Pesachim 2B

הא מדקאמר ״ובלילה יהי כגנב״⁠ — אלמא ״אור״ יממא הוא! התם הכי קאמר: אי פשיטא לך מילתא כנהורא דאנפשות קאתי ⁠— רוצח הוא, וניתן להצילו בנפשו. ואי מספקא לך מילתא כליליא ⁠— יהי בעיניך כגנב, ולא ניתן להצילו בנפשו.

From the fact that the end of the verse states: “And in the night he is as a thief,” apparently the word or at the beginning of the verse is a reference to day, as the verse contrasts between night and or. The Talmud rejects this contention. There, this is what the verse is saying: If the matter is as clear to you as light, that the thief has come into the house prepared to take a life, he is a murderer; and the owner of the house may save himself by taking the life of the intruder. In that case, one may protect himself from a thief who breaks into his house, even by killing the intruder if necessary. And if the matter is as unclear to you as the night, he should be nothing more than a thief in your eyes and not a murderer; and therefore one may not save himself by taking the life of the thief. This verse is not referring to actual day and night; rather, it uses these terms as metaphors for certainty and uncertainty.

מיתיבי: ״יחשכו כוכבי נשפו יקו לאור ואין ואל יראה בעפעפי שחר״, מדקאמר ״יקו לאור ואין״ אלמא ״אור״ יממא הוא! התם מילט הוא דקא לייט ליה איוב למזליה, אמר: יהא רעוא דליצפיה הך גברא לנהורא, ולא לישכחיה.

The Talmud raises an objection to the opinion that or means evening: “Let the stars of the twilight be dark; let it look for or but have none; neither let it see the eyelids of the morning” (Job 3:9). From the fact that the verse states: “Let it look for or but have none,” apparently or is day. The Talmud rejects this contention. Actually, it is possible that or, in this context, means light in general, not specifically day. There, Job is cursing his fortune. He said: Let it be His will that this man, referring to himself, will seek light and not find it.