משנה: אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מִי יְגַלֶּה עָפָר מֵעֵינֶיךָ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּיי. שֶׁהָיִיתָ דוֹרֵשׁ כָּל־יָמֶיךָ שֶׁלֹּא עָבַד אִיּוֹב אֶת הַמָּקוֹם אֶלָּא מִיִּרְאָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אִישׁ תָּם וְיָשָׁר וִירֵא אֱלֹהִים וְסָר מֵרָע. וַהֲרֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּלְמִיד תַּלְמִידְךָ לִימֵּד שֶׁמֵּאַהֲבָה עָשָׂה. MISHNAH: Rebbi Joshua said, who would remove the dust from your eyes, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai, since all your days you explained that Job served the Omnipresent only out of fear, as it was said: “A man, artless and straight, fearing God and fleeing from evil152Job.1.1">Job 1:1.”; but behold, Joshua, your student’s student153It is not clear whose student Joshua ben Hyrkanos was. He probably is not mentioned anywhere else in tannaïtic literature. deduced that he did it out of love!
הלכה: אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מִי יְגַלֶּה עָפָר מֵעֵינֶיךְ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זָכַּיי כול׳. אֵימָתַי הָיָה אִיּוֹב. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ בְשֵׁם בַּר קַפָּרָא. בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ הָיָה. הָדָא הִיא דִּכְתִיב אִישׁ הָיָה בְאֶרֶץ עוּץ אִיּוֹב שְׁמוֹ. וּכְתִיב אֶת עוּץ בְּכוֹרוֹ. רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר. בִּימֵי אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב. וְדִינָה הָֽיְתָה אִשְׁתּוֹ. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב כְּדַבֵּר אַחַת הַנְּבָלוֹת תְּדַבֵּרִי. וּכְתִיב כִּי נְבָלָה עָשָׂה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל. רִבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר. בִּימֵי הַשְּׁבָטִים הָיָה. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב אֲשֶׁר חֲכָמִים יַגִּידוּ וְלֹא כִחֲדוּ מֵאֲבוֹתָם. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא אָמַר. בִּירִידָתָן לְמִצְרַיִם הָיָה וּבַעֲלִייָתָן מֵת. מָשָׁל לְרוֹעֶה שֶׁבָּא זְאֵב וְנִזְדַּװֵג לְצֹאנוֹ. מַה עָשָׂה. הֶעֱמִיד תַּייִשׁ אֶחָד לְנֶגְדּוֹ. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב. יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל וְעַל יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵינִי. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל. אִיּוֹב מֵעַבְדֵי פַּרְעֹה הָיָה וּמִגְדוֹלֵי פַמִילִייָא שֶׁלּוֹ הָיָה. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב הַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר י֙י וגו׳. וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ אִישׁ תָּם וְיָשָׁר וִירֵא אֱלֹהִים וְסָר מֵרָע. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר. בִּימֵי שְׁפוֹט הַשּׁוֹפְטִים הָיָה. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב הֵן אַתֶּם כּוּלְּכֶם חֲזִיתְם וְלָמָּה זֶה הֶבֶל תֶּהְבָּלוּ. חֲזִיתֶם מַעֲשֶׂה דוֹרִי. שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹטְלִין מַעֲשֵׂר בְּגָרְנוֹת. אָהַבְתָּ אֶתְנָן עַל כָּל־גָּרְנוֹת דָגָן. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן. בִּימֵי מַלְכַת שְׁבָא הָיָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתִּפֹּל שְׁבָא וַתִקָּחֵם. רִבִּי נָתָן אָמַר. בִּימֵי כַּשְׂדִּים הָיָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כַּשְׂדִּים שָׂמוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה רָאשִׁים. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אָמַר. בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֶרוֹשׁ הָיָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יְבַקְּשׁוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ נְעָרוֹת בְּתוּלוֹת טוֹבוֹת מַרְאֶה. וּכְתִיב וְלֹא נִמְצָא נָשִׁים כִּבְנוֹת אִיּוֹב. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר. מֵעוֹלֵי גוֹלָה הָיָה. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר. מֵעוֹלֵי גוֹלָה הָיָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה. לְפוּם כֵּן רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן לָמַד מִמֶּנּוּ הִילְכוֹת אֶבֶל. וַיָּקָם אִיּוֹב וַיִקְרַע אֶת מְעִילוֹ. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן פָּזִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. מִיכָּן שֶׁאָבֵל צָרִיךְ לִקְרוֹעַ מְעוּמָּד. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי חִייָה. הָיָה לִי בְעוֹלָמִי גוֹי אֶחָד צַדִּיק וְנָתַתִּי לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ וּפְטָֽרְתִּיו מֵעוֹלָמִי. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר. אִיּוֹב לֹא הָיָה וְלֹא עָתִיד לִחְיוֹת. מִחְלְפָה שִׁיטָּתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. תַּמָּן אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ בְשֵׁם בַּר קַפָּרָא. בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ הָיָה. וְהָכָא הוּא אָמַר הָכֵין. אֶלָּא הוּא הָיָה וִייסוּרִין לֹא הָיוּ. וְלָמָּה נִכְתְּבוּ עָלָיו. אֶלָּא לוֹמַר שֶׁאִילּוּלֵי בָאוּ עָלָיו הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד בָּהֵן. HALAKHAH: “Rebbi Joshua said, who would remove the dust from your eyes, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai,” etc. 154The parallel is in Babli, Baba Batra 15a/b. When was Job? Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish in the name of Bar Qappara: He was in the days of our father Abraham; that is what is written: “155Job.1.1">Job 1:1. A man was in the land of Oz, his name was Job.” And it is written, “156Gen. 23:21, in the list of Aramean Naḥor tribes. Oz his firstborn.” Rebbi Abba said157In the Babli, this is the opinion of R. Nathan in an alternate version., in the days of our father Jacob and Dinah was his wife; that is what is written: “158Job.2.10">Job 2:10. You speak like one of the impious ones”, and it is written: “159Genesis.34.7">Gen. 34:7. For an impiety he did in Israel.” Rebbi Levi said, he was in the days of the tribes; that is what is written: “160Job. 15:18. The previous verse ends: This I have seen, I shall tell it; the verses are interpreted as referring to Judah and Reuben who confessed their sins; cf. Sotah 1:4:4" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sotah.1.4.4">Chapter 1, Note 195. What Sages would tell, they did not conceal from their fathers.” Rebbi Yose ben Ḥalaphta said, he was born when they descended into Egypt and he died when they left161This is an anonymous tannaïtic opinion in the Babli. The traditional duration of the tribes’ stay in Egypt is 210 years; cf. the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, pp. 283–284. Job lived another 140 years after his tribulations (Job.42.16">Job 42:16). Since God gave double restitution for everything he had lost, it is concluded that he suffered in his 70th year and lived for 210 years.. A parable of a shepherd when a wolf came and attacked his flock. What did he do? He put up a ram against him162In the Sotah.14b">Babli, 14b, this is hinted at by the statement that Job’s goats were able to attack wolves, being supernaturally safe from predators.. That is what is written: “163Job.16.11">Job 16:11. He delivered me to the evil one, he threw me amongst evildoers.” Rebbi Ismael stated: Job was one of Pharao’s servants, a great one in his government164In the later Midrash, Ex. rabba1(12), this is extended to include in Pharao’s council Bileam, who voted for killing the Jewish children and was killed, Job who abstained from voting and suffered, and Jethro who voted against Pharao’s decree and was rewarded in that his descendants sat in the Synhedrion.’165Familia as a term for government is from the time of the principate when the emperor ran the state by his freedmen and slaves, his familia.. That is what is written: “166Exodus.9.20">Ex. 9:20. One who feared the word of the Eternal etc.”, and it is written about him, “155Job.1.1">Job 1:1. a man, artless and straight, fearing God and fleeing from evil152Job.1.1">Job 1:1.”. Rebbi Yose bar Jehudah167In the Babli, R. Eleazar. says, he was in the days when the Judges judged; that is what is written: “Behold, you all did see, why do you turn all into vapor168Job.27.12">Job 27:12..” You saw what my generation did, that they collect tithes on the threshing floors; “you loved whore’s wages on all grain threshing floors169Hosea.9.1">Hos. 9:1. Since it is in the hand of the farmer to whom to give his tithes; the Levite or Cohen who comes to the threshing floor to collect his tithes is an extortionist (Cf. Demay 6:3, Note 69)..” Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan170In the Babli, R. Nathan.: He was in the days of the queen of Seba, as it is said: “Seba attacked and took them171Job.1.15">Job 1:15..” Rebbi Nathan172In the Babli, the anonymous Sages. said, he was in the days of the Chaldeans, as it is said: “The Chaldeans attacked from three sides.173Job.1.17">Job 1:17.” Rebbi Joshua ben Qorḥa174Same argument in the Babli. said, he was in the days of Asuerus, as it is said: “One shall look for beautiful virgins for the king175Esther.2.2">Esth. 2:2..” And it is written, “no women were found like Job’s daughters176Job.42.15">Job 42:15..” Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, he was of the returnees of the diaspora. Rebbi Joḥanan said, He was of the returnees from the diaspora and was a Jew177In the Babli, R. Joḥanan and R. Eleazar.. Therefore Rebbi Joḥanan learned from him the rules of mourning. “Job got up and tore his coat178Job.1.20">Job 1:20.”; Rebbi Jehudah ben Pazi in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: From here [one learns] that a mourner has to tear [his garment] while standing179In Mo‘ed Qaṭan 3:7, Sotah.20b">Babli 20b, the verse is quoted without asking whether Job was Jewish or not.. Rebbi Ḥiyya180In the Babli this is an anonymous tannaïtic statement. stated: In My world I had one just Gentile, I gave him his reward and removed him from My world181Since Job, in contrast to Jewish saintly persons, received his reward in this world, he seems to be excluded from the World to Come.. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish182In the Sotah.14a">Babli, 14a, this is the opinion of an anonymous author who proves that Scripture in effect contains tales that do not correspond to reality, such as Nathan’s tale of the poor man and his sheep. said, Job did not exist and will never live. The opinion of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish is inconsistent: There, Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said in the name of Bar Qappara: He was in the days of our father Abraham, but here he says so? But he did exist but his suffering did not. Then why is it written about him? To tell you that if it had come upon him, he would have withstood it.
דָּרַשׁ רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה. וַיִּחַר אַף אֱלִיהוּא בֶן בַּרַכְאֵל הַבּוּזִי מִמַּשִׁפָּחַת רָם. אֱלִיהוּא זֶה בִּלְעָם. בֶּן בַּרַכְאֵל. שֶׁבָּא לְקַלֵּל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵירְכָן. וְלֹא אָבָה יי֨ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶל בִּלְעָם. הַבּוּזִי. שֶׁהָֽיְתָה נְבוּאָתוֹ בְזוּיָה. נוֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינַיִם. מִמִּשְׁפָּחַת רָם. מִן אֲרָם יַנְחֵינִי בָלָק. אָמַר לוֹ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה. אִין הוּא הוּא. כְּבָר כִּסָּה עָלָיו הַמָּקוֹם. וְאִין לֵית הוּא הוּא. עָתִיד לְהִתְוַכֵּחַ עִמָּךְ. אֶלָּא אֱלִיהוּא זֶה יִצְחָק. בֶּן בַּרַכְאֵל. בֶּן שֶׁבֵּירְכוֹ הָאֵל. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְּבָרְכֵהוּ יי֨. הַבּוּזִי. שֶׁבִּיזָּה כָל בָּתֵּי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְשָׁעָה שֶׁנֶּעֱקַד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. מִמִּשְׁפָּחַת רָם. בֶּן אַבְרָם. Rebbi Aqiba explained: “Elihu Ben Barakhel the Buzite from the family Ram got angry.183Job.32.2">Job32:2.” Elihu that is Bileam. Ben Barakhel, who came to curse Israel but blessed them. The Buzite184From the root בוז “to insult, to degrade”., whose prophecy was degraded, “who falls down open-eyed.185Numbers.24.4">Num. 24:4.” From the family Ram, “from Aram did Balaq lead me186Numbers.23.7">Num. 23:7..” Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah said to him, if he is he, then the Omnipresent already covered it up. If he is not he, in the future [world] he will argue with you. But Elihu that is Isaac. Ben Barakhel, the son whom God blessed, as it was said: “The Eternal had blessed him187Genesis.26.12">Gen. 26:12. In the Babli, Baba Batra15b, the consensus it that Elihu was Jewish; cf. Tosaphot s. v. אליהוא. Some commentators note that Genesis.25.11">Gen.25:11 would have been a better quote since it mentions Isaac’s status as son and uses the term Elohim, contained in the name, and not YHWH, as in Genesis.26.12">Gen.26:12.”. The Buzite184From the root בוז “to insult, to degrade”., who degraded all temples of foreign worship at the moment he was bound on the altar. From the family Ram, the son of Abram.
מֹשֶׁה כָתַב חֲמִשָּׁה סִיפְרֵי תוֹרָה. וְחָזַר וְכָתַב פָּרָשַׁת בָּלָק וּבִלְעַם. וְכָתַב סִפְרוֹ שֶׁל אִיּוֹב. Moses wrote the five books of the Torah and added the chapters about Balaq and Bileam. He also wrote the book of Job188The same statement in the Babli, Baba Batra 13b; only that the last eight verses of the Torah are attributed to Joshua. The chapter about Balaq and Bileam is a recitation of facts, ostensibly not needed as part of the Law..
אִישׁ תָּם וְיָשָׁר וִירֵא אֱלֹהִים וְסָר מֵרָע. אָמַר רִבִּי תַחְלִיפָא קַיְסָרִיָּא. שֶׁהָיָה װַתְּרָן. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי זְעִירָא. וּמָאן דְּלֵית הוּא װַתְּרָן לֵית הוּא כָשֵׁר. אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה מְװַתֵּר עַל קִלְלָתוֹ. “ “A man, artless and straight, fearing God and fleeing from evil152Job.1.1">Job 1:1.”. Rebbi Taḥlifa from Caesarea said, he was conciliatory. Rebbi Ze‘ira said to him, is a person who is not conciliatory not acceptable? But he was conciliatory even if cursed189Since it is forbidden to hate one’s neighbor in one’s heart (Leviticus.19.17">Lev.19:17), if the verse attests that he was “fleeing from evil”, this proves that even that prohibition he did not fail to honor.
In the Babli, Baba Batra 15b, Megillah.28a">Megillah 28a, he is declared to have been conciliatory in money matters..