이사야 2:3의 미드라쉬

(Fol. 21) R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Truly, this man be remembered for blessing whose name is Joshua b. Gamla, for, were it not for him, Israel would have forgotten the Torah, because in former times the child who had a father was instructed by him; but the one that had no father did not learn the Torah at all. What passage did they interpret [to guide them in their decision]? (Deut. 11, 19) And ye shall teach (Otham) them to your children, i.e., literally (Attem) ye yourselves. It was then ordained that schools with primary teachers should be established in Jerusalem. What verse did they interpret [to guide them in their action]? (Is. 2, 3) ... for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem. Still then the child who had a father was brought to Jerusalem and received instructions; but the one who had no father was not brought to be instructed. It was therefore ordained that [schools with] primary teachers should be established in the capitals of each province; but the children were brought when they were about sixteen or seventeen years of age, and when the lads were rebuked by their teachers, they rebelled and went away. Then came Joshua b. Gamla, who enacted that [schools with primary teachers] should be established in all provinces and small towns, and that the children be sent to school at the age of six or seven years." Rab said to [the schoolmaster] R. Samuel b. Shilath: "Until six years of age take no pupils; from six and upward take [the child] and feed him [with knowledge] as you feed an ox." Rab said again to R. Samuel b. Shilath: "When you must beat a child, do so with a shoe-strap only! if this causes the child to be good, then well and good; if not, leave him in the company of his comrades, [whose steady progress he will see, and this will improve him]."

R. Saffra said that R. Abuhu related When Chanania the son of R. Joshua's brother went into exile, he made leapyears and fixed days for the new moon outside of Palestine. The Rabbis sent two disciples after him, R. Jose b. Kippar and the grandson of R. Zechariah b. Kebutal [to warn him against such an act]. As soon as R. Chanania saw them he said: "For what have ye come here?" "To learn the Torah from you have we come," they replied. He then introduced them [before the public]: "They are the prominent men of this generation whose fathers served in the Temple as we have been taught (in a Mishnah). Zechariah b. Kebutal says, 'Many a time have I read before him in the book of Daniel.'" He began to teach them and of everything he said levitically unclean they said clean; prohibited, they said permitted; so that he began denouncing them, saying, "These men are false and of a wicked nature." "It is too late," said they to him. "What thou hast already built thou canst not destroy; what thou hast already repaired thou canst not break." Thereupon he asked them: "Why have ye said clean of things which I declared unclean, and allowed things which I declared prohibited?" Whereupon they answered him: "Because thou hast made leap years and hast fixed days for the new moon outside of Palestine." He said to them, "Had not R. Akiba b. Joseph made leap years and fixed days for the new moon outside of Palestine?" "R. Akiba was different," they answered him, "because none greater than he was left in Palestine." "Have I left any one bigger than I am in Palestine?" "The kids (young scholars) have grown to be wethers (great scholars) of horns [who are able to measure their intellectual strength with thee], and they sent us unto thee saying thus. 'Go tell him in our names: If he will listen it is well but if not let him be under ban, (Fol. 63b) and warn our exiled brethren that if they will listen it is well, but if not let them ascend the mountain (to make a heathen altar), Achiya will be the builder [of such an altar] and Chanania (of above) shall play violin and let them all deny Eternity and say we have no more a share in the God of Israel.'" Immediately after they finished this message, the people commenced to weep loudly and said, "God forbid such a thing. [Our sincere desire is] to keep on having a share in the God of Israel." And why were the Rabbis so severe in their warning? Because it is said (Is. 2, 3.) Out of Zion shall come forth the Torah and the words of the Lord out of Jerusalem. It could quite be understood had the two disciples declared unclean whatever Chanania declared clean, as this would have been permissible, but how was it that what he declared unclean they declared clean? Have we not taught: "If one sage declared a thing [levitically] unclean another one has no right to declare it clean; if one prohibited a thing, the other one is not permitted to declare it allowed." They did it because the people should not be guided by him.

Another explanation. “May He send your aid from His sanctuary, and may He support you from Zion.” (Psalms 20:3) R’ Levi said: all the good and blessings and consolation which the Holy One will give to Israel in the future only come from Zion. Salvation is from Zion, as it says “O that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion…” (Psalms 14:7) Might is from Zion, as it says “The staff of your might the Lord will send from Zion…” (Psalms 110:2) Blessing is from Zion, as it says “May the Lord bless you from Zion…” (Psalms 134:3) The shofar’s blast is from Zion, as it says “Sound a shofar in Zion…” (Yoel 2:1) Dew, blessing and life are from Zion, as it says “As the dew of Hermon which runs down on the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forever.” (Psalms 133:3) Torah is from Zion, as it says “…for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth…” (Isaiah 2:3) Help and assistance are from Zion, as it says “May He send your aid from His sanctuary…” from the sanctity of the acts which you have done “…and may He support you from Zion,” (Psalms 20:3) from the distinguished actions which you have done. The Holy One said to Moshe: go and tell Israel ‘my son, just as I am separate, so too you be separate. Just as I am holy, so too you be holy.’ This is what is written “You shall be holy…” (Leviticus 19:2)