Bava Batra 9b (ט:) — the Talmud in English

called

Ulla

“who confounds his mother’s ways.”

A child who confounds his mother’s ways, because he caused his mother to disgrace herself and behave irrationally, as explained below in the Gemara,

in the name of Rabbi Elazar:

What is the meaning of that which is written: ‘

And He donned righteousness like a coat of mail’?

This is to tell you: Just as this coat of mail,

which is made of layer upon layer,

with each and every layer combining to form a large coat of mail, so too, with charity, each and every peruta combines to form a substantial account .

Rabbi Hanina said,

This teaching is derived

from here:

as it is stated: ‘

And all our righteous deeds are like a soiled garment.’

Charity is compared to a garment .

Just as with this garment, every thread

every woolen thread

combines to form a large garment, so too, with charity, each and every peruta combines to form a substantial account.

The Gemara now explains why Rav Sheshet was called “Ulla, who confounds his mother’s ways.”

Why did they call him “Ulla, who confounds his mother’s ways”?

Because of an incident that occurred:

Rav Aḥadvoi bar Ami asked Rav Sheshet: From where do we know that a leper during his counting days imparts impurity to a person—

Before the leper has been healed of his affliction, he is impure like a corpse, and anyone who touches him becomes impure .

After he has been healed of his affliction, he brings two live birds. The priest slaughters one of the birds and sprinkles its blood on the leper, while one bird he sends away, as the procedure is set out at the beginning of the portion concerning the leper.

After bringing the two birds, the leper sits outside his tent for seven days. On the seventh day he shaves all his hair, immerses his garments in water, immerses himself in water, and becomes pure. On the eighth day he brings his offerings.

Rav Aḥadvoi asked Rav Sheshet about those seven days between the bringing of the birds and the bringing of the offerings: From where do we know that even then every person who touches the leper becomes impure?

He said to him: Since he imparts impurity to garments,

even during those seven days, for at the end of those seven days he must launder his garments, as is stated in the verse; from this one may infer that he

imparts impurity

also to

a person.

He said to him: Perhaps impurity through connection is different!

Perhaps the reason he imparts impurity to his garments is only that his garments are attached to his body; but through mere contact he does not impart impurity. In fact, he does not impart impurity to other garments that he touches, nor does he impart impurity to a person who touches him.

And there is proof for this,

for

if a pure person

shifted a carcass,

and became impure, the law is

that he imparts impurity

when he shifts the carcass even to the

garments

that he is wearing,

, and

nevertheless,

he does not impart impurity to a person

and does not impart impurity to other garments that he touches, but only to his own garments, which are attached to his body.

He said to him: But then

According to your words, that there is no proof from the fact that a person imparts impurity to the garments he is wearing that he also imparts impurity to a person and to other garments, then a piece of

a creeping creature, which imparts impurity to a person— from where do we know this?

Is it

not because it imparts impurity to

the piece of the creeping creature

garments?

For the Torah does not state that a person who touches a piece of a creeping creature becomes impure, but only that one who touches an entire creeping creature becomes impure [see the note below]. Thus, we see that the impurity of garments constitutes proof that it also imparts impurity to a person.

He said to him

Rav Aḥadvoi to Rav Sheshet: The law that a piece of a

creeping creature

imparts impurity to a person is not derived from the fact that it imparts impurity to garments. Rather,

it is explicitly written with regard to it,

with regard to a creeping creature!

As it is stated: ‘

Or a person who touches any creeping creature.’

If so, there is again no source that one who imparts impurity to his garments also imparts impurity to a person.

Rav Sheshet said to him:

But then,

according to your words, that there is no proof from the fact that a person imparts impurity to his garments that he also imparts impurity to a person, then

seminal emission, which imparts impurity to a person—from where do we know this?

Is it

not because

since it imparts impurity to garments,

as is explicit in the verse, they learned from this that it

imparts impurity to a person?

He said to him:

Rav Aḥadvoi: The law that

seminal emission

imparts impurity to a person is not derived from the fact that it also imparts impurity to garments. Rather,

it too is explicitly written with regard to it,

as it is stated: ‘

Or a person

from whom seminal emission issues,’ and they expounded from here

to include one who touches it!

Thus, once again, we have no source that one who imparts impurity to his garments also imparts impurity to a person—

Rav Aḥadvoi responded to him

Rav Aḥadvoi answered all of Rav Sheshet’s proofs

jokingly,

lightheartedly, because Rav Sheshet’s answers were unsuccessful, and Rav Aḥadvoi immediately refuted each answer.

Rav Sheshet’s spirits were hurt,

and because of his resentment

he became silent,

he lost his power of speech,

and Rav Aḥadvoi bar Ami became impaired

and forgot all

his learning.

His mother came,

Rav Sheshet’s mother,

and wept before him,

before Rav Sheshet.

She cried out and cried out,

asking him to pray for Rav Aḥadvoi’s recovery,

but

Rav Sheshet paid no attention to her.

She said to him

Rav Sheshet’s mother:

Look at these breasts,

look at the breasts

from which you nursed,

from which you nursed, and have mercy on Rav Aḥadvoi.

Since this was so,

he pleaded for mercy

he requested mercy

for him,

for Rav Aḥadvoi,

and he was healed

and Rav Aḥadvoi was healed—

And since Rav Sheshet caused his mother to disgrace herself and behave irrationally in a manner unbecoming women, by showing him her breasts, he was called “Ulla, who confounds his mother’s ways.”

The Gemara continues to discuss the question that Rav Aḥadvoi asked Rav Sheshet—

And as for the matter under discussion,

now that this question has arisen before us, in truth

from where do we know

that the leper imparts impurity to a person throughout all seven days?

The Gemara explains:

As it is taught in a beraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: It is stated

with regard to a leper that he requires

the laundering of

garments during his counting days,

at the end of the seven days that he counts between bringing the birds and bringing the offerings, as it is stated: “And it shall be on the seventh day, and he shall launder his garments.”

And the laundering of garments during his period of confirmed leprosy is stated,

on the day he is healed of the affliction and brings the birds, as it is stated: “And the one who purifies himself shall launder his garments.” This implies that previously, when he was in a state of confirmed leprosy and isolated as a leper, his garments became impure; therefore, he must launder them when the affliction is healed and he brings the birds.

Just as there,

before he counts seven days,

he imparts impurity to a person,

for the leper was compared to a corpse,

so too here,

during those seven days between bringing the birds and bringing the offerings,

he imparts impurity to a person.

Rabbi Elazar said: One who performs charity in secret is greater than Moses our teacher.

That is, he has the power to assuage the anger of the Holy One, blessed be He, more than the prayer of Moses our teacher.

For with regard to Moses our teacher it is written: ‘

For I was afraid of the anger and the wrath,’

['anger' and

'the

wrath' are two harsh legions of the Holy One, blessed be He, appointed to punish sinners ].

But with regard to one who performs charity it is written: ‘

A gift in secret subdues anger

and a bribe in the bosom,

charity that he performs in secret, subdues

fierce wrath]. ”

Thus, charity removes anger and wrath.

And

in this interpretation

he disagrees with Rabbi Yitzḥak,

who expounded the verse differently—

As Rabbi Yitzḥak said:

Charity

“anger”

only

subdues,

as is explicit in the verse, “A gift in secret subdues anger,” but

“wrath” it does not subdue!

As it is stated: ‘

And a bribe in the bosom, fierce wrath.’

Rabbi Yitzḥak expounded that the meaning of the verse is:

Although there is a bribe in the bosom,

which is charity [called “a bribe in the bosom” in the verse], there is still

fierce wrath.

From here it follows that charity does not remove wrath. But Rabbi Elazar held that “a bribe in the bosom, fierce wrath” refers back to the beginning of the verse, teaching that just as a gift in secret subdues anger, so too “a bribe in the bosom” subdues wrath.

Some say,

Rabbi Yitzḥak expounded the verse differently:

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Any judge who accepts a bribe brings fierce wrath into the world

as it is stated: “And a bribe in the bosom.”

One who accepts a bribe causes “fierce wrath.”

And Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who gives a peruta to a poor person is blessed with six blessings, while one who appeases him with words is blessed with eleven blessings.

The Gemara explains:

One who gives a peruta to a poor person is blessed with six blessings, as it is written: ‘

Is it not to break

your bread for the hungry

and to bring the oppressed poor into your house; when you see a naked person

and cover him?’

And

with regard to one who performs all these acts of charity,

it is written

in the verse that he receives the blessings: (a)

“Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,” (b)

and (c)

“and your healing shall quickly spring forth,” (d)

and (e)

“your righteousness shall go before you,” (f)

and (g)

“the glory of the Lord shall gather you,” and it is written, (h)

and (i)

“Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer,” (j)

and (k)

“you shall cry out and He will say: Here I am!” —

Thus, there are six blessings.

And one who appeases

the poor person

with words is blessed with eleven blessings.

As it is stated, ‘

You give sustenance to the hungry soul,

if you speak with the hungry person words of consolation,

and satisfy the afflicted soul

with words , then you will be blessed with the following blessings: (1

and your light will shine in the darkness (2

(2)

and your darkness will be like midday, (3

c

and the Lord will guide you continually, (4

d

and satisfy your soul with splendors, (5) and strengthen your bones, (6) and you will be like a watered garden, (7) and like a spring whose waters do not fail, (8

and they will rebuild from you ancient ruins, (9

(10)

you will restore the foundations of generation after generation, (10) and you will be called “Breach-fencer,” (11) “Restorer of paths for dwelling.”’ -

This is eleven blessings.

And Rabbi Yitzhak said: What is written

in Proverbs, ‘

One who pursues charity and kindness will find life, charity, and honor’?

This verse requires explanation: Is it

because he pursues charity that he will find charity!?

That is, the verse implies that one who pursues charity will ultimately himself require charity, which is impossible.

Rather, this is to tell you: Whoever pursues charity, the Holy One, blessed be He, provides him with money, and he performs charity with it .

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:

the meaning of the verse is that one who pursues the mitzva of charity,

the Holy One, blessed be He, provides him with suitable people with whom he can perform charity, so that he may receive his reward for them.

The Gemara asks:

To exclude what?

To exclude the interpretation of Rabba:

For Rabba interpreted: What is written,

Jeremiah prayed concerning the people of Anathoth, who sought his life, ‘

Let them stumble before You; at the time of Your anger, deal with them’;

and the Gemara explains the verse:

Jeremiah said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe,

even

when

the people of Anathoth

suppress their inclination and seek to perform charity before You,

even then

cause them to stumble through people who are unworthy,

provide them with poor people who are unworthy,

so that they will not receive reward for them .

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Whoever is accustomed to performing charity merits

that

he will have sons who are masters of wisdom, masters of wealth, and masters of aggada.