Highlighted words are "cue" words that alert the reader to notice shakla v'taria, a.k.a.Talmudic debate. Shakla v'taria literally means "taking and throwing." Different "cue" words signal the reader to notice different kinds of shakla v'taria.
Underlined words are rabbis' names. The Talmud contains different generations of rabbis, and the relationships between them inform our understanding of the Gemora. Tanaim (plural of Tana) wrote the first layer of the Gemora called Mishna. Amoraim (plural of Amora) wrote the subsequent layers of Talmud, which interpret the Mishna. The Mishna and Talmud together form the Gemora.
Underlined words are rabbis' names. The Talmud contains different generations of rabbis, and the relationships between them inform our understanding of the Gemora. Tanaim (plural of Tana) wrote the first layer of the Gemora called Mishna. Amoraim (plural of Amora) wrote the subsequent layers of Talmud, which interpret the Mishna. The Mishna and Talmud together form the Gemora.
Mishna, circa 200 C.E. written by Tanaim
Talmud, circa 400 C.E. written by Amoraim
Mishna + Talmud = Gemora, circa 600 C.E. includes the Anonymous Voice of the Editor
The rabbis included here are: R. Yonatan (Tana, 5th generation), R. Yochanan (Amora, 1st generation, Israel), Reish Lakish (R. Yochanan's chavruta a.k.a study partner) and R. Shmuel b. Nachmani (Amora, 3rd generation, Israel), Abaye (Amora, 4th generation, Babylonia) and Rav Papa ( Amora, student of Abaye, 5th generation, Babylonia).
Intro: The refrain of this page is "Great is repentance!" Different rabbis debated what this phrase means. Is tshuva great because it overrides a Torah prohibition, hastens redemption, turns intentional sins into either unwitting transgressions or merits, lengthens a person's life or tears up the sentence against a person?
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁדּוֹחָה אֶת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לֵאמֹר הֵן יְשַׁלַּח אִישׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וְהָלְכָה מֵאִתּוֹ וְהָיְתָה לְאִישׁ אַחֵר הֲיָשׁוּב אֵלֶיהָ עוֹד הֲלֹא חָנוֹף תֶּחֱנַף הָאָרֶץ הַהִיא וְאַתְּ זָנִית רֵעִים רַבִּים וְשׁוֹב אֵלַי נְאֻם ה׳״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה (שֶׁמְּקָרֶבֶת) אֶת הַגְּאוּלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל וּלְשָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב״, מָה טַעַם ״וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל״ — מִשּׁוּם דְּ״שָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב״. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁזְּדוֹנוֹת נַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כִּשְׁגָגוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״שׁוּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ כִּי כָשַׁלְתָּ בַּעֲוֹנֶךָ״, הָא ״עָוֹן״ — מֵזִיד הוּא, וְקָא קָרֵי לֵיהּ מִכְשׁוֹל. אִינִי?! וְהָאָמַררֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁזְּדוֹנוֹת נַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כִּזְכִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה עֲלֵיהֶם (חָיֹה) יִחְיֶה״! לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן מֵאַהֲבָה, כָּאן מִיִּרְאָה. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁמַּאֲרֶכֶת שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ (חָיוֹ) יִחְיֶה״.
§ Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Great is repentance, as it overrides even a prohibition of the Torah. How so? As it is stated that God said: “…Saying: If a man sends away his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, may he return to her again? Will not that land be greatly polluted? But you have committed adultery with many lovers; and would you yet return to Me, said the Lord” (Jeremiah 3:1). Indeed, the Torah states: “Her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife after she has been made impure” (Deuteronomy 24:4). The relationship between the Jewish people and the Holy One, Blessed be He, is compared to that between a husband and wife. Just as it is prohibited for an adulterous wife to return to her husband, it should be prohibited for the Jewish people to return to God from their sins, yet repentance overrides this prohibition.
Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which hastens the redemption, as it is stated: “And a redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who repent from transgression in Jacob” (Isaiah 59:20). What is the reason that a redeemer will come to Zion? It is because there are those who repent from transgression in Jacob. Reish Lakish said: Great is repentance, as the penitent’s intentional sins are counted for him as unwitting transgressions, as it is stated: “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity” (Hosea 14:2). The Gemara analyzes this: Doesn’t “iniquity” mean an intentional sin? Yet the prophet calls it stumbling, implying that one who repents is considered as though he only stumbled accidentally in his transgression. The Gemara asks:
Is that so? Didn’t Reish Lakish himself say: Great is repentance, as one’s intentional sins are counted for him as merits, as it is stated: “And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby” (Ezekiel 33:19), and all his deeds, even his transgressions, will become praiseworthy? The Gemara reconciles:
This is not difficult:Here, when one repents out of love, his sins become like merits; there, when one repents out of fear, his sins are counted as unwitting transgressions.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which lengthens the years of a person’s life, as it is stated: “When the wicked man turns from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will preserve his life” (Ezekiel 18:27).
Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which hastens the redemption, as it is stated: “And a redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who repent from transgression in Jacob” (Isaiah 59:20). What is the reason that a redeemer will come to Zion? It is because there are those who repent from transgression in Jacob. Reish Lakish said: Great is repentance, as the penitent’s intentional sins are counted for him as unwitting transgressions, as it is stated: “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity” (Hosea 14:2). The Gemara analyzes this: Doesn’t “iniquity” mean an intentional sin? Yet the prophet calls it stumbling, implying that one who repents is considered as though he only stumbled accidentally in his transgression. The Gemara asks:
Is that so? Didn’t Reish Lakish himself say: Great is repentance, as one’s intentional sins are counted for him as merits, as it is stated: “And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby” (Ezekiel 33:19), and all his deeds, even his transgressions, will become praiseworthy? The Gemara reconciles:
This is not difficult:Here, when one repents out of love, his sins become like merits; there, when one repents out of fear, his sins are counted as unwitting transgressions.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Great is repentance, which lengthens the years of a person’s life, as it is stated: “When the wicked man turns from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will preserve his life” (Ezekiel 18:27).
Today, we prove points with math, science or law, but the rabbis of the Talmud proved their points with Bible verses and their interpretations of those verses.
Even though R. Yonatan's proof appears second on the page, we'll start with it because he was a Tana and lived before the other rabbis quoted here. They would have been familiar with his teachings. R. Yonatan used a Bible verse to prove repentance is great because it hastens redemption. Do you agree with R. Yonatan's interpretation of Isaiah 59:20?
R. Yochanan was an Amora who lived after R. Yonatan and was probably familar with the Tana's teaching that repentance is great because it hastens redemption. However, he chose a fresh interpretation. R. Yochanan taught repentance is great because it overrides a Torah prohibition. He also supports his opinion with a Bible verse. Do you agree with R. Yochanan's interpretation of Jeremiah 3:1?
Reish Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan were chavruta, study partners. They disagreed about the interpretation of "great is repentance" (and lots of other things too), Reish Lakish taught repentance turns intentional sins into unwitting transgresssions. Do you agree with Reish Lakish's interpretation of Ezekiel 33:19?
The anonymous voice of the Gemara objects and challenges whether we're quoting Reish Lakish's teaching correctly. Perhaps, he said that repentance turns intentional sins into merits rather than unintentional transgressions. Which of Reish Lakish's interpretations do you prefer?
The anonymous voice of the Gemara responds to the objection by harmonizing both versions of Reish Lakish's teaching with the "cue" words, "This is not difficult". The first quote applies when we repent out of fear and the second when we repent out of love. What difference does it make whether we repent out of love or out of fear?
R. Shmuel b. Nachmani, then teaches that R. Yonatan was misquoted. He didn't say, "Great is repentance which hastens redemption." What R. Yonatan actually said was that repentance lengthens a person's life. Which of R. Yonatan's possible teachings do you prefer?
R. Yochanan was an Amora who lived after R. Yonatan and was probably familar with the Tana's teaching that repentance is great because it hastens redemption. However, he chose a fresh interpretation. R. Yochanan taught repentance is great because it overrides a Torah prohibition. He also supports his opinion with a Bible verse. Do you agree with R. Yochanan's interpretation of Jeremiah 3:1?
Reish Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan were chavruta, study partners. They disagreed about the interpretation of "great is repentance" (and lots of other things too), Reish Lakish taught repentance turns intentional sins into unwitting transgresssions. Do you agree with Reish Lakish's interpretation of Ezekiel 33:19?
The anonymous voice of the Gemara objects and challenges whether we're quoting Reish Lakish's teaching correctly. Perhaps, he said that repentance turns intentional sins into merits rather than unintentional transgressions. Which of Reish Lakish's interpretations do you prefer?
The anonymous voice of the Gemara responds to the objection by harmonizing both versions of Reish Lakish's teaching with the "cue" words, "This is not difficult". The first quote applies when we repent out of fear and the second when we repent out of love. What difference does it make whether we repent out of love or out of fear?
R. Shmuel b. Nachmani, then teaches that R. Yonatan was misquoted. He didn't say, "Great is repentance which hastens redemption." What R. Yonatan actually said was that repentance lengthens a person's life. Which of R. Yonatan's possible teachings do you prefer?
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁמְּקָרַעַת גְּזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַשְׁמֵן לֵב הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאׇזְנָיו הַכְבֵּד וְעֵינָיו הָשַׁע פֶּן יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו וּבְאׇזְנָיו יִשְׁמָע וּלְבָבוֹ יָבִין וָשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב פָּפָּא לְאַבָּיֵי: וְדִלְמָא לִפְנֵי גְּזַר דִּין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״וְרָפָא לוֹ״ כְּתִיב, אֵיזֶהוּ דָּבָר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ רְפוּאָה — הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה גְּזַר דִּין. מֵיתִיבִי: הַשָּׁב בֵּינְתַיִם — מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ, לֹא שָׁב בֵּינְתַיִם — אֲפִילּוּ הֵבִיא כׇּל אֵילֵי נְבָיוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אֵין מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ! לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא — בְּיָחִיד, הָא — בְּצִבּוּר.
§ Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Great is repentance, for it tears up the sentence issued against a person, as it is stated: “Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and smear over their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and they will return, and be healed” (Isaiah 6:10), implying that if indeed they return and repent, they will be healed from all their sins. Rav Pappa said to Abaye: But perhaps this was said before the sentence was issued, but after one’s sentence has been decreed repentance no longer helps. Abayesaid to him: It is written here: “And they will return and be healed” (Isaiah 6:10). What requires healing? An illness does. Consequently, you must say that the reference here is to a sentence that has already been issued, and even so, after repentance, they will be healed. The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita: If one repents in the meantime, between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, he is forgiven; if he does not repent in the meantime, then even if he later brings as offerings all the rams of Nebaioth in the world, which are of the best quality, they do not forgive him in the Heavenly court. This implies that once one’s sentence has been decreed, even repentance cannot alter it. The Gemara answers: This is not difficult: Here,where repentance is effective only before the sentence on Yom Kippur, the baraita is referring to repentance of an individual; there,where forgiveness is granted even after a sentence is issued, it is referring to communal repentance.
Here, we get an additional teaching of R. Yochanan's interpretation of "great is tshuva". Now, R. Yochanan teaches repentence tears up the decree against a person. Do you agree with his interpretation of Isaiah 6:10? Which of his interpretations do you like better; that repentance overrides a Torah prohibition or tears up a decree against a person?
R. Papa suggests a refinement on R. Yochanan's interpretation of "Great is tshuva to his teacher Abaye. What do you think about Rav Papa's suggestion that tshuva only tears up the decree before it's issued? What do you think of Abaye's teaching that just as healing is only possible after illness so too effective tshuva only comes after the heavenly decree?
The anonymous voice in the Gemora objects to Abaye's statement using the cue words, "raises an objection/מֵיתִיבִי" The anonymous voice brings a baraita, a text contemporaneous with the Mishna but not canonized into the Mishna, to support its point. The baraita teaches the decree is only torn up if we repent between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Do you think it's too late to repent after Yom Kippur?
The anonymous voice then resolves its objection with the cue words, "This is not difficult/לָא קַשְׁיָא"It texplains that one scenario (before Yom Kippur) refers to individual repentance and the other scenario (after Yom Kippur) refers to communal repentance. Why does an individual need to repent before Yom Kippur but the community can repent even after Yom Kippur?
R. Papa suggests a refinement on R. Yochanan's interpretation of "Great is tshuva to his teacher Abaye. What do you think about Rav Papa's suggestion that tshuva only tears up the decree before it's issued? What do you think of Abaye's teaching that just as healing is only possible after illness so too effective tshuva only comes after the heavenly decree?
The anonymous voice in the Gemora objects to Abaye's statement using the cue words, "raises an objection/מֵיתִיבִי" The anonymous voice brings a baraita, a text contemporaneous with the Mishna but not canonized into the Mishna, to support its point. The baraita teaches the decree is only torn up if we repent between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Do you think it's too late to repent after Yom Kippur?
The anonymous voice then resolves its objection with the cue words, "This is not difficult/לָא קַשְׁיָא"It texplains that one scenario (before Yom Kippur) refers to individual repentance and the other scenario (after Yom Kippur) refers to communal repentance. Why does an individual need to repent before Yom Kippur but the community can repent even after Yom Kippur?