רַב גִּידֵּל הֲוָה מְהַפֵּיךְ בְּהַהִיא אַרְעָא אֲזַל רַבִּי אַבָּא זַבְנַהּ אֲזַל רַב גִּידֵּל קַבְלֵיהּ לְרַבִּי זֵירָא אֲזַל רַבִּי זֵירָא וְקַבְלֵיהּ לְרַב יִצְחָק נַפָּחָא אָמַר לֵיהּ הַמְתֵּן עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה אֶצְלֵנוּ לָרֶגֶל כִּי סְלֵיק אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ עָנִי מְהַפֵּךְ בַּחֲרָרָה וּבָא אַחֵר וּנְטָלָהּ הֵימֶנּוּ מַאי אֲמַר לֵיהּ נִקְרָא רָשָׁע וְאֶלָּא מָר מַאי טַעְמָא עֲבַד הָכִי אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָא הֲוָה יָדַעְנָא הַשְׁתָּא נָמֵי נִיתְּבַהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ מָר אֲמַר לֵיהּ זַבּוֹנֵי לָא מְזַבֵּינְנָא לַהּ דְּאַרְעָא קַמַּיְיתָא הִיא וְלָא מְסַמְּנָא מִילְּתָא אִי בָּעֵי בְּמַתָּנָה נִישְׁקְלֵיהּ רַב גִּידֵּל לָא נָחֵית לַהּ דִּכְתִיב וְשׂוֹנֵא מַתָּנֹת יִחְיֶה רַבִּי אַבָּא לָא נָחֵית לַהּ מִשּׁוּם דְּהַפֵּיךְ בַּהּ רַב גִּידֵּל לָא מָר נָחֵית לַהּ וְלָא מָר נָחֵית לַהּ וּמִיתְקָרְיָא אַרְעָא דְרַבָּנַן
The Gemara further relates: Rav Giddel was engaging in the acquisition of a certain plot of land. In the meantime Rabbi Abba went and purchased it. Rav Giddel went and complained about Rabbi Abba to Rabbi Zeira. Rabbi Zeira went and complained about Rabbi Abba to Rav Yitzḥak Nappaḥa. Rav Yitzḥak Nappaḥa said to him: Wait until Rabbi Abba ascends to visit us for the pilgrimage Festival, when all come to hear the Festival sermon, on which occasion we can discuss this matter with him. When Rabbi Abba ascended Rav Yitzḥak Nappaḥa found him and said to him: If a pauper is engaging in the acquisition of a loaf of bread that he found, and another came and took it from him, what is the halakha? Rabbi Abba said to him: The one who took it away is called wicked. Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa replied: But if so, what is the reason that the Master acted this way? Rav Giddel was negotiating the purchase of this land and you purchased it. Rabbi Abba said to him: I did not know that Rav Giddel was trying to acquire the land. Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa retorted: Now too, the Master should give it to him, since you have been made aware that he submitted the first offer. Rabbi Abba said to him: As for selling, I will not sell it, as it is the first land I have ever purchased, and this matter of selling one’s first acquisition is not a good omen. If he wants to accept it as a gift, let him take it. Rav Giddel did not descend to claim this plot of land, as it is written: “But he who hates gifts shall live” (Proverbs 15:27), and therefore he did not wish to accept the land as a gift. Rabbi Abba also did not descend to it, because Rav Giddel was already engaging in the acquisition of it when he acquired the land. In this manner, this Sage did not descend to take the plot of land, and that Sage did not descend to take care of it, and it was called the land of the Sages.