Talmud for Exodus 20:2

Aḥitophel was a man great in Torah. It is written²⁴²2S. 6:1. The verse is written in military language but does not appear in a military context.: David again assembled all young men in Israel, 30’000. Rebbi Berekhiah in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Cahana²⁴³Num. rabba 4(21),12(25); Midrash Samuel 24(5).: Ninety thousand Elders did David ordain on one day, but he did not ordain Aḥitophel with them²⁴⁴Justifying Ahitophel’s hatred of David. He had enough reason as Batseba’s grandfather.. That is what is written: David again assembled all young men in Israel, 30’000. He added, 30’000. Again, 30’000, and the simple sense of the verse, 30’000; together 90’000. You find that at the moment when David came to carry the Ark of the Eternal’s Covenant, he did not carry it following the Torah²⁴⁸Num. 7:9.. They moved the Ark of God’s Covenant on a new car²⁴⁵2S. 6:3., etc. The Ark lifted the Cohanim up and tore them down to the ground; lifted the Cohanim up and tore them down to the ground. David sent and brought Aḥitophel. He told him, can you not tell me why the Ark lifted the Cohanim up and tore them down to the ground, lifted the Cohanim up and tore them down to the ground? He answered, send and ask all the wise men whom you ordained. David said, any man who knows how to put this in order but does not put it in order should end up strangled. He said something in front of it and it was steadied. That is what is written²⁴⁶2S. 6:13; 2 Chr. 15:20. The two verses contradict one another.: It was when the carriers of the Eternal’s Ark took six steps that he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Rebbi Ḥanina and Rebbi Mana, one said, for every step a bull and a fattened calf and at the end seven oxen and seven rams; but the other said, for every step seven oxen and seven rams and at the end a bull and a fattened calf²⁴⁷To explain both verses (Note 246). Babli Sotah 35b.. The Holy One, praise to Him, said to Aḥitophel: Something which the schoolchildren say every day in assembly you did not say to him: to the Bene Qehat he did not give; for the service of the holy [vessels] is on them, they should carry on the shoulder²⁴⁸Num. 7:9.. But so you told him. ²⁴⁹Differently Babli Sukkah 53a; hinted at Makkot 11a. Similarly you find that when David started to excavate the foundations²⁵⁰Greek θεμελίωσις; cf. Sotah 6:2 Note 17. of the Temple, he dug down fifteen hundred cubits and did not find the abyss. At the end he found a clay pot and wanted to lift it. It told him, you cannot lift me. We asked, why? It answered, because I am here suppressing the abyss. He asked it, since when are you here? It answered, from the Moment that the Merciful spoke on Sinai: I am the Eternal, your God²⁵¹Ex. 20:2., the earth trembled and sank down, and I was put here to suppress the abyss²⁵²Cf. Babli ˋAvodah zarah 3a, Midrash Tehillim 74 #4. The reference is to Ps.76:9: The earth was fearful and quiet. The earth was fearful because it was created on condition that Israel accept the Torah; when Israel accepted the Ten Commandments the earth became quiet since its continued existence was assured. The cover on the abyss sits on the waters of the Deluge (Gen.7:11).. Nevertheless, he did not listen to it; when he lifted it the abyss rose and threatened to flood the world. Aḥitophel was standing there. He said, now David will be strangled and I shall rule. David said, any Sage who knows how to put this in order but does not put it in order should end up strangled. He said what he said²⁵³A magical spell. and it was steady. David started to sing a song of ascent, a song for a rise of 100 [cubits]. For each hundred cubits he composed a song. Nevertheless, he ended up strangled. Rebbi Yose said, that is what the proverb says, a person has to worry about the curse of a rabbi, even if it is for nothing²⁵⁴Babli Berakhot 56a, Makkot 11a.. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: The scroll which Samuel handed over to David, Aḥitophel composed it by the Holy Spirit²⁵⁵The blueprint for building the Temple (1Chr. 28:11).. What did Aḥitophel do? If anybody asked for his counsel in anything and he gave his advice, he said go and do such and such, and if you do not believe me ask the Urim and Tummim. He went, asked, and found it correct²⁵⁶Midrash Tehillim 3(4). (We do not find that the oracle could be used for anything but affairs of state.). That is what is written²⁵⁷2S. 16:23.: The counsel of Aḥitophel which he gave in those days, etc. Man is read but not written²⁵⁸Babli Nedarim 37b.; the verses could not call him “a man.²⁵⁹In Midrash Tehillim 3(4): “but an angel.””

Rebbi Abbahu said, for you as help for us⁴⁷Ps. 80:3.. For you is recognized⁴⁸The reading of the text is unsafe and its meaning unclear. In line with the following homilies, the presumed meaning is that God liberated Himself by liberating Israel from Egypt.. Rebbi Abba from Saronga, and the Eternal will first save the tents of Jehudah⁴⁹Sach. 12:17.. It is written “he saved.⁵⁰Meaning: He saved Himself.” Rebbi Zibai explained, for now leavethe city and dwell in the field⁵¹Mica 4:10., my Shekhina is in the field⁵²A homily on the word ושכנת which is revocalized וּשְּכִנָתִ “My Presence”, the field being a simile for the desert.. Ḥananiah the son of Rebbi Joshua’s brother says, I am the Eternal, your God, Who led you out of the land of Egypt⁵³Ex. 20:2., it is written “who was led out with you.⁵⁴There is no textual evidence for a missing letter in this word.”

⁸⁰The old Midrashim, Lev. r. 33:6, shorter Cant. r. ad 2:14, Eccl. r. ad 8:2 quote this in the name of the older R. Levy. Possibly there is no claim of originality asserted here for R. Yose ben R. Abun, three generations after R. Levy, but the sermon is quoted as objection to the lenient rulings mentioned before. Rebbi Yose ben Abun said: I shall keep the King’s sayings⁸¹Eccl. 8:2., Who told me at Sinai I am the Eternal, your God⁸²Ex. 20:2., on the pronouncement⁸¹Eccl. 8:2., you shall not have other gods before Me⁸³Ex. 20:3., of God’s oath⁸¹Eccl. 8:2., do not take the Name of the Eternal, your God, in vain⁸⁴Ex. 20:7.. In this matter we come together, this man⁸⁵The speaker. and this dog⁸⁶Nebuchadnezzar, who is said to have barked like a dog during his spell of insanity, Lev. r. 33(6). are both equal.

A question²¹In connection with the preceding Rule. was asked of²²Another reading is ‘he came and asked’. R. Simon. ‘There is no section’,²³lit. ‘you have not’. he told them in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi, ‘which requires a benediction before and after its reading other than the Song at the Sea, the Ten Words,²⁴The Decalogue (Ex. 20, 2-17). and the curses in Deuteronomy’.²⁵Deut. 28, 15-68. Others add ‘the curses in Leviticus’.