אבל בשירת דוד שבשמואל ובתהלים לא נתנו חכמים שיעור אבל לבלר מובהק מרצפן במפתחות באותיות וסוף וכן תהלים כולו ואיוב ומשלי: In regard, however,1In contrast to the poems dealt with in the previous Rule. to the Song of David in Samuel22 Sam. 22. and in the Psalms,3Ps. 18. the Sages have not prescribed a limit;4For the number of lines in a column. but a skilled scribe spaces them out symmetrically5In the form of stichoi. according to the beginnings, the middle pauses, and the endings of the verses.6This rendering follows the text in M and H. A similar arrangement is also followed throughout the Psalms and in Job and Proverbs.
מגלת אסתר צריכה שירטוט כאמתה של תורה ספר נקרא: The scroll of Esther7Which is read on Purim. requires ruled lines8To guide the scribe in writing the letters which are suspended from them. as does the real9lit. ‘its truth of’. Torah,10Here denotes the Pentateuch. because it is called ‘a scroll’.11The text corrected by GRA. V has ‘scroll called’. ‘Scroll’ is lit. ‘book’, the word used in Esth. 9, 32. For another reason, cf. Meg. 16b (Sonc. ed., p. 100).
עשרת בני המן ומלכי כנען נכתבין אריח ע"ג אריח ולבינה ע"ג לבינה כל בנין כדין לא קאים. מאי כדין למצוה לעיכוב: The ten sons of Haman12Esth. 9, 7-9. and the kings of Canaan13Josh. 12, 9-24. are written in the form of a half-brick over a half-brick and a brick over a brick.14Like the song of Ha’azinu (cf. above XII, 8). Such a structure15In which bricks and half-bricks rest one above the other and do not overlap. does not endure.16And so is symbolic of the fate of Haman’s sons. What is implied by ‘such’?17The statement ‘such a structure does not last’. Does it indicate a recommendation18As the arrangement is only a symbol, a deviation from it would not disqualify the scroll. or an indispensable condition?19A deviation would then lead to disqualification. The answer follows in the next Rule.
א"ר יוסי בר חנינא אחוה של ר׳ הושעי׳ סבביך ר׳ אבא בר׳ זבדא ושאלינן זה ואמר בשם רב לעיכוב: R. Jose20The translation follows GRA and H in agreement with j.Meg. III, 7, 74b. V reads: ‘R. Jose b. Ḥanina, the brother of R. Hoshaiah, R. Abba b. Zabda surrounded thee, and we asked him this, and he said in the name of Rab that the condition was indispensable’. said to R. Ḥanina, the nephew of R. Hoshaiah, ‘Surely you remember that when we were standing in front of the shop of your uncle, R. Hoshaiah, R. Ba’ b. Zabda passed by and we put the question to him, and he replied that the condition was indispensable’.
רבי חייא בריה דרב אדא דיפו ר' ירמיה בשם ר׳ זעירא צריך לאומרן בנפיחה אחת עשרת בני המן [ועשרת עמהן]: R. Ḥiyya b. R. Adda of Jaffa, quoting R. Jeremiah in the name of R. Ze‘ira, said: The names of the ten sons of Haman and the word ten21Esth. 9, 10. must be recited in one breath.
אמר רבי יוסי בר אבין בכתבן צריך שיהא איש בראש דפא ואת בסופה בששה שיטין עשרת בסוף דפא שחיץ תגין שמנוהון כהדין סקוטראק נטרי׳ כדי שיפלו ולא תהא להם תקומה. (אסתר ג׳:א׳) אחר הדברים האלה גידל המלך אחשורוש את המן בן המדתא תירגם רב יוסף בתר פתגמיא האלין רבי מלכא אחשורוש ית המן המדתא אגגי בר ביזא בר אפליטוס בר דיוס בר דיזוט בר פרוס בר נידן בר בעלקן בר אנטמירוס בר הורם בר הודורס בר שגר בר נגר בר פרמשתא בר ויזתא בר עמלק בר לחינתיה דאליפז בוכריה דעשו רבי יתיה (הוי וית) [ושוי ית] כורסיה לעיל מכל רברבנוהי ועבדוהי דקדם שבריה גיניניה: R. Jose b. Abin said: When they22The names of Haman’s sons. are written down, the word ’ish23Man, the last word of Esth. 9, 6. must be at the top of the column24And at the beginning of the first line. and each we’eth25Sign of the defined accusative which occurs ten times, each preceding the names of the ten sons. at the end [of the lines, a total] of eleven lines,26The first line consisting of ’ish on the right and we’eth on the left, the next nine lines having the name on the right and we’eth on the left, while the eleventh line has the name Wayezatha on the right and ‘asereth (ten) on the left. and ‘asereth at the end of the column. Thus, in reading transversely, the columns27On the right (consisting of ’ish and the ten names), and the left (ten times we’eth and ‘asereth). appear laced and closely corded like transverse lacing [of a web].28The reading of V is corrupt and the translation follows GRA, N.Y. and Jastrow. It symbolizes that when [the ten sons] fall there will be no rising for them.
The phrase ’aḥar haddebarim … Hammedatha29Esth. 3, 1, E.V. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha. was translated by R. Joseph as follows:30R. Joseph is the reputed author of a later Aramaic translation of the Prophets and Hagiographa. ‘After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Aggagite, son of Seraḥ,31A name derived from a root ‘to stink’. The object of the genealogy is to trace Haman, the symbol of the enemies of Jews throughout their history, through a chain of despicable men to Esau, the brother but enemy of the patriarch Jacob. son of Buza, son of Aflutos,32Buza means ‘contempt’, and Aflutos is probably Plutos, a heathen god. son of Deosis,33Dionysus (?). son of Padom,34Or, Pados (putrid?). son of Ma‘adi,35Meaning ‘sickness’. son of Be‘alkon,36The meaning is ‘cunning’. son of Antamarus,37Signifying ‘crushed stones’. son of Ḥarum,38Or, Ḥuram, possibly the heathen god Ares. son of Hadoram,39Or, Heridos, i.e. Herod who is known in history as a tyrant. son of Shazar,40Meaning ‘hip disease’ son of Nagar,41Or, possibly, Negad (a whip). son of Parshandatha,42This and the following were also names of two of Haman’s sons. son of Wayezatha, son of ‘Amaleḳ,43The ancestor of the people who were the first to attack Israel after their exodus from Egypt. son of the concubine of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau; he advanced him and set his seat above all his princes and his servants, because pride goeth before destruction’.44The last four words come from Prov. 16, 18. The translation of the paragraph embodies most of GRA’s emendations.
אמר רב זעירא וי"ו דויזתא צריך למזקפיה כמדורא דדברות: R. Ze‘ira said: The waw of Wayezatha45Esth. 9, 9. must project like a boat-pole on the river Libruth.46i.e. the waw must be longer than the other letters. The ruling is quoted from Meg. 16b (Sonc. ed., p. 99). The river has not been identified.
מי שהוא אוחז ס"ת נחלקו בדבר שני תנאין חדא אמר פותח ורואה וגולל ומברך וחדא אמר פותח [ורואה] ומברך ומה טעם דכתיב (נחמיה ח׳:ו׳) ובפתחו עמדו כל העם ומה כתיב בתריה ויברך עזרא את ה׳ האלהים הגדול במה גדלו רב אמר גדלו בשם המפורש רבא אמר בברכה גדלו והיכי מברך בעשרה אומרים ברכו את ה' המבורך ביחיד כשהוא משכים לקרוא אומר בא"י אלהינו מלך העולם אשר נתן לנו תורה מן השמים חיי עולמים ממרומים ברוך אתה ה׳ נותן התורה וגולל ואומר ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר נתן לנו תורת אמת וחיי עולם נטע בתוכנו ברוך אתה ה׳ נותן התורה: If a person holds a scroll of the Torah [in order to read it], there is a difference of opinion between two Tanna’im.47On the question whether the prescribed benedictions should be said while the scroll is open or rolled. One declared that he should open it, look [for the passage which is to be read], roll it up and then say the benediction;48Were one to say it while the scroll is open, people might erroneously assume that the benediction is written in the Torah (Meg. 32a, Sonc. ed., pp. 192f). but the other declared that he should open it, look [for the required passage] and say the benediction.49Because nobody could be so ignorant as to be unaware that the benedictions do not form a part of the text of the Torah (Meg. loc. cit.). What is the reason?50That the scroll must be open when the benediction is said. Because it is written, And when he opened it, all the people stood up;51Neh. 8, 5 referring to the scroll of the Torah. and what follows? And Ezra blessed52i.e. he said the prescribed benedictions. the Lord, the great God.53ibid. 6. As Ezra opened the scroll and blessed the Lord, so everyone who reads the Torah must have the scroll open when the benedictions are said. Whereby did he proclaim His greatness?54As implied in the words the great God. Rab said: He proclaimed His greatness by pronouncing the Ineffable Name.55The Tetragrammaton. Raba said: He proclaimed His greatness by the recital of the prescribed benediction.
What is the form of the benedictions?56Before and after the reading in the Torah. In an assembly of ten57A minimum of ten males over the age of thirteen is required for congregational worship. one says, ‘Bless ye the Lord Who is to be blessed’.58And then follow the benedictions given later for an individual in private reading. In the case of an individual, when he rises early to read in the Torah, he says, ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who hast given us a Torah from heaven, everlasting life from the heights. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who givest the Torah’. Then59At the conclusion of the reading. he rolls up the scroll60This is a unanimous ruling. It is upheld even by the Rabbi who maintained that the scroll must be open when the first benediction is said. and says, ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who hast given us a Torah of truth and hast planted everlasting life in our midst. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who givest the Torah’.61The benedictions now in use are shorter (P.B., p. 147).
וכן בנביאים אומרים ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר בחר בנביאים טובים ורצה בדבריהם הנאמרים באמת ברוך אתה ה׳ הבוחר בתורה ובמשה עבדו ובישראל עמו ובנביאי האמת והצדק: Similarly when one reads from the Prophets,62The hafṭarah which is read after the conclusion of the prescribed section of the Torah. a benediction is said as follows: ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who hast chosen good prophets, and hast found pleasure in their words which were spoken in truth. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who hast chosen the Torah and Moses Thy servant, and Israel Thy people, and the prophets of truth and righteousness’.63Wehaẓẓedeḳ, the noun being preceded by he, the definite article. This is the version adopted by the Sefaradim, while the Ashkenazim omit the article (cf. P.B., p. 149).
ולבסוף מברך ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם צור כל העולמים צדיק בכל הדורות האל הנאמן האומר ועושה מדבר ומקיים כי כל דבריו אמת וצדק. ומיד עומדין העם ואומרים נאמן אתה הוא ה׳ אלהינו נאמנים דבריך נאמן חי וקים שמך וזכרך תמיד ימלוך עלינו לעולם ועד זה אחד ממחלוקת בני מזרח ובני מערב שבני מזרח עונין אותו בישיבה ובני מערב בעמידה ובכל מקום שנחלקו שני תנאים ושני אמוראים ולא בדיק לן הלכתא כחד מינייהו אזלינן בתר מחמיר כל שכן בשבח ותהלה של חי העולמים שהדבר גלוי בלב לשנות הלכה למעשה שנא׳ (משלי ט״ז:ד׳) כל פעל ה׳ למענהו: And at the end [of the reading of the portion from the Prophets], one says the following benedictions: ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Rock of all worlds, righteous through all generations, O faithful God, Who sayest and doest, Who speakest64V reads medabber, without the article, as in the current version (P.B., loc. cit.). and fulfillest, all Whose words are truth and righteousness’. The people forthwith stand and say:65This is not the present usage when the reader proceeds to say the benedictions mentioned in Rule 11. ‘Faithful art Thou, O Lord our God, faithful are Thy words, ever faithful, living and enduring are Thy name and remembrance; and do Thou reign66So GRA. V reads ‘He will reign’, H ‘Thou wilt reign’. continually over us for ever and ever’. This point67Whether the benediction is to be said while sitting or standing. is one of the disagreements between the scholars of the East and West; the former give the response68To the reader, with the benediction. while sitting and the latter while standing. But wherever two Tanna’im or two ’Amora’im differ, and we are not certain with whom the halakah agrees, we follow him who maintains the stricter view. How much more then must we, in regard to the praise69The benedictions. of the Life of all the worlds,70[On this designation of God, cf. Marmorstein, The Old Rabbinic Doctrine of God, I, p. 85.] which is a matter of the heart,71V reads galuï (revealed), M and H taluï (dependent). teach our disciples as the rule to be practised that the halakah is in agreement with him who upholds the stricter view;72Following the emended text of GRA. as Scripture states, The Lord hath made every thing for His own purpose.73Prov. 16, 4. There is consequently all the more reason why the stricter view should be followed, viz. that the blessings and praises of God be said while standing.
ואחר כך חוזר המפטיר לענינו ואומר נאמן אתה הוא ה' אלהינו ונאמנים דבריך ודבר אחד מדבריך לא ישוב ריקם כי אל מלך נאמן אתה ברוך אתה ה׳ האל הנאמן בכל דבריו: After that74After the people have concluded their benedictions (see the preceding Rule). the mafṭir resumes his recital75lit. ‘subject’. and says, ‘Faithful art Thou, O Lord our God, and faithful are Thy words, and not one of Thy words shall return void, for Thou art a faithful76The current version adds ‘and merciful’ (P.B., p. 149). God and King. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God Who art faithful in all Thy words’.
נחם ה׳ אלהינו ציון עירך כי היא בית חיינו ולעלובת נפש תושיע במהרה בימינו ברוך אתה ה' משמח ציון בבניה: ‘Comfort,77This is the continuation of the benedictions after the hafṭarah. The version now in use (P.B., loc. cit.) reads ‘have mercy’ instead of ‘comfort’ (GRA emends accordingly), and ‘O Lord our God’ and ‘Thy city’ are omitted. O Lord our God, Zion Thy city, for it is the home of our life, and save her that is grieved in spirit speedily, even in our days. [40b] Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who makest Zion joyful through her children.’
שמחנו יי׳ אלהינו כו' שלא תכבה נרו לעולם בימיו תושע יהודה וישראל ישכון לבטח וזה שמו אשר יקראו ה׳ צדקנו (ירמיהו כ״ג:ו׳) ברוך אתה ה׳ מצמיח קרן ישועה לעמו ישראל : ‘Gladden us, O Lord our God,78From ‘with Elijah’ to ‘swear unto him’ is represented in V by ‘etc.’ M and H cite the benediction in full. with Elijah the prophet, Thy servant, and with the kingdom of the house of David, Thine anointed. Soon may he come and rejoice our hearts. Suffer not a stranger to sit upon his throne, nor let others any longer inherit his glory; for by Thy holy name Thou didst swear unto him, that his light should not be quenched for ever. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: the Lord is our righteousness.79‘In his days … righteousness’ is a quotation from Jer. 23, 6 and is now omitted from the benediction. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who causest the horn of salvation to flourish for Thy people Israel.’80The present custom (in accordance with Pes. 117b, Sonc. ed., p. 603) is to conclude, ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the Shield of David’.
על התורה ועל הנביאים ועל יום פלוני הקדוש הזה אשר נתת לנו יי׳ אלהינו לקדושה ולמנוחה לכבוד ולתפארת על הכל ה׳ אלהינו אנו מודים לך ומברכים את שמך תמיד אלהי ישענו ברוך אתה ה' מקדש ישראל ויום פלוני חוץ משבת שאינו מזכיר בחתימה ישראל אלא מקדש השבת בלבד שהשבת קדמה לישראל כדכתיב (שמות ל״א:י״ז) כי ששת ימים עשה ה' את השמים ואת הארץ וביום השביעי שבת וינפש ואומר (שם טז) ראו כי ה׳ נתן לכם (את) השבת שהיתה כבר: ‘For the Torah, [for the divine service],81M and H insert this phrase which is included in P.B. for the prophets and for this holy82The ‘Sabbath’ or the name of the Festival is inserted here; and when a Festival coincides with the Sabbath both are mentioned. … which Thou, O Lord our God, hast given us for holiness and for rest, for honour and for glory. For all these things, O Lord our God, we thank Thee, and continually bless83The P.B. version reads, ‘Thee, blessed be Thy name by the mouth of every living being continually and for ever’. Thy name, O God of our salvation. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who sanctifiest Israel and such and such a day.’84For ‘such and such a day’ the name of the Festival is inserted.
An exception is made on the Sabbath when ‘Israel’ is not mentioned in the conclusion but only ‘Who sanctifiest the Sabbath’; because the Sabbath preceded Israel, as it is written, For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested,85Ex. 31, 17. and it is further said, See that the Lord hath given you the sabbath,86ibid. XVI, 29. The Sabbath was instituted at the creation of the world, and the use of the definite article in the second quotation indicates that it was a well-known institution at the time. The Festivals, on the other hand, were ordained after the people of Israel came into existence. which implies that the Sabbath had already been in existence.