big

Some declare he should not walk with a big stride. For the teacher has said : A big stride takes away one five hundredth part of the light of a man's eyes. What is the remedy for if ? He may restore it [by drinking the wine of] Sanctification on the [Sabbath] night.

Some declare he should not walk with a big stride. For the teacher has said : A big stride takes away one five hundredth part of the light of a man's eyes. What is the remedy for if ? He may restore it [by drinking the wine of] Sanctification on the [Sabbath] night.

[Who dreams] that he is sitting in a small boat, a good name will proceed from him ; if in a big boat, then from him and all his family ; but that only applies when it is sailing high on the seas.

Say that we say that [where the discrepancy is] small he might approximate, but could such an assumption be made [where the discrepancy is] big?

Come and hear: "And [regarding] a big [Etrog, the maximum is small enough] so that he can hold two in his one hand; the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Yose says, 'Even [if the Etrog is so big that he can only hold] one in his two hands.'" What is the reasoning [of Rabbi Yehudah]? Is it not because he requires beauty? No. Seeing as Rabba said, "The Lulav [is held] the right [hand] and the Etrog is in the left." Sometimes, they will be switched, and so you will flip them, and [if the Etrog is as large as Rabbi Yose allows,] you will invalidate it [by dropping it and breaking the Pitom].

Come and hear: "And [regarding] a big [Etrog, the maximum is small enough] so that he can hold two in his one hand; the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Yose says, 'Even [if the Etrog is so big that he can only hold] one in his two hands.'" What is the reasoning [of Rabbi Yehudah]? Is it not because he requires beauty? No. Seeing as Rabba said, "The Lulav [is held] the right [hand] and the Etrog is in the left." Sometimes, they will be switched, and so you will flip them, and [if the Etrog is as large as Rabbi Yose allows,] you will invalidate it [by dropping it and breaking the Pitom].

R. Naḥman b. Isaac said: Why have the words of the Torah been likened unto a tree, as it is said (Prov., 3.18): "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her"? In order to indicate that just as a small piece of wood sets on fire a big piece of wood, so minor scholars sharpen the minds of greater ones. It is in harmony with this view that Rabbi said (Makkot, 10a): I learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues and most of all from my pupils.

What was Nicanor Day? It is taught in a Baraita: Nicanor was one of the Greek generals. Every day he used to wave his hand in the direction of Judah and Jerusalem saying, when will that nation fall into my hands that I might crush it! When the Hasmonean Kings prevailed and defeated the Greeks, they broke through his legions, cut off his thumbs and big toes, hung them at the gates of Jerusalem and said: Upon the mouth that spoke so haughtily and the hands that waved against Judah and Jerusalem such vengeance is executed.

is that "in their season" means that the rain will fall only on the eves of Wednesday and Friday, for thus we find that in the time of Simeon b. Shetaḥ the rain fell on the eves of Wednesday and Friday with the result that the wheat grains became as big as kidneys, and the barley grains as big as the kernels of olives, and the lentils as big as gold dinars. The Sages have preserved samples of them for future generations in order to demonstrate how much loss is caused by sin, as it is said (Jerem., 5. 25): "Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good from you." Similarly, we find that in the days of Herod, when they were rebuilding the Temple, rain fell during the night, and in the morning the wind blew, the clouds dispersed, and the sun shone, so that everyone would rise early for his work—all of which demonstrated to the people that their work was for the sake of Heaven.

is that "in their season" means that the rain will fall only on the eves of Wednesday and Friday, for thus we find that in the time of Simeon b. Shetaḥ the rain fell on the eves of Wednesday and Friday with the result that the wheat grains became as big as kidneys, and the barley grains as big as the kernels of olives, and the lentils as big as gold dinars. The Sages have preserved samples of them for future generations in order to demonstrate how much loss is caused by sin, as it is said (Jerem., 5. 25): "Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good from you." Similarly, we find that in the days of Herod, when they were rebuilding the Temple, rain fell during the night, and in the morning the wind blew, the clouds dispersed, and the sun shone, so that everyone would rise early for his work—all of which demonstrated to the people that their work was for the sake of Heaven.

is that "in their season" means that the rain will fall only on the eves of Wednesday and Friday, for thus we find that in the time of Simeon b. Shetaḥ the rain fell on the eves of Wednesday and Friday with the result that the wheat grains became as big as kidneys, and the barley grains as big as the kernels of olives, and the lentils as big as gold dinars. The Sages have preserved samples of them for future generations in order to demonstrate how much loss is caused by sin, as it is said (Jerem., 5. 25): "Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good from you." Similarly, we find that in the days of Herod, when they were rebuilding the Temple, rain fell during the night, and in the morning the wind blew, the clouds dispersed, and the sun shone, so that everyone would rise early for his work—all of which demonstrated to the people that their work was for the sake of Heaven.

It happened that Ḥoni, the Circle-drawer, was asked to pray for rain, etc. Our Rabbis have taught: It happened once that the greater part of the month of Adar had passed and no rain had yet fallen. Ḥoni the Circle-drawer was therefore asked to pray that rain should fall. He did so, but rain did not fall. He then drew a circle and placed himself in its center, as did the prophet Habakkuk, who said (Habakkuk, 2. 1): "I will stand upon my watch," and said before God: "Master of the world! Thy children have set their face upon me, because I am, as it were, Thy intimate. I swear by Thy great Name that I will not move from here until Thou showest mercy to Thy children." Rain began to trickle. The people therefore said to him: Master, we see thee, and this is a warranty to us that we shall not die, but it seems to us that this rain comes only in order to free thee from thy oath. "Ye have seen me and ye shall not die," Ḥoni replied, and continuing his prayer said, "Not for such rain did I pray, but for rain sufficient to fill the cisterns, ditches and caves." The rain then came down with vehemence, each drop as big as the opening of a barrel, and the Rabbis estimated that none of them contained less than a log. The people again said to him: Master, we see thee, and this is a warranty that we shall not die, but it seems to us that this rain comes only to destroy the world. "Ye have seen me and ye shall not die," he replied, and then continued: "Not for such rain did I pray, but for a rain of benevolence, blessing and graciousness!" The rain then continued coming in proper measure so that the Israelites had to go up from the streets of Jerusalem to the Temple Mount on account of the rain. They then said to him: "Just as thou hast prayed for the rain to come, so pray now that it should stop." He, however, replied: "I have a tradition that it is not proper to pray for the cessation of too much good; however, bring ye to me a bullock for the confession of my sins!" They brought him a bullock, upon which Ḥoni laid both his hands and said: "Master of the world! Thy people Israel, whom Thou hast brought out of Egypt, can stand neither too much good, nor too much punishment; when Thou becamest wroth (withholding rain), they could not stand it, and now that Thou hast showered much good upon them, they again cannot stand it; let it be Thy will that there be ease in the world." Immediately the wind blew, the clouds dispersed and the sun began to shine and the people went out into the field and brought home morils and truffles. Thereupon Simeon b. Shetaḥ sent word to Ḥoni saying: "Wert thou not Ḥoni I would order thy excommunication; if these years were like those of Elijah, would not the name of God be profaned through thee? However, what can I do since thou behavest petulantly before God as a son behaves before his father, who then grants the son's desire, so that if the son says to him, bathe me in warm water, the father bathes him in warm water; wash me with cold water, he washes him in cold water; give me nuts, peaches, almonds and pomegranates, he gives him nuts, peaches, almonds and pomegranates. With regard to one like thee Scripture says (Proverbs, 23.25): 'Let thy father and thy mother be glad, and let her that bore thee rejoice.'"

From here are we to conclude that fear is a small thing? Yes; for Moses our teacher it was a small thing. This is comparable to a man who was asked for a big vessel and who has it. To him it seems like a small thing, but if he is asked for a small vessel and he does not have it, it seems like a big thing.

From here are we to conclude that fear is a small thing? Yes; for Moses our teacher it was a small thing. This is comparable to a man who was asked for a big vessel and who has it. To him it seems like a small thing, but if he is asked for a small vessel and he does not have it, it seems like a big thing.