## Sanhedrin Daf 103b

###### Sanhedrin 103b:1
[Sanhedrin 103b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:1)

״כִּי בִי חָשַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵהוּ אֲשַׂגְּבֵהוּ כִּי יָדַע שְׁמִי. יִקְרָאֵנִי וְאֶעֱנֵהוּ עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה אֲחַלְּצֵהוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֵהוּ. אוֹרֶךְ יָמִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵהוּ וְאַרְאֵהוּ בִּישׁוּעָתִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**“Because he has desired Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation”** (Psalms 91:14–16).


###### Sanhedrin 103b:2
[Sanhedrin 103b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:2)

אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וְיִמָּנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם וּזְרוֹעַ רָמָה תִּשָּׁבֵר״? מִפְּנֵי מָה עַיִן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים תְּלוּיָה? כֵּיוָן שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה אָדָם רָשׁ מִלְּמַטָּה, נַעֲשֶׂה רָשׁ מִלְּמַעְלָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: What** is the meaning of that **which is written: “And He will withhold their light from the wicked [*resha’im*], and the high arm shall be broken”** (Job 38:15)? **For what** reason is the letter ***ayin* of** the word ***resha’im* suspended** slightly above the rest of the letters? It is suspended so that the word will be read *rashim*, meaning poor people. It means: **Once a person becomes poor** on earth **below** and the number of his enemies grows, **he becomes poor** in Heaven **above,** as he is certainly a sinner and that is why he is hated.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:3
[Sanhedrin 103b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:3)

וְלָא נִכְתְּבַיהּ כְּלָל? רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: חַד אָמַר, מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד; וְחַד אָמַר, מִשּׁוּם כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן חֲכַלְיָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: If that is the meaning, **let** the *ayin* **not be written at all** and let the verse say: *Rashim*. **Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar** both explain why the *ayin* was not omitted. **One says:** It was **due to** the desire to preserve **the honor of David,** who had numerous enemies below despite the fact that he was a righteous person and had a place in the World-to-Come. **And one says:** It was **due to** the desire to preserve **the honor of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah,** who also had numerous enemies below, despite his righteousness.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:4
[Sanhedrin 103b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:4)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מְנַשֶּׁה הָיָה שׁוֹנֶה חֲמִשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה פָּנִים בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנֵי מַלְכוּתוֹ. אַחְאָב – שְׁמֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה, יָרׇבְעָם – מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **Manasseh,** king of Judea, **would study fifty-five** different **aspects in** interpreting ***Torat Kohanim*,** the halakhic midrash on Leviticus, **corresponding to the years of his reign,** indicating that he possessed great knowledge. **Ahab** was greater and studied **eighty-five** aspects, and **Jeroboam** was greater still and studied **one hundred and three** aspects.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:5
[Sanhedrin 103b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:5)

תַּנְיָא: הָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיַּכּוּ אֶת אַבְשָׁלוֹם וַיְמִיתֻהוּ״. ״וַיַּכּוּהוּ״ – בְּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, ״וַיְמִיתֻהוּ״ – לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. תַּנְיָא: רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר, אָחָז וַאֲחַזְיָה וְכׇל מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן ״וַיַּעַשׂ הָרָע בְּעֵינֵי ה׳״ – לֹא חַיִּין וְלֹא נִידּוֹנִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Meir would say: Absalom has no share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And they smote Absalom and they killed him”** (II Samuel 18:15). **“And they smote** Absalom” is referring to death **in this world,** while **“and they killed him”** is referring to death **in the World-to-Come. It is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says in the name of Rabbi Meir: Ahaz and Ahaziah,** kings of Judea, **and all of the kings of** the kingdom of **Israel about whom it is written: “And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord”** (see, e.g., I Kings 15:34), **neither live** in the World-to-Come **nor are sentenced** to Gehenna.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:6
[Sanhedrin 103b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:6)

״וְגַם דָּם נָקִי שָׁפַךְ מְנַשֶּׁה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד עַד אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּא אֶת יְרוּשָׁלִַים פֶּה לָפֶה לְבַד מֵחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת יְהוּדָה לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה׳״. הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ: שֶׁהָרַג יְשַׁעְיָה. בְּמַעְרְבָא אָמְרִי: שֶׁעָשָׂה צֶלֶם מַשּׂאוֹי אֶלֶף בְּנֵי אָדָם, וּבְכׇל יוֹם וָיוֹם הוֹרֵג (אֶת) כּוּלָּם. כְּמַאן אָזְלָא הָא דְּאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה: שְׁקוּלָה נְשָׁמָה שֶׁל צַדִּיק אֶחָד כְּנֶגֶד כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ? כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר יְשַׁעְיָה הָרַג.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is stated: **“And Manasseh shed a great deal of innocent blood, until he filled Jerusalem from one end to another [*peh lafeh*], beside his sin that he made Judea sin, to do evil in the eyes of the Lord”** (II Kings 21:16). **Here,** in Babylonia, **they interpret** the verse to mean **that he killed** the prophet **Isaiah** (see *Yevamot* 49b). **In the West,** Eretz Yisrael, **they say that** Manasseh **crafted an idol** so large that it was **a burden** requiring **one thousand people** to carry it, **and each and every day he** would require them to carry it, which would **kill all of them.** The Gemara asks: **In accordance with whose** opinion **is that which Rabba bar bar Ḥana says: The soul of one righteous person is equal** in value **to the entire world?** It is **in accordance with** the opinion of **the one who says: He killed Isaiah.**


###### Sanhedrin 103b:7
[Sanhedrin 103b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:7)

כְּתִיב ״פֶּסֶל״, וּכְתִיב ״פְּסִילִים״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בַּתְּחִלָּה עָשָׂה לוֹ פַּרְצוּף אֶחָד, וּלְבַסּוֹף עָשָׂה לוֹ אַרְבָּעָה פַּרְצוּפִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּרְאֶה שְׁכִינָה וְתִכְעוֹס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is written** that Manasseh crafted **“an idol”** (II Chronicles 33:7), **and it is written** that Manasseh crafted **“idols”** (II Chronicles 33:19). **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Initially, he crafted one face [*partzuf* ] for** the idol, **and ultimately, he crafted four faces for it so that the Divine Presence would see** it from each side **and become angry.**


###### Sanhedrin 103b:8
[Sanhedrin 103b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:8)

אָחָז הֶעֱמִידוֹ בַּעֲלִיָּיה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאֵת הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל הַגָּג עֲלִיַּת אָחָז וְגוֹ׳״. מְנַשֶּׁה הֶעֱמִידוֹ בַּהֵיכָל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת פֶּסֶל הָאֲשֵׁרָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בַּבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר אָמַר ה׳ אֶל דָּוִד וְאֶל שְׁלֹמֹה [בְנוֹ] בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה וּבִירוּשָׁלִַים אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָשִׂים אֶת שְׁמִי לְעוֹלָם״. אָמוֹן הִכְנִיסוֹ לְבֵית קׇדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי קָצַר הַמַּצָּע מֵהִשְׂתָּרֵעַ וְהַמַּסֵּכָה צָרָה כְּהִתְכַּנֵּס״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ahaz placed** that idol **in the upper chamber** in the Temple, **as it is stated: “And the altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz”** (II Kings 23:12). **Manasseh placed it in the Sanctuary** itself, **as it is stated: “And he set the graven image of the *ashera* that he had crafted, in that house of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son: In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, will I put My name forever”** (II Kings 21:7). **Amon introduced it into the Holy of Holies, as it is stated: “For the bed is too short for spreading, and the covering too narrow for when he gathers himself”** (Isaiah 28:20).


###### Sanhedrin 103b:9
[Sanhedrin 103b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:9)

מַאי ״כִּי קָצַר הַמַּצָּע מֵהִשְׂתָּרֵעַ״? אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: [כִּי] קָצַר הַמַּצָּע זֶה מִלְּהִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלָיו שְׁנֵי רֵעִים כְּאֶחָד. מַאי ״וְהַמַּסֵּכָה צָרָה וְגוֹ׳״? אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי: רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן כִּי הֲוָה מָטֵי לְהַאי קְרָא הֲוָה קָא בָכֵי, מִי שֶׁכָּתַב בּוֹ ״כֹּנֵס כַּנֵּד מֵי הַיָּם״ תֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ מַסֵּכָה צָרָה?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**What** is the meaning of the phrase **“For the bed is too short for spreading”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says** that **Rabbi Yonatan says** that it means: **For his bed is too narrow for two colleagues to spread upon it together,** as it is impossible that service of God and idol worship will coexist there. **What** is the meaning of the phrase **“and the covering [*masekha*] too narrow [*tzara*]** for when he gathers himself [*kehitkanes*]”? **Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: When Rabbi Yonatan would reach this verse he would cry. He about whom it is written: “He gathers [*kones*] the waters of the sea like a rampart”** (Psalms 33:7), **shall a graven image [*masekha*] be a rival [*tzara*]?**


###### Sanhedrin 103b:10
[Sanhedrin 103b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:10)

[אָחָז בִּטֵּל אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה], וְחָתַם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״צוֹר תְּעוּדָה חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה בְּלִמּוּדָי״. מְנַשֶּׁה קָדַר אֶת הָאַזְכָּרוֹת, וְהָרַס אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. אָמוֹן שָׂרַף אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, וְהֶעֱלָה שְׂמָמִית עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. אָחָז הִתִּיר אֶת הָעֶרְוָה. מְנַשֶּׁה בָּא עַל אֲחוֹתוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ahaz nullified the** Temple **service and sealed the Torah,** prohibiting its study, **as it is stated: “Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah among my disciples”** (Isaiah 8:16). **Manasseh excised the mentions** of God’s names from sacred books **and destroyed the altar. Amon burned the Torah and sacrificed a gecko,** an impure creeping animal, **upon the altar. Ahaz permitted** engaging in sexual intercourse with **forbidden relatives,** and announced that marriage between those relatives is permitted. **Manasseh** exploited that pronouncement and **engaged in sexual intercourse with his sister.**


###### Sanhedrin 103b:11
[Sanhedrin 103b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:11)

אָמוֹן בָּא עַל אִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי הוּא אָמוֹן הִרְבָּה אַשְׁמָה״. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, חַד אָמַר: שֶׁשָּׂרַף אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, וְחַד אָמַר: שֶׁבָּא עַל אִמּוֹ. אָמְרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ: כְּלוּם יֵשׁ לְךָ הֲנָאָה מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁיָּצָאתָ מִמֶּנּוּ? אָמַר לָהּ: כְּלוּם אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אֶלָּא לְהַכְעִיס אֶת בּוֹרְאִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Amon engaged in sexual intercourse with his mother, as it is stated: “But Amon increased his guilt”** (II Chronicles 33:23), indicating that he performed a greater and more disgraceful transgression than anyone else. **Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar** disagreed about his transgression; **one says that he burned the Torah, and one says that he engaged in sexual intercourse with his mother. His mother said to him: Do you have any pleasure** by engaging in intercourse **from the place from which you emerged? He said to her: I am doing** this **only to express insolence to my Creator,** not for my pleasure.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:12
[Sanhedrin 103b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:12)

כִּי אֲתָא יְהוֹיָקִים אָמַר: קַמָּאֵי לָא יָדְעִי לְאַרְגּוֹזֵי, כְּלוּם אָנוּ צְרִיכִין אֶלָּא לְאוֹרוֹ? יֵשׁ לָנוּ זְהַב פַּרְוַיִים שֶׁאָנוּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בּוֹ, יִטּוֹל אוֹרוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: וַהֲלֹא כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לִי הַכֶּסֶף וְלִי הַזָּהָב נְאֻם ה׳ צְבָאוֹת״? אָמַר לָהֶם: כְּבָר נְתָנוֹ לָנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַשָּׁמַיִם שָׁמַיִם לַה׳ וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי אָדָם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When Jehoiakim came** along and reigned, **he said:** My **predecessors did not know** how **to express insolence to** God. **Do we need** God **even for his light?** Since **we have *parvayim* gold that we use** that shines, **let** God **take His light** from the world. **They said to him: Aren’t the silver and the gold His, as it is stated: “The silver is mine and the gold is mine says the Lord of hosts”** (Haggai 2:8)? Jehoiakim **said to them: He has already given it to us, as it is stated: “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the children of men”** (Psalms 115:16).


###### Sanhedrin 103b:13
[Sanhedrin 103b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:13)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי: מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא מָנוּ אֶת יְהוֹיָקִים? מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: ״וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יְהוֹיָקִים וְתֹעֲבֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהַנִּמְצָא עָלָיו״. מַאי ״וְהַנִּמְצָא עָלָיו״? רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר – חַד אָמַר: שֶׁחָקַק שֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה עַל אַמָּתוֹ, וְחַד אָמַר: שֶׁחָקַק שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם עַל אַמָּתוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: For what** reason **did** the *tanna’im* **not enumerate Jehoiakim** among the kings who have no share in the World-to-Come? One would imagine that he has no share in the World-to-Come, **because it is written concerning him: “And the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and his abominations that he did, and that which was found on him”** (II Chronicles 36:8). The Gemara explains: **What** is the meaning of the phrase **“and that which was found on him”? Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar** disagree; **one says that he etched the name of idols on his penis** due to his devotion to them, **and one says that he etched the name of Heaven on his penis** in a display of contempt.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:14
[Sanhedrin 103b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:14)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בִּמְלָכִים לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי, בְּהֶדְיוֹטוֹת שָׁמַעְתִּי. מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא מָנוּ אֶת מִיכָה? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁפִּתּוֹ מְצוּיָה לְעוֹבְרֵי דְּרָכִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כׇּל הָעוֹבֵר וְשָׁב אֶל הַלְוִיִּם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabba bar Mari **said to** Rava: **With regard to** the list of **kings, I did not hear** why Jehoiakim was excluded; but **with regard to** the list of **commoners, I heard** why a certain sinner was excluded. **For what** reason **did** the *tanna’im* **not enumerate Micah** among those with no share in the World-to-Come? After all, he crafted idols that the Jewish people worshipped (see Judges, chapter 17). It is **due to** the fact **that his bread** was **available for passersby, as it is stated: All those who pass by the Levites.** He would provide sustenance to all hosted in his house.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:15
[Sanhedrin 103b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:15)

״וְעָבַר בַּיָּם צָרָה וְהִכָּה בַיָּם גַּלִּים״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: זֶה פִּסְלוֹ שֶׁל מִיכָה. תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: מִגָּרֵב לְשִׁילֹה שְׁלֹשָׁה מִילִין, וְהָיָה עֲשַׁן הַמַּעֲרָכָה וַעֲשַׁן פֶּסֶל מִיכָה מִתְעָרְבִין זֶה בָּזֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to that which is written: **“And He shall pass through the sea with affliction and shall strike the waves in the sea”** (Zechariah 10:11), **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This** affliction is a reference to **the idol of Micah,** as Micah passed through the sea during the exodus from Egypt. **It is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Natan says:** The distance **from Gerav,** where Micah resided, **to Shiloh,** where the Tabernacle was at that time, **was three *mil*, and the smoke from the arrangement** of wood on the altar in Shiloh **and the smoke** from the worship **of the idol of Micah would intermingle with each other.**


###### Sanhedrin 103b:16
[Sanhedrin 103b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:16)

בִּקְּשׁוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לְדוֹחְפוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: הַנִּיחוּ לוֹ, שֶׁפִּתּוֹ מְצוּיָה לְעוֹבְרֵי דְּרָכִים. וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה נֶעְנְשׁוּ אַנְשֵׁי פִּלֶגֶשׁ בַּגִּבְעָה. אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: בִּכְבוֹדִי לֹא מְחִיתֶם, עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם מְחִיתֶם!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The ministering angels sought to dismiss him** from the world. **The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: Leave him, as his bread is available for travelers. And it is for this matter,** the sin of Micah’s idol, that **the people** involved in the incident of **the concubine in Gibeah were punished.** The tribes of Israel waged war with the tribe of Benjamin and forty thousand of them were killed. **The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: You did not protest for My honor** and took no action to destroy Micah’s idol, but **you protested for the honor of** one of **flesh and blood** who was killed? Therefore, the other tribes were initially unsuccessful, and many of their soldiers were killed.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:17
[Sanhedrin 103b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:17)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן קִסְמָא: גְּדוֹלָה לְגִימָה, שֶׁהִרְחִיקָה שְׁתֵּי מִשְׁפָּחוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל דְּבַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִדְּמוּ אֶתְכֶם בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַמַּיִם״. וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דִּידֵיהּ אָמַר: מְרַחֶקֶת אֶת הַקְּרוֹבִים, וּמְקָרֶבֶת אֶת הָרְחוֹקִים, וּמַעֲלֶמֶת עֵינַיִם מִן הָרְשָׁעִים, וּמַשְׁרָה שְׁכִינָה עַל נְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל, וְשִׁגְגָתוֹ עוֹלָה זָדוֹן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma: Great is eating, as it distanced two clans from the Jewish people, as it is stated:** “An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of the **Lord…because they met you not with bread and with water”** (Deuteronomy 23:4–5). **And Rabbi Yoḥanan himself says:** Food **distances the near, and draws near the distant, and averts eyes from the wicked,** sparing them from punishment, **and causes the Divine Presence to rest on the prophets of the Baal; and an unwitting** transgression **with regard to it** is at times **considered an intentional** transgression.


###### Sanhedrin 103b:18
[Sanhedrin 103b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/103b:18)

מְרַחֶקֶת אֶת הַקְּרוֹבִים –

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates: The fact that it **distances the near** is derived