## Jerusalem Talmud Sotah Chapter 7 ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:1 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:1:1) **משנה:** אֵילּוּ נֶאֱמָרִין בִּלְשׁוֹנָם. פָּרָשַׁת סוֹטָה וּוִידּוּי מַעֲשֵׂר וְקִרְיַת שְׁמַע וּתְפִילָּה וּבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן וּשְׁבוּעַת הָעֵדוּת וּשְׁבוּעַת הַפִּיקָּדוֹן. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **MISHNAH:** The following are recited in the vernacular: The verses of the suspect wife¹, and the declaration of tithes² 26:12–16., and the recitation of the *Šema*‘³, Chapters 1–2., and prayer⁴; cf. *Berakhot*, Chapters 1–2., and grace⁵, and the oath of a witness⁶. 5:1. Testimony itself is given without an oath., and the oath about a deposit⁷. 22:6–12.. footnotes: ¹ The verses the Cohen has to read to the wife before she drinks. While the scroll has to be written in Hebrew, the wife has to understand them and, therefore, they have to be translated into her vernacular. ² Deut. ³ Cf. Berakhot ⁴ The eighteen (respectively 7 or 9) benedictions of the ‘Amidah ⁵ After a meal. ⁶ If somebody puts an oath on a possible witness that he should come and testify for him; Lev ⁷ Ex ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:2 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:1:2) **הלכה:** אֵילּוּ נֶאֱמָרִין כול׳. כְּתִיב וְאָמַר הַכֹּהֵן לָאִשָּׁה. בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן שֶׁהִיא שׁוֹמַעַת. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן. וְאִם אֵינָהּ שׁוֹמַעַת וְלָמָּה הִיא עוֹנָה אַחֲרָיו אָמֵן. אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר לָהּ עַל יְדֵי תּוּרְגְּמָן. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **HALAKHAH:** “The following are recited,” etc. It is written⁸ 5:21. The argument being that this clause is redundant. The full verse reads: “The Cohen shall make the woman swear by a curse-oath, the Cohen shall tell the woman: …”.: “The Cohen shall tell the woman,” in any language she understands, the words of Rebbi Joshia. Rebbi Jonathan said to him, if she does not understand, how could she answer “Amen, Amen”⁹ *Num*. 12, the objection is attributed to R. Ismael, R. Joshia’s teacher, not to R. Jonathan, R. Joshia’s student. R. Ismael’s interpretation is that the Cohen has to go into all details of the proceedings. The Babli, 32b, is the only source which accepts R. Joshia’s derivation. Then the Babli, without mentioning names, follows R. Ismael’s interpretation but treats it as purely rabbinic.? But that he should not talk to her through an interpreter. footnotes: ⁸ Num. ⁹ In Sifry ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:3 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:1:3) רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁדִּיבֵּר הַמָּקוֹם עִם אִשָּׁה אֶלָּא עִם שָׂרָה בִּלְבַד. וְהָא כְתִיב אֶל הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה וגו׳. אָמַר רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב דִּכְפַר חָנִין. עַל יְדֵי הַתּוּרְגְּמָן. וְהָא כְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר יי לָהּ שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא בַר כַּהֲנָא. הַדִּיבּוּר נָפְלָה לָהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי בִּירִי. כַּמָּה כִירְכּוּרֵי כִירְכּוּרִים. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִשְׁמוֹעַ שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁלַּצַּדְקָנִיּוֹת וַיֹּאמֶר לא כִּי צָחַקְתְּ. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** ¹⁰ 20(12), 45(14), 63(8). Rebbi Joḥanan in the name of Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon: We do not find that the Omnipresent talked to a woman, except only to Sarah. But is there not written¹¹. 3:16.: “To the woman He said: I shall increase,” etc.? Rebbi Jacob of Kefar Ḥanin¹² said, through an interpreter¹³. But is there not written¹⁴. 25:23.: “The Eternal said to her, two peoples are in your womb”? Rebbi Abba bar Cahana said, the Word fell to her¹⁵. *rabba*, Sem ben Noah.). Rebbi Biri said, how many weaver’s shuttles! The Holy One, praise to Him, desires to hear the talk of the just women: “He said no, but you laughed.¹⁶” footnotes: ¹⁰ Gen. rabba ¹¹ Gen ¹² Elsewhere he is called “from Kefar Ḥanan”. ¹³ Adam is addressed by the Eternal in 3:9, the woman in 3:13, the snake in 3:14. ¹⁴ Gen ¹⁵ A word about her fell to a prophet (in the opinion of Gen ¹⁶ The only time we find a mention of God addressing a woman directly it is about an unimportant matter. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:4 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:1:4) וִידּוּי מַעֲשֵׂר. דִּכְתִּיב וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** “The declaration of tithes, as it is written¹⁷. 26:13): “You should say before the Eternal, your God,” Who understands all languages, in contrast to the declaration of First Fruits (v. 3), where it says “you should say to him (the priest)”, who is supposed to speak only Hebrew. The quote contradicts Halakhah 2, Notes 43ff; it is correct in *Sifry Deut*. 303 and in the Babli, 32b, where it is pointed out that “declare and say” always means Hebrew only (as in *Deut*. 27:14).: “You should declare and say.” footnotes: ¹⁷ There is no such verse. It really should read (Deut ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:5 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:1:5) וְקִרְיַת שְׁמַע. דִּכְתִיב וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר. אוֹמֵר אֲנִי. קִרְיַת שְׁמַע אֵינוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה אֶלָּא בִלְשׁוֹן הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. מַה טָעֲמָא. וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. רִבִּי לֵוִי בַר חַיְתָה אֲזַל לְקַיְסָרִין. שְׁמַע קָלוֹן קַרֵיָין שְׁמַע אֱלֵונִיסְתִּין. בְּעָא מְעַכְבְּתוֹן. שְׁמַע רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאִיקְפַּד. אָמַר. כָּךְ אוֹמֵר אֲנִי. מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת אֲשׁוּרִית לֹא יִקְרֶינָּה כָּל עִיקַּר. אֶלָּא יוֹצֵא בְכָל לָשׁוֹן שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ. הֵשִׁיב רִבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה. הֲרֵי מְגִילַּת אֶסְתֵּר. הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹתָהּ אֲשׁוּרִית וְלָעַז. אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא בָהּ אֶלָּא אֲשׁוּרִית. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא. מְגִילַּת אֶסְתֵּר הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹתָהּ אֲשׁוּרִית וְלָעַז אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא אֶלָּא אֲשׁוּרִית. בְּלָעַז יוֹצֵא בָהּ בְּלָעַז. וְכֵן יוֹצֵא בָהּ בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** “And the recitation of the *Šema‘*.” For it is written¹⁸. 6:7. Nobody can discuss something he does not understand.: “You shall talk about them.” Rebbi says, I say that the *Šema‘* is recited only in the holy language. What is the reason? “The words shall be¹⁹. 6:7. It is understood that the verb היה “to be” in general describes a permanent state. In our case, this means that the words, *Deut*. 6:1–9, should not be changed. Then they cannot be recited in translation. The Babli, 32b, goes into an extended discussion on the relative merits of the two positions.”. Rebbi Levi bar Ḥaita²⁰, *s. v*. אלנסתין, reads בר הזותא but the reading here seems to be original. A Galilean preacher of the fourth/fifth generation. went²¹, על “he ascended”, to Caesarea Philippi. to Caesarea. He heard their voices when they were reading the *Šema‘* in Hellenistic²² texts, the word is always written אלנסטי. {While in the commentary to *Gen*. 35:8 [*Tanḥuma Buber Wayyišlaḥ* 26 (Note 100)], the word ἄλλον is Greek and is characterized as such in *Gen. rabba* 81(5), the identification of the root in קָטָבְךָ (*Hos*. 13:14) as κατάβα קאטאבא (“go down’, imperative, short for κατάβηθι) with a Semitic suffix [*Tanḥuma Buber Ṣaw* 4 (Note 30), *Tanḥuma Ṣaw* 2] can only be described as Judeo-Greek.} manner. He wanted to hinder them, but Rebbi Yose heard of it and was offended. He said, do I say that someone who does not know to read Assyrian letters²³ should not recite it at all? But he fulfills his duty in any language he knows. Rebbi Berekhiah objected: But there is the Esther scroll, where somebody who knows to read both Asssyrian script and Greek²⁴ can fulfill his obligation only from Assyrian script²⁵ 18a, permits the bilingual person to hear the Esther story in Greek but rules that reading from a Hebrew scroll written in square letters is acceptable for everybody, even for those who do not know Hebrew. (In Halakhah 2, there is a discussion whether square letters are “Assyrian” or “rich” script.). Rebbi Mana said: About the Esther scroll, somebody who knows to read both Asssyrian script and Greek can fulfill his obligation only from Assyrian script; Greek only, he fulfills his obligation in Greek; and so he can fulfill his obligation in any language he understands. footnotes: ¹⁸ Deut ¹⁹ Deut ²⁰ In the Arukh ²¹ In the Arukh ²² Greek ἑλληνιστί, adv., “in the Greek language”, here probably Judeo-Greek. [The final ן might indicate a nasal pronuciation]. In Tanḥuma ²³ Hebrew Square letters, which replaced the paleo-Hebrew script. Since the latter was retained by the Samaritans, the rabbinic authorities insisted on the exclusive use of the square alphabet. One might wonder whether the text expressly authorizes, e. g., Judeo-Arabic or Judeo-German translations written in “Assyrian” characters. ²⁴ לעז “barbaric”, is used in talmudic literature exclusively for Greek, for which approved translations existed. ²⁵ The Babli, Megillah ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:6 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:1:6) וּתְפִילָּה. כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא יוֹדֵעַ לִתְבוֹעַ צְרָכָיו. וּבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן. כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא יוֹדֵעַ לְמִי מְבָרֵךְ. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** “And prayer,” that one should know how to ask according to his needs. “And grace,” that one should know to Whom he gives praise. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:7 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:1:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:1:7) וּשְׁבוּעַת הָעֵדוּת וּשְׁבוּעַת הַפִּקָּדוֹן. מַשְׁבִּיעִין אוֹתוֹ בִלְשׁוֹנוֹ. הִשְׁבִּיעָן שֶׁלֹּא בִלְשׁוֹנָן וְאָמְרוּ. אָמֵן. הֲרֵי אֵילּוּ פְטוּרִין. כְּהָדָא דְתַנֵּי. שְׁבוּעַת הַדַּיָינִין כִּתְנַיִין שֶׁבְּלִיבֵּינוּ לֹא כִתְנַיִין שֶׁבְּלִיבְּכֶם. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן. חֲזָקָה כִתְנַיִין שֶׁבְּלִיבּוֹ הוּא מַשְׁבִּיעוֹ. וְלָמָּה הוּא מַתְנֶה עִמּוֹ. מִפְּנֵי הַהֶדְיוֹטוֹת. שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ. יֵשׁ תְּנַיִין בַּשְּׁבוּעוֹת. תַּנָּא רִבִּי חֲנַנְיָה קוֹמֵי רִבִּי מָנָא. וְהָא כְתִיב. כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֵשְׁנוֹ פֹה עִמָּנוּ עֹמֵד הַיּוֹם. מַה שְׁמַע מִינָהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. הַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵינוּ אֵין בְּלִיבָּם תְּנַיי. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** “And the oath of a witness and the oath about a deposit.” One makes him swear in his own language. If one made them swear not in their language and they said “Amen”, they are not prosecutable²⁶. As we have stated²⁷ 3:1; a parallel text in Babli *Šebuot* 29a, *Nedarim* 25a.: The oath before the judges is according to our understanding, not according to your understanding. Rebbi Yudan said, it is to be assumed that he makes them swear according to his understanding. Why does he have to spell out this condition to him? Because of the uneducated, lest they say that there may be mental reservations for oaths. Rebbi Ḥanania stated before Rebbi Mana: Is there not written²⁸. 29:14. The argument is about what is written before and after the fragment quoted: “Not with you alone am I concluding this covenant and this oath. But with everybody who stands here with us today, and with those who are not with us today.” How can you have an oath with anybody not involved?: “But with everybody who stands here with us today”? He said to him, the future generations do not have mental reservations²⁹. footnotes: ²⁶ Nobody is prosecutable for perjury if he was not admonished in his own language by the court before answering the oath read to him. In the Babli, 33a, the rule is derived from verses. The Tosephta, 7:1, has a different version: If the court explained to him five times in any language he understands and he confirms his oath, he is guilty (if he swears falsely). ²⁷ The text is also in Nedarim ²⁸ Deut ²⁹ Since the unborn cannot have mental reservations, so the mental reservations of the living are invalid. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:2:1 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:2:1) **משנה:** וְאֵילּוּ נֶאֱמָרִין בְּלָשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ. מִקְרָא הַבִּיכּוּרִים וַחֲלִיצָה בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים וּבִרְכַת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וּפָרָשַׁת הַמֶּלֶךְ וּפָרָשַׁת עֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה וּמְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר אֶל הָעָם. מִקְרָא הַבִּיכּוּרִים כֵּיצַד. וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יי אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר וְעָנוּ הַלְוִיִּם וְאָמְרוּ אֶל כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹל רָם. מָה עֲנִיָיה הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָּן בְּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ אַף כָּאן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ. חֲלִיצָה כֵיצַד. וְעָנְתָה וְאָמְרָה כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר וְעָנוּ הַלְוִיִּם וְאָמְרוּ מָה עֲנִיָיה הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָּן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ אַף כָּאן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר וְעָנְתָה וְאָמְרָה כָּכָה עַד שֶׁתֹּאמַר בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **MISHNAH:** But the following must be said in the holy language: The recitation for the first fruits³⁰ 2:5., *ḥalîṣah*³¹12:3–4., blessings and curses³² 27:11–26 (each curse prefaced by a corresponding blessing: “Blessed be the man who will not …”) were pronounced in Hebrew, based on *Jos*. 8:34; cf. Halakhah 4., the priestly blessing³³. 6:22–26., the benedictions of the High Priest³⁴ 7:1; cf. Halakhah 6., the portion about the king³⁵. 31:10–13; cf. Halakhot 7–8., the portion about the calf whose neck was broken³⁶. 21:7 (the Elders), 8 (the priests); cf. Chapter 9., the [priest] anointed for war at the time he speaks to the people³⁷. 20:1–9; cf. Chapter 8.. The recitation for the first fruits, how? “You shall begin and say before the Eternal, your God³⁸. 26:5.” but further on it says, “the Levites shall begin and say to all the men of Israel in an elevated voice³⁹. 27:14. The implication of this verse is explained in the Halakhah.”. Since “beginning” further on means in the holy language, so also here in the holy language⁴⁰. *Ḥalîṣah* how? “She shall begin and say: So shall be done to the man⁴¹. 25:9.” but further on it says, “the Levites shall begin and say to all the men of Israel in an elevated voice”. Since “beginning” further on means in the holy language, so also here in the holy language. Rebbi Jehudah says, “She shall begin and say so,” [it is invalid] unless she says exactly that text⁴² 12:4; cf. Babli 33a/b.. footnotes: ³⁰ The declaration in the Temple, Mishnah Bikkurim ³¹ The required declarations by the childless widow and brother-in-law in the ceremony which frees her to marry outside the family; cf. Yebamot ³² This is of purely antiquarian character, asserting that the curses detailed in Deut. ³³ Num ³⁴ In the service of the Day of Atonement, Mishnah Yoma ³⁵ The public reading from the Torah at the end of a Sabbatical year, Deut ³⁶ The declarations Deut ³⁷ Deut ³⁸ Deut ³⁹ Deut ⁴⁰ This is an application of the third hermeneutical rule of R. Ismael: The meaning of a word is defined by one paradigm. It does not fit the mold of the second rule, “equal cut”, preferred by the commentators. ⁴¹ Deut ⁴² He disregards the dividing accent in the sentence and reads: “She shall begin and say so: it will be done to the man who will not build his brother’s house” instead of “She shall begin and say: thus will be done …” It gives a different twist to a derivation originating with R. Jehudah’s father’s teacher R. Eliezer in Mishnah Yebamot ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:2:2 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:2:2) **הלכה:** תַּנֵּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוּדָה. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּלָשׁוֹן הַזֶּה עֲנִיָיה וָאֲמִירָה כָּכָה וְכֹה הַרֵי הוּא בְלָשׁוֹן הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. בִּנְיַין אַב שֶׁבְּכוּלָּן מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל. הָתִיב רִבִּי חַגַּי. וְהָכְתִיב וַיַּעַן לָבָן וּבְתוּאֵל. אִין תֵּימַר עַל יְדֵי עֲנִיָיה. וְהָכְתִיב וַיֹּאמְרוּ. אִין תֵּימַר עַל יְדֵי אֲמִירָה. וְהָכְתִיב מֵיי יָצָא הַדָּבָר. אִין תֵּימַר. בְּלָשׁוֹן הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. וְהָכְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ לָבָן יְגַר שָׂהֲדוּתָא. וְאִין תֵּימַר. קוֹדֶם לְמַתַּן תּוֹרָה. הֲרֵי פָרָשַׁת וִוידּוּי מַעֲשֵׂר הֲרֵי הוּא לְאַחַר מַתַּן תּוֹרָה וְהוּא נֶאֱמַר בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **HALAKHAH:** It was stated in the name of Rebbi Jehudah: Any place where it was said in any of these expressions: you begin and say, thus, and thus⁴³. 6:23., it means in the holy language. Rebbi Eleazar said, the defining paradigm for all is: “Moses would speak and God would answer him by voice⁴⁴. 19:19. This is not a reference to the statement of R. Jehudah, but to the argument of the Mishnah. While in that verse, the root ענה does not have the meaning of “to begin to speak” but “to answer”, the mention of קול “voice”, which was in Hebrew, transfers to the recitation of the Levites, who have to speak בְּקוֹל רָם “in the voice of the High”, where High is a Title of God, *Is*. 56:15; cf. below, Note 61..” Rebbi Ḥaggai objected, is there not written, “Laban and Bethuel began⁴⁵. 24:50. As noted later, they spoke Aramaic.,” if you say because of “beginning” only, is there not written “and said⁴⁶”? If you want to say, by “saying” only, is there not written “from the Eternal came the word”⁴⁷? If you want to say, in the holy language, is there not written “the stone heap of testimony⁴⁸. 31:47. Since Laban had to translate Jacob’s גַלְעֵד into Aramaic, it follows that he did not speak Hebrew.”? If you want to say, before the Torah was given, is there not the text of the declaration of tithes⁴⁹. 26:16. However, there only the root אמר is used. which may be recited in any language⁵⁰? footnotes: ⁴³ The first and last expressions were mentioned in the Mishnah. כה “thus” is the introduction to the priests’ blessing, Num ⁴⁴ Ex ⁴⁵ Gen ⁴⁶ That verse contains both roots, ענה and אמר, even if they are separated by the names of the speakers. Therefore, the argument of R. Jehudah is invalid. ⁴⁷ This is a counter-argument. Since Laban and Bethuel admitted that the betrothal of Rebecca was a word of the Eternal, did they not speak Hebrew at that moment? ⁴⁸ Gen ⁴⁹ Deut ⁵⁰ Cf. Mishnah 1. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:2:3 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:2:3) רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא לָשׁוֹן סוּרְסִי קַל בְּעֵינֶיךָ. שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה וּבַנְּבִיאִים וּבַכְּתוּבִים הוּא אָמוּר. בַּתּוֹרָה כְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ לָבָן יְגַר שָׂהֲדוּתָא. בִּנְּבִיאִים כְּתִיב כִּדְנָה תֵּימְרוּן לְהוֹן. בַּכְּתוּבִים כְּתִיב וַיְּדַבְּרוּ הַכַּשְׂדִּים לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲרָמִית. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן דְּבֵית גּוּבְרִין. אַרְבָּעָה לְשׁוֹנוֹת נָאִין לְהִשְתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן הָעוֹלָם. וְאֵילּוּ הֵן. לָעַז לְזֶמֶר. רוֹמִי לִקְרָב. סוּרְסִי לְאֵילִיָיא. עִבְרִי לְדִיבּוּר. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים. אַף אֲשׁוּרִי לִכְתָב. אֲשׁוּרִי יֵשׁ בּוֹ כְּתָב וְאֵין בוֹ לָשׁוֹן. עִבְרִי יֵשׁ בּוֹ לָשׁוֹן וְאֵין בוֹ כְּתָב. בַּחֲרוּ לָהֶם כְּתָב אֲשׁוּרִי וְלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִי. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אֲשׁוּרִי. שֶׁהוּא מְאוּשָׁר בִּכְתָבוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי עַל שֵׁם שֶׁעָלָה בְיָדָם מֵאֲשׁוּר. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: The Syriac language should not be unimportant in your eyes, for it is mentioned in the Torah, the Prophets, and the Hagiographs. In the Torah, it is written: “Laban called it *the heap of testimony*⁴⁸. 31:47. Since Laban had to translate Jacob’s גַלְעֵד into Aramaic, it follows that he did not speak Hebrew.”. In Prophets, it is written: “*So you shall say to them*.⁵¹ 10:11.” In Hagiographs, it is written: “The Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic.⁵² 2:4.” Rebbi Jonathan from Bet Gubrin said, four languages are good for use: The foreign language⁵³ for song, Latin for war, Syriac for elegies, Hebrew for speech. Some people say, also Assyrian⁵⁴ for writing. Assyrian has a script but no language⁵⁵, Hebrew has a language but no script⁵⁶. They chose for them Assyrian script and Hebrew language⁵⁷ 21b; also cf. *Megillah* 1:11 (fol. 71b, line 67).. Why is its name called אֲשׁוּרִי? Because one is made happy in writing it⁵⁸. Rebbi Levi said, because they brought it with them from Assyria⁵⁹. footnotes: ⁴⁸ Gen ⁵¹ Jer. ⁵² Dan. ⁵³ Greek. ⁵⁴ “Hebrew” square script, which originally is an Aramaic development of paleo-Hebrew. ⁵⁵ Since it is used for Hebrew, Aramaic, Mandaic etc. ⁵⁶ Once paleo-Hebrew script was abandoned. ⁵⁷ This is a shortened version of a Babylonian tradition (by the “Heads of the Diaspora”) that Moses wrote the Torah in Hebrew script and language, Ezra wrote the Torah in Aramaic translation and Assyrian script, but the people chose Hebrew text and Assyrian (Aramaic) letters: Sanhedrin ⁵⁸ The meaning of the sentence is not clear. One could translate: Because its writing is plain. ⁵⁹ Square script is not found before the return from Mesopotamia, where the exiles lived mostly in the Aramaic-speaking Northern parts. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:2:4 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:2:4) כְּתִיב וְעָנוּ הַלְוִיִּם וְאָמְרוּ אֶל כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹל רָם. בְּקוֹלוֹ שֶׁלָּרָם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשִׁיתֵּף הַקַּדושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קוֹלוֹ עִמָּהֶן. דָּבָר אַחֵר. קוֹל רָם. הַמְעוּלֶּה שֶׁבַּקּוֹלוֹת. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק. לֹא קָטוֹן וְלֹא גָדוֹל אֶלָּא בֵינוֹנִי. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** It is written⁶⁰. 27:14.: “The Levites shall begin and say to all the men of Israel in an elevated voice⁶¹”, this teaches that the Holy One, praise to Him, associated His voice to theirs. Another explanation, “the best of voices”. Rebbi Isaac said, not low, not high, but moderate. footnotes: ⁶⁰ Deut ⁶¹ Or, “the voice of the Most High,” cf. Note 44. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:3:1 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:3:1) **משנה:** בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת כֵּיצַד. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָבְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן וּבָאוּ אֶל הַר גְּרִיזִים וְאֶל הַר עֵיבָל שֶׁבְּשׁוֹמְרוֹן שֶׁבְּצַד שְׁכֶם שֶׁאֵצֶל אֵילוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הֲלֹא הֵמָּה בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וגו׳ וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיַּעֲבֹר אַבְרָם בָּאָרֶץ עַד מְקוֹם שְׁכֶם עַד אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה מָה הָאֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן שְׁכֶם אַף אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר כָּאן שְׁכֶם. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **MISHNAH:** Blessings and curses³² 27:11–26 (each curse prefaced by a corresponding blessing: “Blessed be the man who will not …”) were pronounced in Hebrew, based on *Jos*. 8:34; cf. Halakhah 4., how? When Israel had crossed the Jordan they came to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal in Samaria, next to Sichem which is close to the terebinths of guidance, as it is said⁶². 11:30: “They are on the other side of the Jordan, westward, on the road to sunset, in the Land of the Canaanite who dwells in the prairie, opposite Gilgal, near the terebinths of guidance.”: “They are on the other side of the Jordan, etc.”, and at another place it says⁶³. 12:6. The terebinth may have been a holy tree (or in the language of *Deut*., a holy grove) at the crossing on the North-South route (Damascus) - Ir Gannim - Beër Šeba - (Egypt) and the “road towards sundown” from Adam-the-City to the Mediterranean.: “Abram traveled through the Land up to the place of Sichem, up to the terebinth of guidance.” Since the terebinth of guidance mentioned there is at Sichem so the the terebinths of guidance mentioned here are at Sichem⁶⁴, Chapter 11, in the author’s edition pp. 109–119; Tosephta Chapter 8.. footnotes: ³² This is of purely antiquarian character, asserting that the curses detailed in Deut. ⁶² Deut ⁶³ Gen ⁶⁴ The lengthy discussion in the Mishnah is a polemic against R. Eleazar in the Halakhah. For all of Halakhot 3–5, cf. Seder ‘Olam ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:3:2 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:3:2) **הלכה:** הֲלֹא הֵמָּה בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן מִן הַיַּרְדֵּן וּלְהַלָּן. אֲחַרֵי דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. מָקוֹם שֶׁהַחַמָּה זוֹרָחַת. בְּאֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי הַיּוֹשֵׁב בָּעֲרָבָה מוּל הַגִּלְגָּל אֵצֶל אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה. זֶה הַר גְּרִיזִים וְהַר עֵיבָל שֶׁבֵּין הַכּוּתִים. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי יְהוּדָה. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר. אֵין זֶה הַר גְּרִיזִים וְהַר עֵיבָל שֶׁלַּכּוּתִים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הֲלֹא הֵמָּה בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן מִן הַיַּרְדֵּן וְלָכֵן. אֲחַרֵי דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. מָקוֹם שֶׁהַחַמָּה שׁוֹקַעַת. בְּאֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי. אֵילּוּ בֵּין הַחִוִּי. הַיּוֹשֵׁב בָּעֲרָבָה. אֵילּוּ בֵּין הֶהָרִים. מוּל הַגִּלְגָּל. אֵין כָּאן גִּלְגָּל. אֵצֶל אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה. אֵין כָּאן אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה. מַה מְקַיֵים רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַר גְּרִיזִים וְהַר עֵיבָל. שְׁתֵּי גַּבְשׁוֹשִׁיּוֹת עָשׂוּ וְקָרְאוּ זֶה הַר גְּרִיזִים וְזֵה הַר עֵיבָל. עַל דַּעַת דְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים מִיל הָלְכוּ בְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם. עַל דַּעַת דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לֹא זָזוּ מִמְּקוֹמָן. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **HALAKHAH:** ⁶⁶ *Deut*. 56.“⁶². 11:30: “They are on the other side of the Jordan, westward, on the road to sunset, in the Land of the Canaanite who dwells in the prairie, opposite Gilgal, near the terebinths of guidance.” They are on the other side of the Jordan,” away from the Jordan. “Far away⁶⁷ 33b, attributes this meaning of אחרי to *Gen. rabba*. If one accepts the usual meaning “westward” (adopted by Rashi in his Commentary to *Deut.*), one would have to read “sunset” in the opinion of R. Jehudah and “sunrise” in that of R. Eleazar, as suggested by L. Finkelstein, *Sifry* *Deut*., pp. 123–124. from the road towards the sun’s coming”, the place from where the sun shines. “In the Land of the Canaanite who dwells in the prairie, opposite Gilgal, near the terebinths of guidance.” That refers to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal among the Samaritans, the words of Rebbi Jehudah. Rebbi Eleazar⁶⁸ *Deut*. the reading is: R. Eliezer. That reading is very unlikely since R. Ilaï, R. Jehudah’s father, was R. Eliezer’s student. (The one reading “R. Eleazar” quoted by Finkelstein in his apparatus comes from a secondary source not necessarily dependent upon *Sifry*.) said, this does not refer to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal of the Samaritans. “They are on the other side of the Jordan,” by the Jordan. “To the West, on the road to sunset,” a place where the sun goes down. “In the Land of the Canaanite,” but there is the Ḥiwwite⁶⁹. 34:2.. “Who dwells in the prairie,” but there it is in the mountains. “Opposite Gilgal,” Gilgal is nowhere there⁷⁰. 4:19.. “Near the terebinths of guidance.” The terebinths of guidance are not there⁷¹. How does Rebbi Eleazar uphold “Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal”? They made two elevations and called them Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. In the opinion of Rebbi Jehudah, they walked 120 *mil* on that day⁷² (in the Babli, 36a, and one Tosephta source, “more than 60 *mil*”). In R. Jehudah’s opinion they crossed the Jordan, put up the stones, walked to Sichem, completed the ceremony, and walked back, all in one day. This contradicts *Jos*. 8:30–35.. In the opinion of Rebbi Eleazar, they did not move at all. footnotes: ⁶⁶ Parallel texts in Babli 33b, Tosephta Chapter 8, Sifry ⁶² Deut ⁶⁷ Rashi, Commentary to Soṭa ⁶⁸ Only in Sifry ⁶⁹ In Sichem, Gen ⁷⁰ East of Jericho, Jos ⁷¹ Here one speaks of a grove, in the verse referring to Abraham of a single tree. ⁷² The distance from Jericho to Sichem is estimated at 60 mil ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:3:3 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:3:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:3:3) תַּנֵּי רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר לֹא [בָא הַכָּתוּב] אֶלָּא לְהַשְׁווֹת לָהֶן אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ וְלוֹמַר. בַּדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ וְלֹא בַשָּׂדוֹת. בְּיִישׁוּב יֵלְכוּ וְלֹא בַמִּדְבָּר. בָּעֲרָבָה יֵלְכוּ לֹא בֶהָרִים. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** It was stated⁷⁴ *Deut*. 56.: “Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob says, the verse comes only to prepare the road for them and say that they should walk on the road, not in fields, in inhabited regions, not in the desert, in the valley⁷⁵ *Deut*. explains ערבה as מישור “plain”., not in the mountains. footnotes: ⁷⁴ Babli 33b, Sifry ⁷⁵ Sifry ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:3:4 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:3:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:3:4) אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֵּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. נוּמֵיתִי לְסוֹפְרֵי כוּתִים. זִיַיפְתֶּם תּוֹרַתְכֶם וְלֹא הוֹעַלְתֶּם לְעַצְמְיכֶם כְּלוּם. שֶׁהִכְתַּבְתֶּם בְּתוֹרַתְכֶם אֵצֶל אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה שְׁכֶם. וַהֲלֹא יָדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא שְׁכֶם. אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם דּוֹרְשִׁין לִגְזֵירָה שָׁוָה. וְאָנוּ דּוֹרְשִׁין לִגְזֵירָה שָׁוָה. נֶאֱמַר כָּאן אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה. וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה. מָה אֵילוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן שְׁכֶם אַף אֵילוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר כָּאן שְׁכֶם. וְכִדְרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל. דְּרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אָמַר. כָּל בִּיאוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ בַתּוֹרָה לְאַחַר אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֶה שָׁנָה נֶאֶמְרוּ. שֶׁבַע שֶׁכִּיבְּשׁוּ וְשֶׁבַע שֶׁחִילְּקוּ. וְדִכְוָותָהּ לֹא נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת אֶלָּא לְאַחַר אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֶה שָׁנָה. הָתִיב רִבִּי חֲנַנְיָה קוֹמֵי רִבִּי מָנָא. וְהָכְתִיב וְהָיָה בְּעָבְרְכֶם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן תָּקִימוּ אֶת הָאֲבָנִים הָאֵלֶּה. אָמַר לֵיהּ. אֲבָנִים הָקִימוּ אוֹתָן מִיָּד. בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת לְאַחַר אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֶה שָׁנָה נֶאֶמְרוּ. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon⁷⁶ 56): R. Eleazar ben R. Yose. This is the Babylonian tradition which attributes the material of *Seder Olam* to the school of R. Yose. said: I told the Samaritan scribes: You falsified your Torah and did not gain anything, because you cause to be written in your Torah “near the terebinths of guidance, Sichem⁷⁷”. Is it not known that this is Sichem? It is only because you do not explain by “equal cut⁷⁸ 1:1, Note 70.”, but we explain by “equal cut”. ⁷⁹ It is written here, “the terebinths of guidance”, and it is said there, “the terebinth*s* of guidance.” Since “the terebinth*s* of guidance” there are at Sichem, also “the terebinths of guidance” here are at Sichem; and following Rebbi Ismael. For Rebbi Ismael said, any “comings” which were said in the Torah refer to after fourteen years, seven during which they conquered and seven during which they distributed⁸⁰ Chapter 11, pp. 108–109; Babli *Zebaḥim* 118b, *Arakhin* 13a).. Therefore, blessings and curses were recited only after fourteen years. Rebbi Ḥanania objected before Rebbi Mana: Is it not written⁸¹ 27:4. These stones had to be erected on Mount Ebal., “It shall be when you cross the Jordan you shall erect these stones”? He said to him, they erected the stones immediately⁸² 4:8, 8:30–35, support the interpretation of R. Eleazar. but blessings and curses were said only after fourteen years. footnotes: ⁷⁶ In the other sources (Babli 33b, Sifry Deut. ⁷⁷ An additional word which is not original. ⁷⁸ The second hermeneutical rule which stipulates that a word in the Torah can have only one meaning; cf. Berakhot ⁷⁹ See the Mishnah. ⁸⁰ Any commandment in the Torah which is prefaced by “when you come into the Land” is activated only after each tribe has received their portion of land (Seder Olam ⁸¹ Deut. ⁸² In that case, Jos. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:1 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:1) **משנה:** שִׁשָּׁה שְׁבָטִים עָלוּ לְרֹאשׁ הַר גְּרִיזִים וְשִׁשָּׁה שְׁבָטִים עָלוּ לְרֹאשׁ הַר עֵיבָל וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְהָאָרוֹן עוֹמְדִין מִלְּמַטָּה בָּאֶמְצַע. הַכֹּהֲנִים מַקִּיפִין אֶת הָאָרוֹן וְהַלְוִיִּם אֶת הַכֹּהֲנִים וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכָּן וּמִכָּן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּזְקֵינָיו וְשׁוֹטְרָיו וְשׁוֹפְטָיו עוֹמְדִים מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה לָאָרוֹן וגו׳. הָפְכוּ פְּנֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי הַר גְּרִיזִים וּפָתְחוּ בַבְּרָכָה. בָּרוּךְ הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה פֶסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה תּוֹעֲבַת יי מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי חָרָשׁ וְלֹא שָׂם בַּסָּתֶר וְהָיוּ אֵילּוּ וָאֵילּוּ עוֹנִין וְאוֹמְרִים אָמֵן. הָפְכוּ פְּנֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי הַר עֵיבָל וּפָתְחוּ בַּקְּלָלָה אָרוּר הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה פֶסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה תּוֹעֲבַת יי וגו׳. וְהָיוּ אֵילּוּ וָאֵילּוּ עוֹנִין וְאוֹמְרִים אָמֵן עַד שֶׁגּוֹמְרִין בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **MISHNAH:** Six tribes climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and six tribes climbed to the top of Mount Ebal⁸³ 27:12–13; *Jos.* 8:33. while the Cohanim, the Levites, and the ark were below in the middle. The Cohanim were surrounding the ark, the Levites the Cohanim, and all of Israel [were] on both sides, as it was said⁸⁴ 8:33.: “And all of Israel, its Elders, its policemen, its judges were standing on both sides of the ark …” They turned their faces towards Mount Gerizim and opened with the blessing: “Blessed be the man who will not make a hewn or molten [image], the Eternal’s abomination, made by an artisan, and will not put it up in secret.” These and those did answer and say: Amen. They turned their faces towards Mount Ebal and opened with the curse⁸⁵ 27:15.: “Cursed be the man who would make a hewn or molten [image], the Eternal’s abomination, made by an artisan, and would put it up in secret.” These and those did answer and say: Amen, until they finished blessings and curses. footnotes: ⁸³ Deut. ⁸⁴ Jos. ⁸⁵ Deut. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:2 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:2) **הלכה:** תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר. אֵי אֶיפְשָׁר לוֹמַר לֵוִי לְמַעֲלָן שֶׁכְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לֵוִי לְמַטָּן. אֵי אֶיפְשָׁר לוֹמַר לֵוִי לְמַטָּן שֶׁכְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לֵוִי לְמַעֲלָן. אֱמוֹר מֵעַתָּה. זִקְנֵי כְהוּנָּה וּלְוִיָיה לְמַטָּן וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַשֵּׁבֶט לְמַעֲלָן. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. אֵי אֶיפְשָׁר לוֹמַר לֵוִי לְמַעֲלָן שֶׁכְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לֵוִי לְמַטָּן. וְאֵי אֶיפְשָׁר לוֹמַר לֵוִי לְמַטָּן שֶׁכְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לֵוִי לְמַעֲלָן. אֱמוֹר מֵעַתָּה. הָרָאוּי לְשָׁרֵת לְמַטָּה וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַשֵּׁבֶט לְמַעֲלָה. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי. מַה שִׁמְעוֹן כּוּלּוֹ לְמַעֲלָה אַף לֵוִי כוּלּוֹ לְמַעֲלָה. מַה מְקַיָים הָדֵין תַּנָּיָיה נֶגֶד הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם. כַּיי דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע מְקוֹמוֹת נִקְרְאוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים לְוִיִים וְזֶה אֶחָד מֵהֶן וְהַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם בְּנֵי צָדוֹק. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **HALAKHAH:** It was stated: Rebbi says, it is impossible to say that Levi is up⁸⁶ 27:11–14 seems to be self-contradictory. In v. 12, it is stated that the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Jehudah, etc. have to stand on Mount Gerizim but in v. 14 the Levites are in the middle to recite the curses. because it already was said that Levi is down. It is impossible to say that Levi is down because it already was said that Levi is up. From this you say, the Elders of the Levites and the priests are down and the rest of the tribe are up⁸⁷ 8:33) The opinion given here is there ascribed to R. Eliezer ben Jacob.. Rebbi Simeon says, it is impossible to say that Levi is up because it already was said that Levi is down and it is impossible to say that Levi is down because it already was said that Levi is up. From this you say, anyone able to serve⁸⁸ 8:24–25). In Tosephta and Babli, this opinion is ascribed to R. Joshia. is down and the rest of the tribe is up. Rebbi Simeon says, “Simeon and Levi”, since all of Simeon are up, also all of Levi are up. How do I confirm “in face of the Cohanim, the Levites”? ⁸⁹ 5:5, Note 90; Babli *Yebamot* 86b, *Ḥulin* 24b. As Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, in 24 places are Cohanim called Levites and this is one of them⁹⁰ 44:15.: “The Cohanim Levites, the descendants of Ṣadoq.” footnotes: ⁸⁶ Deut ⁸⁷ In the Tosephta, 8:8, and the Babli, 37a, Rebbi is reported to say that all tribes were standing at the foot of the respective mountains (cf. Jos. ⁸⁸ In the Tabernacle, between the ages of 25 and 50 (Num. ⁸⁹ Ma‘aśer Šeni ⁹⁰ Ez. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:3 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:3) יָכוֹל אֵילּוּ שֶׁבְּהַר גְּרִיזִים הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים בְּרָכוֹת וְאֵילּוּ שֶׁבְּהַר עֵיבָל הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים קְלָלוֹת. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר הַבְּרָכוֹת וְהַקֵּלָלוֹת. אֵילּוּ וָאֵילּוּ הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת. יָכוֹל מִשֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים הַבְּרָכוֹת הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים הַקְּלָלוֹת. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה. בְּרָכָה אַחַת וּקְלָלָה אַחַת. יָכוֹל אֵילּוּ שֶׁבְּהַר גְּרִיזִים הָיוּ עוֹנִין אַחַר הַבְּרָכוֹת אָמֵן. וְאֵילּוּ שֶׁבְּהַר עֵיבָל הָיוּ עוֹנִין אַחַר הַקְּלָלוֹת אָמֵן. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְעָנוּ כָל הָעָם וְאָמְרוּ אָמֵן. אֵילּוּ וָאֵילּוּ הָיוּ עוֹנִין אַחַר הַבְּרָכוֹת וְאַחַר הַקְּלָלוֹת אָמֵן. הָא כֵיצַד. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים בְּרָכוֹת הָיוּ הוֹפְכִין פְּנֵיהֶן כְּלַפֵּי הַר גְּרִיזִים. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים קְלָלוֹת הָיוּ הוֹפְכִין פְּנֵיהֶן כְּלַפֵּי הַר עֵיבָל. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** One could think that those on Mount Gerizim did recite the blessings and those on Mount Ebal did recite the curses, the verse⁹¹ 30:1 and *Jos.* 8:34 the singular is used. The plural is used for “blessings” in *Deut.* 28:2, for “curses” in *Deut.* 28:15. says “the blessings and the curses”; both were saying blessings and curses. One could think that after they had recited the blessings they were reciting the curses, the verse⁹² 11:26, *Jos.* 8:34. From here on, a similar argument is in *Sifry Deut.* 55; that text is reproduced in the Babli, 37b. says “the blessing and the curse”, one blessing and one curse. One could think that those on Mount Gerizim did answer “Amen” after the blessings and those on Mount Ebal did answer “Amen” after the curses, the verse⁹³. 27:15. says “the entire people will answer and say “Amen”; these and those did answer “Amen” after the blessings and after the curses. How is that? When they were reciting the blessings they were turning their faces towards Mount Gerizim; when they were reciting the curses they were turning their faces towards Mount Ebal. footnotes: ⁹¹ There is no such verse; both in Deut. ⁹² Deut. ⁹³ Deut ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:4 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:4) בָּרוּךְ בִּכְלָל וּבָרוּךְ בִּפְרָט. אָרוּר בִּכְלָל וְאָרוּר בִּפְרָט. שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה בְרִיתוֹת עַל כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר. לִלְמוֹד וּלְלַמֵּד לִשְׁמוֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת. וְכֵן בְּהַר סִינַי וְכֵן בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הָיָה מוֹצִיא שֶׁלְּהַר גְּרִיזִים וְשֶׁלְּהַר עֵיבָל וּמֵבִיא שֶׁלְּאוֹהֶל מוֹעֵד תַּחְתֵּיהֶן. וְכֵן הָיָה רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. אֵין כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר מִן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵין כָּרוּת עָלָיו חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְשִׁבְעִים וְשֵׁשׁ בְּרִיתוֹת. שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה בְּבָרוּךְ וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה בְּאָרוּר. וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה בִּכְלָל וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה בִּפְרָט. הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה בְּרִיתוֹת. לִלְמוֹד וּלְלַמֵּד לִשְׁמוֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הֲרֵי מֵאָה וְתִשְׁעִים וּשְׁנַיִם בְּרִיתוֹת. וְכֵן בְּהַר סִינַי וְכֵן בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב. הֲרֵי חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְשִׁבְעִים וְשֵׁשׁ בְּרִיתוֹת. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוּדָה אִישׁ כְּפַר אֶמַּוּס אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר. אִם כְדִבְרֵי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוּדָה אִישׁ כְּפַר אֶמַּוּס שֶׁאָמַר מִשּׁוּם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אֵין כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר מִן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵין כָּרוּת עָלָיו אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה פְעָמִים עַל כָּל פַּעַם וּפַעַם שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** ⁹⁴ Blessed in general and blessed in particular⁹⁵ 27:26 is general, referring to “the words of this Torah”, but vv. 15–25 refer to particular sins.; cursed in general and cursed in particular. Sixteen covenants on every detail, to study, to teach, to keep, and to do⁹⁶ 6:6), to teach it (*Deut.* 6:7, 11:19), to keep and execute it (*Deut.* 4:6,5:1). There are four obligations that bring blessings and four omissions that bring curses, in all 8. Since every commandment is also part of “the words of this Torah”, that equals 16 for each single commandment.; and the same on Sinai⁹⁷ 26:46. and the same in the prairie of Moab⁹⁸ 28:69.. Rebbi Simeon does exclude that of Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal⁹⁹ 24:25. and instead includes that of the Tent of Meeting¹⁰⁰ 1:1).. Also Rebbi Simeon¹⁰¹ did say, there is no single detail in the Torah about which not 576 covenants were concluded. Twelve¹⁰² 27:15–26. in blessing, twelve in cursing. Twelve in general, twelve in detail. That makes 48 covenants. To study, to teach, to keep, and to do, that makes 192 covenants. The same on Sinai and the same in the prairie of Moab, that makes 576 covenants. Rebbi Simeon ben Jehudah from the village of Emmaus¹⁰³ p. 711; A. Liss, ed., *The Babylonian Talmud with variant readings, Sotah,* vol. 2, p. 148, Notes 33,39*. says in the name of Rebbi Simeon: 603’550¹⁰⁴ 1:46, excluding the Levites. This means that he counts one individual covenant for each Israelite. This is the explicit statement in the Tosephta. In the Babli: 48 covenants for 603’550, attributed to Rebbi in our text. The statement of Rebbi in the Tosephta is: 13 covenants for 603’550.. Rebbi says, if one follows the words of Rebbi Simeon ben Jehudah from the village of Emmaus who said in the name of Rebbi Simeon, then there is no single detail in the Torah about which not 48 times 603’550 covenants were concluded. footnotes: ⁹⁴ Babli 37 a/b, Tosephta 8:10–11. The explanation follows Rashi in the Babli. ⁹⁵ Deut. ⁹⁶ For each commandment one is obligated to study it (Deut. ⁹⁷ Lev. ⁹⁸ Deut. ⁹⁹ Since Joshua executed only a commandment of Moses; he did not conclude a new covenant at that moment, but did so later, cf. Jos. ¹⁰⁰ The Babli, 27b, quotes here a disagreement between R. Aqiba, who holds that the entire Torah was given at Sinai and repeated in the Tent of Meeting, and R. Ismael who holds that the general outline was given at Sinai but the details only in the Tent of Meeting (cf. Lev. ¹⁰¹ In the Tosephta, R. Simeon is credited with the statement that a total of 3 times 16 covenants were established for every commandment. ¹⁰² One for each verse of Deut. ¹⁰³ In the Babylonian sources, the name of the village is עכוֹ or עיכוס, עיבום but in the Tosephta also once עמוס, cf. S. Lieberman, Tosefta kiFshutah Našim ¹⁰⁴ This is the census of the tribes in Num. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:5 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:5) עַד כְּדוֹן דְּבָרִים שֶׁנִּכְלְלוּ וְנִפְרְטוּ. דְּבָרִים שֶׁנִּכְלְלוּ וְלֹא נִפְרְטוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כֵּן אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. כָּל שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָל וְיָצָא מִן הַכְּלָל לְלַמֵּד. לֹא לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ יָצָא אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַכְּלָל כּוּלּוֹ יָצָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ. לֹא בְדָבָר אֶחָד. דִּילְמָא בִשְׁנֵי דְבָרִים. וְהָכָא בִשְׁנֵי דְבָרִים אֲנָן קַיָימִין. אָמַר רִבִּי תַנְחוּמָא. מִִכֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב בְּסוֹף אָמֵן. כְּמִי שֶׁכּוּלּוֹ דָבָר אֶחָד. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** So far subjects which were stated in general and in detail¹⁰⁵. Subjects which were stated in general but not in detail¹⁰⁶? He said to him: So says Rebbi Joḥanan in the name of Rebbi Simeon¹⁰⁷ In Chapter 9, the authorship is attributed to (tannaitic) rabbis who oppose R. Ismael; Chapter 9, Notes 87–89.. Anything which was in a set and and left the set to teach, not to teach only about itself did it leave but to teach about the entire set¹⁰⁸ is: It is written in *Lev.* 7:20 that eating from a well-being sacrifice that had become impure is a deadly sin. But well-being sacrifices are only one element of the set of all sacrifices. In the absence of a biblical statement to the contrary, it can be asserted that eating from *any* sacrifice that had become impure is a deadly sin. The set is that of all sacrifices, from which the well-being sacrifice was singled out for a special statement.. He said to him: Is that not about a single subject? Perhaps for two subjects? And here¹⁰⁹, we deal with two different subjects. Rebbi Tanḥuma said, since at the end is written “Amen”, it is as if everything were one subject. footnotes: ¹⁰⁵ Of the twelve blessings and curses (cf. Note 102), one is general and 11 are in detail. The ones in detail are also contained in the last, general, blessing and curse. ¹⁰⁶ Any other commandment in the Torah. Are there any covenants that force one to obey those? ¹⁰⁷ In all Babli-inspired sources, this is the 9th hermeneutic rule of R. Ismael; Sifra, Introduction. ¹⁰⁸ The example given in Sifra ¹⁰⁹ And in this case there are 11 particular statements and one defining the set as all commandments of the Torah. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:6 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:6) כְּתִיב אָרוּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָקִים אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת. וְכִי יֵשׁ תּוֹרָה נוֹפֶלֶת. שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יָקִים אוֹמֵר. זֶה הַחַזָּן שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא אוֹמֵר. זֶה הַבַּיִת שֶׁלְּמַטָּן. דְּאָמַר רַב חוּנָה רַב יְהוּדָה בְשֵׁם שְׁמוּאֵל. עַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה קָרַע יֹאשִׁיָּה וְאָמַר. עָלַי לְהָקִים. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** It is written: “Cursed be he who would not raise all the words of this Torah.” Can the Torah fall down? Simeon ben Yaqim¹¹⁰ 27:26) reads Rebbi Simeon ben Yaqim. says, that is the *ḥazzan* who stands¹¹¹ before the congregation and led it in prayer. However, in the East, the חזן was always the employee of the congregation who functioned as rabbi, reader, ritual slaughterer, and general organizer of the community (cf. Berakhot 3:1, Note 60). At Torah readings, the *ḥazzan* had to see to it that the Torah scroll was lifted and shown to all present.. Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalaphta says, that is the earthly house¹¹², as Rav Ḥuna, Rav Jehudah said in the name of Samuel: Josia tore [his garments] about this verse¹¹³ 22:11. He asserts that upon hearing the Torah [which by tradition had been forbidden by his father Amon (cf. *Midrash Haggadol Deut.* on *Deut.*27:26)], Josia tore his garments on hearing *Deut.* 27:26. and said, I have to raise. footnotes: ¹¹⁰ Nachmanides (Commentary to Deut. ¹¹¹ Nachmanides does not read the last two words. It would seem that his reading is correct. In Europe, the word חזן always denoted the reader who stood ¹¹² Nachmanides reads זֶה בֵּית דִּין שֶׁלְּמַטָּה “that is the earthly court” (which has to supervise the moral state of the community.) ¹¹³ 2K. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:7 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:7) רִבִּי אָחָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי תַנְחוּם בֵּרִבִּי חִיָיה. לָמַד וְלִימֵּד וְשָׁמַר וְעָשָׂה וְהָיְתָה סִפֵּיקָה בְיָדוֹ לְהַחֲזִיק וְלֹא הֶחֱזִיק. הֲרֵי זֶה בִכְלָל אָרוּר. רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי חִיָיה בַּר בָּא. לֹא לָמַד וְלֹא לִימֵּד וְלֹא שָׁמַר וְלֹא עָשָׂה וְלֹא הָיְתָה סִפֵּיקָה בְיָדוֹ לְהַחֲזִיק וְהֶחֱזִיק. הֲרֵי זֶה בִכְלָל בָּרוּךְ. וְאָמַר רִבִּי חָנָה רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי חִיָיה. עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת צֵל לְבַעֲלֵי מִצְוֹת בְּצִילָּהּ שֶׁלְּבַעֲלֵי תוֹרָה. מַה טַעֲמָא. כִּי בְצֵל הַחָכְמָה בְצֵל הַכֶּסֶף. וְאוֹמֵר עֵץ חַיִים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** ¹¹⁵ Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Tanḥum ben Rebbi Ḥiyya. If somebody studied and taught, kept and did, and it was in his power to strengthen¹¹⁶, but he did not strengthen, that one is in the set of the cursed. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: If somebody did not study, did not teach, did not keep and did not do, and it was not in his hand to strengthen but he did strengthen¹¹⁷, that one is in the set of the blessed. And Rebbi Ḥana, Rebbi Jeremiah, said in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: In the future [world], the Holy One, praise to Him, will make shadow of those who perform commandments¹¹⁸ 53b. in the shadow of those who study Torah. What is the reason? “For in the shadow of Torah, in the shadow of money¹¹⁹ 7:12”. And it is said, “it¹²⁰ is a tree of life for those who support it.¹²¹ 3:18. *Midrash rabba Lev.*25(1): “It does not say ‘it is a tree of life for those who study it’, but ‘who support it’.” footnotes: ¹¹⁵ A fundraiser’s sermon ¹¹⁶ To give financial support to institutions of Torah learning. ¹¹⁷ He gave financial support to institutions of Torah learning even though he was not rich. ¹¹⁸ They give money to charity. A similar statement in the name of R. Joḥanan is in the Babli, Pesaḥim ¹¹⁹ Eccl. ¹²⁰ The Torah (taken here as symbol for the institutions of Torah study). ¹²¹ Prov. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:8 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:8) מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְהַחֶצְיוֹ. אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמְּעוּטִין בְּהַר גְּרִיזִים וּמְרוּבִּים בְּהַר עֵיבָל. לָמָּה. שֶׁאֵין שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלְּלֵוִי כּוּלּוֹ שָׁם. שֶׁאִם הָיָה כָל שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי כוּלּוֹ שָׁם הָיוּ שָׁוִין. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן. אִילּוּ הָיָה כָל שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלְּלֵוִי שָׁם לֹא הָיוּ שָׁוִין. לָמָּה. שֶׁכְּבָר נָפְלוּ מִשִּׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלְּשִׁמְעוֹן עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף בַּשִּׁיטִּים. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. אִילּוּ הָיָה כָל שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלְּלֵוִי שָׁם הָיוּ שָׁוִין. לָמָּה. שֶׁלֹּא בָּא מִשֵּׁבֶט רְאוּבֵן וְגָד אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** Why does the verse¹²² 8:33, those who went to Mount Gerizim are חֶצְיוֹ “half”, but those on Mount Ebal are וְהַחֶצְיוֹ “and *the* half”. The appearance of the definite article has to be explained. say: “and the half of it”? This teaches that a minority was on Mount Gerizim and a majority on Mount Ebal¹²³ 26, there would be about 20’000 fewer persons on Mount Gerizim than on Mount Ebal, the Levites not counted. Since the Levites were counted separately, as unfit for war, and they were counted from one month of age, the numbers cannot be compared. Including children from the age of one month, there were only 23’000 Levites.. Why? Because the tribe of Levi was not completely there. For if the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would have been equal. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: If the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would not have been equal. Why? Since already 24’000 had fallen at Shiṭṭim from the tribe of Simeon¹²⁴ 1, the tribe of Simeon had 59’300 warriors, but in *Num.* 26, that number had shrunk to 22’200. The people who had died at Shiṭṭim were 24’000 (*Num.* 25:9). This is less than the total diminution of the tribe of Simeon.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, if the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would have been equal¹²⁵ 4:13, the Transjordanian tribes together delivered “about 40’000 frontline soldiers”. There is no indication that the Transjordanien tribe of Manasse was counted separately. In any case, the data in Scripture are insufficient to express any opinion in the matter.. Why? Because from the tribes of Reuben and Gad only 40’000 front line troops came there. footnotes: ¹²² In Jos. ¹²³ Based on the figures of Num. ¹²⁴ In the count of Num. ¹²⁵ This is difficult to understand. Following Jos. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:9 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:4:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:4:9) כַּהֲנָא אָמַר. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵן חוֹלְקִין כָּאן כָּךְ הֵן חוּלְקִין בִּתְחִילַּת הַחוּמָשׁ הַשֵּׁינִי. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵן חוֹלְקִין כָּאן כָּךְ הֵן חוֹלְקִין בִּדְגָלִים. בְּנֵי לֵאָה מִיכָּן. וּבְנֵי רָחֵל חַד מִיכָּן וְחַד מִיכָּן. וּבְנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת בְּאֶמְצָע. אָמַר רִבִּי מַתַּנְיָה. טַעֲמָא דְהָדֵין תַּנָּיָיה שְׁמַע אֵלַי יַעֲקֹב עַבְדִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל מְקוֹרָאִי. מַה הַתִּקְרָה הַזּוֹ עוֹבְיָיהּ דְּהֵן גַּבֵּי קוֹטְנָהּ דְּהָהֵן וְעוֹבְיָהּ דְּהֵן גַּבֵּי קוֹטְנָהּ דְּהָהֵן. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵן חֲלוּקִין כָּאן כָּךְ הֵן חֲלוּקִין בְּאַבְנֵי אֵפוֹד. בְּמִלּוּאוֹתָם. כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה מִיכָּן וְעֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה מִיכָּן. וַהֲלֹא אֵינָן אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. בִּנְיָמִן דִוְתוֹלְדוֹתָם מָלֵא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָה בַּר זְבִידָא. יְהוֹסֵף מָלֵא. עָדוּת בִּיהוֹסֵף שָׂמוֹ. וַהֲלֹא אֵינָן אֶלָּא עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִיכָּן וְעֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁבְעָה מִיכָּן. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. בִּנְיָמִן הָיָה חָצוּי. בִּן מִיכָּן יָמִין מִיכָּן. אָמַר רִבִּי זְבִידָה. וְיֵאוּת. מִי כְתִיב שִׁשָּׁה שְׁמוֹתָם. לֹא. אֶלָּא מִשְּׁמוֹתָם. מִשְּׁמוֹתָם וְלֹא כָל שְׁמוֹתָם. הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נִכְתָּבִין מִימִינוֹ שֶׁלַּכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ שֶׁלַּקּוֹרֵא. וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים נִכְתָּבִין מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ שֶׁלַּכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מִימִינוֹ שֶׁלַּקּוֹרֵא. הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אֵינָן נִכְתָּבִין עַל סֵדֶר. שֶׁיְּהוּדָה מֶלֶךְ. הָאַחֲרוֹנִים נִכְתָּבִין עַל סֵדֶר. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** Cahana said, just as they divide here, so they divide at the beginning of the second book of the Pentateuch¹²⁶. 1:2–3. There, the order is quite different: First the sons of the wives, then the sons of the handmaidens. In the Babli, 36a/b, the opinion is attributed to R. Ḥanina ben Gamliel.. Some Tannaïm state: Just as they divide here, so they divide in the standards¹²⁷. 2. There the order is: Standard of Judah: Judah, Issachar, Zebulun. Standard of Reuben: Reuben, Simeon, Gad. Standard of Ephraim: Ephraim, Manasse, Benjamin. Standard of Dan: Dan, Asher, Naftali. This also is incompatible with the order given in *Deut*. 27:13–14: Simeon, Levi, Jehudah, Issachar, Joseph, Benjamin - Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, Naftali.. The sons of Leah on one side, the sons of Rachel one on one side, the other one on the other side, and the sons of the handmaidens in the middle¹²⁸). In the Babli, 36b.. Rebbi Mattania said, the reason of this Tanna is: “Hear me, Jacob my servant, Israel my roofed in¹²⁹. 48:12. The verse is misquoted; “my servant” is not written. The interpretation of this conceit is based on rabbinic Hebrew קוֹרָא “roof girder”; modern Hebrew קוֹרָה..” Just as on the roof the thick part of one [beam] is next to the slim part of the other [beam]¹³⁰ 1(6).. Some Tannaïm state: Just as they are split here, so they are split on the stones of the ephod¹³¹. 28:9–10. The order in which the names of the tribes were to be engraved on the Shoham stones is indicated only obliquely as כְּתוֹלְדֹתָם “in the order of their birth”; that would be Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Jehudah, Dan, Naftali; Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin. In the Babli, 36a, this is the opinion of Rav Cahana.. “In their fulnesses”, that there should be 25 on one side and 25 on the other side¹³² but for the stones representing the tribes on the *ḥoshen*(*Ex*. 28:20), on which the names of the tribes were engraved (v. 21) and which were set *to fill* the settings prepared for them.. But they are only 49¹³³! Rebbi Joḥanan said, “Benjamin” of “and their births” is *plene*¹³⁴. Rebbi Judah bar Zabida said, Jehoseph is *plene*, “He put it up as a testimony in Jehoseph.¹³⁵. 81:6. In the Babli, 36b, this is the opinion of R. Isaac.” But they are only 23 on one side and 27 on the other¹³⁶ but בנימן defective and יוסף in its usual form.! Rebbi Joḥanan said, Benjamin was split, Ben on one side, Jamin on the other side¹³⁷ but must follow R. Judah bar Zabida. Then on the right hand side there were 27 + 1 - 3 = 25 letters and on the left hand side 22 + 3 = 25 letters.. Rebbi Zabida said, this is fine. Does it say “their six names”? No, but, “of their names”, not their entire names¹³⁸. 28:10, the group of the first six names is charaterized as מִשְּׁמֹתָם, “of their names”, taking the מ, as usual in rabbinic texts, as partitive. The other six names are “the six other names”, to be written in full (and, according to the Babli, 36a, in the order of their births.)! The first were written on the right hand side of the High Priest, to the left of the viewer. The last were written on the left hand side of the High Priest, to the right of the viewer. The first ones were not written in order, for Jehudah is king. The last ones were written in order¹³⁹. 27:14.. footnotes: ¹²⁶ Ex ¹²⁷ This opinion is not found in the Babli. Cf. Num ¹²⁸ The verse indicates which tribes were standing on which mountain but does not indicate how they were standing. The opinion here is that on Mount Gerizim the two Rachel tribes, Joseph and Benjamin, were standing at the right and left extremes and the Leah tribes in the middle; on Mount Ebal the two Leah tribes, Reuben and Zebulun were standing at the right and left extremes and the handmaidens’ tribes in the middle. (Explanation of Pene Moshe ¹²⁹ Jes ¹³⁰ It seems that their roofs were made from wooden beams of a slightly conical shape so that they could be pressed together to protect against the rains. A similar picture Ex. rabba ¹³¹ Ex ¹³² The word is written not for the Shoham stones of the ephod ¹³³ As written, the names of the Gerizim tribes add up to 27 letters, those of the Ebal tribes to 22. The same objection in the Babli, 36b. ¹³⁴ On the stone, the name of Benjamin was written בנימין for a total of 28 letters. This opinion is not quoted in the Babli; it is dismissed in the Yerushalmi. ¹³⁵ Ps ¹³⁶ This questioner reads זבולון plene ¹³⁷ R. Joḥanan cannot follow his own opinion that Benjamin was spelled plene ¹³⁸ In Ex ¹³⁹ That means, not in the order in which they are enumerated in Deut ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:1 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:5:1) **משנה:** וְאַחַר כָּךְ הֵבִיאוּ אֶת הָאֲבָנִים וּבָנוּ אֶת הַמִּזְבַּחֵ וְסָדוּהוּ בַסִּיד וְכָתְבוּ עָלָיו אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת בְּשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּאֵר הֵיטֵב וְנָטְלוּ אֶת הָאֲבָנִים וּבָאוּ וְלָנוּ בִמְקוֹמָן. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **MISHNAH:** After that they brought the stones¹⁴⁰, built the altar¹⁴¹. 27:4., whitewashed it with lime¹⁴¹. 27:4., and wrote on it all the words of this Torah in seventy languages¹⁴². 10., as it is written: “well explained¹⁴³. 27:8. In *Jos*. 8:35 this is taken to mean that Joshua had to explain the Torah to men, women, and children.”. They took the stones¹⁴⁰, went and stayed in their place overnight¹⁴⁴. footnotes: ¹⁴⁰ Which stones they were is a matter of discussion. ¹⁴¹ On Mount Ebal, Deut ¹⁴¹ On Mount Ebal, Deut ¹⁴² The standard number of peoples on earth as enumerated in Ber ¹⁴³ Deut ¹⁴⁰ Which stones they were is a matter of discussion. ¹⁴⁴ At Gilgal, near Jericho. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:2 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:5:2) **הלכה:** תַּנֵּי. עַל אַבְנֵי הַמָּלוֹן נִכְתְּבוּ. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי יוּדָה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר. עַל אַבְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ נִכְתְּבוּ. מָאן דָּמַר. עַל אַבְנֵי הַמָּלוֹן נִכְתְּבוּ. בְּכָל יוֹם וְיוֹם אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מְשַׁלְּחִין נוֹטָרֵיהֶן וּמַשִּׂיאִין אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהָיְתָה כְתוּבָה בְשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן. מָאן דָּמַר. עַל אַבְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ נִכְתְּבוּ. לֹא לְשָׁעָה הָיוּ וְנִגְנְזוּ. עוֹד הוּא מַעֲשֵׂה נִיסִּים. נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּינָה בְלֵב כָּל אוּמָּה וְאוּמָּה וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהָיְתָה כְתוּבָה בְשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן. מָאן דָּמַר. עַל אַבְנֵי הַמָּלוֹן נִכְתְּבוּ. נִיחָא וְשַׂדְתָּ אוֹתָם בַּשִּׂיד. מָאן דָּמַר. עַל אַבְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ נִכְתְּבוּ. מַה מְקַיֵים וְשַׂדְתָּ אוֹתָם בַּשִּׂיד. בֵּין כָּל אֶבֶן וָאֶבֶן. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן. וְהָיוּ עַמִּים מִשְׂרְפוֹת סִיד. מִסִּיד נָטְלוּ אַיפּוֹפַסִין שֶׁלָּהֶן מִיתָה. רִבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. וְהַגּוֹיִם חָרוֹב יֶחֱרָבוּ. מֵחוֹרֵב נָטְלוּ אַיפּוֹפַסִין שֶׁלָּהֶן מִיתָה. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **HALAKHAH:** It was stated: It was written on the stones of the dwelling place, the words of Rebbi Jehudah¹⁴⁵; Rebbi Yose says, it was written on the stones of the altar¹⁴⁶. He who says, it was written on the stones of the dwelling place, every day the peoples of the world were sending their stenographers¹⁴⁷, “stenographer”. and they carried away the Torah which had been written in seventy languages¹⁴⁸. 5:1). If at any time in human history, peoples were found who were illiterate, they must have been degenerate [*Sanhedrin* 38b, *Avodah zarah* 5a; *Gen. rabba* 24(7)]. Adam was also created an inventor and engineer (cf. the author’s *The Scholar’s Haggadah*, pp. 219–221; *A Jewish Fundamentalist Philosophy of Science and Development*, Association F. Gonseth, Bulletin 63, 1992, pp. 9–20.). He who says, it was written on the stones of the altar, were they not only for a short time and then were hidden? That was another wonder, that the Holy One, praise to Him, gave insight to every people and they carried away the Torah which had been written in seventy languages. For him who says, it was written on the stones of the dwelling place, it is understandable that “you shall whitewash them with lime.” But he who says, it was written on the stones of the altar, how does he uphold “ “you shall whitewash them with lime”? Between the stones¹⁴⁹. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥmani in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: “The peoples will be lime incinerators¹⁵⁰. 33:12. In Babli and Tosephta, this is attributed to R. Simeon.”, from the lime they took their death sentence¹⁵¹. Rebbi Abba bar Cahana in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: “But the Gentiles will be totally destroyed¹⁵². 60:12. This sermon is not mentioned in the parallel sources. It is based on the identification of חרב I, Akkadic *ẖarābu* “to dry up” and חרב II, Arabic خرب “to destroy”. The basis of this sermon and entire paragraph is the theory, based on *Deut*. 33:2, that before the epiphany on Horeb/Mount Sinai, God had offered the Torah to all the other peoples of the earth, who refused, and only Israel accepted. Therefore, only Israel reaps the rewards in the Future World (cf. *Sifry Deut*. 343, ed. L. Finkelstein; all the other sources are given there in Note 14.),” from Ḥoreb they took their death sentence. footnotes: ¹⁴⁵ In the interpretation of Rashi, Babli 35b, they took the stones, built with them the altar on Mount Ebal, disassembled the altar, took the stones to Gilgal, inscribed the Torah with 70 translations on the stones and covered everything with whitewash. The text of the Babli is paralleled in the Tosephta, 8:6.Both in the Babli and in the Tosephta this opinion is that of the anonymous majority. ¹⁴⁶ In Babli and Tosephta, this is ascribed to R. Jehudah.. ¹⁴⁷ Latin notarius ¹⁴⁸ They lifted the whitewash from the stone and had the letters stand out, and transported everything back to its place. In the opinion of R. Simeon, the translations were written on the whitewash where they could be copied.In talmudic theory, Adam was created literate since he had a book (Gen ¹⁴⁹ This is not mentioned in Babli-Tosephta. ¹⁵⁰ Is ¹⁵¹ Greek ἀπόφασις “judgment, sentence”. ¹⁵² Is ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:3 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:5:3) נִמְצֵאתָ אוֹמֵר. שְׁלֹשָׁה מִינֵי אֲבָנִים הֵן. אַבְנֵי הַמָּלוֹן. וָאֲבַנִים שֶׁהִנִּיחַ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּחַת כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים. וְאִיסְטֵלִיּוֹת שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶן מֹשֶׁה. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָן. פָּשִׁיט לֹן. אַרְבָּעָה מִינֵי אֲבָנִים הֵן. אָמַר רִבִּי סִימוֹן בַּר זְבִיד. וְיֵאוּת. אִין תֵּימַר. אַבְנֵי הַמָּלוֹן. לְשָׁעָה הָיוּ וְנִגְנְזוּ. אִין תֵּימַר. אֲבָנִים שֶׁהֵקִים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּחַת כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים. מְשׁוּקָּעוֹת הָיוּ בַמַּיִם. אִין תֵּימַר. אִיסְטֵלִיּוֹת שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶן מֹשֶׁה. כְּבָר נִכְנְסוּ עִמָּהֶן לָאָרֶץ. אֶלָּא כֵן אֲנָן קַיָימִין בָּאֲבָנִים שֶׁהֵקִים לָהֶן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עַל גַּב הַיַּרְדֵּן. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** You may say that there were three kinds of stones¹⁵³: The stones of the resting place¹⁵⁴. 4:3,8,20., and the stones which Joshua put under the soles of the feet of the Cohanim¹⁵⁵. 4:9., and the steles¹⁵⁶ that Moses had given them¹⁵⁷. 1:5 it is stated that Moses *explained* the Torah. In 27:8 it is commanded to copy the Torah on the stones, *well explained*. Since in the latter cases, “explained” means “engraved in stone”, it follows that in the first case “explained” also must mean engraved in stone.. Rebbi Ḥaninan said, it is obvious to us that there were four kinds of stones¹⁵⁸. Rebbi Simon ben Zebid said, that is correct. If you would say, they were the stones of the resting place; these were temporary and were hidden¹⁵⁹. 4:21–24. In any case, the verses make it clear that these stones were not to be used to be written on.. If you would say, the stones which Joshua put under the soles of the feet of the Cohanim; these were submerged in the water. If you would say, the steles that Moses had given them; they already had moved with them into the Land¹⁶⁰. But we must deal with the stones that Joshua put up for them on the banks of the Jordan. footnotes: ¹⁵³ Tosephta 8:6, Babli 35b. ¹⁵⁴ Jos ¹⁵⁵ Jos ¹⁵⁶ Greek στήλη. For the use of steles in ancient synagogues, cf. י. בראבד, ״איצטלין״, לשוננו 32 תשכח-1968 ע׳ 276. ¹⁵⁷ This is explained in the Babli, 35b. In Deut ¹⁵⁸ That the stones on which the Torah was written translated into 70 languages were none of the above three kinds. This opinion is not mentioned in Babli/Tosephta. ¹⁵⁹ This is difficult to understand since the stones should be there as a permanent memorial, Jos ¹⁶⁰ Even if they had taken the steles with them, the Torah already was written on them and they could not be those on which the Torah was written anew. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:4 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:5:4) תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי יוּדָה בַּר אִלְעַאי אוֹמֵר. אַבָּא חֲלַפְתָּא וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶן מַתְּיָה וַחֲנִינָה בֶּן חֲכִינַאי עָמְדוּ עַל אוֹתָן הָאֲבָנִים וְשִׁיעֲרוּם כָּל אַחַת וְאַחַת מַשּׂוּי אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה. מִיכָּן אַתְּ לָמֵד כַמָּה הָיָה בָאֶשְׁכּוֹל. כְּתִיב וְהָרִימוּ לָכֶם אִישׁ אֶבֶן אַחַת עַל שִׁכְמוֹ. לָא דָמִי הַהוּא דִטְעַן מִן אַרְעָא לְכָתְפֵיהּ לְהַהוּא דִטְעַן מֵאַרְעָא לְאַרְכּוּבְתֵיהּ. וּמִן אַרְכּוּבְתֵיהּ לְכָתְפֵיהּ. לָא דָמִי הַהוּא דִטְעַן מִן אַרְעָא לְאַרְכּוּבְתֵיהּ וּמִן אַרְכּוּבְתֵיהּ לְכָתְפֵיהּ לְהַהוּא דְאוֹחֲרָן תְּלֵי לֵיהּ. לָא דָמִי הַהוּא דְּאוֹחֲרָן תְּלֵי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא דִטְעִין בִּתְּרֵיין. כְּתִיב אִישׁ אֶחָד לַשָּׁבֶט. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי עֲקִיבָה דוּ אָמַר לְשׁוֹנוֹת רִבּוּיִים הֵן. (3) שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר הָיוּ. שְׁמֹנֶה בָאֶשְׁכּוֹל וְאַרְבַּע בַּתְּאֵנִים וְרִמּוֹנִים וּבְנוֹשֵׂא כֵלִים. (2) עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דְּהוּא אוֹמֵר לְשׁוֹנוֹת כְּפוּלִין הֵן. (1) עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה הָיוּ. שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר בָּאֶשְׁכּוֹל וּשְׁמוֹנֶה בַּתְּאֵינִים וְרִימּוֹנִים וּבְנוֹשֵׂא כֵלִים. (4) עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל טורטורין. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי עֲקִיבָה טורטורין וטורטורי טורטורין. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** It was stated: Rebbi Jehudah bar Ilai says: Abba Ḥalaphta, Rebbi Eleazar ben Mattia, and Ḥanina bar Ḥakhinai stood on those stones and estimated that each one on them was a load of 40 *seah*. From here you can estimate how big was the bunch of grapes¹⁶². It is written¹⁶³. 4:5.: “Each one should lift a stone on his shoulder.” One cannot compare one who lifts from the ground to his shoulder to one who lifts first from the ground to his knee and then from his knee to his shoulder. One cannot compare one who lifts first from the ground to his knee and then from his knee to his shoulder to one onto whom others hang [the load]. One cannot compare one onto whom others hang [the load] to [a load] carried by two. It is written: “One man per tribe.¹⁶⁴. 1:23. This is the wrong quote; intended is *Num*. 13:2: “One man, one man per ancestral tribe you shall send.” The problem is the interpretation of the duplication.” In the opinion of Rebbi Aqiba who says these are expressions of additions, there were 24, sixteen for the grape bunch and eight for figs, pomegranates, and their belongings¹⁶⁵. 13:23: “they carried [the grape bunch] on a pole by two” is interpreted that it was carried by eight people with the grape bunch hanging between two poles. There, one is said to have carried a fig, another a pomegranate; Joshua and Caleb did not carry anything.. In the opinion of Rebbi Simeon¹⁶⁶, who says there are double expressions, there were twelve, eight for the grape bunch and four for figs, pomegranates, and their belongings. In the opinion of Rebbi Ismael a beam¹⁶⁷) where it is perfectly adequate to see in it Greek τρυτάνη “pair of scales”. By the concurrent testimony of Rashi and R. Ḥananel, certainly based on Gaonic material, the interpretation of R. Isaac’s statement is that the grape bunch was pictured carried between two poles which at each end were fixed to a cross-beam. Each cross-beam at both extremities had smaller cross beams, giving space for 8 bearers, all marching in the same direction. There is no reason not to accept this interpretation for the Yerushalmi; but for the position of the Yerushalmi following R. Ismael, it seems rather that the image is that of a single pole, with four men preceding the grape bunch and four men following behind it. It is possible that “scale” here stands for “scale bar”. But it is possible that טורטני may be a Babylonian corruption of a Semitic word טוּרְטוּר of *pilpel* type.; in the opinion of Rebbi Aqiba a beam and beams of beams. footnotes: ¹⁶² Babli 34a, Tosephta 8:6. ¹⁶³ Jos ¹⁶⁴ Deut ¹⁶⁵ In the Babli, 34a, the verse Num ¹⁶⁶ This attribution seems to be wrong. R. Simeon is not known to reject R. Aqiba’s interpretations. Probably it should read: R. Ismael, who insists that the Torah is written in the vernacular and who is quoted in the next sentence. ¹⁶⁷ This is the traditional interpretation; in the absence of a convincing etymology the meaning is not guaranteed.In the Babli, 34b, the interpretation given here following R. Aqiba is attributed to R. Isaac; the wording is טורטני וטרטני דטורטני. The word טורטני appears in quite a number of other sources (collected in Krauss, Lehnwörter ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:5 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:5:5) כְּתִיב וַיַּעַמְדוּ הַמַּיִם הַיּוֹרְדִים מִלְמַעְלָה קָמוּ נֵד אֶחָד הַרְחֵק מְאֹד מֵאָדָם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר מִצַּד צָרְתָן. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. אָדָם קִרְיָיה וְצָרְתָן קִרְיָיה. שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל מִזּוֹ לְזוֹ. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ הַמַּיִם גְּדוּשִׁין וְעוֹלִין כְּמַצַּד צָרְתָן. וְכִי אֵי זֶה קַל. הַמַּיִם אוֹ אָדָם. הַמַּיִם קַלִּין מֵאָדָם. תֵּדַע לָךְ שֶׁהוּא כֵן. אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ הַמַּיִם גְּדוּשִין וְעוֹלִין כֵּיפִין עַל כֵּיפִין. רִבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר. עַד לִבּוֹ שֶׁלָּרָקִיעַ. תַּמָּן אָמְרִין. עַד בָּבֵל. נֶאֱמַר כָּאן הַרְחֵק וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה מְאֹד בָּאוּ אֵלַי מִבָּבֵל. תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר. יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת מִיל הָיוּ הַמַּיִם גְּדוּשִׁין וְעוֹלִין כֵּיפִין עַל גַּבֵּי כֵיפִין עַד שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתָן כָּל אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב. וַיְהִי כִשְׁמוֹעַ כָּל מַלְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וְכָל הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֲשֶׁר עַל הַיָּם אֵת אֲשֶׁר הוֹבִישׁ יי אֶת מֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן מִפְּנֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד עָבְרָם וגו׳. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** ¹⁶⁸ It is written¹⁶⁹. 4:16.: “The waters descending from higher up stood like a dam, very far, from the town of Adam which is besides Ṣāretān¹. Rebbi Joḥanan said, Adam is a town and Ṣāretān is a town; there are twelve *mil* from one to the other. That teaches that the water was stacked up and rose like the citadel of Ṣāretān. ¹⁷⁰ Which one is lighter, water or man? Waters are lighter than man; you know that this is so. This teaches that the waters were stacked and increased, wave upon wave. Rebbi Levi said, up to the sky’s heart. There¹⁷¹, they said, as far as Babylon. It says here¹⁶⁹. 4:16. “far”, and it says there¹⁷². 20:14; *Is*. 39:3. “they came from a very far land, from Babylon.” It was stated¹⁷³: Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob said, the waters were stacked and rose, waves on waves, for more than 300 *mil* until all the peoples of the world saw them. That is what is written¹⁷⁴. 5:1.: “It happened when all the kings of the Emorite on the other side of the Jordan, and all the Canaanite dwelling on the Sea, heard that the Eternal had dried up the waters of the river Jordan for the children of Israel until they had passed across,” etc. footnotes: ¹⁶⁸ Cf. Babli 34a and Tosephta 8:2–3. ¹⁶⁹ Jos ¹ Nelson Glueck (AASOR xxv-xxviii, 1945-1948) identifies Ṣāretān as Ṣā'idlyāh. [added from Addenda and Corrigenda by Guggeneheimer]. ¹⁷⁰ This refers to a tannaïtic discussion quoted in the Babli but not here. ¹⁷¹ In Babylonia. This argument is not in the Babli. ¹⁶⁹ Jos ¹⁷² 2K ¹⁷³ In the Babli, and the Tosephta 8:3, this is attributed to R. Eleazar bar R. Simeon. ¹⁷⁴ Jos ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:6 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:5:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:5:6) אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. בַּיַּרְדֵּן קִיבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת. אָמַר לָהֶן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. [אִם אֵין אַתֶּם] מְקַבְּלִין עֲלֵיכֶם אֶת הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת הַמַּיִם בָּאִין וְשׁוֹטְפִין אֶתְכֶם. אָמַר רִבִּי סִימוֹן בַּר זַבִּדָא. וְיֵאוּת. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהוּא כֵן. שֶׁהֲרֵי עָכָן חָטָא וְרוּבָּהּ שֶׁלַּסַּנְהֶדְרִין נָפְלָה בָּעַי. אָמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי. בְּיַבְנֶה הוּתְּרָה הָרְצוּעָה. יָצְתָה בַת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה. אֵין לָכֶם עֶסֶק בַּנִּסְתָּרוֹת. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, in the Jordan they accepted the secret matters¹⁷⁵. 29:28. In the Babli, *Sanhedrin* 43b, the position of R. Simon ben Laqish is similar to that of the Tanna R. Jehudah. The responsibility of the public for hidden deeds of the individual is denied by R. Nehemiah.. Joshua told them, if you do not accept the secret matters, the waters will come and sweep you away. Rebbi Simon bar Zabida said, that is correct. You should know that this is so, for Akhan sinned and the majority of the Synhedrion fell at Ai¹⁷⁶. 7:5; Cf. Babli *Sanhedrin* 44a. In the opinion of the Babli, Akhan’s sin was not private since his family knew about it.. Rebbi Levi said, at Jabneh the rope was untied; there came a disembodied voice and said: You have nothing to do with secret matters¹⁷⁷. footnotes: ¹⁷⁵ That the people as a whole will be punished for secret sins of an individual. Moses had explicitly ruled out responsibility of the public for hidden deeds of the individual, Deut ¹⁷⁶ Jos ¹⁷⁷ In later rabbinic language, this phrase was used in the sense that mystical sayings should have no standing in matters of religious law or practice. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:6:1 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:6:1) **משנה:** בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים כֵּיצַד. בַּמְּדִינָה אוֹמְרִים אוֹתָהּ שָׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת וּבַמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּרָכָה אַחַת. בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ אוֹמֵר אֶת הַשֵּׁם כִּכְתָבוֹ וּבַמְּדִינָה בְּכִנּוּיוֹ. בַּמְּדִינָה כֹּהֲנִים נוֹשְׂאִים אֶת יְדֵיהֶן כְּנֶגֶד כִּתְפוֹתֵיהֶן וּבַמִּקְדָּשׁ עַל גַּבֵּי רָאשֵׁיהֶן חוּץ מִכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַגְבִּיהַּ אֶת יָדָיו לְמַעְלָה מִן הַצִּיץ. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר אַף כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מַגְבִּיהַּ אֶת יָדָיו לְמַעְלָה מִן הַצִּיץ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּשָּׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת יָדָיו אֶל הָעָם וַיְבָרְכֵם. בִּרְכוֹת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל כֵּיצַד. חַזָּן הַכְּנֶסֶת נוֹטֵל סֶפֶר הַתּוֹרָה וְנוֹתְנוֹ לְרֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת וְרֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת נוֹתְנוֹ לַסְּגָן וְהַסְּגָן נוֹתְנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל. וְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל עוֹמֵד וּמְקַבֵּל עוֹמֵד וְקוֹרֵא אַחֲרֵי מוֹת וְאַךְ בֶּעָשׂוֹר. וְגוֹלֵל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וּמַנִּיחָהּ בְּחֵיקוֹ וְאוֹמֵר יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶׁקָּרִיתִי לִפְנֵיכֶם כָּתוּב כָּאן. וּבֶעָשׂוֹר שֶׁבְּחוּמָשׁ הַפְּקוּדִים קוֹרֵא עַל פֶּה וּמְבָרֶךְ עָלֶיהָ שְׁמוֹנֶה בְּרָכוֹת עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל הַהוֹדָיָיה וְעַל מְחִילַת הֶעָוֹן וְעַל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל הַכֹּהֲנִים וּשְׁאָר הַתְּפִילָּה. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **MISHNAH:** How is the priestly blessing? In the countryside they recited it as three blessings¹⁷⁸. 6:24–26 to be answered by “Amen”., but in the Temple as one blessing¹⁷⁹. In the Temple one says the Name as it is written, but in the countryside by its circumlocution¹⁸⁰. In the countryside the Cohanim lift their hands to the height of their shoulders but in the Temple over their heads except for the High Priest who does not lift his hands over the diadem. Rebbi Jehudah says, the High Priest also lifts his hands over his head, as it is said¹⁸¹. 9:22; since the ritual of blessing with raised hands is derived from this verse, it would be unreasonable to have the Cohanim not conform to Aaron’s, the High Priest’s, example.: “Aaron lifted his hands towards the people and blessed them.” How are the blessings of the High Priest¹⁸² 7:1.? The organizer of the synagogue¹⁸³ takes a Torah scroll and gives it to the president of the synagogue; the president of the synagogue gives it to the Second¹⁸⁴; the Second gives it to the High Priest. The High priest receives it standing, he stands and reads “after the death¹⁸⁵. 16:1–34, the description of the Atonement service.” and “but on the tenth¹⁸⁶. 23:26–32. Winding from Chap. 17 to 23 does not take much time.”; he rolls the Torah tight, puts it in his bosom and says: More than what I read before you is written here. “And on the tenth” in Numbers¹⁸⁷. 29:7–11. he recites by heart, and recites eight benedictions¹⁸⁸: For the Torah, for the Temple service, for thanksgiving, for forgiveness of sins, for the Temple, for Israel, for the Cohanim, and the remainder of the prayer. footnotes: ¹⁷⁸ Each one of the verses Num ¹⁷⁹ To be answered by the people at the end by “praised be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever”. ¹⁸⁰ “The Lord” אֲדוֹנָי or κύριος. ¹⁸¹ Lev ¹⁸² On the Day of Atonement; cf. Mishnah Yoma ¹⁸³ On the Temple Mount. This is a non-scriptural ceremony, purely Pharisaic, but followed, at least since Hasmonean times, even by Sadducee High Priests. ¹⁸⁴ The second in command in the Temple after the High Priest; in effect his executive officer. ¹⁸⁵ Lev ¹⁸⁶ Lev ¹⁸⁷ Num ¹⁸⁸ These are detailed in Halakhah 7. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:6:2 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:6:2) **הלכה:** אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא. צַעַר גָּדוֹל הָיָה לָהֶן. בְּכָל אָתָר אַתְּ אָמַר. הוֹלְכִין אֵצֶל הַתּוֹרָה. וְהָכָא אַתְּ אָמַר. מוֹלִיכִין אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אֶצְלָן. אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֵן בְּנֵי אָדָם גְּדוֹלִים הַתּוֹרָה מִתְעַלָּה בָהֶן. וְהָא תַמָּן מְיַיבְּלִין אוֹרָיְתָא גַבֵּי רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁזַרְעוֹ שֶׁל דָוִד מְשׁוּקָּע שָׁם אִינּוּן עָבְדִין לוֹ כְּמִנְהַג אַבְהָתְהוֹן. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **HALAKHAH:** Rav Ḥisda said, they¹⁸⁹ had great difficulty; ¹⁹⁰ 7:1. elsewhere you say that one goes to the Torah, and here you say, one brings the Torah to him? But because they are important personalities, the Torah is honored by them¹⁹¹ 69a, the ceremony is for the glory of the High Priest.. Does one not bring the Torah to the Head of the Diaspora over there¹⁹²? Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, since the seed of David is immersed there¹⁹³ one treats him in the ancestral way. footnotes: ¹⁸⁹ The scholars in his academy. ¹⁹⁰ From here to the end of the Halakhah, the text is also in Yoma ¹⁹¹ In the Babli, Yoma ¹⁹² At solemn occasions in Babylonia. ¹⁹³ The family of the Heads of the Diaspora claimed descent from king Yekhoniah (Yoyakhin); the Head of the Diaspora is treated as King (Mishnah 7). ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:6:3 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:6:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:6:3) תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. מְדַלְּגִין בְּנָבִיא וְאֵין מְדַלְּגִין בַּתּוֹרָה. מְדַלְּגִין בְּנָבִיא וְאֵין מְדַלְּגִין מִנָּבִיא לְנָבִיא. וּבְנָבִיא שֶׁלִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מוּתָּר. וְאֵין מְדַלְּגִין בַּתּוֹרָה. רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. לְפִי שֶׁאֵין גּוֹלְלִין סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בָרַבִּים. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בָּעֵי. הַגַּע עַצְמָךְ שֶׁהָיְתָה פָרָשָׁה קְטַנָּה. אֶלָּא כְדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל סֵדֶר. וְהָא תַנִּינָן. וְקוֹרֵא אַחֲרֵי מוֹת וְאַךְ בֶּעָשׂוֹר. שַׁנְיָיא הִיא שֶׁהִיא סִדְרוֹ שֶׁלַּיּוֹם. תֵּדַע לָךְ. דָּמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא עַל פֶּה וָכָא קוֹרֵא עַל פֶּה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי מְפַקֵּד לְבַר עוּלָּא חַזָּנָא דִכְנִישְׁתָּא דְבַבְלָאֵי. כְּדֵי חָזְרָה אוֹרַיָיא תוּ גַּיֵיל לָהּ לַחוֹרֵי פָרוֹכְתָא. כַּד אִינּוּן תַּרְתֵּיי תוּ מְיַיבֵּל חָדָא וּמַייתֵי חָדָא. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** There¹⁹⁵ 4:5., we have stated: “One winds in Prophets¹⁹⁶ but one does not wind in the Pentateuch.” One winds in one prophet, but not from one prophet to another, but among prophets of the Twelve it is permitted¹⁹⁷. But one does not wind in the Pentateuch; Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: Because one does not wind the Torah in public. Rebbi Yose asked, think of it, if it was a small portion¹⁹⁸? But that Israel should hear it in its order¹⁹⁹. But did we not state²⁰⁰: “He reads ‘after the death¹⁸⁵. 16:1–34, the description of the Atonement service.’ and ‘but on the tenth¹⁸⁶. 23:26–32. Winding from Chap. 17 to 23 does not take much time.’ ”? It is different here, because that is the order of the day²⁰¹. Know that it is so since Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, one does not recite by heart, and here he recites by heart²⁰². Rebbi Yose commanded Bar Ulla, the organizer of the congregation of Babylonians: When the Torah has been brought back, wind it behind the curtain²⁰³, the text reads: כַּד דְּהִיא חָדָא אוֹרִיָּא תְּהֵא גַייֵל לָהּ לְהָדֵי פָרוֹכְתָא. “When you have only one Torah, wind it by the curtain.” The text here is preferable since a good organizer will wind the Torah well before it is used the next time. The editors who mishandled the text, replacing the text here by that from Yoma in modern editions, probably never were Torah readers themselves.. If there are two, return one and bring the other²⁰⁴. footnotes: ¹⁹⁵ Mishnah Megillah ¹⁹⁶ In the public reading from Prophets after the Sabbath reading from the Torah, it is permissible to piece the reading together from different chapters of one prophet. ¹⁹⁷ Since all 12 minor prophets are written together in one scroll, moving from one to the next is like winding in one of the major prophets, each of which is written in his own scroll. ¹⁹⁸ In the Palestinian 3½ year cycle, it might be that the portion was too small to be read by seven different persons; may some readers read from another place after the allotted portion was already recited? ¹⁹⁹ Even if one reads more than the allotted portion on one Sabbath, it must be a continuous text. ²⁰⁰ The Mishnah here. ¹⁸⁵ Lev ¹⁸⁶ Lev ²⁰¹ This is a holiday reading, not a Sabbath reading; it has to concentrate on the texts dealing exclusively with that holiday. ²⁰² From the text too far removed to be wound without inconveniencing the public. ²⁰³ In Yoma ²⁰⁴ This is not the common usage where one takes out both scrolls and reads from them one after the other. This shows that in Babylonia already in Talmudic times one read from two different scrolls at special occasions (in particular, holidays). One has to correct the statement by Elbogen (cf. Note 205, p. 127) that this practice is not recorded before Rav Yehudai Gaon. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:6:4 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:6:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:6:4) וּמְבָרֶךְ עָלֶיהָ שְׁמוֹנֶה בְּרָכוֹת עַל הַתּוֹרָה. הַבּוֹחֵר בַּתּוֹרָה. עַל הָעֲבוֹדָה. שֶׁאוֹתְךָ לְבַדְּךָ בְּיִרְאָה נַעֲבוֹד. עַל הַהוֹדָיָה. הַטּוֹב לְךָ לְהוֹדוֹת. עַל מְחִילַת הֶעָוֹן. מוֹחֵל עֲוֹנוֹת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמִים. עַל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. הַבּוֹחֵר בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. וְאָמַר רִבִּי אִידִי. הַשּׁוֹכֵן בְּצִיּוֹן. וְעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. הַבּוֹחֵר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְעַל הַכֹּהֲנִים. הַבּוֹחֵר בַּכֹּהֲנִים. וְעַל שְׁאָר תְּפִילָּה תְּחִינָּה וּבַקָּשָׁה. שֶׁעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִין לְהִיוָושֵׁעַ לְפָנֶיךָ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** He recites eight benedictions: For the Torah, “He who chooses the Torah²⁰⁵13:8; י. היינמן, התפילה בתקופת התנאים והאמוראים - טיבה ודפוסיה; ירושלים ת̇ש̇כ̇ו̇, ע׳ 105)..” For the Temple service, “For You alone in fear we worship.²⁰⁶. It is to be assumed that in this and the following benedictions the entire text was recited, not only the final doxology.” For thanksgiving, “the Good One, You one must thank.²⁰⁷.” For forgiveness of sins, “He Who forgives the sins of His people Israel in mercy.²⁰⁸ of the Day of Atonement.” For the Temple, “He Who chooses the Temple”; and Rebbi Idi said, “He Who dwells in Zion.”²⁰⁹ For Israel, “He Who chooses Israel.”²¹⁰. p.16), this is the benediction preceding the recitation of the *Šema‘*. For the Cohanim, “He Who chooses the Cohanim.” And the remainder of the prayer, “entreaty and begging, for Your people Israel need to be helped before You; Praise to You, Eternal, Who hears prayer”²¹¹. footnotes: ²⁰⁵ In the Babli, 41a: “The benediction for the Torah in the formulation one recites in the Synagogue.” In the opinion of Ismar Elbogen (התפילה בישׂראל בהתפתחוּתה ההיסטוֹרית, תרגם יהוֹשע עמיר, תל־אביב 1972 p. 129), the text given here is the original synagogal text; cf. also Soferim ²⁰⁶ The Palestinian version of the 16th benediction of the Amidah ²⁰⁷ The 17th benediction of the Amidah ²⁰⁸ The final paragraph of the middle benediction of the Amidah ²⁰⁹ The full text of this benediction is unknown. Since the statement of R. Idi is quoted as a commentary, not a disagreement, one has to assume that it refers to a prayer text of which R. Idi quotes the beginning. ²¹⁰ In the opinion of Elbogen (loc. cit ²¹¹ It seems that this is the only prayer text of the eight benedictions which applies only to the reading of the High Priest. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:7:1 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:7:1) **משנה:** פָּרָשַׁת הַמֶּלֶךְ כֵּיצַד. מוֹצָאֵי יוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁלֶּחָג בַּשְּׁמִינִי מוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית עוֹשִׂין לוֹ בֵּימָה שֶׁלְּעֵץ בָּעֲזָרָה וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב עָלֶיהָ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּמוֹעֵד שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִיטָּה בְּחַג הַסּוּכּוֹת בְּבוֹא כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵרָאוֹת. חַזָּן הַכְּנֶסֶת נוֹטֵל סֶפֶר הַתּוֹרָה וְנוֹתְנוֹ לְרֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת וְרֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת נוֹתְנוֹ לַסְּגָן וְהַסְּגָן נוֹתְנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל וְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל נוֹתְנוֹ לַמֶּלֶךְ. וְהַמֶּלֶךְ עוֹמֵד וּמְקַבֵּל וְקוֹרֵא וְיוֹשֵׁב. אַגרִיפַּס הַמֶּלֶךְ עָמַד וְקִיבֵּל וְקָרָא עוֹמֵד וְשִׁיבְּחוּהוּ חֲכָמִים. וּכְשֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְלֹא תוּכַל לָתֵת עָלֶיךָ אִישׁ נָכְרִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא אָחִיךָ הוּא זָלְגוּ עֵינָיו דְּמָעוֹת אָמְרוּ לוֹ אַל תִּתְיָרֵא אַגְרִיפַּס אָחִינוּ אַתָּה אָחִינוּ אַתָּה. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **MISHNAH:** How does the reading of the king proceed? At the end of the last²¹² day of Tabernacles, on the eighth²¹³ vol. 2, Jerusalem 1979, p. 196., at the end of the Sabbatical year, one makes a wooden platform²¹⁴ for him and he sits on it, as it is said²¹⁵. 31:10–11.: “At the end of seven years, at the assembly of the Sabbatical years at the festival of Tabernacles, when all of Israel appears.” The organizer of the synagogue¹⁸³ takes a Torah scroll and gives it to the president of the synagogue; the president of the synagogue gives it to the Second¹⁸⁴; the Second gives it to the High Priest, the High Priest gives it to the king. The king stands to receive it, he reads sitting down. King Agrippas²¹⁶ 4:7). It seems that the party who objected to an Idumean king (when he was inoffensive as Agrippas was) did base their opposition on Mishnah *Qiddušin* 3:12 which states that in any lawful marriage that is not sinful, the child follows his father’s status. Therefore, the child of a convert would be a convert, even if his mother is from Jewish stock. This is the opinion opposed by the authoritative R. Yose in *Qiddušin* 4:7. stood to receive, he read while standing, and the Sages praised him. When he reached “you cannot put over yourselves a strange man who is not your brother²¹⁷. 17:15.”, tears flowed from his eyes. They said to him, do not fear Agrippas, you are our brother, you are our brother²¹⁸. 157.. footnotes: ²¹² In the Babli, Mishnah and Talmud text, “the first day”. ²¹³ In Yerushalmi texts, the eighth day; in Babli texts, the eighth year. Cf. י. נ. אפשטיין, מבוא לנוסח המשנה,2 ירושלים-תל 537 אביב ת̇ש̇כ̇ד̇, ע׳; A. Liss, ed., The Babylonian Talmud with Variant Readings, Sotah ²¹⁴ Greek βῆμα. ²¹⁵ Deut ¹⁸³ On the Temple Mount. This is a non-scriptural ceremony, purely Pharisaic, but followed, at least since Hasmonean times, even by Sadducee High Priests. ¹⁸⁴ The second in command in the Temple after the High Priest; in effect his executive officer. ²¹⁶ Agrippas I, grandson of the Idumean Herod from his Jewish wife Mariamne, so that he was eligible for every office even according to the most restrictive standards (Mishnah Qiddušin ²¹⁷ Deut ²¹⁸ Cf. Sifry Deut ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:7:2 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:7:2) **הלכה:** לֹא כֵן תַּנֵּי רִבִּי חִיָיה. לֹא הָיְתָה יְשִׁיבָה בָּעֲזָרָה אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד בִּלְבַד. וְאָמַר רִבִּי אִמִּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. אַף לְמַלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד לֹא הָיְתָה יְשִׁיבָה בָּעֲזָרָה. תִּיפְתָּר שֶׁסָּמַךְ לֹו בַכּוֹתֶל וְיָשַׁב לוֹ. וְהָא כְתִיב וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיֵּשֶׁב לִפְנֵי יי. אָמַר רִבִּי אַיְיבוֹ בַּר נַגָּרִיי. יִישֶׁב עַצְמוֹ בַתְּפִילָּה. תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. יָצָאת כַּת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְיָשְׁבָה לָהּ בְּהַר הַבַּיִת. הַשְׁנִיָיה בַחֵיל. וְהַשְׁלִישִׁית בִּמְקוֹמָהּ. רִבִּי נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי מָנָא. מַה תַנִּינָן. יָשְׁבָה לָהּ בִּמְקוֹמָהּ. עָמְדָה לָהּ בִּמְקוֹמָהּ. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **HALAKHAH:** Did not Rebbi Ḥiyya state²¹⁹ 101b, *Tamid* 27a, *Qiddušin* 23b,78b, *Yoma*25a,69b.: Nobody could sit in the Temple courtyard except for kings of the Davidic dynasty, and Rebbi Immi said in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish, even the kings of the Davidic dynasty could not sit in the Temple courtyard!²²⁰ Explain it, that he was leaning on the wall in a kind of sitting. But is it not written²²¹. 7:18.: “King David came and sat before the Eternal”? Rebbi Ayvo bar Naggari said, he concentrated on his prayer²²². There²²³ 5:10., we have stated: The first group left and sat on the Temple Mount, the second in the *Ḥel*²²⁴, and the third at its place²²⁵! Rebbi Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Mana: Did we state that the third *sat* at its place? It stood at its place! footnotes: ²¹⁹ Babli 40b,42b; Sanhedrin ²²⁰ How could a Maccabean or Herodian king sit in the Temple courtyard? ²²¹ 2S ²²² In rabbinic Hebrew, “concentration” is יִשׁוּב הַדַּעַת “sitting of the mind”. ²²³ Mishnah Pesaḥim ²²⁴ Inside the fortification of the Temple Mount but outside the Temple precinct. ²²⁵ From the formulation of the Mishnah, it seems that the third group of people sacrificing the Passover lamb was sitting down in the Temple court while waiting for sundown. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:7:3 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:7:3) תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי חֲנִינָה בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר. הַרְבֶּה חֲלָלִים נָפְלוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שֶׁהֶחֱנִיפוּ לוֹ. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** It was stated²²⁶: Rebbi Ḥanina ben Gamliel says, many slain fell on the day they were flattering him. footnotes: ²²⁶ In the Babli, 42b, a similar disapproving statement in the name of R. Nathan. ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:8:1 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:8:1) **משנה:** וְקוֹרֵא מִתְּחִילַּת אֶלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים עַד שְׁמַע וּשְׁמַע וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר כִּי תְכַלֶּה לֲעַשֵּׂר וּבְרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת [וּפָרָשַׁת הַמֶּלֶךְ] עַד שֶׁהוּא גוֹמֵר כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה. בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָן הַמֶּלֶךְ מְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָן אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן שֶׁלָּרְגָלִים תַּחַת מְחִילַת הֶעָוֹן. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **MISHNAH:** And he reads from the beginning of “These are the words²²⁸. 1,1.” to *Šema‘*,*Šema‘*²²⁹. 6:4–9, “And it shall be if you listen,²³⁰. 11:13–21.” “tithing you shall tithe,²³¹. 14:22–27.” “when you will have finished tithing,²³². 26:12–15.” blessings and curses²³³. 28. [and the paragraph of the king]²³⁴. 17:8–20., until he finishes the entire paragraph. The benedictions which the High Priest recites, the king recites, except that he substitutes “for the holidays of pilgrimage²³⁵ for holidays.” instead of “forgiving of sins”. footnotes: ²²⁸ Deut ²²⁹ Deut ²³⁰ Deut ²³¹ Deut ²³² Deut ²³³ Deut ²³⁴ Deut ²³⁵ The last paragraph of the middle benediction of the Amidah ###### Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:8:2 [Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 7:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Sotah/r/7:8:2) **הלכה:** אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ. וְלָמָּה קוֹרִין עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר. כִּי תְכַלֶּה לְעַשֵּׂר. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשְּׁבִיעִית לַשְּׁמִינִית. שֶלֹּא לְשַׁכֵּחַ אֶת הַמַּעְשְׂרוֹת. רִבִּי חַגַּיי בְּעָא קוֹמֶי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהַבְדִּיל. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כְּבָר הִבְדִּיל מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה. **The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:** **HALAKHAH:** Rebbi Abbahu said, why does one read “ “tithing you shall tithe,²³¹. 14:22–27.”, “when you will have finished tithing,²³². 26:12–15.”? Because Israel went from the Sabbatical year to the eighth, not to have them forget tithes.²³⁶ Rebbi Ḥaggai asked before Rebbi Yose, does he not to make *havdalah*²³⁷ 5:2, Note 62), it should also be required after the Sabbatical year in order to permit agricultural work.? He said to him, one already said *havdalah* on New Year’s Day. footnotes: ²³¹ Deut ²³² Deut ²³⁶ Since no tithes may be given from Sabbatical produce. ²³⁷ The required benediction when leaving a sanctified state (such as Sabbath or holidays) to enter into profane status. If such a benediction is required after the Sabbath (cf. Berakhot