The Talmud on Biblical and Rabbinic Law

R. Ḥisda said to one of the sages who would arrange the aggadah before him: Did you hear what [the meaning of] new and old (Song of Songs 7:14) [is]? He said to him: These [the new] are the [more] lenient mitzvot, and these [the old] are the [more] stringent mitzvot. He [R. Ḥisda] said to him: Was the Torah given on two [separate] occasions? Rather, these [the old] are [derived—Ed.] from the Torah, and these [the new] are from the sages.

Rava expounded [in similar fashion]: What is [the meaning of that] which is written: And more than these, my son, be careful: of making many books [there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh] (Ecclesiastes 12:12)? My son, be careful [to fulfill] the words of the sages [even] more than the words of the Torah. For the words of the Torah include positive and negative [commandments]. Whereas [for] the words of the sages, anyone who transgresses the words of the sages is liable to [receive the death penalty.] Lest you say: If [the words of the sages] are of substance, why were they not written [in the Torah?], the verse states: Of making many books there is no end (ibid.).

And much study [lahag] is a weariness of the flesh. R. Papa son of R. Aḥa bar Ada said in the name of R. Aḥa bar Ulla: This teaches that whoever mocks [malig] the words of the sages will be sentenced to boiling excrement [in the afterlife—Ed.]. Rava strongly objects to this: Is it written, “mock [la’ag]”? [No.—Ed.] Lahag is written. Rather, whoever meditates [hogeh] upon them [the words of the sages] experiences [enjoyment as if it had] the taste of meat.

The sages taught: It once happened that R. Akiva was incarcerated in a prison, and R. Joshua of Geres would attend to his [needs]. Every day, [his disciples] would bring him water in a measured [quantity]. One day, the prison guard met [R. Joshua and] said to him: [The amount of] your water today is more [than usual]; perhaps you need [it] in order to [soften the walls and thus] undermine the prison. He poured out half and gave him [the other] half [to take in to R. Akiva]. When [R. Joshua] came to R. Akiva, he said to him: Joshua, do you not know that I am old, and my life depends on your life? [After R. Joshua] related to him the entire incident, [R. Akiva] said to him: Give me water so that I may wash my hands. [R. Joshua] said to him: [The water that I brought] will not suffice for drinking; [how] will it suffice for washing your hands? He said to him: What can I do; for [transgressing the words of the sages and eating without first washing hands], one is liable to [receive the] death [penalty. It is] better that I should die my own death [by thirst], rather than transgress the opinion of my colleagues [who enacted that one must wash hands before eating]. They said [that] he would not taste anything until [R. Joshua] brought him water, and he washed his hands. When the sages heard about this, they said: If in his old age [he is] so [meticulous], how much more so [must he have been] in his youth. [And] if in prison [he is] so [scrupulous], how much more so when not in prison.