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Please help me figure out this Gemara(?) story



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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 3:41 pm
DS just realized his assignment to summarize a Gemara story (not 100% sure it’s from the Gemara) is due tomorrow.
Only thing is, he can’t find the paper with the source (every kid has a different story so he can’t ask a friend). He only remembers that it’s about a king (leader?) who forbade Jews from saying shma. He (the king) ended up being eaten by crocodiles (he thinks).

Anyone able to identify the story (and point me in the right direction to find out the details) from the limited pieces he DOES remember?

Thanks so much!
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amother
Cerulean


 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 3:49 pm
Hmmm... could it be the story of Titus who had a gnat picking at his brain until he died?
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 3:59 pm
He’s pretty sure he was swallowed by an aquatic creature
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amother
Cerulean


 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 4:04 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
He’s pretty sure he was swallowed by an aquatic creature

Yona? Can’t think of anyone else swallowed by an aquatic creature
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ora_43




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 4:51 pm
I have no idea and Google isn't helping What

Pretty please come back tomorrow and tell us what it ended up being?
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GetReal




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 5:13 pm
During the middle of the fifth century, the Persian king Yezdegerd II (see Zevachim 19a) issued a decree forbidding the daily recital of the Shema. His purpose was in order to eradicate belief in Hashem and his Oneness. To counteract this, the Sages inserted it into the Kedushah prayers.

The Talmudic sage Rav Ashi prayed for the abolishment of the decree, and miraculously a crocodile appeared in the king’s bedroom and swallowed him up in broad daylight, and the decree was nullified. The recital of Shema was thus reinstated, and removed from the Kedushah of Shacharit. However, in order that this miracle be remembered, it was left in the Kedushah of Musaf, since there is otherwise no reciting of the Shema during the prayer.

It is not mentioned, however, in the Rosh Chodesh Musaf Amidah, because Rosh Chodesh is often on a weekday when the attendance for public prayer is not so large and the goal of publicizing the miracle does not apply.

(שבולי הלקט אות מ"ה, ועי' לבוש סי' תכ"א)
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malki2




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 5:19 pm
GetReal wrote:
During the middle of the fifth century, the Persian king Yezdegerd II (see Zevachim 19a) issued a decree forbidding the daily recital of the Shema. His purpose was in order to eradicate belief in Hashem and his Oneness. To counteract this, the Sages inserted it into the Kedushah prayers.

The Talmudic sage Rav Ashi prayed for the abolishment of the decree, and miraculously a crocodile appeared in the king’s bedroom and swallowed him up in broad daylight, and the decree was nullified. The recital of Shema was thus reinstated, and removed from the Kedushah of Shacharit. However, in order that this miracle be remembered, it was left in the Kedushah of Musaf, since there is otherwise no reciting of the Shema during the prayer.

It is not mentioned, however, in the Rosh Chodesh Musaf Amidah, because Rosh Chodesh is often on a weekday when the attendance for public prayer is not so large and the goal of publicizing the miracle does not apply.

(שבולי הלקט אות מ"ה, ועי' לבוש סי' תכ"א)


Fascinating. How did you find this? I had heard that Shema was added to Kedusha due to the decree, not to counteract, but because the enforcers wouldn’t be on the watch for it if it was inserted in a different part of davening. But I could be wrong. Thank you!
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GetReal




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 5:20 pm
malki2 wrote:
Fascinating. How did you find this? I had heard that Shema was added to Kedusha due to the decree, not to counteract, but because the enforcers wouldn’t be on the watch for it if it was inserted in a different part of davening. But I could be wrong. Thank you!


I found it by googling “shema” and crocodile”
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malki2




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 5:34 pm
GetReal wrote:
I found it by googling “shema” and crocodile”


Aha! Rabbi Google!
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 5:42 pm
GetReal wrote:
During the middle of the fifth century, the Persian king Yezdegerd II (see Zevachim 19a) issued a decree forbidding the daily recital of the Shema. His purpose was in order to eradicate belief in Hashem and his Oneness. To counteract this, the Sages inserted it into the Kedushah prayers.

The Talmudic sage Rav Ashi prayed for the abolishment of the decree, and miraculously a crocodile appeared in the king’s bedroom and swallowed him up in broad daylight, and the decree was nullified. The recital of Shema was thus reinstated, and removed from the Kedushah of Shacharit. However, in order that this miracle be remembered, it was left in the Kedushah of Musaf, since there is otherwise no reciting of the Shema during the prayer.

It is not mentioned, however, in the Rosh Chodesh Musaf Amidah, because Rosh Chodesh is often on a weekday when the attendance for public prayer is not so large and the goal of publicizing the miracle does not apply.

(שבולי הלקט אות מ"ה, ועי' לבוש סי' תכ"א)


OMG, this is for sure it! Thanks so much! I tried googling it to and nothing turned up. BH for Imamother!
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Odelyah




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 7:46 pm
GetReal wrote:
I found it by googling “shema” and crocodile”


well done! Thumbs Up
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b.chadash




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 7:51 pm
GetReal wrote:
During the middle of the fifth century, the Persian king Yezdegerd II (see Zevachim 19a) issued a decree forbidding the daily recital of the Shema. His purpose was in order to eradicate belief in Hashem and his Oneness. To counteract this, the Sages inserted it into the Kedushah prayers.

The Talmudic sage Rav Ashi prayed for the abolishment of the decree, and miraculously a crocodile appeared in the king’s bedroom and swallowed him up in broad daylight, and the decree was nullified. The recital of Shema was thus reinstated, and removed from the Kedushah of Shacharit. However, in order that this miracle be remembered, it was left in the Kedushah of Musaf, since there is otherwise no reciting of the Shema during the prayer.

It is not mentioned, however, in the Rosh Chodesh Musaf Amidah, because Rosh Chodesh is often on a weekday when the attendance for public prayer is not so large and the goal of publicizing the miracle does not apply.

(שבולי הלקט אות מ"ה, ועי' לבוש סי' תכ"א)

wow! Kol hakavod!!
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imasoftov




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 8:22 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
... (not 100% sure it’s from the Gemara)

GetReal wrote:
During the middle of the fifth century, the Persian king Yezdegerd II (see Zevachim 19a) ...

OP is right that it's not from the Gemara. The source GetReal quoted isn't saying the incident with the crocodile appears on Zevachim 19a, only that the king is mentioned there.
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sub




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 12 2020, 8:50 pm
https://I.imgur.com/gUqOGsu.jpg
I believe it was a snake, since it was in a forest.
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amother
Rose


 

Post Fri, Feb 14 2020, 12:20 pm
https://www.chabad.org/library.....a.htm


Kudos to Chabad!
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imasoftov




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Feb 15 2020, 11:55 am
sub wrote:
https://I.imgur.com/gUqOGsu.jpg
I believe it was a snake, since it was in a forest.

Where does it say it was in a forest?
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