The Others

The Rabbis taught: Who is an Am Haaretz?

If you don't say the Shema in the evening and in the morning: these are the words of Rebbe Eliezer.

Rebbe Yehosua says: If you don't wear tefillin.

Ben Azzai says: If you don't wear tzitzit.

Rebbe Natan says: If you don't have a mezuza.

Rebbe Natan bar Yosef says: If you have sons and you don't raise them to study Torah.

The Others say: You may read the Torah and you may read the Mishna, but if you don't serve Torah scholars, you're still an Am Haaretz.

Rav Huna says: The law is in accordance with The Others.

(Brachot 47b)

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Rebbe Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: Any meal without soup is not a meal.

(Brachot 44a)

Goblin Market

Rebbe Abahu would eat the fruits of Genosar until the flies slipped down his forehead.

Rav Ami and Rav Asi would eat the fruits of Genosar until hairs fell out of their heads.

Rebbe Shimon ben Lakish would eat the fruits of Genosar until he lost his mind.  At that point, Rebbe Yochanan would send a message to the Rebbe Yehuda Nesiya, and the Rebbe Yehuda Nesiya would send a special force to return Rebbe Shimon ben Lakish to his home.

(Brachot 44a)

Stepping on the Toes of the Shechina

The Master said: Anyone who walks with an erect posture, even for four amot, steps on the toes of the Divine Presence, as Yishayahu says: "The whole world is filled with His glory." (Yishayahu 6:3)

(Brachot 43b)

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Rav Zutra bar Tuvya said in the name of Rav: How do we know that we need to say blessings over fragrances?  Because the book of Tehillim says, "Every soul will praise Hashem." (Tehillim 150:6)  From what kind of thing does the soul benefit, but the body doesn't benefit?  Fragrances!

Rav Zutra bar Tuvya said in the name of Rav: After the Moshiach comes, Jewish teenagers will smell like the forests of Lebanon, as Hoshea says: "His sucklings will walk, his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like the forests of Lebanon." (Hoshea 14:7)

(Brachot 43b)

The Great Experiment

The Rabbis taught: Why does the Torah need to tell us, "You will gather in your grain"? (Devarim 11:14)  Because the book of Yehoshua says: "The Torah shall not cease from your mouth." (Yehoshua 1:8)  You might think, based on the quote from Yehoshua, that we are obligated to learn Torah 24/7.  To dispell this notion, the Torah says, "You shall gather in your grain", to say that you should learn Torah and have a parnassa too.

These are the words of Rebbe Yishmael.  But Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai said: Could it be that we are supposed to plow in the plowing season, sow in the sowing season, harvest in the harvesting season, thresh in the threshing season, and winnow in the windy season?  And then what do you think would become of the Torah?

See, when the Jews do the will of Hashem, our work is done by others, as Yishayahu says: "Strangers will stand and shepherd your flocks."  (Yishayahu 61:5)  Only when the Jews do not do the will of Hashem, that's when all this "You shall gather your grain" business applies.  And not only that, but when the Jews do not do the will of Hashem, we are also forced to do the work of others, as the Torah says: "You will serve your enemies." (Devarim 28:48)

Abbaye said: Many scholars followed the advice of Rebbe Yishmael, and they were successful.  Others followed the advice of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, and they were not successful.

Rava would say to The Rabbis: "I don't want to even see you around the Bet Midrash in Nissan and Tishrei. If you spend too much time learning Torah during Nissan and Tishrei, you're going to have a parnassa headache for the rest of the year."

Rabba bar bar Chana said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan, who said in the name of Rebbe Yehuda the son of Rebbe Eli: They just don't make them like they used to.  The earlier generations made Torah the first priority, and parnassa a second priority, and they retained both.  But our generation makes parnassa the first priority and Torah a second priority, and we retain neither.

(Brachot 35b)

You ain't Seen Nuthin Yet

Rebbe Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: The prophets prophesied only about the reward for fathers-in-law of Torah scholars, and other people who support Torah scholars financially.  But regarding the reward for the Torah scholars themselves, Yishayahu says: "No eye has seen what Hashem will do for those who await Him."  (Yishayahu 64:3)

Rebbe Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: The prophets prophesied only about the days of the Moshiach, but regarding the World to Come, Yishayahu says: "No eye has seen what Hashem will do for those who await Him." (Yishayahu 64:3)

Shmuel, earlier, said otherwise: There is no difference between this world and the days of the Moshiach except for political independence.

Rebbe Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: The prophets only prophesied about the reward of ba'alei teshuva, but regarding the reward of the perfect tzaddik, Yishayahu said: "No eye has seen what Hashem will do for those who await Him." (Yishayahu 64:3)

Rebbe Abahu, earlier, said otherwise: In the place where ba'alei teshuva stand, even the completely righteous do not stand, as Yishayahu said: "Peace, peace, to the far and to the near." (Yishayahu 57:19)  First to the far, and then to the near.

But Rebbe Yochanan would surely respond: "far" means a tzadik who was far from sin, continuously; "near" means a ba'al teshuva, who was near to sin, and then distanced himself.

(Brachot 34b)