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Week 78 - Shabbat - 26 May 2001

SOTAH: CHAPTER 1: MISHNAH 8

Samson followed his eyes, therefore the Philistines gouged out his eyes, as it is said (Jud. 16:21): "And the Philistines took hold of him, and gouged out his eyes." Absalom gloried in his hair, therefore he was hanged by his hair. And since he cohabited with the ten concubines of his father, ten spears were thrust into him as it is said (II Sam. 18:15): "And ten men bearers of Joab's armor encompassed him." And since he stole three hearts - the heart of his father, the heart of the Court, and the heart of Israel - (ibid. 15:6): "So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel," therefore three darts were thrust into him, as it is said (ibid. 18:14): "And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into Absalom's heart." (ibid. 15:6): "so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel," therefore three darts were thrust into him, as it is said (ibid., 18:14): "And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into Absalom's heart."

Kehati

This mishnah brings further examples from different sources that illustrate the ethical principle taught in the previous mishnah: "With the measure which a person measures, so is it measured out to him."

Samson followed his eyes - thus (Jud. 13:3): "And Samson said unto his father: 'Get her for me; for she is right in my eyes,"' therefore the Philistines gouged out his eyes, as it is said: "And the Philistines took hold of him, and gouged out his eyes" - measure for measure.

Absalom gloried in his hair - as it is said (II Sam. 14:25-26): "Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And every year when he cut his hair - for it was heavy on him, and he would cut it - he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight;" whence we learn that Absalom was a permanent nazir, and would cut his hair once a year, and after cutting it, he would weigh it out of pride, therefore, he was hanged by his hair - thus (ibid. 18:9): "And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth, and his head was caught in the terebinth, and he was suspended between heaven and earth; and the mule passed on from under him."

And since he cohabited with the ten concubines of his father - on the advice of Ahitophel, thus (ibid. 16:22): "And Absalom cohabited with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel," ten spears were thrust into him - some read lonkhiot (instead of lonviot), a Greek term meaning "spears," as it is said: "And ten men bearers of Joab's armor encompassed him" - (in II Sam: "ten young men").

And since he stole three hearts (i.e., deceived) - the heart of his father - thus (ibid. 15:7,10): "And Absalom said unto the King: 'please, let me go and pay my vow, which I vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron'... But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying 'As soon as you hear the sound of the shofar, you shall say: Absalom is king in Hebron,' and the heart of the court - thus (ibid. v. 11): "And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their innocence; and they knew not anything." The Jerusalem Talmud states: that were invited, i.e., by David, whose command they fulfilled; he said to him (Absalom to his father): Give me a letter stating I have the right to choose two individuals; and after he wrote him, he would show David's signature to two men who thereupon joined him, and similarly to two others, until he had gathered two hundred; all of them were heads of Sanhedrins (Rashi), thereby stealing both his father's heart and that of the Court, and the heart of Israel - as it is said: "so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel - preceding this it is stated: "And it was so, that when any man came nigh to prostrate himself before him, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him" (ibid., 15:5),

therefore three darts were thrust into him - which Joab thrust into his heart while he was hanging, as it is said: "And he took three darts in his hand and thrust them into Absalom's heart - which illustrates the Divine retribution meted out to a man for his misdeeds, measure for measure.

SOTAH: CHAPTER 1: MISHNAH 9

So, too, for good: Miriam waited for Moses one hour, as it is said (Ex. 2:4): "And his sister stationed herself from afar" - therefore Israel were delayed for her seven days in the wilderness, as it is said (Num. 12:15): "and the people did not travel until Miriam was brought in again." Joseph was privileged to bury his father, and none of his brothers was greater than he, as it is said (Gen. 50:7,9): "And Joseph went up to bury his father…And he brought up with him both chariots and horsemen." Who was greater than Joseph that none other than Moses attended to him. Moses was privileged to take the bones of Joseph, and there was none in Israel greater than him, as it is said (Ex. 13:19): "And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him." Who was greater than Moses, for the Almighty attended to him, as it is said (Deut. 34:6): "And He buried him in the valley." And not only of Moses alone have they stated, but of all the righteous, as it is said (Isa. 58:8): "And your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall gather you in."

Kehati

So, too - is man rewarded measure for measure, for good - for his good deeds; however, invariably "the measure of beneficence outweighs the measure of retribution," (Gemara), i.e., man is rewarded for his good deeds over and above his act; following are several examples:

Miriam waited for Moses one hour - when he was three months old, and because of Pharoah's decree he was placed in a reed basket by the bank of the Nile, as it is said: "And his sister stationed herself from afar - to know what would happen to him, therefore Israel were delayed for her seven days in the wilderness - when she was stricken with tzara'at and isolated outside the camp for seven days, as it is said: "and the people did not travel until Miriam was brought in again" - the verse opens: "And Miriam was isolated outside the camp seven days."

Joseph was privileged to bury his father - Jacob, and none of his brothers was greater than he - in authority, since he was the viceroy, and he himself attended to the burial of his father, as it is said: "And Joseph went up to bury his father...And he brought up with him both chariots and horsemen" - and just as he treated his father, so, too, was he treated, for Who was greater than Joseph - and merited to be buried with greater honor than Joseph? that none other than Moses attended to him - Moses our teacher personally attended to the burial of his bones.

Moses was privileged to take the hones of Joseph, and there was none in Israel greater than him - than Moses our Teacher, as it is said, "And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him" - therefore Who was greater than Moses - who merited greater honor than Moses our Teacher, that none but the Almighty attended to him, as it is said: "And He buried him in the valley" - God Himself attended to the burial of Moses our Teacher. And not only of Moses alone have they stated - in Scripture, that the Almighty attended to him, but of all the righteous, as it is said: "And your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall gather you in" - hence, the Almighty gathers in the righteous. "Nevertheless Moses our Teacher was superior, in that God alone attended to him, which does not apply to other righteous persons whom the glory of the Lord gathers in, but at the same time human beings attend to him in the manner of all mortals" (Tosefot Yom Tov).

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