in four cubits of a place where prayer is
offered; never have I called a person by a wicked name; nor have I ever
failed to sanctify the Sabbath over a cup of wine. Once my aged mother
sold her head-dress to buy the consecration wine for me."

Ibid., fol. 27, col. 2.

When a sage is approaching, one should rise up before he gets within
four ells' distance, and remain standing until he has gone as far past.
When a chief magistrate is about to pass, one must rise as soon as he
comes in sight, and not resume the seat until he has passed four ells.
When a prince passes, one must stand up whenever he appears, and not sit
down again until the prince himself is seated; for it is said (Exod.
xxxiii, 8), "All the people rose up, ... and looked after Moses until he
was gone into the tabernacle."

_Kiddushin_, fol. 33, col. 2.

When Nero came to the Holy Land, he tried his fortune by belemnomancy
thus:--He shot an arrow eastward, and it fell upon Jerusalem; he
discharged his shafts towards the four points of the compass, and every
time they fell upon Jerusalem. After this he met a Jewish boy, and said
unto him, "Repeat to me the text thou hast learned to-day." The boy
repeated, "I will lay my vengeance upon Edom (i.e., Rome) by the hand of
my people Israel" (Ezek. xxv. 14). Then said Nero, "The Holy
One--blessed be He!--has determined to destroy His Temple and then
avenge Himself on the agent by whom its ruin is wrought." Thereupon Nero
fled and became a Jewish proselyte, and Rabbi Meir is of his race.

_Gittin_, fol. 56, col. 1.

They whose banquet is accompanied with four kinds of instruments of
music bring five calamities on the world; as it is said (Isa. v. 11-15),
"Woe unto those that get up early in the morning, that they may run
after strong drink; and continue until late at night, till flushed with
wine. And the harp and psaltery, tambourine and flute, and wine are at
their carousals."

_Soteh_, fol. 48, col. 1.

Let him carry the purse, and halt every time he accomplishes less than
four cubits forward.

_Shabbath_, fol. 153, cols, 1, 2.

Rav Yitzchak here explains how the good Jew, belated on
Sabbath-eve, may carry his purse himself, and so save his
conscience. The traveler is to halt at about every other step,
and so measure off the journey in four-cubit stages.

Though ever since the destruction of the Temple the Sanhedrin has ceased
to exist, the four kinds of capital punishment have not f