Peah 74

Chapter 74

א אַבָּא בַּר בָּא יְהַב לִשְמוּאָל בְּרֵיהּ פְּרִיטִין דִּפְלַג לְמִיסְכֵּינָיָא נְפַק וְאַשְׁכַּח חַד מִסִכֵּן אֲכַל קוּפָּד וּשְׁתֵי חֲמָר. עֲאַל וַאֲמַר קוֹמוֹי אָבוֹי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַב יְתִיר דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ מְרָתֵיהּ.
1 Abba bar Abba gave coins to his son Samuel to distribute to the poor. He found one poor who ate red meat and drank wine. He returned and told his father about it. The latter said to him, give him more since his soul is bitter.
ב רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידִי וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר נַחְמָן הֲווֹן פַּרְנָסִין וַהֲווֹן יְהָבִין לְרִבִּי חָמָא אָבוֹי דְּרִבִּי אוֹשַׁעְיָא חַד דֵּינַר וְהוּא יְהַב לֵיהּ לְחוֹרָנִין. רִבִּי זְכַרְיָה חַתְנֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי לֵוִי הָיוּ הַכֹּל מְלִיזִין עָלָיו אָמְרוּ דְּלֹא צָרִיךְ וְהוּא נְסַב. כַּד דְּמַךְ בָּדְקוּן וְאַשְכְּחוּן דַּהֲוָה מִפְלִיג לֵיהּ לְחוֹרָנִין.
2 Rebbi Jacob bar Idi and Rebbi Isaac bar Naḥman were providers and gave a denar to Rebbi Ḥama the father of Rabbi Oshaia, but he gave it away to others. All were saying evil things about Rebbi Zachariah, the son-in-law of Rebbi Levi; they said that he was taking while he did not need it. When he died, they checked and found that he was splitting it up for others.
ג רִבִּי חִינְנָא בַּר פַּפַּא הֲוָה מַפְלִיג מִינֵיהּ בַּלַּיְלִיָּא. חַד זְמָן פְּגַע בֵּיהּ רַבְּהוֹן דְּרוּחָיָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ לָא כָּךְ אוּלְפָּן רִבִּי אַל תַּסִּג גְּבוּל רֵעֲךָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ וְלֹא כֵן כְּתִיב מַתָּן בְּסֵתֶר יִכְפֶּה אָף וַהֲוָה [מִסְתַּפֵּיהּ] מִינֵיהּ וַעֲרַק מִן קוֹמוֹי.
3 Rebbi Ḥinena bar Pappai used to distribute his charity in the night. Once the prince of spirits encountered him. He said to him, did not our teacher teach us (<i>Deut</i> 19:14): “Do not displace your neighbor’s boundaries.” He said to him, but is it not written (<i>Prov</i>. 21:14): “A gift in secret appeases anger.” He was afraid of him and fled from him.
ד אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹנָה אַשְׁרֵי נוֹתֵן לְדָל אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא אַשְׁרֵי מַשְׂכִּיל אֶל דָּל. וְהוּא שֶׁמִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּמִּצְוָה הֵיאַךְ לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ. כֵּיצַד הָיָה רִבִּי יוֹנָה עוֹשֶׂה כְּשֶׁהָיָה רוֹאֶה בֶּן טוֹבִים שֶׁיָּרַד מִנְּכָסָיו הָיָה אוֹמֵר לוֹ בְּנִי בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁנָּפְלָה לָךְ יְרוּשָׁה מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר טוּל וְאַתְּ פּוֹרֵעַ. מִן דַּהֲוָה נְסַב לֵיהּ אָמַר לֵיהּ מַתָּנָה.
4 Rebbi Jonah said, it is not written, “hail to him who gives to the needy,” but (<i>Ps</i>. 41:2): “Hail to him who is considerate to the needy;” this refers to him who fulfills this commandment intelligently. How did Rebbi Jonah do it? When he saw a son of a prominent family who had lost his property, he used to say to him: My son, since I heard that an inheritance fell to you at another place, take and you will pay back. When he had taken it, he said to him, it is a gift.
ה אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָיא בַּר אָדָא אִית הֲווֹ סַבִּין בְּיוֹמֵינוּ מָן דַּהֲוָה יְהָבִין לוֹן מִבֵּין רֵישׁ שַׁתָּא לְצוֹמָא רַבָּא הֲווֹן נָסְבִּין. מִן בָּתָר כֵּן לַא הֲווֹן נָסְבִּין אָמְרֵי רְשׁוּתָא גַּבָּן.
5 Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada said, in our days there were old people who used to take if somebody gave to them between New Year’s Day and the Great Fastday. After that, they were not taking. They said, there is permission for us.
ו נְחֶמְיָה אִישׁ שִׁיחִין פְּגַע בֵּיהּ יְרוּשַׁלְמִי אֶחָד אֲמַר לֵיהּ זְכִי עִימִּי חָדָא תַּרְנְגוֹלְתָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הֵי לָךְ טִימִיתֵיהּ וְזִיל זְבוֹן קוּפָּד וְאָכַל וָמִית. וְאָמַר בּוֹאוּ וְסִפְדּוּ לַהֲרוּגוֹ שֶׁל נְחֶמְיָה.
6 Neḥemiah from Shiḥin met a Jerusalemite who said to him, acquire merit by giving me that chicken. He said to him, here is its value, go buy red meat; he ate and died. He said, come and eulogize him whom Neḥemiah killed.
ז נָחוּם אִישׁ גַּם זוּ הָיָה מוֹלִיךְ דּוֹרוֹן לְבֵית חָמוֹי פָּגַע בֵּיהּ מוּכֶּה שְחִין אֶחָד אָמַר לוֹ זְכֵה עִמִּי מִמָּה דְּאִית גַּבָּךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ מִיחְזָר חָזַר וְאַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ מֵית. וַהֲוָה אֲמַר לְקַבְּלֵיהּ עֵיינֵיהּ דְּחָמוּנָךְ וְלָא יְהָבוּן לָךְ יִסְתַּמְּיָין. יָדֵיהּ דְּלָא פָשְׁטָן מִיתֵּן לָךְ יִתְקַטְּעוּן. רַגְלָיָיא דְּלָא רְהָטִין מִיתֵּן לָךְ יִתְבְּרָן. וּמָטָתֵיהּ כֵּן. סְלִיק לְגַבֵּיהּ רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה אָמַר לֵיהּ אֵי לִי שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתָךְ כֵּן. אָמַר לֵיהּ אוֹי לִי שֶׁאֵינִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתָךְ כֵּן. אָמַר לֵיהּ מַה אַתְּ מְקַלְּלֵינִי. אָמַר לֵיהּ וּמַה אַתְּ מְבָעֵט בְּיִיסּוּרִין.
7 Naḥum from Gimzo was carrying a gift to the house of his father-in-law when he met a person afflicted with boils who asked him, acquire merit from what you have on you. He said to him, when I shall return. He returned and found him dead. He said before him, his eyes which saw you and did not give to you shall go blind, his hands which did not stretch out to give to you shall be cut off, his feet which did not run to give to you shall be broken. This happened to him. Rebbi Aqiba came to visit him and said, woe to me that I see you in this state. He answered, woe to me that I do not see you in this state. He asked, why do you curse me? He answered, why are you contemptuous of suffering?
ח רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא רַבָּה הֲוָה רַבֵּיהּ דִּבְרֵיהּ חַד דְּסַגְיָא נְהוֹרָיָא וַהֲוָה יְלִיף אֲכַל עִימֵּיהּ בְּכָל יוֹם. חַד זְמָן הֲוָה אָרְחִין וְלָא מְטָא מֵיכוּל עִימֵּיהּ. בְּרוּמְשָׁא סְלִיק לְגַבֵּיהּ אָמַר לֵיהּ לֹא יִכְעוֹס מָרִי עָלָי בְּגִין דַּהֲוָה לִי אָרְחִין וְלַא בְּעִית מִיבְזֵיָּא אִיקָּרֵיהּ דְּמָרִי. בְּגִין כֵּן דְּלָא אָכְלִית עִמָךְ יוֹמָא דֵין. אָמַר לֵיהּ אַתָּה פִּיַיסְתָּ לְמָאן דְּמִיתְחָמִי וְלָא חָמִי דֵּין דְּחָמִי וְלַא מִיתְחָמִי יְקַבֵּל פִּייוּסָךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָדָא מְנָא לָךְ אָמַר לֵיהּ מֵרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב. דְּרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב עַל חַד דְּסַגְיָא נְהוֹרָא לְקַרְתֵּיהּ יְתַב לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב לְרַע מִינֵיהּ דִּי אָמְרִין דְּאִילּוּלֵא דְּהוּא בַּר נַשָּׁא רַבָּא לָא יְתַב לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב לְרַע מִינֵיהּ. עָבְדּוּן לֵיהּ פַּרְנָסָה דְּאִיקָר. אָמַר לָהוּ מַהוּ הָכֵין. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב יְתִיב לְרַע מִינָּךְ. וּצְלִי עֲלוֹי הָדָא צְלוּתָא אַתָּה גָמַלְתָּ חֶסֶד לְמָאן דְּמִיתְחָמִי וְלָא חָמִי. דֵּין דְּחָמִי וְלַא מִתְחָמִי יְקַבֵּל פִּיוּסָךְ וְיִגְמוֹל יָתָךְ חֶסֶד.
8 The teacher of the great Rebbi Hoshaia’s son was blind and he used to invite him to eat with him every day. One day there were guests and he did not ask him to eat with him. In the evening, he went to him and said: Please, Sir, do not be angry with me. Since I had guests, I did not want risking injuring the Sir’s honor, therefore I did not eat with you today. He said to him, you assuaged him who is seen but does not see; may He be appeased by you Who sees but is not seen. He asked him, from where do you have this? He said, from Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob. For there came a blind man to Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob’s town; Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob sat below him so that they should say if he were not a great person, Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob would not sit below him. They provided for him in honor. He asked them, what is this? They told him, because Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob sat below you. He prayed for him the following prayer: You did a good deed for one who is seen but does not see; He Who sees but is not seen may be appeased by you and do good for you.
ט דֵּלֹמָא רִבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא וְרִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה הֲווֹן מְטַיְילִן בְּאִילֵּין כְּנִישְׁתָּא דְּלוֹד. אָמַר רִבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא לְרִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה כַּמָּה מָמוֹן שִׁיקְעוּ אֲבוֹתַי כָּאן. אָמַר לֵיהּ כַּמָּה נְפָשׁוֹת שִׁיקְּעוּ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ כָּאן. לַא הֲוָה אִית בְּנֵי נַשׁ דְּלָעִיִין בְּאוֹרָיְתָא.
9 Clarification. Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina and Rebbi Hoshaiah were strolling through the synagogue of Lod. Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said to Rebbi Hoshaiah: How much money did my forefathers invest here! He answered him: How many souls did your forefathers invest here, there is no one in here who studies Torah!
י רִבִּי אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי חִנֶּנָּא כֵּינִי מַתְנִיתָא כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לִיטּוֹל וְאֵינוֹ נוֹטֵל הֲרֵי זֶה שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים וְאָסוּר לְהִתְרָחֵם עָלָיו. עַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ לֹא חַיֵיס עַל חוֹרָנִין לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן. כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִיטּוֹל וְנוֹטֵל אֵינוֹ מֵת מִן הַזִּקְנָה עַד שֶיִּצְטָרֵךְ לַבִּרְיוֹת. וְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לִיטּוֹל וְאֵינוֹ נוֹטֵל אֵינוֹ מֵת מִן הַזִּקְנָה עַד שֶיְּפָרְנֵס לַאֲחֵרִים מִשֶּׁלּוֹ עַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה׳ וְהָיָה ה׳ מִבְטָחוֹ.
10 Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Ḥinena, so is the Mishnah: Everybody who needs to take and does not take commits suicide and one may not have mercy on him. If he does not care for himself, would he care for others? Everybody who has no need to take but takes will not die of old age until he needs the creatures. Everybody who needs to take but does not take will not die of old age until he can provide for others from what is his; on him is was said (<i>Jer</i>. 17:7): “Blessed be the man who will be confident in the Eternal; the Eternal will be his trust.”
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