## Rosh Hashanah Daf 17a

###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:1
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:1)

וּמְצַפְצְפִין וְעוֹלִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית בָּאֵשׁ וּצְרַפְתִּים כִּצְרוֹף אֶת הַכֶּסֶף וּבְחַנְתִּים כִּבְחוֹן אֶת הַזָּהָב הוּא יִקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אוֹתוֹ״, וַעֲלֵיהֶם אָמְרָה חַנָּה: ״ה׳ מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה מוֹרִיד שְׁאוֹל וַיָּעַל״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and they will cry out** in their pain **and** eventually **ascend** from there, **as it is stated: “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on My name, and I will answer them”** (Zechariah 13:9). This is referring to the members of the third group, who require refinement and cleansing. **And about them, Hannah said: “The Lord kills, and gives life; he brings down to the grave, and brings up”** (I Samuel 2:6).


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:2
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:2)

בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: ״וְרַב חֶסֶד״ — מַטֶּה כְּלַפֵּי חֶסֶד. וַעֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר דָּוִד: ״אָהַבְתִּי כִּי יִשְׁמַע ה׳ אֶת קוֹלִי״, וַעֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר דָּוִד כׇּל הַפָּרָשָׁה כּוּלָּהּ — ״דַּלּוֹתִי וְלִי יְהוֹשִׁיעַ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Beit Hillel say:** He Who is **“and abundant in kindness”** (Exodus 34:6) **tilts** the scales **in favor of kindness,** so that middling people should not have to pass through Gehenna. **And about them, David said: “I love the Lord, Who hears my voice** and my supplications” (Psalms 116:1). **And about them, David said the entire passage: “I was brought low [*daloti*] and He saved me”** (Psalms 116:6). Although they are poor [*dalim*] in mitzvot, God saves them.


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:3
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:3)

פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגוּפָן, וּפוֹשְׁעֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בְּגוּפָן — יוֹרְדִין לְגֵיהִנָּם וְנִידּוֹנִין בָּהּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ. לְאַחַר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ — גּוּפָן כָּלֶה, וְנִשְׁמָתָן נִשְׂרֶפֶת, וְרוּחַ מְפַזַּרְתָּן תַּחַת כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵי צַדִּיקִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַסּוֹתֶם רְשָׁעִים כִּי יִהְיוּ אֵפֶר תַּחַת כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵיכֶם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The rebellious Jews** who have sinned **with their bodies and** also **the rebellious** people **of the nations of the world** who have sinned **with their bodies descend to Gehenna and are judged there for twelve months. After twelve months, their bodies are consumed, their souls are burned, and a wind scatters them under the soles of the feet of the righteous, as it is stated: “And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet”** (Malachi 3:21).


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:4
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:4)

אֲבָל הַמִּינִין וְהַמָּסוֹרוֹת וְהָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים שֶׁכָּפְרוּ בַּתּוֹרָה, וְשֶׁכָּפְרוּ בִּתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, וְשֶׁפֵּירְשׁוּ מִדַּרְכֵי צִבּוּר, וְשֶׁנָּתְנוּ חִיתִּיתָם בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים, וְשֶׁחָטְאוּ וְהֶחְטִיאוּ אֶת הָרַבִּים, כְּגוֹן יָרׇבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט וַחֲבֵירָיו — יוֹרְדִין לְגֵיהִנָּם וְנִידּוֹנִין בָּהּ לְדוֹרֵי דּוֹרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But the heretics; and the informers; and the apostates [*apikorsim*];** and those **who denied the Torah; and** those who **denied the resurrection of the dead; and** those who **separated from the ways of** the Jewish **community** and refused to share the suffering; **and** those **who cast their fear over the land of the living; and** those who **sinned and caused the masses to sin, for example, Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and his company;** all of these people **descend to Gehenna and are judged there for generations and generations, as it is stated: “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have rebelled against Me;** for their worm shall not die; neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24).


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:5
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:5)

גֵּיהִנָּם כָּלֶה וְהֵן אֵינָן כָּלִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְצוּרָם לְבַלּוֹת שְׁאוֹל מִזְּבוּל לוֹ״. וְכׇל כָּךְ לָמָּה — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁפָּשְׁטוּ יְדֵיהֶם בִּזְבוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִזְּבוּל לוֹ״, וְאֵין ״זְבוּל״ אֶלָּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בָּנֹה בָנִיתִי בֵּית זְבוּל לָךְ״, וַעֲלֵיהֶם אָמְרָה חַנָּה: ״ה׳ יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָיו״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Gehenna will terminate, but they** still **will not terminate, as it is stated: “And their form shall wear away the netherworld, so that there be no dwelling for Him”** (Psalms 49:15); that is to say, Gehenna itself will be worn away before their punishment has come to an end. **And why** are they punished **so severely? Because they stretched out their hands against** God’s **dwelling,** the Temple, and everything else that is sanctified, **as it is stated: “So that there be no dwelling [*zevul*] for Him.” Dwelling [*zevul*] is referring** here **only to the Temple, as it is stated: “I have built You a house for dwelling [*zevul*] in”** (I Kings 8:13). **And about them Hannah said: “The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces”** (I Samuel 2:10).


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:6
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:6)

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר אָבִין: וּפְנֵיהֶם דּוֹמִין לְשׁוּלֵי קְדֵירָה. וְאָמַר רָבָא: וְאִינְהוּ מִשַּׁפִּירֵי שַׁפִּירֵי בְּנֵי מָחוֹזָא, וּמִקַּרְיִין ״בְּנֵי גֵיהִנָּם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Avin said: And their faces** on the Day of Judgment **will be** black and sooty **like the bottom of a pot. And Rava said: And they shall include the most handsome,** i.e., upstanding, **of the people of Meḥoza,** as Rava thought that even the most upstanding people of the city of Meḥoza were wicked, **and they shall be called the people of Gehenna.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:7
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:7)

אָמַר מָר, בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: ״וְרַב חֶסֶד״ — מַטֶּה כְּלַפֵּי חֶסֶד, וְהָכְתִיב: ״וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית בָּאֵשׁ״! הָתָם, בְּפוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגוּפָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Master said** in the *baraita* above: It stated that **Beit Hillel say:** He Who is **“and abundant in kindness”** (Exodus 34:6) **tilts** the scales **in favor of kindness,** so that middling people will not have to pass through Gehenna. The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it written: “And I will bring the third part through the fire”** (Zechariah 13:9), implying that there is a third group, which is sent to Gehenna temporarily? The Gemara answers: **There,** the verse is referring to **the rebellious Jews** who have sinned **with their bodies.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:8
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:8)

פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגוּפָן — וְהָא אָמְרַתְּ לֵית לְהוּ תַּקַּנְתָּא?! כִּי לֵית לְהוּ תַּקָּנָה — בְּרוֹב עֲוֹנוֹת. הָכָא — מֶחֱצָה עֲוֹנוֹת וּמֶחֱצָה זְכִיּוֹת, וְאִית בְּהוּ נָמֵי עָוֹן דְּפוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגוּפָן, לָא סַגְיָא לֵיהּ דְּלָאו ״וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית בָּאֵשׁ״. וְאִם לָאו, ״וְרַב חֶסֶד״ — מַטֶּה כְּלַפֵּי חֶסֶד. וַעֲלֵיהֶן אָמַר דָּוִד: ״אָהַבְתִּי כִּי יִשְׁמַע ה׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: Can the verse be referring to **the rebellious Jews** who have sinned **with their bodies? But didn’t you say that they have no rectification?** The Gemara responds: **When do they have no rectification? When** in addition to their having sinned with their bodies, the **majority** of their actions are **sins.** But **here,** the verse is referring to people for whom **half** of their actions are **sins and half** are **meritorious deeds, and** those sins **include the sin of the rebellious Jews** who sin **with their bodies. It is not sufficient that they not be** subject to the verse: **“And I will bring the third part through the fire.” However, if** their sins and meritorious deeds are equally balanced, and they did **not** sin with their bodies, He Who is **“abundant in kindness” tilts** the scales **in favor of kindness. And about them, David said: “I love the Lord, Who hears** my voice and my supplications” (Psalms 116:1).


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:9
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:9)

דָּרֵשׁ רָבָא, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אָהַבְתִּי כִּי יִשְׁמַע ה׳״ — אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֵימָתַי אֲנִי אֲהוּבָה לְפָנֶיךָ — בִּזְמַן שֶׁאַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנַי. ״דַּלּוֹתִי וְלִי יְהוֹשִׁיעַ״, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁדַּלָּה אֲנִי מִן הַמִּצְוֹת — לִי נָאֶה לְהוֹשִׁיעַ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava interpreted** the verse **homiletically: What is** the meaning of that **which is written: “I love the Lord, Who hears** my voice and my supplications”? **The Congregation of Israel said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, when** do I know that **I am loved by You? When You hear the voice of my supplications,** as the verse states: **“I was brought low [*daloti*], and He saved me”** (Psalms 116:6). **Although I am poor [*dala*] in mitzvot,** nevertheless **it is fitting to save me.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:10
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:10)

פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגוּפָן, מַאי נִיהוּ? אָמַר רַב: קַרְקַפְתָּא דְּלָא מַנַּח תְּפִלִּין. פּוֹשְׁעֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בְּגוּפָן — אָמַר רַב: בַּעֲבֵירָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **The rebellious Jews** who have sinned **with their bodies, who are they? Rav said:** This is referring to **the skull that did not** ever **don phylacteries.** The Gemara asks further: **The rebellious** ones **of the nations of the world** who sin **with their bodies,** who are they? **Rav said:** They are those who engage **in the sin,** i.e., forbidden sexual relations.


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:11
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:11)

וְשֶׁנָּתְנוּ חִיתִּיתָם בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים — אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: זֶה פַּרְנָס הַמַּטִּיל אֵימָה יְתֵירָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר שֶׁלֹּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: כׇּל פַּרְנָס הַמַּטִּיל אֵימָה יְתֵירָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר שֶׁלֹּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה בֵּן תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לָכֵן יְרֵאוּהוּ אֲנָשִׁים לֹא יִרְאֶה כׇּל חַכְמֵי לֵב״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And those who cast their fear over the land of the living,** who are they? **Rav Ḥisda said: This is referring to** a communal **leader [*parnas*] who casts excessive fear on the community not for the sake of Heaven. Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Any** community **leader who casts excessive fear on the community not for the sake of Heaven will** be punished and **not see any Torah scholar among his sons, as it is stated: “Men do therefore fear him; he sees not any who are wise of heart”** (Job 37:24). One who brings others to fear him will not merit having wise-hearted people in his family.


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:12
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:12)

בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: ״וְרַב חֶסֶד״ — מַטֶּה כְּלַפֵּי חֶסֶד. הֵיכִי עָבֵיד? רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: כּוֹבְשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ יִכְבּוֹשׁ עֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ״. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא אָמַר: נוֹשֵׂא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וְעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It was taught in the *baraita*: **Beit Hillel say:** He who is **“and abundant in kindness”** (Exodus 34:6) **tilts** the scales **in favor of kindness,** so that middling people will not have to pass through Gehenna. The Gemara asks: **How does He do** this? **Rabbi Eliezer says: He pushes down** on the side of the merits, tipping the scale in their favor, **as it is stated: “He will again have compassion upon us; He will push down our iniquities”** (Micah 7:19). **Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: He bears,** i.e., raises, the side of the sins, **as it is stated: “He bears [*noseh*] sin and forgives transgression”** (Micah 7:18).


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:13
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:13)

תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: מַעֲבִיר רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן, וְכֵן הִיא הַמִּדָּה. אָמַר רָבָא: וְעָוֹן עַצְמוֹ אֵינוֹ נִמְחָק. דְּאִי אִיכָּא רוּבָּא עֲוֹנוֹת — מִחֲשִׁיב בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
A Sage **from the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught** in a *baraita*: **He overlooks** each and every **first** transgression, **and that is the attribute** of mercy, that God forgives one’s first sin, and therefore He tips the scale in favor of the merits. **Rava said: But** that **sin itself,** which God overlooks, **is not** completely **erased; if** the individual’s actions are still **mostly sins,** God **counts** the overlooked sin **with them** and metes out punishment accordingly.


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:14
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:14)

רָבָא אָמַר: כׇּל הַמַּעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו — מַעֲבִירִין לוֹ עַל כׇּל פְּשָׁעָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וְעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע״. לְמִי נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן — לְמִי שֶׁעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava** understood this verse differently and **said:** With regard to **whoever forgoes his reckonings** with others for injustices done to him, the heavenly court in turn **forgoes** punishment **for all his sins, as it is stated: “He bears sin and forgives transgression”** (Micah 7:18). **Whose sins does He bear?** The sins **of one who forgoes his reckonings** with others for injustices committed against him.


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:15
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:15)

רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ חֲלַשׁ, עָל רַב פָּפָּא לְשַׁיּוֹלֵי בֵּיהּ. חַזְיֵיהּ דַּחֲלִישׁ לֵיהּ עָלְמָא, אֲמַר לְהוּ: צְבִיתוּ לֵיהּ זְוַודְתָּא. לְסוֹף אִיתְּפַח, הֲוָה מִיכְּסִיף רַב פָּפָּא לְמִיחְזְיֵיהּ. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מַאי חֲזֵית? אֲמַר לְהוּ: אִין, הָכִי הֲוָה, וַאֲמַר לְהוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: הוֹאִיל וְלָא מוֹקֵים בְּמִילֵּיהּ — לָא תְּקוּמוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וְעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע״, לְמִי נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן — לְעוֹבֵר פֶּשַׁע.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is related that **Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, became sick,** and **Rav Pappa went into** his home to **inquire about his** well-being. **He saw that the world was growing weak for** Rav Huna, i.e., he was dying. Rav Pappa **said to** his attendants: **Prepare his provisions [*zavdata*],** i.e., his shrouds. **In the end,** Rav Huna **recovered. Rav Pappa was embarrassed to** go and **see him,** as it seemed as if he had decreed Rav Huna’s death. Rav Huna’s friends **said to him: What did you see** when you were lying there suspended between life and death? **He said to them: Yes, it was so,** I was truly close to dying, **but the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to** the heavenly court: **Since he does not stand on his rights,** i.e., he is ready to waive what is due him, **you** too **should not be exacting** with him in his judgment, **as it is stated: “He bears [*noseh*] sin and forgives transgression.” Whose sins does He bear?** The sins **of one who forgoes his reckonings** with others for injustices committed against him.


###### Rosh Hashanah 17a:16
[Rosh Hashanah 17a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/17a:16)

״לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ״, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא: אַלְיָה — וְקוֹץ בָּהּ: ״לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ״ — וְלֹא לְכׇל נַחֲלָתוֹ,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
That same verse continues: “He bears sins and forgives transgression **for the remnant of His inheritance”** (Micah 7:18). **Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina said:** This is like the **fat tail that has a thorn in it,** i.e., something good that contains something bad. God forgives and pardons only **“for the remnant of His inheritance,” but not for all His inheritance.**