t is as if one were to
compliment a king because of his silver, who is master of a thousand
thousands of gold denarii. Wouldst thou think that becoming?"

_Berachoth_, fol. 33, col. 2.

Rabbi Yossi ben Kisma relates, "I once met a man in my travels and we
saluted one another. In reply to a question of his I said, 'I am from a
great city of sages and scribes.' Upon this he offered me a thousand
thousand golden denarii, and precious stones and pearls, if I would
agree to go and dwell in his native place. But I replied, saying, 'If
thou wert to give me all the gold and silver, all the precious stones
and pearls in the world, I would not reside anywhere else than in the
place where the law is studied.'"

_Avoth_, chap. 6.

Thousands on thousands in Israel were named after Aaron; for had it not
been for Aaron these thousands of thousands would not have been born.
Aaron went about making peace between quarreling couples, and those who
were born after the reconciliation were regularly named after him.

_Avoth d'Rab. Nathan_, chap. 12.

It is related by the Rabbis that Rabbon Yochanan ben Zacchai was once
riding out of Jerusalem accompanied by his disciples, when he saw a
young woman picking barley out of the dung on the road. On his asking
her name, she told him that she was the daughter of Nikodemon ben
Gorion. "What has become of thy father's riches?" said he, "and what has
become of thy dowry?" "Dost thou not remember," said she, "that charity
is the salt of riches?" (Her father had not been noted for this virtue.)
"Dost thou not remember signing my marriage contract?" said the woman.
"Yes," said the Rabbi, "I well remember it. It stipulated for a million
gold denarii from thy father, besides the allowance from thy husband,"
etc.

_Kethuboth_, fol. 66, col. 2.

Abba Benjamin says, "If our eye were permitted to see the malignant
sprites that beset us, we could not rest on account of them." Abaii has
said, "They out-number us, they surround us as the earthed-up soil on
our garden-beds." Rav Hunna says, "Every one has a thousand at his left
side and ten thousand at his right" (Ps. xci. 7). Rava adds, "The
crowding at the schools is caused by their pushing in; they cause the
weariness which the Rabbis experience in their knees, and even tear
their clothes by hustling against them. If one would discover traces of
their presence, let him sift some ashes upon the floor at his bedside,
and next morning he will see, as it