Masechet Chullin is sponsored by Judi Felber in honor of the Hadran Community. “During my first cycle of Daf Yomi, just as we began Masechet Chullin, my son was injured while serving in the IDF. Throughout those two and a half months of difficulty and uncertainty, my fellow learners never left my side. With profound gratitude to the community that held me, encouraged me, and ensured I could keep up with the Daf during those trying times.”
This month’s learning is sponsored by Adam, Carolyn, Michal, Josh, Benny, Izzy, Gali, Shim, Zoe, Zachy and Yehuda in loving memory of Fred Hochstadter, Ephraim ben Kayla veBaruch on his 18th yahrzeit on ח׳ אלול. “We continue to be inspired by his dedication to daily learning, from the Daf and beyond, to its surrounding philosophical, historical and legal nuances. We miss him greatly and can only strive to emulate his wise, kind and elegant ways.”
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Summary
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Today’s daily daf tools:
Masechet Chullin is sponsored by Judi Felber in honor of the Hadran Community. “During my first cycle of Daf Yomi, just as we began Masechet Chullin, my son was injured while serving in the IDF. Throughout those two and a half months of difficulty and uncertainty, my fellow learners never left my side. With profound gratitude to the community that held me, encouraged me, and ensured I could keep up with the Daf during those trying times.”
This month’s learning is sponsored by Adam, Carolyn, Michal, Josh, Benny, Izzy, Gali, Shim, Zoe, Zachy and Yehuda in loving memory of Fred Hochstadter, Ephraim ben Kayla veBaruch on his 18th yahrzeit on ח׳ אלול. “We continue to be inspired by his dedication to daily learning, from the Daf and beyond, to its surrounding philosophical, historical and legal nuances. We miss him greatly and can only strive to emulate his wise, kind and elegant ways.”
Siyum Chullin is sponsored by Ellen Werlin in honor of her father Jim, Yaakov Eli ben Abraham v’Miriam, who’s 18th yahrzeit was the first day of Rosh Hashana. “This Masechet reflected some of the things you loved the most – food, community, and the details of law. May your memory continue to be a blessing.”
Siyum Chullin is dedicated by our Hadran Zoom community in loving memory of Phyllis Hecht, “a woman who lived and breathed Torah, and loved Gemara. If you learned with Phyllis, you knew that to her, every word mattered, and every detail was an opportunity to elevate the everyday into something holy. May our learning today honor her dedication both to learning and to her community.”
Chullin 142
בְּעוֹמֵד וְאוֹמֵר ״זֶה וְזֶה אֲנִי נוֹטֵל״ סַגִּיא! הָנְהוּ פֵּירֵי חַדְתֵי הֲווֹ, דְּלֵוִי בַּר סִימוֹן גּוּפֵיהּ לָא הֲוָה קָנֵי לְהוּ, וְהָכִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ: זִיל וּטְרוֹף אַקַּן, דְּלִיתְגַּבְהוּ וְנִיקְנִינְהוּ לֵוִי בַּר סִימוֹן, וַהֲדַר לַיקְנִינְהוּ נִיהֲלָךְ בְּסוּדָר.
because by standing on the eve of the Festival and saying: This bird and that bird I will take on the Festival, he would have effected sufficient preparation for their use on the Festival. The Gemara responds: These, the offspring and the eggs, were new produce, which Levi bar Simon himself had not yet acquired. And this is what Shmuel was saying to him: Go and bang on the nest so that the mothers will rise up, and Levi bar Simon will have then acquired the young in the nest, and consequently, he may then transfer ownership to you through acquisition by means of a cloth.
מַתְנִי׳ לֹא יִטּוֹל אָדָם אֵם עַל בָּנִים, אֲפִילּוּ לְטַהֵר אֶת הַמְצוֹרָע. וּמָה אִם מִצְוָה קַלָּה, שֶׁהִיא כְּאִיסָּר, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים״, קַל וָחוֹמֶר עַל מִצְוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.
MISHNA: A person may not take the mother bird with the offspring even if he takes the mother for use as part of the ritual to purify the leper. The mishna compares the reward for performing the mitzva of sending away the mother bird from the nest to the reward for performing other mitzvot: And if with regard to the sending away of the mother bird, which is a mitzva whose performance is simple, as it entails a loss of no more than an issar, i.e., the value of the mother bird, the Torah says: “That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days” (Deuteronomy 22:7), it may be derived by a fortiori inference that the reward is no less for the fulfillment of the mitzvot in the Torah whose performance is demanding.
גְּמָ׳ תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: אֵין לְךָ כׇּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁמַּתַּן שְׂכָרָהּ בְּצִדָּהּ, שֶׁאֵין תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים תְּלוּיָה בָּהּ. בְּכִבּוּד אָב וָאֵם כְּתִיב: ״לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ״, בְּשִׁילּוּחַ הַקֵּן כְּתִיב: ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים״.
GEMARA: The school of Rabbi Ya’akov taught that Rabbi Ya’akov says: There is not a single mitzva written in the Torah whose reward is stated alongside it, which is not dependent on a belief in the resurrection of the dead, i.e., the reward is actually bestowed in the World-to-Come, after the resurrection of the dead. How so? With regard to honoring one’s father and mother, it is written: “That your days may be long, and that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16). With regard to the sending away of the mother bird from the nest, it is written: “That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days” (Deuteronomy 22:7).
הֲרֵי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו: עֲלֵה לַבִּירָה וְהָבֵא לִי גּוֹזָלוֹת! וְעָלָה, וְשִׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם וְלָקַח אֶת הַבָּנִים, וּבַחֲזָרָתוֹ נָפַל וָמֵת. הֵיכָן אֲרִיכוּת יָמָיו שֶׁל זֶה? וְהֵיכָן טוֹבָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה? אֶלָּא ״לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכוּן יָמֶיךָ״ – בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ אָרוֹךְ, ״וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ״ – לְעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ טוֹב.
Despite this, it occurred that there was one whose father said to him: Climb to the top of the building and bring me fledglings; and he climbed to the top of the building and sent away the mother bird and took the offspring, thereby simultaneously fulfilling the mitzva to send away the mother bird from the nest and the mitzva to honor one’s parents, but as he returned he fell and died. Where is the length of days of this one? And where is the goodness of the days of this one? Rather, the verse “that your days may be long” is referring to the world that is entirely long, and “that it may be well with you” means in the world where all is well.
וְדִלְמָא לָא הֲוָה הָכִי? רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב מַעֲשֶׂה חֲזָא! וְדִלְמָא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲבֵירָה הֲוָה? מַחְשָׁבָה רָעָה אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְצָרְפָהּ לְמַעֲשֶׂה.
The Gemara suggests: But perhaps this incident described by Rabbi Ya’akov never occurred. It is possible that everyone who performs these mitzvot is rewarded in this world, and the situation described by Rabbi Ya’akov never happened. The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ya’akov himself saw an incident of this kind. The Gemara suggests: But perhaps that man was contemplating sin at the time, and he was punished for his thoughts. The Gemara responds: There is a principle that the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not link a bad thought to an action, i.e., one is not punished for thoughts alone.
וְדִלְמָא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הֲוָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״לְמַעַן תְּפֹשׂ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּלִבָּם״, וְאָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: זוֹ מַחְשֶׁבֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
The Gemara objects: But perhaps the son was contemplating idol worship at the time, as it is written with regard to idol worship: “So I may take the house of Israel in their own heart” (Ezekiel 14:5), and Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov says: This is referring to punishment for the thought of performing idol worship.
הָכִי קָאָמַר: אִם אִיתָא דְּאִיכָּא שְׂכַר מִצְוֹת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, תַּהֲנֵי לֵיהּ וְתַגֵּן עֲלֵיהּ דְּלָא לֵיתֵי לִידֵי הִרְהוּר וְלִיתַּזַּק, אֶלָּא שְׂכַר מִצְוֹת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא לֵיכָּא. וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵינָן נִזּוֹקִים! בַּחֲזָרָתָם שָׁאנֵי.
The Gemara responds: This is what Rabbi Ya’akov was saying after witnessing the incident mentioned above: If it is so that there is reward for performance of mitzvot in this world, it should be effective for the son and protect him so that he not come to contemplate idol worship and be harmed. Rather, one must conclude that there is no reward for performance of mitzvot in this world. The Gemara asks: But didn’t Rabbi Elazar say: Those on the path to perform a mitzva are not susceptible to harm? How is it possible that this individual, who was sent by his father to perform a mitzva, could have died? The Gemara answers: When they return it is different, as after one has performed the mitzva, one is susceptible to harm.
וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵינָן נִזּוֹקִים, לֹא בַּהֲלִיכָתָן וְלֹא בַּחֲזָרָתָן! סוּלָּם רָעוּעַ הֲוָה, וּמָקוֹם דְּקָבוּעַ הֶיזֵּקָא שָׁאנֵי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי״.
The Gemara asks: But didn’t Rabbi Elazar say: Those on the path to perform a mitzva are not susceptible to harm, neither when they are on their way to perform the mitzva nor when they are returning from performing the mitzva? The Gemara answers: In that case, it was a rickety ladder on which the son ascended and descended, and a place where danger is established is different, and even those on the path to perform a mitzva are susceptible to harm. This is apparent from the incident where the prophet Samuel traveled to anoint David as king in place of Saul, as it is written: “And Samuel said: How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me” (I Samuel 16:2). Although Samuel was on the path to perform a mitzva, he feared that harm would befall him from established dangers.
אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: אִלְמָלֵא דַּרְשֵׁיהּ אַחֵר לְהַאי קְרָא כְּרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר בְּרַתֵּיה – לָא חֲטָא. מַאי חֲזָא? אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: כִּי הַאי מַעֲשֶׂה חֲזָא, וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: לִישָּׁנָא דְּרַבִּי חוּצְפִּית הַמְתוּרְגְּמָן חֲזָא, דַּהֲוָה מוּטֶּלֶת בָּאַשְׁפָּה. אָמַר: פֶּה שֶׁהֵפִיק מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת יִלְחוֹךְ עָפָר?! וְהוּא לָא יָדַע ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לְךָ״ – בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ טוֹב, ״וּלְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכוּן יָמֶיךָ״ – בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ אָרוֹךְ.
Rav Yosef said: Had Aḥer, literally Other, the appellation of the former Sage Elisha ben Avuya, interpreted homiletically this aforementioned verse: “That it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16), as referring to the World-to-Come, as did Rabbi Ya’akov, the son of his daughter, he would not have sinned. The Gemara asks: What did Aḥer see that led him to heresy? Some say that he saw an incident like this one witnessed by Rabbi Ya’akov, and some say that he saw the tongue of Rabbi Ḥutzpit the disseminator, which was cast in a garbage dump after he was executed by the government. Aḥer said: Will a mouth that produced pearls of wisdom lick the dust? But he did not know that the phrase “that it may be well with you” means in the world where all is well, and that the phrase “that your days may be long” is referring to the world that is entirely long.
הֲדַרַן עֲלָךְ שִׁילּוּחַ הַקֵּן, וּסְלִיקָא לַהּ מַסֶּכֶת חוּלִּין.
Today’s daily daf tools:
Delve Deeper
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Chullin Daf 132-138-Daf Yomi: One Week at a Time
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Hullin 134: Gifts to the Kohanim, Gifts to the Poor
Levite/Kohenet Mothers and Their First Born Babies- Why No Pidyon Ha-ben?
Chullin Daf 125-131-Daf Yomi: One Week at a Time
Hullin 131: Are the Levites Part of the Jewish People?
Hullin 128: The Value of No Conclusion: Teiku (Again)
When Chazal’s Science Does Not Match our Own – the Mud-Mouse
Chullin Daf 118-124-Daf Yomi: One Week at a Time
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The Hadran Women’s Tapestry
Meet the diverse women learning Gemara at Hadran and hear their stories.
Since I started in January of 2020, Daf Yomi has changed my life. It connects me to Jews all over the world, especially learned women. It makes cooking, gardening, and folding laundry into acts of Torah study. Daf Yomi enables me to participate in a conversation with and about our heritage that has been going on for more than 2000 years.
Skokie, IL, United States
I started learning at the beginning of this cycle more than 2 years ago, and I have not missed a day or a daf. It’s been challenging and enlightening and even mind-numbing at times, but the learning and the shared experience have all been worth it. If you are open to it, there’s no telling what might come into your life.
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
In early January of 2020, I learned about Siyyum HaShas and Daf Yomi via Tablet Magazine’s brief daily podcast about the Daf. I found it compelling and fascinating. Soon I discovered Hadran; since then I have learned the Daf daily with Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber. The Daf has permeated my every hour, and has transformed and magnified my place within the Jewish Universe.
San Francisco, CA , United States
I am a Reform rabbi and took Talmud courses in rabbinical school, but I knew there was so much more to learn. It felt inauthentic to serve as a rabbi without having read the entire Talmud, so when the opportunity arose to start Daf Yomi in 2020, I dove in! Thanks to Hadran, Daf Yomi has enriched my understanding of rabbinic Judaism and deepened my love of Jewish text & tradition. Todah rabbah!
California, United States
Phoenix, AZ, United States
Michelle has been an inspiration for years, but I only really started this cycle after the moving and uplifting siyum in Jerusalem. It’s been an wonderful to learn and relearn the tenets of our religion and to understand how the extraordinary efforts of a band of people to preserve Judaism after the fall of the beit hamikdash is still bearing fruits today. I’m proud to be part of the chain!
Raanana, Israel
I started learning Dec 2019 after reading “If all the Seas Were Ink”. I found
Daily daf sessions of Rabbanit Michelle in her house teaching, I then heard about the siyum and a new cycle starting wow I am in! Afternoon here in Sydney, my family and friends know this is my sacred time to hide away to live zoom and learn. Often it’s hard to absorb and relate then a gem shines touching my heart.
Dover Heights, Australia
I began daf yomi in January 2020 with Brachot. I had made aliya 6 months before, and one of my post-aliya goals was to complete a full cycle. As a life-long Tanach teacher, I wanted to swim from one side of the Yam shel Torah to the other. Daf yomi was also my sanity through COVID. It was the way to marking the progression of time, and feel that I could grow and accomplish while time stopped.
Givat Zev, Israel
תמיד רציתי. למדתי גמרא בבית ספר בטורונטו קנדה. עליתי ארצה ולמדתי שזה לא מקובל. הופתעתי.
יצאתי לגימלאות לפני שנתיים וזה מאפשר את המחוייבות לדף יומי.
עבורי ההתמדה בלימוד מעגן אותי בקשר שלי ליהדות. אני תמיד מחפשת ותמיד. מוצאת מקור לקשר. ללימוד חדש ומחדש. קשר עם נשים לומדות מעמיק את החוויה ומשמעותית מאוד.
מיתר, ישראל
I started learning Daf Yomi in January 2020 after watching my grandfather, Mayer Penstein z”l, finish shas with the previous cycle. My grandfather made learning so much fun was so proud that his grandchildren wanted to join him. I was also inspired by Ilana Kurshan’s book, If All the Seas Were Ink. Two years in, I can say that it has enriched my life in so many ways.
New York, United States
With Rabbanit Dr. Naomi Cohen in the Women’s Talmud class, over 30 years ago. It was a “known” class and it was accepted, because of who taught. Since then I have also studied with Avigail Gross-Gelman and Dr. Gabriel Hazut for about a year). Years ago, in a shiur in my shul, I did know about Persians doing 3 things with their clothes on. They opened the shiur to woman after that!
Haifa, Israel
When the new cycle began, I thought, If not now, when? I’d just turned 72. I feel like a tourist on a tour bus passing astonishing scenery each day. Rabbanit Michelle is my beloved tour guide. When the cycle ends, I’ll be 80. I pray that I’ll have strength and mind to continue the journey to glimpse a little more. My grandchildren think having a daf-learning savta is cool!
Jerusalem, Israel
In January 2020, my teaching partner at IDC suggested we do daf yomi. Thanks to her challenge, I started learning daily from Rabbanit Michelle. It’s a joy to be part of the Hadran community. (It’s also a tikkun: in 7th grade, my best friend and I tied for first place in a citywide gemara exam, but we weren’t invited to the celebration because girls weren’t supposed to be learning gemara).
Jerusalem, Israel
I started learning at the beginning of this Daf Yomi cycle because I heard a lot about the previous cycle coming to an end and thought it would be a good thing to start doing. My husband had already bought several of the Koren Talmud Bavli books and they were just sitting on the shelf, not being used, so here was an opportunity to start using them and find out exactly what was in them. Loving it!
Borehamwood, United Kingdom
In early 2020, I began the process of a stem cell transplant. The required extreme isolation forced me to leave work and normal life but gave me time to delve into Jewish text study. I did not feel isolated. I began Daf Yomi at the start of this cycle, with family members joining me online from my hospital room. I’ve used my newly granted time to to engage, grow and connect through this learning.
Worcester, United States
Bronx, United States
I began my journey two years ago at the beginning of this cycle of the daf yomi. It has been an incredible, challenging experience and has given me a new perspective of Torah Sh’baal Peh and the role it plays in our lives
Efrat, Israel
I began learning with Rabbanit Michelle’s wonderful Talmud Skills class on Pesachim, which really enriched my Pesach seder, and I have been learning Daf Yomi off and on over the past year. Because I’m relatively new at this, there is a “chiddush” for me every time I learn, and the knowledge and insights of the group members add so much to my experience. I feel very lucky to be a part of this.
Karmiel, Israel
I started learning when my brother sent me the news clip of the celebration of the last Daf Yomi cycle. I was so floored to see so many women celebrating that I wanted to be a part of it. It has been an enriching experience studying a text in a language I don’t speak, using background knowledge that I don’t have. It is stretching my learning in unexpected ways, bringing me joy and satisfaction.
Warwick, Rhode Island, United States
I started learning Daf Yomi in January 2020 after watching my grandfather, Mayer Penstein z”l, finish shas with the previous cycle. My grandfather made learning so much fun was so proud that his grandchildren wanted to join him. I was also inspired by Ilana Kurshan’s book, If All the Seas Were Ink. Two years in, I can say that it has enriched my life in so many ways.
New York, United States
Chullin 142
בְּעוֹמֵד וְאוֹמֵר ״זֶה וְזֶה אֲנִי נוֹטֵל״ סַגִּיא! הָנְהוּ פֵּירֵי חַדְתֵי הֲווֹ, דְּלֵוִי בַּר סִימוֹן גּוּפֵיהּ לָא הֲוָה קָנֵי לְהוּ, וְהָכִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ: זִיל וּטְרוֹף אַקַּן, דְּלִיתְגַּבְהוּ וְנִיקְנִינְהוּ לֵוִי בַּר סִימוֹן, וַהֲדַר לַיקְנִינְהוּ נִיהֲלָךְ בְּסוּדָר.
because by standing on the eve of the Festival and saying: This bird and that bird I will take on the Festival, he would have effected sufficient preparation for their use on the Festival. The Gemara responds: These, the offspring and the eggs, were new produce, which Levi bar Simon himself had not yet acquired. And this is what Shmuel was saying to him: Go and bang on the nest so that the mothers will rise up, and Levi bar Simon will have then acquired the young in the nest, and consequently, he may then transfer ownership to you through acquisition by means of a cloth.
מַתְנִי׳ לֹא יִטּוֹל אָדָם אֵם עַל בָּנִים, אֲפִילּוּ לְטַהֵר אֶת הַמְצוֹרָע. וּמָה אִם מִצְוָה קַלָּה, שֶׁהִיא כְּאִיסָּר, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים״, קַל וָחוֹמֶר עַל מִצְוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.
MISHNA: A person may not take the mother bird with the offspring even if he takes the mother for use as part of the ritual to purify the leper. The mishna compares the reward for performing the mitzva of sending away the mother bird from the nest to the reward for performing other mitzvot: And if with regard to the sending away of the mother bird, which is a mitzva whose performance is simple, as it entails a loss of no more than an issar, i.e., the value of the mother bird, the Torah says: “That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days” (Deuteronomy 22:7), it may be derived by a fortiori inference that the reward is no less for the fulfillment of the mitzvot in the Torah whose performance is demanding.
גְּמָ׳ תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: אֵין לְךָ כׇּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁמַּתַּן שְׂכָרָהּ בְּצִדָּהּ, שֶׁאֵין תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים תְּלוּיָה בָּהּ. בְּכִבּוּד אָב וָאֵם כְּתִיב: ״לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ״, בְּשִׁילּוּחַ הַקֵּן כְּתִיב: ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים״.
GEMARA: The school of Rabbi Ya’akov taught that Rabbi Ya’akov says: There is not a single mitzva written in the Torah whose reward is stated alongside it, which is not dependent on a belief in the resurrection of the dead, i.e., the reward is actually bestowed in the World-to-Come, after the resurrection of the dead. How so? With regard to honoring one’s father and mother, it is written: “That your days may be long, and that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16). With regard to the sending away of the mother bird from the nest, it is written: “That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days” (Deuteronomy 22:7).
הֲרֵי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו: עֲלֵה לַבִּירָה וְהָבֵא לִי גּוֹזָלוֹת! וְעָלָה, וְשִׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם וְלָקַח אֶת הַבָּנִים, וּבַחֲזָרָתוֹ נָפַל וָמֵת. הֵיכָן אֲרִיכוּת יָמָיו שֶׁל זֶה? וְהֵיכָן טוֹבָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה? אֶלָּא ״לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכוּן יָמֶיךָ״ – בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ אָרוֹךְ, ״וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ״ – לְעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ טוֹב.
Despite this, it occurred that there was one whose father said to him: Climb to the top of the building and bring me fledglings; and he climbed to the top of the building and sent away the mother bird and took the offspring, thereby simultaneously fulfilling the mitzva to send away the mother bird from the nest and the mitzva to honor one’s parents, but as he returned he fell and died. Where is the length of days of this one? And where is the goodness of the days of this one? Rather, the verse “that your days may be long” is referring to the world that is entirely long, and “that it may be well with you” means in the world where all is well.
וְדִלְמָא לָא הֲוָה הָכִי? רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב מַעֲשֶׂה חֲזָא! וְדִלְמָא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲבֵירָה הֲוָה? מַחְשָׁבָה רָעָה אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְצָרְפָהּ לְמַעֲשֶׂה.
The Gemara suggests: But perhaps this incident described by Rabbi Ya’akov never occurred. It is possible that everyone who performs these mitzvot is rewarded in this world, and the situation described by Rabbi Ya’akov never happened. The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ya’akov himself saw an incident of this kind. The Gemara suggests: But perhaps that man was contemplating sin at the time, and he was punished for his thoughts. The Gemara responds: There is a principle that the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not link a bad thought to an action, i.e., one is not punished for thoughts alone.
וְדִלְמָא מְהַרְהֵר בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הֲוָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״לְמַעַן תְּפֹשׂ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּלִבָּם״, וְאָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: זוֹ מַחְשֶׁבֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
The Gemara objects: But perhaps the son was contemplating idol worship at the time, as it is written with regard to idol worship: “So I may take the house of Israel in their own heart” (Ezekiel 14:5), and Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov says: This is referring to punishment for the thought of performing idol worship.
הָכִי קָאָמַר: אִם אִיתָא דְּאִיכָּא שְׂכַר מִצְוֹת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, תַּהֲנֵי לֵיהּ וְתַגֵּן עֲלֵיהּ דְּלָא לֵיתֵי לִידֵי הִרְהוּר וְלִיתַּזַּק, אֶלָּא שְׂכַר מִצְוֹת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא לֵיכָּא. וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵינָן נִזּוֹקִים! בַּחֲזָרָתָם שָׁאנֵי.
The Gemara responds: This is what Rabbi Ya’akov was saying after witnessing the incident mentioned above: If it is so that there is reward for performance of mitzvot in this world, it should be effective for the son and protect him so that he not come to contemplate idol worship and be harmed. Rather, one must conclude that there is no reward for performance of mitzvot in this world. The Gemara asks: But didn’t Rabbi Elazar say: Those on the path to perform a mitzva are not susceptible to harm? How is it possible that this individual, who was sent by his father to perform a mitzva, could have died? The Gemara answers: When they return it is different, as after one has performed the mitzva, one is susceptible to harm.
וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵינָן נִזּוֹקִים, לֹא בַּהֲלִיכָתָן וְלֹא בַּחֲזָרָתָן! סוּלָּם רָעוּעַ הֲוָה, וּמָקוֹם דְּקָבוּעַ הֶיזֵּקָא שָׁאנֵי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי״.
The Gemara asks: But didn’t Rabbi Elazar say: Those on the path to perform a mitzva are not susceptible to harm, neither when they are on their way to perform the mitzva nor when they are returning from performing the mitzva? The Gemara answers: In that case, it was a rickety ladder on which the son ascended and descended, and a place where danger is established is different, and even those on the path to perform a mitzva are susceptible to harm. This is apparent from the incident where the prophet Samuel traveled to anoint David as king in place of Saul, as it is written: “And Samuel said: How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me” (I Samuel 16:2). Although Samuel was on the path to perform a mitzva, he feared that harm would befall him from established dangers.
אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: אִלְמָלֵא דַּרְשֵׁיהּ אַחֵר לְהַאי קְרָא כְּרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר בְּרַתֵּיה – לָא חֲטָא. מַאי חֲזָא? אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: כִּי הַאי מַעֲשֶׂה חֲזָא, וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: לִישָּׁנָא דְּרַבִּי חוּצְפִּית הַמְתוּרְגְּמָן חֲזָא, דַּהֲוָה מוּטֶּלֶת בָּאַשְׁפָּה. אָמַר: פֶּה שֶׁהֵפִיק מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת יִלְחוֹךְ עָפָר?! וְהוּא לָא יָדַע ״לְמַעַן יִיטַב לְךָ״ – בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ טוֹב, ״וּלְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכוּן יָמֶיךָ״ – בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ אָרוֹךְ.
Rav Yosef said: Had Aḥer, literally Other, the appellation of the former Sage Elisha ben Avuya, interpreted homiletically this aforementioned verse: “That it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16), as referring to the World-to-Come, as did Rabbi Ya’akov, the son of his daughter, he would not have sinned. The Gemara asks: What did Aḥer see that led him to heresy? Some say that he saw an incident like this one witnessed by Rabbi Ya’akov, and some say that he saw the tongue of Rabbi Ḥutzpit the disseminator, which was cast in a garbage dump after he was executed by the government. Aḥer said: Will a mouth that produced pearls of wisdom lick the dust? But he did not know that the phrase “that it may be well with you” means in the world where all is well, and that the phrase “that your days may be long” is referring to the world that is entirely long.
הֲדַרַן עֲלָךְ שִׁילּוּחַ הַקֵּן, וּסְלִיקָא לַהּ מַסֶּכֶת חוּלִּין.
