On the twenty-eigth day of Adar there came good news to the Jews. The Roman Government had passed a decree ordaining that they should neither study the law, nor circumcise their children, nor observe the Sabbath-days. Yehudah ben Shamua and his associates went to consult a certain matron, whom all the magnates of Rome were in the habit of visiting. She advised them to come at night and raise a loud outcry against the decree they complained of.
They did so, and cried, " O heavens! are we not your brethren? are we not the children of one mother?w (Alluding to Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.) " Wherein are we worse than all other nations and tongues, that you should oppress us with such harsh decrees? Thereupon the decrees were revoked; to commemorate which the Jews established a festival.