Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 5:1:19

משנה: אֵילּוּ הֵן הַמְמוּנִּין שֶׁהָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. יוֹחָנָן בֶּן פִּינְחָס עַל הַחוֹתָמוֹת. אֲחִייָה עַל הַנְּסָכִים. מַתְיָה בֶּן שְׁמוּאֵל עַל הַפְּייָסוֹת. פְּתַחְיָה עַל הַקִּינִּים פְּתַחְיָה זֶה מָרְדְּכָי. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ פְּתַחְיָה שֶׁהָיָה פּוֹתֵחַ בִּדְבָרִים וְדוֹרְשָׁן וְיוֹדֵעַ בְּשִבְעִים לָשׁוֹן. בֶּן אֲחִייָה עַל חוֹלֵי מֵעַיִם. נְחוּנְייָה חוֹפֵר שִׁיחִין. גְּבִינֵי כָרוֹז. בֶּן גֶּבֶר עַל נְעִילַת שְׁעָרִים. בֶּן בֵּבָי מְמוּנֶּה עַל הַפָּקִיעַ .בֶּן אַרְזָה עַל הַצִּלְצָל. הוּגְדַּס בֶּן לֵוִי עַל הַשִּׁיר. בֵּית גַּרְמוּ עַל מַעֲשֵׂה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים. בֵּית אַבְטִינָס עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטֹרֶת. אֶלְעָזָר עַל הפָּרוֹכוֹת וּפִנְחָס הַמַּלְבִּישׁ. MISHNAH: These are the appointees who were in the Sanctuary¹The permanent officers of the Temple who organized the service which was executed by the families of the clans of Cohanim, who came to serve in turn for one week. Different in Tosephta 2:14–15.: Joḥanan ben Phineas of the seals²As explained in Mishnah 4, a person who brings an animal as sacrifice to the Temple buys from the Temple the appropriate flour and wine offerings (as detailed in Num. 15:1–12). The “seal” (or ”signature”) is a ticket stamped with one of different stamps. The worshipper buys the ticket from the keeper of seals and delivers it to the keeper of libations who then gives him the correct amount to give to the officiating priests., Aḥiyya of the libations, Mathew ben Samuel of the lotteries³The lotteries which distribute the different duties to the priests who came to serve for one week, as explained in Yoma Chapter 2., Petaḥiah of the nests⁴He organizes the sale of “nests”, couples of pigeons or turtle doves, needed for several purification rites.. Petaḥiah is Mordecai. Why was he called Petaḥiah? For he had original ideas⁵In the interpretation of biblical verses. and explained them, and he knew seventy languages⁶In Ezra2:2 and Neḥemiah7:7 in the list of returnees from Babylonia one finds Mordecai Bilshan, where the traditional interpretation is to consider the second name not as an independent (Babylonian) name but an epithet “linguist” of Mordecai. (In modern Hebrew, by mispronunciation “linguist” is balshan.) A linguist is a person who knows the languages of all of the 70 peoples enumerated in Gen. 7..
Ben Aḥiyyah for indigestion; Onias the digger of ditches, Gabinius the herald, Ben Gever for locking the doors, Ben Bevai for the oakum. Ben Arza for the cymbal, Hugdas ben Levi for the song. The family Garmu for the shew-bread, the family Eutinos for producing the incense. Eleazar for the gobelins, and Phineas the clothier.

הלכה: אֵילּוּ הֵן הַמְמוּנִּין שֶׁהָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ כול׳. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר. רִבִּי סִימוֹן וְרַבָּנִן. חַד אָמַר. כְּשֵׁירֵי דּוֹר וָדוֹר בָּא לִמְנוֹת [עֲלֵיהֶן]. וְחוֹרָנָה אָמַר. מִי שֶׁהָיָה בְאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר מָנָה מַה שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ. מָאן דְּאָמַר. כְּשֵׁירֵי כָּל־דּוֹר וָדוֹר בָּא לִמְנוֹת. עַל כּוּלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר. זֵיכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה. מָאן דְּאָמַר. מִי שֶׁהָיָה בְאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר מָנָה מַה שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ. עַל כּוּלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר. וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב׃ וְעַל מִי נֶאֱמַר זֵיכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה. עַל בֶּן קָטִין וַחֲבֵירָיו. HALAKHAH: ⁷This text is from the end of Chapter 3 in Yoma(Notes 238,239), where all textual variants are noted.“These are the appointees who were in the Sanctuary.” Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, Rebbi Simon and the rabbis. One said, he comes to enumerate the qualified ones of every generation. But the other said, he who was in a generation enumerated what was in his generation^\. He who said, he comes to enumerate the qualified ones of every generation, about all of them he says, the remembrance of the just is for blessing⁸Prov. 10:3.. He who said, he who was in a generation enumerated what was in his generation, about all of them he says, but the name of evildoers shall rot. About whom was said, the remembrance of the just is for blessing? About Ben Qaṭin⁹As mentioned in Mishnah Yoma3:11. and his kind.

אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹנָה. כְּתִיב לָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־ל֣וֹ בָֽרַבִּ֗ים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֘ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒. זֶה רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה שֶׁהִתְקִין מִדְרַשׁ הֲלָכוֹת וְהַגָּדוֹת. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים. אֵילּוּ אַנְשֵׁי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. מַה שֶׁהִתְקִין זֶה כְלָלִין וּפְרָטִין. Rebbi Jonah said, it is written¹⁰Is. 53:12. The verse continues: For he offered himself to death and counted the sinners. This applies to R. Aqiba who was a martyr and organized religious tradition in a systematic corpus.: Therefore, I shall distribute to him in public, and with the powerful he shall have part in booty, that is Rebbi Aqiba who organized interpretation of Scripture, practice, and homiletics¹¹The reading of B: Mishnah, interpretation of Scripture, and practice, seems preferable since R. Aqiba had no reputation in homiletics and as a matter of principle homiletics about biblical verses is not to be systematized.. But some say, this refers to the men of the Great Assembly, who organized principles and details¹²They find in the work of the Great Assembly the essence of Second Temple and later rabbinic Judaism, the effort to turn the mostly disjointed statements of the Torah into a systematic code of laws..

אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ. כְּתִיב מִשְׁפְּח֤וֹת סֽוֹפְרִים֙ יֹוֹשְׁבֵי יַעְבֵּ֔ץ. מַה תַלְמוּד לוֹמַר סֽוֹפְרִים֙. אֶלָּא שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה סְפוּרוֹת סְפוּרוֹת. חֲמִשָּׁה לֹא יִתְרוֹמוּ. חֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים חַייָבִין בַּחַלָּה חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה נָשִׁים פּוֹטְרוֹת צָרוֹתֵיהֶן. שְׁלשִׁים וָשֵׁשׁ כְּרֵיתוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה. שְׁלשָׁה עָשָׂר דָּבָר בְּנִבְלַת הָעוֹף הַטָּהוֹר. אַרְבַּע אֲבוֹת נְזִיקִין. אֲבוֹת מְלָאכוֹת אַרְבָּעִים חָסֵר אֶחָת Rebbi Abbahu said, it is written¹³1Chr. 2:55. The families of counters, dwellers of Yabeṣ. Why does the verse say, counters? Because they formulated the teaching numbers, numbers¹⁴In B: ciphers, ciphers.. “Five shall not lift heave.¹⁵Mishnah Terumot1:1.” “Fifteen women free their co-wives.¹⁶Mishnah Yebamot1:1.” “Thirty-six extirpations in the Torah.¹⁷Mishnah Keritut1:1.” “Thirteen matters about the carcass of a pure bird.¹⁸Mishnah Ṭehorot1:1.” “Four main categories of torts.¹⁹Mishnah Bava Qamma1:1.” “Thirty-nine categories of work.”

אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא. כְּתִיב לְעֶזְרָ֥א הַכֹּהֵ֖ן הַסּוֹפֵר. מַה תַלְמוּד לוֹמַר סוֹפֵֽר. אֶלָּא כְשֵׁם שֶׁהָיָה סוֹפֵר בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה כָּךְ הָיָה סוֹפֵר בְּדִבְרֵי חֲכָמִים. Rebbi Aḥa said, for Ezra the priest, the counter²⁰Ezra7:11.. But just as he was counting in the Torah so he was counting in the words of the Sages²¹The principles of mesorah, to fix the text of Scriptures by noting the number of occurrences of certain forms, is attributed to Ezra in Megillah4:1 (47d l. 49), Babli Megillah3a. Similarly, the fixation of mishnaiot by numbers is attributed to him..

רִבִּי חַגַּיי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחָמָן. הָרִאשׁוֹנִים חָֽרְשׁוּ וְזָֽרְעוּ נִיכְּשׁוּ כִּיסְּחוּ עִידְּרוּ קָֽצְרוּ עִימִּירוּ דָּשׁוּ זָרוּ בָּרְרוּ טָחֲנוּ הִרְקִידוּ לָשׁוּ קִיטִּיפוּ וְאָפוּ. וְאָנוּ אֵין לָנוּ פֶּה לוֹכַל. רִבִּי אַבָּא בַּר זְמִינָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעוּרָא. אִין הֲווֹן קַדְמָאֵיי מַלְאָכִין אֲנָן בְּנֵי אֵינַשׁ. וְאִין הֲווֹן בְּנֵי אֵנַשׁ אֲנָן חֲמָרִין. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא אָֽמְרִין. אֲפִילוּ לַחֲמַרְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי פִינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר לָא אִידְמִינָן. Rebbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman. The earlier generations ploughed, and sowed, and weeded, and trimmed, and hoed, cut, made sheaves, threshed, winnowed, milled, sifted, made dough, kneaded, and baked. But we do not even have a mouth to eat²²Even though the earlier generation organized the study of religious texts in a systematic way, still we have difficulty following them.. ²³From here to the end of the next paragraph the text is from Demay1:3, Notes 131–137 (ד). Rebbi Abba bar Zemina said in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: If the earlier generations were angels, we are men; if they were men, we are donkeys. Rebbi Mana said, at that moment²⁴When a great scholar ate ṭevel without suspecting that it was not tithed. they said, we are not even comparable to the she-ass of Rebbi Phineas ben Yair.

חֲמַרְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי פִינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר גְּנַבְתָהּ לִיסְטָאֵי בַלֵּילִיָּא. עֲבְדַּת טְמִירָא גַבּוֹן תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין וְלֹא טַעֲמָה כְלוּם. בְּתַר תְלָתָה יוֹמִין אִימְלָכוּן מַחְזַרְתָּהּ. אָֽמְרוּן. אַפְקוּנַהּ מִן הָכָא דְלָא תֵימוּת גָּבָּן. אַפְקוּנַהּ. אָֽזְלַת וְקָמַת לָהּ עַל תִּרְעָא דָמָרָהּ. שְׁרִייַת מְנַהֲקָה. אֲמַר לוֹן. פָּֽתְחוּן לָהָדָא עֲלִיבְתָא דְּאִית לָהּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין דְּלָא טַעֲמָה כְלוּם. פָּֽתְחוּן לָהּ וְעָלַת לָהּ. אֲמַר לוֹן. יְהָבוּ לָהּ תֵּיכוּל. יְהָבוּן קוֹמָהּ סְעָרִין וְלָא בָעַת מִיכוּל. אָֽמְרוּן לֵיהּ. רִבִּי. לָא בָעַת מִיכוּל. אֲמַר לוֹן. מְתַקְּנִין אִינּוּן. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ. אִין. אֲמַר לוֹן. וָאַרִימִיתוּן דְּמַיִין. אָֽמְרוּן לֵיהּ. לֹא כֵן אַלְפָּן רִבִּי. הַלּוֹקֵחַ זֶרַע לִבְהֵמָה קֶמַח לְעוֹרוֹת שֶׁמֶן לָאוֹר פָּטוּר מִן הַדְּמַאי. אֲמַר לוֹן. מַה נַעֲבִיד לָהָדָא עֲלִיבְתָא דְּהִיא מַחְמְרָה עָל גַּרְמָהּ סַגִּין. וָאַרִימוֹן דְּמַיִין וְאָֽכְלָת. Robbers stole the she-ass of Rebbi Phineas ben Yair at night. She was hidden with them for three days during which she did not eat anything. After three days, they took counsel to return her. They said, remove her lest she die with us. They let her out; she returned to her master’s door and started braying. He said to them, open to that poor creature because for three days now she did not taste anything. They opened for her and she entered. He said to them, give her something to eat. They put oats before her but she did not eat. They said to him, rabbi, she does not want to eat. He asked them, did you put it in order? They said: Yes. He asked them, did you remove its demay? They said, did the rabbi not teach us: “He who buys seeds for animals, flour for tanning, oil for lighting, is free from demay”? He said to them, what can we do with this poor creature since she is very restrictive for herself? They removed the demay and she ate.

פְּתַחְיָה עַל הַקִּינִּים. בּוֹא וּרְאֵה מַה גָדוֹל הוּא כוֹחוֹ שֶׁלְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ שֶׁהוּא פּוֹתֵחַ דְבָרִים וְדוֹרְשָׁן וְיוֹדֵעַ בְּשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן. תַּנֵּי. סַנְהֶדְרִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹדְעִין לְדַבֵּר וְכוּלָּן רְאוּיִין לִשְׁמוֹעַ הֲרֵי זוֹ רְאוּיָה לְסַנְהֶדְרִין. שְׁלֹשָׁה הֲרֵי זוֹ בֵינוֹנִית. אַרְבָּעָה הֲרֵי זוֹ חֲכָמָה. וּבְיַבְנֶה הָיוּ בָהּ אַרְבָּעָה. בֶּן עַזַּאי וּבֶן זוֹמָא בֶּן חֲכִינַאִי וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן מַתְיָה. Petaḥiah of the nests⁴He organizes the sale of “nests”, couples of pigeons or turtle doves, needed for several purification rites.. Come and see how great the power of this man was, for he “had original ideas⁵In the interpretation of biblical verses. and explained them, and he knew seventy languages⁶In Ezra2:2 and Neḥemiah7:7 in the list of returnees from Babylonia one finds Mordecai Bilshan, where the traditional interpretation is to consider the second name not as an independent (Babylonian) name but an epithet “linguist” of Mordecai. (In modern Hebrew, by mispronunciation “linguist” is balshan.) A linguist is a person who knows the languages of all of the 70 peoples enumerated in Gen. 7..” It was stated: A Synhedrion of which two know how to speak²⁵As a minimum two members of the Synhedrion have to be able to interrogate any witness in his own language and the rest of them have to be able to understand the answer. The Court may not use interpreters. In the Babli, Sanhedrin17b, the reference is not to the Synhedrion as Supreme Court but to any court of criminal jurisdiction. and all of them are able to hear is acceptable²⁶As a minimal requirement. as Synhedrion. Three is average, four is wise, and in Jabneh there were four, Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma, Ben Ḥanikai and Rebbi Eleazar ben Matthew.

אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא. פַּעַם אַחַת יָֽבְשָׁה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (וְקָֽלְטוּ לְגַגּוֹת צְרִיפִין.) [וְלֹא יָדְֽעוּ מֵהֵיכָן לְהָבִיא. וַהֲוָה תַמָּן חַד אִלֵּם דַּהֲוַה יְהִיב חַד יָדֵיהּ עַל גַּגּוֹת וְחָדָא יָדֵיהּ עַל צְרִיפָא. אַיְתוּנֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ דִּפְתַחָא. אֲמַר לָהוּ. אִי אֲתַר דְּמִיתְקָרֵי גַגּוֹת צְרִיפִין אוֹ צְרִיפִין גַּגּוֹת. אָֽזְלִין לְתַּמָּן וְאַשְׁכְּחוֹן.] אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. פַּעַם אַחַת נִשְׂדַף כָּל־הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין מֵאֵיכָן לְהָבִיא. וַהֲוָוה תַמָּן חַד אִילֵּם וַהֲוָה יְהִיב יָדֵיהּ עַל עֵייְנֵיהּ וְיָדֵ͏יהּ עַל סוֹכְרָא. אַיְיתוּנֵיהּ גַּבֵּי פְתַחְיָה. אֲמַר לוֹן. אִית אֲתַר דְּמִיתְקָרֵי עֵין סוֹכֵר אוֹ סוֹכֵר עַיִן. וְאָֽזְלוֹן תַּמָּן וְאַשְׁכְּחוֹן. Rav Ḥisda said, once the Land of Israel was dry (and they collected from Gaggot-Ṣerifin²⁷Mishnah Menaḥot10:2. Ṣerifin probably is Serafand in the plain NE of Jerusalem..) [and they did not know from where to bring²⁸As spelled out in the Mishnah (and B), the problem was to find barley grain for the `omer which must be brought from the produce of the Land. Babli Menaḥot64b.. There was there a mute person who put one hand on roofs and another on a shed. They brought him before Petaḥiah, who told them, is there a place called Gaggot-Ṣerifin or Ṣerifin-Gaggot? They went there and found.] Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, once the entire world<sup>29</sup>In B: The Land of Israel. The Mishnah refers to wheat grain for the Two Breads. was burned and they did not know from where to bring. There was there a mute person who put one of his hands over his eyes and one hand on a door lock. They brought him before Petaḥiah, who told them, is there a place called `Ein-Sokher³⁰A place near Sichem (Nablus.) or Sokher-Ayin. They went there and found.

שָׁלֹשׁ נָשִׁים הֵבִיאוּ קִינֵּיהֶן. אַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת. לְעֵינָתִי. וְְְאַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת לְיַמָּתִי. וְאַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת. לְזִיבָתִי. זוֹ שֶׁאָֽמְרָה. לְעֵינָתִי. סָֽבְרִין מֵימַר. שׁוֹפַעַת כְמַעֲייָן. אֲמַר לוֹן. בְּעֵייְנָהּ סְכָנָת. זוֹ שֶׁאָֽמְרָה. לְיַמָּתִי. סָֽבְרִין מֵימַר. שׁוֹפַעַת כַּיָּם. אֲמַר לוֹן. בְּיַמָּהּ סְכָנָת. זוֹ שֶׁאָֽמְרָה. לְזִיבָתִי. סָֽבְרִין מֵימַר. זָבָה מַמָּשׁ. אֲמַר לוֹן. זְאֵב בָּא לִיטּוֹל אֶת בְּנָהּ. Three women brought their nests³¹Since Petaḥiah was in charge of these, it was his duty to instruct the officiating Cohanim in the correct way to sacrifice the birds. As obligatory offerings of a woman after prolonged menstruation as zavah, one bird is to be an elevation offering and the other a purification offering. As thanksgiving offerings both birds are elevation offerings.. One said, לְעֵינָתִי; and one said, לְיַמָּתִי, and one said, לְזִיבָתִי. About the one who said ³²Since עַיִין means both “eye” and “wellhead, spring”.לְעֵינָתִי, they wanted to say, her menstrual flow is like a well. He said, she was dangerously sick in her eye. About the one who said לְיַמָּתִי, they wanted to say, her menstrual flow is like the sea. He said, she was in danger on the sea. About the one who said לְזִיבָתִי, they wanted to say, she was really a zavah³³While in Mishnaic Hebrew זִיבָה means the state of a zavah it is asserted here that after the alef became silent it also could not carry a separate vowel. Therefore זְאֵב “wolf” became זֵאב and since the ־ֵ was pronounced as η, it sounded like זִיב. More than 70 languages, the administrator of nests had to know all local dialects.. He told them, a wolf³⁴The stone floor, which was unhealthy in winter. came to snatch her son.

בֶּן אֲחִייָה עַל חוֹלֵי מֵיעַיִם. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים מְהַלְּכִין יְחֵיפִים עַל הָרִצְפָּה וְהָיוּ אוֹכְלִין בָּשָׂר וְשׁוֹתִין מַיִם הָיוּ בָאִין לִידֵי חוֹלֵי מֵיעַיִם. וַהֲוָה יְדַע אֲהֵיי דֵין חֲמַר טַב לִמְעַייָא. וְהֵיי דֵין חֲמַר סְמַס לִמְעַייָא. “Ben Aḥiyyah for indigestion.” Since the Cohanim were walking barefoot on the floor³⁴The stone floor, which was unhealthy in winter., and were eating meat³⁵Since the priests are obligated to eat the meat of all purification and reparation offerings in the Temple on the day of the sacrifice and the following night, and in addition to the meat they have only baked goods made from flour offerings and water, for the week of their service their diet is very unbalanced and unhealthy., and drinking water, they got indigestion. He knew which wine was good for the intestines and which was noxious³⁶The translation is tentative. Brill proposes to read מְמַסְמֵס “massages”. The reading of B, “eliminates intestines” is difficult to understand. for intestines.

נְחוּנְייָה חוֹפֵר שִׁיחִין. שֶׁהָיָה חוֹפֵר שִׁיחִין וּמְעָרוֹת. וַהֲוָה יְדַע הֵיי דֵין כֵּיף מְקוֹרֵר מַיָא וְהֵיי דֵין כֵּיף אִית בֵּיהּ שַׁרְבְּרוּבֵי וְעַד מַטֵּי הֵן שַׁרְבְּרוּבִיתֵיהּ מַטָייָה. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא. וּמֵת [בְּנוֹ] בַצָּמָא. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָה. מָאן דְּאָמַר דְּרַחֲמָנָא ווַתְרָן יִתְווַתְרוּן בְּנֵי מָעוֹי. אֶלָּא מַאֲרִיךְ רוּחֵיהּ וְגָבֵי דִידֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא כְּתִיב וּ֝סְבִיבָ֗יו נִשְֽׂעֲרָ֥ה מְאֹֽד. מְדַקְדֵּק עִמָּהֶן כְּחוּט הַשְּׂעָרָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵה. לֹא מִטַּעַם הַזֶּה. אֶלָּא מִן מַה דִכְתִיב וְ֝נוֹרָ֗א [הוּא] עַל־כָּל־סְבִיבָֽיו. מוֹרָאוֹ עַל הַקְּרוֹבִים יוֹתֵר מִן הָֽרְחוֹקִים. “Onias the digger of ditches.” He was digging ditches and caves³⁷To create miqwaot for pilgrims to the Temple. and knew which rock cools the water and which rock was dry and how far its dryness extended. Rebbi Aḥa said, but (he) [his son]³⁸Reading of B and the corrector, to be deleted. died of thirst. ³⁹The text also is in Yom Ṭov3:9 (Note 124, צ). Rebbi Ḥanina said, anybody who says that the All-Merciful is indulgent, his intestines shall dissolve themselves; for He is forbearing and then collects His due. Rebbi Aḥa said, it is written⁴⁰Ps. 50:3., His surroundings are very hairy. He is exact with them like a hair’s width. Rebbi Yose said, not because of this reason, but because what is written⁴¹Ps. 89:8., He is awesome on His surroundings, His fear on those near Him is greater than those far away.

רִבִּי חַגַּיי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן. מַעֲשֶׂה בְחָסִיד אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה חוֹפֵר בּוֹרוֹת שֵׁיחִין וּמְעָרוֹת לָעוֹבְרִים וְלַשָּׁבִים. פַּעַם אַחַת הָֽיְתָה בִתּוֹ עוֹבֶרֶת לְהִינָּשֵׂא וּשְׁטָפָהּ נָהָר. וַהֲווֹן כָּל־עַמָּא עָֽלְלִין לְגַבֵּיהּ בְּעַייָן מְנַחַמְתֵּיהּ וְלָא קִבֵּל עֲלוֹי מִתְנַחֲמָה. עָאַל רִבִּי פִינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר לְגַבֵּיהּ בָּעֵי מְנַחַמְתֵּיהּ וְלָא קִבֵּל עֲלוֹי מִתְנַחֲמָה. אֲמַר לוֹן. דֵּין הִינּוֹ חָסִידֵיכוֹן. אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ. רִבִּי. כָּךְ וְכָךְ הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה וְכָךְ וְכָךְ אִירַע. אָמַר. אֵיפְשַׁר שֶׁהָיָה מְכַבֵּד אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ בַמַּיִם וְהוּא מְקַפְּחוֹ בַמַּיִם. מִיַּד נָֽפְלָה הֲבָרָה בָעִיר. בָּאָת בִּתּוֹ שֶׁלְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ. אִית דְּאָֽמְרִין. בְּשׁוּכְתָּא אִיתְעֲרִייַת. וְאִית דְּאָֽמְרִין. מַלְאַךְ יָרַד כִּדְמוּת רִבִּי פִינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר וְהִצִּילָהּ. ⁴²This also is from Demay1:3 (Note 150) and similarly in Deut. rabba3. Rebbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman: It happened that a pious person used to dig cisterns, ditches, and caves for travellers. Once, his daughter travelled to marry⁴⁴To sing at the daily sacrifices. and she was swept away by a river. All the people came to him and wanted to console him, but he refused to be consoled. Rebbi Phineas ben Yair came to him and wanted to console him, but he refused to be consoled. He told them, is that your pious man? They said to him: Rabbi, such and such he did, such and such happened to him. He replied: It is impossible that he would honor his Creator by water and He hurts him by water! Immediately, there started a rumor in the town that the man’s daughter had returned. Some say, she got trapped in a hedge of thorns, others say that an angel came in the appearance of Rebbi Phineas ben Yair and saved her.

גְּבִינֵי כָרוֹז. שֶׁהָיָה מַכְרִיז בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. מֶה הָיָה אוֹמֵר. הַכֹּהֲנִים לָעֲבוֹדָה וְהַלְּוִיִּם לְדוּכָן וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעֲמָד. אַגְרִיפַּס הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁמַע קוֹלוֹ עַד שְׁמוֹנֶה פַרְסָאוֹת וְנָתַן לוֹ מַתָּנוֹת הַרְבֶּה. “Gabinius the herald.” He was announcing in the Temple. What did he say? “The Cohanim to the service, and the Levites to the podium⁴⁴To sing at the daily sacrifices., and Israel to stand by⁴⁵Representing the entire people for whom the sacrifices were brought, in later Second Temple times a delegation of the people from the district of the week’s Cohanim was present during the offering of the daily sacrifices..” King Agrippas heard his voice at a distance of eight parasangs⁴⁶Using Egyptian measures this would be about 36 km. B (but not M) reads “one parasang”, about 4.5 km. and gave him rich gifts.

בֶּן גֶּבֶר עַל נְעִילַת שְׁעָרִים. תִּירְגֵּם רַב קוֹמֵי דְבֵית רִבִּי שִׁילָה. קָרָא גַבְרָא. אַכְרִיז כָּרוֹזָא. אָֽמְרוּן לֵיהּ. קָרָא תַּרְנוּגְלָא. אֲמַר לוֹן. וְהָתַנִּינָן בֶּן גֶּבֶר. אִית לָךְ מֵימַר בַּר תַּרְנוּגְלָא. “Ben Gever for locking the doors.” Rav explained for the House of Rebbi Shila, “when gever called⁴⁷Mishnah Yoma1:8.” as “when the herald proclaimed.” They said to him, “when the rooster called.” He said to them, did we not state “Ben Gever”? Could you say, “the son of the rooster”?

בֶּן בֵּבָי עַל הַפָּקִיעַ. שֶׁהָיָה מְזַוֵיג אֶת הַפְּתִילוֹת. רִבִּי יוֹסֵה עָאַל לְכוּפְרָה. בְּעָא מַמְנִייָא עֲלֵיהוֹן פַּרְנָסִין וְלָא קִבְּלוּן מִינֵּיהּ. עָאַל וְאָמַר קוֹמֵיהוֹן. בֶּן בֵּבָי עַל הַפָּקִיעַ. וּמַה אִם זֶה שֶׁנִּתְמַנֶּה עַל הַפְּתִילֹות זָכָה לְהִימָּנוֹת עִם גְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר. אַתֶּם שֶׁאַתֶּם מִתְמַנִּין עַל חַיֵּי נְפָשׁוֹת לֹא כָל־שֶׁכֵּן. “Ben Bevay for the oakum, he was threading the wicks⁴⁸This is from Yoma2:2, Note 106.. ⁴⁹This text is from Peah8:7, Notes 94–96 (פ). Rebbi Yose went up to Kufra and wanted to appoint providers⁵⁰Overseers of charity. there, but they did not accept. He came and said before them: “Ben Bavai over the oakum.” If this one had been appointed over the wicks and therefore merited to be counted with the leaders of his generation, you who are being appointed over the lives of people, so much more.

בֶּן אַרְזָה עַל הַצִּלְצָל. כַּהִיא דְתַנִּינָן תַּמָּן. הֵנִיף הַסְּגָן בַּסּוּדָרִין וְהִקִּישׁ בֶּן אַרְזָא בַּצִּלְצָל. “Ben Arza for the cymbal;” as we have stated there⁵¹Mishnah Tamid7:3., “the executive officer waves a sheet and Ben Arza plays the cymbal.”

הוּגְדַּס בֶּן לִֵוי עַל הַשִּׁיר. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא. נְעִימָה יְתֵירָה הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ. וְאָֽמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל הוּגְדַּס בֶּן לֵוִי שֶׁהָיָה מַנְעִים אֶת קוֹלוֹ בַזֶּמֶר. וּכְשֶׁהָיָה נוֹעֵץ גּוֹדְלוֹ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו הָיָה מוֹצִיא כַמָּה מִינֵי זֶמֶר והָיוּ אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים נִזְקָרִין לוֹ בַת רֹאשׁ. “Hugdas ben Levi for the song.” Rebbi Aḥa said, he knew a special melody. When he put his thumb in his mouth he produced all kinds of sounds and the heads of his fellow Levites were taken aback.

בֵּית אַבְטִינָס עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטוֹרֶת. שֶׁלְבֵּית אַבְטִינָס הָיוּ בְקִיאִין בְפִיטּוּם הַקְּטוֹרֶת וּבְמַעֲלֶה הֶעָשָׁן וְלֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד. שָֽׁלְחוּ וְהֵבִיאוּ אוּמָנִים מֵאַלֶכְּסַנְדְרִיאָה וְהָיוּ בְקִיאִין בְפִיטּוּם הַקְּטוֹרֶת. וּבְמַעֲלֶה עָשָׁן לֹא הָיוּ בְקִיאִין. שֶׁלְבֵּית אַבְטִינָס הָֽיְתָה מְתַמֶּרֶת וְעוֹלָה וּפּוֹסָה וְיוֹרֶדֶת. וְשֶׁלְאֵילוּ הָֽיְתָה פוֹסָה מִיַּד. כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּֽדְעוּ חֲכָמִים בַּדָּבָר אָֽמְרוּ. כָּל־מַה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ בָּרָא. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כֹּ֚ל הַנִּקְרָ֣א בִשְׁמִ֔י וְלִכְבוֹדִ֖י בְּרָאתִ֑יו וגו׳. שָֽׁלְחוּ אַחֲרֵיהֵם וְלֹא רָצוּ לָבוֹא עַד שֶׁכָּֽפְלוּ לָהֶן שְׂכָרָן. שְׁנֵים עַשָׂר מְנָה הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין וְנָֽתְנוּ לָהֶן עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר. עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין וְנָֽתְנוּ לָהֶן אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה. אָֽמְרוּ לָהֶן. מִפְּנֵי מַה אֵין אַתֶּם רוֹצִין לְלַמֵּד. אָֽמְרוּ לָהֶן. מְסוֹרֶת בְּיָדֵינוּ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁהַבַּיִת הַזֶּה עָתִיד לִיחָרֵב. שֶׁלֹּא יִלְמְדוּ אֲחֵרִים וְיִהְיוּ עוֹשִׂין כֵּן בִּפְנֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶן. בִּדְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ מַזְכִּירִין אוֹתָן לִשְׁבָח. שֶׁלֹּא יָצָאת אִשָּׁה מִשֶּׁלְּאֶחָד מֵהֶן מְבוּשֶׂמֶת מֵעוֹלָם. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא כְשֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶן נוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר הָיָה פוֹסֵק עִמָּהּ עַל מְנָת שֶׁלֹּא תִתְבַּשֵּׂם. [שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ אוֹמְרִים. מִמַּעֲשֶׂה פִטּוּם הַקְּטוֹרֶת הֵן מִתְבַּשְּׂמוֹת. לְקַייֵם מַה שֶׁנֶּאֲמַר. וִֽהְיִתֶ֧ם נְקִיִּ֛ים מֵֽיי וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל.] “The family Eutinos were experts in preparing the incense and the smoke-creating herb, but they did not want to teach. They sent and brought craftsmen from Alexandria who were experts in preparing the incense but were not experts in the smoke-creating herb. The family Eutinos’s was going straight up, and spread, and descended. But theirs was immediately spreading. When the Sages realized the situation, they said, everything which the Holy One, praise to Him, created, he created to His glory; as it is said⁵⁴Is.43:7., all which is called by My Name, etc. They sent after them, but they refused to come until they doubled their wages. They used to take twelve mina, so they gave them twenty-four. Rebbi Jehudah says, they used to take 24, so they gave them 48. They asked them, why do you not want to teach? They answered them, there is a tradition among us from our forefathers that this Temple will be destroyed in the future. Others should not learn and prepare the same before their foreign worship. In the following matter one mentions them for praise, that no woman of any of them ever went out perfumed. Not only that, but if one of them married a woman from outside, he contracted with her that she should not use perfume, [that one should not say, they perfume themselves from the compounding of incense, to confirm what is said, you shall be innocent in the eyes of the Eternal and of Israel.]

אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵה. מָצָאתִי תִינּוֹק אֶחָד מִשֶּׁלְּבֵּית אַבְטִינָס. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ. בְּנִי. מֵאֵי זֶה מִשְׁפָּחָה אַתְּ. אָמַר לִי. מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת פְּלוֹנִית. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ. בְּנִי. אֲבוֹתֶיךְ לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְכַּווְנוּ לְרַבּוֹת כְּבוֹדָן וּלְמָעֵט כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם לְפִיכָךְ כְּבוֹדָם נִתְמָעֵט וּכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם נִתְרַבָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה. שָׂח לִי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לוּגה. מְלַקֵּט הָיִיתִי עֲשָׂבִים אֲנִי וְתִינּוֹק אֶחָד מִשֶּׁלְּבֵּית אַבְטִינָס. וְרָאִיתִי אוֹתוֹ שֶׁבָּכָה וְרָאִיתִי אוֹתוֹ שֶׁשָּׂחַק. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ. בְּנִי. לָמָּה בָכִיתָה. אָמַר לִי. עַל כְּבוֹד בֵּית אַבָּא שֶׁנִּתְמָעֵט. וְלָמָּה שָׂחַקְתָּה. אָמַר לִי. עַל הַכָּבוֹד הַמְתוּקָּן לַצַּדִּיקִים לְעָתִיד לְבוֹא. [וּמָה רָאִיתָ.] הֲרֵי מַעֲלֶה עָשָׁן לְנֶגְדִּי. נוֹמֵיתִי לוֹ. בְּנִי. הַרְאֵהוּ לִי. אָמַר לִי. רִבִּי. מְסוֹרֶת בְּיָדִי מֵאֲבוֹתַיי שֶׁלֹּא לְהַרְאוֹתוֹ לְבִירְייָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי. פָּגַע בִּי זָקֵן [אֶחָד] מִשֶּׁלְבֵּית אַבְטִינָס [וּמְגִילַּת סַמָּנִים בְיָדוֹ.] אָמַר לִי. רִבִּי. לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיוּ בֵית אַבָּא צְנוּעִין וְהָיוּ מוֹסְרִין אֶת הַמְגִילָּה הַזֹּאת אֵילּוּ לָאֵילּוּ. וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁאֵינָן נֶאֱמָנִין הֵילָךְ אֶת הַמְגִילָּה והִיזָּהֵר בָּהּ. וּכְשֶׁבָּאתִי וְהִרְצֵיתִי הַדְּבָרִים לִפְנֵי רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה זָֽלְגוּ עֵינָיו דְּמָעוֹת וְאָמַר. מֵעַתָּה אֵין אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְהַזְכִּירָן לִגְנַאי. Rebbi Yose said, I found a child of the family Eutinos. I said to him, my son, from which family are you? he told me, from family X. I said to him, my son, because your forefathers intended to increase their prestige and to decrease Heaven’s prestige, therefore their prestige was diminished and Heaven’s prestige increased. Rebbi Aqiba said, Simeon ben Lagos told me, I was collecting herbs, I and a youth from the family Eutinos, when I saw him crying and laughing. I said to him, my son, why did you cry? He said to me, about the prestige of my family which is diminished. And why did you laugh? About the glory prepared for the Just in the future world. [What did you see?] There is smoke-creating herb before me! I said to him, my son, show it to me. He answered me, I have a tradition from my ancestors not to show it to any creature.’ Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri said, I met an old man from the family Eutinos [who held a scroll about chemicals.]. He said to me, ‘Rabbi. In the past my family were humble, and transmitting this scroll one to the other. But now they are not trustworthy; here the scroll is yours and take care of it.’ When I came and repeated these words before Rebbi Aqiba, his tears flowed and he said, from now on we do not have to mention them for shame.

אֶלְעָזָר עַל הַפָּרוֹכוֹת. שֶׁהָיָה מְמוּנֶּה עַל אוֹרְגֵי פְרָכוֹת. פִּנְחָס הַמַּלְבִּישׁ. שֶׁהָיָה מַלְבִּישׁ בִּגְדֵי כְהוּנָה גְּדוֹלָה. מַעֲשֶׂה בְכֹהֵן אֶחָד שֶׁהִלְבִּישׁ לְאִיסְטְרַטְיוֹט אֶחָד וְנָתָן לוֹ שְׁמוֹנָה זְהוּבִין. וְאִית דְּאָֽמְרִין. תְּרֵי עָשָׂר יְהִב לֵיהּ. “Eleazar for the gobelins,” he was appointed to oversee the weavers of the gobelins. “Phineas the clothier.” He clothed the garments of the High Priesthood. It happened that a Cohen dressed a general⁵⁵Greek στρατιώτης. who gave him 8 pieces of gold, and some say, he gave him twelve.