Avodah Zarah, Daf Heh, Part 3

 

Introduction

Yesterday s section ended by saying that the verses about levirate marriage and inheritance were written on condition, meaning they might never come into fruition. Today s section questions whether the Torah is written this way.

 

ומי כתיבי קראי על תנאי? אין, דהכי אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש מאי דכתיב (בראשית א, לא) "ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום הששי" מלמד שהתנה הקב"ה עם מעשה בראשית ואמר אם מקבלין ישראל את התורה מוטב ואם לאו אחזיר אתכם לתוהו ובוהו.

 

But are there verses in the Torah that are written on condition? Certainly; for R. Shimon b. Lakish said: What is it that is written, And it was evening and it was morning the sixth day (Genesis 1:31)? This teaches that the Holy Blessed One made a condition with all creation, saying, If Israel will accept the Torah all will be well, but if not, I will turn the world void and without form.

 

God made the world s existence conditional on the acceptance of Torah by the Israelites. The very foundations of the world rest on this observance. This shows that verses can indeed be written under condition.

 

מיתיבי (דברים ה, כו) "מי יתן והיה לבבם זה להם" לבטל מהם מלאך המות א"א שכבר נגזרה גזרה. הא לא קיבלו ישראל את התורה אלא כדי שלא תהא אומה ולשון שולטת בהן שנאמר (דברים ה, כה) "למען ייטב להם ולבניהם עד עולם".

 

They raised on objection: May they always be of such a mind [ that it might go well with them and their children] (Deuteronomy 5:26). This obviously does not refer to the abolition of the angel of death, since the decree [of death] had already been made? It means therefore that Israel accepted the Torah only so that no nation or tongue would prevail against them, as it is said, That it might be well with them and their children after them.

 

This baraita is brought as a difficulty on a statement by Resh Lakish earlier, that were it not for the sin with golden calf, Israel would have lived forever. The baraita implies that after Adam was punished for eating from the tree there was no way to abolish death from the world.

 

הוא דאמר כי האי תנא דתניא רבי יוסי אומר לא קיבלו ישראל את התורה אלא כדי שלא יהא מלאך המות שולט בהן שנאמר (תהלים פב, ו) "אני אמרתי אלהים אתם ובני עליון כלכם חבלתם מעשיכם אכן כאדם תמותון".

 

He [Resh Lakish] said like the following Tanna, for it is taught: R. Yose said, The Israelites accepted the Torah only so that the Angel of Death would not rule over them, as it is said: I said you are gods [i.e, immortals] and all of you children of the Most High, now that you have spoilt your deeds, you shall indeed die like mortals (Psalms 82:6).

 

Resh Lakish agrees with R. Yose. Had Israel accepted and observed the Torah, they could have lived forever.

 

ורבי יוסי נמי הכתיב "למען ייטב להם ולבניהם עד עולם" טובה הוא דהויא הא מיתה איכא

(רבי יוסי) אמר לך כיון דליכא מיתה אין לך טובה גדולה מזו.

 

But against R. Yose, too, [it may be argued] that the verse that it may be well with them and their children forever, there is prosperity, but no death. R. Yose could reply: Since there is no death, there is nothing greater than this.

 

The verse, that it may be well with them seems to promise prosperity, not everlasting life. But R. Yose could respond that immortality is a good thing, so it too could accord with the verse.