×

Januca

Save "Januca "
Januca
DA
ByDavid Arias
שבת כ״א ב

:מאי חנוכה? דתנו רבנן: בכ״ה בכסליו יומי דחנוכה.

תמניא אינון דלא למספד בהון, ודלא להתענות בהון, שכשנכנסו יוונים להיכל טמאו כל השמנים שבהיכל. וכשגברה מלכות בית חשמונאי ונצחום, בדקו ולא מצאו אלא פך אחד של שמן. שהיה מונח בחותמו של כהן גדול, ולא היה בו אלא להדליק יום אחד. נעשה בו נס, והדליקו ממנו שמונה ימים. לשנה אחרת, קבעום ועשאום ימים טובים, בהלל והודאה.

Shabbat 21b
one is not bound to attend to it. Therefore, there is no reason to make certain from the outset to light it with materials that burn well, as even if it is extinguished, he is not required to relight it. However, he also holds that it is permitted to use its light. As a result, he must ensure that the wick burns well on Shabbat; if not, he is liable to come to adjust the flame in order to use its light. The third opinion is that which Rabbi Zeira said that Rav Mattana said, and others say that Rabbi Zeira said that Rav said: The wicks and oils with which the Sages said one may not light on Shabbat, one may, nevertheless, light with them on Hanukkah, both during the week and on Shabbat. Rabbi Yirmeya said: What is Rav’s reason? He holds that if it is extinguished, one is not bound to attend to it and relight it, and it is prohibited to use its light. Therefore, even on Shabbat, there is no concern lest he come to adjust the wick, as it is prohibited to utilize its light. The Gemara relates that the Sages said this halakha before Abaye in the name of Rabbi Yirmeya and he did not accept it, as he did not hold Rabbi Yirmeya in high regard. However, subsequently, when Ravin came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, the Sages said this halakha before Abaye in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan, and he accepted it. Then Abaye said regretfully: Had I merited, I would have learned this halakha from the outset. The Gemara wonders: Didn’t he ultimately learn it and accept it? What difference does it make from whom and at what point he learned it? The Gemara answers: The practical difference is with regard to knowledge acquired in one’s youth, which is better remembered. With regard to the opinion that one need not rekindle the Hanukkah light if it is extinguished, the Gemara asks: And is it true that if the Hanukkah light is extinguished one is not bound to attend to it? The Gemara raises a contradiction from that which was taught in a baraita: The mitzva of kindling the Hanukkah lights is from sunset until traffic in the marketplace ceases. Does that not mean that if the light is extinguished, he must rekindle it so that it will remain lit for the duration of that period? The Gemara answers: No, the baraita can be understood otherwise: That if one did not yet light at sunset, he may still light the Hanukkah lights until traffic ceases. Alternatively, one could say that this is referring to the matter of its measure. One must prepare a wick and oil sufficient to burn for the period lasting from sunset until traffic ceases. If he did so, even if the light is extinguished beforehand, he need not relight it. The expression until traffic in the marketplace ceases is mentioned here, and the Gemara asks: Until when exactly is this time? Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Until the traffic of the people of Tadmor [tarmoda’ei] ceases. They sold kindling wood and remained in the marketplace later than everyone else. People who discovered at sunset that they had exhausted their wood supply could purchase wood from them. The Sages taught in a baraita: The basic mitzva of Hanukkah is each day to have a light kindled by a person, the head of the household, for himself and his household. And the mehadrin, i.e., those who are meticulous in the performance of mitzvot, kindle a light for each and every one in the household. And the mehadrin min hamehadrin, who are even more meticulous, adjust the number of lights daily. Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree as to the nature of that adjustment. Beit Shammai say: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases the number of lights until, on the last day of Hanukkah, he kindles one light. And Beit Hillel say: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases the number of lights until, on the last day, he kindles eight lights. Ulla said: There were two amora’im in the West, Eretz Yisrael, who disagreed with regard to this dispute, Rabbi Yosei bar Avin and Rabbi Yosei bar Zevida. One said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the incoming days, i.e., the future. On the first day, eight days remain in Hanukkah, one kindles eight lights, and on the second day seven days remain, one kindles seven, etc. The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the outgoing days. Each day, the number of lights corresponds to the number of the days of Hanukkah that were already observed. And one said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the festival of Sukkot: Thirteen were sacrificed on the first day and each succeeding day one fewer was sacrificed (Numbers 29:12–31). The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade. Therefore, if the objective is to have the number of lights correspond to the number of days, there is no alternative to increasing their number with the passing of each day. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There were two Elders in Sidon, and one of them acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai, and one of them acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel. Each provided a reason for his actions: One gave a reason for his actions: The number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the Festival. And one gave a reason for his actions: The number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade. The Sages taught in a baraita: It is a mitzva to place the Hanukkah lamp at the entrance to one’s house on the outside, so that all can see it. If he lived upstairs, he places it at the window adjacent to the public domain. And in a time of danger, when the gentiles issued decrees to prohibit kindling lights, he places it on the table and that is sufficient to fulfill his obligation. Rava said: One must kindle another light in addition to the Hanukkah lights in order to use its light, as it is prohibited to use the light of the Hanukkah lights. And if there is a bonfire, he need not light an additional light, as he can use the light of the bonfire. However, if he is an important person, who is unaccustomed to using the light of a bonfire, even though there is a bonfire, he must kindle another light. The Gemara asks: What is Hanukkah, and why are lights kindled on Hanukkah? The Gemara answers: The Sages taught in Megillat Ta’anit: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah are eight. One may not eulogize on them and one may not fast on them. What is the reason? When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary by touching them. And when the Hasmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day. A miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from it eight days. The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings. We learned there in a mishna with regard to damages: In the case of a spark that emerges from under a hammer, and went out of the artisan’s workshop, and caused damage, the one who struck the hammer is liable. Similarly, in the case of a camel that is laden with flax and it passed through the public domain, and its flax entered into a store, and caught fire from the storekeeper’s lamp, and set fire to the building, the camel owner is liable. Since his flax entered into another’s domain, which he had no permission to enter, all the damages were caused due to his negligence. However, if the storekeeper placed his lamp outside the store and it set fire to the flax, the storekeeper is liable, as he placed the lamp outside his domain where he had no right to place it. Rabbi Yehuda says: If the flax was set on fire by the storekeeper’s Hanukkah lamp that he placed outside the entrance to his store, he is not liable, as in that case, it is permitted for the storekeeper to place his lamp outside. Ravina said in the name of Rabba: That is to say that it is a mitzva to place the Hanukkah lamp within ten handbreadths of the ground. As if it should enter your mind to say that he may place it above ten handbreadths, why is the storekeeper exempt? Let the camel owner say to the storekeeper: You should have placed the lamp above the height of a camel and its rider, and then no damage would have been caused. By failing to do so, the storekeeper caused the damage, and the camel owner should not be liable. The Gemara rejects this: And perhaps one is also permitted to place the Hanukkah lamp above ten handbreadths, and the reason Rabbi Yehuda exempted the storekeeper was due to concern for the observance of the mitzva of kindling Hanukkah lights. He held that if you burden one excessively, he will come to refrain from performing the mitzva of kindling Hanukkah lights. Since the storekeeper placed the Hanukkah lamp outside at the behest of the Sages, the storekeeper should not be required to take extra precautions. With regard to the essence of the matter Rav Kahana said that Rav Natan bar Manyumi taught in the name of Rabbi Tanḥum:
¿Dé dónde viene y qué es Jánuca?
Así enseñaron nuestros maestros: A partir del 25 de Kislev celebramos los 8 días de Jánuca, en los que no ayunamos ni guardamos señales de duelo
Cuando entraron los griegos al santuario, e impurificaron todos los aceites del Templo, y cuando les ganó el grupo de los Hashmoneos y les ganaron, fueron a revisar el lugar y no encontraron sino un cántaro de aceite que tenía el sello del Cohen Gadol. Ese aceite alcanzaba para encender un solo día. Ocurrió en él un milagro y lograron encender del cántaro, 8 días.
Al año siguiente, fijaron estas fechas como un día de alegría, canciones y agradecimiento.
ספר מקבים א ד׳

(לו) הן האויב ניגף לפנינו, ועתה עלה נעלה וטיהרנו את מקדש ה'.

(לז) וייקהלו כל אנשי הצבא ויעלו יחדו על הר ציון.

(לח) ויהי בראותם את המקדש כי שמם, ואת המזבח כי חולל, והדלתות שרופות באש והלשכות נהרסות, ועשב השדה צמח בכל גבולו מסביב.

(לט) ויקרעו את בגדיהם ויזרקו עפר על ראשם ויתאבלו מאוד.

(מ) ויריעו בחצוצרות תרועה, ויפלו על פניהם ותעל שוועתם השמיימה.

(מא) ויצווה יהודה את גדוד אחד מאנשיו לצור על המצודה עד טהרם את המקדש.

(מב) ויבחר מן הכוהנים אשר לא נטמאו ואשר לא עזבו את ברית אלוהיהם, ויצוום לטהר את המקדש ולהשליך את האבנים אשר נטמאו אל מקום טמא.

(מג) ויראו את מזבח העולה כי חולל, ויועצו לב יחדו כדת מה לעשות.

(מד) ותהי העצה היעוצה לנתוץ את המזבח עד רדתו, לבלתי היות להם למכשול, יען כי חיללוהו זרים. וייתצו אתו.

(מה) ויניחו את האבנים על הר הבית אל מקום פלוני אלמוני, עד אשר יקום נביא בישראל להורותם את אשר יעשון.

(מו) ויקחו אבנים שלמות אשר לא עלה עליהן ברזל, ככתוב בתורת ה' ויבנו מזבח חדש כתבנית הראשון.

(מז) וישובו לבנות את פרצי המקדש ואת כל אשר מבית להיכל, ויחטאו את החצר ואת כל אשר בו.

(מח) ויחדשו את כל כלי הקודש, וישימו את המנורה אל ההיכל ואת מזבח הקטורת ואת שולחן הפנים.

(מט) וישימו את הקטורת על המזבח, ועל המנורה העלו את נרותיה להאיר במקדש.

(נ) ויתנו את לחם הפנים על השולחן, ואת הפרוכת המסך על הארון, ותכל כל העבודה כאשר בתחילה.

(נא) ויהי ביום החמישי ועשרים לחדש התשיעי הוא כסלו, בשנת שמונה וארבעים ומאה, וישכימו בבוקר ויעלו עולות על המזבח החדש כמשפט.

(נב) ויחנכו את המזבח בעצם היום אשר טמאו אותו הגויים, ויהללו לה' בשירים ובכינורות בחלילים ובמצלצלים.

(נג) ויפלו על פניהם וישתחוו לה' על אשר נתן להם עוז ותשועה.

(נד) ויחוגו את חנוכת המזבח שמונת ימים, ויעלו עולות ותודות בשמחת לבבם.

(נה) ויפארו את פני ההיכל בעטרות ובמגיני זהב ויחטאו את השערים ואת לשכות הכוהנים, וישימו את הדלתות.

(נו) ותהי שמחה גדולה בכל העם, כי גלל ה' את חרפת הגויים מעליהם.

(נז) ויצווה יהודה ואחיו וכל קהל ישראל לחוג את חנוכת המזבח ביום החמישה ועשרים לחדש כסלו שמונת ימים מדי שנה בשנה בהלל ובתודה לה'.

(נח) ויבנו גם בעת ההיא חומות בצרות ומגדלים גבוהים מסביב למקדש על הר ציון למען לא יוסיפו הגויים עוד לשחתו כבראשונה.

(נט) ויתן יהודה מצב בתוכם, לשמור את המקדש, ויבצר גם את בית צור למען היות להם למבצר מנגד לאדום.

The Book of Maccabees I 4

(1) Then took Gorgias five thousand footmen, and a thousand of the best horsemen, and removed out of the camp by night;

(2) To the end he might rush in upon the camp of the Jews, and smite them suddenly. And the men of the fortress were his guides.

(3) Now when Judas heard thereof he himself removed, and the valiant men with him, that he might smite the king’s army which was at Emmaus, While as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp.

(4) In the mean season came Gorgias by night into the camp of Judas: and when he found no man there, he sought them in the mountains: for said he, These fellows flee from us

(5) But as soon as it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men, who nevertheless had neither armour nor swords to their minds.

(6) And they saw the camp of the heathen, that it was strong and well harnessed, and compassed round about with horsemen; and these were expert of war.

(7) Then said Judas to the men that were with him, Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.

(8) Remember how our fathers were delivered in the Red sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army.

(9) Now therefore let us cry unto heaven, if peradventure the Lord will have mercy upon us, and remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this host before our face this day:

(10) That so all the heathen may know that there is one who delivereth and saveth Israel.

(11) Then the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming over against them. Wherefore they went out of the camp to battle; but they that were with Judas sounded their trumpets.

(12) So they joined battle, and the heathen being discomfited fled into the plain.

(13) Howbeit all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword: for they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them upon a three thousand men.

(14) This done, Judas returned again with his host from pursuing them, And said to the people,

(15) Be not greedy of the spoil inasmuch as there is a battle before us,

(16) And Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after this ye may boldly take the spoils.

(17) As Judas was yet speaking these words, there appeared a part of them looking out of the mountain:

(18) Who when they perceived that the Jews had put their host to flight and were burning the tents; for the smoke that was seen declared what was done:

(19) When therefore they perceived these things, they were sore afraid, and seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to fight, They fled every one into the land of strangers.

(20) Then Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.

(21) After this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving, and praised the Lord in heaven: because it is good, because his mercy endureth forever.

(22) Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.

(23) Now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias what had happened:

(24) Who, when he heard thereof, was confounded and discouraged, because neither such things as he would were done unto Israel, nor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass.

(25) The next year therefore following Lysias gathered together threescore thousand choice men of foot, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.

(26) So they came into Idumea, and pitched their tents at Bethsura,

(27) and Judas met them with ten thousand men.

(28) And when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said,

(29) Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the violence of the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and gavest the host of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and his armour bearer;

(30) Shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their power and horsemen:

(31) Make them to be of no courage, and cause the boldness of their strength to fall away, and let them quake at their destruction:

(32) Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let all those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving.

(33) So they joined battle; and there were slain of the host of Lysias about five thousand men, even before them were they slain.

(34) Now when Lysias saw his army put to flight, and the manliness of Judas’ soldiers, and how they were ready either to live or die valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered together a company of strangers, and having made his army greater than it was, he purposed to come again into Judea.

(35) Then said Judas and his brethren,

(36) Behold, our enemies are discomfited: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary.

(37) Upon this all the host assembled themselves together, and went up into mount Sion.

(38) And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the priests’ chambers pulled down;

(39) They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast ashes upon their heads,

(40) And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven.

(41) Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary.

(42) So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law: Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place.

(43) And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was profaned;

(44) They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore they pulled it down,

(45) And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them.

(46) Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former;

(47) And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts.

(48) They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense, and the table.

(49) And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple.

(50) Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun to make.

(51) Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning, And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made.

(52) Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals.

(53) Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success.

(54) And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise.

(55) They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they renewed, and hanged doors upon them.

(56) Thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that the reproach of the heathen was put away.

(57) Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, with mirth and gladness.

(58) At that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should come and tread it down as they had done before.

(59) And they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified Bethsura to preserve it; that the people might have a defence against Idumea.

Yehuda y sus hermanos propusieron:
Se reunió toda la tropa, y subieron al monte Tzión. Vieron el santuario desolado, el altar profanado, las puertas incendiadas, la maleza creciendo en los atrios como matorrales en una ladera y las dependencias del templo derruidas. Se rasgaron las vestiduras e hicieron gran duelo, echándose ceniza en la cabeza y postrándose rostro en tierra. Al toque de Shofar gritaron hacia el cielo. Yehuda ordenó a sus hombres que combatieran a los que estaban en la fortaleza hasta terminar la purificación del templo. Eligió cohanim sin defecto corporal, observantes de la ley, que purificaron el templo y arrojaron a un lugar impuro las piedras que lo contaminaban.–”Ahora que tenemos derrotado al enemigo, subamos a purificar y consagrar el templo”.Luego deliberaron qué hacer con el altar de los sacrificios que había sido profanado, y se les ocurrió una buena idea: destruirlo; así no les serviría de señal de vergüenza por haberlo profanado los paganos. Así que lo destruyeron, y colocaron las piedras en el monte del templo, en un sitio apropiado, hasta que viniese un profeta y resolviera lo que había que hacer con ellas. Luego, tomaron piedras sin tallar, como manda la ley, y levantaron un altar nuevo, igual que el anterior.
Restauraron (reinauguraron) el templo y consagraron el interior del edificio y los atrios. Renovaron todos los utensilios sagrados y metieron en el templo el candelabro, el altar del incienso y la mesa. Quemaron incienso sobre el altar y encendieron las luminarias de la menorá, para que alumbraran el templo.
Cuando pusieron panes sobre la mesa y corrieron la cortina, quedó ultimado todo el trabajo.
El año ciento cuarenta y ocho, el día veinticinco del mes noveno -Kislev-, madrugaron para ofrecer un sacrificio, según la ley, en el nuevo altar de los Sacrificios recién construido. En el aniversario del día en que lo habían profanado los paganos lo volvieron a consagrar, cantando himnos y tocando cítaras, laúdes y platillos. Todo el pueblo se postró en tierra, adorando y alabando a D’s, que les había dado éxito.
Durante ocho días celebraron la consagración, ofreciendo con júbilo sacrificios y sacrificios de comunión y de alabanza. Decoraron la fachada del templo con coronas de oro y pequeños escudos. Consagraron también el portal y las dependencias, poniéndoles puertas. El pueblo entero celebró una gran fiesta, que canceló la ofensa de los paganos
Yehuda, con sus hermanos y toda la asamblea de Israel, determinó que se conmemorara anualmente la nueva consagración del altar, con solemnes festejos, durante ocho días, a partir del veinticinco de Kislev.
סוטה ל״ו ב

מאי היא דתניא?

היה ר"מ אומר: כשעמדו ישראל על הים, היו שבטים מנצחים זה עם זה. זה אומר: אני יורד תחלה לים, וזה אומר אני יורד תחלה לים. קפץ שבטו של בנימין וירד לים תחילה. שנאמר: (תהלים סח, כח) ״שם בנימין צעיר רודם״ אל תקרי ״רודם״ אלא ״רד־ים״. והיו שרי יהודה רוגמים אותם, שנאמר: (תהלים סח, כח) ״שרי יהודה רגמתם״. לפיכך, זכה בנימין הצדיק, ונעשה אושפיזכן לגבורה. שנאמר: (דברים לג, יב) ״ובין כתפיו שכן״. אמר לו רבי יהודה: לא כך היה מעשה, אלא זה אומר ״אין אני יורד תחילה לים״ וזה אומר ״אין אני יורד תחילה לים״ קפץ נחשון בן עמינדב וירד לים תחילה. שנאמר (הושע יב, א) ״סבבוני בכחש אפרים ובמרמה בית ישראל ויהודה עוד רד עם אל״. ועליו מפרש בקבלה: (תהלים סט, ב) ״הושיעני אלהים כי באו מים עד נפש טבעתי ביון מצולה ואין מעמד וגו'״ (תהלים סט, טז) אל תשטפני שבולת מים ואל תבלעני מצולה וגו'״ באותה שעה, היה משה מאריך בתפלה. אמר לו הקב"ה: ידידיי טובעים בים, ואתה מאריך בתפלה לפני?

אמר לפניו: רבונו של עולם, ומה בידי לעשות?

אמר לו: (שמות יד, טו) ״דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו ואתה הרם את מטך ונטה את ידך וגו'

לפיכך זכה יהודה לעשות ממשלה בישראל שנאמר: (תהלים קיד, ב) היתה יהודה לקדשו ישראל ממשלותיו מה טעם היתה יהודה לקדשו וישראל ממשלותיו?

משום דהים ראה וינוס.

Sotah 36b
The names of the tribes were not divided on the stones of the ephod the same way that they were divided in the list found at the beginning of the book of Numbers (Numbers 1:1–15). Rather they were divided the way that they were divided in the second book, i.e., Exodus (Exodus 1:2–4). How were they written? On one stone, the names of the sons of Leah were written in the order of their birth: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. On the other stone the sons of Rachel were written. One, Benjamin, was written on this side, i.e., at the bottom of the list, and one, Joseph, was written on that side, i.e., at the top of the list. And the children of the handmaids, i.e., Bilhah and Zilpah, who were Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, were written on the second stone in the middle. But rather, if their names were not written in the order of their births, then how do I establish the meaning of the phrase: “According to their birth” (Exodus 28:10)? It means that their names were written according to the names that their father, Jacob, called them, and not according to the names that Moses called them. On the stones it said Reuben, and not Reubenites; Simeon, and not Simeonites; Dan, and not Danites; Gad, and not Gadites. This baraita contradicts Rav Kahana’s opinion, as according to all of the opinions in the baraita, the division of the names on the ephod is not identical to the division of the tribes on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The Gemara confirms: The refutation of the opinion of Rav Kahana is in fact a conclusive refutation. The Gemara asks: Rather, what is meant by the phrase: “And the half of them facing Mount Ebal” (Joshua 8:33)? It is taught in a baraita: The use of the definitive article in the verse indicates that the smaller half of the Jewish people was on Mount Ebal. The half that was facing Mount Gerizim was larger than the half on Mount Ebal, because the tribe of Levi was included in the group that was facing Mount Gerizim, and they remained on the bottom between the two mountains. The Gemara is puzzled by this statement: On the contrary, because the tribe of Levi remained on the bottom they were fewer in number. The Gemara answers: This is what the baraita is saying: Although the tribe of Levi was on the bottom, the descendants of Joseph were among them, and the tribe of Joseph was numerous, as it is stated: “And the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying: Why did you give me a single lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord has blessed me thus, and Joshua said to them: If you are a great people, you should go up to the forest” (Joshua 17:14–15). The Gemara explains that Joshua said to them: Go and hide yourselves in the forests, so that the evil eye will not have dominion over you, as you are such a large number of people. The tribe of Joseph said to him: The evil eye does not have dominion over the offspring of Joseph, as it is written: “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain” (Genesis 49:22), and Rabbi Abbahu says: Do not read the verse as saying: “By a fountain [alei ayin]”; rather, read it as: Those who rise above the evil eye [olei ayin], teaching that Joseph and his descendants are not susceptible to the evil eye. The Gemara cites an alternative source for the assertion that the evil eye holds no sway over Joseph and his descendants: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that it is derived from here: Jacob blessed Joseph’s children and said: “And let them grow [veyidgu] into a multitude in the midst of the earth” (Genesis 48:16). Just as with regard to fish [dagim] in the sea, waters cover them and the evil eye therefore has no dominion over them, so too, with regard to Joseph’s descendants, the evil eye has no dominion over them. The Gemara asks with regard to the baraita that contradicts Rav Kahana’s opinion: Are these names of the tribes, which were written on the ephod, composed of a total of fifty letters? There are only forty-nine. Rabbi Yitzḥak says: They added one letter to the name of Joseph [Yosef ] when it was written on the ephod, as it is stated: “He appointed it in Joseph [Yehosef ] for a testimony when He went forth against the land of Egypt” (Psalms 81:6). Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak objects to this: We require the names to be written “according to their birth,” and Joseph was not called Yehosef from birth. Rather, the explanation is as follows: Throughout the entire Torah, the name of Benjamin is written without a second letter yod between the letters mem and nun, and here, where he is born, Benjamin is written in full, spelled with a second yod. As it is written: “But his father called him Benjamin” (Genesis 35:18). Therefore, his name was written on the ephod with a second yod, “according to his birth.” § Rav Ḥana bar Bizna says that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida says: Joseph, who sanctified the name of Heaven in private, had one letter of the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, the letter heh, added to his name. Whereas in the case of Judah, who sanctified the name of Heaven in public [befarhesya] at the Red Sea during the exodus from Egypt, merited that his entire name is called by the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as the entire four-letter name of God can be found within Judah’s name. The Gemara explains: What is the situation where Joseph sanctified God’s name in private? As it is written: “And it came to pass on a certain day, when he went into the house to do his work” (Genesis 39:11). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This teaches that both Joseph and Potiphar’s wife stayed in the house, as they intended to perform a matter of sin. With regard to the phrase “when he went into the house to do his work,” Rav and Shmuel engage in a dispute with regard to its meaning. One says: It means that he went into the house to do his work, literally. And one says: He entered the house in order to fulfill his sexual needs with her. The verse continues: “And there was none of the men of the house there within” (Genesis 39:11). The Gemara asks: Is it possible that in such a large and important house like the house of that wicked man that no one was in there? The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: That day was their festival day and they all went to their house of idol worship; and she told them that she was sick and could not go, as she said to herself: I have no day on which Joseph will attend to me like this day. The verse states: “And she caught him by his garment, saying: Lie with me” (Genesis 39:12). At that moment his father’s image [deyokeno] came and appeared to him in the window. The image said to him: Joseph, the names of your brothers are destined to be written on the stones of the ephod, and you are to be included among them. Do you desire your name to be erased from among them, and to be called an associate [ro’eh] of promiscuous women? As it is written: “But he who keeps company with harlots wastes his riches” (Proverbs 29:3), as he loses his honor, which is more valuable than wealth. Immediately: “And his bow abode [teishev] firm” (Genesis 49:24). Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Meir: This means that his bow, i.e., his penis, returned [shava] to its strength, as he overcame his desire. The verse about Joseph continues: “And the arms of his hands were made supple” (Genesis 49:24), meaning that he dug his hands into the ground and his semen was emitted between his fingernails. “By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:24): Who caused his name to be etched onto the stones of the ephod? It was only the might of Jacob. “From there, from the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24) means: From there, because of Joseph’s ability to withstand this trial, he merited to become a shepherd [ro’eh] of the Jewish people, as it is stated: “Listen, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads like the flock of Joseph” (Psalms 80:2). It is taught in a baraita: Joseph was deserving of having twelve tribes descend from him, the same as twelve tribes descended from his father Jacob, as it is stated: “These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph” (Genesis 37:2). This implies that everything that happened to Jacob was destined to happen to Joseph. However, he did not merit this because his semen was emitted from between his fingernails. And even so, the offspring that were meant to descend from him descended from his brother Benjamin, who had ten sons. And they were all named after Joseph, as it is stated: “And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard” (Genesis 46:21). The Gemara explains how each name relates to Joseph: Bela was named after Joseph, who was swallowed [nivla] among the nations. And Becher received that name because Joseph was the firstborn [bekhor] of his mother, Rachel. And Ashbel received his name because God sent Joseph into captivity [shevao El] in Egypt. Gera was named after Joseph, who dwelled [gar] in a foreign land [akhsaneyut]. And Naaman was called that because Joseph was extremely pleasing [na’im]. Ehi and Rosh received these names, as Benjamin said: Joseph is my brother [aḥi] and my leader [roshi]. Benjamin named his sons Muppim and Huppim, as Benjamin said: Joseph did not see my wedding canopy [ḥuppa] and I did not see his wedding canopy. And Ard was named after Joseph, who descended [yarad] to the lands of the nations of the world. Some say that the name Ard means that Joseph’s face was similar in its beauty to a rose [vered]. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: When Pharaoh said to Joseph: “And without you no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:44), Pharaoh’s astrologers said: You will appoint a slave whose master bought him for twenty silver coins to rule over us? He said to them: I perceive royal characteristics [ginnunei malkhut] in him and see that he was not initially a slave. They said to him: If that is so and he is a child of royalty, he should know the seventy languages that all kings’ children learn. The angel Gabriel then came and taught him the seventy languages, but he could not learn all of them. Gabriel then added one letter, the letter heh, to Joseph’s name from the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and then he was able to learn the languages, as it is stated: “He appointed it in Joseph [Yehosef] for a testimony, when he went forth against the land of Egypt, the speech of one that I did not know I heard” (Psalms 81:6). And the next day, when he appeared before Pharaoh, in every language that Pharaoh spoke with him, he answered him. Joseph then spoke in the sacred tongue, Hebrew, and Pharaoh did not know what he was saying. Pharaoh said to him: Teach me that language. He taught him, but he could not learn it. Pharaoh said to him: Take an oath for my benefit that you will not reveal that I do not know this language. He took an oath for his benefit. Years later, when Joseph said to Pharaoh: “My father made me swear, saying” (Genesis 50:5) that I would bury him in Eretz Yisrael, Pharaoh said to him: Go request the dissolution of your oath. Joseph said to him: And should I also request dissolution for the oath that I took for your benefit? And consequently, even though Pharaoh was not amenable to letting Joseph go, he worried that Joseph would then request dissolution for the oath that he had taken for his benefit, and Pharaoh therefore said to him: “Go up and bury your father according to what he made you swear” (Genesis 50:6). § What was the incident where Judah sanctified God’s name in public? As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Meir would say: When the Jewish people stood at the Red Sea, the tribes were arguing with one other. This one was saying: I am going into the sea first, and that one was saying: I am going into the sea first. Then, in jumped
Rabi Meir solía decir: Cuando el pueblo de Israel estaba al borde del mar discutían unos con otros. Unos decían: "yo descenderé primero al mar". Mientras que otros decían: "Yo descenderé primero al mar". Saltó la tribu de Binyamín primero, como está dicho: "Ahí estaba Binyamín el joven liderando" (Tehilim 68:28). No leas liderando "Rodem", sino Red-Iam (Bajando al Mar). Y estaban allí los príncipes de Yehudá. Como está dicho: "Los príncipes de Yehudá se congregaron". Por lo mismo Binyamín el justo fue meritorio y por lo tanto se hizo anfitrión de la presencia divina. Como está dicho: "Y entre sus hombros morará" (Deuteronomio 33:12).
מאי היא דתניא?
היה ר"מ אומר: כשעמדו ישראל על הים, היו שבטים מנצחים זה עם זה. זה אומר: אני יורד תחלה לים, וזה אומר אני יורד תחלה לים. קפץ שבטו של בנימין וירד לים תחילה. שנאמר: (תהלים סח, כח) ״שם בנימין צעיר רודם״ אל תקרי ״רודם״ אלא ״רד־ים״. והיו שרי יהודה רוגמים אותם, שנאמר: (תהלים סח, כח) ״שרי יהודה רגמתם״. לפיכך, זכה בנימין הצדיק, ונעשה אושפיזכן לגבורה. שנאמר: (דברים לג, יב) ״ובין כתפיו שכן״. אמר לו רבי יהודה: לא כך היה מעשה, אלא זה אומר ״אין אני יורד תחילה לים״ וזה אומר ״אין אני יורד תחילה לים״ קפץ נחשון בן עמינדב וירד לים תחילה. שנאמר (הושע יב, א) ״סבבוני בכחש אפרים ובמרמה בית ישראל ויהודה עוד רד עם אל״. ועליו מפרש בקבלה: (תהלים סט, ב) ״הושיעני אלהים כי באו מים עד נפש טבעתי ביון מצולה ואין מעמד וגו'״ (תהלים סט, טז) אל תשטפני שבולת מים ואל תבלעני מצולה וגו'״ באותה שעה, היה משה מאריך בתפלה. אמר לו הקב"ה: ידידיי טובעים בים, ואתה מאריך בתפלה לפני?
אמר לפניו: רבונו של עולם, ומה בידי לעשות?
אמר לו: (שמות יד, טו) ״דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו ואתה הרם את מטך ונטה את ידך וגו'
לפיכך זכה יהודה לעשות ממשלה בישראל שנאמר: (תהלים קיד, ב) היתה יהודה לקדשו ישראל ממשלותיו מה טעם היתה יהודה לקדשו וישראל ממשלותיו?
משום דהים ראה וינוס.