Commentary for Shabbat 237:6

בעא מיניה רבי מר' ישמעאל ברבי יוסי עשירים שבא"י במה הן זוכין א"ל בשביל שמעשרין שנאמר (דברים יד, כב) עשר תעשר עשר בשביל שתתעשר שבבבל במה הן זוכין א"ל בשביל שמכבדין את התורה

— [So] he went, sold all his property, and bought a precious stone with the proceeds, which he set in his turban. As he was crossing a bridge the wind blew it off and cast it into the water, [and] a fish swallowed it. [Subsequently] it [the fish] was hauled up and brought [to market] on the Sabbath eve towards sunset. 'Who will buy now?' cried they. 'Go and take them to Joseph-who-honours-the-Sabbaths,' they were told, 'as he is accustomed to buy.' So they took it to him. He bought it, opened it, found the jewel therein, and sold it for thirteen roomfuls<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Tam translates: vessels. ');">¹⁹</span> of gold <i>denarii</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This, of course is an exaggeration, and merely implies much money, 'thirteen' often being used figuratively in that sense, cf. supra p. 585, n. 6; Hul. 95b (Rashi). ');">²⁰</span> A certain old man met him [and] said, 'He who lends to the Sabbath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., expends money in its honour. ');">²¹</span> the Sabbath repays him.'

Explore commentary for Shabbat 237:6. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.