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<p class=MsoNormal>I’m a bit stuck on a Midrash in Berachot 44a, where it
speaks of the fruits of Genosar. It is apparent to me that it is speaking of
the fruits of Torah learning in Tiberias, established by Rabbi Yochanan, who
was able to consume all that was brought to him in tremendous amounts, being
insatiable. And the modest and ego-less persona of Rabbi Abahu is said to
consume so much that a fly fell from his head (as related a few pages later,
61, a fly is considered to be the Yetzer Hara, which would fit within the
personality of Rabbi Abahu.) It the speaks of Rav Assi and Ammi (I’ll
skip for the moment), and the Reish Lakish, who ate so much that he went away
until his brother in-law (R. Yochanan) contacted the teacher of Reish Lakish to
get him back, which he did, and it seems to refer to an actual event in his
life when he was overwhelmed with his learning and life around him. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Now it also mentions Rav Ammi and Assi. Keeping in mind that
all of these personages were together and had close ties to the Tiberias
community (Rav Avahu intervened on Assi/Ammi behalf, R. Yochanan as the
brother-in law of one, but felt like the father to another, and so on). From
what I have learned, Rav Ammi and Assi were part of a 3-person bet din (with R.
Chayya), and would study Torah together, but interrupt it for judging as well
as for ensuring that there was adequate schooling in the land. In this
particular Midrash it says that they (R. Assi and Ammi) …”would
learn until their hair fell out.” (“Ahd” or “until”
seems to be used, not as a terminator, but as a measuring point that is crossed
and returned to).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>That (the loss of hair) is the part that stumps me. Now, I
did find another Midrash where it has R. Ammi and Assi asking R. Yitzchak to
tell them something. One wants a halacha and the other an aggadah. When he
tries to tell one, the other interrupts and he says that it is like a man with
2 wives, where the older one pulls out the black hairs, and the younger one
pulls out the white hairs. (This also feels like a message on how to be a judge
– 2 people with opposing agendas will not both be satisfied).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>So could their loss of hair in the Midrash in Berachot
relate to their actions as judges? Or has someone on this list encountered
another item that would fill in the missing piece of this puzzle?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>As a side note, it’s my viewpoint that this discussion
in the Gemara began from Rav Ashi who had become a force of learning in Bavel
and was praising the learning in Eretz Yisrael, in Tiberias, and that the
Midrash was then brought forth to speak of the Torah giants there and the
sweetness of their Torah.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Thanks in advance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Eliyahu Grossman <o:p></o:p></p>
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