Sanhedrin 92a

יִקְּבֻהוּ לְאוֹם״, וְאֵין לְאוֹם אֶלָּא עוּבָּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּלְאֹם מִלְּאֹם יֶאֱמָץ״. וְאֵין קַבֹּה אֶלָּא קְלָלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל״. וְאֵין בַּר אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נַשְּׁקוּ בַר פֶּן יֶאֱנַף״.

the people [ leom ] shall curse him [ yikkevuhu ], but blessing shall be upon the head of one who provides” (Proverbs 11:26). And the term leom is referring to nothing other than fetuses, as it is stated: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your bowels; and the one leom shall overcome the other leom ” (Genesis 25:23). And kabbo is referring to nothing other than curse, as it is stated in the statement of Balaam: “How can I curse one who is not cursed [ kabbo ] by God?” (Numbers 23:8). And bar is referring to nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “Pay homage to bar lest He be angry” (Psalms 2:12), i.e., observe the Torah to avoid God’s wrath.

עוּלָּא בַּר יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: מְנַקְּבִין אוֹתוֹ כִּכְבָרָה. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״יִקְּבֻהוּ לְאוֹם״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״וַיִּקֹּב חֹר בְּדַלְתּוֹ״. וַאֲמַר אַבָּיֵי: כִּי אוּכְלָא דְקַצָּרֵי.

Ulla bar Yishmael says: One perforates like a sieve a person who withholds halakha from a student. It is written here: “He who withholds bar , the people yikkevuhu ” (Proverbs 11:26), and it is written there: “And he bored [ vayyikkov ] a hole in its lid of it” (II Kings 12:10). And Abaye says: One perforates him like a launderers’ utensil used for sprinkling water on garments.

וְאִם לִמְּדוֹ, מָה שְׂכָרוֹ? אָמַר רָבָא אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: זוֹכֶה לִבְרָכוֹת כְּיוֹסֵף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְרָכָה לְרֹאשׁ מַשְׁבִּיר״. וְאֵין מַשְׁבִּיר אֶלָּא יוֹסֵף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיוֹסֵף הוּא [הַשַּׁלִּיט עַל הָאָרֶץ הוּא] הַמַּשְׁבִּיר לְכׇל עַם הָאָרֶץ״.

And if one teaches the student halakha rather than withholding it, what is his reward? Rava says that Rav Sheshet says: He is privileged to receive blessings like Joseph, as it is stated at the end of that verse: “But blessing shall be upon the head of one who provides [ mashbir ]” (Proverbs 11:26). And mashbir is referring to no one other than Joseph, as it is stated: “And Joseph was the governor of the land, and he was the provider [ hamashbir ] to all the people of the land” (Genesis 42:6).

אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: כׇּל הַמְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה בְּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, זוֹכֶה וּמְלַמְּדָהּ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּמַרְוֶה גַּם הוּא יוֹרֶה״.

Rav Sheshet says: Anyone who teaches Torah in this world is privileged and teaches it in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And he who satisfies abundantly [ umarveh ] shall be satisfied himself [ yoreh ]” (Proverbs 11:25). Rav Sheshet interprets the verse homiletically: By transposing the letters of the word marveh : Mem , reish , vav , heh , one arrives at the word moreh , meaning teaches. The verse means that one who teaches [ moreh ] will teach [ yoreh ] in the future as well.

אָמַר רָבָא: מִנַּיִין לִתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים מִן הַתּוֹרָה? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יְחִי רְאוּבֵן וְאַל יָמֹת״. ״יְחִי רְאוּבֵן״ – בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, ״וְאַל יָמֹת״ – לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. רָבִינָא אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״וְרַבִּים מִיְּשֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת עָפָר יָקִיצוּ אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְאֵלֶּה לַחֲרָפוֹת לְדִרְאוֹן עוֹלָם״. רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״וְאַתָּה לֵךְ [לַקֵּץ] וְתָנוּחַ וְתַעֲמֹד לְגֹרָלְךָ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין״.

The Gemara returns to the topic of the source for resurrection in the Torah. Rava says: From where is resurrection of the dead derived from the Torah? It is derived from a verse, as it is stated: “Let Reuben live and not die, in that his men become few” (Deuteronomy 33:6). This is interpreted: “Let Reuben live” in this world “and not die” in the World-to-Come. Ravina says that resurrection is derived from here: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awaken, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches and everlasting disgrace” (Daniel 12:2). Rav Ashi says proof is derived from here: “But go you your way until the end be; and you shall rest, and arise to your lot at the end of days” (Daniel 12:13).

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל פַּרְנָס שֶׁמַּנְהִיג אֶת הַצִּבּוּר בְּנַחַת, זוֹכֶה וּמַנְהִיגָם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי מְרַחֲמָם יְנַהֲגֵם וְעַל מַבּוּעֵי מַיִם יְנַהֲלֵם״.

§ Rabbi Elazar says: Any communal leader who leads the community calmly, without anger and honestly, is privileged and leads them in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “For he that has compassion upon them will lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them” (Isaiah 49:10). Just as he led them in this world, so too will he guide them in the World-to-Come.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: גְּדוֹלָה דֵּעָה, שֶׁנִּיתְּנָה בֵּין שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כִּי אֵל דֵּעוֹת ה׳״.

The Gemara proceeds to cite additional statements of Rabbi Elazar relating to recommended conduct. And Rabbi Elazar says: Great is knowledge, as it was placed between two letters, two names of God, as it is stated: “For a God of knowledge is the Lord” (I Samuel 2:3).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: גָּדוֹל מִקְדָּשׁ שֶׁנִּיתַּן בֵּין שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״פָּעַלְתָּ ה׳ מִקְּדָשׁ ה׳ כּוֹנְנוּ יָדֶיךָ״. מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב אַדָּא קַרְחִינָאָה: אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה, גְּדוֹלָה נְקָמָה שֶׁנִּיתְּנָה בֵּין שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת, דִּכְתִיב: ״אֵל נְקָמוֹת ה׳ אֵל נְקָמוֹת הוֹפִיַע״!

And Rabbi Elazar says: Great is the Holy Temple, as it too was placed between two letters, two names of God, as it is stated: “The place in which to dwell that You have made, Lord, the Temple, Lord, which Your hands have prepared” (Exodus 15:17). Rav Adda Karḥina’a objects to the explanation that being placed between two names of God accords significance. If that is so, the same should hold true for vengeance. Shall one say: Great is vengeance, as it was placed between two letters, as it is written: “God of vengeance, Lord, God of vengeance shine forth” (Psalms 94:1)?

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְמִילְּתֵיהּ הָכִי נָמֵי, כִּדְעוּלָּא. דְּאָמַר עוּלָּא: שְׁתֵּי הוֹפָעָיוֹת הַלָּלוּ לָמָּה? אַחַת לְמִידָּה טוֹבָה, וְאַחַת לְמִדַּת פּוּרְעָנוּת.

Rabbi Elazar said to him: In its context, indeed, vengeance is great, in accordance with the statement of Ulla. As Ulla says with regard to these two appearances: “O Lord, God to Whom vengeance belongs; God to Whom vengeance belongs, appear” (Psalms 94:1), and: “He appeared from Mount Paran” (Deuteronomy 33:2), why are both necessary? One, the second verse, is necessary for the attribute of divine good, with which God gave the Torah at Sinai, and one, the first verse, is necessary for the attribute of divine punishment, with which God exacts vengeance against the enemies and oppressors of the Jewish people.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל אָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דֵּעָה, כְּאִילּוּ נִבְנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּיָמָיו, שֶׁזֶּה נִיתַּן בֵּין שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת, וְזֶה נִיתַּן בֵּין שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת.

And Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to any person in whom there is knowledge, it is as though the Temple was built in his days, as this, knowledge, was placed between two letters and that, the Temple, was placed between two letters.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל אָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דֵּעָה, לְסוֹף מִתְעַשֵּׁר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְדַעַת חֲדָרִים יִמָּלְאוּ כׇּל הוֹן יָקָר וְנָעִים״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: Any person in whom there is knowledge ultimately becomes wealthy, as it is stated: “And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (Proverbs 24:4).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל אָדָם שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ דֵּעָה אָסוּר לְרַחֵם עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי לֹא עַם בִּינוֹת הוּא עַל כֵּן לֹא יְרַחֲמֶנּוּ עֹשֵׂהוּ וְיֹצְרוֹ לֹא יְחֻנֶּנּוּ״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to any person in whom there is no knowledge, it is prohibited to have mercy upon him, as it is stated: “For it is a people of no understanding; therefore its Maker will have no mercy on them, and its Creator will show them no favor” (Isaiah 27:11). If God has no mercy upon them, all the more so should people not show them mercy.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל הַנּוֹתֵן פִּיתּוֹ לְמִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ דֵּעָה, יִסּוּרִין בָּאִין עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לַחְמְךָ יָשִׂימוּ מָזוֹר תַּחְתֶּיךָ אֵין תְּבוּנָה בּוֹ״. וְאֵין מָזוֹר אֶלָּא יִסּוּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּרְא אֶפְרַיִם אֶת חׇלְיוֹ וִיהוּדָה אֶת מְזֹרוֹ״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to anyone who gives his bread to one without knowledge, afflictions befall him, as it is stated: “They who eat your bread will place mazor under you, in whom there is no discernment” (Obadiah 1:7). And mazor means nothing other than afflictions, based on the parallel with another verse, as it is stated: “And Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound [ mezoro ]” (Hosea 5:13). This indicates that one who gives his bread to one without discernment will ultimately fall ill.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל אָדָם שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ דֵּעָה, לְסוֹף גּוֹלֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לָכֵן גָּלָה עַמִּי מִבְּלִי דָעַת״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: Any person in whom there is no knowledge is ultimately exiled, as it is stated: “Therefore my people are exiled, for lack of knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל בַּיִת שֶׁאֵין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה נִשְׁמָעִים בּוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה, אֵשׁ אוֹכַלְתּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כׇּל חֹשֶׁךְ טָמוּן לִצְפּוּנָיו תְּאׇכְלֵהוּ אֵשׁ לֹא נֻפָּח יֵרַע שָׂרִיד בְּאׇהֳלוֹ״. אֵין שָׂרִיד אֶלָּא תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבַשְּׂרִידִים אֲשֶׁר ה׳ קֹרֵא״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to any house in which there are no matters of Torah heard at night, the fire of Gehenna consumes it, as it is stated: “All darkness is laid up for his treasures, a fire not fanned shall consume him; it shall go ill with a sarid in his tent” (Job 20:26). Sarid is referring to no one but a Torah scholar, as it is stated: “And among the seridim , those whom the Lord shall call” (Joel 3:5). A house that is dark at night and in which no Torah is heard will be consumed by a fire that does not require fanning with a bellows, the fire of Gehenna.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְהַנֶּה תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מִנְּכָסָיו, אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה סִימַן בְּרָכָה לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֵין שָׂרִיד לְאׇכְלוֹ עַל כֵּן לֹא יָחִיל טוּבוֹ״. אֵין ״שָׂרִיד״ אֶלָּא תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבַשְּׂרִידִים אֲשֶׁר ה׳ קֹרֵא״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: Anyone who does not benefit Torah scholars from his property never sees a sign of blessing, as it is stated: “None of his food shall remain [ sarid ]; therefore his prosperity shall not endure” (Job 20:21). Sarid is referring to no one but Torah scholars, as it is stated: “And among the seridim , those whom the Lord shall call.” No prosperity will come to one who does not share his food with a Torah scholar.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְשַׁיֵּיר פַּת עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ, אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה סִימַן בְּרָכָה לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֵין שָׂרִיד לְאׇכְלוֹ עַל כֵּן לֹא יָחִיל טוּבוֹ״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: Anyone who does not leave bread on his table at the end of his meal indicating his gratitude to God for providing him more than enough never sees a sign of blessing, as it is stated: “None of his food shall remain; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.”

וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל הַמְשַׁיַּיר פְּתִיתִים עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ כְּאִילּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הָעֹרְכִים לַגַּד שֻׁלְחָן וְהַמְמַלְאִים לַמְנִי מִמְסָךְ״! לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא דְּאִיכָּא שְׁלֵימָה בַּהֲדֵיהּ, הָא דְּלֵיכָּא שְׁלֵימָה בַּהֲדֵיהּ.

The Gemara asks: But doesn’t Rabbi Elazar say: With regard to anyone who leaves pieces of bread on his table, it is as if he worships idols, as it is stated: “Who prepare a table for Fortune [ Gad ] and offer blended wine for Destiny” (Isaiah 65:11). The people would leave pieces of bread on the table as an offering to the constellation Gad , which they believed influences the fortune of the home. This practice was a form of idol worship. The Gemara answers: This apparent contradiction is not difficult: This case, where leaving pieces of bread is a form of idol worship, applies when there is a whole loaf together with the pieces, as the addition of the pieces is clearly for idol worship; that case, where failure to leave bread on the table is criticized, applies when there is no whole loaf together with the pieces.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל הַמַּחְלִיף בְּדִיבּוּרוֹ כְּאִילּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״וְהָיִיתִי בְעֵינָיו כִּמְתַעְתֵּעַ״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״הֶבֶל הֵמָּה מַעֲשֵׂה תַּעְתֻּעִים״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to anyone who amends the truth in his speech, it is as though he worships idols. As, it is written here, in the verse where Jacob sought to resist taking his father’s blessing from Esau: “And I shall seem to him a deceiver [ metate’a ]” (Genesis 27:12), and it is written there with regard to idol worship: “They are vanity, the work of deception [ tatuim ]” (Jeremiah 10:15).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל הַמִּסְתַּכֵּל בְּעֶרְוָה, קַשְׁתּוֹ נִנְעֶרֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עֶרְיָה תֵעוֹר קַשְׁתֶּךָ״.

And Rabbi Elazar says: With regard to anyone who looks at nakedness [ erva ], his bow is emptied, i.e., he will be robbed of his potency, as it is stated: “Your bow is stripped bare [ erya ]” (Habakkuk 3:9).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לְעוֹלָם הָוֵי קָבֵל וְקַיָּים. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: אַף אֲנַן נָמֵי תְּנֵינָא, בַּיִת אָפֵל אֵין פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ חַלּוֹנוֹת לִרְאוֹת נִגְעוֹ. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.

And Rabbi Elazar says: Forever be in the dark, i.e., anonymous, and you will continue to exist. Rabbi Zeira says: We learn a similar idea in a mishna as well ( Nega’im 2:3): In a dark house, one does not open windows to illuminate it in order to see whether or not its blemish is leprosy, and the house retains the presumptive status of ritual purity. Those matters that are obscured are allowed to continue. The Gemara affirms: Conclude from that mishna that this is so.

אָמַר רַבִּי טָבִי אָמַר רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״שְׁאוֹל וְעֹצֶר רָחַם אֶרֶץ לֹא שָׂבְעָה מַּיִם״? וְכִי מָה עִנְיַן שְׁאוֹל אֵצֶל רֶחֶם? אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ: מָה רֶחֶם מַכְנִיס וּמוֹצִיא, אַף שְׁאוֹל מַכְנִיס וּמוֹצִיא.

§ The Gemara returns to the topic of the source for resurrection in the Torah. Rabbi Tavi says that Rabbi Yoshiya says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “There are three that are never satisfied… the grave, and the barren womb, and earth that does not receive sufficient water” (Proverbs 30:15–16)? And what does a grave have to do with a womb? Rather, they are juxtaposed to say to you: Just as a womb takes in and gives forth, so too a grave takes in and also gives forth, with the resurrection of the dead.

וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וְחוֹמֶר: וּמָה רֶחֶם שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין בּוֹ בַּחֲשַׁאי, מוֹצִיאִין מִמֶּנּוּ בְּקוֹלֵי קוֹלוֹת; שְׁאוֹל שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין בּוֹ בְּקוֹלוֹת, אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁמּוֹצִיאִין מִמֶּנּוּ בְּקוֹלֵי קוֹלוֹת? מִיכָּן תְּשׁוּבָה לָאוֹמְרִין: אֵין תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים מִן הַתּוֹרָה.

And are these matters not inferred a fortiori : If with regard to a womb, into which one introduces the embryo in secret, one removes the baby from it accompanied by the loud sounds of the woman crying out during childbirth, then with regard to the grave, into which one introduces the corpse with sounds of wailing and mourning the dead, is it not right that one removes from it the resurrected dead accompanied by the loud sounds of the resurrected multitudes? From here there is a response to those who say: There is no resurrection of the dead derived from the Torah.

תָּנָא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ: צַדִּיקִים שֶׁעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַחְיוֹתָן אֵינָן חוֹזְרִין לַעֲפָרָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָיָה הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּירוּשָׁלִַים קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֶר לוֹ כׇּל הַכָּתוּב לַחַיִּים בִּירוּשָׁלָיִם״. מָה קָדוֹשׁ לְעוֹלָם קַיָּים – אַף הֵם לְעוֹלָם קַיָּימִין.

The school of Eliyahu taught: The righteous whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, is destined to resurrect do not return to their dust, as it is stated: “And it shall come to pass, that he who remains in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, anyone who is written unto life in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 4:3). Just as the Holy One exists forever, so too will they exist forever.