One in Messiah Congregation
Words of the Sages
some are good, some are bad
but never above Torah
Talmud - Mas. Berachoth 4b
And whosoever transgresses the words of the Sages deserves to die. Why this difference that, in other cases, they do not say he deserves to die, and here they do say he deserves to die? If you wish, I can say because here there is danger of sleep overpowering him. Or, if you wish, I can say because they want to exclude the opinion of those who say that the evening prayer is only voluntary.1 Therefore they teach us that it is obligatory.
Talmud - Mas. Shabbath 12b
How great are the words of the Sages! he exclaimed, who said, One must not read by the light of a lamp. R. Nathan said, He read and did tilt [it], and wrote in his note book, I, Ishmael b. Elisha,
Talmud - Mas. Eiruvin 21b
Raba made the following exposition: What is the purport of the Scriptural text: And, furthermore my son, be admonished: Of making many books etc.?13 My son, be more careful14 in [the observance of] the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Torah, for in the laws of the Torah there are positive and negative precepts;15 but, as to the laws of the Scribes, whoever transgresses any of the enactments of the Scribes incurs the penalty of death . In case you should object: If they are of real value why were they not recorded [in the Torah]? Scripture stated: Of making many books there is no end.13
And much study is a weariness of flesh.13 R. Papa son of R. Aha b. Adda stated in the name of R. Aha b. Ulla: This16 teaches that he who scoffs at the words of the Sages will be condemned to boiling excrements . Raba demurred: Is it written: scoffing? The expression is study!17 Rather this is the exposition: He who studies
Talmud - Mas. Pesachim 40b
R. Huna the son of Rab Judah said in R. Nahman's name in Samuel's name: The halachah is as the words of the Sages . Said R. Nahman b. Isaac to R. Huna the son of Rab Judah:
Talmud - Mas. Chagigah 20a
How great are the words of the Sages, who used to say: If one had the intention to guard a thing, it is clean; if one did not have the intention to guard it, it is unclean. There was another story of
Talmud - Mas. Chagigah 20a
How great are the words of the Sages who used to say: If it is in one's mind to guard a thing it is clean; if it is not in one's mind to guard it, it is unclean.20
Talmud - Mas. Yevamoth 34b
do not discredit the words of the Sages . She thereupon confessed, l had intercourse with a heathen.17
Talmud - Mas. Yevamoth 121a
significant are the words of the Sages who ruled [that if a man fell into] water which has [a visible] end, [his wife] is permitted [to marry again; but if into] water which has no [visible] end, she
Talmud - Mas. Gittin 57a
Whoever mocks at the words of the Sages is punished with boiling hot excrement . Observe the difference between the sinners of Israel and the prophets of the other nations who worship idols. It has been
Talmud - Mas. Kiddushin 50a
it is a religious duty to obey the words of the Sages ! But, said R. Joseph, [it is deduced] from the following: If one betroths a woman and [then] declares, I thought her to be a priest's daughter, whereas she is
Talmud - Mas. Baba Bathra 75a
sneering at the words of the Sages! He set his eyes on him and [the student] turned into a heap of bones.32
Talmud - Mas. Baba Bathra 128a
I will give it to you14 and [that] the halachah is in accordance with the words of the Sages.
Talmud - Mas. Sanhedrin 58b
Resh Lakish also said: A heathen who keeps a day of rest, deserves death, for it is written, And a day and a night they shall not rest,36 and a master has said: Their prohibition is their death sentence.37
Rabina said: Even if he rested on a Monday. Now why is this not included in the seven Noachian laws? Only negative injunctions are enumerated, not positive ones.38
He who transgresses the words of the Sages deserves death. Ber. 6b.]
Talmud - Mas. Sanhedrin 100a
You deride the words of the Sages! He set his eyes upon him, and he turned in to a heap of bones.13
Talmud - Mas. Horayoth 2b
of obeying the words of the Sages. THIS IS THE GENERAL RULE: HE WHO IS [IN A POSITION] TO RELY UPON HIMSELF IS SUBJECT TO A PENALTY. What does this include? It includes one who usually
Talmud - Mas. Chullin 106a
Abaye answered: It is a meritorious act to to hearken to the words of the Sages. Raba answered: It is a meritorious act to hearken to the words of R. Eleazar b. Arach. [For It was taught:] It is written: And whomsoever he that hath the issue7
Midrash Rabbah - Numbers XIV:4
Num. 577
Torah the lulab is obligatory only on the first day of the festival, since it says, And ye shall take you on the first day, etc. (Lev. XXIII, 40), but that on all the remaining days the obligation has only the force of Rabbinic authority.l R. Simeon b. Halafta in the name of R. Aha said that R. Joshua actually held the same view as R. Johanan, and the reason why he acted differently was because it is written, The words of the wise are as goads... They are given from one shepherd; that is, the words of the Torah and the words of the Sages have been given from the same shepherd.2 And more than of them, my son, be careful3; of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh (Eccl. XII, 12). And more than of them, my son, be careful, means: More than of the words of the Torah be careful of the words of the Scribes.
In the same strain it says, For thy beloved ones are better than wine (S.S. I, 2), which means: The words of the beloved ones4 are better than the wine of the Torah.
Why? Because one cannot give a proper decision from the words of the Torah, since the Torah is shut up5 and consists entirely of headings; as may be inferred from the text, And teach thou it the children of Israel; put it (simah) in their mouths (Deut. XXXI, 19), which means, it is ' headings (simanim) in their mouths.6 From the words of the Sages, however, one can derive the proper law, because they explain the Torah. And the reason why the words of the Sages are compared to goads (darbanoth) is because they cause understanding to dwell (medayerin binah) in men. Another exposition of the text, And more than of them, my son, be careful. R. Abba of Serungaya7 said: If one should ask you why the words of the Scribes were not given in a written form in the same way as the words of the Torah were, tell him that it was because it is impossible to write down all their words.