עוֹלָם חָשׁוּךְ בַּעֲדִי וְחוֹזֵר לְתוֹהוּ וָבוֹהוּ, וְזוֹ הִיא מִיתָה שֶׁנִּקְנְסָה עָלַי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. עָמַד וְיָשַׁב שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים בְּתַעֲנִית [וּבִתְפִלָּה].
With regard to the dates of these festivals, the Sages taught: When Adam the first man saw that the day was progressively diminishing, as the days become shorter from the autumnal equinox until the winter solstice, he did not yet know that this is a normal phenomenon, and therefore he said: Woe is me; perhaps because I sinned the world is becoming dark around me and will ultimately return to the primordial state of chaos and disorder. And this is the death that was sentenced upon me from Heaven, as it is written: “And to dust shall you return” (Genesis 3:19). He arose and spent eight days in fasting and in prayer.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה תְּקוּפַת טֵבֵת, וְרָאָה יוֹם שֶׁמַּאֲרִיךְ וְהוֹלֵךְ, אָמַר: מִנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הוּא. הָלַךְ וְעָשָׂה שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים טוֹבִים. לְשָׁנָה הָאַחֶרֶת עֲשָׂאָן לְאֵלּוּ וּלְאֵלּוּ יָמִים טוֹבִים. הוּא קְבָעָם לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, וְהֵם קְבָעוּם לְשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
Once he saw that the season of Tevet, i.e., the winter solstice, had arrived, and saw that the day was progressively lengthening after the solstice, he said: Clearly, the days become shorter and then longer, and this is the order of the world. He went and observed a festival for eight days. Upon the next year, he observed both these eight days on which he had fasted on the previous year, and these eight days of his celebration, as days of festivities. He, Adam, established these festivals for the sake of Heaven, but they, the gentiles of later generations, established them for the sake of idol worship.
בִּשְׁלָמָא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר: ״בְּתִשְׁרִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם״, יוֹמֵי זוּטֵי חֲזָא, יוֹמֵי אֲרִיכֵי אַכַּתִּי לָא חֲזָא. אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר: ״בְּנִיסָן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם״, הָא חֲזָא לֵיהּ יוֹמֵי זוּטֵי וְיוֹמֵי אֲרִיכֵי! (דְּהָוֵי) זוּטֵי כּוּלֵּי הַאי לָא חֲזָא.
The Gemara raises a difficulty: Granted, according to the one who says that the world was created in the month of Tishrei, one can understand why Adam believed that the days were becoming shorter as part of his punishment, as he saw the short days of the winter and had not yet seen the long days of summer. But according to the one who says that the world was created in the month of Nisan, he had already seen the difference between the short days and the long days, as the days in the month of Nisan become progressively longer with the passage of time. The Gemara answers: Although Adam had experienced short days, he had not seen days that were this short, as in the days before the winter solstice.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: יוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בּוֹ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁקְעָה עָלָיו חַמָּה, אָמַר: אוֹי לִי, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁסָּרַחְתִּי עוֹלָם חָשׁוּךְ בַּעֲדִי, וְיַחְזוֹר עוֹלָם לְתוֹהוּ וָבוֹהוּ, וְזוֹ הִיא מִיתָה שֶׁנִּקְנְסָה עָלַי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּתַעֲנִית וּבוֹכֶה כׇּל הַלַּיְלָה, וְחַוָּה בּוֹכָה כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, אָמַר: מִנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הוּא. עָמַד וְהִקְרִיב שׁוֹר שֶׁקַּרְנָיו קוֹדְמִין לְפַרְסוֹתָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְתִיטַב לַה׳ מִשּׁוֹר פָּר מַקְרִן מַפְרִיס״.
The Sages taught: On the day that Adam the first man was created, when the sun set upon him he said: Woe is me, as because I sinned, the world is becoming dark around me, and the world will return to the primordial state of chaos and disorder. And this is the death that was sentenced upon me from Heaven. He spent all night fasting and crying, and Eve was crying opposite him. Once dawn broke, he said: Evidently, the sun sets and night arrives, and this is the order of the world. He arose and sacrificed a bull whose horns preceded its hoofs in the order that they were created, as it is stated: “And it shall please the Lord better than a bullock that has horns and hoofs” (Psalms 69:32). This verse is referring to the one particular bull whose horns preceded its hoofs.
וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: שׁוֹר שֶׁהִקְרִיב אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, קֶרֶן אַחַת הָיְתָה לוֹ בְּמִצְחוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְתִיטַב לַה׳ מִשּׁוֹר פָּר מַקְרִן מַפְרִיס״. ״מַקְרִין״ תַּרְתֵּי מַשְׁמַע! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: ״מַקְרָן״ כְּתִיב.
And Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: The bull that Adam the first man sacrificed had one horn in its forehead, as it is stated: “And it shall please the Lord better than a bullock that has horns [makrin] and hooves.” The Gemara raises a difficulty: Isn’t makrin plural, which indicates two horns? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: Mikkeren is written, i.e., the letter yod is missing from the word, indicating that there was only one horn.
אָמַר רַב מַתְנָה: רוֹמִי שֶׁעָשְׂתָה קָלֶנְדָּא, וְכׇל הָעֲיָירוֹת הַסְּמוּכוֹת לָהּ מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוֹת לָהּ, אוֹתָן עֲיָירוֹת אֲסוּרוֹת אוֹ מוּתָּרוֹת? רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר: קָלֶנְדָּא אֲסוּרָה לַכֹּל הִיא, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: אֵין אֲסוּרָה אֶלָּא לְעוֹבְדֶיהָ בִּלְבָד.
§ Rav Mattana says: Since Rome established the festival of Kalenda on a specific date, and all of the nearby towns are ruled by Rome, i.e., they pay their tax to Rome and provide its needs but do not themselves celebrate the festival, is it prohibited or permitted to engage in business transactions with the gentile residents of those towns? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: It is prohibited to engage in business during the time of the Kalenda with everyone. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: It is prohibited to engage in business only with its worshippers, whereas it is permitted to engage in business transactions with gentiles who do not celebrate the festival.
תָּנָא כְּוָותֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ, רוֹמִי עָשְׂתָה קָלֶנְדָּא, וְכׇל עֲיָירוֹת הַסְּמוּכוֹת לָהּ מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוֹת לָהּ, הִיא עַצְמָהּ אֵינָהּ אֲסוּרָה אֶלָּא לְעוֹבְדֶיהָ בִּלְבָד.
The Sage taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Although they said that Rome has established the festival of Kalenda and all of the nearby towns are ruled by Rome, it is prohibited to engage in business only with its worshippers.
סְטַרְנְלָיָא וּקְרָטֵסִים, וְיוֹם גְּנוּסְיָא שֶׁל מַלְכֵיהֶם, וְיוֹם שֶׁהוּמְלַךְ בּוֹ מֶלֶךְ — לְפָנָיו אָסוּר, אַחֲרָיו מוּתָּר. וְגוֹי שֶׁעָשָׂה (בּוֹ) מִשְׁתֶּה לִבְנוֹ — אֵין אָסוּר אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם וְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ.
The baraita continues: With regard to the festivals Saturnalia and Kratesis, and the day of the festival of their kings, and the day on which the king was crowned, the halakha is that before the festival it is prohibited to engage in business transactions, whereas after the festival it is permitted. But in the case of a gentile who prepared a feast for his son and celebrates on that day, engaging in business is prohibited only on that day itself and with that man.
אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: אַף אֲנַן נָמֵי תְּנֵינָא, דְּקָתָנֵי: יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ וּבְלוֹרִיתוֹ, וְיוֹם שֶׁעָלָה בּוֹ מִן הַיָּם, וְיוֹם שֶׁיָּצָא בּוֹ מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין — אֵין אָסוּר אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם בִּלְבַד וְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ.
Rav Ashi said: We learn in the mishna as well in accordance with Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement that the prohibition applies only to gentiles who celebrate the festival, not to people who are ruled by them. As the mishna teaches: With regard to the day of shaving his beard and his locks, and the day of his ascent from the sea, and the day that he left prison, engaging in business is prohibited only on that day and with that man.
בִּשְׁלָמָא ״אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם״ — לְאַפּוֹקֵי לְפָנָיו וּלְאַחֲרָיו, אֶלָּא ״אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ״ לְאַפּוֹקֵי מַאי? לָאו לְאַפּוֹקֵי מְשֻׁעְבָּדָיו? שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.
Rav Ashi explains the proof: Granted, the mishna specifies that the prohibition is limited to that day alone, in order to exclude the days before and after it. But when it states that the prohibition applies only to that man, what does the mishna exclude? Obviously the prohibition does not extend to all gentiles, as it is a personal festival. Doesn’t the mishna’s ruling serve to exclude those who are ruled by him? Therefore, conclude from the language of the mishna that a prohibition extends only to gentiles who celebrate the festival, not to those who are ruled by them.
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּטָהֳרָה הֵן, כֵּיצַד? גּוֹי שֶׁעָשָׂה מִשְׁתֶּה לִבְנוֹ וְזִימֵּן כׇּל הַיְּהוּדִים שֶׁבְּעִירוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאוֹכְלִין מִשֶּׁלָּהֶן וְשׁוֹתִין מִשֶּׁלָּהֶן, וְשַׁמָּשׁ שֶׁלָּהֶן עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵיהֶם, מַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילּוּ אָכְלוּ מִזִּבְחֵי מֵתִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְקָרָא לְךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ מִזִּבְחוֹ״.
It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yishmael says: Jews who are outside of Eretz Yisrael are considered to engage in idol worship in purity, i.e., unwittingly. How does this occur? In the case of a gentile who prepared a feast for the marriage of his son, and invited all of the Jews in his town, even though they eat of their own kosher food and drink of their own kosher beverages, and their own attendant stands before them, the verse ascribes guilt to them as though they ate of the offerings to the dead, i.e., idols, as it is stated: “And sacrifice to their gods, and they call you, and you eat of their sacrifice” (Exodus 34:15). Since Jews participate in a feast in which the gentile sacrifices offerings to his idol, it is as though they partook of the offering themselves.
וְאֵימָא: עַד דְּאָכֵיל! אָמַר רָבָא: אִם כֵּן, נֵימָא קְרָא ״וְאָכַלְתָּ מִזִּבְחוֹ״, מַאי ״וְקָרָא לְךָ״? מִשְּׁעַת קְרִיאָה! הִלְכָּךְ,
The Gemara asks: But why not say that the verse is criticizing the Jews only once they eat from the sacrifice? Rava said: If that is what is meant, let the verse say only: And you eat of their sacrifice. What is meant by the additional phrase: “And they call you”? This indicates that the prohibition occurs from the time of the call. Therefore,
כֹּל תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין, בֵּין אָמַר לֵיהּ מֵחֲמַת הִלּוּלָא וּבֵין לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מֵחֲמַת הִלּוּלָא — אָסוּר, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, אִי אָמַר לֵיהּ מֵחֲמַת הִלּוּלָא — אָסוּר, וְאִי לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מֵחֲמַת הִלּוּלָא — שְׁרֵי.
during all the thirty days that follow the wedding celebration, if the gentile invites a Jew to a feast, whether he said to the Jew that the feast is due to the wedding celebration or whether he did not say to him that the feast is due to the wedding celebration, it is prohibited to attend, as it is assumed the festivity is part of the wedding celebration. From this point forward, if he said to him that the feast is due to the wedding celebration, it is prohibited to participate, but if he did not say to him that the feast is due to the wedding celebration, it is permitted to do so.
וְכִי אָמַר לֵיהּ מֵחֲמַת הִלּוּלָא, עַד אֵימַת? אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: עַד תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי שַׁתָּא. וּמֵעִיקָּרָא מֵאֵימַת אָסוּר? אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: מִכִּי רָמוּ שְׂעָרֵי בַּאֲסִינְתֵּי.
The Gemara asks: And in a case where he said to him that the feast is due to the wedding celebration, until when is the feast assumed to be connected to idol worship? Rav Pappa said: Until twelve months of the year have passed since the wedding. The Gemara asks: And initially, before the wedding, from when is it prohibited? Rav Pappa said in the name of Rava: From the time when they cast barley into the mortars [ba’asintei] to prepare beer for the wedding.
וּלְבָתַר תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי שַׁתָּא שְׁרֵי? וְהָא רַב יִצְחָק בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב מְשַׁרְשְׁיָא אִיקְּלַע לְבֵי הָהוּא גּוֹי לְבָתַר תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי שַׁתָּא, וְשַׁמְעֵיהּ דְּאוֹדִי, וּפֵירַשׁ וְלָא אֲכַל! שָׁאנֵי רַב יִצְחָק בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב מְשַׁרְשְׁיָא, דְּאָדָם חָשׁוּב הוּא.
The Gemara asks: And after the twelve months of the year have passed since the wedding, is it always permitted to participate in a feast? But Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Mesharshiyya, happened to come to the house of a certain gentile after twelve months of the year had passed since his son’s wedding, and he heard the gentile giving thanks to his idol for the marriage of his son, and he withdrew from the feast and did not eat there. The Gemara answers: Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Mesharshiyya, is different, as he is an important person and therefore his presence caused the gentile to rejoice.
וּקְרָטֵסִים וְכוּ׳. מַאי קְרָטֵסִים? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: יוֹם שֶׁתָּפְסָה בּוֹ רוֹמִי מַלְכוּת. וְהָתַנְיָא: קְרָטֵסִים וְיוֹם שֶׁתָּפְסָה בּוֹ רוֹמִי מַלְכוּת! אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: שְׁתֵּי תְּפִיסוֹת תָּפְסָה רוֹמִי, אַחַת בִּימֵי קְלֵפַּטְרָא מַלְכְּתָא, וְאַחַת שֶׁתָּפְסָה בִּימֵי יְוָנִים.
§ The mishna teaches: And Kratesis, and the day of the festival of their kings. The Gemara asks: What is the festival of Kratesis? Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: It commemorates the day when Rome seized control of an empire. The Gemara asks: But isn’t it taught in a baraita: Two festivals are Kratesis and the day when Rome seized control of an empire? This indicates that Kratesis and the day when Rome seized control of an empire are two separate festivals. Rav Yosef said: On two separate occasions Rome seized control of an empire. One occurred in the days of Queen Cleopatra, when they conquered Egypt, and one happened much earlier, when Rome seized control in the days of the Greeks.
דְּכִי אֲתָא רַב דִּימִי אָמַר: תְּלָתִין וּתְרֵין קְרָבֵי עֲבַדוּ רוֹמָאֵי בַּהֲדֵי יַוְנָאֵי, וְלָא יְכַלוּ לְהוּ, עַד דְּשַׁתְּפִינְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, וְהָכִי אַתְנוֹ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ: אִי מִינַּן מַלְכֵי — מִנַּיְיכוּ הִפַּרְכֵי, אִי מִנַּיְיכוּ מַלְכֵי — מִינַּן הִפַּרְכֵי.
The Gemara elaborates: As when Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael he said: The Romans waged thirty-two battles with the Greeks but were unable to defeat them, until they formed a partnership with the Jewish people and finally vanquished the Greeks. And this is the condition that they stipulated with the Jewish people: If the kings come from among us, the governors [hiparkhei] will come from among you; and if the kings come from among you, the governors will come from among us.
וּשְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ רוֹמָאֵי לְיַוְנָאֵי: עַד הָאִידָּנָא עָבֵידְנָא בִּקְרָבָא, הַשְׁתָּא נַעֲבֵיד בְּדִינָא. מַרְגָּלִית וְאֶבֶן טוֹבָה, אֵיזוֹ מֵהֶן יֵעָשֶׂה בָּסִיס לַחֲבֵירוֹ? שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ: מַרְגָּלִית לְאֶבֶן טוֹבָה.
And the Romans sent the following message to the Greeks: Until now, we attempted to resolve our conflict through fighting battles; now, let us settle the matter by means of judgment. In the case of a pearl and a precious stone, which one of them should serve as a base for the other? The Greeks sent them in response: The pearl should serve as the base for the precious stone, which has a greater value.
אֶבֶן טוֹבָה וְאִינָךְ, אֵיזוֹ מֵהֶן יֵעָשֶׂה בָּסִיס לַחֲבֵירוֹ? אֶבֶן טוֹבָה לְאִינָךְ. אִינָךְ וְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, אֵיזוֹ מֵהֶן יֵעָשֶׂה בָּסִיס לַחֲבֵירוֹ? אִינָךְ לְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה.
The Romans further inquired: If there was a precious stone and an onyx [innakh], a particularly valuable precious stone, which one of them should serve as a base for the other? The Greeks answered: The precious stone should serve as the base for the onyx. Once again, the Romans asked: In the case of an onyx and a Torah scroll, which one of them should be serve as a base for the other? The Greeks responded: The onyx should serve as the base for the Torah scroll.
שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ: [אִם כֵּן] אֲנַן סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה גַּבַּן וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּהֲדַן. כְּפוֹ לְהוּ עֶשְׂרִין וְשֵׁית שְׁנִין, קָמוּ לְהוּ בְּהֵימָנוּתַיְיהוּ בַּהֲדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ אִישְׁתַּעְבַּדוּ בְּהוּ.
The Romans sent this response to them: If that is so, then you should submit to us, as we have the Torah scroll with us, and the Jewish people are with us. The Romans are akin to the precious stone, and they are allied with the Jewish people who are akin to the onyx, and they possess the Torah scroll. The Romans therefore forced the Greeks to surrender and took over their world dominance. For twenty-six years the Romans stood faithfully with the Jewish people; from that point forward, they subjugated them.
מֵעִיקָּרָא מַאי דְּרוּשׁ, וּלְבַסּוֹף מַאי דְּרוּשׁ? מֵעִיקָּרָא דְּרוּשׁ ״נִסְעָה וְנֵלֵכָה וְאֵלְכָה לְנֶגְדֶּךָ״, וּלְבַסּוֹף דְּרוּשׁ ״יַעֲבׇר נָא אֲדֹנִי לִפְנֵי עַבְדּוֹ״.
The Gemara asks: Initially, when the Romans acted faithfully, what verse did they interpret, and ultimately, when they subjugated the Jews, what verse did they interpret? Initially, they interpreted the verse where Esau said to Jacob upon their meeting: “Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before you” (Genesis 33:12). In this verse, Esau equates himself to Jacob, prefiguring the initial Roman treatment of the Jews. And ultimately, they interpreted the verse that recites Jacob’s response to Esau: “Let my lord, I pray you, pass over before his servant” (Genesis 33:14), demonstrating Jacob’s subjugation to Esau, and by extension that of the Jews to Rome.
עֶשְׂרִין וְשֵׁית שְׁנִין דְּקָמוּ בְּהֵימָנוּתַיְיהוּ בַּהֲדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מְנָא לַן? דְּאָמַר רַב כָּהֲנָא: כְּשֶׁחָלָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּר יוֹסֵי, שְׁלַחוּ לֵיהּ: רַבִּי! אֱמוֹר לָנוּ שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לָנוּ מִשּׁוּם אָבִיךָ.
The Gemara asks: With regard to the twenty-six years during which the Romans stood faithfully with the Jewish people, from where do we know that this was the case? The Gemara cites a proof. As Rav Kahana says: When Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, fell ill, the Sages sent the following message to him: Our teacher, tell us two or three statements that you once told us in the name of your father, Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta, as we do not remember the statements precisely.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: מֵאָה וּשְׁמֹנִים שָׁנָה קוֹדֶם שֶׁנֶּחֱרַב הַבַּיִת פָּשְׁטָה מַלְכוּת הָרְשָׁעָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה עַד לֹא חָרַב הַבַּיִת גָּזְרוּ טוּמְאָה עַל אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים וְעַל כְּלֵי זְכוּכִית, אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה עַד לֹא חָרַב הַבַּיִת גָּלְתָה סַנְהֶדְרִין וְיָשְׁבָה לָהּ בַּחֲנוּת.
Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, said to them the following statements that were passed down to him by his father: One hundred and eighty years before the Second Temple was destroyed, the evil Roman Empire stretched forth over Israel and ruled over them. Eighty years before the Temple was destroyed, the Sages decreed impurity on the land of the nations and on glass vessels. Forty years before the Temple was destroyed, the Sanhedrin was exiled from the Chamber of Hewn Stone and sat in the store near the Temple Mount.
לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר אַבְדִּימִי: לוֹמַר, שֶׁלֹּא דָּנוּ דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת. דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ? וְהָאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: בְּרַם זָכוּר אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ לַטּוֹב, וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בָּבָא שְׁמוֹ, שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא הוּא נִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל! ״נִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ״? לִגְרְסִינְהוּ!
The Gemara asks: With regard to what halakha is it necessary to know where the Sanhedrin would convene? Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Avdimi said: It is necessary in order to say that they no longer judged cases of fines. The Gemara asks: Does it enter your mind that at this point the Sanhedrin no longer judged cases of fines? But doesn’t Rav Yehuda say that Rav says: Indeed [beram], that man will be remembered favorably, and Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava is his name, as had it not been for him the laws of fines would have been forgotten from among the Jewish people. The Gemara challenges that assertion: Would the laws of fines actually have been forgotten? Let the scholars study them, so they will not be forgotten.
אֶלָּא בָּטְלוּ דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁגָּזְרָה מַלְכוּת הַרְשָׁעָה שְׁמָד עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל: כָּל הַסּוֹמֵךְ יֵהָרֵג, וְכׇל הַנִּסְמָךְ יֵהָרֵג, וְעִיר שֶׁסּוֹמְכִין בָּהּ תֵּחָרֵב, וּתְחוּם שֶׁסּוֹמְכִין בּוֹ יֵעָקֵר.
Rather, his intention was to say that the laws of fines would have ceased to be implemented from among the Jewish people, as they would not have been able to adjudicate cases involving these halakhot due to a lack of ordained judges. This is because at one time the wicked kingdom of Rome issued decrees of religious persecution against the Jewish people with the aim of abolishing the chain of ordination and the authority of the Sages. They said that anyone who ordains judges will be killed, and anyone who is ordained will be killed, and the city in which they ordain the judges will be destroyed, and the areas around the boundary of the city in which they ordain judges will be uprooted. These measures were intended to discourage the Sages from performing or receiving ordination due to fear for the welfare of the local population.
מָה עָשָׂה רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בָּבָא? הָלַךְ וְיָשַׁב בֵּין שְׁנֵי הָרִים גְּדוֹלִים, וּבֵין שְׁתֵּי עֲיָירוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, בֵּין שְׁנֵי תְּחוּמֵי שַׁבָּת, בֵּין אוּשָׁא לִשְׁפַרְעָם, וְסָמַךְ שָׁם חֲמִשָּׁה זְקֵנִים: רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן שַׁמּוּעַ, וְרַב אַוְיָא מוֹסִיף: אַף רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה.
What did Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava do? He went and sat between two large mountains, and between two large cities, and between two Shabbat boundaries: Between Usha and Shefaram, i.e., in a desolate place that was not associated with any particular city so that he would not endanger anyone not directly involved, and there he ordained five Elders, namely: Rabbi Meir, and Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua. And Rav Avya adds that Rabbi Neḥemya was also among those ordained.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִכִּירוּ בָּהֶם אוֹיְבִים, אָמַר לָהֶם: בָּנַי, רוּצוּ! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבִּי, וְאַתָּה מָה תְּהֵא עָלֶיךָ? אָמַר לָהֶם: הֲרֵינִי מוּטָל לִפְנֵיהֶם כְּאֶבֶן שֶׁאֵין לָהּ הוֹפְכִין. אָמְרוּ: לֹא זָזוּ מִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁנָּעֲצוּ לְגוּפוֹ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת לוּלְנִיאוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל, וַעֲשָׂאוּהוּ לְגוּפוֹ כִּכְבָרָה.
When their enemies discovered them, Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava said to the newly ordained rabbis: My sons, run for your lives. They said to him: Our teacher, and what will be with you? Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava was elderly and unable to run. He said to them: In any case, I am cast before them like a stone that cannot be overturned; even if you attempt to assist me I will not be able to escape due to my frailty, but if you do not escape without me you will also be killed. People said about this incident: The Roman soldiers did not move from there until they had inserted three hundred iron spears [lulniot] into his body, making his body appear like a sieve pierced with many holes. It can be inferred from this episode that there were ordained judges who could hear cases of fines for many years after the destruction of the Temple, in contrast to Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Avdimi’s statement.
אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: לָא תֵּימָא דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא דָּנוּ דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת.
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says in explanation: Do not say that after the Sanhedrin was exiled from the Chamber of Hewn Stone they no longer judged cases of fines; rather, emend the statement to say that they no longer judged cases of capital law, as a court does not have the authority to hear capital cases when the Sanhedrin is not sitting in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.
מַאי טַעְמָא? כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזוֹ דִּנְפִישִׁי לְהוּ רוֹצְחִין וְלָא יָכְלִי לְמֵידַן, אֲמַרוּ: מוּטָב נִגְלֵי מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לִיחַיְּיבוּ.
The Gemara explains: What is the reason that the members of the Sanhedrin ceased to meet in their proper place and thereby ended the adjudication of capital cases? Once they saw that the murderers were so numerous and they were not able to judge them and punish them with death, they said: It is better that we should be exiled from the Chamber of Hewn Stone and move from place to place, so that offenders will not be deemed liable to receive the death penalty in a time period when the court does not carry out their sentences.
דִּכְתִיב: ״וְעָשִׂיתָ עַל פִּי הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יַגִּידוּ לְךָ מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא״, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַמָּקוֹם גּוֹרֵם.
The Gemara explains why a court may not adjudicate capital cases once the Sanhedrin has left the Chamber of Hewn Stone. As it is written: “And you shall do according to the tenor of the sentence, which they shall declare to you from that place” (Deuteronomy 17:10). This verse teaches that it is the place where the Sanhedrin resides that causes the judgment to take place. In other words, if the Sanhedrin has abandoned its proper place, the Chamber of Hewn Stone, all courts must cease judging capital cases.
מֵאָה וּשְׁמֹנִים, וְתוּ לָא? וְהָתָנֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי:
The Gemara returns to the earlier comment of Rabbi Yishmael in the name of his father Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta, that the Roman Empire ruled over Israel one hundred and eighty years before the second Temple was destroyed. The Gemara asks: Did Rome rule over Israel for one hundred and eighty years before the destruction of the Temple and no more? But didn’t Rabbi Yosei the Great, i.e., Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta himself, teach:
