Once upon a time there lived a man called Dima son of Abbaye, who was on friendly terms

with the angel of death. One day the angel of death said to his messenger: "Go and bring me

a woman called Miriam, who is a women's hairdresser."

The messenger misunderstood him and brought another Miriam, who was a children's hairdresser.

Then the angel of death said to him: "I sent you to bring me the Miriam who dresses the hair of women and you brought me the Miriam who ,dresses the hair of children."

The messenger replied: "Return her to me and I will bring her back to life."

Said the angel of death to his servant: "How were you able to kill her, since the time for her death had not arrived?"

And the messenger replied: "I will tell you. When I came to her, I found her sitting in front of the fire with the poker in her hand ready to rake the fire. She put the poker into the fire, and it was burnt, and with that her luck was also burnt, and I took her life."

Then 'R. Dima asked: "But have you the power to do so?"

And the angel of death replied: "Yes, do we not read in the book of Ecclesiastes: 'Some die without judgment'? (Prov. 13.23). That is, men die before their time. But I do not put them among the dead until the time arrives which has been fixed for their death. I keep them with me until I can put them among the dead."

Therefore women must be careful not to burn their pokers, for they burn their luck with it.