Introduction to the Aggadot

original: "שמלאו דבורא ודבריך עשיתי" These phrases are likely citations or mnemonic devices regarding the interpretation of scriptural verses. We have seen that the term dibra speech/divine word is called such because it expounds upon the verse and "with your words I have acted." There is much more. Know that this is a matter of intuition in which no man should be perturbed. It was his life's effort to find this discovery. Furthermore, we find among the scholars of the Talmud, the pious and holy ones and men of action, for whom no statement of halakha Jewish law or aggada homiletic narrative was ever a source of confusion. They were masters of miracles, and their labor was to increase intercession for the people and to awaken them to God in times of distress, such as Choni HaMe'agel Honi the Circle-drawer, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, Chilkiya, and Chanan HaNechba.

Some were renowned for the wisdom of speech and labored to save the people of Israel, such as Rabbi Joshua ben Chananya—in my opinion, this is not the Joshua who was a peer of Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Akiva as the author of Seder HaDorot Order of the Generations thought; rather, this Joshua lived at a later time—as well as Gevihah ben Pesisa and Rabbi Reuben ben Istrobli. Some were quick in their labor to respond to the claims of the Tzedukim Sadducees. Many sages are mentioned in the Talmud who only came to the study hall once a year; they were called a "one-day student" (see Shabbat 89b, Chagigah 5b). Therefore, the essential approach is that if you find a statement in the Talmud, you must observe who the speaker is and research its source, the character of the man in other places where he spoke, and the causes of his words. By doing this, we can easily understand his statements elsewhere, even if they appear clear at first glance.

Furthermore, just as the halakhot laws regarding the performance of commandments were received by them as a tradition, so too were many aggadot homiletic narratives scattered in the beraitot external teachings and the Talmud. They were received by the Chazal Sages of blessed memory from earlier generations, especially regarding the history of the nation in general, and regarding the history of the lives of the great individuals distinguished among the people whose names stand to this day as a glory to us through their righteousness and fear of God, which preceded their wisdom. Thus, the foundations of the religion and the principles of faith were received from Sinai, just like the rest of the Oral Torah and the interpretations of the Torah. However, the history of the nation and the faith were transmitted from fathers to sons, as inherited from the earlier generations regarding what occurred in their days. Chananya ben Chizkiya ben Garon wrote Megillat Ta'anit Scroll of Fasting to record the troubles from which Israel was saved and the miracles performed for them. Rabbi Yossi composed the Seder Olam Order of the World, a beraita external teaching dealing only with the history of the world. Sometimes the Chazal referred to such aggadot that deal with historical accounts using the terms gemiri a received tradition and masoret tradition. As it is said (Avodah Zarah 9a): "It is a tradition gemiri that our father Abraham was fifty-two years old when it was said, 'And the souls which they had made in Charan.'" They also said: "It is a tradition gemiri that Benjamin, Amram, Jesse, and Caleb died due to the advice of the serpent" (Shabbat 55b). "It is a tradition gemiri that the purity of that generation was delayed to merit" (Zevachim 15b). "It is a tradition gemiri that for any sacrifice that is not... if they are not in their proper place, Israel is prohibited from marital relations" (Eruvin 63b). "It is a tradition gemiri that six miracles were performed on the day he cast them into the fiery furnace; the furnace floated, and the Egyptians were punished" (Sanhedrin 92b). "It is a tradition gemiri that the strength of women is greater than that of men" (ibid. 98b).

They likewise mentioned many received matters using the term masoret tradition: "A tradition masoret is in our hands from our ancestors: the place of the Ark is not included in the measurements" (Megillah 10b). "A tradition is in our hands from our ancestors: Amotz and Amaziah were brothers" (Megillah 10b). "A tradition is in our hands from our ancestors: the spies were named for their deeds" (Sotah 34b). And via the Jerusalem Talmud at the end of Chapter 7 of Bava Batra: "A tradition is in our hands: the place of the keruv cherub is not included in the measurements." Based on such numerous and faithful witnesses, the fact is established that even the matters of aggadah recounted from the events of the ancients were transmitted to them by our ancestors.

All the aggadot that recount the history of the generations are of this type, even if they do not explicitly use the words "tradition" or "received." Nevertheless, they did not invent these things from their hearts; rather, they were received by them as faithful accounts. Like the matter the Chazal mentioned (Pesachim 54a) that when Jacob was blessing his sons, he said: "Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever." And so did Hezekiah mention their request, and in some they did not agree with him (Pesachim 54a). Similarly, the account of the festival in the Sukkah regarding the two lepers who went to the end of the camp (Berakhot 24a), and the Sotah chapter regarding the events in the life of Jacob, and the incident of Choni ben Choni who went to Egypt, and the like. Especially the events that occurred to us in later days from Nebuchadnezzar and Zedekiah (Nedarim 15a), the incident of Eliezer ben Pukira who told the king of the protocols for maintaining a kingdom (Kiddushin 66a), and all the stories of Herod, between the first and the last of the Second Temple period—all were received by them and told from fathers to sons.

The author of Me'or Einayim has already brought clear proofs in Chapter 5 of his book Amrei Binah Words of Understanding that many things in the Talmud and midrashim homiletical expositions that recount the sources of the aggadah are found in the books of Judith and the Alexandrian Referring to works often attributed to Flavius Josephus, which predate the sealing of the Mishnah by about two hundred years and existed about thirty years before the destruction of the Second Temple. This is the strongest evidence that these things and stories were preserved through true transmission among us. I will add here further strong evidence from the words of Yosippon The History of the Jews for the Romans Referring to the work attributed to Josephus, who lived at the time of the destruction of the Temple and was a contemporary of Rabban Gamliel of Yavne. This was four generations before our holy Rabbi who arranged the Mishnah. In his Antiquities, he recounts many stories from earlier generations that are also found among us in the Talmud and Midrash. From this, we see that the matters were accepted by the Chazal, and from a part, we judge the whole: that regarding the deeds of the patriarchs, prophets, kings, and tanna'im sages of the Mishnah, the Chazal presented them before our eyes just as they were recounted to them by their ancestors. I will briefly mention only a few matters:

In Yosippon, Book 1, Chapter 14, he recounts that many of the children of Israel died in Egypt during the three days of darkness; this agrees with the words of Chazal in the Midrash. In Yosippon, Book 2, Chapter 1, he says that Potiphar's wife feigned illness, and it was their holiday, and they all went to their house of worship. Also there, Book 2, Chapter 2, he says that the bones of all the tribes were brought up from Egypt to be buried in the Land of Israel, and the bones of Reuben were rolling in the coffin; this agrees with the words of Chazal. Book 2, Chapter 9 of Yosippon states that Pharaoh's sorcerers said that a son would be born to Israel who would save them and cause Pharaoh immense harm. Because of this, Pharaoh decreed that every born son should be cast into the river, all as mentioned in the Talmud and Midrashim. He also says that it appeared to Amram in a prophecy that a son would be born to him who would save the people. He further recounts that they held Moses to be unique at all his births, and he did not want to suckle from any but his mother's breasts, as is recounted among us in the Talmud, first chapter of Sotah. He further recounts the entire story of the daughter of the King of Kush who was Moses' wife, and how he captured the king's path even though it was full of snakes and scorpions, having been done with guile by the stork, as explained at length in our Yalkut. Similarly, Joseph the Priest recounts in The Jewish War that during the entire duration of the building of the Temple by Herod, rain did not fall during the day, only at night, so that the construction would not be interrupted even for a moment, as is recounted among us in the Talmud (Ta'anit 23a). He also says that the High Priest did not want to replace or destroy the old Temple for Herod and gave the blessing so that the building of the new house might not be cancelled, as is also mentioned among us (Bava Batra 4a), and the sons of Kimchit, who all served in the High Priesthood, and two of them on one Day of Atonement, just as it is with us (Yoma 47a).

Much can be said on this in a special compilation on the history of the stories mentioned in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory, alongside stories found in the Midrash, Yosippon, Antiquities, and The Jewish War, and with other stories found today in the ancient books of the Arameans, Syrians, and Greeks. What the Chazal recounted from the story of the Midianites, who judged and killed Isaiah, and he said there "and I will tear through the cedar" (Yevamot 49b), I saw copied from an ancient Syriac book from an early time. And the account that the Chazal mentioned in Sanhedrin, chapter Chelek, that Manasseh repented and the Holy One, Blessed be He, accepted his prayer, is also mentioned in the Sefarim HaChitzonim Apocryphal books. Similarly, the story of Solomon who reigned over Asmodeus, as recounted among us in the Talmud, Gittin, chapter Mi SheAchazo, I also found recounted in the books of the nations which

predate the compilation of the Talmud. This is not the place to elaborate. However, from this small amount that we have presented here for the reader's benefit, he shall judge justly that all the stories of the antiquities of Israel and the homilies of the Sages were not, heaven forbid, invented from their hearts. Everything came to them from an ancient time, and they presented before our eyes what their ancestors told them: verified things that God performed for His people in days of old.

Furthermore, just as the thirteen rules of Rabbi Ishmael were accepted by them to expound the halakha, these rules also served to expound the aggadah. In every place, you will find that the Chazal did not refrain from expounding the verses and applying the gezerah shavah equivalent decree/analogous reasoning to matters of aggadah, as they said regarding certain homilies on the verse. However, in addition to this, in aggadah, they had ten more ways of exposition, like the thirty-two rules of Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yossi the Galilean, and they were accepted by them like the thirteen rules of Rabbi Ishmael. The Chazal said (Chullin 89a): "Everywhere you find the words of Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yossi the Galilean in aggadah, make your ear like a funnel." These paths were rooted and accepted in their eyes. Everywhere it was necessary for them to speak in praise of the good virtues with great exaggeration and immense glorification, it was so that they would be awakened to fulfill them with greater force and strength. By means of these methods of exposition, they found support in the Torah. For example, regarding the praise of the virtues of charity, they said: "He who enjoys charity is greater than Moses our Teacher" (Bava Batra 9b). They also said there: "Great is charity, for it brings the redemption closer" (ibid. 10b). Regarding hospitality, they said it is greater than receiving the presence of the Shekhinah Divine Presence (Shabbat 127a), and they expounded many virtues in honoring guests (Berakhot 63b). It was their way to praise with extreme praise and to educate, saying that when one brings [a guest] in, it is as if he had offered the daily burnt offering (Berakhot 6b). Whoever pours wine from the throat of the disciples of the sages, it is as if he offered a wine libation upon the altar (Yoma 71a). They said that all the prophets did not prophesy except for one who marries his daughter to a disciple of the sages, and one who enables a disciple of the sages to conduct business, and one who benefits a disciple of the sages from his property (Berakhot 34b). In praise of observing the Sabbath, they spoke to praise and glorify, saying: "Whoever observes the Sabbath according to its law, they give him an inheritance without limits, and even if he performed idol worship like Enosh, they forgive him" (Shabbat 118a). Likewise, they praised one who occupies himself with the section of sacrifices, which is considered as if he had offered sacrifices (Menachot 110a). Regarding the virtues of the disciple of the sages, they felt it necessary to say that anyone who teaches his peer's son Torah, it is credited to him as if he had received it from Mount Sinai (Kiddushin 30a). Anyone who recites the blessing over a full cup, they give him an inheritance without limits (Berakhot 51a). In praise of the separation of [marital] purity, they boasted that because of a flower Abraham had, the Israelites were enslaved in the land of Egypt for four steps (Sotah 46b). In all these and the like, the Sages stood the image and aimed their evidence from the Scripture based on the methods of exposition that are accepted—by way of analogy, comparison, "what we find," and gezerah shavah. Everything is by way of support for the Scripture, in order to inflame the hearts of the listeners so that they will take care to be cautious and to hold fast to these virtues, after seeing in what manner they were exalted and how great the power of these virtues is.

Conversely, just as our Sages reached the point of speaking against the bad traits and recounting their disgrace, they threatened and terrified with greater flames in order to shock the listeners so that they would abandon the crooked path. They would guard their souls with greater caution after seeing the magnitude of their transgression and sin, and they would keep counsel in their hearts to protect themselves from such iniquities. We find their words likewise in the methods of exposition accepted by them, just as they expounded: "Anyone who turns his eyes from charity is as if he serves idols" (Ketubot 68a). "Anyone who becomes angry is as if he serves idols in his house, as it is written: 'Turn in your anger'" (Shabbat 108a). "Anyone who is arrogant is as if he serves idols, and as if he denied the fundamental principle, and as if he committed all the sexual transgressions in the Torah" (Sotah 22a). They also expounded: "Any person who has brazenness of face will eventually fail in sexual transgression, and the rains are withheld because of him" (Ta'anit 7a). They exaggerated in speaking of the disgrace of slander until they said in the Jerusalem Talmud, Chapter 1 of Pe'ah, that it is considered as if he transgressed the three most severe sins: idol worship, sexual immorality, and bloodshed. This is also brought in the Rambam Maimonides, Chapter 5 of the Laws of Traits, and in the Jerusalem Talmud, beginning of Chapter 2 of Chagigah, they said: "One who stares at the rainbow of his neighbor has no share in the World to Come." They exaggerated to disgrace bad traits to the point that they said [various verses], and they found support for these things in various places. They even said: "Anyone who does not lend to his neighbor is a spiller of blood" (Sotah 46b). They said: "Anyone who does not benefit a disciple of the sages from his property will never see a sign of blessing; anyone who does not leave bread on his table will never see a sign of blessing; whoever leaves a whole loaf of bread on his table is as if he serves idols; and whoever changes his words is as if he serves idols" (Sanhedrin 92a). Such terrors and exaggerations are only to frighten the people. Regarding the matter, the Rambam in his Commentary on the Mishnah, Chapter 6 of Avot, on the Mishnah "These are the pious," wrote in this language: "Our Sages have already mentioned and warned greatly against the trait [of flattery] and distanced themselves from the repulsive paths toward this, and they extended their language to warn and frighten, see there." See also in the Responsa of the Rambam, Section 151, where he wrote in the middle of his discussion: "And what they said that the flatterer is as if he lives and transgresses [the law]... is included in 'they will not be willing,' and this is like serving idols, etc. If the Chazal exaggerated to increase the sin, as is their way to do in every place, and if they said in the most severe of opinions that whoever is a flatterer is as if he says [something forbidden]... and it is said 'he will not be cleansed,' and so it is said 'the elder... this is not [a sin for which one should] be killed rather than transgress,' as is the case for those three sins. Furthermore, if a person sinned and did not repent, this is not the [final] judgment, but it is the way of the Chazal to exaggerate in increasing the sins so that a man will guard himself from them... [they] equate it to serving idols, magnifying sins against the three sins in the Torah. Likewise, Rabbi Akiva expounded: 'Anyone who does not visit the sick is as if he spills blood' (Nedarim 40a). Likewise, they said: 'Whoever tears his clothes in his anger is as if he serves idols.' A man should say: 'In these sins, one should be killed rather than transgress,' end of the Rambam's words."

It is fitting here to show all the details that the Chazal extended with excessive exaggerations regarding the harmfulness of bad traits, and they did this with intellect and understanding so that the people would hear and fear and not continue to fail in them. Likewise, in what they increased to praise those who perform the commandments of loving-kindness, visiting the sick, and all kinds of glory and splendor, this is also a cover [to motivate] the people to this and to terrify them with proper instruction. This is a path and a track appropriate for them and for all teachers of the generations to instruct the people in the deeds that they should do, by observing the bad things that can occur due to negligence in these traits. All these matters they supported by way of the required measures to the holy writings so that it would remain engraved in the hearts of the listeners and the observers, just as the Rambam wrote in The Guide for the Perplexed, Part 3, Chapter 43, that the expositions of the Chazal and the assembly of the way of exposition which the Chazal were accustomed to in their language—"Do not read it thus, but thus"—are the way of poetic metaphor to warn about good traits and to guard against the repulsive ones. They supported it with holy writings because in the early generations, nothing was written down except the holy writings, and the rest was forbidden to be written because of the prohibition of the Oral Torah; it was forbidden to state them in writing. And when they heard a nice matter, they supported it with a verse so that they would remember at all times the words of ethics and reproof that they had heard in this, see there.

In this way, the Rashba also wrote, brought in the commentary on Ein Yaakov, Chapter 2, Chapter HaSefina, on what the Chazal expounded: "'Therefore those who rule say: Come to Heshbon'—those who rule over their inclination, come and let us calculate the calculation of the world," end of his words. The intent of the Chazal in such midrashim is to support them to the text in expressions so that their memory will not be forgotten, not that their intent was to interpret the verses thus and take them out of their literal meaning, see there. See also what Rabbi Stein wrote in his introduction in the margin of the Rif on the first chapter of Avodah Zarah, that it is the way of the Chazal to expound the Scripture in every matter that they could expound, and they supported it.