עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֶׂה בָּאוּ מַאי הִיא – דְּהָהוּא עִגְלָא דַּהֲווֹ קָא מַמְטוּ לֵיהּ לִשְׁחִיטָה. אֲזַל תַּלְיֵאּ לְרֵישֵׁיהּ בְּכַנְפֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי וְקָא בָכֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: זִיל, לְכָךְ נוֹצַרְתָּ. אָמְרִי הוֹאִיל וְלָא קָא מְרַחֵם – לֵיתוֹ עֲלֵיהּ יִסּוּרִין. וְעַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֶׂה הָלְכוּ, יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה קָא כָנְשָׁא אַמְּתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי בֵּיתָא, הֲוָה שָׁדְיָא בְּנֵי כַּרְכּוּשְׁתָּא וְקָא כָנְשָׁא לְהוּ. אֲמַר לַהּ: שִׁבְקִינְהוּ, כְּתִיב: ״וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כׇּל מַעֲשָׂיו״, אֲמַרוּ: הוֹאִיל וּמְרַחֵם – נְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהּ.
The Gemara stated that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s suffering came upon him due to an incident. What was that incident that led to his suffering? The Gemara answers that there was a certain calf that was being led to slaughter. The calf went and hung its head on the corner of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s garment and was weeping. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to it: Go, as you were created for this purpose. It was said in Heaven: Since he was not compassionate toward the calf, let afflictions come upon him. The Gemara explains the statement: And left him due to another incident. One day, the maidservant of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was sweeping his house. There were young weasels [karkushta] lying about, and she was in the process of sweeping them out. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to her: Let them be, as it is written: “The Lord is good to all; and His mercies are over all His works” (Psalms 145:9). They said in Heaven: Since he was compassionate, we shall be compassionate on him, and he was relieved of his suffering.