R. Safra and the Minim

R. Abbahu would praise R. Safra to the heretics [by saying] that he is a great man. [Therefore,] they remitted [R. Safra’s obligation to pay] taxes for thirteen years. One day they found [R. Safra and] said to him, “It is written: You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will visit upon you all your iniquities (Amos 3:2). One who has wrath, [does] he raise it against his beloved?” [R. Safra] was silent and did not say anything [in response] to them. They threw a scarf around his neck and tormented him.

R. Abbahu came [and] found them [doing this to R. Safra. R. Abbahu] said to them, “Why are you tormenting him?” They said to him, “And didn’t you say to us that he is a great man? But he did not [even] know [how] to tell us the explanation of this verse.” [R. Abbahu] said to them, “[You can] say that I said [this praise of R. Safra] to you [only] with regard to [the Oral Law and the statements of] tannaim, [but] did I say to you [that he is knowledgeable] with regard to the Bible?” They said to [R. Abbahu]: What is different [about] you [sages of Erets Yisrael], that you know [the Bible as well? R. Abbahu] said to them: We, who are situated among you [heretics and are forced to debate the meaning of verses], we impose upon ourselves [this obligation] and analyze [verses in depth. By contrast,] those [sages of Babylonia, who are not forced to debate you,] do not analyze [the Bible in such depth].

[The heretics] said to R. Abbahu: [In that case,] you should tell us [the meaning of this verse. R. Abbahu] said to them: I will relate a parable to you. To what is this matter comparable? [It is comparable] to a person who lends [money] to two people, one [of whom is] his beloved, and [the other] one [is] his enemy. [In the case of] his beloved, he collects [the debt] from him little [by] little, [whereas in the case of] his enemy he collects [the debt] from him all at once.