A certain noble lady, Miriam, the daughter of Baythus, sent her servant to purchase some flour for household use.  The servant found that all the flour had been sold, but there was still some meal which he might have purchased.  Hurrying home, however, to learn his mistress’s wishes in regard to this, he discovered on his return that this too had been sold, and he could obtain nothing save some coarse barley meal.  Not wishing to purchase this without orders he returned home again, but when he returned to the storehouse to secure the barley meal, that was gone also.  Then his mistress started out herself to purchase food, but she could find nothing.  Suffering from the pangs of hunger she picked from the street the skin of a fig and ate it; this sickened her and she died.  But previous to her death she cast all her gold and silver into the street, saying, “What use is this wealth to me when I can obtain no food for it?” Thus were the words of Ezekiel fulfilled:—­

“Their silver shall they cast into the streets.”

After the destruction of the storehouses, Rabbi Jochanan in walking through the city saw the populace boiling straw in water and drinking of the same for sustenance.  “Ah, woe is me for this calamity!” he exclaimed; “how can such a people strive against a mighty host?” He applied to Ben Batiach, his nephew, one of the chiefs of the city, for permission to leave Jerusalem.  But Ben Batiach replied, “It may not be; no living body may leave the city.”  “Take me out then as a corpse,” entreated Jochanan.  Ben Batiach assented to this, and Jochanan was placed in a coffin and carried through the gates of the city; Rabbi Eleazer, Rabbi Joshua, and Ben Batiach acting as pall-bearers.  The coffin was placed in a cave, and after they had all returned to their homes Jochanan arose from the coffin and made his way to the enemy’s camp.  He obtained from the commander permission to establish an academy in Jabna with Rabbon Gamliel as the principal.

Titus soon captured the city, killed many of the people, and sent the others into exile.  He entered the Temple, even in the Most Holy, and cut down the veil which separated it from the less sacred precincts.  He seized the holy vessels, and sent them to Rome.

From this history of Kamtzah and Bar Kamtzah we should learn to be careful of offending our neighbors, when in so slight a cause such great results may originate.  Our Rabbis have said that he who causes his neighbor to blush through an insult, should be compared to the one who sheds blood.

* * * * *

During the terrible times which followed the fall of the Holy City, Hannah and her seven sons were cast into prison.

According to their ages they were brought before the tyrant conqueror, and commanded to pay homage to him and his gods.

“God forbid,” exclaimed the eldest lad, “that I should bow to thy image.  Our commandments say to us, ‘I am the Lord thy God;’ to no other will I bow.”