2. A merchant whilst travelling, is asked by an
innkeeper to be allowed to go with him. Near a town they
meet a blind man. The merchant gives him something; the
other refuses saying he does not know him. The angel of
death meets them, spares the merchant fifty years longer
because of charity, and allows the other to live because
he wishes to recount the adventure for the glory of God.
If a man be saved by giving once, how much more will he
be saved by making a habit of it ?
*) From shorter recension B. ed. Jellinek. vide p. 7, § 19.
388.3- Rabbi Gamliel, R. Eliezer, Rabbi Joshua travelling
were hospitably received by a man. At the table he first
carried every dish into an adjoining room. They asked
him what it meant and whether he bewitched the food.
He replied that in the adjoining room lived his father who
had taken an oath never to leave it before he had seen some of
the Jewish sages. Told that they were the sages, the father
explained that the son had been married for twelve years
but had been bewitched and therefore had no child. He
begged the sages to save him. Rabbi Joshua asked for
some black seed; he sowed it there, it grew up at once;
he pulled out the stalks and a woman came up. He got
hold of her by her locks and asked her to break the spell.
She replied that she had sunk it into the depths of the sea.
No one present saw the witch but they heard the conversation. Rabbi Joshua conjured up the demon of the sea
who cast up the spell. A year afterwards a child was born
and this was Judah ben Batira.
387. 2. A merchant whilst travelling, is asked by an
innkeeper to be allowed to go with him. Near a town they
meet a blind man. The merchant gives him something; the
other refuses saying he does not know him. The angel of
death meets them, spares the merchant fifty years longer
because of charity, and allows the other to live because
he wishes to recount the adventure for the glory of God.
If a man be saved by giving once, how much more will he
be saved by making a habit of it ?
*) From shorter recension B. ed. Jellinek. vide p. 7, § 19.
388.3- Rabbi Gamliel, R. Eliezer, Rabbi Joshua travelling
were hospitably received by a man. At the table he first
carried every dish into an adjoining room. They asked
him what it meant and whether he bewitched the food.
He replied that in the adjoining room lived his father who
had taken an oath never to leave it before he had seen some of
the Jewish sages. Told that they were the sages, the father
explained that the son had been married for twelve years
but had been bewitched and therefore had no child. He
begged the sages to save him. Rabbi Joshua asked for
some black seed; he sowed it there, it grew up at once;
he pulled out the stalks and a woman came up. He got
hold of her by her locks and asked her to break the spell.
She replied that she had sunk it into the depths of the sea.
No one present saw the witch but they heard the conversation. Rabbi Joshua conjured up the demon of the sea
who cast up the spell. A year afterwards a child was born
and this was Judah ben Batira.
