Pt2 Exploring the Greatness of R' Hiyya (Bava Metzia 85b-86a)
R' Yehuda HaNasi: “How great are the deeds of R' Ḥiyya!”; List of four Sages’ placements in heaven; Story of Elijah guiding an ascension to the Heavenly Yeshiva
The second part of a three-part series. The first part is here.
R' Yehuda HaNasi: “How great are the deeds of R' Ḥiyya!”
The Talmud then recounts a conversation highlighting R' Ḥiyya's virtuous actions. R' Yehuda HaNasi praised R' Ḥiyya's deeds as being exceptional. When R' Yishmael, son of R' Yosei, asked if R' Ḥiyya's deeds surpassed those of R' Yehuda HaNasi himself, R' Yehuda affirmed they did.
However, when R' Yishmael further inquired if R' Ḥiyya's deeds were greater than those of his father, R' Yosei, R' Yehuda HaNasi strongly emphasized the inappropriateness of claiming anyone's deeds surpassed those of R' Yosei within the Jewish community.
היינו דאמר רבי: כמה גדולים מעשי חייא!
אמר ליה רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי: אפילו ממר?
אמר ליה: אין.
אפילו מאבא?
אמר ליה: חס וחלילה! לא תהא כזאת בישראל.
The Gemara notes that this is what R' Yehuda HaNasi said: How great are the deeds of R' Ḥiyya!
R' Yishmael, son of R' Yosei, said to R' Yehuda HaNasi: Are his deeds even greater than the Master’s, i.e., yours?
R' Yehuda HaNasi said to him: Yes.
R' Yishmael persisted: Are they even greater than those of my father, R' Yosei?
R' Yehuda HaNasi said to him: Heaven forbid! Such a statement shall not be heard among the Jewish people, that someone is greater than your father, R' Yosei.
List of four Sages’ placements in heaven
The Talmud elaborates on the esteemed position of R' Ḥiyya by relating a dream of R' Zeira (a third generation Babylonian amora).
In the dream, R' Zeira conversed with R' Yosei bar Ḥanina (a 2nd/3rd generation amora of Eretz Yisrael), about the hierarchical proximity of various sages in the heavenly realms. R' Yosei bar Ḥanina detailed a sequence where each sage was placed near another, culminating with the afore-mentioned R' Ḥanina being near R' Ḥiyya:
R' Yosei bar Ḥanina near R' Yoḥanan (1st generation amora of Eretz Yisrael)
R' Yoḥanan near R' Yannai (1st generation amora of Eretz Yisrael)
R' Yannai near R' Ḥanina (mentioned earlier; transitional 1st generation amora of Eretz Yisrael)
R' Ḥanina near R' Ḥiyya (mentioned earlier; transitional 1st generation amora of Eretz Yisrael)
When R' Zeira asked why R' Yoḥanan wasn’t near R' Ḥiyya, R' Yosei responded with the rhetorical question: “In a place of fiery sparks and burning fires ( זקוקין דנורא ובעורין דאשא), who can bring R' Yoḥanan, son of Nappaḥa, there?!”
אמר רבי זירא: אמש נראה לי רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא.
אמרתי לו: אצל מי אתה תקוע? אמר לי: אצל רבי יוחנן.
ורבי יוחנן אצל מי? אצל רבי ינאי.
ורבי ינאי אצל מי? אצל רבי חנינא.
ורבי חנינא אצל מי? אצל רבי חייא.
אמרתי לו: ורבי יוחנן אצל רבי חייא לא?!
אמר לי: באתר דזקוקין דנורא ובעורין דאשא – מאן מעייל בר נפחא לתמן?!
The Gemara continues discussing the greatness of R' Ḥiyya. R' Zeira said: Last night, R' Yosei, son of R' Ḥanina, appeared to me in a dream.
I said to him: Near whom are you placed in the upper realms? He said to me: Near R' Yoḥanan.
I asked: And R' Yoḥanan is near whom? He replied: Near R' Yannai.
And R' Yannai is near whom? Near R' Ḥanina.
And R' Ḥanina is near whom? Near R' Ḥiyya.
R' Zeira added: I said to R' Yosei: But isn’t R' Yoḥanan worthy of being placed near R' Ḥiyya?!
He said to me: In a place of fiery sparks and burning fires, who can bring R' Yoḥanan, son of Nappaḥa, there?!
Story of Elijah guiding an ascension to the Heavenly Yeshiva
Rav Ḥaviva (רב חביבא - a late Babyloninan amora) recounts a story from Rav Ḥaviva bar Surmakei (רב חביבא בר סורמקי) about an encounter with an unnamed sage (ההוא מרבנן) who was visited by Elijah the prophet. This sage's eyes looked healthy in the morning but appeared charred in the evening.
Upon inquiry, the sage explained that he had once asked Elijah to show him the Sages ascending to the Heavenly Yeshiva. Elijah warned him not to look at those in R' Ḥiyya's chariot, which is distinct because it moves by itself, a testament to R' Ḥiyya's greatness, unlike other chariots that are accompanied by angels.
Unable to restrain his curiosity, the sage looked at R' Ḥiyya's chariot and was struck blind by two fiery flames. The next day, he prayed at R' Ḥiyya’s grave, saying “I study your teachings”, and his vision was miraculously restored.
אמר רב חביבא: אשתעי לי רב חביבא בר סורמקי,
חזי ליה ההוא מרבנן, דהוה שכיח אליהו גביה,
דלצפרא הוו שפירן עיניה,
ולאורתא דמיין כדמיקלין בנורא.
אמרי ליה: מאי האי?
ואמר לי: דאמרי ליה לאליהו: אחוי לי רבנן, כי סלקי למתיבתא דרקיע.
אמר לי: בכולהו מצית אסתכולי בהו, לבר מגוהרקא דרבי חייא דלא תסתכל ביה.
מאי סימנייהו?
בכולהו, אזלי מלאכי כי סלקי ונחתי, לבר מגוהרקא דרבי חייא, דמנפשיה סליק ונחית.
לא מצאי לאוקמא אנפשאי,
אסתכלי בה,
אתו תרי בוטיטי דנורא, ומחיוהו לההוא גברא, וסמונהו לעיניה.
למחר,
אזלי אשתטחי אמערתיה,
אמינא: מתנייתא דמר מתנינא,
ואתסאי.
Rav Ḥaviva said: Rav Ḥaviva bar Surmakei told me:
I once saw one of the Sages whom Elijah the prophet would visit,
and his eyes looked beautiful and healthy in the morning,
but appeared to be charred by fire in the evening.
I said to him: What is this phenomenon?
And he said to me: I said to Elijah: Show me the Sages upon their ascension to the heavenly academy.
Elijah said to me: You may gaze at all of them except for those in the chariot [miguharka] of R' Ḥiyya, upon whom you may not gaze.
I asked Elijah: What are the signs of R' Ḥiyya’s chariot, so I will know when not to look?
He said: Angels accompany all of the other Sages’ chariots as they ascend and descend, except for the chariot of R' Ḥiyya, which ascends and descends of its own accord, due to his greatness.
The Sage relating this story continued: I was unable to restrain myself,
and I gazed upon R' Ḥiyya’s chariot.
Two fiery flames came and struck that man, i.e., me, and blinded his eyes.
The next day, I went and prostrated on R' Ḥiyya’s burial cave in supplication.
I said: I study the baraitot of the Master, R' Ḥiyya; please pray on my behalf.
And my vision was healed, but my eyes remained scorched.