Avodah Zarah, Daf Yod Het, Part 6
Introduction
This section contains another derashah by R. Shimon b. Pazzi, again related to the prohibition of going to pagan theaters and circuses.
דרש ר’ שמעון בן פזי "אשרי האיש אשר לא הלך" לטרטיאות ולקרקסיאות של עובדי כוכבים "ובדרך חטאים לא עמד" זה שלא עמד בקנגיון. "ובמושב לצים לא ישב" שלא ישב בתחבולות.שמא יאמר אדם הואיל ולא הלכתי לטרטיאות ולקרקסיאות ולא עמדתי בקנגיון אלך ואתגרה בשינה ת"ל "ובתורתו יהגה יומם ולילה".
R. Shimon b. Pazi expounded: Happy is the man that has not walked to theatres and circuses of idolaters; nor stood in the way of sinners, this refers to the one who does not attend contests of wild beasts; nor sat in the gathering of the scornful, that is he who does not participate in [evil] conspiracies. And lest one say, Since I do not go to theatres or circuses nor attend contests of wild animals, I will go and indulge in sleep, Scripture therefore says, And in His Torah he meditates day and night.
R. Shimon b. Pazzi applies the first verse of Psalms to the prohibition of attending pagan circuses, theaters, contests of wild beasts or engaging in evil conspiracies with idolaters. In their place, a Jew should not sleep he should study Torah.
אמר רב שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן "אשרי האיש אשר לא הלך בעצת רשעים" זה אברהם אבינו שלא הלך בעצת אנשי דור הפלגה שרשעים היו שנאמר (בראשית יא, ד) "הבה נבנה לנו עיר". "ובדרך חטאים לא עמד" שלא עמד בעמידת סדום שחטאים היו שנאמר (בראשית יג, יג) "ואנשי סדום רעים וחטאים לה’ מאד" "ובמושב לצים לא ישב" שלא ישב במושב אנשי פלשתים מפני שלצנים היו שנאמר (שופטים טז, כה) "ויהי כטוב לבם ויאמרו קראו לשמשון וישחק לנו".
R. Samuel b. Nahmani in the name of R. Yonatan: Happy is the man that has not walked in the counsel of the wicked this refers to Abraham our father who did not follow the counsel of the men of the generation of the division of the world who were wicked, as it is said, Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, with its top in heaven (Genesis 11:4); Nor stood in the way of sinners for he did not stand with the people of Sodom, who were sinful, as it is said, Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord (Genesis 13:13); Nor sat in the seat of the scornful for he did not sit in the company of the Philistines, because they were scoffers; as it is said, And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said: Call for Samson that he may make us sport (Judges 16:25).
R. Yonatan applies each part of this verse to Abraham, using prooftexts to show how each section of the verse applies to various peoples whom Abraham did not join the people who built the tower of Babel (they are called in rabbinic literature the generation of the division of the world, for when the tower fell, the world was divided), the people of Sodom and the Philistines (against whom Abraham went to war).