Study Shabbat folio 63B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
מרעהו חסד״ — שכן בלשון יונית קורין לכלב ״למס״. רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר: אף פורק ממנו יראת שמים, שנאמר ״ויראת שדי יעזוב״.
kindness from his friend and awe of God will leave” (Job 6:14), since in the Greek language they call a dog lamas. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: One who keeps an evil dog in his home even divests himself of fear of Heaven, as it is stated at the end of that verse: “And awe of God will leave.”
ההיא איתתא דעיילא לההוא ביתא למיפא. נבח בה כלבא, איתעקר ולדה. אמר לה מרי דביתא לא תידחלי, דשקילי ניביה ושקילין טופריה. אמרה ליה: שקילא טיבותיך ושדיא אחיזרי, כבר נד ולד.
The Talmud relates: A certain pregnant woman who entered to use the oven in a certain house to bake, the dog in that house barked at her, and her fetus was displaced. The owner of the house said to her: Do not be afraid because his teeth have been removed and his claws have been removed. She said to him: Take your goodness and throw it on the thorns. Your encouragement is useless as the fetus has already been displaced and will certainly die.
אמר רב הונא: מאי דכתיב: ״שמח בחור בילדותך ויטיבך לבך בימי בחורותיך והלך בדרכי לבך ובמראה עיניך ודע כי על כל אלה יביאך האלהים במשפט״ — עד כאן דברי יצר הרע, מכאן ואילך דברי יצר טוב.
On a related note, Rav Huna said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Rejoice young man in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment” (Ecclesiastes 11:9)? Until here, “the sight of your eyes,” these are the words of the evil inclination; from here on, “but know that, etc.,” these are the words of the good inclination.
ריש לקיש אמר: עד כאן לדברי תורה, מכאן ואילך למעשים טובים.
Reish Lakish said: Until here, the verse refers to matters of Torah. One is provided the opportunity to study and involve himself in the Torah and rejoice in its innovations; from here on, “but know that, etc.,” it refers to good deeds. One will ultimately stand trial for that which he studied and did not implement.
Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.