Sotah

R. Elai b. Jebarekya said: Had it not been for the prayer of David, all Israel would have been sellers of rubbish,  as it is stated: Grant them esteem, O Lord. R. Elai b. Jebarekya also said: Had it not been for the prayer of Habakkuk, two disciples of the Sages would have to cover themselves with one garment  and occupy themselves with Torah; as it is stated: O Lord, I have heard the report of Thee and am afraid; O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years  — read not 'in the midst of the years [bekereb shanim]' but in the drawing together of two [bekerub shenayim]. R. Elai b. Jebarekya also said: If two disciples of the Sages proceed on a journey and there are no words of Torah between them, they are deserving of being burnt with fire; as it is stated: And it came to pass, as they still went on, that, behold, a chariot of fire etc.  The reason [why the chariot of fire appeared] was that there was discussion [of Torah between them]; hence if there had not been such discussion, they would have deserved to be burnt. R. Elai b. Jebarekya also said: If two disciples of the Sages reside in the same city and do not support each other in [the study of] the law, one dies and the other goes into exile;  as it is stated: That the manslayer might flee thither, which slayeth his neighbour without knowledge,  and 'knowledge' means nothing but Torah, as it is stated: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. R. Judah, son of R. Hiyya said: Any disciple of the Sages who occupies himself with Torah in poverty will have his prayer heard; as it is stated: For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; thou shalt weep no more; He will surely be gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear, He will answer thee,  and it continues, And the Lord will give you bread in adversity and water in affliction.  R. Abbahu said: They also satisfy him from the lustre of the Shechinah, as it is stated: Thine eyes shall see thy Teacher.  R. Aha b. Hanina said: Neither is the veil  drawn before him, as it is said: 'Thy teacher shall no more be hidden.' RABBAN SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAYS IN THE NAME OF R. JOSHUA:  FROM THE DAY THAT THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED, THERE IS NO DAY etc. Raba said: And the curse of each day is severer than that of the preceding, as it is stated: In the morning thou shalt say: Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say: Would God it were morning.  Which morning [would they long for]? If I say the morning of the morrow, nobody knows what it will be. Therefore [it must be the morning] which had gone.  How, in that case, can the world endure?  — Through the doxology recited after the Scriptural reading,  and [the response of] 'May His great Name [be blessed]' [which is uttered in the doxology] after studying Aggada;  as it is stated: A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself, a land of the shadow of death, without any order.  Hence if there are Scriptural readings, it is illumined from the thick darkness. THE DEW HAS NOT DESCENDED FOR A BLESSING AND THE FLAVOUR HAS DEPARTED FROM THE FRUITS etc. It has been taught: R. Simeon b. Eleazar Says: [The cessation of] purity has removed taste and fragrance [from fruits]; [the cessation of] tithes has removed the fatness of corn. R. Huna once found a juicy date which he took and wrapped in his mantle. His son, Rabbah, came and said to him, 'I smell the fragrance of a juicy date'. He said to him, 'My son, there is purity in thee',  and gave it to him. Meanwhile [Rabbah's] son, Abba, came; [Rabbah] took it and gave it to him. [R. Huna] said to [Rabbah], 'My son, thou hast gladdened my heart  and blunted my teeth'.  That is what the popular proverb Says, 'A father's love is for his children; the children's love is for their own children.' R. Aha b. Jacob reared R. Jacob, his daughter's son. When he grew up, [the grandfather] said to him, 'Give me some water to drink'. He replied: 'I am not thy son'.  That is what the popular proverb says: 'Rear me, rear me;  I am thy daughter's son'. MISHNAH. DURING THE WAR WITH VESPASIAN  THEY [THE RABBIS] DECREED AGAINST [THE USE OF] CROWNS WORN BY BRIDEGROOMS AND AGAINST [THE USE OF] THE DRUM.  DURING THE WAR OF QUIETUS  THEY DECREED AGAINST [THE USE OF] CROWNS WORN BY BRIDES AND THAT NOBODY SHOULD TEACH HIS SON GREEK. DURING THE FINAL WAR  THEY DECREED THAT A BRIDE SHOULD NOT GO OUT IN A PALANQUIN  IN THE MIDST OF THE CITY, BUT OUR RABBIS DECREED THAT A BRIDE MAY GO OUT IN A PALANQUIN IN THE MIDST OF THE CITY. WHEN R. MEIR  DIED, THE COMPOSERS OF FABLES CEASED. WHEN BEN AZZAI  DIED, THE ASSIDUOUS STUDENTS [OF TORAH] CEASED. WHEN BEN ZOMA  DIED, THE EXPOSITORS CEASED.  WHEN R. AKIBA  DIED, THE GLORY OF THE TORAH CEASED. WHEN R. HANINA B. DOSA DIED, MEN OF DEED  CEASED. WHEN R. JOSE KETANTA DIED, THE PIOUS MEN CEASED; AND WHY WAS HIS NAME CALLED KETANTA? BECAUSE HE WAS THE YOUNGEST  OF THE PIOUS MEN.  WHEN R. JOHANAN B. ZAKKAI  DIED, THE LUSTRE OF WISDOM CEASED.  WHEN RABBAN GAMALIEL THE ELDER DIED, THE GLORY OF THE TORAH CEASED, AND PURITY AND ABNEGATION PERISHED. WHEN R. ISHMAEL B. FABI  DIED, THE LUSTRE OF THE PRIESTHOOD CEASED. WHEN RABBI DIED, HUMILITY AND FEAR OF SIN CEASED.  R. PHINEAS B. JAIR SAYS: WHEN [THE SECOND] TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED, SCHOLARS  AND NOBLEMEN WERE ASHAMED AND COVERED THEIR HEAD,  MEN OF DEED WERE DISREGARDED, AND MEN OF ARM AND MEN OF TONGUE  GREW POWERFUL. NOBODY ENQUIRES,  NOBODY PRAYS [ON THEIR BEHALF], AND NOBODY ASKS.  UPON WHOM IS IT FOR US TO RELY? UPON OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. R. ELIEZER THE GREAT SAYS: FROM THE DAY THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED, THE SAGES BEGAN TO BE LIKE SCHOOL-TEACHERS,  SCHOOL-TEACHERS LIKE SYNAGOGUE-ATTENDANTS, SYNAGOGUE-ATTENDANTS LIKE COMMON PEOPLE, AND THE COMMON PEOPLE