The Talmud: Selections, by H. Polano, , at sacred-texts.com "All
that God made was very good." Rabbi Simon, the son of Eleazer,
uses the words "very good" in reference to sleep. "Man sleeps,"
says he, "and in a few hours he gains renewed strength." Rabbi
Samuel, son of Nachman, said, "The incentive leading man towards
women is 'very good,' for thereby households are organised and
families are formed." Rabbi Hammuna was of the opinion that no
more forcible meaning could be given to the words "very good"
than in applying them to the ills of life, which, said he, "more
than doctrines and reasonings keep men temperate and dependent
on a Higher Power." Rabbi Simon, the son of Abba, applied the
words "very good" to retaliation; and Rabbi Simon, the son of
Lakish, to political government; but the teaching of Rabbi Meir
was, that the death of man is "very good." Judaism aims not to
separate, but to unite mankind, and this was one of the great
principles of Rabbi Meir's life. Concerning the passage, "Man
shall observe