Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 7, scan section 61

of Isaac and Jacob ? It means, the God of Abraham, who was the first of the proselytes. The disciples of R. Anan taught : It is written [Song of Songs, ibid.] : '' The roundings of thy thighs." As the thighs are in a hidden place, so the words of the Law must all be hidden, and this is similar to what R. Elazar said, as follows : It is written [Micah, vi. 8] : " He hath told thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord doth require of thee : nothing but to do justice, and * The burnt-offerings and east side of the altar will be explained in Tract Tamid, Chap. I. 74 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God." To do jus- tice, i.e., judgment ; to love kindness, i.e., the bestowing of favors ; and to walk humbly with thy God, that means, to bear a dead body, and to conduct a bride under the canopy. Is this not an a fortiori conclusion? If things usually done publicly are to be done sur- reptitiously, so much the more things usually done privately ? R. Elazar said : The doing of charity is greater than all the sacrifices ; as it is written [Prov. xxi. 3] : " To exercise righteous- ness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." The same says again : The bestowing of favors is greater than charity ; as it is written [Hosea, x. 12] : " Sow then for yourselves righteousness, that you may reap the fruit of kindness." If a man sows, it is doubtful whether he will eat from his sowing, or not ; but if a man reaps, he is sure to eat of it (and so it is with charity, sometimes it is useful, sometimes not, but kindness is always so). R. Elazar says again : Charity is rewarded only according to the kindness with which it is done ; as it is written : ** Sow for yourselves righteousness, that you may reap kindness." The rabbis taught : In three things is the bestowing of favors greater than charity : Charity is only with money, but the be- stowing of favors is either with one's money or with one's person ; charity is only to poor men, but the bestowing of favors is to poor and rich ; charity is only for the living, but the bestowing of favors is both for the living and the dead. The same says again : One who does charity and judgment is as if he filled the whole world with kindness ; as it is written [Ps. xxxiii. 5]: "He loveth righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the kindness of the Lord." But if you mean that every one who wants to do charity is given the opportunity to do real charity, it is therefore written [ibid, xxxvi. 8] : '* How precious is thy kindnes3!" It is different, however, with a man fearing Heaven; as it is written [ibid. ciii. 17]: "But the kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting over those that fear him!' R. Hama bar Papa said : A man who finds favor every- where, it is certain that he fears God ; as it is written : " The kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting over those that fear him." He says again : It is written [Prov. xxxi. 26] : " She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue." Are there two laws, one of kindness, and one not pf kindness ? That means, if one studies the law in honor of the TRACT SUCCAH. 75 Lord, it is a law of kindness ; but if one studies the law for his own interest, it is a law not of kindness. According to others, if he studies the law to teach it, it is a law of kindness ; but if he studies it for himself, it is not. *' // it ivas upset or uncovered,' etc. Why so ? He can strain the water? Shall we assume that our Mishna is not according to R. Nehemiah from the following Boraitha : Even if the water was strained, the law of uncovered water does still apply to it. R. Nehemiah, however, said : This is only when the lower vessel was uncovered, but when the lower vessel was covered, though the upper one was uncovered, the law of uncovered water does not apply to it, because the venom of a snake, like a sponge, rises to the top. The Mishna can apply also to R. Nehemiah, but he spoke of preparing for an ordinary man, but in honor of the Lord could he say so? Did not R. Nehemiah consider the verse in Malachi [i. 8] : "■ Do but present it unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or receive thee with favor ? says the Lord of hosts." CHAPTER V. REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE ENJOYMENTS AND THE SONGS IN THE TEMPLE DURING THE TIME OF THE SACRIFICES, AND THEIR ORDER. MISHNA: The pipes were played sometimes on five days, and sometimes six. This means, the pipes played on during the time of water-drawing, which does not supersede either the Sab- bath or the festival. GEMARA : The rabbis taught : The playing of pipes super- sedes the Sabbath, so is the decree of R. Jose bar Jehudah; but the sages said, even the festival it does not supersede. Said R. Joseph : They differ only about the music of the sacrifices. R. Jose holds that the music of the sacrifices is instrumental, conse- quently it is a service, and supersedes the Sabbath ; but the sages hold it is vocal, and therefore not a service, and does not super- sede the Sabbath ; but the music of the drawing of the water all agree is only an enjoyment, and does not supersede the Sab- bath. But R. Jeremiah bar Abba said : They differ only about the music of the drawing of water. R. Jose bar R. Jehudah holds that this enjoyment also supersedes the Sabbath, and the sages hold it does not ; but about the music of the sacrifice all agree it is a service, and does supersede the Sabbath. What is the reason of those who say that the main music must be instrumental? Because it is written [II Chron. xxix. 27]; ** And Hezekiah ordered to offer the burnt-offering on the altar. And when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began with the trumpets, and with the instruments of David the King of Israel." And what is the reason of those who said the main music is vocal? Because it is written [ibid. v. 13] : "And it came thus to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound." But what will they do with the former passage ? Hezekiah meant, the voices accompanied the instruments. And those who hold it was only instrumental, what will they say to the last-quoted passage ? They explain it thus : The singers were as the trumpeters, i.e., used instruments also. TRACT SUCCAH. 77 MISHNA : He who has not witnessed the rejoicings at the water-drawing has, throughout the whole of his Hfe, witnessed no real rejoicing. At the expiration of the first holiday of the fes- tival they descended into the women's court, where a great transformation was made. Golden candelabra were placed there, with four golden basins at the top of each ; and four ladders were put to each candelabrum, on which stood four lads from the