Eruvin 65a (סה.) — 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; rise up, Jerusalem, who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury; you have drained the goblet, the cup of staggering. 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 all the streets,”

“Therefore, hear now this, afflicted and drunken, but not from wine.”

And since they are drunk, they are not held accountable for their sins.

The Gemara raises an objection: A drunkard’s purchase is a valid purchase, and his sale is a valid sale. If he commits a transgression punishable by death, he is executed,

if he commits a transgression punishable by

lashes, he is flogged.

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 actions?!

And we answer:

What is the meaning of the statement “I can exempt”

that Rav Sheshet

also

from the judgment

that they will undergo in the World to Come for the

prayer

that they did not recite with concentration.

Rabbi Ḥanina said: The baraita taught

that a drunkard is executed and flogged

only if he did not reach

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

Lot, he is exempt from all of them.

Rabbi Ḥanina said: Anyone who brings forth [

that is, removes; and later the Gemara explains the expression “brings forth” ]

the shield

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

at a time of haughtiness [

drunkenness ] -

They close and seal troubles against him

so that they will not befall him.

As it is stated: “Haughtiness is the channels of shields, closed and sealed trouble.”

What indication is there that this word “brings forth” [“

that brings forth,” and later we read:

brings forth ]

is an expression of “passing through”

?

As it is written: “My brothers have acted treacherously [

against me ]

like a stream [a treacherous stream; and the continuation of the verses there explains the matter ],

“They pass like channels of streams”

they pass like channels of streams” [

This repeats the idea: My brothers depart from the proper and good path like a channel [the source] of streams ].

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Anyone who does not bring forth

the shield,

it was stated!

The intention is the same; rather, he holds that “brings forth” is an expression of revelation, and anyone who does not reveal a prayer at a time of drunkenness—that is, who does not pray—has troubles closed against him.

What indication is there that this word “brings forth” is an expression of revelation?

As it is written

concerning the splitting of the Reed Sea:

“And the channels of waters were seen” [

the revealed parts of the sea ]

“and the foundations of the world were exposed” [

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

And we explain:

Whether according to one master,

who says that one must “remove” the shield,

or according to the other master,

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

what is the practical difference between them?

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

As for Rav Sheshet,

when he became drunk and went to sleep,

he entrusted his sleep to his attendant [

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

The one master,

who holds that one must not reveal it,

agrees with Rav Sheshet.

But the other master,

who holds that one must “remove” the shield,

does not agree with Rav Sheshet,

because it is considered “removing” only when he awakens from his sleep on his own.

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

Because it is stated [

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

“In distress, he should not instruct” [

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

When Rabbi Ḥanina was angry [

on a day when he was angry ],

he would not pray [

he prayed ],

saying: “In distress” -

he should not instruct.

On a day of strong southern wind, Mar Ukva [

a day on which the southern wind blows forcefully ]

would not go out to the court,

because he did not have clarity of mind.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:

in order to issue a

halakhic ruling -

one requires clarity [

a clear mind ]

like on a day of a north wind,

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

Abaye said:

Even

if my mother were to tell me [

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

Bring the kutah [

bring the kutah closer ], this would disturb my settled mind, and

I would not study [

and I would not review ] as I always do.

Rava said: If a louse were to bite me [

if a louse bites me—Rabbeinu Ḥananel ],

I would not study,

I would not be able to review as I always do.

Therefore:

The mother of Mar, son of Ravina, made him seven garments [

seven articles of clothing ]

for seven days,

so that lice would not bite him [Rabbeinu Ḥananel ].

Rav Yehuda 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 sharpened [

your teachings are sharp ]!

He said to them:

These teachings

are of the daytime [

they are the product of studying during the day, when it is preferable to study by sunlight, which is brighter and when a person’s mind is more settled, than to study by moonlight—Maharsha ].

The daughter

of Rav Ḥisda

said to Rav Ḥisda: Does my master not want 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

days

that are long

in sleep,

and short

in Torah study,

and we will sleep a great deal [

and then we will sleep a lot ]!

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak 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, in fulfillment of “You shall meditate upon it day and night”—Ritva.

Rav Aḥa bar Yaakov

would set aside for himself a certain amount to study during the day. At times he was occupied with earning his sustenance, and he would

borrow [

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

and repay

his debt of study at night!

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

because his mind is not settled on account of the exertion of the journey.

As it is stated

concerning Ezra’s ascent from the exile:

“And I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and we encamped there for three days, and I understood among the people” [

I examined their intentions to determine who among them were going, Metzudot ].

It follows that he had to wait three days in order to “understand”!

The father of Shmuel, when he came from a journey [

when he returned from a journey ],

would not pray for three days [

he would not pray for three days ].

Shmuel would not pray in a house that contained beer [

he would not pray in a house that contained beer ], because the smell of the beer intoxicated him.

Rav Pappa would not pray in a house that contained fish-brine,

because its smell was intoxicating.

Rabbi Ḥanina said: Anyone who is persuaded by his wine,

meaning that someone appeases him concerning a certain matter and he becomes agreeable 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 aroma”,

and we said above that the smell is intoxicating. And as a result: “The Lord said in His heart: I will not again curse the ground because of man.”

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Anyone who remains settled with his wine,

who drinks wine without having his mind confused by it,

possesses the understanding

of a Sanhedrin of

seventy elders.

For:

“Wine” is represented by seventy letters [

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

“secret” is represented by seventy letters as well.

And consequently: When

wine enters,

a secret leaves.

And this person, since his secret did not leave him, is equivalent to a Sanhedrin of seventy.

Rabbi Ḥanin said: Wine was not created in this world [

Beit Yosef ]

except to comfort mourners and to pay

them

the reward of 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 spirit.”

Rabbi Ḥanin said [

the version of Rabbeinu Ḥananel ]:

And this disagrees with Rabbi Ḥanin

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

That is, he has not reached the ultimate state of complete blessing, even if he is wealthy in other respects.

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

This implies that water is analogous to bread:

Just as bread may be purchased

in Jerusalem, if one wishes,

with second-tithe money

that he brings there,

so too water

refers to water

that may be purchased with second-tithe money.

But we have established that everything may be purchased with second-tithe money except water and salt?!

And

by force of necessity,

what is meant by the “water” mentioned in the verse?

“your waters.”

Wine!

And the verse calls

wine

water [“

your water”].