For various reasons, I've found myself surfing the site's history in recent days. @Jayhawker Soule once suggested creating a Midrash DIR. I thought that was a cool idea. Normally I raise my midrash questions in the Judaism SE, but why not ask them here as well? Not to say I've never done that, but maybe not enough.
Frankly, I have been stumped about a certain interpretation of a particular aggadata in Tractate Meilah 17a-b for some time now:
The story continues with the little shed (demon) helping Rashbi by possessing the Roman emperor's daughter and then tricking the emperor into thinking Rashbi had healed her (well, technically that's true...). This allows Rashbi to request for the bad decree to be overturned.
What's interesting is that Rabbbeinu Gershom and after him Rashi have identified what type of demon ben Temalyon (בן תמליון) was:
Rabbeinu Gershom:
Rashi:
This dictionary of foreign words in Rashi's commentaries explains:
"nutiun - little demon".
My question is this: Assuming that Titun = Nutiun = small demon, what made these two commentators conclude that ben Temalyon was a small demon?
Frankly, I have been stumped about a certain interpretation of a particular aggadata in Tractate Meilah 17a-b for some time now:
"Rabbi Matya ben Ḥarash’s students said to him in amazement: How wise is Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai! Rabbi Matya ben Ḥarash said to them: This source is not his own, as it is a set tradition in the mouth of Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai learned it from him. Rabbi Matya ben Ḥarash provided the background for this claim. As, on one occasion the gentile monarchy issued a decree that the Jewish people may not observe Shabbat, and that they may not circumcise their sons, and that they must engage in intercourse with their wives when they are menstruating. [...] Let Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai go to Rome, as he is accustomed to experiencing miracles. And who shall go after him, i.e., with him? Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Yosei. [...]
As they were journeying, a demon named ben Temalyon emerged to greet them. He said to them: Do you wish that I will join you and come with you in order to help nullify this decree? When he saw that a demon was coming to help save the Jewish people, Rabbi Shimon cried and said: What, even for a maidservant of my father’s home, Hagar the Egyptian, who was Abraham’s handmaid, an angel was made available to appear to her three times to help her. Each of the three mentions of “and the angel of the Lord said unto her” (Genesis 16:9–11) in the story of Hagar is understood as a reference to a different angel. But I apparently do not deserve assistance from an angel even one time, but only help from a demon. In any case, let the miracle come and save the Jewish people, even if only through a demon. [...]"
As they were journeying, a demon named ben Temalyon emerged to greet them. He said to them: Do you wish that I will join you and come with you in order to help nullify this decree? When he saw that a demon was coming to help save the Jewish people, Rabbi Shimon cried and said: What, even for a maidservant of my father’s home, Hagar the Egyptian, who was Abraham’s handmaid, an angel was made available to appear to her three times to help her. Each of the three mentions of “and the angel of the Lord said unto her” (Genesis 16:9–11) in the story of Hagar is understood as a reference to a different angel. But I apparently do not deserve assistance from an angel even one time, but only help from a demon. In any case, let the miracle come and save the Jewish people, even if only through a demon. [...]"
The story continues with the little shed (demon) helping Rashbi by possessing the Roman emperor's daughter and then tricking the emperor into thinking Rashbi had healed her (well, technically that's true...). This allows Rashbi to request for the bad decree to be overturned.
What's interesting is that Rabbbeinu Gershom and after him Rashi have identified what type of demon ben Temalyon (בן תמליון) was:
Rabbeinu Gershom:
"יצא לקראתם בן תמליון. שד הוא שקורין טיטון"
"a demon named ben Temalyon emerged to greet them - a demon that is called a Titun"
"a demon named ben Temalyon emerged to greet them - a demon that is called a Titun"
Rashi:
"בן תמליון - שד שקורין נוטיו"ן"
"ben Temalyon - a demon that is called a Nutiun"
"ben Temalyon - a demon that is called a Nutiun"
This dictionary of foreign words in Rashi's commentaries explains:
"nutiun - little demon".
My question is this: Assuming that Titun = Nutiun = small demon, what made these two commentators conclude that ben Temalyon was a small demon?
