The Lion's Son and the Vessel Raised in Holiness

When Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Shimon would enter the study house, Rabbi's face would darken, and his father would say to him: "Do you see this one? He is a lion son of a lion, but you are a lion son of a fox." When Rabbi Eleazar died, Rabbi sent to court his widow in marriage. She sent word and said to him: "A vessel that was used for holy purpose, shall it be used for common purpose?" He said to her: "What did he do that I do not do the like of?" She said to him: "When he was laboring in Torah to the full measure, sleep would come over him, and he would say, 'Let all the sufferings of Israel come upon me,' and they would come upon him. And when it was time to labor in Torah, he would say, 'Let each and every one of you return to its corner,' and they would go away." He said to her: "I too will do so." He called to them and they came; he wished them to go away, but they would not go away. And some say that for thirteen years he suffered toothache. She sent and said to him: "I have heard that in matters of holiness one is raised up and not brought down" (and so I will not descend from his rank).