Gittin, Daf Zayin, Part 1

 

Introduction

This sugya is here because it too refers to a letter written from Babylonia to the Land of Israel and the parchment on the letter is described as being scored.

 

שְׁלַח לֵיהּ מָר עוּקְבָא לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּנֵי אָדָם הָעוֹמְדִים עָלַי וּבְיָדִי לְמׇסְרָם לַמַּלְכוּת מַהוּ

שַׂרְטֵט וּכְתַב לֵיהּ אָמַרְתִּי אֶשְׁמְרָה דְרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִלְשׁוֹנִי אֶשְׁמְרָה לְפִי מַחְסוֹם בְּעוֹד רָשָׁע לְנֶגְדִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָשָׁע לְנֶגְדִּי אֶשְׁמְרָה לְפִי מַחְסוֹם

 

Mar Ukba sent to R. Elazar: People who stand up against me and I can turn them over to the ruling authorities, what should I do?

He scored the parchment and wrote to him: I said: I will take heed to my ways, that I do not sin with my tongue; I will keep a curb upon my mouth, while the wicked is before me (Psalms 39:2). Even though there is an evil person standing against me, I will keep a curb on my mouth.

 

From the verse in Psalms R. Elazar derives that although people are standing up against him, wicked people, Mar Ukba still should not turn them over to the ruling authorities.

 

שְׁלַח לֵיהּ קָא מְצַעֲרִי לִי טוּבָא וְלָא מָצֵינָא דְּאֵיקוּם בְּהוּ

שְׁלַח לֵיהּ דּוֹם לַה׳ וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ דּוֹם לַה׳ וְהוּא יַפִּילֵם לְךָ חֲלָלִים חֲלָלִים הַשְׁכֵּם וְהַעֲרֵב עֲלֵיהֶן לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְהֵן כָּלִין מֵאֵילֵיהֶן הַדָּבָר יָצָא מִפִּי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וּנְתָנוּהוּ לִגְנִיבָא בְּקוֹלָר

 

He wrote back: They are troubling me greatly and I can no longer tolerate it. He responded: Resign yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently [hitḥolel] for Him; [do not fret yourself because of he who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass] (Psalms 37:7). Resign yourself to the Lord and he will bring them down as corpses [halalim, halalim]. Rise early and stay late in the Bet Midrash and they will disappear on their own.

As the words were uttered by R. Elazar, Geneiva was placed in a collar.

 

Mar Ukba protests these men are tormenting me! R. Elazar recommends waiting for God to do the job. And in the end, that is what happens. Geneiva, who was tormenting him, was taken away by some authorities in a collar.