Historical
23 And as he gazed at the Sanhedrin, Rav Sha’ul said, “Anashim, Achim, I have lived before Hashem until this day with a lev tahor.”
2 And the Kohen Gadol Chananyah ordered the ones standing by Rav Sha’ul to strike his mouth.
3 Then Rav Sha’ul said to him, “Hashem is about to strike you, you white-washed wall! You sit judging me according to Torah and yet in violation of the Torah you command me to be struck?” [Lv 19:15; Dt 25:1,2]
4 And the ones standing by said, “Do you revile the Kohen Gadol of Hashem?”
5 And Rav Sha’ul said, “I was without da’as, Achim, that he is the Kohen Gadol, for it has been written, NASI V’AMMECHA LO TA’OR (“A ruler of your people you will not speak evil of, curse,” Ex 22:27(28)
6 And Rav Sha’ul, having da’as that one kat is of Tzedukim (Sadducees) and the other of Perushim (Pharisees), was crying out in the Sanhedrin, “Anashim, Achim, I am a Parush ben Parush and it is for the tikvah of the Techiyas HaMesim that I am being judged.”
7 Now when Rav Sha’ul said this, there came about a machlochet (controversy) between the Perushim and Tzedukim, and the multitude was divided.
8 Loit (according to) the Tzedukim, there is no Techiyas HaMesim nor a malach nor ruchot, but Perushim acknowledge all these things.
9 And there was a kol gadol and some of the Sofrim of the kat of the Perushim were arguing vigorously, saying, “Nothing rah do we find keneged this ish, and what if a ruach did speak to him or a malach?”
10 And fearing much more machloket was coming, the Roman tribune ordered the troops to go down to take Rav Sha’ul away from the midst of them and to bring him into the barracks lest he be torn to pieces by them.
11 And on the following lailah, HaAdon stood by Rav Sha’ul and said, “Chazak! For as you gave solemn edut about me in Yerushalayim, thus it is necessary for you also to bear solemn eidus in Rome.”
12 In the boker, the Judeans joined in a kesher and bound themselves with a shevu’ah that none of them would eat or drink until they had carried out their plot of retzichah b’seter of Rav Sha’ul.
13 Now there were more than arba’im anashim (forty men) who joined in this kesher.
14 After they approached the Rashei HaKohanim (Chief Priests) and the Zekenim (Elders), they said, "We have bound ourselves with a shevu’ah (oath) to eat nothing until we have killed Rav Sha’ul.
15 "Now, therefore, you with the Sanhedrin notify the tribune so that he may bring Rav Sha’ul down to you as if intending to determine more accurately the things concerning him, and, before he draws near, we are ready to kill him."
16 Now when Rav Sha’ul’s achyon (nephew) heard about the ma’arav (ambush), he went and gained entrance into the barracks and reported this to Rav Sha’ul.
17 And Rav Sha’ul summoned one of the centurions and said, "Bring this bochur to the tribune for he has something to report to him."
18 So the centurion took the bochur and brought him to the tribune and says, "The prisoner Rav Sha’ul has summoned me and asked me to bring this bochur to you; he has something to say to you."
19 The tribune grasped the bochur’s hand and drew him aside privately, inquiring, "What is it you have to report to me?"
20 And the bochur said, "The Judeans agreed to ask you to bring Rav Sha’ul down machar (tomorrow) to the Sanhedrin as if intending to inquire something more accurate concerning him.
21 "Therefore, you should not be persuaded by them, for more than arba’im anashim are lying in wait for him and these took a shevu’ah upon themselves neither to eat nor to drink until they have assassinated him, and now they are ready, waiting for your consent."
22 Therefore, the tribune dismissed the bochur, ordering him, "Tell no one that you reported these things to me."
23 And having summoned two of the centurions, the tribune said, "Prepare to leave for Caesarea by nine o’clock tonight the following: two hundred chaiyalim, seventy horsemen, and two hundred bowmen.
24 "And also provide mounts for Rav Sha’ul to ride, that he may be given safe passage to Felix the Moshel."
25 Then the tribune wrote an iggeret to this effect:
26 "Claudius Lysias to the most excellent Moshel, Felix. Greetings.
27 "This man was seized by the Judeans and was about to be killed by them, but when I learned that he is a Roman citizen, I came with the chaiyalim and rescued him.
28 "Desiring to have da’as of the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
29 "I found he was being accused about issues of their Torah and the charge was nothing worthy of mavet or of imprisonment.
30 "And when I received information of a kesher (plot) keneged (against) the man, I sent him immediately to you, having given orders also to his accusers to state their case against Rav Sha’ul before your excellency."
31 Therefore, as they were ordered, the chaiyalim took Rav Sha’ul along and brought him under cover of lailah to Antipatris.
32 And on the next day, having allowed the horsemen to go on with Rav Sha’ul, they returned to the barracks.
33 When the horsemen entered into Caesarea, they delivered the iggeret to the Moshel and also presented Rav Sha’ul to him.
34 And having read it, and having asked from what province Rav Sha’ul hailed, the Moshel learned that he was from Cilicia.
35 "I will give you a hearing," Felix said, "when also your accusers arrive." Then the Moshel commanded Rav Sha’ul to be watched by shomrim in the Praetorium of Herod.
24 And after chamash yamim, the Kohen Gadol Chananyah came down with some Zekenim and an orator, a certain Tertullus, who explained to the Moshel the charges keneged (against) Rav Sha’ul.
2 And when Rav Sha’ul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Your Excellency, much shalom has been attained through you, and reforms have come to this nation by your foresight.
3 "This in every way and everywhere, we acknowledge, most excellent Felix, with todah rabbah.
4 "But in order that I may not detain you any longer, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly.
5 "For having found this man a troublemaker and an inciter of riots among all the Yehudim throughout kol ha’aretz, a manhig of the kat [of Judaism], the Natzrati Kat.
6 "He even tried to desecrate the Beis Hamikdash! And so we apprehended him, [and would have tried him according to our own law;]
7 ["But the sar haelef Lysias came, and with great ko’ach took him away out of our hands, and ordered his adversaries to come unto you.]
8 "When you examine him, you will be able to find out yourself regarding all these things of which we accuse him."
9 And the rest of the Judeans joined in the attack, saying that these things were so.
10 And when the Moshel nodded to him to speak, Rav Sha’ul answered, "Knowing that for many years you have been a shofet (judge) to this nation, I cheerfully make my hitstaddekut.
11 "You will be able to learn that not more than twelve days have elapsed since I made an aliyah to worship in Yerushalayim.
12 "And neither in the Beis Hamikdash did they find me conversing with anyone nor did they find me stirring up the multitude either in the shuls or anywhere in Yerushalayim.
13 "Nor are they able to prove to you concerning the things of which now they are accusing me.
14 "For Ani modeh (I confess) this to you, that according to the Derech Hashem, which they call a ‘kat’ [of Judaism], I serve the Elohei Avoteinu, having emunah in everything written according to the Torah and the Nevi’im.
15 "I have a tikvah (hope) in Hashem, which also these ones themselves anticipate, the coming Techiyas HaMesim of both the Tzaddikim and the Resha’im.
16 "In view of this, I always do my best to keep a matzpun naki (clear conscience) before Hashem and before anashim.
17 "Now after many years, I came bringing nedavot (donations) to my people and also to make korbanot (sacrifices).
18 "And this is how they found me, having undergone purification in the Beis Hamikdash, not with rioters nor with any disturbance.
19 "But there were some Yehudim from the Province of Asia who ought to be present before you to make accusation, if they might have something against me.
20 "Or let these themselves say what crime they found in me when they stood me before the Sanhedrin,
21 "unless it is about this one statement, which I stood and cried out among them, and that statement was concerning the Techiyas HaMesim, and it is for this that I am being judged today by you."
22 But Felix, who was already rather well informed about the Derech Hashem, adjourned the meeting, saying, "When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case."
23 Then Felix gave orders to the centurion to guard Rav Sha’ul, but to grant him considerable liberty and not to prevent his chaverim from ministering to his needs.
24 And after some yamim, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was Jewish. He summoned Rav Sha’ul and listened to him concerning his emunah (faith) in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
25 And as Rav Sha’ul was conversing about tzedek [DANIEL 9:24] and kibush hayetzer (self-control) and about the Yom HaDin coming, Felix suddenly became afraid, and said, "That will do for the moment. Go now. When I find time, I’ll send for you."
26 At the same time Felix was also hoping that bribe money would be given to him by Rav Sha’ul. Therefore, Felix used to frequently send for Rav Sha’ul to converse with him.
27 When two years passed, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus, and, wanting to grant a favor to the Judeans, Felix left Rav Sha’ul in custody.
25 Therefore Festus, having arrived in the Province, after shloshah yamim went up from Caesarea to Yerushalayim,
2 Where the Rashei Hakohanim and manhigim of the Yehudim explained to Festus the charges keneged Rav Sha’ul, and they were begging him,
3 Asking a favor from him, that Festus might summon Rav Sha’ul to Yerushalayim, while at the same time they were forming a kesher to kill him along the way.
4 Festus answered that Rav Sha’ul was to be kept in Caesarea and that Festus himself intended quickly to go there.
5 "Therefore, those in authority among you," Festus says, "should come down with me, and if there is anything in the wrong about Rav Sha’ul, then let them bring charges against him."
6 And having stayed with them no more than shmonah or asarah yamim, Festus went down to Caesarea; the next day he sat on the Kes HaMishpat and ordered Rav Sha’ul to be brought in.
7 When Rav Sha’ul came in, the Judeans who had come down from Yerushalayim stood around him and brought serious charges keneged (against) him, which they were not able to prove.
8 Rav Sha’ul defended himself, saying, "Neither keneged the Torah nor keneged the Beis Hamikdash nor keneged Caesar have I done anything wrong."
9 But Festus, wishing to grant the Judeans a favor, said in reply to Rav Sha’ul, "Do you want to go up to Yerushalayim to be judged by me there concerning these things?"
10 And Rav Sha’ul said, "I am standing before the Kes HaMishpat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be tried. I have done no wrong to my Jewish people, as you also have da’as very well.
11 "Now if I have done wrong and am worthy of mavet, I am not trying to escape the penalty. But if there is nothing to the charges these bring against me, no one is able to hand me over to them. Therefore, I appeal to Caesar."
12 Then Festus, having talked with his council, answered, "To Caesar you have appealed, to Caesar you will go."
13 After several yamim had passed, Agrippa HaMelech and Bernice arrived in Caesarea, having paid their respects to Festus.
14 And while they were spending many yamim there, Festus laid out to the Melech the things with respect to Rav Sha’ul, saying, "There is a man here who was left behind in the beis hasohar by Felix.
15 "When I went to Yerushalayim, the Rashei Hakohanim and the Zekenim of the Yehudim informed me about this man, requesting keneged him a sentence of condemnation.
16 "I answered them that it violated Roman law to hand over any man before the accused met face to face with his accusers and had an opportunity for a hitstaddekut (defense) concerning the accusation.
17 "Therefore, they were assembled here; I allowed no delay, and on the next day, I sat down on the Kes HaMishpat and ordered the man brought in.
18 "But when the accusers stood up, no charge were they bringing of any crimes I was expecting.
19 "Instead it was an internal matter having to do with questions regarding Orthodox Judaism, and certain disagreements they had with Rav Sha’ul, and regarding a certain Yehoshua who was deceased, but whom Rav Sha’ul asserted was alive.
20 "Since I was not qualified to investigate these religious questions, I was saying he might wish to go to Yerushalayim and there to be judged concerning these things.
21 "But Rav Sha’ul appealed that he be kept in custody for the decision of Caesar, so I ordered him to be kept until I send him to Caesar."
22 And Agrippa said to Festus, "I was desiring also myself to hear Rav Sha’ul." Then Festus says, "Tomorrow you will hear him."
23 Then on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered into the auditorium along with both the military tribunes and the chashuve anashim of Caesarea. And Festus the Moshel gave orders to have Rav Sha’ul brought in.
24 And Festus says, "Agrippa HaMelech and all here present with us, you see this man about whom K’lal Yisroel has petitioned me, both in Yerushalayim and here, shouting that he is no longer fit to live.
25 "But I found he has done nothing worthy of mavet, and when he appealed to Caesar, I decided to send him.
26 "But I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign; therefore, I especially brought him before you, O Agrippa HaMelech, so that, after you have examined him, I may have something I may write.
27 "For it seems unreasonable to me sending a prisoner and not having charges to report against him."
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