עבודה זרה י״ז

עבודה זרה י״ז

וְהִנְאֲךָ, וְעָלָיו נִתְפַּסְתָּ? אָמַר לוֹ: עֲקִיבָא, הִזְכַּרְתַּנִי, פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּשּׁוּק הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל צִיפּוֹרִי, וּמָצָאתִי אָדָם אֶחָד מִתַּלְמִידֵי יֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי, וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ כְּפַר סְכַנְיָא שְׁמוֹ. אָמַר לִי: כָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַתְכֶם: ״לֹא תָבִיא אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה וְגוֹ׳״, מַהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת הֵימֶנּוּ בֵּית הַכִּסֵּא לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל? וְלֹא אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ כְּלוּם.

and you derived pleasure from it, and because of this you were held responsible by Heaven. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: Akiva, you are right, as you have reminded me that once I was walking in the upper marketplace of Tzippori, and I found a man who was one of the students of Jesus the Nazarene, and his name was Ya’akov of Kefar Sekhanya. He said to me: It is written in your Torah: “You shall not bring the payment to a prostitute, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 23:19). What is the halakha: Is it permitted to make from the payment to a prostitute for services rendered a bathroom for a High Priest in the Temple? And I said nothing to him in response.

אָמַר לִי: כָּךְ לִימְּדַנִי יֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי, כִּי ״מֵאֶתְנַן זוֹנָה קֻבָּצָה וְעַד אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה יָשׁוּבוּ״, מִמְּקוֹם הַטִּנּוֹפֶת בָּאוּ, לִמְקוֹם הַטִּנּוֹפֶת יֵלֵכוּ.

He said to me: Jesus the Nazarene taught me the following: It is permitted, as derived from the verse: “For of the payment to a prostitute she has gathered them, and to the payment to a prostitute they shall return” (Micah 1:7). Since the coins came from a place of filth, let them go to a place of filth and be used to build a bathroom.

וְהִנְאַנִי הַדָּבָר, עַל יְדֵי זֶה נִתְפַּסְתִּי לְמִינוּת, וְעָבַרְתִּי עַל מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה: ״הַרְחֵק מֵעָלֶיהָ דַּרְכֶּךָ״ — זוֹ מִינוּת, ״וְאַל תִּקְרַב אֶל פֶּתַח בֵּיתָהּ״ — זוֹ הָרָשׁוּת. וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: ״הַרְחֵק מֵעָלֶיהָ דַּרְכֶּךָ״ — זוֹ מִינוּת וְהָרָשׁוּת, ״וְאַל תִּקְרַב אֶל פֶּתַח בֵּיתָהּ״ — זוֹ זוֹנָה. וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת.

And I derived pleasure from the statement, and due to this, I was arrested for heresy by the authorities, because I transgressed that which is written in the Torah: “Remove your way far from her, and do not come near the entrance of her house” (Proverbs 5:8). “Remove your way far from her,” this is a reference to heresy; “and do not come near the entrance of her house,” this is a reference to the ruling authority. The Gemara notes: And there are those who say a different interpretation: “Remove your way far from her,” this is a reference to heresy and the ruling authority; “and do not come near the entrance of her house,” this is a reference to a prostitute. And how much distance must one maintain from a prostitute? Rav Ḥisda said: Four cubits.

וְרַבָּנַן [הַאי] ״מֵאֶתְנַן זוֹנָה״ מַאי דָּרְשִׁי בֵּיהּ? כִּדְרַב חִסְדָּא, דְּאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: כׇּל זוֹנָה שֶׁנִּשְׂכֶּרֶת, לְבַסּוֹף הִיא שׂוֹכֶרֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְתִתֵּךְ אֶתְנָן וְאֶתְנַן לֹא נִתַּן לָךְ [וַתְּהִי לְהֶפֶךְ]״.

With regard to the derivation of the verse by Jesus the Nazarene, the Gemara asks: And what do the Sages derive from this phrase: “Payment to a prostitute”? The Gemara answers: They explain it in accordance with the opinion of Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda says: Any prostitute who hires herself out to others for money will become so attached to this practice that ultimately, when others no longer wish to hire her, she will hire others to engage in intercourse with her. As it is stated: “And in that you gave payment, and no payment is given to you, therefore you are contrary” (Ezekiel 16:34).

וּפְלִיגָא דְּרַבִּי פְּדָת, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי פְּדָת: לֹא אָסְרָה תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא קְרִיבָה שֶׁל גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת בִּלְבַד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִישׁ אִישׁ אֶל כׇּל שְׁאֵר בְּשָׂרוֹ לֹא תִקְרְבוּ לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָה״.

The Gemara comments: And Rav Ḥisda, who stated above that the Torah requires one to maintain a distance of four cubits from a prostitute, disagrees with the opinion of Rabbi Pedat. As Rabbi Pedat says: The Torah prohibited only intimacy that involves engaging in prohibited sexual relations, as it is stated: “None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness” (Leviticus 18:6). The prohibition against intimacy in the Torah applies exclusively to sexual intercourse, and all other kinds of intimacy that do not include actual intercourse are not included in the prohibition.

עוּלָּא כִּי הֲוָה אָתֵי מִבֵּי רַב, הֲוָה מְנַשֵּׁק לְהוּ לַאֲחָתֵיהּ אַבֵּי יְדַיְיהוּ, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: אַבֵּי חָדַיְיהוּ. וּפְלִיגָא דִּידֵיהּ אַדִּידֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר עוּלָּא: קְרִיבָה בְּעָלְמָא אָסוּר, מִשּׁוּם ״לָךְ לָךְ, אָמְרִין נְזִירָא; סְחוֹר סְחוֹר, לְכַרְמָא לָא תִּקְרַב״.

The Gemara relates: When Ulla would come from the study hall, he would kiss his sisters on their hands. And some say: On their chests. And the Gemara points out that this action of his disagrees with another ruling that Ulla himself issued, as Ulla says: Mere intimacy with a woman with whom one is prohibited from engaging in sexual intercourse is prohibited, due to the maxim: Go, go, we say to a nazirite, go around, go around but do not come near to the vineyard. Just as a nazirite is warned not even to come into close proximity of a vineyard lest he consume a product of the vine, so too one is obligated to distance himself from anyone with whom intercourse is forbidden.

״לַעֲלוּקָה שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת הַב הַב״. מַאי ״הַב הַב״? אָמַר מָר עוּקְבָא: [קוֹל] שְׁתֵּי בָּנוֹת שֶׁצּוֹעֲקוֹת מִגֵּיהִנָּם, וְאוֹמְרוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה ״הָבֵא הָבֵא״. וּמַאן נִינְהוּ? מִינוּת וְהָרָשׁוּת. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר מָר עוּקְבָא, קוֹל גֵּיהִנָּם צוֹעֶקֶת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: הָבִיאוּ לִי שְׁתֵּי בָּנוֹת שֶׁצּוֹעֲקוֹת וְאוֹמְרוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה ״הָבֵא הָבֵא״.

§ In connection to the earlier mention of heresy and the ruling authorities, the Gemara cites a verse: “The horseleech has two daughters: Give, give” (Proverbs 30:15). What is meant by “give, give”? Mar Ukva says: This is the voice of the two daughters who cry out from Gehenna due to their suffering; and they are the ones who say in this world: Give, give, demanding dues and complete allegiance. And who are they? They are heresy and the ruling authority. There are those who say that Rav Ḥisda says that Mar Ukva says: The voice of Gehenna cries out and says: Bring me two daughters who cry and say in this world: Give, give.

״כׇּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן וְלֹא יַשִּׂיגוּ אׇרְחוֹת חַיִּים״, וְכִי מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא שָׁבוּ, הֵיכָן יַשִּׂיגוּ? הָכִי קָאָמַר: וְאִם יָשׁוּבוּ — לֹא יַשִּׂיגוּ אוֹרְחוֹת חַיִּים.

The following verse in Proverbs makes reference to a foreign woman, which according to the Sages is a euphemism for heresy: “None that go to her return, neither do they attain the paths of life” (Proverbs 2:19). The Gemara asks: Since those that are drawn to heresy do not return, from where would they attain the path of life? Why is it necessary for the verse to add that they do not attain the paths of life? The Gemara explains that this is what the verse is saying: In general, those who go to her do not return, and even if they return, they do not attain the paths of life, i.e., the pain of their regret will shorten their lives.

לְמֵימְרָא, דְּכׇל הַפּוֹרֵשׁ מִמִּינוּת מָיֵית? וְהָא הָהִיא דַּאֲתַאי לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב חִסְדָּא, וְאָמְרָה לֵיהּ: קַלָּה שֶׁבַּקַּלּוֹת עָשְׂתָה בְּנָהּ הַקָּטָן מִבְּנָהּ הַגָּדוֹל, וַאֲמַר לַהּ רַב חִסְדָּא: טְרַחוּ לַהּ בִּזְוָודְתָּא, וְלָא מִתָה.

The Gemara asks: Is this to say that anyone who separates himself from heresy and returns from his mistaken ways must die? But what about that woman who came before Rav Ḥisda to confess to him, and she said to him: The lightest of the light, i.e., the least of the sins that she committed, is that she conceived her younger son from engaging in intercourse with her older son. And Rav Ḥisda said to her: Prepare funeral shrouds for her, i.e., yourself, as you will certainly die soon, but she did not die.

מִדְּקָאָמְרָה קַלָּה שֶׁבַּקַּלּוֹת עָשְׂתָה, מִכְּלָל דְּמִינוּת [נָמֵי] הָוְיָא בַּהּ! הָהוּא דְּלָא הָדְרָא בַּהּ שַׁפִּיר, וּמִשּׁוּם הָכִי לֹא מֵתָה.

The above incident refutes the claim that anyone who repents for the sin of heresy must die, as from the fact that she said that the lightest of the light of her sins was that she conceived one son from engaging in intercourse with another son, by inference one can learn that she was also involved in heresy, and yet she did not die. The Gemara answers: That is a case where the woman did not repent properly, and due to that reason she did not die.

אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: מִמִּינוּת — אִין, מֵעֲבֵירָה — לָא? וְהָא הָהִיא דַּאֲתַאי קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב חִסְדָּא, וַאֲמַר לְהוּ [רַב חִסְדָּא: זַוִּידוּ לַהּ זְוַודְתָּא], וּמִתָה! מִדְּקָאָמְרָה ״קַלָּה שֶׁבַּקַּלּוֹת״, מִכְּלָל דְּמִינוּת נָמֵי הַוְיָא בַּהּ.

There are those who say there is a different version of the objection to the Gemara’s statement that those who repent for the sin of heresy must die: Is that to say that if one repents for the sin of heresy, yes, the result is death, whereas if one repents for the sin of forbidden sexual intercourse he does not die? But what about that woman who came before Rav Ḥisda to confess to him and Rav Ḥisda said to those present: Prepare funeral shrouds for her, and she died? The Gemara answers: From the fact that she said: The lightest of the light, by inference one can learn that she was also involved in heresy.

וּמֵעֲבֵירָה לָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן דּוּרְדְּיָא, שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחַ זוֹנָה אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא בָּא עָלֶיהָ. פַּעַם אַחַת שָׁמַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ זוֹנָה אַחַת בִּכְרַכֵּי הַיָּם, וְהָיְתָה נוֹטֶלֶת כִּיס דִּינָרִין בִּשְׂכָרָהּ. נָטַל כִּיס דִּינָרִין וְהָלַךְ וְעָבַר עָלֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה נְהָרוֹת. בִּשְׁעַת הֶרְגֵּל דָּבָר הֵפִיחָה, אָמְרָה: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֲפָיחָה זוֹ אֵינָהּ חוֹזֶרֶת לִמְקוֹמָהּ, כָּךְ אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן דּוּרְדְּיָא אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ בִּתְשׁוּבָה.

The Gemara asks: And is it correct that one who repents of the sin of forbidden sexual intercourse does not die? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: They said about Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya that he was so promiscuous that he did not leave one prostitute in the world with whom he did not engage in sexual intercourse. Once, he heard that there was one prostitute in one of the cities overseas who would take a purse full of dinars as her payment. He took a purse full of dinars and went and crossed seven rivers to reach her. When they were engaged in the matters to which they were accustomed, a euphemism for intercourse, she passed wind and said: Just as this passed wind will not return to its place, so too Elazar ben Durdayya will not be accepted in repentance, even if he were to try to repent.

הָלַךְ וְיָשַׁב בֵּין שְׁנֵי הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת, אָמַר: הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת בַּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלֶיךָ נְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי הֶהָרִים יָמוּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָעוֹת תְּמוּטֶינָה״. אָמַר: שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ בַּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים! אָמְרוּ: עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלֶיךָ נְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה״.

This statement deeply shocked Elazar ben Durdayya, and he went and sat between two mountains and hills and said: Mountains and hills, pray for mercy on my behalf, so that my repentance will be accepted. They said to him: Before we pray for mercy on your behalf, we must pray for mercy on our own behalf, as it is stated: “For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed” (Isaiah 54:10). He said: Heaven and earth, pray for mercy on my behalf. They said to him: Before we pray for mercy on your behalf, we must pray for mercy on our own behalf, as it is stated: “For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).

אָמַר: חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה בַּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלֶיךָ, נְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה״. אָמַר: כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בַּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלֶיךָ, נְבַקֵּשׁ עַל עַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנָמַקּוּ כׇּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם״.

He said: Sun and moon, pray for mercy on my behalf. They said to him: Before we pray for mercy on your behalf, we must pray for mercy on our own behalf, as it is stated: “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed” (Isaiah 24:23). He said: Stars and constellations, pray for mercy on my behalf. They said to him: Before we pray for mercy on your behalf, we must pray for mercy on our own behalf, as it is stated: “And all the hosts of heaven shall molder away” (Isaiah 34:4).

אָמַר: אֵין הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי אֶלָּא בִּי. הִנִּיחַ רֹאשׁוֹ בֵּין בִּרְכָּיו וְגָעָה בִּבְכִיָּה עַד שֶׁיָּצְתָה נִשְׁמָתוֹ. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן דּוּרְדְּיָא מְזֻומָּן לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא! [וְהָא הָכָא בַּעֲבֵירָה הֲוָה וּמִית], הָתָם נָמֵי, כֵּיוָן דַּאֲבִיק בַּהּ טוּבָא, כְּמִינוּת דָּמְיָא.

Elazar ben Durdayya said: Clearly the matter depends on nothing other than myself. He placed his head between his knees and cried loudly until his soul left his body. A Divine Voice emerged and said: Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya is destined for life in the World-to-Come. The Gemara explains the difficulty presented by this story: And here Elazar ben Durdayya was guilty of the sin of forbidden sexual intercourse, and yet he died once he repented. The Gemara answers: There too, since he was attached so strongly to the sin, to an extent that transcended the physical temptation he felt, it is similar to heresy, as it had become like a form of idol worship for him.

בָּכָה רַבִּי וְאָמַר: יֵשׁ קוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹ בְּכַמָּה שָׁנִים, וְיֵשׁ קוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת. וְאָמַר רַבִּי: לֹא דַּיָּין לְבַעֲלֵי תְשׁוּבָה שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן, אֶלָּא שֶׁקּוֹרִין אוֹתָן ״רַבִּי״.

When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi heard this story of Elazar ben Durdayya, he wept and said: There is one who acquires his share in the World-to-Come only after many years of toil, and there is one who acquires his share in the World-to-Come in one moment. And Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi further says: Not only are penitents accepted, but they are even called: Rabbi, as the Divine Voice referred to Elazar ben Durdayya as Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayya.

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא וְרַבִּי יוֹנָתָן הֲווֹ קָאָזְלִי בְּאוֹרְחָא, מְטוֹ לְהָנְהוּ תְּרֵי שְׁבִילֵי, חַד פָּצֵי אַפִּיתְחָא דַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְחַד פָּצֵי אַפִּיתְחָא דְּבֵי זוֹנוֹת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ חַד לְחַבְרֵיהּ: נֵיזִיל אַפִּיתְחָא דַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה

§ In relation to the issue of distancing oneself from idol worship and prostitution, the Gemara relates: Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yonatan were once walking along the road when they came to a certain two paths, one of which branched off toward the entrance of a place of idol worship, and the other one branched off toward the entrance of a brothel. One said to the other: Let us go by the path that leads to the entrance of the place of idol worship,

דִּנְכִיס יִצְרֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִידַּךְ: נֵיזִיל אַפִּיתְחָא דְּבֵי זוֹנוֹת וְנִכְפְּיֵיהּ לְיִצְרִין וּנְקַבֵּל אַגְרָא. כִּי מָטוּ הָתָם, חֲזוֹנְהוּ [לְזוֹנוֹת], אִיתְכְּנַעוּ מִקַּמַּיְיהוּ.

as the inclination to engage in idol worship has been slaughtered and the temptation to sin in this manner no longer exists. The other said to him: Let us go by the path that leads to the entrance of the brothel and overpower our inclination, and thereby receive a reward. When they arrived there, they saw that the prostitutes yielded before their presence, i.e., they entered the building out of respect for the Sages.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מְנָא לָךְ הָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״מְזִמָּה תִּשְׁמֹר עָלֶיךָ תְּבוּנָה תִנְצְרֶכָּה״.

One said to the other: From where did you know this, that the prostitutes would retreat from us in embarrassment? He said to him: It is written: “From lewdness [mezimma] it shall watch over you; discernment shall guard you” (Proverbs 2:11), i.e., the Torah will serve as a safeguard against lewdness.

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרָבָא: מַאי ״מְזִמָּה״? אִילֵימָא תּוֹרָה, דִּכְתִיב בַּהּ ״זִמָּה״ וּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן: עֵצַת חִטְאִין, וּכְתִיב: ״הִפְלִיא עֵצָה הִגְדִּיל תּוּשִׁיָּה״. אִי הָכִי, ״זִמָּה״ מִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ! הָכִי קָאָמַר: מִדְּבַר זִימָּה תִּשְׁמוֹר עָלֶיךָ, תּוֹרָה תִנְצְרֶכָּה.

The Sages said to Rava: What is the meaning of mezimma? If we say that it is referring to the Torah that will guard you, as it is written in it: “Zimma” (Leviticus 18:17), and we translate this term as: The counsel of [atzat] the sinners, demonstrating that zimma is referring to counsel or wisdom, and the term etza is also written with regard to the Torah: “This also comes forth from the Lord of hosts: Wonderful is His counsel [etza], and great is His wisdom” (Isaiah 28:29), this is difficult. The Gemara explains the difficulty: If so, the verse should have said: Zimma, and not mezimma. Rather, this is what the verse is saying: From lewd matters [midevar zimma], it shall watch over you, the Torah shall guard you, i.e., the term discernment is a reference to the Torah.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כְּשֶׁנִּתְפְּסוּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פַּרְטָא וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פַּרְטָא לְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן: אַשְׁרֶיךָ שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתָּ עַל דָּבָר אֶחָד, אוֹי לִי שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתִּי עַל חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים.

§ The Gemara returns to its discussion of the judgments of the Sages by the Roman rulers. The Sages taught: When Rabbi Elazar ben Perata and Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon were arrested by the Romans during the time of the religious persecution of the Jewish people, Rabbi Elazar ben Perata said to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon: Fortunate are you, as you were arrested on one charge only, of teaching Torah publicly; woe is me, as I have been arrested on five charges.

אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: אַשְׁרֶיךָ שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתָּ עַל חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים וְאַתָּה נִיצּוֹל, אוֹי לִי שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתִּי עַל דָּבָר אֶחָד וְאֵינִי נִיצּוֹל, שֶׁאַתָּה עָסַקְתָּ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וַאֲנִי לֹא עָסַקְתִּי אֶלָּא בַּתּוֹרָה [בִּלְבָד].

Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to him: Fortunate are you, as you were arrested on five charges but you will be saved; woe is me, as I have been arrested on one charge, but I will not be saved. You will be saved because you engaged in Torah study and in acts of charity, and I engaged in Torah study alone.

וְכִדְרַב הוּנָא, דְּאָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בִּלְבַד דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיָמִים רַבִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְלֹא אֱלֹהֵי אֱמֶת וְגוֹ׳״. מַאי ״לְלֹא אֱלֹהֵי אֱמֶת״? שֶׁכׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בִּלְבַד דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ.

The Gemara comments: And this is in accordance with a statement of Rav Huna, as Rav Huna says: Anyone who occupies himself with Torah study alone is considered like one who does not have a God. As it is stated: “Now for long seasons Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without the Torah” (II Chronicles 15:3). What is meant by “without the true God”? This teaches that anyone who engages in Torah study alone is considered like one who does not have a true God.

וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים לֹא עָסַק? וְהָתַנְיָא: רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: לֹא יִתֵּן אָדָם מְעוֹתָיו לְאַרְנָקִי שֶׁל צְדָקָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מְמוּנֶּה עָלָיו תַּלְמִיד חָכָם כְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן! (הֵימְנוּהּ) [הֵימוֹנֵי] הוּא דַּהֲוָה מְהֵימַן, מֶיעְבַּד לָא עֲבַד.

The Gemara asks: And is it true that Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon did not engage in acts of charity? But isn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: A person should not donate his money to the charity purse [le’arnakei] unless a Torah scholar like Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon is appointed as supervisor over it? The Gemara answers: He was trusted to distribute the charity with honesty and integrity, but he himself did not perform charitable acts.

וְהָתַנְיָא, אָמַר לוֹ: מָעוֹת שֶׁל פּוּרִים נִתְחַלְּפוּ לִי בְּמָעוֹת שֶׁל צְדָקָה וְחִלַּקְתִּים לַעֲנִיִּים! מֶיעְבַּד עֲבַד, כִּדְבָעֵי לֵיהּ לָא עֲבַד.

The Gemara asks: But isn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma: I confused my own coins that I needed for the festivities of Purim with coins of charity, and I distributed them all to the poor at my own expense. How then can it be said that he never engaged in charitable acts? The Gemara responds: He did perform acts of charity, but he did not perform as many acts as he should have, in light of his wealth.

אַתְיוּהּ לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פַּרְטָא, אֲמַרוּ: מַאי טַעְמָא תָּנֵית, וּמַאי טַעְמָא גָּנְבַתְּ? אֲמַר לְהוּ: אִי סַיָּיפָא לָא סָפְרָא, וְאִי סָפְרָא לָא סַיָּיפָא, וּמִדְּהָא לֵיתַהּ הָא נָמֵי לֵיתַהּ. וּמַאי טַעְמָא קָרוּ לָךְ ״רַבִּי״? רַבָּן שֶׁל תַּרְסִיִּים אֲנִי.

The Gemara returns to the description of the trial of the Sages. The Romans brought Rabbi Elazar ben Perata for his trial and said: What is the reason that you taught Torah, and what is the reason that you stole, as these were the crimes of which he was accused. Rabbi Elazar ben Perata said to them: If one is an armed robber [sayafa], he is not a scholar [safra], and if one is a scholar he is not an armed robber, i.e., I am accused of two mutually exclusive crimes; and from the fact that this characterization is not true, one may also conclude that that characterization is also not true. They asked him: But if you do not teach Torah, then what is the reason that they call you rabbi? He answered: I am the master [rabban] of weavers [tarsiyyim].

אַיְיתוֹ לֵיהּ תְּרֵי קִיבּוּרֵי, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הֵי דְּשִׁתְיָא וְהֵי דְּעִרְבָּא? אִיתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא, (אָתְיָא) [אֲתַאי] זִיבּוּרִיתָא אִיתִּיב עַל דְּשִׁתְיָא, וַאֲתָאי זִיבּוּרָא וִיתֵיב עַל דְּעִרְבָּא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: הַאי דְּשִׁתְיָא וְהַאי דְּעִרְבָּא.

In order to ascertain whether Rabbi Elazar ben Perata was in fact an expert weaver, they brought him two coils of wool and said to him: Which is the warp, and which is the woof? The threads used for each differ in their thickness and strength and would be immediately recognizable to an expert. A miracle occurred, as a female hornet came and sat on the coil of warp, and a male hornet came and sat on the coil of woof. Rabbi Elazar ben Perata said to them: This is a coil of warp, and that is a coil of woof. He realized that the male hornet was a sign that the coil was the woof, as the woof is threaded through the warp, while the warp, which is fixed in the loom and receives the woof, was the one on which the female hornet sat, as the female of a species receives the male.

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: וּמַאי טַעְמָא לָא אָתֵית לְבֵי אֲבִידָן? אֲמַר לְהוּ: זָקֵן הָיִיתִי וּמִתְיָירֵא אֲנִי שֶׁמָּא תִּרְמְסוּנִי בְּרַגְלֵיכֶם. [אֲמַרוּ]: וְעַד הָאִידָּנָא כַּמָּה סָבֵי אִיתְרְמוּס? אִתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָּא, הַהוּא יוֹמָא אִירְמַס חַד סָבָא.

The Romans said to him: And what is the reason that you did not come to the house of Abidan? This was a gathering place where debates on wisdom and faith were conducted. Rabbi Elazar ben Perata said to them: I was old and feared that perhaps I would be trampled under your feet, due to the huge crowds. The Romans said: And until now, how many elders have been trampled there, that you would be worried about such a possibility? The Gemara comments: A miracle occurred, and on that day, one old man was trampled.

וּמַאי טַעְמָא קָא שָׁבְקַתְּ עַבְדָּךְ לְחֵירוּת? אֲמַר לְהוּ: לֹא הָיוּ דְבָרִים מֵעוֹלָם. קָם חַד [מִינַּיְיהוּ] לְאַסְהוֹדֵי בֵּיהּ, אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ אִידְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּחַד מֵחַשִּׁובֵי דְּמַלְכוּתָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִדְּאִתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא בְּכוּלְּהוּ, בְּהָא נָמֵי אִתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא, וְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא בִּישׁוּתֵיהּ הוּא דְּקָא (אַחְוִי) [מַחְוֵי].

The Romans asked Rabbi Elazar ben Perata: And what is the reason that you emancipated your slave? Rabbi Elazar ben Perata said to them: This matter never happened. One of them stood to testify against him, and Elijah came disguised as one of the of the Roman noblemen, and he said to that individual: From the fact that miracles occurred for Rabbi Elazar ben Perata in every other case, in this instance as well a miracle will occur for him, and that man, i.e., you, is only demonstrating his wickedness, since you cannot succeed in your aim and are merely showing yourself to be desperate to cause harm.

וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ, קָם לְמֵימַר לְהוּ. הֲוָה כְּתִיבָא אִיגַּרְתָּא, דַּהֲוָה כְּתִיב מֵחַשִּׁיבֵי דְּמַלְכוּת לְשַׁדּוֹרֵי לְבֵי קֵיסָר, וְשַׁדְּרוּהָ עַל יְדֵיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא. אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ פַּתְקֵיהּ אַרְבַּע מְאָה פַּרְסֵי, אֲזַל וְלָא אֲתָא.

But the man paid him no heed, and he stood to say his testimony to them. At that time there was a written letter that was composed by some of the most important people of the Roman Empire in order to send it to the Emperor’s court, and they had sent it in the possession of that man, i.e., the potential witness. Elijah came and threw it a distance of four hundred parasangs. The man went and did not come back, and therefore all the charges against Rabbi Elazar ben Perata were dropped.

אַתְיוּהּ לְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי קָא עָסְקַתְּ בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא? אֲמַר לְהוּ: ״כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי ה׳ אֱלֹהָי״. מִיָּד גָּזְרוּ עָלָיו לִשְׂרֵיפָה, וְעַל אִשְׁתּוֹ לַהֲרִיגָה, וְעַל בִּתּוֹ לֵישֵׁב בְּקוּבָּה שֶׁל זוֹנוֹת. עָלָיו לִשְׂרֵיפָה — שֶׁהָיָה

The Romans brought Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon for judgment, and they said to him: Why did you occupy yourself with the Torah? Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to them, citing a verse: “As the Lord my God commanded me” (Deuteronomy 4:5). They immediately sentenced him to death by means of burning, and they sentenced his wife to execution by decapitation, and his daughter was condemned to sit in a brothel [kubba shel zonot]. The Gemara explains the Divine decree that he should receive this punishment: He was sentenced to death by burning, as he would