Siman 427

(2.) I heard in his name that he said he dreamed a witticism — and it is this one [Shabbos 34a]: "Harlots adorn each other — Torah scholars kal vachomer [all the more so]." The difficulty is: harlots adorn each other — Torah scholars "not?" Meaning: since harlots adorn each other, why do Torah scholars not honor each other? And the answer is kal vachomer — meaning for the sake of kal vachomer — for the sake of money, which is called kal vachomer, for kal vachomer is wealth... Further, another way: "Harlots adorn each other" — because of this "Torah scholars not, all the more." That is, because of this Torah scholars have no money — which is called "kol sh'kein" [all the more] — and this is "Torah scholars not, all the more" — that is, they have no money, which is called "kol sh'kein." And this is because harlots adorn each other. For Torah scholars are called shepherds, and when there are harlots they are called — G-d forbid — "a shepherd of harlots," and "a shepherd of harlots destroys wealth" (ibid. 29). Further, in a third way: "Harlots adorn each other — Torah scholars [adorn each other]" — that is, when will Torah scholars adorn one another? "Not, all the more" — when they have no desire for money at all: