Baya, the taxgatherer, and a scholar lin Askalon] were both taken to be buried. Enemies attacked the people and they fled, but his friend and pupil remained beside the body. The people returned and buried the taxgatherer with great honour, in spite of the student's protest that it was not the body of the scholar. In the night, the scholar appeared to the student and showed him his glory in Paradise, and explained as a reason for his neglected burial that he had not protested against insults offered to scholars. The taxgatherer, howev£% had received his reward here in this world, because!! he had once distri-
buted among the poor food which had been prepared for the king who had not come. The taxgatherer was shown in Gehinom with an iron bar through his head. The student was told that he would only be released on the death of Shimeon ben Shetah, who would take his place, because, although head of the Sanhedrin he tolerated witches. The student told Shimeon the dream; he sent 60 pupils who entered the witches’ house by a stratagem, lifted them from the ground, broke their magical power and hanged them.
False witnesses once testified against Shimeon’s son out of revenge, and Shimeon ben Shetah condemned him to death although the falsity was proved.