Rav Huna bar Rav Yehoshua

Fourth Generation of Amoraim. He and his colleague, Rav Papa, both students of Abaye and Rava, were inseparable from their youth to their old age. His colleagues included Rav Mari and Rav Pinchas b. Rav Hisda, Rav Pinchas bar Ami, Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak, and Rav Bibi bar Abaye.

His Greatness

Rava said: This is the interpretation of this verse: “There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are righteous men, unto whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous; I said that this also is vanity” [Ecclesiastes 8:14]. This means that good things come to them in this world like the deeds of the wicked in this world – oh, their good fortune, to the righteous in this world, as it is written: “and repays those who hate him to their face, to destroy them” [Deuteronomy 7:10].

That troubles come to them in this world like the deeds of the righteous in this world – woe to the wicked! His intention is: there are righteous people who receive punishment for their deeds in this world so that they may inherit Gan Eden in the World to Come, and wicked people who have troubles in this world – they have neither this world nor the World to Come! – for their troubles do not atone for their sins as long as they persist in their wickedness.

It is told: Rav Papa and Rav Huna bar Rav Yehoshua came before Rava.

Rava asked them: Are tractate so-and-so and tractate so-and-so fluent in your mouths? They replied, indeed, we have studied these tractates and they are fluent in our mouths.

Rava asked them: Have you become somewhat wealthy, so that you do not need to toil for your sustenance, and thus have time to engage in Torah study?

They replied, indeed, we have become somewhat wealthy, for each of us has bought a small plot of land and we sustain ourselves from it comfortably. Rava cited the verse from Ecclesiastes concerning them and said: Fortunate are the righteous, for good things come to them in this world like the deeds and benefits of the wicked in this world, and they inherit both worlds, this one and the World to Come. [Horayot 10b]

Understands Medicine

Not directly from his mouth nor from his hand – the Sages taught: A person should not drink water, neither from rivers nor from ponds, with one hand, and why? Because one hand does not hold much water, and therefore a person drinks quickly from it and pours the water directly into his mouth without inspecting it.

But if he takes the water with both hands, he can delay and inspect it.

And if he drank from one hand or drank directly from his mouth from ponds or rivers, his blood is on his head! Because he thereby endangers himself. What danger? The danger of a leech.

And this Baraita supports Rabbi Chanina, who said: If one swallowed a leech found in water, it is permissible to heat hot water for him on Shabbat, because drinking hot water removes the danger, and Shabbat prohibitions are set aside for *pikuach nefesh* (saving a life), as proven by the language of the Baraita “his blood is on his head,” which indicates a real life-threatening danger.

And so it happened that a man swallowed a water leech, and Rabbi Chanina permitted heating hot water for him on Shabbat. Until they could heat water for him, how could he be saved in the meantime? Rav Huna bar Rav Yehoshua said: Give him vinegar to drink so that he does not die quickly until hot water can be heated for him. [Avodah Zarah 12b]

Overlooking Personal Offenses

Rav Huna bar Rav Yehoshua fell ill. Rav Papa came to visit him and inquire about his well-being and saw that he was very weak and close to death.

Rav Papa said to those standing there: Prepare provisions for his journey, meaning shrouds.

Eventually, Rav Huna bar Rav Yehoshua recovered! Rav Papa was ashamed to see him because he had said to prepare provisions for his journey.

They asked Rav Huna bar Rav Yehoshua: What did you see when you were ill?

He told them: Know that, as my colleague Rav Papa said, so it was, and death was decreed upon me! The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the Heavenly court, since he does not insist on his own standards and forgives those who offend him, do not be strict with him in judgment. As it is stated: “He pardons iniquity and passes over transgression” [Micah 7:18]. To whom does the Holy One, Blessed be He, pardon iniquity? “To the remnant of His heritage,” to those who make themselves like a remnant, meaning, to those who pass over transgression and overlook their own standards. [Rosh Hashanah 17a]

Caution against Ecstasy

Rav Papa and Rav Huna bar Rav Yehoshua were walking on the road and met Rav Chanina bar Rav Iqa. They said to him: When we saw you, we recited two blessings over you, the blessing of “Blessed is He who has allotted of His wisdom to those who fear Him” and the blessing of “Shehecheyanu”! Because he was one of the Sages of Israel and also they had not seen him for thirty days.

Rav Chanina said to them: I too, since I saw you, you are as important to me as six hundred thousand of the House of Israel, and I recited three blessings over you! The two you mentioned and also the blessing of “Blessed is the Sage of Secrets,” which one should recite over a multitude of Israel.

They said to him: You were very wise, for out of your great wisdom you innovated this Halakha! And due to the evil eye that they cast upon him, he died.