תשובת הרב ברוין בענין קריאה בספרים החיצונים

MISHNA: All of the Jewish people, even sinners and those who are liable to be executed with a court-imposed death penalty, have a share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And your people also shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land forever; the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, for My name to be glorified” (Isaiah 60:21). And these are the exceptions, the people who have no share in the World-to-Come, even when they fulfilled many mitzvot: One who says: There is no resurrection of the dead derived from the Torah, and one who says: The Torah did not originate from Heaven, and an epikoros, who treats Torah scholars and the Torah that they teach with contempt. Rabbi Akiva says: Also included in the exceptions are one who reads external literature, and one who whispers invocations over a wound and says as an invocation for healing: “Every illness that I placed upon Egypt I will not place upon you, for I am the Lord, your Healer” (Exodus 15:26). By doing so, he shows contempt for the sanctity of the name of God and therefore has no share in the World-to-Come.

§ The mishna teaches that Rabbi Akiva says: Also one who reads external literature has no share in the World-to-Come. The Sages taught in a baraita: This is a reference to reading books of heretics. Rav Yosef says: It is also prohibited to read the book of ben Sira, due to its problematic content. Abaye said to Rav Yosef: What is the reason that it is prohibited to read the book of ben Sira? If we say that it is prohibited due to the fact that ben Sira wrote in it: Do not flay the skin of the fish from its ear, so that its skin does not go to ruin, but roast it on the fire and eat with it two loaves of bread, and you believe it to be nonsense, that is not a sufficient reason. If your difficulty is from its literal meaning, that does not pose a difficulty, as in the Torah, God also wrote: “You shall not destroy its trees” (Deuteronomy 20:19). It is prohibited to destroy both trees and fish skin arbitrarily. If your difficulty is from its homiletic interpretation as a euphemism, ben Sira is teaching us proper conduct: A man should not engage in sexual intercourse in an atypical manner, i.e., anal intercourse, with his wife, as it causes her discomfort. Rather, perhaps the book poses a difficulty because it is written there: A daughter is for her father false treasure; due to fear for her he will not sleep at night: During her minority, lest she be seduced; during her young womanhood lest she engage in licentiousness; once she has reached her majority, lest she not marry; once she marries, lest she have no children; once she grows old, lest she engage in witchcraft (Ben Sira 42:11–14). Perhaps you believe that one should not say this to the father of daughters. Didn’t the Sages also say it with regard to women? They said: It is impossible for the world to exist without males and without females; nevertheless, happy is one whose children are males and woe unto him whose children are females. Rather, perhaps the book poses a difficulty because it is written there: Do not introduce anxiety into your heart, as anxiety has killed mighty men (Ben Sira 14:1; 30:29). Didn’t Solomon already say it in the verse: “Anxiety in a man’s heart dejects him [yashḥena]” (Proverbs 12:25)? Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi interpret the term homiletically and read it as yesiḥenna. One says that it means: He shall remove it [yesiḥenna] from his mind, and that will ease his anxiety. And one says: He shall tell it [yesiḥenna] to others, and that will ease his anxiety. Both agree with the statement of ben Sira. Rather, perhaps the book poses a difficulty because it is written there: Prevent the multitudes from inside your house, and do not bring everyone into your house (Ben Sira 11:37). But didn’t Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi also say it, as it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: A person should never have many friends inside his house, as it is stated: “There are friends that one has to his own detriment” (Proverbs 18:24), as through his association with them he will become weak and be ruined. Rather, perhaps the book poses a difficulty because it is written there: A sparse-bearded man is clever; a thick-bearded man is a fool. One who blows on his cup is not thirsty. One who said: With what will I eat bread, take the bread from him. One who has a passage in his beard, the entire world is unable to overcome him. Abaye suggests: Due to all this nonsense, it is not appropriate to read this book. Rav Yosef says: Even though there are passages in the book that are inappropriate, we teach the superior matters that are in it even in public. A good wife is a good gift; she will be given into the bosom of a God-fearing man (Ben Sira 26:3). A bad wife is leprosy for her husband. What is his remedy? He shall chase her from his house and will be healed from his leprosy (Ben Sira 25:30). A beautiful wife, happy is her husband; the number of his days is doubled (Ben Sira 26:1). Due to his happiness, it is as though his life is twice as long. We also teach what it states there: Avert your eyes from a woman of grace, lest you be trapped in her snare. Turn not to her husband to mix wine and strong drink with him, as many have been corrupted by the beauty of the beautiful woman, and mighty are all her fatalities (Ben Sira 9:9–11). Many are the wounds of a peddler (Ben Sira 11:36), which in this context is referring to those who accustom others to matters of forbidden sexual relations. Like a spark ignites a coal (Ben Sira 11:43), like a cage full of birds, so too, their houses are filled with deceit (Ben Sira 11:36–37). Prevent the multitudes from inside your house, and do not bring everyone into your house (Ben Sira 11:37). Let many be those who greet you; reveal your secrets to one in a thousand. From she who lies in your bosom guard the openings of your mouth, i.e., do not tell her everything. Grieve not about tomorrow’s trouble, because you know not what a day may bring; perhaps tomorrow you will no longer be, and one will have worried about a world that is not his. The verse states: “All the days of the poor are terrible” (Proverbs 15:15). The book of ben Sira says: Also the nights are terrible, as then the poor person worries. The poor person’s roof is among the lowest roofs in the city, and in the elevation of the hills is his vineyard, at the highest point, as those are of the lowest quality and consequently the least expensive places for each. From the rain on the roofs of the entire city, water will flow down to his roof and dampen it, and the soil of his vineyard is eroded by the rain and swept down to other vineyards.

(2) The worshipers of false gods have composed many texts concerning their service, [describing] what is the essence of their service, what practices are involved, and what are its statutes. The Holy One, blessed be He, has commanded us not to read those books at all, nor to think about them or any matters involved with them.
It is even forbidden to look at the image of an idol, as [Leviticus 19:4] states: "Do not turn to the idols." In this regard, [Deuteronomy 12:30] states: "[Be careful]... lest you seek to find out about their gods, saying, 'How did they serve them.' This prohibits inquiring about the nature of their service even if you, yourself, do not serve them. This matter will ultimately cause you to turn to [the false god] and worship it as they do, as [the above verse continues]: "so that I will do the same."

(1) Regarding "Greek wisdom" which one is to distance oneself from, and those well-known books like "Physics" and "Metaphysics" [from Aristotle]:

(2) From that which is described in the Talmud there (Sotah 49b, Bava Kamma 82b, Menachot 64b), where they forbade [Greek wisdom] on account of what happened when Jerusalem was besieged. They [in Jerusalem] would lower a basket of golden dinars every day over the wall, and [the Romans] would send back sheep for the Tamid offering. There was an old man there who knew Greek wisdom, and mocked them in Greek wisdom that so long as the Jews practiced Temple worship, they would never be defeated. So they sent [instead of sheep] a pig. At that moment, they declared that cursed is a person who raises pigs [in Israel], and cursed is one who teaches his son Greek wisdom. The Talmud then asks, "Is that so? But isn't there a statement 'Why would one speak the Syriac [Sursi] language? One should speak either the sacred tongue, Hebrew, or the Greek language!'" The Talmud answers that references to Greek language are one thing, and references to Greek wisdom is another. From that we see that books were never included in that decree, for if its that they are written in Greek, that was not the prohibition, and all of them were fluent in it. And to the contrary, it says in the Talmud (Megillah 18a) that the Greek language is kosher for everyone [to read the megillah in]. And if the problem is the wisdom itself, what does that have to do with the elder who mocked them in Greek? Therefore, in my opinion, "Greek wisdom" refers to speaking in Greek riddles and obscurities which the masses cannot understand, and only those knowledgeable and trained in riddles could. This is similar to the Talmud's statement (Eruvin 53b), "The maidservant of Rabbi's house would speak in wise language (i.e., enigmatically), saying, The ladle is knocking against the jug. Let the eagles fly to their nest." And this meant that the cup used to get wine from the barrel was knocking at the bottom of the barrel because the wine was finished. And the other statement is that the students should return and the meal is ended. Similarly, it states there that "when Rabbi Yosei bar Asyan would speak enigmatically, he would say: Prepare for me an ox in judgment on a poor mountain." He was asking for beets in mustard, since ox is tor in Aramaic; judgment is din. Combined they form teradin, beets. Tur Masken translated to chardal, mustard. And there are other examples there, and the Sages referred to it as "wise language", like the verse (Proverbs 1:6) says, "The words of the wise and and their riddle." Similarly in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 12a), "They sent [an encoded message] to Rava, 'A pair came from Rakat, but was apprehended." Such riddles, when said in Greek, are called "Greek wisdom", and that is what they prohibited because of the story, and they allowed Rabban Gamliel's household because they were close to the authorities, and they needed to use it because that was the way they would speak in the king's court, so that people would not know their mysteries and secrets. However, Rashi wrote in Menachot that "Greek wisdom" refers to "hints", and it seems he means to explain that they would not say anything, only using gestures with their hands, fingers, or other limbs. This accords with that which the Sages talk about (Gittin 59a) "A deaf-mute may express his wishes through gestures and respond through gestures." And also (Yevamot 119b) "Just as a deaf-mute marries through gestures, he can divorce through gestures." That is the way they would act before kings, as is mentioned in the Talmud (Chagigah 5b), "Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya was standing in the house of the Caesar. A certain heretic, who was also present, gestured to him, indicating that his was the nation whose Master, God, turned His face away from it. Rabbi Yehoshua gestured to him that His hand is outstretched over us in protection. The Caesar said to Rabbi Yehoshua: What did he gesture to you, and how did you respond? He replied: He indicated that mine is the nation whose Master turned His face from it, and I gestured to him that His hand is outstretched over us. He said to that heretic: What did you gesture to him? He said to them: I gestured that his is the nation whose Master has turned His face from it. They asked: And what did he gesture to you? He said to them: I don’t know; I did not understand. They said: How can a man who does not know what others gesture to him dare to gesture in the presence of the king? They took him out and killed him." And so Rashi explains there that he gestured through hints. So this is "Greek wisdom", which the Greeks were accustomed to, or there was a book they had related to this, and its author was Greek. But my question on this interpretation is that the Talmud did not need to write that the elder mocked them in "Greek wisdom", it could have said he mocked them through gestures, where no speaking at all takes place, and only gestures. Therefore, I believe "Greek wisdom" is as I explained above, and its possible Rashi is saying that any communication that is enigmatic is called "hinting/gesturing". We find this in the Talmud (Kiddushin 80b), "From where is there an allusion to the prohibition against seclusion? As it is stated [concerning one who incites others to idolatrous worship]: 'If your brother, the son of your mother, entices you' (Deuteronomy 13:7)." Similarly in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 10a and Makkot 2b) regarding an allusion to false witnesses. Regardless, whether "Greek wisdom" refers to gestures or enigmatic statements and riddles like I explained, it was only prohibited because of the story.

(3) However, the well-known [Greek philosophy] books of "Physics", this is not being referred to, though it is proper to distance oneself from them if they try to uproot the principles of our holy Torah, and especially two foundational pillars, which is creation ex nihilo and God's personal divine providence within the human species. They bring demonstrations and proofs according to their opinion to uphold eternity of the world, that it comes as a necessity from God, such as given that light necessarily comes from the sun, and the shade from the tree, God has no ability to change something as part of his very being, He cannot lengthen the wing of a fly and cannot shorten the leg of an ant, just like the sun cannot change the light which comes from it, nor the tree the shade. And similarly with Divine Providence, there is none beneath the sphere of the moon. They write in their books that one can only know through speculation, not through an accepted tradition. And we, receivers of the truth of our knowledge that our Torah is perfect, that it came to us at Sinai from the mouth of God, through the master of all prophets [Moses], this is higher than everything; all their speculation is nothing in comparison. We learn in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 90a) that "These are the ones without a share in the World to Come: One who says: There is no resurrection of the dead derived from the Torah, and one who says: The Torah did not originate from Heaven, and an epikoros. Rabbi Akiva said: Even those who read external books." The Talmud states that it was taught that this refers to the books of the heretics. Is there any greater "books of heretics" than these that try to disprove the principles of the Torah with proofs and demonstrations?! And Rabbi Akiva didn't say, "Those who *believe* in the external books," but rather even those who read them, lest their hearts are lead astray to believe their words, like what happened with Elisha [ben Avuya], Acher, which we see in the Talmud (Chagigah 15b), "They said about Elisha-Acher that when he would stand up in the study house, many books of heresy would fall from his lap." The Nagid, Rabbi Shmuel Halevi, already asked from Rabbi Hai Gaon whether one can learn these wisdoms, and he responded, "The goodness of the body and the ways of a man should be accomplished through learning Mishna and Talmud, and it is the fortune of Israel, for study of Torah helps him and others like him, and helps the regular masses, for it will draw them after the ways of the Torah and the commandments. And one who turns his heart away to study those things, it will turn one away from Torah and fear of heaven, it will cause him to lose those things, for he will cast off all the words of the Torah completely, and from this removal a person will have mistaken ideas, to the point that even abandoning worship won't be a concern for him. But those who have a solid foundation in Torah and fear of heaven stay away from this, for they lead the masses for the good, without doubts, and don't wish to place and doubts about God, and if you will see some people studying these wisdoms, and they will say to you that it is a paved path, that they can achieve knowledge of the Creator, you should not hate them, and you should know that they are lying to you, and one will not find fear of heaven, fear of sin, zealousness to perform commandments, humility, purity, holiness, except with someone who studies Mishna and Talmud." Thus was his answer. And the Rashba also wrote in a letter to stay away from those among them who are always learning these wisdoms, "And the youth brought up on the wisdom of "Physics" and sees Aristotle's proofs will always believe him, and he will will deny the principles [of faith], and if we try to respond to him, he will blaspheme all the more so." One should not bring proof from Maimonides [who studied Greek philosophy], for he first studied the entire Torah completely, its laws, narratives, the Tosefta, the Sifra, the Sifre, the entire Talmud both Babylonian and Jerusalem, as we can see from his Mishneh Torah that he wrote. Plus, he wrote the Guide for the Perplexed to respond to the heretic to fight the proofs and demonstrations that the Philosopher [Aristotle] offered for the eternality of the world, and also for divine providence, and because in his day, many Jews were perplexed about the principles of the Torah out of what they learned from that wisdom. One can also say like that which is stated in the Talmud (Chagigah 15b) regarding Rabbi Meir, "How could he learn Torah from Acher?" And they answered: Rabbi Meir found a verse and expounded it, (Proverbs 22:17) 'Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages; Pay attention to my wisdom." It does not say "to their wisdom", but "to my wisdom", meaning to wicked ones who one must nevertheless incline one's ear toward. They explain there that this refers to a great man but not a regular person. Meaning, a student who is great, can separate the kernel from the chafe, as they said there about Rabbi Meir, he would eat the content of the pomegranate and through away the outer shell. Thus, Maimonides brings this verse in the beginning of the Guide. Nevertheless, Maimonides was drawn a bit after some of these proofs, like the [resurrection] of the son of the Zarephath woman [see Guide for the Perplexed 1:42], and regarding the revelation at Sinai. Perhaps he only allowed for these things because he could not give great answers for them from end to end, and so he explained some minor things in the Torah with a view of accordance with philosophy. This, too, he wrote in hints, and hid his opinion of the angels that Abraham saw, which he said happened in a prophetic vision, which Nachmanides responded to in his commentary on the Torah. And the sage Rabbi Levi [ben Gershon] was also a great sage, learned in Talmud, and he produced a beautiful commentary to the Torah and the Prophets, and he followed after Maimonides, but he also really inclined much more to those wisdoms that the way of truth, and he took the opposite approach to that of Maimonides in certain topics, such as whether God has knowledge of the possible future, and also whether the sun actually stood for Joshua, and the promise (Isaiah 38:8) of the sun and shadow - he wrote things that is forbidden to hear. Similarly regarding life of the soul after death, and divine providence regarding the punishment of the wicked in this world, all of which is written in the book he titled "Wars of the Lord." Now every person should make an a fortiori argument for himself using these two kings [Maimonides and Gersonides], that if they could not stay on the straight and narrow regarding some things, and they were among the greatest in the world, how much more so we, who cannot compare to them, we see those who have cast off the yoke of worship, loosening the bind of Torah and the commandments, from learning these wisdoms, like what Rabbi Hai Gaon wrote in that response I cited above.

[Rama gloss]: There are those who say that through Talmud Bavli, which combines Written Torah, Mishna, and Talmud, one fulfills his obligations for all [of the above].... And one should only learn Scripture, Mishnah and Talmud, and the Codifiers who come after them. Through this he will acquire this world and the next. But he should not learn other wisdoms (Rivash 45 and the disciples of the Rashba), however, one may learn other wisdoms at random, unless they are books of heretics...

Similarly, they said about Aḥer: When he would stand after learning in the study hall, many heretical books, which he had been reading, would fall from his lap.

Rav Yosef says: Even though there are passages in the book that are inappropriate, we teach the superior matters that are in it even in public. A good wife is a good gift; she will be given into the bosom of a God-fearing man (Ben Sira 26:3). A bad wife is leprosy for her husband. What is his remedy? He shall chase her from his house and will be healed from his leprosy (Ben Sira 25:30). A beautiful wife, happy is her husband; the number of his days is doubled (Ben Sira 26:1). Due to his happiness, it is as though his life is twice as long. We also teach what it states there: Avert your eyes from a woman of grace, lest you be trapped in her snare. Turn not to her husband to mix wine and strong drink with him, as many have been corrupted by the beauty of the beautiful woman, and mighty are all her fatalities (Ben Sira 9:9–11). Many are the wounds of a peddler (Ben Sira 11:36), which in this context is referring to those who accustom others to matters of forbidden sexual relations. Like a spark ignites a coal (Ben Sira 11:43), like a cage full of birds, so too, their houses are filled with deceit (Ben Sira 11:36–37). Prevent the multitudes from inside your house, and do not bring everyone into your house (Ben Sira 11:37). Let many be those who greet you; reveal your secrets to one in a thousand. From she who lies in your bosom guard the openings of your mouth, i.e., do not tell her everything. Grieve not about tomorrow’s trouble, because you know not what a day may bring; perhaps tomorrow you will no longer be, and one will have worried about a world that is not his. The verse states: “All the days of the poor are terrible” (Proverbs 15:15). The book of ben Sira says: Also the nights are terrible, as then the poor person worries. The poor person’s roof is among the lowest roofs in the city, and in the elevation of the hills is his vineyard, at the highest point, as those are of the lowest quality and consequently the least expensive places for each. From the rain on the roofs of the entire city, water will flow down to his roof and dampen it, and the soil of his vineyard is eroded by the rain and swept down to other vineyards.

it is not the proper manner of conduct for a son-in-law to live in his father-in-law’s home. Therefore, it is the father of the groom who generally provides a bridal home for the couple and the bride will return to live near her parents’ house only if she is widowed or divorced. Support for this is as it is written in the book of ben Sira: I have weighed everything in the pan of a balance scale and I have not found anything inferior to bran; but inferior to bran is a son-in-law who lives in his father-in-law’s house; and inferior to a son-in-law is a guest who brings in a guest; and inferior to a guest is one who answers a matter before he listens. As it is stated: “He that gives an answer before he listens, it is folly for him and a disgrace” (Proverbs 18:13).

It is written in the book of Ben Sira: A good wife is a good gift for her husband. And it is written: A good one will be placed in the bosom of a God-fearing man; a bad wife is a plague to her husband. What is his remedy? He should divorce her and he will be cured of his plague. A beautiful wife, happy is her husband; the number of his days are doubled. His pleasure in her beauty makes him feel as though he has lived twice as long. Turn your eyes from a graceful woman who is married to another man, lest you be caught in her trap. Do not turn to her husband to mix wine and strong drink with him, which can lead to temptation. For on account of the countenance of a beautiful woman many have been destroyed, and her slain is a mighty host. Furthermore, many have been the wounded peddlers. This is referring to men who travel from place to place to sell women’s jewelry. Their frequent dealings with women lead their husbands to harm the peddlers. Those who accustom themselves to licentious matters are like a spark that ignites a coal. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. The Gemara quotes additional statements from the book of Ben Sira: Do not suffer from tomorrow’s trouble, that is, do not worry about problems that might arise in the future, as you do not know what a day will bring. Perhaps when tomorrow comes, the individual who was so worried will not be among the living, and he was consequently upset over a world that is not his. Prevent a crowd from inside your house, do not let many people enter, and do not even bring all your friends into your house. Make sure, however, that a crowd seeks your welfare, and that you have many allies. Reveal a secret to only one in a thousand, since most people are unable to keep a secret.

it is written in Sefer Ben Sira: All the days of the poor are terrible. And yet there are Shabbatot and Festivals, when even the poor eat well. Once again, the Gemara answers: This is in accordance with the opinion of Shmuel, as Shmuel said: A change in one’s eating habits or in one’s place of residence is the start of intestinal disease, and as a result the poor suffer even from a change for the better. Since the Gemara quoted from Sefer Ben Sira, it cites the rest of the passage concerning the terrible days of the poor. Ben Sira says: Even the nights of the poor are bad. His roof is at the low point of the roofs, i.e., his residence is at the lowest point in the city, and his vineyard is at the mountain peaks, at the highest point of the slope, which means that the rain of roofs washes down to his roof, and the soil of his vineyard to other vineyards, i.e., the rain washes away the soil in his vineyard and carries it away to the vineyards below.

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Is it so that all the days of the poor are terrible? But aren’t there Shabbatot and Festivals, when even the poor enjoy their meals and rest? Rather, explain this in accordance with the statement of Shmuel, as Shmuel says: A change of regimen [veset] causes the onset of intestinal disease, and as a result the poor suffer even from a change for the good. It is written in the book of ben Sira: All the days of the poor are terrible. Ben Sira says: The nights as well. His roof is at the lowest point of the roofs; the rain of roofs go onto his roof. His vineyard is at the height of the mountains; the soil of his vineyard goes onto other vineyards.

And Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: There is one more firmament above these, which is above the heads of the divine creatures, as it is written: “And over the heads of the divine creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the terrible ice” (Ezekiel 1:22). The Gemara comments: Until here, you have permission to speak; from this point forward you do not have permission to speak, as it is written in the book of Ben Sira: Seek not things concealed from you, nor search those hidden from you. Reflect on that which is permitted to you; you have no business with secret matters.

t is not the proper manner of conduct for a son-in-law to live in his father-in-law’s home. Therefore, it is the father of the groom who generally provides a bridal home for the couple and the bride will return to live near her parents’ house only if she is widowed or divorced. Support for this is as it is written in the book of ben Sira: I have weighed everything in the pan of a balance scale and I have not found anything inferior to bran; but inferior to bran is a son-in-law who lives in his father-in-law’s house; and inferior to a son-in-law is a guest who brings in a guest; and inferior to a guest is one who answers a matter before he listens. As it is stated: “He that gives an answer before he listens, it is folly for him and a disgrace” (Proverbs 18:13).

Reish Lakish says that the proof is from here: “But he who despises his ways shall die” (Proverbs 19:16). . . The Gemara asks: And Rabbi Yoḥanan, how does he interpret that verse cited by Reish Lakish? The Gemara answers that Rabbi Yoḥanan requires that verse: “But he who despises his ways shall die,” to teach that which is written in the book of ben Sira: Three people I have hated, and a fourth I have not loved: A minister who frequents [hanirgal] drinking houses, as he disgraces himself and leads himself to ruin and death; and some say a different version of the text: A minister who chats [hanirgan] in drinking houses; and some say a third version: A minister who is short-tempered [hanirgaz] when in drinking houses. That is the first that he hated. And the others are one who dwells at the highest point of the city, where everyone sees him; and one who holds his penis and urinates. And the fourth, whom he has not loved, is one who enters the house of another suddenly, without warning. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: And this includes even one who comes into his own house without prior warning, as the members of his household might be engaged in private activities.

It has been stated: 300 nezirim came in the days of Simeon ben Shetaḥ. For 150 of them he found an opening, for 150 of them he did not find an opening. He came to king Yannai and said to him: There are here 300 nezirim who need 900 sacrifices. You should give half of them from your side, I shall give half from my side. The king sent him 450 animals. An informer went around and said that the other one had not given anything from his own money. King Yannai heard about it and got angry. Simeon ben Shetaḥ feared and fled. After some time, important people from the Persian empire came to king Yannai. At the meal, they said to him: We remember that there was here an old man who gave us a rabbinic discourse. He told them what had happened. They said to him, send and bring him! He sent and gave him his word; he came and sat between king and queen. He said to him, why did you trick me? He said, I did not trick you; you with your money and I with my learning, as it is written (Eccl. 7:12) “In the shadow of wisdom, in the shadow of money.” He said to him, why did you disappear? He said to him, I heard that my lord was angry with me and I wanted to fulfill the verse (Is. 26:20) “Hide a little bit until the rage passes;” he used about himself (Eccl. 7:12): “Knowledge is an advantage, wisdom lets its possessor live.” He said to him, why did you sit between king and queen? He said to him, it is written in the book of Ben Sirach: “Esteem it and it will raise you and set you between princes.” He said, bring him a cup that he may recite Grace. He took the cup and said: “Let us give praise for the food that Yannai and his company ate.” He said to him, are you still obstinate as ever? He said to him, what should I say, “for the food that we did not eat?” He said, bring him something that he may eat. They brought, he ate and recited: “For the food that we ate.”

MISHNAH: All of Israel have a part in the World to Come. But the following have no part in the World to Come: One who says that the resurrection of the dead is not biblical, or that the Torah is not from Heaven, or the Epicurean. Rebbi Aqiba says, also one who reads outside books. . . HALAKHAH:. . . “Rebbi Aqiba says, also he who reads outside books.” For example, the books of Ben Sirach and Ben Laana. But the books of Homer and all books written from now on, one who reads them is like one who reads a letter. What is the reason? More than these, my son, be careful etc. They are given to be read, not given for exertion.

(5) And [the last reason] is the truth - as in the Midrash, it is found that the work of the tabernacle was finished on the 25th of Kislev, and they did not inaugurate it until the beginning of the month (Rosh Chodesh) of Nissan, when the forefathers had been born. And the Holy One, blessed be He, paid [Israel] back in the time of Mattityahu (this midrash is brought by Maharsha, Shabbat 21b). And hence they made it like the inauguration of the Tabernacle, which was [composed of] the seven days of installation and the eighth day, [which] was the completion of the beginning of the service in the Tabernacle by Aharon and his sons, as is explained in the Torah. And so [too] with King Shlomo, it is written in II Chronicles 7, "And Shlomo made the holiday... seven days, and... on the eighth day was a convocation" - see there. And hence to commemorate [this], they called this holiday Chanukah (inauguration) also, from the expression, chanukat hamizbeach (inauguration of the tabernacle) and chanukat habayit (inauguration of the Temple). And with this, there is also an allusion to the 25th day: chanu (they inaugurated) kah [which is made up of the letters kaf and hey, which together represent the number twenty-five] (Ran, op.cit.). And another reason for this is elucidated in the Book of the Maccabees: Since, as a result of the decrees, they were stopped from bringing the sacrifices of the holiday of the past Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret. And hence, to commemorate this, they made the eight days of Channukah. And [it followed] that when from the Heavens they were shown the miracle of the oil - 'They' showed them that 'They' agreed to them making eight days. (And this is [the meaning of] what they wrote in Shabbat, op.cit., "The following year, they fixed, etc.;" meaning to say, after they saw that there was agreement to them from the Heavens to make eight days - through the oil that 'They' showed them [stay] lit for eight days. And in commemoration of this miracle, they fixed that candles be lit on Channukah, as was written by Tur.)