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Kind of a longshot but has anyone heard of a Gemorah or any text which mentions the following:

... he wondered why there were old Jews in Bavel, the verse says in order you shall lengthen your days on "the land"... the land refers to eretz yisrael. So how can babylonian jews grow old. He then heard that it was because they get up early and go to bed late in order to learn.

Please let me know where this is. I want to see it for myself.

Thanks

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  • even a way of finding the source would be helpful
    – avraham
    Jul 19, 2017 at 13:19
  • (re your comment) Perhaps even more so. Give a man a fish….
    – msh210 ♦
    Jul 20, 2017 at 3:28

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This is found in Brachot 8a:

אמרו ליה לרבי יוחנן איכא סבי בבבל תמה ואמר למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה כתיב אבל בחוצה לארץ לא כיון דאמרי ליה מקדמי ומחשכי לבי כנישתא אמר היינו דאהני להו כדאמר רבי יהושע בן לוי לבניה קדימו וחשיכו ועיילו לבי כנישתא כי היכי דתורכו חיי

The Gemara relates that when the Sages told Rabbi Yoḥanan that there are elders in Babylonia, he was confounded and said: It is written: “So that your days will be lengthened and the days of your children upon the land the Lord swore to your forefathers to give to them like the days of heaven on the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21); lengthened in Eretz Yisrael but not outside of the Land. Why then, do the residents of Babylonia live long lives? When they told him that the people in Babylonia go early in the morning and go late in the evening to the synagogue, he said: That is what was effective for them in extending their lives.

Sefaria translation

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  • Notably, that says בי כנישתא not בי מידרשא.
    – Loewian
    Jul 19, 2017 at 13:40
  • and yes little interesting it says that
    – avraham
    Jul 19, 2017 at 15:24
  • @avraham if you want a user to see your message, you need to put an @ symbol before their username, with no space, as I wrote yours for instance. Whoever wrote the question or answer will see the comment. So Bach saw your comment, but Loewian did not. Another point is that if you find this answer acceptable, feel free to click the checkmark to accept this answer as correct.
    – user6591
    Jul 19, 2017 at 15:40
  • @Loewian perhaps there is implication that they gather to daven and mourn on the Galut?
    – DanF
    Jul 19, 2017 at 15:41
  • @user6591 thanks, didn't realise. and thanks
    – avraham
    Jul 19, 2017 at 16:01

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