כא מאי וכן נגוזו ועבר תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל כל הגוזז מנכסיו ועושה מהן צדקה ניצל מדינה של גיהנם משל לשתי רחילות שהיו עוברות במים אחת גזוזה ואחת אינה גזוזה גזוזה עברה ושאינה גזוזה לא עברה
21 [It may be asked, he continued] what the mitre has to do with the crown. It is to teach that when the mitre is worn by the High priest,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., while the Temple is still standing. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> ordinary persons can wear the crown,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., garland. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> but when the mitre has been removed from the head of the High priest, the crown must be removed from the head of ordinary persons. At this point R. Huna returned, and found them still discussing the matter. He said: I swear to you that the prohibition was made by the Rabbis on their own authority, but as your name is Hisda [favour], so do your words find favour. Rabina found Mar son of R. Ashi weaving a garland for his daughter. He said to him: Sir, do you not hold with the interpretation given above of 'Remove the mitre and take off the crown'? — He replied: The men [have to follow] the example of the High Priest, but not the women. What is the meaning of the words in this passage, 'This not this'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'This shall be no more the same', quoted above. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> R. 'Awira gave the following exposition, sometimes in the name of R. Ammi and sometimes in the name of R. Assi: When God said to Israel, 'Remove the mitre and take off the crown', the ministering angels said, Sovereign of the Universe, is 'this' for Israel who at Mount Sinai said 'we will do' before 'we will hear'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus showing their devotion to God. Ex. XXIV, 7. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> Should not 'this' be for Israel, replied the Holy One, blessed be He, who have made low that which should be exalted and exalted that which should be low, and placed an image in the sanctuary? R. 'Awira also gave the following exposition, sometimes in the name of R. Ammi and sometimes in the name of R. Assi; What is the meaning of the verse, Thus saith the Lord, though they be in full strength and likewise many, even so shall they be sheared off<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'cut down'. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> and he shall cross etc.?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'pass away Nah. I, 12. ');"><sup>23</sup></span> If a man sees that his livelihood is barely sufficient for him, he should give charity from it, and all the more so if it is plentiful.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Translating, 'If they be … and all the more.' ');"><sup>24</sup></span> What is the meaning of the words, 'Even so they shall be sheared and he shall cross'? — In the school of R. Ishmael it was taught: Whoever shears off part of his possessions and dispenses it in charity is delivered from the punishment of Gehenna. Picture two sheep crossing a river, one shorn and the other not shorn; the shorn one gets across, the unshorn one does not.