Siman - Taanis Daf 21
- The story of Rebbe Yochanan and Ilfa by the dilapidated wall
The Gemara tells a story of Rebbe Yochanan and Ilfa, who were saved from having a wall collapse on them. When they were both impoverished, they decided to leave learning and set out on a journey to attain a parnassa, to fulfill the passuk, "אפס כי לא יהיה בך אביון" – But there will no one impoverished among you. On their way, they sat down by a run-down wall and ate bread, and Rebbe Yochanan overhead one malach say to another malach, "Let us tip over this wall and kill them, שמניחין חיי עולם הבא ועוסקין בחיי שעה – for they are leaving their focus on Olam Habah and involving themselves in transitory life. The other one responded, "Leave them alone, for there is one of them whose time has come to achieve gadlus, and it is not time for him to die". Rebbe Yochanan concluded that since Ilfa did not hear the conversation between the malachim, that they must be referring to Rebbe Yochanan, so he decided to return to the Beis HaMidrash, saying he would fulfill the passuk, "כי לא יחדל אביון מקרב הארץ" – The destitute will never cease from the midst of the land. By the time Ilfa came back, Rebbe Yochanan had been crowned the Rosh Hayeshiva of the yeshivah. People said to Ilfa that if he had returned earlier, he would have been crowned head instead of Rebbe Yochanan.
- The story of Nachum Ish Gamzu and the dirt
After relating how a run-down house did not collapse while Nachum ish Gamzu, who was blind, his limbs were cut off, and his whole body was full of boils, was inside of it, the Gemara provides the background on how he ended up going through such immense suffering. (See Zichru for Shekalim 15). Why was he called Nachum Ish Gamzu? דכל מילתא דהוה סלקא ליה אמר גם זו לטובה – Because every time trouble befell him, he would say, “This, too, is for the best.” The Gemara brings an incident that illustrates this. They sent Nachum Ish Gamzu to deliver a gift to the court of Caesar, since it was known that miracles happen to him. He was sent with a chest filled with precious gems and pearls, but while at an inn, the innkeeper stole the contents of the box and filled it instead with dirt from the inn, unbeknownst to Nachum Ish Gamzu. When Caesar became enraged when he saw the dirt, Eliyahu appeared in the guise of a Roman official and told Caesar that perhaps this is the dirt that Avraham used in his war against the four kings, which became swords and arrows midair. Caesar used this dirt to fight against a city that they had been unable to conquer. The dirt became swords and arrows and they defeated them. Caesar then sent Nachum Ish Gamzu back with a filled chest, and full of honor. When the residents of the inn learned what had happened, they tore down their inn and brought the dirt before Caesar in hope of great riches. When it was tested and did not work, they were executed.
- לא מקומו של אדם מכבדו אלא אדם מכבד את מקומו
Rav Nachman bar Rav Chisda asked Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak to come to live in his town which was more prominent than where he lived. He replied that he learned in a Baraisa: Rebbe Yose says: לא מקומו של אדם מכבדו אלא אדם מכבד את מקומו – It is not a person’s place that gives him honor. Rather, it is the person who gives honor to his place. We see that from Har Sinai, that as long as the Shechinah was on it, no animals could graze on it. All permitted to ascend it once the Shechinah departed. Similarly, by the Ohel Moed, whenever it was set up, anyone with tzaraas, or tumas zivah, or tumas hameis, was sent out of the camp. הוגללו הפרוכת – As soon as the paroches was rolled up, as bnei Yisroel began to journey to a new location, zavim, and metzorayim were permitted to enter the place where the Ohel Moed had stood.
