In this daf, we are brought into the holy and inspiring world of our great Sages, learning about the deep bitachon and absolute devotion to Torah that defined their lives. We begin with the moving story of Ilfa and Rabbi Yochanan, who were facing extreme poverty and considered entering the business world. After hearing ministering angels discuss their choice, Rabbi Yochanan returned to the beis medrash, ultimately becoming the Rosh Yeshiva, while Ilfa demonstrated his own incredible mastery of Torah by answering a complex halachic question regarding the wishes of a deceased father.
We then encounter the awe-inspiring figure of Nachum of Gam Zu, whose life was a testament to pure emunah and acceptance of Hashem's will. Despite suffering from severe physical afflictions, which he lovingly accepted as an atonement for a past oversight in tzedakah, his holiness was so great that his presence alone prevented a dilapidated house from collapsing. We also begin to learn why he was called "Gam Zu," reflecting his lifelong practice of declaring "this too is for the good" in every situation.
מִשּׁוּם דִּנְפִישִׁי בְּנֵי חֵילָא דְּמָחוֹזָא.
This was because there are many soldiers of Mechoza who would take all his food if he fed them.
אִילְפָא וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הֲווֹ גָּרְסִי בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא, דְּחִיקָא לְהוּ מִילְּתָא טוּבָא, אָמְרִי: נֵיקוּם וְנֵיזִיל וְנֶיעְבַּד עִיסְקָא וּנְקַיֵּים בְּנַפְשִׁין ״אֶפֶס כִּי לֹא יִהְיֶה בְּךָ אֶבְיוֹן״.
The Gemara relates: Ilfa and Rabbi Yochanan were studying Torah together, and the matter of their livelihood was very pressed for them. They said: Let us arise and go and engage in business, and we will fulfill in ourselves the verse: "However, there shall be no needy person among you."
אֲזַלוּ, אוֹתִיבוּ תּוּתֵי גּוּדָּא רְעִיעָא, הֲווֹ קָא כָּרְכִי רִיפְתָּא, אֲתוֹ תְּרֵי מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת.
They went and sat under a dilapidated wall, and while they were eating bread, two ministering angels came.
שַׁמְעֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּאָמַר חַד לְחַבְרֵיהּ: נִישְׁדֵּי עֲלַיְיהוּ הַאי גּוּדָּא וְנִקְטְלִינְהוּ, שֶׁמַּנִּיחִין חַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא וְעוֹסְקִין בְּחַיֵּי שָׁעָה!
Rabbi Yochanan heard that one angel said to his fellow: Let us throw this wall upon them and kill them, for they abandon eternal life of Torah study and engage in temporal life of business!
אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִידַּךְ: שַׁבְקִינְהוּ, דְּאִיכָּא בְּהוּ חַד דְּקָיְימָא לֵיהּ שַׁעְתָּא.
The other angel said to him: Leave them, for there is one of them for whom the hour stands ready for greatness.
רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן שְׁמַע, אִילְפָא לָא שְׁמַע.
Rabbi Yochanan heard this, but Ilfa did not hear.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְאִילְפָא: שָׁמַע מָר מִידֵּי? אֲמַר לֵיה...: לָא.
Rabbi Yochanan said to Ilfa: Did the Master hear anything? He said to him: No.
אֲמַר מִדִּשְׁמַעִי אֲנָא וְאִילְפָא לָא שְׁמַע, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ לְדִידִי קָיְימָא לִי שַׁעְתָּא.
Rabbi Yochanan said to himself: Since I heard and Ilfa did not hear, learn from this that for me the hour stands ready.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֶיהֱדַר, וְאוֹקֵי בְּנַפְשַׁאי ״כִּי לֹא יֶחְדַּל אֶבְיוֹן מִקֶּרֶב הָאָרֶץ״.
Rabbi Yochanan said to him, to Ilfa: I will return to the Beis Medrash, and I will fulfill in myself the verse: "For the needy shall never cease from the midst of the land."
רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הֲדַר, אִילְפָא לָא הֲדַר.
Rabbi Yochanan returned, but Ilfa did not return.
עַד דַּאֲתָא אִילְפָא, מָלֵיךְ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן.
By the time Ilfa came back from his business, Rabbi Yochanan ruled as the Rosh Yeshiva.
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אִי אִתִּיב מָר וְגָרֵיס, לָא הֲוָה מָלֵיךְ מָר.
They said to him, to Ilfa: If the Master had sat and studied, would not the Master have ruled as Rosh Yeshiva instead?
אֲזַל תְּלָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּאַסְקַרְיָא דִסְפִינְתָּא, אֲמַר: אִי אִיכָּא דְּשָׁאֵיל לִי בְּמַתְנִיתָא דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא וְרַבִּי אוֹשַׁעְיָא וְלָא פָּשֵׁיטְנָא לֵיהּ מִמַּתְנִיתִין, נָפֵילְנָא מֵאַסְקַרְיָא דִסְפִינְתָּא וְטָבַעְנָא.
Ilfa went and suspended himself from the mast of a ship and said: If there is anyone who asks me a question on a Braisa of Rabbi Chiyya and Rabbi Oshaya, and I do not resolve it for him from our Mishnah, I will fall from the mast of the ship and drown.
אֲתָא הָהוּא סָבָא, תְּנָא לֵיהּ: הָאוֹמֵר תְּנוּ שֶׁקֶל לְבָנַיי בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהֵן רְאוּיִין לָתֵת לָהֶם סֶלַע — נוֹתְנִין לָהֶם סֶלַע.
A certain old man came and taught to him the following Braisa: One who says on his deathbed, "Give a shekel to my sons every week," and they are fit in their poverty to be given a sela, which is two shekels, we give them a sela.
וְאִם אָמַר: אַל תִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם אֶלָּא שֶׁקֶל — אֵין נוֹתְנִין לָהֶם אֶלָּא שֶׁקֶל.
But if he said: "Do not give them anything but a shekel," we do not give them anything but a shekel.
אִם אָמַר: אִם מֵתוּ יִרְשׁוּ אֲחֵרִים תַּחְתֵּיהֶם — בֵּין שֶׁאָמַר ״תְּנוּ״ בֵּין שֶׁאָמַר ״אַל תִּתְּנוּ״ — אֵין נוֹתְנִין לָהֶם אֶלָּא שֶׁקֶל.
If he said: "If they die, others shall inherit in their place," whether he said "give" or whether he said "do not give" anything but a shekel, we do not give them anything but a shekel.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָא מַנִּי — רַבִּי מֵאִיר הִיא, דְּאָמַר: מִצְוָה לְקַיֵּים דִּבְרֵי הַמֵּת.
Ilfa said to him: Whose view is this? It is Rabbi Meir, who said: It is a mitzvah to fulfill the words of the deceased.
אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל נַחוּם אִישׁ גַּם זוֹ שֶׁהָיָה סוֹמֵא מִשְׁתֵּי עֵינָיו, גִּדֵּם מִשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו, קִיטֵּעַ מִשְׁתֵּי רַגְלָיו, וְכׇל גּוּפוֹ מָלֵא שְׁחִין.
They said about Nachum Ish Gam Zu that he was blind in both his eyes, amputated in both his hands, amputated in both his legs, and his entire body was full of boils.
וְהָיָה מוּטָּל בְּבַיִת רָעוּעַ, וְרַגְלֵי מִטָּתוֹ מוּנָּחִין בִּסְפָלִין שֶׁל מַיִם כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלוּ עָלָיו נְמָלִים.
And he was lying in a dilapidated house, and the legs of his bed were placed in basins of water so that ants would not climb onto him.
פַּעַם אַחַת בִּקְּשׁוּ תַּלְמִידָיו לְפַנּוֹת מִטָּתוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ לְפַנּוֹת אֶת הַכֵּלִים.
Once, his disciples wished to evacuate his bed, and afterward to evacuate the vessels.
אָמַר לָהֶם: בָּנַיי, פַּנּוּ אֶת הַכֵּלִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פַּנּוּ אֶת מִטָּתִי, שֶׁמּוּבְטָח לָכֶם שֶׁכׇּל זְמַן שֶׁאֲנִי בַּבַּיִת אֵין הַבַּיִת נוֹפֵל.
He said to them: My sons, evacuate the vessels first, and afterward evacuate my bed, for it is guaranteed to you that as long as I am in the house, the house will not fall.
פִּינּוּ אֶת הַכֵּלִים וְאַחַר כָּךְ פִּינּוּ אֶת מִטָּתוֹ, וְנָפַל הַבַּיִת.
They evacuated the vessels and afterward they evacuated his bed, and immediately the house fell.
אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי, וְכִי מֵאַחַר שֶׁצַּדִּיק גָּמוּר אַתָּה, לָמָה עָלְתָה לְךָ כָּך?
His disciples said to him: Our Rabbi, since you are a completely righteous man, why has this happened to you?
אָמַר לָהֶם: בָּנַיי, אֲנִי גָּרַמְתִּי לְעַצְמִי.
He said to them: My sons, I caused it to myself.
שֶׁפַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ לְבֵית חָמִי, וְהָיָה עִמִּי מַשּׂוֹי שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲמוֹרִים, אֶחָד שֶׁל מַאֲכָל, וְאֶחָד שֶׁל מִשְׁתֶּה, וְאֶחָד שֶׁל מִינֵי מְגָדִים.
For once I was traveling on the road to my father-in-law's house, and I had with me a load of three donkeys: one of food, one of drink, and one of delicacies.
בָּא עָנִי אֶחָד וְעָמַד לִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וְאָמַר לִי: רַבִּי, פַּרְנְסֵנִי.
A certain poor man came and stood before me on the road, and said to me: Rabbi, sustain me.
אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: הַמְתֵּן עַד שֶׁאֶפְרוֹק מִן הַחֲמוֹר.
I said to him: Wait until I unload from the donkey.
לֹא הִסְפַּקְתִּי לִפְרוֹק מִן הַחֲמוֹר עַד שֶׁיָּצְתָה נִשְׁמָתוֹ.
I did not manage to unload from the donkey before his soul departed.
הָלַכְתִּי וְנָפַלְתִּי עַל פָּנָיו, וְאָמַרְתִּי: עֵינַי שֶׁלֹּא חָסוּ עַל עֵינֶיךָ — יִסּוֹמוּ, יָדַיי שֶׁלֹּא חָסוּ עַל יָדֶיךָ — יִתְגַּדְּמוּ, רַגְלַי שֶׁלֹּא חָסוּ עַל רַגְלֶיךָ — יִתְקַטְּעוּ.
I went and fell upon his face, and I said: May my eyes, which did not have compassion on your eyes, become blind; may my hands, which did not have compassion on your hands, be amputated; may my legs, which did not have compassion on your legs, be amputated.
וְלֹא נִתְקָרְרָה דַּעְתִּי עַד שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי: כׇּל גּוּפוֹ יְהֵא מָלֵא שְׁחִין.
And my mind was not appeased until I said: May my entire body be full of boils.
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אוֹי לָנוּ שֶׁרְאִינוּךָ בְּכָךְ! אָמַר לָהֶם: אוֹי לִי אִם לֹא רְאִיתוּנִי בְּכָךְ.
They said to him: Woe to us that we see you in this state! He said to them: Woe to me if you did not see me in this state, for this suffering atones for my sin.
וְאַמַּאי קָרוּ לֵיהּ נַחוּם אִישׁ גַּם זוֹ — דְּכׇל מִילְּתָא דַּהֲוָה סָלְקָא לֵיהּ, אֲמַר: גַּם זוֹ לְטוֹבָה.
And why did they call him Nachum Ish Gam Zu? Because whatever matter occurred to him, he would say: "This too is for the good."
זִימְנָא חֲדָא בְּעוֹ לְשַׁדּוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דּוֹרוֹן לְבֵי קֵיסָר, אָמְרוּ: מַאן יֵיזִיל — יֵיזִיל נַחוּם אִישׁ גַּם זוֹ, דִּמְלוּמָּד בְּנִיסִּין הוּא.
Once, the Jews desired to send a gift to the house of the Caesar. They said: Who shall go? Let Nachum Ish Gam Zu go, for he is accustomed to miracles.
שַׁדַּרוּ בִּידֵיהּ מְלֵא סִיפְטָא דַּאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת.
They sent with him a chest full of precious stones and pearls.
אֲזַל, בָּת בְּהָהוּא דִּירָא.
He went and spent the night in a certain inn.
בְּלֵילְיָא קָמוּ הָנָךְ דָּיוֹרָאֵי וְשַׁקְלִינְהוּ לְסִיפְטֵיהּ וּמְלוֹנְהוּ עַפְרָא.
During the night, those innkeepers arose and took the jewels from his chest, and filled it with earth.
כִּי מְטָא הָתָם, שְׁרִינְהוּ לְסִיפְטֵי, חֲזָנְהוּ דִּמְלוּ עַפְרָא.
When he arrived there at the palace, he opened the chest and they saw that it was full of earth.
בְּעָא מַלְכָּא לְמִקְטְלִינְהוּ לְכוּלְּהוּ, אֲמַר: קָא מְחַיְּיכוּ בִּי יְהוּדָאֵי.
The king wanted to kill them all; he said: The Jews are mocking me.
אֲמַר: גַּם זוֹ לְטוֹבָה.
Nachum said: This too is for the good.
אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ אִדְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּחַד מִינַּיְיהוּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דִּלְמָא הָא עַפְרָא מֵעַפְרָא דְּאַבְרָהָם אֲבוּהוֹן הוּא, דְּכִי הֲוָה שָׁדֵי עַפְרָא — הָווּ סַיְיפֵי, גִּילֵי — הָווּ גִּירֵי, דִּכְתִיב: ״יִתֵּן כֶּעָפָר חַרְבּוֹ כְּקַשׁ נִדָּף קַשְׁתּוֹ״.
Eliyahu came and appeared to him as one of the king's ministers, and said to him: Perhaps this earth is from the earth of Abraham their father, for when he threw earth it became swords, and when he threw straw it became arrows, as it is written: "He makes his sword like dust, his bow like driven stubble."
הַוְיָא חֲדָא מְדִינְתָּא דְּלָא מָצוּ לְמִיכְבְּשַׁהּ, בְּדַקוּ מִינֵּיהּ וְכַבְשׁוּהָ.
There was a certain province that they had not been able to conquer; they tested some of this earth and conquered it.
עֲיַילוּ לְבֵי גִנְזֵיה וּמְלוֹהוּ לְסִיפְטֵיהּ אֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת, וְשַׁדְּרוּהוּ בִּיקָרָא רַבָּה.
They brought him into his treasury and filled his chest with precious stones and pearls, and sent him away with great honor.
כִּי אֲתוֹ, בִּיתוּ בְּהָהוּא דִּיּוּרָא, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מַאי אַיְיתֵית בַּהֲדָךְ דְּעָבְדִי לָךְ יְקָרָא כּוּלֵּי הַאי?
When they came back, they spent the night in that same inn. They said to him: What did you bring with you that they showed you all this honor?
אֲמַר לְהוּ: מַאי דִּשְׁקַלִי מֵהָכָא אַמְטִי לְהָתָם.
He said to them: What I took from here, I brought to there.
סְתַרוּ לְדִירַיְיהוּ וְאַמְטִינְהוּ לְבֵי מַלְכָּא, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הַאי עַפְרָא דְּאַיְיתִי הָכָא — מִדִּידַן הוּא.
They demolished their inn and brought the earth to the king's palace. They said to him: This earth that was brought here is from ours.
בַּדְקוּהּ וְלָא אַשְׁכְּחוּהּ, וְקַטְלִינְהוּ לְהָנָךְ דָּיוֹרָאֵי.
They tested it and did not find it to have miraculous powers, and they killed those innkeepers.
אִי זוֹ הִיא דֶּבֶר — עִיר הַמּוֹצִיאָה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת רַגְלִי כּוּ׳.
The Mishnah stated: What is considered a plague? A city that can send out five hundred foot-soldiers, etc.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: עִיר הַמּוֹצִיאָה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאֶלֶף רַגְלִי, כְּגוֹן כְּפַר עַכּוֹ, וְיָצְאוּ הֵימֶנָּה תִּשְׁעָה מֵתִים בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים זֶה אַחַר זֶה — הֲרֵי זֶה דֶּבֶר.
The Sages taught in a Braisa: A city that can send out one thousand five hundred foot-soldiers, such as Kefar Akko, and nine dead emerged from it in three days, one after another, behold, this is a plague.
בְּיוֹם אֶחָד אוֹ בְּאַרְבָּעָה יָמִים — אֵין זֶה דֶּבֶר.
If they died on one day, or over four days, this is not a plague.
וְעִיר הַמּוֹצִיאָה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת רַגְלִי, כְּגוֹן כְּפַר עֲמִיקוּ, וְיָצְאוּ הֵימֶנָּה שְׁלֹשָׁה מֵתִים בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים זֶה אַחַר זֶה — הֲרֵי זֶה דֶּבֶר.
And a city that can send out five hundred foot-soldiers, such as Kefar Amiku, and three dead emerged from it in three days, one after another, behold, this is a plague.
בְּיוֹם אֶחָד אוֹ בְּאַרְבָּעָה יָמִים — אֵין זֶה דֶּבֶר.
If they died on one day, or over four days, this is not a plague.
דְּרוֹקֶרֶת, עִיר הַמּוֹצִיאָה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת רַגְלִי הֲוַאי, וְיָצְאוּ מִמֶּנָּה שְׁלֹשָׁה מֵתִים בְּיוֹם אֶחָד.
In the town of Derokeret, which was a city that could send out five hundred foot-soldiers, three dead emerged on one day.
גְּזַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר רַב חִסְדָּא תַּעֲנִיתָא.
Rav Nachman bar Rav Chisda decreed a fast.
אֲמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַר יִצְחָק: כְּמַאן — כְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר, דְּאָמַר: רִיחֵק נְגִיחוֹתָיו — חַיָּיב, קֵירַב נְגִיחוֹתָיו — לֹא כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן?!
Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: Like whom is this ruling? It is like Rabbi Meir, who said regarding a goring ox: If it distanced its gorings over three days, the owner is liable to pay full damages; if it brought its gorings close on one day, is it not all the more so a Muad? So too, if three deaths over three days is a plague, all the more so on one day.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן בַּר רַב חִסְדָּא לְרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: לֵיקוּם מָר לֵיתֵי לְגַבַּן.
Rav Nachman bar Rav Chisda said to Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak: Let the Master arise and come to us to sit together.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תְּנֵינָא, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: לֹא מְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מְכַבְּדוֹ, אֶלָּא אָדָם מְכַבֵּד אֶת מְקוֹמוֹ.
He said to him: We have learned in a Braisa, Rabbi Yose says: It is not a person's place that honors him, but rather the person honors his place.
שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּהַר סִינַי, שֶׁכׇּל זְמַן שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה עָלָיו, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה: ״גַּם הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר אַל יִרְעוּ אֶל מוּל הָהָר הַהוּא״,
For so we find regarding Mount Sinai, that as long as the Shechinah rested upon it, the Torah said: "Even the flocks and the cattle shall not graze facing that mountain."
נִסְתַּלְּקָה שְׁכִינָה מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה: ״בִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיֹּבֵל הֵמָּה יַעֲלוּ בָהָר״.
But once the Shechinah departed from it, the Torah said: "When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they may ascend the mountain."
וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד שֶׁבַּמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁכׇּל זְמַן שֶׁהוּא נָטוּי אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה: ״וִישַׁלְּחוּ מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה כׇּל צָרוּעַ״,
And so we find regarding the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness, that as long as it was pitched, the Torah said: "That they send out of the camp every leper."
הוּגְלְלוּ הַפָּרוֹכוֹת — הוּתְּרוּ זָבִין וּמְצוֹרָעִים לִיכָּנֵס שָׁם.
But once the curtains were rolled up for travel, those with discharges and lepers were permitted to enter there.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הָכִי, נֵיקוּם אֲנָא לְגַבֵּי מָר.
Rav Nachman bar Rav Chisda said to him: If so, let me arise and go to the Master.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מוּטָב יָבֹא מָנֶה בֶּן פְּרָס אֵצֶל מָנֶה בֶּן מָנֶה, וְאַל יָבֹא מָנֶה בֶּן מָנֶה אֵצֶל מָנֶה בֶּן פְּרָס.
He said to him: It is better that a maneh, a son of a half-maneh, should come to a maneh, a son of a maneh, and let not a maneh, a son of a maneh, come to a maneh, a son of a half-maneh. Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak humbly referred to himself as lesser.
בְּסוּרָא הֲווֹת דְּבַרְתָּא, בְּשִׁיבָבוּתֵיהּ דְּרַב לָא הֲווֹת דְּבַרְתָּא.
The Gemara relates: In Sura there was a plague, but in the neighborhood of Rav there was no plague.
סְבוּר מִינַּהּ, מִשּׁוּם זְכוּתֵיהּ דְּרַב דִּנְפִישׁ.
They understood from this that it was because of the merit of Rav, which was great.
אִיתְחֲזִי לְהוּ בְּחֶילְמָא: רַב דִּנְפִישָׁא זְכוּתֵיהּ טוּבָא — הָא מִילְּתָא זוּטְרָא לֵיהּ לְרַב.
But it was shown to them in a dream: Rav's merit is indeed very great, but this matter of saving a neighborhood is too small for Rav to be the reason.
אֶלָּא, מִשּׁוּם הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דִּמְשַׁיֵּיל מָרָא וּזְבִילָא לִקְבוּרָה.
Rather, the protection was because of a certain simple man who lends a hoe and a shovel for burial.
בִּדְרוֹקֶרֶת הֲווֹת דְּלֵיקְתָּא, וּבְשִׁיבָבוּתֵיהּ דְּרַב הוּנָא לָא הֲווֹת דְּלֵיקְתָּא.
Similarly, in Derokeret there was a fire, but in the neighborhood of Rav Huna there was no fire.
סְבוּר מִינַּהּ, בִּזְכוּתָא דְּרַב הוּנָא דִּנְפִישׁ.
They understood from this that it was by the merit of Rav Huna, which was great.
אִיתְחֲזִי לְהוּ בְּחֶילְמָא: הַאי זוּטְרָא לֵיהּ לְרַב הוּנָא, אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם הָהִיא אִיתְּתָא דִּמְחַמְּמָא תַּנּוּרָא וּמְשַׁיְּילָא לְשִׁיבָבוּתַיהּ.
It was shown to them in a dream: This is too small for Rav Huna, but rather it was because of a certain woman who heats her oven and lends it to her neighbors.
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַב יְהוּדָה: אֲתוֹ קַמְצֵי. גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא.
They said to Rav Yehuda: Locusts have come. He decreed a fast.
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: לָא קָא מַפְסְדָן.
They said to him: They are not destroying the crops.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: זְווֹדֵא אַיְיתוֹ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ?
He said to them: Did they bring provisions with them? Eventually they will eat the crops, so we must fast.
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַב יְהוּדָה: אִיכָּא מוֹתָנָא בַּחֲזִירֵי. גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא.
They said to Rav Yehuda: There is a plague among the pigs. He decreed a fast.
נֵימָא קָסָבַר רַב יְהוּדָה מַכָּה מְשׁוּלַּחַת מִמין אֶחָד מְשׁוּלַּחַת מִכׇּל הַמִּינִין?
Shall we say Rav Yehuda holds that a plague unleashed on one species is unleashed on all species?
לָא, שָׁאנֵי חֲזִירֵי — דְּדׇמְיָין מְעַיְיהוּ לִבְנֵי אִינָשֵׁי.
No, pigs are different, because their intestines are similar to those of human beings, so a plague among them is dangerous to humans.
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִשְׁמוּאֵל: אִיכָּא מוֹתָנָא בֵּי חוֹזָאֵי. גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא.
They said to Shmuel: There is a plague in Bei Choza'i. He decreed a fast.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: וְהָא מְרַחַק!
They said to him: But it is far away!
אֲמַר: לֵיכָּא מַעְבָּרָא הָכָא דְּפָסֵיק לֵיהּ.
He said: There is no crossing here that cuts it off, so the plague can easily travel here.
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַב נַחְמָן: אִיכָּא מוֹתָנָא בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא
They said to Rav Nachman: There is a plague in the Land of Israel. He decreed a fast in Bavel.
אֲמַר: אִם גְּבִירָה לוֹקָה, שִׁפְחָה לֹא כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן!
He said: If the mistress, Eretz Yisrael, is stricken, is the handmaid, Bavel, not all the more so destined to suffer?
טַעְמָא דִּגְבִירָה וְשִׁפְחָה, הָא שִׁפְחָה וְשִׁפְחָה — לָא.
The Gemara infers: The reason is because of the mistress and the handmaid, but from one handmaid to another handmaid, no, we do not fast.
וְהָא אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִשְׁמוּאֵל: אִיכָּא מוֹתָנָא בֵּי חוֹזָאֵי, גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא!
But did they not say to Shmuel: "There is a plague in Bei Choza'i," and he decreed a fast, even though both were outside Eretz Yisrael?
שָׁאנֵי הָתָם, כֵּיוָן דְּאִיכָּא שַׁיָּירָתָא דְּלַוִּוי וְאָת
It is different there, since there are caravans that accompany and come back and forth, carrying the disease.
The daf details the story of Ilfa and Rabbi Yochanan, highlighting Rabbi Yochanan's decision to return to full-time Torah study after hearing angels criticize their departure from eternal life. Ilfa, who went into business, later proved his vast Torah knowledge by resolving a baraita regarding a dying man's financial instructions for his sons, showing it aligns with Rabbi Meir's view that it is a mitzva to fulfill the words of the deceased. The Gemara then transitions to the holy Nachum of Gam Zu, describing his extreme physical suffering, which he brought upon himself through his own tefillos as an atonement for delaying to feed a starving poor man. The daf concludes by explaining his name, "Gam Zu," stemming from his unwavering emunah that every event, no matter how difficult, is ultimately for the good.
The story of Nachum Ish Gam Zu teaches us a profound lesson about the weight of a single moment. When the poor man begged him for food, Nachum did not refuse; he merely said, "Wait until I unload the donkey." He had every intention of helping, but in those few moments of delay, the poor man's soul departed. This holy Tzaddik held himself to such an exacting standard of yiras Shamayim that he recognized how even a justified delay in helping another Yid can have devastating consequences.
In our own daily avodah, we often experience a holy impulse, a sudden desire to give tzedakah, to call a lonely friend, or to sit down and learn Torah. But the yetzer hara is a master of the "wait" strategy. He does not tell us to say no; he simply whispers, "Wait until you finish this email," or "Wait until you are less busy." By the time we get around to it, the opportunity has passed, the inspiration has cooled, or the person in need has already moved on.
We must learn to act with holy urgency. When a mitzvah or an opportunity to help another Yid comes your way, do not let it sit. Do not wait for the perfect, most convenient moment to unload your donkey.
Today, when you feel a prompt to do a chesed or learn a passuk, do not delay. Act on that good thought immediately, within the next sixty seconds, before the opportunity slips away.