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Megillah 14b

מגילה י״ד ע״ב

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

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Topic

The prophetesses אביגיל, חולדה, and אסתר: proofs of their prophecy, why חולדה prophesied in ירמיה's time, the return of the ten tribes, and חולדה's character and family line

Overview

This amud continues the גמרא's list of the seven prophetesses. It first finishes the story of אביגיל. דוד thanks her for keeping him from דמים ('bloods'), and the plural hints that she saved him from two sins. Her word זאת also hints that דוד would later stumble with בת שבע, which shows she had prophecy. רב נחמן compares her quiet request that דוד 'remember' her to two folk sayings. Next comes חולדה, and the גמרא asks how she could prophesy when ירמיה was alive. One answer is that she was his relative and the king hoped women are more compassionate. רבי יוחנן answers instead that ירמיה was away bringing back the ten tribes, who then lived under יאשיהו. אסתר is proven a prophetess because she 'put on מלכות', meaning רוח הקדש. Finally, רב נחמן says pride does not suit women, as seen in דבורה and חולדה. He also teaches that חולדה descends from both יהושע and רחב, who converted and married him and had daughters.

Opening lines

מוֹרֵד בַּמַּלְכוּת הוּא,

He is a rebel against the kingship,

וְלָא צְרִיךְ לְמֵידַּיְינֵיהּ.

and there is no need to try him in court.

אָמְרָה לוֹ: עֲדַיִין שָׁאוּל קַיָּים

She said to him: Saul is still alive

וְלֹא יָצָא טִבְעֲךָ בָּעוֹלָם.

and your coin has not yet gone out into the world.

The steps (32)

  1. Responseדוד claims נבל is a rebel against the king
  2. Rejectionאביגיל answers that שאול is still king
  3. Conclusionדוד accepts and blesses אביגיל
  4. ChallengeWhy the plural word for blood
  5. ResolutionThe second danger was desire for אביגיל
  6. Statementאביגיל refuses דוד
  7. ProofThe word 'this' hints at בת שבע
  8. ConclusionIt happened just as she said
  9. Statementאביגיל asks דוד to remember her
  10. Statementרב נחמן: the woman with the spindle
  11. StatementAnother version: the stooping goose
  12. Statementחולדה is listed as a prophetess
  13. ChallengeHow could חולדה prophesy where ירמיה was present?
  14. Resolutionחולדה was ירמיה's relative, so he did not mind
  15. ChallengeWhy would יאשיהו skip ירמיה and send to חולדה?
  16. ResolutionWomen are more compassionate
  17. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: ירמיה was away bringing back the ten tribes
  18. QuestionHow do we know ירמיה brought them back?
  19. ProofProof from the prophecy that יובל will end
  20. Proofיאשיהו ruled over the returned tribes
  21. Proofרב נחמן's proof from הושע
  22. Proofאסתר was a prophetess: the verse about her clothing herself in royalty
  23. ChallengeThe verse should have said royal garments
  24. ResolutionShe was clothed with רוח הקדש, like עמשי
  25. Statementרב נחמן: haughtiness does not suit women
  26. Proofדבורה's haughtiness: she summoned ברק
  27. Proofחולדה's haughtiness: 'tell the man', not 'tell the king'
  28. Statementרב נחמן: חולדה descended from יהושע
  29. Challengeרב עינא סבא objects: a ברייתא says חולדה descended from רחב
  30. ResolutionBoth statements are true: רחב married יהושע
  31. ChallengeDid יהושע have any descendants?
  32. Resolutionיהושע had daughters, not sons