Talmud zu Jechezkiel 7:78

Rebbi used to ordain double ordinations¹¹⁰This ordination was not simply the granting of an ecclesiastical degree but carried with it the appointment as Ḥakham to a rabbinic post which it was the Patriarch’s duty to see to it that it was filled.. If they were worthy of it they were continuing; if not they were disappearing¹¹¹If those appointed by Rebbi were found worthy of the posts given to them in the eyes of heaven, they lived a long life; otherwise they would die an early death.. When he was to die, he commanded his son; he said, do not act thus but ordain all of them together, and ordain Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina¹¹²One has to read either simply Ḥanina (as in the parallel Eccl. rabba 7(16)) or Ḥanina bar Ḥama (Babli Ketubot103b). As the name Ḥama shows and the story confirms, he was a Babylonian (Babylonian Aramaic from the Accadic ח֗מי “to protect, guard, trust”.) first. Why did he not ordain him himself? Rebbi Derosa said, because the Sepphoreans complained about him¹¹³That he was too strict in his rabbinic rulings, being a recognized scholar but not appointed by the Patriarch.. And because of complaints one acts? Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Yose said, because he corrected him in public. Rebbi was sitting, stating: Their refugees will remember Me¹¹⁴Ez. 7:9., on the mountains like valley doves, all of them cooing¹¹⁵Ez. 7:16. For “cooing”, Rebbi used rabbinic Hebrew hōmiōt.. He said to him, all of them cooing¹¹⁶In correct biblical Hebrew (almost MT) hōmōt.. He asked him, where did you study this text? He said, before the Babylonian Rav Hamnuna. He said to him, if you will descend there, tell him that he should ordain you as Ḥakham. He understood that he¹¹⁷R. Ḥanina understood that he would not become Ḥakham in Rebbi’s lifetime. never would be ordained in his lifetime. After he died, his son wanted to ordain him, but he did not accept to be ordained unless Rebbi Ephes the Southerner was ordained before him. There was there an old man who said, if Ḥanina precedes me, I have to be the second; if Rebbi Ephes the Southerner precedes me, I have to be the second. Rebbi Ḥanina accepted to be ordained as third¹¹⁸According to both parallel sources he agreed to be the third in rank in the Academy of Rebbi’s successor..

Rebbi used to ordain double ordinations¹¹⁰This ordination was not simply the granting of an ecclesiastical degree but carried with it the appointment as Ḥakham to a rabbinic post which it was the Patriarch’s duty to see to it that it was filled.. If they were worthy of it they were continuing; if not they were disappearing¹¹¹If those appointed by Rebbi were found worthy of the posts given to them in the eyes of heaven, they lived a long life; otherwise they would die an early death.. When he was to die, he commanded his son; he said, do not act thus but ordain all of them together, and ordain Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina¹¹²One has to read either simply Ḥanina (as in the parallel Eccl. rabba 7(16)) or Ḥanina bar Ḥama (Babli Ketubot103b). As the name Ḥama shows and the story confirms, he was a Babylonian (Babylonian Aramaic from the Accadic ח֗מי “to protect, guard, trust”.) first. Why did he not ordain him himself? Rebbi Derosa said, because the Sepphoreans complained about him¹¹³That he was too strict in his rabbinic rulings, being a recognized scholar but not appointed by the Patriarch.. And because of complaints one acts? Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Yose said, because he corrected him in public. Rebbi was sitting, stating: Their refugees will remember Me¹¹⁴Ez. 7:9., on the mountains like valley doves, all of them cooing¹¹⁵Ez. 7:16. For “cooing”, Rebbi used rabbinic Hebrew hōmiōt.. He said to him, all of them cooing¹¹⁶In correct biblical Hebrew (almost MT) hōmōt.. He asked him, where did you study this text? He said, before the Babylonian Rav Hamnuna. He said to him, if you will descend there, tell him that he should ordain you as Ḥakham. He understood that he¹¹⁷R. Ḥanina understood that he would not become Ḥakham in Rebbi’s lifetime. never would be ordained in his lifetime. After he died, his son wanted to ordain him, but he did not accept to be ordained unless Rebbi Ephes the Southerner was ordained before him. There was there an old man who said, if Ḥanina precedes me, I have to be the second; if Rebbi Ephes the Southerner precedes me, I have to be the second. Rebbi Ḥanina accepted to be ordained as third¹¹⁸According to both parallel sources he agreed to be the third in rank in the Academy of Rebbi’s successor..

The following words are written without a waw,¹At the end of the word. but are to be read with the waw: and offered it;²1 Sam. 7, 9. said;³ibid. 19. Here and in the other verses which are cited the kethib is the singular and the ḳerë the plural. and [they] said;⁴ibid. XII, 10. and they spoke;⁵1 Kings 12, 7. shall they take away;⁶2 Kings 20, 18. and let them deliver;⁷ibid. XXII, 5. and eat;⁸Isa. 37, 30. together;⁹Jer. 48, 7, yaḥdaw to be read for yaḥad. and they shall profane it;¹⁰Ezek. 7, 21. and they offered;¹¹Ezra 3, 3. was made;¹²Dan. 5, 21. and took upon them;¹³Esth. 9, 27. Hananiah;¹⁴Added by GRA and H. The name Hananiah indicates Neh. 3, 30 where the text omits the waw at the end of ’aḥaraw (after him). Malchijah.¹⁵Indicating ibid. 31 where the waw at the end of ’aḥaraw is also omitted. The reverse of this [occurs in the following words]:¹⁶A superfluous waw is written but not read. my feet;¹⁷2 Sam. 22, 34; the kethib is ‘his feet’. [Although not included here, in the preceding verse my way is ‘his way’ in the kethib.] throw her down;¹⁸2 Kings 9, 33. [The added waw is due to dittography and superfluous.] and … commanded;¹⁹ibid. XVI, 15. The kethib means ‘commanded him’. straight before him;²⁰In Ezek. 46, 9 where the verb shall go forth is written as plural but to be read as singular. the fountain gate;²¹In Neh. 3, 15 where the kethib is ‘they set up’ and the ḳerë (he) set up. and called him;²²In 1 Kings 12, 3. The reference is to the word which follows which is plural in the kethib and singular in the ḳerë. and he assembled;²³ibid. 21. Here the reference is to the first verb was come which is written as plural but to be read as singular. took.²⁴In 2 Kings 14, 13. The reference is again to the verb came with the singular to be read for the plural in the text.

Ben Azzai would say: When someone’s mind is calm as a result of the wisdom they have acquired, that is a good sign. When someone’s mind is not calm as a result of the wisdom they have acquired, that is a bad sign. When someone’s mind is calm in the face of his desire, that is a good sign. When someone’s mind is not calm in the face of his desire, that is a bad sign. When the sages look kindly upon someone (at the time of his death), that is a good sign. When the sages do not look kindly upon someone, that is a bad sign. When someone is facing upward [at the time of his death], that is a good sign. When someone is facing downward, that is a bad sign. When someone looks people in the eye, that is a good sign. When someone avoids looking people in the eye, that is a bad sign. When someone’s face shines, that is a good sign. When someone’s face is gloomy, that is a bad sign.
At the hour of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai’s death, he raised his voice and cried. His students said to him: Rabbi! You are a tall pillar, a light to the world, a mighty hammer; so why do you cry? He said to them: Am I going to face a human king? If he were angry with me, it would be only in this world. And if he imprisoned me or killed me, it would be only in this world. And what’s more, I would be able to pacify him with words, or bribe him with money. But no, I am going to face the King of all kings, the Holy Blessed One. And if He is angry with me, it will be in this world and in the World to Come. And what’s more, I cannot pacify Him with words or bribe Him with money. So I have two paths before me: one that leads to Paradise, and one that leads to Gehenna, and I do not know if He will force me into Gehenna or bring me into Paradise. For the verse says about Him (Psalms 22:30), “All who go down into the dirt will submit before him.” (With regard to Moses, it says that he breathed his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people.) It also says (Exodus 33:23), “I will remove my hand.” And then it says (Ezekiel 2:10), “And He spread it out before me, and it had writing on the front and on the back.” “On the front” refers to this world; “on the back” refers to the World to Come. Another interpretation: “On the front” refers to the sufferings of the righteous in this world and the tranquility of the wicked in this world. “On the back” refers to the reward for the righteous in the Future to Come, and the punishment for the wicked in Gehenna.
[The verse from Ezekiel continues:]“And on it were written lamentations, dirges, and woes” (Ezekiel 2:10). “Lamentations” refers to the punishment of the wicked in this world, as it says (Ezekiel 32:16), “This is the lamentation with which they shall lament for her; the women of the nations shall lament for her.” “Dirges” refers to the reward for the righteous in the Time to Come, as it says (Psalms 92:4), “Upon the ten-stringed instrument, and upon the lyre and the dirge of the harp.” “Woe” refers to the punishment of the wicked in the World to Come ,as it says (Ezekiel 7:26), “Woe will come upon woe, rumor upon rumor.”
He would also say: Clear your house of impurity, and prepare a chair for Hezekiah, king of Judah.