made

<<for themselves

<<caves

<<and hid

<<in them.

<<They said:

<<When

<<pass

<<Israel

<<here,

<<we will kill them.

<<And not

<<were they

<<aware

<<that the Ark

<<was

<<going

<<before them,

<<of Israel,

<<and was

<<lowering

<<for them

<<the mountains

<<before them.

<<Once

<<came

<<the Ark,

<<stuck together

<<the mountains

<<with

<<each other

<<and killed them,

<<and flowed down

<<their blood

<<to the streams of

<<Arnon.

<<When

<<came

<<Es

<<and Vahev,

<<they saw

<<the blood

<<that was

<<coming out

<<from between

<<the mountains.

<<They came

<<and told

<<them,

<<Israel,

<<and they said

<<a song.

<<That is

<<what is written:

<<“And the cascade of

<<the streams

<<that

<<turned

<<to the dwelling of

<<Ar

<<and leans

<<on the border of

<<Moav.”

“The stones of

<<Elgavish.”

<<What are

<<the stones of

<<Elgavish?

It was taught:

<<Stones

<<that stood

<<upon [lit. on the back of]

<<a man,

<<and came down

<<upon

<<a man.

<<They stood

<<upon

<<a man —

<<this is

<<Moshe,

<<as it is written:

<<“And the man

<<Moshe

<<was humble

<<very,”

<<and it is written:

<<“And ceased

<<the thunders

<<and the hail,

<<and rain

<<did not

<<pour

<<onto the earth.”

<<They came down

<<upon

<<a man —

<<this is

<<Yehoshua,

<<as it is written:

<<“Take

<<for yourself

<<Yehoshua

<<son of

<<Nun,

<<a man

<<who

<<has spirit

<<in him,”

<<and it is written:

<<“And it was,

<<as they fled

<<from before

<<the children of

<<Israel,

<<they were

<<on the descent of

<<Beis

<<Choron,

<<and Hashem

<<cast

<<upon them

<<stones

<<that were great.”

The stone

<<that sought

<<Og,

<<king of

<<the Bashan,

<<to throw

<<upon

<<Israel —

<<a tradition

<<they have learned

<<it.

<<He said:

<<The camp of

<<Israel —

<<how much

<<is it?

<<Three

<<parsaos.

<<I will go

<<and uproot

<<a mountain

<<the size of

<<three

<<parsaos

<<and throw [it]

<<upon them,

<<and kill them.

<<He went,

<<uprooted

<<a mountain

<<the size of

<<three

<<parsaos,

<<and brought [it]

<<upon

<<his head;

<<and brought

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<upon it

<<ants,

<<and they bored through it,

<<and it came down

<<around his neck.

He was

<<wanting

<<to pull it off;

<<grew long

<<his teeth

<<to this

<<side

<<and to this

<<side,

<<and not

<<was he able

<<to pull it off.

<<And this is

<<what is written:

<<“The teeth of

<<the wicked

<<You have broken.”

<<And as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish [taught],

<<for Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said:

<<What is

<<that which is written:

<<“The teeth of

<<the wicked

<<You have broken”?

<<Do not

<<read

<<“You have broken [shibarta]”

<<but

<<“You have extended [shirbavta].”

Moshe —

<<how much

<<was he?

<<Ten

<<cubits.

<<He took

<<an axe

<<of

<<ten

<<cubits,

<<jumped

<<ten

<<cubits,

<<and struck him

<<on his ankle

<<and killed him.

And the stone

<<that sat

<<upon it

<<Moshe —

<<as it is written:

<<“And the hands of

<<Moshe

<<were heavy,

<<and they took

<<a stone

<<and placed [it]

<<under him,

<<and he sat

<<upon it.”

And the wife

<<of

<<Lot —

<<as it is stated:

<<“And looked

<<his wife

<<from behind him

<<and she became

<<a pillar of

<<salt.”

<<And the wall of

<<Yericho

<<that was swallowed —

<<as it is written:

<<“And fell

<<the wall

<<in its place [lit. beneath it].”

Granted,

<<all of them

<<are a miracle;

<<but

<<the wife

<<of

<<Lot

<<a punishment

<<it is!

<<That he says:

<<“Blessed is

<<the Judge of

<<truth.”

But surely

<<“thanks

<<and praise”

<<it teaches!

<<Teach [it]:

<<For

<<Lot

<<and for

<<his wife

<<one blesses

<<two [blessings].

<<For

<<his wife

<<he says:

<<“Blessed is

<<the Judge of

<<truth,”

<<and for

<<Lot

<<he says:

<<“Blessed is He

<<who remembers

<<the righteous.”

<<Rabbi Yochanan said:

<<Even

<<at the time of

<<His anger,

<<of

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<He remembers

<<the righteous,

<<as it is stated:

<<“And it was,

<<when destroyed

<<God

<<the cities of

<<the Plain,

<<and remembered

<<God

<<Avraham,

<<and sent

<<Lot

<<from the midst of

<<the upheaval,

<<etc.”

“And the wall of

<<Yericho

<<that was swallowed.”

<<And the wall of

<<Yericho

<<was swallowed?

<<But surely

<<it fell,

<<as it is stated:

<<“And it was,

<<when heard

<<the people

<<the sound of

<<the shofar,

<<and shouted

<<the people

<<a shout

<<great,

<<and fell

<<the wall

<<in its place”!

<<Since

<<its width

<<and its height

<<like

<<each other

<<they are,

<<because of

<<this

<<it was swallowed

<<completely [lit. swallowing].

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav:

<<Four

<<need

<<to give thanks:

<<those who go down to

<<the sea,

<<those who travel

<<deserts,

<<and one

<<who was

<<ill

<<and was healed,

<<and one

<<who was

<<imprisoned

<<in prison

<<and came out.

Those who go down to

<<the sea —

<<from where do we know?

<<As it is written:

<<“Those who go down to

<<the sea

<<in ships,

<<etc.;

<<they

<<saw

<<the works of

<<Hashem.”

<<And it says:

<<“And He raised

<<a wind

<<that was stormy;

<<they mount up

<<to the heavens,

<<they go down

<<to the depths.”

<<And it says:

<<“They reel

<<and stagger

<<like a drunkard.”

<<And it says:

<<“And they cried out

<<to

<<Hashem

<<in their distress,

<<and from their straits

<<He brings them out.”

<<And it says:

<<“He makes

<<the storm

<<into calm.”

<<And it says:

<<“And they rejoice

<<because

<<they are quiet.”

<<And it says:

<<“Let them thank

<<Hashem

<<for His kindness

<<and His wonders

<<to the children of

<<man.”

Those who travel

<<deserts —

<<from where do we know?

<<As it is written:

<<“They wandered

<<in the wilderness,

<<in the wasteland

<<of the way;

<<a city

<<of settlement

<<they did not

<<find …

<<and they cried out

<<to

<<Hashem …

<<and He led them

<<on a way

<<that is straight …

<<Let them thank

<<Hashem

<<for His kindness.”

One

<<who became ill

<<and was healed —

<<as it is written:

<<“Fools,

<<because of the way of

<<their transgression

<<and because of their iniquities,

<<are afflicted.

<<All

<<food

<<abhors

<<their soul,

<<etc.;

<<and they cried out

<<to

<<Hashem

<<in their distress,

<<etc.;

<<He sends

<<His word

<<and heals them,

<<etc.;

<<let them thank

<<Hashem

<<for His kindness.”

One

<<who was

<<imprisoned

<<in prison —

<<from where do we know?

<<As it is written:

<<“Those who sit

<<in darkness

<<and the shadow of death,

<<etc.;

<<for

<<they rebelled against

<<the words of

<<God,

<<etc.”

<<And it says:

<<“And He humbled

<<with toil

<<their heart,

<<etc.”

<<And it says:

<<“And they cried out

<<to

<<Hashem

<<in their distress.”

<<And it says:

<<“He brings them out

<<from darkness

<<and the shadow of death,

<<etc.”

<<And it says:

<<“Let them thank

<<Hashem

<<for His kindness.”

What

<<does he bless?

<<Rav Yehuda said:

<<“Blessed is He

<<who bestows

<<kindnesses

<<that are good.”

<<Abaye

<<said:

<<And he must

<<give thanks

<<before

<<ten,

<<as it is written:

<<“And let them exalt Him

<<in the assembly of

<<the people,

<<etc.”

<<Mar Zutra

<<said:

<<And two

<<of them

<<must be Rabbis,

<<as it is stated:

<<“And in the seat of

<<the elders

<<let them praise Him.”

Objected

<<to it

<<Rav Ashi:

<<But say

<<all of them

<<are Rabbis?!

<<Is

<<it written

<<“in the assembly of

<<elders”?

<<“In the assembly of

<<the people”

<<is written.

<<But say:

<<a group of ten

<<of the rest of

<<the people,

<<and two

<<Rabbis!

<<It is difficult.

Rav Yehuda

<<became weak

<<and recovered.

<<Entered

<<to him

<<Rav Chana of Baghdad

<<and the Rabbis.

<<They said to him:

<<“Blessed is

<<the Merciful One

<<who gave you

<<to us

<<and did not

<<give you

<<to the dust.”

<<He said to them:

<<You have exempted

<<me

<<from giving thanks.

But didn't Abaye say:

<<He needs

<<to give thanks

<<before

<<ten!

<<That there were

<<ten [present].

<<But surely

<<he himself

<<did not

<<give thanks!

<<It was not

<<necessary,

<<for he answered

<<after them

<<“Amen.”

Rav Yehuda said:

<<Three

<<need

<<guarding,

<<and these

<<are they:

<<a sick person,

<<a groom,

<<and a bride.

<<In a baraisa

<<it was taught:

<<a sick person,

<<a woman in childbirth,

<<a groom,

<<and a bride.

<<And some say:

<<also

<<a mourner.

<<And some say:

<<also

<<Torah scholars

<<at night.

And Rav Yehuda said:

<<Three

<<things —

<<one who lengthens

<<them,

<<they lengthen

<<the days

<<and the years

<<of

<<a person:

<<one who lengthens

<<his prayer,

<<and one who lengthens

<<at his table,

<<and one who lengthens

<<in the bathroom.

And one who lengthens

<<his prayer —

<<a virtue

<<is it?

<<But didn't Rabbi Chiya bar Abba say in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: