Context for the Mishnah
(ה) [הנטען מאשת איש ונתגרשה ע"י אחר ה"ז לא יכנוס ואם כנס לא יוציא]
הנטען מן האשה לא ישא אמה ובתה ואחותה אם כנס לא יוציא
[גר] ועובד כוכבים ועבד הבא על בת ישראל אע"פ שחזרו עובד כוכבים ונתגייר עבד ונשתחרר ה"ז לא יכנוס ואם כנס לא יוציא
ישראל הבא על השפחה ועל העובדת כוכבים אע"פ שחזרה שפחה ונשתחררה עובדת כוכבים ונתגיירה ה"ז לא יכנוס ואם כנס לא יוציא.
(ו) חכם שאסר האשה [בנדר] על בעלה ה"ז לא ישאנה א"ר יהודה בד"א בזמן שלא היתה לו אשה או [שהיתה] לו וגרשה מפני [זו] אבל אם [היתה] לו אשה ומתה מותר לישאנה
(א) כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַמַּיִם בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתָהּ, כָּךְ הַמַּיִם בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ה) וּבָאוּ, וּבָאוּ. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֲסוּרָה לַבַּעַל, כָּךְ אֲסוּרָה לַבּוֹעֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) נִטְמְאָה, וְנִטְמָאָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, כָּךְ הָיָה דוֹרֵשׁ זְכַרְיָה בֶן הַקַּצָּב. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, שְׁנֵי פְעָמִים הָאֲמוּרִים בַּפָּרָשָׁה אִם נִטְמְאָה נִטְמָאָה, אֶחָד לַבַּעַל וְאֶחָד לַבּוֹעֵל:
(1) Just as the water evaluates her fidelity, so too, the water evaluates his, i.e., her alleged paramour’s, involvement in the sin, as it is stated: “And the water that causes the curse shall enter into her” (Numbers 5:24), and it is stated again: “And the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter” (Numbers 5:27). It is derived from the double mention of the phrase “and…shall enter” that both the woman and her paramour are evaluated by the water. Furthermore, prior to her drinking the water, just as she is forbidden to her husband, so too is she forbidden to her paramour, because in contrast to the verse stating: “Is defiled [nitma’a]” (Numbers 5:14), a superfluous conjoining prefix vav is added to a later verse, rendering the phrase: “And is defiled [venitma’a]” (Numbers 5:29). The addition indicates another prohibition, that of the woman to her paramour. This is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Yehoshua said: That was how Zekharya ben HaKatzav would interpret it, i.e., he also derived from the superfluous vav that the woman is forbidden to her paramour. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says an alternate source: The two times that the defilement of the wife is stated in the passage, namely: “And he warns his wife, and she is defiled” (Numbers 5:14), and the later verse: “When a wife, being under her husband, goes astray and is defiled” (Numbers 5:29), indicate that her defilement results in two prohibitions. One is that she is forbidden to her husband and one is that she is forbidden to her paramour.
Categories of Gerim:
(א) וּשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה הָיָ֤ה מוֹשֵׁל֙ בְּכׇל־הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹת מִן־הַנָּהָר֙ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְעַ֖ד גְּב֣וּל מִצְרָ֑יִם מַגִּשִׁ֥ים מִנְחָ֛ה וְעֹבְדִ֥ים אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה כׇּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו׃ {פ} (ב) וַיְהִ֥י לֶֽחֶם־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְי֣וֹם אֶחָ֑ד שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים כֹּר֙ סֹ֔לֶת וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים כֹּ֖ר קָֽמַח׃ (ג) עֲשָׂרָ֨ה בָקָ֜ר בְּרִאִ֗ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים בָּקָ֛ר רְעִ֖י וּמֵ֣אָה צֹ֑אן לְ֠בַ֠ד מֵאַיָּ֤ל וּצְבִי֙ וְיַחְמ֔וּר וּבַרְבֻּרִ֖ים אֲבוּסִֽים׃ (ד) כִּי־ה֞וּא רֹדֶ֣ה ׀ בְּכׇל־עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֗ר מִתִּפְסַח֙ וְעַד־עַזָּ֔ה בְּכׇל־מַלְכֵ֖י עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר וְשָׁל֗וֹם הָ֥יָה ל֛וֹ מִכׇּל־עֲבָרָ֖יו מִסָּבִֽיב׃ (ה) וַיֵּ֩שֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לָבֶ֗טַח אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ מִדָּ֖ן וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ {ס} (ו) וַיְהִ֣י לִשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אֻֽרְוֺ֥ת סוּסִ֖ים לְמֶרְכָּב֑וֹ וּשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִֽׁים׃ (ז) וְכִלְכְּלוּ֩ הַנִּצָּבִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה אֶת־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה וְאֵ֧ת כׇּל־הַקָּרֵ֛ב אֶל־שֻׁלְחַ֥ן הַמֶּלֶךְ־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ חׇדְשׁ֑וֹ לֹ֥א יְעַדְּר֖וּ דָּבָֽר׃
(1) Solomon’s rule extended over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and the boundary of Egypt. They brought Solomon tribute and were subject to him all his life. (2) Solomon’s daily provisions consisted of 30 kors of semolina, and 60 kors of [ordinary] flour, (3) 10 fattened oxen, 20 pasture-fed oxen, and 100 sheep and goats, besides deer and gazelles, roebucks and fatted geese. (4) For he controlled the whole region west of the Euphrates—all the kings west of the Euphrates, from Tiphsah to Gaza—and he had peace on all his borders round about. (5) All the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba dwelt in safety, every family under its own vine and fig tree. (6) Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariotry and 12,000 riders. (7) All those prefects, each during his month, would furnish provisions for King Solomon and for all who were admitted to King Solomon’s table; they did not fall short in anything.
(כד) וַיָּבֵ֣א מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֡וּר מִבָּבֶ֡ל וּ֠מִכּ֠וּתָה וּמֵעַוָּ֤א וּמֵֽחֲמָת֙ וּסְפַרְוַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֙שֶׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן תַּ֖חַת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּֽרְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וַיֵּֽשְׁב֖וּ בְּעָרֶֽיהָ׃ (כה) וַיְהִ֗י בִּתְחִלַּת֙ שִׁבְתָּ֣ם שָׁ֔ם לֹ֥א יָרְא֖וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח יְהֹוָ֤ה בָּהֶם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲרָי֔וֹת וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ הֹרְגִ֖ים בָּהֶֽם׃ (כו) וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁוּר֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִגְלִ֙יתָ֙ וַתּ֙וֹשֶׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י שֹׁמְר֔וֹן לֹ֣א יָֽדְע֔וּ אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיְשַׁלַּח־בָּ֣ם אֶת־הָאֲרָי֗וֹת וְהִנָּם֙ מְמִיתִ֣ים אוֹתָ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ אֵינָ֣ם יֹדְעִ֔ים אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כז) וַיְצַ֨ו מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֜וּר לֵאמֹ֗ר הֹלִ֤יכוּ שָׁ֙מָּה֙ אֶחָ֤ד מֵהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִגְלִיתֶ֣ם מִשָּׁ֔ם וְיֵלְכ֖וּ וְיֵ֣שְׁבוּ שָׁ֑ם וְיֹרֵ֕ם אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כח) וַיָּבֹ֞א אֶחָ֣ד מֵהַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִגְלוּ֙ מִשֹּׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וַֽיְהִי֙ מוֹרֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם אֵ֖יךְ יִֽירְא֥וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (כט) וַיִּהְי֣וּ עֹשִׂ֔ים גּ֥וֹי גּ֖וֹי אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיַּנִּ֣יחוּ ׀ בְּבֵ֣ית הַבָּמ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ הַשֹּׁ֣מְרֹנִ֔ים גּ֥וֹי גּוֹי֙ בְּעָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִ֖ים שָֽׁם׃ (ל) וְאַנְשֵׁ֣י בָבֶ֗ל עָשׂוּ֙ אֶת־סֻכּ֣וֹת בְּנ֔וֹת וְאַ֨נְשֵׁי־כ֔וּת עָשׂ֖וּ אֶת־נֵֽרְגַ֑ל וְאַנְשֵׁ֥י חֲמָ֖ת עָשׂ֥וּ אֶת־אֲשִׁימָֽא׃ (לא) וְהָעַוִּ֛ים עָשׂ֥וּ נִבְחַ֖ז וְאֶת־תַּרְתָּ֑ק וְהַסְפַרְוִ֗ים שֹׂרְפִ֤ים אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ לְאַדְרַמֶּ֥לֶךְ וַֽעֲנַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (אלה) [אֱלֹהֵ֥י] (ספרים) [סְפַרְוָֽיִם]׃ (לב) וַיִּהְי֥וּ יְרֵאִ֖ים אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֤ם מִקְצוֹתָם֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמ֔וֹת וַיִּהְי֛וּ עֹשִׂ֥ים לָהֶ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַבָּמֽוֹת׃ (לג) אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה הָי֣וּ יְרֵאִ֑ים וְאֶת־אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶם֙ הָי֣וּ עֹֽבְדִ֔ים כְּמִשְׁפַּט֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִגְל֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם מִשָּֽׁם׃ (לד) עַ֣ד הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ הֵ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים כַּמִּשְׁפָּטִ֖ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֑ים אֵינָ֤ם יְרֵאִים֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֵינָ֣ם עֹשִׂ֗ים כְּחֻקֹּתָם֙ וּכְמִשְׁפָּטָ֔ם וְכַתּוֹרָ֣ה וְכַמִּצְוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֥ם שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (לה) וַיִּכְרֹ֨ת יְהֹוָ֤ה אִתָּם֙ בְּרִ֔ית וַיְצַוֵּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א תִֽירְא֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם וְלֹ֣א תַעַבְד֔וּם וְלֹ֥א תִזְבְּח֖וּ לָהֶֽם׃ (לו) כִּ֣י אִֽם־אֶת־יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ הֶעֱלָ֨ה אֶתְכֶ֜ם מֵאֶ֧רֶץ מִצְרַ֛יִם בְּכֹ֧חַ גָּד֛וֹל וּבִזְר֥וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֖ה אֹת֣וֹ תִירָ֑אוּ וְל֥וֹ תִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ וְל֥וֹ תִזְבָּֽחוּ׃ (לז) וְאֶת־הַחֻקִּ֨ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֜ים וְהַתּוֹרָ֤ה וְהַמִּצְוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּתַ֣ב לָכֶ֔ם תִּשְׁמְר֥וּן לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת כׇּל־הַיָּמִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א תִֽירְא֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים׃ (לח) וְהַבְּרִ֛ית אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַ֥תִּי אִתְּכֶ֖ם לֹ֣א תִשְׁכָּ֑חוּ וְלֹ֥א תִֽירְא֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים׃ (לט) כִּ֛י אִֽם־אֶת־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם תִּירָ֑אוּ וְהוּא֙ יַצִּ֣יל אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִיַּ֖ד כׇּל־אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃ (מ) וְלֹ֖א שָׁמֵ֑עוּ כִּ֛י אִֽם־כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֥ם הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן הֵ֥ם עֹשִֽׂים׃ (מא) וַיִּהְי֣וּ ׀ הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֗לֶּה יְרֵאִים֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֶת־פְּסִֽילֵיהֶ֖ם הָי֣וּ עֹֽבְדִ֑ים גַּם־בְּנֵיהֶ֣ם ׀ וּבְנֵ֣י בְנֵיהֶ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֤וּ אֲבֹתָם֙ הֵ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ {פ}
(24) The king of Assyria brought [people] from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and he settled them in the towns of Samaria in place of the Israelites; they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its towns. (25) When they first settled there, they did not worship GOD; so GOD sent lions against them that killed some of them. (26) They said to the king of Assyria: “The nations that you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know the rules of the God of the land; therefore [that God] has let lions loose against them that are killing them—for they do not know the rules of the God of the land.” (27) The king of Assyria gave an order: “Send there one of the priests whom you have deported; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the practices of the God of the land.” (28) So one of the priests whom they had exiled from Samaria came and settled in Bethel; he taught them how to worship GOD. (29) However, each nation continued to make its own gods and to set them up in the cult places that had been made by the people of Samaria; each nation [set them up] in the towns in which it lived. (30) Inhabitants from Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and inhabitants from Cuth made Nergal, and inhabitants from Hamath made Ashima, (31) and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children [as offerings] to Adrammelech and Anamelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. (32) They worshiped GOD, but they also appointed from their own ranks priests of the shrines, who officiated for them in the cult places. (33) They worshiped GOD, while serving their own gods according to the practices of the nations from which they had been deported. (34) To this day, they follow their former practices. They do not worship GOD [properly]. They do not follow the laws and practices, the Teaching and Instruction that GOD enjoined upon the descendants of Jacob—who was given the name Israel— (35) having made a covenant with them and commanding them: “You shall worship no other gods; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them. (36) You must worship only the ETERNAL your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great might and with an outstretched arm: to whom alone shall you bow down and to whom alone shall you sacrifice. (37) You shall observe faithfully, all your days, the laws and the practices; the Teaching and Instruction that I wrote down for you; do not worship other gods. (38) Do not forget the covenant that I made with you; do not worship other gods. (39) Worship only the ETERNAL your God, and you will be saved from the hands of all your enemies.” (40) But they did not obey; they continued their former practices. (41) Those nations worshiped GOD, but they also served their idols. To this day their children and their children’s children do as their ancestors did.
(טז) לַיְּהוּדִ֕ים הָֽיְתָ֥ה אוֹרָ֖ה וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְשָׂשֹׂ֖ן וִיקָֽר׃ (יז) וּבְכׇל־מְדִינָ֨ה וּמְדִינָ֜ה וּבְכׇל־עִ֣יר וָעִ֗יר מְקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְדָתוֹ֙ מַגִּ֔יעַ שִׂמְחָ֤ה וְשָׂשׂוֹן֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה וְי֣וֹם ט֑וֹב וְרַבִּ֞ים מֵֽעַמֵּ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מִֽתְיַהֲדִ֔ים כִּֽי־נָפַ֥ל פַּֽחַד־הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
(16) The Jews enjoyed light and gladness, happiness and honor. (17) And in every province and in every city, when the king’s command and decree arrived, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many of the people of the land professed to be Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
Rabbis mentioned in the discussion:
רבי נחמיה - Late Tanna, a disciple of R Akiva
שפעם אחת גזרה מלכות הרשעה גזירה על ישראל שכל הסומך יהרג וכל הנסמך יהרג ועיר שסומכין בה תיחרב ותחומין שסומכין בהן יעקרו מה עשה יהודה בן בבא הלך וישב לו בין שני הרים גדולים ובין שתי עיירות גדולות ובין שני תחומי שבת בין אושא לשפרעם וסמך שם חמשה זקנים ואלו הן ר"מ ור' יהודה ור' שמעון ור' יוסי ור' אלעזר בן שמוע רב אויא מוסיף אף ר' נחמיה כיון שהכירו אויביהם בהן אמר להן בניי רוצו אמרו לו רבי מה תהא עליך אמר להן הריני מוטל לפניהם כאבן שאין לה הופכים אמרו לא זזו משם עד שנעצו בו שלש מאות לונביאות של ברזל ועשאוהו ככברה
the laws of fines would have ceased to be implemented from among the Jewish people, as they would not have been able to adjudicate cases involving these laws due to a lack of ordained judges. This is because at one time the wicked kingdom of Rome issued decrees of religious persecution against the Jewish people with the aim of abolishing the chain of ordination and the authority of the Sages. They said that anyone who ordains judges will be killed, and anyone who is ordained will be killed, and the city in which they ordain the judges will be destroyed, and the signs identifying the boundaries of the city in which they ordain judges will be uprooted. These measures were intended to discourage the Sages from performing or receiving ordination due to fear for the welfare of the local population. What did Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava do? He went and sat between two large mountains, between two large cities, and between two Shabbat boundaries: Between Usha and Shefaram, i.e., in a desolate place that was not associated with any particular city so that he not endanger anyone not directly involved, and there he ordained five elders. And they were: Rabbi Meir, and Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua. Rav Avya adds that Rabbi Neḥemya was also among those ordained. This incident indicates that ordination can be performed by a single Sage. When their enemies discovered them, Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava said to the newly ordained Sages: My sons, run for your lives. They said to him: My teacher, what will be with you? Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava was elderly and unable to run. He said to them: In any case, I am cast before them like a stone that cannot be overturned; even if you attempt to assist me I will not be able to escape due to my frailty, but if you do not escape without me you will also be killed. People say about this incident: The Roman soldiers did not move from there until they had inserted three hundred iron spears [lunkhiyot] into him, making him appear like a sieve pierced with many holes. This proof is refuted: There may have been other Sages performing the ordination with Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava, who were added in order to reach the quota of three Sages, and this fact that they were not mentioned is due to the honor of Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava, who was the greatest among them. The Gemara asks: And with regard to Rabbi Meir, did Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava actually ordain him? But doesn’t Rabba bar bar Ḥana say that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Anyone who says that Rabbi Akiva did not ordain Rabbi Meir is nothing other than mistaken. The Gemara answers: Rabbi Akiva in fact ordained Rabbi Meir, but the people did not accept the appointment, as Rabbi Meir was still very young. Therefore, some time later, Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava ordained him a second time, and they accepted it.
רבי יצחק בר שמואל בר מרתא - Amora, a disciple of Rav in Bavel
רב אסי - Early Amora, in Bavel when Rav came
Rav says: A person may teach his student the relevant material and then judge cases of capital law with him, and this student can participate in the deliberations and serve as one of the judges. The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita (Tosefta 7:2): In cases of ritual purity and impurity, if two of the judges are a father and his son, or a teacher and his student, the court counts them as two opinions. By inference, in cases of monetary law and cases of capital law, and cases of laws involving the punishment of lashes, as well as court proceedings concerning sanctification of the month and the intercalation of the year, if two of the judges are a father and his son, or a teacher and his student, the court counts them as only one opinion, as it is assumed the son or student will merely echo the opinion of his father or teacher. This contradicts the ruling of Rav.
רבי אליעזר (בן הורקנוס) - Early Tanna, disciple of R Yohanan ben Zakkai (Yavneh)
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר שֶׁשָּׁבַת בַּגָּלִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן, וּשְׁאָלוּהוּ שְׁלֹשִׁים הֲלָכוֹת בְּהִלְכוֹת סוּכָּה, שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אָמַר לָהֶם: שָׁמַעְתִּי, שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה אָמַר לָהֶם: לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, חִילּוּף הַדְּבָרִים: שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה אָמַר לָהֶם: שָׁמַעְתִּי, שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אָמַר לָהֶם: לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: כׇּל דְּבָרֶיךָ אֵינָן אֶלָּא מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה! אָמַר לָהֶם: הִזְקַקְתּוּנִי לוֹמַר דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּי רַבּוֹתַי. מִיָּמַי לֹא קְדָמַנִי אָדָם בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וְלֹא יָשַׁנְתִּי בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ לֹא שֵׁינַת קֶבַע וְלֹא שֵׁינַת עֲרַאי, וְלֹא הִנַּחְתִּי אָדָם בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְיָצָאתִי, וְלֹא שַׂחְתִּי שִׂיחַת חוּלִּין, וְלֹא אָמַרְתִּי דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּי רַבִּי מֵעוֹלָם.
The Gemara relates a similar incident. The Sages taught: There was an incident involving Rabbi Eliezer, who stayed in the Upper Galilee, and the people there asked him thirty halakhot in the halakhot of sukka. In response to twelve, he said to them: I heard an answer from my teachers, and he related what he heard. In response to the other eighteen, he said to them: I did not hear an answer. Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: It was the reverse of these matters. In response to eighteen he said to them: I heard an answer; in response to the other twelve he said to them: I did not hear an answer. They said to him: Are all the matters that you know only from what you heard? Don’t you say any matters on your own? He said to them: Now you forced me to say a matter that I did not hear from my teachers, as I must describe my character traits and the manner in which I conduct myself. In all my days, no person ever preceded me into the study hall, as I am always first to arrive; and I never slept in the study hall, neither substantial sleep nor a brief nap; and I never left anyone in the study hall and exited, as I was always last to leave; and I never engaged in idle conversation; rather, I discussed only necessary matters or matters of Torah; and I never said anything that I did not hear from my teacher. That is why he did not answer those questions that his teacher did not address. Apropos the character traits of Rabbi Eliezer, the Gemara cites character traits of his teacher. The Sages said about Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, the teacher of Rabbi Eliezer: In all his days he never engaged in idle conversation; and he never walked four cubits without engaging in Torah study and without donning phylacteries; and no person ever preceded him into the study hall; and he never slept in the study hall, neither substantial sleep nor a brief nap; and he never contemplated matters of Torah in alleyways filthy with human excrement, as doing so is a display of contempt for the Torah; and he never left anyone in the study hall and exited; and no person ever found him sitting and silent, i.e., inactive; rather, he was always sitting and studying; and only he opened the door for his students, disregarding his own eminent standing; and he never said anything that he did not hear from his teacher; and he never said to his students that the time has arrived to arise and leave the study hall except on Passover eves, when they were obligated to sacrifice the Paschal lamb, and Yom Kippur eves, when there is a mitzva to eat and drink abundantly. And Rabbi Eliezer, his student, accustomed himself to model his conduct after his example. The Gemara continues to praise the Sages. The Sages taught: Hillel the Elder had eighty students. Thirty of them were sufficiently worthy that the Divine Presence should rest upon them as it did upon Moses our teacher, and thirty of them were sufficiently worthy that the sun should stand still for them as it did for Joshua bin Nun, and twenty were on an intermediate level between the other two. The greatest of all the students was Yonatan ben Uzziel, and the youngest of them was Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai.