Talmud sur Chroniques 2 13:16

HALAKHAH: “One testifies only on the appearance of the face,” etc. Rav Jehudah said, the nose with the mandibles⁴⁰Reading of ms. A. Editio princeps: רב.. This follows what Rebbi⁴¹This is the reading of both sources. One might except that the reading should be “Rav”, referring to Rav’s colleague in Babylonia rather than to a Galilean Amora some 100 years later. However, in the Babli, the same argument and verse are quoted by Abbai and/or Rav Cahana II, one generation after Rebbi Jeremiah. Jeremiah said in the name of Rav: “The recognition of their faces testified about them⁴²Is. 3:9.,” that is the nose. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, if somebody does not want to be recognized, he should put a patch⁴³Greek σπλήνιον, Latin splenium, cf. ‘Orlah 3:1, Note 20. on his nostrils, then he will not be recognized. As in the following⁴⁴This is an editorial comment, on what happened some 50 years after R. Ḥiyya bar Abba’s death. The same text appears in Soṭah 9:3.: In the times of king Ursicinus⁴⁵The legate of Caesar Gallus in Palestine, about the year 350. His oppressive regime lead to a revolt centered in Sepphoris., some people from Sepphoris were under arrest warrants. They put patches on their nostrils and were not recognized. Finally they were denunciated and all caught because of lies.

It is written: “Abijah and his people inflicted a very great slaughter on them⁴⁸2Chr. 13:13. The biblical text reads: וַיַכּוּ בָהֶם אֲבִיָּה וְעַמּוֹ מַכָּה רַבָּה..” Rebbi Abba bar Cahana said, he destroyed the face recognition of the men of Israel. That is what is written, “the recognition of their faces testified about them,” etc. That refers to the nose. Rebbi Immi said, he put up guards for three days until appearance was disfigured. That is what is written: “Your widows are more for me than the sand of the oceans⁴⁹Since the slain warriors could no longer be identified, their widows could never remarry according to rabbinic rules..” It was stated in this respect: One testifies only on the appearance of the face with the nose. It is written: “Jeroboam was powerless for the rest of Aijah’s days; the Eternal smote him and he died.⁵⁰2Chr. 13:20.” Rebbi Samuel⁵¹In Gen. rabba 65:16, 73:4, R. Samuel bar Naḥman. He and the authors quoted earlier attribute Abijah’s early death to his mutilation of the bodies of the slain. said, you think that this refers to Jeroboam, but it is Abijah⁵²Abijah was king for only 3 years and must have died shortly after the battle; Jeroboam died two years after Abijah (1K. 15:25).. Why was he smitten? Rebbi Joḥanan said, because he insulted Jeroboam in public⁵³In the Babli, Sanhedrin 101b, R. Joḥanan is reported to have said that Jeroboam was punished for insulting Solomon in public.. That is what is written: “You are a great multitude and with you are the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.” Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, because he denigrated his teacher Aḥijah from Shiloh. That is what is written: “And men, rascals, joined him,⁵⁴2Chr. 13:7. The text there reads וַיִּקָֽבְצוּ עָלָיו אֲנָשִׁים רֵקִים בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל “and loiterers, rascals, joined him.”” that he called Aḥijah from Shiloh a rascal. But the rabbis say, because an idol fell into his hand and he did not destroy it, that is what is written: “Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him cities, Beth El and its dependencies …⁵⁵2Chr. 13:19.” and it is written: “He set up one in Beth El and one he dedicated in Dan.⁵⁶1K. 12:20.”

It is written: “Abijah and his people inflicted a very great slaughter on them⁴⁸2Chr. 13:13. The biblical text reads: וַיַכּוּ בָהֶם אֲבִיָּה וְעַמּוֹ מַכָּה רַבָּה..” Rebbi Abba bar Cahana said, he destroyed the face recognition of the men of Israel. That is what is written, “the recognition of their faces testified about them,” etc. That refers to the nose. Rebbi Immi said, he put up guards for three days until appearance was disfigured. That is what is written: “Your widows are more for me than the sand of the oceans⁴⁹Since the slain warriors could no longer be identified, their widows could never remarry according to rabbinic rules..” It was stated in this respect: One testifies only on the appearance of the face with the nose. It is written: “Jeroboam was powerless for the rest of Aijah’s days; the Eternal smote him and he died.⁵⁰2Chr. 13:20.” Rebbi Samuel⁵¹In Gen. rabba 65:16, 73:4, R. Samuel bar Naḥman. He and the authors quoted earlier attribute Abijah’s early death to his mutilation of the bodies of the slain. said, you think that this refers to Jeroboam, but it is Abijah⁵²Abijah was king for only 3 years and must have died shortly after the battle; Jeroboam died two years after Abijah (1K. 15:25).. Why was he smitten? Rebbi Joḥanan said, because he insulted Jeroboam in public⁵³In the Babli, Sanhedrin 101b, R. Joḥanan is reported to have said that Jeroboam was punished for insulting Solomon in public.. That is what is written: “You are a great multitude and with you are the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.” Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, because he denigrated his teacher Aḥijah from Shiloh. That is what is written: “And men, rascals, joined him,⁵⁴2Chr. 13:7. The text there reads וַיִּקָֽבְצוּ עָלָיו אֲנָשִׁים רֵקִים בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל “and loiterers, rascals, joined him.”” that he called Aḥijah from Shiloh a rascal. But the rabbis say, because an idol fell into his hand and he did not destroy it, that is what is written: “Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him cities, Beth El and its dependencies …⁵⁵2Chr. 13:19.” and it is written: “He set up one in Beth El and one he dedicated in Dan.⁵⁶1K. 12:20.”