Shabbat

I designated you the first;  wherefore I commanded you concerning the first.  The soul which I placed in you is called a lamp, wherefore I commanded you concerning the lamp.  If ye fulfil them, 'tis well; but if not, I will take your souls. And why particularly in childbirth? — Raba said, When the ox is fallen, sharpen the knife. Abaye said, Let the bondmaid increase her rebellion: it will all be punished by the same rod. R. Hisda said, Leave the drunkard alone: he will fall of himself. Mar 'Ukba said, When the shepherd is lame, and the goats are fleet, at the gate of the fold are words, and in the fold there is the account. R. Papa said, At the gate of the shop there are many brothers and friends; at the gate of loss  there are neither brothers nor friends. And when are men examined? — Said Resh Lakish: When they pass over a bridge.  A bridge and nothing else? — Say, that which is similar to a bridge. Rab would not cross a bridge where a heathen was sitting; said he, Lest judgment be visited upon him, and I be seized together with him. Samuel would cross a bridge only when a heathen was upon it, saying, Satan has no power over two nations [simultaneously]. R. Jannai examined [the bridge] and then crossed over. R. Jannai [acted] upon his views, for he said, A man should never stand in a place of danger and say that a miracle will be wrought for him, lest it is not. And if a miracle is wrought for him, it is deducted from his merits.  R. Hanin said, Which verse [teaches this]? I am become diminished  by reason of all the deeds of kindness and all the truth.  R. Zera would not go out among the palm-trees on a day of the strong south wind. R. Isaac the son of Rab Judah said: Let one always pray for mercy not to fall sick; for the falls sick he is told, Show thy merits [rights] and be quit.  Said Mar 'Ukba, Which verse [teaches this]? If any man fall mimmenu;  It is from him [mimmenu] that proof must be brought.  The School of R. Ishmael taught: 'If any man [hanofel] fall from thence': this man was predestined to fall since the six days of Creation, for lo! he has not [yet] fallen, and the Writ [already] calls him nofel [a faller].  But reward [zekut] is brought about through a person of merit [zakkai], and punishment [hobah] through a person of- guilt. Our Rabbis taught: if one falls sick and his life is in danger,  he is told, Make confession, for all who are sentenced to death make confession. When a man goes out into the street, let him imagine that he is given in charge of an officer;  when he has a headache, let him imagine that he is put in irons; when he takes to bed, let him imagine that he ascended the scaffold to be punished. For whoever ascends the scaffold to be punished, if he has great advocates he is saved, but if not he is not saved. And these are man's advocates: repentance and good deeds. And even if nine hundred and ninety-nine argue for his guilt, while one argues in his favour, he is saved, for it is said, If there be with him an angel, an advocate, one among a thousand, To shew unto man what is right for him; Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, etc.  R. Eliezer the son of R. Jose the Galilean said: Even if nine hundred and ninety-nine parts of that angel are in his disfavour and one part is in his favour, be is saved, for it is said, 'an advocate, one part in a thousand'. Our Rabbis taught: For three sins women die in childbirth. R. Eleazar said: women die young.  R. Aha said, As a punishment for washing their children's napkins  on the Sabbath. Others say, Because they call the holy ark a chest. It was taught, R. Ishmael b. Eleazar said: On account of two sins 'amme ha-arez  die: because they call the holy ark a chest, and because they call a synagogue beth-'am. It was taught, R. Jose said: Three death scrutineers were created in woman; others state: Three causes  of death: niddah, hallah, and the kindling of the [Sabbath] lights. One agrees with R. Eleazar, and the other with the Rabbi's. It was taught, R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: The laws of hekdesh, terumoth  and tithes are indeed essential parts of the law,