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Today’s Daf – Zevachim 83 / Dec. 6th, 2025 / ט״ז בכסלו תשפ״ו
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This week’s learning is sponsored by Robert and Paula Cohen in loving memory of Joseph Cohen, Yosef ben Moshe HaCohen, z”l. “He was hard working, loved to sing, esp. as a chazan, and was very dedicated to his family and community.”
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Today’s daf is sponsored by Emma Rinberg in loving memory of her mother, Marjorie Glick, Miriam Chana bat Rachel ve Menachem Mendel on her 2nd yahrzeit.
A story is told of Rav Sheshet who accused the servants of the Exilarch and how they tried to take revenge on him. Another story is told of King Solomon and the demon Ashmedai who Solomon captured in order to help him build the Beit Hamikdash. In the end, Ashmedai brings about Solomon’s downfall.
This week’s learning is sponsored by Robert and Paula Cohen in loving memory of Joseph Cohen, Yosef ben Moshe HaCohen, z”l. “He was hard working, loved to sing, esp. as a chazan, and was very dedicated to his family and community.”
אִיגְּנִיב לַן כָּסָא דְכַסְפָּא! בַּהֲדֵי דְּקָא מְעַיְּינִי וְאָתוּ, אַשְׁכְּחוּהָ דִּכְרִוכָה בְּסוּדָרֵיהּ.
A silver cup was stolen from us, and they searched everyone for it. When they were checking they found the piece of meat wrapped in his scarf.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזִי מָר, דְּלָא מֵיכַל קָא בָּעֵי – אֶלָּא לְצַעוֹרַן! אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא מֵיכָל אֲכַלִי, וּטְעַמִי בֵּיהּ טַעְמָא דְחִיוָּרָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חִיוָּרָא לָא עֲבִיד לַן הָאִידָּנָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: בְּדַקוּ בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ; דְּאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: אוּכָּמָא בְּחִיוָּרָא, וְחִיוָּרָא בְּאוּכַּמְתָּא – לָקוּתָא הִיא. בְּדוּק אַשְׁכְּחוּהּ.
The Exilarch’s servants said to the Exilarch: See Master, i.e., the Exilarch, Rav Sheshet does not desire to eat, rather he wishes only to afflict us. Even after everything that was done for him he did not eat from the Exilarch’s meal. Rav Sheshet said to them: I ate and I tasted the taste of white leprous spots in the meat and therefore I did not eat it. They said to the Exilarch: We did not prepare an animal with white spots today. Rav Sheshet said to them: Check the skin in the place of the portion that I was given. He issued this instruction in accordance with the statement of Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda said: Black spots within white skin and white spots within black skin are an affliction and a sign of disease. They checked and found that the animal was afflicted in this manner, and the Exilarch’s servants became even angrier with him.
כִּי קָא נָפֵיק, כְּרוֹ לֵיהּ בֵּירָא וּשְׁדוֹ לֵיהּ צִיפְּתָא עִילָּוֵיהּ, וְאָמְרִי לֵיהּ: לֵיתֵי מָר לֵינַח. נְחַר לֵיהּ רַב חִסְדָּא מֵאֲחוֹרֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְיָנוֹקָא: פְּסוֹק לִי פְּסוּקָיךְ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״נְטֵה לְךָ עַל יְמִינְךָ אוֹ עַל שְׂמֹאלֶךָ״. אֲמַר לֵיה לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ: מַאי קָא חָזֵית? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: צִיפְּיתָא דְּשַׁדְיָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הֲדַר מִינַּהּ.
When Rav Sheshet was exiting the house of the Exilarch the servants dug a pit and placed a reed mat [tzifta] on top of it so that the pit would not be noticed. And they said to Rav Sheshet: The Master, i.e., Rav Sheshet, should come and rest for a short time, and they intended for him to fall and be hurt. Rav Ḥisda, who was also present, snorted [neḥar] to him from behind in order to signal to him. Rav Sheshet said to a child who was there: Recite your verse for me that you studied today. The child said to him: “Turn to your right or to your left” (II Samuel 2:21). Rav Sheshet, who was blind, said to his servant: What do you see? His servant said to him: I see a mat that has been placed on the ground. Rav Sheshet said to him: Turn away from it and we will go around it.
לְבָתַר דִּנְפַק, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב חִסְדָּא: מְנָא הֲוָה יָדַע מָר? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲדָא – דִּנְחַר לִי מָר. וְעוֹד – דִּפְסַק לִי יָנוֹקָא פְּסוּקָא. וְעוֹד – דַּחֲשִׁידִי עַבְדֵי דְּלָא מְעַלּוּ.
After Rav Sheshet left the Exilarch’s house, Rav Ḥisda said to him: From where did the Master, i.e., Rav Sheshet, know that the servants had dug a pit in that place? Rav Sheshet said to him: There were several matters that raised my suspicions. One, that the Master, i.e., Rav Ḥisda, snorted to me to signal that I should beware. And additionally, when the child recited the verse for me it alluded to this matter. And additionally, servants are suspect of not acting according to a high standard, and I suspected that they would attempt to cause me harm.
״עָשִׂיתִי לִי שָׁרִים וְשָׁרוֹת וְתַעֲנוּגוֹת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם, שִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת״; ״שָׁרִים וְשָׁרוֹת״ – אֵלּוּ מִינֵי זֶמֶר, ״וְתַעֲנוּגוֹת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם״ – אֵלּוּ בְּרֵיכוֹת וּמֶרְחֲצָאוֹת, ״שִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת״ – הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ: שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין. בְּמַעְרְבָא אָמְרִי: שִׁידְּתָא.
§ After mentioning the spirit named kordeyakos on the previous daf the Gemara relates other matters connected to spirits and demons. It is written: “I got myself sharim and sharot, and human pleasures, shidda and shiddot” (Ecclesiastes 2:8). The Gemara explains: “Sharim and sharot”: These are types of musical instruments. “And human pleasures”: These are pools and bathhouses. “Shidda and shiddot”: Here, in Babylonia, they interpreted these words in the following manner: Male demons [shidda] and female demons [shiddetin]. In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they said that these words are referring to carriages [shiddeta].
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת מִינֵי שֵׁדִים הָיוּ בְּשִׁיחִין, וְשֵׁידָה עַצְמָהּ אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מָה הִיא.
Rabbi Yoḥanan says: There were three hundred types of demons in a place named Shiḥin, but I do not know what the form or nature of a demon itself is.
אָמַר מָר, הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ: שֵׁידָא וְשֵׁידְתִין. שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין – לְמַאי אִיבְּעִי לֵיהּ? דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהַבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה מַסָּע נִבְנָה וְגוֹ׳״ – אָמַר לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן: הֵיכִי אֶעֱבֵיד? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אִיכָּא שָׁמִירָא דְּאַיְיתִי מֹשֶׁה לְאַבְנֵי אֵפוֹד.
The Master said: Here they interpreted it: Male demons and female demons. The Gemara asks: Why was it necessary for Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, to have male demons and female demons? The Gemara answers: As it is written with regard to the building of the Temple: “For the house, when it was being built, was built of stone made ready at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was being built” (I Kings 6:7). Solomon said to the sages: How shall I make it so that the stone will be precisely cut without using iron? They said to him: There is a creature called a shamir that can cut the stones, which Moses brought and used to cut the stones of the ephod.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: הֵיכָא אִישְׁתְּכַח? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַיְיתִי שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין כַּבְשִׁינְהוּ אַהֲדָדֵי, אֶפְשָׁר דְּיָדְעִי וּמְגַלּוּ לָךְ. אַיְיתִי שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין כַּבְשִׁינְהוּ אַהֲדָדֵי, אָמְרִי: אֲנַן לָא יָדְעִינַן, דִּילְמָא אַשְׁמְדַאי – מַלְכָּא דְשֵׁידֵי, יָדַע.
Solomon said to them: Where is it found? They said to him: Bring a male demon and a female demon and torment them together. It is possible that they know where, and due to the suffering they will reveal the place to you. Solomon brought a male demon and a female demon and tormented them together, and they said: We do not know where to find the shamir. Perhaps Ashmedai, king of the demons, knows.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: הֵיכָא אִיתֵיהּ? אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אִיתֵיהּ בְּטוּרָא פְּלָן. כַּרְיָא לֵיהּ בֵּירָא, וּמַלְיָא לֵיהּ מַיָּא, וּמִיכַּסְּיָא בְּטִינָּרָא, וַחֲתִימָה בְּגוּשְׁפַּנְקֵיהּ; וְכֹל יוֹמָא סָלֵיק לִרְקִיעָא וְגָמַר מְתִיבְתָּא דִרְקִיעָא, וְנָחֵית לְאַרְעָא וְגָמַר מְתִיבְתָּא דְאַרְעָא; וְאָתֵי סָיֵיר לֵיהּ לְגוּשְׁפַּנְקֵיהּ וּמְגַלֵּי לֵיהּ וְשָׁתֵי, וּמְכַסֵּי לֵיהּ וְחָתֵים לֵיהּ וְאָזֵיל.
Solomon said to them: Where is Ashmedai? They said to him: He is on such-and-such a mountain. He has dug a pit for himself there, and filled it with water, and covered it with a rock, and sealed it with his seal. And every day he ascends to Heaven and studies in the heavenly study hall and he descends to the earth and studies in the earthly study hall. And he comes and checks his seal to ensure that nobody has entered his pit, and then he uncovers it and drinks from the water in the pit. And then he covers it and seals it again and goes.
שַׁדְּרֵיהּ לִבְנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע, יְהַב לֵיהּ שׁוּשִׁילְתָּא דַּחֲקִיק עֲלַהּ שֵׁם, וְעִזְקְתָא דַּחֲקִיק עֲלַהּ שֵׁם, וּגְבָבֵי דְעַמְרָא, וְזִיקֵי דְחַמְרָא. אֲזַל, כְּרָא בֵּירָא מִתַּתַּאי, וּשְׁפִינְהוּ לְמַיָּא, וְסַתְמִינְהוּ בִּגְבָבֵי דְעַמְרָא; וּכְרָא בֵּירָא מֵעִילַּאי, (וְשַׁפְכִינְהוּ) [וְשַׁפְכֵיהּ] לְחַמְרָא; וְטַמִּינְהוּ. סְלֵיק יְתֵיב בְּאִילָנָא
Solomon sent for Benayahu, son of Jehoiada, a member of the royal entourage, and gave him a chain onto which a sacred name of God was carved, and a ring onto which a sacred name of God was carved, and fleeces of wool and wineskins of wine. What did Benayahu do? He went and dug a pit lower down the mountain, below the pit dug by Ashmedai, drained the water, and plugged it with the fleeces of wool so that Ashmedai’s pit was emptied. And he dug a pit higher up the mountain, above Ashmedai’s pit. And he poured the wine into it so that the wine filled Ashmedai’s pit, and he plugged the lower and upper pits that he dug. He climbed up and sat in a tree.
כִּי אֲתָא סַיְירֵיהּ לְגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא, גַּלְּיֵיהּ, אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ חַמְרָא. אֲמַר: כְּתִיב: ״לֵץ הַיַּיִן הוֹמֶה שֵׁכָר, וְכׇל שׁוֹגֶה בּוֹ לֹא יֶחְכָּם״, וּכְתִיב: ״זְנוּת וְיַיִן וְתִירוֹשׁ יִקַּח לֵב״. לָא אִישְׁתִּי. כִּי צָחֵי, לָא סַגִּיא לֵיהּ; אִישְׁתִּי, רְוָא וּגְנָא.
When Ashmedai came he checked his seal, opened the pit, and found it to be filled with wine. He said that it is written: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is riotous; and whosoever wallows in it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1), and it is written: “Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away the heart” (Hosea 4:11). He concluded: I will not drink this wine. Eventually, when he became thirsty, he was unable to resist the wine and he drank, became intoxicated, and fell asleep.
נְחֵית, אֲתָא, שְׁדָא בֵּיהּ שׁוּשִׁילְתָּא, סְתָמֵיהּ. כִּי אִתְּעַר, הֲוָה קָא מִיפַּרְזַל; אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁמָא דְמָרָךְ עֲלָךְ! שְׁמָא דְּמָרָךְ עֲלָךְ!
Benayahu descended from the tree, came, and threw the chain around Ashmedai, and enclosed him within it. When Ashmedai awoke he struggled to remove the chain. Benayahu said to him: The name of your Master is upon you, the name of your Master is upon you, do not tear the chain. God’s name is written on this chain, and it is forbidden to destroy it.
כִּי נָקֵיט לֵיהּ וְאָתֵי, מְטָא דִּיקְלָא – חַף בֵּיהּ, שַׁדְיֵיהּ; מְטָא לְבֵיתָא – שַׁדְיֵיהּ; מְטָא גַּבֵּי כּוּבָּא דְּהָהִיא אַרְמַלְתָּא, נְפַקָא
When Benayahu took Ashmedai and came to Jerusalem he reached a palm tree and Ashmedai rubbed against it and knocked it down. He reached a house and knocked it down. He reached a small shack [kuva] belonging to a certain widow. This widow emerged,
אִיחַנַּנָא לֵיהּ. כְּפָא לְקוֹמְתֵיהּ מִינֵּיהּ, אִיתְּבַר בֵּיהּ גַּרְמָא. אֲמַר, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלָשׁוֹן רַכָּה תִּשְׁבׇּר גָּרֶם״.
and she begged him not to knock down the house. He bent his body away from her, to the other side, and broke one of his bones. He said: This is as it is written: “Soft speech can break a bone” (Proverbs 25:15).
חֲזָא סַמְיָא דַּהֲוָה קָא טָעֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אַסְּקֵיהּ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ. חֲזָא רַוְיָא דַּהֲוָה קָא טָעֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אַסְּקֵיהּ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ. חֲזָא חֶדְוְותָא דַּהֲווֹ קָמְחַדִּי לַהּ, בְּכָה. שַׁמְעֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה קָאָמַר לְאוּשְׁכָּפָא: עָבֵיד לִי מְסָאנֵי לְשַׁב שְׁנֵי, אַחֵיךְ. חֲזָא הָהוּא קַסָּמָא דַּהֲוָה קָסֵים, אַחֵיךְ.
Ashmedai saw a blind man who was lost on the road and he brought him to the correct road. He saw a drunk who was lost on the road and he brought him to the correct road. He saw the joy of a wedding celebration in which they were celebrating, and he cried. He heard a certain man say to a shoemaker [ushkafa]: Make me shoes that will last for seven years, and he laughed. He saw a certain sorcerer performing magic, and he laughed.
כִּי מְטָא לְהָתָם, לָא עַיְּילוּהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ דִּשְׁלֹמֹה עַד תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי. יוֹמָא קַמָּא אֲמַר לְהוּ: אַמַּאי לָא קָא בָעֵי לִי מַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַנְסֵיהּ מִישְׁתְּיָא. שְׁקַל לְבֵינְתָּא אוֹתֵיב אַחֲבִרְתַּהּ. אֲתוֹ אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה. אָמַר לְהוּ, הָכִי אָמַר לְכוּ: הֲדוּר אַשְׁקְיוּהּ.
When Ashmedai arrived there, in Jerusalem, they did not bring him before Solomon until three days had passed. On the first day he said to them: Why doesn’t the king want me to come to him? They said to him: He drank too much and was overcome by drink. Ashmedai took a brick and placed it on top of another brick. The servants came and told Solomon what he had done. Solomon interpreted the action and said to them: This is what he said to you through this allusion: Return and give the king more to drink.
לִמְחַר אֲמַר לְהוּ: וְאַמַּאי לָא קָא בָּעֵי לִי מַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַנְסֵיהּ מֵיכְלָא. שְׁקַל לְבֵינְתָּא מֵחֲבִרְתַּהּ, אוֹתְבַהּ אַאַרְעָא. אֲתוֹ אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה. אֲמַר לְהוּ, הָכִי אָמַר לְכוּ: נְגִידוּ מִינֵּיהּ מֵיכְלֵיהּ.
The following day Ashmedai said to them: And why doesn’t the king want me to come to him? They said to him: He ate too much and was overcome by food. Ashmedai took the brick off the other brick and placed it on the ground. The servants came and told Solomon what Ashmedai had done. He interpreted Ashmedai’s actions and said to them: This is what he said to you through this allusion: Take his food away from him.
לְסוֹף תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי עֲיַיל לְקַמֵּיהּ. שְׁקַל קַנְיָא, וּמְשַׁח אַרְבְּעָה גַּרְמִידֵי, וּשְׁדָא קַמֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִכְּדִי כִּי מָיֵית הָהוּא גַּבְרָא, לֵית לֵיהּ בְּהָדֵין עָלְמָא אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעָה גַּרְמִידֵי; הַשְׁתָּא כְּבַשְׁתֵּיהּ לְכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא, וְלָא שְׂבַעְתְּ עַד דִּכְבַשְׁתְּ נָמֵי לְדִידִי?!
At the end of three days Ashmedai came before Solomon. Ashmedai took a reed and measured four cubits [garmidei], and threw it before him. He said to Solomon: See, when that man, Solomon, dies, he will have nothing in this world except the four cubits of his grave. Now you have conquered the entire world and yet you are not satisfied until you also conquer me?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא קָא בָעֵינָא מִינָּךְ מִידֵּי; בָּעֵינָא דְּאֶיבְנְיֵיהּ לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְקָא מִיבְּעֵי לִי שָׁמִירָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְדִידִי לָא מְסִיר לִי, לְשָׂרָא דְיַמָּא מָסֵיר לֵיהּ; וְלָא יָהֵיב לֵיהּ אֶלָּא לְתַרְנְגוֹלָא בָּרָא, דִּמְהֵימַן לֵיהּ אַשְּׁבוּעֲתֵיהּ.
Solomon said to him: I need nothing from you. I want to build the Temple and I need the shamir for this. Ashmedai said to him: The shamir was not given to me, but it was given to the angelic minister of the sea. And he gives it only to the wild rooster, also known as the dukhifat or the hoopoe, whom he trusts by the force of his oath to return it.
וּמַאי עָבֵד בֵּיהּ? מַמְטֵי לֵיהּ לְטוּרֵי דְּלֵית בְּהוּ יִשּׁוּב, וּמַנַּח לֵהּ אַשִּׁינָּא דְטוּרָא, וּפָקַע טוּרָא; וּמְנַקֵּיט מַיְיתִי בִּיזְרָנֵי מֵאִילָנֵי, וְשָׁדֵי הָתָם, וְהָוֵי יִשּׁוּב. וְהַיְינוּ דִּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן: ״נַגָּר טוּרָא״.
And what does the wild rooster do with it? He brings it to mountains that are not fit for habitation, and he places the shamir on the craggy rock and the mountain splits. And he takes and brings seeds of trees, throws them there, and it becomes fit for habitation. And this is why we interpret the word dukhifat as a cutter of mountains [naggar tura], i.e., the Aramaic translation of the word dukhifat in the Bible is naggar tura, cutter of mountains.
בְּדַקוּ קִינָּא דְּתַרְנְגוֹלָא בָּרָא דְּאִית לֵיהּ בְּנֵי, וְחַפְּיוּהּ לְקִינֵּיהּ זוּגִּיתָא חִיוָּרְתִּי. כִּי אֲתָא, בָּעֵי לְמֵיעַל וְלָא מָצֵי. אֲזַל אַיְיתִי שָׁמִירָא, וְאוֹתְבֵיהּ עִלָּוֵיהּ. רְמָא בֵּיהּ קָלָא, שַׁדְיֵיהּ, שַׁקְלֵיהּ. אֲזַל חֲנַק נַפְשֵׁיהּ אַשְּׁבוּעֲתֵיהּ.
They investigated and found the nest of a wild rooster in which there were chicks, and he covered its nest with translucent glass. When the rooster came it wanted to enter the nest but was unable to do so. It went and brought the shamir and placed it on top to crack the glass. Solomon’s servant threw a clump of dirt at the rooster and the rooster knocked over the shamir. The man took it and the wild rooster went and strangled itself over the fact that it had not kept its oath, by not returning the shamir.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ בְּנָיָהוּ: מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזִיתֵיהּ לְהָהוּא סַמְיָא דַּהֲוָה קָא טָעֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אַסֵּיקְתֵּיהּ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַכְרְזִי עֲלֵיהּ בִּרְקִיעָא דְּצַדִּיק גָּמוּר הוּא, וּמַאן דַּעֲבַד לֵיהּ נִיחָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ, זָכֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
Later, Benayahu said to Ashmedai: What is the reason that when you saw that blind man who was lost on the road you brought him to the correct road? Ashmedai said to him: They proclaim about him in heaven that he is a completely righteous man, and anyone who does good for his soul shall merit to enter the World-to-Come.
וּמַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזֵיתֵיהּ לְהָהוּא רַוְיָא דְּקָטָעֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אַסֵּיקְתֵּיהּ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַכְרְזִי עֲלֵיהּ בִּרְקִיעָא דְּרָשָׁע גָּמוּר הוּא, וְעָבְדִי לֵיהּ נִיחָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלֵיכְלֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא.
Then Benayahu asked: And what is the reason that when you saw the drunk man who was lost on the road you brought him to the correct road? Ashmedai said to him: They proclaim about him in heaven that he is a completely wicked man. And I did good for his soul so that he will consume his reward in this world and not have any reward in the World-to-Come.
מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזֵיתֵיהּ לְהָהוּא חֶדְוְותָא, בְּכֵית? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּעֵי מֵימָת גַּבְרָא בְּגוֹ תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין, וּבָעֲיָא מִינְטָר לְיָבָם קָטָן תְּלֵיסְרֵי שְׁנִין.
Benayahu continued and asked him: What is the reason that when you saw that joy of the wedding you cried? Ashmedai said to him: I knew that this man will die within thirty days. And his wife is required to wait for the yavam, the husband’s brother, who is a minor, to reach the age of thirteen years, the age of majority, so that he can release her through ḥalitza, the ritual through which the yavam frees the yevama of her levirate bonds.
מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי שְׁמַעְתֵּיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ לְאוּשְׁכָּפָא: ״עֲבֵיד לִי מְסָאנֵי לְשַׁב שְׁנִין״, אַחֵיכְתְּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָהוּא, שִׁבְעָה יוֹמֵי לֵית לֵיהּ, מְסָאנֵי לְשַׁב שְׁנִין בָּעֵי?!
In addition, he asked: What is the reason that when you heard that man say to a shoemaker: Make me shoes that will last for seven years, you laughed? Ashmedai said to him: That man does not have seven days to live; does he need shoes that will last for seven years?
מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזֵיתֵיהּ לְהָהוּא קַסָּמָא דַּהֲוָה קָסֵים, אַחֵיכְתְּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דַּהֲוָה יְתֵיב אַבֵּי גַזָּא דְּמַלְכָּא, לִקְסוֹם מַאי דְּאִיכָּא תּוּתֵיהּ!
Benayahu then asked: What is the reason that when you saw that sorcerer performing magic you laughed? Ashmedai said to him: Because he was sitting on the king’s treasury [bei gaza]. Let him use his magic to know what there is buried underneath him.
תַּרְחֵיהּ גַּבֵּיהּ עַד דְּבַנְיֵיהּ לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה קָאֵי לְחוֹדֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּתִיב: ״כְּתוֹעֲפוֹת רְאֵם לוֹ״; וְאָמְרִינַן: ״כְּתוֹעֲפוֹת״ – אֵלּוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, ״רְאֵם״ – אֵלּוּ הַשֵּׁדִים. מַאי רְבוּתַיְיכוּ מִינַּן?
Solomon kept Ashmedai with him until he completed building the Temple. One day he stood with Ashmedai alone. He said to Ashmedai: It is written: “For him like the lofty horns of the wild ox” (Numbers 24:8), and the Sages say in explanation of the verse: “Like the lofty horns”; these are the ministering angels. “The wild ox”; these are the demons. In what way are you greater than us? Why does the verse praise your abilities and powers over those of human beings?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁקוֹל שׁוּשִׁילְתָּא מִינַּאי, וְהַב לִי עִיזְקְתָךְ, וְאַחְוִי לָךְ רְבוּתַאי. שַׁקְלֵיהּ לְשׁוּשִׁילְתָּא מִינֵּיהּ, וְיָהֵיב לֵיהּ עִיזְקְתֵיהּ. בַּלְעֵיהּ, אוֹתְבֵיהּ לְחַד גַּפֵּיהּ בִּרְקִיעָא, וּלְחַד גַּפֵּיהּ בְּאַרְעָא, פַּתְקֵיהּ אַרְבַּע מְאָה פַּרְסֵי. עַל הַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא אֲמַר שְׁלֹמֹה: ״מַה יִּתְרוֹן לָאָדָם בְּכׇל עֲמָלוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ״.
Ashmedai said to him: Take the chain engraved with God’s name off me and give me your ring with God’s name engraved on it, and I will show you my strength. Solomon took the chain off him and he gave him his ring. Ashmedai swallowed the ring and grew until he placed one wing in the heaven and one wing on the earth. He threw Solomon a distance of four hundred parasangs. With regard to that moment Solomon said: “What profit is there for a person through all of his toil under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3). With Solomon deposed from the throne, Ashmedai took his place.
״וְזֶה הָיָה חֶלְקִי מִכׇּל עֲמָלִי״ – מַאי ״וְזֶה״? רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל; חַד אָמַר: מַקְלוֹ; וְחַד אָמַר: גּוּנְדּוֹ. הָיָה מְחַזֵּר עַל הַפְּתָחִים, כֹּל הֵיכָא דִּמְטָא, אָמַר: ״אֲנִי קֹהֶלֶת הָיִיתִי מֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּירוּשָׁלִָים״. כִּי מְטָא גַּבֵּי סַנְהֶדְרִין, אֲמַרוּ רַבָּנַן: מִכְּדִי שׁוֹטֶה – בַּחֲדָא מִילְּתָא לָא סְרִיךְ, מַאי הַאי?
With regard to the verse: “And this was my portion from all of my toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:10), the Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the expression: “And this”? This expression is always an allusion to an item that is actually in his hand or can be shown. Rav and Shmuel disagree with regard to the meaning of this phrase. One said: This is referring to Solomon’s staff that remained in his hand. And one said: This is referring to his cloak. Solomon circulated from door to door collecting charity, and wherever he arrived he would say: “I, Ecclesiastes, was king over Israel in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:12). When he finally arrived at the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem the sages said: Now, an imbecile does not fixate on one matter all of the time, so what is this matter? Is this man perhaps telling the truth that he is Solomon?
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִבְנָיָהוּ: קָא בָעֵי לָךְ מַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ? אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא. שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ לְמַלְכְּווֹתָא: קָאָתֵי מַלְכָּא לְגַבַּיְיכוּ? שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ: אִין, קָאָתֵי. שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ: בִּידְקוּ בְּכַרְעֵיהּ. שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ: בְּמוּקֵי קָאָתֵי;
The sages said to Benayahu: Does the king require you to be with him? Benayahu said to them: No. They sent to the queens and asked: Does the king come to be with you? The queens sent a response to them: Yes, he comes. They sent a request to the queens: Check his feet to see if they are human feet. The queens sent a response to the sages: He always comes in socks [bemokei], and it is not possible to see his feet.
וְקָא תָבַע לְהוּ בְּנִידּוּתַיְיהוּ; וְקָא תָבַע לַהּ נָמֵי לְבַת שֶׁבַע אִימֵּיהּ. אַתְיוּהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה, וְהַבוּ לֵיהּ עִזְקְתָא, וְשׁוּשִׁילְתָּא דַּחֲקִוק עָלֶיהָ שֵׁם. כִּי עָיֵיל, חַזְיֵיהּ, פְּרַח.
The queens continued discussing the king’s behavior: And he demands of them, i.e., the queens, to engage in sexual intercourse when they are menstruating. And he also demands that Bathsheba his mother engage in sexual intercourse with him. Once the Sanhedrin heard this they understood that this was an imposter and not actually Solomon. They brought Solomon, gave him a ring and the chain on which the name of God was carved. When Solomon entered, Ashmedai saw him and fled.
וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, הֲוָה לֵיהּ בִּיעֲתוּתָא מִינֵּיהּ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ מִגִּבּוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כּוּלָּם אֲחוּזֵי חֶרֶב מְלוּמְּדֵי מִלְחָמָה, אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ עַל יְרֵיכוֹ מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת״.
The Gemara adds: And even so, although Ashmedai fled, Solomon was fearful of him, and this is as it is written: “Behold the bed of Solomon surrounded by sixty strong men from the warriors of Israel. All of them holding swords and trained in war, each man with his sword on his thigh from fear in the nights” (Song of Songs 3:7–8).
רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר: מֶלֶךְ וְהֶדְיוֹט, וְחַד אָמַר: מֶלֶךְ וְהֶדְיוֹט וּמֶלֶךְ.
Rav and Shmuel disagreed with regard to this story of Solomon. One said: He was a king and afterward he became a commoner, and never returned to his position as king. And one said: He was a king, and became a commoner, and a king, as ultimately he returned to his throne and defeated Ashmedai.
לִדְמָא דְּרֵישָׁא – לַיְתֵי שׁוּרְבִּינָא, וּבִינָא, וְאָסָא דָּרָא, וְזֵיתָא, וְחִילְפָא, וְחִילְפֵי דְיַמָּא, וְיַבְלָא; וְלִישְׁלוֹקִינְהוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי; וְלִנְטוֹל תְּלָת מְאָה כָּסֵי אַהַאי גִּיסָא דְרֵישָׁא, וּתְלָת מְאָה כָּסֵי אַהַאי גִּיסָא דְרֵישָׁא.
§ The Gemara returns to the discussion concerning the different remedies with which the chapter began: As a remedy for a headache caused by excessive blood in the head, let him bring cypress [shurvina], willow, fresh myrtle [asa dara], olive, poplar, sea willow, and cynodon grass and boil them together. And he should pour three hundred cups of this liquid on one side of his head and three hundred cups on this, the other side of his head.
וְאִי לָא – לַיְתֵי וַרְדָּא חִיוָּרָא דְּקָאֵי בְּחַד דָּרָא, וְלִישְׁלְקֵיהּ, וְלִינְטוֹל שִׁיתִּין כָּסֵי אַהַאי גִּיסָא דְרֵישָׁא, וְשִׁיתִּין כָּסֵי אַהַאי גִּיסָא דְרֵישָׁא.
And if it is not effective or he is unable to obtain all of these ingredients then let him bring a white rose [varda] that stands in one row, meaning that it was growing alone, and he should boil it. And he should pour sixty cups on this side of his head and sixty cups on this side of his head.
לִצְלִיחְתָּא – לַיְתֵי תַּרְנְגוֹלָא בָּרָא; וְלִישְׁחֲטֵיהּ בְּזוּזָא חִיוָּרָא – אַהָהוּא גִּיסָא דְּכָיֵיב לֵיהּ, וְנִזְדְּהַר מִדְּמֵיהּ דְּלָא לְסַמִּינְהוּ לְעֵינֵיהּ; וְלִיתְלְיֵיהּ בְּסֵיפָא דְבָבָא – דְּכִי עָיֵיל חָיֵיף בֵּיהּ, וְכִי נָפֵיק חָיֵיף בֵּיהּ.
As a remedy for a migraine, let him bring a wild rooster and slaughter it using a silver dinar, so that the blood flows over the side of his head that hurts him. And he should be careful of its blood so as not to blind his eye. And he should hang it on the doorpost of his house, so that when he enters he rubs against it and when he exits he rubs against it.
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Hadran entered my life after the last Siyum Hashaas, January 2020. I was inspired and challenged simultaneously, having never thought of learning Gemara. With my family’s encouragement, I googled “daf yomi for women”. A perfecr fit!
I especially enjoy when Rabbanit Michelle connects the daf to contemporary issues to share at the shabbat table e.g: looking at the Kohen during duchaning. Toda rabba
Jerusalem, Israel
Oceanside NY, United States
Shortly after the death of my father, David Malik z”l, I made the commitment to Daf Yomi. While riding to Ben Gurion airport in January, Siyum HaShas was playing on the radio; that was the nudge I needed to get started. The “everyday-ness” of the Daf has been a meaningful spiritual practice, especial after COVID began & I was temporarily unable to say Kaddish at daily in-person minyanim.
Wynnewood, 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
It happened without intent (so am I yotzei?!) – I watched the women’s siyum live and was so moved by it that the next morning, I tuned in to Rabbanit Michelle’s shiur, and here I am, still learning every day, over 2 years later. Some days it all goes over my head, but others I grasp onto an idea or a story, and I ‘get it’ and that’s the best feeling in the world. So proud to be a Hadran learner.
Zichron Yaakov, Israel
I started learning Talmud with R’ Haramati in Yeshivah of Flatbush. But after a respite of 60 years, Rabbanit Michelle lit my fire – after attending the last three world siyumim in Miami Beach, Meadowlands and Boca Raton, and now that I’m retired, I decided – “I can do this!” It has been an incredible journey so far, and I look forward to learning Daf everyday – Mazal Tov to everyone!
Florida, United States
I was inspired to start learning after attending the 2020 siyum in Binyanei Hauma. It has been a great experience for me. It’s amazing to see the origins of stories I’ve heard and rituals I’ve participated in my whole life. Even when I don’t understand the daf itself, I believe that the commitment to learning every day is valuable and has multiple benefits. And there will be another daf tomorrow!
Jerusalem, Israel
I’ve been learning since January 2020, and in June I started drawing a phrase from each daf. Sometimes it’s easy (e.g. plants), sometimes it’s very hard (e.g. korbanot), and sometimes it’s loads of fun (e.g. bird racing) to find something to draw. I upload my pictures from each masechet to #DafYomiArt. I am enjoying every step of the journey.
Ashdod, Israel
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
My husband learns Daf, my son learns Daf, my son-in-law learns Daf.
When I read about Hadran’s Siyyum HaShas 2 years ago, I thought- I can learn Daf too!
I had learned Gemara in Hillel HS in NJ, & I remembered loving it.
Rabbanit Michelle & Hadran have opened my eyes & expanding my learning so much in the past few years. We can now discuss Gemara as a family.
This was a life saver during Covid
Brooklyn, NY, United States
It has been a pleasure keeping pace with this wonderful and scholarly group of women.
Beit Shemesh, Israel
I started learning daf in January, 2020, being inspired by watching the Siyyum Hashas in Binyanei Haumah. I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep up with the task. When I went to school, Gemara was not an option. Fast forward to March, 2022, and each day starts with the daf. The challenge is now learning the intricacies of delving into the actual learning. Hadran community, thank you!
Riverdale, NY, United States
In January 2020, my chevruta suggested that we “up our game. Let’s do Daf Yomi” – and she sent me the Hadran link. I lost my job (and went freelance), there was a pandemic, and I am still opening the podcast with my breakfast coffee, or after Shabbat with popcorn. My Aramaic is improving. I will need a new bookcase, though.
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
I heard about the syium in January 2020 & I was excited to start learning then the pandemic started. Learning Daf became something to focus on but also something stressful. As the world changed around me & my family I had to adjust my expectations for myself & the world. Daf Yomi & the Hadran podcast has been something I look forward to every day. It gives me a moment of centering & Judaism daily.
Denver, United States
My husband learns Daf, my son learns Daf, my son-in-law learns Daf.
When I read about Hadran’s Siyyum HaShas 2 years ago, I thought- I can learn Daf too!
I had learned Gemara in Hillel HS in NJ, & I remembered loving it.
Rabbanit Michelle & Hadran have opened my eyes & expanding my learning so much in the past few years. We can now discuss Gemara as a family.
This was a life saver during Covid
Brooklyn, NY, United States
Studying has changed my life view on הלכה and יהדות and time. It has taught me bonudaries of the human nature and honesty of our sages in their discourse to try and build a nation of caring people .
Kfar Saba, Israel
I started learning Daf Yomi inspired by תָּפַסְתָּ מְרוּבֶּה לֹא תָּפַסְתָּ, תָּפַסְתָּ מוּעָט תָּפַסְתָּ. I thought I’d start the first page, and then see. I was swept up into the enthusiasm of the Hadran Siyum, and from there the momentum kept building. Rabbanit Michelle’s shiur gives me an anchor, a connection to an incredible virtual community, and an energy to face whatever the day brings.
בית שמש, Israel
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
A Gemara shiur previous to the Hadran Siyum, was the impetus to attend it.It was highly inspirational and I was smitten. The message for me was התלמוד בידינו. I had decided along with my Chahsmonaim group to to do the daf and take it one daf at time- without any expectations at all. There has been a wealth of information, insights and halachik ideas. It is truly exercise of the mind, heart & Soul
Hashmonaim, Israel
I started learning on January 5, 2020. When I complete the 7+ year cycle I will be 70 years old. I had been intimidated by those who said that I needed to study Talmud in a traditional way with a chevruta, but I decided the learning was more important to me than the method. Thankful for Daf Yomi for Women helping me catch up when I fall behind, and also being able to celebrate with each Siyum!
Bakersfield, United States
אִיגְּנִיב לַן כָּסָא דְכַסְפָּא! בַּהֲדֵי דְּקָא מְעַיְּינִי וְאָתוּ, אַשְׁכְּחוּהָ דִּכְרִוכָה בְּסוּדָרֵיהּ.
A silver cup was stolen from us, and they searched everyone for it. When they were checking they found the piece of meat wrapped in his scarf.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזִי מָר, דְּלָא מֵיכַל קָא בָּעֵי – אֶלָּא לְצַעוֹרַן! אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא מֵיכָל אֲכַלִי, וּטְעַמִי בֵּיהּ טַעְמָא דְחִיוָּרָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חִיוָּרָא לָא עֲבִיד לַן הָאִידָּנָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: בְּדַקוּ בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ; דְּאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: אוּכָּמָא בְּחִיוָּרָא, וְחִיוָּרָא בְּאוּכַּמְתָּא – לָקוּתָא הִיא. בְּדוּק אַשְׁכְּחוּהּ.
The Exilarch’s servants said to the Exilarch: See Master, i.e., the Exilarch, Rav Sheshet does not desire to eat, rather he wishes only to afflict us. Even after everything that was done for him he did not eat from the Exilarch’s meal. Rav Sheshet said to them: I ate and I tasted the taste of white leprous spots in the meat and therefore I did not eat it. They said to the Exilarch: We did not prepare an animal with white spots today. Rav Sheshet said to them: Check the skin in the place of the portion that I was given. He issued this instruction in accordance with the statement of Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda said: Black spots within white skin and white spots within black skin are an affliction and a sign of disease. They checked and found that the animal was afflicted in this manner, and the Exilarch’s servants became even angrier with him.
כִּי קָא נָפֵיק, כְּרוֹ לֵיהּ בֵּירָא וּשְׁדוֹ לֵיהּ צִיפְּתָא עִילָּוֵיהּ, וְאָמְרִי לֵיהּ: לֵיתֵי מָר לֵינַח. נְחַר לֵיהּ רַב חִסְדָּא מֵאֲחוֹרֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְיָנוֹקָא: פְּסוֹק לִי פְּסוּקָיךְ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״נְטֵה לְךָ עַל יְמִינְךָ אוֹ עַל שְׂמֹאלֶךָ״. אֲמַר לֵיה לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ: מַאי קָא חָזֵית? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: צִיפְּיתָא דְּשַׁדְיָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הֲדַר מִינַּהּ.
When Rav Sheshet was exiting the house of the Exilarch the servants dug a pit and placed a reed mat [tzifta] on top of it so that the pit would not be noticed. And they said to Rav Sheshet: The Master, i.e., Rav Sheshet, should come and rest for a short time, and they intended for him to fall and be hurt. Rav Ḥisda, who was also present, snorted [neḥar] to him from behind in order to signal to him. Rav Sheshet said to a child who was there: Recite your verse for me that you studied today. The child said to him: “Turn to your right or to your left” (II Samuel 2:21). Rav Sheshet, who was blind, said to his servant: What do you see? His servant said to him: I see a mat that has been placed on the ground. Rav Sheshet said to him: Turn away from it and we will go around it.
לְבָתַר דִּנְפַק, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב חִסְדָּא: מְנָא הֲוָה יָדַע מָר? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲדָא – דִּנְחַר לִי מָר. וְעוֹד – דִּפְסַק לִי יָנוֹקָא פְּסוּקָא. וְעוֹד – דַּחֲשִׁידִי עַבְדֵי דְּלָא מְעַלּוּ.
After Rav Sheshet left the Exilarch’s house, Rav Ḥisda said to him: From where did the Master, i.e., Rav Sheshet, know that the servants had dug a pit in that place? Rav Sheshet said to him: There were several matters that raised my suspicions. One, that the Master, i.e., Rav Ḥisda, snorted to me to signal that I should beware. And additionally, when the child recited the verse for me it alluded to this matter. And additionally, servants are suspect of not acting according to a high standard, and I suspected that they would attempt to cause me harm.
״עָשִׂיתִי לִי שָׁרִים וְשָׁרוֹת וְתַעֲנוּגוֹת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם, שִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת״; ״שָׁרִים וְשָׁרוֹת״ – אֵלּוּ מִינֵי זֶמֶר, ״וְתַעֲנוּגוֹת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם״ – אֵלּוּ בְּרֵיכוֹת וּמֶרְחֲצָאוֹת, ״שִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת״ – הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ: שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין. בְּמַעְרְבָא אָמְרִי: שִׁידְּתָא.
§ After mentioning the spirit named kordeyakos on the previous daf the Gemara relates other matters connected to spirits and demons. It is written: “I got myself sharim and sharot, and human pleasures, shidda and shiddot” (Ecclesiastes 2:8). The Gemara explains: “Sharim and sharot”: These are types of musical instruments. “And human pleasures”: These are pools and bathhouses. “Shidda and shiddot”: Here, in Babylonia, they interpreted these words in the following manner: Male demons [shidda] and female demons [shiddetin]. In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they said that these words are referring to carriages [shiddeta].
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת מִינֵי שֵׁדִים הָיוּ בְּשִׁיחִין, וְשֵׁידָה עַצְמָהּ אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מָה הִיא.
Rabbi Yoḥanan says: There were three hundred types of demons in a place named Shiḥin, but I do not know what the form or nature of a demon itself is.
אָמַר מָר, הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ: שֵׁידָא וְשֵׁידְתִין. שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין – לְמַאי אִיבְּעִי לֵיהּ? דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהַבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה מַסָּע נִבְנָה וְגוֹ׳״ – אָמַר לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן: הֵיכִי אֶעֱבֵיד? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אִיכָּא שָׁמִירָא דְּאַיְיתִי מֹשֶׁה לְאַבְנֵי אֵפוֹד.
The Master said: Here they interpreted it: Male demons and female demons. The Gemara asks: Why was it necessary for Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, to have male demons and female demons? The Gemara answers: As it is written with regard to the building of the Temple: “For the house, when it was being built, was built of stone made ready at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was being built” (I Kings 6:7). Solomon said to the sages: How shall I make it so that the stone will be precisely cut without using iron? They said to him: There is a creature called a shamir that can cut the stones, which Moses brought and used to cut the stones of the ephod.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: הֵיכָא אִישְׁתְּכַח? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַיְיתִי שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין כַּבְשִׁינְהוּ אַהֲדָדֵי, אֶפְשָׁר דְּיָדְעִי וּמְגַלּוּ לָךְ. אַיְיתִי שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין כַּבְשִׁינְהוּ אַהֲדָדֵי, אָמְרִי: אֲנַן לָא יָדְעִינַן, דִּילְמָא אַשְׁמְדַאי – מַלְכָּא דְשֵׁידֵי, יָדַע.
Solomon said to them: Where is it found? They said to him: Bring a male demon and a female demon and torment them together. It is possible that they know where, and due to the suffering they will reveal the place to you. Solomon brought a male demon and a female demon and tormented them together, and they said: We do not know where to find the shamir. Perhaps Ashmedai, king of the demons, knows.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: הֵיכָא אִיתֵיהּ? אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אִיתֵיהּ בְּטוּרָא פְּלָן. כַּרְיָא לֵיהּ בֵּירָא, וּמַלְיָא לֵיהּ מַיָּא, וּמִיכַּסְּיָא בְּטִינָּרָא, וַחֲתִימָה בְּגוּשְׁפַּנְקֵיהּ; וְכֹל יוֹמָא סָלֵיק לִרְקִיעָא וְגָמַר מְתִיבְתָּא דִרְקִיעָא, וְנָחֵית לְאַרְעָא וְגָמַר מְתִיבְתָּא דְאַרְעָא; וְאָתֵי סָיֵיר לֵיהּ לְגוּשְׁפַּנְקֵיהּ וּמְגַלֵּי לֵיהּ וְשָׁתֵי, וּמְכַסֵּי לֵיהּ וְחָתֵים לֵיהּ וְאָזֵיל.
Solomon said to them: Where is Ashmedai? They said to him: He is on such-and-such a mountain. He has dug a pit for himself there, and filled it with water, and covered it with a rock, and sealed it with his seal. And every day he ascends to Heaven and studies in the heavenly study hall and he descends to the earth and studies in the earthly study hall. And he comes and checks his seal to ensure that nobody has entered his pit, and then he uncovers it and drinks from the water in the pit. And then he covers it and seals it again and goes.
שַׁדְּרֵיהּ לִבְנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע, יְהַב לֵיהּ שׁוּשִׁילְתָּא דַּחֲקִיק עֲלַהּ שֵׁם, וְעִזְקְתָא דַּחֲקִיק עֲלַהּ שֵׁם, וּגְבָבֵי דְעַמְרָא, וְזִיקֵי דְחַמְרָא. אֲזַל, כְּרָא בֵּירָא מִתַּתַּאי, וּשְׁפִינְהוּ לְמַיָּא, וְסַתְמִינְהוּ בִּגְבָבֵי דְעַמְרָא; וּכְרָא בֵּירָא מֵעִילַּאי, (וְשַׁפְכִינְהוּ) [וְשַׁפְכֵיהּ] לְחַמְרָא; וְטַמִּינְהוּ. סְלֵיק יְתֵיב בְּאִילָנָא
Solomon sent for Benayahu, son of Jehoiada, a member of the royal entourage, and gave him a chain onto which a sacred name of God was carved, and a ring onto which a sacred name of God was carved, and fleeces of wool and wineskins of wine. What did Benayahu do? He went and dug a pit lower down the mountain, below the pit dug by Ashmedai, drained the water, and plugged it with the fleeces of wool so that Ashmedai’s pit was emptied. And he dug a pit higher up the mountain, above Ashmedai’s pit. And he poured the wine into it so that the wine filled Ashmedai’s pit, and he plugged the lower and upper pits that he dug. He climbed up and sat in a tree.
כִּי אֲתָא סַיְירֵיהּ לְגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא, גַּלְּיֵיהּ, אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ חַמְרָא. אֲמַר: כְּתִיב: ״לֵץ הַיַּיִן הוֹמֶה שֵׁכָר, וְכׇל שׁוֹגֶה בּוֹ לֹא יֶחְכָּם״, וּכְתִיב: ״זְנוּת וְיַיִן וְתִירוֹשׁ יִקַּח לֵב״. לָא אִישְׁתִּי. כִּי צָחֵי, לָא סַגִּיא לֵיהּ; אִישְׁתִּי, רְוָא וּגְנָא.
When Ashmedai came he checked his seal, opened the pit, and found it to be filled with wine. He said that it is written: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is riotous; and whosoever wallows in it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1), and it is written: “Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away the heart” (Hosea 4:11). He concluded: I will not drink this wine. Eventually, when he became thirsty, he was unable to resist the wine and he drank, became intoxicated, and fell asleep.
נְחֵית, אֲתָא, שְׁדָא בֵּיהּ שׁוּשִׁילְתָּא, סְתָמֵיהּ. כִּי אִתְּעַר, הֲוָה קָא מִיפַּרְזַל; אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁמָא דְמָרָךְ עֲלָךְ! שְׁמָא דְּמָרָךְ עֲלָךְ!
Benayahu descended from the tree, came, and threw the chain around Ashmedai, and enclosed him within it. When Ashmedai awoke he struggled to remove the chain. Benayahu said to him: The name of your Master is upon you, the name of your Master is upon you, do not tear the chain. God’s name is written on this chain, and it is forbidden to destroy it.
כִּי נָקֵיט לֵיהּ וְאָתֵי, מְטָא דִּיקְלָא – חַף בֵּיהּ, שַׁדְיֵיהּ; מְטָא לְבֵיתָא – שַׁדְיֵיהּ; מְטָא גַּבֵּי כּוּבָּא דְּהָהִיא אַרְמַלְתָּא, נְפַקָא
When Benayahu took Ashmedai and came to Jerusalem he reached a palm tree and Ashmedai rubbed against it and knocked it down. He reached a house and knocked it down. He reached a small shack [kuva] belonging to a certain widow. This widow emerged,
אִיחַנַּנָא לֵיהּ. כְּפָא לְקוֹמְתֵיהּ מִינֵּיהּ, אִיתְּבַר בֵּיהּ גַּרְמָא. אֲמַר, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלָשׁוֹן רַכָּה תִּשְׁבׇּר גָּרֶם״.
and she begged him not to knock down the house. He bent his body away from her, to the other side, and broke one of his bones. He said: This is as it is written: “Soft speech can break a bone” (Proverbs 25:15).
חֲזָא סַמְיָא דַּהֲוָה קָא טָעֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אַסְּקֵיהּ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ. חֲזָא רַוְיָא דַּהֲוָה קָא טָעֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אַסְּקֵיהּ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ. חֲזָא חֶדְוְותָא דַּהֲווֹ קָמְחַדִּי לַהּ, בְּכָה. שַׁמְעֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה קָאָמַר לְאוּשְׁכָּפָא: עָבֵיד לִי מְסָאנֵי לְשַׁב שְׁנֵי, אַחֵיךְ. חֲזָא הָהוּא קַסָּמָא דַּהֲוָה קָסֵים, אַחֵיךְ.
Ashmedai saw a blind man who was lost on the road and he brought him to the correct road. He saw a drunk who was lost on the road and he brought him to the correct road. He saw the joy of a wedding celebration in which they were celebrating, and he cried. He heard a certain man say to a shoemaker [ushkafa]: Make me shoes that will last for seven years, and he laughed. He saw a certain sorcerer performing magic, and he laughed.
כִּי מְטָא לְהָתָם, לָא עַיְּילוּהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ דִּשְׁלֹמֹה עַד תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי. יוֹמָא קַמָּא אֲמַר לְהוּ: אַמַּאי לָא קָא בָעֵי לִי מַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַנְסֵיהּ מִישְׁתְּיָא. שְׁקַל לְבֵינְתָּא אוֹתֵיב אַחֲבִרְתַּהּ. אֲתוֹ אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה. אָמַר לְהוּ, הָכִי אָמַר לְכוּ: הֲדוּר אַשְׁקְיוּהּ.
When Ashmedai arrived there, in Jerusalem, they did not bring him before Solomon until three days had passed. On the first day he said to them: Why doesn’t the king want me to come to him? They said to him: He drank too much and was overcome by drink. Ashmedai took a brick and placed it on top of another brick. The servants came and told Solomon what he had done. Solomon interpreted the action and said to them: This is what he said to you through this allusion: Return and give the king more to drink.
לִמְחַר אֲמַר לְהוּ: וְאַמַּאי לָא קָא בָּעֵי לִי מַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַנְסֵיהּ מֵיכְלָא. שְׁקַל לְבֵינְתָּא מֵחֲבִרְתַּהּ, אוֹתְבַהּ אַאַרְעָא. אֲתוֹ אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה. אֲמַר לְהוּ, הָכִי אָמַר לְכוּ: נְגִידוּ מִינֵּיהּ מֵיכְלֵיהּ.
The following day Ashmedai said to them: And why doesn’t the king want me to come to him? They said to him: He ate too much and was overcome by food. Ashmedai took the brick off the other brick and placed it on the ground. The servants came and told Solomon what Ashmedai had done. He interpreted Ashmedai’s actions and said to them: This is what he said to you through this allusion: Take his food away from him.
לְסוֹף תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי עֲיַיל לְקַמֵּיהּ. שְׁקַל קַנְיָא, וּמְשַׁח אַרְבְּעָה גַּרְמִידֵי, וּשְׁדָא קַמֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִכְּדִי כִּי מָיֵית הָהוּא גַּבְרָא, לֵית לֵיהּ בְּהָדֵין עָלְמָא אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעָה גַּרְמִידֵי; הַשְׁתָּא כְּבַשְׁתֵּיהּ לְכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא, וְלָא שְׂבַעְתְּ עַד דִּכְבַשְׁתְּ נָמֵי לְדִידִי?!
At the end of three days Ashmedai came before Solomon. Ashmedai took a reed and measured four cubits [garmidei], and threw it before him. He said to Solomon: See, when that man, Solomon, dies, he will have nothing in this world except the four cubits of his grave. Now you have conquered the entire world and yet you are not satisfied until you also conquer me?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא קָא בָעֵינָא מִינָּךְ מִידֵּי; בָּעֵינָא דְּאֶיבְנְיֵיהּ לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְקָא מִיבְּעֵי לִי שָׁמִירָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְדִידִי לָא מְסִיר לִי, לְשָׂרָא דְיַמָּא מָסֵיר לֵיהּ; וְלָא יָהֵיב לֵיהּ אֶלָּא לְתַרְנְגוֹלָא בָּרָא, דִּמְהֵימַן לֵיהּ אַשְּׁבוּעֲתֵיהּ.
Solomon said to him: I need nothing from you. I want to build the Temple and I need the shamir for this. Ashmedai said to him: The shamir was not given to me, but it was given to the angelic minister of the sea. And he gives it only to the wild rooster, also known as the dukhifat or the hoopoe, whom he trusts by the force of his oath to return it.
וּמַאי עָבֵד בֵּיהּ? מַמְטֵי לֵיהּ לְטוּרֵי דְּלֵית בְּהוּ יִשּׁוּב, וּמַנַּח לֵהּ אַשִּׁינָּא דְטוּרָא, וּפָקַע טוּרָא; וּמְנַקֵּיט מַיְיתִי בִּיזְרָנֵי מֵאִילָנֵי, וְשָׁדֵי הָתָם, וְהָוֵי יִשּׁוּב. וְהַיְינוּ דִּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן: ״נַגָּר טוּרָא״.
And what does the wild rooster do with it? He brings it to mountains that are not fit for habitation, and he places the shamir on the craggy rock and the mountain splits. And he takes and brings seeds of trees, throws them there, and it becomes fit for habitation. And this is why we interpret the word dukhifat as a cutter of mountains [naggar tura], i.e., the Aramaic translation of the word dukhifat in the Bible is naggar tura, cutter of mountains.
בְּדַקוּ קִינָּא דְּתַרְנְגוֹלָא בָּרָא דְּאִית לֵיהּ בְּנֵי, וְחַפְּיוּהּ לְקִינֵּיהּ זוּגִּיתָא חִיוָּרְתִּי. כִּי אֲתָא, בָּעֵי לְמֵיעַל וְלָא מָצֵי. אֲזַל אַיְיתִי שָׁמִירָא, וְאוֹתְבֵיהּ עִלָּוֵיהּ. רְמָא בֵּיהּ קָלָא, שַׁדְיֵיהּ, שַׁקְלֵיהּ. אֲזַל חֲנַק נַפְשֵׁיהּ אַשְּׁבוּעֲתֵיהּ.
They investigated and found the nest of a wild rooster in which there were chicks, and he covered its nest with translucent glass. When the rooster came it wanted to enter the nest but was unable to do so. It went and brought the shamir and placed it on top to crack the glass. Solomon’s servant threw a clump of dirt at the rooster and the rooster knocked over the shamir. The man took it and the wild rooster went and strangled itself over the fact that it had not kept its oath, by not returning the shamir.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ בְּנָיָהוּ: מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזִיתֵיהּ לְהָהוּא סַמְיָא דַּהֲוָה קָא טָעֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אַסֵּיקְתֵּיהּ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַכְרְזִי עֲלֵיהּ בִּרְקִיעָא דְּצַדִּיק גָּמוּר הוּא, וּמַאן דַּעֲבַד לֵיהּ נִיחָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ, זָכֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
Later, Benayahu said to Ashmedai: What is the reason that when you saw that blind man who was lost on the road you brought him to the correct road? Ashmedai said to him: They proclaim about him in heaven that he is a completely righteous man, and anyone who does good for his soul shall merit to enter the World-to-Come.
וּמַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזֵיתֵיהּ לְהָהוּא רַוְיָא דְּקָטָעֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אַסֵּיקְתֵּיהּ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַכְרְזִי עֲלֵיהּ בִּרְקִיעָא דְּרָשָׁע גָּמוּר הוּא, וְעָבְדִי לֵיהּ נִיחָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלֵיכְלֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא.
Then Benayahu asked: And what is the reason that when you saw the drunk man who was lost on the road you brought him to the correct road? Ashmedai said to him: They proclaim about him in heaven that he is a completely wicked man. And I did good for his soul so that he will consume his reward in this world and not have any reward in the World-to-Come.
מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזֵיתֵיהּ לְהָהוּא חֶדְוְותָא, בְּכֵית? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּעֵי מֵימָת גַּבְרָא בְּגוֹ תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין, וּבָעֲיָא מִינְטָר לְיָבָם קָטָן תְּלֵיסְרֵי שְׁנִין.
Benayahu continued and asked him: What is the reason that when you saw that joy of the wedding you cried? Ashmedai said to him: I knew that this man will die within thirty days. And his wife is required to wait for the yavam, the husband’s brother, who is a minor, to reach the age of thirteen years, the age of majority, so that he can release her through ḥalitza, the ritual through which the yavam frees the yevama of her levirate bonds.
מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי שְׁמַעְתֵּיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ לְאוּשְׁכָּפָא: ״עֲבֵיד לִי מְסָאנֵי לְשַׁב שְׁנִין״, אַחֵיכְתְּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָהוּא, שִׁבְעָה יוֹמֵי לֵית לֵיהּ, מְסָאנֵי לְשַׁב שְׁנִין בָּעֵי?!
In addition, he asked: What is the reason that when you heard that man say to a shoemaker: Make me shoes that will last for seven years, you laughed? Ashmedai said to him: That man does not have seven days to live; does he need shoes that will last for seven years?
מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי חֲזֵיתֵיהּ לְהָהוּא קַסָּמָא דַּהֲוָה קָסֵים, אַחֵיכְתְּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דַּהֲוָה יְתֵיב אַבֵּי גַזָּא דְּמַלְכָּא, לִקְסוֹם מַאי דְּאִיכָּא תּוּתֵיהּ!
Benayahu then asked: What is the reason that when you saw that sorcerer performing magic you laughed? Ashmedai said to him: Because he was sitting on the king’s treasury [bei gaza]. Let him use his magic to know what there is buried underneath him.
תַּרְחֵיהּ גַּבֵּיהּ עַד דְּבַנְיֵיהּ לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה קָאֵי לְחוֹדֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּתִיב: ״כְּתוֹעֲפוֹת רְאֵם לוֹ״; וְאָמְרִינַן: ״כְּתוֹעֲפוֹת״ – אֵלּוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, ״רְאֵם״ – אֵלּוּ הַשֵּׁדִים. מַאי רְבוּתַיְיכוּ מִינַּן?
Solomon kept Ashmedai with him until he completed building the Temple. One day he stood with Ashmedai alone. He said to Ashmedai: It is written: “For him like the lofty horns of the wild ox” (Numbers 24:8), and the Sages say in explanation of the verse: “Like the lofty horns”; these are the ministering angels. “The wild ox”; these are the demons. In what way are you greater than us? Why does the verse praise your abilities and powers over those of human beings?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁקוֹל שׁוּשִׁילְתָּא מִינַּאי, וְהַב לִי עִיזְקְתָךְ, וְאַחְוִי לָךְ רְבוּתַאי. שַׁקְלֵיהּ לְשׁוּשִׁילְתָּא מִינֵּיהּ, וְיָהֵיב לֵיהּ עִיזְקְתֵיהּ. בַּלְעֵיהּ, אוֹתְבֵיהּ לְחַד גַּפֵּיהּ בִּרְקִיעָא, וּלְחַד גַּפֵּיהּ בְּאַרְעָא, פַּתְקֵיהּ אַרְבַּע מְאָה פַּרְסֵי. עַל הַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא אֲמַר שְׁלֹמֹה: ״מַה יִּתְרוֹן לָאָדָם בְּכׇל עֲמָלוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ״.
Ashmedai said to him: Take the chain engraved with God’s name off me and give me your ring with God’s name engraved on it, and I will show you my strength. Solomon took the chain off him and he gave him his ring. Ashmedai swallowed the ring and grew until he placed one wing in the heaven and one wing on the earth. He threw Solomon a distance of four hundred parasangs. With regard to that moment Solomon said: “What profit is there for a person through all of his toil under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3). With Solomon deposed from the throne, Ashmedai took his place.
״וְזֶה הָיָה חֶלְקִי מִכׇּל עֲמָלִי״ – מַאי ״וְזֶה״? רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל; חַד אָמַר: מַקְלוֹ; וְחַד אָמַר: גּוּנְדּוֹ. הָיָה מְחַזֵּר עַל הַפְּתָחִים, כֹּל הֵיכָא דִּמְטָא, אָמַר: ״אֲנִי קֹהֶלֶת הָיִיתִי מֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּירוּשָׁלִָים״. כִּי מְטָא גַּבֵּי סַנְהֶדְרִין, אֲמַרוּ רַבָּנַן: מִכְּדִי שׁוֹטֶה – בַּחֲדָא מִילְּתָא לָא סְרִיךְ, מַאי הַאי?
With regard to the verse: “And this was my portion from all of my toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:10), the Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the expression: “And this”? This expression is always an allusion to an item that is actually in his hand or can be shown. Rav and Shmuel disagree with regard to the meaning of this phrase. One said: This is referring to Solomon’s staff that remained in his hand. And one said: This is referring to his cloak. Solomon circulated from door to door collecting charity, and wherever he arrived he would say: “I, Ecclesiastes, was king over Israel in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:12). When he finally arrived at the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem the sages said: Now, an imbecile does not fixate on one matter all of the time, so what is this matter? Is this man perhaps telling the truth that he is Solomon?
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִבְנָיָהוּ: קָא בָעֵי לָךְ מַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ? אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא. שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ לְמַלְכְּווֹתָא: קָאָתֵי מַלְכָּא לְגַבַּיְיכוּ? שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ: אִין, קָאָתֵי. שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ: בִּידְקוּ בְּכַרְעֵיהּ. שְׁלַחוּ לְהוּ: בְּמוּקֵי קָאָתֵי;
The sages said to Benayahu: Does the king require you to be with him? Benayahu said to them: No. They sent to the queens and asked: Does the king come to be with you? The queens sent a response to them: Yes, he comes. They sent a request to the queens: Check his feet to see if they are human feet. The queens sent a response to the sages: He always comes in socks [bemokei], and it is not possible to see his feet.
וְקָא תָבַע לְהוּ בְּנִידּוּתַיְיהוּ; וְקָא תָבַע לַהּ נָמֵי לְבַת שֶׁבַע אִימֵּיהּ. אַתְיוּהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה, וְהַבוּ לֵיהּ עִזְקְתָא, וְשׁוּשִׁילְתָּא דַּחֲקִוק עָלֶיהָ שֵׁם. כִּי עָיֵיל, חַזְיֵיהּ, פְּרַח.
The queens continued discussing the king’s behavior: And he demands of them, i.e., the queens, to engage in sexual intercourse when they are menstruating. And he also demands that Bathsheba his mother engage in sexual intercourse with him. Once the Sanhedrin heard this they understood that this was an imposter and not actually Solomon. They brought Solomon, gave him a ring and the chain on which the name of God was carved. When Solomon entered, Ashmedai saw him and fled.
וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, הֲוָה לֵיהּ בִּיעֲתוּתָא מִינֵּיהּ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ מִגִּבּוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כּוּלָּם אֲחוּזֵי חֶרֶב מְלוּמְּדֵי מִלְחָמָה, אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ עַל יְרֵיכוֹ מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת״.
The Gemara adds: And even so, although Ashmedai fled, Solomon was fearful of him, and this is as it is written: “Behold the bed of Solomon surrounded by sixty strong men from the warriors of Israel. All of them holding swords and trained in war, each man with his sword on his thigh from fear in the nights” (Song of Songs 3:7–8).
רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר: מֶלֶךְ וְהֶדְיוֹט, וְחַד אָמַר: מֶלֶךְ וְהֶדְיוֹט וּמֶלֶךְ.
Rav and Shmuel disagreed with regard to this story of Solomon. One said: He was a king and afterward he became a commoner, and never returned to his position as king. And one said: He was a king, and became a commoner, and a king, as ultimately he returned to his throne and defeated Ashmedai.
לִדְמָא דְּרֵישָׁא – לַיְתֵי שׁוּרְבִּינָא, וּבִינָא, וְאָסָא דָּרָא, וְזֵיתָא, וְחִילְפָא, וְחִילְפֵי דְיַמָּא, וְיַבְלָא; וְלִישְׁלוֹקִינְהוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי; וְלִנְטוֹל תְּלָת מְאָה כָּסֵי אַהַאי גִּיסָא דְרֵישָׁא, וּתְלָת מְאָה כָּסֵי אַהַאי גִּיסָא דְרֵישָׁא.
§ The Gemara returns to the discussion concerning the different remedies with which the chapter began: As a remedy for a headache caused by excessive blood in the head, let him bring cypress [shurvina], willow, fresh myrtle [asa dara], olive, poplar, sea willow, and cynodon grass and boil them together. And he should pour three hundred cups of this liquid on one side of his head and three hundred cups on this, the other side of his head.
וְאִי לָא – לַיְתֵי וַרְדָּא חִיוָּרָא דְּקָאֵי בְּחַד דָּרָא, וְלִישְׁלְקֵיהּ, וְלִינְטוֹל שִׁיתִּין כָּסֵי אַהַאי גִּיסָא דְרֵישָׁא, וְשִׁיתִּין כָּסֵי אַהַאי גִּיסָא דְרֵישָׁא.
And if it is not effective or he is unable to obtain all of these ingredients then let him bring a white rose [varda] that stands in one row, meaning that it was growing alone, and he should boil it. And he should pour sixty cups on this side of his head and sixty cups on this side of his head.
לִצְלִיחְתָּא – לַיְתֵי תַּרְנְגוֹלָא בָּרָא; וְלִישְׁחֲטֵיהּ בְּזוּזָא חִיוָּרָא – אַהָהוּא גִּיסָא דְּכָיֵיב לֵיהּ, וְנִזְדְּהַר מִדְּמֵיהּ דְּלָא לְסַמִּינְהוּ לְעֵינֵיהּ; וְלִיתְלְיֵיהּ בְּסֵיפָא דְבָבָא – דְּכִי עָיֵיל חָיֵיף בֵּיהּ, וְכִי נָפֵיק חָיֵיף בֵּיהּ.
As a remedy for a migraine, let him bring a wild rooster and slaughter it using a silver dinar, so that the blood flows over the side of his head that hurts him. And he should be careful of its blood so as not to blind his eye. And he should hang it on the doorpost of his house, so that when he enters he rubs against it and when he exits he rubs against it.
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