וְלֵימָא לֵיהּ מֵימַר [בְּהֶדְיָא]! אָמַר: שָׁמְעִי (בִּי) חֲשׁוּבֵי רוֹמִי וּמְצַעֲרוּ לֵיהּ. וְלֵימָא לֵיהּ בְּלַחַשׁ! מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת הַקּוֹל״.

The Gemara asks: But why not let him say his advice explicitly? Why did Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi answer in such a circumspect way, which could have been interpreted incorrectly? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to himself: If I answer openly, the important Romans might hear me and will cause me anguish. The Gemara asks: But why not let him say his advice quietly? The Gemara explains: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was still worried that they might hear what he had said, because it is written: “Curse not the king, no, not in your thought, and curse not the rich in your bedchamber, for a bird of the air shall carry the voice” (Ecclesiastes 10:20).

הֲוָה לֵיהּ הַהוּא בְּרַתָּא דִּשְׁמָהּ גִּירָא, קָעָבְדָה אִיסּוּרָא; שְׁדַר לֵיהּ גַּרְגִּירָא, שְׁדַר לֵיהּ כּוּסְבַּרְתָא; שְׁדַר לֵיהּ כַּרְתִּי, שְׁלַח לֵיהּ חָסָא.

The Gemara relates: Antoninus had a certain daughter whose name was Gira, who performed a prohibited action, i.e., she engaged in promiscuous intercourse. Antoninus sent a rocket plant [ gargira ] to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, to allude to the fact that Gira had acted promiscuously [ gar ]. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi sent him coriander [ kusbarta ], which Antoninus understood as a message to kill [ kos ] his daughter [ barta ], as she was liable to receive the death penalty for her actions. Antoninus sent him leeks [ karti ] to say: I will be cut off [ karet ] if I do so. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi then sent him lettuce [ ḥasa ], i.e., Antoninus should have mercy [ ḥas ] on her.

כָּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה שְׁדַר לֵיהּ דַּהֲבָא פְּרִיכָא בְּמַטְרָאתָא וְחִיטֵּי אַפּוּמַיְיהוּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: אַמְטִיּוּ חִיטֵּי לְרַבִּי. אֲמַר [לֵיהּ רַבִּי]: לָא צְרִיכְנָא, אִית לִי טוּבָא. אֲמַר: לֶיהֱווּ לְמַאן דְּבַתְרָךְ דְּיָהֲבִי לְבַתְרָאֵי דְּאָתוּ בַּתְרָךְ, וּדְאָתֵי מִינַּיְיהוּ נֵיפּוֹק עֲלַיְיהוּ.

The Gemara relates: Every day Antoninus would send to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi crushed gold in large sacks, with wheat in the opening of the sacks. He would say to his servants: Bring this wheat to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and they did not realize that the bags actually contained gold. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to Antoninus: I do not need gold, as I have plenty. Antoninus said: The gold should be for those who will come after you, who will give it to the last ones who come after you. And those who descend from them will bring forth the gold that I now give you, and will be able to pay taxes to the Romans from this money.

הֲוָה לֵיהּ הַהִיא נְקַרְתָּא דַּהֲוָה עַיְילָא מִבֵּיתֵיהּ לְבֵית רַבִּי, כָּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה מַיְיתֵי תְּרֵי עַבְדֵי, חַד קְטָלֵיהּ אַבָּבָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי וְחַד קְטָלֵיהּ אַבָּבָא דְּבֵיתֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּעִידָּנָא דְּאָתֵינָא לָא נִשְׁכַּח גְּבַר קַמָּךְ.

The Gemara relates anther anecdote involving Antoninus. Antoninus had a certain underground cave from which there was a tunnel that went from his house to the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. Every day he would bring two servants to serve him. He would kill one at the entrance of the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and would kill the other one at the entrance of his house, so that no living person would know that he had visited Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. He said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: When I come to visit, let no man be found before you.

יוֹמָא חַד אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ לְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר חָמָא דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב, אֲמַר: לָא אָמִינָא לָךְ בְּעִידָּנָא דְּאָתֵינָא לָא נִשְׁכַּח גְּבַר קַמָּךְ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֵית דֵּין בַּר אִינִישׁ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֵימָא לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא עַבְדָּא דְּגָנֵי אַבָּבָא דְּקָאֵים וְלֵיתֵי.

One day, Antoninus found that Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama was sitting there. He said: Did I not tell you that when I come to visit, let no man be found before you? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: This is not a human being; he is like an angel, and you have nothing to fear from him. Antoninus said to Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama: Tell that servant who is sleeping at the entrance that he should rise and come.

אֲזַל רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר חָמָא אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה קְטִיל, אֲמַר: הֵיכִי אַעֲבִיד? אִי אֵיזִיל וְאֵימָא לֵיהּ דִּקְטִיל – אֵין מְשִׁיבִין עַל הַקַּלְקָלָה, אֶשְׁבְּקֵיהּ וְאֵיזִיל – קָא מְזַלְזְלִינַן בְּמַלְכוּתָא! בְּעָא רַחֲמֵי עֲלֵיהּ וְאַחֲיֵיהּ וּשְׁדַרֵיהּ. אֲמַר: יָדַעֲנָא, זוּטִי דְּאִית בְּכוּ מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים, מִיהוּ בְּעִידָּנָא דְּאָתֵינָא לָא נִשְׁכַּח אִינִישׁ קַמָּךְ.

Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama went and found that the servant Antoninus referred to had been killed. He said to himself: How shall I act? If I go and tell Antoninus that he was killed, this is problematic, as one should not report distressing news. If I leave him and go, then I would be treating the king with disrespect. He prayed for God to have mercy and revived the servant, and he sent him to Antoninus. Antoninus said: I know that even the least among you can revive the dead; but when I come to visit let no man be found before you, even one as great as Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama.

כָּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְרַבִּי, מַאֲכִיל לֵיהּ, מַשְׁקֵי לֵיהּ. כִּי הֲוָה בָּעֵי רַבִּי לְמֵיסַק לְפוּרְיָא הֲוָה גָּחֵין קַמֵּי פוּרְיָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: סַק עִילָּוַאי לְפוּרְיָיךְ. אֲמַר: לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְזַלְזוּלֵי בְּמַלְכוּתָא כּוּלֵּי הַאי. אֲמַר: מִי יְשִׂמֵנִי מַצָּע תַּחְתֶּיךָ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

The Gemara relates: Every day Antoninus would minister to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi; he would feed him and give him to drink. When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi wanted to ascend to his bed, Antoninus would bend down in front of the bed and say to him: Ascend upon me to your bed. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said in response: It is not proper conduct to treat the king with this much disrespect. Antoninus said: Oh, that I were set as a mattress under you in the World-to-Come!

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אָתֵינָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, וְהָכְתִיב: ״לֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂרִיד לְבֵית עֵשָׂו״! בְּעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה עֵשָׂו.

On another occasion, Antoninus said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: Will I enter the World-to-Come? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: Yes. Antoninus said to him: But isn’t it written: “And there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau” (Obadiah 1:18)? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi answered: The verse is stated with regard to those who perform actions similar to those of the wicked Esau, not to people like you.

תַּנְיָא נַמִי הָכִי: ״לֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂרִיד לְבֵית עֵשָׂו״ – יָכוֹל לַכֹּל? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״לְבֵית עֵשָׂו״, בְּעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה עֵשָׂו.

This is also taught in a baraita : From the verse: “And there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau,” one might have thought that this applies to everyone descended from Esau, irrespective of an individual’s actions. Therefore, the verse states: “Of the house of Esau,” to indicate that the verse is stated only with regard to those who continue in the way of Esau, and perform actions similar to those of Esau.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ, וְהָכְתִיב: ״שָׁמָּה אֱדוֹם מְלָכֶיהָ וְכָל נְשִׂיאֶיהָ״! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״מְלָכֶיהָ״ – וְלֹא כָּל מְלָכֶיהָ, ״כָּל נְשִׂיאֶיהָ״ – וְלֹא כָּל שָׂרֶיהָ.

Antoninus said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: But isn’t it written in the description of the netherworld: “There is Edom, her kings and all her leaders” (Ezekiel 32:29)? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: The verse states: “Her kings,” but not: All of her kings, and likewise it states: “All her leaders,” but not: All of her officers. Some of them will merit the World-to-Come.

תַּנְיָא נַמִי הָכִי: ״מְלָכֶיהָ״ – וְלֹא כָּל מְלָכֶיהָ, ״כָּל נְשִׂיאֶיהָ״ – וְלֹא כָּל שָׂרֶיהָ; ״מְלָכֶיהָ״ וְלֹא כָּל מְלָכֶיהָ – פְּרָט לְאַנְטוֹנִינוֹס בֶּן אַסְוֵירוּס, ״כָּל נְשִׂיאֶיהָ״ וְלֹא כָּל שָׂרֶיהָ – פְּרָט לִקְטִיעָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם.

This is also taught in a baraita : The verse states: “Her kings,” but not: All of her kings, and: “All her leaders,” but not: All of her officers. The inference learned from the wording of the verse: “Her kings,” but not: All of her kings, serves to exclude Antoninus the son of Asveirus; and the inference from the wording: “All her leaders,” but not: All of her officers, serves to exclude the Roman officer Ketia, son of Shalom.

קְטִיעָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם מַאי הָוֵי? דְּהַהוּא קֵיסָרָא דַּהֲוָה סָנֵי לִיהוּדָאֵי, אֲמַר לְהוּ לַחֲשִׁיבִי דְּמַלְכוּתָא: מִי שֶׁעָלָה לוֹ נִימָא בְּרַגְלוֹ, יִקְטְעֶנָּה וְיִחְיֶה אוֹ יַנִּיחֶנָּה וְיִצְטַעֵר? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: יִקְטְעֶנָּה וְיִחְיֶה.

The Gemara asks: What is it that occurred involving Ketia, son of Shalom? As there was a certain Roman emperor who hated the Jews. He said to the important members of the kingdom: If one had an ulcerous sore [ nima ] rise on his foot, should he cut it off and live, or leave it and suffer? They said to him: He should cut it off and live. The ulcerous sore was a metaphor for the Jewish people, whom the emperor sought to eliminate as the cause of harm for the Roman Empire.

אֲמַר לְהוּ קְטִיעָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם: חֲדָא, דְּלָא יָכְלַתְּ לְהוּ לְכוּלְּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי כְּאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם פֵּרַשְׂתִּי אֶתְכֶם״; מַאי קָאָמַר? אִלֵימָא דִּבְדַרְתְּהוֹן בְּאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, הַאי ״כְּאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת״ – ״לְאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת״ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ! אֶלָּא כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָעוֹלָם בְּלֹא רוּחוֹת, כָּךְ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָעוֹלָם בְּלֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְעוֹד, קָרוּ לָךְ מַלְכוּתָא קְטִיעָה.

Ketia, son of Shalom, said to them: It is unwise to do so, for two reasons. One is that you cannot destroy all of them, as it is written: “For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, says the Lord” (Zechariah 2:10). He clarified: What is it saying? Shall we say that the verse means that God has scattered them to the four winds of the world? If so, this phrase: “As the four winds,” is inaccurate, since it should have said: To the four winds. Rather, this is what the verse is saying: Just as the world cannot exist without winds, so too, the world cannot exist without the Jewish people, and they will never be destroyed. And furthermore, if you attempt to carry out the destruction of the Jews, they will call you the severed kingdom, as the Roman Empire would be devoid of Jews, but Jews would exist in other locations.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מֵימַר שַׁפִּיר קָאָמְרַתְּ, מִיהוּ כָּל דְּזָכֵי מַלְכָּא שְׁדוּ לֵיהּ לְקָמוֹנְיָא חֲלִילָא. כַּד הֲוָה נָקְטִין לֵיהּ וְאָזְלִין, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ הַהִיא מַטְרוֹנִיתָא: וַוי לֵיהּ לְאִילְפָא דְּאָזְלָא בְּלָא מִכְסָא! נְפַל עַל רֵישָׁא דְּעוֹרְלָתֵיהּ קְטַעָהּ, אֲמַר: יְהָבִית מִכְסִי חֲלַפִית וַעֲבַרִית. כִּי קָא שָׁדוּ לֵיהּ, אֲמַר: כָּל נִכְסַאי לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וַחֲבֵירָיו. יָצָא רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְדָרַשׁ: ״וְהָיָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו״ – מֶחֱצָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּמֶחֱצָה לְבָנָיו.

The emperor said to Ketia: You have spoken well and your statement is correct; but they throw anyone who defeats the king in argument into a house full of ashes [ lekamonya ḥalila ], where he would die. When they were seizing Ketia and going to take him to his death, a certain matron [ matronita ] said to him: Woe to the ship that goes without paying the tax. Ketia bent down over his foreskin, severed it, and said: I gave my tax; I will pass and enter. When they threw him into the house of ashes, he said: All of my property is given to Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues. How was this inheritance to be divided? The Gemara relates: Rabbi Akiva went out and taught that the verse: “And it shall be for Aaron and his sons” (Exodus 29:28), means half to Aaron and half to his sons. Here too, as Rabbi Akiva is mentioned separately, he should receive half, while his colleagues receive the other half.

יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: קְטִיעָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם מְזוּמָּן לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. בָּכָה רַבִּי וְאָמַר: יֵשׁ קוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת, וְיֵשׁ קוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹ בְּכַמָּה שָׁנִים.

The Gemara returns to the story of Ketia. A Divine Voice emerged and said: Ketia, son of Shalom, is destined for life in the World-to-Come. When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi heard this, he wept, saying: There is one who acquires his share in the World -to-Come in one moment, and there is one who acquires his share in the World -to-Come only after many years of toil.

אַנְטוֹנִינוֹס שַׁמְּשֵׁיהּ לְרַבִּי, אַדְרַכָּן שַׁמְּשֵׁיהּ לְרַב. כִּי שְׁכִיב אַנְטוֹנִינוֹס, אֲמַר רַבִּי: נִתְפָּרְדָּה חֲבִילָה; כִּי שְׁכִיב אַדְרַכָּן, אֲמַר רַב:

The Gemara relates: Antoninus would attend to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and similarly the Persian king Adrakan would attend to Rav. When Antoninus died, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: The bundle is separated. When Adrakan died, Rav likewise said: