Talmud su Genesi 14:28

What was the fence that Job made around his words? It says (Job 1:5), “A pure and righteous man, who fears God and turns away from evil.” This teaches us that Job distanced himself from anything that would bring him to sin, from any ugliness, and from anything even resembling ugliness. If that is so, then why do we have to also learn that he was “a pure and righteous man”? But instead, this is here to teach us that Job emerged [from the womb] already circumcised. Adam also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 1:24), “And God created the person in His image.” Seth also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 5:2), “He had a child in his likeness and image.” Noah also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 6:9), “A just and pure man in his generation.” Shem also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 14:18), “Malkitzedek, king of Shalem.”²Malkitzedek is understood in rabbinic tradition to be Shem. The Hebrew word shalem means “complete.” Jacob also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 25:27), “Jacob was a pure man, who sat in tents.” Joseph also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 37:2), “This is the progeny of Jacob: Joseph.” But shouldn’t it say [instead]: This is the progeny of Jacob: Reuben? What do we learn from [the fact that it says] Joseph? [We learn] that just as Jacob emerged already circumcised, (so, too,) Joseph emerged already circumcised. Moses also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Exodus 2:2), “She saw that he was good.” And what did his mother see in him that was lovelier and more praiseworthy than any other person? That he emerged circumcised. Bil’am the wicked also came out circumcised, as it says (Numbers 24:4), “The word of him who hears God’s speech.” (Samuel also emerged circumcised, as it says [I Samuel 2:26], “Young Samuel continued to grow and was good.”) David also emerged circumcised – as it says (Psalms 16:1), “A mikhtam³A ketem (which has the same Hebrew letters as mikhtam) can mean a type of spot or marking. of David. (Protect me, for I seek refuge in You).” Jeremiah also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Jeremiah 1:5), “Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you; and before you came out of the womb I consecrated you.” Zerubbabel also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Haggai 2:23), “On that day (I will take,) [declares the Eternal of Hosts, I will take] Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the Eternal.” And it says (Job 31:1), “I have made a covenant with my eyes, so how can I gaze at a maiden [i.e., an unmarried woman]?” This teaches that Job was strict with himself and would not even look at a maiden. And if with a maiden – whom he could marry if he wished (to his son, to his daughter, or to [another] family member) – he was strict with himself and would not look at her, then all the more so [would he never look at] a married woman! And why was he so strict with himself not to look even at a maiden? Because Job said to himself: Perhaps I will look today, and tomorrow another man will come along and marry her, and then I will have looked at a married woman.

BARAITHA. [The disciple of the wise must be] sin-fearing, estimating a man according to his deeds, and he should say, ‘As for my possessions in this world I have no desire for them because the whole world is not mine’. He sits at the feet¹⁷lit. ‘sits and soils his clothes’. In the Talmudic schools the disciple sat on the ground. He is so eager to learn and not miss any of the instruction that he will not leave even to relieve himself. of the disciples of the wise; he never takes an oath in connection with any matter; he questions according to the subject-matter and answers to the point.¹⁸From Aboth V, 10 (Sonc. ed., V, 7, p. 65) where it is included among the characteristics of a wise man.
GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: Whence [do we know that a disciple of the wise should be] meek? From Moses our teacher, as it is stated, Now the man Moses was very meek;¹⁹Num. 12, 3. and on that account Moses was praised, as it is stated, My servant Moses is not so.²⁰ibid. 7. Moses is described as My servant. [We learn that the disciple of the wise must be] lowly of spirit from Aaron, for it is written, For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts;²¹Mal. 2, 7. and it is written, The law of truth was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and did turn many away from iniquity.²²ibid. 6.
There is no one more lowly of spirit than he who pursues peace. Consider, how can a man pursue peace if he be not lowly of spirit? How [does he act]? If a man curse him, he says to him, ‘Peace be upon you!’; should a man quarrel with him, he keeps silent; and further, if two men have quarrelled, he humbles his spirit, approaches them and effects a reconciliation between them.
Such, indeed, was the procedure of Aaron, the righteous. When he heard of two men who had quarrelled, he would go to one and say to him, ‘So-and-so, peace be upon you, my master!’ and he replied, ‘Peace be upon you, my master and teacher! What does my master seek here?’ He then said, ‘So-and-so, your friend, sent me to you to appease you, because he declares, “I have offended my friend” ’. Immediately the man reflects, ‘A righteous man like him has come to appease me!’ and exclaims, ‘Master, it was I who offended him’. [Aaron] then went to the other man and said the same to him. When the two meet on the way, one says to the other, ‘Forgive me for the offence which I did to you’ and the other speaks likewise.
When [Aaron] heard of a husband and wife who had quarrelled, he would go to the husband and say to him, ‘[I have come] because I heard that you have quarrelled²³Adopting the reading of H. V has ‘you have become reconciled’. with your wife; should you divorce her it is doubtful whether you will find another like her or not; and further, should you find another and quarrel²⁴The word in V is corrupt and corrected by H. with her, the first thing she will say to you will be, “You must have behaved in a like manner towards your first wife” ’. In consequence of this all Israel, men and women, loved him. Know that it was so; for what does Scripture relate when Moses our teacher died? And the children of Israel wept for Moses;²⁵Deut. 34, 8. but of Aaron it is written, They wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel²⁶Num. 20, 29.—that is to say, even the women. Not only [did the women mourn], but they also covered their young children with mud and dust, thereby confirming the word all. It has been taught: Eighty thousand young men named Aaron followed Aaron’s bier. They were the issue of those who wanted to divorce but retracted and their wives became pregnant.²⁷In gratitude to Aaron they gave their sons his name.
We have learnt there:²⁸Aboth I, 12 (Sonc. ed., p. 8). Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace, pursuing peace, loving your fellow-creatures and drawing them near to the Torah. It is quite right with ‘loving peace’ as we have already mentioned; but where [in the Torah] is ‘pursuing peace’ [enjoined]? As it has been taught: Seek peace, and pursue it.²⁹Ps. 34, 15. Cf. j.Pe’ah I, 1, 15d, where the comment is made: Seek peace in your place, and pursue it in another place. And wherein do all other precepts differ from it? A man is only under the obligation to perform them when they come to his hand, as it is written, If thou meet thine enemy’s ox,³⁰Ex. 23, 4. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee,³¹ibid. 5. If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee,³²Deut. 22, 6. When thou buildest a new house.³³ibid. 8. But as for peace [it is written], Seek peace, and pursue it—everywhere.
It has been taught: [The letters of the word] shalom, ‘peace’, have the numerical value of three hundred and seventy-six and [that number] is indicated by the letters sh w ‘a which form a verb meaning ‘to cry for help’. This teaches that the prayer of one who pursues peace does not go unanswered. If so, when [the name] is written ‘Esau’,³⁴Which also has the numerical value 376. is it [an indication of] peace? Yes, there too we may say so. If, although ‘peace’ is associated with his name, he shakes countries because of [the blessing given to him], And by thy sword shalt thou live,³⁵Gen. 27, 40. had ‘peace’ not been associated with his name, how much more terror would he have caused! But what of, They made war?³⁶ibid. XIV, 2. The Heb. for made is עשו which has the numerical value 376 and is connected with war. It is the same there. If a word with the numerical value of shalom is associated with peoples who aimed to destroy the world and to do injury to Abraham, were the word not used how much more [disastrous would their attack have been!] But what of, Who have done this evil thing?³⁷Deut. 17, 5. Here עשו is associated with evil thing. It is the same there. When [the evildoers] are stoned [to death], peace ensues; and if they were not stoned they would kill one another.
It has been taught: These four kings³⁸Enumerated in Gen. 14, 1. planned [their attack] only on account of Abraham, as it is written, And they turned back, and came to En-mishpaṭ,³⁹ibid. 7. En here means ‘well’ but also signifies ‘eye’. i.e. to Abraham who was the eye of the world. The same is Ḳadesh⁴⁰ibid, The same in Heb. could also be read to mean ‘he’, and Ḳadesh denotes ‘holy’.—through him the name of Heaven was sanctified. But they captured Lot mistaking him for Abraham, as it is written, And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive,⁴¹ibid. 14. and it does not state, ‘his brother’s son’.⁴²They mistook one brother for the other.
It has been taught: These [kings]⁴³Enumerated in Gen. 14, 2. who were allied with Abraham were more guilty [than those opposed to them] and from their names you may learn their character: Bera [signifies that he was bent] on evil [bera‘], Birsha‘ [that he was bent] on wickedness [berisha‘], Shinab [signifies] that he hated his father [sana’ ’ab], Shemeber that he made himself wings [to fly, sam ’eber], Bela that he was a swallower [bolea‘].
The question was asked: Is it permissible to give salutation to a heathen? Come and hear: Greetings may be given to them even on their feast day in the interests of peace.⁴⁴Cf. Giṭ. 62a (Sonc. ed., p. 292). Seeing that [the answer] is evident, why was the question asked? The question asked was, Is it permissible to salute them first? It has been taught: Better is he who greets him first than he who responds to his greetings.⁴⁵Cf. Ṭur Y.D., §148. By greeting him first, he avoids the need for further greetings.
The question was asked: Is it permissible to greet a murderer, adulterer or those who are liable to kareth? As for returning their greetings there is no question [that it is permissible], since they were the first to greet you their salutation must be returned. But how is it with greeting them first? Come and hear: [It is written,] The way of peace they know not, and there is no right in their goings; they have made them crooked paths, whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace.⁴⁶Isa. 59, 8. L. Ginzberg suggested that the author found in the words the way of peace they know not an allusion to murderers and in they made them crooked paths to violent men who escape punishment through superior force (Higger). Hence it can be inferred that if greetings are given by those who are about to suffer the death penalty they may be returned, but not of those who save themselves [from punishment] by force. And as for greeting them first, it is prohibited in all cases. As for an adulterer and his friends, should they greet one in public their salutation is returned out of respect for the public. Some say that he who associates with an adulterer is like an adulterer. And what of the other?⁴⁷The anonymous author of the first statement; how will he refute this argument? [He can reply,] perhaps they were compelled to associate with him.
If these men⁴⁸The men of ill-repute cited. come to make peace with those with whom they quarrelled, they are not received with a full heart, even on the Day of Atonement.⁴⁹When it is a duty to forgive fully any wrong which had been done. The general rule is that it is forbidden to have any dealings with one who adheres [to his sins] and does not repent. What is meant by ‘a full heart’? If, for instance, one says, ‘I absolve and release you’, that is not with ‘a full heart’; [if one says,] ‘May the All-merciful absolve you for what you have done to me’,⁵⁰So H. V has ‘to them’. it is.
The question was asked: [May one return the salutation of] an adulterer and another [man of good repute]? According to the second opinion⁵¹That an adulterer’s greeting may be returned if made publicly. there is no question [that it is forbidden,] seeing that it prohibits the return of a salutation even when given by him in public; but how is it according to the first opinion?⁵²lit. ‘according to some say [that he who associates with an adulterer is like an adulterer]’. Raba replied: Is there, then, here any question at all? He addresses himself to the two of them as one.⁵³He ignores the man of ill-repute and responds to the other, seeing that both greeted him. The question, however, does arise where there are two, one with another behind him who says nothing. He replied: He returns their salutations.⁵⁴Since he includes in his salutation the man of good repute although not greeted by him.
It has been taught: Great is peace because the world is based upon it; as we have learnt: The world is preserved by three things: by judgment, by truth and by peace.⁵⁵Aboth I, 18 (Sonc. ed., p. 10).
It is written in the book of Ben Sira:⁵⁶Sirach or Ecclesiasticus. The quotation is not found in the extant texts. Cf. Schechter, ‘The Quotations from Ecclesiasticus in Rabbinic Literature’, J.Q.R., III (1891), pp. 696f, 704f. Here the quotation is in rhymed Aramaic. Love peace for on it the world is based. Love all people and be warned against pride because it is unbecoming⁵⁷Reading יאיא for יבוא Schechter conjectures delibba’ and renders ‘be careful of pride [of heart] against any man’. to any man. For [pride] kindles anger⁵⁸Disturbs the harmony between people. and uproots the threshold⁵⁹Breaks friendships. and builds up woes⁶⁰Cf. Soṭah 5a (Sonc. ed., p. 19): ‘Over every man in whom is haughtiness of spirit the Divine Presence laments’. instead of [the music of] tabrets. Learn from kings and princes and their entourage who worship idols, in the end they are devoured by fire.⁶¹There is a play on the words תורפין, ‘idols’, and טריפין, ‘devoured’. Love humility so that you come not to poverty.⁶²Shab. 33a (Sonc. ed., p. 154): ‘Poverty is a sign of conceit’. For [pride] is despised and contemptible before God;⁶³[lit. ‘the glorious One’, an epithet for God common in the Targum. Cf. Marmorstein, The Old Rabbinic Doctrine of God, I, p. 88.] it is unbecoming before Him Who performs mighty acts which cannot be conceived [by man]. [Before Him] myriads upon myriads of angels and Seraphim beat their wings and make them to sound as though they were playing on tabrets. From the beginning He was exalted in His heights,⁶⁴Reading ברומיה for ביומיה, ‘in His day’. robed in excellency as in a cloak,⁶⁵Cf. Ps. 93, 1. and this is His garment always. But to those who whisper in His name He lowers His heights, and from the highest heavens He cares for the poor and orphans. How praiseworthy and beautiful was the prophet who was lauded by the mouth of the Creator, ‘There is none like My servant the prophet’!⁶⁶i.e. Moses; cf. Num. 12, 3, 7. Who among you has inherited the crown⁶⁷So Schechter, who reads kether for bethar, ‘after’. of royalty? The beginning of wisdom and understanding is the fear of the Lord.⁶⁸[Cf. Ps. 111, 10, Prov. 9, 10 and Ben Sira I, 14.] And let not your heart persuade you that your Master will not bring you into judgment⁶⁹Following the emended text of H. for this, and do not hearken to your enemy⁷⁰Instead of רובך, ‘thy master’, read דבבך, ‘thy enemy’. ‘Enemy’ is one of the designations for the evil inclination, which is also termed ‘the hidden one’ because it lies hidden in man’s heart. Cf. Suk. 52a (Sonc. ed., pp. 247f.). hidden within you. Reflect and [let your reflection] lead you [to think on] the day when every face is darkened, when the body burns and the soul is withdrawn.

BARAITHA. [The disciple of the wise must be] sin-fearing, estimating a man according to his deeds, and he should say, ‘As for my possessions in this world I have no desire for them because the whole world is not mine’. He sits at the feet¹⁷lit. ‘sits and soils his clothes’. In the Talmudic schools the disciple sat on the ground. He is so eager to learn and not miss any of the instruction that he will not leave even to relieve himself. of the disciples of the wise; he never takes an oath in connection with any matter; he questions according to the subject-matter and answers to the point.¹⁸From Aboth V, 10 (Sonc. ed., V, 7, p. 65) where it is included among the characteristics of a wise man.
GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: Whence [do we know that a disciple of the wise should be] meek? From Moses our teacher, as it is stated, Now the man Moses was very meek;¹⁹Num. 12, 3. and on that account Moses was praised, as it is stated, My servant Moses is not so.²⁰ibid. 7. Moses is described as My servant. [We learn that the disciple of the wise must be] lowly of spirit from Aaron, for it is written, For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts;²¹Mal. 2, 7. and it is written, The law of truth was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and did turn many away from iniquity.²²ibid. 6.
There is no one more lowly of spirit than he who pursues peace. Consider, how can a man pursue peace if he be not lowly of spirit? How [does he act]? If a man curse him, he says to him, ‘Peace be upon you!’; should a man quarrel with him, he keeps silent; and further, if two men have quarrelled, he humbles his spirit, approaches them and effects a reconciliation between them.
Such, indeed, was the procedure of Aaron, the righteous. When he heard of two men who had quarrelled, he would go to one and say to him, ‘So-and-so, peace be upon you, my master!’ and he replied, ‘Peace be upon you, my master and teacher! What does my master seek here?’ He then said, ‘So-and-so, your friend, sent me to you to appease you, because he declares, “I have offended my friend” ’. Immediately the man reflects, ‘A righteous man like him has come to appease me!’ and exclaims, ‘Master, it was I who offended him’. [Aaron] then went to the other man and said the same to him. When the two meet on the way, one says to the other, ‘Forgive me for the offence which I did to you’ and the other speaks likewise.
When [Aaron] heard of a husband and wife who had quarrelled, he would go to the husband and say to him, ‘[I have come] because I heard that you have quarrelled²³Adopting the reading of H. V has ‘you have become reconciled’. with your wife; should you divorce her it is doubtful whether you will find another like her or not; and further, should you find another and quarrel²⁴The word in V is corrupt and corrected by H. with her, the first thing she will say to you will be, “You must have behaved in a like manner towards your first wife” ’. In consequence of this all Israel, men and women, loved him. Know that it was so; for what does Scripture relate when Moses our teacher died? And the children of Israel wept for Moses;²⁵Deut. 34, 8. but of Aaron it is written, They wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel²⁶Num. 20, 29.—that is to say, even the women. Not only [did the women mourn], but they also covered their young children with mud and dust, thereby confirming the word all. It has been taught: Eighty thousand young men named Aaron followed Aaron’s bier. They were the issue of those who wanted to divorce but retracted and their wives became pregnant.²⁷In gratitude to Aaron they gave their sons his name.
We have learnt there:²⁸Aboth I, 12 (Sonc. ed., p. 8). Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace, pursuing peace, loving your fellow-creatures and drawing them near to the Torah. It is quite right with ‘loving peace’ as we have already mentioned; but where [in the Torah] is ‘pursuing peace’ [enjoined]? As it has been taught: Seek peace, and pursue it.²⁹Ps. 34, 15. Cf. j.Pe’ah I, 1, 15d, where the comment is made: Seek peace in your place, and pursue it in another place. And wherein do all other precepts differ from it? A man is only under the obligation to perform them when they come to his hand, as it is written, If thou meet thine enemy’s ox,³⁰Ex. 23, 4. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee,³¹ibid. 5. If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee,³²Deut. 22, 6. When thou buildest a new house.³³ibid. 8. But as for peace [it is written], Seek peace, and pursue it—everywhere.
It has been taught: [The letters of the word] shalom, ‘peace’, have the numerical value of three hundred and seventy-six and [that number] is indicated by the letters sh w ‘a which form a verb meaning ‘to cry for help’. This teaches that the prayer of one who pursues peace does not go unanswered. If so, when [the name] is written ‘Esau’,³⁴Which also has the numerical value 376. is it [an indication of] peace? Yes, there too we may say so. If, although ‘peace’ is associated with his name, he shakes countries because of [the blessing given to him], And by thy sword shalt thou live,³⁵Gen. 27, 40. had ‘peace’ not been associated with his name, how much more terror would he have caused! But what of, They made war?³⁶ibid. XIV, 2. The Heb. for made is עשו which has the numerical value 376 and is connected with war. It is the same there. If a word with the numerical value of shalom is associated with peoples who aimed to destroy the world and to do injury to Abraham, were the word not used how much more [disastrous would their attack have been!] But what of, Who have done this evil thing?³⁷Deut. 17, 5. Here עשו is associated with evil thing. It is the same there. When [the evildoers] are stoned [to death], peace ensues; and if they were not stoned they would kill one another.
It has been taught: These four kings³⁸Enumerated in Gen. 14, 1. planned [their attack] only on account of Abraham, as it is written, And they turned back, and came to En-mishpaṭ,³⁹ibid. 7. En here means ‘well’ but also signifies ‘eye’. i.e. to Abraham who was the eye of the world. The same is Ḳadesh⁴⁰ibid, The same in Heb. could also be read to mean ‘he’, and Ḳadesh denotes ‘holy’.—through him the name of Heaven was sanctified. But they captured Lot mistaking him for Abraham, as it is written, And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive,⁴¹ibid. 14. and it does not state, ‘his brother’s son’.⁴²They mistook one brother for the other.
It has been taught: These [kings]⁴³Enumerated in Gen. 14, 2. who were allied with Abraham were more guilty [than those opposed to them] and from their names you may learn their character: Bera [signifies that he was bent] on evil [bera‘], Birsha‘ [that he was bent] on wickedness [berisha‘], Shinab [signifies] that he hated his father [sana’ ’ab], Shemeber that he made himself wings [to fly, sam ’eber], Bela that he was a swallower [bolea‘].
The question was asked: Is it permissible to give salutation to a heathen? Come and hear: Greetings may be given to them even on their feast day in the interests of peace.⁴⁴Cf. Giṭ. 62a (Sonc. ed., p. 292). Seeing that [the answer] is evident, why was the question asked? The question asked was, Is it permissible to salute them first? It has been taught: Better is he who greets him first than he who responds to his greetings.⁴⁵Cf. Ṭur Y.D., §148. By greeting him first, he avoids the need for further greetings.
The question was asked: Is it permissible to greet a murderer, adulterer or those who are liable to kareth? As for returning their greetings there is no question [that it is permissible], since they were the first to greet you their salutation must be returned. But how is it with greeting them first? Come and hear: [It is written,] The way of peace they know not, and there is no right in their goings; they have made them crooked paths, whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace.⁴⁶Isa. 59, 8. L. Ginzberg suggested that the author found in the words the way of peace they know not an allusion to murderers and in they made them crooked paths to violent men who escape punishment through superior force (Higger). Hence it can be inferred that if greetings are given by those who are about to suffer the death penalty they may be returned, but not of those who save themselves [from punishment] by force. And as for greeting them first, it is prohibited in all cases. As for an adulterer and his friends, should they greet one in public their salutation is returned out of respect for the public. Some say that he who associates with an adulterer is like an adulterer. And what of the other?⁴⁷The anonymous author of the first statement; how will he refute this argument? [He can reply,] perhaps they were compelled to associate with him.
If these men⁴⁸The men of ill-repute cited. come to make peace with those with whom they quarrelled, they are not received with a full heart, even on the Day of Atonement.⁴⁹When it is a duty to forgive fully any wrong which had been done. The general rule is that it is forbidden to have any dealings with one who adheres [to his sins] and does not repent. What is meant by ‘a full heart’? If, for instance, one says, ‘I absolve and release you’, that is not with ‘a full heart’; [if one says,] ‘May the All-merciful absolve you for what you have done to me’,⁵⁰So H. V has ‘to them’. it is.
The question was asked: [May one return the salutation of] an adulterer and another [man of good repute]? According to the second opinion⁵¹That an adulterer’s greeting may be returned if made publicly. there is no question [that it is forbidden,] seeing that it prohibits the return of a salutation even when given by him in public; but how is it according to the first opinion?⁵²lit. ‘according to some say [that he who associates with an adulterer is like an adulterer]’. Raba replied: Is there, then, here any question at all? He addresses himself to the two of them as one.⁵³He ignores the man of ill-repute and responds to the other, seeing that both greeted him. The question, however, does arise where there are two, one with another behind him who says nothing. He replied: He returns their salutations.⁵⁴Since he includes in his salutation the man of good repute although not greeted by him.
It has been taught: Great is peace because the world is based upon it; as we have learnt: The world is preserved by three things: by judgment, by truth and by peace.⁵⁵Aboth I, 18 (Sonc. ed., p. 10).
It is written in the book of Ben Sira:⁵⁶Sirach or Ecclesiasticus. The quotation is not found in the extant texts. Cf. Schechter, ‘The Quotations from Ecclesiasticus in Rabbinic Literature’, J.Q.R., III (1891), pp. 696f, 704f. Here the quotation is in rhymed Aramaic. Love peace for on it the world is based. Love all people and be warned against pride because it is unbecoming⁵⁷Reading יאיא for יבוא Schechter conjectures delibba’ and renders ‘be careful of pride [of heart] against any man’. to any man. For [pride] kindles anger⁵⁸Disturbs the harmony between people. and uproots the threshold⁵⁹Breaks friendships. and builds up woes⁶⁰Cf. Soṭah 5a (Sonc. ed., p. 19): ‘Over every man in whom is haughtiness of spirit the Divine Presence laments’. instead of [the music of] tabrets. Learn from kings and princes and their entourage who worship idols, in the end they are devoured by fire.⁶¹There is a play on the words תורפין, ‘idols’, and טריפין, ‘devoured’. Love humility so that you come not to poverty.⁶²Shab. 33a (Sonc. ed., p. 154): ‘Poverty is a sign of conceit’. For [pride] is despised and contemptible before God;⁶³[lit. ‘the glorious One’, an epithet for God common in the Targum. Cf. Marmorstein, The Old Rabbinic Doctrine of God, I, p. 88.] it is unbecoming before Him Who performs mighty acts which cannot be conceived [by man]. [Before Him] myriads upon myriads of angels and Seraphim beat their wings and make them to sound as though they were playing on tabrets. From the beginning He was exalted in His heights,⁶⁴Reading ברומיה for ביומיה, ‘in His day’. robed in excellency as in a cloak,⁶⁵Cf. Ps. 93, 1. and this is His garment always. But to those who whisper in His name He lowers His heights, and from the highest heavens He cares for the poor and orphans. How praiseworthy and beautiful was the prophet who was lauded by the mouth of the Creator, ‘There is none like My servant the prophet’!⁶⁶i.e. Moses; cf. Num. 12, 3, 7. Who among you has inherited the crown⁶⁷So Schechter, who reads kether for bethar, ‘after’. of royalty? The beginning of wisdom and understanding is the fear of the Lord.⁶⁸[Cf. Ps. 111, 10, Prov. 9, 10 and Ben Sira I, 14.] And let not your heart persuade you that your Master will not bring you into judgment⁶⁹Following the emended text of H. for this, and do not hearken to your enemy⁷⁰Instead of רובך, ‘thy master’, read דבבך, ‘thy enemy’. ‘Enemy’ is one of the designations for the evil inclination, which is also termed ‘the hidden one’ because it lies hidden in man’s heart. Cf. Suk. 52a (Sonc. ed., pp. 247f.). hidden within you. Reflect and [let your reflection] lead you [to think on] the day when every face is darkened, when the body burns and the soul is withdrawn.

Five acquisitions has the Holy One, blessed be He, made His very own⁵⁴i.e. especially dear to Him. in this world, viz.: Torah, heaven and earth, Abraham, Israel and the Temple. Whence do we know this of the Torah? As it is stated, The Lord made me as the beginning of His way.⁵⁵Prov. 8, 22. Whence do we know this of heaven and earth? As it is stated, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.⁵⁶Isa. 66, 1. Whence do we know this of Abraham? As it is stated, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth.⁵⁷Gen. 14, 19. Whence do we know this of Israel? As it is stated, Till Thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over that Thou hast gotten;⁵⁸Ex. 15, 16. and it states, As for the holy that are in the earth, they are the excellent in whom is all My delight.⁵⁹Ps. 16, 3. And whence do we know this of the Temple? As it is stated, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established;⁶⁰Ex. 15, 17. and it states, And He brought them to His holy border, to the mountain which His right hand had gotten.⁶¹Ps. 78, 54. All of them the Holy One, blessed be He, created only for His honour, as it is stated, Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him;⁶²Isa. 43, 7. and it states, The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.⁶³Ex. 15, 18.

Ten words in the Torah are marked with dots. They are as follows: 1. “The Eternal will judge between me and you” (Genesis 16:5). There is a dot above the letter yod in the term, “and you.” This teaches that Sarah did not say this to Abraham, but to Hagar. Some say that it means she was speaking about those who caused the fighting “between me and you.” 2. “They said to him, Where is Sarah?” (Genesis 18:9). There are dots above the letters aleph, yod, and vav in the term, “to him,” to indicate that they already knew where she was, but they nevertheless inquired about her. 3. (There is a dot on the verse,) “When she lay down and when she arose” (Genesis 19:33). There is a dot above the letter vav in the term, “When she arose” the first time it is used [with regard to Lot’s older daughter]. This teaches that he was not aware of what happened until the (younger daughter) arose. 4. “And Esau ran to greet him, and he hugged him, fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Genesis 33:4). The term for, “and kissed him,” has dots above every letter, to teach that he did not kiss him sincerely. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say: It means that this kiss was sincere, but every other one he gave Jacob was not. 5. “His brothers went to shepherd their father’s flocks in Shechem” (Genesis 37:12). There are dots on the word just before “flocks.” This teaches that they did not actually go to shepherd the flocks, but to eat and drink (and indulge their temptations). 6. “All the Levites who were recorded, whom Moses and Aaron recorded” (Numbers 3:39). There are dots above Aaron’s name. Why? To teach that Aaron himself was not counted in this record. 7. “On a long journey” (Numbers 9:10). There is a dot above the letter hei in the word “long.” This teaches that this does not really mean a long journey, but any exiting the boundaries of the outer court of the Temple. 8. “We caused destruction all the way up to Nophach, which reaches into Medeba” (Numbers 21:30). There is a dot above the letter reish in the word “which.” Why? To teach that they destroyed the idolaters but not the countries themselves (whereas the practice of idolaters was to destroy entire countries). 9. “A tenth, a tenth for each” (Numbers 29:15). [This verse delineates the meal offering that accompanies the burnt offering] on the first day of the Sukkot festival. There is a dot above the letter vav in the [first occurrence of the] word “tenth.” Why? To teach that there is only one-tenth [measure] for each. 10. “The hidden things are for the Eternal our God, and the revealed things are for us and our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:30). There are dots above the words “for us and our children,” and above the letter ayin in the word “forever.” Why? For this is what Ezra said: If Elijah comes and says to me: Why did you write it this way? I will say to him: I have already put dots above these words [to indicate I was not certain it was correct]. But if he says to me: You wrote it correctly, then I will remove the dots.
There are eleven instances in the Torah where the Hebrew word for “she,” היא, is written as הוא (which means “he” or “it”) but vocalized to mean “she.” The first is: “The King of Bela, he is [i.e., “she is”] Tzur” (Genesis 14:1). The second: “He himself said to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and SHE also said, ‘He is my brother’” (Genesis 20:5). The third: “As she was being brought out, SHE sent a message to her father-in-law, saying” (Genesis 38:25). The fourth: “If one of your animals of which it is [i.e., “she is”] used for food dies” (Leviticus 11:39). The fifth: “And it [i.e., “and she”] has turned the hair white” (Leviticus 13:10). The sixth: “If the priest sees it…and it [i.e., “and she”] has faded” (Leviticus 13:21). [The seventh: “It (i.e., “she”) shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for you” (Leviticus 16:31). The eighth: “And SHE sees his nakedness” (Leviticus 20:17). The ninth: “SHE has disgraced her father” (Leviticus 21:9). The tenth: “And SHE has kept secret, and defiled herself (and she was not caught)” (Numbers 5:13). The eleventh: “A spirit of jealousy has passed over him, and he is jealous of his wife…but SHE has not defiled herself” (Numbers 5:14).

Ten words in the Torah are marked with dots. They are as follows: 1. “The Eternal will judge between me and you” (Genesis 16:5). There is a dot above the letter yod in the term, “and you.” This teaches that Sarah did not say this to Abraham, but to Hagar. Some say that it means she was speaking about those who caused the fighting “between me and you.” 2. “They said to him, Where is Sarah?” (Genesis 18:9). There are dots above the letters aleph, yod, and vav in the term, “to him,” to indicate that they already knew where she was, but they nevertheless inquired about her. 3. (There is a dot on the verse,) “When she lay down and when she arose” (Genesis 19:33). There is a dot above the letter vav in the term, “When she arose” the first time it is used [with regard to Lot’s older daughter]. This teaches that he was not aware of what happened until the (younger daughter) arose. 4. “And Esau ran to greet him, and he hugged him, fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Genesis 33:4). The term for, “and kissed him,” has dots above every letter, to teach that he did not kiss him sincerely. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say: It means that this kiss was sincere, but every other one he gave Jacob was not. 5. “His brothers went to shepherd their father’s flocks in Shechem” (Genesis 37:12). There are dots on the word just before “flocks.” This teaches that they did not actually go to shepherd the flocks, but to eat and drink (and indulge their temptations). 6. “All the Levites who were recorded, whom Moses and Aaron recorded” (Numbers 3:39). There are dots above Aaron’s name. Why? To teach that Aaron himself was not counted in this record. 7. “On a long journey” (Numbers 9:10). There is a dot above the letter hei in the word “long.” This teaches that this does not really mean a long journey, but any exiting the boundaries of the outer court of the Temple. 8. “We caused destruction all the way up to Nophach, which reaches into Medeba” (Numbers 21:30). There is a dot above the letter reish in the word “which.” Why? To teach that they destroyed the idolaters but not the countries themselves (whereas the practice of idolaters was to destroy entire countries). 9. “A tenth, a tenth for each” (Numbers 29:15). [This verse delineates the meal offering that accompanies the burnt offering] on the first day of the Sukkot festival. There is a dot above the letter vav in the [first occurrence of the] word “tenth.” Why? To teach that there is only one-tenth [measure] for each. 10. “The hidden things are for the Eternal our God, and the revealed things are for us and our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:30). There are dots above the words “for us and our children,” and above the letter ayin in the word “forever.” Why? For this is what Ezra said: If Elijah comes and says to me: Why did you write it this way? I will say to him: I have already put dots above these words [to indicate I was not certain it was correct]. But if he says to me: You wrote it correctly, then I will remove the dots.
There are eleven instances in the Torah where the Hebrew word for “she,” היא, is written as הוא (which means “he” or “it”) but vocalized to mean “she.” The first is: “The King of Bela, he is [i.e., “she is”] Tzur” (Genesis 14:1). The second: “He himself said to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and SHE also said, ‘He is my brother’” (Genesis 20:5). The third: “As she was being brought out, SHE sent a message to her father-in-law, saying” (Genesis 38:25). The fourth: “If one of your animals of which it is [i.e., “she is”] used for food dies” (Leviticus 11:39). The fifth: “And it [i.e., “and she”] has turned the hair white” (Leviticus 13:10). The sixth: “If the priest sees it…and it [i.e., “and she”] has faded” (Leviticus 13:21). [The seventh: “It (i.e., “she”) shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for you” (Leviticus 16:31). The eighth: “And SHE sees his nakedness” (Leviticus 20:17). The ninth: “SHE has disgraced her father” (Leviticus 21:9). The tenth: “And SHE has kept secret, and defiled herself (and she was not caught)” (Numbers 5:13). The eleventh: “A spirit of jealousy has passed over him, and he is jealous of his wife…but SHE has not defiled herself” (Numbers 5:14).