Sotah

WHEN THE FORMER PROPHETS DIED. Who are the former prophets? — R. Huna said: They are David, Samuel and Solomon. R. Nahman said: During the days of David, they were Sometimes successful  and at other times unsuccessful; for behold, Zadok consulted it and succeeded, whereas Abiathar consulted it and was not successful, as it is said. And Abiathar went up.  Rabbah b. Samuel objected: [It is written], And he  set himself to seek God all  the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the vision of God.  Was this not by means of the urim and Thummim?  — No, it was through the prophets. Come and hear: When the first Temple was destroyed — the cities with pasture land  were abolished, the Urim and Thummim ceased, there was no more a king from the House of David; and if anyone incites you to quote, And the governor said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim,  reply to him: [It is only a phrase for the very remote future] as when one man says to another, 'Until the dead revive and the Messiah, son of David, comes'! — But, said R. Nahman: Who are the former prophets? [The term 'former'] excludes Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi who are the latter [prophets]. For our Rabbis have taught: When Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi died, the Holy Spirit  departed from Israel; nevertheless they made use of the Bath Kol.  On one occasion [some Rabbis] were sitting in the upper chamber of Gurya's house in Jericho; a Bath Kol was granted to them from heaven which announced, 'There is in your midst one man who is deserving that the Shechinah should alight upon him, but his generation is unworthy of it'. They all looked at Hillel the elder; and when he died, they lamented over him, 'Alas, the pious man! Alas, the humble man! Disciple of Ezra!' On another occasion they were sitting in an upper chamber in Jabneh; a Bath Kol was granted to them from heaven which announced, 'There is in your midst one man who is deserving that the Shechinah should alight upon him, but his generation is unworthy of it'. They all looked at Samuel the Little;  and when he died, they lamented over him, 'Alas, the humble man! Alas, the pious man! Disciple of Hillel!' At the time of his death he also said,  'Simeon and Ishmael  [are destined] for the sword and their colleagues for death, and the rest of the people for spoliation, and great distress will come upon the nation.' They also wished to lament over R. Judah b. Baba,  'Alas, the pious man! Alas, the humble man!' But the times were disturbed and they could not lament publicly over those who had been slain by the government. WHEN [THE SECOND] TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED, THE SHAMIR CEASED etc. Our Rabbis taught: With the Shamir Solomon built the Temple,  as it is said: And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready at the quarry.  The words are to be understood as they are written;  such is the statement of R. Judah. R. Nehemiah asked him, Is it possible to say so? Has it not been stated: All these were of costly stones … sawed with saws!  If that be so, why is there a text to State, There was neither hammer, nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in the building?  [It means] that they prepared them outside and brought them within. Rabbi said: The statement of R. Judah is probable in connection with the stones of the Sanctuary, and the statement of R. Nehamiah in connection with [Solomon's] house. For what purpose, then, according to R. Nehemiah, was the Shamir necessary? — It was required as taught in the following: We may not write with ink upon these stones,  because it is said: Like the engravings of a signet,  nor cut into them with a knife because it is said: In their settings;  but he writes with ink upon them, shows the Shamir [the written strokes] on the outside, and these split of their own accord,  like a fig which splits open in summer and nothing at all is lost, or like a valley which splits asunder in the rainy season and nothing at all is lost. Our Rabbis taught: The Shamir is a creature about the size of a barley-corn, and was created during the six days of Creation.  No hard substance can withstand it. How is it kept? They wrap it in tufts of wool and place it in a leaden tube full of barley-bran. R. Ammi said: When the first Temple was destroyed, fringed  silk and white glass  ceased to be used. There is a teaching to the same effect: When the first Temple was destroyed, fringed silk and white glass and iron chariots ceased to be used. Some say: Also wine-jelly  which comes from Senir  and resembles cakes of figs. AND NOFETH ZUFIM. What means NOFETH ZUFIM? — Rab said: The fine flour which floats [zofah] upon the top of a sieve [nafah] and resembles dough kneaded with honey and oil. Levi said: It is two loaves attached to [opposite sides of] an oven which keep on swelling until they touch one another.  R. Joshua b. Levi said: It is the honey which comes from the hills [zofim].  How is this known?  — As R. Shesheth  translated:  When the bees spring forth and fly in the heights of the world and collect honey from the herbage on the mountains. We have learnt there:  Whatever is poured out  is clean with the exception of thick honey and batter.  What means zifim [thick]? — R. Johanan said: Honey used for adulteration [ziyyef]; and Resh Lakish said: It is named after its place, as it is written: Zif, Telem and Bealoth.  You may similarly quote, When the Zifites came and said to Saul, Doth not David etc.  What means Zifites? — R. Johanan said: Men who falsify their words; and R. Eliezer says: They are named after their place, as it is written: Zif Telem, and Bealoth. AND MEN OF FAITH DISAPPEARED. R. Isaac said: These are men who had faith in the Holy One, blessed be He. For it has been taught: R. Eliezer the Great  declares: Whoever has a piece of bread in his basket and Says. 'What shall I eat tomorrow?' belongs only to them who are little in faith. And that is what R. Eleazar said: What means that which is written: For who hath despised the day of small things?  [It signifies,] What is the cause that the tables of the righteous are despoiled in the Hereafter?  The smallness [of faith] which was in them, that they did not trust in the Holy One, blessed be He. Raba said: They are the little ones  among the children of the wicked of Israel