Peah 6

Chapter 6

א אִמּוֹ שֶׁל רִבִּי טַרְפוֹן יָרְדָה לְטַיֵיל לְתוֹךְ חֲצֵירָהּ בְּשַׁבָּת. וְהָלַךְ רִבִּי טַרְפוֹן וְהִנִּיחַ שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו תַּחַת פַּרְסוֹתֶיהָ וְהָיְתָה מְהַלֶּכֶת עֲלֵיהֶן עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעָה לְמִיטָּתָהּ. פַּעַם אַחַת חָלָה וְנִכְנְסוּ חֲכָמִים לְבַקְּרוֹ אָמְרָה לָהֶן הִתְפַּלְלוּ עַל טַרְפוֹן בְּנִי שֶׁהוּא נוֹהֵג בִּי כָּבוֹד יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי. אָמְרוּ לָהּ מַהוּ עֲבַד לֵיךְ וְתַנְיַית לְהוֹן עוּבְדָּא אָמְרוּ לָהּ אֲפִילוּ עוֹשֶׂה כֵן אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים אַדַּיִין לַחֲצִי כָבוֹד שֶׁאָמְרָה תוֹרָה לֹא הִגִּיעַ.
1 Rebbi Tarphon’s mother went to promenade in her backyard on the Sabbath. Rebbi Tarphon went and put his two hands under her feet and she walked on them until she got to her couch. Once he fell ill and the sages came to visit him. She told them: Pray for my son Tarphon because he honors me too much. They asked her, what did he do for you? She told them what had happened. They said to her, even if he did this a million times, he did not yet reach even half of the honor that the Torah requires.
ב אִמּוֹ שֶׁל רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בָּאָה וְקָבְלָה עָלָיו לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמַר לָהֶן גְּעוּרוּ בְיִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג בִּי בְּכָבוֹד. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִתְכַּרְכְּמוּ פְנֵיהֶן שֶׁל רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ אֵיפְשָׁר לֵית רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל נוֹהֵג בִּכְבוֹד אֲבֹתָיו. אָמְרוּ לָהּ מַה עֲבַד לֵיךְ. אָמְרָה כְדּוּ נְפַק מִבֵּית וַועֲדָה אֲנָא בְּעָיָא מִשְׁזְגָה רִיגְלוֹי וּמִישְׁתֵּי מֵהֶן וְלָא שְׁבִיק לִי. אָמְרוּ לוֹ הוֹאִיל וְהוּא רְצוֹנָהּ הוּא כְבוֹדָהּ.
2 Rebbi Ismael’s mother came and complained to our teachers about him. She said to them: Scold my son Ismael because he does not honor me! At that, the faces of our teachers became saffron colored. They said, is it possible that Rebbi Ismael does not honor his parents? They said to her, what did he do to you? She said, when he comes from the house of assembly, I want to wash his feet and drink from it, and he refuses. They said to him, since it is her wish it is her honor.
ג אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא יְאוּת אִילֵּין טְחוֹנָיָא אָמְרִין כָּל בַּר נַשׁ וּבַר נַשׁ זְכוּתֵיהּ גַּו קוּפָּתֵהּ. אִימֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי טַרְפוֹן אֲמַר לוֹן אָכִין וַאֲגִיבוּנָהּ אָכִין<i data-commentator="Notes by Heinrich Guggenheimer" data-label="110"></i>. אִימֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֲמַר לוֹן אָכִן וַאֲגִיבוּנָהּ אָכִן. רִבִּי זְעִירָא הֲוָה מִצְטָעֵר וַאֲמַר הַלְּוַאי הָיָה לִי אַבָּא וְאִימָּא דְּאִיקְרִינְהוֹן דְּנִירַת גַּן עֵדֶן. כַּד שְׁמַע אִילֵּין תַּרְתֵּין אוּלְפָּנָיא אֲמַר בְּרִיךְ רַחְמָנָא דְּלֵית לִי לָא אַבָּא וְאִימָּא. לָא כְּרִבִּי טַרְפוֹן הֲוָה יְכִילְנָא עֲבִיד וְלָא כְּרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל הֲוִינָא מְקַבְּלָה עָלָי. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבוּן פָּטוּר אֲנִי מִכִּיבּוּד אָב וְאֵם. אָמְרוּ כַּד עִבְּרָת לֵיהּ אִימֵּיהּ מִית אָבוֹי כַּד יְלָדְתֵיהּ מֵיתָת.
3 Rebbi Mana said: The millers are correct when they say that each and every person has in his chest that which is appropriate for him. Rebbi Tarphon’s mother said so and they answered her appropriately, Rebbi Ismael’s mother said so and they answered her appropriately. Rebbi Zeïra was sorry and said, if only I had father or mother that I could honor them and inherit paradise. When he heard these two instructions, he said: Praise to the All-Merciful that I have neither father nor mother. I could not have done as Rebbi Tarphon did and I could not accept what Rebbi Ismael accepted. Rebbi Abun said, I am free from honoring father and mother. They said, his father died when his mother was pregnant and she died in giving birth.
ד יֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא מַאֲכִיל אֶת אָבִיו פְּטוּמוֹת וְיוֹרֵשׁ גְּיהִנָּם וְיֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא כוֹדְנוֹ בָּרֵיחַיִם וְיוֹרֵשׁ גַּן עֵדֶן. כֵּיצַד מֵאֲכִיל אֶת אָבִיו פְּטוּמוֹת וְיוֹרֵשׁ גְּהִנָּם. חַד בַּר נַשׁ הֲוָה מַייכִיל לְאָבוֹי תַּרְנוֹגַלִּין פְּטִימִין. חַד זְמָן אֲמַר לֵיהּ אָבוֹי בְּרִי אִילֵּין מְנָן לָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ סַבָּא סַבָּא אֲכוֹל וַאֲדִישׁ דִּכְלָבָיָא אָכְלִין וּמְדִשִׁין. נִמְצָא מַאֲכִיל אֶת אָבִיו פְּטוּמוֹת וְיוֹרֵשׁ גְּיהִנָּם. כֵּיצַד כּוֹדְנוֹ לְרֵיחַיִם וְיוֹרֵשׁ גַּן עֵדֶן. חַד בַּר נַשׁ הֲוָה אִיטְחִין בְּרֵיחָיָא אֲתַת מִצְוָה<i data-commentator="Notes by Heinrich Guggenheimer" data-label="113"></i> לַטֲחוֹנִיָיא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּא עוּל טְחוֹן תַּחְתָּיי. אִין מָטַת מְבַזְּיָיא טַב לִי אֲנָא וְלָא אַתְּ. אִין מָטַות מִילְקִי טַב לִי אֲנָא וְלָא אַתְּ. נִמְצָא כּוֹדְנוֹ בָּרֵיחַיִם וְיוֹרֵשׁ גַּן עֵדֶן.
4 Some person might serve his father fattened meat and inherit hell. Some person might bind his father to the grindstone and inherit paradise. How does one serve his father fattened meat and inherit hell? A person used to serve his father fattened chickens. One day, his father said to him: My son, from where do you get the money for these? He said to him: Old man, old man, eat and shut up just as dogs eat and are silent. It turns out that he serves his father fattened meat and inherits hell. How does one bind his father to the grindstone and inherits paradise? A person was a miller at a grindstone; there came a requisition for millers. He said: Father, go and grind in my stead. If it should come to pass that someone is degraded, it is better that it should happen to me rather than to you. If it should come to pass that someone is beaten, it is better that it should happen to me rather than to you. It turns out that he binds his father to the grindstone and inherits paradise.
ה נֶאֱמַר אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוֹ וְנֶאֱמַר אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִירָא וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבוֹד. הֵקִישׁ מוֹרָא אָב וְאֵם לְמוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם. נֶאֱמַר כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ וְנֶאֱמַר כַּבֵּד אֶת ה׳ מֵהוֹנֶךָ. הֵקִישׁ כִּיבּוּד אָב וְאֵם לְכִיבּוּד הַמָּקוֹם. נֶאֱמַר וּמְקַלֵּל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ מוֹת יוּמָת. וְנֶאֱמַר אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יְקַלֵּל אֱלֹהָיו וְנָשָׂא חֵטְאוֹ. הֵקִישׁ קִלְלַת אָב וְאֵם לְקִילְלַת הַמָּקוֹם. אֲבָל אֵי אֶיפְשָׁר לוֹמַר מַכֶּה כְּלַפֵּי לְמַעֲלָן. וְכֵן בְּדִין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשְּׁלָשְׁתָּן שׁוּתָפִין בּוֹ.
5 It is said (<i>Lev.</i> 19:3): “Everybody must fear his mother and his father,” and it is said (<i>Deut</i>. 6:13): “You must fear the Eternal, your God, and serve Him.” This brackets the fear of father and mother with the fear of Heaven. It is said (<i>Ex</i>. 20:12): “Honor your father and your mother,” and it is said (<i>Prov.</i> 3:9): “Honor the Eternal with your property.” This brackets the honor of father and mother with the honor of the Omnipresent. Is is said (<i>Ex.</i> 21:17): “He who curses his father or his mother shall be put to death,” and it is said (<i>Lev.</i> 24:19): “Everybody who curses his God must bear his sin.” This brackets cursing father and mother with cursing the Omnipresent. It is impossible to speak about hitting relative to the Deity. All this is logical since all three of them are partners in his creation.
ו אֵי זֶהוּ מוֹרָא. לֹא יוֹשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא מְדַבֵּר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא סוֹתֵר אֶת דְּבָרָיו. אֵי זֶה הוּא כִיבּוּד. מַאֲכִיל וּמַשְׁקֶה מַלְבִּישׁ וּמַנְעִיל מַכְנִיס וּמוֹצִיא. מִן דְּמַאן הוּנָא בַּר חִיָיא אָמַר מִשֶּׁל זָקֵן. וְאִית דְּבָעֵי מֵימַר מִשֶּׁלּוֹ. לֹא כֵן אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן חֲנִינָה מְנַיִין אֲפִילוּ אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו הַשְׁלֵךְ אֶת הָאַרְנַק לַיָּם שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע לוֹ בְּהַהוּא דְּאִית לֵיהּ חוֹרִין וּבְעוֹשֶׂה הֲנָחַת רוּחַ שֶׁל אָבִיו.
6 What is fear? He may not sit in his place and may not speak in his stead nor contradict his words. What is honor? He feeds and gives him to drink, clothes him and puts on his shoes, leads him out and in. From whose money? Huna bar Ḥiyya said, from the old man’s. Some want to say, from his own. Did not Rebbi Abbahu say in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Ḥanina: From where do we know that even if his father tells him to throw the wallet into the sea that he should obey him? That is, if he has another one and if it helps to quiet his father’s spirit.
ז אֶחָד הָאִישׁ וְאֶחָד הָאִשָּׁה. אֶלָּא שֶׁהָאִישׁ סִפֵּיקָה בְיָדוֹ וְהָאִשָּׁה אֵין סִפֵּיקָה בְיָדָהּ. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ רְשוּת לַאֲחֵרִים עָלֶיהָ. נִתְאַרְמְלָה אוֹ נִתְגָּרְשָׁה כְּמִי שֶׁהִיא סִפֵּיקָה בְיָדָהּ הִיא.
7 Both men and women. Only the man has the power in his hand, but the woman does not have the power in her own hand because others have disposition over her. If she is widowed or divorced, the power is in her own hand.
ח מִילְתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי חִיָיא בַּר וָוא [פְלִיגֵי דְּאָמַר רִבִּי חִיָיא בַּר בָּא תַּנִּי רִבִּי יוּדָן בַּר בְּרַתֵּיהּ] דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָי דְּתַנִּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָי אוֹמֵר גָּדוֹל הוּא כִּיבּוּד אָב וָאֵם שֶׁהֶעֱדִיפוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹתֵר מִכִּיבּוּדוֹ. נֶאֱמַר כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ וְנֶאֱמַר כַּבֵּד אֶת ה׳ מֵהוֹנֶךָ. מִמָּה אַתְּ מְכַבְּדוֹ מִשֶּׁיְחָנְנָךְ מַפְרִישׁ לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵיאָה מַפְרִישׁ תְּרוּמָה וּמַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן וּמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁינִי וּמַעֲשֵׂר עָנִי וְחַלָּה וְעוֹשֶׂה סוֹכָּה וְלוּלָב וְשׁוֹפָר וּתְפִילִין וְצִיצִּית וּמַאֲכִיל אֶת הָעֲנִיִּים וְאֶת הָרְעֵיבִים וּמַשְׁקֶה אֶת הַצְּמֵיאִים. אִם יֵשּׁ לָךְ אַתְּ חַיָיב בְּכָל אֵילוּ. וְאִם אֵין לָךְ אֵין אַתְּ חַיָיב בְּאַחַת מֵהֶן. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהוּא בָּא אֵצֶל כִּיבּוּד אָב וְאֵם בֵּין שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָךְ הוֹן בֵּין שֶׁאֵין לָךְ הוֹן כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ וַאֲפִילוּ אַתְּ מְסַבֵּב עַל הַפְּתָחִים.
8 The words of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba disagree, for Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rebbi Yudan, son of Rebbi Simeon bar Ioḥai’s daughter, stated that Rebbi Simeon bar Ioḥai stated: Honoring father and mother is great because the Holy One, praise to Him, preferred it over His own honor. It is said (<i>Ex.</i> 20:12): “Honor your father and your mother,” and it is said (<i>Prov.</i> 3:9): “Honor the Eternal with your property.” When do you start to honor Him? When He was gracious to you! One gives gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and <i>peah</i>, one gives <i>terumah</i>, the First and Second Tithes and the tithe for the poor, <i>ḥallah</i>, one makes a <i>sukkah</i>,<i>lulav</i>, and <i>shofar</i>,<i>tefillin</i> and <i>ẓiẓit</i>, one feeds the poor and hungry and gives to drink to the thirsty. If you have the wherewhithal, you are obliged for all of these; if you have nothing, you are not obliged even for one of them. But when it comes to honoring father and mother, whether you own property or you do not own property, you must honor father and mother, even if you are a beggar at people’s doors.
ט רִבִּי אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כֲּהָנָא כְּתִיב אוֹרַח חַיִּים פֶּן תְּפַלֵּס נָעוּ מַעְגְּלוֹתֶיהָ וְלֹא תֵדָע. טִילְטֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל עוֹשֵׂי מִצְוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָן בֶּאֱמוּנָה. רִבִּי אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יִצְחָק כְּתִיב מִכָּל מִשְׁמָר נְצוֹר לִבֶּךָ כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תוֹצְאוֹת חַיִּים. מִכָּל מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ לָךְ בַּתּוֹרָה הִשָּׁמֵר שֶׁאֵין אַתְּ יוֹדֵעַ מֵאֵי זֶה מֵהֶן יוֹצֵא לְךָ חַיִּים. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא בַּר כֲּהָנָא הִשְׁוָה הַכָּתוּב מִצְוָה קַלָּה שֶׁבְּקַלּוֹת לְמִצְוָה חֲמוּרָה שֶׁבַּחֲמוּרוֹת. מִצְוָה קַלָּה שֶׁבְּקַלּוֹת זֶה שִׁילּוּחַ הַקַּן. וּמִצְוָה חֲמוּרָה שֶׁבַּחֲמוּרוֹת זֶה כִּיבּוּד אָב וְאֵם. וּבִשְׁתֵּיהֶן כְּתִיב וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבוּן וּמָה אִם דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא פְרִיעַת הַחוֹב כְּתִיב בּוֹ לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וּלְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכוּן יָמֶיךְ. דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חִסָּרוֹן כִּיס וְסִיכּוּן נְפָשׁוֹת לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן. אָמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי וְהוּא דְּרַבָּה מִנָהּ גָּדוֹל הוּא דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא בִּפְרִיעַת חוֹב מִדָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּפְרִיעַת חוֹב. תַּנִּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמַּתַּן שְׂכָרָן שָׁוֶה כָּךְ פּוּרְעָנוּתָן שָׁוֶה. מַה טַעַם עַיִן תִּלְעַג לְאָב וְתָבוּז לִקֲּהַת אֵם. עַיִן שֶׁהִלְעִיגָה עַל כִּיבּוּד אָב וְאֵם וּבִיזָּת עַל לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים יִקְּרָוּהָ עוֹרְבֵי נַחַל יָבוֹא עוֹרֵב שֶׁהוּא אַכְזָרִי וְיִקְּרֶנָּה וְאַל יֶהֱנֶה מִמֶּנָּה. וְיֹאכְלוּהָ בְּנֵי נֶשֶׁר. יָבוֹא נֶשֶׁר שֶׁהוּא רַחֲמָן וְיֹאכְלֶנָּה וְיֶהֱנֶה מִמֶּנָּה.
9 Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Cahana: It is written (<i>Prov.</i>5:6): “She does not smooth the way of life, her tracks deviate and you will not notice it.” The Holy One, praise to Him, moved the rewards of those who fulfill the commandments (to the future world) so that they should act in faith. Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Isaac: It is written (<i>Prov.</i> 4:23): “Observe carefully all which must be kept, for from it comes life,” observe carefully all you were told in the Torah, for you do not know from which of them will life come to you. Rebbi Abba bar Cahana said, the verse equals the easiest commandment with the most difficult one. The easiest commandment is sending away the mother. The most difficult one is honoring father and mother. For both of them it is written: “Your days will be lengthened.” Rebbi Abun said, if for something that is repayment of debt it is written (<i>Deut.</i> 5:16): “That you shall be well and that your days shall be lengthened,” so much more something that involves monetary loss and personal danger. Rebbi Levi said, this one is greater; repaying a debt is greater than fulfilling an obligation that does not involve repaying a debt. Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated: Just as their rewards are the same, so their punishments are identical. (<i>Prov.</i>30:17) “The eye that scoffs at the father and despises to obey the mother,” the eye that scoffs about honoring father and mother and despises the commandment not to take the mother with the chicks, “the river ravens should pick it out,” the cruel raven should come, pick it out, and not have any enjoyment from it, “the sons of the eagle should eat it,” the merciful eagle should come and enjoy it.
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