Rabbi Yochanan Meets Reish Lakish the Bandit
A bandit chief leaps into the river beside Rabbi Yochanan, who promises him his beautiful sister if he repents. The bandit becomes the great Reish Lakish.
The Gemara (Bava Metzia 84a) relates that Rebbe Yochanan was swimming, when the chief of a group of bandits noticed him. The head bandit took a massive leap and landed next to Rebbe Yochanan. Whereupon Rebbe Yochanan remarked, “Your strength is appropriate for Torah learning.”
The chief bandit replied, “And your beauty is fit for a woman!”
Rebbe Yochanan replied, “If you do teshuvah, I will let you marry my sister, who is more beautiful than me.” The bandit repented and became the great Amora known as Reish Lakish. When Reish Lakish passed away, Rebbe Yochanan tore his garments. The Maharsha explains that Rebbe Yochanan was following the law that one tears his clothing upon the death of his Rebbe. Reish Lakish had come so far from being a bandit that he was even considered to be a rebbe of Rebbe Yochanan.