In this daf, we are brought into the world of the great Amora'im and the intense, uncompromising standards of their personal holiness and yiras Shamayim. We begin with a halachic discussion between Rav Ashi and Rabbi Yosei bar Avin regarding the melacha of slaughtering on Shabbos, which quickly transitions into a series of deeply moving and awe-inspiring stories about Rabbi Yosei from Yokrat. We learn of his extreme, fiery midas hadin—his strictness—which led to the tragic, untimely deaths of his own son and daughter, and we hear of the remarkable donkey he owned that refused to carry anything dishonest or extra.
We then transition to the beautiful, inspiring story of Elazar of Birta, whose boundless ahavas Yisrael and tzedakah led him to give away his daughter's entire dowry to help an orphaned bride and groom. The Aibershter rewarded his selflessness with a miraculous granary overflowing with wheat, which Elazar refused to benefit from. Finally, the Gemara returns to the sugya of public fasts, discussing the pain of leaders like Rabbi Yehuda Nesia when their prayers were not immediately answered, and the halachos of accepting a fast when it is decreed by the Nasi.
יוֹמָא חַד שַׁמְעֵיהּ דְּקָא גָרֵיס, אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: הַשּׁוֹלֶה דָּג מִן הַיָּם בְּשַׁבָּת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּבַשׁ בּוֹ כְּסֶלַע — חַיָּיב.
One day Rabbi Yosei bar Avin heard Rav Ashi as he was studying and reciting: Shmuel said: One who removes a fish from the sea on Shabbos, once an area on it the size of a sela coin has dried up, he is liable for violating the melacha of killing on Shabbos.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְלֵימָא מָר וּבֵין סְנַפִּירָיו!
Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said to him: And let the Master say that this applies specifically if the dried area is between its fins!
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְלָא סָבַר לַהּ מָר דְּהָהִיא רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן רַבִּי אָבִין אַמְרַהּ?
Rav Ashi said to him: And does not the Master hold that this qualification, Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Avin said it?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא נִיהוּ.
Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said to him: I am he!
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְלָאו קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי דְּמִן יוֹקֶרֶת הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ מָר?
Rav Ashi said to him: And did not the Master used to frequent and sit before Rabbi Yosei of Yokrat?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הִין.
Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said to him: Yes.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וּמַאי טַעְמָא שַׁבְקֵיהּ מָר וַאֲתָא הָכָא?
Rav Ashi said to him: And what is the reason that the Master left him and came here?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: גַּבְרָא דְּעַל בְּרֵיהּ וְעַל בְּרַתֵּיה לָא חָס, עֲלַי דִּידִי הֵיכִי חָיֵיס?!
Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said to him: A man who had no mercy on his own son and on his own daughter, how would he have mercy on me?!
בְּרֵיהּ מַאי הִיא?
The Gemara asks: What is the incident involving his son?
יוֹמָא חַד הֲווֹ אֲגִרִי לֵיהּ אֲגִירֵי בְּדַבְרָא, נְגַהּ לְהוּ וְלָא אַיְיתִי לְהוּ רִיפְתָּא, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ: כָּפֵינַן!
One day, Rabbi Yosei of Yokrat had hired laborers working in the field. It grew late for them and he had not yet brought them bread. They said to his son: We are starving!
הֲווֹ יָתְבִי תּוּתֵי תְּאֵינְתָּא, אֲמַר: תְּאֵנָה, תְּאֵנָה! הוֹצִיאִי פֵּירוֹתַיִךְ, וְיֹאכְלוּ פּוֹעֲלֵי אַבָּא. אַפִּיקָא וַאֲכַלוּ.
They were sitting under a fig tree. The son said: Fig tree, fig tree! Yield your fruits, so that my father's workers may eat. It yielded fruit and they ate.
אַדְּהָכִי וְהָכִי אֲתָא אֲבוּהּ אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא תִּינַּקְטוּ בְּדַעְתַּיְיכוּ, דְּהַאי דִּנְגַהְנָא, אַמִּצְוָה טָרַחְנָא, וְעַד הַשְׁתָּא הוּא דְּסַגַּאי.
In the meantime, his father arrived. He said to them: Do not hold a grudge in your minds, for the fact that I am late is because I was busy with a mitzvah, and only just now was I able to come.
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: רַבֲחָנָא לַישְׂבְּעָךְ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּאַשְׂבְּעַן בְּרָךְ.
They said to him: May the Merciful One satisfy you just as your son satisfied us.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: מֵהֵיכָא?
He said to them: From where did he get food to satisfy you?
אֲמַרוּ: הָכִי וְהָכִי הֲוָה מַעֲשֶׂה.
They said: Such and such was the incident.
אָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, אַתָּה הִטְרַחְתָּ אֶת קוֹנְךָ לְהוֹצִיא תְּאֵנָה פֵּירוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנָּהּ — יֵאָסֵף שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנּוֹ.
Rabbi Yosei of Yokrat said to him: My son, you troubled your Creator to make the fig tree yield its fruits out of its proper time; therefore, may you be gathered in death before your time.
בְּרַתֵּיה מַאי הִיא?
The Gemara asks: What is the incident involving his daughter?
הַוְיָא לֵיהּ בְּרַתָּא בַּעֲלַת יוֹפִי, יוֹמָא חַד חַזְיֵאּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה כָּרֵיא בְּהוּצָא וְקָא חָזֵי לַהּ.
He had a daughter who was exceptionally beautiful. One day, he saw a certain man who was making a hole in the hedge and looking at her.
אָמַר לוֹ: מַאי הַאי?
He said to him: What is this?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רַבִּי, אִם לְלוֹקְחָהּ לֹא זָכִיתִי — לִרְאוֹתָהּ לֹא אֶזְכֶּה?
The man said to him: My teacher, if I have not merited to marry her, shall I not at least merit to look at her?
אֲמַר לַהּ: בִּתִּי, קָא מְצַעֲרַתְּ לְהוּ לִבְרִיָּיתָא, שׁוּבִי לְעַפְרִיךְ וְאַל יִכָּשְׁלוּ בִּיךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם.
Rabbi Yosei said to her: My daughter, you are causing distress to people. Return to your dust, so that people will not stumble because of you.
הַוְיָא לֵיהּ הָהוּא חֲמָרָא, כְּדַהֲווֹ אָגְרִי לַהּ כׇּל יוֹמָא, לְאוּרְתָּא הֲווֹ מְשַׁדְּרִי לֵהּ אַגְרַהּ אַגַּבַּהּ, וְאָתְיָא לְבֵי מָרַהּ, וְאִי טָפוּ לַהּ אוֹ בָּצְרִי לַהּ — לָא אָתְיָא.
He had a certain donkey. When people would hire it each day, in the evening they would send its hire on its back, and it would return to its owner's house. But if they added to the correct sum or subtracted from it, it would not go.
יוֹמָא חַד אִינְּשׁוֹ זוּגָא דְסַנְדָּלֵי עֲלַהּ, וְלָא אֲזַלָה עַד דְּשַׁקְלוּנְהוּ מִינַּהּ, וַהֲדַר אֲזַלָה.
One day, they forgot a pair of sandals on it, and it would not move until they removed them from it, and then it went.
אֶלְעָזָר אִישׁ בִּירְתָּא, כַּד הֲווֹ חָזוּ לֵיהּ גַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה הֲווֹ טָשׁוּ מִינֵּיהּ, דְּכׇל מַאי דַּהֲוָה גַּבֵּיהּ יָהֵיב לְהוּ.
Whenever the charity collectors would see Elazar of Birta, they would hide from him, because whatever he had with him, he would give to them.
יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה סָלֵיק לְשׁוּקָא לְמִיזְבַּן נְדוּנְיָא לִבְרַתֵּיהּ, חַזְיוּהּ גַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה, טְשׁוֹ מִינֵּיהּ.
One day, he was going up to the market to buy a dowry for his daughter. The charity collectors saw him and hid from him.
אֲזַל וּרְהַט בָּתְרַיְיהוּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: אַשְׁבַּעְתִּיכוּ בְּמַאי עָסְקִיתוּ?
He went and ran after them. He said to them: I adjure you, with what are you occupied?
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: בְּיָתוֹם וִיתוֹמָה.
They said to him: With collecting for an orphan boy and an orphan girl who are marrying.
אָמַר לָהֶן: הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהֵן קוֹדְמִין לְבִתִּי. שְׁקַל כֹּל דַּהֲוָה בַּהֲדֵיהּ וִיהַב לְהוּ.
He said to them: By the Temple service, they take precedence over my daughter! He took everything he had with him and gave it to them.
פָּשׁ לֵיהּ חַד זוּזָא, זְבַן לֵיהּ חִיטֵּי, וְאַסֵּיק שַׁדְיֵיהּ בַּאֲכַלְבָּא.
There remained for him one zuz. He bought wheat with it, and went up and threw it into the granary.
אֲתַאי דְּבֵיתְהוּ אֲמַרָה לַהּ לִבְרַתֵּיהּ: מַאי אַיְיתִי אֲבוּךְ?
His wife came and said to her daughter: What did your father bring?
אֲמַרָה לָהּ: כׇּל מָה דְּאַיְיתִי, בַּאֲכַלְבָּא שְׁדִיתֵיהּ.
She said to her: Whatever he brought, he threw into the granary.
אָתְיָא לְמִיפְתַּח בָּבָא דַאֲכַלְבָּא, חֲזָת אֲכַלְבָּא דְּמַלְיָא חִיטֵּי וְקָא נָפְקָא בְּצִינּוֹרָא דְּדַשָּׁא, וְלָא מִיפְּתַח בָּבָא מֵחִיטֵּי.
She came to open the door of the granary, and saw the granary full of wheat, and it was spilling out through the socket of the door, and the door would not open because of the wheat.
אֲזַלָא בְּרַתֵּיה לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: בֹּא וּרְאֵה מָה עָשָׂה לְךָ אוֹהַבְךָ!
His daughter went to the study hall and said to him: Come and see what He Who loves you has done for you!
אֲמַר לַהּ: הָעֲבוֹדָה, הֲרֵי הֵן הֶקְדֵּשׁ עָלַיִךְ, וְאֵין לָךְ בָּהֶן אֶלָּא כְּאֶחָד מֵעֲנִיֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
He said to her: By the Temple service, they are hereby consecrated as hekdesh to you, and you have no share in them except like one of the poor of Israel.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה נְשִׂיאָה גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא, בְּעָא רַחֲמֵי וְלָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא.
Rabbi Yehuda Nesia decreed a fast; he prayed for mercy, but rain did not come.
אָמַר: כַּמָּה אִיכָּא מִשְּׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתִי לִיהוּדָה בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל! אוֹי לוֹ לַדּוֹר שֶׁכֵּן נִתְקַע, אוֹי לוֹ לְמִי שֶׁעָלְתָה בְּיָמָיו כָּךְ!
He said: How great is the difference between Shmuel of Ramah and Yehuda ben Gamliel! Woe to the generation that is stuck with such leadership; woe to him in whose days this has occurred!
חֲלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ וַאֲתָא מִיטְרָא.
He became distressed, and rain came.
דְּבֵי נְשִׂיאָה גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא, וְלָא אוֹדְעִינְהוּ לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וּלְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. לְצַפְרָא אוֹדְעִינְהוּ.
The household of the Nasi decreed a fast, but they did not inform Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish the day before. In the morning they informed them.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הָא לָא קַבֵּילְנָא עֲלַן מֵאוּרְתָּא!
Reish Lakish said to Rabbi Yochanan: But we did not accept it upon ourselves from the evening before!
אָמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנַן בָּתְרַיְיהוּ גְּרִרִינַן.
Rabbi Yochanan said to him: We are drawn after them; since the Nasi decreed it, the community is automatically bound, and individuals do not need to accept it beforehand.
דְּבֵי נְשִׂיאָה גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא וְלָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא. תְּנָא לְהוּ אוֹשַׁעְיָא זְעֵירָא דְּמִן חַבְרַיָּיא: ״וְהָיָה אִם מֵעֵינֵי הָעֵדָה נֶעֶשְׂתָה לִשְׁגָגָה״.
The household of the Nasi decreed a fast and rain did not come. Oshaya, the youngest of the group of Sages, taught them a Braisa: 'Then it shall be, if it was committed by error, hidden from the eyes of the congregation.'
מָשָׁל לְכַלָּה שֶׁהִיא בְּבֵית אָבִיהָ. כׇּל זְמַן שֶׁעֵינֶיהָ יָפוֹת — אֵין כׇּל גּוּפָהּ צְרִיכָה בְּדִיקָה. עֵינֶיהָ טְרוּטוֹת — כָּל גּוּפָהּ צְרִיכָה בְּדִיקָה.
This is comparable to a bride who is in her father's house. As long as her eyes are beautiful, her entire body does not need examination. If her eyes are bleary, her entire body needs examination. So too, if the leaders—the eyes of the congregation—are flawed, the whole generation is suspect.
אֲתוֹ עַבְדֵּיהּ וּרְמוֹ לֵיהּ סוּדָרָא בְּצַוְּארֵיהּ, וְקָא מְצַעֲרוּ לֵיהּ.
The Nasi's servants came and threw a cloak around his neck, and they were causing him pain for insulting the Nasi.
אֲמַרוּ לְהוּ בְּנֵי מָאתֵיהּ: שִׁבְקֵיהּ, דְּהָא נָמֵי מְצַעַר לַן.
The people of his town said to them: Leave him alone, for he also causes us pain with his rebukes.
כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזֵינַן דְּכׇל מִילֵּיהּ לְשׁוּם שָׁמַיִם, לָא אָמְרִינַן לֵיהּ מִידֵּי וְשָׁבְקִינַן לֵיהּ, אַתּוּן נָמֵי שִׁבְקוּהּ.
But since we see that all his words are for the sake of Heaven, we do not say anything to him and we leave him alone; you too, leave him alone!
רַבִּי גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא וְלָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא. נְחֵית קַמֵּיהּ אִילְפָא (וְאָמְרִי לַהּ רַבִּי אִילְפֵי), אֲמַר ״מַשִּׁיב הָרוּחַ״ וּנְשַׁב זִיקָא, ״מוֹרִיד הַגֶּשֶׁם״ וַאֲתָא מִיטְרָא.
Rabbi decreed a fast and rain did not come. Ilfa—and some say Rabbi Ilfei—went down before the Ark. He said: 'He causes the wind to blow,' and the wind blew; 'He causes the rain to fall,' and rain came.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי עוֹבָדָךְ?
Rabbi said to him: What are your deeds that make your prayers so effective?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דָּיַירְנָא בְּקוּסְטָא דְחִיקָא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ חַמְרָא לְקִידּוּשָׁא וְאַבְדַּלְתָּא. טָרַחְנָא (וְאָתֵינָא) [וּמַיְיתֵינָא] חַמְרָא לְקִידּוּשָׁא וְאַבְדַּלְתָּא, וּמַפֵּיקְנָא לְהוּ יְדֵי חוֹבְתַיְיהוּ.
He said to him: I live in a very poor town where there is no wine for Kiddush and Havdalah. I trouble myself and bring wine for Kiddush and Havdalah, and I enable them to fulfill their obligation.
רַב אִיקְּלַע לְהָהוּא אַתְרָא, גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא וְלָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא. נְחֵית קַמֵּיהּ שְׁלִיחָא דְצִבּוּרָא, אֲמַר ״מַשִּׁיב הָרוּחַ״ וּנְשַׁב זִיקָא, אֲמַר ״מוֹרִיד הַגֶּשֶׁם״ וַאֲתָא מִיטְרָא.
Rav happened to come to a certain place; he decreed a fast and rain did not come. The prayer leader went down before the Ark. He said: 'He causes the wind to blow,' and the wind blew; he said: 'He causes the rain to fall,' and rain came.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי עוֹבָדָךְ?
Rav said to him: What are your deeds?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַיקְרֵי דַרְדְּקֵי אֲנָא, וּמַקְרֵינָא לִבְנֵי עַנְיֵי כִּבְנֵי עַתִּירֵי. וְכֹל דְּלָא אֶפְשָׁר לֵיהּ — לָא שָׁקֵלְינָא מִינֵּיהּ מִידֵּי.
He said to him: I am a teacher of young children, and I teach the children of the poor just like the children of the rich. And from anyone who cannot afford it, I do not take anything from him.
וְאִית לִי פִּירָא דִכְווֹרֵי, וְכׇל מַאן דְּפָשַׁע מְשַׁחֵידְנָא לֵיהּ מִינַּיְיהוּ, וּמְסַדְּרִינַן לֵיהּ וּמְפַיְּיסִינַן לֵיהּ עַד דְּאָתֵי וְקָרֵי.
And I have a fish pond, and any child who is lazy about learning, I bribe him with them, and I encourage him and appease him until he comes and reads.
רַב נַחְמָן גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא, בְּעָא רַחֲמֵי וְלָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא, אֲמַר: שַׁקְלוּהּ לְנַחְמָן, חֲבוּטוּ מִן גּוּדָּא לְאַרְעָא. חֲלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ וַאֲתָא מִיטְרָא.
Rav Nachman decreed a fast; he prayed for mercy and rain did not come. He said in self-deprecation: Take Nachman and throw him from the wall to the ground! He became distressed, and rain came.
רַבָּה גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא, בְּעָא רַחֲמֵי וְלָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: וְהָא רַב יְהוּדָה כִּי הֲוָה גָּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא.
Rabbah decreed a fast; he prayed for mercy and rain did not come. They said to him: But when Rav Yehuda decreed a fast, rain would come!
אֲמַר לְהוּ: מַאי אֶעֱבֵיד? אִי מִשּׁוּם תַּנּוֹיֵי — אֲנַן עֲדִיפִינַן מִינַּיְיהוּ, דְּבִשְׁנֵי דְּרַב יְהוּדָה כׇּל תַּנּוֹיֵי בִּנְזִיקִין הֲוָה, וַאֲנַן קָא מַתְנֵינַן בְּשִׁיתָּא סִדְרִין.
He said to them: What can I do? If it is because of Torah study, we are superior to them, for in the years of Rav Yehuda all their study was concentrated in Seder Nezikin, whereas we study all six Orders of the Mishnah!
וְכִי הֲוָה מָטֵי רַב יְהוּדָה בְּעוּקְצִין ״הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁכּוֹבֶשֶׁת יָרָק בִּקְדֵירָה״, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: ״זֵיתִים שֶׁכְּבָשָׁן בְּטַרְפֵיהֶן טְהוֹרִין״, אֲמַר: הֲוָייוֹת דְּרַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל קָא חָזֵינָא הָכָא, וַאֲנַן קָא מַתְנֵינַן בְּעוּקְצִין תְּלֵיסַר מְתִיבָתָא.
And when Rav Yehuda reached in Uktzin the Mishnah of 'A woman who preserves vegetables in a pot'—and some say the Mishnah of 'Olives preserved with their leaves are pure'—he would say: I see here the deep discussions of Rav and Shmuel! Yet we study Uktzin in thirteen academies!
וְאִילּוּ רַב יְהוּדָה, כִּי הֲוָה שָׁלֵיף חַד מְסָאנָא — אָתֵי מִיטְרָא, וַאֲנַן קָא צָוְוחִינַן כּוּלֵּי יוֹמָא וְלֵיכָּא דְּאַשְׁגַּח בַּן.
And yet Rav Yehuda, when he would remove just one shoe to prepare for a fast, rain would come, whereas we cry out all day and there is no one who pays attention to us!
אִי מִשּׁוּם עוֹבָדָא, אִי אִיכָּא דַּחֲזָא מִידֵּי — לֵימָא, אֲבָל מָה יַעֲשׂוּ גְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר שֶׁאֵאין דּוֹרָן דּוֹמֶה יָפֶה.
If it is because of deeds, if there is anyone who has seen anything improper in me, let him say so! But what can the leaders of the generation do when their generation is not beautiful and worthy.
רַב יְהוּדָה חֲזָא הָנְהוּ בֵּי תְרֵי דַּהֲווֹ קָא פָּרְצִי בְּרִיפְתָּא, אֲמַר: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ אִיכָּא שִׂבְעָא בְּעָלְמָא, יְהֵיב עֵינֵיהּ — הֲוָה כַּפְנָא.
Rav Yehuda saw two people who were throwing bread in play. He said: Learn from this that there is plenty in the world. He cast his eye upon them in disapproval, and there was a famine.
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרַב כָּהֲנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב נְחוּנְיָא שַׁמָּעֵיהּ: מָר דִּשְׁכִיחַ קַמֵּיהּ, נִיעַשְּׂיֵיהּ דְּלִיפּוֹק בְּפִתְחָא דְּסָמוּךְ לְשׁוּקָא.
The Rabbis said to Rav Kahana, the son of Rav Nechunya, his attendant: The Master, who is frequently before him, should persuade him to go out through the doorway that is close to the market so he can see the hunger.
עַשְּׂיֵיהּ וּנְפַק לְשׁוּקָא, חֲזָא כִּנּוּפְיָא, אֲמַר לְהוּ: מַאי הַאי?
He persuaded him and he went out to the market. He saw a crowd. He said to them: What is this?
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַכּוּסְפָּא דְתַמְרֵי קָיְימִי דְּקָא מִזְדַּבַּן.
They said to him: They are standing in line for a mass of dates that is being sold because there is no bread.
אֲמַר: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ כַּפְנָא בְּעָלְמָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ: שְׁלוֹף לִי מְסָאנַיי.
He said: Learn from this that there is famine in the world. He said to his attendant: Remove my shoes so I may pray.
שְׁלַף לֵיהּ חַד מְסָאנָא וַאֲתָא מִיטְרָא. כִּי מְטָא לְמִישְׁלַף אַחֲרִינָא, אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אִי שָׁלְפַתְּ אַחֲרִינָא — מַחְרֵיבְנָא לְעָלְמָא.
He removed one shoe for him and rain came. When he was about to remove the other, Eliyahu came and said to him: The Holy One, Blessed is He, said: If you remove the other, I will destroy the world with too much rain.
אֲמַר רַב מָרִי בְּרַהּ דְּבַת שְׁמוּאֵל: אֲנָא הֲוָה קָאֵימְנָא אַגּוּדָּא דִּנְהַר פָּפָּא, חֲזַאי לְמַלְאֲכֵי דְּאִידְּמוֹ לְמַלָּחֵי דְּקָא מַיְיתִי חָלָא וּמְלוֹנְהוּ לְאַרְבֵּי, וַהֲוָה קִמְחָא דִּסְמִידָא.
Rav Mari the son of the daughter of Shmuel said: I was standing on the bank of the River Papa. I saw angels who resembled sailors bringing sand and filling the ships, and it became fine flour.
אֲתוֹ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְמִיזְבַּן, אָמֵינָא לְהוּ: מֵהָא לָא תִּיזְבְּנוּן דְּמַעֲשֶׂה נִסִּים הוּא, לִמְחַר אָתְיָין אַרְבֵי דְּחִיטֵּי דְּפַרְזִינָא.
Everyone came to buy. I said to them: Do not buy from this, for it is a miraculous occurrence; tomorrow, ships of wheat from the royal granaries will arrive naturally.
רָבָא אִיקְּלַע לְהַגְרוֹנְיָא, גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא וְלָא אֲתָא מִיטְרָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: בִּיתוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא בְּתַעֲנִיתַיְיכוּ.
Rava happened to come to Hagronya; he decreed a fast and rain did not come. He said to them: Let everyone spend the night in your fasting.
לִמְחַר אֲמַר לְהוּ: מִי אִיכָּא דַּחֲזָא חֶילְמָא — לֵימָא.
The next day he said to them: Is there anyone who saw a dream? Let him say so.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מֵהַגְרוֹנְיָא, לְדִידִי אַקְרְיוּן בְּחֶלְמַי: שְׁלָם טָב לְרַב טָב מֵרִיבּוֹן טָב, דְּמִטּוּבֵיהּ מֵטֵיב לְעַמֵּיהּ.
Rabbi Elazar of Hagronya said to them: To me, they read in my dream: 'Good peace to the good master from the Good Lord, Who from His goodness does good to His people.'
אֲמַר: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ עֵת רָצוֹן הִיא (מִבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי). בְּעוֹ רַחֲמֵי וְאָתֵי מִיטְרָא.
Rava said: Learn from this that it is a time of favor! They prayed for mercy and rain came.
הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּאִיחַיַּיב נְגָדָא בְּבֵי דִינָא דְּרָבָא מִשּׁוּם דִּבְעַל נׇכְרִית. נַגְּדֵיהּ רָבָא וּמִית.
There was a certain man who was sentenced to lashes in the court of Rava because he cohabited with a non-Jewish woman. Rava had him lashed, and he died.
אִשְׁתְּמַע מִילְּתָא בֵּי שַׁבּוּר מַלְכָּא, בְּעָא לְצַעוֹרֵי לְרָבָא. אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ אִיפְרָא הוֹרְמִיז אִימֵּיהּ דְּשַׁבּוּר מַלְכָּא לִבְרַהּ: לָא לֶיהֱוֵי לָךְ עֵסֶק דְּבָרִים בַּהֲדֵי יְהוּדָאֵי, דְּכ
The matter was heard in the house of King Shapur, and he wanted to punish Rava. Ifra Hormiz, the mother of King Shapur, said to her son: Do not have any business with the Jews, because...
The daf begins with a halachic clarification on Shabbos laws regarding drying fish, leading into Rabbi Yosei bar Avin's explanation of why he left his master, Rabbi Yosei from Yokrat, due to the latter's terrifyingly strict standards of justice. The Gemara details how Rabbi Yosei from Yokrat's son died for bothering Hashem to produce figs out of season, and how his daughter died to prevent men from stumbling in sin, followed by a story of his exceptionally honest donkey. Next, the Gemara relates the incredible tzedakah of Elazar of Birta, who gave his last penny to orphan brides, resulting in a miraculous abundance of wheat that he ultimately consecrated to avoid benefiting from miracles. The daf concludes with the struggles of Rabbi Yehuda Nesia to bring rain through his fasts, and a halachic ruling from Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish that individuals are automatically drawn after the community when the Nasi declares a public fast, exempting them from accepting it the afternoon before.
The incredible stories on this daf reveal a profound truth about our avodah: the key to unlocking the gates of Shamayim is not found in lofty, intellectual greatness, but in the quiet, hidden corners of our daily conduct. We see that even the greatest Torah scholars of the generation cried out in fasts and were not answered, while simple, hidden Yidden—like the schoolteacher who patiently taught poor children for free and won over the rebellious ones with sweet treats—brought down the rain instantly.
This is a powerful reminder from Chazal that Hashem does not look at how much noise we make or how impressive we appear. He looks at the heart, the sincerity, and the quiet sacrifices we make for His children. When we act with genuine chesed, going out of our way to make another Yid feel valued and cared for without seeking any honor, we create a direct pipeline of blessing from Shamayim.
Today, find one small, quiet way to show care for another person without anyone else knowing. Whether it is giving a warm smile to someone who looks down, helping a coworker, or giving a small, anonymous donation, do it purely for the sake of Heaven.