Rabbi Kook

The trees of Yerushalayim were of cinnamon. When people would burn their wood, it would give off an aroma throughout the Land of Israel.

[The gemara continues to expound upon the p’sukim (Yeshaya 3:16-17) that complain about the Jewish girls who acted in a provocative manner and mention the punishment they thereby bring upon themselves.] “Hashem will be mesape’ach the heads of the Daughters of Zion.” Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina said: This teaches that leprosy broke out on them, as the root sepach overlaps with that of one of the types of leprosy (see Vayikra 14:14).

This is how Rava the son of Rav Ilai learned the following pasuk. That which it says, “Hashem said: Since the daughters of Israel make themselves tall” (Yeshaya 3:16) (which was the introduction to a prophecy of tragedy) refers to the fact that they would walk overly erect.

Three things bring a person to the point of poverty: One who urinates in front of his bed when he is naked; one who is not careful to perform netilat yadayim (washing the hands); one whose wife curses him to his face.

Abaye said: The letter yud of the tefillin (formed by the straps of the tefillin shel yad) are a halacha l’Moshe miSinai (it was handed down orally by Hashem to Moshe at Sinai).

When one puts on his shoes, he puts on the right shoe first and then the left shoe. When one takes off his shoes, he takes off the left shoe first and then the right shoe.

What is the background behind the prohibition on a shoe called sandal hamesumar? Shmuel said: there was a decree [made by enemies], and people were hiding in caves. The people in the caves agreed: “Whoever comes in, comes in; and whoever leaves, leaves.” The shoe of one of them was turned around, so that they thought that one of them left and was seen by the enemies who were now attacking. They started pushing each other and killed more of each other than the enemies killed of them.

Rav was told: A great and tall man, who limps and teaches that it is permitted to wear a crown, has come. Rav said: Who is a great and tall man who limps? Levi. It is clear, then, that Rabbi Affes has died, Rav Chanina has taken on the role of the head of the central rabbinical academy, so that Levi had no one to study with and came here. Maybe Rav Chanina died, Rabbi Affes remained as he was, and Levi had no one to sit with, and therefore he came here? If Rav Chanina would have died, Levi would have made himself subservient to Rabbi Affes.

Rav was told: A great and tall man, who limps and teaches that it is permitted to wear a crown, has come. Rav said: Who is a great and tall man who limps? Levi. It is clear, then, that Rabbi Affes has died, Rav Chanina has taken on the role of the head of the central rabbinical academy, so that Levi had no one to study with and came here.Gemara: Rav was told: A great and tall man, who limps and teaches that it is permitted to wear a crown, has come. Rav said: Who is a great and tall man who limps? Levi. It is clear, then, that Rabbi Affes has died, Rav Chanina has taken on the role of the head of the central rabbinical academy, so that Levi had no one to study with and came here.