## Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah Chapter 11

###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:1
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:1)

היוצא בדרך לבדו קודם קריאת הגבר דמו בראשו. רבי יאשיה אומר לא יפחות משנים. ובאיזה תרנגול אמרו בתרנגול הבינוני שנאמר (איוב ל״ח:ל״ו) מי שת בטוחות חכמה או מי נתן לשכוי בינה:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
If one starts out on a journey alone before cock-crow his blood is upon his head.¹ R. Josiah said: [He should wait] until [the cock] crowed at least twice.² What kind of cock? The average type,³ as it is stated, *Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the coc?*⁴.

footnotes:
¹ He courts danger. Cf. Yoma 21a (Sonc. ed., pp. 90f.). Pes. 2a (Sonc. ed., pp. 1f.) states, ‘A man should always enter a town by day and set out by day’.
² Or, until he has heard at least two crow.
³ That crows neither too early nor too late.
⁴ Job 38, 36. E.V. the mind


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:2
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:2)

אדם הבא מן הדרך נכנס למרחץ. הקיז דם ונשתכר ושמש מטתו ע״ג קרקע דמו בראשו.

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
If [immediately] on returning from a journey a man enters a bath-house, undergoes cupping, has marital intercourse and sleeps on the floor, his blood is upon his head.⁵

footnotes:
⁵ Following the text of GRA in agreement with Giṭ. 70a (Sonc. ed., p. 334). He will soon die because he had already been exhausted by his journey.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:3
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:3)

ההורג כינה ע״ג המטה ([והאוכל שום קלוף וביצה קלופה ובצל קלוף שלנה עליהם לילה]) והעומד ערום לאור הנר ולאור הלבנה דמו בראשו:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
If one kills a louse upon his bed,⁶ or stands naked in front of a candle-light⁷ or in the moonlight, his blood is upon his head.

footnotes:
⁶ Perhaps what is intended is that he should remove it from the bed because killing it there is unhygienic.
⁷ It is said to cause epilepsy; Pes. 112b (Sonc. ed., p. 579).


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:4
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:4)

שותה משקין מזוגין ומשקין מגולין שלנה עליהן הלילה דמו בראשו מפני הסכנה:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
[He who eats peeled garlic, a peeled egg or a peeled onion which were kept overnight] and he who drinks diluted liquids or uncovered water which were kept overnight, his blood is upon his head.⁸

footnotes:
⁸ So GRA. H omits the clause within brackets. Cf. Nid. 17a (Sonc. ed., p. 112).


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:5
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:5)

והשותה מהנחלים ומהנהרות ומהמדברות בפיו ובידו אחת דמו בראשו הנימא שירא:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
[One may not sit at his table⁹ under an olive-tree on account of danger.¹⁰] He who drinks water from brooks, rivers or pools [direct] with his mouth or by [drawing the water] with one hand,¹¹ his blood is upon his head because leeches are there.¹²

footnotes:
⁹ To eat.
¹⁰ So GRA. H omits the clause within brackets. The branches become weighted with olives and one may fall upon him.
¹¹ Drawing the water with one hand and drinking it has to be done so rapidly that he has no time to examine it.
¹² And there is the danger of his swallowing a leech; cf. ‘A.Z. 12b (Sonc. ed., p. 63).


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:6
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:6)

הקיז דם וישב בתענית ה״ז דמו בראשו:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
If a man observes a fast after letting blood, his blood is upon his head.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:7
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:7)

כותבי ספרים תפילין ומזוזות הן ותגריהן ותגרי תגריהן אינן רואין סימן ברכה לעולם.

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
They who write scrolls [of the Torah], *tefillin* and *mezuzoth*, they, their traders and traders’ traders¹³ will never see a sign of blessing [from their earnings].¹⁴ [They who deal in ritually unclean food and forbidden fat will never see a sign of blessing.]¹⁵

footnotes:
¹³ i.e. all who trade in them directly or indirectly.
¹⁴ Cf. Pes. 50b (Sonc. ed., p. 246).
¹⁵ This paragraph is inserted by H.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:8
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:8)

המשתכר בקנים ובקנקנים אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם.

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
He who trades in canes and jars will never see a sign of blessing.¹⁶ (Sonc. ed., p. 245).

footnotes:
¹⁶ Their bulk is large and so the evil eye has power over them; Pes. loc. cit.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:9
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:9)

(העושה מלאכה בתשעה באב אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
One who does work on the Ninth of *Ab* will never see a sign of blessing [in the work he does on that day].²⁰ R. ‘Aḳiba said: Scholars should abstain from work [on that day].²¹

footnotes:
²⁰ Added by GRA. Cf. Ta‘an. 30b (Sonc. ed., p. 161).
²¹ Even in places where it is customary for people to work. It is the anniversary of the destruction of both Temples.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:10
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:10)

אמר ר״ע ות״ח יושבין תחת הזית על שולחנו מפני הסכנה ואחד) קוצצי אילנות ומגדלי בהמה ותגרי סימטא אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
They who cut down [beautiful] trees,¹⁷ breeders of small cattle,¹⁸ and they who trade on market-stands¹⁹, the Sabbatical year when trading with its produce is forbidden. will never see a sign of blessing.

footnotes:
¹⁷ To sell for timber and thereby evokes astonishment.
¹⁸ Sheep, goats, etc.
¹⁹ Market traders are exposed to the public gaze and so to the evil eye. Tosiftha Bek. II reads instead ‘shemiṭṭah’


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:11
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:11)

המוכר את ספרו אף על פי שאינו צריך לו. והמוכר את בתו אף על פי שאין לו מה יאכל. אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
Anyone who sells his scroll [of the Torah] though he does not require it, or sells his daughter [to be a handmaid] though he has no food, will never see a blessing [from that money].


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:12
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:12)

רבי יצחק אומר קורצין ה״ז משופכי דמים שנאמר (ויקרא י״ט:ט״ז) לא תלך רכיל בעמך: ר״א אומר השונא את חבירו ה״ז משופכי דמים שנאמר (דברים י״ט:י״א) וכי יהיה איש שונא לרעהו וארב לו וקם עליו: בן עזאי אומר השונא את אשתו ה״ז משופכי דמים שנאמר (שם כב) ושם לה עלילות דברים. סוף שהוא שוכר עדים. ומקדימה לבית הסקילה. רבי יוסי אומר הנותן את הקץ אין לו חלק לעוה״ב: והשונא חכמים ותלמידיהם ונביא השקר ומספר לשון הרע אין לו חלק לעוה״ב:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
R. Isaac said: Slanderers are like shedders of blood, as it is stated, *Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbour*.²² R. Eliezer said: He who hates his fellow belongs to the shedders of blood, as it is stated, *If any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him*, etc.²³ Ben ‘Azzai said: He who hates his wife belongs to the shedders of blood, as it is stated, *And if he lay wanton charges against her*,²⁴ XXII, 14. with the consequence that he hires [false] witnesses and has her hastily brought to the place of stoning.²⁵ 21. R. Jose said: He who calculates the end²⁶ has no portion in the World to Come.²⁷ He who hates Sages and their disciples, a false prophet and he who spreads calumny have no portion in the World to Come.

footnotes:
²² Lev. 19, 16.
²³ Deut. 19, 11.
²⁴ ibid.
²⁵ ibid.
²⁶ i.e. the advent of the Messiah.
²⁷ Because people will say that, since the predetermined time has arrived and the Messiah has not come, he will never come. Cf. Sanh. 97b (Sonc. ed., p. 659).


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:13
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:13)

ר״מ אומר כל מי שיש לו בית המדרש בעירו ואינו הולך לשם חייב מיתה . בית המדרש שיש בו אלף אלפים ורבי רבבות מצות האמורות בתורה על אחת כמה וכמה. ר״מ אומר כל מי שיש תלמיד בצדו ואינו משמשו חייב מיתה שנאמר (במדבר טו) כי דבר ה׳ בזה. (ואומר (ירמיהו ב׳:ה׳) כה אמר ה׳ מה מצאו אבותיכם בי עול כי רחקו מעלי):

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
R. Meir said: Whoever has a House of Study in his town and does not frequent it forfeits his life,²⁸ as it is stated, *Thus saith the Lord: What unrighteousness have your fathers found in Me that they are gone far from Me?*²⁹ How much more so [if he does not attend] an Academy which contains thousands and myriads of Biblical precepts! R. Meir said: Anyone who has a scholar near him and does not wait upon him [as a disciple] forfeits his life, as it is stated, *Because he hath despised the word of the Lord*.³⁰

footnotes:
²⁸ Ber. 8a (Sonc. ed., p. 39) reads ‘Synagogue’, a dictum of Resh Laḳish.
²⁹ Jer 2, 5. The proof-text is added by GRA.
³⁰ Num. 15, 31.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:14
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:14)

התיר מנעליו ויצא לשוק ה״ז מגסי הרוח. סנטרו לצדדין וקובעו לאחוריו וירכתו על חביריו ורצועות תפילין בידו ומחזירן כשהוא מהלך בשוק ה״ז מגסי הרוח ומנין לגסות הרוח שהוא כע״כ שנאמר (דברים ז׳:כ״ו) ולא תביא תועבה אל ביתך ולהלן הוא אומר (משלי ט״ז:ה׳) תועבת ה׳ כל גבה לב כתיב הכא תועבה ונאמר להלן תועבה מה תועבה האמור להלן עבודת כוכבים אף תועבה האמורה כאן ע״כ (וכתיב (דברים י״ג:י״ד) יצאו אנשים בני בליעל מקרבך מה להלן ע״כ אף כאן ע״כ).

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
Anyone who goes into the street with his shoes unlaced is haughty of spirit. [He who walks] with his *sanṭer*³¹ hanging side-ways,³² or his cap turned backwards, or [sits] crosslegged, or holds in his hand the straps of the *tefillin* and puts them back while walking in the street belongs to the haughty of spirit. Every man in whom there is haughtiness of spirit is as though he worships idols,³³ as it states, *Thou shalt not bring an abomination into thine house*,³⁴ and it states elsewhere, *Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord:*³⁵ the word *abomination* is written in the one connection and also in the other—as the *abomination* mentioned in the one refers to idolatry so the *abomination* mentioned in the other refers to idolatry.

footnotes:
³¹ A kind of cloak.
³² Over his shoulder.
³³ So GRA.
³⁴ Deut. 7, 26, the reference being to an idolatrous image.
³⁵ Prov. 16, 5.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:15
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:15)

הנכנס לישן אומר המפיל חבלי שינה על אדם. והניעור משנתו אומר אלהי נשמה שנתת בי טהורה : המתהפך משנתו על הצדדין אומר פוקח עורים.

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
On going to bed one says, ‘Blessed … Who causeth [58*a*] the bands of sleep to fall upon my eyes’,³⁶ and on waking he says, ‘O my God, the soul which Thou hast given me is pure’.³⁷ On turning on his side from his sleep he says, ‘Blessed … Who looseneth the bound’.³⁸

footnotes:
³⁶ So GRA. V has ‘upon men’. Cf. P.B., p. 293.
³⁷ P.B., p. 5.
³⁸ P.B., p. 6. So GRA. V and H read: ‘Who openest the eyes of the blind’.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:16
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:16)

*הנכנס לבית הכסא אומר התכבדו מכובדים קדושים משרתי עליון תנו כבוד לאלהינו ועמדו במקומכם . והזהרו עזרוני שמרוני המתינו לי עד שאכנס ואצא שזה דרכן של בני אדם. והיוצא מבית הכסא אומר ברוך אשר יצר את האדם בחכמה. רחץ פניו אומר ברוך המעביר שינה מעיני ותנומה מעפעפי.

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
On entering a privy one should say, ‘Be honoured, ye honoured and holy beings who minister to the Most High! Give glory to our God and stay where you are. Help me, guard me, support me and wait for me until I enter and come out, for this is the way of human beings’.³⁹ On leaving a privy one says, ‘Blessed is He Who has formed man in wisdom’.⁴⁰ When he has washed his face he says, ‘Blessed … Who removest the bands of sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids’.⁴¹ p. 6 bot.

footnotes:
³⁹ Addressing the angels who are believed to accompany one to the privy, which was regarded as a haunt of evil spirits.
⁴⁰ P.B., p. 4.
⁴¹ ibid.


###### Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:17
[Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Derekh%20Eretz%20Rabbah/r/11:17)

לבש כליו ויצא לשוק אומר יהי רצון מלפניך ה׳ אלהי שתוליכני לשלום ותסמיכני לשלום ותתנני לחן ולחסד ולרחמים בעיניך ובעיני כל רואי ותגמלני חסדים טובים ותחזירני לביתי לשלום ותצילני מכף אויב ואורב בדרך ותצילני מיד לשון הרע ואל תרגילני לדבר עבירה וחטא ועון ואל אכשל בדבר הלכה ולא בשום דבר בעולם ותצילני מכל מיני מזיקין ומכל מיני פורעניות המתרגשות ובאות לעולם שלא יזיקו בי בין ביום ובין בלילה אמן: יהי רצון מלפני הקדוש ברוך הוא שיראנו בשמחתה של ירושלים ונחמותיה אמן:
 סליק פירקא וסליק מסכת דרך ארץ רבה

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
When he is clothed and goes out into the street he should say,⁴² ‘May it be Thy will, O Lord my God, that Thou conduct me in peace and uphold me in peace; and let me obtain grace, favour and mercy in Thine eyes and in the eyes of all who behold me; bestow lovingkindnesses upon me, and cause me to return to my house in peace. Deliver me from the hand of every enemy and ambush by the way and from an evil tongue. Let me not become accustomed to sin, transgression or iniquity, and let me not err in a matter of *halakah* or in any matter whatsoever. Deliver me from all kinds of harm and from all manner of afflictions which break forth and come upon the world that they do not injure me by day or by night. Blessed is He Who bestoweth lovingkindnesses upon His people Israel’.⁴³
May it be the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, that He cause us to behold the rejoicing and comfort of Jerusalem, Amen.

footnotes:
⁴² From ‘blessed’ is substituted by GRA for ‘Amen’ in V and H.
⁴³ Cf. the prayer for going on a journey, P.B., p. 310.