scholar

And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.

The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

A second time the master Zachyas, doctor of the law, said to Joseph and Mary: Give me the boy, and I shall hand him over to master Levi, who shall teach him his letters and instruct him. Then Joseph and Mary, soothing Jesus, took Him to the schools, that He might be taught His letters by old Levi. And as soon as He went in He held His tongue. And the master Levi said one letter to Jesus, and, beginning from the first letter Aleph, said to Him: Answer. But Jesus was silent, and answered nothing. Wherefore the preceptor Levi was angry, and seized his storax-tree rod, and struck Him on the head. And Jesus said to the teacher Levi: Why do you strike me? You shall know in truth, that He who is struck can teach him who strikes Him more than He can be taught by him. For I can teach you those very things that you are saying. But all these are blind who speak and hear, like sounding brass or tinkling cymbal, in which there is no perception of those things which are meant by their sound. And Jesus in addition said to Zachyas: Every letter from Aleph even to Thet is known by its arrangement. Say first, therefore, what Thet is, and I will tell you what Aleph is. And again Jesus said to them: Those who do not know Aleph, how can they say Thet, the hypocrites? Tell me what the first one, Aleph, is; and I shall then believe you when you have said Beth. And Jesus began to ask the names of the letters one by one, and said: Let the master of the law tell us what the first letter is, or why it has many triangles, gradate, subacute, mediate, obduced, produced, erect, prostrate, curvistrate. And when Levi heard this, he was thunderstruck at such an arrangement of the names of the letters. Then he began in the hearing of all to cry out, and say: Ought such a one to live on the earth? Yea, he ought to be hung on the great cross. For he can put out fire, and make sport of other modes of punishment. I think that he lived before the flood, and was born before the deluge. For what womb bore him? Or what mother brought him forth? Or what breasts gave him suck? I flee before him; I am not able to withstand the words from his mouth, but my heart is astounded to hear such words. I do not think that any man can understand what he says, except God were with him. Now I, unfortunate wretch, have given myself up to be a laughing-stock to him. For when I thought I had a scholar, I, not knowing him, have found my master. What shall I say? I cannot withstand the words of this child: I shall now flee from this town, because I cannot understand them. An old man like me has been beaten by a boy, because I can find neither beginning nor end of what he says. For it is no easy matter to find a beginning of himself. I tell you of a certainty, I am not lying, that to my eyes the proceedings of this boy, the commencement of his conversation, and the upshot of his intention, seem to have nothing in common with mortal man. Here then I do not know whether he be a wizard or a god; or at least an angel of God speaks in him. Whence he is, or where he comes from, or who he will turn out to be, I know not. Then Jesus, smiling at him with a joyful countenance, said in a commanding voice to all the sons of Israel standing by and hearing: Let the unfruitful bring forth fruit, and the blind see, and the lame walk right, and the poor enjoy the good things of this life, and the dead live, that each may return to his original state, and abide in Him who is the root of life and of perpetual sweetness. And when the child Jesus had said this, immediately all who had fallen under malignant diseases were restored. And they did not dare to say anything more to Him, or to hear anything from Him.

Again the Jews asked Mary and Joseph a third time to coax Him to go to another master to learn. And Joseph and Mary, fearing the people, and the overbearing of the princes, and the threats of the priests, led Him again to school, knowing that He could learn nothing from man, because He had perfect knowledge from God only. And when Jesus had entered the school, led by the Holy Spirit, He took the book out of the hand of the master who was teaching the law, and in the sight and hearing of all the people began to read, not indeed what was written in their book; but He spoke in the Spirit of the living God, as if a stream of water were gushing forth from a living fountain, and the fountain remained always full. And with such power He taught the people the great things of the living God, that the master himself fell to the ground and adored Him. And the heart of the people who sat and heard Him saying such things was turned into astonishment. And when Joseph heard of this, he came running to Jesus, fearing that the master himself was dead. And when the master saw him, he said to him: You have given me not a scholar, but a master; and who can withstand his words? Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Psalmist: The river of God is full of water: You have prepared them grain, for so is the provision for it.

Concerning the time during which they shall hear instruction after (they have left off their) occupations. The catechumens shall remain three years hearing the word of instruction: yet if he was a good scholar and one who knows good conduct, no length of time need be required of him (to hear), but the conduct alone shall decide for him.

For it is not equitable that you, O bishop, who art the head, should submit to the tail, that is, to some seditious person among the laity, to the destruction of another, but to God alone. For it is your privilege to govern those under you, but not to be governed by them. For neither does a son, who is subject by the course of generation, govern his father; nor a slave, who is subject by law, govern his master; nor does a scholar govern his teacher, nor a soldier his king, nor any of the laity his bishop. For that there is no reason to suppose that such as converse with the wicked, in order to their instruction in the word, are defiled by or partake of their sins, Ezekiel, as it were on purpose preventing the suspicions of ill-disposed persons, says thus: Why do you speak this proverb concerning the land of Israel? The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. As I live, says the Lord God, you shall not henceforth have occasion to use this proverb in Israel. For all souls are mine, in like manner as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, it shall die. But the man who is righteous, and does judgment and justice (and so the prophet reckons up the rest of the virtues, and then adds for a conclusion, Such a one is just), he shall surely live, says the Lord God. And if he beget a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and walks not in the way of his righteous father (and when the prophet had added what follows, he adds in the conclusion), he shall certainly not live: he has done all this wickedness; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. Yet they will ask you, Why? Does not the son bear the iniquity of the father; or his righteousness, having exercised righteousness and mercy himself? And you shall say unto them, The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. And a little after he says: When the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, all his righteousness, by reason of all his wickedness which he has committed, shall not be mentioned to him: in his iniquity which he has committed, and in his sin which he has sinned, in them shall he die. And a little after he adds: When the wicked turns away from his wickedness which he has committed, and does judgment and justice, he has preserved his soul, he has turned away from all his ungodliness which he has done; he shall surely live, he shall not die. And afterwards: I will judge every one of you according to his ways, O house of Israel, says the Lord God.

When this thing was told Cæsar, he did not believe it, because Herod was not easily to be imposed upon in such affairs as were of great concern to him; yet, having some suspicion it might be so, he sent one Celadus, a freed-man of his, and one that had conversed with the young men themselves, and bade him bring Alexander into his presence; so he brought him, being no more accurate in judging about him than the rest of the multitude. Yet did not he deceive Cæsar; for although there was a resemblance between him and Alexander, yet was it not so exact as to impose on such as were prudent in discerning; for this spurious Alexander had his hands rough, by the labors he had been put to and instead of that softness of body which the other had, and this as derived from his delicate and generous education, this man, for the contrary reason, had a rugged body. When, therefore, Cæsar saw how the master and the scholar agreed in this lying story, and in a bold way of talking, he inquired about Aristobulus, and asked what became of him who [it seems] was stolen away together with him, and for what reason it was that he did not come along with him, and endeavor to recover that dominion which was due to his high birth also. And when he said that he had been left in the isle of Crete, for fear of the dangers of the sea, that, in case any accident should come to himself, the posterity of Mariamne might not utterly perish, but that Aristobulus might survive, and punish those that laid such treacherous designs against them; and when he persevered in his affirmations, and the author of the imposture agreed in supporting it, Cæsar took the young man by himself, and said to him, "If thou wilt not impose upon me, thou shalt have this for thy reward, that thou shalt escape with thy life; tell me, then, who thou art, and who it was that had boldness enough to contrive such a cheat as this. For this contrivance is too considerable a piece of villainy to be undertaken by one of thy age." Accordingly, because he had no other way to take, he told Cæsar the contrivance, and after what manner and by whom it was laid together. So Cæsar, upon observing the spurious Alexander to be a strong active man, and fit to work with his hands, that he might not break his promise to him, put him among those that were to row among the mariners, but slew him that induced him to do what he had done; for as for the people of Melos, he thought them sufficiently punished, in having thrown away so much of their money upon this spurious Alexander. And such was the ignominious conclusion of this bold contrivance about the spurious Alexander.

But now it is proper to satisfy the inquiry of those that disbelieve the records of barbarians, and think none but Greeks to be worthy of credit, and to produce many of these very Greeks who were acquainted with our nation, and to set before them such as upon occasion have made mention of us in their own writings. Pythagoras, therefore, of Samos, lived in very ancient times, and was esteemed a person superior to all philosophers in wisdom and piety towards God. Now it is plain that he did not only know our doctrines, but was in very great measure a follower and admirer of them. There is not indeed extant any writing that is owned for his but many there are who have written his history, of whom Hermippus is the most celebrated, who was a person very inquisitive into all sorts of history. Now this Hermippus, in his first book concerning Pythagoras, speaks thus: "That Pythagoras, upon the death of one of his associates, whose name was Calliphon, a Crotonlate by birth, affirmed that this man's soul conversed with him both night and day, and enjoined him not to pass over a place where an ass had fallen down; as also not to drink of such waters as caused thirst again; and to abstain from all sorts of reproaches." After which he adds thus: "This he did and said in imitation of the doctrines of the Jews and Thracians, which he transferred into his own philosophy." For it is very truly affirmed of this Pythagoras, that he took a great many of the laws of the Jews into his own philosophy. Nor was our nation unknown of old to several of the Grecian cities, and indeed was thought worthy of imitation by some of them. This is declared by Theophrastus, in his writings concerning laws; for he says that "the laws of the Tyrians forbid men to swear foreign oaths." Among which he enumerates some others, and particularly that called Corban: which oath can only be found among the Jews, and declares what a man may call "A thing devoted to God." Nor indeed was Herodotus of Halicarnassus unacquainted with our nation, but mentions it after a way of his own, when he saith thus, in the second book concerning the Colchians. His words are these: "The only people who were circumcised in their privy members originally, were the Colchians, the Egyptians, and the Ethiopians; but the Phoenicians and those Syrians that are in Palestine confess that they learned it from the Egyptians. And for those Syrians who live about the rivers Thermodon and Parthenius, and their neighbors the Macrones, they say they have lately learned it from the Colchians; for these are the only people that are circumcised among mankind, and appear to have done the very same thing with the Egyptians. But as for the Egyptians and Ethiopians themselves, I am not able to say which of them received it from the other." This therefore is what Herodotus says, that "the Syrians that are in Palestine are circumcised." But there are no inhabitants of Palestine that are circumcised excepting the Jews; and therefore it must be his knowledge of them that enabled him to speak so much concerning them. Cherilus also, a still ancienter writer, and a poet, makes mention of our nation, and informs us that it came to the assistance of king Xerxes, in his expedition against Greece. For in his enumeration of all those nations, he last of all inserts ours among the rest, when he says, "At the last there passed over a people, wonderful to be beheld; for they spake the Phoenician tongue with their mouths; they dwelt in the Solymean mountains, near a broad lake: their heads were sooty; they had round rasures on them; their heads and faces were like nasty horse-heads also, that had been hardened in the smoke." I think, therefore, that it is evident to every body that Cherilus means us, because the Solymean mountains are in our country, wherein we inhabit, as is also the lake called Asphaltitis; for this is a broader and larger lake than any other that is in Syria: and thus does Cherilus make mention of us. But now that not only the lowest sort of the Grecians, but those that are had in the greatest admiration for their philosophic improvements among them, did not only know the Jews, but when they lighted upon any of them, admired them also, it is easy for any one to know. For Clearchus, who was the scholar of Aristotle, and inferior to no one of the Peripatetics whomsoever, in his first book concerning sleep, says that "Aristotle his master related what follows of a Jew," and sets down Aristotle's own discourse with him. The account is this, as written down by him: "Now, for a great part of what this Jew said, it would be too long to recite it; but what includes in it both wonder and philosophy it may not be amiss to discourse of. Now, that I may be plain with thee, Hyperochides, I shall herein seem to thee to relate wonders, and what will resemble dreams themselves. Hereupon Hyperochides answered modestly, and said, For that very reason it is that all of us are very desirous of hearing what thou art going to say. Then replied Aristotle, For this cause it will be the best way to imitate that rule of the Rhetoricians, which requires us first to give an account of the man, and of what nation he was, that so we may not contradict our master's directions. Then said Hyperochides, Go on, if it so pleases thee. This man then, [answered Aristotle,] was by birth a Jew, and came from Celesyria; these Jews are derived from the Indian philosophers; they are named by the Indians Calami, and by the Syrians Judaei, and took their name from the country they inhabit, which is called Judea; but for the name of their city, it is a very awkward one, for they call it Jerusalem. Now this man, when he was hospitably treated by a great many, came down from the upper country to the places near the sea, and became a Grecian, not only in his language, but in his soul also; insomuch that when we ourselves happened to be in Asia about the same places whither he came, he conversed with us, and with other philosophical persons, and made a trial of our skill in philosophy; and as he had lived with many learned men, he communicated to us more information than he received from us." This is Aristotle's account of the matter, as given us by Clearchus; which Aristotle discoursed also particularly of the great and wonderful fortitude of this Jew in his diet, and continent way of living, as those that please may learn more about him from Clearchus's book itself; for I avoid setting down any more than is sufficient for my purpose. Now Clearchus said this by way of digression, for his main design was of another nature. But for Hecateus of Abdera, who was both a philosopher, and one very useful ill an active life, he was contemporary with king Alexander in his youth, and afterward was with Ptolemy, the son of Lagus; he did not write about the Jewish affairs by the by only, but composed an entire book concerning the Jews themselves; out of which book I am willing to run over a few things, of which I have been treating by way of epitome. And, in the first place, I will demonstrate the time when this Hecateus lived; for he mentions the fight that was between Ptolemy and Demetrius about Gaza, which was fought in the eleventh year after the death of Alexander, and in the hundred and seventeenth olympiad, as Castor says in his history. For when he had set down this olympiad, he says further, that "in this olympiad Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, beat in battle Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, who was named Poliorcetes, at Gaza." Now, it is agreed by all, that Alexander died in the hundred and fourteenth olympiad; it is therefore evident that our nation flourished in his time, and in the time of Alexander. Again, Hecateus says to the same purpose, as follows: "Ptolemy got possession of the places in Syria after that battle at Gaza; and many, when they heard of Ptolemy's moderation and humanity, went along with him to Egypt, and were willing to assist him in his affairs; one of whom [Hecateus says] was Hezekiah the high priest of the Jews; a man of about sixty-six years of age, and in great dignity among his own people. He was a very sensible man, and could speak very movingly, and was very skillful in the management of affairs, if any other man ever were so; although, as he says, all the priests of the Jews took tithes of the products of the earth, and managed public affairs, and were in number not above fifteen hundred at the most." Hecateus mentions this Hezekiah a second time, and says, that "as he was possessed of so great a dignity, and was become familiar with us, so did he take certain of those that were with him, and explained to them all the circumstances of their people; for he had all their habitations and polity down in writing." Moreover, Hecateus declares again, "what regard we have for our laws, and that we resolve to endure any thing rather than transgress them, because we think it right for us to do so." Whereupon he adds, that "although they are in a bad reputation among their neighbors, and among all those that come to them, and have been often treated injuriously by the kings and governors of Persia, yet can they not be dissuaded from acting what they think best; but that when they are stripped on this account, and have torments inflicted upon them, and they are brought to the most terrible kinds of death, they meet them after an extraordinary manner, beyond all other people, and will not renounce the religion of their forefathers." Hecateus also produces demonstrations not a few of this their resolute tenaciousness of their laws, when he speaks thus: "Alexander was once at Babylon, and had an intention to rebuild the temple of Belus that was fallen to decay, and in order thereto, he commanded all his soldiers in general to bring earth thither. But the Jews, and they only, would not comply with that command; nay, they underwent stripes and great losses of what they had on this account, till the king forgave them, and permitted them to live in quiet." He adds further, that "when the Macedonians came to them into that country, and demolished the [old] temples and the altars, they assisted them in demolishing them all but [for not assisting them in rebuilding them] they either underwent losses, or sometimes obtained forgiveness." He adds further, that "these men deserve to be admired on that account." He also speaks of the mighty populousness of our nation, and says that "the Persians formerly carried away many ten thousands of our people to Babylon, as also that not a few ten thousands were removed after Alexander's death into Egypt and Phoenicia, by reason of the sedition that was arisen in Syria." The same person takes notice in his history, how large the country is which we inhabit, as well as of its excellent character, and says, that "the land in which the Jews inhabit contains three millions of arourae, and is generally of a most excellent and most fruitful soil; nor is Judea of lesser dimensions." The same man describe our city Jerusalem also itself as of a most excellent structure, and very large, and inhabited from the most ancient times. He also discourses of the multitude of men in it, and of the construction of our temple, after the following manner: "There are many strong places and villages [says he] in the country of Judea; but one strong city there is, about fifty furlongs in circumference, which is inhabited by a hundred and twenty thousand men, or thereabouts; they call it Jerusalem. There is about the middle of the city a wall of stone, whose length is five hundred feet, and the breadth a hundred cubits, with double cloisters; wherein there is a square altar, not made of hewn stone, but composed of white stones gathered together, having each side twenty cubits long, and its altitude ten cubits. Hard by it is a large edifice, wherein there is an altar and a candlestick, both of gold, and in weight two talents: upon these there is a light that is never extinguished, either by night or by day. There is no image, nor any thing, nor any donations therein; nothing at all is there planted, neither grove, nor any thing of that sort. The priests abide therein both nights and days, performing certain purifications, and drinking not the least drop of wine while they are in the temple." Moreover, he attests that we Jews went as auxiliaries along with king Alexander, and after him with his successors. I will add further what he says he learned when he was himself with the same army, concerning the actions of a man that was a Jew. His words are these: "As I was myself going to the Red Sea, there followed us a man, whose name was Mosollam; he was one of the Jewish horsemen who conducted us; he was a person of great courage, of a strong body, and by all allowed to be the most skillful archer that was either among the Greeks or barbarians. Now this man, as people were in great numbers passing along the road, and a certain augur was observing an augury by a bird, and requiring them all to stand still, inquired what they staid for. Hereupon the augur showed him the bird from whence he took his augury, and told him that if the bird staid where he was, they ought all to stand still; but that if he got up, and flew onward, they must go forward; but that if he flew backward, they must retire again. Mosollam made no reply, but drew his bow, and shot at the bird, and hit him, and killed him; and as the augur and some others were very angry, and wished imprecations upon him, he answered them thus: Why are you so mad as to take this most unhappy bird into your hands? for how can this bird give us any true information concerning our march, who could not foresee how to save himself? for had he been able to foreknow what was future, he would not have come to this place, but would have been afraid lest Mosollam the Jew should shoot at him, and kill him." But of Hecateus's testimonies we have said enough; for as to such as desire to know more of them, they may easily obtain them from his book itself. However, I shall not think it too much for me to name Agatharchides, as having made mention of us Jews, though in way of derision at our simplicity, as he supposes it to be; for when he was discoursing of the affairs of Stratonice, "how she came out of Macedonia into Syria, and left her husband Demetrius, while yet Seleueus would not marry her as she expected, but during the time of his raising an army at Babylon, stirred up a sedition about Antioch; and how, after that, the king came back, and upon his taking of Antioch, she fled to Seleucia, and had it in her power to sail away immediately yet did she comply with a dream which forbade her so to do, and so was caught and put to death." When Agatharehides had premised this story, and had jested upon Stratonice for her superstition, he gives a like example of what was reported concerning us, and writes thus: "There are a people called Jews, and dwell in a city the strongest of all other cities, which the inhabitants call Jerusalem, and are accustomed to rest on every seventh day on which times they make no use of their arms, nor meddle with husbandry, nor take care of any affairs of life, but spread out their hands in their holy places, and pray till the evening. Now it came to pass, that when Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, came into this city with his army, that these men, in observing this mad custom of theirs, instead of guarding the city, suffered their country to submit itself to a bitter lord; and their law was openly proved to have commanded a foolish practice. This accident taught all other men but the Jews to disregard such dreams as these were, and not to follow the like idle suggestions delivered as a law, when, in such uncertainty of human reasonings, they are at a loss what they should do." Now this our procedure seems a ridiculous thing to Agatharehides, but will appear to such as consider it without prejudice a great thing, and what deserved a great many encomiums; I mean, when certain men constantly prefer the observation of their laws, and their religion towards God, before the preservation of themselves and their country.

He who sleeps under a bed in the sukkah has not fulfilled his obligation. Rabbi Judah said: we had the custom to sleep under a bed in the presence of the elders, and they didn’t say anything to us. Rabbi Shimon said: it happened that Tabi, the slave of Rabban Gamaliel, used to sleep under the bed. And Rabban Gamaliel said to the elders, “Have you seen Tabi my slave, who is a scholar, and knows that slaves are exempt from [the law of] a sukkah, therefore he sleep under the bed.” And incidentally we learned that he who sleeps under a bed has not fulfilled his obligation.

A priest takes precedence over a levite, a levite over an israelite, an israelite over a mamzer, a mamzer over a natin, a natin over a convert, and a convert over a freed slave. When is this so? When all these were in other respects equal. However, if the mamzer was a scholar and the high priest an ignoramus, the scholar mamzer takes precedence over the ignorant high priest.

A priest takes precedence over a levite, a levite over an israelite, an israelite over a mamzer, a mamzer over a natin, a natin over a convert, and a convert over a freed slave. When is this so? When all these were in other respects equal. However, if the mamzer was a scholar and the high priest an ignoramus, the scholar mamzer takes precedence over the ignorant high priest.

They asked R. Eliezer: "[What is the ruling concerning] one who had a bright spot the size of a sela form on the inside of his hand and it covered up the scar of a boil?" He replied: "He should be isolated." They said to him: "Why? Since it is neither capable of growing white hair nor can it effectively spread nor does quick flesh cause it to be unclean?" He replied, "It is possible that it will contract and then spread again." They said to him, "But what about when its only the size of a split bean?' He said to them: I have not heard anything. Rabbi Judah ben Batera said to him, "Can I teach something about this?" He replied, "If you would thereby confirm the ruling of the sages, go ahead." He said, "Lest another boil would arise outside it and spread into it. He replied: "You are a great scholar for you have confirmed the words of the sages."

Rebbi Ismael did formulate: In the Torah there are forbidden matters and permitted matters. There are easy parts and severe parts. But in the words of the Sages all are severe. You can realize that this is so since we have stated (Mishnah Sanhedrin 11:5): “If he says there is no obligation of Tefillin against the words of the Torah he is not criminally liable. If he says that Tefillin have five sections, to add to the words of the Sages, he is guilty.” Rebbi Ḥananiah, the son of Rebbi Ada, in the name of Rebbi Tanḥum the son of Rebbi Ḥiyya: The words of the Sages carry more weight than those of the prophets, since it is written (Micah 2:6): “Do not preach, they preach; Do not preach to those, that shame does not reach you.” And it is written (Micah 2:11) “I shall preach to you for wine and liquor.” The relation of prophet and scholar can be compared to the case of a king who sent two of his palmatars to a province. About one of them he wrote, if he does not show you my seal and σημαντήθιον, do not believe him. About the other one he wrote, even if he does not show you my seal, believe him without seal and σημαντήθιον. So about a prophet is written (Deut. 13:2) “He gives you a sign or miracle.” But here it is written (Deut. 17:11): “According to the teachings that they will teach you”.

These are the benedictions that one makes long: the benedictions for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and the benedictions for a public fast day. From his benedictions one can tell whether someone is a scholar or is uneducated. These are the benedictions that one makes short: He who makes a benediction over a commandment and on fruits, the introductory paragraph of Grace, and the last benediction in Grace after the meal. Hence, all other benedictions one should make long. Ḥizqiah said: From what we have stated: He who makes it long is despicable, he who makes is short is praiseworthy, which means that this is not a principle. We have stated: One has to make long the benediction “Who saves Israel” on a fast day. Hence, the six additional benedictions he should not make long. Rebbi Yose said: You should not say: because this is part of Shemoneh Esreh one should not make it long, therefore it is necessary to say: One has to make long the benediction “Who saves Israel” on a fast day.

When Rebbi Simon bar Zevid died, Rebbi Illai ascended and eulogized him: Four things are used in the world and if they are lost, they have replacement, (Job 28:1,2) “But silver has a source, and a place is where gold is refined; iron is taken from dust, and stone is smelted into copper.” Those, if they are lost, have replacement. But a scholar who died, who can bring us his replacement, who can bring us his substitute? (Job 28:12,21) “Wisdom, where can it be found, where is the place of understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all living!” Rebbi Levi said: If the brothers of Joseph lost their spirit because they found something, as it is written (Gen. 42:28) “they lost their spirit”, we, who lost Rebbi Simon bar Zevid, so much more!

HALAKHAH: It was stated: In anything that gives pain, everyone who wants to distinguish himself may do so. A scholar does and may blessing come to him. In anything that gives praise, not everyone who wants to distinguish himself may do so. A scholar does except if he has been appointed to a position of public authority.

HALAKHAH: It was stated: In anything that gives pain, everyone who wants to distinguish himself may do so. A scholar does and may blessing come to him. In anything that gives praise, not everyone who wants to distinguish himself may do so. A scholar does except if he has been appointed to a position of public authority.

It was stated: One may step to one side because of obstacles on the road. And when one sinks, even into a field full of saffron. Rebbi Abbahu said: It happened that Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Joshua were on the road and stepped on the side because of obstacles on the road when they saw Rebbi Yehudah ben Pappos, who was sinking, coming towards them. Rabban Gamliël said to Rebbi Joshua: Who is this one who makes an exhibition of himself? He answered: This is Yehudah ben Pappos, all whose deeds are done for Heaven’s sake. He said to him: Did we not formulate “In anything that gives praise, not everyone who wants to distinguish himself may do so. A scholar does except if he has been appointed to a position of public authority.” He answered him: Did we not also formulate, “In anything that gives pain, everyone who wants to distinguish himself may do so. A scholar does and may blessing come to him.” Rebbi Zeïra said, but only if he does not shame others.

It was stated: One may step to one side because of obstacles on the road. And when one sinks, even into a field full of saffron. Rebbi Abbahu said: It happened that Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Joshua were on the road and stepped on the side because of obstacles on the road when they saw Rebbi Yehudah ben Pappos, who was sinking, coming towards them. Rabban Gamliël said to Rebbi Joshua: Who is this one who makes an exhibition of himself? He answered: This is Yehudah ben Pappos, all whose deeds are done for Heaven’s sake. He said to him: Did we not formulate “In anything that gives praise, not everyone who wants to distinguish himself may do so. A scholar does except if he has been appointed to a position of public authority.” He answered him: Did we not also formulate, “In anything that gives pain, everyone who wants to distinguish himself may do so. A scholar does and may blessing come to him.” Rebbi Zeïra said, but only if he does not shame others.

It happened that one student came and asked Rebbi Joshua: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is voluntary. He asked Rabban Gamliel: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is obligatory. He said to him: But Rebbi Joshua told me that it was voluntary. He said to him: Tomorrow, when I enter the assembly hall, stand up and ask me about this practice. The next day, this student stood up and asked Rabban Gamliel: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is obligatory. He said to him: But Rebbi Joshua told me that it was voluntary. Rabban Gamliel said to Rebbi Joshua: Are you the one who says it is voluntary? He answered him: No. He said to him: Stand up on your feet so that they may testify against you. Then Rabban Gamliel was sitting down and lecturing while Rebbi Joshua was standing up until the people started talking and said to Rebbi Ḥuẓpit the interpreter: Send the people home. They said to Rebbi Zenon the ḥazan: Start! He said: Start! All the people stood up and said to him (Nahum 3:19): “Certainly, on whom did your evil not pass always?” They went and appointed Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah to the Yeshivah when he was 16 years old; his head became all white. Rebbi Aqiba sat and was sad; he said, not that he is a greater Torah scholar than I am, but he comes from a greater family than I do; hail to the man whose forefathers created merit for him, hail to the man who has a peg to hang on to. What was Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah’s peg? He was the tenth generation after Ezra. How many seats were there? Rebbi Jacob ben Sisi said: Eighty seats were there of accomplished scholars, not to count those standing behind the railing. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said 300 were there, not to count those standing behind the railing. As we have stated there (Mishnah Zebaḥim 1:3) “On the day Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah was appointed to the Academy.” There (Mishnah Ketubot 4:6) we have stated: “This inference did Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah present before the sages at the vineyard of Jabneh.” Was there a vineyard? It means that the scholars sat there in rows like vines in a vineyard. Rabban Gamliel went immediately to pacify each one in his house. He came to Rebbi Joshua and found him occupied with the making of needles. He asked him: This is how you earn your living? He answered him: Until now you did not know? Woe to the generation whose caretaker you are! He said to him: I humble myself before you. They sent a washerman to Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah, but some say that it was Rebbi Aqiba. He told him: The sprinkler, son of a sprinkler, should sprinkle. Should anyone who is neither a sprinkler nor the son of a sprinkler say to the sprinkler: your water is water from a cave and your ashes are ashes from a fireplace? He said to him: You made your peace with him! I and you shall go in the morning to Rabban Gamliel’s door. Nevertheless they did not remove him from his dignity but made him head of the court.

Rebbi Tanḥum the scholar prayed: May it please You, o Eternal, my God and God of my fathers, that You may break and remove the yoke of evil inclinations from our hearts since so You created us to do Your will, and we are required to do Your will. You desire it and we desire it, who obstructs? The sour matter in the dough! It is obvious and known that we have no power to resist. But may it be Your pleasure, o Eternal, my God and God of my fathers, that You may remove it from us, subdue it, so that we may do Your will as our own with a willing heart.

What are we discussing? If it should be recognizable, two would be enough. If for a row, three would be enough. One scholar quoted this statement by Rebbi Joḥanan before Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: Anything he can split and make into a row following the House of Shammai. Rebbi Jonah: That goes by proportionality; “if all sheaves of a field are of one qab each, except one which is of four qab and they forgot about that one,” if all sheaves of a field are of two qab each, except one which is of eight qab.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, all dreams follow their interpretations except for wine. There is one who drinks and it is good for him and one who drinks and it is bad for him. A scholar drinks and it is good for him, a vulgar drinks and it is bad for him.

MISHNAH: In a place where usually one works on the Ninth of Av, one works. In a place where usually one refrains one does not work, but everywhere the scholars are idle. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, should everybody make himself a scholar?

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Abun, Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish in the name of Rebbi Yudan the Prince: With a question mark, “should everybody make himself a scholar?” The Sages themselves did not decree idleness.

MISHNAH: If he was a scholar, he preaches; otherwise scholars preach before him. If he was used to reciting he recites; otherwise one recites before him. What does one recite before him? Job, Ezra, and Chronicles. Zacariah ben Qebutal says, many times I recited before him from Daniel.

“It happened that Rebbi Ilai went to Rebbi Eliezer in Lydda. He said to him, are you not one of those who rest on the holiday? Did they not say that it is not praiseworthy for a scholar to abandon his house on the holiday and go somewhere else.” As the following: Rebbi Ze`ira went to a circumcision of Rebbi Ila and did not accept any food. If it was because he never ate anything before the end of musaf prayers, or we do not know whether it was because it is not praiseworthy for a scholar to abandon his house on the holiday [and go somewhere else; this] we do not know.

“It happened that Rebbi Ilai went to Rebbi Eliezer in Lydda. He said to him, are you not one of those who rest on the holiday? Did they not say that it is not praiseworthy for a scholar to abandon his house on the holiday and go somewhere else.” As the following: Rebbi Ze`ira went to a circumcision of Rebbi Ila and did not accept any food. If it was because he never ate anything before the end of musaf prayers, or we do not know whether it was because it is not praiseworthy for a scholar to abandon his house on the holiday [and go somewhere else; this] we do not know.

It happened that one student came and asked Rebbi Joshua: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is voluntary. He asked Rabban Gamliel: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is obligatory. He said to him: But Rebbi Joshua told me that it was voluntary. He said to him: Tomorrow, when I enter the assembly hall, stand up and ask me about this practice. The next day, this student stood up and asked Rabban Gamliel: What is about evening prayer? He said to him: It is obligatory. He said to him: But Rebbi Joshua told me that it was voluntary. Rabban Gamliel said to Rebbi Joshua: Are you the one who says it is voluntary? He answered him: No. He said to him: Stand up on your feet so that they may testify against you. Then Rabban Gamliel was sitting down and lecturing while Rebbi Joshua was standing up until the people started talking and said to Rebbi Ḥuṣpit the interpreter: Send the people home. They said to Rebbi Zenon the ḥazan: Start! He said: Start! All the people stood up and said to him: Certainly, on whom did your evil not pass always? They immediately appointed Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah to the Yeshivah when he was 16 years old; his head became all white. Rebbi Aqiba sat and was sad; he said, not that he is a greater Torah scholar than I am, but he comes from a greater family than I do; hail to the man whose forefathers created merit for him, hail to the man who has a peg to hang on to. What was Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah’s peg? He was the tenth generation after Ezra. How many seats were there? Rebbi Jacob ben Sisi said: Eighty seats were there of accomplished scholars, not to count those standing behind the railing. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said 300 were there, not to count those standing behind the railing. As we have stated there: “On the day Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah was appointed to the Academy.” There we have stated: “This inference did Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah present before the Sages at the vineyard of Jabneh.” Was there a vineyard? It means that the scholars sat there in rows like vines in a vineyard. Rabban Gamliel went immediately to pacify each one in his house. He came to Rebbi Joshua and found him occupied with the making of needles. He asked him: This is how you earn your living? He answered him: Until now you did not know? Woe to the generation whose caretaker you are! He said to him: I humble myself before you. They sent a washerman to Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah, but some say that it was Rebbi Aqiba. He told him: The sprinkler, son of a sprinkler, should sprinkle. Should anyone who is neither a sprinkler nor the son of a sprinkler say to the sprinkler: your water is water from a cave and your ashes are ashes from a fireplace? He said to him: You made your peace with him! I and you shall go in the morning to Rabban Gamliel’s door. Nevertheless they did not remove him from his dignity but made him head of the court.

MISHNAH: Rebbi Simeon ben Menassiah says, who is distorted cannot be repaired? This is one committing incest or adultery and producing a bastard. If you would say a thief or robber, that one may repent and repair. Rebbi Simeon ben Menassia says, one calls distorted only what was correct before and became distorted. Who is that? This is a scholar who separated from the Torah.

He who sees a dead scholar is like him who sees a Torah scroll burned. Rebbi Abbahu said, it should come over me if I tasted anything that whole day. Rebbi Jonah was in Tyre. He heard that Rebbi Abbahu’s son had died. Even though he had eaten and drunk water he kept it as fast day that whole day. Rebbi Abba and Rebbi Huna bar Ḥiyya were sitting. An ostrich came and snatched Rebbi Huna bar Ḥiyya’s tefillin. Rebbi Abba caught it and strangled it. Rebbi Huna bar Ḥiyya said to him, we almost came to burning the Torah. He said to him, do you still hold this? So said Rav Jeremiah in the name of Rav: One only rends his garment for a Torah scroll which an Israelite king burned forcibly, as e. g. Yehoyakim ben Josia the King of Judah. Ulla from Bireh, Rebbi Eleazar in the name of Rebbi Ḥanina: He who sees a Torah scroll burned has to rend his garment separately for the parchment and for the writing. What is the reason? After the king’s burning of the scroll and the words. The scroll, this is the parchment. And the words, that is the writing.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, usage is between them; Rebbi Jehudah called a war of choice a war of obligation. “But in a war of duty everybody goes out, even a groom from his room and a bride from her bridal chamber.” Rav Ḥisda said, they disagree. The rabbis say, a war of obligation was the war of David. A war of duty was the war of Joshua. Rebbi Jehudah called it a war of obligation if we went out against them; a war of duty if they attacked us. It is written: “King Asa proclaimed in all of Jehudah, nobody is free”. What means “nobody is free”? Rebbi Simon and the rabbis. Rebbi Simon said, nobody is free to return home even for one hour. But the rabbis say, there is no exemption for a scholar, son of a scholar.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, usage is between them; Rebbi Jehudah called a war of choice a war of obligation. “But in a war of duty everybody goes out, even a groom from his room and a bride from her bridal chamber.” Rav Ḥisda said, they disagree. The rabbis say, a war of obligation was the war of David. A war of duty was the war of Joshua. Rebbi Jehudah called it a war of obligation if we went out against them; a war of duty if they attacked us. It is written: “King Asa proclaimed in all of Jehudah, nobody is free”. What means “nobody is free”? Rebbi Simon and the rabbis. Rebbi Simon said, nobody is free to return home even for one hour. But the rabbis say, there is no exemption for a scholar, son of a scholar.

HALAKHAH: “Anything which works and eats,” etc. It was stated: There should not be given food in the value of a calf to calves, a foal to foals, or a chicken to chickens. It happened that a man found five calves; he was selling and feeding until only one was left. Rav Jehudah in the name of Rav: Practice follows Rebbi Tarphon about objects with distinguishing marks. Rebbi Abba and Rav Jehudah in the name of Rav: It happened that Rebbi instructed following Rebbi Tarphon in a case about objects with distinguishing marks. Rav Jehudah said, a scholar does not have to indicate a distinguishing mark. Rav Huna said, everybody agrees that if it was a bundle of coins he may not touch them.

Rebbi Ismael stated: In the Torah there are forbidden matters and permitted matters. There are easy parts and severe parts. But in the words of the Sopherim all are severe. You can realize that this is so since we have stated: “He who says that there are no phylacteries, to transgress the words of the Torah, is not prosecutable. Five compartments to add to the words of the Sopherim is punishable.” Rebbi Ḥinena, the son of Rebbi Ada, in the name of Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ḥiyya: The words of the Sages carry more weight than those of the prophets since it is written, do not preach, they preach. And it is written, I shall preach to you for wine and liquor. The relation of prophet and scholar can be compared to the case of a king who sent two diplomatarii to a province. About one of them it was written, if he does not show you my seal and σημαντήριον, do not believe him. About the other it was written, even if he does not show you my seal and σημαντήριον, believe him. So about a prophet is written, he gives you a sign or miracle. But here it is written, according to the teachings that they will teach you.

Rebbi Ismael stated: In the Torah there are forbidden matters and permitted matters. There are easy parts and severe parts. But in the words of the Sopherim all are severe, since we have stated: “He who says that there are no phylacteries, to transgress the words of the Torah, is not prosecutable. Five compartments to add to the words of the Sopherim is punishable.” Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Idi in the name of Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ḥiyya: The words of the Sages carry more weight than those of the prophets since it is written, do not preach, they preach. And it is written,I shall preach to you for wine and liquor. The relation of prophet and scholar can be compared to the case of a king who sent two seals to a province. About one of them he wrote, if he does not show you my seal and σημαντήριον, do not believe him. About the other he wrote, even if he does not show you my seal and σημαντήριον, believe him. So about a prophet is written, he gives you a sign or miracle. But here it is written, according to the teachings that they will teach you.

Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: At every occasion where dibbur is said, there is a new biblical commandment. But is it not written, God spoke (etc., repetition) [to Noah(and his sons with him as follows)? What new biblical commandment is there? He newly introduced limb of a living animal. But is it not written, Abram fell on his face and God spoke to him as follows? What new biblical commandment is there? He newly introduced circumcision. But is it not written, a word the Eternal sent to Jacob? What new biblical commandment is there? He newly introduced … But is it not written, God spoke to Moses and said to him, I am the Eternal? What new biblical commandment is there? He newly introduced Sanctification of the Name. But is it not written, the Eternal spoke to Joshua as follows? What new biblical commandment is there? If you want to say the six cities of refuge, were they not already given to Moses at Sinai? But even to him was spoken what was not said to Moses: He shall flee to one of these cities and stand at the gate etc., and they shall give him a place that he stay with them.] What means that he stay with them? The rabbis of Caesarea in the name of Rebbi Shila: If he is a scholar, they make him a house of assembly.

[If a tree stands inside the domain but its crown is outside the domain.] [Rebbi] Abbai said, a scholar has to make his qualifications known. If he knows one collection and he comes to a place where they honor him as if he knew two, he has to tell them, I know one collection. (Rav Huna said, he says it in a soft voice and his right hand is stretched out to receive.)

When Rebbi Simeon ben Zevid died, Rebbi Illai rose and eulogized him. But silver has a source, etc. Iron is taken from dust, etc. Those, if they are lost, have replacement. But a scholar who died, who can bring us one similar to him? Wisdom, where can it be found, etc. It is hidden from the eyes of all living, etc. Rebbi Levi said, if the brothers of Joseph lost their spirit because they found a find, as it is written, they lost their spirit, we, who lost Rebbi Simeon bar Zevid, so much more!

Rabina said to Raba : Has the master seen the Rabbinical scholar who has come from the West and said, "Who has no water wherewith to wash his hands should rub them with earth or pebbles or sawdust"?

It is different with a Rabbinical scholar, because the Holy One, blessed be He, defends his honour.

It was taught by the school of R. Ishmael : If thou seest a scholar committing an offence at night, do not criticise him for it by day ; perhaps he has repented by then. Dost thou imagine perhaps he has repented? Nay, he has certainly repented. This refers only to an offence concerned with his person ; but in a matter involving money, [he may be criticised] until he refunds it to its owner.

A certain man went down [to the Ark] in the presence of Rabbah and said, "Thou hast compassion on a bird's nest ; do Thou have compassion and mercy upon us." Rabbah exclaimed, "How this Rabbinical scholar knows how to find favour with his Lord!" Abbai said to him, "Lo, we have learnt in the Mishnah: We silence him!"

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.

Rabbi Shimon said: it happened that Tabi, the slave of Rabba Gamaliel, used to sleep under the bed. And Rabban Gamaliel said to the elders, “Have you seen Tabi my slave, who is a scholar, and knows that slaves are exempt from [the law of] a sukkah, therefore he sleep under the bed.” And incidentally we learned that he who sleeps under a bed has not fulfilled his obligation.

But how does this mean that? R. Papa answered, Shekhar—the language of drink, satiation and drunkenness. R. Papa said: Learn from that when a man is satiated with wine, it is due to his filling of his throat. Rava said: A young scholar who does not have much wine should swallow it in gulps. Rava used to gulp down the cup of blessing.

while 'urpilla (a drizzling rain) is helpful even to the kernel under hard clods. What is (the etymology of) 'urpilla? Said R. Mesharshaya, it is a combination of 'ûrû and pîlê (wake up, ye cracks). Raba further said, a young scholar is like the kernel under a clod which, having once sprouted, grows fast. Raba further said, when a scholar is hot-tempered, it is the Torah that boils within him, as it is said (Jer. 23.29): "Is not My word like as fire and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? saith the Lord."

while 'urpilla (a drizzling rain) is helpful even to the kernel under hard clods. What is (the etymology of) 'urpilla? Said R. Mesharshaya, it is a combination of 'ûrû and pîlê (wake up, ye cracks). Raba further said, a young scholar is like the kernel under a clod which, having once sprouted, grows fast. Raba further said, when a scholar is hot-tempered, it is the Torah that boils within him, as it is said (Jer. 23.29): "Is not My word like as fire and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? saith the Lord."

R. 'Ashi said: A scholar who is not hard like iron is not a real scholar, as it is said: "And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces." Said R. 'Abba to R. 'Ashi, you derive it from that verse, we derive it from the following (Deut. 8.9): "A land whose stones are iron"; do not read 'ābānēha (its stones), but bōnēha (its builders, i.e., the scholars). Said Rabina: It is nevertheless one's duty to train oneself to be gentle, as it is said (Eccl., 11.10): "Remove anger from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh."

R. 'Ashi said: A scholar who is not hard like iron is not a real scholar, as it is said: "And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces." Said R. 'Abba to R. 'Ashi, you derive it from that verse, we derive it from the following (Deut. 8.9): "A land whose stones are iron"; do not read 'ābānēha (its stones), but bōnēha (its builders, i.e., the scholars). Said Rabina: It is nevertheless one's duty to train oneself to be gentle, as it is said (Eccl., 11.10): "Remove anger from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh."

Raba pointed out an incongruity: It is written: "My doctrine shall drop as the rain," and then: "My speech shall distil as the dew"! The explanation is that if the scholar is worthy, the Torah will distil on him like dew, but if he is not, it will drop on him like rain.

R. Jeremiah said to R. Zera: Come, Master, teach me something. R. Zera replied: My heart feels faint, and I cannot do it. Then (said R. Jeremiah) tell me something haggadic. R. Zera thereupon said: Why is it written (Deut., 20.19): "For man is the tree of the field?" Is man, indeed, a tree of the field? But the explanation is this: Having said immediately before: "for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down," the Bible adds the expression in question to intimate that if a scholar is a worthy man, thou mayest eat (learn) from him and shalt not cut him down, but if not, thou shalt destroy and cut him down.

R. Ḥanina b. Papa pointed out an inconsistency. It is written (Is., 21.14): "Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water," and again it is written (ibid., 55.1): "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters?!" If he is a worthy scholar, then "unto him that is thirsty bring ye water," but if he is not worthy, then: "ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." R. 'Aḥa b. Ḥanina pointed out an inconsistency. It is written (Prov., 5.16): "Let thy springs be dispersed abroad," and directly after it is written: "Let them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee!" If he is a worthy scholar, "let thy springs be dispersed abroad," but if not, "let them be only thine own."

R. Ḥanina b. Papa pointed out an inconsistency. It is written (Is., 21.14): "Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water," and again it is written (ibid., 55.1): "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters?!" If he is a worthy scholar, then "unto him that is thirsty bring ye water," but if he is not worthy, then: "ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." R. 'Aḥa b. Ḥanina pointed out an inconsistency. It is written (Prov., 5.16): "Let thy springs be dispersed abroad," and directly after it is written: "Let them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee!" If he is a worthy scholar, "let thy springs be dispersed abroad," but if not, "let them be only thine own."

R. 'Ami further said: What is the meaning of the verse (Eccl., 10.10): "If the iron be blunt and one do not whet the edge"? If thou seest a generation over which the heavens are as tough as iron, sending neither dew nor rain, it is due to the people's corrupt deeds, as it is said, "and one do not whet the edge." What is the remedy? They should pray much, as it is said (ibid.): "Then must he put to more strength, but wisdom is profitable to direct," the latter part of which means to say that the additional praying will prove more profitable if the people's deeds are still good. Resh Laḳish explains it thus: When thou seest a scholar

Resh Laḳish said: He is called pious, for it is said (Prov., 11. 17): "The merciful man doeth good to his own soul." R. Jeremiah b. 'Abba said in the name of Resh Laḳish, a scholar is not allowed to impose fasts upon himself, because it makes him lessen his heavenly work. R. Sheshet said, if a student takes upon himself such a fast, his meal should be given to the dogs.

The Elder among them addresses them in words of exhortation. The Rabbis have taught: If there was an elder among them, he addresses them, if not, a scholar addresses them. Are we to assume that the term "elder" here used applies also to one who is not a scholar? Said 'Abbayi, the Rabbis mean to say this: If there is an elder who at the same time is a scholar, this elder and scholar addresses them; if there is not such an elder, a (younger) scholar addresses them, but if there is neither an elder nor a scholar, some man of imposing presence addresses them, saying: Brethren, it is neither sackcloth nor fasting that brings about God's favor, but it is repentance and good deeds, for thus we find that in the case of the people of Nineveh it was not said: And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but (Jonah, 3. 10): "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way."

The Elder among them addresses them in words of exhortation. The Rabbis have taught: If there was an elder among them, he addresses them, if not, a scholar addresses them. Are we to assume that the term "elder" here used applies also to one who is not a scholar? Said 'Abbayi, the Rabbis mean to say this: If there is an elder who at the same time is a scholar, this elder and scholar addresses them; if there is not such an elder, a (younger) scholar addresses them, but if there is neither an elder nor a scholar, some man of imposing presence addresses them, saying: Brethren, it is neither sackcloth nor fasting that brings about God's favor, but it is repentance and good deeds, for thus we find that in the case of the people of Nineveh it was not said: And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but (Jonah, 3. 10): "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way."

The Elder among them addresses them in words of exhortation. The Rabbis have taught: If there was an elder among them, he addresses them, if not, a scholar addresses them. Are we to assume that the term "elder" here used applies also to one who is not a scholar? Said 'Abbayi, the Rabbis mean to say this: If there is an elder who at the same time is a scholar, this elder and scholar addresses them; if there is not such an elder, a (younger) scholar addresses them, but if there is neither an elder nor a scholar, some man of imposing presence addresses them, saying: Brethren, it is neither sackcloth nor fasting that brings about God's favor, but it is repentance and good deeds, for thus we find that in the case of the people of Nineveh it was not said: And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but (Jonah, 3. 10): "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way."

The Elder among them addresses them in words of exhortation. The Rabbis have taught: If there was an elder among them, he addresses them, if not, a scholar addresses them. Are we to assume that the term "elder" here used applies also to one who is not a scholar? Said 'Abbayi, the Rabbis mean to say this: If there is an elder who at the same time is a scholar, this elder and scholar addresses them; if there is not such an elder, a (younger) scholar addresses them, but if there is neither an elder nor a scholar, some man of imposing presence addresses them, saying: Brethren, it is neither sackcloth nor fasting that brings about God's favor, but it is repentance and good deeds, for thus we find that in the case of the people of Nineveh it was not said: And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but (Jonah, 3. 10): "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way."

The Elder among them addresses them in words of exhortation. The Rabbis have taught: If there was an elder among them, he addresses them, if not, a scholar addresses them. Are we to assume that the term "elder" here used applies also to one who is not a scholar? Said 'Abbayi, the Rabbis mean to say this: If there is an elder who at the same time is a scholar, this elder and scholar addresses them; if there is not such an elder, a (younger) scholar addresses them, but if there is neither an elder nor a scholar, some man of imposing presence addresses them, saying: Brethren, it is neither sackcloth nor fasting that brings about God's favor, but it is repentance and good deeds, for thus we find that in the case of the people of Nineveh it was not said: And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but (Jonah, 3. 10): "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way."

The Elder among them addresses them in words of exhortation. The Rabbis have taught: If there was an elder among them, he addresses them, if not, a scholar addresses them. Are we to assume that the term "elder" here used applies also to one who is not a scholar? Said 'Abbayi, the Rabbis mean to say this: If there is an elder who at the same time is a scholar, this elder and scholar addresses them; if there is not such an elder, a (younger) scholar addresses them, but if there is neither an elder nor a scholar, some man of imposing presence addresses them, saying: Brethren, it is neither sackcloth nor fasting that brings about God's favor, but it is repentance and good deeds, for thus we find that in the case of the people of Nineveh it was not said: And God saw their sackcloth and their fasting, but (Jonah, 3. 10): "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way."

When they stand up for prayer, they place before the ark an old and experienced man, etc. The Rabbis have taught: When they stand up for prayer, even if there is among them an elder and a scholar, they send to the ark only one who is experienced; R. Judah said, they send up one who toils without success, who has his labor invested in the field, and whose house is empty; an elderly person whose youth was spent decently, who is modest and agreeable to the people, who knows how to chant and has a sweet voice; one who is well versed in the Scriptures, the Mishnah, the Talmud, Halakot and Haggadot and in all the prayers. The Rabbis (after this description) fixed their eyes upon R. Isaac of the school of R. 'Ami.

While in this mood he chanced upon a man who was extremely ugly. "Raca!" R. Simeon said, "Are all the people of thy town as homely as thou art?" "Go to the artisan, who made me," the man replied, "and say to him: 'How ugly is this vessel which thou hast made'!" As soon as R. Simeon realized his error he alighted from the ass and bowing before the man said: "I submit myself to thee, forgive me!" "No!" the man replied, "I will not forgive thee, until thou goest to the artisan who made me and sayest unto him, 'O how ugly is this vessel which thou hast made'!" R. Simeon followed him until he reached his town. When he arrived there, people of the town came to meet R. Simeon and greeted him with the words, "Peace be with thee, Master!" The man then asked them, "Whom do you address as Master?" "Him that follows thee," they replied. "If this man is a Master," he said, "may there not be many like him in Israel!" "Why? God beware!" they exclaimed, "What did he do to you?" "So and so he behaved toward me," he answered. "Nevertheless, forgive him," the people pleaded, "for he is a great scholar." "I will forgive him," the man said, "but on condition that he should never act in this manner again." R. Simeon b. Eleazar thereupon entered the Bet Hamidrash and lectured: "A man should always be soft as a reed and not hard as a cedar tree. And it is because of its softness that the reed was privileged to be used for the making of pens with which Torah scrolls, phylacteries and mezuzot are written".

We read in a Mishnah (Pesaḥim, 54b): Wherever it is customary to work on the ninth of Ab, one may do so, but if it is the custom of the place not to work, one must refrain from work; scholars must abstain from work in whatever place they may happen to be; Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Everybody should in this respect always conduct himself as if he were a scholar. We further read in a Baraita: Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said, one should always conduct himself as a scholar (and abstain from work), so that he may be more conscious of his fast; Rabban Gamaliel said, he who eats and drinks on the ninth of Ab, is as if he ate on the Day of Atonement; R. 'Aḳiba said, he who works on the ninth of Ab will never see a sign of blessing (success); the other Sages said, he who eats and drinks on the ninth of Ab, will not live to see the rejoicing of Jerusalem, for it is said (Is., 66. 10): "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her"—that is to say, all those who mourn for her will witness her rejoicing, while those who do not mourn for her, will not witness her rejoicing; moreover, of him who eats meat and drinks wine on the ninth of Ab, Scripture says (Ezek., 32. 27): "And their iniquities are upon their bones."

We read in a Mishnah (Pesaḥim, 54b): Wherever it is customary to work on the ninth of Ab, one may do so, but if it is the custom of the place not to work, one must refrain from work; scholars must abstain from work in whatever place they may happen to be; Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Everybody should in this respect always conduct himself as if he were a scholar. We further read in a Baraita: Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said, one should always conduct himself as a scholar (and abstain from work), so that he may be more conscious of his fast; Rabban Gamaliel said, he who eats and drinks on the ninth of Ab, is as if he ate on the Day of Atonement; R. 'Aḳiba said, he who works on the ninth of Ab will never see a sign of blessing (success); the other Sages said, he who eats and drinks on the ninth of Ab, will not live to see the rejoicing of Jerusalem, for it is said (Is., 66. 10): "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her"—that is to say, all those who mourn for her will witness her rejoicing, while those who do not mourn for her, will not witness her rejoicing; moreover, of him who eats meat and drinks wine on the ninth of Ab, Scripture says (Ezek., 32. 27): "And their iniquities are upon their bones."

And in reference to this, Rabbah b. Huna said: The festival involves no mourning restrictions in the case of a scholar, still less Hanukkah and Purim.

He replied to them: We have learned: When does this rule apply? When there is no town scholar in charge there;

but if there is a scholar in charge [of charity] there, it should be given to the town scholar, and all the more so in this case, seeing that both my poor and your poor depend upon me.

but if there is a scholar in charge [of charity] there, it should be given to the town scholar, and all the more so in this case, seeing that both my poor and your poor depend upon me.

Aha the son of Rava asked R. Ashi: If a person needs to call another out of a synagogue, what is he to do? He said: If he is a rabbinical scholar, let him say some halakhah; if he is a tanna, let him recite a mishnah; if he is a kara, let him say a verse of Scripture; if none of these, let him say to a child, “Tell me your verse.” If not, let him stay a little while and then get up.

GEMARA: What is the reason [that a sinner only receives thirty-nine lashes]? If the Torah would have written "forty in number" I would have said that it means exactly forty. Now, however, that it says "in the number of forty" I would say the number which counts to forty [i.e. thirty-nine]. Rava said, How foolish are people that they stand up for a Sefer Torah, but do not stand up for a Torah scholar [lit: great man]. For in the Torah it is said "forty", and the Rabbis came and subtracted one.

"But he honors those that fear Hashem" This refers to Yehoshafut the King of Yehuda, who whenever he would see a Torah scholar would get up from throne, embrace them and kiss them, and call them (my father, my father), my Rebbi, my Rebbi, my master, my master.