great number of birds hovering in the air, and concluded that the shadow of their wings shielded the body of the departed. There, accordingly, they found and buried him; and after mourning three days and three nights over his grave, they arose to depart, when another scroll descended threatening them with excommunication if they did so. They therefore continued mourning for seven days and seven nights, when, at the end of these, a third scroll descended and bade them go home in peace.
On the day of the death of this Rabbi there arose, it is said, such a mighty tempest in the air that an Arab merchant and the camel on which he was riding were blown bodily over from one side of the river Pappa to the other. What meaneth such a storm as this? cried the merchant, as he lay on the ground. A voice from heaven answered, " Ravah bar Nachmaini is dead. Then he prayed and fled, " Lord of the universe, the whole world is Thine, and Ravah bar Nachmaini is Thine!
Thou art Ravah 's and Ravah is Thine; but wherefore wilt Thou destroy the world? On this the storm immediately abated, and there was a perfect calm.