Sanhedrin 111A

מאי ״אמן״? אמר רבי חנינא: ״אל מלך נאמן״.

What is the meaning of the term amen? R' Ḥanina says: It is an acronym of the words: God, faithful King [El Melekh ne’eman].

״לכן הרחיבה שאול נפשה ופערה פיה לבלי חק״. אמר ריש לקיש: למי שמשייר אפילו חוק אחד. אמר רבי יוחנן: לא ניחא למרייהו דאמרת להו הכי, אלא אפילו לא למד אלא חוק אחד.

§ With regard to the verse: “Therefore, the netherworld has enlarged itself and opened its mouth without measure [livli ḥok]” (Isaiah 5:14), Reish Lakish says: It is referring to one who leaves even one statute [ḥok] unfulfilled; the netherworld expands for him. R' Yoḥanan says: It is not satisfactory to God, their Master, that you said this about them, as according to Reish Lakish’s opinion most of the Jewish people would be doomed to Gehenna. Rather, even if one learned only one statute, he has a share in the World-to-Come, and “livli ḥok” means one who has learned no statutes at all.

(שנאמר) ״והיה בכל הארץ נאם ה׳ פי שנים בה יכרתו יגועו והשלישית יותר בה״. אמר ריש לקיש: שלישי של שם. אמר ליה רבי יוחנן: לא ניחא למרייהו דאמרת להו הכי, אלא אפילו שלישי של נח.

With regard to that which is stated: “And it should come to pass that in all the land, says YHWH, two parts should be excised and die, but the third should remain in it” (Zechariah 13:8), Reish Lakish says: “The third” means that only 1/3rd of the descendants of Shem, son of Noah, will remain, and everyone else will die. R' Yoḥanan said to Reish Lakish: It is not satisfactory to God, their Master, that you said this about them, that the overwhelming majority of the world will be destroyed. Rather, even as many as 1/3rd of the descendants of Noah, 1/3rd of the population of the world, will remain.

״כי אנכי בעלתי בכם ולקחתי אתכם אחד מעיר ושנים ממשפחה״. אמר ריש לקיש: דברים ככתבן. אמר ליה רבי יוחנן: לא ניחא ליה למרייהו דאמרת להו הכי, אלא אחד מעיר מזכה כל העיר כולה, ושנים ממשפחה מזכין כל המשפחה כולה. יתיב רב כהנא קמיה דרב ויתיב וקאמר: דברים ככתבן. אמר ליה רב: לא ניחא ליה למרייהו דאמרת להו הכי, אלא אחד מעיר מזכה כל העיר, ושנים ממשפחה מזכין כל המשפחה.

With regard to the verse: “For I have taken you to Myself: And I will take out one of a city, and two of a family” (Jeremiah 3:14), Reish Lakish says: The meaning of this statement is as it is written, that only individuals will be spared and the rest will be destroyed. R' Yoḥanan said to him: It is not satisfactory to God, their Master, that you said this about them. Rather, the merit of one from the city causes the entire city to benefit, and the merit of two from a family causes the entire family to benefit and be redeemed. Likewise, the Talmud relates that Rav Kahana sat before Rav, and sat and said: The meaning of this statement is as it is written. Rav said to him: It is not satisfactory to God, their Master, that you said this about them. Rather, the merit of one from the city causes the entire city to benefit, and the merit of two from a family causes the entire family to benefit and be redeemed.