רבי שמעון בר יוחאי – Rabbi Rabbi Aviad Bodner

בבלי, יבמות דף סב : Babylonian , Yevamot 62B .1 אמרו שנים עשר אלף זוגים They said had twelve thousand pairs of students in an area תלמידים היו לו לרבי עקיבא of land that stretched from Gevat to Antipatris in , and they all died מגבת עד אנטיפרס וכולן מתו .in one period of time, because they did not treat each other with respect בפרק אחד מפני שלא נהגו כבוד זה לזה And the world was desolate of until Rabbi Akiva came to our Rabbis in the South and taught his Torah to them. This second group of והיה העולם שמם עד שבא disciples consisted of , Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi ר"ע אצל רבותינו שבדרום Shimon, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua. And these are the very ones ושנאה להם ר"מ ור' יהודה who upheld the study of Torah at that time. Although Rabbi Akiva’s ור' יוסי ורבי שמעון ורבי earlier students did not survive, his later disciples were able to transmit the אלעזר בן שמוע והם הם .Torah to future generations העמידו תורה אותה שעה With regard to the twelve thousand pairs of Rabbi Akiva’s students, the תנא כולם מתו מפסח ועד adds: It is taught that all of them died in the period from Passover עצרת אמר רב חמא בר אבא until Shavuot. Rav Ḥama bar Abba said, and some say it was Rabbi ואיתימא ר' חייא בר אבין Ḥiyya bar Avin: They all died a bad death. The Gemara inquires: What כולם מתו מיתה רעה מאי .is it that is called a bad death? Rav Naḥman said: Diphtheria היא א"ר נחמן אסכרה

בבלי, פסחים קיב: Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 112B .2

חֲמִשָּׁהדְּ בָּׁרִ יםצִ וָּׁה רַ בִ י Rabbi Akiva commanded Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai to do five matters עֲקִ יבָּׁא אֶ ת רַ בִי שִמְּ עֹון בֶן יֹוחַ י when Rabbi Akiva was imprisoned. Beforehand, Rabbi Shimon said to כְּשֶהָּׁ יָּׁהחָּׁ בושבְּ בֵית הָּׁאֲ סורִ ין. him: Rabbi, teach me Torah. Rabbi Akiva said to him: I will not teach אָּׁמַר לֹו:רַ בִ י,לַמְּדֵ נִיּתֹורָּׁה, you, as it is dangerous to do so at the present time. Rabbi Shimon said to אָּׁמַר: אֵ ינִי מְּ לַמְּדֶָך. ראָּׁמַ לֹו: him in jest: If you will not teach me, I will tell Yoḥai my father, and he אִם אֵ ין אַּתָּׁהמְּ לַמְּדֵ נִי אֲנִי will turn you over to the government. In other words, I have no means of אֹומֵר לְּיֹוחַי אַ בָּׁא ומֹוסֶרְּ ָך ,persuading you; you are already in prison. Rabbi Akiva said: My son לַמַ לְּכות. ראָּׁמַ לֹו: בְּ נִי, יֹותֵר ,know that more than the calf wishes to suck, the cow wants to suckle מִמַה שֶהָּׁ עֵגֶל רֹוצֶ ה לִינַק פָּׁרָּׁה but I am afraid of the danger. Rabbi Shimon said to him: And who is in רֹוצֶה לְּהָּׁ נִיק. ראָּׁמַ לֹו: ומִי danger? Isn’t the calf in danger, as you are in jail and I am the one at בְּסַ כָּׁנָּׁה? וַהֲלֹאעֵגֶל בְּסַ כָּׁנָּׁה. ?risk

בבלי, ברכות דף סא: Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 61B .3

ת"ר ואספת דגנך מה ת"ל לפי Our Rabbis taught: And thou shalt gather in thy corn. What is to be שנא 'לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה learnt from these words? Since it says, This book of the law shall not מפיך יכול דברים ככתבן ת"ל depart out of thy mouth, I might think that this injunction is to be ואספת דגנך הנהג בהן מנהג דרך ,'taken literally. Therefore it says, 'And thou shalt gather in thy corn ארץ דברי ר'. ישמעאל ר"ש בן יוחי which implies that you are to combine the study of them with a אומר אפשר אדם חורש בשעת .worldly occupation. This is the view of R. Ishmael. R. Simeon b חרישה וזורע בשעת זריעה וקוצר Yohai says: Is that possible? If a man ploughs in the ploughing בשעת קצירה ודש בשעת דישה season, and sows in the sowing season, and reaps in the reaping וזורה בשעת הרוח תורה מה תהא season, and threshes in the threshing season, and winnows in the עליה אלא בזמן שישראל עושין season of wind, what is to become of the Torah? No; but when Israel

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רצונו של מקום מלאכתן נעשית ע"י perform the will of the Omnipresent, their work is performed by אחרים שנאמר ועמדו זרים ורעו .others, as it says. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks צאנכם וגו' ובזמן שאין ישראל עושין etc., and when Israel do not perform the will of the Omnipresent רצונו של מקום מלאכתן נעשית ע"י their work is carried out by themselves, as it says, And thou shalt עצמן שנאמר ואספת דגנך ולא עוד gather in thy corn. Nor is this all, but the work of others also is done אלא שמלאכת אחרים נעשית על ידן .by them, as it says. And thou shalt serve thine enemy etc שנאמר ועבדת את אויביך וגו' אמר אביי הרבה עשו כרבי ישמעאל Said Abaye: Many have followed the advice of Ishmael, and it has ועלתה בידן כר' שמעון בן יוחי ולא worked well; others have followed R. Simeon b. Yohai and it has not עלתה בידן .been successful

בבלי, מנחות צט: Babylonian Talmud, Menachot 99B .4

אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: Even if a שמעון בן יוחי אפילו לא person recited only the recitation of Shema in the morning and in the קרא אדם אלא קרית שמע evening, he has fulfilled the mitzva of: “This Torah scroll shall not depart שחרית וערבית קיים לא from your mouth.” And it is prohibited to state this matter in the presence ימוש ודבר זה אסור לאומרו of ignoramuses [amei ha’aretz], as they are likely to get the impression that בפני עמי הארץ ורבא אמר ,there is no need to study Torah beyond this. And Rava says: On the contrary מצוה לאומרו בפני עמי .it is a mitzva to state this matter in the presence of ignoramuses הארץ

בבלי, שבת כב . Babylonian Talmud, 22A .5

רַ בִי שִמְּ עֹון אֹומֵ ר: ּגֹורֵר אָּׁדָּׁם Rabbi Shimon says: A person may drag a bed, chair, and bench on the מִטָּׁה כִסֵ אוְּסַפְּסָּׁ ל — ובִ לְּבַד .ground, as long as he does not intend to make a furrow in the ground שֶ לֹא יִתְּ כַוֵין לַעֲׂשֹות חָּׁרִ יץ. .Even if a furrow is formed inadvertently, one need not be concerned

בבלי, מועד קטן ט. Babylonian Talmud, Katan 9A .6 רַבִי ןיֹונָּׁתָּׁ בֶן עַסְּמַ יי Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, studied the וְּרַ בִ י היְּהודָּׁ בֶן ּגֵרִ ים portion dealing with oaths in the study hall of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai. After ּתָּׁנו פָּׁרָּׁ תשַ נְּדָּׁרִ ים בֵי ,completing their studies, the disciples took leave of their master in the evening רַ בִי שִמְּ עֹון בֶן יֹוחַי but did not yet leave the city. In the morning they went back and took leave of אִ יפְּ טור מִ ינֵיּה him a second time. He said to them: Did you not already take leave of me בְּ אורְּ ּתָּׁ א לְּצַפְּרָּׁ א הֲדור ?yesterday in the evening וְּקָּׁא מִ יפַטְּרִ מִ ינֵיּה אֲמַ ר לְּהווְּלָּׁאו They said to him: You have taught us, our teacher, that a disciple who takes אִ יפַטְּרִ יתו מִ ינַי leave of his teacher and then stays overnight in the same city must take leave בְּ אורְּ ּתָּׁ א …of him an additional time

אֲמַ רולֵיּה לִמַדְּּתָּׁ נו Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said to his son: These two people, Rabbi Yonatan ben רַ בֵינו ּתַ לְּמִ ידשֶ נִפְּטָּׁר ,.Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, are men of noble form [tzura] i.e מֵרַבֹו וְּלָּׁן בְּ אֹותָּׁ ּההָּׁעִיר צָּׁרִ יְך לִיפָּׁטֵר מִמֶ נו פַעַם wise and learned individuals; go to them so that they will bless you. He went אַחֶרֶ ת … and found them deep in discussion, raising apparent contradictions between verses as follows: It is written: “Make level the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established” (Proverbs 4:26), indicating that when one has the אֲמַ ר לֵיּהלִבְּרֵ יּה בְּ נֵי opportunity to perform more than one mitzva, he must evaluate which of them is אָּׁדָּׁ ם הַ לָּׁלואֲ נָּׁשִים שֶל most important. And elsewhere it is written: “Lest you level out the path of צורָּׁ ה הֵם זִ יל ּגַבֵיהֹון

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דְּ לִיבָּׁרְּ כוְך אֲזַל life,” (Proverbs 5:6), indicating that one must perform each mitzva as the אַשְּ כְּחִ ינְּהו דְּקָּׁארָּׁ מו .opportunity arises, without considering its relative importance קְּרָּׁאֵיאַ הֲדָּׁדֵי כְּתִ יב פַלֵס מַעְּ ּגַלרַ גְּלֶָך וְּכׇל They explained that it is not difficult: Here, in the first verse cited above, it is דְּרָּׁ כֶיָך יִכֹונו וכְּתִ יב discussing a mitzva that can be done by others, and therefore one must consider אֹורַ ח חַ יִים פֶןּתְּ פַלֵס what is most worthwhile for him to perform himself and what he will leave to others. There, in the other verse, it is referring to a mitzva that cannot be done לָּׁאקַשְּ יָּׁאכָּׁאן בְּמִצְּ וָּׁה by others, and therefore, one must not consider its relative importance, but rather רשֶאֶפְּשָּׁ לַעֲׂשֹותָּׁ ּה עַל .do it immediately יְּדֵי אֲחֵרִ ים כָּׁאן בְּמִצְּ וָּׁה שֶאִי ראֶפְּשָּׁ לַעֲׂשֹותָּּׁה ,The two scholars, Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts עַל יְּדֵי אֲחֵרִ ים once again sat and raised the following dilemma: In one place it is written in praise of the Torah: “She is more precious than rubies; and all of your desires הֲדַר יָּׁתְּ בִ יוְּקָּׁא מִבְּ עֵי are not to be compared to her” (Proverbs 3:15). One can infer from here that all לְּהו כְּתִ יביְּקָּׁרָּׁ ה הִיא ,.human desires cannot be compared to the Torah, but the desires of Heaven, i.e מִפְּ נִינִים וְּכׇל חֲפָּׁצֶ יָך לֹא mitzvot, can indeed be compared to her. And elsewhere it is written: “For יִשְּ וו בָּּׁה אהָּׁ חֶפְּצֵי wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to שָּׁ מַ יִם יִשְּ וו בָּּׁה וכְּתִ יב be compared to it” (Proverbs 8:11), which indicates that even mitzvot cannot be כׇל חֲפָּׁצִ ים לֹא יִשְּ וובָּּׁה .compared to the Torah דַאֲפִ ילו חֶפְּצֵישָּׁמַ יִם לֹא יִשְּ וובָּּׁה They resolved this contradiction by stating that here, in the second verse, it is discussing a mitzva that can be done by others. In that case, even mitzvot cannot כָּׁאן בְּמִצְּ וָּׁה שֶאֶפְּשָּׁר לַעֲׂשֹותָּׁ ּה עַל יְּדֵי אֲחֵרִ ים be compared to the Torah, and accordingly, one who is engaged in כָּׁאן בְּמִצְּ וָּׁה שֶאִי אֶפְּשָּׁר ,should not interrupt his studies in order to perform another mitzva. However לַעֲׂשֹותָּׁ ּה עַל יְּדֵי אֲחֵרִ ים .there, in the first verse, it is discussing a mitzva that cannot be done by others In that case Torah study is not more important than the mitzva, and one should interrupt his studies in order to perform the mitzva. אֲמַ רו לֵיּה מַאי בָּׁעֵית הָּׁ כָּׁא ראֲמַ לְּהו דַאֲמַ ר לִי אַ בָּׁא זִ יל ּגַבַיְּיהו When Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, noticed דְּ לִיבָּׁרְּ כוְך אֲמַ רו לֵיּה Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai’s son, they said to him: What do you want here? He יְּהֵארַ עֲוָּׁאדְּתִ עזְּרַ וְּלָּׁא said to them: Father told me: Go to them so that they should bless you. They ּתֶחְּ צַדּתְּ עַיֵילוְּלָּׁא ,said to him as follows: May it be God’s will that you should sow and not reap ּתַ יפֵוק ּתַ יפֵוקוְּלָּׁא that you should bring in and not take out, that you should take out and not ּתְּ עַיֵיללִיחְּ רֹוב בֵיתְָּׁך bring in, that your house should be destroyed and your lodging place should וְּלִיּתֹובאושְּ פִ יזְָּׁך be inhabited, that your table should become confused, and that you should לִבַלְּבַל פָּׁתורָּׁ ְך וְּלָּׁא .not see a new year ּתִחְּזֵי שַּתָּׁ אחַדְּּתָּׁ א When he came back to his father, he said to him: Not only did they not bless כִי אֲתָּׁ אלְּגַבֵי אֲ בוּה me, but they even caused me pain with their negative words. His father said to אֲמַר לֵיּה לָּׁא מִ בַעְּ יָּׁא him: What exactly did they say to you? He answered: They said to me such דְּ בָּׁרֹוכֵי לָּׁאבָּׁירְּ כֻןאֲבָּׁל ,and such. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said to his son: These are all blessings צַ יעֹורֵ צַ עֲורֻן ראֲמַ לֵיּה uttered in a cryptic manner, and this is what they meant: When they said that you מַאי אֲמַ רו לְָּׁךהָּׁכִי should sow and not reap they meant that you should bear sons and they should וְּהָּׁכִי אֲמַ רו לִי אֲמַר not die. Their statement that you should bring in and not take out means that לֵיּההָּׁ נְָּׁך כולְּהו בִרְּ כָּׁתָּׁא you should bring in brides for your sons and your sons should not die, which נִינְּהו ּתִ עזְּרַ וְּ לָּׁאּתֶחְּ צַד would cause their wives to leave. When they said you should take out and not ּתֹולִיד בָּׁנִים וְּלָּׁא יְּמותו bring in they meant that you should have daughters and their husbands should ּתְּ עַיֵיל וְּלָּׁא ּתַ יפֵוק .not die, which would cause your daughters to return to you ּתְּ עַיֵיל אכַלְּתָּׁ וְּלָּׁא לֵימותו בְּ נְָּׁךדְּ לִיפְּ קון When they said that your house should be destroyed and your lodging place ּתַ יפֵוק וְּלָּׁאּתְּ עַיֵיל should be inhabited, this should be interpreted allegorically. As this world is ּתֹולִיד בְּ אנָּׁתָּׁ וְּלָּׁא compared to your lodging place, and the World-to-Come is compared to your

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יְּמותו ּגובְּרַ יְּיהו house, as it is written: “Their inward thought [kirbam], is that their houses וְּלִיהְּדְּ רו לְּוָּׁתָּׁ יְך shall continue forever” ( 49:12), and the Sages said: Do not read it as “their inward thought [kirbam]”; rather read it as their graves [kivram]. לִיחְּ רֹוב בֵיתָּׁ ְך וְּלִי ּתֹוב According to this reading, one’s grave is considered his permanent house. The אושְּפִ יזְָּׁךדְּהַ איעָּׁלְּמָּׁא Sages gave Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai’s son a blessing that he should dwell in his אושְּפִ יזְָּׁך וְּהָּׁ הֻיאעָּׁלְּמָּׁא .temporary home rather than his permanent home, i.e., he should live a long life בֵיתָּׁא דִ כְּתִ יבקִרְּ בָּׁם בָּּׁתֵ ימֹולְּעֹולָּׁם אַל When they said that your table should become confused, they meant that you ּתִקְּרֵי קִרְּ בָּׁם אֶ לָּׁא should be blessed with many sons and daughters, so that there will be noise and קִבְּרָּׁ ם לִבַלְּבַל פָּׁתורְָּׁך confusion at your table. When they said that you should not see a new year, they בִבְּנֵי ובְּ אנָּׁתָּׁ וְּלָּׁאּתִיחְּ זֵי meant your wife should not die and as a result you should not have to marry שַּתָּׁא חַדְּּתָּׁאדְּ לָּׁא another woman, about which it says: “When a man has taken a new wife, he shall ּתְּמות אִּתְּ תָּׁ ְך וְּ לָּׁא not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business; he shall be free at ּתִ נְּסַב אִ ינְּּתְּ תָּׁ א .(home for one year” (Deuteronomy 24:5 אַ חֲרִיתִ י

בבלי, שבת דף לג : Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 33B .7 וְּאַמַ איקָּׁ רו לֵיּה ״רֹאש And why did they call him head of the speakers in every place? The הַמְּדַבְּרִ יםבְּ כָּׁל מָּׁ קֹום״? דְּ יָּׁתְּ בִי Gemara relates that this resulted due to an incident that took place when רַבִי יְּהודָּׁ ה וְּרַ בִ י ייֹוסֵ וְּרַ בִי Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon were sitting, and שִמְּ עֹון,וְּ יָּׁתֵ יב יְּהודָּׁה בֶן ּגֵרִ ים Yehuda, son of converts, sat beside them. Rabbi Yehuda opened and ּגַבַיְּיהו. פָּׁתַחרַ יבִ יְּהודָּׁה said: How pleasant are the actions of this nation, the Romans, as they וְּאָּׁמַ ר: הכַמָּׁ נָּׁאִים מַ עֲׂשֵיהֶן שֶ ל established marketplaces, established bridges, and established אומָּׁ ה זֹו: ּתִקְּ נו שְּ וֹוקִים, ּתִקְּ נו bathhouses. Rabbi Yosei was silent. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai ּגְּשָּׁרִים, ּתִקְּ נו מֶרְּ חֲצָּׁ אֹות. רַ בִ י responded and said: Everything that they established, they established יֹוסֵי שָּׁתַ ק.נַעֲנָּׁה רַ בִישִמְּ עֹון בֶן only for their own purposes. They established marketplaces, to place יֹוחַ אי וְּאָּׁמַ ר: כׇל מַהשֶּתִקְּ נו, prostitutes in them; bathhouses, to pamper themselves; and bridges, to לֹאּתִקְּ נו אֶ לָּׁא לְּצֹורֶ ְך עַצְּמָּׁן. ,collect taxes from all who pass over them. Yehuda, son of converts ּתִקְּ נו שְּ וֹוקִ ין — לְּהֹושִ יב בָּׁהֶ ן went and related their statements to his household, and those statements זֹונֹות, מֶרְּ חֲצָּׁ אֹות — לְּעַדֵ ןבָּׁהֶן continued to spread until they were heard by the monarchy. They ruled עַצְּמָּׁן, ּגְּשָּׁרִ ים — לִיטֹול מֵהֶן and said: Yehuda, who elevated the Roman regime, shall be elevated and מֶכֶס. הָּׁ לְַך היְּהודָּׁ בֶן ּגֵרִ ים .appointed as head of the Sages, the head of the speakers in every place וְּסִ יפֵר דִבְּרֵ יהֶ ם,וְּנִשְּמְּ עו Yosei, who remained silent, shall be exiled from his home in Judea as לַמַ לְּכות.אָּׁמְּ רו: יְּהודָּׁהשֶעִ ילָּׁה ,punishment, and sent to the city of Tzippori in the . And Shimon — יִתְּ עַלֶה. יֹוסֵישֶשָּׁתַ ק — .who denounced the government, shall be killed יִגְּלֶה לְּצִ יפֹורִ י. שִמְּ עֹון שֶּגִ ינָּׁה — יֵהָּׁרֵ ג . Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai and his son, Rabbi Elazar, went and hid in the אֲ זַל הוא ובְּרֵ יּה, טְּ שֹו בֵי study hall. Every day Rabbi Shimon’s wife would bring them bread מִדְּרְּשָּׁ א. כׇליֹומָּׁ א הֲוָּׁה מַתְּ יָּׁא ,and a jug of water and they would eat. When the decree intensified לְּהודְּ בֵיתְּ הורִ איפְּּתָּׁ וְּ כוזָּׁא ,Rabbi Shimon said to his son: Women are easily impressionable and דְּמַיָּׁא וְּכָּׁרְּ כִי. כִיּתְּ קֵ יף ּגְּזֵירְּ תָּׁ א therefore, there is room for concern lest the authorities torture her and אֲמַר לֵיּה לִבְּרֵ יּה:נָּׁשִים דַעְּּתָּׁ ן she reveal our whereabouts. They went and they hid in a cave. A קַ לָּׁה עֲלֵיהֶן, דִ ילְּמָּׁאמְּ צַ יעֲרִ לַּה miracle occurred and a carob tree was created for them as well as a ומְּ גַלְּיָּׁא לַן. אֲזַלו טְּ שֹו spring of water. They would remove their clothes and sit covered in בִמְּ עָּׁרְּ ּתָּׁא. אִיתְּרְּ חִ יש נִיסָּׁא .sand up to their necks. They would study Torah all day in that manner אִיבְּרִ י לְּהוחָּׁ רובָּׁא וְּעֵינָּׁא ,At the time of prayer, they would dress, cover themselves, and pray דְּמַ יָּׁא, וַהֲוֹומַשְּ ילְּחִ מָּׁ נַיְּיהו and they would again remove their clothes afterward so that they וַהֲוֹו יָּׁתְּ בִ י עַד צַוְּארַ יְּיהו בְּחָּׁ לָּׁא. .would not become tattered. They sat in the cave for twelve years כולֵי יֹומָּׁ אּגָּׁרְּ סִי. ןבְּעִידָּׁ צַ לֹויֵי : the Prophet came and stood at the entrance to the cave and said לָּׁבְּשִי מִ יכַסו ומְּ צַ לו, וַהֲדַר Who will inform bar Yoḥai that the emperor died and his decree has מַשְּ לְּחִי מָּׁ נַיְּיהוכִ י הֵיכִי דְּ לָּׁא ?been abrogated לִיבְּ לו.אִיּתִ יבו ּתְּרֵ יסַר שְּ נֵי

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בִמְּעָּׁרְּ ּתָּׁ א.אֲתָּׁא אֵ לִיָּׁהווְּקָּׁם They emerged from the cave, and saw people who were plowing and אַפִיתְּ חָּׁ אדִמְּ עָּׁרְּ ּתָּׁ א, אֲמַר: מַ אן sowing. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: These people abandon eternal life לֹודְּ עֵיּה לְּבַר יֹוחַי דְּמִ יתקֵ יסָּׁ ר .of Torah study and engage in temporal life for their own sustenance ובְּטִ יל ּגְּזֵירְּ תֵ יּה . Every place that they directed their eyes was immediately burned. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Did you emerge from the cave נְּפַקו, חֲזֹואִ יינָּׁשֵ אדְּקָּׁ כָּׁרְּ בִי in order to destroy My world? Return to your cave. They again went וְּזָּׁרְּ עִי,אָּׁמְּרִ ין: מַ נִיחִ ין חַ יֵי and sat there for twelve months. They said: The judgment of the עֹולָּׁםוְּ עֹוסְּקִ ין בְּחַ יֵי שָּׁ עָּׁה. כׇל wicked in Gehenna lasts for twelve months. Surely their sin was atoned מָּׁ קֹום שֶ נֹותְּ נִיןעֵינֵיהֶן מִ יָּׁד in that time. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Emerge from נִׂשְּרָּׁף. יָּׁצְּתָּׁ ה בַת קֹולוְּאָּׁמְּרָּׁה ,your cave. They emerged. Everywhere that Rabbi Elazar would strike לָּׁהֶ ם: לְּהַ חֲרִ יבעֹולָּׁמִ י ,Rabbi Shimon would heal. Rabbi Shimon said to Rabbi Elazar: My son יְּצָּׁאתֶ ם?! חִ יזְּ רו לִמְּ עָּׁרַתְּ כֶם! you and I suffice for the entire world, as the two of us are engaged in the הֲדור אֲ זולאִיּתִ יבו ּתְּרֵיסַר .proper study of Torah יַרְּחֵי שַּתָּׁ א. אָּׁמְּרִ י: מִשְּ פַט רְּשָּׁעִים בְּ גֵיהִ נָּׁם שְּ נֵיםעָּׁׂשָּׁר As the sun was setting on Shabbat eve, they saw an elderly man who חֹדֶש. יָּׁצְּתָּׁ ה בַת קֹולוְּאָּׁמְּרָּׁה: .was holding two bundles of myrtle branches and running at twilight צְּאו מִמְּ עָּׁרַתְּ כֶם!נְּפַקו. כָּׁל They said to him: Why do you have these? He said to them: In honor הֵיכָּׁאדַ הֲוָּׁה מָּׁחֵי רַ בִי אֶ לְּעָּׁזָּׁר, :of Shabbat. They said to him: And let one suffice. He answered them הֲוָּׁה מַסֵי רַ בִ י שִמְּ עֹון. ראָּׁמַ לֹו: ”One is corresponding to: “Remember the Shabbat day, to keep it holy בְּ נִי,דַ י לָּׁעֹולָּׁם אֲנִי וְּאַּתָּׁ ה . ,Exodus 20:8), and one is corresponding to: “Observe the Shabbat day) to keep it holy” (Deuteronomy 5:12). Rabbi Shimon said to his son: See בַהֲדֵי פַנְּיָּׁאדְּמַ עֲלֵי אשַבְּתָּׁ חֲזֹו how beloved the mitzvot are to Israel. Their minds were put at ease and הָּׁהואסָּׁ בָּׁא דַ הֲוָּׁהנָּׁקֵ יט ּתְּרֵי .they were no longer as upset that people were not engaged in Torah study מַדָּׁ אנֵי אאָּׁסָּׁ וְּרָּׁ הֵ יט בֵין הַשְּמָּׁ שֹות. אֲמַ רולֵיּה: הָּׁ נֵי לְּמָּׁה לְָּׁך? ראֲמַ לְּהו: לִכְּ בֹוד Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir, Rabbi Shimon’s son-in-law, heard and went שַבָּׁת. וְּתִיסְּ ּגֵילְָּׁך בְּחַ ד! — חַ ד out to greet him. He brought him into the bathhouse and began tending כְּ נֶגֶד״זָּׁכֹור״ וְּחַ ד כְּ נֶגֶד to his flesh. He saw that Rabbi Shimon had cracks in the skin on his ״שָּׁ מֹור״. ראֲמַ לֵיּה לִבְּרֵ יּה: body. He was crying, and the tears fell from his eyes and caused Rabbi חֲזִי הכַמָּׁ חֲבִיבִ ין מִצְּ ֹות עַל Shimon pain. Rabbi Pineḥas said to Rabbi Shimon, his father-in-law: Woe יִׂשְּרָּׁאֵל. אִ יְּתִ יבָּׁה דַעְּּתַ יְּיהו . is me, that I have seen you like this. Rabbi Shimon said to him: Happy are you that you have seen me like this, as had you not seen me like שְּמַע רַ יבִ פִ נְּחָּׁ סבֶן יָּׁאִ יר חַתְּ נֵיּה this, you would not have found in me this prominence in Torah, as the ונְּפַק לְּאַ פֵיּה. עַיְּילֵיּה לְּבֵיבָּׁנֵי, Gemara relates: At first, when Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai would raise a הֲוָּׁהקָּׁ אאָּׁרֵ יְךלֵיּה לְּבִיׂשְּרֵ יּה. difficulty, Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir would respond to his question with חֲזָּׁא דַ הֲוָּׁה בֵיּה פִ ילֵיבְּ גופֵיּה. twelve answers. Ultimately, when Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir would raise הֲוָּׁהקָּׁא בָּׁכֵי וְּקָּׁ אנָּׁתְּרָּׁן דִמְּ עָּׁת a difficulty, Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai would respond with twenty-four עֵינֵיּה וְּקָּׁמְּ צַוְּחָּׁ אלֵיּה. ראָּׁמַ לֹו: .answers אֹוילִי שֶרְּאִיתִ יָךבְּ כְָּׁך. אָּׁמַ ר לֹו: אַשְּרֶיָך שֶרְּאִיתַ נִי בְּ כְָּׁך, Rabbi Shimon said: Since a miracle transpired for me, I will go and שֶאִ ילְּמָּׁ לֵא לֹארְּאִ יתַ נִיבְּ כְָּׁך — repair something for the sake of others in gratitude for God’s kindness, as לֹא מָּׁצָּׁאתָּׁ בִ י כְָּׁך. דְּמֵעִיקָּׁרָּׁ א כִי it is written: “And Jacob came whole to the city of Shechem, which is in הֲוָּׁה מַקְּשֵירַ בִי שִמְּ עֹון בֶן יֹוחַי the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and he graced the קושְּ יָּׁא, הֲוָּׁה מְּ קפָּׁרֵ לֵיּה רַ בִ י countenance of the city” (Genesis 33:18). Rav said, the meaning of: And פִ נְּחָּׁ סבֶן יָּׁאִיר ּתְּרֵ יסַ ר פֵירוקֵ י. Jacob came whole, is: Whole in his body, whole in his money, whole in לְּסֹוף, יכִ הֲוָּׁה מַקְּשֵי רַ בִ יפִ נְּחָּׁ ס his Torah. And what did he do? And he graced the countenance of the בֶן יָּׁאִ יר קושְּ יָּׁא — הֲוָּׁהמְּ פָּׁרֵ ק city; he performed gracious acts to benefit the city. Rav said: Jacob לֵיּהרַ בִישִמְּ עֹון בֶן יֹוחַ יעֶׂשְּרִ ין established a currency for them. And Shmuel said: He established וְּאַרְּ בְּ עָּׁה פֵירוקֵ י . marketplaces for them. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He established bathhouses for them. In any event, clearly one for whom a miracle אֲמַ ר: הֹואִ יל וְּאִיתְּרְּ חִ יש נִיסָּׁ א transpires should perform an act of kindness for his neighbors as a sign of אֵיזִ ילאַתְּ קֵ ין מִ ילְּתָּׁא. דִ כְּתִ יב: gratitude. He said: Is there something that needs repair? They said to ״וַיָּׁבֹא יַעֲקֹבשָּׁ לֵם״, וְּאָּׁמַ ר רַ ב: him: There is a place where there is uncertainty with regard to ritual שָּׁלֵםבְּ גופֹו, שָּׁ לֵם בְּמָּׁ מֹונֹו, ,impurity and the priests are troubled by being forced to circumvent it

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שָּׁלֵם בְּ תֹורָּׁ תֹו. ״וַיִחַן תאֶ פְּ נֵי as it is prohibited for them to become ritually impure from contact with a הָּׁעִ יר״, אָּׁמַר רַ ב: מַטְּ בֵעַּתִ יקֵ ן corpse. Rabbi Shimon said: Is there a person who knows that there was לָּׁהֶ ם,ושְּ מואֵל אָּׁמַ ר: שְּ וֹוקִ ים a presumption of ritual purity here? An Elder said to him: Here ben ּתִיקֵן לָּׁהֶ ם,וְּרַ בִ י יֹוחָּׁ נָּׁןאָּׁמַר: Zakkai planted and cut the teruma of lupines. In this marketplace Rabbi מֶרְּ חֲצָּׁ אֹות ּתִ יקֵ ןלָּׁהֶם. אֲמַר: Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, who was a priest, once planted lupines that were אִיכָּׁא מִ ילְּתָּׁא דְּ בָּׁעֵילְּתַ קֹונֵי? given to him as teruma. On that basis, the conclusion can be drawn that it אֲמַרו לֵיּה: אִ יכָּׁא דוכְּּתָּׁא was definitely ritually pure. Rabbi Shimon, like Jacob, also did so and דְּאִ ית בֵיּה סְּ פֵק טומְּאָּׁה וְּאִ ית took steps to improve the city. Everywhere that the ground was hard, he לְּהו צַ אעֲרָּׁ לְּכֹהֲנִים לְּאַ קֹופֵי. pronounced it ritually pure as there was certainly no corpse there, and אֲמַר: אִ יכָּׁא אִ ינִיש דְּ יָּׁדַע every place that the ground was soft, he marked it indicating that דְּאִיּתַחְּ זַקהָּׁ כָּׁא טָּׁ הֳרָּׁ ה? אֲמַר perhaps a corpse was buried there. In that way, he purified the marketplace לֵיּההָּׁ הוא סָּׁ בָּׁא: כָּׁאן קִ יצֵץ בֶן .so that even priests could walk through it זַכַאי ּתורְּ מְּסֵי ּתְּ רומָּׁ ה. עֲבַד אִיהו ינָּׁמֵ הָּׁכִ י, כָּׁל הֵ יכָּׁא דַ הֲוָּׁה קְּשֵ י — טַהֲרֵ יּה,וְּכָּׁל הֵ יכָּׁא A certain Elder said in ridicule and surprise: Ben Yoḥai purified the דַ הֲוָּׁה רְּ פֵי — צַיְּינֵיּה . cemetery. Rabbi Shimon got angry and said to him: Had you not been with us, and even had you been with us and were not counted with us in rendering this ruling, what you say is fine. You could have said that you אֲמַר הָּׁ הוא סָּׁ בָּׁא: טִ יהֵ ר בֶן were unaware of my intention or that you did not agree or participate in יֹוחַ י בֵית הַקְּ בָּׁרֹות! ראֲמַ לֵיּה: this decision. Now that you were with us and were counted with us in אִ ילְּמָּׁ לֵי לֹאהָּׁ יִיתָּׁ עִמָּׁ נו, וַאֲפִ ילו rendering this ruling, you will cause people to say that Sages are unwilling הָּׁיִיתָּׁ עִמָּׁ נו, וְּ לֹא נִמְּ נֵיתָּׁ עִמָּׁ נו — יָּׁפֶה אַּתָּׁ האֹומֵ ר.עַכְּשָּׁ יו to cooperate with one another. They will say: If competing prostitutes שֶהָּׁיִיתָּׁ עִמָּׁ נו, וְּנִמְּ נֵיתָּׁ עִמָּׁ נו, still apply makeup to each other to help one another look beautiful, all יֹאמְּ רו: זֹונֹות מְּ פַרְּ כְּ סֹות זֹו אֶ ת the more so that Torah scholars should cooperate with each other. He זֹו, ּתַ ילְּמִידֵ חֲכָּׁמִ ים לֹא כָּׁל directed his eyes toward him and the Elder died. Rabbi Shimon went שֶ כֵן?! יְּהַ ב בֵיּה עֵינֵיּהוְּ נָּׁח out to the marketplace and he saw Yehuda, son of converts, who was נַפְּשֵ יּה. נְּפַק לְּשוקָּׁ אחַזְּ יֵיּה the cause of this entire incident. Rabbi Shimon, said: This one still has a הלִיהודָּׁ בֶן ּגֵרִ ים. אֲמַ ר: עֲדַ יִין place in the world? He directed his eyes toward him and turned him יֵשלְּזֶה בָּׁעֹולָּׁם? ןנָּׁתַ בֹו עֵינָּׁיו .into a pile of bones וְּעָּׁׂשָּׁ הו ּגַל שֶל עֲצָּׁ מֹות.

הוכוח בין החכמים – רומאים תקנו - לְּהֹושִ יב בָּׁהֶ ןזֹונֹות נחבאו בבית המדרש נָּׁשִ ים דַעְּּתָּׁ ןקַ לָּׁה עֲלֵיהֶ ן הישיבה בחול במערה קריאה לצאת מן המערה - יצאו ושרפו יָּׁצְּתָּׁהבַתקֹול וְּאָּׁמְּרָּׁ ה לָּׁהֶ ם: לְּהַחֲרִ יב עֹולָּׁמִ י יְּצָּׁ אתֶ ם?! חִ יזְּרו לִמְּ עָּׁרַתְּ כֶם! קריאה לצאת מן המערה - יצאו ור' אלעזר שורף חֲזִי כַמָּׁה חֲבִיבִ יןמִצְּ ֹות עַל יִׂשְּרָּׁאֵ ל הפצעים בגופו – בגלל הישיבה בחול במערה מקשה ומפרק עם רבי פנחס בן יאיר – המחלוקת אודות יעקב אבינו – רשב"י מתקן - זֹונֹותמְּפַרְּ כְּ סֹות זֹואֶ ת זֹו, ּתַ ילְּמִידֵ חֲכָּׁמִ ים לֹא כָּׁל שֶ כֵן?!

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