When the river split (part 2)

Hi,

(continued from yesterday:)

"There was also a man who was carrying wheat for Passover. R' Pinchas ben Yair told the river, 'Split for him, to, for he is involved in a mitzvah!' The river split.

"There was also an Arab merchant escorting R' Pinchas and the wheat-carrier. R' Pinchas ben Yair told the river, 'Split for him, too, lest he say, 'This is what is done to those who escort others?' The  river split for him, too."

(Talmud, Chullin 7a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

When the river split (part 1)

Hi,

"R' Pinchas ben Yair was en route to redeem captives, when he came to  the Ginai River. He said, 'Ginai, split your water for me and I will pass!'

"The river replied, 'You are trying to do your Creator's bidding and I am trying to do my Creator's bidding - but you are only possibly going to succeed, while I certainly am succeeding!'

"R' Pinchas ben Yair responded, 'Split, or I will decree that you will dry up entirely!'

"The river split."

(Talmud, Chullin 7a; To be continued tomorrow, Gd-willing...)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Vegetarianism is better for you

Hi,

"Meat and wine, although nourishing and strengthening, certainly produce many illnesses from immersion in them. However, seeds are more simple, and therefore more healthy. Therefore, at the start of Creation, when people ate only plants and drank water, their lives were longer.

"When Noach came and meat was permitted, and he added drinking wine, their lives became shorter, to the boundary that exists today. This was certainly so when Daniel and his colleagues [Daniel 1] received Divine attention; due to their righteousness and propriety, and the piety of their request, Gd's pledge was fulfilled: 'You will serve HaShem your Gd and He will bless your bread and water, and I will remove illness from your midst.'"

(Don Isaac Abarbanel, Maayanei haYeshuah 5:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Gd helps people remain righteous

Hi,

"Gd will not allow sin to be caused by the animals of the righteous [much less the righteous themselves]!"

(Talmud, Chullin 6a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

No pain, no gain

Hi,

"Ben Hei Hei taught: The reward one receives is commensurate to the struggle one endures."

(Pirkei Avot 5:23, as explained by the commentator Rashi)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The eternal house of King David

Hi,

"Part of Divine supervision of the [Jewish] nation is that when her king and officers are exiled among the nations and humbled, those who come from the seed of David will always have stature and honour over other Jews, and some authority and leadership over them. If, in exile, you see families with lineage who have continuous wealth and honour, know that they are of the shoot of Yishai and they come from the seed of David. Regarding this the elder [Yaakov] prophesied, 'The sceptre shall not leave Yehudah.'"

(Don Isaac Abarbanel, Maayanei haYeshuah, Maayan 5 Tamar 2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai