Commentary for Taanit 13:18

אזלה ואמרה ליה לאבוה רמייא לחמרא במני דהבא וכספא ותקיף אתו ואמרו ליה אמר לה לברתיה מאן אמר לך הכי אמרה ליה רבי יהושע בן חנניה קריוהו אמר ליה אמאי אמרת לה הכי אמר ליה כי היכי דאמרה לי אמרי לה והא איכא שפירי דגמירי

R'Oshaia said: Why are the words of the Torah likened unto these three liquids, water, wine and milk - as it is written, 'Ho, everyone that thirsteth come ye for water'; and it is written, Come ye, buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money, and without price?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LV, 1.');">²⁷</span> This is to teach you, just as these three liquids can only be preserved in the most inferior of vessels, so too the words of the Torah endure only with him who is meekminded. This is illustrated by the story of the daughter of the Roman Emperor<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hadrian.');">²⁸</span> who addressed R'Joshua B'Hanania, 'O glorious Wisdom in an ugly vessel'. He replied, 'Does not your father keep wine in an earthenware vessel? ' She asked, 'Wherein else shall he keep it? ' He said to her, 'You who are nobles should keep it in vessels of gold and silver'. Thereupon she went and told this to her father and he had the wine put into vessels of gold and silver and it became sour. When he was informed of this he asked his daughter, 'Who gave you this advice? ' She replied. R'Joshua B'Hanania' - Thereupon the Emperor had him summoned before him and asked him, 'Why did you give her such advice? ' He replied, 'I answered her according to the way that she spoke to me'. But are there not good-looking people who are learned?

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