Our sages tell us in the tractate Bava Metzia, chapter 84a: “One day Rabbi Yochanan was swimming in the Jordan River. Reish Lakish [a criminal] saw him and thought he was a woman. He jumped into the Jordan, threw his spear into the water, and swam toward him. When Rabbi Yochanan saw him, he said: Your strength should be for the Torah! Reish Lakish replied: Your beauty should be for women! Rabbi Yochanan said to him: If you repent [of the life you lead], I will give you [as a wife] my sister, who is more beautiful than I.” Reish Lakish accepted the deal. However, he tried to get his weapon back but could not.

Rabbi Yochanan taught him Torah and Mishnah and made him a great man. One day, [the two] were debating in the house of study [regarding] the sword, the knife, the spear, and the sickle. At what stage [of their [manufacture] become impure? They both answered: The moment they are finished. And when are they considered finished? Rabbi Yochanan said: When they have been tempered in a furnace. Reish Lakish said: When they have been polished with water. Rabbi Yochanan said: A thief knows the tools of his trade. Raish Lakish answered him: And how has what you have done for me benefited me? There [as a thief] they called me Master, and here [also] they call me Master. Rabbi Yochanan said: I helped you by bringing you under the wings of the Shekhinah (the presence of God).

Rabbi Yochanan was deeply hurt, [which caused] Reish Lakish to become ill. Rabbi Yochanan’s sister came and wept before her brother. She said to him: [Forgive him and] look at my son who is going to be orphaned. He said to her: Leave your orphans, I will provide for them. She said to him: For the sake of my widowhood. He said to him, “And let your widows trust in me.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish died. Rabbi Yohanan was deeply distressed. The rabbis said, “What can we do to comfort him? Let us send Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat, who is a scholar, to sit before him…

In response to everything Rabbi Yohanan said, Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat would answer him, “Here is a text that supports [what you say]. Rabbi Yohanan said, “Do you think I need this?” When I argued [in favor of] a commandment, Reish Lakish would raise twenty-four objections, and I would give him twenty-four answers. This led to a better understanding of the law. And you say to me, “Here is a text that agrees with what you say. Do I not know that what I said was correct?” Rabbi Yohanan tore his clothes and wept, “Reish Lakish, where are you, son of Lakish, where are you!” And he wept until he lost his mind. So, the rabbis prayed for him, and he finally died.”

Many lessons can be gleaned from this Aggadah. In the time of the Talmud, our sages discussed the meaning of the Torah’s commandments and often arrived at different interpretations. For there wasn’t always a single answer to the same question. Even more so when the meaning of the question and its corresponding answer changed with time and place. Although late, Rabbi Yohanan realized that the important thing wasn’t having the correct answer but rather walking the path of his search alongside his study partner, with whom he happily argued. The beauty was in discussing with the other, more than in coinciding with him.

By Marcos Gojman.

Bibliography: Ruth Calderon “A Bridge for One Night, Talmud Tales”