Study Avodah Zarah folio 25A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
§ The Talmud cites a series of expositions with regard to what is called the book of Yashar. The verse states: “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Is this not written in the book of Yashar”? (Joshua 10:13). The Talmud asks: What i
The Talmud asks: And where is it alluded to in Genesis that the sun would stand still for Joshua? The verse states in reference to Ephraim, who was Joshua’s ancestor: “And his seed shall become a multitude of nations” (Genesis 48:19). The Talmud asks: When will he become a multitude of nations? He
The Talmud inquires: And how much time elapsed before the sun finally set? R' Yehoshua ben Levi said that it took 24 hours: It traveled across the sky for 6 hours and stood still for 6 hours, and again traveled 6 hours and stood still for 6 hours, so that the entire matter lasted the duration of an
R' Elazar said that it lasted 36 hours: The sun traveled for 6 hours and stood for 12 hours, and again traveled 6 hours and stood for 12 hours, so that the accumulated time of its suspension was that of an entire day. R' Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: 48 hours elapsed before it set. It traveled 6 hours an
There are those who say that these rabbis do not disagree over how much time had elapsed before the sun set. Rather, they disagree with regard to the additional time by which the day was extended. R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: 24 hours were added to that day, because the sun traveled 6 hours and stood