Rabbi Jochonan and the Poor Woman.

One day Rabbi Jochonan was riding outside the city of Jerusalem, followed by his disciples, when he observed a poor woman laboriously gathering the grain that dropped from the mouths of the horses of the Arabs as they were feeding.  Looking up and recognising Jochonan, she cried:  “O Rabbi, assist me!” “Who art thou?” demanded Jochonan.  “I am the daughter of Nakdimon, the son of Guryon.”  “Why, what has become of thy father’s money—­the dowry thou receivedst on thy wedding day?” “Ah, Rabbi, is there not a saying in Jerusalem, ’the salt was wanting to the money?’” “But thy husband’s money?” “That followed the other:  I have lost them both.”  The good Rabbi wept for the poor woman and helped her.  Then said he to his disciples, as they continued on their way:  “I remember that when I signed that woman’s marriage contract her father gave her as a dowry one million of gold dinars, and her husband was a man of considerable wealth besides.”

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The ill-fated riches of Nakdimon are referred to in another tale, as a lesson to those who are not charitable according to their means: 

A Safe Investment.

Rabbi Taraphon, though a very wealthy man, was exceedingly avaricious, and seldom gave help to the poor.  Once, however, he involuntarily bestowed a considerable sum in relieving the distressed.  Rabbi Akiba came to him one day, and told him that he knew of certain real estate, which would be a very profitable investment.  Rabbi Taraphon handed him 4000 dinars in gold to be so invested, and Rabbi Akiba forthwith distributed the whole among the poor.  By-and-by, Rabbi Taraphon, happening to meet his friend, desired to know where the real estate was in which his money had been invested.  Rabbi Akiba took him to the college, where he caused one of the boys to read aloud the 112th Psalm, and on his reaching the 9th verse, “He distributeth, he giveth to the needy, his righteousness endureth for ever”—­“There,” said he, “thou seest where thy money is invested.”  “And why hast thou done this?” demanded Rabbi Taraphon.  “Hast thou forgotten,” answered his friend, “how Nakdimon, the son of Guryon, was punished because he gave not according to his means?” “But why didst thou not tell me of thy purpose?  I could myself have bestowed my money on the poor.”  “Nay,” rejoined Rabbi Akiba, “it is a greater virtue to cause another to give than to give one’s self.”

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Resignation to the divine will under sore family bereavements has, perhaps, never been more beautifully illustrated than by the incident related of the Rabbi Meir.  This little tale, as follows, is one of three Talmudic narratives which the poet Coleridge has translated:[82]

The Jewels.