The story is told of a certain alley by the home of Eibut b.
Ihi. He put up a side-post in the alley to define it as a private space. This
met with the approval of Samuel. But when the master died, R. Anan came by and
tore down the side-post.
This, you can imagine, was not a very popular move. At least
from the perspective of Eibuth b. Ihi:
I have been living undisturbed in
this alley on the authority of Samuel, why should R. Anan b. Rab now come and
throw its side-post down!
Well you might ask.
It turned out that there was a synagogue next to the alley
and they shared a courtyard. The superintendent of the synagogue (hazna –
hazan?) used to take his meals at home and sleep in the synagogue at night,
a practice he discontinued when Samuel died. Eibuth b. Ihi understood the
side-post to be in allowed because sleeping in a place constituted dwelling. R.
Anan b. Rab disagreed.
Tear it down!
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