📖 SATURDAY PRAYER: MALCHUT-YESHIVAT HAVERIM יְשִׁיבָה חברים – BABYLONIAN TALMUD p190

READING: BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN OF SATURDAY

Whence do we know that if one throw a thing four ells in public ground he is culpable? All that
is said about four ells in public ground is traditional.
R. Jehudah said in the name of Samuel: The wood-gatherer’s sin [mentioned in Numbers xv. 32-
35] consisted in carrying four ells in public ground. We learned in a Boraitha, however, that he
pulled out sticks growing in the ground. R. Aha b. R. Jacob said: He gathered the sticks and
bound them into bundles. What difference is there in the acts? (Why this dissension?) The
difference is, as we were taught in the name of Rabh, who says: “I found a mysterious paper in
the possession of my uncle, R. Hyya, upon which was written: ‘Aissi ben Jehudah said: The
principal acts of labor are forty less one. One of them does not involve culpability. R. Jehudah
holds, that carrying in public ground is not this one act and the Boraitha holds that pulling out of
the ground is not that one, and R. Aha b. R. Jacob holds that binding into bundles is not the act
which involves culpability.’ Each one of these three was certain that if a man committed any of
the acts mentioned by each he was undoubtedly culpable.”
The rabbis taught: The name of the wood-gatherer was Zelophchad, and so it is written [Numb.
xv. 32]: “And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness they found a man,” etc., and
further on [ibid. xxvii. 31 it is written: “Our father died in the wilderness,” etc., etc., “but in his
own sin he died,” etc., an analogy of the word wilderness. As by “our father” is meant
Zelophchad, so also the name of the wood-gatherer was Zelophchad. So said R. Aqiba. Said to
him R. Jehudah b. Bathyra: “Aqiba! Whether your statement be true or false, you will have to
answer for it at the time of the divine judgment; for if it be true, you disclosed the name of the
man whom the Scriptures desired to shield, and thus you brought him into infamy, and if it be
false you slandered a man who was upright.” The same case occurred in the following: It is
written [Numb. xii. 9]: “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them,” etc. From this we
learn that Aaron also became leprous. So said R. Aqiba. Said to him R. Jehudah b. Bathyra: “Aqiba! Whether your statement be true or false, you will have to answer for it at the divine judgment; for if it be true, you disclosed a thing the Scriptures desired to conceal, and thus you brought infamy upon Aaron,
and if it be false, you slandered a man who was upright.” But the Scriptures say: “And the anger
of the Lord was kindled against them.” This signifies only that Aaron was included among those
against whom the anger of the Lord was kindled.