A Community Disintergrates and Rebuilds

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Table of Contents

SeSSion 4: A Community Disintegrates

Talmud Excerpts

o Gittin 55b–56a—A Party Goes Terribly Wrong .............................................................................................................................................2

o Yoma 9b—Unwarranted Hatred ........................................................................................................................................................................6

Supplemental Material

o Parallel Stories in Josephus ................................................................................................................................................................................8

SeSSion 5: A Community Reestablishes itself

Talmud excerpts

o Gittin 56a–56b—Rabban Yohanan Ben Zakkai Reestablishes Judaism ...............................................................................................9

o Berakhot 28b—Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai’s Final Reflection .............................................................................................................12


o Bava Kamma 52a—The Punishment of Blind Leadership .......................................................................................................................14

o Parallel Stories in Josephus .............................................................................................................................................................................15

All translations are from the new Steinsaltz English edition of the Koren Talmud Bavli, with the exception of Gittin 55b–56b and Bava Kamma 52a, which are adapted from the Soncino translation.

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Gittin 55b–56a—A Party Goes Terribly Wrong

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Gittin 55b–56aR. Johanan said: What is illustrative of the verse, “Happy is the man that feareth always, but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief?” The destruction of Jerusalem came through a Kamza and a Bar Kamza; the destruction of Tur Malka came through a cock and a hen; the destruction of Bethar came through the shaft of a leather.

The destruction of Jerusalem came through a Kamza and a Bar Kamza in this way. A certain man had a friend Kamza and an enemy Bar Kamza. He once made a party and said to his servant, Go and bring Kamza. The man went and brought Bar Kamza. When the man [who gave the party] found him there he said, “See, you tell tales about me; what are you doing here? Get out!” Said the other: “Since I am here, let me stay, and I will pay you for whatever I eat and drink.” He said, “I won’t.” “Then let me give you half the cost of the party.” “No,” said the other. “Then let me pay for the whole party.” He still said, “No,” and he took him by the hand and put him out. Said the other, “Since the Rabbis were sitting there and did not stop him, this shows that they agreed with him. I will go and inform against them to the Government.” He went and said to the Emperor, “The Jews are rebelling against you.” He said, “How can I tell?” He said to him: “Send them an offering and see whether they will offer it [on the altar].” So he sent with him a fine calf. While on the way he made a blemish on its upper lip, or as some say on the white of its eye, in a place where we [Jews] count it a blemish but they do not. The Rabbis were inclined to offer it in order not to offend the Government. Said R. Zechariah b. Abkulas to them: “People will say that blemished animals are offered on the altar.” They then proposed to kill Bar Kamza so that he should not go and inform against them, but R. Zechariah b. Abkulas said to them, “People will say that one who makes a blemish on consecrated animals must be put to death.”

R. Johanan thereupon remarked: Through the scrupulousness of R. Zechariah b. Abkulas our House has been destroyed, our Temple burnt and we ourselves exiled from our land.

He [the Emperor] sent against them Nero the Caesar. As he was coming he shot an arrow towards the east, and it fell in Jerusalem. He then shot one towards the west, and it again fell in Jerusalem. He shot towards all four points of the compass, and each time it fell in Jerusalem. He said to a certain boy: “Repeat to me [the last] verse of Scripture you have learnt.” He said: “And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel.” He said: “The Holy One, blessed be He, desires to lay waste his House and to lay the blame on me.” So he ran away and became a proselyte, and R. Meir was descended from him.

He then sent against them Vespasian the Caesar who came and besieged Jerusalem for three years. There were in it three men of great wealth, Nakdimon b. Gorion, Ben Kalba Shabua and Ben Zizith Hakeseth. Nakdimon b. Gorion was so called because the sun continued shining for his sake. Ben Kalba Shabua was so called because one would go into his house hungry as a dog [keleb] and come out full [sabea]. Ben Zizith Hakeseth was so called because his fringes [zizith] used to trail on cushions [keseth]. Others say he derived the name from the fact that his seat [kise] was among those of the nobility of Rome. One of these said to the people of Jerusalem, “I will keep them in wheat and barley.” A second said, “I will keep them in wine, oil and salt.” The third said, “I will keep them in wood.” The Rabbis considered the offer of wood the most generous, since R. Hisda used to hand all his keys to his servant save that of the wood, for R. Hisda used to say, “A storehouse of wheat requires sixty stores of wood [for fuel].” These men were in a position to keep the city for twenty-one years.

The biryoni were then in the city. The Rabbis said to them: “Let us go out and make peace with them [the Romans].” They would not let them, but on the contrary said, “Let us go out and fight them.” The Rabbis said: “You will not succeed.” They then rose up and burnt the stores of wheat and barley so that a famine ensued.


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Yoma 9b—Unwarranted Hatred

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Yoma 9b—Unwarranted Hatred

Yoma 9bThe Gemara continues to discuss the sins of Israel across the generations: Why was the First Temple destroyed? Because of three matters, sins, that were rampant at the time: idolatry, licentiousness and murder. Regarding idolatry it is written, “The bed is too short for stretching out, and the cover is too narrow for curling up” (Yeshaya 28:20). What is the meaning of “the bed is too shortn2 for stretching out”? Rabbi Yonatan said: This bed is too short for two acquaintancesn3 to stretch themselves (the Gemara is making a pun on the word histare’a—histarer ra). It is inconceivable that the Temple should contain both service of God and the idolatry that King Menashe set there. What is meant by “the cover is too narrow for curling up”? Rabbi Shemuel son of Nahmani said: when Rabbi Yonatan reached this text he would cry and say: it is written about God “He gathers waters of the sea together like a heap” (Tehilim 33:7), and yet for Him “the cover became too narrow.” He interpreted the word ‘maseikha’ (the idol) as becoming a ‘tzara’ (opponent, as in the phrase ‘isha tzara’—co-wife) to the ‘kehitkanes’—to God who is able to gather the waters.

Regarding licentiousness it is written, “The Lord said ‘Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with heads thrown back, with roving eyes and with affected gait, making a tinkling with their feet” (Yeshaya

3:16). The Gemara explains: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty”—they exaggerated and emphasized their height, in that a tall woman would walk next to a short one accenting the former’s stature. “They walked with heads thrown back”—they walked with straight posture. “They had roving eyes”—they filled, that is painted, their eyes with blue make-up to highlight them. “With affected gait”—they walked heel to toe, small steps like a child. “Making a tinkling with their feet”— Rabbi Yitzhak said: they brought myrrh and balsam placed these in their shoes, and when they approached young men they would kick and spray their perfume on them, filling them with desire like the adder’s poison. Te’akhasna is explained here as “akhas” meaning snake.

Regarding murder it is written, “Menashe put so many innocent people to death that he filled Jerusalem with blood from end to end” (II Melakhim 21:16).

But considering that the people during the Second Temple were occupied in learning Torah, observance of commandments and righteous acts and not by the wicked sins just described, why was it destroyed? Because the people had baseless hatred towards one another. This teaches that baseless hatred is as sinful as the three severe sins of idolatry, licentiousness and murder.

NoTES: The bed is too short—Why does the Gemara cite this verse which requires interpretation rather than any number of more explicit verses? Perhaps it is because this verse shows how particular the prophet was over this sin (R”i haLavan). Or this verse might have been used as an opportunity to teach a favored interpretation to it (Gevurat Ari).

Two acquaintances—This phrase is used to avoid insulting God’s honor, for the two acquaintances there were two priests: a priest of God and a priest of Ba’al (Ben Yehodaya).

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Parallel Stories in Josephus The stories that appear in the Gemara in Gittin present the perspective of the Talmudic Sages, who explain the background to the destruction of the Temple, the tensions that existed between different factions at that time, etc. from their own perspective. As such, while the narrative is important to us, it cannot be taken as an authoritative historical document. The short excerpts below, taken from the works of Josephus Flavius, the Roman-Jewish historian, offer parallel accounts of the conflict that existed in Jerusalem at that time.

For more information about Josephus, including links to full-text online versions of his work, see http://www.josephus.org/.

AssAssins in the temple Antiquities 20.8.5 164–166Certain of these robbers went up to the city, as if they were going to worship God, while they had daggers under their garments; and, by thus mingling themselves among the multitude, they slew Jonathan [the high priest]; and as this murder was never avenged, the robbers went up with the greatest security at the Festivals after this time; and having weapons concealed in like manner as before, and mingling themselves among the multitude, they slew certain of their own enemies, and were subservient to other men for money; and slew others not only in remote parts of the city, but in the Temple itself also; for they had the boldness to murder men there, without thinking of the impiety of which they were guilty.

And this seems to me to have been the reason why God, out of his hatred to these men’s wickedness, rejected our city; and as for the Temple, he no longer esteemed it sufficiently pure for him to inhabit therein, but brought the Romans upon us, and threw a fire upon the city to purge it; and brought upon us, our wives, and children, slavery—as desirous to make us wiser by our calamities.

the murder of ZAchAriAs War 4.5.4 335–344 And now these Zealots and Idumaeans were quite weary of simple massacre, so they had the audacity to set up mock trials and courts of justice for that purpose. They intended to have Zacharias, the son of Baris, one of the most eminent of the citizens, slain. What provoked them against him was

that hatred of wickedness and love of liberty which were so eminent in him; he was also a rich man, so that by taking him off, they did not only hope to seize his effects, but also to get rid of a man that had great power to destroy them. So they called together, by a public proclamation, seventy of the principal men of the populace, for a show trial, as if they were real judges, although they had no proper authority. In front of these citizens Zacharias was accused of a design to betray their city to the Romans and to have traitorously sent to Vespasian for that purpose. Now there appeared no proof or sign of what he was accused; but they affirmed themselves that they were well persuaded that so it was, and desired that such their affirmation might be taken for sufficient evidence.

Now when Zacharias clearly saw that there was no way remaining for his escape from them, as having been treacherously called before them and imprisoned, but with no intention of a legal trial, he took great liberty of speech in that despair of life he was under. Accordingly he stood up, and laughed at their pretended accusation, and in a few words confuted the crimes laid to his charge; after which he turned his speech to his accusers, and went over distinctly all their transgressions of the Law, and made heavy lamentations upon the confusion they had brought public affairs into.

In the meantime the Zealots grew tumultuous, and could scarce refrain from drawing their swords, although they designed to preserve the appearance and show of judicature to the end. They were also desirous, on other accounts, to try the judges, whether they would be mindful of what was just at their own peril.

Now the seventy judges brought in their verdict, that the person accused was not guilty—choosing rather to die themselves with him, than to have his death laid at their doors.

Hereupon there arose a great clamor by the Zealots upon his acquittal, and they were all indignant at the judges for not having understood that the authority that was given them was but in jest. So two of the boldest of them fell upon Zacharias in the middle of the Temple, and slew him. And as he fell down dead they bantered him, and said, “Now you have our verdict also, and a surer release.” They then threw him down out of the Temple into the valley beneath it.

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Gittin 56a–56b—Rabban Yohanan Ben Zakkai Reestablishes Judaism

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Rabban Yohanan Ben Zakkai Reestablishes Judaism—Gittin 56a–56bAbba Sikra the head of the biryoni in Jerusalem was the son of the sister of Rabban Johanan b. Zakkai. The latter sent to him saying, Come to visit me privately. When he came he said to him, “How long are you going to carry on in this way and kill all the people with starvation?” He replied: “What can I do? If I say a word to them, they will kill me.” He said: “Devise some plan for me to escape. Perhaps I shall be able to save a little.” He said to him: “Pretend to be ill, and let everyone come to inquire about you. Bring something evil smelling and put it by you so that they will say you are dead. Let then your disciples get under your bed, but no others, so that they shall not notice that you are still light, since they know that a living being is lighter than a corpse.” He did so, and R. Eliezer went under the bier from one side and R. Joshua from the other. When they reached the door, some men wanted to put a lance through the bier. He said to them: “Shall the Romans say. They have pierced their Master?” They wanted to give it a push. He said to them: “Shall they say that they pushed their Master?” They opened a town gate for him and he got out.

When he reached the Romans he said, “Peace to you, O king, peace to you, O king.” He [Vespasian] said: “Your life is forfeit on two counts, one because I am not a king and you call me king, and again, if I am a king, why did you not come to me before now?” He replied: “As for your saying that you are not a king, in truth you are a king, since if you were not a king Jerusalem would not be delivered into your hand, as it is written, And Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one. ‘Mighty one’ [is an epithet] applied only to a king, as it is written, ‘And their mighty one shall be of themselves etc.’; and Lebanon refers to the Sanctuary, as it says, ‘This goodly mountain and Lebanon.’ As for your question, why if you are a king, I did not come to

you till now, the answer is that the biryoni among us did not let me.” He said to him: “If there is a jar of honey round which a serpent is wound, would they not break the jar to get rid of the serpent?”

He could give no answer. R. Joseph, or as some say R. Akiba, applied to him the verse, ‘[God] turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish.’ He ought to have said to him: We take a pair of tongs and grip the snake and kill it, and leave the jar intact.

At this point a messenger came to him from Rome saying, “Rise up! For the Emperor is dead, and the notables of Rome have decided to make you head [of the State].” He had just finished putting on one boot. When he tried to put on the other he could not. He tried to take off the first but it would not come off. He said: What is the meaning of this? R. Johanan said to him: Do not worry: the good news has done it, as it says, ‘Good tidings make the bone fat.’ What is the remedy? Let someone whom you dislike come and pass before you, as it is written, ‘A broken spirit drieth up the bones.’ He did so, and the boot went on. He said to him: “Seeing that you are so wise, why did you not come to me till now?” He said: “Have I not told you?”—He retorted: “I too have told you.”

He said: “I am now going, and will send someone to take my place. You can, however, make a request of me and I will grant it.” He said to him: “Give me Jabneh and its Wise Men, and the family chain of Rabban Gamaliel, and physicians to heal R. Zadok.” R. Joseph, or some say R. Akiba, applied to him the verse, ‘[God] turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish’. He ought to have said to him; Let them [the Jews] off this time. He, however, thought that so much he would not grant, and so even a little would not be saved.


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׳ד כ:פ :חכ ףד . Perek IV . 28b 187186 Perek IV . 28b . ׳ד כ:פ :חכ ףד

On a similar note, the Gemara recounts related stories with different approaches. The Sages taught: When Rabbi Eliezer fell ill, his students entered to visit him. They said to him: Teach us paths of life, guidelines by which to live, and we will thereby merit the life of the World-to-Come.

He said to them: Be vigilant in the honor of your counterparts, and prevent your children from logic when studying verses that tend toward heresy (ge’onim),n and place your children, while they are still young, between the knees of Torah scholars, and when you pray, know before Whom you stand. For doing that, you will merit the life of the World-to-Come.

A similar story is told about Rabbi Eliezer’s mentor, Rabban Yoĥanan ben Zakkai:p When Rabbi Yoĥanan ben Zakkai fell ill his students entered to visit him. When he saw them, he began to cry.n His students said to him: Lamp of Israel, the right pillar, the mighty hammer, the man whose life’s work is the foundation of the future of the Jewish people, for what reason are you crying? With a life as complete as yours, what is upsetting you?

He said to them: I cry in fear of heavenly judgment, as the judgment of the heavenly court is unlike the judgment of man. If they were leading me before a flesh and blood king whose life is temporal, who is here today and dead in the grave tomorrow; if he is angry with me, his anger is not eternal and, consequently, his punishment is not eternal; if he incarcerates me, his incarceration is not an eternal incarceration, as I might maintain my hope that I would ultimately be freed. If he kills me, his killing is not for eternity, as there is life after any death that he might decree. Moreover, I am able to appease him with words and even bribe him with money, and even so I would cry when standing before royal judgment. Now that they are leading me before the supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, Who lives and endures forever and all time; if He is angry with me, His anger is eternal; if He incarcerates me, His incarceration is an eternal incarceration; and if He kills me, His killing is for eternity. I am unable to appease Him with words and bribe him with money. Moreover, but I have two paths before me, one of the Garden of Eden and one of Gehenna, and I do not know on which they are leading me; and will I not cry?

His students said to him: Our teacher, bless us. He said to them: May it be His will that the fear of Heaven shall be upon you like the fear of flesh and blood. His students were puzzled and said: To that point and not beyond? Shouldn’t one fear God more? He said to them: Would that a person achieve that level of fear. Know that when one commits a transgression, he says to himself: I hope that no man will see me. If one was as concerned about avoiding shame before God as he is before man, he would never sin.

The Gemara relates that at the time of his death, immediately be-forehand, he said to them: Remove the vessels from the house and take them outside due to the ritual impurity that will be imparted by my corpse, which they would otherwise contract. And prepare a chair for Hezekiah, the King of Judea, who is comingn from the upper world to accompany me.

MISHNA The mishna cites a dispute with regard to the obligation to recite the Amida prayer, also

known as Shemoneh Esreh, the prayer of eighteen blessings, or simply as tefilla, prayer. Rabban Gamliel says: Each and every day a person recites the prayer of eighteen blessings. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A short prayer is sufficient, and one only recites an abridged version of the prayer of eighteen blessings. Rabbi Akiva says an intermedi-ate opinion: If he is fluent in his prayer, he recites the prayer of eighteen blessings, and if not, he need only recite an abridged version of the prayer of eighteen blessings.h

Rabbi Eliezer says: One whose prayer is fixed, his prayer is not supplication and is flawed. The Gemara will clarify the halakhic implications of this flaw.

נ נסוכ אליעזד,כ יכ דב ףלהכ ש נןדכ דב נוכ ת:נוכ למ ינו,כ דב לודכ אמדוכ דו.כ לב למי:יוכ תהעולםכ לףייכ הןכ ב הכ ונז ףייםכ אודףותכ

א.כ הב

בו:כףבדי ם,כומנעוכ אמדכלהםדכהזהדוכביכ ד ב יןכ ב יבוםכ והוש יון,כ ההג מןכ ני םכ ב–כ ליםכ ל מת׳ םכ את ו ש ף מים,כ תלמי:יכךכ בילכ ובש עומ:ים,כ םכ את מיכ ל׳ניכ עוכ :

א.כ ז וכלףייכהעולםכהב ת

למי:יוכ אי,כנ נסוכת ןכז יכיוףנןכב ףלהכדב ו שדאהכאותםכהתףילכלב ות.כ יוןכש דו.כ לב דאל,כעמו:כהימיני,כ למי:יודכנדכיש אמדוכלוכת

הכבו ה?כ ניכמהכאת ישכהףז ,כמ׳ ט ׳

היוכ ו:םכ דכ ש ב מלךכ ל׳ניכ אילוכ להםדכ אמדכבד,כ ב ומףדכ אןכ היוםכ ש אותי,כ מולי יןכעולם,כ עסכ עסוכ איןכ –כ עליכ ועסכ אםכ שעולם,כ איסודכ איסודוכ איןכ –כ אוסדניכ ואםכואםכממיתניכ–כאיןכמיתתוכמיתתכעולם,כואניכממוןכ–כאחכ ף:וכב :בדיםכולש י ולכל׳ייסוכבמולי יםכ יוכש וע ש יכ ןכהייתיכבו ה;כ ׳ עלכ:ושכ ה המל יםכ מל יכ מלךכ ל׳ניכ אותיכהואכףיכו ייםכלעולםכולעולמיכ דוךכהוא,כש בעסכ עסוכ –כ עליכ ועסכ אםכ ש עולמים,כעולם,כואםכאוסדניכ–כאיסודוכאיסודכעולם,כואיניכ ממיתניכ–כמיתתוכמיתתכעולם,כ ואםכממון;כ ף:וכב :בדיםכולאכלש י ולכל׳ייסוכבניכ:ד ים,כאףתכ ישכל׳ניכש אכש ולאכעו:,כאליו:עכ ואיניכ ם,כ יהנ ג לכ ש ואףתכ ע:ןכ ןכ ג לכ ש

ה?!כ איזוכמולי יםכאותיכ–כולאכאב ב

ד נו!כאמדכלהםדכיהיכדצוןכ ינו,כב אמדוכלודכדבדכ ש ב מודאכ עלי םכ מיםכ ש האכמודאכ ת שאן?!כ–כאמדכ למי:יודכע:כ ת ו:ם.כאמדוכלוכא:םכעובדכעבידהכ ש :עו,כ להםדכולואי!כת

לאכידאניכא:ם.״כ אומדדכ״ש

ניכ ליםכמ׳ נוכ טידתו,כאמדכלהםדכ׳ עתכ׳ ש באכלףז יהוכמלךכיהו:הכ ס הטומאה,כוה ינוכ

א. ב ש

לכיוםכויוםכ מליאלכאומדדכב ןכג מתניפכדבעכ יהוש יכ דב דה.כ עש מנהכ ש א:םכ לכ ל מת׳ע יבאכ יכ דב דה.כ עש מונהכ ש מעיןכ אומדדכלכ ל ׳יוכ–כמת׳ ב תוכ ׳ל ת גודהכ ש אומדדכאםכמונהכ ש מעיןכ –כ לאוכ ואםכ דה,כ עש מונהכ ש

דה. עש

בעכ תוכ ׳ל ת הכ העוש אומדדכ אליעזדכ יכ דבףנונים. תוכת ׳ל איןכת

Rabbi Yehoshua says: One who cannot recite a complete prayer because he is walking in a place of danger, recites a brief prayer and says: Redeem, Lord, Your people, the remnant of Israel, at every transition [parashat ha’ibur], the meaning of which will be discussed in the Gemara. May their needs be before You. Blessed are You, Lord, Who listens to prayer.

While praying, one must face toward the direction of the Holy Temple. One who was riding on a donkey should dismount and pray calmly. If he is unable to dismount, he should turn his face toward the direction of the Temple. If he is unable to turn his face, it is sufficient that he focus his heart opposite the Holy of Holies. Similarly, one who was traveling in a ship or on a raft [asda]b and is unable to turn and face in the direction of Jerusalem, should focus his heart opposite the Holy of Holies.

GEMARA Since the mishna deals with the fundamen-tal obligation to recite the Amida prayer, the

Gemara seeks to resolve fundamental problems pertaining to this prayer. Corresponding to what were these eighteen blessings in-stituted? n When the Shemoneh Esreh was instituted by the Sages, on what did they base the number of blessings?

Rabbi Hillel, son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naĥmani, said: Corre-sponding to the eighteen mentions of God’s name that King David said in the psalm: “Give unto the Lord, O you sons of might” (Psalms 29). Rav Yosef said: Corresponding to the eighteen men-tions of God’s name in Shema. Rabbi Tanĥum said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Corresponding to the eighteen verte-brae in the spine beneath the ribs.

Since Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s opinion based the Amida prayer on the spinal vertebrae, the Gemara cites another statement of his that connects the two: Rabbi Tanĥum said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: In those blessings where one is required to bow, one who prays must bowh until all the vertebrae in the spine protrude.

Establishing a different indicator to determine when he has bowed sufficiently, Ulla said: Until he can see a small coin [issar],b on the ground before him opposite his heartn (Rav Hai Gaon). Rabbi Ĥanina said: There is room for leniency; once he moves his head forward, he need not bow any further. Rava said: But that applies only if he is exerting himself when doing so, and he appears like one who is bowing. However, if he is able, he should bow further.

Until now, the prayer of eighteen blessings has been discussed as if it was axiomatic. The Gemara wonders: Are these eighteen bless-ings? They are nineteen.

Rabbi Levi said: The blessing of the heretics, which curses inform-ers, was instituted in Yavne and is not included in the original tally of blessings. Nevertheless, since the number of blessings corre-sponds to various allusions, the Gemara attempts to clarify: Cor-responding to what was this nineteenth blessing instituted?

Rabbi Levi said: According to Rabbi Hillel, son of Rabbi Shmu-el bar Naĥmani, who said that the eighteen blessings correspond to the eighteen mentions of God’s name that King David said in the psalm, the nineteenth blessing corresponds to a reference to God in that psalm, where a name other than the tetragrammaton was used: “The God of glory thunders” (Psalms 29:3). According to Rav Yosef, who said that the eighteen blessings correspond to the eighteen mentions of God’s name in Shema, the additional blessing corresponds to the word one that is in Shema. Although it is not the tetragrammaton, it expresses the essence of faith in God. Ac-cording to what Rabbi Tanĥum said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, that the eighteen blessings correspond to the eighteen vertebrae in the spine, the additional blessing corresponds to the small vertebra that is at the bottom of the spine.

נהכ ס מ וםכ ב ההולךכ אומדדכ עכ יהוש יכ דבהפכ עכ ״הוש ואומדדכ צדה,כ הכ ׳ל ת לכ ל מת׳תכ דש לכ׳ דאל,כב אדיתכיש ךכאתכש אתכעמהכהפכ דוךכאת העבודכיהיוכצד יהםכל׳ניך,כב

ה. ׳ל שומעכת

ואםכ ל,כ ל וית׳ יד:כ –כ הףמודכ עלכ דו בכ היהכניו,כואםכאינוכ אינוכי ולכליד:כ–כיףזידכאתכ׳נג:כ יןכאתכלבוכ ניוכ–כי ו י ולכלהףזידכאתכ׳ס׳ינהכאוכ ךכב ים.כהיהכמהל :ש יכה יתכ :ש ביכ :ש יתכ ב נג:כ לבוכ יןכאתכ י ו –כ אכ אס: ב

ים. :ש ה

נג:כמי?כ דהכ מונהכעש גמפכהניכש

דכנףמנידכ מואלכב יכש דב דיהכ: לכב יכהל אמדכדבו:כ : אמדכ ש דותכ אז דהכ עש מונהכ ש נג:כ נג:כ ניכאלים.״כדבכיוסחכאמדדכ ״הבוכלהפכב במע.כ ש דיאתכ ב ש דותכ אז דהכ עש מונהכ שלוידכ ןכ ב עכ יהוש יכ דב אמדכ נףוםכ ת יכ דב אמדכ

:דה. ש ב דהכףוליותכש מונהכעש נג:כש

לוידכ ןכ ב עכ יכיהוש דב נףוםכאמדכ ת יכ דב ואמדכלכ וכ ית׳ ש ע:כ י דעכ ש צדיךכ לכ ל ת׳ המ

:דה;כ ש ב ףוליותכש

נג:כ דכ איס ידאהכ ש :יכ ע:כ אמדדכ אכ עולדאשוכ ענעכ נ ש יוןכ אמדדכ ףנינאכ יכ דב לבו;כמצעדכ שובכאינוכצדיך.כאמדכדבאדכוהואכ–כ:

דע. מאןכ: יהכומףזיכ נ׳ש

סדיכהווין!כ ש מניכסדי,כת הניכת

נוה.כ יבנהכת יניםכב תכהמ ד יכלוידכב אמדכדבנוה?כ נג:כמיכת

מואלכ יכש דב דיהכ: לכב יכהל יכלוידכלדב אמדכדבהדעים,״כ בו:כ ה ״אלכ נג:כ –כ נףמניכ דכ במע;כ דיאתכש ב נג:כ״אף:״כש לדבכיוסחכ–כ נג:כ ןכלויכ–כ עכב יכיהוש נףוםכאמדכדב יכת לדב

:דה.כ ש ב הכש ףוליאכ טנ

And prevent your children from logic when study-ing verses that tend toward heresy – ני ם ב ומנעוכיון ההג Many explanations were suggested for :מןכthis phrase. According to Rashi, it means that one should prevent his children from studying Bible in general. Some say that it refers specifically to when the children merely study the Bible without under-standing it. For this reason, they should be seated at the knee of a Torah scholar who will teach them the meaning of the text (HaKotev). Others explained that one should prevent children from studying the philosophical discipline of logic (Rav Hai Gaon). Yet others held that it means that one should prevent them from studying the Bible in a way that is not in accordance with the interpretation of the Sages (Arukh).

He began to cry – התףילכלב ות: Some say that he cried in order to enhance his students’ fear of divine judgment and to spur them on to engage more fer-vently in Torah and mitzvot (HaKotev, Ĥefetz Hashem).

Prepare a chair for Hezekiah, the King of Judea, who is coming – א ב אכלףז יהוכמלךכיהו:הכש ס :וה ינוכ Some say that it was specifically Hezekiah who ap-peared to Rabban Yoĥanan because he was one of his descendants (Rav Sa’adia Gaon). Others say that Hezekiah appeared because Rabban Yoĥanan, like Hezekiah before him, brought about an increase in the Torah study among the Jews (see Proverbs 25:1). This may also be interpreted symbolically. Hezekiah, as the representative of the royal House of David, was declaring that there is no anger over the fact that Rabbi Yoĥanan filled the position of Nasi in place of the descendants of Beit Hillel who were descendants of the House of David. It was also an allusion to the fact that the position of Nasi, the throne represented by the chair, would be restored to a descendant of the House of David, Rabban Gamliel (Tziyyun Le-Nefesh Ĥayya). Others interpret the appearance of King Hezekiah as a message that, although Hezekiah did not surrender when Assyria laid siege to Jerusa-lem, he approved of Rabban Yoĥanan’s concessions to Roman rule as timely, and that is why he came to accompany him (Rabbi Y. A. Herzog).

notes

Rabban Yoĥanan ben Zakkai – אי ןכז ןכיוףנןכב Nasi :דבof the Sanhedrin following the destruction of the Temple, Rabban Yoĥanan ben Zakkai was among the greatest leaders of Israel of any generation. A priest, Rabban Yoĥanan ben Zakkai was one of the youngest students of Hillel the Elder. He led Israel for many years of his long life. Prior to the destruction of the Temple he lived in Beror Ĥayil, afterwards he moved to the city of Arev.

Personalities

If he is fluent in his prayer, he recites the prayer of eighteen blessings, and if not, he need only recite an abridged version of the prayer of eigh-teen blessings – מונה לכש ל ׳יוכ–כמת׳ תוכב ׳ל גודהכת אםכשדה מונהכעש ואםכלאוכמעיןכש דהכ One who stands :עשin prayer and is fluent in the prayer is required to recite the entire Amida prayer. This is in accordance with Rabbi Akiva, who adopts the compromise posi-tion between the other two opinions. The halakha is generally ruled in accordance with his opinion. Only in exigent circumstances, i.e., when the time is passing or when traveling, may one recite the first three blessings of the Amida prayer, followed by havinenu, followed by the final three blessings. Even if it turns out that he does have time later to recite the entire Amida prayer, he need not do so (Rambam Sefer Ahava, Hilkhot Tefilla 2:2; Shulĥan Arukh, Oraĥ Ĥayyim 110:1).

halakha

Raft [asda] – א :אס:

Babylonian raft from the First Temple period

Issar – ד ,The issar was one of the smallest coins :איסalthough a peruta was worth only an eighth of an issar, and was typically made of copper. The size of an issar is often used as a gauge of measurement in the Talmud.

Two sides of an issar

background

Corresponding to what were these eighteen blessings instituted – נג:כמי דהכ מונהכעש The :הניכשGemara was impelled to search for a source for eigh-teen blessings, as it elsewhere condemned excessive praise of God. Therefore, it cites an allusion to show that there is a solid foundation for this practice (Penei Yehoshua). The Jerusalem Talmud added: These bless-ings correspond to the eighteen times that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are mentioned in a single verse, and the eighteen mitzvot commanded in the construc-tion of the Sanctuary.

Until he can see an issar opposite his heart – י: נג:כלבו דכ ידאהכאיס There are several interpretations :שof this phrase. Rashi explains that when one bends over, there will be a wrinkle of flesh the size of an issar near his heart. Others explained that one standing opposite an individual who is bowing will be able to see no more than the size of an issar next to his heart (Rashi as quoted by Talmidei Rabbeinu Yona).

notes

One who prays must bow, etc. – י דע לכצדיךכש ל ת׳ המ In those blessings of the Amida prayer in which :ו ופone is required to bow, he must do so until the ver-tebrae in the spine protrude. He should not bend so low that his head is level with his belt, as that ap-pears arrogant. One who is sick or elderly may lower his head in a manner that makes it obvious that he wishes to bow (Rambam Sefer Ahava, Hilkhot Tefilla 5:12; Shulĥan Arukh, Oraĥ Ĥayyim 113:4–5).

halakha

Berakhot 28b—Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai’s Final Reflection

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Berakhot 28b—Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai’s Final Reflection

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Bava Kamma 52a—The Punishment of Blind LeadershipResh Lakish said in the name of R. Jannai: If a man sells a herd to his neighbor, as soon as he has handed over the mashkokith to him, the act of ownership is complete. What are the circumstances? If possession by pulling [has already taken place], why was the act of ownership not completed by the act of pulling? If delivery [of the flock has already taken place], why was the act of ownership not completed by the act of delivery?

We suppose in fact that possession by pulling [has already taken place], and it was still necessary for the seller to say to the buyer, “Go forth, take possession by pulling and become the owner,” but as soon as he handed over the mashkokith to him, this was equivalent [in the eye of the law] to his saying, “Go forth, take possession by pulling and complete the act of ownership.”

What is mashkokith?—Here they explained it: “The bell.” R. Jacob, however, said:

“The goat that leads the herd.” So too a certain Galilean in one of his discourses before R. Hisda said that when the shepherd becomes angry with his flock he appoints for a leader one which is blind.

Parallel Stories in Josephus As noted in the previous lesson, the stories that appear in the Gemara in Gittin present the perspective of the Talmudic Sages, who explain the background to the destruction of the Temple, the tensions that existed between different factions at that time, etc. from their own perspective. As such, while the narrative is important to us, it cannot be taken as an authoritative historical document. The short excerpt below, taken from the works of Josephus Flavius, the Roman-Jewish historian, offer a parallel account of the conflict that existed in Jerusalem at that time.

For more information about Josephus, including links to full-text online versions of his work, see http://www.josephus.org/

the fulfillment of Ancient propheciesWar 4.6.3 381–388But these Zealots came at last to that degree of barbarity as not to bestow a burial either on those slain in the city, or on those that lay along the roads; but as if they had made an agreement to cancel both the laws of their country and the laws of nature, and at the same time that they defiled men with their wicked action, they would pollute the Divinity itself also, they left the dead bodies to putrify under the sun. ...These men, therefore, trampled upon all the laws of man, and laughed at the Laws of God; and for the oracles of the prophets, they ridiculed them as the tricks of jugglers. Yet did these prophets foretell many things concerning virtue and vice, by the transgression of which these Zealots occasioned the fulfilling of those very prophecies belonging to their country.

For there was a certain ancient oracle of those men, that the city should then be taken and the sanctuary burnt, by right of war, when a sedition should invade the Jews and their own hands should pollute the Temple of God. Now, while these Zealots did not disbelieve these predictions, they made themselves the instruments of their accomplishment.


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