Bava Kamma 92
יָכוֹל אֲפִילּוּ מְעוּלֶּה בְּדָמִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״רַק״.
One might have thought that he must give precedence to the cutting down of a barren tree even if the barren tree is greater in monetary value than the fruit-bearing tree. The verse states: “Only,” which teaches that there is an exception to the rule. Similarly, if the fruit-bearing tree itself would be worth more as lumber than for its fruits, it would be permitted for one to cut it down.
שְׁמוּאֵל אַיְיתִי לֵיהּ אֲרִיסֵיהּ תַּמְרֵי. אָכֵיל, טָעֵים בְּהוּ טַעְמָא דְחַמְרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי הַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בֵּינֵי גוּפְנֵי קָיְימִי. אָמַר: מַכְחֲשִׁי בְּחַמְרָא כּוּלֵּי הַאי? לִמְחַר אַיְיתִי לִי מִקּוֹרַיְיהוּ.
The Gemara relates: The sharecropper of Shmuel brought him dates. Shmuel ate them, and tasted the taste of wine in them. He said to his sharecropper: What is this? The sharecropper said to him: The date palms stand among the grapevines and therefore contain a taste of wine from the grapes. Shmuel said: Do they weaken the wine, i.e., the grapevines, so much that it is possible to taste the wine in the dates? Tomorrow, cut down the date palms and bring me from their marrow to eat.
רַב חִסְדָּא חֲזָא תָּאלֵי בֵּי גוּפְנֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לַאֲרִיסֵיהּ: עַקְרִינְהוּ; גּוּפְנֵי קָנֵי דִּקְלֵי, דִּקְלֵי לָא קָנֵי גּוּפְנֵי.
The Gemara relates a similar incident: Rav Ḥisda saw date palms growing among grapevines on his estate. He said to his sharecropper: Uproot the date palms, since one can purchase date palms with grapevines, as grapevines are more valuable, while one cannot purchase grapevines with date palms.
מַתְנִי׳ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן לוֹ, אֵין נִמְחָל לוֹ עַד שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַתָּה הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת וְגוֹ׳״. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאִם לֹא מָחַל לוֹ, שֶׁהוּא אַכְזָרִי? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים, וַיִּרְפָּא אֱלֹהִים אֶת אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְגוֹ׳״.
MISHNA: Despite the fact that the assailant who caused damage gives to the victim all of the required payments for the injury, his transgression is not forgiven for him in the heavenly court until he requests forgiveness from the victim, as it is stated that God told Abimelech after he had taken Sarah from Abraham: “Now therefore restore the wife of the man; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for you, and you shall live” (Genesis 20:7). And from where is it derived that if the victim does not forgive him that he is cruel? As it is stated: “And Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bore children” (Genesis 20:17).
הָאוֹמֵר ״סַמֵּא אֶת עֵינִי״; ״קַטַּע אֶת יָדִי״; ״שַׁבֵּר אֶת רַגְלִי״ – חַיָּיב. ״עַל מְנָת לִפְטוֹר״ – חַיָּיב.
The mishna continues: With regard to one who says to another: Blind my eye, or: cut off my hand, or: break my leg, and he does so, the one who performed these actions is liable to pay for the damage, despite having been instructed to do so. Even if he explicitly instructed him: Do so on the condition that you will be exempt from payment, he is nevertheless liable.
״קְרַע אֶת כְּסוּתִי״; ״שַׁבֵּר אֶת כַּדִּי״ – חַיָּיב. ״עַל מְנָת לִפְטוֹר״ – פָּטוּר. ״עֲשֵׂה כֵּן לְאִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי עַל מְנָת לִפְטוֹר״ – חַיָּיב, בֵּין בְּגוּפוֹ בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנוֹ.
With regard to one who says to another: Tear my garment, or: break my jug, and he does so, he is liable to pay for the damage. But if he instructed him explicitly: Do so on the condition that you will be exempt from payment, he is exempt from payment. If one says to another: Do so, i.e., cause damage, to so-and-so on the condition that you will be exempt from payment, and he did so, he is liable, whether the instructions were with regard to the victim himself, or whether the instructions were with regard to his property.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כׇּל אֵלּוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ – דְּמֵי בוֹשְׁתּוֹ; אֲבָל צַעֲרוֹ – אֲפִילּוּ הֵבִיא כׇּל אֵילֵי נְבָיוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, אֵין נִמְחָל לוֹ עַד שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ כִּי נָבִיא הוּא, וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְךָ״.
GEMARA: The Sages taught: All these sums that in the previous mishna they said one is liable to pay for humiliating another are the compensation for his humiliation, for which there is a set amount. But for the victim’s pain caused by the assailant, even if the assailant brings as offerings all the rams of Nebaioth (see Isaiah 60:7) that are in the world, which are of the best quality, his transgression is not forgiven for him in the heavenly court until he requests forgiveness from the victim, as it is stated: “Restore the wife of the man; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for you” (Genesis 20:7).
דְּאֵשֶׁת נָבִיא בָּעֵי אַהְדּוֹרֵי, אֵשֶׁת אַחֵר לָא בָּעֵי אַהְדּוֹרֵי?
Having quoted the verse, the Gemara asks: Shall one infer from here that the wife of a prophet needs to be returned, but the wife of another individual need not be returned?
אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: ״הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ״ – מִכׇּל מָקוֹם. וּדְקָא אָמְרַתְּ: ״הֲגוֹי גַּם צַדִּיק תַּהֲרֹג?! הֲלֹא הוּא אָמַר לִי אֲחֹתִי הִיא, וְהִיא גַּם הִיא אָמְרָה אָחִי הוּא!״ נָבִיא הוּא, וּכְבָר לִימֵּד: אַכְסְנַאי שֶׁבָּא לָעִיר – עַל עִסְקֵי אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה שׁוֹאֲלִין אוֹתוֹ, אוֹ עַל עִסְקֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ שׁוֹאֲלִין אוֹתוֹ – ״אִשְׁתְּךָ הִיא?״ ״אֲחוֹתְךָ הִיא?״
The Gemara answers. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan says: This is how the verse should be understood: “Restore the wife of the man” in any case, since she is his wife. And with regard to that which you, Abimelech, said: “Will you slay even a righteous nation? Did he not say himself to me: She is my sister, and she, even she herself, said: He is my brother?” (Genesis 20:4–5), the answer is that you, Abimelech, are not so righteous, since the reason Abraham said that Sarah was his sister is that he is a prophet, and he already learned how to conduct himself based on your behavior. As with regard to a guest [akhsenai] who comes to town, does one ask him about matters concerning eating and drinking, or does one ask him about matters concerning his wife? Does one ask a guest: Is she your wife? Is she your sister? Abimelech was to be blamed, since Abraham thought that he intended to steal his wife.
מִכָּאן לְבֶן נֹחַ שֶׁנֶּהֱרָג, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לִלְמוֹד וְלֹא לָמַד.
The Gemara remarks: From here it can be derived that a gentile is executed for having transgressed a prohibition without awareness that the act was prohibited, since he should have learned and he did not learn.
״כִּי עָצֹר עָצַר ה׳״ – אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שְׁתֵּי עֲצִירוֹת הַלָּלוּ לָמָּה? אַחַת בְּאִישׁ – שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, שְׁתַּיִם בְּאִשָּׁה – שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע וְלֵידָה.
Having mentioned the verses concerning the incident of Abraham and Abimelech, the Gemara explains other related verses. “For the Lord had obstructed [atzor atzar] all the wombs of the house of Abimelech” (Genesis 20:18). Rabbi Elazar says: Why are these two obstructions [atzor atzar] both stated? One is stated with regard to a man, that semen will not be discharged, and two are stated with regard to a woman, that semen will not be discharged from her, and that she will not give birth.
בְּמַתְנִיתָא תְּנָא: שְׁתַּיִם בְּאִישׁ – שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע וּקְטַנִּים, שְׁלֹשָׁה בָּאִשָּׁה – שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע וּקְטַנִּים וְלֵידָה.
It was taught in a baraita: Two are stated with regard to a man: Semen and urine, i.e., that the men were unable to both urinate and discharge semen; three are stated with regard to a woman: Semen, and urine, and birth.
רָבִינָא אָמַר: שָׁלֹשׁ בְּאִישׁ – שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע וּקְטַנִּים וּפִי טַבַּעַת, אַרְבָּעָה בְּאִשָּׁה – שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע וְלֵידָה וּקְטַנִּים וּפִי טַבַּעַת.
Ravina says: Three are stated with regard to a man: Semen, and urine, and the anal sphincter, i.e., that they were unable to discharge stool as well. Consequently, they would be unable to relieve themselves at all. Four are stated with regard to a woman: Semen, and birth, and urine, and the anal sphincter.
״בְּעַד כׇּל רֶחֶם״ – אָמְרִי דְּבֵי רַבִּי יַנַּאי: אֲפִילּוּ תַּרְנְגוֹלֶת שֶׁל בֵּית אֲבִימֶלֶךְ לֹא הֵטִילָה בֵּיצָתָהּ.
The verse states: “For the Lord had obstructed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech.” The Sages of the school of Rabbi Yannai say: Even a hen of the house of Abimelech did not lay her egg during that time.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי: מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן: כׇּל הַמְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל חֲבֵירוֹ וְהוּא צָרִיךְ לְאוֹתוֹ דָּבָר, הוּא נַעֲנֶה תְּחִילָּה? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דִּכְתִיב: ״וַה׳ שָׁב אֶת שְׁבוּת אִיּוֹב בְּהִתְפַּלְלוֹ בְּעַד רֵעֵהוּ״.
§ The Gemara cites a series of questions that Rava asked Rabba bar Mari, the first one being related to the previous topic of discussion. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby the Sages stated: Anyone who asks for compassion from Heaven on behalf of another, and he requires compassion from Heaven concerning that same matter, he is answered first? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source for this is as it is written: “And the Lord changed the fortune of Job, when he prayed for his friends” (Job 42:10).
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ מֵהָתָם, וַאֲנָא אָמֵינָא מֵהָכָא: ״וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים, וַיִּרְפָּא אֱלֹהִים אֶת אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְאֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאַמְהוֹתָיו [וְגוֹ׳]״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַה׳ פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר וְגוֹ׳״ – כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר אַבְרָהָם אֶל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ.
Rava said to him: You said the proof from there, from a verse in the Writings, and I say the proof from here, from a verse in the Torah. As it is written: “And Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants, and they bore children” (Genesis 20:17), and it is written immediately following that: “And the Lord remembered Sarah, as He had said” (Genesis 21:1), with the pronoun interpreted homiletically: As Abraham said with regard to Abimelech. Because Abraham prayed for Abimelech that the women of his household should give birth, Abraham himself was answered concerning that matter.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי: מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: בַּהֲדֵי הוּצָא לָקֵי כְּרָבָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״לָמָּה תָרִיבוּ אֵלָי? כֻּלְּכֶם פְּשַׁעְתֶּם בִּי נְאֻם ה׳״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: The cabbage is damaged together with the thorn, since the cabbage is sometimes harmed when the thorn is removed? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “Why will you contend with Me? You all have transgressed against Me, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 2:29). The term “you all” includes even those who have not sinned.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ מֵהָתָם, וַאֲנָא אָמֵינָא מֵהָכָא: ״עַד אָנָה מֵאַנְתֶּם לִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֹתַי וְתוֹרֹתָי״.
Rava said to him: You said the proof from there, from a verse in the Prophets, and I say the proof from here, from a verse in the Torah. The Lord said to Moses after some of the people collected the manna on Shabbat: “How long do you refuse [me’antem] to keep My commandments and My laws?” (Exodus 16:28). The term “you refuse [me’antem]” is written in the plural, indicating that even Moses was included, although he did not sin.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי: כְּתִיב: ״וּמִקְצֵה אֶחָיו לָקַח חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים״ – מַאן נִינְהוּ חֲמִשָּׁה? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אוֹתָן שֶׁהוּכְפְּלוּ בְּשֵׁמוֹת.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: It is written with regard to Joseph: “And from among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh” (Genesis 47:2). Who are these five men? Rabba bar Mari said to him: This is what Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Those whose names were repeated in the blessings with which Moses later blessed the twelve tribes. They are Dan, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, and Naftali (see Deuteronomy 35). Since they were weak, Joseph brought them before Pharaoh.
יְהוּדָה נָמֵי אִיכְּפוֹלֵי מִיכְּפַל!
Rava said: Judah also had his name repeated in the blessings, and he was strong.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְמִילְּתֵיהּ הוּא דְּאִיכְּפַל. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״יְחִי רְאוּבֵן וְאַל יָמֹת, וִיהִי מְתָיו מִסְפָּר – וְזֹאת לִיהוּדָה״?
Rabba bar Mari said to him: His name was repeated for his own matter, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan said: What is the meaning of that which is written concerning Reuben and Judah in Moses’ blessing of the tribes at the end of his life: “Let Reuben live and not die in that his men become few” (Deuteronomy 33:6), and immediately afterward in the following verse it states: “And this for Judah, and he said: Hear Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him in unto his people; may his hands fight on his behalf, and You shall be a help against his adversaries” (Deuteronomy 33:7)? What is the connection between the blessing of Reuben and that of Judah, juxtaposed with the conjunction “and”?
כׇּל אוֹתָן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר, הָיוּ עַצְמוֹתָיו שֶׁל יְהוּדָה מְגוּלְגָּלִין בָּאָרוֹן; עַד שֶׁבָּא מֹשֶׁה וּבִקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים – אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מִי גָּרַם לִרְאוּבֵן שֶׁיּוֹדֶה – יְהוּדָה!
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All those forty years that the Jewish people were in the desert, the bones of Judah, which the Jewish people took with them from Egypt along with the bones of his brothers, were rolling around in the coffin, until Moses came and asked for mercy on Judah’s behalf. Moses said before God: Master of the Universe, who served as the impetus for Reuben that he should confess his sin, through which he merited a blessing and was not excluded from the count of the twelve sons of Jacob (see Genesis 35:22)? It was Judah, as Reuben saw him confess his sin, and thereby did the same.
מִיָּד: ״שְׁמַע ה׳ קוֹל יְהוּדָה״ – עָל אֵיבְרֵיהּ לְשָׁפָא. לָא הֲווֹ קָא מַסְּקִי [לֵיהּ] לִמְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא, ״וְאֶל עַמּוֹ תְּבִיאֶנּוּ״. לָא הֲוָה יָדַע מַאי קָאָמְרִי רַבָּנַן, וּלְמִשְׁקַל וּמִיטְרַח בַּהֲדֵי רַבָּנַן, ״יָדָיו רָב לוֹ״. לָא הֲוָה סָלֵיק לֵיהּ שְׁמַעְתְּתָא אַלִּיבָּא דְהִלְכְתָא, ״וְעֵזֶר מִצָּרָיו תִּהְיֶה״.
Immediately after Moses prayed, the verse states: “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah” (Deuteronomy 33:7). His bones then entered their sockets [leshafa], and his skeleton became attached. The angels still did not elevate him into the heavenly study hall. Moses then prayed: “And bring him in unto his people” (Deuteronomy 33:7), i.e., bring him to those in the heavenly study hall. This prayer was accepted, but he still did not know what the sages were saying, and he was unable to deliberate in Torah matters with the sages. Moses then prayed: “May his hands fight on his behalf” (Deuteronomy 33:7), meaning that he should have the ability to contend with them in study. But still he was unable to draw conclusions from his discussion in accordance with the halakha. Moses then prayed: “And You shall be a help against his adversaries” (Deuteronomy 33:7).
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: בָּתַר עַנְיָא אָזְלָא עַנְיוּתָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּתְנַן: עֲשִׁירִים מְבִיאִין בִּכּוּרִים בִּקְלָתוֹת שֶׁל זָהָב וְשֶׁל כֶּסֶף, וַעֲנִיִּים בְּסַלֵּי נְצָרִים שֶׁל עֲרָבָה קְלוּפָה. הַסַּלִּים וְהַבִּכּוּרִים נְתוּנִים לַכֹּהֲנִים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ מֵהָתָם, וַאֲנָא אָמֵינָא מֵהָכָא:
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: Poverty follows the poor? Rabba bar Mari said to him: As we learned in a mishna (Bikkurim 3:8): Rich people would bring first fruits in baskets of gold and of silver, and poor people would bring first fruits in wicker baskets made of peeled willow, and they would give the baskets and the first fruits to the priests. The rich would have their baskets returned to them, while the poor would not. Rava said to him: You said the proof from there, from a mishna, and I say the proof from here, from a verse in the Torah:
״וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָא״.
The verse states with regard to one diagnosed with leprosy: “And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose, and he shall cover his upper lip, and he shall cry: Unclean, unclean” (Leviticus 13:45). Not only must the leper suffer from the leprosy itself; he must undergo further embarrassment by publicizing his condition. This is akin to the aphorism that poverty follows the poor.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן: הַשְׁכֵּם וֶאֱכוֹל בַּקַּיִץ מִפְּנֵי הַחַמָּה, וּבַחוֹרֶף מִפְּנֵי הַצִּינָּה; וְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: שִׁיתִּין רָהוֹטֵי רְהוּט, וְלָא מְטוֹ לְגַבְרָא דְּמִצַּפְרָא כְּרַךְ? דִּכְתִיב: ״לֹא יִרְעָבוּ וְלֹא יִצְמָאוּ, וְלֹא יַכֵּם שָׁרָב וָשָׁמֶשׁ״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby the Sages stated: Awaken early and eat, in the summer due to the heat and in the winter due to the cold. And similarly, people say: Sixty runners run and do not reach the man who ate in the morning. Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them” (Isaiah 49:10), indicating that one who is not hungry or thirsty will not be affected by the weather.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ מֵהָתָם, וַאֲנָא אָמֵינָא מֵהָכָא: ״וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֵת ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם״ – זוֹ קְרִיַּת שְׁמַע וּתְפִלָּה. ״וּבֵרַךְ [אֶת] לַחְמְךָ וְאֶת מֵימֶיךָ״ – זוֹ פַּת בְּמֶלַח וְקִיתוֹן שֶׁל מַיִם. מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ: ״וַהֲסִירֹתִי מַחֲלָה מִקִּרְבֶּךָ״.
Rava said to him: You said the proof from there, from a verse in the Prophets, and I say the proof from here, from a verse in the Torah. The verse states: “And you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you” (Exodus 23:25). Rava explicates: “And you shall serve the Lord your God”; this is referring to the recitation of Shema and prayer. “And He will bless your bread and your water”; this is referring to bread dipped in salt, and a flask of water drunk after the bread, in the mornings. From this point forward the remainder of the verse applies: “And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.”
וְתַנְיָא: מַחֲלָה – זוֹ מָרָה. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ מַחֲלָה? שֶׁשְּׁמוֹנִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה חֳלָאִין יֵשׁ בָּהּ – ״מַחֲלָה״ בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא הָכִי הָווּ. וְכוּלָּן, פַּת בַּמֶּלַח שַׁחֲרִית וְקִיתוֹן שֶׁל מַיִם – מְבַטְּלָן.
And it is taught in a baraita: “Sickness”; this is referring to bile. And why is its name called sickness [maḥala]? It is called this since there are eighty-three sicknesses in bile. The letters spelling the word maḥala, i.e., mem, ḥet, lamed, heh, have that numerical value of eighty-three. And with regard to all of those sicknesses, eating bread dipped in salt in the morning and drinking a flask of water afterward negates them.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן: חַבְרָךְ קַרְיָיךְ ״חֲמָרָא״ – אוּכָּפָא לְגַבָּיךְ מוּשׁ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמַר: הָגָר שִׁפְחַת שָׂרַי, אֵי מִזֶּה בָאת וְאָנָה תֵלֵכִי? וַתֹּאמֶר: מִפְּנֵי שָׂרַי גְּבִרְתִּי אָנֹכִי בּוֹרַחַת״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby the Sages stated: If your friend calls you a donkey, prepare a saddle for your back, i.e., do not contest his statement? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written in the conversation between the angel and Hagar: “And he said: Hagar, maidservant of Sarai, from where did you come and to where are you going? And she said: I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai” (Genesis 16:8). Though Hagar was no longer the maidservant of Sarai, since the angel referred to her as such, she responded in kind.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: מִילְּתָא גְּנָאָה דְּאִית בָּיךְ – קְדֵים אַמְרַהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמַר: עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם אָנֹכִי״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: If you are aware of a derogatory matter that is found in you, say it first before others say it about you? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to Eliezer: “And he said: I am Abraham’s servant” (Genesis 24:34), immediately proclaiming that he is a servant.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: שָׁפֵיל וְאָזֵיל בַּר אֲווֹזָא, וְעֵינֵיהּ מְטַיְּיפִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהֵטִיב ה׳ לַאדֹנִי, וְזָכַרְתָּ [אֶת] אֲמָתֶךָ״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: The goose stoops its head as it goes along, but its eyes look afar to find food for itself? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to Abigail’s statement to David: “And when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant” (I Samuel 25:31). Although Abigail spoke with humility in her request that David spare her husband’s life, she made reference to deriving future benefit from David.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: שִׁיתִּין תִּכְלֵי מַטְיוּהּ לְכַכָּא דְּקָל חַבְרֵיהּ שְׁמַע, וְלָא אֲכַל? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלִי אֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ וּלְצָדֹק הַכֹּהֵן וְלִבְנָיָהוּ בֶן יְהוֹיָדָע וְלִשְׁלֹמֹה עַבְדְּךָ לֹא קָרָא״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: Sixty discomforts come to the teeth [lekhakha] of one who hears the sound of another eating and does not eat? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to what Nathan the prophet said concerning the coronation banquet of Adonijah, to which he was not invited: “For he is gone down this day, and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons…But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not called” (I Kings 1:25–26).
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ מֵהָתָם, וַאֲנָא אָמֵינָא מֵהָכָא: ״וַיְבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ, וַיִּקַּח אֶת רִבְקָה וַתְּהִי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וַיֶּאֱהָבֶהָ, וַיִּנָּחֵם יִצְחָק אַחֲרֵי אִמּוֹ״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וַיֹּסֶף אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה וּשְׁמָהּ קְטוּרָה״.
Rava said to him: You said the proof from there, from a verse in the Prophets, and I say the proof from here, from a verse in the Torah. As it is written: “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted for his mother” (Genesis 24:67). And it is written immediately afterward: “And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah” (Genesis 25:1). After seeing his son marry, Abraham was disquieted by the fact he was not married. This is akin to one who sees another eating and does not eat.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: חַמְרָא לְמָרֵיהּ, טֵיבוּתָא לְשָׁקְיֵיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת יָדְךָ עָלָיו״ – ״לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּן וְיִרְאוּן כׇּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״. וּכְתִיב: ״וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן מָלֵא רוּחַ חׇכְמָה, כִּי סָמַךְ מֹשֶׁה אֶת יָדָיו עָלָיו, וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֵלָיו כׇּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ׳״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: While the wine belongs to its owner, the gratitude is given to the one who pours it? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to God commanding Moses to transfer his authority to Joshua: “And the Lord said unto Moses: Take you Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is spirit, and lay your hand upon him…that all the congregation of the children of Israel may hearken” (Numbers 27:18–20). And it is written: “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:9). Although the spirit of God was not given to Joshua by Moses, as Moses was only a conduit, he was given credit for it.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: כַּלְבָּא בְּכַפְנֵיהּ – גְּלָלֵי (מ)בָּלַע? דִּכְתִיב: ״נֶפֶשׁ שְׂבֵעָה – תָּבוּס נֹפֶת, וְנֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה – כׇּל מַר, מָתוֹק״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: A dog, in its hunger, swallows even dung? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “The full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet” (Proverbs 27:7).
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: מְטַיֵּיל וְאָזֵיל דִּיקְלָא בִּישָׁא גַּבֵּי קִינָּא דִשְׁרָכֵי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דָּבָר זֶה כָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה, שָׁנוּי בַּנְּבִיאִים, וּמְשׁוּלָּשׁ בַּכְּתוּבִים; וּתְנַן בְּמַתְנִיתִין, וּתְנֵינָא בְּבָרַיְיתָא.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: A bad palm tree strolls and goes to be among a grove of barren trees, i.e., bad people seek out other bad people? Rabba bar Mari said to him: This matter is written in the Torah, repeated in the Prophets, and triplicated in the Writings, and we learned it in a mishna, and we learned it in a baraita.
כָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה – דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֵּלֶךְ עֵשָׂו אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל״. שָׁנוּי בַּנְּבִיאִים – דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּתְלַקְּטוּ אֶל יִפְתָּח אֲנָשִׁים רֵקִים, וַיִּהְיוּ עִמּוֹ״. וּמְשׁוּלָּשׁ בַּכְּתוּבִים – דִּכְתִיב: ״כׇּל עוֹף לְמִינוֹ יִשְׁכּוֹן, (וּבְנֵי) [וּבֶן] אָדָם לַדּוֹמֶה לוֹ״. תְּנַן בְּמַתְנִיתִין – כׇּל הַמְחוּבָּר לַטָּמֵא, טָמֵא; כׇּל הַמְחוּבָּר לַטָּהוֹר, טָהוֹר. וּתְנֵינָא בְּבָרַיְיתָא – רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: לֹא לְחִנָּם הָלַךְ זַרְזִיר אֵצֶל עוֹרֵב, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מִינוֹ.
Rabba bar Mari explains each of the sources. It is written in the Torah, as it is written: “And so Esau went to Ishmael” (Genesis 28:9). It is repeated in the Prophets, as it is written: “And there were gathered vain fellows to Yiftah, and they went out with him” (Judges 11:3). And it is triplicated in the Writings, as it is written: All fowl will live with its kind, and men with those like him (Book of Ben Sira 13:17). We learned it in a mishna (Kelim 12:2): All that is attached to that which is ritually impure is ritually impure; all that is attached to that which is ritually pure is ritually pure. And we learned it in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer says: Not for naught did the starling go to the raven but because it is its kind, as it too is a non-kosher bird.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: קָרֵית חַבְרָךְ וְלָא עֲנָךְ, רְמִי גּוּדָּא רַבָּה – שְׁדִי בֵּיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״יַעַן טִהַרְתִּיךְ וְלֹא טָהַרְתְּ מִטֻּמְאָתֵךְ – לֹא תִטְהֲרִי עוֹד״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: If you called to your friend and he did not answer you, throw a large wall and cast it at him, i.e., do not attempt to help him anymore? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “Because I have purged you and you were not purged, you shall not be purged from your impurity anymore, until I have satisfied My fury upon you” (Ezekiel 24:13).
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: בֵּירָא דִּשְׁתֵית מִינֵּיהּ – לָא תִּשְׁדֵּי בֵּיהּ קָלָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״לֹא תְתַעֵב אֲדֹמִי – כִּי אָחִיךָ הוּא, וְלֹא תְתַעֵב מִצְרִי – כִּי גֵר הָיִיתָ בְאַרְצוֹ״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: If there is a well that you drank from, do not throw a stone into it? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land” (Deuteronomy 23:8). Since you dwelled in their lands, you may not cause them harm.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: אִי דְּלֵית דּוּרָא – דָּלֵינָא, וְאִי לָא – לָא דָּלֵינָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ בָּרָק: אִם תֵּלְכִי עִמִּי – וְהָלָכְתִּי, וְאִם לֹא תֵלְכִי עִמִּי – לֹא אֵלֵךְ״.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: If you lift the load with me I will lift it, and if you will not lift it with me I won’t lift it? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to Barak and Deborah concerning the war of Sisera: “And Barak said to her: If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go” (Judges 4:8).
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי, מְנָא הָא מִילְּתָא דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: כַּד הֲוֵינַן זוּטְרֵי – לְגַבְרֵי, הַשְׁתָּא דְּקַשִּׁישְׁנָא – לְדַרְדְּקֵי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, מֵעִיקָּרָא כְּתִיב: ״וַה׳ הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן לַנְחֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְלַיְלָה בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לְהָאִיר לָהֶם״, וּלְבַסּוֹף כְּתִיב:
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: When we were small, we were considered to be men; now that we are old, we are considered to be children [ledardekei]? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is that initially, it is written with regard to the Jewish people traveling in the wilderness: “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light” (Exodus 13:21). God Himself guarded over the Jewish people. But at the end, after some time passed and it would be expected that the Jewish people were considered more important, it is written:
