Page:Hebrew tales; selected and translated from the writings of the ancient Hebrew sages (1917).djvu/87

 On Vows in Cases Previously Binding on the Conscience. A Reply of Rabbi Yudan

person came to Rabbi Yudan, and said, "Rabbi, absolve me from a vow I have made." "What is it, then, thou hast vowed?" "I have vowed," replied the man, "not to earn anything." "Not to earn anything!" exclaimed the Rabbi; "what person can be so foolish as to make such a vow!" "I only meant," rejoined the man, "not to earn anything by playing at dice." "And from this vow thou wouldst be absolved?" said the Rabbi. "Oh! I see thou wishest to gamble again!—No, no, of such a vow I cannot absolve thee."

Yerushalmi Nedarim, V, 5.

Poverty no Proof of Divine Disfavor.—A Conversation between Turnus Rufus and Rabbi Akiba

once put the following question to Rabbi Akiba:—"If it be true, as I often heard you declare, that your God is the friend of the poor, then why does he not maintain them; or, in other words, why does he suffer them to languish in poverty?"—"The reason,", replied Akiba, "is, that we may have the merit of relieving them, and thereby be saved from the