Why I never watch all those celebrity roasts TB Shabbat 46

Today’s daf TB Shabbat 45 relates a strange and disturbing story. Rav Avya happened to come to Rava’s house. His feet were dirty with clay and he put them on the bed before Rava. Rava became angry at him for dirtying the bed and, therefore, sought to torment him with questions that he could not answer. Rava said to him: What is the reason that Rabba and Rav Yosef both said that with regard to a naphtha lamp, too, that it is permitted to move it? Rav Avya said to him: Since it is suitable to cover a vessel with it. Rava said to him: But if that is so, all pebbles in the yard may also be carried ab initio on Shabbat, since it is suitable to cover a vessel with them. Rav Avya said to him: There is a distinction between these cases. This, the lamp, the status of a vessel applies to it and there are leniencies that apply to vessels with regard to the halakhot of set-aside. These, the pebbles, the status of a vessel does not apply to it, as they are a raw material. Carrying them is prohibited unless designated for a specific purpose before Shabbat. Was it not taught in a baraita that bracelets, nose-rings and rings, although it is prohibited to go out into the public domain wearing them on Shabbat, they are like all the vessels that may be moved in the courtyard; in the private domain, one may move them and they are not set-aside. And Ulla said: What is the reason that it is permitted to move nose-rings in the yard? It is because the status of a vessel applies to it. Apparently, vessel status is sufficient to permit moving it on Shabbat. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Thank God that Rava did not embarrass Rav Avya and Rav Avya managed to successfully answer Rava’s questions.” (Sefaria.org translation)

I can understand why Rava was upset with Rav Avya because he put his dirty feet on the bed. What I don’t understand is why he just didn’t ask him to remove his fee from the bed. That’s what Judy tells me all the time when I forget to take off my shoes when I’m lying down. What bothers me even more is Rava’s desire to torment and embarrass Rav Avya.  This goes against everything I’ve learned what yiddishkeit teaches us how we treat one another because we are created in God’s image, בצלם א-לוהים.

Rav Hisda taught: Great is human, גדול כבוד הבריות. (TB Shabbat 81) Although we shall study this Mishna in Baba Metzi’a in greater detail when we reach it in the spring of 2024 God willing, now is a good time to introduce it. “Just as there is a prohibition against exploitation [ona’a] in buying and selling, so is there ona’a in statements, i.e., verbal mistreatment. The mishna proceeds to cite examples of verbal mistreatment. One may not say to a seller: For how much are you selling this item, if he does not wish to purchase it. He thereby upsets the seller when the deal fails to materialize. The mishna lists other examples: If one is a penitent, another may not say to him: Remember your earlier deeds. If one is the child of converts, another may not say to him: Remember the deeds of your ancestors, as it is stated: “And a convert shall you neither mistreat, nor shall you oppress him” (Exodus 22:20).”TB Baba Metzi’a 58b (Sefaria.org translation)

Since we are all created in God’s image, we must be careful how we treat and speak to one another.