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Ketubot 106a

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Babylonian Talmud · folio map

Ketubot 106a

Ketubot 106a. The full printed text of this folio side — 14 numbered segments, about 389 words — with the classic commentaries printed on the page.

Original text

Segment 1

הַאי עֲשֵׂה וְהַאי עֲשֵׂה — עֲשֵׂה דִּכְבוֹד תּוֹרָה עֲדִיף. סַלְּקֵיהּ לְדִינָא דְּיַתְמֵי וְאַחֲתֵיהּ לְדִינֵיהּ, כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזָא בַּעַל דִּינֵיהּ יְקָרָא דְּקָא עָבֵיד לַיהּ, אִיסְתַּתֻּם טַעְנָתֵיהּ.

This is a positive mitzva, for judges to judge cases properly, and this is a positive mitzva, to honor Torah scholars and their families. Rav Naḥman concluded that the positive mitzva of giving honor to the Torah takes precedence. Therefore, he put aside the case of the orphans and settled down to judge the case of that man, under the mistaken assumption that he was a relative of Rav Anan. Once the other litigant saw the honor being accorded to that man by the judge, he grew nervous until his mouth, i.e., his ability to argue his claim, became closed, and he lost the case. In this manner, justice was perverted by Rav Anan, albeit unwittingly and indirectly.

Segment 2

רַב עָנָן הֲוָה רְגִיל אֵלִיָּהוּ דְּאָתֵי גַּבֵּיהּ, דַּהֲוָה מַתְנֵי לֵיהּ סֵדֶר דְּאֵלִיָּהוּ. כֵּיוָן דַּעֲבַד הָכִי, אִיסְתַּלַּק. יְתֵיב בְּתַעֲנִיתָא וּבְעָא רַחֲמֵי וַאֲתָא. כִּי אֲתָא, הֲוָה מְבַעֵית לֵיהּ בַּעוֹתֵי.

Elijah the Prophet was accustomed to come and visit Rav Anan, as the prophet was teaching him the statements that would later be recorded in the volume Seder deEliyahu , the Order of Elijah. Once Rav Anan did this and caused a miscarriage of justice, Elijah departed. Rav Anan sat in observance of a fast and prayed for mercy, and Elijah came back. However, when Elijah came after that, he would scare him, as he would appear in frightening forms.

Segment 3

וַעֲבַד תֵּיבוּתָא וִיתֵיב קַמֵּיהּ עַד דְּאַפֵּיק לֵיהּ סִידְרֵיהּ. וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי: סֵדֶר דְּאֵלִיָּהוּ רַבָּה, סֵדֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ זוּטָא.

And Rav Anan made a box where he settled himself down and he sat before Elijah until he took out for him, i.e., taught him, all of his Seder . And this is what the Sages mean when they say: Seder deEliyahu Rabba , the Major Order of Elijah, and Seder Eliyahu Zuta , the Minor Order of Elijah, as the first order was taught prior to this incident and the second came after it.

Segment 4

בִּשְׁנֵי דְּרַב יוֹסֵף הֲוָה רִיתְחָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרַב יוֹסֵף: לִיבְעֵי מָר רַחֲמֵי. אֲמַר לְהוּ: הַשְׁתָּא וּמָה אֱלִישָׁע דְּכִי הֲווֹ רַבָּנַן מִיפַּטְרִי מִקַּמֵּיהּ, הֲווֹ פָּיְישִׁי תְּרֵי אַלְפֵי וּמָאתַן רַבָּנַן, בְּעִידָּן רִיתְחָא לָא הֲוָה בָּעֵי רַחֲמֵי, אֲנָא אֶיבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי?

§ The Gemara relates: In the years of Rav Yosef there was a divine anger, manifested by world hunger. The Sages said to Rav Yosef: Let the Master pray for mercy concerning this decree. He said to them: Now, if in the case of the prophet Elisha, when the Sages would take their leave of him, 2,200 Sages would remain behind whom he would support from his own pocket, and yet he would not pray for mercy at a time of divine anger and famine, should I pray for mercy?

Segment 5

וּמִמַּאי דְּפָיְישִׁי הָכִי? דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר מְשָׁרְתוֹ מָה אֶתֵּן זֶה לִפְנֵי מֵאָה אִישׁ״. מַאי ״לִפְנֵי מֵאָה אִישׁ״? אִילֵימָא דְּכוּלְּהוּ, לִפְנֵי מֵאָה אִישׁ בִּשְׁנֵי בַצּוֹרֶת טוּבָא הֲווֹ! אֶלָּא דְּכֹל חַד וְחַד קַמֵּי מֵאָה אִישׁ.

The Gemara asks: And from where is it derived that this number of scholars would remain behind with Elisha? As it is written: “And his servant said: How should I set this before a hundred men” (II Kings 4:43). What is the meaning of “before a hundred men”? If we say that all of the gifts that he had received, i.e., the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of corn mentioned in the preceding verse, were meant to be placed before one hundred men, in years of drought and famine this was a good deal of food, which would have sufficed for them. Rather, it must mean that each and every one of the loaves was to be placed before one hundred men. Since he had twenty loaves plus two meals of first-fruits and ears of corn, there must have been 2,200 people present.

Segment 6

כִּי הֲווֹ מִיפַּטְרִי רַבָּנַן מִבֵּי רַב, הֲווֹ פָּיְישִׁי אַלְפָּא וּמָאתַן רַבָּנַן. מִבֵּי רַב הוּנָא, הֲווֹ פָּיְישִׁי תַּמְנֵי מְאָה רַבָּנַן. רַב הוּנָא הֲוָה דָּרֵישׁ בִּתְלֵיסַר אָמוֹרָאֵי. כִּי הֲווֹ קָיְימִי רַבָּנַן מִמְּתִיבְתָּא דְּרַב הוּנָא וְנָפְצִי גְּלִימַיְיהוּ הֲוָה סָלֵיק אַבְקָא וְכָסֵי לֵיהּ לְיוֹמָא, וְאָמְרִי בְּמַעְרְבָא: קָמוּ לֵיהּ מִמְּתִיבְתָּא דְּרַב הוּנָא בַּבְלָאָה.

§ Incidentally, the Gemara relates: When the Sages would take their leave from the school of Rav, 1,200 Sages would remain behind to continue their studies. When the Sages would take their leave from the school of Rav Huna, eight hundred Sages would remain behind. Rav Huna would expound the lesson by means of thirteen speakers, who would repeat his statements to the crowds that had gathered to hear him. When the Sages would arise from listening to lectures in the yeshiva of Rav Huna and dust off their cloaks, the dust would rise and block out the sun, forming a dust cloud that could be seen from afar. And they would say in the West, in Eretz Yisrael: The scholars have just arisen in the yeshiva of Rav Huna the Babylonian.

Segment 7

כִּי מִיפַּטְרִי רַבָּנַן מִבֵּי רַבָּה וְרַב יוֹסֵף, הֲווֹ פָּיְישִׁי אַרְבַּע מְאָה רַבָּנַן, וְקָרוּ לְנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ: ״יַתְמֵי״. כִּי הֲווֹ מִיפַּטְרִי רַבָּנַן מִבֵּי אַבָּיֵי, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ מִבֵּי רַב פָּפָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ מִבֵּי רַב אָשֵׁי, הֲווֹ פָּיְישִׁי מָאתַן רַבָּנַן, וְקָרוּ נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ ״יַתְמֵי דְּיַתְמֵי״.

When the Sages would take their leave from the school of Rabba and Rav Yosef, four hundred Sages would remain behind, and they would refer to themselves as orphans, as they were the only ones left from the entire crowd. When the Sages would take their leave from the school of Abaye, and some say from the school of Rav Pappa, and some say from the school of Rav Ashi, two hundred scholars would remain behind, and they would refer to themselves as orphans of orphans.

Segment 8

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר רְדִיפָא אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי: מְבַקְּרֵי מוּמִין שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין שְׂכָרָן מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים הַמְלַמְּדִין הִלְכוֹת שְׁחִיטָה לְכֹהֲנִים, הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין שְׂכָרָן מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה.

§ The Gemara returns to the issue of those who receive their wages from public funds. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Redifa said that Rabbi Ami said: Inspectors of blemishes of consecrated animals in Jerusalem, who would examine all animals brought to be sacrificed in the Temple to verify that they were free of any blemishes that would disqualify them from being sacrificed on the altar, would take their wages from the collection of the Temple treasury chamber. Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: Torah scholars who teach the halakhot of slaughter to the priests of the Temple would take their wages from the collection of the chamber.

Segment 9

אָמַר רַב גִּידֵּל אָמַר רַב: תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים הַמְלַמְּדִים הִלְכוֹת קְמִיצָה לַכֹּהֲנִים, נוֹטְלִין שְׂכָרָן מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה. אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מַגִּיהֵי סְפָרִים שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין שְׂכָרָן מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה.

Rav Giddel said that Rav said: Torah scholars who teach the halakhot of the removal of a handful to the priests would take their wages from the collection of the chamber. All these scholars were constantly engaged in work necessary for the functioning of the Temple, and therefore they would receive their wages from the Temple treasury. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The proofreaders of the Torah scrolls in Jerusalem would take their wages from the collection of the chamber.

Segment 10

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַב: נָשִׁים הָאוֹרְגוֹת בַּפָּרֹכוֹת, נוֹטְלוֹת שְׂכָרָן מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה. וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר, מִקׇּדְשֵׁי בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת. הוֹאִיל וּפָרֹכוֹת תַּחַת בִּנְיָן עֲשׂוּיוֹת.

Rav Naḥman said that Rav said: The women who weave the curtains that separate the Temple Sanctuary from the Holy of Holies would take their wages from the collection of the chamber. Rav Naḥman added: But I say that they would not be paid from the collection of the chamber; rather, their salary would come from the funds consecrated for Temple maintenance. Why? Since the curtains served in place of the solid construction of the building, they were part of the Temple itself. Therefore, any work performed for the curtains should be paid for from money allocated for building purposes, not from the funds collected to pay for offerings and the daily needs of the Temple.

Segment 11

מֵיתִיבִי: נָשִׁים הָאוֹרְגוֹת בַּפָּרֹכוֹת, וּבֵית גַּרְמוּ עַל מַעֲשֵׂה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, וּבֵית אַבְטִינָס עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטֹרֶת — כּוּלָּן הָיוּ נוֹטְלוֹת שְׂכָרָן מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה!

The Gemara raises an objection to this: The women who weave the curtains, and the house of Garmu, who were in charge of the preparation of the shewbread, and the house of Avtinas, who were in charge of the preparation of the incense, all would take their wages from the collection of the chamber. This contradicts Rav Naḥman’s claim.

Segment 12

הָתָם בִּדְבָבֵי. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא אָמַר רַב: שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה פָּרֹכוֹת הָיוּ בְּמִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי, שֶׁבַע כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעָה שְׁעָרִים, אַחַת לְפִתְחוֹ שֶׁל הֵיכָל, וְאַחַת לְפִתְחוֹ שֶׁל אוּלָם. שְׁתַּיִם בַּדְּבִיר, שְׁתַּיִם כְּנֶגְדָּן בָּעֲלִיָּה.

The Gemara answers: There, it is referring to the curtains of the gates, which were not considered part of the actual Temple building but were decorative in purpose. As Rabbi Zeira said that Rav said: There were thirteen curtains in the Second Temple, seven opposite, i.e., on the inside of, seven gates, one at the entrance to the Sanctuary, one at the entrance to the Entrance Hall, two additional curtains within the partition, in the Holy of Holies in place of the one-cubit partition, and two corresponding to them above in the upper chamber.

Segment 13

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: נָשִׁים הַמְגַדְּלוֹת בְּנֵיהֶן לַפָּרָה — הָיוּ נוֹטְלוֹת שְׂכָרָן מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר: נָשִׁים יְקָרוֹת שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם הָיוּ זָנוֹת אוֹתָן וּמְפַרְנְסוֹת אוֹתָן.

The Sages taught: With regard to the women who raise their children for the red heifer, i.e., who would raise their children in special places so that they would live their entire lives up to that point in a state of ritual purity, enabling them to draw the water for the purposes of the ritual of the red heifer, these women would take their wages from the collection of the chamber. Abba Shaul said: Their wages would not come from the collection of the chamber. Instead, wealthy and prominent women of Jerusalem would sustain them and provide them with a livelihood.

Segment 14

בְּעָא מִינֵּיהּ רַב הוּנָא מֵרַב:

Rav Huna raised a dilemma before Rav:

Ketubot 106a

Ketubot 106a

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