Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Sotah

Folio 38a

GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: On this wise ye shall bless⁵  — i.e., in the holy tongue. You say that it means in the holy tongue; but perhaps it is not so and it means in any language! It is stated here, 'On this wise ye shall bless,' and elsewhere it is stated: These shall stand to bless the people,'⁶  as in this latter passage it was in the holy tongue, so also in the former it was in the holy tongue. R. Judah says: [This deduction] is unnecessary, because it states 'on this wise' [which signifies] that they must pronounce it in this language [as written in Scripture].⁷

Another [Baraitha] taught: 'On this wise ye shall bless' — i.e., standing. You say that it means standing; but perhaps that is not so and [the benediction may be pronounced] even sitting! It is stated here, 'On this wise ye shall bless,' and elsewhere it is stated: 'These shall stand to bless' — as here it was standing so in the former passage it was standing. R. Nathan says: [This deduction] is unnecessary; behold it states: To minister unto Him and to bless in His name⁸  — as [the priest] ministers standing so he blesses standing. Whence is it that the ministering itself [was performed standing]? Because it is written: To stand to minister.⁹

Another [Baraitha] taught: 'On this wise ye shall bless' — i.e., with raising of the hands. You say that it means with raising of the hands; but perhaps that is not so [and the benediction can be pronounced] without raising of the hands! It is stated here, 'On this wise ye shall bless', and elsewhere it is stated: 'And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them';¹⁰  as in this latter passage it was with raising of the hands, so also in the former passage it was with raising of the hands. R. Jonathan raised the question: If [your reasoning is valid], then as in that passage¹⁰  [the benediction was pronounced] by the High Priest, on the new moon¹¹  and in the service of the Community, so also here it must be the High Priest, on the new moon and in the service of the Community! R. Nathan says: [This deduction] is unnecessary; behold it states: Him and his sons for ever,¹²  comparing him and his sons — as [the High Priest pronounced the benediction] with raising of the hands, so also his sons with raising of the hands. Furthermore it is written for ever,¹³  and a comparison is drawn between the benediction and ministering.¹⁴

Another [Baraitha] taught: 'On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel' — with the use of the Shem Hameforash.¹⁵  You say that it means with the Tetragrammaton; but perhaps that is not so and a substituted name was used!¹⁶  There is a text to say: So shall they put My name¹⁷  — My name which is unique to Me. It is possible to think that [the Shem Hameforash was also used] in places outside the Temple; but it is stated here, 'So shall they put My name' and elsewhere it is stated: To put His name there¹⁸  — as in this latter passage it denotes in the Temple so also in the former passage it denotes in the Temple. R. Joshiah says: [This deduction] is unnecessary; behold it states: In every place where I cause My name to be remembered I will come unto thee.¹⁹  Can it enter your mind that every place is intended?²⁰  But the text must be transposed thus: In every place where I will come unto thee and bless thee will I cause My name to be remembered; and where will I come unto thee and bless thee? In the Temple; there, in the Temple, will I cause My name to be remembered.

Another [Baraitha] teaches: 'On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel' — I have here only the children of Israel; whence is it that proselytes, women and enfranchised slaves [are included]? There is a text to state, Ye shall say unto them²¹  — i.e., to all of them.

Another [Baraitha] teaches: 'On this wise ye shall bless' — i.e., face to face.²²  You say that it means face to face; but perhaps that is not so and it means the face [of the priests] towards the back [of the people]! There is a text to state, 'Ye shall say unto them' — i.e., like a man who talks to his companion.

Another [Baraitha] teaches: 'On this wise ye shall bless — i.e., in a loud voice. But perhaps it is not so and the meaning is softly! There is a text to state, 'Ye shall say unto them' — like a man who talks to his companion.

Abbaye said: We have a tradition that [the Precentor]²³  exclaims 'Kohanim!' when [at least] two are present but he does not exclaim 'Kohen!' when only one is there;²⁴  as it is said: Ye shall say unto them — i.e., [at least] unto two. R. Hisda said: We have a tradition that [when the Precentor is himself] a kohen he exclaims 'Kohanim!' but a lay-Israelite does not; as it is said: 'Ye shall say unto them' — the saying

1. The Tetragrammaton YHWH.
2. Viz., Adonai.
3. Worn on the forehead (Ex. XXVIII, 36).
4. Lev. IX, 22.
5. Num. VI. 23.
6. Deut. XXVII, 12.
7. V. supra 33b, p. 164.
8. Ibid. X, 8.
9. Ibid. XVIII, 5.
10. Which refers to the special occasion when the Tent of Meeting was dedicated.
11. That day on which the Tabernacle was set up was New Moon, v. Ex. XL, 2.
12. Deut. XVIII, 5.
13. He thus answers the argument that the benediction should only be pronounced by the High Priest and on the new moon.
14. I.e., although Deut. XVIII, 5 only mentions ministering and not blessing, yet from the phrase to minister and to bless (ibid. X. 8) it is concluded that they are analogous.
15. [Lit.. 'the Distinguished Name', synonymous with Shem Hameyuhad, 'the Unique Name' and generally held identical with the Tetragrammaton, uttered as written, v. Sanh. (Sonc. ed.) p. 408, n. 1.]
16. [I.e., as read Adonai, v. Tosaf.]
17. Num. VI, 27.
18. Deut. XII, 5.
19. Ex. XX, 24.
20. [That the Divine presence will come there. Surely this is restricted to the Sanctuary or Temple; v. Rashi.]
21. Num. VI, 23.
22. The priests and people must face one another.
23. When calling upon the Kohanim (v. Glos., s.v. Kohen) in the Synagogue to pronounce the benediction.
24. [But the priest turns his face to bless the people of his own accord; v. 'Atereth Zekenim Sh. 'A. Orah Hayyim 128, 10.]

(Mnemonic:¹  Desires, for the benediction, platform, in the 'Service', cup, recognise, accepts hospitality, heifer.)

R. Joshua b. Levi said: Whence is it that the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the priestly benediction? As it is said: So shall they put My name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.²  R. Joshua b. Levi also said: Every kohen who pronounces the benediction is himself blessed, but if he does not pronounce it he is not blessed; as it is said: I will bless them that bless thee.³  R. Joshua b. Levi also said: Any kohen who refuses to ascend the platform⁴  transgresses three positive commandments, viz., 'On this wise shall ye bless', 'Ye shall say unto them', and 'So shall they put My name'. Rab said: We have to take into consideration that he might be the son of a divorcee or the son of a Haluzah.⁵  But [R. Joshua and Rab] are not at variance, one referring to a case where he ascends [the platform] occasionally,⁶  the other to a case where he does not occasionally ascend it.

R. Joshua b. Levi also said: Any kohen who does not ascend [the platform] in the 'Service'⁷  may not ascend later; as it is said: And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them, — and he came down from offering the sin-offering and the burnt-offering and the peace-offering.⁸  As in this passage [the benediction occurred] during the 'Service', so here [in the Synagogue] it must be [during the prayers relating to] the 'Service'. But that is not so, seeing that R. Ammi and R. Assi ascended [at a later point in the liturgy]! — R. Ammi and R. Assi had already moved their feet [at the proper point to ascend the platform] but did not reach there [in time]. This is as R. Oshaia taught, [The statement that the kohen may not ascend after that point in the liturgy] does not apply except when he had not moved his feet, but if he had moved his feet he may ascend. It has been similarly learnt: If he⁹  is confident that he can raise his hands [for the benediction] and resume the prayers [without an error], he is permitted to do so;¹⁰  on arguing in this connection that he surely does not move [his feet],¹¹  [the reply was] that he shifts a little [to one side]; so also in the present instance, if [a kohen] moves a little [to ascend at the right point, it is sufficient].

R. Joshua b. Levi also said: We give the cup of blessing¹²  for the recital of the Grace after meals only to one who is of a generous disposition,¹³  as it is said: He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor¹⁴  — read not yeborak ['shall be blessed'] but yebarek [shall say the Benediction]. R. Joshua b. Levi also said: Whence is it that even the birds recognise those who have a niggardly spirit?¹⁵  As it is said: For in vain is the net spread in the eyes of any bird.¹⁶  R. Joshua b. Levi also said: Whoever accepts hospitality of men of niggardly spirit transgresses a prohibition; as it is said: Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, [neither desire thou his dainties]. For as he reckoneth within himself; so is he; eat and drink, saith he to thee, [but his heart is not with thee].¹⁷  R. Nahman b. Isaac said: He transgresses two prohibitions, 'Eat thou not' and 'Neither desire thou'. R. Joshua b. Levi also said: [The necessity for] the heifer whose neck is to be broken¹⁸  only arises on account of the niggardly of spirit, as it is said: Our hands have not shed this blood.¹⁹  But can It enter our minds that the elders of a Court of Justice are shedders of blood! The meaning is, [The man found dead] did not come to us for help and we dismissed him, we did not see him and let him go — i.e., he did not come to us for help and we dismissed him without supplying him with food, we did not see him and let him go without escort.²⁰

Adda said in the name of R. Simlai: In a Synagogue where all the worshippers are kohanim, they all ascend the platform. For whom, then, do they pronounce the benediction? R. Zera answered: For their brethren [working] in the fields.²¹  But it is not so; for Abba the son of R. Minyamin b. Hiyya taught: The people who are behind the kohanim do not come within the scope of the benediction!²²  — There is no contradiction; the former refers to men who are compelled [to be absent] and the latter to men who are not compelled [to be stationed behind the kohanim]. But R. Shimi of the Fort of Shihori taught: In a Synagogue where all the worshippers are kohanim, some ascend [the platform] and the rest respond with Amen! — There is no contradiction; the latter refers to where ten remain [to respond Amen] and the former where ten do not remain.

The [above] text stated: 'Abba the son of R. Minyamin b. Hiyya taught: The people who are behind the kohanim do not come within the scope of the benediction.' It is obvious that the tall do not create an obstruction for the short,²³  nor does the ark [where the Torah-scrolls are deposited] create an obstruction; but how is it with a partition [within the Synagogue]? — Come and hear: R. Joshua b. Levi said: Even a partition of iron does not divide between Israel and their Father in heaven. The question was asked: How is it with those standing on the side [of the kohanim]? — Abba Mar son of R. Ashi said: Come and hear: We have learnt: If he intended to sprinkle²⁴  in front of him

1. V. p. 171, n. 6.
2. Num. VI, 27. [By blessing the people, the priests place, so to speak, to the delight of God, His name upon them (Rashi)].
3. Gen. XII, 3.
4. From which the benediction is pronounced.
5. V. Glos. His father may have contracted a marriage which is forbidden to a kohen, in which case the son was disqualified.
6. On some of the Festivals and then declines to do so on others; in which case we do not suspect him of being disqualified.
7. I.e., the paragraph of the Eighteen Benedictions referring to the Temple-service. That is the point at which the kohen ascends the platform. V. P.B. p. 238a.
8. Lev. IX, 22.
9. The case is where the Precentor is the only kohen in the Synagogue. He is not required to 'raise his hands', because it might confuse him and lead to a mistake in the rendering of the prayers.
10. V. Ber. 34a.
11. From the reading desk to ascend the platform, so how can he 'raise his hands'?
12. A cup of wine is used in the recital of Grace.
13. Lit., 'good of eye', the opposite of bad of eye, i.e., envious.
14. Prov. XXII, 9.
15. Lit., 'narrow of eye'. Birds avoid such as these.
16. Prov. I, 17. verse 19 continues, So are the ways of everyone that is greedy of gain.
17. Ibid. XXIII, 6f.
18. Cf. Deut. XXI, 1ff.
19. Ibid. 7.
20. A man without escort was liable to be set upon and murdered.
21. Who were prevented by their work from being present.
22. R.H. 35a. So how much more, they who are not present!
23. Although the latter are shut out from the view of the kohanim, they are not excluded from the benediction.
24. The purifying water to remove the defilement of vessels (v. Num. XIX, 18).