Pesachim

Now a tanna recited [R. Johanan's dictum] before Raba and R. Safra, [whereupon] R. Safra's face lit up. Said Raba to him: it does not mean such as you, but such as R. Hanina and R. Oshaia, who were cobblers in Eretz Yisrael and dwelt in a street of harlots and made shoes for harlots and went in to them:1 they [the harlots] looked at them, but they [these scholars] would not lift their eyes to look at them, and their [the harlots’] oath was ‘by the life of the holy Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael.’ 2 Three the Holy One, blessed be He, loves: he who does not display temper, he who does not become intoxicated, and he who does not insist on his [full] rights.3 Three the Holy One, blessed be He, hates: he who speaks one thing with his mouth and another thing in his heart; and he who possesses evidence concerning is neighbour and does not testify for him; and he who sees something indecent in his neighbour and testifies against him alone.4 As it once happened that Tobias sinned and Zigud alone came and testified against him before R. Papa, [whereupon] he had Zigud punished. ‘Tobias sinned and Zigud is punished!’ exclaimed he, ‘Even so,’ said he to him, ‘for it is written, one witness shall not rise up against a man,5 whereas you have testified against him alone: you merely bring him into ill repute.’6 R. Samuel son of R. Isaac said in Rab's name: Yet he may hate him,7 for it is said , If thou see the ass of thine enemy lying under’ its burden.8 Now which enemy [is meant]: Shall we say, a Gentile enemy, — but it was taught: The enemy of whom they spoke is an Israelite enemy, not a Gentile enemy? Hence it obviously means an Israelite enemy. But is it permitted to hate him? Surely it is written , Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart?9 Again if there are witnesses that he had committed wrong, the all indeed hate him! why particularly this person? Hence it must surely apply to such a case where he had seen something indecent in him. R. Nahman b. Isaac said: it is a duty to hate him, as it is said, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.10 R. Aha son of Raba asked R. Ashi: What about telling his teacher, that he should hate him?-Said he to him: If he knows that his teacher regards him as trustworthy as two [witnesses], he should tell him; but if not, he must not tell him. Our Rabbis taught: There are three whose life is not life; the [over.] compassionate, the hot-tempered, and the [too] fastidious; whereon R. Joseph observed: And a these [qualities] are found in me. Our Rabbis taught: Three hate one another, viz.: dogs, fowls, and Parsee priests;11 some say, harlots too; some say, scholars in Babylonia too. Our Rabbis taught: Three love each other, viz.: proselytes, slaves , and ravens. Four are too impossible for words:12 a poor man who is arrogant, the wealthy man who flatters,13 a lecherous old man, and a leader who lords it over the community without cause. Some say: Also he who divorces his wife a first and a second time and takes her back. And the first Tanna?14 — it may be that her kethubah15 is large,16 or else he has children from her and cannot divorce her.17 Five things did Canaan charge his sons: Love one another, love robbery, love lewdness , hate your masters and do not speak the truth . Six things were said of a horse: it loves promiscuity, it loves battle, it has a proud spirit ‘ it despises sleep, eats much and excretes little. Some say: it also seeks to slay its master in battle. Seven are banned18 by Heaven; these are they: A Jew who has no wife; he who has a wife but no children;19 and he who has children but does not bring them up.to the study of the Torah; and he who has no phylacteries on his head and on his arm ‘ no fringes on his garment and no mezuzah on his door, and he who denies his feet shoes. And some say: Also he who never sits in a company assembled for a religious purpose.20 Rabbah b. Bar Hanah said in the name of R. Samuel b. Martha in Rab's name on the authority of it. Jose of Huzal: How do we know that you must not consult astrologers?21 Because it is said: Thou shalt be whole-hearted with the lord thy God.22 And how do we know that one who knows that his neighbour is greater than himself even in one thing must show him honour? Because it is said, because a surpassing [superior] spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over’ the whole realm.23 And she [a woman] who sits over clean blood is forbidden intercourse;24 for how long? Said Rab: A ‘onah.25 A Tanna taught: Joseph of Huzal is identical with Joseph the Babylonian with Issi b. Gur Aryeh, with Issi b. Judah, with Issi b. Gamaliel and with Issi b. Mahallallel, and what was his [real] name? Issi b. ‘Akabia.26 it. Isaac b. Tabla is identical with R. Isaac b. Hakla, and with R. Isaac b. Ila'a. 27 eighth or the fifteenth day after childbirth a woman's blood is clean (v. Lev. XII, 1-5), i.e. ‘ it does not defile her and cohabitation is permitted. When this period is ended, she is designated ‘a woman sitting over clean blood,’ and cohabitation is forbidden, lest she have a blood discharge and think that just as her blood did not defile before, it does not defile her now either. V, 6, and it was in order to be spared the tragic memories associated with the name of ‘Akabia that Issi did not describe himself as the son of ‘Akabia; v. Derenbourg, Essai p. 484]. another person is now referred to.