Commentary for Bava Kamma 77:1

נתן צמר לצבע והקדיחה היורה נותן לו דמי צמרו צבעו כאור אם השבח יתר על ההוצאה נותן לו את היציאה ואם היציאה יתרה על השבח נותן לו את השבח לצבוע לו אדום וצבעו שחור שחור וצבעו אדום ר"מ אומר נותן לו דמי צמרו רבי יהודה אומר אם השבח יתר על היציאה נותן לו את היציאה ואם היציאה יתירה על השבח נותן לו את השבח:

...Two students of Rabbi Haninah were going out to chop wood. A certain astrologer saw them and said, “These two will go out and not return.” When they went out, an elderly man said to them, “Do good for me, for I have had three days without tasting a thing.” They had one loaf with them; they cut half and gave it to him. He ate and prayed for them. He said to them, “May your souls be sustained this day as you have sustained my soul this day.” They went out in peace and returned in peace. There were people among them who heard [the astrologer’s] announcement. They said to him, “Did you not say, ‘These two will go out and not return?’” They said, “In that case, he is a liar because his astrology is false.” Even so, they went out and searched and found a snake — half [of the snake] in this bundle [of wood], and half in that bundle. They said [to the students], “What was the quality of your activities on that day?” They told them the story. [The astrologer] said, “And what could I do, when the God of the Jews is appeased by half a loaf?” [...]

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