Quoting%20commentary for Eruvin 107:27

א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן מאי דכתיב (משלי כז, יח) נוצר תאנה יאכל פריה למה נמשלו דברי תורה כתאנה מה תאנה זו

tasted it, he remarked: 'This mixing is like that of Raba son of R'Joseph B'Hama'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who was an expert in the art of mixing.');">⁶²</span> 'I am here' the other answered.' Do not sit down upon your legs',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Eastern custom of sitting with legs folded under the body.');">⁶⁴</span> R'Joseph said to him, 'before you have explained to me these verses. What is the purport of the Scriptural text: And from the wilderness to Mattanah, and front Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, and front Bamoth to the valley? '<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXI, 18ff.');">⁶⁵</span> - 'If', the other replied: 'a man allows himself to be treated as the wilderness upon which everybody treads, the Torah will be given to him as a gift;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra n. 1. kthkjb kt ukjb');">⁶⁶</span> and so soon as it is given to him as a gift, he will be the inheritance of God<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nahaliel is read as . ,unc');">⁶⁷</span> as it says: And from Mattanah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra n. 1. kthkjb kt ukjb');">⁶⁶</span> to Nahaliel;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mattanah 'gift' from rt. 'to give'. The Torah will be given to him as a gift and he will never forge' it.');">⁶⁰</span> and as soon as he is the inheritance of God, he rises to greatness,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bamoth signifying 'heights'.');">⁶⁸</span> since it says: And from Nahaliel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nahaliel is read as . ,unc');">⁶⁷</span> to Bamoth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bamoth signifying 'heights'.');">⁶⁸</span> But if he is haughty, the Holy One, blessed be He, humbles him, as it says: And from Bamoth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bamoth signifying 'heights'.');">⁶⁸</span> to the valley.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Symbolic of a humble position.');">⁶⁹</span> If, however, he repents, the Holy One, blessed be He, raises him, as it says: Every valley<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Symbolic of a humble position.');">⁶⁹</span> shall be lifted up.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XL, 4.');">⁷⁰</span> R'Huna said: What is the purport of the Scriptural text: Thy flock settled therein; Thou preparest in Thy goodness for the poor, O God?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXVIII, 11.');">⁷¹</span> If a man behaves like an animal that treads upon its prey and eats it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. as the animal proceeds to eat its prey as soon as it has trampled it on the ground so does the student proceed to revise his lessons as soon as he has them from his master.');">⁷²</span> or, as others say, that drags it and eats it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., as the animal consumes its prey despite the unpleasantness of taste that it contracts in the course of being trailed in the dust or mud, so does the student persist in his studies, despite the unpleasantness he experiences in understanding or memorizing them.');">⁷³</span> his learning will be preserved by him, otherwise it will not - If, however, lie does behave in this manner the Holy One, blessed be He, will himself prepare a banquet for him, as it says in Scripture. Thou, didst prepare in Thy goodness for the poor, O Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXVIII, 11.');">⁷⁴</span> R'Hiyya B'Abba in the name of R'Johanan expounded: With reference to the Scriptural text: Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXVII, 18.');">⁷⁵</span> why were the words of the Torah compared to the 'fig tree'? As with the fig tree<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since all its fruit does ripen at the same time.');">⁷⁶</span>

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