Description of Rabbi Yochanan / Personal Anecdotes

His beauty: Berachot 5b, 20a

As a "Baal Bassar [Person of Flesh]": Berachot 13b; Niddah 14a

Suffering "Bulmus": Yoma 83b

In utero, hungry on Yom Kippur: Yoma 82b

Crying over the severity of Hashem's judgment: Chagigah 5a

Rabbi Yochanan's father died before he was born, and his mother during childbirth: Kiddushin 31b

Lost many children: Berachot 5b

Rabbi Yochanan sitting near the mikvah so that women would see him as they emerged, and have beautiful children: Berachot 20a

Rabbi Yochanan, as a descendant of Joseph, was not concerned about the evil eye [ayin hara]: Berachot 20a

Rabbi Yochanan standing before non-Jewish elders: Kiddushin 33a

Declaration on the importance of Torah and a good Reputation, upon finishing Iyyov [Job]: Berachot 17a

Declared, "If anyone can explain [a certain case], I'll carry his clothing to the Bathhouse!": Bava Metzia 41a

Declared "This is not Torah" on another's legal argument: Gittin 23a

Surprised at the long lives in Bavel: Berachot 8a

Declared, on those who maintained produce which he forbade, "May they not have a grandchild": Kiddushin 39a

Rabbi Yochanan asked, "Who whispered that idea to you?!": Eruvin 91a [see Tosafot]

Drank wine after blood-letting until the smell emerged from his ears: Shabbat 129a

Dessert he used to eat: Pesachim 119b

Used to spit when reminded of the concoction "Kutach HaBavli," as it was disgusting to him: Shabbat 145b

Attributed a student's death to a worm in figs: Shabbat 90a

Credited a potion with restoring his reproductive ability in his old age: Shabbat 111a

Called his clothing his "Honorers": Shabbat 113a, 113b

Biting off his nails in the Study Hall on the Intermediate Days of Holidays: Moed Katan 18a

Rabbi Yochanan stating that Eliyahu will have to come to explain a certain part of the Torah: Menachot 45a [2x]

Rabbi Yochanan reporting that in his youth he had responded to a problem which he had put to the Elders, and it had turned out that he was correct: Megillah 5b-6a

Rabbi Yochanan personally measured the area of milk and honey in Israel: Megillah 6a

How he began his teaching of the Purim Story: Megillah 11a

Rabbi Yochanan said, "The early ones [a reference to Rabbi Akiva or Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua] had hearts like the entrance to the Temple's large hall, and the later ones [a reference to Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua or Rabbi Oshia Berebi (Berebi=leader of his generation)] like the entrance to the Temple's smaller hall, and ours are like the eye of a clothes-needle." Abbaye added, "Our ability to understand is like that of a peg jammed into a small hole in a wall." Rava added, "Our minds' ability to understand is like a finger stabbing into thick wax." Rav Ashi added, "We forget as easily as a finger fits into a cistern's entrance.": Eruvin 53a

Rabbi Yochanan was so strong that when a ladder's rung broke beneath him, he was able to hold up with one hand Rav Ami and Rav Asi who had been supporting him, and to use his free hand to climb a pillar. He only wanted the supporters in order to conserve strength for his old age: Ketuvot 62a


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