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Exempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924) Reader

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404

Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 178

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 178Public DomainSource text

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178. R.Hisda groaned remembering the great wealth which he had lost. He used to give away hundreds of cloaks; his ovens used to bake bread for distribution and an open purse hung at the doorposts of the house which had two entrances, so that people coming in through one door could take some money and go out by the other.

405

The Open Purse That Once Hung at Rav Hisda's Doorpost

Gaster, Exempla of the Rabbis No. 178PD-US-pre-1929Source text

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R.Hisda groaned remembering the great wealth which he had lost. He used to give away hundreds of cloaks; his ovens used to bake bread for distribution and an open purse hung at the doorposts of the house which had two entrances, so that people coming in through one door could take some money and go out by the other.

406

Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 179

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 179Public DomainSource text

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179. R. Patra taught a student the same thing 400 times, until he knew it. As a reward he was given the choice of having 400 years added to his life or the promise that his descendants should inherit the bliss of the world to come. He only chose the latter but both were granted to him.

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407

Merit of Repetition

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 179Public DomainSource text

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179. Merit of Repetition. cf. Erubin, f. 54b. Midr. Hagadol, Exod.

Mishpatim.

Maase Buch No. 132.

408

Four Hundred Lessons for a Student Who Would Not Give Up

Gaster, Exempla of the Rabbis No. 179 (1924); Eruvin 54bPD-US-pre-1929Source text

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R. Patra taught a student the same thing 400 times, until he knew it. As a reward he was given the choice of having 400 years added to his life or the promise that his descendants should inherit the bliss of the world to come. He only chose the latter but both were granted to him.

409

Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 180

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 180Public DomainSource text

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180. R. Meir told a Samaritan that he was a descendant of Isachar (whose name was Shomron) and not of Joseph as he had thought. The Epitropos of the Samaritans said to him, “He removed you from Joseph and did not bring you to Issachar.”

410

Rabbi Meir Outwits the Samaritans

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 180Public DomainSource text

Source Text

180. R. Meir & Samaritans. Midr. Hagadol, Gen.

Vayyishlah.

Gen. R. 94 § 7.

Yalk. Sip. p. 153.

Ben Gorion II, p. 160,

348-

411

The Samaritan Who Claimed Descent from Joseph

Gaster, Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 180PD-US-pre-1929Source text

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R. Meir told a Samaritan that he was a descendant of Isachar (whose name was Shomron) and not of Joseph as he had thought. The Epitropos of the Samaritans said to him, “He removed you from Joseph and did not bring you to Issachar.”

412

An Inn-keeper Used to Frighten His Guests in the Middle

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 181Public DomainSource text

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181. An inn-keeper used to frighten his guests in the middle of the night and force them to leave. Then robbers used to attack them and they divided the spoils with the inn-keeper. R. Meir however did not leave, as he waited for his brother Tob until the morning.

414

Why Rabbi Meir Refused to Leave the Dangerous Inn

Gaster, The Exempla of the Rabbis (1924), No. 181PD-US-pre-1929Source text

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An inn-keeper used to frighten his guests in the middle of the night and force them to leave. Then robbers used to attack them and they divided the spoils with the inn-keeper. R. Meir however did not leave, as he waited for his brother Tob until the morning.

415

Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 182

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 182Public DomainSource text

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182. R. Ishmael b. Jose, stopped by a Samaritan in his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, told him that they were still hankering after the idols buried by Jacob at the foot of Mount Sichem.

416

Rabbi Ishmael Accused the Samaritans of Hidden Idolatry

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 182Public DomainSource text

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182. R. Ishmael & Samaritans.

J. Aboda Zara V, 4. Midr. Hagadol, Gen. Vayyese.

cf. Gen. R. 81 §3; 32 § 10.

cf. Deut. R. ch. 3. cf. Song R. ch. 4.

Yalk. §57.

Yalk. Sip. I, p. 117.

417

The Idols Jacob Buried at Shechem and the Samaritan on the Road

Gaster, The Exempla of the Rabbis (1924), no. 182PD-US-pre-1929Source text

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R. Ishmael b. Jose, stopped by a Samaritan in his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, told him that they were still hankering after the idols buried by Jacob at the foot of Mount Sichem.

418

Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 183

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 183Public DomainSource text

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183. R. Gamliel explained to a philosopher that one could always give to the poor with a pleasant countenance, as God was the guarantor and the donor was sure to obtain his reward.

419

Why Every Gift to the Poor Is Guaranteed by God

Gaster, Exempla of the Rabbis, no. 183PD-US-pre-1929Source text

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R. Gamliel explained to a philosopher that one could always give to the poor with a pleasant countenance, as God was the guarantor and the donor was sure to obtain his reward.

420

An Emperor sent some men to dig for the grave of Moses

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 184Public DomainSource text

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184. An Emperor sent some men to dig for the grave of Moses. Those that worked at the foot saw the grave at the top of the mountain and vice-versa.

421

A man prayed a long time and another a short time before R

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 185Public DomainSource text

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185. A man prayed a long time and another a short time before R. Eliezer. The latter said to his expostulating pupils, that the one was not praying longer than Moses, who had prayed 40 days and the other’s prayer was not shorter than the one sentence used by Moses on the occasion of Miriam’s illness.

422

Prayer Long & Short

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 185Public DomainSource text

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185. Prayer Long & Short. Berakhot, f. 34. Mekhilta, Exod. Beshal-

lah.

Midr. Hagadol, Exod.

Beshallah.

Yalk. §742.

Aboab, Men. Ham. ch. 109.

Yalk. Sip. II, p. 107.

423

The Short Prayer and the Long Prayer of Rabbi Eliezer

Gaster, Exempla no. 185; cf. Berakhot 34aPD-US-pre-1929Source text

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A man prayed a long time and another a short time before R. Eliezer. The latter said to his expostulating pupils, that the one was not praying longer than Moses, who had prayed 40 days and the other’s prayer was not shorter than the one sentence used by Moses on the occasion of Miriam’s illness.

424

A Rabbi sent Levi b

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 186Public DomainSource text

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186. A Rabbi sent Levi b. Sisi to Simonia to teach. When he arrived there he could not answer a single question, because he had grown proud in his promotion. He lost all his knowledge, but on being humbled he recovered it.

425

Pride Loses Knowledge

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 186Public DomainSource text

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186. Pride Loses Knowledge. Pesahim, f. 66.

B. Yebamot, f. 105 a.

J. Yebamot, end of ch. 12 § 6, f. 13a. Tanh. §5. Tanh. B. Gen.

§ 2, Levit. Sav, p. 17. Midr. Hagadol, Gen.

Vayyishlah.

Gen. R. § 5.

Levit. R. Sav.

Yalk. II, §*964.

Yalk. Sip. Ill, p. 20. (Nos. 187—193 equal to J. Peah I 1, f. 15 c; Kiddushin, f. 31a; B. Aboda Zara, f. 24.)

426

Levi ben Sisi Forgets Everything Upon Being Promoted

Yerushalmi Yevamot 12:7; Gaster, Exempla No. 186PD-US-pre-1929Source text

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A Rabbi sent Levi b. Sisi to Simonia to teach. When he arrived there he could not answer a single question, because he had grown proud in his promotion. He lost all his knowledge, but on being humbled he recovered it.

427

Story of Dima b

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 187Public DomainSource text

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187. Story of Dima b. Netina’s respect for his parents. His mother slapped his face in public and he said nothing, and after his father’s death he never sat in his father’s chair.

428

Respect jor Father

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 187Public DomainSource text

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187. Respect jor Father. Aboda Zara, f. 24.

J. Peah, I § 1. Kiddushin, f. 31a. Pesikta R. § 23.

Midr. Hagadol, Deut.

Veethanan.

Deut. R. I, § 15.

Yalk. § 297.

Aboab, Men. Ham. ch. 165.

429

Dama ben Netina Would Not Sit in His Father's Chair

Gaster, Exempla of the Rabbis No. 187 (1924); Kiddushin 31aPD-US-pre-1929Source text

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Story of Dima b. Netina’s respect for his parents. His mother slapped his face in public and he said nothing, and after his father’s death he never sat in his father’s chair.

430

The respect of Dima b

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 188Public DomainSource text

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188. The respect of Dima b. Netina for his father was so great that he would not awaken him, when he was resting on a chest in which was a precious stone, which was wanted for the breast plate. The Jews, thinking he wished merely to obtain a higher price for it offered to give more. When his father awoke he sold the stone at the first price offered

— 97 -

and obtained his reward by the sale of a red heifer which he sold at a very high price.

431

Respect for Father

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 188Public DomainSource text

Source Text

188. Respect for Father.

Kiddushin, f. 31.

J. Peah, I § 1.

cf. Pesikta R. f. 44.

Midr. Hagadol, Exod.

Jithro.

Yalk. §297.

Midr. Decalogue, ed. Jellinek, B. H. V, f. 2b.

Aboab, Men. Ham. ch. 165.

Kohut, al - Dhamari App. I, No. 8, p. X. Maase Buch No. 127. Zunz, G. V. p. 152, no.b.

Ben Gorion II, p. 69, 340; p. m, 344. cf. Liebrecht, Zur Volks- kunde, p. 81, No. II. Cod. G. 184, No. 155.

432

Dama ben Netina, the Sleeping Father, and the Red Heifer

Gaster, Exempla of the Rabbis No. 188 (1924); Kiddushin 31aPD-US-pre-1929Source text

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The respect of Dima b. Netina for his father was so great that he would not awaken him, when he was resting on a chest in which was a precious stone, which was wanted for the breast plate. The Jews, thinking he wished merely to obtain a higher price for it offered to give more. When his father awoke he sold the stone at the first price offered

and obtained his reward by the sale of a red heifer which he sold at a very high price.

434

Respect for Mother

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 189Public DomainSource text

Source Text

189. Respect for Mother.

Kiddushin, f. 31a. Aboda Zara, f. 24a.

J. Peah, I § 1.

Pesikta R. § 23.

Deut. R. I § 15.

Yalk. §297.

Yalk. Sip. II, p. 144.

— 224

436

Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 190

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 190Public DomainSource text

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190. R. Tarfon placed his hands under the feet of his mother so that she should walk on them on the Sabbath.

438

Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 191

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 191Public DomainSource text

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191. R. Ishmael would not allow his mother to drink the water with which she had washed his feet, which she intended to do out of love for him. Other similar examples of the rabbis' respect for their mothers are given here.

439

Why Rabbi Ishmael Would Not Drink His Mother's Gift

Gaster, Exempla No. 191PD-US-pre-1929Source text

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R. Ishmael would not allow his mother to drink the water with which she had washed his feet, which she intended to do out of love for him. Other similar examples of the rabbis' respect for their mothers are given here.

440

Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 192

Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 192Public DomainSource text

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192. R. Hananya said: “Some feed their parents badly and yet go to Paradise, others feed them well and yet go to Gehinom." [The explanation follows in the next chapter.