Kallah

A bride1Here used in the sense of a betrothed girl. In the Talmudic period betrothal (’erusin) and marriage (ḳiddushin) denoted two stages different from what they are now. ’Erusin took place in the bride’s home and ḳiddushin subsequently in the bridegroom’s home. It is important to note that the ceremony of ’erusin was binding upon the bridal couple and could not be dissolved without a bill of divorce. Later the current custom prevailed whereby the two ceremonies were combined and performed at the same time (cf. P.B., pp. 298f., the benediction on the first of the pages being of ’erusin). is forbidden to her husband without the [marriage] benediction2This consisted of seven benedictions. For the wording cf. K.R. I, 1, below p. 415f.; Keth. 7b-8a (Sonc. ed., pp. 31ff.); P.B., p. 299. in the same manner as a niddah.3In Biblical law the period of menstrual impurity lasted seven days (Lev. 15, 19ff.) but was extended by the Rabbis to eleven days. At the end of the period immersion in a ritual bath was necessary. Just as a niddah4Whose period of purification has ended. who has not immersed [in the ritual bath] is forbidden to her husband, so likewise is a bride forbidden to her husband without the [marriage] benediction. Whence is the benediction of bridegrooms derived from the Torah? As it is stated, And they blessed Rebekah.5Gen. 24, 60. And whence do we derive that even a widow is so forbidden?6On remarriage without the benediction, cf. Keth. 7a (Sonc. ed., p. 26). As it is stated, And he took ten men of the elders of the city … And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman … and let thy house be like the house of Perez.7Ruth 4, 2, 11f. After the consummation of her marriage on the first day, a bride is forbidden8To her husband; cf. Nid. 65b (Sonc. ed., p. 460). for the whole of the succeeding seven days, and it is not permitted to take any object9lit. ‘a cup’. from her hand all the seven days. This is the view of R. Eliezer, but R. Joshua said: Not until the matter is examined—if she was niddah while still in her father’s house, she is forbidden [to her husband], but if not she is allowed to him.R. Eliezer was asked, ‘Is it permissible to drink from the hand of the bride so long as her husband is sitting with her at the festive table?’ He replied, ‘Whoever drinks from the hand of a bride is as though he drinks from the hand of a harlot’. [His colleagues] said to him, ‘Are not all the daughters of Israel possessed of good manners?’10And it is therefore usual for a bride to hand things to the guests. He answered, ‘God forbid! Anyone who is not familiar with the Torah11And since women are not usually learned in the Torah it cannot be assumed that they possess good manners. cannot be possessed of good manners’. R. Eleazar b. Azariah made a public declaration accompanied by the sounding of three hundred shofars,12In K.R. I, 5, below p. 418 the reading is ‘four hundred shofars’. These were sounded to increase the solemnity of the declaration. ‘Whether a bride be of the daughters of a scholar or of an ‘am ha-’areẓ, he who drinks from her hand is as though he drinks from the hand of a harlot’. He further said, ‘Whoever takes a cup from the hand of a bride and drinks from it has no share in the World to Come’. He who recites a verse from the Song of Songs13Cf. Sanh. 101a (Sonc. ed., p. 684). GRA reads ‘evil’ instead of ‘Flood’. rendering it as a [secular] song, and similarly whoever recites a verse from the Torah unseasonably at banqueting tables, causes the Flood to come upon the world; because the Torah clothes itself in sackcloth, stands before the Holy One, blessed be He, and complains, ‘Sovereign of the universe! Thy children have made me as a harp upon which scorners play’. To this He replies, ‘My daughter, when they rejoice what should they do?’ She makes the rejoinder, ‘Sovereign of the universe! If he is a scholar let him occupy himself with the Torah, with study and good deeds and ’aggadoth; let students of Scripture occupy themselves with Scripture, students of Midrash and Mishnah with the laws of Passover on Passover, the laws of Pentecost on Pentecost and the laws of Tabernacles on Tabernacles’. R. Simeon14GRA adds ‘b. Eleazar in the name of R. Joshua b. Ḥananiah’. testified and said: Whoever reads a verse in season brings good to the world, as it is stated, And a word in due season, how good is it!15Prov. 15, 23. One who sends the cup of benediction16Used in the Grace after meals. to a woman without the knowledge of her husband forfeits his life because his mind prevailed over him.17lit. ‘is great over him’. GRA emends: ‘over him’ to ‘over her’, i.e. he is attracted to her. Similarly in the next sentences. Rabbi [Judah the Prince] said: Because the evil inclination has prevailed over him. Similarly the members of a company who send the cup of benediction to a woman without the knowledge of her husband forfeit their lives because their minds prevailed over them. Rabbi [Judah the Prince] said: Because the evil inclination has prevailed over them.

He who pays money to a woman, counting from his hand into her hand in order to gaze at her, even if he be like Moses our teacher who received the Torah from Mount Sinai, will not be exempt from the penalty of Gehinnom; as it is stated, Hand to hand, the evil man shall not be unpunished. Prov. 11, 21, My hand upon it! Behold Scripture declares, And we have brought the Lord’s offering, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet-rings, ear-rings, and girdles, to make atonement for our souls before the Lord. Num. 31, 50. ‘Eẓadah (armlets) means a garter; ẓamid (bracelets) silk cloaks; ‘agil (ear-rings) a cast of the female breasts; kumaz (girdles) a cast of the womb. To make atonement for our souls: Moses said to Israel, ‘Perhaps you have returned to your former sinful lapse’. Their association with the women of Midian; cf. Shab. 64a. They replied to him, ‘There lacketh not one man of us’. ‘If so,’ he retorted, ‘why this atonement?’ They replied, ‘We may have escaped sin, but we have not escaped sinful thoughts’. Why [did they offer] signet-rings? Because whoever gazes intentionally at a woman is as though he had intercourse with her.⁠a Hence the Rabbis declared: Whoever touches a woman’s little finger is as though he touched ‘that place’. He who gazes at a woman’s heel will have deformed children. [Why are children born] lame, blind, dumb or deaf? R. Eliezer said: Because [the husband] claimed marital rights but she refused. R. Joshua said: Because she declared at the time of cohabitation, ‘I have been forced’.24To cohabitate while she was impure and nevertheless submitted. R. ‘Aḳiba said: Because she says, ‘I am unclean’ when she is clean.25To annoy him. R. Nehemiah said: Because of the sin of causeless hatred a man’s wife suffers miscarriage, contention is rife in his house, and his sons and daughters die young.26Cf. Shab. 32b (Sonc. ed., p. 149). R. Nehorai said: Whoever puts his neighbour to shame will in the end himself be put to shame; furthermore, the Angels of Destruction thrust and drive him out of the world and expose his shame before all mankind. But whoever is shamefaced will not speedily yield to sin; as it is stated, And that His fear may be before you, that ye sin not.27Ex. 20, 17. As regards anyone who is not shamefaced, it is certain that his forefathers did not stand at the foot of Mount Sinai. R. Joḥanan said:28Cf. Ned. 20a (Sonc. ed., p. 57). The Ministering Angels told me four things and they are related to the lame, the blind, the dumb and the deaf. Why [are children born] lame? Because [their parents] overturned their table29A euphemism for unnatural intercourse. and behaved like animals. Why [are children born] blind? Because [their parents] gaze at ‘that place’. Why [are children born] deaf? Because [their parents] converse30i.e. they conduct themselves with levity while performing a religious command. during cohabitation. Why [are children born] dumb? Because [their parents] kiss ‘that place’. The Sages say that the halakah is not in agreement with R. Joḥanan, but a man may do with his wife as he desires;31At the time of cohabitation. because the matter can be best compared to a man who purchased meat from the butcher: if he wishes he eats it raw, if he wishes he eats it boiled, if he wishes he eats it roasted over coals. Imma Shalom,32Cf. Ned. loc. cit. the wife of R. Eliezer and sister of Rabban Gamaliel was asked, ‘Why are your children beautiful? And during intercourse how does [your husband] conduct himself towards you?’ She replied, ‘He does not converse33A euphemism for cohabitation. with me during the first or last watch, but only during the middle watch;34The night was divided into three equal periods called ‘watches’. [and when he cohabits] he uncovers a handbreadth and covers a handbreadth, and it is as though he was urged on by a demon. And when I questioned him, “What is the reason for all this?”35For selecting the middle watch. he replied, “So that another woman should not come to my mind36During the first and last watches of the night women are to be found in the streets. and my children consequently come within the category of bastards” ’. Hence [the Sages] declared: Ten37[GRA reads ‘nine’. On the wording of the passage, cf. Bacher, Ag. d. pal. Amoräer, II, p. 310, n. 3.] categories of people are like bastards but are not [legally] such, and they are: the children [born] of fear,38Reading with Ned. 20b (Sonc. ed., p. 59) אימה (fear) for אמה (handmaid). The husband terrorizes his wife into cohabitation. the children of a maidservant, the children of a hated wife, (the children of a niddah),39Inserted by V in brackets. the children of one who is under a ban of excommunication, the children of a woman thought to be another,40lit. ‘children of exchange’, i.e. when a man has two wives and cohabits with one under the impression that she is the other. the children of [a marriage characterized by] strife, the children of a drunken woman, the children of a wife divorced in the heart,41i.e. in the heart of her husband; he has the intention of divorcing her while yet cohabiting with her. the children of promiscuity, and some add, the children of a sleeping woman.42During the intercourse One who has intercourse with his betrothed in her father-in-law’s house without the kethubah having been drawn up43Without ḳiddushin having taken place, the drawing up of the kethubah forming part of the ceremony. Cf. the opening words of this tractate, ‘A bride is forbidden’, etc. N.Y. has another explanation based on ’Eben Ha‘ezer LXVI, 3, viz. a man must not live with his wife without a kethubah. In the context this interpretation is wide of the mark. will have sickly children. Weak children are the issue of those who cohabit with women who are niddah; ugly children [are born] of women in a doubtful state of ritual purity. If a man, on leaving a privy, [immediately afterwards] has intercourse, he will have epileptic children, because the demon of the privy accompanies him.44Cf. Giṭ. 70a (Sonc. ed., p. 333). How long should he wait before having intercourse? Long enough to walk half a mil. If a man has undergone blood-letting and [immediately afterwards] has intercourse, his children will be weaklings. If both45Husband and wife. have undergone blood-letting and [immediately afterwards] have intercourse, their children will be liable to have lupus.46Tuberculosis of the skin. When does this apply? Only if they had nothing to eat,47Between blood-letting and the act of cohabitation. but if they partook of some food there is no [harm] in it.

If a man has intercourse while standing he has attacks of trembling,48Convulsions or ague. and this is what is termed ‘fire of the bones’.49Cf. Ber. 32a (Sonc. ed., p. 197), i.e. fever. What is the remedy for it? Flour of lentils and wine. A person should take all remedies when well-fed, but this remedy when he is hungry. A person should take all remedies when standing, but this remedy with one foot in the bed and the other on the ground [51a]. A person should take all remedies three times in three days,50This is the reading of GRA. V has ‘up to three hours and three times’. but he should continue this remedy until he is cured. He who is in the habit of taking black cumin will not suffer with pain of the heart. Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Cumin is one of the sixty deadly poisons, and as for him who sleeps to the east of his store [of cumin], his blood is on his head.51Cf. Ber. 40a (Sonc. ed., p. 247). A. Cohen, Berakoth, p. 264, n. 1, remarks, ‘The west wind will carry the odour to him with fatal results’ (Rashi). [There is no contradiction] because the former refers to when it is baked52Sprinkled on baked bread. and the latter when it is not baked. If one eats cumin of the weight of a dinar his heart will be affected; so too if he eats forty eggs, forty nuts or a quarter of a log of honey. Likewise, if one eats fat beef53Cf. Giṭ. 70a (Sonc. ed., p. 332) which omits ‘fat’. with vegetables on the night of the fourteenth and fifteenth of the month and sleeps in [the light of the full] moon in the summer solstice, his blood is on his head.If one has intercourse when drunk,54Giṭ. loc. cit. (Sonc. ed., p. 334). [his heart] will ultimately be affected; if both of them are drunk their hearts will be affected. If one has intercourse by the light of a lamp, he will have epileptic children.If one has intercourse sitting, he will be subject to diarrhoea. What is the remedy for it? Crocus of thorns. If he is below and she above he will be seized with convulsions;55Giṭ. loc. cit. he above and she below, this is the normal way of human beings; if the two of them lie facing one another, this is a form of perversion.R. Judah said: The bold-faced are [destined] to Gehinnom and the shamefaced to the Garden of Eden.56Cf. Aboth V, 23 (Sonc. ed., V, 20, pp. 73f). The bold-faced, R. Eliezer said, is the bastard; the son of a niddah, said R. Joshua; R. ‘Aḳiba said: Both a bastard and the son of a niddah. The elders were once sitting in the gate when two young lads passed by; one covered his head and the other uncovered his head. Of him who uncovered his head R. Eliezer remarked that he is a bastard; R. Joshua remarked that he is the son of a niddah; R. ‘Aḳiba said that he is both a bastard and the son of a niddah. They said to R. ‘Aḳiba, ‘How did your heart induce you to contradict the opinion of your colleagues?’ He replied, ‘I will prove it concerning him’. He went to the lad’s mother and found her sitting in the market selling beans. He said to her, ‘My daughter, if you will answer the question which I will put to you, I will bring you to the World to Come’. She said to him, ‘Swear it to me’. R. ‘Aḳiba, taking the oath with his lips but annulling it in his heart, said to her, ‘What is the status of your son?’ She replied, ‘When I entered the bridal chamber I was niddah and my husband kept away from me; but my best man57Both bridegroom and bride had ‘best men’, i.e. friends to attend to their interests(cf. Tosiftha Keth. I, 4). had intercourse with me and this son was born to me’. Consequently the child was both a bastard and the son of a niddah. It was declared, ‘R. ‘Aḳiba showed himself a great man when he contradicted his teachers’. At the same time they added, ‘Blessed be the God of Israel, Who revealed His secret to R. ‘Aḳiba b. Joseph’.

R. Joḥai58GRA and H read ‘Aḥai’. b. Josiah said: He who diverts his mind59lit. ‘empties his mind’ of serious matters. H. reads ‘he who gazes’, המצפה for המפנה. with women will eventually come within the power of sin. And he who diverts himself from sin and does not commit it, even though he be an Israelite,60i.e. a non-priest. he is worthy to offer a burnt-offering on the altar as did the High Priest; as it is stated, And he sent the young men of the children of Israel who offered burnt-offerings.61Ex. 24, 5. They were pure-minded young men and therefore performed the functions of the priests. And whoever makes himself indolent so as not to sin and does not commit it will be sustained by the lustre of the Divine Presence like the Ministering Angels; as it is stated, And they beheld God, and did eat and drink.62ibid. 11, explained in a spiritual sense: they enjoyed the lustre of the Divine Presence. R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: Whoever masturbates is as though he committed murder;63Cf. Nid. 13a (Sonc. ed., p. 86). as it is stated, That slay [shoḥeṭë] the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks.64Isa. 57, 5. Do not read shoḥeṭë but soḥeṭë (‘that squeeze out’). And the Sages said: He is as though he worshipped idols, as it is stated, Ye that inflame yourselves among the terebinths, under every leafy tree.65ibid. Rabbi [Eliezer b. Jacob] said: Whoever changes his word is as if he worshipped idols,66Cf. Sanh. 92a (Sonc. ed., p. 617). as it is stated, My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a mocker (metha‘tea‘),67Gen. 27, 12. and metha‘tea‘ means nothing else than idolatry, as it is stated, They are vanity, a work of delusion (ta‘tu‘im).68Jer. 51, 18. [Ye that inflame yourselves among the terebinths]69The Biblical verse is inserted by H.—hence the Sages declared: A man may not put his hand to his membrum. There are three [instances of abuse by] the hand and in all three [the hand merits] amputation:70Cf. Shab. 108b (Sonc. ed., p. 529). The hand that is put to the membrum let it be cut off! The hand that is put to the eye let it be cut off! The hand that is put to the vein for blood-letting let it be cut off! ‘The hand that is put to the membrum let it be cut off!’ Because it causes sexual excitement. ‘The hand that is put to the eye, let it be cut off!’ Because it leads to blindness.71Unclean hands, especially before they are washed in the morning, cause ‘infection’. ‘The hand that is put to the vein for blood-letting let it be cut off!’ Because it leads to death. Another interpretation of Ye that inflame yourselves among the terebinths: Whoever excites himself in order to masturbate is considered to be like an animal. Just as an animal is not mindful of what it does so is he; just as an animal is ignorant of what leads to death so is he; just as an animal is only destined for slaughter and has no portion in the World to Come, he too has no portion in the World to Come. Of him Solomon in his wisdom declared, Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward72Eccl. 3, 21.—this refers to the souls of the righteous who do not arouse themselves and do not masturbate. And the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth73ibid.—this refers to the souls of the wicked who arouse themselves and masturbate. Another interpretation of Ye that inflame yourselves among the terebinths: Whoever arouses himself and masturbates forfeits his life, as it is stated, And Er, Judah’s first-born, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.74Gen. 38, 7. His sin was that he prevented pregnancy; cf. Midrash Rabbah, Genesis, LXXXV, 4 (Sonc. ed., p. 792). And whoever deliberately causes an erection is a transgressor, as it is stated, And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the Lord.75ibid. 10; cf. the preceding verse.Even children meet the Divine Presence, as it is stated, A seed shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation.76Ps. 22, 31; cf. Sanh. 110b (Sonc. ed., p. 761). It shall be told indicates that when God’s glory can be related by a person, i.e. even a child when he is able to speak, he earns his right to a share in the World to Come. For what sin do a man’s children die [young]?77Shab. 32b (Sonc. ed., p. 148); cf. Midrash Ecclesiastes 4, 1 (Sonc. ed., p. 110). R. Eliezer said: For the sin of [unfulfilled] vows, as it is said, Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt … and destroy the work of thy hands.78Eccl. 5, 5. R. Nathan said: For the sin of [neglecting] the mezuzah, as it is written, And thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thy house, and upon thy gates which is followed by that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children.79The prolonged life of the children is made conditional in Deut. 11, 20f., on the fulfilment of the preceding commandment. R. Nehorai said: For the sin of [neglecting] the ẓiẓith, as it is written, Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor.80Jer. 2, 34; skirts refers to the precept of ẓiẓith. R. Joshua81GRA. emends to ‘R. Judah the Prince’. said: For the sin of [neglecting the study of] the Torah children die young, as it is stated, Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.82Hos. 4, 6. The parallel in Shab. 32b (Sonc. ed., p. 148) cites Jer. 2, 30. R. ‘Aḳiba said: Whoever does not occupy himself with [the study of] the Torah causes poverty to come upon his children.What should a man do so that his children shall grow rich and flourish?83Reading with GRA ויתקיימו. Let him fulfil the will of God and the wishes of his wife. This is the will of God: Let him freely distribute his money to the poor, as it is stated, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the needy; his righteousness endureth for ever.84Ps. 112, 9.

It is related of R. Ṭarfon that, although he was very wealthy, he did not give gifts to the poor [in adequate manner]. Once R. ‘Aḳiba met him and said to him, ‘Master, would you like me to purchase one or two cities for you?’ He replied, ‘Yes’ and at once handed R. ‘Aḳiba four thousand golden dinars. R. ‘Aḳiba took the money and distributed it among the poor. Later R. Ṭarfon met him and asked, ‘Where are the cities which you purchased for me?’ [R. ‘Aḳiba] took him by the hand and led him to the House of Study. He produced a Book of Psalms and placed it in front of them both. They went on reading until they came to the verse, He hath scattered abroad, etc., and then he exclaimed, ‘This is the city which I bought for you’. Thereupon R. Ṭarfon stood up, kissed him and said to him, ‘My teacher and friend—my teacher in wisdom, my friend in social conduct’, and gave him still more money to distribute. It is further related of R. Ṭarfon85Ned. 62a (Sonc. ed p. 196). that he was once eating figs from his garden when his tenant came and [not recognizing him] gave him a severe beating. R. Ṭarfon did not disclose his identity until the tenant recognized him. On recognizing him, he rent his garments, tore his hair, cried bitterly and fell at his feet imploring him, ‘My lord master, forgive me!’ Why [did R. Ṭarfon not reveal his identity] all that [length of time]? Because he would not make use of the crown of the Torah, since whoever makes use of the crown of the Torah has no share in the World to Come.86Cf. Aboth IV, 7 (Sonc. ed., IV, 5, p. 46). These are the wishes of one’s wife:87The text resumes consideration of R. ‘Aḳiba’s statement at the beginning of the paragraph. R. Eliezer said: He should speak seductively to her at the time of intercourse. R. Judah said: He should [endeavour] to make her happy at the time when he is engaged in fulfilling the commandment towards her, as it is stated, Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing.88Eccl. 8, 5. Commandment is explained of the husband’s marital duty."If a man desires that his sons should be students of the Torah, let him examine his actions89(89) This phrase occurs in ‘Erub. 13b (Sonc. ed., p. 87) where n. 2 gives Rashi’s explanation that the verb refers to intention and not to past actions. and speak seductively to his wife during intercourse.R. Eliezer b. Jacob said:90(90) So B.B. 10b (Sonc. ed., p. 49) and GRA. V reads ‘A disciple of the wise is not permitted to examine his actions and put his money’. One should not put his money [51b] into a charity bag unless he is supervised by a man like R. Ḥanina b. Teradion. It is related of R. Ḥanina b. Teradion that once some money [to be distributed among the poor on] Purim was mixed up by him with charitable funds [in general]. He sat in confusion and exclaimed, ‘Woe is me! Perhaps I have incurred the penalty of death at the hand of Heaven’. While he was still sitting in a troubled state of mind, the executioner came and told him, ‘Master, it has been decreed against you that you be wrapped in [a scroll of] your Torah and be burnt with it’.91(91) So GRA. V has ‘wrapped and burnt with your Torah and to Israel your people’. Cf. Semaḥoth VIII, 11. He arose and they wrapped him in his [scroll of the] Torah and surrounded him with bundles of twigs. When the fire caught sight of him, it cooled down and removed itself from him. Whereupon the executioner rose up in amazement and asked him, ‘Master, are you the man condemned to be burnt?’ He replied, ‘Yes’. He then asked him, ‘Why has the fire gone low?’ He replied, ‘I adjured it in the name of my Creator that it should not touch me until I know whether it was so decreed against me in Heaven. Wait one hour and I will let you know’. The executioner was sitting in wonderment and said [to himself], ‘Why should persons who decree death and life for themselves92(92) Through their adherence to the Torah. be subject to the yoke of [the Roman] government?’ He said [to R. Ḥanina,] ‘Arise and go, and whatever the government desires to do to me let it be done’. He replied, ‘You foolish man! Heaven has approved the sentence passed on me, and if you do not kill me God has many slayers, [e.g.] many bears, leopards, lions, wolves, many serpents and scorpions to attack me. Ultimately, however, God will exact from you punishment for my blood’. Thereupon the executioner understood that such was the [divine] method;93(93) That God would hold him responsible although he only acted under the orders o his government. so he jumped up and fell into the fire. From the midst of the fire he shouted,94(94) The reading of GRA has been followed. V reads: ‘he arose and then fell upon his face, and as he perished and he made his voice heard from the fire and said’. ‘Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried,95(95) Ruth 1, 17. [adding] where you live will I live’. At once a voice from heaven96(96) lit. ‘daughter of a voice’, the term for a heavenly proclamation. declared, ‘R. Ḥanina b. Teradion and his executioner are both destined for the life of the World to Come’."R. Eliezer said:97Ber. 27b (Sonc. ed., p. 164). He fails to give him his proper title ‘My master and teacher’. Whoever greets his teacher [with the ordinary salutation] forfeits his life. Ben ‘Azzai said: Whoever greets his teacher [with the ordinary salutation] or responds to his salutation [in the ordinary way] or opposes his school98Cf. Sanh. 110a (Sonc. ed., p. 755). forfeits his life. And anyone who repeats a statemen in the name of a Sage from whom he has not learnt it99Reading with H lemado (learnt it) instead of ’amaro (said it). causes the Divine Presence to depart from Israel. But whoever repeats a statement in the name of the man who made it brings redemption to the world; as it is stated, And Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.100Esth. 2, 22; cf. Meg. 15a (Sonc. ed., p. 89). Who [for this purpose is to be considered] a man’s teacher? Whoever has taught him Mishnah and Shas, but not [only] Scripture. This is the opinion of R. Meir; R. Judah said: One from whom he has derived the greater part of his knowledge. R. Jose said: Whoever has enlightened his eyes in the [study of the] Mishnah. If [his teacher] is blind, he should not say to him, ‘The sun has set’101Thus calling attention to his blindness, which is perpetual darkness. but ‘Remove your tefillin’.102Worn only during the day, a delicate and indirect way of telling his teacher that it was no longer day-time. V prints this sentence within brackets to indicate that it is out of place. GRA includes it in Ben ‘Azzai’s statement above and inserts it after ‘opposes his school forfeits his life’