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( 152.) 151. A disciple who had left for business returneda rich man, whereupon R. Johanan b. Zakkai filled a vale( inMeron) with gold and said to his disciples," Whoever wishesmay now take from here some of the reward which is reservedfor him in the world to come."
( 153.) 152. R. Simeon b. Halafta, being very poor, prayedon the eve of Sabbath and obtained a precious stone fromthe other world; his wife insisting, he prayed again andit was taken back, for she feared lest his share in the worldto come might thereby be less than that of his companions.( 154.) 153. R. Akiba saw 13 rivers of balm as his rewardin the other world.
( 155.) 154. R. Johanan b. Elazar had a tree which wasoverhanging another man's field. A man came before himwith a similar case for judgment. He asked him to comeon the morrow; meanwhile he cut down his own tree andadvised the other man to do likewise.
( 156.) 155. David was asked by the Lord whether he wouldprefer to be delivered into the hand of the enemy or whetherhe would prever to be childless, as a punishment for varioussins which had happened through him, such as the destruc-tion of Nob, the death of Saul and his sons. He preferedto fall into the hands of the enemy. One day when hewas out hunting, Satan in the form of a hart drew himslowly away from his followers until he brought him tothe Philistines, and when Yishbi saw him he recognisedhim and said," Oh, this is David who killed my brotherGoliath." So he caught hold of him and put him underhis seat, sat upon him and said," After I have eaten anddrunk I will kill him." The earth gave way under David,otherwise he would have been crushed to death. Thathappened on a Friday. Abishai bar Şeruyah the cousin ofDavid noticed that the mule of David was restive, and thena dove came flying in his face and he said," Surely the Kingis in danger." According to another tradition the wine in hiscup turned into vinegar, whilst yet another tradition says heheld the crown of David[ probably of leaves] and it withered.