Israeli Elections, 8 Torahs Got Burned, King Soul And King David, Legalization Of Drugs

They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see;

And this is “VaYaPeL (made fall).” It is an acrostic for “Peh Lahem Ve’lo Yedabeiru (They have a mouth but cannot speak)” (Psalms 115:5). For by means of tardemah / Targum —through which Chavah/the Holy Tongue is primarily built up due to the elevation of the good and vanquishing of the evil in it [Targum]—all the seventy tongues are noPheL (vanquished and overcome). This corresponds to, “They have a mouth but cannot speak”—the first letters of which spell vayapel .

They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;

Hear this, O foolish people, Devoid of intelligence, That have eyes but can’t see, That have ears but can’t hear!

According to a comment in the Sefer Hayashar at the time Avram was born a certain star in the eastern sky “swallowed “ four other stars in four directions of the sky. At that time Nimrod’s advisors said to him: “at this moment a son has been born to Terach whose descendants will produce a nation which will inherit the whole earth as well as the hereafter. If you agree, let us give his father a house full of gold and silver and get his permission to kill the baby.” Thereupon Nimrod immediately sent an urgent message to Terach in which he referred to the baby who had been born to Terach on the previous evening, and demanded that it be handed over to be killed. In return he promised Terach a house full of gold and silver. Terach replied by citing a parable. He said: “I will explain to you how your offer looks to me. They told a horse ‘let us cut off your head and we will give you a house full of barley.’ The horse replied: “you are fools. If you cut off my head who is going to eat the barley? Similarly, if you are going to kill my son who will inherit all this gold and silver?” Having heard this explanation by Terach the king replied: “I infer from your words that a son has been born for you. Terach replied that this was true but that the baby was dead already. Thereupon the king told him: “the offer to pay you for him with a house full of gold and silver applies only if you deliver him alive. If you deliver him dead the offer does not apply.” Thereupon Terach hid the baby in a cave for the next three years. G’d provided two outlets for that cave. One became the source of fine flour, the other of oil.
When Avram was three years old he left the cave. When he looked around he began to wonder who had created heaven and the earth and himself. At first he began praying to the sun all day long. Then, at night, when he saw the moon, he began to pray to the moon as he had concluded that the position of the moon in the sky was proof that the moon had created it and the stars as well as earth and himself. He considered the stars as servants of the moon. When the moon disappeared in the morning and the sun rose in the East he began to realise that the phenomena he had observed thus far had only been tools in the hands of someone mightier than either of them. He now went to his father Terach and asked him who had created heaven earth and himself? Terach answered him: “my god created all these phenomena.” Thereupon Avram asked his father to show him this god who supposedly was powerful enough to have created all these phenomena. Terach brought him one of his idols. Avram could not accept that this idol had any power at all. He went to his mother asking her similar questions. He asked his mother to cook a fancy dish so that he could offer it to one of the idols hoping it would be accepted as an offering. He placed the food in front of Terach’s biggest idol. The idol did not respond at all, neither by sign or movement of his eyes or other organs. At that point, Avram had some divine inspiration and he said of these idols פה להם ולא ידברו, עינים להם ולא יראו, “they have a mouth and are unable to speak, they have eyes but are unable to see” (Psalms 115,5). He seized the idols and burned them. He took the largest idol outside and placed the fire in his hand. When his father came home and wanted to know what had happened, Avram accused the biggest idol of having burned the others. Terach accused Avram of having burned his idols. Avram claimed to be innocent accusing the largest idols of having burned the others in a fit of fury. Thereupon his father said to him: “my son, you are foolish, how can any of these lifeless idols do such a thing? I myself have made these idols out of wood.” Thereupon Avram said to his father: “I wish you would hear yourself talk. If they have no power why did you tell me that they have created heaven and earth?” Terach then went to Nimrod and told him that his son had burned both his own and Nimrod’s idols. Nimrod sent for Avram and asked him why he done such a thing. Avram denied having done anything and blamed the largest of the idols for having burned the others. Thereupon Nimrod also challenged him by saying: “since when do these idols possess a spirit of life enabling them to act?” Avram then told Nimrod more or less the same as he had told his father, adding: “why do you reduce the god who has created heaven and earth to a wooden image and you worship such an image?” Thereupon Nimrod told Avram that he personally had created heaven and earth and that both heaven and earth were under his control.
Thereupon Avram said to Nimrod: “You are able to create? when I came out of the cave I saw the sun rise in the east and set in the west. If you can make the sun rise in the west and set in the east I will worship you. If you are unable to do this, the one who gave me the power to burn the idols will also give me the power to kill you.” Upon hearing this Nimrod consulted with his advisors and asked them what to do with Avram? Thereupon the advisors told him: “this is the one concerning whom we have told you that he will become the founder of a nation which will take over the entire universe including the hereafter. Now the only thing you can do is to do to him what he has done to those idols which he burned.” Upon hearing the advice of his councilors Nimrod immediately threw Avram into a fiery furnace. At that point, G’d was filled with mercy for the boy and He saved him. This is the meaning of His words to Avram: “I have taken you out of the fire of the Casdim.”

Jeremiah also, reproving his generation because they had no fear of God and thought that there was no personal being who provided for the world and acted with will, but that the world was ruled by natural necessity, spoke to them in the same strain: “Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding, that have eyes and see not, that have ears, and hear not: Fear ye not Me? Saith the Lord; Will ye not tremble at My presence? Who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, an everlasting ordinance, which it can not pass …” The prophet means that the mind is compelled to acknowledge that the appearance of the dry land shows that the world was made by a voluntary agent and is not simply the work of impersonal nature. Our Rabbis also say in “Bereshit Rabbah:” “When God said, ‘Let the waters be gathered together,’ the Prince of the Sea rose up before God, and said: ‘Lord of the universe, I fill the whole world.’ At once the Lord struck him and put him to death, as is said: ‘He stirreth up the sea with His power.’ ” The Rabbis use the expression, “Prince of the Sea,” to denote the substance of water. He fills the universe, i. e. the natural tendency of water is to cover the earth, but the latter appears above the water by the will of God. Hence they say further that in the future God will restore them to their places, thus indicating that the appearance of dry land is not due to nature, but to the will of a being who made the world and maintains it. Since that which is natural must be realized at some time, they say that in the future God will restore them to their proper places. This is proof conclusive that the universe is maintained by the will of God and not by nature. God provides for it and governs it with righteousness and justice.

Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel, said in the name of Rav: Fire is only found in a place where there is desecration of Shabbat, as it is stated: “And if you do not heed Me to sanctify the day of Shabbat, and to refrain from carrying burdens and come to the gates of Jerusalem on the day of Shabbat, and I will light a fire in its gates and it will consume the palaces of Jerusalem and it will not be extinguished” (Jeremiah 17:27). The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of: And it will not be extinguished? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Fire will break out at a time when people are not found to extinguish it. Abaye said: Jerusalem was destroyed only because people desecrated the Shabbat in it, as it is stated: “And from My Shabbatot they averted their eyes, and I was profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26). Several punishments were decreed to befall Jerusalem as punishment for this transgression.

You should know that there is a certain category of malignant spirits called kesilim (“wicked fools”) that have been appointed to appear to a man walking along the road alone at night. Sometimes they appear as a group of men and seduce him into joining their company. Sometimes they appear in the form of an in or a hotel, shining forth a light to entice him to approach. He believes that he is on his way to a nearby hotel or inn but they draw him farther and farther from the way. It is common for them to lead him into marshes and other places of filth or into a forest or among the swamps where his life is imperiled. These same spirits are appointed over those who gather to relate frivolous tales that are of no benefit. They are also the destroying spirits called the “workers of iniquity,” that record all words of mockery and forbidden speech in a book On High called the “Workers of Iniquity.” When the time comes for these people to meet their end groups of these kesilim come out to meet them and strike at their souls. Then they take them out to the desert or a marsh and inflict terrible suffering upon their souls. Therefore one must keep away from these gatherings. It need not be said that if one sees people quarreling one must flee from them, for that is a gathering place for malignant spirits that assemble wherever there is bickering and quarreling.

Just as it is a mitzvah for the community to fast and to pray in times of trouble, so it is a mitzvah for every individual, if, God forbid, any trouble befalls him, for example, a member of his family is sick, or he lost his way, or he is confined in prison on false charges, to fast and to pray to God, and to plead for mercy from Him, may His Name be blessed, to deliver him. Suffering is one of the ways that leads to repentance. A person should not say, his troubles just happened by chance, for it is said: (Leviticus 26:23,24). "If you treat My (acts) as chance, then I will treat you with the fury of chance"; which means, when I bring distress on you to cause you to repent and you will say this happened by chance, then I will add to your (suffering) the fury of the same "chance." Man must know that because of his sins, God brought on him all this trouble. He should, therefore, examine his deeds and return to God, and He will have mercy on him.

So in a time of good fortune enjoy the good fortune; and in a time of misfortune, reflect: The one no less than the other was God’s doing; consequently, man may find no fault with Him.

The one was set up against the other. The good and the reward for its performance, in contrast to the evil and the ensuing punishment for doing it.³⁹Alternatively, “one set up against the other,” refers to the punishment that was set up against the evil deeds, i.e., the concept of מדה כנגד מדה, that is, the manner of punishment corresponds to the sin, and it is never meted out in a greater amount than warranted.

Reish Lakish says: Satan, the evil inclination, and the Angel of Death are one, that is, they are three aspects of the same essence. He is the Satan who seduces people and then accuses them, as it is written: “So the Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with vile sores” (Job 2:7). He is also the evil inclination, as it is written there: “The impulse of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously” (Genesis 6:5); and it is written here: “Only upon himself do not put forth your hand” (Job 1:12). The verbal analogy between the various uses of the word “only” teaches that the evil inclination is to be identified with the Satan. He is also the Angel of Death, as it is written: “Only spare his life” (Job 2:6); apparently Job’s life depends upon him, the Satan, and accordingly the Satan must also be the Angel of Death.

They said about the Angel of Death that he is entirely full of eyes. When a sick person is about to die, the Angel of Death stands above his head, with his sword drawn in his hand, and a drop of poison hanging on the edge of the sword. Once the sick person sees him, he trembles and thereby opens his mouth; and the Angel of Death throws the drop of poison into his mouth. From this drop of poison the sick person dies, from it he putrefies, from it his face becomes green.

Rabbi Elazar says: Every man was created for labor, as it is stated: “Man is born for toil” (Job 5:7). Based on this verse, I do not know whether he was created for toil of the mouth, speech, or whether he was created for the toil of labor. When the verse states: “For his mouth presses upon him” (Proverbs 16:26), you must say that he was created for toil of the mouth. And still I do not know with regard to the toil of the mouth whether it is for the toil of Torah or for the toil of conversation. When the verse states: “This Torah scroll shall not depart from your mouth” (Joshua 1:8), you must say that he was created for the toil of Torah. And that is the meaning of what Rava said: All bodies are like receptacles to store items until use. Happy is one who is privileged, who is a receptacle for Torah.

Rebbi Elazar says: "One should be diligent in learning Torah such that he can answer a heretic." Rebbi Elazar is giving Mussar on the Torah , which is the purpose of man, and man vis-a-vis himself was not created except to toil in Torah. And this is like was written (Job: 5,7) that "Man was born to toil", as we explained above at length (Mishna 8), that the creation of man rests on toiling in Torah. Therefore it says "be diligent in learning Torah" because if you are not diligent in learning Torah, then it will not be considered that you are toiling in Torah, but rather only that you are learning Torah "for leisure time"... And it says after this that your Torah should be such that you can answer a heretic. Which is to say that just like there is a Mitzvah for a person to learn Torah and to acquire the Torah, which is the Torah of Truth (Malachi: 1, 6), so to it is fitting that a person nullifies 'false belief systems' from the world such that Truth increased in the world. For if Falsity is left to be in the world, the end is that Falsity, God Forbid, will cause Truth to be lost and nullify it such that Falsity dominates the world, and therefore, take much care that you do not give any foothold for Falsity, rather that you know what to answer to a heretic. And it says after this and 'in front of who you toil in Torah' corresponding to the massive exertion that is thrown upon him. As it says 'be diligent in learning Torah', that he should strive to know how to answer a heretic, and un this point we say 'know in front of who you stand and trustworthy is your boss to pay the reward of your work'. If you toil in Torah extensively, the reward given to you will be plentiful. And if this matter is not recognized by a person, it's possible that he will end up in laziness. Now consider if a person is already careful that (Pirke Avos: 1,3) 'one should not work for the sake of receiving reward', which we said means that this kind of person's service is based on serving Hashem on the condition that we receives a reward [which is suboptimal]. But this idea here is speaking to awakening a person, because a person has a body and the nature of physicality doesn't really listen to the service of God, and needs an awakening! Much like a young child needs an awakening in his learning, so we give him a treat so that he will learn, so too does a man need to be awakened. And if he awakens himself through thinking about the massive reward that there is to a person, this person would not be called somebody who 'serves for the sake of receiving a reward' since he is doing so only for the self-awakening such that he shouldn't be blocked from his service (of God). Therefore this (piece of Mussar) counteracts to the Evil Inclination that desires to lessen a person that he shouldn't toil in Torah, and to prevent against laziness tin this toiling. And even though a person might act from a place of love and not 'on the condition of receiving a reward', a person has to be careful that perhaps he will end up in laziness because he doesn't not believe (deeply) in his soul. [Which is to say that a person will want to act without incentivizing himself, but rather from a place of pure love, and in trying to act from a higher level than he is on, fall short and end up lazy]. And for this reason, it says 'know in front of who you toil and trustworthy...' and through this laziness should not reach his toiling. But certainly the purpose of his learning cannot be the reward, but this idea can strengthen him so that he shouldn't end up in the hands of laziness - about which one should one. And it should be clear to you that in all five of these Sages, each one says three things which are related one to the next.

On this scripture says "man was born to toil" (Iyov 5:7). When a man habituates himself in this manner, he will certainly find the service of G-d easy since he does not lack the preparation and readiness for it. Along these lines our sages of blessed memory said "this is the way of Torah, eat bread with salt, drink water in small measure, and sleep on the ground" (Avot 6:4) which is a general statement of distancing to the utmost extreme from the comforts and pleasures.

The trait of Cleanliness is that a man be completely clean of all bad traits and all sins. [This applies] not only for sins which are familiar and recognized but also for those to which one's heart is enticed to rationalize that it is permissible; but when we truthfully examine the matter, we find that it appeared to the person justified only because his heart was afflicted by some desire and not entirely purified of it. Therefore, it pulled him to be lenient.

But the man who was completely purified from this affliction and has been cleansed of all trace of evil which lust leaves behind it, behold his vision will be perfectly clear and his discernment will be pure. He will not be swayed by any desire. He will recognize anything which is a sin. Even for the most minuscule, he will see its evil and will distance from it. On this our Sages referred regarding the men of Sheleimut (Wholeness) who purified their deeds to such a great extent as to leave not even a stirring of evil - "the clean minded men of Jerusalem" (Sanhedrin 23a).

Torah study is also a preventative against one's coming to (speak) lashon hara, as they said there (Arachin 15b): "What is the preventative against lashon hara? If he is a Torah scholar, let him occupy himself with Torah." The reason is obvious, as we find in Sanhedrin 99b: "All men are created for toil, viz. (Iyyov 5:7): 'For man is born for toil.' I would not know whether for toil of the lips or toil of labor — if it were not written: (Mishlei 16:22): 'For he saddles his mouth with it,' which indicates that he was born for toil of the lips. And I still would not know whether for the [lip] toil of Torah or the toil of converse — if it were not written (Joshua 1:8): 'Let the book of this Torah not depart from your mouth,' which indicates that he was created for the toil of Torah." The idea is that the nature was given man, when speech was given to him, that the tools of speech do what is theirs without becoming fatigued, unlike the other organs, which man must spur himself to put into operation. Not so, the faculty of speech. And this is the intent of "the toil of the lips." But a man must reflect that this power was given him only to merit Torah. Therefore, it is stated that the preventative of speaking lashon hara is only occupying oneself with Torah, for lacking this, he will certainly stumble into forbidden speech. For it is man's nature that his tools of speech not be inoperative (unless he is able to overcome his yetzer and make himself "mute," as they say in Chullin 89a).

And they have said further (Ibid. 5a): "All who occupy themselves with the study of Torah remove afflictions from themselves, as it is written (Iyyov 5:7): 'And the sons of reshef will be dispelled by uf,' 'uf' alluding to Torah, as intimated in (Mishlei 23:5): 'If you glance away [hatauf] from it [Torah], it will be gone,' and 'reshef,' [alluding] to afflictions, as in (Devarim 22:29): 'Wasted by hunger, embattled by reshef'" ["reshef," in that it follows 'hunger,' also denoting afflictions]. And, in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu: "If you see afflictions coming against you, run to words of Torah, and, immediately, the afflictions will flee, as it is written (Isaiah 26:20): "Go my people; enter into your chambers [of Torah], etc.'"

And they have said further (Ibid. 5a): "All who occupy themselves with the study of Torah remove afflictions from themselves, as it is written (Iyyov 5:7): 'And the sons of reshef will be dispelled by uf,' 'uf' alluding to Torah, as intimated in (Mishlei 23:5): 'If you glance away [hatauf] from it [Torah], it will be gone,' and 'reshef,' [alluding] to afflictions, as in (Devarim 22:29): 'Wasted by hunger, embattled by reshef'" ["reshef," in that it follows 'hunger,' also denoting afflictions]. And, in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu: "If you see afflictions coming against you, run to words of Torah, and, immediately, the afflictions will flee, as it is written (Isaiah 26:20): "Go my people; enter into your chambers [of Torah], etc.'"

The king has the right to execute anyone who rebels against a king. One is liable to the death penalty even if the king decreed that he is to go to a particular place and he did not go there or that he not leave his house and left. If he so wishes, he may execute him it says, “any man who disagrees with your words” (Joshua 1:18). Similarly, the king has permission to execute anyone who disgraces²⁴Or, embarrasses. him or insults him, as was the case with Shimi ben Gera. The king has permission to execute only by the sword. He may imprison and beat someone with a whip for the sake of his honor. However, he may not declare their money ownerless, for it would be robbery were he to do so.

The Gemara asks: The rebellious Jews who have sinned with their bodies, who are they? Rav said: This is referring to the skull that did not ever don phylacteries. The Gemara asks further: The rebellious ones of the nations of the world who sin with their bodies, who are they? Rav said: They are those who engage in the sin, i.e., forbidden sexual relations.

The Gemara relates: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Any person who does not have children is considered like a dead person. The source is as is stated in the words Rachel said to Jacob: “Give me children, or else I am dead” (Genesis 30:1). And it was taught in a baraita: Four are considered as if they were dead: A pauper, and a leper, and a blind person, and one who has no children. A pauper, as it is written: “For all the men are dead” (Exodus 4:19). As explained above, they were not actually dead but had descended into poverty, and yet they were considered dead. A leper, as it is written that Aaron said to Moses with regard to Miriam’s leprosy: “Let her not, I pray, be as one dead” (Numbers 12:12). And a blind person, as it is written: “He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead” (Lamentations 3:6). And one who has no children, as it is written: “Give me children, or else I am dead” (Genesis 30:1).

A pauper is considered as though dead, as it is written that God said to Moses: “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men that sought your life are dead” (Exodus 4:19). And who were these men? They were Dathan and Abiram. But did they really die? They were still alive, as they participated in the rebellion of Korah, which took place years later. Rather, the verse does not mean that they had died, but that they had lost their property and become impoverished. This demonstrates that a pauper is considered as though he were dead.

We shall explain in detail this verse ["Remember what the L-rd your G-d did to Miriam on the way when you went out of Egypt"], so that every man of intelligence can see that our words are correct. The holy Torah noted for us in the mitzvah of remembering, four things: 1) "Remember what, etc."; that is, what was done. 2) To whom did He did it? To Miriam. 3) In what place did He do it? On the way. 4) When did this occur? When you went out of Egypt. Why does the Torah mention these four specifically? What difference does it make to us that the punishment was tzara'ath [leprosy] and not any other punishment? Or whether this happened in the house or on the way? Or whether it happened at some other time and not at the exodus from Egypt? But the truth is that these four details are essential for "remembering" and there is great benefit in reflecting upon them. And for this reason it is written "Remember what He did." That is, one should remember and reflect upon the greatness of the punishment inflicted upon her because of her speaking against Moses, our teacher, may peace be upon him. And that punishment was tzar'ath, an extremely severe punishment, which [illness] it is impossible to cure unless the Holy One Blessed be He conduct himself with him [the leper] above the bounds of nature. As we find in Midrash Rabbah Vayikra 16 on (Vayikra 14:5): "And the Cohein shall command and he shall slaughter the one bird" — Why does he slaughter one and release the other? To teach us that just as it is impossible for the slaughtered bird to return, so is it impossible [within the bounds of nature] for the plague-spots to return [there being no possible cure in the interim]." And [the degree of] his uncleanliness is extremely severe. For he must sit outside the three camps, as opposed to all the other unclean ones. And he also renders unclean all who enter his tent as mentioned in the verse [(an intimation that all those who keep company with the slandered become unclean, as he is)]. And he is also considered like a dead man, as Chazal have said (Nedarim 64b). This explains "Remember what He did, etc." And to whom did He do it? To Miriam, who was a great tzadeketh, in whose merit the well rose [for Israel], and also a prophetess, as it is written (Shemoth 15:20): "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron took, etc." And she spoke only against her brother, whom she loved as herself, having risked her life to save him from the water. And she did not speak demeaningly of him, but only likened him to the other prophets (as Rambam writes at the end of Hilchoth Tumath Tzara'ath). And she did not speak to his face to shame him, and not in public, but only to her holy brother, in private, her intent being only the betterment of society. And he [Moses] was indifferent to all of these things, as it is written (Bamidbar 12:3): "And the man, Moses, was extremely humble, etc." And in spite of all this, all of her good deeds did not avail her, and she was punished with tzara'ath because of this. And in which place was this punishment inflicted upon her? "On the way," her merits not sufficing her to suspend her judgment until they came to camp in some place, where it would not have been so conspicuous. But now that she was punished immediately on the way, as they were walking, as it is written (Bamidbar 12:15): "And the people did not journey until Miriam had been gathered in," the greatness of her shame was revealed to all, as it is written (Ibid. 14): "Will she not be shamed, etc.?" And when did this happen? When they went out of Egypt, in the beginning of the second year of the exodus, when the greatness of its punishment was not yet known. (As to its being written in respect to Moses our teacher, may peace be upon him, [that his hand became leprous (viz. Shemoth 4:6)], it [the leprosy] was immediately removed from him, as it is written (Ibid. 4:7): "And, behold, it had resumed its fleshy appearance" — as opposed to what happened afterwards, when they had to enter Eretz Yisrael and this was aborted through the lashon hara of the spies. For in this instance the sin was far greater, their having witnessed the punishment of Miriam and not having taken mussar [reproof] — wherefore the parshah of Shelach was juxtaposed with that of Miriam (See Rashi there).

David said: There are three distinguishing marks of this nation, the Jewish people. They are merciful, they are shamefaced, and they perform acts of kindness.
They are merciful, as it is written: “And He will give you mercy, and have mercy upon you and multiply you” (Deuteronomy 13:18); not only will God have mercy upon you, but He will bestow the attribute of mercy upon you.
They are shamefaced, as it is written: “And that His fear shall be upon your faces” (Exodus 20:17), and the fear that is on one’s face is his shame.
They perform acts of kindness, as it is written: “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to practice righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19), i.e., to perform acts of kindness.
Whoever has these three distinguishing marks is fit to cleave to this nation. Those who lack these qualities, however, are unfit to be part of the Jewish people. When David saw the cruelty of the Gibeonites, he decreed that they may never enter into the congregation of Israel.

The merciful ones etc.-And these Givonim since they were not merciful, they are not worthy to cleave to, therefore immediately David decreed upon them as it says 'the Givonim are not from the children of Israel'.

The quality of mercy identifies the descendants of Abraham our father — the seed of Israel as it is written in Deuteronomy 13:18: "And He shall show you mercy and have mercy upon you and multiply you" i.e. (God will give you the quality of mercy). Therefore, everyone should accustom himself to speak all his words with the language of petition and mercy. Also, when he prays, his prayer should be in the tone of plea and petition. And great indeed is the reward that a man will receive from his words of mercy when he speaks to the heart of the poor.

Chazal have said further (Yalkut Tehillim): "Chesed stands up for a man until the end of all the generations, as it is written (Psalms 103.:17): 'And the chesed of the L-rd is from world unto world to those who fear Him, etc.'" And this trait is one of the three goodly traits implanted in Israel — shamefacedness, mercy, and lovingkindness, as Chazal have stated (Yevamoth 79a).

Haman said that Pharaoh's plan had been foolish, since anyone cohabiting with a Jewish woman and siring a child would be siring a Jewish child (It makes no difference whether such a child is considered a ממזר, "bastard" in Jewish law in the sense that he cannot legally marry a Jewish partner). This is the reason he determined to kill all the Jews. By doing so, he would also destroy the third pillar that keeps the universe going, i.e. that keeps its spiritual potential alive. The pillar referred to is גמילות חסדים, the performance of deeds of loving kindness. Once Israel would be wiped out no vestige of חסד love, would remain in this world. Our sages in Yevamot 79 have stated that חסד is one of the three attributes that distinguish members of the Jewish people and make them different from the Gentiles (the others being chastity and pity. The relevant verse is “כי גבר עלינו חסדו”, Psalms 117,2). All the three attributes mentioned are sub categories of חסד.

And Mar Zutra bar Toviyya says that Rav says; and some say Rav Ḥana bar Bizna says that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida says; and some say Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is more comfortable for a person to cast himself into a fiery furnace, than to humiliate another in public to avoid being cast into the furnace. From where do we derive this? From Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah. When she was taken out to be burned, she did not reveal that she was pregnant with Judah’s child. Rather, she left the decision to him, to avoid humiliating him in public, as it is written: “And Judah said: Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong. And she said: Examine these, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff?” (Genesis 38:24–25).

Even though she was being taken to be burnt, she did not say to them, “I had relations with Judah”, rather she sent word to him, “to whomever these belong, I am pregnant by”, and if he acknowledges it on his own, then he will.

From here they concluded: Better for a person to be thrown into a fiery furnace... You might ask: How did Chazal know this? Perhaps Tamar did not inform [that it was Yehudah] because she was not yet thrown into the fire, neither was it burning. But had the fire been burning she would have informed. The answer is as Rabbeinu Tam explains in Tosafos, Bava Metzia 59a: It is written here היא מוצת, missing an א, which is similar to, “He has kindled (ויצת) a fire in Zion” (Eichah 4:11). This implies that the fire was burning and still she did not inform. This is why Chazal concluded as they did.

And Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said; and some say Rav Ḥana bar Bizna said that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida said; and some say Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is preferable, from an ethical perspective, for one to throw himself into a fiery furnace rather than humiliate another in public. From where do we derive this? From Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah, when she was taken out to be burned, as it is stated: “As she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong, and she said examine these, to whom does this seal, cord and staff belong?” (Genesis 38:25). Despite her dire situation, she did not reveal that she was pregnant with Judah’s child; rather, she left the decision to him, to avoid humiliating him in public.

The Gemara asks: And what is all this? Why did they go to such extreme lengths to avoid being discovered? The Gemara answers: It is as Mar Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said, and some say that Rav Huna bar Bizna said that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida said, and some say that Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is preferable for a person to deliver himself into a fiery furnace so that he not whiten the face of, i.e., embarrass, his friend in public. From where do we derive this? From the conduct of Tamar, as it is written: “And Judah said: Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man, whose these are, am I with child” (Genesis 38:24–25). Although Tamar was taken to be executed by burning, she privately and directly appealed to Judah, rather than publicly identifying him as the father of her unborn children and causing him embarrassment.

The verse concerning Tamar then states: “She sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man whose these are, am I with child” (Genesis 38:25). The Gemara comments: And let her say to him explicitly that she was impregnated by him. Rav Zutra bar Tuviyya says that Rav says, and some say Rav Ḥana bar Bizna says that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida says, and some say that Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is more amenable for a person to throw himself into a fiery furnace if faced with the choice of publicly embarrassing another or remaining silent even if it leads to being burned, and not humiliate another in public. From where do we derive this? From Tamar, as she was prepared to be burned if Judah did not confess, rather than humiliate him in public.

The Gemara relates that the tanna who recited mishnayot and baraitot in the study hall taught a baraita before Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak: Anyone who humiliates another in public, it is as though he were spilling blood. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to him: You have spoken well, as we see that after the humiliated person blushes, the red leaves his face and pallor comes in its place, which is tantamount to spilling his blood. Abaye said to Rav Dimi: In the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, with regard to what mitzva are they particularly vigilant? Rav Dimi said to him: They are vigilant in refraining from humiliating others, as Rabbi Ḥanina says: Everyone descends to Gehenna except for three.

"one who whitens (embarrasses) the face of another in public": The face of one who is embarrassed turns red first and then white, as the spirit [of a person] has two movements, one outwards and one inwards. And when one embarrasses a person, at first the breath moves outwards, like one who is full of anger and his face turns red. And when he does not find a solution how to get rid of this embarrassment from on his face, he worries inside himself and the breath goes inwards because of the pain, and his face turns yellow and [then] white. And this is what they said (Bava Metzia 58b) about the matter of whitening: "when the red leaves, the white comes."

one who whitens (embarrasses) the face of another in public: This is a derivative of the things for which he should die and not transgress. And the sources (avot) [of the derivatives] are three: idolatry, [forbidden] sexual relations and the spilling of blood (murder). The derivative of idolatry is the wood [that comes from] a tree-god (ashera); and like we say (Pesachim 25a), "We may heal ourselves with anything, except for the wood of a tree-god." And even though it is not [necessarily] idolatry itself; but rather [even when] it is its auxiliary, he should die and not transgress rather than benefiting from it. And the derivative of sexual relations is one who stares at or converses with a married woman - that he should die and not transgress. [It is] like that case in Sanhedrin 75a about the one whose heart [became sick] with lust about whom they said, "That she stand before him naked - He should [rather] die; she will not stand before him naked! That she should speak with him from behind a fence - he should [rather] die; she will not speak with him from behind a fence.” And the derivative of spilling blood is "one who whitens the face of another in public" - since his blood flees from the embarrassment. [It is] as we say (Bava Metzia 58b), "We see that the red leaves and white comes [in its place]." And because of this, he has no share in the world to come.

Each and every one of the enumerated twenty-four different categories of persons, Israelites though they be, have no share in the World to Come. And, there are yet lesser transgressions than those referred to concerning which the sages, nevertheless, said, that he who makes a practice to violate them has no share in the World to Come, and that they are of sufficient importance to be kept at a distance, and to watch out against them. They are: he who gives an alias name to his friend; he who calls his friend by his aliases; he who shames his friend publicly; he who glorifies himself by disgracing his friend; he who insults scholars; he who insults his masters; he who despises holy times; he who profanes holy objects. That is saying, that none of these will have a share in the World to Come, if he dies without repentance; but if he repent from his wickedness and died in a state of repentance, he is, indeed, of the sons of the World to Come, as there is not a thing to stand in the way of repentance. Even if one who denied the existence of God all of his life but in the end repented, has a share in the World to Come, for it is said: "Peace, peace, to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him" (Is. 57.19). All of the wicked, and apostates and their like who turned in repentance, whether publicly or secretly, should be accepted back into the folds of Israel, even as it is said: "Return ye backsliding children" (Jer. 3.22)—though he still be backsliding, for, 10, he repented secretly and not publicly, yet is his repentence accepted.²²Pirke Abot, 3.11; Sanhedrin, 99b; Baba Mezi’a, 58b; Megillah, 28a; Tosfot, Rosh ha-Shanah, 16b; Kiddushin, 38b; Abodah Zarah, 7a. C. G.

§ The mishna teaches: One does not protest against poor gentiles who come to take gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the produce in the corner of the field, which is given to the poor [pe’a], although they are meant exclusively for the Jewish poor, on account of the ways of peace. Similarly, the Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 5:4): One sustains poor gentiles along with poor Jews, and one visits sick gentiles along with sick Jews, and one buries dead gentiles along with dead Jews. All this is done on account of the ways of peace, to foster peaceful relations between Jews and gentiles.

With the dead of Israel - Not in the Jewish graves, rather, deal with them if they are found amongst Jewish corpses.

They provide for and clothe the poor of Gentiles along with the poor of Israel for the sake of peaceful relations.¹³⁵See Babylonian Talmud Gittin 61a and Bava Batra 9a. And if there is a poor person who goes door to door, they are not obligated to give him a large gift, but rather they give him a small gift. It is forbidden to turn away a poor person who asks empty handed, even if you give him a single dry fig, as it is said, (Psalms 74:21) Let not the downtrodden be turned away disappointed; [let the poor and needy praise Your name].

One must visit the sick of the Gentiles in the interests of peace.²⁹Git. 61a. Cf. W.G. a.l.

One buries the dead of the Gentiles²If there is no one else available to make the burial arrangements. They are not buried in a Jewish cemetery. and comforts their mourners in the interests of peace.³Git. 61a adds: ‘along with the dead of Israel.’ V, however, Y.Git. 9(47c) ; Y.Demai IV, 6(24a); Y.A.Z. I, 3(39c); Tosef(Z). Git. V (III), 5 where ‘along with’ is not found. supra § 335, 9. One must also participate in the funeral escort of the Gentile dead in the interests of peace, for the righteous among the nations have a share in the world to come (v. Tosef. San. XIII and cf. San. 105a) — B.Yos. Similarly, when one sees a Gentile dead passing by, he is dutibound to rise before him (Kol Bo) — B.Yos.

If one wilfully and repeatedly transgresses even one of the Biblical commands and does not repent, we are not obliged to support him or to lend him money; (but we should support the heathen poor¹Although they transgress many Biblical laws. with the Jewish poor for the sake of peace).²Gittin 61a. (A treatise of the Talmud.)

And one may assist gentiles who work the land during the Sabbatical Year, but one may not assist Jews who do this. Similarly, one may extend greetings to gentiles on account of the ways of peace.

Non-Jews, however, may be encouraged in the seventh year with words alone. If, for example, one sees a non-Jew plowing or sowing, he should greet him with such expressions as: "Be of good courage!" or "Good luck!" For, they are not under the obligation of observing the sabbatical of the land. Nevertheless, one should not help them manually.— —

The poor of among the idolaters are supported alike with the poor of Israel as a peaceful measure. The idolatrous poor should not be disturbed when gathering the gleanings, or a forgotten sheaf from, or the corners of the field, also as a peaceful measure.⁸See Lev. 19. 9. G.. It is also proper to greet them, even on their holiday, as a measure of peace, Never should the greetings be repeated twice, or call in the house of an idolater on his holiday to extend greetings to him. When meeting him on the street, greetings should be extended to him softly and seriously.⁹Gittin, 59b–62a. C.