תלמוד על משלי 10:8
Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot
HALAKHAH: In the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan182This entire Halakhah, until the next Mishnah, really belongs to Avodah zarah 2:5 (fol. 41c) where Song of Songs 1:2, “May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth since your friendship is better than wine”, is discussed. In the transcription here, the first word fell out. It should read: The fellows (of the Yeshivah) in the name of R. Yoḥanan.
In traditional interpretation, the Song of Songs is a dialogue between God and the people of Israel (represented by the girl); the question of the Mishnah was whether one reads דּוֹדָיִךְ (feminine) or דּוֹדֶיךָ (masculine) for “your friendship, your relations.”: The words of the scribes are related to the words of Scripture and are pleasant like the words of Scripture. (Song of Songs 7:10) “Your throat is like the good wine”; Simeon ben Abba in the name of R. Yoḥanan183The members of the Yeshivah are of the second (colleagues of R. Yoḥanan) or the third (his students) generations of Amoraïm. R. Simeon bar Abba is one of the outstanding students of R. Yoḥanan. The two Amoraïm who explain the latter’s words are of the fourth and fifth generations, respectively.
The “throat” of the Jewish people are the sayings of its sages; wine in both verses are the words of the Torah.: The words of the scribes are related to the words of Scripture and are more pleasant than the words of Scripture. (Song of Songs 1:2) “Since your friendship is better than wine”; Rebbi Abba bar Cohen in the name of Rebbi Judah ben Pazi: You can know that the words of the scribes are more pleasant than those of Scripture because if Rebbi Tarphon did not recite at all he would have transgressed only a positive commandment. But because he transgressed the words of the school of Hillel he should have suffered death since it says: (Proverbs 10:8) “He who breaches a fence will be bitten by a snake.”
In traditional interpretation, the Song of Songs is a dialogue between God and the people of Israel (represented by the girl); the question of the Mishnah was whether one reads דּוֹדָיִךְ (feminine) or דּוֹדֶיךָ (masculine) for “your friendship, your relations.”: The words of the scribes are related to the words of Scripture and are pleasant like the words of Scripture. (Song of Songs 7:10) “Your throat is like the good wine”; Simeon ben Abba in the name of R. Yoḥanan183The members of the Yeshivah are of the second (colleagues of R. Yoḥanan) or the third (his students) generations of Amoraïm. R. Simeon bar Abba is one of the outstanding students of R. Yoḥanan. The two Amoraïm who explain the latter’s words are of the fourth and fifth generations, respectively.
The “throat” of the Jewish people are the sayings of its sages; wine in both verses are the words of the Torah.: The words of the scribes are related to the words of Scripture and are more pleasant than the words of Scripture. (Song of Songs 1:2) “Since your friendship is better than wine”; Rebbi Abba bar Cohen in the name of Rebbi Judah ben Pazi: You can know that the words of the scribes are more pleasant than those of Scripture because if Rebbi Tarphon did not recite at all he would have transgressed only a positive commandment. But because he transgressed the words of the school of Hillel he should have suffered death since it says: (Proverbs 10:8) “He who breaches a fence will be bitten by a snake.”
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