The son of Hananya joined a band of robbers and betrayed them to one of the great men of Rome. They found it out and killed him. In the funeral oration his father delivered, he tried no comfort but recognised that the death of his son had been deserved. When R. Hananya was informed
of the news that he had been condemned to death by fire for studying the Law he quoted the verse Deut. 32. 4. The wife then asked what punishment was decreed for her and they answered “Death by the swrord.” To the daughter they said that she was to work on the Sabbath. For each of these they found appropriate verses in the Bible in acknowledgement of God's righteous judgment. When R. Hananya was brought out to be burned his daughter cried because he was condemned to be burned and he said, “Is it not better that I should be burned in a fire that can be blown out than in the Eternal Fire ?” And she said, “I cry also for the Law which is burned with thee.” And he replied, “The Law is fire and fire never consumes fire; the parchment may burn but the words will float on the air. He who will arise in the days to come will visit my blood upon the heads of these men und punish them for the persecution of the Law.’’