משנה: כָּל־כִּתְבֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה בֵּין שֶׁקּוֹרִין בָּהֶן וּבֵין שֶׁאֵינָן קוֹרִין בָּהֶן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּתוּבִים בְּכָל־לָשׁוֹן טְעוּנִים גְּנִיזָה. מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין קוֹרִין בָּהֶן מִפְּנֵי בִיטּוּל בֵּית הַמַּדְרָשׁ. MISHNAH: One saves all holy Scriptures from a fire1Since making a fire is prohibited on the Sabbath, so is extinguishing a fire as long as no human lives are endangered by it. The Mishnah supposes that the houses are single family adobe houses separated from one another so that normally there is no danger of the fire spreading and endangering others., whether they be used for reading or not used for reading2For public readings. Scrolls of books of Scripture not for public readings are either Hagiographa or defective copies of Torah and Prophets.; even though they be written in any language they have to be hidden3If they are no longer usable they have to be disposed of in a dignified way; they may not be abandoned in garbage. Therefore even defective copies may be saved in a fire.. Why does one not read in them4Hagiographa are not to be read on the Sabbath since this would interfere with people attending public lectures held for the benefit of people who during the week have no opportunity of Torah study.? Because of neglect of the House of Study.
הלכה: כָּל־כִּתְבֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ כול׳. מָהוּ בֵּין שֶׁקּוֹרִין בָּהֶן בֵּין שֶׁאֵין קוֹרִין בָּהֶן. בֵּין שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶן טָעִיּוֹת. בֵּין שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן טָעִיּוֹת. וְהָא תַנֵּי. סֵפֶר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ שְׁתַּיִם שָׁלֹשׁ טָעִיּוֹת בְּכָל־דַּף וָדַף מְתַקְּנוֹ וְקוֹרֵא בוֹ. אַרְבַּע אֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא בוֹ. מִן מַה דְתַנִּינָן. מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין קוֹרִין בָּהֶן. מִפְּנֵי בִיטּוּל בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. הָדָא אָֽמְרָה. בֵּין תּוֹרָה לִנְבִיאִים. לְכִתְבֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. HALAKHAH: “All holy Scriptures,” etc. What means “whether they are used for reading or not used for reading”? Whether they contain errors or do not contain errors. Was it not stated: If a scroll23A Torah scroll. contains two or three errors on every page, one corrects it and reads from it; with four one does not read from it24Since the text is unreliable, one never can be sure that all errors were corrected. The same statements Megillah 1:9:2-20" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Megillah.1.9.2-20">Megillah 1:11, 71c l. 69.In the Menachot.29b">Babli, Menaḥot 29b, there is disagreement whether three errors on every page or only four are cause for disqualification.. Since we have stated, “why does one not read in them4Hagiographa are not to be read on the Sabbath since this would interfere with people attending public lectures held for the benefit of people who during the week have no opportunity of Torah study.? Because of neglect of the House of Study;” this implies that there is a difference between Torah and Prophets and Hagiographa25Since Torah and Prophets have to be read in the synagogue on the Sabbath, the only candidates for books which should not be read on the Sabbath are Hagiographa..
אֵין מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה. מָאן דְּאָמַר. מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה. וּמָאן דְּאָמַר. אֵין מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. אֵין מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה. הָתִיבוּן. הֲרֵי עִבְרִי שֶׁכְּתָבוֹ תַרְגוּם הֲרֵי אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם וּמַצִּילִין אוֹתוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה. מִן מַה דְתַנִּינָן. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּתוּבִין בְּכָל־לָשׁוֹן טְעוּנִין גְּנִיזָה. הָדָא אָֽמְרָה. שֶׁמַּצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה. מַתְנִיתָא דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר. אֵין דָּבָר מִשׁוּם שְׁבוּת שֶׁעוֹמֵד בִּפְנֵי כִתְבֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. מַה פְלִיגִין. תַּמָּן מִפְּנֵי בִזְיוֹנָן. בְּרַם הָכָא כָּל־עַמָּא מוֹדֵיי שֶׁמַּצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה. לְמִי נִצְרְכָה. לְרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. אַף עַל גַּב דְּרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אָמַר. אַף בַּסְּפָרִים לֹא הִתִּירוּ שֶׁיִּכָּֽתְבוּ אֶלָּא יְווָנִית: מוֹדֵי הוּא הָכָא שֶׁמַּצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה. מַעֲשֶׂה בְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד עַל הַבַּנָּיִין בְּהַר הַבַּיִת. וְהֵבִיאוּ לוֹ סֵפֶר אִיּוֹב כָּתוּב תַּרְגוּם. וְאָמַר לַבַּנַּאי וּגְנָזוֹ תַּחַת הַנִּדְבָּךְ. One does not save from a fire26This seems to be a truncated quote from a baraita which disagrees with the preceding argument and states that Hagiographa cannot be saved from a fire if this would involve transgressing rabbinic prohibitions.. For him who says, they render hands impure27Mishnah Yadaim 3:8 reports on disagreement whether touching a scroll of Ecclesiastes makes one’s hands impure. There seems to be tacit agreement that Esther does not make the hands impure. This impurity is purely rabbinical; it was instituted so people should not store their heave, which is sanctified, with also holy Scripture, since this would attract rats which would attack the leather on which the scrolls were written. A scroll which does not render the hands impure is not holy; no rabbinic restrictions would have to be waved to save them from a fire., one saves them from a fire; but for him who says, they do not render hands impure, one does not save them from a fire. They objected: Is there not a Hebrew book which was written in Aramaic28Yadayim 4:5" href="/Mishnah_Yadayim.4.5">Mishnah Yadaim 4:5.; it will not render hands impure but one saves it from a fire, since we have stated: “even though they are written in any language they have to be hidden.” The Mishnah follows Rebbi Simeon, since Rebbi Simeon said, nothing forbidden only rabbinically stands in the way of Holy Scriptures29Eruvin 10:3:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Eruvin.10.3.1">Mishnah Eruvin 10:3. Only biblical prohibitions have to be observed when caring for Scripture on the Sabbath.. Do they disagree30The mishnaic statements in Yadaim and Eruvin.? There it is because of their degradation31Lest rats be attracted to the scrolls, Shabbat 16:1:3" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Shabbat.16.1.3">Note 27., but here everybody agrees that one saves them from a fire. For whom is it needed? For Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel. Even though Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said32Megillah 1:9:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Megillah.1.9.1">Mishnah Megillah 1:11. There do exist approved Aramaic versions of the Pentateuch and Jonathan ben Uziel’s Aramaic paraphrase of Prophets but no recognized Aramaic versions of Hagiographa. The existing Aramaic versions of Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Esther, and Chronicles all seem to be post-Talmudic., “also Hagiographa they permitted only that they could be written in Greek,” would he agree here that one saves them from a fire? “It happened that Rabban [Simeon ben]33Added from E. From the context this seems to be the correct attribution, referring to Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel I, the head of the revolutionary government in the first war against the Romans. In the Babylonian parallels, Shabbat.115a">Babli 115a, Tosephta 13:2 (ed. Liebermann) the name always is “Rabban Gamliel” I, the grandfather of Rabban Gamliel of Jabneh. Gamliel was supervising builders on the the Temple Mount when he an Aramaic version of Job was brought to him. He told the builder to hide it under a row of stones.”
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָֽמְרוּ אֵין קוֹרִין בְּכִתְבֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ אֶלָּא מִן הַמִּנְחָה וּלְמַעֲלָה. אֲבָל שׁוֹנִין וְדוֹרְשִׁין בָּהֶן. צַרָךְ דָּבָר נוֹטֵל וּבוֹדֵק. דֵּלֹמָא. רִבִּי וְרִבִּי חִייָא רַבָּא וְרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּירִבִּי יוֹסֵה הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין וּפוֹשְׁטִין בִּמְגִילַּת קִינּוֹת עֶרֶב תִּשְׁעַה בְאַב שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת מִן הַמִּנְחָה וּלְמַעֲלָה. וְשִׁייְרוּ בָהּ אֲלֵ״ף בֵּי״ת אֶחָד. אָֽמְרוּ. לְמָחָר אָנוּ בָאִין וְגוֹמְרִין אוֹתָהּ. עִם כְּשֶׁרִבִּי נִפְטַר לְבֵיתוֹ נִכְשַׁל בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ וְקָרָא עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ רַבִּ֥ים מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים לָרָ֫שָׁ֥ע. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִייָה. בְּחוֹבֵינוּ מַטָּתָךְ כֵּן. דִּכְתִיב ר֤וּחַ אַפֵּ֨ינוּ֙ מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְי נִלְכַּ֖ד בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָ֑ם. אָמַר לוֹ רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּירִבִּי יוֹסֵי. אִילּוּ לֹא הָיִינוּ עוֹסְקִין בָּעִנְייָן כָּךְ הָיָה לָנוּ לוֹמַר. עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁהָיִינוּ עוֹסְקִין בָּעִנְייָן. וְעָלָה לָבֵיתוֹ וְנָתַן עָלֶיהָ סְפּוֹג יָבֵשׁ וְקָשַׁר עָלֶיהָ גָמִי מִבַּחוּץ. אָמַר רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּירִבִּי יוֹסֵי. מִמֶּנּוּ לָמַדְנוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים. סְפּוֹג אֵינוֹ מְרַפֵּא אֶלָּא מְשַׁמֵּר. גָּמִי שֶׁהוּא מִן הַמּוּכָן. וְאֵין קוֹרִין בְּכִתְבֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ אֶלָּא מִן הַמִּנְחָה וּלְמַעֲלָה. Even though they said, one reads Hagiographa only after the afternoon prayers, nevertheless one studies and preaches about them34As Jacob Mann has pointed out, the classical Midrashim, which present sermon concepts, associate to pentateuchal texts not only texts from the Prophets but also from Hagiographa. This use is perfectly legitimate. (In legal contexts, קֹרֵא means not simply “reading” but “reading with correct accents”). The Shabbat.117b">Babli, 117b, notes that in Babylonia one did neither preach nor study on Sabbath afternoon after prayers.. If he needs it, he takes and checks35Checking the text for a sermon or similar use is appropriate at all times.. 36The following also is found in Lev. rabba 15(4), Lament, rabbati 4(25). It is quoted at length in Sefer haMakhriaˋ (Isaias from Trani) §31 (Kohn & Klein, Munkacs 1900, col. 20a). An example37Greek δήλωμα, -ατος, τὁ.: Rebbi, the Elder Rebbi Ḥiyya, and Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose were sitting and explaining the plain sense of a scroll of Lamentations on a Ninth of Av which fell on a Sabbath (after the afternoon prayers.)38The text in parentheses is missing in E, in the editio princeps of Lev. rabba and related mss. sources, and in the quote in Sefer haMakhriaˋ. In Lament. rabbati it is replaced by “towards nightfall”. As the following text shows, the three rabbis studied the text before the afternoon prayers; the text should be deleted. They left over one alphabetic poem. They said, we shall come tomorrow and finish it. When Rebbi was on the way home, he hurt his finger and recited about himself, many are the evildoer’s hurts39Psalms.32.10">Ps. 32:10. He referred to himself as evildoer because he read the text before the afternoon prayers for its simple meaning; had they used it as basis for sermons it would have been acceptable.. [The Elder]40Added from E. Rebbi Ḥiyya said to him, it is our fault that this happened to you, as it is written, our spirit, the Eternal’s anointed, was caught by their corruption41Lamentations.4.20">Thr. 4:20.. Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose told him, that could have been said about us if we had not occupied ourselves with it; so much more since we did occupy ourselves with it. He went home, put a dry sponge42Greek σπόγγος, ὁ. on it and tied it from the outside with bast. Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose said, from this we learned three things: A sponge does not heal but protects43While healing not life-threatening situations is forbidden on the Sabbath, protecting a wound against infection is permitted. Shabbat.134b">Babli 134b.; bast is prepared44Bast is like string; it always is available when needed and never is muqṣeh because of uses which are forbidden on the Sabbath; therefore it may be used even for occasions which could not have been anticipated at the start of the Sabbath., and one recites from Hagiographa only after afternoon prayers45This statement shows that the text mentioned in Shabbat 16:1:4" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Shabbat.16.1.4">Note 38 is to be deleted..
מֵעַתָּה בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בֵּית הַמִּדְרַשׁ אַל יִקְרְאוּ. בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין בֵּית הַמִּדְרַשׁ יִקְרְאוּ. לֵית לָךְ אֶלָּא כְהָדָא דְּתַנֵּי רִבִּי נְחֶמְיָה. דְּתַנֵּי רִבִּי נְחֶמְיָה. מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין קוֹרִין בְּכִתְבֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ אֶלָּא מִן הַמִּנְחָה וּלְמַעֲלָה. מִפְּנֵי שִׁטְרֵי הֶדְיוֹטוֹת. שֶׁאִם אוֹמֵר אַתְּ לוֹ שֶׁהוּא מוּתָּר. אַף הוּא אוֹמֵר. מַה בְכָךְ שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בִּשְׁטָרוֹתַיי. מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁאַתְּ אוֹמֵר לוֹ שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר. אַף הוּא אוֹמֵר. כִּתְבֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ אָסוּר. שִׁטְרֵי הֶדְיוֹטוֹת לֹא כָל־שֶׁכֵּן. הָדָא אָֽמְרָה. שֶׁהַמִּשְׁנָה קוֹדֶמֶת לַמִּקְרָא. וְדָא מְסַייְעָא לְהַהִיא דְתַנֵּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. דְּתַנֵּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. הָעוֹסֵק בַּמִּקְרָא מִידָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ מִדָּה. הָעוֹסֵק בַּמִּשְׁנָה מִידָּה שֶׁנּוּטְלִין מִמֶּנָּה שָׂכָר. הָעוֹסֵק בַּתַּלְמוּד אֵין לָךְ מִידָּה גְדוֹלָה מִזּוֹ. לְעוֹלָם הֲוֵי רָץ אַחַר הַמִּשְׁנָה יוֹתֵר מִן הַתַּלְמוּד. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. הָדָא דְאַתְּ אָמַר עַד שֶׁלֹּא שִׁיקַּע בּוֹ רִבִּי רוֹב מִשְׁנָיוֹת. אֲבָל מִשֶּׁשִּׁיקַּע בּוֹ רִבִּי רוֹב מִשְׁנָיוֹת לְעוֹלָם הֲוֵי רָץ אַחַר הַתַּלְמוּד יוֹתֵר מִן הַמִּשְׁנָה. Then at a place where there is a House of Study one should not read, at a place where there is no House of Study one should read46Cf. Horayot 3:5:9" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Horayot.3.5.9">Horaiot 3:7, Notes 304–310.? You only have what Rebbi Neḥemiah stated, as Rebbi Neḥemiah stated, why may one only read Hagiographa after afternoon prayers? Because of persons’ documents. Because if you were telling him that it is permitted, then he would say, there is nothing wrong if I would occupy myself with my documents. Since you are telling him that it is forbidden, then he will say, since Hagiographa are forbidden, so much more private documents. This implies that Mishnah has precedence over Bible. This supports what Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai stated46Cf. Horayot 3:5:9" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Horayot.3.5.9">Horaiot 3:7, Notes 304–310., as Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai stated, he who studies the written Torah does himself good that is not so good; he who studies Mishnah is occupied in an endeavor which deserves reward; he who studies Talmud could not endeavor anything greater than this, always a person should pursue Mishnah more than Talmud47One has to memorize the basic material of study before one studies and analyzes the details.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, this was before Rebbi incorporated most of the Mishnah in the Talmud, but since Rebbi incorporated most of the Mishnah in the Talmud, a person should pursue Talmud more than Mishnah48Since studying the Mishnah is now incorporated into Talmud study, it is possible to study on an elementary level appropriate for beginners.
In the opinion of Israel Levy in his Introduction to the Yerushalmi Bava qamma 1–6 (p. 19 Shabbat 16:1:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Shabbat.16.1.1">Note 3) one should translate: “he who studies the written Torah does himself good that is not so good; he who studies tannaitic traditions is occupied in an endeavor which deserves reward; concerning him who studies Talmud there is no endeavor greater than this, a person should always pursue tannaitic tradition more than Talmud. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, this was before Rebbi incorporated most of tannaitic tradition (Mishnah and baraitot) in the Talmud, but since Rebbi incorporated most of the tannaitic material in the Talmud, a person should pursue Talmud more than Mishnah.”.
בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן עִנְייָנוֹת הַרְבֶּה מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֵין מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵיקָה. מִיכָּן אָֽמְרוּ. כּוֹתְבֵי בְרָכוֹת שׂוֹרְפֵי תוֹרָה. מַעֲשֶׂה בְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה כוֹתֵב בְּרָכוֹת וְהָלַךְ רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל לְבוֹדְקוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ בְּקוֹל פַּעֲמוֹתָיו שֶׁלְרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל נָטַל תַּכְרִיךְ שֶׁלִּבְרָכוֹת וּזְרָקָן לְתוֹךְ סָפָל שֶׁל מַיִם. כִּלְשׁוֹן הַזֶּה אָמַר לוֹ. גָּדוֹל עוֹנֶשׁ הָאַחֲרוֹן מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. הָדָא אֲגַדְתַּא הָכּוּתְבָהּ אֵין לוֹ חֶלֶק. הַדּוֹרְשָׁהּ מִתְחָרֵךְ. הַשּׁוֹמְעָהּ אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר. “One does not save benedictions which contain pentateuchal materials from a fire49Prayer texts which contain biblical quotes. The only prayer texts we have from Antiquity are Sadducee texts from Qumran. Rabbinic prayer books are known only from later Geonim, after the Arab conquest of Iraq. Prayer texts were considered part of oral tradition, to be memorized by following the reader in public service.. Because of this, they said: Writers of benedictions are burners of the Torah50Since one is not permitted to disregard rabbinic prohibitions in order to save prayer texts, writing prayer texts is the equivalent of exposing the quoted verses to desctruction.. It happened that there was a writer of benedictions; Rebbi Ismael went to check him out. When he noticed Rebbi Ismael’s steps, he took a bundle of benedictions and threw them into a bowl of water. In the following formulation he spoke to him: The punishment for the later deed is worse than the one for the earlier51The disrespect shown to the holy text is worse than making what is forbidden. Tosephta 13:4 (ed. Liebermann)..” Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, one who writes down sermons has no part, one who preaches them is going to be singed, one who listens to him is not rewarded52R. Joshua ben Levi was a renowned preacher. What he wants to say is that the preacher must present original thoughts; if he writes directions for other preachers he propagates dishonesty and as such has no part in the Future World; the person who buys from him preaches dishonestly and will be damaged in his soul; the persons who hear the sermon will not be moved; their time is wasted. Soferim 16:2..
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. אֲנָא מִן יוֹמוֹי לָא אִיסְתַּכְּלִית בְּסִפְרָא דַאֲגַדְתָּא. אֶלָּא חַד זְמַן אִסְתַּכְּלִית. אַשְׁכְּחִית כָּתוּב בָּהּ. מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִים וְחָמֵשׁ פַּרְשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה דִּבֵּר אֲמִירָה צִיוּוּי כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁלְאָבִינוּ אַבְרָהָם. דִּכְתִיב לַָק֣חְתָּ מַ֭תָּנוֹת בָּאָדָ֑ם. וּכְתִיב הָֽאָדָ֧ם הַגָּד֛וֹל בָּֽעֲנָקִ֖ים. מֵאָה וְאַרְבָּעִים וְשִׁבְעָה מִזְמוֹרוֹת שֶׁכְּתוּבוֹת בַּתִּילִים כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁלְאָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל־הַקִּילוּסִין שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְקַלְּסִין לְהַקְּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאַתָּ֥ה קָד֑וֹשׁ י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב תְּהִלּ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה פָעַמִים שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹנִין הַלֵּלוּיָהּ. כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁלְאַהֲרֹן. הַֽלְלוּ יָ֙הּ ׀ הַֽלְלוּ־אֵ֥ל בְּקָדְשׁ֑וֹ לְאַהֲרֹן קְדוֹשׁוּ לְ֝אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן קְד֣וֹשׁ יְי. אֲפִילוּ כֵן אֲנָא מִתְבְּעִית בַּלֵּילִיָא. 53Tactate Soferim 16:10. The piece is missing in Tactate Soferim in Maḥzor Vitry. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, I never looked into a book of sermon concepts, except that once I looked, and I found written there: The 175 paragraphs where in the Torah is written speech, saying, commandment54The number of paragraphs which start with an expression of commandment., correspond to the years of our father Abraham, as it is written, you took gifts from Man55Psalms.68.19">Ps. 68:19. Traditionally the Psalm is read as describing the Exodus and the epiphany at Sinai. The gift is the Torah given to Moses., and it is written, the great Man among giants56Joshua.14.15">Jos. 14:15.. The 147 songs written in Psalms57The number of Psalms if Psalms.1-2">Psalms 1–2, Psalms.9-10">9–10, Psalms.114-115">114–115 are combinred. correspond to the years of our father Jacob. This teaches that all praises by which Israel praise the Holy One, praise to Him, correspond to the years of Jacob, as it is said, You are Holy, throning over the praises of Israel58Psalms.22.4">Ps. 22:4.. The 123 times Israel answer “halleluiah”59In the recitation of “Hallel” (Psalms.113-118">Pss. 113–118) by the reader, the congregation answers every half-verse by “halleluiah”. This form of recitation, described by Maimonides Hilkhot Ḥanukkah 3:12 (Sukkah.38b">Babli Sukkah 38b), still is common among Yemenite congregations. The exact places of response are indicated in the Yemenite Tikālil. correspond to the years of Aaron, Halleluiah, praise God by His holy one60Psalms.150.1">Ps. 150:1., Aaron his holy one, for Aaron, the Eternal’s holy one61Psalms.106.16">Ps. 106:16.. Nevertheless I was frightened in the night62Because of the sin he committed reading the book in which was written what only should be orally transmitted..
רִבִּי חִייָה בַּר בָּא חֲמַא חַד סֵפֶר דַּאֲגָדָה. אֲמַר. אִי מַה כְתִב טַבָּאוּת. תִקְטַע יְדָא דְכָֽתְבָתָהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ חַד. אָבוֹי דְהַהוּא גַבְרָא כָֽתְבָהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי. תִקְטַע יְדָא דְכָֽתְבָתָהּ. וַהֲווָת לֵיהּ כֵּן כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיּוֹצָא מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט: Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba saw a book of agadah. He said, even if what is written in there is good, the hand who wrote it should be amputated. A person told him, it was written by X’s father. He said, I was saying, the hand who wrote it should be amputated. That happened to him, as an error which is coming out from the ruler’s mouth63Ecclesiastes.10.5">Eccl. 10:5..
הַגִּילְיוֹנִים וְסִיפְרֵי מִינִין. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. קוֹרֵעַ אַזְכְּרוֹתֵיהֶן וְשׂוֹרְפָן. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. שׂוֹרְפָן הֵן וְאַזְכְּרוֹתֵיהֶן. אָמַר רִבִּי טַרְפוֹן. אַקְפַּח אֶת בָּנַיי שֶׁאִם יְבוֹאוּ לְבֵיתִי שֶׁאֲנִי שׂוֹרְפָן הֵן וְאַזְכְּרוֹתֵיהֶן. שֶׁאִם יִהְיֶה הָרוֹדֵף רוֹדֵף אַחֲרַיי שֶׁאֲנִי נִמְלַט לְתוֹךְ בָּתֵּיהֶן שֶׁלְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְאֵינִי נִמְלַט לְתוֹךְ בָּתֵּיהֶן שֶׁלְמִינִין. שֶׁעוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֵינָן מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ וְכוֹפְרִין בּוֹ. אֲבָל הַמִּינִין מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ וְכוֹפְרִין בּוֹ. וְעֲלֵיהֶן אָמַר דָּוִד הֲלֽוֹא־מְשַׂנְאֶ֖יךָ יְי אֶשְׂנָ֑א וגו׳. זֶה מִדְרַשׁ דָּֽרְשׁוּ. וּמַה אִם לְהַטִּיל שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב. הַשֵׁם שֶׁנִּכְתָּב בִּקְדוּשָּׁה יִמָּחֶה עַל הַמַּיִם. סִיפְרֵי מִינִין שֶּׁמַּטִּילִין אֵיבָה וְתַחֲרוּת וּמַחֲלוֹקֶת בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶן שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם אֵינוֹ דִין שֲׁיִּשָּֽׂרְפוּ הֵן וְאַזְכְּרוֹתֵיהֶן. 64Tosephta 13:5 (ed. Liebermann). Shabbat.116a">Babli 116a.“Gospels65If written in Hebrew or Aramaic. and books of heretics66Usually this is applied to Ebionite literature. But since both prayer collections and written sermons on biblical texts, both of which were condemned in precedings paragraphs, were found in the Qumran caves, it is not excluded that the notion also includes the remainder of Sadducee/Essene literature in Tannaitic times., some Tannaim say67The Divine Name in its forms which may not be erased as listed in Megillah 71d l. 59, Babli Ševuot 35a., one tears out the Names68R. Yose the Galilean. and burns them; some Tannaim say69R. Tarphon., one burns them with their Names. Rebbi Tarphon said, I would hit my sons; if they came into my house I would burn them together with their Names. For if a persecutor would persecute me I would seek asylum in a pagan temple but would not seek asylum in heretics’ houses, for the worshippers of idolatry do not know about Him, how could they disavow Him? But the heretics know Him and disavow Him; about them David said70Psalms.139.21">Ps. 139:21., Your haters,o Eternal, I shall hate, etc. This homily they71R. Ismael. preached: If in order to bring peace between a man and his wife the verse commands that the Name written in holiness be erased72In the ordeal which proves the innocence of a woman accused of adultery, Numbers.5.23">Num. 5:23., it is only logical that the books of heretics which propagate ill will and quarrel between Israel and their Father in Heaven should be burned with their Names.”