to place before them. Meanwhile, as the guests were seated at the board,
the son of the host came into the room, and first one of the guests gave
him his share, and then the other two followed his example. Shortly
afterward the host himself came in, and seeing the child with his mouth
full and both hands, he knocked him down to the ground, so that he died
on the instant. The mother, seeing this, went and threw herself
headlong, from the housetop, and the father followed her example. Thus
Rabbi Eliezar ben Yacob said, "There perished in this affair three souls
of Israel."

Ibid., fol. 94, col. 1.

Once the Roman Government issued a decree that the Israelites should
neither observe the Sabbath nor circumcise their sons. Thereupon Reuben
the son of Istrubli trimmed his hair as a Gentile, and went among the
Roman senators and plied them with wise remonstrance. "If one," said he,
"has an enemy, does he wish him to be poor or rich?" "To be poor," was
the reply. "Then," he argued, "won't he be poorer if you prohibit him
from working on the Sabbath?" "It is well said," observed the senators;
and they at once abolished their decree respecting the Sabbath. Again he
asked, "If one has an enemy, does he wish him to be weak or strong?"
"Why, weak, to be sure," was the inevitable answer. "Then," said he,
"let the Jews circumcise their children, then will they be weakened."
"The argument is good," said they, and the decree against circumcision
was rescinded. Again he asked, "If one has an enemy, does he wish him to
increase or decrease?" "To decrease, of course," said they. In response
to his argument the decree against catamenia was accordingly abolished.
When, however, they found out that he was a Jew, they at once re-enacted
the decrees they had canceled. Upon this the question arose who should
go to Rome and appeal against these enactments. It was resolved that