About this episode
Today's daf is dedicated in memory of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on his first yahrzeit. And for a refuah shleima to Hannah bat Hessa. There is a Beit Shamai/Beit Hillel debate regarding what will happen to the middle person ( beinoni ) during the resurrection of the dead. Will they descend to Hell to achieve atonement and then after suffering there, will be raised up, based on the prayer of Chana, "God will bring down to sheol (the depths) and raise up"? Or will they not have to go through that suffering at all, and will be saved because of the compassion of God. Who falls into the category of the evil people who will remain in Hell forever? According to Beit Shamai who holds that the middle people will go to Hell first, they will forever have an imprint of that on their faces. According to Beit Hillel's approach, it is explained that the middle people split into three categories - one whose sins are greater than one's merits, one whose sins and merits are equal but have sinned with their bodies, and ones who are equal and have not sinned with their bodies. The destiny of each group is different. Beit Hillel's explanation was based on his understanding of one of the 13 divine attributes of God, rav chesed, full of compassion. How exactly does God employ this attribute to have the merits outweigh the sins? A few possibilities are suggested. A verse was quoted from Micha, referring to the divine attributes of God and this is used to also teach that one who overlooks one who did something bad to him/her, God will forgive their sins. A story of Rav Huna son of Rav Yehoshua is brought to prove this. Another explanation of the latter part of that verse is brought to teach the importance of humility. It is further taught that God first rules with justice and later with compassion and that is proven from several verses. God taught Moshe the thirteen attributes to be used anytime the people sinned and were in need of forgiveness. Rabbi Yochanan explains how great repentance is that it can overturn a divine decree. Several questions are raised against Rabbi Yochanan's statement and are resolved.