"If He is a Rabbi, May the Likes of Him Not Abound in Israel" Taanit 20A

1.Our Rabbis have taught: ... A person should always be soft like a reed and not hard like a cedar.

2. It once happened that R. Eleazar the son of R. Simeon was coming from Migdal Gedor, from the house of his teacher,

3. and he was riding his donkey by the river and he felt a great happiness

4. and very proud of himself because he had studied a lot of Torah

5. A particularly ugly man happened upon him

6. and said to him, Peace be upon you, Rebbi, and he [R. Eleazar) did not respond.

7. He said to him, Empty one! How ugly this man is! Are all the people of your city as ugly as you are?

8. The man said: I do not know, but go and tell the artisan who made me, how ugly is the vessel which you have made.

9. Upon becoming self aware that he [R. Eleazar] , had done wrong he got down from his donkey and prostrated himself before the man and said to him, I tormented you; forgive me.

10. He said to him: I will not forgive you until you go to the artisan that created me and tell him: how ugly is the vessel that you created.

11. He [R. Eleazar] walked behind him until he reached his city.

12. When his fellow citizens came out to meet him greeting him with the words, ‘Peace be upon you rabbi and teacher,’

13. the man asked them, ‘Who are you calling rebbi, rebbi’? They replied, ... ‘The man who is walking behind you.’

14. He said to them: ‘If this man is a rabbi, may there not be any more like him in Israel’!

15. They asked him: ‘Why’? He replied: ‘He did such and such to me.'

16. They said to him: ‘Nevertheless, forgive him, for he is a man of great Torah learning.’

17. The man replied: ‘For you, I will forgive him, but only if he does not make a habit of acting this way.’

18. Immediately, R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon entered [the Beit Midrash] and expounded, A person should always be soft as the reed and not hard like a cedar.

19. And for this reason the reed merited that of it should be made a quill for the writing of the Torah scroll, tefilin and mezuzot.

1. They sat for twelve years in the cave. Eliyahu came and stood at the entrance of the cave [and] said, "Who will inform Bar Yochai that the Caeser has died and that his decree has been annulled?"

2. They came out; they saw people that were plowing and planting.

3. He said, "They are leaving over eternal life and involving themselves with temporary life."

4. Every place upon which they would set their eyes would immediately burn.

5. A Heavenly voice came out and said to them, "Did you come out [of the cave] to destroy my world? Go back to your cave!"

6. They returned; they sat for twelve months of a year; they [then] said, "the judgment of the wicked is twelve months in Gehinnom." A Heavenly voice came out and said, "go out from your cave."

7. They came out. All that R. Elazar destroyed, R. Shimon restored.

8. He said to him, my son, the would is sufficient with me and you.

9. As the sun was setting on the eve of Shabbat, they saw an hold man holding two bundles of hyssops and running at twilight.

10. They said to him, "what are these to you?"

11. He said to them, "For the honor of the Shabbat."

12. [They said,] "Would one not suffice?"

13. [He responded,] "One corresponding to Exodus 20:7), 'Remember' (Zachor) and one corresponding to (Deuteronomy 5:11) 'Guard (Shamor).'"

14. He said to his son, "See, how beloved the commandments are to Israel." Their minds were put at ease....