The Oral Talmud with Benay Lappe and Dan Libenson Episode 78

Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Dahabai said: The ministering angels told me four things: People with a mobility disability--on account of what is their disability? Because they overturn their tables. Mute people--on account of what is their disability? Because they kiss that place. Deaf people--on account of what is their disability? Because they converse at the time of sex. Blind people--on account of what is their disability? Because they look at that place.

They threw this against that: They asked Imma Shalom, the wife of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus: On account of what

are your children so exceedingly beautiful? She said to them: He does not converse with me either at the beginning of the night or at the end of the night, but rather at midnight. And when he converses, he reveals a handbreadth and he covers a handbreadth, and it appears as though he were being forced by a demon. And I said to him: What is the reason? And he said to me: In order that I will not set my eyes upon another woman and his children find themselves practically mamzers.

There is no contradiction. Here, with words of sex, there with other kinds of words.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: These are just Yoḥanan ben Dahabai's words. But the Sages said the halakha is not like Yoḥanan ben Dahabai. Rather, all that a man wants to do with his wife he can do, analogous to meat from a butcher: if he wants to eat it salted, he eats it; roasted, he eats it; cooked, he eats is; boiled, he eats it. And similarly, a fish that comes from the fishmonger.

Ameimar said: Who are these "ministering angels"? The Rabbis--for if you say actual ministering angels, why would Rabbi Yoḥanan say that the halakha is not like Yoḥanan ben Dahabai? After all, they are the most expert in the formation of the fetus! So why did they call them "ministering angels"? Because they stand out like ministering angels.

There was a certain woman that came before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. She said to him: "Rabbi, I set the table for him, and he overturned it." He said to her: "My daughter, the Torah permits you, and I--what can I do for you?

There was a certain woman who came before Rav said to him: "Rabbi, I set the table for him, and he overturned it. He said, "What is the difference between this situation and that of a bonita fish?"

The Torah says: “And do not stray after your hearts” (Numbers 15:39). From here, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said a man should not drink from this cup and set his eyes on another cup. Ravina said: This verse was only needed to teach that this is the rule even if a man has two wives.

The Torah says: “And I will purge from among you the rebels, and those that transgress against Me” (Ezekiel 20:38). Rabbi Levi said: Those are the children of the nine types--the acronym for which is children of ASNaT MiShGe'AKh: children of fear [eima]; children of force [anusa]; children of the hated woman [senua]; children of banishment [niddui]; children of substitution [temura]; children of strife [meriva]; children of drunkenness [shikhrut]; children of divorce of the heart [gerushat halev]; children of mixture [irbuveya]; children of the brazen woman [ḥatzufa].

Really? But didn’t Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani say that Rabbi Yonatan said: Any man whose wife initiates--he will have children the likes of whom did not exist even in the generation of Moses our teacher. As it is said in the Torah: “Get you wise and understanding men, well known, from each one of your tribes, and I will make them head over you” (Deuteronomy 1:13); and it is written subsequently: “So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and well known” (Deuteronomy 1:15). And it does not say that they were understanding. Evidently, even Moses could not find understanding men in his generation. And by contrast, it is written: “Issachar is a large-boned donkey” (Genesis 49:14). The Sages transmitted a tradition that this is an allusion to the incident when Jacob came in from the field riding on a donkey, and Leah went out to greet him, saying: “You must come in to me; for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes” (Genesis 30:16). Issachar was conceived from their subsequent sexual intercourse. And it is written: “And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times” (I Chronicles 12:33). The descendants of Issachar were understanding men. It is derived from here that a woman who demands from her husband that he engage in sexual intercourse with her has a positive effect on their children. The Gemara answers: That baraita is not referring to a woman who demands intercourse explicitly, but rather to one who entices her husband, so that he understands that she wants to engage in sexual intercourse with him. They consequently have excellent children.