DAF YOMI from a psychological perspective

Mareh Mekomos

for Video Shiur click here to listen:  Psychology of the DAF Shabbos 123

אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: בִּימֵי נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן חֲכַלְיָה נִשְׁנֵית מִשְׁנָה זוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה רָאִיתִי בִיהוּדָה דּוֹרְכִים גִּתּוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת וּמְבִיאִים הָעֲרֵימוֹת״.

Rabbi Ḥanina said: This mishna was taught in the days of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, a period when many stringent decrees were issued with regard to Shabbat prohibitions, as it is written: “In those days I saw in Judea some treading winepresses on Shabbat and bringing in heaps of grain and lading donkeys with them; as also wine, grapes, figs, and all manner of burdens which are brought into Jerusalem on the Shabbat day. I forewarned them on that day when they sold food” (Nehemiah 13:15). Since the people treated the sanctity of Shabbat with disdain, Nehemiah instituted many stringencies with regard to all the halakhot of Shabbat in order to educate the people to observe Shabbat.

This is an interesting piece, Because we see here and unambiguous declaration of how there was a period of time where at least a group of Jews did not fully keep Shabbos. Furthermore later in the same chapter it is clear that they were Jews that were operating stores, and Jews who inter-married.

Often, situations that are described in the actual text are mitigated with midrashic explanations. We need to go no further than the story of Reuven and Bilha or blaming the sin of the Golden Calf on the mixed multitude. However, here the commentaries are silent. It would seem, that Chazal’s historical record and recollection of these violations from that period indicate that indeed these violations occurred simply as described.

BTW, here we see carrying on shabbos and mercantile practices, not explicit in the Torah were already accepted as forbidden, apparently long before Nechemia’s time. Such practices are indicative of an oral tradition of these shabbos rules, and where taken for granted as established.

We are used to hearing about idolatry in ancient Israel, however that is generally attributed to there being an unusually strong desire to commit these sins that we no longer understand.

For example יומא סט, ב

Rav said, and some say it was Rabbi Yoḥanan who said: Woe, woe. It is this, i.e., the evil inclination for idol worship, that destroyed the Temple, and burned its Sanctuary, and murdered all the righteous ones, and caused the Jewish people to be exiled from their land. And it still dances among us, i.e., it still affects us. Didn’t You gave it to us for solely for the purpose of our receiving reward for overcoming it. We do not want it, and we do not want its reward...In response to the indication of divine acceptance, they observed a fast for three days and three nights, and He delivered the evil inclination to them. 

And what we are told about King Menashe in Sanhedrin 102b

One day Rav Ashi ended his lecture just before reaching the matter of the three kings. He said to his students: Tomorrow we will begin the lecture with our colleagues the three kings...Manasseh, king of Judea, came and appeared to him in his dream. Manasseh said to him angrily:...How dare you characterize yourself as our equal?...Manasseh said to him: I will ask you, from where are you required to begin cutting a loaf of bread when reciting the blessing...Rav Ashi said to him: I do not know. Manasseh said to him: Even this, from where you are required to begin cutting a loaf of bread when reciting the blessing:...you did not learn, and yet you call us your colleague? Rav Ashi said to Manasseh: Teach me this halakha and tomorrow I will lecture and cite it in your name during my public lecture delivered on the Festival. Manasseh said to him: One cuts the loaf from where it crusts as a result of baking….Rav Ashi said to him: Since you were so wise, what is the reason you engaged in idol worship? Manasseh said to him: Had you been there at that time, you would have taken and lifted the hem of your cloak and run after me due to the fierce desire to engage in idol worship.

Chronicles II:33:11-13

Menashe Does Teshuva

וַיָּבֵ֨א יְהוָ֜ה עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י הַצָּבָא֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיִּלְכְּד֥וּ אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה בַּחֹחִ֑ים וַיַּֽאַסְרֻ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיּוֹלִיכֻ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽלָה׃

וּכְהָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ חִלָּ֕ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מְאֹ֔ד מִלִּפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו׃

So when it comes to idolatry, we are accustomed to accepting that there was an unusual yetzer hara. However, Shabbos and intermarriage?

We are left with concluding that indeed the exile was too long (for them) and it lead to a genuine degradation in Torah and Mitzvah observance. We could and should find this oddly comforting as we can at least say maybe we aren’t doing so bad in our Galus after all.

If I may suggest, Menashe was hinting to Rav Ashi, that the choicest piece of bread is the crisp and burnt one. He was saying, my generation was closer to the heat and yes we got burned but that made us chosen.

for Video Shiur click here to listen:  Psychology of the DAF Shabbos 123

Photo by Matteo Maretto on Unsplash

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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