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Who may stand in His holy place?— (4) He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not taken a false oath by My life
or sworn deceitfully. (5) He shall carry away a blessing from the LORD,
a just reward from God, his deliverer.
(ד) גִּלָּיוֹן שֶׁבַּסֵּפֶר, שֶׁמִּלְּמַעְלָן וְשֶׁמִּלְּמַטָּן שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה וְשֶׁבַּסּוֹף, מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, שֶׁבַּסּוֹף אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא, עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לוֹ עַמּוּד:
(4) The margin on a scroll which is above or below or at the beginning or at the end defiles the hands. Rabbi Judah says: the margin at the end does not render unclean [the hands] until a handle is fastened to it.
(ה) סֵפֶר שֶׁנִּמְחַק וְנִשְׁתַּיֵּר בּוֹ שְׁמוֹנִים וְחָמֵשׁ אוֹתִיּוֹת, כְּפָרָשַׁת וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן, מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. מְגִלָּה שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהּ שְׁמוֹנִים וְחָמֵשׁ אוֹתִיּוֹת כְּפָרָשַׁת וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן, מְטַמָּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. כָּל כִּתְבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים וְקֹהֶלֶת מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם, וְקֹהֶלֶת מַחֲלֹקֶת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, קֹהֶלֶת אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם וְשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים מַחֲלֹקֶת. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, קֹהֶלֶת מִקֻּלֵּי בֵית שַׁמַּאי וּמֵחֻמְרֵי בֵית הִלֵּל. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן עַזַּאי, מְקֻבָּל אֲנִי מִפִּי שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנַיִם זָקֵן, בַּיּוֹם שֶׁהוֹשִׁיבוּ אֶת רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה בַּיְשִׁיבָה, שֶׁשִּׁיר הַשִּׁירִים וְקֹהֶלֶת מְטַמְּאִים אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לֹא נֶחֱלַק אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עַל שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים שֶׁלֹּא תְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם, שֶׁאֵין כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ כְדַאי כַּיּוֹם שֶׁנִּתַּן בּוֹ שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁכָּל הַכְּתוּבִים קֹדֶשׁ, וְשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים. וְאִם נֶחְלְקוּ, לֹא נֶחְלְקוּ אֶלָּא עַל קֹהֶלֶת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חָמִיו שֶׁל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, כְּדִבְרֵי בֶן עַזַּאי, כָּךְ נֶחְלְקוּ וְכָךְ גָּמְרוּ:
(5) A scroll on which the writing has become erased and eighty-five letters remain, as many as are in the section beginning, "And it came to pass when the ark set forward" (Numbers 10:35-36) defiles the hands. A single sheet on which there are written eighty-five letters, as many as are in the section beginning, "And it came to pass when the ark set forward", defiles the hands. All the Holy Scriptures defile the hands. The Song of Songs and Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) defile the hands. Rabbi Judah says: the Song of Songs defiles the hands, but there is a dispute about Kohelet. Rabbi Yose says: Kohelet does not defile the hands, but there is a dispute about the Song of Songs. Rabbi Shimon says: [the ruling about] Kohelet is one of the leniencies of Bet Shammai and one of the stringencies of Bet Hillel. Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai said: I have received a tradition from the seventy-two elders on the day when they appointed Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah head of the academy that the Song of Songs and Kohelet defile the hands. Rabbi Akiba said: Far be it! No man in Israel disputed that the Song of Songs [saying] that it does not defile the hands. For the whole world is not as worthy as the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the writings are holy but the Song of Songs is the holy of holies. If they had a dispute, they had a dispute only about Kohelet. Rabbi Yohanan ben Joshua the son of the father-in-law of Rabbi Akiva said in accordance with the words of Ben Azzai: so they disputed and so they reached a decision.
The Esther, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Ruth Controversy
Our sages disagreed about the sanctity of four books now found in the TaNaKh: Esther (because it doesn't mention God), Ecclesiastes (because it's theology is controversial), Song of Songs (because of its sexual imagery), and Ruth. For a text to be sacred, it has to "make the hands unclean." The following discussion was recorded in the Talmud.
״הַשֵּׁנִית״ וְאִיצְטְרִיךְ לְמִיכְתַּב ״בְּכׇל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה״. דְּאִי מִ״בְּכׇל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה״ הֲוָה אָמֵינָא כִּי קוּשְׁיַן, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן ״הַשֵּׁנִית״. וְאִי אַשְׁמוֹעִינַן ״הַשֵּׁנִית״ הֲוָה אָמֵינָא בַּתְּחִילָּה בָּרִאשׁוֹן וּבַשֵּׁנִי, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן ״בְּכׇל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה״. וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַאי ״הַשֵּׁנִית״ מַאי עָבֵיד לֵיהּ? מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְכִדְרַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יְהוּדָה, דְּאָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יְהוּדָה: בַּתְּחִילָּה קְבָעוּהָ בְּשׁוּשַׁן, וּלְבַסּוֹף בְּכׇל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ. אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יְהוּדָה: שָׁלְחָה לָהֶם אֶסְתֵּר לַחֲכָמִים: קִבְעוּנִי לְדוֹרוֹת! שָׁלְחוּ לָהּ: קִנְאָה אַתְּ מְעוֹרֶרֶת עָלֵינוּ לְבֵין הָאוּמּוֹת. שָׁלְחָה לָהֶם: כְּבָר כְּתוּבָה אֲנִי עַל דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי מָדַי וּפָרָס. רַב וְרַב חֲנִינָא וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַב חֲבִיבָא מַתְנוּ. בְּכוּלֵּיהּ סֵדֶר מוֹעֵד כָּל כִּי הַאי זוּגָא חַלּוֹפֵי רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וּמְעַיֵּיל רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן. שָׁלְחָה לָהֶם אֶסְתֵּר לַחֲכָמִים: כִּתְבוּנִי לְדוֹרוֹת. שָׁלְחוּ לָהּ: ״הֲלֹא כָתַבְתִּי לְךָ שָׁלִישִׁים״, שִׁלֵּישִׁים וְלֹא רִבֵּעִים, עַד שֶׁמָּצְאוּ לוֹ מִקְרָא כָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה: ״כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר״. ״כְּתֹב זֹאת״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב כָּאן וּבְמִשְׁנֵה תוֹרָה. ״זִכָּרוֹן״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּנְּבִיאִים, ״בַּסֵּפֶר״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּמְּגִלָּה. כְּתַנָּאֵי: ״כְּתֹב זֹאת״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב כָּאן, ״זִכָּרוֹן״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּמִשְׁנֵה תוֹרָה, ״בַּסֵּפֶר״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּנְּבִיאִים. דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: ״כְּתֹב זֹאת״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב כָּאן וּבְמִשְׁנֵה תוֹרָה, ״זִכָּרוֹן״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּנְּבִיאִים, ״בְּסֵפֶר״ — מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בִּמְגִילָּה. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: אֶסְתֵּר אֵינָהּ מְטַמְּאָה אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. לְמֵימְרָא דְּסָבַר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶסְתֵּר לָאו בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה? וְהָאָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה! נֶאֶמְרָה לִקְרוֹת, וְלֹא נֶאֶמְרָה לִיכְתּוֹב. מֵיתִיבִי, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: קֹהֶלֶת אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם, וּמַחְלוֹקֶת בְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם, וּמַחְלוֹקֶת בְּקֹהֶלֶת. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: קֹהֶלֶת מִקּוּלֵּי בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וּמֵחוּמְרֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל, אֲבָל רוּת וְשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים וְאֶסְתֵּר מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדַיִם! הוּא דְּאָמַר כְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אוֹמֵר: קֹהֶלֶת אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחׇכְמָתוֹ שֶׁל שְׁלֹמֹה הִיא. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: וְכִי זוֹ בִּלְבַד אָמַר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר: ״וַיְדַבֵּר שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים מָשָׁל״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״אַל תּוֹסְףְּ עַל דְּבָרָיו״. מַאי ״וְאוֹמֵר״? וְכִי תֵּימָא: מֵימָר טוּבָא אֲמַר, דְּאִי בָּעֵי — אִיכְּתִיב, וּדְאִי בָּעֵי — לָא אִיכְּתִיב. תָּא שְׁמַע: ״אַל תּוֹסְףְּ עַל דְּבָרָיו״. תַּנְיָא רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר הָמָן בְּלִבּוֹ״. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתְּהִי אֶסְתֵּר נֹשֵׂאת חֵן בְּעֵינֵי כׇּל רוֹאֶיהָ״. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּוָּדַע הַדָּבָר לְמׇרְדֳּכַי״. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן דּוֹרְמַסְקִית אוֹמֵר: אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבַבִּזָּה לֹא שָׁלְחוּ אֶת יָדָם״. אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: אִי הֲוַאי הָתָם, הֲוָה אָמֵינָא מִלְּתָא דַּעֲדִיפָא מִכּוּלְּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ״ — קִיְּמוּ לְמַעְלָה מַה שֶּׁקִּיבְּלוּ לְמַטָּה. אָמַר רָבָא: לְכוּלְּהוּ אִית לְהוּ פִּירְכָא, לְבַר מִדִּשְׁמוּאֵל דְּלֵית לֵיהּ פִּירְכָא: דְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר — סְבָרָא הוּא דְּלָא הֲוָה אִינִישׁ דַּחֲשִׁיב לְמַלְכָּא כְּווֹתֵיהּ, וְהַאי כִּי קָא מַפֵּישׁ טוּבָא וְאָמַר — אַדַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ קָאָמַר. דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא — דִּלְמָא כְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דְּאָמַר: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכׇּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִדְמְתָה לוֹ כְּאוּמָּתוֹ. וְהָא דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר — דִּלְמָא כְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא, דְּאָמַר: בִּגְתָן וָתֶרֶשׁ שְׁנֵי טַרְשִׂיִּים הָיוּ. וְהָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן דּוֹרְמַסְקִית — דִּלְמָא פְּרִיסְתָּקֵי שַׁדּוּר. דִּשְׁמוּאֵל, וַדַּאי לֵית לֵיהּ פִּירְכָא. אָמַר רָבִינָא: הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: טָבָא חֲדָא פִּלְפַּלְתָּא חֲרִיפְתָּא מִמְּלֵי צַנֵּי קָרֵי. רַב יוֹסֵף אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״וִימֵי הַפּוּרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֹא יַעַבְרוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַיְּהוּדִים״. רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אוֹמֵר מֵהָכָא: ״וְזִכְרָם לֹא יָסוּף מִזַּרְעָם״. וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים. תָּנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף: ״וּמִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ״ — שְׁתֵּי מָנוֹת לְאִישׁ אֶחָד. ״וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים״ — שְׁתֵּי מַתָּנוֹת לִשְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה נְשִׂיאָה שַׁדַּר לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי אוֹשַׁעְיָא אַטְמָא דְּעִיגְלָא תִּלְתָּא וְגַרְבָּא דְחַמְרָא, שְׁלַח לֵיהּ:
...Here too, the tanna’im disagreed whether or not the book of Esther has the same force and sanctity as that of the canonized books of the Bible. Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The book of Esther does not render the hands ritually impure. Although the Sages issued a decree that sacred scrolls render hands ritually impure, the book of Esther was not accorded the sanctity of sacred scrolls.
The Gemara asks: Is this to say that Shmuel maintains that the book of Esther was not stated with the inspiration of the Divine Spirit? But didn’t Shmuel himself say elsewhere that the book of Esther was stated with the inspiration of the Divine Spirit? The Gemara answers: It was stated with the Divine Spirit that it is to be read in public; however, it was not stated that it is to be written. Therefore, the text was not accorded the sanctity of sacred scrolls.
The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita. Rabbi Meir says: The book of Ecclesiastes does not render the hands ritually impure, as it was not accorded the sanctity of sacred scrolls; however, there is a dispute with regard to whether or not the Song of Songs renders the hands impure. Rabbi Yosei says: The Song of Songs renders the hands ritually impure, but there is a dispute with regard to the book of Ecclesiastes. Rabbi Shimon says: The ruling with regard to Ecclesiastes is among the leniencies of Beit Shammai and among the stringencies of Beit Hillel, as according to Beit Hillel it renders the hands impure and according to Beit Shammai it does not. However, everyone agrees that the books of Ruth, and the Song of Songs, and Esther render the hands ritually impure, contrary to the opinion of Shmuel. The Gemara answers: It was Shmuel who stated his opinion in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua cited earlier that the book of Esther was not accorded the sanctity of sacred scrolls. It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says: The book of Ecclesiastes does not render the hands ritually impure because it is the wisdom of Solomon, and not divinely inspired. They said to him: It was certainly divinely inspired and that is the reason that the book of Ecclesiastes was added to the canon; as was it this alone that Solomon said? Wasn’t it already stated: “And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his poems were a thousand and five” (I Kings 5:12)? Solomon spoke many proverbs, but only a portion of them were canonized in the Bible. Apparently, what is unique about those in Ecclesiastes is that they were divinely inspired. And it says: “Add you not unto his words” (Proverbs 30:6). The Gemara asks: What is added by the proof introduced with the phrase: And it says? Why wasn’t the first proof sufficient? The Gemara answers: And if you would say that in terms of what he said, he said a great deal, with regard to which, if he so desired, it was written, and if he so desired, it was not written; then that is why not all of his statements were preserved. Therefore, come and hear: Add you not unto his words. Apparently, the reason that it is prohibited to add to the proverbs is that the book of Ecclesiastes was divinely inspired.
It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: The book of Esther was said with the inspiration of the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “And Haman thought in his heart” (Esther 6:6). If the book of Esther was not divinely inspired, how was it known what Haman thought in his heart? Rabbi Akiva says: The book of Esther was said with the inspiration of the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked upon her” (Esther 2:15); this could have been known only through divine inspiration. Rabbi Meir says: The book of Esther was said with the inspiration of the Divine Spirit, as it is stated with regard to the conspiracy of Bigtan and Teresh against Ahasuerus: “And the thing became known to Mordecai” (Esther 2:22). This too could have been known only through divine inspiration. Rabbi Yosei ben Durmaskit says: The book of Esther was said with the inspiration of the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “But they did not lay their hands on the plunder” (Esther 9:15). The only way that could have been stated with certainty is through divine inspiration. Shmuel said: Had I been there among the tanna’im, I would have stated a matter that is superior to them all, as it is stated: “They confirmed, and took upon themselves” (Esther 9:27), which was interpreted to mean: They confirmed above in heaven what they took upon themselves below on earth. Clearly, it is only through divine inspiration that this could have been ascertained.
Rava said: There is a refutation for all of these proofs, except for the proof cited by Shmuel, for which there is no refutation. The Gemara elaborates. That which Rabbi Eliezer said with regard to knowledge of what Haman was thinking in his heart can be refuted, as it is based on logical reasoning to conclude that this was his thinking. There was no other person as important to the king as he was; and the fact is that when he elaborated extensively and said: “Let the royal apparel be brought” (Esther 6:8), he said it with himself in mind. That which Rabbi Akiva said with regard to the knowledge that Esther found favor in the eyes of all, perhaps it can be understood and refuted in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, who said: This teaches that she appeared to each and every one as one of his nation, and they expressed that sentiment aloud. And that which Rabbi Meir said, i.e., that the divine inspiration of the book of Esther is clear from the fact that Mordecai exposed the conspiracy against Ahasuerus, perhaps this can be explained and refuted in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, who said: Bigtan and Teresh were both members of the Tarsi people and conversed in their own language. Mordecai, who was a member of the Sanhedrin and therefore fluent in many languages, understood what they were saying. And that which Rabbi Yosei ben Durmaskit said with regard to the knowledge that no spoils were taken, perhaps this can be explained and refuted by the fact that they dispatched messengers who informed them of the situation. However, with regard to Shmuel’s proof from the fact that they confirmed above what they took upon themselves below, there is certainly no refutation. Ravina said: This explains the folk saying that people say: One sharp pepper is better than a basketful of pumpkins, as the quality of the pepper’s taste is more significant than the quantity of the pumpkins.
Rav Yosef said: Proof that the book of Esther was divinely inspired may be cited from here: “And these days of Purim shall not cease from among the Jews” (Esther 9:28), an assertion that could have been made only with divine inspiration. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: Proof may be cited from here, at the end of that verse: “Nor the memorial of them perish from their seed” (Esther 9:28). The mishnah mentions: And gifts distributed to the poor. Rav Yosef taught a baraita that the verse states: “And of sending portions one to another” (Esther 9:22), indicating two portions to one person. The verse continues: “And gifts to the poor” (Esther 9:22), indicating two gifts to two people. The Gemara relates that, on Purim, Rabbi Yehuda Nesia sent to Rabbi Oshaya the leg of a third-born calf and a jug of wine. Rabbi Oshaya sent him a message of gratitude...