Sanhedrin

It is written, And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuke of them all.  R. Johanan explained this: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'They have gone deeper [i.e., are more stringent] than I. I said, "Whoever does not go up [to Jerusalem] for the Festival violates a positive injunction" whereas they proclaimed, "Whoever does go up for the Festival will be pierced with the sword."' And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way, and he had clad himself with a new garment:  a Tanna taught in the name of R. Jose: [That time was] a time predestined for punishment.  In the time of their visitation they shall perish:  a Tanna taught in the name of R. Jose: [In] a time predestined for punishment. In an acceptable time have I heard thee:  a Tanna taught in R. Jose's name: [In] a time predestined for good. Nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them:  a Tanna taught in R. Jose's name: [In] a time Predestined for punishment.  And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren:  a Tanna taught in R. Jose's name: [In] a time predestined for punishment.  And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king:  a Tanna taught in R. Jose's name: [It was] a place predestined for evil; in Shechem Dinah was ravished;  in Shechem his brethren sold Joseph;  and in Shechem the kingdom of the House of David was divided. [Now it came to pass at that time] that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem:  R. Hanina b. Papa said: He went out of the destiny of Jerusalem.  And the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way, and he clad himself with a new garment, and they two were alone in the field.  What is meant by 'with a new garment'? — R. Nahman said: As a new garment: just as a new garment has no defect, so was Jeroboam's scholarship without defect. Another explanation: A new garment intimates that they expounded new teachings, such as no ear had ever heard before. What is taught by, 'and they two were alone in the field'? — Rab Judah said in Rab's name: All other scholars were as the herbs of the field before them.  Others say that all the reasons of the Torah were as manifest to them as a field. Therefore shalt thou give parting gifts to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.  R. Hanina b. Papa said: A heavenly voice cried out and said, 'He who slew the Philistine and thereby gave you possession of Gath,  shall ye give parting gifts to his sons!'  [Therefore] the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. R. Hanina b. Papa said: He who enjoys aught of this world without uttering a blessing is as though he robbed the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Kenesseth Yisrael,  for it is written, Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression the same is the companion of a destroyer.  Now 'his father' can refer only to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written. Is not he [sc. God] thy father that hath bought thee?  whilst 'his mother' can mean nothing but Kenesseth Yisrael, as it is written, My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.  What is meant by 'the same is the companion of a destroyer'? — He is the companion of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who destroyed [the allegiance of] Israel to their Father in Heaven. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord, and made them sin a great sin.  R. Johanan said: As two sticks which cause each other to rebound. [These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel … in the wilderness …] and Di Zahab.  The School of R. Jannai expounded: Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of the Universe! It was because of the silver and gold [zahab] which Thou didst lavish upon them, until they said, Enough! [dai] that they were led to make a god of gold. A parable: The lion does not tear and roar out of a basket of straw, but out of a basket of meat. R. Oshaia said: Until Jeroboam, Israel imbibed [a sinful disposition] from one calf; but from him onwards, from two or three calves. R. Isaac said: No retribution whatsoever comes upon the world which does not contain a slight fraction  of the first calf [i.e.. the molten calf in the wilderness], as it is written, nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.  R. Hanina said: After twenty-four generations [the doom foretold in] this verse was exacted,  as it is written, He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, cause the visitations of the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. After this thing Jeroboam turned not from his evil way.  What is meant by, after this thing? — R. Abba said: After the Holy One, blessed be He, had seized Jeroboam by his garment and urged him, 'Repent, then I, thou, and the son of Jesse [i.e.. David] will walk in the Garden of Eden.' 'And who shall be at the head?' inquired he. 'The son of Jesse shall be at the head.' 'If so,' [he replied] 'I do not desire [it].' R. Abbahu used to make a practice of lecturing on the Three Kings.  Falling sick, he undertook not to lecture [thereon any more];  yet no sooner