SATURDAY PRAYER: HOCHMA-YESHIVAT HAVERIM יְשִׁיבָה חברים – BABYLONIAN TALMUD p119

READING: BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN OF SATURDAY

Said R. Hanina b. Ide: Whosoever observes a commandment as prescribed, will not be the
recipient of bad tidings, for it is written [Eccl. viii. 5]: “Whoso keepeth the commandment will
experience no evil thing.” R. Assi, others say R. Hanina, said: “Even if the Holy One, blessed be
He, has so decreed it (that he shall experience evil things) the decree is annulled through the
prayers of this man, as it is written [ibid. 4]: “Because the word of a king is powerful, and who
may say unto him, what doest thou?’ and this immediately followed by the passage: ‘Whoso
keepeth the commandment will experience no evil thing.'”
R. Aba in the name of R. Simeon b. Lakish said: Two scholars who mutually instruct themselves
in the Law, the Holy One, blessed be He, hearkens to their voices, for it is written [Song of
Solomon, viii. 13]: “Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions listen for thy voice; oh,
let me hear it”; but if they do not do so, they cause the Shekhina to move away from Israel, for
further it is written [ibid. 14]: “Flee away, my beloved,” etc.
The same in the name of the same authority said: The Holy One, blessed be He, loves two
scholars who combine to study the Law, for it is written [Solomon’s Song, ii. 4]: “And his
banner over me was love.” Said Rabha: “Provided they know something of Law, but have no
instructor to teach them at the place where they reside.”
The same said again: “The man who lends his money is more deserving than the charitable man,
and the most deserving of all is he who gives charity surreptitiously or invests money in
partnership (with the poor).” Furthermore he said: “If thy teacher is jealous (for thy welfare) and
as spiteful as a serpent (if thou neglect thy studies), carry him on thy shoulders (because from
him thou wilt learn), and if an ignoramus plays the pious, do not live in his neighborhood.”
R. Kahana, according to others R. Assi, and according to still others R. Abba in the name of R.
Simeon b. Lakish, said: “Whoso raises a vicious dog in his house prevents charity to proceed
therefrom (for the poor are afraid to go in as it is written [Job, vi. 14]: “As though I were one
who refuseth kindness to a friend.” (“As though I were one who refuseth” is expressed in Hebrew by one word, viz., lamos; in Greek laμoV means dog, 1 and hence R. Simeon’s inference.) Said R. Na’hman: “He
even forsaketh the fear of the Lord,” for it is written at the end of the verse [ibid., ibid.]: “And
forsaketh the fear of the Lord.”