Sanhedrin

Judah and Hezekiah, the sons  of R. Hiyya, once sat at table with Rabbi and uttered not a word. Whereupon he said: Give the young men plenty of strong wine,  so that they may say something. When the wine took effect, they began by saying: The son of David  cannot appear ere the two ruling houses in Israel shall have come to an end, viz., the Exilarchate, in Babylon and the Patriarchate in Palestine, for it is written, And he shall be for a Sanctuary, for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both houses of Israel.  Thereupon he [Rabbi] exclaimed: You throw thorns in my eyes, my children!  At this, R. Hiyya [his disciple] remarked: Master, be not angered, for the numerical value of the letters of yayin  is seventy, and likewise the letters of sod:  When yayin [wine] goes in, sod [secrets] comes out. R. Hisda said in Mar 'Ukba's name — others state, R. Hisda quoted from a lecture of Mari b. Mar: What is meant by the verse, And so the Lord hath hastened  the evil and brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous?  Because God is righteous He hastened with the evil and brought it upon us! — Even so: the Holy One, blessed be He, did a righteous [i.e., charitable] thing unto Israel in that he anticipated the exile of Zedekiah while the exile of Jechoniah was yet in being,  for it is written with reference to the latter, And the craftsmen [he-harash] and the smiths [masger], a thousand.  Harash,  implies, as soon as they opened a [learned] discussion, all [the others] became as though deaf.  Masger:  i.e., when they closed [the discussion of] a halachah, it was not reopened.  And how many were they? — A thousand. 'Ulla said: He advanced [the exile by] two years as compared with the period indicated by we-noshantem.  R. Aha b. Jacob said: We infer from this that the 'speediness' of the Lord of the universe meant eight hundred and fifty-two years. THEREFORE etc. Our Rabbis taught: Man was created alone.  And why so? — That the Sadducees  might not say: There are many ruling powers in Heaven. Another answer is: For the sake of the righteous and the wicked; that the righteous might not say: 'Ours is a righteous heredity.'  and that the wicked might not say: 'Ours is an evil heredity.'  Another answer is: For the sake of [the different] families, that they might not quarrel with each other.  Now, if at present, though but one was [originally] created,  they quarrel. how much more if two had been created!  Another answer is: Because of robbers and plunderers: I.e., If at present, though but one was originally created, people rob and plunder, how much more had two been created. AND AGAIN, TO PROCLAIM THE GREATNESS OF etc. Our Rabbis taught: [The creation of the first man alone] was to show forth the greatness of the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. For if a man mints many coins from one mould, they are all alike, but the Holy One, blessed be He, fashioned all men in the mould of the first man, and not one resembles the other, for it is written, It is changed as clay under the seal and they stand as a garment.  And why are men's faces not like one another? — Lest a man see a beautiful dwelling or a beautiful woman and say, 'She is mine for it is written, But from the wicked their light is withholden and the high arm is broken. It has been taught: R. Meir used to say: In three things man differs from his fellow: In voice, appearance and mind [i.e., thoughts]. In voice and appearance', to prevent unchastity;  'In mind', because of thieves and robbers. Our Rabbis taught: Adam was created [last of all beings] on the eve of Sabbath. And why? — Lest the Sadducees say: The Holy One, blessed be He, had a partner [viz., Adam] in His work of creation. Another answer is: In order that, if a man's mind becomes [too] proud, he may be reminded that the gnats preceded him in the order of creation. Another answer is: That he might immediately enter upon the fulfilment of a precept.  Another answer is: That he might straightway go in to the banquet.  The matter may be compared to a king of flesh and blood who built palaces and furnished them, prepared a banquet, and thereafter brought in the the guests. For it is written: Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars. She hath prepared her meat, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens, she calleth upon the highest places of the city.  Wisdom hath builded her house, — this is the attribute of the Holy One, blessed be He, who created the world by wisdom. She hath hewn out her seven pillars, — these are the seven days of creation. She hath prepared her meat, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also furnished her table, — these are the seas and the rivers and all the other requirements of the world. She hath sent forth her maidens, she calleth, — this refers to Adam and Eve. Upon the highest places of the city; Rabbah b. Bar Hana opposed [two verses]. It is written, Upon the top of the highest places.  But elsewhere it is written, On a seat on the high places.  — At first  he was seated upon the 'top' of the highest places, but subsequently upon a 'seat'. Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither; as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him.  The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Who was it that enticed him? — A woman  hath spoken to him, for it is written, He that committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh understanding. It has been taught: R. Meir used to say: The dust of the first man was gathered from all parts of the earth, for it is written, Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance,  and further it is written, The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth.  R. Oshaiah said in Rab's name: Adam's trunk came from Babylon,