Shekalim Daf 9 שקלים דַף 9

Rebbe Simon said in the name of Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi that it once happened that a mule of Rebbe’s household died and they ruled that its blood is not tamei on account of neveilah.  Rebbe Elazar asked Rebbe Simon, until what amount of blood did they rule it is tahor? Rebbe Elazar wanted to know if the blood is treated like the flesh of a neveilah and becomes tamei if it has a minimum measure, or if it is treated like the non-flesh parts of the carcass, such as the hide, bones, sinews, horns and hooves, which do not transmit tumah and are tahor. Rebbe Simon paid no attention to him and did not respond. Rebbe Elazar then asked Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi himself and he replied that they ruled, עד רביעית טהור יותר מרביעית טמא – up to a reviis of blood is tahor, but more than a reviis is tamei. It was upsetting to Rebbe Elazar that Rebbe Simon did not respond to him.

The Gemara brings the well known Baraisa of Rebbe Pinchus ben Yair, regarding the path one must take to ascend various levels in their service of Hashem. The Tiklin Chaditin explains that the Baraisa is introduced here in context of the Mishnah on Daf 8 that taught that one must remain free of even the slightest appearance of sin, and the Mishnah on this Daf that illustrated how Rabban Gamliel and his family were diligent in their giving of the machitzis hashekel so that it would used in the purchase of the communal offerings.

וכן היה רבי פינחס בין יאיר אומר – And so did Rebbe Pinchas ben Yair say, זריזות מביאה לידי נקיות – Diligence brings one to cleanliness from sin, נקיות מביאה לידי טהרה – Cleanliness brings one to purity, טהרה מביאה לידי קדשה – Purity brings one to holiness, קדושה מביאה לידי ענוה – Holiness brings one to humility, ענוה מביאה לידי יראת חטא- Humility brings one to fear of sin, יראת חטא מביאה לידי חסידות – Fear of sin brings one to piety, חסידות מביאה לידי רוח הקודש – Piety brings one to Divine Inspiration, רוח הקודש מביאה לידי תחיית המתים – Divine Inspiration brings one to Resurrection of the Dead, תחיית המתים מביאה לידי אליהו זכור לטוב – Resurrection of the Dead brings the coming of Eliyahu, who is remembered for good. Rebbe Pinchas ben Yair continues with bringing the sources for his teachings.

A Baraisa was taught in the name of Rebbe Meir: כל מי שקבוע בארץ ישראל – Anyone who is a permanent resident in Eretz Yisroel, ומדבר בלשון הקדש – and speaks Hebrew, ואוכל פירותיו בטהרה – and eats his produce in a state of purity, וקורא קריאת שמע בבקר ובערב – and recites Shema in the morning and in the evening, יהא מבושר שבן עולם הבא הוא – it shall be heralded that he is worthy of the World to Come. The Tiklin Chaditin explains that living in Eretz Yisroel is a tikkun for the body. Speaking loshon hakodesh is a tikkun for the ruach, which imparts the power of speech. Eating the produce in a state of taharah elevates the nefesh, which animates the body and provides a person with his bodily functions. Reciting the Shema elevates the neshamah, which represents a person’s intellect .