The two children of R. Jose son of Kimha were carried away as captives from Jerusalem by a cruel lord.

Their father came to them and said: "Dear children, take heart, I will ransom you, but you must not do any wrong."

R. Jose went to the wicked master and said to him: "Sir, let me ransom my children. I will give you 100 florins."

The lord replied: "No, I will not do it."

R. Jose went away and, lifting up his eyes to heaven, wept bitterly. Thereupon the angel Michael came down from heaven and plagued the master cruelly.

When his. counselors saw the pain he was suffering, they said to him: "Lord, have you angered the pious man?"

He replied: "Yes."

Then the counselors said: "That is why you are afflicted with pain. For he is a very holy man and Almighty God has listened to his complaint and is plaguing you sorely."

So the master sent for R. Jose. As soon as R. Jose came before him, he had respite from his pain.

Then the man said to R. Jose: "Give me the 100 florins and take your children home."

But R. Jose said: "I have spent twenty florins and have only eighty left. Take these and give me my children."

The man became very angry and said to his servants: "Tell him to leave me at once, or I will make him a prisoner like his two children."

So R. Jose went out.

But no sooner had R. Jose left, than the pains recommenced. So he said to his counselors: "Tell R. Jose to come in again."

And as soon as R. Jose came in, the pain again left him.

The man then said to R. Jose: "Give me the eighty florins and take your children."

But R. Jose replied: "I can only give you sixty."

For he saw that the man was in great pain and was relieved only when he was there. Therefore R. Jose only desired to cause him more pain.

The man then said: "Give me the sixty florins and take the children."

Whereupon R. Jose said: "I will give you forty florins."

Finally the man said: "Take your children without any money, for I see that unless I satisfy you I shall not have peace."

Then R. Jose took an oath by God, saying: "I will not go away from here until you have repaid me the full amount for the time my children have been kept prisoners by you and have been unable to earn their living."

They figured out what the children would have earned and R. Jose demanded to be paid that amount, if the man desired to have relief from pain.

The man was therefore obliged to pay him eighty florins as compensation, and allowed him to take his children home in peace.