HAGIGAH (Fol. 3) There were two dumb men in the neighborhood of Rabbi, who were sons of the daughter of R. Jochanan b. Gudgada, and others say, sons of his sister, who, when Rabbi entered the house of learning, went in also, shook their heads, and muttered with their lips. Rabbi prayed for them and they were healed; and it was found that they were well versed on Halacha, and on the entire six sections of the Mishnah.
Raba expounded: "What is the meaning of the passage (Songs 6, 2) How beautiful are thy steps in sandals. It means. How beautiful were the steps of Israel, when they made a pilgrimage to celebrate the festival. The prince's daughter, daughter of Abraham, our father, who was called a prince; as it is said (Ps. 47, 10) The princes of the people are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. Why is the God of Abraham [mentioned], and not the God of Isaac or Jacob? The God of Abraham [is mentioned, because Abraham] was the first proselyte." R. Cahana said that R. Nathan b. Minyumi expounded in the name of R. Tanchum: "What is the meaning of the passage (Gen. 37, 24) And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. Since the passage says the pit was empty, do I not know that there was no water in it? And what is intimated by saying there was no water? Indeed there was no water, but there were serpents and scorpions in it."
Our Rabbis were taught: It happened that R. Jochanan b. Broka and R. Elazar b. Chasma went to visit R. Joshua in the city of Pekiin, and he asked them: "What news has been taught to-day in the house of learning?" They answered him: "We are your disciples, and we came to drink your waters." "Nevertheless," said he, "it is impossible that there should not be something new in the college; whose Sabbath was it for lecturing?" "The lecture of this Sabbath was R. Elazar b. Azariah's." "And on what verse did he lecture?" "On the portion of Assembly." "And what did R. Elazar preach?" "He lectured thus: It is written (Deut. 31, 12) Assemble the people together, the men and the women and the children. It is right, the men came to learn, the women came to listen; but for what purpose were the children brought? Only that those who brought them should be rewarded." Whereupon he remarked: "You have had a good pearl in your possession and you wanted to deprive me of it."
The same also lectured: (Deut. 26, 17) "Thou hast this day acknowledged the Lord, and it is written (ibid, ibid) The Lord hath acknowledged thee, this day; i.e., the Holy One, praised be He! said unto Israel 'you have made Me the only object of love in the world as it is written.' (Deut. 6, 4) Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, is one God; I will therefore make you the only object of love in the world — as it is said (Ib. b) (I Cr. 17, 21) And who is like Thy people, Israel, the only nation." He also opened and lectured: (Eccl. 12, 2) "The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails fastened are the words of the men of the assemblies which are given by one shepherd. Just as the goad directs the cow [which ploughs] straight in the furrows, so as to produce sustenance for the world, so also do the words of the Torah guide those who study them [away] from the ways of death to the ways of life. One might say, that as the goad is movable so also are the words of Law. Therefore it is written, like nails. One might assume that just as the nail [when making a hole in the wall] diminishes [and does not add to it], so also do the words of the Law diminish and do not add. It is therefore written Planted; i.e., as a plant is fruitful and multiplies, so also are the words of the Torah fruitful and multiply. The men of assemblies, this refers to the scholars who sit in the assembly, studying the Torah and discussing these rendering a decision of a certain act as unclean and the others of clean; these declaring a certain thing prohibited and those permitting it; these declaring a certain act valid, those declaring it invalid. One will perhaps say: 'Since these render a decision of unclean and the others of clean; these prohibit and the others permit it; these declare it invalid and the others declare it valid, how can I learn the Torah [since there is no fixed rule]? ' Therefore it is said, Given by one shepherd; i.e., One God gave them, and one master (Moses) spoke it from the mouth of the Lord of all creatures, praised be He! as it is said (Ex. 20, 1) And God spoke all these words. You must also therefore make your ears like the hopper to receive the teachings, and gain an understanding heart to comprehend the reason why these declare it clean, and these unclean; why these prohibit and the others permit; why these declare invalid and the others valid." In this language R. Joshua exclaimed: "Happy is the generation in which R. Elazar b. Azaria lives, for such a generation can never become forsaken!" Why did they not tell him at once the news in the house of learning? Because of a certain incident that happened as stated in the following Baraitha: "It happened once that R. Jose, the son of a Damascene woman, went to visit R. Eliezer in the city of Luda, and R. Elazar asked him: 'What news was there in the house of learning to-day?' And he answered: 'A vote was taken and the decision rendered that the Israelites living in Ammon and Moab should give the tithe to the poor during the Sabbatical year. Whereupon R. Eliezer said to him: 'Jose, stretch out thy hand, and take out thy eyes.' R. Jose did so. Then R. Eliezer wept and said: '[It is written] (Ps. 25, 14) The sacred counsel of the Lord is for those that fear Him, and His covenant to make it known to them. [And why was it necessary to vote for such a positive thing?]' And he said to R. Jose: 'Go and tell them, 'you should not worry about your conclusion to-day, because so have I a tradition from R. Jochanan b. Zakkai, who heard it from his teacher, and his teacher from his teacher, etc., reaching from Moses of Mt. Sinai, that [those living in] the land of Ammon and Moab may give the tithe to the poor on the Sabbatical year. The reason is because those who went out of Egypt subjugated many fortified cities, but those who went out from Babylon did not, and the first sanctification of the land of Israel caused by Israel's occupation, had sanctified the land [temporarily] for that time only, but not for the future. And those who went out from Babylon left these lands for the poor; they should be supported on them on the Sabbatical year.' " In another Baraitha it was taught that after R. Elazar became calm he prayed: "May it be His will that Jose's eyes be cured." Whereupon they were cured.
(Fol. 4b) R. Juda says: "A man blind on one eye is exempt from the holocaust, because it is said (Deut. 16, 16) Shall appear; just as if one comes to see, it is with both eyes, so if he comes to be seen, he must have both his eyes."
When R. Huna came to the above cited passage, he used to weep and say: "That a slave, whose master exhorts him to come to see him should be debarred from seeing him, as it is written (Is. 1, 12) When you come to appear in My presence, who had required this of your hands to tread My courts?" When he came to the following verse (Deut. 27, 7) And thou shalt slay peace-offerings, and eat there. R. Huna would weep and say: "A slave who is invited to eat from his master's table, shall be debarred from seeing him, as it is said (Is. 1, 11) Or what serveth Me the multitude of your sacrifices?" When R. Elasar came to this verse (Gen. 45, 3) And his brothers could not answer him, because they were terrified at his presence, he wept and said: "If this is the result of a human being's admonition, how much the more will it be of the Holy One, praised be He!" R. Elazar cried also when he came to the verse (I Sam. 28, 15) And Samuel said to Saul: 'Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?' If Samuel the prophet was afraid of the judgment, how much the more ought we be afraid of it! How shall this be interpreted? It is written (Ib. ib. 12) And the woman said unto Saul: 'Divine being have I seen (Olim) ascending out of the earth.' Olim is plural. Hence they were two. One was Samuel and the other was Moses whom Samuel brought, for he said: "Perhaps I am called before the Divine Judgment, so he said to Moses come and testify in my behalf that there is not a thing written in thy Torah which I did not fulfill." When he came to the following verse (Lam. 3, 29) That he put his mouth in the dust, perhaps there still is hope. R. Ami used to cry. He said: "After so much had been done, nevertheless it is said, perhaps." R. Ami used to cry when he came to the following verse (Zeph. 2, 3) See ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, who have fulfilled the ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness; perhaps ye will be protected on the day of the Lord's anger. He said: "After so much will have been done, still it will be perhaps." When he came to the following passage, R. Assi used to cry (Amos 5, 15) Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice firmly in the gate; perhaps the Lord, the God of hosts shall be gracious unto the remnants of Joseph. He said: "After so much will have been done, it will still be perhaps."
(Fol. 5) When R. Jochanan came to the following passage (Job 2, 3) And thou hast incited him against Me to destroy him without cause, he wept, saying: "What hope can there be for a slave against whom his master is being persuaded, and the master becomes persuaded." Also, when he came to the following passage (Ib. ib. 15) In His holy ones he puetteth no trust, he cried and said: "If He puts no trust in His holy ones, whom then will He believe?" While on the road, he once saw a man picking figs from a tree, leaving the ripe ones and taking the unripe ones. R. Jochanan asked him: "Are not the ripe ones better?" He answered: "These which are unripe I need for the route, because the ripe ones will be spoilt, but not these." Then said R. Jochanan: "Thus the passage: He puetteth no trust in His holy ones, [can be interpreted to mean — they are gathered in before they are tempted to sin]."
When he came to the following verse, R. Jochanan wept (Mal. 3, 5) And I will come near unto you to hold judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against those that swear falsely, and against those that with hold the wages of the hired laborer, and fear Me not, said the Lord of hosts." He saids "For a slave whose master brings suit against him with good witness is then there any hope for aquittal for him?" R. Jochanan said: "Woe unto us, for the passage makes our slight sins equal to our grave sins."4 Resh Lakish said: "Whoever perverts the judgment of a stranger is considered as if he perverted the Judgment of heaven, as this is included in the above passage." R. Chanina b. Papa said: "When a man commits a sin and soon repents of it, he is forgiven immediately, as it is said (ib.) And fear Me not, saith the Lord of hosts. This means that if he does fear and asks for forgiveness, he is pardoned."
R. Jochanan wept when he came to the verse (Ecc. 12, 14) For every deed will God bring into the Judgment, concerning everything that had been hidden. He said: "A slave whose master reckons his unintentional sins for intentional, what hope can there be for him?" What is the meaning of, everything that hath been hidden? Samuel said: "Even if one spits in the presence of his neighbor which makes him feel repulsive." What is the meaning of (ib.) Whether it be good, or whether it be bad. R. Janai said: "This applies to a man who gives charity to a poor man publicly." When R. Janai saw a man giving a coin to a poor man in public, he used to say to him: "It would have been much better if you had not given him at all, than to give and put him to shame." The disciples of R. Shila said: "The passage refers to a man who gives charity to a woman secretly, which brings on him suspicion." Rab said: "It refers to one who sends unprepared meat to his wife on a Friday afternoon which may cause her to cook it unprepared." But did not Raba send unprepared meat to his wife? The daughter of R. Chisda is different. Samuel said: "Whether good or bad, refers to a person who gives money to the poor only when the latter is in extreme poverty." Said Raba: "This is what people say: 'A Zuz for pleasure is not to be obtained, but a Zuz for trouble can easily be found.' "
When R. Jochanan came to the following verse, he wept (Deut. 31, 21) And it shall come to pass when many evils and troubles shall come unto you. He said: "Is there any hope for a slave, for whom his master prepares trouble?" What is the meaning of evils and troubles? Said Rab: "Evils that trouble each other; for instance, a man is bitten by a bee and a scorpion. To cure the bee's sting warm is needed, and for a scorpion's bite, cold water is needed; hence the use of either will harm the other wound." (Deut. 31, 17) And My anger shall be kindled against them on that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be given to be devoured. Said R. Bard'la b. Tebyumi in the name of Rab: "A man from whom God hides not His face is not included in the above, nor is one who is not of those mentioned in the passage given to be devoured (ib. b) included in the above." The Rabbis said to Raba: "It seems to us that you are included neither in the hiding of the face, nor in the devouring." And he rejoined: "Do you know how much I must send secretly to King Shabur?" Nevertheless the Rabbis looked at him with an evil eye, and finally men came from the government and confiscated his property. He then said: "This is what we are taught that Rabban Simon b. Gamaliel says: 'Wherever the sages looked at with their eyes, either death or poverty followed.'" (Ib.) And I will hide My face from them. Raba said: "The Holy One, praised be He! said: 'Although I have hidden my face from them, nevertheless will I talk to them in the dream.'" R. Joseph said: "Still His hand is inclined to us, as it is said (Is. 51, 16) With the shadow of My hand have I covered thee."
R. Joshua b. Chanania was standing before the Emperor (Caesar), when an infidel [who stood by] showed him [by a sign of his hand]. "A people from whom God had turned away His face." R. Joshua b. Chanania showed him with his hand that "His hand is still over us." The Emperor asked of R. Joshua: "Do you know what the infidel has shown you with his hand?" He replied: "Yes, he showed me a people from whom God had turned away His face." "And what have you shown him with your hand?" "I showed him that God's hand is still inclined toward us." The Emperor then asked the infidel: What have you shown R. Joshua b. Chanania?" He gave the same answer. He asked him further: "What did he show you?" The infidel replied: "I do not know." Whereupon the Emperor said: "Should a man who does not know what is shown him by a sign, dare to raise his hand in the presence of an emperor?" He forthwith ordered the infidel's execution.
When R. Joshua b. Chanania was dying, the Rabbis asked him: "What will be our relations with the infidels? Who will discuss with them?" He rejoined (Jer. 49, 7) Is counsel vanished from the sons, is their wisdom become corrupt? "This is to mean that when the children of God love their adviser, the wisdom of their adversaries becomes corrupt." And if we wish, we may infer the same conclusion from the following passage (Gen. 33, 12) Let us depart and move farther, and I will travel near thee" [which means that we will be always equal to our opponent]. While ascending the steps of the house of Rabba b. Shila, R. Hla heard a child read the following passage (Amos 4, 13) He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind and declareth unto man what is his thought? And he said: "If there is a slave whose master can declare to him what his secret thought is, what hope can there be for him?" What is the meaning of, He declareth? Said Rab: "Even a trivial conversation between a man and his own wife is mentioned to him at the time of his death."
(Jer. 13, 17) My eye shall weep sorely and run down with tears, because the flock of the Lord is driven away captive. R. Elazar said: "What do the three tears signify? One, mourning for the first temple, one for the second temple, and one for the exile of Israel from their land."
Our Rabbis were taught that the following three things the Holy One, praised be He! weeps daily: For him who has the opportunity of studying the Torah every day and who does not; for him whose circumstances do not allow him to study, but who nevertheless does, and for a chief of the congregation who conducts himself haughtily toward his congregation. According to others, one is for the neglect of studying the Torah. Rabbi held the book of Lamentations and read. When he came to the verse (Lam. 3, 2) He had cast down from heaven unto the earth, the book dropped out of his hand. He remarked: "It fell from the highest pinnacle to the lowest depth."
When Rabbi and R. Chiya who were once on the road came to a city, they asked: "Is there a scholar here? We would like to pay him a visit." They were told that there was a scholar there, but that he was blind. Said R. Chiya to Rabbi: "You, as a Nasi, remain here, so as not to lower your dignity, and I will go to see him." Rabbi, however, insisted and went with him. When they were departing, the blind man said to them: "You have come to see a countenance that can be seen, but cannot see; therefore [my wish is that] ye deserve to see that countenance which sees all, but cannot be seen." Rabbi then said [to R. Chiya]: "Had I listened to you, [not to visit him] I would not have received this blessing." They then asked the blind man: "From whom have you heard this?" [that to visit a scholar is so great a merit]. "I heard it at the lecture of R. Jacob of the village of Hitaya, who used to visit his master daily. When he became old, his master said to him: 'Do not take this trouble now, for you are too old to walk every day.' He answered: 'Do you hold the following passage in such light esteem? (Ps. 49, 10) Should he still live forever, and not see the pit? This means: Why should he not see the pit? Because he saw the wise men while dead. Now, if one who sees the wise while dead, lives forever, how much more so should he who comes to see them while alive.'"
R. Idi, the father of R. Jacob b. Idi, had the habit of being on the road for three months, and one day in college. The students of the college called him "The one-day student." He soon became discouraged, applying the following verse to himself (Job 12, 4) I am one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, a man that called upon God, and He answered him. R. Jochanan then said to him: "I pray thee, do not cause the Rabbis to be punished [by Heaven on accoimt of you]." He thereupon lectured: (Is. 58, 2) Yet Me do they ever seek day by day, and to know My ways do they always desire. Do they then seek only by day, and not by night? This is to teach us that he who studies the Torah even one day in the year. Scripture considers it as if he had studied the whole year; and so also does the passange concerning evil compensation read (Num. 14, 34) After the number of days in which ye spied out the lands, forty days, yea, each one day for a year, shall ye bear for your iniquities, for forty years. Did they sin forty years, is it not a fact that they sinned but forty days? But this is to teach us that he who violates but one command, and this once in a year, the Scripture regards it as though he transgressed the whole year.
(Fol. 7) R. Levi raised the following contradiction. It is written (Prov. 25, 17) Make thy foot scarce to the house of thy friend, and it is also written (Pa. 66, 13) I will enter Thy house with burnt-offerings. He explained that one deals with sin-offerings and the other deals with burnt-offerings. We are also taught in a Baraitha (Prov. 25, 17). Make thy foot scarce to the house of thy friend. The passage deals with sin-offerings. Whence do we deduce this? Perhaps it deals with burnt, or peace-offerings? Since it is written (Ps. 66, 13) I will enter Thy house with burnt-offerings; I will pay unto Thee my vows (Peace-offerings). Since we infer from this that burnt and peace-offerings one may offer whenever he chooses, what, then, does the former verse refer to? We must conclude that it refers to sin-offerings.
(Fol. 9) Simon b. Menassia, however, said: "To whom does the passage (Eccl. 1, 15) That which is crooked cannot be made straight, refer? It refers to him who forms an illegitimate connection and begets there-from a bastard child. For, should you say that it refers to theft and plunder, then how is it crooked that cannot be made straight? Indeed he may make restitution and be made straight." R. Simon b. Jochai said: "Nothing is called crooked except that which was not straight at the beginning and has [consequently] become crooked. And what is this? A scholar who ceases to study the Torah."
(Ib. b) We are taught in a Baraitha: That which is crooked cannot be made straight. To what does this refer? To one who neglects the reading of the S'hm'a of morning or evening, the prayer of morning or evening. (Ib) And a wanting that cannot be numbered; this refers to one who was numbered among his colleagues for a religious duty, and who refused to be numbered among them. Ben Hei Hei asked Hillel: "What is the meaning of the passage (Mal. 3, 18) And ye shall return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that has not served Him. What is the difference between the righteous and the servant of God, or the wicked and him who does not serve God? Is it not the same?" And he answered: "Both he who serves God and he who serves not are really upright men, but you cannot compare one who repeats his chapter of the Law one hundred times to him who repeats it one hundred and one times." Ben Hei Hei then said to Hillel: "Is it possible that because the men did not repeat the one hundredth and first time, he should be called, He served not God." "Yes," replied Hillel "go and learn from the market-place, where asses are hired. When one hires an ass for ten miles, he pays one Zuz, but if for eleven, he must pay two."
Elijah said to Ben Hei Hei, according to others to R. Elazar: "What is the meaning of the bassage (Is. 48, 10) Behold, I have refined thee, though not as silver: I have approved thee in the furnace of affliction. Infer from this that the Holy One, praised be He! investigated all the merits, whether they will be adapted to Israel and He found no better merit than could benefit Israel than poverty." Samuel, and according to others R. Joseph said: "This is what people say: 'Poverty becomes Israel asa red line does a white horse.'"