Rabbi Safra was tortured because he did not understand the verse in Amos 3:2

[edu]

R. Abbahu commended R. Safra to the Minim as a learned man, and he was thus exempted by them from paying taxes for thirteen years. One day, on coming across him, they said to him; ‘It is written: You only, have I known [or loved] from all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities (Amos 3:2); if one is in anger does one vent it on one's friend?’ But he was silent and could give them no answer; so they wound a scarf round his neck and tortured him. When R Abbahu came and
found him [in that state] he said to them, Why do you torture him?
Said they:
 ‘Have you not told us that he is a great man? He cannot explain to us the meaning of this verse!’
He replied, ‘I may have told you [that he was learned] in Tannaitic teaching; did I tell you he was learned in Scripture?’ — ‘How is it then that you know it?’ they contended. ‘We,’ he replied. ‘who are frequently with you, set ourselves the task of studying it thoroughly, but others do not study it as carefully.’
 Said they, ‘Will you then tell us the meaning?’ ‘I will explain it by a parable.’, he replied.
‘To what may it be compared? To a man who is the creditor of two persons, one of them a friend, the other an enemy; of his friend he will accept payment little by little, whereas of his enemy he will exact payment in one sum!

(Based on the Soncino translation of Tractate Avoda Zara 4a)

[muman613]

Very interesting... I did not know this until you wrote it. Are you studying the Gemara?

I just found this on this section of Amos...


http://www.kby.org/english/torat-yavneh/view.asp?id=3621

Haftarah: "A Lion has Roared; who will not Fear?"
By: Hamashgiach Harav Avraham Rivlin, shlita

This week's Haftarah begins with a description of the grave sins of Am Yisrael and the ensuing punishment. The nation thinks that due to Bnei Yisrael's status as G-d's children they are immune to punishment. Therefore, Amos emphasizes that the opposite is true: "You alone did I know from among all the families of the earth; therefore I will hold you to account for all your iniquities." (Amos 3:2) This is because, "the one that G-d loves He chastises," and, "One who spares the rod hates his child." Precisely because, "You alone did I know," G-d cannot overlook your rebellious ways; because your are His beloved children. He cares about you and wants for your best, even if the way to do so is through punishment. Similarly, Chazal say, "G-d is exacting with the righteous as the width of a hair."

[Bnei Yisrael thought the same way about the Temple, that it serves as "life insurance" for them, as Yirmiya warns them: "Do not trust the false statements that say: 'The Sanctuary of Hashem, the Sanctuary of Hashem, the Sanctuary of Hashem are they!'" (7:4) This was also their mistake in the days of Eli, when they thought that taking the Ark to the battlefield will save them from the enemy: "Let us take with us from Shiloh the Ark of the Covenant of Hashem that He may come in our midst and save us form the hands of our enemies!" (Shmuel I 4:3) The Malbim explains that they thought that Hashem must save His Ark and protect it from the Philistines, and thereby they would also be protected. But this is false, because the Ark is not itself the goal, only that Bnei Yisrael should observe what is written in it!]

Even so, the nation does not believe that punishment will come, since now they are doing well. Therefore, Amos continues to ask seven rhetorical questions that reiterate one idea, through usage of various metaphors from the world of nature. The idea is that to every natural phenomenon precedes a reason that causes it and forces it: "Does a lion roar in the forest, if it has no kill? ... Is the shofar ever sounded in a city and the people not tremble?" (3:4-6) The summing up conclusion is: "Can there be misfortune in a city, if Hashem had not brought it?" When there is prey – the lion roars; when there is sin – G-d reacts. The writing is on the wall; it is only necessary to pay attention and read it.

Who writes the inscription that warns the nation about the inevitable punishment that will come after the nation's sins? To this question, Amos answers in the final two verses of the Haftarah: "For the L-rd Hashem/ Elokim will not do anything unless He has revealed His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared; who will not fear? The L-rd Hashem/ Elokim has spoken; who will not prophesy?" (3:7-8) In these verses Amos rejects the nation's claim that the prophet is making up things, and notes that his prophecy is G-d's word.
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[edu]

Rabbi Moshe Tzuriel had an article in Otzrote Hatora parshat Bo on the Jewish attitude towards suffering
and he makes use of Rabbi Abbahu's explanation to Amos 3:2.
This inspired me to bring up the point at this time.
Besides the lesson about Suffering, the Talmud quote also reinforces the idea, that it is praiseworthy for Torah Scholars to know Tanach well and not just be content with knowing Gemara.