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אף על גב ד״יפת אלהים ליפת״ — אין השכינה שורה אלא באהלי שם.
The Talmud explains: Although God will enlarge Japheth, referring to the Persians, who descended from Japheth and who assisted in constructing the Second Temple, the Shekhina rests only in the tents of Shem, in the First Temple, which was built by King Solomon without the patronage of a foreign power.
ופרסאי מנא לן דמיפת קאתו, דכתיב: ״בני יפת גומר ומגוג ומדי ויון ותובל ומשך ותירס״. גומר — זה גרממיא, מגוג — זו קנדיא, מדי — זו מקדוניא, יון — כמשמעו, תובל — זה בית אונייקי, משך — זו מוסיא, תירס, פליגי בה רבי סימאי ורבנן, ואמרי לה רבי סימון ורבנן, חד אמר: זו בית תרייקי, וחד אמר: זו פרס. תני רב יוסף: תירס — זו פרס.
§ The Talmud asks: From where do we derive that the Persians descend from Japheth? The Talmud answers: As it is written: “The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tuval and Meshech and Tiras” (Genesis 10:2). The Talmud explains: Gomer, that is Germamya; Magog, that is Kandiya; Madai, that is Macedonia; Javan, in accordance with its plain meaning, Greece; Tuval, that is the nation called Beit Unaiki; Meshech, that is Musya. With regard to Tiras, R' Simai and the Rabbis disagree, and some say the dispute is between R' Simon and the Rabbis: One said: That is Beit Teraiki, and one said: That is Persia. According to that approach, Persia is listed among the descendants of Japheth. Rav Yosef taught: Tiras is Persia.
״סבתה ורעמה וסבתכא״, תני רב יוסף: סקיסתן גוייתא וסקיסתן ברייתא, בין חדא לחדא מאה פרסי, והיקפה אלפא פרסי.
The list of nations continues: “And Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca” (Genesis 10:7). Rav Yosef taught: These are the inner Sakistan and the outer Sakistan. Between one and the other there was a distance of 100 parasangs, and the circumference of the land was 1,000 parasangs.
״ותהי ראשית ממלכתו בבל וארך ואכד וכלנה״, בבל — כמשמעה, ארך — זה אוריכות, ואכד — זה בשכר, כלנה — זה נופר נינפי.
The Talmud continues interpreting the verses. It is stated: “And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar” (Genesis 10:10). Babel in accordance with its plain meaning, Babylonia; Erech, that is the city known then as Orikhut; and Accad, that is the place known then as Baskar; Calneh, that is Nofer Ninefi.
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.