Ketubot

What should be the usual periods?  — Rab said: One month at the college  and one month at home; for it is said in the Scriptures, In any matter of the courses which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year.  R. Johanan, however, said: One month at the college and two months at home; for it is said in the Scriptures, A month they were in Lebanon and two months at home.  Why does not Rab also derive his opinion from this text?  — The building of the holy Temple is different [from the study of the Torah] since it could be carried on by others.  Then why does not R. Johanan derive his opinion from the former text?  — There [the conditions were] different because every man was in receipt of relief. Rab said:  A sigh breaks down half of the human constitution,  for it is said in Scripture, Sigh, therefore, thou son of man; with the breaking of thy loins  and with bitterness shalt thou sigh.  R. Johanan, however, said: Even all the human constitution, for it is said in Scripture, And it shall be when they say unto thee: Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt say: Because of the tidings, for it cometh; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be slack, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall drip with water.  As to R. Johanan, is it not also written, 'With the breaking of thy loins'? — [The meaning of] this is that when [the breaking] begins it does so from the loins. And as to Rab, is it not also written, 'And every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be slack, and every spirit shall be faint'? — The report of the holy Temple is different since [the calamity] was very severe. An Israelite and an idolater were once walking together on the same road and the idolater could not keep pace with the Israelite. Reminding him of the destruction of the holy Temple [the latter] grew faint and sighed; but still the idolater was unable to keep pace with him. 'Do you not say', the idolater asked him, 'that a sigh breaks half of the human body'? — 'This applies only', the other replied, 'to a fresh calamity but not to this one with which we are familiar. As people say: A woman who is accustomed to bereavements is not alarmed [when another occurs]'. MEN OF INDEPENDENCE EVERY DAY. What is meant by tayyalin?  — Raba replied: Day students.  Said Abaye to him: [These are the men] of whom it is written in Scripture, It is vain for you  that ye rise early, and sit up late, ye that eat of the bread of toil; so He giveth  unto those who chase their sleep away;  and 'these',  R. Isaac explained, 'are the wives of the scholars,  who chase the sleep from their eyes  in this world and achieve thereby the life of the world to come',  and yet you Say. Day students'!  — [The explanation]. however, said Abaye, is in agreement [with a statement] of Rab who said [a man of independence is one.] for instance, like R. Samuel b. Shilath  who eats of his own, drinks of his own and sleeps in the shadow of his mansion  and a king's officer  never passes his door.  When Rabin came  he stated: [A man of independence is one]. for instance, like the pampered men of the West, R. Abbahu  was once standing in a bath house, two slaves supporting him, when [the floor of] the bath house collapsed under him.  By chance he was near a column [upon which] he climbed  taking up the slaves with him.  R. Johanan was once ascending a staircase, R. Ammi and R. Assi supporting him, when the staircase collapsed under him. He himself climbed up and brought them up with him. Said the Rabbis to him, 'Since [your strength is] such, why do you require support?  — 'Otherwise', he replied. what [strength] will I reserve for the time of my old age?' FOR LABOURERS TWICE A WEEK. Was it not, however, taught: Labourers, once a week? — R. Jose the son of R. Hanina replied: This is no difficulty; the former  [speaks of labourers] who do their work in their own town while the latter [speaks of those] who do their work in another town — So it was also taught: Labourers [perform their marital duties] twice a week. This applies only [to those] who do their work in their own town, but for those who do their work in another town [the time is only] once a week FOR ASS-DRIVERS ONCE A WEEK. Rabhah son of R. Hanan  said to Abaye: Did the Tanna  go to all this trouble  to teach us [merely the law relating to] the man of independence  and the labourer?  — The other replied: No;