Once, at the wedding of the son of Rabbi Gamliel, three scientists were sitting at the table: r. Eliezer, b. Joshua and R. Saddok, and Rabban Gamliel himself poured wine into glasses for the guests.
Raban Gamliel served a glass of r. Eliezer, but he did not accept the glass; submitted r. Joshua - this one accepted.
- Is this acceptable, Joshua? - R. turned to him. Eliezer. “We are sitting, and our teacher Rabban Gamliel is standing and pouring wine for us!”
“We know a greater man,” objected R. Joshua, who served his guests: Abraham was the greatest man of his time, and it is said about him: “And he himself stood before them.” You say, maybe those wanderers were angels? But they appeared to Abraham in the form of simple Arabians. So why shouldn’t Rabban Gamliel serve as our cupbearer?
“But I’ll say something else,” responded R. Saddok. - How long, forgetting about the greatness of the Almighty, will you argue about human honors? The Lord directs the winds, lifts up the clouds, pours out rain, fertilizes the earth and sends food to every living soul. What is offensive to Rabban Gamliel in the fact that he serves us?
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru