משום דנפישי בני חילא דמחוזא
because there are so many in Mahuza.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A city in Mesopotamia on the river Tigris where Raba lived. [Soldiers would frequently be billeted in Mahuza on account of its proximity to the capital Ktesifon, v. Obermeyer, p. 174.]');"><sup>1</sup></span> Ilfa and R'Johanan studied together the Torah and they found themselves in great want and they said one to another, Let us go and engage in commerce so that of us may be fulfilled the verse, Howbeit there shall be no need among you.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XV, 4.');"><sup>2</sup></span> They went and sat down under a ruinous wall and while they were having their meal two ministering angels came and R'Johanan overheard one saying to the other, Let us throw this wall upon these [people] and kill them, because they forsake life eternal and occupy themselves with life temporal.
Tosefta Ketubot
A man who says: "Give a shekel from my estate to my sons per week", but they are appropriate to receive a sela (=2 shekalim), they give to them a sela [since his intention was to give them enough per week, a shekel was a random amount]. But if he said: "Give them only a shekel", they only give them a shekel [since he was more specific]. If he said: "If they die, others should inherit me", whether he said "Give..." or "Give only...", they only give them a shekel [since there are others who stand to lose out if the sons get more money per week from the estate]. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Meir used to say: A man who says, "Give a shekel per week to my sons" and they are appropriate to receive a sela, they give them a shekel, and for the rest they are supported from tzedakah; but Hakhamim say: They are fed [from the estate] until they use up the estate, but for anything beyond that, they are supported from tzedakah.
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