Kilayim 83

Chapter 83

א רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מְפַקֵּד מַלְבְּשׁוּנִי בּוּרִירִיקָא לָא חִיוְורִין וְלָא אוּכְמִין. אִין קָמִית בֵּינֵי צַדִּיקַיָא לָא נִבְהָת. וְאִין קָמִית בֵּינֵי רְשִׁיעַיָּא לָא נִבְהָת. רִבִּי יֹאשַׁיָּה מְפַקֵּד אַלְבְּשׁוּנִי חִיוְורִין חֲפִיתִין. אָמְרִין לֵיהּ וּמַה אַתְּ טָב מִן רַבָּךְ. אָמַר לוֹן וּמַה אֲנָא בְהִית בְּעָבְדַּאי. רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה מְפַקֵּד אַלְבְּשׁוּנִי חִיוְורִין חֲפִיתִין אַלְבְּשׁוּנִי בְּנָרָסַיי יְהָבוֹן מְסָנַא בְּרַגְלַי וְחוּטְרָא בְיָדַיי וִיהֲבוּנִי עַל סִיטְרָא אִין אֲתִי מְשִׁיחָא אֲנָא מָעֲתָד.

1 Rebbi Joḥanan commanded: Dress me in beige, not white and not black. If I rise among the just I shall not be ashamed, if I rise among the wicked I shall not be ashamed. Rebbi Joshia commanded: Dress me in clean white. They said to him, in what are you better than your teacher? He said to them, why should I be ashamed of my deeds? Rebbi Jeremiah commanded: Dress me in clean white, dress me in my socks, put my shoes on my feet and a walking stick in my hand, lay me on my side, when the Messiah comes I shall be ready.

ב צִיפֹּרַיָּא אָמְרִין מָאן דַּאֲמַר לָן רִבִי דְּמָךְ אֲנָן קְטָלִינָן לֵיהּ. אֲדִיק לוֹן בַּר קַפָּרָא רֵישֵׁיהּ מְכַסֵּי מָאנוֹי מְבַזְּעִין אֲמַר לוֹן יְצוֹקִים וְאֶרְאֶלִּים תְּפוּסִין בַּלּוּחוֹת הַבְּרִית וְגָבְרָה יָדָן שֶׁל אֶרְאֶלִּים וְחָטְפוּ אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת. אָמְרִין לֵיהּ דְּמָךְ רִבִּי. אֲמַר לוֹן אַתּוּן אָמְרִיתוֹן וְקָרְעוֹן וַאֲזַל קָלָא דְּקָרְעוֹן לְגופפתה מַהֲלָךְ תְּלָתָא מִילִין.

2 The people from Sepphoris said: We shall kill anybody who tells us that Rebbi died. Bar Qappara associated with them, his head covered and his garments torn. He said to them: Earthlings and angels held the Tablets of the Covenant; the angels were stronger and they took away the Tablets. They said to him: Rebbi died. He said to them: You said it. They tore their clothes and the sound of the tearing was heard at Goffta at a distance of three mil.

ג רִבִּי נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי מָנָא מַעֲשֵׂה נִיסִּין נַעֲשׂוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם. עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת הָיְיתָה וְנִתְכַּנְּסוּ כָּל הָעַיָירוֹת לְהַסְפִּידוֹ וְאַשֵׁירוֹנֵיהּ תְּמַנֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה כְּנִישָׁן וְאַחְתּוֹנֵיהּ לְבֵית שָׁרַיי וְתָלָה לוֹן יוֹמָא עַד שֶׁהָיָה כַּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מַגִּיעַ לְבֵיתוֹ וּמְמַלֵּא לוֹ חָבִית שֶׁל מַיִם וּמַדְלִיק לוֹ אֶת הַנֵּר. כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁקְעָה הַחַמָּה קָרָא הַגֶּבֶר שָׁרוֹן מְצִיקִין. אָמְרִין דִּילְמָא דְחַלְּלִינָן שַׁבָּתָא. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לָהֶן כָּל מִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַצֵּל בְהֶסְפֵּידוֹ שֶׁל רִבִּי יְהֵא מְבוּשָּׂר מֵחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא בַּר מִן קַצְרָא. כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמַע כֵן סְלַק לֵיהּ לְאִיגְרָא וּטְלַק גַּרְמֵיהּ וּמִית. נְפָקַת בַּת קָלָא וְאָמְרָה וַאֲפִילוּ קַצְרָא.

3 Rebbi Nahman in the name of Rebbi Mana: Miracles happened that day. It was Sabbath eve and all the surrounding towns came together to eulogize him. They made him [Rebbi] rest in eighteen synagogues until they brought him to his resting place but the day extended for them until each one had time to get to his house, fill an amphora of water, and light the candles. When the sun set, the rooster crowed. They were anxious and said, maybe we did desecrate the Sabbath? There came a voice and said to them, every one who was not lazy for the eulogies of Rebbi shall be announced for the life of the Future World, except the fuller. When the latter heard this, he ascended the roof, threw himself down, and died. There came a voice and said, including the fuller.

ד רִבִּי הֲוָה יְתִיב לֵיהּ בְּצִיפּוֹרִין שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שְׁנִין וְקָרָא עַַל גַּרְמֵיהּ וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה. וַיְחִי יְהוּדָה בְצִיפּוֹרִין שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה. וּמִין גּוֹבְעִין עֲבַד תְּלַת עֶשְׂרֵה שְׁנִין חֲשַׁשׁ בְּשִׁינּוֹי. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוֹן כָּל אוֹתָן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה לֹא מֵתָה חַיָּה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא הִפִּילָה עוּבָּרָה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלָמָּה חָשׁ שִׁינּוֹי. חַד זְמָן עֲבַר חָמָא חַד עֵיגַל מִנְכַס גָּעָה וְאָמְרָה לֵיהּ רִבִּי שֵׁיזְבִי אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְכָךְ נוֹצָרְתְּ. וּבְסוֹפָהּ אֵיךְ אִינְּשִׁמָת. חָמְתוֹן קְטָלִין חַד קַן דְּעַכְבָּרִין אֲמַר אַרְפּוּנוֹן וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו כְּתִיב.

4 Rebbi dwelt in Sepphoris seventeen years and applied to himself (Gen. 47:28): “Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years,” Jehudah lived in Sepphoris seventeen years. Of these he suffered from toothache for thirteen years. {Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, all these thirteen years no woman lying-in died in the Land of Israel and no pregnant woman had a miscarriage in the Land of Israel.} Why did he have a toothache? Once he saw a calf to be slaughtered when it bellowed and said to him, Rebbi, save me! He said to it, for that you were created. At the end, how was he healed? He saw them killing a burrow of rats. He said to them, let them live, it is written (Ps. 145:9) “His mercy extends to all His creatures.”

ה רִבִּי הֲוָה עָנְוָון סַגִּין וְהֲוָה אֲמַר כָּל מַה דְּיֵימַר לִי בַּר נַשָּׁא אֲנָא עֲבִיד חוּץ מִמַּה שֶׁעָשׂוּ זִקְנֵי בְּתֵירָה לִזְקֵנִי דְּשָׁרוּן גַּרְמוֹן מִנְּשִׂיאוּתֵיהּ וּמְנוֹנֵיהּ. אִין סְלִיק רַב חוּנָא רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא לְהָכָא אֲנָא מוֹתִיב לֵיהּ לְעֵיל מִינַּיי דְּהוּא מִן יְהוּדָה וַאֲנָא מִבִּנְיָמִן דְּהוּא מִן דִּכְרַיָּא וַאֲנָא מִן נוּקְבְתָא. חַד זְמָן עָאַל רִבִּי חִיָיה רוֹבָא לְגַבֵּיהּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָא רַב הוּנָא לְבַר נִתְכַּרְכְּמוּ פָּנָיו שֶׁל רִבִּי. אָמַר לֵיהּ אֲרוֹנוֹ בָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ פּוּק וְחָמִי מָאן בָּעֵי לָךְ לְבַר. וּנְפַק וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח בַּר נַשׁ וְיָדַע דְּהוּא כָעֵיס עֲלוֹי. עֲבַד דְּלָא עֲלִיל לְגַבֵּיהּ תַּלְתִּין יוֹמִין. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר בּוֹן כָּל אִינּוּן תַּלְתּוֹיֵי יוֹמַיָּא יְלַף רַב מִינֵּיהּ כְּלָלֵא דְּאוֹרָיְתָא. לְסוֹף תְּלַת עֲשַׂרְתֵּי שַׁנְיָיא וּתְלַתְּתוֹי יוֹמַיָּא עָאַל אֱלִיָּהוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ בִּדְמוּת רִבִּי חִיָיה רוֹבָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַה מָרִי עֲבִיד. אֲמַר לֵיהּ חַד שִׁינַּיי מְעִיקָה לִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ חֲמִי לָהּ לִי וְחָמֵי לָהּ לֵיהּ וִיהַב אֶצְבְּעָתֵיהּ עֲלָהּ וְאִינְּשִׁמְתְּ. לְמָחָר עָאַל רִבִּי חִיָיה רוֹבָה לְגַבֵּיהּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ מַה עֲבִיד רִבִּי הַאי שִׁינָּךְ מַה הִיא עֲבִידָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִן הַהִיא שַׁעְתָא דְּיָהֲבַתְּ אֶצְבְּעָתָךְ עֲלָהּ אִינְּשִׁמָת. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר אִי לָכֶם חַיּוֹת שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִי לָכֶם עוּבָּרוֹת שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֲנָא לָא הֲוֵינָא מִן הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא הֲוָה נְהִיג בֵּיהּ בִּיקָר. כַּד הֲוָה עֲלִיל לְבֵית וַועֲדָא הֲוָה אֲמַר יִיכָּנֵס רִבִּי חִיָיא רוֹבָא לִפְנִים. אָמַר לוֹ רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּירִבִּי יוֹסֵי לִפְנִים מִמֶּנִּי. אָמַר לוֹ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֶלָּא רִבִּי חִיָיא רוֹבָה לִפְנִים וְרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּירִבִּי יוֹסֵי לִפְנָיי לִפְנִים. רִבִּי הֲוָה מַתְנֵי שְׁבָחֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי חִיָיא רוֹבָה קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּירִבִּי יוֹסֵי. חַד זְמָן חָמֵי גַּו בָּנִי וְלָא אִיתְכְּנַע מִן קוֹמוֹי. אָמַר לֵיהּ אֲהִנּוֹ דְּאַתְּ מַתְנִי שְׁבָחֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ מַה עֲבַד לָךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ חָמִתֵי[הּ] גַּו בָּנִי וְלָא אִיתְכְּנַע מִן קוֹמוֹי. אָמַר לֵיהּ לָמָּה עֲבַדְתְּ כֵּן. אָמַר לֵיהּ כְּמוֹ יָבֹא עָלַי יֵיתִי עָלַי דְּאִין סְחִית לָא יָדְעִית בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אַשְׁגְּרִית עֵינַיי בְּכָל סֵפֶר תִּילִים אֲגָדָה. מִן הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא מָסַר לֵיהּ שְׁנֵי תַלְמִידִין דִּיהַלְּכוּן עִימֵּיהּ בְּגִין סָכוּתָא.

5 Rebbi was very meek and said, all a man might ask from me I am ready to do, except what the elders of Bathyra did for my ancestor: they divested themselves of their presidency and appointed him. If Rav Huna, the Head of the Diaspora, would come here I would let him sit higher than myself since he is from the tribe of Judah and I am from Benjamin, he is from the male line and I am from the female. Once, the elder Rebbi Ḥiyya visited him and said, Rav Huna is outside. The face of Rebbi became saffron-colored. He [R. Ḥiyya] said to him, his coffin arrived. He [Rebbi] said to him, go outside and look who wants you there. He stepped outside and did not find anybody; he understood that he [Rebbi] was angry with him. He did not visit him again for thirty days. {Rebbi Yose bar Abun said, in those thirty days did Rav learn from him [R. Ḥiyya] the principles of Torah.} At the end of thirteen years and thirty days, Elijah visited him [Rebbi] in the likeness of the older Rebbi Ḥiyya. He said to him, how does my lord feel? He said to him, one tooth hurts me. He said to him, show it to me. He showed it to him, he put his finger on it and it was healed. The next day, the older Rebbi Ḥiyya came to him and asked him, how does Rebbi feel, what is with that tooth? He said to him, from the moment that you put your finger on it, it was healed. At that moment, he said, woe on you, lying-in women of the Land of Israel, woe on you, pregnant women of the Land of Israel! He [R. Ḥiyya] said to him, that was not me. From that moment on, he [Rebbi] treated him with honor. When he [Rebbi] went to the assembly hall, he said, may the older Rebbi Ḥiyya come inside. Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose asked, closer than me? He said, beware! The older Rebbi Ḥiyya inside, and Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose innermost. Rebbi used to state the praises of the older Rebbi Ḥiyya before Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose. Once, he [R. Ismael ben R. Yose] saw him [R. Ḥiyya] in the bathhouse and he did not show him reverence. He [R. Ismael ben R. Yose] said to him [Rebbi], is that the one of whom you state praises? He said, what did he do to you? He said, I saw him in the bathhouse and he did not show me reverence. He [Rebbi] said to him [R. Ḥiyya], why did you do that? He said to him, so much should come over me if I realized that I was washing myself, at that time my eyes were occupied with the allegorical interpretation of the entire book of Psalms. From that moment on, he [Rebbi] appointed two students to accompany him [R. Ḥiyya] to watch out for him.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter