Gemara Clarity

Rosh Hashanah 17a

ראש השנה י״ז ע״א

Learn Rosh Hashanah 17a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Rosh Hashanah 17a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How ה׳ judges the in-between people, ordinary sinners, and the worst sinners, and how His kindness tips the scale

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא about how people are judged. בית שמאי say the in-between people go down to גיהנם, cry out, and come back up. בית הלל say ה׳, who is 'abundant in kindness,' tips the scale toward kindness and saves them. Ordinary sinners are judged for twelve months and become ash, while the worst sinners, such as heretics, informers, and those who led the many to sin, are judged forever. The גמרא then works out how the 'third through fire' fits בית הלל: a half-and-half person who has the bodily sin is refined in the fire, and one without it is saved by kindness. It defines the bodily sinners and the harsh leader who 'casts fear' on the community. It explains how ה׳ tips the scale, adding רבא's limit that a set-aside sin is not erased. רבא teaches that whoever forgives others is forgiven, and the story of רב הונא shows it. The amud ends as רבי אחא בר חנינא starts explaining 'for the remnant of His inheritance,' which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וּמְצַפְצְפִין וְעוֹלִין,

and they cry out and come up,

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית בָּאֵשׁ

as it says: 'And I will bring the third part through the fire,

וּצְרַפְתִּים כִּצְרוֹף אֶת הַכֶּסֶף

and I will refine them as silver is refined,

וּבְחַנְתִּים כִּבְחוֹן אֶת הַזָּהָב

and test them as gold is tested;

The steps (29)

  1. Statementבית שמאי: the in-between people cry out and come up, like refined silver
  2. Proofחנה's words describe the in-between people
  3. Statementבית הלל‎: ה׳ tips the scale toward kindness
  4. ProofThe whole chapter of 'דלותי ולי יהושיע' refers to them
  5. StatementOrdinary sinners are judged for twelve months and become ashes
  6. StatementThe worst sinners are judged forever
  7. StatementTheir punishment outlasts גיהנם itself
  8. StatementWhy they are punished so severely
  9. StatementTwo אמוראים add comments about these sinners
  10. ChallengeChallenge to בית הלל from the 'third through fire' פסוק
  11. ResolutionThe 'third' means פושעי ישראל בגופן
  12. ChallengeBut bodily sinners have no repair
  13. ResolutionHalf sins, half merits, plus the bodily sin
  14. ConclusionWithout the bodily sin, kindness tips the scale
  15. Statementרבא explains 'I love that ה׳ hears'
  16. QuestionWho are the Jewish bodily sinners?
  17. Responseרב: A head that never wore תפילין
  18. Responseרב: The bodily sinners of the nations
  19. Responseרב חסדא: The leader who frightens the community
  20. StatementA harsh leader will not have a Torah scholar son
  21. QuestionHow does ה׳ tip the scale toward kindness?
  22. Responseרבי אליעזר‎: ה׳ pushes down
  23. Responseרבי יוסי בר חנינא: ה׳ lifts up the sins
  24. Responseה׳ sets aside the first sin each time
  25. StatementThe set-aside sin is not really erased
  26. StatementWhoever forgives others is forgiven
  27. Statementרב הונא nearly dies and recovers
  28. Proofרב הונא was saved because he forgave others
  29. StatementA blessing with a thorn: only the remnant