"What news do you bring from Jerusalem? What is the condition of the Jews there? How do they live?"
"In misery. They ask our aid to help them emigrate to foreign lands. They await the signal of regeneration from us. We ought to listen to their appeal."
"You wish, then, to direct the world?"
"I have not that pretension. Akiba, however, was only a shepherd before he became a sage. I might, perhaps, follow his example."
"It is the contrary with which you are threatened, if you do not change your conduct," cried Simon. "From a sage you will become a shepherd."
His guardian laughed good-naturedly, and said:--
"Simon predicts the future well. Instead of reforming humanity, apply yourself to business, and leave God, in his wisdom, to direct the world according to his own plans."
"Can we not become the instruments of God? Ought we not to try and accomplish his designs? I have no wish to amass wealth. I am sufficiently rich."
"If your whim is to be a second Akiba," replied Simon, "I doubt if you will succeed. From the ashes of Akiba have sprung up Börne and Heine. The precepts of Heine in a book are fine; in flesh and blood, inconvenient."
"I do not like Heine," said Jacob.