Siman - Megillah Daf 25
- על קן צפור יגיעו רחמיך משתקין אותו האומר
The next Mishnah states: על קן צפור יגיעו רחמיך... משתקין אותו האומר... – One who says, "Your mercy reaches the bird's nest," we silence him. Rashi explains that the case is when ones says, “Just as Your mercy reaches the bird’s nest, so too should You have mercy on us”. The Gemara seeks to understand what is problematic with such a statement and brings a machlokes between Rav Yose bar Avin and Rav Yose bar Zevida. One said that the reason we silence him is, מפני שמטיל קנאה במעשה בראשית – because he is provoking jealousy in the works of creation, since he is suggesting that Hashem has mercy on the birds, but not on other animals. The other one said that we silence him מפני שעושה מדותיו של הקדוש ברוך הוא רחמים – because he makes the mitzvos of HaKadosh Boruch Hu into acts of rachamim, ואינן אלא גזירות – when, in fact, they are only gezeiros. Rashi explains that Hashem gives us the mitzvos as a yoke, to make known that we are His servants and keepers of mitzvos, even when we do not understand His rationale.
- Is yiras haShomayim such a small matter?
Rebbe Chanina said: הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים – Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for the fear of Heaven, as the passuk states, "ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה" – And now Yisroel, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you, but to fear Hashem your G-d. The Gemara asks, מכלל דיראה מילתא זוטרתי היא – Is the Torah implying that the fear of Heaven is a small matter? The Gemara answers, אין לגבי משה רבינו מילתא זוטרתי היא – Yes, regarding Moshe, our teacher, it is a small matter. The Gemara likens this to an אדם שמבקשין הימנו כלי גדול ויש לו – a man who is being asked for a large vessel and he has it, דומה עליו ככלי קטן – He relates to it as if it is a small vessel, קטן ואין לו דומה עליו ככלי גדול – If he is being asked for a small vessel and he does not have one, then he relates to it as a large vessel.
- Which sections of the Torah are translated despite their depiction of negative events
The next Mishnah and a subsequent Baraisa list which sections of the Torah and Neviim should be translated by the meturgeman (translator), and which sections should not be translated. The Gemara explains the rationale for each of them, which include the following. The incident with Lot and his two daughters is read and translated. When the Gemara asks why one might have thought not to translate it , it answers, ניחוש לכבודו של אברהם – perhaps we should be concerned about Avraham’s honor. However, this is not a problem. The Meiri explains that if two people are related and one is a Tzaddik and the other is a rasha, we do not consider them connected. Therefore, discussing something that Lot did wrong, does not affect the honor of Avraham. The episode of Tamar and Yehudah is read and translated. We might have thought that it should not be translated, because of Yehudah’s honor, but it may be translated since the reading is really a shevach (praise) to him, due to the fact that he confessed. The first narration of the cheit ha’eigel may be read and translated. One might have thought that we should be concerned about the honor of Yisroel. However, we translate it anyways, דהויה להו כפרה – because it will be a kaparah for them.
