R. Judah said: Whomever has not seen the double stoa of the [synagogue in] Alexandria has never in his life seen the glory of Israel. It is a kind of large basilica, a stoa within a stoa, holding, at times, twice the number of those who left Egypt. And seventy-one thrones of gold were there for seventy-one elders, each of them worth twenty-five talents and a wooden platform was in the middle. And a chazzan of the synagouge stood on it with kerchiefs in his hand. When one took hold [of the Torah] to read, he would wave the kerchiefs and they would answer, 'amen'. And they would not sit randomly, but goldsmiths would sit by themselves, silversmiths by themselves, weavers by themselves, Tarsian weavers by themselves, and blacksmiths by themselves. And why to such an extent? So that if a visitor comes he can make contact with his trade and thus he will be able to make a living.

Rebbi Zevadiah the son-in-law of Rebbi Levi, reported the following happening. Rebbi Meir used to preach in the synagogue of Hamataevery Friday evening. There was a woman who used to hear him. Once he extended his sermon. She went and wanted to come to her house but found the light had gone out. Her husband asked her, where have you been? She said to him, to hear the preacher's voice. He said to her, so and so, that this woman will not enter here into her house unless she went and spat into the preacher's face. Rebbi Meir saw this in the holy spiritand faked pain in his eyes. He said, any woman who knows charms for the eye should come and do the charm. Her neighbors said to her, this answers your needs. Go to your house, represent yourself as a sorceress and spit in his eye. She came to him; he asked her, do you know to make a charm for the eye? In her fear of him, she said no. He said to her, if you spit into it seven times, he will feel better. After she had spat, he said to her: Go, and tell your husband, you said to me once, but she spat seven times! His students said to him, so does one denigrate the Torah? If you had ordered about him, would we not have brought him, whipped him on the footstool, and make him agree to make up with his wife? He said to them, the honor of Meir should not be greater than that of his Maker. Since the verse says that the Holy Name, written in holiness, should be erased by the water in order to make peace between husband and wife, the honor of Meir not so much more?

Rebbi Yohanan said: A covenant is sealed that he who labors at his studies in the synagogue will not quickly forget.

(9) One who says: "The good shall bless you," this is Minut. "Because of the nest of birds let your mercies extend," or, "For thy goodness be thy name remembered," or "Modim," "Modim," silence him. On who allegorizes (?) the Arayot, silence him. One who says (Lev. 18:21), Umizaracho lo titen laehavir lamolech mean "You shalt not give your seed to impregnate an Aramean," silence him strongly!

"Anyone who brings a meal offering to God." "Praise him, O God-Fearers; honor him, all seed of Jacob" (Ps 22:24). "God-Fearers" R. Joshua b. Levi says, these are the Fearers of Heaven. R. Ishmael b. Nachman says, these are true converts.