## Avot DeRabbi Natan Chapter 2

###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:1
[Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avot%20DeRabbi%20Natan/r/2:1)

איזהו סייג שעשתה תורה לדבריה. הרי הוא אומר (ויקרא י״ח:י״ט) ואל אשה בנדת טומאתה לא תקרב יכול יחבקנה וינשקנה וידבר עמה דברים בטלים. ת״ל לא תקרב. יכול ישן עמה בבגדיה על המטה. ת״ל לא תקרב. יכול תרחוץ בפניה ותכחול עיניה. ת״ל (שם טו) והדוה בנדתה כל ימים שבנדתה תהיה בנדוי. מכאן אמרו כל המנוולת עצמה בימי נדתה רוח חכמים נוחה הימנה וכל המתקשטת עצמה בימי נדתה אין רוח חכמים נוחה הימנה:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
What fence did the Torah make to her words? It is stated, *And thou shalt not approach unto a woman … as long as she is impure by her uncleanness*.¹ It might be supposed that he may embrace or kiss her, or engage with her in frivolous talk; the text therefore declares, *Thou shalt not approach*. It might be further supposed that he may sleep with her if she is clothed in the one bed; the text therefore declares, *Thou shalt not approach*. Again it might be supposed that she may wash her face and paint her eyes; the text therefore declares, *And of her that is sick with her impurity*² XV, 33.—all the days of her impurity she shall be in banishment [from society].³ Hence [the Sages] said: Every woman who makes herself unattractive during the period of her impurity wins the approbation of the Rabbis, and she who adorns herself during the period of her impurity incurs their censure.

footnotes:
¹ Lev. 18, 19.
² ibid.
³ The Heb. נדה, ‘a woman in her impurity’, is here connected with its original meaning of ‘cast out, banished from society’.


###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:2
[Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avot%20DeRabbi%20Natan/r/2:2)

מעשה באדם אחד שקרא הרבה ושנה הרבה ושמש ת״ח הרבה ומת בחצי ימיו. והיתה אשתו נוטלת תפיליו וחוזרת בבתי כנסיות ובבתי מדרשות והיתה צועקת ובוכה ואמרה להם רבותי כתיב בתורתכם (דברים ל׳:כ׳) כי הוא חייך ואורך ימיך בעלי שקרא הרבה ושנה הרבה ושמש ת״ח הרבה מפני מה מת בחצי ימיו לא היה אדם שהשיב דבר. פעם אחת נזדמן לה אליהו ז״ל אמר לה בתי מפני מה את בוכה וצועקת. אמרה לו רבי בעלי שקרא הרבה ושנה הרבה ושמש ת״ח הרבה ומת בחצי ימיו. אמר לה כשבאת בנדתך כל אותן (ג׳) ימים הראשונים מהו אצלך. אמרה לו רבי ח״ו שלא נגע בי אפילו באצבע קטנה שלו אלא כך אמר לי אל תגעי בכלים שמא תביאו (לי) לידי ספק. כל אותן ימים האחרונים מהו אצלך. אמרה לו רבי אכלתי עמו ושתיתי עמו וישנתי עמו בבגדי על המטה ובשרו נגע בבשרי אבל לא נתכוון לדבר אחר. א״ל ברוך המקום שהרגו שכך כתוב בתורה (ויקרא י״ח:י״ט) ואל אשה בנדת טומאתה לא תקרב. הרי הוא אומר (שם) איש איש אל כל שאר בשרו לא תקרבו מכאן אמרו אל יתיחד אדם עם (כל) הנשים בפונדק אפילו עם אחותו ועם בתו מפני דעת הבריות. לא יספר עם האשה בשוק ואפי׳ עם אשתו ואין צ׳׳ל עם אשה אחרת מפני טענת הבריות לא ילך אדם אחר האשה בשוק ואפילו עם אשתו ואין צ״ל עם אשה אחרת מפני טענת הבריות נאמר כאן לא תקרבו ונאמר להלן לא תקרב לדבר המביא לידי עבירה לא תקרב הרחק מן הכיעור ומן הדומה לכיעור (לפיכך) אמרו חכמים הרחק מחטא הקל שמא יביאך לחטא חמור. הוי רץ למצוה קלה שיביאך למצוה רבה. הרי הוא אומר (שיר השירים ז׳:ג׳) בטנך ערימת חטים סוגה בשושנים בטנך ערימת חטים זו כנסת ישראל סוגה בשושנים אלו שבעים זקנים. דבר אחר בטנך ערימת חיטים אלו מצות קלות הרכות סוגה בשושנים בזמן שישראל עושין אותן היו מביאים אותן לחיי העולם הבא. הא כיצד אשתו נדה עמו בביתו רצה משמש רצה אינו משמש וכי אדם רואהו או אדם יודע בו שיאמר לו כלום הא אינו מתיירא אלא ממי שפוקד על הטבילה וכן אתה אומר בחלה וכן אתה אומר בראשית הגז (אמר ליה) [נ״א אלו] מצות קלות הרכות כשושנים שבזמן שישראל עושין אותן מביאות אותן לחיי העולם הבא:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
The story is told⁴ of a certain man who had read much Scripture, studied much Mishnah, and had attended on many scholars, yet had died in the midst of his days. His wife used to take his *tefillin*, carry them round the Synagogues and Houses of Study, and weepingly complain, ‘Masters, is it not written in your Torah, *That is thy life, and the length of thy days?*⁵ Why, then, did my husband die in the midst of his days, he who read much Scripture, studied much Mishnah, and attended on many scholars?’ There was no one who could answer her. One day, Elijah, of blessed memory, met her and said to her, ‘My daughter, why do you weep and complain?’ She replied, ‘My husband had read much Scripture, studied much Mishnah and attended on many scholars; yet he died in the midst of his days’. He asked her, ‘During the first three days of your impurity what was his relationship towards you?’⁶ She said to him ‘Master, God forbid! He did not touch me even with his little finger, but used to say to me, “Touch no vessel lest you bring me into a state of doubt” ’. ‘And what was his relationship towards you during the latter days of your impurity?’⁷ She replied, ‘Master, I ate and drank with him, slept with him⁸ in the one bed with our bodies touching, but he had no other intention’. Whereupon Elijah said to her, ‘Blessed be the All-present for slaying him, since it is written in the Torah, *And thou shalt not approach unto a woman … as long as she is impure by her uncleanness*.’⁹
It is stated, *None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him;*¹⁰ 6. hence [the Sages] said: Let no man remain alone with a woman at an inn, even though she be his sister or daughter, on account of public opinion. Let no man converse with a woman in the market-place, not even with his wife and needless to say with another woman, on account of public gossip. Let no man walk behind a woman in the market-place, not even behind his wife and needless to say behind another woman, on account of public gossip.
It is stated here,¹¹ *None of you shall approach*, and it is stated there, *Thou shalt not approach;*¹² 19. In the passage dealing with menstrual impurity. do not therefore approach to any conduct which may lead to transgression.¹³ Keep aloof from anything hideous or from whatever seems hideous.¹⁴ Accordingly the Sages said: Keep aloof from a trivial sin lest it lead you on to a grave sin. Run to perform a minor precept for it will lead you on to an important precept.
It is stated, *Thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies*.¹⁵ *Thy belly is like a heap of wheat*—this describes the congregation of Israel;¹⁶ *set about with lilies*—these are the seventy elders.¹⁷
Another interpretation of *Thy belly is like a heap of wheat* [*set about with lilies*]—these are those light precepts¹⁸ which are as tender as a hedge of lilies and through their observance by Israel lead them to life in the world to come. How is this so? A man’s wife is at home with him during the period of her impurity. He could have intimacy with her or not at his will, since no man sees him and no man knows of it to rebuke him. Hence he fears only Him Who ordained the law of [the uncleanness of women. Similarly if a man suffers a seminal emission, he may immerse himself or not as he will, since no man sees him and no man knows of it to rebuke him. Hence He fears only Him Who ordained the law of] immersion.¹⁹ You may reason similarly with the law of the dough-offering²⁰ and the law of the first of the fleece.²¹ Such are the light precepts which are as tender as lilies and through their observance by Israel lead them to life in the world to come.

footnotes:
⁴ Quoted from Shab. 13a, b (Sonc. ed., p. 53) with some variants.
⁵ Deut. 30, 20.
⁶ The number ‘three’ found in V is difficult to explain, as the woman’s impurity continues, according to Biblical law, for a minimum period of seven days. Consequently there is no ground for drawing a distinction between the first three and the subsequent days. Most scholars, following GRA, substitute ‘seven’ for ‘three’, and the reference is to the monthly period of uncleanness. The ‘latter days of impurity’ would be, what is known in Talmudic phraseology, ‘the days of white garments’, i.e. the seven days of observation after the. cessation of the discharge. During this period a woman is forbidden by Rabbinic law all intimacy with her husband, including acts of endearment.
⁷ In Shab. 13a the text reads: ‘during the days of your white garments’. Cf. the preceding note.
⁸ V adds ‘in my clothes’ which is omitted in the Talmudic version and appears incompatible with the following words, ‘with our bodies touching’. Some authorities retain the former phrase and alter the latter to ‘without our bodies touching’.
⁹ Lev. 18, 19.
¹⁰ ibid.
¹¹ In the Biblical passage concerning unlawful unions.
¹² ibid.
¹³ By the analogy: just as any manner of approach to a woman in her impurity is forbidden, so any approach whatsoever to a woman prohibited as being near of kin is likewise forbidden.
¹⁴ A Rabbinic rule of conduct; cf. Ḥul. 44b (Sonc. ed., p. 239).
¹⁵ Cant. 7, 3.
¹⁶ Cf. Sanh. 37a (Sonc. ed., pp. 231f). As all derive sustenance from a heap of wheat, so the whole world enjoys favour because of Israel.
¹⁷ Who constitute the Great Sanhedrin and whose duty it is to make ‘fences’ to safeguard the Torah.
¹⁸ i.e. the precautionary restrictions, light in themselves, but safeguarding against violation of the laws. Cf. Sanh. loc. cit.
¹⁹ The lines enclosed within brackets are missing in V, but have been inserted here from MS. E. The origin of the omission is due to a scribe who jumped from the first ‘who ordained the law of’ to the second.
²⁰ Cf. Num. 15, 20f.
²¹ Cf. Deut. 18, 4. These are further examples of precepts observed within the privacy of the home over which no control can be exercised by other persons.


###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:3
[Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avot%20DeRabbi%20Natan/r/2:3)

איזו סייג שעשה משה לדבריו הרי הוא אומר (שמות י״ט:י׳) ויאמר ה׳ אל משה לך אל העם וקדשתם היום ומחר לא רצה משה הצדיק לומר להם לישראל כדרך שאמר (להם) [לו] הקב״ה אלא כך אמר להם היו נכונים לשלשת ימים אל תגשו אל אשה והוסיף להם משה יום אחד מעצמו (אלא כך) אמר משה ילך איש אצל אשתו ותצא ממנה שכבת זרע ביום הג׳ ויהיו טמאים ונמצא ישראל מקבלים דברי תורה בטומאה מהר סיני אלא אוסיף להם יום שלישי (כדי שלא ילך איש אצל אשתו ולא תצא ממנה שכבת זרע ביום השלישי) ויהיו טהורים (ונמצאו מקבלין תורה בטהרה מהר סיני). זה אחד מהדברים שעשה משה מדעתו (דין ק״ו) והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. שבר את הלוחות והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. פי׳ [מן] אהל מועד והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. פי' מן האשה והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום כיצד אמר מה אם ישראל שלא נתקדשו אלא לפי שעה ולא נזדמנו אלא כדי לקבל עליהם עשרת הדברות מהר סיני אמר לי הקדוש ברוך הוא לך אל העם וקדשתם היום ומחר ואני שאני מזומן לכך בכל יום ויום ובכל שעה ואיני יודע אימתי מדבר עמי או ביום או בלילה על אחת כמה וכמה שאפרוש מן האשה והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. רבי יהודה בן בתירא אומר לא פירש משה מן האשה אלא שנאמרה לו מפי הגבורה שנאמר (במדבר י״ב:ח׳) פה אל פה אדבר בו פה אל פה אמרתי לו פרוש מן האשה ופירש. י׳׳א לא פירש משה מן האשה עד שנאמר לו מפי הגבורה שנאמר (דברים ה׳:כ״ח) לך אמור להם שובו לכם לאהליכם וכתיב בתריה ואתה פה עמוד עמדי חזר לאחוריו ופירש והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. פירש מאהל מועד כיצד אמר ומה אהרן אחי שמשוח בשמן המשחה ומרובה בבגדים ומשתמש בהם בקדושה א״ל הקב״ה (ויקרא ט״ז:ב׳) דבר אל אהרן אחיך ואל יבא בכל עת אל הקדש אני שאיני מזומן לכך על אחת כמה וכמה שאפרוש מאהל מועד פירש מאהל מועד והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. שבר את הלוחות כיצד אמרו בשעה שעלה משה למרום לקבל את הלוחות שהן כתובות ומונחות מששת ימי בראשית שנאמר (שמות ל״ב:ט״ז) והלוחות מעשה אלהים המה והמכתב מכתב אלהים הוא חרות על הלוחות אל תקרי חרות אלא חירות שכל מי שעוסק בתורה הרי הוא בן חורין לעצמו באותה שעה היו מלאכי השרת קושרין קטיגור על משה והיו אומרים רבש״ע (תהילים ח׳:ה׳-ו׳) מה אנוש כי תזכרנו ובן אדם כי תפקדנו ותחסרהו מעט מאלהים וכבוד והדר תעטרהו תמשילהו במעשי ידיך כל שתה תחת רגליו צנה ואלפים כלם וגם בהמות שדי צפור שמים ודגי הים היו מרננים אחריו של משה והיו אומרים מה טיבו של ילוד אשה שעלה למרום שנאמר (שם סח) עלית למרום שבית שבי לקחת מתנות. נטלן וירד והיה שמח שמחה גדולה כיון שראה אותו סרחון שסרחו במעשה העגל אמר היאך אני נותן להם את הלוחות מזקיקני אותן למצות חמורות ומחייבני אותן מיתה לשמים שכן כתוב בהן לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים על פני חזר לאחוריו וראו אותו שבעים זקנים ורצו אחריו הוא אחז בראש הלוח והן אחזו בראש הלוח חזק כחו של משה מכולן שנא׳ (דברים ל״ד:י״ב) ולכל היד החזקה ולכל המורא הגדול אשר עשה משה לעיני כל ישראל. (נסתכל בהן וראה שפרח כתב מעליהן אמר היאך אני נותן להם לישראל את הלוחות שאין בהם ממש אלא אאחוז ואשברם שנאמר (שם ט) ואתפוש בשני הלוחות ואשליכם מעל שתי ידי ואשברם). רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר אמשול לך משל למה הדבר דומה למלך בשר ודם שאמר לשלוחו צא וקדש לי נערה יפה וחסודה ומעשיה נאין הלך אותו שליח וקדשה לאחר שקדשה הלך ומצאה שזינתה תחת אחר מיד היה דן (ק״ו) מעצמו ואמר אם אני נותן לה כתובה מעכשיו נמצא מחייבה מיתה ונפטרוהו מאדוני לעולם כך היה משה הצדיק דן (ק״ו) מעצמו אמר היאך אני נותן להם לישראל את הלוחות הללו מזקיקני אותן למצות חמורות ומחייבני אותן מיתה שכך כתוב בהן (שמות כ״ב:י״ט) זובח לאלהים יחרם בלתי לה׳ לבדו אלא (אאחוז בהן ואשברם וחזרן למוטב שמא יאמרו ישראל היכן הלוחות הראשונות אשר הורדת, אין דברים אלא בדאי. רבי יהודה בן בתירא אומר לא שבר משה את הלוחות אלא שנא׳ לו מפי הגבורה שנא׳ (במדבר י״ב:ח׳) פה אל פה אדבר בו פה אל פה אמרתי לו שבר את הלוחות) וי״א לא שבר משה את הלוחות אלא שנאמר לו מפי הגבורה שנאמר (דברים ט׳:ט״ז) וארא והנה חטאתם לה׳ אלהיכם אינו אומר וארא אלא שראה שפרח כתב מעליהם. אחרים אומרים לא שבר משה את הלוחות אלא שנא׳ לו מפי הגבורה שנא׳ (שם י) ויהיו שם כאשר צוני ה׳ אינו אומר צוני אלא שנצטוה ושברן. רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר לא שבר משה את הלוחות אלא שנאמר לו מפי הגבורה שנאמר (שם לד) אשר עשה משה לעיני כל ישראל מה להלן נצטוה ועשה אף כאן נצטוה ועשה. (ר״ע אומר לא שבר משה את הלוחות אלא שנאמר לו מפי הגבורה שנא׳ ואתפוש בשני הלוחות במה אדם תופס במה שיכול לבוראן ר״מ אומר לא שבר משה את הלוחות אלא שנאמר לו מפי הגבורה שנא׳ (שם י) אשר שברת יישר כחך ששברת):

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
What fence did Moses make to his words? It is stated, *And the Lord said unto Moses: Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow*.²² Now the righteous Moses was not willing to tell it to Israel in the manner in which the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to him, but said to them, *Be ready against the third day; come not near a woman*.²³ 15. Thus Moses added a third day for them of his own accord, because Moses reasoned as follows, ‘If a man will cohabit with his wife and on the third day the seed will issue from her they will become unclean,²⁴ and in consequence Israel²⁵ would receive the Torah from Mount Sinai in a state of defilement. I will therefore add a third day for them, so that no man will cohabit with his wife²⁶ and there will be no fear of the seed issuing from her. All will be clean, and in consequence [the women of] Israel will receive the Torah from Mount Sinai in a state of cleanness’.
This²⁷ is one of the things which Moses did of his own accord, reasoning by *a fortiori* argument, and his decision conformed to the will of the All-present.²⁸ He broke the tablets, and this act of his accorded with the will of the All-present; he kept away from the Tent of Meeting, and this act of his accorded with the will of the All-present; he separated from his wife, and this act of his accorded with the will of the All-present.
[‘He separated from his wife, and this act of his accorded with the will of the All-present.’] How was this? He reasoned as follows: If with regard to the Israelites, who were sanctified for a short period only and summoned for the sole purpose of receiving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, *Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow;*²⁹ I, who am in readiness for the purpose [of receiving] the word of God daily and hourly, since I know not when He will speak with me, whether by day or by night, must all the more separate myself from a woman! And his decision accorded with the will of the All-present.³⁰ (Deut. 5, 28). R. Judah b. Bathyra said: Moses did not separate from his wife until he was ordered to do so by the Almighty, as it is stated, *With him do I speak mouth to mouth*³¹—by a *mouth-to-mouth* order I commanded him to separate from his wife, and he did so. Others interpret in this way: Moses did not separate from his wife until he was ordered to do so by the [18*b*] Almighty, as it is stated, *Go say to them: Return ye to your tents;*³² and after that it is written, *But as for thee, stand thou here by Me*.³³ 28. Moses then turned about³⁴ and separated from his wife, and in so doing he was in accord with the will of the All-present.
‘He kept away from the Tent of Meeting.’ How was this? He reasoned as follows: ‘If in connection with my brother Aaron, who has been anointed with the anointing oil, clothed in the additional vestments of the High-priesthood and ministers therein in holiness, the Holy One, blessed be He, admonished, *Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place;*³⁵ I, who have not been ordained for the purpose, must all the more keep away from the Tent of Meeting’. He kept away from the Tent of Meeting and in so doing he was in accord with the will of the All-present.³⁶
‘He broke the tablets.’ How was this? It is related that when Moses ascended on high to receive the tablets which had been inscribed and were lying in readiness [to be revealed] since the six days of creation,³⁷ as it is stated, *And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven* [ḥaruth] *upon the tables*³⁸ refers primarily to the six days of creation, it follows that the tablets were then prepared.—read not *ḥaruth* [graven] but *ḥeruth* [freedom], for only he is truly free who occupies himself with the Torah³⁹—at that time the ministering angels arraigned Moses, saying, ‘Lord of the universe! *What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou thinkest of him? Yet Thou hast made him but little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: sheep and oxen, all of them, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea’*.⁴⁰ They were referring disparagingly to Moses, saying, ‘What virtue is there in man born of woman that he has ascended on high, as it is stated, *Thou art ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts?*’⁴¹ LXVIII, 19. E.V. refers to God. Moses took the tablets and descended with them, rejoicing exceedingly. But as soon as he saw the depravity with which they had depraved themselves in the episode of the calf, he said to himself, ‘How can I give them the tablets, thereby binding them to the performance of weighty commandments, and in consequence condemning them [if they disobeyed] to death before Heaven, for it is written therein, *Thou shalt have no other gods before Me?*’⁴² He turned back, but when the seventy elders saw this they hurried after him. He seized one end of the tablets while they seized the other end, but the strength of Moses prevailed over theirs, as it is stated, *And in all the mighty hand, and in all the great terror, which Moses wrought in the sight of all Israel*.⁴³ He glanced at the tablets and saw that the writing had flown from them; so he exclaimed, ‘How can I give Israel these worthless tablets? I will grasp hold of them and break them, as it is stated, *And I took hold of the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them*.⁴⁴ IX, 17.
R. Jose the Galilean said: I will illustrate this to you by a parable. To what can the matter be compared? To a human king who ordered his agent, ‘Go and betroth for me a beautiful, graceful and well-behaved maiden’. The agent went and performed the betrothal. After the betrothal he discovered that she was unfaithful with another. Thereupon he reasoned to himself, ‘If I give her the contract⁴⁵ now, I will be condemning her to death⁴⁶ and depriving my master of her for all time; [I will rather tear up the contract]’. In the same way did the righteous Moses reason to himself, ‘How can I now give Israel the tablets, binding them thereby to the performance of weighty commandments, and in consequence condemning them [if they disobeyed] to death, for it is written therein, *He that sacrificeth unto the gods, save unto the Lord only, shall be utterly destroyed?*⁴⁷ I will rather seize the tablets and break them, and lead Israel back to the right way. Then Israel might say,⁴⁸ “Where are the first tablets which [you say] you brought down? There were no such things at all!” ’
R. Judah b. Bathyra said: Moses only broke the tablets because he was commanded to do so by the Almighty, as it is stated, *With him do I speak mouth to mouth*⁴⁹—by a *mouth-to-mouth* order I commanded him to break the tablets. Some explain it in this way: Moses only broke the tablets because he was commanded to do so by the Almighty, as it is stated, *And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God*⁵⁰—the expression *I looked* means that he saw that the writing had flown from off the tablets.⁵¹ Others explain: Moses only broke the tablets because he was commanded to do so by the Almighty, as it is stated, *And there they are, as the Lord commanded me*⁵² X, 5.—the words *commanded me* can only mean that he was so commanded and broke them.
R. Eleazar b. Azariah said: Moses only broke the tablets because he was commanded to do so by the Almighty, as it is stated, *Which Moses wrought in the sight of all Israel*⁵³ XXXIV, 12. Cf. Shab. 87a (Sonc. ed., p. 412), Yeb. 62a (Sonc. ed., p. 412).—as everywhere else he acted on the command of God, so here, too, he acted on the command of God.
R. ‘Aḳiba said: Moses only broke the tablets because he was commanded to do so by the Almighty, as it is stated, *And I took hold of the two tables*⁵⁴ IX, 17.—what is it that a man takes hold of? Is it not that which he is about to break?⁵⁵ and *lebor’an;* the latter makes no sense unless the root *bara’* be taken in the sense of ‘cut down, destroy’ (cf. Josh. 17, 15, 18, and Ezek. 23, 47).
R. Meir said: Moses only broke the tablets because he was commanded to do so by the Almighty, as it is stated, *Which* [’asher] *thou didst break*⁵⁶—I thank [*yishar*] you for breaking them.⁵⁷ (which) and *yishar* (thank) are homiletically explained as deriving from a common root.

footnotes:
²² Ex. 19, 10.
²³ ibid.
²⁴ In accordance with the law that if a woman discharged semen at any time within three days of coitus she is unclean, since the semen is still potent; after three days she is clean. Cf. Shab. 86a (Sonc. ed., p. 408) where this rule is derived from the last quoted verse.
²⁵ GRA reads ‘the women of Israel’, which is preferable.
²⁶ Within these three days.
²⁷ The addition by Moses of an extra day to the Divine command.
²⁸ Cf. Shab. 87a (Sonc. ed., p. 411), Yeb. 62a (Sonc. ed., p. 412).
²⁹ Ex. 19, 10.
³⁰ Proved from the fact that when the people were permitted to resume marital relations, God said to Moses, But as for thee, stand thou here by Me
³¹ Num. 12, 8.
³² Deut. 5, 27. This was a permission to resume marital relations.
³³ ibid.
³⁴ A strange expression in this context. The meaning seems to be that Moses extended the temporary restriction to all the days of his life, and this met with God’s approval. Cf. the second recension on this passage in Schechter’s ed., p. 10.
³⁵ Lev. 16, 2.
³⁶ No verse or exposition is cited to prove this. In the Talmudic passages (cf. above, p. 19, n. 28) the instance of keeping away from the Tent of Meeting is not included.
³⁷ Cf. Aboth 5:9 (Sonc. ed., V, 6, p. 63).
³⁸ Ex. 32, 16. As the work of God
³⁹ This incidental word-play interrupts the sequence of the passage, and is borrowed from Aboth 6:2 (Sonc. ed., p. 80).
⁴⁰ Ps. 8, 5-9.
⁴¹ ibid.
⁴² Ex. 20, 3.
⁴³ Deut. 34, 12.
⁴⁴ ibid.
⁴⁵ Presumably the betrothal document. By destroying this document the verbal betrothal could be disclaimed, and the maiden’s misbehaviour would be treated as that of an unbetrothed girl which does not involve the extreme penalty. Cf. Midrash Rabbah, Exodus, XLVI,§1 (Sonc. ed., pp. 526f).
⁴⁶ Cf. Deut. 22, 23f.
⁴⁷ Ex. 22, 19.
⁴⁸ In their defence when charged with idolatry.
⁴⁹ Num. 12, 8.
⁵⁰ Deut. 9, 16.
⁵¹ The tablets thereby became worthless, and Moses understood it as an order to break them.
⁵² ibid.
⁵³ ibid.
⁵⁴ ibid.
⁵⁵ A difficult sentence, the text being dubious. The meaning seems to be: since Moses held the tablets firmly he certainly had no intention of breaking them; as he did break them it must have been at the behest of the Almighty. The text varies between leshabberan
⁵⁶ Deut. 10, 2.
⁵⁷ The words ’asher


###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:4
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יחזקיהו מלך יהודה עשה ד׳ דברים והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. גנז ספר רפואות והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. כתת נחש הנחושת והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. והסיר את הבמות והמזבחות ([והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום]) שנאמר (דה׳׳ב לב) יחזקיהו הסיר את במותיו ואת מזבחותיו ויאמר ליהודה ולירושלים לאמר לפני מזבח אחד תשתחוו ועליו תקטירו. סתם מי גיחון (והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום) שנאמר (שם) יחזקיהו סתם [את מוצא מימי] גיחון [העליון] ויישרם למטה מערבה לעיר דוד ויצלח יחזקיהו בכל מעשהו:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
Hezekiah king of Judah did four things [of his own accord] and his acts conformed to the will of the All-present. He hid the Book of Healing⁵⁸ and his act conformed to the will of the All-present, [as it is stated, *And I have done that which is good in Thy sight*].⁵⁹ He broke the brazen serpent⁶⁰ into pieces and his act conformed to the will of the All-present, [as it is stated, *And he broke in pieces the brazen serpent … for unto those days the children of Israel did offer to it; and it was called Nehushtan*].⁶¹ He removed the high places and the altars and his act conformed to the will of the All-present, as it is stated, *Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying: Ye shall worship before one altar, and upon it shall ye offer?*⁶² He stopped up the waters of Gihon, and his act conformed to the will of the All-present, as it is stated, *Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works*.⁶³ 30. The last words of the verse indicate that his *works* had divine approval.

footnotes:
⁵⁸ A book containing remedies for various ailments believed to have been compiled by King Solomon. Hezekiah hid it so that people should pray to God for healing. Cf. Ber. 10b (Sonc. ed., p. 56), Pes. 56a (Sonc. ed., pp. 277f). In the Talmud six acts are mentioned, God approving of three and disapproving of three.
⁵⁹ 2 Kings 20, 3. The words in brackets are inserted by GRA.
⁶⁰ Cf. Num. 21, 9.
⁶¹ 2 Kings 18, 4. The verse is omitted in V but is found in MS. E and inserted by GRA.
⁶² 2 Chron. 32, 12.
⁶³ ibid.


###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:5
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איזהו סייג שעשה איוב לדבריו הרי הוא אומר איש תם וישר וירא אלהים וסר מרע מלמד שהרחיק איוב את עצמו מדבר המביא לעבירה ומן הכיעור ומן הדומה לכיעור א״כ מה ת"ל איש תם וישר אלא מלמד שיצא איוב מהול. אף אדם הראשון יצא מהול שנאמר (בראשית א׳:כ״ז) ויברא אלהים את האדם בצלמו. אף שת יצא מהול שנאמר (שם ה) ויולד בדמותו כצלמו. אף נח יצא מהול שנאמר איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו. אף שם יצא מהול שנאמר (שם יד) ומלכי צדק מלך שלם. אף יעקב יצא מהול שנאמר (שם כה) ויעקב איש תם יושב אהלים. אף יוסף יצא מהול שנאמר (שם לז) אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף והלא אין ראוי לומר [אלא] אלה תולדות יעקב ראובן ומה ת״ל יוסף אלא כשם שיצא יעקב מהול (אף) כך יצא יוסף מהול. אף משה יצא מהול שנא׳ (שמות ב׳:ב׳) ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא וכי מה ראתה אמו בו שנאה ומשובח מכל אדם אלא שיצא מהול. אף בלעם הרשע יצא מהול שנאמר (במדבר כ״ד:ד׳) נאום שומע אמרי אל. [אף שמואל יצא מהול שנאמר (שמואל א ב׳:כ״ו) והנער שמואל הולך וגדול וטוב]. אף דוד יצא מהול שנא׳ (תהילים ט״ז:א׳) מכתם לדוד (שמרני אל כי חסיתי בך). אף ירמיה יצא מהול שנא׳ (ירמיהו א׳:ה׳) בטרם אצרך בבטן ידעתיך ובטרם תצא מרחם הקדשתיך. אף זרובבל יצא מהול שנא׳ (חגי ב׳:כ״ג) ביום ההוא (אקח את) [נאום ה' צבאות אקחך] זרובבל בן שאלתיאל עבדי נאום ה׳ הרי הוא אומר (איוב ל״א:א׳) ברית כרתי לעיני ומה אתבונן על בתולה מלמד שהחמיר איוב על עצמו ולא נסתכל אפילו בבתולה והלא דברים ק״ו ומה אם בתולה זו שאם ירצה ישאנה לעצמו (לבנו לאחיו ולקרובו) החמיר איוב על עצמו ולא נסתכל בה אשת איש על אחת כמה וכמה. ומפני מה החמיר איוב על עצמו ולא נסתכל אפילו בבתולה מפני שאמר איוב שמא אסתכל אני היום ולמחר יבא איש אחר וישאנה ונמצא שאני מסתכל באשת איש:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
What fence did Job make to his words? It states, *A whole-hearted and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil*.⁶⁴ This⁶⁵. teaches that Job held aloof from anything that could lead to sin, from anything improper or having the semblance of impropriety.⁶⁶, etc., what precedes it seems superfluous. And what is the significance of the words *a whole-hearted and an upright man?* They teach that Job was born circumcised.⁶⁷, translated ‘whole-hearted’, is interpreted in the sense of physically perfect, the lack of circumcision being regarded as an imperfection.
Adam, the first man, also came into the world circumcised, for it is stated, *And God created man in His own image*.⁶⁸ Seth also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *And begot a son in his own likeness, after his image*.⁶⁹ V, 3, physically perfect like his father. Noah also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *In his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted*.⁷⁰ VI, 9. Shem also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *And Melchizedek king of Salem*.⁷¹ XIV, 18. The Heb. *shalem* also signifies physical perfection. [On the identification of Shem with Melchizedek, cf. L. Ginzberg, *The Legends of the Jews*, V, pp. 225f.] Jacob also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *And Jacob was a whole-hearted man, dwelling in tents*.⁷² XXV, 28, E.V. *a quiet man* (Heb. *tam*). Joseph also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph*.⁷³ XXXVII, 2. Surely Scripture should have said here, ‘These are the generations of Jacob: Reuben!’⁷⁴ Why does it say *Joseph?* [To teach] that as Jacob was born circumcised so Joseph was born circumcised. Moses also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *She saw him that he was a goodly child*.⁷⁵ indicates physically perfect. Now what did his mother see in him finer and better than in all children? [She saw] that he was born circumcised. Even the wicked Balaam was born circumcised, for it is stated, *The saying of him who heareth the words of God*.⁷⁶ Samuel also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *And the child Samuel grew up, increased and was good*.⁷⁷. David also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *Michtam of David. Keep me, O God; for I have taken refuge in Thee*.⁷⁸ is interpreted in Soṭ. 10b (Sonc. ed., p. 49) as *makkatho tammah*, ‘his wound was whole’, i.e. the place where there should have been a wound after the operation of circumcision was sound, since he was born circumcised. Jeremiah also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee*.⁷⁹ Zerubbabel also was born circumcised, for it is stated, *In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Ẓerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and I will make of thee as a signet*.⁸⁰, suggests the seal of circumcision. Alternatively, since the word ends with the syllable *tam* it suggests physical perfection, as above, p. 24, n. 67.
Scripture states, *I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?*⁸¹ This teaches that Job was most strict with himself and would not even glance at a maiden. Is there not here an argument from the less to the greater? If in the case of an unmarried girl whom, if he so wish, he may marry or may give as a wife either to his son or his brother or some other relative of his, Job was most strict with himself and would not glance at her, how much more strict was he in the case of a married woman! Why was Job so strict with himself and would not even glance at a maid? Because he reasoned, ‘Perhaps I look at her to-day, and to-morrow a man comes and takes her to wife; the consequence might be that I should be thinking of a married woman’.

footnotes:
⁶⁴ Job 1, 8.
⁶⁵ The phrase feareth God and shunneth evil
⁶⁶ These were the ‘fences’ which Job erected to safeguard him from wrong-doing. In view of the description that feareth God
⁶⁷ The Heb. tam
⁶⁸ Gen. 1, 27. ‘In God’s image’ implies perfection.
⁶⁹ ibid.
⁷⁰ ibid.
⁷¹ ibid.
⁷² ibid.
⁷³ ibid.
⁷⁴ Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn.
⁷⁵ Ex. 2, 2. Goodly
⁷⁶ Num. 24, 4. God would not have communicated with one who was uncircumcised.
⁷⁷ 1 Sam. 2, 26. E.V., increased in favour
⁷⁸ Ps. 16, 1. The word michtam
⁷⁹ Jer. 1, 5. Since he was consecrated even before birth he must have been formed perfect in body, i.e. already circumcised.
⁸⁰ Hag. 2, 23. The Heb. for ‘signet’, ḥotam
⁸¹ Job 31, 1. After the digression, the subject of Job making a ‘fence’ is resumed.


###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:6
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איזהו סייג שעשו נביאים לדבריהם הרי הוא אומר (ישעיהו מ״ב:י״ג) ה׳ כגבור יצא כאיש מלחמות יעיר קנאה יריע אף יצריח לא כגבור אחד אלא ככל הגבורים שבעולם. כיוצא בו (עמוס ג׳:ח׳) אריה שאג מי לא יירא ה׳ אלהים דבר מי לא ינבא לא כאריה אחד בלבד אלא ככל אריות שבעולם. כיוצא בו (יחזקאל מ״ג:ב׳) והנה כבוד אלהי ישראל בא מדרך הקדים וקולו כקול מים רבים והארץ האירה מכבודו כקול מים רבים זה גבריאל המלאך והארץ האירה מכבודו אלו פני השכינה והלא דברים קל וחומר מה גבריאל שהוא אחד מאלף אלפי אלפים וריבי רבבות שעומדים לפניו קולו הולך מסוף העולם ועד סופו מלך מלכי המלכים הקב״ה שברא את כל העולם כולו ברא העליונים וברא את התחתונים על אחת כמה וכמה. אלא מראין את העין מה שיכולה לראות ומשמיעין את האוזן מה שיכולה לשמוע:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
What fence did the Prophets make to their words? It states, *The Lord will go forth as a mighty man, He will stir up jealousy like a man of war; He will cry, yea, He will shout aloud*.⁸² Surely He is not like one mighty man, but like all the mighty men of the world put together! Similarly, *The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?*⁸³ Surely He is not like one lion, but like all the lions of the world put together! Similarly, *And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth did shine with His glory*.⁸⁴ [We know that] the phrase *the sound of many waters* refers to the angel Gabriel, and the words *and the earth did shine* [19*a*] *with His glory* refer to the manifestation of the Divine Presence. Is there not here an argument from the less to the greater? If of the angel Gabriel, who is but one of the countless thousands and myriads who stand before Him, it is said that his voice reaches from one end of the world to the other, how much mightier is the voice of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, Who created the entire universe and created the celestial and terrestrial beings! But the eye of man is shown only that which it can perceive, and the ear of man is made to hear only that which it can comprehend.⁸⁵

footnotes:
⁸² Is. 42, 13.
⁸³ Amos 3, 8.
⁸⁴ Ez. 43, 2.
⁸⁵ In the three examples quoted from the Prophets it is obvious that the expressions used are inadequate to describe the glory and might of God; the Prophets, however, deliberately employed them so that thereby they conveyed to the people an idea of God’s majesty, using terms which could be comprehended by the limited understanding of man. This choice of expressions and similes is the ‘fence’ which the Prophets made to their words.


###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:7
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איזהו סייג שעשו כתובים לדבריהם הרי הוא אומר (משלי ה׳:ח׳) הרחק מעליה דרכך ואל תקרב אל פתח ביתה הרחק מעליה דרכך זו אפיקורסים שאומרים לו לאדם אל תלך בין האפיקורסים ואל תכנס לשם שמא תכשל בם ואם אמר בוטח אני בעצמי שאע״פ שאני הולך שם איני נכשל בם שמא תאמר שומע אני את דבריהם וחוזר בי ת"ל (שם ב) כל באיה לא ישובון ולא ישיגו ארחות חיים: כתיב (שם ט) טבחה טבחה מסכה יינה אף ערכה שולחנה אלו רשעים שבזמן שאדם נכנס ביניהם מאכילין אותו ומשקין אותו ומלבישין אותו ומכסין אותו ונותנין לו ממון הרבה כיון שהיה כאחד מהם כל אחד ואחד מכיר את שלו ונוטלו ועליהם נאמר (שם ז) עד יפלח חץ כבדו [כמהר] צפור אל פח ולא ידע. ד״א הרחק מעליה דרכך זו זונה שאומרים לו לאדם אל תלך בשוק זה ואל תכנס במבוי זה שזונה יש שם נאה ומשובחת והוא אומר בוטח אני בעצמי שאף על פי שאני הולך לשם איני נכשל בה אמרו לו אע״פ שאתה בוטח בעצמך אל תלך לשם שמא תכשל בה (שהרי אמרו חכמים שלא ירגיל אדם לעבור על פתח זונה) שנא׳ (שם) כי רבים חללים הפילה ועצומים כל הרוגיה:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
What fence did [the authors of] the Holy Writings make to their words? It states, *Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house*.⁸⁶ *Remove thy way far from her* refers to heresy; for a man is warned, ‘Go not among heretics, nor come in to them, lest you stumble through them’. Should he, however, say, ‘I am sure of myself, and even though I go among them I will not stumble through them’; or should he say, ‘I will hear their words and then come away’? Scripture therefore states, *None that go unto her return, neither do they attain unto the paths of life*.⁸⁷ II, 19. It is also written, *She hath prepared her meat, she hath mingled her wine; she hath furnished her table*.⁸⁸ IX, 2. This verse describes the wicked [heretics].⁸⁹ When a man comes among them they give him to eat and drink, they clothe and cover him, and give him much money. But no sooner does he become one of them, than each recognizes what was his property and takes it back. Concerning these it is stated, *Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteneth to the snare—and knoweth not that it is at the cost of his life*.⁹⁰ VII, 23.
Another interpretation of *Remove thy way far from her* refers to the harlot; for a man is warned, ‘Go not in this square, enter not in this side-way, for a harlot is there, attractive and bedecked’. Should he, however, say, ‘I am sure of myself, and even if I go there I will not stumble through her’, he is again warned, ‘Go not there even if you are sure of yourself, lest you stumble through her’. For the Sages have said: A man should not make it his habit to pass the door of a harlot, as it is stated, *For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, a mighty host are all her slain*.⁹¹ 26.

footnotes:
⁸⁶ Prov. 5, 8.
⁸⁷ ibid.
⁸⁸ ibid.
⁸⁹ The word ‘heretics’ is omitted in the text, due, no doubt, to fear of the censor. It is added here by GRA.
⁹⁰ ibid.
⁹¹ ibid.


###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:8
[Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avot%20DeRabbi%20Natan/r/2:8)

איזהו סייג שעשו חכמים לדבריהם שחכמים אומרים קרית שמע של ערבית עד חצות (רבן גמליאל אומר עד קרות הגבר) כיצד אדם בא ממלאכתו אל יאמר אוכל קימעא ואשתה קימעא ואישן קימעא ואח״כ אקרא קריאת שמע נמצא ישן כל הלילה ואינו קורא אלא אדם בא ממלאכתו בערב ילך לבית הכנסת או לבית המדרש אם רגיל לקרות קורא ואם רגיל לשנות שונה ואם לאו קורא ק״ש ומתפלל וכל העובר על דברי [חכמים] חייב מיתה רב״ג אומר פעמים שאדם קורא אותה [שתי פעמים] בלילה אחת עד שלא יעלה עמוד השחר ואחת משיעלה עמוד השחר ונמצא יוצא בה ידי חובתו של יום ושל לילה (עמדו חכמים והרבו ועשו סייג לדבריהם):

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
What fence did the Sages make to their words? They ruled that the evening *Shema‘* may be recited only until midnight, although Rabban Gamaliel said: Until cockcrow.⁹² may be recited at any time until the morning, but as a precautionary measure they ruled only until midnight. This is an example of a ‘fence’ by the Sages. How is this? When a man comes home from his work, let him not say, ‘I will eat a little, drink a little, sleep a little, and then I will recite the *Shema‘’;* it may result in his sleeping through the whole night and he will have missed reciting it. He should rather act thus: when he comes home from his work in the evening let him go to the Synagogue or the House of Study. If he is in the habit of reading Scripture, let him read it; if he is in the habit of studying the Mishnah, let him study it; otherwise, let him recite the *Shema‘* and say the *Tefillah;* and whosoever transgresses the words of the Sages is deserving of death.⁹³
Rabban Gamaliel said: There are times when a man recites the *Shema‘* twice in one night, once before the rise of dawn and once after the rise of dawn, and he thereby fulfils his obligation both for the day and for the night.⁹⁴
The Sages rose up and often made fences to their words.⁹⁵, pp. 26-29 for an original and interesting interpretation of this sentence.

footnotes:
⁹² Cf. the opening paragraph of Mishnah Berakoth. The Sages were also of the opinion that by strict law the Shema‘
⁹³ Cf. Ber. 4b (Sonc. ed., p. 13).
⁹⁴ Cf. Ber. 8b (Sonc. ed., p. 44).
⁹⁵ Cf. Finkelstein, op. cit.


###### Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:9
[Avot DeRabbi Natan 2:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avot%20DeRabbi%20Natan/r/2:9)

[והעמידו תלמידים הרבה] שב״ש אומרים אל ישנה אדם אלא למי שהוא חכם ועניו ובן אבות ועשיר וב״ה אומרים לכל אדם ישנה שהרבה פושעים היו בהם בישראל ונתקרבו לתלמוד תורה ויצאו מהם צדיקים חסידים וכשרים:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
AND RAISE UP MANY DISCIPLES.⁹⁶ The School of Shammai said: A master should teach only those who are wise, meek, of good family and wealthy; whereas the School of Hillel said: He should teach everyone, for many sinners in Israel have in this way been brought near to the study of the Torah, and from them issued righteous, pious and worthy men.

footnotes:
⁹⁶ Added by all commentators as the heading of the paragraph.