Sanhedrin 101a

שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ קְצָרָה. ״וְטוֹב לֵב מִשְׁתֶּה תָמִיד״ – זֶה שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ רְחָבָה. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: ״כׇּל יְמֵי עָנִי רָעִים״. וְהָאִיכָּא שַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים? כְּדִשְׁמוּאֵל, דְּאָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: שִׁינּוּי וֶסֶת תְּחִלַּת חוֹלִי מֵעַיִים.

one who is intolerant [ da’ato ketzara ] of others acting against his will. “And for the good-hearted it is always a feast”; this is referring to one who is tolerant and accepts the actions of others. And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says with regard to the verse “All the days of the poor are terrible”: But aren’t there Shabbatot and Festivals, when he rests and eats festive meals? This can be explained in accordance with that statement of Shmuel, as Shmuel says: A change in routine in terms of eating and rest causes the onset of an intestinal ailment. Due to the dramatic deviation on Shabbat from the poor person’s routine he suffers.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הַקּוֹרֵא פָּסוּק שֶׁל שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ כְּמִין זֶמֶר, וְהַקּוֹרֵא פָּסוּק בְּבֵית מִשְׁתָּאוֹת בְּלֹא זְמַנּוֹ – מֵבִיא רָעָה לָעוֹלָם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה חוֹגֶרֶת שַׂק וְעוֹמֶדֶת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאוֹמֶרֶת לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, עֲשָׂאוּנִי בָּנֶיךָ כְּכִנּוֹר שֶׁמְּנַגְּנִין בּוֹ לֵצִים.

§ The Sages taught: One who reads a verse from Song of Songs and renders it a form of secular song, and not a sacred text, and one who reads any biblical verse at a banquet house, not at its appropriate time, but merely as a song, introduces evil to the world, as the Torah girds itself with sackcloth and stands before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and says before Him: Master of the Universe, Your children have rendered me like a harp on which clowns play.

אָמַר לָהּ: בִּתִּי, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין בַּמֶּה יִתְעַסְּקוּ? אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אִם בַּעֲלֵי מִקְרָא הֵן – יַעַסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַנְּבִיאִים וּבַכְּתוּבִים. אִם בַּעֲלֵי מִשְׁנָה הֵן – יַעַסְקוּ בַּמִּשְׁנָה, בַּהֲלָכוֹת וּבְהַגָּדוֹת. וְאִם בַּעֲלֵי תַלְמוּד הֵן – יַעַסְקוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת פֶּסַח בַּפֶּסַח, בְּהִלְכוֹת עֲצֶרֶת בָּעֲצֶרֶת, בְּהִלְכוֹת חַג בֶּחָג. הֵעִיד רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲנַנְיָא: כׇּל הַקּוֹרֵא פָּסוּק בִּזְמַנּוֹ מֵבִיא טוֹבָה לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְדָבָר בְּעִתּוֹ מַה טּוֹב״.

The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to the Torah: My daughter, during the time that they are eating and drinking, in what should they be engaged? The Torah says before Him: Master of the Universe, if they are masters of the Bible, let them engage in the study of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings. If they are masters of the Mishna, let them engage in the study of the Mishna, in the study of halakha , and in the study of aggada . And if they are masters of the Talmud, let them engage in the study of the halakhot of Passover on Passover, in the study of the halakhot of Shavuot on Shavuot , and in the study of the halakhot of Sukkot on Sukkot . They should not treat the Torah with contempt by using it for their own entertainment. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar testified in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥananya: Anyone who reads a verse at its appropriate time and in the appropriate manner introduces good into the world, as it is stated: “And a word in its season, how good is it” (Proverbs 15:23).

וְהַלּוֹחֵשׁ עַל הַמַּכָּה וְכוּ׳. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: וּבְרוֹקֵק בָּהּ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מַזְכִּירִין שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם עַל הָרְקִיקָה. אִיתְּמַר: רַב אָמַר, אֲפִילּוּ ״נֶגַע צָרַעַת״. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ ״וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה״.

§ The mishna teaches: And among those who have no share in the World-to-Come is one who whispers invocations over a wound. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: And that is the case only where he spits into the wound while he whispers, as one does not mention the name of Heaven over spittle, and doing so is an act of contempt for God. It was stated that Rav says: Even the verse: “When a leprous mark is in a man, then he shall be brought to the priest” (Leviticus 13:9), in which there is no mention of the name of God, may not be whispered as an invocation. Rabbi Ḥanina says: Even a verse that is unrelated to the specific illness in question, for example: “And He called to Moses” (Leviticus 1:1), may not be whispered as an invocation.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: סָכִין וּמְמַשְׁמְשִׁין בִּבְנֵי מֵעַיִים בְּשַׁבָּת, וְלוֹחֲשִׁין לְחִישַׁת נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים בְּשַׁבָּת, וּמַעֲבִירִין כְּלִי עַל גַּב הָעַיִן בְּשַׁבָּת. אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בִּכְלִי הַנִּיטָּל, אֲבָל בִּכְלִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִיטָּל – אָסוּר. וְאֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין בִּדְבַר שֵׁדִים בְּשַׁבָּת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: אַף בַּחוֹל אָסוּר.

The Sages taught in a baraita : One may smear oil on and rub the intestinal area on Shabbat to ease pain, and it is not prohibited as a form of healing. One may whisper incantations of snakes and scorpions on Shabbat to ease the pain of their bite. And one may pass a cool vessel upon an infected eye on Shabbat, to soothe the inflammation. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: In what case are these matters stated? They are stated in the case of a vessel that may be moved on Shabbat. But with regard to a vessel that may not be moved, it is prohibited to pass it upon the infected eye on Shabbat. And one may not consult the words of demons on Shabbat. Rabbi Yosei says: Even during the week it is prohibited to consult demons.

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: (אֵין) הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי. וְאַף רַבִּי יוֹסֵי לֹא אֲמָרָהּ אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם סַכָּנָה, כִּי הָא דְּרַב יִצְחָק בַּר יוֹסֵף דְּאִיבְּלַע בְּאַרְזָא, וְאִתְעֲבִיד לֵיהּ נִיסָּא – פְּקַע אַרְזָא וּפַלְטֵיהּ.

Rav Huna said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei. The Gemara notes: And even Rabbi Yosei did not say that it is due to the Torah prohibition of witchcraft that it is prohibited during the week; rather, it is prohibited due to danger, lest the demons harm him. This could happen, as in that incident concerning Rav Yitzḥak bar Yosef, who consulted a demon and as a result was swallowed into a cedar tree, and a miracle was performed for him and the cedar split and expelled him.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: סָכִין וּמְמַשְׁמְשִׁין בִּבְנֵי מֵעַיִים בְּשַׁבָּת, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה בַּחוֹל. הֵיכִי עָבֵיד? רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר: סָךְ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְמַשְׁמֵשׁ. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: סָךְ וּמְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּבַת אַחַת.

The Sages taught in a baraita : One may smear oil on and rub the intestinal area on Shabbat, and it is not a forbidden form of healing, provided that he does not do so in the manner in which he does during the week. The Gemara asks: How then does one do so on Shabbat? Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: One first smears oil and afterward rubs the body. And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: One smears oil and rubs the body simultaneously.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שָׂרֵי שֶׁמֶן וְשָׂרֵי בֵיצִים מוּתָּרִין לִשְׁאוֹל בָּהֶן, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּכַזְּבִין. לוֹחֲשִׁין עַל שֶׁמֶן שֶׁבִּכְלִי, וְאֵין לוֹחֲשִׁין עַל שֶׁמֶן שֶׁבַּיָּד. לְפִיכָךְ סָכִין מִשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁבַּיָּד, וְאֵין סָכִין מִשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁבִּכְלִי.

The Sages taught in a baraita : With regard to demons of oil and demons of eggs, i.e., demons consulted by means of oil and eggs, respectively, it is permitted to consult them; but it is futile to do so, due to the fact that they deceive. One may whisper an incantation for healing over oil that is in a vessel and one may not whisper an incantation over oil that is in one’s hand. Therefore, one may smear oil on his body from oil that is brought to him in another’s hand, and there is no concern that perhaps someone whispered over it; and one may not smear oil that is brought to him in a vessel, as perhaps someone whispered over it and it will cause him harm.

רַב יִצְחָק בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר מָרְתָא אִיקְּלַע לְהָהוּא אוּשְׁפִּיזָא. אַיְיתִי לֵיהּ מִישְׁחָא בְּמָנָא. שָׁף, נְפַקוּ לֵיהּ צִימְחֵי בְּאַפֵּיהּ. נְפַק לְשׁוּקָא. חֲזֵיתֵיהּ הָהִיא אִיתְּתָא, אֲמַרָה: זִיקָא דְּחֵמֶת קָא חָזֵינָא הָכָא. עֲבַדָא לֵיהּ מִלְּתָא וְאִיתַּסִּי.

The Gemara relates: Rav Yitzḥak bar Shmuel bar Marta happened to come to a certain inn, and they brought him oil in a vessel. He rubbed it on his face, and boils developed on his face. He went out to the marketplace, and a certain woman saw him and said: I see here the evil spirit of Ḥamat on your face. She performed an action, i.e., whispered an incantation, for him, and he was healed.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַבָּא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי: כְּתִיב ״כׇּל הַמַּחֲלָה אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם לֹא אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ כִּי אֲנִי ה׳ רֹפְאֶךָ״, וְכִי מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא שָׂם, רְפוּאָה לָמָּה? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִקְרָא זֶה מֵעַצְמוֹ נִדְרָשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיֹּאמֶר אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע לְקוֹל ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״ – אִם תִּשְׁמַע לֹא אָשִׂים, וְאִם לֹא תִּשְׁמַע אָשִׂים. אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, ״כִּי אֲנִי ה׳ רֹפְאֶךָ״.

Rabbi Abba said to Rabba bar Mari that there is an apparent contradiction in a verse. It is written: “All the disease that I placed in Egypt I shall not place upon you, for I am the Lord, your Healer” (Exodus 15:26). And since God does not place the disease upon the Jewish people, why is healing necessary? Rabba bar Mari said to him that this is what Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This verse can be interpreted and the contradiction resolved from the contents of the verse itself, as it is stated: “And He said: If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord, your God” (Exodus 15:26). If you hearken to God’s voice, I will not place the disease upon you, and if you do not hearken to God’s voice, I will place the disease upon you. Nevertheless, even if you do not hearken to the voice of God, and I place the disease upon you, know that I will heal you, “for I am the Lord, your Healer.”

אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה: כְּשֶׁחָלָה רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, נִכְנְסוּ תַּלְמִידָיו לְבַקְּרוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶן: חֵמָה עַזָּה יֵשׁ בָּעוֹלָם. הִתְחִילוּ הֵן בּוֹכִין, וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מְשַׂחֵק. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: לָמָּה אַתָּה מְשַׂחֵק? אָמַר לָהֶן: וְכִי מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתֶּם בּוֹכִים? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֶפְשָׁר סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה שָׁרוּי בְּצַעַר וְלֹא נִבְכֶּה?

§ Rabba bar bar Ḥana says: When Rabbi Eliezer fell ill, his students entered to visit him. Rabbi Eliezer said to them: There is intense wrath in the world, and it is due to that wrath of the Holy One, Blessed be He, Who is angry at His world, that I am suffering from these afflictions. His students began to cry due to their teacher’s suffering, and Rabbi Akiva was laughing. They said to him: Why are you laughing? Rabbi Akiva said to them: And for what reason are you crying? They said to him: Is it possible that Rabbi Eliezer, who is as much an exemplar of Torah as a Torah scroll, is afflicted with pain and we will not cry?

אָמַר לָהֶן: לְכָךְ אֲנִי מְשַׂחֵק, כׇּל זְמַן שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה רַבִּי שֶׁאֵין יֵינוֹ מַחְמִיץ וְאֵין פִּשְׁתָּנוֹ לוֹקֶה וְאֵין שַׁמְנוֹ מַבְאִישׁ וְאֵין דּוּבְשָׁנוֹ מַדְבִּישׁ, אָמַרְתִּי שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם קִיבֵּל רַבִּי עוֹלָמוֹ. וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה רַבִּי בְּצַעַר, אֲנִי שָׂמֵחַ. אָמַר לוֹ: עֲקִיבָא, כְּלוּם חִיסַּרְתִּי מִן הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ? אָמַר לוֹ: לִימַּדְתָּנוּ רַבֵּינוּ, ״כִּי אָדָם אֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה טּוֹב וְלֹא יֶחֱטָא״.

Rabbi Akiva said to them: It is for that reason that I am laughing. As long as I would see for my teacher that neither does his wine ferment and spoil, nor is his flax stricken, nor does his oil spoil, nor does his honey turn rancid, I would say to myself: Perhaps, Heaven forfend, my teacher has already received his world in reward for the mitzvot that he fulfilled, and will not receive a reward in the World-to-Come. But now that I see my teacher overcome with suffering, I am happy. He is receiving punishment in this world for the few transgressions that he might have committed, ensuring that he will receive a complete reward in the World-to-Come. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: Akiva, have I failed to fulfill any portion of the entire Torah? Rabbi Akiva said to him, you taught us, our teacher: “For there is not a righteous man upon earth who does good and sins not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20).

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כְּשֶׁחָלָה רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, נִכְנְסוּ אַרְבָּעָה זְקֵנִים לְבַקְּרוֹ: רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא.

The Sages taught in a baraita : When Rabbi Eliezer fell ill, four Sages entered to visit him: Rabbi Tarfon, and Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, and Rabbi Akiva.

נַעֲנָה רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן וְאָמַר: טוֹב אַתָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִטִּיפָּה שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים, שֶׁטִּיפָּה שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְרַבִּי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Rabbi Tarfon responded to the situation with words of encouragement and said: You are better for the Jewish people than a drop of rain, as a drop of rain provides benefit in this world, and my teacher provides them benefit in this world and in the World-to-Come.

נַעֲנָה רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְאָמַר: טוֹב אַתָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹתֵר מִגַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, שֶׁגַּלְגַּל חַמָּה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְרַבִּי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Rabbi Yehoshua responded and said: You are better for the Jewish people than the sphere of the sun, as the sphere of the sun provides benefit in this world, and my teacher provides benefit in this world and in the World-to-Come.

נַעֲנָה רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה וְאָמַר: טוֹב אַתָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹתֵר מֵאָב וָאֵם, שֶׁאָב וָאֵם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְרַבִּי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya responded and said: You are better for the Jewish people than a father and mother, as a father and mother provide benefit in this world, and my teacher provides benefit in this world and in the World-to-Come.

נַעֲנָה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְאָמַר: חֲבִיבִין יִסּוּרִין. אָמַר לָהֶם: סַמְּכוּנִי וְאֶשְׁמְעָה דִּבְרֵי עֲקִיבָא תַּלְמִידִי שֶׁאָמַר חֲבִיבִין יִסּוּרִין. אָמַר לוֹ: עֲקִיבָא, זוֹ מִנַּיִן לָךְ? אָמַר: מִקְרָא אֲנִי דּוֹרֵשׁ: ״בֶּן שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מְנַשֶּׁה בְמׇלְכוֹ וַחֲמִשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָים [וְגוֹ׳] וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה׳״, וּכְתִיב:

Rabbi Akiva responded and said: Afflictions are cherished. When Rabbi Eliezer heard this he said to his attendants: Support me so I can sit and hear the statement of Akiva my student, who said: Afflictions are cherished. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: Akiva, from where do you derive this? Rabbi Akiva said: I interpret a verse in order to derive it. It is written: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem…And he performed that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord” (II Kings 21:1–2). And it is written: