Another matter, “to set calibration of the wind [laruaḥ]” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Even the Divine Spirit [ruaḥ] that rests upon the prophets, rests only with calibration. Some prophesy one book, and some two. Rabbi Simon said: Be’eri prophesied two matters, but they did not suffice for a book, so they were subsumed in Isaiah. These are they: “If they will say to you: Seek the mediums and the oracles” (Isaiah 8:19), and its counterpart.6This is a reference to the following verse, Isaiah 8:20.
“And allocate water by measure” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shmuel said: Even matters of Torah that were given from above, were given only by measure, and these are: Bible, Mishna, Talmud, halakhot, and aggadot. Some merit [to study] Bible, some [merit to study] Mishna, some [merit to study] Talmud, some [merit to study] aggada, and some [merit to study] them all. Another matter, “to set calibration of the wind” – the way of the world is that people say: So-and-so is broad of spirit; so-and-so is narrow of spirit, as a spirit of pettiness has been introduced into him.
“And allocate water by measure” – a person is balanced, half of him water and half of him blood. When he merits, the water is not greater than the blood and the blood is not greater than the water. But when he sins, sometimes the water is greater than the blood and he is afflicted with dropsy, and sometimes the blood is greater than the water and he becomes a leper. That is what is written: “A man [adam],” or blood [o dam].