came Hillel again, as gentle as ever, blandly requesting to know what more he wanted.  “I have a question to ask,” said the man.  “Ask on, my son,” said Hillel.  “Well, why have the Africans such broad feet?” said he.  “Because they live in a marshy land,” said Hillel.  “I have many more questions to ask,” said the man, “but I am afraid that I shall only try thy patience and make thee angry.”  Hillel, drawing his mantle around him, sat down and bade the man ask all the questions he wished.  “Art thou Hillel,” said he, “whom they call a prince in Israel?” “Yes,” was the reply.  “Well,” said the other, “I pray there may not be many more in Israel like thee!” “Why,” said Hillel, “how is that?” “Because,” said the man, “I have betted four hundred zouzim that I could put thee out of temper, and I have lost them all through thee.”  “Be warned for the future,” said Hillel; “better it is that thou shouldst lose four hundred zouzim, and four hundred more after them, than it should be said of Hillel he lost his temper!”

Shabbath, fol. 31, col. 1.

Rabbi Perida had a pupil to whom he had to rehearse a lesson four hundred times before the latter comprehended it.  One day the Rabbi was hurriedly called away to perform some charitable act, but before he went he repeated the lesson in hand the usual four hundred times, but this time his pupil failed to learn it.  “What is the reason, my son,” said he to his dull pupil, “that this time my repetitions have been thrown away?” “Because, master,” naively replied the youth, “my mind was so pre-occupied with the summons you received to discharge another duty.”  “Well, then,” said the Rabbi to his pupil, “let us begin again.”  And he repeated the lesson a second four hundred times.

Eiruvin, fol. 54, col. 2.

Between Azel and Azel (1 Chron. viii. 38 and ix. 44), there are four hundred camel-loads of critical researches due to the presence of manifold contradictions.

Psachim. fol. 62, col. 2.

Egypt has an area of four hundred square miles.

Ibid., fol. 94, col. 1.

The Targum of the Pentateuch was executed by Onkelos the proselyte at the dictation of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, and the Targum of the prophets was executed by Jonathan ben Uzziel at the dictation of Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi (!), at which time the land of Israel was convulsed over an area of four hundred square miles.

Meggillah, fol. 3, col. 1.

Mar Ukva was in the habit of sending on the Day of Atonement four hundred zouzim to a poor neighbor of his.  Once he sent the money by his own son, who returned bringing it back with him, remarking, “There is no need to bestow charity upon a man who, as I myself have seen, is able to indulge himself in expensive old wine.”  “Well,” said his father, “since he is so dainty in his taste, he must have seen better days.  I will therefore double the amount for the future.”  And this accordingly he at once remitted to him.