Exempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924) Reader

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.

193. A man fed his father well and then insulted him when he would not do as the son wished; another put his father to turn the mill and to do hard work, but took upon himself all the penalties and taxes for which his father was liable. He thus saved his father from trouble at the hands of strangers and inherited Paradise.

193. Good cS* Bad Treatment of Parents.

J. Peah, I, § 1.

cf. B. Kiddushin, f. 31a.

Midr. Hagadol, Exod.

Jithro.

Rashi.

Ben Gorion 1 1, p. 1 1 1, 344. Cod. G. 1380, f. 4b.

A man fed his father well and then insulted him when he would not do as the son wished; another put his father to turn the mill and to do hard work, but took upon himself all the penalties and taxes for which his father was liable. He thus saved his father from trouble at the hands of strangers and inherited Paradise.

194. A mother preserved the blood of her son, murdered by his brothers. It boiled as long as the brothers were alive.

194. Blood Boiling.

Gittin, f. 54.

Pesikta R. ch. 25.

Deut. R. ch. 2.

Lament. R. sect. I. Yalk. Sip. I, p. 44.

cf Blood of Zechariah.

A mother preserved the blood of her son, murdered by his brothers. It boiled as long as the brothers were alive.

195. A potter refused to bring water any longer to Rish Lakish in Tiberias unless he prayed that the potter should be with him in Paradise. Rish Lakish promised that he would pray for him to be among his own companions there. — R. Pinehas told the parable of those who were invited to dine with the king and who were seated according to the seats they brought with them, for each one was asked to bring his own to lean upon.

196 f. 136b. A woman married for io years remained barren. Her husband wished to divorce her. She agreed on condition to be allowed to take with her what ever pleased her best in the house. She made her husband drunk and carried him off to her house. They became reconciled.

A potter refused to bring water any longer to Rish Lakish in Tiberias unless he prayed that the potter should be with him in Paradise. Rish Lakish promised that he would pray for him to be among his own companions there. — R. Pinehas told the parable of those who were invited to dine with the king and who were seated according to the seats they brought with them, for each one was asked to bring his own to lean upon.

196. Woman Carrying Off Husband.

Pesikta, f. 147.

Pesikta R. ch. 31.

Song R. I, 4 § 2.

Yalk. § 16.

Yalk. Sip. I, p. 62. Tendlau, Sagen3, No. 14. B ergsti asser, N eu- Ar am. March. No. 3.

Clouston, Pop. Tales & Fic. II, p. 327—331.

Gaster, Germania. 1879. p. 285 ff.

Gaster, Gypsy Tales. Gaster, Rum. Fairy Tales, p. 69. cf. Grimm, D. Sagen2, No. 493, p. 169. Wei- ber zu Weinsperg. Grimm, K. & H. M. No. 94.

Hartmann in Z. V.

Vlksd. VII p. 104. Ispirescu, Legende sau Basmele No. XV, p. 181.

Massmann, Kaiserchro- nik, III, p. 1113. Codd. G. 28, f. 40; 130, No. 20, f. 69a.

A woman married for io years remained barren. Her husband wished to divorce her. She agreed on condition to be allowed to take with her what ever pleased her best in the house. She made her husband drunk and carried him off to her house. They became reconciled.

197. R. Akiba visited one of his students, who was very ill. The lady greatly impressed thereby took special care of him and he got well.

197. Akiba Visiting the Sick. Nedarim, f. 40a.

Aboab, Men. Ham.

ch. 207.

Maase Buch No. 116. Steinschneider, Heb. Bibliographic, Vol.22, p. 135-136.

Cod. G. 184, No. 184.

R. Akiba visited one of his students, who was very ill. The lady greatly impressed thereby took special care of him and he got well.

198. R. Johanan b. Zakkai explained to R. Joshua, who was mourning over the destroyed Temple and who said that it was now impossible to obtain forgiveness for sins as there were no longer sacrifices, that charity and pious actions atone.

R. Johanan b. Zakkai explained to R. Joshua, who was mourning over the destroyed Temple and who said that it was now impossible to obtain forgiveness for sins as there were no longer sacrifices, that charity and pious actions atone.

199. R. Joshua did not protest when R. Gamliel waited on him, for he said: "Abraham waited on the travellers and God waits on every man, since He provides him with food.”

199. God waits on Man. Midr. Hagadol, Deut.

Ekeb.

Cod. Br. M. 2380 (Midr.

Hahefes) f. 45 a.

Cod. *G. 184, No. 73.

— 225

R. Joshua did not protest when R. Gamliel waited on him, for he said: "Abraham waited on the travellers and God waits on every man, since He provides him with food.”

200. R. Johanan b. Matya ordered his son to feed his Jewish workmen adequately. The son replied that it was impossible to feed the children of Abraham adequately, for even were they to be fed like those who feasted at the table of Solomon, where were all the dainties of the world, even then it would not be according to their merits.

200. Feeding of Labourers.

Baba Mesia, f. 86a. Midr. Hagadol, Deut. Ekeb.

Yalk. Sip. I. p. 66.

R. Johanan b. Matya ordered his son to feed his Jewish workmen adequately. The son replied that it was impossible to feed the children of Abraham adequately, for even were they to be fed like those who feasted at the table of Solomon, where were all the dainties of the world, even then it would not be according to their merits.

201. The Prophet Elijah showed the future portals of Jerusalem which were made of carbuncles, to R. Joshua b. Levi.

201. Portals of Future Jerusalem.

Midr. Hagadol, Exod.

Vayyishlah.

Farhi, O. P. I, f. 31a. Cod. G. 184, No. 171.

The Prophet Elijah showed the future portals of Jerusalem which were made of carbuncles, to R. Joshua b. Levi.

202. A child in a boat was shown by the Prophet Elijah the stones of carbuncles on the condition that he would show them to R. Joshua b. Levi in Lud. He did so and three miles distance from Lud he dropped them into a cavern and they disappeared.

A child in a boat was shown by the Prophet Elijah the stones of carbuncles on the condition that he would show them to R. Joshua b. Levi in Lud. He did so and three miles distance from Lud he dropped them into a cavern and they disappeared.

203. R. Johanan said that the future Eastern portal and posts of Jerusalem would be made of one pearl. A Min scoffed at it. After a time he travelled in a ship and saw in the sea the angels sawing and preparing the pearl for the gate. On his return he confessed it to R. Johanan, who looked at him and turned him into a heap of bones.

203. Pearl for Gate of Jerusalem.

Baba Batra, f. 76a. Pesikta, f. 136 b. Pesikta Rabbati, sect.

32, f. 60 a.

Midr. Hagadol, Gen.

Vayyishlah.

Midr. Ps. Ps. 87 Yalk. II § 339.

Yalk. Sip. II, p. 209. Singer in Z. V. Vlksd.

II. p. 295.

Brandan Legend. Zimmer in Z. D. A. XXXIII, i27ff., 258ft.

R. Johanan said that the future Eastern portal and posts of Jerusalem would be made of one pearl. A Min scoffed at it. After a time he travelled in a ship and saw in the sea the angels sawing and preparing the pearl for the gate. On his return he confessed it to R. Johanan, who looked at him and turned him into a heap of bones.

204. A pious man, whilst walking along the sea-shore of Haifa doubted the possibility of gates being of pearl. He was threatened with punishment by a Divine voice, repented, and was shown the angels cutting it at the bottom of the sea.

A pious man, whilst walking along the sea-shore of Haifa doubted the possibility of gates being of pearl. He was threatened with punishment by a Divine voice, repented, and was shown the angels cutting it at the bottom of the sea.

205. R. Shimeon b. Yob ai prevented tribulations overtaking the world and therefore no rainbows appeared to warn it of calamity. The prophet Elijah and R. Joshua b. Levi met him and he refused to see R. Joshua, because a rainbow

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had been seen in the latter’s lifetime and he had been unable to avert the impending calamity. Many other incidents connected with R. Shimeon ben Yokai’s self-consciousness are mentioned; also how he once said to a valley, “Be full of gold” and the valley filled.

205. Shimeon b. Yohai & Rainbow.

Ketubot, f. 77 b.

J. Berakhot, IX, 2. Pesikta de R. K. Exod. Beshallah.

Midr. Hagadol, Gen.

f. 47d— 48b.

Midr. Psalms, B. Ps. 36 § 8, f. 126b.

Gen. R. ch. 35 § 2. Cod. Br. M. 2380 (Midr. Hahefes), f. 32 b.

R. Shimeon b. Yob ai prevented tribulations overtaking the world and therefore no rainbows appeared to warn it of calamity. The prophet Elijah and R. Joshua b. Levi met him and he refused to see R. Joshua, because a rainbow

had been seen in the latter’s lifetime and he had been unable to avert the impending calamity. Many other incidents connected with R. Shimeon ben Yokai’s self-consciousness are mentioned; also how he once said to a valley, “Be full of gold” and the valley filled.

206. f. 141a. R. Shimeon b. Yohai and son hid in a cavern for 13 years fearing Roman persecution. One da}f •they saw a fowler catching birds, who was successful only after a voice from Heaven had pronounced the decree upon the birds. So they relied on Providence and left the cavern, knowing that unless their death had been decreed from Heaven, the Romans could not hurt them. They were fed in the cave by a Harub-tree and a water fountain which sprang up in the cave. Shimeon b. Yohai went to Tiberias and cleansed the place of dead bodies, which at his bidding rose from under the ground. Afterwards a Kuthaean buried in the street a corpse which R. Shimeon had cleansed, and then mocked at him. R. Shimeon b. Yohai caused the dead man to rise and walk, and the Kuthaean died.

206. Shimeon b. Yohai in Cave.

Sabbath, f. 33a.

J. Shebiit, IX, 1.

Zohar in Introd. Pesikta de R. K., X and LXX.

Midr. Psalms, Ps. 17. Gen. R. ch. 79 § 6. Eccles. R. X, 8 §1. Esther R. Ill § 7.

Yalk. § 133.

Yalk. Sip. I p. 114. Maase Buch No. 16. Helvicus, Historien, I, ch. 5, p. 58.

f. 141a. R. Shimeon b. Yohai and son hid in a cavern for 13 years fearing Roman persecution. One da}f •they saw a fowler catching birds, who was successful only after a voice from Heaven had pronounced the decree upon the birds. So they relied on Providence and left the cavern, knowing that unless their death had been decreed from Heaven, the Romans could not hurt them. They were fed in the cave by a Harub-tree and a water fountain which sprang up in the cave. Shimeon b. Yohai went to Tiberias and cleansed the place of dead bodies, which at his bidding rose from under the ground. Afterwards a Kuthaean buried in the street a corpse which R. Shimeon had cleansed, and then mocked at him. R. Shimeon b. Yohai caused the dead man to rise and walk, and the Kuthaean died.

207. The Emperor asked for a luminary among the sages to be sent. R. Meir was sent to the Emperor as being one who lit up the world with his wisdom. He was asked various questions about swine and why they are called “Hazirini". He explained that the name “hazir” means“ returning” i. e. profit to the owner but that the profit of them who keep aloof from any creeping and unclean thing was far greater.

207. R. Meir & Clean Animals.

Midr. Hagadol, Levit. Shemini.

Eccles. R. I, 1. § 9. Yalk. Sip. Ill, p. 35.