Commentary for Moed Katan 49:24

כי נח נפשי' דרבה בר הונא ורב המנונא אסקינהו להתם

and R'Hiyya had likewise disseminated Torah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. B.M. 85b. He was accounted as a second Ezra or Hillel; Suk. 20a. ikp ,fxn iu,nheut');">³⁴</span> in Israel. Who will bring him into [the cave of] R'Hiyya? - Said R'Hagga 'I shall bring him in, because I sustained [revised] my studies [before him]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the expression cf. Hor. ');">³⁵</span> when I was but eighteen years of age, never having experienced the effects of an unchaste dream<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A night pollution, cf. Ber. ');">³⁶</span> and he made me his attendant<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. A.Z. ');">³⁷</span> and therefore I know of his [pious] deeds. For one day the strap of his phylacteries was [accidentally] reversed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Men. 3a-b.');">³⁸</span> whereupon he sat fasting forty days'. He then brought him in [to the cave].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. B.M. 85b. Like a second Ezra or Hillel. Suk. 20a. The family cave of R. Hiyya was probably at Tiberias.');">³⁹</span> Judah was laid there at the right of his father [R'Hiyya] and on his left was his [twin brother]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Yeb. 65b.');">⁴⁰</span> Hezekiah. Said Judah to Hezekiah: 'Rise from your place, for it is not good manners that R'Huna be left standing'. As he [Hezekiah] rose a column of fire rose with him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tilted it hastily in front of the fiery column. (Rashi) ; or set the coffin in its place (on stones or trestles) .');">⁴¹</span> R'Hagga, seeing that, was overcome with fear, set up the coffins and came away. And the reason that he came to no harm<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. J. Kii. IX, 4, where it is stated that R. Hagga was then eighty years old and his years were doubled.');">⁴²</span> [from the pillar of fire] was because he set up the coffin of R'Huna.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This R. Huna II was one of the Exilarch's family. Moreover, Rab, Hiyya's nephew, had one of his daughters married into the Exilarch's family');">⁴³</span> When the soul of R'Hisda went to its rest they [the Collegiates] thought of placing a scroll of the law on his bier. Said R'Isaac to them: What he had disapproved of being done for his master, shall we now do to himself? They then thought that they should not stitch the rent in their garments, when R'Isaac B'Ammi said to them, It is taught:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So MS.M.');">⁴⁴</span> In the case of a Scholar, [who died] as soon as they have turned away their faces, at th rear of the bier, they [may] stitch together [the rent]'. When the soul of Rabbah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Son of the above R. Huna II.');">⁴⁵</span> son of R'Huna went to its rest and [that of] R'Hamnuna, they took them [both] up thither.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To Palestine for burial.');">⁴⁶</span>

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