Pt2 Snowy Mountains and Three Legs: Aphorisms and Metaphorical Portraits of Aging in the Talmud (Shabbat 152a)

This is the second and final installment of a two-part series. First part is here.

Shmuel's Advice: Shift from Food to Drink After Age 40

Shmuel poetically advised Rav Yehuda to "untie your sack" (שרי שקיך - i.e., open your mouth) and eat (עייל לחמך - literally: “lift/insert your bread”), referring to him with the nickname "Large-toothed one" (שיננא). 

He went on to explain that until the age of 40, food is beneficial (מעלי) to health, but after 40, drinking becomes more beneficial than eating.¹

אמר ליה שמואל לרב יהודה: 

שיננא, שרי שקיך ועייל לחמך. 

עד ארבעין שנין — מיכלא מעלי, 

מכאן ואילך — משתיא מעלי.

[...]

Shmuel said to Rav Yehuda: 

Large-toothed one; untie your sack, that is, your mouth, and insert your food. 

Until the age of forty years, food is beneficial; 

from here and on, drinking is beneficial.

[...]

R' Shimon ben Ḥalafta: Metaphors the Challenges of Old Age

R' Yehuda HaNasi asks R' Shimon ben Ḥalafta why he did not visit during the Festival.²

R' Shimon ben Ḥalafta explains that due to old age, he can no longer travel easily.

He metaphorically describes how the rocks (סלעים) on the road seem taller, short distances feel far, and he now needs a cane to walk, making his “two” feet into “three” (משתים נעשו שלש - same turn of phrase as in previous section).

Additionally, he notes that his sexual drive, which he euphemistically refers to as “the maintainer of peace in the house”,³ has ceased (בטל).

אמר ליה רבי לרבי שמעון בן חלפתא:

מפני מה לא הקבלנו פניך ברגל,

כדרך שהקבילו אבותי לאבותיך? 

אמר ליה: 

1. סלעים נעשו גבוהים, 

2. קרובים נעשו רחוקים, 

3. משתים נעשו שלש, 

4. משים שלום בבית בטל.

The Gemara again addresses old age:

R' Yehuda HaNasi said to R' Shimon ben Ḥalafta:

For what reason did we not greet you during the Festival

the way that my fathers greeted your fathers? This was a polite way of asking R' Shimon ben Ḥalafta why he had not come to visit R' Yehuda HaNasi. 

He said to him: Because I have grown old, and

1.  the rocks on the road have become tall, 

2. and destinations that are near have become far away, 

3. and my two feet have been made into three with the addition of a cane, 

4. and that which brings peace to the house, namely, the sexual drive which motivates a couple to make peace, is no more.

Physical Decline in Old Age: Interpreting Ecclesiastes 12:4 as Referring to Constipation, Digestion Issues, Light Sleep, and Loss of Musical Enjoyment

The Talmud interprets the extended metaphor about aging in Ecclesiastes 12:4:⁴

1. "The doors shall be shut in the marketplace" is understood as a reference to a person's bodily orifices,⁵ which stop functioning properly.

2. "The sound of the grinding is low" refers to the inability of the stomach (קורקבן) to digest⁶ food well. "

3. One shall start up at the voice of a bird" signifies the light sleep of an elderly person, who wakes easily, even from the sound of a bird (צפור).

4. Lastly, "all the daughters of music shall be brought low" means that even the voices of singers⁷ will no longer bring enjoyment.⁸

1. ״וסגרו דלתים בשוק וגו׳״ — אלו נקביו של אדם. 

2. ״בשפל קול הטחנה״ — בשביל קורקבן שאינו טוחן. 

3. ״ויקום לקול הצפור״ — שאפילו צפור מנערתו משנתו. 

4. ״וישחו כל בנות השיר״ — שאפילו קול שרים ושרות דומות עליו כשיחה.

The Gemara continues to expound the verses of the final chapter of Ecclesiastes. The verse states: “And the doors shall be shut in the marketplace when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall start up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low” (Ecclesiastes 12:4). The Sages expounded: 

1. “And the doors shall be shut in the marketplace”; these are a person’s orifices, which cease to function normally. The interpretation continues: 

2. “When the sound of the grinding is low”; because the stomach is not grinding and digesting one’s food. 

3. “And one shall start up at the voice of a bird”; because one is unable to sleep deeply such that even a bird will wake him from his sleep. 

4. “And all the daughters of music shall be brought low”; this means that even the voices of male and female singers will seem to him like mere conversation, and he will no longer derive pleasure from song.

The Biblical Barzilai's Reflection on mental and physical deterioration in old age

In this passage from II Samuel 19:36, Barzilai of Gilead (ברזילי הגלעדי) speaks to King David, expressing his advanced age and diminishing senses.

The Talmud provides an interpretation of Barzilai's statements:

1. Discernment: "Can I discern between good and bad?"—This indicates that “the minds of the elderly change”.⁹

2. Taste: "Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink?"—This suggests that the elderly experience their lips cracking/withering (מתרפטות), leading to issues with tasting food.

3. Hearing: "Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women?"—This reflects the loss of hearing often experienced in old age.

The passage highlights the physical and cognitive decline that accompany aging.

ואף ברזילי הגלעדי אמר לדוד: 

1. ״בן שמנים שנה אנכי היום האדע בין טוב לרע״ — מכאן שדעתן של זקנים משתנות. 

2. ״אם יטעם עבדך את אשר אוכל ואת אשר אשתה״ — מכאן ששפתותיהן של זקנים מתרפטות. 

3. ״אם אשמע עוד בקול שרים ושרות״ — מכאן שאזניהם של זקנים מתכבדות.

And even Barzilai the Gileadite said to David: 

1. “Today I am eighty years old, can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women?” (II Samuel 19:36). The Gemara explains: “Can I discern between good and bad”; from here we derive that the minds of the elderly change and they no longer discern properly. 

2. “Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink”; from here we derive that the lips of the elderly crack and wither. 

3. “Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women”; from here we derive that the ears of the elderly become heavy.

Barzilai: Excuse or Premature Aging from Promiscuity? And the 92-Year-Old Female Servant in R’ Yehuda HaNasi's Household

The Talmud presents two differing views regarding Barzilai the Gileadite's claim of being too old to accompany King David:

Rav argues that Barzilai was lying to avoid returning with David, as old age does not typically bring such extreme debilitation. He cites the example of a 92 year-old female servant in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi's house who could still taste food while cooking. 

On the other hand, Rava says that Barzilai was telling the truth; he had aged prematurely due to a life steeped in sexual promiscuity (שטוף בזמה), which accelerates the aging process.¹⁰

אמר רב: ברזילי הגלעדי שקרא הוה. 

דההיא אמתא דהואי בי רבי 

בת תשעין ותרתין שנין, 

והות טעמא קידרא. 

רבא אמר:

ברזילי הגלעדי שטוף בזמה הוה,

וכל השטוף בזמה — זקנה קופצת עליו. 

[...]

Rav said: Barzilai the Gileadite was a liar and he merely wanted to avoid joining David upon his return to Jerusalem, for an eighty-year old man is not usually this debilitated. 

For there was a particular maidservant in the house of R' Yehuda HaNasi 

who was ninety-two years old, 

and she would taste the food that was cooking in the pots. 

Rava said:

Barzilai was speaking the truth, but Barzilai the Gileadite was steeped in promiscuity,

and anyone who is steeped in promiscuity is overtaken by old age before his time. 

[...]

More Metaphors of Aging: Reading the Decline of Movement and Libido in Old Age into Ecclesiastes 12:5

The Talmud provides an interpretation of the continuation of the extended metaphor on aging in Ecclesiastes 12 (verse 5; see previous section, where the Talmud interprets the previous verse phrase-by-phrase), describing the physical decline of old age:

1. “Afraid of that which is high”: For the elderly, even a small mound (גבשושית) seem like a tall mountain (הרי הרים), symbolizing physical weakness.

2. “Terrors on the road”: The elderly fear (תוהים) injury when walking, reflecting vulnerability.

3. “The almond tree shall blossom”: This refers to the protrusion of the hip bone,¹¹ a sign of aging.

4. “The grasshopper shall drag itself along”: A play on words (חגב to עגב) suggests that the buttocks (עגבות) become heavy, indicating difficulty in movement.

5. “The caper berry shall fail”: This signifies the decline of sexual libido (חמדה) in old age.

Each phrase metaphorically depicts the challenges and decline associated with aging.

1. ״גם מגבוה ייראו״ — שאפילו גבשושית קטנה דומה עליו כהרי הרים. 

2. ״וחתחתים בדרך״ — בשעה שמהלך בדרך נעשו לו תוהים. 

3. ״וינאץ השקד״ — זו קליבוסת. 

4. ״ויסתבל החגב״ — אלו עגבות. 

5. ״ותפר האביונה״ — זו חמדה.

The Gemara continues interpreting verses from Ecclesiastes. The verse states: “Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and terrors shall be on the road, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall drag itself along, and the caper berry shall fail, for a person goes to his eternal home, and the mourners circle the marketplace” (Ecclesiastes 12:5). The Gemara explains:

1. “Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high”; this means that even a small knoll on the road seems to him, the elderly, like the highest of mountains. 

2. “And terrors shall be on the road”; this means that while he is walking on the road he will have terrors, i.e., he will fear falling or otherwise suffering injury. 

3. “And the almond tree shall blossom”; this is the hip bone that protrudes from the skin of an elderly person. 

4. “And the grasshopper [ḥagav] shall drag itself along [yistabbel]”; by replacing the letter ḥet of ḥagav with an ayin, this can be understood as referring to the buttocks [agavot] which become heavy [sevel]. 

5. “And the caper berry shall fail”; this is sexual desire that ceases.

Story: Rav Kahana Interprets Rav's Sigh As Lack of Libido or Struggle With Sexual Dysfunction

The Talmud tells a story about Rav Kahana reading biblical verses in front of Rav. When Rav sighed (נגיד ואתנח) after hearing a certain verse, Rav Kahana interpreted this sigh as a sign that Rav’s libido (חמדיה) had ceased (בטל).¹²

Rav Kahana then connected this to an interpretation of a particular biblical verse.¹³

רב כהנא הוה פסיק סידרא קמיה דרב. 

כי מטא להאי קרא, נגיד ואתנח. 

אמר, שמע מינה בטל ליה חמדיה דרב. 

אמר רב כהנא: מאי דכתיב: [...]

The Gemara relates that Rav Kahana was reading biblical verses before Rav. 

When he got to this verse, Rav sighed. 

Rav Kahana said: We can derive from this that Rav’s desire has ceased. 

Rav Kahana said: 

What is the meaning of that which is written: [...]

Women Should be Repulsive, Yet Are Desired by Men

The Talmud quotes a baraita that describes women as being like a container (חמת) filled with excrement (צואה) and having “mouths full of blood” (referring to menstruation), yet men still pursue them. 

(Reflecting a tension between physical repulsion and sexual attraction.)

תנא: 

אשה 

1. חמת מלא צואה, 

2. ופיה מלא דם — 

3. והכל רצין אחריה.

[...]

A tanna taught in a baraita: 

A woman is essentially 

1. a flask full of feces, a reference to the digestive system, 

2. and her mouth is full of blood, a euphemistic reference to menstruation, 

3. yet men are not deterred and they all run after her with desire.

[...]

Appendix - Table Summarizing

Summary table of the sugya, highlighting key aphorisms and metaphorical portraits of aging in the sugya:

1. Compare this with the earlier section, where Shmuel similarly contrasts health advice for individuals before and after the age of 40.

2. לא הקבלנו פניך ברגל. A talmudic idiom used elsewhere as well; see הקבלת פני רבו ברגל – ויקיפדיה.

3. משים שלום בבית - on this idiom, cf. שלום בית – ויקיפדיה ; Shalom bayit - Wikipedia.

4. See Ecclesiastes 12 - Wikipedia:

Verses 2–7 [...] contain metaphorical and picturesque descriptions of the physical degeneration accompanying old age

5. נקביו - presumably, the metaphor is that the orifices are “shut”, meaning, the elderly have constipation.

6. טוחן - literally: “grind”.

7. שרים ושרות - literally: “male singers and female singers”.

8. The next section indicates that this may be due to hearing loss in old age.

9. דעתן של זקנים משתנות - presumably meaning, their mental faculties decline, and an inability to make good judgements; i.e. they go senile.

10. זקנה קופצת עליו - literally: “old age jumps on him”.

The idea that excessive indulgence in sexual promiscuity leads to premature aging or physical decline has classical parallels, especially among the Stoics. For example, see Sexuality in ancient Rome - Wikipedia > “Regulating semen”: 

Too-frequent ejaculation was thought to weaken men. Greek medical theories based on the classical elements and humors recommended limiting the production of semen [...]

 In his treatise On Semen, Galen warns that immoderate sexual activity results in a loss of pneuma and hence vitality:

“It is not at all surprising that those who are less moderate sexually turn out to be weaker, since the whole body loses the purest part of both substances, and there is besides an accession of pleasure, which by itself is enough to dissolve the vital tone, so that before now some persons have died from excess of pleasure.”

The uncontrolled dispersing of pneuma in semen could lead to loss of physical vigor, mental acuity, masculinity, and a strong manly voice [...]

11. קליבוסת; cf. Jastrow: “the lowest end of the vertebrae, coccyx”.

12. This may mean that Rav suffered from sexual dysfunction.

13. I elide that part.

On Rav Kahana’s interest in Rav’s sex life, see the talmudic story discussed in my piece here, section “Story of Rav Kahana’s voyeurism, listening in on Rav having sex“.

See also the story of Rav Kahana being propositioned for sex by a Roman noblewoman (matrona), analyzed in my piece here.

And see my piece here, on tractate Pesachim, for Abaye’s recipe for an aphrodisiac, that R’ Yohanan said “returned him to his youth”, meaning his libido:

אמר רבי יוחנן: הן הן החזירוני לנערותי. 

Rabbi Yoḥanan says: These are the remedies that return me to my youth with regard to sexual intercourse.