(Fol. 87) Then was I in His eyes as one that found praise (Songs 8, 10). R. Jochanan said: "Like a bride who finds everything perfect in the house of her father-in-law and is anxious to go and inform her parents of that fact." (Hash. 2, 8) And it shall be on that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call Me Ishi (my husband) and shall no more call Me Ba'ali (my Lord). R. Jochanan said: "These passages signify [that in the future Israel shall be] like a bride in the house of her father-in-law [continually with her husband], but not like a bride in the house of her parents [sometimes with her husband and sometimes without him]." (Songs) We have a little sister, and she has yet no breasts. R. Jochanan said: "This refers to the province of Elam, which was destined to study but not to teach others." (Ib. 9) I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. R. Jochanan said: "I am a wall, refers to the Torah; and my breasts are like towers, refers to the scholars." But Raba said: "I am a wall, refers to the Congregation of Israel; and my breasts are like towers, refers to the synagogues and houses of study."
R. Zutra said in the name of Rab: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 144, 12), So that our sons may be like plants, grown up in their youth. This refers to the youth of Israel who never has experienced the taste of sin; (Ib. ib.) Our daughters, like corner pillars, refers to the virgins of Israel who forbid intimacy with their betrothed [according to strict religious ordinances] and the same is meant by the passage (Zech. 9, 15) And they shall be filled like the basins, like the corners of the altar. And if you please, you may say this is inferred from (Ps. 144, 13) May our garners be full, furnishing all manner of store; our sheep bringing forth thousands and tens of thousands in our open pastures. (Ib. ib., 12) Sculptured on the model of a Hechal (Temple); i.e., both these and those (the youth and the virgin) are worthy that the Temple should be built in their days."
(Ib. b.) R. Jochanan said: "Woe to (royal) authority, for it buries its possessors, as there is not one prophet who did not outlive four kings; as it is said (Is. 1, 1) The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziyahu, Jotham, Achaz and Hezekiah, the kings of Judah."
R. Jochanan said: "By what merit was Jerobo'am, the son of Jo'ash, king of Israel, counted among the kings of Judah? Because he would not listen to slander directed against Amos the prophet." Where do we find that he was counted among the kings of Judah? It is written (Hos. 1, 1) The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Be'eri, in the days of Uzziyahu, Jotham, Achaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jerobo'am, the son of Jo'ash, the king of Israel. And whence do we infer that he would not listen to any slander? It is written (Amos 7, 10) Then sent Amazyah, the priest of Beth-El, to Jerobo'am, the king of Israel, saying 'Amos has conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel, the land is not able to hear all his words. For thus hath Amos said. By the sword shall Jerobo'am die, and Israel shall surely be led away into exile out of their own land.' Whereupon Jerobo'am answered: "God forbid that that righteous man should have said it; but if he did say it, what can I do, he surely was instructed by the Shechinah!"
R. Elazar said: "Even when the Holy One, praised be He! is angry at Israel, He is imbued with mercy, as it is said (Hos. 1, 6) For I will not further have mercy upon the house of Israel [even in a misfortune He mentions the attribute of mercy]." R. Jose b. Chanina said: "This we infer from the end of the passage. For I will give them their full recompense." R. Elazar said further: "The Holy One, praised be He! exiled Israel among the heathens only for the purpose of acquiring more proselytes, as it is said (Ib. 2, 25) And I will sow her for me in the land; i.e., for what purpose does a man sow a Seah [grain]? Is it not to get back at harvest many Kurim?" But R. Jochanan said: "We infer the above from the other part of the passage, And I will have mercy upon Lo Ruchama (she upon whom mercy had not been bestowed)."
R. Jochanan, in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai, said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Pr. 30, 19) Do not calumniate a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and incur guilt. And [immediately after] is written, There is a generation that curseth its father, and does not bless its mother. Is it because it curseth its father and does not bless its mother that you must not calumniate? We must therefore explain it as follows: Even in a generation that curseth its father and does not bless its mother, a man should not calumniate a servant unto his master. Whence do we learn this? From Hosea.
R. Chiya was taught: "What is the meaning of the passage (Job 28, 23) God alone understandeth her way, and He knoweth her place; i.e., the Holy One, praised be He! knoweth that Israel could not bear the tyrannical behest of the Syrians and Ishmaelites, and for that reason He exiled them into Babylon." R. Elazar said: "The Holy One, praised be He! would not have exiled Israel into Babylon but for the reason that Babylon is as low as the grave; as it is said (Hosh. 13, 14) From the power of the grave would I ransom them, from death would I redeem them." R. Chaninah said: "[They were exiled into Babylon] because the language there is similar to that of the Torah." R. Jochanan said: "Because He sent them into their native country." This may be likened unto a man who became angry at his wife. Where does he send her? to her mother's home; and this is intended to mean, as R. Alexander said, that three things returned unto their origin, viz., Israel, the Egyptians' wealth, and the Script of the Tablets. 'Israel,' as was stated above; concerning 'the Egyptians' wealth, as it is written (I Kings 14, 25) And it came to pass in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak, the king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, and he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house, etc.; concerning the Tablets, as it is written (Deu. 9, 17) And I broke them before your eyes. It was taught: The Tablets were broken and the letters inscribed therein flew off. Ulla said: "[The reason why Israel was exiled into Babylon is] that they might be able to eat (Fol. 88) dates [cheaply bought] and thus easily study the Torah." Ulla once happened to come into Pumpaditha, and they brought him a basket full of dates. "How many such baskets could be bought for one Zuz? "Three," they answered him. Whereupon Ulla said: "A big basket of honey for one Zuz, and still the Babylonians do not study the Torah [sufficiently]" At night, [after he had eaten too many dates], it proved injurious to him. Thereupon he said: "A whole basket full of poison for one Zuz, and still the Babylonians study the Torah!"
R. Elazar said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Micha 4, 2) And many nations shall come, and say. Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob. The God of Abraham and Isaac, is not stated here, but that of Jacob; i.e., neither like that of Abraham, who described it as a mountain, as it is said (Gen. 22, 14) On the mount of the Lord it shall be seen; nor like that of Isaac, who described it as a field, as it is said (Ib. 24, 63) And Isaac was gone out to mediate in the field; but like that of Jacob, who described it as a house, as it is said (Ib. 35, 7) And he called the name of that place Beth-El (the house of God)." R. Jochanan said: "The day on which the reunion of the exiled will occur, will be as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created; for it is said (Hos. 2, 2) Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and they will appoint for themselves one head, and they shall go up out of the land; for great shall be the (Yom) day of Yisre-el. Behold, it is written (Gen. 1, 5) And it was morning and it was evening one (Yom) day."