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of death. He went to the R. Shaffan b. Laish and was savedfrom death through that first pious action of his and livedfor 200 years longer.

138. R. Joshua b. Levi met the angel of death, who broughthim to the wall of the Garden of Eden. R. Joshuatook the angel's sword and jumped into the garden. Hereturned the sword at the command of God, and sent amessage to R. Gamliel. He measured Eden and gave ashort description.

139. Story of the son of R. Reuben the Libellarius to whomthe angel of death appeared in the form of an old man atthe wedding festivities. He was treated with great respect onthe advice of the Prophet Elijah, since his father had turnedupon another old man and had sent him down from hisseat at the table. When the angel appeared in a terribleform, first his father and then his mother offered themselvesinstead of the son, but being frightened, they ran away.Only his bride was not frightened and interceded on hisbehalf. Death had compassion and then she appealed toGod who granted her request.

( 140.) 139a. Eliḥaraf and Abiyah, the two secretariesof Solomon, ran away, being frightened at the curiousway in which the angel of death had looked at them in themorning, when they came to King Solomon. They were metby him at their last resting place in the evening. He hadlooked curiously because he had been ordered by God totake their souls in the very spot where he found them now,whilst in the morning he had seen them in Jerusalem.

( 141.) 140. The two sons of R. Reuben b. Astribulos wentto the South from Tiberias, being frightened by the angel ofdeath. They were met by him on their arrival there, wherehe had been told he would find them.

( 142.) 141. R. Meir saw Elisha b. Abuya riding on horse-back on the Sabbath. At the birth of Elisha the scholarshad been present in his father's house and had been discus-sing the Law. Fire from heaven had surrounded the house,which had so impressed the father that he had devoted his