f
servants shall he be unto his brethren.' To whom does the property of a
slave belong? To his master. Even though the land belonged to ye,
through your servitude it became Israel's."

"Answer him," said the ruler.

The accusers asked for three days' time to prepare their reply, but at
the end of the three days they had vanished.

Then came the Egyptians, saying, "'God gave the Israelites favor in the
eyes of the Egyptians, and they lent them gold and silver.' Now return
us the gold and silver which our ancestors lent ye."

Again Gebiah appeared for the sages of Israel.

"Four hundred and thirty years," said he, "did the children of Israel
dwell in Egypt. Come, now, pay us the wages of six hundred thousand men
who worked for ye for naught, and we will return the gold and silver."

Then came the children of Ishmael and Ketura, before Alexander of
Mukdon, saying, "The land of Canaan is ours, as it is written, 'These
are the generations of Ishmael, the son of Abraham;' even as it is
written, 'These are the generations of Isaac, the son of Abraham.' One
son is equal to the other; come, give us our share."

Again Gebiah appeared as counsel for the sages.

"From the Pentateuch, which is your proof, will I confound ye" said he.
"Is it not written 'Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac, but unto the
sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts?' The man
who gives his children their inheritance during his life does not design
to give it to them again after his death. To Isaac Abraham left all that
he had; to his other children he gave gifts, and sent them away."

PROVERBIAL SAYINGS AND TRADITIONS

Do not to others what you would not have others do to you.

The ass complains of the cold even in July (Tamuz.)

First learn and then teach.

Few are they who see their own faults.

A single light answers as well for a hundred men as for one.

Victuals prepared by many cooks will be neither hot nor cold.

Truth lasts forever, but falsehood must vanish.

This is the punishment of the liar, that when he tells the truth nobody
believes him.

Use thy best vase to-day, for to-morrow it may, perchance, be broken.

When Satan cannot come himself he sends wine as a messenger.

Woe to the children banished from their father's table.

A handful of food will not satisfy the lion, neither can a pit be filled
again with its own dust.

Pray to God for mercy until the last shovelful of earth is cast up