Yoma 38
בְּסֵירוּגִין.
with alternating complete words and initials. The first words of each verse were written there, but the rest of the words in the verse were represented by initials. Therefore, this contribution of Queen Helene does not resolve the question of whether writing a scroll for a child is permitted.
נִיקָנוֹר נַעֲשׂוּ נִסִּים לְדַלְתוֹתָיו. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מָה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לְדַלְתוֹתָיו? אָמְרוּ: כְּשֶׁהָלַךְ נִיקָנוֹר לְהָבִיא דְּלָתוֹת מֵאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָּא שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, בַּחֲזִירָתוֹ עָמַד עָלָיו נַחְשׁוֹל שֶׁבַּיָּם לְטַבְּעוֹ, נָטְלוּ אַחַת מֵהֶן וֶהֱטִילוּהָ לַיָּם, וַעֲדַיִין לָא נָח הַיָּם מִזַּעְפּוֹ.
§ The mishna related: For Nicanor, miracles were performed to his doors. The Sages taught in the Tosefta: What miracles occurred for his doors? They said: When Nicanor went to bring copper doors for the eastern gate of the Temple from Alexandria in Egypt, famous for its craftsmanship, on his return voyage by ship, a storm arose in the sea and threatened to drown him. The ship’s passengers took one of the doors, which were exceedingly heavy, and cast it into the sea, fearing that the weight of the doors would sink the ship. And still the sea did not rest from its rage.
בִּקְּשׁוּ לְהָטִיל אֶת חֲבֶרְתָּהּ, עָמַד הוּא וּכְרָכָהּ, אָמַר לָהֶם: הֲטִילוּנִי עִמָּהּ. מִיָּד נָח הַיָּם מִזַּעְפּוֹ, וְהָיָה מִצְטַעֵר עַל חֲבֶרְתָּהּ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לִנְמֵלָהּ שֶׁל עַכּוֹ, הָיְתָה מְבַצְבֶּצֶת וְיוֹצְאָה מִתַּחַת דּוֹפְנֵי הַסְּפִינָה. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים בְּרִיָּה שֶׁבַּיָּם בְּלָעַתָּה, וֶהֱקִיאַתָּה לַיַּבָּשָׁה.
They sought to cast the other door into the sea, at which point Nicanor stood and embraced it and said to them: Cast me into the sea with it. Immediately, the sea rested from its rage, and it was necessary to cast neither the door nor Nicanor into the sea. The ship continued its journey with one door and for the entire voyage, he regretted the fate of the other door that he allowed them to cast into the sea. When they arrived at the port of Akko and prepared to disembark, despite the fact that it was made of copper, the door that was thrown into the sea was poking out under the sides of the ship. And some say a sea creature swallowed it and spewed it onto the land.
וְעָלֶיהָ אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה: ״קוֹרוֹת בָּתֵּינוּ אֲרָזִים רַהִיטֵנוּ בְּרוֹתִים״, אַל תִּיקְרֵי ״בְּרוֹתִים״, אֶלָּא ״בְּרִית יָם״. לְפִיכָךְ, כׇּל הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁהָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ נִשְׁתַּנּוּ לִהְיוֹת שֶׁל זָהָב, חוּץ מִשַּׁעֲרֵי נִיקָנוֹר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בּוֹ נִסִּים. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנְּחוֹשְׁתָּן מוּצְהֶבֶת הָיְתָה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: נְחֹשֶׁת קְלוֹנִיתָא הָיְתָה, וְהָיְתָה מְאִירָה כְּשֶׁל זָהָב.
And with regard to this, Solomon said: “The beams of our houses are cedars, and our doors are cypresses [berotim]” (Song of Songs 1:17), and the Sages interpreted it homiletically: Do not read it as berotim but as berit yam, covenant of the sea, meaning that the door forged a covenant with the sea for the sea to deliver it to its place. Therefore, when the nation prospered and the people replaced the doors made of various metals, the doors in all the gates in the Temple were altered to become doors of gold except the doors in the Gates of Nicanor because miracles were performed to them. And some say it was because their copper was brightly-colored and high quality. Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says it was refined [kelonita] copper, and it illuminated its surroundings like gold.
מַתְנִי׳ וְאֵלּוּ לִגְנַאי: שֶׁל בֵּית גַּרְמוּ לֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, שֶׁל בֵּית אַבְטִינָס לֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטוֹרֶת.
MISHNA: Apropos the mention in the mishna of people who took action in the Temple and were mentioned favorably, the mishna lists those who took action in the Temple and were mentioned unfavorably. The craftsmen of the House of Garmu did not want to teach the secret of the preparation of the shewbread and sought to keep the secret within their family. The craftsmen of the House of Avtinas did not want to teach the secret of the preparation of the incense.
הוּגְרַס בֶּן לֵוִי הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ פֶּרֶק בַּשִּׁיר וְלֹא רָצָה לְלַמֵּד, בֶּן קַמְצָר לֹא רָצָה לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַכְּתָב. עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נֶאֱמַר: ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״, וְעַל אֵלּוּ נֶאֱמַר: ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״.
Also, Hugras ben Levi knew a chapter in the art of music, as will be explained, and he did not want to teach it to others. And the scribe ben Kamtzar did not want to teach a special act of writing. He was expert at writing all four letters of a four-letter name simultaneously. About the first ones, who were mentioned favorably, it is stated: “The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing” (Proverbs 10:7); and about these who were concerned only for themselves it is stated: “But the name of the wicked shall rot” (Proverbs 10:7).
גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בֵּית גַּרְמוּ הָיוּ בְּקִיאִין בְּמַעֲשֵׂה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים וְלֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד. שָׁלְחוּ חֲכָמִים וְהֵבִיאוּ אוּמָּנִין מֵאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָּא שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם. וְהָיוּ יוֹדְעִין לֶאֱפוֹת כְּמוֹתָן, וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין לִרְדּוֹת כְּמוֹתָן. שֶׁהַלָּלוּ מַסִּיקִין מִבַּחוּץ וְאוֹפִין מִבַּחוּץ, וְהַלָּלוּ מַסִּיקִין מִבִּפְנִים וְאוֹפִין מִבִּפְנִים. הַלָּלוּ פִּיתָּן מִתְעַפֶּשֶׁת, וְהַלָּלוּ אֵין פִּיתָּן מִתְעַפֶּשֶׁת.
GEMARA: The Sages taught in a baraita: The craftsmen of the House of Garmu were expert in the preparation of the shewbread, and they did not want to teach others the secret of its production. The Sages dismissed them and sent for and brought craftsmen from Alexandria in Egypt, a large city with many experts. And those craftsmen knew how to bake like the members of the House of Garmu did, but they did not know how to remove the bread from the oven like they did. The shewbread was baked in a complex shape, and it was difficult to place it in the oven and remove it without breaking it. The difference was that these Alexandrians light the fire outside the oven and bake it outside the oven; and these members of the House of Garmu light the fire inside the oven and bake it inside. In the case of these Alexandrians, their bread becomes moldy over the course of the week, and in the case of these members of the House of Garmu, their bread does not become moldy.
כְּשֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ חֲכָמִים בַּדָּבָר, אָמְרוּ: כֹּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ בְּרָאוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו״. וְחָזְרוּ בֵּית גַּרְמוּ לִמְקוֹמָן. שָׁלְחוּ לָהֶם חֲכָמִים — וְלֹא בָּאוּ, כָּפְלוּ לָהֶם שְׂכָרָן וּבָאוּ. בְּכׇל יוֹם הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מָנֶה, וְהַיּוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: בְּכׇל יוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה, וְהַיּוֹם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה.
When the Sages heard of the matter that the bread of the imported craftsmen was of lower quality than before, they said: Whatever the Holy One, Blessed be He, created, He created in His honor, as it is stated: “Everyone who is called by My name, I have created for My glory” (Isaiah 43:7). In deference to God, the Sages should diminish their honor for the greater glory of God and let the House of Garmu return to their original station. The Sages sent for them to reassume their previous position, and they did not come. They doubled their wages and they came. Each day until then they would take wages of twelve maneh, and today they take wages of twenty-four maneh. Rabbi Yehuda says: Each day they took twenty-four maneh, and today they take forty-eight.
אָמְרוּ לָהֶם חֲכָמִים: מָה רְאִיתֶם שֶׁלֹּא לְלַמֵּד? אָמְרוּ לָהֶם: יוֹדְעִין הָיוּ שֶׁל בֵּית אַבָּא שֶׁבַּיִת זֶה עָתִיד לֵיחָרֵב, שֶׁמָּא יִלְמוֹד אָדָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְהוּגָּן וְיֵלֵךְ וְיַעֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּכָךְ. וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה מַזְכִּירִין אוֹתָן לְשֶׁבַח: מֵעוֹלָם לֹא נִמְצֵאת פַּת נְקִיָּה בְּיַד בְּנֵיהֶם, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים זֶה נִיזּוֹנִין, לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּים מֵה׳ וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל״.
The Sages said to them: What did you see that led you not to teach others this craft? They said: The members of our father’s house knew that this house, the Temple, is destined to be destroyed, and they were concerned lest an unworthy man learn our skill of baking and go and engage in idol worship with that skill. Therefore, they attempted to prevent this skill from spreading beyond their family. The Gemara comments: And for this matter they are mentioned favorably: Never was refined bread of fine flour found in the hands of their descendants, so that people would not say that they are sustained from that technique of preparing the shewbread. They ate only bread made of coarse flour mixed with bran, to fulfill that which is stated: “And you shall be clear before the Lord and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22). Not only must one’s behavior be beyond reproach, he should also make certain to be beyond suspicion.
שֶׁל בֵּית אַבְטִינָס לֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטוֹרֶת. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בֵּית אַבְטִינָס הָיוּ בְּקִיאִין בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטוֹרֶת וְלֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד, שָׁלְחוּ חֲכָמִים וְהֵבִיאוּ אוּמָּנִין מֵאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָּא שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם. וְהָיוּ יוֹדְעִין לְפַטֵּם כְּמוֹתָם וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין לְהַעֲלוֹת עָשָׁן כְּמוֹתָן. שֶׁל הַלָּלוּ — מִתַּמֵּר וְעוֹלֶה כְּמַקֵּל, שֶׁל הַלָּלוּ — מַפְצִיעַ לְכָאן וּלְכָאן.
§ Similarly, the mishna related: The craftsmen of the House of Avtinas did not want to teach about the secret of the preparation of the incense, at which they were particularly adept. The Sages taught in a baraita: The members of the House of Avtinas were expert in the technique of preparing the incense, and they did not want to teach others. The Sages dismissed them and sent for and brought craftsmen from Alexandria in Egypt. And the Alexandrian craftsmen knew how to blend the spices like they did, but they did not know how to cause the smoke to rise like the House of Avtinas did. The smoke of the incense blended by these members of the House of Avtinas rises in a column like a stick; the smoke of the incense blended by these Alexandrians branched out to here and to there and did not rise in a straight line.
וּכְשֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ חֲכָמִים בַּדָּבָר, אָמְרוּ: כֹּל מַה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא — לִכְבוֹדוֹ בְּרָאוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּל פָּעַל ה׳ לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ״, וְחָזְרוּ בֵּית אַבְטִינָס לִמְקוֹמָן. שָׁלְחוּ לָהֶם חֲכָמִים וְלֹא בָּאוּ, כָּפְלוּ לָהֶם שְׂכָרָן וּבָאוּ. בְּכׇל יוֹם הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מָנֶה, וְהַיּוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: בְּכׇל יוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה, וְהַיּוֹם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה.
When the Sages heard of the matter, they said: Whatever the Holy One, Blessed be He, created, He created in His honor, as it is stated: “God made everything for His sake” (Proverbs 16:4), and they let the House of Avtinas return to their original station. The Sages sent for the members of the House of Avtinas to reassume their previous position, and they did not come. They doubled their wages and they came. Each day until then they would take wages of twelve maneh, and today they take wages of twenty-four maneh. Rabbi Yehuda says: Each day they took twenty-four maneh, and today they take forty-eight.
אָמְרוּ לָהֶם חֲכָמִים: מָה רְאִיתֶם שֶׁלֹּא לְלַמֵּד? אָמְרוּ: יוֹדְעִין הָיוּ שֶׁל בֵּית אַבָּא שֶׁבַּיִת זֶה עָתִיד לֵיחָרֵב, אָמְרוּ: שֶׁמָּא יִלְמוֹד אָדָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְהוּגָּן וְיֵלֵךְ וְיַעֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּכָךְ. וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה מַזְכִּירִין אוֹתָן לְשֶׁבַח: מֵעוֹלָם לֹא יָצָאת כַּלָּה מְבוּשֶּׂמֶת מִבָּתֵּיהֶן, וּכְשֶׁנּוֹשְׂאִין אִשָּׁה מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, מַתְנִין עִמָּהּ שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְבַּסֵּם, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ: מִמַּעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטוֹרֶת מִתְבַּסְּמִין, לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּים מֵה׳ וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל״.
The Sages said to them: What did you see that led you not to teach others this craft? They said: The members of our father’s house knew that this house, the Temple, is destined to be destroyed, and they were concerned lest an unworthy man learn our skill of preparing incense and go and engage in idol worship with that skill. Therefore, they attempted to prevent this skill from spreading beyond their family. The Gemara comments: And for this matter they are mentioned favorably: Never did a perfumed bride emerge from their homes. And when they marry a woman from a different place, they stipulate with her that she will not perfume herself, so that cynics would not say that it is with the work of the incense that they perfume themselves, to fulfill that which is stated: “And you shall be clear before the Lord and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22).
תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּמָצָאתִי אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי בְנֵיהֶם, אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: אֲבוֹתֶיךָ בִּקְּשׁוּ לְהַרְבּוֹת כְּבוֹדָן וְרָצוּ לְמַעֵט כְּבוֹד הַמָּקוֹם, עַכְשָׁיו כְּבוֹד מָקוֹם בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, וּמִיעֵט כְּבוֹדָם.
It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yishmael said: One time I was walking along the road and I found one of the descendants of the House of Avtinas. I said to him: Your fathers sought to enhance their honor and sought to diminish God’s honor by not revealing their secret to others. Now, although the Temple was destroyed, the honor of God remains as it was, and He diminished their honor, as their significance stemmed from their Temple service.
אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: (פַּעַם אַחַת) סָח לִי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן לוֹגָא: פַּעַם אַחַת יָצָאתִי אֲנִי וְאֶחָד מִבְּנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לַשָּׂדֶה לְלַקֵּט עֲשָׂבִים, וְרָאִיתִי (שֶׁשָּׂחַק וּבָכָה). אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: מִפְּנֵי מָה בָּכִיתָ? אָמַר לִי: כְּבוֹד אֲבוֹתַי נִזְכַּרְתִּי. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה שָׂחַקְתְּ? אָמַר לִי: שֶׁעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַחְזִירָהּ לָנוּ. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה נִזְכַּרְתָּ? אָמַר לִי: מַעֲלֶה עָשָׁן כְּנֶגְדִּי. הַרְאֵהוּ לִי! אָמַר לִי: שְׁבוּעָה הִיא בְּיָדֵינוּ שֶׁאֵין מַרְאִין אוֹתוֹ לְכׇל אָדָם.
Rabbi Akiva said: One time Rabbi Yishmael ben Loga related to me: One time I and one of the descendants of the House of Avtinas went out to the field to collect herbs, and I saw that he laughed and he cried. I said to him: Why did you cry? He said to me: I was reminded of the honor of my forefathers, how important they were in the Temple. I said to him: And why did you laugh? He said to me: The Holy One, Blessed be He, is going to restore it to us in the future and we will be honored again. I said to him: And why are you reminded of this now? He said to me: The smoke-raising herb is before me, here in the field, reminding me of the past. I said to him: Show it to me; which one is it? He said to me: We are bound by oath not to show it to any person other than the members of our family.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי: פַּעַם אַחַת מָצָאתִי זָקֵן אֶחָד וּמְגִילַת סַמְמָנִין בְּיָדוֹ. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: מֵאַיִן אַתָּה? אָמַר לִי: מִבֵּית אַבְטִינָס אֲנִי. וּמָה בְּיָדֶךָ? אָמַר לִי: מְגִילַּת סַמְמָנִין. הַרְאֵהוּ לִי! אָמַר לִי: כׇּל זְמַן שֶׁבֵּית אַבָּא הָיוּ קַיָּימִין, לֹא הָיוּ מוֹסְרִין אוֹתוֹ לְכׇל אָדָם, וְעַכְשָׁיו הֲרֵי הוּא לְךָ, וְהִזָּהֵר בָּהּ. וּכְשֶׁבָּאתִי וְסַחְתִּי דְּבָרַי לִפְנֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אָמַר לִי: מֵעַתָּה אָסוּר לְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּתָן שֶׁל אֵלּוּ.
Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri said: One time I found an old man who had in his hand a scroll with the location and formula for blending of spices. I said to him: Where are you from? What is your ancestry? He said to me: I am from the House of Avtinas. I asked him: And what is in your hand? He said to me: A scroll of spices. I said to him: Show it to me. He said to me: As long as the House of Avtinas, my forefathers, was extant, they would not pass it on to anyone. And now, here it is; and be careful with it not to give it to anyone. And when I came and related my statement before Rabbi Akiva, he said to me: And now that they have surrendered the scroll to worthy recipients since they are unable to maintain its sanctity, it is prohibited to mention them unfavorably, as even their earlier reticence was apparently for the glory of God.
מִכָּאן אָמַר בֶּן עַזַּאי: בְּשִׁמְךָ יִקְרָאוּךְ, וּבִמְקוֹמְךָ יוֹשִׁיבוּךְ,
From here, with regard to the cases of the Temple’s craftsmen whom the Sages restored to their posts, ben Azzai said: One should not be concerned that others might usurp his livelihood and success, since at the appropriate moment, by your name they shall call you to return to your previous position, and in your place, they shall seat you,
וּמִשֶּׁלְּךָ יִתְּנוּ לְךָ. אֵין אָדָם נוֹגֵעַ בַּמּוּכָן לַחֲבֵירוֹ. וְאֵין מַלְכוּת נוֹגַעַת בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא.
and from your own they shall give you. Everyone has a portion designated for him by God, and the individual is privileged to receive what is coming to him, as was the case with the House of Avtinas. The principle is: No person may touch that which is prepared for another by God; everyone receives what is designated for him. And one reign does not overlap with another and deduct from the time allotted it even a hairbreadth. When the time comes for one kingdom to fall, its successor takes over immediately, as no king rules during the time designated for another.
הוּגְרַס בֶּן לֵוִי וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא: כְּשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן קוֹלוֹ בִּנְעִימָה, מַכְנִיס גּוּדָלוֹ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו, וּמַנִּיחַ אֶצְבָּעוֹ בֵּין הַנִּימִין, עַד שֶׁהָיוּ אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים נִזְקָרִים בְּבַת רֹאשׁ לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם.
§ The mishna related that Hugras ben Levi knew a lesson in the art of music and he did not want to teach it to others. It was taught in a baraita: When Hugras ben Levi projects his voice in a sweet melody, he places his thumb into his mouth and places his finger between the strings of a lyre and sings. This produced a sound so sweet that his brethren the priests were abruptly taken aback.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בֶּן קַמְצָר לֹא רָצָה לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַכְּתָב. אָמְרוּ עָלָיו שֶׁהָיָה נוֹטֵל אַרְבָּעָה קוּלְמוֹסִין בֵּין אֶצְבְּעוֹתָיו, וְאִם הָיְתָה תֵּיבָה שֶׁל אַרְבַּע אוֹתִיּוֹת הָיָה כּוֹתְבָהּ בְּבַת אַחַת. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מָה רָאִיתָ שֶׁלֹּא לְלַמֵּד? כּוּלָּן מָצְאוּ תְּשׁוּבָה לְדִבְרֵיהֶם, בֶּן קַמְצָר לֹא מָצָא תְּשׁוּבָה לִדְבָרָיו. עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נֶאֱמַר: ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״, וְעַל בֶּן קַמְצָר וַחֲבֵירָיו נֶאֱמַר: ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״.
The Sages taught: Ben Kamtzar did not want to teach others a special technique of writing. What was that technique? They said about him that he would take four quills between his fingers, and if there was a word consisting of four letters that he wanted to write, he could write it simultaneously. They said to him: What did you see that led you not to teach that technique? All the others with unique skills came up with a response to questions about the matter of their conduct, claiming that they sought to prevent their technique from being used in idol worship. However, ben Kamtzar did not come up with a response to questions about the matter of his conduct, and it was clear that his only motivation in preventing his skill from being disseminated was his own personal honor. With regard to the first people listed, it is stated: “The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing” (Proverbs 10:7); and about ben Kamtzar and his counterparts it is stated: “But the name of the wicked shall rot” (Proverbs 10:7).
מַאי ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״? אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: רַקְבִּיבוּת תַּעֲלֶה בִּשְׁמוֹתָן, דְּלָא מַסְּקִינַן בִּשְׁמַיְיהוּ. מֵתִיב רָבִינָא. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּדוֹאֵג בֶּן יוֹסֵף, שֶׁהִנִּיחוֹ [אָבִיו] בֵּן קָטָן לְאִמּוֹ. בְּכׇל יוֹם הָיְתָה אִמּוֹ מוֹדַדְתּוֹ בִּטְפָחִים וְנוֹתֶנֶת מִשְׁקָלוֹ שֶׁל זָהָב לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וּכְשֶׁגָּבַר אוֹיֵב טְבָחַתּוּ וַאֲכָלַתּוּ.
§ Apropos the verse cited, the Gemara asks: What is the meaning of: But the name of the wicked shall rot? How does a name rot? Rabbi Elazar said: It means that decay will spread on their names, meaning that we do not call others by their names, and the name will sink into oblivion. Ravina raised an objection from an incident that transpired during the Second Temple era. There was an incident involving Doeg ben Yosef, whose father died and left him as a young child to his mother, who loved him. Each day his mother measured his height in handbreadths and donated a measure of gold equivalent to the weight that he gained to the Temple. Later, when the enemy prevailed and there was a terrible famine in the city, she slaughtered and ate him.
וְעָלֶיהָ קוֹנֵן יִרְמְיָה: ״אִם תֹּאכַלְנָה נָשִׁים פִּרְיָם עוֹלְלֵי טִפּוּחִים״, מְשִׁיבָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאוֹמֶרֶת: ״אִם יֵהָרֵג בְּמִקְדַּשׁ ה׳ כֹּהֵן וְנָבִיא״, חֲזִי מַאי סְלֵיק בֵּיהּ.
And with regard to her and others like her Jeremiah lamented: “Shall the women eat their fruit, their children in their care [tipuḥim]?” (Lamentations 2:20). The Gemara interprets the term tipuḥim homiletically as referring to this baby, who was measured in handbreadths [tefaḥim]. Even he was eaten by his mother. And the Divine Spirit responds and says: Why did this happen? “Shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the Temple of the Lord?” (Lamentations 2:20). It is punishment for the murder of the priest Zechariah ben Jehoiada. This incident involves a boy named Doeg; even though the person with that name was wicked (see I Samuel, chapter 22), the boy was named for him. The Gemara responds: See what befell him. Clearly, his name was a bad omen.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: צַדִּיק מֵעַצְמוֹ, וְרָשָׁע מֵחֲבֵירוֹ. צַדִּיק מֵעַצְמוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״, וְרָשָׁע מֵחֲבֵירוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״.
Rabbi Elazar said: A righteous person is praised for his own actions, and a wicked person is cursed not only for his own actions but also for the actions of his wicked counterpart. A righteous person is praised for his actions, as it is written: “The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing”; righteous is written in the singular. A wicked person is also cursed for the actions of his wicked counterpart, as it is written: “But the name of the wicked shall rot”; wicked is written in the plural. Once one wicked person is mentioned, his wicked counterparts are cursed as well.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבִינָא לְהָהוּא מֵרַבָּנַן דַּהֲוָה מְסַדַּר אַגָּדָתָא קַמֵּיהּ: מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דְּהָא כְּתִיב: ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״! מִדְּאוֹרָיְיתָא מְנָא לַן? דִּכְתִיב: ״וַה׳ אָמָר הַמְכַסֶּה אֲנִי מֵאַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְאַבְרָהָם הָיוֹ יִהְיֶה לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם״.
Ravina said to one of the Sages who would organize aggadic statements before him: From where is this matter that the Sages stated: The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing, derived? He said to him: As it is written explicitly in the book of Proverbs: “The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing.” He then asked him: From where in the Torah do we derive this? He said to him: As it is written: “And God said: Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing?” (Genesis 18:17). And as soon as Abraham’s name is mentioned, it is written: “And Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation” (Genesis 18:18), although there is no clear connection to the previous verse. Apparently, once the name of a righteous person is mentioned, it is followed directly by praise of the individual. That is the Torah source for the statement that the mention of the righteous is for blessing.
מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן ״שֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דְּהָא כְּתִיב: ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״. מִדְּאוֹרָיְיתָא מְנָא לַן? דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֶּאֱהַל עַד סְדוֹם״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם רָעִים וְחַטָּאִים לַה׳ מְאֹד״.
Then he asked: From where is this matter that the Sages said: But the name of the wicked shall rot, derived? He said to him: As it is written explicitly in the book of Proverbs: “But the name of the wicked shall rot.” He then asked him: From where in the Torah do we derive this? He said to him: As it is written with regard to Lot: “And he moved his tent as far as Sodom” (Genesis 13:12). And as soon as Sodom is mentioned, it is written: “And the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful to God” (Genesis 13:13).
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: צַדִּיק דָּר בֵּין שְׁנֵי רְשָׁעִים וְלֹא לָמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם, רָשָׁע דָּר בֵּין שְׁנֵי צַדִּיקִים וְלֹא לָמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם. צַדִּיק דָּר בֵּין שְׁנֵי רְשָׁעִים וְלֹא לָמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם — עוֹבַדְיָה. רָשָׁע דָּר בֵּין שְׁנֵי צַדִּיקִים וְלֹא לָמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם — זֶה עֵשָׂו.
Apropos these statements, the Gemara cites another statement that Rabbi Elazar said: There was a righteous person who lived between two wicked people and did not learn from their actions; there was a wicked person who lived between two righteous people and did not learn from their actions. How so? A righteous person lived between two wicked people and did not learn from their actions is Obadiah, who was a minister for Ahab and Jezebel and nevertheless remained God-fearing (see I Kings, chapter 18). A wicked person who lived between two righteous people and did not learn from their actions is Esau, who was born and raised in the house of Isaac and Rebecca and nevertheless remained wicked.
(אָמַר) רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִבִּרְכָתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים אַתָּה לָמֵד קְלָלָה לָרְשָׁעִים, וּמִקִּלְלָתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים אַתָּה לָמֵד בְּרָכָה לַצַּדִּיקִים. מִבִּרְכָתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים אַתָּה לָמֵד קְלָלָה לָרְשָׁעִים, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה וְגוֹ׳״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה כִּי רָבָּה״.
§ Rabbi Elazar said: From the blessing of the righteous you infer a curse for the wicked; and conversely, from the curse of the wicked you infer a blessing for the righteous. How so? From the blessing of the righteous you infer a curse for the wicked, as it is written with regard to Abraham: “For I have known him to the end that he will command his children and his household after him” (Genesis 18:19), and it is written thereafter: “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is very great” (Genesis 18:20). The righteousness of Abraham underscores the relative wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, exacerbating their punishment.
וּמִקִּלְלָתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים אַתָּה לָמֵד בְּרָכָה לַצַּדִּיקִים, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם רָעִים וְחַטָּאִים לַה׳. וַה׳ אָמַר אֶל אַבְרָם אַחֲרֵי הִפָּרֶד לוֹט מֵעִמּוֹ״. (אָמַר) רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אֲפִילּוּ בִּשְׁבִיל צַדִּיק אֶחָד עוֹלָם נִבְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב״, וְאֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא צַדִּיק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב״.
Conversely, from the curse of the wicked you infer a blessing for the righteous, as it is written: “And the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful to God” (Genesis 13:13), after which it is written: “And God said to Abram, after that Lot had separated from him” (Genesis 13:14); God proceeds to bless him. And Rabbi Elazar said: Even for one righteous person an entire world is created, as it is stated: “And God saw the light, that it was good” (Genesis 1:4), and good means nothing other than righteous, as it is stated: “Say of the righteous that he is good” (Isaiah 3:10).
(אָמַר) רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל הַמְשַׁכֵּחַ דָּבָר מִתַּלְמוּדוֹ — גּוֹרֵם גָּלוּת לְבָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתִּשְׁכַּח תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶשְׁכַּח בָּנֶיךָ גַּם אָנִי״. רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ אָמַר: מוֹרִידִין אוֹתוֹ מִגְּדוּלָּתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי אַתָּה הַדַּעַת מָאַסְתָּ וְאֶמְאָסְךָ מִכַּהֵן לִי״.
Rabbi Elazar further said: One who causes himself to forget a matter of his studies ultimately causes exile for his children, as it is stated: “Because you have forgotten the Torah of your God, I will also forget your children” (Hosea 4:6). Rabbi Abbahu said: With regard to he who causes his studies to be forgotten, one reduces him from his prominence, as it is stated: “Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you; you shall not serve Me” (Hosea 4:6).
אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵין צַדִּיק נִפְטָר מִן הָעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁנִּבְרָא צַדִּיק כְּמוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ״. עַד שֶׁלֹּא כָּבְתָה שִׁמְשׁוֹ שֶׁל עֵלִי, זָרְחָה שִׁמְשׁוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתִי. (אָמַר) רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁצַּדִּיקִים מוּעָטִין, עָמַד וּשְׁתָלָן בְּכׇל דּוֹר וָדוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי לַה׳ מְצוּקֵי אֶרֶץ וַיָּשֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶם תֵּבֵל״.
Apropos the righteous, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: No righteous person departs from this world until another comparable righteous person is created, as it is stated: “And the sun rises and the sun sets” (Ecclesiastes 1:5); before the sun sets the new sun has already risen. Before the sun of Eli was extinguished, the sun of Samuel of Ramah had already shone (see I Samuel, chapter 3), and so on throughout the generations. And Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, saw that righteous people were few, so He arose and planted some of them in each and every generation to ensure the presence of at least one righteous person in each generation. As it is stated: “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He has set the world upon them” (I Samuel 2:8). Since the world rests upon the righteous, each generation requires the presence of a righteous person to provide that support.
(אָמַר) רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֲפִילּוּ בִּשְׁבִיל צַדִּיק אֶחָד הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם״. רַבִּי חִיָּיא דִּידֵיהּ אָמַר, מֵהָכָא: ״רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמוֹר״ — חֲסִידָיו טוּבָא מַשְׁמַע! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: חֲסִידוֹ כְּתִיב.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even for one righteous person the world exists, as it is stated: “But the righteous is the foundation of the world” (Proverbs 10:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya himself said: The proof is from here, as it is stated: “He will keep the feet of His pious ones” (I Samuel 2:9), meaning that God maintains the world due to the pious people. The Gemara questions this proof; “pious ones” indicates many rather than a single righteous person. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Although the text is vocalized in the plural, it is written in the singular: “His pious one”; God maintains the world even for a single pious individual.
(אָמַר) רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ רוֹב שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם וְלֹא חָטָא — שׁוּב אֵינוֹ חוֹטֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמוֹר״, דְּבֵי רַבִּי שֵׁילָא אָמְרִי: כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאָה לְיָדוֹ דְּבַר עֲבֵירָה פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁנִיָּה וְאֵינוֹ חוֹטֵא — שׁוּב אֵינוֹ חוֹטֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמוֹר״.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Once most of a person’s years have passed and he did not sin, he will never sin, as it is stated: “He will keep the feet of His pious ones” (I Samuel 2:9). Once a person has established himself as righteous, God will keep him from failing thereafter. In the school of Rabbi Sheila they say: Once the opportunity to perform a sinful act presents itself to a person a first time and a second, and he does not sin, he will never sin, as it is stated: “He will keep the feet of His pious ones” (I Samuel 2:9). Once he has refrained from sin several times, he has established himself as pious and God will protect him thereafter.
אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אִם לַלֵּצִים הוּא יָלִיץ וְלַעֲנָוִים יִתֶּן חֵן״, בָּא לִטַּמֵּא — פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ. בָּא לִטָּהֵר — מְסַיְּיעִין אוֹתוֹ. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁהָיָה מוֹכֵר נֵפְטְ וַאֲפַרְסְמוֹן,
Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “If it concerns the scorners, He scorns them, but to the humble He gives grace” (Proverbs 3:34)? If one comes to impurify, they open before him the opportunity to exercise his free will and do as he pleases. If one comes to purify, they assist him. In the school of Rabbi Yishmael it was taught with regard to this verse: This is comparable to the case of a man who was selling both crude naphtha [neft], whose odor is vile, and balsam, whose fragrance is pleasant.
