Plot Summary
A Jewish sage named Peleimu (who lived the same time as Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, compiler of the Mishna, and was possibly his student) draws the irritation of Satan on account of his oddly specific prayer. Satan chooses to confront Peleimu while desguised as a pauper. Drama ensues.
Scene 1
- Peleimu disses Satan regularly, saying "Arrows in Satan's eye!"
- [Satan is displeased and waits for Yom Kippur eve to confront him]
Scene 2
- Satan shapeshifts into a pauper and visits an unsuspecting Peleimu
- Peleimu offers Satan some food
- Satan guilt trips Peleimu into getting inside the house
- Satan then guilt trips his host into joining the festive pre-Yom Kippur meal
- Satan begins acting out and behaves in all sorts of gross ways
- Satan gets berated by his host
- After asking for a cup, Satan begins to cough up phlem
- Satan gets berated again
- Satan then appears to drop dead on the spot
- People begin to accuse Peleimu of murder
- Peleimu runs and hides in the latrine
Scene 3
- Satan sneaks out and follows his host into the latrine
- Satan falls before Peleimu, reveals his identity, and asks Peleimu to stop insulting him
- Peleimu asks what he can say instead
- Satan asks for thoughts and prayers
פְּלֵימוֹ הֲוָה רְגִיל לְמֵימַר כׇּל יוֹמָא גִּירָא בְּעֵינֵיהּ דְּשָׂטָן
יוֹמָא חַד מַעֲלֵי יוֹמָא דְכִיפּוּרֵי הֲוָה אִידְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּעַנְיָא אֲתָא קְרָא אַבָּבָא
אַפִּיקוּ לֵיהּ רִיפְתָּא
אֲמַר לֵיהּ יוֹמָא כִּי הָאִידָּנָא כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא גַּוַּאי וַאֲנָא אַבָּרַאי
עַיְּילֵיהּ וְקָרִיבוּ לֵיהּ רִיפְתָּא
אֲמַר לֵיהּ יוֹמָא כִּי הָאִידָּנָא כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא אַתַּכָּא וַאֲנָא לְחוֹדַאי
אַתְיוּהּ אוֹתְבוּהּ אַתַּכָּא
הֲוָה יָתֵיב מְלָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ שִׁיחְנָא וְכִיבֵי (עֲלֵיהּ) וַהֲוָה קָעָבֵיד בֵּיהּ מִילֵּי דִּמְאִיס
אֲמַר לֵיהּ...
The Sage Peleimu had the habit to say every day: An arrow in the eye of Satan, mocking the temptations of the evil inclination.
One day, it was the eve of Yom Kippur, and Satan appeared to him as a pauper who came and called him to the door, requesting alms.
Peleimu brought out bread to him.
Satan said to him: On a day like today, everyone is inside eating, and shall I stand outside and eat?
Peleimu brought him inside and gave him bread.
He said to him: On a day like today, everyone is sitting at the table, and shall I sit by myself?
They brought him and sat him at the table.
He was sitting and had covered himself with boils and pus, and he was doing repulsive things at the table.
Peleimu said to the pauper: ...
תִּיב שַׁפִּיר
אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַבוּ לִי כָּסָא
יְהַבוּ לֵיהּ כָּסָא
אַכְמַר שְׁדָא בֵּיהּ
כִּיחוֹ נְחַרוּ בֵּיהּ
שְׁקָא וּמִית
שְׁמַעוּ דַּהֲווֹ קָאָמְרִי פְּלֵימוֹ קְטַל גַּבְרָא פְּלֵימוֹ קְטַל גַּבְרָא
עֲרַק וּטְשָׁא נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא
אָזֵיל בָּתְרֵיהּ נְפַל קַמֵּיהּ
כִּי דְּחַזְיֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה מִצְטַעַר גַּלִּי לֵיהּ נַפְשֵׁיהּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַאי טַעְמָא אָמְרַתְּ הָכִי
וְאֶלָּא הֵיכִי אֵימָא
אֲמַר לֵיהּ לֵימָא מָר רַחֲמָנָא נִגְעַר בֵּיהּ בְּשָׂטָן
Sit properly and do not act in a revolting manner.
Satan then said to him: Give me a cup.
They gave him a cup.
He coughed up his phlegm and spat it into the cup.
They berated him for acting this way,
at which point Satan pretended to sink down and die.
They heard people around them saying: Peleimu killed a man! Peleimu killed a man!
Peleimu fled and hid himself in the bathroom.
Satan followed him and fell before him.
Upon seeing that Peleimu was suffering, he revealed himself to him. Satan said to him: What is the reason that you spoke this way, provoking me by saying: An arrow in the eye of Satan?
He replied: But what then should I say?
Satan said to him: Let the Master, i.e., Peleimu, say: Let the Merciful One rebuke the Satan.