In order to understand aright the grounds on which Rabbi Abhu would fain excuse Rav Saphra for not caring at all about the Scriptures, certain passages from both Talmuds should be read, which, in the usual metaphorical style of the Rabbis, set forth the respective merits of Scripture and Tradition. The three times three in Sophrim (chap. 15), in which the Scripture is compared to water, the Mishna to wine, and the Gemara to mulled wine, and that in which the Scripture is likened to salt, the Mishna to pepper, and the Gemara to spice, and so on, are too well known to need more than passing mention; but far less familiar and much more explicit is the exposition of Zech. viii. 10, as given in T. B. Chaggigah, fol. 10, col. 1, where, commenting on the Scripture text, " Neither, was there any peace to him that went out or came in,* Rav expressly says, " He who leaves a matter of Halachah for a matter of Scripture shall never more have peace; to which Shemuel adds, " Aye, and he also who leaves the Talmud for the Mishna; Rabbi Yochanan chiming in with " even from Talmud to Talmud; as if to say, " And he who turns from the Babli to the Yerushalrni, even he shall have no peace.* If we refer to the Mishna (chap. 1, hal. 7) of Berachoth in the last-named Talmud, we read there that Rabbi Tarphon, bent, while on a journey, on reading the Shema according to the school of Shammai, ran the risk of falling into the hands of certain banditti whom he had not noticed near him. " It would have served you right,* remarked one, " because you did not follow the rule of Hillel.* In the Gemara to this passage Rabbi Yochanan says, "The words of the scribes are more highly valued than the words of the law, for, as Rabbi Yuda remarks, <If Rabbi Tarphon had not read the Shema at all he would only have broken a positive command,' but since he transgressed the rule of Hillel he was guilty of death, for it is written, (He who breaks down a hedge (the Rabbinic hedge to the law, of course), a serpent shall bite him > (Eccles. x. 8).
Then Rabbi Chanina, the son of Rabbi Ana, in the name of Rabbi Tanchum, the son of Rabbi Cheyah, says, "The words of the elders are more important than the words of the prophets.* A prophet and an elder, whom do they resemble? They are like two ambassadors sent by a king to a province. About the one he sends word saying, "If he does not present credentials with my signature and seal, trust him not; whereas the other is accredited without any such token; for in regard to the prophet it is written (Deut. xiii. 2), " He giveth thee a sign or token; while in reference to the elders it is written (Deut. xvii. 11), " According to the decision which they may say unto thee shalt thou do; thou shalt