Gittin - Daf 57
- Onklelos raising Titus, Bilaam and a Jewish sinner from the dead and asking if he should convert
Beginning on the bottom of Daf 56b, the Gemara relates that Onkelos, who was the nephew of Titus, raised Titus from the dead and asked him, “מאן חשיב בההיא עלמא” – Who is prominent in Olam Habah? He responded, “Yisroel.” He then asked them if he should convert, and Titus said, “מילייהו נפישין ולא מצית לקיומינהו” – There laws are numerous, and you will not be able to fulfill them. Instead, Onklelos should go and attack them, for it is written, “והיו צריה לראש” – Israel’s enemies become leaders. כל המיצר לישראל נעשה ראש – Whoever persecutes Yisroel becomes a leader. On this Daf the Gemara relates that Onklelos then raised Bilaam and a sinner of Yisroel separately from the dead, and asked whether he should convert. Bilaam answered, “לא תדרוש שלומם וטובתם כל הימים” – Do not seek their peace or benefit all the days. The sinner of Yisroel answered, “Seek their benefit and do not harm them. כל הנוגע בהן כאילו נוגע בבבת עינו – Whoever touches them is like one who touches the pupil of his eye, meaning he hurts himself by trying to harm them. The Gemara relates how each of them was punished and concludes: תא חזי מה בין פושעי ישראל לנביאי אומות העולם עובדי עבודת זרה – Look at the difference between the sinners of Yisrael and the prophets of the idol-worshiping nations of the world. The sinner of Yisrael advised Onkelos to seek the Jewish people’s benefit, whereas Bilaam advised him not to see to their benefit.
- Nevuzaradan discovering the blood of Zechariah on the floor of the Beis Hamikdash
The Gemara relates that Nevuzaradan, Nebuchadnezer’s general, found the blood of Zechariah bubbling on the floor of the Beis Hamikdash. When he inquired about its source, he was told it was blood of korbanos. After comparing it with animal blood and seeing it did not match, he threatened to torture them if they did not tell the truth. They revealed that it was the blood of Zechariah the Navi who was murdered because he had rebuked them, and whose blood had not rested since the incident (over two hundred fifty years earlier). Nevuzaradan resolved to appease him, and began slaughtering the Sanhedrin, young men and women, and children, but the blood still did not rest. He exclaimed: זכריה זכריה טובים שבהן איבדתים – Zechariah! Zechariah! Their finest I have destroyed. ניחא לך דאבדינהו לכולהו – Do you want me to destroy them all?! At that moment, the blood finally rested. Thoughts of repentance entered Nevuzaradan‘s mind: ומה אם על נפש אחת כך – If the punishment for killing one soul is so severe, ההוא גברא דקטל כל הני נשמתא על אחת כמה וכמה – then this man (himself), who killed so many souls, how much more so! He fled and converted to Judaism.
- The woman and her seven sons who were brought before Caesar and refused to worship an idol
The Gemara gives several examples illustrating the passuk: - "כי עליך הורגנו כל היום" Because for You we have been killed all the time, נחשבנו כצאן טבחה – we have been considered like sheep for slaughter. Rav Yehudah says: זו אשה ושבעה בניה – This is exemplified by the woman and her seven sons. Each son was brought before the Caesar, who demanded he worship an idol, and each refused by responding with a passuk, and was taken away and killed. The Caesar told the youngest that he would throw down his signet ring, and the son would bend down to pick it up, giving the appearance that he was bowing to the image on it. The son responded: חבל עלך קיסר חבל עלך קיסר – Woe to you, Caesar! Woe to you, Caesar! על כבוד עצמך כך – If for your own honor there is such concern, על כבוד הקדוש ברוך הוא על אחת כמה וכמה – then for Hashem’s honor, how much more so! When he was taken to be killed, his mother requested to kiss him. She told him: בניי לכו ואמרו לאברהם אביכם – My sons, go tell Avraham your forefather, אתה עקדת מזבח אחד – you bound [a korban] on one mizbeiach, ואני עקדתי שבעה מזבחות – but I bound [korbanos] on seven mizbeichos! She went up to a roof, fell off, and died. A bas kol issued forth: "אם הבנים שמחה" – The mother of the children rejoices.
