📖 SATURDAY PRAYER: TIFERET-YESHIVAT HAVERIM יְשִׁיבָה חברים – BABYLONIAN TALMUD p163

READING: BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN OF SATURDAY

R. Elazar said: At the time the Israelites said “We will do” and afterward “We will obey” a
heavenly voice (Bath-kol) was heard, which said unto them: “Who unfolded unto my children
this mystery known only to the angels?” For it is written [Psalms, ciii. 20]: “Bless the Lord, ye
his angels, mighty in strength, that execute his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word,”
and from this we see that only angels can execute first and then obey.
A Sadducee once noticed Rabha studying and observed that he in his absent-mindedness held
his (Rabha’s) finger underneath his knee and pressed it so hard that blood spurted from the
finger. Said the Sadducee 1to him: “Impetuous people, whose mouths precede your ears! Ye are
still of the same vehemence! Ye must first hear the Torah before you accept it and not accept
without knowing its prescriptions!” Answered Rabha: We who are upright men trusted Him, as
it is said of us [Proverbs, xi. 3]: “The integrity of the upright guideth them,” but to those men
who are continually fault-finding the latter part of the same verse [ibid., ibid.] can be applied,
viz. “But the cunning of the treacherous destroyeth them.”
R. Samuel b. Na’hmeni in the name of R. Jonathan said: It is written [Solomon’s Song, iv. 9]:
“Thou hast ravished my heart, O my sister, (my) bride! thou hast ravished my heart with one of
thy eyes.” This means: When thou didst but receive the Torah, it was with one of thy eyes.
When thou wilt obey it, it will be with both of thy eyes.
R. Johanan said: It is written [Psalms, lxviii. 12]: “The Lord gave (happy) tidings; they are
published by female messengers, a numerous host.” This implies that every word emanating
from the mighty God was heralded in seventy languages. The school of R. Ishmael, however,
(adduced the same from another passage): It is written [Jeremiah, xxiii. 29]: “Is not thus my
word like the fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that shivereth the rock?” As the hammer
that strikes emits a multitude of sparks, so, is every word emanating from the Holy One, blessed
be He, heralded in seventy different languages.