raba

Raba and R. Zera went on a visit to the house of the Exilarch. After the tray had been taken away from before them, there was sent to them from the Exilarch's house a gift [of fruit]. Raba ate it, but R. Zera did not. The latter said to him, "Does not the master hold that if the table has been cleared, it is forbidden to eat?" He replied, "We depend upon the Exilarch's tray."

Rabbah b. Mari visited the house of Raba on a week-day, and noticed him pronounce the benediction [over the wine] before the meal and again after it ; and he said to him, "That is correct, and so also said R. Joshua b. Levi."

Rab said : He is exempt [from repeating the benediction] ; but Rab Kahana said : He is not. Rab Nahman said: He is exempt; but Rab Sheshet said : He is not. Rab Huna, Rab Judah and all the pupils of Rab say : He is not. Raba quoted against Rab Nahman : If wine is set for them in the course of the meal, each one says the benediction for himself ; after the meal, one may say it for all! He replied : This is what he means to say, If no wine was set for them in the course of the meal, only after it, then one may say the benediction for all.

R. Zera said in the name of Raba b. Jeremiah : From what time may we say the benediction over the smell [of the perfume]? From the time its column of smoke ascends. R. Zera said to Raba b. Jeremiah , "But one has not yet smelt it!" He replied, "According to thy reasoning, one says the Grace before meals but has not yet eaten ! His intention is to eat, and so here likewise it is his intention to smell."

R. Zera said in the name of Raba b. Jeremiah : From what time may we say the benediction over the smell [of the perfume]? From the time its column of smoke ascends. R. Zera said to Raba b. Jeremiah , "But one has not yet smelt it!" He replied, "According to thy reasoning, one says the Grace before meals but has not yet eaten ! His intention is to eat, and so here likewise it is his intention to smell."

Rab Pappa visited the house of Rab Huna b. Rab Ika; they set before him oil and myrtle. He took and made the benediction first over the myrtle and then over the oil. Rab Huna said to him : Does not the master hold that the Halakah is in accord with the words of him who decided ? He replied : Thus said Raba : The Halakah is in accord with Bet Hillel. But it was not so, and he only did this to extricate himself.

"Everything near to the soul restores the soul." Rab Aha b. Jacob said : This is the neck. Raba said to his attendant, "When thou bringest me a piece of meat, take the trouble and obtain it from a place near to where the benediction is pronounced."

"Woe to the body through which vegetables keep constantly passing." But it is not so! For lo, Raba said to his attendant, "If thou seest vegetables in the market, never ask me, With what wilt thou wrap thy bread?"

Abbai said : [It means vegetables] without meat; and Raba said : Without wine. It has been reported: Rab said: [It means vegetables] without meat; Samuel said: Without wood; and R. Johanan said : Without wine.

Raba asked Rab Pappa the brewer, "We break [the harmful effects of vegetables] by means of meat and wine ; but you who do not use much wine, how do you break it ?" He replied, "With chips of wood." For example, Rab Pappa's wife, when cooking it, broke [its harmful effects] with eighty twigs of Persian trees.

R. Tarphon says : "...Who createst many living beings and their wants." Raba b. Rab Hanan said to Abbai (another version : to Rab Joseph) : How is the Halakah? He replied : Go and see how the people act.

Raba b. Rab Huna said to Rab Huna : But the Rabbis who come from the West declare : If [two] wish to have Zimmun they may ! Is it not to be supposed that they heard this from R. Johanan? No, they heard it from Rab before he went down to Babylon.

Raba stated : The following have I said and it has been similarly reported in the name of R. Zera : If three ate together, one should interrupt his meal for the other two but two need not interrupt their meal for one.

Abbai said : It refers to a Samaritan who is a Haber. Raba said : Thou mayest even suppose that it refers to a Samaritan who is an 'Am ha'ares, and we are here dealing with the 'Am ha'ares so designated by the Rabbis who disagree in this matter with R. Meir. For there is a teaching : Who is an 'Am ha'ares? Whoever does not eat his non-holy food in a condition of ritual purity — these are the words of R. Meir ; but the Sages say : Whoever does not properly tithe his fruits. These Samaritans, however, do properly apportion the tithe, for they are careful to observe what is written in the Torah. The teacher has said : The commandments to which the Samaritans adhere they observe more scrupulously than the Israelite.

Rammi b. Hamma refused to include for Zimmun Rab Menashya b.Tahlifa who taught Sifra, Sifre and the Halakah. When Rammi b. Hamma departed this life, Raba said : He only died because he refused to include Rab Menashya b. Tahlifa for Zimmun. But there is a teaching : Others declare ; Even if one has studied Torah and Mishnah but has not ministered to the disciplas of the wise, he is an 'Am ha'ares ! It is different with Rab Menashya b. Tahlifa because he did minister to the Rabbis, but Rammi b. Hamma failed to make careful inquiry about him. Another version is : Rab Menashya heard the teachings from the mouth of the Rabbis and studied them, and therefore was like a Rabbinical scholar.

Abbai and Raba were sitting in the presence of Rabbah. He asked them, "To Whom do we say Grace?" They replied, "The All-merciful." "And where does the All-merciful dwell?" Raba pointed upwards to the ceiling ; Abbai went outside and pointed towards the heavens. Rabbah said to them, "Both of you are Rabbis ; for that is what the proverb says, 'Every pumpkin is known by its stem'."

Abbai and Raba were sitting in the presence of Rabbah. He asked them, "To Whom do we say Grace?" They replied, "The All-merciful." "And where does the All-merciful dwell?" Raba pointed upwards to the ceiling ; Abbai went outside and pointed towards the heavens. Rabbah said to them, "Both of you are Rabbis ; for that is what the proverb says, 'Every pumpkin is known by its stem'."

It has been similarly reported : Rab Hanna b. Judah said in the name of Raba : Even if he has not

dipped with them except the smallest quantity and has not eaten with them except a single dried fig, he is to be reckoned with them, but as for causing others to comply with the requirements of the law, that he cannot do until he has eaten cornfood of the size of an olive. Rab Hanna b. Judah said in the name of Raba : The Halakah is — If he has eaten a single cabbage-leaf and drunk a cup of wine, he is to be reckoned with them ; but as for causing others to comply with the requirements of the law, that he cannot do until he has eaten corn-food of the size of an olive.

But Aha b. Raba said to Rab Ashe : But we say : "[We will bless] the One Who has performed for our fathers and for us all these miracles" ! He replied : Here it is obvious that it is the Holy One, blessed be He, Who performed the miracles.

Raba said : The Halakah is in agreement with R. 'Akiba. Rabina and Rab Hamma b. Buzi visited the house of the Exilarch. [When about to say Grace] Rab Hamma stood up and looked about to see whether there were a hundred people present. Rabina said to him : It is unnecessary ; thus said Raba : The Halakah is in agreement with R. 'Akiba.

Raba said : The Halakah is in agreement with R. 'Akiba. Rabina and Rab Hamma b. Buzi visited the house of the Exilarch. [When about to say Grace] Rab Hamma stood up and looked about to see whether there were a hundred people present. Rabina said to him : It is unnecessary ; thus said Raba : The Halakah is in agreement with R. 'Akiba.

Raba said : When we dine at the house of the Exilarch, we say Grace in threes. But they should have said Grace in tens ! If the Exilarch had heard, he would have been angry. But they could have fulfilled their duty by means of the Grace said by the Exilarch ! Since everybody made the responses in a loud voice, it could not be heard.

R. Ishmael says: Rafram b. Pappa visited the Synagogue of Abi Gibar. He stood up, read in the Scroll and exclaimed, "Bless ye the Lord"; he then stopped and did not say "Who is to be blessed." They all shouted "Bless ye the Lord Who is to be blessed," Raba said: Thou black pot! What hast thou to do with this controversy? Moreover, everybody acts in accord with the opinion of R. Ishmael.

Raba said:

Raba said : Whence do I state this? For we have the Mishnaic teaching : A [defiled] couch, half of which has been stolen or lost or has been divided between brothers or partners, becomes clean; but if it is restored, it can from that time onwards contract defilement.

Rab Huna b. Judah visited the house of Raba and noticed that he said the benediction over the spices first. He said to him : Note that Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel do not differ on the question of the light ; for our Mishnah teaches : Bet Shammai say : [The order is] light, food, spices and Habdalah ; but Bet Hillel say : Light, spices, food and Habdalah!

Raba answered after him: These are the words of R. Meir; but R. Judah says: Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel do not differ that [the benediction over] food comes first and Habdalah last. In what do they differ ? In [the order of] light and spices ; for Bet Shammai say : First [the benediction] over the light and then the spices, but Bet Hillel say : First over the spices and then the light.

Raba said : Everybody agrees about bara' that it means "he created." In what do they differ? About the word bore' ; Bet Shammai hold that bore' means "he will create," but Bet Hillel hold that bore' has also the same meaning as bara'.

Raba said : [The statement of the Mishnah means] one must actually use the illumination.

Rab Judah said the benediction over the light in the house of Ada the waiter. Raba said it over the light in the house of Guria b. Hamma. Abbai said it over the light in the house of Bar Abbuha.

Lo, there was the man who was journeying by 'Eber Jamina when a lion attacked him, and a miracle was wrought for him and he was rescued. He came before Raba who told him : Whenever thou reachest that spot, say "Blessed... Who hast wrought a miracle for me in this place." And Mar b. Rabina was passing through the valley of 'Arabot and thirsted for water ; a miracle was wrought for him and a well was created and he drank.

The third of them commenced and said : He who is ill should not disclose the fact on the first day so as not to cause himself bad luck, but after that he may disclose it. As when Raba fell ill, on the first day he did not disclose it, but after that be said to his attendant, "Go, announce that Raba is ill. Let him who loves me pray on my behalf, and let him that hates me rejoice over my plight ; for it is written, 'Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth ; lest the Lord see it and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him' (Prov. xxiv. 17 f.)."

The third of them commenced and said : He who is ill should not disclose the fact on the first day so as not to cause himself bad luck, but after that he may disclose it. As when Raba fell ill, on the first day he did not disclose it, but after that be said to his attendant, "Go, announce that Raba is ill. Let him who loves me pray on my behalf, and let him that hates me rejoice over my plight ; for it is written, 'Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth ; lest the Lord see it and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him' (Prov. xxiv. 17 f.)."

Raba asked : It is written, "I do speak with him in a dream," and it is written, "The dreams speak falsely" ! There is no contradiction ; the former being through an angel, the latter through an evil spirit.

Is there such a Scriptural passage as "All dreams follow the mouth"? Yes; and it is like the statement of R. Eleazar who said : Whence is it that all dreams follow the mouth ? As it is said, "And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was" (Gen. xli. 13). Raba said : That is only so if he interprets it from the content of the dream; as it is said, "To each man according to his dream he did interpret" (ibid. v. 12).

R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan : A man is only shown [in a dream what emanates] from the thoughts of his heart ; as it is said, "As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed" (Dan. ii. 29). Or if thou wilt I can say from this passage, "That thou mayest know the thoughts of thy heart" (ibid. v. 30). Raba said : Thou mayest know this from the fact that a man is never shown [in a dream] a golden date-palm or an elephant entering the eye of a needle.

Bar Hedja was an interpreter of dreams. When one paid him a fee, he interpreted [the dream] favourably ; but if no fee was given him, he interpreted it unfavourably. Abbai and Raba had a dream ; Abbai gave him a Zuz but Raba gave him nothing. They said to him : We were made to read in our dream the words "Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes" (Deut. xxviii. 31). To Raba he said : Thy business will fail, and thou wilt have no desire to eat because of the grief of thy heart. To Abbai he said : Thy business will prosper, and thou wilt have no desire to eat because of the joy of thy heart.

Bar Hedja was an interpreter of dreams. When one paid him a fee, he interpreted [the dream] favourably ; but if no fee was given him, he interpreted it unfavourably. Abbai and Raba had a dream ; Abbai gave him a Zuz but Raba gave him nothing. They said to him : We were made to read in our dream the words "Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes" (Deut. xxviii. 31). To Raba he said : Thy business will fail, and thou wilt have no desire to eat because of the grief of thy heart. To Abbai he said : Thy business will prosper, and thou wilt have no desire to eat because of the joy of thy heart.

Bar Hedja was an interpreter of dreams. When one paid him a fee, he interpreted [the dream] favourably ; but if no fee was given him, he interpreted it unfavourably. Abbai and Raba had a dream ; Abbai gave him a Zuz but Raba gave him nothing. They said to him : We were made to read in our dream the words "Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes" (Deut. xxviii. 31). To Raba he said : Thy business will fail, and thou wilt have no desire to eat because of the grief of thy heart. To Abbai he said : Thy business will prosper, and thou wilt have no desire to eat because of the joy of thy heart.

They said to him : We were made to read in our dream the words "Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be thine, for they shall go into captivity" (ibid. 5:41). To Raba he replied in an unfavourable sense. To Abbai he said : Thy sons and daughters will be many, and thy daughters will marry [husbands in distant parts of] the world, so that they will seem to thee as though they had gone into captivity,

[They said to him : In our dream] we were made to read the words "Thy sons and thy daughters shall he given unto another people " (ibid. v. 32), To Abbai he said : Thy sons and daughters will be many ; thou wilt say [they should marry] thy relatives, but [thy wife] will say they [should marry] her relatives, and she will compel thee to give them to her relatives, and it will seem [as though they had been given] to another people. To Raba he said : Thy wife will die, and thy sons and daughters will come under the control of another wife. For Raba said in the name of R. Jeremiah b. Abba in the name of Rab : What means that which is written, "Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people"? This refers to a stepmother.

[They said to him : In our dream] we were made to read the words "Thy sons and thy daughters shall he given unto another people " (ibid. v. 32), To Abbai he said : Thy sons and daughters will be many ; thou wilt say [they should marry] thy relatives, but [thy wife] will say they [should marry] her relatives, and she will compel thee to give them to her relatives, and it will seem [as though they had been given] to another people. To Raba he said : Thy wife will die, and thy sons and daughters will come under the control of another wife. For Raba said in the name of R. Jeremiah b. Abba in the name of Rab : What means that which is written, "Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people"? This refers to a stepmother.

[They said to Bar Hedja] : We were made to read in our dream the words "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy" (Eccles, ix. 7). To Abbai he said : Thy business will prosper and thou wilt eat and drink and read Scriptural verses from the joy of thy heart. To Raba he said : Thy business will fail, thou wilt slaughter [cattle] but not eat, and thou wilt drink and read Scriptural verses to banish thy dread.

We were made to read the words "Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather little in for the locust will consume it" (Deut. xxviii. 38). To Abbai he gave an interpretation from the first half of the verse ; to Raba from the latter half.

We were made to read the words "Thou shalt have olive-trees throughout all thy borders, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil, for thine olives shall drop off" (Deut. xxviii, 40). To Abbai he gave an interpretation from the first half of the verse ; to Raba from the latter half.

We were made to read the words "And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon thee, and they shall be afraid of thee" (ibid. v. 10). To Abbai he said : Thy fame will go forth as the Principal of the College and the fear of thee will be widespread in the world. To Raba he said : The king's treasury will be broken into and thou wilt be arrested as one of the thieves, and everybody will draw an inference from thee. The next day the king's treasury was broken into, and they came and arrested Raba.

We were made to read the words "And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon thee, and they shall be afraid of thee" (ibid. v. 10). To Abbai he said : Thy fame will go forth as the Principal of the College and the fear of thee will be widespread in the world. To Raba he said : The king's treasury will be broken into and thou wilt be arrested as one of the thieves, and everybody will draw an inference from thee. The next day the king's treasury was broken into, and they came and arrested Raba.

They said [to Bar Hedja] : We saw [in a dream] lettuce upon the mouth of a jar. To Abbai he said : Thy business will be doubled like the lettuce. To Raba he said : Thy business will be bitter like the lettuce.

They said to him : We saw [in a dream] meat upon the mouth of a jar. To Abbai he said : Thy wine will be sweet and everybody will come to buy meat and wine of thee. To Raba he said : Thy wine will be sour and everybody will come to buy meat to eat therewith.

They said to him : We saw [in a dream] a jug hanging upon a date-palm. To Abbai he said : Thy wares will be exalted like the palm. To Raba he said : Thy wares will be sweet as dates.

They said to him : We saw [in a dream] a pomegranate sprouting on the mouth of a jar. To Abbai he said : Thy wares will be high-priced like the pomegranate. To Raba he said : Thy wares will be stale [and taste] like the pomegranate.

They said to him : We saw [in a dream] a jug fall into a well. To Abbai he said : Thy wares will be sought as one says, "A piece of bread fell into a well and cannot be found." To Raba he said : Thy wares will go bad and thou wilt cast them into a well.

They said to him : We saw [in a dream] a young ass standing by the side of our pillow and braying. To Abbai he said : Thou wilt become the President of the College and an Amora will stand by thee. To Raba he said : The words "the firstling of an ass" (Exod. xiii. 13) have been erased from thy Tefillin. Raba said to him : I have myself seen that the words are there. He replied : The letter waw in the word hamor "ass" has certainly been erased from thy Tefillin.

They said to him : We saw [in a dream] a young ass standing by the side of our pillow and braying. To Abbai he said : Thou wilt become the President of the College and an Amora will stand by thee. To Raba he said : The words "the firstling of an ass" (Exod. xiii. 13) have been erased from thy Tefillin. Raba said to him : I have myself seen that the words are there. He replied : The letter waw in the word hamor "ass" has certainly been erased from thy Tefillin.

Later on Raba went to him alone and said : I dreamt that the outer door fell. He replied : Thy wife will die. He said : I dreamt that my back and front teeth fell out. He replied that his sons and daughters would die. He said : I dreamt of two doves flying. He replied : Thou wilt divorce two wives. He said : I dreamt of two turnip-tops. He replied : Thou wilt receive two blows. That day Raba went and sat in the House of Study the whole day. He found there two blind men quarrelling with each other. Raba went to part them, and they struck him twice. They raised [their sticks] to give him another blow ; but he cried, "That's enough! I only dreamt of two!"

Later on Raba went to him alone and said : I dreamt that the outer door fell. He replied : Thy wife will die. He said : I dreamt that my back and front teeth fell out. He replied that his sons and daughters would die. He said : I dreamt of two doves flying. He replied : Thou wilt divorce two wives. He said : I dreamt of two turnip-tops. He replied : Thou wilt receive two blows. That day Raba went and sat in the House of Study the whole day. He found there two blind men quarrelling with each other. Raba went to part them, and they struck him twice. They raised [their sticks] to give him another blow ; but he cried, "That's enough! I only dreamt of two!"

Later on Raba went to him alone and said : I dreamt that the outer door fell. He replied : Thy wife will die. He said : I dreamt that my back and front teeth fell out. He replied that his sons and daughters would die. He said : I dreamt of two doves flying. He replied : Thou wilt divorce two wives. He said : I dreamt of two turnip-tops. He replied : Thou wilt receive two blows. That day Raba went and sat in the House of Study the whole day. He found there two blind men quarrelling with each other. Raba went to part them, and they struck him twice. They raised [their sticks] to give him another blow ; but he cried, "That's enough! I only dreamt of two!"

Finally Raba came and gave [Bar Hedja] a fee, and said to him : I dreamt of a wall falling. He replied : Thou wilt acquire a boundless estate. He said to him : dreamt that Abbai's house collapsed and its dust covered me. He replied : Abbai will die and his [Office as Principal of the] College will revert to thee. He said to him : I dreamt that my house collapsed and everybody came to take each a brick. He replied : Thy teachings will be scattered throughout the world. He said to him : I dreamt that my head was split open and my brains fell out. He replied : The stuffing will fall out of thy bolster. He said to him : I dreamt that I was made to read the Hallel of Egypt. He replied : Many miracles will happen to thee. [Once Bar Hedja] went with Raba on a boat; he said [to himself]

Finally Raba came and gave [Bar Hedja] a fee, and said to him : I dreamt of a wall falling. He replied : Thou wilt acquire a boundless estate. He said to him : dreamt that Abbai's house collapsed and its dust covered me. He replied : Abbai will die and his [Office as Principal of the] College will revert to thee. He said to him : I dreamt that my house collapsed and everybody came to take each a brick. He replied : Thy teachings will be scattered throughout the world. He said to him : I dreamt that my head was split open and my brains fell out. He replied : The stuffing will fall out of thy bolster. He said to him : I dreamt that I was made to read the Hallel of Egypt. He replied : Many miracles will happen to thee. [Once Bar Hedja] went with Raba on a boat; he said [to himself]

"Why should I accompany a man to whom miracles will happen?" As he descended [from the boat] a book of his fell. Raba found it and saw written therein, "All dreams follow the mouth [of the interpreter]." He exclaimed, "Thou rascal ! It rested with thee [whether my dreams were auspicious or not], and thou didst cause me all this pain. I forgive thee everything except [what thou didst say about] the daughter of Rab Hisda. May it be His will that this fellow be handed over into the power of the Government and it have no mercy on him!"

Bar Hedja said, "What can I do ? There is a tradition that the curse of a wise man, even when undeserved, comes to pass ; and how much more so that of Raba who has justification for uttering a curse!" He said [to himself] "I will go into exile; for a teacher has said, 'Exile atones for sins'."

R. Hannina said : Who dreams of a well will see peace ; as it is said, "And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of living water" (Gen. xxvi. 19). R. Nathan said : He will find Torah; as it is said, "Whoso findeth me findeth life" (Prov. viii. 35), and it is written here "a well of living water." Raba said : [It means] life literally.

Who dreams of ascending to the roof will ascend to greatness ; of descending, he will descend from greatness. Abbai and Raba both say : Since he has ascended, he has ascended. Who dreams of rending his garments, the Divine decree will be rent for him. Who dreams of standing naked, if in Babylon he will stand without sin ; but if in the Land of Israel, [he will stand] naked without commandments. Who dreams that he has been arrested by the police, the Divine protection will be vouchsafed him. [If he dreamt] that they placed him in neck-chains, the Divine protection will be doubly vouchsafed him ; but this applies only to a neck-chain, not to a common cord.

When Raba saw asses carrying this dust, he struck them upon the back with his hand and exclaimed, "Run, ye righteous, to perform the will of your Master." When Mar b. Rabina came to Babylon, he took up some earth in his mantle and cast it out, to fulfil that which was said, "I will sweep it with the besom of destruction" (Is. xiv. 23). Rab Ashe said : I had not heard that of Rab Hamnuna, but from my own mind I said all those benedictions.

"And the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken in years among men" (I Sam. xvii. 12). Raba (other versions : Rab Zebid, Rab Osha'ya) said : This refers to Jesse, the father of David, who went out with a crowd, came in with a crowd and expounded [Torah] with a crowd. 'Ulla said : We have received a tradition that there is no crowd in Babylon. It has been taught : A crowd must not consist of less than sixty myriads.

He then said, "Since a miracle was wrought for me with this verse, I will expound it." [He went to the House of Study and expounded]: "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness" — that refers to the work of Creation ; for so it is stated, "Who doeth great things past finding out" (Job ix. 10). "And the power" — that refers to the Exodus from Egypt ; as it is said, "And Israel saw the great work" etc. (Exod. xiv. 31). "And the glory" — that refers to the sun and moon which stood still for Joshua; as it is said, "And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed" (Josh. x. 13). "And the victory" [nesah] — that refers to the overthrow of Rome; for so it is stated, "And their life-blood [nesah] is dashed against My garments" (Is. Ixiii. 3). "And the majesty" — that refers to the battle at the valleys of Arnon ; as it is said, "Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the Lord : Vaheb in Suphah, and the valleys of Arnon" (Num. xxi. 14). "For all that is in heaven and earth" — that refers to the war of Sisera ; as it is said, "They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera" (Judges 5:20). "Thine is the kingdom, O Lord" — that refers to the war of Amalek ; for so it is stated, "The hand upon the throne of the Lord, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exod. xvii. 16). "And Thou art exalted" — that refers to the war of Gog and Magog ; for so it is stated, "Behold I am against thee, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal" (Ezek. xxxviii. 3). "As head above all" — Rab Hanan b. Raba said in the name of Rab : Even the waterman is appointed by Heaven.

For lightnings one says, "Blessed... Whose strength and might fill the world." What is lightning? Raba said : A flash. Also said Raba: A single flash, a white flash, a green flash, and clouds which rise in the western corner and come from the south corner, and two clouds which rise one opposite the other, are all inauspicious.

For lightnings one says, "Blessed... Whose strength and might fill the world." What is lightning? Raba said : A flash. Also said Raba: A single flash, a white flash, a green flash, and clouds which rise in the western corner and come from the south corner, and two clouds which rise one opposite the other, are all inauspicious.

For mountains and hills... he says, "Blessed...Who hast made the Creation." Is it then to be supposed that all the other things hitherto mentioned do not belong to the work of Creation? For lo, it is written, "He maketh lightnings for the rain" (Ps. cxxxv. 7)! Abbai said : Connect them all and learn them together. Raba said : In the former instances he pronounces two benedictions : "Blessed...Whose strength fills the world and Who hast made the Creation" ; but here "...Who hast made the Creation" is applicable, but "Whose strength fills the world" is not applicable.

" Is it "abundant thanksgivings" and not "all thanksgivings"? Raba declared: I say "God of thanks-givings." Rab Pappa said : Let us therefore say both : "Abundant thanksgivings and God of thanksgivings."

Our Rabbis have taught : It happened that Hillel the Elder was returning from a journey and heard a cry of lamentation in the city and said, "I am confident that it is not in my house" ; and to him the Scriptural verse applies, "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings ; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord" (Ps cxii. 7). Raba said : Whenever thou expoundest this verse, it is to be explained from the first clause to the second and from the second to the first. It is to be explained from the first clause to the second, thus : "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings." Why? "His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." It is to be explained from the second clause to the first, thus : "His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord"; [therefore] "he shall not be afraid of evil tidings."

A man is in duty bound, etc. What means : A man is in duty bound to utter a benediction for the bad even as he utters one for the good? Are we to suppose that as for the good he says the benediction "...Who art good and dispensest good," he is to make the same benediction for the bad? For lo, our Mishnah teaches : For good tidings he says "Who art good and dispensest good" and For bad tidings he says "Blessed be the true Judge"! Raba said : It is only necessary that he should receive [the bad] with gladness.

Raba said, "The average people are, for instance, ourselves." Abbai said to him, "The master does not leave life for any creature!"

Raba also said : The universe was only created for the completely wicked or the completely righteous. Raba said : Let a man know himself whether he is completely righteous or not. Rab said : The universe was only created for Ahab the son of Omri and for R. Hannina b. Dosa — for Ahab the son of Omri, this world; and for R. Hannina b. Dosa, the world to come.

Raba also said : The universe was only created for the completely wicked or the completely righteous. Raba said : Let a man know himself whether he is completely righteous or not. Rab said : The universe was only created for Ahab the son of Omri and for R. Hannina b. Dosa — for Ahab the son of Omri, this world; and for R. Hannina b. Dosa, the world to come.

Why should we not wipe with the right hand but only with the left? Raba said : Because the Torah was given with the right hand ; as it is said, "At His right hand was a fiery law unto them" (Deut. xxxiii. 2). Rabbah b. Bar Hannah said : Because it is near the mouths. R. Simeon b. Lakish said : Because he binds the Tefillin with it. Rab Nahman b. Isaac said: Because he points to the accents of the Torah with it.

Before Raba was appointed Principal [of the Seminary], the daughter of Rab Hisda used to rattle a nut in a flask for him; but afterwards when he ruled [over the Seminary] she made an aperture for him [in the wall] and placed her hand upon his head.

But it is not so ! For lo, Rab Judah said in the name of Rab : A man should always accustom himself [to perform his natural functions] morning and evening so that it will be unnecessary for him to go far [and find a secluded spot]. And further, Raba used to go as far as a Mil by day ; but at night he would say to his attendant, "Prepare for me a place in the street of the town." Similarly used R. Zera to say to his attendant, "See whether there is anybody behind the Seminary, as I wish to relieve myself"! Read not [in the Baraita] "in the same place," but read "in the same manner that he relieves himself by day."

Nor may one enter the Temple Mount with his staff"...; nor may he use it as a short cut [koppendaria]. What means koppendaria? Raba said : A short cut, as the word implies. But Rab Hanna b. Adda said in the name of Rab Samma b. R. Mari: It is as people say, "Instead of going round the row of houses, I will go through it" Rab Nahman said in the name of Rabbah b. Abbuha: If one enters a Synagogue not for the purpose of making it a short cut, he may use it in that manner.

Raba said : Expectoration is allowed in a Synagogue, because it is analogous to [the wearing of] a shoe — just as [the wearing of] a shoe is prohibited on the Temple Mount but is permitted in a Synagogue, so is expectoration forbidden on the Temple Mount but permitted in a Synagogue.

Rab Pappa said to Raba (other versions : Rabina to Raba ; Rab Adda b. Mattena to Raba) : Why should one derive it [by analogy] from a shoe ; let him derive it from the short cut !

Rab Pappa said to Raba (other versions : Rabina to Raba ; Rab Adda b. Mattena to Raba) : Why should one derive it [by analogy] from a shoe ; let him derive it from the short cut !

Rab Pappa said to Raba (other versions : Rabina to Raba ; Rab Adda b. Mattena to Raba) : Why should one derive it [by analogy] from a shoe ; let him derive it from the short cut !

But, answered Raba : [The Synagogue] is analogous to his own house — as a man is concerned about anybody using his house as a short cut but is not concerned about expectoration or [the wearing of] shoes, so also with the Synagogue, as a short cut it is prohibited, but expectoration and [the wearing of] shoes are allowed.

And it is stated, "It is time for the Lord to work ; they have made void Thy Law" (Ps. cxix. 126). Raba said : This verse is to be explained from the first clause to the second, and from the second to the first.

Bar Kappara expounded : Which is a brief Scriptural passage upon which all the principles of the Torah depend? "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths" (ibid. iii. 6). Raba said : Even for a matter of transgression.

That is what is written, "And he would return into the camp." Raba said : Nevertheless the word did not go forth from Him in vain ; as it is said, "But his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tent" (ibid.).

Another explanation of "Attend [hasket] and hear, O Israel": Be silent [has] and then discuss [kattet]; according to the statement of Raba who said : A man should always study Torah first and afterwards meditate thereon.

we say that the edge of the roof [of the exedra is regarded as though it] descends and fills up [the space]. While Raba says it is invalid, since we do not say that the edge of the roof descends and fills up [the space].

Raba said: drinking vessels may be kept in the Sukkah, eating vessels outside the Sukkah Earthenware pitchers and wooden pails [must be kept] outside the Sukkah. A lamp [may be kept] within the Sukkah, while some say [that it must be kept] outside the Sukkah; but they do not disagree, here refers to a large Sukkah and here refers to a small one.

Raba Tosfa’ah said to Ravina: But perhaps it means two bunches of dates? The word is written kappat (in the singular). Then perhaps it means one? That would be called kaf.

But perhaps it is the oleander? Abaye said, "Its ways are the ways of pleasantness" and [with the oleander] this is not the case. Raba said [the same] from the following verse, "Therefore love truth and peace."

What constitutes "avot"? Rav Judah said: When three leaves grow out of one spot. R. Kahana said: Even two and then one. R. Aha the son of Raba tried to find one [whose leaves grew] two and then one, since that was what R. Kahana said. Mar b. Amemar said to R. Ashi: "My father used to call that a wayward hadas."

R. Ashi said: This is a case where he plucked them for food, and R. Eliezer son of R. Shimon holds the same opinion as his father who said that a work which is done without intention is permitted. But do not both Abaye and Raba say that

Raba b. Joseph said: I also add that [what was formerly called] Babylon [is now called] Borsif and Borsif is now Babylon.

If it is peeled. Raba ruled: An etrog which was peeled so as to resemble a red date is valid. But have we not learned, if it is peeled . . . It is invalid? There is no difficulty:

He asked in accordance with the statement of Ulla in the name of R. Yohanan who said: If the [contents of the] lung pour out as from a ladle [the animal] is fit to be eaten, and Raba explained that this applies only when the arteries are still whole, but if the arteries are rotted [the animal is] terefah. What is the ruling here? Is it possible that in that case where the air does not affect it, it could become healthy again, but in this case where the air does affect it, it decays, or is it possible that there is no difference?

The Master has said: An Ethiopian etrog is invalid. But has it not been taught: If it is Ethiopian it is valid, if it is like an Ethiopian, it is invalid? Abaye answered, In our Mishnah also we learned of one that is like an Ethiopian. Raba answered, There is no difficulty. The former refers to us, the latter to them.

2) Since he says: "Praise Him, servants of the Lord" (Psalms 113:1) and they respond Halleluyah, it may be deduced that if an adult recites [the Hallel] for one the latter responds Halleluyah. 3) Since he says: "Give thanks to the Lord" (Psalms 118), and they respond, "Give thanks unto the Lord," it may be inferred that it is a mitzvah to respond with the beginning of sections. (So it was also stated; R. Hanan b. Raba ruled: It is a mitzvah to respond with the beginning of the sections.)