Sanhedrin 100 - The Book of Ben Sira

Rabbi Yochanan expounded: "In the future, the Holy One Blessed is He will bring precious stones and pearls that are thirty by thirty amot, will cut out from them openings that are twenty by ten, and will install them to be the gates of Jerusalem." One student mocked him, but once, at sea, this student saw ministering angels who saw precious stones and pearls as Rabbi Yochanan had described. Upon return, he told Rabbi Yochanan, "Keep expounding, for I saw such stones!" Rabbi Yochanan replied, "And if you have not seen it, you would not have believed it?!" he set his eyes on the student and turned into a heap of bones.

One who reads "external books" may lose his share in the World to Come. Some say these are all books not related to the Torah, while others say they are only heretical. Writings such as Homer's are permitted.

There is a similar disagreement about the Book of Ben Sira. Ben Sira was a son of the prophet Jeremiah. Rav Yosef quoted him, "A beautiful wife - fortunate is her husband, the number of his days is doubled" (or at least it seems to him so).

Art: The Jewel Case by Jan Frederik Pieter Portielje

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