## Yoma Daf 38b

###### Yoma 38b:1
[Yoma 38b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:1)

וּמִשֶּׁלְּךָ יִתְּנוּ לְךָ. אֵין אָדָם נוֹגֵעַ בַּמּוּכָן לַחֲבֵירוֹ. וְאֵין מַלְכוּת נוֹגַעַת בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and from your** own **they shall give you.** Everyone has a portion designated for him by God, and the individual is privileged to receive what is coming to him, as was the case with the House of Avtinas. The principle is: **No person** may **touch** that **which is prepared for another** by God; everyone receives what is designated for him. **And one reign does not overlap with another** and deduct from the time allotted it **even a hairbreadth.** When the time comes for one kingdom to fall, its successor takes over immediately, as no king rules during the time designated for another.


###### Yoma 38b:2
[Yoma 38b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:2)

הוּגְרַס בֶּן לֵוִי וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא: כְּשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן קוֹלוֹ בִּנְעִימָה, מַכְנִיס גּוּדָלוֹ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו, וּמַנִּיחַ אֶצְבָּעוֹ בֵּין הַנִּימִין, עַד שֶׁהָיוּ אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים נִזְקָרִים בְּבַת רֹאשׁ לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna related that **Hugras ben Levi** knew a lesson in the art of music and he did not want to teach it to others. **It was taught** in a *baraita*: **When** Hugras ben Levi **projects his voice in** a sweet **melody,** he **places his thumb into his mouth and places his finger between the strings** of a lyre and sings. This produced a sound **so** sweet **that his brethren the priests were abruptly taken aback.**


###### Yoma 38b:3
[Yoma 38b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:3)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בֶּן קַמְצָר לֹא רָצָה לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַכְּתָב. אָמְרוּ עָלָיו שֶׁהָיָה נוֹטֵל אַרְבָּעָה קוּלְמוֹסִין בֵּין אֶצְבְּעוֹתָיו, וְאִם הָיְתָה תֵּיבָה שֶׁל אַרְבַּע אוֹתִיּוֹת הָיָה כּוֹתְבָהּ בְּבַת אַחַת. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מָה רָאִיתָ שֶׁלֹּא לְלַמֵּד? כּוּלָּן מָצְאוּ תְּשׁוּבָה לְדִבְרֵיהֶם, בֶּן קַמְצָר לֹא מָצָא תְּשׁוּבָה לִדְבָרָיו. עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נֶאֱמַר: ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״, וְעַל בֶּן קַמְצָר וַחֲבֵירָיו נֶאֱמַר: ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught: Ben Kamtzar did not want to teach** others a special **technique of writing.** What was that technique? **They said about him that he would take four quills between his fingers, and if there was a word** consisting **of four letters** that he wanted to write, **he could write it simultaneously. They said to him: What did you see that** led you **not to teach** that technique? **All the** others with unique skills **came up** with **a response to** questions about the **matter** of **their** conduct, claiming that they sought to prevent their technique from being used in idol worship. However, **ben Kamtzar did not come up** with **a response to** questions about the **matter** of **his** conduct, and it was clear that his only motivation in preventing his skill from being disseminated was his own personal honor. **With regard to the first** people listed, **it is stated: “The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing”** (Proverbs 10:7); **and about ben Kamtzar and his counterparts it is stated: “But the name of the wicked shall rot”** (Proverbs 10:7).


###### Yoma 38b:4
[Yoma 38b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:4)

מַאי ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״? אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: רַקְבִּיבוּת תַּעֲלֶה בִּשְׁמוֹתָן, דְּלָא מַסְּקִינַן בִּשְׁמַיְיהוּ. מֵתִיב רָבִינָא. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּדוֹאֵג בֶּן יוֹסֵף, שֶׁהִנִּיחוֹ [אָבִיו] בֵּן קָטָן לְאִמּוֹ. בְּכׇל יוֹם הָיְתָה אִמּוֹ מוֹדַדְתּוֹ בִּטְפָחִים וְנוֹתֶנֶת מִשְׁקָלוֹ שֶׁל זָהָב לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וּכְשֶׁגָּבַר אוֹיֵב טְבָחַתּוּ וַאֲכָלַתּוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Apropos the verse cited, the Gemara asks: **What** is the meaning of: **But the name of the wicked shall rot?** How does a name rot? **Rabbi Elazar said:** It means that **decay will spread on their names,** meaning **that we do not call** others **by their names,** and the name will sink into oblivion. **Ravina raised an objection** from an incident that transpired during the Second Temple era. There was **an incident involving Doeg ben Yosef, whose father** died and **left him** as **a young child to his mother,** who loved him. **Each day his mother measured** his height **in handbreadths and donated** a measure of **gold** equivalent to **the weight** that **he** gained **to the Temple.** Later, when the **enemy prevailed** and there was a terrible famine in the city, **she slaughtered and ate him.**


###### Yoma 38b:5
[Yoma 38b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:5)

וְעָלֶיהָ קוֹנֵן יִרְמְיָה: ״אִם תֹּאכַלְנָה נָשִׁים פִּרְיָם עוֹלְלֵי טִפּוּחִים״, מְשִׁיבָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאוֹמֶרֶת: ״אִם יֵהָרֵג בְּמִקְדַּשׁ ה׳ כֹּהֵן וְנָבִיא״, חֲזִי מַאי סְלֵיק בֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And with regard to her** and others like her **Jeremiah lamented: “Shall the women eat their fruit, their children in their care [*tipuḥim*]?”** (Lamentations 2:20). The Gemara interprets the term *tipuḥim* homiletically as referring to this baby, who was measured in handbreadths [*tefaḥim*]. Even he was eaten by his mother. **And the Divine Spirit responds and says:** Why did this happen? **“Shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the Temple of the Lord?”** (Lamentations 2:20). It is punishment for the murder of the priest Zechariah ben Jehoiada. This incident involves a boy named Doeg; even though the person with that name was wicked (see I Samuel, chapter 22), the boy was named for him. The Gemara responds: **See what befell him.** Clearly, his name was a bad omen.


###### Yoma 38b:6
[Yoma 38b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:6)

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: צַדִּיק מֵעַצְמוֹ, וְרָשָׁע מֵחֲבֵירוֹ. צַדִּיק מֵעַצְמוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״, וְרָשָׁע מֵחֲבֵירוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Elazar said: A righteous person** is praised **for his own** actions, **and a wicked person** is cursed not only for his own actions but also for the actions **of his** wicked **counterpart. A righteous person** is praised **for his actions, as it is written: “The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing”;** righteous is written in the singular. **A wicked person** is also cursed for the actions **of his** wicked **counterpart, as it is written: “But the name of the wicked shall rot”;** wicked is written in the plural. Once one wicked person is mentioned, his wicked counterparts are cursed as well.


###### Yoma 38b:7
[Yoma 38b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:7)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבִינָא לְהָהוּא מֵרַבָּנַן דַּהֲוָה מְסַדַּר אַגָּדָתָא קַמֵּיהּ: מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דְּהָא כְּתִיב: ״זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה״! מִדְּאוֹרָיְיתָא מְנָא לַן? דִּכְתִיב: ״וַה׳ אָמָר הַמְכַסֶּה אֲנִי מֵאַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְאַבְרָהָם הָיוֹ יִהְיֶה לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ravina said to one of the Sages who would organize aggadic** statements **before him: From where is this matter that the Sages stated: The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing,** derived?**He said to him: As it is written** explicitly in the book of Proverbs: **“The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing.”** He then asked him: **From where in the Torah do we** derive this? He said to him: **As it is written: “And God said: Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing?”** (Genesis 18:17). **And** as soon as Abraham’s name is mentioned, **it is written: “And Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation”** (Genesis 18:18), although there is no clear connection to the previous verse. Apparently, once the name of a righteous person is mentioned, it is followed directly by praise of the individual. That is the Torah source for the statement that the mention of the righteous is for blessing.


###### Yoma 38b:8
[Yoma 38b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:8)

מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן ״שֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דְּהָא כְּתִיב: ״וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב״. מִדְּאוֹרָיְיתָא מְנָא לַן? דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֶּאֱהַל עַד סְדוֹם״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם רָעִים וְחַטָּאִים לַה׳ מְאֹד״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Then he asked: **From where is this matter that the Sages said: But the name of the wicked shall rot,** derived? **He said to him: As it is written** explicitly in the book of Proverbs: **“But the name of the wicked shall rot.”** He then asked him: **From where in the Torah do we** derive this? He said to him: **As it is written** with regard to Lot: **“And he moved his tent as far as Sodom”** (Genesis 13:12). **And** as soon as Sodom is mentioned, **it is written: “And the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful to God”** (Genesis 13:13).


###### Yoma 38b:9
[Yoma 38b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:9)

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: צַדִּיק דָּר בֵּין שְׁנֵי רְשָׁעִים וְלֹא לָמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם, רָשָׁע דָּר בֵּין שְׁנֵי צַדִּיקִים וְלֹא לָמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם. צַדִּיק דָּר בֵּין שְׁנֵי רְשָׁעִים וְלֹא לָמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם — עוֹבַדְיָה. רָשָׁע דָּר בֵּין שְׁנֵי צַדִּיקִים וְלֹא לָמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם — זֶה עֵשָׂו.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Apropos these statements, the Gemara cites another statement that **Rabbi Elazar said:** There was **a righteous person** who **lived between two wicked people and did not learn from their actions;** there was **a wicked person** who **lived between two righteous people and did not learn from their actions.** How so? **A righteous person lived between two wicked people and did not learn from their actions** is **Obadiah,** who was a minister for Ahab and Jezebel and nevertheless remained God-fearing (see I Kings, chapter 18). **A wicked person who lived between two righteous people and did not learn from their actions is Esau,** who was born and raised in the house of Isaac and Rebecca and nevertheless remained wicked.


###### Yoma 38b:10
[Yoma 38b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:10)

(אָמַר) רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִבִּרְכָתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים אַתָּה לָמֵד קְלָלָה לָרְשָׁעִים, וּמִקִּלְלָתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים אַתָּה לָמֵד בְּרָכָה לַצַּדִּיקִים. מִבִּרְכָתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים אַתָּה לָמֵד קְלָלָה לָרְשָׁעִים, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה וְגוֹ׳״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה כִּי רָבָּה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabbi Elazar said: From the blessing of the righteous you infer a curse for the wicked; and** conversely, **from the curse of the wicked you infer a blessing for the righteous.** How so? **From the blessing of the righteous you infer a curse for the wicked, as it is written** with regard to Abraham: **“For I have known him to the end that he will command** his children and his household after him” (Genesis 18:19), **and it is written thereafter: “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is very great”** (Genesis 18:20). The righteousness of Abraham underscores the relative wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, exacerbating their punishment.


###### Yoma 38b:11
[Yoma 38b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:11)

וּמִקִּלְלָתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים אַתָּה לָמֵד בְּרָכָה לַצַּדִּיקִים, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם רָעִים וְחַטָּאִים לַה׳. וַה׳ אָמַר אֶל אַבְרָם אַחֲרֵי הִפָּרֶד לוֹט מֵעִמּוֹ״. (אָמַר) רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אֲפִילּוּ בִּשְׁבִיל צַדִּיק אֶחָד עוֹלָם נִבְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב״, וְאֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא צַדִּיק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Conversely, **from the curse of the wicked you infer a blessing for the righteous, as it is written: “And the men of Sodom were** exceedingly **wicked and sinful to God”** (Genesis 13:13), after which it is written: **“And God said to Abram, after that Lot had separated from him”** (Genesis 13:14); God proceeds to bless him. And **Rabbi Elazar said: Even for one righteous** person an entire **world is created, as it is stated: “And God saw the light, that it was good”** (Genesis 1:4), **and good means nothing other than righteous, as it is stated: “Say of the righteous that he is good”** (Isaiah 3:10).


###### Yoma 38b:12
[Yoma 38b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:12)

(אָמַר) רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל הַמְשַׁכֵּחַ דָּבָר מִתַּלְמוּדוֹ — גּוֹרֵם גָּלוּת לְבָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתִּשְׁכַּח תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶשְׁכַּח בָּנֶיךָ גַּם אָנִי״. רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ אָמַר: מוֹרִידִין אוֹתוֹ מִגְּדוּלָּתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי אַתָּה הַדַּעַת מָאַסְתָּ וְאֶמְאָסְךָ מִכַּהֵן לִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Elazar** further **said: One who causes himself to forget a matter of his studies** ultimately **causes exile for his children, as it is stated: “Because you have forgotten the Torah of your God, I will also forget your children”** (Hosea 4:6). **Rabbi Abbahu said:** With regard to he who causes his studies to be forgotten, **one reduces him from his prominence, as it is stated: “Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you; you shall not serve Me”** (Hosea 4:6).


###### Yoma 38b:13
[Yoma 38b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:13)

אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵין צַדִּיק נִפְטָר מִן הָעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁנִּבְרָא צַדִּיק כְּמוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ״. עַד שֶׁלֹּא כָּבְתָה שִׁמְשׁוֹ שֶׁל עֵלִי, זָרְחָה שִׁמְשׁוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתִי. (אָמַר) רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁצַּדִּיקִים מוּעָטִין, עָמַד וּשְׁתָלָן בְּכׇל דּוֹר וָדוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי לַה׳ מְצוּקֵי אֶרֶץ וַיָּשֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶם תֵּבֵל״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Apropos the righteous, **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: No righteous person departs from this world until another comparable righteous person is created, as it is stated: “And the sun rises and the sun sets”** (Ecclesiastes 1:5); before the sun sets the new sun has already risen. **Before the sun of Eli was extinguished, the sun of Samuel of Ramah** had already **shone** (see I Samuel, chapter 3), and so on throughout the generations. And **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, saw that righteous people were few,** so **He arose and planted** some of **them in each and every generation** to ensure the presence of at least one righteous person in each generation. **As it is stated: “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He has set the world upon them”** (I Samuel 2:8). Since the world rests upon the righteous, each generation requires the presence of a righteous person to provide that support.


###### Yoma 38b:14
[Yoma 38b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:14)

(אָמַר) רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֲפִילּוּ בִּשְׁבִיל צַדִּיק אֶחָד הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם״. רַבִּי חִיָּיא דִּידֵיהּ אָמַר, מֵהָכָא: ״רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמוֹר״ — חֲסִידָיו טוּבָא מַשְׁמַע! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: חֲסִידוֹ כְּתִיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even for one righteous person the world exists, as it is stated: “But the righteous is the foundation of the world”** (Proverbs 10:25). **Rabbi Ḥiyya himself said:** The proof is **from here,** as it is stated: **“He will keep the feet of His pious ones”** (I Samuel 2:9), meaning that God maintains the world due to the pious people. The Gemara questions this proof; **“pious ones” indicates many** rather than a single righteous person. **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:** Although the text is vocalized in the plural, it **is written** in the singular: “**His pious one”;** God maintains the world even for a single pious individual.


###### Yoma 38b:15
[Yoma 38b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:15)

(אָמַר) רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ רוֹב שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם וְלֹא חָטָא — שׁוּב אֵינוֹ חוֹטֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמוֹר״, דְּבֵי רַבִּי שֵׁילָא אָמְרִי: כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאָה לְיָדוֹ דְּבַר עֲבֵירָה פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁנִיָּה וְאֵינוֹ חוֹטֵא — שׁוּב אֵינוֹ חוֹטֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמוֹר״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Once most of a person’s years have passed and he did not sin, he will never sin, as it is stated: “He will keep the feet of His pious ones”** (I Samuel 2:9). Once a person has established himself as righteous, God will keep him from failing thereafter. In **the school of Rabbi Sheila they say: Once** the opportunity to perform **a sinful act presents itself** to a person **a first time and a second, and he does not sin, he will never sin, as it is stated: “He will keep the feet of His pious ones”** (I Samuel 2:9). Once he has refrained from sin several times, he has established himself as pious and God will protect him thereafter.


###### Yoma 38b:16
[Yoma 38b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/38b:16)

אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אִם לַלֵּצִים הוּא יָלִיץ וְלַעֲנָוִים יִתֶּן חֵן״, בָּא לִטַּמֵּא — פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ. בָּא לִטָּהֵר — מְסַיְּיעִין אוֹתוֹ. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁהָיָה מוֹכֵר נֵפְטְ וַאֲפַרְסְמוֹן,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Reish Lakish said: What is** the meaning of that **which is written: “If it concerns the scorners, He scorns them, but to the humble He gives grace”** (Proverbs 3:34)? If one **comes to impurify, they open** before him the opportunity to exercise his free will and do as he pleases. If one **comes to purify, they assist him.** In **the school of Rabbi Yishmael it was taught** with regard to this verse: This is **comparable to** the case of **a man who was selling** both crude **naphtha [*neft*],** whose odor is vile, and **balsam,** whose fragrance is pleasant.