In Ascalon there lived a heathen called Dama son of Netina. One day the Israelites were in

need of a precious stone for the ephod, which was worth 60,000 florins (or as some say, 80,000),

and they had to go to Dama, who was a man of great wealth and had such a stone in his possession.

When they came to him, they asked him whether he had such a stone.

He replied: "Yes, but the key of my shop is under my father's pillow. He is asleep now and I must not wake him, for we are bound to honor father and mother."

So the Israelites were obliged to go away. And although he could have made a large profit, yet he wished to honor his father and would not wake him.

"Even though," he said, "my profit had been ever so much more. For I knew that I should not get so much for it in the future. Nevertheless the honor of my father is worth much more to me. And though I know that you must have it now and if I do not sell it to you this time you will get another, still I will not commit the sin of waking my father."

Accordingly the Israelites went away and bought a stone elsewhere, and he suffered a loss of many thousand florins.

The following year the Lord gave him compensation in the shape of a red heifer, which used to be offered as a sacrifice in the temple. The Israelites had to have one, and they went to him again and wanted to buy it, for a red heifer that is red all over is very rare.

Dama said: "I know full well that if I should ask all the money in the possession of the Israelites you would have to pay it to me, but I will not demand it. I will ask for it only the amount that you offered to pay me last year for the precious stone. Not wishing to wake my father, I lost 80,000 florins. This same amount I now request for the heifer which was born in my herd."

The Israelites were, therefore, forced to pay him that price.

When the rabbis heard this, they said: "If the Lord rewards so bountifully him who performs a

pious deed, although he was not commanded to do it, how much greater is the reward to him who fulfills a commandment which is enjoined upon him, for R. Hanina says: 'The reward of a pious deed is greater when a man is commanded to do it than when he is not, as was the case with Dama son of Netina'."

Therefore, dear people, honor your father and mother, and God will recompense you and lengthen your life.