· r· ,~.~;.";

~,.

" BAVA METZIA84A

TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARthe literal 'g t I 00 not understand the verse accordi

2but rather ,),( ~~"se of the words "by a well sed it as if it read "above the power of the Evil dersta u

seph are The members of the tribe of J ).( ~"Eyeever d d the Evil Eye a beyo

-ve w themselves to be allwered by it. 3Rabbi Yose bar p

ther I:!anina suggested asource: 4 It may be deduced from

-here that the Evil Eye is power -seph's desce st J les5 agai

-e ts, for the verse says (Ge dasis 48:] 6): "And let them multiply

the midst abundantly like fish i -of the earth." 5Joseph's desce

ts are compared to fish: Just daed e cove the sea a as the fish i

the r that reas by water and f,over them o powe Evil Eye has

650 tooare Joseph's descendantsassured that the Evil Eye will

.have no power over themw The Gemara ; ; \

ected ry c other st relates a-s remark 'a a ): with Rabbi

able beauty. One day RabbiYo!:lanan was swimming in the

dan River. B Resh Lakish saw Jo the water and jumped int hijl1 i

,ter cou the )ordan after him. At the time of this e Roma Resh Lakish was a gladiator employed i

him: "Your strength an said t ol).a circuses. 9 Rabbiughtto be directed [0 the study of Torah. Torah

U seem t dy, but Y the b study puts great strai00.bear it gth t dowed with the stre e have bee

Rabbi g t the study of Torahl" 10Alludi r, but rather dedicate your life t gth as a gladiat t waste your stre ."to women give g beauty, Resh Lakish replied: ''Your beauty should have bee di s outsta 'a Yoha

doccupy yourself with the offer, saying: "If you repent a made Resh Lakish a a a)o deterred, Rabbi II Umore beautiful than 1 am." 13lmmediately, Resh marriage. 12She is eve study ofTorah, 1 will give you my sister i

g, but he was unable t k to get his clothi the river ba Lakish undertook to repent. 14He wished to climb back t leap abie t ow u ed that he was weake rah, he was S him5elf the study of T g taken upo Havi .s d

fBible and Mishnah 16and made him the study red Resh Lakish i ally tut pers a a)k. 15Rabbi Yo the ba t.n erati ars o[ his ge rah 5ch f the greatest T ne ,into a great man

:.< . . I, ~"" :~.t::>2 " :~•3':; ; Q~J' :4 :

-:-.,T T1 • :T

=il . ·" .~i 5 ; ~ ~~ p : ; 1? ; ; ; ~ : i

w . ;~i) ,6 :.

4ACHAPTER SEVEN "

TRANSLATIONAND COMMENTARYthe study hall ars i e day the sch 1 O ; ;'I<

with respect to the i pi f ce had a differeife, a rd, a k is a sw m whe g Bara.ita: 2 "Fr followi

r a sickle susceptible t ,dsaw dagger, a spear, a ham the time rituaI impurity? 3 Fr

1 ; , :: .; ~ '; .-m that its manufacture is c p ~:2"QV, QV, :; pleted, for a meta.1 utensiI is n.ot.'.. rltuaI Impurlty susceptlbIe t

!;:1iJ, ~, r. ~r. , ~."a finished state tiI it is i u ~r. '\ .;i - l: .(:> -' :; ' ~." 11 r. ~ :alluded analdispute. Rabbi Yo

*c;. " , , -Resh Lakish's past as a t **5 ") I. -," ***. d said to him: "Obviously, a robber gladiator a

- "" p :> , , " , f his trade." Rabbi s ds best the dersta u P. , - 1') ,c; :> . :>attributed Resh Lakish's expertise with a aIYo

.rufacture of arms 10 his previous regard to the ma,ded: "If this is the way you treat me sulted, Resh Lakish resp g i tests. 8Feeli gladiatorial co t i volveme i

:ong 'the gJadiators, Iwas calJed 'Masler g me Torah? 9There, a ur teachi m y efited fr be what way have ihim: "How anan said tld here too 1 am called 'Master' by my disciples." 1 I Rabbi Yo a ,r I was their leader f

LANGUAGE

Ahd a dagger. From.:; ::: f ; g pUgl0, mea the Lati

.•dagger•

LITERALTRANSLATIONthe i i ce of opi e day there was a differe 1 O

d d a dagger, a ife, a d a k study hall: 2"A sword, a. d a sickle - from whe dsaw, a d a ha a spear, a

are they susceplible to ritual impurity7 3 From the time-ufacture is com that their mais pJeted." 'And from whe?mpleted their manufaclure c

says: From a 5Rabbi Yol)athe he tempers them i whe

:ace. 6 Resh Lakish said fur he furbishes them i From whe

anan] said to l: VJater. '[Rabbi Yds him: "A robber understa

:about robbery." 8He said to himd what good have you done A"

me? 9There they caJled med] here they call Master: 10 la'

:me 'Master.''' 1 1 He said to him

)LANGUAGE (RASHI

From the( "' )''' 'Old French esped, meaning

:dagger" or '''nife"From lhe Old " '

g i French Jalcile, mea:scythe'

From' ).P " :read(•..••. H -the Old French recuil, mean.~or -to refine~ing ·to smel(

NOTESr,shei Shem ah (see Ijiddushei A disagree with Ihe Mishah A sword and a knife. Elsewhere, the Mish ; ;: !' ; ;: !

).14:5Kelimrilual rd is susceplible Kelim 14:5) slates Ihal a sW(ds about bber understa A r ~t; t; '\,t; :; 1 ~ife af\er it has d a k ished, a p impurity af\er il has beeah (8ava rs ask: The Mish tal mme y c robbery. MaRabbenu Tam (cited by Tosajot) asks: Here~e sharpe bee

e er, o t si ta e is a repe me whether a Metzia 4: 10) states: "If s d Resh Lakish disagree as t a a Rabbi Yol)a,him: 'Remember your earlier deeds: ,. How t say t sils become susceptible 10 may d similar ute rd, a knife, a sw

fthe anan have reminded Resh Lakishluld Rabbi Yo y then, c ace or a fur ritual impurity when Ihey are tempered ime (MaharshaJ) suggesl r? S he was a gladiat period whewater. Bul Ihe Mishnah states afler they are furbished i

r Rabbi that a teacher may speak that way to his disciple, fsusceptible 10 ritual ife are d a k explicitly that a sword aur Y Cast bile up :structed his sO Yehudah HaNasi had iished or sharpened. p til they have either bee impurity u

)d others y (Maharsha a ts (Ketubot l03b). But ma studed Resh a a a l swers that Rabbi Y u Tam a Rabbe"d what Rabbi f derst Ihat Resh Lakish misu tai maif these ufacture the ma ut whe Lakish disagree ab/1say Ihat he wished t a a l him. Rabbi Y said t a ha Ymplete, after which they are first sidered c sils is c ute

1./r surely Resh f ,i defer 10 Resh Lakish's opi g was willia case ah refers t susceplible 10 rilual impurity. The Mish -the ma VI whe k siti a better p Lakish was iders me rusty, which re ife has bec r a k where a sword

r they had ife is complete, f r a k rd f a sw ufaclurehe .ritual impurity ger susceptible t sils Ihe uted derst f his trade. But Resh Lakish u s the tO ce bee ritual me susceptible t sils bec ah rules that such ute Mish

guish by cause him a( ded te had i a a l that Rabbi Yed. r sharpe they are polished whe ce agai impurityded the d lhat is why he respo g him of his pasl, a di remihorah, HiJkhol Kelim 8:1-2), g (0 Rambam (Se!er T rdi Acc

.way he didife r a k rd f a sw ufacture ah rules Ihal the ma Ihe MishIhe ."here they called me "Master ;J;1 ":: 'i? 1, ,ed ished or sharpe they are p sidered complele whe is c

s Ihal explai llowed Roshi, wh tary we have f commed Resh Lakish a a ha th Rabbi Y tly b dappare a

HALAKHAH,"ed it is sharpe d a knife whe ished, a il is p impurity whet sils are ife. "Metal ute d a k A sword a , ; ;: ! ; ::

st the Gemara d agai ah. Kelim 14:5, a g the Mish wi l fufacture is til their ma ritual impurit)' u susceptible.)1-2:8here. (Rambam, Se!er Tohorah, Hilkhat KeJimritual mes susceptible t rd bec A s\v w s mpleted. H c

123

~_.

*i."@ _~ • ,._ .• < .. _.C - -._-- _._- - - .. _ .... - -

" ZIA BAVA ME

TRANSLATIONAND COMMENTARYefited this way? 15urely ! have be you speak i ca

der the g you u gi d bri g you Torah a you by teachi."ce gs of the Divine Prese wi

was deeply ana\C) 2Rabbi Yo IIJ : ~ :;I'~ J -offended by Resh Lakish's sug-e ot be gestion that he hads 'a aIted from Rabbi Yof

3 and as a resu!t .structio iResh Laldsh became ill. 4 Rabbi

an's sister (Resh Lakish's aJYod wept before wife) came a

5and said to a aJo Rabbihim: "Pray for my husband'srecovery for the sake of my

ot be that they ,childre a aJed!" 6Rabbi Yo orpha

answered her wilh the words of):49:11the verse (jeremiah

s to me. for Leave your orpha"."1 will preserve them alive

anan assured hisJRabbi You]d take care sister that he w

uld Resh sh of her childre.ess Lakish succumb to his ill

-i s sister c 'a a I: 7 Rabbi Y.ther re her br ued to plead bef,for my sake .g: "Pray, the sayi

ot be widowed!" BRabbi 1thAthis nded t resp a acY

g with the rest sister's pleadig: "And let of the verse. sayime." Rabbi your widows trust i

promised his sister a aIYothat she too would be well

n 950.f. if she became a widow care takeRabbi .Laldsh died be atterwards Rabbi Shimo

was greatly distressed over Resh Lakish's a o!:la g discip]e and st his most out5tandi w d as a result had tributed to it a r he felt he had co death. f

t be so d. 50 that he s mi 'a aJOw to relieve Rabbi Yo colleague. I1The Rabbis said: "Who will gots were sharp!y Pedat go, 13for his stateme grievous]y distres5ed?" 12They decided to .Iet Rabbi Elazar be

r that of Resh Lakish. 14Rabbi Elazar ry substitute f might serve as a satisfact d his acume formu!ated aanan, 16Rabbi E!azar wouldlt made by Rabbi Yo hanan. 15After each stateme d sat before Rabbi Y t a we

mforted by Rabbi was not c 17But Rabbi Yohana ."sitio say to him: "There is a Baraita that supports your p?of Lakish se that you are like Rabbi 5himon the so Elazar's remarks and he said to him: "Do you supp.what 1 had said s t ty-four objectio of Laldsh would raise twe g. the so I8Whenever 1 \vould say somethi

LITERALTRANSLATIONder the g you u gi d by bri e you gO 1"1 have do

."wings of the Divine Presenceded 0 [andj Resh an was deeply offe a J: 2 Rabbi Y

sj sister came 'Rabbi YOhana Lakish became ill. 4 His:andj wept. 5 and said to him[

-f my chil Act for the sake"drenl" 6He said to her: "'Leave

s. 1 will preserve your orphathem a!ive ...· 7"Act for the sake

fmy widowhoodl" BHe said to ustts \\'her: '''And !et your wid

me:" 9 Rabbi Shimon be id Rabbi a .Lakish died

an was greatly distressed aIYo:about him. 11The Rabbis said

dj relieve his will go [a Wh"d? 12Let Rabbi E!azar ben mi

Pedat go. 13for his statementsare sharp." " He wenl [andj sal

g before him. 15[Afterj everythithat Rabbi YOhanan said. 16he

here is a 5araita" :him said t:rts you.'· 17He said that supp?Are you like' the son of Lakish".mething uld say s 18When 1 w

uld raise the son of Lakish wns against ty-four objecti twe

,me

1"Jpt< ? t< :;1'J IJ ~;; o/iJ 'P :; J" .

'q .( ~ :; . : J, qo .. ?4 ~t< .( r; ~

, 5 : }'''T;TT--I••.':

p:; .:;1 ;J "!6 ~ ?: ~ ~'" ;1,?, ~~qt

UND BACKGR~i2 He ac ~i : ? -cepted upon himself affiic

s. Individua!s sometimes tioseek physlcal 5uffering, either

s e for their si order to ato ior to achieve a higher leve! ofspirltual purily The mosl

-melhod of self commo-g Jews amo amictio

almudic parricularly duringtimes - was fasting. From

ow of la ter periods we k-many methods of self0(mortification meant

g the s. Amo e for si ato[-Sages there were various att S, bOlh i O d Opi ludes a

st these d agai favor of a ,ts. However ishme self-pu

t case (as well as the presebe!ow, 85a) we are dealing

-with a man who was apparof lhal his g pr enlly seeki

d prayer had been accepted, a-accor that his deeds were i

ce with God's will. These da g, which d f sufferi kinds

t a. person [rom ot preve g d servi g -j'orah a studyi

ally called God, are occaslos of love," since the aff1ictio"

s by which a they are meamay achieve great perso

.spiritual e!evatio

LANGUAGE,Food made from figs K

Some authorjties derive th!s~,6. o .word [rom the Greek

the ao6.;, }vpados, i c)pas (A.o}."g "f1at p!atE i itive), mea ge

Others derive it from theing 16t, lepidi, mea€ :Greek A

).i dish or figs" (cf. RasI"

)LANGUAGE(RASHIm lhe Old Fr " '

."g "fell C, mea ch}"II Fre:g Co,,·ecl readi(''' '

ch From lhe Old Fre]" .)"g "Iarge bowls i okz"jn, mea

"or "troughs

SAGES, K V ! li

of Rabbi E!azar the so~Lempo A co ,Rabbi Shimo,rary 01'RabbiYehudahHaNasi

of Rabbi RabbiElazar lhe Sguished was a disli Shimo

ar, like his father, Rabbi scbar Yohai. Rabbi ShJmo

Elazar's remarkable personal-ity was the sUbject of numer

Rabbi ecdotes. Whe ous abar Yohal, who v.:as Shimo

g!y opposed to Roma strorule, was betrayed to the

t ~for man authorities by i Rced with his ers. Rabbi Eiazar

i 4t -84ACHAPTER SEVEN " - "

TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY

1and 1would then give him twenty-four answers, Resht let d would n uld attack my arguments a Lakish w

til 1 fully justified them, 2And the subject me rest u would thereby be clarified, 3 But all that you say t

here is a Baraita that' :me ise supports you.' 400 you imagi

1 do not know that what 1 said isd be t eed t ect? 1 do notr cort aitic supp that there i5 Ta

eed i5 1for my pDsition5. Whattless que5tioning of the rele

,"someone like Resh Lakishwent a at s And so Rabbi Yo

g and rending his clothi weeping, 6 and said: "Where are

the son of you, Rabbi ShimoLakish? Where are you, Rabbi

?"the son of Lakish Shimocried out until hana Rabbi Y

his mind slipped. away from hirnhe 8,scious d he fell unco ad's pleaded for G Rabbis the

mercy on his behalf and sdied a at thereafter Rabbi Yo

and was spared furtherg. I sufferi

-he Ge 9]84B[ J5 { ry f ow returns to the story mara

of Rabbi Rabbi E!azar the soThe Gemara related ,Shimo

ve how Rabbi Elazar had ab ted by the Roma i app bee w track d ritie5 t atlth

d how he feared that thieves af r the executio sible f respo he might have bee

ues: Even though it ti ry c he st ,t ma oce an ius man strated that he was a righte demD had bee

the grave, Rabbi ot decompose i uld whose body wElazar the son of Rabbi Shimon was nevertheless

ut ab mistake ed that he might have bee cer cg d he was unwilli f the arrests he had made a e o

He therefore subrnitted 1,t judgme his ow to relyso full of o mmitted, 11His bDdy was s rs he might have c y possible err e for a at s t himself to affiictioorder to i ts would have to spread sixty felt mattresses for hirn to lie da sores that every evening his attets would da g the atte s, every momi y layers of cushio g, 120espite the ma rt while sleepi mf his disc lesse

g the momi ,ds wou d pus which had drained from his ope s full of blood a draw from under him sixty basig Rabbi Elazar's wife would prepare for him sixty kinds offood rnade from figs to eat and he would feel better, 14 Havi

ight, Rabbi Elazar wished to resume his studies, but his wife would not al10w vered from the misery Df the recg about a relapse, 16 But d bri d hurt him, a him to go to the study hall, 15lest the Rabbis accidentally push hirn a

:g s and sores, sayi ing he would address his aft1ictio g, Every eve ked forward to his sufferi Rabbi Elazar

LITERAL TRANSLA TION

d the ty-four answers, 2a e v1and 1would give him t:u say And y ,edf t would thereby be clari stateme

w ot k 1rts you.' 4 Do There is a Baraita that supp'g di re t that what 1 have said is right?" sHe we

g, 6 and d weepi his clothes af n said: "Where·· are you, sf u, so Lakish? Where are y

d he cried out until Lakish?" 7 Am him, 8The d slipped fr his mi

his Rabbis pleaded for mercybehalf and he died, I

so RabbiT '"d eve 84B] 9 A[ of Rabbi Shim Elazar the so

,pinion his t rely did-n him dJ he accepted up 10[ag i the eve 11,s self aft1icti

they would spread for him sixtythe d] i felt mattresses, 12[a

m g they would draw fr i mord s of bl der him sixty basi u

ext day his wife and pus, 13Theuld prepare for him sixty w

,f food made from figs ds ki.d recovered d he ate them a a

w t all uld 14 But his wife w,ut to the study hall g him t

15S0 that the Rabbis wouldd hurt] him, 161n ot push [a

uld say g he w i the eve

1 ~ ? J ~o/ ~~ ~ , ~2 r, r;

o/. I : ; 3 lS~~ ?