Study Kiddushin folio 70B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
אין שואלין בשלום אשה. על ידי בעלה! אמר ליה: הכי אמר שמואל: אין שואלין בשלום אשה כלל. שלחה ליה דביתהו: שרי ליה תגריה דלא נישוויך כשאר עם הארץ.
One may not send greetings to a woman even with a messenger, as this may cause the messenger and the woman to relate to each other inappropriately. Rav Naḥman countered by suggesting that he send his greetings with her husband, which would remove all concerns. Rav Yehuda said to him: This is what Shmuel says: One may not send greetings to a woman at all. Yalta, his wife, who overheard that Rav Yehuda was getting the better of the exchange, sent a message to him: Release him and conclude your business with him, so that he not equate you with another am ha'aretz.
אמר ליה: מאי שיאטיה דמר הכא? אמר ליה: טסקא דהזמנותא שדר מר אבתראי. אמר ליה: השתא שותא דמר לא גמירנא, טסקא דהזמנותא משדרנא למר?! אפיק דיסקא דהזמנותא מבי חדיה ואחזי ליה, אמר ליה: הא גברא והא דסקא. אמר ליה: הואיל ואתא מר להכא לישתעי מיליה כי היכי דלא לימרו מחנפי רבנן אהדדי.
Desiring to release Rav Yehuda, Rav Naḥman said to him: What is the reason that the Master is here? Rav Yehuda said to him: The Master sent me a summons. Rav Naḥman said to him: Now that I have not even learned the Master’s form of speech, as you have demonstrated your superiority to me by reproving me even over such matters, could I have sent a summons to the Master? Rav Yehuda removed the summons from his bosom and showed it to him. While doing so, Rav Yehuda said to him: Here is the man and here is the document. Rav Naḥman said to him: Since the Master has come here, let him present his statement, in order that people should not say: The rabbis flatter one another and do not judge each other according to the letter of the law.
אמר ליה: מאי טעמא שמתיה מר לההוא גברא? ציער שליחא דרבנן. ונגדיה מר, דרב מנגיד על מאן דמצער שלוחא דרבנן. דעדיף מיניה עבדי ליה.
Rav Naḥman commenced the deliberation, and said to him: What is the reason that the Master excommunicated that man? Rav Yehuda replied: He caused discomfort to an agent of one of the rabbis, and therefore he deserved the punishment of one who causes discomfort to a Torah scholar. Rav Naḥman challenged this answer: If so, let the Master flog him, as Rav would flog one who causes discomfort to an agent of the rabbis. Rav Yehuda responded: I punished him more severely than that. R' Yehuda held that excommunication is a more severe punishment than flogging.