d. Hurrying home, however, to learn his mistress's wishes in
regard to this, he discovered on his return that this too had been sold,
and he could obtain nothing save some coarse barley meal. Not wishing to
purchase this without orders he returned home again, but when he
returned to the storehouse to secure the barley meal, that was gone
also. Then his mistress started out herself to purchase food, but she
could find nothing. Suffering from the pangs of hunger she picked from
the street the skin of a fig and ate it; this sickened her and she died.
But previous to her death she cast all her gold and silver into the
street, saying, "What use is this wealth to me when I can obtain no food
for it?" Thus were the words of Ezekiel fulfilled:--

"Their silver shall they cast into the streets."

After the destruction of the storehouses, Rabbi Jochanan in walking
through the city saw the populace boiling straw in water and drinking of
the same for sustenance. "Ah, woe is me for this calamity!" he
exclaimed; "how can such a people strive against a mighty host?" He
applied to Ben Batiach, his nephew, one of the chiefs of the city, for
permission to leave Jerusalem. But Ben Batiach replied, "It may not be;
no living body may leave the city." "Take me out then as a corpse,"
entreated Jochanan. Ben Batiach assented to this, and Jochanan was
placed in a coffin and carried through the gates of the city; Rabbi
Eleazer, Rabbi Joshua, and Ben Batiach acting as pall-bearers. The
coffin was placed in a cave, and after they had all returned to their
homes Jochanan arose from the coffin and made his way to the enemy's
camp. He obtained from the commander permission to establish an academy
in Jabna with Rabbon Gamliel as the principal.

Titus soon captured the city, killed many of the people, and sent the
others into exile. He entered the Temple, even in the Most Holy, and cut
down the veil which separated it from the less sacred precincts. He
seized the holy vessels, and sent them to Rome.

From this history of Kamtzah and Bar Kamtzah we should learn to be
careful of offending our neighbors, when in so slight a cause such great
results may originate. Our Rabbis have said that he who causes his
neighbor to blush through an insult, should be compared to the one who
sheds blood.

* * * * *

During the terrible times which followed the fall of the Holy City,
Hannah and her seven sons were cast into prison.