Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 2:6

משנה: לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים אֶלָּא שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מַרְבֶּה הוּא לוֹ וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְסִירוֹת אֶת לִבּוֹ. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר אֲפִילּוּ אַחַת וּמְסִירָה אֶת לִבּוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִשָּאֶנָּה. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים דַּאֲפִילּוּ כַאֲבִיגָיִל. לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ סוּסִים אֶלָּא כְדֵי מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ. וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ מְאֹד אֶלָּא כְדֵי לִיתֵּן אָפְּסָנְייָא. וְכוֹתֵב לוֹ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לִשְׁמוֹ. יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה וְהוּא עִמּוֹ נִכְנָס וְהוּא עִמּוֹ. יוֹשֵׁב בַּדִּין הוּא אֶצְלוֹ. מֵסֵב וְהוּא כְנֶגְדּוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָיְתָה עִמּוֹ וְקָרָא בוֹ כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו. אֵין רוֹכְבִין עַל סוּסוֹ וְאֵין יוֹשְׁבִין עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְאֵין מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בְּשַׁרְבִיטוֹ וְאֵין רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ כְּשֶׁהוּא מִסְתַּפֵּר וְלֹא כְשֶׁהוּא עָרוֹם. וְלֹא בְבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ שֶׁתְּהֵא אֵימָתוֹ עָלֶיךָ׃ MISHNAH: He shall not add wives¹⁶⁸Deuteronomy.17.17">Deut. 17:17., only eighteen¹⁶⁹This is the number of wives David could have had, as explained in the Halakhah.. Rebbi Jehudah says, he may have many on condition that they not deflect his mind¹⁷⁰Deuteronomy.17.17">Deut. 17:17 reads: And he shall not add wives, lest his mind be deflected (from his religious duties.) If the prohibition were absolute, it would not need a rationale.. Rebbi Simeon says, he should not marry even one if she deflects his mind¹⁷¹R. Simeon in principle objects to R. Jehudah’s argument. For him, every biblical commandment has a rationale indicated in the text, even if it is not explicit (Sanhedrin.21a">Babli 21a). Therefore, lest his mind be deflected is a commandment in itself. Hence, 18 wives is the maximum permitted to a king under any circumstances.. Then why was it said, he shall not add wives? Even one like Abigail¹⁷²Who prevented David from sinning, cf. Sanhedrin 2:3:2-10" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sanhedrin.2.3.2-10">Halakhah 3. Since she predicted that David would be king, she is counted as a prophetess (Seder Olam Chap. 2)..
He shall not add horses¹⁷³Deuteronomy.17.16">Deut. 17:16., over and above what he needs for his chariots. And silver and gold he shall not add excessively¹⁶⁸Deuteronomy.17.17">Deut. 17:17., over and above what he needs for his payroll¹⁷⁴Greek ὀψώνιον, Latin obsonium,“victuals, allowance, gratuity”, here taken as allowances for everybody on the king’s payroll.. And he shall write a Torah scroll¹⁷⁵Deuteronomy.17.18">Deut. 17:18. for himself. If he goes to war, it is with him; if he returns, it is with him; if he sits in court, it is with him; if he sits down for dinner, it is with him, as it is said: It shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life¹⁷⁶Deuteronomy.17.19">Deut. 17:19..
One does not ride on his horse, nor does one sit on his throne, nor does one use his scepter. One may not see him when he is barbered, nor when he is naked, nor when he is in the bath, as it is said¹⁷⁷Deuteronomy.17.15">Deut. 17:15.: You certainly shall put a king over you, that his fear be upon you.

הלכה: לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים כול׳. רַב כַּהֲנָא אָמַר. עַל שֵׁם הַשִּׁשִּׁי יִתְרְעָ֔ם לְעֶגְלָה֖. וּמַה כְתִיב תַּמָּן. וְאִ֨ם־מְעָ֔ט וְאוֹסִיפָה לְּךָ֖ כָּהֵ֥נָּה וְכָהֵֽנָּה׃ HALAKHAH: “He shall not add wives,” etc. Rav Cahana said¹⁷⁸Sanhedrin.21a">Babli 21a., because of the sixth Yitream by Egla¹³⁹2S. 3:5. Only Michal is called “David’s wife” (1S. 25:44). The problem that Yitreˋam was born in Hebron is not addressed; it is discussed in the Sanhedrin.21a">Babli, 21a.. What is written there? At least, I shall give you twice as many¹⁷⁹2S. 12:8. The verses 2S. 3:2–5 prove that David had six wives in Hebron. The prophet Nathan then told David that God would have given him an addition of twice as many wives, for a total of 3×6=18, had he not sinned with Batseba. Therefore, 18 wives for a king have Divine sanction..

לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ סוּסִים אֶלָּא כְדֵי מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ. עַל שֵׁם וַיְעַקֵּ֤ר דָּוִד֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָרֶ֔כֶב וגו׳. וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב לֹא יַרְבֶּה לֹּו מְאֹד אֶלָּא כְדֵי לִיתֵּן אָפְּסָנְייָא. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר. וּבִלְבַד אָפְּסָנְייָא שֶׁל שָׁנָה זוֹ בִּלְבַד. “He shall not add horses over and above what he needs for his chariots.” As in David destroyed all the chariots,¹⁸⁰2S. 8:4. As usual, the argument is about the part of the verse which is not quoted: but he reserved from them 100 chariots. This shows that chariots and horses needed for the army are permitted. etc. “And silver and gold he shall not add excessively over and above what he needs for his payroll.” Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, but only for this year’s payroll.

אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא. אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה. שְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים שֶׁסִּחֲקָה עֲלֵיהֶן מִידַּת הַדִּין חִילַּלְתִּים. לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים. וְכָתוּב וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אָהַ֞ב נָשִׁ֧ים נָכְרִיּ֛וֹת. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אָמַר. אָהַב מַמָּשׁ לִזְנוּת. חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן אֲחִי רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר. עַל שֵׁם לֹא תִּתְחַתֵּן בָּם. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר. לְמוֹשְׁכָן לְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה וּלְקָֽרְבָן תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה. רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר. עַל שֵׁם גַּם־אוֹת֣וֹ הֶחֱטִ֔יאוּ הַנָּשִׁ֖ים הַנָּכְרִיּֽוֹת׃ אַשְׁכַּח תֵּימַר. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי וַחֲנַנְיָה וְרִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר חָדָא. וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי פְלִיג עַל תַּלְתֵּיהוֹן. Rebbi Aḥa said: Solomon said, three things I desecrated where I got the better of the law¹⁸¹Eccl. r. 2(3), Leviticus.16.1-18.30">Tanhuma Aḥare Mot 1, Leviticus.16.1-18.30">Tanhuma Buber Ahare Mot 2, Leviticus.16.1-18.30">Pesiqṭa dR. Cahana(Buber) Ahare Mot 168b–168a.
Most of the verses quoted in these paragraphs are also quoted in the Sanhedrin.21b">Babli, 21b. Cf. also Cant. rabba 1(10).. He shall not add wives, and it is written: King Solomonloved foreign women¹⁸²1K. 11:1.. Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai said, he really made love to them immorally¹⁸³He did not marry them but slept with them unmarried to increase his sexual enjoyment.. Ḥananiah, Rebbi Joshua’s nephew, says, because you shall not intermarry with them¹⁸⁴Deuteronomy.7.3">Deut. 7:3. He agrees with R. Simeon ben Iohai and notes that by behaving immorally he avoided violating the law. In Num. r. 10(8) only Hanania and R. Yose are mentioned.. Rebbi Yose said, to draw them to the words of the Torah and bring them under the Wings of the Divine Presence¹⁸⁵He married all those women with good intentions but violated Deuteronomy.17.17">Deut. 17:17. The expression “to take shelter under the Wings of the Divine Presence” for “to convert to Judaism” is from Ruth.2.12">Ru. 2:12.. Rebbi Eliezer said, because also the foreign wives made him sin¹⁸⁶Nehemiah.13.26">Neh. 13:26. He violated Sanhedrin 2:6:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sanhedrin.2.6.1">Mishnah 7 according to all authorities quoted there.. It turns out that one may say that Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai, Ḥananiah, and Rebbi Eliezer mean the same. Rebbi Yose disagrees with all three of them.

לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ סוּסִים. וְכָתוּב וַיְהִ֣י לִשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אוּרְיוֹת סוּסִ֖ים לְמֶרְכָּב֑וֹ וּשְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּֽרָשִֽׁים׃ בַּטְלָנִים הָיוּ. וְהַהֶדְיוֹט מוּתָּר בְּכוּלָּן. He shall not add horses, and it is written: Solomon had 40’000 horse stables for his chariot, and 12’000 riders¹⁸⁷1K. 5.6.. They were idle¹⁸⁸If all of the chariots and horses had been for military purposes, it would not have been sinful. A Genizah fragment inserts a rhetorical question. Were the 40’000 stables not adequate since it also is written (1K. 4:20) that Israel were many, like the sand at the seashore? The answer is that the horses and carriages were sinful since the riders were idle most of the time.. A private person is permitted all of these¹⁸⁹Wives, horses, and money are limited only for a king..

וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ מְאֹד. וְכָתוּב וַיִּתֵּ֨ן הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אֶת־הַכֶּ֛סֶף בִּירֽוּשָׁלַם֖ כַּֽאֲבָנִ֑ים. וְלֹא הָיוּ נִגְנָבוֹת. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן חֲנִינָה. אַבְנֵי עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת וּשְׁמוֹנֶה אַמּוֹת. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. אֲפִילוּ מִשְׁקָלוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה לֹא הָיוּ שֶׁל כֶּסֶף אֶלָּא שֶׁלְּזָהָב. וּמַה טַעַם. אֵ֣ין כֶּ֗סֶף נֶחְשָׁ֛ב בִּימֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה. And silver and gold he shall not add excessively, and it is written: The king made silver in Jerusalem to be like stones¹⁹⁰1K. 10:27, 2Chr. 1:15.. Were they not stolen? Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, they were stones of ten cubits and eight cubits¹⁹¹A silver block of 8 cubits side length would weigh 1.7 metric tons.. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish stated: In Solomon’s times, even weights were not of silver but of gold. Why? Silver was not valuable in Solomon’s times¹⁹²1K. 10:21, 2Chr. 9:27..

כָּתוּב לִשְׂח֖וֹק אָמַ֣רְתִּי מְהוֹלָ֑ל. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׁלֹמֹה. מָה עֲטָרָה זוֹ בְרֹאשְׁךָ. רֵד מִכִּסְאִי. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶן חֲנִינָה אָמַר. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יָרַד מַלְאָךְ וְנִדְמֶה כִדְמוּת שְׁלֹמֹה וְהֶעֱמִידוֹ מִכִּסְאוֹ וְיָשַׁב תַּחְתָּיו. וְהָיָה מְחַזֵּר עַל בָּתֵּי כְּנֵיסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִ֣י קֹהֶ֗לֶת הָיִ֥יתִי מֶ֛לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלָֽם׃ וַהֲווּ מָרִין לֵיהּ. מַלְכָּא יְתִיב עַל בִּסֶּילְּיוֹן דִּידֵיהּ וְתֵימַר אֲנִ֣י קֹהֶ֗לֶת. וְהָיוּ מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ בְקָנֶה וּמֵבִיאִין לְפָנָיו קְעָרַת גְּרִיסִין. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר וְזֶה־הָיָ֥ה חֶלְקִ֖י. אִית דָּֽמְרִין. חוּטְרָא. וְאִית דָּֽמְרִין. קַנְיָא. וְאִית דָּֽמְרִין. קוֹשַׁרְתֵּיהּ. וּמִי קִיטְרְגוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. יוֹ״ד שֶׁבְּיַרְבֶּה קִיטְרְגוֹ. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. עָלָה סֵפֶר מִשְׁנֶה תוֹרָה וְנִשְׁתַּטַּח לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אָמַר לְפָנָיו. רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם. כָּתַבְתָּה בְתוֹרָתָךְ. כָּל־דִּייַתֵיקֵי שֶׁבָּֽטְלָה מִקְצָתָהּ בָּֽטְלָה כּוּלָּהּ. וַהֲרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה מְבַקֵּשׁ לַעֲקוֹר יוֹ״ד מִמֶּנִּי. אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. שְׁלֹמֹה וְאֶלֶף כְּיוֹצֵא בוֹ בְטֵילִין וְדָבָר מִמָּךְ אֵינוֹ בָטֵל. ¹⁸¹Eccl. r. 2(3), Leviticus.16.1-18.30">Tanhuma Aḥare Mot 1, Leviticus.16.1-18.30">Tanhuma Buber Ahare Mot 2, Leviticus.16.1-18.30">Pesiqṭa dR. Cahana(Buber) Ahare Mot 168b–168a.
Most of the verses quoted in these paragraphs are also quoted in the Sanhedrin.21b">Babli, 21b. Cf. also Cant. rabba 1(10). It is written¹⁹³Ecclesiastes.2.2">Eccl. 2:2.: To amusement I said, be praised. The Holy One, praise to him, said to Solomon: What is this crown on your head? Descend from My throne! Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, at that moment an angel came down looking like Solomon, removed him from his throne, and sat in his stead. He was going around in synagogues and houses of study, saying I am Ecclesiastes, I used to be king over Israel in Jerusalem¹⁹⁴Ecclesiastes.1.12">Eccl. 1:12.. They were telling him, the king sits on his chair of honor¹⁹⁵Latin bisellium; cf. Löw in Krauss’s Lehnwörter. and you say, I am Ecclesiastes? They hit him with a stick and brought a dish of split beans before him. At that moment, he said: that is my part¹⁹⁶Ecclesiastes.2.10">Eccl. 2:10.. Some say, a staff. Others say, a rod. Others say, with his belt. ¹⁹⁷Cant. r. ad 5:10, Lev. r. 19(2), Ex. r. 6(1). Solomon is accused of wanting to remove the imperative from Deuteronomy.17.17">Deut. 17:17. Who had accused him? Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, י in יַרְבֶּה¹⁶⁰2S. 23:15–16; 1Chr. 11:17–18. accused him. Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated: The book Deuteronomy ascended, bowed down before the Holy One, praise to Him, and said to Him: Master of the Universe, You wrote in Your Torah that any disposition¹⁹⁸Greek διαθήκη “will, disposition”. which is partially invalid is totally invalid, and now Solomon wants to uproot a י from me! The Holy One, praise to Him, said to it: Solomon and a thousand like him will disappear but nothing from you will disappear.

רִבִּי הוּנָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אָחָא. יוֹ״ד שֶׁנָּטַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵאִמֵּינוּ שָׂרָה נִיתַּן חֶצְיוּ עַל שָׂרָה וְחֶצְיוּ עַל אַבְרָהָם. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. עָלָה יוֹ״ד וְנִשְׁתַּטַּח לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר. רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים. עָקַרְתָּנִי מִן הַצַּדֶּקֶת הַזֹּאת. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. צֵא לָךְ. לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיִיתָ נָתוּן בְּשֵׁם נְקֵיבָה וּבְסוֹף תֵּיבָה. חַיֵּיךָ שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹתְנָךְ בְּשֵׁם זָכָר וּבְרֹאשׁ תֵּיבָה. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נ֖וּן יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃ Rebbi Huna in the name of Rebbi Aḥa: The י which the Holy One, praise to Him, lifted from our mother Sarah was given half to Sarah and half to Abraham¹⁹⁹In the Alexandrian system, the numerical value of י is 10, that of ה is 5. Therefore, the gematria of the two former names אברם שרי of Abraham and Sarah is identical to that of the new names אברהם שרה.. Rebbi Hoshaiah stated: The י ascended, bowed down before the Holy One, praise to Him, and said to Him: Master of the Universes, you uprooted me from this just woman²⁰⁰By changing שָׂרַי into שָׂרָה.! The Holy One, praise to Him, said to him: leave. In the past you were the last letter of a woman’s name. By your life, I shall make you the first letter of a man’s name. That is what is written: Moses called Hoshea bin Nun Yehoshua²⁰¹Numbers.13.16">Num. 13:16..

וְכוֹתֵב לוֹ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לִשְׁמוֹ. שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נֵיאוֹת לֹא בְשֶׁלְּאָבִיו וְלֹא בְשֶׂלְּרַבּוֹ. וּמַגִּיהִין אוֹתוֹ מִסֵּפֶר עֲזָרָה עַל פִּי בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל שִׁבְעִים וְאֶחָד. And he shall write a Torah scroll for himself. ²⁰²Sanhedrin.21b">Babli 21b, Sanhedrin 4:4-5" href="/Tosefta_Sanhedrin.4.4-5">Tosephta 4:7. That he should use neither his father’s not his teacher’s. One proofreads it from the Temple scroll under the supervision of the court of 71²⁰³In the Tosephta: It is proofread first by priests, then by Levites, then by Israel whose daughters are qualified to marry priests..

יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה וְהִיא עִמּוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּי֑ו. וַהֲרֵי דְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר. וּמָה אִם מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיָה עָסוּק בְּצָרְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּי֑ו. הַהֶדְיוֹט עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. כְּיוֹצֵא בוֹ נֶאֱמַר בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְהָגִ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה. וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר. וּמָה אִם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁעוֹסֵק בְּצוֹרְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְהָגִ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה. הֶדְיוֹט לֹא כָל־שֶׁכֵּן. “If he goes to war, he carries it with him for it is said: It shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life. Is there not an inference de minore ad majus? Since for a king of Israel, who was occupied by the needs of Israel, is it said that he shall read in it all the days of his life, a private person so much more. Similarly, it was said to Joshua: You shall meditate about it day and night²⁰⁴Joshua.1.8">Jos. 1:8.. Is there not an inference de minore ad majus? Since for Joshua, who is occupied by the needs of Israel, it is said: you shall meditate about it day and night, then certainly a private person.

מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין רוֹכְבִין עַל סוּסוֹ וְאֵין יוֹשְׁבִין עַל נִיסְלוֹ וְאֵין מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין לֹא בְכִתְרוֹ וְלֹא בְשַׁרְבִיטוֹ וְלֹא בְאֶחָד מִכָּל־מְשַׁמְּשָׁיו. וּכְשֶׁמֵּת כּוּלָּן נִשְׂרָפִין לְפָנָיו. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּשָׁל֣וֹם תָּמ̇וּת וּכְמִשְׂרְפוֹת אֲ֠בוֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרְפוּ עָלֶיךָ. ²⁰⁵An abbreviated version of Sanhedrin 4:2" href="/Tosefta_Sanhedrin.4.2">Tosephta 4:2. One does not ride on a horse of a king of Israel, nor does one sit in his chair¹⁹⁵Latin bisellium; cf. Löw in Krauss’s Lehnwörter., nor does one use his crown or his scepter, or any of his personal utensils. When he dies, all these are burned before him, as it is said²⁰⁶Jeremiah.34.5">Jer. 34:5.: You shall die in peace and like the burnings of your forefathers they will burn for you.

וְאֵין רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ עָרוֹם וְלֹא כְּשֶׁמִּסְתַּפֵּר וְלֹא בְבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ. עַל שֵׁם מֶ֥לֶךְ בְּיוֹפִיוֹ תֶּחֱזֶ֣ינָה עֵינֶי֑ךָ. רִבִּי חֲנִינָה סְלַק גַּבֵּי רִבִּי יוּדָן נְשִׂייָא. נְפַק לְגַבֵּיהּ לָבוּשׁ אוֹתָנִּיתֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. חֲזוֹר וּלְבוֹשׁ לָגִין דִּידָךְ. מִשּׁוּם מֶ֥לֶךְ בְּיוֹפִיוֹ תֶּחֱזֶ֣ינָה עֵינֶי֑ךָ. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן סְלַק גַּבֵּי רִבִּי יוּדָן נְשִׂייָא. נְפַק לְגַבֵּיהּ בַּחֲלוּקָא דְכִיתְנָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ. חֲזוֹר וּלְבוֹשׁ חֲלוּקָךְ דְּעִימְרָא. מִשּׁוּם מֶ֥לֶךְ בְּיוֹפִיוֹ וגו׳. מִי נְפַק אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אַייתִי עטעמה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. שְׁלַח וְאַייְתִי לָךְ מְנַחֵם טָלְמָא. דִּכְתִיב וְתֽוֹרַת־חֶ֗֝סֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃ מִי נְפַק חֲמָא רִבִּי חֲנִינָה בַר סִיסִי מְפַצֵּעַ קִיסִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. רִבִּי. לֵית הוּא כְבוֹדָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. וּמַה נִיעֲבִיד וְלֵית לִי מָאן דִּמְשַׁמְּשֵׁינִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין לָא הֲוָה לָךְ מָאן דִּמְשַׁמְּשָׁךְ לָא מְקַבְּלָה עֲלָךְ מִתְמַנְייָא. One may not see him when naked, nor when he is being barbered, nor when he is in his bath, because your eyes shall see the king in his beauty²⁰⁷Isaiah.33.17">Is. 33:17. The Sanhedrin.22b">Babli, 22b, infers from the verse that a king has to get a haircut every day.. Rebbi Ḥanina went to visit Rebbi Jehudah the Prince²⁰⁸Rebbi’s grandson.. He came to meet him dressed in sail-cloth. He told him, go and wear your lagin²⁰⁹Greek ὀθονή “sail-cloth”., because of your eyes shall see the king in his beauty^210,Latin lacinia, ae, “edge, corner of garment, garment with fringes, ornament”, generally “garment” (E. G.).
(In other occurrences the word לגין means “bottle”, Greek λάγυνος, λάγηνος.)²¹¹The Patriarch, as member of the Davidic dynasty, should uphold the dignity of his family at all times.. Rebbi Joḥanan went to visit Rebbi Jehudah the Prince. He came to meet him dressed in a linen gown. He told him, go and wear your woolen gown, because of the king in his beauty. When he left, he told him, bring ²¹²The meaning and etymology of this word is totally unknown. The commentators see a connection with the word טעם “taste”. It may have been a question about politics since the verse quoted is explained in Midrash Prov. as referring to good political advice. Menahem Ptolemy is only mentioned in Eccl. r. ad 5:10, in a discussion with R. Ḥanina, noting that good-looking food tastes better than undistinguished food, therefore it is possible to read the passage as an exhortation to the Patriarch to also show his status by his table.עטעמה. He answered, send and get Menaḥem Ptolemy, for it is written: Graceful teaching is on her tongue²¹³Proverbs.31.26">Pr. 31:26.. Leaving, he saw Rebbi Ḥanina bar Sisi splitting wood. He told him, Rebbi, that is not fitting for you. He answered, what can I do? I have nobody to serve me. He retorted, if you have nobody to serve you, you should not have accepted ordination²¹⁴An ordained rabbi should at all times uphold the dignity of the office. Similarly, the Kiddushin.70a">Babli (Qiddušin 70a) frowns upon an ordained rabbi engaged in bodily labor in public..

תִּירְגֵּם יוֹסֵי מָעוֹנִי בִּכְנִישְׁתָּא בְּטִיבֵּרִיָּה. שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֨את הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֜ים. לָמָּה לֵית אַתּוּן לָעִין בְּאוּרַיְתָא. לָא יְהָבִית לְכוֹן כ״ד מַתַּנְתָּא. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ. לָא יְהָבִין לָן כְּלוּם. וְהַקְשִׁ֣יבוּ ׀ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל. לָמָּה לֵית אַתּוּן יְהָבִין כ״ד מַתַּנְתָּא דִפְקִידִית יַתְכוֹן בְּסִינַי. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ. מַלְכָּא נְסִיב כּוּלָּא. וּבֵ֤ית הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ הַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּ כִּ֥י לָכֶם֭ הַמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט. לָכֶם אָמַרְתִּי וְזֶ֡ה מִשְׁפַּ֨ט הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֜ים. עָתִיד אֲנִי לֵישֵׁב עִמָּהֶן בַּדִּין וּלְפַסְּקָן וּלְאַבְּדָן מִן הָעוֹלָם. שָׁמַע רִבִּי יוּדָן נְשִׂייָא וְכָעַס. דְּחַל וְעָרַק. סַלְקוֹן רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ לְפַייֵס לֵיהּ. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ. רִבִּי. גַּבְרָא רַבָּא הוּא. אָמַר לֵיהּ. אֶיפְשַׁר כָּל־מָאן דָּנָא שְׁאִיל לֵיהּ הוּא מֵגִיב לִי. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ. אִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ. מָהוּ דֵין דִּכְתִיב כִּ֤י זָֽנְתָה֙ אִמָּ֔ם. וְכִי שָׂרָה אִמֵּינוּ זוֹנָה הָֽייְתָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כְּבַת כֵּן אִמָּהּ. כְּאִמָּהּ בִּתָּהּ. כַּדּוֹר כֵּן הַנָּשִׂיא. כַּנָּשִׂיא כֵן הַדּוֹר. כַּמִּזְבֵּחַ כֹּהֲנָיו. כַּהֲנָּא אֲמַר כֵּן. כְּגִנְּתָא כֵּן גַּנָּנָהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. לָא טָב דִּקְלִיל לִי דְלָא בְאַפּוֹי חַד זְמַן. אֶלָּא בְאפַּיי תְלָתָא זִימְנִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ. מָהוּ דֵין דִּכְתִיב הִנֵּה֙ כָּל־הַמּוֹשֵׁ֔ל עָלַיִ֥ךְ יִמְשׁוֹל לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּאִמָּה֭ בִּתָּֽהּ. וְכִי אִימֵּינוּ לְאָה זוֹנָה הָֽייְתָ. דִּכְתִיב וַתֵּצֵ֤א דִינָה֙. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. לְפוּם דִּכְתִיב וַתֵּצֵ֨א לֵאָ֜ה לִקְרָאת̇וֹ. פָּֽשְׁטִין יְצִיאָה מִיצִיאָה. ²¹⁵A similar paragraph is in Gen. r. 80(1). Yose from Maon interpreted²¹⁶In the Talmudim, תרגם is only used for interpretation or translation of Scripture. One has to assume that Yose from Maon was reading Hos. 5 as Hafṭara to Genesis.34">Gen. 34 in the Palestinian 3½ year cycle of Torah reading (cf. J. Mann, The Bible as Read and Preached in the Old Synagogue I, Cincinnati 1940). One also has to assume that the Aramaic translator of the Hafṭara had the freedom to expound upon the verses read, similar to what is described in the New Testament (Luke 4:17–20). in the synagogue of Tiberias: Listen to this, you priests²¹⁷Hosea.5.1">Hos. 5:1., why do you not study Torah? Did I not give you 24 gifts²¹⁸The 24 emoluments of priesthood; cf. Hallah 4:11 (Note 146) and the sources quoted there.? They told him, they do not give us anything. And hearken, House of Israel, why do you not give the 24 gifts which I commanded you at Sinai? They told him, the king²¹⁹The Patriarch was responsible for collecting the taxes due from the Jewish population in Palestine; there is an intentional ambiguity whether king refers to the Roman Emperor or the Davidic Patriarch. takes everything. Listen, king’s court, for yours are legal proceedings, for you I did say, these are the priests’ legal rights²²⁰Deuteronomy.18.3">Deut. 18:3.; in the future I shall sit in judgment over you, to stop them and to eliminate them from the world. Rebbi Jehudah the Prince heard this and became angry. He²²¹Yose the Maonite. was afraid and fled. Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish went to appease him. They told him, Rabbi, he is a great man. He²²²The Patriarch. asked them, would it be possible that he²²¹Yose the Maonite. could answer any question which I would ask him? They told him, yes. He asked him: What is that which is written²²³Hosea.2.7">Hos. 2:7.: For their mother whored? Was our mother Sarah a whore? He answered, like daughter like mother²²⁴The text is confirmed by a Genizah fragment (M. Sokoloff, The Genizah Fragments of Bereshit Rabba, Jerusalem 1982, p. 167.) The reading in the printed editions of Gen. rabba הָכָא אָמְרֵי “here, they say” has to be rejected as lectio facilior., like mother like daughter, like generation like the prince, like the prince like the generation, like the altar like its priests. Cahana used to say²²⁴The text is confirmed by a Genizah fragment (M. Sokoloff, The Genizah Fragments of Bereshit Rabba, Jerusalem 1982, p. 167.) The reading in the printed editions of Gen. rabba הָכָא אָמְרֵי “here, they say” has to be rejected as lectio facilior., like the garden like its gardener. He told them, not only did he curse me once in my absence, but he cursed me three times in my presence! He asked him, what is that which is written²²⁵The Genizah fragment shows that instead of “like daughter like mother”, the text read כְּבַיִת כְּאוּמָּא “like dynasty like people, like generation like Prince” with the quote from the verse missing, a much more insulting formulation.: Anybody wanting to formulate a simile about you will state as follows: like mother like daughter; was our mother Leah a prostitute since it is written²²⁶Ezekiel.16.44">Ez. 16:44., Dinah went out? He told him, for it is written²²⁷Genesis.34.1">Gen. 34:1, the starting verse for the sermon. In both Galilean and Babylonian Aramaic is the prostitute called נַפְקַת בָּרָא “the one who goes out.”, Leah went out towards him. One identifies going out with going out.

רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה הֲוָה מְהַלֵּךְ בְּאוֹרְחָא. פָּגַע בֵּיהּ חַד כּוּתִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. רִבִּי. אַתְּ הוּא רַבְהוֹן דִּיהוּדָאֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. חֲמִי מַה כְתִיב שׂ֣וֹם תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֨יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ. אָשִׂים אֵין כְּתִיב אֶלָּא תָּשִׂים. דְּאַתְּ שָׁוִי עֲלָךְ. Rebbi Ḥizqiah was walking on a road when he met a Samaritan who asked him, Rabbi, are you not the head of the Jews? He answered him, yes. He said to him, look what is written: You certainly shall put a king over yourself¹⁷⁷Deuteronomy.17.15">Deut. 17:15.. It does not say “I shall put”, but “you shall put”, you appoint him over yourself²²⁹For him the role of king and all appointed officers, including rabbis, is one of human convention, without religious meaning..