The scholars of Rabbi Simon ben Jochai once asked him:—­

“Why did not the Lord give to Israel enough manna to suffice them for a year, at one time, instead of meting it out daily?”

The Rabbi replied:—­

“I will answer ye with a parable.  There was once a king who had a son to whom he gave a certain yearly allowance, paying the entire sum for his year’s support on one appointed day.  It soon happened that this day on which the allowance was due, was the only day in the year when the father saw his son.  So the king changed his plan, and gave his son each day his maintenance for that day only, and then the son visited his father with the return of each day’s sun.

“So was it with Israel; each father of a family, dependent upon the manna provided each day by God’s bounty, for his support and the support of his family, naturally had his mind devoted to the Great Giver and Sustainer of life.”

When Rabbi Eleazer was sick his scholars visited him, and said, “Rabbi, teach us the way of life, that we may inherit eternity.”

The Rabbi answered, “Give honor to your comrades.  Know to whom you pray.  Restrain your children from frivolous conversation, and place them among the learned men, in order that they may acquire wisdom.  So may you merit life in the future world.”

When Rabbi Jochanan was sick his scholars also called upon him.  When he beheld them he burst into tears.

“Rabbi!” they exclaimed, “Light of Israel!  The chief pillar!  Why weep?”

The Rabbi answered, “Were I to be brought before a king of flesh and blood, who is here to-day and to-morrow in the grave; who may be angry with me, but not forever; who may imprison me, but not forever; who may kill me, but only for this world; whom I may sometimes bribe; even then I would fear.  But now, I am to appear before the King of kings, the Most Holy One, blessed be He, who lives through all eternity.  If He is wroth, it is forever.  If He imprisons me, it is forever; if He slays me, it is for the future world; and I can bribe Him neither with words nor money.  Not only this, two paths are before me, one leading to punishment, the other to reward, and I know not which one I must travel.  Should I not weep?”

The scholars of Rabbi Johanan, the son of Zakai, asked of their teacher this question:—­

“Wherefore is it, that according to the law, the punishment of a highwayman is not as severe as the punishment of a sneak thief?  According to the Mosaic law, if a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he is required to restore five oxen for the one ox, and four sheep for the one sheep; but for the highwayman we find, ’When he hath sinned and is conscious of his guilt, he shall restore that he hath taken violently away; he shall restore it and its principal, and the fifth part thereof he shall add thereto.’  Therefore, he who commits a highway robbery pays as punishment one-fifth of the same, while a sneak thief is obliged to return five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one sheep.  Wherefore is this?”