Sifra, Aḥarey Mot, parashah 8, pereq 3 (92d)

Centuries: 3rd CE

Languages: Hebrew

Category: Jewish

Literary Genre: Midrash

Reference: Aḥarey Mot, parashah 8, pereq 3 (92d)

Title: Sifra

Commentary:

This section from the Sifra has a parallel in Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, BeḤodesh (Yitro), parahah 11 (Horovitz-Rabin edition, p. 244). This teaching cites Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakay, perhaps the most prominent sage in the first generation of tannaim who was active in the first century before and after the Great Revolt. This midrash emphasizes the significance of bringing peace, in several spheres: between husband and wife, families, towns, provinces and nations. A number of midrashic units in several rabbinic compositions emphasize the importance of peace and its meaning, using not only the numerous verses that include the word peace – shalom in Hebrew –, but also using words with the same root, sh/l/m, even though their original meaning was not “peace.” Peace was an important element of Roman imperial ideology (see more on this in the commentary for Sifre Numbers 42 [part one] and Sifre Numbers [part two]). Therefore, since this midrash portrays the altar of the Temple as an altar of peace, one may consider Roman altars of peace as a context for such a description (Weinstock, “Pax and the ‘Ara Pacis,’”). Thus, it may be useful to ask whether this text includes a latent dialogue with the notion of Roman peace and whether Roman concepts of peace influenced the rabbinic thinking about shalom (more on these issues in Wilfand, “How Great Is Peace”).

The teaching is based on an argument a fortiori (qal va-ḥomer): it looks at the biblical instructions for the building of the altar in order to teach about the case of a man who establishes peace. Let us start with the altar. The teaching draws on Deuteronomy 27:6, which includes an instruction regarding the stones from which the altar should be built: “[With] whole (shlemot) stones you shall build the altar of the Lord your God” (based on NKJV). The midrash is based on the similarity between the word “whole,” shlemot in Hebrew, and the word shalom, arguing that because these two words have the same root, it means that these stones established peace between Israel and God (cf. Tosefta Peah 4:21, where charity and “acts of loving kindness” [gemilut ḥasadim] also establish peace between Israel and its Father in heaven). The midrash also uses Deuteronomy 27:5, which provides another instruction regarding the stones: “You shall not use an iron tool on them” (based on NKJV), according to which it is prohibited to use iron utensils to process these stones for the altar. The midrash then suggests that this prohibition intends to reward the stones for bringing peace between Israel and God. From this example, and by an argument a fortiori (qal va-ḥomer) the midrash teaches that if stones “that do not see, nor hear nor speak” are protected (it is prohibited to touch them with an iron tool) because they bring peace, even more so concerning a person who brings peace: he or she will be protected. Therefore, the midrash encourages people to bring peace. However, the examples are puzzling, since they not only regard smaller circles of spouses, families and even towns, but also provinces and nations. In Roman imperial ideology, the emperor is presented as bringing peace to the empire. Here, however, it is not clear whom the midrash envisions as making peace between provinces and nations. While one can identify the framework of the Roman empire (towns or cities, provinces and nations), neither Rome and her peace nor the emperor are mentioned. Tosefta Baba Qamma 7:7, brings a parallel, through an anonymous voice, which addresses the bringers of peace:

הרי הוא או' אבנים שלמות תבנה את מזבח י'י אליך אבנים שמטילות שלום והלא דברים קל וחומר ומה אם אבנים שאינן לא רואות ולא ולא שומעות ולא מדברות על שמטילות שלום בין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים אמ' המקום יהיו שלימות לפני בני תורה שהן שלום בעולם על אחת כמה וכמה שיהיו שלימים לפני המקום

“Behold, it (Scripture) says: ‘[With] whole (shlemot) stones you shall build the altar of the Lord your God’ (Deuteronomy 27:6, based on NKJV). Stones that establish peace (shalom). Do not these words [form an] a fortiori (qal va-ḥomer)[argument]? If [concerning] stones that neither see nor hear nor speak, because they establish peace (shalom) between Israel and their Father in heaven, God (ha-Maqom) said: ‘They shall be whole (shlemot) before me,’ [regarding the] sons of Torah, who are peace (shalom) in the world, so much the more so shall they be whole (or safe, shlemim) before God (ha-Maqom).”

For this Tosefta the sons of Torah, who are probably the sages and their students, are those who bring peace. In the paragraph that precedes this passage, Tosefta Baba Qamma 7:6, they function as atonement (kaparah) for the world: “Sons of Torah who are atonement (kaparah) for the world,” but in our tosefta the sages are the peace of the world, or they are bringing peace into it. The idea that the sages influence the state of peace in the world occurs also in the Jerusalem Talmud, Berakhot 9:5, 14d:

אמ' ר' אלעזר בשם ר' חנינא. תלמידי חכמ' מרבים שלום בעולם. מה טעם. "וכל בנייך לימודי י'י ורב שלום בנייך".

“Rabbi Eleazar said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: ‘Torah scholars (sages or students, talmidey ḥakhamim) augment (marbim) peace in the world. On what [biblical] grounds? ‘For all your sons are schooled in the Lord, and great (rav) shall be the peace of your sons’ (Isaiah 54:13).”

While in Roman imperial ideology bringing peace is the responsibility of the emperor, the Jerusalem Talmud (and apparently also the Tosefta) attributes this vital role to the sages whose study of Torah increases peace in the world (about the emperor bringing peace, see Weinstock, “Pax,” p. 49-50). The Sifra, however, does not mention who brings peace, but rather it aims to encourage people to bring peace. While already in the Hebrew Bible one is required to pursue peace: “Seek peace, and pursue it” (Psalms 34:15, verse 14 in NRSV), we see that this requirement is detailed in the Sifra within a Roman framework of cities, provinces and nations, although without mentioning Rome or its claims to bring peace to the world. Moreover, the emphasis on the altar as the altar of peace recalls the altar of peace erected in Rome. It is significant that while numerous Greek and Latin writers praised Rome and the emperor for bringing peace (Wengst, Pax Romana, p. 19-26, but see also p. 52-53 for critique of this peace), it seems that rabbinic texts usually tend to ignore it (the closest reference, which links Roman government to security is Mishnah Avot 3:2).