Study Nedarim folio 32B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
״השטן״ בחושבניה תלת מאה ושיתין וארבעה. ואמר רמי בר אבא: כתיב ״אברם״, וכתיב ״אברהם״. בתחלה המליכו הקדוש ברוך הוא על מאתים וארבעים ושלשה אברים, ולבסוף המליכו על מאתים וארבעים ושמונה אברים,
The letters of the term the Satan [haSatan] in numerical value is 364, which equals the number of days of the year, except for Yom Kippur, during which he has no power. And Rami bar Abba said: It is written “Abram,” and after he was commanded to perform circumcision it is written “Abraham” (Genesis 17:5). Initially God enthroned him as ruler over 243 limbs, which is the numerical equivalent of the letters of the word Abram. And in the end, after he was circumcised, He enthroned him as ruler over 248 limbs, which is the numerical equivalent of the letters of the word Abraham.
אלו הן: שתי עינים, ושתי אזנים, וראש הגוייה.
These are the additional limbs: Two eyes, and two ears, and the tip of the sex organ. Following his circumcision, he had total control over them, and they performed only according to his will.
ואמר רמי בר אבא, מאי דכתיב: ״עיר קטנה ואנשים וגו׳״. ״עיר קטנה״ — זה הגוף, ״ואנשים בה מעט״ — אלו אברים, ״ובא אליה מלך גדול וסבב אתה״ — זה יצר הרע, ״ובנה עליה מצודים וחרמים״ — אלו עונות,
And Rami bar Abba said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “There was a little city and few men in it, and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man” (Ecclesiastes 9:14–15)? “A little city,” this is referring to the body; “and few men in it,” this is referring to the limbs; “and there came a great king against it and besieged it,” this is referring to the evil inclination; “and built great bulwarks against it,” these are sins.