Hillel vs. the Heckler: A Friday Afternoon Challenge to Hillel’s Composure and Physical Anthropology in the Talmud (Shabbat 31a)
And Appendices: Appendix 1: Explanations for Physical Traits of Ethnic Groups; Appendix 2: Formulas for Introducing Stories in the Bible and Talmudic Literature
A man wagered to provoke Hillel to anger and repeatedly disrupted him with trivial questions on Friday afternoon, as he was preparing for Shabbat.1
Despite the provocations, Hillel remained calm and answered each question thoughtfully. When the man admitted his intention to provoke Hillel and his loss of 400 zuz, Hillel responded that patience and calmness are worth such a loss.
Outline
Hillel vs. the Heckler: A Friday Afternoon Challenge to Hillel’s Composure and Physical Anthropology in the Talmud (Shabbat 31a)
Strive for Hillel's Humility and Patience, Not Shammai's Strictness
Testing the Limits of Hillel’s Patience: A Friday Afternoon Bet to Provoke Him
Repeated Questions Before Shabbat: A Man’s Threefold Inquiries to Hillel on Ethnic Physical Traits
Hillel’s Remarkable Patience: Turning a Mocking Challenge and a 400 Zuz Bet into a Lesson in Humility
Appendix 1: Explanations for Physical Traits of Ethnic Groups – Heads, Eyes, and Feet of Babylonians, Palmyrenes, and North Africans (Respectively)
"Why Do Babylonians Have Oval Heads? Due to Unskilled Midwives"
"Why Do the Residents of Tadmor Have Bleary Eyes? Due to Living in Sandy Terrain"
"Why Do North Africans Have Wide Feet? Due to Living in Marshlands"
Appendix 2: Formulas for Introducing Stories in the Bible and Talmudic Literature
The Passage
Strive for Hillel's Humility and Patience, Not Shammai's Strictness
A baraita states that one should always emulate the humility2 and patience of Hillel (fl. early 1st century CE), and avoid the short-temperedness3 of Shammai (his contemporary).4
תנו רבנן:
לעולם יהא אדם ענוותן כהלל,
ואל יהא קפדן כשמאי.
The Sages taught in a baraita:
A person should always be patient like Hillel
and not impatient like Shammai.
Testing the Limits of Hillel’s Patience: A Friday Afternoon Challenge to His Composure
Two individuals made a bet (המרו) of 400 zuz5 that one of them could provoke (יקניט) Hillel (to lose his composure).
One accepted the challenge and chose to test Hillel on Friday afternoon, while Hillel was washing (חפף) his hair.6
The man passed by Hillel’s house, rudely calling out repeatedly, “Who here is Hillel?”
Hillel got dressed7 and kindly asked what he needed.
The man replied that he had a question, to which Hillel warmly encouraged him to ask.
מעשה ב
שני בני אדם, שהמרו זה את זה,
אמרו: כל מי שילך ויקניט את הלל, יטול ארבע מאות זוז.
אמר אחד מהם: אני אקניטנו.
אותו היום ערב שבת היה, והלל חפף את ראשו.
הלך ועבר על פתח ביתו,
אמר: מי כאן הלל, מי כאן הלל?
נתעטף, ויצא לקראתו.
אמר לו:
בני!
מה אתה מבקש?
אמר לו: שאלה יש לי לשאול.
אמר לו: שאל, בני.
The Gemara related:
There was an incident involving
two people who wagered with each other
and said: Anyone who will go and aggravate Hillel to the point that he reprimands him, will take four-hundred zuz.
One of them said: I will aggravate him.
That day that he chose to bother Hillel was Shabbat eve, and Hillel was washing the hair on his head.
He went and passed the entrance to Hillel’s house
and in a demeaning manner said: Who here is Hillel, who here is Hillel?
Hillel wrapped himself in a dignified garment and went out to greet him.
He said to him:
My son!
what do you seek?
He said to him: I have a question to ask.
Hillel said to him: Ask, my son, ask.
Repeated Questions Before Shabbat: A Man’s Threefold Inquiries to Hillel on Ethnic Physical Traits
The man sought out Hillel three separate times on that same Friday afternoon with seemingly trivial questions about physical traits of different ethnic groups.
Each time, Hillel patiently responded, addressing the questions as significant8 and offering explanations:9
Babylonians have oval (סגלגלות) heads due to their unskilled midwives (חיות)
Tadmor (Palmyra) residents have bleary (תרוטות) eyes because they live in sandy terrain
[North] Africans have wide feet adapted to marshlands.
Why Do Babylonians Have Oval Heads? Due to Unskilled Midwives
Babylonians have round10 heads due to their lack of skilled11 midwives.12
שאל: מפני מה ראשיהן של בבליים סגלגלות?
אמר לו:
בני!
שאלה גדולה שאלת!
מפני שאין להם חיות פקחות.
The man asked him: Why are the heads of Babylonians oval? He was alluding to and attempting to insult Hillel, who was Babylonian.
He said to him:
My son!
You have asked a significant question!
The reason is because they do not have clever midwives. They do not know how to shape the child’s head at birth.
Why Do the Residents of Tadmor Have Bleary Eyes? Due to Living in Sandy Terrain
Tadmor (=Palmyra) residents (תרמודיין) have bleary13 eyes because they live (דרין) in sandy terrain.14
הלך והמתין שעה אחת,
חזר ואמר: מי כאן הלל, מי כאן הלל?
נתעטף, ויצא לקראתו.
אמר לו:
בני!
מה אתה מבקש?
אמר לו: שאלה יש לי לשאול.
אמר לו: שאל בני.
שאל: מפני מה עיניהן של תרמודיין תרוטות?
אמר לו:
בני!
שאלה גדולה שאלת.
מפני שדרין בין החולות.
That man went and waited one hour, a short while,
returned to look for Hillel, and said: Who here is Hillel, who here is Hillel?
Again, Hillel wrapped himself and went out to greet him.
Hillel said to him:
My son!
What do you seek?
The man said to him: I have a question to ask.
He said to him: Ask, my son!
The man asked: Why are the eyes of the residents of Tadmor bleary [terutot]?
Hillel said to him:
My son!
you have asked a significant question!
The reason is because they live among the sands and the sand gets into their eyes.
Why Do North Africans Have Wide Feet? Due to Living in Marshlands
[North] Africans have wide feet because they live in marshlands.15
הלך והמתין שעה אחת,
חזר ואמר: מי כאן הלל, מי כאן הלל?
נתעטף, ויצא לקראתו,
אמר לו:
בני!
מה אתה מבקש?
אמר לו: שאלה יש לי לשאול.
אמר לו: שאל בני.
שאל: מפני מה רגליהם של אפרקיים רחבות?
אמר לו:
בני!
שאלה גדולה שאלת
מפני שדרין בין בצעי המים.
Once again the man went, waited one hour,
returned, and said: Who here is Hillel, who here is Hillel?
Again, he, Hillel, wrapped himself and went out to greet him.
He said to him:
My son!
What do you seek?
He said to him: I have a question to ask.
He said to him: Ask, my son!
The man asked: Why do Africans have wide feet?
Hillel said to him:
My son!
You have asked a significant question!
The reason is because they live in marshlands and their feet widened to enable them to walk through those swampy areas.
Hillel’s Remarkable Patience: Turning a Mocking Challenge and a 400 Zuz Bet into a Lesson in Humility
The man then said that he had more questions but feared angering Hillel. Hillel calmly invited him to ask freely.
Frustrated, the man revealed his true intent, mocking Hillel as the Nasi of Israel and lamenting losing 400 zuz in a bet because Hillel refused to get angry.
Hillel responded with composure, advising him to avoid such situations and affirming that his own not getting upset16 was worth even greater losses.
אמר לו: שאלות הרבה יש לי לשאול, ומתירא אני שמא תכעוס.
נתעטף, וישב לפניו.
אמר לו: כל שאלות שיש לך לשאול, שאל.
אמר לו אתה הוא הלל שקורין אותך ״נשיא ישראל״?
אמר לו: הן.
אמר לו: אם אתה הוא, לא ירבו כמותך בישראל.
אמר לו:
בני!
מפני מה?!
אמר לו: מפני שאבדתי על ידך ארבע מאות זוז.
אמר לו:
הוי זהיר ברוחך
כדי הוא הלל שתאבד על ידו ארבע מאות זוז וארבע מאות זוז,
והלל לא יקפיד.
That man said to him: I have many more questions to ask, but I am afraid lest you get angry.
Hillel wrapped himself and sat before him,
and he said to him: All of the questions that you have to ask, ask them.
The man got angry and said to him: Are you Hillel whom they call the Nasi of Israel?
He said to him: Yes. He said to him: If it is you, then may there not be many like you in Israel.
Hillel said to him:
My son!
For what reason do you say this?!
The man said to him: Because I lost four hundred zuz because of you.
Hillel said to him:
Be vigilant of your spirit and avoid situations of this sort.
Hillel is worthy of having you lose four hundred zuz and another four hundred zuz on his account,
and Hillel will not get upset.
Appendix 1: Explanations for Physical Traits of Ethnic Groups – Heads, Eyes, and Feet of Babylonians, Palmyrenes, and North Africans (Respectively)
These Talmudic explanations for physical characteristics reflect the rabbis' attempt to provide etiological reasons for observable phenomena.
To analyze the explanations given by Hillel:
1. "Why Do Babylonians Have Oval Heads? Due to Unskilled Midwives"
Talmudic Explanation
Hillel attributed the oval-shaped heads of Babylonians to the practice of midwifery, suggesting that unskilled midwives handled newborns in a way that affected the shape of their heads.
This idea likely reflects observations of cranial deformations caused by external pressure on infants' soft skulls, which is plausible in some cases.17
Modern Scientific Perspective
Cranial Deformation: The human skull of a newborn is malleable, and external forces during or after birth can indeed influence its shape. This is medically known as positional plagiocephaly or deformation due to cultural practices like head shaping in some societies. However, in the case of Babylonians, there’s no direct evidence linking widespread cranial deformation to midwifery practices.
Genetic and Environmental Factors: The overall shape of a population's skulls is determined more by genetics than by external factors. Oval-shaped heads are a normal variation within human populations and likely have no connection to the skill of midwives in Babylon.
2. "Why Do the Residents of Tadmor Have Bleary Eyes? Due to Living in Sandy Terrain"
Talmudic Explanation
Hillel linked the bleary eyes of the residents of Tadmor (Palmyra, Syria) to environmental conditions, particularly the abundance of sand in the area.
Modern Scientific Perspective
Environmental Impact on Eyes: Living in sandy or dusty environments can indeed lead to chronic irritation of the eyes, including conditions like conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome, or blepharitis. Sand particles can cause mechanical irritation or lead to infections, supporting the Talmudic association between sandy terrain and eye conditions.
Protective Adaptations: Populations in such areas often develop practices or adaptations (e.g., wearing veils or protective headgear) to reduce exposure to sand and dust. The persistence of eye issues might also reflect limited access to medical care or protective measures during antiquity.
3. "Why Do North Africans Have Wide Feet? Due to Living in Marshlands"
Talmudic Explanation
Hillel attributed the wide feet of North Africans to living in marshlands, suggesting that environmental conditions influence physical traits.
Modern Scientific Perspective
Environmental Influences on Feet: Prolonged exposure to marshy or wet terrain could lead to functional adaptations, such as the development of stronger or wider feet to improve balance and mobility on uneven, soft ground. However, these changes are typically seen as temporary or functional rather than hereditary.
Genetics and Foot Structure: Foot shape and size are primarily determined by genetics. The wider feet of North Africans may instead reflect genetic variation or natural selection over generations, possibly influenced by both environmental factors and lifestyle (e.g., walking barefoot or on soft surfaces).
Anthropology: There is no specific evidence linking North African populations to a prevalence of wide feet due solely to living in marshlands. The claim may reflect observations of a specific subgroup rather than the broader population.
Appendix 2: Formulas for Introducing Stories in the Bible and Talmudic Literature
The story starts with the common formula for introducing a story in Talmudic literature:
מעשה ב
[A] story with
See Wikipedia, “Once upon a time“, section “Other languages“:
The "story-starting phrase" is a common feature of many languages.
In biblical and rabbinic literature, certain phrases commonly introduce stories, framing them in ways that signal a transition to narrative or aggadic material. Here are some of the most frequent and significant ones.
Biblical narratives often start with time references (Vayehi bimei...), introducing a protagonist (Hayah ish...), or divine speech (Vayedaber Hashem...).
Talmudic stories frequently begin with Ma'aseh b’..., Hahu gavra, or Tanu Rabbanan, emphasizing legal anecdotes or personal narratives.
Midrashic stories commonly start with parables (Mashal le-mah ha-davar domeh), divine speech, or explanatory intros (V’zehu she-katuv).
Biblical Story-Starting Phrases
וַיְהִי (Vayehi...) – "And it was..."
This is the quintessential biblical narrative opener, often followed by a time indicator (e.g., Vayehi bimei... – "And it was in the days of..."), marking the beginning of an event.
Example: "וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אַחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ" (Esther 1:1) – "And it was in the days of Ahasuerus."
הָיָה אִישׁ (Hayah ish...); איש אחד – "There was a man..."; “one man”
Often used to introduce a protagonist in a biblical story.
Example: "אִישׁ אֶחָד מִן־הָרָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים" (1 Samuel 1:1) – "There was a certain man from Ramathaim-Zophim."
Rabbinic Story-Starting Phrases
In rabbinic literature, particularly the Talmud and Midrash, certain formulas mark the beginning of an aggadic passage:
מעשה ב... (Ma'aseh b'...) – "An incident with..."
One of the most common openings for a rabbinic story, particularly for illustrating legal or ethical principles (as in our sugya).
Example: "מעשה ברבי אליעזר שגזר תענית" – "An incident with Rabbi Eliezer, who decreed a fast..."
Especially:
מעשה באדם אחד (Ma'aseh b'adam echad...) – "An incident with a certain person..."
Used in the Tannaitic literature and in the Hebrew portions of the Talmud to start an anecdote about an anonymous man.
ההוא גברא (Hahu gavra... - Aramaic) – "A certain man that..."18
Used in the Aramaic portions of the Talmud (=the Stam) to refer to an anonymous man in an anecdote.
תנו רבנן (Tanu Rabbanan... - Aramaic) – "Our Rabbis taught..."19
This phrase introduces a baraita, which often includes stories alongside halakhic teachings.
דרש ר' פלוני (Darash Rabbi...) – "Rabbi [X] expounded..."
Often the beginning of a homiletic story or exegesis.
אמר רבי פלוני (Amar Rabbi...) – "Rabbi [X] said..."
Commonly leads into anecdotes, parables, or teachings.
שאלו תלמידיו את רבי (Sha'alu talmidav et Rabbi...) – "The disciples asked Rabbi [X]..."
Used in dialogues that frame ethical or philosophical discussions.
Midrashic Story-Starting Phrases
משל למה הדבר דומה (Mashal le-mah ha-davar domeh...) – "A parable (mashal): To what is this matter comparable?"
Used to introduce allegorical stories or fables.
אמר הקב״ה (Amar HaKadosh Baruch Hu...) – "The Holy One, Blessed be He, said..."
Used in Midrash to introduce divine speech.
The story starts with the common formula for introducing a story in Talmudic literature:
מעשה ב
[A] story with
See my appendix at the end of this piece on this (Appendix 2).
See my recent series from this same sugya (final part here), that repeatedly contrasts Hillel’s patience with his contemporary Shammai’s short-temperdness.
Significantly, scholars regard Hillel and Shammai—and the rabbis themselves viewed them—as the founders of the rabbinic movement. See Adiel Schremer, cited in the intro to my piece “Guide to Online Resources for Scholarly Jewish Study and Research - 2023”, (at my Academia page), p. 6 f. 10.
A massive sum: A zuz was roughly equivalent to a silver dinarius, a common coin in the Roman Empire. Four zuz equaled one sela, and 400 zuz was a substantial amount, likely enough to sustain an average family for a year or more.
In preparation for Shabbat. See my piece here, section “Avishai Saves David“, for the same trope, of washing hair on Friday afternoon:
ההוא יומא אפניא דמעלי שבתא הוה,
אבישי בן צרויה הוה קא חייף רישיה
It was Friday afternoon (אפניא דמעלי שבתא),
And Abishai ben Zeruiah was washing [the hair on] his head (חייף רישיה)
As I note there:
See Sasson, p. 28, who explains the reason why Friday late eve - apania d’ma’alei - אפניא דמעלי - is mentioned is to add an element of time pressure.
The same is true here, in the case of Hillel.
See also the extensive Hebrew Wikipedia entry on Erev Shabbat (ערב שבת); the intro states, my translation:
Erev Shabbat (also […] "Erev Shabbat Kodesh"). This name reflects the preparations undertaken in anticipation of Shabbat […]
In religious discourse, this term specifically refers to Friday until the beginning of Shabbat (E.B. which starts at sunset on Friday nighte) […]
Similarly, Erev Yom Tov refers to the day preceding a Yom Tov (holiday), extending until sunset, which marks the beginning of the holiday. Erev Yom Tov shares many characteristics with Erev Shabbat.
In halakha, special laws apply to Erev Shabbat (and Erev Yom Tov), primarily concerning preparations for Shabbat.
Literally: “wrapped himself” (נתעטף) - i.e. in a cloak / robe.
שאלה גדולה שאלת - literally: “you have asked a great/significant question”.
The formula of each of the three sections is as follows:
שאל:
מפני מה
…
אמר לו:
בני!
שאלה גדולה שאלת.
מפני ש
….
He [=the questioner] asked:
Why are
[Body Part X - the head/ eyes/ feet]
of
[Ethnic Group Y - Babylonians/ Palmyrenes/ North Africans ]
[Shape Z - round / flat]?
He [=Hillel] said to him:
My son!
You have asked a significant question!
[The reason is] because
[Reason R]
סגלגלות - see Jastrow and סגלגל - ויקימילון.
פקחות - Jastrow, sense #3: “bright, smart, prudent”.
The meaning of this word evolved as follows: "open" → "seeing" → "clear-thinking." See Hebrew Wikipedia: פִּקֵּחַ א.
חיות. See Jastrow, sense #2. The sense #1 is a woman who just gave birth (=postpartum); see for example, that usage in the appendix of my piece here, as one of the categories of individuals who “require protection”.
תרוטות.
See Jastrow:
צירן [...] one whose eyes discharge a briny liquid, blear-eyed;
[Rashi: one whose eyes have a cylindrical shape like a pivot, fr. ציר II].
Bekh. VII, 3, expl. ib. 44ᵃ עיניו תרוטות וצירניות whose eyes are bleared and granulated;
[Rashi: round or pivot-shaped]
בין החולות - literally: “among the sands”
Compare the list of cranial deformities in the Mishnah, in the context of disqualification of priests from serving in the Temple, in my piece “Pt1 Body, Blemish, and Temple Duty: Physical Deformities that Disqualify Priests from Serving (Mishnah Bekhorot 7:1-6; Leviticus 21:18-20)”, section “Head: Pointed, turnip-like, hammer-like, indented head; back of head protrudes”, with my notes there.
Compare Wikipedia, “Placeholder name”:
Placeholder names are intentionally overly generic and ambiguous terms referring to things, places, or people, the names of which or of whom do not actually exist; are […] forgotten, or are unimportant; or in order to avoid stigmatization […]
And compare the common English term for an anonymous man in an anecdote:
"Some guy", “somebody” (informal, general use. See Wikipedia, “English articles“, section “Use of some“: “Some can also be used with singular countable nouns, as in There is some person on the porch, which implies that the identity of the person is unknown to the speaker (which is not necessarily the case when a(n) is used). This usage is fairly informal […]“)
"A certain man" (more formal or literary. See Wiktionary, “certain“, adjective, sense #6: “Particular and definite, but unspecified or unnamed; used to introduce someone or something without going into further detail. [… Example: ]
Each morning, she would see a certain man rush past her window on his way to work.“)
"So-and-so" (casual, sometimes dismissive)
And see my extensive breakdown with hyperlinks to primary source in my piece “From Abba to Zebedee: A Comprehensive Survey of Naming Conventions in the Mishnah, Talmud, and Late Antique Midrash“ (at my Academia page), section “Naming Conventions for Anonymous People; Placeholder Names; Demonyms“ (p. 20-28).
On this formula, see also these pieces of mine:
“Rabbis Incognito: Generic, Anonymous, and Group Referents in the Talmud“, especially section “Rabbanan (רבנן) - Rabbis“.
“Signposts in Sacred Text: Formulaic Terms Used in Talmud Bavli“, especially section “#1 - Source Indicators”.