When Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai's son died, his disciples came in to comfort him.
Rabbi Eliezer entered, sat down before him, and said, "Master, by your leave, may I say something to you?" "Speak," he replied.
Rabbi Eliezer said, "Adam had a son who died, yet he was comforted for the loss of him.
How do we know that he was comforted for him? Because it is said, 'And Adam knew his wife again, and she gave birth to a son.
She named him Seth - "because G-d has granted (shas) me another offspring in place of Abel' (Gen.
4:25).
You, too, must be comforted.
" Rabban Yohanan said to him, "Is it not enough that I grieve over my own? Do you have to remind me of Adam's grief?" Rabbi Joshua entered and said, "Master, by your leave, may I say something to you?" "Come forward and speak," he replied.
Rabbi Joshua said, "Job had sons and daughters, all of whom died in one day, and he was comforted for the loss of them.
You, too, must be comforted.
How do we know that Job was comforted? Because Job said, 'The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord' " (Job 1:21).
Rabban Yohanan said to him, "Is it not enough that I grieve over my own? Do you have to remind me of Job's grief?" Rabbi Yose entered, sat down before him, and said, "Master, by your leave, may I say something to you?" "Come and be heard," he replied.
Rabbi Yose said, "Aaron had two grown sons, both of whom died in one day, yet he was comforted for the loss of them, as it is said, 'And Aaron was silent' [Lev.
10:3]--his silence implies a willingness to be comforted.
You, too, must be comforted.
" Rabban Yohanan said to him, "Is it not enough that I grieve over my own? Do you have to remind me of Aaron's grief?" Rabbi Simeon entered and said, "Master, by your leave, may I say something to you?" "Stand and speak your words," he replied.
Rabbi Simeon said, "King David had a son who died, yet he allowed himself to be comforted for the loss of him.
How do we know that David was comforted? Because it is said, 'And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her..
...
and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon [Peace, Consolation]' [2 Sam.
12:24].
You, too, Master, must be comforted.
" Rabban Yohanan said to him, "Is it not enough that I grieve over my own? Do you have to remind me of King David's grief?" Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh entered.
As soon as Rabban Yohanan saw him, he said to his servant, "Take my clothing and follow me to the bathhouse,* for he is a great man, and I shall be unable to resist the words of wisdom he shall speak.
" Having entered, Rabbi Eleazar sat down before him and said, "May I tell you a parable? "Come and share your tale" encouraged Rabban Yohanan.
To whom may you be likened? To a man with whom the king deposited an object.
Each and every day the man would weep and cry out, saying, 'Woe is me! When shall I be safely relieved of this trust?' You too, master, had a son: he studied the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings and all the revealed and hidden aspects of the Scriptures; he studied Mishnah, Halachah and other holy writings and departed from this world without sin.
You should be comforted because you have returned to the King above all kings that which He left with you unimpaired or blemished.
" Rabban Yohanan said to him, "Eleazar, my son, you have comforted me the way men should give comfort!" Avos d'Rabbi Nasan 14 *Rabban Yohanan realized that Rabbi Eleazar would succeed in consoling him and therefore he prepared to go to the bathhouse, a luxury normally forbidden to a mourner.
The phrase 'Take my clothing,' is a reference to 2 Sam.
12:20, where it is said that David terminated the mourning for his son by bathing and putting on his clothes.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)