סוטה דף מ

בנעילה דיומא דכיפורי מאי אמר? אמר מר זוטרא, ואמרי לה במתניתא: ״הנה כי כן יברך גבר ירא ה׳״. ״יברכך ה׳ מציון וראה בטוב ירושלם כל ימי חייך״.

During the closing prayer [ne’ila] of Yom Kippur, which also includes the Priestly Benediction, what do the people say? Mar Zutra says, and some say that this was taught in a baraita: “Behold, surely thus shall the man who fears the Lord be blessed” (Psalms 128:4), “The Lord shall bless you out of Zion, and you shall see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life” (Psalms 128:5), and “And see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel” (Psalms 128:6).

״וראה בנים לבניך שלום על ישראל״.

היכן אומרן? רב יוסף אמר: בין כל ברכה וברכה, ורב ששת אמר: בהזכרת השם.

The Gemara asks: Where does the congregation say these verses during the Priestly Benediction? Rav Yosef says: They are said between each and every blessing. And Rav Sheshet says: They are said during the mention of the name of God in each of the three blessings.

פליגי בה רב מרי ורב זביד. חד אמר: פסוקא לקבל פסוקא, וחד אמר: אכל פסוקא אמר להו לכולהו.

Rav Mari and Rav Zevid disagree about this matter. One says: The congregation recites one verse at a time, corresponding to the verse that the priests recite. And one says: For every single verse that the priests recite, the congregation says all three verses.

אמר רבי חייא בר אבא: כל האומרן בגבולין — אינו אלא טועה. אמר רבי חנינא בר פפא: תדע דבמקדש נמי לא מיבעי למימרינהו,

Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: Anyone who recites these verses in the outlying areas, i.e., outside the Temple, is nothing other than mistaken in his practice. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: You should know that in the Temple also people should not recite these verses. Do you have a servant who is being blessed and does not listen to the blessing, but rather speaks at the same time?

כלום יש לך עבד שמברכין אותו ואינו מאזין?

אמר רבי אחא בר חנינא: תדע דבגבולין נמי מיבעי למימרינהו, כלום יש עבד שמברכין אותו ואין מסביר פנים? אמר רבי אבהו: מריש הוה אמינא להו,

Conversely, Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina says: You should know that in the outlying areas one is also required to say these verses. Is there a servant who is being blessed and his face does not brighten? Therefore, one must recite these verses to give thanks for receiving the Priestly Benediction. Rabbi Abbahu says: At first, I would recite these verses, but since I saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko does not say them, I also do not recite them anymore.

כיון דחזינא ליה לרבי אבא דמן עכו דלא אמר להו — אנא נמי לא אמינא להו.

ואמר רבי אבהו: מריש הוה אמינא עינותנא אנא. כיון דחזינא ליה לרבי אבא דמן עכו דאמר איהו חד טעמא ואמר אמוריה חד

And Rabbi Abbahu says: At first, I would say to myself that I was humble. Since I saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko himself stated one reason for a matter, and his interpreter stated one other reason of his own rather than delivering the reason that Rabbi Abba stated, and yet Rabbi Abba did not mind, I say to myself that I am not humble.

טעמא ולא קפיד — אמינא לאו עינותנא אנא.

ומאי עינוותנותיה דרבי אבהו? דאמרה לה דביתהו דאמוריה דרבי אבהו לדביתיה דרבי אבהו: הא דידן לא צריך ליה לדידך, והאי דגחין וזקיף עליה — יקרא בעלמא

The Gemara asks: And what was the humility of Rabbi Abbahu? The Gemara relates that Rabbi Abbahu’s interpreter’s wife said to Rabbi Abbahu’s wife: This one of ours, i.e., my husband, has no need for your husband Rabbi Abbahu, as he could teach everything on his own. And the fact that he bends over to listen to Rabbi Abbahu, and then stands up above him, and repeats his words to the congregants is merely to show respect for him. Rabbi Abbahu’s wife went and told this to Rabbi Abbahu. He said to her: And what difference does it make to you? Through me and through him the One above will be exalted, and it does not matter which one of us is teaching.

הוא דעביד ליה. אזלא דביתהו ואמרה ליה לרבי אבהו. אמר לה: ומאי נפקא ליך מינה? מיני ומיניה יתקלס עילאה.

ותו, רבי אבהו אימנו רבנן עליה לממנייה ברישא, כיון דחזיה לרבי אבא דמן עכו דנפישי ליה בעלי חובות, אמר להו: איכא רבה.

And furthermore, in another example of his humility, the Sages were counted and reached a decision to appoint Rabbi Abbahu to be the head of the yeshiva. Since he saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko had many creditors and was impoverished, he attempted to get him out of debt. He said to them: There is a man who is greater than me, Rabbi Abba.

רבי אבהו ורבי חייא בר אבא איקלעו לההוא אתרא, רבי אבהו דרש באגדתא, רבי חייא בר אבא דרש בשמעתא. שבקוה כולי עלמא לרבי חייא בר אבא,

The Gemara relates another example of his humility: Rabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba happened to come to a certain place. Rabbi Abbahu taught matters of aggada, and at the same time Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba taught halakha. Everyone left Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba and went to Rabbi Abbahu, and Rabbi Ḥiyya was offended. Rabbi Abbahu said to him, to appease him: I will tell you a parable: To what is this matter comparable? It is comparable to two people, one who sells precious stones and one who sells small items [sidkit]. Upon whom do the customers spring? Don’t they spring upon the one who sells small items? Similarly, you teach lofty and important matters that do not attract many people. Everyone comes to me because I teach minor matters.

ואזול לגביה דרבי אבהו. חלש דעתיה. אמר ליה: אמשל לך משל למה הדבר דומה: לשני בני אדם, אחד מוכר אבנים טובות ואחד מוכר מיני סידקית,

על מי קופצין — לא על זה שמוכר מיני סידקית?

כל יומא: הוה מלוה רבי חייא בר אבא לרבי אבהו עד אושפיזיה משום יקרא דבי קיסר. ההוא יומא אלויה רבי אבהו לרבי חייא בר אבא עד אושפיזיה,

The Gemara relates that every day Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba would escort Rabbi Abbahu to his lodging place [ushpizei] out of respect for the house of the emperor, with which Rabbi Abbahu was associated. On that day, Rabbi Abbahu escorted Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba to his lodging place, and even so, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba’s mind was not at ease with Rabbi Abbahu and he felt insulted.

ואפילו הכי לא איתותב דעתיה מיניה.

בזמן ששליח צבור אומר מודים, העם מה הם אומרים? אמר רב: ״מודים אנחנו לך ה׳ אלהינו על שאנו מודים לך״. ושמואל אמר: ״אלהי כל בשר,

§ The Gemara returns to discuss the response of the congregants to certain parts of the prayer service. While the prayer leader is reciting the blessing of: We give thanks, what do the people say? Rav says that they say: We give thanks to You, Lord our God, for the merit of giving thanks to You. And Shmuel says that one should say: God of all living flesh, for the merit of giving thanks to You. Rabbi Simai says that one should say: Our Creator, Who created everything in the beginning, for the merit of giving thanks to You. The Sages of Neharde’a say in the name of Rabbi Simai that one should say: We offer blessings and praises to Your great name, for You have given us life and sustained us, for giving thanks to You. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov would finish the blessing as follows: So may You give us life, and show us favor, and collect us, and gather our exiles into Your sacred courtyards, in order to observe Your laws and to fulfill Your will wholeheartedly, for giving thanks to You.

על שאנו מודים לך״. רבי סימאי אומר: ״יוצרנו יוצר בראשית על שאנו מודים לך״. נהרדעי אמרי משמיה דרבי סימאי: ״ברכות והודאות לשמך הגדול על שהחייתנו וקיימתנו,

על שאנו מודים לך״. רב אחא בר יעקב מסיים בה הכי: ״כן תחיינו ותחננו, ותקבצנו, ותאסוף גליותינו לחצרות קדשך, לשמור חוקיך ולעשות רצונך בלבב שלם,

על שאנו מודים לך״.

אמר רב פפא: הילכך נימרינהו לכולהו.

Rav Pappa said: These Sages each added a different element to the prayer. Therefore, we should combine them together and recite all of them.

אמר רבי יצחק: לעולם תהא אימת צבור עליך, שהרי כהנים פניהם כלפי העם ואחוריהם כלפי שכינה.

§ Rabbi Yitzḥak says: The awe of the public should always be upon you, i.e., one must always treat the public courteously. As when the priests bless the people they face the people and their backs are toward the Divine Presence, out of respect for the congregation.

רב נחמן אמר: מהכא: ״ויקם דויד המלך על רגליו ויאמר שמעוני אחי ועמי״. אם ״אחי״ למה ״עמי״, ואם ״עמי״ למה ״אחי״? אמר רבי אלעזר:

Rav Naḥman said that this principle is derived from here: “Then King David stood up upon his feet, and said: Hear me, my brethren, and my people” (I Chronicles 28:2). Evidently, King David stood up to address the people rather than remain seated. If he said “my brethren,” why did he say “my people”? And if he said “my people” why did he say “my brethren”? Rabbi Elazar says: David said to the Jewish people: If you listen to me, you are my brethren. And if you do not listen to me willingly, you are my people and I am your king, and I will rule over you by force with a staff. This shows that if the nation acted properly, David would relate to them respectfully.

אמר להם דוד לישראל: אם אתם, שומעין לי — אחי אתם, ואם לאו — עמי אתם, ואני רודה אתכם במקל.

רבנן אמרי מהכא: דאין הכהנים רשאין לעלות בסנדליהן לדוכן. וזהו אחת מתשע תקנות שהתקין רבן יוחנן בן זכאי. מאי טעמא — לאו משום כבוד צבור?

The Sages say that the importance of showing respect for the congregation is derived from here: The halakha is that the priests are not permitted to ascend the platform to recite the benediction in their sandals, as is taught in a baraita. And this halakha is one of nine ordinances that Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted. What is the reason for this ordinance? Is it not out of respect for the congregation, as it would be disrespectful for the priests to display their dirty sandals in front of the congregants? Rav Ashi said: No, this is not the reason. There, in the baraita, the reason is a concern lest a strap of his sandal break, and he will therefore return to his place to go tie it and not ascend the platform in time for the benediction, and people will say that he was removed from the platform because he is disqualified from the priesthood, as he is the son of a priest and a divorced woman or the son of a priest and a ḥalutza.

אמר רב אשי: לא, התם שמא נפסקה לו רצועה בסנדלו והדר אזיל למיקטריה, ואמרי: בן גרושה או בן חלוצה הוא.

ובמקדש ברכה אחת כו׳.

§ It is taught in the mishna: And in the Temple, the priests recite the three verses as one blessing.

וכל כך למה — לפי שאין עונין ״אמן״ במקדש.

The Gemara asks: And why does the practice in the Temple differ so much from outside the Temple? Because one does not answer amen in the Temple, and therefore there is no pause between the blessings.

תנו רבנן: מנין שאין עונין ״אמן״ במקדש — שנאמר: ״קומו ברכו את ה׳ אלהיכם מן העולם עד העולם״. ומנין שעל כל ברכה וברכה תהלה — שנאמר:

The Sages taught: From where is it derived that one does not answer amen in the Temple? As it is stated: “Stand up and bless the Lord, your God, from everlasting to everlasting” (Nehemiah 9:5). This blessing is recited instead of amen in the Temple. And from where is it derived that for each and every blessing in the Temple the people respond with these words of praise? As it is stated: “And let them say: Blessed be Your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise” (Nehemiah 9:5). This verse indicates that for each and every blessing, you should give Him praise. However, those present do not respond amen.

״ויברכו שם כבדך ומרומם על כל ברכה ותהלה״. על כל ברכה וברכה תן לו תהלה.

מתני׳ ברכות כהן גדול כיצד? חזן הכנסת נוטל ספר תורה ונותנה לו לראש הכנסת, וראש הכנסת נותנה לסגן, והסגן נותנה לכהן גדול,

MISHNA: How are the blessings of the High Priest recited on Yom Kippur? The synagogue attendant takes a Torah scroll and gives it to the head of the synagogue that stands on the Temple Mount, and the head of the synagogue gives it to the deputy High Priest, and the deputy High Priest gives it to the High Priest.

וכהן גדול עומד ומקבל, וקורא ״אחרי מות״, ו״אך בעשור״. וגולל את התורה ומניחה בחיקו, ואומר: יתר ממה שקריתי לפניכם כתוב כאן. ״ובעשור״ שבחומש הפקודים קורא על פה.

And the High Priest stands; and receives the Torah scroll; and reads the Torah portion beginning with the verse: “After the death” (Leviticus 16:1–34), and the portion beginning with the verse: “But on the tenth” (Leviticus 23:26–32); and furls the Torah scroll; and places it on his bosom; and says: More than what I have read before you is written here. He then reads by heart the portion beginning with: “And on the tenth,” from the book of Numbers (see 29:7–11).

ומברך עליה שמנה ברכות: על התורה, ועל העבודה, ועל ההודייה, ועל מחילת העון, ועל המקדש, ועל ישראל, ועל הכהנים, ועל ירושלים, והשאר תפלה.

And after the reading the High Priest recites the following eight blessings: A blessing concerning the Torah, and concerning the Temple service, and concerning thanksgiving, and concerning forgiveness for iniquity, and concerning the Temple, and concerning the Jewish people, and concerning the priests, and concerning Jerusalem, and the rest of the prayer.

גמ׳ שמעת מינה חולקין כבוד לתלמיד במקום הרב.

GEMARA: The Gemara suggests: You can learn from the fact that the head of the synagogue and the deputy High Priest receive the Torah scroll before the High Priest that honor may be given to a student in the presence of the teacher. Although the High Priest is considered everyone’s teacher and master, honor was nevertheless extended to other individuals in his presence without fear of impugning the High Priest’s honor.

אמר אביי: כולה משום כבודו דכהן גדול הוא.

Abaye said: A proof may not be adduced from here. Usually one does not show honor for a student in the presence of the teacher, but here the entire process is for the honor of the High Priest. The passing of the Torah scroll to people of increasing importance demonstrates that the High Priest is considered the most important of all those present.

וכהן גדול עומד ומקבל וקורא וכו׳. ״עומד״ — מכלל דיושב הוא? והאמר מר: אין ישיבה בעזרה אלא למלכי בית דוד בלבד, שנאמר:

It is stated in the mishna: And the High Priest stands, and receives the Torah scroll, and reads from it. The Gemara asks: From the fact that he stands, it can be understood by inference that until that point he had been sitting. But didn’t the Master say (Tosefta, Sanhedrin 4:4) that sitting in the Temple courtyard is permitted only for kings from the house of David, as it is stated: “Then King David went in, and sat before the Lord; and he said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far?” (II Samuel 7:18).

״ויבא המלך דוד וישב לפני ה׳ ויאמר מי אנכי וגו׳״!

כדאמר רב חסדא: בעזרת נשים, הכא נמי בעזרת נשים.

The Gemara answers: As Rav Ḥisda said in a similar context: This took place not in the Israelite courtyard, where the prohibition against sitting applies, but in the women’s courtyard. Here, too, the reading was in the women’s courtyard, where it is permitted to sit, as it does not have the sanctified status of the Temple itself.

מיתיבי: והיכן קורין בו — בעזרה, רבי אליעזר בן יעקב אומר: בהר הבית, שנאמר:

The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita (Tosefta 7:13): And where does the High Priest read from the Torah scroll? He reads from it in the Temple courtyard. Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: He reads from it on the Temple Mount, as it is stated: