One day R. Judah, sitting at the window, saw a young lad running quickly along the road. So he said to his students: "Run after that young man and hold him by his mantle until I call you." They ran after him and called him, but he would not listen. They overtook him and held him by his mantle and asked him why he was

running, what was his object, and why he did not answer when they called him? The young man replied: "What right have you to ask me why I am running?" They said: "Never mind, we want to know and we have a reason for asking." But the young man refused to tell them and was trying to run away. But the students would not let him go and kept him so long until they were about to get into a fight.

When the pious man saw it, he called to one of his young men and said: "Go and tell them to stop their fighting and bring the lad' here," which they did. When they came to the pious man, he said to the lad: "Why were you running so fast?

What necessity was there for you to run?" The boy began to cry and said: "Rabbi, I must confess my sin. I had the intention of committing a wrong, but I was prevented by your pupils. They kept me back this time, and now the evil hour has passed. Therefore my dear rabbi, impose a penance upon me fitting a thing of this sort, so that I may atone for my sins." The pious man imposed a penance, which he carried out most faithfully and became a very pious man. Then the students said: "Blessed be God who grants a portion of His wisdom to those who fear Him."