Talmud zu Nechemja 3:41

⁴⁸To this and the following paragraph there exists an almost parallel text in Sanhedrin 6:9 (ן), an enlarged version in the Babli Yebamot 78b–79a and Num.rabba 8(4), and a shortened version in Midrash Samuel 28[5].[“The dedicated ones”]⁴⁹Reading of G; in L: “It was stated”. The following text deals with the identity of “the dedicated ones”, their exclusion from the Jewish marriage community, and proof that they were among the returnees from Babylon.. Rebbi Immi in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, because of: “At that moment Joshua dedicated them as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation.⁵⁰Jos. 9:27.” One understands “for the congregation.” But “for the Eternal’s altar”⁵¹This is also mentioned in Jos. 9:27, but the service in the Tabernacle is reserved for priests and Levites. The statement is interpreted to mean that their status will only be determined when the Eternal’s altar is given its permanent place.? But Joshua kept them in limbo. He said, I shall not include nor exclude them. But he who sometime in the future will build the Temple, if he wants to include them he may include, exclude them he may exclude. David came and excluded them as it is said⁵²2S. 21:2.: “But the Gibeonites are not part of the Children of Israel.” Why did he exclude them? Because “⁵³2S. 21:1. there was a famine in David’s time, three years year after year.” David said, for four sins⁵⁴In ן “three” and this also seems to be the reading underlying the Babli’s version and Pirqe R.Eliezer Chapter 17. The number is 4 in Ta‘anit 3:3 (66c 1. 29). the rains are locked away. For the sins of foreign worship, incest and adultery, murder, and the sins of those who publicly promise money for welfare but do not pay. From where for the sin of foreign worship? “⁵⁵Deut. 11:16–17. Beware, lest you be seduced” etc. What is written afterwards? “The Eternal’s rage will be inflamed against you and he locks the sky, etc.” From where for the sins of the incestuous and adulterers? “⁵⁶Jer. 3:2–3. While the prophet obviously speaks of Baal worship, all his imagery is that of sexual transgressions. Quoted in the name of R. Jehudah in Sifra Qedošim Pereq7(4). You distorted the Land by your immorality and your evil deeds.” What is the punishment? “Rainshowers were withheld, there was no late rain,” etc. From where because of the murderers? “⁵⁷Num. 35:33. Because blood will distort the Land.” From where for the sins of those who publicly promise money for welfare but do not pay? “⁵⁸Prov. 25:14. In the name of different Amoraim in the Babli, Ta‘anit8b, Midrash Prov. 25(14). Clouds and wind but no rain means the man who prides himself by lying gifts.” David checked his entire generation and did not find one of these. He turned to ask the urim and tummim. That is what is written: “⁵³2S. 21:1. David asked before the Eternal” by urim and tummim.⁵⁹In MT, there is a lacuna in 2S. 21:1 between “David asked before the Eternal,” and “The Eternal said, because of Saul and the House of blood guilt.” It is explained that he asked by applying the urim and tummim oracle. In the Babli and the sources dependent on it, R. Eleazar explains that “asking before the Eternal” means applying the urim and tummim oracle since in Num. 27:21 it says, “before Eleazar the priest he shall stand and ask the urim and tummim.” Rebbi Eleazar said, “Ask the Eternal, all the meek of the Land, who execute His Law.⁶⁰Zeph. 2:3. The homily is slightly more explicit in the Babli, where it is credited to R. Simeon ben Laqish. It addresses a seeming inconsistency in 2S. 21:1 where God’s answer is that the famine is a punishment for two crimes, the first “about Saul” and the second “about the House of blood guilt because he killed the Gibeonites.” The verse of the prophet is read to mean that even at the moment a person is judged for his misdeeds his “works”, his good deeds, are mentioned in the Heavenly court. But here the sin “about Saul” was not Saul’s but David’s and the entire people’s since they let him be buried in Transjordan and did not bring him to his proper burial in his ancestral land until prodded by the absence of rain (2S. 21:14, where the coming of rain is described as a direct consequence of the proper burials given to Saul and Jonathan.)” What means “Whose Law is Work”? He enforces His Law and this is His Action⁶¹While the Babli certainly reads with the Masoretes פָּעָלוּ, it might be that the Yerushalmi reads פָּעֳלוֹ.. “⁵³2S. 21:1. The Eternal said, because of Saul and the House of blood guilt.” “Because of Saul,” whom you did not grant the last favor, “and because of the House of blood guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites.” David sent and called them, what is between you and the house of Saul? They told him, because he killed seven of our men, two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, a religious leader, a scribe, and a beadle. He asked them, what do you want now? They said to him: “⁶²2S. 21:6. May there be given to us seven men of his sons and we shall hang them before the Eternal on the hill of Saul, the elected of the Eternal.” He said to them, what use is it for you that they be killed? Take silver and gold for yourselves! But they answered, ⁶³2S. 21:4.“there is no money for us from Saul and his house.” He said, maybe they are afraid⁶⁴In ן: They are afraid one in front of the other (to accept blood money).; he separated them and spoke to each one separately, trying to mollify him by himself, and asked him: What use is it for you that they be killed? Take gold and silver! But he said, “there is no money for us from Saul and his house.” It is written “for me”⁶⁵In 2S. 21:4, the Ketib is “for me” but the Qere “for us”. The homily explains both readings; both are correct.. At this moment, David said that the Holy One gave three good gifts to Israel: They are merciful, decent, and charitable⁶⁶In addition to the sources mentioned in Note 48, the following is also in Midrash Psalms 1,17.. From where that they are merciful? “He gave you mercy⁶⁷Deut. 13:18..” From where that they are decent? “That His fear should be on your faces.⁶⁸Ex. 20:20.” This is a sign, for a decent person does not sin. About anybody indecent it is clear that his ancestors did not stand on Mount Sinai. From where that they are charitable? “The Eternal, your God, kept for you covenant and charity.⁶⁹Deut. 7:12.” But these, nothing of this in found in them. Immediately he went to exclude them as it is said: “But the Gibeonites are not of the Children of Israel.⁵²2S. 21:2.” And Ezra also excluded them, as it is said: “And the dedicated ones dwelt in the Ophel.⁷⁰Neh. 3:26, 11:21. The emphasis is on their dwelling separately.” Also in the future the Holy One, praise to Him, will exclude them as it is written: “One crossing the city they cause to be lost.⁷¹This quote (as well as the version of G) is clearly corrupt; it telescopes a quote and its interpretation into one sentence. The correct text is in ן:
וְהָעוֹבֵד הָעִיר יַעַבְדוּהוּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
יַאֲבִידוּהוּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(Ez. 48:19) “The city worker will cultivate it, from all the tribes of Israel.” (Interpretation) ‘He will cause him to be lost from all the tribes of Israel.’
Ezechiel, in his description of the future Israel, gives Jerusalem a strip of land from the Meditteranean to the Dead Sea, which will be cultivated by the Temple workers to provide food for the city. The verse is taken out of context and, in Galilean dialect, ע and א are identified, changing “cultivate” into “getting lost”. The city worker is the dedicated one.”

The following words are written without a waw,¹At the end of the word. but are to be read with the waw: and offered it;²1 Sam. 7, 9. said;³ibid. 19. Here and in the other verses which are cited the kethib is the singular and the ḳerë the plural. and [they] said;⁴ibid. XII, 10. and they spoke;⁵1 Kings 12, 7. shall they take away;⁶2 Kings 20, 18. and let them deliver;⁷ibid. XXII, 5. and eat;⁸Isa. 37, 30. together;⁹Jer. 48, 7, yaḥdaw to be read for yaḥad. and they shall profane it;¹⁰Ezek. 7, 21. and they offered;¹¹Ezra 3, 3. was made;¹²Dan. 5, 21. and took upon them;¹³Esth. 9, 27. Hananiah;¹⁴Added by GRA and H. The name Hananiah indicates Neh. 3, 30 where the text omits the waw at the end of ’aḥaraw (after him). Malchijah.¹⁵Indicating ibid. 31 where the waw at the end of ’aḥaraw is also omitted. The reverse of this [occurs in the following words]:¹⁶A superfluous waw is written but not read. my feet;¹⁷2 Sam. 22, 34; the kethib is ‘his feet’. [Although not included here, in the preceding verse my way is ‘his way’ in the kethib.] throw her down;¹⁸2 Kings 9, 33. [The added waw is due to dittography and superfluous.] and … commanded;¹⁹ibid. XVI, 15. The kethib means ‘commanded him’. straight before him;²⁰In Ezek. 46, 9 where the verb shall go forth is written as plural but to be read as singular. the fountain gate;²¹In Neh. 3, 15 where the kethib is ‘they set up’ and the ḳerë (he) set up. and called him;²²In 1 Kings 12, 3. The reference is to the word which follows which is plural in the kethib and singular in the ḳerë. and he assembled;²³ibid. 21. Here the reference is to the first verb was come which is written as plural but to be read as singular. took.²⁴In 2 Kings 14, 13. The reference is again to the verb came with the singular to be read for the plural in the text.

The following words are written without a waw,¹At the end of the word. but are to be read with the waw: and offered it;²1 Sam. 7, 9. said;³ibid. 19. Here and in the other verses which are cited the kethib is the singular and the ḳerë the plural. and [they] said;⁴ibid. XII, 10. and they spoke;⁵1 Kings 12, 7. shall they take away;⁶2 Kings 20, 18. and let them deliver;⁷ibid. XXII, 5. and eat;⁸Isa. 37, 30. together;⁹Jer. 48, 7, yaḥdaw to be read for yaḥad. and they shall profane it;¹⁰Ezek. 7, 21. and they offered;¹¹Ezra 3, 3. was made;¹²Dan. 5, 21. and took upon them;¹³Esth. 9, 27. Hananiah;¹⁴Added by GRA and H. The name Hananiah indicates Neh. 3, 30 where the text omits the waw at the end of ’aḥaraw (after him). Malchijah.¹⁵Indicating ibid. 31 where the waw at the end of ’aḥaraw is also omitted. The reverse of this [occurs in the following words]:¹⁶A superfluous waw is written but not read. my feet;¹⁷2 Sam. 22, 34; the kethib is ‘his feet’. [Although not included here, in the preceding verse my way is ‘his way’ in the kethib.] throw her down;¹⁸2 Kings 9, 33. [The added waw is due to dittography and superfluous.] and … commanded;¹⁹ibid. XVI, 15. The kethib means ‘commanded him’. straight before him;²⁰In Ezek. 46, 9 where the verb shall go forth is written as plural but to be read as singular. the fountain gate;²¹In Neh. 3, 15 where the kethib is ‘they set up’ and the ḳerë (he) set up. and called him;²²In 1 Kings 12, 3. The reference is to the word which follows which is plural in the kethib and singular in the ḳerë. and he assembled;²³ibid. 21. Here the reference is to the first verb was come which is written as plural but to be read as singular. took.²⁴In 2 Kings 14, 13. The reference is again to the verb came with the singular to be read for the plural in the text.

It is written¹⁰²Jos. 9:27.: At that moment Joshua dedicated them as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation. One understands “for the congregation.” But “for the Eternal’s altar”? But Joshua kept them in limbo. He said, I shall [neither]¹⁰³Added from the Qiddušin text. exclude nor include them. But he who sometime in the future will build the Temple, if he wants to include he may include, if he wants to exclude he may exclude. David came and excluded them as it is said¹⁰⁴2S. 21:1–2.: But the Gibeonites are not part of the Children of Israel. Why did he exclude them? Because there was a famine in David’s time, three years year after year. David said, for three sins the rains are locked away: Foreign worship, incest and adultery, and murder. Foreign worship, as it is written¹⁰⁵Deut. 11:16–17.: Beware, lest you be seduced and next to it, He locks the sky up. Incest and adultery, as it is written¹⁰⁶Jer. 3:2–3. Rain-showers were withheld, there was no late rain, for you had the forehead of a whoring woman. Murder, as it is written¹⁰⁷Num. 35:33.: Because blood will distort the Land. Some say, also those who publicly promise money for welfare but do not pay, as it is written¹⁰⁸Prov. 25:14.: Clouds and wind but no rain means the man who boasts with lying gifts. David checked on all his ways and did not find any of them. He turned to ask the Urim and Tummim. That is what is written¹⁰⁴2S. 21:1–2.: David asked before the Eternal. Rebbi Eleazar said, it is written¹⁰⁹Zeph. 2:3.: Ask the Eternal, all the meek of the Land, who execute His Law, etc. ¹⁰⁴2S. 21:1–2.The Eternal said, because of Saul and the House of blood-guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites. Because of Saul, whom you did not grant the last favor, and because of the House of blood-guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites. David sent and called them. He asked them, what is between you and the House of Saul? They told him, because he killed seven of our men, two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, a scribe, a religious leader, and a beadle. He asked them, what do you want now? They said to him, May there be given to us seven men … and we shall hang them before the Eternal in Gibeon¹¹⁰2S. 21:6.. He said to them, what use is it to you that they be killed? Take silver and gold for yourselves! But they answered, there is no silver or gold for us from Saul and his house¹¹¹2S. 21:6.. He said, maybe they are afraid one of the other; he dealt which each of them separately, trying to mollify him by himself, but nobody accepted it. That is what is written, there is no silver or gold for us, it is written for me. At this moment, David said that the Holy One gave three good gifts to Israel: They are decent, merciful, and charitable. Decent, for it is written¹¹²Ex. 20:20.: that His fear be on your faces. Merciful, for it is written¹¹³Deut. 13:18,: He gave you mercy, had mercy on you and increased you. Charitable, for it is written¹¹⁴Deut. 7:12.: The Eternal, your God, kept for you covenant and charity. But these, nothing of this is found in them; he excluded them: But the Gibeonites are not of the Children of Israel¹⁰⁴2S. 21:1–2.. And Ezra also excluded them, as it is said:¹¹⁵Neh. 3:26, 11:21. And the dedicated ones dwelt in the Ophel; Ziha and Gishpa were of the dedicated ones. Also in the future, the Holy One, praise to Him, will exclude them as it is written¹¹⁶Ez. 48:19.: The city worker will cultivate it, from all tribes of Israel. He will eliminate them from all tribes of Israel.

⁶¹From this point to the end of the tractate is an aggadic addendum. The greatest man among the Anakim⁶²Josh. 14, 15.—among the Anakim refers to our father Abraham whose height was equal to that of seventy-four men; his eating and drinking were of a similar proportion, equal to those of seventy-four men; so too his strength. What did he do?⁶³This is probably a reference to Gen. 25, 6, But unto the sons of the concubines … Abraham gave gifts; and he sent them away … eastward, unto the east country. He removed the sixteen⁶⁴So GRA in accordance with Gen. 25, 2-4. V, M and H incorrectly ‘seventeen’. sons of Keturah, built for them a walled city of iron and settled them in it. The sun never penetrated into it because it was exceedingly high, so Abraham handed to them disks of precious stones and pearls of which use will be made⁶⁵So GRA. V, M and H read, ‘and they will be used’. in the hereafter when the Holy One, blessed be He, will cause the sun and moon to be confounded, as it is written, When the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed,⁶⁶Is. 24, 23. because use will be made of these [disks as luminaries].
Og⁶⁷King of Bashan; Deut. 3, 11. is identical with Eliezer,⁶⁸Abraham’s servant; cf. Gen. 15, 2, XXIV, 2ff. and [he was so huge that] he could hide Abraham’s feet in the palm of his hand. Once he was rebuked [by Abraham] and from fright his tooth fell out. Abraham picked it up and made ivory beds of it in which he slept. Others say that he made of it a chair which he used⁶⁹lit. ‘and sat in it’. all his life. Who gave him to Abraham? Nimrod.⁷⁰Mentioned in Gen. 10, 8ff. Og went and built sixty cities, the smallest of which was sixty miles high, as it is stated, Threescore cities, all the region of Argob.⁷¹Deut. 3, 4. And what did he eat? A thousand oxen and the same [number of] other animals, and his drink consisted of a thousand measures. A⁷²So GRA. V, M and H read ‘and what was the’. drop of his semen weighed thirty-six pounds.⁷³V and H add ‘and so for all generations’, which makes no sense.
It was taught: What did our father Jacob do when his sons brought him the coat [stained] with blood?⁷⁴Cf. Gen. 37, 31ff. He did not believe them at all. Whence do we infer this? For it is written, But he refused to be comforted,⁷⁵ibid. 35. because no consolations are acceptable for a living person. One, however, who is dead passes naturally from the mind,⁷⁶lit. ‘he is forgotten from the heart of his own accord’. as it is stated, I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind.⁷⁷Ps. 31, 13. What then did he do? He proceeded to make a test with sheaves,⁷⁸GRA transposes the order of V, M and H by putting the test of the sheaves before that of the stones, and omits ‘according to the first opinion’. writing upon them the respective names of the tribes, their constellations and the months, and said to them, ‘I order you to prostrate yourselves before Levi because he wears the Urim and Thummim’,⁷⁹Cf. Ex. 28, 30. but they did not stand up. ‘Before Judah who is king’, but they did not stand up; but when he mentioned Joseph to them, they all stood up and bowed before Joseph. But it was not yet quite clear that he was alive. So Jacob went to the mountains, hewed twelve stones, arranged them in a row, and wrote on each the name of its tribe, the name of its constellation and the name of its month. On one stone he wrote ‘Reuben, lamb, Nisan’⁸⁰The name of the tribe, constellation and month. and similarly on every stone. He began from Simeon and said to them, ‘I order you to stand up for Reuben’, but they did not stand up. ‘For Simeon’, but they did not stand up. ‘For every tribe’, but the stones did not stand up. As soon, however, as he mentioned the name of Joseph to them, they stood up at once and bowed before Joseph’s stone.⁸¹The translation follows the text of GRA. For this reason, all the tribes were written on Joseph’s stone. Similarly, all Israel are called by Joseph’s name, as it is stated, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock.⁸²Ps. 80, 2 where Joseph is a synonym of all Israel. So also all the heads of the families of the priests and Levites, [e.g.] Eliashib,⁸³Neh. 3, 1. because of the phrase lahashibo ’el ’abiw;⁸⁴In the story of Joseph (Gen. 37, 22), E.V. to restore him to his father. The name Eliashib is broken up in three parts corresponding in sound and meaning to these three Heb. words. From ‘For this reason’ to ’abiw is the reading of GRA. V and H have instead: ‘but from the mishmaroth, Eliashib the priest’. Elḳanah,⁸⁵Connected with ḳanah, ‘he bought’. because Potiphar had bought him [as it is stated,] And Joseph ms brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar … bought him.⁸⁶Gen. 39, 1. V inserts in parentheses, And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Ẓaphenath, paneah, etc. (ibid. XLI, 45), which has no relevance to the subject.
When Rebekah left her father’s house⁸⁷Cf. ibid. XXIV, 59ff. she was three years old,⁸⁸V, M and H add ‘and three days’. because it is customary among kings, when a daughter is born to them, to hear of it after three days;⁸⁹H reads ‘after three years and three days’. but as her father did not hear [of her birth] he did not defile her up to that time; and now a miracle happened to her in that her father died so that he should not defile her, as it is written, Neither had any man known her,⁹⁰Gen. 24, 16. and by man only her father could be meant,⁹¹From ‘he did not’ to ‘meant’ is GRA’s reading. V, M and H read: ‘therefore a miracle happened to her that she should not be defiled’. for such was the practice of the Arameans to lie with their virgin daughters after they were three years of age,⁹²‘After … age’ is inserted by GRA; omitted in V, M and H. and then to give them away in marriage.⁹³V, M and H add: ‘on account of that which is written, Neither had any man known her, and by man only her father could be meant’.
Dinah was six years old when she bore Asenath from [her association with] Shechem,⁹⁴Cf. Gen. 34. corresponding to⁹⁵lit. ‘the number of’. the six years which Jacob served Laban in payment for the flock,⁹⁶ibid. XXXI, 41. thus completing⁹⁷lit. ‘until’. the twenty years of his service. [The Archangel] Michael then descended and took her away to the house of Potiphar.
From here onward let the man of understanding increase knowledge.⁹⁸From ‘completing the twenty years’ to ‘knowledge’ is GRA’s text. V and M have instead: ‘and he added twenty years, because he died. From this point onwards let the man of understanding increase knowledge. And Michael descended and led her to Potiphar’s house’.