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Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer — Friedlander 1916 annotated English

Unverified edition · Chapter 1

Reading language: eng · Original language (catalog): Ancient source language(s)

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Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 1:1

CHAPTER ITHE CHAPTERS OF RABBI ELIEZER THE GREAT1 Also called “Baraitha of Rabbi Eliezer”; see supra, Introduction, and cf. Zunz, G.V., p. 283, Weiss, Dor Dor veDorshav, iii. p. 290, and Hamburger, Real-Ency. s. 11. i. pp. 162 ff., on the P.R.E. The first two chapters are probably a later addition to the Midrash contained in the rest of the “Chapters.” They form a very good introduction to this pseudepigraphic book, which was attributed to the famous teacher, Rabbi Eliezer the Great. The third chapter opens with the name of Rabbi Eliezer. The MS. fragment of our book in the British Museum which Horowitz has edited in his Sammlung Kleiner Midraschim, i. 4 ff., begins with the third chapter. The same fact obtains in some of the fragments contained in the Bodleian Library. For the biography of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrḳanos see Bacher, T. i. pp. 96 ff., and J.E. v. 113 ff., where a bibliography is added. Our “Chapters” contain about twenty dicta attributed to R. Eliezer; see Bacher, op. cit. pp. 122 f., who considers all these sayings as pseudepigraphic. The subject-matter of the first two chapters of our book is to be found in Aboth d. R. Nathan (a) 6 (b) xiii., Jalḳuṭ, Gen. §72, and Gen. Rab. 42 (in the new edition of Theodor, ch. xli., where further parallels are given in the notes on p. 397). Various recensions of the first two chapters have been published by Horowitz, Beth ‘Eḳed Ha-Hagadoth, pp. 7 ff.RABBI ELIEZER AND THE TORAH2 The headings to the chapters have been added by the translator. The numbers in the square brackets after the headings indicate the pages and columns of the MS. [1B. i.]THE following befell Rabbi Eliezer, son of Hyrḳanos. His father had many ploughmen3 Gen. Rab. 42:1 and Jalḳuṭ, Gen., loc. cit., read: “his brethren were ploughing in the plain, whereas he was ploughing on the mountain.” The 1st and 2nd eds. omit the word “many.” who were ploughing arable ground,4 Lit. “were ploughing upon the surface of the furrow.” Cf. Ps. 129:3 for the word “furrows,” whereas he was ploughing a stony plot; he sat down and wept. His father said to him: O my son! Why dost thou weep? Art thou perchance distressed because thou dost plough a stony plot? In the past thou hast ploughed a stony plot,1 These words are omitted in the 1st and 2nd eds. now behold thou shalt plough with us arable soil.2 This would be easier labour. At this point the MS. adds the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet to signify the beginning of the second paragraph. The 1st and 2nd eds. omit “with us.” He sat down on the arable ground and wept. His father said to him: But why dost thou weep? Art thou perchance distressed because thou art ploughing the arable land? He replied to him: No. (Hyrḳanos) said to him: Why dost thou weep? He answered him: I weep only because I desire to learn Torah.3 Torah is not merely the written word of God, but also its oral interpretation. The term sums up all that is implied by Religion and Ethics. (Hyrḳanos) said to him: Verily thou art twenty-eight years old4 Aboth d. R. Nathan (a) 6reads “22 years,” and cf. ibid. (b) xiii.—yet dost thou desire to learn Torah? Nay, go, take thee a wife and beget sons and thou wilt take them to the school.5 Thy merit will be accounted as though thou didst study the Torah; see T.B. Ḳiddushin, 30a, for this doctrine. The second paragraph in MS. ends here. He fasted two weeks6 “He was distressed for three weeks” is the reading in Aboth d. R. Nathan (b) xiii. On “weeks” see Krauss, T.A. ii. pp. 422 f.; and note 784. not tasting || anything, until Elijah7 On Elijah in Rabbinical literature see J.E. v. 122 ff. In our work the Elijah story and legends are treated at considerable length. In Christian books Elijah also appears; see Mark ix. 4 ff. and Matt. xvii. 11. In the Gospel of Barnabas (124a) Elijah rebukes a man for weeping. See also Coptic Apocrypha, ed. Budge, p. 265, for a further parallel. Elijah is the “comforter” in Jewish and Christian literature, and in this capacity he is the forerunner of the Messiah.— may he be remembered for good8 On this expression see Zunz, Zur Gesch. pp. 321 ff.—appeared to him and said to him: Son of Hyrḳanos! Why dost thou weep? He replied to him: Because I desire to learn Torah. (Elijah) said to him: If thou desirest to learn Torah get thee up to Jerusalem to Rabban Jochanan ben Ẓakkai.9 The greatest teacher of his day, who preserved Judaism in spite of the overthrow of the Jewish State by the Romans, in the year 70 C.E. For his biography see Bacher, T. i. pp. 22 ff., and J.E. vii. 214 ff. Graetz, Geschichte der Juden, iv. pp. 11 ff., Schürer, ii. 366 ff., and Schlatter’s biography should be consulted. He arose and went up to Jerusalem to R. Jochanan ben Ẓakkai and sat down and wept. (R. Jochanan) said to him: Why dost thou weep? He answered him: Because I wish to learn Torah. (R. Jochanan) said to him: Whose son art thou? But he did not tell him.

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Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 1:2

(R. Jochanan) asked him: Hast thou never learnt1 Aboth d. R. Nathan (b) xiii. reads: “Didst thou never go to school?” to read the Shema',2 The “Shema’” is the Jewish confession of faith. It is set forth in Deut. 6:4–9, etc.; see Singer, pp. 40 ff., and J.E. xi. 266. or the Tephillah,3 The “Tephillah” or “Shemoneh ‘ Esreh,” the Jewish prayer par excellence, is to be found in Singer, pp. 44 ff.; see R.É.J. xix. pp. 17 ff., and J.E. xi. 270 ff. Our “Chapters” deal with the subject-matter of the “Shemoneh ‘Esreh”; cf. Zunz, G. V., p. 285, and S. Sachs in “Ha-Techiyah,” pp. 21 f. On the question as to the relation between Sirach and the “Shemoneh ‘Esreh” see Oesterley’s edition of Ecclesiasticus, pp. 232 and 349 f. or the Grace after meals?4 The Geniẓah Fragment has: “the reading of the Grace after meals.” On Grace after meals see Singer, pp. 280 ff., and J.E. vi. 61 f. He replied to him: No. He arose5 The student stood whilst learning; see T.B. Megillah, 21a. The 1st and 2nd eds. read: “He said, Stand, and I will teach thee the three (prayers).” and (R. Jochanan) taught him the three (prayers).6 In the MS. the fourth paragraph begins here. (Again) he sat down and wept. (R. Jochanan) said to him: My son, why dost thou weep? He replied: Because I desire to learn Torah.7 And not merely prayers. He (thereupon) taught him two rules (of the Law)8 “Halakhoth,” i.e. laws to be observed by the Jews, based upon the Torah. Thus, according to Matt. xii. 1–8, Jesus discusses Halakhah. The final decisions become Halakhoth; cf. Mark vii. 5 and Luke xi. 40 f. See Bacher, Terminologie, i. s.v. הלכה, pp. 42 f. every day of the week, and on the Sabbath9 The first two editions omit “on the Sabbath.” (Eliezer) repeated them and assimilated them.10 In the MS. this is the end of the fourth paragraph. He kept a fast for eight days without tasting anything until the odour of his mouth attracted the attention of R. Jochanan ben Ẓakkai, who directed him to withdraw from his presence. He sat down and wept. (R. Jochanan) said to him: My son, why dost thou weep? He rejoined: Because thou didst make me withdraw from thy presence just as a man makes his fellow withdraw, when the latter is afflicted with leprosy. (R. Jochanan) said to him: My son, just as || the odour of thy mouth has ascended before me, so may the savour of the statutes of the Torah ascend from thy mouth to Heaven.11 In Aboth d. R. Nathan (b) xiii. the reading is: “So may the teaching of thy mouth go forth from one end of the world to the other.” He said to him: My son! Whose son art thou? He replied: I am the son of Hyrḳanos. Then said (R. Jochanan): Art thou not the son of one of the great men of the world,1 Hyrḳanos was a very wealthy man. and thou didst not tell me? By thy life! he continued, This day shalt thou eat with me.2 In MS. the sixth paragraph begins here. (Eliezer) answered: I have eaten already with my host.3 Akhsania (ξϵvia), hospitality, lodging, host. According to Aboth d. R. Nathan (a) 6 Eliezer was silent when R. Jochanan asked him whether he had partaken of food. (R. Jochanan) asked: Who is thy host? He replied: R. Joshua ben Chananjah4 See Bacher, T. i. pp. 123 ff., and J.E. vii. 290 ff. and R. José the Priest.5 See Bacher. T. i. pp. 67 ff., and J.E. vii. 243 ff.

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Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 1:3

(R. Jochanan) sent to inquire of his hosts, saying to them: Did Eliezer eat with you this day? They answered: No; moreover has he not fasted eight days without tasting any food?6 Here begins the seventh paragraph in the MS. The Geniẓah Fragment continues: “Moreover.” R. Joshua ben Chananjah and R. José the Priest7 Aboth d. R. Nathan (b) xiii. adds: “R. Simeon ben Nathaniel.” went and said8 Some of the old printed editions read here: “Has he not been without food for the last eight days?” Luria, in loc., thinks that the last clause was spoken by R. Jochanan to the Rabbis who visited him, telling them that Eliezer had not eaten at his table. Aboth d. R. Nathan (loc. cit.) refers to R. Jochanan’s grief at this neglect, which might have cost Eliezer’s life. to R. Jochanan ben ḳakkai: Verily during the last eight days (Eliezer) has not partaken of any food.9 The Geniẓah Fragment adds: “And he compelled him to eat and to drink, and on the morrow” (also).

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Recorded completeness: Exact identified historical English export: 655 nonempty sections across 54 supplied chapter keys. Empty source slots remain absent; only supplied text is displayed; no reconstructed missing text. Historical-fullness and variant alignment are not independently asserted.. Available reading sections are listed below.

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