Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 9, scan section 48

Tosephtha — A both of R. Nathan, t There are seven creations of as many grades of importance. The sky is very important; but more important are the stars, because they light up the world. Of a higher grade than the stars are the trees, because they produce fruit, and the stars do not. More significant than the trees are the pernicious winds, because they move hither and thither, and the trees do not. Greater than the pernicious winds is the beast, for the beast is * According to Maimonides. f Chapter XXXVII. of the original. TRACT ABOTH. 123 active and eats, which the former cannot do. Of a higher kind of development is man ; for man is intellectual, and the beast is not. More excellent than man are the ministering angels ; for they are able to traverse from one end of the world to another, which man cannot do. Man possesses six qualifications three of which belong also to the beast, and three to the angels: Man eats and drinks, mul- tiplies, and excretes just like a beast; but he is endowed with intellect, walks erect, and speaks in the holy language, just as the angels do. The evil spirits (Shedim ; Deut. xxxii. 17) possess six quali- fications three of which belong to man, and three to the angels ; namely, they eat and drink, multiply, and die as men do ; but they have wings, a knowledge of the future, and traverse from one end of the world to another, just as the angels do.* There are others who say : They also can assume any shape and form they like, and see but are not seen. The rabbis taught : f There are seven sorts of hypocrites (who try to show themselves as if they were of the true Pharisees), and they are: Shichmi; Niqpi; Qoosai ; Medukhia; "What more is my duty, and I will do it?"; Pharisee of love; and Pharisee of fear. Shichmi — i.e., who acts like Shechem (Gen. xxxiv.), (who allowed himself to be circumcised, not to please God but for his own benefit). Niqpi — i,e,, one who walks tiptoe (so that he strikes his feet against stones or other obstacles in the way), in order to show his meekness and thereby attract attention. Qoosai — i.e., one who shows himself as walking with his eyes shut in order not to look upon women, and strikes his head against a wall and bleeds. Such is the interpretation of R. Nah- man b. Itz'hak. Medukhia — i.e., who so bends his body while walking that he resembles a pestle. Such is the interpretation of Rabba b. Shila. " What more is my duty,'" etc. Why is this hypocrisy ? It means that he is boasting of having done every possible good thing, and challenges that he shall be told what more there is to be done and he will do it. " Pharisee of love,'' etc. Abayi and Rabha both said to the scholar who repeated * See Section Moed, Vol. VI., Hagiga, 37. The repetition here is because of this addition. f Here is a statement which is repeated in Tract Sota, 22b, under the head- ing: "The rabbis taught." As there it is more comprehensible, we prefer to give it here in that form. 124 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. this: " Do not place love and fear with the hypocrites, as R. Jehudah said in the name of Rabh : * Always shall one occupy himself with Torah and merits even not for the sake of Heaven, for once he makes it his custom to do so he will finally come to do it for the sake of Heaven.* " Said R. Nahman b. Itz'hak: " That which is hidden (in one's heart) is only so from human beings, but not from Heaven; and even visible hypocrisy can only be punished by the Upper Court." Said Janai the king to his wife: '* Do not fear of the Pharisees, neither of those who claim to be their opponents; but do fear of the colored ones (who put on false colors), who in reality act like Zimri (Numb, xxv.), and demand the reward of Phinehas." There are seven things which, if used moderately, are whole- some to the body, and if in excess, are the reverse : Wine, work, sleep, wealth, travel, warm water, and the letting of blood. With seven things God created the world. They are as fol- lows: Wisdom, understanding, knowledge, strength, might, kind- ness, and mercy. And as He has created the world with seven things, so also has He created seven ancestors — three fathers and four mothers. Seven attributes are serving before the Throne of Grace, viz. : Faithful, Righteous, Justice, Kind, Merciful, Truth, Peace, as it is written [Hosea, ii. 21, 22]: " And I will betroth thee unto me for ever: yea, I will betroth thee in righteousness, and in justice, and in loving-kindness, and in mercy. And I will be- troth thee unto me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord"; and further [Ps. Ixxxv. 11]: " Kindness and truth are encountered together; righteousness and peace kiss each other." And what signifies, " and thou shalt know the Lord " ? Any one who is possessed of these attributes has a knowledge of the wisdom of the Omnipotent. There are seven dwelling-places : The high, the low, the at- mosphere, and the four winds. Said R. Meir: There are seven heavens: Curtain, firmament, welkin, dwelling-house, habita- tion, settled place, nebulae. Accordingly the earth has seven names : Land, earth, realm, dry land, globe, and nether world. Why is it so named ? Because it is seasoned with every thing. Others say, because it destroys all. * * A wise man does not speak before those who surpass him in wisdom and years,'' This refers to Moses, as it is written [Ex. iv. 30]: " And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had TRACT ABOTH. 125 spoken unto Moses, and he did the signs before the eyes of the people." Now, then, who of the two was competent to speak ? Naturally, Moses; for he had the message direct from God, and Aaron only heard it from Moses. But Moses considered that it was not seemly to speak in the presence of his elder brother; he therefore conferred upon Aaron the honor of being speaker. " Does not interrupt^'" etc. — refers to Aaron, as it is written [Lev. X. 19]: " And Aaron spoke unto Moses; Behold, this day have they offered their sin-offering, and their burnt-offering," etc. He was silent till Moses ceased speaking, and did not even say to Moses to be brief in his utterances. There are others who say that Aaron took him aside and said: " My brother Moses, tithes, which are less important than any other offering, a mourner (before the burial of the dead) is prohibited from eat- ing them ; a sin-offering, which is of great importance, so much the more should it be forbidden to him." And Moses at once admitted that he was right, as it is written [ibid. 20]: "And when Moses heard this, it was pleasing in his eyes," and in the eyes of the Mightiness. " And he was angry with Elazar and Ithamar the sons of Aaron " [ibid. 16]. Learn from this that when one teaches his disciples he usually keeps his eyes on the great one, and when