Eruvin 65a — the Talmud in English

I can exempt the entire world from judgment

in the World to Come,

from the day the Temple was destroyed until now,

as it is stated:

Awaken, awaken; arise, Jerusalem, which you drank from the hand of the Lord the cup of His wrath; the bowl, the cup of staggering—you drank, you drained it. There is none to guide her. These two things have befallen you; who will console you? Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street.

Therefore hear this now, poor one, and drunk, but not from wine.

And since they are drunk, they are not held liable for their transgression.

An objection is raised: A drunkard’s purchase is a purchase, and his sale is a sale. If he committed a transgression for which there is death, they put him to death,

if he committed a transgression for which there is

lashes, they administer lashes to him.

The general rule is that he is like a mentally competent person in all his matters, except that he is exempt from prayer

because he is unable to concentrate.

We see, then, that a drunkard is fit to be punished for his deeds?!

And we answer:

What is the meaning of “I can exempt,” which

Rav Sheshet

also

from the judgment

that they will impose upon them in the World to Come for the

prayer

that they did not recite with concentration.

Rabbi Hanina said: They taught

in the beraita that they put the drunkard to death and administer lashes to him,

only when he did not reach

the drunkenness of Lot. But if he reached the drunkenness of

Lot, he is exempt from all of them.

Rabbi Hanina said: Anyone who brings forth [‏

the one who removes; later the Gemara explains the expression “brings forth”]

the Shield

Abraham—that is, one who does not recite the prayer “Shield of Abraham”

at a time of arrogance [‏

drunkenness]—

They close and seal troubles on his behalf

so that they do not come upon him.

As it is stated: “Arrogance, channels of shields; closed, the seal of distress.”

From where is it apparent that this “channel” ["

“the one who brings forth,” and later we read]

“brings forth”

is an expression of “passing through”

?

As it is written: “My brothers have betrayed [‏

me]

like a stream [‏

a treacherous one. And it is explained there in the continuation of the verses],

“they pass like channels of streams” [‏

it repeats the matter: my brothers pass from a proper measure to evil, like a channel [the source] of streams].

Rabbi Yohanan said: Anyone who does not bring forth

the Shield,

it is sealed!

And the intention is one; rather, he holds that “brings forth” is an expression of revelation, and anyone who does not reveal prayer at a time of drunkenness—that is, who does not pray—troubles are sealed on his behalf.

From where is it apparent that this “brings forth” is an expression of revealing?

As it is written

concerning the splitting of the Reed Sea:

“The channels of waters were seen” [‏

the revelations of the sea]

“and the foundations of the world were revealed” [‏

for all the waters in the world split—Rashi on Psalms].

And we explain:

Whether according to this master,

who says that one must “pass through” the Shield,

and whether according to that master,

who says that one must “not reveal” the Shield—

what is the difference between them?

The practical difference between them is this matter of Rav Sheshet.

For Rav Sheshet,

when he became drunk and went to sleep,

entrusted his sleep to his attendant [‏

he entrusted his sleep to his servant, so that he would awaken him when the time for prayer arrived.

The master

who holds that we require that he not reveal [the Shield],

agrees with Rav Sheshet.

And the master

who holds that we require “passing through” the Shield,

does not agree with Rav Sheshet,

for it is not considered “passing through” except when he awakens from his sleep by himself.

Rav Hiyya bar Ashi said in the name of Rav: Anyone whose mind is not settled should not pray.

Because it is stated [‏

perhaps it is written in the book of Ben Sira—Rashi],

“In distress, he should not teach” [‏

and see Tosafot, who noted: He should have said, “He should not pray”].

Rabbi Hanina, on a day when he was angry [‏

on a day on which he was angry]

did not pray [‏

he prayed],

saying: “In distress—

he should not teach.”

Mar Ukva, on a day of southerly wind [‏

a day on which a southerly wind blows strongly]

would not go out to the court,

since he did not have clarity of mind.

Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak said:

in order to decide

halakha—

clarity is required [‏

a clear mind]

like on a day of the north wind,

when a northerly wind blows, for it is a bright day and comfortable for everyone, as we say in Yevamot, page 72a.

Abaye said:

even

if my mother told me [‏

my mother] to do only a light task, such as:

“Bring the kutah near” [‏

bring the kutah near], this would disrupt my settled mind, and

I would not study [‏

and I would not study] as I always study.

Rava said: If a louse were biting me [‏

if a louse were biting me—Rabbi Hananel],

I would not study,

I would not be capable of studying as I always study.

And therefore:

Mar, the son of Ravina, his mother made him seven garments [‏

seven garments]

for seven days,

so that the lice would not bite him [Rabbi Hananel].

Rav Judah said: The night was created only for sleep [‏

the night was created only for sleep].

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The moon was created [‏

the moon]

only for study [‏

for Torah study]!

They said to Rabbi Zeira: Your teachings are sharp [‏

your teachings are sharp]!

He said to them:

these teachings

are of the daytime [‏

they are the sort of learning that belongs to the days], for it is preferable to study by sunlight, which is brighter and allows a person’s mind to be more settled, than to study by moonlight—Maharsha.

The daughter

of Rav Hisda

said to Rav Hisda: Does my master not wish to sleep a little [‏

do you not wish to sleep a little]?

He said to her: Now [‏

immediately] when we are in the grave,

there will come

they will come

long days

in sleep,

and short ones

in Torah study,

and we will sleep a great deal [‏

and then we will sleep a great deal]!

Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak said: We are daytime laborers,

meaning: Our study is only during the day, and it is sufficient for a person to set aside some time for Torah at night, to fulfill: “You shall contemplate it day and night”—Ritva.

Rav Aha bar Yaakov

would set for himself how much he would study during the day. At times he was occupied with his livelihood, and he would

borrow [‏

borrow] time from the day to attend to his livelihood,

and repay

his study debt at night!

Rabbi Elazar said: One who comes from a journey should not pray for three days,

since his mind is not settled because of the exertion of the journey.

As it is stated

concerning Ezra’s ascent from the exile:

“I gathered them to the river that flows to Ahava, and we encamped there for three days, and I examined the people” [‏

I looked into the intention of their hearts, to know who those going were—Metzudot].

Thus he had to wait three days in order to “understand”!

Shmuel’s father, when he came from a journey [‏

when he came from a journey],

would not pray for three days [‏

he would not pray for three days].

Shmuel would not pray in a house in which there was beer [‏

he would not pray in a house in which there was beer], because the smell of the beer intoxicated him.

Rav Pappa would not pray in a house in which there was harse na

because its smell intoxicated him.

Rabbi Hanina said: Anyone who is appeased by his wine,

whom they appease concerning some matter and who consents when his heart is gladdened by wine,

possesses something of the mind of his Creator.

As it is stated

concerning Noah, who offered a sacrifice after the Flood:

“And the Lord smelled the pleasing fragrance,”

and we said above that the fragrance intoxicates. And consequently: “And the Lord said in His heart: I will not again curse the ground because of man.”

Rabbi Hiyya said: Anyone whose mind remains settled with his wine,

who drinks wine and whose mind is not confused by it,

possesses the understanding

of a Sanhedrin of

seventy elders.

For:

“Wine” is given in seventy letters [‏

the numerical value of “wine” is seventy], and

“secret” is given in seventy letters.

And consequently: when

wine enters—

a secret emerges.

And this one, since his secret did not emerge, is equivalent to a Sanhedrin of seventy.

Rabbi Hanin said: Wine was created in this world [‏

Bach]

only to comfort mourners and to pay

with it

a reward to the wicked,

who drink, rejoice, and receive their world during their lifetime.

As it is stated: “Give strong drink to the perishing [‏

to the wicked], and wine to the bitter of soul.”

Rabbi Hanin said [‏

the version of Rabbi Hananel]:

And it disagrees with Rabbi Hanin

bar Pappa: Anyone in whose house wine is not spilled like water is not included in blessing.

That is: he has not reached the end of complete blessing, even if he is wealthy in other things.

As it is stated: “And He will bless your bread and your waters.”

And it implies that the waters are analogous to the bread:

Just as bread, which is purchased

in Jerusalem, if he wishes,

with second-tithe money

which he brings there,

so too water

refers to that

which is purchased with second-tithe money.

But we hold as established law that everything may be purchased with second-tithe money except for water and salt!?

And,

necessarily,

what is “‘water’”

mentioned in the verse?—

Wine!

And the verse calls

wine

“water” [‏

“your waters”].