Study Taanit folio 22A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
לצפרא, כרכינהו ושקלינהו וקמו ונפקו להו לשוקא ואשכחינהו. אמרו ליה: לשיימיה מר היכי שוו. אמר להו: הכי והכי. אמרו ליה: ודלמא שוו טפי? אמר להו: בהכי (שקלינהו) [שקלי להו]. אמרו ליה: דידך ניהו ושקלינהו מינך.
In the morning, the rabbis rolled up these rugs and took them, and they arose and went out to the market with them. And when Abba found them, the rabbis said to him: Let the Master appraise these rugs, how much they are worth. He said to them: Their value is such and such. They said to him: But perhaps they are worth more. He said to them: This is what I paid for them. They said to him: The rugs are yours and we took them from you.
אמרו ליה: במטותא מינך במאי חשדתינן? אמר להו: אמינא, פדיון שבויים איקלע להו לרבנן, ואכסיפו למימר לי. אמרו ליה: השתא נשקלינהו מר! אמר להו: מההוא שעתא אסחתינהו מדעתאי לצדקה.
After explaining the reason for their actions, the rabbis said to him: Please tell us, what did you suspect of us? You knew that we had taken your rugs, and yet you did not say anything. He said to them: I said to myself, certainly an unexpected opportunity for a ransom of prisoners became available for the rabbis, and they required immediate funds, but they were too embarrassed to say so to me or to ask for money. Instead, they took the rugs. The rabbis said to him: Now that we have explained the situation, let the Master take back the rugs. He said to them: From that moment when I realized they were missing, I put them out of my mind and consigned them for charity. As far as I am concerned, they are already designated for that purpose, and I cannot take them back.
Rava was distressed due to the fact that Abaye received greetings from Heaven every Friday, while Rava received such greetings only once a year, on Yom Kippur eve, as stated above. They said to him: Be content that through your merit you protect your entire city.