Shabbat

the fear of Heaven is like a treasurer who is entrusted with the inner keys but not with the outer: how is he to enter? R. Jannai proclaimed: Woe to him who has no courtyard yet makes a gate for same!  Rab Judah said, The Holy One, blessed be He, created His world only that men should fear Him,  for it is said, and God hath done it, that men should fear before Him. R. Simon and R. Eleazar  were sitting, when R. Jacob b. Aha came walking past. Said one to his companion, 'Let us arise before him, because he is a sin-fearing man.' Said the other, 'Let us arise before him, because he is a man of learning.' 'I tell you that he is a sin-fearing man, and you tell me that he is a man of learning!' retorted he.  It may be proved that it was R. Eleazar who observed that he was a sin-fearing man. For R. Johanan said in R. Eleazar's name:  The Holy One, blessed be He, has nought else in His world but  the fear of Heaven alone, for it is said, And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God requires of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God?  and it is written, And unto man he said, Behold [hen], the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and in Greek one is hen.  That proves it. R. 'Ulla expounded: Why Is it written, Be not much wicked?  must one not be much wicked, yet he may be a little wicked! But if one has eaten garlic and his breath smells, shall he eat some more garlic that his breath may [continue to] smell? Raba son of R. 'Ulla expounded: What is meant by, For there are no pangs [harzuboth] in their death: but their strength is firm [bari] ulam]?  The Holy One, blessed be He, said, it is not enough for the wicked that they do not tremble and are not grief-stricken before the day of death, but their hearts are as firm as an edifice.  And that is what Raba said, What is meant by, This their way is their confidence [kesel]?  The wicked know that their way is to death, but they have fat on their loins [kislam].  But lest you think that it is their forgetfulness, therefore it is stated, and they approve their end with their own mouths. IF HE WOULD SPARE THE LAMP, etc. With whom does R. Jose agree? If with R. Judah,  then one should be liable for the others too; and if with R. Simeon,  he should be exempt even for[sparing] the wick? — Said 'Ulla, After all, he agrees with R. Judah; yet R. Jose holds that demolishing in order to rebuild on the same site is destroying, but if it is in order to rebuild elsewhere, it is not destroying.  Said Rabbah to him, Consider; all forms of labour are derived from the Tabernacle,  yet there it was taking down in order to rebuild elsewhere?  It was different there, answered he; for since it is written, At the commandment of the Lord they encamped, [and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed],  it was like demolishing in order to rebuild on the same site. But R. Johanan maintained: After all, he agrees with R. Simeon, yet why is the case of a wick different? As R. Hamnuna-others state, R. Adda b. Ahabah-said: This refers to a wick which needs singeing,  and in such a case even R. Simeon agrees since he renders an object fit.  Raba said, This may be inferred too, for it is stated, BECAUSE HE MAKES CHARCOAL, and not, because a charcoal is formed.  This proves it. MISHNAH. FOR THREE SINS WOMEN DIE IN CHILDBIRTH: BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OBSERVANT OF [THE LAWS OF] NIDDAH, HALLAH,  AND THE KINDLING OF THE [SABBATH] LIGHTS. GEMARA. What is the reason of niddah? — Said R. Isaac: She transgressed through the chambers of her womb, therefore she is punished through the chambers of her womb. That is right of niddah, but what can be said of hallah and the kindling of lights? — As a certain Galilean lectured before R. Hisda: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I put a rebi'ith of blood in you;  therefore I commanded you concerning blood.