Rabbi Kook

Two talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars) who discuss together matters of Halacha in a calm manner, Hashem listens to them, as it says: “Then the fearers of Hashem had speech (nidberu) one with his friend, and Hashem listened and heard” (Malachi 3:16). “Dibur” refers to calmness, as the pasuk says “He will remove the resistance of nations beneath you” (Tehillim 47:4).

That which it says, “Long life in its (the Torah’s) right; in its left, riches and honor” (Mishlei 3:16) … Those who go to the right (go about Torah the correct way) have long life and certainly they have riches and honor. Those who go to the left have riches and honor but not long life.

[We continue with the gemara’s homiletical analysis of a pasuk in Tehillim (45:5). The simple context of the pasuk is in praising the king. The close-to-literal translation of the very poetic pasuk is: “Your grandeur (vahadarcha) you shall succeed and ride on the matter of truth, humility, and justice, and your right hand shall fearsomely shoot arrows.”] When two Torah scholars sharpen each other in matters of Halacha, Hashem will grant them success, as the pasuk says (in a modified manner): “you will sharpen (vachadadcha) and succeed. Furthermore, they will rise to prominence, as the pasuk says, “you shall succeed and ride.” … If they do this they will merit Torah, which was given with the right, as it says “your Torah (likely, a homiletical reading of “v’torcha”) is fearsome with Your right.”

[The gemara homiletically analyzes a pasuk in Tehillim (45:5) that follows the one raised in the previous gemara. The simple context of the pasuk is in praising the king. The close-to-literal translation of the very poetic pasuk is: “Your grandeur (vahadarcha) you shall succeed and ride on the matter of truth, humility, and justice, and your right hand shall fearsomely shoot arrows.”] When two Torah scholars sharpen each other in matters of Halacha, Hashem will grant them success, as the pasuk says in a modified manner: “you will sharpen (vachadadcha) and succeed. Furthermore, they will rise to prominence, as the pasuk says, “you shall succeed and ride.”

[In the previous gemara, Rav Kahana had been involved in a discussion in which he did not think a certain proof from a pasuk was viable because the pasuk was to be taken metaphorically. His partner to the discussion responded that a pasuk is not to be totally removed from its simple meaning.] Rav Kahana said: When I was eighteen years old, I had already learned all of the Talmud [as it existed at the time], but I did not know that a pasuk is not to be totally removed from its simple meaning. What does that statement teach us? That one should first accumulate knowledge and later learn how to analyze it

Why does R. Eliezer say that a sword is an adornment? It is because the pasuk says: “Fasten your sword to your waist; it is your glory and splendor” (Tehillim 45:4). But that is a metaphor for the words of Torah! A pasuk is not to be totally removed from its simple meaning.

Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said: The prophecies of the prophets related only to the times of Mashiach, but in the World to Come, “The eye did not see from another anything like that which Hashem will do for those who wait for Him” (Yeshaya 64:3).

[Last time we saw the opinion that the sword will not be considered of value in the times of Mashiach because there will not even be a potential for conflict.] This opinion argues on Shmuel who said: There is no difference between our times and the times of Mashiach except for the subjugation of Israel by the kingdoms, as the pasuk says: “For the destitute will not cease to exist in the midst of the land” (Devarim 15:11).

Matza is a remembrance of freedom and serves as a reminder that all the ways of Hashem are reliable results that follow the true general nature of the Nation of Israel. True freedom is to develop according to the nation’s internal nature, without allowing the intermingling of foreign elements that disturb matters.

One may not go out [on Shabbat] wearing a sword … Rabbi Eliezer said: They are adornments for him. The Rabbis said that these are negative items, as the pasuk says: “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; a nation will not lift up a sword against a nation, neither will they learn war anymore.” (Yeshaya 2:4) They asked Rabbi Eliezer: If they are adornments, why will arms cease to exist in the times of Mashiach? Because they will not be needed. Let them just be an adornment? It is like a candle in sunlight.