Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 9, scan section 53

share; one who estranges himseh' (from the sages) but studies himself has a share; and the one who both estranges himself and does not study has no share. One who propounds questions and gives their answers has a share (in the world to come); one who only questions has none; one who sits and keeps silent has a share. One who befriends himself in order that he might listen and learn has a share; if he befriends himself in order that others might say that he be- friends himself and sits before a wise man, he has none. If he sits at a distance in order to accord honor to one who is superior to him, he has a share; if, however, the reason is that others might say that he does not need that sage, he has none. One that propounds questions and gives their answers in order that others might say that he propounds questions and gives their answers and serves the scholars, has no share; if, however, he does so in order really to learn something, he has. If he sits silent in order to listen and learn, he has a share; if, however, the purpose is that others might say that he does so, he has none. " There are four different characters among students y'' etc. One resembles a sponge: as a sponge absorbs all liquids, so does that kind of student absorb all that he studies: Scripture, Mish- nah, Midrash, Halakhoth, and Agadoth. One is like a sieve: as a sieve passes through the fine flour and retains the coarse particles, so an intelligent student retains what is good in the study and leaves out what is not. One is like a funnel : as it lets in the liquid through one opening and lets it out through the other, so is it with the unintelligent student — what enters his one ear goes out through the other, until all is gone. The fourth student is like a wine-strainer which lets the wine pass through and absorbs the dregs: so also the wicked student for- gets the good teachings and retains the bad ones. R. Eliezer b. Jacob named tne last one a horn (which lets in the liquids at one end and lets them out at the other). How so ? For instance, a child who is given a pearl, he will drop the latter when given a slice of bread ; and when given a potsherd he will drop the bread, and finally he has nothing but the pot- sherd. As to disciples, R. Gamaliel the elder compares them to the following four kinds of fish : an unclean, a clean fish, a fish found TRACT ABOTH. 139 in the Jordan, and one found in the Ocean. By an unclean fish is meant a disciple of poor intellect, who, notwithstanding his study of Scripture, Mishna, Halakhoth, and Agadoth, still re- mains poor-minded. By a clean fish is meant a disciple of rich intellect, who studies Scripture, Mishna, Halakhoth, and Aga- doth, and develops his mind. By a fish from the Jordan is meant a scholar who has studied all the mentioned subjects, but has not acquired the faculty of answering questions put to him. And by a fish found in the Ocean is meant a scholar who studied all the above subjects and has the ability of answering the ques- tions put to him. With regard to sight, it may be said that there are four dif- ferent misfortunes: those that see and are visible, e.g., the wolf, the lion, the leopard, the bear, the hyena, the serpent, robbers, and soldiers (who in time of war commit robbery) ; those that are visible but do not see, e.g.y the sword, the arrow, the spear, the knife, the stick, the lance; those that see but are not visi- ble, e.g.y the plague of an evil spirit; and those that neither see nor are visible, e.g.j the plague of stomach trouble. There are four sages: One who sees R. Johanan b. Nuri in his dream may hope to be fearful of sin ; R. Elazar b. Azariah — ^he may hope for riches and greatness; R. Ishmael — he may hope for wisdom ; R. Aqiba — he may fear being chastised. There are other three scholars (regarding dreams) : One who sees Ben Azai may hope to be one of the pious; Ben Zoma — he may hope for knowledge ; Elisha b. Abuyah — may fear being chastised. (The same is the case) with the following three books of the prophets: Kings — he may hope for riches, greatness; Isaiah — satisfaction ; and Jeremiah — chastisement. (The same is the case) with the following books of the Hagi- ographa: Psalms — he may hope to be modest; Proverbs — he may hope for wisdom ; and Job — he may fear being chastised. There are also three things regarding the righteous and the wicked ones (which will be explained in Tract Sanhedrin). " Every gainsaying,'" etc. Every assembly that is for the sake of performing a religious duty remains everlasting; e.g., the Great Assembly. And every assembly which is not for such pur- pose will finally cease; e.g., the assembly for division [Gen. xi.]. Mishna G. Great is Torah, that gives life to those who practise it in this world and in the world to come, as X40 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. it is written [Prov. iv. 22] : '' For they are life unto every one of those that find them, and to all his body a healing." And it is also written [ibid. iii. 8] : " It will be healing to thy body, and marrow to thy bones." And it is again writ- ten [ibid., ibid. 18] : ** A tree of life is she to those who lay hold on her, and every one that firmly graspeth her will be made happy." And again [ibid. i. 9] : '' For a wreath of grace are they unto thy head, and chains for thy throat." And again [ibid. iv. 9] : *'She will give to thy head a wreath of grace ; a crown of ornament will she deliver to thee." And again [ibid. iii. 16]: ''Length of days is in her right hand ; in her left are riches and honor." And again [ibid. iii. 2] : " For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they increase unto thee." MisHNA I/. R. Simeon b. Menassia said in the name of R. Simeon b. Jo^hai : " Comeliness, and strength, and wealth, and honor, and wisdom, and age, and hoariness, and sons are becoming to the righteous, and becoming to the world, as it is written [Prov. xvi. 31] : *An ornamental crown is the hoary head, on the way of righteousness can it be found.' And it is also written [ibid. xx. 29] : * The ornament of young men is their strength ; and the glory of old men is a hoary head ' ; and again [ibid. xvii. 6] : ' The crown of old men is children's children ; and the ornament of children are their fathers ' ; and again [Is. xxiv. 23] ; 'And the moon shall be put to the blush, and the sun be made ashamed ; for the Lord of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients in glory.' " S. Simeon b. Menassia said : ** Those seven qualities which the wise have reckoned to the righteous were all o£ them confirmed in Rabbi and his sons." MiSHNA /. R. Jose b. Qisma said : *' Once I was walking by the way and there met a man, and he gave me