Shekalim 17a (יז.) — the Talmud in English

Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says:

Therefore it is called the Water Gate, because

through it the waters trickle [

flowing in a thin stream, as wide as the mouth of a jug] in the future,

and they will ultimately [

according to the prophecy of Ezekiel]

flow out

and spring forth

from beneath the threshold of the House

in the Holy of Holies. At first, their flow will be as thick as the antennae of locusts, and when they reach this gate they will increase and become as wide as the mouth of a jug.

Corresponding to these four gates in the south, one would bow four times toward the south.

Opposite them,

the four gates in the south, were four gates

in the north, close to the west:

a.

The Gate of Jeconiah. [

The reason it was called this will be explained later in the Mishna.]

b.

The Sacrifice Gate –

through which they brought in offerings of the most sacred order, whose slaughtering took place in the north of the Temple courtyard.

c.

The Women’s Gate –

through which the women entered to place their hands upon their offerings, according to the one who says that women are permitted to perform semikha on their offerings. And according to the one who says that they are forbidden to perform semikha, they nevertheless entered to stand beside their offerings.

d.

The Song Gate –

through which they brought the musical instruments for the Levites’ music.

And why was the name

of the first gate in the north, the one close to the west,

the Gate of Jeconiah?

Because

through it Jeconiah

the king of Judah

went out into exile,

after he entered the Temple to bow and plead for mercy concerning his departure into exile in Babylonia, and he went out through that gate.

The gates

in the east

were:

a.

The Gate of Nicanor –

named after Nicanor, who brought its doors from Alexandria by a miracle.

b.

And there were two small wickets [

small gates containing small doors]

that were

fixed

for it

in the large gate, one

on its right and one on its left,

so that they would be convenient to open for anyone who wished, whenever he wished [Meiri]. These too were counted among the thirteen gates.

And two

additional ones were

in the west,

which

had no name

known, because they were used only rarely, to exit through them to the open area behind the Temple [Meiri].

Thus all the gates together numbered thirteen, and corresponding to them were thirteen prostrations.

Gemara:

And we say:

The Mishna –

is the opinion of Abba Yose ben Yoḥanan,

who said

that there were thirteen gates in the Temple, and therefore it is possible to explain that the prostrations were

corresponding to thirteen gates.

However, according to the Rabbis [

But according to the Rabbis], it is impossible to explain our Mishna in this manner, since in their opinion only

seven gates were in the courtyard.

And if so,

according to the opinion of the Rabbis [

according to the Rabbis], we must determine:

where were

the thirteen

prostrations?

And we answer: The Rabbis will explain

that it is like that

as

we learned there,

as we learned there in tractate Middot:

There were thirteen breaches in it,

in the wall of the courtyard,

which the Greek kings breached, and which the Hasmoneans subsequently repaired.

And they instituted thirteen prostrations corresponding to them.

We learned in the Mishna: And why was its name the Water Gate? Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: Through it the waters trickle, and they will ultimately flow out from beneath the threshold of the House, as in the prophecy of Ezekiel.

And the Gemara explains the verses of this prophecy.

It is written

in Zechariah [14:8]:

“And it shall be on that day that living waters will go out from Jerusalem

half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea. In summer and in winter it shall be.”

It was taught: From the Holy of Holies

the waters will spring forth. But from there

until the curtain

of the Holy of Holies, the stream will be thin,

like the antennae of sili and khilai [

like the antennae of flies and mosquitoes], which are exceedingly thin.

And

from

the

curtain until the golden altar

the stream will widen somewhat and become

like the antennae of locusts.

And

from the golden altar until the courtyards

the stream will be

like a thread

of weaving

of the warp,

which is thicker than locust antennae.

And

from the courtyards until the threshold of the House

the stream will become

like a thread

of weaving

of the woof,

which is thicker than the warp. And

from this point onward

the stream will grow stronger and its width will become

like

the stream flowing

from the mouth of a jug.

As it is written

in the prophecy of Ezekiel [47:2–5]: “

And behold, waters trickled from the right shoulder, as the man went out eastward, with a measuring line in his hand.

He measured a thousand cubits, and made me cross through the waters, waters to the ankles.

He measured a thousand, and made me cross through the waters, waters to the knees.

He measured a thousand, and made me cross through waters to the loins.

He measured a thousand, a stream that I could not cross, for the waters had risen, waters for swimming, a stream that could not be crossed.”

And this is the explanation of the verses:

“And behold, waters trickled” –

they flowed with a width like the waters of a jug;

“from the right shoulder” –

that is, from the southern gate. And this is as we learned in our Mishna: The Water Gate, through which the waters trickle and flow out from beneath the threshold of the House, continuing and growing stronger from place to place, as follows.

“As the man went out eastward, with a measuring line in his hand” –

the angel took a measuring rod in his hand.

“And he measured a thousand cubits” –

he measured a thousand cubits from the threshold of the House.

“And he made me cross through the waters, waters to the ankles” –

in his vision, the angel made me cross through the water. And there the water was already the depth of water reaching the ankles. That is, the waters had reached

his ankles [

up to the ankles].

“And he measured a thousand, and made me cross through the waters, waters to the knees” –

the angel again measured an additional thousand cubits, and there the waters increased and reached

his knees [

up to the knees].

“And he measured a thousand, and made me cross through waters to the loins” –

he measured an additional thousand cubits, and when I crossed there in my vision, the waters had reached

his loins [

the waist].

“From this point onward, ‘and he measured a thousand’

additional cubits, and there the waters flowed and surged, like

“a stream that I could not cross.”

For

even a large ship [

a ship]

could not cross it.

What is the reason

that he says this? From where does he know that even ships could not cross there?

As it is stated in Isaiah [33:21] concerning this spring:

“And no mighty ship [

large ships]

shall pass through it.”

It is explicit, then, that ships cannot cross it.

And

for what reason

will the ships be unable to cross?

“For the waters had risen,” [

this is the continuation of the verse cited above]

“waters for swimming.”

What is “waters for swimming”?

And the Gemara explains that its meaning is as though the phrase were written as one word: “mishḥu.”

That is to say, even

swimming

is impossible in this rushing stream.

And the Gemara explains: What indicates that “shaḥu” is an expression of sailing? It is as

Rav Huna said in our locality [

in our place]:

people call

people

“to sail”

“shaḥuna.”

And similarly we find in Scripture, as it is stated in Isaiah:

“And the palms of his hands are within it, as one who spreads out the swimmer to swim.”

Thus one who moves through water is called a “swimmer.”

Rabbi Yose comes to explain in another manner the expression “waters for swimming,” said concerning this stream that emerges from the Temple.

What is “waters for swimming”?

Rabbi Yose ben Rabbi Bun said: “Waters for swimming” means

“waters”

that are spoken about [

waters]

throughout the world [

that people speak about throughout the world].

“Swimming” is an expression of conversation, and the verse intends to say that the waters of the stream rush so powerfully that they cause people to wonder about them and speak about them.

The Gemara brings another verse concerning this spring, mentioned in the prophecy of Ezekiel.

It is written

in Zechariah [13:1]:

“On that day there shall be a spring [

a fountain]

opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.”

And this is difficult: What is the meaning of what is written in this verse, “for sin and for impurity”? It implies that this spring is fit only for the immersion of a menstruant woman and for the water of purification, which was mixed with the ashes of the red heifer. But it is not fit for other immersions. Yet a spring is fit for all immersions; why, then, is this so?

Rabbi

Shmuel bar Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan:

This is the meaning of the verse: The waters flowing in the section

from the house of David

which was outside Jerusalem

until the inhabitants of Jerusalem –

are fit

for

the

immersion of

a menstruant woman,

to immerse and become purified from her menstrual impurity,

and

for the water of

purification.

But in the area of the river’s flow

from this point onward –

they are mixed waters,

because rainwater mixes with the spring water. Therefore,

they are fit

only

for

the immersion of

a menstruant woman,

since her immersion is valid either in a spring or in rainwater. But

they are invalid

for

the water of purification,

because the law of the water of purification is that it must come only from “living waters,” that is, spring water. Once rainwater has mixed with the spring, it is no longer fit for the water of purification.

Rabbi Elazar said:

The verse was not referring to this. Rather, the meaning of the verse is that the waters flowing

from the house of David until the inhabitants of Jerusalem are fit

for

for

the immersion of

a menstruant woman and for the water of purification.

But the waters flowing

from this point onward –

are kataphrisot waters [

they descend down a very steep slope], and the law of water descending in this manner is that

they are invalid

both

for

the immersion of

a menstruant woman, and

both

for

the water of

purification,

because they are not considered connected to the spring on account of this, as is explained in several places: kataphras is not considered a connection, and the water there does not purify.

The Gemara brings another verse concerning the spring mentioned above.

It is written

in Ezekiel [47:6], toward the continuation of his prophecy concerning the vision of this spring: “

And he said to me: These waters go out toward the eastern Galilee, descend upon the Arava, and come to the sea, to the sea of the outlets – and the waters shall be healed.”

And the Gemara explains this verse:

“And he said to me: These waters go out toward the eastern Galilee” –

this is the Sea of Samkho.

Seven seas surround the Land of Israel, and the waters of this spring mentioned above will flow into four of them. The eastern Galilee is the “Sea of Samkho,” located to the east of the Land of Israel, and the verse calls it “eastern” because of its location.

“And they descend upon the Arava” –

this is the Sea of Tiberias.

“And they come to the sea” –

this is the Dead Sea.

“To the sea of the outlets” –

this is the Great Sea.

And why was it called “the outlets”?

Corresponding to the two times that this sea emerged

to inundate the world,

once in the generation of Enosh, and once in the generation of the Dispersion.

Rabbi

Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: At first,

when the sea emerged in the generation of Enosh,

it emerged as far as

a country called

Calabria,

which is in the country of France;

and the second time –

in the generation of the Dispersion –

the sea emerged

as far

as the cliffs [

the rocks] of the country of

Barbaria.

Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina

says:

At first,

in the generation of Enosh,

it emerged as far as the cliffs of Barbaria, and the second time it emerged as far as Acre and Jaffa.

And he expounds this from the verse in Job, as it is written: “And the Lord answered Job …” And it says: “Thus far shall you come and no farther, and here shall the pride of your waves be set.”

And he explains the verse as follows:

“Thus far shall you come and no farther.”

“Thus” means “to here.” God said to the sea: You shall come this far, namely,

you shall come as far as Acre, and go no farther,

to spread further, because Acre is the boundary of the Land of Israel.

“And here shall the pride of your waves be set.”

God said to the sea:

As far as Jaffa I shall set the pride of your waves,

but no farther. And “here” is like “Jaffa.”

The Gemara now returns to explain the end of the verse cited above, where it states, after the verse specified that the waters of the spring flow into the Sea of Samkho, the Sea of Tiberias, the Dead Sea, and the Great Sea: “And the waters shall be healed,” meaning that when the waters of the spring enter them, the waters of these seas will be healed.

And we raise an objection:

It is understandable with regard to the Great Sea [

the Great Sea]

and the Salt Sea [

and the Dead Sea], whose waters are salty; therefore the spring water is needed to heal them

in order to sweeten them [

so that they become sweet rather than salty].

But

the Sea of Tiberias and the Sea of Samkho –

what need is there to heal them, since their waters are sweet?

And we answer: The reason the spring waters enter these seas as well is in order

to increase their fish,

for through these waters arriving from the spring, their waters will be blessed to produce many fish.

As it is written concerning it: [

in Ezekiel, concerning this spring]

“Their fish shall be of their kinds.”

The word “of their kinds” is superfluous, since it is obvious that they will be of their kinds. Rather, this verse teaches us that

their fish shall be of many varieties,

and their fish will be exceedingly abundant, unlike what is found in other seas.

It was taught: Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said: It once happened that I went to Sidon, and they brought before me more than three hundred species of fish in a single serving dish [

in a cooked dish]

one.

It is written at the end of the verse cited above:

“And the waters shall be healed”

through the waters of the spring.

And it is written there, in the continuation of the prophecy concerning the spring mentioned above:

“Its pools and its marshes shall not be healed; they shall be given over to salt.”

And this is difficult, since at first

it is written, “And the waters shall be healed,” and you say

in the continuation of the passage

“the waters shall not be healed”?

And we answer: The verse does not mean that these waters do not heal, for they certainly do heal, as it is written at the beginning.

Rather,

it refers to a place whose name is “They Shall Not Be Healed.”

The verse means that the waters will not reach this place, which is called “They Shall Not Be Healed,” because these places “shall be given over to salt.”

It is further

written

there, following this verse:

“And by the stream, upon its bank, on either side, shall grow every tree for food.

Its leaf shall not wither, nor shall its fruit fail; every month it shall yield its first fruits.

For its waters issue from the Temple, and its fruit shall be for food and its leaf for healing.”

It was taught; Rabbi Yehuda said: Since in this world grain produces [

grows]

in six months,

since grain is sown in Ḥeshvan and by Nisan they already bring the Omer offering from the new grain, whereas

a tree produces

its fruit once

in twelve months.

But in the future, grain will produce in one month, and a tree will produce in two months.

What is the reason

and the source for this?

As it is written

in this verse: “Every tree for food …

every month it shall yield its first fruits.”

The minimum of a plural expression is two. It follows that in the future the trees will yield their fruit once every two months; and since grain is accustomed to yield in half the time of a tree, as explained, we learn that in the future grain will yield once a month.

Rabbi Yose said [

he comes to dispute Rabbi Yehuda’s statement]:

Since in this world grain produces in six months, and a tree produces its fruit in twelve months,

but in the future grain will produce in fifteen days, and a tree will produce

fruit once

in one month.

For we find that grain produced in the days of Joel in fifteen days.

That year’s first rain fell at the beginning of Nisan, and the grain grew quickly;

and they brought from it

an offering of

the Omer,

which is brought on the sixteenth of Nisan. And since grain yields in half the time of a tree, we learn that a tree yields in one month.

What is his reason?

That is, where do we find this in the book of Joel?

As it is written: [Joel 2]

“And the children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the Lord your God, for He has given you the teacher for righteousness, and He has brought down for you the early rain and the late rain in the first month.”

Thus, the early rain fell that year in Nisan, and by the sixteenth of Nisan they had already brought the Omer.

And we raise an objection:

And what does [

how does he explain]

Rabbi Yose

explain the verse

“every month it shall yield its first fruits,”

which implies that the tree will produce its fruit once every two months [since the minimum of a plural expression is two], and not once a month?

And we answer: Rabbi Yose explains the verse as follows: “Every month it shall yield its first fruits” –

in every single month it will yield its first fruits.

The expression “its months” means ordinary months.

The Gemara now explains the end of this verse, which states: “And its fruit shall be for food

and its leaf for healing.”

Rabbi Yoḥanan said:

“Healing” is an expression referring to fruit. And the verse says:

“Its fruit” [

the fruits] of these trees

will appear above it –

they will be more visible than the leaves of the trees, because they will be exceedingly abundant.

And we raise an objection:

And

is

“fruit”

an expression of

food [

sustenance]? How, then, can it be explained that “its fruit” means the fruits?

Rather, certainly “its fruit” is an expression of healing. The verse means that these leaves heal whoever eats them.

And

Rav and Shmuel

disputed what healing these leaves provide:

One said: To open the upper mouth,

so that mute people who eat these leaves will speak.

And one said: To open the lower mouth.

The wombs of barren women who eat these leaves will be remembered.

And similarly,

Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi

one said

that these leaves help

to open the mouths of barren women, and one said: to open the mouths of mute people.

This accords with Rav and Shmuel.

We learned in the Mishna:

Opposite them, in the north,

close to the west, were the Gate of Jeconiah … And why was its name the Gate of Jeconiah? Through it Jeconiah went out into exile.

And the Gemara brings the account of what happened to Jeconiah [that is, King Jehoiachin] in the Temple before his departure into exile.

You find that when Nebuchadnezzar came up here,

to the Land of Israel, in order to take Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, who had been installed in place of his father Jehoiakim, and whose removal was advised by the Babylonian ministers,

he came and stationed himself in the outskirts of Antioch [

in the open area outside the city of Antioch].

And the Great Sanhedrin went out to meet him and said to him:

Has

the time

already

come for this House to be destroyed? [

They asked him this because they knew from the prophets that the House would ultimately be destroyed, and they wanted to know whether his present arrival in the Land of Israel was for that purpose.]

Nebuchadnezzar said to them:

I have not come to destroy the House. Rather,

the one whom I appointed king over you [

Jehoiachin] –

give him to me, and I will go.

The Sanhedrin came

and

said to Jehoiachin, king of Judah: Nebuchadnezzar wants you [

he desires you].

When he heard this from them,

Jehoiachin took

the keys to the Temple,

and

went up to the roof of the Sanctuary.

He said before Him: “Master of the Universe, formerly we were faithful to You, and Your keys were entrusted to us.”

“Now, since we are not faithful”—

“behold, Your keys are entrusted to You.”

And they disagree,

two amoraim,

about what happened at that moment when he cast the keys upward.

One said: He cast them

upward,

and they had not yet descended.

And one said: A hand-like form came

from above,

and took them from his hand.