Commentary for Bava Kamma 183:24

אמר ליה רבא לרבה בר מרי מנא הא מילתא דאמרי אינשי בתר עניא אזלא עניותא אמר ליה דתנן עשירים מביאין בכורים בקלתות של זהב ושל כסף ועניים בסלי נצרים של ערבה קלופה הסלים והבכורים נותנים לכהנים אמר ליה את אמרת מהתם ואנא אמינא מהכא

[i.e.] as Abraham had [prayed and] said regarding Abimelech. Raba [again] said to Rabbah b. Mari: Whence can be derived the proverbial saying that together with the thorn the cabbage is smitten?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that the good are punished with the bad. ');">²⁰</span> — He replied: As it is written, Wherefore will ye contend with Me, ye all have transgressed against Me, says the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. II, 29. ');">²¹</span> He said to him: You derive it from that text, but I derive it from this, How long refuse ye<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Including, as it were, Moses and Aaron.] ');">²²</span> to keep My commandments and My laws.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XVI, 28. ');">²³</span> Raba [again] said to Rabbah b. Mari: It is written: 'And from among his brethren, he took five men.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLVII, 2. ');">²⁴</span> Who were these five? — He replied: Thus said R. Johanan that 'they were those whose names were repeated [in the Farewell of Moses].'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIII, 2-29; (besides Judah) the five were as follows: Dan, Zebulun, Gad, Asher and Naphtali. These names had to be repeated in the blessing as they were the weakest among the tribes. ');">²⁵</span> But was not the name Judah repeated too?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As in Deut. XXXIII, 7 (though his tribe was by no means among the weak ones). ');">²⁶</span> He replied: The repetition in the case of Judah was for a different purpose, as stated by R. Samuel b. Nahmani that R. Johanan said: What is the meaning of the words, Let Reuben live and not die, in that his men become few, and this is for Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIII, 6. 7. ');">²⁷</span> All the forty years that the Israelites were in the wilderness the bones of Judah were scattered<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., they were not kept together. ');">²⁸</span> in the coffin<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the bones of all the heads of the tribes just as those of Joseph were, according to homiletic interpretation, carried away from Egypt to the Promised Land. Cf. Mid. Rab. on Gen. L, 25. ');">²⁹</span> until Moses came and solicited for mercy by saying thus to God: Master of the universe, who brought Reuben to confess<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Gen. XXXV, 22 and XLIX, 4. ');">³⁰</span> if not Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who made public confession in Gen. XXXVIII, 26. ');">³¹</span> Hear [therefore] Lord the voice of Judah! Thereupon each limb fitted itself into its original place.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., they were again made into one whole. ');">³²</span> He was, however, not permitted to ascend to the heavenly gathering<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where matters of law are considered; cf. B.M. 86a. ');">³³</span> until Moses said: And bring him in unto his people.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIII, 7. ');">³⁴</span> As, however, he did not know what the Rabbis were saying and was thus unable to argue with the Rabbis on matters of the law, Moses said: His hands shall contend for him!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIII, 7. ');">³⁴</span> As again he was unable to bring his statement into accord with the <i>Halachah</i>, Moses said, <i>Thou shalt be a help against his adversaries!</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIII, 7. ');">³⁴</span> Raba [again] said to Rabbah b. Mari: Whence<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Mak. 11b. ');">³⁵</span> can be derived the popular saying that poverty follows the poor?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' B.B. 174b. ');">³⁶</span> — He replied: We have learnt:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bik. III, 8. ');">³⁷</span> 'The rich used to bring the first fruits<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Ex. XXXIV, 26. ');">³⁸</span> in baskets of gold and silver, but the poor brought it in wicker baskets made out of the bark of willow, and thus gave the baskets as well as the first-fruits to the priest.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the rich took back their gold or silver baskets, whereas the poor did not receive back their baskets made of the bark of the willow. ');">³⁹</span> He said to him: You derive it from there, but I derive it from this:

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