Shabbat

and the privy  are harmful; those caused by chemicals, laughter, or plants  are beneficial. In the day when the keeper of the house shall tremble; and the strong men shall bow themselves, etc.  In the day when the keeper of the house shall tremble' — these are the flanks [sides] and the ribs; 'and the strong men shall bow themselves' — the legs; 'and the grinders cease' — the teeth; 'and those that look out of the windows darkened' — the eyes. The emperor asked R. Joshua b. Hanania,  'Why did you not attend the Be Abedan?'  'The mountain is snowy, it is surrounded by ice,  the dog does not bark and the grinders do not grind,' he replied.  The School of Rab was wont to say: 'What I did not lose I seek.' It was taught, R. Jose b. Kisma said: Two are better than three,  and woe for the one thing that goes and does not return. What is that? Said R. Hisda: One's youth. When R. Dimi came,  he said: Youth is a crown of roses; old age is a crown of willowrods.  It was taught in R. Meir's name: Chew well with your teeth, and you will find it in your steps, as it is said, for then we had plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.  Samuel said to Rab Judah: O keen scholar!  open your mouth  and let your food enter. Until the age of forty food is more beneficial; thenceforth drink is more beneficial. A certain eunuch [gawzaah] said to R. Joshua b. Karhah [Baldhead]: 'How far is it from here to Karhina [Baldtown]? 'As far as from here to Gawzania [Eunuchtown],' he replied.  Said the Sadducee to him, 'A bald buck is worth four denarii.' 'A goat, if castrated, is worth eight,' he retorted. Now, he [the Sadducee] saw that he [R. Joshua] was not wearing shoes, [whereupon] he remarked, 'He [who rides] on a horse is a king, upon an ass, is a free man, and he who has shoes on his feet is a human being; but he who has none of these, one who is dead  and buried is better off.' 'O eunuch, O eunuch,' he retorted, 'you have enumerated three things to me, [and now] you will hear three things: the glory of a face is its beard; the rejoicing of one's heart is a wife; the heritage of the Lord is children;  blessed be the Omnipresent, Who has denied you all these!' 'O quarrelsome baldhead,' he jeered at him. 'A castrated buck and [you will] reprove!'  he retorted. Rabbi asked R. Simeon b. Halafta: 'Why were we not permitted to receive you on the Festival, as my ancestors used to receive your ancestors?' 'The rocks have grown tall, the near have become distant, two have turned into three, and the peacemaker of the home has ceased, he replied. And the doors shall be shut in the streets:  this refers to the apertures of man; 'when the sound of the grinding is low' — on account of the stomach's failing to digest;  'and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird', — even a bird will awake him from sleep; 'and all the daughters of the music shall be brought low — even the voices of male singers and female singers sound to him like a whisper. And thus too did Barzillai the Gileadite say to David: 'I am this day fourscore years old: can I discern between good and bad'? This shows that the opinions of old men are changeable [changed]; 'can thy servant taste what I eat or drink'? this shows that the lips of old men grow slack;  'can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women'?  this proves that the ears of old men are heavy.  Rab said: Barzillai the Gileadite was a liar. For there was a servant in Rab's house, ninety-two years old, who could taste the dish[es]. Raba said: Barzillai the Gileadite was steeped in lewdness, and whoever is steeped in lewdness, old age hastens upon him. It was taught, R. Ishmael son of R. Jose said: As for scholars, the older they grow the more wisdom they acquire, for it is said, With aged men is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.  But the ignorant, as they wax older, become more foolish, for it is said, He removeth the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the elders. Yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high  — even a small knoll looks to him like the highest of mountains; 'and terrors shall be in the way' — when he walks on a road his heart is filled with fears;  and the almond tree shall blossom' — that refers to the coccyx  'and the grasshopper shall be a burden'  — the rump; 'and desire shall fail' the passions. R. Kahana was expounding a portion [of scripture]  before Rab. When he came to this verse, he [Rab] uttered a long sigh. This shows that Rab's desires have ceased, observed he. R. Kahana said: What is meant by, 'For he decreed, and it was':  this refers to a woman;  'he commanded; and it did stand' — this refers to children. A Tanna taught: Though a woman be as a pitcher full of filth and her mouth be full of blood, yet all speed after her. Because man goeth to his long home.  R. Isaac observed: This teaches that every righteous person is given a habitation as befits his honour. This may be compared to a king who enters a town together with his servants. They all enter through the same gate, [yet] when they spend the night [there] each is given a lodging as befits his honour. R. Isaac also said: What means the verse, For youth and the prime of life are vanity?  The things a man does in his youth blacken his face  in his old age. R. Isaac also said: Worms are as painful to the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living, for it is said, But his flesh upon him hath pain.  R. Hisda said: A man's soul mourns for him [after death] seven whole [days]. for it is said, And his soul mourneth for him;  and it is written, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. Rab Judah said: If there are none to be comforted for a dead person.  ten people go and sit in his place.  A certain man died in the neighbourhood of Rab Judah. As there were none to be comforted,