Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 67b2
2תלמוד בבלי מסכת כתובות דף סז עמוד ב
ההוא דאתא לקמיה דרבא, אמר לו: במה אתה סועד? אמר לו: בתרנגולת פטומה ויין ישן. אמר ליה: ולא חיישת לדוחקא דציבורא? א"ל: אטו מדידהו קאכילנא? מדרחמנא קאכילנא! דתנינא: +תהלים קמ"ה+עיני כל אליך ישברו ואתה נותן להם את אכלם בעתו, בעתם לא נאמר אלא בעתו - מלמד, שכל אחד ואחד נותן הקב"ה פרנסתו בעתו. אדהכי אתאי אחתיה דרבא דלא חזיא ליה תליסרי שני, ואתיא ליה תרנגולת פטומה ויין ישן, אמר: מאי דקמא? א"ל: נענתי לך, קום אכול
A man once applied to Raba [for maintenance]. “What do your meals consist of?” Raba asked him. “Of fat chicken and aged wine,” the other replied. “Did you not consider,” Raba asked him, “the burden of the community?” “Do I,” the other replied, “eat what is theirs? I eat [the food] of the All-Merciful; for we have learned: The eyes of all wait for You, and You give them their food in his season. Since it does not say “in their season” but rather “in his season,” it teaches that the Blessed Holy One provides each individual with food according to that person’s habit. Meanwhile, Raba’s sister, whom he had not seen in thirteen years, arrived and brought him a fat chicken and aged wine. “What a remarkable incident!” Raba exclaimed, “I apologize to you. Come and eat.” [Translation by Rabbi Jill Jacobs]

Suggested Discussion Questions:

1. How did the poor man understand his habits? Why did he expect the community to support them? Do you agree with his logic?

2. Why did Raba change his understanding of the poor man’s habits?

3. How do we cultivate habits? What do we base them on? When is it appropriate to change our habits?

Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)