Musar for Eruvin 108:20
רבי פרידא הוה ליה ההוא תלמידא דהוה תני ליה ארבע מאה זימני וגמר יומא חד בעיוה למלתא דמצוה תנא ליה ולא גמר
[why was not this procedure<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which would have conferred greater distinction on each individual or group as compared with the group that followed.');"><sup>41</sup></span> adopted:] Aaron might enter and learn from Moses,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The four times required.');"><sup>42</sup></span> his sons might then enter and learn from Aaron,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The four times required.');"><sup>42</sup></span> then the elders might enter and learn from his sons<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The four times required.');"><sup>42</sup></span>
Maamar Mezake HaRabim
And of the fear, that perhaps [community service] will counter his own self-improvement, we can see from Rebbi Prayda that, from this specifically, he merited to become “Rebbi Prayda”, as is made clear in Chazal (Eruvin 54b); Rebbi Prayda had a particular student who he would teach him four hundred times, and then [the student would] comprehend it. One day, when Rebbi Prayda was needed for a certain Mitzvah, he [first] taught his student [the usual four hundred times], [but the student] didn't comprehend it. Rebbi Prayda asked the student, “Why is this time different”, and the student replied to him, “Since I heard them say to Rebbi that he is needed for a certain Mitzvah, I have been distracted and thought to myself, ‘Now the Master will leave’.” Rebbi Prayda said to him, “Give me your attention, and I will teach you again.” He taught him another four hundred times and [the student] comprehended it. A heavenly voice burst out and said: “Is it better to you that four hundred years are added to your life, or that you and your generation merit the world to come?” He responded, “I prefer that I and my generation merit the world to come.” The Holy One, Blessed be He, then said: “Give to him both” (Eruvin 54b).
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