잠언 9:20의 탈무드

Rebbi Yudan asked: Following him who says that everybody agrees about the co-wife that he is guilty, if somebody from the market gave qiddushin to one of them and then the levir came and performed ḥalîṣah with her or had intercourse with her, did the qiddushin become invalid? If he performed ḥalîṣah with her companion but then had intercourse with her, were qiddushin validated retroactively? Rebbi Shammai said, did not Rebbi Yannai say the following: More than 30 elders voted, from where that qiddushin have no legal effect on a sister-in-law? The verse says, ⁹³Deut. 25:5.“the wife of the deceased may not belong to any outside unrelated man”, that she cannot have any existence with another man⁹⁴This is the unquestioned doctrine of the Yerushalmi. In the Babli, 92b, it is the position only of Rav; Samuel doubts whether the verse invalidates qiddushin or simply makes them sinful like other non-incestuous forbidden unions. The editors of the Babli explicitly follow Samuel and reject the opinion of the Yerushalmi. That a transgression which is not a capital crime either before the human or the heavenly court is invalid is a very exceptional statement.. Rebbi Joḥanan said to him, is that not a Mishnah? ⁹⁵Qiddušin 3:5. The Mishnah enumerates situations in which consummation of the marriage is impossible at the moment but may become possible later on. If consummation of the marriage is impossible then qiddushin are impossible since they make the bride a wife for all aspects of criminal law. She becomes a wife for matters of civil law only by entering the husband’s house in nissuïn, the marriage ceremony. (R. Meїr disagrees and acknowledges inoperative qiddushin which become activated once the impediment to marriage is removed. The second question of R. Yudan must refer to R. Meїr’s position.)“Or after your levir will have performed ḥalîṣah with you, she is not preliminarily married.” And Rebbi Yannai⁹⁶The text here reads “R. Joḥanan”. This has been changed in the translation following the parallel text in Soṭah 2:1 and a similar text in Kilaim 8:1 (p. 258). praised him “those who pour out gold from the wallet⁹⁷Is. 46:6.,” “my son, they should not be removed from your eyes,⁹⁸Prov. 3:21.” “get wise, my son, and make me happy⁹⁹Prov. 27:11.”, “give to the wise that he shall become wiser¹⁰⁰Prov. 9:9.,” “let the wise listen that he increase in knowledge.¹⁰¹Prov. 1:5.” Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, after all these praises I can explain it following Rebbi Aqiba since Rebbi Aqiba said that there exists a bastard from a sister-in-law³⁰R. Aqiba holds that any child born of any forbidden union is a bastard; the majority opinion is that bastards are created only by incestuous relations that either are capital crimes or sanctioned by extirpation (cf. Halakhot 4:15, 11:1). Since it is written (Deut. 25:5) “the wife of the deceased may not belong to any outside unrelated man” he holds that any marriage of a widow not released from levirate duty to another man is invalid and her relationship is one of whoring.
A parallel, but more differentiated, statement is in the Babli 92a.! But there¹⁰²Mishnah Qiddušin. is one sister-in-law, here are two sisters-in-law. The prohibition of a single sister-in-law is different from that of two sisters-in-law¹⁰³The biblical argument of R. Yannai does not imply anything about the status of a co-wife; cf. Note 92 for the opposition of the Babli.!

Love and honour the Torah; love righteous ways, reproofs¹⁰Levelled at you. Cf. Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee (Prov. 9, 8). and uprightness. Do not run after honour; do not be presumptuous in giving decisions.
Realize that from now until tomorrow everything you have, whether it belongs to you or not, is not yours;¹¹‘Is not yours’ is added by GRA. because what is yours is [in reality] not yours, so how can what is not yours be yours! Of him who regards what is not his as his own, Scripture declares, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! How long? and that ladeth himself with many pledges!¹²Hab. 2, 6. Accustom yourself to end on an auspicious note.¹³i.e. if you must criticize or predict misfortune, your last words should inspire confidence and comfort. Or, ‘accustom yourself to finish anything good which you began to do’, otherwise it will be credited to him who completes it. Other possible interpretations are: ‘Accustom yourself to complete a deal with goodness’, i.e. there should be no cause for resentment by the other party; ‘Accustom yourself to end everything well’.

What is the fence that the Writings made around their words? It says (Proverbs 5:8), “Keep your path far away from her, and do not go near the doorway of her house.” “Keep your path far away from her” – that is heresy. For they tell people: Do not go among heretics. Do not enter there, lest they cause you to stumble. And what if someone says: I trust myself, and even though I go there, they will not cause me to stumble. For maybe you will say: I will listen to what they have to say, but I will come back. But the verse (Proverbs 2:19) teaches, “All who go to her cannot return and find again the paths of life.”
It is written (Proverbs 9:2), “She has prepared the feast, mixed the wine, and also set the table.” These are the wicked who, when a person comes in and sits among them, feed him and give him drink, and dress him and cover him, and give him lots of money. But when he has become one of them, each one picks out what belongs them, and takes it back from him. About them it says (Proverbs 7:23), “[He follows her] until the arrow pierces his liver. He is like a bird rushing into a trap, unknowingly.”
Another interpretation of “Keep your path far away from her”: This is a prostitute. For they tell people: Do not go to that marketplace, and do not enter into that alleyway, for there is a beautiful and celebrated prostitute there. But he says: I trust myself, and even though I go there, she will not cause me to stumble. They say to him: Even though you trust yourself, do not go there, for maybe she will cause you to stumble. (For the sages said that a person should not accustom himself to passing by the door of a prostitute.) As it says (Proverbs 2:26), “For many are those she has struck dead, and numerous are her victims.”

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.

It was stated¹⁶⁷Sifry Num. 8, Num. Rabba 9(38); a more elaborate text in Babli 7a, Tosephta 1:1.: “Rebbi Jehudah says, her husband is believed about her by an argument de minore ad majus. Since he is believed about her when she is menstruating¹⁶⁸The menstruating woman is forbidden to her husband on penalty of extirpation (Lev. 20:18). Nobody requires chaperones during the time the wife is forbidden to her husband., when he would be subject to extirpation because of her, but for this one¹⁶⁹A wife suspected of adultery (and even a proven adulteress) is forbidden to her husband but no penalties are specified. he is not subject to extirpation because of her, is it not logical that he should be believed about her? They said to him, no. If you mention the menstruating, she will be permitted after being forbidden, what can you say about this one who may not be permitted after being forbidden¹⁷⁰If she is found guilty, she will be permanently forbidden and he will be forced to divorce her.? And it says, “stolen waters are sweet”¹⁷¹Prov. 9:17. She is more attractive forbidden than permitted.. Rebbi Jehudah said to them, it is a decree of the verse: “The man shall bring his wife to the priest”¹⁷⁸Num. 5:15., etc. They said to him, only with witnesses¹⁷⁹General statements in verses are never interpreted to override the general principles of administration of justice. Since relatives cannot testify for or against a person, the husband cannot testify for himself, just as he cannot testify against his bride whom he accuses of prenuptial adultery (Deut. 22:14)..

Rebbi Zeïra in the name of Rav Abba bar Jeremiah: A person may not enter a cemetery and relieve himself there.¹⁴²The connection with the preceding section is that this is a statement of Rebbi Zeïra in the name of Rav Abba bar Jeremiah, and it speaks about relieving oneself. When he did it anyway, about him the verse says (Prov. 17:5) “He who makes fun of the poor blasphemes his Maker.”¹⁴³He who relieves himself in the cemetery makes fun of the dead two-fold; first he shows his contempt for the dead and then he does something that the dead can do no more. Even graveside sermons are unacceptable in Judaism since the dead can no longer have any Torah thoughts. Clarification: The great Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Jonathan¹⁴⁴The greatest of the preachers of the first generation of Amoraïm, student of R. Simeon bar Yose bar Laqonia, a preacher of the last generation of Tannaïm who was the brother-in-law of the son of R. Simeon bar Yoḥai. were walking before the bier of Rebbi Simeon bar Yose bar Laqonia when Rebbi Jonathan stepped over his grave. The great Rebbi Ḥiyya said to him: About that they will say, tomorrow they will be with us but they hurt us. He answered him, do they know anything? Is it not written: (Prov. 9:5) “But the dead do not know anything.” He told him: you know how to read, you do not know how to preach. (Prov. 9:5) “The living know that they will die”, these are the Just who even in death are considered living; “but the dead do not know anything;” these are the wicked who even in life are called dead. From where that the wicked even in life are called dead? It is said (Ez. 18:32) “For I have no pleasure in the death of the dead;” how can a dead person die? But these are the wicked who even in life are called dead. And from where that the Just even in death are considered living? It is written (Deut. 34:4) “And He said to him: This is the land I had sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to tell.” Why does the verse say “to tell”? He said to him: go and tell the patriarchs that all I had promised I fulfilled to your descendants after you.

BARAITHA. ¹With the Baraithoth of this chapter, cf. DEZ III.Judge your words before you let them come forth from your mouth. Plan your deeds in accordance with good manners and so add to the furtherance of your progress.²lit. ‘reward to your steps’. Always accept with resignation the verdict against you and refrain from grumbling. Judge your fellow-man in the scale of merit and do not judge him in the scale of guilt. Rejoice in your portion; be content³lit. ‘suited’. with the little you have and do not hate him who reproves you. Be small in your eyes so that your portion may be blessed for ever. Regard everyone with a good eye and a considerate soul. Teach your tongue to say, ‘I do not know’ lest you be induced to tell a falsehood and be caught.⁴Ber. 4a (Sonc. ed., p. 10). If you are slack in the performance of one precept⁵Reading miẓwah for Mishnah. in the end you will neglect another like it. If you feel impelled⁶The text of V is corrupt. For the meaning given here, cf. DEZ II (ed. Higger, p. 89) to make light of it in the end you will make light of another like it, and you will have no reward for your trouble. If you have taken what is not yours, then what is yours will be taken from you. Be careful with sacred foods both in the eating and disposing of them. Be submissive and beloved when answering those whom you know.⁷Here, too, the text of V is corrupt; cf. DEZ III. Be submissive towards all men and towards the members of your household more than to all men.
The beginning of vows is the door to folly; the beginning of impurity [in conduct] is the door to idolatry; levity with women is the door to immorality. If you become surety, it is on the condition that you will have to pay; if you borrow, it is on the condition that you will pay back; if you lend, it is on the condition [that there is a possibility of] not being paid back. Hasten to settle your account.⁸The text is corrected in agreement with DEZ III. One who gains a good name gains it for himself. The shamefaced cannot learn, the impatient cannot teach, the ‘am ha-’areẓ cannot be pious, the empty-headed cannot be God-fearing, and who is engaged over much in business cannot acquire wisdom.⁹Aboth II, 6 (Sonc. ed., II, 5, p. 13).
GEMARA. ‘Judge [your words]’: so that a man may consider what to answer and what answer might be given to him.
‘Accept with resignation’: [Admit that the judge] has given a correct judgment, that he has rightly condemned, that he has judged well.
‘Refrain from grumbling’: But this has already been taught!¹⁰Cf. III, 24. There it speaks of matters concerning himself, here of matters relating to the Holy One, blessed be He.
‘Judge your fellow-man’, etc.: when the matter is known to you.
‘Do not judge him in the scale of guilt’: by not abiding by the verdict when he wins it.
‘Rejoice in your portion’: That is [in your] wife; for Scripture declares, For what would be the portion of God from above?¹¹Job 31, 2. and it further states, House and riches are the inheritance of fathers; but a prudent wife is from the Lord.¹²Prov. 19, 14. ‘Be content with the little you have’—in the matter of food. ‘Hate the “how much?” ’¹³Reading המה בכך for V’s המברך. This clause has apparently fallen out from the present Baraitha. But this has already been taught in a previous chapter!¹⁴In III, 20. There it refers to general matters; here [it means that] one should not say, ‘How much [I would like to be the husband of] So-and-so’s daughter if she were unmarried!’
‘Be small in your eyes.’ As it is written, In whose eyes a vile person is despised.¹⁵Ps. 15, 4. ‘So that your portion may be blessed.’ As it is written, Let thy fountain be blessed.¹⁶Prov. 5, 18. ‘Regard everyone with a good eye.’ As it is written, He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed.¹⁷ibid. XXII, 9. ‘And a considerate soul.’ As it is written, And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry.¹⁸Isa. 58, 10. ‘Teach your tongue.’ As it is written of Ahimaaz.¹⁹Cf. 2 Sam. 18, 29. In reply to a question by David, he answered, But I knew not what it was. ‘If you are slack.’ As it is written, If thou faint in the day of adversity.²⁰Prov. 24, 10. ‘Be submissive and beloved’—but this has already been taught!²¹In III, 3. There²²H reads ‘here’; but in both references the context relates to human beings. it certainly refers to being so before the All-present.
‘The beginning of vows … levity with women.’ It is not necessary [to mention this] except in connection with one’s wife. ‘If you become surety.’ As it is written, Take [leḳaḥ] his garment that is surety for a stranger.²³Prov. 20, 16. Here it is written leḳaḥ and in another verse it is written ḳaḥ: Take [ḳaḥ] his garment that is surety for a stranger!²⁴ibid. XXVII, 13. [It indicates] that whoever is surety for another and does not repay [if called upon to do so] is regarded as though he incurred the debt and did not repay. If you borrowed with the intention to repay, all is well; but if you lent with the intention not to demand it,²⁵Reading with H lithbo‘a. then ‘split’.²⁶i.e. grin and bear the loss. If so, the consequence is that the money is lost! We deal here with the disciples of the wise who will not transgress [the teaching of Scripture], The wicked borroweth, and payeth not; but the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.²⁷Ps. 37, 21.
‘Hasten to settle your account.’ This is good advice offered to the disciples of the wise, that when they have business deals with men of the world not to be neglectful and incur one loss after another.
‘One who gains a good name.’ As it is written, If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself.²⁸Prov. 9, 12. ‘The empty-headed man cannot be God-fearing.’ Since he is ignorant of the Torah, he does not know how to keep away from sin. ‘The ’am ha-’areẓ cannot be pious.’ Why? Since he has not learnt the words of the Torah, the verse is applied to him, He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.²⁹ibid. XXVIII, 9. ‘The shamefaced cannot learn, the impatient cannot teach.’ This is self-evident! No, [it was necessary to mention it to make clear that it holds good] even in matters of behaviour.
Father³⁰A term of endearment suggested perhaps by Elisha’s cry, my father my father, when Elijah was translated to heaven (2 Kings 2, 12). The phrase ‘Father Elijah’ occurs in Sanh. 113a (Sonc. ed., p. 780). Elijah, may his memory be for good, said, ‘The knowledge of the Torah cannot be spread except by one who is not impatient. I, too, will not reveal myself except to one who is not impatient’. Happy is the man who met [Elijah] and sat with him, for he is assured of being a son of the World to Come.

“And to proclaim the greatness of the King over kings of kings, the Holy One, praise to Him,” etc. ¹⁰⁶There is no predestination, genetic or otherwise. To proclaim the greatness of the King over kings of kings Who from one die coins all seals and no one is like the other, as it is said: The seal turns around like clay¹⁰⁷Job 38:15; cf. Kilaim 9:4 Note 78.. Why did He change their looks¹⁰⁸Greek πρόσωπος.? That no man should jump and go to another’s wife or another’s field. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr: Three things did the Holy One, praise to Him, diversify in humans: looks of the face, understanding, and voice. Looks and understanding because of the robbers, voice because of forbidden women. Rebbi Isaac said, even a fig tree or a wheat plant is not identical to any other. Man was created Sabbath Eve so from the start he should enter with a commandment¹⁰⁹To celebrate the Sabbath.. Another explanation: Why was he created last? A parable of a king who made a banquet. After he had ordered the meal, he invited the guests. ¹¹⁰Prov. 9:1,2,4.So wisdom built her house, that is the Holy One, praise to Him, Who created the world in wisdom, as it is said, the Eternal in wisdom based the earth¹¹¹Prov. 3:19., etc. She quarried its seven pillars, these are the seven days of creation. She slaughtered her slaughtering, mixed her wine, these are seas and rivers and all the needs of the world. Any silly one shall come here, that is Adam and Eve.

“And to proclaim the greatness of the King over kings of kings, the Holy One, praise to Him,” etc. ¹⁰⁶There is no predestination, genetic or otherwise. To proclaim the greatness of the King over kings of kings Who from one die coins all seals and no one is like the other, as it is said: The seal turns around like clay¹⁰⁷Job 38:15; cf. Kilaim 9:4 Note 78.. Why did He change their looks¹⁰⁸Greek πρόσωπος.? That no man should jump and go to another’s wife or another’s field. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr: Three things did the Holy One, praise to Him, diversify in humans: looks of the face, understanding, and voice. Looks and understanding because of the robbers, voice because of forbidden women. Rebbi Isaac said, even a fig tree or a wheat plant is not identical to any other. Man was created Sabbath Eve so from the start he should enter with a commandment¹⁰⁹To celebrate the Sabbath.. Another explanation: Why was he created last? A parable of a king who made a banquet. After he had ordered the meal, he invited the guests. ¹¹⁰Prov. 9:1,2,4.So wisdom built her house, that is the Holy One, praise to Him, Who created the world in wisdom, as it is said, the Eternal in wisdom based the earth¹¹¹Prov. 3:19., etc. She quarried its seven pillars, these are the seven days of creation. She slaughtered her slaughtering, mixed her wine, these are seas and rivers and all the needs of the world. Any silly one shall come here, that is Adam and Eve.

“And to proclaim the greatness of the King over kings of kings, the Holy One, praise to Him,” etc. ¹⁰⁶There is no predestination, genetic or otherwise. To proclaim the greatness of the King over kings of kings Who from one die coins all seals and no one is like the other, as it is said: The seal turns around like clay¹⁰⁷Job 38:15; cf. Kilaim 9:4 Note 78.. Why did He change their looks¹⁰⁸Greek πρόσωπος.? That no man should jump and go to another’s wife or another’s field. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr: Three things did the Holy One, praise to Him, diversify in humans: looks of the face, understanding, and voice. Looks and understanding because of the robbers, voice because of forbidden women. Rebbi Isaac said, even a fig tree or a wheat plant is not identical to any other. Man was created Sabbath Eve so from the start he should enter with a commandment¹⁰⁹To celebrate the Sabbath.. Another explanation: Why was he created last? A parable of a king who made a banquet. After he had ordered the meal, he invited the guests. ¹¹⁰Prov. 9:1,2,4.So wisdom built her house, that is the Holy One, praise to Him, Who created the world in wisdom, as it is said, the Eternal in wisdom based the earth¹¹¹Prov. 3:19., etc. She quarried its seven pillars, these are the seven days of creation. She slaughtered her slaughtering, mixed her wine, these are seas and rivers and all the needs of the world. Any silly one shall come here, that is Adam and Eve.