Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 8, scan section 25

R. Na'hman bar Hisda requested R. Na'hman bar Itz'hak to remove to his (the former's) city (so that they could study together). Said the latter : We have learned in a Boraitha : R. Jose said : Not the place where he lives makes the man distin- guished, but the man makes the place distinguished. And so we find with respect to Mount Sinai, that so long as the Shek- hina rested there, cattle were not allowed to graze even near the mountain, as it is written [Exod. xxxiv. 3] : " Neither let flocks or herds feed near the mount," and after the Shekhina had withdrawn from the mount, it is written [Exod. xix. 13] : " They may come up to the mount." A similar instance can be found with respect to the Tabernacle, near which the leprous could not come (as well be explained in Tract Menachoth). Said R. Na'hman bar Hisda to him : " If this be so, then will I go to the place where thou, Master, dwellest." And he an- swered : " Nay, that would not be right ; for thou art a rabbi and a son of a rabbi, while I am the son of one who was not among the scholars; therefore it would be more fitting that I should come to thee." It happened that pestilence raged in Sura, but in the neigh- borhood where Rabh resided the pestilence was not prevalent. The townsmen concluded that this was due to the especial merits of Rabh ; but in a dream they were told that this would be but a small object wherewith to demonstrate Rabh's merits, and that TRACT TAANITH (FASTING). 59 this was so in consideration of the merits of a man who lends his hoe and other digging-tools used for burials, without compen- sation. In Darograth there was a great conflagration, but in the neighborhood where R. Huna lived the fire did not reach, and it was thought that it was on account of the merits of R. Huna that it was spared ; but they were also told in a dream that this would be but a small recognition of R. Huna's merits, and that it was merely in consideration of a certain woman who would heat her oven and then place it at the disposal of such as desired to bake their bread, without remuneration. R. Jehudah was apprised of the fact that locusts had made their appearance, and he ordered a fast-day. Subsequently he was told that the locusts were not doing any damage, and he replied : " Did the locusts then bring their food with them ? " R. Jehudah was also advised that a pest had broken out among the swine, and he ordered a fast-day. Does then R. Jehudah hold that if a pest break out among one kind of animals it affects all others? Nay ; but with swine it is different, for the entrails of a swine are similar to those of a human being (and the pest may prove contagious). Samuel was told that a pest had broken out in Huzai, so he ordered a fast-day. He was reminded, however, that the place was a great distance off, and he replied : " Is there then a parti- tion between here and there that would prevent the entrance of the pest in this place? " R. Na'hman was told that a pest had broken out in Palestine, so he ordered a fast-day, saying : " If the princess is stricken, surely the slaves are affected." Is it only when a princess is stricken that a slave is affected ? What about slave and slave ? Did not Samuel order a fast-day in Neherdai when Huzai was stricken ? From Huzai to Neherdai there was a regular caravan traffic, and Samuel apprehended lest one of the caravans should carry the pest from Huzai into Neherdai. Abba the (expert) bleeder received greetings every day from the heavenly college ; Abayi received such a greeting only once every eve of Sabbath ; and Rabha would receive such a greeting only once every eve of the Day of Atonement. Abayi was grieved because of the greater distinction conferred upon Abba, and he was told : " The things that Abba does, thou canst not do." [What did Abba do that was so inimitable? First of all, he had a separate place for bleeding men and a separate place for 6o THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. women. Then he had a certain garment for women with which he would clothe them, and which was split so that he could insert the lancet at any place without looking at the woman. Then he had a certain place where his fee for bleeding was deposited, and which was so arranged that as soon as it was touched a ring was heard ; but he never looked at the amount deposited, and those that had not the necessary amount would merely touch the place and depart. If a young scholar came to him to be bled, he would not alone refuse to accept money, but would give him money, saying : " Take this and become well, for after bleeding a good meal should be eaten."] One day Abayi sent two of his disciples to Abba to examine into his actions. Abba entertained them with meat and drink, and even made for them couches of fine wool to use as beds. On the morrow the disciples folded up their woollen couches and carried them into the market in order to sell them. They there encountered Abba. Said they to him : " Let Master estimate the worth of these." And he said : " So much/' And they rejoined : " Perhaps they are worth more." And he answered : " For so much money I can purchase them." Said they to him : " These couches are thine ; we took them from thee." And they con- tinued: " What didst thou suspect us of?" And he replied: " I thought that perhaps some prisoners had to be ransomed, and ye did not wish to tell me what amount that would require last night. So ye took the couches, and probably thought to tell me this day." They then said : " Then take them back ; they are thine." But he answered : " Nay ; I have already made up my mind to devote them to charitable purposes, and hence I cannot take them back." Rabha was grieved over the greater distinction conferred upon Abayi, who was greeted on the eve of every Sabbath, while he only received the heavenly greeting on the eve of every Day of Atonement ; so he was told that it was sufficient for him that the entire town where he lived profited by his merits. To R. Beroka of Huzaah, Elijah would frequently appear, when he (R. Beroka) would be standing in the market of Be- Lepht. One day he asked Elijah whether there was any one in the market who would have a share in the world to come, and Elijah answered : " Nay." Suddenly Elijah perceived a man wearing black shoes, and the garments of that man had no show- threads. So he pointed him out to R. Beroka, and said : " That man will have a share in the world to come." R. Beroka ran up TRACT TAANITH (FASTING). 61 to the man and asked him his occupation, and the man answered : " I have not time to-day. Come on the morrow." On the mor- row R. Beroka again approached him and asked to know his occupation. The man replied : " I am a warden of a prison ; I