Talmud zu Schemot 34:27

¹⁶The same text appears in Peah 1:6 (Notes 104–109,פ) and Ḥagigah 1:8 (Note 189,ח). Rebbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman: Things have been said orally and things have been said in writing, and we do not know which ones are preferred. From what is written¹⁷Ex. 34:27.: by the mouth of these words I concluded a covenant with you and Israel, it follows that the oral traditions are preferred¹⁸This argument is somewhat specious since the full verse reads: The Eternal said to Moses, write down these words for yourself, because by the mouth of these words I concluded a covenant with you and Israel. In Babli Giṭtin 60b, R. Simeon ben Laqish explains the verse as part of the covenant and states that written verses may not be recited by heart and oral traditions not written down as declared here at the end of the previous paragraph.. Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Yudan bar Rebbi Simeon. One said that if you kept what is oral tradition and kept what is written I will conclude a covenant with you, otherwise I shall not conclude a covenant with you. The other one said, if you watched all that is oral tradition and kept all that is written you will receive your reward, otherwise you will not receive any reward. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said¹⁹The reference is to Deut. 9:10: The Eternal gave to me the two stone tablets, written by the Divine Finger, and on them like all the words that the Eternal spoke to you on the mountain on the day of assembly. The three underlined expressions are all unnecessary for the understanding of the sentence; these are interpreted as referring to the three divisions of oral law contained in the complete Torah. Babli 19b.: On them, and on them; words, the words all, like all;; Bible, Mishnah, Talmud, and Aggadah. Even what a competent student²⁰Arabic ות֗יק “strong, safe, secure, dependable, reliable”. The interpretations of the untrained and incompetent are worthless. will discover²¹Since a student may not rule, or teach, before his teacher, the root of the word להורות must be “to become pregnant,” in this case, with an idea. before his teacher was said to Moses on Sinai. What is the reason? There is something about which one would say, look, this is new! His colleague will answer, it already has been forever²²Eccl. 1:10..

There were seven patriarchs with whom a divine covenant was made, viz.: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Phinehas and David. In connection with Abraham it is written, In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham saying.³⁵Gen. 15, 18. In connection with Isaac it is written, But My covenant will I establish with Isaac.³⁶ibid. XVII, 21. In connection with Jacob it is written, Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob.³⁷Lev. 26, 42. In connection with Moses it is written, For after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.³⁸Ex. 34, 27. In connection with Aaron it is written, It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord.³⁹Num. 18, 19. In connection with Phinehas it is written, And it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.⁴⁰ibid. XXV, 13. In connection with David it is written, I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn unto David My servant.⁴¹Ps. 89, 4. Perhaps this passage is quoted here to teach men to emulate their special characteristics. Abraham stands as the example of hospitality, Isaac of self-sacrifice, Jacob of scholarship (cf. Gen. 25, 27, where according to Rabbinic interpretation tents means schools), Moses of meekness, Aaron of peace-making, Phinehas of zeal on behalf of God, and David of singing His praise.

A sheet of a Torah scroll must contain not less than three columns and not more than eight. As regards the lines [in a scroll] a reason was given [for four different numbers]: corresponding to the journeys,²⁷The reading of H and GRA. V and M have ‘in the journeys’. forty-two; corresponding to the myriads of Israel, sixty; corresponding to the elders of Israel, seventy-two; and corresponding to the reproofs in Deuteronomy, [36a] ninety-eight; all depending on [the size of] the script.²⁸The larger the characters the fewer the number of lines in a column.
‘Corresponding to the journeys,’ as it is said, And Moses wrote their goings forth.²⁹Num. 33, 2. As the expression of writing (wrote) occurs in the same context as the journeys (goings forth), the number of lines in a written column may be the same as the number of the journeys. ‘Corresponding to the myriads of Israel,’ as it is said, Write thou these words … and with Israel;³⁰Ex. 34, 27. Write and Israel (numbering sixty myriads) occur in the same context. as Israel numbered sixty myriads so may the lines of the Torah be sixty [in a column]. ‘Corresponding to the elders, seventy-two,’ as it is said, Gather unto Me seventy men³¹Num. 11, 16. … there remained … in the camp … of them that were recorded.³²ibid. 26. The number of the elders is found in the same passage as the expression of writing (recorded, lit. ‘written’). ‘Corresponding to the reproofs, ninety-eight,’ as it is said, If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written.³³Deut. 28, 58, the words of this law refers to the reproofs numbering 98 and occurs with written in the same passage.
In the case of ḳelaf parchments no limit was prescribed, and one may add [as many lines]³⁴N.Y. explains, ‘sheets’. as desired, provided only there are not less than three columns [to the sheet].³⁵i.e. the lines in a column, or according to N.Y. the sheets, should not be so many as to leave less than three columns for the last sheet of the scroll.

BARAITHA. Seven patriarchs were under [divine] covenant and they are: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Phinehas and David. Of Abraham it declares, In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram.¹⁶⁴Gen. 15, 18. Of Isaac it declares, But My covenant will I establish with Isaac.¹⁶⁵ibid. XVII, 21. Of Jacob it declares, Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob.¹⁶⁶Lev. 26, 42. Of Moses it declares, For after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.¹⁶⁷Ex. 34, 27. Of Aaron it declares, It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord unto thee.¹⁶⁸Num. 18, 19. Of Phinehas it declares, And it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.¹⁶⁹ibid. XXV, 13. Of David it declares, I have made a covenant with My chosen.¹⁷⁰Ps. 89, 4.
GEMARA. It has been taught: Israel too were under [divine] covenant. Whence is this learnt? As it is stated, For after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.¹⁷¹Ex. 34, 27. Shall we say that this refutes the view of R. ‘Aḳiba who said: The generation of the Wilderness¹⁷²Cf. Num. 14, 26ff. have no share in the World to Come?¹⁷³Cf. Sanh. 108a (Sonc. ed., p. 738). R. ‘Aḳiba could reply: On the contrary, it is a support of my view: here it is written, and with Israel, and it is written, Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; forasmuch as they broke My covenant.¹⁷⁴Jer. 31, 30f, in A.J. XXXI, 31f. Because the generation of the Wilderness broke the covenant by their murmurings against God they lost their share in the World to Come, and only when God will renew the covenant with Israel and Judah will they again be entitled to a share. What, then, is the force of the repetition [and] with? It is to include the babes and sucklings [who came out of Egypt].¹⁷⁵With this new generation of Israel God will enter into the new covenant.
Come and hear: [It is written,] Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, I have made a covenant with your fathers¹⁷⁶Jer. 34, 13.—this is a refutation of R. ‘Aḳiba! He can reply: This is rather a support for me, for it is written, But your fathers hearkened not unto Me.¹⁷⁷ibid. 14. They therefore forfeited their share in the World to Come. Come and hear: [It is written,] Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice!¹⁷⁸Ps. 50, 5. This verse implies that the covenant was binding for all time. This is certainly a refutation [of R. ‘Aḳiba’s statement].

Rebbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥmani: Things have been said orally and things have been said in writing, and we do not know which ones are preferred. From what is written (Ex. 34:27): “By the mouth of these words I concluded a covenant with you and Israel¹⁰⁴This argument is somewhat specious since the full verse reads: “The Eternal said to Moses, write down these words for yourself, because by the mouth of these words I concluded a covenant with you and Israel.” In Babli Giṭṭin 60b, R. Simeon ben Laqish explains the verse as part of the covenant and states that written verses may not be recited by heart and oral traditions not written down.;” it follows that the oral traditions are preferred¹⁰⁵A similar argument in the name of R. Joḥanan is reported in Babli Giṭṭin 60b..