לָא תֵּימָא גְּנוּתוֹ אֶלָּא אֵימָא צַעֲרוֹ כִּדְתַנְיָא וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָא צָרִיךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ צַעֲרוֹ לָרַבִּים וְרַבִּים מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלָיו רַחֲמִים וְכׇל מִי שֶׁאֵירַע בּוֹ דָּבָר צָרִיךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ לָרַבִּים וְרַבִּים מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלָיו רַחֲמִים
The Gemara corrects the previous statement: Do not say that one should say that which is to his discredit in a loud voice; rather, say that one should publicize his pain in a loud voice. As it is taught in a baraita: It is derived from the verse: “And will cry: Impure, impure” (Leviticus 13:45), that a leper must publicize the fact that he is ritually impure. He must announce his pain to the masses, and the masses will pray for mercy on his behalf. And similarly, anyone to whom a painful matter happens must announce it to the masses, and the masses will pray for mercy on his behalf.
דָּרֵשׁ רַבָּה בַּר רַב הוּנָא כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַמְקַדֵּשׁ חֲצִי אִשָּׁה אֵינָהּ מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת כָּךְ חֶצְיָהּ שִׁפְחָה וְחֶצְיָהּ בַּת חוֹרִין שֶׁנִּתְקַדְּשָׁה אֵינָהּ מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב חִסְדָּא מִי דָּמֵי הָתָם שִׁיֵּיר בְּקִנְיָנוֹ הָכָא לֹא שִׁיֵּיר בְּקִנְיָנוֹ הֲדַר אוֹקֵים רַבָּה בַּר רַב הוּנָא אָמוֹרָא עֲלֵיהּ וּדְרַשׁ וְהַמַּכְשֵׁלָה הַזֹּאת תַּחַת יָדֶיךָ אֵין אָדָם עוֹמֵד עַל דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נִכְשָׁל בָּהֶן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ הַמְקַדֵּשׁ חֲצִי אִשָּׁה אֵינָהּ מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת אֲבָל חֶצְיָהּ שִׁפְחָה וְחֶצְיָהּ בַּת חוֹרִין שֶׁנִּתְקַדְּשָׁה קִדּוּשֶׁיהָ קִדּוּשִׁין מַאי טַעְמָא הָתָם שִׁיֵּיר בְּקִנְיָנוֹ הָכָא לֹא שִׁיֵּיר בְּקִנְיָנוֹ
The Gemara says: Rabba bar Rav Huna taught this halakha in public: Just as the halakha is that in the case of one who betroths half a woman, she is not betrothed, so too, if there is a half-maidservant half-free woman who was betrothed, then her betrothal is not a valid betrothal. Rav Ḥisda said to him as a question: Are the cases comparable? There, where he betroths half a woman, he leaves a portion of the woman out of his acquisition. That is why the betrothal does not take effect. However, here, she was a half-maidservant half-free woman when he betrothed her, and he did not leave a portion of the woman out of his acquisition, so the betrothal should take effect. Rabba bar Rav Huna went back and placed an interpreter before him so that he could tell the public that he had been wrong, and he interpreted a verse homiletically. The verse states: “And let this stumbling-block be under your hand” (Isaiah 3:6). A person does not understand statements of Torah unless he stumbles in them. Therefore, I retract my previous statement and say that although the Sages said that in the case of one who betroths half a woman, she is not betrothed, however, if there was a half-maidservant half-free woman who was betrothed, then her betrothal is a valid betrothal. What is the reason for the distinction? There, he left a portion of the woman out of his acquisition; here, he did not leave a portion of the woman out of his acquisition.
אַקַּמְצָא וּבַר קַמְצָא חֲרוּב יְרוּשָׁלַיִם דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּרָחֲמֵיהּ קַמְצָא וּבְעֵל דְּבָבֵיהּ בַּר קַמְצָא עֲבַד סְעוֹדְתָּא אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ זִיל אַיְיתִי לִי קַמְצָא אֲזַל אַיְיתִי לֵיהּ בַּר קַמְצָא אֲתָא אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִכְּדֵי הָהוּא גַּבְרָא בְּעֵל דְּבָבֵאּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא הוּא מַאי בָּעֵית הָכָא קוּם פּוֹק אֲמַר לֵיהּ הוֹאִיל וַאֲתַאי שִׁבְקַן וְיָהֵיבְנָא לָךְ דְּמֵי מָה דְּאָכֵילְנָא וְשָׁתֵינָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ יָהֵיבְנָא לָךְ דְּמֵי פַּלְגָא דִּסְעוֹדְתָּיךְ אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ יָהֵיבְנָא לָךְ דְּמֵי כּוּלַּהּ סְעוֹדְתָּיךְ אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָא נַקְטֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ וְאַפְּקֵיהּ אָמַר הוֹאִיל וַהֲווֹ יָתְבִי רַבָּנַן וְלָא מַחוֹ בֵּיהּ שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ קָא נִיחָא לְהוּ אֵיזִיל אֵיכוֹל בְּהוּ קוּרְצָא בֵּי מַלְכָּא אֲזַל אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְקֵיסָר מְרַדוּ בָּךְ יְהוּדָאֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִי יֵימַר אֲמַר לֵיהּ שַׁדַּר לְהוּ קוּרְבָּנָא חָזֵית אִי מַקְרְבִין לֵיהּ אֲזַל שַׁדַּר בִּידֵיהּ עִגְלָא תִּלְתָּא בַּהֲדֵי דְּקָאָתֵי שְׁדָא בֵּיהּ מוּמָא בְּנִיב שְׂפָתַיִם וְאָמְרִי לַהּ בְּדוּקִּין שֶׁבָּעַיִן דּוּכְתָּא דִּלְדִידַן הָוֵה מוּמָא וּלְדִידְהוּ לָאו מוּמָא הוּא סְבוּר רַבָּנַן לְקָרוֹבֵיהּ מִשּׁוּם שְׁלוֹם מַלְכוּת אֲמַר לְהוּ רַבִּי זְכַרְיָה בֶּן אַבְקוּלָס יֹאמְרוּ בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין קְרֵיבִין לְגַבֵּי מִזְבֵּחַ סְבוּר לְמִיקְטְלֵיהּ דְּלָא לֵיזִיל וְלֵימָא אֲמַר לְהוּ רַבִּי זְכַרְיָה יֹאמְרוּ מֵטִיל מוּם בַּקֳּדָשִׁים יֵהָרֵג אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן עִנְוְותָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי זְכַרְיָה בֶּן אַבְקוּלָס הֶחְרִיבָה אֶת בֵּיתֵנוּ וְשָׂרְפָה אֶת הֵיכָלֵנוּ וְהִגְלִיתָנוּ מֵאַרְצֵנוּ
The Gemara explains: Jerusalem was destroyed on account of Kamtza and bar Kamtza. This is as there was a certain man whose friend was named Kamtza and whose enemy was named bar Kamtza. He once made a large feast and said to his servant: Go bring me my friend Kamtza. The servant went and mistakenly brought him his enemy bar Kamtza. The man who was hosting the feast came and found bar Kamtza sitting at the feast. The host said to bar Kamtza. That man is the enemy [ba’al devava] of that man, that is, you are my enemy. What then do you want here? Arise and leave. Bar Kamtza said to him: Since I have already come, let me stay and I will give you money for whatever I eat and drink. Just do not embarrass me by sending me out. The host said to him: No, you must leave. Bar Kamtza said to him: I will give you money for half of the feast; just do not send me away. The host said to him: No, you must leave. Bar Kamtza then said to him: I will give you money for the entire feast; just let me stay. The host said to him: No, you must leave. Finally, the host took bar Kamtza by his hand, stood him up, and took him out. After having been cast out from the feast, bar Kamtza said to himself: Since the Sages were sitting there and did not protest the actions of the host, although they saw how he humiliated me, learn from it that they were content with what he did. I will therefore go and inform [eikhul kurtza] against them to the king. He went and said to the emperor: The Jews have rebelled against you. The emperor said to him: Who says that this is the case? Bar Kamtza said to him: Go and test them; send them an offering to be brought in honor of the government, and see whether they will sacrifice it. The emperor went and sent with him a choice three-year-old calf. While bar Kamtza was coming with the calf to the Temple, he made a blemish on the calf’s upper lip. And some say he made the blemish on its eyelids, a place where according to us, i.e., halakha, it is a blemish, but according to them, gentile rules for their offerings, it is not a blemish. Therefore, when bar Kamtza brought the animal to the Temple, the priests would not sacrifice it on the altar since it was blemished, but they also could not explain this satisfactorily to the gentile authorities, who did not consider it to be blemished. The blemish notwithstanding, the Sages thought to sacrifice the animal as an offering due to the imperative to maintain peace with the government. Rabbi Zekharya ben Avkolas said to them: If the priests do that, people will say that blemished animals may be sacrificed as offerings on the altar. The Sages said: If we do not sacrifice it, then we must prevent bar Kamtza from reporting this to the emperor. The Sages thought to kill him so that he would not go and speak against them. Rabbi Zekharya said to them: If you kill him, people will say that one who makes a blemish on sacrificial animals is to be killed. As a result, they did nothing, bar Kamtza’s slander was accepted by the authorities, and consequently the war between the Jews and the Romans began. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The excessive humility of Rabbi Zekharya ben Avkolas destroyed our Temple, burned our Sanctuary, and exiled us from our land.
אַבָּא סִקְרָא רֵישׁ בִּרְיוֹנֵי דִּירוּשָׁלַיִם בַּר אֲחָתֵיהּ דְּרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי הֲוָה שְׁלַח לֵיהּ תָּא בְּצִינְעָא לְגַבַּאי אֲתָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ עַד אֵימַת עָבְדִיתוּ הָכִי וְקָטְלִיתוּ לֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא בְּכַפְנָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַאי אֶיעֱבֵיד דְּאִי אָמֵינָא לְהוּ מִידֵּי קָטְלוּ לִי אֲמַר לֵיהּ חֲזִי לִי תַּקַּנְתָּא לְדִידִי דְּאֶיפּוֹק אֶפְשָׁר דְּהָוֵי הַצָּלָה פּוּרְתָּא אֲמַר לֵיהּ נְקוֹט נַפְשָׁךְ בִּקְצִירֵי וְלֵיתוֹ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא וְלִישַׁיְּילוּ בָּךְ וְאַיְיתִי מִידֵּי סַרְיָא וְאַגְנִי גַּבָּךְ וְלֵימְרוּ דְּנָח נַפְשָׁךְ וְלִיעַיְּילוּ בָּךְ תַּלְמִידָךְ וְלָא לֵיעוּל בָּךְ אִינִישׁ אַחֲרִינָא דְּלָא לַרְגְּשׁוּן בָּךְ דְּקַלִּיל אַתְּ דְּאִינְהוּ יָדְעִי דְּחַיָּיא קַלִּיל מִמִּיתָא עָבֵיד הָכִי נִכְנַס בּוֹ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מִצַּד אֶחָד וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מִצַּד אַחֵר כִּי מְטוֹ לְפִיתְחָא בְּעוֹ לְמִדְקְרֵיהּ אֲמַר לְהוּ יֹאמְרוּ רַבָּן דָּקְרוּ בְּעוֹ לְמִדְחֲפֵיהּ אֲמַר לְהוּ יֹאמְרוּ רַבָּן דָּחֲפוּ פְּתַחוּ לֵיהּ בָּבָא נְפַק כִּי מְטָא לְהָתָם אֲמַר שְׁלָמָא עֲלָךְ מַלְכָּא שְׁלָמָא עֲלָךְ מַלְכָּא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִיחַיְּיבַתְּ תְּרֵי (קְטָלָא) [קָטְלִי] חֲדָא דְּלָאו מַלְכָּא אֲנָא וְקָא קָרֵית לִי מַלְכָּא וְתוּ אִי מַלְכָּא אֲנָא עַד הָאִידָּנָא אַמַּאי לָא אָתֵית לְגַבַּאי אֲמַר לֵיהּ דְּקָאָמְרַתְּ לָאו מַלְכָּא אֲנָא אִיבְרָא מַלְכָּא אַתְּ דְּאִי לָאו מַלְכָּא אַתְּ לָא מִימַּסְרָא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בִּידָךְ דִּכְתִיב וְהַלְּבָנוֹן בְּאַדִּיר יִפּוֹל וְאֵין אַדִּיר אֶלָּא מֶלֶךְ דִּכְתִיב וְהָיָה אַדִּירוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וְגוֹ׳ וְאֵין לְבָנוֹן אֶלָּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה וְהַלְּבָנוֹן וּדְקָאָמְרַתְּ אִי מַלְכָּא אֲנָא אַמַּאי לָא קָאָתֵית לְגַבַּאי עַד הָאִידָּנָא בִּרְיוֹנֵי דְּאִית בַּן לָא שָׁבְקִינַן אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִילּוּ חָבִית שֶׁל דְּבַשׁ וּדְרָקוֹן כָּרוּךְ עָלֶיהָ לֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹבְרִין אֶת הֶחָבִית בִּשְׁבִיל דְּרָקוֹן אִישְׁתִּיק קָרֵי עֲלֵיהּ רַב יוֹסֵף וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מֵשִׁיב חֲכָמִים אָחוֹר וְדַעְתָּם יְסַכֵּל אִיבְּעִי לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר לֵיהּ שָׁקְלִינַן צְבָתָא וְשָׁקְלִינַן לֵיהּ לִדְרָקוֹן וְקָטְלִינַן לֵיהּ וְחָבִיתָא שָׁבְקִינַן לַהּ אַדְּהָכִי אֲתָא פְּרֵיסְתְּקָא עֲלֵיהּ מֵרוֹמִי אֲמַר לֵיהּ קוּם דְּמִית לֵיהּ קֵיסָר וְאָמְרִי הָנְהוּ חֲשִׁיבֵי דְּרוֹמִי לְאוֹתֹיבָךָ בְּרֵישָׁא הֲוָה סָיֵים חַד (מסאני) [מְסָאנֵיהּ] בְּעָא לְמִסְיְימֵהּ לְאַחֲרִינָא לָא עָיֵיל בְּעָא לְמִישְׁלְפֵיהּ לְאִידַּךְ לָא נְפַק אֲמַר מַאי הַאי אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָא תִּצְטַעַר שְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה אַתְיָא לָךְ דִּכְתִיב שְׁמוּעָה טוֹבָה תְּדַשֶּׁן עָצֶם אֶלָּא מַאי תַּקַּנְתֵּיהּ לֵיתֵי אִינִישׁ דְּלָא מְיַתְּבָא דַּעְתָּךְ מִינֵּיהּ וְלַחֲלֹיף קַמָּךְ דִּכְתִיב וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ גָּרֶם עֲבַד הָכִי עֲיַיל אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמֵאַחַר דְּחָכְמִיתוּ כּוּלֵּי הַאי עַד הָאִידָּנָא אַמַּאי לָא אָתֵיתוּ לְגַבַּאי אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלָא אֲמַרִי לָךְ אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֲנָא נָמֵי אֲמַרִי לָךְ אֲמַר לֵיהּ מֵיזָל אָזֵילְנָא וְאִינָשׁ אַחֲרִינָא מְשַׁדַּרְנָא אֶלָּא בָּעֵי מִינַּאי מִידֵּי דְּאֶתֵּן לָךְ אֲמַר לֵיהּ תֵּן לִי יַבְנֶה וַחֲכָמֶיהָ וְשׁוּשִׁילְתָּא דְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְאָסְווֹתָא דְּמַסַּיִין לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי צָדוֹק קָרֵי עֲלֵיהּ רַב יוֹסֵף וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מֵשִׁיב חֲכָמִים אָחוֹר וְדַעְתָּם יְסַכֵּל אִיבְּעִי לְמֵימַר לֵיהּ לִשְׁבְּקִינְהוּ הָדָא זִימְנָא וְהוּא סָבַר דִּלְמָא כּוּלֵּי הַאי לָא עָבֵיד וְהַצָּלָה פּוּרְתָּא נָמֵי לָא הָוֵי אָסְווֹתָא דְּמַסַּיִין לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי צָדוֹק מַאי הִיא יוֹמָא קַמָּא אַשְׁקְיוּהּ מַיָּא דְפָארֵי לִמְחַר מַיָּא דְסִיפּוּקָא לִמְחַר מַיָּא דְקִימְחָא עַד דִּרְוַוח מְיעֵיהּ פּוּרְתָּא פּוּרְתָּא
§ The Gemara relates: Abba Sikkara was the leader of the zealots [biryonei] of Jerusalem and the son of the sister of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai sent a message to him: Come to me in secret. He came, and Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Until when will you do this and kill everyone through starvation? Abba Sikkara said to him: What can I do, for if I say something to them they will kill me. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Show me a method so that I will be able to leave the city, and it is possible that through this there will be some small salvation. Abba Sikkara said to him: This is what you should do: Pretend to be sick, and have everyone come and ask about your welfare, so that word will spread about your ailing condition. Afterward bring something putrid and place it near you, so that people will say that you have died and are decomposing. And then, have your students enter to bring you to burial, and let no one else come in so that the zealots not notice that you are still light. As the zealots know that a living person is lighter than a dead person. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai did this. Rabbi Eliezer entered from one side and Rabbi Yehoshua from the other side to take him out. When they arrived at the entrance of the city on the inside, the guards, who were of the faction of the zealots, wanted to pierce him with their swords in order to ascertain that he was actually dead, as was the common practice. Abba Sikkara said to them: The Romans will say that they pierce even their teacher. The guards then wanted at least to push him to see whether he was still alive, in which case he would cry out on account of the pushing. Abba Sikkara said to them: They will say that they push even their teacher. The guards then opened the gate and he was taken out. When Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai reached there, i.e., the Roman camp, he said: Greetings to you, the king; greetings to you, the king. Vespasian said to him: You are liable for two death penalties, one because I am not a king and yet you call me king, and furthermore, if I am a king, why didn’t you come to me until now? Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: As for what you said about yourself: I am not a king, in truth, you are a king, if not now, then in the future. As if you are not a king, Jerusalem will not be handed over into your hand, as it is written: “And the Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one” (Isaiah 10:34). And “mighty one” means only a king, as it is written: “And their mighty one shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from the midst of them” (Jeremiah 30:21), indicating that “mighty one” parallels “ruler.” And “Lebanon” means only the Temple, as it is stated: “That good mountain and the Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25). And as for what you said with your second comment: If I am a king why didn’t you come to me until now, there are zealots among us who did not allow us to do this. Understanding that Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai was prepared to ask him not to destroy the Temple, Vespasian said to him: If there is a barrel of honey and a snake [derakon] is wrapped around it, wouldn’t they break the barrel in order to kill the snake? In similar fashion, I am forced to destroy the city of Jerusalem in order to kill the zealots barricaded within it. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai was silent and did not answer. In light of this, Rav Yosef later read the following verse about him, and some say that it was Rabbi Akiva who applied the verse to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: “I am the Lord…Who turns wise men backward and makes their knowledge foolish” (Isaiah 44:25). As Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai should have said the following to Vespasian in response: In such a case, we take tongs, remove the snake, and kill it, and in this way we leave the barrel intact. So too, you should kill the rebels and leave the city as it is. In the meantime, as they were talking, a messenger [feristaka] arrived from Rome, and said to him: Rise, for the emperor has died, and the noblemen of Rome plan to appoint you as their leader and make you the next emperor. At that time Vespasian was wearing only one shoe, and when he tried to put on the other one, it would not go on his foot. He then tried to remove the other shoe that he was already wearing, but it would not come off. He said: What is this? Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Be not distressed or troubled, for good tidings have reached you, as it is written: “Good tidings make the bone fat” (Proverbs 15:30), and your feet have grown fatter out of joy and satisfaction. Vespasian said to him: But what is the remedy? What must I do in order to put on my shoe? Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Have someone with whom you are displeased come and pass before you, as it is written: “A broken spirit dries the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). He did this, and his shoe went on his foot. Vespasian said to him: Since you are so wise, why didn’t you come to see me until now? Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: But didn’t I already tell you? Vespasian said to him: I also told you what I had to say. Vespasian then said to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: I will be going to Rome to accept my new position, and I will send someone else in my place to continue besieging the city and waging war against it. But before I leave, ask something of me that I can give you. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Give me Yavne and its Sages and do not destroy it, and spare the dynasty of Rabban Gamliel and do not kill them as if they were rebels, and lastly give me doctors to heal Rabbi Tzadok. Rav Yosef read the following verse about him, and some say that it was Rabbi Akiva who applied the verse to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: “I am the Lord…Who turns wise men backward and makes their knowledge foolish” (Isaiah 44:25), as he should have said to him to leave the Jews alone this time. And why didn’t Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai make this request? He maintained that Vespasian might not do that much for him, and there would not be even a small amount of salvation. Therefore, he made only a modest request, in the hope that he would receive at least that much. The Gemara asks: What was he requesting when he asked for doctors to heal Rabbi Tzadok? How did they heal him? The first day they gave him water to drink that contained bran [parei]. The next day they gave him water containing flour mixed with bran [sipuka]. The following day they gave him water containing flour. In this way they slowly restored his ability to eat, allowing his stomach to broaden little by little.