## Taanit Daf 5b

###### Taanit 5b:1
[Taanit 5b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:1)

שְׁקוּלָה כִּשְׁתַּיִם, וּמַאי נִיהוּ — עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי שְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת עָשָׂה עַמִּי אֹתִי עָזְבוּ מְקוֹר מַיִם חַיִּים לַחְצֹב לָהֶם בֹּארוֹת בֹּארוֹת נִשְׁבָּרִים״, וּכְתִיב בְּהוּ: ״כִּי עִבְרוּ אִיֵּי כִתִּיִּים וּרְאוּ וְקֵדָר שִׁלְחוּ וְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּ מְאֹד וְגוֹ׳ הַהֵימִיר גּוֹי אֱלֹהִים וְהֵמָּה לֹא אֱלֹהִים וְעַמִּי הֵמִיר כְּבוֹדוֹ בְּלוֹא יוֹעִיל״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**equivalent to two. And what is this** sin? **Idol worship, as it is written: “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns”** (Jeremiah 2:13), **and it is written about** the Jewish people: **“For pass over the isles of the Kittim and see; and send to Kedar and observe carefully, and** see if there has been such a thing. **Has a nation exchanged its gods, although they are no gods? But My people has exchanged its glory for that which does not profit”** (Jeremiah 2:10–11).


###### Taanit 5b:2
[Taanit 5b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:2)

תָּנָא: כּוּתִיִּים עוֹבְדִים לָאֵשׁ, וְקֵדָרִיִּים עוֹבְדִין לַמַּיִם, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים שֶׁהַמַּיִם מְכַבִּין אֶת הָאֵשׁ — לֹא הֵמִירוּ אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, ״וְעַמִּי הֵמִיר כְּבוֹדוֹ בְּלוֹא יוֹעִיל״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is **taught** in a *baraita* with regard to this verse: **Kittites,** i.e., the people of the isles of Kittim, **worship fire** and **the people of Kedar worship water, and even though they know that water extinguishes fire,** nevertheless **they have not exchanged their god: “But My people has exchanged its glory for that which does not profit.”**


###### Taanit 5b:3
[Taanit 5b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:3)

וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר זָקֵן שְׁמוּאֵל״, וּמִי סִיב שְׁמוּאֵל כּוּלֵּי הַאי? וְהָא בַּר חֲמִישִּׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם הֲוָה, דְּאָמַר מָר: מֵת בַּחֲמִישִּׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנָה, זֶהוּ מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rav Naḥman said to Rabbi Yitzḥak: What is** the meaning of that **which is written: “And it came to pass when Samuel was old”** (I Samuel 8:1)? **And did Samuel really grow so old? But he was** only **fifty-two years old** when he died, **as the Master said** in a *baraita* **that deals with** the Divine punishment of *karet*: **One who dies at** the age of **fifty-two years** is not considered to have suffered the premature death of *karet*, as **this is the** age of the **death of Samuel of Rama.** This shows that Samuel died at the relatively young age of fifty-two.


###### Taanit 5b:4
[Taanit 5b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:4)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: זִקְנָה קָפְצָה עָלָיו, דִּכְתִיב: ״נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת שָׁאוּל״. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! שְׁקַלְתַּנִי כְּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, דִּכְתִיב: ״מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ״, מָה מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן לֹא בָּטְלוּ מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם בְּחַיֵּיהֶם, אַף אֲנִי לֹא יִתְבַּטֵּל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי בְּחַיַּי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Yitzḥak **said to** Rav Naḥman that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said as follows: Old age sprang upon** Samuel, which caused him to appear older than his actual age, **as it is written: “I regret that I made Saul king”** (I Samuel 15:11). Samuel **said before** God: **Master of the Universe, You have** considered **me the equivalent of Moses and Aaron, as it is written: “Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who call upon His Name”** (Psalms 99:6). **Just as** with regard to **Moses and Aaron, their handiwork was not annulled in their lifetimes, so too, let my handiwork not be annulled in my lifetime.** I anointed Saul; please do not annul his reign.


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

אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: הֵיכִי אֶעֱבֵיד? לֵימוּת שָׁאוּל — לָא קָא שָׁבֵיק שְׁמוּאֵל, לֵימוּת שְׁמוּאֵל אַדְּזוּטַר — מְרַנְּנִי אַבָּתְרֵיהּ. לָא לֵימוּת שָׁאוּל וְלָא לֵימוּת שְׁמוּאֵל — כְּבָר הִגִּיעָה מַלְכוּת דָּוִד, וְאֵין מַלְכוּת נוֹגַעַת בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: What shall I do? Shall Saul die** now? **Samuel will not allow it,** as he has petitioned that Saul should not die. **Shall Samuel die young,** with Saul passing away immediately afterward? The people **will murmur about him,** and wonder what transgression Samuel committed that caused his early demise. **Shall neither Saul nor Samuel die?** The time of **David’s reign has already arrived, and one kingdom does not overlap with another** and subtract from the time allotted to it **even** by **a hairbreadth [*nima*].**


###### Taanit 5b:6
[Taanit 5b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:6)

אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אַקְפִּיץ עָלָיו זִקְנָה. הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשָׁאוּל יוֹשֵׁב בַּגִּבְעָה תַּחַת הָאֶשֶׁל בָּרָמָה״, וְכִי מָה עִנְיַן גִּבְעָה אֵצֶל רָמָה? אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ: מִי גָּרַם לְשָׁאוּל שֶׁיָּשַׁב בַּגִּבְעָה שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים וּמֶחֱצָה — תְּפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Therefore, **the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I will spring old age upon him** and everyone will think that Shmuel is elderly. **This is** the meaning of that **which is written: “And Saul dwelled in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree in Rama”** (I Samuel 22:6). **What does Gibeah have to do with Rama;** these are two separate places. **Rather,** the verse comes **to tell you: Who caused Saul to dwell in Gibeah for two and a half years? The prayer of Samuel of Rama.**


###### Taanit 5b:7
[Taanit 5b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:7)

וּמִי מִידְּחֵי גַּבְרָא מִקַּמֵּי גַּבְרָא? אִין, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״עַל כֵּן חָצַבְתִּי בַּנְּבִיאִים הֲרַגְתִּים בְּאִמְרֵי פִי״ — ״בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״בְּאִמְרֵי פִי״, אַלְמָא: מִידְּחֵי גַּבְרָא מִקַּמֵּי גַּבְרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And is** one **man set aside before** another **man?** In other words, is Samuel’s life set aside simply because the time for David’s reign has arrived? The Gemara answers: **Yes, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: What is** the meaning of that **which is written: “Therefore I have hewn by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth”** (Hosea 6:5)? It **is not stated: By their deeds, but** rather: **“By the words of My mouth,”** i.e., God sometimes ends the life of an individual simply by virtue of His decree. **Apparently,** one **man is** indeed **set aside before** another **man.**


###### Taanit 5b:8
[Taanit 5b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:8)

רַב נַחְמָן וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק הֲווֹ יָתְבִי בִּסְעוּדְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק: לֵימָא מָר מִילְּתָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵין מְסִיחִין בִּסְעוּדָה, שֶׁמָּא יַקְדִּים קָנֶה לְוֶשֶׁט וְיָבֹא לִידֵי סַכָּנָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ In continuation of Rav Naḥman’s questions of Rabbi Yitzḥak, the Gemara relates: **Rav Naḥman and Rabbi Yitzḥak were sitting** and eating together **at a meal. Rav Naḥman said to Rabbi Yitzḥak: Let** the **Master say a matter,** i.e., share a Torah idea with me. Rabbi Yitzḥak **said to** Rav Naḥman that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One may not speak during a meal, lest the trachea will precede the esophagus.** Food is meant to enter the esophagus, and when one speaks his trachea opens and the food might enter there. **And** therefore, one should not speak during a meal, as he might **come into** the **danger** of choking.


###### Taanit 5b:9
[Taanit 5b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:9)

בָּתַר דִּסְעוּד אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לֹא מֵת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְכִי בִּכְדִי סְפַדוּ סַפְדָּנַיָּא וַחֲנַטוּ חָנְטַיָּיא וּקְבַרוּ קַבָּרַיָּיא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִקְרָא אֲנִי דּוֹרֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאַתָּה אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב נְאֻם ה׳ וְאַל תֵּחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מֵרָחוֹק וְאֶת זַרְעֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם״, מַקִּישׁ הוּא לְזַרְעוֹ: מָה זַרְעוֹ בַּחַיִּים — אַף הוּא בַּחַיִּים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**After they had eaten,** Rabbi Yitzḥak **said to** Rav Naḥman that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said as follows: Our patriarch Jacob did not die.** Rav Naḥman **asked him** in surprise: **And was it for naught that the eulogizers eulogized** him **and the embalmers embalmed** him **and the buriers buried** him? Rabbi Yitzḥak **replied to** Rav Naḥman: **I am interpreting a verse, as it is stated: “Therefore do not fear, Jacob My servant, says the Lord, neither be dismayed, Israel, for I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity”** (Jeremiah 30:10). This verse **juxtaposes Jacob to his seed: Just as his seed is alive** when redeemed, **so too,** Jacob himself **is alive.**


###### Taanit 5b:10
[Taanit 5b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:10)

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הָאוֹמֵר ״רָחָב״ ״רָחָב״ מִיָּד נִקְרֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן: אֲנָא אָמֵינָא וְלָא אִיכְפַּת לִי! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כִּי קָאָמֵינָא, בְּיוֹדְעָהּ וּבְמַכִּירָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who says: Rahab Rahab, immediately experiences a seminal emission,** due to the arousal of desire caused by Rahab’s great beauty. **Rav Naḥman said to him: I say** Rahab **and it does not affect me.** Rabbi Yitzḥak **said to** Rav Naḥman: **When I said** this I was specifically referring **to** a man **who knew her and to** one **who recognized her.** With regard to anyone who had met Rahab in person, the mere mention of her name would arouse his lust.


###### Taanit 5b:11
[Taanit 5b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:11)

כִּי הֲווֹ מִיפַּטְרִי מֵהֲדָדֵי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לִיבָרְכַן מָר! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֶמְשׁוֹל לְךָ מָשָׁל, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאָדָם שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהָיָה רָעֵב וְעָיֵף וְצָמֵא, וּמָצָא אִילָן שֶׁפֵּירוֹתָיו מְתוּקִין וְצִלּוֹ נָאֶה וְאַמַּת הַמַּיִם עוֹבֶרֶת תַּחְתָּיו. אָכַל מִפֵּירוֹתָיו, וְשָׁתָה מִמֵּימָיו, וְיָשַׁב בְּצִילּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: **When they were taking leave of one another,** Rav Naḥman **said to** Rabbi Yitzḥak: **Master, give me a blessing.** Rabbi Yitzḥak **said to him: I will tell you a parable. To what is this matter comparable?** It is comparable **to one who was walking through a desert and who was hungry, tired, and thirsty. And he found a tree whose fruits were sweet and whose shade was pleasant, and a stream of water flowed beneath it.** He **ate from the fruits of** the tree, **drank from the water in** the stream, **and sat in the shade of** the tree.


###### Taanit 5b:12
[Taanit 5b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Taanit/r/5b:12)

וּכְשֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ לֵילֵךְ, אָמַר: אִילָן אִילָן, בַּמָּה אֲבָרֶכְךָ? אִם אוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁיְּהוּ פֵּירוֹתֶיךָ מְתוּקִין — הֲרֵי פֵּירוֹתֶיךָ מְתוּקִין, שֶׁיְּהֵא צִילְּךָ נָאֶה — הֲרֵי צִילְּךָ נָאֶה, שֶׁתְּהֵא אַמַּת הַמַּיִם עוֹבֶרֶת תַּחְתֶּיךָ — הֲרֵי אַמַּת הַמַּיִם עוֹבֶרֶת תַּחְתֶּיךָ, אֶלָּא: יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁכׇּל נְטִיעוֹת שֶׁנּוֹטְעִין מִמְּךָ

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And when he wished to leave, he said: Tree, tree, with what shall I bless you? If I say to you that your fruits should be sweet, your fruits are** already **sweet;** if I say **that your shade should be pleasant, your shade is** already **pleasant;** if I say **that a stream of water should flow beneath you, a stream of water** already **flows beneath you. Rather,** I will bless you as follows: **May it be** God’s **will that all saplings which they plant from you**