Torah Scholars at the Synagogue

[And for a spirit of justice to him that sits in judgment and for strength to them that turn back the battle to the gate (Isaiah 28:6).] And for a spirit of justice: This [is referring to] one who brings his [evil] inclination to trial [and forces himself to repent]. To him that sits in judgment: This [is referring to] one who judges an absolutely true judgment. And for strength: This [is referring to] one who triumphs over his [evil] inclination. Them that turn back the battle: [This is referring to those] that give and take [in their discussion of halakhah] in the battle of [understanding] the Torah. To the gate: [This is referring to] the Torah scholars who arrive early and stay late [at the darkened gates] of the synagogues and study halls.

Translation adapted from the Noé Edition of the Koren Talmud Bavli.

Notes

Words in brackets appear in the original translation.

Credits

From Koren Talmud Bavli, Noé Edition, trans. Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz (Jerusalem: Koren Publishers Jerusalem, 2019). Accessed via the William Davidson digital edition, sefaria.org. Adapted with permission of Koren Publishers Ltd.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.

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