Mishnah

1 One does not explain sexual aberrations to three persons, nor the Creation to two, nor the Chariot to one unless he was wise and understood by himself. Anyone who looks into four things would have been better off not coming into the world: what is above and what is below, what is before and what is after. And anyone who has no regard for the glory of his Creator would have been better off not coming into the world.

Halakhah

“One does not explain sexual aberrations to three persons,” and so on. Rabbi Abba in the name of Rav Jehudah: This is Rabbi Aqiba’s view; what about Rabbi Ismael? For Rabbi Ismael states the warnings for those who commit the acts. Since Rabbi Immi was sitting and stating a warning for the active homosexual and a warning for the passive homosexual, this implies that practice follows Rabbi Ismael.

“Nor the Creation to two.” Rabbi Abba in the name of Rav Jehudah: This is Rabbi Aqiba’s view, but following Rabbi Ismael one may investigate what happened. Since Rabbi Jehudah bar Pazi was sitting and explaining that originally the world was water in water; this implies that practice follows Rabbi Ismael. Rabbi Jehudah bar Pazi was preaching: Originally the world was water in water. What is the reason? “God’s wind was hovering over the water.”Genesis 1:2 Then He turned it into snow, “He throws His ice like crumbs.”Psalms 147:17 Then He turned it into land, “for He tells the snow, be land.”Job 37:6 And the land stands on water, “to Him Who spreads the earth over the water.”Psalms 136:6 And the water stands on mountains, “on mountains the water will stand.”Psalms 104:6 And the mountains stand on wind, “see, the Maker of mountains and Creator of wind.”Amos 4:13 And the wind depends on storm, “the wind storm executes His word.”Psalms 148:8 And the Holy One, praised be He, turned storm into a kind of amulet and hung it on His arm, as it is said, “and below, eternal arms.”Deuteronomy 33:27

“See, the Maker of mountains and Creator of wind,”Amos 4:13 and so on. This is one of six verses over which Rabbi would weep when he read them. “Implore the Eternal, all the meek of the Land,”Zephaniah 2:3 and so on. “Hate evil and love goodness,”Amos 5:15 and so on. “Let him put dust in his mouth,”Lamentations 3:29 and so on. “For all deeds,”Ecclesiastes 12:14 and so on. “Samuel said to Saul, why have you disturbed me,”1 Samuel 28:15 and so on. He said to him, you should not have angered your Creator through me. You made me your idol. Do you not know that just as the worshipper is punished, the worshipped is punished? Not only that, but I thought that this was the Day of Judgment and I was afraid. And is that not an inference from the lesser to the greater, if Samuel, the teacher of the Prophets, about whom it is written, “all of Israel knew, from Dan to Beer Sheba,”1 Samuel 3:20 and so on, was afraid of the Day of Judgment, how much more so we? And as for the verse “See, the Maker of mountains and Creator of wind,” even matters which are not sinful are written on everyone’s tablet. And who tells it to a person? The breath of his mouth. Rabbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rabbi Jabes. The Maker of mountains and Creator of wind. Rabbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rabbi Jabes, those Sepphoreans, “chaos” is darkness and murkiness.

Rabbi Jehudah bar Pazi in the name of Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Jehudah: Hadrian asked Akylas the proselyte, is it true, as you say, that this world rests on the spirit? He told him, yes. He said to him, how can you show this to me? He told him, bring me noble camels. He brought him noble camels. He loaded them with their loads, made them stand up and lie down, lifted them, and strangled them. He told him, here they are, get them up. He said to him, after you strangled them? He told him, I did not remove anything from them, is it not the spirit which left them?

“Nor the Chariot to one.” Is this still Rabbi Aqiba’s view? It is everyone’s opinion, so that a person will know how to care for the glory of his Maker. Did not Rav say, nobody is permitted to pronounce anything about skin disease unless he either saw or served. How does one proceed? At the start his teacher indicates the topics of the verses and summarizes. Rabbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rabbi Joḥanan: Rabbi had a competent student who explained one Chapter in the Work of the Chariot with which Rabbi did not agree; he was stricken with scabies. This teaching may be compared to two roads, one of fire and the other of snow. If he takes one he dies in fire, if he takes the other he dies in snow. What should he do? Walk in the middle.

It happened that Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai was on the road, riding on a donkey, and Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh was walking behind him. He said to him, my teacher, instruct me in a Chapter about the Work of the Chariot. He told him, did the Sages not state, “nor the Chariot unless he was wise and understood by himself.” He said to him, my teacher, permit me to say it before you. He told him, say. When Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh started about the Work of the Chariot, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai descended from the donkey. He said, it is not appropriate that I should hear about the glory of my Creator riding on a donkey. They went and sat under a tree, when fire descended from Heaven and surrounded them, and the ministering angels were dancing before them like wedding guests happy with the bridegroom. An angel spoke from inside the fire and said, the Work of the Chariot is as you said, Eleazar ben Arakh. Then all the trees opened their mouths and sang; “then all trees of the forest will sing.”Psalms 96:12 When Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh finished with the Work of the Chariot, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai rose, kissed him on his head, and said: Praised be the Eternal, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who gave a wise son to our father Abraham who knows how to speak of the Glory of our Father in Heaven. There are those who speak well but do not act well, and those who act well but do not speak well. Eleazar ben Arakh speaks well and acts well. Happy are you, our father Abraham, that Eleazar ben Arakh came from your loins. When Rabbi Yosef Hakohen and Rabbi Simeon ben Nethanael heard, they also started with the Work of the Chariot. They said, it was one day after the summer solstice; the earth trembled and the rainbow appeared in the cloud. A heavenly voice came and said to them, the place is free and the triclinium prepared for you. You and your students are invited to the third group. This agrees with the one who said, “seven enjoyments are before Your presence,”Psalms 16:11 there are seven groups of righteous people in the Future World.

It also happened that Rabbi Joshua was on the road when Ben Zoma came toward him. He greeted him but he did not answer. He asked him, where are you coming from, and where are you going, Ben Zoma? He told him, I was observing the Creation, and the distance between the upper waters and the lower waters is one opening of a hand-breadth. It says here “hovering,” and it says there, “as an eagle watches his nest, over his chicks he hovers.”Deuteronomy 32:11 Since the hovering mentioned there means barely touching, so the hovering mentioned here means barely touching. Rabbi Joshua said to his students, Ben Zoma is out. Only a few days later Ben Zoma passed away.

Rabbi Jehudah bar Pazi in the name of Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Jehudah: Three presented their teachings before their teachers: Rabbi Joshua in front of Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai, Rabbi Aqiba in front of Rabbi Joshua, Ḥananiah ben Ḥakhinai in front of Rabbi Aqiba. From then on their minds were not pure. Four entered the Garden. One peeked and was hurt; one peeked and died; one peeked and cut saplings, one entered in peace and left in peace. Ben Azzai peeked and was hurt; about him the verse says, “if you found honey, eat your fill.”Proverbs 25:16 Ben Zoma peeked and died, about him the verse says, “precious in the Eternal’s eyes is the death of His pious ones.”Psalms 116:15 Aḥer peeked and cut saplings. Who is Aḥer? Elisha ben Abuya, who killed the children of Torah. They said, if he saw a student excelling in Torah he killed him. Not only this, but he went to the school house and saw children in front of their Bible teacher. He said, what are these doing sitting here? The profession of this one is builder, the profession of this one is carpenter, the profession of this one is hunter, the profession of this one is tailor. When they heard this, they left him and went away. About him the verse says, “do not let your mouth make your flesh sin,”Ecclesiastes 5:6 and so on, for he destroyed his own deeds. Also in the time of religious persecution they made them carry loads. They intended that two together should carry one load, because of the rule about two persons who do one act of work. He said, make them carry singly. They went and made them carry singly. They intended to unload in a karmelit, in order not to carry from a private to a public domain. He said to them, let them carry flasks; they made them carry flasks. Rabbi Aqiba entered in peace and left in peace; about him the verse says, “draw me, we will run after you,”Song of Songs 1:4 and so on.

Rabbi Meïr was sitting and preaching in the House of Study of Tiberias when his teacher Elisha passed by riding on a horse on the Sabbath. They came and told him, your teacher is outside. He stopped his sermon and went out to him. He asked him, what did you preach today? He told him, “and the Eternal blessed the end,”Job 42:12 and so on. He asked him, what did you explain about this? He answered him, “and the Eternal added double all that Job had owned”Job 42:10; that he doubled his money. He said, woe for those who are lost and not found, your teacher Aqiba did not preach it this way but rather: “the Eternal blessed the end of Job from his beginning,”Job 42:12 by the merit of commandments and good works which were in his hand from his beginning. He asked him, and what did you preach further? He told him, “the end of a matter is better than the beginning.”Ecclesiastes 7:8 He asked him, what did you explain about this? For example, a man who had children in his youth but they died, and in his old age they lived; that is the end of a matter is better than the beginning. For example, a man who traded in his youth and lost, and in his old age gained; that is the end of a matter is better than the beginning. For example, a man who studied Torah in his youth and forgot, in his old age he remembered; that is the end of a matter is better than the beginning. He said, woe for those who are lost and not found, your teacher Aqiba did not preach it this way but rather: the end of a matter is good from the beginning, when it is good from the start, and this applies to me. My father Abuya was one of the leading Jerusalemites. On the day he came to circumcise me he invited all the leading Jerusalemites and sat them in one room, and Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua in another room. After they ate and drank they began to clap and dance. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua said, while they are occupied in theirs let us be occupied with ours. They sat occupied with words of the Torah, from the Torah to the Prophets, from the Prophets to the Writings. Fire descended from Heaven and surrounded them. Abuya told them, my teachers! Have you come to burn down my house? They told him, Heaven forbid! But we were sitting reviewing the words of the Torah, from the Torah to the Prophets, from the Prophets to the Writings, and the words were joyful as at their giving on Sinai. And was the original giving at Sinai not in fire? “And the Mountain burns in the fire up to the heart of Heaven.”Deuteronomy 4:11 My father Abuya told them, my teachers! If that is the power of Torah, if this son of mine survives I dedicate him to Torah. Because his intent was not for Heaven, it was not fulfilled in this man. He asked him, and what did you preach further? He told him, “it cannot be valued by gold or glass.”Job 28:17 He asked him, what did you explain about this? He told him, the words of the Torah are as difficult to acquire as golden vessels, and as easy to lose as glass vessels. And like golden and glass vessels when they are broken he can make them vessels as before, also the student of the Sages who forgot his learning can learn it anew. He said to him, enough, Meïr, the Sabbath limit ends here. He asked him, how do you know? He told him, from the horse’s hooves which I have been counting for 2,000 cubits. He said to him, you have all that wisdom and you do not repent? He told him, I cannot. He asked him, why? He told him, once I was passing by the Holy of Holies riding on a horse on the Day of Atonement which fell on a Sabbath and I heard a heavenly voice coming from the Holy of Holies, saying, “return, erring children,”Jeremiah 3:14 except for Elisha ben Abuya who knew My power and rebelled against Me. And all that came to him because he was sitting and studying in the valley of Gennesaret and saw a man climbing to the top of a date palm taking the mother with the chicks and descending safely. The next day he saw another man climbing to the top of a date palm, taking the chicks and sending away the mother. When climbing down he was bitten by a snake, and he died. He said, it is written, “you must let the mother go, but the chicks you may take for yourself, so it will be good for you and prolong your days.”Deuteronomy 22:7 Where is the good for this one? Where is the prolongation of days of this one? He did not know that Rabbi Jacob had already explained it before him, so it will be good for you in the future world which is all good, and prolong your days, in the future which is all long. But some say, because he saw the tongue of Rabbi Jehudah the baker in the mouth of a dog, oozing blood. He said, is this the Torah and this is its reward? This is the tongue which was delivering the words of the Torah correctly; this is the tongue which occupied itself with Torah all its days; is this the Torah and this is its reward? It appears that there is no reward and no resurrection of the dead. But some say, when his mother was pregnant with him she passed by pagan temples and smelled their odor. And this smell was bubbling in her body like the poison of a viper. Later Elisha fell sick. They came and informed Rabbi Meïr, your teacher is sick. He went to visit him and found him sick. He asked him, will you not repent? He asked, and if one repents, is one accepted? He told him, is it not written, “man shall repent up to extinction,”Psalms 90:3 one is accepted up to the extinction of the breath. At that moment Elisha wept, passed away, and died. Rabbi Meïr rejoiced in his heart and said, it seems that my teacher passed away repentant. After they buried him, fire descended from Heaven and burned his grave. They came and informed Rabbi Meïr, your teacher’s grave is on fire. He went to visit it and found it burning. What did he do? He took his kaftan and spread it over it. He said, “stay for the night,”Ruth 3:13 and so on. Stay for this world, which is like the night, and it will be in the morning, this is the Future World which is all morning, if the Good One will redeem, this is the Holy One, praised be He, who is Good, as it is written, “the Eternal is good to all, and His mercies are on all His creatures.”Psalms 145:9 And if He does not want to redeem you I shall redeem you, “as the Eternal lives,”Ruth 3:13 and the fire went out. They asked Rabbi Meïr, if they ask you in that World, whom do you want to visit, your father or your teacher? He told them, I shall visit my teacher first and afterwards my father. They said, will they listen to you? He told them, did we not state, “one saves the case of a scroll with the scroll, and the case of phylacteries with the phylacteries”? One saves Elisha Aher by the merit of his Torah. Later his daughters went to take charity from Rabbi. Rabbi decreed and said, “nobody shall show him grace nor be friendly to his orphans.”Psalms 109:12 They told him, Rabbi, do not look at his deeds, do look at his Torah. At that moment Rabbi wept and decreed that they be provided for. He said, if this one who toiled in Torah not for Heaven’s sake, see what he produced; how much more so one who toils in the Torah for its own sake!

Rabbi Eleazar in the name of Ben Sira: What is beyond you do not have to know, what is deeper than the abyss do not investigate. Ponder what is permitted to you; you have no concern with hidden things. Rav said, may lying lips be אלם: may they become mute, be rubbed out, silenced. May they become mute, as you say, “the Eternal said to him, Who formed a mouth,”Exodus 4:11 and so on. May they be rubbed out, as you say, “here we were tying sheaves.”Genesis 37:7 May they be silenced, as it is understood. “Which talk boasting about a just one,”Psalms 31:18 who talk about the Universal Just One in matters which He hid from His creatures. “With haughtiness and contempt,”Psalms 31:18 that is he who is haughty to say, I am investigating the Creation. He feels exalted but is only being insulting.

Rabbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, one who aggrandizes himself by the disgrace of another person has no part in the Future World. He who aggrandizes himself at the expense of the glory of the Ever-Living, how much more so! What is written afterwards? “How great is the good which You hid for those who fear You.”Psalms 31:19 He may not have part in the great good. Rabbi Levi said, it is written, “the glory of God is hiding things,”Proverbs 25:2 and so on. The glory of God is hiding things, before the world was created; the glory of kings is investigating things, after the world was created. Rabbi Levi said, do you know what happened earlier? But you may know only “since man was put on the earth.”Job 20:4

Rabbi Jonah in the name of Rabbi Abba: It is written, “but ask the first days which were before you,”Deuteronomy 4:32 I might think before the Creation. The verse says, “from the day that God created Man on the Earth.”Deuteronomy 4:32 I might think starting with the Sixth Day, the verse says, the first. After the verse added, it subtracted. Therefore we infer from the Sixth. Since the Sixth is special in being one of the Six Days of Creation, you may bring me only days similar to the Sixth. I might think, to know what is higher than heaven and lower than the abyss, the verse says, “from end of heaven to end of heaven.”Deuteronomy 4:32 But before the world was created you may investigate privately; after the world was created your voice may go from one end of the world to the other end. Bar Qappara stated, “and from the day.” It turns out that Rabbi Jehudah bar Pazi agrees with Bar Qappara, and what Rabbi Ḥiyya stated agrees with Rabbi Abba.

Rabbi Jonah in the name of Rabbi Levi: The world was created with Bet. Since Bet is closed from all sides but open from one side, you have no right to investigate what is above, what is below, what is before, and what is after, except from the day the world was created onward. One asks the Bet, who created you? It points out to them its point and says, this One above. And what is His Name? It points out to them its back point and says, the Eternal is His Name, “Master” is His Name. Another explanation. Why by Bet? Because it is an expression of blessing, but not by Alef, which is an expression of cursing. The Holy One, praised be He, said, I will build My world only with Bet, so that the creatures should not say, how could the world remain standing if it was created with an expression of cursing. Therefore I will create it with Bet, an expression of blessing, so that it may endure.

Rabbi Abbahu in the name of Rabbi Johanan: With two letters two worlds were created, this world and the Future World. One by He and one by Yud. What is the reason? “For in Yah, the Eternal is the Rock of Worlds.”Isaiah 26:4 However, we did not know which one was created by He and which one by Yud. But from what is written, “these are the outcomes of Heaven and Earth in their being created,”Genesis 2:4 He created them by He. This implies that this world was created by He, and the Future World was created by Yud. Since He is open below, it is a hint for all creatures that they will descend to the pit. Since He has a point on top, from the moment they descend they ascend. Since He is open from all sides, so He opens a door to all who repent. Since Yud is curved, so all creatures should be bent. “All faces turned yellow.”Jeremiah 30:6 When David saw this, he began to praise with two letters, “praise Yah, praise, the servants of the Eternal, praise the Name of the Eternal.”Psalms 113:1

Rabbi Yudan the Patriarch asked Rabbi Samuel bar Naḥman: What is the meaning of what is written, “Prepare a way for the rider on clouds, His name YH, and exult before Him.”Psalms 68:4 He told him, there is no place which does not have one appointed over its life. And who is appointed over the lives of all? The Holy One, praised be He. His name YH, His name: Βια. Rabbi Eleazar told him, your teacher was not explaining in this way, but a parable of a king who built a palace on a place of sewers, a place of dung heaps, a place which stinks. One who comes and says, this palace is at a place of sewers, a place of dung heaps, a place which stinks, is he not disparaging it? So too, whoever says, originally the world was water in water, is disparaging. A parable of a king’s orchard and an observation deck built on it, to look at it but not to touch.

The House of Shammai say, heaven was created first and afterwards earth. But the House of Hillel say, earth was created first and afterwards heaven. These bring proof for their assertion, and those bring proof for their assertion. What is the reason of the House of Shammai? “In the Beginning God created heaven and earth.”Genesis 1:1 A parable of a king who made a throne. After he had made it he made its footstool: “the Heavens are My throne and the Earth My footstool.”Isaiah 66:1 What is the reason of the House of Hillel? “On the day of the Eternal’s, God’s, making of earth and heaven.”Genesis 2:4 A parable of a king who made a palace. After he built the foundations he built the upper structure: “also My left hand founded the Earth and My right hand tended the Heavens.”Isaiah 48:13 Rabbi Jehudah bar Pazi said, also the following supports the House of Hillel: “in earlier times You founded the Earth, and the Heavens are the work of Your hands.”Psalms 102:25 Rabbi Ḥanina said, from the place from where the House of Shammai prove their assertion, from there the House of Hillel refute them. What is the reason of the House of Shammai? “In the Beginning God created heaven and earth.”Genesis 1:1 From there the House of Hillel refute them: “and the earth was,”Genesis 1:2 it already was. Rabbi Joḥanan in the name of the Sages: As for creation, the heaven preceded. As for perfecting, the earth preceded. As for creation, the heaven preceded, in the Beginning God created. As for perfecting, the earth preceded, on the day of the Eternal’s, God’s, making of earth and heaven. According to the House of Shammai, the heaven after the First waited three days, First, Second, Third, to have offspring. On the Fourth, “let there be lights.”Genesis 1:14 According to the House of Shammai, the sea after the Second waited three days, Second, Third, Fourth, to have offspring. On the Fifth, “let the waters teem.”Genesis 1:20 According to the House of Shammai, the earth after the Third waited three days, Third, Fourth, Fifth, to have offspring. On the Sixth, “let the earth produce.”Genesis 1:24 According to the House of Hillel, the earth after the First waited two days, First and Second, to have offspring. On the Third, “let the earth be covered with grass.”Genesis 1:11 According to the House of Hillel, the sea after the Third waited two days, Third and Fourth, to have offspring. On the Fifth, “let the waters teem.”Genesis 1:20 Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai said, I wonder how the fathers of the world could disagree about the creation of the world. Heaven and earth were only created like a pan and its cover. What is the reason? “Also My left hand founded the Earth and My right hand tended the Heavens.”Isaiah 48:13 Rabbi Eleazar ben Rabbi Simeon said, according to my father’s opinion, sometimes heaven precedes earth, sometimes earth precedes heaven, which teaches that they are equal to one another.

Mishnah

2 Yose ben Yoezer says not to lean on, Yose ben Joḥanan says to lean on. Joshua ben Perahia says not to lean on, Matthew from Arbel says to lean on. Jehudah ben Tabbai says not to lean on, Simeon ben Shetah says to lean on. Shemaiah says to lean on, Avtalion says not to lean on. Hillel and Menaḥem did not disagree. Menaḥem left and Shammai entered; Hillel says to lean on, Shammai says not to lean on. The first ones were Patriarchs, the second Presidents of the Court.

Halakhah

Originally the only disagreement in Israel was about leaning on. Then Hillel and Shammai arose and made it four. When the students of the House of Shammai and of the House of Hillel who had not sufficiently served their teachers increased, disagreements increased in Israel and they were split into two sects; these declare impure and those declare pure, and the former state will not be restored until the son of David comes.

Rabbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rabbi Joḥanan: Rabbinic Sabbath prohibitions should not seem unimportant to you, since leaning on is only a meritorious act and the fathers of the world disagreed about it. Rabbi Yose said, this implies that one has to press down with all his weight. If it were not so we would have to say that it is forbidden to touch an animal on the Sabbath.

“Hillel and Menaḥem did not disagree. Menaḥem left and Shammai entered.” Where did he go? Some say, he left one way of life for another. But some say, he left against his face, he and eighty pairs of students of the Sages, wearing golden tirqe, whose faces became black like the rim of a pot when they were told, write on a bull’s horn that you have no part in the God of Israel.

We have stated: Jehudah ben Ṭabbai was Patriarch, and Simeon ben Shetaḥ President of the Court; some Tannaim reverse them. What happened in Alexandria supports the one who said, Jehudah ben Tabbai was Patriarch. The people of Jerusalem wanted to appoint him Patriarch in Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem wrote: From the great Jerusalem to the small Alexandria: How long will my betrothed live among you while I sit grieving for him? He took his leave and boarded a ship. He said, I remember the lady of the house who received us; what did she lack? One of his students told him, her eye is damaged. He told him, you have sinned twice; first that you suspected me, and second that you looked at her. Did I say that she was beautiful in looks? I only said that about her deeds. He took offense and left.

What happened in Ascalon supports the one who said, Simeon ben Sheṭaḥ was President. Two pious men were in Ascalon. They ate together, drank together, and studied Torah together. One of them died, and nobody attended his funeral. The son of Maʿyan the publican died; the entire city stopped working to attend his funeral.⁠a The other pious man began to weep and said, alas, do the haters of Israel have no hope? In a dream he was told, do not denigrate your Master’s children. This one committed one sin and died with it, the other one did one good deed and died with it. What sin did this pious man commit? Far be it from him to have committed a sin, but once he put on his head phylacteries before his arm phylacteries. What good deed did the son of Maʿyan the publican do? Far be it from him ever to have done a good deed, but once he prepared a breakfast for the city council but they did not come to eat it. He said, let the poor eat it, so it should not go to waste. Some say, he was walking in the street when a loaf fell down from him and a poor person picked it up. He did not say anything in order not to embarrass him. Some days later this pious man saw his pious comrade walking in gardens, in orchards, at water sources, and he saw the son of Maʿyan the publican with his tongue out on the river bank trying in vain to reach the water. He also saw Miriam, Onion-leaf’s daughter. Rabbi Eleazar bar Yose said, she was hanging on her breast nipples. Rabbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, the hinge of Hell’s door was fixed in her ear. He asked them, why? They told him, because she fasted and made herself famous. Some say, she fasted one day and was dissolute two. He asked them, how long will she be in this state? They told him, until Simeon ben Shetah comes, when we will remove it from her ear and put it in his ear. He asked them, and why? They told him, because he said, if I am made Patriarch, I will kill the sorcerers. But now he was made Patriarch and he did not kill them. In fact, there are eighty women sorcerers in the cave of Ascalon who are harming the world. Go and tell him! He told them, I am afraid that since he is Patriarch he will not believe me. They told him, if he believes you, good. If he does not believe you, perform a sign before him: put your hand on an eye and take it out, put it back and it will be back. He went and told him. He wanted to perform the miracle before him, but he told him, I know that you are a pious person; you could do even more than that. In fact, I never said it aloud, though I intended it in my thoughts. Immediately Simeon ben Shetaḥ went on a stormy day and took with him eighty select men. He gave them eighty clean garments, put them in eighty new amphoras, and put them on them upside down. He told them, when I whistle once, put on your garments. When I whistle a second time, all of you come in together. When you enter, each of you shall choose one and lift her from the ground, since sorcery of this kind can do nothing once it is separated from the earth. He went and stood at the entrance to the cave. He said אוים, אוים, open for me, I am one of yours. They asked, how did you come here on such a day? He said, I was walking between the raindrops. They asked him, what do you want to do here? He said, to learn and to teach. Each one should do what he can. One of them said what she said and produced bread. One of them said what she said and produced meat. One of them said what she said and produced dishes. One said what she said and produced wine. They asked him, what can you do? He told them, when I whistle twice, I shall bring here eighty select men for your pleasure and entertainment. They told him, that is what we desire. When he whistled the first time, they put on their garments; when he whistled for the second time, they all entered together. He said, let each one who comes choose his partner. They lifted them, took them away, and crucified them. That is what we have stated: “It happened that Simeon ben Shetaḥ hanged women in Ascalon. They said, he hanged eighty women but one does not try two on the same day.” But the hour required it.

It was stated: “Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob said, I heard that one punishes not according to practice and punishes not according to Torah.” How far? Rabbi Eleazar ben Rabbi Yose said, up to a murmur. Rabbi Yose said, by witnesses, but without warning. It happened that one went on the road riding his horse on the Sabbath. They brought him to court and stoned him. But was it not a rabbinic violation? But at the time it was needed. Also it happened that one went on the road together with his wife. He went behind a wall and had relations with her. They brought him to court and whipped him. But was it not his wife? But he behaved in a degrading way.

Mishnah

3 The House of Shammai say, one brings well-being offerings and does not lean on them, but no elevation offerings. But the House of Hillel say one brings well-being and elevation offerings and leans on them.

Halakhah

The House of Shammai say, irregular leaning-on was permitted. But the House of Hillel say, irregular leaning-on was not permitted. What is irregular leaning-on? From the day before. Rabbi Zeʿira said, everybody agrees that he did not fulfill his obligation regarding the reparation offering of a sufferer from skin disease if he leaned on the day before; he fulfilled his obligation with voluntary well-being offerings for which he leaned on the day before. Where do they disagree? The festival well-being offerings. The House of Shammai treat them like voluntary well-being offerings; the House of Hillel treat them like the reparation offering of a sufferer from skin disease. Rabbi Yasa said, what you say, that he did not fulfill his obligation regarding the reparation offering of a sufferer from skin disease if he leaned on the day before, only on time. If its time has passed it becomes like holiday well-being offerings.

“The House of Hillel said to the House of Shammai: Since at a time when I forbid it for the private person I permit it for Heaven, when it is permitted for the private person is it not logical that it be permitted for Heaven? The House of Shammai said to them, vows and voluntary gifts are proof, since they are permitted to the private person but forbidden to Heaven. The House of Hillel said to them, no. If you are speaking about vows and voluntary gifts which have no fixed time, what does this imply for the festival offering which has a fixed time? The House of Shammai answered them, the festival offering has no fixed time since if he did not offer it on the first day, he may offer it on the second day, if he did not offer it on the second day, he may offer it on the third day. The House of Hillel told them, the festival offering has a fixed time, for if he did not offer it on the holiday of pilgrimage he may not offer it after the holiday. The House of Shammai said to them, is it not already said: ‘only what can be eaten by any person this alone may be made for you’Exodus 12:16? The House of Hillel answered them, is that a proof? For you it may not be made, but it is made for Heaven. Abba Shaul says it was based on another reason: Since when your stove is closed down, your Master’s stove is open, when your stove is open it is only logical that your Master’s stove should be open. Another explanation: It is not right that your table should be full and the table of your Creator empty.”

Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Abun said, Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish was passing by the school when he heard them reciting the verse, “they sacrificed animal sacrifices and brought elevation sacrifices the next day.”1 Chronicles 29:21 He said, he who interrupts follows the House of Shammai; he who reads it as one sentence follows the House of Hillel. One understands elevation sacrifices the next day; but well-being sacrifices the next day? Are not well-being sacrifices brought following the House of Shammai? Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Abun said, David died on Pentecost; all of Israel were deep mourners and they brought the next day.

“It happened that Hillel the Elder brought his elevation offering to the Temple courtyard and leaned on it. The students of the House of Shammai ganged up on him. He began to wag its tail and said to them, look, it is a female and I brought it as well-being sacrifice, and kept them talking about other matters until they left. After some time the House of Shammai became strong and they wanted to establish practice according to their words. Bava ben Buta was there, one of the students of the House of Shammai, who knew that practice followed the House of Hillel. Once he entered the Temple courtyard and found it desolate. He said, the house of those who make our God’s House desolate shall be desolate. What did he do? He sent and brought 3,000 young lambs from Qedar sheep, checked them for defects, and displayed them on the Temple Mount. He said to them, listen to me, my brothers, House of Israel. Anybody who wants to bring an elevation sacrifice may bring it and lean on it, and anyone who wants to bring a well-being sacrifice may bring it and lean on it. At that moment, practice was fixed following the House of Hillel; and nobody said anything.” Rabbi Isaac ben Rabbi Eleazar said, this cup for breakfast has to be full; the worm in the wood comes from itself; any coal which does not cause a burn at the start will not cause one. “Again it happened that a student of Hillel brought his elevation offering to the Temple courtyard and leaned on it. A student of Shammai saw him and said to him, what is this leaning-on? He said to him, will you not be silent? He silenced him with a rebuke, and he left.”

Mishnah

4 If Pentecost falls on a Friday, the House of Shammai say that its slaughter-day is after the Sabbath, but the House of Hillel say that it has no slaughter-day. They agree that if it falls on the Sabbath that its slaughter-day is after the Sabbath; the High Priest does not wear his garments, and eulogies and fasting are permitted, in order not to support the words of those who say that Pentecost is on Sunday.

Halakhah

“If Pentecost falls on a Friday, the House of Shammai say that its slaughter-day is after the Sabbath, but the House of Hillel say that it has no slaughter-day.” But its day is its slaughter-day. Here the House of Shammai say, its slaughter-day is after the Sabbath, and the High Priest wears his garments. It is an argument from the lesser to the greater. Since at a time when there are well-being and elevation offerings following the House of Hillel the High Priest does not wear his garments, in a time when there are no well-being and elevation offerings following the House of Shammai, how much more so?

One verse says, “the harvest festival, the first fruits of your work.”Exodus 23:16 Another verse says, “you must not do any productive work.”Leviticus 23:21 Rabbi Ḥanania said, how can both verses be upheld? If it falls on a weekday you bring the festival offering and refrain from work. If it falls on the Sabbath, the following day you bring the festival offering and harvest. Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Bun said, only ears for her dough. As it was stated, “therefore anybody who has an obligation for wood and first fruits. He who says, I take upon myself to bring wood for the altar and logs for the arrangement, is forbidden that day to give eulogies, to fast, or to work.”

“They agree that if it falls on the Sabbath that its slaughter-day is after the Sabbath.” So the House of Hillel say, its slaughter-day is after the Sabbath. Whose are the hides? Rabbi Tabi in the name of Rabbi Joshia: Rabbi Joḥanan and Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish disagree. Rabbi Joḥanan said, of all watches. Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish said, of this watch. And you say, its slaughter-day is after the Sabbath; whose are the hides? The disagreement between Rabbi Joḥanan and Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish? Rabbi Joḥanan said, Pentecost has all of seven days as make-up. Rav Hoshaia objected: was it not stated, just as the New Moon is one day after its count, so Pentecost is one day after its count? Rabbi La said, if he did not bring his holiday sacrifice on the first day, he may bring it all seven days.

Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Abun in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi: Every day the High Priest dresses in his robes, comes, and sacrifices the daily morning sacrifice. If there are vows or voluntary sacrifices, he offers them. Then he goes to his house, and returns to bring the daily evening sacrifice, and comes to stay overnight in the Palhedrin lodge. Rabbi Uqba in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi: He did this only on Sabbath and holidays. There are Tannaim who state: the diadem propitiates on his forehead. There are Tannaim who state: even in a corner. He who says, the diadem propitiates on his forehead, “it shall always be on his forehead.”Exodus 28:38 But he who says, even in a corner, from the Day of Atonement. He who says, the diadem propitiates on his forehead, supports Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Abun; he who says, even in a corner, supports Rabbi Uqba.

Mishnah

5 One washes hands for profane food, tithe, and heave, but for sancta one immerses. And for the Red Cow if his hands became impure so became his body.

Halakhah

Is hand-washing required for profane food? But it must follow Rabbi Simeon ben Eleazar, since Rabbi Simeon ben Eleazar says, hand-washing is required for profane food. It is everyone’s opinion, so that he will keep away from heave. Rabbi Simeon ben Eleazar stated in the name of Rabbi Meïr, hands are first degree impure for profane food and second degree impure for heave. Does Rabbi Simeon ben Eleazar follow Rabbi Aqiba, as we have stated there, “if somebody puts his hands into a leprous house, his hands are impure in the first degree, the words of Rabbi Aqiba, but the Sages say, his hands are impure in the second degree”? There, it follows the rabbis; what is their reason here? Since you tell him that his hands are impure in the second degree, he will keep away from heave. But did they not decide about them because of fluids; then they should be impure in the first degree? It is an argument from the lesser to the greater. Since the Tevul Yom, which is a word from the Torah, only disqualifies, impure hands, which are from their words, how much more so? Another explanation: Did they not decide about hands only so that he would keep away from heave? Since you tell him that his hands are impure in the second degree, he will keep away from heave.

There, we have stated: “For heave and First Fruits one incurs the penalty of death or a fine of a fifth; they are forbidden to lay persons, are property of the Cohen, may be lifted by one in 100, need washing of the hands and sundown. This applies to heave and First Fruits but not to tithe.” There, you say tithe does not need washing, but here, you say that tithe needs washing. When you say that tithe needs washing, following the rabbis; but when you say that tithe does not need washing, following Rabbi Meïr. As we have stated there, “anything which requires immersion by the words of the Sopherim makes sancta impure and disqualifies heave but is permitted for profane food and tithe, the words of Rabbi Meïr. But the Sages forbid for tithe.” He did not understand that Rabbi Samuel said in the name of Rabbi Zeʿira: What does “but the Sages forbid for tithe” mean? His body became disqualified from consuming tithe. How is that? If you say, tithe needs washing, if he intends to touch. But does not one who wants to eat also want to touch? Only because of handwashing as discipline? Therefore about profane food prepared in the purity of sancta. But is profane food prepared in the purity of sancta not profane food? Explain either following Rabbi Simeon ben Eleazar or Rabbi Eleazar ben Rabbi Ṣadoq. Either following Rabbi Simeon ben Eleazar, as it was stated, Rabbi Simeon ben Eleazar says in the name of Rabbi Meïr, hands are first degree impure for profane food and second degree impure for heave. Or Rabbi Eleazar ben Rabbi Ṣadoq, as we have stated there: “profane food prepared in the purity of sancta is profane food. Rabbi Eleazar ben Rabbi Ṣadoq says, it is like heave, to be impure in two stages and disqualified in the third.”

“But for sancta one immerses.” Anywhere we state “immerses” it means in 40 seah. But did we not state, “he who washes his hands in the Temple needs a quartarius”? Rabbi Eleazar said, here for impure hands, there for pure hands. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Rabbi Hillel said, even if you say here and there for pure hands, here and there for impure hands. Here for dedicated Temple sancta, there for profane food prepared in the purity of sancta.

“And for the Red Cow if his hands became impure so became his body.” Rabbi Ḥanina said, not that they introduced new impurities for the Red Cow but they said, he who becomes impure in a light impurity is like one who became impure in a severe impurity. Rabbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Eleazar: “And it shall be collected by a man,”Numbers 19:9 why does the verse say, pure? Think of it: even if you collect it with a shovel, the Torah requires pure. What case are we dealing with? If a metal shovel, but also flat metal implements are subject to impurity. If a wooden shovel, is it not held together because of something subject to impurity? Rav Hoshaia said, explain it if he collects it with a plank. Then it is impossible that he should not carry it. Rabbi Yudan, the father of Rabbi Mattaniah, said, explain it if he collects it with a coarse cross-beam. Rabbi Abba bar Mamal asked before Rabbi Immi: what is the difference between a person pure for the Red Cow and an empty vessel pure for the Red Cow? He answered him, And it shall be collected by a pure, why does the verse say, man? Only to prescribe extraordinary purity to the man to handle the water for ashes of the Red Cow and the ashes of the Red Cow. Rabbi Yasa in the name of Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish: The moving which I declared pure for you for crawling animals I declared impure for you here.

Mishnah

6 He who immersed himself for profane food and considers himself pure for profane food is forbidden tithe. He who immersed himself for tithe and considers himself pure for tithe is forbidden heave. He who immersed himself for heave and considers himself pure for heave is forbidden sancta. He who immersed himself for sancta and considers himself pure for sancta is forbidden handling ashes of the Red Cow. He who immersed himself for the more stringent is permitted the lesser one. He who immersed himself and does not consider himself pure is as if he did not immerse.

Halakhah

But does profane food need intention? He is telling you more: even if he immersed himself for profane food and considers himself pure for profane food he is forbidden tithe. Did not Rabbi Eleazar say, the count for profane food is the count for tithe? Here it is for eating, there for touching. He who immerses himself without specification is pure for all of them. Rabbi Joḥanan said, if he had relationship with all of them. As long as his feet are in the water, he may consider himself pure for any stage he chooses.

There, we have stated: “A staff which is full of impure fluids, when it touched the miqweh it is pure, the words of Rabbi Joshua. But the Sages say, only if he immerses it completely.” Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish said, where do they disagree? For light impurity; but for severe impurity even Rabbi Joshua agrees. Rabbi Joḥanan said, they even disagree for severe impurity. A baraita disagrees with Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish: “As long as his feet are in the water, he may consider himself pure for any stage he chooses.” Explain it about one who ate impure food and drank impure drinks. Did not Rabbi Jacob bar Zavdi, Rabbi Abbahu say in the name of Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish, the body of one who ate impure food and drank impure drinks is pure without special intention? From the moment he intended elevated purity he needs intention. A Mishnah disagrees with Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish: “A miqweh containing exactly 40 seah into which two persons descended, both are pure. One after the other, the first one is pure, the second impure. Rabbi Jehudah says, if the feet of the first touched the water, the second one also is pure.” Still this is about one who ate impure food and drank impure drinks. A baraita disagrees with Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish: A woman in her period may rinse a radish in a cave and it is pure. If she lifted it in any way out of the water it is impure. And we have stated about it: Rabbi Jehudah declares it pure in the name of Rabbi Joshua. And is a menstruating woman not a severe impurity? This disagrees with Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish and it has no standing.

Mishnah

7 The garments of the unlearned are “support” for Pharisees; the garments of Pharisees are “support” for the eaters of heave; the garments of eaters of heave are “support” for the eaters of sancta. Yose ben Yoezer was the most pious of the priests but his handkerchief was “support” for sancta. Joḥanan ben Gudgada all his life ate in the purity of sancta but his handkerchief was “support” for the ashes of the Red Cow.

Halakhah

Rabbi Yasa in the name of Rabbi Joḥanan: They stated it for touching. Rabbi Zeʿira asked before Rabbi Yasa, from where did this garment become impure by support? He told him, explain it that the unlearned man’s wife sat on it naked. Samuel bar Abba asked before Rabbi Zeʿira: As you say there, there is no “support” for profane food but there is “support” for profane food by touching, similarly there is no load for profane food but there is load for profane food by touching. Rabbi Samuel the brother of Rabbi Hoshaia said, Rabbi Jeremiah asked, if she sat on a chair and touched it? As you look at it, if load, there is load; if touching, there is touching. As you say about load, on condition that most of it be carried, similarly if most of it be touched?

May the body of a Pharisee be considered like that of a sufferer from gonorrhea for heave? Rabbi Joḥanan asked, but did we not state, “somebody who let an unlearned person watch his house, at times when he sees those who enter and those who leave, food, and drinks, and open clay vessels are impure. But couches and seats and clay vessels tightly wound closed are pure”? If you say, they considered the body of a Pharisee like that of a sufferer from gonorrhea for heave then even those tightly wound closed should be impure. Rabbi Jehudah bar Pazi said, explain it concerning an unlearned person at a Pharisee’s, and you cannot infer anything. Rabbi Mana said, so said my teacher Rabbi Yose, all that we are considering here refers to heave. You may know that this is so, since we have stated there, “even moved, even tied, everything is impure.” Did they not say they are impure, not because of moving? Did not Rabbi Joḥanan say, concerning heave there are no separations, no movings, and no unlearned. May heave itself be considered like a sufferer from gonorrhea in relation to sancta? Let us hear from the following. If one cuts a tube for sancta, he who cuts it and he who immerses it need immersion. One understands he who cuts. He who immerses? Could he not bind it with a fiber and immerse it? But explain it that he cut it in order to immerse it. May a sanctum itself be considered like a sufferer from gonorrhea in relation to the ashes of the Red Cow? Let us hear from the following. Two pitchers, one pure for sancta and one pure for heave, who touched one another are both pure. But does not a baraita disagree? They ruled that if a person pure for the ashes of the Cow moved the spittle or semen of one pure for heave, he became impure. The same is pure for heave and pure for sancta.