Sotah - Daf 10
- חמשה נבראו מעין דוגמא של מעלה, וכולן לקו בהן
A Baraisa states: חמשה נבראו מעין דוגמא של מעלה – Five were created with a similarity to the One Above (i.e., they were unparalleled), וכולן לקו בהן – and they all were stricken in those areas of superiority: שמשון בכחו – Shimshon was stricken with his exceptional strength, as it says: "ויסר כחו מעליו" – And his strength left him. שאול בצוארו – Shaul, with his neck (which was exceptional in his being taller than all others), as it says: "ויקח שאול את החרב ויפל עליה" – And Shaul took the sword and fell upon it, presumably on the neck. אבשלום בשערו – Avshalom, with his exceptional hair (the Gemara describes on 10b both the exceptional nature of his hair, and how he was hung by it). צדקיה בעיניו – Tzidkiyah, in his eyes, as it says: "ואת עיני צדקיהו עור" – and the eyes of Tzidkiyahu [Nevuchadnetzar] blinded. אסא ברגליו – Asa, in his legs, as it says: "רק לעת זקנתו חלה את רגליו" – but in his old age he ailed in his feet (Rav identified it as gout). Rashi says he does not know of a Scriptural source for the exceptional eyes of Tzidkiyah and legs of Asa, and that the Tanna learned it from his teacher.
- Avraham’s אשל, and teaching about Hashem to wayfarers
The passuk says about Avraham: ויטע אשל בבאר שבע – And he planted an "אשל" in Be’er Sheva. Reish Lakish explains: מלמד שעשה פרדס ונטע בו כל מיני מגדים – It teaches that he made an orchard and planted therein many kinds of fine fruits (אשל meaning tree). The Gemara quotes a machlokes if it means an orchard or an inn. (Rashi explains that "אשל" stands for אכילה שתייה ולינה – eating, drinking, and escorting). That passuk continues: ויקרא שם בשם ה' קל עולם – And he proclaimed the Name of Hashem, G-d of the world. Reish Lakish explains: אל תיקרי ויקרא אלא ויקריא – Do not read it as “he proclaimed,” rather, as “he caused to proclaim,” מלמד, שהקריא אברהם אבינו לשמו של הקדוש ברוך הוא בפה כל עובר ושב – teaching that Avraham Avinu caused Hashem’s Name to be proclaimed by the mouth of every passerby. After giving them to eat and drink, they arose to bless Avraham, whereupon he said: וכי משלי אכלתם – Was it my food that you ate? משל אלקי עולם אכלתם – You ate from the food of the G-d of the world! הודו ושבחו וברכו למי שאמר והיה העולם – Instead, thank, praise, and bless He Who spoke, and the world came into being.
- Yehudah’s reward for his public confession
Rebbe Shimon Chasida said: יוסף שקדש שם שמים בסתר – Yosef, who sanctified the name of Heaven privately by refusing the advances of Potiphar’s wife, זכה והוסיפו לו אות אחת משמו של הקדוש ברוך הוא –merited that they added for him one letter from the name of Hashem, because he is called יהוסף in Tehillim (with an extra ה). יהודה שקדש שם שמים בפרהסיא – Yehudah, who publicly sanctified the name of Heaven with his confession, זכה ונקרא כולו על שמו של הקדוש ברוך הוא – merited to be called entirely based on the name of Hashem (his name contains all the letters of Hashem’s name). When Yehudah confessed, a bas kol went forth and said: אתה הצלת תמר ושני בניה מן האור – You saved Tamar and her two unborn sons from the fire, חייך שאני מציל בזכותך ג' מבניך מן האור – by your life, I will save in your merit three of your descendants from the fire, referring to Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah.
