Gemara Clarity

Pesachim 118b

פסחים קי״ח ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 118b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 118b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

God's faithfulness at the sea, דרשות on הלל, and the nations' gifts to the משיח

Overview

This amud finishes the story of גבריאל at the furnace of חנניה, מישאל ועזריה: when God keeps His old promise to him, גבריאל praises God with "ואמת ה׳ לעולם". רבי נתן says the fish of the sea said this verse instead. The background is that בני ישראל at ים סוף doubted the מצרים were dead. God made the sea give up the bodies and promised it one and a half times as many, with נחל קישון as guarantor. The promise was paid with סיסרא's 900 chariots, which the river swept into the sea, and the fish then praised God's truth. Next come short דרשות on פסוקים of הלל by ריש לקיש and רבא, about how כנסת ישראל stands before God. Then רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי sends רבי teachings from his father. They cover why the nations praise God, the gifts that מצרים and כוש will bring to the משיח, and why רומי's gift is rejected. The amud ends with רומי's huge stored wealth, which is destined for the תלמידי חכמים, and starts explaining the פסוק in ישעיהו that teaches this. רבי אלעזר's explanation of 'those who dwell before ה׳' continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאַקְדִּיחַ מִבַּחוּץ,

and I will burn from the outside,

וְאֶעֱשֶׂה נֵס בְּתוֹךְ נֵס.

and I will make a miracle within a miracle.

אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רֵד!

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Go down!

בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה פָּתַח גַּבְרִיאֵל וְאָמַר:

At that moment Gabriel began and said:

The steps (37)

  1. Statementגבריאל is sent down and praises God's truth
  2. Statementרבי נתן: the fish said this verse
  3. ProofIsrael lacked faith at the sea
  4. StatementThe sea objects and God promises one and a half
  5. StatementThe Kishon as guarantor, and the bodies are thrown out
  6. ProofVerse: Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore
  7. QuestionWhat was the 'one and a half times' payment?
  8. ResponseSix hundred chariots versus nine hundred chariots
  9. StatementThe stars heat the iron and סיסרא's soldiers go into the river
  10. Statementנחל קישון pays its guarantee
  11. ProofThe פסוק: the river swept them away
  12. QuestionWhy is it called the 'ancient river'?
  13. ResponseThe river that became a guarantor long ago
  14. ConclusionThe fish praise God's faithfulness
  15. StatementThe Jewish people compare themselves to a rat in the house
  16. Statementרבא: Israel is beloved when God hears her prayers
  17. Statementרבא: Even when weak in מצוות, Israel belongs to God
  18. Statementרבי asks the sick רבי ישמעאל for his father's teachings
  19. QuestionWhy should the nations praise God for His kindness to Israel?
  20. ResponseThe nations praise for their miracles, so all the more should we
  21. Statementמצרים will bring a gift, and the משיח will want to refuse
  22. ConclusionGod says to accept, because מצרים hosted His children
  23. Statementכוש reasons that its gift should also be accepted
  24. ConclusionGod agrees and כוש's gift is accepted
  25. Statementרומי reasons that its gift should also be accepted
  26. ResponseGod rejects רומי and orders גבריאל to rebuke it
  27. StatementSecond reading: the beast that lives among the reeds
  28. StatementThird reading: a beast whose deeds are all written with one quill
  29. StatementRome slaughtered the mighty like ownerless calves
  30. StatementThe officials of רומי take money but do not serve their masters
  31. StatementIsrael was scattered because it wanted closeness with the nations
  32. StatementThe enormous food stores of the city of רומי
  33. QuestionFor whom is all this wealth stored?
  34. ResponseThe wealth is for the Torah scholars
  35. QuestionWhat does 'it shall not be stored' mean?
  36. ResponseA storehouse and a treasury
  37. QuestionWho are 'those who dwell before ה׳'?