Bava Metzia 85a

וּבְנֵי בְתִירָה, וְיוֹנָתָן בֶּן שָׁאוּל. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל – הָא דַּאֲמַרַן: בְּנֵי בְתִירָה, דְּאָמַר מָר הוֹשִׁיבוּהוּ בָּרֹאשׁ וּמִינּוּהוּ לְנָשִׂיא עֲלֵיהֶן. יוֹנָתָן בֶּן שָׁאוּל, דְּקָאָמַר לֵיהּ לְדָוִד: ״וְאַתָּה תִּמְלֹךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲנִי אֶהְיֶה לְּךָ לְמִשְׁנֶה״.

the sons of Beteira; and Jonathan, son of Saul. The Gemara discusses each case: The incident revealing the modesty of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel is that which we just said, as he referred to himself modestly as a fox. The sons of Beteira were exceptionally modest, as they served in the position of Nasi and yet abdicated their positions in favor of Hillel when he emigrated from Babylonia to Eretz Yisrael. As the Master said: The sons of Beteira, upon recognizing that Hillel was a superior expert in halakha , seated him at the head and appointed him Nasi over them (see Pesaḥim 66a). Jonathan, son of Saul, was extremely modest, as he said to David: “And you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be second to you” (I Samuel 23:17), despite the fact that his father, Saul, was the current king.

מִמַּאי? דִּלְמָא יוֹנָתָן בֶּן שָׁאוּל דַּחֲזָא דִּגְרִיר עָלְמָא בָּתַר דָּוִד, בְּנֵי בְתִירָה נָמֵי דַּחֲזוֹ לְהִלֵּל דַּעֲדִיף מִינַּיְיהוּ, אֶלָּא רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וַדַּאי עִנְוְותָן הֲוָה.

The Gemara asks: From where do we know that the aforementioned men were truly modest? Perhaps Jonathan, son of Saul, relinquished his rights to the kingship not due to modesty, but because he saw that the world, i.e., the masses, were drawn after David, and he felt he had no other recourse. With regard to the sons of Beteira also, perhaps they abdicated only because they saw that Hillel was greater than they, as he was able to answer questions that they could not resolve. The Gemara adds: But Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel certainly was a truly modest individual.

אָמַר רַבִּי, חֲבִיבִין יִסּוּרִין. קַבֵּל עֲלֵיהּ תְּלֵיסַר שְׁנֵי: שֵׁית בִּצְמִירְתָּא, וּשְׁבַע (בְּצַפְרִנָא) [בְּצַפְדִּינָא], וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: שִׁבְעָה בִּצְמִירְתָּא, וְשֵׁית (בְּצַפְרִנָא).

§ The Gemara returns to the previous incident. When he heard that the greatness of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, was due to his suffering, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to himself: Afflictions are evidently precious. He accepted thirteen years of afflictions upon himself; six years of stones in the kidneys and seven years of scurvy [ bitzfarna ]. And some say it was seven years of stones in the kidneys and six years of scurvy.

אַהוּרְיָירֵיהּ דְּבֵי רַבִּי הֲוָה עַתִּיר מִשַּׁבּוּר מַלְכָּא. כַּד הֲוָה רָמֵי כִּיסְתָּא לְחֵיוָתָא הֲוָה אָזֵיל קָלָא בִּתְלָתָא מִילֵּי. הֲוָה מְכַוֵּין דְּרָמֵי בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא דְּעָיֵיל רַבִּי לְבֵית הַכִּסֵּא, וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי (מ)עָבַר לֵיהּ קָלֵיהּ לְקָלַיְיהוּ וְשָׁמְעוּ לֵיהּ נָחוֹתֵי יַמָּא.

The Gemara relates: The stableman [ ahuriyareih ] of the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was wealthier than King Shapur of Persia, due to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s abundant livestock. When the stableman would place fodder before the livestock, the sound of their lowing would travel the distance of three mil . He would calculate the right moment so that he would place the fodder before the animals at precisely that time when Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi entered the latrine, so that the lowing of the animals would drown out Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s screams of pain. But even so, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s voice was so loud that it overcame the sound of the livestock, and even sailors heard it out at sea.

וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, יִסּוּרֵי דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן עֲדִיפִי מִדְּרַבִּי. דְּאִילּוּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מֵאַהֲבָה בָּאוּ וּמֵאַהֲבָה הָלְכוּ. דְּרַבִּי, עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֶׂה בָּאוּ וְעַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֶׂה הָלְכוּ.

The Gemara says: But even so, the afflictions of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, were greater than those of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. The reason is that whereas the afflictions of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, came upon him out of love, and left him out of love, i.e., they were solely the result of his own request, not because he deserved them, those of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi came upon him due to an incident and left him due to another incident.

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.

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.

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 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.

כּוּלְּהוּ שְׁנֵי יִסּוּרֵי דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לָא שָׁכֵיב אִינִישׁ בְּלָא זִמְנֵיהּ. כּוּלְּהוּ שְׁנֵי יִסּוּרֵי דְּרַבִּי לָא אִיצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִיטְרָא. דְּאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר רַב שֵׁילָא: קְשֵׁי יוֹמָא דְמִיטְרָא כְּיוֹמָא דְּדִינָא. וְאָמַר אַמֵּימָר: אִי לָאו צְרִיךְ לְעָלְמָא – בָּעוּ רַבָּנַן רַחֲמֵי עֲלֵיהּ וּמְבַטְּלִי לֵיהּ. אֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, כִּי הֲווֹ עָקְרִי פּוּגְלָא מִמֵּשָׁרָא הֲוָה קָיְימָא בֵּירָא מַלְיָא מַיָּא.

The Gemara relates: During all the years of the suffering of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, no one died prematurely, as his afflictions atoned for the entire generation. During all the years of the suffering of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the world did not require any rain, as the moisture of the dew was sufficient. As Rabba bar Rav Sheila said: A day of rain is as difficult as a day of judgment, due to the damage that storms and flooding can cause. And Ameimar said: Were it not for the fact that rain is needed by people, the Sages would pray for mercy and annul it, due to the nuisances of rain. And even so, despite the fact that there was no rain all those years, when a radish was uprooted from its row in the field, there remained in its place a hole filled with water, due to the moisture in the earth.

אִיקְּלַע רַבִּי לְאַתְרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לָהֶם: יֵשׁ לוֹ בֵּן לְאוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: יֵשׁ לוֹ בֵּן. וְכׇל זוֹנָה שֶׁנִּשְׂכֶּרֶת בִּשְׁנַיִם שׂוֹכַרְתּוֹ בִּשְׁמֹנָה. אַתְיֵיהּ, אַסְמְכֵיהּ בְּרַבִּי וְאַשְׁלְמֵיהּ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אִיסִי בֶּן לָקוֹנְיָא אֲחוּהָ דְּאִמֵּיהּ.

The Gemara continues discussing Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s relationship with Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon. Once Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi arrived at the place of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon. He said to the locals: Does that righteous person have a son? They said to him: He has a son who is wayward, and any prostitute who hires herself out to others for two coins hires him for eight, due to his handsomeness. Upon hearing this report, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi resolved to extricate Rabbi Elazar’s son from his plight. He brought him back with him, ordained him as a rabbi, and gave him over to Rabbi Shimon ben Isi ben Lakonya, the brother of the boy’s mother, to teach him Torah.

כֹּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה אָמַר: לְקִרְיָיתִי אֲנָא אָזֵיל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חַכִּים עָבְדוּ יָתָךְ, וְגוּלְּתָא דְּדַהֲבָא פָּרְסוּ עֲלָךְ, וְרַבִּי קָרוּ לָךְ, וְאַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ לְקִרְיָיתִי אֲנָא אָזֵיל! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מוֹמֵי עֲזוּבָה דָּא. כִּי גְדַל אֲתָא יְתֵיב בִּמְתִיבְתָּא דְרַבִּי. שַׁמְעֵיהּ לְקָלֵיהּ, אָמַר: הָא קָלָא דָּמֵי לְקָלֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: בְּרֵיהּ הוּא.

Each day, the boy would say: I am going back to my town, because it was difficult for him to study. Rabbi Shimon ben Isi ben Lakonya said to him: You have been made wise, and a golden cloak has been spread over you when you were ordained, and you are called by the title Rabbi, and yet you say: I am going back to my town? The boy said to him: I vow [ momei ] that this thought of leaving is now abandoned, i.e., I will stay and improve my ways. When the boy matured and became a Torah scholar, he came and sat in the academy of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi heard his voice and said: This voice is similar to the voice of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon. Those who were present said to him: It is his son.

קָרֵי עֲלֵיהּ: ״פְּרִי צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם״. ״פְּרִי צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים״ – זֶה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. ״וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם״ – זֶה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אִיסִי בֶּן לָקוֹנְיָא.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi read the verse about him: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that is wise wins souls” (Proverbs 11:30). The Gemara explains, with regard to the phrase “the fruit of the righteous,” that this is referring to Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, who was the son of a righteous individual and became a great scholar in his own right. When the verse states: “And he that is wise wins souls,” this is referring to Rabbi Shimon ben Isi ben Lakonya, who successfully helped Rabbi Yosei reach his potential.

כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ (אמטוהו) [אַמְטְיוּהּ] לִמְעָרְתָּא דַאֲבוּהּ. הֲוָה הָדְרָא לַהּ עַכְנָא לִמְעָרְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַכְנָא עַכְנָא! פְּתַח פִּיךָ וְיִכָּנֵס בֵּן אֵצֶל אָבִיו. לָא פְּתַחָא לְהוּ. כִּסְבוּרִים הָעָם לוֹמַר שֶׁזֶּה גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה.

When this Rabbi Yosei died, he was brought to his father’s cave for burial. A serpent encircled the entrance of the cave, denying any access. Those present said to it: Serpent, serpent! Open your mouth, so that a son may enter next to his father. The serpent did not open its mouth for them. The people there thought that Rabbi Yosei was denied burial alongside his father because this one, Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, was greater than that one, Rabbi Yosei.

יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: לֹא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁזֶּה גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה, אֶלָּא זֶה הָיָה בְּצַעַר מְעָרָה, וְזֶה לֹא הָיָה בְּצַעַר מְעָרָה.

A Divine Voice emerged and said: It is not because this one is greater than that one; rather, it is because this one, Rabbi Elazar, experienced the suffering of the cave, while that one, i.e., Rabbi Yosei, did not experience suffering of the cave. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, suffered with his father for thirteen years in a cave while hiding from the Romans (see Shabbat 33b).

אִיקְּלַע רַבִּי לְאַתְרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי טַרְפוֹן, אֲמַר לְהוּ: יֵשׁ לוֹ בֵּן לְאוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק שֶׁהָיָה מְקַפֵּחַ אֶת בָּנָיו? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: בֵּן אֵין לוֹ, בֵּן בַּת יֵשׁ לוֹ, וְכׇל זוֹנָה שֶׁנִּשְׂכֶּרֶת בִּשְׁנַיִם שׂוֹכַרְתּוֹ בִּשְׁמֹנָה.

The Gemara relates a similar incident: Once Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi arrived at the place of Rabbi Tarfon. He said to the townspeople: Does that righteous person, Rabbi Tarfon, who would take an oath by the life of his children, have a son? Rabbi Tarfon was wont to take oaths by the lives of his children (see Oholot 16:1). They said to him: He does not have a son, but he has a grandson, a son from his daughter, and every prostitute who is hired for two coins hires him for eight.

אַתְיוּהּ לְקַמֵּיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הָדְרַתְּ בָּךְ – יָהֵיבְנָא לָךְ בַּרְתַּאי. הֲדַר בֵּיהּ. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: נַסְבַהּ וְגָירְשַׁהּ. אִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: לָא נַסְבַהּ כְּלָל, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ בִּשְׁבִיל זוֹ חָזַר זֶה.

The townspeople brought Rabbi Tarfon’s grandson before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, who said to him: If you repent from your evil ways, I will give you my daughter in marriage. He repented and became a righteous individual. There are those who say that he married Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s daughter and subsequently divorced her. There are those who say that he did not marry her at all, so that it would not be said about him: It was for the sake of that woman that this man repented.

וּלְמָה לֵיהּ כּוּלֵּי הַאי, דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: כׇּל הַמְלַמֵּד אֶת בֶּן חֲבֵירוֹ תּוֹרָה זוֹכֶה וְיוֹשֵׁב בִּישִׁיבָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִם תָּשׁוּב וַאֲשִׁיבְךָ לְפָנַי תַּעֲמֹד״.

§ The Gemara asks: And why did Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi exert himself so much to save these wayward sons? The Gemara answers: It is because of that which Rav Yehuda says that Rav says, and some say that which Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says, and some say that which Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan says: Anyone who teaches Torah to the son of another merits to sit and study in the heavenly academy, as it is stated: “Therefore so says the Lord: If you return, and I bring you back, you shall stand before Me” (Jeremiah 15:19). This verse, which is addressed to Jeremiah, indicates that if he is able to cause the Jewish people to return to God, he himself will be brought to stand before God.

וְכׇל הַמְלַמֵּד אֶת בֶּן עַם הָאָרֶץ תּוֹרָה – אֲפִילּוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹזֵר גְּזֵירָה, מְבַטְּלָהּ בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאִם תּוֹצִיא יָקָר מִזּוֹלֵל כְּפִי תִהְיֶה״.

And anyone who teaches Torah to the son of an ignoramus achieves such an exalted status that even if the Holy One, Blessed be He, were to issue a harsh decree, He may nullify it for his sake, as it is stated in the continuation of the verse: “And if you bring forth the precious out of the worthless, you shall be as My mouth,” i.e., you will be like the mouth of God that can rescind a decree.

אָמַר רַבִּי פַּרְנָךְ אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל שֶׁהוּא תַּלְמִיד חָכָם, וּבְנוֹ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם וּבֶן בְּנוֹ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם – שׁוּב אֵין תּוֹרָה פּוֹסֶקֶת מִזַּרְעוֹ לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַאֲנִי זֹאת בְּרִיתִי וְגוֹ׳ לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ אָמַר ה׳ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם״.

The Gemara relates other statements pertaining to Torah scholars and their descendants. Rabbi Parnakh says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: With regard to anyone who is a Torah scholar, and whose son is a Torah scholar, and whose grandson is a Torah scholar, the Torah will never again cease from his descendants, as it is stated: “And as for Me, this is My covenant… My spirit that is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed’s seed, says the Lord, from now and forever” (Isaiah 59:21).

מַאי ״אָמַר ה׳״? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֲנִי עָרֵב לְךָ בְּדָבָר זֶה. מַאי ״מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם״? אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה: מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ תּוֹרָה מְחַזֶּרֶת עַל אַכְסַנְיָא שֶׁלָּהּ.

The Gemara asks: What is the significance of the phrase “says the Lord”? The Gemara answers that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I am your guarantor in this matter. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase “from now and forever”? The verse mentioned only three generations. Rabbi Yirmeya says: The verse means that from this point forward, after three generations, the Torah returns to its lodging, i.e., the Torah is now ingrained in the family.

רַב יוֹסֵף יְתֵיב אַרְבְּעִין תַּעֲנִיָּתָא, וְאַקְרְיוּהּ ״לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ״. יְתֵיב אַרְבָּעִים תַּעֲנִיָּתָא אַחֲרִינֵי, וְאַקְרְיוּהוּ ״לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ״. יְתֵיב (מְאָה) [אַרְבְּעִין] תַּעֲנִיָּתָא אַחְרָינְיָאתָא, וְאַקְרְיוּהּ ״לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ״. אָמַר: מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ לָא צְרִיכְנָא – תּוֹרָה מְחַזֶּרֶת עַל אַכְסַנְיָא שֶׁלָּהּ.

The Gemara relates that Rav Yosef fasted forty fasts so that the Torah would become ingrained in his family, and he was read the verse in a dream: “My words… shall not depart out of your mouth.” He fasted an additional forty fasts and he was read: “Shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed.” He fasted an additional one hundred fasts. In a dream, he came and was read the conclusion of the verse: “Shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed’s seed.” He said: From this point forward I do not need to fast anymore, as I am now assured that the Torah will return to its lodging.

רַבִּי זֵירָא כִּי סְלֵיק לְאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל יָתֵיב מְאָה תַּעֲנִיָּתָא דְּלִשְׁתַּכַּח תַּלְמוּדָא בַּבְלָאָה מִינֵּיהּ, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא נִטְרְדֵיהּ. יְתֵיב מְאָה אַחְרָנְיָתָא דְּלָא לִשְׁכּוֹב רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בִּשְׁנֵיהּ, וְנָפְלִין עִילָּוֵיהּ מִילֵּי דְצִבּוּרָא. וִיתֵיב מְאָה אַחֲרִינֵי, דְּלָא נִשְׁלוֹט בֵּיהּ נוּרָא דְגֵיהִנָּם.

The Gemara relates a similar occurrence: When Rabbi Zeira ascended from Babylonia to Eretz Yisrael, he fasted one hundred fasts so that he would forget the Babylonian method of studying Gemara, so that it would not hinder him from adapting to the unique style of study prevalent in Eretz Yisrael. He fasted an additional one hundred fasts so that Rabbi Elazar, ben Pedat, would not die during his lifetime, which would have caused the burden of communal matters to fall upon him. As dean of the Torah academy, Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat was in charge of all public affairs, leaving Rabbi Zeira unencumbered to study Torah. Rabbi Zeira fasted an additional one hundred fasts so that the fire of Gehenna should not affect him.

כֹּל תְּלָתִין יוֹמֵי הֲוָה בָּדֵיק נַפְשֵׁיהּ: שְׁגַר תַּנּוּרָא סְלֵיק וִיתֵיב בְּגַוֵּיהּ וְלָא הֲוָה שָׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ נוּרָא. יוֹמָא חַד יְהַבוּ בֵּיהּ רַבָּנַן עֵינָא וְאִיחֲרַכוּ שָׁקֵיהּ, וּקְרוֹ לֵיהּ ״קָטִין חֲרִיךְ שָׁקֵיהּ״.

The Gemara relates with regard to Rabbi Zeira: Every thirty days, he would examine himself to ascertain if he remained on his exalted level. He would ignite an oven, climb in, and sit inside it, and the fire would not affect him. One day, the Sages gave him the evil eye, i.e., they were envious of him, and his legs became singed in the fire. And from then on they referred to him as: The short one with singed legs.

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״מִי הָאִישׁ הֶחָכָם וְיָבֵן אֶת זֹאת וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר פִּי ה׳ אֵלָיו וְיַגִּדָהּ עַל מָה אָבְדָה הָאָרֶץ״, דָּבָר זֶה

§ The Gemara discusses the topic of the acquisition of Torah knowledge. Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Who is the wise man, that he may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? Why has the land been lost and laid waste like a wilderness, so that none passes through?” (Jeremiah 9:11). This matter, i.e., the question: Why has the land been lost,