R. Sheshet's mother: The one who bared her breasts and saved a life
R. Sheshet was offended by the disrespect shown to him by another rabbi, causing this rabbi to become very ill. R. Sheshet refused to forgive him until his mother publicly bared her breasts and reminded R. Sheshet of his physical origins.
This situation is similar to R. Yohanan's sister. There the sister was trying to get a stubborn angry man to back down and be forgiving, repair a relationship, and wanted life. In both situations the anger causes physical fatal illnesses. R. Yohanan's sister's pleas and cries were unsuccessful, and R. Yohanan and Resh Lakish died unreconciled. R. Sheshet's mother's pleas with words were also unsuccessful. It was only when she used her physical body, this extreme action of baring her breasts did R. Sheshet listen to her and forgave. It is a Superman gesture, opening the shirt, baring the chest to reveal the hero's life saving strength.
(Bava Batra 9b)
This situation is similar to R. Yohanan's sister. There the sister was trying to get a stubborn angry man to back down and be forgiving, repair a relationship, and wanted life. In both situations the anger causes physical fatal illnesses. R. Yohanan's sister's pleas and cries were unsuccessful, and R. Yohanan and Resh Lakish died unreconciled. R. Sheshet's mother's pleas with words were also unsuccessful. It was only when she used her physical body, this extreme action of baring her breasts did R. Sheshet listen to her and forgave. It is a Superman gesture, opening the shirt, baring the chest to reveal the hero's life saving strength.
(Bava Batra 9b)
