Ibid., fol. 50, col. 1.
Rabbi the Holy, when dying, lifted up his ten fingers toward heaven and said:—"Lord of the Universe, it is open and well-known unto Thee that with these ten fingers I have labored without ceasing in the law, and never sought after any worldly profit with even so much as my little finger; may it therefore please Thee that there may be peace in my rest!" A voice from heaven immediately responded (Isa. lvii. 2), "He shall enter peace: they shall rest in their beds."
Ibid., fol. 104, col. 2.
Ten measures of wisdom came down to the world; the land of Israel received nine and the rest of the world but one only. Ten measures of beauty came down to the world; Jerusalem monopolized nine and the rest of the world had only one. Ten measures of riches came down to the world; Rome laid hold of nine and left the rest of the world but one for a portion. Ten measures of poverty came down to the world; nine fell to the lot of Babylon and one to the rest of the world. Ten measures of pride came down to the world; Elam appropriated nine and to the rest of the world but one remained over. Ten measures of bravery came to the world; Persia took nine, leaving but one for the rest of the world. Ten measures of vermin came to the world; nine fell to the Medes and one to the rest of the world. Ten measures of sorcery came down to the world; Egypt received nine and one was shared by the rest of the world. Ten measures of plagues came into the world; nine measures were alloted to the swine and the rest of the world had the other. Ten measures of fornication came into the world; nine of these belong to the Arabs and to the rest of the world the other. Ten measures of impudence found its way into the world; Mishan appropriated nine, leaving one to the rest of the world. Ten measures of talk came into the world; women claimed nine, leaving the tenth to the rest of the world. Ten measures of early rising came into the world; they of Ethiopia received nine and the rest of the world one only. Ten measures of sleep came to the world; the servants took nine of them, leaving one measure to the rest of the world.
Kiddushin, fol. 49, col. 2.
Ten different sorts of people went up from Babylon:—(1.) Priests, (2.) Levites, (3.) Israelites, (4.) Disqualified Cohanim, (5.) Freedmen, (6.) Illegitimate, (7.) Nethinim, (8.) Unaffiliated ones, and (10.) Foundlings.
Ibid., fol. 63, col. 1.
Ten characteristics mark the phlebotomist:—He walks sideling along; he is proud; he stoops awhile before seating himself; he has an envious and evil eye; he is a gourmand, but he defecates little at a time; he is suspected of incontinence, robbery, and murder.
Ibid., fol. 82, col. 1.
Rabbi Chanena ben Agil asked Rabbi Cheya ben Abba, "Why does the word, 'signifying that it may be well with thee' not occur in the first copy of the ten commandments (Exod. xx.) as it does in the second?" (Deut. v.) He replied, "Before thou askest me such a question, first tell me whether the word occurs in Deuteronomy or not? for I don't know if it does." The required answer was given by another Rabbi, "The omission of the word in the first publication of the ten commandments is due to the foresight of what was to befall the first tables, for if the word good had been in the tables, and broken withal, then goodness would have ceased to bless the sons of Israel."