Alexander the Great tied two eagles together with meat
in front of them, so they fly upwards with him until his
eyelids dropped from the cold. He then descends in a glass
box to the depths of the sea, but hearing a voice saying:
“The iron of the axe has been falling seven years already
and lias not yet touched the bottom,” he gives it up and
ascends.
5a. Alexander goes to the kingdom of Kasia, then to Karta-
gena ruled by women. He is told that if he conquers it will
be a shame to him and that if he is conquered the greater
shame to him. He then goes to Afriki, is presented with
food made of gold as he had only come for gold. He is present
at a trial. A man finds a treasure in a field bought from
another man, he wishes to return it to the former owner
53 -
of the land, who refuses to accept it as he says that he sold
the field with everything in it. The local king decides that
the treasure shall be given as a dowry to the daughter of
the one who is to marry the son of the other. Alexander
is surprised for in his country the king would have confiscated the treasure and killed the owners. The local king
then tells him that the sun shining and the rain falling over
the country of Alexander is for the sake of the animals
and not for that of the human beings.
6, In the time of Alexander the Ishmaelites claimed Palestine from the Israelites. Gaboha son of Pesisa asked
permission from the Elders to plead the cause of the Jews.
"If defeated you can say, that they had defeated the least
among us, and if I win you say it is our Law that has won."
He proved to them from the Law that Abraham had given
gifts to the concubines and sent them away, thus the
Ishmaelites had no claim.
6a. The people of Afriki claimed Canaan from the Israelites
before Alexander. Gaboha, son of Pesisa pleaded their cause
and he proved that Canaan having been declared a slave
(Gen. 9, 25) the people belong to the master. He claimed
on the contrary the amount of labour due which they
had not rendered to the Israelites for so many years before
the Israelites entered the land. They gave no reply after
grace of three days and then left the country.
7, The Emperor (of Rome) said to Rabbi Joshua, the son
of Hananya, "Why is your God described as as a lion, for any
knight can kill a lion?" He replied: "He is likened to the
lion of Debelai." He wanted to see this lion. At a distance
of 300 miles it roared and all the women in Rome miscarried; at a distance of 200 miles the lion roared and the teeth
of the men dropped out. The Emperor fell from the throne
and the Rabbi prayed and the lion returned to its place.
8, The Emperor told Rabbi Joshua that he wished to offer a
feast to God. The reply was, that he would not be able even
to satisfy God’s army. He prepared for six months and the
wind carried it away, then for another six months and the
- 54 “
rain swamped it. These were the vanguards and so he gave
it up.
5. Alexander the Great tied two eagles together with meat
in front of them, so they fly upwards with him until his
eyelids dropped from the cold. He then descends in a glass
box to the depths of the sea, but hearing a voice saying:
“The iron of the axe has been falling seven years already
and lias not yet touched the bottom,” he gives it up and
ascends.
5a. Alexander goes to the kingdom of Kasia, then to Karta-
gena ruled by women. He is told that if he conquers it will
be a shame to him and that if he is conquered the greater
shame to him. He then goes to Afriki, is presented with
food made of gold as he had only come for gold. He is present
at a trial. A man finds a treasure in a field bought from
another man, he wishes to return it to the former owner
53 -
of the land, who refuses to accept it as he says that he sold
the field with everything in it. The local king decides that
the treasure shall be given as a dowry to the daughter of
the one who is to marry the son of the other. Alexander
is surprised for in his country the king would have confiscated the treasure and killed the owners. The local king
then tells him that the sun shining and the rain falling over
the country of Alexander is for the sake of the animals
and not for that of the human beings.
6, In the time of Alexander the Ishmaelites claimed Palestine from the Israelites. Gaboha son of Pesisa asked
permission from the Elders to plead the cause of the Jews.
"If defeated you can say, that they had defeated the least
among us, and if I win you say it is our Law that has won."
He proved to them from the Law that Abraham had given
gifts to the concubines and sent them away, thus the
Ishmaelites had no claim.
6a. The people of Afriki claimed Canaan from the Israelites
before Alexander. Gaboha, son of Pesisa pleaded their cause
and he proved that Canaan having been declared a slave
(Gen. 9, 25) the people belong to the master. He claimed
on the contrary the amount of labour due which they
had not rendered to the Israelites for so many years before
the Israelites entered the land. They gave no reply after
grace of three days and then left the country.
7, The Emperor (of Rome) said to Rabbi Joshua, the son
of Hananya, "Why is your God described as as a lion, for any
knight can kill a lion?" He replied: "He is likened to the
lion of Debelai." He wanted to see this lion. At a distance
of 300 miles it roared and all the women in Rome miscarried; at a distance of 200 miles the lion roared and the teeth
of the men dropped out. The Emperor fell from the throne
and the Rabbi prayed and the lion returned to its place.
8, The Emperor told Rabbi Joshua that he wished to offer a
feast to God. The reply was, that he would not be able even
to satisfy God’s army. He prepared for six months and the
wind carried it away, then for another six months and the
- 54 “
rain swamped it. These were the vanguards and so he gave
it up.
