承叶三正末句:出埃及记 4:20 虽把妻子也算在骑驴的人里,经文仍用「骑」字,是因着儿女——孩童骑本是常事。
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那是因着他的儿女——孩童骑乘本是常事。
due to his children, as it is standard practice for children to ride.
← 逾越节卷总目·第一章 十四日之夜
这不是译本,是辅读层。中文承载文本本身,并逐句标出哪些是塔木德自己的话、 哪些是 施泰因扎尔茨 补入的解释,以及哪些地方翻译必然有所流失。
谢法利亚 的 威廉·戴维森 版用 <b> 标出塔木德原文,其余为
施泰因扎尔茨 补入。下面的比例是逐句从这个标记算出来的,不是判断。
这一面每读 5 句,只有一句以塔木德自己的话为主。把这件事藏起来, 读者会以为自己读的是塔木德;标出来,他才知道自己站在哪里。
承叶三正末句:出埃及记 4:20 虽把妻子也算在骑驴的人里,经文仍用「骑」字,是因着儿女——孩童骑本是常事。
那是因着他的儿女——孩童骑乘本是常事。
due to his children, as it is standard practice for children to ride.
再难:撒母耳记上 25:20 论亚比该,明说她「骑着驴」下山。革玛拉三答:一说因夜里可怕,妇人本当骑稳;一说不因夜,乃因怕大卫;一说也不因大卫,乃因下山坡陡。
革玛拉再提一难。
The Gemara raises another difficulty.
论到亚比该,经上岂不是写着:「亚比该骑着驴,正下山坡」(撒母耳记上 25:20)?
But isn’t it written with regard to Abigail: “And it was so, as she rode on her donkey and came down by the covert of the mountain” (I Samuel 25:20).
这一节说妇人骑驴,用的正是「骑」字。
This verse employs the language of riding in reference to a woman on a donkey.
革玛拉答:那里是因夜里可怕,妇人本当骑稳,不只是坐在驴上。
The Gemara answers: There, due to the fear of the night, it is standard practice for a woman to ride and not merely sit on the donkey.
你若愿意,也可以这样说:那里不是因夜里可怕才许她照常骑,乃是因怕大卫。
And if you wish, say instead: There is no consideration due to the fear of the night that would explain why she was permitted to ride in the regular manner; rather, there is a consideration due to fear of David.
你若愿意,还可以这样说:也不是因怕大卫,乃是因下山坡陡,骑着才稳。
And if you wish, say instead: There is no consideration due to fear of David either; however, there is a consideration due to the fear of the incline when riding down the mountain.
再问:托拉里岂不也写「不洁净」这个字?可见并非一概避讳。答:凡两说长短相等的,经文取避讳的说法;凡避讳要多费字的,经文便取简省——正合 拉夫胡纳 引 拉夫(一说 拉夫胡纳 引 拉夫 传 拉比梅伊尔)的话:人教门生,总当说得简省。
革玛拉问:可「不洁净」这个字,托拉里岂不是写过么?
The Gemara asks: But isn’t the word impure written in the Torah?
这样看来,托拉并非一概避讳——「不洁净」这个字是常见的。
Apparently, the Torah does not consistently employ euphemisms, and indeed the word impure appears regularly.
其实是这样:凡两说长短相等的地方,经文便取那避讳的说法。
Rather, anywhere that two phrases are equal in length, the verse speaks employing a euphemism.
凡避讳的说法字数更多、非拉长不可的地方,托拉便取简省的说法——正合 拉夫胡纳 引 拉夫 所说的话(也有人说是 拉夫胡纳 引 拉夫 传 拉比梅伊尔 的话):人教门生,总当说得简省。
Anywhere that the words of the euphemism are more numerous, requiring a lengthier description, the Torah speaks employing concise language, in accordance with that which Rav Huna said that Rav said, and some say it was Rav Huna who said that Rav said in the name of Rabbi Meir: A person should always teach his student in a concise manner.
再难:凡长短相等就取体面的说法么?「骑」רוֹכֶבֶת 与「坐」יוֹשֶׁבֶת 各五个字母,经上却仍说「骑」(撒母耳记上 25:20)。答:「骑」那里写作缺拼,没有 瓦夫,比「坐」短一个字母——简省胜过体面。
革玛拉问:凡两说长短相等的地方,经文就一定取那体面的说法么?
The Gemara asks: And anywhere that the phrases are equal in length, does the verse always speak employing dignified language?
希伯来文「骑」רוֹכֶבֶת,写作 雷什、瓦夫、卡弗、贝特、塔夫;「坐」יוֹשֶׁבֶת,写作 尤德、瓦夫、辛、贝特、塔夫——两个字长短原是相等的,经上却仍说「骑」(撒母耳记上 25:20)。
Aren’t the Hebrew words for rides [rokhevet], spelled: Reish, vav, kaf, beit, tav; and sits [yoshevet], spelled: Yod, vav, shin, beit, tav, of equal length, and yet the verse states: Rides (I Samuel 25:20).
革玛拉答:「骑」那个字在那里写作缺拼,没有那个 瓦夫,比「坐」字短了一个字母。
The Gemara answers: The Hebrew word for rides is written without a vav in the defective form, rendering it shorter than the term for sits.
「缺拼」指希伯来文省去标长元音的 瓦夫 的写法;同一个词写不写这个 瓦夫,字母数便差一个。中文接不住这一层,只能照说。
可见简省比体面更要紧。
Brevity takes precedence over dignified language.
一则关乎措辞的事:两个门生在 拉夫 面前坐着,钻一个难处钻得倦了。一个说:这条 哈拉哈 把我们累得像累坏了的「那样东西」——那是避讳「猪」的说法。另一个说:累得像累坏了的羊羔。拉夫 从此不与那说「猪」的门生说话。
革玛拉讲一件关乎措辞的事:有两个门生在 拉夫 面前坐着,钻一个难处钻得倦了。
The Gemara relates an incident involving the use of appropriate language: There were these two students who were sitting before Rav and were weary from studying a complex issue.
其中一个说:我们所钻的这条 哈拉哈,把我们累得像累坏了的 מְסַנְכָן 那样东西——那是避讳「猪」的说法。
One of them said: This halakha we are studying is rendering us as tired as a tired [mesankan] something else, a euphemism for a pig.
מְסַנְכָן 是那门生所用的绕说,英译存其转写而以「那样东西」代之;中文照样存原词、以「那样东西」代之,绕说之为绕说读者可见,那一层遮遮掩掩的语气则接不住。
另一个说:这条 哈拉哈 把我们累得像累坏了的羊羔。
And the other one said: This halakha is rendering us as tired as a tired kid.
拉夫 从此不与那提「猪」的门生说话——说话不择言的,品性上必有亏欠。
Rav would not speak with that student who made reference to a pig, as one who speaks inappropriately is undoubtedly flawed in character.
又一则:两个门生在希列面前坐着,其一是 拉班约哈难·本·撒该(一说是在 拉比犹大·哈纳西 面前,其一是 阿摩拉 拉比约哈难)。同一个问题,一个说「何以摘葡萄须守洁、摘橄榄却不必守洁」,另一个说「何以摘葡萄须守洁、摘橄榄却可在不洁中摘」。先生说:说得洁净的这一个,日后必在以色列中断案。不多几日果然如此。
革玛拉又讲一件:有两个门生在希列面前坐着,其中一个是 拉班约哈难·本·撒该。
The Gemara additionally relates that there were these two students who were sitting before Hillel, and one of them was Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai.
也有人说,他们是坐在 拉比犹大·哈纳西 面前,其中一个是 阿摩拉 拉比约哈难。
And some say they were sitting before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and one of them was the amora Rabbi Yoḥanan.
其中一个问:摘葡萄何以须在洁净的光景里摘、非用洁净的器皿不可,摘橄榄却不必在洁净的光景里摘?
One of them said: Due to what reason need one be careful to harvest grapes in a state of ritual purity, by insisting on the use of pure vessels, and one need not harvest olives in a state of ritual purity?
另一个所问是同一件事,只是措辞不同:摘葡萄何以须在洁净的光景里摘,摘橄榄却可以在不洁的光景里摘?
And the other one said the same point, only he worded it differently: Due to what reason need one harvest grapes in a state of ritual purity, but one may harvest olives in a state of ritual impurity?
他们的先生说:我料定头一个门生——那说得洁净的——日后必在以色列中断案。
Their teacher said: I am certain that this first student, who spoke in a clean manner, will issue halakhic rulings in Israel.
革玛拉补一句:不多几日,他果然在以色列中断起案来。
The Gemara adds: And it was not even a few days later that he issued halakhic rulings in Israel.
又一则:殿里三个祭司分陈设饼,各得一份甚少。一个说我得了豆大一块,一个说我得了橄榄大一块,一个说我得了蜥蜴尾巴那么一条。末一个拿不洁的爬物作比,众人一查他的来历,查出他身世上有一点污。
革玛拉讲一件关乎措辞的事。
The Gemara relates an incident involving the use of appropriate language.
殿里有三个祭司,众祭司分陈设饼,他们三人各分得一份。
There were these three priests in the Temple, each of whom received a portion of the showbread divided among the priests.
祭司既多,各人所得便只一小块。
Since there were many priests, each one received only a small amount.
一个对他们说:我得了豆子那么大一块。
One said to them: I received a bean-sized portion.
一个说:我得了橄榄那么大一块。
And one said: I received an olive-bulk.
一个说:我得了蜥蜴尾巴那么一条。
And one said: I received a portion the size of a lizard’s tail.
末一个拿不洁的爬物打比方,众人便查他的来历,查出他身世上有一点 שֶׁמֶץ(污)。
They investigated the background of the latter priest, who used the imagery of an impure creeping animal, and they found a trace [shemetz] of disqualification in his background.
革玛拉起初以为,查出的是他家世上的毛病,使他不配作祭司。
The Gemara assumes that they found a problem in his lineage that disqualified him from the priesthood.
难:《巴拉伊塔》 不是教过「查祭司家世,查到坛为止」么——上溯到有一位先人曾在坛上献过祭,便不再往上查。既已在坛上供职,家世自无可疑。可这一件里,一位已献过祭的祭司家世竟被疑了。
革玛拉问:一条 《巴拉伊塔》 岂不是教过,查祭司的家世,查到坛就为止么?
The Gemara asks: But wasn’t it taught in a baraita that one does not investigate a priest’s lineage beyond the altar?
法庭查一位祭司的家世,只上溯到查出有一位先人曾在坛上献过祭为止。
When the court investigated the lineage of a priest, they would investigate his ancestry only until they discovered a priest who sacrificed offerings on the altar.
到了那里,便不再往上查。
At that point, they would halt the investigation.
家世可疑的祭司,断不会获准在坛上供职。
A priest of questionable lineage would certainly not have been permitted to serve on the altar.
可在这一件事里,一位已献过祭的祭司,家世竟被疑上了。
However, in this incident the lineage of a priest who had brought offerings was indeed called into question.
革玛拉改读那字:不要读作查出家世上的「污」(שֶׁמֶץ),当读作查出他有「骄横」(שַׁחַץ),因此不配供职。或曰:那一件另当别论——是他自己把自己的家世说坏了。
革玛拉驳回此说:不要说他们查出的是家世上的 שֶׁמֶץ(污)。
The Gemara rejects this contention: Do not say that they found a trace [shemetz] of disqualification, referring to his lineage.
שֶׁמֶץ(污)与 שַׁחַץ(骄横)在希伯来文里只差一个字母,革玛拉正是改读那一字脱难。中文写两个原词以存其别,一字之差读者可见,两词音近之处则接不住。
当说他们查出的是 שַׁחַץ(骄横)这一样不配,他因此才被撤下祭司之职。
Rather, say that they found arrogance [shaḥatz] of disqualification, and for that reason he was disqualified from the priesthood.
你若愿意,也可以这样说:那一件另当别论——是他自己把自己的家世说坏了。
And if you wish, say instead: There it is different, as he cast aspersions upon himself.
凡在殿里供职的祭司,人本都当他家世无碍;这一位却因自己的举止,把自己的家世说坏了。
Although it is generally assumed that any priest who participates in the Temple service is qualified to do so, this priest discredited his own lineage through his conduct.
接查家世一事,讲一则:有个外邦人冒充犹太人上耶路撒冷过节、吃逾越羔羊,回去便夸口说:经上明写「外邦人都不可吃」(出埃及记 12:43)、「未受割礼的都不可吃」(12:48),我却吃了那羔羊里最上等的。
就查祭司家世这件事,革玛拉讲一则:有个外邦人,年年冒称自己是犹太人,上耶路撒冷守节,在那里吃逾越羔羊。
With regard to the investigation of the priestly lineage, the Gemara relates: A certain gentile would ascend on the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, claiming he was Jewish, and eat Paschal lambs in Jerusalem.
回到家便夸口,说自己怎样把犹太人哄过了。
He would then return home and boast about how he had tricked the Jews.
他说:经上写着「逾越节的例是这样:外邦人都不可吃这羊羔」(出埃及记 12:43),又一节说「未受割礼的,都不可吃」(出埃及记 12:48)。
He said: It is written: “This is the statute of the Paschal lamb; no foreigner may eat of it” (Exodus 12:43), and another verse says: “Any uncircumcised man shall not eat of it” (Exodus 12:48).
我却把那羔羊里最上等的都吃了。
And yet, I ate from the finest of the fine portions of the Paschal lamb.
拉比犹大·本·贝特拉 为绝其后患,问他:他们给你吃过肥尾么?那外邦人不知肥尾是要烧在坛上、不入口的,答说没有。拉比犹大·本·贝特拉 便教他下回去了就说「把肥尾给我吃」。次年他果然如此说,同伙便答:肥尾是献给神的。
拉比犹大·本·贝特拉 为绝他再来这一手,问他说:他们给你吃过那羊的肥尾么?
Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira said to him, in an attempt to thwart any repetition of this action: Did they feed you from the fat tail of the lamb?
你真当他们把最上等的给了你?
Do you really think they gave you the finest portion?
那外邦人不知道肥尾是要烧在坛上、不是给人吃的。
The gentile was ignorant of the fact that the fat tail is sacrificed on the altar, not eaten.
那外邦人对他说:不曾。
The gentile said to him: No.
拉比犹大·本·贝特拉 回他说:既是如此,你下回上去,就对他们说:把肥尾给我吃。
Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira replied: If so, when you ascend there next time, say to them: Feed me the fat tail.
次年他上去,便对同伙的人说:把肥尾给我吃。
The next year when he ascended, he said to the other members of the group he joined: Feed me from the fat tail.
他们对他说:肥尾是献给神的。
They said to him: The fat tail is offered up to God.
同伙追问是谁教他的,他赌气答是 拉比犹大·本·贝特拉。众人起疑一查,查出他是外邦人,便杀了他。众人传话给 拉比犹大·本·贝特拉:愿你平安——你人在 尼西宾,网却撒在耶路撒冷。
他们对他说:谁对你说的,教你要这一份?
They said to him: Who said that to you, to ask for that portion?
他赌着气对他们说:是 拉比犹大·本·贝特拉。
He said to them testily: It was Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira.
他们说:我们眼前这是怎么一回事?
They said: What is this incident that has come before us?
拉比犹大·本·贝特拉 岂会叫他吃肥尾?
Could Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira have told him to eat the fat tail?
这事非查个明白不可。
This matter must be investigated further.
他们一查他的来历,查出他是外邦人,就把他杀了。
They investigated his background and found that he was a gentile, and they killed him.
他们传话给 拉比犹大·本·贝特拉 说:愿你平安,拉比犹大·本·贝特拉——你人在 尼西宾,你的网却撒在耶路撒冷。
They sent a message to Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira: Peace unto you, Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira, as you are in Netzivin and your net is spread in Jerusalem.
你虽离耶路撒冷甚远,却叫我们拿住了一个哄骗我们的人。
Despite your distance from Jerusalem, you enabled us to apprehend a person who deceived us.
又一则称许慎言的事:拉夫卡哈纳 病了,众贤打发 拉夫伊迪 的儿子 拉比约书亚 去看。他去时 拉夫卡哈纳 已故,便撕了衣裳、把撕口转到背后,哭着回来。众人问「拉夫卡哈纳 去世了么」,他答:这话不是我说的——经上说「传扬恶言的是愚妄人」(箴言 10:18)。
革玛拉再讲一则,称许那谨慎、不出恶言的人。
The Gemara relates another incident in praise of one who is careful to refrain from improper or negative language.
拉夫卡哈纳 病了,众贤打发 拉夫伊迪 的儿子 拉比约书亚 作使者去看他。
Rav Kahana fell ill, and the Sages sent Rabbi Yehoshua, son of Rav Idi, as their emissary to him.
他们对他说:去看看 拉夫卡哈纳 眼下怎么样了。
They said to him: Go and assess what is Rav Kahana’s condition at present.
拉夫伊迪 的儿子 拉比约书亚 去了,见 拉夫卡哈纳 已经去世。
Rabbi Yehoshua, son of Rav Idi, went and found that Rav Kahana had passed away.
他撕了自己的衣裳,又把衣裳转过来,使那撕口在背后、不叫人一眼看见,一路哭着回来。
He rent his garment and turned his garment around so the tear would be behind him and would not be immediately apparent, and he was crying as he was coming.
他们对他说:拉夫卡哈纳 去世了么?
They said to him: Did Rav Kahana pass away?
他对他们说:这话不是我说的——经上说:「传扬恶言的,是愚妄人」(箴言 10:18)。
He said to them: I did not say that, as the verse states: “And he who utters slander is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18).
这一节是说,作报凶信的人并非好事;人若非把这不幸的消息告诉别人不可,也当说得婉转。
This verse indicates that it is undesirable to be a bearer of bad tidings, and if one must inform others of the unfortunate news, he should do so in an indirect manner.
末一则:哈库克的约哈难 下乡回来,人问麦子长得好么。他不愿直说不好,便答「大麦长得好」。众人讥他:那你去告诉马和驴罢——经上说大麦草料是喂马的(列王纪上 5:8)。革玛拉问:那他当怎么说才好?答:可说「去年的麦子长得好」,或说「今年的扁豆长得好」。
革玛拉接着举洁净言语的例:哈库克的约哈难 下乡去。
The Gemara continues to cite examples of clean language: Yoḥanan from Ḥakuk went to the villages.
回来时,人问他说:麦子长得好么?
When he came, they said to him: Did the wheat crop develop nicely?
他不愿直说麦子长得不好,便对他们说:大麦长得好——余下的让他们自己去想。
Reluctant to say that the wheat crop did not develop nicely, he said to them: The barley crop developed nicely, leaving them to draw their own conclusion.
他们讥他说:那你出去,把大麦的事告诉马和驴罢——经上写着:「大麦和干草,是给马和快马的」(列王纪上 5:8)。
They said to him, mockingly: Go out and inform the horses and donkeys about the barley, as it is written: “Barley and hay for the horses and swift steeds” (I Kings 5:8).
革玛拉问:那么他怎样说,才算把这坏消息说得婉转些?
The Gemara asks: What could he have said to better express the bad news euphemistically?
革玛拉答:他可以说:去年的麦子长得好。
The Gemara answers: He could have said: Last year’s wheat crop developed nicely.
或者说:今年的扁豆长得好——扁豆也是人吃的粮。
Alternatively, he could have said that this year’s crop of lentils, which is also food for people, has developed nicely.