Talmud sobre Provérbios 4:32

It was stated: The systematizer has precedence over the dialectician³⁰²The scholar who can bring order into the vast amount of rabbinic traditions is on a higher level than the one who finds apparent contradictions between traditional statements and explains them by finding the underlying principles. In the Babli (14a) the question is between “Sinai” and “one who uproots mountains” (and grinds them down), i. e., between a living encyclopedia and a practitioner of dialectics, and it is reported that in Galilee Sinai was preferred. There is no mention there about an effort at systematizing and in fact it is in general impossible to derive a valid rule of practice by basing oneself on one talmudic discussion alone, but all Tractates of the Babli have simultaneously to be considered.. Rebbi Samuel, Rebbi Berekhia’s brother, asked: Even like Rebbi Immi? He told him, what do you want from Rebbi Immi? He is a dialectician³⁰³In B: “He is both a systematizer and a dialectician.” In both Talmudim, the teachings of R. Immi and his companion R. Yasa are too sporadic to allow a judgment between the two versions.. This means, the Mishnah has precedence over Scripture³⁰⁴Since the Mishnah is a first attempt at systematizing Jewish teaching, its study, while presupposing a prior study of Scripture, is on a higher level since it is less anecdotal or self-contradictory.. The following supports this, as Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated, one who studies Scripture is a qualification which is not a qualification. But the rabbis consider Scripture equally with the Mishnah³⁰⁵They agree to the value of analysis and explanation of Scripture also independent of traditional interpretations.. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, the Mishnah has precedence over the Talmud. What is the reason? Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding³⁰⁶Prov. 4:5. “Wisdom” is identified here as the Mishnah, the encyclopedia of traditional knowledge. “Understanding” is the explanation of the formulaic statements of the Mishnah, the Talmud, whether formulated in one of the Talmudim or in a prior state of oral explanation. Wisdom precedes understanding., etc. Rebbi Joḥanan said, the Talmud has precedence over the Mishnah. What is the reason? Is acquiring wisdom not better than pure gold³⁰⁷Prov. 16:16. The verse reads: Is acquiring wisdom not better than pure gold, acquisition of understanding more select than silver? Here also wisdom precedes understanding, but silver is everyday coin; gold is used only for major transactions and by the very rich.? How does Rebbi Joḥanan explain Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman’s reason? Water is cheap, wine is expensive. It is possible for the world to exist without wine; it is impossible for the world to exist without water³⁰⁸In both verses, the less valuable but more essential is mentioned in second place. This does not make the second less essential.. How does Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman explain Rebbi Joḥanan’s reason? Salt is cheap, pepper is expensive. It is possible for the world to exist without pepper; it is impossible for the world to exist without salt³⁰⁹He agrees that without interpretation and explanation (“the Talmud”) the Mishnah cannot be applied; the salt of the Talmud, the silver, is absolutely necessary. This does not diminish the value of the gold.
A different version of the preceding arguments is in Massekhet Sopherim 15:7, 8.. Always pursue the Mishnah more than the Talmud. That is, before Rebbi incorporated most Mishnaiot into it³¹⁰Here it is intimated that Rebbi’s edition of the Mishnah from the start was intended as providing the skeleton around which a systematic exposition of the Talmud, the oral tradition, could be organized. In this way, the Mishnah automatically is studied in a privileged way if the Talmud is studied. Cf. Lev. rabba 21(4) which declares the study of the Mishnah as prerequisite for everything else.. But since Rebbi incorporated most Mishnaiot into it, pursue the Talmud more than the Mishnah.

The following are spelt with a waw but read with a yod: prisoners;⁹⁹Gen. 39, 20, written ’asurë and read ’asirë. Abigail;¹⁰⁰1 Sam. 25, 18, written Abugail and read Abigail. I make thee … go up and down;¹⁰¹2 Sam. 15, 20, written anu‘aka and read ani‘aka. chief men;¹⁰²2 Kings 24, 15, written ’ulë and read ’elë. I will … make … straight;¹⁰³Isa. 45, 2, written ’aushir and read ’ayashsher. I will … make them run away;¹⁰⁴Jer. 50, 44, written ’aruẓem and read ’ariẓem. on mine eye;¹⁰⁵2 Sam. 16, 12, written ba‘awoni and read be‘eni. cistern;¹⁰⁶Jer. 6, 7, written bor and read bayir. in their march;¹⁰⁷Nahum 2, 6, written bahalokotham and read bahalikotham. set apart;¹⁰⁸2 Chron. 26, 21, written haḥofshuth and read haḥofshith. V inserts here another example, viz. ‘my way’, but N.Y. declares it to be incorrect and H omits it. wilt thou set;¹⁰⁹Prov. 23, 5, written hata‘uf and read hata‘if. ye might provoke Me;¹¹⁰Jer. 25, 7, written hik‘oseni and read hak‘iseni. make straight;¹¹¹Ps. 5, 9, written haushar and read hayeshar. who were set;¹¹²Ezra 8, 17, written hannethunim and read hannethinim. that taught;¹¹³2 Chron. 35, 3, written hammebonim and read hammebinim. Birzaith;¹¹⁴1 Chron. 7, 31, written Birzoth and read Birzaith. will greatly rejoice;¹¹⁵Prov. 23, 24, written gol yagul and read gil yagil. Dehites;¹¹⁶Ezra 4, 9, written Dehawë and read Dehayë. bring forth;¹¹⁷Gen. 8, 17, written hawẓë’ and read hayẓë’. Harsith;¹¹⁸Jer. 19, 2, written haḥarsoth and read haḥarsith. Luhith;¹¹⁹ibid. XLVIII, 5, written halluḥoth and read halluḥith. the entry;¹²⁰Ezek. 42, 9, written hammebo’ and read hammebi’. the strong;¹²¹Zech. 11, 2, written habbaẓur and read habbaẓir. made to murmur;¹²²Numb. 14, 36, written wayyillonu and read wayyalinu. and Shahazim;¹²³Josh. 19, 22, written weshaḥaẓumah and read weshaḥaẓimah. and a royal diadem;¹²⁴Isa. 62, 3, written uẓenuf and read uẓenif. and a thing of nought and the deceit;¹²⁵Jer. 14, 14, written we’elul wetarmuth and read we’elil wetarmith. and the swallow;¹²⁶ibid. VIII, 7, written wesus and read wesis. and the galleries thereof;¹²⁷Ezek. 41, 15, written we’attoḳeha and read we’attiḳeha. and Tilon;¹²⁸1 Chron. 4, 20, written wetolon and read wetilon. Jehiel;¹²⁹2 Chron. 29, 14, written Jeḥu’el and read Jeḥi’el. and prepare ye;¹³⁰ibid. XXXV, 4, written wehikkonu and read wehakkinu. thy bosom;¹³¹Ps. 74, 11, written ḥoḳeka and read ḥeḳeka. a side-structure;¹³²1 Kings 6, 5, written yaẓu‘a and read yaẓi‘a. Jair;¹³³1 Chron. 20, 5, written Ya‘or and read Ya‘ir. alienate;¹³⁴Ezek. 48, 14, written ya‘abor and read ya‘abir. Jeiel;¹³⁵1 Chron. 9, 35, written Je‘u’el and read Je‘i’el. they wander up and down;¹³⁶Ps. 59, 16, written yenu‘un and read yeni‘un. let … cover them;¹³⁷ibid. CXL, 10, written yekassumo and read yekassemo. they cause … to fall;¹³⁸Prov. 4, 16, written yiksholu and read yakshilu. to strive;¹³⁹Judg. 21, 22, written larub and read larib. singing;¹⁴⁰1 Sam. 18, 6, written lashur and read lashir. Laish;¹⁴¹2 Sam. 3, 15, written Lush and read Layish. for fishers;¹⁴²Jer. 16, 16, written ledogim and read ledayyagim. dross;¹⁴³Ezek. 22, 18, written lesog and read lesig. for a spoil;¹⁴⁴Isa. 42, 24, written limshoseh and read limshissah. their furrows;¹⁴⁵Ps. 129, 3, written lema‘anotham and read lema‘anitham. Mephaath;¹⁴⁶Jer. 48, 21, written mopha‘ath and read mepa‘ath. from Naioth;¹⁴⁷1 Sam. 20, 1, written minnawoth and read minnayoth. stretched-forth;¹⁴⁸Isa. 3, 17, written neṭuwothn and read neṭioth. fruit;¹⁴⁹ibid. LVII, 19, written nob and read nib. Nebai;¹⁵⁰Neh. 10, 20, written Nubai and read Nebai. Nephishesim;¹⁵¹ibid. VII, 52, written Nefushesim and read Nefishesim. leave;¹⁵²2 Sam. 14, 7, written sum and read sim. ready dressed;¹⁵³1 Sam. 25, 18, written ‘asuwoth and read ‘asiyoth. Ephai;¹⁵⁴Jer. 40, 8, written ‘ufai and read ‘ephai. Ephrain;¹⁵⁵2 Chron. 13, 19, written ‘Efron and read ‘Efrain. V incorrectly reads ‘Abarim. the second¹⁵⁶This excludes the first ready in Esth. 3, 14. ready;¹⁵⁷Esth. 8, 13, written ‘athudim and read ‘athidim. their lads;¹⁵⁸Jer. 14, 3, written ẓe‘orehem and read ẓe‘irehem. her little ones;¹⁵⁹ibid. XLVIII, 4, written ẓe‘oreha and read ẓe‘ireha. dung.¹⁶⁰Ezek. 4, 15, written ẓefu‘ë and read ẓefi‘ë. [38b]

Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Cahana: It is written (Prov. 5:6): “She does not smooth the way of life, her tracks deviate and you will not notice it.” The Holy One, praise to Him, moved the rewards of those who fulfill the commandments (to the future world) so that they should act in faith. Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Isaac: It is written (Prov. 4:23): “Observe carefully everything which must be kept, for from it comes life,” observe carefully all the things you were told in the Torah, for you do not know from which of them life will come to you. Rebbi Abba bar Cahana said, the verse equals the easiest commandment with the most difficult one. The easiest commandment is sending away [the mother] from the nest. The most difficult one is honoring father and mother. For both of them it is written: “Your days will be lengthened.” Rebbi Abun said, if for anything that is repayment of debt it is written (Deut. 5:16): “That you shall be well and that your days shall be lengthened,” so much more something that involves monetary loss and personal danger. Rebbi Levi said, this one is greater; repaying a debt is greater than fulfilling an obligation that does not involve repaying a debt. Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated: Just as their rewards are the same, so their punishments are identical. (Prov. 30:17) “The eye that scoffs at the father and despises to obey the mother,” the eye that scoffs about honoring father and mother and despises the commandment not to take the mother with the chicks, “the river ravens should pick it out,” the cruel raven should come, pick it out, and not have any enjoyment from it, “the sons of the eagle should eat it,” the merciful eagle should come and enjoy it.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, Amaleq was a sorcerer. What did he do? He put people up on their birthday, implying that no man easily falls on his birthday¹⁰⁴On the theory that warriors are less vulnerable on their birthday, γενέσια, because the stars of his birth will protect him (and astrology is legitimate for Gentiles.). What did Moses do? He mixed planets¹⁰⁵He assured Joshua’s victory by deviating the stars from their regular course (agreeing that the stars did for Moses what they did for Joshua, Yalqut Joshua 22).. That is what is written¹⁰⁶Hab. 3:11., sun, moon stood in the sky, etc. And it is written¹⁰⁷Hab. 3:10., the abyss sounded, the elevated lifted his hands. Since the elevated lifted his hands, the abyss sounded. Samuel said, and the host will be given against the daily sacrifice by vice¹⁰⁸Dan. 8:12., the vice of the Torah¹⁰⁹The vice of neglecting the Torah.. And truth will be thrown to the ground; anytime that Israel throws the words of the Torah to the ground, this evil government decides and succeeds. What is the reason? It threw truth to the ground, did, and succeeded. And there is no truth like Torah, as you are saying¹¹⁰Prov. 23:23., buy truth and do not sell, wisdom, ethics, and insight. Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi said, Israel has neglected the good, an enemy will pursue it¹¹¹Hos. 8:3., and there is no good but the Torah, as you are saying, for a good acquisition I gave to you, do not abandon my Torah¹¹²Prov. 4:2..

Great is the Torah for it gives life to those who keep it, both in this world and in the World to Come, as it is stated, For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh;³⁷Prov. 4, 22. and it states, It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones;³⁸ibid. III, 8. [and it states,] Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;³⁹ibid. 17. and it states, She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdeth her fast;⁴⁰ibid. 18. and it states, She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee;⁴¹ibid. IV, 9. and it states, For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and a necklace about thy neck;⁴²ibid. I, 9. and it states, Length of days is in her right hand; in her left are riches and honour;⁴³ibid. III, 16. and it states, For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to thee.⁴⁴ibid. III, 2.
R. Simeon b. Judah said in the name of R. Simeon [b. Yoḥai]: Beauty, strength, riches, wisdom, old age, hoariness, honour and children are becoming to the righteous and becoming to the world; as it is stated, The hoary head is a crown of glory, it is found in the way of righteousness;⁴⁵ibid. XVI, 31. and it states, Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of the children are their fathers;⁴⁶ibid. XVII, 6. and it states, The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the hoary head;⁴⁷ibid. XX, 29. and it states, And before His elders shall be glory.⁴⁸Isa. 24, 23. R. Simeon b. Menasia said: The seven qualifications which the Sages associated with the righteous were all realized in Rabbi [Judah the Prince] and his sons.
⁴⁹This paragraph is not in the text, but is inserted because it is referred to in the Gemara. The translation follows the text of H. [R. Jose b. Ḳisma said: Once I went on a journey when a man met me and greeted me.⁵⁰R. Jose did not return the man’s salutation. Cf. the Gemara. He asked me, ‘Rabbi, from which place do you come?’ I replied, ‘From a great city of scholars and scribes’. He said to me, ‘Rabbi, if you agreed to dwell with us in our place, I would give you a thousand thousand golden dinars and precious stones and pearls’. I replied, ‘My son, were you to give me all the silver and gold and precious stones and pearls in the world, I would not dwell in any place but in a place of Torah. Because in the hour of a man’s departure [from the world], neither silver nor gold nor precious stones and pearls accompany him but only Torah and good deeds; as it is stated, When thou walkest, it shall lead thee, when thou liest down, it shall watch over thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.⁵¹Prov. 6, 22. When thou walkest, it shall lead thee—in this world; when thou liest down, it shall watch over thee—in the grave; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee—in the World to Come. And so it is written in the Book of Psalms of David, king of Israel, The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver;⁵²Ps. 119, 72. and it states, Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold, saith the Lord of hosts.]⁵³Hag. 2, 8.

Five kinds of people cannot be forgiven: One who constantly (again and again) sins; One who sins (in a righteous generation. One who sins) with the intent to repent. Anyone whose sin publicly desecrates God’s name. (A human being is incapable of grasping [God’s] likeness.) But if not for his sin, they would give him the keys, and he would know how heaven and earth were created. (He would also say: Everything is planned. Everything is revealed. Everything is knowable. He would also say: Everything is given in trust, and a net is spread out over all living things.) Repentance delays the judgment of the wicked, though their fate is already sealed. But the contentedness of the wicked ends badly. Power buries those who wield it. Repentance is suspended until Yom Kippur atones. Death (along with repentance) wipes clean. The wicked are paid, but the righteous accrue credit. The wicked are paid [in this world] – that is, the people who act as if they follow the Torah, but they have evil intentions, and there was never any good in them. The righteous accrue credit – that is, people who follow the Torah with good intentions, and there was never any bad in them. Both types receive just a little in this world, but [for the righteous,] a large remainder is accounted to them for the future. (He would also say: Everyone leaves this world naked; if only one’s leaving the world can be like one’s coming into the world!
Rabbi Meir would say: Beloved is the human being, who was created in the image of God, as it says (Genesis 9:6), “For in God’s image did God make the human.” Beloved are Israel, who are called children of the Omnipresent God, as it says (Deuteronomy 14:1), “You are children of the Eternal your God.” Beloved are Israel, for they were given a valuable tool. With it the world was created, as it says (Proverbs 4:2), “For I have given you a good thing; do not forsake My Torah.”)
Rabbi Eliezer bar Tzadok would say: What are the righteous like in this world? Like a tree that is planted in a pure place, but its branches extend out to an impure place. What do people say? Cut off that tree’s branches so that all of it will be pure, as it should be. What are the wicked like in this world? Like a tree that is planted in an impure place, but its branches extend out to a pure place. What do people say? Cut off that tree’s branches so that all of it will be impure, as it should be.