Sotah - Daf 22
- קרא ושנה ולא שימש תלמידי חכמים
The Gemara makes numerous statements regarding קרא ושנה ולא שימש תלמידי חכמים – one who studied Torah and Mishnah but did not serve Torah scholars to understand the reasons for the Mishnah. Rebbe Elazar said of such a person: הרי זה עם הארץ – He is an am haaretz (and is unreliable regarding taharah and maaser). Rebbe Shmuel bar Nachmani said: הרי זה בור – He is a boor (i.e., worse than an am haaretz). Rebbe Yannai said: הרי זה כותי – He is like a Kusi, whose wine and bread are forbidden, since he is not vigilant about what the Rabbis say. Rav Acha bar Yaakov said: הרי זה מגוש – He is like a sorcerer, who deceives people through illusions. He, too, creates the false impression that he is a true Torah scholar. Similarly, Rebbe Yitzchak explains the pasuk, "ועם שונים אל תתערב" – Do not mix with the “shonim” to mean: אלו ששונים הלכות – these are those who study only halachos (i.e., Mishnayos), without serving Torah scholars to properly understand them. A Baraisa states: התנאים מבלי עולם – Those who recite Mishnayos are ruiners of the world. Ravina explained: שמורין הלכה מתוך משנתן – Because they issue halachic rulings based on the Mishnah without serving Torah scholars to understand it.
- למדנו יראת חטא מבתולה וקיבול שכר מאלמנה
Rebbe Yochanan said: למדנו יראת חטא מבתולה וקיבול שכר מאלמנה – We have learned fear of sin from a maiden, and receipt of reward from a widow. The Gemara explains the former, that Rebbe Yochanan once overheard a maiden who fell on her face and said: רבונו של עולם בראת גן עדן ובראת גיהנם – “Master of the world! You created Gan Eden and You created Gehinnom, בראת צדיקים ובראת רשעים – You created righteous people, and You created wicked people. יהי רצון מלפניך שלא יכשלו בי בני אדם – May it be Your will that people should not stumble through me” and inherit Gehinnom instead of Gan Eden. She thus displayed remarkable fear of sin. The latter is explained, that there was a widow who traveled daily to daven in Rebbe Yochanan’s Beis Medrash, although her own neighborhood had a synagogue. Rebbe Yochanan questioned her: בתי לא בית הכנסת בשיבבותך – “My daughter, is there not a synagogue in your neighborhood?” She responded: רבי ולא שכר פסיעות יש לי – “My master, is there not reward for the steps taken in the additional traveling?”
- שבעה פרושין הן
It was taught in a Baraisa: שבעה פרושין הן – There are seven types of false ascetics, and the Gemara explains them: פרוש שיכמי – A Shechemite ascetic, זה העושה מעשה שכם – this is one who acts in the way of Shechem, who circumcised themselves for ulterior motives (this ascetic also acts this way for honor). פרוש נקפי – A knocking ascetic, זה המנקיף את רגליו – this is one who knocks his feet by shuffling in a show of humility, thus knocking his toes against stones. פרוש קיזאי – A bloodletting ascetic, which is explained: זה המקיז דם לכתלים – this is one who “lets blood” on walls when his head collides with it (from walking with closed eyes to avoid seeing women). פרוש מדוכיא – A “pestle” ascetic, which is explained: דמשפע כי מדוכיא – meaning one who is bent in false humility like a pestle. פרוש מה חובתי ואעשנה – An ascetic of “What is my obligation, and I will do it.” The Gemara asks: הא מעליותא היא – but this is a virtue, for he seeks to know what he must do! אלא דאמר מה חובתי תו ואעשנה – Rather, he says, “What else is my obligation and I will do it,” indicating that he has already performed everything. The final two, פרוש מאהבה פרוש מיראה – an ascetic out of love of reward and an ascetic out of fear of punishment, Abaye and Rava said to remove, because Rav taught: לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ובמצות אפילו שלא לשמה – One should always occupy himself with Torah and mitzvos even not for its own sake, שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה – because from doing not for its own sake, comes about doing for its own sake.
