Pt1 Answering Amen, Schoolchildren’s Study, and the Causes of Jerusalem’s Destruction (Shabbat 119b)

This is the first part of a two-part series. The outline of the series is below.¹

The sugya opens with a statement from R’ Yehoshua ben Levi concerning the power of responding “Amen”. He declares that one who answers “Amen, may His great name be blessed” with full force has his decree torn up.² The Talmud supports this claim by citing a verse from Judges in which punishments are said to be annulled in Israel when the people offer themselves and bless God. The reasoning is straightforward: the annulment of punishments occurs because the people blessed God, and thus the act of reciting Amen and blessing God results in the annulment of one’s own punishment.

R’ Chiyya bar Abba, citing R’ Yochanan, extends the efficacy of responding Amen even further. He states that even one who has a trace of idolatry within him is forgiven when he answers Amen. The proof for this assertion comes from a verbal linkage between two biblical texts. The word for annulled punishments in Judges shares a root with the term describing Israel as wild or unrestrained in the episode of the Golden Calf. The connection implies that even the wildness associated with idolatry can be forgiven through the response of amen.

Reish Lakish offers yet another reward for answering Amen with full strength: the gates of the Garden of Eden are opened before such a person. He derives this from a verse in Isaiah that speaks of opening gates so that a righteous nation that keeps faith may enter. Through a slight reinterpretation of the phrase for keeping faith, the Talmud reads it as referring to those who say Amen. R’ Chanina adds a brief exegetical note, explaining that the word Amen itself is an acronym for “God, faithful King.”

The sugya then shifts to matters concerning the observance and desecration of Shabbat. Rav Yehuda, citing Rav, asserts that fire is found only in a place where there is desecration of Shabbat. He brings a verse from Jeremiah in which God warns that failure to sanctify Shabbat and refrain from carrying burdens will result in a fire being kindled in the gates of Jerusalem that will not be extinguished. Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak clarifies that the phrase “will not be extinguished” refers to a fire that breaks out at a time when no people are available to put it out. Abaye then states that Jerusalem was destroyed because Shabbat was desecrated there, quoting a verse from Ezekiel that speaks of the people averting their eyes from God’s Shabbatot, resulting in God being profaned among them.

The Talmud proceeds to catalog a series of additional reasons given by various sages for the destruction of Jerusalem. R’ Abbahu attributes the destruction to the intentional omission of the recitation of Shema morning and evening. He cites verses from Isaiah describing those who rise early to pursue drink and remain intoxicated late into the evening, engaging in revelry when they should have been reciting Shema. The passage concludes with a reference to the nation being exiled due to its ignorance.

Rav Hamnuna identifies the interruption of schoolchildren from Torah study as the cause of Jerusalem’s destruction. He quotes a verse from Jeremiah that speaks of pouring out wrath onto infants in the street, explaining that the wrath is poured precisely because the children are outside rather than studying. Ulla states that Jerusalem was destroyed because people had no shame before one another, citing a verse that describes a people who performed abominations yet were not ashamed. R’ Yitzchak says the destruction came about because small and great citizens were equated, meaning that the society failed to honor its prominent leaders. He brings a verse from Isaiah portraying a social order in which common people and priests, slaves and masters, are treated as indistinguishable, followed by a declaration that the land will be utterly desolate.

Rav Amram, transmitting a teaching through R’ Shimon bar Abba from R’ Chanina, claims that Jerusalem was destroyed because the people did not rebuke one another. The proof comes from Lamentations, which compares the ministers to stags that turn their heads toward one another’s tails while grazing. Just as these animals feed separately without interaction, so too the people of that generation lowered their faces and refrained from rebuking each other.

R’ Yehuda declares that Jerusalem was destroyed because Torah scholars were disparaged. He cites a verse from Chronicles that describes the people mocking God’s messengers, disdaining His words, and taunting His prophets until divine wrath arose beyond healing. Rav Yehuda, citing Rav, interprets the phrase “until it could not be healed” to mean that one who disparages Torah scholars has no remedy for his wound.

The sugya returns to the theme of schoolchildren and their Torah study. Rav Yehuda, again citing Rav, interprets a verse from Chronicles that warns against touching God’s anointed ones or harming His prophets. The anointed ones are identified as schoolchildren, and the prophets as Torah scholars. Reish Lakish, in the name of R’ Yehuda Nesia, declares that the world exists only because of the breath of schoolchildren reciting Torah. When Rav Pappa asks Abaye about the value of their own Torah study, Abaye responds that the breath of adults, which is tainted by sin, is not comparable to the breath of children, which is pure.

Reish Lakish further states, again in the name of R’ Yehuda Nesia, that one may not interrupt schoolchildren from studying Torah even to build the Temple. He also relates a tradition he received either from his own ancestors or from R’ Yehuda Nesia’s ancestors that any city lacking schoolchildren studying Torah is destroyed. Ravina offers a variant formulation, saying that such a city is left desolate.

The sugya concludes with one final reason for Jerusalem’s destruction. Rava states that Jerusalem was destroyed because trustworthy people ceased there. He quotes a verse from Jeremiah instructing the prophet to roam the streets of Jerusalem in search of even one person who acts justly and seeks integrity, for the sake of which God would forgive the city.

Outline

Intro

The Passage

1. Answering “Amen”

2. R’ Yehoshua ben Levi - One who answers “Amen, may His great name be blessed” with full force has his decree torn up

   1. Prooftext - Judg 5:2

3. R’ Ḥiyya bar Abba citing R’ Yoḥanan - Even someone with a “trace of idolatry” is forgiven for answering “Amen”

   1. Prooftext - via a verbal linkage - Judg 5:2 (pera’ot); Exod 32:25 (paru’a)

4. Reish Lakish - One who answers “Amen” with full force: gates of Eden are opened

   1. Prooftext - rereads “who keeps faith” as “who say Amen” - Isa 26:2

5. R’ Ḥanina - Defines “Amen” as an acronym: “El melekh ne’eman” (“God, faithful king”)

6. Rav Yehuda b. Shmuel citing Rav - Fire outbreaks are (divinely) caused by Shabbat desecration

   1. Prooftext - Jer 17:27

7. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak - “It will not be extinguished”: when no people are available to put it out - Jer 17:27

Why Jerusalem was destroyed

1. Abaye - Jerusalem was destroyed because Shabbat was desecrated - Ezek 22:26

2. R’ Abbahu - Jerusalem was destroyed because people intentionally omitted Shema morning and evening

   1. Prooftext - Isa 5:11–13

3. Rav Hamnuna - Jerusalem was destroyed because children’s Torah study was interrupted

   1. Prooftext - Jer 6:11

4. Ulla - Jerusalem was destroyed because people lacked shame before each other - Jer 6:15

5. R’ Yitzḥak - Jerusalem was destroyed because “small and great were equated” (status distinctions collapsed)

   1. Prooftext - Isa 24:2–3

6. Rav Amram b. Shimon b. Abba citing R’ Shimon b. Abba citing R’ Ḥanina - Jerusalem was destroyed because people did not rebuke one another

   1. Prooftext - a deer-grazing image to describe mutual avoidance - Lam 1:6

7. R’ Yehuda - Jerusalem was destroyed because Torah scholars were disparaged

   1. Prooftext - 2 Chr 36:16

8. Rav Yehuda citing Rav - “No healing” = there is no remedy for one who disparages Torah scholars - 2 Chr 36:16

Schoolchildren’s study

1. Rav Yehuda citing Rav - Interprets “Do not touch My anointed ones” as schoolchildren; “My prophets” as Torah scholars - 1 Chr 16:22

2. Reish Lakish citing R’ Yehuda Nesia - The world exists due to the “breath” (Torah-recitation) of schoolchildren

   1. Abaye to Rav Pappa - distinguishes it from adults’ “breath” tainted by sin

3. Reish Lakish citing R’ Yehuda Nesia - Do not interrupt schoolchildren’s study even to build the Temple

4. Reish Lakish to R’ Yehuda Nesia - Tradition: a city without schoolchildren studying Torah is destroyed

   1. Ravina - Variant formulation: they “leave it desolate”

5. Rava - Jerusalem was destroyed because trustworthy people ceased there (in commerce)

   1. Prooftext - Jer 5:1

The Passage

Shabbat.119b.5-11

Answering “Amen”

R’ Yehoshua ben Levi - One who answers “Amen, may His great name be blessed” with full force has his decree torn up

אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי:

כל העונה ״אמן יהא שמיה רבא מברך״ בכל כחו --

קורעין לו גזר דינו

Apropos the reward for honoring Shabbat, the Talmud cites statements about the reward for answering “Amen”.

R’ Yehoshua ben Levi said that

anyone who answers: “Amen, may His great name be blessed,” wholeheartedly, with all his might --

they rip his sentence

Prooftext - Judg 5:2

שנאמר:

״בפרוע פרעות בישראל

בהתנדב עם

ברכו ה׳״.

מאי טעמא ״בפרוע פרעות״?

משום ד״ברכו ה׳״.

as it is stated:

“When punishments are annulled in Israel,

when the people offer themselves,

bless YHWH” (Judges 5:2).

What is the reason for when punishments are annulled?

Because the Jewish people blessed God.

When one recites: “Amen, may His great name be blessed,” and blesses God, his punishment is annulled.

R’ Ḥiyya bar Abba citing R’ Yoḥanan - Even someone with a “trace of idolatry” is forgiven for answering “Amen”

רבי חייא בר אבא, אמר רבי יוחנן:

אפילו יש בו שמץ של עבודה זרה —

מוחלין לו.

R’ Ḥiyya bar Abba said that R’ Yoḥanan said:

Even if one has within him a trace (שמץ) of idolatry --

when he answers Amen he is forgiven.

Prooftext - via a verbal linkage - Judg 5:2 (pera’ot); Exod 32:25 (paru’a)

• כתיב הכא:

  • ״בפרוע פרעות״,

• וכתיב התם:

  • ״כי פרוע הוא״.

• It is written here, in the verse above:

  • “When punishments [pera’ot] are annulled.”

• And it is written there, with regard to the sin of the Golden Calf:

  • “And Moses saw that the nation was wild [paru’a], for Aaron had let them loose for anyone who might rise against them” (Exodus 32:25).

Even one with the “wildness” of idolatry is forgiven.

Reish Lakish - One who answers “Amen” with full force: gates of Eden are opened

אמר ריש לקיש:

כל העונה ״אמן״ בכל כחו --

פותחין לו שערי גן עדן,

Reish Lakish said:

One who answers “Amen” with all his strength --

they open the gates of the Garden of Eden before him,

Prooftext - rereads “who keeps faith” as “who say Amen” - Isa 26:2

שנאמר:

״פתחו שערים

ויבא גוי צדיק שומר אמונים״,

אל תיקרי ״שומר אמונים״

אלא: ״שאומרים אמן״.

as it is stated:

“Open the gates,

and a righteous nation shall come who keeps the faith” (Isaiah 26:2).

Do not read: “Who keeps [shomer] the faith [emunim],”

but rather: “Who say [she’omerim] Amen.”

R’ Ḥanina - Defines “Amen” as an acronym: “El melekh ne’eman” (“God, faithful king”)

(See footnote.)³

מאי ״אמן״?

אמר רבי חנינא:

1. ״אל

2. מלך

3. נאמן״.

What is the allusion of the word Amen?

R’ Ḥanina said:

It is an acronym of the words:

1. “God,

2. faithful

3. King”

[El Melekh ne’eman].

Rav Yehuda b. Shmuel citing Rav - Fire outbreaks are (divinely) caused by Shabbat desecration

אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל, משמיה דרב:

אין הדליקה מצויה

אלא במקום שיש חילול שבת,

Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel, said in the name of Rav:

Fire is only found in a place

where there is desecration of Shabbat,

Prooftext - Jer 17:27

שנאמר:

״ואם לא תשמעו אלי

לקדש את יום השבת

ולבלתי שאת משא וגו׳

והצתי אש בשעריה

ואכלה ארמנות ירושלים

ולא תכבה״.

as it is stated:

“And if you do not heed Me

to sanctify the day of Shabbat,

and to refrain from carrying burdens and come to the gates of Jerusalem on the day of Shabbat,

and I will light a fire in its gates

and it will consume the palaces of Jerusalem

and it will not be extinguished” (Jeremiah 17:27).

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak - “It will not be extinguished”: when no people are available to put it out - Jer 17:27

מאי ״ולא תכבה״?

אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק:

בשעה שאין בני אדם מצויין לכבותה.

The Talmud asks: What is the meaning of: And it will not be extinguished?

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:

Fire will break out at a time when people are not found to extinguish it.

1. For the sugya previous to this one, see my two-part series, “The Shabbat Preparations of Babylonian Rabbis (Shabbat 118b-119b)”, final part: Pt2.

2. Nowadays, this (“Amen; Yehei shmei rabba…”) is said as part of the Kaddish prayer. See Wikipedia, “Kaddish“, section “Analysis of the text“, and Hebrew Wikipedia, “קדיש“, section “תוכן הקדיש והתפתחותו“.

3. See my previous note on Talmudic backronyms.