Exempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924) Reader

R. Joshua b. Hananya entered the house of a matron in Rome, locked the door behind him, was closeted with her, bathed &c., and yet was not suspected of committing any sin. He afterwards explained his strange actions. They were occasioned by secrets of state, and the bathing was due to contact with impurity.

82. A pious disciple died in his youth. Aba Eliahu explained it to his lamenting widow, to be due to neglect of a strict observance of the law of “Niddah" although apparently he had fulfilled the commandment.

82. Death of Youth Justified.

Sabbath, f. 13.

Midr. Hagadol, Levit. Ah are Mot.

Abot de R. Nathan I, ch. 2, p. 8.

Yalk. Levit. Ahare Mot. Yalk. Sip. Ill, p. 65. Cod. G. 184, No. 113.

83. Two boys passed in front of the Elders. The one covered and the other uncovered his head. Rabbi Akiba said, that the boy who uncovered his head was a bastard, and inquiring of the mother found that his statement was correct.

84. Story of the man who tried Hillel ’s patience by asking him irrelevant questions, in the hope of angering him and thereby vanning a wager of 400 zuzim. The first question was: “Why are not the heads of the Babylonians round?" and the answer was: “Because they have no clever midwives." The second question, put after an hours delay, was: “Why are the eyes of the inhabitants of Tadmor small?" The answer was: “Because they live in caves." At the end of another hour the third question was put. “Why are the feet of the inhabitants of Afriki flat?" and the repty was: “Because they live in swamps." Hillel did not lose patience after all.

84. Hillel & Irrelevant Questions.

Sabbath, f. 31a.

Abot de R. Nathan, II, ch. 26, p. 51.

Nissim, f. 18 b.

Farhi, O. P. Ill, f. 63b. Maase Buch No. 12. Helvicus, Historien, II, ch. 11, p. 41.

Ben Gorion II, p. 29, 335. Cod. G. 942, f. 3a.

85. Story of Nakdiman b. Gorian and the twelve wells which were filled by raindrops at the close of the last day of the loan of them, the sun reappearing and thus prolonging the day, to the discomfiture of the Hegemon the owner. Nakdiman had promised to restore them filled with water on that day. Hence his name Nakdiman, for the sun reappeared after it had “set."

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85. Nakdimon b. Gorian & the Rain.

Taanit, f. 19b— 20a. Abot de R. Nathan I, ch. 6, p. 32.

Nissim, f. 19 b.

Yalk. § 809.

Kohut, al-Dhamari, App. I, No. 4, p. IV. Yalk. Sip. II, p. 67. Maase Buch No. 96. Perles, Sagenkunde, p. 96.

1001 Nights, ed. Weil, IV,

p. 86.

Told in Persian rhymes, Cod. E. Adler, XVIII cent.

Codd. G. 97 ( Jerahmeel) f. 760; 274 (Ladino) f. 42 b; 942, f. 22 a.

Story of Nakdiman b. Gorian and the twelve wells which were filled by raindrops at the close of the last day of the loan of them, the sun reappearing and thus prolonging the day, to the discomfiture of the Hegemon the owner. Nakdiman had promised to restore them filled with water on that day. Hence his name Nakdiman, for the sun reappeared after it had “set."

86. Description of the richness in oil of the province of Asher in Palestine. The inhabitants wash in oil and Pole- matos buys from one of them alone a quantity worth no less than 18,000 zuzim.

87. R. Johanan b. Zakai was asked by R. Eleazar b. Arach permission to expound some of the mysteries of the creation (Ma’ase Merkaba). R. Johanan dismounted from his ass, as angels might be present, and sat on a stone under an olive tree. Then Eleazar began to expound them and fire descended from heaven and the trees broke forth into song.

R. Johanan kissed R. Eleazar on the head and said “Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, who gave to Abraham our father, a son like unto thee/’ R. Joshua and R. Jose, the priest, when they heard of it, tried to do the same. It happened to be the 17th day of Tammuz and the heavens became clouded and the ministering angels gathered there, like people who come to a wedding feast. This was told by the two rabbis named to R. Johanan and he said, “Blessed are ye and blessed are mine eyes which have seen in a dream you and me sitting on Mount Sinai and have heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Ascend, ascend! large palaces are ready for you, large couches are ready for you and your pupils’."

87. Mysteries of Creation Expounded.

Hagiga, f. 14a.

J. Hagiga, II, I. Tosefta Hagiga, ch. 2. Eccles. R. VII, 7 § 2. Luzzatto, Kaftor, f.84a. Yalk. Sip. V, p. 30. Cod. G. 84, No. 9, f. 402 a.

R. Johanan b. Zakai was asked by R. Eleazar b. Arach permission to expound some of the mysteries of the creation (Ma’ase Merkaba). R. Johanan dismounted from his ass, as angels might be present, and sat on a stone under an olive tree. Then Eleazar began to expound them and fire descended from heaven and the trees broke forth into song. R. Johanan kissed R. Eleazar on the head and said “Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, who gave to Abraham our father, a son like unto thee/’ R. Joshua and R. Jose, the priest, when they heard of it, tried to do the same.

It happened to be the 17th day of Tammuz and the heavens became clouded and the ministering angels gathered there, like people who come to a wedding feast. This was told by the two rabbis named to R. Johanan and he said, “Blessed are ye and blessed are mine eyes which have seen in a dream you and me sitting on Mount Sinai and have heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Ascend, ascend! large palaces are ready for you, large couches are ready for you and your pupils’."

88. Story of the dispute between R. Shimeon b. Gamliel, R. Meir and R. Nathan. Gamliel was a prince and wanted to make a distinction between himself and the other two scholars when they appeared in the college, the people being accustomed to stand up before all three. The two others determined to expose him to the ridicule of the students, by asking him questions which he would not be able to answer. Warned in time, however, by a friend, he prepared himself and was able to defeat their ends, and they were removed from the college. After a time the other scolars insisted on their being received back again. This was done on the condition that their names should not appear in any ritual decision in which they were the principal authorities.

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89. The story of the weasel and the well. Once a young girl, beautifully dressed, lost herself in the desert on her way home. Getting very thirsty and seeing a well with a rope and a bucket attached, she descended.

When she had slaked her thirst she could not ascend, so she cried aloud. A man passing by, heard her cry and after assuring himself that she was not a demon he drew her out. Then he fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. She asked him who he was and he answered that he was a priest.

Then she told him that she was of a noble family and that if he wished to marry her they must pledge their troth to each other and go and ask her hand of her parents. They pledged their troth and she said “Who will be witnesses’?” At this moment a weasel passed and she said, “The heavens, the weasel and the well shall be our witnesses”. Then they parted.

She kept her troth and when her parents wanted to marry her to another man she behaved like one possessed of a demon, till the suitors ceased to ask for her hand. She kept her covenant with the man, but he forgot her and married another woman, by whom he had a boy. When the child was three months old the weasel came and strangled him and when another child was born it fell into a well and was drowned.

So his wife said to him: “The peculiar deaths of these children point to some extraordinary reason, what is it?” Then he told her the whole story and she said to him: “Go and take the part which has been given to thee by God!” So he went into the town and asked after the girl, and they told him that she was possessed of a demon, and he said “I will take her none the less.” When he saw her she behaved as usual.

Then he mentioned to her the weasel and the well and she recognised him at once, married him and they lived happily ever after.

89. Weasel & Well.

Taanit, f. 8.

Rashi ad loc.

Tosafot ad loc.

Midr. Hagadol, Gen.

Lekh Lekha.

Nathan, Arukh, s. v.hld. Gedalyah, Shalshelet, f. 17.

Luzzatto, Kaftor, f. 99 a. Farhi, O. P. I, f. 27b. Eisenstein, Oser, P. 162. Maase Buch. No. 101. Tendlau, Sagen 3, No. 30. Griinbaum, Jiid. Dtsch. Chrest. p. 404.

203 —

Ben Gorion I, p. 127,

368.

Gonzenbach, Sicil. Mar.

No. 46, note.

Kohler, Kl. Schriften I, p. 581.

Cod. Bod. 608, n; 3875, 5-

Cod. Monac. 242, 8. Codd. G. 28, f. 597; 184, Nos. 19 and 241; 185, No. 39; 274 (Ladino) f. 24b.

90. R. Akiba when asked how great was the value of the Law, said “Each word is worth thousands of gold and silver coins.” Citing Ps. CXIX, 72.

90. Value of the Law.

Midr. Hagadol, Gen.

Lekh Lekha.

Cod. Br. M. 2380, Midr. Hahees, f. 40 a.

R. Akiba when asked how great was the value of the Law, said “Each word is worth thousands of gold and silver coins.” Citing Ps. CXIX, 72.

91. The judgment of poor, rich, and young after death when they neglect study. The poor man who pleads want of

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means is compared to Hillel who was wont to work all day for a very small amount, half of which he used to pay to the porter at the college in order to obtain access to the study. Once when he had failed to earn anything he went on the roof and lay down by the window and listened to the discourse below. The people, noticing the darkness, looked up and saw him there all covered with snow and finding out the reason, they assisted him to obtain work. The rich who pleads being too busy with his affairs is compared to R. Eleazar b. Harsum, who was a very rich man, yet so immersed in study that his own slaves hardly knew him by sight. Once when he went to ransom some captives, his servants caught him and put him to work saying, “By the life of our master Eleazar b. Harsum, you shall work the whole night." When he heard that they were his own slaves he told them who he was and they released him. The young man who goes after the pleasures of the world is compared to Joseph, whom the wife of Potiphar tried to entice and who was yet able to resist, serving the Lord. Thus there is no excuse for any of them.

91. Judgment after Death. Yoma, f. 35 b.

Abot de R. Nathan,

ch. 16.

Nissim, f. 17 b.

Kohut, al-Dhamari, App. I, No. 10, p. XI. Farhi, O. P. Ill, f. 63. Adhan, Bineot Deshe, f. 17 b.

Yalk. Sip. I, p. 128. Maase Buch. No. 64. Cod. G. 242, f. 83 a.

The judgment of poor, rich, and young after death when they neglect study. The poor man who pleads want of

means is compared to Hillel who was wont to work all day for a very small amount, half of which he used to pay to the porter at the college in order to obtain access to the study. Once when he had failed to earn anything he went on the roof and lay down by the window and listened to the discourse below. The people, noticing the darkness, looked up and saw him there all covered with snow and finding out the reason, they assisted him to obtain work. The rich who pleads being too busy with his affairs is compared to R. Eleazar b. Harsum, who was a very rich man, yet so immersed in study that his own slaves hardly knew him by sight. Once when he went to ransom some captives, his servants caught him and put him to work saying, "By the life of our master Eleazar b. Harsum, you shall work the whole night." When he heard that they were his own slaves he told them who he was and they released him. The young man who goes after the pleasures of the world is compared to Joseph, whom the wife of Potiphar tried to entice and who was yet able to resist, serving the Lord. Thus there is no excuse for any of them.

92. Eleazar son of R. Simeon b. Johai was endowed with immense strength. One day while eating a big meal he was insulted by some donkey drivers, so he lifted their donkeys up in his hand and put them in the loft and when they begged his pardon he promptly took them down two at a time.

92. Eleazar b. Shimeon & Donkey Drivers.

Pesikta, f. 90^91 a. Song R. V, 14 § 3. Lonzano, Maarikh. p. 12 to 13.

Eleazar son of R. Simeon b. Johai was endowed with immense strength. One day while eating a big meal he was insulted by some donkey drivers, so he lifted their donkeys up in his hand and put them in the loft and when they begged his pardon he promptly took them down two at a time.

93. R. Eleazar b. Shimeon once went to R. Josef b. Laqania and ate and drank such a lot that he greatly astonished his host.

93. Eleazar b. Shimeon a

mighty Eater.

Pesahim, f. 86b.

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Baba Mesia, III, f. 83. cf. J. Maaserot, III, 4. Pesikta, ch. 10, f. 9ia-b. Midr. Hagadol, Numb. Pinehas.

Nathan, Arukh, s. v. Asuta.

Yalk. Sip. II, p. 170.

R. Eleazar b. Shimeon once went to R. Josef b. Laqania and ate and drank such a lot that he greatly astonished his host.

94. R. Eleazar b. Shimeon was a very strongly built man and used to carry people across the river upon his shoulders. Once the Prophet Elijah came to him in the form of an old man and said to him, “Get me a beast of burden" and Eleazar asked him “What hast thou to carry?" And the Prophet showed him his mantle and his water bottle. Then Eleazar said to him, “Why, I can carry thee almost to the end of the world; wherefore dost thou want a beast of burden?" So he took Elijah upon his shoulders and carried

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him over hills and valleys, across countries and through thorns and briars. At last he said, “Old man, just get a little lighter! Otherwise I will throw you off." Elijah asked him if he wanted to breathe a little and Eleazar said “Yes.” So they went into a field and they sat under a tree and he gave him to eat and to drink. Then Elijah said to him, “Thou hast this strength and beauty and yet thou dost not work for thy Father, — God.” And he answered, “Is there anyone who can teach me?” And Elijah replied, “Yes.” Some say that he studied for 13 years until he was able to read the law and that he was then scarcely able to carry the weight of his mantle. The like is told of a man who belonged to R. Gamliel who used to carry 40 loaves on his back to the baker, but who after he was taught and instructed could not carry even one.

94. Eleazar b. Shimeon carrying Elijah across the River.

cf. Baba Mesia III.

J. Maaserot III. Pesikta, ch. 10. f. 92 b to 93a.

Yalk. Sip. II, p. 170. cf. Voragine, Legenda Aurea, ch. 100.

Bugge Berge, Ny Sam- ling No. 16, p. 69.

R. Eleazar b. Shimeon was a very strongly built man and used to carry people across the river upon his shoulders. Once the Prophet Elijah came to him in the form of an old man and said to him, “Get me a beast of burden" and Eleazar asked him “What hast thou to carry?" And the Prophet showed him his mantle and his water bottle. Then Eleazar said to him, “Why, I can carry thee almost to the end of the world; wherefore dost thou want a beast of burden?" So he took Elijah upon his shoulders and carried

him over hills and valleys, across countries and through thorns and briars. At last he said, “Old man, just get a little lighter! Otherwise I will throw you off." Elijah asked him if he wanted to breathe a little and Eleazar said “Yes.” So they went into a field and they sat under a tree and he gave him to eat and to drink. Then Elijah said to him, “Thou hast this strength and beauty and yet thou dost not work for thy Father, — God.” And he answered, “Is there anyone who can teach me?” And Elijah replied, “Yes.” Some say that he studied for 13 years until he was able to read the law and that he was then scarcely able to carry the weight of his mantle. The like is told of a man who belonged to R. Gamliel who used to carry 40 loaves on his back to the baker, but who after he was taught and instructed could not carry even one.

95. R. Eleazar b. Shimeon, who was appointed an official of the government, was accustomed to catch thieves in a very clever way when he found them drinking very heavily in the drinking booths. The men who looked tired had either passed the night in study or they had been in mischief, and so he caught all the latter. He was rebuked by R. Joshua b. Quorha., who cried out at him, “Vinegar son of wine, why do thou deliver up thy people?” And he replied, “I am only weeding the vineyard.” R. Joshua said, “Let the Master of the vineyard look after the thorns that grow in it Himself.” Once Eleazar caught a man who spoke to him with levity. He arrested him but afterwards reproached himself for delivering up what migh thave been an innocent man. At the execution, however, the man confessed that he had committed a heinous crime. — Eleazar was exceedingly stout and a very giant. He was once rebuked by the Prophet Elijah who said to him, “Thy father fled to Asia and thou shalt flee to Laodicaea.” [After the narration of this there follows in the text a long description of his enormous strength and of the patience with which he used to suffer pains which came and went.] After his death he was hidden by his wife in the loft. He had promised her

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that his body should remain uncorrupted and litigants used to appear before his house to invoke his decisions and a voice used to come out of the loft deciding the cases. The sages, being so advised in a dream, went to fetch the body away in order to inter it, but the people of the place would not allow them to take it, because as long as the body was there no wild beasts came near. They obtained possession of the body, however, by a ruse, and brought it to the place where his father was buried. A snake was found around it, so they said “Snake, let the son come to the father!” And the snake uncoiled itself and let the people lay son and father beside each other. After his death R. Jehudah wanted to marry Eleazar 's widow, but she refused, saying that her husband had been superior to him both in scholarship and actions, ever bearing suffering and pain without a murmur. Eleazar, for love of God, invited pain, but R. Jehuda suffered them as punishment, because once a calf, led to slaughter, sought refuge in his bosom, and he had refused to shelter it, saying, “For this wert thou created,” and because he had not, on one occasion, prevented his servant from turning a litter of kittens out of the house. The son of R. Eleazar, named Joseph was taken by his mother's brother R. Shimeon b. Jose b. Laqonia who educated him and made him a great scholar.

95. Eleazar b. Shimeon’ s Strength, Death and Miracles.

Baba Mesia, f.83b— 85 a. Baba Batra, f. 21. Pesikta, f. 91b— 92 a and 94b.

Eccles. R. XI, 2 § 1. Nissim, f. 9 a.

Aboab, Men. Ham. ch. 54.

Yalk. Sip. II, p. 171. Maase Buch No. 233.

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Helvicus, Historien I, ch. 43, p. 212.

Zunz, Geiger Zeitschrift, III, 40.

R. Eleazar b. Shimeon, who was appointed an official of the government, was accustomed to catch thieves in a very clever way when he found them drinking very heavily in the drinking booths. The men who looked tired had either passed the night in study or they had been in mischief, and so he caught all the latter. He was rebuked by R. Joshua b. Quorha., who cried out at him, “Vinegar son of wine, why do thou deliver up thy people?” And he replied, “I am only weeding the vineyard.” R. Joshua said, “Let the Master of the vineyard look after the thorns that grow in it Himself.” Once Eleazar caught a man who spoke to him with levity. He arrested him but afterwards reproached himself for delivering up what migh thave been an innocent man. At the execution, however, the man confessed that he had committed a heinous crime. — Eleazar was exceedingly stout and a very giant. He was once rebuked by the Prophet Elijah who said to him, “Thy father fled to Asia and thou shalt flee to Laodicaea.” [After the narration of this there follows in the text a long description of his enormous strength and of the patience with which he used to suffer pains which came and went.] After his death he was hidden by his wife in the loft. He had promised her

that his body should remain uncorrupted and litigants used to appear before his house to invoke his decisions and a voice used to come out of the loft deciding the cases. The sages, being so advised in a dream, went to fetch the body away in order to inter it, but the people of the place would not allow them to take it, because as long as the body was there no wild beasts came near. They obtained possession of the body, however, by a ruse, and brought it to the place where his father was buried. A snake was found around it, so they said “Snake, let the son come to the father!” And the snake uncoiled itself and let the people lay son and father beside each other. After his death R. Jehudah wanted to marry Eleazar 's widow, but she refused, saying that her husband had been superior to him both in scholarship and actions, ever bearing suffering and pain without a murmur. Eleazar, for love of God, invited pain, but R. Jehuda suffered them as punishment, because once a calf, led to slaughter, sought refuge in his bosom, and he had refused to shelter it, saying, “For this wert thou created,” and because he had not, on one occasion, prevented his servant from turning a litter of kittens out of the house. The son of R. Eleazar, named Joseph was taken by his mother's brother R. Shimeon b. Jose b. Laqonia who educated him and made him a great scholar.

96. Rabbi Jehudah educated the daughter of R. Tarfon. — R. Joseph fasted twice four times to preserve the love of study in his family. — R. Ze'ira fasted for R. El'aa to save him from Gehinam &c. He sat in a fiery furnace unhurt except that he was once singed.

Rabbi Jehudah educated the daughter of R. Tarfon. — R. Joseph fasted twice four times to preserve the love of study in his family. — R. Ze'ira fasted for R. El'aa to save him from Gehinam &c. He sat in a fiery furnace unhurt except that he was once singed.

97. R. Akiba started to love study through performing the religious duty of burying a corpse found in a field.

R. Akiba started to love study through performing the religious duty of burying a corpse found in a field.

98. A man was condemned by R. Akiba to pay a fine for having publicly dishevelled the hair of a woman. Advised by another man, he went and broke a jar of oil at her door. She came out and wiped it up with her hair. By this trick he thought to get out of the fine. But R. Akiba ruled: “voluntary and forced are different.”;8 -

98. Akiba s Decision.

Baba Kama, f. 90 b in

Mishna.

Abot de R. Nathan, ch. 3. Tobia, Lekah Tob Exod.

21, 22, p. 151.

Yalk. Sip. V, p. 99.