Kiddushin

Imperial [armour] bearers1 guarded me all night.’2 Said they to him, ‘Perhaps you were tempted with immorality and successfully resisted?’ For it was taught: He who is tempted with immorality and successfully resists, a miracle is performed for him. [Bless ye the Lord, ye messenger's of his:] Ye mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word.3 E.g., R. Zadok and his companions. R. Zadok was summoned by a certain matron [to immorality]. Said he to her, ‘My heart is faint and I am unable; is there aught to eat?’ She answered him, ‘There is unclean food.’ ‘What am I to deduce from this?’4 he retorted: ‘that he who commits this [immorality] may eat this.’5 She then fired the oven and was placing it [the forbidden meat] therein, when he ascended and sat in it. Said she to him, ‘What is the meaning of this?’ ‘He who commits the one [immorality] falls into the other [the fire — of Gehenna]’, was his reply. ‘Had I known that it is so heinous,’ said she, ‘I would not have tormented you’. R. Kahana was selling [work-] baskets, when a certain matron made [immoral] demands upon him. Said he to her, ‘I will first adorn myself.’ He [thereupon] ascended and hurled himself6 from the roof towards earth, but Elijah came and caught him.7 ‘You have troubled me [to come] four hundred parasangs’, he reproved him. ‘What caused me [to do it],’8 he retorted; ‘is it not poverty?’9 so he gave him a shifa10 [full] of denarii.11 Raba pointed out a contradiction to R. Nahman. We learnt: These are the things the fruit of which man enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him for the future world: Viz., honouring one's parents, the practice of loving deeds, and making peace between man and his neighbour, while the study of the Torah surpasses them all. Now, in reference to honouring one's parents it is written, that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee.12 Of the practice of loving deeds it is written: He that pursueth after righteousness and loving kindness findeth life, righteousness and honour.13 Of peacemaking it is said: Seek peace and pursue it;14 and R. Abbahu said: We learn ‘pursuing’ from ‘pursuing’. Here it is written: ‘Seek peace and pursue it’; and elsewhere it is written: He that pursueth after righteousness and loving kindness.15 Of the study of the Law it is written, for that is thy life, and the length of thy days.16 But with respect to the dismissal of the nest17 it is also written, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days:18 then let this too be taught? — He teaches [some] and omits [others]. [What!] the Tanna states: ‘These are the things,’19 yet you say that he teaches [some] and omits [others]! — Said Raba, R. Idi explained it to me: Say ye of the righteous, when he is good, that they shall eat the fruit of their doings:20 is there then a righteous man who is good and a righteous man who is not good? But he who is good to Heaven and good to man, he is a righteous man who is good; good to Heaven but not good to man, that is a righteous man who is not good.21 Similarly you read: Woe unto the wicked [man] [that is] evil; for the reward of his hands shall be given unto him:22 is there then a wicked man that is evil and one that is not evil? But he that is evil to Heaven and evil to man, he is a wicked man that is evil; he who is evil to Heaven but not evil to man, he is a wicked man that is not evil. Merit has both stock and fruit,for it is said: Say ye of the righteous, when he is good etc.23 Transgression has stock but not fruit,24 for it is said: Woe unto the wicked when he is evil etc.25 Then how do I interpret,26 Therefore shall they [sc. the wicked] eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices?27 Transgression which bears fruit28 has fruit; that which does not bear fruit has no fruit.29 Good intention is combined with deed,30 for it is said: Then they that feared the Lord spoke one with another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.31 Now, what is the meaning of ‘that thought upon his name’? — Said R. Assi: Even if one [merely] thinks of performing a precept but is forcibly prevented the Writ ascribes it to him as though he has performed it. Evil intention is not combined with deed,32 for it is said: If I regarded iniquity in my heart, The Lord would not hear.33 Then how do I interpret, behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts?34 Intention which bears fruit35 the Holy One, blessed be He, combines with deed;36 Intention which does not bear fruit the Holy One, blessed be He, does not combine with deed. Then what of the verse, that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart?37 — Said R. Aha b. Jacob: That refers to idolatry, for a Master said: Idolatry is so heinous that he who rejects it is as though he admits [the truth of] the whole Torah.38 ‘Ulla said: [This is to be explained] as R. Huna. For R. Huna said: Once a man does wrong and repeats it, it is permitted him. ‘It is permitted him’! can you really think so? — But it becomes to him as something permitted.39 R. Abbahu said on R. Hanina's authority: Better had a man secretly transgress than publicly profane God's40 name, for it is said: As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God: Go ye, serve every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but my holy name shall ye not profane.41 R. Il'ai the Elder said: If a man sees that his [evil] desire is conquering him, let him go to a place where he is unknown, don black and cover himself with black,42 and do as his heart desires,43 but let him not publicly profane God's name.44 But that is not so, for we learnt: He who is careless45 of his Master's honour, it were well for him that he had not come Into the world. Now, to what does this refer? — Rabbah said: To one who gazes at the [rain]bow.46 R. Joseph said: To one who secretly transgresses!47 — There is no difficulty: the one means where he can subdue his evil desires; the other, where he cannot. We learnt elsewhere: Credit is not allowed48 for the profanation of the [Divine] Name, whether It is unwitting or intentional.49 What is meant by ‘credit is not allowed?’ — Said Mar Zutra: They [sc. Heaven] do not act like a shopkeeper.50 Mar the son of Rabina said: This is to teach that if it [sc. one's account of sin and merit] is equally balanced, [the profanation of God's name] tips the scale.51 Our Rabbis taught: A man should always his identity. Cf. Git. 70a, Sanh. 113a, Yoma 19b, et passim. rewarded in this world. But dismissing the dam is ‘good to Heaven’ only, i.e., it is obedience to God's will, but of no benefit to man. sin's punishment. Cf. Yoma 39a: Sin dulls the heart of man; also Aboth: the punishment of sin is sin. — Hence, when the Writ intimates that evil intention is punished, it refers to a wrong twice committed: the intention to commit it a third time is then punished, even if not carried out. For by then it is not regarded as evil, and its non-performance is not due to repentance but because there was no need for it. 9-11). itself tips the scale. — Maharsha. [Rashi's explanation ihphen is here understood in the sense of comparing, balancing the sins against the good deeds.]