נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ וגו׳״. לֹא כְּאַבְרָהָם שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ: “קוּם הִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ לְאָרְכָּה וגו׳״, וְלֹא כְּיִצְחָק שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ: “כִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת כָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת הָאֵל״, אֶלָּא כְּיַעֲקֹב שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ: “וּפָרַצְתָּ יָמָּה וָקֵדְמָה וְצָפוֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה״.

on the inheritance of Jacob your father, as the mouth of God has spoken” (Isaiah 58:13–14). The reward for delighting in Shabbat is specifically the portion of Jacob. Not that of Abraham, about whom it is written, “Rise, walk through the land through its length and its width because I have given it to you” (Genesis 13:17), i.e., only this land alone in its borders. And not that of Isaac, about whom it is written, “Dwell in this land and I will be with you and I will bless you because I will give all of these lands to you and your offspring” (Genesis 26:3), meaning these lands and no others. Rather, that of Jacob, about whom it is written, “And your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and all of the families of the land will be blessed through you and your offspring” (Genesis 28:14). There are no boundaries for Jacob’s portion.

רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: נִיצּוֹל מִשִּׁעְבּוּד גָּלֻיּוֹת, כְּתִיב הָכָא: “וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: “וְאַתָּה עַל בָּמוֹתֵימוֹ תִדְרוֹךְ״. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: כֹּל הַמְעַנֵּג אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת נוֹתְנִין לוֹ מִשְׁאֲלוֹת לִבּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: “וְהִתְעַנַּג עַל ה׳ וְיִתֵּן לְךָ מִשְׁאֲלוֹת לִבֶּךָ״. עוֹנֶג זֶה אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַהוּ, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: “וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עוֹנֶג״, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר: זֶה עוֹנֶג שַׁבָּת. בַּמֶּה מְעַנְּגוֹ? רַב יְהוּדָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר שֵׁילַת מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב אָמַר: בְּתַבְשִׁיל שֶׁל תְּרָדִין, וְדָגִים גְּדוֹלִים, וְרָאשֵׁי שׁוּמִין. רַב חִיָּיא בַּר אַשִׁי אָמַר רַב: אֲפִילּוּ דָּבָר מוּעָט, וְלִכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת עֲשָׂאוֹ – הֲרֵי זֶה עוֹנֶג. מַאי הִיא? אָמַר רַב פַּפָּא: כָּסָא דְּהַרְסְנָא.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: One who delights in Shabbat is rescued from the oppression of exile. He derives it by means of a verbal analogy. It is written here, with regard to Shabbat: “And I will cause you to ride on the heights [ bamotei ] of the world” (Isaiah 58:14), and it is written there: “You are fortunate Israel, who is like you? A nation redeemed by God, the shield that aids you and the sword of your triumph. Your enemies will try to defeat you and you will trample their high places [ bamoteimo ]” (Deuteronomy 33:29). Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: With regard to anyone who delights in the Shabbat, God grants him his heart’s desires, as it is stated: “And you shall delight in God and He will grant you your heart’s desires” (Psalms 37:4). This delight in God, which is mentioned in the verse, I do not know what it is. When it says: “And you shall call the Shabbat delight,” one must say: It is the delight of Shabbat. The Gemara asks: With what does one delight in the day of Shabbat? Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, said in the name of Rav: With a dish of beets, and large fish, and heads of garlic. Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi said that Rav said: Even with regard to a small item and one prepared it in deference to Shabbat, it is a delight. The Gemara asks: What is the small item mentioned? Rav Pappa said: Small fried fish.

אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כֹּל הַמְשַׁמֵּר שַׁבָּת כְּהִלְכָתוֹ, אֲפִילּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה [כְּדוֹר] אֱנוֹשׁ – מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: “אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יַעֲשֶׂה זֹאת וגו׳ מֵחַלְּלוֹ״, אַל תִּקְרִי ‘מֵחַלְּלוֹ׳ אֶלָּא ‘מָחוּל לוֹ׳.

Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: With regard to anyone who observes Shabbat in accordance with its halakhot , even if he worships idolatry as in the generation of Enosh, God forgives him his sins, as it is stated: “Fortunate is the man [enosh] who does this and the person who holds strong to it, one who guards the Shabbat from desecrating it [ meḥallelo ], and guards his hand from doing any evil” (Isaiah 56:2). Do not read it as: From desecrating it [ meḥallelo ], but rather: He is forgiven [ maḥul lo ]. With regard to the generation of Enosh it is written: “And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh. Then they began [ huḥal ] to call upon the Name of God” (Genesis 4:26), meaning to desecrate [ leḥallel ] His name.

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אִלְמָלֵי שָׁמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שַׁבָּת רִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא שָׁלְטָה בָּהֶן אוּמָּה וְלָשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: “וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יָצְאוּ מִן הָעָם לִלְקוֹט״, וּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: “וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: אִלְמָלֵי מְשַׁמְּרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁתֵּי שַׁבָּתוֹת כְּהִלְכָתָן – מִיָּד נִגְאָלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: “כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ לַסָּרִיסִים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְרוּ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי״, וּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: “וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי וגו׳״.

Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Had the Jewish people properly observed the first Shabbat that was commanded them, no nation or tongue would have ever ruled them, as it is stated: “And it happened on the seventh day, some people went out from the nation to collect and they did not find” (Exodus 16:27). And it is written after they went out to collect manna: “And Amalek came and fought with Israel in Refidim” (Exodus 17:8). Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: If only the Jewish people would keep two Shabbatot in accordance with their halakhot , they would be immediately redeemed, as it is stated: “So said God to the eunuchs who will keep My Shabbatot” (Isaiah 56:4), and it is written after that: “And I will bring them to My holy mountain and will let them rejoice in My house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7).

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מֵאוֹכְלֵי שָׁלֹשׁ סְעוּדּוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִגּוֹמְרֵי הַלֵּל בְּכָל יוֹם. אִינִי?! וְהָאָמַר מָר: הַקּוֹרֵא הַלֵּל בְּכָל יוֹם – הֲרֵי זֶה מְחָרֵף וּמְגַדֵּף! כִּי קָאָמְרִינַן – בִּפְסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָא.

Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who eat three meals on Shabbat. Apropos this statement of Rabbi Yosei, the Gemara cites additional declarations. Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who complete hallel every day. The Gemara is surprised at this: Is that so? Didn’t the Master say: One who reads hallel every day is tantamount to one who curses and blasphemes God. He displays contempt for hallel by not reserving it for days on which miracles occurred. The Gemara answers: When we say this statement of Rabbi Yosei, we are referring to the verses of praise [ pesukei dezimra ], recited during the morning service, not to hallel (Psalms 113–118) recited on special days.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִמִּתְפַּלְלִים עִם דִּמְדּוּמֵי חַמָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִצְוָה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עִם דִּמְדּוּמֵי חַמָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: מַאי קְרָא – “יִירָאוּךָ עִם שָׁמֶשׁ וְלִפְנֵי יָרֵח דּוֹר דּוֹרִים״.

And furthermore, Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who pray the morning and afternoon prayers with the reddening of the sun, i.e., the morning prayer at sunrise and the afternoon prayer adjacent to nightfall. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is a mitzva to pray with the reddening of the sun. Rabbi Zeira said: What verse alludes to this? “They will fear You with the sun and before the moon, generation upon generation” (Psalms 72:5). Fear of God, prayer, should be with the sun and before the moon.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִמֵּתֵי בְּחוֹלִי מֵעַיִים. דְּאָמַר מָר: רוּבָּן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מֵתִים בְּחוֹלִי מֵעַיִים. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִמֵּתֵי בְּדֶרֶךְ מִצְוָה. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִמַּכְנִיסֵי שַׁבָּת בְּטִבֶּרְיָא וּמִמּוֹצִיאֵי שַׁבָּת בְּצִפּוֹרִי. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִמּוֹשִׁיבֵי בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וְלֹא מִמַּעֲמִידֵי בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ.

And Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who die from intestinal disease, as the Master said: Most righteous people die of intestinal disease. It is a very harsh disease through which the sins of righteous people are cleansed before their death and also, as a result, they die with a clean body. And Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who die on the path to perform a mitzva. And Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who accept Shabbat in Tiberias, which is in a valley where day turns to evening earlier, and among those who see Shabbat out in Tzippori, which is located on a mountain top where the sun is visible for longer, and Shabbat ends later. And Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who seat others in the study hall, i.e., who cause others to come sit and study, and not among those who cause others to stand in the study hall, i.e., who announce that it is time to leave the study hall and go to eat.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִגַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה, וְלֹא מִמְּחַלְּקֵי צְדָקָה. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִמִּי שֶׁחוֹשְׁדִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֵין בּוֹ. אָמַר רַב פַּפָּא: לְדִידִי חָשְׁדַן וְלָא הֲוָה בִּי.

And Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among the collectors of charity and not the distributors of charity. One who collects charity collects fixed amounts, whereas distributors may inadvertently fail to give the poor person enough to cover his needs. And Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be with one whom others suspect of sin and there is no basis for suspecting him. Rav Pappa said: They suspected me, and there was no basis for suspecting me.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: חָמֵשׁ בְּעִילוֹת בָּעַלְתִּי, וְנָטַעְתִּי חֲמִשָּׁה אֲרָזִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּמַאן אִינוּן – רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְרַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְרַבִּי אַבְטִילָס בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְרַבִּי מְנַחֵם בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי. וְהָאִיכָּא וַרְדִּימַס! הַיְינוּ וַרְדִּימַס הַיְינוּ מְנַחֵם. וְאַמַּאי קָרֵי לֵיהּ וַרְדִּימַס – שֶׁפָּנָיו דּוֹמִין לְוֶרֶד. לְמֵימְרָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי מִצְוַת עוֹנָה לֹא קִיֵּים?! אֶלָּא אֵימָא: חָמֵשׁ בְּעִילוֹת בָּעַלְתִּי וְשָׁנִיתִי.

Furthermore, Rabbi Yosei said: I engaged in relations five times, and I planted five cedars in Eretz Yisrael. And who are these cedars? The sons of Rabbi Yosei, who were great Sages of Israel: Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Ḥalafta, son of Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Avtilas, son of Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Menaḥem, son of Rabbi Yosei. The Gemara asks: Isn’t there Vardimas, who was also Rabbi Yosei’s son? The Gemara answers: Vardimas is the same as Menaḥem. And why did they call him Vardimas? Because his face was as beautiful as a rose [ vered ]. The Gemara asks: Is that to say based on this statement that Rabbi Yosei did not fulfill the mitzva of his wife’s conjugal rights, but only had relations with her five times? Rather, say it this way: I engaged in relations five times and I did so again, and the Sages said that one who seeks to father male offspring should engage in relations and do so again.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִיָּמַי לֹא קָרִיתִי לְאִשְׁתִּי ‘אִשְׁתִּי׳ וּלְשׁוֹרִי ‘שׁוֹרִי׳, אֶלָּא: לְאִשְׁתִּי “בֵּיתִי״, וּלְשׁוֹרִי “שָׂדִי״.

Furthermore, Rabbi Yosei said that he always spoke euphemistically: In all my days, I did not call my wife, my wife, nor my ox, my ox. Rather, I called my wife, my home, because she is the essence of the home, and my ox, my field, because it is the primary force in the fields.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִיָּמַי לֹא נִסְתַּכַּלְתִּי בְּמִילָה שֶׁלִּי. אִינִי?! וְהָאֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי: מַאי טַעְמָא קָרְאוּ לְךָ “רַבֵּינוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ״? אֲמַר לְהוּ: מִיָּמַי לֹא נִסְתַּכַּלְתִּי בְּמִילָה שֶׁלִּי. בְּרַבִּי מִילְּתָא אַחֲרִיתִי הֲוָה בֵּיהּ – שֶׁלֹּא הִכְנִיס יָדוֹ תַּחַת אַבְנֵטוֹ. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִיָּמַי לֹא רָאוּ קוֹרוֹת בֵּיתִי אִימְרֵי חֲלוּקִי.

Rabbi Yosei said: In all my days, due to modesty, I never looked at my circumcision. The Gemara asks: Is that so? Didn’t they say to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: Why did they call you our holy Rabbi? He said to them: It is because in all my days I never looked at my circumcision. If so, why wasn’t Rabbi Yosei also called our holy Rabbi? The Gemara replies: In the case of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, another matter of modesty was present in him, as he did not insert his hand below his belt due to his great modesty. And Rabbi Yosei said: In all my days, the walls of my house never saw the seams of my robe due to modesty, as he would only undress under his bed sheets.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִיָּמַי לֹא עָבַרְתִּי עַל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרַי. יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי שֶׁאֵינִי כֹּהֵן, אִם אוֹמְרִים לִי חֲבֵירַי “עֲלֵה לַדּוּכָן״ – אֲנִי עוֹלֶה. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִיָּמַי לֹא אָמַרְתִּי דָּבָר וְחָזַרְתִּי לַאֲחוֹרַי.

And Rabbi Yosei said: In all my days I never violated the words of my friends. I know about myself that I am not a priest, and nevertheless, if my friends say to me: Go up to the platform with the priests, I go up. And Rabbi Yosei said: In all my days I never said something and then retreated from it.

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: תֵּיתֵי לִי דְּקַיְּימִית שָׁלֹשׁ סְעוּדּוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: תֵּיתֵי לִי דְּקַיְּימִית עִיּוּן תְּפִלָּה. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: תֵּיתֵי לִי דְּלָא סָגֵינָא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת בְּגִילּוּי הָרֹאשׁ. אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: תֵּיתֵי לִי דְּקַיְּימִית מִצְוַת תְּפִילִּין. וְאָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: תֵּיתֵי לִי דְּקַיְּימִית מִצְוַת צִיצִית.

Rav Naḥman said: May I receive my reward because I fulfilled the obligation to eat three meals on Shabbat magnificently. Rav Yehuda said: May I receive my reward because I fulfilled the obligation of consideration during prayer. Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said: May I receive my reward because I never walked four cubits with my head uncovered. Rav Sheshet said: May I receive my reward because I fulfilled the mitzva of phylacteries magnificently. And Rav Naḥman said: May I receive my reward because I fulfilled the mitzva of ritual fringes magnificently.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב יוֹסֵף לְרַב יוֹסֵף בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבָּה: אֲבוּךְ בְּמַאי זָהִיר טְפֵי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּצִיצִית. יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה קָא סָלֵיק בְּדַרְגָּא, אִיפְסִיק לֵיהּ חוּטָא – וְלָא נָחֵית וַאֲתָא כַּמָּה דְּלָא רַמְיֵהּ. וְאָמַר אַבַּיֵי: תֵּיתֵי לִי, דְּכִי חָזֵינָא צוּרְבָא מֵרַבָּנַן דְּשָׁלֵים מַסֶּכְתֵּיהּ

Rav Yosef said to Rav Yosef, son of Rabba: In what area was your father, Rabba, especially vigilant? He said to him: It was in the mitzva of ritual fringes. The Gemara relates: One day he was climbing the stairs when a string from his ritual fringes was severed, and he would not descend until he placed a new string on the garment. And Abaye said: May I receive my reward because when I see a young Torah scholar who has completed a tractate that he studied