When the river split (part 2)

Hi,

(continued from yesterday:)

"There was also a man who was carrying wheat for Passover. R' Pinchas ben Yair told the river, 'Split for him, to, for he is involved in a mitzvah!' The river split.

"There was also an Arab merchant escorting R' Pinchas and the wheat-carrier. R' Pinchas ben Yair told the river, 'Split for him, too, lest he say, 'This is what is done to those who escort others?' The  river split for him, too."

(Talmud, Chullin 7a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

When the river split (part 1)

Hi,

"R' Pinchas ben Yair was en route to redeem captives, when he came to  the Ginai River. He said, 'Ginai, split your water for me and I will pass!'

"The river replied, 'You are trying to do your Creator's bidding and I am trying to do my Creator's bidding - but you are only possibly going to succeed, while I certainly am succeeding!'

"R' Pinchas ben Yair responded, 'Split, or I will decree that you will dry up entirely!'

"The river split."

(Talmud, Chullin 7a; To be continued tomorrow, Gd-willing...)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Gd helps people remain righteous

Hi,

"Gd will not allow sin to be caused by the animals of the righteous [much less the righteous themselves]!"

(Talmud, Chullin 6a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Israel is beloved to all

Hi,

"From the way all of the nations build great cities and name them after the  mountains of Israel, we see how beloved the land of Israel is to all of the nations of the world."

(Talmud, Chullin 60b)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Humans v Angels

Hi,

"Israel is more beloved before Gd than the ministering malachim, for Israel sings to Gd always, and the ministering malachim only sing daily, some say weekly, some say monthly, some say annually, some say once every seven years, some say once every Jubilee, some say once in eternity.

"Also, Israel mentions Gd's Name after only two words, as in, Shema Yisrael HaShem, and the ministering malachim after three words, Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh HaShem Tzevakot. Also, ministering malachim cannot sing in heaven until Israel sings below, as it is written, 'When the morning stars [ie the Jews] sing together… And the bnei Elokim trumpet.'"

(Talmud, Chullin 91b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Grabbing a mitzvah

Hi,

"Rava said: Rav Yosef tested us with the following question: If a kohen grabs from the gifts which are designed forkohanim, is he displaying love for the mitzvah or is he degrading the mitzvah? And we answered him that the Torah says, "And he shall give [the gift]" – indicating that the kohen should not take it on his own."

(Talmud, Chullin 133a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair did not want to eat out - Part II

Hi,

"When Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair came to Rebbe's home, he sought to enter through a passage where [he found that] a white mule stood. He exclaimed, 'The angel of death [for white mules were particularly vicious] is in this house; how could I eat with him?'

"Rebbe heard this and exited to greet him. He said, 'Should I sell it?!' To which Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied, 'You shall not put a stumbling block before the blind!'

"He said, 'I will abandon it!' To which Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied, 'You will increase the harm! '

"He said, 'I will remove its hooves!' To which Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied, 'This will pain a living creature!'

" He said, 'I will kill it!' To which Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied, 'That would violate the prohibition against waste!'

(Talmud, Chullin 7b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair did not want to eat out - Part I

Hi,

"Rebbe heard [that Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair had arrived]. He went out to greet him, and asked, 'Would you like eat with me?' Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied: Yes.

"Rebbe's face shone [with joy]. Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair said to him, 'Did you think I had vowed not to benefit from Israel? Israel is a holy people! I only refuse because some people want to host but lack the means, and others have the means but don't sincerely want to host, and it is written (Mishlei 23:6-7), 'Do not eat the bread of a stingy person, and do not desire his tasty food, for it is bitter in his soul; he will instruct you, 'Eat and drink,' but his heart is not with you.' You, on the other hand, sincerely want to host and have the means.'"

(Talmud, Chullin 7b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Don't embarrass your rebbe

Hi,

Mishlei 23:1-3 says, "When you sit down to eat with a ruler, contemplate that which is before you. Place a knife to your throat if you are a person of great hunger. Do not desire his delicacies; they are the bread of deceit."

"If a student knows that his mentor will be able to answer his question with insight, then 'Contemplate'.

"If not, 'Contemplate that which is before you [independently, rather than embarrass him], and place a knife to your throat [rather than ask and embarrass him].

"'If you are a person of great hunger' [to ask your question], leave that mentor."

(Talmud, Chullin 6a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Reward and the Afterlife

Hi,

"They taught in the yeshiva of R’ Yaakov… If a person's father told him to climb a building and bring back young birds, and he ascended, sent away the mother and took the young, and then upon his return he fell and died, what of his “length of days” [promised biblically as a reward for honoring parents and for sending away a mother bird before taking the young] and where would be the good due to him?

"Rather, “so that your days will be aroch” refers to the world that is entirely aroch, and “so that it will be good for you” is in the world that is entirely good.

"But perhaps such an event simply could not happen? R’ Yaakov witnessed such an event."

[Note: I did not translate "aroch" because some render it as "long" and others as "of high quality". The former is Hebrew, the latter is Aramaic. I could see arguments for either translation.]

(Talmud, Chullin 142a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Another reason for righteous people to make aliyah...

Hi,

"'When the exiles ascended to Israel, shooting stars, quakes, mighty winds and thunder stopped, their wine did not turn to vinegar and their flax was not harmed.' The sages turned their eyes to R’ Chiyya and his children."

(Talmud, Chullin 86a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Halachic consistency

Hi,

“The law follows Beit Hillel. One who wishes to follow Beit Shammai may do so, one who wishes to follow Beit Shammai may do so. One who follows the leniencies of Beit Shammai and the leniencies of Beit Hillel is wicked. Regarding one who follows the stringencies of Beit Shammai and the stringencies of Beit Hillel, it is written (Kohelet 2), ‘The fool walks in the dark.’"

"Rather, either like Beit Shammai’s leniencies and stringencies, or like Beit Hillel’s leniencies and stringencies.”

(Talmud, Chullin 43b-44a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Prohibitions and Permissions

Hi,

"Yalta said to Rav Nachman [her husband]: For every experience that Gd prohibited to us, He permitted us a similar experience."

(Talmud, Chullin 109b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Divine mercy

Hi,

"When Rabbi Yochanan would see an ant, he would quote the verse, 'Your charity is like mighty mountains.'"

Rashi explains: Rabbi Yochanan was commenting on the fact that Gd provides food for the tiny ant just as He provides it for mighty beasts.

(Talmud, Chullin 63a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Intent and Action

Hi,

"Gd does not consider a wicked plan equivalent to a wicked deed."

This means that a person who plans to do something wrong, but is unsuccessful, is not considered to have performed the act.

The Talmud notes one exception to the rule: Idolatrous thoughts.

(Talmud, Chullin 142a)

Have a good day,
Mordechai