Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : in Hebron he reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years” (I Kings 2:11). And it is written: “In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah” (II Samuel 5:5). And those six months, the prophet did not tally them as part of the forty years of King David’s reign. Conclude from it that there were six months that he was not considered king because he was afflicted with leprosy.
״בְּחֶבְרוֹן מָלַךְ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וּבִירוּשָׁלִַים מָלַךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים״, וּכְתִיב: ״בְּחֶבְרוֹן מָלַךְ עַל יְהוּדָה שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים וְגוֹ׳״, וְהָנֵי שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים לָא קָחָשֵׁיב. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ נִצְטָרַע.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : David said before Him after this: Master of the Universe, pardon me for this sin. God said to him: It is forgiven for you. David requested: “Perform on my behalf a sign for good, that they that hate me may see it and be put to shame” (Psalms 86:17); show me a sign in my lifetime so that everyone will know that You have forgiven me. God said to him: In your lifetime I will not make it known that you were forgiven, but I will make it known in the lifetime of your son, Solomon.
אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מְחוֹל לִי עַל אוֹתוֹ עָוֹן! מָחוּל לָךְ. ״עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי אוֹת לְטוֹבָה וְיִרְאוּ שֹׂנְאַי וְיֵבֹשׁוּ כִּי אַתָּה ה׳ עֲזַרְתַּנִי וְנִחַמְתָּנִי״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּחַיֶּיךָ אֵינִי מוֹדִיעַ, אֲבָל אֲנִי מוֹדִיעַ בְּחַיֵּי שְׁלֹמֹה בִּנְךָ.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : The Gemara explains: When Solomon built the Temple and sought to bring the Ark into the Holy of Holies, the gates clung together and could not be opened. Solomon uttered twenty-four songs of praise, and his prayer was not answered. He said: “Lift up your heads, you gates, and be you lifted up, you everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (Psalms 24:7-8). And it is stated: “Lift up your heads, you gates, yea, lift them up, you everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who then is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts; He is the King of glory. Selah” (Psalms 24:9-10), and he was not answered.
בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּנָה שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, בִּיקֵּשׁ לְהַכְנִיס אָרוֹן לְבֵית קׇדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים. דָּבְקוּ שְׁעָרִים זֶה בָּזֶה. אָמַר עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה רְנָנוֹת וְלֹא נַעֲנָה. אָמַר: ״שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְהִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבוֹא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד. מִי זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד ה׳ עִזּוּז וְגִבּוֹר ה׳ גִּבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה״. וְנֶאֱמַר: ״שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבוֹא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד וְגוֹ׳״, וְלֹא נַעֲנָה.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : Once he said: “O Lord God, turn not away the face of Your anointed; remember the good deeds of David Your servant” (II Chronicles 6:42), he was immediately answered, and the gates opened (II Chronicles 7:1). At that moment, the faces of all of David’s enemies turned dark like the charred bottom of a pot. And all of the Jewish people knew that the Holy One, Blessed be He, had forgiven him for that sin, as it was only by David’s merit that Solomon’s prayer was answered.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר: ״ה׳ אֱלֹהִים אַל תָּשֵׁב פְּנֵי מְשִׁיחֶךָ זָכְרָה לְחַסְדֵי דָּוִיד עַבְדֶּךָ״, מִיָּד נַעֲנָה. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נֶהְפְּכוּ פְּנֵי שׂוֹנְאֵי דָּוִד כְּשׁוּלֵי קְדֵירָה, וְיָדְעוּ כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמָּחַל לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל אוֹתוֹ הֶעָוֹן.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : § The mishna states that Gehazi, the attendant of Elisha, has no share in the World-to-Come. The Gemara explains that this is as it is written: And Elisha went to Damascus (see II Kings 8:7). Where did he go, and for what purpose? Rabbi Yoḥanan says: He went to cause Gehazi to repent, but he did not repent. Elisha said to him: Repent. Gehazi said to him: This is the tradition that I received from you: Whoever sins and causes the masses to sin is not given the opportunity to repent.
גֵּחֲזִי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֵּלֶךְ אֱלִישָׁע דַּמֶּשֶׂק״. לְהֵיכָא אֲזַל? אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שֶׁהָלַךְ לְהַחֲזִיר גֵּחֲזִי בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וְלֹא חָזַר. אָמַר לוֹ: חֲזוֹר בָּךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: כָּךְ מְקוּבְּלַנִי מִמְּךָ: הַחוֹטֵא וּמַחְטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : What did he do that caused the masses to sin? There are those who say that he hung a magnetic rock on Jeroboam’s sin, i.e., on the golden calf that Jeroboam established as an idol, so that he suspended it between heaven and earth, i.e., he caused it to hover above the ground. This seemingly miraculous occurrence caused the people to worship it even more devoutly than before. And there are those who say: He engraved the sacred name of God on its mouth, and it would declare and say: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2), and: “You shall not have other gods” (Exodus 20:3). The idol would quote the two prohibitions from the Ten Commandments that prohibit idol worship, causing the people to worship it even more devoutly than before.
מַאי עֲבַד? אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: אֶבֶן שׁוֹאֶבֶת תָּלָה לְחַטַּאת יָרׇבְעָם, וְהֶעֱמִידָהּ בֵּין שָׁמַיִם לָאָרֶץ. וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: שֵׁם חָקַק בְּפִיהָ, וְהָיְתָה מַכְרֶזֶת וְאוֹמֶרֶת ״אָנֹכִי״ וְ״לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ״.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : And there are those who say: Gehazi pushed the Sages away from coming before him, i.e., he prevented them from learning from Elisha, as it is stated: “And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, behold this place where we are staying before you is too cramped for us” (II Kings 6:1). It may be derived by inference that until now they were not numerous and the place was not cramped for them, as Gehazi would turn people away.
וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: רַבָּנַן דְּחָה מִקַּמֵּיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים אֶל אֱלִישָׁע הִנֵּה [נָא] הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ יֹשְׁבִים שָׁם לְפָנֶיךָ צַר מִמֶּנּוּ״, מִכְּלָל דְּעַד הַשְׁתָּא לָא הֲווֹ פָּיְישִׁי.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : The Sages taught: Always have the left hand drive sinners away and the right draw them near, so that the sinner will not totally despair of atonement. This is unlike Elisha, who pushed away Gehazi with his two hands and caused him to lose his share in the World-to-Come, and unlike Yehoshua ben Peraḥya, who pushed away Jesus the Nazarene with his two hands.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: לְעוֹלָם תְּהֵא שְׂמֹאל דּוֹחָה וְיָמִין מְקָרֶבֶת, לֹא כֶּאֱלִישָׁע שֶׁדְּחָפוֹ לְגֵחֲזִי בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדַיִם, וְלֹא כִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה שֶׁדְּחָפוֹ לְיֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדַיִם.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : Elisha drove Gehazi away, as it is written: “And Naaman said: Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments” (II Kings 5:23). Naaman offered Gehazi payment for the help Elisha had given him. The verse states: “And Elisha said to him: Where from, Gehazi? And he said: Your servant went nowhere at all. And he said to him: Went not my heart with you, when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it the time to receive silver and to receive garments, and olive groves, and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and menservants and maidservants?” (II Kings 5:25-26). The Gemara asks: And did Gehazi take all that? It is merely silver and garments that he took.
גֵּחֲזִי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר נַעֲמָן הוֹאֵל וְקַח כִּכָּרָיִם וַיִּפְרׇץ בּוֹ וַיָּצַר כִּכְּרַיִם כֶּסֶף וְגוֹ׳״. ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֱלִישָׁע מֵאַיִן גֵּחֲזִי וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא הָלַךְ עַבְדְּךָ אָנֶה וָאָנָה. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו לֹא לִבִּי הָלַךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר הָפַךְ אִישׁ מֵעַל מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ לִקְרָאתֶךָ הַעֵת לָקַחַת אֶת הַכֶּסֶף וְלָקַחַת בְּגָדִים וְזֵיתִים וּכְרָמִים וְצֹאן וּבָקָר וַעֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת״. וּמִי שְׁקַל כּוּלֵּי הַאי? כֶּסֶף וּבְגָדִים הוּא דִּשְׁקַל!
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : Rabbi Yitzḥak says: This was the incident involving Gehazi: At that moment, Elisha was sitting and teaching the halakhot of the eight impure creeping animals. Now Naaman, the general of the army of Aram, was a leper. A certain young Jewish woman who had been taken captive from Eretz Yisrael said to him: If you go to Elisha, he will heal you. When Naaman came to him, Elisha said to him: Go immerse in the Jordan. Naaman said to him: Are you mocking me by suggesting that this will cure me? Those companions who were with Naaman said to him: What is the difference to you? Go, try it. Naaman went and immersed in the Jordan and was healed. Naaman came and brought to Elisha all those items that he had taken with him from Aram, and Elisha did not agree to receive them from him. Gehazi took leave from before Elisha and went and took from Naaman what he took, and he deposited them.
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיָה אֱלִישָׁע יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ בִּשְׁמוֹנָה שְׁרָצִים. נַעֲמָן שַׂר צְבָא מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם הָיָה מְצוֹרָע. אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ הָהִיא רָבִיתָא דְּאִישְׁתְּבַאי מֵאַרְעָא יִשְׂרָאֵל: אִי אָזְלַתְּ לְגַבַּי אֱלִישָׁע מַסֵּי לָךְ. כִּי אֲתָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: זִיל טְבוֹל בְּיַרְדֵּן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַחוֹכֵי קָא מְחַיְּיכַתְּ בִּי? אָמְרִי לֵיהּ הָנְהוּ דַּהֲווֹ בַּהֲדֵיהּ: מַאי נָפְקָא לָךְ מִינַּהּ? זִיל נַסִּי. אֲזַל וּטְבַל בְּיַרְדְּנָא וְאִיתַּסִּי. אֲתָא אַיְיתִי לֵיהּ כֹּל הָנֵי דְּנָקֵיט. לָא צְבָא לְקַבּוֹלֵי מִינֵּיהּ. גֵּחֲזִי אִיפְּטַר מִקַּמֵּיהּ אֱלִישָׁע, אֲזַל שְׁקַל מַאי דִּשְׁקַל וְאַפְקֵיד.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : When Gehazi came, Elisha saw the leprosy that had grown on Gehazi’s head. Elisha said to him: Wicked one! The time has arrived to take your reward for studying the matter of the eight creeping animals. Since the silver Gehazi received was his reward for studying the matter of the eight creeping animals, Elisha enumerated eight items that Gehazi sought to purchase with the silver that he took. Then Elisha said to Gehazi: “The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you and to your seed forever. And he went out of his presence a leper as white as snow” (II Kings 5:27). With regard to the verse: “And there were four men afflicted with leprosy at the entrance of the gate” (II Kings 7:3), Rabbi Yoḥanan says: These were Gehazi and his three sons, as he and his descendants were cursed.
כִּי אֲתָא, חַזְיַיהּ אֱלִישָׁע לְצָרַעַת דַּהֲוָה פָּרְחָה עִלָּוֵיה רֵישֵׁיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָשָׁע! הִגִּיעַ עֵת לִיטּוֹל שְׂכַר שְׁמֹנָה שְׁרָצִים. ״וְצָרַעַת נַעֲמָן תִּדְבַּק בְּךָ וּבְזַרְעֲךָ לְעוֹלָם וַיֵּצֵא מִלְּפָנָיו מְצֹרָע כַּשָּׁלֶג״. ״וְאַרְבָּעָה אֲנָשִׁים הָיוּ מְצֹרָעִים פֶּתַח הַשָּׁעַר״ – אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גֵּחֲזִי וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת בָּנָיו.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : § What is the incident involving Yehoshua ben Peraḥya? The Gemara relates: When King Yannai was killing the Sages, Yehoshua ben Peraḥya and Jesus, his student, went to Alexandria of Egypt. When there was peace between King Yannai and the Sages, Shimon ben Shataḥ sent a message to Yehoshua ben Peraḥya: From me, Jerusalem, the holy city, to you, Alexandria of Egypt: My sister, my husband is located among you and I sit desolate. The head of the Sages of Israel is out of the country and Jerusalem requires his return.
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה מַאי הִיא? כִּדְקַטְלִינְהוּ יַנַּאי מַלְכָּא לְרַבָּנַן, אֲזַל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה וְיֵשׁוּ לַאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָּא שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם. כִּי הֲוָה שְׁלָמָא, שְׁלַח לֵיהּ שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטַח: מִינִּי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ לִיכִי אָלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָּה שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, אֲחוֹתִי: בַּעֲלִי שָׁרוּי בְּתוֹכֵךְ וְאָנֹכִי יוֹשֶׁבֶת שׁוֹמֵמָה.