Commentary for Kiddushin 64:4
אמר רב אשי אפילו למ"ד הרב שמחל על כבודו כבודו מחול נשיא שמחל על כבודו אין כבודו מחול מיתיבי מעשה ברבי אליעזר ורבי יהושע ורבי צדוק שהיו מסובין בבית המשתה בנו של רבן גמליאל והיה רבן גמליאל עומד ומשקה עליהם נתן הכוס לר' אליעזר ולא נטלו נתנו לר' יהושע וקיבלו אמר לו רבי אליעזר מה זה יהושע אנו יושבין ורבן גמליאל (ברבי) עומד ומשקה עלינו
renounces his honour, his renunciation is invalid. An objection is raised: It once happened that R'Eliezar, R'Joshua and R'Zadok were reclining<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' People were reclining in ancient days at meals.');"><sup>7</sup></span> at a banquet of Rabban Gamaliel's son,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabban Gamaliel was the Nasi.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
Daf Shevui to Kiddushin
The “Nasi” was the political leader of the Jews in Eretz Yisrael and in Babylonia during the Talmudic period. The role of this leader is hard to pin down, but he seems to have held some real power over the Jews. According to R. Ashi, the Nasi cannot choose to forgive his honor. His honor comes from his office and there is general utility to it—it is important for people to respect their political leaders. I’m sure that this is true in many countries. One cannot call the President by his first name, one cannot touch the queen (I think they forgot to tell that to Trump). There are rules and these rules were not created by the people who currently inhabit the office.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Daf Shevui to Kiddushin
R. Eliezer does not want Rabban Gamaliel, the Nasi, to give him drink even at his own son’s wedding. But R. Joshua says that it is okay—after all Abraham served drinks to his guests. Thus we see that according to R. Joshua, a Nasi can forgive his own honor.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy