Commentary for Taanit 13:6

א"ל ר' ירמיה לר' זירא ליתי מר ליתני א"ל חלש לבאי ולא יכילנא לימא מר מילתא דאגדתא א"ל הכי אמר ר' יוחנן מאי דכתיב (דברים כ, יט) כי האדם עץ השדה וכי אדם עץ שדה הוא

But, whosoever occupies himself with the Torah not for its own sake, it becomes to him a deadly poison, as it is said, My doctrine shall drop as the rain, and 'arifa surely means, death, as it is said, And th shall break [we'arfu] the heifer's neck there in the valley.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 4.');">¹¹</span> R'Jeremiah said to R'Zera: Pray, Master, come and teach. The latter replied: I do not feel well enough<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'my heart is faint'.');">¹²</span>

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