1 Rebuking him she exclaimed: ‘Is it not written: Ordered in all things, and sure: If it is ‘ordered’ in your two hundred and forty-eight limbs it will be ‘sure’, otherwise it will not be sure?’ One taught: R. Eliezer had a disciple who learned in a low voice. After three years he forgot his learning. One taught: R. Eliezer had a student who deserved burning [for an offence] against the Omnipresent — ‘Leave him alone’, the Rabbis pleaded, ‘he attended on a great man’. Samuel said to Rab Judah, ‘Shinena, open your mouth and read the Scriptures, open your mouth and learn the Talmud, that your studies may be retained and that you may live long, since it is said: For they are life unto those that find them, and a healing to all their flesh; read not ‘To those that find them’ but ‘To him who utters them with his mouth’. Samuel further said to Rab Judah, ‘Shinena, hurry on and eat, hurry on and drink, since the world from which we must depart is like a wedding feast’. Rab said to R. Hamnuna, ‘My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, for there is no enjoyment in she'ol nor will death be long in coming. And shouldst thou say: "I would leave a portion for my children" — who will tell thee in the grave? The children of man are like the grasses of the field, some blossom and some fade’. R. Joshua b. Levi stated: If a man is on a journey and has no company let hin, occupy himself with the study of the Torah, since it is said in Scripture: For they shall be a chaplet of grace. If he feels pains in his head, let him engage in the study of the Torah, since it is said: For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head. If he feels pains in his throat let him engage in the study of the Torah, since it is said: And chains about thy neck. If he feels pains in his bowels, let him engage in the study of the Torah, since it is said: It shall be a healing to thy navel. If he feels pain in his bones, let him engage in the study of the Torah, since it is said: And marrow to thy bones. If he feels pain in all his body, let him engage in the study of the Torah, since it is said: And healing to all his flesh. R. Judah son of R. Hiyya remarked: Come and see how the dispensation of mortals is not like that of the Holy One, blessed be He. In the dispensation of mortals, when a man administers a drug to a fellow it may be beneficial to one limb but injurious to another, but with the Holy One, blessed be He, it is not So. He gave a Torah to Israel and it is a drug of life for all his body, as it is said: And healing to all his flesh. R. Ammi said: What is the exposition of the Scriptural text: For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; let them be established altogether upon thy lips? When are the words of the Torah ‘pleasant’? ‘When thou keepest them within thee’. And when wilt thou keep them within thee? When they will ‘be established altogether upon thy lips.’ R. Zera said, [This may be derived] from the following: A man hath joy in the answer of his mouth; and a word in due season, how good is it! When ‘hath a man joy’? When he has an ‘answer in his mouth’. Another version: ‘When hath a man joy in the answer of his mouth’? When the ‘word is in due season; O, how good is this’! R. Isaac said: This may be derived from the following: But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it; when ‘is it very nigh unto thee’? When it is ‘in thy mouth and in thy heart to do it’. Raba said: It may be derived from the following: Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and the utterance of his lips Thou hast not withholden. Selah. When ‘hast Thou given him his heart's desire’? At the time when ‘Thou hast not withholden the utterance of his lips. Selah.’ Raba pointed out an incongruity: It is written: Thou hast given him his heart's desire; and it is also written: And the utterance of his lips Thou hast not withholden. Selah? If he is worthy, ‘Thou hast given him his heart's desire,’ but if he is unworthy, ‘The utterance of his lips Thou hast not withholden. Selah’. It was taught at the school of R. Eliezer b. Jacob: Wherever [in Scripture] the expression of nezah, selah or wa'ed occurs the process to which it refers never ceases — ‘Nezah’? Since it is written For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth. ‘Selah’. Since it is written: As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God — God establish it for ever. Selah. ‘Wa'ed? Since it is written: The Lord shall reign for ever and ever. (Mnemonic: Chains, his cheeks, tables graven.) R. Eleazar said; What is the purport of the Scriptural text: And chains about thy neck? If a man trains himself to be like a chain that hangs loosely upon the neck, and is sometimes exposed and sometimes concealed, his learning will be preserved by him, otherwise it will not. R. Eleazar further stated: What is the purport of the Scriptural text: His cheeks are as a bed of slices? If a man allows himself to be treated as a bed upon which everybody treads, and as spices with which everybody perfumes himself, his learning will be preserved, but otherwise it will not. R. Eleazar further stated: What is the purport of the Scriptural text: Tables of stone? If a man regards his cheeks as stone that is not easily worn away, his learning will be preserved by him, but otherwise it will not. R. Eleazar further stated: What is the purport of the Scriptural text: Graven upon the tables? If the first tables had not been broken the Torah would never have been forgotten in Israel. R. Aha b. Jacob said: No nation or tongue would have had any power over them; for it says: ‘Graven’ read not ‘graven’ but ‘freedom’. R. Mattena expounded: What is the purport of the Scriptural text: And from the wilderness to Mattanah? If a man allows himself to be treated as a wilderness on which everybody treads, his study will be retained by him, otherwise it will not. R. Joseph had a grievance against Raba son of R. Joseph b. Hama. When the eve of the Day of Atonement approached the latter thought, ‘I shall go and pacify him’ — Proceeding to R. Joseph's house he found his attendant engaged in mixing for him a cup of wine. ‘Give it to me’, Raba said to him, ‘and I will mix it’. He gave it to him and the latter duly mixed it. As he tasted it, he remarked: ‘This mixing is like that of Raba son of R. Joseph b. Hama’. ‘I am here’ the other answered. ‘Do not sit down upon your legs’, R. Joseph said to him, ‘before you have explained to me these verses. What is the purport of the Scriptural text: And from the wilderness to Mattanah, and front Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, and front Bamoth to the valley?’ — ‘If’, the other replied: ‘a man allows himself to be treated as the wilderness upon which everybody treads, the Torah will be given to him as a gift; and so soon as it is given to him as a gift, he will be the inheritance of God as it says: And from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and as soon as he is the inheritance of God, he rises to greatness, since it says: And from Nahaliel to Bamoth. But if he is haughty, the Holy One, blessed be He, humbles him, as it says: And from Bamoth to the valley. If, however, he repents, the Holy One, blessed be He, raises him, as it says: Every valley shall be lifted up. R. Huna said: What is the purport of the Scriptural text: Thy flock settled therein; Thou preparest in Thy goodness for the poor, O God? If a man behaves like an animal that treads upon its prey and eats it or, as others say, that drags it and eats it, his learning will be preserved by him, otherwise it will not — If, however, lie does behave in this manner the Holy One, blessed be He, will himself prepare a banquet for him, as it says in Scripture. Thou, didst prepare in Thy goodness for the poor, O Lord. R. Hiyya b. Abba in the name of R. Johanan expounded: With reference to the Scriptural text: Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof, why were the words of the Torah compared to the ‘fig tree’? As with the fig tree76ᵃᵇᶜᵈᵉᶠᵍʰⁱʲᵏˡᵐⁿᵒᵖᵠʳˢᵗᵘᵛʷˣʸᶻᵃᵃᵃᵇᵃᶜᵃᵈᵃᵉᵃᶠᵃᵍᵃʰᵃⁱᵃʲᵃᵏᵃˡᵃᵐᵃⁿᵃᵒᵃᵖᵃᵠᵃʳᵃˢᵃᵗᵃᵘᵃᵛᵃʷᵃˣᵃʸᵃᶻᵇᵃᵇᵇᵇᶜᵇᵈᵇᵉᵇᶠᵇᵍᵇʰᵇⁱᵇʲᵇᵏᵇˡᵇᵐᵇⁿᵇᵒᵇᵖᵇᵠᵇʳᵇˢᵇᵗᵇᵘᵇᵛᵇʷᵇˣ
2 the more one searches it the more figs one finds in it so it is with the words of the Torah; the more one studies them the more relish he finds in them. R. Samuel b. Nahmani expounded: With reference to the Scriptural text: Loving hind and a graceful roe etc., why were the words of the Torah compared to a ‘hind’? To tell you that as the hind has a narrow womb and is loved by its mate at all times as at the first hour of their meeting, so it is with the words of the Torah — They are loved by those who study them at all times as at the hour when they first made their acquaintance. ‘And in graceful roe’? Because the Torah bestows grace upon those who study it. Her breasts will satisfy thee at all times. Why were the words of the Torah compared to a breast? As with a breast, however often the child sucks it so often does he find milk in it, so it is with the words of the Torah. As often a man studies them so often does he find relish in them — With her love wilt thou be ravished always, as was the case with R. Eleazar b. Pedath, for instance. It was said of K. Eleazar that he sat and studied Torah in the lower market of Sepphoris while his linen cloak lay in the upper market of the town. R. Isaac b. Eleazar related: A man once came to take it and found a venomous serpent in it. It was taught at the school of R. Anan: What is the exposition of the scriptural text, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit on rich cloths, and ye that walk by the way, tell of it? ‘Ye that ride on asses’ refers to the learned men who travel from town to town and from province to province to study the Torah. ‘White’ means that they clarify it like noonday. ‘That sit on rich cloths’ means that they give true judgment for the sake of the truth. ‘That walk’ refers to the students of Scripture; ‘by the way’ refers to the students of the Mishnah; ‘tell of it’ refers to the students of the Talmud all of whose talk consists of the words of the Torah. R. Shezbi stated in the name of R. Eleazar b. Azariah: What is the exposition of the text: The slothful man shall not hunt his prey? The cunning hunter will not live long. R. Shesheth expounded: The cunning hunter will roast. When R. Dimi came he said: This may be likened to a fowler who hunts birds. If he breaks he wings of each bird as he shoots it down his catch is secure, otherwise it is not. Raba expounded in the name of R. Sehora who had it from R. Huna: What is the purport of the text: Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathereth little by little shall increase? If a man studies much at a time his learning decreases, and if lie does not do so but ‘gathereth little by little’ he ‘shall increase’. Raba remarked: The Rabbis are well aware of this advice and yet disregard it. R. Nahman b. Isaac said: I acted on this advice and my study remained with me. Our Rabbis learned: What was the procedure of the instruction in the oral law? Moses learned from the mouth of the Omnipotent. Then Aaron entered and Moses taught him his lesson. Aaron then moved aside and sat down on Moses’ left. Thereupon Aaron's sons entered and Moses taught them their lesson. His sons then moved aside, Eleazar taking his seat on Moses’ right and Ithamar on Aaron's left. R. Judah stated: Aaron was always on Moses right. Thereupon the elders entered and Moses taught them their lesson, and when the elders moved aside all the people entered and Moses taught them their lesson. It thus followed that Aaron heard the lesson four times, his sons heard it three times, the elders twice and all the people once. At this stage Moses departed and Aaron taught them his lesson. Then Aaron departed and his sons taught them their lesson. His sons then departed and the elders taught them their lesson. It thus followed that everybody heard the lesson four times. From here R. Eliezer inferred: It is a man's duty to teach his pupil [his lesson] four times. For this is arrived at a minori ad majus: Aaron who learned from Moses who had it from the Omnipotent had to learn his lesson four times how much more so an ordinary pupil who learns from an ordinary teacher. R. Akiba stated: Whence is it deduced that a man must go on teaching his pupil until he has mastered the subject? From Scripture where it says: And teach thou it to the children of Israel. And whence is it deduced that it must be taught until the students are well versed in it? From Scripture where it says. Put it in their mouths. And whence is it inferred that it is also his duty to explain to him the reasons? It has been said: Now these are the ordinances which thou shalt put before them. But why did they not all learn direct from Moses? — In order to give a share of the honour to Aaron, his sons, and the elders. Then [why was not this procedure adopted:] Aaron might enter and learn from Moses, his sons might then enter and learn from Aaron, then the elders might enter and learn from his sons and these finally might teach all Israel? — As Moses learned from the mouth of the Omnipotent his own teaching was of greater value. The Master said: ‘R. Judah stated: Aaron was always on Moses’ right’. Whose view is represented in the following where it was taught: If three men were going the same way, the Master is to be in the middle, the more important of the other two on his right and the less important on his left? Must it be held that it represents the view of R. Judah and not that of the Rabbis? — It may be said to agree even with the view of the Rabbis, since Aaron's trouble had to be taken into consideration. R. Pereda had a pupil whom he taught his lesson four hundred times before the latter could master it. On a certain day having been requested to attend to a religious matter he taught him as usual but the pupil could not master the subject. ‘What’, the Master asked: ‘is the matter to-day?’ — ‘From the moment’, the other replied. ‘the Master was told that there was a religious matter to be attended to I could not concentrate my thoughts, for at every moment I imagined, now the Master will get up or now the Master will get up’. ‘Give me your attention’, the Master said, ‘and I will teach you again’, and so he taught him another four hundred times. A bath kol issued forth asking him, ‘Do you prefer that four hundred years shall be added to your life or that you and your generation shall be privileged to have a share in the world to come?’ — ‘That’, he replied. ‘I and my generation shall be privileged to have a share in the world to come’. ‘Give him both’, said the Holy One, blessed be He. R. Hisda stated: The Torah can only be acquired with [the aid of] mnemonic signs, for it is said: Put it in their mouths; read not, ‘put it’ but ‘its mnemonic sign’. R. Tahlifa of the West heard this and proceeding to R. Abbahu told it to him. ‘You’, the other said to him, ‘deduce this from that text; we deduce it from this one: Set thee up waymarks, make thee’ etc.; devise [mnemonic] signs for the Torah. What proof, however, is there that the expression of ziyyun means a sign? — Since it is written, And any seeth a man's bone, then shall be set up a sign by it. R. Eleazar said: The deduction is made from this text: Say unto wisdom, ‘Thou art my sister’, and call understanding they kinswoman, devise [mnemonic] signs for the Torah — Raba expounded: Appoint fixed times for the study of the Torah.ᵇʸᵇᶻᶜᵃᶜᵇᶜᶜᶜᵈᶜᵉᶜᶠᶜᵍᶜʰᶜⁱᶜʲᶜᵏᶜˡᶜᵐᶜⁿᶜᵒᶜᵖᶜᵠᶜʳᶜˢᶜᵗᶜᵘᶜᵛᶜʷᶜˣᶜʸᶜᶻᵈᵃᵈᵇᵈᶜᵈᵈᵈᵉᵈᶠᵈᵍᵈʰᵈⁱᵈʲᵈᵏᵈˡᵈᵐᵈⁿᵈᵒᵈᵖᵈᵠᵈʳᵈˢᵈᵗᵈᵘᵈᵛᵈʷᵈˣᵈʸᵈᶻᵉᵃᵉᵇᵉᶜᵉᵈᵉᵉᵉᶠᵉᵍᵉʰᵉⁱᵉʲᵉᵏᵉˡ