Shabbat 11A

עשרים ושש, דכתיב: ״שתים עשרה שנה עבדו את כדרלעומר ושלש עשרה שנה מרדו. ובארבע עשרה שנה וגו׳״

during which they committed their sins was altogether 26 years, as it is written: “12 years they served Chedorlaomer and 13 years they rebelled, and in the 14th year Chedorlaomer came” (Genesis 14:4–5). The 12 years plus the 14 years during which they were enslaved were not years of tranquility, leaving only 26 tranquil years when they were sinful.

ואמר רבא בר מחסיא אמר רב חמא בר גוריא אמר רב: כל עיר שגגותיה גבוהין מבית הכנסת לסוף חרבה. שנאמר: ״לרומם את בית אלהינו ולהעמיד את חרבותיו״. והני מילי בבתים, אבל בקשקושי ואברורי לית לן בה. אמר רב אשי: אנא עבדי למתא מחסיא דלא חרבה. והא חרבה! מאותו עון לא חרבה.

And Rava bar Meḥasseya said that Rav Ḥama bar Gurya said that Rav said: Any city whose roofs are higher than the synagogue will ultimately be destroyed because of the contempt shown the synagogue. Allusion to this is from that which is stated: “To uplift the house of our God and restore its ruins” (Ezra 9:9). The house that is devoted to God needs to be elevated above the other houses of the city. The Talmud adds: And this applies only to the height of the houses themselves. However, if the poles [kashkushei] and the towers [abrurei] that extend from the house are higher than the synagogue, we have no problem with it. Rav Ashi said: I caused the city of Mata Meḥasseya to not be destroyed by building the synagogue higher than the other houses. The Talmud asks: Wasn’t Mata Meḥasseya ultimately destroyed? The Talmud answers: It was not destroyed because of that sin; other sins caused its destruction.

ואמר רבא בר מחסיא אמר רב חמא בר גוריא אמר רב: תחת ישמעאל ולא תחת נכרי. תחת נכרי ולא תחת חבר. תחת חבר ולא תחת תלמיד חכם. תחת תלמיד חכם ולא תחת יתום ואלמנה.

And Rava bar Meḥasseya said that Rav Ḥama bar Gurya said that Rav said: It is preferable to be under the yoke of Ishmael and not under the yoke of a stranger, the Romans; under a stranger and not under a Ḥabar, a Persian Zoroastrian fire priest; under a Ḥabar and not under a Torah scholar, as if one offends a Torah scholar who is greater than he, the scholar will be exacting with him and he will be punished at the hand of Heaven; under a Torah scholar and not under an orphan or a widow, as they are easily insulted and God promised to hear their cries and punish those who offend them.