אָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: הָרוֹאֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרַע — חַיָּיב לִקְרוֹעַ שְׁתֵּי קְרִיעוֹת: אֶחָד עַל הַגְּוִיל וְאֶחָד עַל הַכְּתָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַחֲרֵי שְׂרוֹף הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת הַמְּגִלָּה וְאֶת הַדְּבָרִים״. רַבִּי אַבָּא וְרַב הוּנָא בַּר חִיָּיא הָווּ יָתְבִי קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אַבָּא. בְּעָא לְאִפַּנּוֹיֵי, שַׁקְלֵיהּ לְטוֹטֶפְתֵּיהּ אַחֲתֵיהּ אַבֵּי סַדְיָא. אֲתַאי בַּת נַעָמִיתָא בְּעַא לְמִיבְלְעֵיהּ. אֲמַר: הַשְׁתָּא כִּי חַיְּיבַן לִי שְׁתֵּי קְרִיעוֹת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מְנָא לָךְ הָא? וְהָא בְּדִידִי הֲוָה עוֹבָדָא, וַאֲתַאי לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב מַתְנָה וְלָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ. אֲתַאי לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה, וַאֲמַר לִי, הָכִי אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: לֹא אָמְרוּ אֶלָּא בִּזְרוֹעַ, וּכְמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיָה.
Rabbi Ḥelbo said that Rav Huna said: One who sees a Torah scroll that was torn is obligated to make two rents, one for the parchment that was damaged and one for the writing, as it is stated: “Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after the king had burned the scroll and the words” (Jeremiah 36:27). This implies that a separate rent must be made for each of them, both the parchment and the writing. It was related that Rabbi Abba and Rav Huna bar Ḥiyya were sitting before Rabbi Abba. Rabbi Abba needed to relieve himself. He removed his phylacteries from his head and placed them on the cushion on which he was sitting. An ostrich came and wanted to swallow the phylacteries. He said: Now, had it succeeded to swallow it, I would have been obligated to make two rents. He said to him: From where do you derive this? There was an incident in which I was involved and I came before Rav Mattana asking what to do, but he did not have an answer readily available. I then came before Rav Yehuda, and he said to me: Shmuel said as follows: They said that one is obligated to rend his clothing only when a Torah scroll or some other sacred book is torn by force, and it resembles the incident that occurred with Jehoiakim.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין מוֹלִיכִין לְבֵית הָאֵבֶל, לֹא בְּטַבְלָא, וְלֹא בְּאִסְקוּטְלָא, וְלֹא בְּקָנוֹן, אֶלָּא בְּסַלִּים. וְאֵין אוֹמְרִים בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים בַּמּוֹעֵד, אֲבָל עוֹמְדִין בְּשׁוּרָה וּמְנַחֲמִין, וּפוֹטְרִין אֶת הָרַבִּים. אֵין מַנִּיחִין אֶת הַמִּטָּה בָּרְחוֹב, שֶׁלֹּא לְהַרְגִּיל אֶת הַהֶסְפֵּד. וְלֹא שֶׁל נָשִׁים לְעוֹלָם, מִפְּנֵי הַכָּבוֹד. גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מוֹלִיכִין בְּבֵית הָאֵבֶל, עֲשִׁירִים — בִּקְלָתוֹת שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְשֶׁל זָהָב, וַעֲנִיִּים — בְּסַלֵּי נְצָרִים שֶׁל עֲרָבָה קְלוּפָה, וְהָיוּ עֲנִיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁים. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ הַכֹּל מְבִיאִין בְּסַלֵּי נְצָרִים שֶׁל עֲרָבָה קְלוּפָה, מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מַשְׁקִין בְּבֵית הָאֵבֶל, עֲשִׁירִים — בִּזְכוּכִית לְבָנָה, וַעֲנִיִּים — בִּזְכוּכִית צְבוּעָה, וְהָיוּ עֲנִיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁין. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ הַכֹּל מַשְׁקִין בִּזְכוּכִית צְבוּעָה, מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים. בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מְגַלִּין פְּנֵי עֲשִׁירִים וּמְכַסִּין פְּנֵי עֲנִיִּים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ מוּשְׁחָרִין פְּנֵיהֶן מִפְּנֵי בַצּוֹרֶת, וְהָיוּ עֲנִיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁין. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ מְכַסִּין פְּנֵי הַכֹּל, מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים. בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מוֹצִיאִין עֲשִׁירִים בְּדַרְגֵּשׁ, וַעֲנִיִּים בִּכְלִיכָה, וְהָיוּ עֲנִיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁין. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ הַכֹּל מוֹצִיאִין בִּכְלִיכָה, מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים. בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מַנִּיחִין אֶת הַמּוּגְמָר תַּחַת חוֹלֵי מֵעַיִם מֵתִים, וְהָיוּ חוֹלֵי מֵעַיִם חַיִּים מִתְבַּיְּישִׁין. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ מַנִּיחִין תַּחַת הַכֹּל, מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל חוֹלֵי מֵעַיִם חַיִּים.
MISHNA: One does not bring the first meal after the burial to the house of mourning on a small tray [tavla], in a bowl [iskutla], or in a narrow-mouthed basket [kanon], but rather in ordinary baskets. And the mourners’ blessing is not recited on the intermediate days of a Festival, but the consolers may stand in a row when the mourners leave the cemetery and console them. And the mourners dismiss the many consolers, by telling them that they may return home after they have fulfilled the mitzva of consoling the mourners. The bier of the deceased is not set down in the street during the intermediate days of a Festival so as not to encourage eulogies. On an ordinary weekday, people would gather in the street around the bier to eulogize the deceased, but this should be avoided during the intermediate days of the Festival. And the biers of women are never set down, even if it is not the intermediate days of a Festival, due to their honor. Blood might drip from their bodies, and it would cause them dishonor if their blood stained the street. GEMARA: The Sages taught the following baraita: At first, the meal after the burial would be brought to the house of the mourner in various ways. The wealthy would bring the meal in baskets of silver and gold, and the poor would bring it in baskets of peeled willow branches. And the poor were embarrassed, as everyone would see that they were poor. The Sages instituted that everyone should bring the meal in baskets of peeled willow branches, due to the honor of the poor. The Sages taught a similar baraita: At first, they would serve wine in the house of the mourner during the first meal after the burial; the wealthy would do so in cups made from white glass, and the poor would serve this wine in cups of colored glass. And the poor were embarrassed, as everyone would see that they were poor. The Sages instituted that all should serve drinks in the house of the mourner in colored glass cups, due to the honor of the poor. Furthermore, at first they would uncover the faces of the wealthy who passed away and cover the faces of the poor, because their faces were blackened by famine. And the poor were embarrassed because they were buried in a different manner. The Sages instituted that everyone’s face should be covered, due to the honor of the poor. Additionally, at first the wealthy would take the deceased out for burial on a dargash, and the poor would take the deceased out on a plain bier made from poles that were strapped together, and the poor were embarrassed. The Sages instituted that everyone should be taken out for burial on a plain bier, due to the honor of the poor. Similarly, at first they would place incense under the beds of those who died with an intestinal disease, because the body emitted an especially unpleasant odor. And those who were alive with an intestinal disease were embarrassed when they understood that they, too, would be treated in this manner after their death, and that everyone would know the cause of their death. The Sages instituted that incense should be placed under everyone, due to the honor of those with an intestinal disease who were still living.
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה קָאָכֵיל תְּרוּמָה. אִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תְּרוּמָה קָא אָכֵילְנָא, וְלָאו קוֹדֶשׁ אִיקְּרִי? חֲלַפָא לֵיהּ שַׁעְתָּא. רַב שֵׁשֶׁת אִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ בְּשׁוּקָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּשׁוּקָא כִּבְהֵמָה? אִיתַא לְגַבֵּי בֵּיתָא. רַב אָשֵׁי אִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ (בְּשׁוּקָא), אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִיתְּרַח לִי תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין, וְאַהְדְּרֵי[הּ] לְתַלְמוּדַאי, דְּאָמְרִיתוּ: אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁבָּא לְכָאן וְתַלְמוּדוֹ בְּיָדוֹ. בְּיוֹם תְּלָתִין אֲתָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי כּוּלֵּי הַאי? קָא דָחֲקָא רַגְלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָתָן, וְאֵין מַלְכוּת נוֹגַעַת בַּחֲבֶירְתָּהּ אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא. רַב חִסְדָּא, לָא הֲוָה יָכֵיל לֵיהּ, דְּלָא הֲוָה שָׁתֵיק פּוּמֵּיהּ מִגִּירְסָא, סְלֵיק יְתֵיב בְּאַרְזָא דְּבֵי רַב. פְּקַע אַרְזָא וּשְׁתַק, וִיכֵיל לֵיהּ. רַבִּי חִיָּיא לָא הֲוָה מָצֵי לְמִיקְרַבא לֵיהּ, יוֹמָא חַד אִידְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּעַנְיָא, אֲתָא טָרֵיף אַבָּבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַפֵּיק לִי רִיפְתָּא, אַפִּיקוּ לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְלָאו קָא מְרַחֵם מָר אַעַנְיָא? אַהָהוּא גַּבְרָא אַמַּאי לָא קָא מְרַחֵם מָר? גַּלִּי לֵיהּ, אַחְוִי לֵיהּ שׁוֹטָא דְנוּרָא, אַמְצִי לֵיהּ נַפְשֵׁיהּ.
The Gemara relates that Rabbi Elazar was once eating teruma, when the Angel of Death appeared to him. He said to the Angel of Death: I am eating teruma; is it not called sacred? It would be inappropriate for me to die now and thereby defile this sacred teruma. The Angel of Death accepted his argument and left him. The moment passed, and he lived for some time afterward. It was similarly related that the Angel of Death once appeared to Rav Sheshet in the marketplace. Rav Sheshet said to the Angel of Death: Shall I die in the market like an animal? Come to my house and kill me there like a human being. So too, the Angel of Death appeared to Rav Ashi in the marketplace. Rav Ashi said to the Angel of Death: Give me thirty days so that I may review my studies, for you say above: Fortunate is he who comes here to Heaven with his learning in his hand. On the thirtieth day the Angel of Death came to take him. Rav Ashi said to the Angel of Death: What is all of this? Why are you in such a hurry to take me? Why can you not postpone my death? He said to him: The foot of Rav Huna bar Natan is pushing you, as he is ready to succeed you as the leader of the generation, and one sovereignty does not overlap with its counterpart, even by one hairbreadth. Therefore, you cannot live any longer. The Angel of Death was unable to take Rav Ḥisda because his mouth was never silent from study. So the Angel of Death went and sat on the cedar column that supported the roof of the study hall of the Sages. The cedar cracked and Rav Ḥisda was silent for a moment, as he was startled by the sound. At that point the Angel of Death was able to take him. The Angel of Death could not come near Rabbi Ḥiyya, owing to his righteousness. One day the Angel of Death appeared to him as a poor person. He came and knocked on the door. He said to Rabbi Ḥiyya: Bring out bread for me, and he took out bread for him. The Angel of Death then said to Rabbi Ḥiyya: Master, do you not have mercy on a poor person? Why, then, do you not have mercy upon that man, i.e., upon me, and give me what I want? The Angel of Death then revealed his identity to him, and showed him a fiery rod in order to confirm that he was the Angel of Death. At this point Rav Ḥiyya surrendered himself to him.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן בְּרוֹקָה וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר [בֶּן] חִסְמָא שֶׁהָלְכוּ לְהַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּפְקִיעִין. אָמַר לָהֶם: מָה חִידּוּשׁ הָיָה בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַיּוֹם? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: תַּלְמִידֶיךָ אָנוּ וּמֵימֶיךָ אָנוּ שׁוֹתִין. אָמַר לָהֶם: אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ בְּלֹא חִידּוּשׁ. שַׁבָּת שֶׁל מִי הָיְתָה? שַׁבָּת שֶׁל רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה הָיְתָה. וּבַמֶּה הָיְתָה הַגָּדָה הַיּוֹם? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: בְּפָרָשַׁת הַקְהֵל. וּמָה דָּרַשׁ בָּהּ? ״הַקְהֵל אֶת הָעָם הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף״. אִם אֲנָשִׁים בָּאִים לִלְמוֹד, נָשִׁים בָּאוֹת לִשְׁמוֹעַ, טַף לָמָּה בָּאִין? כְּדֵי לִיתֵּן שָׂכָר לִמְבִיאֵיהֶן. אָמַר לָהֶם: מַרְגָּלִית טוֹבָה הָיְתָה בְּיַדְכֶם, וּבִקַּשְׁתֶּם לְאַבְּדָהּ מִמֶּנִּי?
§ The Sages taught: There was an incident involving Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka and Rabbi Elazar ben Ḥisma, when they went to greet Rabbi Yehoshua in Peki’in. Rabbi Yehoshua said to them: What novel idea was taught today in the study hall? They said to him: We are your students and we drink from your water, i.e., all of our Torah knowledge comes from you, and therefore how can we tell you something you have not already learned? He said to them: Even so, there cannot be a study hall without a novelty. He asked them: Whose week was it, i.e. who was the lecturer this week? They said to him: It was Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya’s week. He inquired: And on what subject was the lecture today? They said to him: He spoke about the portion of the mitzva of assembly. Rabbi Yehoshua persisted: And what verse did he interpret homiletically with regard to this mitzva? They said to him that Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya interpreted the following verse: “Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones” (Deuteronomy 31:12). This verse is puzzling: If men come to learn, and women, who might not understand, come at least to hear, why do the little ones come? They come in order for God to give a reward to those who bring them, i.e., God credits those who bring their children to the assembly. Rabbi Yehoshua said to them: This good pearl of wisdom was in your hands, and you tried to conceal it from me?
אָמַר רַב זוּטְרָא בַּר טוֹבִיָּא אָמַר רַב: בַּעֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם: בְּחׇכְמָה וּבִתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת, וּבְכֹחַ וּבִגְעָרָה וּבִגְבוּרָה, בְּצֶדֶק וּבְמִשְׁפָּט, בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים. בְּחׇכְמָה וּבִתְבוּנָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״ה׳ בְּחׇכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה״. בְּדַעַת — דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ״. בְּכֹחַ וּגְבוּרָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״מֵכִין הָרִים בְּכֹחוֹ נֶאְזָר בִּגְבוּרָה״. בִּגְעָרָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״עַמּוּדֵי שָׁמַיִם יְרוֹפָפוּ וְיִתְמְהוּ מִגַּעֲרָתוֹ״. בְּצֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט — דִּכְתִיב: ״צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאֶךָ״. בְּחֶסֶד וְרַחֲמִים — דִּכְתִיב: ״זְכֹר רַחֲמֶיךָ ה׳ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ כִּי מֵעוֹלָם הֵמָּה״. וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, הָיָה מַרְחִיב וְהוֹלֵךְ כִּשְׁתֵּי פַקְעִיּוֹת שֶׁל שְׁתִי, עַד שֶׁגָּעַר בּוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהֶעֱמִידוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַמּוּדֵי שָׁמַיִם יְרוֹפָפוּ וְיִתְמְהוּ מִגַּעֲרָתוֹ״, וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי״ — אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לָעוֹלָם דַּי. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַיָּם הָיָה מַרְחִיב וְהוֹלֵךְ, עַד שֶׁגָּעַר בּוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְיִבְּשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״גּוֹעֵר בַּיָּם וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ וְכׇל הַנְּהָרוֹת הֶחֱרִיב״.
§ Rav Zutra bar Tuvya said that Rav said: The world was created through ten attributes: Through wisdom, through understanding, through knowledge, through strength, through rebuke, through might, through righteousness, through justice, through kindness, and through mercy. Scriptural proof is provided for this statement as follows: It was created through wisdom and through understanding, as it is written: “The Lord founded earth with wisdom, and established the heavens with understanding” (Proverbs 3:19); through knowledge, as it is written: “With His knowledge the depths were broken up” (Proverbs 3:20); through strength and through might, as it is written: “Who by Your strength sets fast the mountains, who is girded about with might” (Psalms 65:7); through rebuke, as it is written: “The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke” (Job 26:11); through righteousness and justice, as it is written: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (Psalms 89:15); through kindness and mercy, as it is written: “Remember Your mercies, O Lord, and Your kindnesses, for they are from times of old” (Psalms 25:6). And Rav Yehuda said that Rav said, with regard to the same matter: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world, it continued to expand like two balls of a warp, whose cord lengthens as they unravel, until the Holy One, Blessed be He, rebuked it and made it stand still, as it is stated: “The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke” (Job 26:11). And this is the same as that which Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I am the Almighty God [El Shaddai]” (Genesis 17:1)? It means: I am He Who said to the world “enough [dai],” instructing it to stop expanding. Similarly, Reish Lakish said: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the sea, it continued to expand until the Holy One, Blessed be He, rebuked it and made it dry, as it is stated: “He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and desiccates all the rivers” (Nahum 1:4).