Dinars, Disputes, and Dilutions: Rava's Query and the Spark of a Scholarly Spat (Nedarim 55a)
Intro
In this Talmudic story, someone referred to as Bar Mar Shmuel1 directs his workers to give Rava a significant sum of money—13,000 denarii—from the “alalta” produced in his fields by the Panya River (נהר פניא). Unsure about what precisely the term "alalta" encompasses, Rava sends messengers to seek clarification from Rav Yosef.
Upon receiving the definition of "alalta" as previously taught in a baraita, Rava acknowledges that this basic query was not his real concern; he had a more complex dilemma in mind. However, the messengers return to Rav Yosef and convey Rava's reaction, which frustrates Rav Yosef, leading him to question why Rava sent the query if he felt he already knew the answer.
Rav Yosef’s frustration results in anger towards Rava. Aware of this, Rava visits Rav Yosef on the eve of Yom Kippur in an attempt to make amends. He takes the opportunity to personally dilute Rav Yosef's wine,2 a task normally performed by Rav Yosef’s attendant (שמעיה). Rava's unique style of dilution—using more water than usual—is recognized by Rav Yosef, despite his blindness, prompting a moment of connection between them. Recognizing Rava's presence, Rav Yosef then engages him directly, demanding an explanation of a Biblical verse.
The Passage
בר מר שמואל פקיד, דליתנון תליסר אלפי זוזי לרבא, מן עללתא דנהר פניא.
שלחה רבא לקמיה דרב יוסף: ״עללתא״ היכי מיקריא?
אמר רב יוסף, מתניתין היא:
[...]
אהדרוהו לקמיה דרבא.
אמר: הא לא קא מיבעיא לי
[...]
הדא הוא דאיבעיא לי:
[...]
אמרוה רבנן קמיה דרב יוסף, אמר: וכי מאחר דלא צריך לן, אמאי שלח לן?!
איקפד רב יוסף.
שמע רבא, ואתא לקמיה במעלי יומא דכפורי.
אשכחיה לשמעיה דהוה קא מזיג קמיה כסא דחמרא.
אמר ליה: הב לי דאמזיג ליה אנא.
יהב ליה, וקא מזיג איהו כסא דחמרא.
כי קא שתי אמר: הדין מיזגא דמי למיזגא דרבא בריה דרב יוסף בר חמא.
אמר ליה: הוא ניהו.
אמר ליה: לא תיתיב אכרעך, עד דאמרת לי פירושא דהדין מילתא: מאי דכתיב:
[...]
The Gemara relates: The son of Master Shmuel commanded his workers that they give thirteen thousand dinars to Rava from the crop [alalta] produced in his fields on the banks of the Panya River.
Rava sent this question before Rav Yosef: What is called alalta; what crops are included in the category of alalta?
Rav Yosef said: It is as it is taught in the baraita cited above:
[...]
The messengers returned with the answer to his question and came before Rava.
He said: That was not a dilemma for me,
[...]
This is the matter that is a dilemma for me:
[...]
The Rabbis stated Rava’s reaction before Rav Yosef.
Rav Yosef said: And since he does not need us, and he believes that he knows the answer himself, why did he send us the question?!
Rav Yosef became angry with Rava.
Rava heard that Rav Yosef was angry and came before him on Yom Kippur eve to appease him.
He found the attendant of Rav Yosef, who was diluting a cup of wine with water before him.
Rava said to the attendant: Give me the cup so that I will dilute the wine for him.
The attendant gave it to him and Rava diluted the cup of wine.
While Rav Yosef, who was blind, was drinking the wine, he said: This dilution is similar to the dilution of Rava, son of Rav Yosef bar Ḥama, who would dilute wine with more than the standard amount of water.
Rava said to him: Correct, it is he.
Rav Yosef said to Rava: Do not sit on your feet until you tell me the explanation of this matter: What is the meaning of that which is written:
[...]
בר מר שמואל - this cannot be the son of the major amora Shmuel, who lived much earlier, see מר שמואל מר – ויקיפדיה.
See Ancient Greece and wine - Wikipedia > “Greek wine”:
“Wine was almost always diluted, usually with water”.