Frowning on pseudepigraphy

Hi,

[Pseudepigraphy = Attributing a work to someone other than its author]

"Rabbi Avahu cited Rabbi Yochanan: One may teach his daughter Greek; this is ornamental for her. 

"Shimon bar Abba heard this and said: Because Rabbi Avahu wants to teach his daughter Greek, he hung this upon Rabbi Yochanan.

"Rabbi Avahu heard this and said: May terrible things happen to me, if I did not hear this from Rabbi Yochanan!"

(Talmud Yerushalmi Shabbat 6:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The value of studying law

Hi,

"Rabbi Avahu and Raabi Chiyya bar Abba traveled to a certain place. Upon their arrival, Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba taught a class in law, while Rabbi Avahu taught a class based on non-legal lessons (aggadata). The audience left Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba and went to Rabbi Avahu. Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba was upset.

"Rabbi Avahu said to Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba: Let me give you a parable, to which our situation may be compared. If two people come to town, one selling gems and the other selling cheap ornaments, to which merchant do people flock? Don't they flock to the one selling cheap ornaments?"

[The idea is that law is of great value, and should not be discounted. We enjoy story-based ethical teachings, but we should understand that the gems lie in the law.]

(Talmud, Sotah 40a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Longing for death

Hi,

“Decreeing death for the righteous is difficult for Gd, as it is written (Tehullim 116), ‘Death of His righteous ones is precious in the eyes of Gd.’ What does Gd do? He shows them their reward, so that they will ask for death.

“When Rabbi Avahu was dying, Gd showed him his reward. He was shocked, and he said, ‘All of this for Avahu?!’ He applied the verse (Yeshayah 49), ‘I said I had worked for nothing, and depleted my strength for emptiness and a lack of substance – but my justice is with Gd.’ And he immediately desired to die.”

(Midrash Tanchuma Vayechi 4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai