Jerusalem Talmud Yoma 3.9

משנה: וְאֵילּוּ לִגְנַאי שֶׁל בֵּית גַּרְמוּ לֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים. שֶׁל בֵּית אַבְטִינָס לֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטֹרֶת. הוּגְדָּס בֶּן לֵוִי הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ פֶּרֶק בַּשִּׁיר וְלֹא רָצָה לְלַמֵּד. בֶּן קַמְצָר לֹא רָצָה לְלַמֵּד עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַכְּתָב. עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נֶאֱמַר זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה. וְעַל אֵילּוּ נֶאֱמַר וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב:

MISHNAH: But the following are for shame: The family Garmu did not want to teach the preparation of the shew-bread. The family Eutinos did not want to teach about preparation of the incense. Hugdas ben Levi knew a chapter about song and did not want to teach. Ben Qamsar did not want to teach writing technique. About the earlier ones it is said, the remembrance of the just is for blessing, and about those it is said, but the name of evildoers shall rot.

הלכה: וְאֵילּוּ לִגְנַיי. בֵּית גַּרְמוּ. בֵּית גַּרְמוּ הָיוּ בְקִיאִין בְּמַעֲשֶׁה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים וּבְרִדִּיָיתוֹ וְלֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד. שָׁלְחוּ וְהֵבִיאוּ אוּמָנִים מֵאַלֶכְּסַנְדְרִיָּאה. וְהָיוּ בְקִיאִים בְּמַעֲשֶׁה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים. וּבְרִדִּיָיתוֹ לֹא הָיוּ בְקִיאִין. בֶּית גַּרְמוּ הָיוּ מַסִּיקִין מִבִּפְנִים וְרוֹדִין מִבַּחוּץ. וְלֹא הָיְתָה מְעַפֶּשֶׁת. וְאֵילּוּ הָיוּ מַסִּיקִין מִבִּפְנִים וְרוֹדִין מִבִּפְנִים. וְהָיְתָה מְעַפֶּשֶׁת. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּדְעוּ חֲכָמִים בַּדָּבָר אָמְרוּ. כָּל מַה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ בָּרָא. כֹּל פָּעַל יְי לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ. שָׁלְחוּ אַחֲרֵיהֵם וְלֹא רָצוּ לָבוֹא עַד שֶׁכָּפְלוּ לָהֶן שְׂכָרָן. שְׁנֵים עַשָׂר מְנָה הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין וְנָתְנוּ לָהֶן עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר. עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין וְנָתְנוּ לָהֶן אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה. אָמְרוּ לָהֶן. מִפְּנֵי מַה אֵין אַתֶּם רוֹצִין לְלַמֵּד. אָמְרוּ לָהֶן. מְסוֹרֶת הִיא בְיָדֵינוּ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁהַבַּיִת הַזֶּה עָתִיד לִיחָרֵב. שֶׁלֹּא יִלְמְדוּ אֲחֵרִים וְיִהְיוּ עוֹשִׂין כֵּן לִפְנֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶן. בִּדְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ מֻזְכִּירִין אוֹתָן לִשְׁבָח. שֶׁלֹּא יָצָא בְּיַד בְּנֵיהֶם פַּת נְקִיָיה מֵעוֹלָם. שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ אוֹמְרִים. מִמַּעֲשֶׂה לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים הֵן אוֹכְלִין.

HALAKHAH: “The following are for shame: The family Garmu.” “The family Garmu were experts in preparing the shew-bread and its removal from the oven, but they did not want to teach. They sent and brought craftsmen from Alexandria who were experts in preparing the shew-bread but were not experts in its removal from the oven. The family Garmu were heating from within and removing from the outside, and it did not become moldy. But those were heating from the outside and removing from the inside, and it became moldy. When the Sages realized the situation, they said, everything which the Holy One, praise to Him, created, he created to His glory; all work of the Eternal is for Himself. They sent after them, but they refused to come until they doubled their wages. They used to take twelve mina, so they gave them twenty-four. Rebbi Jehudah says, they used to take 24, so they gave them 48. They asked them, why do you not want to teach? They answered them, there is a tradition among us from our forefathers that this Temple will be destroyed in the future. Others should not learn and prepare the same before their foreign worship. In the following matter one mentions them for praise, that in the hands of their children white bread was never found, so people should not say, from the preparation of shew-bread they are eating.”

שֶׁלְבֵּית אַבְטִינָס הָיוּ בְקִיִּין בְמַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטוֹרֶת וּבְמַעֲלֶה עָשָׁן וְלֹא רָצוּ לְלַמֵּד. שָׁלְחוּ וְהֵבִיאוּ אוּמָנִים מֵאַלֶכְּסַנְדְרִיָּאה. וְהָיוּ בְקִיִּין בְמַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטוֹרֶת. וּבְמַעֲלֶה עָשָׁן לֹא הָיוּ בְקִיאִין. שֶׁלְבֵּית אַבְטִינָס הָיְתָה מִתַמֶּרֶת וְעוֹלָה וּפּוֹסָה וְיוֹרֶדֶת. וְשֶׁלְאֵילוּ הָיְתָה פוֹסָה מִיַּד. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּדְעוּ חֲכָמִים בַּדָּבָר אָמְרוּ. כָּל מַה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ בָּרָא. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וגו׳. שָׁלְחוּ אַחֲרֵיהֵן וְלֹא רָצוּ לָבוֹא כול׳ עַד לִפְנֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶן. בִּדְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ מֻזְכִּירִין אוֹתָן לִשְׁבָח. שֱׁלֹּא יָצָאת אִשָּׁה שֶׁלְאֶחָד מֵהֶן מְבושֶׂמֶת מֵעוֹלָם. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא כְשֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶן נוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר הָיָה פוֹסֵק עִמָּהּ שֶׁלֹּא תִתְבַּשֵּׂם.

“The family Eutinos were experts in preparing the incense and the smoke-creating herb, but they did not want to teach. They sent and brought craftsmen from Alexandria who were experts in preparing the incense but were not experts in the smoke-creating herb. The family Eutinos’s was going straight up, and spread, and descended. But theirs was immediately spreading. When the Sages realized the situation, they said, everything which the Holy One, praise to Him, created, he created to His glory; as it is said, all which is called by My Name, etc. They sent after them, but they refused to come, etc., up to “before their foreign worship.” In the following matter one mentions them for praise, that no woman of any of them ever went out perfumed. Not only that, but if one of them married a woman from outside, he contracted with her that she should not use perfume.

אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. מָצָאתִי תִינּוֹק אֶחָד מִבֵּית אַבְטִינָס. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ. בְּנִי. מֵאֵי זוֹ מִשְׁפָּחָה אַתָּה. אָמַר לִי. מִמִּשְׂפַּחַת פְּלוֹנִית. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ. בְּנִי. אֲבוֹתֶיךְ לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְכַּוְונוּ לְרַבּוֹת כְּבוֹדָם וּלְמָעֵט כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם לְפִיכָךְ נִתְמָעֵט כְּבוֹדָם וּכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם נִתְרַבָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי עֲקִיבְה. שָׂח לִי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן (לגס) [לגה]. מְלַקֵּט הָיִיתִי עֲשָׂבִים אֲנִי וְתִינּוֹק אֶחָד שֶׁלְּבֵית אַבְטִינָס. וְרָאִיתִי אוֹתוֹ שֶׁבָּכָה וְרָאִיתִי אוֹתוֹ שֶׁשָּׂחַק. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ. בְּנִי. לָמָּה בָכִיתָה. אָמַר לִי. עַל כְּבוֹד בֵּית אַבָּא שֶׁנִּתְמָעֵט. וְלָמָּה שָׂחַקְתָּה. אָמַר לִי. עַל הַכָּבוֹד הַמְתוּקָּן לַצַּדִּיקִים לְעָתִיד לְבוֹא. הֲרֵי מַעֲלֶה עָשְׁן לְנֶגְדִּי. נוֹמֵיתִי לוֹ. בְּנִי. הַרְאֵהוּ לִי. אָמַר לִי. מְסוֹרֶת בְּיָדִי מֵאֲבוֹתַיי שֶׁלֹּא לְהַרְאוֹתוֹ לְבִירְיָיה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי. פָּגַע בִּי זָקֵן אֶחָד מִשֶּׁלְבֵּית אַבְטִינָס. אָמַר לִי. רִבִּי. לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיוּ בֵית אַבָּא צְנוּעִין וְהָיוּ מוֹסְרִין אֶת הַמְגִילָּה הַזֹּאת אֵילּוּ לָאֵילּוּ. וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁאֵינָן נֶאֱמָנִין הֵילָךְ אֶת הַמְגִילָּה והִיזָּהֵר בָּהּ. וּכְשֶׁבָּאתִי וְהִרְצֵיתִי אֶת הַדְּבָרִים לִפְנֵי רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה זָלְגוּ דְמָעָיו וְאָמַר. מֵעַתָּה אֵין אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְהַזְכִּירָן לִגְנַאי.

Rebbi Yose said, I found a child of the family Eutinos. I said to him, my son, from which family are you? he told me, from family X. I said to him, my son, because your forefathers intended to increase their prestige and to decrease Heaven’s prestige, therefore their prestige was diminished and Heaven’s prestige increased. Rebbi Aqiba said, Simeon ben Lagos told me, I was collecting herbs, I and a youth from the family Eutinos, when I saw him crying and laughing. I said to him, my son, why did you cry? He said to me, about the prestige of my family which is diminished. And why did you laugh? About the glory prepared for the Just in the future world; there is smoke-creating herb before me! I said to him, my son, show it to me. He answered me, I have a tradition from my ancestors not to show it to any creature.’ Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri said, I met an old man from the family Eutinos. He said to me, ‘Rabbi. In the past my family were humble, and transmitting this scroll one to the other. But now they are not trustworthy; here the scroll is yours and take care of it.’ When I came and repeated these words before Rebbi Aqiba, his tears flowed and he said, from now on we do not have to mention them for shame.”

וְכוּלְּהֹן מָצְאוּ מַתְלָא לְדִבְרֵיהֶן חוּץ מִבֶּן קַמְצָר. כַּיי דְתַנִּינָן תַּמָּן.

All found an excuse for their behavior except Ben Qamsar. Also following what we have stated there.

אֵילּוּ הֵן הַמְמוּנִּין שֶׁהָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר. רִבִּי סִימוֹן וְרַבָּנִן. חַד אָמַר. כְּשֵׁירֵי כָּל דּוֹר וָדוֹר בָּא לִמְנוֹת. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר. מִי שֶׁהָיָה בְאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר מָנָה מַה שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ. מָאן דְּאָמַר. כְּשֵׁירֵי כָּל דּוֹר וָדוֹר בָּא לִמְנוֹת. עַל כּוּלָּם הוּא אוֹמֵר. זֵיכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה. מָאן דְּאָמַר. מִי שֶׁהָיָה בְאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר מָנָה מַה שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ. עַל כּוּלָּם הוּא אוֹמֵר. וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב. עַל מִי נֶאֱמַר זֵיכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה. עַל בֶּן קָטִין וַחֲבֵירָיו.

“These are the appointees who were in the Sanctuary.” Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, Rebbi Simon and the rabbis. One said, he comes to enumerate the qualified ones of every generation. But the other said, he who was in a generation enumerated what was in his generation. He who said, he comes to enumerate the qualified ones of every generation, about all of them he says, the remembrance of the just is for blessing. He who said, he who was in a generation enumerated what was in his generation, about all of them he says, but the name of evildoers shall not. About whom was it said, the remembrance of the just is for blessing? About Ben Qatin and his kind.

וְעַל כּוּלָּן הָיָה בֶּן זוֹמְא אוֹמֵר. מִשֶּׁלָּךְ יִתְּנוּ לָךְ. וּבִשְׁמָךְ קוֹרִין אוֹתָךְ. וּבָשִׁבְחָךְ מוֹשִׁיבִין אוֹתָךְ. וְאֵין שִׁכְחָה לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם. וְאֵין אָדָם נוֹגֵעַ בְּמוּכָן לָךְ.

About all of them, Ben Zoma says, from yours they will give you, and by your name they are calling you, and according to your praise they place you, and there is no forgetting before the Omnipresent, and nobody touches what is prepared for you.