Commentary for Shabbat 62:2

ר' סימון ור' אלעזר הוו יתבי חליף ואזיל ר' יעקב בר אחא א"ל חד לחבריה ניקו מקמיה דגבר דחיל חטאין הוא א"ל אידך ניקו מקמיה דגבר בר אוריין הוא א"ל אמינא לך אנא דגבר דחיל חטאין הוא ואמרת לי את בר אוריין הוא

R. Simon and R. Eleazar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' in the Yalkut, 'Ekeb, 855 the reading is: Rabbi and R. Eleazar b. Simeon. ');">⁴</span> were sitting, when R. Jacob b. Aha came walking past. Said one to his companion, 'Let us arise before him, because he is a sin-fearing man.' Said the other, 'Let us arise before him, because he is a man of learning.' 'I tell you that he is a sin-fearing man, and you tell me that he is a man of learning!' retorted he.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The former is a greater attribute. ');">⁵</span> It may be proved that it was R. Eleazar who observed that he was a sin-fearing man. For R. Johanan said in R. Eleazar's name:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This would be R. Eleazar b. Pedath, R. Johanan's younger contemporary; he is hardly likely to have quoted him. Hence the Yalkut's version given in p. 142, n. 7 is preferable, and the reading is: R. Johanan in the name of R. Eleazar b. R. Simeon. ');">⁶</span>

Explore commentary for Shabbat 62:2. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.