Yoma 38b

יומא ל״ח ע״ב

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Topic

Those who refused to teach their skills, the meaning of 'the name of the wicked shall rot', and teachings about צדיקים and רשעים

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a teaching: no one can take what Heaven set aside for another person. A ברייתא then describes the singing skill of הוגרס בן לוי, and another tells of בן קמצר, who refused to teach his skill of writing four letters at once and had no good excuse. So the verse "ושם רשעים ירקב" is applied to him and his companions. רבי אלעזר explains that the names of the wicked 'rot' because no one names children after them. רבינא objects from a boy named דואג, and the גמרא answers that the boy's terrible end proves the point. A series of teachings follows, many from רבי אלעזר and from רבי יוחנן, about צדיקים and רשעים: Torah sources for 'זכר צדיק לברכה' and 'שם רשעים ירקב', עובדיה and עשו, the world existing even for one צדיק, and ה׳ guarding the pious from sin. The amud ends with ריש לקיש's teaching that Heaven helps one who comes to purify himself, and a parable from דבי רבי ישמעאל that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (37)

1. ConclusionNo one can take what is set aside for another
2. StatementHow הוגרס בן לוי sang
3. Statementבן קמצר's special writing skill
4. Questionבן קמצר is asked why he would not teach
5. ConclusionThe verses about the righteous and the wicked
6. QuestionWhat does "the name of the wicked shall rot" mean?
7. Responseרבי אלעזר: people stop using their names
8. Challengeרבינא objects from the story of דואג בן יוסף
9. Challengeירמיה's lament and the reply of רוח הקודש finish the story of דואג
10. ResolutionSee what happened to him
11. StatementA righteous person is blessed for himself, a wicked person is cursed with his fellow
12. Questionרבינא asks for the source of 'the memory of the righteous is a blessing'
13. ResponseThe scholar quotes the verse in משלי
14. QuestionWhere is it hinted in the תורה?
15. Responseאברהם is praised as soon as he is mentioned
16. Questionרבינא asks for the source of 'the name of the wicked shall rot'
17. ResponseAgain the scholar quotes משלי
18. QuestionAgain, where is it in the תורה?
19. Responseסדום is condemned as soon as it is mentioned
20. StatementA righteous man among the wicked, a wicked man among the righteous
21. StatementIdentifying the two people: עובדיה and עשו
22. StatementBlessing for the righteous implies a curse for the wicked, and the reverse
23. ProofProof: אברהם's praise is followed by סדום's outcry
24. ProofProof: סדום's wickedness is followed by God's blessing to אברם
25. StatementThe world was created even for one righteous person
26. StatementForgetting one's learning causes exile for one's children
27. Statementרבי אבהו: the forgetter is lowered from his position
28. StatementNo righteous person dies until another is born
29. Statementה׳ spread the few righteous people across every generation
30. StatementThe world exists even for the sake of one righteous person
31. Proofרבי חייא brings a different verse as the source
32. ChallengeBut 'His pious ones' means many people
33. ResolutionThe word is written in the singular
34. StatementOnce most of a person's years have passed without sin, he will not sin
35. StatementResisting sin twice brings protection from sin
36. StatementOne who seeks impurity is allowed in; one who seeks purity is helped
37. StatementParable of the seller of naphtha and balsam begins