When Israel went up to Jerusalem for one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Exodus 34:23-24), a season came in which the wells ran dry. There was no water for the pilgrims to drink. Nicodemon ben Gorion, one of the wealthiest men of the city, went to a pagan neighbor and struck a bargain. He rented twelve enormous reservoirs of water, promising to return them full by a fixed day — or forfeit twelve talents of silver.
The day came. The sky was cloudless. There had been no rain all season. The creditor arrived at Nicodemon’s door grinning, certain of his silver, and went off to the bathhouse to celebrate early.
Nicodemon, heartbroken, went instead to the Temple. He wrapped himself in his tallit and prayed: “Master of the Universe, you know I did not enter this obligation for my own sake. It was for Your glory, that Your pilgrims might drink.”
As he prayed, the sky darkened. Rain poured down until the twelve reservoirs overflowed. Nicodemon emerged and met his creditor in the street. “Pay me,” he said, “for the water I have given you, which is worth more now than your silver.” The creditor replied, “The sun has already set; the rain came too late.” Nicodemon turned back to the Temple and prayed once more, and the clouds parted, and the sun shone again over Jerusalem just long enough for the bargain to be settled.
The storytellers note that his name was Buni — but he was called Nicodemon because, for his sake, the sun pierced through (nokeid) the clouds.