R. DOSA B. HARKINAS SAID: MORNING SLEEP, AND MIDDAY WINE, [AND CHILDREN’S TALK, AND SITTING IN THE MEETING-HOUSES OF THE IGNORANT] DRIVE A MAN OUT OF THE WORLD. MORNING SLEEP—what does this mean? It teaches that a man should not wilfully sleep late so that the time-limit for the recital of the Shema‘ passes; for if he sleep late so that the time-limit for reciting the Shema‘ passes he consequently neglects the study of the Torah,¹ one fulfils a dual obligation: the duty of proclaiming the unity of God and that of Torah-study; cf. Yalḳuṭ on Ps. 1, 2, §614. as it is stated, The sluggard saith: There is a lion in the way; yea, a lion is in the streets. The door is turning upon its hinges, and the sluggard is still upon his bed.² MIDDAY WINE—what does this mean? It teaches that a man should not form the habit of drinking wine at midday; for when he drinks wine at midday, the consequence is that he neglects the [study of the] whole Torah, as it is stated, Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning.³ And it continues, Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, [and thy princes eat in due season!].⁴ 17. And when is that due season? You must say that it is in the time to come, as it is stated, I the Lord will hasten it⁵ in its due season.⁶. Scripture also states, *Like the time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel: What hath God wrought!*⁷. The reference in the verse is to the time to come when Israel will enjoy close relationship with God, knowing what He is about to do. Thus said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Balaam: Like the time (ka‘eth), and not ‘in the time’ (ba‘eth)—not in the time in which you live, but like the time when I am about to bring deliverance to Israel. CHILDREN’S TALK—what does this mean? It teaches that a man should not make a practice of sitting and studying at home;⁸ because when a man sits and studies at home and engages in conversation with his children and members of his household, the outcome is that he neglects the Torah; and it is stated, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night.⁹ AND SITTING IN THE MEETING-HOUSES OF THE IGNORANT—what does this mean? It teaches that a man should not sit with idlers in the market-place;¹⁰, p. 31n.] [for when a man sits with idlers in the market-place] it follows that he neglects the Torah, as it is stated, Happy is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord.¹¹ R. Meir said: What does the verse mean by nor sat in the seat of the scornful? It refers to the theatres and circuses¹² of the Gentiles¹³ where men are condemned to death, and it is written, I hate the gathering of evil-doers (mere‘im), and will not sit with the wicked.¹⁴ XXVI, 5. By mere‘im the wicked are meant, as it is stated, For evil-doers (mere‘im) shall be cut off.¹⁵ XXXVII, 9. And what will be their punishment in the hereafter? Even as it is stated, For behold the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness shall be stubble.¹⁶ And by the proud none other are intended but the scorners, as it is stated, A proud and haughty man, scorner is his name.¹⁷

footnotes: ¹ By reciting the Shema‘ ² Prov. 26, 13f. In V. the order of the verses is reversed. ³ Eccl. 10, 16. ⁴ ibid. ⁵ The coming salvation. ⁶ Is. 60, 22, E.V., in its time ⁷ Num. 23, 23, E.V., now it is said of Jacob ⁸ So according to the MSS. V. reads: ‘a man should not make a practice, while studying at home, of engaging in conversation with his wife and children, because all the time he sits at home and studies and converses with his children and members of his household, the outcome is’, etc. The proper place for study is the house of learning where his family will not distract him. ⁹ Josh. 1, 8. ¹⁰ [On the identity of ‘idlers in the marketplace’ with ‘the ignorant’, cf. Büchler, The Economic Conditions of Judaea ¹¹ Ps. 1, 1f. ¹² ‘and circuses’ is inserted from the MSS. ¹³ V. ‘scorners’. ¹⁴ ibid. ¹⁵ ibid. ¹⁶ Mal. 3, 19. ¹⁷ Prov. 21, 24.

It is related of R. ‘Aḳiba that once when he was sitting and lecturing to his disciples he recalled the conduct of his youth,¹⁸ and offered up the prayer, ‘I thank Thee, O Lord my God, that Thou hast set my portion with those who sit in the House of Study, and hast not set my portion with the idlers in the market-place’.

footnotes: ¹⁸ Until the age of forty, R. ‘Aḳiba was wholly unlearned in the Torah; cf. VI, 2, p. 43.