R. Johanan was the most handsome man in the world. One day he felt very warm and went to bathe in the Jordan. A robber came along and, seeing the man bathing in the Jordan, was greatly astounded at his beauty. Thinking It was a woman, he jumped into the water. This robber was none other than Resh Lakish.

R. Johanan said to him: "How great your power is for studying the Torah!"

The robber replied: "How beautiful you would be as a woman!"

Then R. Johanan said to him: "If you will study the Torah, I will give you my sister, who is much more beautiful than I am, as a wife."

The robber replied: "I am willing to study the Torah if you will give me your sister as a wife."

Then R. Johanan said: "Jump out of the water again upon the land and get me my clothes."

But he could not jump half as far as he did before.

R. Johanan knew that he was sincere in his intention to give himself up to the study of the Torah. So he made him a proselyte and taught him the Torah and gave him his sister as a wife. When a man has taken the yoke of the Torah upon him, he cannot be as frivolous as he was before. Resh Lakish studied until he became a very great scholar, and was called R. Simeon the son of Lakish, the promoter of learning in Israel.

One day there arose a dispute in the college between R. Johanan and R. Simeon the son of Lakish concerning a sword, a knife, a spear and a sickle, as to when they become unclean, that is to say, when they can be said to be finished.

R. Johanan maintained that as soon as they are taken out of the fire they are finished. R. Simeon said they are not finished until they have passed through water. R. Johanan said: "Ah, you robber, you know all about it, because it is part of your trade, which robbers have to use."

R. Simeon son of Lakish replied: "What is the good of studying all this Torah? I am called rabbi (master) now and was called rabbi (master) before, for I was the chief of the robber band."

R. Johanan replied: "The difference is that with your Torah you can obtain a share in the world to come."

R. Johanan became angry and turned his eyes upon R. Simeon son of Lakish so sternly that he was taken seriously ill.

The wife of R. Simeon, seeing that her husband was dying, went to her brother R. Johanan and asked him to allow her husband to live that she might not become a widow and her children poor orphans. But R. Johanan said: "Have no fear, I will care for you and your children if your husband should die." And the good Resh Lakish died.

R. Johanan was sorely grieved. And the sages said: "Who will go and comfort him? We will send R. Eleazar son of Pedat who will answer his questions in place of R. Simeon ben Lakish."

When R. Eleazar began to study with him and R. Johanan stated the law, he assented to everything that R. Johanan said, saying: "I have been taught the same thing."

R. Johanan said to him: "How can you take the place of Resh Lakish? Whenever I propounded the law he raised twenty-four objections and followed them up with twenty-four answers, and thus he sharpened my mind, while you agree to everything I say, remarking that you have been taught the same thing. How then can I know whether mine is the correct view?"

Then R. Johanan rent his garments and cried: "Where art thou, ben Lakish? Where art thou ben Lakish?"

And he continued grieving for Resh Lakish until he lost his mind.

When the rabbis saw that R. Johanan had become insane, they prayed for his death, and then they buried him.