Sanhedrin 111a

מַאי ״אָמֵן״? אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: ״אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן״.

What is the meaning of the term amen? Rabbi Ḥanina says: It is an acronym of the words: God, faithful King [ El Melekh ne’eman ].

״לָכֵן הִרְחִיבָה שְּׁאוֹל נַפְשָׁהּ וּפָעֲרָה פִיהָ לִבְלִי חֹק״. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: לְמִי שֶׁמְּשַׁיֵּיר אֲפִילּוּ חוֹק אֶחָד. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לָא נִיחָא לְמָרַיְיהוּ דְּאָמְרַתְּ לְהוּ הָכִי, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ לֹא לָמַד אֶלָּא חוֹק אֶחָד.

§ With regard to the verse: “Therefore, the netherworld has enlarged itself and opened its mouth without measure [ livli ḥok ]” (Isaiah 5:14), Reish Lakish says: It is referring to one who leaves even one statute [ ḥok ] unfulfilled; the netherworld expands for him. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: It is not satisfactory to God, their Master, that you said this about them, as according to Reish Lakish’s opinion most of the Jewish people would be doomed to Gehenna. Rather, even if one learned only one statute, he has a share in the World-to-Come, and “ livli ḥok ” means one who has learned no statutes at all.

(שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר) ״וְהָיָה בְכׇל הָאָרֶץ נְאֻם ה׳ פִּי שְׁנַיִם בָּהּ יִכָּרְתוּ יִגְוָעוּ וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית יִוָּתֶר בָּהּ״. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: שְׁלִישִׁי שֶׁל שֵׁם. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לָא נִיחָא לְמָרַיְיהוּ דְּאָמְרַתְּ לְהוּ הָכִי, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ שְׁלִישִׁי שֶׁל נֹחַ.

With regard to that which is stated: “And it shall come to pass that in all the land, says the Lord, two parts shall be excised and die, but the third shall remain in it” (Zechariah 13:8), Reish Lakish says: “The third” means that only one-third of the descendants of Shem, son of Noah, will remain, and everyone else will die. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to Reish Lakish: It is not satisfactory to God, their Master, that you said this about them, that the overwhelming majority of the world will be destroyed. Rather, even as many as one-third of the descendants of Noah, one-third of the population of the world, will remain.

״כִּי אָנֹכִי בָּעַלְתִּי בָכֶם וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אֶחָד מֵעִיר וּשְׁנַיִם מִמִּשְׁפָּחָה״. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: דְּבָרִים כִּכְתָבָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לָא נִיחָא לֵיהּ לְמָרַיְיהוּ דְּאָמְרַתְּ לְהוּ הָכִי, אֶלָּא אֶחָד מֵעִיר מְזַכֶּה כָּל הָעִיר כּוּלָּהּ, וּשְׁנַיִם מִמִּשְׁפָּחָה מְזַכִּין כָּל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה כּוּלָּהּ. יָתֵיב רַב כָּהֲנָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב וְיָתֵיב וְקָאָמַר: דְּבָרִים כִּכְתָבָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב: לָא נִיחָא לֵיהּ לְמָרַיְיהוּ דְּאָמְרַתְּ לְהוּ הָכִי, אֶלָּא אֶחָד מֵעִיר מְזַכֶּה כָּל הָעִיר, וּשְׁנַיִם מִמִּשְׁפָּחָה מְזַכִּין כָּל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה.

With regard to the verse: “For I have taken you to Myself: And I will take out one of a city, and two of a family” (Jeremiah 3:14), Reish Lakish says: The meaning of this statement is as it is written, that only individuals will be spared and the rest will be destroyed. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: It is not satisfactory to God, their Master, that you said this about them. Rather, the merit of one from the city causes the entire city to benefit, and the merit of two from a family causes the entire family to benefit and be redeemed. Likewise, the Gemara relates that Rav Kahana sat before Rav, and sat and said: The meaning of this statement is as it is written. Rav said to him: It is not satisfactory to God, their Master, that you said this about them. Rather, the merit of one from the city causes the entire city to benefit, and the merit of two from a family causes the entire family to benefit and be redeemed.

חַזְיֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה קָא חָיֵיף רֵישֵׁיהּ וְסָלֵיק וְיָתֵיב קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״וְלֹא תִמָּצֵא בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מֵילָט קָא לָיְיטַתְּ לִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: קְרָא קָאָמֵינָא, לֹא תִּמָּצֵא תּוֹרָה בְּמִי שֶׁמְּחַיֶּה עַצְמוֹ עָלֶיהָ.

The Gemara relates that Rav saw that Rav Kahana was washing the hair on his head and then arose and sat before Rav. Rav said to Rav Kahana: “Nor shall it be found in the land of the living [ haḥayyim ]” (Job 28:13). Rav Kahana thought that Rav addressed that verse to him and he said to Rav: Are you cursing me? Rav said to him: It is a verse that I am saying to remind you that Torah will not be found in one who sustains [ meḥayye ] himself in an indulgent manner in its study; rather, Torah is acquired through suffering and difficulty.

תַּנְיָא: רַב סִימַאי אוֹמֵר, נֶאֱמַר: ״וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לִי לְעָם״, וְנֶאֱמַר: ״וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם״. מַקִּישׁ יְצִיאָתָן מִמִּצְרַיִם לְבִיאָתָן לָאָרֶץ. מָה בִּיאָתָן לָאָרֶץ – שְׁנַיִם מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִיבּוֹא, אַף יְצִיאָתָן מִמִּצְרַיִם – שְׁנַיִם מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִיבּוֹא. אָמַר רָבָא: וְכֵן לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעָנְתָה שָּׁמָּה כִּימֵי נְעוּרֶיהָ וּכְיוֹם עֲלוֹתָהּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם״.

It is taught in a baraita with regard to the few that are destined to be redeemed: Rav Simai says that it is stated: “And I will take you to Me as a people” (Exodus 6:7), and juxtaposed to that verse it is stated: “And I will bring you into the land” (Exodus 6:8). The Torah compares their exodus from Egypt to their entry into the land; just as during their entry into the land only two of six hundred thousand entered the land, as they all died in the wilderness except for Caleb and Joshua, so too, during their exodus from Egypt, in terms of the ratio, only two of six hundred thousand left Egypt and the rest died there. Rava says: And likewise, that will be the situation in the messianic era, as it is stated: “And she shall respond there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt” (Hosea 2:17). The ultimate redemption and the exodus from Egypt are juxtaposed, indicating that in the messianic era too, only few will survive.

תַּנְיָא: אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, פַּעַם אַחַת נִכְנַסְתִּי לַאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָּא שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם. מָצָאתִי זָקֵן אֶחָד וְאָמַר לִי: בֹּא וְאַרְאֶךָּ מָה עָשׂוּ אֲבוֹתַי לַאֲבוֹתֶיךָ. מֵהֶם טִבְּעוּ בַּיָּם, מֵהֶם הָרְגוּ בַּחֶרֶב, מֵהֶם מָעֲכוּ בְּבִנְיָן. וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה נֶעֱנַשׁ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּמֵאָז בָּאתִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה לְדַבֵּר בִּשְׁמֶךָ הֵרַע לָעָם הַזֶּה״.

§ It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, says: One time I entered Alexandria of Egypt. I found one old man and he said to me: Come and I will show you what my ancestors, the Egyptians, did to your ancestors, the Jewish people. Some of them they drowned in the sea, some of them they killed with the sword, and some of them they crushed in the buildings. And it is over this matter, Moses’ protest of the afflictions suffered by the Jewish people, that Moses, our teacher, was punished, as it is stated: “For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people, neither have You delivered Your people at all” (Exodus 5:23).

אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: חֲבָל עַל דְּאָבְדִין וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְחִין. הֲרֵי כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים נִגְלֵיתִי עַל אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדַּי, וְלֹא הִרְהֲרוּ עַל מִדּוֹתַי, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לִי ״מַה שְּׁמֶךָ״. אָמַרְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם ״קוּם הִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ לְאׇרְכָּהּ וּלְרׇחְבָּהּ כִּי לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה״. בִּקֵּשׁ מָקוֹם לִקְבּוֹר אֶת שָׂרָה וְלֹא מָצָא, עַד שֶׁקָּנָה בְּאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שֶׁקֶל כֶּסֶף, וְלֹא הִרְהֵר עַל מִדּוֹתַי.

The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Woe over those who are gone and are no longer found; as several times I revealed Myself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty [ El Shaddai ] and they did not question My attributes, and did not say to Me: What is Your name? I said to Abraham: “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for unto you I will give it” (Genesis 13:17). Ultimately, he sought a place to bury Sarah and did not find one until he purchased it for four hundred silver shekels, and he did not question My attributes and did not protest that I failed to fulfill My promise to give him the land.

אָמַרְתִּי לְיִצְחָק: ״גּוּר בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וְאֶהְיֶה עִמְּךָ וַאֲבָרְכֶךָּ״. בִּקְּשׁוּ עֲבָדָיו מַיִם לִשְׁתּוֹת וְלֹא מָצְאוּ, עַד שֶׁעָשׂוּ מְרִיבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיָּרִיבוּ רֹעֵי גְרָר עִם רֹעֵי יִצְחָק לֵאמֹר לָנוּ הַמָּיִם״. וְלֹא הִרְהֵר אַחַר מִדּוֹתַי.

I said to Isaac: “Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you” (Genesis 26:3). His servants sought water to drink and they did not find it until they started a quarrel, as it is stated: “And the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen saying: The water is ours” (Genesis 26:20), and he did not question My attributes.

אָמַרְתִּי לְיַעֲקֹב: ״הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה״. בִּיקֵּשׁ מָקוֹם לִנְטוֹעַ אׇהֳלוֹ, וְלֹא מָצָא, עַד שֶׁקָּנָה בְּמֵאָה קְשִׂיטָה, וְלֹא הִרְהֵר אַחַר מִדּוֹתַי, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לִי: ״מַה שְּׁמֶךָ״, וְאַתָּה אָמְרַתְּ לִי: ״מַה שְּׁמֶךָ״ בַּתְּחִלָּה, וְעַכְשָׁיו אַתָּה אוֹמֵר לִי: ״וְהַצֵּל לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ אֶת עַמֶּךָ״. ״עַתָּה תִרְאֶה אֵת אֲשֶׁר אֶעֱשֶׂה לְפַרְעֹה״. בְּמִלְחֶמֶת פַּרְעֹה אַתָּה רוֹאֶה, וְאִי אַתָּה רוֹאֶה בְּמִלְחֶמֶת שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים.

I said to Jacob: “The land upon which you lie, to you I will give it” (Genesis 28:13). He sought a place to pitch his tent and he did not find one until he purchased it for one hundred coins, and he did not question My attributes, and did not say to Me: What is Your name? And you, Moses, ask Me: What is Your name, initially, after witnessing My greatness more than they ever did. And now you say to Me: “Neither have You delivered Your people” (Exodus 5:23). The verse then states: “Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh” (Exodus 6:1). One can infer: The war with Pharaoh and his downfall you shall see, but you will not see the war with the thirty-one kings in Eretz Yisrael, as you will not be privileged to conquer Eretz Yisrael for the Jewish people.

״וַיְמַהֵר מֹשֶׁה וַיִּקֹּד אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ״. מָה רָאָה מֹשֶׁה?

§ With regard to the verse: “And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed: The Lord, the Lord, compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving-kindness and truth, extending loving-kindness to thousands of generations… and Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth and prostrated himself” (Exodus 34:6–8), the Gemara asks: What did Moses see in these attributes that caused him to hastily prostrate himself?

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן גַּמְלָא אָמַר: ״אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם״ רָאָה, וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: ״אֱמֶת״ רָאָה. תַּנְיָא כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר ״אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם״ רָאָה, דְּתַנְיָא: כְּשֶׁעָלָה מֹשֶׁה לְמָרוֹם מְצָאוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְכוֹתֵב ״אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם״. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, ״אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם״ לַצַּדִּיקִים? אָמַר לוֹ: ״אַף לָרְשָׁעִים״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רְשָׁעִים יֹאבֵדוּ! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַשְׁתָּא חָזֵית (מַאי) דְּמִבְּעֵי לָךְ.

Rabbi Ḥanina ben Gamla says: He saw the attribute of slow to anger; and the Rabbis say: He saw the attribute of truth. It is taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of the one who said: He saw the attribute of slow to anger, as it is taught in a baraita : When Moses ascended on high, he discovered the Holy One, Blessed be He, sitting and writing: Slow to anger. Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, is Your attribute of slow to anger only to be used for the righteous? God said to him: It is an attribute even for the wicked. Moses said to Him: Let the wicked be doomed. God said to him: Now, you will see that you will need this, as ultimately you will reconsider that statement.

כְּשֶׁחָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לוֹ: לֹא כָּךְ אָמַרְתָּ לִי ״אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם לַצַּדִּיקִים״?

When the Jewish people sinned in the sin of the spies and Moses asked God to forgive them, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Didn’t you say to Me that the attribute of slow to anger is for the righteous alone? They are not worthy of atonement.