Rabbi Shimon taught: Israel are great craftsman in that they know how to appease their Creator. Rabbi Yudan said: Like these Cutheans; these Cutheans are clever in encouraging acts of kindness. One of them will go to a woman and say to her: ‘Do you have an onion to give me?’ After she gives it to him, he says to her: ‘Is there an onion without bread?’
After she gives it to him, he says to her: ‘Is there eating without drinking?’ Due to this, he eats and drinks. Rav Aḥa said: There is a woman who is clever at borrowing and there is a woman who is not clever at borrowing. There is a woman who is clever at borrowing.
She goes to her neighbor. Even if the gate is open, she knocks. She says to her: ‘Peace be with you my neighbor. How are you doing?
How is your husband doing? How are your children doing?’ She says to her: ‘Fine.’ ‘May I come in?’ She responds to her: ‘Come in, what do you want?’
She said to her: ‘Do you have such and such utensil to give me?’ She said to her: ‘Yes.’ The not clever one goes to her neighbor. If the gate is closed, she opens it and says to her: ‘Do you have such and such utensil?’
She says to her: ‘No.’ Rabbi Ḥanina said: There is a sharecropper who is clever at borrowing and there is a sharecropper who is not clever at borrowing. The one who is clever at borrowing sees himself in need of funds to invest in his sharecropping, puts himself in a good mood, combs his hair, launders his garments, puts on a cheerful face, places a walking stick in hand and a ring on his finger, and goes to his landlord.
He says to him: ‘Come in peace dear sharecropper, how are you doing?’ He says to him: ‘Well.’ ‘How is the land doing?’ ‘You should be privileged to be satisfied from its produce.’ ‘How are the bulls doing?’ ‘You should be privileged to be satisfied from their fat.’ ‘How are the goats doing?’ ‘You should be privileged to be satisfied from their kids.’ He says to him: ‘What do you want?’ He says to him: ‘Do you have ten dinars to give me?’
He says to him: ‘If you need twenty, you can have it.’ The one who is not clever at borrowing, his hair is filled with thorns, his garments are filthy, his face is downcast. He goes to his landlord, who asks him: ‘How is the land doing?’ He says to him: ‘If only it would produce what I have expended on it.’ ‘How are the bulls doing?’
He says to him: ‘They are exhausted.’ He says to him: ‘What do you want?’ ‘Do you have ten dinars to give me?’ He says to him: ‘Go and return to me what you have of mine.’ Rabbi Ḥoni said: David was from the good sharecroppers.
Initially, he would sing with lauding and say: “The heavens relate the glory of God” (Psalms 19:2). The heavens said to him: ‘Do you, perhaps, need anything?’ “And the sky tells the work of His hands” (Psalms 19:2). It says to him: ‘Do you, perhaps, need anything?’
He continues to mention: “Day to day gives utterance…” (Psalms 19:3). The Holy One blessed be He asks him: ‘What do you want?’ He says to him: ‘“Who can discern errors [shegiot]” (Psalms 19:13), from the unwitting sins [shegagot] that I performed before You?’ He said to him: ‘You are excused for that, you are forgiven for that.’
He said to him: ‘“Acquit me of hidden faults” (Psalms 19:13), for my hidden transgressions that I performed before You.’ He said to him: ‘You are excused for that, you are forgiven for that.’ “Keep Your servant far from sinners [zedim]” (Psalms 19:14); these are the intentional transgressions [zedonot]. “Let them not have dominion over me” (Psalms 19:14); these are the severe transgressions.
“Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great [rav] transgression” (Psalms 19:14). David said before the Holy One blessed be He, ‘Master of the universe, You are a great [rav] God, and I, my sins are numerous [ravrevin]. It is fitting for a great God to forgive numerous sins.’ That is what is written: “For the sake of Your name, Lord, and pardon my iniquity, for it is great [rav]” (Psalms 25:11).