Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 2, scan section 28

' (I must) pour it out over the child in the street ' ; and it may be explained thus: Why must I pour it out ? Because the child is in the street and not at school." Ula said : " Jerusalem was destroyed because the people were devoid of shame, as it is written [ibid. 15]: 'They should 256 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. have been ashamed because they committed an abomination; but they neither felt the least shame, nor did they know how to blush; therefore shall they fall among those that fall,' " R. Itz'hak said: " Jerusalem was destroyed only because no distinction was made between great and small, as it is written [Isaiah xxiv. 2, 3] : ' And it shall be the same with the people as with the priest, etc. Empty, emptied out shall be the land.' " R. Amram, the son of R. Simeon bar Aba, in the name of his father, quoting R. Hanina, said: "Jerusalem was destroyed only because the people did not admonish one another, as it is writ- ten (Lamentations i. 6) : ' Her princes have become like harts that have found no pasture.' As the harts in a herd travel head to rump, so would the men of Jerusalem not dare face each other with admonitions, but followed from behind in silence." R. Jehudah said: "Jerusalem was destroyed because they insulted men of learning, as it is written [II Chronicles xxxvii. 16]: " But they mocked at the messengers of God, and de- spised his words, and scorned his prophets, until the fury of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy." What does " till there was no remedy " signify ? Said R. Jehudah in the name of Rabh : " He who insults a man of learning, can find no panacea for his affliction." R. Jehudah in the name of Rabh said again: " It is written [I Chronicles xvi. 22] : * Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm.' " By " touch not my anointed " is meant the children of the school (for children are usually anointed), and " do my prophets no harm " refers to the scholars.* Resh Lakish said in the name of R. Jehudah the Second: " The world is sustained solely through the exhalation of the children" (because they are pure and without sin). Said R. Papa to Abayi : * ' What about thy and my exhalation ? ' ' Answered Abayi: "The difference lies therein, that thou and I might have sinned, but children are incapable of committing sin." Resh Lakish said again in the name of the same authority: " The children should not be withheld from attending school, even while the new temple shall be in process of construction." Said Resh Lakish to R. Jehudah the Second: " I have heard * Rashi justifies this reference by basing it on the verse in Psalms xc. 12, which he interprets: "A prophet has a heart endowed with wisdom"; although Isaac Leeser .translates the verse, " That we may obtain a heart endowed with wisdom," the Hebrew word Navi meaning both " prophet " and also " we may obtain." TRACT SABBATH. 257 a tradition coming from thy parents which says, that the city which has no school for children shall be destroyed ; but Rabhina says, the tradition is to the effect that the high court shall put the city under a ban (until a school is built for children)." Rabha said: Jerusalem was destroyed solely because there were no more trustworthy men there, as it is written [Jeremiah V. i]: " Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and notice, and search in its broad places, if ye can find one man, if there be one that executeth justice, that searcheth for truth : and I will pardon it." What is meant by trustworthy men ? Such as can be trusted in business. MISHNA: Further, one may save a basket full of loaves (of bread), be it even enough for a hundred meals, a fig-cake, and a cask of wine; and one may also call to others: " Come ye and save for yourselves!" If those who do so understand their advantage, they make a settlement with the owner after the Sabbath is over. Where may such articles be taken to (for safety) ? To a court that is joined to the other (court of the house burning) by an Erub. Ben Bathyra says: " Even to one that is not joined by an Erub." There all utensils (dishes) may be brought, that are used on the same day; one may (in the event of a conflagration on the Sabbath) put on as many clothes as possible, and may wrap himself in whatever is possible. R. Jose says: " One may only put on eighteen pieces of ordinary apparel, but he can come back as often as he chooses and put on the same quantity and carry them off." One may also call to others: " Come ye and save with me (whatever ye can) ! " GEMARA: Have we not learned, in the preceding Mishna [page 245], that only (enough victuals for) three meals may be saved (and in the above Mishna suflficient for a hundred meals is permitted)? Said R. Huna: "This presents no difficulty. Our Mishna refers to one who comes to save the food with only one basket (when he may fill it with any quantity, whereas the pre- ceding Mishna refers to one who brings several baskets, and in such a case it is not permitted to put in each basket more than sufficient for three meals)." But R. Aba bar Zavda in the name of Rabh said: "Both Mishnas refer to one who comes even with several baskets, but still no difificulty arises. This Mishna speaks of one who does not carry the food beyond the same court, while the other refers to one who carries it into another court." 258 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. " A fig-cake,'' etc. Why does the Mishna say, that if those who save for themselves know their advantage they will make a settlement with the owner after having saved the things from the conflagration ? Are they not entitled to it under any circum- stances, by virtue of the owner having made it public property when saying, " Come ye and save for yourselves" ? Said R. Hisda: " This refers to pious people who would not take advan- tage of a man who is compelled to sacrifice his property." Said Rabha: "Can they be called pious, who accept remuneration for their time on the Sabbath ? Nay ; the Mishna does not refer to pious men, but to God-fearing men, who, while they would not take anything not belonging to them, would not care to trouble themselves gratuitously. By stating, therefore, that those who know their advantage will settle accounts with the owner after- wards, the Mishna means to say that their prudence consists in their knowing that they will not receive any remuneration for their time on Sabbath, but will only receive their own property as their due." " Come ye and save with me.'' Why does the first part of the Mishna permit the saying of " Come and save for your- selves," and in the last part the permission is given to say: " Come and save with me" ? Because the first part of the Mishna refers to victuals, and a man cannot save more than suflfi-