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119. The history of the man in Laodicaea who grewimmensely rich, because he left everything best for theSabbath. He treated R. Hiya to a meal served on silverand gold trays.

120. The Story of Antoninus and R.[ Jehuda ha- Nassi] whopreferred the cold meals of the Sabbath. The Rabbi ex-plained to Antoninus that the superiority of Sabbath mealsover those of the week- day was due to the blessing whichrests upon that day.

121 a. A man left money with Bar Temalian, who after-wards denied having received it. When asked to take an oath,he put the money in a stick which he gave to the ownerto keep for him, whilst he swore that he had returned themoney. The stick dropped out of the hand of the man whowas holding it and the money fell out.

121 b. A dinar belonging to a woman fell into her friend'sdough without her noticing it. Asked whether she had foundit she swore by the life of her husband and two children thatshe did not have it and in consequence they died. When thebread was broken at the meal of mourning the money fell out.

122. A woman unknowingly baked in a loaf the dinarentrusted to her and gave it to a poor man. She sworethat she had made no use of it, saying that if she had doneso let one of her children die of poison. This happened.

123. A man entrusted his money to another who appearedextremely pious and who afterwards denied having re-ceived it. Elijah appeared and told the first man to go tothe wife of the other and give her as a proof, the fact thatshe and her husband had eaten leavened bread on Pesahand swine on Kippur. Thus he recovered his money. Thehusband and wife, who were proselytes, returned to their oldheathen practices.

124. A man who pursued an ascetic life, was accused by hissister- in- law of having stolen her jewelery; He declined totake an oath to prove his innocence. R. Johanan b. Zakkaiprayed to God and it was revealed to him that a bird hadstolen and hidden it in its nest in the garden.