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had been seen in the latter's lifetime and he had been unableto avert the impending calamity. Many other incidents con-nected with R. Shimeon ben Yoḥai's self- consciousness arementioned; also how he once said to a valley," Be full ofgold" and the valley filled.

206. f. 141 a. R. Shimeon b. Yohai and son hid in acavern for 13 years fearing Roman persecution. One daythey saw a fowler catching birds, who was successful onlyafter a voice from Heaven had pronounced the decree uponthe birds. So they relied on Providence and left the cavern,knowing that unless their death had been decreed fromHeaven, the Romans could not hurt them. They were fedin the cave by a Harub- tree and a water fountain whichsprang up in the cave. Shimeon b. Yoḥai went to Tiberiasand cleansed the place of dead bodies, which at his biddingrose from under the ground. Afterwards a Kuthaean buriedin the street a corpse which R. Shimeon had cleansed, andthen mocked at him. R. Shimeon b. Yohai caused the deadman to rise and walk, and the Kuthaean died.207. The Emperor asked for a luminary among the sagesto be sent. R. Meir was sent to the Emperor as being onewho litup the world with his wisdom. He was asked variousquestions about swine and why they are called" Hazirim".He explained that the name" hazir" means" returning" i. e.profit to the owner but that the profit of them who keepaloof from any creeping and unclean thing was far greater.

208. R. Eliezer and R. Joshua, driven by a storm into theocean, filled a cask with the waters thereof saying thatthey must have been driven there for a good reason.Asked in Rome by Adrianos about the ocean they provedthat its waters ware ever swallowing water, because howevermuch was poured into that cask it never overflowed.

209. A governor of Rome was induced by the Prophet Elijahto store away great treasures. All these will in the futurebe discovered and used by the Messiah.

210. A man threw stones from his field into the high roadand was rebuked by a pious man, who said that he should

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