Study Sotah folio 22B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
And until when is it considered too premature for a scholar to issue halakhic rulings? It is until 40 years. The Talmud asks: Is that so? But didn’t Rabba issue rulings, even though he lived for only 40 years? The Talmud answers: It is permitted for a scholar who has not studied for so long to iss
§ It states in the Mishnah: And those who injure themselves out of false abstinence [perushin] are people who erode the world. A baraita states: There are 7 pseudo-righteous people who erode the world: The righteous of Shechem, the self-flagellating righteous, the bloodletting righteous, the pest
The Talmud explains: The righteous of Shechem [shikhmi]; this is one who performs actions comparable to the action of the people of Shechem, who agreed to circumcise themselves for personal gain (see Genesis, chapter 34); so too, he behaves righteously only in order to be honored. The self-flagella
With regard to the righteous one who says: Tell me what my obligation is and I will perform it, the Talmud asks: Isn’t this virtuous behavior, as he desires to be aware of his obligations? Rather, this is referring to one who says: Tell me what further obligations are incumbent upon me and I will
The baraita also includes in the list of pseudo-righteous people those who are righteous due to love and those who are righteous due to fear, i.e., one who performs mitzvot due to love of their reward or due to fear of punishment. Abaye and Rava said to the tanna who transmitted this baraita: Do no