Chullin

I will not take a thread or a shoe-strap,1 his descendants were worthy to receive two commandments: the thread of blue,2 and the strap of the tefillin.3 Now as for the strap of the tefillin, [the blessing bestowed on its account] is clear, for it is written: And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon thee; and they shall be afraid of thee,’4 and it has been taught: R. Eliezer the Great says: This refers to the tefillin worn upon the head.5 But what [is the blessing bestowed on account] of the thread of blue? — It has been taught:6 R. Meir says. Why is blue singled out from all the varieties of colours? Because blue resembles the colour of the sea, and the sea resembles the colour of the sky, and the sky resembles the colour of a sapphire, and a sapphire resembles the colour of the Throne of Glory, as it is said: And they saw the God of Israel and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone;7 and it is also written: The likeness of a throne as the appearance of a sapphire stone.8 R. Abba said: Grave indeed is theft that has been consumed, for even the perfect righteous cannot make amends for it, as it is said: Save only that which the young men have eaten.9 R. Johanan said in the name of R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon. Wherever you find the words of R. Eleazar the son of R. Jose the Galilean in an Aggadah make your ear like a funnel.10 [For he said: It is written,] It was not because you were greater than any people that the Lord set His love upon you and chose you.11 The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, I love you because even when I bestow greatness upon you, you humble yourselves before me. I bestowed greatness upon Abraham, yet he said to Me, I am but dust and ashes;12 Upon Moses and Aaron, yet they said: And we are nothing;13 upon David, yet he said: But I am a worm and no man.14 But with the heathens it is not so. I bestowed greatness upon Nimrod, and he said: Come, let us build us a city;15 upon Pharaoh, and he said: Who is the Lord?16 Upon Sennacherib, and he said: Who are they among all the gods of the countries?17 upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he said: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;18 upon Hiram king of Tyre, and he said: I sit in the seat of God, in the heart of the seas.19 Raba, others say R. Johanan, said: More significant is that which is said of Moses and Aaron than that which is said of Abraham. Of Abraham it is said: I am but dust and ashes, whereas of Moses and Aaron it is said: And we are nothing.20 Raba, others say R. Johanan, also said: The world exists only on account of [the merit of] Moses and Aaron; for it is written here: And we are nothing, and it is written there [of the world]: He hangeth the earth upon nothing.21 R. Ila'a said: The world exists only on account of [the merit of] him who restrains himself in strife, for it is written: He hangeth the earth upon belimah.22 R. Abbahu said: On account of [the merit of] him who abases himself,23 for it is written: And underneath are the everlasting arms. 24 R. Isaac said: What is the meaning of the verse: Indeed in silence speak righteousness; judge uprightly the sons of men?25 What should be a man's pursuit26 in this world? He should be silent. Perhaps he should be so with regard to the words of the Torah? It says therefore, ‘Speak righteousness’. Perhaps then he is to become arrogant? It says therefore, ‘Judge uprightly27 the sons of men. R. Ze'ira, others say Rabbah b. Jeremiah, said: One may cover up [the blood] with the dust28 of a ‘condemned city’.29 Why is this? Is it not forbidden for all uses?30 — Ze'iri answered: It can only refer to the earth31 of its soil; for the verse. And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the broad place thereof and shalt burn with fire,32 applies only to that which requires to be gathered and burned; but that which requires to be dug up and then gathered and burned is excluded.33 Raba said: The [performance of] precepts is not accounted as a personal benefit.34 Rabina was sitting and reciting the above statement [of Raba]; whereupon R. Rehumi raised this objection against Rabina. [It was taught:]35 A man may not blow [on the New Year] a shofar which has been used for idolatrous purposes. Now presumably if he did blow it he will not have fulfilled his obligation! — No. If he did blow it he has fulfilled his obligation. A man may not take [on the Festival] a lulab36 which has been used for idolatrous purposes. Presumably if he did take it he will not have fulfilled his obligation! — No. If he did take it he has fulfilled his obligation. But it has been taught: If he sounded it he has not fulfilled his obligation; if he took it he has not fulfilled his obligation! — R. Ashi answered: There is no comparison at all. There 37 fringes worn by Israel, and bestows upon them blessings. of those who regard themselves as nothing, like Moses and Aaron who said of themselves, vn ubjbu. And we are nothing. use of that thing. Accordingly one may cover up the blood with the ashes of a condemned city. of Tabernacles. Cf. Lev. XXIII, 40. handbreadths and the latter, a little more than a handgrasp, they are invalid.