Talmud zu Mischlej 13:28

Rebbi Jeremiah said that Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac asked: Justice protects the one on the straight path but sin destroys the sinner¹⁴Prov. 13:6.. Evil deeds will pursue the sinner but He will reward the just¹⁵Prov. 13:21.. While He makes scoffers targets of scoffing, He will bestow grace on the meek¹⁶Prov. 3:34.. He will watch over the feet of his pious ones, but evildoers will be silent in the darkness¹⁷1 Sam.. 2:9.. The wise will inherit honor, but shame will mark the stupid ones¹⁸Prov. 3:35.. Fences are made fences and doors doors. Is it so that fences make fences and doors doors? But so it is: Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel ben Rav Isaac: If a person is careful the first, second, and third times not to commit a sin, then in the future the Holy One, praise to Him, will watch over him. What is the reason? All this God will do twice, three times with a man¹⁹Job 33:29.. Rebbi Zeˋira said, but only if the person does not revert [to sin]. What is the reason? It does not say the triple thread “will never snap” but rather will not quickly snap²⁰Eccl. 4:12.. If you work on it, it will split.

Rebbi Jeremiah said that Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac asked: Justice protects the one on the straight path but sin destroys the sinner¹⁴Prov. 13:6.. Evil deeds will pursue the sinner but He will reward the just¹⁵Prov. 13:21.. While He makes scoffers targets of scoffing, He will bestow grace on the meek¹⁶Prov. 3:34.. He will watch over the feet of his pious ones, but evildoers will be silent in the darkness¹⁷1 Sam.. 2:9.. The wise will inherit honor, but shame will mark the stupid ones¹⁸Prov. 3:35.. Fences are made fences and doors doors. Is it so that fences make fences and doors doors? But so it is: Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel ben Rav Isaac: If a person is careful the first, second, and third times not to commit a sin, then in the future the Holy One, praise to Him, will watch over him. What is the reason? All this God will do twice, three times with a man¹⁹Job 33:29.. Rebbi Zeˋira said, but only if the person does not revert [to sin]. What is the reason? It does not say the triple thread “will never snap” but rather will not quickly snap²⁰Eccl. 4:12.. If you work on it, it will split.

⁵³A slightly reduced form of this text is in Bava qamma6:7 (Notes 111–115) and Alfasi Bava qamma No. 125. It is clear that R. Joḥanan and the editors of the Yerushalmi endorse R. Ḥiyya’s judgment and reject R. Ismael ben R. Yose’s. May one claim extraordinary things? One may, following what Rebbi Joḥanan said, a person may be rich on the market place and poor in his house; rich in his house and poor in the market place. There is one who poses as richand has nothing, poses as poor and has great wealth⁵⁴Prov. 13:7.. Rebbi Abba told⁵⁵This introduction, missing in both Bava qamma texts, makes it questionable whether a real case is recounted here.: Bar Ziza’s sharecropper deposited a pound of gold⁵⁶An enormous fortune, under the Severan emperors the equivalent of 900 ketubot. with somebody. Bar Ziza and Bar Ziza’s sharecropper died; the case came before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose. Would one not say that all that Bar Ziza’s sharecropper had was Bar Ziza’s property? It should be given to Bar Ziza’s sons. Bar Ziza’s sons came. He said, the adult ones should take half and when the underage grow up they should take half. Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose died; the case came before the Elder Rebbi Ḥiyya who said, that argument means nothing since there are people who do not advertise themselves. It should be given to the sharecropper’s sons. The trustee told him, I already disbursed half of it. He told him, what you gave, you gave by court order and what you will give, you will give by court order. May the sharecropper’s sons say to Bar Ziza’s sons, give us what you took? They can tell them, what was done was done by court order. May the underage ones say to the adult, let us share with you? May they tell them, we found a find? Rebbi Isaac said, the case between the adult and underage ones is only comparable to a gift given to them.

[“If sentence had been passed when the High Priest died, he is not exiled.”]⁹⁶Added from G; referring to Mishnah 10 even though the Halakhah refers to Mishnah 8. It was stated⁹⁷Babli 10b, Tosephta 3:5.: “Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob says, ‘refuge, refuge’ was written at crossroads, so that the homicide might see what was written and continue.” Rebbi Abun said, a sign-post was directing them⁹⁸He does not assume that everybody be literate.. ⁹⁹This paragraph is shortened in G, it is only hinted at in the Babli, 10b (in the name of Rav Ḥama bar Ḥanina), extended in Midrash Tehillim 25[10]. Rebbi Phineas said, good and straightforward¹⁰⁰Ps. 25:8.. Why is He good? Because He is straightforward. And why is He straightforward? Because He is good. Therefore, He teaches the way to the sinners. He instructs in the way of repentance. ¹⁰¹There exist various versions of this homily. In G, the text reads:
שָׁאֲלוּ לַתּוֹרָה. הַחוֹטֵא בְמָהוּא עוֹנְשׁוֹ. אָֽמְרָה לָהֶן יָבִיא קָרְבָּן וְיִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ. שָׁאֲלוּ לַנְּבוּאָה. הַחוֹטֵא מָהוּ עוֹנְשׁוֹ.אָֽמְרָה. הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַֽחֹטֵא֭ת הִ֥יא תָמֽוּת׃ שָׁאֲלוּ לְדָוִיד הַחוֹטֵא בְמָה עוֹנְשׁוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶן יִתַּ֤מּוּ חַטָּאִ֨ים ׀ מִן־הָאָ֡רֶץ וגו׳.שָׁאֲלוּ לַחָכְמָה. חוֹטֵא מָהוּ עוֹנְשׁוֹ. אָֽמְרָה לָהֶן. חַ֭טָּאִים תְּרַדֵּ֣ף רָעָ֑ה וג׳. שָׁאֲלו לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. חוֹטֵא מָהוּעוֹנְשׁוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶן. יַעֲשֶׂה תְשׁוּבָה וַאֲנִי מְקַבֵּל דִכְתִיב. ט֣וֹב וְיָשָׁ֥ר ײ. לָמָּה הוּא טוֹב.
They asked the Torah, what is the punishment of the sinner? She told them, he shall bring a sacrifice and it will be atoned for him. They asked Prophecy, what is the punishment of the sinner? She told them, the sinning soul is the one which will die. They asked David, what is the punishment of the sinner? He told them, may sins vanish from the earth etc. They asked Wisdom, what is the punishment of the sinner? She told them, evil will pursue sinners. They asked the Holy One, praise to Him, what is the punishment of the sinner? He said to them, let him repent and I will accept.. That is what is written, good and straightforward is the Eternal. (Why is he good?)
A slightly different version of G’s text is in Pesiqta dR. Cahana Shuva (ed. Buber p. 158b), quoted in Yalqut Shimony (Psalms 702, Ezechiel 358). They asked Wisdom, what is the punishment of the sinner? She told them, evil will pursue sinners¹⁰²Prov. 13:21.. They asked Prophecy, what is the punishment of the sinner? She told them, the sinning soul is the one which will die¹⁰³Ez. 18:4.. They asked the Holy One, praise to Him, what is the punishment of the sinner? He said to them, let him repent and it will be atoned for him. That is what is written, therefore, He teaches the way to the sinners¹⁰⁰Ps. 25:8., the way to repentance. ¹⁰⁴The continuation of the quote is not a verse; it seems to be the invention of a copyist who did not understand it. In G, the quote “Like a bird to move, like a swallow to fly, etc.”, is a paragraph by itself. In the Babli 11a, the quote like a bird to move, like a swallow to fly, so undeserved curse will not happen(Prov. 26:2) is quoted in reference to Mishnah 9. Why do the mothers of the High Priests have to support the exiled homicides if their prayers would be ineffective? It is written: Like a bird to move, like a swallow to fly, so is a man moving from his place.

Rebbi⁶⁶⁹For chronological reasons, this title from פן is the only correct one. Jeremiah said that Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac asked about: “Justice watches over the one ambling in simplicity but evil falsifies sin⁶⁷⁰Prov. 13:6. This and the following verses seem to imply that a person is just not by his own merit but only by God’s grace, whereas the wicked are destined to be wicked. This kind of predestination certainly contradicts the doctrine of personal responsibility which rabbinic interpretation finds in Deut. 11:26–28, 30:15–20..” “Evil pursues the sinners but He well rewards the just.”⁶⁷⁰Prov. 13:21. “He watches over the feet of His pious, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness, etc.⁶⁷¹1S. 2:9. This and the following verses are not in the Genizah fragment. In Peah, the order of the verses is slightly different.” “If He scoffs with the scoffers, but to the meek He gives kindness.⁶⁷²Prov. 3:34.” “Sages inherit honor, but shame lifts the silly.⁶⁷³Prov. 3:35.” Fencing makes a fence, and doors entry⁶⁷⁴A popular adage to the effect that a good fence warns away potential trespassers but an open door invites thieves. If the just are fenced in from the start but the wicked left open to sin, there is no personal merit in good behavior.. And so it is, fencing makes a fence and a door entry. But Rebbi Jeremiah asked in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: If somebody guards himself once, twice, and three times from a sin, from then on the Holy One, praise to Him, will guard him⁶⁷⁵If a person from personal initiative guards himself a few times from sinning in a particular way, then it becomes an automatic habit and in the future will not require additional will power. In the Babli, Yoma 86b, the Tanna R. Yose ben R. Jehudah is quoted as inferring that the same kind of sin is forgiven by the Heavenly Court a maximum of three times. Šabbat 104a, Yoma 38b, R. Simeon ben Laqish quotes Prov. 3:34 to the effect that Heaven will make it easy for the just to be just, for the wicked to be wicked.. What is the reason? “Lo, all this God will work, twice or three times with a man.”

Rebbi⁶⁶⁹For chronological reasons, this title from פן is the only correct one. Jeremiah said that Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac asked about: “Justice watches over the one ambling in simplicity but evil falsifies sin⁶⁷⁰Prov. 13:6. This and the following verses seem to imply that a person is just not by his own merit but only by God’s grace, whereas the wicked are destined to be wicked. This kind of predestination certainly contradicts the doctrine of personal responsibility which rabbinic interpretation finds in Deut. 11:26–28, 30:15–20..” “Evil pursues the sinners but He well rewards the just.”⁶⁷⁰Prov. 13:21. “He watches over the feet of His pious, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness, etc.⁶⁷¹1S. 2:9. This and the following verses are not in the Genizah fragment. In Peah, the order of the verses is slightly different.” “If He scoffs with the scoffers, but to the meek He gives kindness.⁶⁷²Prov. 3:34.” “Sages inherit honor, but shame lifts the silly.⁶⁷³Prov. 3:35.” Fencing makes a fence, and doors entry⁶⁷⁴A popular adage to the effect that a good fence warns away potential trespassers but an open door invites thieves. If the just are fenced in from the start but the wicked left open to sin, there is no personal merit in good behavior.. And so it is, fencing makes a fence and a door entry. But Rebbi Jeremiah asked in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: If somebody guards himself once, twice, and three times from a sin, from then on the Holy One, praise to Him, will guard him⁶⁷⁵If a person from personal initiative guards himself a few times from sinning in a particular way, then it becomes an automatic habit and in the future will not require additional will power. In the Babli, Yoma 86b, the Tanna R. Yose ben R. Jehudah is quoted as inferring that the same kind of sin is forgiven by the Heavenly Court a maximum of three times. Šabbat 104a, Yoma 38b, R. Simeon ben Laqish quotes Prov. 3:34 to the effect that Heaven will make it easy for the just to be just, for the wicked to be wicked.. What is the reason? “Lo, all this God will work, twice or three times with a man.”

(Rabbi Nehorai would say: Exile yourself to a place of Torah [and do not say that it will come to you, or that your colleagues will do it for you. And do not rely on your own understanding.]) He would also say: Do not disparage any person ([and do not dismiss anything]), as it says (Proverbs 13:13), “One who disparages a principle will become injured through it; one who respects a command will be rewarded.”
He would also say: One who studies Torah in his youth, what is he like? Like a calf which was tamed when it was still small, as it says (Hosea 10:11), “Ephraim became a trained calf, but still wanted to thresh.” One who studies Torah in his old age is like a cow that was never trained until it was too old, as it says (Hosea 4:16), “Israel turned away like a stubborn cow.”
He would also say: One who studies Torah in his youth is like a woman who kneads dough when it is hot. One who studies Torah in his old age, what is he like? Like a woman who kneads dough when it is cold.

Ten entities are considered truly “alive.” 1. The Holy Blessed One, as it says (Jeremiah 10:10), “The Eternal is truly God; He is a living God.” 2. The Torah is called a Living Torah, as it says (Proverbs 3:18), “It is a Tree of Life for those who hold fast to it, and all its supporters are happy.” 3. Israel are called Alive, as it says (Deuteronomy 4:41), “And you, who cling to the Eternal your God, you are all alive today.” 4. A righteous person is called Life, as it says (Proverbs 11:30), “The fruit of the righteous is the Tree of Life.” 5. The Garden of Eden is called Living, ([as it says (Psalms 116:9), “I will walk before the Eternal in the land of the living.” 6. One of the trees in the Garden was called the Tree of Life,]) as it says (Genesis 2:9), “and the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden. 7. The Land of Israel is called the Land of the Living, as it says (Ezekiel 26:20), “I will place radiance in the land of the living.” (Jerusalem is called Living, as it says [Psalms 116:9)], “I will walk before the Eternal in the land of the living.”) 8. Acts of kindness are called Life, as it says (Psalms 63:4), “For Your kindness is better than life; my lips will praise You.” 9. A wise person is called Life, as it says (Proverbs 13:14), “The Torah of the wise is the source of life.” 10. Water is called Living, as it says (Zechariah 14:8), “On that day, living waters will come forth from Jerusalem.”