Ravina, who said, 'I used to
think that there was no truth in the world,' one of the Rabbis,
Toviah (or Tavyoomah, as some say), would protest and say, 'If
all the riches of the world were offered me, I would not tell a
falsehood.' And he used to clench his protestation with the
following apologue: 'I once went to a place called Kushta, where
the people never swerve from the truth, and where (as a reward
for their integrity) they do not die until old age; and there I
married and settled down, and had two sons born unto me. One day
as my wife was sitting and combing her hair, a woman who dwelt
close by came to the door and asked to see her. Thinking that it
was a breach of etiquette (that any one should see her at her
toilet), I said she was not in. Soon after this my two children
died, and the people came to inquire into the cause of their
premature decease. When I told them of my evasive reply to the
woman, they asked me to leave the town, lest by my misconduct I
might involve the whole community in a like calamity, and death
might be enticed to their place."

Food remains for three days in the stomach of the dog, because God knew
that his food would be scanty.

_Shabbath_, fol. 155, col. 1.

He who is born on the third day of the week will be rich and amorous.

Ibid., fol. 156, col. 1.

Rabbi Abba, in the name of Shemuel, says, "The schools of Shammai and
Hillel were at variance three years, the one party contending and
saying, 'The Halacha is according to us;' and the other, 'The Halacha is
according to us.' Then came a voice from the Lord and said, 'Both these
and those are the words of the living God, but yet the Halacha is
according to the school of Hillel.' What was the merit of the school of
Hillel that the Halacha should be pronounced to be according to it? Its
disciples were gentle and forbearing, for while they stood by their own
decisions, they also stated those maintained by the school of Shammai,
and often even mentioned the tenets of the school of Shammai first and
their own afterward. This teaches us that him who humbles himself, God
will exalt; and him who exalts himself, God will abase. Whoso pursueth
greatness, greatness will flee from him; and whoso fleeth from
greatness, greatness will pursue him."

_Eiruvin_, fol. 13, col. 2.

There are three entrances to hell:--One in the desert, one in the sea,
and one in Jerusalem.