‘THOU SHALT NOT UNCOVER THE NAKEDNESS OF A WOMAN AND HER DAUGHTER. We have explained these prohibitions to refer to the adornments of the Matrona, but they also have their literal meaning because they are necessary for the right ordering of society, and if a man transgresses one of them, woe for him and woe for his soul, because he uncovers other nakednesses.
We have learnt that the last of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife”, comprises all the others, and he who covets his neighbour’s wife is like one transgressing the whole of the Law. Nothing, however, can stand in the way of repentance, especially if a man receives his punishment, like King David.’ R. Jose said: ‘We have learnt that if a man sins and gives up the fruit of his sin, his repentance brings him to a higher grade than before; but if he does not give up the fruit of his sin, his repentance does not avail him. If that is the case, it may be asked why did not David part from Bathsheba?’ He replied: ‘Bathsheba was his by right, and he only took his own, her husband having died.
For it has been taught that Bathsheba was destined for David from the Creation, and what kept her from him was his marrying the daughter of King Saul. On that day Uriah obtained her by a special grace, though she was not really his. Afterwards David came and took his own; and it was because David anticipated matters by killing Uriah that God was displeased with him, and He punished him that he might be established in the supernal holy kingdom.
I AM THE LORD. R. Jose taught: ‘This means, “I am the Lord who will one day bestow a good reward on the righteous in the time to come; I am the Lord who will one day punish the wicked in the time to come”. It is written, “I kill and make alive” (Deut. 32, 39); although I am in the attribute of mercy, the wicked turn me to the attribute of judgement.’ R. Simeon said: ‘Sinners cause imperfection above, as we have explained.’
עֶרְוַת אִשָּׁה, וּבִתָּהּ לֹא תְגַלֵּה. תָּאנָא, בְּתִקּוּנֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא אוֹקִימְנָא אִלֵּין עֶרְיָין, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינּוּן (נ"א עריין אינון) בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא וּבִסְתִּימָא, וְתַמָּן בַּת בְּנָהּ וּבַת בִּתָּהּ. דְּהָא עָלְמָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לוֹן, וְאִינּוּן יִשּׁוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. וּמַאן דְּגַלֵּי חַד עֶרְיָיתָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וַוי לֵיהּ, וַוי לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ, דְּהָא גַּלֵּי בְּגִין דָּא עֶרְיָין אָחֳרָנִין.
‘THOU SHALT NOT UNCOVER THE NAKEDNESS OF A WOMAN AND HER DAUGHTER. We have explained these prohibitions to refer to the adornments of the Matrona, but they also have their literal meaning because they are necessary for the right ordering of society, and if a man transgresses one of them, woe for him and woe for his soul, because he uncovers other nakednesses.
וְתַנְיָא מִלָּה בַּתְרָאָה דְּעֶשֶׂר אַמִירָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, (שמות כ׳:י״ד) לֹא תַחְמוֹד אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ, בְּגִין דְּהַאי כְּלָלָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ. וּמַאן דְּחָמִיד אִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא, כְּאִלּוּ אַעְבָּר עַל אוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָּא. בְּרַם לָא אִית מִלָּה דְּקַיְּימָא קָמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי קַבִּיל עוֹנְשֵׁיהּ כְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, תָּנֵינָן, כָּל מַאן דְּחָב וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵהַהוּא חוֹבָא, תְּשׁוּבָה קָא מְעַלְּיָיא לֵיהּ טְפֵי. וְאִי לָאו, לָא סָלִיק בִּידֵיהּ תְּשׁוּבָה, וְלָא מְעַלְּיָיא לֵיהּ. אִי הָכִי, דָּוִד הֵיךְ לָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִבַּת שֶׁבַע לְבָתַר. אָמַר לֵיהּ, בַּת שֶׁבַע דִּידֵיהּ הֲוַת, וְדִידֵיהּ נָטִיל, דְּהָא מִית בַּעְלָהּ.
We have learnt that the last of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife”, comprises all the others, and he who covets his neighbour’s wife is like one transgressing the whole of the Law. Nothing, however, can stand in the way of repentance, especially if a man receives his punishment, like King David.’ R. Jose said: ‘We have learnt that if a man sins and gives up the fruit of his sin, his repentance brings him to a higher grade than before; but if he does not give up the fruit of his sin, his repentance does not avail him. If that is the case, it may be asked why did not David part from Bathsheba?’ He replied: ‘Bathsheba was his by right, and he only took his own, her husband having died.
דְּתַנְיָא, אִזְדַּמְּנַת הֲוַת בַּת שֶׁבַע לְדָוִד, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, וּמָה עַכְּבַא לֵיהּ. דְּנָטַל בְּרָתֵיהּ דְּשָׁאוּל מַלְכָּא, וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא נָטַל לָהּ אוּרִיָּה בְּרַחֲמֵי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא הֲוַת דִּילֵיהּ. לְבָתַר אָתָא דָּוִד, וְנָטִיל דִּילֵיהּ, וְעַל דְּדָוִד דָּחִיק שַׁעֲתָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְקָטְלָא לְאוּרִיָּה וּלְמֶעְבַּד הָכִי. אַבְאִישׁ קָמֵיהּ, וְאַעְנָשׁ לֵיהּ לְדָוִד, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא לְאָתָבָא לֵיהּ לְדָוִד, לְקַיְּימָא לֵיהּ מַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה. וְכַד תָּאַב, לְדִידֵיהּ תָּאַב.
For it has been taught that Bathsheba was destined for David from the Creation, and what kept her from him was his marrying the daughter of King Saul. On that day Uriah obtained her by a special grace, though she was not really his. Afterwards David came and took his own; and it was because David anticipated matters by killing Uriah that God was displeased with him, and He punished him that he might be established in the supernal holy kingdom.
תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, מַאי דִּכְתִּיב אֲנִי יְיָ'. אֲנִי יְיָ': עָתִיד לִיתֵּן שָׂכָר טוֹב לַצַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. אֲנִי יְיָ' עָתִיד לְהִפָּרַע מִן הָרְשָׁעִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. אִינּוּן דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ (ישעיהו ס״ו:כ״ד) הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי. כְּתִיב אֲנִי יְיָ', וּכְתִיב (דברים ל״ב:ל״ט) אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי בְּמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים, הָרְשָׁעִים הוֹפְכִים אוֹתִי לְמִדַּת הַדִין. דְּתַנְיָא, שֵׁם מָלֵא: יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים. זָכוּ יְיָ', וְאִי לָאו אֱלֹהִים. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, חַיָּיבִין עַבְדֵי פְּגִימוּתָא לְעֵילָּא. מַאי פְּגִימוּתָא. כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא פְּגִימוּתָא מַמָּשׁ, וְהָא אִתְּמַר.
I AM THE LORD. R. Jose taught: ‘This means, “I am the Lord who will one day bestow a good reward on the righteous in the time to come; I am the Lord who will one day punish the wicked in the time to come”. It is written, “I kill and make alive” (Deut. 32, 39); although I am in the attribute of mercy, the wicked turn me to the attribute of judgement.’ R. Simeon said: ‘Sinners cause imperfection above, as we have explained.’