Perek XI Daf 96 Amud b

notes -The Gemara asks: And did Nebuchadnezzar ascend to Jeru וּמִ י סְלֵ יק נְבוּכַד ּנֶצַר לִירוּשָׁלַיִם? וְהָכְתִ יב: Some understand : שׁ ַ ָ ּ ו ו ר ַ ּ ב ר שׁ ַ ָ ּ ו ו ר – salem? But isn’t it written with regard to Zedekiah: “And they Leaper son of a leaper this, through a slight variation in the vocalization, to ״וַּיַעֲלוּאֹתֹו אֶ ל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶ ל רִבְלָתָ ה״. וְאָמַ ר took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylonia, to .(mean: Leap, son of a leaper (Ge’onim רַ בִּ י אַ בָּ ּהו: זֹו אַ נְטֹוכְ יָא! רַ ב חִסְ דָּ א וְרַ ב יִצְ ָחק Riblah” (II Kings 25:6), and Rabbi Abbahu says: This place מַחְ ּיֵיה ְבּ קֹו ָ פא – called Riblah is a reference to Antioch. Apparently, Nebuchad- Struck with the dull end and it opened בַּ ר אֲ בוּדִ ימִ י. חַ ד אָמַ ר: דְּ מוּת דְּ יֹו ְ קנֹו הָיְתָ ה צו: Some understood that the reference is to the : וְ אִ י ּ ַ פ ּ ַ ת ח ֲחקּוָ הק לֹו עַל מֶרְ ּכַבְ ּתֹו. וְחַ ד אָמַ ר: אֵ ימָ ה nezzar was in Antioch, not in Jerusalem. Rav Ĥisda and Rav wooden handle of the ax. Based on that interpretation, Yitzĥak bar Avudimi resolved this apparent contradiction. One the verse could be well understood as meaning: He יְתֵ הירָ ההָיְתָ לֹו מִ ֶּ מּנוּ, וְדֹומֶ ה ּכ יְמִ שֶׁ עֹומֵ ד says: An image of Nebuchadnezzar’s likeness was engraved on became known as the wielder of the wood of an ax לְ ָ פנָ י ו . Nebuzaradan’s chariot, and he regarded that image as though (Ya’avetz). Nebuchadnezzar were actually there. And one says: Nebu- ­Some say the Sanctu : ָ ּגבַ ּה הֵ י כָ לָ א – The Sanctuary rose zaradan was in extreme fear of Nebuchadnezzar, and it was as ary was raised and then lowered to show Nebuzaradan though Nebuzaradan was always standing before Nebuchad- that all the destruction took place only through the will nezzar. That is an example of the honor of a servant to his master and power of God (Ramah). : ֲח ָ זא דָּ מֵ י ּה ִדּ ְ זכַ רְ יָ ה – mentioned in the verse. He saw the blood of Zechariah This appears to be based upon the prophecy of Ezekiel ;The Gemara proceeds to discuss the role of Nebuzaradan in with regard to Jerusalem: “For its blood is in its midst § אָמַר רָבָא: טְעִין ּתְלָת מְאָה ּכוּדְנְיָיתָא the destruction of the Temple. Rava says: Nebuchadnezzar sent it set it upon the bare rock; it poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust; that it might cause fury to נַ רְ ָ ּגא ְדּ ַ פ ְר ְ זלָ א דְּ שׁ ָ לֵ י ט ְבּ ַ פ ְר ְ זלָ א שׁ ְ דַ ר לֵ י ּה to Nebuzaradan three hundred mules laden with iron axes come up, that vengeance might be taken, I have set her נְ בוּכַ דְ נֶ ַ ּצר לִ נְ בוּ זַרְ אֲ דָ ן. ּכוּ ְ ּלהוּ בְּ לַ עֲ תִ ינְ הוּ that cut iron. All of them were incapacitated in the attempt to ”blood upon the bare rock, that it should not be covered חַ ד דַּ ׁ ָּ שא דִּ ירוּשׁ ְלֵ ם, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״ ִּ פ ּתוּחֶ יהָ ּיָחַ ד breach one gate of Jerusalem, as it is stated: “And now they (Ezekiel 24:7–8). These verses allude to the slaying of the pound its carved work together with hatchet and with ham- prophet upon the stones of the Temple, and that his בְּכַ ׁ ִּ שיל וְכֵ ַיל ּפֹת יַהֲ לֹמוּן״. בָּעֵ י לְמֶ יהְ דַּ ר. אֲמַ ר: .mers” (Psalms 74:6). Nebuzaradan sought to return to Baby- blood was not covered until his death was avenged ״מִסְ ְּת ֵ פינָא דְּ לָ א לִ יעַבְ דוּ בִּ י ִ ּכי הֵ יכִ י דַּ עֲבַ דוּ lonia and said: I am afraid. I want to ensure that they will not בְּסַ נְחֵרִ יב״. do to me just as they did to Sennacherib, whose downfall was background Iron wool combs were : מַ סְ רֵ י ָ קא ְ ּד ַפ רְ ְ זלָ א – in Jerusalem. Iron comb utilized by the Romans as implements of torture to tear n the victim’s flesh. ;A Divine Voice emerged and said: Leaper, son of a leaper נָ ְפ ָקא ָ קלָ א, וַאֲמַ ר: ״שׁ ַ וָּ ור בַּ ר שׁ ַ וָּ ור. נְ בוּזַרְאֲדָ ן, Nebuzaradan, take the leap, as the time has arrived for the שׁ ַ וָּ ור, דִּ מְטָ א ִזימְ נָא דְּ ַמ ְ קדְּשׁ ָ א חָרֵ יב וְהֵ יכָלָ א Temple to be destroyed and the Sanctuary to burn. One ax מִ יקְלֵי״. ּפָשׁ ּלֵיה חַד נַרְגָּא. אֲתָא ּמַחְיֵיה remained for him to use. He went and struck the gate with the dull end of the ax and it opened,n as it is stated: “He became ְבּ קֹו ָ פא וְאִ י ַּ פ ַּ תח, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״יִוָּדַ ע ּכְמֵבִ יא ”known as the wielder of axes upward in a thicket of trees לְמָעְלָ ה בִּסְבָךְ עֵ ץ קַרְ דֻּ ּמֹות״. (Psalms 74:5). At the appropriate time the gate was breached as though the ax were cutting trees.

.He was proceeding and killing until he reached the Sanctuary הֲ וָ ה ָ קטֵ יל וְ ָאֵ זל עַ ד דִּ מְטָ א לְהֵ יכָלָ א. אַדְ לִ יק When he reached the Sanctuary, he ignited a fire in it. The בֵּ ּיה נוּרָ א, ּגָבַ ּה הֵ יכָלָ א. דָּרְ כוּ בֵּ ּיה ןמִ שׁ ְמַ ּיָא, Sanctuary rose,n seeking to enter Heaven so that it would not שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ּ״גַת דָּרַךְ ה׳ לִבְ תוּלַ ת בַּ ת יְהוּדָ ה״. burn. They trod upon it from Heavenand returned it to its place, as it is stated: “The Lord has trodden the virgin, the daughter ָ קא זַיְחָ א דַּעֲתֵ ּיה. ָנ ְפָ קא בַּ ת קָלָא, וַאֲמָרָ ה of Judah, as in a winepress” (Lamentations 1:15). Nebuzaradan Roman wool combs לֵ י ּה : ״ עַ ּ ָ מא ְ קטִ י לָ א ָ קטְ לַ ּתְ, הֵיכָלָא ַ קלְ יָ א became haughty, taking pride in his conquest. A Divine Voice ַ קלֵ ית, ִ קימְחָ א טְחִ ינָא טְחִ ינַ ת, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: קְחִ י׳ emerged and said to him: Your haughtiness is unwarranted, as רֵחַ יִם וְטַחֲ נִי קָמַ ח ַ ּג ִ ּלי צַ ּמָתֵ ךְ ְחֶשׂ ִּ פי שׁ ֹבֶ ל ַ ּג ִ ּלי you killed a nation that was already dead, you burned a Sanctu- שׁ ֹו ק יעִבְרִ נְהָ רֹות׳. ׳חִ ִּ טים׳ לֹא נֶאֱמַ ר, אֶ ָ ּלא ary that was already burned, and you ground flour that was already ground, as it is stated with regard to Babylonia: “Take ׳קֶמַ ח׳״. millstones and grind flour; uncover your locks, tuck up the train, uncover the leg, pass over rivers” (Isaiah 47:2). It was not stated: Grind wheat, but “grind flour,” indicating that all the destruction had already been wrought by God, and the role played by the enemy was insignificant.

­When he reached the Sanctuary, he saw the blood of Zecha ֲחזָא דָּ מֵ ּיה ִדּ זְכַרְ יָה דַּ הֲ וָ ה ָ קא רָתַ ח. אֲמַ ר לְ ּהו: n riah the priest boiling. It had not calmed since he was killed in ״מַ אי הַ אי״? אֲמַ רוּ לֵ י ּה: ״דַּ ם זְבָחִ ים הוּא the Temple (see II Chronicles 24:20–22). Nebuzaradan said דְ אִ י שׁ ְ ּ ַת ּ ֵ פי ךְ ״ . אֲ מַ ר לְ ה ּו : ״ אַ ְ י י תִ י וַ אֲ ַ נ סִ י אִ י to the priests there: What is this? They said to him: It is the :blood of offerings that was spilled.Nebuzaradan said to them מִדַּ ּמוּ״. ּכָסֵ י, וְלָ א אִ ידַּ ּמוּ. אֲמַ ר לְ ּהו: ּ״ג ַּלוּ לִ י, Bring animals and I will test to determine if the blood of the וְאִ י לָ א, סָרֵ יקְנָא לְכוּ לִבְשָׂרַיְיכוּ בְּמַסְרֵ י ָ קא animals is similar to the blood that is boiling. He slaughtered ְדּ ַ פ ְר ְ זלָ א ״ . the animals and their blood was not similar to the boiling blood. Nebuzaradan said to the priests: Reveal the source of that blood to me, and if not I will comb your flesh with an iron comb.b sanhedrin . Perek XI . 96b 311 . ״י קרפ :וצ ףד א background The priests said to Nebuzaradan: This blood is the blood of a אֲמַ רוּ לֵ י ּה: ״הַ אי ּכֹהֵ ן וְ נָבִ יא הוּא, דְּ אִ ּינַבֵּ י This status is bestowed upon a gentile priest and a prophet who prophesied for the Jewish people : ֵ ּ ג ר ּת ֹו שׁ ָ ב – Ger toshav לְ הוּ לְ יִשְׂ רָ אֵ ל בְּ חוּרְ בָּ נָא דִּ ירוּשְׁ לֵ ם, who seeks to gain permanent-resident status in Eretz Yisrael. In with regard to the destruction of Jerusalem and whom they וּ ְ קטָ לוּ הוּ ״. אֲ מַ ר לְ הוּ : ״אֲ נָ א ְמ ַ פּיְ יסָ נָ א order to do so, he is required to commit himself to fulfill certain mitzvot. There are several opinions with regard to the mitzvot killed. He said to the priests: I will pacify the blood so the boiling will stop. He brought the Sages and killed them over לֵ ּיה״. אַ יְיתִ י רַ בָּ נַן, ָ קטֵ יל עִ ּילָוֵ ּיה, וְלָ א נָ ח. included in that commitment. Some authorities hold that -the blood and its boiling did not cease. He brought school אַ יְיתִ י דַּרְ ְדּ ֵ קי דְּבֵ י רַ ב, ָ קטֵ יל עִ ּילָוֵ ּיה, וְלָ א .the sole requirement is that the ger toshav shun idol worship children and killed them over the blood and its boiling did נָח. אַיְיתִ י ּפִרְחֵ י ּכְהוּנָה, קָטֵיל ּעִיל ָּוֵיה, Others hold that in order to be granted that status he must commit to observe virtually all prohibitions other than those not cease. He brought young priests and killed them over the וְלָא נָח. עַד דִּי קְטַל ּעִיל ָּוֵיה ּתִשְׁעִין relating to consumption of forbidden foods. Most hold that he blood and its boiling did not cease. He continued killing until הוְאַרְבָּעָ רִ יבּ ֹוא, וְלָ א נָח. .must commit to observance of the seven Noahide mitzvot he killed 940,000 people over the blood, and its boiling did not cease. notes ,Nebuzaradan approached the blood and said: Zechariah :מִבְּנֵי בָנָיו שֶׁ ל סִ יסְרָ א – Among the descendants of Sisera קָרֵ ב לְגַבֵּ ּיה, אֲמַ ר: ״זְכַרְ יָה, זְכַרְ יָה! טֹובִ ים According to one tradition Rabbi Akiva was a descendant of Zechariah, the worthy among them I killed on your behalf. Is שׁ ֶבָּהֶ ן אִ יבַּדְ ִּ תים. נִיחָ א לָךְ דְּאִ יקְטְלִ ינְהוּ .Sisera, as it is known that he was a descendant of converts it satisfactory for you that I kill them all? Immediately the ּלְכוּלְהוּ״? מִּיָד נָח. הִרְהֵר ּתְשׁוּבָה The bitter saltwater rivers [tzinneyata] of Babylonia – boiling ceased. Nebuzaradan contemplated repentance. He בְּדַעֲתֵ ּיה. אֲמַ ר: ״מָ ה הֵ ם שֶׁ ּלֹא אִ יבְּ דוּ The ge’onim explain that there is a river called : דְּ צִ י ְ ּנ ָ י י תָ א דְּ בַ בְ לָ אֵ י Tzireyata adjacent to the ancient city of Ĥizreba in Babylonia said: If they, who caused only one person to perish, gained atonement only after all this killing, then with regard to that אֶ ּלָא ֶנפֶשׁ אַחַת – ּכָךְ, הַהוּא ּגַבְרָא .whose water is bitter and salty man, referring to himself, what will be required for him to gain מַ ה ֶּ תיהֱוִ י עֲלֵ ּיה״? עֲ ַרק, שׁ ְדַ ר ּפוּרְטִ יתָ א atonement? He deserted his army and dispatched a last will לְ בֵ י תֵ י ּה , ְ ו אִ י תְ ּג ַ ַ ּי י ר . to his house and converted.

The Sages taught in a baraita: Naaman the Aramean (see ָּ תנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״נַעֲמָ ן ּגֵר ּתֹושָׁ ב הָיָה. ּנְבוזַר b II Kings, chapter 5) was a ger toshav, meaning that he accepted אֲדָ ן ֵ ּגר צֶ ֶדק הָ יָה. מִבְּ נֵי בָ נָיו שׁ ֶ ל סִ יסְרָ א upon himself to refrain from idol worship but did not convert לָמְ דוּ ּתֹורָ ה בִּירוּשָׁלָיִם. מִבְּנֵי בָנָיו שֶׁ ל to Judaism. Nebuzaradan was a completely righteous convert. (Among the descendants of Siseran (see Judges, chapter 4 סַ נְחֵרִ יב לִ ְּ ימדוּ ּתֹורָ ה בָּרַבִּ ים״. וּמַ אן were those who studied Torah in Jerusalem. Among the נִינְהוּ? שׁ ְמַעְ יָה וְאַבְטַלְ יֹון. descendants of Sennacherib were those who taught Torah in public. The Gemara asks: And who are they? The Gemara answers: They wereShemaya and Avtalyon.p

The baraita continues: Among the descendants of Haman ״מִבְּנֵי בָנָיו שֶׁ ל הָמָ ן לָמְ דוּ ּתֹורָ ה בִּבְנֵי were those who studied Torah in Bnei Brak. And even among ָבְרק. ַוְא ף מִבְּנֵיבָנָיו שֶׁל אֹותֹו רָשָׁע the descendants of that wicked person, Nebuchadnezzar, בִּ י ּקֵשׁ ַה ָ ּקדֹושׁ בָּ רוּךְ הוּא לְהַכְ נִיסָ ן ַּ תחַ ת were those whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, sought to bring beneath the wings of the Divine Presence and have ַ ּכ ְנ ֵ פי הַ ׁ ּשְכִ ינָה. אָמְ רוּ מַ לְאֲ כֵ י הַ ׁ ּשָרֵ ת ִל ְ פנֵי them convert. The ministering angels said before the Holy ַה ָ ּקדֹושׁ בָּ רוּךְ הוּא: ׳רִבּ ֹונֹו ֶ לשׁ עֹולָ ם! מִ י One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe: The one who שֶׁהֶחֱרִ יב אֶ ת בֵּיתְךָ וְשָׂ ַרף אֶ ת הֵ יכָלְךָ destroyed Your House and burned Your Sanctuary, will You ּתַכְ נִיס ּתַחַ ת ַ ּכ ְנ ֵ פי הַ ׁ ּשְכִ ינָה׳״? הַ יְינוּ introduce him beneath the wings of the Divine Presence? דִּכְתִ יב: ִ״רּפִינוּ אֶ ת בָּבֶ ל, וְלֹא ְנִרּפָתָ ה״. The Gemara explains: That is the meaning of that which is ”written: “We have healed Babylonia, but she is not healed ּעוּלָא אָמַ ר: זֶה ּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַר. רַבִּ י שְׁ מוּאֵ ל -Jeremiah 51:9). Ulla says: This verse is a reference to Nebu) בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר: ּאֵל וּנַהֲרֹות בָּבֶל. chadnezzar, none of whose children converted. Rabbi Shmuel ְ ו תַ רְ ְ ּגמָ ּה : ְ ּ ד צִ י ְ ּנ ָ י י תָ א ) צְ רִ י דָ תָ א ( ְ ּ ד בַ בְ לָ אֵ י . bar Naĥmani says: This is not a reference to a person; rather, these are the rivers of Babylonia, and interpret it as referring to the bitter saltwater rivers of Babylonia.n

On a related note, the Gemara describes the events that led § אָמַ ר ָּעוּלא: עַ ּמֹון וּמֹואָ ב שִׁיבְּבֵי בִּישִׁ י to the destruction of the Temple. Ulla says: Ammon and דִּ ירוּשְׁלֵם הָ ווּ. ּכֵיוָן דְּשָׁמְעִינְהוּ לִנְבִיאֵ י Moab were bad neighbors of Jerusalem. Once they heard ְ ּד ָ קא מִ יתְ נַבְּ אִ י לְ חוּרְ בָּ נָא דְּ ירוּשְׁ לֵ ם, the prophets who prophesied about the destruction of the Jerusalem, they sent to Nebuchadnezzar: Emerge from your שׁ ְלַ חוּ לִנְבוּכַדְ ַ ּנֶצר: ״ ּפֹוק וְתָ א״. אֲמַ ר: dwelling place and come conquer them. Nebuchadnezzar said ״ מִ סְ ּ ְת ֵ פי נָ א דְּ לָ א לִ י עַ בְ ד ּו לִ י ְ ּכדַ עֲ בַ דוּ to them: I am afraid. I want to ensure that they will not do to ְבּ ַ ק ּ ָ מאֵ י ״ . me just as they did to my predecessors.

Personalities Shemaya and are cited in their names in the Talmud. Their ethical statements : ְ מ שׁ ע ַ י ְ ה ָ ו א ְ ב ַ ט ְ ל ַ י ְ ֹו ן – Shemaya and Avtalyon Avtalyon, the fourth pair of rabbinic Sages listed in tractate include a caution to avoid political engagement, perhaps in Avot, served as leaders of the Sanhedrin during the reign of reaction to the political turmoil extant during the latter years Herod the Great, during the first century BCE, and were among of the Second Temple period. There is a tradition that they the earliest tanna’im cited in the Mishna. They were converts or are buried in the village of Gush Halav, now called Jish, in the descendants of converts, and there is a tradition that their lin­ Upper Galilee. eage traces back to Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Few halakhot

״י קרפ :וצ ף אד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 96b 312 language Ammon and Moab sent to him that it is written:“For the ish is שְׁלַחוּ לֵ י ּה: ״׳ ִיּכ אֵ ין הָאִ ישׁבְּבֵיתֹו הָלַךְ Bar niflei – : Some suggest that niflei is from the Roman wool combs ַבּ ר ִנ ְ פלֵ י ,(not at home; he is gone on a long journey” (Proverbs 7:19 ­The connec :אֵ ימַ ת אָתֵ י בַּ ר נִפְלֵ י – Greek νεφέλη, nefelē, meaning cloud. This is a reference When the son of giants will come בְּדֶרֶךְ מֵרָ חֹוק׳. וְאֵ ין אִ ישׁ אֶ ּלָא ַהָ ּקדֹושׁ and ish is referring to no one but the Holy One, Blessed be He, tion between this passage and the previous discussion is unclear (see This status is bestowed upon a gentile who seeks : ֵ ּ ג ר ּת ֹו שׁ ָ ב – to the Messiah based on the verse: “One like a son of man NOTES Ger toshav Rashi). The Ramah explains that once the Gemara mentioned that the בָּ רוּךְ הוּא, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳ה׳ אִ ישׁ מִלְחָמָ ה׳״. as it is stated: “The Lord is anish of war” (Exodus 15:3). Nebu- came with the clouds of heaven” (Daniel 7:13). Leaper son of a leaper – : Some understand this, through to gain permanent resident status in Eretz Yisrael. In order to do so, he ,date of redemption was fixed after the destruction of the First Temple שׁ ַ ָ ּ ו ו ר ַ ּ ב ר שׁ ַ ָ ּ ו ו ר שְׁלַח ּלְהו: ִ״בּ קְרִ יבָ א הוּא, וְאָתֵ י״. שְׁלַחוּ chadnezzar sent to them is response: He is in a nearby location, a slight variation in the vocalization, to mean: Leap, son of a leaper is required to commit himself to fulfill certain mitzvot. There are several the Gemara inquires: When is the designated time after the destruction .and He will come. Theysent to Nebuchadnezzar: “He has gone (Ge’onim). opinions with regard to the mitzvot included in that commitment לֵ י ּה: ״הָ לַךְ בְּדֶרֶ ךְ מֵרָ חֹוק״. שׁ ְ לַ ח לְ ּהו: ״אִ ית of the Second Temple? on a journey from afar” (Proverbs 7:19). Nebuchadnezzar said Some authorities hold that the sole requirement is that the ger toshav לְ הוּ צַדִּ י ֵ קי, דְּבָ עוּ רַחֲמֵ י וּמַ יְיתוּ לֵ ּיה״. Some shun idol worship. Others hold that in order to be granted that status :מַחְ יֵ ּיה בְּ קֹו ָ פא וְאִ י ַּ פ ַּ תח – Struck with the dull end and it opened to them: They have righteous among them who will pray for understood that the reference is to the wooden handle of the ax. Based to return. he must commit to observe virtually all prohibitions other than those mercy and bring Him on that interpretation, the verse could be well understood as meaning: LANGUAGE relating to consumption of forbidden foods. Most hold that he must He became known as the wielder of the wood of an ax (Ya’avetz). .Some suggest that nifleiis from the Greek νεφέλη, commit to observance of the seven Noahide mitzvot : ַ בּ ר נִ ְ פלֵ י – Bar niflei Ammon and Moab sent to Nebuchadnezzar: “He has taken שׁ ְלַ חוּ לֵ י ּה: ״׳צְ רֹור הַ ֶ ּכ ֶסף ָל ַ קח בְּ יָדֹו׳. וְאֵ ין Some say the Sanctuary was raised nefelē, meaning cloud. This is a reference to the Messiah based on : ָ ּגבַ ּה הֵ י כָ לָ א – The Sanctuary rose ”a bundle of kesef with him” (Proverbs 7:20), and kesef is refer- and then lowered to show Nebuzaradan that all the destruction took the verse: “One like a son of man came with the clouds of heaven ֶ ּכ ֶס ף אֶ ָ ּלא צַ ִדּ י ִ קי ם , שׁ ֶ ֶ ּנאֱ מַ ר : ׳ וָ אֶ ְ ּכרֶ הָ ִ ּלי ring to nothing other than the righteous, as it is stated: “So I (Daniel 7:13). place only through the will and power of God (Ramah). PERSONALITIES בַּחֲמִ ָּׁ שה עָשָׂ ר ּכ ֶָסף וְחֹמֶ ר שְׁ עֹרִ ים וְלֶתֶךְ bought her to me for fifteen pieces of kesef and for a kor of Shemaya and Avtalyon – : Shemaya and Avtalyon, the ְ מ שׁ ע ַ י ְ ה ָ ו א ְ ב ַ ט ְ ל ַ י ְ ֹו ן This appears to be : חֲ ָ זא דָּ מֵ י ּה דִּ ְ זכַ רְ יָ ה – He saw the blood of Zechariah שׁ ְ עֹרִ ים׳״. barley and a half-kor of barley” (Hosea 3:2). The inference is based upon the prophecy of Ezekiel with regard to Jerusalem: “For its fourth pair of rabbinic Sages listed in tractate Avot, served as leaders that God acquired the congregation of Israel due to the presence blood is in its midst; it set it upon the bare rock; it poured it not upon BACKGROUND of the Sanhedrin during the reign of Herod the Great, during the Iron combs of this kind were utilized by first century BCE, and were among the earliest tanna’im cited in the : מַ סְ רֵ י ָ קא ְ ּ ד ַ פרְ ְ זלָ א – of righteous people among them, and Ammon and Moab sent the ground, to cover it with dust; that it might cause fury to come up, Iron comb a message to Nebuchadnezzar that God had already taken the that vengeance might be taken, I have set her blood upon the bare the Romans as implements of torture to tear the victim’s flesh. Mishna. They were converts or descendants of converts, and there is a righteous and they no longer offered protection. rock, that it should not be covered” (Ezekiel 24:7–8). These verses allude tradition that their lineage traces back to Sennacherib, king of Assyria. to the slaying of the prophet upon the stones of the Temple, and that Few halakhot are cited in their names in the Talmud. Their ethical his blood was not covered until his death was avenged. statements include a caution to avoid political engagement, perhaps Nebuchadnezzar sent to them: Perhaps the wicked will repent in reaction to the political turmoil extant during the latter years of the שְׁלַח ּלְהו: ״הָדְרִ י רַ ִּׁ שיעֵי בִּתְשׁ וּבָ ה, וּבָ עוּ According Second Temple period. There is a tradition that they are buried in the :מִבְּנֵי בָנָיו שׁ ֶ ל סִ יסְרָ א – and become righteous and they will pray for mercy and they Among the descendants of Sisera רַ חֲמֵ י, וּמַ יְיתוּ לֵ ּיה״. שׁ ְ לַ חוּ לֵ י ּה: ּ״כְבָ ר קָבַ ע will bring Him to return. Ammon and Moab sent to Nebuchad- to one tradition Rabbi Akiva was a descendant of Sisera, as it is known village of Gush Halav, now called Jish, in the upper Galilee. לָהֶ ן זְמַ ן, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳לְ יֹום הַ ּכֶסֶ א יָבֹא בֵ יתֹו׳. nezzar: God already designated the time of their redemption, that he was a descendant of converts. אֵ ין ּכֶסֶ א אֶ ָ ּלא זְמַ ן, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳בַּ ּכ הֶסֶ לְ יֹום ְ ּ ד צִ י ְ ּנ ָי י תָ א – as it is stated: “On the day of the keseh, He will come home” The bitter saltwater rivers [tzinneyata] of Babylonia ­The ge’onim explain that there is a river called Tzireyata adja : דְּ בַ בְ לָ אֵ י Proverbs 7:20), and keseh is referring to nothing other than a) חַ ֵ ּג ּנו׳״. שׁ ְלַ ח לְ ּהו: ״סִ יתְ וָ וא הוּא, וְלָ א designated time, as it is stated: “Sound a shofar at the New cent to the ancient city of Ĥizreba in Babylonia whose water is bitter מָ צֵ י נָ א דְּ אָ תֵ י מִ ּ ַ תלְ ָ ּגא ּו מִ ּ ִ מי טְ רָ א ״ . Moon, at the keseh on the day of our feast” (Psalms 81:4). Since and salty. Some explain that : אַ ׁ ִּ שי ָ ּנא ְ ּ ד ט ּ ורָ א – there is a time designated for redemption, until then you can On the peaks of the mountains do as you please. Nebuchadnezzar sent to them: It is winter this phrase means that one should walk under the rocks that jut out now and I cannot come and conquer Jerusalem due to the snow of the mountain and that protect one from rain and snow (Ramah). Several commentaries note the difficulty in : ַ בּ ר נִ ְ פלֵ י – and the rain. Son of giants explaining bar niflei as a reference to the Messiah. Some explain that Ammon and Moab sent to him: Come on the peaks of moun­ there is an allusion to the Messiah in the fact that the numerical value שׁ ְלַ חוּ לֵ י ּה: ָּ ״תא אַ ׁ ִּ ש ּינָא דְּ טוּרָ א, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: n of bar niflei, 372, equals the numerical value of the name ben Yishai, tains, where the rain does not pool, as it is stated: “Send the ׳שׁ ִלְ חוּ רכַ מֹושׁ ֵ ל אֶרֶ ץ מִסֶּלַ ע מִדְבָּרָ ה אֶ ל lamb to the ruler of the land from the peaks of the wilderness which is a reference to the Messiah, son of Yishai. Others explain that .bar niflei means son of giants הַר בַּ תצִ ּיֹון׳״. שׁ ְלַ ח לְ ּהו: ״אִ י אָתִ ינָא, לֵ ית to the mount of the daughter of Zion” (Isaiah 16:1). Nebuchad- nezzar sent to them: If I come to Jerusalem, I will have no place לִי דוּכְתָא דְּיָתֵיבְנָא ּבֵּיה״. שְׁלַחוּ לֵי ּה: to dwell while laying siege to the city. Ammon and Moab sent ״קְבָ רֹות שֶׁ ּלָהֶ ם מְ ּעוּלִין ִמּפַלְטֵירִ ין שֶׁ ּלְךָ, to him: Their burial caves are superior to your palaces, and דִּכְתִיב: ׳בָּעֵת הַהִיא, נְאֻ ם ה,׳ יֹוצִיאוּ you can clear the caves and dwell there, as it is written: “At אֶתעַצְמֹות מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָ ה, וְאֶת עַצְמֹות that time, says the Lord, they shall remove the bones of the שָׂרָ יו, תוְאֶ עַצְ מֹות הַ ּכֹהֲנִים, תוְאֵ עַצְ מֹות kings of Judea, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets and the bones הַ ּנְבִיאִ ים, וְאֵ תעַצְמֹות יֹושְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלָיִם of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves; and they ִמ ּקִבְרֵ יהֶ ם; וּשׁ ְטָ חוּם לַ ׁ ּש ֶמֶשׁ וְלַּיָרֵחַ , וּלְ כֹל shall spread them before the sun and the moon and all of צְבָ א הַ ׁ ּשָמַ יִם אֲשׁ ֶ ר אֲהֵ בוּם וַאֲשׁ ֶ ר עֲבָ דוּם the hosts of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they וַאֲשׁ ֶ ר הָלְ כוּ אַחֲרֵ יהֶ ם׳״. have served, and after whom they have walked” (Jeremiah 8:1–2). Ultimately Nebuchadnezzar came to conquer Judea and removed the corpses to make room for his army.

Rav Naĥman said to Rabbi Yitzĥak: Have you heard when § אֲמַ ר לֵ ּיה רַ ב נַחְמָ ן לְרַבִּ י יִצְ ָחק: ״מִ י שׁ ְמִ יעַ nl n the son of giants [bar niflei] will come? Rabbi Yitzĥak said לָךְ אֵ ימַ ת אָתֵ י ׳בַּ ר ִנפְלֵ י׳״? אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״מַ אן to him: Who is the son of giants? Rav Naĥman said to him: ׳בַּ ר ִנפְלֵ י׳״? אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״מָשׁ ִ יחַ ״. ״מָשׁ ִ יחַ ׳בַּ ר He is the Messiah. Rabbi Yitzĥak asked him: Do you call the Messiah son of giants? Rav Naĥman said to him: Yes, as it is ִנפְלֵ י׳ קָרֵ ית לֵ ּיה״? אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״אִ ין, דִּ כְתִ יב: written: “On that day I will establish ׳בַּ ּיֹום הַ הוּא ָא ִ ק ים

notes Some explain that of the name ben Yishai, which is a reference to the Messiah, son : אַ ׁ ִּ שי ָ ּנא ְ ּ ד ט ּ ורָ א – On the peaks of mountains this phrase means that one should walk under the rocks that of Yishai. Others explain that bar niflei means son of giants. jut out of the mountain and that protect one from rain and When the son of giants will come – : The אֵ ימַ ת אָתֵ י בַּ ר ִנפְלֵ י .(snow (Ramah connection between this passage and the previous discussion Several commentaries note the diffi­ is unclear (see Rashi). The Ramah explains that once the Gemara : ַבּ ר ִנ ְ פלֵ י – Son of giants culty in explaining bar nifleias a reference to the Messiah. Some mentioned that the date of redemption was fixed after the explain that there is an allusion to the Messiah in the fact that destruction of the First Temple, the Gemara inquires: When is the the numerical value of bar niflei, 372, equals the numerical value designated time after the destruction of the Second Temple? sanhedrin . Perek XI . 96b 313 . ״י קרפ :וצ ףד א Perek XI Daf 97 Amud a

background .(the Tabernacle of David that is fallen [hanofelet]” (Amos 9:11 אֶת ּסֻכַת דָּוִיד הַ ּנֹפֶלֶת׳״. אֲמַר לֵיּה: Apparently Gavlan was the Aramaic name That is why the Messiah is called bar nifli. Rabbi Yitzĥak said to : ַ ּגבְ לָ ן – Gavlan הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יֹוחָנָן :דֹּור שֶׁבֶּן דָּוִד בָּא for the Golan, which had a sizable Jewish population him that this is what Rabbi Yoĥanan says: During the generation בּ ֹו ּ ַ תלְ מִ י דֵ י חֲ כָ מִ י ם מִ תְ מַ עֲ טִ י ם , וְ הַ ׁ ְּ שאָ ר .at the time in which the Messiah, son of David, comes, Torah scholars decrease; and as for the rest of the people, their eyes fail with עֵ ינֵיהֶ ם לֹותָּ כ בְּ יָגֹון וַאֲ נָחָ ה, וְצָ רֹות רַ בּ ֹות צז. sorrow and grief, and troubles increase. And the harsh decrees ּ ו ְג ר ז ֵ ֹו ת מ ק ָשֹׁות ִ ת ְ ח ד ַ ְ ּ שׁ תֹו , ע ַ ד שׁ ֶ ה ָ ִ ר א שׁ ֹו ָ נ ה will be introduced; before the first passes the second quickly ְּפק הוּדָ שׁ ְנִּיָה מְמַהֶרֶ ת לָ בֹא. comes.

The Sages taught in a baraita: With regard to the seven-year ָּ תנוּ רַבָּנַן : ָ ״שׁ בוּעַשׁ ןֶבֶּ דָּ דוִ אבָּ בּ ֹו – שׁ ָנָה period, i.e., the Sabbatical cycle, during which the Messiah, son רִ אשׁ ֹונָה מִ ְת ַ קּיֵ ים ִמקְרָ א ֶזה: ׳וְהִמְטַרְ ִּ תי עַ ל of David, comes: During the first year, this verse will be fulfilled: עִ יר אֶ חָ ת וְעַ ל עִ יר אַ חַ ת לֹא אַמְטִ יר׳; ְ שׁ נִּיָה “And I will cause it to rain upon one city and cause it not to rain upon another city” (Amos 4:7). During the second year of that חִ ֵ ּיצי רָ עָ ב מִשׁ ְ ַּ ת ּלְחִ ים; שׁ ְ לִ ישׁ ִ ית רָ עָ ב ָ ּגדֹול, period, arrows of famine will be shot, indicating that there will וּמֵתִ ים אֲ נָשׁ ִ ים וְנָשׁ ִ ים וְ ָטף חֲסִידִ ים וְאַ נְשׁ ֵ י be famine only in certain places. During the third year there will מַ עֲ ה ֶ שׂ , ת וְ ֹו רָ ה מִ שׁ ְ ּ ַ ת ַ ּכחַ ת מִ ּל ֹו מְ דֶ י הָ ; be a great famine, and men, women, children, the pious, and בָּרְבִ יעִ ית, שׂ ֹובַ עוְאֵ ינֹו שׂ ֹובַ ע; בַּחֲמִ ישׁ ִ ית, men of action will die, and the Torah is forgotten by those who שׂ ֹובַ ע ָ ּגדֹול, וְ אֹוכְלִ ין וְשׁ ֹותִ ין וּשְׂמֵחִ ין, study it. During the fourth year there will be plenty but not great plenty. During the fifth year there will be great plenty and they וְ התֹורָ חֹוז תֶרֶ לְלֹומְדֶ יהָ ; בַּ ׁ ִּ ש ּשִׁית, קֹולֹות, will eat, and drink, and rejoice, and the Torah will return to בַּ ׁ ּשְבִיעִ ית, מִלְחָ מֹות; בְּ מֹוצָאֵ י שׁ ְבִיעִ ית, those who study it. During the sixth year, heavenly voicesn will ֶ בּ ן דָּ וִ ד ָ בּ א ״ . be heard. During the Sabbatical Year, wars, e.g., the war of Gog and Magog, will be waged involving the Jewish people. During the year after the conclusion of the Sabbatical Year, the son of David will come.

Rav Yosef said: Haven’t there been several Sabbatical cycles ראֲמַ ברַ ֵיֹוסף: הָ א ַ ּכ ָּ מה שׁ ְבִ יעִ ית דַּ הֲ וָ ה ֵ ּכן, ,during which events transpired in that manner and nevertheless וְלָא אֲתָ א! אֲמַ ר אַבַּיֵי: בַּ ִּׁ ש ִּׁ שית קֹולֹות, the Messiah did not come? Abaye said: Have the phenomena: בַּ ׁ ְּבִ שיעִ ית מִלְחָ מֹות ימִ הֲ וָ ה? וְ עֹוד: ּכְסִדְרָ ן During the sixth year, heavenly voices, and during the Sabbatical ­Year, wars, transpired? And furthermore, have all these phe מִ י הֲ וָ ה ? nomena transpired in the order in which they were listed in the baraita?

The verse states: “That Your enemies taunted,n Lord, that they ״אֲשׁ ֶ ר חֵ ְרפ וּאֹויְבֶ יךָ ה׳ אֲשׁ ֶ ר חֵ ְרפוּ ִע ְ ּקבֹות have taunted the footsteps of Your anointed” (Psalms 89:52). It מְשׁ ִ יחֶךָ ״. ַּ תנְיָא: י״רַבִּ היְהוּדָ אֹומֵ ר: דּ ֹור is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda says: During the gene­ ןשֶׁבֶּ דדָּוִ אבָּ בּ ֹו בֵּ ית הַ וַּועַ ד יִהְיֶה ִלזְנוּת, ration that the son of David comes, the hall of the assembly of the Sages will be designated for prostitution,n and the Galilee וְהַ ּגָלִ יל יֵחָרֵ ב, וְהַ ּגַבְלָ ן יֶאֱשׁ ָ ם, וְאַ נְשׁ ֵ י ְ ּגבוּל will be destroyed, and the Gavlan,b i.e., Bashan, will be desolate,n יְסֹובְ בוּ מֵעִיר לְעִיר וְלֹא ּיְחוּנְנוּ, וְחָכְמַ ת and the residents of the border who flee the neighboring gentiles הַסּ ֹופְרִ ים ּתִסְרַ ח, וְיִרְאֵ י חֵטְ א ּיִמָאֲ סוּ, ּו ְ פנֵי .will circulate from city to city and will receive no sympathy הַ דּ ֹו ר ִ ּכ ְ פנֵ י כֶ לֶ ב , The wisdom of scholars will diminish, and sin-fearing people will be despised. And the face of the generation will be like the face of a dogn in its impudence and shamelessness.

notes There is a variant : ְ ו ַ ה ַ ּג ְ ב ָ ל ן ֶ י ֱ א שׁ ָ ם – Some explain the reference is to the sound of And the Gavlan will be desolate :קֹולֹות – Voices thunder, where the source of these sounds is unseen (Ramah). reading: And the parchment [gevil] will be desolate, meaning that the Torah will be perceived as false, and its directives will not be See Rashi, who fulfilled. Likewise, instead of: Residents of the border gevul[ ] will :אֲשׁ ֶ ר חֵ רְ פ וּאֹויְבֶ יךָ – That Your enemies taunted questions the placement of this verse, and the Maharshal, who circulate, the variant reading is: The people of the parchment holds that it is not part of the text of the Gemara. The Maharsha [gevil] will circulate, meaning scribes who write Torah scrolls will explains that it is an introduction to everything that follows. The wander from place to place due to difficulty earning a livelihood enemies of the Jewish people will taunt them when they see (Ge’onim; Ramah). the length of the exile and the troubles that the Jewish people experience. And the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog – ­Some explain the phrase: The face of the gene : ּו ְ פ י נֵ הַ דּ ֹו ר ִ ּכ ְ פנֵ י כֶ לֶ ב The hall of the assembly of the Sages will be for prostitution – ration, to mean that even the leaders of the generation will have Some explain that this means that promis­ the face of a dog in their impudence and shamelessness (Etz :בֵּ ית הַ וַּ ועַ ד יִהְ יֶה ִלזְנוּת cuity will be so ubiquitous that a hall of assembly devoted to Yosef; Maharsha). lewdness will be established in a central location.

״י קרפ .זצ אףד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 97a 314 notes And the truth will be lacking, as it is stated: “And the truth is וְהָאֱמֶ ת נֶעֱדֶרֶ ת, שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳ ּוַתְהִ י הָאֱמֶ ת lacking [ne’ederet], and he who departs from evil is negated” This teaches that truth will become like so many flocks – Some explain that the reference : נֶעְדֶּרֶ ת וְסָ ר מֵרָ ע מִשְׁ ּתֹולֵל׳״. מַ אי ּ״וַתְהִ י מְ לַ ּ ֵ מד שׁ ֶ ַ ּנעֲ ֵשׂ י ת עֲ דָ רִ י ם עֲ דָ רִ י ם Isaiah 59:15). What is the meaning of the phrase: And the) is to the proliferation of schools of thought and sects, with הָאֱמֶת נֶעְדֶּרֶת״? אָמְרִ י דְּבֵי רַ ב: ּמְלַמֵד truth is lacking [ne’ederet]? The Sages ofthe study hall of Rav each claiming a monopoly on the truth. said: This teaches that truth will become like so many flocks ּשֶׁנַעֲשֵׂית עֲדָרִים עֲדָרִים וְהֹולֶכֶת ּלָה. n adarim] and walk away. What is the meaning of the phrase: Personalities] מַאי ״וְסָר מֵרָע ּמִשְׁתֹולֵל״? אָמְרִי דְּבֵי Rav Tavut was a fifth-generation : רַ ב טָ ב ּו ת – And he that departs from evil is negated”? The Sages of the Rav Tavut“ רַבִּי שׁ ֵ ילָ א: ּכָל מִי שׁ ֶסָּר מֵרַע מִשׁ ְ ּתֹולֵל עַ ל study hall of Rabbi Sheila said: Anyone who deviates from Babylonian amora and apparently a student of Rava, whose הַבְּרִ ּיֹות. evil is deemed insane by the people. statements he cites on several occasions.

Concerning the lack of truth, Rava says: Initially I would say § אֲמַר רָבָא: מֵרֵישׁ הֲוָה אָמִינָא ּלֵיכָא -that there is no truth anywhere in the world. There was a cer קוּשְׁטָא בְּעָלְמָ א. אֲמַ ר לִי הַ הוּא מֵרַבָּנַן tain one of the Sages, and Rav Tavutp is his name, and some וְרַ ב טָבוּת שְׁמֵ ּיה, וְאָמְרִ י לָ ּ ה ברַ טַבְיֹומֵ י say Rav Tavyomei is his name, who was so honest that if they were to give him the entire world, he would not deviate from שׁ ְמֵ ּיה, דְּ אִ י הָ ווּ יָהֲבִ י לֵ ּיה ָ ּכל חֲלָלֵ י דְּ עָלְמָ א the truth in his statement. He said to me: One time I happened לָא הֲוָה מְשַׁ ּנֵי בְּדִ יבּוּרֵ י ּה: ״זִימְנָא חֲדָ א to come to a certain place, and Truth is its name, and its אִ יקְלַעִ י לְהַ הוּא אַתְרָ א, ְוקוּשׁ ְטָ א שׁ ְמֵ ּיה, ,residents would not deviate from the truth in their statements וְלָ א הֲ ווּ מְשׁ ַ ּנִי בְּדִ יבּ וּרַ יְיהוּ, וְלָ א הֲ וָ ה מָ יֵית and no person from there would die prematurely. I married אִ ינִישׁ מֵהָתָ ם בְּלָ א ִ זימְ ּנֵיה. נְסִ יבִ י אִ ּיתְתָ א a woman from among them, and I had two sons from her. מִ ּינְהֹון, וְהָ ווּ לִ י ּתַרְ ֵּ תין בְּ נִין מִ ּינ ָּה״.

.One day his wife was sitting and washing thehair on her head יֹומָ א חַ ד הֲוָ ה יָתְבָ א דְּבֵ יתְ הוּ ְו ָ קא חָ יְי ָ פא Her neighbor came and knocked on the door. He thought: It רֵ ישָׁ א. אֲתַ אי שִׁיבַּבְ ָּ ת ּה טַ ְרפָא אַדַּ ָּׁ שא. is not proper conduct to tell the neighbor that his wife is bathing. סְבַ ר :לָ או אֹורַ ח אַרְעָ א. אֲמַ ר לָ ּה: ״לֵ יתָ א He said to her: She is not here. Since he deviated from the truth his two sons died. The peopleresiding in that place came הָכָ א״. שׁ ְכִ יבוּ לֵ ּיה ּתַרְ ֵּ תין בְּ נִין. אָ תוּ אֱ ינָשׁ ֵ י before him and said to him: What is the meaning of this? He דְּאַתְרָ א ְל ַ ק ֵּ מ ּיה, אֲמַ רוּ לֵ י ּה: ״מַ אי הַ אי״? said to them: This wasthe nature of the incident, and told them אֲמַ ר לְ ּהו: ״הָכִ י הֲוָ ה מַעֲשֶׂ ה״. אֲמַ רוּ לֵ י ּה: what happened. They said to him: Please leave our place and ״בְּמָ טוּתָ א מִ ּינָךְ , ּפֹוק מֵאַתְרִ ין, וְלָ א ּתְגָרֵ י do not provoke premature death upon these people. ה בְּ וּ מ ֹותָ נָ א בְּ הָ נָ ךְ אֱ י נָשׁ ֵ י ״ .

The Gemara resumes its discussion of the messianic period.It is ַּ תנְיָא : י״רַבִּ נְהֹורַ אי אֹומֵ ר :דּ ֹור שׁ ֶבֶּ ן דָּ וִ ד -taught in a baraita that Rabbi Nehorai says: During the genera בָּא בֹּו נְעָרִ ים יַלְבִּינוּ ּפְנֵי ְזקֵנִים, ּוְזקֵנִים tion in which the son of David comes, youths will humiliate יַעַמְ דוּ ִל ְ פנֵי נְעָרִ ים, וּבַ ת ָ קמָ ה בְּאִ ָּ מ ּה, וְכַ ָ ּלה elders and elders will stand in deference before youths, and a daughter will rebel against her mother, and a bride against her בַּחֲ מֹותָ ּה, ּופְנֵי הַדּ ֹור ִּכפְנֵי כֶלֶ ב, וְאֵ ין הַבֵּ ן mother-in-law, and the face of the generation will be like the מִ תְ ַ בּ ֵ ּי י שׁ מֵ אָ בִ י ו ״ . face of a dog, and a son will not be ashamed before his father.

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Neĥemya says: During ּתַנְיָא :״רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אֹומֵ ר :דֹּור שֶׁבֶּ ן דָּוִד the generation that the son of David comes, arrogance will בָּ אבּ ֹו הָעַ ּזוּת ּתִרְבֶּ ה, וְהַ ּיֹו ֶ קר יְעַ וֵּ ת, וְהַ ֶּג ֶ פן proliferate and the cost of living will corrupt people so ֵּ יִתן ִּרְ פיֹו וְהַ ּיַיִ ן בְּ יֹו ֶ קר, וְ ְנֶה ּפְכָ ה ָ ּכל הַ ַּ מלְ כוּת they will engage in deceit. The vine will produce its fruit, and nevertheless, the wine will be costly. And the entire gentile לְמִ ינוּת, וְאֵ ין ּתֹוכָחָ ה״. מְסַּיַיע ּלֵיה לְרַבִּי monarchy will be converted to the heresy of Christianity, and יִצְ ָחק, דְּאָמַ ר רַ בִּ י יִצְ ָחק: אֵ ין בֶּ ן דָּ וִ ד בָּ א עַ ד .there will be no inclination among the people to accept rebuke שׁ ֶ ּתִתְ ַה ּפֵךְ ָ ּכל הַ ַּ מלְ כוּת לְמִ ינוּת. אָמַ ר רָבָ א: This baraita supports the opinion of Rabbi Yitzĥak, as Rabbi מַ אי קְרָ א? ֻ ּ״כ ּלֹו ָהפ ַךְ ןלָבָ טָ הֹור הוּא״. Yitzĥak says: The son of David will not come until the entire kingdom will be converted to heresy. Rava says: What is the verse from which this statement is derived? It is the verse: “It is all turned white; he is ritually pure” (Leviticus 13:13). One is a leper and ritually impure only if he has a leprous mark, however small, but not if his skin is completely leprous. Similarly, the world will be redeemed only when the Jewish people reach their lowest point.

The Sages taught in a baraita: The verse states: “For the Lord ָּ תנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״׳ ִ ּכי יָדִ ין ה׳ עַ ּמֹו ]וגו׳[ ִ ּכי יִרְאֶ ה shall judge His people and atone for His servants, when He ּכִי ָאזְלַת יָד ֶוְאפֶס עָצוּר ָוְעזוּב׳. אֵ ין בֶּ ן sees that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left” דדָּוִ אבָּ דעַ שֶּׁיִרְבּוּ הַ ָ ּמסֹורֹות. דָּבָ ר אַחֵ ר: (Deuteronomy 32:36). From the phrase “their power is gone” it is derived that the son of David will not come until informers דעַ שׁ ֶּיִתְמַעֲ טוּ הַ ּתַלְמִ ידִ ים. דָּבָ ר אַחֵ ר: עַ ד will proliferate. Alternatively, the Messiah will not come until שֶׁ ּתִכְלֶ ה ּפְרוּטָ ה מִ ן הַ ִ ּכיס. דָּבָ ר אַחֵ ר: עַ ד ,the number of students of Torah diminishes. Alternatively ֶ שׁ ּיִתְ יָיאֲשׁ וּ מִ ן הַ ְ ּג ָ ּאוּלה. שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳וְ ֶא ֶ פס the Messiah will not come until the peruta will cease from עָצוּר ָוְעזוּב׳ – ּכִבְיָכֹול אֵ ין סֹומֵךְ וְעֹוזֵר the purse. Alternatively, the Messiah will not come until they לְ ִ י ְ שׂ רָ אֵ ל ״ . despair from the redemption, as it is stated: “And there is none shut up or left,” as though there were no supporter or helper for the Jewish people. sanhedrin . Perek XI . 97a 315 . ״י קרפ .זצ ףד א This isas in that practice of Rabbi Zeira, who, when he would ִ ּכי הָ א דְּרַ בִּ י ֵ זירָ א, ִ ּכי הֲ וָ ה מַשׁ ְ ַ ּכח רַ בָּ נַן find Sages who were engaging indiscussions about the coming דְּמִעַסְּ ִ קי בֵּ ּיה, אֲמַ ר לְ ּהו: ״בְּמָ טוּתָ א, Likewise, instead of: Residents of the border [gevul] will circulate, the was sustained only by the loving-kindness of God. During the two variant reading is: The people of the parchment [gevil] will circulate, thousand years characterized by Torah, during which there are Torah of the Messiah, said to them: Please, I ask of you, do not delay בָּ עֵ ינָא מִ ַ ּנ ְ י י כ ּו לָ א תְ רַ ֲח ק ּ ו ּה , ְ ּ ד תָ ֵ נ י ָנ א : NOTES meaning scribes who write Torah scrolls will wander from place to and mitzvot, each person is sustained according to his own actions. his coming by calculating the end of days. As we learn in a ,Some explain the reference is to the sound of thunder :קֹולֹות – Voices baraita: There are three matters that come only by means of ׳שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה בָּאִ ין בְּהֶ יסַּ ח הַ דַּ עַ ת, אֵ ּלוּ הֵ ן: place due to difficulty earning a livelihood (Ge’onim; Ramah). There must be two thousand years of the messianic era in order to where the source of these sounds is unseen (Ramah). restore the world to its original state as it was after Creation (Rabbeinu :diversion of attentionfrom those matters,and these are they מָשׁ ִ יחַ , מְצִ יאָ ה, וְ ַעקְרָ ב׳ ״. ּו ְ פנֵ י – And the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog That Your enemies taunted – : See Rashi, who ques­ David Bonfils). .Some explain the phrase: The face of the generation, to TheMessiah, a lost item, and a scorpion : הַ דּ ֹו ר ִ ּכ ְ פנֵ י כֶ לֶ ב אֲשׁ ֶ ר חֵרְ פ וּאֹויְבֶ יךָ tions the placement of this verse, and the Maharshal, who holds that mean that even the leaders of the generation will have the face of a it is not part of the text of the Gemara. The Maharsha explains that it is dog in their impudence and shamelessness (Etz Yosef; Maharsha). Rav Ketina says: Six thousand years is the duration of the § אָמַ ר רַ ב קְטִ ינָא: שִׁ ית אַ ְל ֵ פי שְׁנֵי הָ ווּ an introduction to everything that follows. The enemies of the Jewish BACKGROUND This teaches that truth will become like so many flocks – world, and it is in ruins for one thousand years. The duration עָלְמָ א וְחַ ד חַ רוּב, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״וְ נִשְׂ ּגַב ה׳ ,Apparently Gavlan was the Aramaic name for the Golan : ַ ּגבְ לָ ן – Gavlan ּמְלַמֵד people will taunt them when they see the length of the exile and the : Some explain that the reference is to the prolifera­ of the period during which the world is in ruins is derived from לְבַדּ ֹובַּ ּיֹום הַ הוּא״. אַבַּ יֵי אָמַ ר: ּתְרֵ י .which had a sizable Jewish population at the time שׁ ֶ ַ ּנעֲ ֵשׂ י ת עֲ דָ רִ י ם עֲ דָ רִ י ם .troubles that the Jewish people experience tion of schools of thought and sects, with each claiming a monopoly a verse, as it is stated: “And the Lord alone shall be exalted on The hall of the assembly of the Sages will be for prostitution – that day” (Isaiah 2:11), and the day of God lasts one thousand חַ רוּב, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״יְחַ ּיֵינוּ מִ ּיֹמָ יִםבַּ ּיֹום .on the truth ֵבּ י ת Some explain that this means that promiscuity will : הַ ַ ּ ו ו עַ ד ִ י הְ ֶ י ה לִ ְ זנ ּו ת years. Abaye says: It is in ruins for two thousand years, as it is הַ ׁ ְּ שלִ ישׁ ִ י ְי ִ קמֵ נוּ וְ נִחְ יֶה לְ ָ פנָ י ו ״ . The two thousand PERSONALITIES : שׁ ְ נֵ י אֲ לָ ִ פי ם ּת ֹורָ ה – be so ubiquitous that a hall of assembly devoted to lewdness will be Two thousand years Torah years of Torah are said to extend through the end of the mishnaic era, Rav Tavut was a fifth-generation Babylonian stated: “After two days He will revive us; in the third day He : רַ ב טָ ב ּו ת – established in a central location. Rav Tavut because at that point Eretz Yisrael was no longer the primary center amora and apparently a student of Rava, whose statements he cites will revive us, and we shall live in His presence” (Hosea 6:2). And the Gavlan will be desolate – ּ : There is a variant .of Torah (see Maharsha and Ya’avetz). on several occasions ְ ו ַ ה ַ ג ְ ב ָ ל ן ֶ י ֱ א שׁ ָ ם reading: And the parchment [gevil] will be desolate, meaning that the It is taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rav ּתַנְיָא ּכ ְּוָתֵיה דְּרַב קְטִינָא: ּ״כְשֵׁם With regard to the chronology cited here, the commentaries explain Torah will be perceived as false, and its directives will not be fulfilled. that during the first two thousand years of the world’s existence, it Ketina: Just as the Sabbatical Year abrogates debts once in ּשֶׁהַשְׁבִיעִית ּמְשַׁמֶטֶת שָׁנָה אַחַת seven years, so too, the world abrogates its typical existence לְשׁ ֶבַ ע שׁ ָ נִים, ּכ ָךְהָ עֹולָ ם מְשׁ ַ ֵּ מט אֶ ֶלף for one thousand years in every seven thousand years, as it is stated: “And the Lord alone shall be exalted on that day,” and שׁ ָ ִ נ י ם ְ ל שׁ ִ ְ ב ַ ע ת ֲ א ָל ִ פי ם שׁ ָ ָ נ ה , שׁ ֶ ּנ ֶאֱ מַ ר : ,(it states: “A psalm, a song for the Shabbat day” (Psalms 92:1 ׳וְנִשְׂ ַ ּגב ה ׳לְבַדּ ֹובַּ ּיֹום הַ הוּא .׳ וְאֹומֵ ר: .meaning a day, i.e., one thousand years, that is entirely Shabbat ׳ ִמְ זמֹור ִ שׁ יר לְ יֹום הַ ׁ ּשַבָּ ת׳ – יֹום שׁ ֶ ּכ ּוּלֹו And it says in explanation of the equation between one day and שַׁבָּ ת. וְאֹומֵ ר: ׳ ִ ּכי אֶ ֶלף שָׁנִים בְּעֵ ינֶיךָ one thousand years: “For a thousand years in Your eyes are ְ ּכיֹום אֶתְ מֹול ִ ּכי יַעֲ בֹר׳״. but like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night” (Psalms 90:4).

-The school of Eliyahu taught: Six thousand years is the dura ּתָנָא דְּבֵי ּאֵלִּיָהו: ״שֵׁשֶׁת ָאֲלפִים tion of the world. Two thousand of the six thousand years are שָׁנָה הָוֵי עָלְמָ א: שְׁנֵי אֲ ָלפִים ּתֹוהוּ; characterized by chaos; two thousand years are characterized n שְׁנֵי אֲ ָלפִים ּתֹורָ ה, שְׁנֵי אֲ ָלפִים יְמֹות by Torah, from the era of the Patriarchs until the end of the mishnaic period; and two thousand years are the period of ַ ה ּ ָ משׁ ִ י חַ . the coming of the Messiah.

notes -The two the world’s existence, it was sustained only by the loving : שׁ ְ נֵי אֲ לָ ִ פי ם ּת ֹורָ ה – Two thousand years Torah thousand years of Torah are said to extend through the kindness of God. During the two thousand years charac­ end of the mishnaic era, because at that point Eretz Yisrael terized by Torah, during which there are Torah and mitzvot, was no longer the primary center of Torah (see Maharsha each person is sustained according to his own actions. There and Ya’avetz). must be two thousand years of the messianic era in order With regard to the chronology cited here, the commen­ to restore the world to its original state as it was after Creation taries explain that during the first two thousand years of (Rabbeinu David Bonfils).

Perek XI Daf 97 Amud b

That is the course that history was to take, but due to our sins וּבַ ֲעֹונֹותֵ ינוּ שׁ ֶ רַ בּ וּ , יָ צְ אוּ מֵ הֶ ם מַ ה that time frame increased. The Messiah did not come after ֶׁ ּשּיָצְ אוּ״. four thousand years passed, and furthermore, the years that elapsed since then, which were to have been the messianic .era, have elapsed צז: Elijah the prophet said to Rav Yehuda, brother of Rav Sala אֲמַ ר ּ לֵיהאֵלִּיָהוּ לְרַ ב יְהוּדָ ה אֲ ּחוּה Ĥasida: The world willexist no fewer than eighty-five Jubilee דְּרַ ב סַ ָ ּלא חֲסִ ידָ א: ״אֵ ין הָ עֹולָ ם ָּ פחֹות cycles, or 4,250 years. And during the final Jubilee, the son of מִ ְׁ ּשמֹונִים וַחֲמִ ָׁה ּשיֹובְ לֹות, וּבַ ּיֹובֵ ל David will come. Rav Yehuda said to Elijah: Will the Messiah ?come during the beginning of the Jubilee or during its end הָאַחֲרֹון בֶּן דָּוִד בָּא״. אֲמַר לֵיּה: :Elijah said to Rav Yehuda: I do not know. Rav Yehuda asked ּ״בִּתְחִילָתֹו אֹו בְּ סֹופֹו״? אֲמַר לֵי ּה: Will this last Jubilee cycle end before the Messiah comes or will ״אֵ ינִי יֹודֵעַ ״. ָלֶ ּ״כה, אֹו אֵ ינֹו ּכָלֶ ה״? it not yet end before his coming? Elijah said to him: I do not אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״אֵ ינִי יֹודֵעַ ״. רַ ב אַשׁ ִ י אֲמַ ר: know. Rav Ashi says: This is what Elijah said to him: Until הָכִ י אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״עַ ד הָכָ א לָ א ִּ תיסְ ְּ תכֵ י that time do not anticipate his coming; from this point for- ward anticipate his coming. Elijah did not inform Rav Yehuda לֵ ּיה; מִ ָ ּכאן וְאֵ ילָךְ , אִ יסְ ּתְכֵ י לֵ ּיה״. of the date of the coming of the Messiah. ״י קרפ :זצ ף אד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 97b 316 notes Rav Ĥanan bar Taĥlifa sent a message to Rav Yosef: I found one שׁ ָלַ ח לֵ ּיה רַ ב חָנָן בַּ ר ּתַחְלִ י ָ אפ בלְרַ ֵיֹוסף: This statement : ְ ּכתוּבָ ה אַ ׁ ּשוּרִ ית – man, and in his hand there was one scroll written in Ashurit Written in Ashurit script is meant to emphasize the additional importance of that י״מָצָאתִ םאָדָ דאֶחָ וּבְיָדֹו ּמְגִילָה אַחַ ת scriptn and in the sacred tongue, Hebrew. I said to him: From which was written, as in ancient times it was customary ְ ּכתוּבָ ה אַ ׁ ּשוּרִ ית וּלְשׁ ֹון קֹדֶשׁ . אָמַרְ ִּ תי לֹו: where did this scroll come into your possession? He said to me: to write down matters that were transmitted orally only I was hired to serve in the Roman army and I found the scroll if they were of special significance. The significance is ׳זֹו מִ ּנַיִין לְ ָך׳? אָמַ ר לִ י: ׳לַחֲ יָילֹות ֶ לשׁ רֹומִ י among the Roman archives. It was clear that the scroll was written underscored by the fact that it was written in Ashurit נִשְׂ ּכַרְ ִּ תי, וּבֵ ין ּג ְִינֵיז רֹומִ י מְצָ אתִ ָיה׳. וְכָ תוּב by Jews, not Romans. And it is written in the scroll: After 4,291 script and in Hebrew, usually reserved for scrolls of the בָּ ּה: ׳לְאַחַר אַרְבַּעַת ָאֲלפִים וּמָאתַיִם Bible. years have elapsed from the creation of the world, the world will וְתִשׁ ְעִ ים דוְאֶחָ שׁ ָ נָהלִבְרִ יאָ תֹו ֶ לשׁ עֹולָ ם, end; during those years there will be the wars of the sea mon- Wars of the sea monsters – : Apparently, מִלְחֲ מֹות ַּ ת ּנִינִים הָ עֹולָ ם ּיִתֹום .׳ מֵהֶן מִלְחֲ מֹות ַּ ת ּנִינִים, מֵהֶ ן stersn between the leviathan and the animals, and among those this is a reference to wars between superpowers, likened ,years there will be the wars of Gog and Magog and the remaining in the verse to sea monsters (Maharsha). Alternatively מִלְחֲ מֹות ֹּוגג וּמָ גֹוג, וּשׁ רְאָ יְמֹות הַ ּמָשׁ ִ יחַ . ­years of the messianic period. Then the world will be destroyed. perhaps it is a reference particularly to the great coun וְאֵ ין ַה דֹושָׁ ּק בָּ רוּךְ הוּא מְחַ דֵּשׁ אֶ תעֹולָ מֹו tries that are adjacent to the sea that will engage in a And the Holy One, Blessed be He, will renew His world only great naval war (Ramah). This is based on the verse: “On אֶ ּלָא לְאַחַר שִׁבְעַת אֲ ָלפִים שָׁנָה״. רַב afterthe passage of seven thousand years. Rav Aĥa, son of Rava, that day, the Lord with His hard and great and strong אַחָ א בְּרֵ ּיה דְּרָבָ א אָמַ ר: ״לְאַחַ ר חֲמֵשֶׁ ת ­says that it was stated: After the passage of five thousand years. sword shall punish Leviathan the slant serpent and Levia אֲ ָל פִים שָׁ נָה״ אִ יתְ מַ ר. than the tortuous serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea” (Isaiah 27:1). It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Natan says: This verse § ַּ תנְיָא: ״רַ יבִּ ןנָתָ אֹומֵ ר: ִמקְרָ א זֶה נֹו בֵ ק וְ יֹורֵ ד נ ֹו ב ֵ ק ו י ְ ֹורֵ ד – n Penetrates and descends until the depths penetrates and descends until the depths; just as the depths עַ ד ְ ּתהֹום: ׳ ִ יּכ עֹוד ָחזֹון לַ ּמֹועֵ ד וְ ָיפֵחַ ַל ֵ ּקץ Some explain this to mean that even if many :עַ ד ְּ תהֹום are unfathomable, so too, the period depicted in the following years pass and this does not come to pass, until the וְלֹא יְכַּזֵב אִ ם יִתְמַהְמָ ּה חַ ֵהּכ לֹו ּכִי בֹא verse is unquantifiable. “For the vision is yet for the appointed depths, i.e., ultimately, it will come to pass (Ramah). time; and it declares of the end, and does not lie; though it יָ בֹא ל ֹא יְאַ חֵ ר׳ . עַ ד עִ דָּ ן – tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not delay” For a period and periods and a half period Rashi explains that the word period refers : עִדָּנִין ּו ְ פלַ ג עִ דָּ ן (Habakkuk 2:3). to the duration of the exile in Egypt, 400 years. The The Messiah will comenot in accordance with the opinion of our Ramah explains that this calculation is based on the duration of the enslavement in Egypt, which lasted only לֹא ְרַ ּכבּ ֹותֵ ינוּשׁ ֶהָ יוּדּ ֹורְשׁ ִ ין: ׳עַ ד עִדָּ ן עִדָּ נִין .Rabbis, who would interpret the verse: “For a period and peri- 210 years ּ ְ פלַ ג עִ דָּ ן ׳ ו ; ods and a half period” (Daniel 7:25),n to mean that the duration ְ ו לֹ א ְ ּכרַ ִבּ י – of the ultimate exile will be three and a half times the duration of And not in accordance with Rabbi Akiva ­Although there is a dispute between the com : ֲ ִ קי בָ עא the period of the exile in Egypt. mentaries with regard to Rabbi Akiva’s interpretation, apparently Rabbi Akiva calculated that the end of days And the Messiah will come not in accordance with the opinion would come to pass soon after the destruction of the וְ לֹא ּכְרַ יבִּ שִׂמְ לַ אי שׁ ֶהָ יָה דּ ֹורֵ ׁש: ׳הֶאֱ כַלְ ָּ תם of Rabbi Simlai, who would interpret the verse: “You have fed Temple: “Yet once, it is a little while [me’at].” He therefore לֶחֶ ם דִּמְעָ ה וַ ּתַשׁ ְ ֵ קמֹו בִּדְמָ עֹות שׁ ָלִ ׁיש׳ ; them with the bread of tears and have given them tears to drink supported bar Kokheva, who rose to prominence soon in great measure [shalish]” (Psalms 80:6), to mean that the dura- after the destruction of the Temple (see Maharsha). tion of the ultimate exile will be three times the duration of the period of the exile in Egypt.

And the Messiah will come not in accordance with the opinion וְ לֹא ּכְרַ בִּ י ֲע ִ ק איבָ שׁ ֶהָ יָה דּ ֹורֵ ׁש: ׳עֹוד אַחַ ת n of Rabbi Akiva, who would interpret the verse: “Yet once, it is מְעַ ט הִ יא וַאֲנִי מַרְעִ ישׁ אֶ ת הַ ׁ ּשָמַיִם וְאֶ ת a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth”(Haggai הָאָרֶ ץ׳. 2:6), to mean that the redemption would transpire soon after the destruction of the Temple.

Rather, the first, great, Hasmonean monarchy ruled seventy אֶ ָ ּלא, מַ לְ כוּת רִ אשׁ ֹון שׁ ִבְעִ ים שׁ ָ נָה; מַ לְ כוּת years. The second kingdom,of Herod and his descendants, ruled ְ שׁ נִּיָה חֲמִ ׁ ִּ שים וּשׁ ְ ַּ תיִם, וּמַלְ כוּת בֶּ ן ּכֹו ִ זיבָ א fifty-two years, and the duration of the monarchy of bar Koziva, שׁ ְ ּ ֵ תי שָׁ נִים וּמֶ חֱ צָה״. or bar Kokheva, was two and a half years. The duration of the exile that follows is unknown.

The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase “And it מַאי ָ״וְיפֵחַ ַלֵ ץּק וְלֹא יְכַּזֵב״? אָמַר רַבִּי declares [veyafe’aĥ] of the end, and does not lie”? Rabbi Shmuel שְׁ למוּאֵ רבַּ נַחְמָנִי ראָמַ ירַבִּ יֹונָתָ ן: ּתי ּפַחִ bar Naĥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan says: May those who h עַצְמָ ן שׁ ֶ ל מְחַ ׁ ּשְבֵ י ִ ק ִ ּיצין, שׁ ֶהָ יוּאֹומְרִ ים: calculate the end of days be cursed [tippaĥ], as they would say once the end of days that they calculated arrived and the Messiah ֵ ּכיוָ ן שׁ ֶהִ ּגִיעַ אֶ ת ַה ֵ ץּק וְ לֹא בָּ א, שׁ וּב אֵ ינֹו did not come, that he will no longer come at all. Rather, the בָּ א. אֶ ָ ּלא חַ הֵּ כ לֹו, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״אִ ם יִתְ מַהְמָ ּה proper behavior is to continue to wait for his coming, as it is חַ ֵ הּכ לֹו״. שׁ ֶ ָּ מא ּתֹאמַ ר: אָ נוּ מְחַ ִ ּכין, וְ הוּא -stated: “Though it tarry, wait for it.” Lest you say we are expec אֵ ינֹו מְחַ ֶ ּכה – ּתַלְ מוּד לֹומַ ר: ״וְלָכֵ ן יְחַ ֶ ּכה tantly awaiting the end of days and the Holy One, Blessed be He, ה׳ לַחֲ נַנְכֶ ם וְלָכֵ ן יָרוּם לְרַחֶמְכֶ ם״. is not awaiting the end of days and does not want to redeem His people, the verse states: “And therefore will the Lord wait, to be gracious to you; and therefore will He be exalted, to have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgment; happy are all they who wait for Him” (Isaiah 30:18).

halakha ,who calculate the end of days be cursed (Rambam Sefer Shofetim ִּ תי ַּ פח – May those who calculate the end of days be cursed .(One should not calculate the end of days, Hilkhot Melakhim 12:2 :עַצְמָ ן שׁ ֶ ל מְחַ ׁ ּשְבֵ י ִ ק ִ ּיצין in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yonatan: May those sanhedrin . Perek XI . 97b 317 . ״י קרפ :זצ ףד א notes And seemingly, since we are awaiting the end of days and the Holy וְכִ י מֵאַ חַ ר שׁ ֶאָ נוּ מְחַ ִ ּכים וְ הוּא מְחַ ֶ ּכה, מִ י -Some One, Blessed be He, is also awaiting the end of days, who is pre :שְׁלֹשִׁים ּוְשִׁשָׁה צַדִּ יקִים – Thirty-six righteous people מְעַ ֵ ּכב? מִדַּ ת הַדִּ ין מְעַ ּכֶבֶ ת. וְכִ י מֵאַחַ ר explain that this number constitutes the majority of the venting the coming of the Messiah? It is the divine attribute of שׁ ֶ ִּ מדַּ ת הַ דִּ ין מְעַ ּכֶבֶ ת, אָ נוּ לָ ָּ מה מְחַ ִ ּכין? ­Great Sanhedrin, which had seventy-one members, or pre cisely half of the Great Sanhedrin if the High Priest or head judgment that prevents his coming, as it is written: “For the Lord is a God of judgment,” and we are not worthy. And since the ְלקַבֵּ ל שָׂכָר, שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״אַשְׁרֵ י ָלּכ חֹוכֵי of the Sanhedrin is added to their number. This ensures attribute of judgment prevents the coming of the Messiah and לֹו״. that at least half of the Great Sanhedrin always exists in the world (Tikkunei Zohar). we are not worthy of redemption, why do we await his coming This should daily? We do so in order to receive a reward for awaiting his : אֲ נִ י וּבְ נִ י מֵ הֶ ם – I and my son are among them not be interpreted to mean that Rabbi Shimon consid­ coming, as it is stated: “Happy are all they who wait for Him.” ered all of his contemporaries inconsequential relative to Apropos that verse, Abaye said: The world has no fewer than אָמַ ר אַבַּיֵי: לֹא ּפָחֹות עָלְמָ א מִ ּתְלָתִ ין him; rather, he was saying that while he and his son were ensconced in the cave (see Shabbat 33b), it was revealed n thirty-six righteous people in each generation who greet the ּוְשִׁיתָא צַדִּ יקֵי דִּ ְמקַבְּלִי ַאּפֵי שְׁכִינָה to him that the two of them, who suffered so much and Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Happy are all they who wait בְּכָל דָּרָ א, שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״אַשְׁרֵ י ָלּכ חֹוכֵי engaged all of that time in Torah, will certainly be among for Him [lo]” (Isaiah 30:18). The numerical value of lo, spelled לֹו״. לֹו בְּגִימַטְרִּיָא ּתְלָתִ ין וְשִׁ ָּ יתא הָ ווּ. those with a share in the World-to-Come. That is why it was clear to him that he and his son are included among the lamed vav, is thirty-six. The Gemara asks:Is that so? But doesn’t Rava say: The rowof the righteous before the Holy One, Blessed אִ ינִי? וְהָאָמַ ר רָבָ א: דָּרָ א ְדּ ַ ק ֵּ מי קוּדְשׁ ָ א .(spiritually prominent (Ramah be He, extends eighteen thousand parasangs, as it is stated בְּרִ יךְ הוּא ְּ תמָ נֵי סְרֵ י אַ ְלפֵי ] ּפַרְ סָ א[ הֲ וַ אי, Some : דְּ עָ ְ י י לִ י ְבּ בָ ר – [Who may enter by permission [bar with regard to the city of God at the end of days: “It shall be שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״סָבִ יב שׁ ְ מֹנָה עָשָׂ ר אָ ֶלף״! לָ א explain that this phrase refers to one who enters with his eighteen thousand reeds round about, and the name of the קַשְׁיָא. הָא ַּ דְּמִסְתּכְלִי ְבְּאִיסַּפקְלַרְיָא son [bar], meaning that although there are many righteous people, only very few can say, like Rabbi Shimon ben Yoĥai, city from that day shall be: The Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35)? The Gemara answers: It is not difficult; this statement of Abaye הַמְאִ ירָ ה. הָ א דְּמִסְ ַּ ת ּכְלִ י בְּאִ ְיס ַּפקְלַרְ יָא ­that their son reached the same degree of spiritual great refers to the thirty-six righteous people who view the Divine שׁ ֶ אֵ י ָ נ ּה מְ אִ י רָ ה . .(ness together with them (Arukh; Ge’onim Presence through a luminous crystal [be’ispaklarya],l and that language statement of Rava refers to the multitudes who view the Divine .From the Latin specularia, Presence through a crystal that is not luminous : אִ י ְס ּ ַפ ְ קלַ רְ ָי א – [Crystal [ispaklarya meaning mirror. Sometimes this term refers to glass or another transparent substance. The Gemara asks: And are those who view the Divine Presence וּמִי ְנפִישִׁי ּכ ּוּלֵי הַאי? וְהָאָמַר ִחְזקִּיָה through a crystal that is luminous so numerous? But doesn’t אָמַ ר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה מִ ׁ ּשוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְ עֹון בֶּ ן Ĥizkiyya say that Rabbi Yirmeya says in the name of Rabbi יֹוחַ י :רָאִ ייתִ בְּנֵי עֲלִּיָיה וְהֵ ן מוּעָטִ ין. אִ ם Shimon bar Yoĥai: I have seen members of the group of the .spiritually prominent, who are truly righteous, and they are few אֶ ֶלף הֵ ם, אֲנִי וּבְנִי מֵהֶ ם. אִ ם מֵאָ ה הֵ ם, .If they number one thousand, I and my son are among them אֲ נִי וּבְנִי מֵהֶ ם. אִ ם שׁ ְנַיִם הֵ ם – אֲ נִי וּבְנִי If they number one hundred, I and my son are among them;n הֵ ם ! and if they number two, I and my son are they. Apparently, it is conceivable that there are no more than two who view the Divine Presence through a luminous crystal.

The Gemara answers: It is not difficult. This statement of Abaye לָ א קַשׁ ְ יָא. הָ א דְּ עָ יְילִ י בְּבָ ר. הָ א דְּ עָ יְילִ י is referring to those who may enter to view the Divine Presence ְ בּ לָ א ָ בּ ר . only by requesting and being granted permission [bar]nl from the angels. Thatstatement of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoĥai is referring to the select few who may enter to view the Divine Presence even without requesting permission, for whom the gates of Heaven are open at all times.

,Rav says: All the ends of days that were calculated passed § אָמַ ר רַ ב: ָ ּכלוּ ָ ּכל ַה ִ ּק ִ ּיצין, וְאֵ ין הַדָּבָ ר .and the matter depends only upon repentance and good deeds ָּ תלוּי אֶ ָאּל בִּתְשׁ הוּבָ וּמַעֲשִׂ ים טֹובִים. Greek mirror excavated in Locri, Italy When the Jewish people repent, they will be redeemed. And וּשׁ ְ מוּאֵ ל אָמַ ר:דַּ ּיֹו לָאָבֵ לשׁ ֶ ּיַעֲ מֹוד From the Middle Persian bār, mean­ Shmuel says: It is sufficient for the mourner to endure in his : ָבּ ר – [Permission [bar -mourning to bring about the coming of the Messiah. Even with בְּאֶבְ לֹו. ּכְתַ ּנָאֵ י: ״רַבִּ י אֱ לִ ֶיעֶרז אֹומֵ ר: אִ ם ­ing permission. In New Persian, this word signifies permis out repentance, they will be worthy of redemption due to the ליִשְׂרָאֵ עֹושִׂ ין ּתְשׁ וּבָ ה נִגְאָ לִ ין, וְאִ ם לָ או, .sion to enter suffering they endured during the exile. The Gemara notes: This אֵ ין נִגְאָלִין. אָמַ ר ּ לֵיה ירַבִּ יְהֹושֻׁ ַע: אִ ם dispute is parallel to a dispute between tanna’im: Rabbi Eliezer אֵ ין עֹושִׂ ין ּתְשׁ וּבָ ה אֵ ין נִגְאָלִ ין? אֶ ָ ּלא, says: If the Jewish people repent they are redeemed,h and if ַה ּקָדֹושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲמִיד לָהֶן מֶלֶךְ not they are not redeemed. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: If ,they do not repent, will they not be redeemed at all? Rather שֶׁ ְּגזֵרֹותָ יו קָשׁ ֹות ּכְהָמָ ן, לוְיִשְׂרָאֵ עֹושִׂ ין the Holy One, Blessed be He, will establish a king for them ּתְשׁ וּבָ ה וּמַ ֲח ִ זירָ ן לְ מוּ ָּ ט ב״. whose decrees are as harsh as those issued by Haman, and the Jewish people will have no choice but to repent, and this will restore them to the right path.

halakha The Jewish and immediately be redeemed from their exile (Rambam Sefer : ּתְשׁ וּבָ ה וּגְ אוּ ָ ּלה – Repentance and redemption people will be redeemed only by means of repentance. The HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 7:5). Torah guarantees that ultimately the Jewish people will repent

״י קרפ :זצ ף אד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 97b 318 It is taught in another baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: If ּתַנְיָא אִ ידָ ְך: ״רַבִּ י אֱלִ ֶיעֶרז אֹומֵ ר: אִ ם יִשְׂרָאֵ ל the Jewish people repent they are redeemed, as it is stated: This ensures that at least half of the Great Sanhedrin always exists in עֹושִׂ ין ּתְשׁ וּבָ ה, נִגְאָלִ ין, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳שׁ וּבוּ בָּ נִים “Return, wayward children, I will heal your iniquities” ( Jere­ the world (Tikkunei Zohar). NOTES BACKGROUND שׁ ֹובָבִים אֶ ְרּפָא מְשׁ וּבֹתֵיכֶם.׳ אָמַר לֹו רַבִּי miah 3:22). Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But isn’t it already I and my son are among them – : This should not be : אִ י סְ ּ ַפ ְ קלַ רְ ָי א – Crystal אֲ נִ י וּבְ נִ י מֵ הֶ ם This statement is meant to : ְ ּכתוּבָ ה אַ ׁ ּשוּרִ ית – Written in Ashurit script יְהֹושׁ ֻ ַע: וַהֲ לֹא ּכְבָ ר נֶאֱמַ ר: ׳חִ ָ ּנם נִמְ ּכַרְ ֶּ תם וְ לֹא stated: “So says the Lord: You were sold for naught, and emphasize the additional importance of that which was written, as in interpreted that Rabbi Shimon considered all of his contemporaries without money you shall be redeemed” (Isaiah 52:3)? Rabbi ancient times it was customary to write down matters that were trans­ inconsequential relative to him; rather, he was saying that while he and בְּכֶ ֶסף ִּ ת ּגָאֵ ּלו׳. ׳חִ ָ ּנם נִמְ ּכַרְ ֶּתם׳ – בַּעֲ בֹודָ ה זָרָ ה. Yehoshua explains: “You were sold for naught” means you were mitted orally only if they were of special significance. The significance his son were ensconced in the cave (see Shabbat 33b), it was revealed ‘וְ לֹא בְּכֶ ֶסף ִּ ת ּגָאֵ ּלו׳ – לֹא בִּתְשׁ וּבָ ה וּמַעֲשִׂ ים to him that the two of them, who suffered so much and engaged all sold for idol worship, which is a sin with no basis. “And without is underscored by the fact that it was written in Ashurit script and in טֹובִ ים. means you will be redeemed Hebrew, usually reserved for scrolls of the Bible. of that time in Torah, will certainly be among those with a share in the money you shall be redeemed” World-to-Come. That is why it was clear to him that he and his son are .(Apparently, this is a ref­ included among the spiritually prominent (Ramah :מִלְחֲ מֹות ַּ ת ּנִינִים – not through repentance and good deeds, but through the Wars of the sea monsters will of God. erence to wars between superpowers, likened in the verse to sea Some explain that : דְּ עָ ְ י י לִ י ְבּ בָ ר – [monsters (Maharsha). Alternatively, perhaps it is a reference particularly Who may enter by permission [bar Rabbi Eliezer said to Rabbi Yehoshua: But isn’t it already to the great countries that are adjacent to the sea that will engage in a this phrase refers to one who enters with his son [bar], meaning that although there are many righteous people, only very few can say, like ראָמַ לֹו רַבִּ י אֱ לִ ֶיעֶרז ילְרַבִּ יְהֹושׁ ֻ ַע: וַהֲ לֹא ּכְבָ ר stated: “Return to me and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7)? great naval war (Ramah). This is based on the verse: “On that day, the Lord with His hard and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan Rabbi Shimon ben Yoĥai, that their son reached the same degree of ֶ נ אֱ מַ ר : ׳ שׁ וּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁ וּבָה אֲלֵיכֶ ם ׳ . אָ מַ ר Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “For .(the slant serpent and Leviathan the tortuous serpent; and he shall slay spiritual greatness together with them (Arukh; Ge’onim לֵ ּ יה ירַבִּ יְהֹושֻׁ ַע: וַהֲ לֹא ּכְבָ ר נֶאֱמַ ר: ׳ ִ ּכי אָ נֹכִ י I have taken you to Myself; and I will take you one from a city the dragon that is in the sea” (Isaiah 27:1). and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion” (Jeremiah בָּעַלְ ִּ תי בָכֶ ם וְ ָל ַ קחְ ִּ תי אֶתְ כֶ ם אֶחָ ד מֵעִ יר וּשׁ ְ נַיִם Some HALAKHA :נֹו ֵ בק וְ יֹורֵ ד עַ ד ְּ תהֹום – Penetrates and descends until the depths מִ ּמִשׁ ְ ָּחָ פ הוְהֵבֵ אתִ יאֶתְכֶ םצִ ּיֹון׳. 3:14), unconditionally? explain this to mean that even if many years pass and this does not ִּ תי ַּ פח עַצְמָ ן שׁ ֶ ל – come to pass, until the depths, i.e., ultimately, it will come to pass May those who calculate the end of days be cursed One should not calculate the end of days, in accordance : מְ חַ ׁ ְּ שבֵ י ִ קי ִ ּצי ן .(Rabbi Eliezer said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “In ease (Ramah אָמַר לֹו רַבִּי ֶאֱלִיעֶזר: וַהֲלֹא ּכְבָר נֶאֱמַר: with the statement of Rabbi Yonatan: May those who calculate the end beshuva] and rest shall you be saved” (Isaiah 30:15), indicating] ׳בְּשׁ וּבָ ה וָנַחַ ת ִּ תוָּשֵׁ עוּן ! ׳אָמַ רלֹו ירַבִּ יְהֹושֻׁעַ .(of days be cursed (Rambam Sefer Shofetim, Hilkhot Melakhim 12:2 : עַ ד עִ דָּ ן עִ דָּ נִ י ן ּו ְ פלַ ג עִ דָּ ן – that redemption is dependent upon repentance [teshuva]? For a period and periods and a half period Rashi explains that the word period refers to the duration of the exile לְרַבִּ י אֱלִ ֶיעֶזר: וַהֲ לֹא ּכְבָ ר נֶאֱמַ ר: ּ‘כֹה אָמַ ר ה׳ The Jewish people : ּתְשׁ וּבָ ה וּגְ אוּ ָ ּלה – Rabbi Yehoshua said to Rabbi Eliezer: But isn’t it already Repentance and redemption in Egypt, 400 years. The Ramah explains that this calculation is based on ּגֹאֵ ל יִשְׂרָאֵ ל ְ קדֹושׁ ֹו ְלִבזֹה ֶנפֶשׁ לִמְתָעֵ ב ּגֹוי stated: “So says the Lord, Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, the duration of the enslavement in Egypt, which lasted only 210 years. will be redeemed only by means of repentance. The Torah guarantees to him who is despised of man, to him who is abhorred of that ultimately the Jewish people will repent and immediately be לְ עֶ בֶ ד מ ֹשׁ ְ לִ י ם , And not in accordance with Rabbi Akiva – : Although redeemed from their exile (Rambam Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva וְ לֹא ּכְרַ בִּ י עֲ ִ קיבָ א :the nation, to a servant of rulers there is a dispute between the commentaries with regard to Rabbi 7:5). Akiva’s interpretation, apparently Rabbi Akiva calculated that the end of days would come to pass soon after the destruction of the Temple: “Yet once, it is a little while [me’at].” He therefore supported bar Kokheva, LANGUAGE who rose to prominence soon after the destruction of the Temple (see Crystal [ispaklarya] – : From the Latin specularia, meaning אִ י סְ ּ ַפ ְ קלַ רְ ָי א .(Maharsha mirror. Sometimes this term refers to glass or another transparent .Some explain that substance :שְׁלֹשִׁים ּוְשִׁשָׁה צַדִּ יקִים – Thirty-six righteous people this number constitutes the majority of the Great Sanhedrin, which Perek XI Permission [bar] – : From the Middle Persian bār, meaning permis­ ָבּ ר had seventy-one members, or precisely half of the Great Sanhedrin sion. In New Persian, this word signifies permission to enter. Daf 98 Amud a if the High Priest or head of the Sanhedrin is added to their number. Greek mirror excavated in Locri, Italy

notes ,Kings shall see and arise, princes shall prostrate themselves מְלָכִ ים יִרְ אוּ ָו ָ קמוּ שָׂרִ ים וְיִשׁ ְ ּתַחֲ ּוו׳ . because of the Lord, Who is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, You have no more explicit manifestation of the end Some commentaries :אֵ ין לְךָ ֵ קץ מְ ֶ הּגוּל מִּזֶה – than this Who has chosen you” (Isaiah 49:7), indicating that redemption explain this passage as a continuation of the statement will come independent of repentance? of Rabbi Yehoshua proving that there is a fixed time for redemption, as the chapter in Ezekiel that includes the צח. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “If you quoted verse addresses the redemption that is destined ראָמַ לֹו רַבִּ י אֱלִ ֶיעֶזר: וַהֲ לֹא ּכְבָ ר נֶאֱמַ ר: ׳אִ ם will return, Israel, says the Lord, return to Me” (Jeremiah to come to glorify the name of God and not due to the ּתָשׁ וּב יִשְׂרָאֵ ל נְאֻ ם ה׳ אֵלַי ּתָשׁ וּב.׳ ראָמַ לֹו 4:1), indicating that redemption is contingent upon repentance? virtue of the Jewish people. Likewise, the second verse: ירַבִּ יְהֹושֻׁ ַע: וַהֲ לֹא ּכְבָ ר נֶאֱמַ ר: ׳וָאֶשְׁמַ ע אֶ ת Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “And “For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters hire for beast; nor was there peace from the oppressor הָאִ ישׁ לְ בוּשׁ הַבַּ דִּ ים אֲשׁ ֶ ר מִ ּמַעַ ל לְמֵ ימֵ י הַ יְאֹר to him who exits and to him who enters,” indicates that .(of the river, when he lifted up his right hand and his left hand there is a set time for the redemption (Ramah וַּיָרֶ םיְמִ ינֹו וּשְׂ מֹאלֹו אֶ ל הַ ּשָׁמַיִם ּוַיִשָׁבַ ע בְּחֵ י to heaven and swore by the One Who lives forever that it shall הָ עֹולָ ם ִי ּכלְ דמֹועֵ מֹועֲדִ ים וָחֵצִ י וּכְכַ ּלֹות ַנ ֵּ פץ :עַ ְנ ּפְכֶ ם ִּ ת ֵּ תנוּ וכו׳ – .be for a period, periods, and a half; when the crushing of the You shall give your branches, etc The promise of the land’s yielding abundant produce יַד עַם קֹדֶשׁ ּתִכְלֶינָה כָל אֵ ּלה׳ וגו׳. וְשָׁ ַתקֶ power of the holy people shall have been completed, all these ,will be fulfilled when the Jewish people return to it רַבִּ י אֱלִ ֶיעז ֶר״. things shall be finished” (Daniel 12:7), indicating that the time as God decreed that until then the land will remain for redemption is set and unrelated to repentance? And Rabbi desolate (Maharsha). Eliezer was silent, unable to refute the proof from that verse. : לַּי ֹו צֵ א וְ לַ ָבּ א – To him who exits and to him who enters Some explain that this is a reference to Torah scholars, ,And Rabbi Abba says: You have no more explicit manifesta- who do not go directly home like ordinary people § וְאָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא: אֵין לְךָ קֵץ ֶהּמְגוּל מִּזֶה, n tion of the end of days than this following phenomenon, as it in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Levi bar שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״וְאַ ֶּ תם הָרֵ י יִשְׂרָאֵ ל עַ ְנּפְכֶם ִּ ת ֵּ תנוּ is stated: “But you, mountains of Israel, you shall give your Ĥiyya (Berakhot 64a): One who exits the synagogue n ּופֶרְ יְכֶ ם ִּ תשְׂ אוּ לְעַ ִּ מי יִשְׂרָאֵ ל״ וגו׳. רַ בִּ י אֱ לִ ֶיעֶ זר branches, and yield your fruit to My people of Israel, for they and immediately enters the study hall and engages in will soon be coming” (Ezekiel 36:8). When produce will grow Torah study is privileged to receive the Divine Presence אֹומֵ ר: ַא ףמִּזֶה, ּשֶׁנֶאֱמַ ר: ּ״כִי ִלפְנֵי הַּיָמִים .(in abundance in Eretz Yisrael, it is an indication that the Messiah (Gilyonei HaShas הָאֵ ּלֶה הָהֵם שְׂכַר הָאָדָ ם לֹא נִהְיָה וּשְׂכַר will be coming soon. Rabbi Eliezer says: You have no greater הַבְּהֵמָ ה אֵ ָה ּינֶנוְלַּיֹוצֵא אוְלַבָּ אֵ ין שָׁ לֹום מִ ן -manifestation of the end of days than this following phenom הַ ָ ּצר ״ . enon as well, as it is stated: “For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; nor was there peace from the oppressor to him who exits and to him who enters” (Zechariah 8:10).n When there are no wages for work and no rent paid for use of one’s animal, that is an indication that the coming of the Messiah is at hand. sanhedrin . Perek XI . 98a 319 . ״י קרפ .חצ ףד א notes The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase: “Nor was מַאי״לַּיֹוצֵא וְלַבָּא אֵין שָׁלֹום מִן ּהַצָר״? רַב there peace from the oppressor to him who exits and to him who : ָ ּכל הַ ׁ ְּ שעָרִ ים ּכ ָ ּוּלן שׁ ְ קוּלִ ין – All the prices are equal אָמַ ר: ַאף ּתַלְמִ ידֵ י חֲכָמִ ים, שׁ ֶ ָ ּכתוּב םבָּהֶ ָ שׁ לֹום, ­The differences in the price of products in differ enters”? Rav says: It means that even for Torah scholars, with דִּ כְתִ יב :״שׁ ָ לֹום רָ בלְ אֹהֲבֵ יתֹורָתֶ ךָ ״, אֵ ין ָ שׁ לֹום ent locations is a result of merchants bringing them from places where supply is high to places regard to whom the promise of peace is written, as it is written: Great peace have they who love Your Torah; and there is no“ ִמ ּפְנֵי צָ ר. וּשׁ ְ מוּאֵ ל אָמַ ר : דעַ ֶ שׁ ּיִהְ יוּ ָ ּכל הַ ׁ ּשְעָרִ ים where supply is low. Since the merchants will be obstacle for them” (Psalms 119:165), there will be no peace from ּכוּ ָ ּלן שׁ ְ קוּלִ ין. unable to exit one location to enter another, this variance in price will not occur. Others explain the oppressor. And Shmuel says: It means that the Messiah will this to mean that the prices in all stores will be not come until all the prices are equal.n equal, due to universal integrity in the world Rabbi Ĥanina says: The son of David will not come until a fish אָמַ ר רַ בִּ י חֲ נִינָא: אֵ ין ןבֶּ דָּ דוִ אבָּ דעַ ֶ שׁ ּיִתְ ַבּ ּקֵשׁ דָּ ג .(Arukh) will be sought for an ill person and will not be found, as it is לְ חֹולֶ ה וְ לֹא יִ ָּ מצֵ א, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ָ״אז אַשׁ ְ ִ קיעַ מֵ ימֵ יהֶ ם : מַ כ לְ ו תּ הַ ּזַ ָ ּלה – The contemptuous kingdom Some explain that this means that there will stated with regard to the downfall of Egypt: “Then I will make וְנַהֲ רֹותָ ם ַ ּכ ּש ןֶׁמֶ אֹולִיךְ״. וְכָתַ ב בַּתְרֵ י ּה :״בַּ ּיֹום not be even insignificant, benign dominion over their waters clear and cause their rivers to run like oil” (Ezekiel meaning that the current in the rivers will come to a virtual ,(32:14 הַ הוּא אַצְמִ יחַ קֶרֶ ן לְבֵ ית יִשְׂרָאֵ ל״. ­the Jewish people, who will be completely inde pendent (Ramah). The ge’onim explain that the contemptuous kingdom is a reference to the standstill. And it is written thereafter: “On that day I will cause Roman Empire, which treated the Jewish people the glory of the house of Israel to flourish” (Ezekiel 29:21). with contempt. Rabbi Ĥama bar Ĥanina says: The son of David will not come אָמַ ר רַבִּ י חָמָ א בַּ ר חֲנִינָא: אֵ ין בֶּ ן דָּוִד בָּ א עַד All the judges and officers will cease from n until the contemptuous [hazalla] kingdom of Rome will cease שׁ ֶ ִּ ת הכְלֶ מַלְ כוּת הַ ּזַ הָ ּל מִ ּיִשְׂרָאֵ ל, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״וְכָרַ ת from the Jewish people, as it is stated: “And He shall sever the יִ כְ ל ּו ָ ּכל שׁ ֹו טִפְ י ם וְ שׁ ֹו טְ רִ י ם – the Jewish people הַ ּזַ ְל ַ ז ִ ּלים בַּ ַּמזְמֵ רֹות״. וּכְתִ יב בַּתְרֵ י ּה: ״בָּעֵ ת הַהִ יא Some explain here and elsewhere : מִ ִ ּי ְשׂ רָ אֵ ל sprigs [hazalzallim] with pruning hooks” (Isaiah 18:5). And it is יוּבַ ל שׁ ַ י לַ ה ׳צְבָ אֹות עַ ם מְמֻ ׁ ּש ָךְ וּמֹורָ ט״. ,that this refers to corrupt judges and officers as the exile continues due to their sins (see written thereafter: “At that time shall a present be brought to the Maharsha). Lord of hosts, by a people scattered and hairless” (Isaiah 18:7). Ze’eiri says that Rabbi Ĥanina says: The son of David will not אָמַ ר זְעֵ ירִ י אָמַ ר רַבִּ י חֲנִינָא: אֵ ין בֶּ ן דָּוִ ד בָּ א עַ ד language come until the arrogant will cease to exist from among the Jewish ֶ שׁ ּיִכְ לוּ ּגַסֵּ י הָ רוּחַ מִ ּיִשְׂרָאֵ ל, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ִ ּ״כי ָאז אָ סִ יר Royal officers [gazirpatei] – : From the people, as it is stated: “For then I will remove from your midst ַ ּג ִ זי רְ ּ ַ פטֵ י ִמ ִ ּקרְ ֵבּ ךְ עַ ִ ּל י ֵ זי ַ ּגאֲ ָ ו תֵ ךְ ״ . ּ ו כְ תִ י ב : ״ ְ ו הִ שׁ ְ אַ רְ ּתִי ְב ִ קרְ ֵ בּ ךְ Aramaic gazir, meaning office, and the Iranian pati, meaning a lord. Together, the compound your proudly exulting ones” (Zephaniah 3:11), and it is written ,afterward:“And I will leave in your midst a poor and lowly people עַ ם עָנִי וָדָ ל וְחָ סוּ בְּשׁ ֵ ם ה׳ ״. .means an officer of the court and they shall take refuge in the name of the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:12).

Rabbi Simlai says in the name of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi אָמַ ר רַ בִּ י שִׂמְ לַ אי מִ ׁ ּשוּם רַ בִּ י אֶ לְ ָערָ ז בְּרַ יבִּ שׁ ִמְ עֹון: Shimon: The son of David will not come until all the judges and אֵ ין ןבֶּ דָּ דוִ אבָּ דעַ ֶ שׁ ּיִכְ לוּ ָ ּכל שׁ ֹופְטִ ים וְשׁ ֹוטְרִ ים officers will cease to exist from among the Jewish people,n and מִּיִשְׂרָאֵ ל, שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״וְאָשִׁיבָ ה יָדִ י עָלַיִךְ וְאֶצְרֹף there will be no more autonomous government in Eretz Yisrael, as it is stated: “And I will turn My hand against you and purge away ּכַבּ ֹר סִגָיִךְ ״ וגו׳ ״וְאָשׁ ִ יבָ ה שׁ ֹפְטַ יִךְ ״. your dross as with lye and take away your base alloy. And I will restore your judges as at the first” (Isaiah 1:25–26).

,Ulla says: Jerusalem is redeemed only by means of righteousness אָמַ ר ָּעוּלא: אֵ ין יְרוּשׁ ָלַיִם ִנפְדֵּ ית אֶ ָ ּלא בִּצְ ָד ָ קה, as it is stated: “Zion shall be redeemed with justice and those שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר :״צִ ּיֹון בְּמִשׁ ְ ָּ פט ִּת ּפָדֶ ה וְשׁ ָבֶ יהָ בִּצְ ָד ָ קה״. who return to it with righteousness” (Isaiah 1:27). Rav Pappa אָמַ ר רַ ב ַּפ ָּפא: אִ י בָּטְלִ י יְהִ ירֵ י, בָּטְלִ י אַמְ ּגוּשׁ ֵ י. אִ י says: If the arrogant will cease to exist, the Persian sorcerersb will cease to exist as well. If the deceitful judges will cease to יבָּטְלִ דַ ּיָינֵי, בָּטְלִ י ַגז ְִיר ּפַטֵ י. אִ י בָּטְלִ י יְהִ ירֵ י בָּטְלִ י exist, the royal officers [gazirpatei]l and taskmasters will cease אַמְ ּגוּשׁ ֵ י, דִּ כְתִ יב: ״וְאֶ צְ רֹף ּכַבּ ֹר סִ גָיִךְ וְאָ סִ ירָ ה ָ ּכל to exist. Rav Pappa elaborates: If the arrogant will cease, the בְּדִ ילָ יִךְ ״. יוְאִ יבָּטְלִ דַּ ּיָינֵי בָּטְלִ י ַגז ְִיר ּפַטֵ י, דִּכְתִ יב: Persian sorcerers will cease, as it is written: “And I will purge ״הֵסִ יר ה׳ מִשׁ ְ ּפָטַ יִךְ ִּ פ ּנָה אֹיְבֵךְ ״. away your dross [sigayikh] as with lye, and I will remove all your alloy [bedilayikh].” When the arrogant [sigim] are purged, the sorcerers, who are separated [muvdalim] from the fear of God, will also cease. And if the deceitful judges cease to exist, the royal officers and taskmasters will cease to exist, as it is written: “The Lord has removed your judgments; cast out your enemy” (Zephaniah 3:15).

Rabbi Yoĥanan says: If you saw a generation whose wisdom and ראָמַ ירַבִּ יֹוחָ נָן: םאִ רָאִיתָ דּ ֹור שׁ ֶ ּמ טִתְמַעֵ וְ הֹולֵךְ , -Torah study is steadily diminishing, await the coming of the Mes חַ הֵּ כ לֹו, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״וְאֶ ת עַ ם עָ נִי ּתֹושׁ ִ יעַ ״ וגו׳. אָמַ ר siah, as it is stated: “And the afflicted people You will redeem” רַ יבִּ יֹוחָ נָן: םאִ רָאִ יתָ דּ ֹור שׁ ֶ רֹותָ ּצ רַ בּ ֹות בָּ אֹות עָלָ יו (II Samuel 22:28). Rabbi Yoĥanan says: If you saw a generation whose troubles inundate it like a river, await the coming of the ַ ּכ ּנָהָ ר, חַ ֵ הּכ לֹו, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ִ ּ״כי יָבֹא כַ ּנָהָ ר צָ ר וְ רוּחַ Messiah, as it is stated: “When distress will come like a river that ה ׳ הנֹסְסָ בֹו״. וּסְמִ יךְ לֵ י ּה :״וּבָ אלְצִ ּיֹון ּגֹואֵ ל״. the breath of the Lord drives” (Isaiah 59:19). And juxtaposed to it is the verse: “And a redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20).

background From the Old Persian magus, a seen as representatives of idol worship (see Shabbat 75a). There­ who would whisper incantations that they themselves did not : ַ א ְ מ ּג ּ ו שׁ ִ י – [Sorcerers [amgushi tribe that served as priests during the Persian era. The members fore, the term amgush is utilized as an epithet. These people, understand. of this tribe represented the Persian cult, and therefore were especially in Babylonia, were viewed as sorcerers and charlatans

״י קרפ .חצ אףד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 98a 320 notes And Rabbi Yoĥanan says: The son of David will come only in a רוְאָמַ רַ יבִּ יֹוחָ נָן: אֵ ין בֶּ ן דָּ וִ ד בָּ א אֶ אָ ּל בְּ דֹור generation that is entirely innocent, in which case they will be A generation that is entirely innocent or entirely guilty – : Some explain שֶׁ ּכ ּוּלֹו ז ַּכַאי אֹו ּכ ֹּו וּלחַּיָיב. בְּ דֹור שֶׁ ּכ ּוּלֹו בְּ דֹור שֶׁ ּכ ּוּלֹו ז ַ ַּכאי אֹו ּכ ּ ֹווּל חַּיָיב deserving of redemption, or in a generation that is entirely guilty,n ;that in that generation there will be no hypocrites ז ַ ַּכאי, דִּ כְתִ יב: ״וְעַ ּמֵךְ ֻ ּכ ָ ּלם צַדִּ י ִ קים לְ עֹולָ ם in which case there will be no alternative to redemption. He may everyone will be either guilty and will unashamedly ­come in a generation that is entirely innocent, as it is written: display their wickedness in public, or entirely inno יִירְשׁ וּאָרֶ ץ״. בְּ דֹור שׁ ֶ ּכ ּ ֹווּל חַ ּיָיב, דִּ כְתִ יב: And your people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit cent. The innocent of that generation will behave“ ״וַ ּיַרְ א יִּ כ אֵ ין אִ ישׁ וַ ּיִשׁ ְ ּתֹומֵ ם ִ ּכי אֵ ין ַמ ְ פ ִ ּגיעַ ״, the land forever” (Isaiah 60:21). He may come in a generation righteously not in order to garner reward but for the ּ ו כְ תִ י ב : ״ לְ מַ עֲ נִ י אֶ עֱ ֶ שׂ ה ״ . that is entirely guilty, as it is written: “And He saw that there was sake of Heaven (Gra). no man, and was astonished that there was no intercessor; there- fore His arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness, it Personalities Shapur was the name of : ָ שׁ בֹור מַלְ ָ ּכא – sustained Him” (Isaiah 59:16). And it is written:“For My own sake, King Shapur for My own sake will I do it; for how should it be profaned? And several kings of Persia, Sahpuhr in Persian meaning son of the king. Here the Talmud refers to King Shapur I, My glory I will not give it to another” (Isaiah 48:11). son of the founder of the Sassanid dynasty. King Shapur successfully led the Persian wars against the Romans Rabbi Alexandri says: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi raises a con- in Eretz Yisrael and the surrounding lands, conquering § אָמַ ר רַ בִּ י אֲ לֶ ּכְסַ נְדְּרִ י: רַ יבִּ יְהֹושׁ ֻעַ בֶּ ן לֵוִ י רָ מֵ י: tradiction in a verse addressing God’s commitment to redeem the the city of Netzivin and extending the Persian borders ּכְתִ יב: ״בְּעִ ָּ ת ּה״, וּכְתִ יב: ״אֲחִ ישׁ ֶ ּנָה״! זָכוּ – Jewish people. In the verse: “I the Lord in its time I will hasten it” as far as Syria. After several campaigns in Syria and Asia ״אֲחִ ישׁ ֶ ּנָה״; לֹא זָכוּ – ״בְּעִ ָּ ת ּה״. (Isaiah 60:22), it is written: “In its time,”indicating that there is a Minor he not only emerged victorious in the Battle of designated time for the redemption, and it is written: “I will has- Edessa but even took the Roman emperor Valerian into ten it,” indicating that there is no set time for the redemption. captivity, where he remained until his death. With his Rabbi Alexandri explains: If they merit redemption through repen- prisoners of war as his workforce, King Shapur con­ structed major cities and dams. Within his kingdom he tance and good deeds I will hasten the coming of the Messiah. If was tolerant of other religions, and the Gemara relates they do not merit redemption, the coming of the Messiah will be at length his close relationship with the Jews and his in its designated time. appreciation of Jewish customs. On several occasions the Talmud recounts his friendship with the amora Rabbi Alexandri says: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi raises a contra- Shmuel, who upon hearing that King Shapur had died אָמַ ר רַבִּ י ּאֲלֶכְסַנְדְּרִ י :רַבִּי יְהֹושֻׁעַ בֶּ ן לֵוִי .diction between two depictions of the coming of the Messiah. It exclaimed: The bond has come undone רָ מֵ י: ּכְתִ יב: ״וַאֲ רוּ םעִ עֲ נָנֵי שׁ ְמַ ּיָא ּכְבַ ר אֱ נָשׁ is written: “There came with the clouds of heaven, one like unto אָתֵ ה״, וּכְתִ יב :״עָ נִי וְ ברֹכֵ לעַ חֲ מֹור״! זָכוּ – a son of man…and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom…his dominion is an everlasting dominion” (Daniel ״עִם עֲנָנֵי שְׁמַּיָא״, לֹא ז ָכוּ– ״עָנִי וְרֹוכֵב ;And it is written: “Behold, your king will come to you .(14–7:13 לעַ חֲ מֹור״. he is just and victorious; lowly and riding upon a donkey and upon a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Rabbi Alexandri explains: If the Jewish people merit redemption, the Messiah will come in a miraculous manner with the clouds of heaven. If they do not merit redemption, the Messiah will come lowly and riding upon a donkey.

King Shapurp of Persia said to Shmuel mockingly: You say that אֲמַ ר לֵ ּיה ָ שׁ בֹור מַ לְ ָ ּכא לִשׁ ְ מוּאֵ ל: ״אָמְרִ יתוּ, the Messiah will come on a donkey; I will send him the riding מָשׁ ִ יחַ עַ ל חֲמָרָ א אָתֵ י, אִ ישׁ ַדַּ ר לֵ ּיה סוּסְ יָא [barka]l horse that I have. Shmuel said to him: Do you have a בַּ ְרָ קא דְּאִ ית לִי״! אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״מִ י אִ ית לָךְ horse with one thousand colors [bar ĥivar gavanei]l like the .donkey of the Messiah? Certainly his donkey will be miraculous בַּ ר חִ יוַּ ר ַ ּגוָּ ונֵ י״?

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi found Elijah the prophet, who was רַבִּי יְהֹושֻׁעַ בֶּ ן לֵוִי אַשְׁ ַּחכ לְאֵלִּיָהוּ, דַּהֲוֵי standing at the entrance of the burial cave of Rabbi Shimon ben ָ קיְימִ י ַא ִּ פיתְחָ א דִּמְעַרְ ָ ּאת ידְּרַבִּ שׁ ִמְ עֹון בֶּ ן Yoĥai. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: Will I be privileged יֹוחַ אי. אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״אָתֵ ינָא לְעָלְמָ א דְּאָתֵ י״? to come to the World-to-Come? Elijah said to him: If this Master, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will wish it so. Rabbi Yehoshua ben אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה ״אִ: ם יִרְ הצֶ אָ דֹון הַ ּזֶה״. אָמַ ר רַבִּ י ,Levi says: Two I saw, Elijah and me, and the voice of three I heard יְהֹושֻׁעַ בֶּ ן לֵוִ י: ״שְׁנַיִם רָאִ יתִ י ְוקֹול שְׁ לֹשָׁ ה as the Divine Presence was also there, and it was in reference to שׁ ָ ַ מ ְ ע ּ ִ תי ״ . Him that Elijah said: If this Master will wish it so.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to Elijah: When will the Messiah אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״אֵימַ ת אָתֵ י מָשׁ ִ יחַ ״? אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: come? Elijah said to him: Go ask him. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi Sculpture of King Shapur I of Persia ״זִיל שׁ ַ יְילֵ ּיה לְדִ ידֵ ּיה״. ״וְהֵיכָ א יָתֵ יב״? asked: And where is he sitting?Elijah said to him: At the entrance ַא ִּ פ איתְחָ דְּ רֹומִ י. ״וּמַ אי סִ ימָ ּנֵיה״? ״יָתֵ יב of the city of Rome. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi asked him: And ?what is his identifying sign by means of which I can recognize him בֵּ ינֵי עֲ נִּיֵי סֹובְלֵ י חֳלָאִ ים, וְ ָ ּכוּלן שׁ ָ רוּ וַאֲסִ ירִ י -Elijah answered: He sits among the poor who suffer from ill בְּחַ ד ִ זימְ נָא, אִ יהוּ שׁ ָרֵ י חַ ד וְאָ סִ יר חַ ד. אֲמַ ר: nesses. And all of them untie their bandages and tie them all at דִּ ילְמָ א מִבָּעֵ ינָא, דְּ לָ א אִיעַ ַ ּכב״. once, but the Messiah unties one bandage and ties one at a time. He says: Perhaps I will be needed to serve to bring about the redemption. Therefore, I will never tie more than one bandage, so that I will not be delayed.

language for one thousand. The Hebrew and Aramaic word gavan is from :בַּ ר חִ יוַּ ר ַ ּגוָּ ונֵ י – [From the Persian baragi, meaning With one thousand colors [bar ĥivar gavanei : ַבּ רְ ָ קא – [Riding [barka animal for riding, horse. The Arukh cites a variant reading: Kar hazar gavnei. Kar is from the Middle Persian gonak, meaning color. Therefore, this phrase the Middle Persian xar, meaning donkey, and hazar is Persian means a donkey of a thousand colors. sanhedrin . Perek XI . 98a 321 . ״י קרפ .חצ ףד א notes Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi went to the Messiah. He said to ֲאזַל ּלְגַבֵּיה. אֲמַר לֵי ּה :״שָׁלֹום עָלֶיךָ Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and the Messiah – .the Messiah:n Greetings to you, my rabbi and my teacher ירַבִּ יְהֹושׁ ֻעַ בֶּ ן לֵוִ י will begin. See Rashi and others, who explain the entire incident as a ירַבִּ וּמֹורִ י״! אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה : ָ ״שׁ לֹום עָלֶ יךָ בַּ ר King Shapur, originally Shah pur, was the : Several matters relating to the essence of the Messiah : ָ שׁ בֹור מַלְ ָ ּכא – King Shapur ּ ו ָ מ שׁ ִ י חַ .prophetic vision that did not actually occur in this world NOTES name of several kings of Persia. Here the Talmud refers to King Shapur I, can be learned from this incident. First, the verse: “Indeed our ill­ The Messiahsaid to him: Greetings to you, bar Leva’i. Rabbi לִיוַאִ י״. אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״לְאֵ ימַ ת אָתֵ י מָ ר״? son of the founder of the Sassanid dynasty. King Shapur successfully You have no more explicit manifestation of the end than this – nesses he did bear and our pains he endured; yet we did esteem Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: When will the Master come? אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה :״הַ ּיֹום״. אאֲתָ ילְגַבֵּ אֵלִ ּיָהוּ. ­led the Persian wars against the Romans in Eretz Yisrael and the sur אֵ י ן : Some commentaries explain this passage as a con­ him injured, stricken by God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:3–4), is The Messiah said to him: Today. Sometime later, Rabbi LANGUAGE rounding lands, conquering the city of Netzivin and extending the לְךָ ֵ קץ מְ ֶ הּגוּל מִּזֶה Yehoshua ben Levi came to Elijah. Elijah said to him: What אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״מַ אי אֲמַ ר לָךְ״? אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: tinuation of the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua proving that there is a fulfilled in him. In addition, it is learned that he is sitting at the Persian borders as far as Syria. After several campaigns in Syria and Asia From the Aramaic gazir, meaning entrance to Rome, the seat of the kingdom that destroyed the : ַ ּג ִ זי רְ ּ ַ פטֵ י – [fixed time for redemption, as the chapter in Ezekiel that includes the Royal officers [gazirpatei did the Messiah say to you? He said to Elijah that the Messiah ״שָׁלֹום עָלֶיךָ בַּר לִיוַאִי״. אֲמַר לֵיּה: Minor he not only emerged victorious in the Battle of Edessa but even quoted verse addresses the redemption that is destined to come to office, and the Iranian pati, meaning a lord. Together, the compound Jewish people, and from there the redemption will begin. See said: Greetings [shalom] to you, bar Leva’i. Elijah said to ״ אַ בְ טַ חָ ךְ לָ ךְ וְ לַ אֲ ב ּ ו ךְ לְ עָ לְ מָ א דְּ אָ תֵ י ״ . took the Roman emperor Valerian into captivity, where he remained glorify the name of God and not due to the virtue of the Jewish people. means an officer of the court. Rashi and others, who explain the entire incident as a prophetic until his death. With his prisoners of war as his workforce, King Shapur him: He thereby guaranteed that you and your father will אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״שַׁ ּקֹורֵ י ָ קא שִׁ ֵ ּקר בִּ י, דַּאֲמַ ר .Likewise, the second verse: “For before these days there was no hire for vision that did not actually occur in this world .From the Persian baragi, meaning animal for constructed major cities and dams. Within his kingdom he was tolerant enter the World-to-Come, as he greeted you with shalom : ַ בּ רְ ָ קא – [Riding [barka man, nor any hire for beast; nor was there peace from the oppressor Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to Elijah: The Messiah lied to לִ י: הַ ׳ּיֹום אָתֵ ינָא׳, וְלָ א אֲתָ א״! אֲמַ ר ­riding, horse. of other religions, and the Gemara relates at length his close relation to him who exits and to him who enters,” indicates that there is a set background me, as he said to me: I am coming today, and he did not לֵ י ּה: ״הָכִי אֲמַ ר ְלָך: הַ ׳ּיֹום אִ ם ְבּ קֹלֹו The ship with the Jews and his appreciation of Jewish customs. On several :בַּ ר חִ יוַּ ר ַ ּגוָּ ונֵ י – [With one thousand colors [bar ĥivar gavanei time for the redemption (Ramah). Cave of Pamyas – : The Cave of Pamyas, today called come. Elijah said to him that this is what he said to you: He תִשׁ ְמָ ּעו׳ ״. מְ עָ רַ ת ּ ַ פמְ ָ י י ס ,Arukh cites a variant reading: Kar hazar gavnei. Kar is from the Middle occasions the Talmud recounts his friendship with the amora Shmuel You shall give your branches, etc. – : The promise of who upon hearing that King Shapur had died exclaimed: The bond the Banyas, is one of the sources of the Jordan River. In the past, ”Persian xar, meaning donkey, and hazar is Persian for one thousand. said that he will come “today, if you will listen to his voice עַ נְ ּפְכֶ ם ִּ ת ֵּ תנוּ וכו׳ the land’s yielding abundant produce will be fulfilled when the Jewish The Hebrew and Aramaic word gavan is from the Middle Persian gonak, has come undone. the waters of the Jordan emerged directly from the cave. It is people returns to it, as God decreed that until then the land will remain meaning color. Therefore, this phrase means a donkey of a thousand located near the ancient city of Dan. (Psalms 95:7). desolate (Maharsha). colors. Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma’s students asked him: When will § שׁ ָאֲ לוּ ַּ תלְמִ ידָ יו תאֶ רַ יבִּ יֹוסֵ י בֶּ ן ִ קיסְמָ א: Some explain : לַּי ֹו צֵ א וְ לַ ָבּ א – To him who exits and to him who enters the son of David come? Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said: I am ״אֵ ימָתַ י בֶּ ן דָּוִד בָּא״? אָמַ ר: ״מִתְיָירֵ א that this is a reference to Torah scholars, who do not go directly home hesitant to answer you, lest you request from me a sign to אֲ נִי שׁ ֶ ָּ מא ְּ ת ַב ּקְשׁ וּ מִ ֶּ מ ִיּנ אֹות״. אָמְ רוּ לֹו: like ordinary people, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Levi BACKGROUND From the Old Persian magus, a tribe corroborate my statement. They said to him: We are not : ַ א ְ מ ּג ּ ו שׁ ִ י – [bar Ĥiyya (Berakhot 64a): One who exits the synagogue and immedi­ Sorcerers [amgushi .asking you for a sign ״אֵ ין אָ נוּ מְ ַב ּקְשׁ ִ ין מִ ְּ מ ךָ אֹות״. ately enters the study hall and engages in Torah study is privileged to that served as priests during the Persian era. The members of this tribe receive the Divine Presence (Gilyonei HaShas). represented the Persian cult, and therefore were seen as representa­ tives of idol worship (see Shabbat 75a). Therefore, the term amgush Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said to them: You will see when this אָמַר לָהֶ ם: ִ״לִכְשֶּׁיּפֹול ּהַשַׁעַר הַּזֶה All the prices are equal – ּ ּ : The differences in is utilized as an epithet. These people, especially in Babylonia, were ָ ּכל הַ ׁ שְעָרִ ים ּכ ָ וּלן שׁ ְ קוּלִ ין the price of products in different places is a result of merchants bring­ existing gate of Rome falls and will be rebuilt, and will fall a וְ יִבָּ נֶה, וְ ִי ּפֹול, וְ יִבָּ נֶה, וְ ִי ּפֹול, וְאֵ ין מַ ְס ּפי ִ קין ִ viewed as sorcerers and charlatans who would whisper incantations ing them from places where supply is high to places where supply is second time and will be rebuilt, and will fall a third time. And לִבְנֹותֹו עַד שֶׁבֶּן דָּוִד בָּא״. אָמְרוּ לֹו: .that they themselves did not understand low. Since the merchants will be unable to exit one location to enter they will not manage to rebuild it until the son of David .comes. The students said to him: Our rabbi, give us a sign ״רַבֵּ ינוּ, ֵ ּןת לָנוּאֹות״! אָמַ ר לָהֶ ם: ״וְלֹא The Cave of Pamyas, today called the : מְ עָ רַ ת ּ ַ פמְ ָ י י ס – another, this variance in price will not occur. Others explain this to Cave of Pamyas Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said to them: But didn’t you say to ּכָךְ אֲמַרְ ֶּ תם לִי שֶׁאֵ ין אַ ֶּ תם מְ ַב ּקְשִׁין mean that the prices in all stores will be equal, due to universal integrity Banyas, is one of the sources of the Jordan River. In the past, the waters in the world (Arukh). of the Jordan emerged directly from the cave. It is located near the Cave of Pamyas ?me that you are not asking me for a sign מִ ֶּ מ ִיּנ אֹות״? .ancient city of Dan Some explain that this : מַ כ לְ ו תּ הַ ּזַ ָ ּלה – The contemptuous kingdom .They said to him: And nevertheless, provide us with a sign אָמְ רוּ לֹו: ַ״וְאף עַל ּפִי כֵן״. אָמַ ר לָהֶ ם: means that there will not be even insignificant, benign dominion over the Jewish people, who will be completely independent (Ramah). The Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said to them: If it is as I say, the water ״אִ ם ּכָךְ , ָיֵה ְ פכוּ מֵ י מְעָרַ ת ּפַמְ יָיס לְדָ ם״. ge’onim explain that the contemptuous kingdom is a reference to the of the Cave of Pamyasb will be transformed into blood. The ֶוְנֶה ְ פכ ּ ו לְ דָ ם . .Roman Empire, which treated the Jewish people with contempt Gemara relates: And it was transformed into blood. – ִיכְלּוAll the judges and officers will cease from the Jewish people At the time of his death, Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma said to his בִּשְׁעַ ת ּפְטִירָ תֹו, אָמַ ר לָהֶ ן: ״הַעֲמִ יקוּ Some explain here and elsewhere that this : לָּ כ שׁ ֹו ְטִ פים וְשׁ ֹוטְרִ ים מִ ּיִשְׂרָ אֵ ל refers to corrupt judges and officers, as the exile continues due to their students: Place my coffin deep in the ground, לִ י אֲ ר ֹו ִ נ י , .(sins (see Maharsha

ד ְ בּ ֹו ר שׁ ֶ ּכ ּ ו ּל ֹו – A generation that is entirely innocent or entirely guilty Some explain that in that generation there will be no : ַ ז ַּ כאי אֹו ּכ ּוּלֹו חַ ּיָ יב hypocrites; everyone will be either guilty and will unashamedly display their wickedness in public, or entirely innocent. The innocent of that generation will behave righteously not in order to garner reward but Perek XI for the sake of Heaven (Gra). Daf 98 Amud b : ירַבִּ יְהֹושׁ ֻעַ בֶּ ן לֵוִ י וּמָשׁ ִ יחַ – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and the Messiah Several matters relating to the essence of the Messiah can be learned notes as there is no palm tree that is in Babylonia to which a שׁ ֶאֵ ין ָ כל ֶדּ ֶ קל וְ ֶד ֶ קל שׁ ֶבְּבָבֶ ל שׁ ֶאֵ ין סוּס from this incident. First, the verse: “Indeed our illnesses he did bear and ּ – In the shadow of his donkey’s excrement horse of the Persians will not be tethered when the Persians בְּ טוּ ָ ּלא דְּ כוּ ִ פיתָ א our pains he endured; yet we did esteem him injured, stricken by God, Cave of Pamyas שׁ ֶ ל ּפַרְסִ ּיִים ִנק ָ רְשׁ בּ ֹו, וְאֵ ין לְךָ ָ לּכ אָ רֹון The commentaries interpreted this statement as an : and Medes go to conquer other lands. And there is no coffin ַ ּ ד חֲ מָ רֵ י ּה and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:3–4) is fulfilled in him. In addition, it is learned וְאָ רֹון שֶׁבְּאֶרֶ ץ יִשְׂרָאֵ ל שֶׁאֵ ין סוּס מָדִ י that he is sitting at the entrance to Rome, the seat of the kingdom allusion to the fact that even for one who will not be privileged Sculpture of King Shapur I of Persia buried in Eretz Yisrael from which a Median horse will not that destroyed the Jewish people, and from there the redemption to enjoy the elevated spiritual level of the messianic era, even eat straw. During wars, all the coffins will be removed from לאֹוכֵ בּ ֹו ּתֶבֶ ן״. PERSONALITIES those elements of the messianic era that are related in any way to the Messiah’s physical aspect [ĥomer], which is symbolized צח: the ground and used as animal troughs. I do not want my by his donkey [ĥamor], are worth anticipating (Netzaĥ Yisrael). coffin to be used for that purpose.

Rav says: The son of David will not come until the evil אָמַ ר רַ ב: אֵ ין בֶּ ן דָּ וִ ד בָּ א עַ ד שׁ ֶ ִּ ת ְת ַּ פ ׁ ֵּ שט Roman kingdom will disperse throughout Eretz Yisrael for הַ ּמַלְכוּת הָרְשָׁעָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵ ל ּתִשְׁעָה nine months, as it is stated: “Therefore will He give them חֳדָשִׁים, שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״לָכֵן ּיִתְנֵם עַד עֵת up, until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; -then the remnant of his brethren shall return with the chil יֹולֵדָ ה יָלָדָ ה וְיֶתֶ ר אֶחָ יו יְשׁ וּבוּן עַל בְּנֵי dren of Israel” (Micah 5:2). Once a period equivalent to a ִ י ְ שׂ רָ אֵ ל ״ . term of pregnancy passes, the redemption will come.

Ulla says: Let the Messiah come, but after my death, so § אָמַר ָּעוּלא: יֵיתֵ י וְלָא אִ ּיחְמִינֵיה. וְכֵן that I will not see him, as I fear the suffering that will precede אָמַ ר ]רַבָּ ה[: יֵיתֵ י וְלָא אִ יחְמִ ּינֵיה. רַ ב his coming. Likewise, Rabba says: Let the Messiah come, ֵיֹוסף אָמַ ר: יֵיתֵ י, וְ ִאז ִ ְּכי דְּאֵ יתִ יב בְּ ָ ּטוּלא but after my death, so thatI will not see him. Rav Yosef says: Let the Messiah come, and I will be privileged to sit in the ְ ּ ד כ ּו ִ פי תָ א ַ ּ ד חֲ מָ רֵ י ּה . shadow of his donkey’s excrement.n I am willing to undergo all the pain and disgrace associated with his arrival. ״י קרפ :חצ ףאד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 98b 322 ?Abaye said to Rabba: What is the reason that you are so concerned אֲמַ ר לֵ ּיה אַ בַּ יֵי לְרַ בָּ ה: מַ אי טַעְמָ א? אִ ילֵ ימָ א If we say it is due to the pains preceding and accompanying the מִ ׁ ּשוּם חֶבְ לֹו שֶׁ ל מָשִׁ יחַ – וְהָתַנְיָא: ״שָׁאֲ לוּ coming of the Messiah, but isn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi ּתַלְמִ ידָ יו אֶ ת רַבִּי אֶלְ ָעָזר : המַ ּיַעֲשֶׂ ה אָדָ ם Elazar’s students asked Rabbi Elazar: What shall a person do to be spared from the pains preceding the coming of the Messiah? Rabbi ּוְיִנָצֵל מֵחֶבְלֹו שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ ? יַעֲסֹוק בַּ ּתֹורָה Elazar said to them: They shall engage in Torah study and acts of וּבִגְמִ ילוּת חֲסָדִ ים״. וּמָ ר – הָ א ּתֹורָ ה, וְהָ א ,kindness. Abaye continued: And as far as the Master is concerned ּגְמִ ילוּת חֲסָדִ ים! isn’t there the Torah and aren’t there the acts of kindness that you performed?

Rabba said to him: I am concerned lest sin cause me to suffer the אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: שׁ ֶ ָ ּאמ יִגְ רֹום הַחֵטְ א, ּכִדְרַבִּ י ֲיַעקֹב ,pain despite the Torah study and the good deeds in which I engage בַּ ר אִ ידִ י. דְּרַבִּי ֲיַעקֹב בַּ ר אִ ידִ י רָמֵ י: ּכְתִיב: in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi. As ״וְהִ ּנֵה אָ נֹכִ י עִ ָּ מךְ וּשׁ ְמַרְ ִּ תיךָ בְּ כֹל אֲשׁ ֶ ר ֵּ תלֵךְ ״. Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi raises a contradiction. It is writtenthat God said to Jacob: “And I am with you, and will keep you wherever you וּכְתִ יב :״וַּיִירָ א ֲיַע ֹב קמְ אֹד רוַּיֵצֶ לֹו״. go” (Genesis 28:15), and it is written: “And Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed” (Genesis 32:7). If God assured Jacob that He would keep him, why was he concerned?

Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi explains: He was afraid lest sin on his part שׁ ֶהָ יָה מִתְ יָירֵ א שׁ ֶ ּאָ מ יִגְ רֹום הַחֵטְ א. ּכִדְתַ נְיָא: cause that assurance to be abrogated, as it is taught in a baraita with ״׳עַ ד יַעֲ בֹר עַ ְּ מךָ ה״ – זֹו בִּ היאָ רִ אשׁ ֹונָה; ׳עַ ד regard to the verse: “Until Your people pass over, Lord, until Your יַעֲ בֹר עַ ם זוּ ָ ק ָנִית׳ – ֹוז בִּ היאָ שׁ ְנִּיָה. people, whom You have acquired, pass over” (Exodus 15:16). “Until Your people pass over, Lord”; this is a reference to the first entry into the land, led by Joshua. “Until Your people, whom You have acquired, pass over”; this is a reference to the second entry into the land, when they returned to Zion from Babylonia.

-Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi explains: Say from now, based on this state אֱ מֹור מֵעַ ָּתה :רְ אוּיִים הָ יוּ ליִשְׂרָאֵ לַעֲשֹׂות ment, that the Jewish people were worthy for God to perform a םלָהֶ נֵס בְּבִ היאָ ְ שׁ נִּיָה ּכְבִ היאָ רִ אשׁ ֹונָה, אֶ ָ ּלא miracle on their behalf in the second entry into the land that was שׁ ֶ ּג ָרַ ם הַ חֵ טְ א״. like the miracles that were performed during the exodus from Egypt and the first entryinto the land, but the sin caused the second entry to take place in an unremarkable manner, with the Jewish people being subject to the dominion of the gentiles.

And so too Rabbi Yoĥanan said: Let the Messiah come, but after ןוְכֵ ראֲמַ רַ יבִּ יֹוחָ נָן: יֵיתֵ י וְלָ א אִ יחְמִ ּינֵיה. אֲמַ ר my death, so that I will not see him. Reish Lakish said to him: What לֵ ּיה רֵ ישׁ ָל ִ ק ׁיש: מַ אי טַעְמָ א? אִ ילֵ ימָ א מִ ׁ ּשוּם is the reason that you are concerned? If we say it is because it is דִּ כְתִ יב: ּ״כַאֲשׁ ֶ ר יָנוּס אִ ישׁ ִמ ְּ פנֵי הָאֲרִ י ּופְגָ עֹו writtenwith regard to the day of God: “As when a man did flee from a lion and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his ֹבהַדּ א]וּבָ הַבַּ יִת[ וְסָמַךְ יָדֹו עַ ל ַה ִ ּקיר ָ וּנְשׁ כֹו arm on the wall and a snake bit him” (Amos 5:19), that is not a הַ ּנ ״ָחָשׁ – בּ ֹא וְאַרְאֲךָדּוּגְמָ תֹו בָּ םעֹולָ הַּזֶה: reason. Come, and I will show you a counterpart in this world to ִבּזְמַן םשֶׁאָדָ יֹוצֵא לַ ּשָׂדֶ ה ּופָגַע בֹּו סַנְטָר, the situation described in this verse, as even today one encounters דּ ֹומֶ ה ּכְמִ י שׁ ֶ ּפ עָגַ בּ ֹו אֲרִ י. נִכְ נַס לָעִ יר ּפ עָגַ בּ ֹו those situations. At a time when a person goes out to the field and ּגַבַּ אי, דֹּומֶ ה ּכְמִ י שֶׁ ּפְגָעֹו דֹּב. נִכְנַס לְבֵיתֹו is accosted by a guard [santar]l who demands payment, his situa- tion is similar to that of one who is accosted by a lion. He then וּמָ אצָ בָּ נָיו וּבְ נֹותָ יו ּמוּטָלִ ין בָּרָ עָ ב, דּ ֹומֶ ה ּכְמִ י enters the city and is accosted by a royal tax collector. His situation שׁ ֶ שׁ ּנ ָ ְכ ֹו ָ נ ָ ח שׁ . is similar to that of one who is accosted by a bear. He then enters his house and finds his sons and daughters afflicted with famine. His situation is similar to that of one whom a snake bit.

Rabbi Yoĥanan said to him: Rather, the reason I am concerned is אֶ ּלָא מִ ׁ ּשוּם דִּכְתִ יב: ״שַׁאֲ לוּ נָא, וּרְ אוּ אִ ם that it is written with regard to the day of God: “Ask now, and see יֹלֵ ד זָכָ ר מַדּ וּעַ רָאִ יתִ י כָ ל ּגֶבֶ ר יָדָ יו עַ ל חֲלָצָ יו whether a man gives birth. Why, then, do I see every man [kol ַ ּכּיֹולֵדָ ה ֶוְנֶה ְ פכוּ כָ ל ָּ פנִים לְיֵ ָרקֹון״. gever] with his hands on his loins, as a woman in labor, and all faces turned green?” (Jeremiah 30:6).

language Some hold that this is from the Greek fields, or forest ranger. Yet others hold that it is a form of the Hebrew : סַ נְ טָ ר – [Guard [santar συντηρέω, suntēreo, meaning to guard. Others hold that it is from root nun, tet, reish, meaning watch or guard. the Latin saltuarius, with a minor variation, meaning guard of the sanhedrin . Perek XI . 98b 323 . ״י קרפ :חצ ףד א notes The Gemara clarifies: What is the meaning of the phrase “I see kol מַ אי ״רָאִ יתִ י כָ ל ּגֶבֶ ר״? אָמַ ר רָבָ א בַּ ר The Ramah gever”? Rava bar Yitzĥak says that Rav says: It is a reference to :מִ י שׁ ֶ ָ ּכל ְ ּגבוּרָ ה שׁ ֶ ּלֹו – He Whom all strength is His יִצְ ָחק אָמַ ר רַ ב: מִ י שׁ ֶ ָ ּכל ְ ּגבוּרָ ה שׁ ֶ ּלֹו. explains that the reference is to the mighty of the Jewish He Whom all strength is His.n It is as though even God will suffer וּמַ אי ״וְ ֶנֶה ְ פכוּ כָ ל ּפָנִים ָלְיֵרקֹון״? אָמַ ר .people, who will then be insecure like a woman in labor due to the troubles of the Jewish people. And ?”what is the meaning of the phrase “And all faces turned green ירַבִּ יֹוחָ נָן: ּפָמַלְ יָא שׁ ֶ ל מַעְלָ ה וּפָמַלְ יָא According to the :הַ ָ ּללוּ מַ עֲשֵׂ ה יָדַ י – These are My handiwork שׁ ֶ ל ַ מ ּט ָה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר ַה ד ּ ק ָ ֹו שׁ ,Ramah, this statement cannot be attributed to God. Instead everyone, both the Jewish people and the angels, will ques­ Rabbi Yoĥanan says: The reference is to the heavenly entourage above, i.e., angels, and the earthly entourage below, i.e., the Jewish בָּ רוּךְ הוּא: הַ ּלָלוּ מַעֲשֵׂ ה יָדַ י וְהַ ּלָלוּ tion whether the Jewish people deserve to have miracles people, who will all sufferat the time when the Holy One, Blessed מַעֲשֵׂ ה יָדַ י – הֵ יאַךְ אֲאַבֵּ ד אֵ ּלוּ ִמ ּפְנֵי .performed for them at the expense of the gentiles be He, says: These, the Jewish people, are My handiwork,n and אֵ ּל ּ ו ? Some explain this : רָ הֵ י ט ְ ו ָנ ַ פל ּת ֹורָ א – An ox runs and falls to mean that even when an ox runs and then falls down those, the gentiles, are My handiwork. How shall I destroy those exhausted, it remains strong enough to cast the horse into on account of these? It appears that the Holy One, Blessed be He, its barn. Likewise, with regard to the Jewish people, even does not distinguish between the Jewish people and the gentiles. when they are in descent, they remain deserving to have That is why Rabbi Yoĥanan was concerned with regard to the the nations destroyed before them (Ramah). coming of the Messiah. It is clear that the school of : מַ ה ְ ּמ ׁ שֹו – What is his name -Rav Pappa says that this is in accordance with the adage that peo אָמַ ר רַ ב ַּפּפָא, הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִ י אֱ ינָשֵׁ י: each of these Sages, here and in other similar statements n ple say: An ox runs and falls, and its owner goes and casts a horse רָהֵיט ָוְנפַל ּתֹורָ א ָוְאזֵיל וְשָׁדֵ י ּלֵיה in midrashim, suggested a name for the Messiah similar to the name of his teacher: Shiloh like Rabbi Sheila, Yinnon in its place. Although the horse is an inferior work animal relative סוּסְ יָ א בְּ אוּרְ יֵ ּיה. like Rabbi Yannai, Ĥanina like Rabbi Ĥanina, based on the to the ox, when there is no ox available, a horse must suffice. So too, statement that in each generation there are those worthy, after the Jewish people sin, it is as though the Holy One, Blessed be in terms of their spiritual greatness, of redeeming the Jewish He, transfers their prominence to the gentiles. people, but the appropriate time had not yet arrived. Each school considered its leader to be one of those people (see Rav Giddel says that Rav says: The Jewish people are destined § אָמַ ר רַ ב ִ ּגידֵּ ל אָמַ ר רַ ב: עֲתִ ידִ ין יִשְׂרָאֵ ל Yeshuot Meshiĥo). The Gra states that the letters of the word to eat from the bounty of, i.e., enjoy, the years of the Messiah. Rav דְּאָכְלִי שְׁנֵי .מָשִׁיחַ אָמַר רַב ֵיֹוס :ף ­Messiah, mem, shin, yod, ĥet, are initials for the names sug Yosef says: Isn’t this obvious? And rather, who else will eat from ּפְשׁ ִ יטָ א! וְאֶ ָ ּלא מַ אן אָ כֵ יל לְ הוּ? חִ י ָּלק .gested in the Gemara: Menaĥem, Shiloh, Yinnon, Ĥanina Even in later generations there were Sages who hinted in them? Will Ĥillak and Billak,b two shiftless characters, eat from them? The Gemara explains that Rav Giddel’s statement serves וּבִיָּלק אָכְלִי לְהוּ? ַלְאּפֹוֵ קי מִדְּרַבִּי their writings and books that they were worthy to be the to exclude the statement of Rabbi Hillel, who says: There is הִ ֵ ּילל, דְּאָמַ ר: אֵ ין מָשׁ ִ יחַ לְ יִשְׂרָאֵ ל, .redeemer of Israel no Messiah coming for the Jewish people, as they already ate שׁ ֶ ּכְבָ ר אֲכָ לוּהוּ בִּ ימֵ י ִחְז ִ ק ּיָה. The leper of the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi [ĥivara Some explain that this means from him, as all the prophecies relating to the Messiah were already : חִ י ָ ּ ו ו רָ א ְ ּ ד בֵ י רַ ִבּ י – [devei Rabbi that the Messiah will be a descendant of Rabbi Yehuda fulfilledduring the days of Hezekiah. HaNasi, and he will be a leper, as is noted in the verse. Oth­ Rav says: The world was created only for the sake of David, by אָמַ ר רַ ב: לָ א אִבְרֵ י עָלְמָ א אֶ ָ ּלא לְדָ וִ ד. ,ers cite a variant reading: Ĥivara rav, meaning very white i.e., that he will be greatly afflicted with leprosy (Arukh). virtue of his merit. And Shmuel says: It was created by virtue of the וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר :לְמֹשֶׁ ה. וְרַבִּי יֹוחָנָן Rav Naĥman…Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi…Daniel – merit of Moses. And Rabbi Yoĥanan says: It was created by virtue אָמַ ר : ַ ל ּ ָ משׁ ִ י חַ . רַב נַחְמָן… .Some explain that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and of the merit of the Messiah :רַבִּ י…דָּ נִּיֵאל Daniel were chosen because they were both righteous and Apropos the Messiah, the Gemara asks: What is his name?n The מַ ה ְ ׁ ּשמֹו? דְּבֵ י רַ בִּ י שׁ ֵ ילָ א אָמְרִ י: שׁ ִ ילֹה underwent great suffering (see Rashi). Others explain that it was in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Daniel that the verse :school of Rabbi Sheila says: Shiloh is his name, as it is stated שְׁ מֹו, שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״עַד ּכִי יָבֹא שִׁ ילֹה״. cited by Rav Naĥman was fulfilled, as each was privileged “Until when Shiloh shall come” (Genesis 49:10). The school of דְּבֵ י רַ בִּ י ּיַנַאי אָמְרִ י: ּיִנֹון ְ שׁ מֹו, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: to serve as a leader of the Jewish people during his lifetime Rabbi Yannai says: Yinnon is his name, as it is stated: “May his (Maharsha; Be’er Sheva). name endure forever; may his name continue [yinnon] as long ״יְהִישְׁמֹו לְעֹולָם ִלפְנֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ ּיִנֹון .(as the sun; and may men bless themselves by him” (Psalms 72:17 שְׁמֹו״. דְּבֵי רַבִּי חֲנִינָה אָמַ ר: חֲנִינָה The school of Rabbi Ĥanina says: Ĥanina is his name, as it is שְׁ מֹו, שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״אֲשֶׁ ר לֹא אֶ ֵּ תן לָכֶם .(stated: “For I will show you no favor [ĥanina]” (Jeremiah 16:13 חֲ נִינָה״. וְ יֵשׁ אֹומְרִ ים מְ נַחֵ ם בֶּ ן ִחְז ִ קּיָה And some say that Menaĥem ben Ĥizkiyya is his name, as it is שְׁ מֹו, שֶׁ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ּ״כִי רָ ַחק מִ ֶּ מּנִי מְנַחֵ ם stated: “Because the comforter [menaĥem] that should relieve my soul is far from me” (Lamentations 1:16). And the Rabbis מֵשִׁיב ַנפְשִׁ י״. וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִ י: ״חִ יוָּורָ א ,say: The leper of the house of RabbiYehuda HaNasin is his name ידְּבֵ ירַבִּ ְ שׁ מֹו״, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״אָכֵ ן חֳלָיֵינוּ as it is stated: “Indeed our illnesses he did bear and our pains הוּ א נָשָׂ א וּמַ כְ אֹבֵ ינוּ סְ בָ לָ ם וַאֲ נַחְ נוּ ,he endured; yet we did esteem him injured, stricken by God חֲשׁ ַבְ נֻהוּ נָ גוּעַ מֻ ֵּ כה אֱ לֹהִ ים וּמְעֻ ּנֶה״. and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4).

Rav Naĥman says: If the Messiah is among the living in this אָמַ ר רַ ב נַחְמָ ן : יאִ ןמִ חַ ּיָיא הוּא, ְ ּכגֹון generation, he is a person such as me, who already has dominion אֲ נָא, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר :״וְהָ יָה אַ דִּ ירֹו מִ ֶּ מ ּנוּ over the Jewish people, as it is stated: “And their prince shall וּמֹשְׁלֹו ִמּקִרְבֹּו יֵצֵא״. אָמַר רַ ב: אִי be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from their midst” (Jeremiah 30:21), indicating that the redeemer is already in מִן חַּיָיא הוּא, ּכְגֹון רַבֵּינוּ ַהָ ּקדֹושׁ . ­power. Rav says: If the Messiah is among the living in this gene יאִ ןמִ מֵתַּיָא הוּא, ּכְגֹון דָּנִּיֵאל אִ ישׁ ,ration, he is a person such as our saintly Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi חֲ מוּדֹות. who was renowned for his sanctity, piety, and Torah knowledge. If the Messiah is among the dead he is a person such as Daniel,n the beloved man.

background The early commentaries dis­ names of two violent people, who were renowned for their :חִ י ָּלק וּבִ י ָּלק – Ĥillak and Billak cussed the identities of Ĥillak and Billak, who appear elsewhere worthlessness in that generation. The Sages used these two as in the Talmud as well (see Rashi). the paradigm for worthlessness. According to the tradition of the ge’onim these were the

״י קרפ :חצ ףאד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 98b 324 notes Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: The Holy One, Blessed be He, is אָמַ ר רַ ב יְהוּדָ ה אָמַ ר רַ ב: עָתִ יד ַה ָ ּקדֹושׁ בָּ רוּךְ An emperor and a viceroy – : Rabbi Sheila, Yinnon like Rabbi Yannai, Ĥanina like Rabbi Ĥanina, based ֵ קי סָ ר ּו ַ פלְ ֵ ּגי ֵ קי סָ ר destined to establish another David for the Jewish people as the Some hold that this is from the Greek : סַ נְ טָ ר – [In the Arukh it is explained that David will be king Guard [santar הוּא לְהַעֲמִ יד לָהֶ ם דָּ וִ ד אַחֵ ר, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ״וְעָבְ דוּ on the statement that in each generation there are those worthy, in Messiah, as it is stated: “And they shall serve the Lord their God, of Israel and the Messiah will be his viceroy. NOTES συντηρέω, suntēreo, meaning to guard. Others hold that it is from ,terms of their spiritual greatness, of redeeming the Jewish people, but the Latin saltuarius, with a minor variation, meaning guard of the fields אֵ ת ה׳ אֱ לֹהֵ יהֶ ם וְאֵ ת דָּוִ ד מַלְ ָ ּכם אֲשׁ ֶ ר ָא ִ קים and David their king, whom I will establish for them” (Jeremiah In the shadow of his donkey’s excrement – : ,the appropriate time had not yet arrived. Each school considered its or forest ranger. Yet others hold that it is a form of the Hebrew root nun ְבּ ט ּו ָ ּלא ְ ּ ד כ ּו ִ פי תָ א ַ ּ ד חֲ מָ רֵ י ּה לָהֶ ם״. ֵ״ה ִ קים״ לֹא נֶאֱמַ ר, אֶ ָ ּלא ָ״א ִ קים״. אֲמַ ר 30:9). It is not stated: I established, but “I will establish,” indicat- The commentaries interpreted this statement as an allusion to the fact background leader to be one of those people (see Yeshuot Meshiĥo). The Gra states tet, reish, meaning watch or guard. ­ing that the name of the future king will be David. Rav Pappa said that even for one who will not be privileged to enjoy the elevated spiri לֵ ּיה רַ ב ַּפ ָּ פא לְאַ בַּ יֵי: וְהָכְתִ יב: ״וְדָ וִ ד עַבְ דִּ י נָשִׂ יא This that the letters of the word Messiah, mem, shin, yod, ĥet, are initials for : ֵ קי סָ ר ּו ַ פלְ ֵ ּגי ֵ קי סָ ר – An emperor and a viceroy .to Abaye: But isn’t it written: “And my servant David shall be expression addresses a situation that existed in tual level of the messianic era, even those elements of the messianic the names suggested in the Gemara: Menaĥem, Shiloh, Yinnon, Ĥanina לָהֶ ם לְ ע ֹו לָ ם ״ ! ג ּ ְ כֹו ן קֵיסָר ּו ַ פלְ ּגֵי ֵ קי סָ ר . their prince forever” (Ezekiel 37:25), indicating that King David the Roman Empire for a period of time after Dio­ era that are related in any way to the Messiah’s physical aspect [ĥomer], Even in later generations there were Sages who hinted in their writings BACKGROUND himself will rule over the Jewish people? Abaye said: They will rule cletian instituted reforms in the Roman political which is symbolized by his donkey [ĥamor], are worth anticipating and books that they were worthy to be the redeemer of Israel. Ĥillak and Billak – : The early commentaries discussed the חִ ָּילק וּבִ ָּילק .(nb system. Beginning then, not only was the empire (Netzaĥ Yisrael in tandem like an emperor and a viceroy; the Messiah will be The leper of the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi [ĥivara devei Rabbi] – identities of Ĥillak and Billak, who appear elsewhere in the Talmud as divided under the rule of various supreme lead­ .(The Ramah explains : Some explain that this means that the Messiah will be well (see Rashi :מִ י שׁ ֶ ָ ּכל ְ ּגבוּרָ ה שׁ ֶ ּלֹו – king and David will be second-in-command. He Whom all strength is His חִ י ָ ּ ו ו רָ א ְ ּ ד בֵ י רַ ִבּ י ers, but each of those leaders who were given that the reference is to the mighty of the Jewish people, who will a descendant of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and he will be a leper, as is According to the tradition of the ge’onim these were the names the name Augustus had a viceroy who was also Rabbi Simlai taught: What is the meaning of that which is writ- then be insecure. noted in the verse. Others cite a variant reading: Ĥivara rav, meaning of two violent people, who were renowned for their worthlessness § דָּרַשׁ רַ בִּ י שִׂמְ לַ אי: מַ אי דִּ כְתִ יב: ״הֹוי הַ ּמִתְאַ וִּ ים an independent leader, albeit lower in the chain ten: “Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord. Why would you very white, i.e., that he will be greatly afflicted with leprosy (Arukh). in that generation. The Sages used these two as the paradigm for ,According to the Ramah :הַ ָ ּללוּ מַעֲשֵׂ ה יָדַ י – of command. He was given the title Caesar. This These are My handiwork תאֶ יֹום ה׳! לָ ָּ מה ֶהז םלָכֶ יֹום ה׳ הוּא חֹשֶׁ ךְ וְ לֹא have this day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light” (Amos this statement cannot be attributed to God. Instead, everyone, both worthlessness. : ברַ נַחְמָן…רַבִּי…דָּ נִּיֵאל – governmental structure was a paradigm for the Rav Naĥman…Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi…Daniel ּ the Jewish people and the angels, will question whether the Jewish אֹור״? ָ למָשׁ לְתַרְ נְ גֹול וַעֲטַ ֵלף שׁ ֶהָ יוּ מְ צַ ִּ פין לְ אֹור. This expression addresses : ֵ קי סָ ר ּו ַ פלְ ֵ ּגי ֵ קי סָ ר – It is comparable to a rooster and a bat who were looking end of days, when there will be an emperor and Some explain that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Daniel were chosen An emperor and a viceroy ?(5:18 forward to the light of day. The rooster said to the bat: I look his viceroy. people deserve to have miracles performed for them at the expense because they were both righteous and underwent great suffering a situation that existed in the Roman Empire for a period of time after אָמַ ר לֵ ּיה ּתַרְ נְ גֹול לַעֲטַ ֵּלף: ״אֲ נִי מְ ַצ ֶּ הפ לְ אֹורָ ה, ­forward to light, as light is an indication of my time to be active. of the gentiles. (see Rashi). Others explain that it was in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Diocletian instituted reforms in the Roman political system. Begin שׁ ֶאֹורָ ה שׁ ֶ ִ ּלי הִ יא. וְאַ ָּ תה, לָ ָּ המ לָךְ אֹורָ ה״? Some explain this to mean that Daniel that the verse cited by Rav Naĥman was fulfilled, as each was ning then, not only was the empire divided under the rule of various : רָ הֵ י ט ְ ו ָנ ַ פל ּת ֹורָ א – But as for you, why do you need light? Nighttime for you is like An ox runs and falls daytime for me. even when an ox runs and then falls down exhausted, it remains strong privileged to serve as a leader of the Jewish people during his lifetime supreme leaders, but each of those leaders who were given the name enough to cast the horse into its barn. Likewise, with regard to the (Maharsha; Be’er Sheva). Augustus had a viceroy who was also an independent leader, albeit Jewish people, even when they are in descent, they remain deserving lower in the chain of command. He was given the title Caesar. This An emperor and a viceroy – ּ : In the Arukh it is explained governmental structure was a paradigm for the end of days, when ֵ קי סָ ר ּו ַ פלְ ֵ גי ֵ קי סָ ר to have the nations destroyed before them (Ramah). that David will be king of Israel and the Messiah will be his viceroy. there will be an emperor and his viceroy. It is clear that the school of each of these : מַ ה ְ ּמ ׁ שֹו – What is his name Sages, here and in other similar statements in midrashim, suggested Perek XI a name for the Messiah similar to the name of his teacher: Shiloh like LANGUAGE Daf 99 Amud a

notes And that is the background for the following exchange, as a certain וְהַיְינוּ דַּאֲמַ ר ּלֵיה הַ הוּא מִ ינָא לְרַבִּי אַבָּ ּהו: : ַ ּכ ּהָ מ יְ מֹות הַ ּמָשׁ ִ יחַ – heretic said to Rabbi Abbahu: When will the Messiah come? How long is the messianic era ­The point of these disputes is that the Sages con ״אֵ ימָתַ י אָתֵ י מָשׁ ִ יחַ ״? אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״לְכִ י ָח ֵ פי לְ הוּ Rabbi Abbahu said to him: He will come when the darkness will sider the messianic era to be a preparation of חֲשׁ וּכָ א לְהָנְהוּ אֱ ינָשׁ ֵ י״. אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״מֵ ילָ ט ָ קא enshroud these people, i.e., you. The hereticsaid to him: Are you the world in general and the Jewish people in ­cursing me for no reason? Rabbi Abbahu said to him, I am merely particular for life in the World-to-Come. They dis לָיַיטַ ְּת לִי״? אֲמַ ר לֵ י ּה: ״קְרָ א ּכְתִיב: ׳ ּכִי הִ ּנֵה צט. agreed with regard to the duration of the period relating to you a verse that is written: “For behold, the darkness הַ חֹשֶׁ ךְ יְכַסֶּ ה אֶרֶ ץ וַעֲ ָר ֶ פל לְאֻ ִּ מים וְעָלַיִךְ ִיזְרַ ח .shall cover the earth, and fog the peoples; but the Lord shall required to elevate the Jewish people to that level ה׳ וּכְ בֹודֹו עָלַ יִךְ יֵרָאֶ ה׳״. shine upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you” (Isaiah Therefore, the Sages who minimized the duration of the messianic era, and all the more so Rabbi 60:2). Hillel, who said that there would be no messianic era at all, are actually praising the Jewish people. It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer says: The messianic eran § ַּ תנְיָא: ״רַבִּ י אֱלִ ֶיעֶרז אֹומֵ ר :יְמֹות הַ ּמָשׁ ִ יחַ Rabbi Hillel says there is no Messiah coming for will be forty years long, as it is stated: “Forty years will I strive אַרְבָּעִ ים שׁ ָנָה, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳אַרְבָּעִ ים שׁ ָנָה ָאקוּט רַבִּ י הִ לֵ ּיל אֹומֵ ר אֵ ין לָהֶ ם מָשׁ ִ יחַ – with the generation” (Psalms 95:10). The forty years of strife with the Jewish people There are several opinions with regard to : בְּ דֹור׳. רַבִּי אֶלְ ָעזָר בֶּ ן ֲעזַרְיָה אֹומֵ ר: שִׁבְעִים לְ ִ י ְשׂ רָ אֵ ל the gentiles will be followed by the glory days of the Messiah. Rabbi the meaning of this statement. Some explain that שׁ ָ נָה, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳וְהָ יָהבַּ ּיֹום הַ הוּא וְנִשׁ ְ ּכַחַ ת Elazar ben Azarya says: The messianic era will last seventy years, it means that the redemption will not be brought as it is stated: “And it shall come to pass on that day, that Tyre about by a person but rather by God Himself צֹר שׁ ִבְעִ ים שׁ ָנָה ִ ּכימֵ י מֶלֶךְ אֶחָ ד׳. אֵ יזֶהוּ מֶלֶךְ shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one (Rashi). Others explain that Rabbi Hillel believes מְ יוּחָ ד? יהֱוֵ אֹומֵ ר זֶה מָשׁ ִ יחַ . king” (Isaiah 23:15). In this context, one [eĥad], means unique that the Jewish people will not be redeemed [meyuĥad]. Which is the unique king? You must say that this is a (Ramah). Yet others explain that it means that reference to the Messiah. the Jewish people are no longer entitled to the Messiah since the rewards described in those Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: The messianic era will lastthree gene­ prophecies were already enjoyed during the reign of Hezekiah. When the Messiah comes it will not ירַבִּ אֹומֵ ר :שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ה ָ דּ ֹורֹות, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳יִירָ אוּךָ עִ ם ,rations, as it is stated: “May they fear You as long as the sun and be because the Jewish people deserved it; rather שׁ ָמֶשׁ וְ ִל ְ פ נֵייָרֵחַ דּ ֹור דֹּורִ ים׳. רַבִּ י הִ ֵ לּיל אֹומֵ ר: moon endure, throughout the generations [dor dorim]” (Psalms .(it will be for the glory of God (Torat HaOla אֵ ין לָהֶ ם מָשׁ ִ יחַ לְ יִשְׂרָאֵ ל, שׁ ֶ ּכְבָ ר אֲ כָ לוּהוּ בִּ ימֵ י 72:5). Dor is singular and dorim is plural, for a total of three genera- p ִ ְ ז ִ ק ָ ּי ה ״ ח. tions. Rabbi Hillel says: There is no Messiah coming for the Personalities Jewish people,n as they already ate from him, as all the prophecies Apparently this Rabbi Hillel : רַ ִבּ י הִ ֵ ּלל – Rabbi Hillel relating to the Messiah were already fulfilled, during the days of was the grandson of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Hezekiah. the younger brother of Rabbi Yehuda Nesia, who was the Nasi in that generation. Some say that Rav Yosef says: May the Master forgive Rabbi Hillel for stating the statements attributed to Hillel in the second ראָמַ ברַ ֵיֹוסף: שְׁרָ א ּלֵיה מָרֵ ּיה לְרַבִּי הִ ּילֵל! matters with no basis. With regard toHezekiah, when was his reign? chapter of tractate Avot are the statements of this ִחְז ִ קּיָה אֵ תימַ הֲ הוָ – בְּבַ יִת רִ אשׁ ֹון. וְאִ ּילוּ זְכַרְ יָה It was during the First Temple period. Whereas Zechariah ben Rabbi Hillel. ָ קא מִתְנַבֵּ י בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי, וְאָמַ ר: ּ״גִילִ י מְ אֹד בַּ ת Berechiah, the prophet, prophesied during the Second Temple -period and said: “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; shout, daugh צִּיֹון הָרִ יעִ י בַּ ת יְרוּשׁ ָלַיִם הִ ּנֵה מַלְ ּכ ֵךְיָבֹוא לָךְ ter of Jerusalem; behold, your king will come to you; he is just צַדִּ י וְק ָ ענֹושׁ הוּא עָנִי וְ ברֹכֵ לעַ חֲ מֹור וְעַ ל עַיִר ,and victorious; lowly and riding upon a donkey and upon a colt ןבֶּ אֲ תֹנֹות״. the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). In the generations after Hezekiah, there are prophecies about both redemption and the coming of the Messiah. sanhedrin . Perek XI . 99a 325 . ״י קרפ .טצ ףד א notes It is taught in another baraita: Rabbi Eliezer says: The messianic ַּ תנְיָא אִ ידָ ְך: ״רַבִּ י אֱלִ ֶיעֶרז אֹומֵ ר :יְמֹות era will be forty years long. It is written here with regard to the ל ֹשׁ ְ שׁ מ א ֵ ֹו ת – The messianic era will last 365 years הַ ּמָשִׁיחַ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה. ּכְתִיב הָכָא: In other sources Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi : forty-year sojourn of the children of Israel in the wilderness: “And ְ ו שׁ ִ ׁ ִּ שי ם ְ ו ָ ח ֵ מ שׁ שׁ ָ ָ נ ה ׳וַיְעַ ְךָּנ וַּיַרְעִבֶךָוַּיַאֲכִלְ ָך׳. וּכְתִ יב הָתָ ם: is quoted as saying that the duration of the messianic era will be 365,000 years, corresponding to a full year He afflicted you, and suffered you to hunger and fed you with manna” (Deuteronomy 8:3); and it is written there: “Make us glad ׳שַׂ ּמְחֵ נוּ ִ ּכימֹות עִ ּנִיתָ נוּ ְ שׁ נֹות רָאִ ינוּ of the days of God, based on the verse: “For a thousand according to the days that You afflicted us, the years that we saw רָ עָ ה ׳ . .(years in Your eyes are but like yesterday” (Psalms 90:4 In the midrash an opinion is cited that the duration of evil” (Psalms 90:15). the messianic era will be 354,000 years, a full lunar year Rabbi Dosa says: The messianic era will lastfour hundred years. It ירַבִּ דּ אֹוסָ אֹומֵ ר : עאַרְבַּ מֵ אֹות שׁ ָ נָה. .(of days of God (Shoĥar Tov is written herewith regard to the Covenant of the Pieces: “And they ּכְתִ יב הָכָ א: ׳וַעֲבָ דוּם וְעִ ּנוּ אֹתָ ם אַרְ בַּ ע I revealed it to My heart but I did not reveal it to My limbs – : The heart represents shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years” מֵאֹות שָׁנָה׳. וּכְתִיב הָתָ ם: ׳ ּשַׂמְחֵנוּ לְלִבִּ י ִ ּג ִ ּליתִ י לְאֵבָרַ יי לֹא ִ ּג ִ ּליתִ י thought and the limbs represent speech. The dispute (Genesis 15:13); and it is written there: “Make us glad according to ”.the days that You afflicted us ִּ כימֹות עִ ּנִיתָ ּנו׳ . is that according to Rabbi Yoĥanan this matter was revealed neither through speech nor through prophecy, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: The messianic era will last 365 years,n ירַבִּ אֹומֵ ר : ְ שׁ לֹשׁ מֵ אֹות וְשׁ ִ ׁ ִּ שים וְחָמֵשׁ while according to Reish Lakish it was not revealed even to the ministering angels, who can be informed without corresponding to the number of days of the solar year, as it is שׁ ָנָה, ּכְמִנְיַן יְמֹות הַחַ ָּ מה, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳ ִ ּכי prophecy or speech (Ramah). stated: “For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of יֹום ָנָ קם בְּלִבִּ י וּשׁ ְ נַת ְ ּגאוּלַ י בָּאָ ה׳״. My redeemed is come” (Isaiah 63:4).

The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase: “For the day מַ אי ״יֹום ָנָ םק בְּלִבִּ י״? ראָמַ ירַבִּ יֹוחָנָן: of vengeance is in My heart”? Rabbi Yoĥanan says that it means לְלִבִּי ּגִּלִיתִי, לְאֵבָרַ יי לֹא ּגִּלִיתִי. רַבִּי that God said: I revealed the day of vengeance to My heart, but I did שִׁמְעֹון בֶּן ָלקִישׁ אָמַ ר: לְלִבִּי ּגִּלִיתִי, not reveal it to My limbs,n as it were, as I never stated it explicitly. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says that it means that God said: I לְמַלְאֲכֵ י הַ ׁ ּשָרֵ ת לֹא ּג ִ ִּליתִ י. revealed this secret to My heart, but I did not reveal it to the ministering angels.

Avimi, son of Rabbi Abbahu, taught: The messianic era for the ּתָנֵי אֲבִ ימִ י בְּרֵ ּיה דְּרַבִּי אַבָּ ּהו :״יְמֹות Jewish people will last seven thousand years, as it is stated: “And הַ ּמָשׁ ִ יחַ לְ יִשְׂרָאֵ ל שׁ ִבְעַ ת אֲ ָל ִ פים שׁ ָ נָה, as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ׳וּמְ שׂ ֹושׂ חָתָ ן עַ ל ַ ּכ ָ ּלה ֵ ּכן יָשִׂ ישׂ rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5). The bridegroom rejoices over the ,bride for seven days, and the day of the Holy One, Blessed be He עָלַיִךְ אֱ לֹהָ יִ ךְ ׳ ״. is one thousand years.

Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: The duration of the messianic ראָמַ ברַ היְהוּדָ ראָמַ שְׁמוּאֵ ל. יְמֹות era is like the duration of the period that runs from the day the world הַ ּמָשׁ ִ יחַ – ְמִ ּכּיֹום שׁ ֶ ּנ אִבְרָ הָ עֹולָ ם וְעַ ד was created until now, i.e., the day when the Messiah will come, as עַכְשָׁיו, ּשֶׁנֶאֱמַר: ּ״כִימֵי ּהַשָׁמַיִם עַל it is stated: “That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your ,children, in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them הָאָרֶ ץ״. as the days of heaven upon the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21).

Rav Naĥman bar Yitzĥak says: The duration ofthe messianic era is רַ ב נַחְמָ ן בַּ ר ָיִצְחק אָמַ ר: ּכִימֵ י נֹחַ עַד like the duration of the period that runs from the days of Noah until עַכְשׁ ָ יו, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: ִ ּ״כי מֵ י נֹחַ זֹאת לִ י אֲשׁ ֶ ר now, i.e., the day when the Messiah will come, as it is stated with ִ נ שׁ ְ ַ ּ ב ְ ע ּ ִ תי ״ . regard to redemption: “For this is as the seas of [ki mei] Noah to me; as I have sworn that the seas of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you nor rebuke you” (Isaiah 54:9). The wordski mei can be understood as one word, kimei, meaning: Like the days of.

Rabbi Ĥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoĥanan says: In their § ראָמַ רַ בִּ יחִ ּיָ יא רבַּ אַ אבָּ ראָמַ רַ יבִּ יֹוחָ נָן: prophecies with regard to redemption and the end of days, all the ּכָל הַ ּנְבִיאִ ים ּכ ּוּלָן לֹא נִתְנַבְּ אוּ אֶ ּלָא prophets prophesied only about the messianic era,h but with לִימֹות הַ ּמָשִׁ .יחַ לאֲבָ לָעֹולָם הַבָּ א – regard to the World-to-Come the reward is not quantifiable, as it states: “No eye has seen it, God, aside from You, Who will do for ״עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָ ה אֱ לֹהִ ים זוּלָתְךָ אֱ לֹהִ ים those who await Him” (Isaiah 64:3). The Gemara notes: And this יַעֲשֶׂ ה לִמְחַ ֵ הּכ לֹו״. וּפְלִיגָא דִּשְׁ מוּאֵ ל, :statement disagrees with the opinion of Shmuel, as Shmuel says דְּאָמַ ר שְׁ מוּאֵ לאֵ : ין בֵּיןהָ עֹולָם הַּזֶה The difference between this world and the messianic era is only לִ ימֹות הַ ּמָשִׁ יחַ אֶ ָ א ּל שִׁעְבּוּדמַלְכִ ּיֹות with regard to servitude to foreign kingdoms alone,h as they will ִ בּ לְ בַ ד . leave Eretz Yisrael.

halakha : The presents them as contradictory. How, then, does the Rambamטִ םיבָ לשֶ יְמֹות הַ ּמָשׁ ִ יחַ – All the prophets prophesied only about the messianic era, The nature of the messianic era All the only difference between this world and the messianic era is rule in accordance with both statements? Perhaps the Rambam : ָ ּכל הַ ּנְבִ יאִ ים ּכ ָ ּוּלן לֹא נִתְ נַבְּ אוּ אֶ ָ אּל לִ ימֹות הַ ּמָשׁ ִ יחַ וכו׳ – .etc prophecies of the prophets about the redemption of the Jewish with regard to servitude to foreign kingdoms, as in the mes­ holds that there will be no change in the nature of the world people and its material benefits were stated with regard to the sianic era the Jewish people will regain the independence and the laws of nature will remain in effect. Nevertheless, there messianic era. By contrast, the World-to-Come is a completely that they had during the reigns of David and Solomon. The will be peace and plenty in the world and all the other matters independent level of reward, about which the prophets did commentaries on the Rambam note that there is an apparent prophesied for the messianic era will be realized (Rambam Sefer not prophesy (Rambam Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 8:7). contradiction between this statement and the previous one HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 9:2, and Kesef Mishne and Leĥem with regard to the prophecies of the prophets, and the Talmud Mishne there).

״י קרפ .טצ אףד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 99a 326 notes And Rabbi Ĥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoĥanan says: All of וְאָמַ ר רַבִּיחִּיָיא רבַּ אאַבָּ ראָמַ רַבִּי יֹוחָנָן: the prophets prophesied their prophecies of consolation only with In the place where penitents stand even the com- – pletely righteous do not stand ּכָל ּהַנְבִיאִים לֹא נִתְנַבְּאוּ אֶ ּלָא לְבַעֲלֵי ָ מ ק ֹו ם שׁ ֶ ַ ּ ב ֲ ע ֵ ל י ְ ת שׁ ּו ָ ב ה -regard to penitents, but with regard to the reward of the com The commentaries :עֹומְדִ ין שׁ ָ ם צַדִּ י ִ קים אֵ ינָן עֹומְדִ ין שׁ ָ ם תְשׁוּבָה. אֲבָל צַדִּיקִים ּגְמוּרִים – ״עַיִן pletely righteous it is stated: “No eye has seen it, God, aside from explain the superiority of the penitent as stemming You.” The Gemara notes: And the opinion expressed in this state- from the fact that he has already experienced sin לֹא רָאָתָ ה אֱ לֹהִ ים זוּלָתְךָ״. ּופְלִיגָא דְּרַבִּי ment disagrees with the opinion of Rabbi Abbahu, who holds that and therefore requires a greater effort to overcome אַבָּהוּ, דְּאָמַ ר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ אָמַ ר רַ ב: ָמקֹום penitents are superior to the righteous, as Rabbi Abbahu says that his evil inclination (Rambam). Others explain that the שֶׁבַּעֲלֵי תְשׁ הוּבָ עֹומְדִ ין שָׁ ם, צַדִּ י ִ קים אֵ ינָן Rav says: In the place where penitents stand, even the completely penitent is exceptional because it appeared that he was totally lost. When he repents, God’s joy is great עֹומְדִ ין שׁ ָ ם, שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר :״שׁ ָ לֹום שׁ ָ לֹום לָרָ חֹוק righteous do not stand,nh as it is stated: “Peace, peace upon him .(Ĥibbur Yafe MeHaYeshua) ַוְל ָ ּקרֹוב״ – בְּרֵ ישָׁ א רָ חֹוק, וַהֲדַ ר ָ קרֹוב. מַ אי who is far and him who is near” (Isaiah 57:19). Peace and greeting As wine symbolizes :יַ יִ ן הַ מְשׁ וּ ָּ מר – is extended first to him who is far, and only thereafter is peace Wine preserved ״רָ חֹוק״? רָ חֹוק דְּמֵעִ י ּקָרָ א. וּמַ אי ״ ָ קרֹוב״? extended to him who is near. What is the meaning of the term: complete happiness, this is a parable stating that ָ קרֹוב דְּמֵעִ י ּקָרָ א וּדְהָשׁ ְ ָּ תא. unadulterated rejoicing and delight is designated “Upon him who is far”? It means: One who was initially far, i.e., the for the righteous and is inherent in the very creation penitent. And what is the meaning of the term: “Him who is near”? of the world (HaKotev). It means: One who was initially near and continues to be near at One who desecrates consecrated items, etc. – present, i.e., the completely righteous individual. ,These actions, e.g., desecrates :הַמְ חַ ֵ ּלל אֶ ת ַה ּקֳדָשִׁ ים וכו ׳ is referring to treats, humiliates, are formulated in the present tense, And Rabbi Yoĥanan says: “Upon him who is far” indicating that only one who performs these actions יוְרַבִּ יֹוחָנָן אָמַ ר: ״לָרָ חֹוק״ – שֶׁ הוּא רָ חֹוק .one who is distant from transgression, the completely righteous consistently loses his share in the World-to-Come מֵעֲבֵ ירָ ה. ״ָ קרֹוב״ – שֶׁ הוּא ָ קרֹוב מֵעֲבֵ ירָ ה individual. “Him who is near” is referring to one who is near to .This is the ruling of the Rambam as well ְ ו ִ נ תְ רַ ֵח ק מִ ּ ֶ מ ָ ּנה . transgression and distanced himself from it, the penitent. And one who treats the intermediate days of the The : הַ וְ מְ בַּזֶ ה אֶ ת הַ ּמ ֹו ד עֲ ֹו ת – And Rabbi Ĥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoĥanan says: All of Festivals with contempt reference is to one who plans in advance to perform רוְאָמַ רַ בִּ יחִ ּיָ יא רבַּ אַ אבָּ ראָמַ רַ יבִּ יֹוחָ נָן: ָ ּכל the prophets prophesied their prophecies of consolation only with labor during the intermediate days of the Festival, as הַ ּנְבִיאִ ים ּכ ּוּלָן לֹא נִתְנַבְּ אוּ אֶ ּלָא לְמַ ִּׂ שיא regard to one who values wisdom and therefore marries his daugh- ­he does not consider those days sufficiently signifi ּ ֹובִּת לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם, וּלְעֹושֶׂה ּפְַרקְמַטְיָא ter to a Torah scholar, and to one who conducts business [perak­ cant to warrant respecting them by refraining from .(matya]l on behalf of a Torah scholar, and to one who utilizes his labor (Rabbeinu Yehonatan of Lunel לְתַ לְמִ יד חָכָ ם, וְלִמְהַ ּנֶה ַּ תלְמִ יד חָכָ ם מִ ּנְכָסָ יו. wealth to benefit a Torah scholar from his propertyin some other אֲבָ ל ַּ תלְמִ ידֵ י חֲכָמִ ים עַצְמָ ן – ״עַ יִ ן לֹא רָאָתָ ה way. But the prophets did not describe the extent of the reward for halakha אֱ לֹהִ ים זוּלָתְ ךָ ״. Torah scholars themselves, whose reward is not quantifiable, as it In the place where penitents stand, even the ָ מ ק ֹו ם שׁ ֶ ַ ּ ב ֲ ע ֵ ל י – is stated: “No eye has seen it, God, aside from You.” completely righteous do not stand ­The peni :תְשׁ הוּבָ עֹומְדִ ין שָׁ ם צַדִּ י ִ קים אֵ ינָן עֹומְדִ ין שָׁ ם ,The Gemara asks: What reward is indicated in the phrase “no eye tent is greater than the completely righteous person מַ אי ״עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָ ה״? ראָמַ ירַבִּ יְהֹושׁ ֻעַ בֶּ ן i.e., one who never sinned, in accordance with the -has seen it”? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: This is wine preserv לֵוִי: זֶה יַיִן הַמְשׁ ּוּמָר בַּעֲנָבָיו מִ ּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי edn in its grapes from the six days of Creation. No person has opinion of Rabbi Abbahu (Rambam Sefer HaMadda, בְרֵאשִׁית. רֵישׁ ָלקִישׁ אָמַ ר: זֶה עֵדֶ ן, לֹא drunk that wine and therefore no one can appreciate its quality. Hilkhot Teshuva 7:4). Reish Lakish says: This is Eden,which no eye has ever seen. And One who says the Torah did not originate from הרָאֲתָ עַיִן מֵ עֹולָ ם. וְאִ ם ּתֹאמַ ר: אָדָ ם הֵ יכָ ן One who says :הָאֹומֵ ר אֵ ין ּתֹורָ ה מִ ן הַ ׁ ּשָמַ יִם – if you say: Where did Adam the first man live, if not in Eden, the Heaven דָּ ר? בַּ ּגַן. וְאִ ם ּתֹאמַ ר: ּגַן הוּא עֵדֶ ן – ּתַלְ מוּד answer is that he lived in the garden. And lest you say: Thegarden that the Torah or any part of it did not originate from לֹומַ ר: ״וְ נָהָ ר יֹצֵ א מֵעֵדֶ ן לְהַשׁ ְ קֹות אֶ ת הַ ָ ּג ן״. God has no portion in the World-to-Come (Rambam is Eden and they are indistinguishable, the verse states: “And a Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 3:8). river emerged from Eden to irrigate the garden” (Genesis 2:10), indicating that they are two distinct places. One who desecrates consecrated items, etc. – The following have no share :הַמְחַ ֵ ּלל אֶ ת ַה ּקֳדָשִׁ ים וכו ׳ ­The mishna teaches that those who have no share in the World- in the World-to-Come: One who desecrates conse § ״וְהָאֹומֵ ר: ׳אֵ ין ּתֹורָ ה מִ ן הַ ׁ ּשָמַ יִם׳״ וכו׳. ָּ תנוּ to-Come include: And one who says: TheTorah did not originate crated items, treats the intermediate days of a Festi­ val with contempt, or humiliates another in public, if רַבָּנַן: ״׳ ִ ּכי דְבַ ר ה׳ ָבּ ָהז וּמִצְוָתֹו ֵה ַ פר הִ ּכָרֵ ת from Heaven. The Sages taught in a baraita that with regard to he does any of these consistently; one who brazenly ִּ ת ּכָרֵ ת׳ – ֶהז הָ אֹומֵ ר: אֵ ין ּתֹורָ ה מִ ן הַ ׁ ּשָמַ יִם. the verse: “Because he has despised the word of the Lord and interprets the Torah inappropriately; and one who has breached His commandment; that soul shall be excised; his breaches the covenant of Abraham our forefather דָּבָ ר אַחֵ ר: ׳ ִ ּכי דְבַ ר ה׳ ָבּ ָזה׳ – זֶה ֶא ּפיק ִֹורֹוס. iniquity shall be upon him” (Numbers 15:31), this is a reference to (Rambam Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 3:14). one who says: The Torah did not originate from Heaven.h Alter- natively, one can explain: “Because he has despised the word of language From the Greek :ּפְַרקְמַטְיָא – [the Lord”; this is a reference to an epikoros, who treats the word Business [perakmatya of God with contempt. πραγματεία, pragmateia, meaning commerce or business management. Alternatively, one can explain: “Because he has despised the word דָּבָ ר אַחֵ ר: ׳ ּכִי דְבַ ר ה׳ ָבּ ָזה׳ – זֶה ּהַמְגַלֶה of the Lord”; this is a reference to one who interprets the Torah ָּ פנִים בַּ ּתֹורָ ה. ׳ תוְאֶ מִ צְוָ תֹו ֵהפר׳ – זֶה הַ ֵּמ ֵ פר ַ inappropriately. “And has breached His commandment”; this בְּרִ ית בָּ שָׂ ר. ׳הִ ּכָרֵ ת ִּ ת ּכָרֵ ת׳. ׳הִ ּכָרֵ ת׳ – בָּ עֹולָ ם is a reference to one who breaches the covenant of flesh, who refuses to circumcise his foreskin. “Shall be excised [hikkaret הַּזֶה. ׳ ִּ ת ּכָרֵ ת ׳– לָעֹולָם הַבָּ א. מִ ּכָאן אָמַ ר tikkaret]”; “hikkaret” refers to being excised in this world, and רַבִּ י אֶ לְ ָעָ זר הַ ּמֹודָ עִ י: הַמְחַ ֵ ּלל אֶ ת ַה ּקֳדָשׁ ִ ים, tikkaret” refers to being excised from the World-to-Come. From“ וְהַמְבַּזֶה אֶ ת הַ ּמֹועֲדֹות וְהַ ֵּמ ֵרפ בְּרִ יתֹו שֶׁ ל -here Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i says: With regard to one who dese אַבְרָהָ ם אָבִ ינוּ, וְהַמְ גַ ֶ ּלה ָּ פנִים בַּ ּתֹורָ ה שׁ ֶ ּלֹא crates consecrated items,nh e.g., intentionally rendering them ּכַהֲ לָכָ ה, וְהַ ַּ מלְבִּ ין ְּ פנֵי חֲבֵ ירֹו בָּרַ בִּ ים – ַאף עַ ל impure; and one who treats the intermediate days of the Festivals with contempt;n and one who breaches the covenant of Abraham ִּי פשׁ ֶ ּיֵשׁ בְּ יָדֹו ּתֹורָ ה יםוּמַעֲשִׂ טֹובִ ים, אֵ ין לֹו our forefather; and one who reveals aspects in the Torah that are חֵ לֶ ק לָ ע ֹו לָ ם הַ ָבּ א ״ . not in accordance with halakha; and one who humiliates another in public, even if he has to his credit Torah study and good deeds, he has no share in the World-to-Come. sanhedrin . Perek XI . 99a 327 . ״י קרפ .טצ ףד א notes It is taught in another baraita: “Because he has despised the ּתַנְיָא אִידָ ְך: ״׳ּכִי דְבַ ר ה׳ ָבּזה׳ – זֶהָ Who does not pay requisite attention to the Mishna – that he was totally lost. When he repents, God’s joy is great (Ĥibbur rule in accordance with both statements? Perhaps the Rambam holds word of the Lord”; this is a reference to one who says the Torah הָאֹומֵ ר אֵ ין ּתֹורָ ה מִ ן הַ ׁ ּשָמַ יִם. וַ ֲא ִ פ ּילוּ All of the Mishna is an explanation : ֶ א שׁ י ֵ נ ֹו ַ מ שׁ ְ ּג ִיחַ עַל הַ ּ ִ משׁ ְ ָ נ ה Yafe MeHaYeshua). that there will be no change in the nature of the world and the laws of and elaboration on the Written Torah. One who does not did not originate from Heaven. And even if one says the entire אָמַ ר: ָ ּכל הַ ּתֹורָ ה ּכ ָ ּוּל ּה מִ ן הַ ׁ ּשָמַ יִם, חוּץ NOTES of nature will remain in effect. Nevertheless, there will be peace and Wine preserved – : As wine symbolizes complete happi­ pay requisite attention to the Mishna and for whom it is not Torah originated from Heaven except for this verse, i.e., any one ­plenty in the world and all the other matters prophesied for the mes יַ יִ ן הַ מְשׁ וּ ָּ מר : The point of these ַ ּכ ּהָ מ יְ מֹות הַ ּמָשׁ ִיחַ – How long is the messianic era verse, claiming that the Holy One, Blessed be He, did not say ִמּפ ָּסוק זֶה שֶׁ ּלֹא אֲמָ רֹו ַהָ ּקדֹושׁ בָּ רוּךְ ness, this is a parable stating that unadulterated rejoicing and delight significant indicates that he does not consider the Torah a disputes is that the Sages consider the messianic era to be a prepara­ sianic era will be realized (Rambam Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 9:2, הוּא אֶ ּלָא מֹשֶׁ ה ִמִּיפ עַצְמֹו – זֶהוּ ׳ ּכִי .is designated for the righteous and is inherent in the very creation of practical guidebook for living one’s life tion of the world in general and the Jewish people in particular for life and Kesef Mishne and Leĥem Mishne there). it but Moses himself said it on his own, this is included in the ”.category of: “Because he has despised the word of the Lord דְבַ ר ה׳ ָבּ ָזה׳. וַ ֲא ִ פ ּילוּ אָמַ ר: ָ ּכל הַ ּתֹורָ ה .(in the World-to-Come. They disagreed with regard to the duration of the world (HaKotev In the place where penitents stand, even the completely righteous the period required to elevate the Jewish people to that level. Therefore, One who desecrates consecrated items, etc. – : halakha And even if one says the entire Torah originated from Heaven ּכ ָ ּוּל ּה מִ ן הַ ׁ ּשָמַ יִם, חוּץ מִ ִדּ ק ְּדוק זֶה, ִמ ַ ּקל : – do not stand הַמְ חַ ֵ ּלל אֶ ת הַ ּקֳדָשׁ ִ ים וכו׳ Anyone for whom it is possible to engage in Torah study inferred by the Sages, or except מָ קֹום שׁ יֶבַּעֲלֵ תְשׁ הוּבָ עֹומְדִ ין שׁ ָ ם צַדִּ י ִ קים אֵ ינָן עֹומְדִ ין שׁ ָ ם the Sages who minimized the duration of the messianic era, and all the These actions, e.g., desecrates, treats, humiliates, are formulated in the The penitent is greater than the completely righteous person, i.e., one except for this inference for וָ חֹומֶ ר זֶה, מִ ְּגזֵרָ ה שָׁוָה זֹו – זֶה הוּא ׳ ִ ּכי – more so Rabbi Hillel, who said that there would be no messianic era at present tense, indicating that only one who performs these actions and does not engage in its study this a fortiori inference, or except for this verbal analogy, this ָ ּכל שׁ ֶ ֶאפְשׁ ָ ר לַעֲ סֹוק בַּ ּתֹורָ ה who never sinned, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Abbahu דְבַ ר ה׳ ָבּ זָה׳״. all, are actually praising the Jewish people. consistently loses his share in the World-to-Come. This is the ruling of : One who is able to engage in Torah study and is included in the category of: “Because he has despised the וְאֵ ינֹו ֵעֹוס ק .(Rambam Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 7:4) Rabbi Hillel says there is no Messiah coming for the Jewish people – the Rambam as well. does not do so is in the category of those who treat the word word of the Lord.” One who says the Torah did not originate from Heaven – of God with contempt (Rambam Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot הָאֹומֵ ר אֵ ין There are several opinions with And one who treats the intermediate days of the Festivals with :רַבִּ י הִ ֵ לּיל אֹומֵ ר אֵ ין לָהֶ ם מָשׁ ִ יחַ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ ל : One who says that the Torah or any part of it did not Talmud Torah 3:13; Shulĥan Arukh, Yoreh De’a 246:25). It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Meir would say: With regard ּת ֹורָ ה מִ ן הַ ׁ ָּ שמַ ִ י ם regard to the meaning of this statement. Some explain that it means contempt – : The reference is to one who plans in ַּ תנְיָא :״הָ יָה ירַבִּ מֵאִ יר אֹומֵ ר: הַ ּלֹומֵ ד originate from God has no portion in the World-to-Come (Rambam הַ וְ מְ בַּזֶ ה אֶ ת הַ ּמ ֹו ד עֲ ֹו ת that the redemption will not be brought about by a person but rather advance to perform labor during the intermediate days of the Festival, to one who studies Torah and does not teach it to others, this ּת הֹורָ וְאֵינֹו ּמְלַמְדָ ּה – זֶה הוּא ׳דְבַר .(Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 3:8 by God Himself (Rashi). Others explain that Rabbi Hillel believes that as he does not consider those days sufficiently significant to warrant the Jewish people will not be redeemed (Ramah). Yet others explain person is included in the category of: “He has despised the ה׳ ָבּ ָזה.׳ רַבִּי ןנָתָ אֹומֵ ר: ָלּכ ימִ שֶׁאֵ ינֹו הַ מְ חַ ֵ ּלל אֶ ת הַ ֳ ּקדָ שׁ ִ י ם – .respecting them by refraining from labor (Rabbeinu Yehonatan of One who desecrates consecrated items, etc that it means that the Jewish people are no longer entitled to the word of the Lord,” as his conduct indicates that he does not מַשׁ ְ ִ ּגיחַ עַ ל הַ ִּשׁ מְ נָה. ירַבִּ נְהֹורַ אי אֹומֵ ר: The following have no share in the World-to-Come: One who :וכו׳ .(Lunel Messiah since the rewards described in those prophecies were already desecrates consecrated items, treats the intermediate days of a Festival consider the word of God significant enough to teach others. Who does not pay requisite attention to the Mishna – Rabbi Natan says: Anyone who does not pay the requisite ָ ּכל שׁ ֶ ֶאפְשׁ ָ ר לַעֲ סֹוק בַּ ּתֹורָ הוְאֵ ינֹו ֵעֹוסק . with contempt, or humiliates another in public, if he does any of these ֶ א שׁ י ֵ נ ֹו ַ מ שׁ ְ ִ ּגי חַ enjoyed during the reign of Hezekiah. When the Messiah comes it will : All of the Mishna is an explanation of and elaboration on the n consistently; and one who brazenly interprets the Torah inappropri­ attention to the Mishna and does not consider it essential ַ ע ל ַ ה ּ ִ משׁ ְ ָ נ ה not be because the Jewish people deserved it; rather, it will be for the Written Torah. One who does not pay requisite attention to the Mishna glory of God (Torat HaOla). ately, and one who breaches the covenant of Abraham our forefather is included in the category of: “Because he has despised and for whom it is not significant indicates that he does not consider halakha (Rambam Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Teshuva 3:14). the Torah a guidebook for living one’s life in a practical manner. the word of the Lord.” Rabbi Nehorai says: Anyone for whom : ל ֹשׁ ְ שׁ מ א ֵ ֹו ת ְ ו שׁ ִ ׁ ִּ שי ם ְ ו ָ ח ֵ מ שׁ שׁ ָ ָ נ ה – The messianic era will last 365 years In other sources Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is quoted as saying that the Anyone for whom it is possible to engage in Torah study and does it is possible to engage in Torah study and who nevertheless duration of the messianic era will be 365,000 years, corresponding to h :One who does not engage in its study is included in the category of : ָ ּכל שׁ ֶאֶ פ ָ רְשׁ לַעֲ סֹוק בַּ ּתֹורָ הוְאֵ ינֹו עֹוסֵ ק – not engage in its study a full year of the days of God, based on the verse: “For a thousand years HALAKHA is able to engage in Torah study and does not do so is in the category “Because he has despised the word of the Lord.” in Your eyes are but like yesterday” (Psalms 90:4). In the midrash an of those who treat the word of God with contempt (Rambam Sefer ּכָל – .All the prophets prophesied only about the messianic era, etc opinion is cited that the duration of the messianic era will be 354,000 HaMadda, Hilkhot Talmud Torah 3:13; Shulĥan Arukh, Yoreh De’a 246:25). Rabbi Yishmael says: This verse: “Because he has despised ירַבִּ יִשׁ ְמָעֵ אל אֹומֵ ר: ֶה זהָ דעֹובֵ עֲ בֹודָ ה All the prophecies of the :הַ ּנְבִ יאִ ים ּכ ָ ּוּלן לֹא נִתְ נַבְּ אוּ אֶ אָּ ל לִ ימֹות הַ ּמָשׁ ִ יחַ וכו׳ .(years, a full lunar year of days of God (Shoĥar Tov the word of the Lord,” is a reference to an idol worshipper. The זָרָה״. מַאי ּמַשְׁמָעָה? דְּתָנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי prophets about the redemption of the Jewish people and its material benefits were stated with regard to the messianic era. By contrast, the Gemara asks: From where in the verse is this inferred? The לְ לִ ִבּ י – I revealed it to My heart but I did not reveal it to my limbs יִשׁ ְמָעֵ אל: ״׳ ִ ּכי דְבַ ר ה׳ ָבּ זה׳ – ֶהז הַמְבַ ּזֶה ָ The heart represents thought and the limbs repre­ World-to-Come is a completely independent level of reward, about LANGUAGE Gemara explains: It is derived from a verse, as the school of : ִ ּג ִ ּלי תִ י לְ אֵ בָ רַ י י לֹ א ִ ּג ִ ּלי תִ י sent speech. The dispute is that according to Rabbi Yoĥanan this matter Rabbi Yishmael taught: “Because he has despised the word דִּ בּ וּר שׁ ֶ ּנ רֶאֱמַ לֹו לְ מֹשׁ ֶ ה מִסִּ ינַי: ׳אָ נֹכִ י ה׳ ,From the Greek πραγματεία :ּפְרַקְמַטְיָא – [which the prophets did not prophesy (Rambam Sefer HaMadda, Hilkhot Business [perakmatya was revealed neither through speech nor through prophecy, while Teshuva 8:7). pragmateia, meaning commerce or business management. devar] of the Lord”; this is a reference to one who treats] אֱ לֹהֶ יךָ , לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱ לֹהִ ים אֲחֵרִ ים׳״ according to Reish Lakish it was not revealed even to the ministering with contempt a statement [dibbur] that was stated to Moses וגו׳. : The onlyטִ םיבָ לשֶ יְמֹות הַ ּמָשִׁ יחַ – angels, who can be informed without prophecy or speech (Ramah). The nature of the messianic era difference between this world and the messianic era is with regard at Sinai and heard by all of the Jewish people: “I am the Lord In the place where penitents stand even the completely righteous PERSONALITIES to servitude to foreign kingdoms, as in the messianic era the Jewish your God…You shall have no other gods beside me” (Exodus Apparently this Rabbi Hillel was the grandson of : רַ ִבּ י הִ ֵ ּלל – people will regain the independence that they had during the reigns Rabbi Hillel :מָ קֹום שׁ יֶבַּעֲלֵ תְשׁ הוּבָ עֹומְדִ ין שׁ ָ ם צַדִּ י ִ קים אֵ ינָן עֹומְדִ ין שׁ ָ ם – do not stand The commentaries explain the superiority of the penitent as stem­ of David and Solomon. The commentaries on the Rambam note that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and the younger brother of Rabbi Yehuda Nesia, 20:2–3). ming from the fact that he has already experienced sin and therefore there is an apparent contradiction between this statement and the who was the Nasi in that generation. Some say that the statements Apropos Torah study, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korĥa says: Anyone ״רַ יבִּ יְהֹושׁ ֻעַ בֶּ ן קָרְ החָ אֹומֵ ר: ָ ּכל הַ ּלֹומֵ ד ­requires a greater effort to overcome his evil inclination (Rambam). previous one with regard to the prophecies of the prophets, and the attributed to Hillel in the second chapter of tractate Avot are the state who studies Torah and does not review it is comparable to a ּת הֹורָ וְאֵ ינֹו חֹוֵרז ,עָלֶיהָ דֹּומֶ ה לְאָדָ ם .Others explain that the penitent is exceptional because it appeared Talmud presents them as contradictory. How, then, does the Rambam ments of this Rabbi Hillel person who sows and does not reap. Rabbi Yehoshua says: שׁ ֶּזֹורֵעַ וְאֵ ינֹו קֹוצֵ ר. ירַבִּ יְהֹושׁ ֻעַ אֹומֵ ר: Anyone who studies Torah and causes himself to forget it is similar to a woman who gives birth and buries her newborn ָ ּכל הַ ּלֹומֵ ד ּתֹורָ ה וּמְשׁ ַ ּכְחָ ּה דּ ֹומֶ ה לְאִ ׁ ָּ שה .child שׁ ֶ ּיֹולֶדֶ ת ְוקֹובֶרֶ ת.

:Rabbi Akiva says רַבִּ י ֲע ִ ק איבָ אֹומֵ ר:

Perek XI Daf 99 Amud b

Sing every day,n sing every day, i.e., review your studies like a ז ֵ ּרַמ בְּכָל יֹום, ז ֵ ּרַמ בְּכָל יֹום״. אָמַ ר רַ ב song that one sings over and over. Rav Yitzĥak bar Avudimi יִצְ ָחק בַּ ר אֲ בוּדִ ימִ י: מַ אי קְרָ א? שׁ ֶ ּנֶאֱמַ ר: says: From what verse is this derived? It is as it is stated: “The ֶ״נפֶשׁ עָמֵ ל עָמְ לָ ה ּלֹו ִ ּכי אָ ַכף עָלָ יו ִּ פיהוּ״. hunger of the laborer labors for him; for his mouth presses upon him” (Proverbs 16:26), i.e., he exhausts his mouth through הוּא עָמֵ ל בְּ ָמקֹום ֶה, זוְ תֹורָ תֹו עֹומֶ תלֶ לֹו צט: ,constant review and study. He labors in Torah in this place בְּ ָמקֹום אַחֵ ר. this world, and his Torah labors for him in another place, the World-to-Come.

notes Some early commentaries cite one should continually review the Torah he has studied. By :ז ֵ ּרַמ לבְּכָ יֹום – Sing every day a variant reading: Sing every day, a song, meaning that if one singing the words of Torah every day in this world, he will merit sings matters of Torah every day he retains the knowledge, as to sing the words of Torah every day in the World-to-Come the song helps him remember. Others explain: Just as one will (see Ramah). repeatedly sing a song even if he already knows the words, so

״י קרפ :טצ ףאד . sanhedrin . perek XI . 99b 328