(Fol. 107) R. Juda said unto Rabin b. R. Nachman: "My brother, see that you do not buy an estate close to the city, for R. Abahu in the name of R. Huna, quoting Rab, said: 'A man must not stand and observe his neighbor's field when the fruit is nearly ripe, because of an evil eye.' " Is that so? Did not R. Abba meet the disciples of Rab, and ask them, "What has Rab to say to the following verses: (Deut. 28, 3-5) Blessed shalt thou be in the city, blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shalt thou be at thy coming in, and blessed shalt thou be at thy going out." And they answered: "Thus said Rab: 'Blessed shalt thou be in the city, means your house shall be near the Synagogue. Blessed shalt thou be in the field, means that your estate should be nearer to thy city. Blessed shalt thou be at thy coming in, means you shall find your wife and family ready to please you. And blessed shalt thou be at thy going out, means that your offspring shall be equal to you.'" And R. Abahu remarked: "R. Jochanan interpreted them differently — namely: Blessel shalt thou be in the city, means that the privy shall be near your house, but not a Synagogue, for R. Jochanan holds that there is a reward for each pace. Blessed shalt thou be in the field, means that your estate shall be grouped in three; one-third in grain, one in olives, and the other in wine. Blessed shalt thou be in thy coming in, and in thy going out, means that your departing from this world shall be equal to your entering, as your entrance was without any sin, so shall be your departure." [Hence we see that it is a blessing if the estate is near the city]? (Ib. b) This is not difficult to explain. The latter means when it is fenced in, but the former means when it is not fenced in.
(Deut. 7, 15) And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness. Rab said: "This refers to an evil eye." And Rab believed this theory, as it happened once that he was at the cemetery, and after doing some research work he said: "I see that ninetynine of the dead were killed by an evil eye, and only one died a natural death." But Samuel said: "All sickness is from the air,"' for Samuel believes in the theory that every sickness and death is caused by the air. But are there not some that were killed by the government? If not for the air, a medicine could be prepared that would restore those also." R. Rose b. Chanina said: "This refers to sanitary conditions, for the master said that it is healthy if the filth of the nose and the filth of the ears are discharged in small quantity; but, in large quantity it is unhealthy." Raba, however, said that that passage refers to a cold; for Raba said everything is in the power of Heaven (comes through no human fault) except sickness from cold, draft and heat, as it is said (Pr. 22, 5) Thorns and snares are on the way of a perverse man; He that, etc. R. Eliezer said it refers to the gall; and so also have we been taught in a Baraitha: The word Machla refers to the gall. And why is it called Machla? Because it makes the whole body of man sick. According to others it is called Machla, because there are eightythree kinds of sicknesses of which the cause is only the gall, and all these sicknesses can be avoided by consuming bread with salt and a pitcher of water early in the morning.
Our Rabbis were taught: "Thirteen advantages can be gained by taking the early morning meal — namely, prevention from heat, colds, winds, evil spirits, and it also brightens the fool; the winning of a lawsuit; learning, teaching, his words are listened to, his learning is retained, his flesh does not give too much heat, and he does not lust after a strange woman, and the meal also kills the parasites in the intestines; and according to others it removes jealousy and substitutes love." Raba said to Raba b. Mari: "Whence do we know what people say, 'Sixty racers cannot reach the man who takes his meal early in the morning.' "
Raba b. R. Huna possessed a forest on the shore of a river, and when he was asked to cut it down he answered: "Let the forests which are before and behind mine be cut down, and then I will cut down mine." But how could he answer so? Is it not written (Zeph. 2, 1) Gather yourselves together. And Resh Lakish said: This means "Correct thyself first, and then others." The forests before and behind him belonged to a governor of the Persians, Parzak (Fol. 108), and Rabba was aware that he would not agree to cut down his, consequently the carriers of the boats could not pass anyhow; and what would be the use of cutting down his own? Rabba b. R. Nachman was sailing a boat, and had seen a forest on a shore, and to the question. Whose is it? he was told that it was Rabba b. R. Huna's. Rabba b. R. Nachman applied to him the verse (Ezra 9, 2) And the hand of the princes and the rulers hath been the first in this trespass, and ordered his people to cut it down. When Rabba b. R. Huna came and found them cutting, remarked: "He who has cut this, his own branches shall be cut off." And it was said that during all the years of the existence of Rabba b. R. Huna the children of Rabba b. R. Nachman did not live long.
(Fol. 114) Rabba b. Abahu met Elijah at, a cemetery of idolaters. "Is not the master a priest, a descendant of Aaron?" he asked Elijah. "Why then do you stand on a cemetery?" It seems that you have never studied the Section Taharot (purifications)," remarked Elijah, "in which there is a Baraitha: R. Simon b. Jochai said: Graves of idolaters do not defile, for it is said (Ez. 34, 31) And ye, My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, which signifies that ye are called men, but not idolaters." Rabba replied: 'I can hardly afford to study the four necessary sections [Festivals, Damages, Women and Holiness], should I yet undertake to study six?" Elijah then asked, "Why not?" "Because," answered he, "I cannot make my livelihood." Elijah then took him to Paradise and told him to take some of the leaves lying on the floor in the garden, and he did so. While going out he heard some one saying: "Who else has consumed his share in the future world as Rabba did?" He then shook his garment and the leaves fell out. However, his garment retained the smell of them, and he sold in for twelve thousand dinars; but he donated them to his sons-in-law.
(Fol. 115) Our Rabbis were taught: (Deut. 24, 10) Thou shalt not go into his house to take his pledge; i.e., in his house only you shall not go; you may, however, go into the house of the one who guaranteed, and so says the passage (Pr. 20, 16) Take away his garment because he has been surety for a stranger. And it is also said (Ib. 6, 1-4) My son, if thou hast become surety for thy friend, which means, if you were surety, then give him that which you have assured, and if you have no money, see some friend, who will ask him to favor you.
END OF BABA METZIA.