[88a - 55 lines; 88b - 52 lines]
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We recommend using the textual changes suggested by the Bach and the marginal notes of the Vilna Shas. This section is devoted to any other important corrections that Acharonim have pointed out in the Gemara, Rashi and Tosfos.
[1] Gilyon ha'Shas 88b DH Rashi ד"ה במדרש רבה בראשית:
"b'Midrash Rabah Bereishis"
This is also found in Chagiga 14a (at the top of the page), as pointed out by the Bach. There are two Leshonos in that Gemara: one like Rashi here, and one like the Midrash Rabah which is cited by Rebbi Akiva Eiger. See ibid.
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1)[line 1]סדר עולםSEDER OLAM- the earliest comprehensive chronicle of Jewish history, written by Rebbi Yosi Ben Chalafta (circa 130 CE)
2)[line 13]טורח שבתTORACH SHABBOS- the toil of the preparations for Shabbos
3)[line 14]אוריאן תליתאיORI'AN TELISA'I- a three-part Torah
4)[line 19]כגיגיתGIGIS- (O.F. cuve) a barrel
5)[line 21]מודעא רבהMODA'A RABA- a great declaration of protest (against a forced action)
6)[line 23]"קימו וקבלו היהודים עליהם [ועל זרעם ועל כל הנלוים עליהם ולא יעבור להיות עשים את שני הימים האלה ככתבם וכזמנם בכל שנה ושנה]""KIYMU V'KIBLU HA'YEHUDIM ALEIHEM [V'AL ZAR'AM V'AL KOL HA'NILVIM ALEIHEM V'LO YA'AVOR LIHEYOS OSIM ES SHNEI HA'YAMIM HA'ELEH KI'CHESAVAM VECHI'ZEMANAM B'CHOL SHANAH V'SHANAH.]" - "The Jews established and accepted upon themselves [upon their children and upon all those who join them (i.e. converts), without fail, to observe these two days in their prescribed manner and in their proper time in every year.]" (Esther 9:27) (THE MEGILAH OF ESTHER)
(a)Apart from the many Halachos that Chazal learn from this verse with regard to how the Megilah must be written and when it is to be read, they learn from here that Mordechai and Esther wrote the Megilah with Ru'ach ha'Kodesh.
(b)Furthermore, Chazal expound from here that although the Torah was given at Har Sinai, there was a certain degree of coercion at that time to accept the Torah. In Shushan, at the time of Purim, the people re-accepted the Torah of their own volition. Accordingly, until that time they were able to claim exemption from punishment on the grounds that they had been forced to accept the Torah, and now that argument was no longer valid.
7)[line 25]"משמים השמעת דין ...""MI'SHAMAYIM HISHMATA DIN ..."- "You caused judgment (alt. law, i.e. the Torah) to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still." (Tehilim 76:9) - The Gemara learns that this verse deals with the giving of the Torah. (Rashi to Tehilim ibid. writes that it refers to the judgment and consequent downfall of Sancheriv, as described in Melachim II 18-19 and Yeshayah 36-37.)
8)[line 39]מלאכי חבלהMAL'ACHEI CHABALAH- angels of destruction
9)[line 39]פירקוםPIRKUM- they took them off
10)[line 40]"ויתנצלו ...""VA'YISNATZLU ..."- "And Bnei Yisrael stripped themselves of their ornaments from [which they received at] Har Chorev." (Shemos 33:6) - Since the Gemara states that the Mal'achei Chabalah took off the crowns, perhaps the translation should read, "And Bnei Yisrael allowed their ornaments to be stripped from them...," although this is not the simple meaning of the verse.
11)[line 41]טענוTA'ANU- they put on
12)[line 50]רזRAZ- secret
13)[line 52]תפוחTAPU'ACH- like an Esrog, whose fruit from the previous year is still on the tree when the leaves from the present year sprout forth (TOSFOS Piryo); see Insights
14)[line 52]מה תפוח זה פריו קודם לעליוMAH TAPU'ACH ZEH, PIRYO KODEM L'ALAV- just as in the case of a Tapu'ach, where its fruit precedes its leaves
15)[line 53]יתבה אצבעתא דידיהYASVAH ETZBE'ASA D'YADEI- and the fingers of his hand were placed
16)[line 54]תותי כרעאTUSEI KAR'EI- beneath his foot
17)[line 54]קא מייץ בהוKA MAYITZ BEHU- and he was squeezing them (with his foot)
18)[line 54]קא מבען אצבעתיה דמאKA MEVA'AN ETZBE'ASEI DAMA- and blood flowed from his fingers
19a)[line 54]עמא פזיזא!AMA PEZIZA!- over-hasty nation!
b)[last line]מציתוMATZISU- you are able (to keep the Torah)
88b----------------------------------------88b
20)[line 1]סגינן בשלימותאSAGEINAN B'SHLEIMUSA- we conduct ourselves with absolute trust
21)[line 1]"תומת ישרים מנחם; וסלף בוגדים ישדם""TUM'AS YESHARIM TANCHEM; V'SELEF BOGDIM YESHADEM"- "The absolute trust of the upright shall guide them; and the perverseness of the traitors shall destroy them." (Mishlei 11:3)
22)[line 2]סגן בעלילותאSAGAN B'ALILUSA- that go with perverseness
23)[line 4]"לבבתני ...""LIBAVTINI..."- "You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride; you have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one link of your necklace." (Shir ha'Shirim 4:9) - The Gemara proceeds to explain the significance of "one of your eyes."
24)[line 6]לכשתעשי בשתי עיניךLECHESHE'TA'ASI, BI'SHTEI EINAYICH- It is not clear what the Gemara's intention is here. Based on Rashi, perhaps the two "eyes" of the Gemara correspond to Na'aseh and Nishma. The Jews agreed to accept the Torah (Asher Diber HaSh-m Na'aseh) and to perform its Mitzvos (v'Nishma). HaSh-m replied, "You have already shown one of your eyes (i.e., you agreed to accept upon yourselves My Mitzvos); when you actually observe the Mitzvos you will have shown Me love with your second eye." Meanwhile, HaSh-m gave them both crowns. (When the test came, the Jews unfortunately served the Golden Calf and did not keep the second half of their agreement.)
25)[line 7]עלובהALUVAH- poor, wretched
26)[line 9]"עד שהמלך במסיבו; נרדי נתן ריחו""AD SHEHA'MELECH BI'MESIBO; NIRDI NASAN REICHO"- "While the King was yet at his party (Mount Sinai), my spikenard (an aromatic plant used as perfume) gave forth its scent." (Shir ha'Shirim 1:12) - Rashi explains that the scent was given forth to others, i.e. the Golden calf.
27)[line 10]חביבותא היא גבןCHAVIVUSA HI GABAN- even though this verse describes the sin of the Golden Calf, it is worded in a way that demonstrates that HaSh-m still cherishes us (Bnei Yisrael)
28)[line 11]אינן עולביןEINAN OLVIN- and they do not insult
29)[line 13]"כן יאבדו כל אויביך ה' ואהביו כצאת השמש בגברתו ותשקט הארץ ארבעים שנה""KEN YOVDU KOL OYVECHA HASH-M, V'OHAVAV K'TZEIS HA'SHEMESH BI'GEVURASO VA'TISHKOT HA'ARETZ ARBA'IM SHANAH" - "So may all your enemies perish, HaSh-m, but those who love him will be like the rising sun in its might, and the land was tranquil for forty years." (Shoftim 5:31) (THE FINAL WORDS OF DEVORAH'S SONG)
(a)The first part of the verse is a response to the mother of Sisera, who, as the previous verses explain, was told by her wise, aristocratic ladies that her son's victorious homecoming had been delayed due to the large amount of spoil that they had captured from Bnei Yisrael, including numerous beautiful Jewish maidens, and which he now was dividing among his generals.
(b)Devorah hereby informs us that the wise women were mistaken and their consolation was in vain, since Sisera was not destined to come home, for he was dead.
(c)Among the various explanations that Chazal give to the explain the verse, "but those who love him will be like the rising sun in its might," one is that they attribute it to someone who hears his shame but who remains silent and declines to retaliate (consistent with the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos which defines a strong man as one who overcomes his Yetzer ha'Ra).
30)[line 15]"ה' יתן אומר ...""HASH-M YITEN OMER ..."- "HaSh-m gives the word that brings tidings to great multitudes." (Tehilim 68:12) - The word "Omer" is singular while "ha'Mevasros" is plural. Rebbi Yochanan learns from this that the word of HaSh-m split into seventy languages.
31)[line 18]נחלק לכמה ניצוצותNECHELAK L'CHAMAH NITZOTZOS- (a) [the stone] is split into a number of pieces [by the hammer] (RASHI); (b) [the hammer] is split into a number of pieces [because it hit the very hard stone] (TOSFOS)
32)[line 21]"שמעו, כי נגידים אדבר""SHIM'U, KI NEGIDIM ADABER"- "Listen, for I will utter important things." (Mishlei 8:6) - The singular form of the word "Negidim" means an absolute ruler or monarch.
33)[line 25]מיימינין בהMAIMININ BAH- those who learn the Torah with all their strength
34)[line 25]סמא דחייSAMA D'CHAYEI- an elixir of life
35)[line 27]"צרור המור... ""TZEROR HA'MOR..."- "My beloved is to me a bundle of myrrh that lies between my breasts." (Shir ha'Shirim 1:13) - The words "Tzeror" and "Mor" hint at the words for afflicting and embittering, respectively.
36)[line 28]שמיצר ומימר ליSHE'MEITZER U'MEIMER LI- Who afflicts and embitters me
37)[line 30]שכרמתי ליSHE'KARAMTI LI- that I gathered for myself
38)[line 31]כסא של כובסKISEI SHEL KOVES- a perforated board which is put over burning incense to give fragrance to the clothes that are "gathered" on top of it
39)[line 35]"שפתותיו שושנים""SIFSOSAV SHOSHANIM ..."- "His lips are like lilies, dropping flowing myrrh." (Shir ha'Shirim 5:13) - The word "Shoshanim" hints at the word for "changing" [the smell of spices with each commandment]. (MAHARSHA)
40)[line 39]"גשם נדבות ...""GESHEM NEDAVOS..."- "HaSh-m sent a plentiful rain which strengthened your languishing inheritance." (Tehilim 68:10) - Since this Psalm deals with the giving of the Torah, the "rain" mentioned refers to the dew of resurrection which revived Bnei Yisrael after the first two commandments.
41)[line 41]מדדין אותןMEDADIN OSAN- nudging and pushing them back
42)[line 48]הבל שבפיהםHEVEL SHEB'FIHEM- the heat that is in their mouths
43)[line 49]"מאחז פני כסא פרשז עליו עננו""ME'ACHEZ PNEI KISEI, PARSHEZ ALAV ANANO"- "He closes in the face of his throne, and spreads his cloud upon it." (Iyov 26:9) - The heavenly cloud protected Moshe when he "grasped" the heavenly throne.
44)[line 50]זיו שכינתוZIV SHECHINASO- the splendor of his Divine Presence