Study Yoma folio 10A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
The Talmud explains: Although God will enlarge Japheth, referring to the Persians, who descended from Japheth and who assisted in constructing the Second Temple, the Shekhina rests only in the tents of Shem, in the First Temple, which was built by King Solomon without the patronage of a foreign po
§ The Talmud asks: From where do we derive that the Persians descend from Japheth? The Talmud answers: As it is written: “The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tuval and Meshech and Tiras” (Genesis 10:2). The Talmud explains: Gomer, that is Germamya; Magog, that is Kandiy
The list of nations continues: “And Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca” (Genesis 10:7). Rav Yosef taught: These are the inner Sakistan and the outer Sakistan. Between one and the other there was a distance of 100 parasangs, and the circumference of the land was 1,000 parasangs.
The Talmud continues interpreting the verses. It is stated: “And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar” (Genesis 10:10). Babel in accordance with its plain meaning, Babylonia; Erech, that is the city known then as Orikhut; and Accad, that i
The Torah continues: “Out of that land went forth Asshur” (Genesis 10:11). Rav Yosef taught: Asshur, that is Silek, meaning that is the region where the town Silkiya was built. “And built Nineveh and Rehoboth-ir and Calah” (Genesis 10:11). Nineveh, in accordance with its plain meaning; Rehovoth-ir,