What you describe is also the first way I thought of it. So I don't really disagree. But it wasn't satisfying in terms of motivation, which is why we dug more.
Definitely, Yochanan is taking a cheap jab at Reish Lakish. Exactly as you say, he lashes out at him by bringing up his past.
But why? On my first reading, Yochanan's snarky insult seems to come totally out of left field. It is totally bad form -- a) not productive to furthering the Talmudic discussion, b) an ad hominem attack c) reminding a baal teshuva of his past (which is not supposed to be done). WHY would R Yochanan, this great Talmudic master, not be able to have a simple debate without loosing his temper?
We know from elsewhere in the story (from Yochanan's mourning complaints, and even from the first exchange when they met at the Jordan) that Reish Lakish and Yochanan disputed all the time. That's different than what we see here -- and moreover I think it would mean Yochanan should be accustomed to Reish Laskish offering contrary opinions.
That was my problem with the simple understanding that the two rabbis were just talking about blades.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2006-01-30 02:39 pm (UTC)Definitely, Yochanan is taking a cheap jab at Reish Lakish. Exactly as you say, he lashes out at him by bringing up his past.
But why? On my first reading, Yochanan's snarky insult seems to come totally out of left field. It is totally bad form -- a) not productive to furthering the Talmudic discussion, b) an ad hominem attack c) reminding a baal teshuva of his past (which is not supposed to be done). WHY would R Yochanan, this great Talmudic master, not be able to have a simple debate without loosing his temper?
We know from elsewhere in the story (from Yochanan's mourning complaints, and even from the first exchange when they met at the Jordan) that Reish Lakish and Yochanan disputed all the time. That's different than what we see here -- and moreover I think it would mean Yochanan should be accustomed to Reish Laskish offering contrary opinions.
That was my problem with the simple understanding that the two rabbis were just talking about blades.