אָמַר רָבָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב חִסְדָּא: אִם רוֹאֶה אָדָם שֶׁיִּסּוּרִין בָּאִין עָלָיו — יְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד ה׳״.
פִּשְׁפֵּשׁ וְלֹא מָצָא — יִתְלֶה בְּבִטּוּל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר תְּיַסְּרֶנּוּ יָּהּ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ״.
וְאִם תָּלָה וְלֹא מָצָא — בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁיִּסּוּרִין שֶׁל אַהֲבָה הֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב ה׳ יוֹכִיחַ״.
אָמַר רָבָא, אָמַר רַב סְחוֹרָה, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפַץ בּוֹ — מְדַכְּאוֹ בְּיִסּוּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַה׳ חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ הֶחֱלִי״.
Rava, and some say Rav Ḥisda, said: If a person sees that suffering has befallen him, he should examine his actions, as it is stated: “We will search our ways, and examine [them], and return to Hashem” (Lamentations 3:40).
If he examined [his ways] and found no [transgression], he may attribute his suffering to neglect [of the study] of Torah, as it is stated: “Happy is the man whom You punish, Yah, and teach from of Your Torah” (Psalms 94:12).
And if he did attribute [his suffering to neglect of the study of Torah] and did not find [that to be the case], it is certain that these are afflictions of love, as it is stated: “For Hashem reproaches those that He loves [as does a parent to the child in whom he delights]” (Proverbs 3:12).
[Similarly,] Rava said that Rav Seḥora said that Rav Huna said: Anyone in whom the Holy Blessed One delights -- He oppresses them with suffering, as it is stated: “The one in whom Hashem delights, He oppresses him with disease...” (Isaiah 53:10).
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי אוֹמֵר: שָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכוּלָּן לֹא נְתָנָן אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי יִסּוּרִין, אֵלּוּ הֵן: תּוֹרָה וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא...
It was taught [in a baraita]: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: The Holy Blessed One gave Israel three precious gifts, all of which were only given by means of suffering: Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World-to-Come...
- נגעים
- בנים
(ר׳ יוחנן - גרמא דעשיראה ביר)
רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא חֲלַשׁ. עָל לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲבִיבִין עָלֶיךָ יִסּוּרִין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא הֵן וְלֹא שְׂכָרָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי יְדָךְ. יְהַב לֵיהּ יְדֵיהּ, וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ.
רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן חֲלַשׁ. עָל לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי חֲנִינָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲבִיבִין עָלֶיךָ יִסּוּרִין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא הֵן וְלֹא שְׂכָרָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי יְדָךְ. יְהַב לֵיהּ יְדֵיהּ, וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ.
אַמַּאי, לוֹקִים רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ? אָמְרִי: אֵין חָבוּשׁ מַתִּיר עַצְמוֹ מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים.
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חֲלַשׁ. עַל לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן. חֲזָא דַּהֲוָה קָא גָּנֵי בְּבֵית אָפֵל. גַּלְיֵיהּ לִדְרָעֵיהּ וּנְפַל נְהוֹרָא. חַזְיֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה קָא בָּכֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי קָא בָּכֵית? אִי מִשּׁוּם תּוֹרָה דְּלָא אַפֵּשְׁתְּ — שָׁנִינוּ: אֶחָד הַמַּרְבֶּה וְאֶחָד הַמַּמְעִיט, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּכַוֵּין לִבּוֹ לַשָּׁמַיִם. וְאִי מִשּׁוּם מְזוֹנֵי — לֹא כׇּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לִשְׁתֵּי שֻׁלְחָנוֹת. וְאִי מִשּׁוּם בְּנֵי — דֵּין גַּרְמָא דַּעֲשִׂירָאָה בִּיר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְהַאי שׁוּפְרָא דְּבָלֵי בְּעַפְרָא קָא בָּכֵינָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַל דָּא וַדַּאי קָא בָּכֵית, וּבְכוֹ תַּרְוַיְיהוּ. אַדְּהָכִי וְהָכִי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲבִיבִין עָלֶיךָ יִסּוּרִין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא הֵן וְלֹא שְׂכָרָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי יְדָךְ, יְהַב לֵיהּ יְדֵיהּ, וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, fell ill. [Rabbi Yoḥanan] entered to visit him, and said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? [Rabbi Ḥiyya] said to him: Neither it nor its reward. [Rabbi Yoḥanan] said to him: Give me your hand. [Rabbi Ḥiyya] gave him his hand, and [Rabbi Yoḥanan] stood him up (healed him).
Rabbi Yoḥanan fell ill. Rabbi Ḥanina entered to visit him, and said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? [Rabbi Yoḥanan] said to him: Neither it nor its reward. [Rabbi Ḥanina] said to him: Give me your hand. He gave him his hand, and [Rabbi Ḥanina] stood him up (healed him).
Why [did Rabbi Yoḥanan wait for Rabbi Ḥanina to healt him] -- let Rabbi Yoḥanan heal himself! As they say: A prisoner cannot free himself from prison.
Rabbi El'azar fell ill. Rabbi Yoḥanan entered to visit him, and saw that he was lying in a dark room. Rabbi Yoḥanan exposed his arm and light descended. He saw that [Rabbi El'azar] was crying. He said to him: Why are you crying? If because of the Torah that you did not study, we learned: One brings more and one brings less, as long as one directs one's heart toward Heaven. If because [of a lack of] sustenance -- not every person merits [to eat from] two tables. If over children [who have died], this is the bone of my tenth son. [Rabbi El'azar] said to [Rabbi Yoḥanan]: I am crying over this beauty [of yours] that will decompose in the earth. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Over this, it is certainly appropriate to weep. They both cried. Meanwhile, [Rabbi Yoḥanan] said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? [Rabbi El'azar] said to him: Neither it nor its reward. [Rabbi Yoḥanan] said to him: Give me your hand. [Rabbi El'azar] gave him his hand, and [Rabbi Yoḥanan] stood him up (healed him).