Ketubot

and reassemble  the college after thirty days.  My son Simeon is wise  my son Gamaliel Nasi  and Hanina b. Hama shall preside [at the college]. 'Do not lament for me in the smaller towns'. He was understood to give this instruction In order [to cause less] trouble.  As it was observed, however, that when lamentations were held in the large towns everybody  came  they arrived at the conclusion that his instruction was due to [a desire to enhance] the honour [of the people]. 'Reassemble the college after thirty days', because [he thought] 'I am not more important than our teacher Moses concerning whom it is Written in Scripture, And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days'. For thirty days they mourned both day and night; subsequently  they mourned in the day-time and studied at night or mourned at night and studied during the day, until a period of twelve months of mourning  [had passed]. On the day that Rabbi died a bath kol  went forth and announced: Whosoever has been present at the death of Rabbi is destined to enjoy the life of the world to come. A certain fuller,  who used to come to him  every day, failed to call on that day; and, as soon as he heard this, went up upon a roof, fell down to the ground and died. A bath kol  came forth and announced: That fuller also is destined to enjoy the life of the world to come. 'My son Simeon is wise. What did he  mean?  — It is this that he meant: Although my son Simeon is wise, my son Gamaliel shall be the Nasi.  Said Levi, 'Was It necessary to state this?'  — It was necessary'. replied R. Simeon b. Rabbi, 'for yourself and for your lameness'.  What was his  difficulty?  Does not Scripture state, But the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn?  — The other  was properly representing  his ancestors  but R. Gamaliel was not properly representing  his ancestors.  Then why did Rabbi act in the manner he did?  — Granted that he  was not representing his ancestors In wisdom he was worthily representing them in his fear of sin. 'Hanina b. Hama shall preside at the college'. R. Hanina, however, did not accept [the office] because R. Afes was by two and a half years older than he; and so R. Afes presided. R. Hanina sat [at his studies] outside [the lecture room],  and Levi came and joined him. When R. Afes went to his eternal rest  and R. Hanina took up the presidency Levi had no one to join him  and came in consequence to Babylon. This description coincides with the following:  When Rab was told that a great man who was lame made his appearance at Nehardea  and held a discourse [in the course of which he] permitted [the wearing of] a wreath,  he said,'It is evident  that R. Afes has gone to his eternal rest, and R. Hanina has taken over the presidency; and that Levi having had no one to join him, has come [down here].' But might not one have suggested that R. Hanina came to his eternal rest, that R. Afes continued In the presidency as before  and that Levi who had no one to join him came [therefore, to Babylon]? If you wish I might reply: Levi would have submitted to the authority of R. Afes. And if you prefer I might reply: Since [Rabbi] once said, 'Hanina b. Hama shall preside at the college', there could be no possibility of his not becoming head;  for about the righteous it is written in Scripture. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee. Was there not R. Hiyya?  — He had already gone to his eternal rest.  But did not R. Hiyya, state, 'I saw Rabbi's sepulchre  and shed tears upon it'? — Reverse [the names]. But did not R. Hiyya state, 'On the day on which Rabbi died holiness ceased'? — Reverse [the names]. But has it not been taught: When Rabbi fell in R. Hiyya entered into his presence and found him weeping. 'Master', he said to him, 'Why are you weeping? Was it not taught: '[If a man] dies smiling it is a good omen for him, if weeping it is a bad omen for him; his face upwards it is a good omen, his face downwards it is a bad omen; his face towards the public it is a good omen, towards the wall it is a bad omen; if his face is greenish it is a bad omen, if bright and ruddy it.is a good omen; dying on Sabbath Eve  is a good omen, on the termination of the Sabbath  is a bad omen; dying on the Eve of the Day of Atonement is a bad omen, on the termination of the Day of Atonement  is a good omen; dying of diarrhoea is a good omen because most righteous men die of diarrhoea?' And the other replied, 'I weep on [account of my impending separation from] the Torah and the commandments'?  — If you wish I might reply: Reverse [the names]; and if you prefer I might reply: In fact there Is no need to reverse [the names; but as] R. Hiyya was engaged in the performance of pious deeds Rabbi thought 'I will not disturb him'. This  is in line with the following:  When R. Hanina and R. Hiyya were engaged in a dispute R. Hanina said to R. Hiyya, 'Do you [venture to] dispute with me? Were the Torah, God forbid, to be forgotten in Israel, I would restore it by means of my dialectical arguments'. — 'I', replied R. Hiyya, 'make provision that the Torah shall not be forgotten in Israel. For I bring flax seed, sow it, and weave nets [from the plant]. [With these] I hunt stags with whose flesh I feed orphans and from whose skins I prepare scrolls, and then proceed to a town where there are no teachers of young children, and write out the five Books of the Pentateuch for five children [respectively] and teach another six children respectively the six orders of the Mishnah, and then tell each one: "Teach your section to your colleagues"'. It was this that Rabbi [had in mind when he] exclaimed, 'How great are the deeds of Hiyya?' Said R. Simeon b. Rabbi to him: '[Greater] even than yours?' — 'Yes', he replied. 'Even', asked R. Ishmael the son of R. Jose, 'than my father's?' — 'God forbid', the other replied. 'Let no such thing be [mentioned] in Israel!' 'I desire', he  announced, 'the presence of my younger son R. Simeon entered into his presence and he entrusted him with the orders  of wisdom. 'I desire the presence of my elder son', he announced. When R. Gamaliel entered he entrusted him with the traditions and regulations  of the Patriarchate. 'My son', he said to him, 'conduct your patriarchate with men of high standing,  and cast bile among the students'. But surely, this  is not proper  for is it not written in Scripture, But he honoureth them that fear the Lord,  and the Master said that this [text might be applied to] Jehoshaphat, King of Judah. who, on seeing a scholar, used to rise from his throne, embrace him and kiss him, and call him 'My master, my master; my teacher, my teacher'? — This is no difficulty: The latter attitude  [is to be adopted] in private; the former  in public. It was taught: Rabbi was lying [on his sickbed] at Sepphoris  but a [burial] place was reserved for him at Beth She'arim. Was it not, however, taught: Justice, justice shalt thou follow.  follow Rabbi to Beth She'arim? — Rabbi was [indeed] living at Beth She'arim  but when he fell ill  he was brought to Sepphoris