SATURDAY PRAYER: YESOD-YESHIVAT HAVERIM יְשִׁיבָה חברים – BABYLONIAN TALMUD p117

READING: BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN OF SATURDAY

Rahava said in the name of R. Jehudah: The trees of Jerusalem were cinnamon trees, and when
used for fuel the odor extended over all the land of Israel; ever since the destruction of the
second Temple the cinnamon trees disappeared; but a morsel as big as a barleycorn is still to be
found in the treasury of the Kingdom of Zimzimai.
MISHNA IV.: One must not go out with a sword, nor with a bow, nor with a triangular shield,
nor with a round one, nor with a spear; if he does so he is liable for a sin-offering. R. Eliezer
says they are ornaments to him, but the sages say they are nothing but a stigma, for it is written
[Isaiah, ii. 4]: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruningknives;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
Knee-buckles are clean and one may go out with them on the Sabbath. Stride chains are subject
to defilement, and one must not go out with them on the Sabbath.
GEMARA: “R. Eliezer says they are ornaments.” There is a Boraitha: The sages said unto R.
Eliezer: If the weapons are ornaments to man, why will they cease to exist in the post-messianic
period? He answered: “They will exist then also.” This is in accordance with the opinion of
Samuel, who said there will be no difference between the present time and the post-messianic
period save the obedience to temporal potentates, for it is written [Deut. xv. 11]: “For the needy
will not cease out of the land.”
Said Abayi, according to others R. Joseph, to R. Dimi or to R. Ivia, and according to still others,
Abayi said directly to R. Joseph: What is the reason of R. Eliezer’s theory regarding weapons? It
is written [Psalms, xlv. 4]: “Gird thy sword upon thy thighs, O Most Mighty, with thy glory and
thy majesty.”
Said R. Kahana to Mar, the son of R. Huna: Is not this passage applied to the study of the Law
(Torah)? And he answered: “Anything may be inferred from a passage; at the same time, the
passage must not be deprived of its common sense.” Said R. Kahana: “I am fourscore years old
and have studied the six sections of the Mishna with their explanations through, and did not
know until now that a scriptural passage has first to be interpreted in its plainest form!” What information does he mean to convey to us by this assertion? That man has to study the Law through first, and then reason upon it.