צבע אצבעותיה בדמה דחזיר

(1) “Wisdom is good with inheritance, and more so for viewers of the sun. For in the shadow of wisdom, in the shadow of money; the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its possessors” (Ecclesiastes 7:11–12).
“Wisdom is good with inheritance” – “wisdom is good” when it is an inheritance. Alternatively, “wisdom is good” when it is accompanied by inheritance, as we learned there in Avot (2:2): Torah study is best with a worldly occupation, etc. Alternatively, “wisdom is good” – the wisdom of Moses is good, as it is stated: “A wise man ascended against the city of the mighty” (Proverbs 21:22); “with inheritance” – as he bequeathed the Torah to Israel.
Another matter, “wisdom is good” – this is the wisdom of Betzalel, who bequeathed the Ark to Israel. When Moses said to him: ‘Craft an Ark, vessels, and the Tabernacle,’ Betzalel said to him: ‘Moses our master, does one bring the vessels and position them exposed to the air? Let the Tabernacle be crafted first and the Ark be crafted afterward.’ Moses said to him: ‘Were you, perhaps, sitting in the shadow of God and you knew? First, “they shall craft the Ark” (Exodus 25:10) and then, “the Tabernacle you shall craft” (Exodus 26:1)’ – that is, “wisdom is good with inheritance,” the wisdom of Betzalel is good, “with inheritance,” as he bequeathed the Ark to Israel.
Another matter, the wisdom of Joshua is good “with inheritance,” as he bequeathed the land; “and more so for viewers of the sun.” Alternatively, “wisdom is good” when it is accompanied by the merit of the forefathers. Happy is one for whom the merit of his forefathers stands and illuminates for him.
Rabbi Aḥa [said] in the name of Rabbi Tanḥum: If a person studied, taught, observed, and performed [the Torah’s commandments], and he had the wherewithal to support, but he did not support, he is in the category of: “Cursed is one who will not uphold the matters of this Torah” (Deuteronomy 27:26). If a person studied, did not teach, did not observe, and did not perform, and he did not have the wherewithal to support, but he [nonetheless] supported, he is in the category of: “Blessed is one who will uphold,” as every “cursed” indicates “blessed.” Rabbi Huna said: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to provide shade and a canopy for those who have [performed] mitzvot with those who have [studied] Torah. What is the reason? “For in the shadow of wisdom, in the shadow of money.”
Three hundred nazirites ascended to sacrifice nine hundred offerings during the days of Shimon ben Shetaḥ. For one hundred and fifty [of the nazirites], he found an extenuation, and for one hundred and fifty he did not find an extenuation. Shimon ben Shetaḥ went up to King Yannai [and] said to him: ‘Three hundred nazirites ascended and they need to sacrifice nine hundred offerings, but they do not have [the means to purchase] them. You give half from yours and I will give half from mine, and they will go and sacrifice.’ Yannai gave them half [the required sum] and they went and sacrificed. Someone went and spoke slander to King Yannai about Shimon ben Shetaḥ. He said to King Yannai: ‘You should know that everything that they sacrificed was from yours, but Shimon ben Shetaḥ did not give anything from his.’ [King Yannai] heard [this] and became angry at Shimon ben Shetaḥ, and Shimon ben Shetaḥ heard [that King Yannai was angry] and he fled.
Some time later, there were important personages there from the kingdom of Persia, who were sitting at the table of King Yannai. After they ate, they said to Yannai, ‘My lord the king, we recall that there was an elder here who would say words of Torah to us.’ [Yannai] said to Salome, [Shimon ben Shetaḥ’s] sister, [who was] King Yannai’s wife: ‘Send [for him] and bring him.’ She said to him: ‘Give me your word and send him your ring and he will come.’ He gave her his word and [Shimon ben Shetaḥ] came. When he came, he sat between the king and the queen. [Yannai] said to him: ‘Why did you flee?’ He said to [Yannai]: ‘I heard you were angry at me, and I was afraid of you. I fled so you would not execute me. I fulfilled this verse: “Hide for a brief moment until the wrath has passed”’ (Isaiah 26:20). [Yannai] said to him: ‘Why did you deceive me?’ He said to [Yannai]: ‘God forbid, I did not deceive you; rather, you [gave] from your property and I [gave] from my Torah, as it is written: “For in the shadow of wisdom, in the shadow of money.”’ [Yannai] said to him: ‘Why did you sit between the king and the queen?’ He said to [Yannai]: ‘It is because it is written in the book of Ben Sira: “Extol it and it will exalt you, and it will seat you between leaders.” [Yannai] said to him: ‘Do you see that I honor you more than anyone?’ He said to [Yannai]: ‘It is not you who honor me, but rather my Torah honors me, as it is written: “Extol it and it will exalt you” (Proverbs 4:8).’ [Yannai] said to them: ‘Pour him a cup [of wine] so he can recite Grace after Meals.’ [Shimon ben Shetaḥ] said: ‘What will I recite? Shall I say: Blessed is He from whose [food] Yannai has eaten?’ [Yannai said:] ‘You remain in your stubbornness; I have never heard Yannai in the Grace after Meals.’ [Shimon ben Shetaḥ] said: ‘What, then, shall I say: Blessed that we ate? I have not eaten.’ [Yannai] said to them: ‘Bring him [food] so he will eat.’ [After having eaten, Shimon ben Shetaḥ recited the Grace after Meals] and said: ‘From whose [food] we have eaten.’
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The colleagues of Shimon ben Shetaḥ disagree with him. Rabbi Avin said: Regarding the second. Rabbi Yirmeya said: Regarding the first. They reversed the opinion of Rabbi Yirmeya, as there it is clear for him, while here it requires [resolution]. [Alternatively,] there, it is clear for him, in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, while here it requires [resolution], according to the Rabbis, as it is taught in this regard: If one reclined and dipped with them, even though he did not eat with them an olive-bulk of grain, they include him in their zimmun; [this is] the statement of the Rabbis. Rabbi Yaakov bar Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Isi: Actually, one does not include him in the zimun unless he eats an olive-bulk of grain. It is taught: Two who ate grain and one who ate something other than grain join together. In accordance with whose opinion is this taught? It is in accordance with [the opinion of] Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.
There were three prominent wealthy leaders in Jerusalem: Ben Tzitzit HaKesat, Nakdimon ben Guryon, and ben Kalba Savua. Each and every one of them was capable of providing for and sustaining the country for ten years. There was [a warrior] there [named] ben-Batiaḥ, the son of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai’s sister, who was the official in charge of the storehouses, and the leader of the rebels in Jerusalem. He arose and burned the storehouses. Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai heard and said: ‘Alas.’ They went and told ben-Batiaḥ that his uncle had said: ‘Alas, alas.’ He sent and had him brought [and] said to him: ‘Why did you say alas?’ [Rabbi Yoḥanan] said to him: ‘I did not say alas [vai], but I said hurrah [vah], for as long as the full storehouses are intact, they will not give their lives to wage war.’ By the difference between vai and vah, Rabbi Yoḥanan was spared. They read in his regard: “The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its possessors.”
There was an incident involving Rabbi Yoḥanan, who was overcome with bulmus, and he went to Emmaus. He sat to the east of a fig tree and was cured. They said to him: ‘From where did you know [that figs could cure you of this condition]?’ He said to them: ‘From David, as it is written: “They gave him a slice of pressed figs”’ (I Samuel 30:12). They read in his regard: “The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its possessors.”
Rabbi Yosei bar Yasin was traveling on a ship coming from Tarshish. His lad said to him: ‘I need to descend.’ [Rabbi Yosei] said to him: ‘Do not descend into the sea, as the sea is dangerous.’ [The lad] said to him: ‘I must recite shema.’ He said to [the lad]: ‘Recite it.’ [The lad] said to him: ‘I need to eat.’ He said to [the lad]: ‘Eat.’ When they came to port, he said to [the lad]: It is prohibited for you until you immerse. It was read in his regard: “The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its possessors.”
Rabbi Meir was wanted by the government, and he fled. He passed an Aramean inn and found them sitting and partaking of “that species.” They saw him [and] said: ‘It is him, it is not him.’ They said: ‘[To see] if it is him, let us invite him [and see] if he comes to eat with us.’ [Rabbi Meir] dipped one of his fingers into the pig’s blood and put a different finger into his mouth; he dipped this one and sucked that one. [The Romans thought he had eaten the pig blood and] said to each other: ‘Were he Rabbi Meir, he would not have done so.’ They let him be, and he fled. It was read in his regard: “The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its possessors.”
Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] was dying in Tzippori, and the residents of Tzippori said: ‘Anyone who comes and says that Rabbi died, we will kill him.’ Bar Kappara went to the window and looked outside, and his head was covered and his garments were rent. He said: ‘Our brethren, descendants of Yedaya, hear me, hear me. Angels and righteous people grasped the Tablets of the covenant. Angels overcame the righteous, and they snatched the Tablets.’ They said to him: ‘Has Rabbi died?’ He said to them: ‘You said so, I did not say so.’ Why did he not say? Because it is written: “One who utters a negative report is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18). They rent their garments until the sound of the rending reached Gufteta, at a distance of three mil. It was read in his regard: “The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its possessors.”
Rabbi Neḥemya [said] in the name of Rabbi Mana: Miraculous acts were performed on that day. It was Friday and all the cities gathered for Rabbi’s eulogy. They stopped his [burial procession to eulogize him] at eighteen synagogues, and took him to Beit She’arim, and the day lasted until each and every one of the people of Israel reached home and kindled a lamp for himself, roasted a fish for himself, and filled a barrel of water for himself, until the last of them did so; [then] the sun set and the rooster crowed. [The people] began to become agitated and said: ‘Alas, we have desecrated Shabbat!’ A Divine Voice called out and said: ‘Anyone who was not indolent in the eulogy of Rabbi is destined for life in the World to Come except for the launderer, who was there, but did not come.’ When [the launderer] heard [this], he ascended and cast himself from the roof, and he fell and died. A Divine Voice called out and said: ‘Even the launderer [who was on] the roof is destined for life in the World to Come.’