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Mishnah 11 of 41
אִם אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ יְרוּשָׁלָיִם
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NashimSederסדרנָשִׁים
SotahMasechtaמסכתסוטה
9Perekפרקט׳
15Mishnahמשנהט״ו
נושא · Topicיְרִידַת הַדּוֹרוֹת וְסֻלַּם רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בֶּן יָאִירHow spirituality fades through the generations — and Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair's ladder back
Mishnah סוטה ט׳:ט״ו · Sotah 9:15
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבִּי מֵאִיר, בָּטְלוּ מוֹשְׁלֵי מְשָׁלִים.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת בֶּן עַזַּאי, בָּטְלוּ הַשַּׁקְדָּנִים.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת בֶּן זוֹמָא, בָּטְלוּ הַדַּרְשָׁנִים.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, פָּסְקָה טוֹבָה מִן הָעוֹלָם.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, בָּא גוֹבַי וְרַבּוּ צָרוֹת.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה, פָּסַק הָעֹשֶׁר מִן הַחֲכָמִים.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, בָּטַל כְּבוֹד הַתּוֹרָה.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן דּוֹסָא, בָּטְלוּ אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי קַטְנוּתָא, פָּסְקוּ חֲסִידִים. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ קַטְנוּתָא, שֶׁהָיָה קַטְנוּתָן שֶׁל חֲסִידִים.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, בָּטַל זִיו הַחָכְמָה.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן, בָּטַל כְּבוֹד הַתּוֹרָה וּמֵתָה טָהֳרָה וּפְרִישׁוּת.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן פָּאבִי, בָּטַל זִיו הַכְּהֻנָּה.
מִשֶּׁמֵּת רַבִּי, בָּטְלָה עֲנָוָה וְיִרְאַת חֵטְא.
רַבִּי פִנְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר אוֹמֵר, מִשֶּׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, בּוֹשׁוּ חֲבֵרִים וּבְנֵי חוֹרִין, וְחָפוּ רֹאשָׁם, וְנִדַּלְדְּלוּ אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה, וְגָבְרוּ בַעֲלֵי זְרוֹעַ וּבַעֲלֵי לָשׁוֹן, וְאֵין דּוֹרֵשׁ וְאֵין מְבַקֵּשׁ, וְאֵין שׁוֹאֵל,
עַל מִי לָנוּ לְהִשָּׁעֵן, עַל אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַגָּדוֹל אוֹמֵר, מִיּוֹם שֶׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שָׁרוּ חַכִּימַיָּא לְמֶהֱוֵי כְסָפְרַיָּא, וְסָפְרַיָּא כְּחַזָּנָא, וְחַזָּנָא כְּעַמָּא דְאַרְעָא, וְעַמָּא דְאַרְעָא אָזְלָא וְדַלְדְּלָה, וְאֵין מְבַקֵּשׁ,
עַל מִי יֵשׁ לְהִשָּׁעֵן, עַל אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם.
בְּעִקְּבוֹת מְשִׁיחָא חֻצְפָּא יִסְגֵּא, וְיֹקֶר יַאֲמִיר, הַגֶּפֶן תִּתֵּן פִּרְיָהּ וְהַיַּיִן בְּיֹקֶר, וְהַמַּלְכוּת תֵּהָפֵךְ לְמִינוּת, וְאֵין תּוֹכֵחָה, בֵּית וַעַד יִהְיֶה לִזְנוּת, וְהַגָּלִיל יֶחֱרַב, וְהַגַּבְלָן יִשּׁוֹם, וְאַנְשֵׁי הַגְּבוּל יְסוֹבְבוּ מֵעִיר לְעִיר וְלֹא יְחוֹנָּנוּ, וְחָכְמַת סוֹפְרִים תִּסְרַח, וְיִרְאֵי חֵטְא יִמָּאֲסוּ, וְהָאֱמֶת תְּהֵא נֶעְדֶּרֶת. נְעָרִים פְּנֵי זְקֵנִים יַלְבִּינוּ, זְקֵנִים יַעַמְדוּ מִפְּנֵי קְטַנִּים.
(מיכה ז) בֵּן מְנַבֵּל אָב, בַּת קָמָה בְאִמָּהּ, כַּלָּה בַּחֲמֹתָהּ, אֹיְבֵי אִישׁ אַנְשֵׁי בֵיתוֹ.
פְּנֵי הַדּוֹר כִּפְנֵי הַכֶּלֶב, הַבֵּן אֵינוֹ מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מֵאָבִיו.
וְעַל מִי יֵשׁ לָנוּ לְהִשָּׁעֵן, עַל אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם.
רַבִּי פִנְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר אוֹמֵר,
זְרִיזוּת מְבִיאָה לִידֵי נְקִיּוּת,
וּנְקִיּוּת מְבִיאָה לִידֵי טָהֳרָה,
וְטָהֳרָה מְבִיאָה לִידֵי פְרִישׁוּת,
וּפְרִישׁוּת מְבִיאָה לִידֵי קְדֻשָּׁה,
וּקְדֻשָּׁה מְבִיאָה לִידֵי עֲנָוָה,
וַעֲנָוָה מְבִיאָה לִידֵי יִרְאַת חֵטְא,
וְיִרְאַת חֵטְא מְבִיאָה לִידֵי חֲסִידוּת,
וַחֲסִידוּת מְבִיאָה לִידֵי רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ,
וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מְבִיאָה לִידֵי תְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים,
וּתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים בָּא עַל יְדֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב, אָמֵן.
When Rabbi Meir died, fashioners of parables ceased.
When Ben Azzai died, diligent students ceased.
When Ben Zoma died, expositors ceased.
When Rabbi Yehoshua died, good ceased from the world.
When Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel died, locusts came and troubles multiplied.
When Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah died, wealth ceased from the sages.
When Rabbi Akiva died, the honor of Torah ceased.
When Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa died, men of deeds ceased.
When Rabbi Yossi Katnusa died, the chasidim ceased; and why was he called Katnusa? — because he was the smallest of the chasidim.
When Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai died, the radiance of wisdom ceased.
When Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, the honor of Torah ceased; and purity and abstinence died.
When Rabbi Yishmael ben Pavi died, the radiance of priesthood ceased.
When Rebbi died, humility and fear of sin ceased.
Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair says: when the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, chaveirim and benei chorin were shamed and covered their heads; the anshei maaseh were weakened; the baalei zroa and baalei lashon prevailed; there is none who expounds, none who inquires, none who asks —
on whom can we rely? On our Father in Heaven.
Rabbi Eliezer Hagadol says: from the day the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, the sages began to be like scribes, and scribes like chazana, and chazana like the amma d'ara, and the amma d'ara grew weak; and there is none who inquires —
on whom is there to rely? On our Father in Heaven.
In the footsteps of Mashiach (Ikvasa d'Meshicha), brazenness will increase, and prices will soar; the vine will yield its fruit but wine will be costly; the government will turn to heresy, and there will be no rebuke; the house of assembly will become a place of harlotry; the Galil will be destroyed and the Gavlan desolate; the people of the border will wander from city to city without finding favor; the wisdom of scribes will spoil, and those who fear sin will be despised; truth will be absent. Youths will shame the faces of the elders, and elders will rise before the young.
(Michah 7:6) "A son disgraces his father; a daughter rises against her mother; a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house."
The face of the generation is like the face of a dog; a son does not feel shame before his father.
And on whom is there to rely? On our Father in Heaven.
Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair says:
Zerizus brings to nekiyus,
and nekiyus brings to taharah,
and taharah brings to perishus,
and perishus brings to kedushah,
and kedushah brings to anavah,
and anavah brings to yiras chet,
and yiras chet brings to chasidus,
and chasidus brings to ruach hakodesh,
and ruach hakodesh brings to techiyas hameisim,
and techiyas hameisim will come through Eliyahu, zachur la-tov. Amen.
case/objectrestrictive rulingTannapasuk/proof text
Transcript
Summary Chart
How spirituality fades through the generations — and Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair's ladder back▾
CaseRulingReason
Which qualities ended with each sage's death?Thirteen tannaim, from Rabbi Meir to Rebbi — each death closing one quality (parables, diligence, expounding, goodness, wealth, honor of Torah, men of deeds, chasidim, radiance of wisdom, purity and abstinence, radiance of priesthood, humility and yiras chet)—
What were the social effects after the Churban?Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair: Chaveirim and benei chorin shamed; men of deeds weakened; the forceful and the slanderers prevail; none expounds, inquires, or asks—
How did status erode from the day of the Churban?Rabbi Eliezer Hagadol: Sages → scribes → chazanim → amma d'ara → decline—
What marks the footsteps of Mashiach (ikvasa d'Meshicha)?Brazenness rises; prices soar; government turns to heresy; no rebuke; family bonds invert; the face of the generation is like that of a dogMichah 7:6
How does one ascend back?Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair: zerizus → nekiyus → taharah → perishus → kedushah → anavah → yiras chet → chasidus → ruach hakodesh → techiyas hameisim → Eliyahu—
All Meforshim
Mishnah Insights
A chain of loss, and a ladder back to life▾
עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב
R' Pinchas ben Yair · Dor 5 · Usha — רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר

The mishnah gives his words; here is the man. He was a byword for chassidus and scruple — the Gemara (Chullin 7a) tells that even his donkey refused untithed produce — and stood close to the circle of Rashbi. Fitting that the ladder of ascending midos, and the masechta itself, close in his name.

Why the mishnah says ‘died’

The mishnah varies its verbs: some virtues pasak (ceased), some batlah (were nullified), and purity and perishus mesa (died). Tosafos Yom Tov puzzles over the odd word ‘died.’ Lechem Shamayim and the Rashash read it as the gentlest of the three, not the harshest: bitul uproots a thing as if it never was, but misa is only a stoppage for a time — ki hameisim l'hachayos, for the dead are destined to live again. The thing is weakened, not erased, and waits to be revived. (Hon Ashir reads the sequence the other way, as deepening loss.) On the darkest page of the masechta, the word for death carries the seed of return.

The threefold refrain

Beneath the gloom, listen for the spine. Three times the mishnah sketches a total collapse — the faithful shamed, the Torah world stepped down, the heel of Mashiach — and three times it lands on the same words: al mi yesh lanu l'hisha'en, al Avinu shebashamayim. A threefold repetition is a familiar way Chazal drive a point home; here it insists that however far the descent runs, the anchor never changes.

The meforshim give the names faces

The mishnah's litany — ‘when Rabbi so-and-so died, such-and-such ceased’ — runs as a bare list of names. The meforshim restore the faces. R' Meir, master of the mashal, divided each shiur in three: a third halacha, a third aggadah, a third parable (Sanhedrin 38b). Ben Azzai, the shakdan, never married — ‘my soul is in love with Torah’ (Yevamos 63b). And Rambam reads ‘the honor of Torah ceased’ through one detail: in Rabban Gamliel the Elder's day Torah was learned standing; after him, bodies weakened and learning sat down.

עוֹלָמוֹ שֶׁל הַמִּשְׁנָה
Yishmael ben Piavi and the splendor of the kehunah

The mishnah's line — ‘when Yishmael ben Piavi died, the splendor of the priesthood, ziv hakehunah, ceased’ — names a real person. Mishnat Eretz Yisrael identifies him as one of the last distinguished Kohanim Gedolim of the Second Temple era; the printed ‘Rabbi Yishmael’ is a slip, since the title ‘Rabbi’ was instituted only later. With his death the mishnah marks not a law that lapsed but a presence that faded — the visible glory the office once carried.

Series Insights
Series context▾
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Sotah 9:13
Taste, smell, and fullness fade
Mishnah 11 of 41
Sotah 9:15
The deepest descent, and the first turn up
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Shekalim 8:8
Which mitzvos end with the Bayis, and which endure

The hinge of the series

This is the series' lowest descent and its first turn upward. After cataloging what the Churban swept away, the mishnah looks straight at the world the destruction produces — and refuses to end in mourning: it names the rungs back up and leaves us leaning on Avinu shebashamayim. From here the series stops counting losses and turns to ask what still stands.

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