Bava Metzia - Daf 84
- Rebbe Yochanan’s beauty, עין הרע has no power over Yosef’s descendants
Rebbe Yochanan declared: אנא אשתיירי משפירי ירושלים – I remain from the beautiful ones of Yerushalayim, which Rashi says refers to his shining form and face. The Gemara details a method to see a semblance of Rebbe Yochanan’s beauty. He is not mentioned in a list of the most beautiful men in history, because he lacked a beard. Rebbe Yochanan would sit near the women’s mikveh where they would see him after tevilah, so they would have children as beautiful and as learned in Torah as he. The Rabbis asked him if he was not concerned about עין הרע, and he responded that he is a descendant of Yosef, דלא שלטא ביה עינא בישא – over whom the evil eye has no power, because the passuk describes Yosef as "בן פורת עלי עין" – a charming son to the eye, darshened as עולי עין – those who rise over the eye. Alternatively, Yaakov blessed Yosef’s sons with a comparison to fish: מה דגים שבים – just as fish in the sea, מים מכסים אותם ואין העין שולטת בהן – water covers them and the eye therefore has no power over them, אף זרעו של יוסף אין העין שולטת בהן – so too, regarding Yosef’s descendants, the evil eye has no power.
- The story of Rebbe Yochanan’s convincing Reish Lakish to repent
Rebbe Yochanan was once swimming in the Yarden, and Reish Lakish, who was then a robber chieftain, jumped in after him. Rebbe Yochanan commented: חילך לאורייתא – your strength is befitting for Torah! Reish Lakish responded: שופרך לנשי – your beauty is befitting for women. Rebbe Yochanan told him that if he would repent, he could marry Rebbe Yochanan’s sister, who was more beautiful than he. Reish Lakish agreed and found he could not leap back out to retrieve his clothing (Rashi explains that merely accepting the yoke of Torah weakened him). Rebbe Yochanan taught him and made him into a great man. Once, they were discussing when metal utensils are completed with regard to tumah, and when Reish Lakish disagreed with Rebbe Yochanan, Rebbe Yochanan commented: לסטאה בלסטיותיה ידע – a robber knows the implements of his robbery. Reish Lakish asked him how Rebbe Yochanan benefited him, since he was initially called “Rebbe,” (i.e., the bandit leader), and now was also called “Rebbe.” Rebbe Yochanan replied that he brough him under the wings of the Shechinah. Rebbe Yochanan was disheartened, and Reish Lakish passed away. Rebbe Yochanan was inconsolable, despite an attempt to send a replacement for Reish Lakish. Rebbe Yochanan ultimately lost his sanity, and the Rabbis prayed for mercy for him, and he passed away.
- Rebbe Elazar ben Rebbe Shimon’s suffering, passing, and delayed burial
The Gemara relates that Rebbe Elazar ben Rebbe Shimon, who had arrested suspected thieves, was concerned about possibly arresting innocent people, and accepted suffering on himself as atonement. The Gemara describes the massive amounts of blood and pus which oozed from his sores, and the food his wife prepared for his recovery. At night, he would tell his suffering, “אחיי ורעי בואו” – my brothers and friends, come afflict me. In the morning, he would dismiss them, because of the disruption to his Torah study. When his wife heard he was inviting the suffering upon himself, she left him, but food was brought to him by sailors who had been saved in his merit. When he was dying, he was concerned that his burial would not be properly tended to and instructed his wife to lay him to rest in the attic. He lay there between eighteen and twenty-two years, and whenever a hair would fall out, blood would come out. One time a worm came out of his ear, and he appeared to his wife in a dream to explain that it was punishment for not sufficiently protesting the disgrace of a rabbinical student. A voice would emanate from the attic to resolve monetary disputes. The Gemara describes his eventual burial in the cave of his father, Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai.
