Page:Hebrew tales; selected and translated from the writings of the ancient Hebrew sages (1917).djvu/51

Rh preserve will yield fruit in abundance. They preserved, indeed, gold and silver; but I have preserved lives. What they amassed was for others; what I amass is for my own use:—in short, they treasured up things useful for this world—my treasures will be useful in the next world."

Table Talk of the Sages of Israel

the son of Gamaliel was married, Rabbi Eliezer, Joshua, and Zadoc were invited to the marriage feast. Gamaliel, though one of the most distinguished men among the Israelites, waited himself on his guests; and, pouring out a cup of wine, handed it to Eliezer, who politely refused it. Gamaliel then handed it to Joshua. The latter accepted it. "How is this, friend Joshua?" said Eliezer, "shall we sit, and permit so great a man to wait on us?" "Why not?" replied Joshua; "a man even greater than he did so long before him. Was not our father, Abraham, a very great man?—yet, even he waited upon his guests, as it is written—And he (Abraham) stood by them whilst they were eating. Perhaps you may think he did so, because he knew them to be angels;—no such thing. He supposed them to be