Megillah, Daf Kaf Zayin, Part 6

 

Introduction

The Talmud now begins a series of stories in which students ask their rabbis how they lived so long. It’s truly a fascinating discussion, one that we still ask today. What can help us live longer, and most importantly better lives?

 

זלפ"ן סימן. שאלו תלמידיו את רבי זכאי: במה הארכת ימים? אמר להם: מימי לא השתנתי מים בתוך ארבע אמות של תפלה, ולא כניתי שם לחבירי, ולא ביטלתי קידוש היום.

 

(Mnemonic Z’L’P’N ).

R. Zakai was asked by his disciples: How have you lived so long? He said to them: I never urinated within four cubits of a place where prayers have been said, and I never called a friend by his nickname, nor have I omitted performing Kiddush [the sanctification of the day.]

 

R. Zakai lived a long life by virtue of three things. 1) He didn’t urinate within four cubits of a place where prayers had been said. To us, this might sound like a trivial matter, but in a world without indoor plumbing, or fixed places of urination and prayer, this was probably a big deal. By extension, I would take this to mean that he had a high level of respect for places sanctified by prayer.

2) He had respect for his friends, and never called them by their nicknames.

3) He always recited Kiddush. He had respect for the holiness of Shabbat and festivals.

אמא זקינה היתה לי, פעם אחת מכרה כפה שבראשה והביאה לי קידוש היום. תנא: כשמתה הניחה לו שלש מאות גרבי יין, כשמת הוא הניח לבניו שלשת אלפים גרבי יין.

 

I had a grandmother who once sold her head covering so as to bring me [wine for] Kiddush. It was taught: When she died she left him three hundred barrels of wine, and when he died he left his sons three thousand barrels.

 

This is an addendum to the story of how R. Zakai lived so long. His grandmother sold her head covering so her grandson could have wine for Kiddush. Wow! I can just imagine how happy my own grandmother would have been to sell her possessions so her grandchildren could observe Judaism. She was truly an amazing woman. Back to R. Zakai, when his grandmother died, she left him 300 barrels of wine. Enough for plenty of Kiddush! And when he died, he left his sons 3000 barrels of wine. Clearly, this seems to be a reward given to him by Heaven. The story begins with the family so poor that the grandmother has to sell her head covering to buy wine for Kiddush. It ends with them rich enough to have 3000 barrels of wine.

 

רב הונא הוה אסר ריתא וקאי קמיה דרב, אמר ליה: מאי האי?

אמר ליה: לא הוה לי קידושא, ומשכנתיה להמיינאי, ואתאי ביה קידושא. אמר ליה: יהא רעוא דתיטום בשיראי.

כי איכלל רבה בריה, רב הונא איניש גוצא הוה, גנא אפוריא, אתיין בנתיה וכלתיה שלחן ושדיין מנייהו עליה, עד דאיטום בשיראי.

שמע רב ואיקפד, אמר: מאי טעמא לא אמרת לי כי ברכתיך וכן למר?

 

R. Huna once came before Rav girded with a string. He said to him: What is this? He replied: I had no [wine for] Kiddush, and I used my girdle as a pledge so as bring [wine] for Kiddush. He said: May it be the will of Heaven that you be [one day] smothered in robes of silk.

When his son Rabbah was getting married, R. Huna, who was a short man, was lying on a bed and his daughters and daughters-in-law stripped [clothes] from themselves and threw them on him until he was smothered in silks.

When Rav heard he was angry and said: Why when I blessed you did you not say, The same to you, Master?

This story emphasizes how seriously the rabbis took the mitzvah of Kiddush. They even used pieces of their clothing as pledges to buy wine so that they could make Kiddush. R. Huna was rewarded by being rich enough so that his daughters and his daughters-in-law could all wear silk clothing. And the blessing of Rav came true literally he was eventually smothered in silk.

However, the story does not have the happiest of endings. Rav is a bit angry at R. Huna for not blessing him in return.

 

שאלו תלמידיו את רבי אלעזר בן שמוע: במה הארכת ימים? אמר להם: מימי לא עשיתי קפנדריא לבית הכנסת, ולא פסעתי על ראשי עם קדוש, ולא נשאתי כפי בלא ברכה.

 

R. Elazar b. Shammua was asked by his disciples: How have you lived so long? He replied: Never in my life have I made a short cut through a synagogue, nor have I stepped upon the heads of the holy people, nor have I lifted my hands [to say the priestly blessing] without reciting a blessing.

 

Three things also helped R. Elazar b. Shammua live a long life. These are similar to those stated by R. Zakai above. 1) He had respect for the sanctity of a synagogue and never simply cut through there to get somewhere else. 2) He had respect for people and never stepped on their heads. This refers to students sitting in rows at the Yeshiva. He would not trample them when going up front. 3) He always said a blessing when reciting the priestly blessing. Note that as with above he mentions have three things: 1) respect for the synagogue; 2) respect for people, 3) respect for blessings.