Sotah 40a (מ.) — the Talmud in English

In the Priestly Blessing, which

is recited during the Ne’ila prayer of Yom Kippur

[the Ne’ila prayer on Yom Kippur],

what do they say?

?

Mar Zutra said, and some say that it was taught in a beraita

[some say that this is what was taught in a beraita]: a. “

Thus shall the man who fears the Lord be blessed.”

b. “

May the Lord bless you

from Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.”

c. “

And may you see children born to your children; peace upon Israel.”

And the Gemara explains:

Where

in which part of the Priestly Blessing

does he say them

does the Israelite recite these verses?

Rav Yosef said: Between each blessing and blessing

of the priests, the Israelite recites these verses.

And Rav Sheshet said: Upon the mention of the Name

the Israelite recites these verses.

Rav Mari and Rav Zevid disagreed about this:

One

of them

said: One verse corresponding to one verse

[one verse corresponding to another verse]: For each verse recited by the priest, the Israelite recites one verse—either upon the mention of the Name or at the end of the verse, according to each one’s position.

And the other

of them

said: For each verse he recites, he says all of them

[for each verse recited by the priest, the Israelite recites all three verses], either upon the mention of the Name or at the end of the verse.

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said: Anyone who recites them

these verses

in the provinces is nothing but mistaken,

for these verses are recited only in honor of the explicit Name that is pronounced in the Temple.

Rabbi Hanina bar Pappa said:

Rabbi Hanina bar Pappa said:

Know

that

there is no reason to recite them in the provinces,

for even in the Temple there would likewise be no need to recite them

[even in the Temple it would not have been appropriate to recite them], since:

Is there any servant who is being blessed and does not listen!?

Rabbi Aha bar Hanina said:

Know that,

on the contrary, even

in the provinces there would likewise be reason to recite them

[they ought to be recited], since:

Is there any servant who is being blessed and does not show a welcoming countenance

and demonstrate that he acknowledges the blessings and is pleased with them!?

Rabbi Abbahu said:

At first I would recite them

[at first I would recite these verses], even though this was in the provinces. But

once I saw Rabbi Abba of Akko, who did not recite them

[but once I saw that he did not recite them],

I too did not recite them

[I too ceased reciting them].

Since Rabbi Abbahu said, “At first I would recite them,” and changed his practice because of Rabbi Abba of Akko, the Gemara cites another statement of Rabbi Abbahu, which also begins, “At first I would think,” and in which he changed his view בעקבות an action of Rabbi Abba.

And Rabbi Abbahu said:

At first I would think: I am a humble person

[at first I considered myself humble]. But

once I saw Rabbi Abba of Akko, that when he said one interpretation, and his interpreter said another interpretation

[for his interpreter would address the public in a manner different from what Rabbi Abba had told him],

and

nevertheless

he was not particular

Rabbi Abba,

I said

[I said to myself]: If so,

I am not a humble person

[I am not humble in comparison with Rabbi Abba].

The Gemara explains:

And what was Rabbi Abbahu’s humility

[what was Rabbi Abbahu’s humility]?

For the wife of Rabbi Abbahu’s interpreter said

[the wife of Rabbi Abbahu’s interpreter, who would bend down and hear Rabbi Abbahu and then deliver the lecture to the public]

to Rabbi Abbahu’s wife

[to Rabbi Abbahu’s wife]:

My husband does not need yours at all

[my husband has no need for your husband], for he is as wise as your husband;

and this one’s bending down and rising before him is merely an honor that he is giving him

[his bending down to hear your husband and rising from before him is only out of respect that he accords your husband].

His wife went and told Rabbi Abbahu

[his wife went and related to Rabbi Abbahu that she had been told this].

He said to her

Rabbi Abbahu said to his wife:

And what difference does it make to you

[why should it matter to you if this is indeed the case]? Ultimately,

from me

and

from him together the One on High is praised

[His name is glorified through both me and him], so why should it matter to you whether I am teaching him or whether he knows it on his own?

Furthermore,

there was another incident that demonstrated Rabbi Abbahu’s humility:

d.

The Sages decided to appoint Rabbi Abbahu as their leader,

[the Sages agreed to place Rabbi Abbahu at their head]. But

when he saw Rabbi Abba of Akko, who was being pressed by his creditors

[when he saw that Rabbi Abba was being pressured by his creditors]—

he said to them

Rabbi Abbahu said to the Sages:

There is a great man here

[there is someone here greater than I am], and it is fitting that you appoint him over yourselves. For this was the practice: The Sages would provide their funds and tithe the leader they appointed, so that he would be honored and his words would be heeded.

The Gemara further cites an incident demonstrating Rabbi Abbahu’s humility:

d.

Rabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba happened to come to a certain place

[the two happened to come to a certain place], and they were invited to deliver lectures to the public.

Rabbi Abbahu lectured on aggada,

whereas

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba lectured on halakhic matters

[Rabbi Abbahu lectured on matters of aggada, while Rabbi Abba lectured on matters of halakha].

Everyone left Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba and went to Rabbi Abbahu

[the audience left Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba and went to hear Rabbi Abbahu’s lecture on aggada].

His spirits were dampened

[the spirits of Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba were dampened].

He said to him

Rabbi Abbahu said to Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba, in order to appease him:

I will tell you a parable!

To what may this be compared? To two people,

one of whom

sold precious stones

that were expensive,

and

the other

sold various kinds of trinkets

that were inexpensive. And

at whom do people rush

?

Is it not at the one who sells trinkets

that seller of inexpensive objects!?

So too, people do not come to me because of the importance of my words; on the contrary, it is because they are inexpensive.

Rabbi Abbahu added a deed to appease Rabbi Hiyya’s mind:

Every day—

until that day—

he would accompany

him,

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba would accompany Rabbi Abbahu to his lodging

[Rabbi Hiyya would accompany Rabbi Abbahu to his lodgings]

because of the honor due to the imperial household

[because of the honor due to the king], for Rabbi Abbahu was held in high regard by the royal household—

whereas on

that day

[on the day when the incident occurred],

Rabbi Abbahu accompanied Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba to his lodging

[Rabbi Abbahu accompanied Rabbi Hiyya to his lodgings],

and even so, his mind was not put at ease by him

[Rabbi Hiyya’s mind was not put at ease].

Here the Gemara returns to the matter with which it began, moving from one related matter to another:

When the prayer leader says “

We acknowledge,”

what do the people say?

Rav said,

this is what they say: “

We acknowledge You, Lord

our God, for our acknowledging You,”

meaning: For having placed it in our hearts to cleave to You and acknowledge You.

And Shmuel said,

this is what they say: “[We acknowledge You, Lord our God,]

God of all flesh, our Creator, Creator of Creation, for our acknowledging You.”

The scholars of Nehardea said in the name of Rabbi Simai,

that this is what the congregation says: “[We acknowledge You, Lord our God, God of all flesh, our Creator, Creator of Creation,]

blessings and thanksgivings to Your great Name, for having given us life and sustained us, for our acknowledging You.”

Rav Aha bar Yaakov concludes it—

after Rabbi Simai’s words—

as follows:

[for having given us life and sustained us],

so may You continue to give us life and sustain us, and gather our exiles to the courtyards of Your Sanctuary, to observe Your statutes and fulfill Your will wholeheartedly, for our acknowledging You.

Rav Pappa said: Therefore, let us recite all of them

[one should recite everything that these amoraim said].

Rabbi Yitzhak said:

The fear of the congregation should always be upon you, for

the

priests

turn

their faces

toward the people,

while

their

backs are toward the Divine Presence

[the Ark].

Rav Nahman said: From here

you can learn that the fear of the congregation should always be upon you:

As it is written: “

King David rose to his feet and said: Hear me, my brothers and my people”—

This requires explanation:

If they are

my brothers,

they are,

why

did he call them

my people,

which implies that he rules over them?

And if he called them

my

people,

why

did he call them

my brothers!?

And

Rabbi Elazar said:

Thus

David said to Israel:

If you heed me

and remain wholehearted before the Omnipresent, then “

you are my brothers”;

but if not,

if you do not heed me, then “

you are my people, and I rule you with a rod.”

We have thus learned that even a king must have the fear of the congregation upon him when they are worthy, and he calls them “my brothers” and not “my people.”

The Sages say: From here

The Sages said: From here

the Sages taught: The priests are not permitted to ascend to the platform wearing their sandals, and this was one of the nine enactments instituted by Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai.

But

what is the reason

that they do not ascend wearing their sandals? Is it

not because of “

the honor of the congregation,”

so that people should not see their sandals covered with mud while they raise their hands, with the hems of their garments no longer covering their sandals!?

Rav Ashi said: No,

that is not the reason. Rather:

There

the reason is

lest the strap of his sandal break

[lest the strap of his sandal break], and he become embarrassed;

and

while his fellow priests are blessing the people,

he then

goes and

sits down to tie it

[he sits down to tie the strap],

and

because he is not blessing the people,

they say

the congregation: Surely

he is the son of a divorced woman or the son of a halutza,

and is not a priest fit to ascend to the platform.

We learned in the Mishna: In the provinces, one recites it as three blessings,

but in the Temple, as one blessing: