Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish

First Generation Amoraim, referred to in the Gemara by the acronyms: R.L. (Resh Lakish) or R.Sh.B.L. (Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish), brother-in-law and study partner of Rabbi Yochanan.

Of His Praises and Sayings

Resh Lakish used to mark the burial caves of sages so that Kohanim would not pass over them and become ritually impure, and also so that no harm would issue forth from the righteous ones buried there. When he reached the vicinity of Rabbi Chiya's cave, it disappeared from him, and he could not find it! Resh Lakish became distressed and said: "Master of the Universe, did I not engage in Torah discourse like him, that I am unworthy of finding his burial place?" A heavenly voice emerged and said: "Indeed, you engaged in Torah discourse like him, but you did not disseminate Torah to others as he did." [בבא מציעא פה:] It is written: "But he who commits adultery with a woman lacks heart." [משלי ו, לב] Resh Lakish said: This refers to one who studies Torah intermittently, meaning: he does not study continuously, like a man who marries and divorces, marries and divorces again. What is the virtue of continuous study? It is stated: "For it is pleasant if you keep them within you; let them be established together upon your lips." [משלי כב, יח] Meaning: when the student constantly recites the words of Torah with his lips, then they will be preserved within him and he will remember them. [סנהדרין צ"ט:] Resh Lakish said: Anyone who teaches Torah to the son of his fellow, the Scripture considers it as if he created him, as it is stated: "and the souls they made in Haran," [בראשית יב, ה] meaning: like Abraham our father and Sarah our mother, who subjected the people to Torah, and it is considered as if they created them. [סנהדרין צ"ט:]

Self-Sacrifice for Torah

One day, while Rabbi Yochanan was bathing in the Jordan River, Resh Lakish saw him, while he was still a brigand on the other side of the river. Resh Lakish leaped the entire width of the river to Rabbi Yochanan's side! Rabbi Yochanan said to him: "Your strength is fitting for Torah!" meaning: Your great strength is suitable for bearing the yoke of Torah! Resh Lakish said to Rabbi Yochanan: "Your beauty is fit for women," because Rabbi Yochanan was handsome. Rabbi Yochanan said to Resh Lakish: "If you repent, I will give you my sister as a wife, who is more beautiful than me!" Resh Lakish accepted upon himself to repent. At that moment, he wanted to leap back but could not, because having accepted the yoke of Torah, his strength diminished. Rabbi Yochanan taught him Scripture and Mishnah until he became a great man.

The Fire of Sages

One day, Rabbi Yochanan and Resh Lakish debated in the study hall concerning the laws of ritual impurity of vessels. Resh Lakish's study was characterized by extreme sharpness. Rabbi Yochanan said to him: "Because you were a brigand, you are familiar with those vessels used for brigandage." Resh Lakish said to Rabbi Yochanan: "And what good did you do by bringing me back to repentance! When I was a brigand, I was a chief, and even now I am a chief among sages?" Rabbi Yochanan said to him: "I did good by bringing you under the wings of the Shechinah!" Nevertheless, Rabbi Yochanan's spirit was weakened by Resh Lakish's words, and Resh Lakish fell ill due to Rabbi Yochanan's displeasure and passed away from his illness to his eternal home. Rabbi Yochanan suffered greatly and regretted deeply, for he could not find a student as important and sharp as Resh Lakish. The Sages said: "Whom shall we choose to come and study with Rabbi Yochanan and settle his mind?" They brought Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat, who was sharp in Torah, to study with Rabbi Yochanan. For every halakha that Rabbi Yochanan stated, Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat brought support for Rabbi Yochanan's opinion. Rabbi Yochanan said: "Where is Resh Lakish! For every new insight I stated, he would raise twenty-four objections, and from that, the matters would become clarified and understood! You, Rabbi Elazar, everything I say, you bring me support for my words!" Rabbi Yochanan tore his garments and cried out: "Where is Resh Lakish! Where is Resh Lakish!" until his mind became deranged. The Sages prayed for Rabbi Yochanan to depart from the world, and so it was. There was only one year between the passing of Resh Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan. [בבא מציעא פד:]