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R. Akiba throws it into the pig- sty. The Emperor is verymuch annoyed, and R. Akiba shows that only the wisecan appreciate wisdom.

14. Adrianus asks R. Joshua why God's name is not men-tioned in the five last commandments, which appears to applyto all nations. Joshua takes him over the town and showshim his statue everywhere excepting in some privy placesand he asks him why his statue is not there also. The Em-peror says" Art thou a wise man among the Jews and askme why my statue is not to be found in these dirty places?"Then Joshua replies:" Why should the name of God beassociated with robbery, thievery and immorality?" TheRabbi explains to his pupils that the Law was offered firstto the various nations and they refused to accept it; for thechildren of Esau lived by the sword, the Ammonites arethe descendants of immorality and Ishmael lived by theftand therefore they would not accept the Law.

15. Turnus Rufus and Akiba dispute about the preeminenceof the Sabbath. Rufus holds high office, having been appoin-ted by the Emperor. Akiba says that the Sabbath has alsobeen appointed by the King of Kings. Rufus asks" Ifso why does God work on the Sabbath?" Akiba repliesthat within certain limits the Jews are permitted to carryburdens on the Sabbath, and the world being God's houseHe can also do it. The manna is a proof of the Sabbathand also the river Sanbatyon which runs for six days andstops on the Sabbath. Rufus says that he cannot be-lieve either, for those who eat the manna died long ago andthe river is not in his country. Akiba replies that thenecromancers will prove it, for they cannot raise the deadon the Sabbath. They try it and call up the father of Rufuson a Sunday, because he did not answer the call on theSabbath. The son asks whether he has become a Jew sincehis death. He replies that willing or unwilling he mustkeep it for on the Sabbath they are free from punishment.

16. A Matrona asked Rabbi Joshua what God has been doingsince Creation. The reply was:" He pairs people." The Ma-