Rabbi Ḥiyya [said] in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, because I did not observe one ḥalla218This is a reference to the commandment to separate a piece of dough from each batch and to give it to a priest. in the Land of Israel, I observe two ḥallot219It was instituted that one would have to take two pieces of dough from each batch, one of which would be burned, and the other would be given to a priest.
See Mishna Ḥalla 4:7–8. in Syria.220Thus, “they placed me as a guard of the vineyards,” with the plural reference referring to the two pieces of dough taken in Syria, because I was exiled as a result of the fact that “I did not guard my own vineyard,” in the singular, in the Land of Israel. I thought that I would be rewarded for two, but I am only rewarded for one.’ Rabbi Abba [said] in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, because I did not observe one festival day in the Land of Israel, I observe two festival days of the Diaspora outside of the Land of Israel.
I thought that I would be rewarded for the two of them, but I am only rewarded for one.’ Rabbi Yoḥanan would read in their regard: “I, too, gave them statutes that were not good” (Ezekiel 20:25).