Pt2 Talmudic Typological Interpretations: Egyptian Butler's Dream in Genesis 40, Hosea’s Wife in Hosea 3, and Zechariah 11 (Chullin 92a)

This is the second and final part of a two-part series. Part 1 is here; the outline for the series can be found at Part 1.

Rabban Gamliel citing R’ Elazar HaModa’i - “Vine” = Jerusalem; “3 branches” = Temple, king, High Priest; “blossoms” = young priests; “clusters” = libations - Gen 40:10

אמר ר"ג:

עדיין צריכין אנו למודעי

דמוקים ליה כוליה בחד מקום

Rabban Gamliel said:

In order to understand this verse (Genesis 40:10) we still need the explanation of R' Elazar HaModa’i,

who is an expert in matters of aggada, as he interprets all of the phrases in the verse as referring to one location.

רבי אלעזר המודעי אומר:

1. "גפן" --

   1. זה ירושלים

2. "שלשה שריגים" --

   1. זה

      1. מקדש

      2. מלך

      3. וכהן גדול

3. "והיא כפורחת עלתה נצה" --

   1. אלו פרחי כהונה

4. "הבשילו אשכלותיה ענבים" --

   1. אלו נסכים.

R' Elazar HaModa’i says:

1. “Vine”;

   1. this is a reference to Jerusalem.

2. “Three branches”;

   1. this is a reference to

      1. the Temple,

      2. the king

      3. and the High Priest.

3. “And as it was budding [poraḥat], its blossoms shot forth”;

   1. these are the young priests [פרחי כהונה - pirḥei khehunna].

4. “And its clusters brought forth ripe grapes”;

   1. these are the wine libations (נסכים)

R’ Yehoshua b. Levi - “Vine” = Torah; “3 branches” = well, cloud-pillar, manna; “blossoms” = first fruits; “clusters” = libations - Gen 40:10

רבי יהושע בן לוי מוקים לה במתנות

דאמר ר' יהושע בן לוי:

1. "גפן" --

   1. זו תורה

2. "שלשה שריגים" --

   1. זה

      1. באר

      2. עמוד ענן

      3. ומן

3. "והיא כפורחת עלתה נצה" --

   1. אלו הבכורים

4. "הבשילו אשכלותיה ענבים" --

   1. אלו נסכים.

R' Yehoshua ben Levi interprets it with reference to the gifts that God gave the Jewish people,

as R' Yehoshua ben Levi said:

1. “Vine”;

   1. this is a reference to the Torah.

2. “Three branches”;

   1. this is a reference to the miraculous items that accompanied the Jewish people in the wilderness and sustained and protected them:

      1. The well,

      2. the pillar of cloud (עמוד ענן),

      3. and the manna.

3. “And as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth”;

   1. these are the first fruits (בכורים) that are brought to the Temple.

4. “And its clusters brought forth ripe grapes”;

   1. these are the wine libations.

R’ Yirmeya bar Abba - “Vine” = Israel; “3 branches” = 3 pilgrimage festivals; “blossoms” = time to multiply/ be redeemed; “ripe clusters” = Egypt’s punishment - Gen 40:10–11; Ps 80:9; Ex 1:7; Isa 63:3

רבי ירמיה בר אבא אמר:

1. "גפן" --

   1. אלו ישראל

   2. וכן הוא אומר (תהלים פ, ט): "גפן ממצרים תסיע"

2. "שלשה שריגים" --

   1. אלו שלשה רגלים, שישראל עולין בהן בכל שנה ושנה

3. "והיא כפורחת עלתה נצה" --

   1. הגיע זמנן של ישראל לפרות ולרבות

   2. וכן הוא אומר (שמות א, ז): "ובני ישראל פרו וישרצו"

4. "עלתה נצה" --

   1. הגיע זמנן של ישראל ליגאל

   2. וכן הוא אומר (ישעיהו סג, ג): "ויז נצחם על בגדי, וכל מלבושי אגאלתי"

5. "הבשילו אשכלותיה ענבים" --

   1. הגיע זמנה של מצרים לשתות כוס התרעלה.

R' Yirmeya bar Abba says:

1. “Vine”;

   1. this is a reference to the Jewish people,

   2. and similarly another verse states: “You plucked up a vine out of Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it” (Psalms 80:9).

2. “Three branches”;

   1. these are the three pilgrimage Festivals (רגלים), on which the Jewish people ascend to Jerusalem every year.

3. “And as it was budding, its blossoms shot forth,”

   1. means that the time has arrived for the Jewish people to “be fruitful and multiply” (לפרות ולרבות),

   2. and similarly another verse states: “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and became exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7).

4. “Its blossoms [nitzah] shot forth”

   1. means that the time has arrived for the Jewish people to be redeemed.¹

   2. And similarly another verse states: “And their eternity [nitzḥam] is dashed against My garments, and I have redeemed all My raiment” (Isaiah 63:3).

5. “And its clusters brought forth ripe grapes”

   1. means that the time has arrived for Egypt to drink the cup of fury, i.e., to receive its punishment.

Rava (on Egypt’s “3 cups”) - The 3 cups signify Egypt’s 3 punishments: in Moses’ time, under Pharaoh Necho, and in the (messianic) future with all non-Jewish nations - Gen 40:11

והיינו דאמר רבא:

שלשה כוסות האמורות במצרים למה?

1. אחד

   1. ששתה בימי משה

2. ואחד

   1. ששתה בימי פרעה נכה

3. ואחד

   1. שעתידה לשתות עם כל העובדי כוכבים.

And this is as Rava said:

Why are there three cups stated with regard to Egypt in the dream of Pharaoh’s butler (see Genesis 40:11)?

They are an allusion to three cups of misfortune that would later befall Egypt:

1. One

   1. that Egypt drank in the days of Moses during the ten plagues and the Exodus;

2. one

   1. that Egypt drank in the days of Pharaoh Nekho, the king of Egypt defeated by Nebuchadnezzar;

3. and one

   1. that Egypt will drink in the future with all the other nations, when they are punished in the time of the Messiah.

אמר ליה רבי אבא לרבי ירמיה בר אבא:

כי דריש להו רב להני קראי באגדתא --

כוותך דריש להו.

R' Abba said to R' Yirmeya bar Abba:

When Rav interpreted these verses homiletically --

he interpreted them according to the way in which you have interpreted them, and not according to any of the other opinions cited above.

R’ Shimon b. Lakish - Israel is like a vine: householders = branches, scholars = clusters, commoners = leaves, “empty ones” = tendrils

אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש:

אומה זו כגפן נמשלה

1. זמורות שבה --

   1. אלו בעלי בתים

2. אשכולות שבה --

   1. אלו תלמידי חכמים

3. עלין שבה --

   1. אלו עמי הארץ

4. קנוקנות שבה --

   1. אלו ריקנים שבישראל.

Similar to R' Yirmeya bar Abba’s interpretation of the word vine as an allusion to the Jewish people, R' Shimon ben Lakish says:

This nation is likened to a grape plant (גפן):

1. The branches (זמורות) of the vine support the clusters of grapes, the leaves, and the tendrils;

   1. these are represented among the Jewish people by the homeowners, who provide financial support for the entire nation.

2. The clusters of grapes on the vine,

   1. these are the Torah scholars.

3. The leaves on the vine, which protect the grapes,

   1. these are the am ha’aretz, who protect the Torah scholars.

4. The tendrils (קנוקנות) of the vine, which do not directly serve the grapes themselves,

   1. these are the empty² ones of the Jewish people.

“Clusters” (=scholars) should pray for “leaves” (=commoners)

והיינו דשלחו מתם:

ליבעי רחמים איתכליא על עליא

דאילמלא עליא --

לא מתקיימין איתכליא.

And this is the meaning of the instruction that they sent from there, i.e., from Eretz Yisrael:

Let the “clusters” (=scholars) pray for the “leaves” (=commoners),

as were it not for the “leaves” --

the “clusters” would not survive

Typological Interpretations of Hosea 3:2

Chullin.92a.17-20

(הושע ג, ב) "ואכרה לי בחמשה עשר כסף"

§ The Talmud cites homiletical interpretations of other verses that pertain to the leaders of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael and Babylonia.

The verse states: “So I bought her [va’ekereha] to me for 15 pieces of silver, and a ḥomer of barley, and a half-ḥomer of barley” (Hosea 3:2).

‘Kira’ - R’ Yoḥanan citing R’ Shimon b. Yehotzadak -‘kira’ = sale

א"ר יוחנן, משום ר' שמעון בן יהוצדק:

אין “כירה” אלא לשון מכירה

שנאמר (בראשית נ, ה):

"בקברי אשר כריתי לי"

R' Yoḥanan says in the name of R' Shimon ben Yehotzadak:

The term kira, which forms the basis of the verb va’ekkereha, is nothing other than language referring to a sale [mekhira],

as it is stated that Joseph said:

“My father made me swear, saying: Lo, I die; in my grave that I have acquired [kariti] for me in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me” (Genesis 50:5).

“15 silver” = 15 Nisan

"בחמשה עשר" --

זה ט"ו בניסן

שבו נגאלו ישראל ממצרים

R' Yoḥanan continues:

“For 15 pieces of silver” --

this is a reference to the 15th of Nisan,

the date on which the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt.³

“Silver” = righteous - Proverbs 7:20

"כסף" --

אלו צדיקים

וכן הוא אומר (משלי ז, כ):

"צרור הכסף לקח בידו"

“Silver” --

these are the righteous people.

And similarly, another verse states:

“He has taken the bag of silver with him” (Proverbs 7:20), a reference to God taking the righteous away prior to the destruction of the First Temple (see Sanhedrin 96b).

“So I bought her for 15 silver and a ḥomer + half-ḥomer of barley” - the 45 righteous individuals in whose merit the world continues to exist

"חומר שעורים

ולתך שעורים" --

אלו מ"ה צדיקים שהעולם מתקיים בהם

The verse states: “A ḥomer of barley,

and a half-ḥomer of barley.”

A ḥomer equals 30 se’a, and a half-ḥomer equals 15 se’a, totaling 45 se’a;

these are the 45 righteous individuals in whose merit the world continues to exist.

ואיני יודע אם

• שלשים כאן

• וט"ו בארץ ישראל

ואם

• שלשים בארץ ישראל

• וט"ו כאן

And although the verse alludes to the fact that 30 of these righteous individuals are in one place and 15 are elsewhere, I do not know if

• 30 are here in Babylonia

• and 15 are in Eretz Yisrael,

or if the reverse:

• 30 are in Eretz Yisrael

• and 15 are here in Babylonia.

כשהוא אומר (זכריה יא, יג):

"ואקחה שלשים הכסף

ואשליך אותו בית ה' אל היוצר"

הוי אומר:

• שלשים בארץ ישראל

• וט"ו כאן.

When it says in a different verse:

“And I took the 30 pieces of silver

and cast them into the treasury, in the house of YHWH” (Zechariah 11:13),

you must say that it’s the second option:

• 30 of the righteous individuals are in Eretz Yisrael

• and 15 are here in Babylonia.

Abaye - Most of the 15 in Bavel are found in the synagogue “under the upper room” - Zech 11:12

אמר אביי:

ורובייהו משתכחי בבי כנישתא דתותי אפתא

Abaye said:

And most of the 15 righteous individuals in Babylonia are found in the synagogue under the upper room (תותי אפתא).

Typological Interpretations of “Thirty” in Zechariah 11:12

Chullin.92a.20-92b.1

והיינו דכתיב (זכריה יא, יב):

"ואומר אליהם:

אם טוב בעיניכם --

הבו שכרי

ואם לא --

חדלו

וישקלו את שכרי שלשים כסף.

And this is the meaning of that which is written:

“And I said to them:

If it is good in your eyes --

give me my hire;

and if not --

refrain.

And they weighed for my hire 30 pieces of silver” (Zechariah 11:12).

R’ Yehuda - “Thirty” = 30 non-Jewish righteous, by whose merit the non-Jews endure

רבי יהודה אומר:

אלו שלשים צדיקי אומות העולם

שאומות העולם מתקיימים עליהם

R' Yehuda says:

These are the 30 righteous individuals among the non-Jews

in whose merit the non-Jews continue to exist.

Ulla - “Thirty” = 30 Noahide mitzvot accepted by non-Jews; however, in practice, they keep only 3

עולא אמר:

אלו שלשים מצות שקבלו עליהם בני נח

ואין מקיימין אלא שלשה

Ulla says:

These are the 30 mitzvot that the descendants of Noah initially accepted upon themselves;⁴

but they fulfill only three of them.

... Non-Jews keep only 3: no ketubah for male–male union; don’t sell human flesh publicly; honor the Torah

1. אחת

   1. שאין כותבין כתובה לזכרים

2. ואחת

   1. שאין שוקלין בשר המת במקולין

3. ואחת

   1. שמכבדין את התורה

1. One of these three mitzvot is that

   1. they do not write a marriage contract⁵ for a wedding between two males; although they violate the prohibition against engaging in homosexuality, they are not so brazen as to write a marriage contract as for a regular marriage.

2. And one of the three mitzvot is that

   1. although they are suspected of eating human beings (=cannibalism), they do not weigh the flesh of the dead in butcher shops [be-makulin] and sell it publicly;

3. and one is that

   1. they honor the Torah.

1. ליגאל - i.e. the messianic era.

2. ריקנים - “empty ones”, a common Talmudic idiom for base people seen as worthless; “empty” of value.

3. And is hence the start date of the holiday of Passover, which celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

4. Compare Wikipedia, “Seven Laws of Noah“, section “Talmud“:

The Talmudic sages expanded the concept of universal morality within the Noahide laws and added several other laws beyond the seven listed in the Talmud and Tosefta which are attributed to different rabbis, such as prohibitions against committing incest, cruelty to animals, pairing animals of different species, grafting trees of different kinds, castration, emasculation, homosexuality, pederasty, and sorcery among others, with some of the sages, such as Ulla (=in our sugya), going so far as to [posit] 30 laws.

The Talmud expands the scope of the seven laws to cover about 100 of the 613 mitzvot.

5. כתובה - ketubah.