And say

<<to our brothers

<<who are in the exile:

<<If

<<they listen,

<<good;

<<and if

<<not,

<<let them go up

<<to the mountain;

<<Achiya

<<will build

<<an altar,

<<Chananya

<<will play

<<on the harp,

<<and let them deny [God],

<<all of them,

<<and let them say:

<<there is no

<<for them

<<portion

<<in the God of

<<Israel.

Immediately

<<burst out

<<all

<<the people

<<in weeping

<<and said:

<<Heaven forbid!

<<There is

<<for us

<<a portion

<<in the God of

<<Israel.

And all

<<this,

<<why?

<<Because

<<it is stated:

<<“For

<<from Tziyon

<<shall go forth

<<Torah,

<<and the word of

<<Hashem

<<from Yerushalayim.”

Granted,

<<he

<<declaring pure

<<and they

<<declaring impure —

<<it is for stringency.

<<But

<<he

<<declaring impure

<<and they

<<declaring pure,

<<how could it be?

<<But isn't it taught:

<<A sage

<<who declared impure —

<<not

<<is his fellow

<<permitted

<<to declare pure;

<<[if] he forbade,

<<not

<<is his fellow

<<permitted

<<to permit!

<<They held:

<<so that

<<not

<<will they be drawn

<<after him.

The Rabbis taught:

<<When entered

<<our Rabbis

<<the Vineyard

<<in Yavneh,

<<there were

<<there

<<Rabbi Yehuda

<<and Rabbi Yosei

<<and Rabbi Nechemya

<<and Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili.

<<Opened

<<all of them

<<with the honor of

<<hospitality

<<and expounded.

Opened

<<Rabbi Yehuda,

<<the head of

<<the speakers

<<in every place,

<<with the honor of

<<Torah,

<<and expounded:

<<“And Moshe

<<would take

<<the tent

<<and pitch it

<<for himself

<<outside

<<the camp.”

<<And are not

<<the matters

<<a kal vachomer:

<<And just as

<<the Ark of

<<Hashem,

<<which not

<<was

<<distant

<<except

<<twelve

<<mil,

<<said

<<the Torah:

<<“And it was:

<<every

<<seeker of

<<Hashem

<<would go out

<<to

<<the Tent of

<<Meeting” —

<<Torah scholars

<<who go

<<from city

<<to city

<<and from province

<<to province

<<to learn

<<Torah,

<<how much more so!

“And spoke

<<Hashem

<<to

<<Moshe

<<face

<<to

<<face.”

<<Rabbi Yitzchak said:

<<Said to him

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<to Moshe:

<<Moshe,

<<I

<<and you

<<will show bright

<<faces

<<in halachah.

<<Some say:

<<thus

<<said to him

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<to Moshe:

<<Just as

<<I

<<showed bright

<<to you

<<a face,

<<so

<<you,

<<show bright

<<a face

<<to Israel,

<<and return

<<the tent

<<to its place.

“And he returned

<<to

<<the camp

<<etc.”

<<Rabbi Abbahu said:

<<Said to him

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<to Moshe:

<<Now

<<they will say:

<<the master

<<in anger

<<and the student

<<in anger —

<<Israel,

<<what

<<will become

<<of them?

<<If

<<you

<<return

<<the tent

<<to its place,

<<good;

<<and if

<<not,

<<Yehoshua bin Nun,

<<your student,

<<will serve

<<in your place.

And this is

<<what is written:

<<“And he returned

<<to

<<the camp.”

<<Rava said:

<<Even so,

<<not

<<did go out

<<the matter

<<for nothing,

<<as it is stated:

<<“And his attendant,

<<Yehoshua bin Nun,

<<a youth,

<<would not

<<depart

<<from within

<<the tent.”

And further

<<opened

<<Rabbi Yehuda

<<with the honor of

<<Torah

<<and expounded:

<<“Be silent [haskes]

<<and hear,

<<Israel:

<<this day

<<you have become

<<a people.”

<<And was it

<<on that

<<day

<<that was given

<<the Torah

<<to Israel?

<<But surely

<<that

<<day

<<the end of

<<forty

<<years

<<was!

<<Rather,

<<to teach you

<<that beloved

<<is the Torah

<<to [lit. upon]

<<those who learn it

<<each and every day

<<like the day

<<that it was given

<<from Mount

<<Sinai.

Said

<<Rabbi Tanchum son of Rabbi Chiya (man of Kefar Akko):

<<Know

<<that, behold,

<<a person

<<recites

<<the Shema

<<morning

<<and evening,

<<and on an evening,

<<a single one,

<<he does not

<<recite —

<<he is like

<<one who

<<not

<<has recited

<<the Shema

<<ever.

“Haskes”:

<<make [asu]

<<groups [kittos],

<<groups,

<<and engage

<<in Torah,

<<because

<<not

<<is the Torah

<<acquired

<<except

<<in a group.

<<It is like Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Chanina,

<<for Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Chanina said:

<<What is

<<that which is written:

<<“A sword

<<upon

<<the baddim,

<<and they shall become foolish”?

<<A sword

<<upon

<<the enemies

<<of

<<Torah scholars

<<who sit

<<alone by alone

<<and engage

<<in Torah.

<<And not

<<only that,

<<but rather

<<that they become foolish;

<<it is written

<<here:

<<“and they shall become foolish [noalu],”

<<and it is written

<<there:

<<“that

<<we have acted foolishly [noalnu].”

<<And not

<<only that,

<<but rather

<<that they sin,

<<as it is stated:

<<“and that

<<we have sinned.”

If you wish, say:

<<from here:

<<“Have become foolish

<<the princes of

<<Tzoan.”

Another interpretation:

<<“Haskes

<<and hear,

<<Israel”:

<<crush [kattetu]

<<yourselves

<<over

<<words of

<<Torah.

<<It is like that which Reish Lakish said,

<<for Reish Lakish said:

<<From where

<<that not

<<do words of

<<Torah

<<endure

<<except

<<in one

<<who kills

<<himself

<<over it?

<<As it is stated:

<<“This is

<<the Torah:

<<a man

<<when

<<he dies

<<in a tent.”

Another interpretation:

<<“Haskes

<<and hear,

<<Israel”:

<<be silent [has],

<<and afterward

<<dissect [kattes].

<<It is like Rava,

<<for Rava said:

<<Always

<<should learn

<<a person

<<Torah,

<<and afterward

<<reflect [on it].

Say

<<those of the house of Rabbi Yannai:

<<What is

<<that which is written:

<<“For

<<the pressing of

<<milk

<<brings forth

<<butter,

<<and the pressing of

<<the nose [af]

<<brings forth

<<blood,

<<and the pressing of

<<anger [appayim]

<<brings forth

<<strife”?

In whom

<<do you

<<find

<<the butter

<<of

<<Torah?

<<In one

<<who vomits

<<the milk

<<that he nursed

<<from the breasts of

<<his mother

<<over it.

“And the pressing of

<<the nose [af]

<<brings forth

<<blood”:

<<Any

<<student

<<that is angry

<<with him

<<his teacher [i.e., whose teacher is angry with him]

<<a first time,

<<and he is silent,

<<merits

<<to distinguish

<<between

<<blood

<<that is impure

<<and blood

<<that is pure.

“And the pressing of

<<anger [appayim, i.e., twice]

<<brings forth

<<strife”:

<<Any

<<student

<<that is angry

<<with him

<<his teacher

<<a first time

<<and a second,

<<and he is silent,

<<merits

<<to distinguish

<<between

<<cases of

<<money

<<and cases of

<<life.

<<As we learned:

<<Rabbi Yishmael

<<says:

<<One who wishes

<<that he become wise

<<should engage

<<in cases of

<<money,

<<for there is not

<<for you

<<a field

<<in the Torah

<<greater

<<than them,

<<for they are

<<like a spring

<<that flows.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said:

<<What is

<<that which is written:

<<“If

<<you have been disgraced [navalta]

<<in lifting yourself up,

<<and if

<<you have plotted [zammosa],

<<a hand

<<to the mouth”?

<<Anyone

<<who disgraces

<<himself

<<over

<<words of

<<Torah,

<<his end

<<is to be lifted up;

<<and if

<<he muzzled [zamam] [himself],

<<a hand

<<to the mouth.

Opened

<<Rabbi Nechemya

<<with the honor of

<<hospitality

<<and expounded:

<<What is

<<that which is written:

<<“And said

<<Shaul

<<to

<<the Keini:

<<Go,

<<depart,

<<go down

<<from among

<<the Amaleki,

<<lest

<<I destroy you [lit. add you]

<<with him;

<<and you

<<did

<<kindness

<<with

<<all

<<the Children of

<<Israel”?

<<And are not

<<the matters

<<a kal vachomer:

<<And just as

<<Yisro,

<<who did not

<<draw near

<<Moshe

<<except

<<for the honor of

<<himself,

<<thus [was he rewarded];

<<one who hosts

<<a Torah scholar

<<within

<<his house

<<and feeds him

<<and gives him drink

<<and gives him benefit

<<from his possessions,

<<how much more so!

Opened

<<Rabbi Yosei

<<with the honor of

<<hospitality

<<and expounded:

<<“Do not

<<abhor

<<an Edomite,

<<for

<<your brother

<<he is;

<<do not

<<abhor

<<an Egyptian,

<<for

<<a stranger

<<you were

<<in his land.”

<<And are not

<<the matters

<<a kal vachomer:

<<And just as

<<the Egyptians,

<<who did not

<<draw near

<<Israel

<<except

<<for the need of

<<themselves,

<<as it is stated:

<<“And if

<<you know

<<and there are

<<among them

<<men of

<<ability,

<<then set them

<<as chiefs of

<<livestock

<<over

<<that which

<<is mine,”

<<thus [were they treated];

<<one who hosts

<<a Torah scholar

<<within

<<his house

<<and feeds him

<<and gives him drink

<<and gives him benefit

<<from his possessions,

<<how much more so!

Opened

<<Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili

<<with the honor of

<<hospitality

<<and expounded:

<<“And blessed

<<Hashem

<<Oved Edom

<<the Gitti

<<on account of

<<the Ark of

<<God.”

<<And are not

<<the matters

<<a kal vachomer:

<<And just as

<<the Ark,

<<which did not

<<eat

<<or drink,

<<but rather

<<he swept

<<and sprinkled [the floor]

<<before it,

<<thus [was he blessed];

<<one who hosts

<<a Torah scholar

<<within

<<his house,

<<and feeds him

<<and gives him drink

<<and gives him benefit

<<from his possessions,

<<how much more so!

What

<<is

<<the blessing

<<with which He blessed him?

<<Rav Yehuda bar Zevida said:

<<This is

<<a mother-in-law

<<and eight

<<of her daughters-in-law

<<who gave birth to

<<six

<<[each,] six

<<in one womb.