Jesus in the Talmud

28 Chapter 2husband can present against his wife (like spoiling his dinner), but anythingthat has to do with fornication.This sexual context becomes even clearer if we take into considerationthat the Hebrew word for the spoiled “dish” (tavshil) acquires in the Bavlialso the meaning of intercourse. Thus the Talmud relates of Rav Kahana(a Babylonian amora of the second generation and student of Rav, whowent to Palestine):Rav Kahana once went in and hid under Rav’s bed. He heard himchatting (with his wife) and joking and doing what he required (havingintercourse with her). He (Rav Kahana) said to him (Rav): “Onewould think that Abba’s 9 mouth had never sipped the dish before(śaref tavshila).” He (Rav) said to him (R. Kahana): “Kahana, are youhere? Get out because this is not what one is supposed to do!” He (RavKahana) replied: “It is a matter of Torah, and I require to learn!” 10Here the phrase “to sip/swallow the dish” undoubtedly refers to performingsexual intercourse. Accordingly, if a woman “spoils his [her husband’s]dish,” she does something that prohibits him from having intercoursewith her—most likely some sexual misconduct that compromisesher as well as his reputation. In the case of our son or disciple it is the manwho spoils his dish, meaning that he does something that prohibits herfrom having intercourse with him—again presumably some sexual misconductthat compromises his as well as her reputation. The effect of thismisconduct on the part of the son/disciple is intensified by the fact that hedoes so in public, making it impossible for her to ignore it.Seen within this wider context the message of Rav Hisda’s exegesis ofthe Psalm verse seems to be: the worst plague is a son or disciple who publiclyleads a licentious life by which he compromises himself and his poorwife. It is hardly by coincidence that this interpretation comes from thesame Rav Hisda who told us that Jesus’ mother had a husband as well as alover and that Jesus was the son of her lover. Now we learn: this Jesus isn’tany better than his mother—it’s in his blood. He is so spoiled that he hasbecome the proverbial son or disciple who is unfaithful to his wife and adisgrace to his parents or his teachers. 11 This is quite an unexpected turnin Jesus’ life that goes far beyond the New Testament narrative—unless