Trumah: Chapter 92

Until Jacob people died without sickness

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi tells us that Rabbi Huna went up to the Holy Land and found the rabbis discussing this passage, "And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will take out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow together any more to him." Rabbi Huna tries to make himself heard, but no one will listen until Rabbi Yudai asks him to speak. Rabbi Huna then explains that Jacob asked God if a person could be sick for a few days before death so he could put his affairs in order and repent of his sins. Thus, God granted this wish to Jacob, and he was the first person to fall sick before dying.

Relevance

Here, the reader proactively repents of his wrongdoings and brings order to his affairs without having to go through pain and illness just to comprehend the importance of penitence. Moreover, just as Jacob had the power to bring sickness to this world so that a man could avoid suffering in the World to Come, we now draw upon Jacob's righteousness and awesome power to achieve the reverse effect, the end of sickness, the cessation of suffering, the demise death. The gateway to the World to Come is now open.'

Jacob Praise Torah World to Come, The

895. Rabbi Yosi said, It is all nice, but the Torah that was given before the children of Yisrael and taught to them is more IMPORTANT than everything. Come and see, There is no praise for a person in this world and in the World to Come like the praise of Torah, as it is written of it: "By me kings reign" (Mishlei 8:15).

895. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסִי, כֹּלָּא הוּא יֵאוֹת, אֲבָל אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאַהֲדָר קָמַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאוֹלִיף לוֹן, יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא. תָּא חֲזִי, לֵית שְׁבָחָא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, כִּשְׁבָחָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דִּכְתִּיב בָּהּ בִּי מְלָכִים יִמְלֹכוּ.

Babel Babylon Belshazzar Daniel Fear Flow Holy Land Idolatry Jeremiah Nebuchadnezzar

896. We have learned that when Rav Huna went up TO THE HOLY LAND, he found the Rabbis occupied with this passage that says, "And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will take out of his mouth which he has swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow together any more to him" (Yirmeyah 51:44). Rav Huna STOOD BUT they didn't notice him, because they did not recognize him at first and because he was small. He came to the study hall and he heard the sages saying that this verse THAT WAS JUST MENTIONED must be examined to see whether the name of the idol and object of fear of Nebuchadnezzar was Bel. AND THEREFORE HE SAID, "AND I WILL PUNISH BEL," yet it is written, "But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Beltshatzar, according to the name of my Elohim" (Daniel 4:5). SO WE SEE THAT HIS IDOL'S NAME WAS BELTSHATZAR. Also, what does this mean, "And I will take out of his mouth which he has swallowed up?"

896. דְּהָא תָּנֵינָן כַּד סָלִיק רַב הוּנָא לְהָתָם, אַשְׁכַּח רַבָּנָן דַּהֲווֹ עַסְקֵי בְּהַאי קְרָא, דִּכְתִּיב, וּפָקַדְתִּי עַל בֵּל בְּבָבֶל וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת בִּלְעוֹ מִפִּיו וְלֹא יִנְהֲרוּ אֵלָיו עוֹד גּוֹיִם. וְרַב הוּנָא לָא הֲווֹ מַשְׁגִּיחִין בֵּיהּ, דְּהָא לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן לֵיהּ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, בְּגִין דַּהֲוָה זְעֵיר. עָאל לְבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא, וְאַשְׁכַּח רַבָּנָן דַּהֲווֹ אַמְרֵי, הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, אִי טַעֲוָתֵיהּ וְדָחַלְתֵּיהּ דִּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַר הֲוָה שְׁמֵיהּ בֵּל, הָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ, וְעַד אָחֳרִין עַל קֳדָמַי דָּנִיאֵל דִּי שְׁמֵהּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר כְּשֻׁם אֱלָהִי. וְעוֹד, מַאי וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת בִּלְעוֹ מִפִּיו.

Pillar Torah

897. Rav Huna stood up between the foundation of the pillars and said, If I were in my own place, I would explain this verse. They paid him no attention. He stood up and repeated it a second time. Rabbi Yudai, the son of Rav, came over and sat him down in front of him. He said to him, Speak my son, speak, because concerning the words of Torah is written, "She cries in the chief place of concourse... " (Mishlei 1:21).

897. קָם רַב הוּנָא בֵּינֵי קַיָימֵי דְּעַמוּדֵי, וְאָמַר אִילּוּ הֲוֵינָא בְּאַתְרִי, דָּרִישְׁנָא לֵיהּ לְהַאי פְּסוּקָא. לָא אַשְׁגָּחוּ בֵּיהּ. קָם תִּנְיָינוּת, וְאָמַר מִלָּה דָּא. אָתָא רַבִּי יוֹדָאי בַּר רַב, וְאוֹתְבֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אֵימָא בְּרִי אֵימָא, דְּמִלֵּי אוֹרַיְיתָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ, בְּרֹאשׁ הוֹמִיּוֹת תִּקְרָא וְגוֹ.'

Jacob Joseph Repentance Sin Universe

898. He opened the discussion saying, We have learned that in the early days, before Jacob came, a person was peacefully in his home, WITHOUT ANY SICKNESS - when his time came TO DIE, he died without any sickness. When Jacob came, he asked of the Holy One, blessed be He, Master of the Universe, if it is favorable before You, let a person fall into illness for two or three days. Then he should be gathered unto his people, SO THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE to arrange for his family and repent his sins. THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, told him, 'It shall be so, and you will be an example for the world,' MEANING THAT IT WILL START WITH YOU. Come and see what is written concerning him, "And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold your father is sick (Heb. choleh)" (Beresheet 48:1). The word choleh is spelled WITHOUT A VAV - WHICH SHOWS THAT IT WAS NEW, and that no person had this before.

898. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, הָכִי תָּנֵינָן, בְּיוֹמֵי קַדְמָאֵי עַד לָא אָתָא יַעֲקֹב, הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ שָׁלֵו בְּבֵיתֵיהּ, מָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ, מִית בְּלָא מַרְעִין, כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא יַעֲקֹב, בָּעָא קָמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אָמַר לֵיהּ, מָרֵי דְּעָלְמָא, אִי נִיחָא קָמָךְ, דְּלִנְפּוֹל בַּר נָשׁ בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ, תְּרֵין אוֹ תְּלַת יוֹמִין, וּלְבָתַר יִתְכְּנָשׁ לְעַמֵּיהּ, וְיַפְקֵד לְבֵיתֵיהּ, וְיֵתוּב מֵחוֹבוֹי. אָמַר לֵיהּ שַׁפִּיר. אַתְּ הוּא סִימָנָא בְּעָלְמָא. ת"ח, מָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר לְיוֹסֵף הִנֵּה אָבִיךָ חוֹלֶה. חֹלֶה כְּתִיב מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה לְבַר נָשׁ מִן קַדְמַת דְּנָא.

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