Taanit 23b (כג:) — the Talmud in English

They greeted him [

the sages greeted him, ]

but he did not show them a friendly countenance [

and he did not show them a welcoming face ] , rather, he continued with his work.

In the afternoon [

toward evening, when he had finished his work and was going home ],

when he was carrying wood [

when he carried branches of wood with him on his way home ],

he placed the wood and the hoe on one shoulder [

he placed the wood and the hoe with which he had hoed on one shoulder ],

and his cloak on the other shoulder [

and his garment on the other shoulder ].

For the entire journey he did not put on shoes [

throughout the journey he did not wear shoes ], but walked barefoot .

When he reached the water—

he put on his shoes [

only when he reached a place where he had to cross water did he put on his shoes ].

When he reached the thorns and briars—

he lifted his garment [

when he reached a place where he had to pass among thorns, he lifted his garment ], so that it would not be torn.

When he reached the city [

when Abba Ḥilkiyya reached the outskirts of the city ],

his wife came out to greet him, adorned [

she came out to meet him wearing jewelry ].

When he reached his house [

when he arrived at his home ],

his wife entered first, then he entered, and only afterward did the Sages enter [

his wife entered the house first, and he entered after her , and only at the end did he bring in the Sages ].

He sat and ate bread [

Abba Ḥilkiyya sat and ate bread ],

but he did not say to the Sages, “Come and eat” [

and he did not tell the Sages to come and eat as well ].

He divided a loaf among the children [

Abba Ḥilkiyya distributed bread to his children ].

To the older one, one [

he gave one loaf to the older child ],

and to the younger one, two [

and he gave two to the younger child ].

He said to his wife [

Abba Ḥilkiyya said to his wife ]:

I know that the Sages have come because of the rain [

I know that the Sages came because of the rain, to ask me to pray for it ].

Let us go up to the roof and pray for mercy [

let us go up to the roof and ask for mercy concerning this ], before the Sages say why they have come,

perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, will be appeased and bring rain [

perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, will be appeased by our prayer and bring rain ].

And let us not take credit for ourselves [

and let us not publicly take credit for ourselves, so that everyone will say that the rain fell on account of our prayer ], but only we will know of the matter.

They went up to the roof [

he and his wife went up to the roof ].

He stood in one corner, and she in another corner [

Abba Ḥilkiyya stood in one corner of the room, and his wife stood in another corner ], and they prayed.

The Holy One, blessed be He, answered the prayers of Abba Ḥilkiyya and his wife, and immediately clouds of rain began to appear.

The clouds began to rise from the corner of his wife [

the clouds of rain rose first from the corner where Abba Ḥilkiyya’s wife had been standing ]. For she was answered first.

When he descended [

when Abba Ḥilkiyya descended from the roof ], he warmed himself and

said to them

the Sages:

Why have the Sages come [

why have the Sages come to me ]?

They said to him: The Sages sent us to the Master, to ask for mercy concerning the rain [

they sent us to Your Honor so that you would pray for mercy concerning the rain ].

He said to them: Blessed is the Omnipresent, who did not need to trouble you to come to Abba Ḥilkiyya,

but brought down the rain without my prayer. As explained above, Abba Ḥilkiyya wished to conceal from them that the rain had fallen through the merit of his prayer.

They said to him: We know that the rain came on account of the Master [

we know that the rain fell on account of the prayer of Your Honor ], and there is no point in attempting to conceal the matter.

Rather,

although our objective has already been achieved, nevertheless

let the Master tell us these matters that astonish us [

tell us and explain these things that puzzle us ]:

Why, when we greeted the Master, did the Master not show us a friendly face [

why, when we came to the field and greeted you, did you not show us a welcoming face ]?

He said to them: I was a day laborer, and I said to myself, “I must not neglect my work” [

I was a day laborer. The owner of the field had hired me to work for him all day, and I said to myself that I should not neglect my work even for this brief time required to show them a welcoming face ] .

They further asked him:

And why did the Master carry the wood on one shoulder and the cloak on the other shoulder [

and why did you carry the wood on one shoulder and the garment on the other ]? You could have placed the wood on the garment, so that the sharp edges of the wood would not hurt you!

He said to them:

That garment was not mine, but—

it was a borrowed cloak.

I had borrowed it from someone else in order to wear it.

For that purpose,

for wearing it,

I borrowed it.

The garment was lent to me.

But

if

for that purpose,

for another use, to carry wood on the garment—

I did not borrow it [

the garment was not lent to me ].

Therefore, I was forbidden to carry the wood on the garment, because the garment might have become worn and torn by the wood .

They further asked him:

Why did the Master not wear shoes throughout the journey, and when he reached the water he put on his shoes [

why did you not wear shoes during the entire journey, and put them on only when you reached the water ]?

He said to them: Throughout the journey—

I saw [

throughout the journey I saw what lay before me and could take care not to step on sharp and painful objects ]. But

in the water—

I could not see [

when I crossed through the water, I could not see; perhaps a fish or a snake would bite me ], and therefore I put on shoes.

They further asked him:

Why, when the Master reached the thorns and briars, did he lift his garment [

why, when you reached a place of thorns, did you lift your garment ] so that it would not be torn? What did you gain by this? In the place where the garment would have been torn, your body was scratched!

He said to them: This,

the body—even if it is scratched and wounded, in the end it

heals

and recovers.

But

if

this,

the garment that is torn,

does not heal .

Therefore, I preferred that my body be scratched and wounded rather than that the garment be torn .

They further asked him:

Why, when the Master reached the city, did the Master’s wife come out adorned [

why, when you arrived at the city, did your wife come out to meet you adorned ]?

He said to them: So that

she would find favor in my eyes, and

I would not cast my eyes upon another woman.

They further asked him:

Why did she enter first, then the Master entered after her, and only afterward did we enter [

why did the woman enter first, and then you ] , and only afterward did we enter? Is this the proper conduct, for guests to enter last?

He said to them: Because I have not examined you [

because I do not know whether you are trustworthy ]. I do not know whether you are proper people or sexually promiscuous . Since this was so, I did not want you to enter after my wife, nor did I want you to remain outside with her. Therefore, we entered in this order: my wife first, then I, and then you. In this manner there was no concern of promiscuity .

They further asked him:

Why, when the Master ate bread, did the Master not say to us, “Come and eat” [

why, when you ate bread, did you not invite us to eat with you ]?

He said to them:

Because there was not much bread [

because there was not enough bread for you as well ],

and I said to myself [

and I thought to myself ], surely the Sages would not join the meal, since they would see that there was not enough for everyone. Therefore, I would not invite them to the meal, so that

I would not cause the Sages to feel indebted to me for nothing [

so that they would not thank me gratuitously for something I had not truly intended to do for them ].

They further asked him:

Why did the Master give the older child one loaf of bread, and the younger one two [

why did you give the older child one loaf and the younger one two ]? Surely the older child logically requires more food!

He said to them: This one,

the older one,

stays at home [

he is at home ], and he can eat more after the meal whenever he wishes.

But

if

this one,

the younger one,

sits in the house of study [

he sits in the house of study before his teacher ], and does not return home all day.

They further asked him:

And why did the clouds first rise from the corner where the Master’s wife was standing, and only afterward from his corner [

what is the reason that the clouds first rose from the corner where your wife was standing, and only afterward rose from the corner where you were standing ]?

He said to them: My wife’s merits are greater than mine.

Because a woman is usually at home,

and she gives bread to the poor, and his benefit is immediate [

because a woman is at home. When a hungry poor person comes, she gives him bread, and he can eat immediately and be satisfied ].

But

if

I [

I am not at home, and I cannot give ready-to-eat bread, but

I give money [

I give the poor man money with which to buy bread ],

and his benefit is not immediate [

his benefit is not close at hand and readily available ], because he must delay while purchasing the bread.

Alternatively [

there is another reason that her merits are greater than mine ], because of

those ruffians who lived in our neighborhood [

those boorish and uneducated people who lived near us ], who would cause us distress .

I prayed for mercy that they should die [

I asked for mercy that they should die and no longer cause us distress ] ,

And she, my wife, prayed for mercy that they should repent [ and she asked for mercy that those ruffians should repent ] . And they repented [

and indeed, in the end they repented ].

Ḥanan HaNeḥba [

below the Gemara explains why he was called by this name: “the hidden one” ]

was the son of the daughter of Ḥoni HaMe'aggel [

he was the son of Ḥoni HaMe'aggel’s daughter ]. When the world required rain [ when the world needed rain ], the Sages would send the schoolchildren to him [ the Sages would send the children of the house of their teacher ] to him, to Ḥanan HaNeḥba, so that they would soften his heart and he would concentrate more intensely in his prayer.

indeed, in the end they repented].

Ḥanan the Hidden One

below the Gemara explains why he was called by this name: “the Hidden One”

he was the son of the daughter of Ḥoni HaMe'aggel

he was the son of Ḥoni HaMe'aggel’s daughter].

When the world needed rain

when the world required rain],

the Sages would send the schoolchildren to him

the Sages would send schoolchildren to him, to Ḥanan the Hidden One], in order to soften his heart, so that he would direct his prayer with greater concentration.

And they would grasp the hem of his garment,

and the children would hold on to the hem of his garment,

and say to him: Father, father,

for this was what they were accustomed to call him,

“Give us rain”,

give us rain!

He said,

Hanan,

before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the world! Act for the sake of

these children,

who

ask me for rain, and

do not distinguish between a father who gives rain,

who is able to give rain, and the Holy One, blessed be He,

a father who does not give rain,

who has no ability to give rain. And he said this about himself.

And why did they call him

by this epithet:

“Hanan the Hidden”?

Because he would hide himself in the lavatory.

When he entered to relieve himself, he would conceal himself in his garments, because of his exceptional modesty.

Rabbi Zerika said to Rav Safra: Come and see

what the difference is

between

the distinction and difference

between

those who are considered

the powerful ones of the Land of Israel,

the people of the Land of Israel, who are considered there to be forceful, conducting themselves with firmness and courage, and

the

ones who are considered

the pious ones of Babylonia,

the people of Babylonia, who are considered there to conduct themselves with humility.

That is to say, those who are considered forceful in the Land of Israel are more humble than those who are considered humble in Babylonia.

Who were considered

the pious ones of Babylonia?

Rav Huna and Rav Hisda.

And this was their practice:

When the world required rain,

when the world needed rain,

they would say

they said:

Let us gather together and ask for mercy,

let us gather together and ask for mercy,

perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, will be appeased and bring rain,

perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, will be appeased and bring us rain.

Thus, although their power was not so great—for the rain did not come on account of either one of them individually, but only when they gathered together—they nevertheless publicized the matter, that the rain came on account of their prayer.

By contrast, come and see the humility of those who are considered

the powerful ones of the Land of Israel, such as Rabbi Yona, the father of Rabbi Mani.

For this was their practice:

When the world required rain,

when the world needed rain,

he would enter his house,

Rabbi Yona would enter his house,

and say to them: Give me a sack, and I will go and bring grain worth a zuz,

and he would say to the members of his household: Give me a sack, and I will go and bring grain worth a zuz.

This is what he said to the members of his household, because he wished to conceal even from them that the rain came through his prayer.

When he went outside,

after he had left his house, he did not go to the market as he had told the members of his household. Rather,

he would go and stand in a deep place,

he went and stood in a low, deep place, which was more suitable for prayer,

as it is written: “From the depths I called You, O Lord”.

And he would stand in a secluded place, wrap himself in a sack, pray for mercy, and the rain would come,

and he would stand in a secluded place so that people would not see him, and cover himself with the sack he had taken with him, and ask for mercy, and rain would fall.

[he would stand in a secluded place so that people would not see him, and cover himself with the sack he had taken with him , and ask for mercy, and rain would fall].

When he would come to his house,

when he returned to his house,

they would say to him,

the members of his household would ask him:

Did our master bring us grain,

did you bring us the grain that you went to buy?

Again, Rabbi Yona did not reveal to them that the rain had come on account of his prayer. Rather, he

said to them: I thought,

he said to them: I said to myself,

Since the rain has come, the world will now have abundance,

since rain has come, there will now be abundance in the world, and the produce will become cheaper. Therefore, it is not worthwhile to buy grain now.

And another

another incident demonstrating Rabbi Yona’s piety:

Rabbi Mani, his son,

the son of Rabbi Yona,

was being harassed by the members of the house of the Nasi,

the people of the Nasi’s household were harassing him.

Rabbi Mani went and

prostrated himself on his father’s grave,

he prostrated himself on the grave of his father, Rabbi Yona.

He said to him: Father, father! These,

these people of the Nasi’s household

are harassing me,

are causing me distress!

One day they were passing there,

one day the members of the Nasi’s household passed by there, near Rabbi Yona’s burial cave.

The legs of their horses became stuck,

the legs of their horses became stuck in the ground of the burial cave, and they could not move from there,

until they accepted upon themselves that they would not harass him,

until they accepted upon themselves not to cause Rabbi Mani distress.

And another,

another incident involving Rabbi Mani, the son of Rabbi Yona.

Rabbi Mani was frequently before Rabbi Yitzhak ben Elishiv,

he was regularly in Rabbi Yitzhak ben Elishiv’s presence, from whom he studied Torah.

He said to him,

Rabbi Mani said to Rabbi Yitzhak:

The wealthy members of my father-in-law’s household are harassing me,

the wealthy members of my father-in-law’s household are causing me distress, because their wealth makes them arrogant toward me.

Rabbi Yitzhak said

Rabbi Yitzhak said: If so,

let them become poor,

let those wealthy people become poor!

And they became poor,

and indeed this is what happened: they became poor.

After the wealthy members of Rabbi Mani’s father-in-law’s household became poor, they came to him and pressed him to support them.

Rabbi Mani again

said

to Rabbi Yitzhak ben Elishiv:

They are now pressing me,

they are now pressuring me to support them!

Rabbi Yitzhak said

Rabbi Yitzhak said: If so,

let them become wealthy,

let them become wealthy again!

And they became wealthy,

and indeed they returned to their wealth.

Another time,

Rabbi Mani said

Rabbi Mani said to Rabbi Yitzhak:

I do not find my wife pleasing,

my wife is not pleasing to me, because she is not beautiful.

He said to him,

Rabbi Yitzhak said:

What is her name,

what is your wife’s name?

Rabbi Mani said to him: Her name is

Hana.

Rabbi Yitzhak said:

Let Hana become beautiful

let Hana become beautiful!

And she became beautiful,

and indeed she became beautiful.

However, once his wife had become beautiful, she began to become arrogant toward him.

He again

said to him

Rabbi Mani said to Rabbi Yitzhak: Now that she is beautiful,

she is becoming haughty toward me,

she is exalting herself and becoming arrogant toward me!

He said to him,

Rabbi Yitzhak said:

If so,

if that is the case,

let Hana return to her former state,

to her unattractive appearance.

And

indeed this is what happened:

Hana returned to her former state.

There were two students who were before Rabbi Yitzhak ben Elishiv,

those two students who studied before Rabbi Yitzhak ben Elishiv,

, and they said to him: Let our master pray for us that we become exceedingly wise,

let our master pray for us that we become very wise!

He said to them: It was with me,

this matter was in my power, for whatever I asked for was granted to me from Heaven,

but I sent it away,

I sent it away from me, and now my prayer is not accepted to the same degree.

Rabbi Yosei bar Avin was frequently before Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat,

he was regularly in the presence of Rabbi Yosei from the place called Yukrat, where he sat before him to study Torah.

He left him,

Rabbi Yosei bar Avin—that is, he stopped studying with Rabbi Yosei of Yukrat and went away,

and came before Rav Ashi,

and came to study before Rav Ashi.