Greetings
Doves;
There are some interesting, albeit not always exactly accurate,
messianic commentary in the Talmud (Babylonian & Palestinian) associated
with standard Biblical passages, which are interesting to note:
A FULL GLOSSARY OF TALMUDIC WORDS APPEARS AT THE END OF THE POST
1.
Genesis 3:15 And
I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.,
with
BECAME
MORE AND MORE DEBASED; AND THERE WAS NONE TO ASK, NONE TO INQUIRE. UPON
WHOM IS IT FOR US TO RELY? UPON OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. IN THE FOOTSTEPS
OF THE MESSIAH1
INSOLENCE WILL INCREASE AND HONOUR DWINDLE;2
THE VINE WILL YIELD ITS FRUIT [ABUNDANTLY] BUT WINE WILL BE DEAR;3
THE GOVERNMENT WILL TURN TO HERESY4
AND THERE WILL BE NONE [TO OFFER THEM] REPROOF; THE MEETING-PLACE [OF
SCHOLARS] WILL BE USED FOR IMMORALITY; GALILEE WILL BE DESTROYED, GABLAN5
DESOLATED, AND THE DWELLERS ON THE FRONTIER WILL GO ABOUT [BEGGING] FROM
PLACE TO PLACE WITHOUT ANYONE TO TAKE PITY ON THEM; THE WISDOM OF THE
LEARNED6
WILL DEGENERATE, FEARERS OF SIN WILL BE DESPISED, AND THE TRUTH WILL BE
LACKING; YOUTHS WILL PUT OLD MEN TO SHAME, THE OLD WILL STAND UP IN THE
PRESENCE OF THE YOUNG, A SON WILL REVILE HIS FATHER, A DAUGHTER WILL RISE
AGAINST HER MOTHER, A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, AND A
MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD;7
THE FACE OF THE GENERATION WILL BE LIKE THE FACE OF A DOG,8
A SON WILL NOT FEEL ASHAMED BEFORE HIS FATHER. SO UPON WHOM IS IT FOR
US TO RELY? UPON OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.
GEMARA.
Rab said: [The decree against the use of a crown] applies only to one
made of salt and brimstone,9
but if made of myrtle or roses it is permitted; and Samuel said: Also
one made of myrtle or roses is prohibited, but if made of reeds or rushes
it is permitted; and Levi said: Also one made of reeds or rushes is prohibited.
Similarly taught Levi in his Mishnah:10
It is also prohibited if made of reeds or rushes.
AND
AGAINST [THE USE OF] THE DRUM [IRUS]. What means IRUS? R. Eleazar said:
A drum with a single bell.11
Rabbah b. R. Huna made a tambourine for his son; his father came and broke
it, saying to him, 'It might be substituted for a drum with a single bell.
Go, make for him [an instrument by stretching the skin] over the mouth
of a pitcher or over the mouth of a kefiz'.12
DURING
THE WAR OF QUIETUS THEY DECREED AGAINST [THE USE OF] CROWNS WORN BY BRIDES
etc. What means 'crowns worn by brides'? Rabbah b. Bar Hanah said in
the name of R. Johanan: A [miniature] golden city.13
There is a teaching to the same effect: What are 'crowns worn by brides'?
A golden city. But one may make a cap for her out of fine wool. A Tanna
taught: They also decreed against [the use of] the canopy of bridegrooms.
What means 'canopy of bridegrooms'? Crimson silk embroidered with gold.
There is a teaching to the same effect. The canopy of bridegrooms is crimson
silk embroidered with gold. But we may make a framework of laths and hang
on it anything one desires.
AND
THAT NOBODY SHOULD TEACH HIS SON GREEK. Our Rabbis taught: When the kings
of the Hasmonean house fought one another,14
Hyrcanus was outside and Aristobulus within. Each day15
they used to let down denarii in a basket, and haul up for them
[animals for] the continual offerings. An old man there, who was learned
in Greek wisdom,16
spoke with them17
in Greek,18
saying: 'As long as they carry on the Temple-service, they will never
surrender to you'. On the morrow they let down denarii in a basket,
and hauled up a pig.19
When it reached half way up the wall, it stuck its claws [into the wall]
and the land of Israel
was shaken over a distance of four hundred parasangs. At that time they
declared, 'Cursed be a man who rears pigs and cursed be a man who teaches
his son Greek wisdom!' Concerning that year we learnt that it happened
that the 'omer20
had to be supplied from the gardens of Zarifim and the two loaves from
the valley of En-Soker.21
But it is not so!22
For Rabbi said: Why use the Syrian language in the land
of Israel? Either use the holy
tongue or Greek! And R. Joseph said: Why use the Syrian language in Babylon?
Either use the holy tongue or Persian! The Greek language and Greek
wisdom are distinct.23
But is Greek philosophy forbidden? Behold Rab Judah
declared that Samuel said in the name of Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel, What
means that which is written: Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all
the daughters of my city?24
There were a thousand pupils in my father's house; five hundred studied
Torah and five hundred studied Greek wisdom, and of these there remained
only I here and the son of my father's brother in Assia!25
It was different with the household of Rabban Gamaliel because they
had close associations with the Government;26
for it has been taught: To trim the hair in front27
is of the ways of the Amorites;28
but they permitted Abtilus b. Reuben29
to trim his hair in front because he had close associations with the Government.
Similarly they permitted the household of Rabban Gamaliel to study Greek
wisdom because they had close associations with the Government.
DURING
THE FINAL WAR THEY DECREED THAT A BRIDE SHOULD NOT GO OUT IN A PALANQUIN
etc. Why? For reasons of chastity.30
WHEN
RABBAN JOHANAN [B. ZAKKAI] DIED, [THE LUSTRE OF] WISDOM CEASED. Our Rabbis
taught: When R. Eliezer died, the Torah-scroll was hidden away.31
When R. Joshua died, counsel and thought ceased.32
When R. Akiba died, the arms of the Torah ceased and the fountains of
wisdom were stopped up. When R. Eleazar b. Azariah died, the crowns of
wisdom ceased, because the crown of the wise is their riches.33
When R. Hanina b. Dosa died, men of deed ceased. When Abba34
Jose b. Ketanta died, the pious men ceased; and why was his name called
Abba Jose b. Ketanta? Because he was the youngest of the pious men. When
Ben Azzai died, the assiduous students [of Torah] ceased. When Ben Zoma
died, the expositors ceased. When Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel died, locusts35
came up and troubles increased. When Rabbi died, troubles were multiplied
twofold.
WHEN
RABBI DIED, HUMILITY AND FEAR OF SIN CEASED. R. Joseph said to the tanna,36
Do not include [when reciting this Mishnah] the word 'humility', because
there is I.37
R. Nahman said to the teacher, Do not include 'fear of sin', because there
is I.38
;
2.
Genesis 49:10 The
scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience
of the people, with,
3.
San. 98b {LISTED ONLY HERE ONCE}
Sanhedrin
98b
for
there is not one palm-tree in Babylon
to which a Persian horse will not be tethered, nor one coffin in Palestine
out of which a Median horse will not eat straw.'1
Rab
said: The son of David will not come until the [Roman] power enfolds Israel2
for nine months, as it is written, Therefore will he give them up, until
the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant
of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.3
'Ulla
said; Let him [The Messiah] come, but let me not see him.4
Rabbah
said likewise: Let him come, but let me not see him. R. Joseph said: Let
him come, and may I be worthy of sitting in the shadow of his ass's saddle.5
Abaye enquired of Rabbah: 'What is your reason [for not wishing to see
him]? Shall we say, because of the birth pangs [preceding the advent]
of the Messiah?6
But it has been taught, R. Eleazar's disciples asked him: 'What must a
man do to be spared the pangs of the Messiah?' [He answered,] 'Let him
engage in study and benevolence; and you Master do both.' He replied:
'[I fear] lest sin cause it,7
in accordance with [the teaching of] R. Jacob b. Idi, who opposed [two
verses] [viz.,] it is written, And, Behold, I am with thee, and 'will
guard thee in all places whither thou goest:8 but it is written, Then Jacob was
greatly afraid and distressed'9
He was afraid that sin might cause [the nullification of God's promise].
Even as it was taught, Till thy people pass over, O Lord.'10
this refers to the first entry [into Palestine];
till thy people pass over, which thou hast purchased:11
this refers to their second entry. Hence you may reason: The Israelites
were as worthy of a miracle being wrought for them at the second entry
as at the first, but that sin caused it [not to happen].
R.
Johanan said likewise: Let him come, and let me not see him. Resh Lakish
said to him: Why so? Shall we say, because it is written, As if a man
did flee from a lion, and a bear met him,' or went into the house, and
leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him?12
But come, and I will shew you its like even in this world. When one goes
out into the field and meets a bailiff,13
it is as though he had met a lion. When he enters the town, and is accosted
by a tax-collector, it is as though he had met a bear. On entering his
house and finding his sons and daughters in the throes of hunger, it is
as though he were bitten by a serpent!14
But [his unwillingness to see the Messiah] is because it is written,
Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do
I see every man [geber]15
with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are
turned into paleness?16
What is meant by 'wherefore do I see every geber?' Raba b. Isaac said
in Rab's name: it refers to Him to whom all geburah strength] belongs.18
And what is the meaning of 'and all faces are turned into paleness?'
R. Johanan said: [This refers to God's] heavenly family [I.e., the angels]
and his earthly family [I.e., Israel,]
when God says, These [the Gentiles] are my handiwork, and so are these
[the Jews]; how shall I destroy the former on account of the latter?19
R. Papa said: Thus men say, 'When the ox runs and falls, the horse is
put into his stall.'20
R.
Giddal said in Rab's name: The Jews
are destined to eat [their fill] in the days of the Messiah.21
R. Joseph demurred: is this not obvious; who else then should eat Hilek
and Bilek?22
This was said in opposition to R. Hillel, who maintained that there
will be no Messiah for Israel,
since they have already enjoyed him during the
reign of Hezekiah.23
Rab
said: The world was created only on David's account .24
Samuel said: On Moses account;25
R. Johanan said: For the sake of the Messiah. What is his [the Messiah's]
name? The School of R.
Shila said: His name is Shiloh,
for it is written, until Shiloh come.26
The School of R. Yannai said: His name is Yinnon, for it is written, His
name shall endure for ever:27
e'er the sun was, his name is Yinnon.28
The School of R. Haninah maintained: His name is Haninah, as it is written,
Where I will not give you Haninah.29
Others say: His name is Menahem the son of Hezekiah, for it is written,
Because Menahem ['the comforter'], that would relieve my soul,
is far.30
The Rabbis said: His name is 'the leper scholar,' as it is written, Surely
he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted.31
R.
Nahman said: if he [the Messiah] is of those living [to day], it might
be one like myself, as it is written, And their nobles shall be of
themselves, and their governors shall proceed from the midst of them.32
Rab said: if he is of the living, it would be our holy Master;33
if of the dead, it would have been Daniel the most desirable man.34
Rab Judah said in Rab's name: The Holy One, blessed be He, will raise
up another David for us,35
as it is written, But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David
their king, whom I will raise up unto them:36
not 'I raised up', but 'I will raise up' is said. R. Papa said
to Abaye: But it is written, And my servant David shall be their prince
[nasi] for ever?37
E.g., an emperor and a viceroy.38
R.
Simlai expounded: What is meant by, Woe unto you, that desire the day
of the Lord! To what end is it for you? The
day of the Lord is darkness, and not light?39
This may be compared to a cock and a bat who were hopefully waiting for
the light [i.e., dawn]. The cock said to the bat, 'I look forward to the
light, because I have sight; but of what use is the light to thee? &
nbsp;
;
4.
Num 24:17 I
see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of tumult
with