יום א Date: 22 Elul, 5776 (9/25/16) – Bava Kama Daf 117 {Tani}

DISTURBING DEMOTIONS

[117a bottom] R’ Kahana rightfully killed a man, for what the man was threatening to do. Rav advised him to flee to Israel to avoid legal troubles from the Greeks in Babylonia, but not to ask R’ Yochanan questions during his lectures for seven years [and this would be a form of some atonement for what was done]. Since R’ Kahana did not ask questions, he was demoted to sit in the back row, due to a being perceived as lacking intellectual prowess. After this embarrassment (and being moved 7 benches backward), he felt as if he had gone through enough punishment.

Prac-T-cal Tidbits: We should always carefully consider our actions and recognize what consequences may come from them. It is important to understand how situations may play out and it may not always be the ‘correct’ thing to do, even if we know we are ‘right.’