hus: "If thou wilt indeed deliver the
children of Amon into my hand, then shall it be that whatsoever cometh
forth out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace
from the children of Amon, shall belong to the Lord, and I will offer it
up for a burnt-offering."

Supposing an ass, or a dog, or a cat, had first met him upon his return,
would he have sacrificed it for a burnt-offering? God did not prosper
this risk, and the Bible says, "And Jephtah came to Mizpah unto his
house, and behold his daughter came out to meet him."

Said Rabbi Simon ben Jochai, "The requests of three persons were granted
before they had finished their prayers--Eleazer, Moses, and Solomon.

"In regard to Eleazer we learn, 'And before he had yet finished speaking
that, behold Rebecca came out.'

"In regard to Moses, we find, 'And it came to pass when he had made an
end of speaking all these words, that the ground that was under them was
cloven asunder, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them.'"
(Korach and his company.)

"In regard to Solomon, we find, 'And just when Solomon had made an end
of praying, a fire came down,'" etc.

* * * * *

Rabbi Jochanan said in the name of Rabbi Joseh, "To those who delight in
the Sabbath shall God give inheritance without end. As it is written,
'Then shalt thou find delight in the Lord,' etc. 'And I will cause thee
to enjoy the inheritance of Jacob, thy father.' Not as it was promised
to Abraham, 'Arise and walk through the land to its length and breadth.'
Not as it was promised to Isaac, 'I will give thee all that this land
contains'; but as it was promised to Jacob, 'And thou shalt spread
abroad, to the West, and to the East, to the North, and to the South.'"

Rabbi Jehudah said that if the Israelites had strictly observed the
first Sabbath, after the command to sanctify the seventh day had been
given, they would have been spared captivity; as it is written, "And it
came to pass on the seventh day, that there went out some of the people
to gather (the Mannah), but they found nothing." And in the next chapter
we find, "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim."

* * * * *

One Joseph, a Jew, who honored the Sabbath, had a very rich neighbor,
who was a firm believer in astrology. He was told by one of the
professional astrologers that his wealth would become Joseph's. He
therefore sold his estate, and boug