Thinking Talmudist Podcast · Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe

00:03 - Intro (Announcement)
You're listening to Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of Torch in Houston, Texas. This is the Thinking Talmudist Podcast.

00:12 - Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe (Host)
Okay, so welcome back everybody. Welcome to the Thinking Talmudist part of our Friday delight. Okay, we are in tractate Bava Mitzia 85a. The Talmud noted earlier that Reb Elazer, the son of Rebbe Shimon's body did not deteriorate for all the years that he was in the attic. Remember we mentioned that this was in the merit of the suffering that he accepted upon himself, and the Gemara records Rebbe's reaction to this. So now the Gemara says Rabbi said. Rabbi said, how beloved is suffering. He then accepted 13 years of suffering upon himself, six years of tzmirta which, if you remember earlier, they would drink a certain beet potion that would help cure it And'sheva be tzfarna, and seven years of tzfarna maybe it was that one, I don't remember which one was, which let me see Commentaries is a stone in the urinary tract ooh, that was painful. And the other was a mouth disease known as thrush. Okay, it's also very painful. He had these pains for 13 years, and some say it was, Some say seven was with Smyrna and six years with Smyrna.

01:39
The stableman of Rebbe's house was wealthier than Shavar Malka, the king of Persia. So the stableman of Rebbe's house was wealthier than Shavar Malka, the king of Persia. So the stableman of Rebbe's house was wealthier than the king of Persia and he would throw fodder to the animals. When he would throw fodder to the animals, when he would throw fodder to the animals, the noise the animals made was so loud that it would travel for three miles. The stableman would schedule himself so that he threw the fodder at the same time that Rebbe entered the bathroom in order to drown out the noises made by Rebbe. Nevertheless, the noise that Rebbe made he was in such terrible pain exceeded the noise of the animals, until even the seafarers, those who were traveling in the ocean, would hear the noise from Rebbe. So we see that Rebbe was suffering grave, grave pain, grave suffering.

02:54
Now the Gemara appears, the suffering of Rebbe Lazar, the son of Rebbe Shimon, to Rebbe. Now, even so, the pain of Rebbe Lazarbbe Lozar, rebbe Shimon, adifim de Rebbe, the pain of Rebbe Lozar, the son of Rebbe Shimon, was greater, was superior to that of Rebbe De'ilu. Rebbe Lozar, rebbe Shimon, with regard to the suffering of Rebbe Lozar, rebbe Shimon, me'ava ba'u, me'ava holchu, they came through love and they left through love. They came through love and they left through love, meaning he took it, accepted it with love and they were withdrawn with love as well. The Rebbe. However, rebbe's, they came as a result of an event and as a result of an event, they departed from him those pains.

03:46
So the Gemara now elaborates what was the event that caused the pain of Rebbe, the suffering, the terrible affliction that he experienced? What caused it? For there was once a calf that they were leading to slaughter. It went and hung its head among the folds of Rebbe's garment meaning, and it cried because it did not want to be slaughtered. The animal, like sort of, put its head into Rebbe's garment, under his arm, so to speak. He didn't want to be slaughtered. Amar Le Rebbe told it Zil lekach no tzarto, go For this purpose. You were created. You were created to be slaughtered and to be food for humanity and therefore this is the fulfillment of your purpose. Amri, they said in heaven. Since he did not show mercy for this animal, the suffering came upon him. And through which event did the afflictions leave Rebbe Yom Achad? Or one day Did the afflictions leave Rebbe Yom achad? Or one day, havokokansho amtei de Rebbe beito, rebbe's maidservant, was sweeping the house, havoshadyo b'nei karkushta. There was a litter of baby weasels that had been cast upon the floor, v'kokansholohu, and she was sweeping them up. Rabbi told her let them be, don't sweep them up. We know that King David in Psalms teaches us and God's mercy is upon all of his creations, so you have to have mercy for these weasels, amri. They said in heaven Hoy l'mrachem nerachem oleho, since he is showing mercy on God's creation, god is going to show mercy on him, and his illness was removed. This took 13 years. It's an amazing thing. Now, it's an interesting thing If you remember in our class that we spoke about before Yom Kippur.

06:09
We talked about the number 13. The powerful number 13 that we see, we talk throughout, we say throughout the prayer of Yom Kippur, we say the 13 attributes of mercy. What's the power of the number 13? The power of the number 13, we said we listed a whole bunch of things that have to do with the number 13. Love of Hashem Ahava is the numerical value of 13. Hashem Echad Hashem is one is the numerical value of 13. We spoke about several other things that are 13. Primarily, the 13 attributes of mercy have such a great power we brought from the Brisa that we're going to be continuing in our prayer podcast on Tuesday morning. But there are 13 ways in which, 13 techniques that we use to learn the Torah, to understand the Torah. Why 13? Each one is paralleled with one of the attributes of God's mercy. 13 is a very powerful number and we see here that he suffered for 13 years to bring about that mercy takes 13 as well. And finally, after 13 years, he attained forgiveness for his lack of mercy on God's creation until he showed mercy for God's creation.

07:32
So the Gemara returns to its comparison of Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Kulu Shnei Yisuri. The Rabbi Elazar. Throughout all of the years of Rabbi Elazar, the of Rebbe Shimon's suffering and affliction lo shachiv inish b'lo zimne. No man died before his time. Kulu shnei yisuri de Rebbe. Throughout all of the years of Rebbe's suffering, lo itzrich almo le mitra.

07:58
The world never required rain, never required rain, which was the sign of a blessing. Because Rabba, the son of Rabbi Shiloh, said A rainy day is as troublesome as a court day. A day of judgment is a frightening day, a day of rain, even though rain is a blessing. In the land of Israel, it's a day of blessing, but still it is a blessing. In the land of Israel it's a day of blessing, but still it's a curse.

08:29
Why we get wet? It's sometimes slippery, it's sometimes dangerous. So it's a day of, it's a troublesome day, but Amar HaMemar HaMemar said also in this vein If not for the fact that rain is a necessity for the world, the rabbis would pray for mercy concerning it and would have eliminated rain because it inconveniences people and prevents them from going to and fro. You know how many thoughts people have when it's a rainy day. Should I go? Should I not go? I have a meeting, but I don't know it's rainy, I'm going to get wet, my hair is going to get all frizzy. You know all the concerns that people have With afilu hachi.

09:18
Notwithstanding the lack of rain, in Rebbe's time, the ground was saturated with moisture that when people would pluck a radish from the bed, the hole thus formed would stand brimming with water. They would pull out the radish, they would pull out the whole bed from the ground and it would be filled with water. That's how rich with water, with moisture, was the water, even though it didn't rain for all 13 years. That Rebbe was why Our sages tell us that the pain and the affliction of our sages is a merit for the world. The Talmud also says that the pain of children is a forgiveness for the world. Why? Because children are righteous, children are pure. It says that there's nothing holy than the idle chatter of school children. What's the idle chatter? What are they talking about? It's total purity. It's total purity. There's no jealousy, there's no anger, there's no, you know, it's just pure. So the Gemara continues with the narrative of Reb Elazar ben Reb Shimon. It says Ik lo'o Rebi la'asrei de Reb Elazar ben Rebbe Shimon.

10:52
Rebbe traveled to the locale of Rebbe Lozer, the son of Rebbe Shimon, after his death. Amal ha'hem Rebbe asked the residents Yeshlo ben la'oso tzadik, does that righteous man have a son? Amal hu, they told him Yeshlo ben yep, indeed, he has a son. V'kol zono shenishberis b Yep, indeed, he has a son. And every harlot who is hired for two hires him for eight, meaning a harlot who is so attractive that she fetches double the standard rate, is willing to rent his services for her own pleasure at a premium, double and double again of her own rate. They would pay eight for him. This was due to his extraordinary handsomeness.

11:41
The Gemara now continues. Rabbi brought him, ordained him as a rabbi and entrusted him To Rabbi Shimon ben Isi, the son of Lakonya, the brother of his mother, so his uncle, in order to teach him Torah Every day, the son would say I want to go home to my city rather than stay here and study Torah. One day, rav Shimon ben Isi said to him they want to make you into a sage and spread a gold garment upon you. They want to make you into someone great and they want to cherish you and they want to call you Rebbe. Yet you say I want to go home to my city. Yet you say I want to go home to my city. Omar lei, the son, said to him that this matter is hereby abandoned. I will not request to go again.

13:07
When he grew up, he came and sat in Rebbe's academy to study. Rebbe heard his voice and he remarked this voice that I hear is similar to the voice of Rebbe Lazar, the son of Rebbe Shimon. They said to Rebbe this is the son of Rebbe Lazar, rebbe Shimon Amru'le. They said to Rebbe berehu, this is the son of Rebbe Lozab, rebbe Shimon Kari'ale. So Rebbe called him and he applied the verse to him Pri tzaddik etzchaim v'lokach nefashos chocham. The fruit of a righteous man is a tree of life, and he who acquires souls is wise. Pri tzaddik et of life, and he who acquires souls is wise. What does that mean? The fruit of a righteous man is a tree of life. This is Rabbi Yossi, the son of Rabbi Lazo, the son of Rabbi Shimon, and who acquires souls is wise. This is Rabbi Shimon ben, rabbi Yossi ben Isi ben Lekonio. This is Reb Shimon ben Reb Isi, the son of Reb Lekonio. Why, kinoch Nafshe?

14:16
When he passed away, amtuyay l'ma'arto da'avua, they brought him to his father's burial cave, hava hadro lo achno l'ma'arto. There was a serpent encircling the cave. There was a serpent encircling the cave. They said to the serpent Serpent serpent, open your mouth and let the son enter to his father. The serpent, however, did not open to them and they had to bury him elsewhere. We remember the story with Reb Shimon ben Elazar, the son of Reb Elazar ben Reb Shimon. Reb Elazar ben Reb Shimon, when he died after 12 years of being in the attic. After he died and his body did not rot, they brought him eventually to be buried and there was a serpent around his father's cave.

15:10
Reb Shimon Bar Yochai's cave, where I had the great privilege of being multiple times, at the cave of Reb Shimon Bar Yochai, unbelievable place it's unbelievable where he hid and studied Torah for 24 years, 12 years and then another 12 years, so that a serpent was encircling the cave and didn't let so. By Reb Shimon. Rebbe Loza ben Rebbe Shimon, they let him in, but over here they didn't let him in, so they had to bury him elsewhere Kisvur, ma'am, lomar. And people thought to explain this by saying shezeh godomizeh, that this one, rabbi Loza, the son of Rabbi Shimon, was greater than this one, rabbi Yossi, his son. For Rebbe Loza, the son of Rabbi Shimon was allowed burial in the cave with Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, whereas his son was not Yotza Baskov Amorai. A voice emanated from heaven and said no, you're making a mistake. It's not because this one is bigger than that one. Rather, this one, reb Elazer, the son of Rebbe Shimon, endured the discomfort of the cave during his lifetime. And this one did not endure the discomfort of the cave, and because he did not suffer that pain in the cave he wasn't allowed in, but because Rebbe Lazar ben Reb Shimon merited to sorry. So it was Rebbe Yossi ben Rebbe Lazar who eventually, when he died, was not allowed to be buried with his father, but Rebbe Lazar ben Reb Shimon was allowed because he suffered that pain of being in the cave with his father. Remember, for 24 years he was with his father in that cave and being in that cave gave him the merit of being buried with his father.

17:02
The Gemara records a related narrative Ikhla, rabbi Le'asri, reb Tarfon. Rabbi traveled to Reb Tarfon's locale after his death. After Rabbi Tarfon's death, rabbi asked the residents Does that righteous man, rabbi Tarfon, who died, who has the habit of cutting down his children whenever they took an oath, does he have a son? The residents told him, ben-elo, he has no son, ben-ba-sieshlo, but he has a grandchild, meaning his daughter's son is alive. And his daughter did have a son and every harlot who's hired for two would hire him for eight. They brought Rep Tarfin's grandson in front of Rebbe Amarley. Rebbe said to him If you repent, I will give you my daughter in marriage, my daughter's hand in marriage. If you repent, I will give you my daughter in marriage, my daughter's hand in marriage, if you repent.

18:14
He repented as to what happened afterwards. Some say that he married her and subsequently divorced her, and some say that he never married her at all, so that nobody should say because he didn't want anyone. And some say that he never married her at all, so that nobody should say because he didn't want anyone saying that he returned to his father in heaven, that he did Teshuvah just so that he can marry her. So the Gemara inquires but why did Rebbe go to such lengths to help other people's children? Why did he go after Reb Tarfin's grandson to return him to the right way? The Gemara answers the Amar, rebbe Yehuda, Amar Rav. The Rebbe Yehuda said in the name of Rav, some say Some say in the name of Rebbe Yehuda, the son of Abba, in the name of Rebbe Yehuda, and some say Rabbi Shumar ben Nachmani, I'm Rabbi Yonasson, and some say in the name of Rabbi Shmuel, the son of Rabbi Nachami, the son in the name of Rabbi Yonasson.

19:25
Kol HaMalamid is ben Chaveira Torah. Whoever teaches his fellow's son, torah, zohar v' If you, israel, will return, then God has promised me the following I will return you to me. So this was a tool to get closer to Hashem. Teach your friends children, torah, and then Hashem will bring you back as well. V'chol ha'malamet is ben ha'ma ho'oretz Torah, and anybody who teaches the son of an igreem is Torah. Merits that what Afila ha'kodesh boruchu goyzer gzeira that even if Hashem himself decrees an evil decree, hashem cancels the decree on his account. If you extract the precious from the base. You will be, as my mouth and Hashem will forgive you. It's an amazing thing here.

20:31
A couple of things that I want to stop with. Number one. Number one is that we see there are so many opinions here of who said what. We see over here three different opinions of who brought this b'raisa, who brought this statement. What does it make a difference? The sages said it's enough. What does it make a difference? The sages said it's enough. What does it make a difference?

20:52
Because accuracy of transmission is key in Torah. Accuracy of transmission we don't say well, someone said Anonymous sources. We have no anonymous sources in the Talmud. We have a source and over here the Gemara demonstrates this with three lines of who could have said this Either Rabbi Yehuda, in the name of Rav, also quoting it in, who said it, or Rabbi Chia, the son of Abba, in the name of Rabbi Yochanan. Or Rabbi Shmuel, the son of Nachmani, in the name of Rabbi Yonasson.

21:24
All of these to tell you what this quote. Why? Because accuracy of source is the key in the authenticity of the Torah and it brings a verse to back it up. So it doesn't just say a quote, it brings a verse. It brings a verse to back it up. He says so we see another amazing thing here that it's worthwhile pointing out Taking responsibility for someone else's children. This is an amazing responsibility to each and every one of us those of you watching online right now and each person listening to a podcast, a Torah podcast and each one of us here in this room and those on Zoom as well.

22:10
If you have the ability to inspire somebody else's child and bring them closer to Torah, all of heavenly decrees are erased. Who's my friend's child? Hashem's child? If you have the ability to inspire one of Hashem's children, all decrees are forgiven, all decrees of Hashem's children. All decrees are forgiven. All decrees that Hashem decrees not a decree that we bring upon ourselves, a decree that Hashem pronounces against a person. We have the ability to nullify it. How? Very simply, very simply by bringing Hashem's children closer, just by sharing an episode. I don't need clicks I thank Hashem, baruch Hashem but the idea that we can. You see something inspiring, share it. Maybe you'll wake up somebody out in Arkansas who's lost from their Judaism and you can inspire them to come closer to Judaism. Maybe they'll join a congregation. Maybe they'll go to a sermon next year. Maybe they'll get involved with something Jewish, maybe they'll decide to marry someone Jewish. That's something that we can bring about change in someone else's life. How Inspire somebody else? This is the golden ticket. You want to know what the golden ticket is? This is the golden ticket. How do we have our sins forgiven? Reach out to Hashem's children. We see the same idea by the way by.

23:56
Judah stands in front of Joseph after Benjamin was put into prison. Remember, benjamin is the 12th brother of the 12 tribes and Yosef already. They didn't realize that they're talking to Joseph. Judah stands up and he says you can't do this to us. You can't do this to us. You have to let us take our brother back. And he says you can't do this to us, you can't do this to us. You have to let us take our brother back. So he says why See? He says how can I go back to my father Jacob and my brother is not with me? Our sages tell us. That is a metaphor to every one of us. How can we go back to our father in heaven and our brothers are not with us? How can we allow that there be Jewish ignorance in the world? How can we allow that people don't that? People tell me.

24:42
I've heard so many people say Rabbi, yom Kippur, I'm sitting this one out. How can people say that? Because they don't know how precious the Torah is. They don't know how precious the Torah is. They don't know how precious our relationship with Hashem is. That is our opportunity to influence our neighbors and our friends. Come with me. Come with me.

24:59
You don't have a ticket, that's fine, I'll buy you a ticket. You don't have a ticket, you can go to an Orthodox synagogue where you're not required to have a ticket. Come, just be part of your Jewish people, be part of your heritage. Did you have a ticket to synagogue? You did not. Were you accepted? Two different places Accepted. They said Myron, minion, rabbi Jacobian, no problem, come in. Young Israel, come in. There's nobody sitting there at the door saying hey, do you have a ticket? Do you have a seat reserved? No, come in. Come to Haimish. You can go to Beth Rambam, no tickets required.

25:32
It's actually some beef that I had with the HRA, the Houston Rabbinic Association. They asked me once to speak. I said what a chutzpah that the synagogues are turning people away because they don't have a ticket. How many people come to me complaining that they sat out Rosh Hashanah, yom Kippur, because they went to a congregation and they asked them where's your ticket? They're like I don't have a ticket, I'm a Jewish person, I just want to come pray. And they said, sorry, no ticket, no entrance. What is this? What have we become? That's a terrible thing. I said we have to get rid of the ticket system. Get rid of it. You won't find, does that? And it was packed Packed, of course it's packed. My dear friends, I don't want to hear, I don't want to say anything about anyone else, especially not in Taftium Kippurashim. Please forgive me, but the idea is let's take responsibility for our brothers. That's our job.

26:21
If you know Aleph, teach Aleph. You know Beis, teach Beis. We have we come to class where you guys are so amazing. You take out of your day to come learn Torah with some small little rabbi here in Houston. Share what you know, share what you know, whatever you learn. Share a word of inspiration, not in a derogatory way, in a loving way. Come be inspired with me. I met this rabbi. Come to class with me. I went. You don't have to come to this class, to any class. Learn, share the wisdom that you know. My dear friends, have a magnificent Shabbos.

26:56 - Intro (Announcement)
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