Gemara: The rabbinic students said to R' Preida: "R' Ezra, the grandson of R' Avtolas, who is a tenth-generation descendant of R' Elazar ben Azaryah, who was a tenth-generation descendant of Ezra the Scribe, is standing at the door." R' Preida said to them: "What is all this? Why do you give his lineage? ... If he is a scholar and of distinguished ancestry fine. But if he is of distinguished ancestry and is not a scholar, [may fire consume him!]" They answered him: "He is a scholar." [R' Preida] said to them: "Let him enter and come before us." When R' Ezra entered [R'Preida] saw that his mind was unsettled. [R' Preida] therefore began saying,[NOTE: Translated in accord with the Izhbitzer's explanation below]: "'I said to God," etc., 'My good is in other than you.'" The thing dealt with that one, i.e. that Reb Preida was at that time the head and leader of the generation and crowned with glory in courtesy, fastidious in observance and maasim tovim as indicated (Eruvin 54b) in his teaching to his student four hundred times. Also he was asked from heaven what he wants either good for his generation or longevity and he chose good for his generation over longevity. And when they asked him (Megillah 27), "on account of which meritorious practice have you attained longevity?", he said, "I never blessed in the presence of a Kohen," and, this event occurred right before his passing. For the time had arrived that God chose Reb Ezra to receive the Nasi role and, the practice would now be through Torah as a main thing and not through maasim tovim. And Hashem brought it about that R' Preida failed now, that he insulted the priest who was [also] a tenth-generation descendant of Ezra in that he said, "I didn't bless before a priest" [but he did]. And when he rose at the door, R' Preida felt that Ezra had complaints. And they judged from the section "And the people were looking to complain" since he was then the pillar of the generation and, Ezra had a complaint about him. And the punishment of the murmurers was by fire. Therefore he said "may fire consume him", for he saw that his mind was unsettled, i.e. that he perceived that the mind of Reb Ezra was thinking that Reb Preida would be honored in his coming to him. Gemara: R' Preida opened and said: "My good is in other than you" I.e. that it is not according to my mind to hold for you any good that you are coming to me. [R' Preida was saying], for the important point by me is only… Gemara: "To the holy ones, they who are [interred] in the earth", and they are the holy partiarchs who allude to mitzvot. Gemara: "and the mighty ones, all My desire is in them." They represent good deeds and are fixed forever. Isn't it the case that in truth in the days of Reb Preida Hashem yitbarach chose this greatly that mitzvot AND good deeds were the main thing. Then, Gemara: "When he [R' Ezra] heard [R' Preida] mention the word 'mighty ones,'" I.e. a thing that was fixed without change then Gemara: "he began and said, 'Let the mighty come and exact retribution from the mighty,'" I.e., how could it arise in your mind to make mention and strongly emphasize mitzvot and good deeds since they are only the outer manifestations [lit. garments], and, in addition, nations of the world have garments and grab [merit] from them and despite that it is said of them Gemara: "The mighty ones sank like lead in the water" For in truth all vitality of each and every nation is through some garment from a good attribute. But, at the time that Hashem yitbarach will remove the garment Himself (if one could say so) from this attribute, then this nation will go to destruction with all its mighty ones. And afterwards, he said, Gemara: "Let a beloved come", I.e. if you want to know for whom a mitzvah would be successful in action that it be fixed forever, this is King Solomon a'h, for he, in the building of the holy Temple made it with success, that Hashem yitbarach chose this without any change for ever. Nonetheless another person couldn't boast for doing a thing like this, Gemara: "Let good come and receive good from good for those who are good," I.e. as the time when Hashem Yitbarach chose the Torah and gave it to us through Moshe his servant, this doesn't change, Gemara: "Let this come and receive this from this for this nation... this refers to Moshe.. and this refers to the Torah" that Moshe placed for the children of Israel. For on behalf of this, the Torah doesn't change because it is the case that He only gave it to this nation, [NOTE: But not including Maasim Tovim; Hashem brought this for the generation of R' Preida, but it was not to be in the generation of R' Ezra] and he did not give any portion within it to the nations as it is written that, "Moses put it before the children of Israel".
אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרַבִּי פְרִידָא, רַבִּי עֶזְרָא בַּר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אַבְטוּלָס דְּהוּא עֲשִׂירִי לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה דְּהוּא עֲשִׂירִי לְעֶזְרָא קָאֵי אַבָּבָא, אֲמַר מַאי כּוּלֵּי הַאי, אִי בַּר אוֹרְיָין וּבַר אֲבָהָן יָאֵי בַּר כוּ' אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ בַּר אוֹרְיָין הוּא א"ל לִיעוֹל וְלֵיתֵי חַזְיָיא דַּהֲוָה עֲכִירָא דַּעְתֵּיהּ פְּתַח וַאֲמַר אָמַרְתִּי לַה' כוּ' טוֹבָתִי בַּל עָלֶיךָ כוּ'. הָעִנְיָן הָעֵסֶק הַלָּז, הַיְנוּ שֶׁרַבִּי פְרִידָא הָיָה בָּעֵת הַהוּא רֹאשׁ וּמַנְהִיג הַדּוֹר וּמַכְתִּיר בְּנִימוּסֵי בַּעַל מִצְוֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ (עירובין נ"ד:) שֶׁלִּמֵּד לְתַלְמִידוֹ ד' מֵאָה זִמְנָא גַּם נִשְׁאַל מִשָּׁמַיִם מַה רוֹצֶה אוֹ טוֹבוֹת דּוֹרוֹ אוֹ אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים וּבָחַר בְּטוֹבוֹת דּוֹרוֹ יוֹתֵר מֵאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, וּכְשֶׁשְּׁאָלָהוּ (מגילה כ"ז:) בַּמֶּה הֶאֱרַכְתָּ יָמִים אָמַר שֶׁלֹּא בֵּרַכְתִּי לִפְנֵי כֹּהֵן, וְזֶה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הָיָה קֹדֶם הִסְתַּלְּקוּתוֹ שֶׁהִגִּיעַ עֵת שֶׁבָּחַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּרַבִּי עֶזְרָא לְקַבֵּל נְשִׂיאוּתוֹ וְיִנְהַג עַל יְדֵי תּוֹרָה, לֹא עִקָּר עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים וְסִבֵּב הַש"י שֶׁנִּכְשַׁל כָּאן שֶׁצִּעֵר אֶת הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁהָיָה עֲשִׂירִי לְעֶזְרָא נֶגֶד שֶׁאָמַר לֹא בֵּרַכְתִּי לִפְנֵי כֹּהֵן, וּכְשֶׁקָּם אַבָּבָא הִרְגִּישׁ רַבִּי פְרִידָא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תַּרְעוֹמוֹת וְדָנוֹ מִפָּרָשַׁת "וַיְהִי הָעָם כְּמִתְאוֹנְנִים" מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא הָיָה אָז עַמּוּד הַדּוֹר וְהוּא הִתְלוֹנֵן עָלָיו, וְעֹנֶשׁ הַמִּתְאוֹנְנִים הָיָה בָּאֵשׁ לָכֵן אָמַר אֶשָּׂא תִּכְלָא, כִּי חַזְיֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה עֲכִירֵי דַּעְתֵּיהּ הַיְנוּ שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ שֶׁדַּעַת רַבִּי עֶזְרָא הוּא שֶׁיִּתְכַּבֵּד רַבִּי פְרִידָא בְּבוֹאוֹ אֵלָיו, פָּתַח וְאָמַר "טוֹבָתִי בַּל עָלֶיךָ", הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין לְפִי דַעְתִּי לְהַחֲזִיק לְךָ שׁוּם טוֹבָה שֶׁבָּאתָ אֵלַי, כִּי הָעִקָּר הַחֲשִׁיבוּת אֶצְלִי רַק "לִקְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ הֵמָּה", וְהֵם הָאָבוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הָרוֹמְזִים לְמִצְוֹת, "וְאַדִּירֵי כָּל חֶפְצִי בָם" הֵם מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים מְפֹרָשִׁים וּקְבוּעִים לָעַד, וְכִי בֶּאֱמֶת בִּימֵי רַבִּי פְרִידָא בָּחַר הַש"י בָּזֶה מְאֹד שֶׁמִּצְוֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים הָיוּ הָעִקָּר אָז, כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁמַע דְּקָאָמַר אַדִּיר הַיְנוּ דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא קָבוּעַ בְּלִי שִׁנּוּי אָז פָּתַח וְאָמַר יָבֹא אַדִּיר יִפָּרַע מֵאַדִּירִים, הַיְנוּ אֵיךְ יַעֲלֶה עַל הַדַּעַת לִתֵּן מָקוֹם וְכֹחַ חִזּוּק כָּל כָּךְ לְמִצְוֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינָם רַק לְבוּשִׁים, וְגַם לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם יֵשׁ לְבוּשִׁים וּתְפִיסָה מֵהֶם, וְעִם כָּל זֶה נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶם "צָלְלוּ כַּעוֹפֶרֶת בְּמַיִם אַדִּירִים", כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל חִיּוּת אֻמָּה וְאֻמָּה הוּא עַל יְדֵי אֵיזֶה לְבוּשׁ מִמִּדָּה טוֹבָה, וּבְעֵת שֶׁהַש"י מַפְשִׁיט עַצְמוֹ כִּבְיָכוֹל מִמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת אָז הָאֻמָּה הַזֹּאת תֵּלֵךְ לַאֲבַדּוֹן עִם כָּל אַדִּירָם. וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר יָבֹא יָדִיד, הַיְנוּ אִם תִּרְצֶה לָדַעַת לְמִי שֶׁצָּלְחָה מִצְוָה בְּפֹעַל וְהוּא קָבוּעַ לָעַד זֶה הוּא שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁהִצְלִיחַ בְּבִנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁהַש"י בָּחַר בָּזֶה בְּלִי שׁוּם שִׁנּוּי לְעוֹלָם, אֲבָל אָדָם אַחֵר לֹא יוּכַל לְהִתְפָּאֵר בְּעִנְיָן כָּזֶה, יָבֹא טוֹב וִיקַבֵּל טוֹב מֵטִיב לַטּוֹבִים הַיְנוּ כָּעֵת בָּחַר הַש"י בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁנָּתַן לָנוּ עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ שֶׁזֶּה לֹא יִשְׁתַּנֶּה, יָבֹא זֶה וִיקַבֵּל זֹאת מִזֶּה לְעַם זוּ, זֶה הוּא מֹשֶׁה וְזֹאת הִיא הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה לֹא יִשְׁתַּנֶּה בַּעֲבוּר כִּי לֹא נִתְּנָה רַק לְעַם זוּ וְאֵין לָאֻמּוֹת שׁוּם חֵלֶק בָּהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב "אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל".
Gemara: The rabbinic students said to R' Preida: "R' Ezra, the grandson of R' Avtolas, who is a tenth-generation descendant of R' Elazar ben Azaryah, who was a tenth-generation descendant of Ezra the Scribe, is standing at the door." R' Preida said to them: "What is all this? Why do you give his lineage? ... If he is a scholar and of distinguished ancestry fine. But if he is of distinguished ancestry and is not a scholar, [may fire consume him!]" They answered him: "He is a scholar." [R' Preida] said to them: "Let him enter and come before us." When R' Ezra entered [R'Preida] saw that his mind was unsettled. [R' Preida] therefore began saying,[NOTE: Translated in accord with the Izhbitzer's explanation below]: "'I said to God," etc., 'My good is in other than you.'" The thing dealt with that one, i.e. that Reb Preida was at that time the head and leader of the generation and crowned with glory in courtesy, fastidious in observance and maasim tovim as indicated (Eruvin 54b) in his teaching to his student four hundred times. Also he was asked from heaven what he wants either good for his generation or longevity and he chose good for his generation over longevity. And when they asked him (Megillah 27), "on account of which meritorious practice have you attained longevity?", he said, "I never blessed in the presence of a Kohen," and, this event occurred right before his passing. For the time had arrived that God chose Reb Ezra to receive the Nasi role and, the practice would now be through Torah as a main thing and not through maasim tovim. And Hashem brought it about that R' Preida failed now, that he insulted the priest who was [also] a tenth-generation descendant of Ezra in that he said, "I didn't bless before a priest" [but he did]. And when he rose at the door, R' Preida felt that Ezra had complaints. And they judged from the section "And the people were looking to complain" since he was then the pillar of the generation and, Ezra had a complaint about him. And the punishment of the murmurers was by fire. Therefore he said "may fire consume him", for he saw that his mind was unsettled, i.e. that he perceived that the mind of Reb Ezra was thinking that Reb Preida would be honored in his coming to him. Gemara: R' Preida opened and said: "My good is in other than you" I.e. that it is not according to my mind to hold for you any good that you are coming to me. [R' Preida was saying], for the important point by me is only… Gemara: "To the holy ones, they who are [interred] in the earth", and they are the holy partiarchs who allude to mitzvot. Gemara: "and the mighty ones, all My desire is in them." They represent good deeds and are fixed forever. Isn't it the case that in truth in the days of Reb Preida Hashem yitbarach chose this greatly that mitzvot AND good deeds were the main thing. Then, Gemara: "When he [R' Ezra] heard [R' Preida] mention the word 'mighty ones,'" I.e. a thing that was fixed without change then Gemara: "he began and said, 'Let the mighty come and exact retribution from the mighty,'" I.e., how could it arise in your mind to make mention and strongly emphasize mitzvot and good deeds since they are only the outer manifestations [lit. garments], and, in addition, nations of the world have garments and grab [merit] from them and despite that it is said of them Gemara: "The mighty ones sank like lead in the water" For in truth all vitality of each and every nation is through some garment from a good attribute. But, at the time that Hashem yitbarach will remove the garment Himself (if one could say so) from this attribute, then this nation will go to destruction with all its mighty ones. And afterwards, he said, Gemara: "Let a beloved come", I.e. if you want to know for whom a mitzvah would be successful in action that it be fixed forever, this is King Solomon a'h, for he, in the building of the holy Temple made it with success, that Hashem yitbarach chose this without any change for ever. Nonetheless another person couldn't boast for doing a thing like this, Gemara: "Let good come and receive good from good for those who are good," I.e. as the time when Hashem Yitbarach chose the Torah and gave it to us through Moshe his servant, this doesn't change, Gemara: "Let this come and receive this from this for this nation... this refers to Moshe.. and this refers to the Torah" that Moshe placed for the children of Israel. For on behalf of this, the Torah doesn't change because it is the case that He only gave it to this nation, [NOTE: But not including Maasim Tovim; Hashem brought this for the generation of R' Preida, but it was not to be in the generation of R' Ezra] and he did not give any portion within it to the nations as it is written that, "Moses put it before the children of Israel".