Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Daf Yomi - Yoma 77 - Notes on Agadata 1

77a-
"Had the coals not cooled off while being transferred from the hands of the Cherub to the hands of Gavriel, no remnant or survivor would be left from the enemies of Israel." The Gemara in Pesachim 118a states that Gavriel is the angel of fire, so it follows that Gavriel should be the one bearing the coals. yet, Gavriel has the Cherub transfer the coals to him, allowing them to cool down, and the Jewish People are saved. This transfer reflects the Gemara in Kesubos 5a that states that the Bais HaMikdash is created with two hands, whereas the heavens were created with one hand. The Bais HaMikdash is considered the handiwork of the righteous, so it follows that Gavriel saved the Jewish People from being destroyed in the merit of the righteous, as the Gemara here states earlier that Michael said to HaShem, "Master of the Universe, it is sufficient that the nation be spared for the sake of the good among them."

"They brought in Dubiel, the ministering angel of the Persians." The Gemara in Megillah 11a states that Persia is compared to a דוב, a bear, hence the name דוביאל.

"What is meant by כן יתן לידידו שנא, these are the wives of Torah scholars who lose sleep (מדדות שינה) in this world and merit the World to Come. " We find other instances where the word מדדד is used as a metaphor for toiling in Torah. Regarding Yaakov it is said ותדד שנתי מעיני, and the Bereishis Rabbah states there that Yaakov did not study Torah (משנתי מלשון משנה) while working for Lavan. (There it actually means he was pushed away from Torah). Furthermore, when the Jewish People received the Torah, the Gemara in Shabbos 88b states that the Jewish People moved backwards twelve mil and the angels pushed them forward, as it is said מלכי צבאות ידודון ידודון אל תיקרי ידודון אלא ידדון.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

We have a promise from Hashem that the Jewish people will never be destroyed entirely. Given that, how can we say that Gavriel saved the Jewish people, and were it not for that every Jewish person would have been destroyed? The Artscroll commentary suggests that perhaps Gavriel instead should have followed his orders exactly, but slowly, to give Hashem time to "calm down". Doesn't that completely contradict the notion of Hashem as "absolute justice"? Hashem doesn't "change his mind" the way we do???

Avromi said...

It was actually done slowly - another six years until the churban.
Youre right the way we do, and it has to be understood, but dont forget famous chazal that Hashem wanted to create the world with midas hadin and saw that it wouldnt last so he created with rachamim. One shver midrash doesnt necessarily answer the other, though.