Chagigah 14a

חגיגה י״ד ע״א

Learn Chagigah 14a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

End of the teaching about the 974 'snatched' generations, a second reading of אשר קומטו as praise for תלמידי חכמים, two views on how מלאכים are created, and resolving the white-hair vs. black-hair פסוקים describing הקדוש ברוך הוא.

Overview

This amud opens by finishing a teaching about 974 generations that were never created; הקדוש ברוך הוא planted some of them in every generation as the עזי פנים. רב נחמן בר יצחק then reads the same פסוק as praise for תלמידי חכמים who wear themselves out for תורה and are shown secrets in עולם הבא. Next come two views on how מלאכים are created: daily from נהר דינור (רב) or from every word ה׳ speaks (רבי יונתן). The גמרא resolves clashing פסוקים about white and black hair (in the ישיבה versus at war), and about one throne versus thrones, where רבי עקיבא, רבי יוסי הגלילי and רבי אלעזר בן עזריה each explain the second throne differently. Then רב דימי teaches ישעיה's eighteen curses, and the גמרא explains each item in ישעיהו 3 as a type of Torah scholar or leader whose loss is a curse, ending with empty, careless people mocking those full of מצוות. רב קטינא learns from ישעיהו 3:6-7 that trustworthy people remained even at ירושלים's fall, and the גמרא defends his proof. Finally, רבא seems to say the opposite, and the גמרא begins to answer with 'לא קשיא'; the answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (37)

1. StatementThe unborn generations are planted among us as the brazen ones
2. StatementA positive reading: Torah scholars who wear themselves out
3. StatementNew angels are created every day from the River of Fire
4. StatementA disagreement: angels come from ה׳'s words
5. ChallengeTwo verses clash: white hair or black hair?
6. ResolutionIn the yeshiva versus at war
7. ProofWhy old fits the yeshiva and young fits war
8. ChallengeOne throne or many thrones?
9. ResolutionOne throne for ה׳, one for דוד
10. ProofA ברייתא: this is רבי עקיבא's view
11. Rejectionרבי יוסי הגלילי objects: judgment and kindness
12. QuestionDid רבי עקיבא accept this?
13. ResponseYes: another ברייתא quotes רבי עקיבא saying judgment and kindness
14. Rejectionרבי אלעזר בן עזריה: a seat and a footstool
15. Statementרב דימי: ישעיה's eighteen curses
16. QuestionWhat are the eighteen curses?
17. ResponseThe list in ישעיהו: everything taken away
18. StatementSupport and staff mean masters of Scripture and of משנה
19. StatementHow many orders of משנה they knew
20. StatementBread means masters of Talmud, water means masters of Aggadah
21. StatementMighty man, man of war, judge, prophet, diviner and elder
22. StatementCaptain of fifty read as master of the five books
23. StatementA second reading: a public speaker must be fifty
24. StatementThe man of favor: a person whose merit protects his generation
25. StatementCounselor, wise, charmer, understanding and enchanter
26. StatementChildren as princes means people empty of מצוות
27. StatementBabes who rule are foxes, sons of foxes
28. StatementThe empty will mock the one full of מצוות
29. StatementThe careless will mock the careful
30. StatementTrustworthy people remained even at Jerusalem's fall
31. StatementThe stumbling block means hard Torah you master only by struggling
32. StatementHe answers with an oath
33. StatementHe honestly admits he knows no Torah
34. ChallengeMaybe the man only told the truth because a lie would be exposed
35. RejectionHe could have said he learned and forgot, so he really was honest
36. Challengeרבא says ירושלים fell only after trustworthy people were gone
37. ResolutionThe גמרא says there is no contradiction