Theologically Provocative Sugyot from the Talmud - Lesson 4
Rosh Hashanah 16b - Middle
One of the metaphors most associated with the Yamim Noraim is the image of the Book of Life in which we hope to be inscribed as well as the Book of Death, which we hope to avoid. This ubiquitous image, which makes numerous appearances in the liturgy of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (as well as on greeting cards) is found in a Meimra recorded in the name of a certain Rabbi Kruspidei who related it in the name of the pillar of Torat Eretz Yisrael in the Talmudic period: Rabbi Yochanan.
This metaphor, however, is fraught with theological questions which the Sages and commentators pondered and sought to explain and or resolve. These explanations will form the crux ofour lesson. First, however, let's take a look at the passage from the Talmud.
Sources
שלשה ספרים נפתחים
1. ראש השנה טז : ב
א. אמר רבי כרוספדאי אמר רבי יוחנן: שלשה ספרים נפתחין בראש השנה, אחד של רשעים גמורין, ואחד של צדיקים גמורין, ואחד של בינוניים. צדיקים גמורין – נכתבין ונחתמין לאלתר לחיים, רשעים גמורין – נכתבין ונחתמין לאלתר למיתה, בינוניים – תלויין ועומדין מראש השנה ועד יום הכפורים. זכו – נכתבין לחיים, לא זכו – נכתבין למיתה.
ב. אמר רבי אבין: מאי קרא – (תהלים סט:כט) ימחו מספר חיים ועם צדיקים אל יכתבו,
ימחו מספר – זה ספרן של רשעים גמורין,
חיים – זה ספרן של צדיקים,
ועם צדיקים אל יכתבו – זה ספרן של בינוניים.
ג. רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר מהכא: (שמות לב:לב) ואם אין מחני נא מספרך אשר כתבת,
מחני נא – זה ספרן של רשעים,
מספרך – זה ספרן של צדיקים,
אשר כתבת – זה ספרן של בינוניים.
2. קהלת ז:טו
את הכל ראיתי בימי הבלי יש צדיק אבד בצדקו ויש רשע מאריך ברעתו:
3. ירמיהו יב:א
צדיק אתה ה' כי אריב אליך אך משפטים אדבר אותך מדוע דרך רשעים צלחה שלו כל בגדי בגד:
4. רש”י
שלשה ספרים – ספרי זכרון של מעשה הבריות.
ליום הדין – כשיחיו המתים.
רשעים גמורים – רובם עונות.
בינוניים – מחצה על מחצה.
5. תוספות
ונחתמין לאלתר לחיים – מדקא חשיב בינוניים משמע דצדיקים קרי למי שזכיותיו מרובים ורשעים גמורים למי שעונותיו מרובים ופעמים הצדיקים נחתמין למיתה ורשעים גמורים לחיים דכתיב ומשלם לשונאיו אל פניו להאבידו (דברים ז : י) דאמרינן בסוף פ”ק דקדושין (דף לט: ושם) מי שזכיותיו מרובין מעונותיו דומה כמי ששרף את כל התורה כולה ולא שייר ממנה אות אחת ואי עונותיו מרובין מזכיותיו דומה כמי שקיים כל התורה כולה ולא חיסר אות אחת וכל זה דקרי הכא גבי רשעים מיתה וגבי צדיקים חיים כלומר לחיי העולם הבא.
6. דרשה לראש השנה לרמב”ן
אבל המימרא הזו נאמרה בחכמה ועל פי ההגיון, שידוע הוא לכל מבין עם תלמיד שאין נדונין בעולם אלא ארבעה, וכן כל הדברים מושלמין בריבועים,והנדונין כולם ארבעה חלקים הם, אחד שלא יבא לפני בית דינו, והשני שבא לפניו ולא גמרו דינו, והשלישי שחייבוהו ב”ד, והרביעי שזכוהו ב”ד, החלק הראשון בכאן בטל שהכל עוברין לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא אין חשך ואין צלמות להסתר שם פועלי און, נשארו בנדונין שלשה, כל הזוכה בדינו נקרא צדיק גמור, כל המתחייב בדין נקרא רשע גמור, המעויין שמשקלו שוה לכאן ולכאן נקרא בינוני, אם כן הרשע הגמור המוחלט שעבד ע”ז ועשה גילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים ועשה מצוה אחת לבדה שדינו בפני הקדוש ברוך הוא לשלם לו שכרה בעולם הזה שיחיה השנה הזאת, נקרא בכאן צדיק גמור לפי שנצטדק בדין, עד שיהיה אחאב שנאמר בו הראית כי נכנע אחאב וגו’ נקרא צדיק גמור באותו הדין, וכן רשעים גמורים לאלתר למיתה אפילו קיים כל התורה כולה והורה הלכה לפני רבו ונתחייב מיתה בכך, נקרא בכאן רשע גמור לפי שהוא מחוייב בדינו, נמצא כל הכתובים לחיים שזכו לחיות עד ראש השנה הבא כולם צדיקים גמורים בדינם, וכל הנכתבים למיתה שימותו בשנה ההיא כולם רשעים גמורין בדינם, וכל לשון התורה כך הוא והצדיקו את הצדיק והרשיעו את הרשע, צדיק ורשע בדין זה, וכן ונקי וצדיק אל תהרוג, וכן מה שהזכירו חיים ומיתה אינן בימים בלבד, אלא תפסו להם חיים אב הטובות כולן ומיתה אב לרעות כולן, וכינו כל העונשין שבעולם נגעים ומיתת בנים ועניות וכל מאורעות רעות של גוף בכנוי מיתה, וכן כל הטובות עשר ונכסים וכבוד ובנים ושלום ובריאות בכלל חיים, וכן עושין הפסוקים בכל מקום, זהו פירוש מימרא זו בלא קושיא ובלא פיקפוק.
7. רמב”ם הלכות תשובה פרק ג הלכה ג
כך בכל שנה ושנה שוקלין עונות כל אחד ואחד מבאי העולם עם זכיותיו ביום טוב של ראש השנה, מי שנמצא צדיק נחתם א לחיים, ומי שנמצא רשע נחתם למיתה והבינוני תולין אותו עד יום הכפורים אם עשה תשובה נחתם לחיים ואם לאו נחתם למיתה.
8. השגאות הראב”ד – רמב”ם הלכות תשובה פרק ג הלכה ב
אדם שעונותיו מרובין על זכיותיו מיד הואמת ברשעו. א”א לא כמו שהוא סובר שכשאמרו רשעים נחתמין לאלתר למיתה שמיד מתים, ואינו כן כי יש רשעים חיים הרבה אלא נחתמין לאלתר שלא ימלאו ימיהם שני הדור שנגזרו עליו, ועיקר דבר זה ביבמות (נ’).
9. ספר החינוך מצוה שיא
ומה שאמרו שם (ה) שלשה ספרים נפתחין בראשהשנה, אחד של צדיקים גמורים ואחד של רשעים גמורים ואחד של בינוניים. וענין פתיחת הספרים נאמר לפי הדומה על דרך המשל בענין השגחתו ברוך הוא עליהם, כדי שיכנסו הדברים באזניהשומעים ידברו רבותינו לעולם במורגל בבני אדם. צדיקים גמורים נכתבין ונחתמין לאלתר לחיים, פירש מורי צדיק גמור בכאן שכולו זכאי, וכן רשע גמור בכאן שכולו חייב, ולפיכך נחתם מיד למיתה, אחר שאין לו זכות בעולם שיגן עליו. (ו) בינוניים תלויין עד יום הכיפורים, ואז גמר דין שלהם נחתם.
1.
a. R. Kruspedai said in the name of R. Johanan: Three books are opened [in heaven] on New Year,one for the thoroughly wicked, one for the thoroughly righteous, and one for the intermediate. The thoroughly righteous are forthwith inscribed definitively in the book of life; the thoroughly wicked are forthwith inscribed definitively in the book of death; the fate of the intermediate is suspended from New Year till the Day of Atonement; if they are deserving; they are inscribed for life;if they are not deserving, they are inscribed for death.
b. Said R. Abin: What text tells us this? "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous". (Psalm 69:29)
"Let them be blotted out from the book" - this refers to the book of the wicked.
"Of life" - this is the book of the righteous.
"And not be written with the righteous" - this is the book of the intermediate.
c. R. Nahman b. Isaac derives it from here: And if not, blot me, I pray, out of Your book which You have written. (Exodus 32:32)
"Blot me," - this is the book of the wicked.
"Out of Your book" - this is the book of the righteous.
"Which You have written" - this is the book of the intermediate.
2. Ecclesiastes 7:15
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a righteous man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.
3. Jeremiah 12:1
Right would You be, O LORD, were I to contend with You, yet will I reason with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are the workers of treachery at ease?
4. Rashi
Three books: books of remembrance of human deeds.
For the day of judgment: When the dead will be revived.
Totally wicked: the majority of their deeds are sins.
Intermediate: their deeds are fifty fifty.
5. Tosafot
And sealed immediately for life -the fact that there is a category of "intermediates" implies that the totally righteous is one whose merits are the majority and a totally wicked person is one whose sins are the majority. Sometimes the righteous are sealed for death and the totally wicked for life, as it is written: "And He compensates His enemies [and then visits them] with destruction" (Deut. 7:10), as it says at the end of the first chapter of Kiddushin: The one whose merits are greater than his sins is like one who burnt the whole Torah leaving not even a letter and the person whose sins are greater than his merits is like one who fulfilled the entire Torah so that not even a letter is missing. And all that is mentioned here regarding death for the wicked and life for the righteous refers to eternal life.
6. Ramban - Drasha for Rosh Hashanah (abridged)
But this teaching was taught with wisdom and reason, for it is known by all who understand that there are four types judged in the world, one who does not come before his judgment, the second is a person who comes for judgment but his judgment is never completed, the third is found guilty before the court, and the fourth, whom the court acquits. The first category does not apply in our situation since every person passes before the Holy One Blessed be He, for there is no darkness or shadow before which the sinner can hide. There are, therefore, three categories remaining. All who are acquitted in their judgments are considered totally righteous, all who are found guilty are considered totally guilty.
Those whose behavior is balanced, namely, the scales are balanced between sins and merits is called intermediate (beinoni). If so, the entirely wicked person who worshipped idolatry, practiced sexual immorality and spilled blood but did a single mitzvah, when his judgment comes before the Holy One Blessed be He, He will be rewarded him in this world so that he will live this year. In this case, he was considered totally righteous, since his judgment was justified. And so, the totally wicked – immediately for death refers to even someone who has fulfilled the entire Torah, who one time decided a halacha [improperly] before his teacher and as a consequence, warranted death on account of this act. As a consequence he is considered totally wicked since he warranted his punishment. And so, everyone written in the book of life merits life until the following Rosh Hashanah - all are to be considered totally righteous in their particular judgments. And all who are written in the book of death, namely, those who will die that year. All were totally wicked in their judgments.
7. Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Teshuva 3:2
And so each year, the sins of each person are measured up against his orher merits on Rosh Hashanah day. The one who is found to be righteous is sealed for life and the one found to be wicked is sealed for death and the intermediate (beinoni) is held in check until Yom Kippur. If he does teshuva (penance), then he will be sealed for life and if not, he will be sealed for death.
8. The Glosses of Rabbi Abraham ben David on the Rambam 3:2
A person whose sins are greater than his merits, will immediately die in his wickedness. Abraham [ben David] says: Not like the Rambam holds, for when they say that the wicked are sealed for immediate death, that they will immediately die - it is not so, for there are wicked who live long lives. Rather,what it means when it says that they will die immediately is that they will not fill their intended quota of years.
9. Sefer Hahinuch Mitzvah 311
And that which is written there that there are three books open on Rosh Hashanah, one for the totally righteous, one for the totally wicked and one for those in between. And the point of the open books was meant to be understood as a parable with regard to Divine oversight, in order that these ideas should be truly heard by the listeners, the sages spoke in terms the people would understand. The totally righteous would be written and sealed immediately for life; my teacher explained that this refers to people who are entirely righteous and totally wicked refers to those who are totally wicked, that is why they are immediately sealed for death since they have absolutely no merits to protect them. Those in between are left on hold until Yom Kippur and then their decree is sealed.
Guide Questions and Issues
Read carefully the meimra of Rabbi Kruspedai.
1. Now take a moment to record all of the questions you have about this passage.
2. Now attempt to create a reasonable explanation of this passage which satisfies you.
Now that you have recorded your questions and your own explanation, we can move on to what others have to say.I wanted you to do this to see if your questions mesh with those of the medieval interpreters and to see how your interpretations match up with what others have to say.
One thing is clear. I have brought a variety of different opinions of sages trying to make sense of this passage,each from a unique vantage point. It will be interesting to see if we can say something about each interpreter based on how they interpret this passage.
The Talmud brings to more meimrot (b and c) which attempt to find a Scriptural basis for this teaching. Each of the teachings follows a certain pattern: 1. They quote a verse; 2. They slice the verse into pieces associating with each piece one of the three books associated with this season. This is obviously done to reinforce the significance and authenticity of this teaching.
I also want to remind everyone that this is midrash and not pshat (the plain meaning of the text) so understand it in an associative sense.
Sources 2 and 3 quote Scriptural verses which illustrate some of the potential theological problems with this teaching that anyone well read in Tanach would be aware of even if they lacked awareness of the world around them. In other words, anyone who understands this passage literally needs to interpret it in a way that it will be in sync with the world as they experience it.
Incidentally, there is something very important to learn from this. The sages, who interpret this passage, felt compelled to explain it in a way which conformed to the world that they lived in so they would not experience dissonance.
Source 4 - Rashi
1. According to Rashi when do the events being talked about in this passage occur?
2. What theological problems does this interpretation resolve?
3. What problems does it create?
Source 5 - Tosafot
The Tosafot were sages from France and Germany from the 12-14th centuries. One of the characteristics of their commentaries is a tendency to harmonize sources and ideas.
1. According to this Tosafot,what is purpose of reward or punishment in this world?
2. What is the fate of the righteous person in this world? The wicked person?
3. How does the Tosafor read Rabbi Kruspidei's teaching?
4. What problems does this interpretation resolve?
5. What problems does it create?
Source 6 - Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban)
Nachmonides was one of the great Jewish sages in Christian Spain in the 13th century. He explored the meaning of this drasha in a Rosh Hashanah sermon. He, too, is bothered by the interface between this teaching and empirical reality.
1. Who is the righteous person according to Ramban? The wicked person?
2. When is the sentence carried out? To whom?
3. What are the advantages of this interpretation? Disadvantages?
Source 7 - Maimonides, The Mishnah Torah: Laws of Repentance
Rambam codified this passage in his laws of Repentance.
1. Rambam's presentation of this passage seems pretty straightforward. What is his innovation?
2. What is his purpose in teaching this passage?
3. Who is it aimed at?
4. Does he take this passage literally or figuratively?
Source 8 - Rabbi Avraham ben David
Ravad was a contemporary of Maimonides who live in Provence and often took Maimonides to task on legal questions.
1. Does Ravad think that Maimonides took this passage literally or figuratively?
2. How does he interpret it?
3. What problem does he note in Maimonides' interpretations?
4. How does he resolve it?
Source 9 - Sefer HaHinuch
This 13th century work is ascribed, according to Professor Israel Ta-Shma, to Rabbi Pinchas Halevi of Barcelona. It lists and explains the 613 mitzvot of the Torah giving a rationale for each of the mitzvot as well.
1. How would characterize his explanation of this passage?
2. How is it different from the other interpretations?
Well, now is the time for the comparison!
1. Were you questions raised by any of the commentators?
2. Were you solutions or interpretations like any of theirs?
3. Whose interpretation do you prefer?
4. What do their answers teach us about the interpretive process?