תָּנֵי רַבִּי אוֹמֵר תְּחִלַּת קִלְקוּלוֹ בְּעַזָּה, לְפִיכָךְ לָקָה בְּעַזָּה, תְּחִלַּת קִלְקוּלוֹ בְּעַזָּה, דִּכְתִיב (שופטים טז, א): וַיֵּלֶךְ שִׁמְשׁוֹן עֲזָתָה וַיַּרְא שָׁם אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה וַיָּבֹא אֵלֶיהָ, לְפִיכָךְ לָקָה בְּעַזָּה, דִּכְתִיב (שופטים טז, כא): וַיּוֹרִידוּ אוֹתוֹ עַזָּתָה וַיַּאַסְרוּהוּ בַּנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם וַיְהִי טוֹחֵן בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים. אֵיתִיבוּן וְהָכְתִיב (שופטים יד, א): וַיֵּרֶד שִׁמְשׁוֹן תִּמְנָתָה, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן דֶּרֶךְ נִשֹּׂוּאִין הָיוּ שֶׁל תִּמְנָתָה, אֲבָל תְּחִלַּת קִלְקוּלוֹ בְּעַזָּה הָיְתָה. (שופטים טז, ד): וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי כֵן וַיֶּאֱהַב אִשָּׁה בְּנַחַל שׂוֹרֵק וגו', מַהוּ בְּנַחַל שׂוֹרֵק, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה כְּאִילָן שֶׁאֵין עוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת, כָּךְ כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּלֵּשׁ בַּחֵטְא נַעֲשָׂה מוּעָד לַעֲבֵרָה. (שופטים טז, ד): וּשְׁמָהּ דְּלִילָה, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר אִלְּמָלֵא לֹא נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ דְּלִילָה הָיְתָה רְאוּיָה שֶׁתִּקָּרֵא כֵּן, דִּלְדְּלָה אֶת כֹּחוֹ, דִּלְדְּלָה אֶת מַעֲשָׂיו, דִּלְדְּלָה אֶת לִבּוֹ. כְּתִיב (שופטים טז, יח): וַתֵּרֶא דְלִילָה כִּי הִגִּיד לָהּ אֶת כָּל לִבּוֹ וגו', מְנָא יָדְעָה, אָמַר רַבִּי חָנָן נִכָּרִין דִּבְרֵי אֱמֶת. נַחְמָנִי אָמַר יָדְעָה בֵיהּ בְּאוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק דְּלָא מַפִּיק שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם לְבַטָּלָה, כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר לָהּ (שופטים טז, יז): נְזִיר אֱלֹקִים אֲנִי, אָמְרָה הַשְׁתָּא וַדַּאי קֻשְׁטָא קָא אָמַר. דִּלְדְּלָה אֶת כֹּחוֹ, דִּכְתִיב (שופטים טז, יט): וַיָּסַר כֹּחוֹ מֵעָלָיו. (שופטים טז, כא): וַיְהִי טוֹחֵן בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵין טְחִינָה אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן עֲבֵרָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (איוב לא, י): תִּטְחַן לְאַחֵר אִשְׁתִּי וגו', מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד הֵבִיא לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִין כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּתְעַבֵּר מִמֶּנּוּ, הַיְנוּ דְּאַמְרֵי אִינְשֵׁי, קַמֵּי דְשָׁתֵי חַמְרָא, חַמְרָא. קַמֵּי רָפוֹקָא גְּרִידָא דְיַבְּלָא.
[A] It is taught that Rabbi says: The beginning of Samson's downfall was in Gaza, therefore he was struck down in Gaza. The beginning of his downfall was in Gaza, as it is written, "And Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute and came to her" (Judges 16:1). Therefore he was struck down in Gaza, as it was written, "They brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with bronze shackles, and he ground at the mill in prison" (ibid. 16:21).
[B] Other Rabbis raised an objection: But look, it is written, "And Samson went down to Timna...." (ibid. 14:1). Rabbi Shmuel, son of Nachman, said: The one in Timna was a marriage, but the beginning of his downfall was in Gaza.
[C] "And afterwards he fell in love with a woman in wadi Sorek...." (ibid. 16:4). What is the significance of "wadi Sorek"? Samson became like a tree which does not produce fruit [the Hebrew word serak means "barren"]--when he had repeated the same sin three times, he was subject to punishment.
[D] "And her name was Delilah" (ibid. 16:4). Rabbi says: If her name were not Delilah, it would have been fitting for her to be called that. She weakened [dildelah] his strength, she weakened [dildelah] his deeds, she weakened [dildelah] his heart.
[E] "And Delilah saw that he had revealed to her his whole heart...." (ibid. 16:18). How did she know? Rabbi Chanan said: True words are recognized. Nachmani said: She knew that righteous man would not pronounce God's name in vain; once he said to her, "I am a Nazarite of God" (ibid. 16:17), she said to herself, 'Now for sure he is telling the truth."....
[F] "And he ground at the mill in prison" (ibid. 16:21). Rabbi Yochanan said: 'Grinding' actually refers to sin, and so it says, "May my wife grind for another man..." (Job 31:10, where Job is saying that he should be cursed with this, if he himself had pursued adultery). The verse teaches that every man [in Gaza] brought his wife to Samson in prison so she could get pregnant from him.
Questions for Study
1. There is a principle in Rabbinic thought called midah k'neged midah, "measure for measure." This refers to the idea that God operates in a fair, appropriate way in which "the punishment (or reward) fits the crime (or good deed)." Give and explain examples of this principle that are used in the midrashim above.
2. Another principle of interpretation used by the Rabbis involves the meaning of names. Where and how do the midrashim demonstrate the belief that names in the Tanakh are very significant and not random? Explain fully.
3. In [B], what objection are "other Rabbis" raising? Be sure to look up the verse and its context. How does Rabbi Shmuel, son of Nachman, propose to solve the problem? Be sure to describe everything clearly.
4. According to [C], what same sin was repeated three times? Use the whole story of Samson to figure this out.
5. Explain the kushiya which is being discussed in [E]. Make sure you articulate exactly why it is a kushiya and needs to be answered.
6. What does Rabbi Chanan mean in [E]? Do you agree with him--why or why not?
7. What makes Nachmani's comment quite different from all the others in these midrashim?
8. [F] is a pretty strange midrash, but it's a great example of how well the Rabbis knew the entire Tanakh and could creatively connect verses found in very different places. What might have been the motivation of the Philistine husbands for doing this--at least in Rabbi Yochanan's mind?