Reference for Shabbat 290:16
מפני מה עובדי כוכבים מזוהמין שלא עמדו על הר סיני שבשעה
Why are the festivals in Babylonia joyous? Because they were not subject to that curse, whereof it is written, I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her solemn assemblies,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hos. II, 13. ');"><sup>28</sup></span> and it is written, Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. I, 14. ');"><sup>29</sup></span> What does 'they are a trouble unto me' mean? — Said R. Eleazar: The Holy One, blessed be He, saith, Not enough is it for Israel that they sin before Me, but that they trouble Me to know which evil decree I am to bring upon them. R. Isaac said: There is no single festival when troops did not come to Sepphoris.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 16, n. 6. They were quartered on the Jews and naturally hindered the joy of the festival. ');"><sup>30</sup></span> R. Hanina said: There is no single festival when there did not come to Tiberias a general with his suite and centurions.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] lit., 'cane bearer', but MS.O. reads: [H], a general. For [H] Jast. suggests that [H] (= comites, members of the imperial cabinet) should be read. [H] = rod bearers, i.e., centurions. ');"><sup>31</sup></span> Why are the scholars of Babylonia distinguished [in dress]? Because they are not in their [original] homes,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' i.e., they hail from Palestine. ');"><sup>32</sup></span> as People say, In my own town my name [is sufficient]; away from home, my dress.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There I must make myself known and distinguished through dress. — This is certainly a more charitable explanation than the previous. ');"><sup>33</sup></span> In days to come shall Jacob take root, Israel shall blossom [yaziz] and bud [ufarah].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXVII, 6. ');"><sup>34</sup></span> R. Joseph recited, This refers to scholars in Babylonia who wreathe blossoms [ziziz] and flowers [perahim] around the Torah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is in support of R. Johanan's estimate of the Babylonian scholars. ');"><sup>35</sup></span> Why are idolaters lustful? Because they did not stand at Mount Sinai. For when