Yaitz331

Fake Talmud excerpt:

Until when is considered Carmel? It is as the rabbis taught:
The border of Carmel: Rabbi Jonathan says it is the site of Elijah’s altar, and Rabbi Josiah says it is the site of Jeshebat’s tamarisk. Rabbi Jose says they are the same site.

But is the slope from then down not considered Carmel? Rather, it includes the slope from that site down, but not the next slope.

About what do they argue? Shall we say they argue about the location of Jeshebat's tamarisk? But Rabbi Hisda taught in the name of Rabbi Isaac: It is known that Jeshebat’s tamarisk is the tamarisk of Bar-Kozeva¹. Rather, they argue about the location of Elijah's altar; one says it was on the mountain, the other says it was in the valley.

Rabbi Isaac says: Jeshebat’s tamarisk is the tamarisk of Bar-Kozeva. What is the tamarisk of Bar-Kozeva? When Bar-Kozeva fought the Romans, they did battle at Yokneam in Carmel, and a miracle happened, and a fire came down from Carmel and burnt the Romans.

Rabbi Jeremiah taught: This is what the verse means "The sun over Carmel, and a fire at Yokneam"²; "The sun over Carmel" - that is Jeshebat, "and a fire at Yokneam" - that is Bar-Kozeva.

Abaye asked: And was a miracle done for Bar-Kozeva? But Rabbi Yohanan said³ that Bar-Kozeva would pray "Master of the world, do not assist us or put us to shame, like the verse says 'But you, O God, have rejected us, and God does not march with our armies.'⁴"? Learn from here that God added like the verse "Grant us Your aid against the foe, for worthless is the help of man"⁵.

Rava challenged Abaye: In whose merit did God add? In the merit of Rabbi Elazar Hamodai⁶? But Bar-Kozeva killed him! Rather, there was no miracle done for Bar-Kozeva; it was only an extension of the miracle done for Jeshebat.

Rabbi Nahman bar Isaac said: Rava's words are supported by the verse, for it says "He planted an eternal tamarisk, and a fire for generations."⁷ - He set a miracle for now, and for all future times.

Jeshebat

1 It was in those days, and the children of Israel did what was evil in the eyes of God; and Karsi-Ra, king of the Nalkites⁸, came from the north, ² and he destroyed all in his path, from the approaches of Hamat to Damascus. ³ His armies were great in number, four hundred thousand, and three thousand chariots. ⁴ And with him were three hundred and fifty giants⁹, abominations of devastation; and they laid waste to all of the land of Hamat. ⁵ And from Hamat they came to Damascus, and utterly destroyed it; and from Damascus they came to Layish which is in Rehov. ⁶ There was no escape; all of Layish was slain, not a man was left. And from there they came to Hatzor and destroyed it. ⁷ And there was a man who lived in Sha'alvim in Dan, and his name was Jeshebat ben Malkishua.
…
…

2 Karsi-Ra and the Nalkites came unto Megiddo, and there Pharaoh did battle with him for many days. ² And the Mekhanites who were with him fought too, and the battle was very large; and giants did battle with men. ³ And those who were with Pharaoh joined the battle, and many peoples with them; Girgashites, and Kittim of the islands, Arameans, and Horites from Edom. ⁴ And Jeshebat was among them, with nineteen thousand men; from Dan and Ephraim, from Manasseh, from Issachar and Zebulon, and from Asher and Naphtali. ⁵ But Karsi-Ra's army was greatly large, and their giants terrifying beyond reason, and none of the men could stand to them. ⁶ So Pharaoh retreated to Carmel, and the Nalkites rested at Megiddo. ⁷ And it was when they came to the pass of Yokneam, and the word of God came to Jeshebat saying: ⁸ "Do not continue with them, for the Nalkites are great in number, and they shall surely smite all who stand to them. ⁹ Rather, you shall ascend Carmel to the place I will show you, and there you shall wait; and you shall attack the Nalkites' back, and you shall surely destroy them." ¹⁰ So Jeshebat and all those who were with him ascended Carmel; and they came unto a large tamarisk. ¹¹ And God said to Jeshebat "Here you shall wait, and I will wipe them out." ¹² And it was when Pharaoh came to Dor, and ships arrived from Caphtor; and Pharaoh turned to meet the Nalkites. ¹³ And the Nalkites came to Yokneam, and encamped; and from there they moved down the slopes of Carmel. ¹⁴ And they met Pharaoh there, on the slopes of Carmel; and Pharaoh was driven back; and the giants did battle at Dor. ¹⁵ And those of the Mekhanites prevailed, but they were few; and were destroyed, and the giants of the Nalkites returned to Yokneam. ¹⁶ And the word of God came to Jeshebat saying "Now you shall attack, and destroy the abominations; for they disgust me, and shall all cease," and Jeshebat attacked. ¹⁷ And Karsi-Ra who was in Yokneam was surprised, and he had few men with him; and he took his giants to fight back. ¹⁸ And Jeshebat retreated back up Carmel, and the giants followed; and they came to the tamarisk; and God said "Now you shall see my wonders!" ¹⁹ Behold! A fire burned the giants of the Nalkites; for it is said in the Book of Officers of the Lord: "The sun over Carmel, and a fire at Yokneam. ²⁰ For the lights of the firmament have spoken, and the earth heeds their cry. ²¹ The sun shone its glory on Israel, and its fury¹⁰ on the enemy.
…
²⁴ He planted an eternal tamarisk, and it is a fire for generations. ²⁵ Great is the might of God on the day he rescues!" For it was on that day, and all the strength of the Nalkites was broken. ²⁶ And the Nalkites fled back north, and Jeshebat pursued; but Pharaoh did not pursue, for his armies had been broken by Dor; and the Kittim took Dor in those days. ²⁷ And as Jeshebat chased, there were riches beyond measure; gold and silver in every place, for the Nalkites had taken all from where they went. ²⁸ And Manasseh returned to his place, and Issachar and Zebulon to theirs; and Naphtali settled in his fields, and Asher in his towns; and Ephraim too left. ²⁹ But Jeshebat and all the men of Dan continued until Layish; and behold! The land was extremely fertile; and there were none to fight back, for the Nalkites had slain them all. ³⁰ And the Danites settled in Layish and in all Rehov, and there they dwell to this day; and there was peace in Israel for fifty years.

Pharaonic records

Footnotes

1. Bar-Kozeva is the Talmud's name for Bar-Kokhba.

2. Pseudo-Judges 2:19

3. Brought down in Jerusalem Talmud, Taanit 4:6

4. Psalms 60:12

5. Psalms 60:13

6. Bar-Kokhba's uncle; killed by Bar-Kokhba due to suspicion of being a Roman spy

7. Pseudo-Judges 2:24

8. The Biblical term for Sarkics; derived from Nalka, the endonym of the ancient Sarkics.

9. The term used in the original Hebrew is Nephilim.

10. The Hebrew for "its fury" here, חמתו, is a pun - it can also be translated "its heat".