At First Glance
‘While You Were Feasting On The Dates Of Babylon…’
(Baba Basra 107b)
Our daf relates that R. Chiya suggested an explanation of the Mishna, which R. Yochanan felt was not correct. Thereupon R. Yochanan chided him saying, “While you were feasting on dates in Babylon, I expounded this…”
Rashbam (s.v. “Ade’achilna Kaphniyasa”) explains that the rebuke was that because he indulged in eating the dates, he did not sufficiently exert himself in his Torah study and thus misunderstood the Mishna.
A Proper Prayer
There is a midrash (Tana D’vrei Eliyahu chap. 26 cited by Tosafos, Kesubos 104a s.v. “Lo”) which clearly discourages overindulgence, not merely because of its possible affect on one’s Torah study, but because it is inherently antithetical to achieving excellence in Torah.
The midrash instructs that before one entreats Hashem for success in his Torah studies, he should pray that any delicacies of which he partook not leave a lasting effect – a blemish on him.
Indeed Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, despite his enormous wealth, was ever careful not to desire material pleasure from this world, because one who so indulges in excessive food or other luxuries cannot attain greatness in Torah scholarship.
Not Callous
Chavos Yair (siman 152) tempers R. Yochanan’s remark somewhat, asserting that our Sages were not callous and would surely not make snide remarks ridiculing one another for mistakenly interpreting a halacha.
Unripened Fruit
Chavos Yair explains that the term “Kaphniyos” used by R. Yochanan refers to dates that are not yet ripe (the fruit in its earliest stages as indicated in the Mishna Orlah 1:9 – see Rabbenu Ovadiah MiBartenura s.v. “B’Kaphniyos”).
When R. Yochanan told R. Chiya that he was eating kaphniyos – unripened dates – he was alluding to the fact that R. Chiya interpreted the first part of the Mishna, the Reisha, without having properly examined the Seifa, the last part of the Mishna.
This, he intimated, was similar to one who eats under-developed dates without waiting for them to ripen into a delicious fruit.
