Honni the Circle Maker
(The translation Is from the
Soncino English Talmud retrieved from
http://www.maqom.com/Honi.html
R. Yohanan said: This righteous
man [Honi] was throughout the whole of his life troubled about the meaning of
the verse, "A Song of Ascents, When the Lord brought back those that returned to
Zion, we were like unto them that dream. (Psalm 126:1)" Is it possible for a man
to dream continuously for seventy years?
One day he was journeying on the
road and he saw a man planting a carob tree. He asked him, How long does it take
[for this tree] to bear fruit? The man replied: Seventy years. He then further
asked him: Are you certain that you will live another seventy years? The man
replied: I found [ready grown] carob trees in the world; as my forefathers
planted these for me so I too plant these for my children.
Honi sat down to have a meal and sleep overcame him. As he slept a rocky
formation enclosed him which hid him from sight and he continued to sleep for
seventy years. When he awoke he saw a man gathering the fruit of the carob tree
and he asked him, Are you the man who planted this tree? The man replied: I am
his grandson. Thereupon he exclaimed: It is clear that I slept for seventy
years. He then caught sight of his ass who had given birth to several
generations of mules and he returned home. He there inquired, Is the son of Honi
the Circle-Drawer still alive? The people answered him, His son is no more, but
his grandson is still living. Thereupon he said to them: I am Honi the Circle
Drawer but no one would believe him. He then repaired to the Beit Hamidrash and
there he overheard the scholars say, The law is as clear to us as in the days of
Honi the Circle Drawer for whenever he came to the Beit Hamidrash he would
settle for the scholars any difficulty that they had. Whereupon he called out, I
am he. But the scholars would not believe him nor did they give him the honor
due to him. This hurt him greatly and he prayed [for death] and he died. Raba
said: Hence the saying, Either companionship or death. (B. Taanit 23a)