The Neshama Yetera

Rebbe Shimon ben Lakish said: Every Erev Shabbat, Hashem gives every person an extra soul, and on Erev Shabbat, He takes it back.  As it says, “Shabbat vayinafash,” (Shmot 31:17) meaning, “After Shabbat, oy, the extra soul (nefesh) is gone.”

(Betza 16a)

The Lamed Vav

Abaye said: the world never has fewer than 36 tzadikim who receive the face of the shechina every day, as it is said: “Happy are those who await Him.”  (Yishayahu 30:18)   The numerical value of the word “Him” is 36.

(Sukkah 45b)

Near Wild Heaven

And it was taught in a Braita:

Rebbe Yossi says:

The Divine Presence never descended to Earth, and Moshe and Eliyahu never ascended to Heaven, as it is said: “The Heavens are Hashem’s Heavens, and the Earth He gave to mankind.” (Tehillim 115:16)

Could it be that the Divine Presence never descended to Earth?  But the Torah says, “And Hashem descended on Mount Sinai.”  (Shmot 19:20)

Yes, Hashem did descend on Mount Sinai, but not all the way; He did not descend further than ten tefachim above the Earth.

But it says in Sefer Zecharia, “And His feet will stand on that day ont he Mount of Olives.” (Zecharia 14:4)

Yes, Hashem will stand on the Mount of Olives, but not all the way; He will not descend further than ten tefachim above the Earth.

Could it be that Moshe and Eliyahu did not ascend to Heaven?  But the Torah says, “And Moshe went up to Hashem.” (Shmot 19:3)

Yes, Moshe did ascend to Hashem, but he did not ascend further than ten tefachim below Heaven.

But it says in Sefer Melachim, “Eliyahu ascended in the whirlwind to Heaven.” (Melachim Bet 2:11)

Yes, Eliyahu did ascend in the whirlwind, but he did not ascend further than ten tefachim below Heaven.

But it says in the Book of Iyov: “He allows him to grasp the face of His throne, He spreads upon him His cloud.” (Iyov 26:9)  And Rebbe Tanchum said: This teaches us that Hashem spread some of His Divine Presence, and His cloud, over Moshe.

Yes, Moshe did ascend to Hashem, but he did not ascend further than ten tefachim below Heaven.

But it says, “to grasp the face of His throne”.  If Moshe was ten tefachim below Heaven, how did he reach Hashem’s throne?

Moshe did not ascend further than ten tefachim below Heaven, but Hashem lowered His throne so that Moshe could reach it.

(Sukkah 5a)

Break Stuff

Abaye said: “I learned from my mother the different things that a growing child needs at each stage of his development.”

“At first, he needs to take warm baths and to get oil massages.”

“When he gets older, he needs to eat eggs with kutach (a dipping sauce made with sour milk, moldy bread crust and salt).”

“When he gets older, he needs to break stuff.”

Based on this teaching, Rabbah would buy fragile utensils for his sons, and they would break them.

(Yoma 78b)

Miracles Happen

There once was a man whose wife passed away when their son was still nursing.  The man did not have enough money to hire a wet nurse, so a miracle was performed for him.  His breasts opened up like a woman's breasts and he nursed the boy by himself.

Rav Yosef said: He must have been a great man, if such a miracle was performed for him.

Abaye replied: On the contrary, he must have been a very unworthy man, because the natural order was changed for him.

Rav Yehuda said: This just goes to show how difficult parnassa can be, that the natural order had to be changed for this man.

Rav Nachman said: Miracles happen, but food is never spontaneously generated.

(Shabbat 53b)

Mazal Tov

Rabban Gamliel said: In the future, women will have a new baby every day, as Yirmiyahu says: “She will conceive and give birth at the same time.” (Yirmiyahu 31:7)

(Shabbat 30b)

Would you Like a Cup of Wine?

One day, a man approached Rebbe and said: “Your wife is my wife, and your children are my children.”

Rebbe said: “Would you like a cup of wine?”

The man drank the wine, and then he exploded.

One day, a man approached Rebbe Chiya and said: “Your mother is my wife, and you are my son.”

Rebbe Chiya said: “Would you like a cup of wine?”

The man drank the wine, and then he exploded.

(Shabbat 30b)