Midrash su Isaia 51:20

(Fol. 117) A certain man desired to point out to the government [for confiscation] the straw of his neighbor. He was summoned before Rab, who warned him not to do it; but that man insisted and said: "I will show it." R. Cahana was then sitting before Rab, and observing how that man refused to obey the order of Rab, tore out the latter's windpipe. Rab thereupon applied the following passage (Is. 51, 20) Thy children have fainted; they lie at the entrance of all the streets, as a wild bull caught in a net; i.e., just as no mercy is shown to a wild bull, when it is caught in the net, so also is the property of Israel shown no mercy when it falls into the hands of an idolater. [Hence R. Cahana meted out the proper punishment to the man]. Rab then said to R. Cahana: "Formerly the rulers were Persians, who did not care about bloodshed [executing by the authorized court]; but now they are Greeks, who do care about bloodshed, and they cry. Rebellion! Rebellion! Better go away to the land of Israel, and as a punishment for your crime you should take yourself not to discuss any subject with R. Jochanan for seven years." R. Cahana obeyed the order and went. When he came to Palestine he found that Resh Lakish was reciting with the Rabbis the daily lecture of R. Jochanan. He inquired where Resh Lakish was, and when he was asked why he needed him, he replied: "Concerning such and such a question; about this and that explanation." The Rabbis went and informed Resh Lakish. Resh Lakish, in return, immediately went and notified R. Jochanan, saying: "A lion came from Babylon. Let the master prepare himself well for tomorrow's lecture, for the visitor might interrupt with inquiries." On the morrow they gave a seat to R. Cahana among those in the first row, in the very front of R. Jochanan. R. Jochanan explained the first law, and no objection came from R. Cahana. He was immediately removed to the next row. R. Jochanan recited another law, and still R. Cahana did not question liim, so they sat him in the next lower row, until R. Cahana was lowered seven rows, thus occupying a seat in the last row. R. Jochanan thereupon remarked to Resh Lakish: "The lion which thou spoke of became a fox." R. Cahana then offered a silent prayer to God and said: "May it be Thy Heavenly will that the seven rows which I was lowered should be as an exchange for the seven years during which Rab ordered me not to discuss any subject with R. Jochanan." Immediately thereupon he arose and asked R. Jochanan to repeat his lecture from the very beginning. As soon as R. Jochanan started to repeat the first law, R. Cahana raised an objection which R. Jochanan was unable to answer. R. Cahana was thereupon elevated one row. R. Jochanan explained another law, and again R. Cahana raised an objection, for which he was again raised another row, until he was thus returned to the first row. R. Jochanan was sitting upon seven pillows, but after he had explained the first traditional law, to which R. Cahana raised an objection, a pillow was removed from under R. Jochanan, and they kept on removing pillows until R. Jochanan remained sitting on the bare ground. R. Jochanan was very old, and his eyelids were very long, thus preventing him from seeing well. He asked his disciples to have his eyelids lifted up, so that he might be able to observe the visiting scholar. His disciples raised his eyelids with golden pincers, and R. Jochanan glanced at R. Cahana. The latter's lip was torn apart, so that it appeared to R. Jochanan as if R. Cahana was laughing at him. Whereupon R. Jochanan became despondent, and in consequence caused the death of R. Cahana. On the following morning, R. Jochanan remarked to his disciples: "Did you see how the Babylonian was making a laughing stock of us?" Whereupon his disciples replied: "This was his natural appearance." Realizing his grave mistake, R. Jochanan immediately went to the cave wherein R. Cahana was interned. He noticed that (Ib. b) it was surrounded by a serpent, so he said: "Serpent, serpent, open thy mouth and relieve the cave, so that the teacher and his disciples may enter;" but the serpent did not open its mouth. "Let one of his associates enter." Still the serpent did not open its mouth. "Let a disciple enter unto his teacher." The serpent finally opened its mouth. R. Jochanan prayed, and his prayers revived H. Cahana. "Had I known that this was the natural appearance of the master," said R. Jochanan, " I would not have become despondent. Now pray let the master come with us." Whereupon R. Cahana replied: "If the master is able to pray that I should never die again, then I will go; but if not, then I will not go, for, since I went through such a time, I shall pass away." R. Jochanan awakened him and made him stand; then he asekd R. Cahana all his doubtful traditions, and the latter explained them to him, and this is meant by R. Jochanan: "I believed learning was yours (the Palestinians]; but it is really theirs (the Babylonians)."